It was a brief bus ride and a quick taxi to Paul End. They are standing close as Fiona rings the doorbell.
The door swings open as Flora answers the door wearing a long pleated skirt and button down blouse. "Welcome to our home. Come in, come in."
Once the door closes not a second of hesitation Fiona drops her carpet-bag and pulls herself into Flora with a hug. "I have missed you."
Flora hugs back, "Hello there!" While still in the embrace she speaks to Alaya, "I assume it is you Alaya?"
"Yes, you are correct." Alaya touches her bracelet and turns into her normal half-Silurian self and takes her turn to hug Fiona.
"How was your trip?"
"How was your trip?" Louisa is asking from the kitchen. "Please follow through."
"I can put the bags into our room, please direct," Alaya asks.
"Do you need my help?" Fiona asks half-heartedly.
Alaya gives her a smile and wink. "I can hand two little bags."
"Up the first-floor the room is to the front. If you need to refresh, there are a pitcher and basin."
"Thank you. I shall be down directly." Fiona kisses her wife on the cheek and heads towards Louisa.
Alaya walks up the stairs and places the bags in the front room. She heads back down to the kitchen to join the others.
As she is walking along the wide landing, she notices the photographs along the chair-rail. There are pictures of Louisa and Flora on their holidays around the world.
She comes to a gap between two doors and that is when she sees the pictures. There are pictures of her from very little to the day she returned to 'Our London' after her education. There is a new row, it is the picture Mother Jenny took at Fiona's graduation; Alaya and Fiona are standing next to each other with Louisa and Fiona acting as bookends. She looked closer at her Fiona, her smile is different somehow. It is not a better smile, but a smile she hasn't quite witnessed before. She will investigate. First thing when she gets home she will ask her Mother for a reprint.
Alaya finally enters the kitchen, "My love I was moments away to send Louisa to find you."
"I was enjoying the photographs. There is an Alaya shrine of pictures between their office doors."
"I want to see them." Fiona starts to get up from the table.
Alaya holding up a hand, "Later, let's enjoy our hosts company first."
Fiona nods and sits back down to enjoy her cup of tea.
Alaya sits down as Fiona plays mother and hands over her tea with two sugars.
"Alaya is now here, so let get on with what you came all this way to discuss. You said it was serious and vital to your medical career."
"Tell me about medical school. What will be expected? Will I have personal time? We have anxiety about the commitment." Fiona asks while looking at her wife. Alaya nods while sipping her tea.
"It will be demanding. Do not expect any free time. Let me clarify, you will rarely sleep in your own bed at home. You will receive two days off a month, at the most three. You will be sleeping at the hospital just about every night. The nights you are home it will be short-lived as you will work a ten hour shift from seven in the morning through five in the evening. You will eat on the run. While you are working overnight at the hospital, you will be on call. Learn to sleep for four hours and drink plenty of coffee." Flora decided that was enough information and stopped for questions. She could not help smile as she sees both Alaya and Fiona in a state of shock.
"Did you expect something different?" Louisa inquires.
Fiona slowly nods her head no and yes. Not taking her eyes off her wife, "I knew it was tough. I have heard rumors, but I thought it was a weeding-out tactic." She turns her head to Flora, "Are you teasing me?"
"No, dear." Fiona in a soothing manner, "I would never lie to either of you."
Alaya is now looking down at her tea. "Is there anything I can do?"
"I entered my third year at London School of Medicine for Women when Flora started. Which meant I was alone for two. Looking back I was terribly lonely, but I focused on being a great physician and surgeon. When Flora entered my life everything changed. I do not understand how we managed. But we did develop a friendship. We never had the same day off, we shared one free evening a month and the only time we shared a bed was to actually sleep."
Fiona perked up, "Hidden romance?"
"I was also focused on my career path. I valued out friendship and was too terrified of rejection to do anything. It was not the right time." Louisa blushed at her weakness, Fiona grabs her companion's hand tenderly.
"We are happy." Flora adds, "But it was tough. Medical school dominated my entire life. After which I went on to Durham and then to Scotland."
"Scotland?" Flora smiled.
"Yes, I met someone and decided to follow her to Scotland. I was young, impressionable, the woman was confident and so sure of herself. It was appealing. But her dominating personality started to weigh heavy and I had to leave for my sanity. I returned to London."
"Then what happened?"
"Louisa became brave." Flora smiled at her companion with such devotion.
"We have been together ever since." Louisa
Fiona has gotten quiet and looks to her Alaya.
Alaya takes a deep breath. "I have a personal question."
"Oh dear, it sounds quite serious," Louisa looks into Alaya's eyes.
"When should we have children?" Alaya blurts out.
Flora quickly replies simply, "When you are both ready."
"Is there a bad time? Too soon? Too Late?"
"I am not you nor am I Fiona. That decision is yours make together." Louisa wants clarification, "Are you seeking advice as your Physician or a friend?"
"Both, please."
"As your physician. Please wait until Fiona has finished three years and half-way into her fourth. It will be stressful enough. Carrying a fetus will make changes to Fiona's body that is going to put undo stress in medical school. Also, the lack of sleep and poor diet is not healthy for the baby."
Alaya nods in understanding, "As our friend?"
"Wait until one year after medical school. Before even discussing the topic. Your relationship will be stressed enough."
Alaya now worried, "I ... is medical school that bad?"
"Not bad, but it a challenge. Fiona's brain will be stuffed every day with something new, lectures, dealing with diverse medical issues. It will be exciting and exhausting for Fiona. With you in her life there will be an added burden."
"I will be a burden?"
Louisa nods, "What would it have been like for you at University for six years with a wife back in London?"
"I would have worried every day. I would have to exhort more energy to concentrate on my schooling."
"It will be no different for Fiona."
"What can I do?"
"Prepared to be alone."
Fiona starts to tear up and puts her face into her hands. "We were married too soon."
Alaya becomes angry. "No! No! No! That isn't true." She turns to Louisa and Flora, "Please say that isn't true."
Flora stands behind Fiona and whispers, "My sweet dear. Do not think that. You married just right. You graduated with honor at King's College. Did you believe you married too soon then?"
Fiona shakes her head no.
Alaya stands up and walks around wringing her hands. "How do I fix this? Do I free her to grow?"
Fiona whispers, "Oh god. My heart aches." She slinks her body inward.
Alaya stands looking at her wife's face drain of color and eyes become bloodshot. "No? Then what do you suppose we do?"
Fiona continues to speak softly, "I do not know."
Alaya stands still looking at the floor.
"Unless this is too hard, unexpected. I understand. I truly do." Fiona offers her love a way out of suffering on her account.
Fiona and Louisa do not interfere. It is their lives. But if Fiona and Alaya looked at their friend's faces they would see support and unconditional love that comes with time. These two women are witnessing the defining moment of a relationship.
Alaya stands still daring herself to look into her wife's eyes.
Fiona is scared, her heart is racing and her chest is heaving in anxiety. She is trying to control her breathing.
Alaya stands still daring herself to analyze her wife's body. She has learned at University how to read body language. She sees the flushed face, the erratic breathing, the vein on her neck pulsating and her hands are trembling. "I … I don't want to be a stone in your life."
"Our life," whispers Fiona.
Alaya stands still going through her brain for any solution. "I lack life experiences to find a solution."
Fiona starts to cry.
"That doesn't mean there isn't one. What are you worried most?" Alaya trying to keep communication going, even if it ends to her disadvantage.
"That you'll be left alone, sleeping in an empty bed and days without companionship. What worries you most?"
"I don't want you to feel pulled, to chose between me and focus on your medical training."
"How can I not be pulled. You are my wife, but medical school is my future."
"Our future."
Fiona wonders out loud, "Are we still separate? We have used the term 'my' with the other correcting it to 'our'."
"Yes, I have notice that."
"It is our life, our future." Fiona bangs her fist on the wooden kitchen table.
The echo vibrates Alaya's teeth, and she smiles.
"What?"
"Just now, when you hit the table, it vibrated in my mouth."
Fiona smiles in return.
"We shall make a plan. Not that plans are easily kept, but we should talk about our life as I attend medical school."
Alaya nods and comes around to her wife picks her up out of the chair and holds her tight.
Fiona puts her arm around her wife's neck and listens to the half-Silurian pounding heartbeat. She whispers, "I was scared too."
Alaya squeezes tight once more before she gently places Fiona back into her chair. "Do you have a paper and pen for our notes?"
Flora gets up and returns with the requested tools.
Fiona looks to Louisa and Fiona. "What do you suggest?"
For the next few hours, the four women talk freely about expectations and reality while Fiona attends medical school. Alaya and Fiona have many questions. Louisa and Flora answer honestly and without pardon.
Late at night both couples go to their separate rooms.
Louisa and Flora to their master bedroom on the second floor in the back of the house overlooking the rear garden.
Flora remarks as she turns to embrace her companion, "They did it, they found their way."
Louisa agrees kissing tenderly, "Just like we did."
Fiona and Alaya go to the front room on the first floor, with a stop on the landing to look at the Alaya shrine of picture. Fiona smiled brightly and imagined what their children will look like. "I wonder if they will have hair?"
"I have often wondered that myself. If they do, I hope it is like yours red and springy."
"Springy? I have springy hair?"
"Yes, it is not straight like anyone I know. When the air is moist, your hair expands and not easily tamed. Just like you."
"Is that so?"
Fiona sexually devours her wife until Alaya begs for her to stop.
Alaya makes a mental note before she sleeps from exhaustion, 'make sure I find a way to tease my wife's wild side'.