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As soon as she reached the front door of Elysée, Therese Belivet quickly looked up at the hotel sign with a hopeful smile on her face before heading upstairs to the third floor. Nobody noticed her at all except a tall man who dressed in black tuxedo as he eventually walked out from the foyer and went towards her after Therese turned her direction to him.
“May I help you, ma’am?” He asked her sternly while carrying a name list in his hands.
“I’m…” Therese’s smile slowly faded away as she replied while trying to look for Carol in the room. Unfortunately, the brunette woman could not identify which table Carol was sitting at there. “I’m looking for somebody.”
“I’m very sorry, ma’am.” He glanced down at the name list while replying to Therese. “I’m afraid I couldn’t let you go through this doorway except you’re invited or have reserved the table. Would you kindly call tomorrow night for a reservation?’
Therese didn’t let him have a chance to say anything further. She hurriedly went into the room after seeing him turning to the other guests. As she was looking over the tables which were currently crowded, Therese attempted to locate Carol until her brown eyes eventually noticed the blonde woman in the half shadow of this room who was exactly Carol and no one else.
Therese heaved a silent sigh and smiled again as she was hoping that she wouldn’t let this chance slip away again after those mistakes she’d made to Carol at the Ritz earlier.
As Therese was starting to walk towards Carol’s table, there was someone walking up behind her and accidentally hit her right shoulder. She instinctively turned to see a man dressed in blue suit muttering an apology without glancing back at her. Therese couldn’t help but sigh as she looked up at the other man who dressed in brown suit and was walking beside him. He was obviously shorter and scrawnier than his friend.
Strange. Therese thought while standing there until she noticed one of those men eventually arrived at Carol’s table. Who are those guys?
As Carol noticed those men, Therese hurriedly turned her back from them and pretended to look up at wine bottle while eavesdropping to Carol’s conversation with those mysterious men.
“Good evening, Mrs. Aird. How are you doing?”
“I hope you don’t mind, but…” Therese slowly turned to look at Carol who was greeting those men with her elegant smile that still made Therese’s heart melt. “Who are you?”
“Frank Jones.” The man who dressed in blue suit replied to Carol.
Carol nodded. “Nice to see you again, Mr. Jones. Why don’t you sit with us and have a drink together?”
Have a drink together? It sounded silly to hear Carol talk with people just like that.
“Well, thanks. I’m Charles Pollock.” Jones’ friend, the man who was dressed in brown suit chuckled. “I’d really like to have some whiskey for a while. Won’t you have some, Frank?”
“Not now.” Jones interrupted him as if they hadn’t joined the table since Carol invited them.
Therese bluntly shifted her gaze from Carol to Jones and his friend.
Carol slowly nodded to them before her smile eventually disappeared from her face as she asked them. “So, why are you here? It’s quite strange, isn’t it?”
“Not quite, I guess.” Jones answered her with a grin. “You know why we’re here.”
“Don’t play a mind game with me, Mr. Jones. I don’t think I’m fully appreciated.”
Jones turned to motion his friend. “Charlie?”
Charles Pollock, Jones’ companion, eventually picked up a chair from the other table. One of the guests was about to protest aloud when he noticed Jones’ glare at him. Pollock laughed before sitting beside Carol as he asked. “How long have you and Miss Gerhard owned that furniture shop? It supposed to be ours now, isn’t it?”
What are they talking about? Therese silently put the wine bottle down on the table before stepping closer towards Carol’s table while listening to their conversation closely without getting noticed by them as she heard Carol say to Jones confidently. “Well, I suppose Steven can answer this better than me.”
“You mean this guy?” Pollock looked at Carol’s friend who was sitting beside her before snorting at him. “Such a young boy.”
“Manners!” The lady who was sitting beside Steven suddenly cried and stood up from her chair. Her hair was red and curly. Therese thought the lady looked quite young. Probably younger than Carol. “Who do you think you are? You have no rights to do this while you’re here!”
“Donna.” Carol turned to calm the woman down. “Don’t worry about that, dear.”
“If you please, Mr. Jones.” Steven turned to speak to Jones as he slowly put out his cigarette. He was wearing glasses and a dark grey suit with black tie. “I don’t think this will be the perfect answer for everything you try to make up with my friend.”
“Stella’s not far from here, sir.” Jones suddenly cut it short before looking up at Carol. “Would you mind if I speak privately with Mrs. Aird about this? She will be back here as soon as everything’s alright.”
“What if she doesn’t go with you, Mr. Jones?” Donna asked. “What would happen?”
Jones walked to Carol and whispered something that Therese didn’t quite hear what they were saying clearly until Steven raised his voice from their mute conversation. “You don’t have any rights for this, Mr. Jones!” He furiously rose from the chair. “This is illegal!”
All the guests in the room suddenly turned to look at them. Therese couldn’t do anything for now except watching them while hoping that Carol wouldn’t eventually go out with those men.
Would that be an exact promise for both of us?
“Don’t worry about it, Steven.” Carol stood up. “I’ll be back here in a few minutes. Just stay here with Donna until I get back.”
“Mrs. Aird?” Steven worriedly asked while Carol was gathering things. “Are you sure?”
“I don’t think this will be a good idea after all.” Donna whispered. “Why don’t we just…?”
Carol glanced at Frank Jones and Charles Pollock before smiling gracefully at both Steven and Donna for the last time. “I’m sure I can handle this with myself.”
Therese was certain that Steven and Donna really wanted to keep Carol away from danger, despite this being difficult somehow to protest to her in a difficult situation. “Are you sure you’ll be back here in a few minutes?” Steven asked Carol again.
“A few minutes, yes. Right on time.” Carol replied before letting him kiss softly at the back of her right hand and putting on her coat at the same time. “I promise.”
“Alright,” Jones gestured Carol to the door. “Let’s go.”
After Carol headed out of the room with Jones and Pollock alone, Therese suddenly went up to Steven and Donna. Her brown eyes kept looking at the doorway in worry. “Is there something wrong? Why do they have to take Carol away?”
Donna looked up at Therese with astonishment. “Do you know Carol? Who are you?”
Therese quickly left her gaze from the doorway before raising her hand towards Carol’s friend. “Therese Belivet. I’m a friend of Carol and Abby.”
Donna gaped before accepting Therese’s greeting. “Thank God! Well, I’m Donna Kendall.” Donna said as she turned to Steven who was also greeting with Therese. “This is Steven Holley. He’s Carol’s co-worker at the furniture house and one of my cousins.”
“Nice to meet you both.” Therese politely smiled. “I was looking for Carol, but…”
“They wanted to make a deal with her and Abby” Steven finally spoke in a calm voice.
“What kind of deal?” Therese asked him in confusion. “I don’t understand.”
Donna sighed before sipping her drink and replied to Therese. “They wanted to take over Miss Gerhard’s business for a long time. Have you ever heard a furniture house named Stella’s?”
Therese shook her head. “No, Abby never told me about that.”
Donna blinked her eyes twice after hearing Therese’s answer. “How do you know Carol?”
Therese was about to tell the truth when she eventually changed her mind after thinking of Carol’s safety. “Well, it’s quite a long story. I’m afraid I can’t tell you by now. I must go and help her.” She quickly turned to the doorway when Steven intentionally caught her right palm. “Yes?”
“I think Carol wants us to call the police and wait for her in this room.” Steven replied. “But we are really concerned about her safety.”
Therese nodded. “I know. I… but I really can’t let her go with them alone.”
“I don’t know if I should say this, Miss Belivet. Carol once told me about the special person and this person is… I don’t know how I can describe it correctly. It seems like she’s waiting for this person all the time.” Steven paused before giving her a car key. “I think that person is you.”
Therese glanced down at the key in her hand. She knew it truly belonged to Carol.
“I’m sure they won’t be far from here. She left her car key with me after I kissed her hand. Carol’s car is on the left side of the road, opposite from here. She parked the car near a telephone booth. I’ll call the police now.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Holley. Miss Kendall.” Therese smiled to both Steven and Donna for the last time. “Carol must be glad to know about this.”
“You are the person we have to say million thanks, dear.” Donna chuckled. “Now hurry before those men can do anything harmful to Carol.”
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After rushing out from Elysée with a car key in her hand, she eventually saw Carol again.
Therese started heading towards her when Frank Jones reached the blonde woman first without noticing Therese who was standing far away behind him. Therese saw Jones motioned Carol to sit in the back of his car while Pollock, Jones’ companion offered him a beer can.
Therese decided to blend herself into the crowd before her while following those men until she was able to notice Jones and his companion were talking to Carol in the car. Unfortunately, she couldn’t hear what Carol was saying to them at all while she was in that car.
“I’ll give you five minutes for the decision, Mrs. Aird.” Jones said to Carol.
“Hell, this beer sucks.” Pollock mumbled. “What a waste of time.”
“Can you stop talking about that beer right now, Charlie!?”
Therese hurriedly turned back and crossed the road before heading to telephone booth. Fortunately, those men hadn’t noticed her appearance at all since Therese remembered Donna’s word about trust which made her feel a bit uneasy after calling Abby and heard her voice on the line.
“Hello, Therese. What’s the matter?”
“We need to talk.”
Abby paused. “Have you met Carol?”
“Yes, I have talked to her at the Ritz, but I really need your help. It’s about Jones.”
“Jones? Did you mean… Oh, no. Don’t tell me you met Frank Jones and Charles Pollock.”
“Yes, I met Carol’s friends. They said those men are trying to make a deal about your furniture house with Carol, but it seems like a duplicity.”
“Of course, it was from the very beginning! Wait, where are you now?”
“Outside the Elysée. I’m in the telephone booth. Carol doesn’t know I’m here.”
“Oh, I see.” Abby sighed. “Who did you see at Elysée with Carol?”
“Steven Holley and Donna Kendall.” Therese looked over at Jones’ car again before sighing heavily as she realized Carol was still there and safe, at least for now. “Steven gave me Carol’s car key and Donna asked me to call you. Have you really got any ideas where they are going after this?”
Abby chuckled. “If I were you, I won’t expect them to be there like Carol.”
Therese hurriedly turned to another way, pretending she was talking to someone else when Pollock turned his direction to the telephone booth. “What do you mean?” She gazed at the car again after he turned back to talk with Jones. “Have they ever been to your shop before?”
Abby laughed. “Yeah, that’s what I want to say. Do you know where it is?”
“Unfortunately, no.” Therese noticed how Carol calmly put a cigarette over her mouth as she asked Abby through the phone call. “How can I find it?”
“Have you ever chasing cars?”
“Chasing?” The line was finally dead as Therese asked Abby again. She tried to look for more coins from her purse in the dark but couldn’t find any at all when Jones’s car suddenly burst away from the street.
“Carol!” Therese hurried out of the telephone booth and went up to Carol’s car. Her dark eyes were full of fear from the reflection in the mirror after starting the car. She knew there was nothing left behind her fear except a glimpse of hope. And that was how Therese saw a white-grey monkey doll which was still at the back of the car. She turned to look back at it for a few seconds before whispering to the monkey doll in the dark. “Wish me luck, Jacopo.”
Therese took a deep breath before suddenly driving out at an accurate high speed she could drive in the town. She wondered if Jones would drive to the east but when she saw Jones’ car heading to the north, Therese harshly turned the steering wheel to the other way and followed the track until she could almost reach his car when Jones seemed to change his mind. Therese took another chance to follow him again until she saw him drive into the other alley, which was the opposite of Stella’s, one of Abby’s furniture shops that she co-owned with Carol.
Therese suddenly slammed her feet on the car brake after Jones parked his car near the small boutique. She was unsure whether they would leave the car until Pollock walked out of the car first and Carol followed them into the alley. Therese decided to park Carol’s car under the shadow of city lights after noticing a Stella’s sign on the left side of the road.
Therese straightened up and heaved a sigh before opening the car door and silently followed them into the alley. Tonight was getting darker than she expected. Therese thought while walking stealthily to avoid being suspicious as she was now in the alley and following them alone. It was not easy like the way she photographed Carol or drew her theater set at all.
Nevertheless, the young woman in her black dress remained following them until she found another path which led her to Stella’s. Therese glanced around the area before reaching the front door as she realized Abby’s furniture house was bigger than she could imagine. It obviously looked like Gatsby’s house in the novel of Fitzgerald. Despite everybody in the book wanting to join the party just for fun, it was not good enough to make her desire the magic of luxury in her life.
While standing in front of the shop, Therese suddenly noticed Carol’s voice as the blonde woman said to those men from somewhere in the dark. “I think this is ridiculous, Mr. Jones. You should discuss with Miss Gerhard first before you came up to me.”
“Oh, well. We didn’t. You should think twice, Mrs. Aird.” That was Charles Pollock’s voice. Therese quickly headed to the sidewalk of the furniture house which was dark and blended herself into the dark shadow. “What should we do now, mate? She won’t make our deals. She can’t change Miss Gerhard’s mind about it.” That was how Therese saw Pollock spat out while Jones calmly taking out his gun from the suit. “She’s such a…”
“Easy, easy, Charlie. One for the money, two for the show. You remember?”
“Well, you’re right, mate.” Pollock chuckled before drawing out his gun and pointed at Carol directly. “Alright. Who’s gonna shoot her first? Me or you?”
Therese turned to look at Carol who was turning in her direction and eventually noticed her. That was when Therese hurriedly stepped out of the shadow and turned to those men who seemed to be a bit surprised after noticing her. ‘Let her go.’ Therese calmly said to them despite feeling anxious. “Mrs. Aird has nothing to do with this deal. I can bring you both to Miss Gerhard.”
“Therese.” Carol suddenly gasped as she hurriedly walked towards Therese with worry. “How can you follow me here? It’s too dangerous. You shouldn’t be here. I can handle this.”
“Not when you’re alone with them.” Therese whispered.
“Well, well. Look who’s here with us tonight.” Jones walked to Therese while Pollock still fixed his eyes on Carol. “You must be Gerhard’s friend.”
Therese looked at Carol before speaking to both Jones and Pollock. “Mrs. Aird has nothing to do with you. She won’t do anything. You already know that don’t you? Just put the guns down.”
Carol shook her head. “Please don’t do this, Therese…”
“I can talk to Miss Gerhard. I know her well.”
“Oh, really?” Pollock retorted when he turned to Therese. “Well, I think… not for now.”
Carol was reaching Therese when Pollock gripped her hand tightly “Therese! No!”
Therese suddenly ran to Carol at the same time when Jones came to catch her. She turned to slap his face with all the strength she had. Unfortunately, Jones didn’t seem to be hurt by her slap on his face at all. “Is that all you can do?” Jones pushed her away before hitting her face with his right fist which made Therese stumble instantly. “Is that all you can do, huh?”
“Therese!” Carol screamed, struggling while being captive. “You bastard! Leave her now!”
Therese touched her face carefully before spitting the fresh blood out of her mouth after realizing her lips were bleeding.
“Poor you little fool!” Pollock laughed at her hideously. “She’s such a petite fool.”
“Leave her alone!” Carol cried out while looking at Therese in shock. Tears never stopped running out from her eyes. “Therese!”
“Let her go…” Therese looked at Jones who was now looking at Carol before drawing out his gun to both women as Therese was trying to stand up while looking at Carol again. “You can’t do this to her.” Therese muttered to Jones. “You can’t...”
“You are such a fool, young lady. You are such a fool to play this mind game of mine.” Jones grinned as he turned to Therese again before pointing his gun at her forehead. ‘But well, as you wish. I’ll let you finish this game by yourself.’
Therese saw Carol was about to say something to her. Despite everything seeming to be inaudible, Therese knew what Carol whispered through the wind of darkness and silence as she closed her eyes tightly while Carol was still sobbing until they both heard the unfamiliar voice of a man who was calling out both men aggressively.
“Frank! Pollock! Surrender now!”
Therese opened her eyes again. Nobody was shot. Carol was eventually free from Pollock while Jones was trying to run away from two cops behind him. Pollock tried to shoot at one of the cops who came up to him, but he failed. Pollock was now handcuffed.
Therese saw Abby come behind him, whispering something she couldn’t catch any words except Pollock’ furiousness. Abby chuckled and went to Carol as she said. “I called the cops to be here after Therese asked me about Frank and Pollock’s criminal on the phone. Harvey’s coming.”
Therese hurriedly went to Abby. She was reluctant for a while before saying. “Just in time.”
That was when Carol turned to hug Abby like she was back at home again. “Thank you so much, Abby.” Carol said to Abby before turning to Therese with tears in her eyes and embracing the young woman tightly. Carol muttered something to Therese which she didn’t quite understand at first until Carol calmed herself down as she whispered to Therese. “Please don’t do this ever again, Therese. Promise me you won’t do this again. Please.”
“I…” Therese wanted to answer no, but she didn’t have a chance to say that anyway after seeing Harvey run into them.
“Thank God.” Harvey panted while looking at all women in concern. “Are you alright?”
“A little bit rough, but I’m fine. Thank you, Harvey.” Carol wiped her tears away and smiled at Harvey before noticing blood on Therese’s lips. “Your lips are still bleeding.”
“Oh. And here’s for the real hero.” Abby pulled out the white handkerchief from her handbag to Therese. “What a day it is, really. Such ups and downs like roller coasters. I’m terribly sorry, Carol. Those bastards are really bastards.”
“It’s alright, Abby.” Carol chuckled as she touched Abby’s left shoulder. “Thanks for your concern, but I’m free and safe now. Therese just saved my life.”
“It’s Abby who saved your life, actually.” Therese looked at Abby. “I called her for help.”
Carol smiled at Therese despite her eyes glaring at her directly. “I guess we need to talk more about this.”
“But Mrs. Aird, the cops want to ask you some more questions about Frank and Pollock. Miss Gerhard will be there with you, too.” Harvey had to bring Carol and Abby to the police station around ten-thirty. Now it was almost ten. “I will drive you to the police station.”
“Sorry, Harvey. I don’t think I want talk to them for now but don’t worry about that. I’ll answer them later.” Carol gave him a little bow before turning to talk with Abby. “And don’t be sorry for me, Abby. I’m fine, but I can’t go to the police station with you tonight.”
“Well, it’s fine. I really mean that.” Abby smiled. “You should take a rest. It has been a long day for you and Therese.” She noticed that blood on Therese’s lips was all gone, but the swelling was still there. “Oh, and try to put some ice on her face, Carol. You know, reduce the swelling.”
Carol sighed, looking at Therese who intended to give back a handkerchief to Abby but was declined as Abby replied. “You can keep it, Therese. I already have lots of this.”
Therese smiled. “Thanks for helping me, Abby.”
“You’re welcome.”
“It would be more than your welcome if we’d better go now.” Carol gathered everyone to follow her. “You know what? I don’t think I’ll be here again for some time. They really made me scared.”
“Oh, come on!” Abby chuckled. “We’re not too late, Carol. You know that.”
“Oh, nitwit. Just shut up.”
Harvey shrugged his shoulders and mumbled while chuckling at himself. “Women…”
Therese could only glance back and forth at Carol and Abby while wondering if she could have another chance to talk with Carol again.
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After parting with Abby, Therese found herself finally reaching the place in front of her eyes together with Carol, the owner of this car and the apartment who was still speechless after parking her car beside the building entrance.
Therese suddenly got out of the car as Carol headed towards the entrance door. “Carol, I…”
“I forgot my handbag in the car.” Carol said without glancing at Therese while looking for the key inside her coat’s pockets. “Why don’t you bring it out to me?”
Therese investigated through a car’s window. Her heart suddenly jumped in delight after she realized it was the same handbag she bought for Carol on Christmas.
Therese quickly opened the car door again while Carol was watching her closely before gently brought the handbag to the blonde woman. “Here it is.”
Carol sighed as she locked the car before retrieving her handbag from Therese.
When they finally headed inside the building and arrived at the front door of Carol’s apartment, Therese attempted to start a conversation with Carol again. “I didn’t intend to make you cry out for me like that.”
“You should take a bath first. Your dress is already dirty.”
“But I want to talk with you first.”
“Have you had dinner, Therese?”
Therese hadn’t eaten anything since the evening. “No, but I’m not hungry.”
Carol sighed again as she picked up the room key. “Take a bath, have a cup of hot soup and then I’ll put some ice on your lips.” She simply unlocked the door and led Therese into her apartment. “What kind of soup would you like?”
Therese looked around the living room while taking off her coat and putting it on a clothes hanger beside the door. The room was wide enough to place a lot of things including bookshelves, and those photographs of her and Carol. “I’m not hungry, Carol.” Therese softly insisted. “I’m fine.”
“Really?”
Therese touched the corner of her own lips as she turned to Carol. “I prefer to have a talk.”
“If you do what I said, then I’ll talk.” Carol took off her coat and walked into her bedroom. It was not a little while for Therese as she was now thinking of what she would say to Carol after this moment until three minutes later after Therese was sitting leisurely on the red couch, Carol came out with a white towel and blue pajamas which Therese used to wear during their travel at night. “Just wait for me here, I’ll run a bath for you.”
“No. Please just don’t.” Therese stopped Carol by grabbing her left wrist gently. “Carol, I’m sorry for what happened earlier.”
“We can talk about it later.” Carol released herself from Therese by going to the bathroom before coming back to Therese again after finishing running water in the bathtub. “The tub’s ready. I’ll make your soup. What would you like, Therese?”
“Carol?”
Carol stared at Therese. “Why don’t you say something? Are you going to take a bath?”
Therese heaved a sigh. “I’m trying.” She stood up and went closer to Carol. “I’m trying to say, Carol. But you don’t give me any chances to say anything that I need to say to you at all.”
It was quite an hour for Carol to be back into reality again. “I didn’t give you any chances.” Carol said as if there was nothing happened. “Since you already let it slip away.”
“Of course, I didn’t!” Therese raised her voice as she looked at Carol. “I came back for you because I can’t let you go! But you don’t understand that indecision in my voice at all.”
“Indecision.” Carol’s voice was shaking as she asked Therese. “What indecision?”
“I thought I could forget you like you did, but I couldn’t.” Therese blinked back her tears. “And I won’t.” She turned her back to Carol, walking into the bathroom before shutting the door.
Carol couldn’t help but heave a sigh and rub her temples while trying to remain calm as well.
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Several minutes later, Therese in blue pajamas went out of the bathroom. Her lips were still swollen from pain. She didn’t want to stare directly in Carol’s eyes, despite not knowing how to avoid Carol’s gaze when she intended to go to sleep in the guestroom more than having soup.
“Therese.” Carol called without taking a glance at her as she brought the cup of soup into the small dining room. Therese took a deep breath again before following her and sitting opposite Carol which was now having her own supper. Carol was having meatloaf in silence while Therese was sipping a mushroom potage, waiting for a chance she would take as soon as she could speak to her.
Therese offered to clean up the dishes after they finished their meal, but Carol wanted to do by herself. Therese did not know what she would do so she decided to wait for Carol in the living room instead as she didn’t know how to describe the sadness that she felt about this after all either.
Is it too late for her to love and beloved again?
Unconsciously, Therese touched the corner of her lips that were still swollen.
It must be a punishment. Therese thought.
Carol would go back to Abby as soon as they finished their talk tonight.
Carol just asked her like nothing had happened between them at all.
And that letter she wrote to her like a broken promise, is it real or just another ridiculous story she already knew but never realized about the end?
“I’m just a bad example for you, aren’t I?”
Therese turned to see Carol carrying the tray while heading towards her. “No, not at all.” Therese replied. That was true. The young woman just realized she was right about Carol. There were no differences to her at all. “I never thought you’ll do anything wrong at all. It’s just…”
“Just a just?” Carol quirked her eyebrow while staring at Therese’s lips as she continued. “Just a pain in the ass, isn’t it?”
Therese suddenly laughed. She felt a little bit better after hearing Carol’s quick-witted joke and noticing Carol was also laughing at her own joke as well. Therese decided to let Carol sit beside her on the couch after the older woman put the tray down on the small table near the couch.
Carol did not even blink her eyes when she noticed how Therese moved a little closer to her on the couch. “The things you said at the Ritz.” Carol said. “If you don’t mind, I just want to know what made you change your mind to meet me in the Oak Room after that.”
“I don’t mind about it at all.” Therese said as she shifted her gaze to the ice bucket which was in the tray. “I met Genevieve, the actress, before I went to Elysée.” She didn’t show any emotions through her words. “I knew she’s one of us. She tried to flirt with me for some reasons I didn’t quite know why she did that to me at all.”
“Well, what happened?”
“I was so embarrassed.” Therese gazed directly at Carol. Her voice was hoarsely shaking.
“I was ashamed about things I said to you at the Ritz. I shouldn’t say that. It’s not fair to you.”
Carol picked up an ice cube and gently placed it over the bruise on the young woman’s lips which made Therese yelp. “Why?” Carol chuckled. This really reminded her of the time they watched the circus together. “You shouldn’t be. Young people shouldn’t stick on their lives.”
“Well, I should.” Therese smiled a little as she replied. “But that’s not the reason for me.”
“So, what’s your reason?” Carol curiously asked while turning away to pick up a small towel in the tray. “I’d like to know.”
Therese held her gaze at Carol longer than she ever did until Carol turned back to her with the towel in her hand. They gazed at each other without words. Therese was the first one to move closer and cradle Carol’s face in her hands. Carol frowned a little as she was about to ask whether Therese was alright when Therese softly kissed her on the lips like the first time they shared a kiss in the hotel room at Waterloo.
Carol did not respond the kiss at first until Therese started to remove her lips which made the blonde woman seized her tightly and kissed her back. She always craved this to happen again.
Someone had said to her that sometimes a dream was just a dream. It never came true.
But for Carol, Therese was just not a dream, not only a young woman who wanted to follow her own dreams and to be with her forever and always. Therese was her angel.
“Therese…” Carol softly moaned while they were kissing longingly. “My angel…”
Therese decided to pull herself away from Carol’s grasp after realizing her lips were still hurt from the punching wound earlier. “I’m sorry, I just...”
“I know.” Carol whispered to Therese’s lips as she opened her eyes again. They were still dazed from kissing each other. “You shouldn’t be.”
Therese took a towel from Carol and put it on her mouth for a while before putting it aside the bucket as she yawned while lightly laughing and trying to look away. “I think I should go to bed. It has been a long day since I was back again in New York.”
“So should I.” Carol put everything back in the tray while gazing at Therese. “Which bed?”
“In the guestroom.”
Carol frowned at Therese before chuckling. “I never said you would sleep in that room.”
Therese was delighted to hear that despite the fact she didn’t want to let Carol know.
Not for now.
Carol took the tray back into the kitchenette before going into the bathroom. After she came back in her dark green pajamas, Therese stood up from the couch and went to Carol with a soft smile on her face. “Carol?” She softly whispered to her as they kissed again. “It’s not too late, isn’t it?”
“Of course not.” Carol returned her smile as she gently kissed Therese’s forehead before cradling her face dearly. “It’s never too late, darling.”
The End