Friday, May 28th, 1954

2:15 p.m.

"The whole cabin to ourselves?"

"I guess it's a slow day." Carol looked back behind her as the attendant shut the door. "And… things are looking up."

Therese wobbled when the Riesenrad began to move up. She'd never been in a Ferris Wheel-type contraption before. Carol assured her that this would be more fun since you went up in a small box rather than have your legs dangle over the side. "Did you come here back in the '40s?"

"No, I never made it to Vienna back then," Carol replied. She took a seat in the middle of one of the two benches, nervously crossing one leg and then the other until she found a comfortable position. Therese was so happy and curious all the new sites around that day; Carol figured it would be as good a time as any to talk to her about something that weighed heavily on her mind. "I actually want to discuss something with you, Therese."

Therese worriedly looked back. Never before had Therese heard that tone of voice from Carol: a million worried thoughts coursed through her brain. "Okay," she sheepishly said.

"No, no, darling, it's nothing bad." Carol immediately noticed the look of worry on her face. Carol motioned for her to sit down beside her, and Therese slowly made her way toward her. Typically, Therese would sit next to Carol, trying to touch her or press against her as casually as she could without drawing suspicion. When Therese sat this time, she purposely left a foot-wide space between the two of them. "I met with Fred before we left."

"About the divorce papers?"

"Yes." Carol looked down at her feet and stared at the black leather shoes she wore. There was a tiny splatter of brown, a dot of caked on mud from walking on an unpaved path on their way to the Riesenrad. "It wasn't just for the divorce papers though, I asked him to do something."

"Is everything okay?"

"Soon, yes."

"Soon? You're scaring me a bit here, Carol."

"I asked him to draw up some papers for us. Legal protections, the kinds married couples automatically have without going to an attorney."

"I don't understand. Why would we need that?"

"Abby was telling me about some friends of hers, another couple, probably together about fifteen years or more. One of them fell gravely ill, but her… she wasn't able to see her in the hospital or make decisions. If something ever happened and I couldn't see you, I don't know what - "

"That's neither here nor there," Therese interrupted, "and thanks to you, it sounds like we don't need to worry."

"I always keep a copy in my purse. I'll give you yours back at the hotel." Therese nodded and shifted closer to Carol.

"One more thing." Carol took her hand and fiddled with her thumb against Therese's skin. "I've also asked Fred to make adjustments to my… estate, naming you as my beneficiary."

Therese's hand suddenly felt clammy as it gripped tighter and tighter. "Why - why are you doing all this? And the medical paperwork? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"I'm not hiding anything from you, darling. I only want to ensure you are taken care of and that nothing is left to chance. God forbid something happens to me, you will at least have a little something."

"What about Rindy? I don't want to take away from her."

"Harge and his parents have that covered." she coolly replied. "Fred mentioned everything would be drawn up come July. August at the latest."

Therese stood up and walked to the closest window to look out at the city. It was so beautiful from so far up, but so sad as well. There was a clear line where buildings still had not been rebuilt from the war; lines of rubble, decay, and bombed out structures throughout. There were plenty of buildings that had been painstakingly rebuilt, some stone by stone, at least in the center where the rebuilding had been most prominent. She tried to brush away what Carol had just told her, didn't want to think about the inevitable, even if it would be years and years down the line.

Before they reached the next stopping point on the wheel, Therese pulled out her camera to attempt a series of panoramic city shots. She hoped that someday, she would be able to return to Vienna and take the same series of photos again, with hopefully all signs of the war gone from the landscape.

Vienna was wholly different from the other European cities they had visited by the end of the May. There were more visible reminders of unpleasantness and reconstruction around them, more tangible indications of the war wherever they looked. There was a beauty to the chaos of a city in the midst of transition, and Therese was doing her best to capture it on film.

Once Therese finished her photos, Carol walked over, standing close, but not close enough to touch. Therese looked at the buildings and the park below, nonetheless it was the river that struck her most. Wasn't the Danube supposed to be blue? Like the Strauss waltz that played everywhere? The water was nothing but a dismal, murky shade of brown. "I'm disappointed: I thought the Danube was supposed to be blue."

Carol took a step or two closer looking out as well to the river below, reducing the space so that she could brush her hand against Therese's back. "'The Danube is only blue to the eyes of people in love.'"

"Says who?"

"It's an old legend," Carol answered, "but to be perfectly fair, I heard it first in Goodbye, Mr Chips."

After a couple more minutes of silence, it was clear that Therese was in no mood to joke around with her. The circuit around the Riesenrad was nearly done; only a few more cabins to go until the ticket taker opened their door.

"I'm heading to the Stadtpark after this." Therese remarked as she made certain all of her photography equipment was safely packed away.

Carol waited for her to add, "come with me," but she never did. She then understood Therese needed time to herself. They had been spending almost every hour with one another for nearly a month, without an office or darkroom for Therese to escape to, or a client-only dinner for Carol to attend. They weren't exhausted with one another, but Carol knew she needed to recompose herself, and Therese needed time to think after their discussion. Perhaps the altitude had helped clear her own head even just a little.

"Will you be back for dinner?" asked Carol.

Therese glanced at her watch, then out the window. "Not sure."

"Do you need any money?"

Therese didn't have to think twice. "I'm good." She walked toward Carol and placed her hands on her chest, one on each side beneath her shoulders. "I just… I need a moment."

9:55 p.m.

Carol took dinner in the room, when Therese hadn't returned by eight. She sat up for a while after dinner: smoking, drinking, worrying until about nine when she changed out of her clothes and reclined on the sofa with a book. She finally heard the key in the door around ten, realizing that she had fallen asleep with her book perched across her chest.

Therese put down her bag on the desk and walked over to sit on the sofa next to Carol. She removed the book that rested on her chest and placed it on the floor by her feet. Carol's lightweight robe was haphazardly tied around the waist, revealing the silk undergarments beneath. Therese did her best to not be distracted by the way Carol lounged on the sofa, half dazed, half alert to her presence.

"Where have you been?" she asked, alarmed by the late hour and without having received any word from Therese that she would be out after nine.

Completely avoiding her question, Therese looked down at Carol with a dour expression. "You said that you had papers drawn up, like a married couple." Therese waited a moment before continuing, her foot delicately tapping against the book she had just placed at her feet. "Did you ever think of asking me?"

"I assumed. I thought that you'd be amenable to it."

"I am amenable to it. That is, I'm glad you have that foresight, knowledge and life experience to know what we need. You are looking out for me, and for us. I love that. If we're a team, if you're in my corner, make sure I'm part of these discussions." Therese wrapped her arm around Carol's waist and brushed her thumb against the side of her hip. "Ask me."

Therese leaned back against Carol's legs, making sure she didn't fall off the sofa. Sensing Therese's precarious position, Carol placed one hand on her back trying to steady her. Therese smiled when she felt stable with the warm hand keeping her in place. "It's just - marriage, or something like it - you know? I'm not sure if I'm ready. Maybe I am, but maybe we're already 'married.' I don't know. My mother was already married and had me at this age."

"I was married… " Carol added.

Therese was silent, enjoying the feeling of Carol rubbing her back, up and down, side to side. Therese then intently stared into Carol's eyes and spoke quietly before she could get any further distracted, "Would you?"

"What?"

"Would you want to marry me?" Therese asked.

Carol propped herself up on her elbow and moved her arm to place her hand on Therese's cheek. "Dearest, I'd marry you in a heartbeat." She pulled Therese in for a kiss, then rested her forehead against her. "You do know I want us to have a whole lifetime together?"

"Yes, I do." Therese kissed her back and pulled her to sit up. "Let's go to bed." Therese walked off to the washroom and shut the door.

Carol stood and shed her robe; however, debated removing her slip. The temperature was warm, not unbearable, and sharing the bed with Therese would only make it warmer. In the end, she decided to remove her slip and then crawled between the white cotton sheets which she covered herself with just enough to stay warm, waiting for Therese to join her. Therese emerged from the bathroom, now make-up free and bare-skinned. Everything Therese had been wearing ended up draped over a nearby chair as she walked toward the bed.

Therese pulled back the sheet and climbed on top of Carol, entwining their legs as she lowered herself, head resting on her bosom and with arms wrapped around her waist.

"By the way, the Danube was the most amazing shade of blue right before sunset. You should have seen it." Therese sleepily noted as she squeezed Carol.

For a moment, Carol thought about wedging her hand between them, down past Therese's stomach, and massaging her into a peaceful, relaxing slumber, but there was something perfect about their unabashed closeness right then that didn't need the interference of sex. Carol smiled and placed her hands around Therese's shoulder and head, and softly stroked her hair as they fell asleep.