Free Disclosures - SF4 by Susan X Meagher Page A

in the shade of the trees that lined the long promenade in front of City Hall. The main stage was in full gear, with an energetic salsa band beating out a fierce rhythm. Ryan took off to buy Italian ices for everyone, and when she returned she chuckled at the extemporaneous entertainment that Caitlin was providing.
    The tiny tot was dancing to the music, swaying her little hips as well as could be expected for a ten-month-old. Jamie was holding one chubby hand to provide stability, while the baby kept remarkably good time to the beat. As Ryan sank to the ground next to her, Martin related, "I was just telling Jamie about your dancing career."
    She covered her face with her hands, shaking her head in embarrassment. "Can a woman have no secrets around here?"
    "Of course not, dear," Maeve joined in. "How can we embarrass you if we don’t dig into the archives?"
    "Let me get this straight," Jamie chortled, trying to keep a straight face. "You…Ryan O’Flaherty… wanted to be a cheerleader for the ‘49ers?"
    "Ummm…I liked football?" Ryan was blushing furiously, and Jamie could not help but prolong her agony.
    "Then why didn’t you decide to break the sexual barrier and play for the team, Honey?" Green eyes blinked ingenuously.
    "Fine," Ryan huffed, giving up on the pretext. "I liked the girls! I liked football, but I loved the girls in those tight outfits!"
    "Siobhán!" her father cried. "You were no more than four years old!"
    She shrugged her broad shoulders and gave him a helpless smile. "I was a prodigy!"
     
    As usual, Jamie was carrying her cell phone, and when Conor got near the Civic Center, he called her to announce his whereabouts. After a bout of hugs and kisses, Martin, Maeve and Caitlin headed on home, leaving Jamie and Ryan to enjoy the rest of the festival.
    They wandered around the various booths, with Jamie doing a little shopping, as usual. Approaching the "Good Vibrations" table, Ryan called out greetings to her friends who were working the booth. "Still going strong, huh, ‘O’?" one of the women grinned.
    "Permanently partnered," Ryan beamed back at her. "No more dates in the try on room."
    "Hey," Jamie nudged her with a hip. "You can still take me there!"
    "Excellent point, as usual, Love." Ryan shot her a grin so high-powered that her friend couldn’t help but join in.
    "You are soooooo whipped, O’Flaherty," she chuckled.
    "And I’ve never been happier," Ryan replied absently, her attention focused on the sparkling green eyes that looked up at her with total devotion.
     
    "I think his booth should be right around here, somewhere…" Jamie scanned the area until she focused on the banner that heralded, "The Episcopal Archdiocese of San Francisco Welcomes You." "Poppa!" she cried when she made eye contact with the senior member of the Evans family.
    Ryan was pulled along forcibly as Jamie dashed the last 25 feet to greet her grandfather. "Jamie, Ryan," he murmured, wrapping each woman in a hug. "It’s so good to see you both looking so healthy and happy!"
    "Happy!" his gleeful granddaughter cried. "Happy!? I’d have to be severely depressed to only be happy," she laughed. "I’ve never been happier, Poppa," she insisted, shaking her head at her inability to convey the depth of her joy.
    "That’s obvious, Sweetheart," he soothed, clutching her to his chest. "You both look completely blissful." Holding her at arm’s length he offered an apology. "I’m sorry I wasn’t able to walk with you in the parade, girls. Even though I’m on my sabbatical, I needed to conduct the services today. My associate priests are far younger than I am, and they both wanted to march with our gay and lesbian group, so I filled in for them. But next year, I hope you will join our group. We could use a vibrant pair like you two."
    "We might just do that," Jamie said, looking to Ryan for approval.
    "It’s a date," Ryan said. "It will be nice to have an organized religion welcome us with open arms."
    "Oh…we have our