Callie's Gift

by T. J. Jones

Abby Cooper had been out of college for two years. She married her childhood sweetheart right before he joined the Army, and finished getting certified to teach while he went to OCS. Davis Cooper had dreamed of being an officer in the Army his whole life, and Abby had dreamed of being his wife. They had been together since junior year in high school. He was the best tight end to come out of their southern Minnesota town and could have played for any team in the Big Ten. He chose a smaller school. Football was fun but it wasn't his passion. His passions were the Army and Abby, in that order. Abby followed him to the smaller college. They laughed and partied their way through college, and when he asked, Abby was sure that this was the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She thought that as long as they were together, she would be happy. They went to Fort Benning, and Davis continued his training to be a Ranger. But the realities of being an Army wife began to wear on Abby. Long training separations and the abysmal Georgia heat took its toll. When Davis went to Iraq for a year she returned home to Minnesota, to substitute teach and paint landscapes of the snowy countryside around her parent's home.

  When Davis came back, she returned to Georgia, determined to adjust to military life and her marriage. But a year in Iraq had changed Davis. The loving, carefree, football star she married came back from deployment, sullen and distrustful. She knew that it wasn't unusual for soldiers to struggle with normal life after returning, she had heard the same story many times from other wives. She tried to break through to him repeatedly, with words, therapy, sex, but nothing seemed to work. When he got orders to go to Afghanistan for sixteen months she was relieved, it seemed like a way to delay the inevitable divorce. They left it like that, unsure where their marriage was headed. Abby returned to Minnesota and Davis returned to war.

  *****

  Abby Cooper stood in front of her class of eighth graders, her first full time teaching position, thanks to her Aunt. She had been delighted by her schedule. She expected to have to teach some English or History courses to fill her days, but her aunt had been a popular teacher and all of Abby's classes were at least Art related. Her first class would be middle schoolers and she was a little nervous. She thought she could handle the more advanced classes later in the day, but thirteen-year old boys were usually trouble. She hadn't dressed with them in mind and was afraid it could go either way.

  Abby knew she was attractive. She was tall and slender and had long brown hair that fell well past her shoulders. She wore a sweater that was cut low enough to expose her considerable cleavage and allow it to spill out a bit when she leaned forward. Her legs were long and her skirt was probably too short for a new teacher. When she walked into the Art room, a dozen eighth grade boys suddenly became very silent, struck dumb by their raging hormones. They sat quietly throughout the whole period, watching her every move and listening intently. She decided it was a good start. By the last class she was feeling very satisfied with her first day.

  Callie Fisher walked into Advanced Art, dropped her portfolio on the desk, and sat down next to Jennifer. Jennifer leaned over and poked her, nodding toward Mrs. Brennan's replacement. Callie looked at Abby and felt a familiar tingle. Something told her that she was looking at the answer to her sexual frustrations. It seemed more like a premonition than the simple desire to see where those long legs met. She felt sure this woman was going to be her first time. Jennifer giggled in her ear.

  "The new Art teacher is hot, huh Cal?"

  "She's a step up from old lady Brennan, that's for sure. Your dickhead boyfriend seems to think so." Greg and his tablemate were laughing and whispering, obviously discussing the new teacher's breast size. Greg glanced over at them and laughed when he saw them looking in his direction. Jennifer's face fell instantly, but Callie just lifted her middle finger.

  "Why do you put up with that shithead anyway? I can't believe you let that scumbag in your pants."

  "Hey, at least I'm getting some." Jennifer snapped quickly, forgetting her position in the teen hierarchy. Callie's eyes widened, surprised by the outburst, then narrowed in anger.

  "You little bitch!" She hissed quietly. "I wouldn't brag about letting that piece of shit screw you. Should I see if he wants some of this? Pretty sure I'd be getting some then, right?" Jennifer stared at her desk, a tear winding its way slowly down through the freckles and falling from the tip of her nose. Callie glanced at the clock, aware that the class was about to start. She wanted a good start with the new teacher. "Stop bawling for Christ's sake, Jenny. I'm sorry, I just think you deserve better than that asshole, you're way too good for him." Jennifer wiped her eyes quickly and smiled at Callie, happy to be forgiven so easily.

  Abby Cooper introduced herself. She told the class that it was her first full time teaching position and that she might need them to be patient. She told them that she was married to a soldier, and that he was in Afghanistan until March. She didn't tell them that she was desperately lonely, or that she couldn't stop looking at the blond girl with the intense blue eyes. She asked that they all pull out examples of their work and began going to each student, looking at what they had done the year before. When she came to their table, she spun Jennifer's folder around first and paged through it. Jennifer wasn't much of an artist, but it was Art or Choir, and she couldn't sing for shit. She smiled a Callie. "I suck, Mrs. Cooper, I'm just here for an easy grade. Callie's the real artist." Callie smiled back at her appreciatively.

  "Don't sell yourself short Jennifer, and please everyone, call me Abby." Abby slid over and looked into Callie's eyes as the girl looked up. Callie heard the slight, sharp intake of breath when Abby made eye contact. Callie tried to pour everything into that look, hoping the teacher felt the same electric attraction she did. She could feel the intensity, and she knew she had succeeded, on some level. Callie leaned forward slightly, allowing the woman a clear view down the front of her shirt, hoping Abby could glimpse her breasts. The teacher's eyes shifted slightly and Callie had to hide a smile of satisfaction. She looked up, blue eyes innocent, yet beguiling. Abby Cooper smiled back at her. "Very nice Miss Fisher! But I think you could do more. I'm sure I could show you some things. I'm looking forward to spending time with you, working on your designs."

  "Woah." Jennifer said after the teacher had moved on. "What about those?" She grabbed at her own chest and rolled her eyes. Callie started laughing and tried not to blush. She wasn't sure there had been innuendo in what Abby said, but she wanted to think so. It did seem like there had been a reaction, and that the woman had been discretely checking her out. She was new at seduction, at least this kind, but she couldn't stop thinking that there was a connection, that it was bound to happen, or that she might have imagined it in one of her dreams. She scoffed as the idea entered her head. She knew there was no such thing as destiny, or that fate had sent Abby to her. If she had seen this in her dreams it was only because most of the fantasies she had involved pretty women with long legs.

  When the class ended Callie held back and stopped at the teacher's desk. She smiled what she hoped was her prettiest smile, and gazed into Abby's eyes, leaning far over the desk, unable to imagine that her message was not being received. "So, it would be great if you could help me with my portraits, maybe outside of class. I have trouble getting the shading right, Mrs. Cooper."

  "Remember, call me Abby. Mrs. Cooper sounds like an old lady."

  "Okay Abby, you sure as heck don't look like an old lady." The teacher blushed, glancing quickly down the front of Callie's shirt again.

  "I didn't want to gush in front of everyone in class, but your portraits, all your art is amazing. Most kids your age can't draw a straight line to save their souls."

  "Kid? I'm almost eighteen, couple more months and I'll be legal." Callie didn't think she could be more obvious.

  "You should think about art in college Callie. I don't know if I've ever seen anyone draw features like you do." She hesitated for a moment. "Wow, your eyes, I mean your actual eyes, they're kind of a work of art too." Both women w
ere blushing now, Callie's legs trembled slightly.

  "Thanks. It's usually just creepy old men that tell me that."

  "I'll try not to be creepy." Abby laughed and leaned back suddenly. "I'd better get busy, Cal, is Cal okay? I rented a small house in town and I have to get home and start putting things away."

  "Cal is fine Abby. I'll see you in class." Callie wanted to ask if she needed help unpacking. She wanted to get into the woman's house and tear both their clothes off, but she didn't want to seem like the desperate high school girl that she was. Hard as it was, she wanted Abby to be the one to make the first move, she needed to have that control.

  *****

  Abby Cooper was a good artist, and a good teacher. She spent the next month showing Callie how to improve her drawings and even had Jenny painting recognizable portraits. Callie loved the times she stood between them, leaning over so that her breast accidentally grazed against Callie's shoulder. She had to constantly be aware that there were other eyes in the room, so as not to get caught looking too long and hard at the teacher's body. As the days flew by she grew more impatient, hiding away in her room at night, imagining what she hoped was coming. By the middle of October, Callie's frustrations were getting the better of her. She decided that she had to make an attempt to move things along. She stopped in the Art room after lunch, knowing that Abby had a free period. She was surprised to see the teacher wiping her eyes as if she'd been crying.

  "Are you okay Abby?"

  "Yeah, I just got a little paint thinner on my fingers, and like an idiot, stuck my finger in my eye." Callie raised an eyebrow, but Abby smiled and continued. "What are you up to?"

  "Just stopped by to see my favorite teacher, see if you need any help with anything."

  "Actually, can you hold a stool for me for a second? I have to get some cans down from that shelf in the back corner." Callie followed her back into the corner of the room and Abby pulled a stool over from one of the easels lining the wall. It was tall and appeared precarious.

  "How about if I get up there," Callie asked. "You've got a better chance of catching me if I fall, you're taller and probably a lot stronger." Callie clambered up onto the stool. She knew that the shorts she wore wouldn't hide much from Abby's point of view. She reached the paint cans and handed them down one by one. As she prepared to climb down, the stool rocked slightly and she let out a small yelp. Laughing, Abby circled her legs in her arms, then backed away from the stool, and let Callie slide down to the floor slowly. Sliding the length of Abby's body had an electrifying effect on Callie. She reached the floor still standing on her toes and turned her head up toward the woman's face. She stood, mouth slightly open, her eyes searching the teacher's. Abby stopped laughing and moaned a little as she bent down toward the blond girl, kissing her softly. She glanced once at the door, which was shut and blocked from view by the easels scattered along the wall, then she pushed Callie back against the wall. She slid one knee up into her groin as she kissed her deeply, tearing at Callie's lips, seemingly starved for the warmth there.

  All of Callie's fantasies were just that, they didn't taste like spearmint and feel so soft and warm and pleasurable in so many spots at once. Abby's hands were in her hair and against her chest, then slid around to cup her ass, as she pulled Callie off the floor again. It was the first time Callie had kissed a woman and she thought she might explode as she wrapped her legs around the taller woman's hips. They stayed locked together for a full minute, then Abby pushed her against the wall and began to assault her neck, eliciting moans of pleasure from the blond girl. Abby stopped as suddenly as she had begun, pushing away from Callie and easing her down to the floor. "Jesus, Callie, I'm so sorry, that was totally wrong. I've never done anything like that. What the hell? I'm just lonely, and upset. I shouldn't have done that."

  "Don't apologize Abby. I didn't want you to stop. I've wanted you from the first time I saw you. There's no one in this lousy town for me." Callie knew this was her chance. "We can be together Abby, anywhere you want. I'll sneak over to your house if you want, nobody will know." Callie had pushed her into the corner, and slid her hand under the woman's skirt. Abby kissed her again, driving her tongue into Callie's mouth. She moaned, surrendering to her desire.

  "I'm so alone Callie, and you're so God damn beautiful, you're all I think about every day."

  "Please Abby, I can't be with guys, I just like women. You’re the first person I've told that to. I've never been with anyone, ever, I want you to be my first." Callie hoped that offering Abby her virginity would tip the scale. She backed away a bit, holding the teachers face in her hands and stared into her eyes. "I can come over whenever you want, Abby. We can do anything you want, whenever you want, I want to be with you, so much. I know you're married, but I'm a girl, it's not like you're cheating, really."

  "I could lose my job Callie, my marriage, I could go to jail. You're my student, it's a crime even if you were eighteen." Callie continued to look into her eyes, trying to will the older woman to give in. She saw the sudden surrender. Abby pulled away and straightened her clothes. "Give me your phone, I'll put in my number."

  "Are you kidding?" Callie laughed as they walked back to the front of the classroom. "That's absolutely the best way there is to get caught. They always connect people by their cell phone trail. Don't you ever watch cop shows? I'll talk to you after last period, once I make sure I can cover my tracks. How about Saturday night?"

  "Are you thinking about staying, overnight? I mean I think I'd like that, if we can make it work."

  "I said, anything you want. Absolutely, anything you want Abby."

  *****

  Late Saturday afternoon Callie left her house with her gym bag in her hands. She told her parents that she was going to walk the eight blocks to Jenny's house for a sleepover. She thought it ridiculous that seniors would have sleep overs, but she knew that Jenny and Holly did occasionally, and that Jenny would cover for her if it came up. She instead walked five blocks in the opposite direction to the Walmart, and climbed into the back of Abby's car. She huddled down in the back seat, making herself as inconspicuous as possible. An old blanket was folded up on the floor, and she covered herself with it. She waited for Abby to return to her car, tingling with excitement. Abby got in the car a few minutes later, tossing a bag in the front seat as she slid in. She started the car and pulled out of the lot.

  "I don't even know what I bought in there, I was too nervous to care." She said glancing back at Callie who had poked her head out from under the blanket. Callie looked up at her.

  "I don't know if I'm more nervous, or excited." Abby laughed, then slammed on the brakes, sliding Callie off the back seat onto the floor. Callie slid back up unto the seat.

  "Jesus Christ! Where'd you learn to fucking drive?"

  "Sorry. I said I'm nervous, I damn near blew through a stop sign. Callie, seriously, not a word of this can ever get out. You know what they do to teachers that are fooling around with their students, right? I don't think the fact that you're a couple weeks from eighteen would save my ass if we got caught. The very least that would happen is I'd never teach again."

  "Abby, I know, I promise, no one will know. It's not like I have a lot of friends, I'm a bitch to just about everybody. I'm not going to turn into one of those psycho needy teenagers that wants to wreck your life. We're both lonely, and I like you a lot, we'll just leave it at that, okay? I don't want to screw up your life or ruin your marriage. When your husband comes back, we'll stop, okay? I'm leaving this town the minute I graduate anyway."

  "Jesus Callie, you kind of have this all worked out, don't you? Maybe we won't get along, maybe this is a onetime thing. Maybe we won't be compatible, you know, sexually." Abby slowed down and pulled her car into the garage, closing the door behind them as Callie opened the back door. She laughed as she hurried to the entry door.

  "Pretty sure that part will be fine, I've never wanted anything so much in my life."

  They walked into the house and Cal
lie immediately reached for the older woman, kissing her neck and running her hands up under her sweater. Abby laughed and pushed away from her, reaching into the cabinet for a bottle of wine. Callie frowned. "You know you don't have to get me drunk, right? I'm here, I know what we're doing, and I'm not going to play hard to get or change my mind."

  "Humor me a little okay? I never kissed a woman until yesterday, now I'm about to make love to one. I've never even thought about another girl this way, and now, all I can think about is how good you're going to taste."

  "Wow! If you're trying to take it slow, you have to stop saying shit like that. Abby, I've waited almost eighteen years for this, and I'm not going to wait one more second." Callie put her glass down on the coffee table and straddled Abby's lap, kissing her neck and pulling at the buttons of her shirt. Callie quickly brought her lips down to kiss the teacher's breasts, then continued, exploring the rest of her body. Within minutes Abby was arching her back as she exploded, biting back the loudest of screams. Callie continued more gently then, but didn't stop until she had coaxed another climax from the older woman. They lay exhausted for a few minutes, kissing and laughing.

  "You were right Callie, that was incredible!"

  "Okay Teach, my turn, let's move into the bedroom." Thirty minutes later, Callie shuddered in the throes of her own satisfaction. It felt to Callie like things were exploding in her head as she leaned back, shaking and completely exhausted. She smiled at Abby for a few seconds, breathing raggedly, then toppled over onto the bed, unconscious.

  Callie felt them watching, again. They had been in her head throughout the sex and had followed her into this dream. She knew she was dreaming, but she couldn't quite follow what was happening. A dark-haired woman held her hand. Callie wanted her to be Abby, but although she couldn't see her face, she knew it was someone else. The woman was tugging on her arm, trying to pull her away from something that she didn't want her to see, and Callie was pulling back, fighting to know what the woman was keeping from her. They were in a dark alley, and there were sirens everywhere. The woman was pulling her away, and yelling her name. She came to suddenly, aware that Abby had her hand and was frantically calling her.