The Long Winter #34
Fortunate Daughter part six
“You’re coming on an adventure with me.”
Penny looked up from her notes to frown at Sandra. Maddie made a noise from her spot near the window and Sandra rushed into their room to join Penny on the couch.
“Adventure?”
“Adventure! We’ve already had a few together, between our self-defense class and that party a couple of weeks ago—“
“Some adventure,” Maddie muttered.
Sandra refrained from tossing the blonde a glare and kept a smile on her face for Penny.
“So maybe you already have plans for Christmas, which is fine, everyone does family stuff for Christmas, but I hope your calendar is clear after that so we can go and have an adventure together.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“Cancun, the Bahamas, something like that.”
“That sounds incredibly expensive…”
“Not to mention romantic,” Maddie said. “That sounds like the sort of romantic tropical vacation you should be inviting your boyfriend on.”
“I’m not discussing this with you, Maddie. This invite is for Penny.”
Sandra took her pretty eyes away from Penny to glare prettily up at Maddie. Penny felt a wave of loneliness sweep over her at the loss of Sandra’s smile. Maddie’s angry retort washed it away.
“Why are you inviting her on a romantic tropical vacation?”
“I never said it was romantic. You did!”
“So what? You don’t have to say it! Maybe you’re really gay, too, Sandra! Did you ever think of that? Maybe you’re secretly a huge lesbian and this little “adventure” of yours is a way to deal with it without any of us being able to see it! And it’s very convenient now that she’s newly single, but something tells me that’s not the sort of thing that would bother you!”
“It would definitely not bother me. But then, I’m not a goodie-two-shoes two-face and I can deal with hypocrisy and the complexities of human existence.”
“You are such a bitch!” Maddie rounded on Penny. “How the hell can you even be friends with this creature?”
“She’s been nice to me—“
“You just heard what she said! And I know what she thinks about you being a lesbian. That sort of thing doesn’t bother me—“
“I’m dealing with it.”
“Shut up, Sandra, just shut the fuck up!”
Sandra jumped up and walked around the couch.
“Are you going to hit me?” Sandra’s breathing was quick and shallow and Penny thought she was even trembling. “Are you going to knock me down?”
“Something is seriously wrong with you,” Maddie backed a step away from the brunette.
“Something’s wrong with all of us,” Sandra answered. “That’s why we’re here.”
Maddie stared back as Sandra worked a smile back onto her face.
“Penny’s hopelessly naïve even though she’s a degenerate pervert lesbian. You’re a martyr with this failing relationship of yours. I’m as emotionally developed as a toddler looking for the next fun thing to do.”
“You think getting hit would be fun?” Penny asked.
“Maybe “fun” isn’t the right word for it, but yes. Something like that.” She looked at Maddie. “I’m sort of sorry for this weird friction between us, mostly because we’re both friends with Penny.”
“But you hate lesbians.”
Sandra shrugged and looked at Penny.
“I don’t hate you.”
“But you just called her a degenerate pervert.”
“I played softball. I was surrounded by them.” Sandra shuddered. “It was all too up close and too, too personal.”
“Did they do something to you?” Penny gasped.
“Well…” Sandra glanced at Maddie.
“Oh, don’t mind me. You didn’t seem to when you were inviting my lesbian roommate on a romantic tropical vacation.”
“You make it so hard not to hate you, you know that?” Sandra grumbled at her. She went to the couch and leaned against the back beside Penny. “Fine. There was hazing going on. They hazed me when I first joined. Then they tried to make me join the hazing of our next incoming teammates the year after. Then I switched teams.”
“Hazing? What’s hazing?” Penny glanced at Maddie.
“They messed with her!” Maddie laughed. “They must have really messed you up!”
“Messed?”
“I didn’t really know it when I was a freshman, but the word Maddie really wants to say is “rape.” They raped me.” Sandra sulked as she looked down at Penny. “I sort of know exactly how you felt at the party, up until the booze shower. I couldn’t bring myself to join in when they did it my sophomore year so they forced me to join the freshmen again.”
“That wasn’t exciting? You didn’t find that exciting enough for you?”
Sandra shook her head. “I’d really rather just be the shallow adrenaline junky. You know, the kind that takes a selfie on top of a mountain.”
“Why aren’t you inviting Clark?” Penny asked.
“Clark’s going to France for Christmas break.”
“Hah! So you’re her second choice!” Maddie’s triumphant smile withered away under the gloomy gazes from the two dark-haired girls.
“I’d have asked her first regardless,” Sandra said. “It’s not that I dislike spending time with Clark, quite the opposite, really. It just seems like a vacation like that as a couple is more of a commitment than I’m ready to make.”
“And how does Clark feel about that?”
“The same. I mean, he didn’t invite me with him to France now, did he?”
“No, I guess not…” Maddie pulled the tie out of her pony tail and ran her fingers through her hair. “I’m confused. I really want to hate you for reasons I don’t understand myself, but you’re really making it hard.”
“Well, I still want to treat your lesbian roommate to a tropical vacation I’m purposely inviting her to right in front of you, so you could still hate me for that.”
“Hm. I’ll try.”
“It won’t be romantic at all, though.” Sandra smiled at Penny. “It’ll be like we’re sisters. Or cousins.”
Penny smiled back. “My perverted side really likes that idea.”
Maddie and Sandra both laughed.
“You’re a horrid little thing, you know that?” Sandra spared a moment for a sharp smile at Maddie and then was all sweetness when she looked back at Penny. “I’m still inviting you, regardless.”
“It sounds kind of amazing, you know. But I don’t have any money saved up for something like that.”
“Oh, I’ll pay for the whole thing. Drinks and everything!
Penny glanced at Maddie.
“I don’t know…”
“Take her up on her offer,” Maddie said. “Take her for all she’s worth.”
“My parents’ net worth is equal to some small countries,” Sandra said. “A tropical vacation after Christmas is spare change.”
“You said you were raised in a pretty middle-class sort of house,” Penny frowned at her.
“I was. But look at my clothes. When I ask they spend. At least since I graduated high school at the top of my class. Anyway, I already asked them. They asked if you were a freeloader and I laughed and said I hadn’t even asked you yet so they were fine with it.”
“Well…”
“Just agree and we’ll have fun. I’ll buy you a new bikini, too.”
“Oh, you’d love to see her like that,” Maddie rolled her eyes.
“I’ve already seen her having sex with someone. Her in a bikini is hardly going to be shocking.”
“Jeez, Sandra…” Penny cringed under Sandra’s sarcastic smile. It was not so much the reminder of what had happened at that party two weeks ago, but at the thought of taking advantage of someone’s kindness. Sandra had said she could easily pay for it, but it still felt wrong to accept. Even with Maddie’s urge to take full advantage of Sandra. That is, of Sandra’s money. She forced herself not to think about Sandra’s lean legs or what she might look like in an itty bitty bikini of her own.
You should go. You’ve suffered some bad luck since you’ve been up here. You should definitely accept this less-than-random act of kindness.
You really think so? Usually I’d immediately agree with you, you seem to be the angel on my shoulder, but…
Sandra’s being genuine here. Trust me. She wants to go and share these experiences with you. She wants to take care of you. There’s something almost motherly about it.
Not sisterly? Cousin-ly?
Well, maybe older sisterly, if you insist on thinking about it like that.
Penny smiled at Marv’s words and looked up at Sandra.
“Well, if you really want me to go with you…”
“I do!” Sandra spared a moment to glance at Maddie, a hesitant expression in her eyes. “I really find myself valuing this friendship. It’s slowly become less like a “friendship” and more like a friendship.” She glanced at Maddie. “Maybe someday you and I can become friends.”
“Hmp. Maybe.” Maddie sniffed at her and turned away from them. “You two lovebirds have a good time. But when I invite you to my wedding it’s going to be you two as a couple.”
“You’re hilarious, Maddie,” Sandra said, sharing a sigh with Penny.
“It’s fine,” Penny said. “I’m pretty sure every single person on campus is masturbating to me before they go to bed. If Maddie is, too, it’s no big deal at this point.”
Sandra and Maddie both laughed.
“You are gross!” Maddie said.
“You really are going to make it a trip to remember, you pervert!”
Penny smiled sweetly at the two of them. It was nice to see them laughing together. Clark was far from their thoughts, and even if it did take Penny’s public humiliation she was glad to make the sacrifice if it meant she could bring two of her friends together. They laughed a little more and then Penny left with Sandra for dinner, Maddie smiling as she dialed her fiancé behind them. The two had plans to make, and Sandra had no shortage of ideas for exciting things for them to try.
Follow The Long Winter into #35 Fortunate Daughter part seven here.