On A Wing And A Prayer Part 27

I love you with all my heart. I need to be with you. Just say the word and I will be on the next plane North.

You are my heart Rox. Come fly away and be my love.

Ca.s.s"

Rox swallowed hard when she finished reading the note. Tears of joy filled her eyes as she reread the tender words of love. "Oh my G.o.d. I have never read anything so beautiful in my life," she said, covering her mouth with her hand to stifle a sob.

"Wow, Rox ... looks like this guy has fallen for you big time. How do you feel about him?" Jerri asked.

"I love him, Jer. Don't ask me how or why, but I do. I know we've only known each other a few weeks, but I really do love him. I can't believe he returns that love," she exclaimed.

"Oh, he more than returns it, Rox. This man is infatuated with you ... head over heels. Wouldn't you say, Nik?" Jerri remarked.

"Wha.... What? Oh yeah, I agree. Looks like your note didn't scare him away after all, Rox," Nikki said, quickly recovering from the disappointment of not seeing a reply to her earlier note.

Jerri looked closely at Nikki, accurately guessing what had her wife so preoccupied, before turning her attention back to Rox. "So, what's next? More chat? More e-mail? Maybe another phone call?" Jerri asked.

"Well, I should probably respond to this note for starters," Rox replied. "Then ... who knows?"

Posing her hands over the keyboard, she began to write as her two friends watched diligently over her shoulders.

"My Dearest Ca.s.s,

Your words bring such joy to my heart I can hardly contain it. I too am in love with you. I don't know how it could have happened so quickly ... we haven't even met in the physical sense, however, I find that you have become a vital piece of my life. I want desperately to meet you in person ... to touch you ... to feel your heart beating beneath my fingertips.

I do feel safe with you, Ca.s.s. I trust that you will never hurt me. I really need that in a relationship right now. I look forward to knowing your heart and soul, and to touching you with my own. I too promise to treat it tenderly and to never hurt you.

Your intentions are honorable, my love. I, the bard, find myself at a loss for words when I read the elegant prose penned by your own hand ... words of love and commitment ... promises of happiness and cherished moments. I too look forward to making love all night and carrying your memory with me throughout the days. I too wish to walk by your side through many years of life and love, only to lie in your arms as I take my dying breath. I am content in the knowledge that our love will endure the separation of life and death - only to meet again on the other side, where we will truly be together for all eternity.

I need you, Ca.s.s. I love you. Come to me, my love, and be happy in my arms.

Rox"

Rox sat back in her seat and read the note over one more time before clicking on 'send'. As the three women watched the note disappear into the far recesses of the Internet, Jerri leaned in and whispered into Nikki's ear, "If your note doesn't get him here, that one certainly will!"

Nikki just nodded her agreement as she leaned in and wrapped her arms around Rox.

It was well after midnight and Rox was still working on her story despite Nikki's protests that she needed sleep to help her recover from Chris' latest beating. Rox argued that she was already behind in her commitments and that she just had to work in order to make up for lost time. After several failed attempts to get her to rest, Nikki just gave up and joined Jerri in the living room where she curled up with a book. Jerri has just arrived home from work moments before and was unwinding by playing with her Leggo's on the floor.

"She's being stubborn, isn't she?" Jerri asked, looking up from the Leggo hospital she was building.

"You know Jer, I always thought that you were the most stubborn person I knew, but she's got you beat by a mile!" Nikki answered. "d.a.m.n, that woman makes my blood boil some times!"

Jerri chuckled and resumed her construction. "I don't know, Nik ... I'd say you run a pretty close second," she commented.

"What!!? Jerri, I'm not stubborn!" Nikki protested.

Jerri looked at her wife and raised her eyebrows into her hairline. Her expression said it all.

"Don't look at me like that! I am not stubborn!" the blonde repeated.

"Yes you are," Jerri replied.

"No I'm not!" Nikki retorted.

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Persistent too!" Jerri added, grinning and loving every minute of Nikki's ranting.

"I am not! Jerri, how can you say that? I try very hard to be patient and kind and understanding. I make a point of compromising whenever possible! I'm not stubborn ... I'm not!" Nikki said adamantly.

"Persistent too!" Jerri said again.

"Ah ... Ah ... Ah .... Aarrgghh!!! You did that on purpose didn't you?" Nikki demanded, finally catching on to Jerri's baiting.

Jerri just grinned guiltily.

"Why you little s.h.i.t!" Nikki accused, getting up and crushing Jerri's Leggo hospital with her foot. "You forgot vindictive!" she added before stomping off to bed.

The early dawn hours of Tuesday found Rox still typing at her computer, having spent the entire night working on her book. She ran into Nikki in the second story hallway - both of them on their way to the bathroom.

"'Morning," Nikki said sleepily. "Did you sleep well, Rox?"

Rox looked guiltily at Nikki and slipped into the bathroom ahead of her friend.

Nikki stood there staring at the closed door. Narrowing her eyes, she suddenly realized what had just happened. Pounding on the door, she shouted at her friend, "Roxanne, don't you dare tell me you were up all night!"

"All right, I won't," Rox answered through the door.

"d.a.m.n it, Rox! d.a.m.n it all to h.e.l.l!" She shouted, hands on her hips, as Rox opened the door. "Chris beat the living s.h.i.t out of you yesterday ... remember!!? Christ, woman. You've got to let your body recuperate. Staying up all night is just plain stupid. What part of that don't you understand?" she asked angrily.

Now Rox was angry. "What I don't understand, is what gives you the right to dictate my life to me, Nikki!?" she shouted back.

"What gives me the right? The fact that I love you - that's what gives me the right, Rox!" Nikki replied.

Roxanne had no reply to that reasoning. Instead, she just dropped her head to her chest and reached up with her right hand to rub her forehead, left hand posed on her hip. Looking up into her friend's face, she allowed a slight smile to break the facade. "You're right, Nik. I'm sorry ... but I was on a roll. I simply couldn't stop," she explained.

Nikki allowed her anger to dissipate at her friend's apology. Dropping her own hands from her hips, she reached out and hugged Rox. "I'm sorry too," she said, "but you really do need to get your sleep, Roxie."

"I will. In fact, I'm on my way to bed right now. I'm beat," she explained.

"Literally," Nikki added, causing the two women to chuckle slightly.

"Wake me up around noon, will ya?" she asked her blonde friend.

"Noon ... got it. Now listen to your nurse and get your b.u.t.t to bed," Nikki replied.

"Yes Ma'am!" Rox said, saluting Nikki military style before marching off toward her room.

Nikki shook her head side to side like an indulgent parent as she took care of her own bathroom ch.o.r.es and headed back to bed to snuggle up with her wife.

"What was the big argument about?" Jerri asked as she wrapped her arms around the smaller woman.

Nikki looked up into Jerri's face. "I'm sorry, love. Did we wake you?" she asked apologetically.

"Nature was calling anyway. So what was the argument about?" Jerri asked again as she threw her legs over the side of the bed and pushed herself into a sitting position.

"Jer ... She was up all night. She's just now going to bed," Nikki replied.

"Nik ... Rox is a big girl you know. She really is capable of taking care of herself," Jerri observed.

"Yeah, I know, but, Christ, Jerri - she was beaten up yesterday. Under normal circ.u.mstances, I would agree with you. I'm sure there have been countless nights where she has worked straight through, but she was healthy then. Don't you think that she needs to give her body a chance to recover before she pushes the limits of her endurance?" Nikki asked.

Jerri rose to her feet and turned to look down at her wife on the bed. "I won't argue with that logic, Nik, but sometimes you tend to push the limits of your friendship with Rox ... know what I mean?" she asked delicately.

Nikki's brow furrowed. "No, what do you mean, Jerri?" she asked pointedly.

Jerri leaned over the bed and rested her hands on both sides of her wife, coming face to face with the blonde. "Look, Nik ... I know you love Rox very much, but you tend to be a little over protective around her .... and ... and ..."

"And... what Jerri?" Nikki demanded.

"And maybe a little bossy," the dark haired woman finished.

Nikki's eyes widened. "Really?" she asked seriously, her eyes starting to tear. "G.o.d ... I didn't realize ..."

"I know you didn't, love. It's just that you've got such a big heart and you want so desperately for Rox to be happy. You've just got to realize that she is responsible for her own happiness, and no matter how much you do to protect her, she needs to make her own decisions. You're a wonderful friend, Nikki, but friends are supposed to lend support, and guidance, not step by step instructions. See what I mean?" Jerri asked, hoping secretly that she wasn't digging a hole for herself with her wife and lover.

Nikki turned her head to the side and stared at the wall, not answering.

After a long moment of silence, Jerri leaned in and kissed her wife on the cheek. "Nature calls ... I'll be right back, love," she said as she rose to her feet and left the room.

Nikki looked inward for several long moments. Is Jerri right? she asked herself. Am I bossy? Have I tried to control Rox's life? I only want what's best for her. I wouldn't ever do anything to hurt her. G.o.d ... what if Jerri is right? I need to talk to Rox when she wakes up this afternoon. I need to tell her about the e-mail to Ca.s.s. Jerri is right - it was wrong to send it without Rox's knowledge. d.a.m.n, I am such an idiot some times! Feeling better that she had resolved to set things right, Rox rolled over and drifted off to sleep.

Jerri returned to find Nikki curled up in a ball on the far side of the bed. Knowing she had hurt her wife's feelings, she climbed into bed and spooned herself tightly behind the smaller woman, pulling her in close. I love you little one, she thought. I'm sorry I hurt you, but sometimes you push the good Samaritan thing a little too far. I'd hate to see your relationship with Rox suffer because you care too much, my love. Nikki instinctively melded into Jerri's longer frame, allowing herself to be absorbed by her lover's body as both women drifted back to sleep.

Nikki reached over and shut off the alarm. 10:00 a.m. was illuminated on the dial. d.a.m.n! It feels like I just went to bed, she commented to herself as she rolled over and reached out to shake Jerri awake. "Jer, honey ... 10 o'clock, love. Time to get up," she said.

"But I don't wanna go to school," Jerri mumbled in her sleep.

Nikki chuckled as she shook her wife awake once more, this time leaning over the tall woman to kiss her gently on the cheek. "Jerri ... sweetheart, come on ... wakey, wakey!" she teased.

Jerri opened one eye and saw blue-green eyes looking back at her. Smiling, she said, "Good morning, Munchkin," before pulling Nikki's head down for a kiss. Releasing her wife, she opened her eyes again and said one word ... "Coffee!"

Nikki laughed and placed another kiss on Jerri's nose before climbing out of bed. "I'll go put a pot on ... get your buns out of bed ... 'kay?" she said, looking back over her shoulder as she walked out of the room.

Twenty minutes later, a freshly showered Jerri wrapped herself around Nikki and nuzzled her neck as the smaller woman stood at the kitchen counter pouring two cups of coffee.

"Hmmm, you smell good," Nikki replied, tilting her head to the side to allow better access to her neck.

"Good enough to eat?" teased the taller woman.

"That depends on whether you want to be late for work," Nikki replied, reaching behind to pull Jerri in closer.

Jerri accurately read the signs and pushed herself forward, trapping Nikki between herself and the counter, and grasping the smaller woman's b.r.e.a.s.t.s as she ground her hips into Nikki's backside.

"Oh G.o.d! Jerri ... if you keep that up, you will definitely be late for work!" she said as she pressed the back of her head into Jerri's shoulder.

"Hmmm," Jerri murmured.

Coming to her senses, Nikki turned around in Jerri's embrace and reached up to cup her wife's face between her hands. "Sweetheart ... you've got to go to work in a few minutes. Let me fix you some breakfast ... we'll continue this 'discussion' tonight, okay?" she suggested.

Jerri leaned in and kissed Nikki soundly. "No, you sit and let me make you some breakfast. How does a veggie omelet sound?" she asked.