Moving somewhere between the narrow margins of confused dreams and a splintered fragment of wakefulness, Simone gradually sensed of a human form gently resting against her back as she lay on her side but was it real?. She'd had these erotic dreams before when, just at the point when she had been starting to become aroused, she was plunged into a desolate state of loneliness when she had realised that she was alone in her bed and it didn't feel right. It sent her into such a slump of depression that led her to do such things as falling asleep on the beach. This time it felt subtly different as she could feel a gentle breath on her shoulder. She wondered what had happened as she'd slept at her beach house for so long and couldn't remember, in her muzzy state, what had happened the previous night. It was only when she moved her head so she could glance down the length of her body that she saw a smooth, shapely female arm lying next to her own. Slipping her fingers around her own, she exhaled a blissful sigh of relief from the bottom of her soul and the world around her became suffused in golden sunlight. It really was Annabelle who had come to her and was sharing her bed. Everything was perfect in her world. As fragments of memory started assembling themselves and starting to suggest a discernable pattern, she remembered how dear lover had come back into her life and they'd very gently, very lovingly taken each other to bed. It was certainly wasn't the seduction of an innocent woman by any means as she'd willed this into existence as much as anything. It would be only partly true to say that they'd slept together, as the phrase ironically had it, as they'd both climaxed several times that night in their strenuous and passionate lovemaking where they'd learnt the most intimate parts of each other's bodies and minds. The younger woman had woken a little earlier and had smiled at how peacefully her lover was sleeping till she woke her up. Simone sighed out loud with such blissful happiness that the brown- haired woman moved her hand and started softly stroking her lover's breasts.
"Morning," she murmured. Simone could feel the smile in her voice.
"Morning," Simone murmured in reply, turning round to face her lover and to softly kiss her lips."I'm so thankful to find you next to me. I felt really weird till I woke up and realised where I was."
"You're safe with me. I've been awake and watching over you. I used to be such a slob for sleeping in. Ask my parents or, on second thoughts, you'd better not."
The younger woman's jumble of thoughts both amused Simone and endeared herself to the older woman. It showed an endearing fallibility in her. She smiled and gently squeezed herself against her lover.
"That was such a fantastic night together, Annabelle. You really are all woman,"Simone said with a blissful smile on her lips.
Those words, its articulation and the look in her lover's eyes sent a powerful charge through the younger woman. The compliment spread gloriously through her nervous system and a huge smile spread over her face making her look touchingly like the ultimate Birthday Girl. She knew very well that this perceptive woman wasn't just talking about her as a lover but was easily accepting her as an equal. That was a terrifically high compliment since she'd been first attracted to Simone because of the sensitivity and boldness of her cultural explorations. From her experience, it was not common for English teachers to hold forth on a male homosexual love poem and she'd been bowled over by the poetry book she'd lent her.
"I can't believe it. Everything I've ever dreamed of and it's happening right now. I love you so much, Simone," the younger woman said, her eyes moistening with emotion.
They lay on the pillows and drew each other closer, pulling the quilt over themselves. They couldn't resist looking into the warmth of each other's eyes, their tumbled hair delightfully awry. They stretched out a free arm to loop over the other's shoulders and felt the delights of soft skin. The wind from the Pacific Ocean blew lightly through the slightly open front windows, ruffling the lightweight curtains so that patterns of sunlight danced to the side of each woman's vision, creating inadvertant were both smiling with pleasure.
"This is perfect. This is life as we should be living it," breathed the fair-haired woman, running her fingers through the long dark hair of her lover. Both had that sleepy snug feeling thanks to the hours of lovemaking the night before. This morning, they supposed they were too tired for much exercise.
"I like the word we. It feels real good inside," the younger woman purred as she lightly kissed her lover on her lips.
"And why not?" Simone murmured apparently in jest as her return kiss lasted longer than the one she received, giving a little squeeze with her free arm."You're here right now."
Annabelle received the effusive compliment from her lover with all the affectionate warmth in her nature that she had tended in the past to keep under wraps. Everything in her life was filled with golden flickering life and nuanced shadows and she wrapped her arms round the older woman and pressed herself against her. Simone went one better and as she slid her thigh against the younger woman, they kissed more intimately than before. Mornings are what this is made for, both women thought as the snow white duvet covered them.
"You know we were both feeling really tired out from last night," murmured Simone into the delightfully soft lips of the younger woman.
"Mmm mmm,"came Annabelle's muffled sounds as she kissed the fair haired woman with increasing ardour. She supposed that Simone would get the message.
"Are we really that tired?" murmured Simone against the younger woman's ear to make sure she understood. The answer was not long in coming. Suddenly, the fair haired woman was aware that the increasingly redundant quilt was swept away from over the two of them and with surprising strength, the younger woman moved on top of her. A rush of desire swept through Simone as she loved Annabelle's sexual strength as she pined her to the mattress to be passionately made love to. They kissed each other hungrily and the fair haired woman felt her lover's hand slide down her body and knowing that she would penetrate her. This time around, their lovemaking wasn't about reassuring each other that all the bad stuff that had happened would be made right as shaping how their lives would be together. In turn, when Annabelle felt a deep sense of emotional satisfaction in the way that Simone loved, more than ever , the physical act of lovemaking. She felt intensely in Simone the way she loved being kissed and caressed and that that this woman of hers felt more and more confident in the way that she gave her pleasure in return, the little physical ways they had around each other. All this while, the bright sun smiled in on their unashamed nudity and that everything was as it should be.
It was only later on during that magic morning when the two women finally slung on the nearest clothes that came to hand. Annabelle's holdall contained her pair of skintight blue jeans which exposed her shapely feet, a thin white top and sandals. She ran a brush vigorously through her dishevelled long brown hair and looked instantly beach babe material. Simone inclined towards a pair of green slacks and short sleeved light brown T-shirt and her tousled blonde curls fell about her shoulders. Her informality as opposed to her severe teacher garb and wire rimmed spectacles gave the younger woman a sense of lazy satisfaction in the world around them till a thought suddenly struck her.
"It's such a beautiful day. Let's go walk on the beach. Everything looks so fresh and good out there," Annabelle said, suddenly jumping impulsively to her feet. Simone smiled with endearment as it was so like this younger woman to have sudden random ideas.
"I want to part of the big wide world outside with you," Simone said softly,the panoramic view which had been laid out before her suddenly acquiring it magic lustre. The younger woman's enthusiasm was easily contagious.
They laughingly clattered along the boardwalk at the front of the beach house and then clambered down the the flight of steps leading down to the beach like excited schoolgirls. The sun was well up right now but not many people were on the beach as they looked around in wonder. The smooth sands reached out along the coast and felt firm and hard to the feel of their feet. The lightest possible breeze caressed their skin and ruffled their hair. The blue green waters stretched out to the horizon and gentle waves smoothly slid up onto the beach in gentle rhythmic soothing sounds. This was paradise, Simone thought to herself as she saw their surroundings through Annabelle's fresh eyes. She wondered why she hadn't walked along the beach for ages and idly reasoned that it was because she had no one to walk with. She fondly linked her hands through Annabelle's and they leaned their heads against each other as they idly strolled along the beach. Their track led them along the tide line where the dying waves finally caused the icy cold waters to swirl around their feet..
"Say, do they sell hot dogs round here?" the younger woman asked.
"I haven't had one in years," laughed Simone gently as the warmth of the day made it hard to focus her senses together."I think there's a stall over there, up from the flight of steps. That's where I always used to get them," she added, pointing with her arm.
That's where Simone used to go with Amanda, Annabelle thought lazily as she reflected on the set of photographs in the beach house of a younger version of Simone and the dark-haired college student whose body language spoke of an obvious closeness. She was blissfully glad for their shared love.
"You don't mind me keeping the photographs of Amanda?" Simone asked, looking anxiously at her partner.
"She's part of who you are now Simone. If you hadn't have fallen in love with her, perhaps I wouldn't be here," Annabelle replied quietly, fixing her eyes reassuringly on her lover and squeezing her hand affectionately.
A tear or two formed in Simone's blue eyes as she gazed at wonder at the incredible emotional maturity of this remarkable woman. She wanted to embrace her on the spot but felt constrained from doing so and feelings of panic rose up inside her. The world around them was intensely open to scrutiny as she felt as if they were tiny figures pinned down on this flat surface. She then felt her lover's fingers gently stroke her hand and knit themselves round her and saw that look of mingled concern and a will to reassure her. She felt how fiercely protective Annabelle was of every inch of her. She sighed with relief and smiled with pleasure at the glorious day that they were a part of.
"I'm really lucky to have you with you. I really, really admire you," she breathed. Annabelle's radiant smile in reply was whole-souled. Those words came from the heart but were considered by the head and they meant so much to Annabelle coming from this intelligent woman.
They made tracks across the sand and climbed the stone steps up to the wide promenade that opened out onto a mixture of shops selling cheap goods, large old houses long split up into apartments and the odd old timer hanging on in an are that was marginally placed between the seaside area and residential districts. The steady hum of cars announced the state in which, above all else, the automobile ruled the world.
Annabelle saw nothing of this. Her attention was fixed on the white painted, weather boarded booth which sold a mixture of candies, newspapers and, sure enough, a flat electric plate where beefburgers and onions were sizzling. The younger woman put her fingers to her mouth as she floated in a state of indecision as the burgers tasted really nice. Simone read her thoughts like reading a book.
"Come on Annabelle. It's your idea after all," laughed Simone in gentle amusement.
"Don't pretend you don't want some kid's stuff as well," joked the younger woman, not missing Simone's excited glint.
Both women trotted up eagerly to the stall only to meet the middle aged stubbly man with the imprinted expression of Middle America. He wasn't the sort to read newspapers as they were just another form of merchandising He couldn't help reading this headline and it made his blood boil inside. There she was, this spoiled brat who'd been kicked out of two schools while her parents worked their butts off bringing her up. She'd been born with the silver spoon in her mouth and he'd wandered what she'd done to get expelled. Now he knew for certain and it was obvious that this teacher had been way, way out of line. In his time, teachers were a solid part of the community, upholding traditional Christian values and preparing the next generation to go out into the community and earn a living to make America great. This shameless woman obviously couldn't control her lusts and the two of them were shaming the community in which he lived. It was obvious that Senator Tillman had used her wealth and pulled strings to keep her brat out of county jail. God only knew why the courts didn't slam them both in the can like they deserved.
"Come on, I haven't got all day," he snarled, fixing the older woman with his hard eyes. Simone's face turned white with shock as she spotted the newspaper with her own face on the front page and she put two and two together.
"Hot dog or burger, it it? We'll wait at the back of the queue and decide if you like,"Annabelle interjected in the sort of ostensibly polite tones that cut like a knife. It was the kind of ploy she'd deployed against many an authority figure in the past. It steadied Simone's nerves as the man symbolised the sort of parental censure that she'd encountered, not least of all in her own head. It sparked a defiant streak in her that had enabled her to soften the harsh unyielding rules of the Catholic School where she'd previously been a pupil for five years from the age of thirteen onwards and then at a later date, as a teacher.
"You want a hot dog? We'll have two large ones, " Simone said firmly, catching Annabelle's eye. Go Simone, the younger woman thought, her heart starting to race as much as she really hated this bastard."I also want to catch up with the news."
Simone walked elegantly to the pile of newspapers, picked the top one off the pile and stood there, ignoring the man behind the counter and playing her pauses just right.
"Not guilty eh? That's good," she said suspiciously loudly which made the admiring Annabelle consider that her lover must have been a real handful for the Mother Immaculata. Ten out of ten for style, she rated this woman of hers.
"Make it hot dog after all with plenty of mustard," Annabelle chipped in while Simone stared the man down. After beating the rap for 'corrupting the morals of a minor,' Simone had begun to realise that the biggest prison is in the mind as she fished a note from out of the pockets of her slacks and placed it on the counter. Something of her knack came back to her for quietly handling classroom emotional dynamics without ruffling her wavy blond hair or her temper. She stowed the paper under her arm while the two women turned around and started to walk back down the flight of steps. Somehow, the empty free wide open spaces of the beach seemed very inviting.