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We sat down, and Shelly removed her jacket and leaned back, letting out a sigh of comfort as she grabbed my hand. I looked over at her…and met Tenleigh’s eyes sitting right next to Shelly. I jolted and couldn’t help the smile that immediately took over my face. “Tenleigh, hey,” I said, leaning forward, and there was almost a feeling of relief that moved through my chest as if I’d been waiting to see her for far too long. Had I?

Tenleigh looked slightly stricken but didn’t say anything as her eyes moved from mine down to my lap, where Shelly’s and my hands were linked. I let go quickly, as if I’d been caught doing something wrong, and Shelly frowned. Then she looked next to her at Tenleigh and back to me, her frown growing. She grabbed my hand again just as the lights dimmed. I sat back, feeling uncomfortable, jittery, and telling myself I shouldn’t. Tenleigh and I didn’t have anything more than a friendship…if even that. And neither did Shelly and I, as a matter of fact. Although I’d certainly been more intimate with Shelly. So why did I feel as if I’d done something wrong to Tenleigh? Why did I suddenly feel guilty and distracted by her presence right next to us? Why did I suddenly feel the need to explain this to her?

The show started and I didn’t hear a word of it. I tried to see Tenleigh in my peripheral vision, but she had leaned all the way back and Shelly was now blocking her. I glanced at her quickly when a kid started crying in the aisle down from us and saw that she was staring straight ahead, rigid.

Suddenly, Shelly took her jacket from behind her and spread it on her lap as if she were cold, moving it so it covered half of me as well. I felt her hand moving over my crotch and jumped slightly. She ran her palm over my dick and then squeezed it through my jeans, still looking straight ahead, a small smile on her lips. I reached under the jacket and removed her hand from my body and put it on top of her coat. I felt her questioning gaze on me but didn’t look her way.

I sat through the first half of the play tense and uncomfortable, trying my best to get into the performance, but to no avail. I was painfully aware of Tenleigh, as if she were some sort of magnet, not allowing me to feel anything other than the pull of her mere presence.

Relief swept through me when the lights came on and flashed for intermission. In the few seconds it took me to stand, Tenleigh had already turned and headed out the other side of the row we were in, moving with the crowd toward the lobby.

I followed the people in front of me out the other side of the aisle, Shelly right behind me, and looked around in every direction, peering over the heads of those in front of me when we flowed out into the lobby.

Shelly was saying something behind me, but I wasn’t paying attention.

The smell of coffee and sweets filled the open space and Shelly pulled me over to a line at a table. “Are you hungry?” she asked.

Always. But not for food right now. For…something. For someone.

“Yeah, sure.” I walked with Shelly to one of the tables laden with food and stood in line, continuing to look around.

All of a sudden, the outside door opened and a woman stood there, hair blanketed in snow, wearing only a wet evening gown, and what looked like a dingy-looking pageant sash. I blinked and focused in on her. Oh shit. It was Tenleigh’s mama. And she looked like a crazy, drowned rat. The dress clung tightly to her body, clearly showing her puckered, pink nipples and a dark triangle of pubic hair. Oh no.

She was shivering violently, but at the sight of the crowd, she seemed to instantly warm as a bright smile took over her face and she pulled her shoulders back, gliding forward into the lobby where everyone was now growing silent as they all stared, confused expressions on their faces, some younger kids snickering.

I looked around desperately for Tenleigh, a need to protect her from what I sensed was coming, gripping me, making me feel desperate, hot, itchy.

“Eddie,” Tenleigh’s mama singsonged, moving more quickly toward someone standing at the back of the lobby. “Eddie, darling. I’m sorry I’m late.” My head swiveled and my eyes first fastened on Tenleigh, standing frozen, a look of horrified shock on her face, and then followed her gaze to Edward Kearney.

Shit. Fuck.

He was staring at Tenleigh’s mama as she came toward him, his eyes wide, his expression one of pure and open horror. His wife, standing next to him said quietly, “Oh my God,” as she gathered a girl who looked to be about ten years old to her. Her tone was full of disgust.