“Cassidy….”
“It’s not a debate, Christopher. The call was a courtesy. I will talk to you later this week,” she watched Alex bend down to her son, smiling broadly. “I have to go. My family is waiting,” she said as she hung up the call.
“Where are we going?” Dylan asked from the backseat.
Cassidy giggled seeing Alex’s face light up. Cassidy felt the agent tossing and shifting in the bed not wanting to disturb the teacher’s sleep before the sun rose. Silently, she had reveled in the knowledge that Alex was so excited she could not sleep. It felt to Cassidy as if she were somehow being reborn into a completely different life. Alex’s arms were around her. They were about to go home. It was an amazing feeling much like being a child again waiting for Christmas morning. She looked at Alex now and felt a gratefulness she would never be able to express in words. “It’s a surprise, Speed!” Alex grinned.
“Are we almost there?” He asked excitedly.
Cassidy laughed. “It’s not that far, Dylan.” She reached across the seat and rested her hand on Alex’s thigh. The drive would take about an hour and right now that seemed endless for them all.
“Can we play that game?” He asked.
“What game is that?” Alex replied.
“You know…where the cars are from.”
The agent smiled. “Okay, Speed… keep your eyes open for those plates.” Cassidy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “You okay?” Alex glanced over at her lover.
“No,” Cassidy said. She felt Alex’s expression drop. “Better than okay.” Alex exhaled and turned back to the road. “MAINE!” She yelled with excitement spotting the first plate.
“Where are we?” Dylan asked as the car pulled into the driveway. A gray house with blue shutters stood in front of them. Green shrubbery adorned the length of a front porch. “Who lives here?” Dylan asked as Alex opened his door.
Alex looked over at the teacher as she made her way to the pair. The yard twisted to the right and was dotted by several oak trees and a small tree perfect for climbing in the front. Cassidy nodded to the agent as she placed her hands on her son’s shoulders. “Well,” Alex said. She bent over to meet a pair of small eyes. “We live here.” Dylan’s eyes flew open and he tilted his head back to meet his mother’s smiling green eyes. Cassidy raised her eyebrow and smiled wider. “That is if you want to,” Alex said. A small talkative boy was rendered speechless.
“Do you want to go inside?” Cassidy asked. He nodded.
“Good,” Alex said. She led them both onto the porch and to the front door where she stopped abruptly. She unlocked the door and put her hand on the doorknob. “Okay. Close your eyes,” she instructed. Dylan complied immediately. “You too,” the agent said to the teacher. Cassidy was puzzled. “Cass… close ‘em,” Alex winked. Cassidy squinted at the agent. “Please? Just trust me?” Cassidy sighed and closed her eyes. Alex stepped behind mother and son and guided them carefully through the door. “Turn,” she ushered them to the left slightly. “Okay,” Alex whispered. “Open them.”
Cassidy could not breathe. She stood impossibly still as her eyes scanned the room. Over the fire place hung a picture of her and Dylan at the beach. The couch they had looked at was in front of the fireplace. The mantle stood adorned by small framed pictures of each of them; including the one that Cassidy had snapped of her and Alex the first day they had come here, standing by the small tree in the front yard. Everything was perfect. It was as if they had always been here. Memories already on the shelf awaiting even more. Dylan looked at his mother who had begun to cry. “Alex,” Cassidy barely managed to allow the name to escape her lips.
Alex beamed. “Do you like it?”
“It’s cool!” Dylan exclaimed snapping Cassidy from her emotional place.
“Yes, it is,” she looked at Alex in amazement.
Dylan was almost bouncing. “Do you want to see your room, Speed?” He nodded. “Okay, come on,” Cassidy followed as Alex led the boy up the stairs. The bedroom door was closed and Alex had a smirk on her face. Cassidy had no idea what to expect despite knowing some of what Alex had purchased. She wondered what the agent had truly been up to. “Are you SURE you want to go in there?” Alex joked. Dylan nodded with wide eyes. “Okay then,” she opened the door slowly.
Cassidy shook her head. The walls were a light gray. Pictures of all of Dylan’s favorite superheroes hung framed on the walls. Behind the small bed that Alex insisted they buy were decals that looked just like a city skyline and a figure of Batman soaring above. Many of Dylan’s toys from the house in New York were already in the room. His rabbit sat against the large Batman pillow on the bed. The Batcave he had built right before everything had gone crazy sat in the corner of the room. Dylan ran in and jumped onto his bed looking around. “Is this really my room?” Alex nodded.
He ran to the agent and his mother with force. “So…you like it then?” Alex asked.
“It’s the Batcave!” He said excitedly.
“Kinda’…” Alex beamed. “You know there is more to see, though.”
“Can I stay here?” Dylan asked hopefully.
“Yes,” Cassidy smiled. “You can stay here, Dylan.” Secretly Alex was glad that he wanted to stay in his room. There were surprises that she had for Cassidy and she had hoped to show them to her one on one.
“Okay… so…you and me?” Alex offered her hand to Cassidy.
Cassidy accepted the hand and gripped it firmly, her heart nearly bursting. “Where to?”
“Kitchen?” Alex suggested receiving an agreeable smile. She led Cassidy down the stairs and into the hallway that led to the kitchen. “Close ‘em,” Alex said.
“Again?” Cassidy asked. Alex nodded. “Alex, am I going to have to close my eyes before I enter every room?”
“As a matter of fact, yes,” the agent said with satisfaction. She had been waiting on pins and needles to unveil her surprise and she intended to enjoy every second of it. Alex gently escorted Cassidy into the kitchen. “Okay,” she whispered in the teacher’s ear.
“Oh my God, Alex….”
“So?” Alex inquired. She watched Cassidy slowly walk through the room. The teacher had fallen in love with this room the moment they had walked into it days ago. Now, it was unbelievable. There was a rustic table off to the left. On top of it sat a vase full of flowers. A small matching cart sat at the far end of the counter with a wooden bowl full of fresh fruit. The counter was sprinkled with all the necessities. Cassidy chuckled; not surprised to see a stainless steel coffee maker. There was a beautiful spice rack, full of everything she could ever need. Above her head the pot rack was now completely full with stainless pots and pans. She ran her hands over things trying to process all that Alex had done. The glass front cabinet was full of dishes; dishes Alex had caught her looking at on one of their many shopping stops. Nothing was missing. “Cass?” Cassidy turned and looked at the agent as tears fell softly down her cheeks. She had no words. “Please tell me those are happy tears?”
Cassidy’s laughter broke through her tears which threatened now to become sobs of happiness. She walked slowly to the agent and placed her hands on the sides of Alex’s face. “Are you real?” She asked softly. Alex just smiled, happy to lose herself in Cassidy’s eyes. “Je t’adore,” the smaller woman whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
“Not nearly as much as I adore you,” Alex answered.
Cassidy closed the distance between them. Tenderly she guided the agent’s lips to her own and kissed her. “You take my breath away,” she confessed.
“I hope you always feel that way,” Alex answered. Cassidy smiled. “Ready for the rest?”
“How about the master?” Cassidy raised an eyebrow.
Alex laughed. “Ummm…nope.”
“Why not?”
“Nope… that one has to wait until LATER,” Alex winked.
“Is that so?” Cassidy flirted.
“It is. How about a glass of wine on the deck. It�
�s warm enough today,” Alex suggested. “You know, to celebrate. We can show Dylan the….”
Cassidy laughed and caressed the agent’s cheek. “You are not going to get him out of that room anytime soon. You’ll be lucky if you get him out of there for his party tomorrow.”
Alex beamed. “Maybe when he sees the family room,” Alex gloated.
“Why is that?” Cassidy asked curiously. Alex shrugged. “Alex….”
“Oh come on. I want to show you that one together, later. Let’s have a glass of wine,” Alex smirked.
“We have wine?” Cassidy asked. Alex gestured to the refrigerator. Cassidy made her way there as Alex walked to a drawer and removed the corkscrew. “Alex…how did you?” Not only was there a bottle of wine but the refrigerator was fully stocked.
“Have to have stuff to eat, right? I mean we live here after all,” Alex said as a matter of fact. Cassidy shook her head handing the bottle of Chardonnay to Alex.
“It’s only eleven, Alex.”
“So? You have other plans I don’t know about?” Cassidy shook her head again. “All right then. Wine and then we will call Dylan.”
The next hour was spent quietly on the stone patio in the back yard. Alex had not spared attention here either. There was a table and six chairs on the deck and a wicker patio set surrounded the stone fire pit at the center of the patio. Cassidy sat content to sip her wine and rest her head on the agent’s shoulder until a small bundle of energy interrupted their companionable silence. “I’m hungry!”
Alex laughed. “Well, I wondered when we would see you,” she said. “So… order a pizza?” He nodded.
The rest of the day was spent with Dylan asking endless questions and making endless discoveries everywhere he went. When evening finally began to fall, Alex suggested they watch a movie in the family room. There were only two secrets left to reveal; this and the master bedroom. Dylan entered first and squealed with delight. “MOM!”
Cassidy surveyed the scene and looked at Alex, shaking her head. “I thought we agreed?”
Alex shrugged. “Got a good deal,” she explained.
A large flat screen television was mounted on the far wall. There was a reclining sofa and two beanbag chairs sat closer to the television. The agent had heard Dylan say that he wanted a beanbag chair for his birthday and Alex made certain he had two. There was also what Cassidy suspected was a game system of some sort and a tower full of all of Dylan’s movies from the old house. “Alex…how did you…”
“I had Fallon bring some things.”
It explained the pictures and the toys. “Why should I be surprised?” Cassidy smiled and Alex simply shrugged again. An evening of Batman and Spiderman ended with a small toe headed boy fast asleep in a beanbag chair. His mother lay half asleep with her head on the agent’s lap. They were home.
“Cass?” Alex kissed the woman’s forehead.
“Yeah?”
“One last surprise,” she smiled.
“Mmmm...I know,” Cassidy smiled without opening her eyes.
“If I take him up, will you put him down?”
“What are you up to, Agent Toles?”
“Well….” was the only response from the agent.
“Um hum,” Cassidy smiled taking a moment to lightly caress the hand holding her. “Do I have to close my eyes again?”
“They are already closed,” Alex observed playfully.
“Funny. You’ve been hanging around my mother too much.”
“Maybe,” Alex admitted. “Come on.” Cassidy forced herself up and watched Alex scoop up Dylan. He groaned a bit. “It’s all right, Speed,” Alex assured softly.
“I’ve got it,” Cassidy said taking over from the agent as she set the small boy onto his bed.
“In the top drawer,” Alex pointed.
“Just like in his old room.”
Alex smiled. “Figured it was easier that way….Knock before you come in.”
“What exactly are you doing?” Cassidy asked.
“You’ve waited this long. You’ll survive another ten minutes,” the agent said making her way out of the room.
Cassidy took a deep breath and lightly rapped on the door “Who is it?” A voice joked from behind the door before opening it slowly. As the door opened a pair of blue eyes twinkled. Soft candlelight filled the room behind the agent. “Welcome, home,” Alex whispered taking Cassidy’s hand and leading her into the room. The teacher almost didn’t notice the room itself she was so consumed in the way that the soft light accentuated the beautiful face of the woman she loved. The reflection of numerous small flickers of flame sparkled in Alex’s crystal blue eyes. “What do you think?”
Cassidy looked deeply into the agent’s eyes. “Beautiful.”
Alex smiled. “The room, Cass.”
“Oh. Are we in a room?”
Alex laughed. “Look…”
Then it captured Cassidy’s attention. It was her mother’s old bedroom set. The one that Christopher O’Brien never wanted. The one she had loved so much and remembered crawling onto as a small child. She had hoped it would be the bed Dylan would run to when he had nightmares. “How did you know?”
Alex caressed Cassidy’s shoulders as the teacher ran her hands over the bed. “Like you said…spending a lot of time with your mother. Couldn’t have done any of this without her,” she said with affection.
Cassidy turned to face the agent. “You are amazing…thank you,” she said sweetly.
“No, you are amazing, Cass. The most amazing person I have ever met.” Cassidy smiled as the agent’s lips captured hers in a tender kiss. She felt Alex’s embrace tighten and pull her closer. “Welcome home, Cassidy.”
“You are my home, Alex.”
The agent searched green eyes that now penetrated her soul. “Et vous êtes tout pour moi (And you are my everything).” Alex gently guided the smaller woman onto the large poster frame bed. Her hands delicately exploring the form beneath her, reveling in every sensation, every curve. Alex was enraptured by the feel of Cassidy in her arms. Her kiss found its way slowly over the teacher’s neck. She intended to worship every inch of the woman she loved.
“Alex….”
Alex pulled away slightly to look into the eyes that could hypnotize her in an instant. She kissed Cassidy and gently ran her fingers over the softest lips she had ever known. “Right now, Cassidy… right now… C’est le début de l’éternité (This is the beginning of forever),” the agent promised. Alex kissed her way down the entire form that mesmerized her, drinking in the sight, the feel and the sounds that were uniquely Cassidy.
Breathless, Cassidy held onto the strong woman above her. Alex was making love to her so tenderly that Cassidy thought her body was being lifted from the earth itself. Every touch lingered for what seemed forever before continuing on; leaving a trail of love and desire that encompassed them both and carried Cassidy away. She struggled to find words as her hands ran softly through the agent’s hair. Her body trembled and quaked and at the first quiver Alex simply held her tighter. Always a journey, seductive and sensual and wrapping them both in the safety and understanding of a loving embrace. “Toujours ne sera jamais assez longue (forever will never be long enough),” Cassidy professed as Alex guided her over the edge of sanity. “Alex, Oh my…”
The agent slowly placed a trail of kisses all the way across her lover until their eyes met again. “Au-delà de amourng toujours, mon amour (beyond forever, my love) welcome home,” Alex smiled.
ass?” Alex woke and was surprised to find that Cassidy was not next to her. “What time is it? Nine?” She grumbled and rolled out of the bed. She rarely slept past five or six. Dylan was not in his room either. Reaching the kitchen, she paused in the doorway. Cassidy was sitting at the small table sipping her coffee with Rose and Barb. The small blonde woman at the table looked up and smiled at the agent whose hair was still tussled from sleep. Alex just smiled back, finding it momentarily difficult to process the scene before her. They were truly ho
me.
“Morning sleepy head,” Barb joked. Alex just tipped her head, keeping one eye on Cassidy as the teacher made her way to the coffee maker to pour Alex a mug of coffee. “You were the one who made us promise to be here by eight-thirty. Did you mean p.m.?” Barb poked again.
“You’re a jack ass, and you know, there’s still time to add pin the tail on the…” Alex’s comeback was interrupted by the offering of a hot mug and a pair of green eyes that somehow instantly transported her. Cassidy raised her eyebrow and chuckled as Alex’s arm wrap around her waist. “Morning,” Alex said to her lover placing a kiss on her head.
“So, agent,” Rose snickered. “What are our orders?”
Alex laughed. “This one is all Cass.” Cassidy looked at the woman next to her and shook her head. “Where’s Dylan?” The agent asked.
“He’s in the family room playing with that Xbox.” Alex’s face lit up and Cassidy tried to contain her laughter. “Just go,” she said.
Alex bit her lip slightly, “are you…”
“Go,” Cassidy repeated. “I’ll call you when I need you.” There was no doubt that Alex wanted in on the fun and Cassidy was more than happy to take care of Dylan’s party. It already felt like home to her here and she could not remember when she felt so relaxed. For once she had spent a morning watching Alex sleep and she found herself musing that the reason she could not recall being this happy was because she never had been. It wasn’t the house. It wasn’t the things. It was the woman beside her. It was the small boy asleep down the hall. It was finally feeling a sense of home. She watched Alex walk slowly out of the kitchen and laughed aloud when the agent’s pace quickened down the hallway. Turning back to the table she was met by two pairs of smiling eyes.
“So?” Rose asked.
“What?” Cassidy answered reclaiming her seat across from her mother.
Intersection Page 44
