Storm
She stood alone in the storm, rain and wind picking at her hair, stinging her skin. Nothing had gone according to her plan. And now she was alone… again.
‘Each morning I get up I die a little and can barely stand on my feet.’ Anne thought as the rain hit her across the face. This had been her last chance at love. She was getting too old for this. Nevertheless, it wasn’t even about that. This whole storm she had ridden through all her adult life had been bearable, Anne had always come out of it better or more determined. She had always kept hope up that someday, and somewhere was someone waiting for her. Someone who would love her for who she was and who would be brave enough to spend a life with her. It had always been alright with every love she had had, she had always thought that she would be pleased, if she needed not face the world alone. It all ended sometime though. No one dared stay with her for long and she would brace the storm and ride through the pain that brought her and the loneliness that followed. There would be more loves to have, and clearly they hadn’t been it. But now, Anne fought back a sob that came regardless, now she was done. She had found her soulmate, had found the love of her life – the one and true love and she had given her up because fear had set in. Anne had tried to stop it but couldn’t. The storm kept rolling in, roaring and great – she would always be alone. She would never find anyone new she had lost the single most important thing to her and couldn’t get it back. It was all over. She wouldn’t have her; she had married someone else. Like they all had. Because, Anne thought – maybe it was convenient. Anne saw them now, as she stood in the rain, she saw them through the windows of their home, they were unaware of her, their world continuing to turn whilst hers fell apart before her eyes. Another sob shook her body, but she couldn’t take her eyes of them – her love with that beast. How could she do that to her? How could she leave her for someone who didn’t deserve her and didn’t love her? Anne sank to her knees in the mud, she could feel its coldness and wetness as she brought her shaking hands up to her face, screaming at the top of her lungs – trying to escape the anxiety and pain. Tears ran down her cheeks rapidly and suddenly she felt a warm hand rustling her shoulder,
“Anne.”
Anne frowned, no it couldn’t be, she was inside the house with him,
“Anne, come on look at me!”
Anne slowly opened her eyes and found herself in bed back at Shibden. She could feel tears on her face, and the cover was tangled around her feet and her nightgown soaked in sweat,
“Where am I?” Anne mumbled shutting her eyes tightly and opening them again, she had been in a field.
“At Shibden You had a nightmare, I think? Because you were screaming bloody murder.” The soft voice told her, and she could feel a hand touching her cheek, and finally Anne dared look to her side. There she was right next to her, in her nightgown, looking worried back at her, it had only been a dream, it wasn’t true, she was right next to her,
“Ann?! Thank God.” Anne sobbed throwing herself at the woman who startled slightly but put her arms around her immediately as Anne cried into her nape of her neck,
“What’s the matter, darling?” Ann spoke softly, running light fingers over her drenched back,
“I, you were, gone and I thought I’d lost you.”
“Lost me? How?”
“I saw you with a… man with him the beastly thing.” Anne mumbled and Ann sighed into her dark hair, kissing her there fondly,
“Oh, you know I would never leave you… especially not for a man.”
“It was so real… I thought… God, I don’t know what I would do if I lost you, Ann.” Anne kissed her desperately on the lips, and Ann responded in kind.
“I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere. It was only a dream. I love you, and I do not regret marrying you for a second.”
“I love you too. I’m sorry I woke you up…” Anne began to grow embarrassed and Ann kissed her twice, smiling,
“No, don’t be. If you’re having bad dreams, thoughts or whatever – I’m the one to wake. Every second spent with you is worthwhile.”
“You are an angel.” Anne mumbled and supported herself on her elbows to kiss her wife better, Ann moaned,
“Hallelujah.”
Anne began laughing with Ann at that and they kissed each other happily. Anne lay on top of Ann weighing her down, kissing her lazily,
“I cannot believe that you’re mine… mine, mine! That you’re here and that I get to do this.” Anne ran her tongue over her bottom lip, nibbling at it before sneaking it inside to run against her palette and all Ann did was moan pleasurably in reply.
“I think it is a bigger feat that I bagged Miss Lister.” Ann replied with a phony smile, and Anne laughed,
“No, believe me – I was desperate and would cling to anyone – you on the other hand… God you are so beautiful, you, Miss Walker could have anyone and you chose me.”
“Anne… I’m not going to believe for one second that you were desperate. Desperate for love perhaps but not clingy… However, if we are going to argue about who is the greatest catch let me present to you, yourself; Tall, handsome, beautiful dark chocolate eyes, smooth hair, cheekbones that could cut glass, full pink very kissable lips, long slender fingers, nice soft breasts, rippling abs, strong thighs, muscular calves and hmm, something that is just distinctly yours that I just love… Anne you are literally the most perfect woman alive, and I got you.”
“I’m not all that.” Anne muttered embarrassed but Ann kissed her sweetly,
“You are and to top it all, you’ve got experience and knowledge that… makes you even more attractive. Do you know there is no time you are more beautiful than when you talk about science, or business or write in your journal – things that interest you and inspire passion in you. You make everyone flustered.”
“Stop… you are making me blush. I’m not all that. I’m below average in looks and above average in intelligence but you – Ann you’re perfect.”
“Are we really having this fight? Because I will fight anyone who dares contradict me about you, even you.” Ann told her and Anne laughed,
“Really?”
“Just accept my compliments, because they are true – trust me. And…” Ann was interrupted by a kiss to her lips,
“I am so in love with you. I can’t get enough of you, your sweetness and your everything – even when you do the exact opposite of what I say.”
“You know what I hate most about the fact that people cannot know about us?” Ann asked and Anne raised an eyebrow, lifting her head slightly from Ann’s chest,
“No?”
“The fact that when people insult you, I can’t punch them in the face and go ‘HEY that’s my wife you’re talking about’”
Anne snorted out in laughter, kissing her wife whilst still laughing and Ann smiled pleased,
“That and when you are just amazing and smart and say stuff that makes people go ‘Wow’ and I can’t say, ‘That’s my girl, that’s my wife!”
“You know what… that’s too true. I wish I could say that every time some man approaches you, you know with attitude. Always really, I want everyone to know you’re mine. Mine. My wife. My love, the love of my life.”
“But do you know who you can tell?” Ann smirked, and Anne frowned,
“My aunt?”
“I was thinking me.”
“Oh? I love you, Ann…”
“Not with your words.” Ann told her biting her lip and Anne growled, capturing her wives lips in a hungry, loving but unforgiving kiss that took them through a storm…