by Tey Holden
Karen grinned. “I’d have to be dead to say no to that offer. When?
“Now.”
“Now? Here?”
“Home and immediately. Come on, before you have to pick me up from the floor.” She walked out of the kitchen and passed the reception area followed by a very smiley Karen. As they walked out, they passed JP. “Are you done with the sink?”
“Nope, I’ll be back. Taking a break.” JP smiled, knowing too well about those breaks.
In the afterglow, Karen grinned as she combed Addy’s hair back. “I think I’m sexually addicted to you. I think I need help.” Karen whispered between kisses.
Addy smiled. “Is this a come on, Blondie? Because, really?” Karen grinned and that was enough of a ‘yes.’ It was not until two hours later that Karen returned to the inn.
***
Winter came with a roar that year. As soon as the weather got bad, Karen exercised the powers given to her the previous winter after the accident. It was a rainy, drizzly morning. She came close to Addy and made her commanding pronouncement. “Adriana Marcos, I’m putting my foot down. No more trips to Edinburgh, unless the weather is good. From now on, to town and the inn only, is that very clear?”
Addy looked at her smiling. “Yes, ma’am, very clear.”
“Addy, I’m serious.” Karen was not too sure how Addy would accept her rules.
“I know. Me too. I promise.”
Karen felt good and bad about her authoritative command. Addy smiled knowing the reason for Karen’s concerned look.
“I didn’t mean to be all that bossy, I just—.”
“Ssssh, you are not being bossy. Well you are, but I know it’s because you care.”
“I find it hard to believe that you are not making a big deal about it like the time I objected to your going on that hot air balloon ride.”
“Didn’t I tell you at the hospital that I was giving you certain rights?” Karen smiled while Addy adjusted the collar of Karen’s sweater. “You earned your rights, Ms. Larsen. I’m all yours to command.”
Karen smiled, satisfied. “What?” Addy wondered what was going through Karen’s mind.
“Nothing. I love you.”
Addy combed Karen’s blonde hair back behind her ears, and rested her hand on Karen’s heart. “I feel it, and that’s all that matters.” She looked into the emerald green eyes and saw the boundless depth of the universe. She kissed her and felt Karen’s heart pound in full force. Karen tightened her grip around Addy’s waist and held her. Addy’s right hand was still on Karen’s throbbing heart.
***
One of the nice things that happened that winter before the weather got really bad was they received a visit from Aunt Charlotte’s friend, Ms. Gertrude, or Gerri, as she liked to be called. When she announced her visit, they put her up at the inn. The guest room at the cottage was very small, and since they had replaced the double bed with a lounge chair, it looked more like an office, or library rather than a bedroom.
They also didn’t know Gerri very well and they preferred to provide her with one of the very well appointed rooms at the inn. She insisted that next time she came to visit she would rather stay with them than occupy one of the very expensive rooms at the inn, but they told her that her staying at the inn was not a problem, and that they wanted her to be comfortable.
They did have her over for dinner at the cottage. Addy loved to cook and she preferred to do it in her own kitchen where she had everything she needed. As usual, she went all out with one of her specialty meals, and it was delicious. After dinner, they sat in the living room to sip their tea, eat dessert and to continue talking about Aunt Charlotte, a topic that dominated the entire dinner.
“I felt awful that she never told me she was sick and that she had to go without me being there. I still don’t know why she didn’t call me. I would have come back to Scotland.”
“Yes, Karen. She knew you would have come, but she knew she would break your heart because you couldn’t have come for long, and she didn’t want to keep you away from your job. Don’t let that worry you, she was not alone, I was there all the time. She adored you, you know? She always knew that somehow, someday you would find your way in life and find true love, and I believe she even hoped that someday you would be back to accept your heritage and embrace your mother land.”
“Gerri, in true honesty, it was finding true love what brought me here. Addy was the driving force in my coming back. She is the one who pushed for it. We were just starting our lives together, and I thought that this would give us a good beginning. Then Addy came up with the idea of the inn, and look at us now.”
“Charlotte would have been enormously proud of what you have accomplished here, and she would have loved, or more so, adored you,” she paused to look at Addy, “for bringing her loving child back home. You are a wonderful person, full of energy and love, and I can see how you love Karen. In truth, Karen, and pardon my frankness, as Charlotte and I discussed many times, the rest of your family is worthless.” They all laughed.
“Gerri, tell us about Aunt Charlotte and you.” Addy asked.
“We were lovers, if that’s what you want to know.” Addy and Karen looked at each other and smiled. “After her husband died, she remained alone for many years. She got involved in a lot of civic activities and volunteer work, and that is how we met. I lived in another town, and my practice was there. She couldn’t be away from here for too long, or else the hyenas in the family would have preyed over the property as they tried to do with you. So, we would spend as much time as we could with each other, however we could. She’d come to see me occasionally, and I’d come down here as much as I could. When I retired, I came and spent most of my time here with her, and occasionally we went to my place, mainly because I had to maintain and upkeep it.”
Karen then asked, “What about after her passing, what did you do?”
Gerri saddened. “I was torn to pieces. She and I were together for a long time. I didn’t have a life without her, so I came out of retirement and went back to work. That is what I do now. Just work.”
Addy had to cheer up the situation. She could already see Karen falling into the abyss of ‘what would my life be without you’ that she had seen when the accident happened. Whereas Addy had a daughter who loved her, Karen, had no one else in her life. “Well, now you have Karen and me, and you can come to visit, or we’ll come see you and we can do all sorts of things together.” Addy’s comment brightened the mood. However, she was aware of Karen’s eyes on her.
As the conversation developed, they found out that Gerri had broken ties with her own family as well. Her family was extremely conservative and had never accepted her. She had lived alone most of her life until she had met Aunt Charlotte. They had been together for about fifteen years. The only relative with whom she had any contact was her niece, Jenna, who was a pediatrician in Edinburgh.
After the weekend was over, they promised to get together again. However, Karen explained that after the accident they didn’t like to drive in bad weather, and that it wouldn’t be until the conditions were better that they would see each other again. This was Karen again indirectly telling Addy ‘don’t plan it, we are not going anywhere.’ As expected, the weather deteriorated as the winter moved on, and they didn’t see each other again until the spring, but they did talk frequently.
***
It was on a cold Sunday morning that winter, when they saw a car pull up in front of the house. They were having breakfast. When the car stopped, Carol stepped out. “Oh, shit, here comes drama” Karen remarked and walked away from the door to the kitchen, while Addy went to open the door.
“Hi Carol.”
“Hi, Addy, Karen. I’m sorry to pop up unannounced like this, but I came to say good-bye for a little while.”
“What’s going on?” Addy was the one doing all the talking. Karen was still in the kitchen preparing tea.
“I’m going to Glasgow to stay with my sister Jane. I came to
tell you because you guys have been so nice to me and because I will not be able to make the pastries for the inn anymore. I apologize for the short notice and leaving you hanging like this, but this is something I don’t want to do, but I need to do. I’m leaving Mary. She’s got something going on the side with someone else, don’t know who it’s with, and I don’t really care at this point. I just cannot tolerate her affairs anymore. We got into a big argument last night, and I decided that this was the best thing for me.”
“Oh, God, Carol, I’m so sorry to hear this. Are you going to be okay at your sister’s?
“Yes, my sister has been telling me to leave Mary for a long time. This is not the first time this has happened. Mary has problems with commitment. I’ve had enough. I have other options, and I think I’m going to give myself a chance somewhere else. I’ve closed down the pastry shop. I don’t own the building, and the lease is over, so I have no other responsibilities there.”
“What about the hardware store? Is that just Mary’s?”
“I have nothing to do with that, and the hardware store is not Mary’s. She makes people believe it’s hers, but it’s not. It belongs to the Ludwig family. She just manages it.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that, you mean Isabella Ludwig from the winery?”
“Yes. Mary says she owns it because Isabella let’s her run it. But she doesn’t really own it. She makes a fixed salary. That was a big help when I started the coffee shop. Now the coffee shop is making more money than what she makes, but it’s too late for us. I can’t take it anymore. I don’t know if she is seeing someone local or from out of town, but she’s been coming home later than usual, always has an excuse and she smells like someone else’s perfume. I know she’s cheating on me. I don’t have to take it anymore. Anyway, I don’t want to take more of your time. Again, I’m very sorry for the short notice on the pastries, but this is something I must do.” Carol turned to leave.
“Well, Carol, give us a call and let us know what you are doing, okay?”
She hugged Addy. “Sure. Bye, Karen, take care of your loved one here. You guys have something great going, don’t let anything get in its way.”
“Thank you, Carol. Take care.” Karen replied as she came towards the door.
Addy closed the door and looked out the window as Carol got in her car and drove off.
“Good job, Ms. Addy.” Karen said putting her arm over Addy’s shoulder.
“There was really nothing to be said. I’m glad she’s doing what she’s doing. At least she has alternatives. Do you think Mary will go after her?”
“Probably. She was getting a double bonus from Carol, income and sex. She’ll end up missing both unless her latest conquest is capable of providing the same. Maybe without the extra income, she might not be able to provide for her latest lover, and she will get dumped and go running back to Carol. I hope Carol stays firm. If Mary is a habitual cheater, she’ll always do the same thing. Some people just get a kick out of it. I’ve known people like that.”
They sat to watch a movie and drink their tea in the living room in front of the roaring fire Karen had built in the fireplace. An hour later, Addy’s phone rang and it was Mary. After she had gotten such a cold reception from Karen there last time, she apparently didn’t dare to show up.
Addy saw the name on her phone and showed it to Karen who immediately rolled eyes. Addy answered the call. “No Mary, she’s not here. No we don’t know where she is. Okay, fine. Yes, sure. Good-bye.”
Karen smiled. Addy pursed her lips. “I was not going to tell her where Carol went. I definitely don’t want to get involved.”
“You did good.”
***
Time was indeed moving fast and Christmas was just around the corner. It appeared that the Holidays were going to be complicated. Laurie had a commitment with her fiancé’s family, and a family get-together with Addy and Karen would not be possible. Addy was saddened by the news, but knew that she couldn’t be selfish and monopolize Laurie all the time. Karen was worried that Addy would be miserable and thought to do something to take her mind from the absence of her daughter. “How about if we go to southern Spain for Christmas? It’s always warmer there.”
When Addy agreed, Karen made all the arrangements, after they decided the places they wanted to visit. The day they left for the Edinburg airport it was very cold, in fact the weather forecasters were calling for snow. Just about the time they got to the airport, their flight was cancelled. The weather conditions were severe. The airline arranged for all first class passengers accommodations, and they were booked at a five star hotel near the airport. The airline was to call them as soon as their flight was rescheduled. It was Christmas Eve and they were trapped in a hotel room in Edinburgh. As they entered the room, Karen was disheartened. “I’m sorry, babe. We should have spent tonight in Malaga.” She had envisioned a nice vacation in a warmer climate, and instead they were trapped in freezing temperatures in Edinburgh. “Let’s turn on the fireplace and order room service.” Addy said trying to lighten the mood.
“It’s not even a real fireplace, Addy, it’s a gas insert.”
“Hey, gorgeous, come here.”
“What?”
“Smile for me, would you?” Karen smiled sheepishly.
“Ker, I really don’t care where we are, or whether the fire place is gas or wood, or whether it’s warm or cold outside. I’m here with you, and that is all that matters to me.” She pulled Karen closer, and ran her hands up and down Karen’s back. “Order something nice to eat and some wine.”
While Karen looked at the menu and placed the order, Addy unpacked the necessary things for the night and fiddled with the sound system looking for some nice soothing music. After their meal, Addy went into the bathroom and changed.
“Ker, go change into something comfy, and let’s sit and have dessert.” When Karen came out of the bathroom she smiled. The lights were low, the room smelled of perfume, soft music played in the background, and the dessert and the wine sat on the dinner table perfectly arranged. Addy came closer to her and extended her hand. “Ma’am, I was wondering if you’d care to dance?”
Karen grinned. She loved Addy’s romanticism. Karen immediately accepted and they started to dance. They did for a while in total silence. After the third song, things started to heat up. Karen couldn’t resist Addy’s charms. More so, when Addy’s hands were roaming all over her, provoking all the desired responses. “Ma’am, if you continue to touch me like that, this is going to be our last dance.”
Addy grinned. “That would be very fortunate because maybe I don’t want to dance anymore.”
Karen beamed as she drowned in the brown eyes smiling at her. “I don’t think I do either.”
Addy’s gentle caressing made Karen moan. “Umm!” Addy’s lips were soon on hers and ever so slowly she descended to her neck and collarbone. When Addy looked up, she saw desire in Karen’s eyes. Addy smiled and pulled her down to the bed. Karen no longer struggled with feelings of surrendering or controlling. Their lovemaking was like a dance, where neither led nor followed. It was a choreographed sequence of passionate events where both gave it all and there was no holding back.
Addy knew how hard it had been for Karen to overcome a certain intimacy issue and she cherished whenever Karen surrender to her. As if the excitement of her thoughts was not enough to arouse her, there was the soft, beautiful body, and the eyes that drove her to insanity to add to the crescendo of the moment. There was no part of Karen left untouched. Addy’s love was overwhelming, and her passion was like a torrent of never ending sensations that bordered on insanity.
Karen was enveloped in a blanket of love that burned through every nerve in her body. She was enthralled in the heat of their passion to a point of no return. They moaned, whimpered, called each other’s name and proclaimed their love time after time as they ravished each other. As the sun rose on the horizon, a happy, smiling Karen looked at the sleeping woman in her arms. Yes, Addy was right.
It didn’t really matter if the fireplace was gas or wood, or whether it was thirty, or eighty degrees outside. All that mattered was that they were together.
Addy opened one eye and found the green lasers looking at her. “Hi precious.” Addy smiled and hid her face in the crook of Karen’s arm. Karen turned and kissed her, cuddling into her. “You are always so warm.” Karen closed her eyes and smiled, kissing her again. It was early, and there was still some time to get some sleep. In the morning, they boarded their plane to Malaga, Spain where they spent the next few days basking in the Spanish sun and the Mediterranean breezes.
New Year’s Eve was spent at a big celebration at the inn. It had become a ritual. The gathering was always well attended, and the inn was developing a reputation for its bash. Everyone wore party favors, big hats, ribbons around their necks and horns were blowing everywhere. Right about midnight, as the small band played and the big screen television displayed the ball dropping in Times Square, Addy felt someone pulling her from one of the doors leading to the pool deck. It was Karen. “Happy New Year, love.” Karen smiled and kissed her passionately.
Addy eased into the kiss returning and extending it to savor the intensity of the moment. She pulled back only to speak. “Happy New Year, baby.” She looked at her loved one mesmerized and still unbelieving her happiness. “I love you, green eyes.”
Karen grinned. “I love you more, sunshine.”
And so the New Year began.
***
After the Holidays, the inn began to prepare for Valentine’s Day, which was their next big event. This year, however, Addy had plans of her own, and the plan was not to stay at the inn. She suggested, as their mutual gift, taking a few days off and fly to Paris for the weekend. Addy thought that the most romantic city in the world, and specifically the top of the Eiffel Tower, was the most appropriate place to celebrate their upcoming anniversary.
For the longest time Addy had been working on an idea and the trip was the culmination of the idea. The idea came about as a plan to solidify their relationship. Taking the opportunity that Karen was really busy at the inn, she had gone to town to talk to Mr. Kimbell. Mr. Kimbell had become quite fond of them and was very helpful. Addy explained the situation and everything was arranged.