Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2013 11:32:31 -0500
From: Brittany Gay <tomgirlx93@gmail.com>
Subject: Stories from the Life- Fruition of Love

Stories from the Life
Fruition of Love

June 10, 2013

	Autumn had walked into the three-story home, one Thursday night in
June, exhausted and needed a quince of water. Entering through the kitchen
from the garage, she swiped a water bottle from the refrigerator and gulped
it down to the last sip; as though it was the only thing holding her
together. Sighing after taking that long swallow of the cold drink, Autumn
went up the winding stairs. Before entering her own bedroom, Mrs. Reign
checked on her children- five year old daughter Little Aubrey (also known
as L.A) and six year old son Austin, whom was not in his bed. Going into
the Master bedroom, Autumn found her wife Aubrey and Austin lying across
the queen-sized bed.

"Hey, sweetie." Autumn addressed the brown eyed brunette, leaning in to
peck her on the lips.

	Then the tall blond woman scooped up the slumbering Austin, carried
him into his bedroom and tucked the boy in. After returning to her bedroom,
Autumn went into the bathroom. With the door open, she undressed, changed
into a pair of boxers and a tank top, and then brushed her teeth. Aubrey
sat up and asked "So how was your day?"

"Fine? I suppose." The tall blonde woman answered, after rinsing the minty
toothpaste out of her mouth.

"You suppose? What happened?"

"I helped Summer move into her new place."

"Move without Ginger?"

"It's only temporary. They have been having problems for a while now. I
guess they just need some time apart."

	Aubrey thought silently for a moment, as Autumn tied back her
shoulder length platinum blonde hair, and washed off the light layer of
make-up she had been wearing. Then Autumn came to sit on her side of the
bed and moisturized her fair skin.

"I don't understand." Aubrey said, setting the book she had been reading
aside.

"Understand what?" Autumn responded, looking over her shoulder.

"I don't understand how Summer can just move out, and Ginger agreeing to
that? All of this just to work out their issues? Has it really been that
bad?"

"Apparently, it has been that bad."

"Moving out seems a bit much though."

"Some couples need that."

"So, if you were to get fed up with me, you would move out?"

	Autumn turned around to face her wife. "What are you?No, I would
not move out." Autumn had tried to hide her irritation, but it was there
for her wife to notice.

"Oh! So even if you were fed up with me you would stay?"

"Baby, you can't be serious right now."

"Well I am! I would have never thought someone like Summer to do something
like this."

"Don't think of my cousin negatively."

"I'm not. I just don't understand how two people, who were deeply in love,
could do such a thing."

"Some people need space. That's all."

	Aubrey huffed through her nose, clearly unsettled by this
situation. Strangely, it made her think of she and Autumn's
relationship. Of course, over the eleven years they had been together,
there had been bickering between them. Ms. Aubrey Glistening-Reign just
could not comprehend a circumstance that would cause a couple to separate;
even if only momentarily.

"I don't like this at all." Aubrey continued to add. "Was someone
cheating?"

	Autumn started to answer honestly, but stopped herself. However,
not saying anything at all was an answer enough for Aubrey; whom frowned
harder at her wife.

"That is the case then, I see." the brunette cocked an eyebrow to emphasize
her point and attitude.

"Aubrey, please?"

"Explain!"

"Yes, they were both cheating. Ok? Summer thought Ginger was cheating, so
she slept with someone else. Then it turned out Ginger wasn't cheating, and
so when she learned of Summer's infidelity she screwed some else."

	Aubrey shook her head, folded her arms over her chest and stated,
"That is all messed up."

"Tell me about it." Autumn sighed and rolled her blue eyes, as she slipped
her long legs under the bed sheets.

"You haven't tried talking your cousin out of this?"

"I made some suggestions, but by then Summer was set on moving out. There
was and is nothing I can really do, 'Brey." Autumn scooted up close to her
wife, speaking softly.

	Aubrey, sitting there with her arms crossed over her chest, stared
across the room fuming silently. The blonde woman tried scooting up close
to kiss and nibble around the brunette's ear, hoping this would defuse the
situation. However, Aubrey could not let the issue go. She was a sensitive
woman and because of this would at times become irrational. It was one of
Aubrey's few flaws, which only surfaced when she felt a potential threat
harboring her marriage.

This was very much one of those moments?

"Stop it!" Aubrey moved away from Autumn, whom by then had worked a hand
underneath Aubrey's nightgown.

"What? Why?" Autumn threw up her hands and dropped them heavily, unable to
hide her annoyance.

"'Cause I don't want to! I'm mad."

"What for? 'Cause of Summer and Ginger? That has nothing to do with us."

"It's just the thought, Autumn. Just the thought of something like that
happening to us?. I swear things like this just set me off!"

"Why let it? We're fine. We're good."

"I just?.when I see other people look at you, the mental image of you with
them flashes through my mind. Like, even the thought of you putting your
arm around another girl's shoulders. All of that fucking irks me!"

	Autumn was unsure of what to say. She just wore a stunned, vacuous
expression. This was the first time Aubrey had expressed this in a
while. Actually, Aubrey had not spoken about her jealous notions since the
very beginning of their relationship.

"Baby, you need to calm down. You know you can trust me." Again Autumn
spoke mildly.

"I see you looking at other girls. I hear how your friends talk about some
hot bitch they've seen on occasions. What about when I'm not around? I know
you join in." Aubrey declared.

"Oh my, goodness." Autumn ran the palm of her hand over her face, grasping
that there would be no easy way out of this conversation.

"What? Am I annoying you?"

"Honestly? Yes, you are kinda gettin' to me." Autumn conceded, before she
could shut up.

	Now she had just rented herself a key to the Dog House.

"Oh, really?!?" Aubrey's tone became acerbic. "Ok, then. I got you,
honeybunch. Go ahead and be annoyed on the couch!" Aubrey grabbed and
tossed Autumn's pillow across the room, towards the door.

"Aubrey, wait. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to?." Autumn was desperate now,
realizing how stupidly she had responded.

"Out! Now!" Aubrey, her face red with anger, pointed at the door.

	Aware there would be no way of clearing the damage done; Autumn
rolled out of the bed and made her way out of the room. After opening the
door, standing between the thresholds of the bedroom, Autumn looked back
and asked, "Can you reconsider? I'm sorry, for real."

	For a response, Aubrey flicked off the nightstand lights and turned
away on her side. With that noted, Autumn trotted down the hall to her
daughter's room. There she laid next to her daughter in the twin sized
bed. Waking up momentarily from feeling Autumn press down onto the
mattress, L.A snuggled up next to her taller mother and immediately fell
back asleep. Though Autumn's long legs stretched off of the bottom of the
bed, she had rather be there than sleeping on a lonely couch. With a bit of
effort, Autumn also drifted off to sleep.

	The next morning, Aubrey got up to wake the children; before
preparing the post-dawn meal. When she saw Autumn snoozing next to their
daughter, in a bed too small for the blonde's stature, Aubrey found the
sight adorable. Then she quickly remembered she was upset with her wife and
gently woke L.A, being careful not to disturb Autumn. The smell of
breakfast cooking had stirred Autumn from her sleep. By then Aubrey had the
children down in the kitchen. When the blue-eyed woman entered the kitchen,
L.A and Austin greeted her cheerfully. After kissing them both and tousling
their hair, Autumn moved to the stove where Aubrey was standing; flipping
pancakes and ignoring her wife.

"Did you bring in the paper?" Autumn asked Aubrey.

	Starting to not answer, Aubrey said she had indeed brought in the
Tribune from the front doorstep. The brunette did not want to give any
indication to the children that she, and their other mother, was
"fighting". After pouring a cup of freshly brewed coffee, Autumn sat in the
breakfast nook with L.A and Austin.

"Are you two excited about spending the weekend at Grandma Mel's?" Autumn
asked her brood of two.

	Austin nodded eagerly with excitement. L.A, whom was just as giddy,
gave an "Mmm Hmm", with a mouthful of pancake.

"Well, we will miss you both." Autumn assured, then turned to address at
Aubrey. "Won't we, Mommie?"

"We always do." Aubrey forced a smile, but did mean what she had said.

	Once breakfast was done, the children cleaned up for the day and
went to the den for morning cartoons. Aubrey prepared to go out and work in
the garden.

"Do you want help?" Autumn had asked, as Aubrey placed a gardening hat onto
her head.

"No." The brunette said coldly, and then went out of the back door.

	The fair skinned woman had to take in and let out a deep
breath. Autumn became irritated all over again. To calm her nerves, she
went into the den where the children were, curled up in the bay window and
flipped through the daily paper.

	Autumn and Aubrey, the usually happy married couple, had been
together eleven years. They had been married for seven of those years. The
two feminine women had immediately began dating when they had come to meet
again eleven years ago. About sixteen years prior to coming back into each
other's lives, Aubrey and Autumn had first met in their teens.

	*********************************

1980s

	In the late summer of 1985, seventeen year old Autumn Reign had
made her way through the night by flashlight. The sky appeared bleak,
partly powdered with eerie clouds that looked to be a dark purple because
of the cast from the bright full moon. Though the moon projected some light
onto the path the young Ms. Reign had to follow, the assistance of the
flashlight was still needed. Autumn made her way towards the spot she was
to meet back up with the girl she had met earlier that day. The girl had
instructed the Autumn to meet her by the barn, which was on the far back
lawn of The Girl's family summer home, at midnight.

	Sure enough Autumn, whom was a tomboy in those days, found The Girl
at the instructed meeting point. From there, The Girl led Autumn into the
old barn, trying hard to quietly open and close the creaky wooden door. It
had little function, the barn. The Girl's parents never used the chipping
red structure, so it was the perfect hiding place. Autumn had never
expected to meet anyone when she had accompanied her mother Melissa Reign
to Michigan that August.

	Melissa Reign was attending a writing convention in a rather rural
town in Michigan. The then twenty-nine year old Mellissa was there to
search for authors of potential best-sellers. She and her sister Annaliese
Reign, who were just beginning to bring the AM Reign publishing company
into ripeness, sought out those amateur novelists that no other publishing
house would think twice about signing. Later, this tactic made the AM Reign
company the literary giant that it is today. So, while Melissa Reign was in
the process of making all of that true, she had left Autumn to her own
devices; while attending the low-key Writer's convention in the lakeside
Michigan town that Saturday morning.

	While her mother was gone to mingle with those that were to make
the family a fortune in the future, Autumn Reign spent most of the time
walking barefoot on the moist sands of the lakeshore. As she stood ankle
deep in the cool water, the tall blonde seventeen year old looked out at
the distant boats, seagulls and changing shades on the clear horizon. It
was not warm enough to swim. The breezes that day were consistent. A gentle
chill would affect Autumn's exposed skin often. She had been wearing
vintage basketball shorts and a baseball Henley, with red sleeves that only
covered her arms from the elbows-up. Autumn was not aware that she was
being admired from afar, by a sixteen year old girl.

	The girl with dark brown, shoulder length feathered hair credited
Autumn's long legs from the distance. The five foot five girl had retreated
to the back lawn, which pointed toward the lake. Her three older brothers
had run off to go boating with their friends, and the girl's sister had
snuck away from the family's vacation home to meet up with a boy. Now
alone, the slightly chunky girl was left alone to resort to her own
devices; none at all. So, as the girl trotted the spacious back lawn, she
climbed the single tree that was posted there to take in the view of the
lake front. That is when the girl noticed the tall blonde sauntering along
the beach by herself. Though she could not get a decent look at the
blonde's face, the girl was intrigued by Autumn's height. At that time the
girl understood she had feelings for the female persuasion, and also knew
she had a 'thing' for tall girls. The girl could not be sure if Autumn was
on her level of sexuality, but was willing to find out. Besides, the girl
had nothing better to do so making a new friend would cure her immediate
bought of boredom.

	So, while Autumn stood in the calm surf, the girl made her way to
the blonde's position. Once the girl was about a foot behind Autumn, whom
was oblivious to her presence, the girl tried to think of an opening
line. After seconds of mentally processing something to say, the girl
simply uttered, "Hey there."

	Reign was a bit startled by the voice. She turned to face her
unexpected company, and was immediately taken by the girl's good looks. The
girl too was gripped by how gorgeous Autumn turned out to be; far more
attractive than she had anticipated.

"You're a tall one." The girl stated, with a girlish giggle. The comment
made Autumn blush and chuckle nervously, which delighted the girl further.

"Um, uh..hi." was all Autumn could say, unsure of how to play off of the
brown-eyed girl's address.

"What are you, height wise? About six foot?" the girl continued to inquire.

"Yes, about that." Autumn said, feeling those imaginary butterflies
fluttering in her stomach and blushing deeper. The blue-eyed girl's fair
skin had betrayed her. Luckily the other girl found this all too cute.

"Sorry. I'm Aubrey Glistening." The girl held out her hand.

	Autumn gave Aubrey a light handshake before saying in return,
"Autumn. Autumn Reign." She was nervous and the blushing and silly grin was
giving her away.

"So, do ya play any sports? Basketball?" Aubrey asked as she began walking
along the shore.

"I play Baseball, actually." Autumn corrected as she followed.

"Interesting! I should have known by the outfit."

	Autumn looked down at her shorts and Henley, and giggled. "Yes, I
suppose."

	The two girls walked in silence for a few moments, both unsure of
what to say. Aubrey had not thought that far ahead, of just what she could
speak with the new girl about.

"Sooo?are you any good?" the brunette finally asked.

"At what?" Autumn wondered.

"Baseball. Are you any good at that? Or how good are you at it?"

"I'm good. Well, very actually. I'll be on the all-American team next
year."

"Impressive! What makes you so good? Pitching?"

"That, but I am better at batting. I hit a home run almost every time."

"Hmm, you must be strong." Aubrey was unable to resist, so she reached over
and squeezed Autumn's right bicep. She was able to feel the blonde's tight
muscles through the sleeve of the shirt.

	Had Autumn been a boy, her instant arousal toward Aubrey's sudden
gesture would have showed through the front of those light-blue shorts. The
taller girl was not the only one turned on. Aubrey found herself becoming
more attracted to Autumn.  The brunette could only hope the other girl was
batting on her team.

"Can you show me how good you are?" Aubrey said with a hint of allure.

"Wha-wha..Huh?" again Autumn was caught off guard.

"At batting, silly. What did you think I meant?" Aubrey smirked, hoping the
blonde had thought she meant something far less innocent.

"Oh! Alright, I guess. But I don't have a bat or a ball."

"My brothers do!" Aubrey took off running up the hill, toward the
house. Autumn chased after her without question.

	As she had assured before, Autumn was indeed very good at hitting a
ball far and with great accuracy. Though Aubrey was not much of a pitcher,
the blonde was still able to smack each throw across the spacious back
lawn. After a while Aubrey's brothers had emerged and watched in amazement
as a girl made dozens of dirty baseballs disappear in the distance. A very
pretty girl.

"Do you live around here?" Ethan, one of Aubrey's brothers had asked
Autumn.

"No, just visiting."

"How long are you staying?" Jeremy, another brother, asked.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Tyler, the oldest of the siblings, asked in his
most charming voice.

"Get away from her, you assholes!" Aubrey stated grabbing Autumn by the arm
and led her away.

"Kid, don't be mean. We just wanna get to know your new friend." Jeremy
protested.

"Yeah! Very well." Tyler winked and smirked.

"Ignore them. They're animals." Aubrey said to the blonde, leaving the trio
of testosterone behind.

	Before getting any farther, Aubrey's mother's voice called
out. "Dinner! Get in here! Clean up! Hurry up! Your father is hungry!"

"Damn it." Aubrey stopped walking, and then realized she had been holding
on to Autumn's arm the whole time. Still she did not let go as she went on
to say, "I gotta go. Will you be around later?"

"Yeah. What time?" Autumn asked.

"Well, how about midnight? Will you be able to sneak out?"

"Yeah, I suppose. But why so late?"

"So we can be alone. Like, really alone."

	It only took that statement and the alluring gaze Aubrey held to
ensure Autumn of the brunette's erotic animus. The taller girl was also
aware of her sexuality by that age, but had never pursued another girl; let
alone be pursued. Autumn was at a loss for words.

"Will you meet me? Over there?" Aubrey asked, pointing toward the barn on
the farthest side of the property. "You don't have to."

"No! I want to." Autumn perked up, after realizing she had been silent.

"Are you sure? I mean, you do know why?I want us to be alone?"

	Autumn nervously bit down on her bottom lip, afraid to be wrong
about the other girl's intent. Instead of asking to be reassured, the young
Ms. Reign just nodded.

"Ok. Midnight. I'll be waiting over there, by the barn." Aubrey assured
just before running off to the house.

	Autumn headed back to the Bed and Breakfast, after watching Aubrey
disappear into the house. The seventeen year old passed the time with her
mother in their room. As Melissa talked on and on about the potential
authors she had met that day, Autumn kept observing the time. At about a
quarter to 12am, Melissa Reign had fallen asleep. Autumn could not wait to
be sure that her mother was in a deep slumber because she was far too
anxious to meet back up with Aubrey. The young blonde had even slipped out
into the night in the pajamas she had changed into: blue and green
checkered pajama pants, and a white tee.

	So, as Autumn made her way through the darkness of the night, she
quickly made her way to Aubrey's family property. Moving at a brisk pace,
while bending at the knees to keep from being seen, Autumn approached the
old barn. Aubrey could see the other girl's flashlight bobbing in the
distance, and became overjoyed that Autumn had actually came to meet her
there. Once the two girls were inside of the structure, which was pitch
black before Aubrey lit a lantern, the brunette lead Autumn around a high
stack of hay. After setting the lit lantern on an old milking stool, Aubrey
went to arranging the bundle of blankets she had brought along: one on the
floor, another on top and rolled the last blanket long-ways for a
pillow. Then the brown haired girl sat down, pulling the top blanket over
her lap and began to undress. Autumn watched, unsure of what to do until
Aubrey looked over at her and said, "Come on."

	With no further hesitation, Autumn leapt over the other girl,
nestled her long legs under the blanket and undressed quickly. It was not
until both girls were fully nude, except for Aubrey keeping on her purple
socks, that they looked over at one another. Autumn and Aubrey were at a
cross between shocked and awe-struck. They were shocked because neither had
seen another female' genitals, besides the ones in triple x magazines. The
awe came from a place of overwhelming lust and deeply embedded desire.

"Oh my." Aubrey uttered, with her eyes locked on Autumn's sex.

"What's wrong?" Autumn asked, wondering if something was not quite right
with the way her vulva appeared to the other girl.

"It's just so?so blonde!" Aubrey admitted, never had seen such light pubic
hair before.

	Autumn, amused by this, leaned over and pressed her lips against
Aubrey's. That kiss only lasted a moment, but warmed them both
immensely. Aubrey only broke the lip-lock so that she could reach over and
dim the lantern's flame. As she did this, Autumn admired Aubrey's bare
back. There was something about the smooth and exposed skin that was
increasing the pistons pumping her arousal. Autumn moved closer to lightly
touch and kiss the warm flesh of Aubrey's back. The brunette tensed when
intense vibrating tingles excited her. She then turned and was in Autumn's
strong arms. Submerging each other in a deep kiss, both Autumn and Aubrey
were in a state of extreme arousal; breasts to breasts in a pre-coital
embrace they had longed for. The blonde girl began to lay the brunette on
her back and climb on top. Aubrey started to allow this change in position,
but stopped it mid-way.

"Wait." Aubrey began breathlessly. "Do we need, like, protection or
something?"

"Protection? Like a condom?" Autumn asked.

"Isn't there something like that, for two girls?"

"I?I don't think so."

"I see. So, you don't have AIDS?"

"What?"

"Because you're gay or lesbian?"

"No, I don't have that. I never had sex before."

"Neither have I."

"Great." Autumn moved in to kiss Aubrey, but was halted.

"So, if we?do it, we won't get AIDS?"

"No because one of us would have to have AIDS in order for that to happen."

	With that said Aubrey gripped Autumn's shoulders and pulled her
down on top. Their bodies felt hot once their skin was pressing firmly
together. Again the two girls were locked in a vigorous kiss, which was
sloppy with inexperience, but passionate nonetheless. Aubrey's hands
explored Autumn's long and firm back, timid at first to caress the ass she
had also admired earlier on. By sweet mistake, Autumn maneuvered bringing
her knees up in the kneeling position. This caused Aubrey's legs to rise
and rested the backs of her ankles on the taller girl's shoulders. This
caused their mounds to make delightful contact. Without verbalizing,
continuing to kiss deeply, a communication was established through sensual
movements: Autumn pressing her hip down and Aubrey pushing up. The two
girls were grinding in sync, moaning into each other's mouths. As they
explored this new feeling of bliss, sweat had begun to collect between
them.

	 Autumn quickened the pace and moved her kisses to Aubrey's neck;
causing the brunette to shiver and let out a quivery groan.

"I think I'm almost there." Aubrey cravingly stated, gripping Autumn's
biceps.

	The blonde could also feel her own climbing climax. She knew this
from training herself through masturbation. Just as they both were coming
closer and closer to that clamorous point, Autumn suddenly stopped.

"Mom!" the tall girl exclaimed, jumping up and grabbing for her
clothing. "What the hell?"

"I saw you run over here." Melissa began. "When you snuck out, I followed
you. Then I saw you meeting her, I figured what was going on, and so I
decided to wait for you near the path."

"Why are you in here now?" Autumn asked, her heart beating wildly.

"A light came on in the house. I think someone is coming." Melissa
informed.

"What?!? Someone's coming?" Aubrey stated as she too began pulling her
clothes back on.

	Right then a middle aged woman entered the space. It was Aubrey's
mother.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Mrs. Glistening demanded of the
older Reign. Mrs. Glistening did not see the two young girls until she
stepped further into the barn. The oldest woman also did not notice her
daughter and Autumn adjusting their clothing.

"I was looking for my daughter." Melissa admitted.

"At this time of night? Why would a child be running around, by its self,
at this hour?" by the look of Melissa's youthful face, Mrs. Glistening
assumed the other woman was speaking of a small child. Then she looked over
at the two young girls. "And who is this, Aubrey?"

"The girl the others and I were telling you about earlier." Aubrey spoke up
in a shaky voice.

"Where are your parents, young lady?" Mrs. Glistening asked the tall girl.

"She's my mother." Autumn pointed in Melissa's direction.

	In sheer disbelief the older woman looked at Melissa, whom clearly
did not look old enough to have a child Autumn's age. She then observed her
daughter and Autumn; looking at their ruffled clothing, messy hair, flushed
skin, and the blankets on the floor. It did not take much processing for
Aubrey's mother to realize what had taken place.

"You! Out! Now!" Mrs. Glistening forcefully stated to her sixteen year old
child, grabbing Aubrey by the collar.

	As the furious woman dragged Aubrey toward the house,
Mrs. Glistening spouted her great distaste the whole way: "What are you
doing, messing with that girl? A girl! On the floor of that filthy, old
barn? You're only sixteen! You have no business lying around??"

	As the scolding voice faded away across the lawn, Melissa and
Autumn made their way back to the B&B in silence most of the way. Autumn
followed a few steps behind her mother, unsure of how to take Melissa's
quietness. She was anxious to her gut. Melissa Reign was not a strict
parent, but would become austere if Autumn did anything displeasing. It was
not until the two came to the Bed and Breakfast's front porch that Melissa
finally spoke.

"I hope you're not in love." The thirty year old woman said. "You do know
you may never see that girl again, right?"

	Autumn was taken aback by her mother's sudden statement. "Never see
her again? But why?"

"Well, I will bet that's a summer home."

"The girl did mention that."

"I will also bet her mother will pack them up and be gone in the morning."

"How can you be so sure? Better yet, why would you say such a thing?" this
panged Autumn's emotions.

"I'm not trying to be mean, Baby Reign. I just need you to be
prepared. Perhaps they don't leave. That girl will never be let out on her
own around here again."

	Autumn looked down at her green Converse sneakers, considering her
mother's theories.

"We're leaving tomorrow night anyway. Do you even remember that girl's
name?" Melissa asked.

	Sure enough, Autumn had already forgotten Aubrey's name. That was
something the younger blonde was not good at during that time; remembering
names. Melissa took her daughter's silence toward the question as a valid
answer.

"Look at it this way; you have your whole life to lay with a person, with a
name you'll remember."

	That following morning, as Melissa and Autumn sat out on the
balcony of their room, both noticed the station wagon coming up the
road. As the vehicle came closer, Autumn could see it was packed to the
brim and noticed the family inside. Sure enough, Autumn saw Aubrey in the
back seat, huddled in-between her siblings, with a look of sadness and
shame. The young blonde girl' heart sank when Aubrey looked up at her as
the station wagon passed. Mrs. Glistening, whom was in the front passenger
side of the car, had also caught sight of Autumn leaning over the
balcony. Mrs. Glistening shot both Autumn and Melissa a wieldy vitiate
expression.

	As Autumn watched the family vehicle fade into the distance of the
long widening road, Melissa rubbed her daughter's back gently. It would be
seventeen years until Aubrey and Autumn would see each other again.

**********************

Present

	Once Melissa Reign had called to inform her daughter that she was
on the way, Autumn helped Austin and L.A pack their little suitcases for
the weekend. Once they had gathered all that they would need, for their
stay with Grandma Mel and her husband Ivan, L.A and Austin eagerly waited
in the front bay window for Melissa to show up. Autumn waited with them. It
only took ten minutes for Melissa to pull up in front of the city brick
house. As her mother made her way to the open front door, Autumn went out
back to tell Aubrey that their children were leaving.

"Now, you two be good to Grandma Mel and Grandpa Ivan." Aubrey said as she
kneeled to smother Austin and L.A with hugs and kisses.

"We will! We promise." The children assured, also giving Autumn kisses and
hugs before running out to Melissa's BMW.

"I'll have the little ones back by Monday afternoon." Melissa said as she
pecked both Aubrey and Autumn on the cheek. "You two have fun, now." Then
gave a suggestive wink.

"Mom you're too much." Autumn chuckled. "Have them call us before they go
to bed."

"I'll do that, sweetie. Love you guys." Melissa assured as she made her way
down the steps of the front porch.

	Aubrey and Autumn watched the BMW drive off, both already missing
their bundles of joy. Aubrey retreated to the garden, without saying a word
to her wife. Autumn followed the other woman. As Aubrey continued to clip
off some vegetables and herbs for dinner, Autumn sauntered around the
backyard; inspecting the Technicolor array of flowers, picking up toys and
tossing them into the children's playhouse, etc. Aubrey knew she was there,
but pretended not to notice. She was actually annoyed Autumn was looming
around. The taller woman just wanted her wife to acknowledge her. When
Autumn had gone into the house briefly, Aubrey thought she was being left
alone at last. However, the blonde reemerged with her HP tablet and went to
lie in the wide, fabric hammock between two shady trees.

	While Autumn tinkered with her flat electronic device, she stole
glances at Aubrey here and there. The blonde always adored the way her wife
looked in her gardening attire: straw hat, cut-off overalls, an old tank
top and a pair of green crocs. Autumn could see the sweat glazing Aubrey's
arms and legs as she went to pruning the plants. After a while of
observing, the blue-eyed woman called out, "Do you want something to
drink?"

	Aubrey just wiped her brow with the back of her gardening glove,
and then continued caring for the plants.

"I gotta admit, I'm a little jealous of the flowers. They're getting all of
your attention. Wish I was a flower, right about now." Autumn went on to
joke.

	Aubrey had her back to the other woman. Autumn could not see the
slight grin that had tugged at the corner of the shorter woman's full,
cupidity lips. Autumn's vagary personality always got the best of her.

***************

Fall 2003

	Autumn, aged thirty-three, was standing in the crowded art gallery
on Lincoln Avenue sipping her first glass of champagne. On that October
night one of her annual art showings was underway. Ms. Reign would have a
showing of her paintings every two years, since she was twenty years
old. Not only was she well known in the art community for her elaborate
paintings, Autumn Reign worked with her mother Melissa and aunt Annaliese
at the now well-established AM Reign Company. Along with this, Autumn wrote
comical plays with one of her good friends Debbie Dawson; which were
presented at the Lotus Opera House on Michigan Avenue. Dawson and Reign had
also created a graphic crime novel back in their early twenties; which was
a cult-classic they turned out four times a year. Needless to say, Autumn
Reign had accomplished far more than she had ever imagined. She had only
meant to become an All-American women's' baseball star, which she had been
up until the age of nineteen.

	Aubrey Glistening had a much mellower career by the age of
thirty-two. She had chosen the bibliotheca field- a librarian. By this time
she had moved from her home state, Wisconsin, to Chicago two years
prior. Ms. Glistening had at first moved to the windy city for Jasmine, the
woman she had been dating for the last five years. The two women had had a
long distance relationship that did work out well; that is until Aubrey
finally decided to move in with Jasmine on the Eastside of the city. Once
Glistening had taken up residence with Jasmine, she realized how uptight
the Nigerian American woman was. Jasmine clearly loved her job as a CEO
more than Aubrey. To add to this flaw, Jasmine was also in love with
herself.

	So, after about a year of moving into Jasmine's rather sterile
penthouse, Aubrey quickly realized that their once sweet relationship was
deteriorating. It was all work and very little play, on Jasmine's
end. Aubrey tried to make things better, but Jasmine failed to notice the
other woman's devotion to what they were losing. If Jasmine was not at
work, she brought it home. If it was not her job, there was some other
woman Jasmine set her attention on. Jasmine was either sloppy at keeping
her affairs a secret from Aubrey or just did not care. Aubrey was indeed
blinded by Jasmine's bedroom skills, beauty and powerful
demeanor. Glistening could not think of any other reason why she would
allow herself to stay in such a relationship. As those last two years of
their relationship came to a close, Aubrey and Jasmine became civil
roommates rather than lovers. Aubrey would have just moved out, but she had
signed that damned lease and could not or rather Jasmine would not let her
get out of it.

	While Jasmine continued on with her dalliances, Aubrey had
temporarily lost her desire to seek anyone sexually nor romantically,
especially women. Jasmine was not the first woman that had wronged
her. Actually every woman she had dated was either cheaters, assholes or
both. Needless to say, Aubrey was not very good at choosing her women. She
had actually had better relationships with the masculine sex. However
Aubrey would be the one to break up with boyfriends because of her stronger
feelings for other women. Aubrey felt her bad luck with women was karma for
how she broke the hearts of men. Of course that notion was absurd, but
Aubrey could not think of any other reason as to why any of this was so.

	Aubrey had spent most of her days working at the Harold Washington
library. When she was not there, Aubrey explored the city of Chicago,
partly because she wanted to spend the least amount of time in that
penthouse. Also, since she was going to be living there a while, Glistening
thought it to be wise if she at least knew her way around. It was when a
fellow librarian, Pam Pullman, had invited Aubrey to the art show one
evening, that Ms. Glistening was put on to the talented Ms. Autumn Reign.

"The artist also writes plays. Her most popular one is called Cider Gone
Bad." Pam Pullman had said.

	The name of the play made Aubrey laugh. "What an interesting
title. What is it about?"

"It's a tale about a promiscuous lesbian, named Cindy Cider, who gets
caught cheating by her girlfriend's best friend." Pullman explained. "It's
a campy comedy of sorts and it is quite funny."

"Oh, so you have seen it before?"

"Yes. I also know the two that wrote and produced it."

"Is that so?" Aubrey was honestly impressed. "How so?"

"Well, they hung out in the same haunts my friends and I frequented. That
was years ago. To be honest, I do not much care for them or their
friends. But I must admit, their work is very good. I am surprised you have
never heard of them, Debbie Dawson and Autumn Reign. Or, as they usually go
by D. Dawson and A. Reign."

	As Pam spoke on, Aubrey found herself immediately struck by one of
the names: Autumn, Autumn, Reign, Reign. Autumn Reign? What was it about
that particular appellation? As Aubrey wondered this, Pam Pullman noticed
the brunette's changing facial expressions.

"What's the matter?" Pullman asked, trying to meet Aubrey's gaze, which had
drifted elsewhere.

"Oh! Sorry. I was just wondering what I would be doing that Saturday."
Aubrey mentally snapped away from those questions, which had been zipping
through her mind. "I would love to join you for that art showcase."

"Great! I am so happy you've accepted the proffer. Besides you need to know
other lesbians, rather than just your ex."

	When Aubrey came home that night, she stayed up well past midnight,
researching the mysterious Ms. Autumn Reign. The moment she had begun
looking up the name she was unable to shake from her mind, Aubrey was
shocked when a whole assortment of results popped up from the search
engine. There was a vast amount of pictures and information pertaining to
Ms. Reign. Actually, not only did results come up for Autumn, there was
information containing Melissa Reign as well. What was most shocking to
Aubrey was that she immediately recognized the two women, but unsure from
where. Perhaps Aubrey had heard of the mother-daughter duo before, but
never paid them much attention. Then again, how could she not have been
captured by these two outstandingly gorgeous people?

	At one point, while browsing through the assortment of photos of
the Reign family, Jasmine had entered the penthouse, returning from her
usual after-hours antics. Aubrey was laying in what was once the guest
bedroom, but now her own, with the door open. Jasmine had to walk by
Aubrey's room to get to the master bedroom.

"You're up late." Jasmine inquired. "What are you up to?"

	Though they had had a sloppy break up, the two women had come to
civil grounds after months of avoiding one another.

"I'm just looking up someone I may have known a long time ago." Aubrey
answered, never looking away from a black and white picture of Autumn. The
only color in the photo, which was a candid close-up, was of the tall
blonde's stunning blue eyes.

"May I?" the rather lovely Nigerian woman asked as she pointed at Aubrey's
laptop, indicating that she wanted to take a peek.

"Sure. Come in." Aubrey agreed as she sat up from lying on her stomach.

	Jasmine came to sit next to her ex on the bed. The dark skinned
woman immediately recognized Autumn Reign.

"Whoa! You know her from somewhere? This chick right there?" Jasmine was
clearly shocked.

"Like I said before, perhaps from a long time ago." Aubrey shrugged. "Why?
Do you know of this Autumn Reign?"

"What girl doesn't?" Jasmine smirked, tossing a coy expression to the
air. "For one thing she is like a local celebrity, a cause celeb, talented
lover, gifted artist, brilliant story-teller, gold-star lezzie?.Hm, I
wonder if I am forgetting anything."

"I see you've done your research as well." Aubrey raised her perfectly
plucked eyebrows.

"Oh, please! I know the child personally."

"You're the second person to have told me that today."

"Well, go ahead and include yourself."

"No, no. I'm not even sure. She just resembles someone I knew, that's
all. Someone I met once and briefly a very long time ago."

"What's a long time ago to you?"

"Like, I don't know, when I was still in High school? Anyway, how do you
know this Reign character?"

"How do I know your new crush?" Jasmine smirked, nodded her head toward the
laptop.

	Aubrey gave Jasmine that unmistakable "Bitch, please" expression,
which caused the dark-skinned, 5'10 woman to chuckle. However, it was
indeed true that Ms. Glistening was already smashing on Ms. Reign.

"A. Reign gets around. She is very six degrees of separation. Like, if you
don't know her personally, guarantee a friend of a friend does. Are you
following me, honey?" Jasmine explained carefully.

"It's not exactly rocket science, Jas."

"Ok, ok. But anyways, I know her through a buddy that attended the same
High school?." Jasmine had continued to explain.

	After waiting eagerly for that Saturday night, Aubrey had dolled
herself up to the nines: a pair of sexy four inch Jimmy Choo sling-back
pumps (the ones she only wore on special occasions), a sleek black cocktail
dress(the hem stopping just above her knees), a tennis bracelet and a pair
of Swarovski crystal drop earrings. Aubrey had decided to style her hair in
a curly up-do. After applying a bit of cover-up powder matching her skin
tone (which was a shade darker than fair), some mascara to lengthen her
eyelashes, and eyeliner to bring out her brown eyes she was fully dressed
and primped. Glistening felt ready to take on the night. Or to be more
precise, Aubrey felt ready to pursue the infamous Autumn Reign.

	Pam Pullman had picked Aubrey up and together they arrived at the
art show, which was already well underway. There was a thick crowd
occupying the gallery's two-story space, all appearing to be of the
well-to-do sort. While Aubrey looked around hoping to see Autumn Reign, Pam
Pullman plucked two glasses of champagne from a passing staff member. As
she handed Aubrey a glass, Pullman noticed Glistening' eagerness.

"Don't wet yourself, sweetie." Pam commented, grabbing Aubrey's attention.

"Oh, sorry. I have never been to one of these things before." Aubrey
admitted. "So, is she here?"

"Reign? Of course she is. That girl wouldn't miss an opportunity to have
people fawn over her greatness."

"Why do you dislike her so much?"

"Well, it's not that I dislike her?well perhaps I do a little. Autumn and
her friends were animals back in the day. Regular skirt-chasers and
drunks. On top of that they would indulge in a side order of cocaine."

"But that isn't a reason to hate them?her."

"I suppose. Oh look there. Speaking of the devil?" Pam Pullman nodded her
head in a direction over Aubrey's shoulder.

When she turned around, Glistening saw Autumn standing across the room. The
blond seemed to stand above the crowd between them, smiling brightly as she
spoke to her friends. Aubrey's heart sank. Meanwhile, Autumn was chatting
with Debbie Dawson and Francis Forrest.

"I always hate these things toward the end." Autumn said as she grabbed
another glass of Moet.

"Why is that? Is it because you've answered the same questions over a
million times?" Francis, the light-skinned Haitian woman asked.

"Well, that is one reason. The other being that I have to deal with the
folks whom hate me and come in late for the free champagne. I also hate
when they try having forced fake conversations. Like, why show up at all?"
Autumn explained.

	As she scanned the room with her dazzling blue eyes, Reign caught
sight of Pam Pullman; whom was one of the said fake folk. Autumn also
noticed the lovely woman standing with Pullman. The tall artist stared for
a moment, unable to shake her attention away from the brunette. Realizing
that her friend was trapped in a moment, Debbie looked to where Autumn had
her eyes locked.

"It's only Pullman." Dawson referred to the glasses wearing woman with
short black hair, as she nudged the blond back to reality.

"Yeah, you can easily give that one a good reading easily." Francis
assured.

"Forget Pullman. I'm looking at the one she's with. Who is that?" Autumn
corrected, clearly very interested.

"Don't know, girl." Francis and Debbie shrugged.

"Now, I can't be sure, but I think I know her. The chick with Pullman."
Reign mentioned, continuing to check-out Pam's company.

"I'll bet you do. Besides your friends, what girl haven't you known in the
archaic sense?" Dawson joked.

"Seriously, though. I can swear I know her from some place and time. Like a
really long time ago. Oh my God! I think she's that girl. You know the
one?" Autumn went on to ponder.

"Wait. You mean that one girl you told us about? Your first?" Francis
inquired.

"Girl, you are so silly. You still think you'll ever find that one again?"
Debbie asked, again nudging the tallest one amongst them.

	Autumn had of course told her good friends about the girl she had
met in Michigan, in the summer of 1985. Since then, every now and again,
A. Reign would bring up the girl with the name she could not recall. When
she would, Autumn would declare if she and that girl would ever meet again,
she would marry her. So, as she looked on at the brunette that had caught
her attention, Autumn just knew that was the moment she had been longing
for.

"Look , I'm going over there to find out. How do I look?" Autumn declared,
touching up her hair and smoothing out the Bob Mackie dress she was
wearing.

"Hold on, now. You are gonna go suffer Pullman's bullshit just to clarify a
hunch? Try to, at least?" Debbie asked, looking at her friend as though the
blond woman had lost her mind.

"Just give me, like, five minutes or less. If you see Pullman acting up,
come on over and steal me away." Autumn planned.

"Alright, Tree-Top. And you look fab by the way." Francis winked, saying
this with whimsy flamboyance.

	As Autumn made her way toward them, Pam and Aubrey were viewing the
painting Reign had done of a gay parade scene.

"Very typical. All these nearly-naked girls. Reign is known for her detail
of the female form." Pam had been discussing.

"I love it! The sheer eroticism of it all. It makes you want to fall in
love with each woman she paints." Aubrey explained.

"Wow, that's a new observation. Never heard that one." Autumn admitted.

	She had walked up behind Pam and Aubrey, whom turned to face the
tall blond. Blood rushed to Aubrey's head, nearly making her dizzy with
excitement. Pam was not so pleased.

"Why hello there, Reign." Pam had greeted, and her voice thick with
sarcasm.

"Pullman." Autumn greeted in short, and just smiled from ear to ear.

"I must say, you have really out done yourself again." Pam complimented,
continuing to force kindness.

"Thank you. Who have you brought with you this evening?" Autumn looked to
Aubrey, whom was unable to stop smiling so wide.

"Ah! This is Aubrey Glistening. We work together." Pullman introduced,
hoping Reign would be jealous that she was with such a beautiful woman. Pam
was actually under the impression that she and Aubrey were on a date.

"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Reign." Aubrey extended her hand, which the blond
meekly shook.

"Call me Autumn. Ms. Reign sounds so formal." Autumn said, looking deep
into Aubrey's brown eyes. "And I must be blunt, but I can swear we've met
before."

	Pam rolled her eyes, sensing Autumn was about to lay her game on
Glistening.

"Oh my, really? I was actually thinking the same thing!" Aubrey was unable
to hide her delight, which made Autumn chuckle sweetly.

	Also unable to hide her reaction was Pullman, whom frowned and
stared at Reign with daggers sharp in her eyes.

"Can you remember where we may have met?" Autumn went on.

"I'm trying to recall. I really am." Aubrey placed her hand on Autumn's
arm, to emphasize.

	By then Debbie and Francis had approached the scene. From across
the room they could see Pam Pullman's reactions to their friend's presence,
and saw it was time to save Reign. Just as they were about to go over
towards Autumn, an older man asked them to speak with Reign. So, Dawson and
Forrest had a legitimate reason to retrieve the blond artist.

"Hey, people. Sorry to interrupt, but Anderson Yuri would like to speak
with you." Debbie interrupted, putting her arm around Autumn's waist. "Hi,
Pam."

"Yeah, hi Pam." Francis also greeted coldly.

"Sorry, I have to go do this." Autumn said to Aubrey, not sure if her
friends were telling the truth. "Will you be here for a while?"

"Yes, I plan on it." Aubrey beamed.

"Great! I will come find you soon." Autumn said as she began walking away.

	Once Autumn and her friends disappeared in the crowd, Pam turned to
Aubrey and showed her displeasure in what had happened.

"I see she has hooked you." Pullman said in a voice that gave away her
immediate emotion- anger.

"Don't be that way. I was being honest. I really think we know one
another." Aubrey tried to assure, but Pam was beyond reconditioning.

"You mean you want to know her. That's fine."

"Pam, why are you being like this?"

"I didn't want to say this before, but since she has done it, Autumn is a
ruthless slut. She's a girlfriend-fucker. A home wrecker! You see how she
just walked up and tried pulling you, my date."

"This was a date?"

	Steam could have blown out of Pam's nostrils and ears. She figured
Ms. Glistening was fully aware of her intentions, but clearly the brunette
had not.

"Pam, I am so sorry. I had no idea you felt that way about me." Aubrey went
on say.

"Never mind, then. You stay here and fall into that animal's clutches."
Pullman stated as she adjusted her glasses and white turtle-neck. "I must
warn you, she is not dating material. She loves women too much to devote
her charms to just one."

	With that said, Pam Pullman stamped away and out of the
gallery. Aubrey started to run after the furious woman, but she was certain
Pullman would not hear her out any way. So, as the night pressed on, Aubrey
sauntered around the gallery and admired each of Autumn's very impressive
works.

The crowd began to thin as it became later. Every so often Aubrey would
catch sight of Autumn chatting up various people. Even from afar
Ms. Glistening could tell Ms. Reign was very amiable. Melissa and Annaliese
Reign was also there spreading her charms around. At one point Melissa
approached Aubrey.

"Lovely, aren't they?" Melissa Reign had referred to her daughter's
paintings, when she had come to stand near Aubrey.

"Yes, they are quite good. Very good, I should say." Aubrey insured. "One
can almost tell where Autumn's mind was, while she created these pieces."

"I like your perception." Melissa lauded the brunette. Then she took a
closer look at Aubrey. "You know, if I didn't know any better?" Melissa
Reign inspected the other woman's face, trying to recollect where she had
seen Glistening before. "You look a lot like this girl my daughter was
acquainted with at one time. One moment, please."

	Melissa called out to Autumn, whom came to her mother's side within
seconds. Melissa pulled Autumn towards her and said, "Love, doesn't she?I'm
sorry, what is your name?"

"Aubrey."

"Ok, now doesn't Aubrey resemble that one girl? From that one summer in
Michigan, when you were about seventeen?"

	It was then that Aubrey's and Autumn's notions of one another were
clarified. Both smiled sparklingly and felt their hearts swell with pure
elation.

*************************

Present

	Aubrey began preparing dinner after she had showered. It was early
in the evening by then, and still she had not paid her wife any
mind. Autumn had gone out for a drive to clear her mind, and to give Aubrey
some space. The blond had stopped at the grocery store to pick up minuscule
items: ice cream, popcorn, dental floss, toothpaste, and even some action
figures for the children. When she had returned from her hour-long trip,
Autumn put away the purchases and then went to flip through the television
in the den. She found herself becoming fidgety. Ms. Reign-Glistening would
be playing with L.A and Austin before dinner, had they been there. Autumn
could have also been doing sketches for a potential painting, which had
always relaxed her. However, Autumn could not think of doing that because
all she really wanted was the full diligence of her wife.

	While Aubrey rinsed and chopped vegetables in the kitchen, Autumn
had browsed through the refrigerator for a snack. Usually, when the tall
woman would do this while Aubrey was preparing a meal, the brunette would
scold the blond. Today Aubrey Glistening Reign could care less. She just
went on to saut?ing and preparing the beef brisket she was about to
broil. Autumn finally settled on a spoonful of chunky peanut butter as a
morsel. Then she went back into the den, and flipped through the gossip mag
she had picked up while shopping; while letting E! News play on the
television.

	As Autumn stretched out there on the couch, she recalled how nice
Aubrey smelled when she had passed the shorter woman in the kitchen. She
wanted so badly to wrap Aubrey in her arms, kiss her and hear her moan. It
stressed Autumn further to know none of that would be happening any time
soon.

**************

Winter 2003

	Autumn and Aubrey saw one another casually after meeting at the art
gallery. They would meet for lunch during the week, and go out for dinner
on the weekends. Aubrey grew fond of Autumn taking her to dine at Pristine
Scott's five-star restaurant. The two had went on like this for weeks on
end, and at the end of each date the only physical affections Aubrey and
Autumn had exchanged were the touching of hands and kisses on
cheeks. Autumn, who was normally quite forward with her advances towards
women in the past, could sense Aubrey was the kind of person that took
things slow. Well, that was the impression Ms. Reign had gathered at least.

	Close to a month into their timid courtship, Aubrey suffered the
harsh wind-chills one evening for a cozy movie-night at Autumn's
place. They had sat on Autumn's couch in the den, with the lights
low. Below the rather large flat-screen television was a fireplace. Autumn
had lit a fire for not only for warmth, but to also stir a certain
ambiance. At first Aubrey and Autumn sat a few inches away as they watched
the romantic comedy, with a bowl of popcorn between them. As the film
progressed, the blond had set the nearly empty plastic bowl onto the coffee
table. Noticing the now empty space between them and Autumn stretching an
arm over the back of the couch, Aubrey strongly considered scooting in
closer to the other woman; which she did after a few moments of hesitation.

	Once Aubrey was pressing against her side, Autumn lowered her arm
to the brunette's shoulders. Aubrey turned slightly to rest her head on the
taller woman's collarbone. This contact felt so natural. It had also
stirred an unmistakable arousal in them. On sheer instinct Aubrey tilted
her head up and Autumn leaned hers' down, and their lips met softly. That
gentle kiss suddenly brought out the intense yearnings both women had been
privately taming, during those last few weeks. They grabbed at each other,
turning what had started as a sweet kiss into a deep heated one. Clothes
would have been torn off, and the couch's cushions soiled by their
excitement, if Aubrey did not pull away from sucking on Autumn's wiggling
tongue.

"Mm mm, no we have to stop." Aubrey stated.

"Why?" Autumn asked, sounding more disappointed than she had intended to.

"Because if we keep kissing like this, we're going to have sex. And I
really want to."

"Me too! Badly."

	Aubrey chuckled before continuing to say, "Let me explain. I told
you how I still live with my ex."

"You've mentioned that."

"And once my apartment is ready, I can move out. So, until then I just
wouldn't feel right about sleeping with you, while I still live with
Jasmine."

	Autumn could not help but looked puzzled.

"I know that sounds strange." Aubrey admitted. "But that's just how I
feel. I wouldn't want to feel guilty the first, or rather, the second time
we?you know. Plus, I want to wait any way. I really like you and I would
hate it if sex ruined anything we have going."

"I can respect that." Autumn nodded, sincerely taking the other woman's
concern into consideration.

	So began the wait. Autumn had never waited so long to sleep with a
girl or woman she had been pursuing. She had either bedded someone within a
day or night upon meeting them. With Aubrey, the tall blond loyally waited
weeks. It was taking so long that Autumn was starting to hate Jasmine. The
sexual frustration ate at Reign's nerves. She had even avoided masturbating
because that would have only been a tease, and that could have further
irritated Autumn's already strung-out libido. What was worse, being near
Aubrey during their occasional dates was even too much. When Ms. Reign had
shared this waiting game with her friends, they thought the tall woman had
gone insane.

"What if she isn't even good?" Alex Nines had said.

"I'm a good teacher." Autumn assured as she clutched the pillow of Alex's
couch, holding on to it as though it was a person.

"How have you been surviving, man?" Beverly Wallace, whom was still alive
and well at the time, had asked.

"I haven't! Any minute now I am going to explode." Reign groaned, rolling
on top of the pillow and humped it.

"Hey, cut that out! You're making me horny!" Debbie Dawson commanded,
causing all that were present at Alex's house that night to burst into
laughter.

"You are going to rip that poor girl apart, once she finally gives it up."
Bev said, trying to catch her breath after laughing so hard.

"That's what I am afraid of! I'm a beast, I know. And Aubrey seems so
delicate and sweet and soft and?tasty." Autumn said, her voice coated in a
dreamy tone. "Urgh! God, help your child!"

	The week Aubrey had moved into her new apartment, which was not
very far from Autumn' townhome, Ms. Reign was away with her mother for a
Writer's conference. Debbie, Alex, Bev, Francis and even Tony helped Aubrey
move. The team took this as an opportunity to really get to know
Aubrey. They just had to become more acquainted with their good friend's
love interest because Autumn was obviously going to great lengths for
Ms. Glistening. By the time Autumn had returned from Toronto, Aubrey was
completely settled in her cozy loft in Wrigley Ville. Since Reign had
arrived back in Chicago at around 3am, she went directly home and slept
until later that evening.

	After waking up and showering, Autumn called Aubrey, whom invited
the tall woman over to show off her new place.

"Your friends are amazing! They were just great about helping me move and
unpacking. Not even my own friends came to help because they were just sooo
busy." Aubrey had been saying after letting Autumn inside the loft.

"I told ya they were great." Autumn said as she looked around the
beautifully furnished loft, with high ceilings.

"Oh, I just love them! Your cousin Summer suggested I have kind of a
house-warming/dinner party thing. Oh, and Tony is just darling! I bet she
is a little heart-breaker, with those looks and butch appeal."

	At that time, Tony Jones was fifteen years old, a baby butch.

"Yeah, that's my little buddy." When Autumn looked into the bedroom, she
saw the lit candles strewn around it. This was clearly a romantic
setting. It was then that the normally suave, aggressive femme became
nervous.

"Do you like it?" Aubrey asked softly, stepping up close to Autumn.

The brunette wrapped her arms around the blonde's slim waist, and stood on
her toes to plant a light kiss on Autumn's chin. To answer Reign kissed
Aubrey sweetly on the lips.

"Are you cold?" the shorter woman asked.

	She could feel Autumn trembling slightly. It was not chills, like
those driving the mid-western winter, but rather it was the nervousness
Ms. Reign was experiencing causing this. For the first time, Autumn was
sexually intimidated. Her knees became infirm and felt she would not be
able to stand much longer. Leaning back a bit to look into those dazzling
blue eyes, Aubrey could read Autumn's emotions. Being at eye-level to the
taller woman's chest, Aubrey could faintly hear Autumn's heart
racing. Taking the blond by the hand, Ms. Glistening lead Ms. Reign into
the warm and intimate bedroom. Next she had Autumn climb into the softness
of the bed, lay back against the headboard and then straddled her long
legs.

"Can I be totally honest?" Autumn began, her voice low as though she was
afraid to hear her own confession.

"Mm hm." Aubrey nodded as she sat back, unbuttoning her own blouse slowly.

"I was a little nervous that time, in the barn." Autumn went on to say, but
stopped momentarily once Aubrey opened the blouse to expose her bare, C cup
breasts; which were bigger than Reign had remembered. "But for some reason,
right now, I am far more nervous than back then. I don't know why."

	Aubrey took Autumn's hands and placed them on her breasts
warm. Autumn could feel Aubrey's brown nipples hardening under her palms.

"Perhaps you are just overwhelmed. This moment has been building up for a
while." Aubrey assured sweetly, her voice at a sultry pitch.

In one motion she lifted Autumn's shirt up and off. Then Aubrey unsnapped
the front clasps of the other woman's violet-colored bra; setting the
breasts, which were a cup bigger than Glistening's, free of the lace
material. An involuntary spasm struck Autumn, when Aubrey dragged her
fingertips beneath her breasts. The brown-eyed brunette continued playing
her fingers downward, undid Autumn's chocolate colored slacks and then did
the same to her own jeans. Aubrey stood up on the mattress, balancing
herself by placing her hands on the wall. Then Autumn pulled the jeans
down; helping the other woman step out of them. Aubrey knelt beside her
gorgeous lover, and pulled the slacks down and off Autumn's long
legs. Unlike Aubrey, who was now only clad in Safire colored panties, was
revealed to have no panties on. Just as she had been all those years ago,
Aubrey was tantalized by the sight of Autumn's trimmed blond pubis. Both
women giggled cutely, remembering how Aubrey had reacted the first time she
saw Autumn's nether region.

"Lie down, Lover." Aubrey gently demanded, and Autumn obliged.

	Glistening climbed on top of the tall, slender woman and they
kissed. It was just as passionate as the first time, but a lot less sloppy
because time and through the practice of past lovers came
experience. Unable to resist, Autumn peeled off Aubrey's panties. Again
with the resemblance to the first time, Aubrey and Autumn's mounds made
contact. The two women were grinding in sync. Their wetness was audible as
they ground into one another. Sweat began to coat their skin. Their
climaxes started to climb. This time there would be no mothers to
interrupt. Aubrey knew she was going to come first, and so badly wanted
Autumn to finish along with her. So, the shorter woman sat up, leaned back
and put a leg over Autumn's. By doing this, their vulvas met
perfectly. Aubrey then continued to knead her hips, gliding her very slick
sex along the blonde's. The sensation of this was almost too much for
either of them to endure. Sure enough, just like the brunette had wanted,
Autumn was on the brink of coming. Aubrey could tell just by the way
Ms. Reign was twisting her back, and her pleading moans growing more and
more intense. That was enough to bring Autumn at the very point her new
lover was tipping on.

	 Their combined lamenting, the unbelievable sensations, and
speeding up the pace of their hips were all it took for an orgasm to flash
through both women. Aubrey's sex released a warm gush of ejaculate as she
came, which Autumn felt and caused her own climax to intensify. Both Autumn
and Aubrey quivered uncontrollably control as their mutual orgasms sliced
through them. They continued to grind their vulvas together during it all,
which brought on another orgasm. Once the second release racked throughout
Autumn's body, she had to pull away. Her sex was now too raw, and any
little contact with it was too much. The taller woman rolled on to her flat
stomach, breathless and shivering. Aubrey collapsed on to her, also
spent. After she had collected herself, but not entirely, Autumn turned
over and held Aubrey against her. Aubrey rested her head between the other
woman's D cups, closing her eyes and basked in the aftermath.

"That?oh my, that was?" Aubrey tried to say, but unable to articulate
words.

"All I know is I have never tried that position before. You're creative."
Autumn admitted, stroking Ms. Glistening's back with her fingertips.

"Mmm, that's surprising. Someone as talented as you, I would have thought
you have done some tricky things."

"Oh, baby. I'll show you. Just not now. This pussycat needs a nap."

	Aubrey giggled in the cutest way. It was a sound Autumn knew she
wanted to induce and hear for the rest of her life.

*****************************

Present

	Dinner was silent, with the acceptation of the sounds from the
clanking of silverware, Autumn flipping through the newspaper, and the
sound effects emitting from Aubrey's tablet; as she added letters to a
crossword puzzle. With the way Aubrey had been treating her that day,
Autumn was surprised her wife even bothered to feed
her. Ms. Glistening-Reign was clearly taking this silent treatment all the
way. When she had finished eating, Aubrey gathered up everything from the
table, except for Autumn's plate. This would not have been so bad, had
Aubrey not taken the serving dishes into the kitchen, leaving Autumn
without seconds of the meal. Now more flustered than ever that day, Autumn
went into the kitchen, threw the plate into the garbage, grabbed her keys
and left the house.

	When she descended the front porch, the blonde just stood there on
the sidewalk. She had no idea where to go, since stamping out of her
residence was spur of the moment. After standing there on the pavement-
looking blankly around at the surrounding metropolitan neighborhood, for a
few minutes- Autumn pulled out her cellphone. She scrolled through her
contacts, browsing for someone she knew would be available at that
moment. Ms. Reign-Glistening did not want to call her mother because she
did not want Melissa to worry. Most of her friends were either working at
that time of day. Autumn finally decided this issue was not important
enough bother anyone with. So, heading in a random direction, Autumn began
walking to nothing and nowhere.

**************************

March 2006

"I want to try new things." Aubrey had mentioned to Autumn, during one of
their post-coital pillow-talk sessions. Well, at that moment, it was more
of a floor-talk session; lying there in a naked, perspiry heap on Aubrey's
kitchen tiles that night. They had opened refrigerator to cool themselves
down.

"Like what? We have fucked on floors, in cars. Messed around in movie
theaters, on beaches, in my office. What else is there to do?" Ms. Reign
asked, tracing her finger tips around her lover's supple lips.

"Well, perhaps a threesome. Watching people have sex while we do it, even."
Aubrey explained, sitting up to straddle the other woman's hips. Then she
reached down and gently massaged Autumn's pliant D cups.

"You are just talking horny-language, right now."

"I'm serious! I've been thinking on it for weeks. Show me some uncivilized
shit. I have been a good girl, when it comes to sex. Like, quite vanilla
about it before I met you. I've never been fucked by or used a
strap-on. Let's get one! I have also never tried anal. The closest I've
gotten is you rimming me."

	Autumn laughed, finding her brown-eyed girlfriend's proclamation
all too cute. Then Reign assured, "Alright, I'll work something out and
surprise you."

	That following week, Autumn introduced Aubrey to a mutual guilty
pleasure. One Saturday evening, Reign had invited Glistening to a friend's
party. Glover Lott, the owner and host of the soiree, helped Autumn arrange
the treat she had had in mind for Aubrey; which was disclosed to Sir Lott
beforehand. So, the night of the festive gathering at his fab residence in
Oak Park, Glover assisted with constructing the perfect fantasy for his
friend Ms. Reign's lady-friend.

	As the night progressed into the 2am hour, and because they had
separately went on to socialize earlier in the night, Autumn found Aubrey
getting about with a group of people. By then both Glistening and Reign
were a bit buzzed on the special drink Glover had been making: champagne
with pomegranate juice poured over a sugar cube. As Autumn lead the
brunette up the grand staircase and to the designated bedroom meant for
their private activity- which was adorned with different shades of reds-
the whole way a giggly Aubrey insisted to be informed of what the other
woman was up to.

Rather than answering, when in the bedroom, Autumn sat Aubrey down on the
edge of the king sized bed. Then the taller woman left the room
momentarily; closing the door behind herself. When she returned, Autumn was
not alone. Along with her were two very attractive young men: one Spanish
and the other of seeming Norwegian decent. The Spanish guy, introducing
himself as Cart was about 5'8, brown eyes, nicely tanned, closely cropped
black hair, and an average build. The other guy, Landon, had more of an
athletic build, was about Autumn's height (6 feet), blond hair just below
his ears, and dark green eyes. Against the fact that the two
twenty-something year old boys were very handsome, Aubrey was put off at
first. Yes, she had wanted to experience new and thrilling sexual
encounters, but having a foursome with the masculine gender was not at all
what Aubrey had had in mind.

	Before Aubrey could protest, the two guys began kissing deeply and
undressing each other. As Aubrey leered on, with her jaw dropped from
shock, Autumn came over to sit behind her.

"You like, Boo?" Autumn whispered in the ear of the now highly aroused
brunette.

"You are the best girlfriend I've ever had." Aubrey answered and, still
rammed with disbelief, placed her hand over Autumn's and guided it under
the vibrantly colored fabric of her Sundress.

	Sliding their hands into Aubrey's lace panties, Autumn was pleased
to find her girlfriend was already very wet; her clit stiff and the nether
lips swollen. Now fully nude, Landon and Cart crawled onto the bed; then
rolled around making-out and grouping. They stopped tongue-tackling
momentarily, still stroking each other's pulsing members, and looked over
at the admiring gay women.

"We told Glover the deal was that we get to see you two mess around as
well." Cart had informed; his thick Spanish accent meaning to be seductive.

	Within in seconds Autumn and Aubrey were undressed; with the
exception of leaving on their silk stockings and 4 inch, matching tangerine
colored stilettos; which had looked absolutely delicious with their
seasonably coordinated Bob Mackie Sundresses. Next the two couples laid
side by side, kissing and getting one another other inflamed. While Autumn
lightly fondled her just to tease, Aubrey came all over her girlfriend's
hand the instant she saw Landon run his pierced tongue along the underside
of Cart's thick cock, and then take it into his mouth.

"That was fast." Landon giggled, after popping Cart dick out of his mouth.

"Can I have a taste of that?" Cart asked, referring to the juices coating
Autumn hand.

	Autumn happily complied, by allowing the darker guy to lick
Aubrey's glossy extractions from each of her very well-manicured
fingers. Wanting to have a sample of that mysterious womanly secretion
himself, Landon came up and French-kissed his boyfriend.

"Mmm, she's delicious!" Landon complimented.

"Yes, very. Now get back to sucking that dick." Autumn purred and pointing
at Cart's upright manhood.

	Doing as told Landon went back to sucking Cart off; deep-throating
all 10 inches of the engorged cock. As he groaned and pushed Landon's head
down, Cart watched Autumn ravish Aubrey hungrily. The blond nibbled on
Ms. Glistening's hardened nipples, before moving down to lightly kiss and
bite Aubrey's thighs. Autumn then covered Aubrey's sex with her mouth, and
sucked on it while at the same time gliding her tongue over her vulva. Now
Aubrey and Cart were watching one another getting head from their talented
lovers; both tremendously enlivened by it all. Landon went to licking and
sucking the blonde boy's tender sack. Then Landon raised his boyfriend's
legs and rimmed him. Wanting to get the same treatment, Aubrey raised her
own thighs, holding them up. Autumn, aware of what that gesture meant,
glided her tongue down to Aubrey's puckered hole and also went to rimming
the shorter woman. Both Cart and Aubrey were moaning at a high pitch, as
their partners alternated licking their bums and genitals. Almost at the
exact same time, Cart and Aubrey experienced intense orgasms; both
ejaculating all over their lovers' faces.

	Once they had wiped their faces with the towels Glover had laid out
for them, calmed their lovers by kissing and rubbing them, Autumn and
Landon switched positions: Reign on her back and Landon flipping Cart
over. Aubrey planted kisses all over Autumn dripping wet sex, and playfully
lapped at it; causing Autumn to squirm and let out quivery moans. Using the
K-Y jelly, Landon lubed up his 9 inch pole and Cart's tight hole. Both
Aubrey and Landon fingered their lovers carefully. Then Landon slowly
worked his dick into Cart. Aubrey turned Autumn over onto her hands and
knees; then fingered the blonde from behind. The faster and harder Landon
fucked Cart, the quicker and deeper Aubrey moved her fingers in and out of
Autumn. Eventually everyone was moving in sync; watching one another
attentively, which inflamed everyone's kindling. The room became filled
with the sounds of skin slapping against skin, blissful groans and moans,
and the bed squeaking; along with the headboard hitting the wall. Luckily
the music playing downstairs drowned out their acute actions. Both Cart and
Aubrey vigorously rubbed themselves, as they brought their partners closer
to a pending climax. It took long moments, which felt like an exquisite
eternity, for everyone in that room to come in unison. All four were
momentarily an orgasmic choir; crying out their titillation. Everyone
collapsed onto the mattress, recovering in a sweaty bundle, well spent from
the experience.

For a week after that wonderful night, Aubrey thanked Autumn verbally,
showered the blonde woman with gifts, and licking her awake in the
mornings. That became a night Aubrey nor Autumn, especially Ms. Glistening,
would ever forget. There did come another sexual dalliance, shortly after
that night with the Cart and Landon, involving the very young Miss Tony
Jones; whom gave Aubrey her first strap-on experience, which lasted nearly
a year before Debbie Dawson confronted Autumn about messing around with a
minor.

That is an entirely different tale?..

******************************

June 2006

	Aubrey had noticed that Autumn had been behaving strangely for
those few days. Ms. Reign had been acting quite shifty. She had made
excuses of working late, when Aubrey would call. On that Friday night, when
Autumn had finally allowed Aubrey to come over to her place, Ms. Glistening
sensed her girlfriend was behaving skittishly. Something was clearly not
right.

"What is your problem?" Aubrey had stated the moment she entered Reign's
townhome.

"Huh?" Autumn was caught off guard, calefaction growing in her face like
the temperatures outside.

"You have been acting really odd. Like, you haven't wanted to spend any
time with me, for one thing. When we're on the phone, you are short. You've
been busy. So, what the hell has been up with you? Tell me!"

	Autumn swallowed hard, shifted her weight from one foot to the
other, and wiped away the sweat that had collected on her brow. All of this
before uttering nervously, "I-I really?shit. Ok, look. I don't or I didn't
know how to go about this. I mean, I had never planned on this ever in my
life. I have been trying to come up with ways to say it?this-"

"Oh my God! I knew it." Aubrey was instantly shrouded with dismay. "I knew
I should have never suggested moving in with you. I mean, we have been
together for, like, four years. I know you like your space. I knew asking
to move in wouldn't be a good idea, but I took a chance because I
wanted?and now you're breaking up with me?."

"Whoa, whoa. No, baby. I'm not doing that. Never." Autumn halted the
prattling woman, as she fumbled in her pocket for that little velvet box
from Tiffany's. "I wanted to ask you to marry?"

"Oh my God, Autumn!" Aubrey shrieked the moment Reign flipped open the box,
presenting a beautifully crafted diamond studded ring. Then she jumped on
Autumn, wrapping her arms and legs around the taller woman declaring, "Yes!
Yes, I will! I do!"

"Yeah?" Autumn tightly held on to the now very excited woman.

"Yes! Here, put it on me!!!" Aubrey jumped down and struck out her left
hand, palm down.

	Autumn's hands shook as she slipped the expensive band on to the
brunette's ring-finger; the whole while Aubrey bouncing on her heels, too
giddy to stay still. Once the ring was finally on, which fit perfectly,
Aubrey again squealed and jumped on her soon-to-be wife.

"I?.have?.to?.call?everybody!" Aubrey stated, between kissing Autumn all
over her face. "My?.mother?of course?first." Then the brunette jumped down
and went to call her mother; whom was also named Aubrey.

	Autumn watched, with a feeling of great delight, as Aubrey told the
older Aubrey about the newly established engagement. Neither the blonde or
the brunette could possibly imagine anything that would ever hinder the
total elation they felt towards their pending wedding.

**************************

April 2007

	They had had a verbal fight three weeks before the wedding. Perhaps
it was all of the planning, their mothers being overly involved with the
process, and the sheer anxiousness of the event nearing that had weighed on
the nerves of the prospective brides-to-be. All of this inducing the row
Aubrey and Autumn exchanged one night, during a downpour of Spring rains.

"I can't believe you listened to those bitches!" Autumn had been shouting.

	There had been public knowledge of their wedding, and those from
Autumn's rather slutty and dicey past had remerged. One by one, for the
last few weeks, Autumn's former lovers/ flings had approached Aubrey on
numerous occasions. The medium height brunette would be out shopping,
stopping in at the local coffee house and the little shops around the North
side when a they would approach her. The random women had always begun the
cautionary conversations by saying, "Hello. Hey, aren't you getting married
to Autumn Reign the artist?" or "?Autumn Reign the playwright?" and even
"?Autumn Reign the publisher's daughter?

	Following these seemingly innocent introductions, the women would
boldly advise Aubrey about how her future wife would "get around". After
the first three times, Aubrey was becoming annoyed by the audacity of these
women and their comments. However, when the fourth had come to have her
turn, Aubrey was attentive; rather than snapping like she had intended
to. Also, like she had intended to do, Aubrey Glistening did not bring any
of these encounters to Autumn's attention until after the last run-in with
the fifteenth woman.

"Well, they sure had a lot to say. I figured I should know who I'm
marrying!" Aubrey shot back, after Autumn's initial response.

"Those bitches are whacked in the head. Every single one of 'em, and their
shitty friends." Autumn stated, her blood boiling.

"You're avoiding the question."

"What question?"

"About how come you never told me you had been with that many women?"

"You've asked me before and I told you. Remember?"

"No, I asked and all you said was 'A few here and there. Not many.' What is
your idea of not many, Autumn?"

"You never asked for a number."

"Hmp. As though you would even remember."

"What the hell is that supposed?."

"So, how many?"

	Autumn was struck silent. She indeed could not recall the number of
women she had slept with; partly because she was intoxicated some of the
time.

"Look at you. Caught! Clearly you must have some kind of sex addiction."
Aubrey snidely remarked, looking the other woman up and down a few times
with disgust.

"I do not have a problem! Do you remember how many people you've had sex
with?"

"Six, including you." Aubrey responded without skipping a beat.

"Well?whatever! I was young and it was getting' tossed at me left and
right."

"I see! So, if some girl or rather bitch as you call them, were to toss it
at you in the future?"

"Hey, hold up! I may have been around the block quite a few times, but one
thing I have never done was cheat."

"That's not what those others said."

"Don't believe them, 'damnit!"

"Are you out of your mind?!? Don't you ever curse at me!"

"No! Fuck them for running their stupid mouths, and fuck you for listening
to their shit!"

	The intensely furious look on Aubrey's face told Autumn she had
screwed up, on all levels. The expression also scared the taller
woman. Instead of verbally lashing the blond like she could have, Aubrey
stormed up the stairs. Next Autumn heard the bedroom door slam, which
rattled the walls, windows and Reign herself. Almost too afraid to, Autumn
went up to the bedroom, but found the door was locked.

"Aubrey! Come on. Open the door, baby." Autumn begged.

	After receiving no response, the tall woman went to fetch a letter
opener from her home office; using it to pick the lock. With a bit of
effort the door sprang open, and revealed Aubrey stuffing some of her
clothing and items into a suitcase.

"Oh, come on. Not this." Autumn pleaded, coming over to stop Aubrey from
closing the overly stuffed suitcase.

"Get away from me! I can't stand the sight of you right now!" The shorter
woman growled, making Autumn feel small.

	In a blur, Aubrey was down the staircase and through the front
door. Autumn followed her into the rain, which was coming down in
buckets. A blinding flash of lighting zipped through the black clouds, as
Aubrey tossed the suitcase into the back seat.

"Please, baby, please don't do?" Autumn had been pleading.

"I'll be back for the rest of my shit later." Aubrey stated, boarding the
car.

	With that said, the brunette woke the engine, zoomed off down the
street and turned right at the intersection. As she watched the yellow
Lexus disappear around the top of the block, Autumn felt an immediate bout
of lose and depression. The tall woman felt as though she would never see
Aubrey, the most lovely woman she had ever seen, again.

	As the following week progressed, Autumn had left Aubrey numerous
messages, receiving no answer to any. Actually, after the first few
attempts Aubrey did answer the phone, but shouted into the receiver of the
cell phone "Fuck off, asshole!" then hung up. The blonde was barely able to
go into the AM Reign office during that week and a half. The bed felt cold
and empty at night, as well as the brick stone townhouse. Aubrey's absence
had finally come to an end when Terry Green, one of Aubrey's good friends
and sister-in-law, had come to the Townhouse. That late afternoon Autumn
was lying on the floor of her study, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Her
eyes were burning from a crying spell moments before. She had tried to add
on the newest play she and Debbie Dawson were developing. After spending
hours of failing to insert more to the script, her eyes continuously
clouding over with hot tears, Autumn gave up and laid on the floor. She had
been in that position for an hour or so, when Mrs. Terry Green had excited
the doorbell.

	Terry had rung the bell twice before Autumn actually heard it the
third try. Jumping to her feet, the blonde ran down the staircase and flung
open the door.

"Don't look so cheerful to see me." Mrs. Green snidely remarked, noticing
the disappointed expression on Reign's face. She was the only one of
Aubrey's friends that did not much care for the blonde; for reasons even
she could not understand.

"What do I owe this visit?" the taller woman asked as she stepped aside to
allow Terry inside.

"You look like shit." Terry mentioned, stepping into the living room's
sitting area.

	Autumn could have given a clever retort, but knew the other woman's
statement was true: her hair was untamed, she was wearing two day-old tee
and sweat pants soiled with ice cream, her eyes puffy and red.

"Can I get you anything or something?" Autumn offered plainly.

"Na, I'll keep this brief." Terry Green started, "Aubrey has been staying
at my house, and she is a mess. She has been crying nonstop, barely goes to
work. The girl has actually missed three days so far at the library. 'Brey
has barely eaten, aside from tons of Black Walnut ice cream and cookies and
M&Ms. She has been sleeping a lot. You really hurt her, and I should knock
you in your stupid face for it. But I won't because she really loves and
misses you."

"She does?"

"Yeah, I don't understand it either, but whatever. Anyways, you need to
come over and get her. Tyler and I don't mind her being there, but she's
depressing the hell out of me and I'm getting tired of hiding her from our
kids, when she gets all weepy. So yeah, come get your girl."

	Autumn was taken aback by this information. She was actually under
the impression Aubrey had been talking about her like a dog; laughing at
Autumn's expense with her buddies during happy-hour. Needless to say,
Autumn thought she was the only one an emotional wreck. So, with all of
that said, Reign got in her shark-gray Audi and followed Green to her home
in Buck Town. When there, Terry pointed Autumn to the upstairs guest
bedroom Aubrey had been spending those nine or so days in. Sure enough
Autumn found the love of her life standing out on the room's balcony,
staring out at the dusk city neighborhood.

"Aubrey." Autumn meekly approached the other woman, stopping three feet
behind.

	The brunette looked over her shoulder, then back out at a group of
joggers she had been blankly focusing on. Though she was still quite upset,
Aubrey was secretly pleased about the blonde's sudden presence. Aubrey was
going to make Autumn work for her forgiveness.

"I know you are tired of hearing me say sorry. I've said it enough on the
messages." Autumn began saying, swallowing to clear her voice.

	Aubrey could hear Autumn's voice breaking, and fresh tears began
flowing down her face despite trying not to.

"Baby, I promise to never speak to you like that again. No matter what, I
will never raise my voice to you." Autumn continued, her the emotion in her
voice betraying her. "You had every right to question me. I wasn't mad at
you, I was pissed at those that approached you with all that B.S. I need
you to understand I am not the person they tried to make me out to be. I'm
so much better than that, and I was just afraid you believed otherwise. I
would never cheat on you. Actually, I can't imagine ever being attracted to
anyone else but you." This time, unable to control it, Autumn broke down.

	This made Aubrey turn and hurriedly go to the tall woman. She had
never seen Autumn cry before. Glistening cupped Reign's face in her hands,
stroking Autumn's flushed cheeks with her thumbs.

"I believe you." Aubrey assured sweetly, then gave the tip of Autumn's nose
a light kiss.

"I need you home. I'd rather burn it down, than not have you there."
Ms. Reign declared, putting her forehead to Aubrey's as she cried even
harder.

"Shhh, don't worry. I'm coming home. I promise not to leave like that
again. We'll work through whatever issue we have, without either of us
walking out."

	Autumn nodded and the two woman tightly embraced. Two weeks later
in front of their collective friends and families, Autumn and Aubrey had
their civil union. The two took each other's names: Aubrey Glistening-Reign
and Autumn Reign-Glistening. Despite what the law may have said, they were
now wife and wife. Through sickness and good health, till death would they
part.

**********************

Fall 2007

	Autumn returned to the den after fetching the specially blended
coco butter. Aubrey was lying back against the armrest of the newly bought
couch, with her legs stretched out. The couple were about to spend their
first night in the home they had purchased in River Forest just after they
were married. Renovations had to be made on the well-aged, three-story
Victorian house before it was suitable to move their belongings in. Unable
to let go of the place and with extended coaxing on Autumn's part, they
kept the home in the city; which they decided to spend their summers in.

"Thank goodness for this cream." Aubrey said, lifting the nightgown over
her stomach. "It really helps with the itching. I really hope it also
prevents stretch marks."

"Well, like the book says, when you scratch that is how you get the stretch
marks." Autumn assured, sitting between Aubrey's legs, applied some of the
coca scented cream onto her wife's tummy, and gently massaged it in.

	By then Aubrey was six months along, pregnant with their first
child. Though Aubrey had become self-conscience about her changing figure,
to Autumn the other woman appeared lovelier than ever. Aubrey's skin held
that glow only a woman with-child could exude. Autumn also found herself
highly attracted to her wife, more than ever. However, the blond felt
guilty whenever the notion of wanting to have sex with Aubrey struck her;
which was very often. Besides those sweet kissing-sessions the two shared
daily, Aubrey and Autumn had not had sex since learning of the
pregnancy. The two did make love the afternoon Dr. Rosario Cassel had
informed them the insemination had taken. Other than that, sex had become
absent in their lives. As they sat in their new den, Aubrey flipped through
the channels before settling on a show involving the arrival of newborns.

"One of these shows again?" Autumn whined. "You would always watch these."

"Oh, come on. Of course I'm gonna watch them more. We can relate now."
Aubrey smiled as she set aside the remote.

	Autumn just sighed, but was smirking as she applied another dollop
of coco butter onto her wife's swelled belly. However, the smile faded as
the blond went into deep thought.

"What's the matter, good-lookin'?" the brown eyed woman asked, noticing her
blue-eyed wife's changed expression.

"I just?Baby, I'm a little scared." Autumn admitted, leaning down to plant
a delicate kiss on Aubrey's stomach before pulling the gown down over it.

"Why is that?" Aubrey reached out and caressed Autumn's cheek.

"I just mean, is this kid gonna like me? Will he and I get along? Can I
possibly have the same relationship with him like I do with my mother? What
if we have the same relationship Melissa had with my grandmother?"

"Well, for one thing, I don't think that would be possible, considering
your grandmother disliked your mother and your aunt for whatever reason."

"My grandmother never wanted to have daughters."

"You always said you wanted a son, so you'll be fine."

"I suppose. I don't know, babe. You just seem to have this whole mom thing
down. You seem so natural and confident about it, as though you have done
this before. I feel so clueless."

"Well, would it make you feel any better if I told you that I am a little
nervous?"

"It doesn't show. Either way, I am far shakier than you will ever be."

	Aubrey chuckled sweetly. "At least you won't have to go through
this alone. I'll help you."

"Promise?"

"I would never lie."

	Autumn sighed, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. As she
started to watch the show they had been viewing, the blonde then said, "We
still haven't settled on a name for him."

"We still want to go with an A name, right?"

"Yeah, though it is a bit corny to do so."

"That doesn't matter. I think it's cute. I was thinking of something in the
A-U category, like our names."

"Like Austin?"

"Oh my goodness, I was thinking on that one too!"

"Really? I just randomly said that. It must be a sign."

"So, Austin then?"

"It's perfect."

**********************************

January/Winter 2008

Aubrey woke from her sleep and felt the absence of her wife's body lying
behind her. Figuring Autumn had just rolled away, the brunette turned to
put an arm over the other woman, whom was not there. Aubrey opened her
eyes, propped up on her elbow, and looked around until she saw Autumn
standing over Austin's cradle; that was near their bed.

"What are you doing?" Aubrey whispered.

"He has been?.hold on." Autumn started to say, but leaned closer into the
cradle.

"What's the matter?" Aubrey became slightly worried.

"He has been making noises."

"What kind? Like what?"

	Just then Austin, in his sleep, made a low humming sound through
his tiny nose.

"That!" Autumn said in a hushed tone.

"Sweetie, that's normal. Come back to bed." Aubrey settled.

"But why? I think he's having a bad dream."

	Aubrey chuckled quietly. "I don't think babies have bad dreams."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because they do not know bad things. Now come back to bed."

	Autumn reached down and gently rubbed their son's stomach. She had
been a nervous wreck ever since Austin had been born, and any little sound
he made- especially when he was sleeping- set the tall woman off. Finally
crawling back into bed, Autumn snuggled up behind Aubrey.

"You need to calm down. You don't want to be one of those parents." The
more sensible mother said, closing her eyes to fall back asleep.

"Maybe it's a first-time parent thing." Autumn admitted, nuzzling her nose
in Aubrey's brown hair.

"Could be, but perhaps you'll be better the second time around."

"Second?" Autumn lifted her head, shocked by that statement.

	Instead of getting an answer, Aubrey had fallen fast
asleep. Realizing this, Autumn rested her head back on to the pillow, and
kept her eyes on the cradle until she too fell asleep.

*********************

August 2008

	Aubrey had convinced Autumn that not only would it be nice to give
Austin a sibling, she had also mentioned it would be best if the children
were close in age. One Saturday afternoon, the couple had been at their
appointment with Dr. Rosario Cassel.

"This is very exciting! It's exactly why I love my job because of the many
things that can be accomplished." Dr. Cassel, the curly haired southern
woman had been saying.

"Do you think it'll work?" Autumn asked, unsure about the procedure at
hand.

"Well, it's just like a surrogate situation, when a couple has an outside
party carry their child. Only in this case, the carrier will be your own
wife." The excited doctor explained "Now, from the x-rays Autumn, I can see
you have produced a few healthy eggs due to the fertility treatments. This
means we can begin the extraction process right away."

"Great! Isn't that lovely?" Aubrey beamed as she nudged her wife, whom was
holding their fidgeting son Austin.

	Autumn could not help feeling guilty, and her immediate facial
expression showed this. Aubrey glanced at Autumn, and then back at the
doctor to say, "She feels uneasy about this whole thing because she doesn't
want to carry, and I will be."

"More so, now that I actually know I'm capable of having a child. But I
just can't do it! Being pregnant scares me, for some reason." Autumn
explained.

"I understand. But if your wife is more than willing?" Dr. Cassel inserted.

"And I already told her I actually like being pregnant." Aubrey added.

"I will have a lot of explaining to do to people. They'll think I'm
narcissistic." Autumn said. "I can tell the kid will look just like me. My
family has strong genes. So, folks will wonder why I had Aubrey carry the
kid, rather than doing it myself."

"Don't worry about them. They're not married to us. This has to do with our
decision, which is a sweet one." Aubrey rubbed Autumn's arm.

"Yes, not many lesbian couples can say that one carried the other's
biological baby." Dr. Cassel stated matter-of-factly.

"Alright then, let's do this. Now I can't wait!" Autumn was suddenly
elated.

******************************

May 2009

	On the second floor of the same hospital Austin had been born in,
Aubrey slowly opened her heavy eyelids against the sun beams cascading
through the wide window. Through foggy vision, the brunette could see
Autumn standing a few feet away near the window, with her back turned.

"Autumn.." Aubrey said, her voice groggy from a long slumber.

	The tall woman turned, revealing the baby bundled in her arms.

"Look who I have." Autumn cheerfully announced, coming to stand at her
wife's bedside. Overwhelmed with excitement, Aubrey struggled to sit
up. Autumn then gingerly placed their newest baby in the brunette's
arms. The baby continuously opened and closed her eyes, allowing Aubrey to
see that they were crystal blue.

"She's a tiny version of you! That nose and those eyes.." Aubrey
insisted. Then she peeked under the pink cap on their daughter's head, and
saw a few golden strands of hair. "Oh my, she has a full head of hair! A
little you."

"She's perfect. I can't believe it. Something that came from me, grew
inside of you, and now here it is."

"I want to name her after you. She's identical to you."

"No, that's not fair. If anything, we should name her after you. Actually,
that's a wonderful idea! Little Aubrey."

"You think so?"

"I know you said you didn't want to go with your family tradition, with
every woman since your great-great-great grandmother had the name Aubrey,
but we should. It's sweet, and your mother will be so damn happy."

	Aubrey chuckled, and pulled her wife down for a kiss. Then they
both planted kisses on Little Aubrey's face. When Autumn got into the bed
with her, that is when Aubrey noticed the bandage on the right side of the
blonde's forehead. Gently touching the covered scar, Aubrey asked, "What
happened here?"

"Oh, this? I bumped my head on the floor." Autumn said, very nonchalant.

"You fainted?"

"Yeah. This time I actually looked when the baby crowned. I guess it was
too much for me."

"Awww, you poor thing. I suppose we both blacked out, since I don't
remember anything past Dr. Cassel saying she could see the baby's
head. This time around the pain was too much. Birthing Austin wasn't nearly
as bad as this one. Speaking of Austin, where is he?"

"Mother took him to get ice cream. He already saw his new sister. He
was so happy."

"Aww, that's so sweet. Now we're complete."

	Three months after their daughter was born, the editor for Advocate
magazine contacted Autumn and Aubrey. He was doing a piece on gay families
and showed interest in featuring the Reign-Glistening family. Aubrey was
leary at first because she did not like the idea of having pictures of
their children in a public publication. It took a lot of convincing on
Autumn's part, until her wife finally agreed. The magazine took pictures of
the Reign-Glistening troupe in their home, on the lakeshore and on Melisa
Reign's estate(mostly because it's lavishness intrigued the chief editor
and knew it would look good in the issue). Also knowing what would look
good for the latest issue of the Advocate was putting the Glistening-Reign
family on the cover. So, with a white back-drop, the cover had featured
Aubrey lying on her side, with Autumn lying behind her, L.A and Austin
seemingly climbing on them, and all had on lavender clothing. Sure enough,
by having the two very attractive woman and their adorable children on the
cover, that became the highest selling issue of the Advocate that year.

************************

Present

	When Autumn returned from her impromptu walk around the
neighborhood, she kicked off her sandals and went upstairs to
shower. Aubrey was lying on the bed, watching her Friday night
showcase. The brunette started to ask where her wife had been for over an
hour, but continued to focus on the Crime Files show. After stepping into
the steamy shower stall, Autumn proceeded to soap up and wash her hair. The
bathroom door had been left open. At one point Aubrey looked over and could
see Autumn bathing. She stared on as the blond rinsed her body. Aubrey felt
her clit jump when Autumn bent over to wash her feet. If she was not upset
with the tall woman, Ms. Glistening-Reign would have joined her in the
shower. Actually, as she felt her sex beginning to secrete, Aubrey
considered sitting on Autumn's face. Then she shook the idea from her mind,
and turned her eyes back to the TV.

	After shutting off the water, Autumn stepped out of the shower,
dried off and then moisturized her skin. From the corner of her eye, Aubrey
could see Autumn rubbing the lotion on her breasts and torso. The blonde's
alluring form was making it hard for Aubrey to stay mad at her. Once she
was oiled from top to bottom, Autumn put on a robe and blow-dried her
shoulder length hair. Aubrey lifted her knees under the bed sheets, and
snuck a hand into her panties. Like she had excepted, the brunette felt the
wetness that had formed. Realizing if she kept her hand there she would be
compelled to masturbate; Aubrey got up and went downstairs.

	Autumn slipped on a tank top and a pair of boxers, before going
downstairs to make a cup of tea. Entering the kitchen, Autumn found Aubrey
sitting in the breakfast nook tinkering with her tablet and drinking
lemonade. The blond went to filling the kettle with water, set it on the
lit stove, and then looked through the snack cabinet. Settling on a jar of
Nutella, Autumn grabbed it, twisted off the cap and scooped a dollop of the
tasty spread with her finger. The taller woman leaned back against the
kitchen counter, and looked over at her wife as she licked the Nutella from
her index finger. As she stood there, Autumn tried to think of a way to get
Aubrey back in her good graces. Whenever the brunette was upset with the
blond to the point where the silent treatment was played, Aubrey would make
Autumn work for forgiveness. So, after having her fill of Nutella, Autumn
decided to attempt getting the other woman to laugh at least. Once the
kettle whistled, the blonde went to making herself a cup of Rose Bud tea
complete with a drop of honey, sugar cube and a squirt of lemon
juice. Autumn dropped an ice cube into the mug her children had decorated
for her, inscribed 'Tall Mom'. By then Autumn had decided on how to
approach Aubrey. Ms. Reign-Glistening walked over to where
Ms. Glistening-Reign was sitting, set the mug down near the 'Short Mom' mug
Aubrey had been drinking out of, and pulled up a chair close to the
brunette.

"Hey, sexy. See, I saw you dancing over there a little while ago, and just
had to come talk to you." Autumn said in her best flirting-voice. "What's
your name?"

	Aubrey looked at the other woman from the corner of her eye, then
back down at the digital crossword puzzle. Taking a few seconds, she
finally answered with the first name she could think of, "Safire."

"Oh! That's a pretty name. Do you come here often?" Autumn played on, as
though the two were in a bar-setting.

"Not always." Aubrey said, keeping her brown eyes on the tablet screen.

"Are you here by yourself?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe, huh? Do you have a girlfriend?"

"I used to, then I ended up marrying her."

"Ah, I see. And she just lets you go out by yourself? A hot-looking girl
like you? Isn't she afraid someone might try talking to you?"

"Like you are trying to do right now?"

"Yeah, like I am right now."

"I don't think she cares. She hasn't been acting right lately."

"Oooh that ain't good. She's stupid not to treat you right."

"Mm hm, she is kinda stupid. She also puts her foot in her mouth
sometimes."

	Autumn chuckled before going on, "Ya know, if you were my girl, I
would treat you better."

"Is that a fact?"

"Mmm hmm, and I would be mindful of what I say?"

"Keep goin'."

"And I would make love to you constantly."

"Someone's a little forward."

"I get straight to the point."

"I see. Tell me, do you always flirt with married women?"

"Only the ones that dance like you. I've been told good dancers are great
in bed."

"I take it you want to find out."

"Maybe."

"I think my wife would care."

"She won't have to know. I won't tell. I bet she can't make love to you the
way I can."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, ma'am. You'll want to marry me afterwards. Then you'll want to have
my babies."

	Unable to help it, Aubrey burst out laughing. Autumn picked Aubrey
up, sat the brunette on her lap, then nuzzled and nibbled her neck; causing
the shorter woman to laugh even harder.

"You are so silly." Aubrey said through giggles.

"You like it." Autumn teased.

	After her laughing fit subsided, Aubrey sighed and looked into
Autumn blue eyes. "You make me so mad, just to let you know."

"I'm sorry. I don't try to, though." Autumn admitted, giving her wife a
playful Eskimo kiss.

"I over reacted to the whole Summer and Ginger thing. It scared me. I never
want to lose you, that's all."

"You won't I promise. We are far from not being ok. Ginger and Summer have
been having issues for a while. They haven't slept in the same bed in
years. So, if there was ever anything progressing to not being able to
sleep side by side, I promise to do anything to fix us."

"Promise?"

"I promise and swear because I love you sooo much, 'Brey."

	The two began kissing, wrapped in each other's arms. They could
have gone on like that there in the kitchen all night, but then the house
phone rang. Their children had called to say goodnight. Once the exchanges
of "I love yous" and "Nighty night" were done, Autumn and Aubrey retreated
to the bedroom. There, the two quickly undressed and merrily rolled around
on their queen sized bed; kissing and even tickling one another. Eventually
they made love, and took their time doing so. At one point Aubrey came so
hard her eyes welled up with tears, which Autumn kissed away. Though the
times they would have sex were few and far between, due to the children,
the women never let the lack of physical intimacy hinder how much they
loved each other.

	For the rest of the weekend Autumn and Aubrey spent time at the
beach, went out for dinner and a movie, met up with their mutual friends at
the Glitter Lounge, made love all over the house, etc. On Sunday night they
went to get the children, partly to save Melissa the trip on Monday, but
really because Autumn and Aubrey missed them. At home, the family cuddled
in queen-sized bed and watched television until they all fell asleep.

	Being the last one to doze, before clicking off the television
Autumn admired the sight of her sleeping family. To think, when she was
much younger the blonde used to express how she never wanted to ever get
tied down by marriage, and certainly never wanted to "?have whiny little
snot-nosed kids". Now, at the age of forty-three, Autumn had all of that
and could not imagine being without.

End.