All disclaimers
may be found in Chapter 1
California Gold
The next couple
of weeks were an emotional roller coaster ride for everyone involved. Sheila,
Sally, and Samantha remained at Cielo en Tierra during Don’s evaluation. He was
given a battery of tests, followed by initiation of treatment, and a subsequent
search for a facility in Washington State where he could be transferred once
his diagnosis was confirmed. Alex remained at her parents’ house only over the
weekend, before being called back to Laguna to take care of a complicated
business matter at Alternative Paradise.
Samantha’s first
reaction was to go home with Alex. She whined that she felt like a third wheel
staying around the house in La Jolla. And she felt like an outcast because when
visiting privileges were resumed, she was the only family member the doctor
excluded. Sheila and Sally had been asked to stay away for the first few days
because of Don’s agitated state of mind, but when he had inquired as to where
his wife and younger daughter were, the doctor felt a visit might have a
positive influence on him.
Alex felt sorry
for Samantha, as did everyone at the villa, but she told her it was important
for her to stay as support for her mom and sister.
With tears in her
eyes and a lump in her throat, Samantha had agreed.
Alex hated
leaving alone, but she kept telling herself it was important for Samantha to
remain in La Jolla. As much as she had wanted to agree with the blonde’s first
decision to go home with her, she knew if she had said yes, it would have been
out of selfishness and not at all for the greater good. Alex and Samantha had
not been separated since they had become a couple, and the experience was not a
pleasant one for either of them.
In Alex’s
absence, Samantha had taken to sleeping with one of brunette’s tee shirts. She
had taken the shirt out of the hamper after Alex left for Laguna and draped it
over her lover’s pillow. The shirt was permeated with the scent of Obsession,
mingled with the essence of Alex, and it brought Samantha comfort. Although it
was no substitute for the real thing, it made falling asleep in the large empty
bed a little easier.
Most of the
daytime hours found the blonde occupied with busy work, but when evening
arrived and the sun began its descent into the ocean, Samantha’s heart felt
empty. At sunset she would walk out onto the patio with the portable phone in
hand to await the nightly ritual call from her lover. Alex was never late, and
Samantha always answered on the first ring.
What was in actuality
only two weeks was, in Samantha’s mind, an eternity. November had quickly
become December. Carols were intermittently being played on the radio,
Christmas lights decorated the trees, and buildings of downtown La Jolla, and
the attitudes of people toward one another all seemed to change overnight, as
the season of giving arrived.
Aurora insisted
on getting the younger woman out of the house during the day and into the
spirit of the season.
“Come on,” the
older woman chided, “this is the best time to search for Alex’s presents. She
won’t be trying to snoop over your shoulder.”
Samantha shook
off her melancholy mood and managed to convincingly show some interest in
shopping.
Her greatest
motivation was in knowing that Alex would be driving down for the weekend. Don
was being released from the facility and flown to a sanitarium in Washington
not far from the Riley home. The doctor had informed Sheila that she
anticipated Don would be well enough to go home by New Year’s day, but that she
held no hope for his leaving the new facility before then. She wanted to make
sure that he could cope with the stress of everyday life before pushing him
back into society. With Samantha's Washington family going home, she would be
going home, also.
The day before
her father was to be released from the facility, Samantha had a long discussion
with the doctor. Unfortunately, what Samantha wanted to hear and what the
doctor had to say were two different things.
“I’m concerned,
Samantha, that you seeing Don at this point in his recovery would be more
detrimental than beneficial.”
There were tears
in Samantha’s eyes as she continued to listen to the physician.
“I know this is a
difficult time for you, but I have to put your father’s condition first. I feel
quite confident that he’ll be ready to visit with you around the first of the
year.”
“The first of the
year?” Samantha gasped.
“Samantha,” Dr.
Yonderson continued, as she put a sympathetic arm around the smaller woman’s
shoulders, “from what you’ve told me already, your father hasn’t spoken civilly
to you since the day he discovered your sexual preference.”
Samantha nodded
her head and stifled a sob. “I just thought that now, maybe things would be
different between the two of us.”
“They very well
could be, Samantha, but you have to give your father time to heal. On the other
hand, he may never accept your lifestyle, and that’s a fact that you may have
to live with.” She pulled the blonde close and gave her a motherly hug. “What
is to be, will be, Samantha. You have to believe that everything happens as it
should, even when we can’t see the reasoning behind it.”
Again, Samantha
nodded. “I know that, doctor. Thanks for taking the time to talk with me.”
“No problem,
Samantha, that’s my job.” Dr. Yonderson smiled and started to say something
else when her beeper interrupted the conversation. She read the message and
shook her head. “Gotta run, hon. Tell Aurora and Kelley I said hi, will you?”
“Most
definitely.” Samantha promised. Her final “thank you” was lost to the air as
the physician made her way quickly down the corridor toward the double doors.
********************
Friday finally
arrived and Alex along with it, just in time to say goodbye to Sally and
Sheila. Don was being transported via a van from the facility to the Cessna
owned by the Dorian’s. Since Aurora was beginning a book tour during the
Christmas season and kicking it off in Seattle, she and Kelley had volunteered
to fly the Riley’s, sans Samantha, home. It seemed the most expedient way to
get Don to the new facility. Plans had been formulated to have Don and an
attendant meet them at the plane in San Diego. He would be heavily sedated, and
the doctor had promised no problems. The male nurse would be responsible for
him, and there was to be a van from the sanitarium waiting to pick them up at
the airport when they landed in Seattle.
Alex carried on a
short hello/goodbye conversation with Sheila and Sally and stood talking with
her parents, while Samantha said her final good-byes to her mother and sister.
“She seems to be
handling their leaving pretty good,” Alex observed, and Kelley agreed with her.
Sheila promised
Samantha that they would call as soon as they arrived home but reminded her to
give them time to get Don settled in at the new facility. “I’m sorry this has
been so hard on you, honey. I’m sure when Daddy is more himself, things will be
different between the two of you.” She kissed her daughter and pulled her into
a frantic hug. “Things will get better, Sammie, they have to.”
“I’m sure they
will, Mom,” Samantha parroted, trying to sound convincing. She hugged her
mother back and then turned to Sally. “Take care of yourself and Mom for me,
okay?” she pleaded as tears filled her eyes.
“Absolutely,
Sammie, absolutely,” Sally vowed, wiping a tear from her sister’s face and then
giving her a warm embrace and kiss goodbye. She turned to the tall brunette
standing slightly in the background. “You take care of my big sis, Alex,” she
grinned, shaking a finger at her sister-in-law. “Don’t make me have to come
back here and get you.”
“Yeah, right,
half-pint junior,” Alex retorted. “You and whose army?” One giant step and she
was standing next to her lover, a long slender arm draped easily over the
smaller woman’s shoulders. “Not to worry, little sis. She’s in good hands.”
Alex kissed Samantha on the crown of her head and pulled her close. She gave a
final plea to the departing relatives. “You all have a safe journey, and don’t
forget that phone call. Knowing your sister, we won’t have a moment’s rest
until we hear from you.”
Samantha leaned
into the front seat of the car and said goodbye to Aurora. She thanked her for
being so nice to her family.
Aurora kissed
Samantha on the cheek and whispered in her ear that they were part of her
family, too, now that she had a second daughter. “I left your Christmas
presents in the library. I hate that this tour is taking us away during the
holiday season, but I know you and Alex will be able to keep each other
occupied.” A sly grin spread over Aurora’s face. “No opening any of the gifts
until Christmas Eve. Promise me, Samantha.”
“I promise,”
Samantha assured her mom-in-law.
“I can’t trust
Alex to do the same,” the older woman confided, “so the burden falls on your
shoulders.” She smiled again and squeezed Samantha’s hand. “We’ll be in touch,
hon. Take care of yourself and that renegade of mine.”
“I promise that,
too, Mom. Be safe.”
Final farewells
were said all around, and the lovers watched in silence as the car went down
the driveway and out of site. Samantha continued to wave even after she knew no
one in the vehicle could see her.
When she thought
they had stood alone long enough, Alex spun Samantha around and pulled the
smaller woman into an amorous embrace. “Do you know how I’ve missed this?” Not
waiting for an answer, she bent down and gently nuzzled Samantha’s ear. Soft,
moist lips sent chills of anticipation up and down the smaller woman’s spine.
Alex held her close and whispered, “Seems like we have the entire villa to
ourselves. Kelley sent everyone home early. Could I interest you in some
afternoon delight?”
Samantha could
feel her knees weakening.
Without waiting
for an answer, Alex abruptly picked the blonde up and strolled toward the front
door.
Small arms
encircled Alex’s neck. “I can tell you’ve been exercising these past couple of
weeks,” she giggled.
“Nothing else to
do with you so far away,” the tall beauty confessed.
Inside the door
Samantha began to squirm in her lover’s arms. “I’ve got to be getting heavy; I
can walk from here,” she stated, still giggling.
“Only if you
promise not to walk anywhere out of my sight.”
“Absolutely!”
Samantha retorted.
“So, did Mom feed
you today?” Alex wanted to know.
“Actually, we all
grabbed a bagel on the run for breakfast. I was busy helping my mom and Sally
finish getting everything packed, Kelley was deep in conversation with
Esmerelda about what needed to be done while they’re gone, and Aurora had a
conference call with her publisher. Lunch was kind of a catch as catch can,
some tuna salad, chips, stuff like that. We were hoping you might have been
here by then.”
“Yeah, well, a
few last minute calls came in as I was about to leave. You know how hectic it
is to get out of the Center some days. But it sounds like this place was also
buzzing this morning.” The dark-haired woman looked around at the deserted
foyer. Two shapely eyebrows lifted in unison. “Hmm, it doesn’t seem so busy
now. I suppose the question is, are you hungry?”
“Are we talking
about real food,” Samantha asked, putting her arms around her lover’s waist.
“Ah, real food as
opposed to?”
“Something that
will satisfy my soul and my hunger for a certain six foot stretch of beautiful
brunette or something that will fill my stomach.”
“I suppose,
Samantha, that is entirely up to you?”
“You know I hate
choosing between things I love.” The blonde buried her head in her lover’s
chest. “What do you want?” she asked tilting her neck back and looking into
baby blues she had been without seeing for what seemed like eternity.
“Since it seems
like I’m going to be making this decision, I pick the nonvegetarian meal followed by something divinely decadent that we
have delivered so we don’t have to leave the Villa or cook tonight.” She looked
down and kissed the tip of Samantha’s nose.
“Hmm,
nonvegetarian. Can’t say I’ve ever been described as that, but I definitely
resemble that remark.” She giggled and held Alex closer. “What did you have in
mind for the second course?”
“I don’t know;
it’s a toss up between Mexican or French.”
The smaller woman
broke into a laugh, “Yeah that’s a real toss up. That’s almost like saying do
you take your lunch or walk to school.”
“Huh?”
“Alex those two
cuisines are as far apart from each other as fast food and gourmet.”
“And your point
is?”
Samantha heaved a
huge sigh and shook her head. “I guess I have no point, but if it’s decadent
you’re looking for, I say we go with French.”
“There, that
decision wasn’t all that difficult, was it?” Now it was Alex who was chuckling
as she kissed Samantha on the cheek. “What do you say we order the food, go
take a bath, eat, and then retire to the luxury of a nice comfortable bed?”
“I’d say that
sounds like a marvelous way to spend the rest of the day and night.”
“Good, then you
go start the bath, and I’ll order. I’ll tell them not to hurry.” Alex picked up
the phone and started to order, while Samantha headed toward the bathroom.
“Bonjour,
mon nom est Alexis Dorian. Je voudrais commander le dîner pour être livré à ma maison . . .”
Samantha
stopped dead in her tracks to listen, as Alex gave her name, address, and phone
number and then proceeded to order the entire meal in French.
“Je
voudrais deux commandes de votre bouillabaisse, un morceau de Tiramisu, un pain
Français, et deux éclairs au chocolat, s'il vous plaît.”
The
brunette motioned for Samantha to continue to the bath while she finalized the
order.
But Samantha stood riveted to the spot where she had stopped until she heard the final, 'Merci et au revoir.' She then exited the living room and ran to the bathroom to start filling the tub.
Minutes later
when they were both naked and up to their necks in fragrant bubbles, Samantha
floated closer to Alex. “I understood about four words of what you said on the
phone. Let’s see; we’re having bouillabaisse, Tiramisu, and chocolate eclairs.
You also said ‘thank you and goodbye.’”
“Very good,” Alex
chuckled. “We’re also getting some French bread, and they won’t be arriving for
about an hour to an hour-and-a-half. Plenty of time to relax and bathe.”
“Yeah, and get
even hornier than we already are,” Samantha added.
“I guarantee that
will be taken care of after you stomach is full.” She pulled the smaller woman
onto her lap and put her head back on the rest.
“I’m sure the
people who answered the phone speak English, Ms. showoff; why the French?”
“Oh, I just like
to exercise my languages when I get the chance. You know; if you don’t use it
ya lose it. But getting back to the present, it seems like an eternity since
we’ve done this,” She nuzzled her face closer to Samantha’s. “I hated being
separated from you, Samantha.”
Samantha put her
head on Alex’s chest and sighed. “We’ll make up for the lost time; I’m sure of
it. I want to thank you for talking me into staying here, Alex. I would have
felt guilty leaving Mom and Sally here by themselves. Sometimes I felt that I
was no more than a sounding board when they came home at night, a place to
bounce off all the new information they had learned throughout the day about
Dad’s illness. But at other times I felt that Mom really needed me here to help
her through the first couple weeks as she went from anger, to pity, to
acknowledgement that most of his violent actions had not been voluntary.”
The two women sat
and reflected on the weeks just past, never getting out of touch with each
other’s bodies as they talked, as though they were afraid if they stopped
touching the spell of reunion would be broken. The warmth of the churning water
soothed and mesmerized the lovers when vocal proclamations turned to inward
thoughts, and each of the women became lost in the comfort of the other’s arms.
Alex had leaned
her body back and placed her head on the tub pillow. Samantha sat on Alex’s
lap, her head resting on the brunette’s chest.
Suddenly, a loud
buzzing sound rang through the villa. Alex jumped, startled. “Damn, Samantha,
where’d the time go? “ She climbed out of the tub and grabbed a robe from
behind the door. “That’s our dinner. Wanna meet me in the dining room?” she
asked exiting the room.
“Sure,” Samantha
answered as she began to rise from the still bubbling liquid. She looked down
at her fingers and laughed. Talk about
prunin’; I look to be about eighty years old.
Minutes later
they met again in the dining room where Alex had already begun to set out the
feast that had just been delivered.
“That smells
wonderful, Alex.”
“It tastes as
good as it smells,” the brunette commented.
“Want me to get
the wine?” Samantha asked.
“No. Why don’t
you get out the dishes, and I’ll get the wine?”
“Okay,” the
blonde agreed.
Talk throughout
the meal was minimal, except for the occasional mumble of pleasure coming from
Samantha commenting on the deliciousness of the food. Neither of the women had
realized how hungry they were, and the meal disappeared in a short period of
time. Once again the two lovers found themselves lost in an atmosphere of
quietude, this time brought about by the feeling of full stomachs.
They sipped
leisurely on a second glass of wine. “You know, I think this is the first time
I’ve ever heard this house so quiet,” Samantha stated, tilting her head to
acknowledge the silence.
“We could rectify
that by calling some friends over for a party,” Alex offered with a sly grin.
“Not on your
life,” Samantha countered, leaving her chair and making herself comfortable on
Alex’s lap. “I have other plans for you this evening tall, dark, and
beautiful,” she whispered into Alex’s ear.
“In that case,
shall we retire to more comfortable surroundings?” Alex queried.
“Absolutely.”
With her arm
around Samantha’s shoulders, Alex maneuvered the two of them over to the
stereo. She shuffled through some CD’s, placed a few in the disc holder, turned
the machine on, and then engaged the intercom. The lover’s were serenaded by
soft saxophone music that followed them from room to room as they continued to
their final destination.
It was early
evening and the pink, purple, and blue of the sunset was filtering through the
room, drenching it in an atmosphere of warmth.
They stood by the
window looking out at the ocean.
“Last night when
I stood here at this time waiting for your phone call, I cried at the beauty of
the sunset and the emptiness I felt without you here by my side.” Samantha
tilted her head to rest on Alex’s body. “Tonight the same scene brings me such
inner peace.”
“I know exactly
how you feel, Samantha. I was looking at our view every night when I called you
and felt the same pang of loneliness. But we’re both here now.” Her fingers
ached to touch the soft skin beneath the lavender robe. Her hands went down to
the sash that was loosely tied and untied it. Slipping her hands inside the
robe, she caressed the smooth curve of her lover’s back, pulling Samantha’s
body closer and burying her face in flaxen hair. “I love you, Samantha,” she
whispered. She brought her hands up the front of her lover’s body to the small
shoulders, and then in one swift motion caused the robe to drop to the carpet
below.
Alex grinned as
ripples of love bumps appeared on the body before her.
Samantha returned
the smile and untied Alex’s belt, as she, in like fashion, freed the brunette
of her bathrobe.
In silence they
stood in the shadows of a darkening sky, enjoying the closeness that had been
missing from their lives the past couple of weeks. Small fingers began to trace
abstract circles around the taller woman’s back but were soon halted as longer
fingers reached around and intertwined with them. In the choreography of a
practiced dance, the two women effortlessly found their way to the large bed.
“I never thought
I could miss one person so much in such a short span of time,” Alex confessed,
barely breathing the words into her lover’s ear. Stretched out naked on the
long bed, her muscular form dwarfed that of her partner. “Pent up energy and
emotion can be a dangerous duo, my love,” she muttered.
In an easy
succession she straddled the smaller woman and then sat up to look down into an
angelic face halloed in the light of a newly risen moon. “You’re more beautiful
every time I look at you.”
Samantha smiled
and reached up. “Talk like that will get you absolutely anything you desire,”
she whispered. She pulled Alex down on top of her and showered her face with
kisses. “There are so many things I want to do with and to you, but the most
important at this very minute is just to feel you close to me.” A small tear
filtered out of the corner of Samantha’s eye and was quickly kissed away by an
observant mouth.
“I’m the eater of
tears,” Alex acknowledged. “Please tell me, my lady, that those were tears of
joy I just consumed. If not, I shall spend the rest of the evening in agony
from consuming tears of sorrow.”
Samantha giggled.
“Definitely tears of joy, my Princess Charming,” she affirmed. Remaining tears
slipped back into the recesses of malachite eyes, leaving only looks of love
and joy, which she graciously showered on the woman she adored.
Taking their time
to reacquaint themselves with each other’s body, the lovers were in no hurry to
bring their act of love to fruition. What began with fervent overtones was soon
abandoned to the realm of belly laughs, and the lovers took advantage of time
to enjoy one another.
Samantha was
still tittering from the tickle attack when Alex’s demeanor turned serious.
“Goddess, I missed you these past weeks, and . . .”
Luscious lips
prevented the conclusion of the thought to be vocalized, as Samantha smothered
Alex with affection. The blonde quickly shifted her position, and Alex found
herself looking up into brilliant verdant eyes instead of looking down.
Samantha was now fervently occupied with the task of covering Alex’s face and
neck with baby kisses. At the same time, her hands became otherwise engaged in
caressing the strong, shapely body that now lay beneath her.
Dinner might have
still been digesting in her stomach, but she was filled with a thirst that only
consuming her soulmate would quench. Samantha slowly slid her body down the
muscular one that lay under her, leaving a trail of kisses from Alex’s neck, to
her firm breasts, and then continuing on to the mound of Aphrodite, where she
paused for a moment to look up at the expression on her partner’s face.
A whimper from
deep within Alex’s throat caused Samantha to hesitate and search her lover’s
face. She reached up and with a gentle massaging motion took one firm breast in
each hand. This action elicited additional ecstatic murmuring from the
brunette. Content that everything was going according to her plan, Samantha
buried her face in the dark curls before her. The skin on her back tingled as
Alex, simultaneously, reciprocated by running adept fingers through golden
locks. Alex’s anticipation was rewarded when the Samantha's tongue found it’s
small, pulsing target, and moans of pleasure emanated from both participants.
The ritual of
love continued until heat from their glistening bodies perfumed the room with
scents of Obsession and Shalimar mingled with the aroma of love. Although
trying to make up for two lost weeks was a challenge, it had been a pleasant
task that neither of them had any complaint with. They were both sated and
exhausted, and the empty feeling each of them had been carrying around during
their separation had joyously been replaced with one of wholeness.
********************
Somewhere between
sleep and dawn, Sally called to let Samantha and Alex know that she and Sheila
had arrived home safely and that Don was signed into the sanatorium and
adjusting nicely to his new environment. Although Samantha had been sleeping
before the call, her level of comfort was much greater once she no longer had
to worry as to the welfare of her Washington family.
********************
When the morning
sun began to streak through the windows, Alex awoke, but couldn’t motivate
herself to get out of bed and leave the sleeping Samantha. She was immediately
too awake to go back to sleep, but she didn’t want to be alone.
“Hey,
sleepyhead.” She kissed the golden crown at her lips and then pouted when
Samantha merely moaned and snuggled closer into her body. “No you don’t,” Alex
teased. “Time for Sleeping Beauty to awaken.”
“Aw, Alex,” the
smaller woman whined. “I was having such a wonderful dream.”
“So wake up and
tell me about it,” Alex coaxed.
“No,” Samantha
answered, not opening her eyes. “You just want me to talk so I’ll wake up and
keep you company.”
“Absolutely,”
Alex chuckled and then whispered into Samantha’s ear, “I could make waking up
worth your while.”
“Gosh, you really
know how to bribe a girl,” Samantha crooned, opening and batting her eyelashes.
“Instant replays
are my specialty.” Alex continued, slowly tracing circles in the skin at her
fingertips. The brunette smiled when she observed the involuntary reaction of
love bumps immediately dotting the area beneath her hands. “So, how important
is finishing that dream?”
“What dream?”
Samantha answered, and she allowed herself to be maneuvered onto her back.
The next hour was
spent reconstructing the loving scene from the night before. When both the
women were satisfied beyond expectations they lay side by side, staring up at
the ceiling, each in her own wonderland of euphoria.
Finally, Alex
broke the silence. “So, do you want to stay here for the rest of the weekend or
go home?”
“Oh, Alex, let’s
go home,” came the immediate response as the toe-headed woman repositioned
herself on one elbow to look into her lover’s eyes. “I miss being home.”
Alex drew the
smaller woman into an embrace. “Home has missed you, too, Samantha. We’ll
bathe, dress, get the Christmas presents Mom and Kelley left for us, and head
for Laguna.”
As asleep as she
had been minutes before, the vivacious blonde was now similarly awake, off the
bed, and headed for the bathroom.
Not more than an
hour later, the two women were packed and ready to leave La Jolla.
The trip home was
peppered with discussion about the upcoming Christmas party at the Center. They
had decided within the past two weeks to have a fully catered affair because
they weren’t sure how much time and effort Samantha was going to be able to put
into preparations. Alex had suggested a company she was familiar with and
convinced Samantha that her spending hours coordinating was not crucial to
throwing a marvelous party for the employees and their families. Besides, Alex
had impishly argued, Samantha needed to spend more time buying her Christmas presents.
“You know, Alex,
even though we always know exactly when the Christmas season is going to occur,
it still seems to sneak up and bite us in the butt.”
“Well, I haven’t
had to worry much about the holiday the past few years. I’d become a bit of a
humbug,” the brunette confessed. “Kelley will be happy that I’ve seen fit to
get into the spirit again. She loves this time of the year.”
“Me, too,”
Samantha agreed. “I love the way strangers smile at each other and how
appreciative people seem to be. It’s a shame we can’t carry that feeling
through the remainder of the year.”
“I know,
Samantha, but unfortunately, that’s human nature. We tend to get so carried
away with everyday life that we forget the really important stuff.”
“Yeah,” Samantha
agreed.
********************
Samantha was given the pleasure of doing most of the decorating, but she drew the line when it came to decorating the Christmas tree.
“Okay, okay. I
give up. I’m only kidding.” She grabbed Samantha's wrists and drew the smaller
woman close to her. “I could never forget our anniversary.”
“And what date
would you consider our anniversary.” There was a twinkle in Samantha's eyes as
she watched her lover.
“I would
definitely say it was the day I caught and then kissed an angel. That would
have to be June 29, 1999.”
“And I would have
to agree with you,” Samantha countered. “I must admit, 1999 has been a very
good year for me; I’ll love reliving the memories each year when I place this
ornament on our tree.”
The rest of the
evening was spent finishing the decorations on the tree and talking about
upcoming holidays.
********************
With everything
going in a positive direction in Washington, the only real disappointment for
Samantha during the weeks that lead up to Christmas day turned out to be Sonny
and Ray’s declined invitation to the office party. Sonny started to explain
that their office get together was being held on the same weekend, but he
couldn’t bring himself to discuss the situation with Samantha, chickened out,
and put Ray on the phone to tell to Alex why they had to choose the same
weekend. Samantha reluctantly handed her lover the phone. After Alex cradled
the headset, Samantha listened intently while the entire conversation was
relayed to her.
Not five minutes
later the phone rang. “I am so sorry, sweetness,” Sonny whined into the
receiver.
“Sonny,” Samantha
coaxed, “it’s okay. I understand; honestly.”
“You do?”
“Yes, but you
could have told me yourself.”
“Not without
feeling like a jerk I couldn’t,” Sonny confessed.
“Listen,”
Samantha interrupted, “just promise that next year things will be different.”
“Absolutely!
We’ll pick out the dates sometime in the summer. That way we can come down for
your party and you can fly up for ours.”
“Sounds like a
deal to me,” the blonde agreed.
When she finished
with the conversation, she felt a lot better. Even though she would miss having
Sonny around for this year’s celebration, she had something to look forward to
for next year.
Kelley and Aurora
had managed to take a short break from Aurora’s book tour to surprise the girls
and spend Friday and Saturday with them. Aurora praised Samantha on her social
skills at hosting another great party and complimented her daughter-in-law on
the decorations that adorned the clinic, the guest quarters, and the penthouse.
Saturday was
family time, and the four of them were anxious to open their presents to each
other, even if Christmas was still a week away.
Kelley took
Samantha aside early in the evening to reiterate how thrilled she was to have
her as the newest member of the family. She thanked the younger woman for
bringing joy back into her daughter’s life and making Christmastime fun once
again.
After opening
their gifts from Kelley and Aurora, it was official that a date had been set
for Alex and Samantha to have a session with the regressionist. With everything
arranged and paid for, there was no way for Alex to change her mind.
Although it would
have been nice if they could have stayed, Aurora had an appointment in Las
Vegas on the 20th of December, so the visit
was cut short. The moms had plans to turn the business trip into a mini-vacation
following the interview. Ever the gambler, Aurora was thrilled to be spending
Christmas in Vegas. Kelley would have rather been home or spending it with Alex
and Samantha, but she knew her lover enjoyed the city that never slept. There
were a few new shows taking the place of some of the regular ones during the
holiday season, and she wanted to attend them. A short farewell found the two
older women on their way to Nevada, leaving the two younger women alone in the
penthouse.
Even before
Christmas Eve arrived, Samantha found herself experiencing one of the best
holiday seasons she could remember. She loved the adventure of sharing the
festivities of each new day with Alex. Although it had been difficult to come
up with novel gifts for the “woman who has everything,” Samantha had thoroughly
enjoyed the challenge of finding unique items that the brunette didn’t already
own. Some were totally off the wall and others down right silly, but Samantha
was satisfied with the choices she had made and was anxious to see the look on
her lover’s face on Christmas morning.
Alex, on the
other hand, knew exactly what she wanted to give the love of her life and had
been finished with the chore of shopping long before the rush of the winter
season.
On the 23rd of
December, Alex and Samantha got into a discussion on when would be appropriate
for them to open their gifts to each other. They were shocked to discover they
had such different ideas as to the traditional time of giving and receiving
presents. A lengthy discussion ensued on the subject of Christmas Eve versus
Christmas Day. Samantha insisted it wasn’t truly Christmas until after
midnight. Alex agreed and suggested they open their presents immediately
following the twelfth stroke of the chimes. Samantha tried to hold her ground
with after dawn on Christmas morning but was defeated when she looked into
entreating sapphire eyes.
“Besides,” Alex
argued continuing her plea after she had already won, “part of my present to
you demands that we be finished with our gifts before noon.”
“So?”
“So, I know you,
Samantha; with a vacation day to sleep in, you probably won’t be up before
noon.”
“Don’t be
ridiculous,” the small blonde countered. “You know how restless I get when I’m
excited. We’re talking about Christmas morning!”
The smile on
Alex’s face began to turn to a frown, but she was quickly admonished.
“Listen,”
Samantha urged. “I’m going to give in and agree to our celebrating on Christmas
Eve. Since we’re going to be alone, except for Rainbow, of course,” she smiled
as she bent down and picked up the small ball of fluff, “we can open gifts
anytime after the sunset. How’s that for a compromise?”
“It’s fabulous,
Samantha,” Alex gloated. “I can tell you this, you will never regret your
decision.”
********************
At last the
evening they had been waiting so patiently for arrived. It was December 24,
1999––their very first Christmas Eve had finally arrived. Sunset had left the
sky hours ago, and dusk had turned to solid night. To occupy some time before
the ritual of opening gifts, they had decided to take a warm, relaxing bath
complete with candles and music. The clinic was officially closed, and all
employees were on vacation until January 3, 2000. It was still hard to believe
that in eight days a new century would be starting.
The base of the
tree was piled with opened gifts from friends and relatives and a scattering of
unopened packages, which consisted of the gifts the women had gotten for each
other.
The gifts
Samantha had wrapped for Alex sported a silver metallic paper covered with
rainbow Christmas trees. Alex’s gifts for Samantha were wrapped in a fantasy
paper depicting a mythical scene with winged unicorns flying through the sky,
adorned with bridles of red and green with holly berries woven into their flowing
manes.
When they could
no longer stand looking at the presents, it was decided they would take turns
opening them. It was quite obvious at a glance that there were more unicorns
under the tree than rainbow trees.
“You added more
packages while I was dressing,” Samantha whined.
Alex merely
smiled.
“Not fair,” the
blonde protested.
“It simply means
you get to open two or three to my one,” Alex stated matter-of-factly as she
handed her lover a medium sized box.
“This paper’s
beautiful, Alex.”
“It’s what’s
inside that’s important, Samantha, not the wrapping.”
“I don’t know,
this looks pretty special to me,” Samantha disagreed as she carefully unwrapped
the box.
It turned out to
be a sweater and pair of warm slacks. Alex quickly handed her two more packages,
which also contained another sweater and a lavender parka.
“These outfits
are beautiful, Alex, but they’re more appropriate for the North Pole than
southern California. Are we going to visit Santa?” Samantha giggled.
“Never can tell
what the future has in store,” Alex answered, avoiding the question and the
puzzled look on Samantha's face.
“Are we going
skiing?”
Alex continued to
ignore the question and reached for another unopened gift.
“No you don’t,
Alex. It’s way beyond time for you to open something,” Samantha insisted as she
rummaged through the packages to find one earmarked for the brunette. “Here.
This one is a good one to start with.”
It was an odd
shaped package, long and thin. “My guess would be a gold plated ruler.” Alex
chuckled as she began tear off the paper.
“Very funny,”
Samantha countered, with an anxious look on her face.
“Okay, I give,”
Alex shrugged. Out of a leather pouch, she pulled a piece of wood that looked
like a slightly concave ruler. “Samantha, honey, what is this?”
“It’s what the
ancient Indians used instead of towels.” The smaller woman reached out and took
the object out of her lover’s hand. “See?” She scraped the wood against her arm
in a quick sweeping motion. “It’s used for drying . . .”
Alex couldn’t
keep a sober face. She began laughing. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why would I want to
dry my body with a stick?”
With an indignant
look on her face, Samantha shook her head. “Never mind, I just thought that
since everything we went through in Sedona that you of all people––”
“I do, Samantha,
I do. This,” she took the tool from Samantha's hand, “is a gift that took a lot
of . . . of . . . ingenuity, and I do appreciate it––honestly, but Samantha, do
you really expect me to dry with it?” She mimicked the motions the blonde had
made with the piece of wood and finally got the reaction from Samantha she had
been seeking.
“Okay, okay, you
win,” Samantha giggled. “It’s a silly gift. It was just so unusual and seemed
to fit in with all we had gone through––no––of course I don’t expect you to dry
with it. What could I have been thinking?”
“Good! Now that’s
we’ve got that one under control, I think it’s your turn again.”
The large box
contained a cocktail dress, purse, and shoes. “Wow, this is beautiful,”
Samantha exclaimed as she held the dress up in front of her. “You had best have
someplace special in mind if you want me to don this.” There was an impish
twinkle in green eyes as she leaned over and kissed Alex thank you. “My gifts
are going to pale in comparison, Alex. In my family we usually only gave one or
two gifts per person.”
“Well, you’re in my family now, my Destiny; time to
learn to splurge a little.” Alex kissed her on the cheek and handed her the
next present––a deep purple jogging suit.
“Okay, now I
really hate to have you open my gifts,” Samantha said as she admired the new
outfit. “But they are all gifts of love, so I won’t feel sorry for them.”
“Good girl,” Alex
agreed as she accepted the package Samantha was holding out to her.
The next few
presents Alex opened, not counting the three music CDs, were all some form of
the yin/yang symbol. There was a vanilla candle, sandstone coasters, an incense
burner, and a beautiful watch.
“Can I assume
this is a theme Christmas?” Alex asked without a glimmer of amusement in her
eyes.
Samantha didn’t
know whether to laugh with her or take offense. “Do you realize how difficult
you are to buy for Alexis Dorian?”
The blue eyes
sparkled, and Alex drew Samantha close. “I’m only teasing you. I love
everything I’ve opened.” She kissed the smaller woman on the crown of the head.
“As a matter of fact, I do know how
difficult I am to buy for, and I think you’ve done a marvelous job of getting
me things that I would never have . . .” She could feel Samantha tensing under
her embrace. “No . . . let me put that another way. I’m thrilled with the
variety of yin/yang objects you found.”
Samantha gave her
a questioning look.
“Seriously,
Samantha, I can use everything––well, except for the bathing stick,” she
chuckled. “I love everything, honey, thank you. This is the best Christmas I’ve
had in years.”
“Really, Alex? I
was so afraid you wouldn’t like the gifts. You really need to start a hobby or
a collection I can add to.”
“I have one.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, you.”
“Alex, I’m being
serious.”
“So am I.” She gave
Samantha an almost shy look, meant only for the woman she loved and handed her
another present.
“No,” Samantha
objected.
“Just this one
more,” Alex insisted.
“A-l-e-x, you’ve
already outdone yourself.”
“Just this one,” Alex repeated.
Samantha sighed and
shook her head, but then smiled and opened the gift. Inside the box was a
neatly folded T-shirt. When she pulled it out to look at the design, an
envelope dropped into her lap. She continued to inspect the shirt, which had a
big red apple with the New York skyline silhouetted in the middle of it and the
words “I Love New York” written across the top. Samantha shook her head
slightly and squinted her eyes––one eyebrow raised as she mimicked the facial
expression she loved to watch appear on Alex’s face. “There’s more to this gift
than meets the eye, isn’t there, Alex?”
“Don’t know,
Samantha, but it looks like you have an envelope to open.” The brunette had a
crooked grin on her face and a raised eyebrow that mirrored the expression of
her lover.
Samantha picked
up the envelope and carefully broke the seal. Inside was a certificate that
read: This coupon is good for one round-trip plane trip––destination New York
City––and one ticket to the Broadway show, Annie
Get Your Gun.
Samantha threw
her arms around Alex and hugged her, before planting baby kisses all around her
face. “I don’t believe you did this!” She repeated the phrase over and over
again. “I get you small, insignificant things like candles, music, and a watch,
and you give me a trip to New York City and a night at the theater!”
“Hey,” Alex
reminded her, “I’m going, too, you know.” Her heart swelled at Samantha's
reaction to the gifts. She knew there was no better place to take an aspiring
author than to a city where words and dreams came to life every night in the
theaters on and off-Broadway?
Tears of joy caressed
Samantha's face as she tried to gather her composure. “You, my dear, are
spoiling the bejeebers out of me.”
“That’s my
prerogative,” Alex answered.
“But I do have
one more present for you, Alex. It’s in your stocking.”
“Oh, you do, do
you? I didn’t even fill a stocking for you.”
“Gee, guess
you’re a loser at gift giving; how could you not fill a stocking?” She smiled
and handed the ornately decorated sock to the brunette. “Here. It’s not a trip
to New York, but it’s from my heart.”
Alex felt her
face flush as she took the stocking from her lover. She rummaged through all
the small stuff the stocking held, opening items such as toothpaste, candy, a
bottle of Obsession, a bar of Obsession soap, and some coal stuck at the edge
of the toe area.
“You got that for
being less than perfect during the year,” Samantha had explained, grinning.
Right before she
encountered the coal, Alex had extracted a small box wrapped in silver foil
paper and tied with a rainbow ribbon but had set it aside. When she finished
opening the other items, she picked up the tiny box. “This must be the prized
possession you spoke of.”
“Could be,”
Samantha replied in an angelic voice. “But you won’t ever know, if you don’t
open it.”
“’K,” Alex
whispered, as she slowly undid the paper and opened the lid. Lying on a bed of
lavender velvet was a silver ring. “The piece de resistance,” Alex muttered.
“Goddess, this is beautiful!”
It was, indeed,
the final addition to the theme of the season, and it was spectacular. She
lifted the exquisite piece of jewelry out of the box and held it between her
fingers to examine it closely. It was a silver-encased yin/yang and was of obviously
original design. One side had been cut from light blue aquamarine with an
inlaid emerald, while the other side was pale green amazonite accented with a
dark blue sapphire. Separating the colors was a mid-line of diamonds that
sparkled when the light hit them. The entire orb was centered between two
hands, and the area beyond each wrist was engraved. One side displayed the name
“Alex” and the other side “Samantha.” The words almost met as they continued
around the band. The inner section of the ring contained the date 12/25/1999
and the word “Destiny.”
Samantha sat and
drank in Alex’s reaction to her masterpiece.
Not usually at a
loss for words, Alex sat for a minute with a lump in her throat. “This is the
most beautiful piece of workmanship I’ve ever seen,” she exclaimed, unable to
keep the joyful tears from trickling down her face. “Samantha, I don’t know
what to say.”
“Thank you will
do just fine,” Samantha answered, as she wiped the salty dew from her lover’s
face. “There’s a card that goes with it.”
“Of course there
is,” Alex acknowledged. “You never forget the card. You just want to reduce me
to a sappy ball of mush don’t you?” She grinned and nodded her head.
“I love mush, and
I never share, so no one else will know,” the blonde teased and handed Alex the
card.
Slender fingers carefully opened the delicate
envelope and pulled out the glittering card.
OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS
To me Christmas is always
special
This year that’s particularly
true
My heart’s overflowing with
gladness
Because now in my life there is
you
I have a new feeling this
Christmas
As each ‘me’ disappears into
‘we’
I’m a part of something much
greater
Than I thought that I ever could
be
So my heart’s full of joy this
Christmas
I smile each time I look at your
face
You gave me the gift of
belonging
That I know time will never
erase
My unspoken prayers have been
answered
And my wildest of dreams have
come true
I’ve found love that many still
search for
I’m so lucky to share it with
you
In the midst of the holiday
season ~
This first Christmas we’re
favored to share
I rejoice in the life I’m living
And your love that
is precious and rare.
“Goddess, that’s
beautiful, Samantha, thank you.” Alex gave her a kiss and held her close. “I
hate to have to say this right now,” she whispered into Samantha's ear, “but we
really need to pack before going to bed tonight. Morning’s going to come early,
and we have a busy day scheduled.”
“Most of my
packing is sitting here at my feet.” Samantha motioned to the clothes scattered
around the floor under the tree.”
“I would say
that’s a good start, but . . .”
“I know, Alex;
I’m only kidding,” Samantha groaned, got up, and took Alex’s hands into her
own. “Come on. We’re off to pack.”
“Not before I
thank you properly for the beautiful presents,” Alex insisted.
“You thank me?” Samantha shook her head. “I think
I should be the one doing the thanking.” She spread her arms and acknowledged
the pile of gifts that now belonged to her.
“You told me
yourself, it isn’t the cost or the amount, but the thought behind the giving,
and in that department, I believe we are very equal.”
“Guess I can’t
argue with that,” Samantha acquiesced.
A look passed
between the two women that bespoke more than words of thanks could ever hope to
convey. This holiday season together was their first, but somehow each of them
felt that as new as their relationship was in this lifetime, their souls had
been bonded through many lives before.
There was a far
away look in Samantha's eyes, when she put voice to her thoughts. “I’ll bet
we’ve been together dozens of times over the centuries.”
“What makes you
think we’ve been through that many lives?”
“We’re just too
comfortable with each other not to have been. As much as I seem to be the
hopeless romantic, Alex, I don’t think I ever truly believed in ‘love at first
sight.’ But meeting you made a believer of me.”
Alex smiled and
shook her head. “Okay, believer, let’s get this show on the go. Just pack a few
things; we’ll shop for warm clothing while we’re there.”
Together they
gathered Samantha's presents from the boxes around the tree and took them into
the bedroom. Alex got down the suitcases and vacation packing commenced.
“I still can’t
believe I’m going to New York City,” Samantha mumbled to herself when Alex left
the room in search of the camera. “I feel like Cinderella getting ready for the
ball.”