Vitiated Love

After about an hour of talking, Ashley gave her the cake and said she had to go, but that she would see her soon.

Next, she had to go home and get the laundry out of the machine and hang it up, before she went to her church to get everything ready for tomorrow.

When she walked in the door, the floor was flooded with water. Thank god for linoleum. She trudged through the water and sighed when she saw the door open and the clothes strewn about the floor.

A call to the repair man and a fee of around 300 bucks later, and she was ready to go.

When she got to the church, she thought she recognized the car outside, but dismissed it as a feeting sensation of Déja Vu.

She walked through the door and saw the welcome banner, and a table set up for donations and next to that was a bunch of finger food set out neatly on circular bowls. Some had dips in the centre with the hors d'oevres spiralling outwards.

She marvelled at what had been done in her abscence, and wondered who had taken the time to do all this.

That's when Jennifer chose the moment to walk out of the kitchen and greet Ashley.

"Ashley"

"Jennifer? What are you doing here?" Ashley asked, putting her handbag down next to the food and walking closer to her.

Jennifer motioned around. "I'm organising a fundraiser for the church. Thought it might help the business' publicity" she said and Ashley nodded slowly.

"So, the church hired you?"

Jennifer nodded, and Ashley crossed her arms. "They tell you that I was already meant to be organising it?"

Jennifer blushed and looked down. Nodding ever so slightly.

Ashley sighed. "Jenn, if this is about Charles, then..."

"This isn't about Charles, okay" Jennifer said, holding up a hand to quell Ashley's protests. Ashley crossed her arms sceptically.

"Then what is this about?" Ashley asked and Jennifer rolled her eyes. "I figured you might need some help is all"

Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Well, thanks" she said finally letting a smile out onto her face. 'God she's beautiful when she smiles' Jennifer thought, smiling back.

Ashley turned around when a car pulled up and Charles got out, his buxom bimbo in tow. Ashley could guess what they were doing.

They approached the door and Charles locked eyes with Ashley and Ashley shuddered at the curl of a grin at the sides of his mouth.

"Hello Ashley, I see you've got everything organised then" Charles said and Ashley nodded quickly. "Jennifer helped out because I had a hectic day" she said, starting confidently but ending quietly.

"Did you do all the housework?" Charles asked with contempt, stepping closer to her and Ashley nodded.

"All the dishes?"

Another nod was all the response he got from the petrified woman. He nodded. Satisfied that the woman's work had been done.

"Well, me and Julie will go into my office and work out a 'game-plan' for tomorrow, as it were" he said and the woman, presumably Julie retired into his office.

"Wow" Jennifer said, unable to quite process what just happened. Ashley sighed, putting a hand over her eyes and wrapping an arm around herself.

"I know he's the man of the house but does he have to make it so obvious what he's doing?" Ashley quietly asked and Jennifer placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to put up with this you know" She said, and Ashley sighed. "You said you would leave it alone"

Jennifer pulled her hand away. "Jen, look, I'm tired, and I want to go to sleep" Ashley said, before she turned around.

"Do you want to go home?" she asked and Ashley smiled. "No, the washing machine broke there is water, everywhere, I'm waiting for a call from the repair man, then I can go home, watch him do his stuff and overcharge me, then I'll just stay in a motel or something"

"Oh, so, not a good day then?" Jennifer quipped, and Ashley stared at her, An irregular thumping came from the office and Ashley nearly screamed.

"Just calm down Ashley, let me just put the food in the fridge and I'll take you out for lunch or something, kay?" she said and Ashley nodded, whilst Jennifer walked away, taking the plates of food with her and into the small kitchen that had been put into the back room of the church.

'God, she really is beautiful when she smiles' Ashley thought, then shook her mind clear of such thoughts. She kept on thinking, reminding herself that she didn't deserve to be loved. Though it wasn't any secret as to Jennifer's feelings towards her, she had heard that first hand, what the secret was, was that she reciprocated with undying need, the love that Jennifer showed in the car last night, but she could never act on it.

She wasn't even sure she deserved someone like Jennifer.

She walked out to the car and shook her head, dispelling her self-depreciating train of thought.

Jennifer walked out, brushing her hands and shaking her head. "They really should invest in a better fridge ya' know" she said with a grin and Ashley chuckled.

Jennifer got in and started the car, unlocking the passenger door to allow Ashley to get in.

Taking a last look at Ashley's profile against the gentle light coming in the blue tinted windows, She smiled and put the car in gear, pulling away from the church.

"So,where to?" Ashley asked and Jennifer smiled. "A little Bistro, they serve the BEST coffee in the world"

Ashley smiled. "Well, after today I could sure use some sort of caffeinated drink"

Jennifer smiled as she pulled into the parking lot for the small bistro...

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Ashley drove as fast as she could. Towards the abandoned school. Left to rot in 1979 it still stood as a memorable homage to the decaying town of Petró. Driving three towns over wasn't part of her plan, but when you've got a crazy religious nut-job who's stolen your lover, she was planning to do anything to get her back.

But first, she hadto get there. She had to save her. She couldn't cope if she lost her. That would mean that her whole life had been for nothing if she lost her soulmate.

As she pulled into the abandoned school, she parked the car and got out, seeing one window on the third floor illuminated, with a shadow standing there watching....

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The bistro was a nice place really. Though very small, it was filled with customers, the tables inside were occupied, so Ashley and Jennifer were forced to take a table outisde and wait for the waiters and waitresses to finish with the people inside before they focussed their attention on the people outside.

"So, tell me a little about yorself, how the hell did a Dynamo like you get with a scuzz-bag like Charles?" Jennifer asked and Ashley sighed, looking down at the table. Jennifer immediately regretted asking.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be prying like that..." Jennifer began but Ashley cut her off "No no, you should know. It'll be easier then for you to understand a few things"

The waiter came over and asked if they would like any drinks, so Jennifer ordered two cappuccinos and the water smiled as he went off to get their drinks. Ashley began.

"When I was in University, studying business, I met him there, and he seemed like a nice guy. He was already one of the Priesthood at church, so naturally I thought he would be a nice guy" Ashley stopped to chuckle at the mistake she made. The water came back over with their drinks and Jennifer took a sip, motioning for Ashley to conti nue with her tale of how her life had gone down the tubes.

"I fell hard and fast in love, and he seemed to realise that. So, he proposed, we got married, and he was moved up in the church to Bishop, and I got a job at your place. Soon, he turned abusive. Little things, telling me how to dress and the like, ordering me to do housework" She stopped to take a breath, sip some coffee and continued.

"Soon, he moved to emotional abuse, stopped calling me beautiful, stopped saying he loved me, he began telling me to cover up in baggy clothes bacause I looked like a cow. Soon, he turned abusive. Telling me I deserved it helped him get his hooks in I guess"

Ashley looked up, and Jennifer was watching, with a look of almost pain in her eyes. Ashley saw something else as well; Love. The love in those eyes was unmistakable as anything else, and for a moment Ashley couldn't continue, but, another sip of coffee sorted that out.

"There were times, when I exercised feelings of anger, there were times I nursed the idea of killing him to end my misery, or myself" She said, then her eyes went wide, realising what she had just said, then immediately tried to backtrack, but it was too late, Jennifer had heard, and the response would have been funny if the words weren't true.

"You, you thought about commiting suicide?" Jennifer asked, almost unable to utter the words.

Ashley looked around and got up, taking another look around, she covered her mouth as a silent sob came out, and hot tears began their descent.

She turned and ran. Jennifer quickly got out her purse and payed for the unfinished drinks, going to her car and getting in, hoping to catch the fleeing woman somewhere down the street.

She started the car and drove down the street, seeing Ashley stil running towards an intersection, she quickly accelerated and swerved, hitting the curb before she clambered out of the car and grabbed Ashley around the shoulders.

Ashley screamed for Jennifer to let her go, but Jennifer just held on tighter than a drowning man clutching at a straw. Ashley was unable to break out of the near-death grip the stronger, blonde woman had on her, so she stopped struggling, but was unable to meet her gaze.

"Ashley, look at me, look at me" Jennifer pleaded, and Ashley complied, staring into Jennifer's emerald eyes and drowning in the limpid pools of green.

She looked away, but Jennifer placed a finger on her chin and raised her head. "Please, Ashley, you have to go to the police. And if your life isn't much of an incentive, then maybe this will be" she said, before closing the distance between them and claiming Ashley's lips with her own.

Ashley was too shocked to react, her mind screamed to break free, that this was wrong. All her life she had never followed rules of the church save for one, and now, she was breaking even that one.

But, her legs refused to move, her mind finally succumbed to the feelings of the heart and she let the sensations of the incredible kiss wash over her.

She instantly became aroused to no end, nothing else had excited her more than kissing a woman, in public. IN PUBLIC?!

Ashley finally pushed her away, her breathing was ragged and her pupils clouded with lust. Her look was reflected in Jennifer's eyes.

"Why?" Ashley asked, and Jennifer shrugged. "Why what? Why did I kiss you? Why did you enjoy it? Why did you push me away? You're gonna have to be much more specific than 'why'"

Ashley looked around, but no-one seemed to be watching her, but she felt exposed.

"Can we go somewhere more private?" Ashley asked and Jennifer nodded. "Sure"

Ashley got in her car, but all the way back to jennifer's house she did not make eye contact,. Just kept looking out the window. The big ball of yarn was back. Bigger than ever. And Ashley had to deal with it now, or never.

As Jennifer puleed up, Ashley marvelled at the house. It was a simple design, at least at first glance, but honeysuckle decorated the North side, and at the top was a slanted roof, and where the roof and wall seperated there was just glass, forming a triangle. A small cut-off led from the East wall and the roof, presumably the bedroom.

Jennifer led Ashley into the house and closed the door, before turning to Ashley who was standing hugging her stomach.

"You must think I'm weak" Ashley said, finally breaking down in tears, Jennifer held her tightly as Ashley sobbed.

"No, no, I don't" Jennifer reasurred her, stroking her long raven black hair as it fell down her back.

"I don't think you're weak, where did that come from?" Jennifer asked, and Ashley just sniffed back her tears. "W, well, I, I haven't gone, to, to the police because I'm, I'm scared" Ashley said, and Jennifer just cradled her head.

"You're not weak, You keep getting knocked down, literally, and you keep getting back up. That's not weakness. That's strength personified. Wrapped up in killer looks, by the way" Jennifer said, kissing the top of her head. Ashley pulled away, and Jennifer smiled.

Ashley's resolve melted, and she had to know. "Did you mean what you said in the car?" she asked and Jennifer smiled, answering after only a three second pause. "Yes. Fully, and completely"

Ashley smiled for the briefest of instants before that nagging three letter question came back to haunt her; "Why?"

Jennifer sighed. "Because, in ten years I've got to know only snippets of information about you, and you have been a mystery. That captivated me from the start, and add to that you're sexy as hell and as I've learnt stronger than I ever could be with a sharp personality, I couldn't help myself"

Ashley smiled again and kissed Jennifer on the lips, wrapping her arms areound the woman that had captured her heart unlike anyone else.

Jennifer let her hands wander into Ashley's ever so soft hair, pulling her so that their bodies meshed as one. She ran her tongue along Ashley's bottom lip and almost sang with joy as Ashley's mouth opened to accomidate the invader.

Just then, Ashley's phone rang and she pulled away, exasperated and annoyed at their bad timing, whoever this was.

She answered the phone. "What?" she asked and was glad to hear it was the repair man.

"I'm outside your house, ready to take a look at the problem with your machine"

Ashley sighed. "I'll be right over" When she closed her phone, Jennifer was smiling, and Ashley widened her eyes and smiled goofily.

"Take me home please? The repair man is there"

Jennifer shook her head and grabbed her keys. "Sure, let's go, but I want to continue what we just started, and soon"

Ashley waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "You promise?"

Jennifer smiled and nodded. "Oh yes, I promise" she said before smiling suggestively and winking, causing Ashley to blush.

When Jennifer pulled up to Ashley's house, she turned to her and placed a hand on her knee before she could get out. "Ashley, do you Love me?"

Ashley smiled and placed a hand on Jennifer's cheek. "Always. And forever"

Jennifer planted an almost-chaste kiss on Ashley's lips before she got out of the car and walked up the drive. Jennifer's car pulled away.

She went to the door and saw the repair man's van open and out he stepped, along with another man carrying the equipment.

After about two hours, three cups of coffee and a bill of $700 extra bucks, the machine was fixed.

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Ashley walked through the darkened corridor and up the stairs until she reached the third floor. Then, she braced herself for the worst. If Charles had killed Jennifer, then she would kill Charles. Simple as that.

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CHAPTER 3: The Grand Reveal

Ashley woke up with a contented sigh, despite the night of unfulfilling sex and general lack of tenderness on her husband's part. She had had the most erotic dream and it had all been centred on Jennifer; her sexy friend, boss and confidánt. And now she was sure, the one she wanted to spend her life with.

She got up, got dressed in Sunday Best and was cli-clopping out the door in five minutes, closely followed by her husband who was dressed in his usual suit and tie job.

The service wasn't that boring, allthough, Charles seemed to make innumerable references to moral and ethical qualms.

She slipped out early and got the plates of food out of the fridge, arranging them in a perfect circle around the centrepeice; a large ornate flower vase. She then set up the welcome banner and waited for the service to end. She grew bored by the time they all came into the cultural hall.

She was certainly surprised when Jennifer was the first one through the door, giving her a knowing look that almost made her blush had she not been commited to the cause right then and there. Bottles of wine were set out near the food just for the people from the Trust, who numbered in their mid fifties.

She blessed the food and set5 out welcoming the guests, pouring them each a glass of wine, and getting one for herself and Jennifer. Charles, she noticed, was eyeing her suspiciously while she drunk the wine, whilst he chatted up some blonde from the Trust.

She sighed and downed the wine, reaching for the bottle and pouring herself another one.

Jennifer appeared at her side. "So, what's going on?" she asked and Ashley eyed her for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"You've got that crafty look in your eye" Jennifer commented and Ashley looked at her questioningly. "There's a look?"

"You can't miss it" Jen quipped and Ashley made a fake laugh. "Oh hardy har har smartypants"

Jennifer laughed and took a sip of the wine. "You make me laugh Ashley"

"Good, hopefully I'll make you do much more than just laugh later" Ashley said before taking a sip, almost laughing at Jen nearly choking on her wine. "What the hell happened to the woman who used to work for me?"

"She fell in love with the woman who decided to drive her home" Ashley said, making Jennifer smile warmly at her. Ashley took her hand discretely and Jennifer's smile grew even bigger.

"I love you Jen" She whispered, sipping her wine, and Jennifer lifted hers to her lucious lips, hiding her words as she spoke. "I love you too"

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As Ashley walked through the door, she wasn't preapared to be smacked over the head with an empty whiskey bottle. It shattered and she fell to the floor with barely a sound, feeling a trio of hotsensations on her neck from where glass shards had entered her neck.

She heard a muffled screaming and knew that Jennifer was somewhere in the room.

She looked up and saw her tied to a chair with a rag in her mouth to prevent her screams from being heard by anyone outside.

She tried to get up, but a straight kick to her broken arm made her think twice about that. She doubled back over when the pain became too much.

Ashley saw Charles walk around and she saw his boots as she tried to look him in the eye. He knelt down and pulled er hair, forcing her to look at him.

"Filthy bitch!" he screamed, before throwing her to the side. Her head hit a table leg and sprawled on the floor once again. She was getting tired of being manhandled like this.

She stood shakily and heard Jennifer cry out. A warning. Se heard it just in time. Looking up to see a flash of metal, her eyes grew wide as her fists went to work. She blocked the overhead strike and punched him in the stomach, then realised that for all his strength, he was still a man.

A straght kick to his groin doubled him over, and she brought her elbow down on his spine.

He went down and she grabbed the knife from his weak grasp, walking over to Jennifer, she untied her witha straight slice to eliminate those troublesome ropes.

Jennifer hugged her close and she sighed, loving the way her body felt against hers. Ashley still felt a throbbing in her arm, but that didn't mattter. She and her lover were safe.

She didn't hear the bolt being cycled inside the chamber of the Glock-7...

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After the fundraiser, Ashley watched Charles go away with the bimbo he was chatting up earlier. She got a text saying to have dinner ready by 5 and not to wait up. So, she offered to take Jennifer out for a meal, but that Jen was driving.

Jen laughed "Okay, but you're paying for the meal then" she said and Ashley smiled that million watt smile and nodded. "That's kinda what I meant by; my treat" she said, kissing Jennifer on the nose. They were alone, so Ashley wasn't worried about being seen. And when Jennifer's lips melded with her own, she couldn't care less.