Sorry for the extended delay in release of this chapter. No excuses other than laziness.
I need to add a big thank you to my friend Robyn who edited the story on my behalf. Everybody who reads my stories knows how badly I need the editorial assistance. So, thanks Robyn, for helping her hours of hard work and help are not unapreciated.
Brianna and I settled into our relationship, yes, I had to admit, whatever we had before, we were now living together, and it was a relationship.
Accepting that was the first step for me, much like an addict or alcoholic, the first step was realisation.
I was... am a lesbian, my head spun trying to accept it, thinking it didn't work. I walked down by the creek just so I could vocalise it. It still sounded weird. 'I'm in love with Brianna.' That sounded fine but when I said, 'I'm a lesbian, it made me shiver and sounded wrong, alien. I repeated it over and over like some dark medieval chant, a priestess at some secular order.
When I walked back inside Brianna was waiting with muffins and coffee. She guided me out onto the little veranda to catch the morning sun. As we sat, she laughed aloud, "What the hell was all that about?"
I tried to explain how I was feeling. She snorted harshly, "Jesus Charlotte, why are you so determined to label everything?"
She put down her cup and picked up my hand, "Darling, I love you, I love the feel of you in my arms, the taste, the feel of your body. Stop trying to justify everything, it is what it is."
"It's OK for you, but all my friends, my family, everybody is going to hate me. I cheated on my husband, walked away from my daughter. They are all going to say disgusting things about me."
I burst into tears unable to hold back the tears. Brianna quickly pulled me into a hug, her juicy sexy lips kissing away the tear drops from my flushed cheeks, "Darling, you're wrong, your real friends and your family will understand. You need to stop hiding from this, you need to tackle it head on."
"What... how can I face my parents; you don't know them."
Brianna snapped back derisively, "Oh poo, poo to you. Do you think you are the only person in the world who had to come out to their parents? Get over yourself, go and talk to them, the longer you leave it the harder it will become."
Her brutal takedown shocked me, and she knew it, "Sorry darling, but it's true, if you are scared, I will go with you."
My shock turned to affection and we cuddled, as always with us the cuddles turned to kisses and then suddenly the day was gone. We made love with such passion I had to do laundry again. The bed was destroyed.
Life settled a little and I immersed myself in editing for Brianna. She was so impressed that she sent manuscripts of my work to her publishers and I received more work. I went from editing just Brianna's work to editing for half a dozen writers. Some very good and other's new to the literary world.
I was swamped, but it opened up a new world to me. I talked to writers as we worked through their work and my suggestions. We became friends and it was a world I previously admired from outside, now I was surrounded by these wonderful creative people. It was an amazing life changing experience.
The phone conversations were so long, Brianna chased me outside because I was such a distraction. I worked long hours, I tried to make sure I did all the housework because Brianna was paying for everything and that weighed heavily on my conscience. I didn't want to be a millstone.
My relationship with Debbie changed as well. She seemed to have grown overnight. We talked every day on the phone. We discussed her schoolwork and of course her home life. John it seemed was mellowing, he no longer harangued Debbie about me, no longer filled her ears with evil hateful words.
He may not have accepted it, but at least realised he was destroying his relationship with Debbie, so tempered his words.
Brianna after several days of beseeching and pressuring made me go and visit my parents. She was right, and I knew it. I did need to speak to them, and it really needed to be face to face.
I refused her offer of going with me for support, I knew that wouldn't help. I knocked on the front door of my parents' house. When it opened and mum saw me, I saw her face drop, "What do you want Charlotte?" She snapped.
"Mum, I just want to talk, please, I need to explain things from my perspective."
She swung the door fully open and waved me in, "Hurry up then."
She almost bundled me in through the door in her haste to get it closed before anybody saw me. Once inside dad wandered out and he replicated mum's expression, he seemed sad, "Hello Charlotte, to what do we owe the pleasure?"
"Dad, I just want to clear the air, try and get rid of any misconceptions."
"Huh!" mum sneered, there are no misunderstandings here, you abandoned your daughter and your husband to run off with some disgusting floozy."
Waving her hand angrily she snapped, "You should be ashamed of yourself, you're nothing but a tramp, and a woman no less. Good heavens have you no morals at all?"
I came expecting these words, her reaction. It didn't make it any easier, my pre-prepared speech dried up in my mouth unspoken. Like a chastised girl I muttered, "Mother, you're right. I am embarrassed about what happened, but I did not abandon my family. John kicked me out."
"What did you expect, carrying on the way you did. He had every right."
I nodded sullenly, "Perhaps you're right, maybe I deserved it, but I didn't act maliciously, I didn't do it to hurt anyone. Brianna and I fell in love, I couldn't hide from it."
"Fell in love!" She ranted, "Good lord Charlotte, you're not some silly teenager, you're a grown woman, with a family."
With added insult she snapped, "Do you even understand what love is, that man gave you everything, he adored you. He was so hurt by all this, we feared for his sanity, we prayed he wouldn't do something silly."
Dad grabbed mum and cuddled her for support as she broke down. He gazed at me with confusion, but there was an underlying warmth. He and I had always had a closer relationship than me and mum, "Charlotte honey, can you at least tell us why?" He asked.
Sucking in deeply I sighed, "Dad, I'm trying. I can't explain it fully, all I can say is we love each other."
He nodded as he held mum tighter, "But John... what about him, why couldn't you try to sort things out? Marriage counselling."
"Because he wouldn't let me dad, he was angry, yes, I understand he had every right, but he wouldn't talk about it. He jumped in his car and disappeared for days. I didn't plan on leaving him."
"So you were just going to carry on some tawdry affair with the slut, were you?" Mum growled caustically.
"I don't know mum; I'm trying to explain. It all happened so quickly. I want to try and fix things, that's why I'm here."
Mum interrupted, "You want our forgiveness, do you?"
I nodded my head slowly, trying to smile before whispering, "Yes call it forgiveness if you want, I see it more as understanding. Brianna and I are a couple, we live together, and I want, no need you to accept that."
"What about John?" Mum asked, what are we supposed to do about him?"
"Love him, I am trying to, if he will let me. I want us to remain friends, for Debbie's sake if nothing else."
"What about Debbie, don't you care about her? The whole schools talking about it. Have you no shame?"
"Mother!" I snapped, "Debbie and I talk every day, she came out and stayed with us. I haven't abandoned her as you suggested. She is still very much my daughter and I love her very much."
Dad unwound one of his arms and opened it up to welcome me into their huddle, like one of our old family meeting hugs.
As I nestled underneath his arm, I felt mum shaking violently, "No, it's not going to be that easy Charlotte. I am angry, disgusted and astounded at your poor behaviour. I can't accept it, not like this."
Dad cradled me in both arms, "Sorry pumpkin, but this might take some time."
With a gentle kiss I whispered, "I understand." I said my goodbyes and walked out to the car. As I was about to climb in mum came rushing out and wrapped me in her arms, her face wet with tears, "I'm sorry honey, I love you."
I burst into tears clinging on for dear life, our arms wrapped so tight it hurt, "I'm sorry to mum, I didn't mean to hurt anyone."
She nodded, unwrapped her arm and using a delicate finger wiped away my tears, "It will work out, we will try to understand, I do love you, and I don't want to lose you."
We kissed before I reversed out the driveway. Dad waving happily from the doorway. I don't know what he said to mum, but I felt relief, liberation even a little lightheaded as I drove away.
I met Debbie for lunch, and we chatted about how things were going at home. She explained, her father was still angry, but had stopped yelling and screaming, he had cut back on his drinking and at least he was going to work again.
We parted with a kiss. She seemed so much brighter; it appeared a shift in our relationship had occurred. We now talked more like friends than mother daughter, and I wasn't sure that I liked it.
Arriving back at the cottage I found Brianna deep into her writing, so deep she didn't hear me walk in. I snuck up behind her and leaned in over her shoulder, my moist tongue sliding down the sensuous curve of her neck. She jumped, startled cursing loudly, "Jesus Charlotte, I nearly had kittens."
I let my tongue slither across her tingling skin, little goose bumps rubbing on my tongue. I loved the fresh taste, her scent. God, she had the smoothest skin, it felt like porcelain.
She leaned her head back and our lips met in a scintillating kiss. The first kiss, I loved it, the velvety smooth texture, moist, open, her tongue slinky sexy, inviting, her soft moans escaped into my mouth, "Charlotte."
My hands slid down cupping her gorgeous orbs, her nipples already rubbery and hard under my marauding palms. I squeezed and pinched, rubbing my thumbs across her growing desire.
