CHAPTER 17

For several days following the fight with Tanesha, Pax and Teela took their time getting to know one another. Pax made it a point to call and invite Teela for lunch. She had wanted it to be dinner, but Teela visited her sick friend nearly every night and sometimes it got to be quite late. Those instances, Teela called and they just chatted on the telephone for an hour or two. All the while, Pax wanted to ask about her friend, but didn't. Teela never volunteered more than that the woman was still ill and she did little more than visiting. Teela felt those visits were very good medicine for the woman.

During that week, there was one night that Teela did not visit her friend. Pax was overjoyed that she had called and suggested they go to dinner and see a movie. Teela picked Pax up at her place, marveling at the fact that she could play butch for the night and pick the girl up.

Dinner that night at Cevallio's was comfortable and serene. Pax and Teela lost themselves in their conversation and missed the start of their movie. Not wanting to be cooped up indoors, Teela suggested a walk along the river instead, but her mood seemed a little odd. Pax couldn't put her finger on it. Teela just seemed pensive and intermittently withdrawn.

Pax really didn't mind it all. She loved being in the warm night air with the beautiful woman strolling beside her. Never believing herself to be a romantic, Pax vowed that night that for Teela she would become one. Pax couldn't sleep that night, not because of the nightmarish dreams that haunted her, but as a result of the recurring images of their walk and the scent of the social worker.

Pax remembered the pull of her heart towards the small social worker that night. She watched the way her nose crinkled when she laughed, how she spoke of her job with such emotion. She could feel the passion radiating from her. She felt it the night she lay in bed next to her. Pax chuckled to herself; she had never been that well behaved with a woman in bed ever in her life.

She loved how the little blonde would ask her about the state of her injuries every day, sometimes calling her several times a day to ask if they were still tender or if the bruises were turning an unusually different color. Since Pax had refused to see a doctor, Teela took it upon herself to consult the nurses that she works with about troubleshooting Pax's injuries and what to observe. Pax chuckled aloud; she had her own private duty nurse.

"And what has you lost and laughing in your own world dear sister of mine?" Felicia asked from across her kitchen table.

Pax blushed deeply as she had absently drifted into another daydream about Teela. She had been doing that all week. She lost Hedro the snake in the lab the other day because of it. Now sitting here at Felicia's, she had forgotten what they were discussing.

"What did you say Felicia?"

"Where were you just now?" She grinned.

"Nowhere."

"Uh huh," she said not believing her. "I had asked if you at least get a chance to hit this woman giving the battering she gave your face?"

"Gee, thanks for the positive words there Sis."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do." She sipped her coffee. "It was just...I know how to fight. I was holding my own until..."

"Until?" She watched the wrinkled brow of her sister and something unreadable flash through as well.

"I though I saw Jen."

"Jennifer? Your partner?"

"Yeah. I heard her pleading with me not to fight anymore, not to go to that particular fight." She twisted the coffee cup in her hands studying the swirl of the brown liquid.

"Why didn't she want you to fight?"

"This contest was for a big purse. I knew I had enough skills to take on just about anyone, but she thought it was too dangerous. It was against a guy that outweighed me tremendously and had more experience.

"So you did it anyway."

"Yeah."

"Sounds like Zander."

"It's in the genes, must be."

"Must be," she snorted. "Lucky me."

"So seeing all of that, I froze. That's when Tanesha decided to seek and destroy."

"Do you want to start fighting again?"

Shaking her head she said, "No. I am too old and out of shape to even consider it. I thought it was going to be light contact. You know a demonstration. I was mistaken. She was out to not only prove something to her students, but to me as well." She sipped her coffee. "It was a warning to stay away from Teela."

"Teela? What has she got to do with this?" Felicia didn't understand how Teela was involved.

"She and Teela were sort of dating."

"Oh Pax."

"Don't 'oh Pax' me. Remember it takes two. Obviously she was not happy with Tanesha and she had plenty of opportunities to tell me otherwise." She defended.

"Are you going to stay away from her?"

"Hell no I am not!"

"I take it that you are finding yourself liking the little social worker more and more."

"You have no idea, Felicia."

"If you are willing to risk another beating like you got..."

"I froze. She took advantage of the situation."

"Still you are willing to risk that woman's ire to see Teela. Even you must know that means something."

"Yeah, well. She told me that they were never girlfriends. It was all in Tanesha's head."

"Even more so. Just be careful with that one. It's an unrequited attraction."

Growling Pax declared, "She'll never get another chance. That I guarantee."

"I am not advocating fighting. I don't like violence anyway. All I am saying is to be careful of this Tanesha."

"I know, and neither am I."

She paused studying her sister in law. "Do you love her?"

"Tanesha?"

"Oh yeah." She laughed. "You always hurt they one you love. No you ding dong." She playfully shoved her. "Teela."

"Oh it's too soon for that Felicia. I think that I could grow to love her though. I know I want to be with her a lot. I just like being with her. I just want to...to..."

"Uh huh. I see. Have you told her?"

"Oh no. I mean, after all this drama with Tanesha and her friend. It's too much."

"Her friend? She has another girlfriend?"

"God no. She has a very good friend she helps to take care of, but she has been sick lately. Teela is really worried about her."

"Who is she?"

"Dunno. Teela doesn't talk about her very much, but when she does mention her, she becomes...I don't know. She gets this kind of faraway look to her eyes and then she is withdrawn. Sometimes she cries. Takes a lot for me to pull her back really."

"Interesting."

"Yeah."

"So what are you going to do?"

"What should I do? I have not exactly been honest with the baggage I carry myself ya know."

"Who is Pax? Once you hit high school you start accumulating baggage."

Smiling she asked, "Is that right?"

"Oh, yeah. Now are you going to pursue that little cute social worker or what?"

"I might as well. I cherish what memories she has made for me, but they are haunting me where ever I go. It used to be in my sleep Felicia. Now they strike me during the day...all the time." She was exasperated.

"Ooh goodie goodie." Felicia clapped childishly. "That is such a good sign. You are smitten."

"I am so glad that you are taking joy in this torture for me. Smitten?"

"Oh yeah." She gave her a Cheshire cats grin behind her coffee cup.

"Well I am glad to see that you are so pleased. But there is still one possible problem."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"She is Mom's social worker. I don't want her getting into any trouble because of seeing me."

"Yeah, you're right. That could pose a problem. Hmmmm." Felicia twisted her face in thought. "But not irresolvable."

"Oh this I can't wait to hear." Silence engulfed them for several minutes before Pax noticed her sister-in-law smiling at her. "What now?"

"We move her to a different unit or room or whatever they call it. She will have a different social worker then. Problem solved."

Pax thought long and sipped her coffee on the idea. She thought aloud, "But isn't she used to the people where she is? It won't be hard for her or anything will it? I don't want to do something that will upset her or change how they care for her."

"I don't think so. Pax, I love your Mom. I wouldn't want to do anything that would harm her either. But, I don't think she has that much awareness for it to really be an issue. The strokes she's had did a lot of damage in there."

"I know. I can see it. But what about the boys? It's their decision not ours."

"Leave them to me." She pointed at her chest confidently.

"You'd do that for me?"

"For family."

"Thanks." She smiled and wiped the tear before it had a chance to fall.

"Good now that's settled, what are you doing the rest of the day?"

"Nothing Really. Was just going to go home and be lazy for a change."

"I think you need to call Teela and take her out somewhere."

"Ya do huh?" Pax absently checked her watch.

"Better yet," she looked at her own watch, "her day should be ending soon. Call her and tell her you want to take her dancing."

"I can't dance."

"Fake it." Felicia waved at her with annoyance.

"Felicia. I really, can't dance."

"And I said really fake it. Just be with her you idiot. Better yet, make her dance for you." She wiggled her eye brows.

"And you are a pervert." Pax shook her head unbelievingly.

"Yeah, I keep telling Zander. He says, that why he married me."

"Lucky him."

"That's what I tell him."

Chuckling, Pax pulled open her cell phone and dialed the familiar number to the ARCC.

"Hello, Can I speak to Teela Pheamster please? Oh she has...Is she going to return? I see. No, no message. Thank you." She hung up and turned to Felicia. "She is not there. She's gone for the remainder of the week. She took a a vacation." Disappointed, Pax stared at the telephone. We talked every day, Felicia. She never mention that she was taking a vacation."

"She didn't?"

"No."

"Maybe it slipped her mind."

"Maybe."

"Well, you'll just have to plan it for when she returns. Gives you plenty of time to learn to dance."

"Yeah. I guess," She said distractedly to the phone.


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Sitting in her favorite recliner, Boney moved from side to side trying to watch the ball game on the television. Jo's pacing back and forth kept interrupting her view and making her miss the action.

"There is still no answer at her place. She is not answering her cell phone either. Where could she be Boney?"

"I'm not sure honey. Did her work say if she was off at a seminar or something?"

"No they didn't, but when I went by her place, the house was sealed up tight and Thumper was no where to be found. So she at least took her with her."

"Thumper will protect her honey."

"Ha! Thumper would leave her side for a rawhide. That's not a pitt bull; it's an eighty five pound baby. She only looks scary."

"Sometimes that is all it takes."

"I know. Three days Boney, and no word as to where she is. You think she is ok?" She stopped in front of her wife.

Boney stood and hugged her beloved. She secretly spied the game over Jo's shoulder and then leaned back to brush her hands across Jo's forehead getting to relax the wrinkles there. "Yeah. Sweetheart she is okay. I know you are worried, but all we can really do is wait for her to call. Maybe she just needed to get away to clear her head. You two have been arguing pretty steadily about her love life lately ya know."

"I only want what's best for her Boney. She has got to let Bess go before she can live. Right now, all she is doing is existing."

"I know sweetheart, but it is her choice. As her friends we have to stand by her in spite of her decisions." Boney hugged her wife then slyly helped her step to the side of the television screen.

"I know. I know. How did you get to be so good?"

Turning her eyes quickly to wife she said, "I've lived with you for how long now, two years?" She grinned.

"Smart ass."

"Yeah and tight too. Want to cop a feel?" She placed her wife's hand on her backside cooing at the squeezing.

"I love you Boney. Even though you are touched."

"I love you too honey 'cause you touch me." She kissed her lightly.

"But where could she be?" Jo returned to her pacing.

Walking away toward the kitchen, Boney called over her shoulder, "Have you tried Nettles?"

Jo snapped her fingers and her face broke into a toothy grin. " Boney you're marvelous. I never thought of calling there." she shouted over her shoulder.

"That's what I'm here for cuddles."


Jo quickly grabbed the telephone and dialed the campground. She asked the operator if Teela Pheamster had checked in. After a brief pause the woman said yes there was a Teela Pheamster registered leaving Sunday. Jo thanked her and then hung up.

"Well?" She asked walking back into the room carrying a beer. She flopped down onto the sofa and grabbed the remote.

"She's there. At least I can relax a little now."

"She probably needed to just get away for a while hon. she had a pretty full plate lately."

"Yeah. I guess."

"She did this before remember? When her and Bess had one of their fights."

"She did; I remember. Bess was going out of her mind with worry."

"And she came through it just fine on her own. Didn't she?"

"Yeah, I guess. But this is different though Boney." She sat beside her wife and stroked her thigh. Boney dropped her head to the back of the couch. Her wife was stroking one of her more sensitive spots. Boney felt her legs automatically spread a little wider. "You know, maybe I should go see this Pax Baldwin."

"No you shouldn't," She gasped. Jo did not have any idea what she had been doing to her wife.

"Why not?" She removed her hand staring at her wife.

"Why would you want to?" Boney reached for Jo's hand and returned it to her thigh.

"Just to talk to her is all." She let her finger fan across her wife's muscle and then ran her neatly trimmed nails across the jeans surface.

Unable prevent her quivering, Boney sat her beer on the end table. "Uh huh. You want to be nosey and to interfere is all."

"Now Boney." Her fingers slipped higher on one her passes up the thing before retreating.

"No Jo. This is Teela's decision. Remember? She is 40 something years old and can made up her own mind if she wants to see someone or not."

"But Boney."

Boney placed her hand over Jo's stopping it before it reached her groin. "You stay away from Pax, Johanna." Her voice lowered with authority.

"Oooh using my name huh. Am I in trouble?" Her fingers reached for the buttons on Boney's shirt playfully tugging at them.

Grinning evilly she said, "You could be. Don't make me get rough."

"Oh yeah, stud. You can get rough?" Her hand cupped a breast and Boney moaned her instant need.

"Are you wanting to find out?"

She stands and takes several steps towards the stairs. "I don't think you've got it in you."

Boney watched her run out of the room. She pushed the button to turn off the TV and bolted after her fleeing wife.


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Teela lay on the lounger absently stroking Thumper's head as she stared at the tree branches dancing lightly in the wind, feeling more relaxed and content than she had in a while, if only for a brief moment. She had been sitting in her office earlier that week trying to concentrate on her work and was getting the information among three residents confused and jumbled. She had to re-write each of those summaries by hand. Unable to handle her frustration any longer, she marched into Eerie Warden's office and stated that she had been feeling putrid and wanted to go home. Every day since then she had called in feeling god-awful. She just let Eerie believe it was physical. Her chaotic mental state was her own business.

She was trying to decide if she wanted to have a beer or a bottle of ice cold green tea. She was here to try and sort things out and not to get drunk. That was her choice on her first night alone, just to be smashed to oblivion and not have to try and sort through all the drama that recently plagued her life.

Drama one: Tanesha. So much for that, she had finally admitted to herself. Tanesha was a diversion, a means to an end, not only to keep Jo and Boney at bay, but to also sate her loneliness and need for physical touch. She was good company, smart, beautiful, but there was no emotional connection with her. She loved the attention that Tanesha showered upon her. After so long of being without affection, she couldn't help herself but to invite Tanesha to unconsciously feed a starving self-esteem.

But she had begun to dread the caller ID even before the fight with Pax. Like some things, she just became used to it, comfortable and did not want to entertain change. She wasn't proud of herself. She had used another human being for her own needs. Own greed. And then pushed her aside when her purpose was no longer served. She never thought that she would do something like that.

Drama two: Pax. This was the complete opposite of drama one, a welcomed temptation if ever she was faced with one. The stirring of emotion that swelled whenever the woman was near, was too strong to ignore. Whenever they touched absently or purposefully, the fire that lingered upon her skin could not be doused. She couldn't get enough of being in her presence. She was drawn to it. To her. There is always an air of mystery lurking around Pax. Teela had wanted to just ask on so many occasions. She felt that Pax had wanted her to, but that would be inviting her to open up as well, although she was not ready to do so. Ultimately, that would lead her to talk about Bess.

Always, always there was Bess.

She loved being at Nettles in the middle of the week when there were hardly any campers around. The place was absolutely quiet except or the occasional lawn mower or car driving through. For the most part, she and Thumper swam on the empty beach, sunned themselves in the sand, and talked.

In her solitude, she was able to concentrate on each of the pieces of her life and realized that she needed to make a decision. Thumper was a good listener for all of her ruminations, but after a few days of the same thing, Teela got sense that even Thumper was getting fed up with the wishy-washy thought patterns and indecisiveness she was showing lately. Those were unusual traits, and were not appealing even to herself. She would have sworn, the dog even growled at her to shut up one night.

By her fourth morning, she showered, brushed the dirt from Thumper and closed up the camper. She was heading back assured of what she had to do.

________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER 18

Fresh from the shower, Pax walked into her living room whistling a silly tune she had made up and shaking her hair free from the bun where it was twisted and wrapped at the back of her head. She headed to the end table where she kept the telephone and answering machine. Pax looked at the red glowing number zero.

Lying right next to it was her cell phone. She picked it up and checked for messages. She sighed with heavy disappointment that Teela still had not called. Teela where are you?

Raking her hand through her hair she walked into the kitchen and retrieved the plate of snacks she had prepared before going to shower. She plopped upon the couch and pushed the button to start the DVD player.

When she saw the new Godzilla movie on the shelf at the store, she was so excited she giggled. Seeing others glancing at her sideways, she quickly tossed the movie into her cart and moved on. Her mind wasn't on the new sci-fi but on Teela.

She thought over what Felicia had said. She really is a smart cookie, but to share my past with Teela? I would have to start before Jen, and then through Jen. The first part is easy. I was an arrogant and angry horn dog. She would understand that part. Young, fairly good looking, single in Berkley. I relive my life with her almost every night. Now I have to do it in reality.

But I just can't dance Felicia," she chuckled and shook the thoughts away. "If she wants to talk to me, she can call." She glanced at the telephone again. "I just wish it would be soon."

For the rest of the day, she wanted to be comfortable, lazy, and brainless. She was dressed in her second most favorite tee with the large portrait of Bob Marley and a pair of USC athletic shorts. Adding the finishing touch to her ensemble Pax placed her tattered USC Trojans ball cap on backward.

"Voila!" Pax clapped her hands together. "Now it is movie time." She cheered herself. Anything to take her mind off of the social worker. She was worried about her, Where are? I wondered what you're doing at this moment. She wished that she was sitting next to her watching the new DVD.

Pax settled back onto the couch and watched as Godzilla as usual rose out of the sea behind and unsuspecting reporter. She grinned widely, laughing at the frightened look up the reporter's face when he finally turned around to see Her Boy, as she called him, rising out of Tokyo Bay.

"Wow! I like those special effects," She said marveling at the tight close up of the water cascading off of his scales and body while he stood. "Gotta be a power plant around somewhere, 'Zilla boy. Sniff it out." She placed a piece of the summer sausage onto the cracker and then a piece of cheese, her favorite munchies while watching Godzilla movies.

Tokyo's best and brightest scientists had built a mechanical Godzilla from the skeleton remains of the original 1949 Godzilla. It needed a pilot to operate the controls, to in effect be the machine they created. That pilot would be apart of an elite special unit in the military formed just to combat Japan's number one enemy and nuclear power stealer. The ace pilot turned out to Pax's delight to be a woman. Pax's fist shot in the air cheering for the rarity.

Then real Godzilla had just made land fall. The leaders were panicky. It was to test their secret
defense weapon. The special unit went into action. Pax sat upright and made another cracker. She felt her heart pumping in anticipation of the initial confrontation.

Once on land, the PA system wired throughout the city told its citizens to get the hell out of Dodge. The running scene began. As usual, Pax participated by throwing her hands in the air, waiving and screaming along with the others on the screen. Godzilla was fast approaching the stupid woman who was not running, but instead standing there looking at the monster walking towards her.

At that moment, the door bell rang. "Gggrrrr!" rumbled Pax as she clicked the pause button. "Not now! Goddamn it this had better be a matter of life and death." Looking at the screen and then towards her front door, she contemplated not answering it. "Arrggghh, it could be Felicia and the boys." She flicked off the TV set flicked off the set and went to answer the door.

Peeking through the hole in the door, she stepped back gasping. Taking a deep breath to calm the pounding that beat faster than what watching Godzilla had caused, she slowly opened the door to Teela.

Pax knew that she was smiling at the small woman standing before her. She raised an eyebrow in wonder as to why the social worker stood on her step in the middle of a summer day wearing a light weight full length rain coat.

"Teela, hi."

"Hello." She said giving the zoologist her most alluring smile.

"I ah...thought you were on vacation."

"I was. Now I am back." Teela's smile turned slightly mischievous as she watched those baby blues wanting to remember their color at this moment. "Can I come in?"

"Oh yeah, sorry," stepping aside allowing Teela enter. Her senses were immediately engulfed in the scent of roses wafting as she passed. Pax silently groaned at the twitch of recognition by her southern region, looking at the long coat curiously.

"You look cute by the way," Teela threw the comment while looking over her shoulder.

"Oohh...thanks," Heat spreading upward from her neck to her cheeks.

"Did you ahh have a good time on your vacation?"

"Hmmm. You can say that. Thumper and I did some talking and thinking while we were gone." She followed Pax's gesture to the couch for her to have a seat. "Am I interrupting something?" She asked looking at the snacks upon the table. I never considered that she would have plans for the day. I just assumed. It looks as though she is having a party of some sort.

"No. Not really. Just having a lazy day,." She explained and sat safely at the opposite end of the couch facing Teela, one leg under her the other on the floor.

"I needed a few of those actually."

"Oh?" Her brow knitted with concern. "Is everything okay with you Teela? Is there something I can help you with."

"You always ask me that, and yet you hardly know me." Her smile filled her with warmth. "We hardly know each other."

"I think we know each other enough. The important things anyway."

"Really." She said slipping closer to her. "What do you know about me Pax?"

God, Pax choked, What do I say now? "I know that you are a good person, compassionate, caring."

"That could really describe a lot of people Pax." Teela pressed. "What else.?" And slid closer still.

Gazing into those emerald orbs, Pax shifted uncomfortably due to the her body lubricating arousal. Teela watched Pax's eyes change to a darker blue. She had gambled and it seems to be paying off. She had thought of nothing on the long drive back from Nettles but of their kiss, how those lips caused a fire to rage within her body and cause a sexual fever that could not be quenched except by the entity that caused it. That was Pax. That blaze was smoldering again, slowly igniting the closer she got to the source.

Leaning further against the arm of the couch Pax was trapped. The darkening of those beautiful emeralds had set the trap and she willingly stepped in.

"Aahh. That you are very beautiful." Pax whispered floating. "And a bunch of other things that seem to be escaping me right now."

"Is that so?"

Pax nodded transfixed. She never thought being petrified could feel so wonderful.

"How come?"

Her eyes stared at Teela's lips, an increasing sense of desperation to taste them filled her. "Because you are so close right now and it's a little difficult to continue to think and talk at the same time."

"Oh. Should we stop talking?" Teela's mischievous grin returned.

The roar of her blood as it rushed through her body crashed in Pax's ears. Teela maneuvered Pax's drawn leg out along the couch and sat between her legs. Pax couldn't prevent the rumbling groan when Teela's hip pressed lightly against her center. Nor could she control the involuntary movement of hips seeking more contact. Teela trailed a finger up the front of Bob Marely's face lightly circling his eyes. Her body shudders at the soft guttural moan escaped from Pax.

Keeping her eyes locked upon the gorgeous face of the woman before her, Teela instructed her hands to continue their trail up the side of Pax's neck coming to rest just below the jaw. Teela watched as Pax's eyes rolled back and closed them basking in the sensual caress.

Teela licked her lips wanting to succumb to the invitation to taste what her fingers had touched. Teela placed her right knee on the cushion between Pax's legs, right hand bracing herself on the back of the couch. Her knee pressed into Pax as she bent to taste the neck that has haunted her so unendingly in her dreams.

Pax whimpered and sank further into the soft couch, tilting her head back and to the side giving the social worker more access. Teela suckled and nipped at the tender flesh, swooning in the clean scent that was only Pax. Pax's hands traveled to her back and pulled her closer.

Unable to resist any longer, she found the lips she had been wanting for so very long. It took all of her strength to be good that night of the fight, but not now. Now there would be no barriers to what she wanted, what she had yearned for from the very first moment their eyes looked across Jo and Boney's back yard. Teela wanted this woman and wanted her now. Her way.

As their lips met, a chorus of moans escaped into the room as the tender exploring slowly increased to a fury of desire. Pax shifted again, inching her body lower for more contact with Teela.

Teela sensing what her soon to be lover wanted, moved her knee slightly and found Pax's center open and surrendering to her. A surge of aggression over Teela and her arousal increased. For once she was in control and it was nearly intoxicating. She felt the woman squirm beneath her and she caused it. She controlled it. To prove her point, she paused briefly in their rhythmic dance. Pax shifted to regain the connection.

Pax started to become frantic. Her need for the social worker was increasing. The agonizing slow grinding against her nether lips were soaking through the underpants and shorts. Sensing this, Teela slowed her pace even more, wanting to draw out every ounce of desire the zoologist had. Teela moaned; her own center pulsed at the thought of wanting to hear the woman beg. Once she walked through the front door, it was like another personality had invaded her body, a sensually mischievous spirit that wanted release. One that could only be set freed by Pax.

Teela's hand lowered and palmed the covered, firm breast. Pax's hips buck firmly contacting with Teela's muscular thigh. Both emitted groans of pleasure at the contact. Pax pressed her lips once again to the blondes as her hips danced upon her flesh. Pax groaned knowing she was marking Teela with her offering. Teela pulled away to satisfy the need to take air into her deprived lungs. She glanced down to where their bodies were connected and her nostrils flared. She smelled Pax's arousal and felt the flow of her own flow throughout the sheer fabric she wore between her own legs.

The kiss broke as they each looked into mutual hunger. Pax surprised herself and whimpered again. Never had she been so close so quickly. Not even with her Jen, did she approach the pinnacle of the mountain with barely one touch. Every nerve in the engorged nub between her legs vibrated. It was growing painfully large. Just a little more and she would coat Teela with her very essence. Suddenly she realized something was wrong, Teela still had on the overcoat.

She shuddered trying to dull the incessant throbbing and make herself wait.

"Don't you want to remove your coat and stay a while?" She asked when their dance paused. Pax mentally slapped herself for the suggestion, both eyebrows raised to her hairline at the naughty expression on the social worker.

"I thought you would never ask."

Seizing the lips before her once more Teela sought to devour Pax, her tongue demanding entry into the cavern for which she had developed a taste. The wait was not in vain as the more she experienced the honey the more she craved. She moved her knee just enough to bring Pax back to the edge, letting her rhythm tease her to the brink. She broke the kiss, and the devilish smile return She stilled her with a final stroke and moved out of her reach.

"Why do you tease me so, Teela?" Pax whined.

"Me? Tease?" She stood above Pax grinning.

Pax's response was a growl that caused Teela to pleasantly shake. She had never known a human to make a sound as invigorating as Pax. Oh, Teela thought, this is really going to be fun. Keeping her eyes locked upon Pax, Teela began to undo the buttons painstakingly slow. She watched blue eyes widen and narrow and widen again. Pressed into the couch, Pax's chest heaved as she glimpsed bare skin beneath the coat.

Once all the buttons were undone, Teela held the coat closed and waited. She saw the clenching of Pax's hands into the cushions and then release in frustration. Almost reverently, Teela parted the coat and let it slip off her shoulders. She let it hang around her forearms before wrapping her arms around her midsection. Poised, she watched the cerulean eyes twinkle and darken further. Teela absently let the coat drop to the floor. Teela did not have to wonder any further when she gazed upon the fixed face of the woman on the couch, mouth ajar, blush covering the classic features, beautiful blue eyes frozen upon the sheer black teddy that revealed every inch of the social worker.

"Oh God," Pax whispered. "You are so beautiful." She stretched her arms wide wanting Teela to return.

Pax gazed at the voluptuous breasts teasing her from the short distance. Her rose colored pink nipples were hardened and pointing at Pax, taunting her. Absently licking her lips, she let her gaze drift down the flattened tummy and spied on the neatly trimmed tuft of blonde hair.

Pax's river flowed through the supposed protective barrier of her underpants and shorts. Her wetness seeped upon the couch as the border between her legs had long since soaked through. Pax willed herself to be patient as Teela removed the tennis shoes she wore. Teela returned to the position she had before in Pax's awaiting arms. Taking her lips once again she relinquished any thoughts of control and let Teela do as she pleased.

Teela's tongue captured her mouth and sucked on her bottom lip. The small hand circled and kneaded her breast in a frantic manner. Her hands moved over the sheer satiny fabric caressing every part of Teela's body that she could reach. Pax needed her now. The friction the blonde was causing was too good to end.

Pax groaned from deep within at the sensations playing throughout her body. She decided to pull herself back and squeeze her muscles to prevent herself from coming too soon. But the more she tightened the muscles near her nub, the more sensitive it became bringing her closer and closer to a powerful orgasm. It was good for delaying but made the end result more powerful. A win-win situation for Pax.

But this she wanted to savor, their first time. She wanted to feel the warm flesh pressed against hers. She wanted to feel Teela writhing below or on top she was not about to be picky at the moment. She just wanted it. Now.

"Take off your shirt baby." Teela panted.

Not moving fast enough, Teela helped her remove Bob Morley and toss him somewhere behind the couch. The small hands returned circling her breast. Pulling and pinching the already erect nipples.

"Please," Pax breathed her need for release. She couldn't wait much longer.

Teela lowered her head and took the large nipple into her mouth, circling with her tongue before pulling the bullet between her teeth. Pax arched her back as Teela swallowed her nipple and placed her hand on the back of her head to make sure Teela was not going to stop making the heavenly sensations.

The fevered hands were upon her stomach and then attempt to fight the waist band of her shorts.
Pax cursed herself silently wishing that she had removed those as well. Now she did not care, praying that Teela would soon touch her through them anyway.

Teela's mouth return to her neck on the other side to nip and suck that tender spot that always drove
Pax's libido insane. Her hand slid over the shorts coming to rest on her center. Pax arched into the touch. The nimble fingers trekked their way further south to the leg of her shorts before heading north underneath them. Pax couldn't decide which was driving her more towards the edge, the touching of her skin by the gorgeous social worker, or the fingers stroking across her center. She guttural groan was for both at the moment.

"My god, you are so wet," Teela exclaimed. "Is that for me?"

She pulled the fingers from their place. Raising her hand, she looked at the nectar coating her digits. Slowly. Deliberately, making sure that Pax was watching, she put them into her mouth. Moaning and closing her eyes in heaven, Pax shuddered. Chuckling, she returned the damp fingers back where she found the moisture and shifted the material out of her way. She stroked the swollen lips, coating her digits in the River Pax. Teela moaned at the soft slick folds gliding over her fingertips.

"Please," she begged while trying to fill her lungs with air. "I am so close Teela, Please."

Teela smirked hearing the starvation in Pax's voice set her skin to prickle with excited anticipation. She lowered her mouth and attacked the same exposed breast relentlessly. Teela sensing Pax's reaction used her right hand to wrap around Pax's waist holding her in place. As she lightly bit into her nipple again, two fingers plunged into Pax's center. Pax's eyes grew wide and her mouth opened at the sharp intake of air. Nearly bucking Teela off the couch and onto the floor, the couch fabric gave a little as her grip seized a spot of cushion.

"God yes Teela. Fill me baby." Her eyes drifted closed as she floated upon the sensations that Teela was creating within her.

As asked, Teela thrust once between the slick folds sucking greedily upon her captured nipple. She tightened her grasp around her securing Pax beneath her. Teela stilled deep inside of Pax while her hips rolled up and down. Never knowing that she possessed such a carnal nature, Teela let it take control.

Releasing the nipple go with a flick of her tongue, she looked upon lover. She is so beautiful when lust has her. "Do you need something Pax?"

"Tee, baby please, finish me. I need you to make me come." She continued to thrust her hip against Teela's still hand.

Grinning, Teela slowly pulled her fingers out to the edge of Pax's drenched opening. Again she lowered readying to take the hardened bud into her mouth. As her lips wrapped around the taunt offering, Teela thrust three fingers into Pax, curling them upward hitting that certain ribbed spot.

"Ooh God Teela!" Pax cried out as she lost all conscious control of her body. Wildly, hips a flurry of undulation, circling up and down grounding against Teela's finger, Pax was willingly held suspended, held hostage by the fierce rapture.

Pleased that her carnality was able to satisfy her new lover, Teela looked into the flushed features and waited for the heavy lidded eyes to open. Her own center was twittering in near unison as the pulse beat upon her fingers stilled inside of Pax. She eased her fingers away from the desperate grip the muscles had on them. As hard as they tried to hold on, she had made Pax too slippery to keep them in place. They were so coated, groaning Teela felt her nether lips contract from being able to smell them. She then shifted her position to expose the neglected breast.

She painted the breast and the nipple with her fingers. The touch sent more after shocks throughout Pax body. Unable to speak, the purring coming through her chest was voice enough for Teela. Pax's entire body hummed. Teela bent her head and licked the traces of Pax around her outer breast. Pax arched into the scalding touch of her lover. Teela blew gently upon the lush nipple causing more quakes to erupt throughout the woman beneath her. Her damp fingers returned to the opening in the boxer legs and played with the swollen nub. Narrowing her tongue, she gave the nipple a flick at the same time her finger did the same to the hypersensitive nub.

"Teela," she panted, hips surfing on their sensual waves.

"Hmmm?" Using the point of her tongue, Teela circled the outside of Pax's breast matching the movement of her fingers circling the bloated nub below.
.
"Take me baby."

She drew the nipple between her sizzling lips as her fingers plunged deep within Pax reaching the muscled barrier. High off the couch, Pax's body went rigid. Like a line of dominoes tumbling in succession, the low rumbling sound began from where Teela's fingertips were inside of her and traveled up her torso. The sound vibrating through her vocal chords was more animalistic than Teela had ever heard someone make before. The deep resounding of her name filled the room as she helped Pax to the zenith of heaven.

No longer able to deny her own need, Teela quickly lowered herself, straddling Pax's leg and soon her own screams of crowning exhilaration mingled in the room with Pax's. Sweat beaded across her forehead s she was amazed at their instant coordination hips meeting in sync with thrusts. Pax hands grabbed Teela's hips and helped guide her. Teela's skin was saturated, and soon caused Pax to experience a trip to the heavens.

Falling onto her lover, each was trying desperately to inhale enough oxygen. Easing her hand away from the wonderful nether lips, Teela snuggled onto Pax's chest finding herself enveloped in warm arms. She didn't want to move from this point ever. She just wanted to be with Pax and lay here contented.

Pax held her close and smelled her essence on Teela. A strong contraction of her southern half let her know that she was ready again. God, I want her again. You are certainly full of surprises, my love. What other secrets such as this do you have?

"You made me feel so wonderful. Thank you." She kissed the crown of her head.

"I am glad that I was able to please you."

"There was never any doubt in my mind." She said squeezing her closer. "Would you liked to get more
comfortable?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Naked in my bed."

"Thought you would never ask."




@@@@@@@@@@@@@@


At the stove cooking scrambled eggs, Teela couldn't help the perpetual smile that was on her face. She and Pax had made love all afternoon and now she was starving. She had left the sleeping Pax in the bedroom sprawled across the bed in exhaustion. Teela chuckled at her new found carnality. It was Pax who seemed to call it forth from where ever it had been lurking. She like it, but she was hungry. She found one of Pax's Godzilla tee shirts, and set out to make them something to eat. Looking in Pax's cupboards, she surmised that the woman did not cook much beside the basic breakfast and boxed foods.

She startled when hands suddenly snaked around her waist and lips were attacking her neck.

"I thought you were sleeping," She said closing her eyes and focusing on the warm tongue bathing her neck.

"Uh huh. Recharging." She pulled Teela into her, grinding herself into Teela's luscious backside.

Teela turned around and backed her lover up to the counter. Their lips met and their moans mingled as with their tongues. Pax pulled the social worker closer still grasping her backside melding her skin with her own. Teela's hand snaked between them and kneaded the right breasts that was quickly becoming her favorite. Their kiss lingered for some time until the smoke detected alarm sound.

Jumping apart, they looked all around the room smelling the burning food. "Oh no!" Teela groaned as she removed the pan of burnt eggs from the stove. "Look what you did." She chimed.

"Me?" Pax stopped from opening the kitchen window to look at her lover with disbelief.

"Yes, you," Teela confirmed sitting the ruined pan of food in the sink to cool. "You distracted me and I burnt our dinner."

Understanding she grinned. "But it was a tasty distraction don't you think?" She waved the kitchen towel at the offending alarm on the ceiling until it shut off.

"That is beside the point." Returning the smile.

She turned back to the stove and turned on the eye under the small pot of water. They could still have Cream of Wheat, eggs, and toast. She would just make another batch. "Would you mind doing the toast?"

"Sure." Pax readied her supplies and put the bread in the toaster on the counter opposite of Teela.

Head in her palm she watched the gentle shaking of Teela 's backside as she beat the eggs and then began stirred the eggs in the pan. Godzilla never moved so sexily, she thought as he did when Teela was making him move. Oh yes, I want her again and again and again. They had been making love all day since she arrived. Pax was grateful for resuming her karate conditioning again. Teela was insatiable. Recharging was an accurate description of the nap she took.

"What are you staring at Pax?" Without turning, Teela knew the blue orbs were boring into her back.

"How do you know that I am staring? You didn't even turn around."

"Don't have to." She did then. "I could feel it. Beside the toaster popped a couple of minutes ago."

Shrugging with indifference Pax asked, "Do you want to know what I was observing?"

Removing the pan from the stove, she walked over taking Pax by the hand and sat her in one of the kitchen chairs. Then placed herself on her lap.

"What's that?"

"How I missed these." She cupped Teela's buttocks. "And these." She kissed her gently, deeply exploring her mouth so new again after being far away across the room.

"Is that right."

"Oh yeah." She kissed her again.

"We keep doing this, and we're going to ruin what little food you have left in your fridge."

"I don't mind."

"I bet you don't." She suckled the bottom lip. Pax's hand cupped her encouraging the nipples to grow harder if possible. "Okay. No more of that." She removed herself from the temptation and returns to the stove.

"But why?" Pax whined unashamed. "You are so much better than anything in this kitchen."

"You're sweet." She stirred the grainy food into the boiling water and lowered the temperature.

Watching the shaking of Godzilla made Pax whimper. "And horny."

"That too. But I am hungry, for food. I need my strength."

"Then why don't we order out for more strength-building food?" She suggested slipping her hands around Teela's waist and pulling her back against her.


"Pax..." she said in warning at the lips kissing her neck and the hands caressing her breasts.

"Hmmmm."'

"The food is going to burn."

Pax stopped what she was doing. Reaching around the smaller woman, she quickly moved the pans to another burner, turning off the stove. She scooped Teela's up in her arms.

"Let it burn then," she said and walked them back to the bedroom.


___________________________________________________________

CHAPTER 19


"Oh pretty flowers." Kathryn said entering Teela's office. She leaned over inhaling the aromatic scent. "Who are they from?"

"No one," she grumbled.

"Sure. You just decided to spend what, thirty or forty bucks on a beautiful bouquet of lavender roses for being enchanted with yourself."

"Enchanted?"

"That's what lavender roses means. Enchantment, love at first sight."

"Then yep, I'm enchanted with myself," she grinned.

"You lie. You have been getting a lot of these lately."

"You can have them if you want. Otherwise they are going in the trash."

"You can't be serious?"

"Yes I am." She said pointing at her waste basket in the corner. "See, that's where the other two dozen are."

"Teela." She watched the social worker shrug her shoulders. "I'll take them then."

"Help yourself. Besides, what are you doing in my office carrying papers?"

"Now Teela. I just wanted to say hi," she laughed.

"Yeah right. What do you want now?" Teela snorted. She truly liked the easy banter she had with the Admissions Coordinator.

"We have a new admission coming and it's a toss-up if she is going to be yours or Nica's."

"Give her to Nica."

Kat chuckled. "Nica said give her to you."

"She beat me to it. Huh?"

"Yeah. This one might not be so bad."

"Who is it?"

"Ida Leminski. Eighty-four years old. Degenerative Joint Disease, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Hyperglycemia..." She stopped.

Teela narrowed her eyes at her friend. "What are you hiding Kat? I know you are hiding something."

She gave her an impish smile. "Mild Dementia..."

"And....."

"Anxiety and Schizophrenia."

"Come on Kat!" came Teela's exasperated cry.

"Wait now it gets a little better."

"Oh I bet." her voiced dripped with sarcasm.

"Mental Health is following her. Her group home closed down and they are worried about transfer trauma. She had been living in the place for the past ten years."

"'It gets better'" she mimicked. "You are such a liar sometimes. And the drugs?"

"Clozaril, Aricept, Depakote, Cogentin."

"That's it?"

"Yep. Seems as though she has a significant mental health history including," she scanned the papers in her hands, "fifty-six ECTs."


"She had electric shock treatments huh?" She was intrigued. "You know, that is the fourth person that you have given me in a couple of years that has had a lot of ECTs. It is great to put psychosis in remission, but the people seem to end up with a level of Dementia. I wonder if those people didn't have the treatments would they still have ended up with Dementia?"

"Don't know, but it's a great hypothesis for research."

"When was her last hospitalization?"

Scanning the documents again she replied, "1996. Since then has been generally stable with psyche following."

Heaving a weary sigh Teela asked, "How is the family?"

"Well, I guess they are okay. Permanent placement and Private pay."

"I suppose that is why they are accepting her. Generally Hazel shies away from that kind of history and mediations."

"Could be. Census has been down for a week. You know how they get when it's like that."

"I know. Is someone going out to preview her before she comes in?"

"Doesn't look like it."

"I hate it when they do that. You would think Hazel and Eerie would have learned how hazardous that can be. Remember when they let that forty-eight year old Multiple Sclerosis patient in here without the preview?" Teela shuddered thinking about the complexities and horrors of that case. "That woman almost burning down the building with her smoking. She was non-compliant with everything, and we had to have special services contracted because of her. Not to mention the multiple sex allegations she launched against the staff."

"I know. I remember."

"When?

"Tomorrow. The Granddaughter is the Medical Power Of Attorney and will be here this afternoon to sign the contract. I'll bring her by. Should be here about three."

"Great."

The receptionist walked into her office carrying another two dozen roses. This time, they were a mixture vibrant blue and rich yellow. Her office space filled instantly with the scent of the fresh flowers. Curious, Teela stared at them. She had never seen blue roses before and was fascinated by their deep color.

"Since you sent these to yourself, you won't mind if I read the love letter you attached." Kat smirked.

"Give me that." Teela snatched the card from her friend and opened the envelope.

Dearest Teela,

One more thing that I know about you is that you seem to like roses. So when I
saw these rare gems, I knew I had to get them to match your unprecedented
beauty. You have enchanted me, my love. I am truly captivated and at a loss
without you near.

Yours,

P.

"Have you ever seen blue roses before Teela?" Kathyrn was stunned.

"No," she whispered folding the note and placing it over her heart.

"Hmmmm. Can I have these instead?"

"No," came a firmer reply.


@@@@@@@@@@@@@

"Hello Ivah," Teela greeted the older woman after knocking on the door. "It's Teela. The CENA said you wanted to see me."

"Yes."

"How are you today?"

"Not good. Teela," she grumbled from her recliner chair. She turned down the TV where the announcer shouted the base hit. Ivah loved her baseball.

"Why is it not a good morning Ivah?"

"Because those same aides were working last night and they continued to harass me. They refused help me when I call them."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I have reported to that other lady a while ago and nothing has been done about it yet!" she replied indignantly. The tremors in here hands increased. Ivan had Parkinson's, and when she became upset, the tremors and shaking tripled, rattling the poor woman senseless.

"What other lady was that?" Teela was curious. She had not read anything about Ivah's complaint on the Report Sheets she read daily. Teela took the wrinkled hand in her own and stroking it trying to calm the woman's frayed nerves.

"She said she was the head of a department. I can't remember everything, but I do know that they come in here at night, called me names, took my bottled water and my candy!" she shouted. "I am going to call my daughter. That is what I am going to do. She will get to the bottom of things and then you all will be sorry. She's an attorney you know."

Smiling calmly Teela said, "Yes Ivah, I know your daughter very well. I know that you are proud of her for being a successful lawyer too."

"Damn right I am. I will not hesitate to call her and make sure you all pay for the way you are treating me. I need my rest at night and those damn fools are out there talking and laughing when they should be working. It is just too damn noisy at night."

"Ivah. I am very sorry this has happened to you. If you can bear with me, I will look into this personally and get back with you. OK?"

"Ha! That is what that other lady said and she has not spoken to me since."

"I assure you Ivah. I will come back and talk to you."

"I'll be here. MY daughter made sure of that! Ha, a lot that she knows. I can live on my own. I can take care of myself. Been doing it for forty years since my husband died. I took care of those snot-nosed brats by myself and did a damn good job of it too!"

"Yes you did Ivah. All four of your children are very successful in their careers and they come see you every week."

"Yeah, well hurrah for them," she huffed.

Feeling very uneasy about what Ivah said. She went to the nursing station and looked in Ivah's clinical chart, first to see if the nurses had written anything about her complaints. Not finding any entries of note, she turned to the social services notes. Maybe someone had responded and made a notation. Again, nothing.

Seeing Amanda coming, she flagged her down.

"Amanda. Has Ivah Sorenson said anything to you about staff treating her poorly and calling her names?"

Knitting her brows she responded, "Not to me she has not. I haven't seen anything on the reports either. I do know that she has been packing her things every morning. The staff at night helps her to unpack before she goes to bed. The night nurse told me that this morning."

"Why would she do that?" Teela wondered.

"Don't know." Amanda stepped around the desk and suddenly snapped her fingers. "Wait. I do remember hearing one of the aides saying that Erin was asking them questions about the night shift a few days ago."

"Really? Thanks."

Making her way around the nursing station and down the hall, she stopped outside of Eerie Warden's office. She could hear her on the telephone and decided to wait a few minutes. After a moment, Nica turned the corner, saw her, and decides to join her.

"Hey what are you doing?"

"I need to talk to Eer...Erin."

"Anything I can help with?"

"Don't know. Have you heard anything about Ivah Sorenson complaining about staff treatment?"

"Can't say that I have. Why, is she?"

"Yeah. She just said some things to me and it has me wondering."

"Ask Cassandra."

"Day off." Not hearing the voice from the other side of the door anymore, she knocked.

"Come in."

"Hi Erin, got a question for you." She stepped into the small space. Teela had forgotten that Eerie's personal domain resembled more of a broom closet that an office. Her smile cheered the fact that her office was quite a bit larger than the department head's.

"Sure what's up? She leaned back in her chair.

"Have you gotten any complaints from Ivah Sorenson regarding staff treatment? Complaints that they are calling her names, being loud and noisy at night?"

"Yes. She told them to me a while ago," came her matter of act reply.

Looking at Nica. "A while ago? How long ago?"

"Hmmm...about three weeks ago."

Teela was stunned. "Why wasn't I told about them? There was nothing written on the night reports or in her chart about her allegations."

"She told me her concerns. I took them to Hazel and it was all investigated."
.
This is incredible! I can't believe you. You little worm. "Why wasn't I told of this?"

"It wasn't necessary," she non-chalantly informed her social worker and returned back to the report on her desk.

"Excuse me? As her social worker you did not think I needed to be told about something like this?"

"No. There were staff members involved who were being questioned. It turned out to be without
foundation."

"Oh really. I don't believe this. You have got to be kidding me."

"Teela, calm down," Nica coaxed.

"There was sensitive information during the investigation that you did not need to know."

"I am not talking about the sensitive information," her tempered boiled. "Who do you think did the investigations and handled the sensitive information before you got here two years ago? Huh? I am talking about the basics, Erin, the common professional courtesy of knowing what is going on with my resident, especially something of this nature."

Nica cringed seeing that Teela was losing it with their supervisor. She was dangerously close to insubordination.

"Didn't it ever occur to you that if she reported these things once, they may resurface again? As is the case. Telling an uninformed me, her social worker and my immediate thinking is we have abuse allegations being lodged. I respond telling her it was going to be investigated when it already has. Great!"

"Teela I suggest you go calm yourself. This matter has been resolved as far as we and the family is concerned."

"Not where I am concerned on two counts. First, what are you going to do now that she is going to bring this up again? She is competent you know. She has a telephone in her room and she has the listing for the Ombudsman number in her room. What now? Secondly, and most importantly, We..." she said pointing between Nica and herself, "Should be the first to know when something like this if going on with one our residents. I don't like being in the dark and hung out to dry in the rain like on this one, Erin. I am not happy."

"That is not your call. I am your supervisor."

"With all due respect, I think you're wrong on this one. No, I know you're wrong."

"Teela," Erin warned.

Before she could stop herself, Teela threw her hand up to stop Erin from further comment. "I don't want to speak to you right now, so I am going to leave before I say something I definitely will regret." With that she was gone. Storming to the nursing station, she picked up the received and extension 210 for the Administrator.

"Hello Frank. This is Teela. Can I come speak with you?"

"Sure Teela what's wrong?" He furrowed his brow. He rarely got a call from his seasoned social worker and certainly not a frantic one.

"I am on my way." When she hung up and turned around, Nica was behind her.

"Oh Teela." In spite of herself, Nica snickered. "I can't believe you told her to talk to the hand."

Feeling some of the anger subside, Teela found herself chuckling too. "Neither can I. She just made me so furious on this."

"I agree with you. What are you going to do? You know she thinks she has god-like powers around here."

"I am going to see Frank and let him decide."

"Want me to come with you?"

"Nica, I can't ask you to put your hand on the block too if he happens to agree with her. I could be marked for going over her head and Hazels."

"I know. But we are a team and I happen to believe you. What if it is one of my people next time?"

"Ok. Thanks."

They made it to the front of the building without being stopped by a CENA or anyone else for that matter. That was a rare feat in itself. Coming to Frank's door, Teela looked at her friend and took a deep breath before knocking. He bid them to enter.

"Frank, I need to speak with you about Erin."

"What did she do this time?"


@@@@@@@@@@@@@@


By the time they were through explaining her position, Frank had agreed that the social workers should be told when an investigation into allegations was in progress, but only the basics. Teela was pleased. That was all that she wanted to know. He also agreed they should know the outcome of the investigations so that they would be prepared to answer the resident or the family's questions. It should not have had to come to this, but sometimes Eerie Warden overstepped her authority. She loved to flaunt that authority in every department's business in the building.

She had just returned to her office and sat behind the desk, when there was a knock on the door. Looking up she saw a pair gorgeous blue eyes staring back at her. Her heart melted instantly as the twittering in her southern region acknowledged the unexpected visitor.

"Hi," she cooed.

"Hi yourself," Pax returned the toothy smile. "I see that you got them," she said pointing towards the flowers.

"They are beautiful Pax. Where did you find them?"

"Aahhh. Secret," she chided. "You like?"

"Uh huh and so does all other females in the building. They're jealous."

"Rightly so." She puffed out her chest.

"They get flowers only on birthdays and Mother's Day."

"Then everyone knows how special you truly are."

Teela felt the coloring rise and tingle in her cheeks. She wanted to go to the tall beauty and kiss her senseless for the gift, for the hell of it, but she had to remember where they were standing. It would not do for someone to pass by her office and see her hugging not just another woman, but a family member of the ARCC as well. Pax felt the same as she blew her a silent kiss from across the room.

"What are you doing here?" She walked around and sat on the corner of her desk.

Taking a step until they were only inches apart she responded, "To see you." Pax reached out and briefly caressed the soft cheek and then promptly stepped back to a respectable distance. "And Mother of course."

Teela gasped at the simmering that lingered from her touch. It caused a torrent of emotions to surge swiftly through her body. Memories of their weekend flooded back to her and she felt the strong contractions below.

"Don't look at me like that," Teela admonished her lover.

"Like what Teela.?" She replied innocently.

"You know how Pax. I still have a long day to go through." She crossed her arms in front of her chest hiding the erecting nipples.

"So do I. If I have to be twitching and uncomfortable because of thinking about you, I think it is only fair that you be uncomfortable too."

"You do huh?" Teela said through nervous laughter. She could feel Pax's hands stroking her back and the lips upon that tender spot on her neck.

"Oh yeah." Pax recognized the arousal in her lovers face. Her eyes were beginning to darken and take on that glazed quality she had come to love. "So tell me, seeing that there are married couples living here. Do you have a special room for conjugal visit?"

Laughing. "God no. We just close the door and put a hanger on the knob."

"Really?"

"No silly. Of course not."

"Why do you tease me so?"

"Because it's fun."

Stepping a bit closer she saw the change in the emerald coloring as Teela's eye grew wider at her closeness. Teela quickly left the side of the desk and moved around to stand behind it. Pax smirked. "Are you afraid of me Teela?"

"No. You stay over there," she warned slightly out of breath. "I just can't have you touching me right now is all."

Grinning evilly Pax tilted her head as if confused. "Why is that?"

"Pax, you know why?" then she whispered. "And you are seriously misbehaving."

"Really?"

Erin was passing by and noticed their positions. She detoured back rapping firmly on the door.

"Is everything alright Teela? Anything that I can help you with?"

"No everything is fine Erin. We were just discussing Maureen."

Winking at Teela, Pax forced herself to change the smile she had before she turned and faced Erin. "We've met once before, Erin. How are you?" she pleasantly greeted extending her hand. "Pax Baldwin, Maureen's daughter."

"Yes, yes of course. Very well thanks." Glancing between the two of them she sensed the strange electricity in the room. "Well, I must be going. We can talk later Teela."

"Sure, I'll be here Erin." When she finally left, Teela exaggeratedly rolled her eyes.

"I take it you have a thing for your supervisor," she chuckled.

"Oh, that is terrible and will cost you big time."

"Ooh what is the punishment?"

"No kisses for three days."

Pax mouth formed a large open O. "Come on Teela. You can't make me go three days without. I already did that when you took off for vacation," she whined. "I was miserable without you."

"Aww poor Pookie Bear, she teased.

"Pookie Bear?"

"Hmm. It just popped out of my head." She hunched her shoulders.

"Well put it back that could be a scary thing."

"You have no idea."

"Actually I just saw mom. She looks good."

"God deal."

"I was also hoping I could see you tonight."

"Oh really."

"Yeah. I was thinking maybe you could come over and cook."

"Me? It's your house."

"Well it would be your house, but you never invite me over."

Teela realized that she was telling the truth. She couldn't possibly do that in their house. That part of her life with which she was not reconciled. It still felt awkward having any other than Jo and Boney in the house that she shared with Bess for so long.

"Sorry about that."

"No worries. I figured when you were ready you would. My place is fine. You seem a little less tense there and that's cool. Actually, you cook so much better than I."

"Oh that is so true."

"I wasn't really talking about the food."

"You are so terrible." She blushed again.

"Your fault."

"Mine?"

"Oh yeah. You touched me and started it all."

"Is that true?"

"Oh yeah. See you when, six?"

"Yeah. Six it is."

Staring a little longer, she could feel Pax hands caressing her breast and feel the heat pounding southward.

"Want to bring Thumper with you?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I have another rawhide so she won't feel like chewing on me."

"Can I?"

"I'm counting on it. Later." She waved from her safe distance across the desk and then she was gone.

Teela picked up the pad of Social Service Progress notes and began to fan herself. Her body told her that they would have another late night, as they had the one before. Unable to keep their hands off one another for the past week, the memories had her temperature past sizzling. Nearly every night, they would isolate themselves in Pax's home until the morning. By midday, fatigue crashed upon her until she thought of her new lover and the infusion of aroused energy fueled her enough to get through the day and into those arms once again. She had been neglecting her friends and would have to visit with Jo and Boney soon. She has missed their weekly golf game for the past two weeks. I wonder if Pax plays golf. I'll have to remember to ask her tonight.


@@@@@@@@@@@@@@


It took some time before Teela regained her sense of equilibrium and refocused on her work. Belle sat across from desk in the comfortable blue chair keeping her company. As usual, Teela would occasionally make a comment letting Belle know that she was somewhat paying attention and understood her ramblings.

She paused long enough to really study the well-preserved older lady in front of her. Belle was a fiercely independent business woman in her day. She tried her best to maintain that personality trait, until Alzheimer's Dementia has taken control. This was evident especially around the issues of dressing and her cosmetics.

Belle still fussed with her hair every morning. She would put on her jewelry correctly matching the earrings and the necklace. Then she would apply her makeup. Sometimes she needed a little help with her that part of getting dressed every day, especially when it came to lipstick. She would apply the red or pink to her lips nearly evenly. Unfortunately, there were times when Belle would keep going all over her face with the lipstick. It wasn't a pretty sight, or her face would be a heightened red from her layering the blush all over her face. So the CENA dressing her in the morning now knows to help guide her applying cosmetics.

Today, they did a good job. The staff would help her get dressed in the morning, laying out her clothing for her to wear. Belle however, would frequently change her clothing during the day and often had on a different outfit nearly every time you saw her. This time she had changed into a yellow sweater on top of the green one she was already wearing and burgundy slacks. At least she managed to get them on in the right order. Sometimes, one or more pairs of underpants would be on the outside of her slacks. Trying to get her to let you change it was like holding a barn cat.

"Yes, this is Teela," she said to the telephone intercom.

"It's Kat. I have the granddaughter of your new admission is here. She has some things to put up in Ida's room before she gets here, so I'll bring her by to introduce you."

"Ok. It's just me and Belle here waiting." Teela reached into her drawer and pulled out some chocolate pieces she had hidden there. She handed them to Belle.

"Thank you honey."

"You're welcome my Belle."


A few minutes later she heard Kat's voice coming down the hall as she explained the high points of the facility to the new member joining the ARCC family.

"This is your mother's Social Worker, Teela Pheamster." Teela stood and looked up. Kat recognized the quick shadow crossing Teela's face that just as quickly disappeared. "Teela this is Celeste Caywood, Ida Leminski's granddaughter."

"Hello Celeste. Nice to see you again." The professional stepped in place along with the smile and extended hand. Oh this is just bloody great! Wait until Pax here's this.

Taken aback for only a moment, she played the consummate professional as well. "Nice to see you again Teela." She gave her limp-wrist to shake and quickly pulled her hand away.

"You two know one another?"

"Yes. We've met briefly through mutual friends a while ago."

"Well then the transition should be a smooth one."

"I'm sure it will be. I am looking forward to meeting Ida tomorrow. Actually, does she go by Ida or another name, nickname she would prefer?"

"Yes, she prefers Da."

"Da?" Teela repeats.

"Da," Belle repeated.

"Yes. She is from the old country and prefers Da." Celeste looked at Belle and rolls her eyes with disgust.

"I'll make a note of it on her chart so everyone will call her Da." Kat smiled and changed her opinion of the snob of a woman beside her. The nerve. Belle is much more important that you will ever be. From what I've read from the hospital papers, your grandmother is not much better. "That will take some getting used to. It's so unusual."

Knowing that there could be more than one family member involved, Teela took some of her cards and handed them them to Celeste. "Now I am available normal business hours so you can reach me at any time. Call the ARCC number and ask for me or extension 147."

"Thank you. How long have you worked for the ARCC, is it?"

"Yes. Ten years."

"Impressive."

"Great people to work with. I look forward to working with you and Da, Celeste."

"Same here."

"If you come with me, I will show you her room and you can start to put her things away."

Teela stood there smiling pleasantly until they exited and turned the corner. "Great, that's just great." She slumped in her chair and looked at Belle. "What am I going to do now Belle?"

She watched as Belle stood up, came around the desk and kissed her cheek, then went on her merry little way to the next office to occupy.

________________________________________________

CHAPTER 20

Walking into the bedroom wearing Pax's Godzilla t-shirt, Teela carried the tray with cold green tea and chunks of cheese and fruit. Blue locked with green as her eyes traveled to the outline of the naked body beneath sheets. The twittering between her legs began all over again. God she thought, this woman is making me a nymphomaniac. But oohh what a psychosis to have. She chuckled.

"What are you thinking about so hard?"

"How you are turning me into a nymphomaniac."

Laughing she asked, "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"I would think a good thing for you."

"I had chosen that one, but thought that I should keep quiet for fear of being smacked."

Looking at her she replied, "God you're good."

"So you have told me." Pax grinned and took the tray from Teela. She watched her strip out of the t-shirt setting those luscious breasts she loves to suckle fly free. "So are those."

"I mean, if Boney had an opening like that she would just blurt something out and get bopped by Jo."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I think she likes doing it so she can be bopped by Jo."

"Are they into S&M?"

"I am beginning to wonder really." She settled sitting next to Pax helping her place the tray at the foot of the bed. She grabbed one of the plump cherries and feds it to Pax with a kiss.

"Those are good, but I will have to spit the pit out. Don't get grossed out ok."

"No problem." She kissed her chastely. "Hey thanks for letting me bring Thumper."

"She's a good dog. I'll just keep some rawhide chews for her here and you can bring her over when ever you want."

"You really don't mind?"

"No." Pax stole another quick kiss, then takes a strawberry dipped it in the cream grinning at Teela. "Open for me," she shuddered realizing the command she gave her lover.

She easily held the berry up so that Teela could bite into the best part and take a mouth full of cream with her, patiently waiting for the excess to drip as she planned. She watched as a small blob of cream fell from Teela's chin to her chest. Moaning at her good luck, Pax used her tongue to lick away the cream from Teela's chin and placed a kiss there in its place. She waited to see if the drop on her chest would move down giving her more of an excise to taste the breasts she wanted in between her lips anyway. When it did not move, she bent he head and narrowed her tongue. She laid a trail starting well below the drop upwards collecting the cream and stopping on the supple neck she chose to suckle.

"Oh you are bad," Teela panted.

"Your fault." She moved to kiss her deeply, the cream adding a delicious sweetness to the taste of Teela. "What is that?" She stopped hearing the light chirping sound. With difficulty, Teela held her breath to listen.

"Oh God, that's my cell phone. Where is my purse?" She leans over the bed searching and then saw it in the chair in the corner. Carefully but quickly getting out of bed she rummaged through her purse locating the telephone and answered it. "Hello?" Heaving a sigh of relief she said, "Hello Johanna." She growls crawling back into bed careful not to upset the food tray.

"What are you doing Teela?"

"None of your business Jo."

"Who are you doing Teela?"

"None of your business Jo."

Boney says you have been neglecting your friends lately and she is extremely traumatized."

" Oh my. A traumatized Boney. Can't have that." She laughed watching Pax spoon some cream onto her finger and shot her a mischievous grin. Shaking her head and mouthing silently 'No', she held the shiver from the cold landing upon her breasts.

"That is exactly what I said. She wants to talk to you."

Teela couldn't stop the groan from escaping her lips as Pax's tongue flicked her erect nipple before taking it in her mouth savoring the cream. She thoroughly cleanse all traces from her skin. "Jo, I don't think I can talk now," she whimpered slightly.

"And why not."

Pax quickly moves the tray to the floor then leans up to her and whispers. "Keep talking or I'll stop."

Teela pulled the phone away from her mouth and whispered back, "Don't do this."

"Huh? Don't do what?" She chuckled.

"Not you Jo." She said watching Pax put more cream on her finger and making a line between her breasts down to her navel. Her hips involuntarily rose.

"What are you talking about?" she strained.

Pax narrowed her tongue once again and began to clean the trail between her breast with a brief detour to each nipple and then continued her path southward.

With barely strained control, Teela squeaked. "Is there something you want Jo?"

"What is going on with you? Where are you anyway?"

"Jo!" She nearly screamed as Pax circled her navel and made love to the spot just above her mound.

"Want to Golf tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow is Tuesday, Jo."

"There is some party on our regular night. So we thought about tomorrow. Break up the monotony."

"Sure. Sure. Anything. That it?" Another whimper escaped as Pax is sucking on the spot where her leg meets her pelvis.

"Hey Boney..." Teela heard her yell. "Teela is getting some while talking on the phone."

"Bye Jo!" She slammed closed and threw it on the floor just as Pax took her fully into her mouth.


@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@


Lying across Pax's stomach hearing the rapid heart beat echo through her body, Teela kissed the muscled flesh before finding her favorite resting place on Pax's strong shoulder.

She sat up again on her elbow looking down at the beautiful face. Teela felt the thumping of her own heart this time. Everything seems so right when I am here with Pax. How can that be? It shouldn't be. Can I even trust my own judgment? Look at what happened with Tanesha. There is such a part of me that is still so afraid. Then there is the part of me that wants to fight to keep you in my life.

"Pax, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, babe, anything."

"Do you play golf?"

Chuckling she said, "Yeah, a little. Not very well though."

"Do you want to play golf with us tomorrow afternoon?"

"Us?"

"With Jo and Boney." She thought to herself, Please say yes. I want you to like them too.

"If you want me to I will. I just hope I don't embarrass you by how badly I play. I may slow you guys down."

"We play for fun. So you'll play?"

"If it means that I will get to spend more time with you. Yes."

She pulled Teela closer and kissed her deeply, willing her stamina to return to her to match the returning burning desire between her legs.

"Are you thirsty?" Teela asked pulling away from her lover's swollen lips.

"Just a little. Hold on."

Pax leaned over and got one of the glasses from her side of the bed and handed it carefully to Teela, praying for some to drip down her chin and between her breasts like before. She was extremely disappointed when it didn't and Teela handed her the glass back.

"I wanted to tell you that I got an interesting new admission today, or tomorrow I should say."

"Oh? Who is it?"

"Well it is not so much as who the resident is as it is who the granddaughter is."

"Oh?" She took a sip of the tea and returned the glass back to the nightstand.

"Celeste."

Pax shifted so that she could clearly see Teela. "Celeste Caywood?"

"Yeah. Her grandmother is being admitted tomorrow. Unfortunately, she is going into the room across the hall from your mom."

"Oh Teela honey. That is not good."

"Hmmm. I know. I thought that you should know before you bump into her sometime in the hall."

"You are her social worker?"

"Afraid so. Actually I don't think she is too keen on my seeing you."

She sat up and leaned against the head board. "She knows that we are seeing each other?"

"Not exactly. She saw us at the jazz festival that day and decided to talk to me when you were not around."

"You never told me this. What did she say to you?"

She bit her lower lip, which she did when was nervous. "Promise not to get mad? I mean after all I did not listen to her like Jo said."

"Teela. What did she say?"

"She suggested that I should not get too involved with you because you have a nasty temper."

"The temper part can be true sometimes. But what else?"

"That you hit her several times when you were mad."

"I what?" She was seething and ready to rip Celeste in to pieces.

"I didn't really believe her Pax," Teela hurried to explain. "And After Jo convinced me how manipulative she can be I totally dismissed the whole conversation."

"I know you didn't. It just makes me angry that she could say something like that about me. We went out only a few times and she tried running and scheduling my life."

"I remember."

"You remember?"

"I was in the restaurant that night when you let her have it."

"Oh yeah. That's right. Almost best thing I ever did."

"Almost?"

"The best thing was kissing you." She slid down in the bed to come level with Teela. Her blue eyes took in the beauty of the social worker and pushed stray blonde hair behind her ear.

"Oh really?"

She leaned into the caress upon her cheek before the sultry lips met her own. They took their time in this embrace, savoring the taste of their flavors blended together. Pax moaned languidly as she broke from her lover.

"Will you be okay if you run into Celeste?"

"Sure. I'll just try to be there when I know she will be at work or something."

"You sure?"

"No problem, sweetheart. Just as long as she does not take any liberties with you. Things will be fine with me."

"Is that right, my protector?"

The flash back of Tanesha and her possessiveness invaded Pax's vision at that moment. She did not want Teela to think that she would start behaving in the same way. "I did not mean it like that. I mean..." she stammered. "I don't want you to think that...Well, if you wanted to see..."

Pax clenched her eyes tight. She couldn't bring herself to say it. Doing so would make it a tacit approval for Teela to lie in the arms of someone else, to allow someone else to touch her. The thought was too much to consider right now when her own emotions were filleted and raw.

Teela's heart sank as she peered down into her lover's eyes wondering she meant. "What are you trying to say Pax?"


Searching the green meadows before her, she couldn't seem to hold their gaze. "I am not sure really."

"You are not sure?" She searched her lovers face. "I value honesty very highly Pax."

"Well..." She began again clearing her throat and twisting the piece of sheet between her fingers. "I did not want you to think you were obligated to see only me if there were others you might want to, you know, ahhhh date and stuff."

Pax closed her eyes against the sinking of her heart. I have to let you make your own decision, Teela whether or not to be exclusive. It is what I want more than anything. I want you all for myself. I just hope that you want it too. So far they had not had a chance to talk about what they wanted or expected from each other.

"Pax, is that how you think I feel is obligated to spend time with you because we are sleeping together?"

"I was hoping not. But I...You are very beautiful Teela and you have a spirit that would certainly attract any lesbian with eyes and half a brain. I just didn't want you to think that you may be missing out on someone somewhere. That's all."

Teela needed to see those blue eyes to tell her what Pax was truly feeling. That would tell her so much more that the confusing message she just heard. She is telling me it was okay to see other people and sleep with others. That is okay for her to do the same. You do not know me very well at all Pax Baldwin. Once we have given our hearts away, I do not like to share. If you give me yours, it is mine and mine alone. That was a principle Bess had thrown to the wayside when she brought that woman to our home.

Forcing Pax to face her and open her eyes, she saw what she had been hoping for. What Pax had just stated was merely words that she did not even believe herself. Teela understood then the choice that Pax was giving her to make freely without strings or obligations a choice to be made by the heart.

Teela knew her response should be more than words to convince this beautiful creature that she was the only one in her life at the moment that she wanted to see, no one else. She lowered her lips to Pax's and gently placed her own over them. No primal coming together. No harshness. Just pure emotion passing from one to another. Truly, Pax felt the passion in Teela's response. When they parted, dark green clouds focused upon her.

"Does that answer your question?"

"Oh yeah. But could I hear it one more time? Please?"




@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@


Teela walked with Steve down the hall. He was being his usual bright and cheerful self, laughing and chattering something fierce. Teela had seen Steve walking by her office and knew that he should be in the Improve Program. She was tired of being behind the desk doing paperwork anyway and wanted to be on the floor visiting with her patients, spending more time with them than what she had actually had been doing. For that she was feeling extremely guilty. The paperwork part of the job she did not care for. The paperwork for one person could literally pile high. What she had learned about the Geriatric Social Work, she learned on the job. College had not prepared her for the reality that came with this job.

The regulations were in place for a reason. Anyone in the Health Care Industry could understand, but the mounds of documentation and papers to be out in place was borderline ludicrous. Streamlining was a concept that was talked about to death but hardly ever realized.

So thank goodness for people like Steve Preminger that can provide a wonderful diversion for when she really did not want to feed the beauracracy. She took the opportunity to walk about with him and to see how things were going. She smiled knowing that she looked busy helping to redirect a problematic resident, that is until she saw Eerie Warden fast approaching her.

"Don't look now Steve, but here she comes," she whispered and he giggled not understanding a word she said.

Eerie stopped them in the hall. that was not a good thing for a wanderer, who wanted to keep moving. "Teela what are you doing?"

Teela smiled and wondered if she really could be that dense. "Taking Steve for a walk and then back to the Improve program."

"I see. Well, I just got a telephone call from a Damian Baldwin, son of Maureen."

"What did he want?" She asked as she was being tugged on by Steve to move. "You're going to have to walk with us. Steve is impatient today."

Showing her annoyance, she sighed and threw her hands in the air. She turned and followed behind them as they strolled down the hall. Steve needed a little guidance to go around the laundry barrels and other objects in his path. He had a tendency to try and walk through things.

"Seems as though they want their mother to transfer to another unit."

Concerned she look at Erin. "Oh? Did he say why?"

"Supposedly for a bigger room."

Why didn't Pax let me know this was going to happen. Does Pax even know anything about this? She would have to call her and find out. Right now she had to deal with the devil's spawn herself. "I can understand that. Cassandra just made her a hoyer lift so things can get a bit tight in there."

"Are you sure that is the only reason?"

"What do you mean?" She asked eyeing Erin suspiciously.

"Well I noticed her daughter has been conversing with you quite frequently. I just thought there were problems that maybe I could help resolve. Now I get a call from the son wanting their mother to be transferred."

We have been doing more than talking T-6. Taking a deep breath to manage her irritation, "What are you implying Erin?"

"Why, I am not implying anything. I just wanted to know if there was anything wrong that would cause this to happen. We are in the survey window period and we want to keep the families happy. That's all."

"I see. Well, then I guess you might want to discuss it right away with Kat, Nica, and both ADONs Jody and Cassandra, about the open room where Mabel is. I understand that it should not be too much longer for her."

They came to the room where Steve was supposed to be. She opened the door, waved at the CENAs assigned to the program and eased Steve through the door.

"Mabel?"

"Mabel Sanchez. She may pass away shortly. Her window bed faces the courtyard and there is quite a bit more space there. It is better roommate than the ones that are open now. Especially the one with Darcy."

"Darcy?" She appeared confused. "What's the matter with Darcy?"

"Can't keep a roommate in there. She says Hail Hitler to them during the night. Scares them senseless."

"What is being done about her?"

"Generally that is all she is doing. At least we got her singing calmed down to a minimum, but she still has episodes of unmanageable behavior."

"What are you talking about?"

"Cassandra and I have talked to the physician and he is managing her medications. Her behaviors are still present but not outrageous. She will be good, if you will, with a new person for about a week and then she starts in."

"Well what about a psychiatrist?"

Grinning snidely, "What about one? We don't have one on contract. She can't be taken out because of her phobias. We can barely get her out of her room for meals without her darn near pulling out patches of her hair. Can you imagine with taking her out of the building?"

"Are you telling me she has never been out of the building?"

"Only in emergencies to the hospital and back again. She doesn't even go out in the courtyard. So sending her as an outpatient somewhere is not a good idea."

"Well what about Community Mental Health counseling?"

"She doesn't qualify. Primary diagnosis is Dementia."'

"I don't believe this!" Eerie was outraged.

Hunching her shoulders, "Neither do I sometimes. Go check for yourself, but If I were you, I would check with those guys first about the room change before Kat schedules an admit to take that bed."

With that, Teela watched Eerie Warden move down the hall in search of the people about a rooms change. "Finally." Teela exhaled and turned making a dash for her office and to call Pax.

Pax answered on the third ring. "Baldwin."

"Hi you."

Smiling "Hello my little monkey. How is your day going?"

"Monkey? I'm not a monkey."

"They way you cling to me in bed you are."

"Well put that back where it came from or I'll start calling you Pookie Bear."

"Uncle. You win."

"Hmmm. Thought so."

"Anyway, my day is good. Yours?"

"Slow. I miss you." Pax held her breath hoping she wasn't not pushing the little blonde too fast. She just knew her heart and her heart wanted this woman to be hers. She was the missing piece she felt she had been searching for even before Jen.

"That's sweet. I miss you too"

"Are we still on for tonight?"

"You bet. You sure you want to golf with us? You don't have to you know."

"I want to be with you Teela. Is that okay?"

"That is fine sweetie."

"Whew. Had me going there for a minute."

"Sorry. Listen the reason I called."

"Is that you missed me terribly, especially when I put my lips on your..."

"Pax, behave now."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, you do."

"Ok. Wait maybe I give in to easily."

"That's one of the things I like about you."

"Are you saying that I am easy?"

"Pax," she warned. She could be so like Boney sometimes. That is scary.

"Sorry. Go on."

"Anyway, your brother called my supervisor and asked for your mother to be changed to a different unit. Did you know he was going to do that?"

"I knew that Felicia was going to talk to Damian and Zander about it. I wasn't sure as to when though. Is that a problem?"

"Oh no. It's fine. But why? Did they not like the care the aides were giving? Did something happen to make them upset?"

"Nonono nothing like that, sweetie. Felicia thought that it would be better for us to see each other without complications if mother was on another unit with a different social worker."

Teela felt a stronger pull toward this marvelous woman than before.

"Do you think it would harm her to change her around like that?"

After a brief pause she was able to wipe the tears that came to her eyes. "No, I think she will be fine."

"Are you alright. Teela, you sound a little funny now. Are you alright?"

"I'm alright. It's just that...You did this so that we can continue to see each other?"

"My sister-in-law came up with the idea and I agree with her. I don't want you to have any problems there because I...because I want you to be in...well because of me."

"That's very nice of you Pax, and your family."

She fell silent closing her eyes wanting to be in Teela's office with her, to see her, to touch and caress the new owner of her heart. "So, is there an opening for mom somewhere?"

"Erin is looking into it, but I think there will be one soon. She is going to be in contact with your brothers though."

"That's okay."

"Well, I know they'll want one of them to come and take a look at the room to see if it is okay with them."

"Felicia or I can do that. Sometimes it's hard for my brother to get away. Zander has court all the time these days."

"I'll let Erin know that."

"Okay. Great." Pax struggled in the awkward pause wanting to release what was truly upon her lips to say but she was afraid it was too soon and not the right time.

"Well, I will let you go then. See you soon."

"I can't wait."

"You know how to find the place right?"

"No worries."

"Okay. Bye then."

"Later."

As she replaced the receiver Teela sat back and smiled at the warmth of what Pax and her brother were doing for them. Them? She panicked. We are not a couple. But wasn't that generally implied last night lying in each others arms? That she did not want to see anyone else. She definitely did not want Pax seeing anyone else. So that makes them a couple. But I didn't actually verbally agree to anything.

Running her hands through her hair, That can't be she thought. I still have Bess. Oh god, Pax doesn't even know about Bess. How am I going to tell her? She raked her hands through her hair again sighing, too much damn drama.




@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Jo was sitting in the cafeteria at the clinic having coffee with a colleague. She felt the vibration of her cell phone and readily opened it. "Hi Teela."

Sitting a couple tables away Tanesha listened with interest to her conversation. She had been trying to reach Teela, but she was not having anything to do with her. Tanesha was angry with the little blonde. She had spent a lot of money and time trying to apologize to the social worker and she was snubbing her. This would not do.

"Are we still on for tonight?...Yes, that sounds like a plan. Yes you have told us countless times, Teela. We will. See you then."

"I guess that means I can't ask you to work on that case with me tonight?" her friend said.

"Afraid not. Golfing tonight, but I have some time right now if you want to talk about a few of the problem areas." Jo offered instead.

"Sounds good."

She set out telling Jo about the problem she was having with her client. A few tables away, Tanesha was grinning and planning. She would catch Jo later today and make sure she got invited to the golf outing tonight.

Tonight, Teela will be with her love once again.




Continued in Part 6


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