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‘Life is grand when you’re in love,’ Fiona thought. The last year had been like a fairy tale, and that scared her to death. She didn’t want anything to change, but she knew that evil was lurking, waiting for an opportunity to take over and destroy the happiness in her heart. It had happened more than once, so she was expecting it. She wasn’t sure why these negative thoughts crossed her mind. Perhaps the death of the little girl with the intense red hair made her feel that way. She still couldn’t forget her face and wanted out of the police business to piece her life together. She had tried to resign more than once in the past two months, but her requests were denied. She knew they needed her until a suitable candidate surfaced, and she promised to stay until then, although she anxiously wanted to begin a new chapter of her life with Sophie. She even mentioned that to Sophie, who appeared unwilling to leave her job. She still had a passion in her and believed in the noble cause of helping victims by bringing perpetrators to justice.
Fiona opened the door of her apartment and tried to swallow the negativity that was quickly spreading in her soul. She readied herself to greet Sophie. Strangely, her home was quiet. She had talked to her girlfriend earlier, and Sophie assured her she would be home and prepare their dinner before Fiona’s arrival. Most likely, she was stuck at work. Fiona moved to the bedroom to change into something more comfortable than jeans. Perhaps her lover had called to let her know she would be late. She checked her phone for a text message or voice mail, but there was nothing. She thought this strange and decided to dial Sophie’s number. It rang four times with no answer. Panic began to set in. She took a few breaths to calm herself. Her girlfriend was a capable and intelligent individual, who knew how to defend herself ... but she recalled it was only a year ago she had almost died. She clearly remembered the night she had found her in Phil’s bed. The thought of losing her loomed large; it was always there to torment her.
“Fuck!” she blurted out.
Her phoned buzzed, and she grabbed it with urgency. Her heart was pounding.
“Sophie, where the hell are you?”
“Sorry, honey, I...” Fiona felt the weariness in the tone of Sophie’s voice. It was an extraordinary feeling to recognize her partner’s mood after just a few words. She wished she was with her and could take her in her arms and make her forget the whole world. “A new case,” Sophie continued after a small pause. “I should be home shortly.”
“You scared me to death. Shoot me a text next time.” Fiona ignored her girlfriend’s statement for now. She knew when Sophie came home, she would love to discuss her new case in detail; she always did. Fiona felt she was done with the police business a long time ago. Deep inside, the soft part of her was on the verge of dying. She couldn’t face human catastrophe any longer. That was exactly what she saw when she arrived at a new murder scene ... she saw humanity at its lowest point.
Fiona turned her attention to the clock above the stove. It was too late to cook. She picked the phone up and dialed their favorite restaurant around the corner. She ordered salads and grilled chicken with the spicy sauce that Sophie raved about the first time they ate there. Fiona’s lips stretched into a smile, recalling the sounds Sophie made when she first tasted that grilled chicken with the special sauce. Fiona was totally in love with her. On second thought, it was more than love, it was a serene connection that soothed her soul. Fiona had had relationships before. She had had plenty of girlfriends who entered her life in her earlier years, and she shared her emotions with them. She recognized that this relationship was different. She was not an idiot. This was the ultimate love, and it would be impossible to imagine her life without Sophie in it.
The phone began ringing, pulling Fiona from her deep thoughts. The food had arrived, and Fiona asked her doorman to allow the delivery man to come up to her apartment. She grabbed a few bills from her wallet and opened her door. Pedro appeared a few minutes later. They exchanged pleasantries. After all, he delivered frequently, and they often touched upon their personal lives. Fiona took an interest in him. He was an immigrant that came to the States in his teenage years, and now, he was finishing college. He was handsome and had a smile that captivated her heart. Perhaps his tenacity to succeed was the quality she admired? She thanked him and waited until the elevator door had opened before closing her door. She set up the table and lit all the candles in their apartment. Sophie had had a rough day, and Fiona would do anything to make her forget about work.
Sophie arrived a few minutes later, and Fiona took her in her arms, softly kissing her lips. She held her captive in her arms for a few minutes, inhaling her scent and whispering of her love and devotion. Should she let her go? Not before she buried her face in the curve of Sophie’s neck, placing her lips on her skin. Fiona’s previous life shattered to pieces, and in that moment, holding her lover was the only thing that was important. She finally pulled away from Sophie’s soft skin before their interaction took a sexual turn.
“Are you hungry?”
“I’m starved. I had a very long day, and I’m happy to finally be home.” The table was set up, and the aroma of spices filled the air. “My favorite. Thanks, babe.”
They ate quietly, savoring the food and the red wine. They exchanged a few words, but at the end, they stopped talking and simply listened to the classical music in the background. It was the most comfortable silence, and they both let it engulf them, filling them with something new. Was it perhaps, serene familiarity?
When they were done, Fiona took a sip of her red wine, holding it in her mouth. “This is superb!” She placed her glass on the table. She went around and offered her hand to Sophie.
“We have to clean the table,” Sophie protested, laughing and surrendering.
“After this dance. I promise.”
Fiona led her lover to the middle of the room, pulling her softly toward her body. Sophie felt right in her arms. Her gaze captivated Sophie’s, and for a long second, they intensely delved into each other’s souls. They were totally naked. They were no longer afraid to expose their darkest thoughts and emotions. Yet, Fiona’s doubts crept within her like snakes, slowly crawling, approaching, and wrapping their bodies around her, one after another, making her appear like Medusa. Was she too old to let herself love this deeply? Was it merely a lucky coincidence that had brought them together?
“I love you, and I’ll continue loving you until I stop breathing.” Did Sophie understand Fiona’s inner battle?
The unpleasant images disappeared, the snakes retreated, and Fiona rested her head on Sophie’s shoulders. There were no more doubts clouding her mind. “You are my destiny.” The forceful verbalization rolled out of her mouth.
They looked at each other with a deep understanding of their situation. Now, it was even clearer than before ... they loved each other with a passion that tended to destroy any inner peace. Their lips met, their tongues danced, and they both inhaled each other’s essence. They became one for a split second. Fiona was the first to pull back, trying to catch her breath and calm her heart. She wanted Sophie now, underneath her. She guided Sophie to their bedroom, taking a deep breath to cool the desire that compelled her to ravage Sophie. She would take it slow. She let her hand slip between the buttons of Sophie’s shirt, caressing her skin and barely touching the base of her breast.
“Are you going to torture me? I had a bad day, and I want you to love me hard.”
Fiona’s gentler intentions were quickly forgotten, and within seconds, she found herself between Sophie’s legs, the center where everything began and ended.