Hiding from Herself

"And, I think you should do the same. Tomorrow we can exchange some spaces in our closets, if you want." Andy's smile nearly put the stars to shame as she beamed at Melanie.

They chatted as Melanie hurried to her house; neither really interested in the conversation as their eyes snuck peeks as breasts and thighs. Melanie could feel a small hum in her groin growing and nearly shouted in relief as she pulled into her driveway and parked.

At the door, their eyes met and Melanie realized that Andy was smiling as foolishly as she was. She unlocked the door and they both went inside, neither saying anything.

"Would you like a drink?" Melanie asked as she headed into the main room towards the oak bar.

"Just a vodka tonic, please," Andy said, settling into the huge brown leather sofa. Melanie smiled as she fixed two of the requested drinks before hurrying over. She sat beside Andy on the sofa, curling a leg underneath herself as she turned to face her.

"Tell me more about you," Melanie said. Andy laughed nervously.

"I think you already know the important things. What else do you want to know?"

"Ok, then, question and answer time." Melanie thought for a few moments. "What's your sign?" Andy burst into laughter and Melanie giggled.

"I am a Gemini. You?"

"Gemini, hey? That explains so much." She laughed at Andy's mock anger. "I am a Pisces," Melanie said. Melanie took a sip of her drink before asking, "Where did you go to college?"

"Wesleyan. Oh my god, Melanie, you've got the same perverted look on your face that men get when I let them know that I went to an all women's school." Melanie laughed, her cheeks reddening. "Then law school at Cornell. Where did you attend?"

"I went to Harvard." They both smiled at one another. Melanie quickly thought of more questions and fired them off rapidly.

"What is your favorite color?"

"Green. You?"

"Brown. What is your favorite food?"

"Italian. What is yours? And keep it clean," Andy said with a laugh as Melanie leered lecherously at her.

"OK, then, Chinese, although Italian is a close favorite."

"As is Chinese for me," Andy conceded.

Melanie carefully contemplated her next question, then decided against it. She didn't really know if she was ready emotionally to know whether Andy meant it the other night when she said that she loved her.

"You've become so quiet," Andy said softly, and Melanie looked up with a smile.

"Just thinking of everything I want to know about you and there is so much!" Andy took Melanie's hands into her own and looking deeply, and Melanie knew, lovingly into her eyes.

"I hope we have a chance to ask all of our questions." She swallowed her drink in one last mouthful before putting the cup down and turning back to Melanie. "Now, take me upstairs, woman, and let me ravish you before I explode."

"One last question," Melanie said with a giggle. "So you think I'll survive your family reunion this weekend?" Andy laughed.

"I don't know if I'll even survive it!" Andy said.

The rest of the week passed in a blur. Melanie had unexpected business come up and had to leave town until Friday and had to postpone the exchanging of the closet spaces. They spoke every night on the phone, their conversations becoming more intimate and comfortable. Melanie found that she smiled nonstop and when she returned on Friday, Frank threatened to call NASA and report an alien abduction unless the real Melanie was returned soon.

Saturday arrived with a jangle of nerves. Deanne called Melanie first thing to be certain that she would be there. Melanie was still fussing over what to wear as Andy paced in exasperation in her front room. With admonishments about what being late meant, Andy communicated with Melanie through the door. She didn't trust herself to be near her half naked lover and not touch her, so if she went in, it would only make them even more late.

Soon everyone was gathered at Frank and Deanne's and everyone appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. Melanie couldn't understand why Deanne seemed so recalcitrant, though, and she took Frank aside to ask him about it.

"Frank, is Deanne alright? Did you two have a fight?"

"No," Frank said, casting a worried glance over to Deanne who was watching them expressionlessly. He waved and smiled and she looked coldly away. "She's been like this all week. At first I thought it was the stress of having the reunion here, but now I think that there is more to it."

"Have you talked with her about it?" Melanie asked worriedly as she watched Deanne toss back a glass of wine and quickly pour another.

"She won't talk to me," Frank said miserably. "She can barely bring herself to look at me. I swear, Melanie, I didn't do anything. Maybe she'll talk to you?" Frank said hopefully as he grabbed Melanie hand and squeezed it. "Please? I just want to know what I can do to make it better." Melanie hugged him and promised that she would talk to Deanne as soon as she had a chance.

Before she could make it over to where Deanne sat glowering, Andy caught up with Melanie and locked arms with her. Melanie laughed and protested half heartedly as Andy whisked her around the yard, making introductions. There were so many family and friends present that Melanie knew she would never remember all of their names. She was relieved when they reached the last person aside from Andy's parents. Melanie hadn't as of yet had the pleasure of meeting them and she was dreading it.

"Aunt Trish, this is a friend of mine, and Deanne and Frank," she added quickly. "Melanie works with Frank at the law office. She's also a junior partner," Andy said, and Melanie couldn't help but note the pride in her voice.

"Another lawyer. Just what this family needs," Trish said with a smile. "Are you enjoying yourself, dear?" Melanie instantly liked the older woman. Her poise and grace were evident in every movement and every word from her mouth. Plus, she always loved forthrightness.

"Yes, I am, thank you."

"Then you obviously haven't eaten one of Frank's so called hamburgers yet," Trish said with a sly smile. "He turns them into charcoal and calls it food." Melanie laughed in spite of herself.

"No, I haven't had that pleasure yet," Melanie said mirthfully.

"It's a dubious pleasure, trust me," Trish said as she looked over Andy's shoulder and smiled.

"Andy, I've never seen your sister drink so much. And your mother is going to chew her arm right off trying to get your attention." Andy looked over her shoulder with a puzzled look on her face. Her face blanched as she saw her mother waving her over. Beverly sat at her side looking as disapproving as she could.

"I'll talk to Deanne, you talk to your mother," Melanie offered and Trish laughed lightly. Andy smiled at her gratefully.

As they walked towards the trio of women, Andy leaned over and said, "Aunt Trish is my dad's sister. Everyone is afraid of her, but I could tell that she likes you a lot."

"The feeling is mutual," Melanie said with a pleased smile. She walked over to Deanne who was sitting and looking morosely at Melanie. A look of concern quickly replaced Melanie's smile as she realized that Deanne was well on her way to being falling down drunk.

"Deanne?" Melanie asked cautiously. "Are you alright?" Deanne looked up at Melanie as through she had grown a second head.

"Are you kidding me? You of all people are asking ME if I'm ok?" Melanie cast a nervous glance over to Andy where she was deep in conversation with her mother and oldest sister.

"I know I haven't known you as long as I've known Frank, but I care about you and consider you just as much a friend."

"That's the problem, isn't it?" Deanne asked with a hiccup.

"I'm sorry?" Melanie reached out quickly to steady Deanne as she clambered to her feet. Deanne jerked her arm away from Melanie, nearly toppling herself in the process.

"Don't touch me, and definitely don't pretend to be my friend." Melanie looked around in confusion as Deanne's voice rose hysterically.

"Deanne, what is going on with you?" Deanne's mother asked as she stepped closer to the two of them.

"Why don't you ask this... this home wrecker," Deanne spat, pointing at Melanie with a wavering finger. Melanie felt her head spin as she exchanged a look with an obviously panicked Andy.

"What are you TALKING about?" Melanie asked in an unsteady voice, unsure if she should continue the conversation or walk away.

"You should know. I called Frank's office the other day and his secretary tells me that the whole office is talking about his affair." Everyone gasped with astonishment. Deanne's declaration was so not what Melanie expected that she had a hard time shifting gears in her brain.

"That's insane. Frank isn't have an affair," Melanie blurted out.

"Of course that's what you would say. You're the whore he's sleeping with!" Melanie nearly fell over in shock.

"Deanne," Andy said through clenched teeth, "you don't know what you're talking about." Melanie could detect the hint of warning in Andy's voice and for some reason, in the midst of all the arguing and screaming, it made her feel warm inside.

"Matilda told me all about your long lunches and private conversations. I've seen you two talking so close a feather couldn't fit between the two of you." Melanie suddenly understood the entire situation and also knew that she could never explain because to do so would be to destroy Andy. Deanne mistook the understanding in Melanie's eyes for guilt because she began to call Melanie as many names as she could think of and accuse her of every sodomistic act she knew. Frank came running over demanding what the hell was going on. Melanie just shook her head as the two of them began to argue, and she could see the same helpless look in Frank's eyes. Melanie felt so shocked and lost, that she blindly turned to go. Andy grabbed her arm as she yelled at everyone to just shut the fuck up.

"Deanne, you are being ridiculous. I know for a fact that Melanie and Frank are not having an affair, and I also know what these private conversations are about; they are about me." Everyone look at Andy in confused silence as she took a deep breath and continued.

"Andy, don't do this," Melanie whispered frantically, and Andy looked at her with such love in her eyes that Melanie was speechless. Andy's hand slid down Melanie's arms to twine their fingers together.

"I know because Melanie is... she is my lover. The only thing Frank is keeping from you, Deanne, is that he knows." The entire yard was deathly silent after Andy's announcement. Melanie gave Andy's hand a little squeeze and it was returned gratefully.

"Oh, Andy, not again," Andy's mom said in disgust. "Didn't you learn anything the first time?" Melanie could literally feel the confidence drain from Andy under her mother's disgusted stare and hateful words. "I almost wish that Frank were cheating with that... that woman." She turned to glare at Melanie who coolly returned her stare.

"Do be quiet, Eva. I won't stand by and watch you destroy this girl again," Trish suddenly spoke from Melanie's elbow causing her to jump. She cast the woman a grateful smile.

"Stay out of this," Beverly spoke up, "this has nothing to do with you."

"Nor does it have anything to do with you, any of you," Trish shot back.

"Oh, no? Embarrassing her family is none of our business? Look at what has already happened to poor Deanne." Melanie felt an icy rage building inside of her as she listened to Andy's oldest sister list the many ways Andy was a horrid person. She kept silent out of respect for Andy, and dare she admit it, love for the shaking woman beside her. She glanced over at her lover and it broke her heart to see the crushed look on her face.

"You have some nerve coming here," Eva said to Melanie, nearly spitting the words at her. "What did you do to my daughter? She was doing fine until she met you."

"Enough!" A blond man said quietly from Eva's side where he had been sitting silently. In all the turmoil, Melanie hadn't even noticed him. His eyes were the same green as Andy's and his hair the same wavy blond. Andy looked like a feminine replica of him.

"What did you say, Robert?" Eva asked, turning to him in surprise.

"I said, enough! I should have stopped you the first time you did this to our daughter. I won't let you crush her again." Eva stared at him in shock as Robert turned to Andy. When Beverly began to protest his words, he hushed her with a look. "What you did years ago, what we did, cost me my daughter."

"It's about time you stood up for her," Trish said quietly so only Melanie could hear.

"Robert, for god's sake, this is an embarrassment to our entire family."

"My daughter, my beautiful, successful daughter, is not an embarrassment to me. Didn't you notice how happy she was today? I finally realized what we lost so many years ago."

"You want a homosexual daughter, fine. I want nothing to do with her."

"What are you saying?" Robert growled, stepping forward with his hands clenched tightly at his sides. Eva looked directly into Andy's eyes as she spoke.

"I don't have a homosexual daughter, and I never will." A sob escaped Andy's throat as she pivoted on her heel and tore her hand from Melanie's. She ran into the house in a desperate flight to escape her mother's hateful words.

Melanie glared at Eva, her eyes bright with anger. As she spoke, she could hear her voice trembling with the rage she could barely contain.

"I am not going anywhere, so you better get used to seeing me around. No one has a right to make decisions about Andy's life but Andy, and she chose to make me a part of it. And if any of you choose to distance yourselves from her because she is happy, I regret it for Andy's sake, but from the way you've behaved today, it probably isn't such a bad thing if she never had to see you again." Melanie turned and stalked off into the house, her anger rapidly diminishing as she looked for her devastated lover. She knew how much her mother's words had hurt her. Melanie heard the sudden revving of the Harley's powerful motor as it roared into life and she ran outside.

Melanie quickly climbed onto the back of the bike, ignoring Andy's protests. They took off in a shower of gravel and dust as Melanie clung to Andy literally for dear life as she felt herself trying to flip backwards off the powerful machine.

They rode for what seemed like hours. Melanie lost track of where they were, but she wasn't really concerned about it. She laid her cheek on Andy's back, feeling the smooth rippling of muscles as Andy guided the roaring machine. Melanie realized she had been near to dozing as Andy pulled over and cut off the engine.

Melanie looked around curiously. She could see a large sign that declared they were at the Lakeside Inn and Resort. Small bungalows set back into the trees circled a large crystal clear lake. It was quiet with only the sounds of nature rising from the woods around them. Andy turned to meet Melanie's eyes before swinging one shapely leg over the Harley and climbing off. She held up her hand to keep Melanie on the bike, and Melanie could see the storm ripping through the beautiful jade green of her eyes as wave after wave of unreadable emotion crashed past. Andy took Melanie's hand in hers and leaned closer to her to whisper into her ear.

"Will you stay with me tonight? I need you." Melanie could hear the hurt in Andy's voice, and the desperate need. She nodded yes as Andy's lips and teeth nibbled softly at her earlobe before she turned and went into the small log cabin marked office. She quickly returned and swung onto the bike and gunned it into life.

They traveled slowly down a well-kept path through the woods to their bungalow. Melanie dismounted the Harley with a relieved sigh and stretched out the kinks in her back and legs. The lake lapped quietly against a small dock where a tiny boat dipped and rode the small ripples. The setting sun sent fiery trails across the blue green water creating a prismatic rainbow that seemed to undulate with each wave.

Melanie realized she had been watching the hypnotic lake for some time and she turned quickly to find Andy had been watching her as intently as she had been watching the water. Melanie walked slowly over to Andy and cupped her cheek in her palm. Andy leaned her head into Melanie's palm, her eyes closing as a small tear slid down her cheek. Melanie pulled Andy to her and they sank down onto the lush grass. Andy clung to Melanie who gently held her close and murmured soothing nonsensical words and she comforted the weeping woman. She lifted Andy's chin and kissed away the salty tears trickling down the beautiful, rosy cheeks. Andy sighed as her arms wound around Melanie's neck, pulling her closer.

Melanie's lips trailed down Andy's cheek and over her chin, kissing tenderly. Andy turned her head to catch a kiss on her lips and Melanie ran her tongue lightly over the other woman's parted lips. Melanie could feel her heart begin to race as Andy's fingers began to trace light circles down her back. When Andy lifted her shirt and began to lightly trace her fingers under the hem of Melanie's shorts, she couldn't help the passionate sigh that escaped her.

Melanie slowly opened her eyes to look into Andy's. The raw need and desperate hunger in the other woman's gaze sent shivers of desire pounding through her. Melanie kept eye contact with Andy as she took her hand and pulled them both to their feet. She guided the two towards the bungalow, and Melanie didn't waste any time looking at her surroundings as Andy unlocked the door and swung it open. She caught a vague glimpse of brown, rattan furniture and wooden floors before Andy caught her lips in a slow, sensuous kiss. Melanie could feel the barely contained emotions raging through the taller woman and she knew what she should do.

Withdrawing her lips from Andy's, she walked further into the room and wasn't disappointed as she saw a large stone fireplace at the far end of the room with a large rug stretched before it. The fireplace was gas and controlled electronically, and Melanie was happy to see the remote for it was lying on a small table. The night outside was beginning to creep in with a chill, and Melanie set the fireplace on low. The orange flames cast a warm glow over Melanie as she began to move sensuously, slowly removing her clothing one piece at a time.

Andy stood where she was almost not breathing as Melanie knelt on the rug, her legs spread and back arched in a silent offering to her. Melanie slowly sucked the tip of her index finger into her mouth, thoroughly wetting it before running it over her shaved slit. She could hear Andy inhale sharply as she pressed her finger between her lips and stroked slowly from her hardening clit to her aching entrance. Melanie raised her finger to taste herself and sucked off the juices coating it. Andy moaned breathlessly as she crept closer and knelt on the other side of the rug watching as Melanie began to tweak and rub her nipples with her left hand as her right went back to play in the folds of her honey patch.

Melanie pushed one perfect finger deep inside herself, gasping at the feel of her tight walls sucking on the invading digit. She began a slow grind on her hand as she opened her eyes to watch Andy who stared in fascination at the sexy display in front of her. When she licked her lips, Melanie moaned in raw need as she felt her juices flood her lips and thighs in response.

She crawled towards Andy and pulled her to her, pressing her body into the taller woman's. Andy seemed to melt into her as she almost desperately clung to Melanie. Melanie showered Andy's face with tender kisses, catching wet tears on her tongue and lips. She murmured sweet nothing as she began to kiss Andy's eyes, ears, and neck. Andy sighed tremulously, her hands coming up to cup Melanie's breasts and squeeze them gently as her thumbs stroked the hardening nipples. Melanie moaned into Andy's mouth, letting Andy know how good her touch felt.