*Bigots
Cassie and Jessica sat together in freshly ironed paisley colored dresses. The surface of the desk was a glossy particle board fixed atop a functional metal frame. They easily met the gaze of the man sitting across from them. This was not the first time they had found themselves in this situation. They no longer felt the tremors of nerves as they awaited the decision.
"You do realize," the man spoke in a calm, smooth, aggravatingly patronizing tone, "that this is the..." he flipped through the papers before him, "...eighth time you have applied in this office alone."
Cassie opened her mouth to speak but Jessica cut in, "Do we look like the type of people to forget how many hoops we have been made to jump through?" She pursed her lips, pressing them into a thin line of displeasure.
"Well," he formed a steeple with his fingers, "your . . . how do I put this, your persistence gives us pause." He scratched at the side of his nose with his middle finger, a sly smile playing at his lips.
"Could you explain to me why our "persistence" gives you pause?" Cassie asked softly.
"Ms. Hadley."
"Mrs. Hadley." Cassie corrected. She lifted her hand. "See the wedding band? It's official and everything."
Mr. Suit-Tie-and-Glasses grimaced sourly. "Yes, well. The fact remains that people in your situation are going to have a more difficult time with this sort of thing." He cleared his throat. "I'm sure you understand."
"I understand." Jessica added tersely but before she could launch into an attack Cassie took over.
"You don't like seeing us here, right?" Cassie asked.
The man smiled. "I'm always glad to see people wanting to get involved with this process."
"Subterfuge does not help in this situation. We can tell that you do not like having to deal with us over and over."
The man crossed his arms and relaxed back in his chair.
"All you have to do is put your signature to a piece of paper and we will be out of your hair. There will be others that will have to check up on us, but you will no longer have to deal with the abominations sitting before you." Cassie took Jessica's hand. "Wouldn't that be easier on everyone?"
"Ms. Hadley," Suit-and-Tie said with a sneer, "I think you know the process well enough at this point. You will hear back from us in 8-10 business days about our decision." He looked at Jessica, his eyes full of disgust, "Have a pleasant day."
Jessica ground her teeth angrily. Cassie's stomach turned sour within her. She spoke softly as she stood, "Thank you. We will wait patiently for your decision."
The ride back home passed in tense silence. Himeros seethed, grinding her teeth biting back the venom she so desperately wanted to spit. Her anger consumed her. At that moment she wanted to be a part of the world's destruction. She knew that once her anger subsided she would feel guilty for her viciousness, but at that moment she wanted to be a cause of pain instead of merely a recipient.
Cassie could feel the outrage pouring from her lover. Himeros was not usually easy to anger, but in the past months they had been called upon to fill out mountains of paperwork, defend their marriage to one another, and stand-by while "impartial" officials sifted through every detail of their private and professional life. She put her hand atop Jessica's. She could feel the girl trembling as she fought to control her emotions.
Jessica could feel her wife's hand flexing against her own. Cassie knew and respected that Jessica sometimes needed silence to process her thoughts. They sat in silence as they passed through the familiar neighborhoods and intersections which would, eventually, lead them home. Jessica let her mind go where it may with no fear of getting lost in her own thoughts. She knew that just the touch of Cassie's hand would keep her grounded; would bring her back if she wandered too far.
They pulled into their drive. The houses around them - once forming a picturesque neighborhood - seemed intrusive, oppressive figures representing the disgust of the caseworker and those like him. Jessica wanted to tear the facade apart. She knew what she had to do. She knew that Cassie would understand. She walked to their room and changed into her dirty and worn clothing. She wore unflattering canvas loafers and had her hair pulled tightly into a messy bun.
"I thought you might." Cassie said easily.
"It's what seems to help the most," Jessica looked into Cassie's eyes, "Aside from knowing how much you love and support me."
"I do, you know."
Jessica looked at her questioningly.
"I love and support you, unwaveringly. You are my wife. My love. My everything."
Jessica lifted one of Cassie's hands and kissed the tips of her fingers. "I'll try not to be long." She spoke quietly.
"Take your time." Cassie replied.
Jessica nodded once and made her way to the basement of the house.
Sweeping her arms wide she cleared the untreated wooden table. Empty containers, cardboard boxes, and cans of spray paint fell to the floor in a rush. Jessica hefted a large gray block of clay to the tabletop. She spritzed the surface with water and began working the material.
The clay was cold, hard, tough to mold at first. Jessica's fingers were tired and aching by the time the clay was workable. She swept the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand as she continued her work. Hours passed in minutes. The passage of time was marked with gasps of breath and drops of sweat.
Cassie had spent her time cleaning house. Jessica had her anger relief ritual, Cassie had her own. After putting the finishing touches on her cleaning, Cassie had retired to the bedroom, dusted off one of her favorite books, and read until she heard Jessica emerge from the basement. She trembled with excitement as she dropped her dress to a pool around her high heels.
They had done this dance many times. Jessica always turned to her artistic nature to work through her anger. Invariably, her work left her so emotionally drained that she needed something to bring her back to normal. Cassie's spine tingled as she remembered the last time she had helped Jessica recharge. She bit her lower lip as the cool air kissed the tight skin of her stomach.
Jessica walked into the bedroom. Her bare feet moved across the thick carpet as she made her way into Cassie's arms. Smears of clay dotted her clothing as she melted against her wife. Cassie lifted Jessica's chin and pressed her lips to her lover's mouth. At first she did not respond, but as Cassie continued to plant kisses on Jessica's lips and face, the girl began to stir as new life was breathed into her.
The kiss deepened, their tongues rolling together as they pulled one another closer. The scent of Jessica's sweat did nothing to reduce Cassie's attentions. She would gladly and eagerly lick the sweat from Jessica's skin given even half-a-moment's opportunity. She planned to make absolutely certain that Jessica received everything she needed. She couldn't wait to begin.
Cassie's hands shook as she slowly lifted the hem of Jessica's shirt. The material was rough, stiff, the fibers in the early stages of dry-rot. Cassie marveled that even though she and Jessica had been together for years, had made love countless times, she was still breathless at the beauty of her lover. Her hands trembled because she knew these moments were special.
The shirt fell to the floor. Hime's breasts covered with goose bumps as cool air kissed sweat covered skin. She shivered. Cassie watched as Hime's nipples hardened. Her mouth watered with longing to pull one of the eraser sized nubs between her teeth while her fingers were kept busy elsewhere.
Cassie dropped to her knees and worked Jessica's pants and panties down her legs. She planted soft kisses on her lover's hips and legs, following the path of the cloth as it moved lower. Jessica stood still and let Cassie do as she pleased. This was a moment for both of them. By the end, they would both have satisfied their needs. By the end, they would both be happy.
Jessica stepped free of the jeans, and panties. She helped Cassie back to her feet, loving the way the high-heels brought out the definition of Cassie's legs. Now, it was Jessica's turn to work.
Cassie trembled as Jessica undressed her. She took her time removing Cassie's bra and panties, savoring the view of her beautiful wife standing naked before her. The only thing Hime left on Cassie was her high-heels. Cassie gave her a questioning look, but did not pull away when Jessica led her to the shower. She suspected that the heels would not survive the shower; she didn't care. They made her feel sexy and the fact that Hime wanted her in them, made her feel alluring.
Jessica led Cassie beneath the spray of the steaming water. They both liked their showers hot. They often laughed at the pink hue of their skin when drying off. Tonight, they would laugh for different reasons.
