Love and Marriage
The early morning light woke them up or maybe it was love, for it took a considerable amount of time for them to finally get up and start with the breakfast. “Dearest, you can’t believe how happy I am to be back at home.” Carol put her arms around Therese who was busy making coffee. She snuggled her head on Therese’s shoulder inhaling her fragrance and tightening her grip around her narrow waist.
“Babe… if you keep that up, we won’t be having coffee or anything else for that matter any time soon,” she whispered closing her eyes in sudden rapture. “Would it be so bad after all..?” Carol murmured her breath so warm against Therese’s ear. “You know I’d like nothing better but Rindy’ll be here in an hour or so, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want her to catch us in the throes of passion…” Carol sighed loosening her hold which made Therese turn around and kiss her feverishly on the lips. “Oh hell, I want you so much, I can’t help it...” She opened her robe and lifted herself on the kitchen counter. Spreading her thighs she beckoned Carol to come and claim what was hers to take.
“Hello, sweet pea!” Seeing her little girl come in, Carol scooped Rindy up and drowned her in noisy kisses. “I’ve missed you so much!” Beaming, Rindy clung to her mother. “I’ve missed you too, Mommy. You’ve been away too long!” Smiling, Carol cupped her little face. “I know, it’s been far too long.” There was a distinct trace of sadness in her voice. “Now that I have a couple of days off, I want to spend it all with you and Therese.” A couple of days? Therese didn’t like what she was hearing but now was not the time to think about it.
Rindy wanted to go shopping which didn’t quite appeal to Therese. Department stores made her nervous. She suggested they visit some art galleries along the way which suited Rindy and Carol just fine. They could have a nice lunch in some cozy little place in Chelsea afterwards.
“So what’s up, Rindy?” Therese asked once they’d been seated at a table in a relatively new seafood restaurant next to the Chelsea Market. “Not much”, little girl answered, “unless you think Dad’s new girlfriend is news…” Surprised, both women glanced at Rindy who had a smug look on her face. “Well, that’s wonderful news… isn’t it, Therese? Carol blurted out exchanging looks with her. “Definitely,” Therese acknowledged, “do you like her?” Rindy took a moment before answering. “Yeah, I guess I do although she fusses over me endlessly, and it’s kinda irritating at times,” she mused. “But Dad seems to be quite smitten, I must say.”
Therese had a hard time imagining lovesick Harge, it was such a stretch from the man fuming passive aggression towards her and Carol. “Dad bought something for her from Tiffany’s,” Rindy continued, "he thought I hadn't noticed but I found it hidden in his drawer." She seemed mighty pleased with herself. "Rindy, it's not your business to poke your nose into your Dad's private business," Carol admonished. "I know but I was just curious to see what was in the gift bag - nothing much really, just a tiny velvet box..." A ring? thought Therese instantly. An engagement ring? She didn't say anything. "Whatever it is, I'm sure your Dad's ladyfriend will be very happy to receive it." Carol saw no point in dwelling on it any further.
Rindy had promised to go to the movies with a friend of hers, but she would be back at Carol's no later than 9. Carol had called Harge to see if it was okay for Rindy to stay overnight even if they hadn't made any previous arrangements about it. Harge had been more than happy to oblige sounding positively perky which Carol found quite out of character.
"Harge must be getting some," she quipped to Therese who was pouring Merlot into their glasses. "Looks like it. And judging from what Rindy told us, it sounds serious. A ring, perhaps..?" she wondered out loud. "Yeah, the girl won't know what hit her when he pops the question," Carol retorted rather cruelly. "Marriage... there's an entrapment if I ever saw one!" Carol's iciness made Therese uneasy. "Don't you think that's a bit harsh?" she asked hiding her mixed feelings. "Depends on the woman, of course. Maybe this one is truly the marrying kind", she concluded shrugging her shoulders.
"Can we go over our calendars for the coming months?" Therese asked wanting to change the subject. "I want us to have as much time together as possible." Carol picked up her smart phone. "I have concerts in LA, Seattle and Vancouver coming up... Those'll take the next two weeks, then there's the benefit gala in Houston on the 22nd and another one in St. Louis the following week..." Therese tried to keep up. "So when are you back in NYC?" She was browsing through her own timetable. "Not until the end of month, I'm afraid." Carol was absorbed in her busy agenda. "And I have the young talents' night in Boston on the 31st and after that a quick tour of the neighbouring cities..." Therese said suddenly realizing they would most likely be apart another month and a half.
"When do you have to leave? Do we have time for a little getaway?" she pleaded. Carol knotted her brow. "I need to fly to LAX late tomorrow night. I'll catch a red-eye." Therese pouted her lips but Carol didn't notice it. "I'm recording a love song with k.d. lang for Columbia. She's been harassing Abby for ages, she really wants us to get together..." Therese looked as if someone had punched her in the stomach. "Jesus Christ, Therese, you should see the expression on your face! I'm only teasing you... First TMZ and now this, get a grip, darling!" Carol laughed wholeheartedly. "The duet is with Tony Bennett."
But Therese saw nothing funny in the situation. The disappointment and anger she had felt after having realized the imminent and all too familiar separation reached a boiling point in her head. "So what is it that we're having here then?" Her voice was gathering storm. "A hot tryst every six weeks or what? Is this what our life together is all about?" Now she sounded livid.
Carol put her phone away and turned around very slowly. "A tryst? Really, Therese?!" The gray eyes had a different, cooler shade altogether, and their owner was visibly shaken. "Funny you should mention it since I'm not the one still keeping her own fucking apartment on the side!" Her eyes burning, Therese stared at Carol for an infinite amount of time. At a loss for words and all too upset, she picked up her coat and left slamming the door behind her.
"Gen, where are you? Can I come by?" Therese was choking back her tears. "I'm at Abby's. Of course you can come by."
Gen came down to meet her. "What's wrong, honey?" Therese burst out crying. "Oh Gen, I can't take this anymore... we had a fight..." Gen put her arm around her. "Come on up, let's talk this through." Entering the apartment, Therese looked for Abby. "She's on the phone. I bet you can guess who with," Gen said smiling sheepishly. "Now tell me all about it."
When Therese had finally told everything, Gen had a wistful look on her face. "Carol does have a point, you know..." she started cautiously. "You never really moved in, you just sort of stayed there as if it were all somehow temporary." Therese couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What are you saying? I did move in and you moved into my old apartment." Gen shook her head adamantly. "It may look like it but it's not true." She sighed. "What have you contributed to your home? What have you added to it that distinctly says you live there?" Gen looked at Therese inquisitively.
And then it dawned on her. Quite simply and overwhelmingly she realized what Gen was saying was actually the truth. The apartment was all Carol and if she were to be removed from it tomorrow, nothing would reveal that she had lived there for nearly two years already. "Oh my God... you're right," she managed to say terrified by the abrupt recognition. "I've been practically living out of suitcase all this time." Gen squeezed her hand gently when Abby finally stepped into the room.
"Hey girl... I hear there's trouble in paradise?" Abby said compassionately. The look on her face was calm and affectionate. "You should really go back now. She's miserable, that much I can tell. No point wasting time." Therese nodded in agreement. "You're right, but the time is the problem here. We never seem to have enough of it."
Abby folded her arms. "Listen, I know this is just temporary, it won't last forever." Therese loved hearing Abby being so confident. "But you, my dear, need to set your priorities right and show your woman what she really means to you, you hear?" Gen couldn't agree more. "Get rid of your old place, do it now." Surprised, Therese looked at her. "But what about you? Where are you going to live?" Abby wrapped her arms around Gen's shoulders. "Believe it or not, but this little nitwit is going to move in with me."
Half an hour later she was back at Carol's. Therese opened the door not knowing what to expect. Carol sat on the sofa her feet curled up. Rindy had gone to bed already. "Babe..." Therese started going to her. "I'm so sorry, please forgive me, will you?" She could see Carol had done some crying on her own as well. "I don't want to keep my old apartment anymore, I'll put in on the market first thing on Monday morning..." she said sitting next to her. "And I want to make this as much my home as it is yours. Will you let me..?" She took Carol's hand and pressed a soft kiss on its back. "We can even look for another place if you don't like it here," Carol murmured so quietly she could hardly hear it at first. "I love it here. We both loved this place the minute we saw it. This is my home." She caressed Carol's cheek tenderly. "You are my home." Their lips met not parting till the early hours of the new morning.