DISCLAIMER: Don't own them, though I would be nicer to them, still not mine so this is for fun and no infringement intended.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
The real story
By Bea
Esther felt good for the first time since the man she had once called her soulmate had left her, taking everything with him including her sense of self. It had taken five long years and numerous disastrous attempts at relationships to get passed this pain and for the scars on her soul to heal but last night had been the breakthrough she had been working toward. Her friend and colleague Laura had convinced her to join a group of them at a new bar opening. There she met Diego, a young tourist from South America, who spent the evening flirting harmlessly with her. After being asked a dozen times she finally relented and danced with him…no expectations, no pressure. It was only much later, once she found herself alone in her apartment that it had dawned on her. She had spent the entire evening laughing, dancing and simply enjoying being in the company of good friends while in the arms of a handsome young man with whom she hadn't felt the need to hang on to or push the flirting beyond just that. For the first time in her adult life she didn't feel like a loser for refusing to offer him breakfast and coming home alone. In fact, she felt…happy!
Maca was angry now! She had had enough of all the angst and tears and now she was ready for the rage. How could she fall for someone who had turned out to be so inaccessible, cruel and manipulative? How could she have needed that woman so much? Her? The ever fiercely independent! Having set her own path from the moment she could walk; never compromising when she knew she was right, even to a strict and authoritative father. How could she have fallen for that spineless liar, turned her life upside down to end up being told it was all for nothing? No, she would not let this destroy her. Here she was in a different city, far from the humiliation and the pain, about to start a new job where no one knew neither her nor her origins since she had used her mother's surname instead of her famous father's. Yes, she was angry and she would use this anger as an impenetrable shield to guard her against this asinine thing called love.
"Good God Esther what have you done?"
Esther looked up from the sign-in pad to Theresa's bewildered expression. The receptionist had a certain non-discussed number of years on the young nurse, just enough for her to believe she had the right to feel a little maternal towards her, instinctively knowing Esther to be one of those innocent sensitive souls so easily abused. She had been there for her during the whole Miguel disaster; a first hand witness to the devastation. She had become teary eyed more than once thinking how that smile Esther was so renown for, the kind that illuminates her face, had not been seen since. Teresa had but given up on ever seeing it again when here it was this morning, shining to make the sun hang its head in shame.
"What? Is there something wrong with me? Something caught in my teeth?" Esther replied while trying to find a reflective surface to spot the problem. "No silly, it's just… you're smiling!" Esther looked up at her friend again, a question mark plainly visible on her face long enough for the woman's words to be processed, then broke out into a laugh. "I'm just happy Theresita, just incredibly happy!" and with that she jumped up a little to reach the taller woman's cheek and kissed her soundly before practically skipping her way to the nurses locker room.
Maca looked at the older woman behind the counter sporting a puzzled expression, her hand on her cheek as though she had just been slapped silly. Holding back the urge to laugh, the poor woman looked so daft, Maca slowly introduced herself as the new paediatrician and politely extended her hand to shake Theresa's but before the amusing receptionist could reach her, the floor suddenly slip from under her feet and Maca found herself staring at the ceiling trying to catch the breath that had just been knocked out of her lungs. It took a second or two to get her bearings back and realise that there was a warm body pinning her to the floor, no doubt the same body that had been the cause of her fall. A warm body that felt all too comfortable, familiar yet unknown, soft and inviting.
Her immediate reaction had been irritation, a resentment that had risen from the fear and disorientation that her reaction to this stranger's body had awakened in her. She pushed hard to remove the person and quickly stood up with all the grace and poise that her upbringing had instilled in her. She took control of her emotions then reached to help up the young nurse still sprawled out on the floor, a little bewildered. Esther looked first at the tall stranger she had accidentally knocked off her feet then at Theresa who had been standing there all along with her mouth agape and frozen to her spot, then back again at the stranger and did the only thing Esther could do in those moments, she started to laugh.
Trying to apologise between fits of uncontrollable nervous laughter was nigh impossible but the young nurse did anyway. The tall stranger had seemed angry at first but then Esther was able to spot a little tremor in the shoulder area under the doctor's white coat. She looked up again and there it was, making its way to the woman's eyes and to the corner of her mouth… Maca tried to resist but finally the silliness of the situation won her over and she joined in the laughter.
When both had finally calmed down, she introduced herself to the young nurse. Esther immediately took the hand that Maca had extended towards her. Electroshock therapy would have been a walk in the park compared to what touching that hand did to Esther's insides. She barely managed to stutter her name before letting go and turning around as fast as possible to head back to her original destination all the while her eyes firmly fixed on her own hand. Maca headed in the opposite direction, also looking at her hand and murmuring something unintelligible. Meanwhile the whole exchange went over Theresa's head. She who was usually the first to catch on to the tiniest allusion that could be turned into the juiciest gossip had not seen a thing. Well it has to be said in her favour that she was otherwise occupied as she had finally realised that the persistent ringing in her ears had been the reception desk's telephone.
Esther was exhausted. It had been a long and stressful day with more victims of accidents coming in that one day than all of last week's combined. After that disastrous first meeting with the new paediatrician she sadly had more than one occasion to prove she was not just a distracted airhead but also a very efficient and professional nurse. In turn, Esther had observed and admired the dedication and incredible talent of one amazing doctor Maca Fernandez. Although the proximity of the beautiful doctor troubled and confused her, Esther was glad of the new addition to the team; no doubt doctor Fernandez was one of the finest. She had blended in with the rest of them seamlessly over the past month and everyone felt at ease working with her. Esther even felt comfortable enough to tease her and joke about her being a "pija" and Maca , who disliked terribly being called a preppie, seemed to understand that it was said with affection. They had argued more than once and since both were a little on the stubborn side some of those arguments had become legendary. Through it all though, they had managed to develop an easy rapport… well as long as neither one came in physical contact with the other.
Entering the lounge, she didn't notice that the object of her thoughts had been about to exit said lounge when she found herself trapped in two solid arms preventing her from hitting the floor after once again crashing into a wall of flesh. Blundering unintelligible excuses, Esther tried to extricate herself from Maca's grip but the infuriating woman just kept holding her tighter and tighter while sporting an annoying little smirk on that otherwise gorgeous face.
"Stop squirming about aimlessly or you'll end up hurting us both. Quiet down and I'll let go."
Though she heard Maca well enough, the woman's mouth being so close to her poor defenceless ear, Esther took a while to actually comprehend the message, the sudden heat elevation having caused a thick fog to invade her otherwise healthy brain.
The outwardly calm and cool looking doctor was not as immune, as one would have thought, to the effects the cute nurse had on her libido. Whenever there was physical contact, as innocent as it may be, the "charge" was so intense it's a wonder she was still able to function normally. Of course she completely denied it but truth is, if the one molecule still functioning in her brain during those moments had been capable of analytical thought, she'd have realised that she always held on to Esther just a bit longer than necessary, leaned in a bit too close to her ear when she spoke to her, pressed herself just a dash more than required to pass around her in those tight exam cubicles.
From the first day they met Maca had had conflicting emotions where the young nurse was concerned. She enjoyed bucking heads with her, it challenged her, tweaked her ego, encouraged her to look deeper and find the source of the problem in the most difficult cases. Esther enjoyed learning about each new case and the process allowed Maca to put her thoughts in order, helping her reach the diagnosis more efficiently but more importantly to challenge it by trying to see if it would stand up to the extremely bright nurse's questions. She had grown to need her presence, to look for her when she came to work in the morning. Yet, always, another part of her looked for an exit the moment she got too close and ran away to the safety of her empty apartment the minute she finished work. Realistically she knew that there was something between the two of them but she could not give in to it. She would not be made a fool of again. Those romance novels could keep their ridiculous concepts of love and those romantic songs could play for some other foolish ear. She was single, successful, a strong independent woman… Ahhh okay now why were her fingers moving of their own volition? What were they doing under the nurse's chin, gently lifting her head?
Esther felt as though a volcano had erupted into her chest and had melted the bones in her legs. Neither knew exactly what their bodies were doing except that the space between the two grew suddenly smaller, the eyes they were staring at became blurry while two warm breaths mixed from the close proximity. An intake of breath, looks darting from eyes to lips, slight hesitation and…
"Excuse me ladies, have you seen my stethoscope anywhere…"
It had been three weeks since Hector had walked in on them about to… about to what exactly. Esther had, granted with tremendous effort, managed to convince her self that it was all a big mistake, a trick of her overactive imagination. It wasn't necessarily a healthy way to look at things but at least it allowed her to work with the gorgeous, sexy, hot…*cough* *cough* *eerrr* very professional colleague and not feel like she was about to faint every time she caught a hint of her perfume. She refused to even for a moment, entertain the thought that such an elegant, sophisticated and intelligent beauty could possibly be interested in her! She ignored her own feelings as well even though they were pretty obvious what from the new little skip in her walk, the bright smile that seemed to have etched its way permanently onto her features and her recently discovered fondness for sentimental music. Falling in love did not feel that good! She knew from experience. This was something else, something she had yet to understand but certainly not anything to do with love.
Maca let out a deep sigh while literally throwing herself on the sofa in the lounge. This was getting to be near impossible to handle. With her upbringing and all the boring functions inherent to her family social status, Maca had managed to develop quite a technique for masking her real feelings. This however was pushing her beyond her limits. Every time this gorgeous, striking, sexy… darn is it getting hot in here? Anyway every time Esther approached her in the halls or leaned against her in the small exam cubicles, she just wanted to take her in her arms and kiss her senseless. Why just an hour ago she had been on her way to the lab when the sound of Esther's laughter deviated her path and it took all her will power to stop herself from taking her in her arms right there, at the reception area, in front of everyone… the need was so intense it caused her physical pain. Enough! She could no longer ignore this. A discussion with Esther was in order and perhaps they could come to an agreement, some sort of scheduling arrangement that would favour them both… Hopefully Esther wouldn't be too freaked out! Ah well, better a discreet meltdown at the girl's apartment than getting slapped in front of the whole hospital; which is what will undoubtedly happen sooner than later when her libido takes over and she kisses the young nurse like she has been dreaming to do… Yes, it was time to talk to Esther.
The said young nurse was barely out of her shower when there came a knock at the door to her tiny apartment.
"Aw come on, that's so typical!"
"Who's telling the story young man?"
"Well you are but, come on, you've got to admit it sounds a little set-up"
"Oh all right so tell me what I should do, hmmm, twist the truth for this part of the story to please monsieur's artistic sensibilities?"
"No, no, I'm sorry … please continue"
"Hmfff! Well…hmmm… Now where was I? Oh yes…"
The beautiful young nurse was barely out of her shower when there came a knock at the door to her tiny apartment. Only wrapped in a towel, she looked out the peephole and recognised Maca. Opening the door slightly ajar she simply looked at the taller woman, a little worried at what possible reason could have made Maca come all the way to her place. The doctor seemed terribly preoccupied and so when she asked if she could come in, Esther didn't hesitate even though she felt the heat rising to her cheeks at the thought of the woman whom had been haunting her dreams, seeing her in just a towel. She told the harried looking doctor to make herself comfortable and to excuse her while she would go and put something on "real quick!"
Up until that moment, Maca had been rehearsing her speech and so had not noticed the nurse's state of dress… or rather undress. Esther startled and quickly turned around at the strangled gurgling sound that came from the vicinity of where she had last seen her colleague. What she saw instantly rooted her to her spot, robbing her completely of the faculty to think or move. Two burning eyes where rapidly moving toward her and the closer they got the more fiery they seemed. A trembling hand reached for her bare shoulder, twin moans could be heard in stereo when it made contact, and then it gently glided towards the back of the neck until it reached the hair, tangled itself in it and brought together two pairs of hungry lips that would no longer be denied.
Much later, in the jumble of tangled bed sheets, two smiles illuminated the twilight, two hearts beating as one set the rhythm and entwined legs danced, a dance that many believe is still going on even now that both are gone.
"And that my boy is the story of how your great-grandmothers met and fell in love. Not that silly story you dug up from old data archives. What you call it? A teevee show? And what's this I hear about Esther cheating on Maca with a Samur gigolo? Why I ought to put you on my knees and spank you for even considering such an outrageous lie!"
"Sorry granddad! So…well in that case... could you tell me the story of how your sister was conceived?"
The old man looked into his grandson's smirking eyes, knowing the boy thought he had cornered him. A triumphant smile lit up the elder's eyes. "Sure my boy, make yourself comfortable because this one will take a while…"
The End