Wildflower (17 page)

A couple? Was that where this was all going?
Is that where Abby wanted it to go? After a lot of introspection,
Abby believed that it was. There was something about Hazel Fillmore
that totally intrigued her and the woman’s touch had sent thrills
and chills up her spine. Yes, Abby was beginning to believe she
wanted a relationship with Hazel. Was Hazel even interested? Oh
yes, she was definitely interested, Abby could tell. Ah well, this
all woman dance would give Abby a chance to see how it felt to be
in a woman’s company that way. All right then, to the dance she
would go.

Abby spent a great deal of time on her
appearance as she dressed for the dance. She had decided to go as a
nineteen fifties movie star. She carefully arranged her hair and
put on the long black dress. A triple strand of pearls followed
along with drop pearl earrings and gold rings. She smiled with
delight as she checked herself in the mirror and pinned on the tiny
hat. “You know Hubby, my life is like a long string of costume
parties and I just love it this way,” she smiled as she made one
last adjustment to her dress then swept up her car keys and headed
for the door.

“Aw Tommy, I’m not really into it tonight,”
sighed Hazel.

“You have to go, you promised Sharon and Tina
that you’d be there and so you must.”

“But,”

“No buts. Go on, pretty yourself up and go
have fun, just don’t stay too late, you have to work in the
morning.”

“Yes Mom,” moaned Hazel as she slouched to
her bedroom and began to get dressed for the dance. She’d been far
more enthusiastic about this all woman dance before she’d met Abby.
Now all she could think of was that mass of golden hair and those
crystal blue eyes. Hazel no longer had any desire to meet other
women at all.

It was almost nine when Sharon and Tina
picked her up at the apartment and drove her to the dance. “My god
Hazel,” exclaimed Tina, “that red dress is almost alive. I swear
you look good enough to make me switch sides.”

“Oh sweetie, talk to me,” purred Hazel as she
turned in her seat to grin wickedly at Tina.

“Stop that you letch,” admonished a blushing
Tina, “I was trying to pay you a compliment.”

“Thank you Tina,” said Hazel demurely.

“Brat,” muttered Tina fiercely. Sharon was
still giggling as she drove to into the bar’s parking lot.

They went inside and commandeered a table for
themselves and two of Sharon’s friends. Tina brought drinks and
they settled down for a chat as the dance got under way. Hazel sat
absent mindedly sipping on her Shirley Temple, half listening to
the buzz of conversation that tried and failed to rise over the
music. Suddenly she gasped as her drink slipped forgotten from her
fingers. Fortunately she had been resting her hand on the table at
the time. “Hazel, are you alright?” asked Sharon.

“Absolutely perfect,” Hazel replied without
turning to look at her. Sharon and the others turned to see what
had caught Hazel’s attention. They all gasped in wonder. A Marilyn
Monroe look alike had just swept into the room and advanced on a
table of women across the dance floor from where they sat.

“My god, that’s her isn’t it?” exclaimed
Tina. “It’s the mystery blonde. Go get her Hazel.”

“Yes ma’am,” replied Hazel as she rose to her
feet and slowly, gracefully, walked over to where the newcomer sat
with her friends.

“Abby, there you are,” called Gwen. “My god
girl, you look like a million bucks. Where do you find all those
fantastic outfits?”

“Thank you, thank you,” smiled Abby as she
sat beside Carol.

“Abby, this is my cousin Juanita,” said Gwen.
“Juanita, this is Abby MacKai.”

“A pleasure Juanita,” smiled Abby as she
shook the woman’s hand. The girl was a bit taller than Abby and
somewhat overweight. She also had not taken a great deal of trouble
with her appearance. Abby did not approve at all.

“Abby, I want to thank you for agreeing to
meet me here tonight,” replied Juanita as she held onto Abby’s hand
far too long.

Abby shot Gwen a hard look, but Gwen would
not meet her eyes. “Juanita, I am sorry if Gwen has given you a
wrong impression,” Abby stated firmly as she pointedly retrieved
her hand, “but I did not come here tonight specifically to meet
you.”

“Actually, Abby is here to meet me,” said a
rich contralto voice. They all looked up suddenly to see a tall
vision of loveliness in a very active red dress. She was smiling
warmly at Abby. “Sorry Abby, but I stopped for a moment to chat
with some friends.”

“No problem dear, I quite understand,”
replied Abby, smiling brightly as she stood and took Hazel’s hand.
“Ladies, this is Hazel Fillmore, the famous photographer. Hazel
honey, this is Juanita, Gwen, and this is Carol. Hazel has promised
to introduce me around and to dance the night away with me.”

“Ladies, a pleasure,” smiled Hazel brightly.
“Forgive me now, but I must steal Abby away from you.” Still
smiling, Hazel squeezed Abby’s hand and led her back to the table
where her friends had watched the action. Hazel introduced Abby
then swept her onto the dance floor.

“Hazel, thank you for that timely rescue,”
smiled Abby as she stepped into Hazel’s arms.

“Oh my dear,” laughed Hazel as she held Abby
gently, “the pleasure was mine. I must say, it is a real delight to
find you here tonight. I wasn’t going to come, but now I’m glad
that I did.”

“Well I’m very glad that you did too,”
replied Abby with a saucy grin.

“Do your friends often set you up like
that?”

“No my dear, they do not. I warned Gwen not
to do that. If she thought I would just smile sweetly and take it,
she is badly mistaken. I choose my own companions and I am very
choosey.”

“Really?” smiled Hazel as she gracefully
swept Abby through the dance, “then I shall take that as a
compliment.”

“Yes, and so you should, you saucy thing,”
laughed Abby. “Actually I bought the ticket on a whim and hadn’t
decided for sure to come until the last minute.”

“Well I am glad you did.”

“So you went out for a look at the house,
what do you think?”

“I absolutely love it,” laughed Hazel. “How
did you know I went out for a look? No wait, let me guess. The
neighbors saw us and told you someone was scouting out the
place.”

“Bingo. Do you think you will find what
you’re looking for out there?”

“Convinced of it,” replied Hazel gazing into
Abby’s eyes.

“Thank you Hazel,” smiled Abby shyly as she
blushed softly and dropped her gaze. “I will take that as a
compliment.”

The music shifted into rock and roll and
there was little chance for conversation for a while. Finally they
went and sat with Hazel’s friends. Abby smiled and nodded her
approval as Hazel pushed away her drink and ordered a fresh one for
herself and one for Abby. “You don’t want the rest of that one?”
asked Tina.

“Big city rules,” smiled Abby as she patted
Hazel’s hand. “Once you take your eyes off it, it doesn’t touch
your lips again.”

“Well, yeah,” replied Tina, “but this is an
all woman dance and we’re all friends here.”

“Please don’t take offence Tina,” Hazel said
earnestly, “but I made that mistake once before and I never will
again.” Before the conversation could go any deeper, the music
shifted to a slow waltz and Abby took Hazel’s hand then led her
back onto the dance floor.

“You’ve been to the big city?” she smiled as
she stepped into Hazel’s arms.

Hazel almost fainted as Abby stepped right
into her arms until their breasts and thighs touched. Fighting to
concentrate, she held Abby gently, resisting the urge to crush the
woman to her. “I had a few tough years,” she replied at last. “I
made a lot of mistakes.”

“Did you learn from them?” asked Abby as she
snuggled even closer. She was resting her head on Hazel’s shoulder
now and Hazel was definitely having trouble focusing on the
conversation.

“I’d sure like to think so,” she managed.

“Then nothing more is required,” Abby
breathed in Hazel’s ear. “Hold me tighter Hazel, I won’t break.”
Swallowing hard, Hazel obeyed and pulled Abby tighter. “Mmm, that’s
better.”

“Experimenting?” asked Hazel softly as she
laid her cheek against Abby’s hair.

“Uh huh, this is new for me Hazel. I admit I
am using you shamelessly.”

“Story of my life,” laughed Hazel. “So how is
it so far?”

Abby leaned back to look into Hazel’s eyes.
“Nice,” she purred, “I like being close to you. Hazel, I wouldn’t
hurt you for the world. If this is getting too weird for you just
say so and I’ll back off and go.” She started to step back, but
Hazel held her firmly.

“Oh no you don’t; I’m tougher than I look and
I do like you right where you are.”

The night was lost in music and dance and
gazing into each other’s eyes. Although they were polite to
everybody it was obvious to anyone there that these two had eyes
only for each other. Their laughter and their smiles lit up the
whole room and everyone who came near them seemed to pick up on the
joy they were sharing. Suddenly Abby looked at her watch and
gasped. “My god, the time,” she exclaimed. “I hate to do it, but I
should go now.” Just then another slow waltz started to play and
Hazel smiled and opened her arms. Laughing, Abby stepped into
Hazel’s embrace. “Ok, just this one, then I do have to get on the
road.”

Abby snuggled into Hazel’s arms and Hazel
pulled her closer. Laying her cheek against Abby’s hair, Hazel
drank deeply of the woman’s scent and fell completely in love
forever. She had found her wildflower. As they danced Hazel prayed
the music would never stop, but eventually it did.

“Oh god, I forgot to give you my phone
number,” laughed Abby as she stepped from Hazel’s arms. “I have
some of my cards in my purse; I’ll get one for you.”

“Great, I’ll give you mine too.”

“Hazel, I must thank you for a wonderful time
tonight,” enthused Abby as she led the way toward the table, still
holding Hazel’s hand, “but I really must be going. I’ve left Hubby
alone far too long as it is.” She was not even aware of it as
Hazel’s hand slipped from her grip. Abby fished a card from her
purse, but when she turned around, Hazel was nowhere to be seen.
She searched everywhere, but Hazel had fallen off the planet and
could not be found.

“Hubby!” The word struck Hazel like a sledge
hammer in the pit of her stomach. Married; Abby was married.
Fighting for breath and trying to hold the tears until she could
get outside, Hazel fled the dance hall. The woman was married and
trying to get a cheap thrill on the side, or worse, she was trying
to set up a threesome to entertain the hubby. Well there was no way
in hell Hazel Fillmore was going to get mixed up in anything like
that. With tears flowing freely, Hazel hid in the alley and watched
as Abby drove away, the big dog still in the back of the car. From
her hiding place around the corner, Hazel could not see the tears
that flowed down Abby’s cheeks.

“Hazel?” called Abby, puzzled. She began to
search the room, but she could not see Hazel anywhere.

“Your girlfriend just ran away,” laughed
Juanita as she walked past Abby. “I’m still free.”

“Sorry, I have standards,” snapped Abby as
she swept up her purse and shawl. She quick marched out the door
and made it halfway to the car before the tears burst forth. She
managed to drive a few blocks to a vacant lot where she let Hubby
out to do his business. She was sitting in the car, heartbreaking
sobs shaking her slender body, when the shabby looking man
approached her.

“Don’t cry darlin’,” he grinned, “I’ll cheer
you up.” Suddenly he screamed as a huge snarling mass of teeth
leaped between them. As the man ran away, Abby let Hubby back into
the car and gave him a biscuit.

“Well, it looks as though it’s just you and
me against the world again, big boy,” she sniffed as she put the
car in gear and set out on the long drive home. The drive home
seemed to take forever, and Abby lost sight of the road several
times as the tears overwhelmed her again. At one point she nearly
grazed the hindquarters of a moose before she even saw it. Finally,
at long last, Abby made it home and hurried inside, forgetting to
close the kitchen door properly.

Abby ran upstairs and threw herself on the
bed. There she lay as she sobbed away her sorrow and pain. Hubby
stayed at her side, gently nuzzling her from time to time. When he
could no longer wait, and he was still unsuccessful at rousing
Abby, he ran down the stairs and pushed at the kitchen door. It
opened and he was gone into the night.

Having completed his business Hubby returned,
and, with a few attempts, he was able to regain access to the
house. Racing back upstairs, he found Abby right where he’d left
her. She had managed to toss aside her clothes and crawl into her
nightgown; she was now asleep on the top of the bed. She hadn’t
even washed off her make up.

The next morning Abby dragged herself down
the stairs, and, seeing that Hubby could fend for himself, poured
the entire bag of dog food onto the floor beside his dish so he
would have food as well. With a cup of two day old tea in her hand,
she retreated to the living room and her chair that faced the
window and the magnificent view of the water.

For the next three days Abby rarely moved
from that chair, sleeping there as well, but mostly just staring
out the window. Her mind had completely shut off, fleeing from the
pain of another vanished lover. Wanda found her there on the third
day.

Tommy held Hazel gently while she sobbed out
her sorrow. “It’s alright Hazel honey, Tommy’s got you.”

“She’s married Tommy,” wailed Hazel. “She was
trying to get a cheap thrill or to set up a threesome or something
but I just can’t go there.”