“How’s your week been?” Heidi asked as she leaned in and kissed Lila on the cheek.
“It’s been a week. I’ll tell you all about it in a bit. First, how are you doing?”
“Good. Work was a bit crazy today. Someone overscheduled visitations, that’s what took me so long.”
“Don’t you love when people do that.”
Heidi shrugged. “With Thanksgiving coming up, it’s reasonable I think. These kids might not get to do visitation for a while, and some find it very useful.”
“And those who don’t?”
“Then it’s out of the way for another week, and they get a break.” Heidi called the waiter over and ordered a drink and the vegetable tray they’d gotten before. “Are you doing anything for Thanksgiving?”
“I was invited to a friend’s house for an annual party, but I’m not so sure that’ll be happening now.”
“Why’s that?” Heidi furrowed her brow, her hand landing on Lila’s under the table with a comforting squeeze.
“That’s the drama of this week I’ll tell you about when I’ve got more of this drink in me.”
“All right.” Heidi glanced at her suspiciously.
Lila was glad she was willing to wait. She wasn’t even quite sure how to broach the topic without it coming off as gossip about her other girlfriend, which she definitely didn’t want. But, if Lila was going to be gone for the weekend, then her date with Heidi on Saturday would have to be cancelled, which was something they needed to talk about.
“I’m going to have to cancel Saturday, sort of,” Heidi started.
“Oh?” That could easily solve one problem. “Are you going somewhere for the holiday?”
“Maybe. I have the time off, and my partner suggested that we go away together.”
“That’ll be nice. No family to see?”
Heidi shook her head. “We don’t talk to anyone in my family, and hers is a mixed bag of toxic and stressful. It’s easier just to see them randomly and do holidays by ourselves. Normally she works holidays since we don’t have big family get-togethers. It’s her way of giving back to the others, but this year, she’s wanting to take off and go somewhere.”
“I’m sure it’ll be lovely.”
Heidi nodded, not looking at Lila. Lila narrowed her gaze as she took a long sip from her drink, trying to figure out why she was having flashbacks to Ann’s conversation the other day.
“She wants you to come.”
Lila gasped.
“I know. It’s weird, and random, but she wants to meet you.”
“Stop.” Lila put her hand up. Her heart thundered. A ringing echoed in her ears, and her head felt all sorts of fuzzy. It couldn’t be. But it had to be. There were not two crazy lesbian couples running around their fair city. Nope, it was firmly one, and somehow Lila had ended up dating both halves of a relationship. Her chest tightened so much that she struggled to draw in a breath. Shaking her head again, she turned to Heidi, her lips parted. “I need some air.”
Without waiting for a reply, Lila booked it out of the bar. She stepped onto the sidewalk and walked half a block to the corner. Bending down with her hands on her knees, she breathed in as deeply as she could. Panic swarmed her.How the hell had she not figured it out before now?
She was dating Ann. She was dating Heidi. Ann and Heidi—they were a couple for nearly sixteen years. The ringing in her ears intensified.
“Oh fuck.” Lila’s stomach churned. She should have asked more questions. She should have insisted on knowing who was who, but she had trusted. And she had messed it all up. Her first foray into dating two women at once in a committed relationship and she was dating a couple. Fuck, she was an idiot.
“Lila?” Heidi stood a few feet away, Lila’s jacket in her hands.
She hadn’t even realized she’d run into the freezing weather without it. Heidi looked so lost and confused.
“What’s wrong?” Heidi asked.
Lila shook her head. How was she going to explain this one? Heidi had to know, didn’t she? She and Ann talked, surely they did. Except, she knew they didn’t. She knew that was their problem. Everything both of them had told her led her to believe neither knew. They were both in the dark as much as her. Slowing her breathing until she could catch herself, Lila stood up and held out her hand for her jacket. Heidi handed it over, and she shrugged it on.