Previously,the Morristown Police Headquarters...the evening of Sunday, December 28th..

“I’m so sorry about your mom. Can I come to the airport with you?”

“Yes, Miss O’Rourke. It would be a good thing indeed.

“So…” Caden looked down at her shoes. Michael was about to speak when she felt a tap on her shoulder, followed by,

“Mikey?” She turned to face Sgt. Denise Falcone’. The woman smiled and pointed to a phone on the desk nearby; one light was flashing.

“It’s for you. Your sister.” She smiled and nodded at her before turning slightly to face Caden as Michael took the call.

“Hi, I’m Denise…you must be the girl we’ve heard so much about.” She smiled again and Caden blushed, feeling entirely out of place and phony.

“I’m glad to meet you.” She held out her hand; Caden took it in hers and shook firmly. She pulled her hand away slowly, feeling awkward and very ill at ease; a warm feeling moved up her neck and into her cheeks, causing them to grow hot.

“Oh, please, Miss O’Rourke. Michael could certainly do worse, and I expect after hearing about you from her that she could never find better, right?” Caden did her best to avoid shaking her head no, even though she felt inadequate and insecure.

“I’m so sorry about your Mom; my cousin Amelia went to school with her and remembers going to your baby shower.” She smiled and raised her left eyebrow ever so slightly; more a reactive tic than an expression, but the meaning wasn’t lost on Caden. She put her hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp; shrugging her shoulder s ever so slightly.

“Yes, Miss O’Rourke…I know. So what. You’re who you are, right? Who am I to judge? And Michael seems so taken with you. Really, I’m glad; Michael is such a great gal, you know?” Denise smiled once again before saying finally,

“I’ve got to get back; got a week to plan for, okay. Again…I’m glad.” With that she walked back into the inner office.

“Linda says that they got re-routed to Atlanta because of the snow here. They won’t be getting into Newark until tomorrow at about ten.” Michael peered through the window blinds near the desk; it was snowing hard and fast.

“Can you just drop me off at home?” Caden shook a bit at the sound of her own words. She realized there was nothing to go home to, but she also was shivering from a cold draft from the ceiling. Michael stepped closer and put her arm around Caden, pulling her close.

“Let’s just go over to my place. It’s late, and you’ve had such a horrible day. You probably just need to rest.” Caden went to pull away; her insecurities pushed hard against the acceptance that Michael had offered. Michael squeezed her hand softly.

“Miss O’Rourke? It’s okay. Let’s get you home and into bed, okay?”

One I love, two she loves
Three she's true to me

Shortly thereafter; Michael's home...

“I’m sorry, but I really have nothing to speak of that you might find comfortable. I hope you don’t mind wearing some of my mom’s stuff?”

Michael stood outside her mother’s bedroom, waiting for Caden to come out. A moment later she heard the click of the door lock; she had encouraged the girl to do whatever made her feel safe. It was disappointing; that one little act seemed to tell Michael that things had cooled off. The door opened and Caden stepped out. She wore a long quilted white satin robe over pink satin pajamas. Her feet were bare, and she shivered despite the warm robe. Her look had already told Michael not to get too close. She brushed past Michael and walked down the hallway toward the living room.

“Would you like some tea?” Michael seemed tentative in the offer, feeling already put off by the girl. Things were getting more awkward moment by moment.

“Do you have any beer?” Caden called from the living room. A moment later Michael placed a six-pack of Lowenbrau. She held up the bottle opener and Caden deferred.

“I…I don’t drink that often…I hope you understand.” Understand? Michael realized how horribly stressed the girl had become; in the space of a few days she had been attacked; lost her mother; gotten arrested for murder; and…

When the fire to ice will run
And when the tide no longer turns
And when the rocks melt with the sun
My love for you will have just begun

“I mean…it’s not like I drink at all. I’m sorry.” Michael nodded slightly in agreement and took a swig from her own bottle. It felt hot in the living room as the fire she had started warmed them. The beer, as cold as it was, did nothing to cool her off. She pulled off her uniform blouse, revealing a navy blue sports bra. On her shoulder, just peeking out from under one of the bra straps was a tattoo; a sprig of clover slightly covering a harp.

“Can…do you mind if I have that tea…I’m awfully cold?” Caden placed the half-empty bottle down on the coffee table.

“Oh, gosh, where are my manners?”

She shook slightly as she leaned over the table to reach for a coaster. As she moved forward, Michael was already reaching for a coaster, and their heads bumped. Instead of reacting, Caden pulled back slightly and looked into Michael’s eyes. The girl shook even more and went to pull back, but her progress was halted as Michael grabbed her hand. She pulled slightly on it and Michael let go, but instead of pulling away completely, the girl touched Michael’s face.

“I’m sorry…I’m…scared. You do understand?” She turned slightly, looking at the fireplace as a large spark popped loudly. Michael sighed, getting Caden’s attention once again.

“I…you can’t possibly care….” Michael went to interrupt; angry at the implication until Caden continued, holding her hand up to silence the woman in front of her.

“I…it’s just that you shouldn’t be stuck with someone like me. I’m…” She paused and looked down at her breasts and then over at Michael’s chest, as if to compare.

“I’m not real.” She put her head down. Michael couldn’t see at that point, but she knew the girl had to be crying. She cried a lot; not that it bothered Michael. In fact, she appreciated that the girl…the girl could express her emotions. She found she was drawn out by the girl’s honesty even if Caden couldn’t be honest with herself. She took a deep breath and dove into the deep end of the rest of her life. Turning to face the girl, she reached over and cupped her chin softly and raised her face.

“I’m sorry,” the girl pled, trying to put her head down once again. Firmly but softly, she felt the hand that held her chin only a moment before lift her face once again. And she stared into her own future as she saw in Michael’s eyes the love and acceptance that she had never known. She started to shake, and the sobs came in huge waves as Michael wrapped her in the strong arms of a strong woman.

They tell me she's poor, they tell me she's young
I tell them all to hold their tongue
If they could part the sand from the sea
They never could part my love from me

She put her head on Michael’s chest and her tears rolled down and wet Michael’s cleavage. Not exactly an anointing, but as close as one could get given the moment. Michael kissed her forehead softly and the girl looked up into her face once again, beholding the same expression…no…even more intense as the love the girl felt before had been selfless, and this look mixed the selfless with the selfish in a way as she realized that Michael not only loved her but wanted her; then and there.

“You…love me?” Caden asked the question, and if there was any doubt before she spoke, there would never be any doubt afterwards as Michael leaned closer and kissed her. It was new for both of them. Michael had been in relationships with women and even some men, but it had always been with the mutual understanding that things were never going to be forever. With Caden, she pictured herself growing old and secure.

And Caden had never been kissed in her lifetime; even when she had lived as Kellen for the first twenty years of her life, the only kisses she had ever received were the drunken ones of her abusive father and the distant ones of an uncaring mother. Hardly any friends growing up, much less any romance or sex.

When I'm awake, I find no rest
Until her head lies on my breast
When I'm asleep I'm dreaming of
My own, my dear, my one true love

But in that moment the two knew that they knew that they had found each other; not as mere friends, though that would have been a tremendous blessing for both of them. They knew that they would be lovers; as long as they drew a breath, there would be love; tender and warm and rough and boisterous and passionate. Caden pulled Michael closer by her bra straps and began kissing her neck. Michael shuddered and lifted her right hand; placing it on Caden’s breast.

“Miss O’Rourke? May I call you Caden?”

Michael’s attempt at humor was lost, but in favor of something much more enjoyable as the girl pushed the bra open and began to kiss Michael’s breast. She kissed Michael’s nipple and the woman shuddered once again as the girl began to bite the soft flesh. Michael felt a warmth below that only added to the confused but welcome feelings she was having above. And not just on the outside. She could have sworn her heart grew warm as well, adding to the heat she already felt from both the fire in the hearth and the girl in her arms.

“You can call me whatever you want,” the girl said between bites, her words a bit garbled as her lips pushed softly on the other nipple. The girl reached down and unbuttoned Michael’s trousers and Michael arched her back almost involuntarily as the girl pulled her pants down and off her legs. A tender touch on the surface of her panties was followed quickly by a gentle caress under the fabric, sending the girl into yet another shudder followed by a moan.

“I …don’t ….mind…calling you….Michael….” the voice came from below as Michael felt her panties literally tear off her body. Soft, tender lips began kissing her…feelings that lay dormant for quite some time; more so that these were as intense but also as subtle in a way as she had ever felt. In a few moments she was arching her back once again; her mound pushing hard against the girl’s attentive ministrations. And the intensity grew….and expanded…and then in a moment it was over.

When the fire to ice will run
And when the tide no longer turns
And when the rocks melt with the sun
My love for you will have just begun

The room was filled with relieved sobbing, but not from Michael. She cried softly and stroked Caden’s hair as her lover; her new best friend and mate for life lay in a fitful rest on her stomach. The girl’s convulsions shook the couch and she reached up and touched Michael’s ear and then cheek.

“I’m so sorry…so…so sorry.” Caden kept repeating it; a sad mantra that intruded on their moment. Michael wasn’t mad at Caden, but she was angry. She stayed calm but firmly if haltingly said,

“You…you…have nothing to be sorry…” She bit her lip, unable to finish the sentence as her love for the girl overwhelmed her.

One I love, two she loves
Three she's true to me

How could anyone not love the girl, she thought. Who could ever see her and not care? It was Michael’s turn to sob; her cries a sweet and precious counterpoint to the girl’s weeping.

“I can never…” Caden’s words were cut short as Michael placed four fingers softly over the girl’s lips; silencing the girl’s protests.

“I love you.” Michael pulled away her hand and the girl sobbed the same protest once again.

“I can never…”

Michael touched the girl’s cheek and guided her to pull up closer. Caden crawled up Michael’s body and was met with the one kiss that would surpass what had only moments before been supreme. She spoke as she kissed, her words still heard even as her lips brushed hard against Caden’s “I love you….I love you.” She pulled back and placed her hand on Caden’s head guiding her to the notch between her left breast and arm; inviting the girl to feel the warmth and safety and security that was made for her before the foundation of the earth; a gift of each girl to the other from a loving God. Caden kept repeating,

“No…no.”

Michael didn’t bother to correct her, but softly stroked the girl’s back with her fingernails; not a sensual act per se even though it was highly sensual. The scratches played across Caden’s back as a soothing welcome; something so foreign but so personal at the same time. In a few minutes the protests had ceased and Caden was asleep in her lover’s arms, as Michael repeated softly,

Tá¡ tẠgo h-á¡lainn...Tá¡im i ngrá¡ leat.*

Michael placed her hand over the sleeping girl's heart; her words barely spoken for the sweet tears in her eyes. She spoke once more.

A chuisle, a chroá­...**

Michael cried softly as the warmth of the girl's body carried her away to dreams of marble halls and gowns and soft breezes on a warm summer night.

One I love, two she loves
Three she's true to me
One I love, two she loves
And three she's true to me

Next: And Certain Songs our Hearts Do Say...

*You're beautiful. I'm in love with you.

**My pulse, my heart

One I Love
words and music by
John Spillane
as performed by
Meav Ni Mhaolchatha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LcL49jw4vA