"I was going to tell you," I whispered to Hollie while Zee and the younger girls were swimming. I was sitting in the hot tub, letting the warm jets of water wash over my aching back and help to make me feel better. Hollie was next to me, just because I wanted to talk to her. She and Zee decided that they would wait to leave until after dinner so they could spend as much time with me as possible after the attack. It would get them back to their dorm late, but they didn't mind. I sure wasn't going to complain because I needed the company. I was already worried about how I'd be with the younger ones at school. "I really wanted to let Zee have a chance to make a good impression on you, so you could accept me dating her. I know it might not be what you expected, given our ages, but I really do like so many things about her."

"Mom, it's okay. I get it. If you want to try being with her, I'm going to support the two of you. She's been a good friend to me, and she saved you. I'll still kill her if she hurts you though!"

I smiled gratefully, happy that I didn't have to worry about Hollie, who had been the only one in the dark. It also made it easier to move forward, even if I knew that she and Zee would be leaving soon. But when they returned for Thanksgiving, there would be no delay. Zee and I would be ready try a few dates, and we could act naturally without having to find the right time to talk to Hollie about things.

On the other hand, I still had fallen down in talking to Hollie about other things, and I wanted to make sure that was accounted for. "You know, when I realized that Gracie and Jashanna were together, it dawned on me that I never had a discussion about that kind of thing with any of you. We talked all about the birds and the bees, but never really about sexuality. I know I'd told you about me dating girls when I was younger, but I never came out and said that I would support you no matter who you love, as long as they treat you right and make you happy. Jashanna and your sister may very well get married, as happy as they are. I have no idea where Zee and I will go, as it is all too new. But I don't know what kind of relationship you want, if any."

Hollie didn't reply for a while, she just sat in the tub with me and relaxed. "I'm not sure either. I like the idea of being with someone. It seems like a nice concept, and I can imagine myself snuggling with a person, but I guess I've never met the right one that makes me want to go there. Or maybe I need to warm up to them more. Honestly, I can't even visualize them yet. I'm not too sure what that means. Or maybe I can, but I don't know yet."

"Hollie, you have plenty of time to figure it out. Nobody is going to force you into some neat little box to decide who you can and can't date, or if you even have to date anyone at all. Just take your time, and you'll know what you want to do. Don't do it just to say you did it."

"You're not going to pressure me on grandkids then, huh?" She gave me a little grin, and I just bumped my shoulder into hers.

"No, no grandkids talk." I stretched a little, allowing the warm water to help loosen up the muscles in my back. I knew I was going to work from home over the next few days, I didn't feel like driving would be fun with the aches and pains. "If you're smiling and happy, that's all I care about."

"That's all I want for you too. Until dad showed up last night, I can't remember the last time I'd seen you smiling so much, and I assume Zee has a lot to do with that."

I sighed happily and nodded. "She does. I know we still have a ton to work out and learn about each other, but she really seems like a great person. I think if things can keep progressing, we have a chance."

"Are you going to have her move in here for the internship?"

I scoffed, shaking my head at the absurdity of it, then shut my mouth. No, it wouldn't be a good thing for her to just move into my room, but the basement still had an empty room, and could be made into a mini apartment. She could even commute with me. Would that be an odd set up? "I'll have to think about it. Do you think it would be weird to set her up in the big bonus room in the basement? Make it her own little apartment so she can have her own space, and that way we're not living together, but will still see each other a lot?"

To my surprise, Hollie shook her head. "No, I think she'd jump at that chance. I know he has no real family, and she's hurting for money, so having a place to stay would be huge. The fact that it would be here with you would be even better. I guess she could maybe afford a place to stay near the USF campus if she couldn't stay here, but it would make it harder for you two to see each other."

"And that's hard enough now, obviously," I acknowledged. We were four hours away from each other at the moment, and classes for the fall semester should be ending in a little over two months. If she moved in here, then I could see her daily, but we'd still have our own placed to retreat to if needed. That would let us try to maintain a dating relationship by only spending some nights together instead of a move into my room U-Haul situation. I wasn't going to deny that I'd love to have Zee in my bed and naked, but it didn't have to be nightly. If this was going to be a healthy relationship, there had to be a lot more than sex. If anything, we'd have to back off on the sex and try to grow in other ways too. "Maybe I'll furnish the room anyway, and she can decide if she wants to try that when you come back for Thanksgiving."

"That's a good idea." I was glad to hear that till Hollie turned and whispered. "But you know you'd be able to visit her as much as she visits you that way."

She had a point. I had better get a big bed for the room in the cellar. You know, just in case.

"Am I pathetic?" I asked as I realized how dirty my thoughts were getting. "Some middle aged woman chasing someone almost as young as you are? I had planned to date someone responsible who already knows what they're doing. Someone who would treat me right, and could enjoy life with me now that you, Gracie, and Jashanna are leaving the house. But I never expected to see Zee again, and it worries me that I might be just chasing a sexual high."

Hollie started snickering at me, and I could feel my face burning up. "Maybe I should have the birds and the bees talk with you too. Or is it the bees and the bees? We all want to see you happy too, and for all that you and Zee have a very physical relationship, you made it pretty clear that so far, the other things you've seen in her are good too. Sure, maybe things might fizzle out because it never continues beyond the sex, but is there any reason not to try? What if the person that can treat you right and enjoy life with you just so happens to be an insanely hot Cuban girl who wants to do things to you that your daughters don't ever want to hear about? And I'm serious, never, ever, tell me!"

"So, you admit that she's hot, huh?" I had to tease her a little, just to see what she might be thinking.

"Mom, I have eyes. She's crazy hot, and I'm not going to deny it. She's not the one for me though, so I hope she's your person."

I nodded slowly. "Maybe. It would be a nice bonus to get amazing sex from this too."

"What did I just say? I don't need to hear that!" she yelped, making the other girls look our way, each of them smirking when they realized what we must have been talking about.

"What's all the noise out here?" Elizabeth yelled down from the kitchen deck. While she normally didn't use her own house key, today I told her we'd be in the pool and to just let herself in. "Everyone having fun?"

"Nana!" All my girls cried, while scrambling out of the water to go see her. Meanwhile, Zee swam over to the hot tub. I'd need to introduce her, though maybe not in a 'this is the girl I'm sleeping with' way.

"How are you holding up?" Zee asked as she joined me in the tub, purposefully not getting close enough to touch me, but I really wanted her to. Fuck, as much as I loved taking control, I really was a needy bitch sometimes.

"I'm good. Honestly, having you and Hollie stick around a little was a big help. Thanks for doing that." The mental aspect of their staying with me mattered as much to me as any snuggling did. And yes, we did get in some more group snuggles after Raquel left, much to the delight of all involved. I hadn't had any with just Zee, but that was okay, even if our previous night's festivities had been cancelled. Right now, I didn't think I even could do something like that anyway, though I never stopped noticing her. "Come on, let me introduce you to Elizabeth. Just don't be shocked when I only mention you as a family friend, okay? If things work out, I'll have no issues saying more."

She gave me a quick smile and nodded. "It's fine, I know it's still early. We don't need a label yet."

"I just don't want you to think I'm embarrassed about us trying to date. The girls are all on board with it, so if we are, then we're good." The last thing I needed was a misunderstanding between us right at the beginning.

"Your daughters matter the most," she replied gently. "If they're fine with us trying, then that is all that matters to me. We can figure everything else out in time."

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely. This is already better than I'm used to, so I can work at your pace." She seemed sincere, and I sighed in relief at her flexibility. It made me wonder about her past again though. She kept getting better and better in my eyes.

I stood up in the hot tub, and before I could even get out, Zee was out and holding out a hand so I could take some pressure off my back. I gratefully took the assistance, and she gave my hand one extra squeeze before she released me once I was out.

"Elizabeth, thanks for coming over," I said as we came closer. She immediately stepped up to me, hugging me fiercely and making me groan in pain as she tweaked my back.

"Oh, dear! I'm sorry!" She released me quickly, and turned me around, examining the bruise on my lower back. There was a dark one on my throat as well, though thankfully it only hurt when I swallowed. "I'm going to kill him. He used his one call from the station on me, but I refused to go bail him out. He can stay in holding until he gets arraigned, and then he's on his own. I have no idea what came over him!"

I gave her a small smile at the thought of Elliot staying in jail for another day, though I was sure he'd be arraigned on Monday or Tuesday and then be back out on the streets. Monique already had the emergency update to visitation getting drafted, and she'd present it to him at his arraignment so we could get that settled too. I didn't expect him to get more than a slap on the wrist as a wealthy first offender, but I very much wanted him to never come near me or the rest of the family again. He deserved more, but I doubted it would happen.

"I'll be okay, I'm just going to work from home this week." I pulled Zee up next to me. "Elizabeth, this is Zee, who is the one that saved me. I'm not sure what Elliot's face looks like right now, but Zee was really a hero last night."

Elizabeth swooped in, giving her a hug too, not caring that between my hug and Zee's, she was getting her clothes pretty wet from the pool water. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Zee. And thank you for taking care of Demi. Don't worry about beating up my son, he more than deserved it."

Yeah, I think Elizabeth was going to be just fine with us dating.