Something or Everything

by Lily St Michael

  “Yes, it’s getting late,” Julia whispered.

  “Besides waking up beside you, this was the best part of my day,” Maddie said.

  “Oh sweetie, me too. I can’t wait to see you on Friday.”

  Chapter 12

  Julia tried to distract herself by gazing out the window of the waiting room that overlooked a parking garage as she sat quietly and waited to be called in to begin her battery of tests at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Her thoughts once again wandered to Maddie, as they had all day, and as if by magic, she appeared, strolling casually into the large and busy waiting area.

  Julia jumped up. “Maddie.” When Maddie reached her, she pulled her in for a hug, holding her for a long moment. Julia inhaled the already familiar fresh scent of lemons and vanilla that seemed to surround Maddie and whispered against her ear. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to offer moral support. I was worried about you…here alone, so I just took the rest of the day off, in case you needed me.”

  Julia pulled away and Maddie quickly placed a chaste kiss on each of her cheeks in a decidedly European fashion.

  “You took the rest of the day off? For me?” Julia asked.

  Maddie smiled widely. “Yes.”

  Maddie looked as beautiful as ever in her work outfit of wide-legged trousers and a fitted button-down collared blouse, low-heeled pumps on her feet and an overcoat draped on her arm.

  “You look adorably professional,” Julia said.

  “You look adorably sexy,” Maddie whispered.

  Julia looked down at her own jeans, sneakers and thin hooded pullover, her leather jacket thrown on her chair. Julia pulled Maddie into the chair beside her. “You’re joking, right?”

  “Not at all. You are the sexiest thing I have ever seen.” Julia simply stared at her at her and Maddie smiled. “Are you waiting for the doctor?”

  Julia clutched her hand. “No. I have to go in for vitals and blood work first, and then a mammogram, then an MRI and then I see the doctor. It will take hours.”

  Maddie smiled at her. “Make it worth my while then. Flash me that gorgeous ass through your hospital gown.”

  Julia laughed lightly. “I’ll flash you anything you want.”

  “And then after you’re done we can get something to eat and have a nice glass of wine?” Maddie suggested.

  “That sounds perfect. I can’t believe you’re here. Thank you…so much.”

  “It’s my pleasure, Julia. Now I get to spend the day with you.”

  Julia was pleasantly surprised at how Maddie’s mere presence made what had always been a tedious and stressful ordeal suddenly seem like fun. Maddie held her hand while they drew vial after vial of blood from her arm and then helped her change into a hospital gown and laughed as Julia flashed her as promised. She gave Julia a kiss for luck before she went in for her mammogram and then another before she went in for her MRI. When she heard her name called while they sat in the waiting area for the doctor, Maddie was distracting her with a funny story about her job.

  Maddie smiled at her. “I’ll be right here.”

  Julia clutched at Maddie’s hand. “Will you come in with me?”

  Maddie did not hesitate. “Of course, querida.”

  Maddie did not let go of her hand as they walked into the office and rubbed it with a gentle thumb after they sat side by side. Maddie squeezed her hand when her doctor walked in and smiled at Julia. “Hello, Julia, it’s good to see you.”

  “Doctor Cuddy.”

  The doctor smiled at Maddie and held out her hand. “Helen Cuddy. I’m Julia’s doctor.”

  Maddie shook her hand. “Madalena Francisco. I’m Julia’s…plus one.” Julia smiled widely at the description.

  Dr. Cuddy nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, Madalena, and good for you, Julia.” She made her way to her desk, sitting down and looking directly at Julia. “Everything looks good, Julia. You can relax.”

  Julia closed her eyes for a moment and exhaled, the relief washing over her. “Thank you.”

  “Are you still checking your breasts regularly? Watching your diet? Exercising?”

  Julia nodded. “Yes, yes and yes, ma’am.”

  “Good, then I won’t keep you. If you have any issues or questions, please feel free to call me, but otherwise, I’ll see you in six months.”

  Julia pulled Maddie behind her out the door. “God, what a relief. Let’s get out of here.”

  Julia smiled as Maddie brought the hand she still held to her mouth and placed a kiss to the knuckle. “Would you like to go for an early dinner somewhere?”

  Julia pulled Maddie closer. “Can you just take me home with you?” Julia loved how Maddie’s gaze slowly drifted from her eyes to linger on her mouth before returning to her eyes. It made her feel warm and attractive, and desired.

  “Yes,” Maddie whispered.

  Maddie led Julia up the concrete front steps of her building. She could not help but glance around nervously, well aware of her mother’s propensity to show up unannounced and not wanting to have to explain Julia’s presence, or why she was home from work much earlier than usual. She quickly unlocked the front door and ushered Julia into the foyer with an old-fashioned tiled floor. She pointed to Julia’s backpack. “Is that all you brought with you?”

  Julia nodded. “Yeah. My laptop and a change of clothes. I figured anything else I needed I could either borrow from you or get at the hotel.”

  Maddie stopped short in surprise. “Hotel? What hotel?”

  Julia shrugged. “You didn’t specifically invite me to stay here…and I didn’t want to presume anything…with Gabe and all.”

  “My mistake then. I wasn’t specific because I thought you understood that you would stay here with me. You are not staying at a hotel. Gabriel is spending the night with my brother and Maria and their kids.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “No, don’t be. Gabe offered and he stays over there all the time and Enzo’s kids are here a lot, too.”

  “You have nieces or nephews?”

  “One of each. Laney is 16 and Michael is 15.”

  “Is Laney short for−?”

  Maddie smiled. “Madalena, yes, named for me.”

  Maddie quickly unlocked one of the mailboxes in a small row in the wall and removed a small pile of mail.

  “Are you and your brother religious?” Julia asked quietly.

  Maddie smiled at the question. “Why would you ask me that?”

  “Because Gabriel and Michael are both archangels.”

  “Well, we were raised Catholic and my parents are still devout, but no. Enzo and I, we just liked the names. How did you know that, anyway?”

  “I was raised Catholic as well, but no longer practice.” Julia said.

  “What do you practice now?” Maddie asked, moving closer to Julia.

  Julia smiled. “I try to practice kindness and I believe in fairness and second chances and everyone’s right to be happy.”

  “You would make a fine Buddhist.”

  “Would I? Are you a Buddhist?” Julia asked.

  “A part-time one, but no one but Gabe knows that since my mother would flip if she didn’t think I was going to Mass every Sunday. Buddhism and meditation make me feel…calm.” Maddie pointed up the staircase. “I’m on the second floor.” Maddie led Julia up the polished wooden staircase and had a brief moment of apprehension as she thought about the glaring difference in Julia’s large beautiful house and her own modest apartment.

  “This is a great old building,” Julia said.

  “Yes, it is.” Maddie walked to the door at the rear and unlocked it. “Gabe and I have been here a while.”

  Maddie could feel Julia’s gaze on her as she led her through the door, then shut and locked it before she shed her coat and hung it on a row of hooks on the wall by the door. Julia was looking around and Maddie tried to see her living room through Julia’s eyes. It was neat and clean, and brightly decorated. The leather sofa and the mat
ching easy chair that surrounded a mission style coffee table were both slightly worn, but were helped by brightly colored pillows. Maddie’s ever-present stack of books was on the floor by the armchair and Gabe had left his video game controller on the coffee table. Maddie’s small kitchen was located to the right separated from the living area by a breakfast bar and stools.

  Julia smiled as she looked around, her eyes moving over everything. “Your home is very much like you,” she said, parroting what Maddie had said when she’d first seen Julia’s home the last time they had been together.

  Maddie smiled. “Okay, I’ll bite.”

  “Warm and sensuous with splashes of rebellious color.”

  “Thank you.” Maddie sighed, thinking that Julia always said something that made her feel accepted and understood. “Let me take your jacket,” Maddie offered, careful not to look directly at Julia, lest she see the almost overwhelming desire that had suddenly come over her now that they were alone.

  Julia dropped her backpack where she stood and shed her jacket, handing it to Maddie. Maddie took the jacket from Julia and hung it beside her own before she inhaled deeply and leaned back against the door, meeting her gaze and watching Julia watch her.

  “You okay?” Julia’s voice was a throaty whisper, the natural huskiness of her voice actually making Maddie’s nipples harden.

  Maddie shook her head before she reached her hand out and clutched the front of Julia’s thin pullover hoodie, pulling her forward until their lips met in a searing kiss. Julia kissed Maddie back deeply, pushing her against the door. Maddie snaked her hands beneath her shirt and Julia gasped when Maddie’s cool hands met the warm skin at her sides. Maddie felt her shiver as her hands moved to Julia’s back and snaked inside of her jeans.

  Maddie reluctantly pulled her mouth away and waited for Julia to look at her. She smiled at Julia. “Miss me?”

  “More than I thought possible.” Julia’s raspy whisper made Maddie wet.

  “Yeah, it’s a little intense, this thing with us,” Maddie said.

  Maddie stared at Julia, wanting nothing more than to drag her to her bed and slowly remove every article of clothing from her body. She hesitated, feeling a little nervous and inhaled deeply, forcing herself to relax. She just wanted to touch Julia so very much, wanted to taste her, wanted to be inside her. She shuddered at the realization.

  Julia frowned. “Are you alright?”

  Maddie bit her lip. “I don’t know. I can’t even think, you’ve got me so turned around.”

  “What can I do?”

  “Let me make love to you.”

  Maddie heard Julia inhale a sharp breath, staring at her. “Let you? You’re kidding, right?”

  Maddie smiled in relief and pushed away from the door, moving past Julia. She turned to look at her. “Coming?”

  Julia shook her head. “Too easy.”

  Maddie laughed lightly as she led Julia through the large open living area of her apartment, past the kitchen on the right and a small study alcove in the corner to the left. Julia followed her into the hallway, past Gabe’s bedroom on the left and the bathroom on the right into Maddie’s master bedroom at the back. Julia walked through the doorway as Maddie was standing beside her queen-sized bed kicking off her heels and unbuttoning her blouse.

  Julia put a hand out. “Maddie, wait…please.”

  Maddie froze, staring as Julia approached her and covered her stilled hands on the buttons of her blouse with her own. Julia smiled at her. “Is it alright if I do this?”

  Maddie nodded. “God, yes.”

  Maddie dropped her hands to her side and Julia stepped back, pulling her sweatshirt over her head and dropping it to the floor before returning to Maddie’s buttons. Maddie lifted a hand to Julia’s face, gently caressing as she straightened the wisps of hair that had come loose from Julia’s ponytail. Julia wore a simple white t-shirt under the sweatshirt. Maddie noticed the small black print on the front.

  “’Be the change.’ Is that Gandhi?”

  Julia nodded. “Yes, one of my favorite quotes, actually.”

  “I like everything I learn about you,” Maddie said.

  Julia leaned into Maddie and placed small kisses against Maddie’s neck and chest and the tops of her breasts as she removed her blouse. “I will remind you of that the next time I get bitchy in your presence.”

  Maddie laughed gently as she tugged at Julia’s t-shirt and pulled it over her head. Julia unzipped Maddie’s slacks, pushing them over her hips as Maddie snaked her hands along the warm skin at Julia’s waist and slid them into the back of the loosened jeans and beneath her panties, grabbing Julia’s ass roughly. Julia gasped and Maddie pulled the jeans and the panties past her hips as Julia toed her sneakers off and Maddie stepped back to pull off her own pantyhose. Julia reached for Maddie’s bra as Maddie reached for Julia’s, hooks quickly unfastened before they were being thrown aside and then they kissed, open-mouthed and hungrily.

  Julia slowly pulled away from the kiss and stepped back just enough to look at Maddie, her gaze slow and appreciative. Maddie watched Julia’s gaze prowl slowly down her body, lingering on her breasts before drifting down to her center, unabashedly staring as they both breathed deeply. Maddie pushed Julia back onto the bed and watched as her luscious body settled against the comforter, thinking how right Julia looked in her bed.

  Maddie stopped and simply stared at Julia for a long moment. Julia pushed herself up onto her elbows. “What?”

  Maddie shook her head. “Just memorizing this vision of you in my bed…and trying not to get ahead of myself.”

  “I’m already way ahead of myself with you,” Julia whispered.

  “Are you?” Maddie moved toward Julia.

  “Yes, I think so. I knew my feelings for you were getting serious when my ex-husband was asking for another chance with me and all I could think was that I never wanted him the way I already want you…that I never felt like this with him.”

  Maddie froze for an instant at the stunning revelation. “You…what…how do you feel…with me?”

  “Let me just say it’s intense, sweetie, what I feel. Are you okay with that?”

  Maddie nodded, the admission overwhelming her for a moment. “Yes. And your…he wants you back?”

  “Apparently, yes, but that will never happen,” Julia assured her quietly.

  Maddie inhaled deeply, deciding to be honest, as well. “I think that just made me feel a little jealous.”

  Julia smiled. “You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”

  Maddie moved onto the bed over Julia and kissed her softly, running her tongue over her lips before dipping into her mouth. She kissed her chin and her neck before moving her mouth to Julia’s breasts. She sucked Julia’s nipples into her mouth, moving back and forth between the two until Julia was covered in a light sheen of sweat, her breathing labored, her nipples hard, her center swollen and wet with need. Maddie’s lips blazed a trail up the inside of her thigh and Julia clutched at the edge of the mattress over her head, her heels sliding against the sheets. Maddie had been teasing her for long minutes, and Julia squirmed and moaned.

  “God, please— “

  Maddie stopped and waited for Julia to look at her. “Please what?”

  Julia stared at Maddie, as desperate for her touch as she had ever been for anything in her entire life and overwhelmed by this aching sexual need. God, what this young woman could do to her. She breathed deeply, trying to form a coherent request.

  “I need you to fuck me.” Julia barely recognized her own desperate voice.

  Julia let out a long and loud moan as Maddie plunged inside her with her fingers, filling her deliciously and stealing her breath. It was overwhelming and glorious and Julia became a panting, heaving and slightly desperate mess as Maddie continued to push inside her in a deep and steady pace. Maddie seemed to know how much force and speed and hit every spot as she fucked her perfectly and Julia lost herself in the breath-stealing sensations for endless momen
ts.

  At some point, Maddie began a soft rhythm against her clit, rubbing in perfect sync to her thrusts, the added stimulation starting to push her over the edge. Julia surrendered herself to Maddie until her world exploded into sensation and color as an orgasm sent her jerking and shuddering while Maddie still held her tenderly. It took Julia quite a while to come back to herself as she lay in Maddie’s arms, surprised when she realized those were her own tears drying on her face. The orgasm was so intense that she could still feel her inner walls clenching against Maddie’s fingers.

  Maddie was kissing her chest and shoulder while gently wiping her cheeks. She placed a firm hand against Julia’s face. “Okay?”

  Julia simply nodded, her eyes closed, still trying to even out her breath. Maddie continued to place kisses against her warm skin, at her chest and down her torso to her abdomen because Julia could still feel herself moving sensually against Maddie’s touch, her vaginal walls clenching against the still warmly encased fingers. She wasn’t sure she had ever had an orgasm as powerful.

  Julia loved the way that Maddie pulled her close, seeming to envelop her for long moments until Julia had fully recovered, until her vaginal walls stopped their spasms against Maddie’s fingers and Maddie gently and slowly pulled them out of her.

  “I’ve missed you…I’ve missed this, but I’ve missed talking to you, telling you about my day,” Julia whispered her admission.

  Maddie’s full and sudden smile conveyed how pleased she was by that admission and it filled Julia with warm emotion and the overwhelming desire to give Maddie pleasure in the most intimate way possible. The last time they had been together, Maddie had taken Julia with her mouth and Julia had spent a great deal of time since then thinking about what it would be like to have her mouth on Maddie. Julia had never gone down on a woman and she was hesitant to disappoint Maddie in any way, but her need to take her overruled any lingering insecurities.

  Julia gently pushed Maddie over with intent as she moved down Maddie’s body, caressing with her hands, kissing and sucking with her mouth. She squeezed Maddie’s breasts as she lowered her mouth to one, sucking the nipple deeply as Maddie moaned and arched. Julia was more aggressive than she had ever been with Maddie, her touch a little more forceful, her mouth sucking hard, her teeth scraping against the nipple. Maddie moaned and bucked and Julia reached between her legs, dipping into the warm and slick pool gathered there. Julia wanted desperately to taste Maddie so she ran two fingers up Maddie’s slit and then stilled, waiting until Maddie opened her eyes and met her gaze.