Playing Her Game

Uncertainty

I'd spent my shift trying to recover from my encounter with Portia, how I had grown the courage to tell her to back off I really do not know, but I had done, and it had worked.

My shock was what had impacted on me more than the confrontation.

I had almost crawled my way to the corner of the street to get onto a bus, I always liked these late evening bus journeys the city at night was one of my favorite things. It became an oddly eerie experience as the streets emptied and sparse of life silence with just the echo of voices and cars.

There was an odd beauty in the city at night, tonight the bus was empty except for one man that said a few seats in front of me. His head bent over his cell phone, occasionally he runs his hands through his hair as though he was stressed. I was imagining that he too much have a demanding wife waiting for him.

I rechecked my phone, I had no message from Lexa. I was disappointed I wanted to hear my phone ping and Lexa to flash up on my phone.

I was getting far too obsessed with Lexa, was this what happened when people married was this a good thing, but how did Lexa feel. So many things were rushing through my mind.

Since that night with Casey, I was, much more cautious, my fingers clenched the pepper spray. Ororo had made sure I carry it whenever I needed to go out alone.

I worried where he was, where had he lurked off to that night like a phantom in the night.

Finally, the bus stopped, my attention was drawn to the people waiting to get on an old lady with a giant ass brown coat wrapped around her like it was clinging on for dear life. Somehow it seemed strange seeing an elderly person venture out at night alone.

I jumped to my feet and followed my fellow passenger out of the bus, passing the people who were waiting to board, including the old lady. I smiled at her but was met with an impatient scowl.

"Jeez, she is a sweetie," I muttered under my breath, I was now feeling sorry for any mugger who would stumble across that grumpy woman. "She probably would freaking beat them to death with her giant handbag, she probably has a few bricks in that thing."

The rest of my walk home, or to Lexa's apartment, it was beginning to scare me how much I was starting to think of it as my home. The rest of the walk was happily uneventful, and soon I found myself taking my jacket off in the hall and hanging it up.

The apartment was silent.

Too silent for my liking.

"Lex!" I called out only to be met with silence. "Lexa, I'm home."

Still, nothing as I crept on tiptoes further into the apartment, I don't know why I did this the whole place seemed to be asleep.

"Ororo, are you home?"

Silence again met my call. I quickly checked the time on the screen of my cell phone, frowning when I saw just how late it was, half-past nine I'd never known Lexa or Ororo work this late before. Still, I was very new. Maybe this wasn't unusual for them.

With a sigh, I slumped down onto the couch leaning my head against the back I looked up at the dull, bland white ceiling, the silence was really too loud when no one was home but me, it bothered me much.

If I were at home, I'd have Mom shouting orders for me. Demanding money for Frankie's latest crazy scheme, because heaven forbid she actually work for it.

Maybe the silence wasn't so bad after all, smiling I kicked my shoes off and planted my feet lazily on the table in front of me and reaching for the remote control beside me. Usually, Lexa had control of the remote, but now I had complete possession of it.

"If I could get a Supergirl marathon on right now, that would be perfect." I prayed out loud, dashing between channels meeting nothing that met my approval. "They really need to give in and make an Alex Danvers channel, she's cool just for having my name." I chuckled.

My mother seemed to fit the description of the sinister Mrs. Danvers, though, that was for sure. I wondered if anyone had ever told her that before, maybe I should be the one to break the news. Sorry, Mom, you're a repressed Lesbian. She'd like that.

An hour passed, and still, there was no sign of Lexa and Ororo, now I was beginning to worry it was very late and yet there was no word from them.

I'd sent more than a few messages to Lexa over the hour I'd been home,

Hey, I just arrived home from work safely, hope you're okay.

Did you know it was this late? The sun said goodnight hours ago, I hope you're okay.

I even went for the random route.

Brioche or Croissants?

Leather or Lace?

Cats or Dogs?

And back to desperate.

Hi......so your meeting must be going on longer than you expected, it's very late.

Lexa, I'm worried now where are you?

None had worked.

My phone rang, I'd been holding it in my hands, I was so startled the phone launched itself into the air. I tried to catch it, but my clumsy buttery fingers couldn't quite grab hold, and it crashed helplessly to the ground.

I stared down in despair, but it still was ringing so I reached down and picked it up, only it wasn't Lexa.

"Hi, Jamie," I said, trying to hide the disappointment in my voice. I hadn't heard from Jamie Beaumont since she and Lexa had exchanged verbal blows on the street.

"Hey, girl, just checking to see if you're okay, I saw your wife out and about tonight at the bar, noticed you weren't with her and thought I'd say hi."

My lips dropped into a deep frown, Lexa was out at a bar? So she wasn't at work at all.

"Yeah, I had to work late." I hoped I sounded convincing because, to my ears, I was a massive fraud.

"Ah, okay that makes sense I guess that woman she was with is just a friend."

WOMAN!!!! WHAT FUCKING WOMAN? I'd never experienced jealousy before. Still, wow, this was quick and fast-acting, the thought of Lexa with another woman made me boil with rage. Who the hell is this woman?

I gritted my teeth and replied. "Yes, just an old friend that errs...Jennifer, yes, Jenn is lovely." Just beautiful and dandy, I love her dearly and don't at all want to push her off a cliff.

"That's cool then, so...if Lex is out and about with dear old Jenn that means you are what exactly?" I could hear the smugness to her voice. She wasn't fooled.

"Oh, just going to bed early, read a book and fall asleep, the regular boring stuff. I have work tomorrow." As usual.

"Maybe you need some company," Jamie asked, her voice turning as thick and sweet as honey.

"Yeah, I do, but Lex won't agree to have a cat, she says they leave too much hair around the place." I shrugged innocently.

Her laugh was deep and rich, but I knew there was no innocence behind those tones. I knew what she was after.

I wasn't interested, even knowing about this woman I'd christened Jennifer. I knew her real name would be something sophisticated and mature, she'd make mine sound like a trash can groupie.

I hated her.

"If Lexa is out with your 'friend,' You have a spot available to fill in for her, I'd gladly volunteer." Jamie's voice was thick and sultry. I could totally understand how easy it would be to fall into her arms when she bats her eyes and quirks a smile.

"Well, thanks for the offer, but I am a terrible sleeper, I kick a lot, thanks for those ballet classes. Mom, bye now!" I didn't wait for her to reply. I quickly hung up and threw my cell phone onto the sofa away from me.

The front door creaked open behind me. "You're still up." Lexa's voice said with surprise.

Oh yes, sweetie, I'm still up; now who the hell is Jennifer?