Utah
“Hello stranger …”
Smiling her slow smile, Carol removed her dark sunglasses to fix her crystal blue gaze on a surprisingly shy and blushing Therese. Nonchalantly leaning against her blue Volvo, dressed in loose fitting jeans, hiking boots and a simple white t-shirt, she seemed relaxed in a way Therese had not seen her before.
Therese slowly lowered the duffel bag and backpack she had hastily stuffed with some clothes, her laptop and the small camera she used when not on an assignment. She tentatively spread her arms.
“Well, here I am…”
Carol’s long legs only needed two strides to reach her young lover. Enveloping her in her arms, she closed her eyes, taking in Therese’s perfume that instantly took her back to the last night they had spent together in the New York apartment.
“God, I’ve missed you …”.
Hiding her face against Carol’s shoulder, Therese felt the tension that had kept her in its grip for so long slowly dissipate. She felt safe now.
“I’ve missed you too.”
Forgetting their surroundings, they didn’t notice that they were virtually blocking the exit of the terminal, annoying other passengers trying to bypass them.
“Hey ladies, could you please move over a bit?”
A male voice crudely entered the intimate space they had created with each other. Immediately, Carol let go of Therese to glare at ae man standing in front of them who, to her great surprise, sported a big, instantly disarming smile. She hesitated.
“I’m sorry, we’re …”
The man, a handsome, elegantly dressed African-American, raised his hands.
“Please, don’t apologize. You actually made my day, girls …”
He winked, then hastily turned, hailing one of the taxi’s driving by.
Watching him enter the cab, Carol and Therese both laughed.
“Gay …”, Carol murmured.
“Definitely … gay …”, Therese answered, chuckling.
Taking Therese’s hand, Carol experienced an exhilarating sense of lightness. Kissing another woman in public, openly being acknowledged and acknowledging another person as gay… Her new life would undoubtedly take some getting used to, but she knew that being open about her sexuality would always be a fundamental part of it.
Therese deposited her luggage in the trunk of the blue Volvo and took the seat next to Carol, who had already started the car. She closed her eyes, taking in the comforting smell of the leather interior of the car, savouring its familiar warmth.
“Mmm, it’s good to be here.”
Checking her rear-view mirror, Carol smoothly manoeuvred the car into the right lane.
“I must admit that you surprised me with your sudden message, last night …”
Therese opened her eyes only to be met by Carol’s questioning gaze. After Carol’s “Come now” she had returned to her apartment to check on her laptop if she could find a flight that would take her to Salt Lake City the next day. Without hesitation, she had made a booking when she managed to secure a ticket on an early flight. She sent a text to Carol with the flight details. After that she had packed her bag and sent an e-mail to Fred Wilson that she would not be at the Times the next few days. She had done a lot of overtime lately and she was confident that Fred would not have any objections. And after that, sleep being an impossibility, there was nothing else to do than wait until it was time to leave.
“I must admit that I surprised myself with my sudden message, last night…”
Therese’s hand briefly touched Carol’s knee.
“Don’t you know that I simply can’t resist you …”
Carol’s warm laugh filled the snug space.
“Don’t mock me, miss Belivet!”
Therese shrugged.
“Well, if you don’t believe me …”
Carol smiled, a loving smile that deeply touched Therese. Carol reached for the younger woman’s hand.
“We’ll talk later.”
Holding on to her lover’s hand, Therese noticed they were not on the route that would lead them to the house in the Foothill District. Scanning her unfamiliar surroundings she asked:
“Where are you taking me?”
“That’s a surprise, but I hope you have a pair of sturdy shoes with you.”
“My running shoes are in my backpack.”
While packing, she had assumed that once she was back in Salt Lake City, there would certainly be another game of soccer with Rindy. This time she didn’t want to ruin a good pair of shoes.
Carol nodded appreciatively.
“ Perfect.”
They were silent for a while and soon Therese, tired after a restless night, fell into a dreamless sleep.
___________________________________________________
It was only after she had parked the Volvo, that Carol turned to Therese to softly touch her shoulder.
“Wake up, sleepyhead.”
Startled, Therese opened her eyes, immediately blinking against the bright sunlight that came in through the windshield.
“Where are we?”
“Salina. It’s time we have something to eat.”
They were parked on Main Street in front of a small diner. Carol opened her door.
“Mom’s Café has the best food in the area. You’ll like it.”
Therese stepped out of the car to join her and together they walked to the diner that, it being just after lunch hour, was nearly empty. Looking around, Therese felt like she had walked into a scene from a nineteen sixties movie. The dining room contained a long counter with metal stools and a number of green topped, wooden tables and chairs. Against the back wall, that was covered with historical photos of Salina, some men were seated at tables flanked by leather benches in the same green as the table tops. In the background, she heard the drawl of a country and western song. Astounded, she turned to Carol.
“My God, does this really still exist … “
Grinning, Carol took her arm, leading her to one of the tables.
“Welcome to my world, sweetheart.”
An elderly waitress, dressed in a yellow, starched apron, appeared the moment they were seated. Beaming, she turned to Carol.
“O my, Miss Carol, how good to see you!”
Therese rolled her eyes at the “Miss Carol” coming from a starched waitress straight from “Happy Days”. This was getting funnier every second.
“It’s good to see you too, Eileen. How’s your back?”
Moaning, Eileen took the vacant seat next to Carol. Meanwhile, using a wet cloth, she cleaned the green table top.
“Killing me, as usual...”
Carol patted the woman’s hand.
“Why don’t you retire? Joe wouldn’t mind, would he?”
Eileen picked up two menu’s, handing them to the two women.
“He sure wouldn’t mind, but I’m not going to listen to him droning about his fishing all day.”
Carol’s laughter made Therese smile.
“Well, I wouldn’t mind having you around me all day.”
Carol winked at Eileen, who shook her head.
“Oh, you would, wouldn’t you, Miss Carol?”
She stood up from her chair with difficulty.
“The usual, I presume?”
It was only then that she acknowledged Therese’s presence.
“And you, young lady, what will you have?”
Eileen’s piercing look made her stutter.
“The… the same, please.”
Taking back their menus, Eileen left for the kitchen that was situated behind the counter.
Still smiling Carol reached for the jug of water that had already been on their table, filling two glasses.
“Miss Carol?”
Therese took the glass Carol was handing to her and with her index finger softly stroked her hand.
“Eileen has worked here for as long as I can remember. I already came here with my parents when I was a little girl.”
Carol took a sip from her water.
“Eileen’s family.”
They were quiet for a moment. Then Carol put down her glass and over the table top reached for Therese’s left hand.
“Therese, why are you here?”
Carol’s voice was soft, full of uncertainty. Therese felt the blood drain from her face. Of course Carol would question her about her unexpected text, her suddenly showing up here in Utah, when their goodbye, only a week ago, had made her doubt if Therese still wanted to be in a relationship with her. Therese looked at their hands, firmly intertwined. She shrugged, then swallowed. Her voice was hoarse when she started to talk.
“There was this girl … she wanted me …”
She sighed.
“I kissed her …”
Therese hesitated, then looked at Carol, seeing her jaws tense. Her eyes sought the clear blue. There was no way back now.
“But then I realized that I only wanted you.”