“Only one place to rent cars in Coos Bay, silly. It’s another small town, about fifteen thousand or so.”
Aneko squeezed Gabby’s hand. “I saw the sign as I entered Bandon. Three thousand population. Not sure if that’s too small for me. Then I want to take you out to dinner for all that driving for me and pay for your gas. Pick the most expensive place in town.” Their gazes met.
They chatted about their pasts. Aneko was open. She said, “My brother and sister are only polite to me. Neither approve of me being a lesbian. My parents are both workaholics and were barely home. We’re not close. No real problems, but we’re not close. I’m the oldest and sort of raised my siblings. You know, the ones who hardly talk to me.” She sighed and blinked a lot, obviously holding back tears.
Gabby held Aneko’s hand. “It’s okay to cry. I won’t tell, and it’s bad to hold it in.”
Aneko cried, and Gabby leaned in to hug her for a minute.
Then Gabby said, “My parents were cool with me being gay. They don’t like it because they say life is harder, but they want me to be happy. They’re retired and moved to Florida.” Gabby shook. “Yuck, hurricanes and alligators. Not for me.” The women laughed. “I’m also the oldest. I have a brother, lifer in the Navy, and a sister, a nurse in Portland.”
They talked some more, and Gabby left for home. Once there, she opened the door and saw Ray dozing in front of the wood stove.
“Ray, it’s Gabby. I’m home.”
He opened his eyes. “Damn it, woman, where the hell have you been and where’s my damned dinner? Oh, and I need sex.” His smile was softer than it used to be.
She bent and kissed his cheek. “Ray, your dinner is in the fridge. Heat it up when you’re hungry. I’m not your wife, so you don’t get to interrogate me, and you can’t get it up anymore. You told me. Oh, and I’m a lesbian, remember?” She grinned. “So, how are you?”
“Pain was medium to bad today. Took pills. Bored. Too tired to do anything anymore. Dying is the pits, and I hate it. How was your day?”
“Ray, I met the most wonderful woman. She’s Japanese, so sexy, and lesbian.” She told him about the kisses as she pulled a chair next to him and sat, holding his hand.
“Gabby, you’re so good to me. I wish I met you when I was fifty years younger.”
“But, Ray, I’m still a lesbian.” She looked him in the eyes. “You can take that prescription whenever you want. I’ll be here and take care of everything.” Weeks ago, she went with him to get the fatal prescription as allowed under Oregon law for terminal patients.
He kissed her hands. “I think that day is not far away. I think a Sunday would be good. I used to go to church. Yeah, a Sunday would be good.”
“Okay, Ray, you just tell me. Do you want me to heat a plate for you?”
“Sure, just not too much. Crappy appetite, but the food is good. You’re an excellent cook. Oh, remember to clean that old travel trailer I brought in.”
“I’ll take care of it this weekend, but I don’t see why you got that thing.”
He hunched. “In case my family visits. So they can stay in it.”
She shrugged and got their dinner.
Then she went to bed, sad about Ray, but glad his suffering would be over soon. She held her chest, yearning for a real deep relationship. She was happy with life, but there was a hole in her heart. She needed a woman to love and love her back. Maybe she needed to move to a more populated place, but she loved the Bandon area.
Chapter 2
Aneko waited anxiously in her hospital room for Gabby to show, dressed and ready to go. A nurse came in to have her sign release papers and warn her to come back if anything bad happens like excessive pain or headaches. She slept well that night, and the soreness from the crash was easing.
She was taken by Gabby and her kindness. Aneko needed someone special in her life again. Her last lover, Danni, betrayed her. How do you know when you’re really in love? How long does it take? She thought she and Danni would last forever, and Danni cheated, the bitch.
When Gabby showed up wearing a knee-length cowgirl skirt with rhinestones around the edge and red cowgirl boots, Aneko took her into her arms and kissed her with deep passion. “Hi, thanks for coming.” Gabby still wore the sexy dragon necklace. Aneko took a deep breath. “Gabby, I like that perfume. It’s flowery.”
“Thank you. With a welcome like that, I’d do just about anything. Been a while. Hard to get dates in small towns.”
Aneko scoped out Gabby from head to toes. “You are an awesome looking girl. You know that, right?” Gabby blushed.
Gabby grabbed Aneko’s suitcase, they went to Coos Bay for the rental car, and took it to the motel. Later, they had dinner at Lord Bennett’s Restaurant, the fanciest place in town with a second-floor dining room that overlooked the ocean. They sat side by side, holding hands.
They talked about things and got deeper and deeper.
Aneko said, “I was so in love with this fantastic woman, but she couldn’t keep it in her pants. She cheated on me, three times. Oh, and she lied so much. I should have dumped her after the first one, but—”
“Ha, I know how that is. My last girlfriend lived in Coos Bay, and she cheated on me. She said she was oversexed, but I can’t stand cheaters. If she wanted to do a three-way, I’d be open to that, but cheating? No way. That was almost a year ago. I’ve planted other girlfriends, but none of them took root.”
Aneko said, “I’m so gun shy now. That last one wasn’t the first one to cheat. Do I have a sign on my forehead that says cheat on me?”
Gabby looked deeply. “Nope. Not there. They just had low character.” She leaned in and pecked Aneko’s lips. “You taste good. And you smell good.”
“So do you. You’re coming back to my motel with me, right?” Aneko rubbed a hand over her arm and shoulder.
“As much as I want to, I don’t think we should. I don’t trust myself.”
Aneko smirked. “Are you really a guy dressed as a gal, and you’re afraid I’ll find your cock?”
Gabby couldn’t contain her laugher and spurted loudly, making others look. “Yeah, that’s exactly the issue. How did you figure it out?”
Aneko turned Gabby’s head toward her, held her chin, and kissed deeply. “I just had a feeling. Please come back with me.”
She ordered a bottle of wine to go, and when they finished their meals, Gabby took her to the South Jetty to watch the incoming waves and river opening. They kissed in the truck, awkward as it was.
“Gabby, come back to my motel.”
She started the truck and drove there and parked. Hand in hand, they walked to the room with the river view. Aneko shivered.
“Too cold in here. Do you know how to start fires?”
“In structures or wood fire stoves?”
“Oh, are you a pyro?” Aneko threw her hands to her face.
Gabby easily built a fire in the wood stove. Aneko turned the electric heat on, and in short order, the neat and nice room was warm. Aneko opened the wine, and they sat on the loveseat, drinking ‘til it was empty. Feeling giddy, Gabby leaned close, and they kissed. Aneko put her hand on Gabby’s breast, making Gabby sigh in obvious desire.
Aneko said, “I hope the dinner counted as a date.” She unbuttoned Gabby’s purple shirt with snaps and a horse scene on it. “I love this shirt.” She opened Gabby’s brown leather belt with turquoise inlay and unbuttoned her sexy tight jeans.
Gabby rose a bit to allow them to be pulled down. She unbuttoned Aneko’s blouse and opened it to show her peach bra and mid-sized breasts.
Aneko slipped a hand behind Gabby’s panties and felt into her pussy. “You’re wet.”
“Because I’m with a sexy woman.” Gabby slipped her hand behind Aneko’s matching panties. “You’re wet, too.”
“Because I’m with a sexy woman. Lets’ make love.” Aneko’s heart purred with desire.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Each made the other naked, and Aneko was disappointed in the plai
n-Jane panties and bra Gabby wore. They crawled into the bed after Gabby added more wood to the stove. They rolled in the queen-sized bed, back and forth, kissing and fondling each other. At one point, Gabby slapped Aneko’s ass several times.
She moaned. “Oh, how did you know I liked being spanked? Do more.”
Gabby did, increasing her fluid flow from her pussy.
Aneko threw herself over Gabby’s lap and said, “Like I’m a bad girl. Go harder.”
Gabby never did spanking, but she liked it. She started light, but Aneko didn’t complain, so she went harder, turning Aneko’s ass pink then red. She was slapping pretty hard, and it went on for a while. Then Aneko jumped up and on Gabby, pinning her on her back. She kissed deep with tongue.
“Thank you for spanking me. I love it. I like to spank, too. Have you ever been spanked?”
Gabby shook her head. “Not since I was a kid, and I sure as hell didn’t like it.”
Aneko spread Gabby’s legs and mushed their boxes together. They kept up the kissing and touching of breasts. Gabby had small breasts, and Aneko liked them, working them with her mouth and tongue. She bit lightly, and Gabby moaned.
Aneko said, “You taste good. Do you want to try being spanked?”
Gabby said, “Never have, so sure, I’ll give it a go.”
Aneko positioned Gabby over her lap and rubbed a hand over both cheeks, then she lightly spanked, waiting for a response. Gabby said nothing, so she went a little harder and, with no complaint, went harder still.
Suddenly, Gabby jumped off and shoved Aneko to her back. “I loved that, but I need to come so badly. Do you eat pussy?”
Aneko’s face lit. “Hell, yes.”
“Eat me. Make me come. I need it.”
Aneko rushed to please her. She put Gabby on her back, spread her legs, and rested between them. Aneko enjoyed that Gabby’s pubes were closely trimmed. She inhaled her fresh womanly scent and went to work, eating her pussy before moving up to find her clit. She licked it up and down and sideways before switching to a circular motion. Gabby held Aneko’s head and moaned, her hips gyrating.
Gabby crowed, “Yes, yes, please don’t stop.”
More time passed and Aneko’s tongue grew weary, but there was no way she’d stop. She enjoyed it. Her new lover was ecstatic. Gabby lifted her head and slammed it down several times before rolling it side to side. She fisted the bed and raised her hips before letting them slam into the bed. Then she yelled, and her body squirmed so much, Aneko couldn’t keep contact with her clit. Gabby pulled Aneko up to her and kissed with tongue.
“Did you come? I think so but not sure.”
Gabby panted. “Yes, oh, yes. Thank you.” She sucked in air. “It’s been so long.”
Aneko straddled Gabby’s chest and fiddled with her own clit-tar. “Play with my titties.”
Gabby did, including pinching them with fingertips, eliciting moans from Aneko. The nubs stiffened. More time passed, and Gabby slapped Aneko’s ass, making her smile. Then her eyes rolled back, and she wiggled. And came. She clamped her legs at Gabby’s torso and mumbled.
Both rested next to each other, panting and hugging. Aneko pulled the covers over them, and they gently kissed.
“I wasn’t sore while we did all that. I think I discovered a cure for post-collision soreness.”
“You might be onto something there, girl.” Gabby rested her head on Aneko’s chest.
Aneko ran her fingers through Gabby’s hair. “I love your long sexy hair. It smells so clean, it’s so shiny.”
Gabby said, “I love being with you.”
“Do you want to spend the night?”
“Yes, but I need to get home. Ray is on his last days, and he needs me to be around.”
* * * *
Gabby drove home slowly with Aneko fresh in her mind. As she approached the last curve for Ray’s place on Windhurst Lane, she saw smoke and a glow. “Shit, no one should be burning this time of night.”
She accelerated on the gravel road and turned onto Ray’s driveway. The flames were clear. She grabbed her cell, knowing there was no way to save the fully involved structure. After she disconnected from the 911 operator, she threw her turnout coat and boots on that she kept in her truck, grabbed the garden hose, and squirted it on the front door. She tried to make entry, but the heat and flames drove her back. She persisted and sucked a deep breath and made entry for a few steps and was forced out. She used her super bright flashlight to check around the home, in case Ray made it out and was lying out there. She found nothing.
Sirens blared. It seemed like it took far too long for the first units to arrive, but she was stressed.
She softly mumbled, “Ray, poor Ray.” The small house and attached garage were fully involved.
She sat on the bumper of one of the fire rigs, crying. She didn’t call Aneko, fearing to drive her away in the newness of their relationship. It didn’t take long for the water tanker’s fill to put the fire out.
The fire chief, Tommy Mahoney, sat next to her to offer comfort. “Ray was a good man. I’m so sorry.”
“Did you find his body?”
“Yeah, he was in his chair in front of the TV and wood stove. The guys found the door to the stove open. I wonder if he fell asleep and forgot to close the door. Initial opinion is the fire started there.”
Gabby cried into his chest.
“Where will you stay tonight?”
She laughed sadly. “Ray just brought in a trailer in case he had family visiting. I guess I’ll stay there.”
“I don’t think you should be alone. You’re welcome to come back to my place. Jeannette won’t mind. She likes you and will understand.”
“Let me make a call first.” She dialed Aneko. “Hey.”
“Hey, are you okay? I hear it in your voice. Are you sorry we made love?”
Gabby sniffled and confessed about the fire and the firefighters finding Ray’s body, or what they assume is his body, since it was burnt.
“Gabby, you can come stay here if you want. I’m sure you have plenty of friends around, but you can stay here.”
“Yes, please.”
“Do you want me to fetch you?”
“Yes, please.” Gabby gave her directions.
They drove to the motel in silence, with Aneko’s hand on Gabby’s leg. Inside, Gabby latched onto Aneko and cried herself out. Aneko stroked Gabby’s hair and rubbed her back.
“I didn’t have much, but it was all in that bedroom I used. Photo albums of family, music, banking records. My clothes.” She cried again.
Aneko got into the pack of snacks the motel had and fed chocolate chip cookies and microwave popcorn to Gabby. They talked more, and Gabby said how she knew Ray here and there, but he had no family in the state. One day at the grocery store, he needed help, so she went with him to put his groceries away for him. He had a coughing fit and fell. She carried him to bed and stayed with him the night. She cleaned his small home for a few hours, and he sparkled when he woke and saw it. She checked in with him time to time and realized he needed someone there more often, and he asked her to move in. She moved out of her room in another old person’s home. The woman recovered from her surgery and therapy and didn’t need Gabby anymore.
“So, for the last year, I’ve lived with Ray. He didn’t charge me rent, like I told you. He was a great guy, full of stories, funny stories. He was a tree cutter and milled lumber. Everyone liked him. He was honest. And now he’s gone. I hope he had no pain.”
Aneko took Gabby to bed, and she slept fitfully. Aneko seemed to be in tune with her and woke when Gabby did. They’d talk a bit, hug, kiss a little, and chat again before returning to sleep.
The next morning after breakfast at The Minute Café, a place that’s been there for eighty years, Aneko took Gabby home so she could look around in the daylight. At the end of Windhurst, where all the mailboxes were, Gabby stopped as the letter carrier filled them. She waited, and he handed her mail to her.
He said,
“I’m sorry about the fire and about Ray. Terrible thing, and no, don’t beat yourself up that if you were there you’d have saved him. That’s backwards thinking, Gabby, and you’re a fine person. We’re all glad to know you.”
She nodded. “Thanks, Mike.”
She looked at the single letter addressed to her with Ray’s name and address for the return. “Why’d he send me a letter?” She opened it and began to read and dropped it, holding her hands to her face. She cried.
Aneko picked it up and read:
Dear Gabby,
By the time you read this, I’ll be dead. I put all your stuff from your room in the trailer I had brought in. It was a lot of work and I was tired, but I know you’d want your things before the ‘accidental’ fire burnt them. Destroy this letter after you read it. I don’t want to be arrested for arson. I took those death pills I got from the doctor and lit the fire in the wood stove and ‘accidentally’ left the door open so the fire would burn the place down. It’s over eighty years old and doesn’t serve anymore. I have no family, so I left the property to you because you are an angel on Earth, and no one cared for me like you did. I love you, even though you’re a stinking lesbian. SMILE. I increased the fire insurance on the place last month to full replacement value. Call Frank Farmer’s office and report the fire. I’ve paid into this company for over fifty years. Time I had a claim. Call Joseph Miller to rebuild the house for you and tell him to use 2x8s instead of 2x6s for the outside walls for better insulation and put extra insulation in the floor and attic.
I hope you enjoy the new place. This is why I brought that old trailer in, so you can stay in it as they rebuild the house. And my new pickup truck? When I bought it last year, the salesman sold me the life insurance policy on it so if I die it goes to you, my beneficiary. And I took out a $50,000 mortgage and have been making interest-only payments, and I had life insurance on that, too, so that loan is paid off. The money is in the bank, and the deposit book is in the old trailer. Finally, I have a $50,000 life insurance policy on me. It’s in the trailer, too. That’s all I could get without a health check-up. Use the money as you wish. It’s yours because you are an angel on Earth. Take care, I hope you find true love with a wonderful woman.
Small Town Love Page 2