A Study in Scarlett

Scarlett continued to gently explore Alice's womanhood, alternating her explorations between her tongue and her finger. She slid her index finger deep within the woman before her, both stimulating the walls of her pussy and coating her probe with the juices of her efforts. Removing it, she slid both her finger and the honey that covered it to inside her own mouth.

"Mmmmm." Scarlett purred happily as she savored the taste of another woman. A kitten presented with a saucer of warm milk couldn't have expressed more satisfaction.

The long haired redhead continued to lap at her new ambrosial treat, as her hand slid up and down Alice's legs and caressed the cheeks of her ass. She wanted to explore every inch of the woman's body.

Despite all of the quite expensive schooling her family had arranged for her in her life, none of those Institutions had a course in lesbian lovemaking. At least not an official one anyway. Following her eighteenth birthday, Scarlett had sought to rectify that discrepancy.

In order to further improve her fluency in the French language, her father had arranged for Scarlett to accompany him on a government trip to Paris back in '46. She hadn't been able to rid herself of her embassy assigned chaperone long enough to sample some of the unadvertised attractions that had flourished in that city throughout war, occupation and later liberation, but she had managed to visit some of the more interesting book stores.

There, hidden among a score of French language books, she had purchased what could only be described as a very graphically illustrated guide to the secrets of lesbian love.

Scarlett had been very careful to hide the forbidden book when they got back to their hotel. She was sure her father would never understand. How could he, when she herself didn't.

Michael McMurphy loved his three children as much as any man could, and only wanted the very best for them. But he was ill equipped to deal with a daughter who began to develop into a woman at a rate he found disconcerting.

His wife, Diane, had died in childbirth, giving him their third child, Mary. An old-fashioned man in many ways, he tried to shield his oldest daughter from what he believed would only be premature male attention by enrolling her in one of the finest all girl schools in the country.

In was ironic that the absence of boys in their everyday lives had the opposite effect on many of the girls in the school, creating the very situations "Big Mike" McMurphy was trying to avoid. What self-control they might have on those occasions when they got to be with young men was quickly lost as long suppressed hormones took control.

Following a dance or sporting event that usually involved one of the associated all boys academies, many a normally reserved young lady found herself in the Dean's office come Monday morning, trying to explain how she came to be discovered in a compromising position.

It was during one of those weekend events that Scarlett had made an astonishing discovery about herself. She had known for quite some time that unlike most of her schoolmates, she had no interest in the numerous young men who vied for her attentions.

Nor did she enjoy the rather graphic late night discussions of individual male anatomy that usually followed each of those social events. To her bewilderment, Scarlett realized that she did however have an ever-increasing interest in certain of her girlfriends and their own maturing anatomy.

The book, now safety hidden away in her luggage, had been her first chance to put names to many of the things she thought about.

On the way home, the hidden book had caused her a few moments of apprehension when a curious customs agent opened it when they went through Idlewild International Airport in New York. The strange foreign text might have been incomprehensible to the middle-aged woman, but the meaning of the numerous drawings and photographs were unmistakable. To the young woman's relief, the gray-haired officer closed the book without comment, except to say "Enjoy it honey." as she handed back her travel case.

Scarlett had spent countless secret hours pouring over that book in the last two years, to the point where her near photographic memory could recall every page in depth. Now that the opportunity had finally presented itself, the twenty-year-old promised herself that she would sample every lesson.

Rising back to her feet, Scarlett wiggled her way out of her pajama bottoms, adding them to the pile of clothing now on the deck. To Alice's surprise and enjoyment, Scarlett wore no underwear. Unlike Alice's mound, the younger woman's was almost bare, except for a small red triangle of hair at the top. Scarlett had never been particularly hairy on any part of her body, and what there was of it, she kept neatly trimmed. Scarlett and Alice stood naked in the moonlight, the warm breeze off the water caressing their skin. Scarlett reached up and stroked the side of Alice's face with her fingers, a look of pure joy on her face.

"I wish this moment could last forever," Alice said, her heart lost in the endless depths of Scarlett's eyes.

"We'll make it last forever," Scarlett said with all the intensity that young love could bring.

Hand in hand, the two naked young women raced through the house, up the stairs to the master bedroom on the second floor. Scarlett threw open the large double windows, filling the room with the light of the moon and stars beyond. Then she took Alice's hand and drew her to the large antique bed that dominated the room. An heirloom had been in her family over a hundred years. It only seemed fitting that it be the site of her most sought after happiness.

The carefully set sheets on the old bed were quickly tossed aside as Scarlett and Alice held each other tightly, rocking back and forth with abandon. Eager hands and soft lips explored the other's body as no one had ever done before. A passion born of love's fire burned in both of their hearts.

"Alice, I love you so," Scarlett gasped as she pressed her body on top the older woman and buried her face between her breasts.

One after the other, the crimson tressed fury took Alice's mounds into her mouth, lavishing on them all the loving attention she was capable of. Scarlett reveled in their softness, in the hardness of her nipples. Her tongue caressing them again and again, each touch bringing endless bliss.

Alice ran her fingers through the long stands of Scarlett's hair, guiding her to the most sensitive parts of her body. She now fully understood the depths of the emptiness she'd felt when she had laid with Jack. A void now filled by Scarlett's love.

Scarlett took her mounds in hand and pressed them against Alice's, rubbing their nipples together. The dark-haired girl took Scarlett's larger globes in her own hands and lifted them to her mouth, sampling her lover's charms as she had just sampled hers. Now it was Scarlett's turn to close her eyes and enjoy the pleasing sensations.

They rolled over in the bed, bringing Alice to the top and allowing her greater access to the body now beneath her. Quickly she spread Scarlett's smooth legs and brought her mouth to the small red trimmed mound found there. She kissed the center, then each of the sides. Finally, she reached out with her tongue, driving it deep within.

"Ooooo," Scarlett moaned with excitement. "I always knew it would be like this."

Spreading Scarlett's legs even further apart, Alice began to bring even greater pleasure to the beautiful young woman before her. She didn't need her nursing skills to locate her prize, the small clitoris beneath the folds. Alice found it repeatedly, each time sending surges of orgasmic ecstasy through Scarlett.

"Yes, oh dear God, yes!" Scarlett cried out to the night sky, losing herself to a building eruption that she had only felt before by the touch of her own hands. Hands now gripping the bed sheet with all of her might.

Alice pressed harder, driving Scarlett deeper and deeper into the abyss. A chasm she couldn't wait to plunge into.

She didn't have long to wait as the demons of desire took hold of Scarlett's quaking body and hurled her over the precipice. She grabbed the back of Alice's head and wrapped her legs around the brunette's back. The explosion between those legs left its residue across Alice's face.

Finally, Scarlett released her tight hold on Alice, allowing her to roll off and drop down alongside her. She closed her eyes as she lay there, savoring a moment that she wanted to remember forever.

"The book," Scarlett said, not realizing she was speaking out loud, "didn't come anywhere near describing how wonderful that was going to be."

"What?" Alice said, not quite hearing what her lover had said.

"I love you," Scarlett said instead, realizing her error. "And now I want to show you how much." In less time than it took to say it, Scarlett found herself between Alice's legs, duplicating the actions she had just enjoyed the benefit of. Her earlier brief taste of womanhood spurred her on as she remembered the many nights she had done this in her dreams.

Scarlett could hear the laboring of Alice's breath and feel the racing of her heart. The softness of her skin against her cheek was an aphrodisiac, causing her own heart to race as well.

Remembering her lessons well, Scarlett began with a touch, then a long loving caress. Finally, she continued with a hard, repetitive thrust. Soon Alice's body began to react to each loving stroke.

Alice buckled and spasmed as Scarlett increased the intensity of her attack. Sweat ran down her body as the brunette shook with each new ecstatic jolt. She could feel the rising crest of her own orgasm building within her.

Scarlett darted her tongue in and out of Alice, causing the waves of pleasure cascading up and down her to double. The harder and faster Scarlett moved her tongue, the more intense the waves grew.

Faster and faster Scarlett went, each move bringing Alice closer to climax. Tears ran down the nurse's cheeks as she tried to delay the fire within her.

In all her encounters with Jack Fisher, Alice had only been to the mountaintop twice. On both occasions, she had fallen short of the summit. This time, as Scarlett had before her, the twenty-six-year-old spread her arms and leapt into the darkness, embracing its euphoric embrace.

Scarlett and Alice lay locked in each other's embrace as the morning sun filled the room. They had made love twice more during the night, each time more intense than the last. As they pressed against each other, their hearts now beating in unison, they knew they would be forever joined. No matter the distance between them, no matter the years, they would always share a connection. Regardless who else ever came into their lives, each would always forever occupy a special place in the other's soul.

- Today -

Two hundred eager young faces filled the front rows of the auditorium as the graduating class of the Nursing Academy awaited the keynote speaker. Normally, the speaker would be an alumni of the school, or someone from the medical community who would comment on the career on which they were about to embark.

This time, in honor of the school's 25th anniversary, the speaker was going to be someone associated with the founding of the school back in 1975. The recently announced appearance of this particular commencement guest had filled the hall to standing room only.

At the time the school had been founded, she had been the CEO and principal owner of the far-reaching McMurphy Industries. Although long since retired from that long held position, she still sat in the lead chair of the McMurphy Foundation. An organization, which, among other concerns, regularly awarded scholarships in the memory of the woman whose name rested on the academy's letterhead.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, students and honored guests," the tall Dean of Nursing said as he stepped up the podium. "It is my great honor to introduce a woman, who by the life she's led needs no introduction. Her career and accomplishments as a captain of industry are only exceeded by her work in the humanities and the arts. Please join me in welcome Ms. Scarlett McMurphy."

A thunderous ovation filled the large hall as a tall white haired woman appeared from behind the curtains and quickly moved to the rostrum. Seventy-two years old, she moved with a grace and ease that defied her years. Her soft, short white hair rested in a carefully crafted style and her face still reflected the intelligence and drive that had been the hallmarks of her long life. To those close enough to see, her most noticeable features were bright emerald eyes that peered out from behind round gold-rimmed glasses. Eyes that still sparked with fire and zeal.

Scarlett paused until the applause died down, then thanked everyone for their reception. Once the sounds of welcome subsided, the keynote speaker talked for a few minutes about the school and their careers, exactly the sort of speech most people expected.

The white haired woman had been speaking for a few minutes when she suddenly paused. She seemed to be thinking about something for a few seconds, then seemed to change her mind about her speech.

"If you'll forgive an old woman," she said with a touch of humor in her smile, "I think I'd rather not give the speech I just started. It's nothing you haven't heard before, and I'm sure it's nothing that you'll miss."

A mixed chorus of laughter from the graduates replied to her words. In truth, they had hoped to hear something more than the same old speech.

Scarlett turned to one of the two young assistants who seemed to follow her everywhere. In response to her whispered request, the young blond haired woman reached into her attaché case and handed her boss a thin manila folder. Scarlett thanked her and then turned back to the audience.

"What I'd really like to tell you about," The elegant woman continued in a strong clear voice, "is a woman whose name you see on all the walls around the school. Her portrait hangs by the main entrance and I'm sure most of you pass it at least once a day."

Scarlett paused for a moment and took a sip from the glass of cold water her other assistant, a short haired Asian girl, had put there for her.

"She started her career as an Army Nurse, in a place few people had ever heard of, at least until war broke out there a few years after she arrived. Aside from her duties in the military, she also spent those years carrying for the children of Korea, the innocents who are the most tragic victims in any conflict. It was a passion that consumed her long after both the fighting and her Army career were behind her. I'm proud to say that in her later years, I was in a position to help with those efforts. "

Scarlett paused again, wanting to see if she had the audience's attention. It only took a brief moment to see that she did.

"But even those deeds can be as easily looked up as the dates of her life that are carved beneath that portrait." she went on. "No, what I want to tell you about is the woman behind those deeds. The woman who, for twenty-six years, was simply the most gracious lady it was ever my honor to know. A woman who knew how to smile, and how to make others laugh. And a woman who taught me a definition of love that few ever come to understand."

Scarlett paused for a second drink, giving this speech was harder than she had thought it would be. That was why she had originally started with the more conventional one. However, there was no going back now, not with every seat in the house riveted to her every word.

"I like to tell you about Alice Ann Caldwell", she said as she seemed to look beyond the crowd. "And a life that embodied the goals and aspirations that everyone in this school should strive for. She was more than a name carved in stone over the entranceway. She was a living, breathing human being, who devoted her life to others. She was my very best friend."

Looking down at her folder, Scarlett beamed as she looked once more at the small black and white photograph sealed in plastic that was clipped to her notes. It was a very old photograph, showing two young women in front of an old battered sign. Of all her considerable possessions, and among all her varied memories, that simple faded image was Scarlett's most treasured keepsake. It was a brief moment, frozen forever in time. A remembrance of love that had never faded with age.

END

(c) Ann Douglas 2000