The Story of Annabelle & Alison

by Lydia Rose

  Allie turned and looked at Ellen. “It didn’t look like two friends.”

  “I’m not lying to you, Allie.”

  “Did Gina know it wasn’t a date?”

  “Yes. Gina and I are good friends. She’s gay, but I’m not dating her.” Ellen stood. “I’m not dating anyone, Allie.” Ellen sighed and stood up. “Would you like to see the rest of the apartment?”

  Allie nodded and stood up. “Sure.”

  “The living room is big enough to fit a desk as you can see,” Ellen said pointing to the desk in the corner. “The kitchen is small, but it’s functional.” Ellen led her to the bedroom. “As you can see, this room is a nice size.”

  Allie looked around the room and saw the frame on the bedside table. She walked closer and picked up the picture. “Where did you get this?”

  “Your mother sent it to me,” Ellen said standing next to Allie.

  “We looked so happy here,” Allie said rubbing her hand across the picture. She put the picture back down. “What happened to us, Ellen?”

  “Pride, stubbornness, fear.” Ellen chuckled. “I was guilty too of not giving you time to think about my offer, but I was hurt that you were willing to walk away from me without a fight.”

  “When I saw you with that woman, I thought I was too late. Am I too late, Ellen?” Allie asked meeting Ellen’s gaze.

  Ellen smiled a real smile for the first time in months. “No, Allie. You’re not too late.”

  Allie took a step closer to Ellen and looked into her eyes. Then she kissed Ellen’s lips softly. “I’ve missed doing that for so long, Ellen. I love you and if you want to move to other side of the world, I will follow you. I never want to be without you again.”

  “Good,” Ellen said. “Because I don’t want to be without you ever again.”

  They came together in one motion and kissed deeply. As Allie’s tongue asked for entrance, Ellen’s mouth accepted freely. Their clothes came off quickly and dominance began.

  “I need to feel you under me, Ellen.” Allie moaned. Her mouth went to Ellen’s nipple and took it into her mouth. Her hands were all over Ellen’s body as if it were trying to memorize her skin. As Allie’s hand slipped between them, Ellen let out a moan in anticipation of Allie’s touch. Allie’s fingers slipped inside and her core rested on Ellen’s leg. Together they found a rhythm that brought them to an orgasm almost at the same time.

  Three hours later, they laid in each other’s arms talking softly. “Thank you for waiting until I came to my senses. I really thought I was too late.”

  Ellen rested her head on Allie’s chest. “There is no one that could ever take your place, Al. I would have waited for years. I will always love you.” She lifted her head and looked at Allie. “Thank God you didn’t make me wait that long,” she said with a chuckle.

  “I love you too, Ellen,” she said kissing Ellen’s nose. “Are you hungry?” Allie asked touching Ellen’s face.

  “What did you have in mind?” Ellen asked with a wiggle of her eyebrow.

  Allie laughed and sat up. “No really, I haven’t eaten since yesterday morning.”

  Ellen laughed and reached for her robe. “Let’s take a shower and I’ll make us an omelet. Maybe I should take a shower first. You’ve got that gleam in your eye.”

  “Yeah, I guess I would have slowed us down too much,” Allie said laughing as Ellen disappeared from the room. She laid there thinking how lucky she was that Ellen had waited for her. Ellen could have washed her hands of Allie and not dealt with her insecurities and pride, but she didn’t. She was going to spend every day showing Ellen that she made the right decision to wait for her. Allie was going to show Ellen she was the most important person in her life. If it was going to take the rest of her life to show Ellen how much she loved her, she would gladly do it.

  Ellen came back into the room and reached for a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

  “You can go take your shower now and I’ll make us something to eat.”

  “I will,” Allie said. “I just want to watch you get dressed first.”

  Ellen turned and smiled. “You’re going to make me forget you’re hungry.” She pointed with her finger.

  Allie laughed and got off the bed. She kissed Ellen’s mouth before she left the room.

  Ellen had the omelet ready when Allie walked into the kitchen. “I made you toast also and the omelet is filled with vegetables.”

  Allie kissed the back of Ellen’s neck. “Thank you, baby.”

  The doorbell rang.

  “I’ll get it,” Allie said already walking toward the door and opened the door. “Hello,” she said.

  “Allie?”

  “Yes and you are?” Allie asked wondering how this woman knew her.

  “I’m Gina.”

  “How did you know who I was?” Allie still unsure how this woman knew who she was.

  “I recognized you from the picture.” Her head nodded toward the bedroom and saw the look on Allie’s face. Gina smiled. “Don’t get your panties in a wad. Ellen showed me the picture the other night.”

  Ellen stepped out of the kitchen. “Gina. I’m sorry. I was supposed to call you.”

  “That’s okay. I guess you were kind of busy,” Gina said grinning at Allie.

  “We’re just going to have something to eat. Are you hungry?” Ellen asked.

  “No, but I’ll have a cup of coffee.”

  Allie couldn’t believe the nerve of this woman. She obviously knew about her and why would she interrupt their time together. Allie followed her to the kitchen.

  Ellen handed Allie her plate and Ellen her coffee. “Let’s sit down and eat. Gina was the first friend I made at the FBI.”

  “I just reached out and once I met Ellen I knew we’d become friends.” Gina’s smile was wide.

  Allie looked at the two women, but didn’t comment. Her appetite seemed to have vanished and her food just moved around the plate.

  “So I guess you two are back together again?” Gina asked looking between the two women.

  Ellen smiled and took Allie’s hand. “We are.”

  “Are you moving here?” Gina asked Allie.

  “Well, I haven’t gone over the logistics with Ellen yet. We were going to do that while we ate,” Allie said not hiding her displeasure in Gina’s interruption.

  “You’re right. I should get out of here.” Gina stood up. “I just wanted to make sure you were all right,” she said looking at Ellen.

  “You don’t have to rush off Gina.”

  “No. Allie’s right. I shouldn’t be interrupting your reunion.” Gina walked to the door. “I’ll see you at work on Monday, Ellen. It was nice to meet you Allie.”

  Allie didn’t turn or respond to Gina as she left the apartment.

  Once the door was shut, Ellen walked back to the table. “What’s wrong with you? Why were you so rude?”

  Allie looked at Ellen. “I’m sorry. I wanted to be alone with you and she just barged right in.”

  “She didn’t barge in. I was supposed to go out with her to the movies and when she didn’t hear from me she got worried. It’s nice to have someone worry if you’re alive or dead when you’re all alone.”

  “You’re right, Ellen. I’m sorry. I’ll apologize to Gina when I see her.”

  Ellen sat down on the chair with a thud. “You were jealous. Weren’t you?”

  Allie shrugged. “You told me she was just your friend, but maybe I was just a little bit jealous.” She lowered her head in shame. “Especially when she recognized me from the photo in your room.”

  “I brought that out here and showed her. I was telling her about you and how I wasn’t over you and probably would never stop loving you. She was being a friend and comforting me.”

  “Yeah, I bet she was comforting you,” Allie said sarcastically.

  Ellen got up. “Allie, what’s wrong with you? Is Mary so ensconced in your heart that you’ll never let anyone else in?”

  Allie followed Ellen into th
e living room. “I don’t love Mary. I stopped loving her a long time ago.”

  “Then why do you treat me as though I’m like her? You think I moved here and just forgot about you like she did?”

  Allie sat on the couch and her elbows rested on her knees as she leaned forward. “I’m such a fool, Ellen. You are absolutely right. Mary makes me think no woman wants to stay with me. That you’re too good for me and you’ll want to leave too.”

  Ellen sat next to Allie and took her hand. “Look at me.” Allie turned and stared into the soulful eyes. “You Allie Summers are ensconced in my heart until the end of time. You can be an ass.” Ellen smiled. “Like you were tonight, but I’m still going to love you. I may want to shake you, but I will love you. Do you hear me?”

  “I do. I’m sorry for being so insecure. I worried so much that I would get here and find out you moved on. Take me to Gina’s apartment and I’ll apologize right now.”

  Ellen kissed Allie’s hand. “I think we can wait until tomorrow.”

  “I wanted to tell you before the doorbell rang that I’m leaving Monday morning to go home. I’ll pack up my car and be back here Thursday or Friday. Whatever I can’t fit in the car, we can always get at Thanksgiving.” Allie paused. “Unless you don’t want to spend Thanksgiving with my family.”

  “I would love to spend Thanksgiving with your family, Allie.” Ellen stood and held her hand out. “Can we go back to bed now?”

  Allie smiled as Ellen led her to the bedroom.

  EPILOGUE

  One Year Later

  “I’m sorry I was late getting out of work today, Al.” Ellen said as they got into the car.

  “Don’t worry about it. Thanksgiving isn’t until tomorrow and whenever we get there tonight is fine. I already called my mother and told her we were going to be late.”

  As they drove to North Carolina, Ellen asked. “So did you send your new book to Jenny?”

  “I did that this morning. The first book is still doing well and hopefully this next one will be reviewed as well as the first one was.” Allie glanced at Ellen. “I’ve been thinking about my grandmother’s diary.” Allie sighed. “It would make a great love story. What do you think?” Allie had been thinking for months now that the story of Alison and Belle had to be told.

  “I think it would make a wonderful story, Allie. It’s getting better and better for us in this day and age, but people don’t realize what women like them had to do to be together all those years ago.”

  “Do you think my grandparents would object?” Allie asked reaching for Ellen’s hand.

  “I don’t think you can use their names and I think you should change the location, but I think they would be proud.” Ellen brought Allie’s hand to her lips. “I love you, Allie.”

  Allie squeezed Ellen’s hand. “I love you too, honey. So are we going to look at houses again next weekend?”

  “I think we should. We haven’t liked anything so far.”

  Allie and Ellen had spent a wonderful year in the small apartment, but it was time to get a bigger place of their own.

  “Someday we can build a small house of our own at the farm if you like?” Allie asked.

  “I’d like that Allie, but I think we should concentrate on finding a house where we work first,” Ellen said with a laugh.

  “I know.” Allie answered, but when they retired she wanted them to live with the rest of the family on the land that two women, Alison and Belle fought to be together. She knew these women wouldn’t live forever, but they would always be tied to the land even in death.

  As they walked in the front door of Allie’s parent’s home she called out. “We’re home.”

  The End

  Please take the time to review my book and if would like to reach me, email me at lydiarosebooks@gmail.com

  Other Books by Lydia Rose

  The Summer of Our Love (2014)

  What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? (The Summer of Our Love Sequel (2014)

  Stay With Me (2014)

  The House on the Lake (2014)

  The Country Girl (2014)

  Coming Home (2014)

  Are you the One (2014)