Slippery
Winter had finally come and hadn’t done so lightly. The snow lay thick all across the landscape and seemed intent on remaining there for a long time.
On Christmas morning they had concluded that they must walk to church if they wanted to attend the service because the roads had snowed shut and their sleigh was not available at the moment. Anne had sighed as she glanced out the window at breakfast wearing an emerald green cravat that she had been gifted that morning.
“I think it will be hard for you to make it to church, I’m afraid, aunt.”
“Oh no matter. I shall go some other time. There is little to do about this snow anyway.”
Aunt Anne brushed it off with one hand before raising her spoon of cinnamon porridge to her mouth, Anne frowned however, she did not like her aunt missing out but with her leg ulcers there was nothing much they could do about it. Her father wouldn’t be able to attend either.
“Will you go?” Marian asked Anne with a raised eyebrow and Anne placed her teacup on the table turning her eyes towards the blonde next to her.
“Shall we go?”
“I think so, yes. If it’s not too much trouble.”
“Mm, we shall go then. There’s your answer, Marian – I and Ann will attend.”
“Then I’ll come with you. If you can do without us for the morning, aunt?”
Marian gave their aunt a concerned look and Anne looked at her aunt intently to discern whether she was being absolutely truthful or not,
“Yes, by all means – enjoy the service.”
“Then that’s decided.” Anne concluded and rose from her seat, “We should get ready to walk.”
They met down in the hallway fully dressed for the weather.
“Anne don’t make a scene at church!” Marian warned her and Anne quirked her eyebrow,
“Me making a scene? Why I never! What would that be?”
“Picking a fight with someone, I don’t know. Some of Ann’s relatives aren’t that fond of you.”
“I’ll deal with them in that case.” Ann replied before Anne had time to say anything and Anne smiled down at her, gesturing to her,
“See, Ann is my guardian – she’ll keep me out of scrapes and fight for me.”
“Don’t be patronising, Anne.” Ann tutted her and Anne shut her mouth and Marian just shook her head, how miss Walker managed to control her sister was beyond her.
“Let’s get going.”
Anne opened the door and the cold immediately struck them and soon enough, after only a few feet their cheeks begun to turn rosy.
“I could kiss you now.” Anne leaned in and whispered to Ann who chuckled at her,
“I dare you to.”
“I will do it.” Anne smirked and Ann shook her head at her, but then Anne’s cold lips were on hers for a brief second – hardly touched them but Ann could feel her lips tingling anyway.
“Anne! Someone could’ve seen.”
“And what a sight to see.” Anne teased and Ann swatted her arm lightly. Marian turned around and smirked,
“Already having trouble keeping her under control?”
“I tell you what, Marian – next time we bring an ass to church – It’ll be simpler.” Ann retorted and whereas Anne gasped at the audacity, Marian laughed heartily.
“Agreed.”
“I’m not deaf you know.” Anne commented and Ann grinned at her,
“I didn’t say that I said you were stubborn.”
“You said I was an ass.”
“Oh heavens, no! Anne why on earth? What has the poor beast done to be compared to you?” Ann cried and Anne rolled her eyes at her, leaning into her,
“An- ah!” Anne and Ann shouted as they slipped on the icy path under them. Ann landed rather soft as her fall was softened by Anne’s body. The brunette however groaned slightly,
“Ouch.”
“Hi there.” Ann flashed white teeth as she looked into the dark orbs belonging to her wife, and Anne couldn’t help a smile despite her pain.
“You managed that well, miss Walker.”
“Are you suggesting I planned to trip us and fall on top of you?” Ann asked smirking, and Anne bit her lip to keep from laughing,
“Maybe. I don’t mind this – you on top. I do mind the stone in my back.”
“Oh, are you alright?” Ann’s smirk was immediately turned into a worried frown and Anne nodded, kissing her hand,
“I’m alright. I always am.”
“If you two could please get up?” Marian stood tapping her foot beside them now and both Ann(e)’s looked up and blushed, and then tried getting up, clutching to each other for balance as they kept slipping on the ice under them. Finally, they were somewhat steady again, but they held on to one another to be sure and walked a few wobbly steps as they laughed merrily into each other’s sides. Marian rolled her eyes but smiled at them,
“You two are hopeless- I don’t know why we bother taking you out.”
“Oh, come on, Marian – we are hilarious to be around.”
“That you are. Anyone see that and you’d be the talk of town.”
“I’d- ah!” Anne was interrupted again, but she wasn’t the one slipping this time – Ann did and as she fell, she pulled Anne with her. Anne glared at her in the snow,
“Seriously?”
“I’m sorry, I lost my balance and I… you’ve snow in your eyelashes.” Ann was distracted and her hand went up to Anne’s eyes, and she closed her eyes at the touch.
“I have?”
“Mm. It’s making them sparkle. I love your eyes. They are like deep pools of rich chocolate.” Ann smiled and Anne chuckled, opening her eyes again,
“Really?”
“I want to kiss you right now.” Ann mumbled, only for Anne’s ears, and the brunette smiled sadly,
“I want to kiss you too.”
“Just kiss! There is no one here – but seriously, do practice your whispering.” Marian told them annoyed, rolling her eyes and both women looked up and laughed but they did however kiss but only very briefly and Marian sighed as they finally stood up,
“You are awfully cute together – do you know that? It’s annoying really. They will write stories with love like yours.”
“My what happened to you, Marian – why are you being nice suddenly?” Anne teased and her sister rolled her eyes,
“I guess you slipped into my heart again – both of you!”
The women smiled at that and then proceeded to walk the of the way to church without any hiccups, but only with the help of Marian – they held onto each other as they walked, and people raised their eyebrows as they came wandering up the path to church. But they didn’t mind – they were all three of them laughing merrily as the snow fell lightly around them, it was a glorious day!
“The service was nice.” Marian said as they got ready to leave church, after having had a chat with friends and neighbours as well as some of their tenants.
“I thought the preaching a tad dry but otherwise fine. He did twenty minutes last Sunday and today he managed twenty-four – he would do well to shorten his sermons if he cannot avoid repeating himself for the better part of fifteen minutes.” Anne replied to that and slid her gloves onto her hands as they left church. Marian merely scowled at her sister – she always liked to think of herself as a good judge of theology and if not that – a doctor or whatever else she was doing.
Anne fell into step with Ann, and walked closely to her and whispered, barely moving her lips,
“Are you alright? None too mean?”
“I’m fine. It’s just, them being them. It just hurt me a bit is all.” Ann mumbled in reply and immediately Anne’s hand grazed her arm, trying to comfort her without drawing attention to themselves.
“It’s a shame they find it necessary to be so. But maybe I can cheer you up when we get back – I’ll even sing Christmas carols with you.”
Ann’s lips turned upwards at that and a chuckle escaped her,
“I’d like that.”
“Yeee…“ Anne had walked on blue ice on the church path and was sent flying bringing Ann with her – this time she landed atop the blonde who groaned from the pain the thud brought her. People around them stopped and turned around to stare – obviously they had seen her slip so they could see nothing untoward. But as Anne pressed herself up on her hands, she gave Ann a smirk and murmured,
“I think I fell in love with you just now.”
“Argh, get off me!” Ann laughed and Anne grinned wide as she rolled off Ann, then they tried getting up, clutching at each other’s arms to find balance which they finally regained after some struggle, and they stood up, brushing the snow off their coats whilst laughing merrily,
“You two! How are you so much like a cow on ice?” Marian called, making sure everyone heard, she wanted no one to be able to say anything about neither her sister nor, Ann.
“New shoes!” Anne pointed at her black shoes, grinning,
“We forgot to rasp them off – so they are really slippery.” Ann agreed and Marian just shook her head laughing,
“Whatever will we do with the pair of you! You’ll be bruised black and blue by the time we get back to Shibden.”
“I don’t know – I think slipping has served us well today.” Anne murmured to Ann whose cheeks flushed slightly but she smirked,
“That it has, and I can think of another slippery slope we should go down.”
“Really, Miss Walker? Well, you shall find me no object to whatever your heart is set on having!”