Chapter 26
Reaching her arm across in her sleep Joan felt nothing.
No figure there.
The other side of the bed was empty.
Empty.
Sleepily opening her eyes she checked.
Nope no figure.
It was definitely empty, the duvet pulled back and left, like when someone gets out of bed.
Glancing around the bedroom her heart calmed down slightly on seeing Vera's overnight bag on the floor beside the wall in the corner.
She was still here then.
She'd not left.
She's not in the en suite, so where is she?
Is she ok?
Swinging her long legs out of the bed Joan got to her feet, pulling on a fresh pair of knickers and a thigh length camisole over the top, rubbing her eyes she moved across to the door and stepped onto the landing, frowning on hearing noise downstairs, it sounded like it was coming from the kitchen, wait noise....music.
I can hear music.
Music from my radio, but not what I usually have on.
It's been changed.
Another station.
Padding across the landing she started down the stairs, the noise getting louder as she went, her nose detecting the smell of cooking.
Cooking and and....singing.
What on earth is happening?
Reaching the bottom of the stairs she heard noise.
Noise coming rather loudly from her radio.
Not what she usually listened to at all.
Moving quietly she rounded the corner, leaning against the wall and watching the sight before her.
Vera was singing softly along to the radio, a station and music Joan didn't recognise at all, it was far too fast and loud, Vera moving to the rhythm, cooking something at the stove, the older woman not quite able to see what it was, two plates on the work surface ready for the food.
"Erm, what is going on and what is that noise?" Joan said, the sudden voice making Vera jump having been that engrossed in what she was doing.
"Oh erm...erm.." being caught off guard by the older woman behind her.
"What is that noise?" she frowned.
"Music...pop music" looking to the radio and then back to Joan, who'd arched one of her eyebrows.
"You changed the station?".
"Yes...you were asleep I just thought.." sensing slight irritation in the older woman, glancing back to the music as another song came on that Vera recognised and liked. "I'm sorry" her eyes relaying her apology.
Joan looked between the woman and the radio, the music starting again.
She actually likes this.
This...this noise.
It's rather different to what I listen to but I've heard worse I suppose.
Look at her stood there, those blue eyes looking worried and sorry.
She thinks she's made a big mistake, that she's done something really wrong.
We all like different things I guess.
As is the case here.
And it's Vera.
No one else changed it but her.
"It's alright" Joan replied, a soft smile on her face, seeing Vera return it. "What are you cooking?" her height allowing her eyes to wander towards where Vera had been working.
"It was meant to be a little surprise for you.." stepping to the side to show the older woman what she was making.
There were eggs that had been poached resting in a dish and ready to be sat astride the English muffins that had just emerged from the toaster, the bacon that had clearly not long been taken from the oven and hollandaise sauce in a separate bowl.
"Is that homemade?" Joan asked pointing to the sauce, to which Vera nodded yes.
"Yes it is, I made it myself" smiling at seeing Joan's reaction, a look of being impressed at the younger woman's culinary skills.
"I must say I'm impressed by your skills in the kitchen" Joan said, leaning against the counter and watching as Vera started plating the food she'd made, half turning back to the older woman.
"Go on, back up to bed, I'll bring it up for us" smiling and a little surprised on Joan doing as she was asked, padding back to and then up the stairs, but not before she'd pecked Vera on the lips, unable to resist.
"Here we go" Vera said a few minutes later, a tray with both nicely presented plates of food on, Joan's face lighting up on seeing her.
Putting the tray on Joan's lap, who was sat up in bed she then got in next to her and put her own plate on her knee, starting to eat her food along with Joan who'd already started.
Approving murmurs were heard from the dark haired governor as she ate, Vera watching her out of the corner of her eye briefly, finishing her own food.
"How was it?" her cutlery down on her plate, turning to look at Joan.
"Very nice thank you Vera, you're quite the breakfast maker" flashing her a grateful smile, watching the younger woman smile back happily. "What would you like to do today?".
Vera thought for a minute, her eyes glancing around the spotless bedroom, settling on the wide screen TV and then back to the woman next to her.
"Maybe, maybe we could watch a show together?".
"What kind of show?" she enquired to the younger woman, not sure what she was going to suggest.
"Erm, well...I was thinking maybe an animal or nature documentary?".
Joan thought for a minute, having not expected Vera to give that answer, half expecting some kind of awful reality TV show or something just as bad that she didn't consider in anyway worthy of gracing a TV screen.
"Yes, yes this sounds like something suitable to watch, interesting too" picking up the remote from its place on a small shelf in her bedside cabinet and turned on the TV, flicking through the channels and coming across an animal documentary that was just starting.
"Yeah this looks good, let's watch this" Vera said, Joan putting the remote back on the bedside cabinet and shuffled to lay further down against the pillows, the younger woman snuggling up to her and laying her head on Joan's shoulder, her arm across the stomach of the older woman, causing Joan to smile and hold Vera close, kissing the top of her head.
"Comfortable?" she asked, to which Vera nodded.
I've never had someone snuggle up to me in bed like she does.
She just seems to do it naturally.
Feels comfortable enough with me to do that.
Wants to do this with me.
Be close to me.
No one has ever wanted to come near me let alone be close to me.
She does.
She seems to always like and want to be close to me.
Have me close to her.
I must say it's a nice feeling.
It's nice having that close contact with someone.
Someone I want close to me too.
Something I didn't think I'd ever like.
Ever want.
Ever get the chance to have, to experience.
With the TV on at a nice sound level, the two women lay curled up to each other, their eyes trained on the screen, Vera suddenly giving a giggle, the sound coming unexpectedly to Joan, making her smile as she heard it.
"What?" she chuckled, unable to help herself on hearing Vera.
"T..the way that monkey jumped into the trees like he was superman or something" she giggled again, this analogy making Joan chuckle again, her chest moving on doing so, this causing a few more giggles in Vera.
Continuing to watch the show, Vera snuggled closer to Joan, murmuring softly at how content she was, her body relaxing that little bit more, if that was even possible at this present moment, on Joan stroking a hand up and down Vera's back over her camisole top, smiling on Vera placing a kiss to her chest, the younger woman's soft lips feeling nice against her soft and sensitive skin.
Relaxing back herself even more into the fluffy pillows, her eyes concentrated on the screen whilst her hand continued, after a few more minutes her attention was drawn to look down at the figure in her arms who'd not said anything for the last ten or so minutes, this becoming obvious because she'd fallen fast asleep in the older woman's arms.
Her breathing was that bit slower and steady as she slept, her body relaxed and totally resting on Joan, a peaceful expression on her face, this image alone causing Joan to smile at her.
"Look at you, just look how beautiful and precious you are, fast asleep and not a clue how precious and special you are" placing a single kiss on Vera's forehead, a stray lock of hair tickling Joan's nose, gently putting back with the rest of her hair.
"Well you are precious, precious to me....so precious. I didn't think I'd ever get anyone nearly as special as you, didn't think I deserved it, or was actually capable of having something like this, definitely not deserving of it because well...it's me isn't it, I was told and have been told enough times that I didn't deserve it but then you came along, crept under my radar, slowly slipped into my psyche, peaked my attention. You didn't shout, scald me, push me away when many would have done, many have done on a few occasions,you stayed.....he...held me, made sure I was ok, you cared and now here we are, and I thank whatever stars are up there that you did and that you continue to do so, thank whatever it maybe that you continue to understand, to be patient, to care, to be here. I know I'm far from a perfect human being, far from it, that I'm difficult, but I want to be better, be better for you, because it's what you deserve. I will try for you, I'm trying for you, because it's the least you deserve, I won't allow anyone to hurt you, I'll hurt them first. Thank you for being you and simply being here, being here with me" she whispered tenderly, brushing her lips once again against Vera's forehead, pulling the sleeping woman more on top of her, Vera stirring a little but quickly settling again on Joan. The dark haired woman more than content to sit in bed with Vera asleep on top of her, wrapped safely in her arms and watch TV, taking glances down at her every so often just because she could.
Because she was here.
Here with me.
No one else.
No one.
Just her and I.