Free Love's Autograph by Michele M. Reynolds Page B

alright,” Ria laughed.
    “ Have fun,” Ellie said. “Call me if you need an escape.”
    “ Oh, I will,” Ria said with emphasis.
    Ellie and Maggie spent th eir time together playing guitar. Ellie tried to get Maggie to play some games or to watch movies. Maggie only wanted to play guitar. Maggie told Ellie how her music teacher was teaching her how to read music.
    “ Music is all I can focus on,” Maggie said. She asked Ellie to tell her who were her favorite musicians. She wrote the list down in a new notebook. Ellie peeked at the front of the notebook and MUSIC was written in thick black marker.
    Maggie went to bed at 9:07. Maggie let Ellie say goodnight to her from her bedroom doorway. Once Maggie was in bed, Ellie called Jazzie.
    “ Hello,” Jazzie answered.
    “ Jazzie, EJ.”
    “ EJ, I can't get over you calling me and saying my name,” Jazzie said.
    “ Hey, well since you're such a fan, can you do me a favor? Can you run errands or will you get in trouble for that?”
    “ I can run errands. I have to charge you for gas and time.”
    “ That's fine,” Ellie said.
    “ What's up? What do you need?” Jazzie said.
    “ I need you to pick up some things for me,” Ellie said. Ellie texted her the address.
    Ellie paced the floor of the living room.
    I will kiss her tonight. I will kiss Ria tonight. We will kiss tonight. I am not leaving until we kiss. I will tell her that I love her.
    Ellie dusted the living room , wiped down every surface in the kitchen and even cleaned the inside of the microwave. She did not dare stop moving. She kept the mantra running in her head. Tonight is the night.
    Then Ria texted Ellie, How's the munchkin?
    Ellie answered, All snug in bed.
    How late you willing to stay? Ria asked.
    Ellie looked at her phone and thought, What would Dina want me to do? I should beg her to come home now. I should say I can’t stay much longer. I can't believe she's having fun with someone besides me. I’ve gottat muster enough courage to tell her how I feel.
    Ellie asked, Things going that well?
    It 's great. She can get us into this exclusive club. Do you mind? I should be home by 2 at the latest, Ria answered.
    Ellie texted words that she knew she would regret, No problem.
    Ellie grabbed her guitar and fiddled around with some chords. She grabbed some scrap paper off the coffee table and covered the paper in lyrics. Words flowed onto the paper. She picked up her guitar and tried out the melody and lyrics. Before Ria returned home, Ellie had two songs in an almost polished form. Ellie turned out the lights in the living room and sat in the window seat overlooking the main entrance five floors below.
    Ellie sat up alert at each car that slowed down or stopped at the entrance. Finally a black SUV stopped and Ria's legs emerged from the passenger side. The blonde driver walked out of the SUV and met Ria at the curb. She was wearing a long white coat. Ellie looked away.
    I can't watch her kiss Ria. Her stomach turned and she felt like she would throw up. She looked back down and Ria was gone, but the SUV still sat at the entrance. Ellie continued to look down at the SUV and it was not moving. Then she heard it—voices in the hallway.
    “ I had a great night,” blondie said.
    “ Me, too,” Ria said. Her voice sounded higher pitched than normal. Ellie stood in the middle of the room frozen as if she was a thief with nowhere to hide from an approaching homeowner.
    “ Can I come in for a bit?” blondie asked.
    “ Not a good idea,” Ria said. “I'm kind of tired and I don't want to mess up this perfect night.”
    “ Fair enough,” blondie answered. Then there was silence. A long silence. Ellie started to count and got to twenty-eight seconds.
    Then there was a key in the door. Ellie instinctively fell on the couch and pretended to be sleeping. Ellie heard Ria place her keys on the counter and heard her gorgeous legs walk over to Ellie on the couch.
    “ Ellie,” Ria whispered.
    I even love how