Aftermath

Two days later:

Mallory has been standing in the bathroom, her once shared bathroom, with her soon to be ex husband, for the better part of an hour just, staring at herself, in the mirror. She keeps thinking, that she needs a drink, but she can't bring herself to make one. After all, she'd only recently been to Coyote's AA birthday which, what the fuck was that? And she's seen what happens, when her mother drinks. That woman is definitely an alcoholic, She thinks. She finds, she's not too worried about that, anymore. Frankie, will definitely bring it to an end, not that she thinks, Frankie is forceful, just that Frankie, being whatever she is now ,will probably mean, Grace, won't need as much alcohol, anymore. Mallory, looks at herself questioningly and wonders, how she got to that conclusion.

She has a few missed calls, from her mom, a couple of really mean texts from her big sister, one really sweet "are you okay" text from Coyote, and a couple from her dad who; uses perfect grammar, in every text message. He tries so hard to be stern. Overall, her phone looks something, like this:

Coyote: Are you okay?

Brianna: That was nuts.

Brianna: Like I know that was weird but seriously? Mallory? Seriously?

Dad: Sweetheart, I heard some things, went down, at the beach house. Would you care to talk about it?

Brianna: Are you going to call mom at some point?

Brianna: I know you are going through things but you were really rude.

Brianna: Answer your damn texts Mallory or I'll do something drastic like call you, or come to your house and explain lesbian sex to your kids...nah even I wouldn't do that.

Dad: Your mother, is very upset. I think perhaps, you should call her back?

Brianna: MALLORY. Mal. Mal. Mal. Malorina. Malaboo.

Brianna: Look. I get it, it's a lot. But it's not cool to go ice queen on mom.

Brianna: She didn't know about Mitch. I don't think she would have gone off on you if she had, I don't think either of them would have. And I know it wasn't my place to say anything, but mom is really worried about you. We kind of all are. I'm really starting to think I should call you. Do I need to? You need to talk to her. You need to talk to both of them. Frankie is still pissed of course, but she feels awful too, and that's a really weird combination on her. I went over there for lunch today and she was storming around talking about how angry you made her, and then she'd stop and say "But that's not fair, because she is going through things and she probably didn't mean it." and it's a loop she's kept going through and she didn't stop, I don't think she stopped even after I left. And Mom couldn't do anything to calm her down.

Mallory takes a deep breath. The kids are with Mitch, she can't help thinking, that's a disaster waiting to happen. How could she have married someone, who thinks it's perfectly acceptable to say things, about baby sitting his own kids? She decides finally, to do the right thing and call, her mother.

They decide to go shopping together, the three of them, and Mallory is convinced, it's going to go, very badly. It's decided that, Frankie will drive, and that Mallory, will be in the back seat. It's like being thirteen, all over again, she never got, to sit up front.

There is a small argument, about where they are headed. Mallory, is able to witness her mother and Frankie as a couple, heading out shopping. She realizes, she might be the first person, to see them like this. She's not sure whether to count herself lucky, or cursed.

"Well Grace, I don't see why we can't go to my favorite stores too?" Frankie says strapping herself into the driver's seat.

Mallory easily slips into the back, fastens her seat belt with ease and watches her mother struggle to get into the car.

"Because..." Grace pulls one of Frankie's scarves off her face and throws it to the floor of the car, out of her way. "Mallory doesn't like places like that Frankie."

"But, who is driving the car Grace?"

"You are but..." She leans over the console and whispers. "If you want me to spoon you later, you'll do this for me now."

"mmm. Like you aren't the one, who initiates cuddle time." Frankie winks, and Mallory finds that she's not as disgusted as she thought she would be. Personal growth. She thinks.

Before Frankie starts the engine, she turns in her chair to face Mallory. "Look I know it was a little weird, finding out about your mother and I in that way. So I'm going to let those comments you said go by the wayside, but don't ever talk to your mother like that again." She says it very sweetly, but Grace still smacks her arm for it.

"Frankie! You don't need to defend me, I can defend myself."

Mallory looks for an opportunity to acknowledge the comment, or say anything, but they don't give her an opening.

"Well, I like defending you Grace." Frankie says.

Grace blushes. "I know dear, thank you." Then she leans over the console again and kisses Frankie's cheek. "Now start up this car let's get going!"

As the engine roars to life, Mallory speaks up "Can I say something?"

Grace then turns as well as she can in her chair. "Let's spend a little time in silence first, despite what Frankie has just said, she's still a little riled up."

"Well can I say something to you?"

"Honestly, I'm still a little riled up myself."

"But I want to apologize."

Frankie immediately turns the ignition off, turns around and waits.

Mallory hesitates a little, they are both looking at her so expectantly. "I've been dealing with a lot..."

Grace reaches back and grabs her daughter's hand. "I know, and I'm sorry for how angry I got with you..."

"But, it's not really an excuse for how I acted. Honestly, I can't blame it on the separation." She shrugs. "You don't have to feel guilty about that. I mean it is a lot, but the truth is; I'm still a little uncomfortable with Dad and Sol, and now you two. I just, I don't understand it. Should I be a lesbian now? My marriage didn't work out either, but I just can't see myself going there."

Frankie laughs and reaches over, putting her hand into the mix. "Honey no. That's not what this is. "

"And we certainly don't mean to be examples, for anyone's life. I mean look how far it took for us, to get here." Grace says, chuckling.

Frankie smiles at Grace. "Yeah." She says, her voice low.

"You guys..." Mallory sighs. "Are really in love huh?"

Grace chuckles again. "Yes dear."

"How?"

"Let's continue that conversation, after we've reached the mall." Grace says. "Frankie, start her up."

"Starting her up!" Frankie says, facing forward.

When Frankie tries to turn into one of her favorite bohemian stores, Grace gives her a stern look and shakes her head, and Frankie pouting turns the right way, towards the mall. Mallory in the back is grinning. This isn't so bad, She thinks, but that's before they turn into the mall parking lot.

"Frankie, there is a spot right there, and one there, and another there. No! Frankie, what are you doing?"

"I thought I'd do some donuts. What do you think I'm doing? I'm turning back around, to get to the spot you wanted."

"Well it's not there now is it?" Grace says. "Someone took it."

"Relax babe, we will have a glorious shopping day all together, just us gals. I will find us a spot."

"I bet Brianna's sad, she's missing this." Mallory says slumping in her seat. It takes them ten minutes to find a parking spot, and it's all because Frankie; wants to get the one Grace will like the best and Grace; just wants them to fucking park already.

When they get out of the car, Grace immediately links arms with, Frankie who leans into it. Mallory follows closely behind, putting her shades on, as soon as she can. The two women in front of her, are swaying with the breeze, and Frankie, is humming. This must be what being embarrassed by your parents, feels like. She thinks.

They walk into the mall and Frankie, instantly gravitates to one the bizarre kitschy stores, that Mallory knows her mother hates with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. Mallory sees her mother tense up for a moment, before looking at her for reassurance, that it's okay if they look. Grace mouths at Mallory: Just a few minutes I promise. Mallory just smiles in response, and it's enough.

Grace let's Frankie drag her into the store, which has a Bob Marley manikin in the window, and a whole lot of bongs and Jamaican tapestries on the wall. It's very weird, because the title of the store is, T-Shirts and Stuff , which is clearly the most inaccurate title ever, as there are maybe, two racks of clothes, three shelves of bongs, and other weed related accessories, and even a few bob marley wig hats in which the hair, is definitely made of yarn. It should be called, Someone threw up Bob Marley in here. But Frankie clearly loves, everything in it.

"Don't you already have a hat like that, Frankie?" Grace asks, as Frankie puts on one of the hair hats.

"Yes, but you should always have extras, and you are such a dear for noticing, which hats I own." Frankie cocks her head and smiles.

Grace rolls her eyes. "That one... " She points to the hat on Frankie's head. "is extremely memorable."

"It is, which is why I need more than one, in case I loose the other one, maybe I should get three, or four that way, I have one in the car, and one, for the night stand."

Grace fixes her with a look. "No. You may buy one extra, but that's all. "

Frankie smiles. "Okay." She takes the hat off and with sweeping arms, moves over to the shelf of bongs.

"Frankie dear, Mallory and I are going to sit down on that bench, just outside and wait until you're done." Grace points to the door to the shop, as she ushers Mallory out.

Frankie nods and hums "mmhmm" She's very absorbed in touching every single bong, tracing the different colors and the different neck shapes. She looks like she's in stoner heaven.

Grace and Mallory sit on the hard wooden bench, for only about a minute and a half, during which time Mallory texts Mitch a few hundred times, asking for updates on her kids, and when he doesn't respond immediately, she sighs. Grace pats her hand, and it feels so weird, to have her mother trying to comfort her, for a change.

"I'm sure they're fine." She says.

"Yeah." Mallory says. "I don't worry about him, accidentally setting them on fire or anything, but I do worry about him, forgetting to feed them dinner."

Grace smiles. "We'll pick up some, gourmet baby food for the twins, and some fruit snacks for the kids." She pats her hand again, and Frankie emerges from T-Shirts and Stuff with two bags of merchandise, which Grace rolls her eyes hard at, but at the same time she's beaming, as soon as she sees her, and Mallory can't believe she didn't see it before.

Next they make their way, through what Frankie used to refer to as, "those rich bitch stores"

After they get in the store, Frankie meanders off by herself a ways, and Mallory gives her mother a look like, Is she going to be okay? Grace just laughs.

"If there is one thing I've learned about Frankie, over the years, it's to let her do her own thing sometimes; even if I don't quite understand it. She'll find us again, and if she doesn't, we can always go to the concierge desk and shout something ridiculous like: "THE BP OIL SPILL WAS NO ONE'S FAULT!" and wait for her to come flying out of whatever corner she's in, shouting: "Everyone knows that's not true, you fucking dillweed!" "

Mallory laughs, as they head over, to the nearest rack of clothes."So since Frankie isn't here right now... could you try explaining this whole thing to me, again?"

"What thing? Oh. Oh. Right yeah me being... Frankie and I being...in love with... each other."

"Yeah, that thing. It just seemed so out of nowhere, for me mom. I don't get it, I thought I did, I thought you had, a sisterly relationship with her."

Grace's face breaks out, into a large smile before she, cackles. " HA. No, absolutely not. No. Sorry dear" She cackles again. "but no. "

"Okay then, while we pick out amazing clothes, that we are going to look fantastic in, why don't you tell me all about, how this started, from your point of view?"

- Somewhere in a nearby coat rack Frankie is listening intently.

"Well... in hindsight" Grace sighs. "I think my feelings for Frankie, had been building for, quite some time."

"Really?" Mallory raises her eyebrows.

"Yes. It may have started with me, being unable to stop thinking about her hair. But then, I started caring less and less about men, what they wanted, what they expected of me and more and more, about impressing her, making sure she liked and approved of the decisions I was making, trying to be a better person in her eyes. But I didn't realize it was happening, that I was falling in love, until she kissed me."

"So... she kissed you first."

"Yes. And -" Grace shakes her head not to clear it, but to try to figure out, how to articulate her experience. "It seemed like, just a whim on her part. But Mallory, I was floored, the way she made me feel, in that moment-" Grace exhales. " well the best orgasam I ever had up until recently, was never that explosive."

"Wow, Okay...wow Mom..."Mallory looks around, to make sure, there aren't too many customers, listening in. But there is no one, around. Except, it turns out, a very curious looking employee, whose eyebrows just shot up, to the fluorescent lights. "Wow." Mallory says again.

Grace, just grins a little.

"A whim?" Mallory swallows. "I have a really hard time, believing a small kiss, could produce a feeling like, that."

"I hope you feel it someday Mallory, I really do. I'm sad it took this long for me, to feel something, that intense. I hope, it doesn't take you as long."

"Um thanks?"

"You don't understand Mallory, it was, life shattering, in almost a divine way, and everything after has been just as incredible. "

"Okay mom... I am very uncomfortable right now, because you just compared your first kiss with Frankie, to an orgasim, in the middle of a very, public store.."

Grace shrugs. "Well, you asked."

Mallory nods, through her whole next sentence, like a bobble head. "I did, I regret it now. But you are right mom, I absolutely did. Okay... so I believe you now. You sound crazy, about her."

"I am." Grace grins. "I really really am."

"Then, I'm happy for you."

Frankie chooses this exact moment to pop out from the adjacent clothing rack and shout:

"NINJA!" Causing Grace's face, to burst bright red for two reasons; Frankie's childishness, and what she knows, Frankie must have just heard her say.

Grace smiles at her uneasily and the way Frankie beams at her back, is positively devish. Frankie, links her arms with Grace, leans into her, and smirks. All Grace can do, is turn her face away and blush deeper.

Frankie smiles softer, and whispers in her ear: "I love you so much, Grace." But her smirk returns and widens, when Grace's knees wobble a little, at her words, and she needs to, grip Frankie's arm, for support.

Grace shakes her head. "Shut up." She says.

Frankie just smiles, and follows the two of them around the store, directly behind Grace nearly the whole time, so that Grace, is almost always elbowing her, accidently.

"Frankie? Why are you so close to me?"

Frankie, immediately backs up about six paces, and follows, diagonally behind. "I'm sorry, from now on, I'll shop with you from way back here? Is that better?" She fake shouts.

Grace looks back at her and groans.

"Frankie, will you get over here?"

Mallory for her part is laughing silently into her open palm.

"No. Because you didn't want me, to be too, close to you, and I'm not sure, where you want me." Frankie, folds her arms over her chest and pouts.

Grace sighs. "Next to me."

"Well, some of these aisles, are a little narrow Grace, and I don't want to get, lost."

"I know Frankie, just use your best judgement and stop breathing, in my ear."

Frankie walks back to Grace, and whispers: "But, I thought you liked, when I did."

Grace blushes. "I do, just not in public."

Mallory goes to a separate rack but not before muttering: "Please, try harder, at embarrassing me. I don't think you are doing, quite enough."

This, causes both older women, to laugh. Grace thinks, to hell with it and gives Frankie, a nice, soft, sweet, kiss on the lips, in the store. This, does bring a little attention to them, mostly gasps, and women pulling their children behind them, but there are also, a few smiles. Grace, can't be bothered to give a shit, either way.

Mallory, crashes her head into her hands, as dramatically, as possible. "I was being sarcastic." She says.

Grace smiles. "I know. But I don't think, your father and I, ever got to embarrass you, like this." She smiles at Frankie, then back to Mallory. "I rather, enjoy it."

Mallory, groans and heads to the dressing rooms, with a pile of clothes, on her arm.

For the rest of the time they shop in the many different stores, Mallory and Grace, are drawn to. Frankie, resigns herself, to being Grace's clothing rack, while she looks for more clothes.

Later, when they are sitting down to have lunch, Mallory sighs heavily, into her salad.

"Is something bothering you?" Frankie asks.

Mallory looks up at her and sighs again. "What are you guys?"

"That's a weird question." Frankie says. "Kinda personal, I mean, we're much more than, best friends and now that we've introduced an element of physical pleasure, and there's some feelings -"

"Dear God no, that's not, what I mean." Mallory says, sputtering.

"What did you mean?" Grace asks, taking a sip of her water.

"I mean -" She clears her throat. "are you gay? Are you straight? How does this work?"

Frankie shakes her head. "It doesn't work like that, it's a spectrum, it's not all or nothing it's-"

Grace stops her, with a hand on her thigh, and whispers. "I got this." Then, turns her attention back to her daughter, who looks, almost as small now, as she did when she was caught on the couch, with her first boyfriend. "Honestly honey, I didn't know about any of this stuff either and I'm still a little confused as to, how it all works. That's why -" She takes a breath. "I've decided, to bring myself, to a PFlag meeting -"

Frankie interrupts with: "Parents and families of lesbian, gay, and bisexuals, although, it should include a lot more letters, for example - "

"To learn more about these things, myself, and I'd love it, if you could come with me. Frankie offered, but I'm a little, embarrassed. She's already leagues ahead of me, on this stuff. I'd like to be able to, educate myself on this. So.."She exhales. "Will you come with me?"

Mallory, schools her features, as best as she can. "Do you think, I should?"

"I think, it would help, I mean, it would help me too. I'm not too keen, on going on my own, you'd be there, to learn and to support me. Would you be comfortable, doing that?"

Mallory smiles uneasily. "Yeah mom." She breaths. "Yeah, I could do that."

Epilogue

It's two weeks later, when the entire family, has another brunch together, at the beach house.

Mallory, is telling everyone, about all the different labels she's learning and driving everyone crazy, with how proud she is, that she's stopped buying her kids gendered clothing and; how she's encouraging Macklin to play with dolls and Madison to play with monster trucks. Everyone, is smiling at her, but Brianna, is already, concocting a new drinking game, for the next time they have to sit through another, Mallory, teaching us something new, about Queers lecture.

Coyote, for his part is, extremely attentive. Bud, is side eyeing Brianna, because he knows, exactly what she is thinking about. Allison, next to him, is trying to count everything on the table, that she can't eat. Robert and Sol, and Grace and Frankie, are all in the kitchen, running around each other, preparing food and non-alcoholic drinks. Each couple, sneaking kisses and butt grabs, as often as they can, while high fiving, their exes. For Grace and Robert, it's a competition, to see how often, they can get their significant others to blush, and for Frankie and Sol, it's just so much fun being spoiled.

And of course, they lived happily ever after, for as long as they lived. I'm guessing even after, because; I'm a Frankie and I believe in things like that. ;D