by Monica Conti
“If it please the court…the defense stipulates to the plaintiff’s complaint. The parties have agreed to reach a private settlement. The defendants will accept the levy of court costs.”
The sudden turn around sent a buzz through the court. Judge Milton was left looking perplexed as he was forced to dismiss the jurors. Adam Clay was too irked to remain a moment longer and stalked out with his briefcase.
How the worm had turned. The three victorious women had no comments for the reporters. Tamika pointed them toward the spot where Peter Smith stood. They would let his public admission of wrongdoing speak for them. The case would be cited as precedent setting when in future gays had to fight for their right to fair employment practices despite their sexual preference.
Things had turned out better than Chiara ever imagined it could. She had the money she wanted. She had her freedom. No more kowtowing to that pathetic excuse for a firm. Now, she had to find out if what she wanted with Grace was possible.
What had happened between them, so unexpected and beautiful was more than either woman had dared hope for. For Grace and Chiara, life was never going to be the same.
When one encounters their ‘other’…the one intended for them, there is no good reason to walk away the chance being offered. You must embrace your other or possibly lose forever any hope of finding true completeness.
Each of these women now had such a chance, but they had to agree to change their lives to insure that what they’d discovered would last.
Chiara had been a successful lawyer for many years prior to her involvement with Grace. She had made it all the way to the top of her profession. Grace had spent many years studying in hopes of achieving the same level. Her passion for Chiara had sidetracked her ambition but now she was rediscovering a desire to accomplish things in life. Even with the wealth and freedom to just enjoy life she was not necessarily ready to turn her back on the law. Would Chiara stay with her if in addition to their love…she still insisted on pursuing a career?
It was afternoon and Chiara sat down close to Grace in the living room. They held each other for what seemed way longer than the few minutes it actually was. They kissed each other gently and acceptingly. As they disengaged, Chiara said,
“We need to talk…I’m in love with you, Grace. I want us to be together and be happy. But away from Atlanta and its memories. Let’s move down to Tybee Island. I had been planning to move there for the longest time. Now that this whole sordid business is over, we can do it together. We have a ton of money. I want you to move down to Savannah with me.”
Grace swallowed hard. She stammered, “But, this is not what I had planned.” Her face reddened.
“I understand how you feel,” Chiara continued, “but I believe what you and I share is truer than anything either of us has ever had or might find in the future.”
Grace wanted to say yes but she was not sure she could just laze through life with no purpose beyond love.
“Let’s move to Tybee,” Chiara urged.
“But, what will we do with ourselves? I mean…We have to work at something for satisfaction if not for our bread and butter.” Grace asked.
“There is a small law office with beautiful high ceilings and a picture window. It is for sale there just off of Forsyth Square. Let’s buy it and we can build up our own small practice. Just the two of us...except I’d have to ask Sheila if she’d be interested. I owe her. We can make our dreams come true there.”
Chiara allowed the information to sink in. Grace’s face brightened as she slowly began to realize that she wanted exactly what Chiara proposed.
“We can run it together and be together. We can live on the beach in the house there and be free from all the nonsense of this city and escape these bad memories.” she enthused.
“Make our dreams come true” Chiara had just said. It was the sort of sweet silly phase that that children were more apt to believe in than adults. But during their getaway to Tybee Grace had awoken from a dream in which the two of them had been living exactly the life Chiara was now proposing.
A long look was shared and a beautiful certainty grew in Grace’s eyes that sealed the deal. Chiara embraced her, kissing her deeply and with love. They lay down on the sofa and removed each others’ clothes and just held each other naked, kissing tenderly and touching one another. As they lay together there, holding and stroking, the lovemaking began slowly and softly. The eroticism was beautiful and gradual. Chiara’s fingers went inside of Grace’s open sex. She fingered her with such gentle love, and Grace responded with sighs and soft whispers. Their beautiful bodies the very image of sensuality in the hazy light of afternoon.
Grace climbed on top of Chiara, sitting on top of her sex with her legs spread. Chiara continued to finger her madly, slowly and erotically, until finally, Grace came. At the exact same moment, Chiara climaxed with the orgasm spreading throughout her body, beginning between her legs and shattering her to the core.
“I love you, Grace,” Chiara muttered softly.
“Oh Chiara, I love you with all my heart.” She went on… “I have never known love like this before.”
They left Atlanta, with no further second thoughts, to start life anew on Tybee Island. Tamika had been there to see them off with a promise to come down for a visit after they were settled.
By accepting destiny, they found bliss in their love nest of a home on the beach. Their days and nights spent laughing, cooking, working, making love, sleeping. Simple time filled with beauty and animal happiness.
There was no regret for either of them. They had found what they had sought their whole lives.
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