GIRLS ON THE RUN by Dorothy Rice Bennett

Author:Dorothy Rice Bennett
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: FICTION / Romance / Contemporary
Publisher: Outskirts Press, Inc.
Published: 2017-01-15T23:00:00+00:00

20

The next few days moved along quickly for Stacy, as she assisted Eddie Jr. in running the auto shop, visited Ed in the hospital, spent a couple of evenings with Jennifer at home, and also managed to stop by her favorite local bar and keep in touch with Meiko and Ellie. She danced with Meiko and one night went home with her. She talked with Ellie, who more and more was becoming a special friend.

Jennifer seemed rather distant on Sunday, but Stacy didn’t have time to question her over her date Saturday with Tim. Stacy planned to spend part of the afternoon at the hospital. She had asked Jennifer to come with her, but Jen seemed to need some quiet time, so Stacy went alone. Ed was recovering gradually, and he appeared to be a lot stronger than during her previous visit. They were talking seriously about rehab for him and moving him to a facility where he could strengthen the muscles that had been damaged by the stroke. The tests he had taken confirmed that his stroke had not been a severe one, and he was expected to recover completely.

So that Sunday morning, getting ready to go visit Ed, Stacy had not had time to dwell on whatever was making Jennifer a bit remote.

During the week, however, Stacy talked with Ellie at the bar about her complicated relationship with Jennifer. Ellie, who was a few years older than Stacy and had a lot more life experience, listened attentively.

“She sounds like a nice kid,” Ellie observed, “and you’ve kind of helped each other get here and start a life.” She thought a moment and then added, “but she does sound a little confused, maybe, emotionally. She’s young, a lot younger than you are—and I don’t mean chronologically. I can see you wanting to be a friend and to be there for her, but please, don’t get hurt.”

Stacy had sighed, running a finger around the rim of her beer mug. “Yeah, I worry about that. I care about her, but I don’t want to care too much.”

Ellie nodded. “In relationships between lesbians and straight women, it’s the lesbians who usually get hurt. I’ve seen it happen more than once.”

A pained look crossed Stacy’s face.

“Have you been hurt before?” Ellie asked.

Stacy sighed and played more with her mug. “Yeah, not in the way you mean, but hurt, yeah. I don’t think I’ve ever talked about it to anyone. There was a gal, Carly. First tour in Iraq. We had gone to mechanics school together, had a lot of laughs, enjoyed each other’s company.”

Stacy’s mind flipped inward and she was back in the Army with Carly. They were training together to work on truck engines.

Stacy asked her, “What’s your name?”

“Carly Cline.”

“Where are you from?”

“West Virginia, coal-mining country.”

“Any relation to Patsy Cline?” Stacy grinned ear to ear because she loved this kind of repartee.

“Nope, but my dad is a distant cousin to Loretta Lynn, if that’s any help.”

Stacy stood a couple of inches over Carly, which was rare for Stacy because she was on the short side herself.

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