Small Town Angel

by K'Anne Meinel

  “Oh no,” she said quickly, much too quickly, not realizing she was insulting the brunette sitting on the couch with her. “It wouldn’t have been allowed.”

  “Allowed?” Abby cocked her head in question, wondering at the wording.

  “Well, the way we all were raised, you simply didn’t think like that. Boys went with girls, not with other boys and girls were friends, not girlfriends,” she emphasized, although she was slow in how she said it, there was something else there.

  “That’s the way it is everywhere, but it’s changing. Thank God,” she mumbled the last part of that.

  “It must be hard,” she stated softly. At Abby’s glance she continued, “People not accepting of you, making judgements…” she left off as she realized what she was actually saying.

  Abby was picking up nuances, Amy was talking from her own point of view but with a tone that told the experienced cop that she had experienced such things herself. “Have you ever wanted to kiss a woman?” she teased hopefully.

  Amy looked at the muscular cop in surprise. “Is it different?” she asked naïvely.

  Abby almost laughed but caught herself in time. Nodding, she answered, “The lips are softer and the taste is…”

  “What?” the redhead asked wide-eyed and curious.

  Abby shrugged intriguingly. “You’ll have to find out yourself.”

  Amy bit her lip worriedly, an endearing habit of hers when she was upset or thinking. Abby watched fascinated, her eyes glittering with suppressed humor but it was immediately extinguished when Amy asked, “Would you show me?”

  As much as she was tempted she refused. Shaking her head she replied just as softly as Amy’s question, “No, I’m not anyone’s science experiment.”

  “I’m sorry,” she apologized emphatically. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she twanged.

  “I know you didn’t. But I won’t let you experiment on me,” she calmed her voice from the anger she was beginning to feel.

  “I didn’t mean…” she began again but Abby got up off the couch and put the cup she had been holding down.

  “I should get going,” she said abruptly. Toby lifted his head from the floor where he was laying, eyeing her warily to see if she was going to command him to do anything, he was exhausted.

  “You don’t have to leave,” Amy protested, feeling she had insulted her friend, even unintentionally.

  “Yes, it’s late. I should be going. Thank you for today,” she said as she smiled and headed for the door. “I’ll get these back to you,” she indicated the sweats that showed off her legs, her being taller than the petite redhead, her midriff showed when she reached for the wet clothes that were hanging on the hooks. “If you need more help with him,” she indicated Toby, still eyeing her warily. “Let me know,” she smiled as she quickly opened the door, then the screen door, and pulled the door shut behind her.

  Amy was alarmed at how quickly Abby had left. She knew she had insulted her. Damned curiosity! She spread out her wet clothes, locked the doors, and turned off the lights. A tired puppy followed her to the bedroom but when he tried to get on the bed, she pushed him to the floor, he still stank.

  * * * * *

  Amy had a problem the next day. She had to call her manager into work for her. Toby still stank and she washed him again, this time in the bathtub with the tomato juice, giving him a good soak. He wasn’t happy. All these baths and while he didn’t mind being wet, he wanted it on his terms. Plus his human didn’t seem to like it when he played enthusiastically afterwards…but he loved how it felt, and rolling in….another bath, blah!

  Amy washed Toby twice that day. Once to help get rid of the skunk smell, and once because he rolled in the mud in the yard. She couldn’t win and the house stank of the dog. The smell of skunk at least had dissipated in the yard, but she thought perhaps the rain they got took it away. Once she went back inside though the smell hit her like a wall. Toby seemed to realize the smell when she took him in too, he looked about guiltily, she took him right to the tub for another tomato juice bath along with a shower to get rid of all the mud he had on his coat. She shook her head, he was worse than taking care of a child.

  * * * * *

  Abby watched for Amy and even went over to The Emporium for a sandwich. That’s when she found out that Amy had taken a personal day. She wondered if Amy was avoiding her but then remembering Toby she figured out that she had stayed home to deal with a stinky dog. She’d thought a lot about the previous night, wondering if she should have let the curious redhead kiss her, find out it was no different than kissing a man. That kissing a woman, as with a man, depended on the person. She knew that if Amy kissed her though, she might reveal her growing feelings for the straight woman. She’d tried not to, there was someone she had dated further south in Sturgeon Bay but realized it just wasn’t worth it, lesbians were few and far between living up here on the Thumb. She did better with casual dates of the ones who traveled here for their getaways. No real relationships though. She knew she was probably just lonely. She should plan a trip up to Washington Island with the kids, maybe a camping trip. Give Bonnie a few days away from them. She had friends elsewhere she could visit. Still, she worried about her friendship with Amy and if perhaps somehow they had ruined it.

  * * * * *

  Abby was determined to get back to work the next day, Toby may still stink a little but she had aired out the cabin. With the nice rain they were getting it was a bit cold but she had the fire in the fireplace. She realized if she was going to live here another winter that she was going to have to buy the place, her lease option was nearly up, and put in regular heat. Heating it with logs was romantic but not very practical for an even, steady heat. She looked around at the cozy little cottage and wondered if she should buy it.

  Gathering up her laundry, she firmly shut the pup in the house, determined to leave him alone at home for a change. Toby went with her everywhere, but she had to teach him to be alone for periods of time. She had left him from time to time but usually with Abby’s kids or someone at work for that time. Not too often had she left him alone. He had to learn. She hoped her cabin would be in one piece when she got back as she carried her small basket out to the car. Driving through Northpoint she quickly headed to the back of the market to do her laundry. She considered buying a washing machine and hanging her clothes to dry, but she knew if she bought that, she’d want a dryer too. Sighing, she also knew she had spent too much money in this small town already. If she bought the cabin she’d buy the washer and dryer then, and not until then.

  As she sat waiting for her clothes to wash she read all the magazines people had left there. After the load was done she stuck it in the dryer, except for her jeans that she laid out to be dried at home in the bathroom. She hated how jeans felt after they’d been in a dryer and they wouldn’t shrink if she laid them out. She eyed the pay phone at the laundromat and considered. Over the months she had lived up there she had made a phone call from one at least once a month. She had considered making this phone call from The Emporium, but paranoid that they would somehow trace it, she had resisted. Maybe she should let it go this time, but something compelled her to pick up the phone and put in her change and make the call. The news this time though had her heart thumping. She panicked for a moment and then hung up. Thinking about it some more she idly watched her laundry spin around in the drier. She could go…she should stay…but, but, but….her lip got chewed on as she worried and considered.

  As she folded her now dry clothes, placing her wet jeans over the top she considered. As she drove distractedly home, she considered. As she turned from town towards the cabin…she considered.

  “Hello?” Abby answered her private cell, pleased to hear it was Amy.

  “Hi, could I ask a favor?” Amy asked breathlessly.

  “Sure, anything wrong?” she asked concerned. She was sure Amy wasn’t asking for the same favor from the previous night.

  “Could you watch Toby for a couple of
days while I go out of town?” she asked in that peculiar breathy voice she was now sporting.

  “Can’t stand the smell anymore?” she laughed at her own joke.

  “No, that’s not it…actually he is getting better. But somethin’ came up and I need to go out of town. I’ve got my staff coverin’ for me, I should only be gone a few days but I don’t want to take Toby to the vets…”

  “Sure, sure. We’ll take him but what about Tabby?” she asked concerned. She wanted to know what it was that had Amy acting so out of character and going away for a few days.

  “Ohh shoot, I forgot her…” she left off distractedly as she looked around the cabin for things she wanted to take with her in her carry on. She refused to take the big suitcase she owned.

  “How about you leave me a key and Bailey and I will check on her once a day. You can leave Toby with us…” she began.

  “Oh, that would be wonderful! Thank you!” Amy gushed. “I’ll be right over,” she promised and hung up the phone before Abby could say anything.

  Abby stared at her cell phone in consternation. She wondered what in the world would have Amy behaving in this manner. She knew it wasn’t over the kiss question. She would have to wait and see.

  Amy dropped off a happy Toby to Bonnie and the kids; she didn’t even see Abby who had been called out on a call. She began to drive quickly south. It took longer than she thought it would and she nearly missed her flight from Green Bay. It connected in Chicago and from there she got really nervous.

  * * * * *

  Abby was disappointed to have missed Amy. She had hoped by being there that she could compel Amy to give her some information. But Toby and his bag of dog food were there for a couple of days and the kids couldn’t be happier. Amy had also left a small travel bag for the dog which contained the rest of the tomato juice and some toys. Abby laughed at it, packing a bag for a dog! She would just have to be patient and wait to hear what Amy had to say when she got back.

  * * * * *

  Abby didn’t hear from Amy but then no one else did either. Carol and Thomas mentioned that they hadn’t seen her. People at Chuckies mentioned it as well. None of her employees at The Emporium knew where their boss had gone. Abby thought about doing a little police work but didn’t want to go too far. She did find where a one A. Adams had taken a plane out of Green Bay to Chicago but after that she let her need to know, go. She didn’t want to invade Amy’s privacy. She didn’t do that to her friends.

  There was no clue in the cabin and she idly looked as Bailey cleaned the cat litter box and fed Tabby. The kittens vying for attention and now solid foods was hilarious to watch and they spent a good hour over at the cabin. It provided her with plenty of opportunity to do a thorough search if she wanted but other than cursory glance she wouldn’t be pawing through Amy’s things.

  The first Abby knew of Amy being home was two dejected children when she came in from patrol about a week later. Amy had come and picked up Toby and his suitcase and took him home. She had left presents for all of them. Abby didn’t even look at hers as she felt hurt for having missed Amy.

  “We weren’t sure how long you’d be and she went to check on the store first before she came over to visit with us. She’s looking pretty run down,” Bonnie told her.

  “Did she say where she had to go?”

  Bonnie shook her head. “I thought she’d tell us when she felt better. I’d guess someone died.”

  “Why do you say that?” Abby’s police training began to kick in and her questions were becoming pointed.

  Shrugging she answered, “Because she looked so down.”

  That didn’t tell Abby anything she wanted to know. Going back into the office she looked at the days correspondence, including reports from up and down the Thumb that the other precincts shared. As a county sheriff, she had to know what was going on. She wrote plenty of her own that got put into the system for others to read as well. Nothing was going on, just the usual tourist stuff. She got antsy though and after an hour of paperwork she got up and pretended she had a call, she headed out to her cruiser and headed over to Amy’s.

  * * * * *

  Toby greeted her profusely through the screen door of the cabin. “Hello there boy, where’s your human?” she asked him with smile. He looked over his shoulder as though in answer to her query. Seeing that Amy hadn’t answered the door, despite Toby’s bark, Abby knocked. Toby wagged harder as though to tell her something. “Amy?” she called through the screen, looking about curiously at the lit room. When there was no answer she hesitantly tried the door. Loath to invade her friend’s space she remembered she had a key and should be returning it. She used that as an excuse to go in. Petting Toby she saw nothing was out of place. Then she heard something, Toby heard it too and led her towards the master bedroom. “Amy?” she asked seeing her friend sobbing on the bed.

  “What? What are you doing here?” Amy asked through her tears as she sat up, rubbing her eyes like a child.

  “Are you okay?” Abby asked concerned, she went to the bed to take her friend in her arms.

  “I’m fine,” she lied unconvincingly.

  “Yeah, cause everyone who is fine cries like their heart is breaking,” Abby returned sarcastically. She liked the feel of Amy in her arms; she’d thought of her a lot lately, more than she was comfortable with.

  Amy laughed as she was meant to. “I mean, I will be fine,” she corrected with a hiccup.

  “Care to share?” Abby offered but Amy shook her head against her shoulder.

  Amy wasn’t sure why but she felt wonderful in the strong cops arms. She could feel the muscles under her shirt and for some reason she felt safe…something she hadn’t felt in a very long time. She wanted to confide in her friend, she knew she could trust her, but she also knew that Abby was a very moral person and might not understand.

  “C’mon, you can trust me,” she cajoled her, pulling back slightly to look the redhead in her face. The darkness of her beautiful hair and the tears beading up on her eyelashes made her look so tragic in the fading evening light from the window.

  “I know I can, but I just…I just…can’t,” she finished with another hiccup as she shook her mane of hair.

  “Sometimes it helps to get it off your chest,” Abby said quietly. She glanced over at Toby who was sitting on the side of the bed looking worried. His human was obviously upset and he wanted to help too. “Look, you even got Toby upset,” she pointed out.

  Amy looked over at the dog and saw his hopeful expression. He was concerned, that was apparent. She smiled down at the silly dog, no longer a pup, but still with pup-like tendencies. He had been so over-joyed to welcome her home. He saw her looking at him, smiling, and wagged his tail optimistically. “It’s okay boy, I’ll be fine,” she told him, praising him for his affection. He leaned over to smell her leg and to give her a slight poke with his nose. She smiled again at him and reached to pat him. It was as she was leaning over that she really became aware of the woman holding her. Looking up again at Abby, so close to her, holding her, she felt her nipples harden and realized the hours on the plane hadn’t been wasted. Her thoughts while she flew to and from her destinations had been spent thinking about her new life here in Northpoint and this woman. She realized now she was attracted to the brunette, had been attracted for quite some time. Her breath caught as it all came crashing into her psyche.

  “What, what’s wrong now?” Abby asked hearing the catch.

  “You’re beautiful,” she said softly, wonderingly.

  Abby blushed immediately at the compliment. “Thank you,” she said equally as soft. It was as she was looking deep into the bright green eyes of Amy she saw the look that told her the woman was attracted. Her heart leapt at this information and when Amy leaned in to kiss her, she accepted the kiss but didn’t return it.

  Amy explored the contours of the unresisting officer. The lips did feel softer; her breath was minty fresh, as though she had just spit out her gum. She tasted good too.
Not the mint of a piece of gum…but different than she would have expected. She smelled appealing too, when she used her nose to breathe in, and Amy enjoyed all the sensations simultaneously. She tried to deepen the kiss, to get a response out of Abby; hesitantly her tongue peeked out and licked at the lips of the brunette. Abby’s mouth didn’t open from where it sat naturally. Finally, Amy ceased kissing her and pulled back questioningly.

  Abby’s eyes darted between Amy’s, equally questioning and searching.

  “You don’t like me?” Amy asked, a little hurt, beginning to withdraw from their embrace.

  Abby’s hands tightened from where she was holding the smaller redhead. “Of course I like you,” she responded immediately, automatically.

  “But you don’t want me?” she drawled, feeling she should pull away but was stopped by the superior strength of the woman.

  “I do want you,” she parroted back. “But I want you to know what you are getting into…”

  “I’m not using you as a science experiment,” she assured her. “I’ve thought about you a lot while I was gone,” she confessed.

  “You have?” she asked surprised.

  Amy smiled a little at the tone of the question. “Of course I have. I’ve never been with a woman,” Amy said as she blushed a deep red.

  Smirking a little and trying to hold back her laugh, she pushed some of the red hair back from Amy’s shoulder as she answered, “I guessed that.”

  Looking at velvety soft brown eyes that held a sparkle in them Amy felt like stomping her foot in outrage. “Don’t you dare laugh at me,” her southern accent was never more apparent.