Matrimonial Malice

"I'm glad you had fun" Alice said as she patted Kathy's hand.

"Did you have fun?" Kathy asked as she laid her head against the plush upholstery and looked at Alice in the lights of the road turning her hand to hold Alice's.

"Yes I did but I was just happy to be with you" Alice said as she effortlessly shifted the expensive sports car letting go of Kathy's hand to do so.

"So who was this Deirdre chick?" Kathy tried to keep the sound of her voice casual but to Alice's experienced ear she failed miserably.

Alice shrugged her elegant little shoulder "oh just someone I dated for a time."

"Dated?" Kathy asked, still trying to sound casual but remembered how she felt jealous, protective of Alice in the club.

"Yeah for a while but it didn't work out" Alice said as she kept her eyes on the road in the dark.

Kathy wasn't sure how she felt about that but she realized that if Alice wasn't with Deidre anymore there was a reason. She wondered where they were going in their relationship and wasn't sure this was the time or place to ask as she closed her eyes. Kathy was asleep as they pulled into their garage a while later.

On the way home Alice wasn't fooled, she had heard the slightly possessive note in Kathy's voice. At one time this would have signaled the beginning of the end in a relationship but with Kathy she didn't want it to. She understood her insecurity and thought about it. Didn't the fact that she had bought them a house prove she wanted their relationship to continue? Kathy had nothing to worry about. In fact Alice knew many of the people who had danced with her tonight would have gladly taken her home but Kathy faithfully kept coming back because she loved Alice. Alice found love peculiar and having experienced it for perhaps the first time in her own life she analyzed it constantly. She didn't feel insecure about Kathy, she could read her like a book, but she didn't like how protective it made her feel, how she wanted to keep Kathy in a cocoon out on the estate. It was why she had gladly taken her out this evening; she didn't want to smother Kathy with her love. She didn't want to make her into a hermit. She had encouraged Kathy to join the PTA at Kit's school and make friends outside their marriage, without Alice, it was why she had begun talking to her about expanding their family, she wanted Kathy happy, she needed to see her happy. Never in her life, even when her sister had been alive had she had another human being that she cared so much about and wanted to do good things for, to be a good person for. Running into Deirdre had reminded her of another lifetime ago, when she had rescued Deidre, of things she had done for her to protect her, of a person she wasn't proud of being anymore. She was no longer interested in rescuing anyone. Although she had saved Kathy, she had fallen in love with her too, she wanted a lifetime from her and this frightened Alice, of what it meant, she had never been afraid of anything in her life before.

"Well, have you thought about what you want to do with this room?" Alice asked as she caught Kathy in the nursery once again.

Kathy nodded as she hugged her arms to herself. "I'd like to have a baby, your baby" she said softly as she looked at Alice sadly. "I'd still like it to be mine but we can't everything we want can we."

They were having this conversation weeks after their initial one, the room had remained empty, the door usually closed. Their housekeeper the only one that came in here to vacuum and lightly dust and even then, why, no one used it.

"Kathy" Alice said to get her attention and waited patiently until the woman looked up at her standing in the doorway "I don't know how to tell you this actually but I looked into it further. There is a way...." she stopped talking to hesitate, not sure how to continue.

Kathy narrowed her eyes, that wasn't like Alice, she usually said something straight out. She waited patiently now.

Alice licked her lips as she formulated how she wanted to say this "I looked into donating my eggs to you."

Kathy was surprised and yet not...Alice was one of the most organized people she had ever met.

"I found out there is more to this than what we could possibly know, for instance did you know that you can have the eggs tested for certain genetic markers, even medical issues?" She looked at Kathy intently.

Kathy nodded to show she was listening but looked curious as to where this conversation was going.

"You can also add certain things if they can take out defective genes as it were" Alice was waiting for Kathy to catch on.

Kathy cocked her head slightly waiting for Alice to finish explaining.

Alice explained that some of this was highly experimental and through her contacts she had found that yes, they would have to have sperm to fertilize the egg, that was a given, but they could alter the egg's genetic makeup which essentially would make it part of Kathy as well as part of Alice, a true child of both of them. It would still be a genetic crapshoot as all children were that were naturally made but in this instance it would biologically be related to both of them.

Kathy stood there stunned as the impact of what Alice was saying sunk into her brain. She sat down in the middle of the nursery with an audible thump. Alice rushed to sit next to her and leaned down instead "are you okay?"

Kathy looked up from where Alice was leaning down in concern "is this true, they can really do this?" It sounded so, so, so science fiction!

Alice nodded, she didn't mention it was in the experimental stages of course and exorbitantly expensive but she had discretely inquired and invested in the research. She looked at it as a long term investment in more than one way beyond a financial gain. Her research and subsequent financial investment would pay off in more than monetary gains if this ever got government approval.

Kathy looked up into her eyes, her own searching for answers between the peculiar shades of browns that made up Alice's cat like eyes. She couldn't believe, her brain refused to believe for a moment what Alice had been telling her. Her grandest wish, her earnest desire to have a child of Alice's that was genetically and biologically related to both of them was actually possible. It sounded too far-fetched to be real, to actually exist.

"What about when it's born, won't you still have to adopt it?" she asked.

Alice nodded "yes but that shouldn't be a problem there are same sex adoptions in the state of California all the time."

Kathy looked down as she pondered the ramifications of all that Alice had just told her. A feeling of hope began to invade the pit of her stomach, she couldn't believe it, she just couldn't believe it and yet Alice had made the impossible happen before. She looked up with a hesitant smile "I love you Alice" she said quietly and that answer alone was all it took.

Alice knelt down and hugged her close, wrapping her up in her arms as they kissed it began to become passionate, she pulled back a little to suck on Kathy's lower lip and run her tongue along both of the luscious lips arousing Kathy as she gasped at the sensations that Alice caused in her. Alice leaned over her and pushed her back slowly on the carpet with her body as she straddled her kissing her deeper and deeper. She began to lift Kathy's blouse and touch the skin she bared underneath it. She ground her crotch suggestively against her as she began to lie down on top of her now prone body.

"Mom, mom! Where are you?" Kit called.

They both groaned at the interruption as Alice rolled off of her and lay on her back panting from their exertions and looking up at the ceiling.

Kathy leaned up on her elbows, straightened her clothes, and called "we are in here Kit"

Kit came down the hall from the stairs and into the unused room looking curiously at the two women lying on the carpet "what are you doing?"

"Just laying here talking" Kathy exaggerated, "what'd you need?"

"Can we go swimming?" Kit asked hopefully.

Kathy glanced at Alice and grinned apologetically as she got up to join her daughter, their daughter...

"I'd like you to adopt Kit" she began as they lay there spent in bed that night.

Kathy had begun a passionate encounter to apologize for the interruption earlier in the nursery and they both had enjoyed themselves immensely.

Alice leaned up on her elbows and looked at her "are you sure?"

Kathy nodded as she looked up at the blonde "don't you want to?"

"Of course I do but I was hesitant to ask, I didn't want to overstep any imaginary line between us. I want to protect her and take care of her" she said earnestly.

Kathy reached up and caressed the side of Alice's pretty face; the smell of sex was still in the air as they lay there naked together. "I want to know if something happens to me that Kit will have someone to love her as much as I do."

Alice closed her eyes briefly at the thought of losing Kathy, something she didn't want to contemplate. She realized she needed to protect them both more in ways than she previously had.

Alice went out shopping the next day, she had thought long and hard about this step and while she found it 'so gay' she also found it romantic and loving and was excited by the idea. Imagine her doing these things that were so devoted, so grown up, so very gay...she laughed at herself over her own thoughts. In the third store she found exactly what she was looking for, she handed over her credit card and signed the slip without a second's hesitation, she had known the moment she saw it that it was the one. Next she stopped at the liquor store to pick up a particular bottle of champagne. The flower shop was next and she made arrangements for them to come by the estate.

"Mrs. Fernandez may I have a word with you" she approached their live in housekeeper. She kept the house impeccable and still managed to seem to do nothing all day long as she followed her soap operas faithfully. Alice didn't mind as she stayed out of the way and the house looked terrific.

The small Hispanic woman looked up in surprise, she dealt mostly with the 'other' missus but Alice was the one who wrote the checks. She understood they were a lesbian couple but she neither approved nor disapproved and they were easy to care for, this was a good job for her and the pay generous. She wasn't about to rock the boat at all. "Yes ma'am" she said in slightly accented but perfectly understandable English.

Alice found the accent charming and she looked around conspiratorially "is Kathy around?"

The housekeeper shook her head slightly "the missus is in the office" she answered respectfully.

Alice nodded as she lowered her voice and asked "I have made arrangements for flowers to be delivered to the gazebo out back, could you let them in when they get here in the next hour, I'm going to take Kathy for a walk."

The housekeeper looked at her in surprise at the unusual request but didn't question it as she nodded.

"When they are done could you put this out there in a champagne bucket on ice with glasses?" she handed her the bottle.

Mrs. Fernandez smiled in understanding, something romantic was going on and she was all for that sort of thing as she nodded.

Alice smiled and nodded at her in return as she walked down the stairs to the lower level and the office. "Hey babe how's work?" she asked when she saw Kathy working at her desk.

Kathy looked up in surprise "hey you, where'd you go, did you know you left your cell on the bedside table?"

Alice laughed; she had forgotten her phone in her haste to get out the door this morning once Kit was off to school. She hadn't wanted Kathy to ask questions but leaving the phone was actually an accident. "I'm sorry, hope you didn't worry, I just wanted to get some errands done"

"Did you get them all done" Kathy asked pleased to see Alice in such a good mood.

"Yep, hey you want to blow this joint and take a walk to the beach?" she said playfully.

Kathy smiled in surprise, they both were so conscientious about their work and she was pleased at the interruption that didn't involve an eight year old child. "Sure, absolutely."

"Let's go then" Alice held out her hand and they walked out the patio door and made their way around the endless pool with its glass end overlooking the next level, down around the tennis courts, and across their big back yard to the locked gate that Alice produced a key to let them through. Leaving it unlocked they made their way down the bluffs to the various trails that led all over this area and provided countless aerobic exercises to the most experienced hiker. They chatted gleefully as they enjoyed the panoramic views, the incredible sunshine, and the light breeze of their mid-day jaunt. They enjoyed each other's companionship especially because it was just the two of them. Carefully they made their way down the trail to the beach.

Kathy was thrilled to see this side of Alice, she didn't show it often and never to anyone but Kathy and Kit. She normally came across as fairly reserved to everyone and anyone. People who had met her through PTA and other school related functions had found her to be cold and sometimes brusque. She didn't suffer fools gladly and Kathy made up for her aloofness by being warm and welcoming. She had made a few friends with the other mom's and they all found her charming. Alice encouraged her to get out and make friends and Kathy was grateful she didn't resent any of her time away from home with her volunteer work and school functions. Some of her new friends were in awe of Kathy that she could even stand the cold blonde but then there were a few that were surprised to find they were a couple. The few times they had socialized people were amazed at how well informed Alice was, some of the men and women gravitating to her finding her well-spoken, knowledgeable, and extremely intelligent, one of the husbands had heard of her and her investments and bragged to everyone how she had made millions off her portfolio that he had heard of and he passed on that there was even more speculated on but not confirmed. So while she came across as aloof and even cold, she was admired for providing so well for her family and obviously well enough that they were living in an estate worth well over $10,000,000.

"Say, we should go up to Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead when the snows are up there in the mountains and take Kit tobogganing" she was saying.

Kathy looked forward to the idea, Alice was always thinking of things they should do. "I'd like to go back to Catalina before the water gets too cold" she mentioned and knew that Alice would make sure they got there.

They spent a delightful hour on the beach randomly walking around and chatting, enjoying each other without the presence of their delightful eight year old daughter, just enjoying the day and each moment together before walking back up the paths towards their home.

"I love it here Alice" Kathy said as she held her hand and leaned against her shoulder as they walked along together on the path.

"I love it here too baby" Alice smiled at her in return, her arm slipping around her to give her a hug sideways.

When they came to the gate Alice opened it and let Kathy through before locking it behind them both, they would take no chance at Kit getting through an unattended gate even though she knew better than to go through it, temptation might prove too much for a little girl or her friends. The hedge grew up halfway on this section of chain link fencing but someone could still climb over and they wanted to prevent that. The way the hill held the house up the fence provided no barrier to their view, it was cleverly done and well thought out to the original architect and landscape designer.

As they made their way across the back yard Alice tugged Kathy along to the gazebo. This gazebo was one of the renovations that Alice had insisted on when they enhanced the house. There had been no gazebo from the previous owners and she delighted in having this beautiful little hut for their own. It had a little burning pit in the middle of it that they could cook on if they so desired and it had screens that could be pulled down to keep out the bugs if they wanted, most of the time it was open to the breezes. It was romantic, it was quaint, and it was theirs...Alice saw it had been added to as per her instructions.

Kathy gasped as they arrived at the gazebo. Dozens of flowers including roses, lilies, and many she couldn't even name were in pots, planters, and vases all over the gazebo. A bottle of champagne stood in a large champagne bucket with two glasses sticking up out of the ice. "What's this?" she asked in wonderment as she turned to the amused eyes of Alice.

"This is a celebration" Alice responded adding I hope in her head. She let go of Kathy's hand to reach for the champagne and step into the gazebo, she saw to her satisfaction that Kathy followed her as she had hoped she would do.

"A celebration? Of what?" Kathy looked around amazed at all the flowers admiring their beautiful bouquets. The odor alone was almost overwhelming but the sheer mass of blooms took her breath away.

Letting go of the champagne she turned and grasped both of Kathy's hands. She got down on one of her knees and saw the apprehension begin in Kathy's face. "Kathy, I'd like to make this official, will you marry me?"

Kathy just stared at her for the longest time.

For the first time in a long time, Alice felt nervous; almost fear clutching at her heart. The longer Kathy waited to answer her the more she felt like she was strangling. She tried to wait patiently but the quiet of the answer that was no answer was beginning to kill her. She realized she had never felt this type of feeling before, at least not from this end.

Kathy finally blinked after what seemed like ages, she realized that Alice had set the stage for this proposal and how romantic it truly was. She swallowed as tears came to her eyes over the incredibly romantic gesture it was, she was having trouble speaking as she started to nod, blubber, and say "yes, yyyes, I'll marry you Alice" and yanked up Alice into her arms to bury her head in Alice's neck as she sobbed.

For once in her life a woman's tears didn't confuse her. She understood the emotions that Kathy was feeling right now. If she could have, she would have cried with her, but life had killed that particular thing inside her a long time ago that allowed tears to fall. She could only hold Kathy tightly and hope she understood that she felt the same as she rocked her.

Slowly and a long time later Kathy stopped crying in joy and pulled back, her face a mess. "This is so beautiful" she hiccupped.

Alice smiled as she reached in her pocket for the ring she had searched for just that morning "then will you accept this as a token of my love for you" she said formally remembering some movie that had used the same exact words.

Kathy gaped at the beautiful diamond she saw there. It was flawless as far as she could see. The ring that her husband had given her was half the size of this incredible stone. She held out her left hand and Alice slipped it on her ring finger. It fit perfectly and she stared at it a long moment before taking Alice in her arms once again and hugging her tight. "Thank you, I love you sooo much" she sobbed once again.

It was a long time before they sampled the champagne and made toasts to each other and a long life together. They talked over plans of having a small ceremony. It had become legal once again in the State of California for same-sex couples to marry and their plans wouldn't have to wait. Each of them carried several containers of flowers into the house and they made several trips to place them all over the house, filling the house with the delightful aroma of roses, lilies, and many other varieties of flowers that Alice's romantic proposal had wrought. Before they brought it all into the house Kathy had insisted on taking pictures of the gazebo filled with the flowering bonanza. She had then called Mrs. Fernandez to take a picture of them amongst the flowering blooms. The three of them carried armloads into the house and placed them on every available flat surface.