Unveiled

Metro Station Piramide – Rome – Midmorning 19th July 2001 (Caitlin's POV)

As ordered by Tamara I had started the day with an extensive brunch. Now I was waiting at this station with a mostly empty bag – another order from my demanding mistress. For a moment a lopsided sneer crossed my lips and I wondered since when I allowed others to make decisions for me like this. And I had no idea what she planned for today.

More than once I had to scare away a too bothersome man. To stand around in this place somehow seemed to invite more interest than I liked. With a deep sigh and a broad smile I responded to the appearance of Tamara. She wore the same hat as on our first meeting and the same comfortable pair of shoes. But her body this time was veiled by a wraparound in a pattern of black and anthracite waves. I liked it very much and obviously my face showed that, because Tamara's smile broadened as she realized my gaping mouth.

"Do you see anything you like?" She giggled shortly and relaxed the situation with a playful tap of her hand on the tip of my nose. "Come on." The rest of some bruises were visible on her arm but at least they didn't seem to hurt very much now, because she linked arms and tore me towards the metro.

"Will you now explain what our destination will be? And next time please come punctually. I never had so many … invitations … in such a short time."

"I couldn't blame them for trying." She responded friendly, her eyes roaming freely over my body. I lowered my head to veil my blush, but she seemed to realize this and gave me a kick with her elbow into my side. At least I hadn't again an erotic dream about her. To have her so close after dreaming about her mouth with her full sensual red lips … hastily I ripped my eyes off her face and concentrated on the way. Without explanation we took a metro to Roma Porta S. Paolo where we switched to another one and reached Ostia Lido Center a while later.

"Here we are," Tamara stated, whirling around and pointing to the shops surrounding us.

"We're doing a shopping tour," I asked a bit disappointed? Certainly I was woman enough to enjoy a shopping tour, especially with another woman and one with her good taste on top, but …

"Kind of, yes," she agreed. "But it is only the first step, but a very important one." With that she dragged me towards a shop she seemed to know very well. Confidently she dragged me thru the corridors and towards an area at the back. With wonder I looked around. "Swimsuits, Bikinis," I asked? Slowly I dawned on me. "You want to go swimming? What a splendid idea. But … you should have said. I've a swimming suit in my room and certainly a bath towel would be helpful."

"No way," she denied. "Buying a swimsuit is half the fun and every good tourist needs his very special and unique Rome towel as a memento."

For a while we rummaged thru the swimsuits and bikinis with much giggling, exchanging about the amount of material or lack thereof, about the style, fitting and color. Once – as I was just wondering about a dark blue one-piece suit – I looked towards her and gasped as I saw the minikini in her hands, a wicked smile on her lips. "No, by no means I'll wear that. "

To my relief she shook her head. "Don't be silly. I would never allow you to wear something like this." There it was again, this confident demeanor, knowing that she could order me around, concurrent confining and reassuring. In a man I would never tolerate this kind of behavior, but with her it seemed so natural. And certainly it was her way to show me that she cared about me. I would never allow you to wear this. Somehow I knew that she said it because she didn't want to share the view. "I thought about buying this for my sister. I could wrap it for Christmas and then enjoy her deep purple blushing."

"You're a bad girl, Dr. Tamara Moore." I scolded her, but she only blinked open-heartedly. "And I didn't know that you have a sister."

Her face softened as she stored the minikini away. "Her name is Heather; she is two years my junior but already married with twin daughters. The cutest girls you've ever seen."

"I've a sister too. Her name is Rachel." My expression was a bit uneasy obviously because Tamara stayed silent and watched me intensely. "She is a shrink and we don't get along very well." For a moment a hint of sadness I couldn't explain crossed her face but within seconds she relaxed again. "Enough of our families, let's buy this splendid swimsuit and madden all men on the beach … and quite a few women," she added with a low voice.

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"This beach is … I don't know what to say." I looked around and stared in wonder. Tamara watched me with a pleased smile on her face.

"It is normally not open to tourists but only to the inhabitants of this village. Tourists have to stay over there." She pointed at another part of the beach we had passed a few minutes ago, where tourists from all Europe tried to find some recreation packed like sardines. "But I met one of the dignitaries two weeks ago and he allowed me to use it. I've only been here once. I hope you'll enjoy it."

I only nodded, staring at the crystal clear water, sensing the powdery white sand with my bare feet. "We should use that spot." Tamara walked towards a part of the beach further away with a small cliff spending a bit of shadow. "So we may switch between open sun and shadow." I agreed and we started to spread our bathing towels, mine brand-new with a picture of the mausoleum on it, Tamara's a bit more used showing a Gondoliers. Noticing my look she explained: "Before we started our 'hard work' at the symposium, my group went to Venice for three days. I have to admit that I didn't really like the city: too many tourists, percentage even more than in Rome."

I tried to lengthen the conversation, to delay the next part of the day, the unveiling. Sooner or later we would have to undress and with that there would be the part again of rubbing with sun-milk. Her gentle hands would again touch my skin and I really didn't know for sure if I would be able to suppress any reactions. But after a while Tamara began to put away her wrap-around. My eyes followed her every move, relishing the slightest part of her skin she exposed. Then she turned around and I could only stare. Several times I harrumphed intensely before I trusted my voice to sound halfway secure: "You're pregnant." My statement was concurrent relieved and disappointed. Surely my disappointment shocked me more but I tried hard to look happy.

Her hand rubbed her stomach gently; her eyes looked very softly at the bulge. "Yes, I am. Twenty-second week, the physician told me. Before the year ends there will be a little … a little girl."

Her voice was so full of emotion, I couldn't feel disappointed anymore, disappointed about her being straight and in a relationship. "So you already know that it will be a girl. Do you have chosen a name?"

She stared back intensely and stayed silent for a while. I already wondered if she would answer my question. "I have been pondering about that for the last months, but now I have chosen one, a very beautiful one."

With that she went silent again. "And … do you want to share?"

Tamara shook her head softly. "Sorry, but I can't say. Perhaps you'll laugh about it but I'm a bit … superstitious. To say her name before her birth would invite disaster."

I had the impression that this wasn't the only reason but I stayed calm. At least I had something to think about as we started the sun-milk rubbing and without incident we finished it. The day on the beach could begin.

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Rome – American Embassy – 20th of July 2001 (Caitlin's POV)

The day had been a very pleasant one. With me now knowing about Tamara's familiar background I had been more relaxed, our touches in the water more playful than expected at the morning. How could it be that these times always passed so fast? I could have endured this to go on for hours and days and weeks.

With a sad smile I stared at the CD in my hands. With almost all my belongings packed only her presents were left to be stored away. After the day at the beach, after our return to the landing stage near the embassy, Tamara had given them to me. That she wasn't disappointed to get nothing in return didn't lighten my mood. How could I be so … I winced? About the band Nightwish I hadn't heard before and for a while I had wondered why Tamara had given me the CD 'Oceanborn'. But a single hearing solved this puzzle.

I wish for this night-time to last for a life-time. I was deeply moved that Tamara obviously shared my emotion. Involuntarily my fingers touched my mouth. The kiss we shared in the evening, on the side of the mouth, more to the cheek than to the lips, had been soft and tender. It hadn't been a surprise for me after that to experience another erotic dream about her. But this time our parting would be final. Today I would leave for Genua and in a few days Tamara would go back to … wherever she lived. It wouldn't be a problem to find her if I really wanted. Knowing her full name now and Mr. Tembril certainly informed about her background … but we had chosen not to see us again, to have this as a memory.

Softly my hand grabbed the second present.

"A box," I wondered? "It is teak wood, isn't it?" My hand caressed the box the size of a cigar case. The picture of an orange tulip was painted on the lid. I tried to open the case. "It is locked," I wondered. Tamara smiled and lifted her arm. A thin chain she wore with a simple key dangling on it. "I know it is a very simple lock, Caitlin. But I expect you to not open it before we somehow meet again."

"And if we …" I gulped, unwilling to speak out for loud my fear that this parting would be final. But Tamara softly shook her head.

"One meeting may be coincidence. But our second meeting was fate, a promise for more … somewhere at another time. But you can't press fate; you have to give it time." She smiled weakly. "And if I'm simply nuts again … you're allowed to open it in 25 years."

With a sigh I put the case in my bag and with a last look around I left the room. Undying city, undying dreams … I hope that sometime you'll fulfill your promise.

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I wish for this night-time to last for a life-time
The darkness around me - shores of a solar sea
Oh how I wish to go down with the sun
Sleeping
Weeping
With you

(Refrain of Sleeping Sun, Nightwish, 1998)

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A/N:

To my perpetual regret I don't own the band Nightwish (or NCIS).

For those who wonder: an orange tulip expresses fascination with the receiver of the flower.