Big on Education

by Laurie Ames

  “I’m glad you came,” Juanita said with a warm smile. She held out her arms, inviting Allison in for a hug.

  Allison approached her cautiously, not wanting to hug her too hard, but was glad for the opportunity to tenderly embrace the pretty hazel-eyed beauty. She held Juanita’s slender body gently, and intimately inhaled the sweet aroma of her coconut-scented hair and her fruity-smelling perfume spray.

  “Wow! You look great!” Allison commented as she stood back to admire Juanita’s appearance.

  “Thanks, so do you, by the way,” Juanita replied, sitting down on the edge of the hospital bed. “You did your hair differently. It looks really nice down around your face like that.”

  Allison looked down at the floor, shyly, feeling her cheeks becoming warm. “Thanks,” she said softly, smiling bashfully. She wondered what it was about this woman that made her feel like a young schoolgirl with a huge crush.

  “Sooo, I’ve got some good news! They’re letting me go home in a couple days,” Juanita stated happily.

  “Oh, really? That—is wonderful!” Allison replied, though deep down, she was feeling somewhat disappointed. She and Juanita hadn’t even so much as exchanged numbers or anything, so Allison wouldn’t know how to find her after she was discharged.

  “Yes, I’m so relieved,” Juanita said merrily.

  “Are you feeling well enough to go home? I mean, do you—will you be okay at home? Do you have someone to help you?” Allison asked, tripping over her words as she spoke. She wondered if Juanita lived alone but was too nervous to ask.

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine. My mom is going to stay with me until I’m fully recovered,” Juanita replied.

  “Oh ok, that’s good,” Allison said meekly.

  “Anyway, I never got the chance to thank you properly for saving my life,” Juanita told her.

  “Oh, no! I was just doing my job,” Allison said, looking down at the floor again.

  “Yeah right, just doing your job? So, you stay with every injured person you see and ride with them to the hospital in the back of the ambulance?” Juanita was smirking playfully at Allison, who was finding it hard to look her in the face.

  “I—I don’t know what to say,” Allison replied, glancing up at Juanita’s piercing eyes.

  “Just say you’ll let me thank you properly by taking you out to dinner as soon as I’m able to get around,” Juanita said, reaching out for Allison’s hand. She was holding something small and trying to give it to Allison.

  “Oh, no—you don’t have to do th—“

  “I want to,” Juanita replied, interrupting her before she could complete her statement. She placed a small card into Allison’s hand as she looked her in the eyes and held her gaze firmly. Allison felt like she could melt right where she stood. Juanita’s lips looked so soft, plump, and perfect that Allison felt an urge to just lean in and kiss her right there.

  Just then, a woman’s voice interrupted their moment.

  “Hello-o!” A thin, pretty, brown-skinned, middle-aged woman entered the room with a huge smile on her face. She looked like an older version of Juanita. Allison knew right away that she had to be Juanita’s mother.

  “Hey, mom!” Juanita looked up and smiled at her mother as she approached the bed.

  “How’s my baby girl?” the woman asked as she planted a kiss on Juanita’s cheek.

  “I’m fine, ma,” Juanita replied. She nodded toward Allison. “Mom, this is Allison, the wonderful woman who saved my life.” Allison looked down at her hands, feeling bashful again. She waved at the woman and forced a nervous smile.

  “Oh my! It was you!” The woman hurried over and grabbed Allison, wrapping her arms around her in a big emotional hug. “Thank you so much for saving my baby girl! Bless your pretty little heart!” Allison hugged her back, feeling speechless.

  “It’s very nice to meet you, Ms..?” Allison asked, respectfully.

  “Oh, call me Janet,” Juanita’s mother insisted.

  “Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Ms. Janet,” Allison replied. She looked over at Juanita, who looked as if she was feeling a little bit uneasy. “I, uh…was actually just about to leave, though. I just wanted to check in on Juanita, to make sure she was okay.”

  “Oh, how sweet of you, young lady,” Janet replied with a smile.

  “So, I’ll see you both later, then,” Allison said timidly, turning to head out of the door.

  Juanita waved at her as she left and flashed her a bright, vivid smile.

  Once out in the hallway, Allison looked down at the small card that Juanita had slipped into her hand. It read:

  Juanita Crawford

  Owner/Manager: Crawford’s Clothing Emporium

  “The Premier Choice in Upscale Attire”

  JCrawford@crawfordsclothing.net

  Store: (505) 555-6343

  She turned the card over and saw that Juanita had written her cell phone number on the back of it. Allison grinned smugly as she stuck the card into her pocket.

  Chapter 4: Home From The Hospital

  A few days later, Allison was listening to some of her favorite music while folding laundry, when her cell phone rang. She recognized the number from the hospital. She was hoping that they weren’t calling her in to cover a shift. She sighed hopefully as she answered.

  “Hello?” she said solemnly.

  “Hello, Allison, it’s Sherry from the Fourth Wing.”

  “Hi Sherry, what’s up? Did someone call off?” Allison inquired.

  “No, actually, um…there’s a patient here who wants to speak with you. I wasn’t at liberty to give out your number, but I told her I’d call you myself so that she could speak to you.”

  Allison’s eyes lit up. She knew that it could only be one person.

  “No problem. Thanks, Sherry. Go ahead and put her on,” Allison said vibrantly.

  “Hello, Allison?” It was Juanita’s voice and she sounded concerned.

  “Hey, Juanita! What’s up? Is everything okay?” Allison asked inquisitively.

  “Yes, everything’s fine. Listen, I really hate to ask this because you’ve already done so much, but…uh…My mom got called in to mandatory work overtime today and she can’t pick me up. I was just wondering if it wouldn’t be too much trouble…if you could…”

  “No, no, it’s no problem at all,” Allison replied enthusiastically, cutting her off in mid-sentence. “I’ll be right there.”

  “Oh, thank you, Allison. Thank you so much!” Juanita replied thankfully.

  ***

  Juanita was patiently waiting at the hospital exit in a wheelchair when Allison arrived. She still had casts on her right leg and lower left arm, but her face was now bandage-free. She looked radiant as she smiled at Allison, and Allison happily smiled back at her. One of the nurse’s aides was standing behind her and she waved when she saw Allison.

  Allison pulled her car up to the exit and went over to help Juanita inside.

  “Thank you so much for coming, Allison. I really hope it wasn’t too much trouble,” Juanita said, as Allison helped her into the passenger side of her sedan.

  “Oh, it’s no trouble at all. It just gave me another chance to be able to see you again,” Allison replied, flashing a flirtatious wink at Juanita as she climbed into the driver’s seat. Juanita raised her eyebrows at Allison’s newfound boldness and a sly grin played at the corner of her mouth. Allison waved back at the nurse’s aide as they pulled away and drove toward Juanita’s house.

  “I’m really glad you came, Alli. Is it okay if I call you Alli?” Juanita asked suddenly.

  “Yes, a lot of people call me Alli,” Allison said gaily.

  “Well, I’m very glad you came. I really didn’t want to have to call Elaine,” Juanita said, frowning slightly as she mentioned her name.

  Allison glanced over at her.

  “Really? Why’s that? She seemed really happy to see you, yesterday.”

  “Well, I wasn’t all that happy to see her,” Juanita replied and the
n sighed. “She’s my ex-girlfriend. She and I dated for about two years, but I broke off with her because she was becoming much too controlling. But, truthfully, I don’t think she’s really getting the point. She suggested that we try ‘being friends.’ But, her idea of being ‘friends’ involves her still trying to hijack her way into my life and my affairs.”

  Allison was quiet for a moment, not really sure what to say.

  “A part of me feels sort of guilty, though, like I owe her something, you know? Because she helped me with my store. I mean, I probably wouldn’t even have it if it wasn’t for her. And, it’s been doing very well. She was the one who found the location downtown, she took out the business loan and she was even the one who connected me with my main merchandise suppliers.”

  Allison was listening intently, feeling somewhat flabbergasted. She wished that she could comfort Juanita, and somehow take away all her stress and worries. She could tell by the strained look on Juanita’s lovely brown face that she was stressed over the Elaine situation. She decided to change the subject for a moment. Besides, she had been wanting to ask Juanita something for a while, now.

  “Hey, I was wondering,” she began, looking over at Juanita, “do you think there’s any chance that whomever hit you that night did so purposely?”

  Juanita looked back over at Allison with a perturbed expression on her face.

  “Purposely?” she repeated.

  “I mean, I just—I’ve never seen someone hit a pedestrian and then speed off like that, like nothing even happened, you know?” Allison asserted.

  “Hmm, I guess I never really thought about it. I figured that maybe they were just too scared to stop or something,” Juanita replied, but Allison could sense uncertainty in her mellow voice.

  Allison turned onto a busy main road and ran into some unexpected traffic. Juanita lived in a suburban area on the east side of Hartsville. It was about a 20-minute drive from the hospital, and nearly half an hour from where Allison’s apartment was located.

  “Well, this is just great,” Juanita commented apologetically. “I feel bad now, having you come all the way out here just to get stuck in traffic.”

  “It’s no problem, really. I wasn’t doing anything exciting, anyway. Unless you refer to doing laundry as an ‘exciting’ activity.” she replied with a grin.

  Juanita grinned back at her.

  “You’re really sweet, Alli, you know that?” she stated pleasantly. Allison felt herself blushing. “You’re really cute when you blush, too,” Juanita noted. Allison glanced over at her as she felt Juanita eyeing her flirtatiously from the passenger seat.

  “So, did Officer Holt ever come by to talk to you?” Allison asked, curiously.

  “Yes, she did, actually. She says they’re investigating it as a criminal offense. She told me that the traffic camera got a photo of the vehicle’s license plate, but it came out dark and blurry. They had to send the photo to a specialist. Hopefully they’ll be able to decipher the plate number and find out who the car is registered to.”

  “Do you know anyone who would have a vendetta against you or who would be out to get you?” Allison asked.

  “No, not really. I mean, well, there is Walt Fanning,” Juanita replied as a thoughtful expression appeared on her face. “He owns Fanning’s Fashion Boutique on the next block. He wasn’t too happy when I opened my store a block away from his, but he’s never been threatening or anything like that. He’s really is the only person I can think of that would have a vendetta against me, but I can’t see him putting a hit out on me.”

  They finally passed the accident that had caused the traffic jam. A large 18-wheeler had rear-ended a black minivan. They turned off the main road and onto Juanita’s street. She lived in a cozy little neighborhood about a mile from the main highway. Allison pulled into her driveway and parked. She helped Juanita out of the car and helped her walk on crutches up to the front door.

  “Thank you so much, Alli. Seriously. I cannot thank you enough,” Juanita said with appreciation in her voice. As they stood at her front door, Juanita looked deep into Allison’s eyes and placed her free hand on Allison’s face.

  Allison gazed amorously into Juanita’s sparkling hazel eyes and found herself lost in her touch. Even in the cool autumn atmosphere, Juanita’s soft hands felt warm and soothing against the smooth skin of her face. Her lips looked shimmery, supple and inviting. Allison couldn’t help herself any longer. She leaned in slowly and placed her lips against Juanita’s, closing her eyes and relishing the rush of ardor that flowed through her entire body. She kissed her firmly and passionately, moaning softly as their lips connected. Juanita stifled a surprise gasp as their lips captured one another, causing her body to flush with heat. That’s when the magic ignited, and the kiss deepened.

  Allison pulled away slowly and opened her eyes. It was the moment she had dreamed of for so long. She desperately wanted to take things further, to slide her tongue between Juanita’s full luscious lips and taste her sweet mouth, but stopped herself from doing so, not wanting to push things too quickly. Allison was now feeling a little wet and horny, but she would have to wait, at least until Juanita had recovered from her injuries. Besides, at this moment, Juanita was in no condition for a heavy make-out session.

  The two women looked at one another in silence as they revelled in the emotions of the moment. Allison placed her hand on top of Juanita’s and squeezed gently.

  “Will you be okay here alone?” she asked, concernedly.

  “Yes, my mom will be here soon,” Juanita assured her.

  Reluctantly, Allison let go of Juanita’s hand and she went inside. Allison waved at her and smiled one last time before turning around to head back to her car.

  Chapter 5: First Kiss

  On her way home, Allison was in a giddy mood. Her mind was racing ever since having that kiss with Juanita. Allison had never dated a black woman before but had always found women of color to be so attractive. She loved the plump fullness of their lips and the sexy curvature of their hips. She hadn’t felt this much chemistry with anyone since Sara and was beginning to feel very aroused. She drove home with a big grin on her face.

  When she got back to her apartment and hung up her jacket, a $50 bill floated from her pocket to the floor. She realized that Juanita must have somehow snuck it there during the car ride. She shook her head and smirked at Juanita’s cleverness. She grabbed her phone and sent a quick text message.

  ‘You sneaky little devil you!’ She typed.

  ‘It’s just a little gas money for going out of your way.’ Juanita typed back.

  ‘You really didn’t have to. It was my pleasure.’ Allison typed.

  ‘I wanted to. And I’m still taking you out for an intimate thank-you dinner as soon as I get these casts off, so don’t you forget!’ Juanita typed back.

  Allison smiled to herself after reading Juanita’s texts, especially the part that said ‘intimate.’ She was looking forward to their dinner date. That day couldn’t come fast enough.

  All day long since the kiss, she could not get Juanita out of her mind. She couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss and Juanita’s intimate text message. She was smitten and there were butterflies in her chest that wouldn’t go away. Her hormones were raging out of control. Her pussy had been throbbing and soaking through her thong, and that night she was feeling unbearably horny. Just before bedtime, she dashed to the bathroom and ran the tub until the bubbles almost flowed over the top. She dropped her clothes in a pile on the tiled floor and slowly slid down into the hot steamy water, letting it block out all distractions around her. She began rubbing her nipples in quick motions, back and forth, and soon wanted more. She stood up and placed the adjustable shower head right above her throbbing clit. The warm water pounding on her vagina felt so delicious. She closed her eyes and threw her head back. ‘God this feels so good.’

  She sat down onto the perimeter on the bathtub, spread her legs and let the water vibrate over her clit. ‘I need he
r… I need her so very much.’ She thought.

  ***

  Over the next few weeks, Allison and Juanita kept in touch via text and phone calls. Juanita’s mother lived in another state but had taken a leave from her job to care for Juanita until she was fully recovered. Allison found out that Juanita’s mother didn’t know she was a lesbian, so Allison reluctantly stayed away until her mother went home.

  Juanita had a store manager and an assistant who helped with her store. She was keeping in contact with them via Skype and making sure business was running smoothly. She also hired a security guard to walk the employees to their cars at the end of every night, as an added safety precaution.