Title: Confessions Lead to Strange Bedfellows
Author: Kimberly21570
Fandoms: Guiding Light / All My Children
Pairings: Olivia and Natalia / Lena and Bianca
Disclaimers and other Assorted Ramblings: The characters of Olivia and Spencer, Natalia and Rafe Rivera are owned by CBS/TeleNext and Proctor & Gamble. The characters of Lena Kundera, Bianca Montgomery, Ethan Ramsay, and Alexander Cambias belong to ABC/Disney and Prospect Park. Lyrics to the song "Say You Do" by Dierks Bentley, written by Trevor Joseph Rosen, Shane McNally & Matthew Ramsey, are the property of Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing. Group The original characters of Detective Sargent Langston Malloy, and her mother Carrigan (Carrie) McKenna Malloy, and Attorney Danika Kováč, and her mother Alaina (Laney) Brennan Kováč are the property of this author, and any resemblance to fictional characters, or real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
No copyright infringement intended with regard to Guiding Light, CBS/TeleNext, Proctor & Gamble, Trevor Joseph Rosen, Shane McNally & Matthew Ramsey, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing or any other person or entity. The dialogue, settings, and story content in these scenes are original. Written for fun, not profit. All other standard disclaimers apply.
Once again, many thanks to my friend and favorite FFW, WickedWanda926, and my friend newfan64 for the edit on this one. I owe you both bunches!
Finally, if you're interested in the song referenced above, you can find the official video here: watch?v=4xpr1fLqEj4 or the lyric video here: watch?v=NwRRIVf12CU The moment I heard this song, I thought of Langston and Dani.
Rating: Chapter 15 is R for colorful language and sexual content.
I hope y'all continue to enjoy!
Kimberly
Confessions Lead to Strange Bedfellows
Copyright May 2009
"Lies are convenient when the truth is unfathomable."
— Courtney M. Privett, Shadows of Absolution
"Well couldn't you / Say you do / Say you might / For tonight
Have a heart / Bend the truth / Even if you don't
Couldn't you
Mess me up / Get in my head / Steal my t-shirt / Wreck my bed
All night long Like you used to / Even if you don't
Couldn't you
Say you do?"
— "Say You Do" Trevor Joseph Rosen, Shane McNally & Matthew Ramsey
Chapter 15.2 – Where Truth Lies:
Saturday, June 20, 2009… The Farmhouse of Love—3:00 a.m. Central Daylight Time
"You too, huh?" Natalia chuckled as she shuffled into the kitchen, finding Lena sipping on a cup of hot herbal tea. Of all the little quirks of pregnancy, insomnia definitely wasn't the worst, but sometimes she wished she could sleep for more than an hour or two in a row. She hadn't remembered it being this way with Rafe.
Glancing up from her teacup, Lena smiled. And then she lifted the basket of crackers that served as her 3:00 a.m. snack. "What, the insomnia… or the munchies?"
Stopping at the china hutch, Natalia pulled a teacup from the hook. "Both," she sighed exaggeratedly.
Lena laughed, feeling a sense of comradery with her friend. "I don't think I've had a full nights' sleep since March," she shared. And then a roguish grin flickered across soft, full lips. "Though, it hasn't always been the pregnancy. Some of those nights were Bianca's doing."
Natalia laughed outright, as she slid into the chair across from Lena. Lifting the teapot, she poured the hot liquid into her cup. The steam rose, then vaporized in the coolness of the room. "I will happily admit, Olivia has been responsible for a few of my sleepless nights," she shared, a slight flush coloring her cheeks. "But mostly it's just that I have to pee every five minutes."
Delivered on a wry note, Natalia's comment drew another soft laugh from Lena. "Oh, how I can relate!"
Suddenly famished, Natalia reached for a cracker from the wicker basket. And then she chuckled to herself at the silliness of such solidarity, as she munched on the treat. "So, have you and Bianca decided on a name yet?" she asked conversationally.
A soft smile touched the corners of Lena's mouth. "We have," she answered, as she gave her belly an affectionate rub. "Her name is Viktoria Paulina, after my parents."
A confused expression flickered across Natalia's face. "Ah," she said once realization dawned. "Your father's name was Viktor. I forget that Alexander is your stepfather. The two of you seem so close."
"That's true enough," Lena granted. "Alexander has been both a father-figure and a trusted friend to me for many years."
"You're very fortunate," Natalia commented. She fought to hold back the swell of unexpected emotion over her own loss of a father so long ago. He might still be alive—truth was, she didn't even know. But it didn't really matter. He had been dead to her since the moment he banished her from his home. At least that's what she liked to tell herself. That little lie made the truth easier to bear.
"Yes, I am," Lena agreed. "And he is the girls' biological grandfather, which is one of the reasons we named Lexie after him."
Drawn back into the present, the suggestion of a smile wobbled on Natalia's lips. "He seems very proud of that," she commented, recalling the expression on his face as he held his youngest grandchild.
"That's certainly true," Lena granted. "He adores all of his grandchildren."
Natalia wanted to challenge the all-inclusiveness of Lena's comment, given that Alexander didn't even know his eldest grandchild—Olivia and Zach's son, Ethan. But what would that accomplish? "Nothing," was the answer, and so she let it go. "Well, the baby's name is beautiful," she complimented, gently patting Lena's hand.
Lena nodded in agreement. "We'll call her Tori," she shared. Taking another sip of her tea, she set her cup down on the matching saucer, creating a faint clinking sound as the two met. "What about you and Olivia? Have you chosen a name?"
"After much debate, we have," Natalia answered, the tired expression in her eyes fading as a soft smile spread across her face. "Her name is Dantéa. We haven't finished arguing about her middle name yet," she said wryly, "but we'll probably call her Téa."
Chuckling at Natalia's dry delivery, Lena shook her head in amusement. "Any particular significance to either of you?" she inquired curiously.
"It kind of has a double meaning," Natalia said. "Growing up, I was really close to my brother, Dante," she explained. And then her expression turned sheepish. "But… we're going to tell Frank that she's named after his grandfather, Dante. It was Olivia's idea—a way to help him feel included."
"That's really nice," Lena validated.
"Well, I have to admit it was a compromise," Natalia commented. "She wanted to name her Francesca," she said, crinkling up her nose in that adorable way. "I refused."
This time, Natalia's dry delivery drew a hearty laugh from deep within Lena's chest. She quickly covered her mouth, shushing herself, lest she wake the children sleeping just down the hall. "I take it you're not willing to go that far to help him feel included."
"Not even close," Natalia deadpanned.
Lena fought back another laugh. She found Natalia to be absolutely delightful. It was no wonder Olivia had fallen so head-over-heels for the woman. "Dantéa is a lovely name, Natalia," she complimented with affection. "What does it mean?"
Natalia's heart swelled. "It means lasting, or enduring," she said softly.
"Like your love for Olivia," Lena ventured.
"Yes," Natalia confirmed with a shy smile.
Lena smiled. "I love it even more."
Natalia nodded. "Yeah," she said; her thoughts once again on Olivia. "Me too."
Saturday, June 20, 2009… Detective Sergeant Langston Malloy's Residence—3:15 a.m. Central Daylight Time
Back in the present, Dani stood there, stock-still, watching intently the whirlwind of emotions that played across Langston's flawless face—disbelief, confusion, self-recrimination closely followed by profound guilt, and finally, a sorrow so deep she wondered if Langston would ever recover. She ached for the woman who had owned her, heart and soul, since they were girls. More than that, she longed to hold her, to comfort her, to keep her. But she knew that Langston's pride would prevent that from happening, if she moved too swiftly.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Langston finally managed, once her breathing was a little more under control. What a fool I was! How could I not have known? her inner voice tormented. Stubborn Pride wouldn't allow her to admit it aloud. Sometimes she was more like her father than she realized.
"You weren't exactly open to listening, Lang," Dani mentioned, her tone gentle, yet forthright.
"Dani, I…"
Throat tight with emotion, Langston struggled for words.
Heart aching for her wife, carefully, Dani approached the wounded detective, the way she would an injured animal. Reaching out a hand, she gently brushed Langston's cheek with her fingertips. "You don't have to say anything," she whispered.
And then her hand fell to Langston's arm. The soft, smooth skin was warm beneath her touch, and Dani longed to feel that warmth surrounding her, the way it had for years. It took every ounce of restraint she possessed to keep herself from pulling Langston close.
The tender caress against Langston's cheek and arm were enough to send waves of heat and trembling splaying throughout her body. She fought to hold herself upright. How can you move me like this with just a simple touch? she wondered needlessly. She already knew the answer; she just didn't want to face it. Silently, she cursed herself, and steeled her wayward will against further inducement.
And then that gentle voice was nearly her undoing.
"I'm sorry your mom is gone, Sweetheart," Dani said softly, the anguish of the words nearly breaking her as well. "I miss her… almost as much as you do. She was always a mother to me, even before…"
She couldn't bear to speak the words, any more than Langston could bear to hear them. That made it all too real again, for both of them. But the memory of how both Langston and Carrie had held her after her own mother had died soothed her shattered heart.
And more than that, the memory of how she and Langston had held one another, comforted one another, in the wake of Carrie's death, felt like a balm to her soul; even as it ripped Langston's soul to shreds. They had mourned her together, their souls fused as tightly together as their bodies, their lovemaking mingled with heartbreak and tears, until finally, physically, mentally, and emotionally spent, they drifted off to sleep in the safety of one another's arms. And now, inexplicably, they remembered together, as well.
Head bowed, Langston fought back tears. "I know," she whispered, her voice cracking from the strain of pent-up emotion. And in that moment, a lifetime of memories flashed through her mind—times spent, the three of them together—baking cookies, playing cards, sharing books, creating gourmet meals, or simply being together, talking and laughing. Dani had been her best friend, sometimes it seemed even before she was born. It was a friendship borne out of close proximity, given that their mothers had grown up together, and become lovers at a young age. And yet, something inside her made her believe that even if that hadn't been true, somehow they would've found one another. Dani was the other half of her soul.
The conversation with her mother about the relationship Carrie had shared with Laney for nearly their entire lives came flooding back, reminding her of things she'd tried desperately to forget. She remembered being surprised, pleasantly so, to learn how much it resembled the relationship she had shared with Dani. And her heart still felt sadness for her mother, for all the years stolen away by Laney's untimely death. She ached even more from knowing the depths of her mother's self-recrimination—Laney was murdered for loving her. How could anyone be expected to live with that kind of guilt? But that was the point, wasn't it? The times, the culture, had been different, of course, but the feeling and experiences were very similar—both the love and the regret—and looking back on it now, the conversation had made her feel impossibly closer with her mother.
And now she was gone, and Langston had only her memories.
"If it matters at all, his trial was the only time in my life I wished I'd failed at my job," Dani said quietly. "I'm sorry that I didn't—not only for the sake of our marriage, but because Carrie didn't get the justice she deserved. Mostly though, I'm sorry for my part in hurting you."
She paused for a moment, contemplating her words, and then added, "But I love you, Langston," she said softly, as she slid both hands behind Langston's neck, daring to tangle her fingers in those silky dark waves.
Langston trembled at the touch. God, how I love you…
"My God, I love you so much it hurts," Dani whispered desperately. "And I would rather have you hate me, than stand idly by, and watch those bastards kill you. So I did as my father ordered."
Tears of regret streamed down Langston's face, as the truth of Dani's words settled in the depths of her tattered soul. Before she could even think, before Reason could debate the wisdom or attempt to rationalize, she moved closer, stepping into Dani's orbit. Thighs not quite touching, their bodies were so close they could each feel the heat emanating from the other, as her fingers knotted in those long, dark tresses, tightening almost to the point of pain.
Gazes locked, deep, rich earth against a stormy midnight sky; their breathing grew ragged, as Dani's fingertips whispered across Langston's lower lip. Langston's breath hitched, and a split second later, she brought her mouth down hard against Dani's own. She felt the sharp gasp that escaped Dani's lungs as their mouths collided, and a low growl escaped her lips.
And then a moment later, Dani's soft mouth opened to her, so warm and inviting. And tears cascaded down her cheeks, unabashed, as Langston drowned in the essence of her. It felt like home, the taste of her, the cadence of their kiss, their tongues searching, remembering, reclaiming; a fierce, caged passion unleashed, as fingertips curled into the belt loops of her jeans, pulling her impossibly closer.
When their bodies met fully, breasts, bellies, and thighs, Langston felt that familiar heat spreading through her, head to toe, coalescing in a raging ball of fire that pulsed deep in the center of her being. No one other than Dani had ever evoked such a response within her. It stirred not only her body, but also her soul, making her tremble in places that reached beyond the physical, transcending even the spiritual.
Dani's heart soared, even as her body awakened to latent sensation. It had been so long since Langston had touched her, kissed her. And now, it felt as familiar as home, yet so new, so exhilarating, as the rip of Langston's tongue curled around her own. She felt the sting of tears in her own eyes, and felt helpless to control their escape. "Just say you want me, miláčku," she murmured into Langston's mouth, calling Langston her darling, her sweetheart.
"Dani… Oh, God, Dani," Langston breathed, over and over, as her greedy mouth devoured Dani's own. Her fingers tightened in that mass of thick curls at the base of Dani's neck, as a ravenous growl escaped her lips.
"Just say it, Lang. Please, just say you love me," Dani murmured against Langston's mouth. Swiftly, she yanked Langston's tight black t-shirt from equally tight jeans.
Of course, I love you… Don't you know that? Langston's heart silently cried out. But she couldn't bring herself to say the words. Speaking the truth would leave her too vulnerable, and that was scary.
"Say that you want me," Dani whispered pleadingly, as her hands slipped beneath the hem of Langston's t-shirt. Fingertips wandered, rediscovering familiar flesh. They tingled, even as they burned the tender skin beneath, as she ghosted the imprint of her desire along the small of Langston's back.
God, how I want you…
"Say you miss me…," Dani prodded, her nails scraping along the contoured edges of Langston's firmly defined abs, before inching upward to cup her breasts. Curling her hands around those warm, pert globes, she groaned as they molded perfectly into the palms of her hands, her thumbs lightly grazing the hard prominence of Langston's nipples.
A dangerous growl ripped from Langston's lungs in response to Dani's knowing touch. My soul aches for you…
"Say that you need me," Dani whispered.
Like the flower needs the rain… That thought was quickly followed by an internal groan. Jesus, that was hokey.
"Just for tonight," Dani murmured. "You don't have to mean it. Just say you do…"
And then all reason disappeared, as Dani lightly pinched her nipples, sending a mercurial streak of anticipation racing straight to her core. Her clitoris twitched, growing increasing harder.
The dam of restraint broke free and a ravenous grown escaped Langston's lungs in response. And then, without conscious thought, without either of them even realizing they had moved, they were pressed hard against the wall. And the welcomed force of a muscled thigh surging insistently against Dani's aching center, hands tearing at Dani's clothes, spoke for Langston, saying more than any words ever could. And then her fingertips danced across Dani's torso, tracing a path along the edges of her ribs, lightly stroking the soft skin along the underside of her firm breasts.
Dani gloried in the exquisite pressure of Langston's thigh grinding against her, the tender fingertips on warm skin, of her mouth plundering along the silken slope of an ample breast like a starving infant rooting for sustenance. She cried out when Langston's wide, avid mouth latched onto her exposed nipple.
Instinctively, her fingers threaded through Langston's dark locks, holding Langston's mouth against her breast, even as she slid her other hand between them. Cupping Langston, she reveled in the heat between her legs, and squeezed gently.
Lightly, Langston bit down in response, drawing a tremor and a soft, accompanying cry from Dani. That subtle response from Dani moved Langston deep inside, and once again, she felt the tears begin to flow, as she drew Dani's breast deeper into her mouth.
Obsidian eyes, now hazy with desire, slid closed, as Dani surrendered to desire. The swipe of Langston's tongue against her nipple, the teasing suckling, threatened to unravel her.
And then Langston bit again, this time, harder. And the flash of excitement that rushed from her breast down into the hollow of her stomach left Dani white-hot with need, and her entire body trembled in Langston's arms. "Oh, God, Langston, I need you to touch me. I need you inside me… Please! Just this once," she pleaded, begging her wife to take her the way she had so many times before, as her fingers fumbled with the buttons on Langston's fly.
Suddenly, Dani's pleadings jerked Langston back to reality. Touch me… Just this once… Say you love me… Just say that you want me… You don't have to mean it.
Again, the words came: You don't have to mean it…
Oh, but she did. And she couldn't let this happen, and then pretend otherwise.
Emotionally wrecked, she pulled away, though only slightly, resting her forehead in the crook of Dani's neck. "I can't do this," she declared on a heart-wrenching sigh. I need you so much, it terrifies me. Her entire body trembled against Dani's, as the tears continued to fall.
"Why not?" Dani gasped, Untamed Need warred with Anger, as she struggled to tamp her own frustration. "Forget how?"
Delivered on a sarcastic lilt, her words drew a soft chuckle from Langston's lips, and she brushed her mouth against the curve of Dani's neck. Her sweat still tasted the same, and she wondered if that would be true of other things. "Not exactly," she said with a crooked smile.
I can't think when you're this close to me. Placing a modicum of distance between them, Langston met that mesmerizing dark gaze. "I want you, Dani. With a passion like I've never known," she quietly confessed. She knew it would do no good to deny it. Every nerve ending in her body attested to the truth of it. I've ached for you for years.
Langston's admission was a balm to Dani's soul. Just knowing it was true fanned the spark of hope into a flame.
"But I can't just fuck you, and then walk away like nothing ever happened," Langston added, her tone soft and tender. It sounded as though her heart were breaking. I love you too much to do that to either one of us…
Lightly, Dani brushed her fingertips against Langston's face. "Then don't walk away, Love," she gently suggested. "Come home to me."
The tenderness in Dani's voice, the gentle touch of her fingertips, were enough to make Langston quiver inside. She fought to hide the response, but she knew it was futile. "It's not that simple," she countered.
"Why not?" Dani quietly pressed. "I know you love me, Langston. And I know that you want me."
"Wanting you… loving you, that was never the problem," Langston confessed. Will there ever be a time when I don't love you? Want you? As much as the prospect of this endless need for Dani scared her, the prospect of the opposite was equally as terrifying. She could no longer remember a time when she didn't love Dani, didn't want her, with a passion so fierce it threatened to incinerate her, body and soul—and she had welcomed it, craved it, prayed that it would never end. And now, the intensity of her own need terrified her.
"Then what is?" Dani challenged.
Much to her chagrin, Langston didn't have an answer. All the truths she once held, the answers she used to soothe her shattered soul for the last three years, were rendered worthless in the wake of Dani's confession. And there she stood, her heart shattered and raw, aching for reconnection with its soulmate, but terrified, just the same.
Turning away, she pressed her hands together, cupping her nose and mouth as she often did when in deep deliberation. She couldn't look Dani in the eyes and say the things she needed to say. "I'm seeing someone," she confessed, though she knew that wasn't really the reason she was holding back. Truth was, she felt overwhelmed by Dani's words, by her touch, and by her infinite ability to evoke such raw responses from deep within Langston's own soul. "That's where I was tonight. On a date."
Hope crushed, Dani nodded; a disheartened curve to her lips. She turned away to hide the tears that threatened. A palpable chill filled the widening space between them. "It's the social worker—isn't it?"
Taken aback, Langston blinked. "How did you know?"
"It was easy enough to read, seeing the two of you together," Dani noted, as she worked to reassemble her clothing. Her heart ached with the truth of it. "Almost as easy as knowing what choice you would make last night. Or that you wouldn't make love to me tonight, no matter what."
"How could you possibly know that… when I honestly didn't even know, myself?" The moment Langston had seen Dani standing outside her door, she had been filled with an overwhelming need to touch her, to kiss her, to…
She couldn't go there. Not now.
Shaking her head, a knowing smile played at the corners of Dani's mouth. How could someone so in tune with others be so completely unwitting of her own nature? "All your life, you've done the right thing, for the right reasons, Langston Malloy. No matter the cost to yourself," she noted. "And that will never change."
"Would you want it to?"
The intensity of Langston's gaze caused Dani's pulse to rise. "Never," she answered without hesitation. "It's one of the reasons I love you so damned much." It's also one of the reasons I can't believe you didn't know why I defended that bastard, she thought, but didn't voice. For all her longing and self-recrimination, she also felt the sting of anger that Langston wouldn't have known any better. Anger demanded justice. And Self-Recrimination demanded that she take responsibility for her own actions. But above all else, Love and Longing said to forget the past, to move on. All that mattered was keeping alive the hope of a future with Langston.
Leaning against the back of the sofa, Langston crossed her arms over her chest. "I hate it that you know me better than I know myself, you know," she commented, though not harshly.
Dani offered a crooked smile in response. "Yes, I know," she granted, giving her wife a moment of satisfaction, as she studied her intently.
Langston squirmed under the scrutiny. "But part of me also loves it," she finally admitted.
Delivered on a slightly disgruntled sigh, Langston's admission drew a soft laugh from Dani. "I'm aware of that, as well," she smirked.
"Fuck you," Langston laughed.
"Yes, please," Dani replied with a brazen grin, not missing a single beat. God, it felt good to see Langston at ease with her again!
Breath catching in her chest, Langston felt the pang of desire slice through her like a white-hot blade. Willfully, she ignored the need that still pulsed between her legs. Why can't I stop wanting to touch you? "Dani, please," she whispered hoarsely. "I can't…"
Silence fell between them.
"Is it serious?" Dani finally gathered the courage to ask after several moments passed.
Langston looked confused. "Is what serious?"
"With the social worker," Dani clarified, a slight laugh tripping from her lips. She was beginning to wonder if Langston was losing her mind.
An affectionate smile teased at the corners of Langston's mouth. "Her name is Gwen," she reminded, almost shyly. "And… I don't know yet if it's serious," she answered, not knowing exactly how much truth actually existed in that statement.
The crestfallen expression in Dani's eyes nearly broke Langston's heart. And then she knew the truth—that no matter how much she cared for Gwen, no one would ever own her heart the way Danika Kováč did. No one would ever even touch her heart so deeply. Instinctively, she moved closer to the women she could no longer deny loving—at least not to herself.
"I'm sorry," Dani said sheepishly. "I have no right to ask."
"No," Langston said with a slight shaking of her head. Gently, her thumb swept across Dani's lower lip, marveling at how bruised it was from her kisses, and still, how beautiful, how perfect.
And then, self-consciously, she dropped her hand, shoving it into the front pocket of her jeans to ensure that she kept it to herself. "That's okay. I have no reason to hide anything from you." But that won't keep me from lying to myself as long as humanly possible.
Dani swallowed hard. "Is that because our marriage really is over for you?" she asked, upon finding the courage.
"It's not that simple for me, Dani," Langston answered. "I need time."
"You've had three years, Langston," Dani gently pointed out. There was no recrimination in her tone, only a deep sense of longing for the one person she loved more than any other.
"Yes," Langston granted. "Three years of being so hurt and angry that I couldn't to see the truth," she explicated, even as she pummeled herself for being so blind. "Now I need time to process the truth."
Nodding, Dani said, "I understand." Suddenly, she felt the need for distance, even as her heart ached for closeness. Turning away, she picked up her purse from the sofa, and began moving toward the door. "I won't push you anymore."
"You don't have to go," Langston said softly. An unexpected, yet equally aching need to keep Dani close, washed over her. "You can stay in the guest room. The sheets are clean. No one's ever used them."
Danika cocked an eyebrow. "You mean all your previous guests shared your bed?" She emphasized the owner of the alleged shared bed.
"Hardly—," Langston barked out on an almost cynical laugh. And then her gaze met Dani's, locking. There's been no one since you…
"I should go," Dani announced, unable to tear her gaze away from its captor. "I still have my room at the Beacon."
"No," Langston blurted. She reached out, desperately grasping Dani's hand. "Stay. Please," she urged, a storm surging in those penetrating blue eyes. "I insist."
"You won't try to take advantage of me in the middle of the night, will you, Detective?"
"Nah," Langston replied lightly. She needed a reprieve from the intensity of their encounter. "I'm more of a morning girl, myself."
Images of their lovemaking flashed through Dani's mind—a series of vivid snapshots, culminating in the reflection of Langston, body and soul, lost in the rapture of release in her arms. Trembling inside, she released a slow sigh of longing. "That you are, Detective Malloy," she said with a flirty lilt. "That you most certainly are."
She fell quiet for a moment, contemplative. And then the corners of her mouth lifted in a sad smile. "But I should still go," she said quietly. "I don't think I could stand being this close to you, and not sharing your bed."
I couldn't stand it either… Langston thought, but didn't dare voice. She knew if she did, she would take Dani to bed, only to regret it in the morning. She had no idea where they were headed—or if she did, she wasn't ready to admit it to herself. And thus, all she could do was to reason that they both deserved better.
It was then that she realized she was still holding Dani's hand in her own. Their fingers had somehow managed to entwine, her thumb lightly caressing across the top. Glancing down, a faint smile touched her lips. "You're wearing your ring again," she quietly noticed. "You didn't have it the other night."
"It was at Halston's," Dani quietly informed, referring to the private jeweler who had designed the ring per Langston's specifications. "The center-stone was loose, and I didn't want anything to happen to it. It's the first time I've ever taken it off."
Langston believed her, and that simple fact stirred something deep within her heart. She didn't have to ask how Dani had gotten it back. She knew that Mariana brought it to her. Rather than inquiring, she simply nodded. "It still looks beautiful on you," she whispered.
"Yes," Dani agreed, the fingertips of her right hand lightly tracing the contour of Langston's jaw. "You did a wonderful job of designing it."
Langston trembled at the touch, her breath catching as her knees grew weak. "Dani, please…" She sounded dangerously close to tears.
Releasing Langston's hand, Dani gently cradled Langston's face in her palms, her thumbs lightly caressing flushed cheeks. She leaned close then, brushing her lips against Langston's mouth; a kiss so tender it brought tears to Langston's eyes once again. Her fingertips lingered for a moment longer, and then they slipped away, as Dani quietly moved toward the door.
Sucking in a breath, Langston steeled herself against the onslaught of emotions, and turned toward more practical matters. "Your father escaped police custody," she reminded in a soft tone, filled with concern. "It's not safe for you right now. If he figures out that I made the call, he'll take revenge on you because you're still my wife. It won't matter that you're his child. You know that."
"I know," Dani granted. She had known all her life that her father held no true affection for anyone—including her—and that anyone who posed a threat would be eliminated without second thought. "But I still can't stay. I have… responsibilities… waiting for me," she explained, choosing her words very carefully.
A knowing smile touched Langston's lips. "The job never ends, does it?"
"No," Dani granted, staving off the guilt that threatened by reminding herself it was for the best. She needed Langston to come back on her own. "But some parts of it I enjoy more than others."
Langston nodded; a show of acceptance that Dani wouldn't be staying. "Be safe out there."
"I will," Dani assured. She hesitated for a moment at the door, and then turned, finding Langston's gaze. "Will I see you again?" Please say yes, she silently begged. A love like ours doesn't come along twice in a lifetime.
Circumspect warred with Undeniable Love, swiftly losing its battle. I know… Langston's heart silently responded.
A quietly whispered "Yes," was all that Langston answered in return; but it was enough to keep Hope alive. A soft smile touched Dani's lips in response. "I'll be right here waiting for you," she quietly declared.
And then she was gone.
Alone with her thoughts, Langston sank down on to the sofa. Burying her face in her hands, she allowed the tears of loss and loneliness to fall, unbidden, as the gentle strains of piano blended with the sound of Richard Marx' voice, softly crooning, "Wherever you go, whatever you do, I will be right here waiting for you. Whatever it takes, or how my heart breaks, I will be right here waiting for you."
Like a soundtrack to their lives, their song—the one they had chosen as their own during the years apart in college—had been playing on an endless loop in the background the entire time.
Saturday, June 20, 2009… The Farmhouse of Love—3:00 a.m. Central Daylight Time
"Mm…" Olivia grumbled sleepily, as she felt Natalia crawl back into their bed. Rolling toward her, she peeled a single eye open. "Snack time or pee break?"
Natalia smiled. "Both." She skimmed a kiss across Olivia's lips.
"Mm…" Olivia slung an arm over her eyes, already drifting back into sleep.
An urgent need swept over Natalia, and she gently touched Olivia's face. "I love you," she felt propelled to say. Her conversation with Lena had turned toward Dani's story, and her heart ached for both women. She found herself ever grateful for her life with Olivia, and prayed the other couple would find their way back to one another.
The urgency in Natalia's tone drew Olivia's full attention. Suddenly wide awake, she shifted upright in their bed. "You okay?"
"Absolutely," Natalia declared with confidence. "Just feeling very grateful for you, for us."
Leaning over, Olivia kissed her tenderly. "I'm very grateful for us, too, Honey," she said. And then she looked at Natalia with curious eyes. "But what brought this on?"
"Oh, just a late-night conversation with Lena," Natalia answered. "We pregnant women did a little bonding over tea and crackers."
Reaching over to squeeze Natalia's hand, Olivia smiled. "I'm glad to hear that," she encouraged.
"I am, too," Natalia said, enjoying the newfound connection with Olivia's friend. She had laughed moments before, as Lena shared her wife's knack for matchmaking. And she laughed yet again as she related to Olivia her conversation with Lena, sharing that Bianca planned to do far more than pray.
By the time Natalia finished her story, Olivia was chuckling right along with her. "Yeah, that sounds like Bianca," she declared. "She's relentless, once she sets her mind to something."
Natalia arched an eyebrow. "Sounds like a couple of other women I know," she commented, thinking of Olivia and Lena.
Olivia practically beamed. "I think the four of us together are unstoppable," she declared.
"I love that you include me," Natalia said quietly. That feeling of togetherness, of belonging, was so foreign to her anywhere other than in the presence of God. It was intoxicating, and she longed for more of it.
Drawing her into open arms, Olivia brushed her lips against Natalia's temple. Instinctively, she knew what Natalia meant, and she sought to alleviate her doubt without making it a major issue. "You belong in every facet of my life, Natalia," she gently reassured. "You always will."
A soft smile flickered across Natalia's face, as she wrapped her arms around Olivia's waist. "You make me feel very loved," she whispered.
Tightening her hold, Olivia nuzzled against Natalia's ear. "That's because you are," she quietly declared.
"It's the greatest feeling in the world," Natalia declared, as she snuggled deeper in Olivia's arms.
"Yes," Olivia agreed. "Yes, it is."
TBC in Chapter 15.3…