by Tiffany Foxe
“Watercolor, mostly.”
“Like what kind of...um…”
“Landscapes, scenery...”
Alice nodded in acknowledgment. She smiled. She hadn’t pinned Elsa as the creative type.
"You ever do portraits?"
"Not really."
They continued to stroll.
"They say you've never truly looked at something until you've drawn it," said Elsa. "I don’t want to see someone that closely...I’m afraid I won’t like what I see."
Alice pondered this for a moment.
“Well...I’d like to see them, sometime.”
Elsa looked at Alice.
“Your paintings,” she added.
Elsa gave a shy smile and swept her golden hair behind her ear.
They meandered through the streets. Alice tried some herring on cracker bread at a little food cart for lunch. They strolled through a few nearby shops.
“Oh, my charger,” she remembered.
“In here,” Elsa pointed to a building across the street.
They walked in a shop across the street.
"Favorite food?" asked Elsa.
"Asian."
"What kind?"
"Oh, all kinds. It's too hard to name one. Thai, Chinese, Japanese...Vietnamese. They're all yummy. How about you?"
"Italian."
"Okay. Favorite dessert?"
"Uh...tiramisu. But, not that kind you get at grocery stores and restaurants. The way my mom made it: drenched in rum."
"Are you eating dessert or getting drunk?" she joked.
"Both."
They laughed.
"Okay. One thing that makes you happy."
"Painting," said Elsa.
"No. That's a given."
"Not everyone likes what they do for a living."
"True, but you do. So, same question."
"My dog. Rosko. What about you?"
Alice thought for a moment, but realized she couldn't think of anything.
"Oh, come on. There must be something."
"Okay, okay. Watermelon."
"What?" Elsa chuckled.
"Watermelon. Whenever I eat watermelon I'm happy...And, it has to have salt," she insisted.
Elsa chuckled.
“...Okay.”
Alice found an adapter and paid the clerk. They exited and stood on the walkway.
“Well, I should be going. These are getting heavy,” Alice said as she looked down at the bags in her hands.
Elsa nodded with a gloomy look about her.
“I’ll give you a ride,” she offered.
“That’s okay. I’ll take a taxi,” she said.
She hailed a taxi. The car stopped, she opened the door and put her bags inside. She turned toward Elsa.
“Thanks for your help.”
“Yeah,” she said with a smile that did little to mask her sorrow.
Alice went home and unpacked her groceries. She plugged in her charger to the laptop and hopped in the shower. She spent the rest of the afternoon writing. To her amazement, once again, the words flowed like water. She added a substantial amount to her story and marveled in joy. Maybe, her writer’s block was finally over. She stopped typing when she heard a knock at the door. She eyed the door with suspicion. She didn’t know anyone here, nor was she expecting any visitors. She got up and answered the door. It was Elsa. She stood jittery from the cold night air, her golden blonde hair glowing in the light that emanated from inside. She smiled warmly at Alice.
“You are quite sly,” said Elsa with a devilish smile .
“What?” inquired Alice with confusion.
“You thought you could get away without paying me?”
Alice still looked confused.
“For the drinks last night.”
“Oh!”
Alice remembered. She never actually got around to paying Elsa for the bet earlier.
Elsa clenched her hands together trying to fend off the cold as she swayed to and fro to get her blood circulating. Alice realized she was being rude, and invited Elsa in from the harsh cold. Elsa entered the toasty little cottage as Alice went to find some cash. Elsa welcomed the warmth that kissed her body as she slowly strolled through the room.
"I'm sorry," Alice said with sincerity as she fumbled through her coat pockets.
"Nice place. Is it yours?"
"No. A friend’s."
Elsa looked disappointed.
"Girlfriend?"
Alice had moved on to searching the jeans she wore that day. She looked up at Elsa.
"A boyfriend?"
Alice dropped the jeans down on the floor and walked over to Elsa.
"A work friend. He is letting me stay here for a couple months while I write."
She handed the money to Elsa. She grabbed it and briefly counted. She waived the cash in the air.
"Remind me never to play an American."
Alice smirked.
"Why? You won?"
Elsa smiled.
“Barely.” She saw the open laptop on the bed. Words filled the screen. "Is this your next book?"
Alice walked over and shyly closed the laptop. Her face flushed.
"Yeah...maybe. It's a rough draft...in process." She walked over to the kitchen counter where a bottle of wine sat. "Wine?"
Elsa nodded. Alice poured a glass.
“It’s funny,” said Alice. “I haven’t been able to write a word for over a year, and I come over here and…” She looked over at Elsa who had walked over to the glass door.
Elsa tried to peer out through the glass, but it was too dark. She turned toward Alice.
“...it just rolls out,” she finished. She could hardly hide her excitement in being able to write again. She had practically given up.
She poured another glass. She walked over to Elsa and handed her a glass. Elsa took a sip. She made a face that Alice couldn’t read. Elsa was looking toward Alice, but not at her face. Alice looked down at her shirt and realized. Her night shirt was slightly see through. She wasn’t expecting company, so she hadn’t even thought about it. Alice gave a slight gasp as she shyly wrapped her free arm about her chest. Elsa glanced away with sheer embarrassment for being caught. Her cheeks flushed. She hadn’t intended to check her out, and it didn’t seem like she had looked for that long. Though, it was easy to lose track of time with such inviting scenery. Unfortunately, being caught made her feel a bit pervish.
Alice grabbed a sweater and hurriedly put it on. Elsa searched for something to distract from the current circumstances: something to talk about, something to do. She noticed a deck of cards on the kitchen counter.
“You play,” she asked, still embarrassed by the preceding events.
Alice grabbed her glass of wine and gathered her composure. She took a gulp and nodded at Elsa. They sat down at the table by the window and played a game. It didn’t take long for their embarrassment to fade and they were laughing and carrying on with enthusiasm. Alice got up to refill their glasses. Elsa slowly walked over beside her. She watched as she finished pouring the wine. Alice set down the bottle. Elsa inched in closer. She rustled her fingers through her long brown hair. Alice gazed at Elsa with timid yearning. Elsa leaned in and kissed her. Alice stood there, not allowing herself to be overcome by her desires, but not completely ignoring them, either. She kissed her back softly, enjoying the feel of her soft lips pressed against hers. Elsa pulled away a little. Alice thrust herself forward, kissing Elsa harder, allowing her desires to overtake her. Elsa reciprocated, her heart fluttering as she touched her hand to Alice's face.
Alice pulled away and gathered herself. She looked through the window outside. It was dark.
"I'm pretty tired," she said, finally.
“It’s four in the afternoon,” Elsa pouted.
“It’s...seven in the morning back home.”
Elsa backed up a little. She gave a terse nod. They both stood in awkward silence.
“I should be going, anyway,” Elsa finally said. “I�
�ve got some errands to run.”
Elsa left and Alice stood staring uneasily out onto the lake. Elsa stirred emotions she never thought she’d feel, again. She tried to shake the feeling and sat down to write. She typed for a few hours and fell fast asleep.
She awoke the next afternoon to a text on her phone. It was from Elsa.
Lunch?
She looked at the time. It was after two. She texted back.
Just woke up.
She set the phone down and rolled over in bed. She was still groggy. The phone buzzed. It was another text message. She rolled back over and grabbed her phone.
Dinner?
Alice lay staring at her phone, contemplating what she wanted to do. Her phone buzzed, again. A new message popped up.
Fika?
“Fika…?” she said to herself, puzzled. “What’s that?”
She texted back.
?
She opened her web browser on her phone and started to type in the mysterious word. Maybe, it was a restaurant, she thought. Her phone vibrated in her hands.
Coffee?
“Oh,” she thought.
I’ll just make some here.
“It’s cheaper,” she mumbled to herself. She got up and threw the phone on the bed. “And faster.”
She shuffled over to the coffee pot and began making coffee. She yawned and walked over to the glass wall that looked out onto the lake. Fog hung low over the water. A light helping of snow covered the ground. She noticed the sky was already getting dark. She looked back at the clock on the coffee maker. Twenty after two. She grimaced. The coffee finished and she poured a cup and flopped in a chair at the table. She opened her laptop and scanned over what she had so far. At this rate she would have no problem catching up on her mortgage. She felt a little weight leave her shoulders.
She took another sip of her coffee, and snatched some clothes out of her suitcase. She took them into the bathroom and got dressed. She walked back out and stopped and stared at the lake. It was such a relaxing view, she thought. She was interrupted by a knock at the door. She froze for a moment, perplexed by who her visitor could be. She glanced over at her phone lying on the bed. The notification light was blinking. She had left it on vibrate, so she hadn’t heard anything. There was a knock again. Alice went and opened the door.
Elsa stood holding a tray with coffee cups in one hand and a bag in the other. Alice couldn’t hide the look of astonishment from her face. She wondered what Elsa had written back.
“Fika?”
She held up the tray of coffee. Alice opened the door wider for her unexpected guest. Elsa entered the cottage and set the items on the kitchen counter. She pulled a cup of coffee from the tray and handed it Alice. Elsa was beaming. Alice found it confounding how much she smiled. She accepted the coffee and took a sip. It was much better than what she had prepared. Elsa opened the bag and pulled out a little brown ball covered in white shavings. She held it out.
“Kokosboll?”
Alice took it out of her hand with suspicion.
“What is it?”
“Delicious. Cocoa, butter...sugar, coconut.”
Alice moved the ball shaped food from side to side while she inspected it. She took a bite. It was sweet.
“Mmm. It’s good,” she said, a bit surprised.
They finished their coffee and grub. Alice set her cup down and as politely as she could, attempted to get her uninvited guest to leave.
“Well, thank you for the coffee and...um...balls…” she chuckled awkwardly.
Elsa smiled as she finished her coffee.
“...but, I really do need to get to work.”
“Isn’t that one of the perks of being a writer? You can work whenever?”
“It is...when you don’t have a deadline looming over your head. I’ve really gotta pan this out. I don’t even have the plot completely figured out.”
Elsa gave a big grin.
“I can help you with that.”
Elsa got up and approached Alice. She wrapped her arm about her waist as she kissed her. She pulled Alice close as she delighted in the taste of her skin. Alice’s knees grew weak. Her heart raced with anticipation as they moved toward the bed. She unexpectedly found herself taking the reigns as she eagerly pushed Elsa onto the mattress with her. She laid on top and pulled back to look upon her. She gazed upon Elsa with fiery eyes and heated yearning. Elsa impatiently lifted her head to meet Alice in a spirited kiss. She cupped her palms around Alice and pulled her in. Alice advanced towards Elsa’s neck and kissed it with fervent delight. Elsa inhaled deeply as she ran her hands through Alice’s hair and down her back. Alice sat up, straddling her captive, and pulled off her top. Elsa immediately ran her hands over Alice’s torso as she gazed eagerly at her perky breasts. She rolled her tongue around in her mouth as she thought of tasting them. Alice yanked Elsa up by her jacket and quickly pulled it off. Elsa took off her shirt, revealing a lacy, dainty bra. They kissed with fiery passion as Alice unclipped Elsa’s bra. She gently slid down the straps and kissed her shoulder. Elsa ran one hand down Alice’s back and the other up along her ribs. She reached Alice’s breast and grabbed it fiercely. She gasped with pleasure. Alice threw the bra to the side and pushed Elsa back onto the mattress. She kissed her lips, then moved down to her collarbone, chest, and nipples. She savored every moment. Elsa’s breath grew harder as a tingling sensation radiated from her nipples down between her thighs. She unbuttoned Elsa’s pants and began pulling them off while Elsa wiggled out with like fashion. Alice admired the prize lying before her. She swooped down and kissed Elsa on the lips, moving down and eagerly sucking on her nipples. Elsa moaned with pleasure. Alice continued her venture downward, caressing her stomach with her lips, landing a steamy kiss here and there. She slipped her tongue between Elsa’s thighs. Elsa’s body spasmed from the titillating sensation. She gazed down at her partner in heated desire. The whole world shifted about her, a throbbing rush of ecstasy filled her loins. This was nothing like her previous experiences. This...this was...complete and utter fulfillment.
Elsa slept soundly beside Alice that night. Alice, on the other hand, stared at the ceiling as she pondered her newfound predicament. Was she falling for this woman? She wrapped her arm about Elsa and held her tight.
Elsa awoke the next morning to Alice snuggled beside her. She gazed upon her for several minutes and smiled with delight. She gently climbed out of bed and made some coffee. She sat down at the table and watched the object of her affection sleeping peacefully. She got up, went to her car, and grabbed a bag. She took it back inside with her and removed some of its contents: a sketch pad, several pencils, and an eraser. She set the bag on the ground and flipped open the pad to a blank page. She gazed over at Alice and studied her intently. She lay facing her, tangled in sheets, half on her side, half on her tummy. She began drawing. She sketched out the bed, the sheets, the curve of her back sloping up to her shoulder, the hint of her bosom tastefully teasing. Her neck, her face, her soft, inviting lips, her alluring eyes and tousled hair, every dimple and line on her face. Compiled together, it was perfection, the very curves and lines that mirrored the woman she craved...the woman she feared she loved.
***
Alice joined Elsa for dinner at her father’s house that evening. As they three of them sat at the table Elsa’s father gave his daughter a discerning look.
“What’s going on here?” Gustav asked in his native svenska tongue.
“Nothing,” Elsa said in svenska.
“This is the first time you bring a girl home. You’ve never brought a girl home.”
“She’s just a friend.”
“What kind of game are you playing?”
Elsa scowled.
“Nothing.”
“Hey. I know that look. It’s the same look I had with your mother.”
Elsa shrugged it off.
“Could we talk about this later?.”
Judging by his expression, he obviously didn’t believe her.
>
“She doesn’t even live in this country. Heck, the continent. She’ll be gone in a month, and then what?”
Gustav looked disappointed in his daughter. Alice watched the verbal rally in timid curiosity. She had no idea what they were saying as it was all in Svenska. Apparently it was heated, but appeared tempered for public viewing. Elsa sat staring down at her plate, poking at her food.
“I don’t know,” Elsa murmured.
“But, I can’t help how I feel.”
“Oh, come on,” he pleaded angrily.
She couldn’t look him in the eye.
“Get your head out of the clouds. Your mother said “til death do us part”, and we both know how that turned out,” he fired angrily. “You’ll help it if you know what’s good for you.”
They finished the rest of their meal in silence.
Elsa drove Alice home. Elsa hardly said a word the whole way.
“Is everything alright?”
Elsa nodded as she kept her eyes on the road. Alice wasn’t convinced.
“You sure? You and your dad…”
“I’m fine,” she interjected.
She still didn’t believe her, but she didn’t want to force the issue.
“...Okay. Well, he seems nice.”
They pulled up at the cottage and Alice leaned in to kiss Elsa goodnight. She was met with a placid response.
“What did he say to you?”
Elsa shook her head.
“Nothing.”
Alice searched her eyes, hoping to find something she could read. All she found was a demeanor of steel. Alice opened the door and leaned away.
“You’re welcome to come in if you want.”
“No, thanks. I have to get up early,” she said coldly.
Alice got out and watched, perturbed, as Elsa drove off.
***
Alice spent the next several days waist deep in writing. She had texted Elsa the last night she saw her, but received no response. She thought it odd since Elsa was always so quick to reply. They had seen each other everyday for about a month. Now, it had been three days with no word whatsoever. She had decided to leave the ball in Elsa’s court. She was leaving town in less than a month, anyway. There was no need to push something that wasn’t going to last. But, after three days she was itching to hear something from her, at least an explanation for what happened that night.