A Cold Wind Blows (13/13)
Epilogue
Olivia’s series of short pleas was punctuated with light moans:
“Oh yeah.”
“That’s it.”
“Mmmm.”
“Amazing.”
“Keep going, don’t stop!”
“That feels so good.”
“Ohhh, what you’re doing now? I think that’s illegal in thirty-seven states.”
“Mmmmm.”
"Wait! What happened?” Olivia opened her eyes and looked down the length of her body at Natalia. “Why’d you stop?”
“You were good until the illegal in thirty-seven states comment. Then you tipped over into melodramatic queen.”
“Too much?”
“Little bit.”
“Right. I’ll go for melodramatic butch next time.”
Natalia snorted and resumed massaging Olivia’s feet, which were resting in her lap while Olivia reclined on the couch.
“What are you looking at anyway?” Natalia nodded toward the laptop.
“Relocation options.”
“What?”
“Well, you know things seem to be winding down here in Springfield. There doesn’t seem to be much life left in the old town. I hate to say it, but I think Doris leaving really set us on a downward spiral.”
Natalia nodded. “You have to admit, she made a heck of an exit though.”
“Wearing that rainbow colored cape to the last city council meeting did make a statement.”
“It was even more impressive billowing behind her when she rode out of town on the Harley Davidson.”
Olivia snickered, “You mean, billowing behind her as she clutched her leather chaps-wearing girlfriend who drove her out of town on the Harley.” She shook her head. “I wonder how life as the Assistant Director of the White House’s Office of Diversity and Tolerance is going for her. Obama must have his hands full.”
“So does Michelle, I bet.” Natalia tickled the bottom of Olivia’s foot, and grinned when her lover squealed. “But we digress. If we relocated, we’d have to leave the farmhouse behind, and it’s really become our home.”
Olivia looked around. “Nah. We can take it with us. A few hammers and saws and we can pack it up and move it where ever we go.”
“Olivia! You make it sound like a set from a television show or something.”
Olivia amended her strategy. “Okay, it would probably take more than hammers and saws. But people do it you know!” She paused. “We’d have to get new ducks though. I don’t think we can take them.”
Natalia shrugged. “I don’t know that we need them. Emma is only a semester away from finishing medical school and then she’s joining the Peace Corps.”
Olivia tilted her head. “You know, it seemed like just this morning when she was in third grade.”
Natalia laughed. “I know, right? I certainly don’t feel any older, and there she is all grown up.”
Olivia looked down at the screen. “Anyway…so what do you think about Pine Valley?”
“As if.”
“What?”
“You know.”
“No. That’s why I’m asking.”
“They were all the rage a while back. Supposed to be progressive. And then they had that thing. Took twelve steps back for the four steps they’d gone forward. I’ve heard it’s very homophobic these days.”
Olivia nodded. “Oh yeah. That thing.”
”What about Salem?” Natalia asked. “I hear it’s a nice town.”
She continued rubbing Olivia’s feet and added, “I had a doctor in Chicago, reminded me of you, in fact, I think her name was Manning. She lived in Salem for a time. Said there were good people there.”
Olivia wrinkled her nose. “Yeah. But I hear they’ve fallen on tough times. People who are, a little more mature, have a high unemployment rate there.”
Natalia nodded with a sly grin. “And you are getting a little more mature.”
She laughed and dodged the pillow that Olivia lofted at her. “Are you calling me old?”
“Of course not! You know I don’t think that.” Natalia slid her hand up Olivia’s calf and then leaned down and gave a light nip on the inside, sensitive spot on her thigh, just above the knee. “I think you’re amazing.”
Olivia shivered at Natalia’s touch. “Mmmm.”
“Okay. So Salem’s out. What about Llanview?”
“It just sounds dull. Llanview. Llanview. It’s not a city name that evokes any emotions. All I can think of is ‘Landshark’.”
“Watch it. Citing ancient Saturday Night Live skits will make you seem...mature.”
“Really, Natalia?”
“Just saying.”
“What do you think about Port Charles?”
“It is more poetic. But, I don’t like them.” It was Natalia’s turn to wrinkle her nose, as though an unpleasant smell had just made itself known. “I don’t know I feel competitive with Port Charles. Like, if we were in the same state, we’d be football rivals.”
“Yeah. I get that.” Olivia sighed and closed the laptop. “I can’t think of anywhere else though.”
Natalia ran her hand up Olivia’s thigh and smiled. “Well, I can think of a few things we could do instead of surfing the internet.”
“Just exactly what do you have in mind, Ms. Rivera?”
Natalia rolled out from under Olivia’s feet and repositioned herself so she was straddling Olivia’s legs. She started unbuttoning her shirt slowly, her eyes never leaving Olivia’s.
“I was thinking that perhaps we could stay right here. In our home. And make love for a Lifetime.”
She let her shirt hang open as she leaned forward and slowly kissed her way up Olivia’s body. The feel of her skin skimming Olivia’s body brought slight goosebumps on Natalia’s arms.
Olivia’s breath became quicker and more erratic as Natalia’s lips stirred the desire that was always just under the surface. Huskily she answered, “Here’s to Lifetime,” then she pulled Natalia to her, reveling in the realization that this woman was the Guiding Light that had led her home.