by T J Vertigo
"NO!" Brooke shouted as they scrambled around the room for clothes. "We're uh... I'm uh... not right this second."
Harriet's mouth hung open. "Brooke!" she hurried back into the living room. "Bert! You don't think you said... That's exactly what they were doing!"
Bert grimaced. He didn't want to know that information, but as much as he didn't want to know, Brooke was an adult. "Sit down Harriet, they're in the room there, they can do whatever they want." Even as he said it, he pulled a face.
"I'm horrified. We were right here!" Harriet scurried back and forth across the room.
"Do you think the girl is a nun or something? Geez." he shook his head.
"Well, no, but still." Harriet wrung her hands and sat down. "I suppose you're right."
Bert chuckled. "Harriet, don't you remember when we were young and in love?"
Harriet blushed.
"Good. Now, leave them be and don't make a scene when they come out. They must be embarrassed enough at you interrupting them and all."
Harriet's eyes widened. "Do you think I did?" She felt a little guilty. "Maybe I should apologize."
"Don't you even get out of that chair." Bert warned.
* * *
Cayden and Brooke stood there looking at each other, not knowing what to do.
"That was so lame! I had no good excuse... she knows what we were doing." Brooke covered her face with her hands.
Cayden couldn't help but grin. "It'll be alright. She probably complained to your father and he's pretty cool."
"You think my dad's cool?"
"Well.... yeah. He is." Cayden said with a shrug.
"You could be right. She hasn't been back." Brooke listened at the door. "How am I going to go out there and look at them?"
The shop keeper wrapped her arms around her lover. "We'll both go out there. We'll threaten to take over their TV with our show and they'll chase us back in here." she said with a grin.
Brooke settled into the hug and giggled. It felt safe and warm in Cayden's arms, her mother didn't matter any more. She slid her hands up the back of the tall woman's shirt and caressed her back. Cayden shivered at the soft touch and Brooke smiled. "I love how you react to my touch."
"I love how you touch me." Cayden closed her eyes and enjoyed the tickling sensations.
Brooke looked up at her lover. Those gorgeous blue eyes were closed. "Open your eyes please." Cayden did and the unmasked emotion startled Brooke. Cayden walked around most of the day with sunglasses on, and without them, Brooke could see what she was trying to hide. "I really do love you. I think I knew it a long time ago, but just didn't want to admit it."
Cayden felt warm all over. "I think I did too. I just didn't know what it was. Everything is so different, more intense."
Brooke stood on her toes and tipped her head back. Cayden took the invitation and they kissed softly, letting their mouth's confirm their confessions.
Cayden was the first to pull away. "We are missing the show you know." she said with a grin. "We can finish watching it, and by the time we leave the room, your mom will have calmed down."
Brooke nodded and led Cayden back to the bed. When she didn't turn on the TV, Cayden chuckled. "Or there's always this." she said, pulling Brooke down on top of her.
* * *
Much, much later, the spent, but happy couple did leave the bedroom to no incident. Harriet looked a little frazzled, but no uncomfortable words were exchanged.
Cayden sat in the cab, tired, but content, a big smile on her face. She loved Brooke, and she told her. It felt good, and wasn't as scary as she anticipated. She supposed it was easy because Brooke said it first, and that in itself made her smile wider. Making love after saying I love you, was somehow different. Not better, not worse, but different. She couldn't figure out what had changed, although she did feel a level of trust she didn't feel before. Not really trusting anyone to the extent she trusted Brooke was new, but not as unpleasant as she imagined. Everything she experienced in the last few weeks was new for her, and she was pretty surprised at how easy she accepted it all. Shrugging at her thoughts, Cayden left the cab and with a certain spring to her step, went home.
* * *
"Was the show good?" Harriet asked, as her daughter passed through the room.
Brooke opened the bottle of water she just fetched and grinned. "Yeah, it was good."
"Oh. I wasn't sure. Usually, you carry on while you watch. "
Brooke chuckled. "Ma, you know I didn't watch the show."
Harriet feigned surprise. "Really?"
Bert rolled his eyes. "I'm going to bed." he announced.
"Night daddy."
Harriet studied her daughter carefully. She was very relaxed, and grinning non-stop. A big change from the jumpy Brooke of earlier. "Honey, Cayden mentioned a future, have you talked about that?"
"No, not yet."
"You seem very happy."
"Oh, I am. I'm in love ma, totally in love." Brooke giggled and beamed.
Harriet was very happy for her, but at the same time, a little worried. "Brooke, I am thrilled that you found Cayden. She seems to care a great deal for you, and you both seem terribly in love, but people don't like lesbians. I don't want you to get hurt."
Brooke smiled and got up to hug her mother. "Aw mom, I know your worried. I'm ready for it. I have Cayden, Jodie, Wade and Bev. Most importantly, I have you and dad. I have the best support system ever, I'll be alright. I promise." She kissed her mom on the cheek.
"Well, okay." Harriet sighed. "I just worry. I'm your mother, I'm allowed."
"I'm happy ma, incredibly happy. Finally, I know what it really feels like." Brooke practically gushed.
Harriet smiled. "Good for you honey. " she hugged Brooke and relaxed. "Good for you."
* * *
Cayden entered her apartment quietly. La La danced around her feet, making her navigating dangerous. "Git!" she whispered, moving the purring menace with her foot. "You're gonna trip me."
Wade suddenly exploded from his bedroom. "Well hello there! What happened? How was dinner? What did you eat? Was the mother a nuisance? Oh my god! Look at you! Is that a hickey?"
Cayden slumped against the wall and chuckled. She held a hand up and kicked off her shoes. "One question at a time." she said, making her way into the kitchen. "God, I'm thirsty."
Wade followed hot on her heels. "Oh, yes. I know that thirst well." he said with a grin. "So, tell me, what happened?"
Cayden turned to him and smiled. "Everything was good. The food was great, although I choked on a pea. The parents were minimally invasive, but they really care about Brooke, so that was tolerable." Cayden drank deeply from the bottle or water and sighed.
Wade stared at her. She had an odd expression, it was almost blissful. Cayden? Blissful? "What is going on with you? Something happened."
Cayden confirmed with a nod. "Something did happen. She told me she loves me and I didn't feel sick."
Wade's eyes grew wide. "She did! And you didn't run screaming?"
"Nope." Cayden smiled and then chuckled. "Actually, I said it back."
Wade threw himself on the floor.
The shop keeper laughed. La La came to investigate the prone man. "It didn't kill me. I said it, and it felt good."
Wade twitched and writhed.
Cayden snickered and stepped over him. "I'm going to take a quick shower and get some sleep."
Wade grabbed her leg. "Oh no you don't! You just don't say that and go to bed!"
"It worked for Brooke." she said with an eyebrow wiggle.
"Ooo, you had I love you sex?" He got up off the floor and blocked the kitchen doorway.
"Yep. Wade, this is weird. I'm in love and I'm alright with it. In fact, I feel great!"
Wade smiled warmly. "This is the best thing in the world. I am so happy to hear it Cayd. You totally deserve happiness."
"I think I'm due." she grinned.
Wade poked her in the neck. "So, is that a before or after I lo
ve you hickey?"
Cayden blushed. "After." she recalled the sensation of Brooke's mouth, leaving that mark and had to suppress the shiver. "Definitely after."
"She pissed on you, you know."
Cayden laughed. "Let me tell you, if that's what it feels like to be pissed on, she can do it all she wants."
"You never had a hickey before?" Wade asked in disbelief.
"Nope. There's been a lot of firsts with Brooke."
Wade smiled knowingly. "God it's great to see you so happy."
"It feels great." Cayden replied. "I really do have to get to bed. I have something to do tomorrow morning before work."
Wade was stunned. "What?! You are getting up early? You? Who needs to lay in bed until the very last second or you turn into a witch?"
The shop keeper smiled. "Yep."
Wade shook his head. "This new Cayden is going to take some getting used to."
"Don't I know it."
* * *
It was 8:15 AM, and Cayden waited patiently, albeit nervously. She was leaning on a parked car, in front of the building, holding a brown paper bag. Every time the door opened, her heart pounded, and she stood up straight in anticipation, only to flop back against the car. Finally, the door opened one more time, and her wait was over.
"Cayden?" Brooke was puzzled. "What are you doing here?" She walked quickly to the shop keeper and smiled.
Cayden smiled back, and shrugged awkwardly. "I came to take you to work. It seemed like a good idea."
Brooke leaned into Cayden and laughed "It was a very good idea." She bent her head back and Cayden snuck a cocky look at all the passersby before planting a proper good morning kiss on her lover.
"Mmm, now it's a good morning. What's in the bag?"
"Coffee and bagels. I didn't know what you liked so I got plain, with butter." The tall woman held up the bag shyly.
"You are the sweetest thing!" Brooke grinned and took Cayden by the hand. "Come on, I don't want to be late!"
As the couple walked towards the subway, Brooke took Cayden's free hand. The shop keeper smiled proudly and even swung their joined hands a little as they walked.
Brooke eyed her lover, her cut off shorts especially, and squeezed her hand. "You look really good. Have I told you how I love your legs?"
Cayden blushed a bit. "No."
"They're glorious you know. Long, smooth, sexy, tasty." Brooke stopped herself, it was far too early in the morning to go where she was going. Besides, Cayden looked uncomfortable. "Thank you for coming here, it was highly unexpected, but wonderful."
Cayden chuckled. "It wasn't as hard to get out of bed as I thought."
"Gee thanks." Brooke snickered.
Just as they made their way down the stairs to the subway the train roared into the station, and they made a run for it. Once on the crowded train, Cayden led Brook to a small open spot against a wall. She placed Brooke against it and stood in front of her, protecting her from the horde of passengers, lurching and stumbling as the train jerked out of the station.
"My hero. I should take you with me every morning." Brooke joked before taking another long look at Cayden's bared legs.
"I don't want any sweaty, smelly people leaning on you. " Cayden shrugged, then flexed the leg Brooke was staring at.
Green eyes narrowed. "You know, your legs flex like that a lot when we... you know."
Cayden's eyes widened. "Brooke!' She warned playfully.
"Oh, but they do, and your belly..." Brooke had that hungry look in her eye.
Cayden dug into the bag and handed Brooke a coffee. "Here." she said, hoping to distract her horny lover.
"Thanks." Brooke snickered at Cayden's distress. "You're cute when you're shy."
"Yeah, and you're drop dead cute when your angry." Cayden countered.
Brooke thought about that as she attempted to sip her coffee on a moving subway. The only time she saw me angry was... Suddenly she got a clue. "Oh my god! That's why you were smiling at me!" she back handed the tall woman in the belly. "I was losing my mind, in the middle of the street and you were chuckling! I was incensed!"
Cayden chuckled again at Brooke's anger. "See? You're downright adorable."
"Ooo, you just wait, I'll show you adorable." The blonde threatened.
"You can't possibly get any better."
Brooke softened immediately. "Aww, thank you."
Their stop came quickly and Brooke pulled Cayden by the hand. "Come up with me. There's someone I am dying for you to meet!"
Cayden grimaced. "I don't know..."
"Please? She's really nice and I've told her all about you."
The tall woman walked a bit slower. "You did? What did you say?"
"I told her I am in love with the hottest, most impossible woman in the world."
Cayden narrowed her eyes playfully. "Oh really? Impossible?"
"The worst. You can't deny that you gave me the hardest time. You were a big fat meanie."
The shop keeper grinned shyly. "Yeah, I suppose I was. But I was justified with that Grant thing and all."
"Hush. We don't mention that putz's name out loud. I guess you have a point though. God, I probably seemed like a nut."
"Yeah, you did, Lucky for you, nuts are my favorite snack food." Cayden said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
"Mmm, I can tell." Brooke exhaled loudly and shook her head. "Let's not go there right now. Come on... this is the building."
Cayden had no idea what to expect, or who she was going to meet and it made her hesitant. Brooke sensed something wrong and gave Cayden a great big reassuring smile. "It will be fine, Bev is a really good friend. She's going to remind you of the mother on that Queer show, you'll love her. Don't worry."
As soon as they left the elevator, they were standing in cubicle hell. Cayden always wondered how anybody could work in a place like this and not lose their sanity. She gave Brooke a sympathetic look and thanked anyone who would listen that she had the shop. She noticed quite a few people giving her the once over and clung closer to Brooke.
The open stares of appreciation didn't get past the blonde and she smiled proudly as she marched her lover through the office. She felt the excited butterflies as she approached Bev's cubicle. "Bev, there's someone I want you to meet."
The older woman sprung up from her chair. "Oh my! From the look on your face I'd say this is Cayden?"
Cayden nodded and hesitantly held out her hand, unsure of what to do.
"Oh please, handshakes are for business meetings, give an old lady a hug!"
Before she knew what was happening, Cayden was swept into a bear hug. It wasn't bad, Bev smelled good enough and she wasn't sweaty. That was a plus. Taking a step back once she was released, she stood awkwardly for the older woman to size her up.
"Oh, Brooke, she's magnificent! So, this is Cayden."
"Yep! Isn't she divine?" Brooke gushed, leaning heavily into her lover.
Cayden cleared her throat, quite uncomfortable with it all. "Uhm, where should I put the bagels?"
"I'm in the next cubicle, we'll go in a second. Bev, she met me outside of my building this morning with coffee and bagels. Isn't that just the sweetest thing? She came all the way to work with me on the subway! Could you faint?"
Bev, gave Cayden a smile of approval and clapped her hands excitedly. "Quite a change from the stories I heard before. I'd say you're a quick study. Good for you. I've never seen Brooke happier!"
"I've never been happier. We had a very good night last night. Right Cayd?"
"Very good." the tall woman nodded, and rustled the bag in her hands.
"I better get her out of here before she runs off with my breakfast. We'll talk at lunch." Brooke smiled one last time for Bev, and they both giggled, before the blonde dragged Cayden off to her cubicle. "This is my piece of Paradise."
"Charming." Cayden said sarcastically.
"Yeah, I know, but it's all I got. I'm usually too busy to notice how ugly it is. You sure are lucky baby, to
have your own place."
Cayden couldn't agree more. "I'm not taking it for granted any more, that’s for sure. So, you and Bev talk about me?"
"We have. I needed advice on how to wrangle me a real live lesbian." Brooke winked and laughed.
"Well, you got me so I guess I shouldn't complain, although I am a bit uncomfortable with being talked about. I mean, she said I learned quickly? What does that mean?"
"Etiquette and all that. Remember, holding doors and pulling out chairs?"
Cayden nodded. "Oh yeah, I can't possibly forget that. I'm an old pro already." She patted herself on the back.
"Hmm." Brooke pretended to think hard. "No, you're right, I can't think of anything. You've done very well. My sexy chivalrous girlfriend."
Cayden turned pink. "That's enough you."
Brooke stole a quick kiss. "You're so adorable. I bet no one knows just how cute you are."
"I'd like if it stays between us." Cayden nodded over towards Bev.
"Don't worry, she doesn't know all your secrets. I'd be a fool to publicize everything, women would come running form every direction."
Brooke.." The tall shop keeper blushed harder, and saw Boooke was about to continue her embarrassing roll. She leaned down and initiated a long sexy kiss that left Brooke reeling. She chuckled at her affect on the small blonde. "I gotta go, here's breakfast. I'll call you later?"
"You bet you will." Brooke watched with admiration as her lover began to walk away. "Cayd?"
The tall woman turned around. "Hmm?"
"I love you."
"Me too."
PART 38
W ORK WAS A breeze for Cayden. After visiting Brooke's office and seeing how the other half toils, she was very grateful to have her big comfy chair and TV. Currently utilizing both, the shop keeper thought about what comes next. She supposed after they both admitted they love each other, that all sorts of stuff happens. While a mature adult, Cayden felt like a babe in the woods in this situation. It was a bad feeling, not knowing what to do. The only good thing about all of it was that Brooke loved her too. The tall woman frowned and sighed. Brooke was in love before, she must know what comes next. Okay, we're in a relationship, that much I know, but honestly, what now?
