Language warning:
Not often but yes.
Love and sex warning: This story definitely portrays
a loving relationship between two women.
Violence Warning: A little, unless you also count a
projectile camera and battered door.
Thanks: I would like to thank first of all Garnet
for doing a wonderful job in beta reading this story. To Carolyne, for her
constant support throughout, and giving me the kick up the backside to continue
writing whether she realised or not.
And last but no means least Tammy, for all the invaluable information on
horses that she gave me and for naming the two horsey characters.
Let me know what you think: mj_poet@hotmail.com
4
There
was a strange kind of sound that signalled the coming of each new day. It was
like distant life, from hundreds of miles away, would echo through the dusky
sky. It was familiar and comforting,
creating an almost peaceful ambiance to each birth of a new day.
Smells
were different to. They were cleaner,
fresher, delighting the nostrils with its cool scent. It was almost as if you could tell what kind of day it would be
just by experiencing these sensations as the sun rose gracefully into the
morning sky.
Nikki
had woken early Thursday morning, with a strange feeling of unrest, or was it
excitement? She had managed to get home
before her parents the day before, so was able to avoid the inquisition she was
expecting from her mother upon her return from the studio. That night she had gone to bed early,
wanting to get away from the hassle of listening to her mothers constant
tittle-tattle. So she had proclaimed tiredness, and had escaped to the privacy
of her bedroom where she fell asleep still in her day clothes.
When
she had come around, she was on top of her bed, shoes still upon her feet, and
book still resting on her stomach. The
clock told her it was half past six, so that meant it was still pretty dark
outside, and everyone but James would still be asleep.
Getting
up from the bed, she walked over to the veranda doors, which lead to a small
balcony from her bedroom. Grabbing the
jacket that hung loosely on the corner of her vanity chair, she shrugged into
its extra warmth, and opened the doors, walking out onto the small upper
tier.
A
brisk northerly wind blew gusts of cold air upon her face, and she shivered as
it worked its tendrils around the collar of her coat. It was going to snow today, she was sure of that. The past few days had seen a rise in
temperature, but now it was dropping again, and Nikki knew a good fall of snow
was definitely on its way.
Folding
her arms she leant forward, placing them on the black railings that surrounded
the small rectangular balcony, and breathed in the cool air. She loved these times of the day; the
soothing silence gave her a calming feeling that eased her sometimes-whirling
mind.
With
a deep sigh she let her thoughts wander, allowing the speculation as to where
Tess was intending on taking her at the weekend. It would have to be somewhere that Leto would be able to go, so
she was sure it would be outside. As
her mind wandered, she thought back to the day before, and the strange emotion
that had passed between them. She was
not sure but she got the strange feeling, if only for a fleeting nano second,
that Tess was going to kiss her.
Nikki
shook her head, angry at the ludicrous notion; the woman had probably just
paused in thought nothing more. With an
even deeper sigh, brought on by an unexpected disheartened feeling, she pushed
herself way from the railings and wandered back into her bedroom, closing the
door firmly behind her.
There
was a sudden quiet tapping on the bedroom door that led onto the landing.
“Yeah?”
She whispered loudly.
The
door slowly crept open and a grey head poked around the frame, “Morning Miss
Morris, I heard your veranda door shut and just though I would come and see
whether you required anything…a warm drink maybe, or some breakfast?” He looked at her dishevelled state with a
frown, “Why, you did not sleep in your clothes last night, did you?”
Nikki
smiled sheepishly, “Yes…guess I was pretty tired, I flaked out not long after
my head hit the pillow. I was only
lying down to read as well.”
James
Abbot walked into the room pushing the door to, but not completely shut.
“Possibly it was your unexpected outing that tired you so?”
“Ah…”
Nikki sighed, “Maybe.” She chewed on
her bottom lip and sat down on the corner of the bed. “I am sorry I didn’t tell
you where I was going, I guess it was thoughtless of me…but Lisa knew. I just didn’t want you warning me about
annoying mother, one day she will see that I am able to lead a life of my own
James. I understand her protectiveness,
but she has to understand that I need my independence too.”
James
sat down next to Nikki, he knew that it wasn’t really appropriate for him to be
doing such a thing, but the woman needed some reassurance and he wanted to
provide it.
“I
think it is hard for all parents to watch their children grow up. One minute you are taking care of them,
trying your best to do what is right, and the next minute the children all grow
up, able to take care of themselves.
But the thing is, that it does not stop the parent from wanting to do
their utmost in looking out for what they will always consider ‘their babies’.”
Nikki
shook her head, “It’s not that…”
“I
know I know…” James assured, “I see how it is, and although I am in no position
to point out what I see, I can assure you that I am on your side, and will do
whatever is in my power to help in any way I can.”
The
blonde smiled, “Thank you James.”
The
butler rubbed a slim shoulder; “I have known you from the first day Mrs Morris
brought you home from the hospital. I saw you take your first step. I was there when you spoke your first word,
and came home from your first day at school, all dirty with grazed knees.”
Nikki
laughed.
“Your
mother was so annoyed at your scraped up knee.
She made you wear long dresses to hide the scabs…and we both know how
much you hated wearing them.”
The
smile faded from the blondes face, “Why is she always so consumed by what
people think, and making the right impression?”
James
shook his head, “I cannot answer that, and all I can say is that deep down she
does love you and your sister. It is
hard for a person to know how to show affection when they were not accustomed
to it themselves. My father worked for
your grandfather as you know, and he said that your grandfather was very much
how your mother is now, it could explain why she is the way she is.”
“But
I don’t ever want to be like that James.” Nikki stated, terrified by thoughts
of innate shallowness.
The
butler laughed, “I don’t see any chance of that happening, you and your sister
are both too independently minded. The
trick is to be aware of others around you, and not become wrapped up in
yourself, and how you want others to see you.
You have a loving, caring heart Miss Morris I would not want to see that
change.”
Nikki
blushed, “Thanks James.”
Rising
to his feet, the butler walked towards the door. “Well I think I should get on with my duties. It is almost time
for your fathers wake up call, and I need to go start the breakfast. Which by the way leads me back to my
original question…can I get you anything?”
“I
will be down in about half an hour James, just give me a chance to get more
presentable and I will be on my way.”
She paused, “But saying that, if you could get some bacon cooking, I
would be most appreciative.” She grinned, as she moved over to her wardrobe.
James
nodded, “Bacon it is…” and he left the room with a smile.
*******
By
eight o’clock the snow had started its descent from the grey morning sky. Heavy flakes fell with purpose to the
ground, thick and fast in their approach.
Quickly covering the city with a never-ending blanket of brilliant white
shavings that the hustle and bustle of Thursday morning commuting traffic could
not disrupt. And it had stayed that
way, a dense assault of snow, falling all the morning, through lunchtime and on
into the afternoon.
Tess
stood by a large rectangle window, on the second floor of the Snap Shots
building. She looked out into the city,
now sparse with only the odd shopper daring to risk the blistering cold. Traffic was minimal to, and tended to only
range from different forms of public transport, and the odd snow covered car
thrown in for good measure.
Craning
her head to the right, she looked at the tall cathedral that stood at the
bottom of Main Street. It was facing
the road, so provided a clear view to the photographer, who watched casually as
people filtered into the huge building.
Idly, she wondered what the event was.
She had never been a religious person, and often wondered what was the
draw for those that were. She was
pretty sure Nikki attended the church on occasion, as it was common knowledge
that the Lord and Lady Mayoress attended many Sunday masses.
Turning
back, she looked up into the heaving sky; the snow was still coming in
fast. So far today Snap Shots had
received four cancellations from snowed in customers, but she wasn’t in the
least bothered. However much she loved
taking pictures, there were just some days, when she would prefer the solitude
of working in the darkroom all day, and today was now one of those days. In fact, she had spent most of the day
working away from the outside world, that when she had walked up to the window
not ten minutes ago, the sight shocked her slightly. She’d never seen so much snowfall in such a short space of time,
and inside her hopes of a white Christmas increased.
Hearing
footsteps behind her, she turned around to see Robert walking into the
storeroom, his arms full with three large boxes of camera films. Only the size of the man gave him away, and
the top of the second box covered his view as he walked blindly into the
room.
Not
being able to see where he was going, Robert was unaware that he was walking
into another box on the floor. Tess was
too late in warning him, and his foot hit the box, jarring the third box on top
of his pile. It fell forward, and the
brunette jumped forward catching the item before it hit the ground.
“Wow…nice
catch!” He said placing the other two boxes on another pile of even larger
containers. The whole room was full of
boxes, of different shapes and sizes.
Tess
place her burden down and bowed, “No problem, sorry I was a bit lax in my
warning.”
Robert
smiled, “Well you saved me from a possible accident so thanks.”
“Ah
it was nothing Robert and you know it.”
She studied the man before grinning, “But if you insist on being
grateful…you can thank me by lending me your jeep?” She looked at him with
hopeful eyes.
A
frown covered the burley mans face at the mention of Tess using his most prized
possession again; she was always borrowing it when she needed the extra packing
space, or more room for her equipment. “Why?” He folded his arms.
Tess
rolled her eyes, “Because I want to use it.”
“What
for?” He asked again, eyeing her up and down suspiciously.
This
time she shook her head, “I promised the ‘Mayor’” she emphasized the word for
better effect, “That I would deliver something to him today, it is ready now,
and would like to get it to him. The
problem is my car will not make it in this weather…and you have all that ‘all
wheel drive’ and ‘all weather tires’, it would be wiser to use your jeep…so I
could get there safely. You know…in one
piece, and more importantly, that I would be able to get the ‘Mayors’ cards to
him on the agreed date.”
“Well
I will do it then.” Robert stated taking a step towards the door.
“NO…”
Tess said a little too quickly. “I
mean, I said I would do it, and I will…don’t you trust me or something? I promise to be very gentle with your pride
and joy, and treat her with the utmost respect and devotion…just like you do.”
The
tall man frowned, “I am not that bad.”
Tess
nodded, “Of course you are not. So can
I borrow it? Come on, you know I am an
excellent driver.”
Robert
shook his head, “I don’t think so…why don’t you just go and buy your own car
for gods sake…that rust bucket you drive around is highly in need of been
replaced.” He held up a hand to stop
the protest she was about to make, “Yes, yes I know it was your fathers and it
has sentimental value, but I am speaking from a common sense point of view
here. You need a new car.”
The
photographer tapped her foot, “Fine…you are right…I shall buy a new
car…satisfied.”
“Yup…”
Robert nodded and took a step to leave the room
“Provided…that
you let my borrow your jeep today…come on I promise to buy a new car if you
allow me to use it just this one last time…come on Robert I did save you from a
near accident with the boxes.”
Robert
sighed his arms falling limply to his side, “You buy a new one at the weekend
and it is a deal.”
Tess
held out her hand, grasping the larger one in a firm handshake, “Deal.” She
said; realising with annoyance she was going to have to change her plans with
Nikki for the weekend.
Pushing
his hands into his pocket, Robert pulled out his keys. With a reluctant growl, he handed them over
to Tess taking a little too long in letting the metal objects go.
Tess
gave a firm tug and released them from his fingers, “Cheers Rob.” She grinned
and walked out of the storeroom, patting the distraught man on the back as she
passed him.
*******
The
journey to the Mayors house was slow, taking over twice as long as usual due to
slow drivers and the fresh snow causing precarious road conditions. Still she knew that the country roads would
be worse, and just hoped the jeep would manoeuvre the narrow dirt tracks with
ease. She was glad that at least the
blizzard had stopped, as she hated driving in those conditions.
Tess
arrived at the house by five o’clock, and as she pulled into the driveway she
noted that one of the three garage doors was open and presumably a car was
missing. She hoped that meant Mr and
Mrs Morris were out. Parking the jeep at the front of the house, Tess climbed
out, her booted feet sinking into the heavily snowed path.
Zipping
up her heavy jacket, she pulled open the back door, and took out the box of
cards. Securing it under her right arm,
she slammed the door shut and made her way to the front door. It was opened before she even had a chance
to knock.
Lisa
stood back allowing Tess to enter then quickly closed the door behind her.
“Cold out?” She asked.
“Just
a bit.” Tess replied as she spotted Lisa’s friend Sally, standing by the
entrance to the family room, blush once again evident upon her cheeks. She
smiled at the girl before turning back to Lisa. “So is your father here, I have his Christmas Cards, I need to
get his signature on receipt.” Tess looked around hopefully.
Lisa
smiled, “Have you changed jobs now…are you a delivery woman?”
Tess
arched her eyebrow, trying to keep the smile from her face.
“Gosh
I was only kidding!”
Just
then Mrs Morris appeared in the doorway, an obvious faux smile plastered on her
highly made up face.
“Miss
Alexander…we were not expecting you until this evening…my husband isn’t even
back from work yet.” She walked forward.
Tess
pulled the large box from under her arm, “Well your cards were done, so I
thought I would deliver them…” she took a side glance at a giggling Lisa, “…As
promised, but before it got too dark, the roads are icy enough at the moment,
they are bound to be worse once the temperature drops.”
Rosalind
nodded her head, “Wise decision.” She
stepped forward placing her hands out for the box and Tess passed it over.
“I
will need a signature, just to state that you have received the package and are
happy with the finished results.”
“OK…Let
me have a look.”
The
older woman walked over to a large hall table and placed the box on top. She pulled open the lid and reached in taking
out one of the Christmas Cards. Talking
the glasses that were hanging from a golden chain around her neck, she put them
on and inspected the card.
Tess
turned around to Lisa and her friend who were standing in the doorway to the
family room. She looked at Lisa making
eye contact.
“Where
is Nikki?” She mouthed silently with a frown.
Lisa
opened her mouth to respond…
“Well
Miss Alexander, you have done a marvellous job here, I am sure my husband will
be very pleased with them.”
Tess
smiled at the small woman, as she pulled a sheet of paper out of her inner
jacket pocket. “Well if you would just
sign here then Mrs Morris I will be on my way.”
Rosalind
took the form and picked up a gold pen from a large pad by the phone. She signed her name and gave the sheet of
paper back to Tess.
“Thank
you…is there anything else?” She asked keeping her eyes trained on the tall
woman.
The
photographer shook her head, “No that is it, Thank you Mrs Morris.”
Rosalind
walked to the front door, “Well thank you once again for bringing them around
so promptly Miss Alexander…I am sure my husband will contact you this evening.”
Tess
walked out of the door, and into the cold, somehow feeling warmer now she was
out of the woman’s presence.
“Goodbye
Miss Alexander.”
“Bye.”
Rosalind
shut the door.
*******
Tess
sighed, blowing out a strained breath as she looked into the sky and noticed
the snow once again falling from the thick grey clouds. She blinked rapidly as a flake hit her
eyelashes, and turned away, heading back to Robert’s jeep.
She
was annoyed, very annoyed. So it was
obvious that Mrs Morris had for some reason decided to take a disliking to her;
she still didn’t know why. What was so
wrong about taking her daughter out for a few hours last Saturday anyway?
Pulling
the keys out of her pocket, she was about to twist open the lock when she heard
a voice call her. Looking up quickly,
she saw James Abbot jogging towards her.
He was wearing a large black coat over his shoulders, and she could tell
he had come out for the intent purpose of talking to her.
“Hey
James what’s up?”
The
butler looked towards the house before turning back to Tess. “You were not supposed to be here until
later this evening Miss Tess. I do
believe Miss Morris wanted to speak with you, but as she presumed you would not
be here until later, she was obviously not expecting you to arrive so soon.”
“Uh
huh.”
“Well,
I get the feeling that she would be very disappointed if she missed you…so…if
you want to speak to her, she is at this moment in the stables, grooming her
horses.”
Tess
grinned at the elderly man, “Thanks James I appreciate it. Now get back inside before you catch your
death.”
The
butler smiled, “Thank you Miss Tess…why it is a little cold out here, I think I
might just do that.”
With
a small wave he turned around and headed back the way he came disappearing
around the side of the house.
Looking
briefly at the large building, Tess turned towards the path that would lead to
the stables and headed off in search of Nikki.
*******
The
temperature inside the stables was a lot warmer than outside. What with the solid brick walls and heavy
oak doors, it was able to keep the blistering cold winds that hammered against
the walls completely out.
Dressed
in heavy jeans, a sweater and incredibly warm coat, Nikki sat on a bale of hey,
listening to the wind. It was beginning
to gather speed, and she knew she would have to return back to the house soon,
or else risk the chance of being blown away.
She laughed gently to herself at the thought.
Leaning
forward she rested elbows on her knees and placed her chin in her hands. She felt peaceful, even with the howling
winds, rustling trees and gentle nickering and stamping of Thunder and Jenna,
she still felt relaxed. She smiled to
herself realising that any sound would be more welcoming that her mothers
prattling. A frown suddenly replaced
her smile, it was not that she didn’t love her mother because she did; it was
the constant feeling of suffocation that saddened her so.
Pushing
back, she realised she should start making her way back to the house, when she
heard the stable door open. Nikki rose
to her feet, since she was in the back of the building, nobody would be able to
see her from the doorway.
“Hello?”
Nikki
recognised the voice immediately and moved out into the main area of the
stable. “Tess.”
Tess
saw the blonde walk into view and smiled at the welcome sight, “Hey, I was
looking for you.”
“Yeah? You are here early, I though you were not
bringing the cards round until tonight?” asked Nikki.
“Well
I got them finished early and though I better bring them round. It is getting pretty stormy out there, and I
didn’t want to tackle that along with the added danger of the darkness…spooky
out in these non street lamp lit roads ” She pushed a hand through her hair,
removing large flakes of melting snow from her dark tresses. She hated the feeling of wet windblown hair;
it was an annoyance to comb.
Nikki
nodded, “How are you?”
“Fine…you?”
“Yes
I am good…so you want to talk about Saturday, I suppose if the weather stays
like this it will be off huh?”
Tess
walked further into the barn, needing to be closer to the blonde. She looked around at the two horses that
seemed disinterested in either woman’s presence, as she stopped by Nikki’s
side.
“Um…I
have to cancel anyway. I made a promise
to do something at the weekend and cannot back out of it. It was stupid really but the only way I
could get Robert to lend me his jeep so that I could get here ok.”
“What
was the promise?”
“That
I would go buy my own jeep, and stop using his.”
“And
you have to do it this weekend?” asked Nikki.
“Yeah,
and Saturday is a better day for me, as I am the official photographer for some
big Christmas charity function in Birmingham on Sunday.”
“Sounds
interesting.”
Tess
scrunched her nose, “Yeah dozens of celebrities pretending to give a damn about
whatever the latest cause is that’s considered hip to support.”
Nikki
shook her head with a smile, getting a glimpse of the infamous Tess Alexander
that Lisa had heard of and told her so much about.
“So
I only have Saturday to get the damn car…that is unless you think car shopping
with me would be considered a fun day out?”
She asked hopefully with crossed fingers and toes.
“I
was just thinking that.” Nikki responded.
“Is
that a yes?”
“Oh
course, it could be fun. I just hope the weather holds off over the weekend
though.”
“Great…I
mean, yeah I hope so too.” Tess looked
around the stable. “So have you
finished with the beasts?”
“Yes.”
Nikki laughed, “They have been groomed, had their forage feed, and are now
feeling well loved and cared for…I hope.”
“Well
in that case…would Miss Morris care for Miss Tess to escort her back to the
main house?” Tess asked using her best James Abbot impression.
“Why
yes I do believe Miss Morris would like that very much.”
Tess
held out her arm, gently took Nikki’s and placed it in the crook, “Then let us
get going then shall we?”
“Lets.”
With
twin smiles, Nikki and Tess walked out of the stable and securely shut it
behind them.
The
snow was still falling with no sign of stopping as they made their way up the
long concrete path. The force of the
wind blew to the side, forcing them to turn their faces away from the
blistering gusts.
“You
never mentioned what time you intend on picking me up on Saturday.” Nikki stated in a raised voice, trying to be
heard over the turbulent winds.
“I
want to get there nice and early, so how does nine o’clock sound?” Tess asked
above the high winds; she hoped the weather would not be like this.
“Fine
with me.”
She
smiled, “Great.”
They
reached the main house, and Tess noticed Mrs Morris standing in one of the
front windows watching them. Pretending
she had not seen the woman, Tess walked Nikki up to her front door. Once under the porch, they were able to talk
in a more normal voice, the majority of the winds howling blocked out by the
brick structure.
“Your
mother was watching us.” Tess whispered
Nikki
sighed, “Ok, thanks for letting me know.” She whispered back smirking. She should have know her mother would have
been somewhere around if Tess was about.
“Are
you going to be alright?”
“Yeah
fine, her bark is worst than her bite.”
The
brunette pulled a face, “Seems like she has a pretty mean bark though.”
“Nothing
I can’t handle, I will be fine.” Nikki assured her.
“Ok…if
you are sure.” Tess still felt a little uneasy. “Listen…” she scratched her neck, “Could I give you my mobile
number, just in case you ever want to speak to me…you can call me any time. The phone is always switched on. You could call me this evening if you wish,
just so my mind will be put at ease.”
Nikki
hesitated for just a minute, “Um…ok yes that would be great.”
“Are
you good at remembering numbers, cause I have cards…but…”
“Actually
I am terrible at remembering numbers…you tell me what it is and I shall program
it into my watch.”
Tess
gave out her number, as Nikki put it into her watch. Once done, she played back the data to make sure she had got the
digits right. Then with slight reluctance,
Tess said good-bye and made her way back to Roberts’s jeep, as Nikki entered
the house.
*******
Rosalind
Morris was waiting for her daughter in the hallway as she entered the
house. She had noticed the jeep still
parked in her driveway not long before, and had wondered what was going on when
she spotted the two women walking back from the stables.
She
walked into the hall, and stood by the table still holding the box of Christmas
cards, as she waited for Nikki to come in.
It had taken two minutes for the blonde to appear, and in that time the
woman had come up with a million different scenarios as to what was going on
behind the closed door.
Nikki
walked in, knowing who would be waiting for her upon her entrance.
“I
see you had a visitor.” Rosalind stated.
“Yes
Tess came to say hello…why?”
The
woman frowned, “I just wondered what she wanted to see you for…and why. I am concerned as to what her interest is in
you.”
“I
don’t understand.”
Rosalind
walked to three feet in front of her daughter, “I want to know what a woman
like that is doing with somebody like you.”
The
words stung unexpectedly, “What do you mean ‘somebody like me’ mother?”
“Exactly
what I said. That woman is a high paid,
well-known member of society, even with her introverted and somewhat aloof
personality. She does not mix in our
kind of circles, so I wonder what she is playing at.”
“Maybe
she just wants to be my friend.” She told her mother, even though inside she
felt an unknown desire for something more.
“Nonsense,
why would she want that?”
Nikki
fought against the hurt, her mothers words produced. “Well I tell you what, when she comes to pick me up on Saturday,
you can ask her.”
“I
beg your pardon. She is taking you out
on Saturday? I do not think so young lady.”
Lisa
appeared in the doorway listening to the conversation. Though hidden from her mothers view, Nikki
sensed she was there.
“Mother,
you cannot stop her, or me for that matter.
I would like to go out, and it would be a nice change for me. I always
get stuck doing the same old boring things, this is something different, and I
am going…ok?” Nikki heard her fathers’
car pulling into the driveway.
“Nicole
Kathryn Morris, am I to understand you are disobeying my orders?” Rosalind
advanced a step closer to her daughter.
“When
will you understand I am capable of choosing my own friends and making my own
decisions mother?”
Richard
Morris walked into the hallway at that precise moment.
“I
do not need you to vet people for me, I am a pretty good judge of character,
and I like Tess ok. I am going out for the day with her on Saturday, and you
cannot stop me when you have no valid reason, other than that fact that you
don’t trust somebody. You have never
even gotten to know her mother so you cannot make that kind of judgement.”
Behind
the door to the family room, Lisa and Sally grinned and gave each other high
five.
“I
have never heard your sister speak up to you mother like that.” Sally
whispered.
“She
has never had a reason to before.” Replied Lisa.
Richard
Morris walked in between the two women, “Ok, what is going on here?” he looked
towards Rosalind.
“Will
you please tell your daughter that she cannot possibly go out with that Tess
Alexander woman at the weekend Richard.”
The
mayor looked at his daughter, “Nicole are you and Miss Alexander going out for
the day on Saturday?”
Nikki
nodded, “Yes father, she only asked me whether I would like to go car shopping
with her, and I said yes.”
“Then
what is the problem?” He asked his wife.
Rosalind
looked at the man strangely, unsure of what to say. “Well I just thought that
it would not be appropriate…”
“Nonsense…”
He butted in, “It is Nicole’s decision.
And though I can understand where you are coming from,” He consoled his
wife, “I am sure she will be in fine. I
was a little unsure of Miss Alexander myself at first, but she is a nice woman,
and a credible asset for us. Why did
you know she is attending the ‘Christmas for children’ charity function this
Sunday in Birmingham?”
Rosalind
shook her head in surprised, while Nikki did the same, not surprised in the
least that her father would find that a promising advantage.
“Well
let us hear no more about it. It may
not be the most desirable of days out Nicole, but I trust you will enjoy
yourself.”
Nikki
grinned and thanked her father, all the while knowing that if he had not
approved, there was still no way she would have missed shopping with Tess. She knew that he could not really have
stopped her, and so did he, but it made things easier for her to know that he
approved of Tess, and for some reason, that was strangely important to her.
*******
Late
into the evening Tess sat in her sparsely decorated living room. She lay across
a large sofa, resting on her side with her head in her left hand. In her right she held the TV remote control,
as she aimlessly surfed the multitude of satellite channels. She was not really interested in something
to watch, her attention more upon the mobile phone lying directly in front of her.
Tess
was hoping Nikki would call. Since the
moment she’d given her number to the blonde, she had spent every moment with
one eye and ear on the phone, wondering whether it would ring. And earlier when it did, she dove to the
device before noticing her mothers name on the digital display. So she had answered the phone and asked her
mother to call back on the landline, just in case the Nikki did indeed ring…but
so far she had not. Tess wanted to
think that was a good sign as it meant Nikki was probably ok, but she still
felt a nagging disappointment…if she admitted it, she really wanted to speak to
her again.
Still
flicking through the channels, she thought back to the brief conversation with
her mother. Hyacinth Alexander had
asked when her daughter was to come down and visit her, as it had been over
four months since they had last seen each other, and that was when Hyacinth had
travelled up to visit Tess. Still her
mother did relent due to the present bad weather, but issued an order to come
visit her lonely old mother just as soon as the snow had cleared. Tess had agreed, but as she did every time
she and her mother spoke, moaned about the fact that Hyacinth had moved down to
Cornwall.
The
relationship between mother and daughter had always been close, made even more
so when her father had died. It was
then that Hyacinth had decided to move, and had found a quaint little cottage
on the on the outskirts of Boscastle.
Tess was not too thrilled that she would be leaving the Midlands, but
consented to whatever made her mother happy.
And if it meant that she would get the odd holiday down to a costal
town, who was she to complain?
Her
perusal of the TV had strayed to the music channels, and she flicked through
each station with disgust.
“Boy
band.” Flick, “Boy band.” Flick, “Girl band.” Flick, “Another boy band.” Flick,
“Ugh ancient band.” Flick “Weird band.” Flick, “Oh god…and I pay good money for
this?”
She
made one more attempted switch of the channel and landed on a history program,
talking about the life of some unknown military leader. Shaking her head, she fought the urge to
throw the remote control at the screen, and instead opted to make herself a
drink.
As
she got up, Leto, who had been sleeping peacefully on the floor, got up and
followed her master into the kitchen.
Tess was greatly aware of the hopeful expression for a possible snack,
evident on the golden dogs features.
Once
inside the kitchen, she made a beeline for the fridge, opening it up and
surveying the contents. She really did
need to so some shopping, the shelves were less than half full, and she always
liked to keep a well-stocked fridge.
Deciding
on the banana flavoured milk; she took out the carton and placed it on the
counter, while reaching up to the wall cupboard for a glass. Leto noticed the beverage on the side and
whined for some attention.
“No
way dog, you don’t like this stuff remember?
Banana milk, last time I gave you some it ended up all over the bloody
floor.”
Tess
filled her glass and put the carton back into the refrigerator, Leto still whining
at her feet. With a dramatic sigh, she
stuck her finger into the glass and pulled out some of the milk.
“Go
on then, have a try…again.”
Leto
lapped at the finger for all of one second before the flavour hit her taste
buds, and she pulled away with a snort of disgust.
“Ha…told
you so.” Tess proclaimed with a satisfied smile. Her moment of revelry was short lived as the ringing of her
mobile filtered into the kitchen.
With
a jump she darted into the living room and grabbed, noticing the unknown number
in the display. With a frown and a
slight feeling of disappointment that it was not whom she had hopped, she
answered the call.
“Hello?”
“Tess?”
The
photographers’ ears picked up at the sound of a familiar voice, “Nikki?”
“Yeah.”
“Sorry
I didn’t realise it was you, the number was unknown to me.”
“I
have my own line in my bedroom, that could be the reason.” The blonde chuckled.
“Ah
ok…so how are you…how did things go earlier?”
“Fine
actually, my father came home and backed me up…you know I think he might
actually be starting to come around to the fact that I am not ten years old any
more.”
Tess
laughed, “Good for him.”
Nikki
sat down on her bed, and then moved to lie on her back. She crossed her ankles and rested one hand
upon her stomach. She felt suddenly
content.
Tess
walked back into the kitchen picked up her flavoured milk, and walked back into
the living room, putting her glass on the floor as she got into her previous
position on the couch. Leto trotted
over, sniffed the glass, and snorting again at the memorable smell. She dropped herself down unceremoniously
onto the carpet and closed her eyes.
Tess chuckled quietly at her behaviour.
“What
have you been up to this evening then?” Nikki asked, not wanting to end the
conversation.
Tess
leaned forward taking a drink of her milk, “Not a lot actually, pretty quiet
evening for a change, and I haven’t even set foot into my dark room all
evening…a first for me. I kind of
watched TV, spoke to my mother, who is demanding that I go down and visit her,
and took Leto out for a walk when I first came in, just in the woods at the
back of my house though.”
“I
love walking in wooded areas, all the sounds seem to echo, and there is a
comforting kind of amity that is hauntingly familiar.”
Tess
rolled onto her back; “You make it sound so romantic…I bet you write poetry
don’t you?”
“Actually
sometimes yes I do…but I assure you it is not very good.”
“I
would still like to hear some of it some time.”
The
blonde fidgeted feeling suddenly embarrassed, “Um…well maybe, I have never let
anybody hear it before.”
“Well
if you are willing I would love to be your first test subject…but I have a
feeling I am going to like them. You
have a way with words Nikki, sometimes they speak to me…in a deeper sense of
course”
A
blush covered fair cheeks, “Thank you.
Can I tell you something?”
“Sure.”
She
hesitated briefly, “I wish I was able to feel your work, I have heard so much
about it that I regret I will never be able to see the beauty you capture.”
Tess
rolled her head to the side looking at her favourite picture on the wall,
“Maybe you would like me to describe one for you, a picture I took and loved so
much that I placed it here in my living room.”
Nikki
placed her hand under her head, “Yes…that would be wonderful.” She closed her
eyes, ready to concentrate on Tess’s rich velvety voice.
The
brunette looked hard at the shot. “It
is night time…out in the middle of nowhere, and the sky is lit with a million
stars like tiny chips of ice in the midnight sky…beneath the sky is the
ocean…it is vast…and its icy waters move gently on the surface by a light
breeze…if you were to put your hand into its water, you would be able to feel
the chill and movement of the crests due to the light winds…in the centre of
the sky is the moon…it is large and encompassing…fully rounded and shining
bright like the daytime sun…it sheds its image onto the ocean below…and if you
were to put your hand into the reflection…I bet you could feel an unexpected
warmth…comforting and peaceful…When I first saw the sight, it captured
something deep down inside of me…and it was like I was pulled into the
moment. I wanted nothing more than to
remember that feeling, so I took the shot and hung it here in my living room.”
Nikki
held her eyes tight closed, breathing deep.
Raw emotion welled inside of her and a single tear threatened to spill
from her firmly shut eyes. “That is beautiful.” She whispered.
The
tall woman heard the hitch in her voice, “Hey…you ok?”
“Yeah.”
She took a steadying breath, “I have just never heard something that has been
described to me in such a way that I was able to almost picture it in my
head.” She opened her watery eyes.
“Sounds a little strange, but it is almost like I can feel what it would be
like to actually be there.”
Tess
lifted to a sitting position, crossing her legs. “Maybe some day I could take
you there, it was and still is my most favourite place to visit.”
Nikki
sat up also, “Sounds like it would be wonderful.”
An
unexpected knock sounded at Nikki’s door, she gave the permission to enter, and
James Abbot opened the door quietly, “Miss Morris…your father has requested
that you see him.”
Tess
heard what James said in the background and was disappointed that their
conversation would have to come to an end.
“Sorry
Tess, it seems I have to go, my father wants me.”
“Ok
Nikki, well thank you for ringing…it was a nice, if brief conversation.”
The
blonde smiled, “Yes…I guess I will see you on Saturday then, bright and early I
presume?”
“Yes
I will be there…good night Nikki.”
“Night
Tess.”
They
both held the phone to their ears, neither one wanting to disconnect the
line. Tess could her the light
breathing, “I think you should go before your father sends a search party.” She
said softly.
“Yeah
I guess so…bye Tess.”
“Bye.”
The
line went dead.
Tess
pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at the black object. With a sigh she threw it lightly on to the
chair to the right side of her, and flopped back down into the couch. Leto chose that moment to dive onto her
master, making Tess gasp for air as the mutt landed on her stomach.
“Thanks
‘tow tow’.” She wheezed.
The
golden dog whimpered.
“You
miss her too huh? Yeah so do I.”
Tess
realised the impact of what she had just said, and ruffled the Terriers wide
head, short hairs falling onto her black tee shirt. “Guess I am in trouble
aren’t I girl…this is just between you and me though ok. I don’t want to loose her friendship ‘tow
tow’.”
The
hound woofed lightly, before laying her head on Tess’s chest.
“You
neither? Then I guess we better be careful huh?” With a deep sigh, she closed her eyes, and soon drifted into a
heavy sleep, Leto still on her chest, and lines of uncertainty etched deep into
her brow.
End
of part 4
continued in Part 5