Rough Drafts Read Online Free Page A

lips. “Babies will do that,” she
said. “They make you look at things differently. Make you feel hopeful.”
    Jameson
chuckled. It was true. She and Candace had spent a week at Marianne’s after
Marianne gave birth to her second child. This time a little girl named Madeline
Pearl, or Maddie for short. Jameson spent most of the week playing with Spencer.
The toddler went from enthralled by his baby sister to total disinterest in
less than a heartbeat at any given moment. It reminded Jameson a great deal of
her youth, each time a new baby entered the family. There were groupings within her family of children that were close
in age. That made family events something Jameson had always looked forward to
in her youth. She found herself pondering what it would be like for Spencer and
Maddie.
    “I
guess that’s true,” Jameson admitted. “I was lucky to have them both growing
up.” She sat up and looked at Candace.
    “What
is it?” Candace asked.
    “Nothing
really. It’s just strange,” Jameson said. Candace tipped her head in confusion.
“What I mean is, I love my life now. I really do. But…Sometimes, I just miss
them.”
    “I
don’t think that’s strange at all,” Candace said. She pulled Jameson back down
to her.
    “I
hope Spence and Maddie find friends like that,” Jameson said.
    Candace
smiled broadly and stroked Jameson’s back. “You really are a big sap,” Candace
teased. Jameson groaned and Candace giggled. “Just take it one day at a time
with Scott. Talk to him. If not for Craig or for him—for you.” Jameson nodded
and nestled closer to Candace. “Did you want to go have some dinner?” Candace
asked. Jameson shook her head. “No? What about…”
    “I
just want to stay here for now,” Jameson said.
    Candace
sighed contentedly. “You all right?”
    “I
am now,” Jameson said. She closed her eyes and let herself begin to drift away.
    Candace
held Jameson close and let her eyes fall shut. She didn’t need Jameson to speak
any more words to understand how difficult the day had been for her wife. There
was very little that Jameson and Candace
did not discuss openly in their marriage. Jameson’s cousin’s death was one of
the few topics that often led Jameson to trail off into thoughtful silence. Loss was never an
easy thing. Untimely loss, a loss that seemed avoidable made it all the more senseless. Jameson carried that
weight for many years in her heart. Today had marked an important step in releasing it. Jameson was drained emotionally
and physically. Candace could feel the tension slowly drifting off Jameson like
waves of heat off of summer pavement. She continued to caress Jameson tenderly,
content to remain in the silence that hovered between them. “Sleep,” Candace
whispered. She felt Jameson release a deep breath and smiled.
    For
many years, Candace had faced days like today, days that tried her patience and
her resolve. That was a never-changing reality in life. It used to hail sleepless nights and restless mornings. Now,
with Jameson next to her, the stresses of daily life seemed to ease. It was not
perfection. At times, her hectic schedule frustrated them both and led them to
bicker over menial issues. Some weeks,
days of forced separation wore on the senator. She was sure that the time apart proved difficult for Jameson as well. The
obstacles, the upheavals, and the challenges could scarcely compare to these
moments. “I love you,” Candace whispered.
    “Mm.
Jinx…stop licking me,” Jameson answered in reply, clearly in the middle of a
dream.
    Candace
chuckled. “Lunatic. ”
    ***
    Michelle
rolled over and looked at the alarm clock when she heard the doorbell. She
looked at her sleepy-eyed girlfriend. Melanie threw a pillow over her head and
groaned. Michelle chuckled. “Don’t get up, babe ,”
she teased as she reluctantly pulled herself from the bed.
    “If
that’s J.D., I’ll kill her,” Melanie grumbled from beneath the pillow.
    Michelle
rolled her eyes.