Part Five: The Harsh Realisation

"Put on a record, we'll have a dance." Perdita mumbled. Blindly, Nicolette obeyed; putting on a slow romantic song. The two girls found each other, one wrapping the other tightly in her arms. Perdita's head rested on Nicolette's shoulder, and Nicolette's cheek on Perdita's head.

"I can't believe she did that." Perdita said at last, long after the song stopped and they just stood in the middle of the room. Thank god everyone in the house knocked, with the exception of the twins and they were still young enough to be lied away.

"I figured it would happen like that. I hate to say it, but we're far from what people call normal." Nicolette said softly, and felt Perdita's arms tighten around her.

"I guess we're not, but what's so wrong with it?" Perdita sighed. The two girls lay down on the rug staring at the ceiling, as they always had when they wanted to talk.

"Perdi darling, the Bible only approves of boy-girl things, and everyone is so set in their ways too. They all think there's something wrong with us, you know, up here." She tapped her dark head with one slim finger.

"But there isn't with us is there?" Perdita asked anxiously. "When I said I loved you, I never thought it could mean this." Perdita acted on impulse and often regretted it later.

"Perdi, there isn't. Daddy says that it's okay. He knew soldiers who were like us, except they were men obviously, but he said that it was okay then. I guess it means we're okay too." Nicolette was the rational member of the pair.

"Yeah, your dad would know." Perdita sighed, rolling onto her side, to study Nicolette who still lay on her back. "If we stay, well like we are forever, it means we can't have kids huh?" She said, and Nicolette pulled her closer so they lay next to each other, Perdita's head lying on Nicolette's breast while her friend's arm curled around her warmly.

"It doesn't does it?" Both girls flinched at that;, since they were tiny they'd dreamed of being mummies.

"No it doesn't Nikki sweetheart, but you know, I'd rather have you than a million babies any day." Perdita said.

"And I'd much rather have you Perdi." Nicolette smiled and Perdita twisted so they shared a small kiss, something they only dared to do in the privacy of their room.

"We really aren't normal are we?" Nicolette said, at last.

"I guess not." Perdita smiled as someone knocked on the door and came in. It was Hawkeye, who if the sight of his oldest charges lying so closely on the floor surprised him didn't show it.

"Girls, it's nearly eleven, I want you in bed okay?" The girls agreed and Hawkeye left. As they washed and changed for bed, they chatted a little.

"I guess we won't tell anyone else" Perdita said, Nicolette's answer was barely audible through her toothbrush, but Perdita understood, and answered the question.

"Angie will hate it worse than Chrissie did. Why can't loving a girl be normal?"

"I really don't know, but this is our little secret right?"

"Right. I love you."

"I love you too." The forbidden words whispered, they went to bed knowing that never again would they be considered 'normal.'