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“So, where are we going tonight?” you ask.
“If I told you, then it wouldn’t be a surprise anymore” Carmilla says, looking over to you and then back to the road.
“Fine. I hate surprises anyway.”
You try your best to pout, crossing your arms over your chest and looking sternly at your girlfriend of a few weeks now.
“No you don’t,” she insists and she’s right. You hate when she’s right.
“Ok, fine. But could you give me a hint at least?”
“Laura, trust me ok? I promise you’re going to have a good time. Just try and relax.”
While you’re dying to know what she has planned for your date tonight, you give up because you really do trust her. Every moment you’ve spent with Carmilla since you met has been a dream. She’s everything you never knew you wanted and more. You’re happier than you can ever remember being and even Katie has noticed. She told you the other day that you’ve been smiling a lot more and that makes her happy. You knew in that moment how much Carmilla is beginning to mean to you, and even to Katie. You weren’t sure where this relationship was going and to be honest you still don’t really know, but you can’t wait to find out.
A while later you and Carmilla pull into the parking lot of what looks to be some dive bar on the county line and to say you’re confused would be an understatement. This looks like the kind of place where bikers and dirty old men drink until they fight or pass out. You never thought either of you would ever step foot in a place like this.
“Uh, what are we doing here?” you ask.
“This is one of my favorite spots. I wanted to show you where I spend most of my time away from you and Katie,” she answers as she’s shutting off the car and pulling the emergency break.
Just when you begin to question if Carm has a secret drinking problem, she leans over and kisses you, wiping away any thoughts other than her soft lips against yours.
“Come on, cutie. It’s not that bad in there, trust me.”
She gives you that reassuring look that would make you follow her just about anywhere so you take a deep breath, open your door and let her take your hand to lead you inside.
You have to admit the inside is a lot cleaner and less run down than the outside lead you to believe; it’s kind of quaint to be honest. While there are a few people sitting alone at the bar, nursing what is probably their tenth beer, there are even more scattered around the room at various tables and booths. The place is well lit, decorated with a lot of retro music memorabilia and thankfully not filled with smoke. You just might have a good time in here after all, as long as Carmilla stays with you anyway.
“Come on, Betty saved my booth for us. It’s right over here,” Carmilla says, pulling you by your hand over to the corner to the left of the stage against the far wall. As you’re making your way through the crowd of people drinking and having a good time, you can’t help but notice most of them recognize Carm and a few even greet her with either a hand shake or a hug. Some even whisper things like “oh my god, she’s here tonight!” and “holy shit dude!” like your girlfriend is some kind of legend in this place. You’re very confused by everything that’s going on, but you just go with it for now.
You finally sit down in the booth next to Carmilla while she waves the tall blonde behind the bar over, smiling as a person at the next table waves excitedly at her. Before you get the chance to ask her what on earth is going on, the bartender arrives.
“There’s my favorite girl! How the hell are you, Karnstein?” she asks.
“I’m great, Betty. How’s business today?”
“It’s been slow all day, but when I put an ad on the website that you’d be here tonight, let’s just say I might actually turn a profit tonight.”
“Shut up, you can pay the bills with or without me. Betty, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend. Laura, this is Betty. She’s the owner of this shitty bar and an old friend. Betty, this is my girl Laura,” Carm says, putting her arm around your shoulder and pulling you closer.
“It’s nice to meet you, Betty. Nice place you have here,” you say, reaching out to shake Betty’s hand.
“Thank you, it’s nice to meet you too. What can I get y’all to drink?” she asks.
“The usual for me. Laura?” Carm says, looking over to you.
“I’ll just have whatever Carm’s having, thanks.”
“Two Blue Moons, coming right up. Oh, and Carmilla, we’re ready for you whenever you are.”
“Well, go ahead and bring the cupcake’s drink out and mine when I’m done. I’ll just have water for now,” Carm says. Ok, you’re really confused here.
Betty turns back toward the bar and you spin around in your seat because you can’t take all the secrecy anymore. You have to know what the hell is going on.
“Alright, Carm. Spill it. What are we doing here and why is everyone treating you like you own the place or something?”
“I told you, Betty is the owner.”
“Carm…”
“Alright, you know how you asked me the other day what I do besides being a part time nanny?”
“Yes,” you say, intrigued by where this is going. If she were just a bartender here, then she wouldn’t be treated like a celebrity or something.
“I brought you here tonight because I’m finally ready to show you I think,” she says and looks down like she’s nervous.
You reach over and take her hand, causing her to look up at you and you smile because you feel like she needs it. When she smiles back, you can’t help but lean in to kiss her because over the last few weeks her lips have become inevitable to you. It feels too soon to be feeling this way, but you can’t seem to help it. People around the bar begin to cheer the two of you on, so you pull back and she laughs, shaking her head and flipping them off.
“I’ll be right back, cupcake,” she says and kisses you one more time for good measure.
She walks over to the bar and while you want to concern yourself with where she’s going, your drink arrives and you lose track over her while you thank Betty. You’re squeezing the orange garnish and dropping it into your beer when you notice the lights dimming so you look toward the stage.
“Alright everyone, I know it’s normally her night off, but she’s requested a special show tonight. Please let’s hear it for our favorite girl, Carmilla Karnstein!” Betty announces over the pa system and your jaw freaking drops when Carm walks onto the stage.
She picks a guitar up from the stand next to the stool she sits down on and settles behind the microphone while the spotlight narrows in on her.
“Uh, hey everyone. I’m glad you all came out tonight, because I have something pretty special to share with you. I’ve written a new song and tonight you all will be the first to hear it so uh, yeah. Laura, I wrote this a few weeks ago after our second date. I’ve wanted to play it for you a million times since then but I just couldn’t find the right time until now. I hope you like it, cupcake.”
She looks down, taking a few deep breaths before beginning the song. It’s like the whole world disappears around her when she’s strumming the opening of the song, sliding her left hand up and down the neck of the guitar, easily picking out the melody and accompaniment simultaneously. Holy crap you had no idea she could play like that.
But then she begins singing…
I knew the first time I
Saw those breathtaking eyes that you would change me
But I didn’t see how you unselfishly
Changed your ways just to see what we could be
You were too good to be true
I couldn’t believe that someone like you
Would even notice me
But finally life and I agree
I can’t say why
I just knew
That you would take me to
Places I’ve never been before
I always knew there’s so much more
To life than always looking for
Misses right now
I don’t know how
All these other plans seemed to have fallen through
Who ever thought it’d be me and you
Who knew
Holy shit, holy shit, there’s no way that Carm wrote this song about you. People don’t write songs about you. Everyone in the audience is looking over at you while Carmilla sings the lyrics to her song and while you want to be embarrassed, you can’t help but be a little proud that the woman on stage is here with you. She finally looks up and into your eyes before singing the next verse.
The way you smile when I sing this song
The way you sit and hold me all night long
Never wanting anything in return
Makes me yearn for you
I can’t say why
I just knew
That you would take me to
Places I’ve never been before
I always knew there’s so much more
To life than always looking for
Misses right now
I don’t know how
All these other plans seemed to have fallen through
Who ever thought it’d be
Places I’ve never been before
I always knew there’s so much more
To life than always looking for
Misses right now
I don’t know how
All these other plans seemed to have fallen through
Who ever thought it’d be me and you
Who knew
The crowd erupts in applause the second she strums the last chord. It takes you a moment to react because you’re in complete shock, but you eventually join in. She takes a deep breath, takes off her guitar to place it on the stand and looks back toward the crowd.
“Thanks everyone, I appreciate it. I know I usually do a full set on the nights I’m here, but I only planned on the one song tonight. I’ll be back on Tuesday so I hope to see you then. Buy lots of drink from that bitch Betty and don’t you dare drive drunk. Have a good night!” she says before getting up and walking down the stairs to the right of the stage.
People rush over to her, trying to buy her a drink but she brushes right past them and walks over to you. You stand up, meeting her with a smile.
“So, did you like it? She asks, taking your hand in hers.
“Are you kidding me? That was amazing. You’re amazing! I had no idea you could do that,” you basically shout over the crowd.
“So yeah, this is what I do when I’m not watching Katie. It basically pays the bills but honestly it’s just what I love doing.”
“Carm, seriously. You’re incredible! I had no idea you could even play guitar, let alone sing like that. And oh my god, you’re a song writer? Could you possibly be any more perfect?” you say and she laughs, pulling you in for a kiss and the crowd cheers again.
“Good lord, do you want to get out of here?” she asks and you nod. After what she just did, you would follow her anywhere.
The two of you decided to go back to your house since Katie is spending the night at LaF and Perry’s. A few hours and a glass of wine later, you find yourself tangled up with her on the couch. You pull Carmilla down on top of you and she kisses you like you might disappear at any moment. She’s holding your face lightly, getting the perfect angle to make you fall apart slowly and your hips are starting to have a mind of their own. The two of you haven’t gone any further than making out at this point, but it seems like the perfect night for more.
She pulls back and looks down at you, smiling softly before leaning in for another chaste kiss.
“What?” you ask, feeling you heart pound through your chest.
“I’m just so happy,” she says.
“Me too, Carm. But I have to ask. Did you seriously write that song after our second date? Is it really about me?”
She sits up, pulling you with her and taking your hand.
“Yes, and it won’t be the last song I write about you either. Honestly, I haven’t written anything new in ages because I’ve been lacking inspiration. But Laura, you make me feel like I’m alive again. You make me feel like I could write entire albums in an hour because you’re always on my mind. When I dropped you off at home that night, the melody began running through my head when I kissed you goodnight. I didn’t even make it home. I had to pull over and write some lyrics down before I forgot them. Once I finally got home, I finished the song within an hour. I’ve wanted to play it for you every day since then but I wasn’t sure if you would like it.”
“Are you serious? How could I not like it!? It was so beautiful and your voice is so beautiful and… well everything about you is.”
She looked like she was going to say something, but you pulled her by her shirt back down and into a kiss before she had the chance. You’re still not sure of the depth of your feelings for her, but at this moment they’ve never been stronger. You couldn’t imagine a day without her in it and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
You reach for the hem of her shirt, pulling at it lightly and you can feel her smile against her lips. She rolls her hips down into you and you both gasp at the feeling. This is happening. This is really happening.
She sits up to pull her shirt off and when you reach to help her your phone rings.
Shit.
You give her an apologetic smile before reaching to the table to answer it.
“Perry? What’s going on, is Katie alright?” you ask, noting that it’s one in the morning. Carmilla looks at you, just as worried as you are.
“Alright, I’ll be right there,” you say before hanging up the phone.
“Is Katie ok?” Carmilla asks.
“I think she’s fine. Perry said she has a bit of a tummy ache and just keeps waking up asking for me. She wants to come home. I’m sorry, Carm.”
“There’s no need to be sorry, cupcake. Katie needs you and that’s the most important thing right now.”
“I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
“Is that so?” she asks, with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.
“Mhm,” you say before kissing her slowly, effectively wiping that smirk right off her face.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then or would you like me to go with you?”
“I was hoping you would actually. Katie would love to see you and I’m not ready to say goodbye to you tonight,” you admit.
“Good. Neither am I.”
//
When you arrive at Perry’s, Katie is waiting on the couch still half asleep.
“Hey, baby. Are you feeling ok?” you ask, kneeling down to look at her.
“My tummy hurts,” she whines.
“I heard. Probably a little too much candy, huh?”
“Uh uh, I only had like five pieces,” she says and reaches out for a hug. You look over her shoulder and LaF is shaking their head mouthing “more like ten.”
You stand back up, turning to thank Perry and LaF for watching her again when you see Carm bend down to Katie.
“Well, let’s get you home and into bed little bug,” Carmilla says.
“Okay.”
Carm picks Katie up easily and looks at you before heading outside with Katie’s arms and legs wrapped tightly around her.
“Ok I have to admit I wasn’t sure about her at first, but Carmilla seems really great,” Perry says.
“Yeah, just look at her with Katie. You found a good one,” LaF adds.
“I know, she’s amazing. Thanks again, I’ll see you two later,” you say before rushing outside to find Carmilla putting Katie in her booster seat. She buckles her in tightly and kisses her on the forehead before closing the door to not disturb her.
“She already fell back asleep before I got to the car,” Carm laughs.
“I think she just wanted to come home,” you say.
“You’re probably right.”
On the drive back home, you finally realize that you feel content for the first time in years. Your daughter is growing up to be the perfect little girl, your career is taking off and you’re very rapidly falling for the woman in the seat next to you. You sigh in relief when Carmilla takes your hand, kissing your palm before placing your hand in her lap. You could definitely get used to this. You would be ok with this being your forever.