Toni let out a laugh, and exchanging grins, in unison they leaned back into the softness of the sofa.

"I haven't been pissed in years. How about you?" Bill asked, staring at the liquor in his glass.

Thinking for a moment, Toni said, "Christ, I can't remember the last time. At least...I don't know, maybe eight or nine years ago. Why?"

"Care to give it a go?"

"Are you suggesting that we get drunk?"

"Yes, actually, I am."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Give me one good reason why it isn't."

"What the hell is this?" Laura asked, walking into the kitchen to find the table overflowing with wrapping paper, bows and ribbon.

Looking up, Bill said, "We were bored, so we decided to finish our wrapping. Do you need a hand with the packages?"

Believing their sluggish expressions were due to exhaustion, Laura shook her head. "By the time either of you manage to get them inside, it'll be tomorrow," she said, heading back out the door for another trip. "Be right back."

"Are we going to be in trouble?" he asked, looking in Toni's direction.

"You are."

"Me? What about you?"

"I've got issues, remember?" Toni said with a lopsided grin. "I've had a very stressful week. Wouldn't want to push me over the edge again, now would she?"

"Oh, now that's just not fair."

"What's not fair?" Laura asked, returning with more bags.

"Your partner here has decided that she's not in trouble, but I am, simply because she's had a stressful week," Bill said, rolling his eyes.

Something in the tone of her father's voice caused Laura to turn around, and spying the open bottle of whisky on the table, she blurted, "Have you been drinking?"

"Maybe a bit, but I can assure you it's for a very good reason," Toni said, gulping what was left in her glass.

"What's going on?" Eleanor asked, carrying the last of the packages into the kitchen.

"They're pissed."

"What?" Eleanor said, quickly glancing at the two sitting at the table. "You're drunk?"

"For medicinal purposes only, my dear. No worries," Bill said as he reached for the bottle.

"Oh, no, you don't," Laura said, grabbing it out of his hands.

"Oi! Give that back."

"What the hell are you thinking? Mum said the doctors gave you something for the pain."

"I didn't take it. I decided I wanted Scotch more than I wanted a pill," Bill said, reaching for the bottle. "Now be a good girl and give your father back his booze."

"I'll do no such thing," Laura said, placing the bottle on the counter. "And exactly what, Miss Vaughn, is your very good reason for getting drunk at one o'clock in the afternoon?"

"Muscle relaxer."

"Excuse me?"

"Muscle relaxer," Toni said with a titter as she winked at Bill.

"I heard you the first time, but I'm not sure I understand."

"Laura, Laura, Laura...where have you been?" Toni began, waving her hands in the air. "Alcohol makes a person relax, and when a person is relaxed, so are their muscles. So you see, by being relaxed-"

"Don't you mean drunk?"

"Point taken," Toni said, holding up one finger. "By being slightly inebriated, my body no longer hurts."

"That's because you numbed it with alcohol."

"Exactly!"

Laura's mouth opened, but she couldn't think of anything to say. Looking at her mother for guidance, Eleanor simply shrugged in return.

Quite entertained by the situation, Eleanor said, "I think we'd be wise to get them into bed."

"Sorry, Eleanor, you're a babe, but I only have eyes for Laura."

"Toni!" Laura yelled.

"What? What did I say?"

Walking over, Laura glared down at her partner. "Can you stand?"

"Yep."

When Toni made no move to get up, Laura rolled her eyes. "Will you stand?"

"I'll do anything for you, darling," Toni said as she climbed out of the chair. "Now, whatcha have in mind?"

Laughing as she wrapped her arm around Toni's waist, Laura said, "How about I take you upstairs so you can sleep it off."

"Are you going to sleep with me?"

"No, I'm going to come down and put all these groceries away so we can start fixing some things for tomorrow."

"When the Scotch wears off, my muscles are going to hurt again."

"Then I'll run you a bath."

"Will you join me then?" Toni asked, wiggling her eyebrows. "You know...like we did last week?"

There was absolutely nothing Laura could do to hide the swath of scarlet blazing across her face, so she didn't even try. With a shake of her head, she guided Toni to the door, and looking over her shoulder at her mother, she said, "Good luck. Somehow, I think you're going to need it, too."

"From where I'm standing, I think you're going to need a whip and a chair," Eleanor said with a laugh.

Thankful Toni was wearing pajamas, when they got to the bedroom, Laura managed to turn down the bed and get Toni into it without too much difficulty. Arranging the quilt around her drunken partner, Laura sat on the bed and looked at the woman she loved.

"What are you looking at?" Toni asked in a whisper.

"You."

"Got a spot on my face?"

Lightly touching a patch of red on Toni's cheek, Laura said, "No, just some wind burn."

"You mad at me?"

"No."

"Don't be mad at Bill. It wasn't his fault."

"I'm not mad at anyone, Toni."

"You sure?"

"Positive," Laura said with a grin.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Kiss me."

With a sigh, Laura leaned in for a kiss and when the first one ended, the next began. Tenderly, their lips met again and again, and breathing deep, Toni threaded her fingers through Laura's hair, and when the tip of her tongue touched Laura's lips, Laura couldn't refuse. Tongues began to explore, and smiles were born in their hearts and cores as they spoke their love without words. Finally, feeling Toni's hands begin to travel south, Laura pulled away. "You need to get some sleep."

"I'm not that drunk, you know?"

"I know, but you are tired."

"I don't want to sleep away the day."

"I'll wake you in a couple of hours. How's that?"

"Promise?"

"Yes," Laura said, watching as Toni's eyes grew heavy.

"I love you."

"You already said that," Laura whispered.

"It's worth repeating."

Skipping down the stairs, when Laura saw her mother coming from the bedroom rearranging her blouse, a hearty laugh escaped. "It seems I wasn't the only one needing a whip and a chair."

"Yes, well, I forgot your father was an octopus in a past life," Eleanor said, following Laura to the kitchen. "But he should be asleep for most of the afternoon."

"I promised Toni I'd wake her in a few hours," Laura said, looking at the groceries piled on the counter. "So, where do you want to start?"

"Well, the chicken, beef and bacon need to marinate overnight for the soup, so I'll start with that. How about you chop up the vegetables for the stuffing? Can you handle that?"

Hearing a note of sarcasm in her mother's voice, Laura said, "You say it as if I don't know my way around the kitchen."

"Oh, you know your way. As long as it comes out of box or a can, you're good to go."

"Ha ha. I'll have you know that I made chicken soup from scratch, and Toni thought it was delicious."

"Chicken soup? Was someone sick?"

"Yes, Toni had the flu."

"That explains it then. She must have been out of her mind with fever," Eleanor said under her breath.

"I heard that."

Smiling, Eleanor went about preparing the meats for the soup. A few minutes passed while both busied themselves with the tasks at hand, until Eleanor asked, "So, what are your plans? You've never said."

"What do you mean?" Laura asked, looking up from the cutting board.

"Well, you're engaged. Any thought of where or when you'll get married?"

"Actually, we really haven't talked about it. We have to find a house first and-"

"A house?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm selling mine."

"What? Why?"

"When Toni moved in she was my lodger, and in a way she still feels like that at times. Like she doesn't have the right to voice her opinion because-"