Wildflower

by Prudence MacLeod

  “And exciting,” shivered Hazel as she removed the film from her camera, “don’t forget exciting. So when do I get to meet Mr. Right?”

  “Well, funny you should mention that, he’s been asking to meet you too. He wants me to bring you to dinner so he can cook for you.”

  “So he knows about me does he?”

  “He knows everything about us Hazel, every darned bit of it.”

  “And he still wants to meet me?”

  “Not a jealous bone in his body. Charlie thinks that you are the one I love the most so he will try hardest to impress you. He figures that if he can make a good impression on you, Mom and Dad should be easy.”

  “So he thinks I’m a tough nut does he?”

  “He thinks you’re the most protective of me,” replied Tommy softly, “and he’s right there. You’re the woman Hazel.”

  “My little boy Tommy is all grown up and has a boyfriend,” grinned Hazel. “I can hardly wait to meet him.”

  “Promise me you won’t give him a hard time,” wheedled Tommy.

  “I make no promises at all,” she replied primly.

  “Hazel,”

  “Yes Tommy my love, I will behave myself. If you like this man so much I will like him too. I won’t bite him, I promise.”

  “Thanks honey. You’re going to love him, I just know it. Now tell me about Blondie again.”

  “You met her Tommy,” sighed Hazel as she closed her eyes and called up an image of those flashing blue eyes. “Tell me she isn’t the most beautiful woman in the world.”

  “Well, if you like that sort of thing,” he grinned, “I’d have to say she is quite striking.”

  “I do like that sort of thing Tommy; I like it a great deal.” She spent the rest of the trip back to the city fantasizing about what it would be like to have a real date with Abby.

  The Dance

  Abby was so excited about the prospect of Hazel coming to visit she hardly knew what to do with herself. She worked like a demon to get the proposal she was working on finished and in the mail so she would be completely free for the next week. Suddenly she remembered the all woman dance she was supposed to attend. A quick search through her purse turned up the ticket and she was startled to see that it was the next evening. A short debate with herself ensued as to whether she would attend or not, but in the end she decided to go. If she and Hazel became a couple, Hazel would just have to live with the idea that Abby had a large circle of friends.

  A couple? Was that where this was all going? Is that where Abby wanted it to go? After a lot of introspection, Abby believed that it was. There was something about Hazel Fillmore that totally intrigued her and the woman’s touch had sent thrills and chills up her spine. Yes, Abby was beginning to believe she wanted a relationship with Hazel. Was Hazel even interested? Oh yes, she was definitely interested, Abby could tell. Ah well, this all woman dance would give Abby a chance to see how it felt to be in a woman’s company that way. All right then, to the dance she would go.

  Abby spent a great deal of time on her appearance as she dressed for the dance. She had decided to go as a nineteen fifties movie star. She carefully arranged her hair and put on the long black dress. A triple strand of pearls followed along with drop pearl earrings and gold rings. She smiled with delight as she checked herself in the mirror and pinned on the tiny hat. “You know Hubby, my life is like a long string of costume parties and I just love it this way,” she smiled as she made one last adjustment to her dress then swept up her car keys and headed for the door.

  “Aw Tommy, I’m not really into it tonight,” sighed Hazel.

  “You have to go, you promised Sharon and Tina that you’d be there and so you must.”

  “But,”

  “No buts. Go on, pretty yourself up and go have fun, just don’t stay too late, you have to work in the morning.”

  “Yes Mom,” moaned Hazel as she slouched to her bedroom and began to get dressed for the dance. She’d been far more enthusiastic about this all woman dance before she’d met Abby. Now all she could think of was that mass of golden hair and those crystal blue eyes. Hazel no longer had any desire to meet other women at all.

  It was almost nine when Sharon and Tina picked her up at the apartment and drove her to the dance. “My god Hazel,” exclaimed Tina, “that red dress is almost alive. I swear you look good enough to make me switch sides.”

  “Oh sweetie, talk to me,” purred Hazel as she turned in her seat to grin wickedly at Tina.

  “Stop that you letch,” admonished a blushing Tina, “I was trying to pay you a compliment.”

  “Thank you Tina,” said Hazel demurely.

  “Brat,” muttered Tina fiercely. Sharon was still giggling as she drove to into the bar’s parking lot.

  They went inside and commandeered a table for themselves and two of Sharon’s friends. Tina brought drinks and they settled down for a chat as the dance got under way. Hazel sat absent mindedly sipping on her Shirley Temple, half listening to the buzz of conversation that tried and failed to rise over the music. Suddenly she gasped as her drink slipped forgotten from her fingers. Fortunately she had been resting her hand on the table at the time. “Hazel, are you alright?” asked Sharon.

  “Absolutely perfect,” Hazel replied without turning to look at her. Sharon and the others turned to see what had caught Hazel’s attention. They all gasped in wonder. A Marilyn Monroe look alike had just swept into the room and advanced on a table of women across the dance floor from where they sat.

  “My god, that’s her isn’t it?” exclaimed Tina. “It’s the mystery blonde. Go get her Hazel.”

  “Yes ma’am,” replied Hazel as she rose to her feet and slowly, gracefully, walked over to where the newcomer sat with her friends.

  “Abby, there you are,” called Gwen. “My god girl, you look like a million bucks. Where do you find all those fantastic outfits?”

  “Thank you, thank you,” smiled Abby as she sat beside Carol.

  “Abby, this is my cousin Juanita,” said Gwen. “Juanita, this is Abby MacKai.”

  “A pleasure Juanita,” smiled Abby as she shook the woman’s hand. The girl was a bit taller than Abby and somewhat overweight. She also had not taken a great deal of trouble with her appearance. Abby did not approve at all.

  “Abby, I want to thank you for agreeing to meet me here tonight,” replied Juanita as she held onto Abby’s hand far too long.

  Abby shot Gwen a hard look, but Gwen would not meet her eyes. “Juanita, I am sorry if Gwen has given you a wrong impression,” Abby stated firmly as she pointedly retrieved her hand, “but I did not come here tonight specifically to meet you.”

  “Actually, Abby is here to meet me,” said a rich contralto voice. They all looked up suddenly to see a tall vision of loveliness in a very active red dress. She was smiling warmly at Abby. “Sorry Abby, but I stopped for a moment to chat with some friends.”

  “No problem dear, I quite understand,” replied Abby, smiling brightly as she stood and took Hazel’s hand. “Ladies, this is Hazel Fillmore, the famous photographer. Hazel honey, this is Juanita, Gwen, and this is Carol. Hazel has promised to introduce me around and to dance the night away with me.”

  “Ladies, a pleasure,” smiled Hazel brightly. “Forgive me now, but I must steal Abby away from you.” Still smiling, Hazel squeezed Abby’s hand and led her back to the table where her friends had watched the action. Hazel introduced Abby then swept her onto the dance floor.

  “Hazel, thank you for that timely rescue,” smiled Abby as she stepped into Hazel’s arms.

  “Oh my dear,” laughed Hazel as she held Abby gently, “the pleasure was mine. I must say, it is a real delight to find you here tonight. I wasn’t going to come, but now I’m glad that I did.”

  “Well I’m very glad that you did too,” replied Abby with a saucy grin.

  “Do your friends often set you up like that?”

  “No my dear, they do not. I warned Gwen not to do that. If she thought I would
just smile sweetly and take it, she is badly mistaken. I choose my own companions and I am very choosey.”

  “Really?” smiled Hazel as she gracefully swept Abby through the dance, “then I shall take that as a compliment.”

  “Yes, and so you should, you saucy thing,” laughed Abby. “Actually I bought the ticket on a whim and hadn’t decided for sure to come until the last minute.”

  “Well I am glad you did.”

  “So you went out for a look at the house, what do you think?”

  “I absolutely love it,” laughed Hazel. “How did you know I went out for a look? No wait, let me guess. The neighbors saw us and told you someone was scouting out the place.”

  “Bingo. Do you think you will find what you’re looking for out there?”

  “Convinced of it,” replied Hazel gazing into Abby’s eyes.

  “Thank you Hazel,” smiled Abby shyly as she blushed softly and dropped her gaze. “I will take that as a compliment.”

  The music shifted into rock and roll and there was little chance for conversation for a while. Finally they went and sat with Hazel’s friends. Abby smiled and nodded her approval as Hazel pushed away her drink and ordered a fresh one for herself and one for Abby. “You don’t want the rest of that one?” asked Tina.

  “Big city rules,” smiled Abby as she patted Hazel’s hand. “Once you take your eyes off it, it doesn’t touch your lips again.”

  “Well, yeah,” replied Tina, “but this is an all woman dance and we’re all friends here.”

  “Please don’t take offence Tina,” Hazel said earnestly, “but I made that mistake once before and I never will again.” Before the conversation could go any deeper, the music shifted to a slow waltz and Abby took Hazel’s hand then led her back onto the dance floor.

  “You’ve been to the big city?” she smiled as she stepped into Hazel’s arms.

  Hazel almost fainted as Abby stepped right into her arms until their breasts and thighs touched. Fighting to concentrate, she held Abby gently, resisting the urge to crush the woman to her. “I had a few tough years,” she replied at last. “I made a lot of mistakes.”

  “Did you learn from them?” asked Abby as she snuggled even closer. She was resting her head on Hazel’s shoulder now and Hazel was definitely having trouble focusing on the conversation.

  “I’d sure like to think so,” she managed.

  “Then nothing more is required,” Abby breathed in Hazel’s ear. “Hold me tighter Hazel, I won’t break.” Swallowing hard, Hazel obeyed and pulled Abby tighter. “Mmm, that’s better.”

  “Experimenting?” asked Hazel softly as she laid her cheek against Abby’s hair.

  “Uh huh, this is new for me Hazel. I admit I am using you shamelessly.”

  “Story of my life,” laughed Hazel. “So how is it so far?”

  Abby leaned back to look into Hazel’s eyes. “Nice,” she purred, “I like being close to you. Hazel, I wouldn’t hurt you for the world. If this is getting too weird for you just say so and I’ll back off and go.” She started to step back, but Hazel held her firmly.

  “Oh no you don’t; I’m tougher than I look and I do like you right where you are.”

  The night was lost in music and dance and gazing into each other’s eyes. Although they were polite to everybody it was obvious to anyone there that these two had eyes only for each other. Their laughter and their smiles lit up the whole room and everyone who came near them seemed to pick up on the joy they were sharing. Suddenly Abby looked at her watch and gasped. “My god, the time,” she exclaimed. “I hate to do it, but I should go now.” Just then another slow waltz started to play and Hazel smiled and opened her arms. Laughing, Abby stepped into Hazel’s embrace. “Ok, just this one, then I do have to get on the road.”

  Abby snuggled into Hazel’s arms and Hazel pulled her closer. Laying her cheek against Abby’s hair, Hazel drank deeply of the woman’s scent and fell completely in love forever. She had found her wildflower. As they danced Hazel prayed the music would never stop, but eventually it did.

  “Oh god, I forgot to give you my phone number,” laughed Abby as she stepped from Hazel’s arms. “I have some of my cards in my purse; I’ll get one for you.”

  “Great, I’ll give you mine too.”

  “Hazel, I must thank you for a wonderful time tonight,” enthused Abby as she led the way toward the table, still holding Hazel’s hand, “but I really must be going. I’ve left Hubby alone far too long as it is.” She was not even aware of it as Hazel’s hand slipped from her grip. Abby fished a card from her purse, but when she turned around, Hazel was nowhere to be seen. She searched everywhere, but Hazel had fallen off the planet and could not be found.

  “Hubby!” The word struck Hazel like a sledge hammer in the pit of her stomach. Married; Abby was married. Fighting for breath and trying to hold the tears until she could get outside, Hazel fled the dance hall. The woman was married and trying to get a cheap thrill on the side, or worse, she was trying to set up a threesome to entertain the hubby. Well there was no way in hell Hazel Fillmore was going to get mixed up in anything like that. With tears flowing freely, Hazel hid in the alley and watched as Abby drove away, the big dog still in the back of the car. From her hiding place around the corner, Hazel could not see the tears that flowed down Abby’s cheeks.

  “Hazel?” called Abby, puzzled. She began to search the room, but she could not see Hazel anywhere.

  “Your girlfriend just ran away,” laughed Juanita as she walked past Abby. “I’m still free.”

  “Sorry, I have standards,” snapped Abby as she swept up her purse and shawl. She quick marched out the door and made it halfway to the car before the tears burst forth. She managed to drive a few blocks to a vacant lot where she let Hubby out to do his business. She was sitting in the car, heartbreaking sobs shaking her slender body, when the shabby looking man approached her.

  “Don’t cry darlin’,” he grinned, “I’ll cheer you up.” Suddenly he screamed as a huge snarling mass of teeth leaped between them. As the man ran away, Abby let Hubby back into the car and gave him a biscuit.

  “Well, it looks as though it’s just you and me against the world again, big boy,” she sniffed as she put the car in gear and set out on the long drive home. The drive home seemed to take forever, and Abby lost sight of the road several times as the tears overwhelmed her again. At one point she nearly grazed the hindquarters of a moose before she even saw it. Finally, at long last, Abby made it home and hurried inside, forgetting to close the kitchen door properly.

  Abby ran upstairs and threw herself on the bed. There she lay as she sobbed away her sorrow and pain. Hubby stayed at her side, gently nuzzling her from time to time. When he could no longer wait, and he was still unsuccessful at rousing Abby, he ran down the stairs and pushed at the kitchen door. It opened and he was gone into the night.

  Having completed his business Hubby returned, and, with a few attempts, he was able to regain access to the house. Racing back upstairs, he found Abby right where he’d left her. She had managed to toss aside her clothes and crawl into her nightgown; she was now asleep on the top of the bed. She hadn’t even washed off her make up.

  The next morning Abby dragged herself down the stairs, and, seeing that Hubby could fend for himself, poured the entire bag of dog food onto the floor beside his dish so he would have food as well. With a cup of two day old tea in her hand, she retreated to the living room and her chair that faced the window and the magnificent view of the water.

  For the next three days Abby rarely moved from that chair, sleeping there as well, but mostly just staring out the window. Her mind had completely shut off, fleeing from the pain of another vanished lover. Wanda found her there on the third day.

  Tommy held Hazel gently while she sobbed out her sorrow. “It’s alright Hazel honey, Tommy’s got you.”

  “She’s married Tommy,” wailed Hazel. “She was trying to get a cheap thrill or to set up a threesome or something but I just can�
�t go there.”

  “I know sweetie, I know,” he soothed.

  “I would have Tommy,” she sniffed softly against his shoulder.

  “What??”

  “If she’d asked me to I would have. Tommy I love that woman so much it hurts. That’s why I ran away from her; I knew I wouldn’t be able to refuse her anything and so I ran away.”

  “Aw my poor Hazel,” soothed Tommy as he gently patted her shoulder. “I know you better than that sweetie. Those just aren’t your kind of games.”

  “No they’re not Tommy, that’s why I ran away,” sniffed Hazel. “I had to get away before she had a chance to ask.”

  “What’s going to become of me Tommy?” she asked softly a while later, still lying against his shoulder.

  “You’re going to be fine sweetie. It will hurt for a while, but it does go away in time.”

  “Please don’t let her find me Tommy,” she whispered softly. “If she finds me I’m lost for sure.”

  “She won’t find you honey, I won’t let her. I’ll change the phone number first thing in the morning and have the new one unlisted.”

  Getting It Straight

  Abby had sunk into the deepest depression of her life and it had gotten worse each day. Keith and Wanda had seen Hubby running free several times, but there was absolutely no sign of Abby at all. “Her car is there, but I haven’t seen a glimpse of her in days,” sighed Wanda, her voice filled with concern, “and not a single light in the windows either.”

  “The dog seems to be running loose too,” mused Keith. “Should we go check on her do you think?”

  “Yes, I’m going over there right now,” replied Wanda as she rose from her chair and stepped into her sandals. She left her house and marched right up Abby’s door where she tapped lightly.