by Melissa Good
Then she picked up her laptop case and slung it over her shoulder. She waited for the outer door to the office to close, then she walked to the inner one and passed through it.
**
Kerry gently blew out the match she was holding, then she stepped back to survey the results. The candle she'd lit fluttered gently in the warm breeze, and she caught the warm, sweet scent of it as it washed over her.
The sound of the water nearby rushed in a mindless pattern, and she looked out over it just as the moon came out from behind the clouds and painted a silver path right to her doorstep.
She put a hand on the balcony and breathed in the perfection of the night, turning then as a nameless knowledge pricked at her to find Dar framed in the doorway, the light from the condo outlining her tall form as she leaned against the jamb with her arms casually crossed.
Kerry held a hand out, and watched as Dar unfolded herself from the door and crossed to the balcony, taking her hand and kissing it with easy grace. Their fingers then clasped together and Kerry pulled her closer, trading a kiss on the hand for a kiss on the lips that lasted until the moon dipped behind the clouds and threw shadows back over them.
"Hi." Dar rubbed noses with her playfully. "The Valentine's day killer's home."
Kerry chuckled. "You ogre, you." She scolded. "Just for that, you have to suffer me giving you this."
Dar looked down, to find Kerry's fingers nimbly pinning something to her lapel. She ducked her head for a better look, and inhaled in wonder, at the jeweled, faceted fish that winked back at her. "Wow."
"I had it made for you." Kerry acknowledged, with a peaceful smile. "It's as close to what the real thing is like that I could come up with."
"Mmhm." Dar pulled her other hand out of her pocket and set a small box down on the rail. With her index finger, she nudged it towards Kerry. "G'wan."
Kerry picked up the box and touched it's velvet surface with one finger, before she opened it. The candlelight reflected off a shiny, dappled surface and she leaned closer to the table to get a better look. "Oo.. Dar, that's
so pretty!"
"Mm." Dar leaned her chin on Kerry's shoulder and peered at it. "I'm not in the habit of giving you ugly things to wear around your neck, Ker. Just a quirk of mine."
It was a piece of jade, carved into an intricate twisting design. Kerry lifted it from the box and held it up to the light, admiring it. "Put it on me?"
Dar obligingly opened the necklace and slid it around Kerry's neck, fastening the chain at the back. She turned her partner around and studied the result, then smiled. "Nice."
"Very." Kerry's eyes twinkled at her. She took Dar's hands and leaned towards her, as Dar ducked her head and they kissed again.
"I love the fish." Dar whispered. "I can't wait to wear it."
A soft chuckle. "And give everyone blank looks when they ask if it's a Valentine's day present?"
"Heh."
"Me, too." Kerry looked down at her jade piece, it's swirling patterns reminding her just a little of her own eyes. "I love it." She studied it intently, then looked up into Dar's eyes. "It means something, doesn't it?"
Dar nodded. "Eternity." She smiled at Kerry's visible delight. "Happy anniversary."
Kerry gentle laugh was answered by echoes from the sea, a rippling of the ages that faded out into the moon's renewed silver outline. She picked up the glasses of already poured wine and handed Dar hers, touching their edges with a light clink. "And here's to a thousand more just like it."
Their arms intertwined, and they drank from each other's cups, celebrating the joining of two souls as the never changing sea looked on, placidly chuckling.
**
End
Written at Rotorua, New Zealand, February 15th, 2003
A New Year in Miami
Kerry set the emergency brake on her SUV and sat back, letting her hands rest on the steering wheel as she regarded her destination through the windshield.
The Biltmore Hotel rose before her, it's stone exterior lit up by floodlights that ringed the old building, lending it grace and grandeur under the dark sky. A long line of cars waited for the valet parker's attention, and Kerry reckoned it would take them about ten minutes to get through it. "Pretty place." She remarked, turning her head to address her companion.
"Rock pile that costs a million bucks a month to maintain." Dar replied, her arms folded over her chest and her eyes closed. "But yeah, it's nice." She opened a pale blue eye and peered at Kerry. "Have I told you how nice that dress looks on you?" She jerked her chin towards the light blue and silver mid-length outfit nuzzling up to Kerry's trim curves.
"Mmhm." Kerry grinned. "But you can keep telling me. I don't mind." She glanced down her partner's long length, currently covered in plum colored silk. "God, I love you in that." She clucked her tongue several times.
"Uh huh." Dar gave her an unsubtle nudge. "Move up before whoever's in back of us tries to drive over the top of this thing."
Kerry released the brake and eased the Lexus forward. "You think we need to put our jackets on to go in?"
"Dunno." Dar shifted and pressed down on the window control with a fingertip. She was rewarded with a sudden infusion of noise and a gust of the 38 degree air outside. "That would be a yes." She hastily reversed the window, then directed one of the air ducts currently providing heat towards her.
"Southerner." Kerry teased.
"Ah ah.. I see those goosebumps." Dar poked her in the upper arm. "Don't give me that tough Northern bs, Kerrison. You people use heat."
"Uh huh." Kerry directed another nozzle towards her. "Keep talking, Dixiecup."
Dar stuck her tongue out.
"Don't tempt me." Kerry laughed, as she pulled forward another couple of feet. "Boy, what a difference from last year, huh?"
"Mmm." Dar resumed her relaxed pose, twiddling her thumbs as she watched the cars move in front of them. "Oh yeah. We even show up in the same car this time." She reached behind them to the back seat and retrieved two lined, leather jackets, setting Kerry's down on the divider between the seats while she shrugged into her own. "Damn, it feels good."
Kerry skillfully steered into the valet station, giving the young man approaching them a pleasant smile as she put the car in park. She picked up her coat, giving Dar's hand a squeeze along the way. "Let's go party."
They got out, and Kerry hastily shrugged into her coat, pulling the zipper up and tying the belt before she stepped back from the car and let the valet have it. Despite her cocky words, the cold air made her shiver and there was no sense in asking for a teasing if Dar heard her teeth chatter.
She tilted her head back, seeing the stars crisply sparkling as they so seldom did in Miami and exhaled a long stream of breath into the night. They had just gotten back from their weeks' vacation, and the contrast from the warm Caribbean to this startlingly cold weather had been significant.
Kerry hoped they both didn't catch cold.
Dar put a hand on her back and they walked in front of the car, heading up the walk towards the broad stairs in front of the classic old building. She started whistling under her breath as they approached the entrance, already full of people.
The outside courtyard was being used to serve drinks and hors deouvres despite the weather, and the sight of most of their fellow employees braving the cold in thin dresses and dinner jackets tickled Dar's sense of the ridiculous. "How long do you figure before they start freezing in place?"
Kerry muffled a laugh as they walked up the last steps to the patio, and they crossed from the relative obscurity of the shadows into the warm golden light of the floods.
They were recognized immediately. "Hey!" Mark Polenti headed towards them,along with Mari and Duks, and several others. "When did you guys get back?"
"Yesterday." Kerry gave him a hug. "We didn't want to miss the party."
Dar rolled her eyes. "Sure we did." She disagreed. "I'd trade this popsicle stand for a night dive down south in a heartbeat."
&n
bsp; "I hear you two had quite an adventure." Mari said.
Mark ducked around them. "Want me to get your coats?" He asked courteously.
"No way." Kerry grabbed her belt and tugged it tighter. "Are you nuts?"
"Ahem." Dar draped her arm over Kerry's shoulders. "Pardon the polar bear, here. She left her fur coat back in Michigan."
Kerry bumped her partner with her hip, and poked her tongue out at her.
A waiter came by with a tray full of champagne, followed by another with assorted tidbits. Kerry took a filled flute and handed Dar one, then eyed the food tray and decided to wait for the second round. "No thanks. I"ve had enough chicken liver pate to last me the rest of my life."
"Ew." Dar reviewed her choices, then shooed the waiter away. "Mousse is a terrible thing to do to an innocent salmon."
"So, other than that, how was the vacation Mrs. Lincoln?" Mari asked Kerry. "You got sun at least."
Kerry sipped her champagne, returning a casual wave from Eleanor. "Yeah, the trip back was quiet." She said. "We did some diving, but mostly we just laid around on deck and relaxed."
"Sounds like heaven." The Personnel VP sighed. "Though I find it so hard to imagine Dar relaxing."
Kerry indulged herself in a moment's memory of a few long afternoons spent snoozing in the sun. "Oh, you know, when she puts her mind to it, Dar can do just about anything, even that." She replied. "I hear it was quiet at work?"
"That is true." Duks agreed solemnly. "And now everyone can please stop of the holding of their breaths since you are both back and there is no disaster occurring."
The small circle of people around them chuckled. Dar lifted her glass and acknowledged the somewhat backhanded compliment, then she pointed towards the open doors to the hotel's grand ballroom. "I vote for going inside before this turns to white grape sherbet."
They walked together across the stone patio, filtering through groups of fellow employees and gathering up a following as they headed for the warmth. Kerry felt Dar's hand come to rest on her back again as they neared the door, and as she looked around them, the nicest thing she could imagine happened.
No one noticed. Or if they did, it didn't matter.
What a difference. Kerry grinned, reaching for her jacket belt as they crossed the threshold and a gust of warm air hit her. She untied and unzipped the front, then was surprised as the weight of it was lifted off her shoulders and removed. She turned to find Dar laying the coat over her arm, along with her own. Her tall partner winked at her, then she pointed in the direction of the bar as she turned to find some place to store their coats.
"Thanks!" Kerry called after her, twitching her dress a little straighter and moving out of the doorway so everyone else could come in.
"I long suspected our friend of chivalry." Duks commented wryly, turning as Eleanor and Jose arrived.
"Oh yes, Dar.. the original knight in shining armor." Eleanor cracked. "Kerry, that's a killer dress. Where do you shop?"
"Wal-mart." Kerry responded readily. "You?"
Everyone laughed. Eleanor rolled her eyes. "Jesus, you've been spending too much time around Dar. You're catching her sick sense of humor."
They walked through the ballroom, passing the round tables set with gold and silver decorations that surrounded a wooden dance floor. On one side of the floor was the requisite band, which seemed to have enough instruments in enough varieties to possibly satisfy the age range the party represented.
"What's the seating this year, Mari?" Dar caught them up. "Nice decorations. We actually paid for this?"
The HR VP chuckled. "Sales paid for it." She said. "You made their lives wonderful this year, and this is what we get for it."
"Ah." Dar paused at a table and lifted a party favor. It was a gold frog, whose tongue extended when blown. Dar blew it experimentally. Not only did it extend a lurid red appendage, it croaked. "Killer." The CIO approved. "I like it."
"You would." Eleanor covered her eyes. "The guy we had ordering didn't speak Spanish. They're actually leftovers from a Budweiser convention."
Kerry clapped her hand over her mouth and nearly convulsed in laughter, along with everyone else. Even Dar cracked up, tucking her frog through the low slung leather belt around her waist and giving Eleanor a nudge. "Have him order every year. They sure beat the ones last year that spit glitter over everyone."
"Hey, my cousin made those!" Jose objected.
"Figures." Dar rolled her eyes. "I'm surprised arroz con pollo didn't come spitting out."
They got drinks at the bar, then wandered around to find their tables. Dar located hers without difficulty, and sat down at her place, noting Kerry's placemarker right next to her. "No buffet this year?"
"No!" Jose had followed them, sitting down at his table right next to theirs. "We do things right in Sales. We sit down, and let them come to us."
Dar rolled her head and gave him a look. " You're paying, Mr. Pastalito."
"You give me a year again next year like this, and I will have them bring it to your hacienda with white gloves on." Jose told her. "I have so much sales coming in the pipe Mercedes had to have a new order of contracts delivered."
Dar accepted the compliment with a grin. She extended a hand palm up, and after a brief pause, Jose slapped it with his own. "Gracias, Senor."
Jose nodded. "We fight like animals, but in the end, it is good."
"Hey." Kerry caught Dar's attention. "I found something you like."
Something turned out to be a pig in a blanket. Kerry offered it to her, and Dar took it neatly from her fingers, chewing it with frank enjoyment. "Thegrandmother of all hors deouvres."
The dark haired woman licked her lips. "Mm. more where that came from?"
Kerry produced a small plate, and set it down on the table along with two frosty mugs of beer. She sat down next to Dar and tucked her heels under her, looking around the room as it started to fill with people. "This is nice."
"Delicious." Dar agreed, popping another tidbit into her mouth.
The band began to play. Kerry listened to the music for a moment, letting the memories of the past year run through her mind. Then she grinned. "Hey Dar?"
Dar leaned on the arm of her chair and gave Kerry a completely inappropriate look. "Yeeess?" She purred. "What can I do for you, Kerrison?"
Kerry held her hand out. "Dance with me?"
Dar's eyes twinkled. "I thought I told you I was a lousy dancer."
"You lied." Kerry wiggled her fingers. "C'mon."
In a single graceful move, Dar rose and took her partner's hand, stepping neatly around the chair as Kerry joined her. "This is going to be front page of the employee newsletter, y'know." The dark haired woman remarked, as they walked together towards the dance floor.
"Hope they take a good picture." Kerry replied.
There were already a few couples on the floor, but they had plenty of space as they joined them. Dar put her arms around Kerry as the music slowed, and they picked up the rhythm together. "Been an amazing year."
"They say the first year's the toughest." Kerry replied, with a grin. "Boy, we've got it made now."
Dar rested her forehead against Kerry's and looked into her eyes. "Know what?"
Kerry glanced around, accepting the tingling thrill as she realized despite the friendly atmosphere, they'd become the center of attention. "What?"
"Life rocks." Dar kissed her.
Right there, on the dance floor, in front of every single person in the company whose eyeballs, Kerry was positive, were now rolling on the carpet and probably halfway out the door. She kissed Dar back. "Love you too." She whispered. "Happy new year."
**
"Hon?" Kerry idly watched Dar's profile as she turned to face her. Dinner was over, and much dancing and drinking had been accomplished. "Think you better drive home."
Dar's face creased into a grin. "Little too much champagne?" She guessed, watching Kerry's eyes half close.
"Little too much beer." Kerry shook her head, but
grinned back. "I'm drunk."
"You can't be." Her partner objected. "You're not hanging from the chandeliers singing Dixie."
No, she probably really wasn't drunk, because she was lucid enough to think she was. Kerry decided to just stay where she was, her chair pushed up close to Dar's and her aching feet shed of their shoes and tucked underneath it.