Returning to the hotel…lead to something…interesting.

As Fran walked in, carrying some food, she stopped short as a rolling blur landed, feet-first, next to her. Nothing was dropped, though Fran's knees buckled under the weight of the bags.

"Sorry!" Ayla said, as she back-flipped back to the counter, and did three spins as she landed behind it, right next to Nadia. Nadia had put on a light orange t-shirt and some gray slacks.

"Show-off." Nadia said.

"Got to stay limber, honey." Ayla said, kissing Nadia lightly on the cheek. "Otherwise we would have to hire people to carry bags."

"That would be…a good thing." Nadia said rather dryly. "And a necessary thing for a hotel."

"We're fine with just me." Ayla smiled. "Besides, if we did ask for new workers, all we would get are horny teenagers wanting to see some naked girl-on-girl action!"

"… every time…" Nadia groaned. She dropped the conservation to talk with Fran, as she made her way to her desk "How was the town?"

"Great!" Fran smiled, as she tried to hold her bags up. Ayla jumped over the desk and grabbed several bags out of Fran's hands, and raced up the stairs. "Well…I guess I don't need to ask for help around here…"

"That's Ayla." Nadia sighed. "We met like that." Fran had only knew the lady for about a total of five minutes, but she seemed interesting…not in the way of love, Fran would NEVER betray Jessica, but rather that she probably had a interesting story to tell. Fran loved long stories, especially the ones her grandmother used to tell. As a cop, long stories were common, and her patience with suspects had earned her a recommendation.

"If I may…" Fran started to say, not really sure that this was going to be a good idea. "…can I hear about how you met Ayla?"

Nadia didn't seem at all annoyed at the question. Rather, reflective. "Sure. It's long though…"

"I like long stories." Fran replied. "I mean, if you want to."

"Today is first time we met, and you probably have a interesting story as well. I'll tell you what, I'll tell you how Ayla and me ended up here, and then you'll tell me about you and Jessica."

Fran felt like a hypocrite. The story of her first meeting of Jessica was…rather…sensitive. To both girls, so Jessica might be mad if she found out. Fran felt the same way. But…the doctors and the psychiatrist both recommended that telling the story to other people might ease the pain a bit if they found a kindred spirit. Nadia's story probably shared some elements.

"Sure." Fran said. "Can you go first? Our story is a bit…"

"Say no more." Nadia said, motioning her hand over to the purple chairs in the foyer. While Fran walked over, Nadia went back to her room and came out with two cups of oolong tea. Fran took it, and took a sip. Nadia didn't follow suit, rather starting out with her story.

"My husband…used to be a good man. Really, one could consider him a pillar of society. He treated others nicely, he never let me do any chores, and all he asked from me was to have some children to pass on his wisdom. To some, that last phrase might be considered to be a misogynic statement, but he was patient, he showed to be good with children, and his ideals were perfect."

"But…like all things…came to a end by falling off a cliff."

"I…couldn't have children. Apparently, as a child, I was very sick. I can't remember what exactly the problem is called…but I can't conceive without me dying. My husband…took it well. He yelled at the skies rather me. We looked at adoption, but we didn't qualify. This hotel…the one before this…was very busy. Not a good environment for children."

"Murphy's Law went into full effect. Every night, I would find him in the bar, sloushed with a bottle of what-ever liquor he liked in his hand. It wasn't…that bad. I mean, sure, he would wake up with a headache, but he never harmed anyone but himself. I wish I was more assertive back them. It only took a week after my first visit to the bar to pick my husband up for things to get really…for the lack of a better word…shitty."

"He didn't harm me…physically. Insults to my intellect came full force, and he started to harass customers. I don't know, but I suspected he started to sleep with someone else to make a child. He really wanted a child. I mean…really."

"God…" Fran placed her cup down. Nadia took the moment to take a sip of her tea. "He really…"

"Never confirmed, but the tone…the tone…" Nadia trailed off. "Anyway, customers stopping coming soon after. The ones who stayed didn't stay long…the longest was…I recall was four days. We had to cut down prices, and I worked around the clock to keep us at least in the black. Yeah, that bad."

"He continued to drink, and then it became physical. At first…slaps. I tolerated it…why? I figured it was my fault how we got there...I could have seen a doctor and at least figured out if the condition could be treated. I worked harder than before, hopefully trying to bring some money in to appease him…"

"Murphy's Law."

"…I called the police once he punched me for no reason. No reason what so ever. I dragged him back to our room, and he woke up, still drunk. He wound up and smashed my arm. I used my other arm to grab a lamp and knocked him out cold before calling the police. At least things got better."

"I was treated well at the center. I had others like me…though…they're more women there who didn't understand why their loved ones hurt them so. I knew why my dear Alphard lost it. But I could see the abyss in the other's eyes. I didn't stay long, I had to keep the hotel running…I spent a year out on the streets, and I preferred not to repeat the experience."

"The trial was short…and…well…easy. The evidence against Alphard was towering. His lawyer couldn't stop sweating. But my ex-husband refused to take a plea bargain. He believed he was right to harm me, calling me a…a…w-w…" Fran reached over and placed her hand in Nadia's.

"I'm sorry." Fran apologized. "I didn't realize…"

"No." Nadia removed her hand. "It's okay. It's the past."

"In the end, a insane plea came up. Given his actions during the trial, the plea had basis."

"It worked, didn't?" Asked Fran.

"Yes…and no. He was given jail time, but was also put under analysis. He spent only six months in jail before being moved to a hospital. Apparently…he had a brain tumor. Once removed, he was deemed safe for society and was released. All the doctors agreed that is was the tumor causing him to act like a horrible person…but the damage had been done."

"I got a divorce, and before the tumor was discovered, I gained complete control of the hotel. I had to seriously downsize to account for the loss of profits, and I managed to keep the hotel afloat. My husband never bothered to regain control. Apparently, he got a new job at another hotel. He didn't even bother try to contact me after the surgery."

"Things…well…got boring. Nothing happened afterwards for six months. I worked hard to keep the hotel running…and had no social life to begin with. The hotel always came first to me an Alphard."

"Then…"

"I showed up." Both women turned around to see Ayla, having returned from her trip from Room 315. "Talking about me without me? That's rude."

"I'm sorry." Nadia apologized, though much more in a mocking manner. "Would you like to narrate this part of my prologue?"

"Sure!" Ayla flipped over a chair and landed with a double loop.

"So I came down here to train a upcoming athletic. I needed somewhere to stay…and cheap as well, my client wasn't paying much. I heard about the Hotel Calendula and stopped by…and there she was, with big bags under her eyes, her hair looking like she was just electrocuted, and had a hint of fresh…"

"AYLA!"

"Okay, she was overworked at the time, with only five other people helping her. I, of course…"

"Started to hit on me with bad sexual innuendoes."

"…moving forward…I did spend some time at hotel, wooing the diamond-in-the-rough with my best moves. I guess I called it love at first sight. Nadia…was less than impressed. She barely reacted to my best move: Me only wearing a barely-legal string!"

"I wasn't gay back then."

"Didn't stop me several times before. You see Miss Albert, I came out as a teen, and while my travels as a coach, I found many partners to share a lonely bed with. None of my clients mind you…the closest I come to doing that was a sister. Nearly got me fired!"

"Eventually, Nadia dropped me a line telling me to stop, saying it was making her even more stressed. Being an honorable person that I am, I went off to find some other girl to sleep with. I guess I was a sex manic in my old days, I can hardly remember a weekend without sex. Then again, I had a lot of adrenaline in my system…"

"So I coaxed three other woman to my room for three different nights, nothing more a one night stand. I told them upfront, and they agreed to it. Nobody ever came crying for me afterwards."

"But…I felt nothing for those three nights. I had a redhead soldier, a blonde scientist, and a brunette clerk…and despite all three having different approaches to bedtime manners, I felt…empty is the word I'm looking for. I didn't feel anything from my late-night encounters, and the three left feeling unsatisfied. I spent three more nights alone, the longest I spent. I hit the bed on the fourth night…and went straight to sleep."

"And dreamt of a blue haired beauty."

"Nice try." Nadia said, with a smile.

"Okay, so I dream of a NAKED blue haired beauty. I couldn't help myself! I was young and free back then! Four years ago…"

"Anyway, I decided to take a more honorable approach to earning Nadia's heart. For the first time in my life, I actually tried to use finesse. You know, normal conservations, helping her with work, and the occasional sweet talk."

"Despite you knowing full well that I wasn't gay."

"Ah, but I made the straight girls go hot for me for at least one night. Surely, I thought in my mind during that time, I can make her fall for me!"

"Here comes my part of the story again, honey." Nadia said in a calm tone.

"All right. Thanks for the commentary." Ayla replied, placing her hands behind her head. Though, Fran noticed a look of unease in her face, a first.

"So…as you can tell…I started to fall for her. That long, curvy blonde hair, the strong build…those things started to make me feel…hot. I warmed up to her, allowing Ayla to act like her old self to me. Eventually…on December 24…exactly two minutes from midnight…I ran into Ayla on the third floor, while I was off to drop off towels to room 314."

"And someone had place some mistletoe under a doorway we just happened find ourselves talking under. Apparently, as we discovered later, a middle-management man got desperate and started to hang mistletoe over all the doors of the alone women. Ayla kicked him out afterwards, her first task after she got hired."

"Get to the good part!" Ayla said in a faux-annoyed voice.

"I felt something in my hair. I looked up, and saw the mistletoe. Ayla noticed my eyes looking up and followed…and smiled. She said, 'Come on then. You know the drill.' She closed her eyes and leaned in, her lips waiting for touchdown. I stepped back, just a bit…I never kissed a girl. Most of my friends back at school admitted to kissing one girl at one point…but I haven't."

"So I took control of the situation. I grabbed the back of Ayla's head, closed my eyes, and let my lips do magic on Ayla's. We held the kiss for an entire minute, and without anyone noticing us. Once we broke off, I said: 'Woah. You taste like strawberries.' Then she said…"

"I finished off a carton recently." Ayla piped up.

"…heh. So we started dating, just to try it out. Ayla picked up some more clients in town to stay here longer, and I hired two more people to manage things while I was away on a date. It had been years since I dated, and Ayla never got to the second date. Things got awkward at several points…including one incident…

"Which we WON'T discuss." Ayla interrupted, with a sense of urgency in her voice.

"…right. We found ourselves seeing each other more and more, to the point of showing affection in public. The previous hotel's staff supported our relationship, and the guests didn't care."

"Then I made a mistake that nearly destroyed the relationship, and I came to a conclusion." Fran noticed that both Nadia and Ayla were frowning, and the eyes showed pain. But…Nadia's eyes held a quiet rage. Fran recognized the look from several criminals she interviewed.

"You see, I used to belong to the Church of Zeal. Have you heard of them? Formed about…a hundred years ago? Their ideology was 'freedom': Allowing yourself to live your live in accordance to your and the Church's ideals. Basically, don't kill or harm without a reason that can't hold up in a court of earthly law, be kind to all, and so on in such a manner. I pretty much have forgotten most of the Laws."

"I was born to a minister of the Church, and Alphard was the son of another minister. We're both religious, going to mass every Tuesday, and services on Saturday. Even during and after my problem with Alphard, I attended Church. I did so all my life, so why stop now?"

"One Saturday, I decided to ask Ayla to come to church with me, to meet my friends. Those friends remained loyal to me, despite Alphard getting some members to come to his side of the argument. Ayla was reluctant to come, but I promise her something…If she came to church…I would dress up as a…maid."

Ayla didn't comment. Fran didn't need to hear more to know where this was going.

"I didn't mind. I had a stint as maid for another hotel a while back, and I was finally starting to fall for her. I was ready."

"So we got on our best, I took Ayla shopping…that was the only fun thing that happened all day…actually…that was the first time I saw her in her pure form…so…we got to the church…" Her pauses came on at full force. Her eyes started to water. Ayla moved her chair over so she could hold Nadia's hand.

"We can stop." Fran said, getting up.

"No. You asked…so I'll tell." Fran sat back down, not liking the current flow of events.

"We got there…7601 Marlow Road…purple and grey building…we walked in…hand and hand…the guests, members, families, the minister, and my friends all stared at us…when I broke the news to my friends…they…they…"

"Okay, enough!" Fran stood up. "I can't let you harm you like this."

"NO!" Nadia screamed, surprising the other two. Anger replaced sadness in a instant. "Let me be blunt and wrap this up. My friends laughed at me, insulted me and Ayla, and got others to join in. I ended up smashing my best friend…no…best FORMER friend into a wall. I spent a week in jail for my crime of reacting to a bully."

"Ayla left town, as my former Church formed a mob to harass her. The moment I left jail…the VERY MOMENT, I removed my membership. Wait, that's wrong! It was already done when I got there. Apparently, you can live your life any way you want it, but you can't love one of the same sex. Funny, that's new to me, the daughter of a minister!"

"Calm down!" Fran said, going into cop mode.

Nadia didn't reply. She instead got up calmly, and walked towards the stairs. "Finish up the story, Ayla. I need to get the towels from the pool room." She headed up.

"Like always." Ayla sighed.

"Why didn't you warm me then?" Asked Fran.

"For years, I have been trying to help her get through that tough spot and tell the story…but she explodes in the end. It's not your fault. One day, she'll tell the whole thing." Ayla explained. "I'll finish up the story, while Nadia calms down. Work does that for her."

"Yeah, I had no issue with that mob of Zealians, so I decided to follow their chantings and leave. I met some Zealians in the past, very nice gals, and some good in bed."

"So it's the whole religion, just this chapter that bans gay marriage."

"Yep. But the damage has been done, and now, Nadia is an atheist. Any remains of that social life has long been destroyed. Her life is the hotel now. It's kind of sad. Before we turned this place into the current incarnation, we got some Zealians coming in from another chaper. Nadia gave them some dirty looks. It's one of the few times where we switched places."

"I returned home, New London. At least, my home in New London. I'm an orphan, I don't know where I come from. I waited three days after Nadia's release before calling her. She was still peeved, and the hotel needed police to hold back the protestors."

"Protesting what?" Asked Fran.

"Heretic. Apparently, being gay in this town's chapter of the Church of Zeal gets you branded to being a heretic. They eventually stopped…though we still have to deal with some people every now and then."

"Nadia asked me to come back and see her, at least for one day. Her voice was cracking up. I cancelled all of my other appointments, and returned to the hotel."

"It was empty. The lobby showed no sign of life. Even after all that happened to Nadia, the lobby usually had people interacting here. I mean…nobody was there. I never felt so alone. I went to the front desk, and rang the bell. It echoed for about seven seconds. I remembered getting a chill down my spine."

"I heard a whimper…coming from out of back room. I quietly jumped over the counter and moved towards the crying."

"I found Nadia…crying in a corner of a wrecked room. The bed had been flipped over and the frame dismantled…pictures had been smashed and ripped, the wallpaper had been ripped out and reduced to shreds…the place was just destroyed. Nadia was wearing her best dress, that long black gown with a white stripe on the waist…the one that she wore to the church that day. It also had been reduced to shreds, and…she was…bleeding…from the arms."

"She cut herself?" Fran asked, her eyes going wide.

"…yes. Her life had fallen apart. All twenty-nine years. The church that she grew up with had turned against her. Her love had harmed her and then abandoned her. Her room in the hotel? It was built and furnished off those two things."

"She wanted to start over."

"The cutting was a afterthought. She thought I wasn't coming…my plane got here late. I got her to the hospital immediately…and I apologized. Apologized for leaving her alone…I could have ignored the mob, but instead…I ran. I left her alone with nothing left. As soon as she was stabilized and sleeping soundly, I immediately refunded all my clients in other places and gave recommendations to other trainers. I set up a gym here, and used the funds to keep both the gym and the hotel up and running."

The two turned, someone was coming down the stairs, slowly. It was Nadia, her face composed. Her shirt collar was soak and dark.

"Sorry." Nadia said, her breath short. "Man, they're a lot of towels."

"Ayla was just finishing up." Fran said.

"The part about the gym? Okay." Nadia plopped down into a chair, slouching.

"So…a couple of days passed. My gym was making great business, and Nadia was released into my care. The hotel was finally dying. Customers couldn't handle any more problems from the manager, citing her as 'crazy.' I approached her, a more stable but still fragile, with two proposals."

"The first one was to turn the hotel into a place for lesbians. I showed her a pamphlet for such a hotel back east I went to on the opening day. Actually, it was a hotel for gay men, and I was only invited because one of my students was the boyfriend of the founder. So I said, 'Hey. Let's do one for the girls. What do you say?' She looked at it…and said…"

"I do." Nadia interjected.

"Do I have to say what the second proposal was?" Ayla flashed a toothy smile.

"I guess I'll have to tell my story now." Fran said. "I haven't told this tale in a while, so I may stumble around." She sighed. "I used to smoke before I married. Man, I quit cold turkey, but this story gives me the nerves that only a smoke could calm."

"Take your time." Nadia said, her voice regaining strength. "That's the point of this place. To love what you love without prejudice, and get face a past that you might not like or even understand."

"All right…my part comes first chronologically…I was raised to work with machines like a blacksmith with his forge…"

That's enough for now.