Chapter 16

Barbara awoke to the sound of singing birds. She was instantly aware of the Satin sheets that draped her body and the warm, gentle arms that held her softly. They were wrapped around her in a protective embrace. She could feel Susan's breathing against her back. The soft pillows of her breasts against her shoulders. The soft cheek against her forehead.

"I had no idea." she said, softly.

"Welcome back, and good morning. I was worried about you." Susan said, softly.

"Why?" Barbara asked.

"Because I didn't keep my promise to take you home last night." Susan replied.

Barbara would have dismissed the thought, except now she knew how much a promise meant to Susan. She turned her head and softly kissed her cheek.

"You are forgiven. It was not your doing. It was mine. You did nothing to oppose my free will. You safeguarded it passionately with your love, even to your own pain." Barbara replied.

"Do you wish to get up. I should have dressed you." Susan said, almost uncomfortable.

"I wish nothing else but to lie in your arms forever." Barbara said, snuggling a bit.

"You have chosen?" Susan asked.

Barbara looked at her startled.

"I made my choice last night. I chose you." she said.

"We have not known the physical joy of each other. I carried you in here and have but held you." Susan said.

"Then I fear I will die. If that was not love we made last night then I shall surely expire when we do." Barbara chuckled.

"That was a sharing of our hearts. Through the rod. You still remain a maiden physically. You are pure. You still retain your free choice." Susan replied.

"Then I choose you, again. Freely and joyfully. If the rod will have me, I choose it to take my maidenhead. Freely and joyfully. Knowing full well what I choose in both cases. My heart is free of the dichotomy that has haunted me for so long." Barbara said, turning in Susan's arms.

"I love you." Susan said, as her lips descended.

Later they lay together, glistening in perspiration. Barbara traced circles and random swirls over Susan's back with her fingertips.

"I shall love you forever." Barbara said, softly.

Susan caught her hand and squeezed it softly.

There was a light tap upon the door, Barbara continued her designs.

"It is Jane, do you wish to cover up?" Susan said.

"Mmm nope." Barbara said, continuing her designs.

The door opened and Jane came in carrying a big tray.

"I thought you might like some breakfast." Jane said, setting the tray down and pouring two cups of rich coffee.

She carried them to the bed and sat them on a table surface on the rail.

"Thank you, that was kind of you." Susan replied.

"The first time I've ever been waited on by a High Priestess." Barbara said, sitting up.

"My pleasure." Jane said, smiling and handing her her cup.

Barbara leaned back against the headboard, sipping her coffee. It was good. Susan joined her.

Jane took two bed trays and put a plate on each of them. She placed one around Barbara, who set her cup upon it and caught Jane's hand.

"I wish to thank you for all the kindness you have shown me." Barbara said, drawing her to her.

Jane accepted the soft kiss, happily. She squoze Barbara's hand and then moved to fetch Susan's tray.

"You knew I was here?" Barbara asked, suddenly.

"Of course. You don't think that I could ignore such passion so close to me do you? But I have not intruded. I only felt who it was and that you shared great joy. I am glad. You have been without love for too long." Jane replied.

Barbara found tears in her eyes.

"Yes, it has been too long." she said.

"Enjoy your time ... Susan, I will be very disappointed in you if you don't play hooky for at least two days. You need this time as much as she." Jane said.

"Thank you, my love." Susan said, kissing her softly before releasing her.

Barbara observed the kiss, now her reaction was much different. She understood!

After breakfast, they took their coffee and donned robes, sitting out on the deck of Susan's balcony.

"Is it safe?" Barbara had asked.

"Quite. I've scanned it. She's off delivering her empty prize." Susan replied, sipping her coffee.

"I don't understand." Barbara said.

"I fogged the film in her camera. Except for a message I left." Susan said.

"What message?" Barbara asked.

Susan told her. Barbara lost it.

Gale waltzed smugly into the editor who had treated her so brusquely.

"You wanted proof? Develop it yourself!" she said, handing over her film cartridge.

The editor sighed and called for his photo lab to develop the shots. The were delivered back up to him in less than an hour. He opened the envelope and flipped through the shots.

"Cute. I'm not amused. You might take your own advice. Now get out." he told Gale, tossing the pictures to her.

She quickly flipped through the shots. All were featureless blobs looking like pictures of clouds. Except one shot. It had clearly defined words upon it in elegant script.:

"Mind your own

fucking business!"

"This isn't the roll of film I brought in!" Gale cried.

"Miss Howard. I don't have time to play these silly games. That is the roll of film you brought in. You heard me tell them to print whatever was on it and bring it right in. I have not left your sight. Nor has any other film come in since you came. You can see the darkroom door there. You heard my instructions, you've been sitting here. You see the results. I don't have a trick roll of film hanging around so that I can trick people out of their bullshit photographs. Now I suggest you follow the instructions on the only clear shot in the roll and don't bother to come back." he said.

Gale grabbed her shots, including the negatives and left in tears. Not understanding.

Barbara lay in bliss. Susan had taught her much in the hours since they had awakened together. Susan herself was blissfully napping. Barbara's hand laying on her Derrière. There was a light tap on the door. Barbara looked at Susan, still sleeping. She pulled the sheet over her and pulled on a robe.

"Come it." she called softly.

Ron entered.

"Hi, I heard there was an old friend of mine around here, you seen her?" he asked.

Barbara leapt into his arms.

Ron sat back against the headboard, Barbara snuggled in his arms, sitting on his lap.

"Will you hold me when the time comes, like you did Susan?" she asked softly.

"Oh, I think that can be arranged. They don't let me in often. I don't know how one guy can make thirty nude women nervous." Ron chuckled.

Susan lifted her head to look at them.

"Fickle woman. First she tries to cripple me with her tongue and then she steals my man when I finally pass out." she chuckled softly.

"Hello love." Ron said, easily.

Susan still lay face down, she stretched one hand out to grasp his hand and squeeze it softly. Barbara put hers over the top of the pair and squeezed them both.

"What a fool I've been. We could have been doing this all along." Barbara cried softly.

"Runs in the family of man. Don't take it so personal." Susan mused, sleepily.

"Your lack of enthusiasm is noted." Ron teased.

Susan rolled over, her breasts bare atop her. She was more than a little alluring.

"So ... if I can't make love to you, what say we gang up on her?" Ron said to Barbara.

Barbara grinned at him, kissed him passionately and then dove toward Susan.

Over the next two days, all of the group of Barbara's earlier friends stopped by and spent time with them.

Barbara also got to meet and spend some time with Cindy. They hit it off right from the start, which was odd, as they weren't at all alike, nor so far distant that the difference itself was an attraction. They just seemed to like to be together.

Susan recognized part of it as an emerging maternal instinct in Barbara, sparked by the childlike wonder that Cindy always managed to exude. That was fine. Susan felt much of that herself. She was evolving herself to where she felt much the same feeling towards the earth. Sometimes she even felt old, which was an odd feeling coming from a woman in her mid-twenties. She looked upon her two loves benevolently smiling. The two of them were talking about Irana's touch. Barbara was dying to try it out. Cindy well knew the consequences.

"Tell you what. Why don't we do it to each other, simultaneously? Then you can both see it's effect upon another and know it's effect upon you." Cindy suggested.

Susan rolled her eyes.

"Ah ... sure. I guess." Barbara said, innocently.

"Before you do that, kiss me tenderly once more. I have things to do, and you will be in no condition later." Susan said.

Barbara had become quite enthusiastic about love. She willingly and happily kissed Susan with all her heart.

"I have reveled in our time together. Not that we will not know the joy of each others touch again, but from now on it's back to stolen moments. I have much work to do that must be done. For there are many, many others in need of love." Susan said, hugging her.

Barbara hugged back hard. For a time they just sat and hugged.

"Thank you, Susan. For all that you have done. I know now the sacrifices that you have made for me and I am forever in your debt. But more than that, I will always love you." Barbara said, misty eyed.

Susan kissed her softly once more, then turned and shared the same with Cindy, who was always hungry for her touch.

"You two have fun, okay. I've got to go now." Susan said, holding their hands a bit longer. She was reluctant to leave, but she felt her responsibilities resurfacing.

They both smiled at her and she finally managed to turn away and back to her work.

"Okay, we'll do the first two parts on each other and then pinch simultaneously, ready?" she heard Cindy say as she passed into her office.

Susan was not immune to passion and the wave struck her forcefully. She closed her eyes and rocked with the force of it, savoring the joy she felt in her two loves. A tear dripping down her cheek. Then she turned once again to her work.