Are We All We Are?

Chapter 6

2011

•••••

"Are you kidding me? That makes no sense." Peggy grumbled, as Dottie squeaked and spilled half the bowl of popcorn over their laps. "Seriously? You are the last person I expected— How are you still scared by this? That's not how—"

"Because it's fun." Dottie said and tossed a piece of popcorn at Peggy's face as she tried to clean up. "Next time maybe you'll choose a movie instead of waffling for half a century. Spoilsport."

"I don't waffle." Peggy insisted. She was grinning, probably a little too widely, trying to hide how cartoonishly heart-eyed she felt. It's not like she was actually mad about anything that got Dottie to scoot a little closer and hide her face in Peggy's shoulder every so often.

Dottie was practically in her lap, at this point, the side of her thigh warm against Peggy's where they're pressed together, and Peggy kept getting whiffs of her shampoo, or whatever fruity-flowery thing she uses to make her hair look all sleek and shiny.

"It's a date." Dottie had said, when Peggy suggested movie night. They were on their second movie and their third bowl of popcorn, and Peggy still couldn't figure out whether she meant it seriously or not. She'd been smiling, but Dottie smiles at a lot of things. She just has one of those faces, with the big soft eyes and the easy smiles; it's not anything special, the way she looks at Peggy, no matter what Ana keeps insinuating.

Dottie looked reluctant when the movie ended, but she stretched and said, "I should probably head to bed, it's late."

"Right." Peggy said, and she could feel her heartbeat in her throat. Dottie's so close. It couldn't be her imagination that there was something in the air between them right now.

It's totally her imagination, fuck, and—

She hesitated too long, and the moment was  gone.

She walked Dottie to her door, her mouth moving on autopilot to get out the polite words: this was fun, let's do it again soon, sleep well. They hugged, and Peggy's heart was pounding, wondering if she should go for a kiss on the cheek.... and again, she wondered for a moment too long, and Dottie was pulling back.

She had this knowing, expectant smile on her face, and her tone was almost teasing when she said, "Night, Peg." She seemed like she was waiting for something.

But then she was stepping back, opening the door, waving over her shoulder one last time, and the concealed disappointment on her face was so clear, that Peggy felt like she'd been hit in the face by a brick, or something.

"Wait," she blurted out, and Dottie pauses, halfway towards her bed. "Was this a date?"

Dottie's eyebrows shot up, and for a second Peggy's convinced she just made an awful mistake. Then Dottie walked toward her, stopping a few inches in front of Peggy, and looked at her with those big sparkling ocean eyes.

"So when I said, 'It's a date,' what did you think I meant?" She asked softly, and she was obviously holding back laughter.

"Oh," Peggy said. "Oh. Okay. So if I kissed you goodnight....?"

"Less talking, more doing, Peg."