Adrienne's Duet Pt. 06

That July, Adrienne and Juliet, with the help of Caroline and Ted, moved to the west coast and settled into their new home, in Portland, Oregon. The Portland Chamber Orchestra had offered to set them up in an apartment, but Adrienne was concerned about the issues it might raise for the other tenants with her practicing all the time. And so, with one of the board member's help, they found a cute one-bedroom house to rent on the northwest side of town.

The house had a fenced in yard and was partially furnished, so the girls didn't need to transport much of their own belongings. However, when Caroline suggested they not take Adrienne's bed, the girls put their feet down.

"There are just too many good memories in that bed for us to leave it behind," Adrienne argued on the bed's behalf.

Juliet was quick to support the claim. "And it's very comfortable to sleep in, too," she added with a nudge and a wink. And so, the bed was packed into the moving van, along with some of their furniture and clothing, and Adrienne's hatchback in tow.

The girls also brought with them two newly framed photos of them as Cecily and Algernon; mementos from one of their 'Wildest,' and 'loopiest' days ever. The one with them standing side by side, with Juliet's hand upon Adrienne's forearm, ended up hanging in the main room, just right of the kitchen. As for the one with Juliet sitting on the bench, and Adrienne kneeling at her feet, staring adoringly up at her... That one, they hung in their bedroom.

Choosing to move out west that July turned out to be a very good decision. It gave them a few weeks to settle in and explore the city. They took full advantage of the time, hitting a few clubs, dining out at various cafes and restaurants, and then afterward debating which ones were their favorites.

"All this time, and I only now find out you don't like spicy food!" Adrienne bemoaned, after she'd ordered some hot Indian cuisine.

"I like spicy sex," Juliet retorted, playfully. Adrienne shook her head in disbelief. "If you had to choose between sex and food, you'd die of hunger."

"Yep," Juliet happily agreed. "Speaking of which, I'm feeling a bit horny." And after lunch, it was off for home and a merry romp in the sheets.

That first month in Portland was golden. Adrienne's schedule was fairly light and they totally had fun, sleeping in, making love in the afternoon, and then again at night. And then going out to concerts and plays, bookstores and boutiques...and lots of dancing. To Juliet's delight, Adrienne was developing into quite the dance partner out on the floor.

One reason for this is that they had discovered a very popular alternative club not too far from their neighborhood. It hosted gay and lesbian nights, trans nights, costume contests, themed music events, and even karaoke and open mic nights. It was the first place in the city where Juliet performed in public. It was karaoke night, and when Juliet asked Adrienne what she'd like to hear, Adrienne answered "Rollin' in the Deep." She then had to remind Juliet that she had heard her sing it in their early days, during the run of their college musical.

"Oh yeah," Juliet drawled, "And then you ditched me for that Lilith girl."

"I didn't ditch you!" Adrienne whined. Though she had come awfully close.

The place was always packed, as Portland was a fairly progressive city when it came to accepting alternative lifestyles, and that detail was becoming more and more important to Adrienne and Juliet, as they immersed themselves in this world where sexual orientation and race and gender were astonishingly complex and diverse. They attended their first Pride event, and each bought pride t-shirts and flags.

Living together in Portland gave the girls the inspiration and confidence they needed to more fully explore the lesbian lifestyle and consider how much of it made sense for them. They were technically in a lesbian relationship, and anyone who met them pegged them as gay. And yet, they hadn't really talked 'labels' and to what degree they mattered.

To a friend at the theatre, Juliet had said, "We met, and just fell in love. And it was pretty much fated that we were going to be together."

For Juliet, it was that simple. But not for others, and certainly not for her mother. Clarissa clearly did not approve of Juliet's relationship with Adrienne. It was perplexing to Juliet because she wasn't sure if it sprang from a deep-seeded homophobia or if she just didn't like Adrienne. It seemed impossible that anyone could dislike her partner.

Of course, Adrienne never told Juliet that she had paid a visit to her mother.

And so, life moved into September, and Adrienne's workload kicked into high gear. While her pay was decent, it didn't leave them much to save away. And so, they relied on Juliet's bank savings, and occasional influxes of cash from her father, which made life for them so much easier.

They were extremely grateful to have Ted Langford's financial support. Of course, Adrienne felt a bit like a freeloader accepting the money, but she knew that it would enable her and Juliet to focus on bettering their lives and becoming more independent down the road.

Juliet did manage to get into a local theatre company that staged new and experimental works. It wasn't her forte, for she preferred classical theatre, but she was welcomed into the group and felt that the improvisatory approach would help hone her skills. Also, with Adrienne's encouragement, she found a vocal coach to help her continue to develop her singing voice.

Juliet received a cut of the house and a small stipend, but the pay was little more than pocket change. Yet no matter how small a role she had, Adrienne came to see every performance she was in. Unless it conflicted with her own commitments.

"So, who were those hooded figures banging those sticks and chanting?" Adrienne asked, after sitting through an obscure production, loosely based on Shakespeare, or someone who may have been Shakespeare. In it, Juliet played an array of characters.

"They were supposed to represent the Greek chorus."

"Oh."

And Juliet attended Adrienne 's very first chamber concert, which was a wonder to behold. Of course, Juliet was given a complimentary ticket, which made her feel very special.

"We should form our own Mutual Admiration Society,'" Juliet liked to tell Adrienne.

As often happens in the real world, the girls were noticed by men, as well as the occasional woman. Not that they kept count, but Juliet was fending off much more attention than Adrienne, and while flattering to her ego, it was also annoying.

Anyone who truly got to know the girls, could clearly see that their loyalty and devotion to each other was rock solid. As for the sex, well, it too, stayed fresh and loving as ever.

However, that fall, things began to get a little stressful. Adrienne was now extremely busy with the fall/winter season, and with her rehearsing days and Juliet rehearsing evenings, they would go long stretches without having quality time together. Sometimes, Adrienne would come home just too tired for energetic bouts of sex, which meant she often ended up on the receiving end in the bedroom.

Juliet didn't mind at all. Even when Adrienne wasn't up for sex, she was the most loving and affectionate partner Juliet could ever wish for.

Adrienne also had to put in a good deal of time at home running through her cello parts, and since she had the more demanding schedule, Juliet became the one to do most of the cooking and caring for their home. It was an easy division of labor, for not only was Juliet a decent cook, she enjoyed cooking and preparing meals for the two of them. It was one more way that the girls developed a true sense of what it meant to be a couple, and what it took for two young, struggling artists to forge a life together.

Adrienne and Nadia also kept in touch. Though Nadia was in Germany, she never failed to remind Adrienne that upon her return, the two of them would tackle and record the complete Beethoven cello sonatas. They even discussed forming a quintet.

And of course, there were photos and weekly updates from Thomas and Molly who now had a baby boy to look after.

One other interesting outcome of the summer move is that it prevented the girls from joining Juliet's father on Grand Manan island, as they had planned. This left Caroline to take the trip by herself.

"I'm not going without you girls," Caroline insisted. But Adrienne thought she should go. Adrienne had grown to like Juliet's father, and as far as she could tell, he seemed to be a genuinely trustworthy man. And he definitely was interested in her mother.

Adrienne figured the biggest issue with having a relationship with Ted Langford is that he traveled so much. But still, Adrienne encouraged her mother to take the vacation with Ted, while Juliet kept her opinions to herself.

"Mom, he's a good guy, and you'll be able to really have a vacation. On Grand Manan!" her daughter urged.

And so, Caroline did join Ted on the island, and the possibility of their parents becoming more seriously involved was now something the girls had to consider.

Yet, still no call or contact from Clarissa.

"Maybe I should fly back home and spend some time with Mom," Juliet suggested. "And I can stay with your mom and catch up with her, too."

"Sure, if you want," Adrienne replied. "I'd miss you."

Juliet smiled. "I'd miss you too. Of course, I wouldn't take the trip until after our show closes."

Adrienne saw the way Juliet kept reaching out to her mother, and it bothered her. After seeing how unpleasant the woman was toward Juliet, not to mention her constant snubs, it just didn't seem healthy. To sum up, Adrienne hated to see Juliet groveling after someone who didn't treat her well. Mother, or not!

As for Juliet's planned trip east, it never materialized, due to a serious error in judgment.

~*~*~*~*~

At the time things went a little sideways, Adrienne was rehearsing during the day, and Juliet was in the middle of a big ensemble piece that wasn't going all that well. And Juliet didn't have that much to do in it, either. So, for her, it was a lot of wasted nights away from home and her dearest and closest friend. Her soulmate.

It was a difficult period, during which the girls had their nights in bed together, and dinners together. But the rest of the time, they hardly saw each other. Adrienne had an all-day string rehearsal with members of the string section. They were preparing to perform two popular string works by Grieg and Tchaikovsky. They were lush, sonorous pieces that were crowd pleasers, and Adrienne was quite pumped about it. She couldn't wait for Juliet to hear them performed at a Friday concert, two weeks hence.

One evening, as Adrienne prepared to run through her cello parts, Juliet got ready to head off to the theatre. "Okay, I'm off to rehearsal, babe," she said, giving her partner a kiss on the cheek.

"Bye sweetie," Adrienne answered, with a quick smile and tilt of the cheek, before staring back at her music.

"Uh, there's a chance some of us are going to go out after our run tonight, so I may get in a little late, but not too late, I promise."

"Sure, you have fun. And be careful, okay?"

"I will." And with that, Juliet dashed out to catch her bus.

For Adrienne, the time flew by as she became completely engrossed in her cello practice. Around ten, she hopped in the shower and afterward, slipped into her pj's. Comfy in her sleepwear, she lay down on the couch with a pillow, blanket and a book, and before she knew it, she'd nodded off.

"Huh, wha...?" Adrienne was jarred awake by the sound of rattling at the front door. She sat up and watched as Juliet quietly crept into the house. "Hey," Adrienne called out in a groggy voice. "What time is it?"

"Oh, are you still up? Uh...it's about one in the morning," Juliet whispered, shutting the door. "I'm...I'm sorry to...uh, wake you. We, uh...got to talking at the bar, and...and I just lost...the track of the time..." Juliet suddenly lost her balance, and lurched to her right. "Oh!"

"Are you alright?" Adrienne asked, jumping up from the couch.

"Yeah, I just had a...had a bit too much to drink. I'm really sorry..." she apologized. Juliet was definitely unsteady on her feet, and her words were a bit slurred, too. Adrienne was shocked to see that her girlfriend was not a little drunk. She was very drunk.

"I need to take a shower," Juliet slurred grumpily, while struggling with her top button.

"Okay, well, you seem to be having a little trouble. Let me help you out of these clothes," Adrienne said, offering to take over the delightful task of removing the blouse.

"Naw, I'll get it," Juliet insisted, but Adrienne persisted. "No, here, let me do it," she kindly insisted to her girlfriend.

Juliet kept brushing Adrienne's hands away. Seeing Juliet this drunk was unsettling to Adrienne. It was like being in the presence of a totally different person. Juliet never came home even slightly tipsy, let alone 'shit faced'. One of the things Adrienne really liked about Juliet is that she was careful with her alcohol. Other than a glass of wine now and then, or a beer, both girls were extremely responsible. Adrienne was almost militant about it, for too much of it seriously undermined her ability to play her cello. And now that she was a professional, she didn't dare risk that.

"How'd you get home?" Adrienne asked.

"Uh, Andrew dropped me off," she mumbled before sitting down on the couch, too out of it to stand anymore.

"What's this on your skirt?" There were some stains on the front of it. "Is that wine? We better soak that in some detergent, right away." Adrienne quickly unzipped the skirt and tugged it down and off her drunk girlfriend's legs.

"Adrienne, please..." Juliet begged.

"Your blouse is dirty, too. Let me get these off, so I can soak them for you..."

"It's alright, I'll do it in the morning," Juliet replied rather testily, pushing Adrienne's hands away. "Let's go to bed. I'm exhausted."

Adrienne knew something was off. Juliet seemed defensive, as if she were protecting some secret. "Juliet, what's going on? What happened tonight?" She sat down next to her lover.

Juliet's worried look made Adrienne's heart beat faster. And Juliet could see that Adrienne expected answers. Her lower lip began to quiver, and Adrienne felt a coldness make its way up the length of her spine.

"Juliet, what's wrong, what aren't you telling me?" Adrienne pressed, more emphatically. Still, Juliet refused to answer.

"Please don't lie to me, Juliet. You know we don't keep secrets from each other."

Juliet knew she couldn't lie. Her head dropped into her hands and she started to sob. Adrienne stared dumbly, not knowing what to do. And so, she sat there and let her girlfriend cry herself out. Finally, Juliet confessed.

"I... I did something stupid tonight...And I know you're going to really hate me for it. But I, uh...did it, and I'm so sorry. I...I fooled around with Andrew... in the car..."

"You fooled around? What the hell does that mean?" Adrienne was starting to lose her cool.

Juliet slouched, her head drooping forward. "I gave him a hand job. That's all I did! Just a stupid, fucking hand job! And the dumb shit came all over my skirt..."

Adrienne looked at the stain on the skirt and felt sick. Preparing for the worst, Adrienne gripped Juliet's chin and forced her to look her in the eye. "Juliet...are you having an affair with this guy?"

"No! NO!" Juliet insisted, emphatically shaking her head, and brushing her hand on Adrienne's shoulder.

"Please don't lie to me, Juliet."

"I'm not lying to you, 'A', that's the honest truth. I'm not having an affair with him, or anybody. I don't even know why I did what I did, tonight. It just...sort of happened."

"What do you mean, it 'sort of happened'?" That was not an explanation.

Juliet exhaled a dramatic sigh. "Andrew has been trying to get me to go out with him ever since I joined that stupid company, and I told him I was with you, and I thought he respected that...He's been mostly good about it...But then tonight, he started coming on to me again. I should have seen it coming, and I shouldn't have let him drive me home. He knew I was drunk, and probably thought I'd be easy. And so, I fucked up! Next thing I know, I'm jerking him off in his car. That's all I did! I thought he'd leave me the fuck alone!"

"I don't believe this..." Adrienne said, putting her hands on the top of her head to keep it from flying off into space. How could this person she cared for so much, and whom she trusted with her very life, betray her like this?

"Adrienne, please believe me. There's nothing going on with him. I shouldn't have been drinking and I should have come straight home. And until this stupid screw up, I've never even thought about cheating on you. I've never done anything behind your back, and...and I've never...ever... desired anyone but you. I'm so sorry I fucked up. Please, don't hate me! Please don't give up on me!"

Juliet was starting to get a bit hysterical, and her breathing was coming in short bursts. Adrienne suspected she might be having a panic attack, and so, she sat down next to her and wrapped her arms around her. She rubbed her and whispered to her. "There, there...it's going to be alright. Everything's going to be okay. Just relax and breathe...I've got you..."

Juliet nodded, closed her eyes and gradually began to calm herself. It was petty of Adrienne, but she felt it was rather unfair that she was doing the consoling, considering that she was the offended party. But that was neither here nor there. Juliet was messed up, feeling vulnerable, and Adrienne was the one who was there for her.

And her girlfriend did seem genuinely sorry. "Feeling better?" she asked.

Juliet smiled and nodded. "I love you," she whimpered into Adrienne's shoulder. "Mmmm...uhhh." Juliet gripped her stomach.

"You going to be sick?" Adrienne asked, worried.

"Yeah!" She got up and ran into the bathroom to throw up.

Adrienne thought about following in to check on her, but she was confused and angry. "I can't deal with this right now," she fumed, as she stood up and listened to Juliet heaving into the toilet.

Feeling all tattered and torn inside, she walked into her practice room, picked up her bow and cello and began working her way through a Bach prelude from one of the cello suites.

In the quiet of her practice room, Adrienne closed her eyes and let the divine melodies and counterpoint wash over her, hoping they'd transport her to some peaceful place, far from her present reality. She was halfway through her second dance, before she opened her eyes. There, sitting quietly in the room with her, on the love seat, was Juliet, her legs tucked under her body.

Adrienne stopped playing and looked at her. Juliet's eyes were twinkling. "I love listening to you play. I'm feeling better now."

"Good."

"Do you want me to sleep on the couch?" she asked, in a tiny voice, while chewing on her lower lip.

"No," Adrienne told her, shaking her head. "We'll sleep together."

Juliet flashed a grateful smile and waited for Adrienne to help her up. Together, they staggered into the bedroom, both physically and emotionally drained, and got ready for bed.

They brushed their teeth, peed, did whatever else they needed, then helped each other out of their clothes and climbed under the covers. Juliet gave Adrienne a questioning look. Adrienne raised her arm and Juliet snuggled into her. They were soon fast sleep.

The next morning Adrienne woke to the sound of clattering. She smelled coffee brewing and knew that Juliet was already up. Throwing on her robe and slippers, she padded into the kitchen.