Later, as they were lying in bed eating yogurt and granola, Anna asked Brilliant why she always laughed when she reached for the dildo.
“I never told you that story?”
“Come on,” Anna said. “I want to hear it.”
Brilliant opened her mouth and Anna obliged by spooning some yogurt in. Clearing her throat, Brilliant straightened up a bit, stretching one long leg over Anna’s thigh. “Columbus Gay Pride, 1996. I was there with a hot butch mechanic.”
“I forgot you date butches, too,” Anna said, smiling. “Is that weird?”
“I like women, Anna. Butch or femme or, like me, something in between.”
“I don’t have a problem with that. It’s just strange to picture you with anyone that isn’t me,” Anna replied.
“Yeah, imagine how I feel,” Brilliant said.
“We made a pact that we wouldn’t talk about Megan,” Anna said, shifting slightly away from Brilliant.
“I’m sorry. I keep breaking the rules. First I fall in love with you. Then I start a dialogue about your partner. Next thing you know, I’ll be asking you to leave her.”
“That can’t happen,” Anna said. “And I don’t want to have a dialogue about it.”
“Everyone leaves me, Anna. Everyone. My parents, my grandparents, my brother. Why don’t you just promise to stay with me?”
Anna glared. “Why don’t you start dating women who are unattached?”
Brilliant sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe I would rather date someone I know is going to disappoint me than put my trust in someone and be let down again.”
“Are we going to process your bad relationship choices all day?” Anna asked.
“We’re lesbians, Anna.” Brilliant grinned. “We process everything.”
Anna leaned over and tweaked one of Brilliant’s nipples. “Process this,” she said.
“Ahem. Continuing my story,” Brilliant said, pulling Anna snugly against her. “Gay Pride. Some dude in a leather thong was walking around selling raffle tickets.”
“Okay.” Anna giggled. She dipped her finger into the yogurt and smeared a bit on Brilliant’s nipple. Leaning down to lick it off, she motioned for the rest of the story.
“Of course I bought a few. They were only a dollar. I had no idea what they were for, but I couldn’t resist a man in a leather thong selling raffle tickets for a dollar apiece. It was so stereotypical gay pride.”
“I can see that,” Anna said, releasing the nipple. “So, what happened?”
What happened? Pre-order Eating Life on Amazon or ask for it at your favorite local bookstore and find out
Finnian Burnett 