Chapter 36 - Now For The Rest Of The Story

Heather and Ellen had a happy life but it was far from idyllic.

The novelty of lesbian sex eventually lost its allure and their loving settled into a comfortable life of intimacies consisting mainly of hugs and lots of cuddles. Like a lot of married couples, sex was reserved for special occasions. Oral was still a major part of their lovemaking. With the addition of a strap on, sex was glorious when they felt the urge. Ellen was delighted that her strap on could give her wife an orgasm and, even on occasions, multiple orgasms. Yet as a rule Ellen never initiated sex. Heather conjectured that Ellen had reverted to her old measures of sexual satisfaction. She never confronted Ellen with her suspicions. Figuring ignorance was bliss.

Ellen’s business did well until the economic recession hit. Ellen was even forced to sell her Lamborghini. To make things worse, she had to drive the family minivan.

With a change of administrations in Washington, things picked back up. The money spigot was once more turned on. Ellen was again flush with cash.

@ @ @ @

Heather was a new woman; he always had a smile and kind word for everyone. He took the girls in the office under his wing. At times, he was more a house mother than just another employee.

The happiness was too good to last though. They had been remarried for several years when tragedy struck. Heather was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Three months later, over Heather's strenuous objections, she underwent surgery for a mastectomy of her right breast. It had taken him a life time to develop the figure every woman envied and now mother nature had played its final trick on him.

Ellen was sitting in the waiting room with Beth waiting on word about the surgery. They were both jumpy with nerves, but it was Beth who asked why it was taking so long. Finally, a nurse stepped out of the double doors that warned that only staff were allowed past and asked, "Are either of you ladies Mrs. Newman?"

Ellen jumped to her feet, "Yes I am! Is everything alright?"

As the nurse escorted her back to the recovery area, she replied, "No, I’m afraid not. We seem to be having problems waking Heather up. She is rambling incoherently about being a man and what he wants to do to his wife. It is rather disturbing to the other ladies in recovery."

Beth tried to hold it in but failed as a mild chuckle escaped her lips.

Ellen replied, "Pay Heather no mind. She is undergoing therapy for that little illusion. She thinks she was a man in a prior life."

The nurse nodded and then added, "There is some panic among the other ladies, they all have gone through a traumatic amputation and the last thing they need now is some lunatic saying someone wants to ‘pork them until they squeal.’ We will keep Heather under observation until the hallucinations subside, but will be moving her to a more private area."

They stopped partway down the corridor and the nurse looked at Ellen. "She really will not be awake for another hour or so. If you would like, you could get a cup of coffee and a bite to eat in the cafeteria? I will come and get you when Heather is awake."

Ellen returned to the waiting room and collected her sister in-law. Once the two friends were ensconced in a private booth in the cafeteria, Ellen related what the nurse had told her.

Beth frowned and said, "Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought my brother’s babymaker was permanently deflated. Why would he be dreaming about fucking a woman?"

Ellen leaned back and gave that some thought. "I can only guess. Have you ever heard about amputees having phantom pain? With all the pressure George has been under because of the cancer, maybe he is feeling a phantom penis?"

Beth commented, "Ellen, we have been over this ground before, but I have to ask. You are an attractive heathy woman. How do I put this delicately? How have you handled your carnal needs.?"

Ellen laughed loud enough to turn heads in the cafeteria. "Beth, you should know that when a wife is deprived in her bedroom there are an infinite number of ways to handle the needs of the flesh. What Heather doesn’t know can’t hurt me nor our relationship. Any little dalliances I’ve been involved in have not affected my love for Heather.

"We have bonded through this gender experiment and are very intimate, just not sexually any more. It is hard to explain. We are in love with each other. We just don’t need to make physical love to express our feelings. That is relayed through frequent touching, kissing and cuddling.

"My Heather always greets me coming home from work with a clean house, a glass of wine, a hot meal and a foot rub after dinner. What more could a woman want in life?

"At night, we cuddle and spoon and hold one another tightly as though we were the only people left in the world."

Beth was aghast. "That makes no sense to me. Sex is the cement that holds a marriage together."

Ellen smile and patted Beth on the arm in a comforting fashion. Ellen thought, ‘There were times when Beth’s lack of insight demonstrated a serious lack of thought and experience.’ Ellen went on to explain.

"Not in every case. For Heather and I, it’s more a blending of minds and spirits. We have so much in common and share similar views about what is important in life. A working penis is a nice to have, but not a must. Heather doesn't lust after sex. Approval and affection are all he requires to be satisfied, if not happy."

"What about you?"

Ellen shrugged dismissively. "At first, I was fascinated by the whole lesbian thing. It was enough for me. Whether it is was the novelty of it or the tasting of the forbidden fruit, I'm not sure. Over time, I found I am not gay, men are still my cup of tea. I found ways to feed my need and still kept my marriage together. Despite his lack of masculinity, I love my husband and want to stay with him forever."

Heather was released that evening to recover at home, with strict orders to avoid any kind of exertion. Ellen arranged round the clock nursing care at home for Heather. She recovered without a problem and the doctor insisted that the surgery be followed by a regimen of chemotherapy.

Heather suffered mightily from the treatment. As expected, he lost his appetite resulting in more weight loss. Ellen was understandably unhappy about Heather losing one of her beautiful breasts but she mourned the loss of his long, thick tresses the most. Before the dreaded chemotherapy, Heather's hair touched her firm round buttocks. Aside from trimming split ends it hadn’t been cut in years. There was nothing they enjoyed more as a couple than their nightly sessions of combing out each other’s hair, followed by sitting side by side moisturizing each other. After all a couple that moisturizes together, stays together.

Knowing that he would lose his hair, Heather proactively donated his entire crop of hair to the Locks of Love charity that was supported by the salon they frequented. The girls at the salon treated Heather like a queen. Something that should have taken a little over an hour turned into an entire day at the spa. They even promised Heather a special wig when she was ready for it.

Heather missed her hair just as much as Ellen did. They were consoled by the knowledge that it would grow back when the chemotherapy was finally discontinued.

@ @ @ @

Heather was unquestionably a happy mother to her child. She was active in all facets of her life starting with making her lunch every day and meeting her with a heathy snack when she got home from school. She was a den mother for Girl Scouts, joined the PTA, supervised homework, drove her to cheerleading practices, planned birthday parties, took her out trick & treating, and helped to pick out prom dresses.

His fondest memories concerned Ariel when she was a preteen, the days before she discovered boys. They had a standing mother-daughter date every Saturday night. Heather would make a bowl of popcorn drowned in butter. They would then snuggle up on the couch with Heather’s arms wrapped around Ariel. They ate the buttery treat and watched sappy romantic comedies.

Ariel even asked Heather to accompany her to the doctor's office for her first prescription of birth control pills. She made Heather promise not to tell Mother.

Ellen was the one who insisted on meeting Ariel’s dates before she went out. Yet it was Heather who waited up until their daughter got home. Heather would always have a cup of hot chocolate waiting when Ariel came in. The two would snuggle on the couch and talk after her return. Heather was the one to tuck Ariel into bed and kissed her goodnight. Ariel filled a void in Heather's heart.

Ariel was anything but an easy child growing up. Right from the start, she knew how to push Ellen’s buttons. Ellen became the disciplinarian in the family, but Heather was the one Ariel went to when she needed a shoulder to cry on.

Early on, the issue of Ariel having no father came up with the kids at school, she was teased and bullied about it until the school authorities got involved. Naturally Ariel asked where her father was. Ellen was the one to come up with a story. She told Ariel, ‘Her father went to Mexico as an undercover agent for the DEA and was never heard from again.’ That seemed to settle the issue for the child.

To Heather’s dismay, Derrick was around the house at least weekly. Heather once joked they should build him a wing of his own. He became a surrogate father to Ariel. He was the male figure in her life. Ariel, at Ellen’s urging, always sent Derrick a card on Father’s Day.

When Derrick was around, Ariel called him pops. When it was just the nuclear family, Ariel called Ellen Mother, Heather Mommy and Derrick her godfather as uncle.

However, when any outsider was within hearing range, Ellen insisted that Heather only be referred to as Auntie Heather, to protect her daughter from homophobia. Heather bristled at that female honorific. Ellen insisted on it, so Heather gave in and learned to live with it. Ariel found it to be just as bad. She would always roll her eyes when she had to call Heather her aunt.

Ariel’s rebelliousness got worse when she became a teenager. Everything became a fight, from her use of the cellphone, her curfew, to driving her mother’s sport car. When Ariel started dating, Ellen never approved of her boyfriends. Ariel took that as a challenge. She went out of her way to bring home the most questionable boys she could find, just to tweak Ellen.

Despite all of that, Ariel was an excellent student. She was accepted at USC, Stanford, and Vassar.

Her parents were so proud of her. Then right after graduation, she came home and announced she wasn’t going to Vassar as planned. Derrick’s unending sea stories influenced her decision on a future career. She announced she had enlisted in the Navy. The Navy offered her a commission, but Ariel turned that down as she wanted to go in as an enlisted woman.

Ellen had a nervous breakdown. She retired to her bedroom and cried for a week. She only came out the night Ariel’s friends threw her a going away party at their home.

Ariel was sent to boot camp the next week. From there she was selected to go into training for nuclear power. After schooling and training, she was stationed aboard a fast attack Los Angeles class sub. Because of Ariel’s deployment schedule, they only saw her every six months. Both Heather and Ellen suffered from empty nest syndrome. Ellen handled it by throwing herself into her work and Saturday workouts with Derrick. Heather went into yoga and meditation.

One of Ariel’s leaves corresponded with Derrick’s birthday. Like every year, a party was planned for Derrick. Ellen vetoed Heather's idea of having it at a fancy restaurant. Rather she insisted the party this time be in her home. Heather took that as another slap in the face. If that was Ellen’s decision, he was determined to make it the best damn birthday the SOB ever had.

She got up extra early and cleaned the house from stem to stern. She then turned the dining room into Birthday Party central with balloons and streamers in every corner and a side table that was piled high with gaily decorated presents. Heather posted herself at the front door, playing the perfect hostess. She greeted all the guests, took their coats, and showed them in. Throughout the evening she took drink orders and ensured everyone was served.

Once everyone had arrived and were gathered in the formal dining room, Heather hurried to the kitchen to get the cake she had spent an entire day baking and decorating. She was carrying in the cake when Ariel ran past him almost knocking the cake out of her hands. She jumped in Derrick’s lap threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek and loudly sang out, "Happy birthday daddy."

Heather put the cake down and started to go have a talk with Ariel. Ellen saw the look on her face and intercepted her. She grabbed Heather by the arm, hard enough to cause bruises, and said in her stern no nonsense voice, "This is not the time or place. This is Derrick's day, let it go!"

After the party had broken up and everyone was gone except for the birthday boy and his loving wife Nancy. Ellen retired to her room to leave clean up the hostess, Heather.

Heather, was in the kitchen behind a mountain of dirty dishes. Rising them off one at a time before stacking them in the dishwasher. Ariel skipped into the room and cheerily offered to help. They were alone in the kitchen and out of the blue Ariel said, "I love you Father."

Heather dropped the plate he was putting into the washer. "What did you say?"

She threw both arms around Heather's neck, "Yes, I called you Father. I graduated number two in my nuclear power class. I’m no dummy. I have suspected something for years. Mother's story of my father working for the government and disappearing in Mexico never rang true. If that was the case why is my father’s name left off my birth certificate?"

"Father you are fluent in Spanish; I have heard you talking to the gardeners. Could there be a connection there? I have come to believe you are the one that went to Mexico."

Patting her chest, she went on. "I don’t need a DNA test to know you are my father. I know it in my heart where it counts. I don’t understand the how’s or why’s and I don’t care. I just know I love you. When I get married you are the one, I want to walk me down the aisle."

Heather was crying so hard he couldn’t get the words out. Ariel hung on to her father providing him solace for all the years her conduct had hurt his feelings.

Ellen had just climbed into bed when her bedroom door flung open. Nancy stormed in and stood over Ellen and demanded, “Ellen who is my husband having an affair with. In my heart I am sure you know who it is; you too have been close for years. Now fess up, who is it?

Ellen turned pale, the blood all drained from her face. She tried to stall, “What makes you think he has a mistress?”

Nancy laughed. “Who said anything about a mistress? I guess the bastard had you fooled too. He is Bisexual.”

“Ellen let out her breathe she had been holding. “What makes you think that?”

“He is HIV positive. I know for sure I didn’t give it to him.”

Ellen collapsed back on her pillows trembling. “He has AIDs? Are you sure?”

“Yes, he admitted it to me, even showed me the doctors report. He claimed he has been taking steroids at the gym, and must have used a dirty needle. I've been to see a doctor already. I'm waiting to hear if he has passed it on to me."

Ellen trying to calm her nerves came back with, “The needle thing sounds plausible.”

Nancy sneered, “I had my doubts, so I snuck into his gym and broke into his locker. You will not believe what I found there. A packet of love letters from his boyfriend.”

Ellen thought thank god he didn’t keep any of my mementos. “I don’t believe it!”

“Well it's true. Being gay is not the end of the world. I could learn to live with that,” Nancy spit out. “What sent me looking for a gun was when I found out my muscular manly husband is a bottom. There was even a polaroid picture of him in a bra and panties, with full makeup. His lover has named him ‘Desiree’ isn’t that just so girlie? Throw on a robe and come downstairs. I am going to out him. I want you and your family there.”

Nancy went into the kitchen and broke up the lovefest going on there. “Hey guys, please come back in the party room. My hubby has a couple more presents to open.”

Ellen got downstairs just as Nancy handed her husband a small pink gift bag.

Derrick looked at it with a confused expression on his face.

Nancy firmly said, “Go ahead Desiree. Open it.”

Now it was Derrick's turn to turn pale. His hands began to tremble.

Nancy again directed, “Open it Desiree dear. Put it on. I am sure it’s your color.”

Derrick looked in and saw a tube of bright red lipstick. He picked it up with his fingertips like it was a poisonous snake.

Nancy was running out of patience and said, “I am not going to say it again. Put it on, nice and thick they way your lover likes it.”

At this point, Heather and Ariel walked into the room. Both were shocked to see Derrick coating his lips in the scarlet, waxy material. Ariel was flabbergasted, “What’s going on daddy?”

Nancy, turned to face the newcomers. “Desiree, do you want to explain or should I?”

Desiree sat frozen in embarrassment, so Nancy continued. “Ariel, stop with the daddy crap, from now on it would be more appropriate to call her Auntie Desiree. It seems she has changed sides from the blue team and now plays for the pink side. She also has changed positions. She no longer pitches now she plays catcher on her knees. Isn’t that right dear?”

Nancy handed her husband his last present, it was a stereotypical fetish French maid uniform.

Nancy took it out of his hands and held it up for everyone to see before announcing, “Desiree has seen her last gym day. From now on, she will be staying home dressed in her sexy uniform and taking care of our home. If not, all her old Seal friends will be getting some disturbing emails.

Once the fireworks ended and Heather had showed her guests out, Ellen ran upstairs and called her doctor to schedule a physical.

From that point on, Heather got cards from Ariel on both Mother and Father days.

THE END