"The Best of both Worlds"
Claudia's painting of Marina became a worldwide sensation. The rights to reproduce it were bought for tens of thousands of Euros, all of which Claudia put into a special bank account for Marina. She herself was still so wealthy, she figured it would be nice for Marina to have her own nest egg, but for the time being didn't let her know what she had done.
Ever since the first night they had become lovers she had become protective of the girl, and of her Mother Vittoria. Without them she may well have died. Her physical disabilities seemed to take much longer to heal during the winter months. While the weather was hardly cold, the extreme storms and constant rain made it difficult for Claudia to attempt a venture outdoors.
Her knee cartilage damage was healing slowly but she needed crutches to get around inside the house. Thankfully the bedrooms and toilets were on the ground floor and she couldn't think of any reason why she had to go upstairs to the two other rooms. They contained mostly suitcases and boxes of stuff she had gathered on her passage through the Continent and there was nothing she needed from them at the moment.
The fingers on her left hand that had been broken had mended, although one of the fingers would not bend properly. The wrist fractures were still tender but she had been able to use the hand for simple things like steadying a cup of tea. She had also begun to use it when making love to Marina, especially to stroke her breasts. She was sure this was the main reason that sensitivity had returned to her fingers.
As winter made its way through towards spring, Dr Eduardo's visits became more frequent. The wound in her groin had healed nicely once the stitches had been removed and he was pleased with the hand and knee progress. He also advised Claudia that Marina would need to return to the hospital soon so that she could take her exams for her nursing certificate.
Having known that the idyllic situation with Marina couldn't last forever she had often debated mentally about faking another imagined problem from her injuries, in order to keep her here. But then she reasoned that would be unfair. Her sexual advances to the girl had arisen from her own needs to pacify a sexual demand and whilst Marina had become an ardent and improving lover she was still very naive about what was out there in the world.
So that night when she went to bed and Marina lay naked alongside her, she softly said "I am about to lose you my little love. Dr Eduardo wants you back at the hospital to complete your nursing Certificate."
"Oh Signora, I am very happy here with you and how you teach me about love. I do not want to leave" Marina said, her voice breaking with the emotions of losing what she had enjoyed for many months. "You are not ready to look after yourself yet."
"I am getting better every day my little sweetheart, but I am almost able to take care of myself again. I don't want to lose what we share with our bodies, but life has its ups and downs and we have to accept them. You have been a Godsend in every way possible, but I would feel guilty if I held you back from your future. Besides you would always be welcome to come and share my bed when you needed to." Claudia said softly and hopefully.
They made love that night with an almost furious passion, both knowing it could never be the same again and that things had to change. Claudia released all constraint as Marina passionately tongued her clit and climaxed at a level she hadn't done for many years.
Two days later Dr Eduardo told them Marina should return to the hospital in two weeks time. They spent many hours setting everything up so that Claudia would have easier access with her damaged knee. With the weather getting warmer she also went on 'walks' with Marina around the property to strengthen her knee.
At first it was painful but gradually the exercise and pain reduction enabled Claudia to walk with just a stick.
On the final night before her departure they made passionate love. As Marina lay sprawled across the bed in a glow of post sexual frenzy, Claudia got her painting material and painted the scene. For modesty's sake she initially painted a sheet across Marina's pubic area, allowing only a small fraction of the pubic hair to be seen. Then she changed her mind and painted in the full rosiness of the vulva with the lips slightly open, and evidently moist. The face shone with the afterglow of love making and the proud breasts showed only a subtle hint of subsidence from her prone position. When she had finished Claudia put the painting away in a cupboard. She had no intention of putting on public display – it was for her memory only.
Marina left the next day but Vittoria called in during the afternoon with some fresh vegetables and explained that the Doctor wanted to be sure Claudia was coping on her own. She also promised to call in every few days to make sure Claudia was OK.
For the next two weeks Claudia steeled her resolve to gain full health again. She walked, did exercises on her wrist and fingers and her groin wound was now only a slight scar. But if she over extended the leg she could feel the tissue under the wound pulling.
Vittoria's visits reduced the loneliness she was starting to feel with Marina's absence, but she had started painting again in earnest. She told Vittoria she would be happy to paint "interesting" faces for free and soon had a stream of people with real character in their faces lining up for portraits.
After nearly 3 weeks she heard the sound of a scooter approaching the house and within minutes Marina was at the patio entry. Claudia was just putting the finishing touch to the painting of an elderly man of Arabic origin with deep facial wrinkles. She had at first found it difficult to imprint the faint shadow depth of each wrinkle but finally devised a way that made it look quite natural.
She jumped up from her chair at Marina's approach and hugged her long and hard. Apologizing to the elderly man she asked Marina if she could make tea for the three of them whilst she finished off the painting session.
They sat quietly drinking the tea as the old man examined himself in the painting. He nodded his approval, made his farewells and then left. It was an awkward moment for the two women but Claudia broke the silence by asking about the Nursing Exam.
Marina told her that assisting Claudia had gained her much more practical experience than the other nurse candidates and she had passed with flying colours. She also mentioned that Dr Eduardo had been helpful to her on many occasions which also been of great value.
Once again it felt like the early days with Marina but Claudia sensed there was a change in the girl.
As they lay in bed that night just cuddling each other, it dawned on Claudia that Marina was holding back. "What's the trouble Marina?" she asked.
"I do not know how to explain myself." said Marina. "I am happy you showed me how a woman can experience such tenderness and excitement. But the men there and one man in particular, seemed to sense that I had – how do you say it – grown up as a woman."
