Fate

Dorian Harper swore she'd never visit a lesbian bar. The 47 year old butch librarian was rather conservative and a hopeless introvert. She had nothing against drinking. As a matter of fact, Dorian often enjoyed a post-work beer or two in the comfort of her own home. She hated drunks though, and the drama that almost always came with it, and yet here she was...

It was Friday night, and as usual for a college town, the bar was busy. Lights pulsed and flashed with the beat of the music, and the distinctive odor of cigarettes mingling with cheap perfume invaded the butch woman's nostrils as she nursed her second beer. Dorian sat alone at the end of the bar, trying not to feel self-conscious when someone suddenly caught her eye.

From the moment she walked in, Dorian kept her eyes on the beautiful young lady seated at a table nearby. She guessed the girl was probably 20 or 21 though with her delicate facial features, she definitely could be mistaken for a teenager. She was slender and graceful with pouty full lips and dark shoulder length hair.

The girl certainly knew how to dress to impress. She wore a slinky little knee-length dress with thin little straps, natty heels, and a simple little gold necklace that accentuated her prominent collar bones. It was obvious from the time she arrived that the girl was attracting attention from all sorts of onlookers. But Dorian stared for another reason; she already knew the lovely young girl.

Dorian Harper worked the Reference desk at the Addison Memorial Library. Several months ago, she met Eden Ellis, a history major attending the local university. The librarian recalled that the girl was working on a large research project. She called ahead the day before to reserve a few boxes of microfiche so she could research relevant local news articles. The butch woman suppressed a grin when she remembered helping Eden with the microfiche reader.

"You can use this knob here to zoom in and out on the parts you want to read." Dorian said as she twisted the knob back and forth. "And this switch will rotate the document..." The librarian's hollow cheeks went flush when she realized she accidentally brushed against the girl's arm. "Sorry about that."

"That's okay." The girl replied with a shy chuckle. "Thanks for all your help, Mrs..."

"Miss Harper. But there's really no need to be so formal. My first name is Dorian."

"My name's Eden. Eden Ellis—"

"I know. Remember I was the one who took your call yesterday."

"Oh...well, thanks for your help...just wish these old things were easier to read."

"Yes, that can be a problem with microfiche." The librarian conceded. "Some of these boxes have been in storage for several years and the slides start to degrade. I'll be at my desk, and if you need anything else, just let me know."

Dorian didn't think too much of that first encounter with Eden. She figured the girl would find what she needed for her research and that would be the last she'd see of her. But she was wrong, because nearly a week later, the girl was back. Since then, Dorian slowly built a nice rapport with Eden Ellis.

The girl often stopped by the library after classes to see her "favorite librarian" as she put it once. On a couple occasions, Eden joined Dorian for a cup of coffee in the morning when the library first opened and things were slow. And she was surprised when the girl stopped by to visit a few times after the fall semester ended. Sometimes the butch woman wondered if a genuine friendship was starting to form between her and the girl or if Eden wanted something more...

Dorian glanced down at herself and shifted uncomfortably on her barstool. She took a swig of her beer and assessed her reflection in the long mirror behind the bar. She knew she was far from what most people would consider attractive and she wasn't the least bit feminine. Her fair, almost ghostly complexion was etched with the requisite lines of age and stress, emphasizing the masculine features of her face. Her very light, very ginger hair was cut short in a boyish pixie bob. She was flat chested and wore glasses and a wristwatch.

Dorian was tall for a woman, about 5'11". She was dressed in a long sleeved turtleneck shirt and corduroy slacks, the same clothes she'd worn to work that day. And her shape was slender and insect-like; perhaps a bit underweight. For a librarian, she knew her appearance was unusual and somewhat alarming.

As alarmingly butch as Dorian looked, the beautiful Eden Ellis was certainly easy on the eyes. The librarian finished the last of her beer and adjusted her glasses while she continued staring into the mirror. Like her, the beautiful brunette had come to the bar all alone. Dorian watched as Eden went to the dance floor and joined the sea of drunken women already swaying to the primal beat of a disco number. Before she knew what was happening, Dorian began to feel the first stirrings of genuine lust as her eyes followed the girl's gyrating body.

That slinky little dress clung enticingly to all the right places as Eden danced with wild abandon. The young college student definitely had no problem finding willing dance partners. But when the next song started, Dorian's cold blue eyes narrowed behind the frames of her glasses when some bulldyke started hassling the poor girl. The other woman looked like a biker type; kind of short in stature and obviously very drunk. Eden struggled to get away while the dyke tried pulling her in for a kiss.

Dorian paid the bartender and started toward the dance floor. The noise and flashing lights were disorienting, but her eyes remained glued to the struggling girl. Eden must have sensed that no one was willing to get involved, and she was a little drunk herself. The librarian stared in shock and mounting horror as Eden slapped the bulldyke's face. The astonished look on that greasy drunk's face quickly turned to blind anger. With all her force, she slapped Eden with the back of her hand. The drunk dyke was about to slap her around some more, but before she could, Dorian shoved the besotted woman backwards and the crowd of dancers scattered to avoid impact.

"Getting a little handsy with the ladies, aren't we?" Dorian's gruff voice pierced through the noise and haze of flashing lights and smoke. "You wanna tango, you can with me!" She turned to Eden. "Are you okay?"

The beautiful brunette had tears in her eyes and it was obvious she was shaken by the ordeal, but she managed a reply. "Yeah, I—I think so..."

Before Dorian could say anything else, two bouncers appeared. One of them checked on the drunken biker, now propped against a nearby table trying to regain her bearings. The other bouncer, a hulking ogre of a woman known to the regulars as Joe, went over to Dorian to get her side of what happened.

"That's my friend, Miss Harper, from the library downtown." Eden protested. "I—uh—promised to meet her here tonight for a few drinks. She protected me from that woman over there who tried to kiss me!" Eden turned to point out the greasy bulldyke who tried to manhandle her.

"Yeah, figured it was something like that," Joe said with a roll of her eyes. "She's a regular, usually harmless, but...she's kind of a handful when she gets drinking. You ladies go on. We'll take care of it."

As far as Dorian was concerned, she'd had more than enough excitement for one evening. She started to walk away and Eden followed closely behind until they were outside. The librarian paused and fished her car keys from her pants pocket.

Dorian exhaled sharply. "Yes, I'm fine." She replied. "Frankly I'm pretty shocked to see you in a place like that all alone."

"I was supposed to meet this girl from one of my classes here. She said that she'd never been to a lesbian bar before, but she chickened out at the last minute. I didn't want to let that ruin my night so I came anyway. I'm—uh—kind of surprised to see you here too."

"Well it's not actually my thing—"

"You mean lesbians? Because I kind of figured you were—"

"I mean bars. I don't really care for the crowds and it's a little too easy to find trouble."

"Yeah, I guess I learned that the hard way." Eden said. "But you came to my rescue. You didn't have to do that, Miss Harper. You're my hero!"

Dorian stood there for a minute or two fidgeting with her keys and trying hard not to ogle the beautiful college student. She could no longer deny that she was extremely attracted to Eden, and she also couldn't deny the pangs of jealousy that drove her to defend the girl's honor. The old dyke began to feel an unusual stirring of confidence, likely brought on by the two beers she'd consumed. She gazed admiringly at the girl, and without thinking, said: "Is that so? Then how about giving this hero a kiss?"

Dorian hardly expected Eden to agree, and her heart skipped a beat when the girl actually smiled and nodded her assent. "I'd love to."

The masculine woman smiled briefly before reaching out to caress the girl's cheek. She was about to lean in for the kiss when she hesitated. "I don't know if I should do this. Are you going to slap me too?"

Eden pulled away. She looked a little bewildered and wounded. "Why would I do that?" The beautiful college student turned and started to walk off. "Well, uh...thanks for saving me, Miss Harper. Have a good night!"

Dorian struggled to find an excuse to keep the girl from leaving. "Uh, wait, Eden. I—I didn't mean to say that!"

Eden turned around now. She cocked her head and her hands went to her hips. "Well, I didn't mean it when I told the bouncers that you were my friend!"

Ouch, that hurt! The butch librarian sighed. "Fair enough; I guess I deserved that." An awkward few seconds passed as a small group of women exited the bar. Dorian waited for them to pass before she continued. "I really don't think you should drive in your condition. And please stop calling me Miss Harper, you make me feel old!"

"I asked a friend to drop me off." Eden replied. "I'll just call for a ride back to my dorm."

The girl started to walk off again. "Wait!" Dorian shouted. "I apologize for what I said earlier. That was, uh...unprofessional of me. We've known each other for a while and this isn't the safest neighborhood. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"You could come to my place for a while. If you're hungry we could have something to eat...and talk. As soon as you sober up, I could take you back to your dorm."

For a minute or so, it looked like the girl was trying to conjure up a credible excuse to turn down the offer. "I guess so." She relented. She couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Good! Follow me, my car is over here." Dorian said as she led Eden down the sidewalk to an adjacent parking lot.

They drove through the lamp lit streets in silence until they reached the other side of town. Several minutes later, Dorian pulled up to a very tidy two story bungalow with a well-manicured lawn and a few flowering plants in decorative pots on the covered porch.

"Beautiful house..." Eden mused.

"Thanks. Hard to get anything fancy on a librarian's wages these days, but it's all mine." Dorian replied with a soft chuckle. They got out of the car and walked from the garage to the back door. "Ladies first." Dorian said. Eden replied with a shy giggle and led the way through the mudroom to the kitchen.

"Mind if I use your bathroom?" The girl asked. "I really gotta go!"

"Through the living room and it's the first door to your left by the stairs." Dorian replied. "When you're finished, feel free to make yourself at home on the sofa and watch some television or you can join me in the kitchen. Would you like a sandwich or something?"

"Yeah, sure." Eden replied dismissively as she made a mad dash towards the living room.

Several minutes later, the girl walked back into the kitchen where Dorian was. The slender butch woman stood in front of the counter and her back was facing the girl. An ear piercing whine filled the cheerful little space and Eden watched as her hostess switched off the stovetop. She grabbed the teakettle and poured some of the boiling hot water into a mug.

"Have a seat at the table over there if you like." Dorian said. "Wasn't sure how hungry you are so I just made one sandwich." Eden sat down at the table and the butch woman set a plate in front of her with the sandwich. The girl started to lift up the top piece of bread and Dorian let out an exasperated sigh. "It's just peanut butter. I'm afraid I don't have much in the pantry...haven't made it to the store yet."

"Uh, that's okay."

"I boiled up some water for tea...not much of a soda drinker myself. Would you like some ice water instead, or—"

"Water's fine, thanks." Eden replied softly.

Dorian grabbed a clean glass from one of the overhead cupboards, filled it, and set it in front of her guest. A few seconds later, the librarian joined her. As Eden nibbled on her sandwich, Dorian removed her glasses and held them at arm's length for a second or two and brought them to her lap. She pulled a wad of tissue from her pocket and gently rubbed the lenses before putting them back on.

"Kind of surprised to see you tonight." The butch woman started slowly. "It's not every day I get an opportunity to help a damsel in distress...and such a pretty one too." Now Dorian's mouth stretched into a thin line as she mashed her lips together and cringed. But before she could utter an apology, the girl flashed her hostess a shy grin and said: "Thanks, you really are my hero. It was pretty dumb of me to go alone like that."

Eden finished the last of her sandwich and Dorian deposited the empty plate on the counter next to the sink. She returned to her seat across from the beautiful college student and took another sip of her tea. The skin suddenly prickled around the old dyke's ears when Eden broke the silence.

"I, uh...know it's probably none of my business, but were you meeting someone at the bar tonight? I hope I didn't interrupt anything..." The girl's voice trailed off when she saw the pained expression on the butch woman's face. Dorian grimaced.

"No, I ah—go there once in a great while for a beer or two after work. I just keep to myself and watch the sights. It's been a little lonely these past couple of years—that is until you happened by the library."

"Did you have a girlfriend, or..."

"I did but not anymore." Dorian replied plaintively. "Her name was Kate. She was a colleague, worked the circulation desk on the first floor. We were together for 22 wonderful years...and then she lost her battle with cancer..."

The poor girl was mortified. "God, I—I'm sorry to hear that..."

"It's okay, you didn't know." The butch woman replied. Her mind scrambled to redirect the conversation to something less depressing. "So tell me more about this friend you were supposed to meet."

Eden shrugged her shoulders. "She's just this girl I know from one of my classes. She said that she'd never been to a lesbian bar before and she was curious. But she's not really my type...too girly I guess." She looked down at the tabletop and let loose with a nervous chuckle.

"What is your type if you don't mind me asking?"

"I've always had kind of a thing for butch women." Eden wistfully replied. "Well dressed and confident. I love women who wear glasses too...makes them look intellectual."

Dorian's otherwise pale cheeks bloomed with an unbearable heat. Without thinking, she removed her glasses and started rubbing her eyes. "I'll be right back." She said as she got up and headed in the general direction of the bathroom. She returned a few minutes later and Eden sprung up from her seat.

"I'm really sorry, Dorian," Eden said. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"Oh, no, dear, you didn't." The old dyke replied as she waved her hand dismissively. "I just needed to use the bathroom, that's all. I'm flattered by the way...do my glasses have anything to do with all your visits to the Reference desk?"

"I just really enjoy your company I guess." Eden said.

Another awkward silence grew between them and Dorian glanced over at the wall clock. "Well...it's getting late. I should probably take you back to your dorm..."

"That's okay," Eden said. "It's Friday night! I don't have classes tomorrow and my roommate invited her boyfriend over tonight. Could I stay a little longer...unless you have work in the morning?"

The old dyke reached for her glasses and hesitated. "No, I have tomorrow off. I—I'd love for you to stay." She started towards the living room without her glasses. "Why don't we sit on the sofa for a while and talk? It's kind of nice to have a chance to visit outside of the library for a change."

Eden smiled and followed her friend into the living room. They spent the next half hour or so talking about school and some of the more "unusual" patrons at the library. "We had an elderly patron, a regular, who would come in and take his dentures out and leave them on the table in front of everyone before going to sleep." Dorian said.

"Ew!" The girl feigned a shudder and laughed.

"And then there was the one time we had to ask a patron to leave because he came in drunk and he started screaming curse words into his headphones. I had just returned from lunch, so I have no idea what he was listening to."

Dorian was about to ask her guest if she wanted another drink, but Eden stopped her.

"You asked me earlier what sort of woman was my type and I told you." The girl said. "But you never told me what sort of woman you like."

Dorian swallowed hard as she thought about how to answer. This was dangerous territory as far as she was concerned, especially after what happened with that other woman on the dance floor. There was no denying that she was extremely attracted to Eden, but she didn't want to say the wrong thing on the off chance she'd misinterpreted the intent of the question.

"I prefer someone sweet and feminine...someone who values her education and isn't afraid to take risks..."

The butch woman slowly turned and gazed admiringly at her young guest. And then, as if driven by sudden impulse, she leaned in and pressed her lips against Eden's. The kiss was slow and tender, and at first the old dyke was genuinely stunned by her boldness. When Dorian finally pulled away, she was reeling. It seemed from that moment, the kiss was meant to happen.

"Getting a little handsy, aren't we?" Eden teased.

"I—I'm sorry, Eden." Dorian stammered. "I don't really know what's gotten into me."

"Don't be sorry, I liked it." The girl softly replied.

Before she knew what was happening, Eden pulled the butch woman in to share another kiss. The beautiful college student slowly parted her lips, and immediately she felt the old dyke's tongue enter. In an instant, that single kiss became several more, made increasingly deep and insistent each time their mouths made contact. Dorian's breath caught in her throat. It had been so long, at least a year, since she kissed another woman. She certainly never expected to feel this way towards anyone so quickly, let alone with someone so young and beautiful.

"I'm really glad you were the one who helped me when I came to the library that first time last semester." Eden said in a trembling voice. "I got an 'A' on that research paper by the way—"

"Huh, you never told me before...I wondered about that." Dorian softly replied.

The girl continued: "After we talked that first time, I sort of hoped that we'd end up being friends...maybe more. I've had a crush on you for the longest time...I guess I was hoping you'd somehow get it."

Dorian issued no reply. They came together in another deep insistent kiss and their tongues furiously dueled. The old dyke was completely caught off guard and she let loose with a loud gasp when she felt the unexpected sensation of Eden's soft full lips and tongue against her neck. As a dyed-in-the-wool butch, Dorian assumed she'd always be the dominant one in the relationship. She never expected this otherwise innocent looking beauty to suddenly take charge like this. She reasoned that the feeling, though unusual, was not at all unpleasant. As a matter of fact, she actually enjoyed the attention. After a minute or so, the girl pulled away.