"Yeah?"

"Thanks for talking to me," he said, surprising her with a brief hug. "Even if you're not Laura's girlfriend, I'm still glad to know you." "Um" Crystal hesitated, unsure how to respond. Finally for lack of anything better she mumbled her thanks and led the way inside.

The rectangular table sat six without the leaf, Helen and Gail on opposite ends. Laura and Bobby sat on either side of their mother while Crystal took the seat next to her roommate. When the Taylor family reached their hands out to the persons on either side of them, it took Crystal by surprise. Bobby shifted his seat to reach past the empty place and grasp his aunt's hand. Saying grace was not something Crystal had ever seen Laura do at home. She hesitantly took the hands being offered to her, Laura's on her left and Helen's on her right. There was a definite difference between the two, she noted. Laura's touch was warm, their fingers intertwining with the writer's thumb moving slowly back and forth atop her own. Helen's grip was firmer, the skin not nearly as soft as Laura's. Noting everyone had lowered their heads, she followed suit, pleased when Gail spoke alone, ending her fear that they would recite some prayer that she didn't know.

"We thank God for the gifts we are about to receive and for bringing my family together tonight," Gail began. "Thank you for bringing my sister to me and giving me my health back. Bless our family that could not be here with us tonight and watch over them as you watch over us. We are happy to have Crystal here with us and we ask that you watch over her as well." Surprised, Crystal raised her head up and felt a reassuring squeeze in her left hand. Gail finished the grace and everyone separated their hands. While she was happy to be freed from Helen's grip, finding the bony fingers holding hers to be uncomfortable but felt only coolness and loss when Laura released her grip. For someone who hated to be touched and avoided it whenever possible, Crystal found it disconcerting to realize that she didn't mind Laura touching her. Indeed, as she mimicked the actions of those around her, passing platters and bowls around the table, taking portions from each, Crystal found herself glancing to the left frequently, catching glimpses of Laura out of the corner of her eye. The writer was questioning Bobby about what courses he planned on taking in his first semester, allowing the blonde to watch her unobserved or so she thought. A glance to the right would have shown Helen's eyes watching her like a hawk, noting each movement and look. Laura's hair had grown beyond the point where it should have been trimmed, if only to straighten out the ends which were beginning to curl along thee.g.of the writer's collar. From the shampoo bottles in the shower, Crystal knew Laura's hair tended to get split ends, the evidence visible in the way the dark hair seemed almost frizzy at the ends. It occurred to her that Laura wasn't the only one due for a haircut, her own blonde locks getting close to the longest point Crystal had ever let them grow and she wondered if perhaps a shorter style might not be such a badi.e.after all. It certainly would make it easier to work if she didn't have to keep putting it in a ponytail to keep it off the back of her neck while she labored. Moving her attention away from hair, she took in other sights the eyebrows that seemed to always threaten to blend together into one solid bar above Laura's eyebrows, no doubt the reason for the tweezers that always sat on the shelf next to the toothbrushes. A slight bump at the bridge of the nose, caused according to Laura by forgetting the laws of physics and applying the front brake of her ten speed without also engaging the rear one. Crystal also knew her roommate had a different accident on her bicycle resulting in a broken wrist when she was twelve but there was no permanent evidence of that one. Realizing she was no longer sneaking glances but actually staring, Crystal blushed slightly and turned her attention back to the plate in front of her. She offered her compliments on the meal without singling out any particular person, pleased when Gail, Bobby and Laura smiled, obviously all three believing they were responsible for the way dinner turned out.

"So Crystal," Helen said. "Anyi.e.who you're going to vote for?"

"Uh no, not yet," she lied, knowing the older woman was referring to the upcoming presidential election. She planned on voting democratic but know Laura's mother was a republican and didn't want to get into a discussion about politics.

"Aunt Helen, you know politics and religion are two subjects that don't make for good conversation," Laura said admonishingly. Crystal suspected the writer was trying to steer her aunt away from any subject that might start a disagreement.

"My friends and I often have lively discussions about politics," Helen protested, then sighed. "But I suppose we can find another avenue to talk about. Do you think the Yankees have a chance this year?"

Bobby jumped at that one. "Are you kidding? With their shortstop there's no way they're going to miss the playoffs. He doesn't let anything get past him."

"He can't catch the ones that go over the fence and I think the Mets are going to be the only New York team we'll see in the postseason," Laura said. "Seven people in their starting lineup are still batting over three hundred and it's almost September."

"That's because they're in the National League where there aren't any good pitchers," he argued, stabbing at his chicken with his fork. "The Bronx Bombers will come back, you wait and see."

"How my two children could grow up in a home that loves the Red Sox and be fans of New York teams, I'll never know," Gail said in a much put upon voice. She looked at Crystal. "You should have seen how she was in eighty six," she said, referring to Laura. "Her father was still alive at that time and we were all watching game six in the living room." Her eyes grew distant as she relayed the memory. "You should have seen her. The Mets were on the verge of losing it all, down to their last out and her father was ecstatic. Laura just sat there pouting and pulling that stupid Mets hat down over her eyes."

"But the Mets won that year, didn't they?" Crystal asked.

"Yeah but only because the Red Sucks first baseman let the ball bobble through his legs," Bobby said. Looking to the left, Crystal noticed the smile on Laura's face.

"All's fair in love war and the world series," Laura said. "Dad was pretty upset. I never heard him swear so much but all I could do was jump around the room for joy."

"And your father was most appreciative of the way you tore through the newspaper the next morning, making sure to point out the headline of the sports section to him," Gail said with a touch of reproach in her voice.

"I was just a teenager then, Mom," Laura defended, the smile leaving her face.

"Of course you were, pumpkin," Helen said. "So what about you, Crystal? What team do you like?"

Crystal suspected no one really cared which team she did or did not like but sensed that Helen was trying to bring her into the conversation. Putting her fork down, she took a moment to dab at her lips with the napkin. "I don't really care about baseball."

"I suggest being a Mets fan if you want any peace," Bobby said. "Especially since they're in first place and there's only ten games left to the regular season. If they make the playoffs, I'm sure Sis will be watching every game on TV." A wicked smirk came to his face and he looked at his sister although he continued to speak to Crystal. "Then again, if you rooted whatever teams were playing against the Mets, it'd certainly make Laura flip her lid."

"Now don't you go giving her ideas," Laura warned.

"Aw why not?" he teased. "You need someone to give you a hard time since I can't be there to do it." He gave an impish smile which his sister returned with a smile that was anything but friendly.

"Keep it up and I'll email you a virus," Laura threatened.

"And I'll put your phone number all over the bathroom walls at school," he playfully threatened back.

"All right, enough of that, you two," their mother admonished. "Honestly, it's just like when they were younger," she said to Helen who nodded in agreement.

"Why do you think I never took the two of them for visits at the same time?" Helen asked. "I knew better."

Crystal listened to the conversation going on around her. She could never remember a peaceful dinner with her own family, most being made up of TV dinners eaten off trays in the living room with Patty while her mother slept off her day's drinking. The big holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas usually were marked by her father making loud and disparaging remarks about whatever member of the family was hosting the event and usually ending with loud arguments between her parents once they were home. Crystal doubted Laura had ever experienced anything like that and wondered if she would be invited back for another dinner once the holidays came around. Crystal was surprised to find she was hoping for just that.

After dinner Bobby offered to clear the table while Laura made coffee and Helen and Gail went to the living room. Unsure what to do with herself, Crystal excused herself and stepped outside for a cigarette. Assuming that the sisters were chatting away happily, she was surprised when the back door opened and Helen stepped out, her silver cigarette case in hand. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," Crystal said, motioning at an empty chair. The veranda was framed in red brick, contrasting nicely with the cream colored furniture and the deep green grass surrounding it. "It's very nice out here," she commented.

"Gail paid a fortune to have someone do the landscaping," Helen explained. "I remember she used to have this god awful oak tree right in the middle of the yard. It was fine for the kids to climb or put a swing on but it ruined the whole effect of the yard." The older woman took a puff of her cigarette, the filtered end ringed with her lipstick. "So what did you think of dinner?"

"It was very good. I enjoyed it," Crystal offered, her expression turning to one of confusion when she saw Helen shake her head and smile. "I didn't mean the food," she explained. "I get the feeling that you're not one for being around a lot of people. You tried very hard to avoid joining in any of the discussions unless you were asked a direct question."

Crystal blinked and took a drag of her cigarette, surprised that her quietness had been picked up on. "I guess I'm not much for social things. I never know what to say."

Helen laughed. "Honey this wasn't a social occasion, this was just family getting together for dinner."

"I'm not family," the blonde pointed out.

"So it was family plus one," Helen corrected. "You looked so uncomfortable I thought you were going to bolt out the door when I took your hand for grace."

"I'm just not used to it," Crystal said. "It's not something my family ever did."

Helen nodded and was quiet for a minute. "You know if there was something going on between you and my niece that I wouldn't mind." Crystal looked up quickly and opened her mouth to protest but was stopped by the older woman's upraised hand. "Now I know what both of you have said and judging from the way both of your bedrooms look it seems to be the case but don't think I didn't notice the way you two act around each other either. I may be over fifty but I'm not blind to the signs." She stubbed the half finished cigarette into the pie tin being used as a makeshift ashtray. "Personally I think the two of you are just not looking at what's right in front of your faces."

"I'm not gay," Crystal said, wondering just what 'signs' Helen had seen. Was it the way Laura caressed her hand during grace? The gentle touches on the shoulder?

"So you say," Helen said, not sounding at all convinced of that fact. "You told me the other day that you haven't been in any serious relationships so how do you know?" "I

" Stymied, Crystal tried to think of an answer. Of course she was straight, right? After all, she had never been with a woman and never looked as a woman as a sexual partner. The fact she felt closer to Laura than anyone else in her current life didn't mean that she wanted to pursue a lesbian relationship with her. No, Laura was just a good friend who held her when she cried, who made dinner every night and took the time to listen whenever she needed to talk. They were just close because they lived together, right? "I

" Crystal swallowed and tried again. "It's just not anything I've ever thought about." She took a final drag of her cigarette and put it out in the ashtray.