“We've had the great pleasure of having this art exhibit in our gallery for the greater part of the year, and now we are more than pleased to have even more of this amazing artist's work displayed here in our museum.” She paused for a moment while the audience applauded. “Without further ado, I'd like to introduce to you the genius behind these wonderful works of art, Mrs. Gertrude Harris.”
The entire audience clapped as Mrs. Harris stepped out onto the small stage and walked toward the podium. “Thank you. Thank you very much. It's such an honor to be here tonight.”
The applause quieted down as she spoke.
“I initially thought that this night was going to be about me, and I thought 'Oh goodness, an entire night honoring me and my art. What am I ever going to say?'” The audience giggled as she laughed. “But because this is my night, and I can say anything I want, I'd like to take this moment to call attention to the beautiful woman in the front row. This is my love, my heart, my muse. She was my every inspiration for each and every one of these paintings. Ms. Lilith Landers would you please stand and take a bow.”
It was at that moment that Gertrude and Lilith met eyes. Lilith stood as the audience cheered and applauded for her. The tears were streaming down her face just as they were Gertrude's. “Reveal the paintings,” commanded Mrs. Harris. Several of the museum workers, each at their assigned work of art, removed the covers from the paintings. Every single painting was of either Lilith or both Lilith and Gertrude together. The last painting that was revealed was a painting of two elderly women sitting in front of a modest country home.
“Do you recognize the house in the painting?” asked Gertrude.
Lilith Landers smiled when she looked at the painting. She immediately knew who's house it was. “That's the house you grew up in. The house that was down the street from mine,” stated Ms. Landers.
“I bought that house, Lily. It's the house I live in.” Gertrude walked across the stage and down the steps. She stood in front of Ms. Landers and got down on one knee. “I've waited fifty years for this moment, and I'm not going to let anything keep us apart this time. I have loved you every single day since the day we met. Not a day has gone by where I didn't think of you and of us and what could have been. Lilith Landers, will you do me the honor, of being my wife?” She opened a small red jewelry box to reveal a diamond ring.
The entire audience was on their feet. Most of the guests gasped. Some of the women clutched their hands to their hearts while others had tears streaming down their faces. There didn't appear to be a dry eye in the room.
“Yes!” shouted Lilith. “Yes, I will marry you, Gertie!”
“I'm going to need some help getting up, ladies,” stated Gertrude to Candi and Suzanne. They happily grabbed an arm on either side to help her stand. She embraced Lilith in her arms and kissed her on the lips. The entire audience erupted with applause.
Not knowing what to do, the museum curator took the stage once more. “Everyone please enjoy the art exhibits and if you wish to bid on any of the items, please write your name on a card and enter it at the bidding box.”
When the crowd dispersed in different directions, Gertrude finally sat down with Lilith. “You look just as beautiful as you did fifty years ago,” she stated.
“Oh, stop,” said Ms. Landers chuckling. “It's been so long. Maybe you have cataracts or need better glasses.”
Gertrude shook her head and spoke to Candi and Suzanne. “Lilith was always a kidder. She never knew that every boy in town was after her.”
“I only had eyes for you, Gertie. You know that,” stated Lilith.
“You mean to tell me that you never married?” asked Gertrude with raised eyebrows.
“How could I give my heart to anyone else, Gertrude? When my heart already belonged to you.”
Candi felt the tears roll down her cheeks once more.
“You're not going to cry again, are you?” asked Suzanne, handing her a napkin.
Gertrude laughed. “How long have you two been together?” she asked Candi.
“We've only known one another for a few days, but we're already feeling that same connection that you and Lilith have.”
“When you meet the one, your heart always knows before you do,” stated Gertrude. They were wise words from her favorite artist. Words to live by.
That evening, Candi and Suzanne watched as Lilith Landers finally went home to Cedar Ridge County where she belonged. She left arm in arm with Gertrude Harris to the Harris home. Love was in the air that night.
When Candi and Suzanne returned to their apartment, Suzanne led Candi to the bedroom. “I thought we were going to make fettuccini?” asked Candi almost in a whisper.
“We can eat after,” stated Suzanne.
“After what?” giggled Candi.
“After this,” said Suzanne, pulling Candi close to her and kissing her on the lips ever so softly. She allowed her hands to roam freely, exploring every inch of Candi's body. Their breathing became heavier as they kissed, and Suzanne worked on pulling Candi's panties off while Candi pulled the black sleek dress she was wearing over her head and tossed it on the carpet. She took a few steps backwards toward the bed, stepping out of her panties, then took off her strapless bra before kicking off her heels and lying down. Suzanne pulled off her own dress and also kicked off her shoes. She kissed her way down Candi's mid-section and buried her face in her soft moist desire. She could feel how wet Candi was for her. She licked, nibbled, teased, and swirled her tongue. Candi moaned with pleasure and rolled her hips into Suzanne's face. She ran her fingers through Suzanne's hair and held Suzanne's left hand in hers as she groaned in ecstasy. Suzanne slid the fingers of her free hand slowly inside Candi as she tasted her. Candi leaned her head back and arched her back as Suzanne pleasured her. Her rhythm and pace started off slow, but the more Candi moaned, the more she pushed into Suzanne's face and fingers. Her pace increased as she became more excited, then all at once, she groaned loudly, “Oh, Mitchell, I'm gonna cum!” She thrust her hips upward and moaned as she reached orgasm.
Suzanne lay beside Candi watching her face. Candi was smiling and moaning softly as she tried to relax. Suzanne grinned at her until Candi opened her eyes.
“What's that little grin for?” questioned Candi in a whisper.
“You called me Mitchell,” said Suzanne smiling.
“Did I?' asked Candi out of breath. “I didn't even notice.”
Suzanne shook her head and smiled.
Candi rolled on top of Suzanne taking over. She loved being pleasured, but she loved being dominant just as much. She covered Suzanne's body with kisses and teased and nibbled on her breasts. She loved the way Suzanne groaned and loved it even more that she was the one that was causing her to be so aroused. She found that foreplay and teasing were her favorite parts of sex. She loved feeling in control and being the one to decide when she would give in to her lover's needs. She caressed and kissed Suzanne until she began to moan, “Make love to me, Candi. Make love to me.” That was the moment she had been waiting for. The moment when Suzanne could no longer bear the sexual frustration and was practically begging for satisfaction. She slid her fingers inside her and massaged her as she rubbed her thumb on her swollen clit. She brought Suzanne to orgasm several times over and over.
The entire night the two women spent making love to one another. Candi was right about how passionate Suzanne would be. Each time it was Suzanne's turn to reciprocate, she was soft and gentle, and every single time she made love to Candi, it was just as sweet and beautiful as the first time. That's what Candi loved most of all about the way Suzanne made love to her. Every time was like the first time. They never got around to making that Shrimp Alfredo, but really, it was the furthest thing from either one of their minds.
Chapter Ten
The following morning, Candi was exhausted. She rolled over in bed to find that Suzanne was gone. There was a giant box by the bed and a note in Suzanne's handwriting.
Dearest Candi
,
You looked so peaceful that I didn't want to wake you. I had to return to work today, but I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful night we spent together. I will love
and cherish it forever as the first time you and I became one.
I will miss you like the flowers miss the rain, and I will crave you and want you like the night craves the sunshine.
I will be looking forward to being in your arms in four days when my shift is over,
but until then, I leave you with this gift as an appreciation of your love and as a token of my affection.
Sincerely yours,
Suzanne Mitchell
Candi smiled gleefully. She set the note down on the bed and started to open the giant cardboard box. She didn't know what to expect. She thought maybe there would be a giant teddy bear inside or a new wardrobe, but as soon as she had the lid open, she gasped as she peered inside. She began to pull out everything one item at a time. There were drawing pads, colored pencils, drawing pencils, water based paints as well as oil paints, acrylic paints, a set of brushes, an easel, and canvases in all sizes. Candi was so overwhelmed with joy and emotion that she began to cry.
She was so inspired by Gertrude's paintings that she, too, began painting canvases of the life that she hoped to have with Suzanne. Over the next three days, she had painted three separate canvas oil paintings of them together.
One was a painting of Suzanne in her form-fitted tuxedo carrying Candi in a wedding dress over the threshold of their new house. Another was of how they first met, Suzanne was wearing her turnout gear and carrying her in a similar fashion. The last one was of the two of them standing on top of the museum staring at the skyline and the stars.
Candi had just put the finishing touches on the stars, when she went to the living room to turn on the television and relax with Toonces and Tootsie. What she saw on the television made her feel faint. It was breaking news that had interrupted regular programming. There was a five alarm fire taking place at the old blue jean factory. The reporter was speculating that some homeless people had tried to either cook something or start a fire inside the building when some insulation caught fire and spread throughout the large scale building.
Candi took a seat on the sofa as she watched the building burning. It was nearly completely engulfed with flames. When the news cameras panned the crowd, then back to the fire trucks, Candi recognized the trucks from Firehouse 66. “Oh my God! Suzanne!” she shouted.
“We just got word,” said the reporter to the at home audience. She had her finger pressed to her earpiece. She was listening intently to other reporters passing her information. “We just got word, that there are three firefighters trapped inside this building. It appears that they went looking to save anyone that might've been inside when part of the building nearest the entrance collapsed.”
Not knowing what to do, Candi ran outside the apartment and hailed a cab that was parked nearby. She thanked God that he had just dropped someone off at the complex. “Workman Jean Factory!” she shouted. “I need to get there fast! I'll pay you extra if you can get me there yesterday!”
“I'm on it!” shouted the man, flooring the gas pedal.
Her thoughts were racing. She didn't want to wait to see what names were given on the air of the firefighters that were trapped. She felt it inside her. Her intuition was telling her that Suzanne was in danger. She knew Suzanne was in that building. “Hurry! Hurry!” she screamed with the tears flowing down her face.
It seemed like an eternity before they arrived. Despite traffic, the normally twenty-five minute drive only took fifteen minutes with the cab driver racing to the other side of town.
As soon as Candi ran out to see what was happening, she felt as if the world was spinning fast. She looked around at the onlookers, stared into the crowd, watched all the confusion of the firemen running to and fro, but nowhere did she see Suzanne.
“Suzanne!? Where's Suzanne!? Suzanne Mitchell!?” she shouted.
One of the firemen recognized her, walked over to her and held her tightly. “She hasn't come out yet,” he said softly.
Candi felt her legs give out as she fell to the floor on her knees. She sobbed so hard that her heart felt as if it was sobbing, too. She clutched at her heart as the pain weighed down on her chest. “Please, God. Please. Just let her be okay.” All the fireman could do was hold her and try to keep her from running toward the building.
At the far left side of the building, where the fire was not as bad, there were firemen with axes and giant mallets breaking down the wall. Bricks and brick pieces were flying everywhere. The crowd watched as smoke billowed out of the open space through the bricks. A second later Sasha ran out with a mask on her face. She was helping an elderly woman out who also had a mask to her face. Lieutenant Maxwell ran out carrying a young man. He looked like he was a teenager clutching a skateboard to his chest. The last person to run out was a smaller firefighter that Candi knew had to be Suzanne. She couldn't see her face, but she knew that it had to be. She was carrying a small-frame woman in the same fashion that she, too, had been carried out when her building was on fire.
Just as the firefighters and the EMT rushed out with the people that they had been trying to help and rescue, the side of the building became totally engulfed with flames and the building came crashing down.
The crowd gasped as the building crumbled, but Candi breathed a sigh of relief knowing that the firefighters had made it safely out of the inferno. She stood from where she had fallen and ran toward Suzanne. She watched her hand over the woman to the paramedics before asking, “Are you okay? I thought I'd lost you!” She jumped into her arms, closed her eyes, then sobbed.
Suzanne took off her mask. “You can't get rid of me that easy,” she laughed. “What are you doing here? How did you get here?”
Candi wiped the tears from her face. “I hailed a cab. As soon as I saw the fire on TV, I somehow knew you were here.”
“You can't come to every fire, baby,” said Suzanne grinning.
“This one's a keeper, Mitch,” said the fireman that had been trying to console Candi when she first arrived. He grinned at the two women, then walked away.
“I saw you save that woman,” said Candi to Suzanne. “You're a hero.”
Suzanne smiled. “I was only doing my job.”
“You're a modest hero, but you're a hero nonetheless,” said Candi, hugging Suzanne closely. “And you're mine. My hero.”
Suzanne grinned. She had never thought of herself as a hero, but then again, neither had her father. “You hail yourself a cab home, and I'll see you tomorrow when I get off shift. I have a surprise for you.” Suzanne kissed Candi softly on the forehead.
“I'll be looking forward to it,” said Candi warmly. “Be safe.”
*****
When Suzanne was off her four day stint, she was excited to be going home to Candi. She had thought it was sweet of her to be so worried about her the day before, but it was unnecessary to worry about her career so much. Suzanne dealt with fires and emergencies on a daily basis. It was something that Candi would just have to get used to. The only reason the Workman Jeans Factory stuck out on Candi's mind, Suzanne felt, was because it was televised. Had Candi not seen that fire broadcast live on three local networks, she wouldn't have shown up at the scene. There was nothing that she could do about that, however. The media was going to televise anything that they thought would make a good story.
As soon as Suzanne walked into the apartment, she was ready to shout, “Honey, I'm home!” just as she did the week before in her impersonation of Ricky Ricardo from the I Love Lucy show, but she didn't have a chance. Candi jumped in her arms and kissed her.
“I missed you so much!” shouted Candi. She gave her many small kisses on the lips in quick succession before settling down and getting her footing back on the ground.
“I missed you, too! Let's get moving! It's moving day!” exclaimed Suzanne excitedly.
The two women packed most
of the boxes they could into the truck. Dishes were clinking as they loaded the boxes, floor lamps and bedroom lamps were sticking out of the truck bed, and then Suzanne tied all her things down with a rope and tarp. Shortly after she finished tying it all down, a moving truck arrived for the furniture.
“Try not to scratch the table and chairs,” warned Candi as the men took them out.
“Did you tell them to be careful with Priscilla and Lisa Marie, too?” asked Suzanne playfully. Candi didn't feel that deserved a response, but Suzanne noticed that she frowned, so Suzanne giggled. They watched as the men loaded the rest of the furniture including the bed, dresser drawers, and entertainment center in less than two hours.
Before they knew it, they were on their way to Cedar Ridge County to their new home with Toonces on Candi's lap and Tootsie in her pet carrier. The moving truck followed closely behind them.
“I'm not looking forward to all the dusting and cleaning we have ahead of us. It might be musty since no one's been in the home for decades,” stated Candi.
“Uh huh,” said Suzanne.
“Did you say you could get the guys to help us paint? And I completely forgot to turn on the utilities. I thought I still had time to call,” stated Candi. “I didn't think you'd want to do this today. I mean, we still have three more days together.”
Suzanne didn't take her eyes off the road. She grinned. “I'm sure everything will work out just fine.”
As they drove up to the new house, Candi was surprised to see that the house looked brand new. The shudders were painted blue, the columns on the front porch were painted to match them, the windows were open, and brand new curtains were blowing in the breeze. There were several cars parked out in front of the house.
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