4th and Goal

"I've dreamed of you for twenty years. Most of these dreams have been of making mad passionate love to you everywhere my subconscious and libido could fantasize about, but very often they were of playing in our backyard, swinging on the tire our father hung from the big oak, or watching the Saturday morning cartoons in the living room while we ate cereal, or playing with dolls, or any number of other thing sisters do. I never understood those dreams. Now I do. On some level, I recognized you from afar. That's why I was so sad when you disappeared before I found the courage to talk to you."

"That woman is scary sometimes. Here is another example. She is the one who told my friend to talk to me about finding her birth-parents.

The three women fell asleep, cuddled together, smiles on their faces.

Epilogue

Four years later, the Economics faculty didn't hesitate for a moment to grant Professor Tremaine an extended leave of absence so she could join her life-partners at Cape Kennedy to oversee the final assembly in space of Phoenix, the first plasma propulsion spacecraft.

Before they left, the university had secured an open contract with Dr. Tabitha Tremaine and Dr. Lena Papandreou to teach advanced classes in engineering as they used the building which was permanently assigned to them and their teams to work on projects being brought to them from around the world.

They were booked solid for the next ten years with requests for their services pouring in weekly.

Professor Tremaine had promised to keep working on her second book while in Florida. Her first had been so widely acclaimed that it was required reading for students at universities everywhere.

*****

The little family had found a nudist beach in Southern Florida and were soaking the rays.

Ava had her head on Elizabeth's belly, listening closely while Tabitha and their first-born daughter caressed her bulging abdomen tenderly.

"I can feel her kick." Paula said reverently. "She's really there."

"Yes she is. You were just as active when you were in mommy's belly." Tabitha told her.

"Listen here, baby." Ava brought their daughter to take her place. "You can hear her heartbeat if you listen closely."

"I only hear mommy's... Hey! I hear her"

"Shhhh! You don't want to scare her."

"I remember, mama." Paula whispered. "Hello, little baby. I can't wait for you to come out and play with me. We have a new house and we painted your room with butterflies everywhere. You're going to love it, I know..."

The three women looked at each other, their love flourishing with each passing moment.