"Thanks."
Carey indulged herself, taking a moment to smooth Grace's ruffled hair and ignoring the smirk on Tom's face. She watched as her young friend's eyes closed for a moment, then slowly opened again. "You need your rest."
Grace nodded. "I am getting tired, but I'm afraid if I go to sleep, you'll be gone when I wake up."
Carey leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I'll be here, I promise. Now close your eyes."
"Yes, sweet thing, you close those eyes. Stuart and I will be back tomorrow. We don't want to tire you out." He turned to Carey. "And you really don't know how glad I am to meet you. I was beginning to wonder if you were just a figment of her imagination."
"Tom..."
"Okay, okay. We're leaving before I put my foot in my mouth again."
He blew Grace a kiss, then grabbed his lover's hand and dragged him out the door.
"Your friends are nice."
"Yeah, they are. I'm glad you got to meet them." Grace's eyes closed for a moment. "I'm glad you're here," she said as her eyelids fluttered. She forced them open in a desperate attempt to stay awake.
Carey reached over with the tips of her fingers and gently closed Grace’s eyes. "Sleep."
A tired smile curled the teen’s lip. "Yes, ma'am."
Carey sat and watched as Grace's breathing slowed and sleep claimed her. This scare had really shaken her. It forced her to accept how important the young woman was to her. I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you. Grace. She closed her eyes and sighed. A smile came to her face as she thought of Tom's reaction when he met her.
"What have you been telling them about me, young lady?" she whispered softly as she reached over and stroked Grace's cheek.
TWO YEARS
Grace closed her suitcase and looked around to see if she had forgotten anything. It had seemed to take forever for spring break to arrive. It was hard to believe that it was less than two months until graduation.
"Grace, dear, your friend is here to pick you up."
"Thanks, Mrs. Somers," Grace said, as she practically ran down the stairs, suitcase and laptop in hand. "I'm ready."
"Relax," Carey said, smiling at the young woman's exuberance. "I would have waited." She held out her hand to take the suitcase, noting Grace had grown even more beautiful in the last few months. The only visible reminder of the accident was a tiny scar on the edge of her chin. "Turn around and let me get a better look at the new haircut."
"You like?" Grace said, handing her the suitcase and spinning around in a circle.
"It looks great."
Grace decided she could wait no longer and wrapped her arms around the older woman's waist, mindful not to drop the laptop. "I've missed you so much," she said, inhaling deeply.
Carey opened the oven, then bent over to check the potatoes. A soft hand rested on the small of her back. "Few more minutes," she said, expecting Grace to remove her hand.
"Smells wonderful," Grace said.
Carey stood up, finding herself enveloped in the young woman's arms. "Grace."
"I've missed you so much," Grace said, resting her head on Carey's chest. "You said we had a few minutes."
"You can't behave for a few minutes," Carey said, though she let her arms hang loosely around Grace's shoulders. "I'm surprised you've lasted this long." She glanced at her watch. "Must be at least, oh, ten or fifteen minutes since you got a hug."
"It's been over an hour," Grace said. "Be nice and I’ll show you my tattoo."
"You still haven't told me where it is," Carey said.
"Where do you think it is?"
"I have no idea," Carey said, refusing to guess and mention any body parts.
"You have ideas," Grace said. "You just don't want to say them."
"You're right," Carey said. "Stop teasing me."
Grace hugged tightly, then stepped back. "Okay, since you don't wanna guess, I'll have to show you." She walked over to the table and pulled out a chair.
"I don't think this is a good idea," Carey protested.
"Instead of calling you Scary, they should have called you Scaredy, as in scaredy cat." She removed her right sock and put her foot on the chair, turning so Carey could see her ankle. "I didn't find out until afterwards that it hurts more when you have it done near the bone. Next
time I'll get it done on my ass, there's enough padding there."
Carey knelt down to get a better look at the tattoo. "Pretty," she said, tempted to trace the heart with her finger. "What prompted you to get this?"
"Pure spur of the moment kinda stuff," Grace said, sitting down and putting her sock back on. "Tom, Stuart, and I were walking back from a bistro when we saw the tattoo parlor. One thing led to another and I got this."
"And you want more?"
"Maybe," Grace said. "Would it bother you if I did?"
"I think tattoos are nice...on other people," Carey said. "It's your body, but remember, once you get one, it's there for life."
"You didn't answer my question," Grace said. “I know you were surprised, but I can't tell if it bothers you or not."
"How I feel about it shouldn't matter."
Grace growled in frustration and went into the living room. "Forget it."
Carey looked at the clock, frowning at the time. Sleep absolutely refused to come to her. She thought about reading but her glasses were in the other room. Just knowing that Grace was out there asleep on her couch was driving her crazy. Not wanting to get up and admit total defeat, she turned on the lamp and opened the nightstand drawer. There, on top of other letters, was the most recent one from Grace. She reached into the envelope and pulled out the snapshot that had been sent with the letter. Her hair definitely looks better short, she thought to herself as she looked at the picture. It had been taken at a party in someone’s back yard; arms and backs of other people caught on the outer edges of the photo. Grace was laying on a chaise lounge, her eyes closed and her nipples showing prominently through the sheer material of the bright blue bathing suit. You are such a tease, Carey thought, setting the photo on the nightstand. "Oh, Grace, what am I going to do with you?" Lay her down and make a woman out of her, the voice inside said. I can't do that, she answered herself. She's nineteen. I'm thirty-one. Still, there was no denying the attraction, the desire that existed when she thought of what was beneath that bathing suit. Damn it, Grace. Why do you do this to me? Closing her eyes, Carey reached into her pajama bottoms, knowing sleep would come no other way.
"Where do you want it?"
"Just drop it anywhere," Grace said, setting her laptop down on the desk. "I'll try one last time. Stay for a little while?"
"I can't," Carey said. "I have a meeting this afternoon."
"One more hug?"
"You are incorrigible," Carey said, stepping toward her. Grace snuggled against her chest and made that happy sound in her throat that Carey secretly loved. Unable to resist, she nuzzled the blonde hair. "I'll miss you," she said, holding Grace tight.
"Promise you'll come to graduation?"
"I promise."
"I love you."
Carey pressed her lips against Grace's head. "I'm sorry," she said, brushing the young woman's hair with her lips. "I care so much about you."
Grace hugged tighter. "Like a sister, I know."
Taking a deep breath, Carey smiled and shook her head. "Trust me when I tell you my thoughts of you have been far from sisterly," she said, kissing the blonde head again. "You've made sure of that."
Grace lifted her head. "Then why do you keep holding back?"
"You're still in school," Carey said. "I'm over an hour away. It wouldn't be fair to either of us."