Page 38 of July (New Orleans #7)

“T hat good, huh?” Wallis asked.

“Yes,” she replied. “My God, Wally. It was amazing.”

Her sister took a drink of her iced tea and said, “Details, please? I need details.”

“You really want details?”

“Not all the details, no,” her sister replied, shaking her head. “Just maybe some general ones. What was so good about it?”

Willa decided to put her fork back down on the plate because if she was going to talk about sex with Jill, she didn’t want to have to pause to chew.

“I overheard her talking about how I deserve better than her, and that’s just so wrong because I’m not sure that there is better than her for me. I just…”

“You’re really into this girl, huh?”

“Yes,” she admitted, laughing a little. “Anyway, I told her as much, and it was fast at first, but then it turned into slow. Perfect both ways. And this morning, she woke me up by–”

“Stop. Do I want the specifics here?”

“Touching me.” Willa shrugged a shoulder. “General enough for you?”

“Go on,” Wallis replied.

“So, you’re straight and might not be aware of this, but with two women, there’s some extra compatibility things.”

“Extra?”

“Tops. Bottoms.”

“Oh, that. Yeah, I get that.”

“It isn’t usually a problem, I don’t think, but it can be if you want to give all the time and your partner also wants that or vice versa.”

“Tell me, little sister, what are you, exactly? We’ve never really talked about this part. I’m curious.” Wallis leaned forward and clasped her hand on the table, looking extra interested all of a sudden.

“I am neither. Well, both, technically. I tend to go with my partner.”

“Meaning?”

“If they need something, I tend to… provide that. And it works most of the time, but sometimes, I want something else, something more.”

“And did you get that with Jill?”

Willa nodded and said, “Jill likes all the things I like so far, and I discovered she likes something I didn’t know that I would like as much as I did.”

“Okay. Now, I have to know. Let’s pretend I’m not your older sister for the next five minutes, and we’re just friends talking.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. You’ve heard me talk about some of the guys I’ve been with.”

“I didn’t want to.” Willa laughed.

“Well, I do. Spill.”

“Jill likes edging.”

“What the hell is that?”

“You don’t know what edging is?” she asked, surprised that her big sister didn’t know everything in the world.

“No. Should I?”

“I only know about it because I’ve… well, watched… stuff before.”

“Stuff, meaning porn? My baby sister watches porn?”

“First of all, I’m thirty years old. And second of all, a lot of young gays do. It’s part of how we figure things out. But that’s not the point. I had no idea how good it would feel.”

“Do I need to look this up on my phone, or are you–”

“It’s where you get them close over and over and over again, but you don’t… let them…”

“Oh,” Wallis said with a nod. “That explains it.”

“Huh?” Willa asked.

“Not likely something a guy would want to do,” her sister replied.

“At least, not the ones I’ve been with. I’m sure some do, but my past partners tended to get in and get out once they were done, if you know what I mean.

I can’t even tell you how many times they tell you that they’ll take care of you after you take care of them, and then, suddenly, they’re too tired or no longer in the mood.

So, there’s not much of that going on in my life. But you’re into it?”

“I’m so glad I’m gay whenever I hear you talk about your sex life.”

Wallis laughed and took a bite of her salad.

“I’ve never really done it before, but Jill mentioned it, so this morning… It was just the best sex I’ve ever had in my life, Wally.”

“You’re a control freak in the bedroom, huh?”

“No, I’m not. And that’s the thing: it wasn’t about me. It was about her. I think it was her wanting someone to just take the reins for a bit. She’s got a lot going on, and having me take control–”

“Ah, I get it.”

“We talked for a few minutes after, and she hasn’t told anyone else that she likes that before, so I get the impression that she’s been kind of like me – doing, for the most part, what her partners wanted or expected in bed.”

“But she didn’t with you? That’s a good thing, Willa.”

“I know.” She smiled and picked her fork back up. “Her little sister was at the kitchen table when Jill and I walked in.”

“She doesn’t know?”

“She probably does now . Jill and I showered together, and we both had wet hair when we sat down with her. She didn’t say anything, and neither did we, but she’s a smart kid. She probably knows that at least something is up. I’m there all the time.”

“Does Jill not want her to know?”

“She does. But with everything else going on, it’s just a lot. I don’t think she wants to overwhelm her. This morning, Juni called her mom.”

“Is she not supposed to do that?”

“Not exactly. Jill and I were doing the dishes, and when Juni said that something was wrong with her tablet, I went to see what was up. She told me that the internet wasn’t connecting, so I went to the settings and turned it on.

That solved the problem, but I didn’t know that it had kid controls on the thing, and her mom had turned the internet off on purpose.

I went back to Jill in the kitchen and, well, we made out for a few minutes before I was going to go.

Then, Juni came rushing in, saying she tried to video call her mom, but her mom didn’t answer.

Jill looked at me like she was terrified, and I realized I’d made a mistake. ”

“That kid set you up.” Wallis laughed and finished her tea. “She is smart.”

“I worried I’d really screwed up, but Jill told me it was fine and that it wasn’t my fault.

She was going to talk to Juni about what was going on, but then, her mom called her and complained that Juni had tried to call her, and it was a mess, so I checked on Juni, who was lying in bed, looking disappointed, and I left. ”

“You left?”

“Jill was on the phone with her mom, and I could tell she needed some time, so I left. She’s working today, and I’ll see her tonight probably, but I didn’t want to be in the way.”

“Willa, you’re her girlfriend. I don’t think you would’ve been in her way.”

“Probably not, but I still needed to get home and job-search. My hours got cut at the gift shop. I was supposed to work today, but they cut my whole shift.”

“Do you need money?”

“No, I’m okay,” she said, only half-lying. “I just count on that money during the summer, so it was a little unexpected. I’m going to see if I can find something that pays a little more but where I can work a few hours less each week to break even. I want to have more time with Jill.”

“I can give you money, Willa. You can call it a loan if you–”

“I’m okay,” she repeated. “I actually have an interview tomorrow with a prep school in Baton Rouge.”

“What happened with the one in Savannah?”

Willa lowered her head and said, “It didn’t work out.”

“I thought it was a sure thing.”

“No, the interview was supposed to be a sure thing, but they hired someone else. Long story, but I’m excited about Baton Rouge.”

“It’s closer, at least,” Wallis replied.

“And that’s really important right now because I have a new relationship, and my girlfriend has a little sister whom she’s taking care of. It’ll be hard for her to get away, so I’ll have to make the trip to see her, which means the closer, the better.”

“Already considering Jill in your career decisions?”

“Not like that. I would have interviewed for Savannah, and had they offered it to me, I probably would’ve taken it if it was right for me. It just would’ve meant figuring out what we wanted to do.”

“What’s it like, dating someone with a kid? I’ve never done it.”

“Juni’s not her kid.”

“I know. But you’ve only known her since she’s been responsible for one.”

“It’s different. We can’t exactly go out, but I kind of like that. It’s not like either of us can afford extravagant dates or nice dinners. Besides, Juni goes to bed early, so we get time alone after that.”

“To do some edging, apparently,” Wallis teased.

Willa laughed and said, “I don’t know that we’ll do that every time, but I definitely liked it this morning.”

When their check was placed at the end of the table, Wallis grabbed it immediately and slid her card inside the padfolio.

While Willa’s pride took a hit because she couldn’t afford everything her older and much more successful sister could, she knew that she loved her.

Wallis was a bit pretentious at times and wasn’t always available to hang out like this, but she tried to make time for Willa whenever she could and always picked up the bill because she knew Willa couldn’t.

“I should probably get home,” Wallis told her after she signed the receipt. “I’ve got a few hours of work to do.”

“Yeah, I should go, too. I texted Jill before I got here. I’m hoping she’ll text me back and let me know how things went with her mother.”

They said their goodbyes at Willa’s building after Wallis dropped her off and drove away.

Willa was worried because she knew Jill should be home by now, her work shift finished, and they hadn’t made plans for when Willa would come by later yet.

She decided to do some laundry because she at least needed a nice shirt for her video interview tomorrow, and her hamper was also overflowing.

It was around dinnertime when she decided to text again because she still hadn’t heard from Jill and needed to know if she should come by for dinner or after and if she should pack a bag.

“Hey,” she said when Jill called her a few minutes later.

“Hi,” Jill replied, sounding exhausted.

“What’s wrong?” she asked and flopped on her sofa because she could hear it in Jill’s voice that something had happened.

“My mom yelled at me for letting Juni call her. She said I was trying to make her feel guilty. I explained what had happened, and she didn’t believe me at first, but I think she did in the end.

Of course, that also meant that I told her I have a new girlfriend and that you were here in the morning, so she asked about that. ”

“Was she mad I slept over?”

“Who cares?” Jill asked. “She doesn’t get a say in that. She’s not here. She basically left me her kid and her house, so it’s my decision how I spend my time and who stays over or not.”

“I agree,” Willa replied.

“Anyway, she told me that she at least paid the mortgage for this month, so the bank isn’t going to show up and take the house from me yet.”

“Babe, that’s good news.”

“Yeah, it means I can keep my apartment for another month, at least.”

“She’s still not coming home?”

Jill sighed and replied, “Honestly, I don’t know.

I heard something different in her voice today.

She was angry in the beginning, but then she calmed down a little and asked about Juni.

I told her she could just talk to Juni herself, but she said she wasn’t ready for that, which was an odd way to phrase that since previously, she wanted nothing to do with her own daughter. ”

“That’s a good sign, right?” Willa asked.

“God, I hope so. I took the call outside and told Juni it was work-related so that she wouldn’t try to listen in. I just don’t know what to tell her, Willa. And I’m not ready to be a parent. I love that kid, and she’s great, but I had plans, you know?”

“I know, babe.”

“I want to be able to spend time with you alone at your place or at mine. I want to be able to go out if we want and not have to find a babysitter. If you and I keep going how we are, and you get the job in Baton Rouge, I want to be able to visit you whenever I want and not have to worry about Juni at home, with Rory staying over or something. God, I want my life back. I know that’s selfish, but it’s the truth.

I don’t know if I want kids of my own someday, but I want a partner.

I want us to decide that together if and when we’re ready.

I won’t ditch my sister, but God, I want my mom to just walk through this door and tell me that she had a nervous breakdown, but she’s fine now, and I can go home. ”

“Babe, I’m coming over, okay?” Willa said. “Let me just pack a bag, and I’ll be there.”

“No, it’s okay.” Jill paused. “It’s why I called, actually. I think I want to hang out with Juni tonight, if that’s okay.”

“Oh,” Willa let out, knowing she sounded disappointed. “Yeah, of course.”

“Hey, it’s not about this morning, okay?” Jill told her. “Juni tricked you into turning the internet on. She knows that she messed up. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I just wish I would’ve thought to ask you.”

“It’s okay. And I do want you here. It’s just that I think she needs a night with me, and I’ll see if I can find a moment to tell her what’s been going on.”

“I have my interview tomorrow before school anyway. It’s pretty early, but I might just eat something quick, try to prep for it, and go to bed. Someone kept me up last night.” Willa smiled and hoped Jill could hear it through the phone.

“Was it good?” Jill asked, her voice dropping an octave and turning Willa on in an instant.

“It was better than good, and you know it.”

“We didn’t get to finish talking this morning, but that thing that we did… You were really good with it?”

“With you asking me to make you explode after watching you almost come about five times? Absolutely,” Willa said on a laugh. “That was the sexiest thing I’ve ever experienced.”

“Yeah?”

“Anytime you want,” she replied. “Jill, I will do that to you anytime you want.”

“Fuck,” Jill whispered. “And the other thing? The thing you brought up?”

“Yeah?”

“I have one at my apartment.”

“You want me to wear it for you?”

“Yes,” Jill said.

“Then, I will. But not tonight.”

Jill grunted and said, “I know. I know.”

“If you need me, you call me, okay? Even if it’s just to talk before you go to sleep.”

“I miss you,” Jill said. “I like sleeping next to you.”

“I miss you, too, babe,” she replied. “I’ll sleep next to you again soon, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” Jill said, sounding disappointed.

And it shouldn’t have, but it did make Willa smile.