When I Look In Your Eyes   by Andrea Lena DiMaggio   When I look in your eyes, I see the wisdom of the world in your eyes I see the sadness of a thousand goodbyes When I look in your eyes And it is no surprise, to see the softness of the moon in your eyes The gentle sparkle of the stars in your eyes When I look in your eyes

"What better way to celebrate our anniversary?" They had been together in some manner or another for nearly nineteen years. She smiled and pulled her robe apart, revealing her small but tender breasts.

"Isn't this a bit risque?" Erica asked as she pulled off her top, revealing two perfectly formed breasts as well. She pulled Maired in for a kiss.

"Emmmm. Your lips taste different...Peach?" Maired smiled and then proceeded to nibble her wife's neck.

"Nectarine, just for you. I was going to do vanilla for a tease, but I know you don't like that at all." She giggled as Maired found that one spot behind her left ear that always tickled.

"Does Mark know? I mean he left this morning upset and all?" She teased.

"Oh, I suspect he has an idea; he really only wants you to be happy." Maired teased back.

"He makes me very happy." Erica began to kiss Maired's new budding breasts, sending a shudder down her back.

"Do I make you happy?"

"Always, my dear." She had called her 'my dear' from the start; her way of acknowledging how special their relationship was. She pulled off her panties and tossed them off the bed.

"Do I please you?" Erica said, tears forming in her eyes.

"Forever; from the moment I saw you when you and my sister sat on our porch and talked about the Kerrigan boy down the street." She smiled as she began to kiss Erica's breasts, returning the favor.

"As I recall, we teased you about him. 'oh, wouldn't you just love to be bent back over the bed with him?' Maura even made a kissing sound. 'Ooooh, imagine him holding you...kissing you.' You got beet red and ran into the house." She giggled, partly from the memory and mostly from the ticklish spot on her left nipple.

"I had my sights set that day, but it wasn't with any boy. You know what made me love you at first sight?" Erica knew but she never grew tired of hearing the story.

"You and Maura and I were sitting on your front porch. The little girl across the street came up the walk and she was crying." Maired began to mist up at the memory.

"She held up her dolly. The left arm was broken and she held it up as she cried." She stopped kissing and lay her head on Erica's chest.

"'Missy hurt...please, can you help her?' she said and you picked her up in your arms.

'One second honey. Don't cry,' you said. 'The dolly doctor is in the house. Let me go talk to her and we'll get Missy fixed up, okay.'"

Erica began to cry, somewhat at the memory of the little girl, but somewhat also sadly at the losses the two had sustained over the years of their relationship.

"You went inside and asked me to come with you. You went upstairs and got your own doll, a keepsake your dad had given you. It was identical to Missy except for the dress." They always were thankful for this story, even if it always seemed to put a damper on their lovemaking, as it always brought the two of them to tears.

"'Didn't your dad give you that?' I asked as you swapped dolls. You looked at me and said,'I think this is what he'd do if he were here.' And you gave her the doll." Maired bit her tongue to keep composed.

"Such a gift, not only to the child, but to me as well. You grabbed my heart that day and never let go. I am so glad we're together. You bring me great joy." Maired kissed her and their tears mingled together in a harmony of joy and sadness. They had come through a lot together and their love was stronger than ever.

"And you as well, my dear." She began to caress Maired while returning her attention to Maired's breasts. Soon the two joined together; more a celebration than ever before as they melded together in sweet blissful love. Knowing and fully known. No crecendo, but a soft point to counterpoint; where once there was a strong cello and gentle violin there now played two violas, melody and harmony woven together in a tapestry of sound and sight and touch. In every sense the two had become one.

Later as they cuddled in bed, Erica turned toward Maired and kissed her gently on the cheek.

"Thank you for being everything you are for me. I love you so much. But now I think it's time you were everything you need to be for you." She reached into the nightstand and pulled out a small gift bag and handed it to Maired.

"I've got something planned for the day, dear, okay? Dinner with Gina and Katie, if you don't mind?"

"Not at all. In fact, Gina and Katie called to congratulate us the other day. I had a long talk with them. They helped me decide what to give you." She pointed to the bag.

Maired opened it to find two small boxes. One a ring box, the other a small jewelry box.

"Open the little one. Go ahead." Maired opened it up to find a beautiful ring, set with one large emerald surrounded by four smaller light blue stones."

"Oh gosh, it's gorgeous. But why emerald. None of our family was born in May." She smiled but squinted, trying to figure out what Erica meant by the gift.

"Not true, my dear. You were born in May.....the first day I met you....when you told me about her...about that part of you that was real and whole and alive. The day Mark first became Maired for me. The day you were born. I knew then...I never said a word..but I knew then that you'd always be a part of my heart. I fell in love all over again with the man I married, but nothing from that moment on would ever be the same."

She paused and pointed to the smaller stones on each corner.

"Aquamarine...my stone...my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength, surrounding you, treasuring you, loving you....Maired. It's time, honey, you know it is."

She kissed Maired on the forehead and handed her the second box. Opening it up she found inside a matching necklace and a card.

"I love you. I'm not saying goodbye to Mark. He'll always be in my heart, but I love you Maired and I'm looking forward to our lives together. It's time."

"Are you sure about this?" Maired blinked back tears as her eyes darted between her wife's face and the card.

"Does this answer your question?" She said as she pulled her in for a kiss. She began to cry softly as Maired began to shudder in a torrent of tears.

"I love you, every part of you, more than my own life, and I want to spend the rest of my life with my precious bride." Erica said as she kissed Maired over and over and over.

"I love you."

This week marks the first anniversary of my first story ever, The Secret. I revisit this precious couple from time to time, and now it's time for Erica and Maired to move on, as you just read. Hope you enjoyed becoming reacquainted with my children, as it were, just as much as i did. Thank you for reading and encouraging me! Much love... Andrea

When I Look In Your Eyes
words and music by
Leslie Bricusse
as performed by
Diana Krall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTOzJ2aezUE