The Chemicals Between Us: A Steamy Lesbian Romance

Chapter 11

Chapter 11I went home to Boston for the holidays the Friday of finals week, the day after my last exam. My parents had already heard the good news about my straight-A report card, and they wanted to make a big deal out of it. We met for dinner at my favorite place in the city - their lasagna is just about the tastiest thing in the world. I drove the two hours from Amherst in sweats, but I wanted to surprise the family with my new look, so I went into the ladies room and changed into my new dress before they showed up.

My little brother Alex walked in first, and he obviously didn’t recognize me immediately. I think he actually started checking me out (he is a teenage boy, after all), but then he got a startled, goofy look on his face. He’s a great big bear of a kid, over six feet and still growing, but it doesn’t matter; he’s still my little brother. My parents were right behind him, and both were surprised as well. Alex wrapped me in a big hug, and then said, “Damn, sis, you look great!”

The ‘damn’ got him a quick, disapproving look from Mom, which he pointedly ignored. Dad just smiled warmly and gave me a hug, and then Mom hugged me as well, saying “You do look very nice, dear.”

I’m not sure she entirely approved of the look - she was the one who used to cut my hair, and who bought that hideous dress I have to wear to Mass - but I think she was happy to see me in something other than blue jeans.

I replied in a happy, sunny voice “Thanks, Mom. The dress was a birthday present from my roommate Anne. She also helped me find the guy who cut my hair, and pick out my new glasses.”

Dad said, “I’m glad you’ve found yourself a friend, mija.” In the part of town where we live, even the gringos can’t help but pick up a little Spanish. He’s been calling me ‘mija’ since I was little.

Dinner was great, as always. It was nice to be home.

After dinner, though, I realized it would be almost two weeks before I would be back at school, which seemed like an eternity to me with this big, unresolved thing going on between me and Anne. She was in Boston with her family for the holiday too, and I thought about calling her, but decided that would be much too weird. And to make matters worse, there was nobody I could talk to about it. I certainly wasn’t going to tell my parents. The one person in whom I would normally confide such things was Anne.

Fortunately, some relief arrived, or at least distraction. The weather was actually nice, which meant everybody with any kind of car trouble wanted it fixed before the next snowstorm. Alberto, who owns the garage where my Dad works, called Dad into work the Saturday after I got home, and Dad asked if I wanted to come along and help out. I love going to the garage - it’s hard work, but I’ve always liked messing around with mechanical things and getting my hands dirty. It’s almost as much fun as chemistry. I can do oil changes and routine maintenance by myself, and sometimes they even let me help out on the more complicated stuff. Plus, Alberto pays me a pretty decent rate, much better than my stupid summer job at the big box store. The work isn’t regular enough to count on, but it’s really nice when it’s there.

Between working at the garage most days, all the holiday family stuff, and a little reading for the next semester’s classes, I kept my mind pretty well occupied for most of the break. The only time I thought much about Anne, and what was going to happen when we got back to school, was at night after I went to bed. I had disturbingly specific erotic dreams, which were an entirely new experience for me. I had to share my room for part of Christmas week with my cousin Siobhan, so I couldn’t even get myself off for relief. I just hope she didn’t hear me talking, or worse, in my sleep. By the end of the holiday break, I was wound up tight as could be and very ready to go back to school.