Beyond the Skyline

by Lise Gold

  The rest of the afternoon and night passed in a haze. Sophie visited a market to do some shopping. She needed souvenirs and snacks to take back home for her friends and colleagues. She also bought some funny t-shirts and stocked up on the street food on the way back so she could have a quiet picnic on the beach by herself. She had gathered her towels and spread them out over the sand, creating a comforting base. The food was scattered out on paper plates around her. Occasionally, she would throw something out for the seagulls to pick up. The yellow crab curry, fish cakes, and papaya salad were delicious but spicy, and the white wine went down faster than Sophie had planned. The orange haze on the horizon and the clear sky promised another starry night, and everything was perfect apart from Mel’s absence. Feeling slightly braver after three glasses of wine, she took a snapshot of the food with the glowing sunset in the background and added: ‘Wish you were here.’ She didn’t wait for a reply, knowing Mel was still at work. She watched the resort staff build a campfire and set up the barbecue for the guests later that evening. In other circumstances, she might have joined in, but tonight, Sophie was happy enough with her own company. By the time her screen lit up again, it was dark, and she had just crawled into bed, tired from the sea breeze.

  'Nice sunset. Are you still awake? Had long meeting, just finished. Almost home now.' Sophie wiped her eyes and smiled. Suddenly she felt wide awake.

  'I am now. In bed.' She hesitated for a moment and added: 'Naked.' Another message came in only seconds after she had sent hers.

  'Picture!' Sophie giggled and replied.

  'You first. I need something to look at too.' Sophie waited in anticipation for the picture that would most likely keep her up all night. The ten minutes that followed seemed to last an eternity. She poured herself another glass of wine from the bottle on the floor next to her bed and slipped back under the crisp sheets. Her breath caught when it came in. Mel was in her bedroom, naked as promised. She smiled into the camera above her head, one arm over her breasts covering her nipples. Sophie shivered.

  ‘Wow,’ she wrote, ginning. Mel replied straight away.

  ‘Glad you like it. Your turn now.’

  26

  “Melzinha, dinner is ready!” Isabella knocked on Mel’s bedroom door until her daughter’s sleepy face appeared.

  “Sorry, Mum. I must have dozed off. What time is it?” She put on a pair of tracksuit bottoms and pulled her messy hair into a top-knot.

  “It’s almost eight, Melzinha. What’s wrong with you? You never sleep after work.”

  “Nothing. Just tired.” Mel yawned and sat down at the table on the patio. Isabella regarded her while she scooped the fish soup into two bowls before topping it off with parsley and chili salt.

  “You’ve been acting strange lately,” Isabella commented. “I know we talked about privacy while I live here and I won’t get up in your business if you don’t want me to. But I need you to know that you can talk to me about anything. You know that, right?” Mel smiled and nodded.

  “Don’t worry about me, Mum. How’s your back today? Any news on the operation yet?” She closed her eyes after the first spoonful. “Mmm, that’s nice.” Isabella sat down opposite her.

  “Looks like it’s going to happen soon,” she said. “They’re trying to plan me in six weeks from now.” Mel let out a sigh of relief.

  “Finally! That’s great.” She leaned in and placed a hand over her mother’s. Imagine, you might be able to walk normally again in a couple of months. Maybe even up the stairs!” Isabella laughed.

  “Imagine that! It’s a start, Melzinha. There are no guarantees, and I don’t expect to be the same as I was before, but I would be, so happy if I could walk to the market or the community center again. I hate having to rely on you or other people to drive me around all the time.”

  “You know I don’t mind,” Mel said. “I like helping you out. But I also know you miss your house and your own space. It will be good for you to get your independence back.” Isabella passed the breadbasket after tearing off a piece of flatbread for herself.

  “So when is your friend Sophie coming back?” she asked. Mel’s heart skipped a beat at the sound of Sophie’s name.

  “Saturday,” she said, trying to sound casual.

  “Are you going to see her on the weekend?” Mel rolled her eyes at the sight of her mother’s mischievous smirk.

  “Maybe. Maybe not. She’ll be tired from the flight when she lands. Anyway, you promised to stop prying. Nothing is going on between us.” Isabella nodded.

  “Fine,” she said. “But you’re the one who keeps on mentioning her name, not me.”

  An hour later, Mel had returned to the darkness of her bedroom. The T.V. was on, but she wasn’t watching. A friend had asked her to join her for drinks, but she didn’t feel like going out. Her mother was right. She hadn’t been herself all week, and she knew exactly what the root of the problem was. Sophie. She thought about her at work, she thought about her on her way home, and she thought about her at night. All night. It was supposed to be simple, but it wasn’t, and nothing could have prepared her for the uncertainty she felt in Sophie’s absence. She reached over her nightstand and flipped the switch on the plug socket, turning on the hundreds of tiny fairy lights that were scattered throughout the room. She let herself fall back on the bed and stared up at the twinkling lights. Mel’s bedroom was her pride and joy. The exposed brick wall behind the bed head and the high ceiling were in perfect harmony with her light blue walls and dark wooden floor. Tall windows looked out over the street, framed by full-length vintage lace curtains. Mel had spent hours attaching the strings of fairy lights to the beams in the ceiling, and the result was impressive. She turned to her phone on the pillow next to her and sighed. If only Sophie were here. She was the one who had proposed they would keep their distance but so far, she had spent every waking hour waiting for Sophie to contact her. Two days had passed since Sophie had sent her the picture she spent most of her free time staring at. But even if she didn’t look at it, the mouthwatering image of Sophie’s naked body on top of the orange bed sheets was printed in her memory, and she could remember every curve, every detail.

  “Fuck it,” she mumbled as she went to her messages.

  ‘Hey, you. Are you having a good time? I bet you’re not ready to come home yet…xxx.' She waited. Her body felt paralyzed by nerves as she lay on her bed, waiting. After a couple of minutes, she checked if the message was sent, just to make sure. An hour went by without an answer. Why isn’t she glued to her phone like I am? Mel turned over and pressed her face into the pillow to stop herself from screaming in frustration. Finally, her phone vibrated.

  ‘Hey yourself ☺. Sorry for the late reply, my battery was dead. Went surfing today! Definitely lacking talent lol. It’s lovely here but I’m happy to come home now.’ Mel sighed in relief, then jumped up when another message came in.

  ‘Can’t wait to see you.’ Mel giggled out loud and immediately checked if her door was closed.

  ‘Can’t wait to see you either. When are you landing?’

  ‘Saturday. 4 pm. Why? Are you going to surprise me?’ Mel sat straight up in bed. She had to read the message twice to make sure she got the hint. Her hands shook as she started typing.

  ‘Don’t dare me. I might be there. xxx’ She closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the happiness she felt. The ball was back in her court.

  27

  Sophie sucked in one of the larger watermelon seeds through the straw of her smoothie, carefully lifted it from her glass and blew as hard as she could. The seed shot off and hit one of the canoes that were turned upside down in the sand. She had discovered the joys of firing off tiny objects from her hammock when no one was looking. The resort was quiet on Tuesday. Most guests had headed out for a two-day festival on the other side of the island. Sophie had no one to talk to apart from Pong, and therefore all the time in the world to think about Mel. She dropped the straw and the glass in the sand underneath her and covered he
r face with her t-shirt to stop her cheeks from getting sun burnt. Since their last exchange of messages, she had finally been able to relax a bit. Knowing that Mel felt the same made things a lot easier for her but it also brought new complications along.

  What if it becomes serious? Although it wasn’t something that had to be dealt with right away, she would have to tell her parents at some point. And her friends… She would have to tell them she was gay. My parents will never understand. Then another thought occurred to her.

  What if someone finds out about us when I’m her manager? Could we get fired? Should I look for another job? Sophie tried to stop thinking about all the what-ifs, but it was hard to let go of questions she had no answers to.

  What if she hates my family and friends? Looking for a distraction, she lifted a lazy hand and blind-searched for the cocktail menu that was attached to a tree branch dangling somewhere above her face. She missed twice before grabbing hold of the clipboard and pulling it down by its retractable cord. Don’t think about it. Focus on the good stuff for now. She scanned the menu for anything strong enough to send her to sleep for a couple of hours. If only Maggie were here. Sophie was dying to tell someone about Mel, and she was sure Maggie would understand. She wouldn’t judge her like her family and maybe even her friends would. But every time Sophie tried to call her, she was either at work or asleep. Cat wasn’t an option. Telling her felt daunting. Sophie’s confession might bring up questions about the past, and she didn’t want to go there. She sighed. The only person she could discuss her situation with was in a different time zone. What does that say about my friends?

  28

  Sophie broke out in cold sweat walking through customs. The meet and greet area at Heathrow Airport was flooded with parents, lovers and tour guides and she tried to steer her luggage cart around the groups of people who were blocking the way, laughing and hugging. She had been nervous all the way back and hadn’t managed to sleep for a minute.

  “Don’t dare me; I might be there”, Mel had said. She looked around, trying to spot her big hair in the crowd but she didn’t see her anywhere. Sophie felt her stomach drop with disappointment. What was she thinking? Of course, Mel wouldn’t be here. She was bound to have better things to do on a Saturday than to travel all the way to the airport. Sophie was about to turn left towards the exit when someone slapped her on the back of her head with a bunch of roses.

  “Surprise!” Mel shouted. She flew around Sophie’s neck and grinned, scrunching up her nose. Sophie’s heart jumped at the sight of her. Mel looked great in jeans and a navy shirt that hugged her curves in all the right places. Her hair was tied up in a casual top-knot that bounced from side to side when she moved.

  “Mel! I can’t believe you’re here.” Sophie tightened her grip around Mel’s neck and sighed. She lifted her head and welcomed the joy that exploded in her stomach when their eyes locked. Mel’s face was close, and Sophie could smell chocolate on her breath. God, how she had longed for those lips. She laughed and kissed her. First softly, barely brushing. Then she parted her lips and gave in to the heavenly warmth of Mel’s mouth. Her body seemed to agree with the kiss and was screaming out for more. They indulged in each other until a group of teenage boys whistled at them. Mel reluctantly took a step back and laughed.

  “I was watching you from that table over there,” she said, pointing at a cafe. “I had to make sure you really wanted me to be here. I can’t tell you how happy I was when I saw you looking out for me.” Sophie smiled and took her hand.

  “That was mean, and you know it,” she said, blushing. She pointed at the flowers. “Are those for me?” Mel handed her the bunch of red roses.

  “They are.” She shuffled on the spot. “I borrowed my mother’s car, so I can take you home if you want? Are you tired?” Sophie nodded.

  “I haven’t slept at all. I was thinking about you the whole time.” She giggled and looked down at her shoes, surprised by her own confession. “But I think I just got a new splurge of energy.” Mel tucked Sophie’s hair behind her ear.

  “Good,” she whispered. “Because you’re going to need it.” Sophie felt Mel’s hand disappear underneath her sweater and she almost forgot her suitcase as they walked to the car.

  “So, did you miss me?” Sophie asked when seated in the front of the old blue Ford. Mel looked surprisingly sexy while she was driving, with her rolled up sleeves and an air of casual concentration on her face. It was weird, seeing her in a different context.

  “Did I miss you?” Mel repeated the question, still focusing on the road. “Do you remember that conversation we had in Hong Kong right before we left? About keeping it casual?” Sophie nodded. “Well, I’ve never regretted anything more in my life than that conversation.” They both laughed.

  “All I could think of,” Mel continued, “was you being all ‘casual’ in Thailand, hooking up with hot surfer chicks to celebrate your newfound sexuality.” Sophie giggled.

  “Really? You thought I’d do that?” Mel shrugged.

  “I was kind of hoping you wouldn’t.” She held up a hand and grimaced. “By the way, if you did, please don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. I don’t think I could handle it.”

  “Well I haven’t been hooking up with any hot surfer chicks,” Sophie said. “I’ve been thinking about you, mostly. And I’ve been thinking about whether or not to text you just about every second of the day. I’m telling you, Mel. It’s been so bloody stressful thinking about you; I think I might need another holiday.” She sank back in her chair and opened the window, enjoying the relief and happiness that washed over her.

  “So this is where you live.” Mel took a step back and looked up at the Victorian building before entering the narrow staircase, leading up to Sophie’s apartment. “Fancy location, I’m impressed,” she yelled up the stairs. Sophie turned and looked down at Mel while searching for her keys in her bag.

  “I hope it’s not a mess. I wasn’t exactly expecting to have someone over after my trip, but I did ask the cleaner to pop in for a couple of hours.” She blushed when she opened the door to the spacious, spotless apartment. As instructed, her mother’s cleaner had put fresh roses in a crystal vase on the rustic wooden dining table and aired the rooms that very morning. It was nice to be home again. Mel raised an eyebrow when she stepped into the white, modern kitchen.

  “Fancy postcode, fabulous apartment and a cleaner? My God, Sophie. I think we need to get married.” Sophie laughed.

  “It’s not what you think. I usually clean the house myself, but I was secretly hoping you might come over, so I needed some help.” She giggled. “Just in case.” Now that she was back, she wasn’t sure how to behave around Mel anymore. Sophie really just wanted to kiss her again, but she didn’t know how to approach her. She stuck her head in the fridge to hide her uncertainty.

  “Would you like a drink? I have wine, gin, coffee, tea, sparkling water…” Mel smiled, walked over to her and silenced her with her lips while she closed the fridge door.

  “What I would like,” she said, “Is for you to put down your handbag, take off your coat and show me to your bed, couch, carpet or whatever it is you would like me to throw you on after I rip your clothes off.” Sophie took in a deep breath. Her heart was pounding so fast now that she could almost hear it and the wetness that spread between her legs made her ache for Mel’s body. She took Mel’s hand and led her into the living room because she didn’t think she could manage another flight of stairs on her shaking legs. Mel looked from the couch to the thick rug and back.

  “Good choice,” she said with a grin while she took the hem of Sophie’s sweater and pulled it over her head, exposing a black, seamless bra. Then she took off her own shirt in one fluid motion, moved closer and placed a kiss on Sophie’s neck, just below her ear. She lingered there and cupped Sophie’s cheek with her hand.

  “You smell so good.” Sophie gasped and tilted her head. She felt teeth scrape over her neck, and her jawline before Mel’s lips met her own,
claiming her mouth. They both moaned into the kiss that deepened when their tongues found each other, warm and wet and sensual. Sophie moved her hands up Mel’s back and unclipped her bra. She tugged it down without breaking the kiss. She looked down and traced the tanned breasts and dark nipples, causing Mel to shiver. Mel’s breathing accelerated when Sophie’s bra fell to the floor a little later. Her fingers worked their way around the waistband of Sophie’s leggings and briefs. She kneeled, moving them down slowly until Sophie stepped out of them, exposing her nakedness.

  “You’re so beautiful,” Mel whispered, kissing her way back up over Sophie’s thighs, waist, and breasts. “You have no idea how much I’ve been longing for you.” She licked around a nipple with the tip of her tongue. “I’ve been longing for this.” Sophie buckled at the sensation of Mel’s mouth on her breasts. She fumbled with the button on Mel’s jeans, desperate for them to come off.

  “Take them off, please. I can’t do it…my hands are shaking.” Mel smiled and took them off. She kicked them to the side and pulled Sophie back in by her waist. Sophie closed her eyes. The feeling of Mel’s delicate skin against hers was wonderful and calming.

  “Finally,” she sighed. “I’ve been dreaming about this.” Mel leaned forward and before she knew it, Sophie was lying on her back on the soft rug, Mel’s breasts pressed into her own.

  “So, you like it on the floor, do you?” Mel whispered. “You keep on surprising me, Sophie.” Sophie tried to answer, but she was silenced by Mel’s lips once again. She ached with need and anticipation. Mel kissed her way down her collarbone and her breasts where she lingered, carefully biting her. Sophie gasped and threw her head back when Mel planted a hand between her legs, tracing upwards until the twitching in her lower abdomen became almost unbearable. Mel’s skillful fingers pressed down and circled between her legs, almost sending her over the edge. She felt Mel’s tongue, and lips move down towards her thigh, then slowly inwards, releasing warm breath on her center. Mel took her time, teasing her until she parted Sophie’s legs and licked her full length up to her clit before moving back and slipping her tongue inside of her. Sophie buckled, crying out.