Background
At this point, we know Cate and Lizzy, and their strong love. Not much has been said about their background. How they had met. What are their physical characteristics. Education and so on. I think its time to discover the two more closely.
First, they had met at a local gym that has since gone out of business. What little time Lizzy had away from the job, she had spent at the gym. Partly, it was health related, but more importantly it had been a place to meet people -- men. She had gone to bed with a number of men, but as mentioned, nothing lasted.
The First Meeting
Cate began going to the gym to get in physical shape. She did not see the gym as a place to meet people -- men. She went to work out and to go home.
I think Lizzy began noticing this little worker bee. Cate came in and immediately hit it. She moved around the equipment without paying much attention to others or striking up conversations. After an hour, she unceremoniously grabbed her shit and split. She never showered there. Lizzy became very interested in meeting this very attractive woman. This was no small task. Lizzy made it to the gym once a week, and if her job wasn't as demanding, she came two or three times. If her job was working her ass off, she might not come in for a couple of weeks.
They, at least, hit the gym in the evening. Lizzy normally got to the gym about six. What few times she saw Cate, it had been about that time. Cate rarely stayed longer than an hour.
Lizzy seized every opportunity to observe Cate. Cate exercised with intensity. Lizzy never felt that this was a labor of love for Cate -- strictly business. Lizzy began by using equipment close by Cate. Cate worked so hard it seemed unnatural to try to strike up a conversation. There had been THAT defining moment. Some asshole had pulled the fire alarm -- it was supposed to be a joke. Everyone exited the building, and Lizzy wasn't going to miss this opportunity.
Lizzy sought out Cate outside in the crowd, without being too obvious. She approached her, while toweling the sweat off her body. She began the conversation. "This is crazy. Have any idea what happened? Is there a real fire?"
Cate had a toweled wrapped around her neck, and she turned to Lizzy. Cate said, somewhat out of breath, "its a mystery to me. I can't imagine this was a practice drill, as we do at work."
Lizzy presented her hand to Cate. "I'm Lizzy."
Cate gripped the hand firmly, and said, "My name's Cate."
Lizzy was a little bit surprised that Cate opened up so completely in the ensuing conversation. Lizzy thought to herself, I didn't have this one pegged.
Lizzy nonchalantly suggested, "They go have coffee, and get to know one another."
Cate said, "OK."
Lizzy said, "I have to get my bag from inside when they let us back in."
Cate nodded affirmation.
They got back in the gym, and packed up.
Lizzy said, "I know a place close by. We could walk to it."
Cate said, "Sounds good to me. Let me put my things in my car."
They parted temporarily. They met back up, and walked down to the local cafe, which was about two blocks away.
When they ordered, Cate said, "I can't do coffee this late in the day, or she would turn radioactive."
Lizzy chuckled. That was the second thing Lizzy noticed -- her sense of humor and how oddly she pieced words together. They ended up spending two hours non-stop talking. They hit it right off.
Lizzy said, "She had a good time. She suggested they trade contact information, and get together later." Lizzy said, "I have a job I am married to, and it will take some coordination to meet."
Lizzy picked up the tab, which surprised Cate a little. Lizzy hugged Cate, and kissed her on the cheek. Cate felt a tingle in her body -- Lizzy did too.
Cate called a few days later, and got Lizzys answering machine. She left a message.
Two days later, Lizzy returned the call, "And apologized that she hadn't gotten back to her sooner." They decided a date and a time, and then bid farewell.
They met at a nice restaurant at 6pm that day. They met and embraced again. They were seated, and ordered wine. They made small talk, until the waiter returned to take their orders.
Cate was a steak and potatoes kind of gal, while Lizzy was the salad and fish person.
While eating and drinking, Cate mentioned, "She had gone to college, and graduated with a degree in Biology. She did statistical things on her job -- not so much down and dirty biology as many of her cohorts had done. Cate always had a head for mathematics and computer programming, which served her well. She was divorced."
Lizzy thought to herself, how succinctly Cate had explained her situation. She liked what she heard, and she was growing quite fond of Cate.
Lizzy followed with her education. "A college degree in Business. She worked on contracts, for the most part. Her job was mostly -- go -- go -- go." She said, "She made good money, but it was very demanding work. She traveled all over the country on the companies nickel. She owned a home on Maple Street, which she didn't get to see much."
Cate mentioned, "That she lived on Oak Street a couple of blocks over from Lizzy."
Lizzy nodded with approval.
The dishes were removed, and more wine was ordered. Cate asked, "If Lizzy was married or had kids?"
Lizzy explained, "It is very hard to have a marriage, or kids, or friends for that matter, when you are never home. She had gotten divorced about a year ago. The breakup, while not friendly, had been business like. She still sees her ex, mostly with other women."
Cate said, "That must be painful?"
Lizzy said, "She would get upset, but after a while, she just let it go. It was not fair to her ex that she was never home. It was almost predictable that he would find comfort in the arms of another. They had had it out on several occasions, and they just gave in to a divorce. He moved out, and she kept the home -- after changing the locks to make certain of no surprise visits. One can't be too safe."
Cate smiled, and thought, I like this woman.
"What's up with your marriage", Lizzy asked?
Cate said, "It was one in which the we just grew apart. In college they had lived together. Gotten married on graduation, as was planned, and then began to go their separate ways. Once she had approached her husband, and asked for a divorce. Her husband asked her to wait to make a final decision. There hadn't been much arguing. Cate suspected that he had a woman on the side for some time. It hurt her. Fortunately, she had a job that she liked quite a bit, and the hours were normal. She too kept the house, while her husband had moved in with somebody else. The marriage was dissolved about 15 months ago."
Cate said, "Let's stop talking about negative things that we have little control over, and open up about what we like to do."