Tara let herself into the apartment, feeling fresh-faced.
She was just back from a facial that Willow had gifted her for her birthday. Willow had received a gift card from the famous Mabel, who had given up her matchmaking, but did every so often just look at Willow and sigh. Willow took it appreciatively and offered it to Tara instead for some birthday pampering.
Tara had tried to get Willow to take it for herself, since it was given in recognition of her helpfulness, but Willow insisted. Tara had really enjoyed it, especially after also receiving breakfast in bed that morning. She felt utterly spoiled. Her birthday was technically the next day, but the salon would be closed on the 1st, her actual birthday, and the party was that evening.
As she let herself in, she spotted Willow in the middle of the room, standing on a chair and hanging decorations from the ceiling. Willow quickly checked her watch, then put a hand on her hip.
"You're not supposed to be home for another 15 minutes."
"They took me early," Tara replied, closing the door behind her and taking in the decorated room, "Sweetheart…"
Their Christmas tree was still up, as was the menorah even though Hanukkah had ended two days ago. There were homemade 'Happy Birthday' banners on either wall, balloons all over the floor, streamers hanging from the ceiling and freshly plucked daises placed at random points around the room.
Tara picked up a flower lying between two tealights on the coffee table and twirled it under her nose with a smile.
"I hope they smell good," Willow commented as she jumped off the chair, "I had to outrun an old lady at the allotment a few blocks over."
Tara's eyes widened.
"Willow, you didn't."
"There were rows and rows of them!" Willow defended with a grin, "If she hadn't looked up at the last moment, she wouldn't have even noticed they were gone."
"It's stealing," Tara replied with a click of her tongue.
"It's redistributing," Willow countered, standing in front of Tara with her adorably sweet smile.
Tara fell for it and smiled back in the same way, resuming twirling the flower.
"Don't do it again."
"I think I'd get a gardening shears in the gut if I went back," Willow only half joked before pressing a soft kiss to Tara's lips, "You're glowing. Nice facial?"
The flower whirled under Tara's chin, lighting up her face.
"Mmhm. But I feel bad about using your gift card," she said, before offering a crooked smile, "Maybe she has another grandson you could go on a date with to nab another one."
Willow seemed to hem and haw about something, then her nose scrunched.
"No…I won't," she admitted, then sighed, "I wasn't going to tell you because I didn't want your birthday to be a downer, but I got an email during the week. They're shutting down the volunteer service."
Tara's mouth dropped, stunned, and she reached out to clasp Willow's upper arm.
"Honey, why? I would have thought they need all the help they can get."
Willow brought Tara over to the couch and sat in with her.
"They're citing new management with new policies but I got the real story," she explained, holding a cushion to her front, "Do you remember David? The centre manager who hits on everyone?"
"Except me," Tara answered sardonically, with her head resting on her palm.
"Well, probably because of this," Willow continued conspiringly, "He had a thing go bad with one of the other volunteers who brought it all the way to corporate with a sexual harassment claim. They fired him and are only taking in people with professional training from now on. At least none of the carers or nurses he dated lost their jobs."
Tara reached out and brushed the back of her fingers against her girlfriend's arm.
"I'm so sorry, Willow."
Willow nodded appreciatively, then shrugged her outer shoulder.
"You know, I was looking through my résumé to add my time in the centre and it was just so obvious how blank the 'employment' section was. A college internship and blank. I'm at the stage where I just need to take on something, anything, to fill it up a bit. So I'm going to look around and see what's what and what I could get with little to no experience. It's time."
Tara clasped Willow's arm again to give her a reassuring squeeze.
"You know I support you all the way, in anything you do."
Willow took Tara's hand from her arm and linked their fingers together. She squeezed their palms together to show her gratitude for the solidarity.
"Aaannnyway, that's old news," she continued without any conflict in her voice, "I was going to have this place ready for you, but you're early."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Tara replied, leaving the flower back in its place to hold her hands up, "I had no intentions of ruining what I'm sure were detailed and meticulously laid plans drawn up with a variety of different coloured pens."
"Just three; blue, red and green, all from my new set!" Willow answered cheerily as she leaned over and reached behind the arm of the couch to give Tara and little basket with a bow on it, "Happy Birthday. I know it's tomorrow, but we're doing the celebrate-y stuff today, so…here you go."
Tara took it with a smile and riffled through the contents. There was a green bath bomb, a mandarin scented candle, a new bar of soap and a bag of mini tootsie rolls, one of Tara's favourites.
"Oh, this is lovely," she said, lifting the soap up to smell its fresh scent, "Thank you so much. I wasn't expecting a gift as well as a facial."
"I'm sorry it's so small," Willow replied, obviously wishing she'd offered a grander gesture.
Tara left the basket down, took both of Willow's cheeks in her hands and kissed her softly.
"It's perfect. So thoughtful."
Willow smiled big, delighted Tara liked it.
"Let me take this, and this," she replied, taking the bath bomb and candle, "And go run the bath for you."
"Thank you, love," Tara replied, squeezing Willow's hand as she passed.
Willow went into the bathroom, knelt on the floor and turned on the faucet to find the perfect water temperature. As she let the tub fill, she added a capful of bubble bath, released the bath bomb, sprinkled the water with some daisy petals she'd plucked earlier and finally lit the candle on the side.
When the water was at the right height she turned it off, waded her hand through to make sure it was consistent and went back out to the living area.
"Madame," she said, gesturing towards the bathroom with her arms.
Tara stood up and carried her little basket over.
"Thank you."
Willow winked and closed the door to leave Tara to her bath. Tara undressed and stepped in, sighing happily as the warm water lapped her body. She rested her head on the little bath pillow and smiled as a daisy petal slipped through her fingers.
She took her little bar of soap out to rest on the side-lines for when she was ready for it and tore open her package of tootsie rolls to empty into the little basket as a bowl. As she did so, she noticed the bottom was lined with paper. She caught the edge to take it out.
The tootsie rolls fell back into the little nest of the basket and Tara unfolded the page into its full length.
Dear Tara,
I wanted to write you a letter because…well, just because.
It's your birthday (well, tomorrow) and you're off getting a little pampered (as you well deserve) and I just wanted to write a few things down. For posterity. Or recognition. Or just because if I tried to say this stuff to your face, I'd spaz or you'd get embarrassed and you need to hear what I have to say.
I wanted to tell you, that you are the absolute light of my life. I wanted to tell you, that you are my safe space and shining star. I wanted to tell you, that you make my heart grow each day. With every smile, with every kiss, with every fibre of your being.
I wanted to thank you, for proving to me that soulmates exist. I wanted to thank you, for always believing in me. I wanted to thank you, for always sticking by me. With every smile, with every kiss, with every fibre of your being.
I don't know who'd I be without you, but I do know I wouldn't like her. I do know I would have done things that this me would hate. I do know I would have lived a life of regret. I do know she would be a shell instead of a person, because you're the thing that makes me want to be a better person every day, and you have been for every day we've been in each other's lives.
Did you know that I've known you for one thousand days? Technically it's one thousand and sixty three, but if you take away our beginnings where there were a few days we didn't see each other (and I remember them all and my longing vividly), the time when you were in Paris and that time way back when, when I got scared after our Valentine's non-date and didn't contact you for a week, then we've known each other exactly one thousand days.
Did you know I could name a thousand different ways that I love you and still wouldn't run out?
Did you know you breathe about a thousand times an hour?
Did you know each one I take is for you?
You changed me from a kid to a woman, and in the future I know you'll make me a wife and a mother. I can't wait to be with you for every step of the way. The thousands and thousands of them.
I wrote this in one colour so your eyes wouldn't hurt. I never want you to hurt, ever. I'd take every pain you've ever been inflicted and feel it ten times over if it meant you didn't have to. I can't do that, but I can do my best to stop you from ever hurting again. And I will.
Love (so much of it),
(Your)
Willow
Tara swallowed a lump in her throat, ran her thumb under her eye to catch a fallen tear and folded the letter up safely, tucking it back under the candies. She took a handful of the tootsie rolls to put on the edge of the tub and reached across to leave the basket and her letter on the counter, away from the risk of damage.
She grabbed a candy wrapper at either end, pulled it free and popped it in her mouth with a smile.
She closed her eyes and enjoyed the relaxation of basking in the sweet-smelling water with a heart full of Willow.
After a long while, there was a knock at the door and Tara turned her head towards it. Willow's head popped in.
"I made lunch."
"Be right out," Tara replied sweetly and blew Willow a kiss.
Willow caught it and closed the door out again. Tara sat up and drained the tub, then tucked herself into a towel and joined Willow at the table.
"Wow, what's this?" she asked, loving the look of the pasta dish Willow had set the table with.
"Smoked salmon carbonara," Willow replied uncertainly, "I really stuck to the recipe, and it tasted okay on a test so…"
Tara picked up her fork and twirled some noodles around the prongs. She speared a piece of salmon and put it all in her mouth. It was really delicious and definitely pushed the boundaries of meals Willow had cooked before.
"I'm very impressed," Tara said honestly, "This is stunning."
Willow bounced on her seat and started to eat too. While they were eating, Tara gently slipped her foot under the flare of Willow's pants and dragged her toes up and down her girlfriend's shin.
"I read your letter," she said softly.
Willow's eyes slowly lifted to meet Tara's.
"Wasn't sure if you'd find it."
Tara reached across and tickled Willow's cheek, who smiled and nuzzled into it.
"I love you," Tara said, taking Willow's hand on the table.
"I love you, too," Willow replied sincerely.
Their hands stayed linked together for the rest of the meal. After they ate, Tara cleared their plates with Willow on her heels to stop her from washing up.
"Are we stocking a small bar?" she asked as she stepped over boxes of beer and an additional small crate of wine and spirits.
"Becky's contribution," Willow explained, grabbing the plates from Tara, "To make up for the not-so-elaborate spread of chips'n'dip and cheese and crackers. At least we have your chutneys to save the day."
Tara knew better than to argue with Willow about chores on her birthday, so stood back to let her wash the dishes.
"It must have cost a fortune."
Willow grinned over her shoulder.
"Don't worry, she'll drink most of it."
Tara could concede that point.
"I better go get dressed."
"I like watching you walk around in a towel," Willow replied with a fake pout, elbow deep in water.
Tara smirked and paused outside the bedroom door. She dropped her towel and grabbed it, giving Willow only a split second view before she disappeared.
A low moan hummed past Willow's lip and she blew out a slow exhale.
"God, I love that woman."
The door opened again much quicker than Willow had anticipated, while she was still drying their dishes. Unexpectedly, Tara was in jeans and a hoodie.
"I thought you were going to wear a dress," she said, packing the dried plates away.
Tara put her hands on her hips.
"Are you telling me what to wear?"
"No, no, of course not! I–" Willow jumped to protest, but caught on to the look on Tara's face and smiled, "Got me."
Tara smiled back and dropped her hands and walked back into the kitchen.
"I'll change again, but I wanted to help out in here," she said, kicking the beers to the corner when she almost tripped over them again, "I know you wanted to do all the work for the party, but let me make some nibbles to pass around. We can't be known as the cheese and crackers ladies."
Willow checked her watch.
"I don't think we have time to go to the store, and we're kinda broke anyway."
"We don't need the store or money," Tara replied, pulling open the fridge door, "Let me see, I can make…mini ham sandwiches…some lettuce cups with shredded barbeque chicken…bacon and cheese pinwheels. Use up the last of that French bread for some bruschetta. And hey, let's make up some s'mores as a dessert."
Willow scratched her head in disbelief.
"You can make all that from the crap we have in the fridge?"
Tara began taking out everything she needed.
"Willow I grew up being 'culinarily creative'. You have to when you're given $10 to feed two people for a week."
Willow's eyebrows rose. They were thrifty and spent multiples of that now.
She trusted Tara to produce all kinds of goodies. She grabbed the apron to put around her since she was already in her nice black pants and pretty purple blouse for the evening.
"Can I do anything?"
"You can…" Tara started, separating everything to take a proper look, "Cook the bacon and prepare the sandwiches if you want. Leave the crusts on, half mayo and ham, half mustard and ham. Better keep it simple. If those aren't too menial for your new cooking proficiency."
"Never forget where you come from," Willow quipped, taking her place at the countertop opposite Tara, so their backs were to each other, "How much bread should I cut?"
"Might as well use all of it," Tara replied, throwing over the bag of bread.
"Can I save two slices for my toast in the morning?" Willow asked as she took out a chopping board and knife.
"Of course," Tara replied, turning around to peck Willow's cheek from behind, "But no snacking on the bacon."
"Yes, ma'am," Willow answered diligently as she layered the bacon on a plate for the microwave.
Tara scored and seasoned some chicken breasts and got them simmering on a skillet. She thickly cut the last of the roll into slices and put them under the broiler to crisp up. As those cooked and warmed, she took out another chopping board and began to chop up tomatoes, onion and garlic, which she then tossed in some olive oil.
She turned around for something at the same time Willow turned to open the microwave and they bumped into each other.
"Go ahead," Tara offered with a smile, taking a step back.
"Drawbacks of a small kitchen," Willow commented, covering the bacon with a paper towel before turning the microwave on, "Snugness."
"I prefer intimate," Tara replied, giving Willow a sly wink.
Willow blushed and it only increased when Tara bent over to get a muffin tin from the cabinet. She knew Tara was doing it on purpose by the smirk on her face when she straightened back up, so Willow smacked her ass and made her jump.
Tara laughed and playfully plugged Willow's nose, then popped a kiss on her lips.
She upturned the muffin tray to use as a mould for her lettuce cups and arranged the sheets of lettuce, ready to be filled. The French bread was taken out and the tomato, onion and garlic mix was spooned on and drizzled with balsamic vinegar.
"How're those sandwiches coming?" she asked.
"Just about done!" Willow replied, humming 'heigh ho' to herself as she got in a rhythm, "I can do the pinwheels for you, but you'll have to show me how."
Tara checked her chicken and added a little more water to steam it, then grabbed her pack of flatbreads that she loved so much and went to stand beside Willow on her side.
"I'm thinking a little hot sauce as the base, what do you think?"
"I think I'm with you all the way, baby," Willow agreed, grabbed the bottle of siracha sauce, "How much?"
"Just a scrape," Tara replied, wiping Willow's knife to use, "You drop some on slowly and I'll spread it."
Willow very carefully dropped the hot sauce onto the bread, following Tara's instructions to add it slowly. They had all the flat breads laid out and Willow went to get the bacon from the microwave, but forgot to use oven gloves.
"Ow, ow, ow!"
Tara dropped the knife and spun around, grabbing Willow's hand and running it under the tap. She gently flexed Willow's fingers and made sure they weren't badly burned.
"You have to be careful," she said softly, though with more concern than chastisement.
She let the water run for another few moments, then dried them off and lifted them up to her mouth to kiss.
Willow saw her opportunity and went for it.
"They still hurt."
Tara examined the pads delicately but Willow kept going.
"My lips hurt too."
Tara's gaze lifted to Willow and she shot her a look, then grinned and pulled her close. She kissed her and lingered, leaving extra pecks on her lips before pulling away to take the bacon down, with the oven gloves.
She advised Willow how to layer the cheese, and then she added the strips of bacon on top until the breads were covered. They then rolled each one up and sliced them thick enough to stay standing, but thin enough to pop into the mouth. Willow grabbed one before Tara could stop her and physically fell back against the sink with a delighted sigh.
"Baby, they're so good," she said, licking a stray drop of siracha from her thumb, "Yummy, yummy, yummy."
Tara covered the rest of them quickly so they'd stay fresh and free from Willow's paws.
"I was going to ask you to melt the chocolate for the s'mores but now I'm worried you'll eat it all."
"I'll be good," Willow promised, then grinned, "Just let me lick the bowl. I'm a good licker."
Tara quirked an eyebrow in Willow's direction. She fixed her with a 'be good' look, but was also discreetly squeezing her legs together. She put her head in the fridge to get what she needed and cool off for a moment, then handed Willow the glass bowl to melt the chocolate in.
"Don't let it burn."
While Willow got on with all things s'mores, Tara checked her chicken was cooked through, then started to shred it into a bowl. She added a little bit of barbeque sauce and mixed it all through, then put some finely chopped tomatoes and scallions in as well, and grated carrot over it, for colour.
Willow glanced over and looked surprised.
"Damn, baby," she said, thoroughly impressed, "Those look professional. I thought our fridge was starting to look pretty empty and bam…you whip all this up."
"Well I always hated waste," Tara replied, washing her hands after handling the chicken, "That barbeque sauce definitely needed to be used up and I may have been a bit zealous when I bought all those tomatoes. How's that chocolate looking?"
"Delicious," Willow answered, sneaking a finger in to take a dip, "And ready."
Since there was always a variety of cookies on hand from Willow's shopping trips, Tara knew they would have graham crackers and was even surer there were marshmallows as Willow was a nightly hot chocolate person in the winter.
She retrieved them both and laid the graham crackers out over paper towels to catch drips of chocolate.
"We'll break them and spread some chocolate over each half and melt the marshmallow a little over the burner, then squash them together," Tara explained, "I'm guessing you want to be the marshmallow melter."
"Yes please," Willow replied with a smile that showed off her teeth.
They switched places and Willow turned the burner on so the flames spurt up. She speared a marshmallow on the end of a chopstick and made it dance over the flames. Tara spread a nice thick layer of chocolate over the first two halves on show and turned to Willow to put the marshmallow on, but it was in her gob.
"Willow," Tara sighed.
"'m sowwy," Willow replied, then swallowed, "No more I promise."
She quickly got a second one lightly charred and put it in the cookie before temptation hit again. Tara squashed the second cookie on top and left it on a nearby plate she'd set out for them to set.
They ended up with 27 delicious-looking s'mores, which Tara left covered on the counter. She started to gather all the dishes, but Willow stopped her.
"No, no," she said insistently, "You've done way more than I intended you to already. Go get into your party dress."
"Okay, okay," Tara replied, stepping away and kissing Willow's cheek as she passed, "I liked cooking with you."
Willow reached out and briefly squeezed Tara's hand before she left for the bedroom. Willow normally loaded up the dishwasher when there were so many dishes on the go, but she wasn't sure there would be time to empty it afterwards, so she quickly filled the sink and drudged her way through it. Luckily Tara was a very neat cook and soaked things as she went, so there was little scrubbing.
Her arms were worn out by the time she was finished and she eyed the booze warily at the thoughts of needing to set it all up. She cracked her neck and got on with it, lining all of the bottles of alcohol and various mixers up with plastic cups and filling the cool bucket with ice. It was heavy but she managed to drag it, though not without breaking a sweat.
Finally she got the food around the rest of the table and swiped another pinwheel and a lettuce cup to keep her going until she was able to circle around again. She licked her lips thoroughly and thanked god for Tara's cooking skills.
She realised her apron was still on, so she hung it back in the kitchen and went to the CD player to put on some music. Donna Summer's 'Love To Love You Baby' came on the track and Willow swayed a little as she hummed.
When she turned back around, Tara had appeared again. She was wearing a wide-striped purple and black dress, with elbow length sleeves, making their outfits match.
It fell just below the knee and she had thick black tights on underneath, as well as snazzy boots.
Purple eyeshadow matched her face to her dress and her cheekbones were just lightly defined but drew the eye in. Her hair was down and fell in front of her chest, just above the neckline of her dress.
Willow's eyes popped out of her head.
"Double, double, toil and trouble," she said slowly as she walked over to her, "Fire burn, and caldron bubble."
Both hands clutched her own stomach.
"I'm bubbling and I'm burning."
She delicately held Tara's face so as not to disturb any of her make-up and pressed their lips together gently. Tara felt that hot drop in her belly and breathed into Willow's mouth. She put a hand on her girlfriend's pants button, just short of popping it.
"Save that burn."
"Don't need to," Willow whispered, taking Tara's bottom lip between her teeth for a moment, "You'll ignite it all over again."
Tara was ready to rip Willow's pants off there and then, but she would have to wait. The buzzer rang throughout the apartment, indicating their first guest. Willow made a physically pained face and made herself step back. Tara smoothed out her dress and breathed easy to calm her cheeks.
"So, this is it. Our very first house party."
Willow offered her hand for Tara to take for support and confidence.
"Let's do this thing, baby."