A Little Piece of Paradise.

By Midgit.

Part 1

Victoria Conrad kept one hand on the steering wheel and one eye on the road. The other hand was shuffling through a small pile of cd's on the passenger seat of her Shogun. The four wheel drive vehicle ground to a halt a milimeter from the bumper of the car in front and the driver of the car glared at her in his wing mirror.

She gave him a sweet smile and took the opportunity to devote all her attention to finding the required cd.

Pulling the finished cd from the player she put that back in the wrong box and loaded the one that she'd found. Flicking through the tracks she found the one she wanted. The sax introduced the song and she sang along with George Michael.

She'd only been in Bath a couple of days but had learned, in that short time, that traffic jams were a normal occurance every day. The city had been developed in the 1700's, it's streets not designed for modern day traffic. So she sat, watching the face of the man in the car in front as he watched her in his rear view mirror.

Victoria was used to this behaviour. A striking woman, she stood a hairs width below six foot. Her dark hair and tanned skin accentuated her most dynamic feature, her eyes, which were the colour of the sky on a summer's day.

But it wasn't a summers day. It was a dismal, damp Thursday in February. It had been raining all morning, and now the rain was turning to sleet.

The traffic started to move again and Victoria shifted the car into gear and started to crawl forward again.

Thirty minutes later she was driving down Milsom Street. A short street, with some of the more high class shops to be found in Bath. A car pulled out of a parking space just as she was thinking about parking on the yellow line on the opposite side of the road. She shot into the space, ignoring the glares from the woman who was about to reverse into it. Without locking the car she ran across the road and purchased a couple of parking cards. That would allow her an hour before she'd have to worry about being towed away. After buying the cards she scratched away the appropriate time and date and displayed them on top of the dash. She slammed the door and used the remote control to lock it.

Pulling the collar of her long, black Kashmir coat up she walked down Milsom Street before turning right into Quiet Street.

She found what she was looking for almost immediately. Luckily there was a small awning outside the estate agents, and she stood for a while, looking at the photos of the available properties.

The pictures and short descriptions were affixed to hanging boards in the window, and these suddenly swayed precariously as someone inside the offices peered around to look at one of the photos.

It was a girl. She was leaning sideways looking at the picture. She obviously suddenly realised she was blocking the view of a prospective customer and turned towards the woman on the pavement.

She smiled and put a hand to her mouth in a gesture of apology. Then she was gone.

Victoria peered between the hanging boards and watched as the girl went to a filing cabinet and pulled out some details, which she handed to a couple to inspect.

The tall woman went back to examining the photos. She walked to another of the windows, this was where the properties to let were advertised. Some had photos, but most were just a description of the property and the cost of the monthly rent. She made a move to step to her right and walked straight into another body.

She looked down into smiling green eyes.

"Sorry about that." The girl said. "See anything you were interested in?"

Victoria smiled back. "No problem. There are a couple, yes."

"Well, come on in out of the rain, I'll fish out some details for you."

She was lead into the offices and directed to sit in a chair infront of what she assumed was the girl's desk. The name plate said 'Miss E. Gallagher'.

Miss E. Gallagher sat opposite and folded her hands infront of her on the desk.

"What sort of prices are we talking about?"

"Actually I was looking at your properties to let."

"Any particular location?"

"Not too far from the city centre. I'm going to be working here, but I don't think I want to live in the centre. Somewhere on the outskirts I think."

"Large, small? How many bedrooms?"

"Not too big. It's just for me."

The girl nodded and stood to go to the filing cabinet. "Oh yes," Victoria added. "I want somewhere that I can move into immediately."

The girl stood for a moment thinking. "Okaaaay." She took a few files from the cabinet and returned to her desk.

"We have a number of suitable properties that have just become available." She put a few of the folders aside."Those are all in the centre. This is about two miles outside." She handed the details to the woman sitting across from her. "Do you know Bath?"

"No, I've only been here a couple of days."

Victoria took the details from her and studied them. "Exposed beams, restored cottage." She looked back up to the girl. "When can I look at it?"

"We have the keys, I could take you up there now."

"Sounds good."

The girl stood and turned to one of her colleagues. "Mark I'm going out for a bit, shouldn't be more than an hour."

The man she'd spoken to looked up from the 'phone call he was taking and nodded.

Retrieving the keys from the filing cabinet she grabbed her coat and held the door open for Victoria to exit the offices.

"D'you mind if we take my car? I'll get a parking ticket if I leave it there much longer." Victoria said as they stepped out into the heavy rainstorm.

"No, not at all, where are you parked?"

"Just round the corner." The two women turned the corner into the gale that had blown up in the last ten minutes.

Victoria stepped into the road and unlocked the Shogun. "It's open." She called across the roof to the smaller woman who didn't realise the central locking had unlocked the passenger side already.

They both shook the rain out of their hair as they sat in the plush leather interior of the large car.

"Goodness!" Said the blond.

"Goodness indeed." Victoria echoed.

"Gosh, I just realised. I didn't take your details."

Victoria turned in her seat towards the smaller woman and held out her hand. "Victoria Conrad."

The blond girl took her hand. "Eden Gallagher." She said smiling.

"Eden." Said Victoria. "Nice name."

"Thankyou." Said the girl sincerely.

Twenty minutes later Eden directed Victoria to take a right turn on a slight hill. They had climbed south out of Bath and now were heading down the other side into Midford.

"It's just down here on the right hand side, don't go too fast or you'll miss it." Eden was leaning forward, looking for the small turning to the private road that led to a handful of properties. "There!" She said and Victoria turned into the single track road. "Summer Cottage is at the end."

True enough, at the end of the lane Victoria recognised the cottage she had seen in the details back at the office.

Eden jumped out of the Shogun and unlocked the door so that her client wouldn't have to wait in the rain.

As soon as Victoria stepped into the small cottage she knew she had found her home.

Eden watched the woman as she walked into the hallway.

The cottage as furnished tastefully. Modern appliances in the kitchen blending nicely with the antique looking stove.

The lounge was uncluttered and sported a stone fireplace. A small room just off of that would do nicely for her office. The dining room had large patio doors which opened into a glass and hard wood extension which doubled the size of the room. Upstairs were two double bedrooms, both with king size beds. The bathroom held a large bath and shower unit.

Eden had been chattering away about the property, though Victoria had been lost in thought as she looked around the cottage.

"I'll take it." She said quietly.

"Pardon?"

Victoria turned back to the smaller woman. "I'm sorry, I said I'll take it."

A half hour later the two women were back in Bath. This time Victoria didn't attempt to park. She turned right into Quiet Street and dropped the young estate agent off outside her office.

"I'm staying at the Bath Spa hotel." She said. "I'll be in tomorrow to sort things out."

"Ok, it's been good doing business with you." Eden shouted over the sound of rain hitting the roof of the car. She slammed the door closed and ran into the office. By the time she'd turned round the Shogun had disappeared round the corner.

She shook her coat off as she got inside.

"Well?" Said her colleague.

"I just let Summer cottage." She said, a self satisfied smile on her face.

It was just after 6 o'clock when Eden got home. She shared a small flat with an old school friend. When her parents had sold their Bath home in order to retire to the south coast Eden had decided to stay in Bath. Her friend, Cathy, had asked her to move in with her when she first obtained the small flat in Larkhall. It suited them both perfectly.

Cathy was curled up on the sofa watching tv when a damp Eden plopped herself down in the chair.

"Bloody buses! Two went past full up before I could get on one." Cathy seemed not to have heard her, so she looked to see what she was watching. It was the local news.

"It's four weeks now, they still haven't found her. She must be dead." Cathy said absently.

She was talking about a local girl who had gone missing after a night out in Bath. Nothing had been heard from her despite appeals from the police and her family.

"I think you're right, surely she wouldn't do that to her family."

Cathy turned to her friend. "I'll make some tea." She stood and went to the small kitchen. "Good day? " She shouted.

"Great day, I'm in love."

"That's good." There was a crash from the kitchen, and Cathy framed the doorway to the lounge. "You're what?"

"I'm in love." Repeated Eden, a comical dreamy look on her face.

"And I'm guessing it's not with a guy."

Eden smiled at her friend. A long conversation in the wee hours of the morning some months previously had brought about her friend's comment.

"You know, you always imagine that one day someone amazing will just walk into your life and change it forever."

"Did that happen today?"

"No, not really. But this really gorgeous woman came into the office looking to rent."

"Gorgeous like what?" Cathy's curiosity peeked. She sat on the sofa again, the tea forgotten.

"Well, she was tall, close to six foot. Almost powerful looking. She had long black hair, she wore it loose. A tan. And the most amazing blue eyes I've ever seen. And when she smiled...." Eden feighned swooning.

Cathy swatted her on the knee. "Eddie!"

Eden laughed with her friend. It was nice to be able to talk to someone about it. Coming to terms with her attraction toward other women had been hard for her. She hadn't been able to talk to her family about it, and most of her friends wouldn't understand. But she lived with Cathy, and she decided her friend deserved to know. So she'd told her one night after a particularly bawdy party when both of them felt relaxed from the effects of alcohol.

Cathy's first reaction had been one of disbelief. "But you don't look like a............."

"Lesbian, dyke? So what am I supposed to look like?" Eden smiled at her friend's puzzlement.

"I don't know, but not how you look."

"Sorry. Are you ok with this? I can find somewhere else if you like."

Cathy's answer was to sit next to her friend on the sofa and snake an arm around her shoulders. "You're still my best friend Ed. You can stay here as long as you like."

Eden remembered the relief she'd felt and the gratitude for her friend's understanding.

"So what are you going to do about tall, dark and beautiful?"

Eden thought about it for a long moment. "Nothing." She finally said.

Cathy was quiet for a while and Eden knew she was working her way up to a question.

"What?" Said Eden, trying not to laugh.

"Well," Cathy exhaled. "How do you, you know, how do you find out if..........." She flapped her arms in the air, suddenly at a loss.

"How do I find out if she's gay, and then how do I find out if she's interested in me?"

"Yeah." Cathy leaned forward on her knees.

"It's in the eyes. If someone looks you dead in the eyes it means they're in love with you." As she was saying this she leaned forward with her elbows on her knees and looked deeply into the eyes of her best friend.

"Eddie! I was being serious." Said Cathy leaning back on the sofa and crossing her arms over her chest.

"So was I, sort of."

Eden got up and went to the kitchen, realising the cup of tea was not going to materialise on its own.

"So what you going to do about it?" Cathy called into the kitchen.

"Do about what?"

"The beautiful stranger."

"Like I said before, nothing."

"But you're in love."

Eden came back into the lounge. "She'll probably be in tomorrow to sign for the cottage, I'll see her then. But I'm hardly going to ask her out, am I?"

"Where is she staying now?"

"The Bath Spa."

"Oooh, money too. Is she from round here?"

"She said she doesn't know Bath."

"So she's all alone, in a city she doesn't know, no friends." Cathy snivelled unconvicingly.

Eden looked suspiciously at her friend. "What do you think I should do?"

"Well, if it was me..........."

Eden laughed and went back into the kitchen as the kettle started to whistle. "If it was you, you wouldn't be thinking about ways to find out if a woman was remotely interested in you."

"No, I mean, if it was me and it was a fella I was interested in, I'd get in his face. Find out where he went at night and make sure I was there."

Eden returned to the lounge with two cups of tea.

"So you think I should just turn up............where? The Bath Spa Hotel? As if that's a regular drinking hole of mine. I doubt I'd get through the door."

"So call her."

Eden's mouthful of tea reappeared quickly.

"Too hot?" Said Cathy in all innocence.

"Call her?" Eden reached for a box of kleenex and dabbed at the tea on her chin and down the front of her blouse.

"Go on, go for it. Just say you wondered if she'd like a drink as she's new in town. She can only say 'no'."

The two girls sat for long moments looking at each other. Then Eden made a decision, and reached for the 'phone directory.

"There it is, the Bath Spa Hotel." Picking up the 'phone Eden dialed the number as Cathy squirmed in anticipation, clutching a cushion to her chest.

"Hello, I wonder if I could speak to one of your guests...... Victoria Conrad........thank you." Eden looked up at her friend. "Oh my God." She mouthed at her. "Pardon? Oh, yes Eden Gallagher."

Eden waited while her call was put through.

"Oh hi, it's Eden Gallagher......yes, that's right."

Cathy sniggered as Eden coloured up and the blond refused to meet her gaze.

"No, no problems, I'll have the paperwork for you to sign tomorrow. No, I was wondering if you'd like to, um. I was wondering what you were doing tonight." She closed her eyes and screwed her face up. "I mean, as you don't know anyone in Bath, well, I assume you don't know anyone in Bath. Well, um, I thought you might like to go out with me, um, not out with me, just.......pardon?" Eden's jaw dropped. "Ok, by the fountain. Fine, fine, ok."

Eden placed the handset in the cradle and stared at it.

"What'd she say?" Said Cathy, peering over the top of the cushion.

"She said 'great', and she'd meet me by Laura Fountain because that was the only landmark in Bath she knew."

"Bloody hell. What time?"

"Eight. Shit! It's seven now! What am I going to wear?"

"Casual." Said Cathy. "Wear that white v-neck teeshirt, with your blue jeans, you always look good in that."

"Ok, but it needs pressing, will you do that while I shower?"

Cathy stood and went to the kitchen to retrieve the ironing board while Eden made for the bathroom, shedding clothes as she went.

"And can I have a squirt of your musk?"

"Since when did you start asking me?"

"Oh Cath, " Eden reappeared wearing nothing but a towel. "Can I borrow your burgundy cardigan?"

"My best cardi?" She said looking up from battling to get the ironing board erected. But seeing the pleading look on the face of her best friend, she relented. "Ok, I'll put it on your bed along with the teeshirt."

By seven forty five she was showered, hair washed and dressed ready for the evening. Cathy insisted on driving her into town, which meant that by eight o'clock she was standing at the top of Pultney Street next to Laura Fountain.

Cathy did a u-turn around the fountain and stopped allowing Eden to get out of the small car.

"You've got your 'phone?" She said, leaning across the passenger seat.

Eden put a hand on the waistband of her jeans, feeling the weight of the small mobile 'phone there. "Yep."

"OK, call me when you want picking up." A smile crossed her face. "Or call me if you're not coming home."

"Cathy, I'll be home. But don't wait up, I'll get a taxi." She reached into the back seat and retrieved her black quilted jacket.

"OK, but call me anyway, when you're in the loo or something, just so I know you're ok."

"OK." Eden said and pushed the car door closed.

She watched the small hatchback disappear down the street and made her way to the seat nearby. Unfortunately it was by the bus stop that was for the university bus. About twenty students were waiting, and there was nowhere for her to sit. So she went to the fountain and waited on the low wall that marked its edge.

Part 2

Victoria had gone back to the Bath Spa after her meeting with Eden.

She was pleased that she'd found somewhere to spend the next few months. Her comment to Eden that she was going to be working in Bath had annoyed her. It wasn't a lie as such, but it wasn't the whole truth either. For some reason she felt a great shame because of a small white lie.

After leaving the centre of Bath she'd driven for a while looking for a suitable pub to have lunch in. She found herself on the same road she'd taken only an hour or so previously. Going past the the turning for Summer Cottage she continued down the hill toward Midford and Hinton Charterhouse. There were two pubs in Hinton Charterhouse, but she carried on until she came to Norton St. Phillip.

The streets were ancient, the houses facing directly onto a road that, in an earlier age would have been fine for the occasional horse and cart, but was now too narrow for the amount of traffic that traversed the road.

At the crossroads the spied an inn called The George. Parking behind the pub she went through the thick oak door. Above it was a plaque which announced, 'You are entering the oldest pub in England.'

Victoria sat on a high stool by the bar and ordered a cider, then asked for the menu. After ordering her food she engaged the bar tender in a discussion about the history of the pub.

"This place is old then?" She asked. It was quiet in the bar. Most of the lunch crowd that used the pub for their midday breaks had returned to their offices in the city.

"It is," he said, examining closely the glass he was polishing. "The earliest date we have is 1230. It was a guest house then, run by monks. They were from Hinton priory, which is about two miles from here."

"I wonder what the monks would think now?"

"They probably wouldn't notice too much difference to the exterior, but they might get a shock when they saw the juke box." He placed the glass on the shelf and retrieved another from the glass washing machine.

"When did it become an inn?"

"About 500 years ago. In those days the cellar was the village jail. During the civil war, around 1685, eight men were held for almost a year in the cellar. There was a big battle fought nearby. When they were eventually found guilty the eight were taken an orchard and burned at the stake. But nine men were executed that day." This was obviously not the first time the barkeep had told the story.

"Who was the other one?"

"Some poor fellow who was holding the gate of the inn open when they were brought out. He just got caught up in the crush and they executed him too."

"That was bad luck."

"It was," said the man, another glass finding its way onto the shelf. "There are people living in the village that are direct descendants of the guilty men. In the church records there is mention of the parish paying 12 shillings for faggots for 'ye execution'." He finished with a flourish.

From a side door the landlord's wife appeared with Victoria's meal. She'd decided on chicken kiev and a side salad.

"Shall I put you here dear?" She said, indicating a seat near the window with a nod of her head.

"That's fine, thank you." Victoria slid from her stool at the bar and followed the woman, who put her meal and cutlery on the table.

"Is there anything else I can get you? Sauces, another drink?"

"I'll have another half pint of cider please, thanks." Victoria handed her the empty glass and started her meal.

An hour and a half later she exited the warm friendly establishment into the darkening afternoon. She got back into the Shogun and sat for a while, wondering what to do.

Starting the car, she left the carpark but turned right, away from Bath. "Might as well see some of the countryside I guess." She said to herself.

It was five thirty when she parked outside the Bath Spa hotel. She walked to the desk and asked for her key.

"Miss Conrad, you have a message." Said the hotel manager, who was manning the front desk.

Thank you." She said, taking the slip of paper from him.

It was a message from her father, asking her to ring him as soon as she got in.

She went to her room, sat on the bed and picked up the phone. Ringing the number, she waited for it to be answered.

"Hi dad."

"Victoria. Where have you been?"

"Looking for somewhere to live." 'Hi to you too Dad.' she said to herself.

"Have you found somewhere suitable?"

"I think so." 'But you'd turn your nose up at it.'

"Well, have you or haven't you?"

"Yes, I have."

"Good. Have the details sent to me and I'll sort everything out."

She picked up the folder she'd been given by Eden Gallagher.

"I have the name and address of the owners here if you want it."

"Right, let me get a pen." A pause. " Go ahead."

Victoria gave her father the details.

"Is there a fax number?"

She gave him that too.

"I'll forward six months rent, but I trust you can sort yourself out before then."

Silence.

"Victoria!"

"Give me some time Dad. I just need some time on my own."

"And I need some answers from you girl. You can't just run away from your responibilities. Call me on sunday."

Victoria held onto the phone even though she's heard the click as her father terminated the conversation. she sat and listened to the steady hum of the dialling tone.

Putting the phone down she lay down on the bed and closed her eyes.

She must have fallen asleep, because she was woken with a start when the phone rang. She looked at her watch. It was ten to seven.

She picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Miss Conrad, we have an Eden Gallagher wishing to speak to you."

"Ok, put her on."

Victoria found herself smiling as she listened to the girls voice. "Is there a problem with the cottage?" She enquired.

She was assured there wasn't. Lying back down she listened to the girl trying to overcome her nervousness and ask her out for a drink. 'Why are you here Tori? Isn't it to be alone, to sort yourself out?' She asked herself.

"Great." She heard herself say. "There's a fountain at the bottom of, um, Pultney Street, I think it's called. I'll meet you there. Eight o'clock be ok? Good. See you then."

Victoria put the phone back on the cradle.

"Why not?" She said to herself. "Why the hell not?"

Just under an hour later she was walking down the long drive way of the Bath Spa hotel. She decided to leave the Shogun behind. She'd already had a pint of cider earlier in the day, so anymore alcohol would put her over the drink/drive limit. Pultney Street was a long wide street. At one end the Holbourne Museum, at the other Laura Place, with Laura Fountain in the middle. As she walked along the elegant Georgian street she could see the outline of Eden Gallagher sitting on the low wall of the illuminated fountain.

She pulled her coat snugly around her and walked towards the light.

Part 3.

Laura Fountain consisted of a large round raised basin. In the middle, a large stone pillar with what could only be described as a ball on top issued forth water which splashed down into the pool.

Someone, probably a student waiting for a bus at the nearby bus stop, had thrown in a bottle of bubble bath and now the suds were just starting to emerge over the side of the stone rim.

Eden was watching the bubbles as they made their way toward her. She reached out and snagged a handful of them and let the breeze carry them away.

"Evening."

The voice, so close to her, made her jump.

She turned toward the sound and was met by the smiling face and amused eyes of Victoria Conrad.

"Oh, hi." She said, standing and wiping her wet hand on the leg of her jeans. "Sorry, I didn't see you coming."

"That's ok. Where did you want to go?" Said Victoria looking past her and on towards Pultney Bridge.

"There's a pub just down here, The Boater. It's got a nice cellar bar."

"Ok, lead on." victoria said.

Eden lead the way into the pub, veering off just inside the entrance and descending the stairs into the cellar.

The cold weather had kept most people in their homes, and besides the two women there were only a handful of people in the dimly lit bar.

"What'll you have?" Said Eden pulling her wallet out of the back pocket of her jeans.

"A rum and coke I think." Said Victoria and made her way to an empty table set against the wall.

Eden arrived at the table with a rum and coke, which she placed in front of Victoria, and a vodka and lime for herself.

"So Victoria, what brings you to Bath?" Eden said as she took her jacket off and placed it on the seat beside her.

"Firstly, call me Tori." She said with a smile. "And as for why I'm in Bath, well." She picked her drink up, studying it carefully. "Let's just say, I'm on an extended vacation, which might be a working vacation if the opportunity arises."

Eden was sitting opposite the taller woman and rested her chin in her hand, her elbow on the table. "Have you seen much of Bath yet?"

"I went out past the lane with Summer Cottage in after I left you and found an ancient pub." Her brow wrinkled. Eden noticed this, in fact she was taking in every movement the expressive face made. "What's it called?"

"The George?" Eden offered.

"That's it, The George. The bar tender told me an horrific story."

"About the ghosts?" Asked Eden.

"No." Tori looked alarmed. "Not about ghosts."

"Oh, maybe they don't tell that one on your first visit. " She said smiling. "I've been there a few times. They like to tell those down in the cellar bar."

"That's where those men were held."

"That's right."

Tori waited. "So you're not going to tell me?"

"You need to be in The George to hear that, maybe another day." Eden said.

Tori seemed to consider this. "Ok."

The tall woman leaned back in her seat, obviously relaxing in the company of the blond. "Have you always lived in Bath?"

"Yep, always. My parents moved down to the coast a few years ago. I didn't want to go with them, so I stayed. My friend, Cathy, bought a flat, with the help of her folks. I moved in with her. It worked out ok."

"It's a beautiful city."

"It is, but a lot of Bath people don't appreciate it. I think visitors see more than we do."

There were a few moments of silence before Eden thought of another topic of conversation. "The cottage shouldn't take too long to sort out." She said.

"Mmm?" Tori had been staring through the large glass doors along the back wall of the cellar. Even though they had descended into the bar their was an exit which led to the riverbank.

"I should have the forms for the cottage tomorrow. I'll just need to get some references for the landlord."

"Oh, I put that in the hands of my father. He's going to forward six months rent directly to the landlord. I should imagine that would be reference enough."

"I expect so. You don't hang about, do you?"

"I was getting fed up with the hotel room."

"The Bath Spa, you were getting fed up with that?" Eden looked surprised.

"One hotel room is very like another."

"I'll take your word for it. The only hotels I've been in are the one's in Spain, I can't imagine they're a lot like yours."

"Probably not."

"So where are you from?" Eden drained her glass.

"London, Chelsea to be exact?"

"And you decided to spend some time here." It was a statement more than a question.

Tori was silent for a long moment, and Eden didn't think she was going to answer. "I don't know why I chose Bath. Some things went......." She was searching for a word, "ugly, back home."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean......."

Tori shook her head. "No, it's ok. I'm here to get my head together." She looked up into the green eyes opposite her." That's why the cottage was so perfect. It's secluded and peaceful. If you're going to be on your own, sorting your life out, you might as well be in pleasant surroundings."

Eden suddenly felt uncomfortable that this woman had divulged so much of herself so easily. She didn't think Tori would normally be so forthcoming and wondered why the openness now.

"You, um, don't have to be alone." Eden felt the colour flooding past her neck into her face. It was only made worse when smokey blue eyes captured hers. She remembered a conversation with her flatmate only an hour or so before. "I mean, I could show you the sights, show you all the best pubs and stuff."

Tori stood suddenly, and Eden thought for a moment that she'd offended her. But the dark woman held her hand out to her. Eden felt her own hand move into the womans long, warm fingers.

"Actually, I wanted your glass, it's empty."

Eden could have fainted on the spot. "Sorry, sorry, um, yes please. Vodka and lime."

Tori took the glass and made her way to the bar. If Eden had looked in the mirror which was behind the bar she'd have seen the grin that split the woman's feature's.

A few people were ahead of her being served, so Tori put the glasses on the bar and waited for the bartender to finish with the other customers. 'What's going on here?' she asked herself. She'd been out with enough prospective husbands to know when someone was attracted to her. But this was new. She been with the woman less than an hour, but was totally at ease with her. When was the last time that happened? No, it hadn't happend before. There was something different here, something comfortable. She smiled to herself. 'So, what now Tori?' She asked herself. She thought back to a time long ago. How long? 'Jesus, ten years.' She remembered though. Remembered the feelings, remembered the nights, remembered the sex. Oh yeah, the sex. That was all there was though. Love was never an option, she knew that, so did Jodie. They satisfied each other. Satisfied being the optimum word. No words of commitment, they both knew it was temporary. They'd have their fun and move on. Probably to a family life. House, nice car, two point four children.

But here she was ten years later. In the mire, no house, no kids. Nice car though. Two out of three ain't bad.

"I said what can I get you?" The bar tender brought her out of her musings.

"Sorry, rum and coke and vodka and lime."

She watched his back as he got their drinks. 'Do you really need anymore complications in your life?' She asked herself. 'Exactly,' came the answer. 'Of course you don't.'

She turned to look at her companion for the evening. The blond woman smiled at her. She turned back to the bar. 'So much for your iron will Tori. This is not how it was meant to be. What was the plan? Go to Bath. Get your calm head on. Go home............Then what?'

The bar tender brought her drinks and she paid for them. As she went back to the table Eden stood.

"I need the loo, won't be long."

Tori watched her go and sat down again.

'What a time to start debating the meaning of life.' She told herself. 'In a cellar bar, in the company of a lovely young woman you think has the hots for you.' She chuckled to herself.

'Jesus you're arrogant Tori. You think that everyone's gonna fall for you, even women. On the other hand, the way she looks at me, those eyes.' She rubbed the bridge of her nose and screwed her face up. 'So what you gonna do about it?' She sat back in the chair. 'Right then, do you like her? Yes. Are you attracted to her. Yes. Are you ready to go through all that again? No, don't think so. But there again............ Oh dammit! Why can't life be simple?'

She drained her glass in one go and returned to the bar to get a refill before her drinking partner returned.

Eden stood in the ladies with her back against the wash basin, took out her mobile and dialled her home number. "Cathy?"

"Eddie! How's it going?"

"Ok, I think. We're getting on ok."

"Have you found out if....you know."

"I think the answer is no. No, I'm pretty sure it's no. Still we're having a good time, I think I may have made a new friend."

"Oh well, you have a good time. I'll probably be in bed by the time you get home."

"Oh yeah? Is Darren there?" Eden smiled into the phone.

"No he's not! An early night doesn't mean Darren's here."

"Ok, I believe you. See you in the morning then."

"Yeah right, nighty night."

Eden sighed and made her way back to the bar.

Tori was back in her seat by the time Eden rejoined her. Although they didn't know it both women had come to a conclusion.

Eden eased into her seat and picked up her glass. "Cheers." She said, raising her glass to the tall woman.

"Cheers to you too." Said Tori, who leaned forward and stared intently at the smaller woman. "So tell me, any good gay bars in Bath?"

She managed to avoid the fountain of vodka and lime that shot in her direction and made her way round the side of the table towards the girl who was in danger of choking. A couple of hard smacks on her back and Eden managed to get her breathing under control.

"You ok?" Asked Tori rubbing the blond's back.

"Think so." Eden was still clearing her throat. She looked to her left and into the blue eyes. "The answer is yes."

"Yes to what?" Tori said.

"Yes I know where a good gay bar is, but are you sure you want to go there?"

Tori understood the double meaning to the question. "Yes, I want to go there."