DISCLAIMER: Guiding Light and its characters are the property of Proctor & Gamble. No infringement intended.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: A sequel to Verisimilitude in Fiction, Not Dating and The Sick Rose, in that order. Picks up immediately where The Sick Rose left off.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Five People Who Found Out Blake and Doris Are a Couple
By Wonko
1. Frank Cooper 1.25pm
Frank stalked into the kitchen at Company with the world's biggest scowl on his face. "What is going on in this town?" he demanded. Buzz and Daisy turned to him with twin frowns.
"Uhm..." Daisy began, but Frank wasn't listening.
"Is there something in the water?" he ranted. "Or is it me? Am I like the lesbian Midas or something?"
Buzz took a step towards his son. "Frankie, what are you talking about? I thought you were fine with Olivia and Natalia-"
"I'm not talking about them," Frank snapped. "But I guess they should have been my first clue, huh? That there's something wrong with me."
Buzz shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with you Frank," he insisted.
"Oh no?" Frank let out a hollow laugh. "Then why is it that both Olivia and Natalia decided they preferred women after being with me? And why is...Blake...out there right now holding hands with-" He snapped his mouth shut, shaking his head. "It's me," he said pitifully. "I'm the common link. I...I turn women gay."
Buzz stepped forward and slapped a meaty hand down onto his son's shoulder. "Now, Frankie..." he began, but Daisy didn't stay to listen. She was far more interested in who Blake was holding hands with.
"Oh my God," she muttered, her eyes nearly bursting out of her head as she took in the scene over in the booth. Quickly she flicked through the contacts on her phone and dialled a familiar number. "Ash," she said, when her friend picked up. "You need to get over to Company. Right now."
2. Ashlee Wolfe 2pm
Blake smiled tremulously as she caressed Doris's knuckles with her thumb. "It's going to be fine," she said softly. "Ashlee loves you. She'll understand."
Doris swallowed hard, her eyes trained on the doorway. "We're about to find out," she said tightly, and abruptly pulled her hand from Blake's.
Blake turned to see Ashlee striding purposefully over to their booth. "Hey mom," she said, a slight frown creasing her forehead. "I didn't know you two knew each other." Her voice was slightly cold as she addressed Blake.
"Well, we do," Blake replied cheerfully. Beside her Doris was rigid. She could feel the discomfort rolling off her lover in waves.
"Hey honey," Doris said, her voice unnaturally high and tight. Ashlee turned on her immediately.
"Okay, what's going on?" she demanded. "Daisy called me and told me to meet you here and now you're acting...strange. What's up?"
Doris sat frozen with a fake smile on her lips and a slightly crazed look in her eyes. Under the table Blake surreptitiously laid her hand on her thigh and squeezed.
"There's something I've been trying to tell you," she said at last, seeming to draw strength from Blake's touch. "I've been trying to tell you for...for a long time, but I couldn't ever seem to find the words."
Ashlee looked from Blake to Doris and back again. "And she's here for this because?" she asked, gesturing towards Blake who bristled slightly.
"I'm gay," Doris blurted suddenly, dragging her daughter's attention back.
Stunned silence greeted her pronouncement. Ashlee gaped at her, mouth hanging open. "Guh," she managed to splutter after several excruciatingly long, excruciatingly awkward minutes.
"And I'm her girlfriend," Blake added, grabbing Doris's hand and squeezing. Doris let out a tiny shrill squeal. "Oh for God's sake Doris, Ashlee's fine."
"Don't speak for me," Ashlee said, rounding on the redhead. Blake raised an eyebrow.
"You're not fine with it?" she challenged.
"Of course I'm fine with it," she snapped, and turned back to Doris. "Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded.
Doris choked out a sob, her hand flying to her mouth. "You-you're fine with it? Really?" Ashlee's eyes softened and she reached out to take her mother's hand.
"Mom," she said gently. "Why wouldn't I be? I don't care who you sleep with. I mean, you could have picked someone who hadn't once tried to steal my boyfriend-" Blake rolled her eyes but Ashlee ignored her "-but it doesn't matter. It's just..." she trailed off, sadness creeping into her eyes, "didn't you trust me? Was I...was I just not good enough or smart enough or whatever? Is that why you didn't want me to know you?"
Blake glanced from daughter to mother and back again, taking in Ashlee's sad eyes and the terror written all over her lover's face. "Ashlee," she said softly. "Look at her. Can't you see how afraid she is? Even now?"
Ashlee squeezed her mother's hand a little tighter. "Why?" she asked gently. "Why are you scared, mom?"
Doris drew in a deep shuddering breath and opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Blake's heart clenched in sympathetic pain. "Because-" she said, but Doris shook her head and she fell silent.
"Because," Doris said at last. "Because I love you...so much. Because you've been my family, my friend, my whole world for half my life. Because...because you're the only person on this Earth who's ever truly loved me." She paused, her breath coming in short sharp gasps. "Because if I ever lost you I don't know what I'd do. Ashlee...my beautiful girl...I wanted you to know me. I just..." She shrugged helplessly, attempting a parody of a smile. "I just wanted you to be proud of me more."
There was a long moment of breathless silence as two pairs of identical blue eyes locked. Then Ashlee was on her feet and coming around the booth to pull her crumbling mother into her arms. "I am proud of you mom," she whispered fiercely. "I've never been more proud of you than I am right now." She looked at Blake over her mom's shuddering shoulder, fixing her with a piercing look. "And you! You'd better not hurt her," she warned. "Because if you do-"
"You don't need to worry about that," Blake assured her quickly, wiping away a few stray tears from her own eyes. She leaned up against Doris's back, hugging her briefly from behind. "Well done," she whispered into her lover's ear and was rewarded with a low, genuine laugh. Doris turned to her, eyes shining.
"I'd never have done this without you," she said. "Thank you."
Blake smiled. "Don't mention it."
3. Natalia Rivera 3.30pm
"Oh...goodness."
Doris and Blake waited for Natalia to say something else, but nothing was forthcoming. "Is that it?" Blake asked at last. "No congratulations, no offering to throw us a luncheon?"
Natalia blinked twice, then shook herself. "Sorry," she said, colouring slightly. "I'm very happy for you, Blake, of course." She stepped forward and took her boss into her arms.
"Thank you," Blake replied, squeezing the other woman's shoulders a little before she let go.
"Doris," Natalia said, turning to the Mayor. "I'm glad you found someone to take a chance with. Good for you." Doris coughed and seemed to find something very interesting in the vicinity of her shoes. Natalia took advantage of her brief distraction to pull Blake to one side.
"I just wanted you to know that I'm here for you," she murmured softly. "You know, I've been through all the confusion and the crises - if you need to talk..." she trailed off, flashing Blake an encouraging smile. Blake grinned.
"Don't worry about me," she said. "I'm not confused. Not in the least."
Natalia's eyes narrowed slightly disbelievingly, but she shook her head. "Okay," she said. "Well if you ever need any advice...you know..."
Blake blinked. "Advice about what?" she asked. Natalia flushed.
"You know," she whispered, then raised her eyes towards heaven. "Sex," she mouthed. Blake frowned.
"Sex?" she said, much more loudly than Natalia would have liked. She closed her eyes and let out a slight groan.
"Yes," she said. "I mean...not to go into details, but this is probably the one area where I have a little more experience than you, so-" She broke off when Blake began to laugh.
"Oh Natalia," she gasped between gales of laughter. "You don't think we'd be going around town coming out and making declarations if we weren't already having sex, do you?" Behind her Doris turned crimson and took a step towards her.
"Okay, that's enough," she said to her still laughing lover. "We've got a couple of stops left on the Embarrass Doris Tour '09. Come on."
Blake allowed herself to be dragged away, still giggling. "Really Natalia, who would do that?" she called over her shoulder, and then she rounded a corner and fell out of Natalia's sight.
Natalia was sure the blush gracing her features was going to turn into a permanent fixture. "Who indeed?" she mumbled softly, then shook her head and got back to work.
4. Clarissa Marler 4.15pm
"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Blake mumbled against soft and very willing lips.
"I guess not," Doris replied, leaning back against the wall and hooking her arms round Blake's neck. They'd made it inside Blake's house at least before the desire to kiss and touch had become overwhelming, but only as far as the hallway.
Blake sidled forward until her body was moulded along the length of Doris's and their legs were tangled together. "I'm glad," she said softly, almost bashfully. "I'm glad you thought I was worth taking a chance for."
A smile tugged at the corner of Doris's mouth. "You're worth everything," she whispered, and the smile faded as Blake turned a pair of very green, very serious, tear-filled eyes onto her.
"Thank you," she whispered, blinking away the tears she was determined would remain unshed. "I've waited for you to feel that way for a long time."
"Really?" Doris replied in a small, wondering voice.
"Really," Blake said firmly, and leaned forward to kiss her. They got lost in a heady mix of emotion and sensation for long minutes, forgetting where they were and when, and that they were not alone in the house.
"Mom!" a high pitched voice squeaked from behind them. Blake tore her lips away from Doris's, wide eyed and breathless.
"Is that...?" she said, not trusting herself to turn around. Doris glanced over her shoulder.
"Yup," she said, feeling only a little amused that this time it was Blake who looked terrified. Clarissa Marler was standing in the doorway that connected the hallway to the living room, her eyes bulging out of her head.
"Oh my God," Clarissa was murmuring over and over. "Oh my God." Blake winced.
"Baby, I can explain," she began, but Clarissa cut her off.
"Oh my God this is so cool!" she exclaimed. Doris blinked. Cool? Was that what they were calling it these days?
"Clarissa?" Blake said, sounding just as confused as Doris felt.
"Can I call Emma?" Clarissa demanded, bouncing a little in excitement. "I can't wait to tell her I have two mommies too! No, wait...I'll tell her at school. Then everyone'll know at the same time. Oh my God, I can't wait to see her face!" She bounded over and hugged first her mother, then Doris around the waist. "Thank you!" she said, beaming. "This is the coolest thing you've ever done!"
With that she raced off, probably to prepare a powerpoint presentation. Blake and Doris exchanged twin shell-shocked looks and suddenly Blake let out a tiny inadvertent squeal. Doris rolled her eyes.
"Oh for God's sake Blake, Clarissa's fine with it," she said, her eyes sparkling.
"Oh shut up," Blake mumbled in reply before leaning forward for a very long, very deep, very satisfactory kiss. When they parted both women were breathless.
"Come on," Doris said at last, tangling her fingers together with Blake's and tugging gently.
"Where are we going?" Blake asked as she allowed herself to be led out of the door.
"To the Beacon," Doris said grimly. "We're going to talk to Olivia before she hears this from her daughter."
5. Olivia Spencer 4.45pm
Olivia glanced up at Doris and Blake, affording them no more than a cursory once over. "In other news," she said, with a only a tiny gleam in her eye, "the sky is blue."
The End