Pink Lace, Red Eyes

Donna Granger reclined against the headboard, silk sheets tangled around her legs, a faint shimmer of perspiration cooling on her chest. She felt radiant, rejuvenated, purposeful. How many years had it been since she felt the level of excitement she now had, her life redefined, her future a vision of beauty and love beyond anything she could have imagined.

She had experienced Joey's passions firsthand earlier that day, the memory still fresh enough to give her butterflies. Despite being young, he was a man of action. His diminutive size, his slight body, all of it got her so excited. He was, after all, practically irresistible. Not that she would want to resist him. Far from it. Joey was her perfect guy. If and when he wanted her again, she'd be waiting with open arms.

And legs.

In a way, Donna was glad that Joey had chosen Madison. She remembered seeing the younger woman earlier in the week, wondering who she was to her son. As far as Donna could tell, Madison was the first to realize how amazing Joey was, the first to tell Joey how she felt about him. Supporting Madison, encouraging her, cheering her on while she and Donna's son made love on Donna's own bed felt wonderful. These amazing women, these new sisters Donna never realized that she needed, all deserved their time with Joey. And Joey with them.

Next to her, on the other side of the bed, Madison sat glowing like a candle flame, wrapped in one of the satin robes Donna kept for special occasions. Her eyes were far away, but her unending smile was pure joy.

"I'm so lucky to be with him," Madison said in a wistful voice for the fourth time. Donna agreed. Normally she would have spoken to a girl carrying such a sentiment, helping them realign their values, building up their self-esteem, but this was Joey they were talking about. He was the perfect guy.

Eliza was sitting on the floor near the foot of the bed, sketching patterns with her fingertip in the carpet like she was mapping out new constellations. Aynsley was also on the floor, sitting in front of Bianca who had found perch on the chair at Donna's makeup table. Bianca was gently braiding the younger woman's hair, encouraging her, letting her know that her time would come soon, and telling her how pretty she was.

The scent of sex was prevalent in the air, but it was the sense of contented sisterhood that filled the room. It hung in the air like incense.

A flicker of pride ran down Donna's spine. How she had been so blessed to be in this situation was beyond her ability to comprehend. Joey was an excellent lover, and was going to be a great husband. Giving him her little gift, Joey's visitor, was the least that she could have done.

Serena.

They'd only met her briefly at the hotel, but Donna knew immediately that she would be great for Joey. The moment Serena had handed over her phone number, Donna had committed. Serena would be in Joey's life, and Donna would make it happen. It was an opportunity too good to pass up. Donna wasn't the jealous type, and besides, hot girls have always wanted Joey, and Serena was certainly a hot girl.

She sipped her champagne, something that Bianca, Aynsley and herself were partaking in while they waited the party out. Eliza had declined the offer, saying that she wanted Joey's permission before she imbibed, and Madison was far too lost in her post-Joey bliss to want a drink . The music from downstairs was muffled, but still lively. The party was going strong.

For a moment, Donna allowed herself to imagine Joey and Serena, sneaking off upstairs to his bedroom, quickly disrobing, losing themselves in each other. It would be an intoxicating sight, to be sure, the dark-skinned woman straight from a magazine, the short, gaunt perfect image of manhood on top of her, two beautiful people in love's embrace.

But not all things were for Donna's eyes. Yes, she shared a special bond with the women in the room, but Serena was Joey's alone. Maybe one day they would connect on a deeper level, but for now she and Joey could have each other. That would have to be enough.

Then came a knock at the door.

All five women in the room turned their heads.

A muffled voice.

"Let me in."

Donna's brows lifted. Her heart skipped. There was something wrong. The voice was Joey's, but not the voice he'd used all night. It wasn't confident. It wasn't playful. It was... rattled.

She rose, leaving her heels beside the bed where she had lain them earlier, and padded barefoot on the carpet, the lace at the top of her stockings embracing her thighs. When she opened the door, the scene in the hallway stole the breath from her lungs.

Joey stood there, flushed and frazzled, hair sticking up in wild tufts. Serena stood beside him, not a woman embracing her new love, but supporting the another figure in her arms.

Juniper.

Drunk. Disheveled. Devastated.

Donna's daughter.

"Juniper?" Donna gasped, stepping back. "What the hell—?"

Juniper groaned, half-lifting her head. Her makeup was smudged, her eyes bloodshot.

And then she saw her.

Saw Donna.

Saw the outfit.

Her face twisted as she slurred the words out.

"Oh my God, Mom. What the fuck are you wearing?"

Donna flushed, instinctively folding her arms over her chest. She looked down, suddenly aware of the way her breasts pushed against the soft lace, of the shimmer of powder on her collarbone, of the garter clips still hanging from her thighs.

Madison sat up fast. Aynsley cursed. Eliza stood up, suddenly alert.

Joey stepped forward, lifting Juniper more fully into his arms. "She was in the kitchen," he said. "She's really drunk. I think she... I think I..."

He didn't finish.

Donna's hands flew to cover her mouth. Juniper. Home early from college? Unannounced? Had she been here all night?

"She was like this when I first saw her," Serena said gently, seemingly nonplussed. "She seems really upset."

Juniper gave a bitter laugh. "Don't worry, I'm not staying. Wouldn't want to ruin your little lingerie party, or whatever the fuck this is."

Her voice cracked on lingerie.

Donna didn't know what to feel—shame, anger, guilt, alarm. They had planned everything so carefully. Every detail. Joey's party, Derek's confrontation, Joey's reward. But Juniper? Her daughter was never part of the equation. She hadn't even occurred to her.

And now, there she was, staring at Donna with drunken disgust. Donna had never felt more naked.

"Bring her in," Donna said, quickly moving to the closet and grabbing Hank's housecoat and throwing it on.

Joey and Serena carried Juniper gently into the room, easing her down onto the bed. Madison shifted without hesitation to make room. Bianca fetched a throw blanket. Eliza knelt beside her, checking her pulse like the teacher she was.

Donna moved in slowly, heart pounding.

"Baby," she whispered, brushing hair from Juniper's forehead. For years Juniper had been her favourite child, for years she had doted on her, taken care of her, encouraged her. Until very recently, she barely gave a thought to her son, other than worries about how he would survive in the world when he was finally **** to move out of the house. She stared at the young woman, seeing so much of herself in her, and felt her heart ache. "What happened?"

Juniper gave a low, humourless laugh, then turned her face away.

"Juniper," she said. "Forget about how I'm dressed. We can talk about that later. Are you alright? Did somebody hurt you?"

There was a moment of silence, then, without turning toward her mother, Juniper spoke.

"Yes," she muttered. "No. I don't know."

It was a start. She was speaking at least.

"Who was it?" Donna probed gently, "Let me help."

"It's nobody," Juniper said, more aggressively, obviously hurting. "It's just that... Ugh! Fuck! Joey!" then began to sob.

Donna flinched. What did Joey have to do with this? She looked up. At Joey. At the girls. At Serena, still hovering near the doorway. Then back down at her daughter.

This wasn't the reunion she'd imagined.

"She needs water," Eliza said softly.

"And maybe a lot more than that," Serena added.

Donna nodded. Aynsley slipped out the door to get a glass. Once the door latched, she turned toward her daughter again.

"Did Joey hurt you?" Donna asked very quietly, unable to quite picture a way that her perfect man could hurt Juniper, but maybe there was some sort of misunderstanding that she could clear up.

"Mom," Juniper said, her face in her hands, "I don't even... he's... I think I'm in love with him."

"What?"

"Like, totally, absolutely, in love," she said as waves of sorrow wracked her body, "and he already is with someone. Or more than one girl. I don't even know how to be anymore."

Donna's eyes went wide, horrified by what she was hearing. Her own daughter, in love with Donna's son? That was ****! She couldn't believe what was happening! Where had she gone wrong? Had she been a terrible mother? Had she screwed up somewhere?

Donna didn't know what was coming next.

But one thing she did know: this party was over.