The Prize Rules

****

I wanted to do this story the way that it appears because the reveal of things and the characters looked better to me than just one long haul by the crawling calendar since there are years to this tale. There will be less of that toward the end because all of the relevant pieces will lie in the reader's mind like hopefully an almost-completed jigsaw puzzle which was found to be enjoyable.

By now, the ominous clouds of war which are burgeoning are becoming clear to more and more people everywhere until it begins at last in this chapter.

Bear in mind that some time has elapsed from the tearful parting of the ways for Eden and Hans-Joachim, and of course, each of them is still a member of the human race, with all of the frailties and foibles which the rest of us possess and are driven by.

The relationship between Eden and Cora-leen certainly isn't mainstream for the place and most especially the time, but it was what they'd always had and more importantly, it was their way and how they'd been and they used it to give each other strength.

Please watch for the dates where I've given them to see where things fit together and above all, please enjoy.

Oh! Names in this ...

Ilka is just pronounced "ill-ka", so that's easy.

"Friedl" - well, unlike English, the combination of "I" and "E" can only ever be pronounced as "EE", and never "I" like the way it can happen in English. So the name is spoken as "Freedle".

0_o

*****

1939 Port of Spain, Trinidad

Robert Kirkwall was there with a photographer from the paper, along with Eden's three brothers as well as Cora-leen and her mother to meet Eden as she strode along the wharf with her suitcases. The only one missing was her father and Cora-leen was quick to point out that he was well, but was involved in the preparations for her homecoming party, since it was shaping up to be almost a neighbourhood celebration and they'd run out of time before her arrival.

They posed for a few pictures as Robert welcomed Eden home and said that her new job could wait a week for her to rest up from her long travels and get back into island life after so long. He took his leave then and hurried back up the street to get to the Red House and his office. The photographer said to watch the paper over the next few days before he left to hurry back to the newspaper offices.

"Ever the busy public servant," Cora-leen's mother grumbled, "He don't wanta stay too near to us lower folk for very long. He might come away with a feeling for our troubles and that would never do. For that to happen, he'd have to listen to us."

Cora-leen didn't care and she threw her arms around Eden for the hugs that she'd missed for so long. As well, she was tickled pink to whisper that Loody and her mother had just admitted what everyone already knew and were making a go of it together. Cora-leen's mother was only a handful of years younger and by everyone's reckoning, they both had a lot of fire in them yet. Eden looked over at Cora-leen's mother, who appeared to be steeling herself for some sort of reaction.

Eden only smiled and told her that it was about time and that she was happy for them if they made each other that way. "I've always loved you as a second mother to me anyway. Besides," she grinned, "this makes it official. Cora-leen and I are now proper sisters."

Iris Dumphries laughed and hugged Eden, "You have always been sisters to me, but I am glad to have your approval."

Ludwig had been only 24 when he'd arrived in 1914 to make his home far from the Europe which he'd grown to despise and people in this part of the world at that time just started their adult lives a lot sooner in some ways. Ludwig didn't mind that.

But what had taken the heart out of him for some years was that Eden's mother had grown slowly weaker and it had then taken a few years more before a common cold had taken her from him. He'd almost seen it coming and to him, there was no fairness in it. Iris had been able to pull him out of his slow tailspin and he was finally at the point where he could see something to look forward to in the dawn of each day.

Nothing obvious had happened for almost a decade between them outwardly but it eventually began and everyone who knew them wondered why it had taken so long. Whenever he was asked, Ludwig said only that the friendship between Cora's mother and Eden's had been one factor and his grief combined with Iris' own upset had prevented the rest.

"I think that they started not long after you left for England, "Cora-leen whispered with a chuckle, "That was when I first heard my mother tiptoe to your father's room late at night. With you gone, I was the only one out of the children who had a bedroom on the same floor."

"Very true," Iris smiled as they walked to let them know that she'd overheard, "But that was only after we decided that there wasn't anything to hide anymore. It a blessing to a woman of my age that he still find me comely and he is a most handsome man to many women.

If ya wanta hear the truth from an old girl to a pair of younger ones - who must hold their tongues over it, mind - we began a lot sooner than that and it was with your mother's blessing for she wanted him to be happy and to her and me, that mean that a man must have a woman now and again.

It make no difference. Men and women; we all need someone for that and she didn't have the wind for it anymore, so she push him toward me and tell me to take care of her man for her. He take care of me and he always was as a good father to my girl.

I'da taken him to my room, but the springs in my bed squeak something terrible - almost as much as the one in Cora-Lee's room."

In her way, Iris had just told them that she'd always known of their relationship and that she had no issues over it. The pair looked over at her with raised eyebrows and she almost laughed.

"Oh stop looking so surprised before the others hear or notice it." she chuckled, "Your father and I have known for years and it alright that you are so close. I think it will change one day, but there is nothing wrong to us if it keep you both from swollen bellies for a while longer until that is what you want.

Your brothers aren't fools, Eden, They've known for a long time, but they keep it quiet outta their love for you both but a lotta the neighbours have a thought. For a lotta people, it nice to see two lovely girls walk along as happy as you when you are together. We have always heard so many nice things said of you both from everyone. But I think that I know what in their minds, at least a few."

She laughed quietly, "The newer neighbours wonder how it was that I come to make you both. They don't know of your fine mother, so it a mystery how a black woman come to have a black girl with straight hair and a girl the same age who look Chinese and three boys after who look like your father."

Cora-leen shrugged, "The new neighbours just probably think that you've been a very busy girl until they've been around long enough to come to know the truth."

Iris nodded, allowing that it was probably what some people thought, not that she cared. "I always laugh and tell your father that I am in his debt for making me an honest woman at last."

They walked off the wharf, across the wide street, and started for home together. Eden's brothers were happy to see her again and they mobbed her a little. But island women just have a way to them and it took Eden only a few blocks to hear of their girlfriends - or the ones that they wished for as well as any other relevant news in the neighbourhood as well as the town in general.

With a week off to unwind, it was only a little time until the two friends had the chance to be alone for a few evenings - in Eden's room by Iris' whispered request, since it was farther away from the one she shared with Loody and it had a quieter bed.

They needed that just to catch up and relax with each other. Eden demanded to hear of any men that Cora-leen had been able to scare up.

"Well the hunting must have been a little easier," she grinned, "as there was one less girl on the island while I was away. I want to state here and now, that I had little time or want of anyone over the whole time that I was there. I lived like a nun in England - so I demand to hear you give a good accounting of yourself in my absence, Cora-leen."

Cora-leen grinned - just a little - and she told of a few little episodes to which Eden applauded as she heard of each one.

"Was it really that bad?" she asked afterward and Eden accepted a glass of rum as she sighed, "Bad? Cora-leen it was awful in England. Men all over but nobody had much of any time for anything in the places where I was. I'm surprised that the population hasn't plummeted. A few of the girls that I was in with managed a little something with a man, but those times were few and far between.

You might see someone that you fancied from a first glance and they were the worst - because before you could even think about meeting him and getting anything started, they'd split the class again and maybe send you off - to the other side of the blasted country if you didn't have any luck. And remember something; to them, I was just a curiosity - the same as you'd have been there.

But that wasn't my problem by then. I just wasn't in the mood for any of it by that time."

She then related what had happened between her and Hans-Joachim and she spared no details, since it was Cora-leen, after all. She'd written a little of it in her letters, though nothing of the joys and only a little of the heartaches. Now, she told it all.

"That's rotten luck," Cora said a long while afterward, meaning it. "Something wonderful like that - and that nice with a man like you had - that's the sorta thing that a girl could just ... well, go on with forever. I think that you might have found the one. I like the way that you make him sound, girl. He sound like just what you'd need and want."

She smiled a little, "So you didn't have the thought to maybe stuff him inta one of your bags and take him along?" She snorted a little with a soft laugh, "It's what I'd have thought of."

Eden nodded, "If only, Cora-leen. I'd have done that as well, but he had to be somewhere else and I did too. It had to end. I'll never forget him though, you'd best believe me. I ache for him still, even after alla this time. There was something about him. I got used to it after a little time, but even so."

She looked over, "It was as if he was hiding something about himself. Not anything bad, you mind, just something - like he was sparing me by not telling me. We were very open with each other, but even so, there were things that never came up between us. I never let on that I can speak German, as an example.

It was the oddest thing too, now that I have it in my mind. We got along so well, Hans-Joachim and I. I'm certain that if we had met in another time - when there was no shadow of war over everything, I think that whatever it was that he was not saying wouldn't have been hidden and he'd have told me - or it wouldn't have been a worry to him."

Cora made a face, "You don't think that he was married do you?"

Eden shook her head, "No, not that. I had that thought once, but after getting to know him; I knew that I'd been wrong. He could have had many women, but I learned about him that he would have WANTED only one. I think it was his trouble to think that he'd found her and knew that it couldn't be, no matter what either of us had wanted."

She looked away then and smiled a little, "You should have seen him at the ball they put on. He looked to be what he was - the finest man there by far in a uniform so white it hurt your eyes to look at.

I had to put up with all manner of men asking me to dance that night, but when he walked in, it was as though everyone knew who he was there for - and it was me, a little Chinese girl from a small island.

I almost didn't dare to dance for fear that I'd get clumsy and trip, but somehow, my feet held me up and we danced until I couldn't anymore in my tight shoes. All sorta other women tried for him, but he was ever the gentleman and he kept working his way over to the girl that nobody wanted to believe was for him."

She smiled over then after a moment, "But I was for him, Cora-leen.

I would have walked forever and skipped while I was doing it. We didn't say a word about it, but you'd best know that we both knew even then. We only had to put in the time so that we weren't rude, but we knew.

In my life ... I have never had the thought with any man that now I was his ... or anything like that. It has always been my choice. But that night, I was his and he was mine. We only had to claim it."

She was still for a moment and then she looked at Cora-leen and gave a smiling shrug, "And then we did."

Cora grinned then, "And if you could have kept him and brought him back with you - do you think that you'd have shared him with me? I like the way that you make him sound."

Eden laughed then and it felt as though she hadn't really done that since the early days with Hans-Joachim and she wondered if it might be true. "Cora-leen my love, we'd have both had our hands full to get him to that point."

She chuckled, since they were back to being themselves once again, "But if we could have gotten him to that place, I'd have shared. We always have. I just don't know if you'd have fancied him. He wasn't the sorta man that I've ever seen you have a want of, you know."

Cora laughed a little herself, "Well maybe some things in life only come as ... acquired tastes. I wouldn't know, would I?"

That made them both laugh as Eden nodded her agreement. It was all just girl-oriented bullshit then, but they laughed and had a lot of fun with it and it did help Eden to feel better about everything at last.

Cora-leen knew it so she pulled the curtains shut and began to take off her clothes. "I've had to live for over a year without you to hold in the dark. Could we? Just a little, and with a lot of kisses? I've really missed that with you."

She saw the slightly coquettish look that Eden returned to her, "You mean to say, you didn't think to find another girl for this while I gone? Bad planning, Cora-leen, bad planning"

Cora-leen scowled a little, "Don't need no other girl. Don't want one. I want a good man who treat me right and love me like I need and for that I'd give plenty - if he don't show me that he is a pig or a fool who can't see his luck when it come to him. But I miss you so,"

From Eden's point of view, Cora-leen turned to lay her blouse over the back of a chair and then as she turned back, Eden saw Cora-leen as she always had; from back in their times as little girls to now as grown women and to Eden, her sense that in spite of everything, she still had Cora-leen, the closest, dearest friend that anyone could ever have.

Eden smiled, "You think I had it easy, sleeping with three other girls in the same room - and none of them was you?"

She rolled her eyes, "To me, it make a bad thing worse to have to be trapped in there while that was going on just across the room. I was missing him and missing you at the same time - and then they start up and I must listen to it.

Girl, you can't know how much I'd want him here now - I'd give you the guided tour and all. But it's only us here, and I've wanted this forever."

She sat up and began to undo the buttons on her khaki blouse, "It was like trying to sleep in a barn to me. That's when I really knew that we're just odd - the pair of us. I even knew of a pair of girls who really were like that, but I'd say that they weren't like us. From what I knew, they were going at it like mad nuns every night, when I'd just want what we've always had."

"Every night," Cora laughed.

Eden nodded, "But with them, it was all physical and the more the better. I saw them kiss and I was back to thinking that I was in a barn or something. Not a clue between them, while I ached to hold you and feel your kisses as well as your hands. I heard that those two used sticks with each other!"

Cora-leen was already in the bed, "I don't want to hear a word of it," she chuckled. "Turn out the light and come to bed. Hold me and whisper the rest the way we like. THEN you can tell me about the sticks."

As the last of Eden's clothing came off and she got into bed, their first kiss after so long apart seemed to take forever to break.

"I've missed this - and you," Eden smiled as she sank her fingers deeply into Cora-leen's long ringlets. I suppose that I can do without a boy for a long while - as I've just proved."

She sighed as she felt Cora-leen's hands gliding over her skin, "I've needed this even more once I lost Hans-Joachim."

Eden leaned over to taste Cora-leen's lips again as her fingers closed over one of the two very finest breasts in the world. As she began to tease and tug at that beautiful dark nipple, she looked up, "I learned one thing out of it, Cora-leen. One lesson that I took away at the cost of a broken heart.

I learned that men like we would want - you and me - the kind whose kisses are just as good as our own to us both, they do exist."

She felt the fingers that she'd missed so much for so long as they teased at her labia and gently grasped to tug a little and rub in the perfect way. "Tell me Eden," Cora-leen moaned as she felt Eden's tongue begin to circle her areola, "I have had nothing like what I've needed with you gone."

Eden took her time and just went on loving Cora-leen's nipple for a few minutes. The dark girl said nothing; she only hissed and whimpered her pleasure. Eden thought that she'd forgotten about it, but then Cora-leen groaned, "P-please, I love you, but please, what did he kiss like?"

Eden's fingers went on in their appointed task as she slid one in under Cora-leen's clitoris and lifted just a tiny amount as she dragged it back.

"In the time that I knew him," Eden sighed with it ending in a soft moan, "Hans-Joachim never, ever kissed me badly. He never kissed me too hard."

She raised her head and moved to take Cora-leen's ear lobe in between her teeth for a moment before she went on. "He always kissed me in the way that you do it - the gentlest offering there for me to accept or refuse. Only I could never refuse it just as I have never been able to refuse yours. He was a man, large and strong the way that we both like, Cora-leen. And men, even him, as careful as he always was to shave himself so well ..."

She bit the ear lobe in her teeth so very gently and Cora-leen began to whimper, "O -ohhhhh, Eden. Please don't stop - not if you love me. Go on."

"Many men can grow beards - very hard beards. They shave them close," Eden whispered, "so very close if they're not stupid and they care for their women. We both know this."

Her fingers traced over Cora-leen's womanhood, but they were still teasing as she whispered on in the dark. "Like that - just very short against his skin, it can be so rough and hard that a woman wants to jump out of the bed.

But not Hannsi," she smiled as she licked the inside of Cora-leen's ear and whispered, "He was always so careful not to miss anything and it was plain to me that he cared even in that. But he was a man, and even so, I could just barely feel that beard which would grow enough by morning that he had to be so careful even to kiss me good morning.

His embrace was larger, because he was larger and so strong. But between that embrace and the way that I could love to feel his beard just touching me, that was how I knew that it was him and not you. Without those things and if I could not have gotten his scent for some reason, it could have been you kissing me that well.

He'd begin and I would melt every time and Cora my love, just one of his kisses after the door was closed and we were on the bed and I was wet for him. Before he put it into me, of course."