Chapter 3 New York Part 1

Dear Reader: Rebecca's plans have changed on the run. This begins her attempt to persuade Charlie they need to be together, as a couple. There is no physical sex in this chapter. It would still be rated R for nudity and language.

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A Love So Beautiful

Chapter 3: New York - Request (part 1)

I was in the bathroom cleaning myself up when I heard the door to the room open about twenty minutes after Charlie and I had talked on the phone.

Charlie said, "Bec, where are you?"

"I'm in the bathroom."

Charlie rushed in, then stopped, seeing me topless, giving myself a quick spit bath. I had been a frightful sight when I finally got up and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked over at her standing, mouth open, at my half-naked body. I blushed, finished drying off the top half of my body. I dropped the towel on the countertop, and we rushed to each other embracing each other tightly.

Charlie just silently held me tightly for a couple of minutes, then pushed herself away, giggled and said, softly, "You might want to get dressed."

I snickered, it felt so good to have good feelings course through my body after such a horrible time I had just experienced. I smiled at her, grabbed my bra and my shirt from the countertop and put them on.

"Better?"

"Well, yes and no," Charlie replied.

"Let's get out of the bathroom, okay?"

Charlie nodded, grasped my hand and led me into the parlor room. She sat us on the loveseat, we both sat so we were looking into our faces.

Charlie asked, "Are you going to be okay?"

I smiled, a slight blush, "Yeah, I am all better now."

"What the hell happened to cause you to have such a meltdown?"

"I know we talked about Michelle, and how she felt about you. Well, she is making her stand, taking her shot, and what she said to me was not wrong. It raised fears I had already faced in my own mind but had banished. The doubts, the fears, the possibility I am wrong, came flooding back into my mind and overwhelmed me once again. I have calmed down. What I want to talk to you about tonight is fraught with uncertainty, at least to me, but I am going to speak my piece about us. I am going to lay it all out and the consequences of what I want are life changing. No matter what is finally decided it will change both of our lives, for better or worse. But that is for tonight. You have an exhibition you must attend. You have to confront a person you have feelings for, and what the consequences will be for her actions. So, with all that to worry about, I pile more on with a promise of more stress tonight. I am sorry for this."

Charlie looked at me intensely for a few moments, sighed, "Oh, Bec, tonight can't get here quickly enough. Today is going to be a bitch isn't it."

I gave her a slight smile, and said, "It certainly seems to be shaping up that way."

Charlie sighed, took ahold of my hand, and said, "You know Michelle is gone. As of today."

"Be kind to her. She is young. She made a mistake, but it doesn't have to be a shattering moment in her life."

"You don't want me to fire her?"

"Oh, no, the bitch is gone," I said.

Charlie's eyes opened wide, she softly snickered, "So you think I should let her go also?"

I snickered, "Obviously. She made her stand, and, unless you agree with her, it was an error on her part that makes her continued employment with you untenable, as I see it."

"As I see it also, Bec."

"I am just asking for you to be kind to her. Her life will be upended badly enough as it is. I am just asking you to try and make the situation as sympathetic and considerate as it can be. I don't hate her. She did what she felt she had to do. Perhaps she thought it was the only way to make herself heard. It was a brave action, if not the best way to have approached her situation."

"Bec you always surprise me with how you care for people, even in unpleasant situations. I will be kind with her. I did love her, her actions changed that. I truly have no acrimonious feelings toward her, she made a mistake, a huge one in my mind, but it is a mistake that I think, like you, she felt she had to pursue. So, yes, I will be kind towards her. I will not hold this against her and poison her future opportunities, but she is gone."

"That is all I ask."

Charlie leaned over and hugged me, a little hitch in her breath, "You really are a special person."

"That makes two in this room."

I hugged her even tighter against me, then a knock came on the door.

Charlie broke our hug, and stood up, approaching the door, saying, "That must be Sally."

Charlie opened the door, "Hello Sally. Come in."

A woman came into the room. An attractive, well-dressed, woman of what I guessed was in her mid-forties, she and Charlie gave each other a friendly hug.

"I am so glad you were able to help me out on this unusual day. It is greatly appreciated. Sally this is Rebecca."

I had risen and walked near where Charlie and Sally were standing.

Sally looked at me, smiled, and held her hand out to me. We shook hands.

"It is nice to meet you, Sally."

Charlie smiled broadly, "Bec, I was able to 'borrow' Sally from the art gallery this morning. I have to go to the gallery, but I did not want to leave you unattended while I had other pressing matters I needed to deal with. I was able to coerce the gallery to allow me to have Sally be your guide today."

Sally laughed, "Don't listen to her, I volunteered. There was no coercion involved."

Charlie gave us both a hug, grabbed her shoulder bag, heading to the door, "Got to run. I am already late. Sally why don't you give me about twenty minutes before heading over to the gallery?"

"Consider it done."

Charlie gave me one last look, smiled a little smile, and left.

Sally looked at me, a small smile on her face, and she said, "I understand you are having a bad morning?"

"It has begun to be better, but, yes, my morning was less than desirable."

'What should we do to kill some time before I give you the tour of Charlie's exhibit?"

"Do you like coffee and pastries?"

She laughed, a very pleasant laugh, her whole face brightened as she laughed. I liked her immediately.

"Hmm, coffee and pastries? That I may be able to be coerced into enjoying."

"The Plaza has a pastry and coffee bar during the morning hours. Shall we?"

"Let's."

I grabbed my shoulder bag and smiled at her. I decided to be a little forward and put my arm through hers as we headed out of the room. Sally tensed momentarily when I slid my arm around her arm but relaxed quickly as we walked arm in arm to the elevator.

Once we got down to floor level, we found a small table unoccupied to sit at.

"How do you take your coffee?" I asked.

"Black. Do they have espresso?"

"They do. Would you prefer an espresso?"

"Yes, please."

"I'll get the coffees. I would like a cheese Danish; you grab whatever you prefer, and we'll meet back at the table."

Sally gave a thumbs up.

We were both back at the table in a short time. I had my black coffee and cheese Danish, plus a slice of quiche that Sally had also grabbed for me. Sally had a raspberry and a strawberry petit fours, alongside her slice of quiche, and her espresso.

"I hope you don't mind I brought you a quiche?"

"Not at all. I didn't realize how hungry I was until we got here, and those wonderful aromas hit me."

Sally laughed, "Same here. This could be a dangerous place to visit very often."

I snickered, "Oh yeah, very dangerous indeed."

"I understand you and Charlie have known each other for a long time."

"We spent four years as roommates in college."

Sally gave me a smirk, and a wink, "Just roommates?"

I giggled, "Well, maybe a bit more than just roommates."

Sally laughed her laugh, her laugh made me feel warm every time I heard it, "So I heard."

"I had a hard time admitting I was a lesbian, and that I loved a woman. Charlie was so patient with me as I struggled with my sexuality. We loved each other deeply, but we ended up having to take separate paths after college pursuing our dreams. Charlie and her art, and I and my writing. I also teach. I love seeing these young women bloom as they go through college."

"You teach? I had not heard that."

"I taught English and Creative Writing for seven years at Sarah Lawrence College and am now an adjunct professor for Creative Writing at Smith College."

"Why an adjunct? You don't get near the pay that a full professor does, as I understand it."

"That's true. In fact, I was approached by a former student at Sarah Lawrence who was working at Smith. She came to a book signing I was doing in Philadelphia and told me that Smith was losing their English professor and thought I might be interested in the position at Smith College. It was me who offered doing the adjunct position for just Creative Writing. My main income came from my writing so being a full professor was not something I was interested in. I told her, and later the HR person at Smith, that I am comfortable with the income from my books and that I like to teach and being an adjunct would allow me to do both, without the commitments that come with a full professorship."

"Did Smith jump at your offer?"

"I don't know if jump would be correct, but it did quirk their fancy it seems. As the HR person told me, a very nice woman, they looked at having a published, and critically acclaimed, author on their staff willing to work for a much smaller wage. As the HR lady told me, college boards like to save money."

Sally laughed, "Oh I bet they liked that part of your offer."

"So it seems. I liked Sarah Lawrence, but Smith has been wonderful. I have never been happier with my professional career as I have been these last three years."

"Lucky you. Not many get to do what they want, and how they would like to do it."

"I have been lucky indeed."

Sally glanced at her watch and said, "We can go whenever you want. It's been almost twenty minutes now."

"I am going to get a to-go refill for my coffee. Just in case you weren't aware, I am an addict."

"Well, there's much worse things to be addicted to than coffee."

I got a to-go coffee refill, put our breakfast on my room's tab, and we headed off to the subway.

As we sat on the subway to the gallery Sally looked at me, and asked me, "May I ask you something personal? If you wish not to answer, just tell me so."

"Ask me."

"Are you here for Charlie?"

I smiled at her, "Yes."

"And this caused what happened this morning?"

"Yes. If I tell you something you will have to keep confidential between us."

"If you are willing to share, I promise you it goes no farther than me."

"Sally, I like you. I feel comfortable with you knowing. But I am going to tell you something that Charlie and I have not yet discussed, so you understand why it is confidential."

"I do. If you think it better not to tell me then don't."

"Actually, it feels to me that telling you may help me relax with Charlie."

"I am honored. And mums the word."

"About a year ago I had an epiphany. As I have told you I have never been happier in my professional life, not so much in my personal life. I have not been sad concerning my personal life, but I have not been happy either. Contented, I guess. But about a year ago, and this is going to sound silly, but a song made me realize that we had made, or at least I think so anyway, a mistake by not working harder at staying together as we pursued our careers. I have never loved anyone nearly as much as I love Charlie. I have had relationships with other women, one in particular I did love, but Charlie is still my life's love, and it was not fair to the women I had relationships with that I could not give them the love they deserved and desired.

"So, this song resonated deeply with my emotions, in fact the day I heard the song I played it again and again, and again, it brought to me to my knees, literally, and I sobbed for hours as I realized Charlie and I had, as the song says, let our love drift away. I made up my mind I was going to approach Charlie and tell her we screwed up and that we should be together, that I still love her as much as I ever had and that I feel we should be together. I know how she felt during our years together, so if, a big if I know, she still felt the same we need to move heaven and Earth to be together."

Sally, and I had tears falling on our cheeks as I finished. Sally wiped her eyes, sniffled, reached into her purse and brought out some tissues so we could each wipe our faces.

Sally finally, a bit raspy, said, "If Charlie doesn't feel the same way I am going kick her ass, as that is the best love story I have heard in a long time."

I chuckled, "Please don't kick her ass if she doesn't feel the same. I can only tell you how I feel toward her."

Sally snickered, "Okay, I'll be good and not resort to violence."

As the train slowed approaching our exit, I said, "Thank you for listening to me. It did make me feel better to tell someone. It lifted some of the weight off my shoulders, and it will be easier to talk with Charlie also."

As we got off the train, and walked up the stairs from the platform, Sally was the one who put her arm around mine and pulled me into a soft shoulder bump.

As we approached the gallery she stopped, looked at me, smiled, and said, "One last question, if that is alright?"

I looked into her eyes, smiled broadly at her, and said, "Go ahead, I don't think there is much you can ask that is any more personal than what we have already discussed."

"What was the song?"

"A Love So Beautiful, by..."

"Roy Orbison. Oh god I love that song. I will never hear it again without thinking of you and Charlie."

She pulled me into a hug, we both had tears again, laughing at the same time.

As we released our hug, she reached into her bag again to grab some tissues, I said, "It is surprising to me you know that song."

"Have you not realized just how much a romantic I am. Every sad, joyful, love triumph song out there makes me cry. Honestly, to me, it is more surprising that you know the song."

"Crying is my superpower. My heart is on my sleeve all the time, so I cry a lot. And it seems to make other people cry also."

Sally, wiping her eyes again, giggled, "I am the same. You know we are going to be friends from here on now."

"I can't think of anything I would rather be than being your friend."

We hugged again, our tears falling freely, again. We both started laughing and crying again at the same time.

Just then Charlie walked up to us and started to say something, "I saw you two...oh god Rebecca are you displaying your superpower to Sally? Forgive her Sally, she can't help herself."

We both broke out laughing hard, making our tears fall even swifter. We both turned in unison and pulled Charlie into our hug.

As we hugged, I said, "Charlie, thank you for having Sally look after me. We have both just made a new friend, for life."

Sally just nodded, while the three of us just stood there for a couple of minutes hugging, and laughing, and crying.

When we released each other, Charlie asked, "Can I have a tissue or two please," tears falling from her eyes also. That started us laughing even harder.

Charlie wiped her face and eyes, then said, "Sally may I impose on you once more?"

Sally smiled, and replied, "What can I do for you Charlie?"

"Cover for me for, maybe, ten minutes so I can quickly catch up Bec with what has happened this morning."

Sally looked at me, then Charlie, and said, "Absolutely. Impose. Do I still get to give Rebecca the tour?"

Charlie smiled broadly, "I fear my well-being might be threatened if I said no."

Sally laughed, "Oh, it would not be that dire, but there would be consequences. Thank you, Charlie," as she turned to me and said, "I am assuming that is alright with you, Rebecca?"

I was busy grinning from ear to ear as these two, now both so dear to my heart, friends discussed who and what each of them were going to do with me, so I just nodded.

Charlie grasped my hand, leading me away, "Sally, we'll be in that little room I get to relax in from time to time. No more than ten minutes."

Sally smiled, waved to us, and then went off to mingle with patrons in the exhibition.

Charlie smiled once we got to the room, and both sat down.

"Bec, once I got here this morning it was obvious Michelle knew she had made a major mistake. She had already written her resignation, which I accepted. She also had written something for you. It is in an envelope in my bag.

"Michelle had also, obviously, spent some time crying, understandably. We talked for a good amount of time before she left, returning to Chicago.

"She told me she made a mistake taking the position of being my personal assistant. Not because she couldn't do the job, or that she didn't want the position; her mistake was to accept the job with the caveat of no intimate personal interaction. She thought since we had only recently become lovers that being platonic close friends would make the position easier to manage.

"She later came to the conclusion she had made one of the greatest misjudgments in her professional, and personal, life. Michelle did not realize how deeply she felt about me until it became unattainable.

She was now in between a rock and a hard place. Quit her position and hope we would be lovers again, or stay in the position, do her best job, and be in a platonic relationship.

"It was a situation that sooner or later was going to fester and spew toxicity at some point. Michelle had begun to come to the realization that she had to make a final decision. And she knew, in her heart, that for her the only outcome she wanted was to be my lover, fuck the job.

"That was where her mind was at and then, out of the blue, comes a threat to her decision, which she was still fully forming in her mind. A threat she had never considered, concerning how long we have been living our separate lives. And there you are, obviously wanting to be back in my life, our life, in a committed, loving relationship.

"So, she reacted. No real plan. Just putting herself out there as the person I should love and denigrating any possible relationship between you and I."

"Charlene, I feel bad about suddenly forcing myself into your life. I should say that while I feel bad, and I truly do feel badly about hurting Michelle, and maybe turning your life upside down. However, I do not feel bad about attempting in putting me back into your life. It has become, over this last year, imperative to me that I needed you in my life and, hopefully, me in your life. So, in some ways I am like Michelle, I have a plan, but I have pushed myself into a situation I was not prepared for. Which was my mistake. I didn't, until I got here and met Michelle, know how deeply she loved you. I should have at least considered this possibility. A young woman closely intertwined in your life, being in love with you, my goodness, that is something I should have anticipated. I know you, my dear Charlene. You are so easy to fall deeply in love with. That is my burden, knowing it was possible, and not preparing for it. I would have hurt Michelle no matter what resulted between the three of us but maybe I could have made it less hurtful, somehow.

"I keep talking about this plan I have, of which you know the outcome I wish, but mostly nothing as to what brought it about to get into my mind, or what I want to the two of us to commit to for a chance that we could be the lovers we were so many years ago."

Charlie looked at me, her eyes intensely focused on mine, "Tonight is the big reveal, right?"

"It is. But the big reveal has been revealed. You know why I am here, but not how I came to be here, which is now going to be the reveal."