She stopped in the moonlight, just a few steps beyond the front gate. It had been years, but the old house looked better than she expected. She had spent most of her childhood in that house, her parents always pushed her to go outside and make friends. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of gardenias and roses and sweet olive, all swirling through the humid Louisiana night air. So familiar, and yet almost forgotten. The aroma seemed to pull her along, around to the back yard. She followed a row of gardenia bushes toward the back porch. In a daze of memories from the past, she climbed the cement steps and took a seat on the old porch swing. It creaked and groaned as she began to push it back and forth. She had spent so many hours on this porch swing, talking, listening to the radio, falling in love.
The light bulb overhead flashed on and the back door opened. Dani Shay stood armed with a baseball bat held up to attack the intruder
"Hold your fire, please" Nellie said through fits of laughter
"Nellie? What the hell are you doing; I almost had a freaking heart attack!" Dani slowly lowered her weapon still debating whether or not to beat her friend upside the head for scaring her, Dani took a seat next to Nellie; Dani couldn't help but admire how adorable Nellie looked sitting with her knees pulled all the way to her chin
"What?" Nellie interrupted her thoughts
Dani shook her head "Nothing" she chuckled as she got comfortable on the swing facing Nellie "So what brings you to this part of the neighborhood?"
"Oh you mean in your back yard, on your porch swing at 2 A.M?"
"Not that you're not always welcome but-" Dani trailed off and laughed
"Well, I was back in town for a while visiting the 'rents and I thought I'd stop by?" Nellie didn't know how to say "I couldn't sleep because your beautiful face is interrupting my dream process"
"Right, not to be a rude host but can I help you something specifically?"
"I think I might be in love with you" Nellie whispered thinking Dani wouldn't hear her but ears instantly shot up
"Really?" Dani was shocked; the person that made her realize she was gay just said she loved her
Even in the dark it was impossible to miss the shade of Red steadily growing on Nellies face "You weren't supposed to hear that, I'm sorry I should go" Nellie got up and started to walk away but was gently pulled back by Dani
"Did you know" Dani started as she looked at Nellie "that a girl of the name 'Nellie Veitenheimer' is not only the girl that made me question my sexuality but also made me sure of it"
Nellie was surprised and then she suddenly got nervous "is she saying she likes me too? How do I respond to that? Why the hell can't I speak around her" Nellie's mind was going 1,000 miles a minute
Dani stared at Nellie in awe, she could tell Nellie was thinking; her brows were furrowed, chewing on her nails…Dani couldn't help but laugh
"What?"
"Oh nothing…you just look adorable when you think" Dani stood with Nellie following, Dani moved the hair from Nellie's face and softy placed her lips on Nellie's forehead "Goodnight Nellie" Dani smiled and walked back inside
"What just happened?" Nellie was confused, where did this put her and Dani; her thoughts interrupted by her phone *blinging* signaling a text message from Dani, Nellie could feel herself smiling just looking at her name, she opened the message "Coffe tomorrow?, Sleep well"
Nellie stared at the text for a minute as she grinned, she had no idea what just happened but she couldn't be happier, Nellie walked home still grinning ear to ear, she found her way into her bed and easily drifted into sleep this time.