A/N: An extra little surprise, because I felt like it… Takes place after the previous scene.

*In New York (February 1959) II – A new day

In New York, the day opened like an embrace. The city shone after the storm. It was one of those spring days that made the gray buildings turn to gold, and Therese, up early, reveled in it. She hummed to herself as the eggs fried on the stove. The coffee boiled on the counter.

Speak low when you speak, love…

She carried the breakfast back into the bedroom.

In bed, Carol was still asleep. She lay on her stomach, with her back bare above the sheets and one arm flung out to the side. Her hair glistened on the pillow. Therese looked at her a moment. Then she put the tray on the nightstand and carefully sat down beside her.

The light caught the skin of Carol's back and the wisps of her hair that moved when she breathed. Therese saw that there were pink marks on her shoulders. She must have made them the night before. She reached out and, after a moment's hesitation, traced them with her fingers. She traced the lines of Carol's shoulders.

Carol stirred. 'Morning.'

'Good morning.'

She turned over and raised her hands against the light. 'You're up early.'

'Yes, sleepy head,' Therese said, smiling. 'I'm leaving for work. I made you breakfast.'

'You're leaving for work?'

'Yes.'

Carol grabbed onto her robe. 'Really?'

'Yes, really,' she said, as she crawled back into the bed.

Carol pulled her close. She kissed Therese's mouth and her throat and her breasts under her robe. 'How long do we have?'

'About ten minutes.'

'A lot can be done in ten minutes.'

Therese wrapped her arms around Carol's naked body, and her legs. 'I have to leave today, and then tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, and then I'm never leaving again.'

Carol laughed. 'What do you mean?'

'Well, I quit.'

She stopped. 'Quit when?'

Therese considered. 'Around five a.m. this morning.'

'Why did you do that?'

'Because I felt like it. Don't protest.' She embraced her again. 'So I'll be working from home for now.'

Carol smiled against her cheek. 'Well, we're going to get so much work done here, darling…' she said.

Therese laughed. Carol's fingers moved down along her leg, and her laughter faded. They kissed again. It was a long, gentle, drawn-out kiss, like a thread leading them through a series of scenes, of seasons, a red thread leading them through a labyrinth.

'And now I really have to go!' Therese cried suddenly. With an effort of will, she jumped up from the bed. 'I'm going to be late! And your breakfast's all cold!'

Carol still tried to grab her, but she gave up. 'That's one morning of hard work in the bag,' she said, and started to put on her robe. She took the tray onto her lap.

Therese was laughing again.

Carol raised her coffee cup. 'Here's to many more!'

Therese was trying to sort through the clothes that she had brought, but she couldn't because she was laughing too hard. Carol looked at her disapprovingly, and she only laughed harder. When she finally finished dressing, she still stopped in the doorway to watch Carol eat her breakfast.

'You leaving yet?' Carol asked between bites.

'Yes,' she said, but she didn't move.

'Bye, then, sweetheart.'

'Bye, honey.'

Carol smiled. And Therese left, for now.

A/N: Quick q: what was your favorite scene and why?

(My dear new Brazilian reader, I can't answer your review privately, so just adding this here in case you see this: my Tumblr is 'missjordanbakers,' but I'm not that active on it anymore; I understood your reviews perfectly; and thank you so much for your kind words! Much love x)