Chapter 55

The warm honey-coloured sunlight played across the rooftops and spires of the ancient city like nimble fingers across a grand, ornate piano; dancing delightedly, lazily, into wide avenues and narrow alleyways alike, with an energy all of its own... as the sun rose languidly higher and higher into the early morning summer sky and the bells began to ring out across the leafy urban landscape.

There were still the silver sparkles of pearl necklaces laid out across the tidy lawns of the colleges as the morning dew shone in the sunlight... and there was still a freshness to the air and a cool breeze blowing gently through the willows along the riverbank she walked along, as she cut through a narrow side street not far from Trumpington Street and turned towards Market Hill.

It was early. Very early. So early that there were barely any pedestrians or cyclists in the vicinity and most of the college professors were still not quite engaged in the world of the living. But that was exactly the way she liked it.

She truly loved this walk every morning, whatever the weather, but it was especially wonderful when the sun was smiling down and wrapping her shoulders in the warmest of embraces while she walked. The air smelt fresh too. Fresh and summery; full of floral, natural goodness... It made her feel liberated; as if she could do anything in the world because the whole world was there for the taking.

The mixture of windows: Victorian, Georgian, Medieval - including the occasional Elizabethan ones - reflected the warm honey glow of sunlight, flashing mischievous smiles at her as she passed by. Further up ahead, on the mirrored water, a lone couple sat in cosy communion in one of the college boats, allowing it to drift slowly along while they lay curled into each other as though in sleep, unaware of the choral songs of the birds or the rich tolling of the bells or the distant lazy yawn of a plane high up in the deep blue sky where it languidly lay its trail...

Yes, she loved this. She loved it here. It had been, completely, the right decision to move.

She looked at her watch as she neared the old oak-fronted, giant bay window, before turning the curved metal handle and ducking inside, out of the sunlight and into the dusky embrace of the room, smiling again at the light-hearted tinkle of the bell above her head and the exquisite scent of old wood and books and paints which mingled with the fresh air she brought in with her. She checked her watch again, out of habit now, before walking through to the back and announcing her arrival before hanging her jacket on an old hat stand in the far corner. Not long now, she thought and smiled again to herself...

It wasn't long before the cosy silence was broken suddenly by the tinkling bell and Jen vaguely felt a sudden shift in the air around her and the faint floral scent which had become so very familiar.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" came the voice in a half-murmured whisper, soft and silky and full of light.

Jen looked up from the list of stock items she'd started to check through and smiled. She was right on time!

Seeing her standing there in a halo of morning sunlight which cascaded through the windows made Jen's heart surge with such power that it was all she could do to not leap up from her seat and throw herself at her.

And then she realised.

She didn't have to be on edge anymore. She didn't have to be worried about being seen, or wonder who was watching. She was free from all that. They both were.

In one bound Jen was up and next to her, in front of her, throwing her arms around her toned shoulders and pulling her in for a deep lingering kiss which left them both breathless when at last they pulled apart. "Hey you. My gorgeous, talented girlfriend," she murmured back, as she gazed into her stunning emerald eyes which gazed back at her own dark hazel ones. "My very own little doctor."

"Ha! Not for a good few years yet I'm not!" Tilly replied, smiling in response. She thought she'd be smiling for the rest of her life.

Just then, the air stirred again.

"Aw, look at you two! A right pair of love birds!" came a voice from behind Jen from the back of the room as the gallery owner, Imogen, emerged from the back; her half-moon reading glasses pushed back haphazardly onto her auburn hair and a half-chewed biro in hand...

But before she could say anything else, as if on cue, the door suddenly burst open and Tilly's friend, Emily, entered; the bell still jingling at the force of the opened door. She started talking as soon as she saw them held together in an embrace.

"Really you two, cut it out! All this soppy lovey-dovey business makes me sick! I've just had breakfast - and I don't want to bring any of it up when we go for lunch either! So hands off each other, you hear me?"

"Bossy boots," Jen grumbled, winking at Tilly who laughed.

Emily smiled too and let them have a minute, turning away to talk to Imogen about the latest gruesome training they'd be doing on the university's cadavers and emphasising how completely fascinating the human body was - and how the Intercostal muscles, the ones that run vertically between the ribs, looked and felt just like tinned tuna...

While she chatted on excitedly and Imogen looked amused, Jen turned to face Tilly more closely, taking her hands in her own and stroking them both gently with her thumbs in a lazy circular motion as she spoke to her, asking about her day ahead and how, after today, she'd be starting more intense training with longer days and less chance to meet up for lunch or even first thing in the morning, but how she shouldn't worry about it, she'd love it, and it was really exciting for her... "I'm so proud of you Tilly, I really am you know," she finished saying and then smiled a warm smile of love.

Tilly watched her the whole time she was speaking; lapping-up the undulating, mesmerising lilt of her voice and the beautiful shine of her hazel eyes as they seemed to glow with their own light and passion. Then she grinned. "You talk too much," she said softly, still grinning, which made Jen throw back her head in a delighted laugh. When she looked back down at her, Tilly reached up and kissed her gently on the nose. "Look, we've gotta go... So, Miss Gilmore... shall I see you for lunch later?"

Jen smiled. "Of course my darling," she replied and then added, winking suddenly as she said it: "And remember... I'm cooking tonight! My turn!" and beamed.

Tilly grimaced, teasingly. "Agh. How could I forget? My stomach hasn't forgiven me from the last time!"

"Cheeky cow."

"Haha! Yes. ...Look, I'll see you later ok? How about that pub further up on this side? It does the nicest homemade chips!"

"Ooooh... sounds good! All right then, I'll meet you there. Early lunch right?"

Tilly nodded, smiling, drinking-in the beauty of the older woman standing before her, with her striking, seductive eyes which were darker now as they gazed on her, and her dark silky hair which was captured absent-mindedly in a gentle bun at the back of her head; whisps of it falling down around her soft face and stroking her beautifully sculptured cheekbones... and her sultry, oh so damn sexy mouth...!

Jen saw her eyeing her up and grinned. "A penny for your thoughts?" she said, and winked, adding in a quieter, suddenly husky voice: "I can't wait to get you on your own, you know!" smiling with delight when it made Tilly shiver and blush slightly in anticipation and a sudden growing desire. Then, brusquely, she changed tone again, knowing all to well that this wasn't the time or the place and if the girls didn't go now they'd be late. "All right then, I'll catch up with you later, my love" and she blew her a cheeky kiss as Tilly reluctantly moved away, smiling and clearly fighting with herself at having to prize her eyes away from her lover. It made Jen feel all warm inside.

Tilly finally broke eye contact, blowing a return kiss at Jen as way of goodbye at the same time as pulling on Emily's arm - who was still in the throes of describing key parts of the human anatomy to Imogen.

"Yes take her away Tilly! Please! Give me some peace!" Imogen laughed and sighed in over-exaggerated relief.

Emily pulled a mock frown in response - and then in no time at all, the two of them left. Running hard.

The two women left behind had to laugh. Most mornings recently it had been like that, with the beautiful carved oak door left swinging on its hinges after their sudden whirlwind exit.

"Honestly, those two!" Imogen sighed again, shaking her head and putting her hands on her hips. "The idea that they are going to be in charge of people's lives is frightening!"

Jen laughed. "True," she agreed, grinning, before the two of them settled down to the jobs at hand and Imogen returned to the room at the back to sort through the most recent delivery of books, leaving Jen to man the front of the gallery and shop and finish checking off the stock.

She still had to pinch herself sometimes, she mused. She still couldn't quite believe her luck at how things had turned out...

Who'd have thought that her success at the art gallery opposite Campus Coffee in Hollyoaks would have led to her employment here, in such an ideal place as this? A Fine Art gallery and shop, where she was free to do her own painting in the studio at the back on quieter days as well as run her own painting and sculpting classes, and which also sold interesting antequated books; their old dusty aroma adding a real atmosphere and history to this beautiful old building...

Wow, she thought to herself, looking up from the folded, stapled sheets of paper on the desk in front of her to muse on her surroundings...

The gallery and shop really were positioned perfectly, overlooking the river, which, if you walked a mile along its picturesque banks, you would witness the stunning sight of Kings College on the opposite bank... And, more importantly, it was positioned perfectly for meeting up with Tilly and her undergraduate friends and going into the ancient, charming town for shopping or lunch... Not to mention the beautiful walks and languid punting on the river which they both loved doing together...

An idyllic place for romance, Jen thought again and smiled to herself. She couldn't wait to have her round at her flat again later that evening and cook for her. It was always a joy to be together and just potter around each other's space affectionately or sit gazing at each other at the kitchen table - although gazing like that often ended up leading to other... things... But it was an amazing feeling sharing each other's day over dinner - even when, more likely than not, they'd already met in the morning, or managed to see each other for lunch. That didn't matter. Because they were always hungry for more time together... and the love-making! Wow!

Jen immediately felt the familiar surge of desire begin to rise in her, just from thinking about the two of them together. Their connection with each other was complete, on all levels - spiritual, even - and Jen knew, as she knew Tilly did, that there would never be another. For either of them...

She shook herself back to reality - before Imogen returned and noticed her slight blush and made some teasing comment - and stretched her arms outwards and upwards expansively, feeling again that strong sense of freedom which made her feel like she could spread her wings and fly. The fresh, summery air which had blown in with the girls was still making her feel liberated; as if she could do anything in the world because the whole world was there for the taking.

She smiled again to herself and yawned as the stretch eased and relaxed, and then sighed contentedly.

Yes indeed. Life really did feel insanely good.

.

.

.

Finger-trails of warm, honey-coloured sunlight danced and traced their bright brushstrokes through the windows in unhurried patterns across the canvas of the oak floor; the mullioned glass causing rainbows to lie there and spread, like a growing tapestry of vibrant, hopeful colours, in readiness of the day ahead and the alluring promise of the evening...

Outside, high above the rooftops and spires of the ancient city, the clouds moved like whispy sails across a grand sea - or gliding, languid, feathery wings - drifting dreamily, lazily, across the deep blue sky; casting soft shadows into the wide avenues and narrow alleyways alike, as the gentle bells continued to ring and the world turned...

...and turned.

.

.

.