Reader in the Park

by Rachel Maldonado

  Nikki read the next couple of chapters of Lakeville, then placed the book down on the blanket. “Now what are you thinking about?” she asked as she noticed Anna was smiling at her once again.

  “I was thinking that you're beautiful.”

  “And why's that?” she asked with a lopsided grin.

  “Because you took the time to want to help me get a dream analysis book.”

  Nikki giggled. “It wasn't my big doe eyes or my winning smile?”

  Anna smiled. “It's the beauty one carries within oneself that makes them beautiful.”

  Nikki's eyes filled with tears.

  “What's a matter? Did I say something wrong?” Anna pulled out some napkins from her picnic basket and handed Nikki some.

  “It's what I think, too. And most people can go all their lives without ever really realizing that.”

  Over the course of time, the weekends began to be filled with picnics, readings in the park, walks along the lake, and taking bread crumbs to feed the ducks as they quacked, waddled by, or gathered underneath the trees. Anna found herself completely captivated by the beautiful woman that she had casually met at the park only six months before.

  Chapter Five

  One early Saturday morning, Anna sat on a bench beside Nikki feeding the ducks. They were quacking and coming up close to them as Anna threw bread crumbs on the ground. The anxiety had been building inside her for some time, but she knew that ever since she had met Nikki her life had changed her for the better. There was just something about her. She was warm, caring, and thoughtful. She often brought her own picnic to share so that Anna didn't always have to be the one to bring something, and many times when they met in the early mornings at the park, she would take breakfast and coffee while they read together. She called it their breakfast picnic.

  The books they read began with Lakeville, the amazing book about Shelby Miller and Sheriff Lee and the secrets that are later revealed within Shelby's own family, but that was only the beginning. Nikki read Anna countless other books and Anna, despite her problems with dyslexia, fought through it and also read to Nikki. The books varied from lesbian fiction genres. They were lesbian historical fiction, lesbian romance, adventure, lesbian pirates, and even lesbian vampires, but it wasn't the words on the page that made Anna feel alive anymore. It was the woman that was reading them.

  Before Anna met Nikki, Anna could've picked up any book or audio book in the library and felt as if she had started a new adventure into an unknown realm, but the fact that now Nikki was reading the stories made her feel like she was escaping the harsh realities of the world and entering a magical realm with this amazing new person and sharing in the adventure with her. They laughed at the same moments, shed tears at the touching parts, and over the course of time, it was how they fell in love. It was how Anna fell in love with Nikki anyway.

  Anna cleared her throat. “It's been amazing the past six months.”

  Nikki tossed some bread crumbs on the ground and watched as the ducks ran to her and gobbled it. “I think so, too. I love coming to the park with you and reading, and I love all of our picnics. I mean, I love going out to the movies and the theater and all of our other wonderful dates, but reading in the park is how we met, and it's probably always going to be near and dear to my heart. It's more meaningful to me than other things that can be done of monetary value.”

  “Oh, I agree,” replied Anna nodding. She nervously raised her arm and rubbed the back of her head, then placed her hair behind her ear. “Listen, I know we've never really taken a trip anywhere together, but I'm supposed to meet some clients out in the hill country. My boss has arranged for me to stay in a cabin there for a few days, and I was wondering if you'd like to join me.”

  Nikki was beaming. “Would I? I'd love to. That sounds incredible.”

  “I'm sorry to ask on such short notice. I just wasn't sure if I was going to be asked to head out there or not. Would you be able to go this weekend? I can pick you up at dawn tomorrow.”

  “I'll pack a bag tonight. What's there? Should I bring a bathing suit?”

  Anna shrugged her shoulders. “I'm not sure if there's a swimming pool. I've never been to this particular place before. But there's supposed to be a lake nearby. We can stop there if you wish. I only have to meet with them for a couple of hours in the morning, then we'll have the rest of the weekend.”

  “I'll make sure to bring a book,” said Nikki grinning as she held up her new romance novel. As usual, it was a lesfic book. She found it was what they both enjoyed. “Do you want to hear the rest of the novel? We're nearly done with Touchdown Hero.”

  Anna smiled. “I love the characters. I love how they met and how they fell in love. I love everything about the story.”

  Nikki continued to read the new book she had picked out as Anna listened intently. She watched the expressions on Nikki's face as she read, the way she smiled, the way she furrowed her eyebrows, and the way she moved her lips as she pronounced and enunciated the words carefully. Anna didn't know how she ever got to be so lucky. She was never one to believe in things happening by chance. She had always been the one to think that if she was going to find love that she would have to go out and search for it, ask women out on dates at clubs or bars, or pick up women at stores or other various places. She assumed if there was love to be found that she would have to seek it out. She never once expected it to fall right in her lap. That's how it felt meeting Nikki. She was minding her own business at the park trying to listen to her audio book, then all of a sudden, like an angel appearing before her, Nikki was there.

  Chapter Six

  As Anna lay in bed that night nervously anticipating her weekend getaway with Nikki, she fell asleep with the radio on. Listening to the radio was what she sometimes did to try to calm her nerves. The radio was blasting on 99.7. It was a pop station, but Anna didn't care too much for what was on the radio this time. She was too busy worrying about how to ask Nikki something important. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep. In her dream, she was driving once again. It was down that same hill she had seen in her dreams time and time again.

  The dream was almost always the same. She was in a hurry, driving down a winding road down a hill. She keeps seeing the signs posted to drive slow, large inclines in the road, and the posted signs for 15MPH and 10MPH. She's growing impatient, but she knows she has to drive slow. She can see the trees below and there are no barriers along the road to help stop a vehicle should someone drive too fast or lose control of their car. It only causes her more anxiety. Then, once again as it happens every night in her nightmare, she is reaching the last turn toward the bottom of the hill when she realizes she has lost her brakes! She tries in vain to turn the wheel, but the downward slope has her vehicle picking up speed! She pumps the brakes, but there is no brake fluid left! She flies off the side of the hill seeing the tops of the trees as she plummets toward them.

  As always, Anna awakens in a puddle of sweat. She can't ever understand why she keeps having the same dream. It very rarely is any different, and the fear she feels is so realistic. She vows to go to the library first thing in the morning to pick up that dream analysis book that Nikki had suggested when they first met. It was time that she stop procrastinating about it. It was either try to read up on it to find out what was troubling her or try to seek a counselor to discuss what the dream could possibly mean.

  Chapter Seven

  The following morning Anna showered, dressed, had a quick breakfast of a bagel and cream cheese, packed an overnight bag for her stay at the cabin, then headed straight to the public library to find a book about dreams. She was relieved to find that there were several books to choose from. Not wanting to spend too much time at the library, she grabbed the largest book about dreams, then checked out.

  While she was in her car, she shoved the book in the bottom of her duffle bag. She wasn't sure if she wanted Nikki to know that she was just now getting around to researching her dream. Although she'd still been ha
ving the nightmare almost every night, she had started to keep it a secret from Nikki. She didn't want it to be the focus of their dates together.

  Anna grabbed her cellphone from the drink holder and dialed Nikki. She answered promptly. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Nikki. It's me, Anna. I'm on my way to your place. Are you packed and ready?”

  “Yes, I'm all set. I packed some things last night.”

  Anna was relieved that Nikki was always so on the ball with things. In past relationships, Anna almost always felt as if she had been the one pulling the weight. She had to make plans, pack bags, make sure things were done. She always felt as though somehow all the women in her past only cared about what she could do for them, whereas Nikki was the exact opposite. She didn't seem to care that Anna earned more money than she did, and as often as possible, she loved to spoil Anna by taking her out on the town, making her candlelight dinners, or buying her small tokens of affection like flowers, jewelry, or gifts. She never once relied on Anna to pay for everything or do everything for her. It only made Anna love and appreciate Nikki more. In the six months they had dated, Anna had yet to reveal what was in her heart. She had thought that Nikki would've said 'I love you' by now, so that she could then be the one to say it back. She was scared to be the first to say it. She feared the rejection if Nikki didn't quite feel the same way.

  Anna pulled up to Nikki's small modest home and didn't have a chance to get out of the vehicle. As soon as she stopped in front of the house, Nikki stepped outside with her luggage. She set the pink and white polka dotted bag on the porch as she locked her front door, then turned around and smiled at Anna as she picked up her bag and walked toward the car. It was that same gorgeous smile that always melted Anna's heart. She always remembered Nikki's words at the park that first day she had read to her, 'It's like you can see me' she had said. Tears filled Anna's eyes as she remembered Nikki saying them. She understood what it meant now because she knew could see her beauty all along, even more so every time that Nikki smiled at her. She was beautiful in more than just the aspects of physical beauty. She was a beautiful person inside, and her beauty emanated from within. It was the light she so often thought she caught glimpses of in her eyes and in her smile. The more Anna fell in love with Nikki, the more she realized that she could see it. She really could see her, and she was a person that was truly pure of heart. She was the woman that she was deeply, madly in love with.

  Chapter Eight

  When they arrived at the cabin, the sun was shining brightly. The birds were chirping, and there were some deer running about the area surrounding the property. There were flower beds with bright yellow dandelions and buzzing bumble bees. A horse stood by the fence on the nearby property eating some hay.

  Nikki grinned, rolled down her window, then took a deep breath. “It smells like Heaven.”

  Anna rolled down her window and inhaled deeply, taking a breath just as Nikki had. “Does Heaven smell like flowers and horse poop?” she asked jokingly.

  Nikki grabbed at Anna's stomach and pinched it softly on the side as they both laughed. “Stop it. I think it's beautiful out here. I'd love to live out here away from the city someday.”

  Anna smiled. They were words that she knew she would surely never forget.

  “I'm running a bit late. Is it okay if I leave you here at check in? I have to make my meeting at 9am, and it's about fifteen minutes til right now. I might still make it on time if I hurry.”

  Nikki nodded. “I don't mind. It's why we're here in the first place, right? I understand that your job comes first.”

  Nikki exited the vehicle and pulled out her suitcase.

  “Great. Just give them my name at check in. I'll be back in a couple of hours. I promise it won't take more than that.”

  With that, Nikki shut the car door and entered the lobby. Anna drove off down the road to get to her meeting. She didn't expect to start thinking about her dream at that very moment, but the road she was on was eerily similar to the one in her recurring nightmare. She was driving on a downhill slope, down a winding road, down the hill to get to the property where her new client lived. Double Barr T Ranch. She remembered the name because of the unusual logo. It appeared to be a letter T with two stems and a bar cutting across the center. It made her think of a letter H with a hat on top of it.

  While Anna was gone on her Advertising and Marketing business meeting, Nikki got the keys to their cabin and made herself at home. She purchased flowers from a small store that was on site and some bananas and other ingredients to bake banana bread. She even bought bubble bath and candles. She set the flowers around the cabin, near the bed, on the table, on the fireplace mantel, then she set candles next to the bathtub and on the nightstand. She had never considered herself to be a prude, but she was accustomed to waiting a minimum of six months before sleeping with anyone. She wanted to make sure that their relationship was heading toward something more serious than just casual dating. Nikki already had it in her mind that tonight would be the night that they both had wanted from that first initial pizza date at Anna's. She knew she had felt the nervous anticipation, the attraction. She had wanted much more every single time they had kissed, but she was always afraid to take it to the next level. Anna never complained. She never rushed her or tried to pressure her.

  Despite never having made love with Anna, Nikki knew, just as Anna had also come to realize her love for Nikki, that she, too, was in love with Anna. Nikki had never been more sure of anything in her entire life.

  Chapter Nine

  Anna was right. It didn't take her more than two hours to work out a deal with the owner of the Double Barr T. He was wanting to open up his ranch to the public complete with horse rides, tours of the farm, and cabin stays. For a few dollars more, he was willing to open up what looked like a small country western town complete with mercantile, bank, and a saloon. He'd already hired the contractors to begin work. All he needed was Anna to reassure him that the marketing and advertising would be taken care of to keep the flow of tourists coming in so that he might earn money back on his investment. She'd already had all of her marketing ideas on a slideshow and he was more than pleased with her suggestions.

  By lunch time, Anna was starving. She drove back up the hill and made a stop at a local grocery. She purchased some pork chops, carrots, and potatoes, and a gallon of iced tea with lemon. She looked through the rest of the selection in the butcher area and grabbed a couple of sirloin steaks. Why not? They were out in the country after all, and being on the Double Barr T only made her crave a steak dinner. On her way out of the store, she made sure to grab a carton of eggs and a box of pancake mix. She only hoped she didn't burn the cabin down in her efforts to try to be a sweet, attentive girlfriend. She shook her head and grinned at the memory of her first date with Nikki. She really couldn't believe that Nikki had continued to see her after her lasagna fiasco. But she was grateful that she did.

  Anna paid for her items, then headed straight back to the cabins where she and Nikki were going to stay. The woman at the check in counter directed her to the cabin and gave her an extra key.

  When Anna entered the cabin, she was pleasantly surprised to see that there were flowers and candles, and that there was fresh baked banana bread cooling on the counter. She placed all of her groceries in the refrigerator before searching for Nikki.

  “Hello?” asked Anna as she entered. “Nikki?”

  “I'm in here,” she called out.

  Anna set her briefcase near the door, then went in search of Nikki's voice. She grinned as she walked through the living room and into the bedroom expecting to find her there.

  “Nikki?” she called out again.

  “I'm in here. In the bathroom.”

  Anna had initially thought the bathroom to be dark. The glowing luminescent lighting had not been visible. But as Anna walked slowly toward the door, she noticed a dancing light flickering all around the room. Nikki was bathing by candlelight.

  “Come on in,
” said Nikki. “I've been waiting for you.”

  Anna felt her anxiety building within her. It hadn't been her intention to imply that the weekend away meant she was hoping for a sexual encounter. She hoped that Nikki wasn't feeling pressured. “Are you sure?” she asked nervously.

  Nikki giggled. “Of course I'm sure. Hurry up before I change my mind.”

  Anna pushed the door open softly to find that Nikki was sitting in a bathtub full of soapy bubbles. The only thing visible was her head and her blonde hair was pinned up with bobby pins.

  “Come on in and shut the door. I feel a draft.”

  Anna did as she was told. She wasn't sure what to say exactly. She didn't want to assume anything.

  “Well?” asked Nikki.

  “Well, what?” asked Anna, suddenly feeling as if she was missing a large piece of the puzzle.

  “Why don't you undress so you can join me?”

  Anna gulped down hard. “Really? Are you sure?”

  Nikki couldn't stop grinning. “Of course, I'm sure. I thought we could relax in here, talk, read, soak up the vanilla scented bubbles.”

  Anna let out a sigh, then smiled. “Oh, okay.” She wasn't sure why she felt so nervous. It wasn't as if she'd never made love with a woman before. She thought that maybe she was only feeling performance anxiety since they had never been together, and this would be their first time, if Nikki wanted it to be, that is.