Loading...Rachel stood outside the door of the apartment. Her right hand moved up and down the side of her jeans, wiping off the wetness on her palm. Coming here… making the decision to be with her would end up hurting another. ‘But it’s how I feel… What I want!’ She thought to herself.
Taking a deep breath and exhaling loudly, Rachel lifted her hand, unlocking the door to enter. A door that slowly opened to her new life….
*****
A year ago…
‘Head hurts…. What are those noises?’ Rachel’s head felt like someone had poked a hot iron into her skull, making it hurt to open her eyes. She could hear sounds like a machine humming and a beeping noise that was close to her side. She tried to move her arm but the searing pain brought on by her movement made her gasp out loud.
“Oh my God! She’s awake! Call the Doctor!” A female voice said loudly. Then she felt a hand brushing back her hair tenderly. “Rachel? Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?” The same voice asked her.
As she slowly opened her eyes, Rachel saw an Asian woman in her 60’s standing beside her bed. “Oh thank God! Taylor! She’s awake! She’s awake!” The woman started to cry. “We thought we’d lost you!”
Rachel tried to say something to console the woman, but had difficulty finding her voice. As she cleared her throat, she saw another woman hesitantly approach the bed from the same side. This one was younger, probably in her mid 30’s with brown curly hair, round brown eyes, and creamy white skin.
Clearing her throat again, Rachel tried to speak. “Who are you?” She asked both women who looked shocked at her question. “You called me Rachel. Is that my name? What happened to me?” She asked the older woman.
Before either woman could respond, the Doctor came in with a nurse in tow. “Well now! I see our patient has finally decided to join us! You gave your mom and your partner quite a scare there.” He said, smiling at the women then asking Rachel: “How are you feeling?”
“Ummm… I don’t remember anything. Who am I? Why am I here? Who are they?” She answered. “I’m sorry.” She apologized as she saw the two women wince at her not being able to recognize them.
“Ok let me see if I can fill in the blanks: you are Rachel Reyes. You are here because you were a victim of an attempted robbery of a grocery store across the street from where you live. You were shot, but luckily for you, the bullet grazed your head — the furrow was pretty deep, but no actual brain tissue was injured by the bullet. However, due to the impact, you had massive swelling in your brain. Initially, we could not be certain if there was a bleed in your brain, so for your own safety we induced a coma as you weren’t responding to the usual meds. You have been in a coma for just over a month. It seems you have amnesia and we won’t know if it is temporary or permanent until we complete a battery of tests.” The doctor responded in a kind voice. “Also because of the coma, you will most definitely need physical therapy before you walk again as your muscles have atrophied. However, with therapy and your determination we will have you mobile in no time. As for these two beautiful ladies, this is your Mom, Agnes and this is your partner, Taylor. Now that the introductions have been done, I will leave you ladies alone so you can talk.” With that, the doctor left the room.
Rachel looked at the two ladies again. Her mom was on the left side of the bed. “So… you’re my mom?” Rachel asked and her mom nodded. “I’m so sorry I don’t remember you.” Agnes just tenderly brushed back the hair from Rachel’s face and said with a quivering voice: “It’s alright. The important thing is that you are back with us and we will have you better in no time.”
Looking at Taylor beside her mom, she asked “So…you’re my partner? How long have we been together?”
The other woman looked like she was in pain when the question was asked. Clearing her throat, Taylor responded: “Ummm… Close to ten years.” Her eyes teared up as she said this.
“Hey…are you ok?” Rachel asked worriedly, seeing the expression on Taylor’s face.
Agnes looked from her daughter to Taylor, smiled and grabbed hold of each of their hands, bringing them together. The moment her hand touched that of Taylor’s, Rachel felt an electric current go up her arm and flood through her body. “She’s OK. Aren’t you, Taylor?” Agnes said, looking at Taylor and giving her a wink. “She was just really worried about you, dear.” She let go of both their hands, leaving them still linked together.
Rachel, loving the feel of the skin on skin contact with Taylor, continued to hold on. She slowly started to rub her thumb across the skin of her partner, feeling her shiver just a bit. “I’m so sorry I worried you.”
Taylor half-smiled, her body reacting to the touch of Rachel. ‘God! It has really been a while since we’ve had any type of contact like this! I never thought I could actually miss such a simple touch.’ She thought to herself. Realizing that she had yet to respond to Rachel’s apology she squeezed her hand to reassure her.
“It’s alright…you couldn’t have known what was to happen. Just don’t do anymore ice-cream runs late at night.” Taylor replied trying to lighten the mood.
“Well, I most definitely won’t be doing that considering I can’t use my legs.” Rachel replied with a smirk. ‘It’s funny that even though I don’t remember these two women I feel a certain kinship to them.’ She thought to herself.
“Now don’t you be saying that! You have to be positive!” Agnes inserts. “The doctor said that with a little therapy and a whole lot of determination from you we can get you mobile!”
“We? Don’t you mean me?” She asked.
“No. I mean exactly what I said and I did say we. As in, you, me and Taylor. Isn’t that right, Taylor?” She turned to Taylor as she asked the question.
“Yes. Yes of course. I will be bringing you over to your sessions in the morning and if I have to go in for work then Mom here could take my place.”
“Well that settles it then. We will do this!” Agnes stated emphatically, her face beaming, making her look younger than her years.
*******
A week later….
Rachel was riding beside Taylor on their way home after being discharged from the hospital. Taylor’s face was serious as she manoeuvred the small red car along the busy highway. Her left hand was on the steering wheel and her right hand was on top of the stick shift. Her thumb lightly tapped on the wheel as the sound of ‘Freshly Ground’s — I’d like’ played softly in the background.
Rachel, for lack of anything to do was looking at the dashboard of the vehicle. Inspecting all the dials and buttons, she was suddenly struck by the funny thought that the emergency light button looked like something you would see on an espresso-maker.
‘Either I’m that bored or I’m losing it.’ She thought wryly. As she looked down to her left she saw Taylor’s right hand holding on to the stick shift and began admiring the soft white skin and long fingers of her partner. It looked smooth, delicate and beautiful. She suddenly had a vision so clear in her head of two hands – brown one atop the white one with fingers intertwined as they were holding on to a stick shift. Before she could stop herself, her left hand lifted from her lap and moved on top of Taylor’s hand, startling her.
“Oh!” She jumped a little as she said this.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Rachel quickly took her hand away.
“It’s alright. I was just so concentrated on the traffic. What’s wrong?” She asked but in actuality was deep in thought and so very nervous to be bringing Rachel home. ‘What if she starts to wonder and ask about us? What if she starts to remember little things about how we really were as a couple?’
“Nothing’s wrong. I… I just saw your hand and…ummm….wanted to touch and hold it as you drove. Stupid huh?” She said sheepishly, looking down.
“No. It’s not stupid. When we drove anywhere together you would put your hand on top of mine and intertwine our fingers as I hold on to the gear shift.” Rachel noticed the slight blush on Taylor’s face as she said this.
“I did? I do? I just saw that vision in my head right before I placed my hand atop yours. So I do that huh?”
“Yes you do.” Taylor answered, but her thoughts was saying a different thing. ‘You used to do that and other things. You used to not be able to touch me… my hand… my arm… my curls… God! I really missed that! I missed you!’ She wanted to say her thoughts out loud, but could not. Not now.
“So… Could I… I mean… Could I touch and hold you as you drive?” Rachel asked.
“You want to?”
“Ummm… Yes I do… Unless it messes with your driving, then it’s alright.”
“No… No… It doesn’t bother my driving… Please do.” Taylor said with a slight pleading note in her voice. She craved Rachel’s touch.
With that said, Rachel lifted her hand again and gently placed it on top of Taylor’s. The moment their hands touched, they both felt the slight current of electricity that went through them. Taylor turned to look at Rachel and saw her watching their hands intently.
“What is it?” She asked.
“Is it just me? Or does that look good to you too?”
“What does? Our hands?”
“Yes our hands…but also the colour of our hands…brown and white…together like that.” Rachel whispered. Looking up, Rachel suddenly noticed the traffic flow around them.
“Taylor, the right lane is faster.”
“Yes I noticed that.”
“Don’t you want to change lanes and go there?”
“Not really.”
“No?”
“Uh-uh.”
“Why?”
“I find that I like…no…let me correct myself…I love driving leisurely with your hand on mine.” Both women looked at each other and gave each other a shy smile as they drove home.
****
As Taylor opened the door to the apartment, Rachel’s mouth was open in awe at what she was seeing. “Is this ours? Is this our home?” She asked while wheeling herself in. “How big is it? How many rooms are there? How do we keep it clean? How can we afford this? What the heck do we both do for a living?” She fired off so many questions while wheeling around in circles.
“Whoa! That’s a whole lot of questions there!” Taylor laughed, “Let me see if I can answer all of them.” She stood up, holding on to Rachel’s wheelchair from behind. “Yes it’s ours. We bought it in the fourth year that we were together. It’s 2,690 square feet. It has four bedrooms consisting of the master bedroom, one guest bedroom and the other two bedrooms we converted into a gym and office for both of us. We generally keep it clean with a house help that comes in everyday except weekends from 8 in the morning till 5 in the afternoon. We could afford this because we both have good, high paying jobs. You are a part owner of a successful company that does mergers and acquisitions. I’m a Senior Editor for a known publishing house and I dabble in writing now and again. In fact, I have sold 5 books in the almost ten years that we’ve been together. Now – have I answered all of your questions?” Taylor took a deep breath as she finished. She then saw that Rachel was just staring at her wide-eyed, with her mouth wide open.
She approached Rachel and kneeling in front of her touched her arm gently. “Hey…hey my angel baby…are you alright?” She whispered worriedly. “I’m sorry if I gave you too much information there. I forgot that you’re still trying to remember things. That all of this is like new to you.”
Rachel’s body shivered a bit when Taylor called her ‘my angel baby.’ She had a vision of two naked bodies moving together…a sheen of perspiration on both their bodies making them glisten as they aligned themselves…a voice whispering “my angel baby.”
“Could you say that again?” Rachel asked the woman kneeling before her.
“What? Everything I’ve just said?” Taylor’s fingers gently glided against Rachel’s arm.
“No. When you called me ‘my angel baby.’ I liked that. Could you call me that again?”
“My angel baby.” Taylor whispered with a teary smile on her face. “You always did love it when I call you that. Would you like to freshen up before having something to eat?” She added as she stood.
“Yes please?!” Rachel responded excitedly.
“Alright. Come on, follow me. I’ve had Lourdes – she’s the house help – prepare the bath before she left a few minutes ago.” Taylor led the way to their bedroom.
As they entered the en-suite bathroom, Taylor positioned the wheelchair close to the bath tub and checked to feel the water temperature. As she bent down to do this her curls fell to cover the side of her face and Rachel felt such a longing to reach out and tuck it behind those cute delicate ears.
“Oh good! Just right!” Taylor turned to Rachel. “Do you want me to help you take off your clothes?”
“Ummm…OK.” Rachel shyly responded.
Taylor once again knelt in front of Rachel and slowly started to take off her clothes. She noticed that Rachel’s breathing started to become ragged and she seemed to be feeling shy about her nakedness. She made herself remember that to Rachel she was to all intents and purposes virtually a stranger. She cupped and lifted Rachel’s face in her hand. “Hey, I know that to you I’m a stranger seeing your nakedness for the first time. But I want you to know that for me I have known you in every sense of the word for almost ten years. You have and always will be beautiful to me.” She lovingly whispered. Rachel took a calming breath and smiled.
“Ok?” Taylor asked.
“Yes, OK.” Rachel affirmed.
After hearing this, she stood up to take her clothes off leaving on her bright turquoise bra and pair of blue and red ‘days of the week’ underwear. Rachel just sat with a wide-eyed look at the sight before her.
As Taylor looked down at Rachel and saw her expression, she realizes what she had done. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable! It’s just that with my helping you with the bath I didn’t want to end up getting my clothes wet. I’ll just put them back on!” Bending down, she began to gather her clothes but was halted by Rachel’s hand grabbing hold of her arm.
“No please don’t! I’m not uncomfortable with what you did. I was….I was just surprised at your very colourful and cute ensemble there.” She said, blushing.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes I’m sure. I hope I don’t make you uncomfortable in saying that the turquoise bra and those panties really look good on your white, creamy skin.” Rachel blushed more furiously.
“Oh! You are still so adorable even with amnesia you know that?” Taylor laughed as she started to help Rachel with her bath.
As soon as she had Rachel in the tub, she knelt beside it and began to rub her body with a soapy sponge. ‘God! I haven’t done this in a really long time! Don’t let me lose it now!’ Taylor silently prayed to be able to keep it together.
She started with Rachel’s neck, going slowly down towards her shoulders…then her arms…softly stroking the top of her chest. She circled the sponge on each breast making Rachel’s nipples darken and become taut. Both women started to breathe hard and as Taylor looked at Rachel’s face she saw that her eyes were closed and she was biting her lip.
“Ok now! I think you’re all nice and clean in front how about bending forward a bit so I could wash your back there?” Taylor said a bit loudly, making Rachel open her eyes and do just that. As she leaned back again after having her back washed, Taylor gave her the sponge for her to wash herself.
“I…uh…think it would be better if you were to take over from here.” Taylor stammered.
“Ummm…OK.” Rachel took the sponge and did so. Once done, she handed it back to Taylor and watched as the soapy water drained out the tub and she was thoroughly rinsed, dried and brought back to the wheelchair for her to be dressed in her nightclothes.
“Ready for dinner?” Taylor asked Rachel as she put on her robe.
“Yes I am!” Rachel responded with a smile as they both headed off towards the kitchen.
***
“Is it OK to ask you some questions?” Rachel asked as they were having their dinner.
“Of course. What is it?” Taylor put down her fork as she gave her attention to the woman across from her.
“What do I call you?”
“Ummm… What do you mean?”
“Well you call me ‘my angel baby.’ I have to assume that I have an endearment for you as well. Unless I’m one of those boring types that just calls their partner by their name? Now that’s sad.”
“I actually have many endearments for you and you for me. But you almost always call me ‘my baybee.’ Which I find totally adorable.” Taylor smiled while saying this.
Closing her eyes, Rachel had a vision of her running towards Taylor, toppling her down on the bed as she called out to her excitedly ‘Baybee! My beautiful, beautiful baybee!’ kissing her all over her face with Taylor laughing out loud.
“Having another vision there?” Taylor asked, beginning to recognise when her partner was having one.
Opening her eyes and looking at Taylor. “Yes.” She smiled.
“Care to share?”
“It was me running towards you, toppling you down on the bed saying ‘Baybee! My beautiful, beautiful baybee!’ rather excitedly and I was kissing you all over your face while you were laughing out loud.” Rachel shared.
Taylor’s eyes started to tear and she smiled wistfully. “Yes. That was when you surprised me with this place. You came home all excited about the fact that you had signed and sealed the deal.”
“How did we meet? With our professional backgrounds it was highly unlikely that we ran in the same circles.”
“Well, it was at a dinner party that was hosted by a common friend of your business partner and a good client of mine.”
“Ooh! Was it love at first sight?” Rachel asked excitedly.
“Eh? Hardly! I could definitely say it was a total embarrassment on my part!”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I was with a group of people discussing the latest mergers and acquisitions of a certain young and aggressive company. I started to spout off some not so kind words regarding the matter and this small woman with long silky dark hair wearing a sexy red dress and high heeled shoes started to defend said company. When I asked her what would she know about these things she said that she was one of the owners. I just wanted to shrink and have the floor swallow me whole. I was never so embarrassed in my whole life.”
“You mean that was how we met?”
“Uh-huh! And when I excused myself to go out into the garden, said sexy small woman apparently followed me and I thought she was going to let me have it. She completely took me by surprise and asked me to have dinner with her the next day saying we needed to discuss the matter further! And we never looked back.” Taylor said with a grin.
“Wow! Are you sure we’re talking about me here?”
“Oh hell, yeah! You were so sure and confident about yourself in a quiet way that it made you hella sexy! For me that is.” Taylor admitted, blushing.
“Wow! I don’t know what to say.” Rachel shook her head as she said this.
“Well I do. Seeing how late it is and with you starting your therapy session early tomorrow morning it’s time for you to go to bed.”
“Alright. I am feeling a bit bushed.” Rachel admitted with a slight yawn.
***
As both women were sleeping side by side, Rachel’s body began to twitch, dreaming about that horrific night she got shot. In her dream, she entered the grocery store with her head down taking out the amount of money needed for her ice-cream. As she entered, she lifted her head and saw the barrel of a gun pointed at her. Before she could even react the sound of a loud bang reverberated in her ears and she felt the searing pain on her head as she fell backwards.
“No! No! No!” Rachel yelled as she sat up from the bed, her body shaking and a sheen of sweat of developing over her skin. She buried her face in her hands, sobbing. She felt Taylor gather her in her arms and gently rock her.
“Shhh…. It’s ok … It was just a dream… It’s over…” Taylor kept saying.
“I saw it! I saw what happened to me! It was so awful!” Rachel cried out.
“I’m here my angel baby. It’s over. No one’s going to hurt you.” She whispered as she kissed the top of Rachel’s head.
After a few minutes of gentle rocking, Taylor could feel Rachel’s body slowly relaxing. “Want to try sleep again?” She asked her distraught partner and felt her head nod in assent.
Taylor slowly lowered her body to the bed taking Rachel along with her. The dark-haired woman buried her face in Taylor’s neck and held on to her tightly. “Please hold me? Don’t let me go!” Rachel pleaded.
“Sleep now. I’ll be here holding you in my arms as you sleep.” She whispered, rubbing her back to soothe her.
It wasn’t long before Taylor felt Rachel’s body relax in sleep. Pressing her lips to the smaller woman’s forehead she closed her eyes and relished the feel of Rachel’s body against hers. ‘I miss this. I miss cradling my angel baby in my arms as we sleep.’ It was the last thought in her mind before she fell asleep as well.
Waking up on her side, Taylor opened her eyes and saw Rachel lying beside her looking at her. “Good morning.” The dark-haired girl whispered.
“Hey there. How’s my angel this morning?” She asked worriedly.
“I’m better. Slept soundly with your arms around me. No nightmares.” Rachel smiled as she responded.
“Oh good. I’m glad then.” Taylor smiled back.
“I could get used to that you know?”
“Get used to what?”
“Sleeping with your arms around me and my face buried in your neck breathing in your scent.”
“I would love that.”
“You would?”
“Yes I would.” The alarm sounded shrilly, startling them both. “Ok that’s our cue to get a move on for your invigorating session.” Taylor moved off from the bed to help Rachel get up and get ready.
“Awww… Do I have to?” Rachel pouted, dreading having to face the strain and pain she knew was coming.
Putting her hands on her hips, Taylor mock-glared at her: “Yes you have to! I mean WE have to! You don’t want Mom to be on our backs hounding us, do you?” Taylor asked.
“How long do I have to do this?”
“Now that would totally depend on how determined you are to walk without assistance again! Now let’s get moving or we’ll be late!”
As Rachel wheeled herself to the bathroom, she stopped and turned around.
“Taylor?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“For what, my angel?”
“For you… For being who you are… For being my baybee.” With a big smile, she turned back around and headed for the bathroom.
Taylor closing her eyes and putting her right hand on her chest where here heart is. ‘God! Please let me still be that … Be your baby when you get to remember everything.’
***
It was close to four months before Rachel was able to walk without assistance and no longer needed therapy but her memory still drew a blank. She would have visions now and then but not enough to bring it back. Despite not having fully recovered her memory, her relationship with Taylor blossomed. It was like getting to know each other all over again.
Although they would sleep in the same bed every night with their arms wrapped around each other they had yet to make love. It’s not that they didn’t want to because every time the two of them were in the same room, the sexual tension was palpable. It was as if they had a silent understanding of not wanting it to be just about sex but that it was to be something special for both of them.
Most of their time was spent with each other unless Taylor had to go to her office to meet with a client. They would go out in the mornings to walk and have brunch at one of the restaurants around their area. It was hard to imagine that before the accident, Rachel almost always had to be out dining and dancing. Now they would always stay in at night having a quiet dinner and drinking either a glass of wine or coffee in front of their fireplace before heading off to sleep.
It was in one of their window-shopping days that they passed by a pet store and there displayed in the window was a golden brown Labrador retriever. “Awww… Look at the cute puppy! C’mon! Let’s go inside and check it out!’ Rachel excitedly said as she entered the store, not seeing the surprised look on her partner’s face.
Once inside, she headed straight for the puppy that was displayed in the window. She picked the dog up and cradled it in her arms. “Hey there little fella!” The puppy proceeded to lick every inch of her face making Rachel laugh out loud. She looked at Taylor and saw the expression on her face. “Oh! I didn’t even bother to ask. You don’t like dogs do you?”
Shaking her head while trying to find her voice, Taylor said quietly: “Uh…no…I mean I love dogs and cats. But…ummm…you don’t.” Taylor clarified. “You said that the apartment is too small for pets to be in and that they would make a mess.”
“Why didn’t we get a bigger place? Or a house or a farm?” Rachel asked.
“I wanted us to buy my Aunt’s farm up north three years ago. Well, it’s not really a farm farm. Just a big property with a homey cabin but you said that it was too hick and too far a commute for you to go to and from work.”
Rachel’s face turned serious as she digested this information. Then she smiled as she looked at Taylor then back at the puppy in her arms. “What’s not to love about this cute creature? You’re certainly lovable aren’t you, Bossworth?” She said to the puppy.
“Ummm…Bossworth? You’re naming a puppy that’s not even ours?” Taylor asked her, a smile in her voice.
“Well, that’s why I’m naming him…because he will be ours.”
“He will?! Are you serious?! You’re not teasing me are you? What about the apartment being too small and getting messy?” Taylor didn’t want to get her hopes up, but the look of longing on her face gave her away. She desperately wanted the puppy as well.
“As serious as I was with my therapy sessions.” Rachel quipped then turned serious again. “C’mon! Let’s do the necessary paperwork so we can have this little guy with us ASAP!” The two of them headed towards the man at the counter.
And with very little fuss they were able to buy Bossworth and arranged to have him delivered to their place the next day. As they got out of the store, Rachel grabbed hold of Taylor’s hand. Taylor looked down at their joined hands with a look of surprise and wonder.
“What? Is something wrong?” Rachel asked seeing the expression on the taller woman’s face.
Shaking her head and smiling, Taylor replied: “No..nothing’s wrong…it’s just that..”
“It’s just what? You have a problem with public displays of affection?”
“Oh I don’t…but you do.” Taylor clarified.
“But…I held your hand while you were driving. You said so yourself that I would do that all the time.”
“Yes. But it was inside the car. You don’t have a problem touching me whenever it’s just the two of us but the moment we are in public anywhere it’s a ‘no touchy’ zone.”
Rachel stopped walking and faced Taylor. “You know what?” She asks.
“What?”
Rachel lifted Taylor’s hand to her lips and kissed it tenderly as she looked into her eyes. “That was the ‘stoopid’ me. This is the new ‘dopey’ me. OK?” She said with a big smile on her face.
Taylor threw her head back and laughed. “You are just so adorable you know that? Now come on and let’s grab dessert and coffee!” Pulling Rachel by the hand, she led her to their favourite coffee shop.
***
A month later, as Rachel was sitting on the couch reading with Bossworth sleeping at her feet, she was told by Taylor that Shannen, her college friend and business partner, had called to say that the people at the office were throwing her a party. Rachel was very adamant about not going as she didn’t remember anyone who would be there. The last thing she wanted was to be pitied – or worse, be looked at like she was a freak. Instead of voicing her fears when Taylor asked why she didn’t want to go, she lashed out at Taylor saying that she was absolutely not going and walked off to go to their room.
Rachel was sitting on top of the ledge of their balcony gazing up at the stars, her thoughts in turmoil. She was feeling bad about being abrupt with Taylor, but she just couldn’t face attending the party and not knowing anyone. Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t see Taylor walk up to her and insert herself in between her legs as she wrapped her arms around Rachel’s waist. Since Taylor was taller, this made her mound rest up against Rachel’s stomach. The contact made them both shiver.
“Hey there.” Taylor whispered.
“Hey.” Rachel said with her head down, not able to look at Taylor.
“You OK?”
“I’m sorry I snapped at you back there. I didn’t mean to.” She apologized.
“It’s OK, my angel.” She cupped the smaller woman’s face so she could look at her. “But you haven’t answered my question. Are you OK?”
“I’m just so scared of going to that party. I don’t remember anyone and I’m afraid that I’ll make a complete fool of myself!” Her eyes teared up as she said this.
Gathering Rachel in her arms, Taylor rubbed her back to soothe her and whispered in her ear. “It’s going to be alright, my angel baby. I’ll be with you the whole time.” She kissed Rachel’s forehead…then the side of her face…and before both of them realized it their lips touched. Both women moaned at the same time. For Taylor, it was feeling Rachel’s full lips against hers after such a long time. For Rachel, it was feeling Taylor’s lips as if for the very first time.
It started out as an exploratory kiss but as it progressed it became heated. Taylor traced Rachel’s lips with the tip of her tongue before pushing it inside her mouth to mate with hers. The kiss went on for a while until both of them felt the need to breathe and pulled apart taking deep breaths.
Taylor placed her forehead on Rachel’s. Her right hand was on the smaller woman’s chest, her fingers gliding up and down. Lowering her head, she kissed the part where her hand was. She slowly moved to the side and kissed Rachel’s breast on her right with the shirt in-between. Rachel whimpered as she pushed her chest forward, her hard nipple pushing through the shirt. Seeing this, Taylor simply couldn’t resist any longer. She opened her mouth and sucked on Rachel’s breast through her shirt, flicking the tip of her tongue on her hardening nipple.
“God! Baby!” Rachel gasped as she felt the sensation rocket from her nipple all the way down to her clit. Before her whole body could comprehend what was happening Taylor moved to her other breast, giving it the same attention. She lowered her head close to Taylor’s ear. “That feels so good. Please don’t stop.”
Taylor lifted her head. “We need to take this inside so we can do this properly.” She pulled the smaller woman to her. “Wrap your legs around my waist and hold on.” She ordered.
“Wait! I’m too heavy. Let me down so I can walk.” Rachel shyly said.
“Ummm…let me remind you that I am taller than you aannd that I have upper body strength to spare.” She smirked. “Besides which, I have done this before…carried you like this to either our bed or sofa when the…mmm…mood hit us.”
“You have? We have? Have I tried carrying you?” Rachel asked.
“Uh…yes you have tried…and no, you couldn’t carry me.” The taller woman responded with a smile. Then with a serious face she said softly: “Now listen, I will be carrying you to our bed and I don’t want to hear another word about it. OK?” And she proceeded to do just that, kissing Rachel on the lips as they went.
Sitting herself on the side of the bed with Rachel straddling her lap, she lifted the shirt from the smaller woman and threw it to the side. Holding both breasts with each hand, she started to gently fondle and caress them. “Oh my angel. You are so beautiful.” She lovingly whispered as she lowered her head and softly licked first one nipple then the other, making them wet and glistening. Seeing both nipples get hard, pebbled and dark she moaned as she brought her mouth down to suckle on each breast. Pulling Rachel tightly towards her, she lowered herself to the bed moving them both to the centre. They both started to take off their clothes, turning each other on with every bit of their body they exposed. Taylor turned them around, making the smaller woman lie on her back while she continued to suckle. Rachel’s hands held on to Taylor’s head, her fingers buried in her curls, her body arching upwards pushing her breast even further inside her lover’s mouth.
Taylor released Rachel’s breast and began her descent kissing, suckling, nibbling and licking every inch of skin she encountered. As she approached her mound, she looked down at it and touched it reverently making Rachel lift her lower body and whimper from the sensation of being touched there.
Rachel looked down to see Taylor staring at her mound and caressing it with her hand, gliding her fingers up and down. Lowering her hand, she put it on top of Taylor’s hand which was still touching her mound making Taylor look up at her with a sheen of tears in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she huskily whispered: “I…I haven’t seen or touched you like this in a long time. I’ve missed you so much I ache.”
Cupping Taylor’s face with her other hand, Rachel whispered: “I ache with wanting you.” She guided Taylor’s hand on her mound to touch her some more. Both of them could feel the warmth and the wetness seeping from the smaller woman.
“God baby! I’ve forgotten how beautiful you look with your dark and plump pussy lips glistening wet with your arousal!” Taylor moaned as she lowered her head to taste her lover after such a long time. It tasted the same as it always had, with a hint of both tanginess and freshness, same as hers. She started kissing her all over her mound, then with her tongue she licked her from the bottom of her slit going up towards her clit gathering her wetness as she ascended. Once she made it to the top, she pressed her tongue and the wetness she had gathered onto the clit making Rachel gasp and moan. She started to twirl her tongue around Rachel’s clit making it engorged and peek out of its hood so she could suckle on it softly at first, then going harder and faster.
Rachel grabbed hold of the sheets with one hand while the other hand found its way to Taylor’s head pulling her into her mound. “Unggh! God! My baybee! Make me yours!” She pleaded with her lover.
Hearing these words while still suckling on the smaller woman’s clit, Taylor moved her right hand down and pushed her middle finger inside her hot core. “Please! Some more! Put in some more!” Rachel begged.
Taylor did just that. She pushed in two fingers and felt the muscles inside of her lover clutching at her fingers as she pumped into her. She also felt the heat and tightness within making her want and urge for more. Her suckling and pumping became harder and faster.
“Oh God! Oh God! I’m gonna come! Make me come! Please…please…” Rachel gasped.
While still pumping her fingers in and out of her lover, Taylor started to feel the contractions of her lover. She instantly stopped suckling on her clit and pulled on it with her lips, pushing Rachel over the edge.
“Unngggghhhh!!” Rachel’s body arched like a bow as she came. She lowered her whole body to the bed as she slowly allowed her breathing to go back to normal. “Wow!” Was all she could say.
“I most definitely second that emotion!” Taylor whispered, her head resting on Rachel’s stomach.
“Come up here, woman!” Rachel softly commanded.
“Ooh! Okay!” Taylor responded and started to make her way up the smaller woman’s body. She laid her body atop Rachel’s, her arms on either side of her lover’s head as they kissed tasting Rachel’s wetness from each other’s mouth. The kiss went on as Taylor was kneading and cupping Rachel’s breasts. ‘I missed this! Missed the kissing and cuddling after we’ve made love!’ Taylor voiced in her head.
Before she could even think about going down to kiss and suckle once again on her lover’s burgeoning breasts she feels her whole world spin. She found herself on her back with Rachel on top.
“My turn!” Rachel said with a big smile and a wink.
Cupping the smaller woman’s face, Taylor looked deeply into her eyes. “You don’t have to, my angel baby. I know that for you this will be like the first time. I’m just so happy that I was able to love your body all over again.”
“But that’s what I want. For you to be my first.” Rachel huskily whispered, lowering her head to kiss Taylor. Her hands rested upon her lover’s breasts to cup, knead and massage. As she moved her lips downwards, she inserted her thigh in-between the taller woman’s legs and brought it higher, feeling the wetness of Rachel’s pussy lips against her skin.
“God my baybee! I want to expose as much of you as I can.” Rachel whispered lovingly.
“Yes my baby.” Taylor opened her arms, laying them on either side of her head. “Use your lips and tongue to expose as much of me as you want, my angel. I’m all yours.” Taylor posed seductively.
Rachel’s eyes turned into slits from looking at the vision of Taylor in front of her. She licked her full lips and lowered her head to kiss Taylor’s chest above her heart. As she headed towards one breast, she could feel the heat and smell the scent of arousal emanating from the taller woman.
She lingered first on one breast licking…kissing…sucking then suckling as she flicked the tip of her tongue on the top of Taylor’s dusky pink nipple. She did the same to the other breast not wanting it to feel neglected. She lowered herself some more and swirled her tongue inside Taylor’s cute belly button. Going further down she pressed her lips on her lower stomach. Then, just at the top of her lover’s mound she stopped and started to nuzzle and caress it with her cheek, tongue and lips.
“Oh god! That feels so good, my angel baby.” Taylor exclaimed.
Encouraged, Rachel lowered her head further holding her face just a few inches away from Taylor’s hot…wet…pulsing…throbbing mound. She looked at it in awe of the beauty in front of her. “Please… Please my angel.” Taylor begged.
Rachel moved her face closer, pushing her tongue out and licking along Taylor’s slit. Gathering the wetness on her tongue, she copied what her lover had done to her and as she reached the top of Taylor’s slit she pulled her clit in her mouth together with the wetness and started to suck slowly, gradually picking up the pace as she felt the reaction she was getting from her lover.
When she felt her start to come, she let go of her clit and blew on it while her hands glided on Taylor’s thighs calming her down from her high. She looked up to see Taylor’s chest heaving, her eyes in slits looking at Rachel as if she couldn’t believe that she’d just stop. She looked back at her clit seeing it all red, throbbing, peeking out, begging to be licked and sucked. Rachel moved up Taylor’s body and right before she lowered herself she moved her hand to her mound and separated her own lips, making her wet clit peek out. She brought it down to mate with Taylor’s and she started to slowly hump her mound, her dark plump pussy lips contracting and expanding as she moved sensually on top of Taylor.
She grabbed both of Taylor’s hands and put them on either side of her head, their fingers intertwined. She started to pick up the pace of her humping, her breasts hanging down and moving just above her lover’s face. “God my baby! You’re gonna make me come!” Taylor gasped as she grabbed Rachel’s nipple with her mouth, holding and sucking on her while the smaller woman humped her clit, their wetness mixing with each other. The sounds of their wet lips rubbing together filled the room. The smell of their arousals permeating around them taking them further, making them go harder and faster.
“Auugggghhh!!!”…the sound of both women coming together.
Lifting herself off Taylor, Rachel turned on her side as her lover cuddled her from behind. Taylor’s right hand gently caressed her stomach, her left hand cupping her breasts and her right leg hooked over her hip.
“I love you with all my heart, Taylor my baybee.” Rachel whispered.
“And I love you with all my heart, Rachel my angel.” Taylor responded.
After a few minutes both fell into a deep sleep.
***
Rachel was so excited as she opened the door of the apartment. Bossworth ran and jumped at her as if seeing her after a long time when it had only been for a few hours. “Hey there! How’s my boy?” She asked as he wagged his tail and barked in excitement at picking up on her emotions.
Lourdes, their house help, came out of the kitchen. “Oh! Ms. Rachel! Where have you been? I was so worried when you just left without telling me where you were going!” Lourdes exclaimed, her hand on her heart.
“I’m so sorry, Lourdes. I just needed to get out and do some stuff. I promise to tell you where I’m going next time I decide to just up and go, OK?” She explained, hoping that her face wouldn’t give her secret away.
“Ok. Ok. But when Ms. Taylor called a while ago asking for you and I couldn’t tell her where you went she got a bit upset. She cut short her trip and is on her way home tonight instead of tomorrow morning.” Lourdes grumbled as she walked back into the kitchen to finish the dinner she was preparing.
“Uh Oh! Gotta hide my surprise!” Rachel mumbled to herself before she ran towards their room, Bossworth following close behind.
Trying to find the best place to hide the brown envelope with the important documents enclosed, she decided to hide it in one of Taylor’s unused drawers. As she opened one of the drawers, she saw a bundle of small purple envelopes. She took them out and started to read one of the letters which apparently was both a love and sexual letter addressed to Taylor. “I must be one romantic dopey girlfriend.” She smiled to herself. Closing the letter, she was about to read the others when she heard the doorbell and Lourdes calling out her name. She stuffed the letters back into the drawer together with the brown envelope and walked out.
As she exited the room she met Lourdes by the hallway. “Ah! There you are, Ms. Rachel. You have a visitor.”
“Who is it, Lourdes?” She asked, not particularly happy about meeting someone without Taylor to help her.
“It’s Shannen your business partner.” Lourdes replied pointing her towards where the guest was waiting.
Upon entering the room, Rachel spotted the woman standing by the window looking down at the scenery below. She was tall with wavy reddish brown hair.
“Shannen?” She called out.
Turning around from the window, the woman said: “Hey there my friend!” Shannen gave her a quick hug. “I’m sorry that I have only visited you now but I was told that you needed the space and time to heal.” She walked towards the couch where her bag was. “Oh before I forget. I have something for you.” She opened her bag, took out a medium-sized box and handed it to Rachel.
“Look, I won’t stay long. But I just really wanted to see how you are because I’ve missed you and I wanted to ask you to please come to the party that the office is preparing for you. A lot of people are worried and just want to see you. Please think about it?” She hugged her quickly one more time before taking her leave.
Rachel looked down at the box on her lap and began to open it. As she pulled the top off, she saw a Blackberry phone and an envelope lying underneath it. She picked up the cellphone, then the envelope and read the note inside. ‘Heard that your cellphone was stolen on the night of the accident. Here’s another one. Hurry back and don’t be a stranger! — Shannen.’ Rachel smiled, but that didn’t last long as she began to realize something. She stood up from the couch and headed back to their room. She opened the drawer and started to read all of the letters that were in each of the purple envelopes. The same type of envelope that she had just received from her college friend and business partner.
***
It was dark when Taylor entered the apartment, dropping her overnight bag next to the front door. Bossworth came running out to greet her. “Hey there, Bossy! Where’s your other Momma?” She asked as she rubbed his coat.
She began to look for Rachel. “Rachel? Baby? Where are you?” She switched on a light in passing and found her lover sitting on the couch staring at the fire. “Here you are! Why didn’t you answer me? And where did you go when you left this afternoon you had me and….” Before she could finish, Rachel lifted her hand holding the bundle of purple envelopes addressed to Taylor.
“It happened before my accident?” She angrily asked.
Seeing what was in Rachel’s hand and hearing her question. “Oh God! Oh God!” She frantically whispered. “Baby I…” Once again she was interrupted by an angry Rachel.
Standing up from the couch, Rachel rounded on her, her face furious. “You and Shannen?! Before my accident?!” She shouted angrily, standing in front of the taller woman.
“Once! It just happened once then never again!” She frantically explained. “She kept trying and trying but I told her off! It was different then! We were different then!”
“I don’t even remember how we were then, Taylor!” Rachel threw the envelopes at Taylor and started to walk towards the door of the apartment, just wanting to get out of there before she did or said anything that she might regret.
Opening the door, she was halted by Taylor’s quivering voice. “Rachel! Please! We didn’t have a good relationship for the past three years but we’re better now! Please don’t walk away! Not like this! Not now!” She begged as tears ran down her face.
“I need to get out.” Was all that Rachel could say, not able to look at Taylor as she walked out and closed the door of their apartment.
Taylor’s knees buckled and she fell to the floor sobbing her heart out. Bossworth approached her putting his face on her leg and whined as he watched her cry.
***
Agnes opened her door to see her distraught daughter standing outside. She ushered her in and hugged her tight without uttering a word. Rachel collapsed on her mom and began to cry out her anger and pain.
She was lying on the couch exhausted after telling Agnes everything that happened. “Do you know what you’re going to do?” Her mom asked.
Rachel shook her head. “No. No I don’t. All I know is that I’m hurt and angry.”
“Honey, I don’t profess to know everything about life because I really don’t. But please try to look beyond your hurt and pain and see what you have. What’s in front of you right now.”
“What do you mean?” She asked her mom.
“Well, I’ve seen you and Taylor together for the past ten years. I’ve seen how you were when things were getting rough before and believe me when I say that you are not totally faultless. It does take two you know. Then, I see how you are now after your accident with both of you getting to know each other all over again.” Standing up, she looked down at her daughter. “I won’t tell you what to do but I will ask you to take a long hard look at your life. Realize what you want and how you’re going to get it. They do say that the best things in life don’t come without a price.” She kissed Rachel on her head and walked away.
It took a long while before Rachel came to the realization of what she was going to do. She eventually fell asleep for the first time in months without the arms of Taylor around her.
***
Morning came too soon for Rachel as she got her plan into action. She spoke to her mom about what she was going to do before leaving. Agnes had a big smile on her face as she saw her daughter drive off.
She entered the building with determination written all over her face. People would stop and greet her as they recognised her. Upon reaching Shannen’s door, she didn’t bother knocking and just entered. She saw Shannen and a petite blond woman going over some papers.
“Rachel, I’m in a meeting right now.” Said Shannen, visibly uncomfortable with Rachel there.
“I need to talk with you privately and this won’t take long.”
“Ummm…alright…Hannah, could you please excuse us? I’ll talk to you later.” Shannen addressed the smaller woman.
As the woman named Hannah passed Rachel, she gave her a teary and longing look that Rachel found to be disturbing. “I’m glad that you’re well. I…we missed you.” She whispered before leaving the room.
“Look Rachel about me and Taylor…” Obviously Taylor had told Shannen that she already knew about them.
“I don’t want to discuss it. It’s over and done with. I’m here to tell you that I will be selling my share of the business. I want out.”
“What? Are you sure about this? You love this business! If it’s about what happened with me and Taylor…”
Rachel put up her hand to stop Shannen. “I already said I don’t want to talk about it. As for the business, I used to love it then. Not now. I’m a different person now.” Having said her piece, she turned around and walked towards the door to leave.
“What about us? Our friendship?” Can you ever forgive me?” Shannen asked.
Stopping at the door to look back at Shannen, Rachel paused. “You used to be my friend. Forgive you? I’ve already forgotten you.” She said without emotion as she stepped out.
Walking out of Shannen’s office, she asked the nearest person where her office was. There she was met by her secretary who introduced herself as Rose. She requested that Rose bring her a box and she proceeded to pack all of her personal effects into the container. When she picked up the framed photo of her and Taylor in their younger days, she smiled through the sudden welling of tears in her eyes. As she finished packing, the door to her office opened and Hannah came in.
“Can I help you?” Rachel asked.
“You don’t remember me at all do you?” Hannah’s eyes began to tear as she asked the question.
“I’m sorry, but no I don’t.”
Hannah took a deep breath. “Three years ago we started an affair and last year you told me you were going to leave her for me. I guess that’s not going to happen now, right?” Tears slowly fell down her cheeks.
Rachel felt her head bowing under the weight of this new information. She closed her eyes. ‘God! What kind of a woman was I before the accident?’ She asked herself. Lifting her head, she looked at Hannah. “Please believe me when I say that I am so, so sorry. I never meant to hurt you or anyone. I don’t remember you and even with the visions or flashbacks that I have had, it was never of you.”
Hannah wiped her tears away. “It’s all right. I knew you were still so in love with her. I just hoped that you would get to love me the same way. I wish you well, Rachel.” And with that said, the petite blond woman quietly left her office.
Taking the small box with her belongings, Rachel left the office for good.
***
Present time….
Rachel stood outside the door of the apartment. Her right hand moved up and down the side of her jeans, wiping off the wetness on her palm. Coming here… making the decision to be with her would end up hurting another. ‘But it’s how I feel… What I want!’ She thought to herself. Taking a deep breath and exhaling loudly, Rachel lifted her hand, unlocking the door to enter the apartment.
As she entered, she heard sounds coming from their bedroom. The door was open and inside was Taylor packing her things inside a suitcase while sniffling every now and then. Bossworth was lying beside her feet sleeping. Rachel felt her heart slam in her chest as she realized that Taylor would be leaving her.
She cleared her throat. “Ummm…hi.” She greeted Taylor. Both Taylor and Bossworth jumped at hearing her voice. The dog barked excitedly and ran over to greet her. Taylor stayed where she was and just looked at her with trepidation.
“Hi…I didn’t hear you come in.” Taylor noticed Rachel staring at her suitcase. “I’m just taking my things out of this room and transferring them to the guest bedroom. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ll have to stay there for a short while until I can finalise my living arrangements.” She explained trying hard not to cry in front of Rachel.
Not knowing what to say to get things back the way they were, Rachel walked over to the drawer where she hid the brown envelope hoping it was still there.
“Ummm… I cleared my things from the cabinets and drawers. You don’t have to check.”
Opening the drawer, Rachel retrieved the brown envelope and walked back to where Taylor was standing and handed it over to her.
“Open it. Please?” She whispered.
Not knowing where this was going, Taylor opened the envelope and took out the document showing that the farm her aunt used to own was now their farm. She looked at her name next to Rachel’s name on the deed of sale and gasped out loud as she looked at the smaller woman.
“What does this mean?”
“Please don’t leave me, Taylor. If that’s what you want then I’ll respect your wishes, but it’s not what I want.” She pleaded with tears in her eyes.
“Oh God! My angel!” Taylor launched herself against the smaller woman and hugged her tight not wanting to let go. “I thought that you didn’t want me anymore! That you hate me because of what I’ve done! Please! Please forgive me!”
Holding Taylor tight to her and burying her face in her neck to breathe in her scent, Rachel said: “Please forgive me as well for all the things I’ve done to us, my baybee. I want us to have a new life together. And I want us to start by living in a new place. That’s why I bought the farm for us. I knew that’s what you’ve been wanting for such a long time now.”
“But what about your work and the rest?”
“Maybe I used to like them but I’m a different person now. I’m selling my shares of the company and will just be a consultant since I should be getting a tidy sum from the sale. I have my savings as well so that should tide us over for a long time.” She explained.
“Whatever you want, my angel. So long as you’re happy then I’m happy.”
Holding Taylor’s face with both her hands, Rachel looked deep into her eyes. “I want you and only you. You make me happy.”
Laughing with tears in her eyes, Taylor said softly: “I most definitely second that emotion.” She smiled at Rachel as they kissed.
After a few minutes of kissing, Taylor felt herself being lifted. She moved her head and looked down at Rachel. “Ummm…what are you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
“I appreciate the effort, my angel, but you can’t carry me.”
“My baybee?”
“Yes, my angel?”
“Borrowing a phrase from someone I know…now listen, I’m going to be carrying you to our bed and I don’t want to hear another word, alright!” Rachel said as she winked at the taller woman.
Throwing her head back to laugh, Taylor gave in. “God! You are just so adorable! Alright! Take me I’m yours!” She said as she wrapped her legs around Rachel’s waist.
“Oh! I most definitely will my Baybee!” Rachel said as she carried her slowly but surely to their bed to start their new life.