No Other Love
Therese woke up feeling Carol’s hand glide softly over her left side, her lips brushing gently over the nape of her neck. She wasn’t aware of having fallen asleep at all but there she was now, opening her eyes, her body, to the sweet sensation of Carol’s touch. Lying cuddled against Carol’s lap she attempted to turn around and face her lover. “Uh-uh…” Carol murmured as a warning to remain just the way she were, her back against the loveliness pouring over her.
Carol slipped her other hand between the mattress and the right side of Therese’s body finally getting a tighter grip of her. She pulled Therese closer grinding her waist on her buttocks in slow circular motions. Eyes fluttering of instant desire, Therese let out an unabashed groan as she pressed herself against Carol inviting her to go on, to bring it on. She felt Carol’s palm cupping her breast and her fingers sliding between her thighs rendering her absolutely breathless and berserk as if Carol were some erotic Hindu goddess with multiple arms ready to pleasure her with all of them at the same time.
“Sorry… I didn’t mean to wake you up but I just couldn’t help myself.” Carol smiled at her not at all apologetically. “Mm… what a way to wake up”, Therese murmured stretching her arms contentedly. “I could get used to this.” She propped herself up on her right elbow and let her sight linger adoringly on Carol. “How come you’re up already? Or did we sleep at all?” Carol grinned at her. “Not really. Maybe an hour or so.” And still she manages to look absolutely gorgeous, Therese thought.
“I made us some breakfast,” she said lifting a tray on Therese’s lap. “I could certainly get used to this”, Therese repeated beaming at her. “You should,” Carol acknowledged kissing her earlobe in passing. “Want some coffee?” she offered picking up a steaming pot waiting beside the bed. “Yes, please,” Therese replied focusing her attention on the generous opening of Carol's robe. She wanted desperately to untie its loose belt and push her hands inside... but it would have to wait till the tray and the coffee pot would no longer be on their way.
“This is such a cliché”, she said to Carol while sharing a cigarette. “What is?” Therese chuckled. “Smoking after sex. Or should I say after making love instead?” Carol was visibly amused. "Darling, what just happened was definitely sex." Her smile was easy and warm. "I think sex is about fulfilling an instant need, and mine just happens to be you, naked and breathless on pretty much any surface I can think of." Therese felt very hot all of a sudden.
"Making love is more about taking time and focusing on the shared pleasure, on the giving and the receiving it." Carol took a drag from the cigarette. "But I'm by no means putting one before the other, and sometimes it's even hard to tell them apart." Gently, she wrapped her arms around Therese. "I love making love to you, Therese, as much as I love having my way with you... and please take notice I'm not using the f word here. At least not yet." Panting, Therese closed her eyes for a second. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" Feigning innocence, Carol looked at her. "Really, Miss Belivet, whatever do you mean?"
Carol threw away what was left of the cigarette. “I really ought to kick this habit altogether, especially now that I’m singing professionally again.” She turned to Therese and took a moment before continuing. “Those guys I met yesterday after the gig… they want me to go on a promotional tour.” Therese was very serious all of sudden. “When? Where?” Carol ran her hand through Therese’s hair. “West. Soon.” She looked closely at Therese. “I want you to go with me… do you want to go with me?” The gray eyes were almost begging. “Yes.” Therese’s dimples reappeared. “Yes – yes – yes!” she replied drowning her in kisses.
Wrapped in each other they dozed off for a while. The sleep came easily enveloping Therese in a dream where she stood by a concert piano not unlike Carol’s Fazioli…
“Fuck!” she exclaimed bouncing up from her side of the bed yanking Carol out of her slumber as well. “Fuck!” Not believing her ears, Carol opened her eyes drowsily. “What on earth’s the matter?” Panicking, Therese got up trying to find her phone. “What time is it???” She tried to breath evenly. “I’ve forgotten the bloody recital!” Slowly, Carol got up. “What recital? What are you talking about?” I never did give her the invitation.
“My music school’s recital where I’m supposed to perform today…” Carol looked alarmed. “And now you tell me… after I’ve kept you up all night.” She picked up her phone from the night stand. “It’s 11. What time does your recital start?” Therese was hyperventilating. “At noon, and it’s on the other side of the city. I’ll never make it…” Carol made a calming gesture with her hand. “We’ll make it, don’t worry. We’ll take my car and be there in no time. It’s not like we’re going to get gridlocked on a Sunday afternoon.” Bewildered, Therese nodded still not sure if she was as convinced as Carol. “Hop in the shower, we’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.”
Fifteen minutes later they were sitting in Carol’s Mercedes. “Are you sure you’re not supposed to be doing something else? Seeing Rindy?” Therese worried out loud. “Cut it out, will you? There’s no place I’d rather be than here right now with you.” She smiled reassuringly at Therese. “Although I do wish you’d told me about this earlier. I’m starting to feel a bit guilty for being so insatiable…” Therese glanced at her sharply. “Don’t you dare. Don’t you ever apologize for something I simply can’t live without.” Her eyes were full of love. Carol let go off the gear lever and took her hand in hers. She looked ridiculously happy.
When they finally made it to the concert hall, it was ten to twelve. Leafing through the recital program, Therese let out a sigh of relief. “Thank god, I’m second to last.”
Gen and Alex were already there. “Hi there,” Gen hollered when she spotted them entering the auditorium. “Don’t you look… exhausted,” she snickered, “and wearing yesterday’s clothes…” Therese sneered at her while Carol acquiesced to smile. “Aren’t you being funny so early in the morning…” Therese retorted. “Actually, it’s not that early, if you come to think of it…” Gen grinned in return.
“So glad you could make it. And you too,” Gen added to Carol. “I wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” Carol replied her eyes never leaving Therese. And then, before really thinking it through, she pulled Therese close and kissed her on the lips not caring if anyone paid attention to it or not. If Therese wouldn’t mind, she wouldn’t mind being open about her feelings either, it was the 21st century, after all. “Break a leg, darling…”
Blushing, Therese gave Carol her loveliest smile. “Carol… the piece I’m going to play – it’s for you, I picked it because of you.” Then she was gone, heading towards the green room with Gen dragging her cello along as if it were a beached baby whale.
“You guys care for a bite to eat after this? A late lunch?” Gen asked. “Well, I’m not sure if we’re ready…” Therese started. “…to leave the bedroom just yet?” Gen interrupted in her playful yet sweet manner. “I totally understand. So happy for you guys.” She was beaming.
Therese sat on a sofa waiting for her turn for a long time, an excruciatingly long some might say, but right now she didn’t really mind it at all. Gen was busy tuning her instrument since her turn was coming up soon.
Therese thought about the kiss a moment ago. How very happy it had made her, how surprising it had been – Carol being so open about her their newfound intimacy. What a difference a day makes, she sighed, smiling to herself.
She thought about the upcoming tour Carol had mentioned and it made her giddy with joy. Traveling with Carol was her idea of heaven, and even though she knew they would most likely fly to the west coast, for some reason she saw them in Carol’s car instead driving leisurely towards the sunset, stopping in little inns, having the most jocund time ever.
Therese got up. Her turn was next and she could feel the excitement building, taking hold of her. Maybe she should have played a bit this morning but now it was too late anyway, and she wouldn’t have wanted to spoil the surprise by practicing at Carol’s.
Therese stepped onto the stage where a grand piano waited for her. She let her eyes wander over the expectant crowd finally focusing on Carol who sat on the fourth row next to Alex. Her smile was encouraging and proud.
She didn’t have her sheet music with her for she already knew the piece by heart – Étude Op. 10, No. 3 in E major, nicknamed “Tristesse”, Sadness, by Frédéric Chopin. She also knew Carol would recognize it the moment she started to play since it was also very well known as a vocal arrangement, the 1950 hit No Other Love by Jo Stafford. It was the song Carol had sung the night Abby had interfered with their growing intimacy.
Therese stared silently at the keys for a long time concentrating, watching her own fingers settling over them – fingers which had known so much pleasure over the past ten hours.
And then she let them pick up their speed, pensively at first – vivace ma non troppo – finding the haunting, cantabile melody in its lingering yet deceptive simplicity. The tips of her fingers fell on the keys with a grace and precision she only now truly mastered.
Therese imagined touching the piano as she had caressed Carol all through the night, slowly building up the main theme with one hand and accompanying it with oscillating tones with another. She thought of the crescendo as the urgency she had come to know, the diminuendo as the quiet taking of time.
Her whole body following the movements of the piece’s poetic character, at times nearly convulsing along its sultry contours, she lifted up the fragrance of the overwhelmingly romantic sound, dwelling in the languid moments for just the right amount of time.
Moving on to the middle section, poco più animato, to its rhythmic shifts and sudden harmonic turns, her fingers rained down on the keys like a hail of flaming arrows seeking climax in the exquisite sound impressions she understood perfectly. After the heaven, the sweet, swelling hell of wanting, needing and possessing.
By the time Therese reached the end, the restatement of the original melody, of all the love and tenderness it entailed, she was utterly exhausted, spent by the devastating emotion. She waited until the last echo of music evaporated, left her small frame before bowing her head down in quiet reverence.
The stunned silence her performance left at its wake seemed to last forever. Then, as if remembering the time and place, the mundane limits of their existence, the audience broke into a thunderous applause. Flushed, Therese greeted the standing ovation she was granted. But she herself saw only the one who meant the most – Carol standing in front of her seat her remarkable eyes glistening with tears.
Relieved and happy, Therese wanted to go to her but was kept away by her teachers, fellow students, Professor Robichek congratulating, fussing endlessly over her. Searching desperately, she lost the sight of Carol.
When Therese finally got rid of the overtly enthusiastic crowd, she ran to the exit to look for her. Losing hope, she turned around – only to gaze into the gray eyes she'd come to adore. "Carol... I thought I missed you." She was out of breath, her eyes tearing up. “Never,” Carol said taking her hands and kissing her worn out fingers delicately. "Don't you know I love you?"