The Christmas Olympics

Parade of Lights

We spent several hours at Bricks & Birch. Miles' other friends joined us, the few who'd joined us early on in the games as our teammates, as did Arden's other friends, whom I recognized as the couple that owned the bookstore.

"I see you've met the baker," the owner of The Wandering Reader, who's name I learned was Bennet, said when she sat at our table after in introducing me to her wife, Clarke.

"I did," I said with a laugh.

"You talked about me?" Arden asked.

"When I got back into town, I went to The Wandering Reader and Bennet mentioned a queer owned bakery I should visit."

"And you never put two and two together?" Arden teased with a light elbow.

"Because I'm a Yale dropout?"

"Because you're a Yale dropout."

We both grinned at each other, the entirety of the exchange made with the lightness of quips exchanged between old friends. It was funny, how, not even a week ago this back-and-worth was wrought with malice and contempt; now, however, it was said with an almost affection.

Bennet exchanged a look with her wife, then grinned at Arden, who rolled her eyes. I frowned at the exchange.

I leaned in closer to Arden and whispered, "What was that about?"

"Nothing. They seem to think since we're the only two lesbians in town . . ." Arden let her sentence die. I laughed and told Arden that Miles had jokingly suggested I dated the baker, much like Bennet and Clarke seemed to be suggesting. And because I'd had a few drinks and my head already swam with the influence of alcohol, I jokingly suggested they were trying to set us up on a blind date, and my brother had almost been successful before I'd learned who the baker was.

Arden covered my hand in her own and leaned in close to whisper in my ear, "Oh, Whitley, you'll have to work much harder than that for a date with me."

She leaned away, a huge smile on her face. I blinked a few times, and I felt my face heat up, though I couldn't be sure if that was caused by the alcohol. I blinked a few times, my sluggish, alcohol-induced brain working to keep up, but I came up short, and instead reached for my drink and took such a big drink, I choked. Arden laughed.

"You okay?" Arden asked, patting my back. I cleared my throat and coughed once more before I regained my composure.

"I'm great," I said. When I looked at Arden, she had a twinkle in her eye that told me she knew exactly what she'd done.

We left the bar a short time later, floating down the sidewalk with the light pleasantness of a good buzz swirling around our heads. We met my parents a few blocks down from the bar where Miles' friends had already staked out a prime sidewalk spot for the parade; Miles had the wherewithal to called our parents before we'd had too many drinks and begged them to haul chairs, blankets, and the portable firepit to us.

The three of us set up chairs at the end of the long row of Miles' friends, my parents kind enough to bring an extra chair and blanket for Arden, who hadn't planned to spend her afternoon intoxicated. I was sandwiched between Miles and Arden, while Bennet and Clarke brought up the end of our long row. Thankfully, Miles was kind enough to place the heater right in front of me and I huddled up close to it the moment it was lit.

"I'm surprised you're even out here," Arden teased "Much too cold for you."

I leaned closer to the heater. "I agree." I paused. "It probably helps that I'm a bit drunk. I feel much warmer."

"Are you drunk?"

"Are you not?"

"No, I am."