DISCLAIMERS:

COPYRIGHT: Xena Warrior Princess, Gabrielle, Janice Covington, Melinda Pappas, and The Xena Scrolls are the property of MCA/Universal and are used here without permission. No copyright infringement implied or intended. Billie and Cat are my creations, Copyright by kd bard. The leading ladies resemble our two X:WP heroines. Any character or name resemblance to 'real' people currently living or dead is completely coincidental. Download it, print it out and pass it around if you'd like, but be sure to include the disclaimers.

SUBTEXT: This story is about two women who are committed to a caring and loving relationship. Sex is part of that relationship, but not the focus. It contains some mildly graphic sex scenes, but nothing kinky. If this type of love offends you, if you are under 18 yrs old, or if love is illegal where you live, climb aboard the anti-subtext train and get outta town.

VIOLENCE: Nope - nadda!

TIME LINE/CONTINUITY: This is the eleventh installment in a modern day Uber-Xena sequence, starting with "The 'Commitment'" and followed by "A Family in Blood", "Personal Preferences", "Fighting City Hall", "Visions in Paradise", "What's In A Name?", "Promise Me Paradise", "While I Was Gone ..." , "Unchained Memories" and "Happy Campers - NOT!". Since these stories are continuations of each other, there are events mentioned within that will not make much sense if you haven't read them all in order.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I strongly believe that love is love, regardless of how it is packaged, so please don't flame me for believing in something so wonderful. All flames will be flushed down the toilet, however, I do encourage constructive criticism. Send all feedback to warriorx@together.net. A very big thanks to those of you who took the time to find my booboo's ... you know who you are! I really appreciate it. A special thanks to Mom for your support - it means a lot to me. Finally, a big thank you to those who graciously host my stories and provide a forum for expression. kd :-)

SPECIAL NOTE: I'd like to thank Iliana Martin, the author of the beautiful poem, Come, Take My Hand, contained in Chapter IX. Iliana, you are truly a talented writer ... Please continue to share your talent with us, friend. Thanks .... kd. :-)

At Loose Ends

By: kd bard

Started 04/02/99

Finished 04/19/99

CHAPTER VI

Billie sat at her desk the next morning deep in thought. Certain things about this genealogy search were bothering her. She hated to admit it, but it was odd that there were no important records among her late parents' things. Everyone kept important papers, a family bible, something identifying their origins. None of those things were in the box. And Jen was right. The only pictures she had ever seen, outside of her father's military photograph, were taken after she was born.

"Good Morning, Charland," came a voice from the doorway.

Billie looked up to see Art standing there with his hands tucked deep into his pockets. He was rocking back and forth on his heels like a schoolboy. His innocent nature clashed so much with his football player stature, that it always made Billie smile.

"Good morning, Big Guy," Billie said, flashing her boss a brilliant grin. "What's up?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," he said. "You looked awfully lost in thought when I came in." he observed.

"Yeah, just thinking about the quest Cat and I are on," Billie replied.

"The genealogy search?" he asked. Receiving an affirming nod from Billie, he added, "How's it going?"

We're not having a lot of luck on my side of the family right now. Considering that all of my relatives are dead, I have to rely on official city, state and government records for information," she explained.

"Search the attic. Everyone keeps historical junk packed away there," he suggested.

"Been there, done that," Billie said. "No luck. When I cleaned my parents' home out after their death, all I found was a few photo albums and some minor records on me ... nothing of any significance to tell me about my parents' origins," she explained. "Oh, we did find a key. Jen is taking it to a locksmith today to try to figure out what it goes to," she added.

Art frowned. "That's kind of odd, Billie. I mean, everyone keeps some type of historical records around the house," he said.

"I know, Art," Billie said, annoyed with the situation. "You aren't the first one to make that observation."

"Okay, so we start by searching official records. Give me your parents' names, and I will start researching their social security benefits and tax records," Art volunteered.

"Are you sure you want to help, Art? This could end up being a lot of work," Billie warned.

"Of course I'm sure. I offered to help, and I meant it. Anyway, things are a little slow around here right now. Helping you gives me a chance to do something interesting for a change," he joked.

Billie smiled at her friend. "Okay, their names are Daniel P. and Eleanor D. Waterman. They would have been born in 1923 and 1924, respectively. Good luck. I'm going to run over to St. Mark's Catholic Church for a while and search their parish records. My parents were devout Catholics and attended that church faithfully. Maybe I can learn something about them there," Billie explained, grabbing her briefcase as she headed toward the door. Stopping short of leaving the office, she turned to Art. Placing a kiss on his cheek she said, "Thanks, my friend," then left.

Art just stood there and blushed for a moment before getting himself in gear and heading back to his office to search the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration files.

*********

"So what type of key is it?" Jen asked, leaning over the counter while the locksmith studied the key in his hand.

"I'd say, it goes to a safe deposit box," the locksmith said.

"Okay, so which one? I mean, how can I tell which bank the box is in?" she asked.

"Is this your key?" the man asked suspiciously.

"No it isn't. It belongs to a friend of mine. Actually, it belongs to her late parents. She found it in an old box from their attic and I volunteered to research it for her. Why do you ask?" Jen demanded.

"Well, there is a way to determine which bank the box is in, but seeing as this key doesn't belong to you, I can't divulge that information," he explained.

"What!?" Jen exclaimed. "Are you saying that I need to drag my friend down here before you'll help us?" she asked.

"Look lady, security is my job! Sorry .... the key doesn't belong to you. I can't help you without the owner's permission," he insisted.

"What is this, some type of 'locksmith's' oath or something?" Jen asked sarcastically.

"Something like that," the man replied, smiling slyly.

"Gimme that," Jen said, grabbing the key back from the man. "I'll be back - with my friend ... and she isn't going to be happy about this," Jen warned.

"Just doing my job, lady," he said, handing the key back to Jen who stomped out the door.

**********

"Ah, Billie," the elderly priest said as Billie entered his office. "So good to see you again. Sit down, sit down," he said, indicating the chair by his desk. "What brings you around for a visit today?" he asked.

"Well, father," Billie began. "My wife and I are doing research for a family tree and I was wondering if I could search the church records for information on my parents," she explained.

The priest looked up at her sharply. "What did you say?" he asked abruptly.

Billie took a deep breath. "He's so old, he probably can't hear a word I'm saying," she thought. Out loud, she said, "I said I would like to search the church records for information on my parents."

"No ... not that .... what did you say before that?" asked the old man.

Billie frowned and thought back to her words of a few minutes ago. Suddenly, she understood what the old priest was asking.

Careful not to lose her temper, lest she misunderstood the priest's intentions, Billie repeated what she had said earlier. "I said that my wife and I are doing research, and I ...."

"I thought that's what you said!" he interrupted angrily. "You are the devil's spawn! Living in sin and fornication with a woman! I told your parents you would bring them nothing but heartache. I told them it was a bad idea to bring you into their lives. Leave this place, do you hear me! There is no room in God's temple for the likes of you," he shouted.

Billie grew angrier and angrier at each word the old man spoke. Rising to her feet, she placed her hands on the desk and leaned over into his face. "You are nothing but an evil, bigoted old man," she said in a deep, even voice. "I should have known better than to come here for help. What my parents saw in this church, and in this faith is beyond me. You are not the first, nor will you be the last to oppose 'my kind'. You and your beliefs mean nothing to me. Now, I came here for a reason, and I am not leaving until that reason has been satisfied. If you think you can remove me bodily from the premises, then have at it, otherwise, I expect you to grant me access to the church records on my parents. If you refuse me access, I will pursue a court order. Is that clear?" she said, her face a mere inch from the old man's nose, the cords of her neck strained to their limits.

Billie held her stare, daring the old man to call her bluff. Finally, he looked away and swallowed. "As you wish," he said. "Follow me."

Rising from his chair, he led Billie to a room at the back of the rectory. The room was lined with dusty old shelves, filled with file folders and boxes.

Billie looked around skeptically. "Please tell me they're filed alphabetically." she said.

"They are organized by last name. Do your business, then leave," he answered as he turned to go. Stopping at the door he turned around and added, "You may find what you are looking for, but you may not like what you find." With that, he was gone.

Billie stood looking at the closed door, apprehension filling her every pore. "I wonder what he meant by that?" she thought before turning her attention to the dusty shelves before her. "Okay, let's see how this room is organized," she said out loud to herself. Pulling a box from the shelf, she took it over to the table and removed the cover. Looking at the document lying on top, she read the name 'Paxton'. "Well, I've found the 'P's'," she said, lifting the box and placing it back on the shelf. After scanning a few more boxes and folders, she determined that the shelves were organized in a serpentine fashion, with the top shelf arranged left to right, the next one down arranged right to left and so on.

It wasn't long before she found the section containing the "W's'. "Waitsfield, Wall, Warren, Waterman ..." she recited out loud until she came across the box containing information on her parents. Pulling it from the shelf, she carried it over to the table and started rummaging through the contents. In it, she found a copy of her baptism record, first communion and confirmation records, as well as certification papers declaring her father a deacon of the church. "That's funny," she said to herself. "I didn't know Dad was a deacon." Shrugging it off, she continued to dig deeper into the contents of the box.

The box seemed to be organized by date, with the oldest material at the bottom, and the most recent on top. About half way through the box, she came across several receipts for church donations, made out to a man named Darren Walton. "Huh," Billie mused. "They must have mis-filed these receipts." Walking back over to the shelves, she began looking for a file with the name 'Walton' attached. No such file existed. Billie was perplexed. Drawing her brow together into a frown, she returned to the box on the table containing her parents records and continued rummaging through it. A short time later, she realized that all of the paperwork in the bottom half of the box contained the name Darren Walton on them, and a few with the name Emma Walton.

Billie suddenly became sick to her stomach. Sitting down, she bent over and placed her head on the table, resting it on her crossed arms. "What does all of this mean?" she thought. Sitting back in the chair, she stared at the neat piles she had created, one for Walton and the other for Waterman. A thought suddenly struck her. Quickly combing through each of the documents in both piles, she came to an undeniable conclusion. All of the documents in the Walton pile were dated prior to March 30, 1967, and all of the documents in the Waterman pile were dated on or after that date. Going through the stack of papers one more time, Billie came across a black and white photograph of her parents, obviously taken in their youth. The words "Darren and Emma, 1958" were written on the back.

"Oh my god," Billie thought. "Were they in trouble? Were they part of the witness protection program? Why did they change their name? And why does the name change coincide with my birth date?" Billie slipped the Walton photograph into her pocket, replaced the box on the shelf, and left the rectory.

**********

"Hi Heather," Cat said as she approached the records clerk in the hospital archives.

"Hi Cat!" Heather exclaimed. "How's the family?"

"Everyone is fine. Thanks for asking," Cat said. "Hey, I need a favor. I need to see the maternity records for an Eleanor D. Waterman. She gave birth to a baby girl on or around March 30, 1967. They lived in this area at the time of the birth, so I assume she came here. Can you help me out?" Cat asked.

"Cat, I really shouldn't do this," Heather said. "Could I ask why you need to know?" she said.

"Heather, Eleanor Waterman was Billie's mother. Billie and I are doing a genealogy on our families, and we are hitting a dead end with her parents. I was hoping that her maternity records would name some relative, other than her husband, in the event of an emergency," Cat explained.

"Makes sense to me," Heather said as she sorted the hospital's archive file by last name and then narrowed the search by using the date range between March 1 to April 30, 1967 . "Let's see," she said, scrolling through a list of names beginning with 'W'. A few moments later, she looked up at Cat. "There's no entry here under that name and date, Cat," she said.

Cat looked perplexed. "Can you tap into the state archive files, Heather?" she asked hopefully. "Maybe she went to another hospital."

"Sure," Heather said as she called up the state archives web site and once more began her search. Again, she came up empty. "Cat, are you sure she was born in this state?" Heather asked.

"I'm pretty sure she was, Heather," Cat said. "Maybe if you search ....."

"I'm way ahead of you, Cat," Heather interrupted as she accessed the national birth records web site. Cat grinned at the perceptiveness of this woman as she waited for the search results.

"Okay, here we go," she said. "Waterman, Helen, son. Waterman, Julie, daughter. Waterman, Lisa, son. Waterman, Mary, son." She looked up at Cat apologetically. "Sorry, Cat. I'm afraid that's it. No entry under the name Eleanor Waterman. If its not listed in the national registry, she either didn't register the birth, had the baby out of the country, changed her name, or, she's not the birth mother." she said.

Her last comment hit Cat like a ton of bricks. "What did you say?" Cat asked.

"I said, she either didn't register the birth, had the baby out of the country, changed her name, or, she's not the birth mother," Heather repeated.

Cat stood there, eyes sightless as she stared at the computer screen, trying to digest what Heather was saying.

"Cat, are you all right?" Heather asked as she snapped her fingers in front of Cat's face.

"Wwwhat? Oh, I'm sorry. Guess I was preoccupied there for a moment," Cat said. Smiling at Heather, she added, "Thanks for the help, Heather. I really appreciate it."

"Any time, Cat. I'll see you later," Heather said as Cat turned and walked away, deep in thought.

**********

"Okay, let's see, W..a..t..e..r..m..a..n," Art recited out loud as he typed the name into his computer using just his index fingers. "Damn, I'll never get the hang of typing," he grumbled. After pressing the 'enter' button he sat back and waited, tapping his fingers on the desk top while the search engine churned through the list of Social Security numbers. Finally, the screen filled with names and numbers. Scrolling through the list, he located two Eleanor's and seven Daniel's. Using their birth dates, he finally narrowed the list to one of each. "Bingo!" he said out loud.

The next step was to request benefits information on each of them and send it to the printer. That done, he logged off the computer and walked down the hall to the printer room to pick up his reports. He arrived just as the second report was rolling out of the printer. Picking them up, he started reading as he walked back toward his office. Right in the middle of the hallway, he stopped short and stared at the papers. "What the hell is this?" he said under his breath. Thumbing through the second report, he found the page he was looking for. "Well, I'll be," he commented as he picked up his pace to his office. Once there, he logged back onto his computer and tapped in to the company's personnel files. Moments later, he had found what he was looking for. "Charland, Billie. Born March 30, 1967," he read. Looking back at the social security reports he had printed on the Waterman's he found an identical entry on both which read: "Social Security number, date of issue, March 30, 1967."

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

CHAPTER VII

Billie was in a daze when she left the rectory late that afternoon, a multitude of questions running through her mind. She struggled with several scenarios to explain her parents' identity change .... the possibility that they were fugitives, somehow in trouble with the law, that they were being protected and had relocated with the assistance of the government, that they had taken on new identities to somehow protect her. That last one was the only explanation that made sense, since the identity change seemed to coincide with her birth. Her head was aching and spinning as she pulled into the driveway of her home, having decided not to return to work. Jen came running across the lawn as Billie reached the back porch steps.

"Billie, wait up," she yelled. Billie stopped and waited for her to approach.

"What is it, Jen?" Billie asked.

"Look, I've only got a minute. The school bus will be dropping the kids off soon and I need to be home when they get there, so I'll make this fast," Jen began. "I brought your key to the locksmith today and he seems to think it belongs to a safe deposit box, but he wouldn't give me any clues as to which bank it might be in." Jen explained.

Billie frowned. "You mean, he can tell just by looking at the key?" she asked.

"He seems to think he can," answered Jen. "Anyhow, he wouldn't tell me which bank because I don't own the key. He said, the owner ... a.k.a. - you, will have to make the request in person." she finished.

"He said that, did he," commented Billie. "Well, I guess I'll just have to pay him a visit tomorrow. Do you have the key on you?" she asked her friend.

"Yeah, here," Jen replied as she dug deep into her pocket for the key, handing it over to Billie. "Do you want me to go with you?" she asked.

"Sure, if you want to," Billie answered. "I just may need you to stop me from tearing his head off; you know, a little pre-planned damage control, so to speak." she explained.

"Okay, you've got it, Big Guy. Well, gotta go, the bus will be here in a minute. Maybe I'll see you and Cat later tonight. If not, then I'll meet you at the locksmith's at say ... noon tomorrow ... Okay?" Jen said before departing for home.

Billie watched her friend leave then went into the house. Sitting down in the overstuffed chair in the living room, she leaned her head back on the cushions and closed her eyes. "What did that priest mean when he said he warned my parents about me? Why did they change their names? I wonder if this key really goes to a safe deposit box .... what could possibly be in the box?" she wondered to herself until she lost consciousness and fell into a light sleep.

**********

Cat picked the kids up at daycare on her way home. Pulling into the driveway, she was surprised to see Billie's car there. It was very unusual for the tall woman to make it home before her. "I wonder if she's ill," Cat thought and she approached the house.

"Mama, can I go play with Missy?" Skylar asked before Cat even reached the bottom porch step.

Turning around, she faced her daughter. "Sure, honey. Seth, can you walk your sister across the street for me?" she asked her son.

"Sure, Ma. Come on, Squirt," he said to his sister affectionately, taking her hand. Half way down the driveway, he turned back to Cat and asked, "Ma, is it all right if I go to Stevie's after I bring Sky to Missy's?"

"Okay, sure. Just be home by 5:00 to get cleaned up for dinner, okay? Oh, and stop to pick Sky up on the way back, if you would," she replied.

"Okay, Ma ... We'll see you at 5:00, he said, escorting his sister once more in the direction of Missy's house.

Moments later, Cat finally made it into the kitchen to find Tara just hanging up the phone. Cat raised a questioning eyebrow to her daughter.

"I just called Karissa, Mama. She's coming over to play with me in my room," Tara announced.

Cat just nodded her head. "All right ... just keep the noise down, okay?" she said.

Just then, an out of breath Karissa came barging into the kitchen. Stopping to catch her breath, she bent over at the waist and rested her hands on her thighs. "I ... ran ... all ... the ... way," she said, breathing hard between each word.

Cat walked over to Karissa and knelt on one knee in front of her. Reaching up to rub her back, Cat looked her in the face and said, "Karissa, honey, are you all right?"

"Yeah, just a little out of breath," she said as her breathing visibly steadied. "I'm okay now."

Taking Karissa's hand, Tara lead her friend through the living room and up the stairs to the bedroom., Within moments, sounds of the two girls playing dolls drifted down the stairs.

With the children off in their own little worlds, Cat's mind returned to Billie's early arrival home. Tossing the mail onto the kitchen table, she walked through the living room, with the intention of heading up stairs, where she thought Billie might be, until she spotted her sleeping in the chair in the living room.

Cat just stood there and watched her for a few moments, pleasant thoughts of love going through her brain as she took in the relaxed pose, head back, legs crossed at the ankles, shoes kicked off, skirted business suit creeping to mid-thigh, as her tall frame had burrowed down into the chair, hands clasped and resting on her stomach. "By the gods, she's beautiful!" Cat thought to herself before leaning down and placing a tender kiss on the tall woman's forehead.

Billie's eyes flew open at the touch. "Hi," she said, looking up into Cat's green eyes.

"Hi, yourself," Cat said. "You're home early. Do you feel all right, love?" Cat asked.

Billie reached up and placed her right hand behind Cat's neck, pulling her down for a tender kiss. Several light kisses later, Billie pulled back and said, "I'm fine. Just a little tired, and a lot frustrated," she said, then added, "I spent some time at the church today, going through records on my parents. I was very confused by what I found, Cat."

Cat frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean, I discovered that I am not who we think I am," she replied.

"I don't understand," Cat said, an uneasy feeling starting to generate in the pit of her stomach.

Sitting up in the chair, she took the smaller woman across her lap and held her close. Leaning into Cat's ear, she whispered, "Cat, do you love me .... I mean, truly love me?"

Cat was taken aback by the question. Reaching over, she grasped Billie's face in between her hands and looked her straight in the eyes. "Of course I love you, Billie. I always will. Nothing will change that. I don't know what you found at the church, but know that nothing will make me stop loving you. Do you understand?" she stated.

Billie closed her eyes and let a tear escape from each one. Opening them again, she blinked a couple of times, then said, "Good, because I am not Billie Waterman Charland," she said.

**********

"What do you mean, you're not Billie Charland?" Cat asked nervously. "Billie, you're scaring me."

Billie reached up and placed her hand on the side of Cat's face. "I said I'm not Billie Waterman Charland. Cat, I started going through the church files on my parents, and half way through the file, I found that my parents had changed their name." she explained. "The file contained numerous documents under the names Waterman and Walton. I thought at first the Walton papers had been mis-filed, but then I found a photograph of my parents with the names Darrenl and Emma written on the back. It was dated several years before my birth."

Cat reached up and took the hand Billie had placed against her cheek. Holding it between her own two smaller hands, she gently squeezed it and said, "They changed their name? When? Why?" Cat asked.

"When?" Billie repeated. "March 30, 1967. Why? I don't know," she replied.

"March 30, 1967? Billie, that's your birthday!" Cat exclaimed.

Holding Cat's gaze, Billie's brow creased as she replied. "Yes it is, Cat. For whatever reason, they changed their names from Darren and Emma Walton, to Daniel and Eleanor Waterman, on, or around the time of my birth."

Cat rose from Billie's lap and started pacing back and forth, her left hand on her hip, her right hand worrying the bangs on her forehead. "Billie, this doesn't make sense. Why would they change their names? If the church had records from before and after the name change, they obviously didn't feel the need to leave town, so they weren't hiding from anyone around here." Cat tried to reason.

Billie sat on the edge of the chair and leaned forward, resting her forearms on her thighs, clasping her hands together in front of her. "I know. Whatever drove them to change their name must have come from a higher level ... maybe the state or national level ... I don't know Cat .... it's all so confusing. Oh, and that nasty, bigoted old priest at the church said something that struck me as odd." Billie said.

"What did he say, Billie?" Cat asked.

"He said that he had warned my parents about bringing me into their lives. That I would bring them nothing but heartache," Billie said, holding her hands out in front of her in confusion. "Cat, I never gave my parents reason to worry. Hell, I even stayed with an abusive husband to avoid hurting them!" she declared.

Cat stopped her pacing and looked at Billie. Seeing the pain and confusion in her wife's eyes, she walked back over to her and crawled into Billie's lap, wrapping her arms around the taller woman's neck and pulling the dark head down to her chest. "You could never intentionally hurt anyone, Love. You are too tender hearted for that," she said, kissing Billie's head gently. "We'll get to the bottom of this, Billie. I promise." Cat finished.

Billie wrapped her long arms around Cat's waist and squeezed her gently. After placing a delicate kiss between Cat's breasts, she pulled her head back and looked into Cat's face. "Enough about me," she said. "How was your day, Love?"

Cat smiled as she reached up and brushed Billie's bangs out of her eyes. "Not too bad," she replied. "I had just one surgery to anesthetize. It went well. The rest of the day was filled with meetings," she explained. "Oh, by the way, I visited the records archives today to check on your birth records, and oddly enough, there was nothing listed indicating that your mother gave birth any time between March 1 and April 30, 1967. We even checked the state and national registers."

"No records?" Billie asked. "What does that mean?"

"Well, according to the records' clerk, it could mean one of several things. It could mean that your birth wasn't registered, that your mother gave birth under a different name, that you weren't born in this country, or ... that she isn't your real birth mother." Cat explained.

Billie became very animated at this explanation. She started to rise to her feet, causing Cat to scurry quickly off her lap. Taking a few steps away, she turned to look back at Cat. Her brow was creased as though deep in thought. Stepping forward, she placed her hands on Cat's shoulders. "Cat, you said she could have given birth under a different name. Tomorrow, could you check the birth records under the name, Emma Walton?" she asked.

"Of course. I'll get with Heather first thing in the morning," Cat said.

Billie smiled and pulled her in for a hug. "Thanks, Love. I'm sure my parents had a good reason for changing their name. I just need to know what it is. I'll talk to Art tomorrow about doing some social security searches on the name Walton. I won't rest until I get to the bottom of this, Cat." she said.

Pulling back, Cat looked up at Billie and reached up to caress her cheek. "I want you to know that I support you in this, Billie. I'll help you any way I can."

Looking directly into Cat's eyes, Billie said in all sincerity, "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"Several times this morning," Cat replied. "But I'll never tire of hearing it," she added.

Billie leaned down and kissed Cat passionately, her tongue seeking and gaining entrance into the smaller woman's mouth. After their tongues performed an erotic dance of love within Cat's mouth, Billie worked her way across the red head's jaw and down her throat to her collar bone, nipping at close intervals along the way, leaving a trail of tell tale marks in her wake. Cat's breathing became deep and ragged, bolts of desire shooting from the points where Billie nipped her neck, directly to her groin. Her head was thrown back and to the side. Her hands were buried in Billie's thick hair, holding Billie's head in place while her mouth, teeth and tongue feasted on the red head's neck. Billie's hands roamed up and down Cat's backside, grasping generous globes and pulling the smaller woman's heated center closer to her own, as her mouth moved lower, intending to feast at the bulbous mounds that awaited her behind the confines of the lace bra Cat wore.

"Cat, where are the kids?" Billie asked through passion filled breaths.

Cat suddenly pulled back and looked at Billie, a frown creasing her brow. "Damn!" she exclaimed, looking into Billie's passion-glazed eyes. "Tara and Karissa are upstairs," she explained.

As if on queue, a voice came from the stairs. "Mama, can we have a snack?"

Cat turned round in Billie's arms, her face flush, a guilty look crossing her features at being caught. Billie stood behind her, her hands on the smaller woman's shoulders. A head taller, Billie rested her chin on top of Cat's head as she looked at the children and chuckled at Cat's discomfort.

Cat gave Billie a slight elbow in the ribs as she heard the chuckle. Satisfied with the grunt she received from the taller woman, she turned her attention to the children on the stairs.

"Sweetheart, how long have you and Karissa been standing there?' she asked sweetly.

"Just for a minute," the child replied. "Can we have a snack?" she asked again.

Cat smiled. "Sure, come on ... to the kitchen." she said as she straightened her shirt and headed in that direction.

Billie stood there innocently, with her hands clasped behind her. As the two children passed by, she heard Karissa lean in to Tara and ask, "Do they always kiss like that?"

Watching Tara nod vigorously as they followed Cat into the kitchen, Billie chuckled once more, then headed to the stairs to change her clothes and relax for the evening.

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

CHAPTER VIII

Early the next morning, Billie stood under the shower spray, her hands against the wall under the nozzle, her face tilted upward as the water streamed over her brow, and ran in rivulets down her body to the drain at her feet. The lukewarm water felt invigorating after her usual five mile morning run, as the massaging action of the sprayer head shot pulsating darts of water across her back and shoulders. Totally lost in thoughts of her parents and in the plans she had for a day of records searching, she was unaware of the smaller woman's presence, until she felt small hands snake their way across her abdomen, pulling her backward and drawing her close to the firm naked body behind her.

Billie braced her hands on the shower wall to her left and the door to her right as she pressed her backside into the form behind her, molding their naked bodies together as one. She threw her head back as the hands made their way up her abdomen to her breasts, caressing and squeezing Billie's buxom globes. Billie could feel the hardened peaks of the woman's own nipples raking across her back, sending her to the brink of sexual rage. Finally, one of the small hands slid downward, between the taller woman's legs and teased her passion point, quickly pushing Billie to the zenith of her desire.

Moments later, after finding her legs, Billie turned in the smaller woman's arms and pressed her up against the shower wall. Lowering her mouth, she devoured her partner whole, her tongue dancing around the cavern of the woman's mouth, down her throat, to her breasts, where she worshipped the peaks that had moments earlier, run torturously across her back. Moving lower, she reached her destination as her crouched position caused the shower spray to strike the smaller woman's abdomen above Billie's head. The pulsating nature of the spray, combined with the erotic treatment Billie was administering, caused the woman to shriek out Billie's name, the sounds of the shower, muting the screams coming from her throat. Finally, the spasms stopped as the smaller woman collapsed in Billie's arms.

Lifting her back up into a standing position, Billie propped the woman up against the wall and held her there with her own weight. Lowering her head once more, she savored the sweet taste of her mouth, then looked lovingly into green eyes. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you, but I thought last night would have been enough to last you a day or two, Cat." she said, reminding the red head of their long and intense love making session from the night before.

Cat threw her arms around Billie's neck. "I will never get enough of you, Love. The more you give me, the more I want!" she declared, raising her eyebrows up and down wickedly.

"Woman, you are insatiable!" Billie exclaimed. "Don't you dare ever change," she added with a smile, lowering her head for another kiss. "You, Madame, will be late if we dawdle much longer," she reminded Cat as she handed the bar of soap to her wife.

"Ah, Billie, I think you might want to leave. The thoughts that are crossing my mind right now with this bar of soap are enough to make us both late for work," Cat warned.

Billie smiled and reached for the shower door. "If they're the same thoughts that just crossed my mind, you may be right," she said. "I'll get dressed then get the kids up for school. Don't be long, Love. Okay?" she said, leaning down to kiss her wife before stepping out of the shower.

**********

Billie was waiting for Art when he arrived early that morning. He sat back in his chair, staring at her in disbelief as she paced back and forth in front of his desk, telling him about her discovery through the church records. Finally, when she was done, she sat down in his guest chair and asked him what he thought.

"Well, it certainly sheds some light on what I discovered yesterday when I researched the Waterman's social security numbers," he said.

Billie's head perked up. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, I found out that their social security numbers we assigned on March 30, 1967 ... which I happen to know, is your date of birth, Billie. That seemed really odd to me at the time, but now that we know they changed their names, well ... we have more to go on. We'll need to do a search on the name Walton," he explained. Rising from his chair, he added, "Let's enlist Jimmy's help on this one. He's a lot more proficient with the Internet than I am."

Billie agreed as she followed the big man out the door and down the hall to Jimmy's office. Jimmy had a knack for finding information on anyone. He was one of the old timers around the firm. Even though he was a full fledged lawyer, he spent most of his time surfing the net for his employers and fellow workers. Despite his constant grumbling about 'new fangled technology', his proficiency on the Internet astounded all those who worked with him. Jimmy had been instrumental in helping Billie locate Tara's biological father when she and Cat went through legal proceedings to adopt each other's children.

"Walton .... Walton. let's see. Andrew, Bradley, Carl, Daniel, Darren .... Here it is. Darren Walton, born April 29, 1923," Jimmy said as he scrolled through the list of male Waltons born in the country on that date.

"Are you sure its the right one, Jimmy?" Billie asked as she and Art read over the man's shoulder.

"Well, let's see. Place and year of birth fits. Says here he was married in 1941 to one seventeen year old Emma Rocque before being shipped off to Germany in World War II. Served in the armed forces as a career officer upon returning from the war in 1944 after the D-Day victory over Germany ... medal of honor ... purple heart. Retired from the service in 1965 with the rank of General," Jimmy read out loud.

"It all seems to fit. I can remember him talking about his days in the service ... about the D-Day invasion," Billie said. "I just wish there was a way to be absolutely sure," she said.

"Well, you just hold on there one more minute, Missy," Jimmy said, as Billie blushed and Art smiled.

Jimmy guided the mouse to a small icon located at the bottom of the screen, and double clicked on it. Within seconds, a full screen, color photograph of General Darren Walton appeared on the screen.

"Daddy," Billie said, almost in a whisper, her legs nearly giving out on her with emotional release.

Art circled his arm around Billie's slim waist. "Don't you dare faint on me, Charland. Here, sit down," he said, directing her into a chair beside Jimmy's desk. "Are you all right?" he asked, noting her pale features.

Billie nodded her head toward Art. "Yeah, I'm fine." Looking back to Jimmy, she said, "Where do we go from here, Jimmy? I know now that Mom and Dad changed their names, apparently around the time of my birth. Question is, why?"

"Well, you can research their social security numbers and tax records to reconstruct their activities around the time of your birth, Billie," Jimmy suggested.

"We've already determined that they were issued new social security numbers when under their new names when Billie was born. Now that we know their real names, we can do another search under their old numbers. Does that magic file you're looking at there have their original numbers, Jimmy?" Art said.

"Coming right up!" Jimmy replied.

Within seconds, Jimmy had not only found their original social security numbers, but had done a search on their yearly income from 1940 to 1967. A few more key strokes and the file was on its way to the printer on Jimmy's desk. He then repeated the process from 1967 to 1989 under the name Waterman.

Billie scanned the documents carefully for several moments before handing them over to Art. She sat in the chair by Jimmy's desk with one leg crossed over the other, her left elbow propped up on the arm of the chair, her chin resting on her hand, as she waited patiently for Art to come to the same conclusion she had.

Art looked up at Billie after he had finished studying the documents. "Sorry, Billie, but nothing jumps out at me," he said.

Billie nodded. "Yeah, I came to the same conclusion. There's just nothing there that would suggest a reason for the name change, and why it happens to coincide with my birth," she said. "Now what do we do?" she asked.

"Billie, just what are you trying to do here? What is your goal?" Jimmy asked.

Billie took a deep breath. "Well, I started out just wanting to generate a genealogy for my family, but this mystery surrounding my parents' name change has me perplexed. I feel like I've lost my origins, Jimmy. I need to know why ... I need to know who I really am," she explained.

Jimmy looked back at his computer. "Genealogy, huh?" he said. "Let's see," he continued as he punched more information into the search engine. Moments later, he had the results he was looking for. "Says here that your mother had a sister, Clara Rocque, died at age 16 of tuberculosis. Her parents were French immigrants, Giselle and Jacques Rocque. No information beyond that. Your father had no siblings. His parents, George and Sarah Walton were born in this country in the early 1890's. Again, no information beyond that point. Billie," Jimmy said, looking away from his computer to address his coworker, "It's going to be difficult to trace any genealogy beyond the early 1800's. Accurate records were just not kept earlier than that. Just how far back do you want to go?" he asked.

Billie looked at her friend. Taking a deep breath, she reached up and massaged the infant headache that was growing in her head. "Jimmy, Cat and I have reason to believe that our roots begin in Ancient Greece," she said.

Jimmy raised his eyebrows and whistled. "Wow" he finally said. "Good luck with that one. It will be difficult."

"Well, I'm finding that out," Billie said as she rose to her feet. Bending down to hug Jimmy, she kissed him on the cheek and thanked him for his help, walking away before seeing the bright red blush rise from the older man's neck to his face.

When Billie returned to her desk, she sat in her chair, crossed her arms on the desk, and rested her head on them. She stayed like that for several moments until the telephone pulled her out of her trance.

"Billie Charland," she said into the receiver.

"Hi, Love," came Cat's voice through the line.

Billie smiled into the phone. No matter what her mood was, Cat's voice always lifted her spirits. Billie was suddenly struck by an overwhelming need to be held in Cat's arms as her beautiful wife soothed away her worries and promised to make everything all right.

"Hi Sweetheart," Billie replied. "It's so good to hear you voice. I really needed that right now."

"Billie, are you okay?" Cat asked, picking up on the tension in her wife's voice.

"I'm a little discouraged, Cat. We've just hit a dead end with my parents. We found all kinds of information on the Waltons, but nothing that helps me to determine why they changed their name. Also, no genealogical records beyond the late 1800's. Did you have any luck with the birth records on Emma Walton?" she asked.

"I'm afraid not, love. No record of Emma Walton giving birth at all. I'm sorry." Cat said softly.

Billie sighed deeply. "Damn," she said. "Cat, what is happening here? All of the sudden, I don't have a past ... my whole life has been a lie," she said.

"Billie, no ... Sweetheart, your life is not a lie. We are not a lie. Our children are not lies. Love, please don't feel that way," Cat pleaded, a hint of tears in her voice.

Feeling really bad that she had upset her soul mate, she said, "Cat, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I'll be all right. Look, I've got to meet Jen at noon at the locksmith's. Maybe the contents of the safe deposit box will shed some light on this. Can you meet us there?" Billie asked.

"I'll be there, Love. Billie, are you okay? I want so much to just hold you in my arms right now and make everything all right," Cat said.

Billie closed her eyes as her heart pounded in her chest with love for this woman. "There is no place I would rather be right now than in your arms, Cat," Billie replied.

"Do you have to go back to work this afternoon, Billie? Can you take some time off? I will arrange to have the afternoon off myself if you can," Cat offered.

"Okay. I like that idea," Billie said. "I'll see you at noon. I love you, Cat."

"I love you too ... with all my heart. I'll see you in a while. Bye." Cat responded.

"Bye," Billie said before hanging up the phone.

**********

"Let me make one thing clear right away," Billie said, leaning over the counter and using her best intimidating voice on the man behind it. "My friend here, volunteered to have this key checked out for me. I don't appreciate you giving her a hard time. I trust her with my life. You got me? Now, do us all a favor and tell me about this key," Billie said.

The man visibly gulped as he accepted the key from Billie. "It belongs to a safe deposit box," he said.

"That much I got from my friend, here," she said, indicating Jen, who was standing by smugly. "Which bank does it belong to?" Billie questioned.

The locksmith looked at the key and then back at Billie. "Give me a minute and I'll be able to tell you," he replied.

"You do that!" Billie exclaimed.

The locksmith took the key into the back room as Billie turned around and rested her backside against the counter, crossing her arms across her chest and facing Cat and Jen. Cat looked at Billie and smiled wickedly.

"Billie, you are sooooo bad," she said. "You have that guy nearly peeing his pants."

"Serves him right," Jen said.

Billie had a stern look on her face. Seeing her distress, Cat approached her wife and reached up to brush the bangs out of her face. "You really need to let me cut those," she said before asking, "Do you feel okay, love?"

Billie opened her arms, accepting Cat's slim form eagerly. Holding her close, she whispered in her ear, "I'm okay for now, but I'll feel a lot better later when we are lying together in each other's arms."

Cat shuddered as a wave of desire passed through her. "Cat, control yourself. She needs your support and reassurance right now, not your lust-crazed sexuality!" Cat admonished herself.

Jen approached them as she saw the locksmith coming out of the back room. "I hate to break up this little love-fest, but her comes Mr. Bozo," she said.

Releasing Cat from her embrace, Billie turned back toward the counter while Cat busied herself looking at a lock display in a case nearby. The locksmith gave them a knowing look while he approached Billie.

"Okay. The safe deposit box is located in the First National Bank right here in town. Just a word of warning, you'll need to prove that you own the box before they'll let you into it," he explained.

Billie nodded her head as she accepted the key from the man. "What do I owe you?" she asked.

"Nothing ... this one's on me," he replied.

Billie smiled at him, easing his tension immediately. "Thanks," she said, turning to go. Stopping before she reached the door, she turned and asked, "How did you know which bank the key belonged to?"

"That's easy. There's a small coded number etched into one side of the key. You need a magnifying glass to make it out. All I had to do was cross reference it to a master key list to know which bank the box is in," he explained.

Billie smiled again. "Cool," she said. "Thanks again." With that, she and her entourage were gone.

As they walked back to their cars, Billie turned to Cat. "Cat, I have to go home before going to the bank. I'll need to pick up my parents' death certificate and copy of their will to prove I have rights to the safe deposit box," she explained.

"All right. I'll follow you there. It doesn't make sense to take two cars to the bank," Cat reasoned.

"Mind if I join you?" Jen asked.

"Not at all, Jen," Billie answered. "We'll meet you at our house in about 20 minutes. Okay?"

**********

An hour later, all three women were standing around safe deposit box #21, which had been removed from the vault and placed in a private room for them to view. Billie began to pace back and forth, keeping her eyes glued to the box.

"Aren't you going to open it?" asked Jen.

Cat reached her arm out to stop Billie's pacing. "Billie, Honey. You need to open the box. The answers you are looking for may be in there. We're here to support you love. Please," Cat reasoned.

Billie nodded and approached the table. Reaching over, she lifted the lid on the box and looked inside. She stood there for several moments just looking at the contents. Finally, she reached in and started to remove the items, one at a time .... An official looking document in an envelope, some jewelry, a small wrist bracelet with the name 'Suzanne' spelled out in tiny pink blocks, some stock certificates and a letter.

Billie picked up the letter first, reading it out loud.

"Dear Daughter,

If you are reading this letter, chances are we are gone. We could not leave you alone without giving you the opportunity to know the truth. Please know that we never meant to hurt you. We desperately hope that you will understand why we did what we did. Just know that you were always the light of our lives, a light that will continue to shine in our hearts after we are gone.

Your father and I want you to know that we love you very much. The documents in this box will give you some insight into how you came to us. Please know that you came to us in love, and we loved you dearly every moment of our lives. We do not know all the details of your arrival in this world, only that we were desperate for a child. You were the answer to our prayers. Please do not hate us for loving you.

Some day we will meet again. We only hope that you will forgive us and greet us with love on your day of reckoning.

We love you, Honey,

Mom and Dad"

Billie looked up from the letter with tears in her eyes. Cat was standing nearby, clenching her fists. When Billie caught her eye, she approached the tall woman and reached up to squeeze her arm. Jen was leaning against the wall, trying desperately to hold back her own tears.

"Cat," Billie said. "Please .... Read the document for me. I can't do it," she pleaded.

Cat nodded and reached for the envelope. Removing the document, she quickly scanned the contents, taking a deep breath when she realized what they implied. She looked up at Billie with tears in her eyes, then looked back down at the documents to read them more carefully.

"Cat?" Billie said softly when she looked up from the documents for the second time.

Cat looked back at Billie. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she saw the anguish in her wife's eyes. "Billie ... they adopted you," she said as she heard Billie catch her breath. "Love, this is a hand written contract between your parents and what looks like a third party agency. I don't know how legal it was."

Billie reached out with a shaky hand and braced herself on the edge of the table. Jen saw her friend's unsteadiness and helped her into a chair. Jen sat beside her and took Billie's hand, holding it while Cat continued.

"There is no mention of your birth parents, Billie. There is, however, mention of a purchase price. Sweetheart, they paid $10,000 for you." Cat said, cringing at the damage her words were doing to her love. She detested the pain this revelation was causing her wife, but she recognized that Billie needed the truth. Only with the truth would she be able to face the future and heal the pain.

Billie clenched Jen's hand's tightly as the tears rolled down her face. Finally, unable to contain it any longer, Billie broke down and cried violent tears ... tears that shook her to her very soul. Heart wrenching wails tore from her throat as Cat and Jen both wrapped their arms around the taller woman and cried with her.

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

CHAPTER IX

Billie curled herself up into a fetal position on the bed, pulling the blanket tightly around her neck. Her eyes stared straight ahead, unblinking. The room was dark, the shades drawn.

"Billie, sweetheart." Cat said from her position by the bedroom door.

No answer.

"Billie, Love, please talk to me," she begged.

Still no answer, and no movement from the bed. Finally, tired of the non-communication, Cat approached the bed and climbed in behind Billie. Moving up close to her wife, she spooned herself in behind her and wrapped her arm around the taller woman's waist.

"Sweetheart, please talk to me," she whispered into Billie's ear. Billie responded by covering Cat's hand with her own. Cat took that as a positive sign as she climbed over Billie and lay on the other side so that she was lying face to face with her wife. Reaching over, she brushed a long strand of hair away from Billie's cheek and tucked it behind her ear.

Billie's eyes focused on Cat. "Cat. I feel so lost. So alone. I don't know who I am, where I came from. I'm so scared," she admitted to the smaller woman.

"I understand, my love. I understand. But know that I am here for you, and the children are too. I've told them what happened, Billie. They want to see you when you're ready, okay," Cat asked.

Billie nodded her head slightly, then yawned.

Cat leaned in and kissed Billie on the forehead. "Sleep, Billie. Give yourself the time you need to heal and to deal with this. I'll be close by, love. I need to make supper for the kids and tuck them into bed later on, but I'll be back to check on you throughout the evening. Okay? I love you, Billie. I always will. Nothing about your past or your origins will change that. You do understand that, don't you?" she asked.

Billie nodded her head as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Cat leaned over and kissed her once more before silently slipping from the room.

Later that evening, Billie awoke to find a slip of paper tucked into her hand. Rolling onto her back, she reached over and turned on the bedside lamp. Unfolding the paper, she read:

COME, TAKE MY HAND

Come, Take my hand,

And I will transfuse

My ebbing strength

Within your tears,

Transforming two weak

Into one strong voice.

Come, Take my hand,

Burden me with your

Tension and indecision

Which are mine too.

For only by helping

Can I help myself;

Only by seeing others

Do what I have done

Can I gain insight.

Come, Take my hand;

In strength of numbers

We will brave the world.

I love you, Billie,

Come back to me.

Come, Take my hand.

Cat

Billie folded the paper and placed it on the night stand. Rolling onto her back, she stared at the ceiling as tears streamed from her eyes, falling into her ears and onto the bed. Suddenly, she realized just what she had been taking for granted in her life. She had a wonderful wife, who loved her unconditionally, and whom she loved with wild abandon. She couldn't imagine her life without Cat. She loved her with a passion that was beyond description. Cat's words in this poem were proof positive that she felt the same. She had three healthy children, the loves of her life, her pride and joy. No one could ask for better kids, she loved them so much, and they loved her. She had wonderful friends ... Jen, Fred, Art, Marge. They would be there for her at a moments notice, and she for them. She had Cat's parents, who loved her as their own. She couldn't ask for better parents. It appeared now that they were much better parents than her own had been ... at least they had never lied to Cat. Finally, she had a very stable and satisfying job. She had everything most people only dreamed of.

"By the gods. Here I am, feeling sorry for myself, when out there, beyond that door, are people who love me, people who would die for me if necessary. I have to come to terms with this before I drive Cat away. I have been such a fool!" she berated herself as she threw off the blankets, climbed out of bed and headed for the door.

Stepping out into the darkened hallway, she stopped short and looked around, listening to the silence that permeated the air. Reaching over to push the indiglo light on her watch, she noted the time to be 12:05 am. "It's past midnight," she thought to herself. "I can't believe I slept so long." Continuing down the hallway, she stopped at each of the children's rooms to tuck them in and kiss them goodnight before descending the stairs to the living room. Her heart nearly burst with love and pride for these children as she thanked the gods above for giving them to her.

As she approached the bottom of the stairs, she saw a glow coming from the table lamp near Cat's favorite chair. Stepping into the living room, she saw Cat asleep in the chair, an open book in her lap, her head resting against the wing on the back of the chair. Billie stood there for long moments watching her wife sleep. "By the gods, she is beautiful!" Billie thought as she noted the silky red-gold hair, perfectly sculptured face, soft china-doll features, and creamy white skin. Approaching the sleeping woman quietly, she removed the book from her lap and placed it on the table, before reaching over and turning off the lamp. Slowly, she reached under and behind Cat, and lifted her into her arms, cradling her against her chest. Cat stirred as she felt herself being elevated out of the chair.

"Billie?" she asked sleepily.

"Yes, love. You fell asleep in the chair. Time for bed," she replied as she headed toward the stairs.

Cat snuggled into Billie's neck as she allowed herself to be carried to bed. Reaching the bedroom, Billie gently lowered Cat to the bed and then crawled in beside her, laying face to face with the smaller woman, neither touching the other. Cat opened her eyes and looked at Billie sleepily.

"How are you feeling?" Cat asked.

"Better now that you're here with me," Billie replied. Reaching over with her left hand, she trailed her fingers down the side of Cat's face and smiled. "Thank you for the poem, Cat," she said. "It was beautiful. It made me see things in a different light."

"Good," Cat replied. "I love you Billie," she added.

"Why?" Billie questioned.

"Huh?" Cat said, confused by the question.

"Why do you love me, Cat? I have put you through hell over this past year, with my mood swings, hospitalization and recovery from brain surgery, and now this mess with my parents. Gods, Cat, a lesser woman would have jumped ship a long time ago," she said.

"Billie, I could never leave you. I am incomplete without you. Don't you know that by now?" Cat asked, reaching for Billie's hand and holding it tightly to her heart.

"I have been a fool, basking in self pity, Cat. I need to look at what I have in my life today, not at the past. The past is gone. I can't change it, but I can shape the future." Reaching over once more, she pulled Cat into her embrace, holding the woman close to her heart before continuing. "Cat, please forgive me for being blind to all the wonderful things I have so much to be thankful for. I love you Cat. I love you beyond words," she finished.

Cat snuggled in close to Billie, wrapping her arm around the taller woman's waist and pressing their bodies close together, legs entwined like braided rope. "I could lay in your arms like this forever," she whispered, closing her eyes and finally succumbing to sleep.

"Forever," Billie repeated before drifting off to sleep herself.

**********

Billie was sitting sullenly at her desk the next morning when Art poked his head in.

"Good Morning, Billie," he said, parking himself on the corner of her desk as she went through her e-mail. "How did things go at the bank yesterday?" he asked.

Billie looked up at him with a pained expression on her face, which Art picked up immediately.

Leaning forward, he placed one large hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. "Not good, huh?" he guessed.

Billie focused her attention on the screen, knowing that if she looked up at her friend again, she would break down crying. She pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth and drew her brow into a frown. Looking down through tear-filled eyes at her hands hovering over the keyboard, she shook her head no, and bit down on her lip a little harder.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked.

Billie reached up and placed her hand over Art's, which was still on her shoulder. Finally, she looked up at her friend, tears threatening to spill over onto her cheeks. Art took one look at the pain in her eyes and threw his arms open wide. It was an invitation Billie couldn't refuse, as she flew into them and allowed herself to be enveloped in the safety of the big man's arms.

"Come on, Billie. Let it go," Art crooned in her ear as he rubbed his hand up and down her back.

Billie clung to him like a lifeline, shuddering sobs wracking her tall frame. After several long moments, the crying subsided and her breathing evened, yet she continued to cling to her friend, her head resting on Art's broad shoulder.

Art turned his head to whisper in Billie's ear. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Billie nodded her head, then pulled back, looking Art in the face. "Art, I spent the entire evening, yesterday feeling sorry for myself. I told Cat that I would try to deal with this, but I'm afraid that I'm not doing a very good job - all I can do is cry. I'm not a pretty sight when I cry, am I?" she commented.

Art reached up and wiped away, the single tear that had rolled down Billie's cheek. "Charland, I dare say that nothing can mar your beauty. Hell, if I wasn't so much in love with Marge, and you with Cat, your beauty alone would have me worshipping at your feet," he declared, causing Billie to blush. He reached out and grasped her shoulders with both hands. "Now, are you ready to tell me about it?" he asked.

Billie sat down in her chair and reached for her briefcase. Retrieving the letter and adoption papers, she handed them over to her friend for him to read. Moments later, Art looked up from the documents and whistled.

"Wow, Billie. I'll bet this threw you for a loop. You know this document isn't binding, don't you? What your parents did was basically illegal. No wonder they changed their name," he commented.

Billie took a deep breath. "I know, Art," she said, pausing long enough to regain the composure she was threatening to lose again. "I just don't know what to do next. I'm not even sure I want to do anything," she said.

Art looked up again from reading the adoption papers. "There's no mention of your birth parents' names in this document, Billie. We can research the name of the adoption agency, but my guess is that it is bogus. Would you like me to start looking?" he asked.

Billie reached up and took the document out of Art's hands. "No need, Art. I've already done that, and you are right - it was a bogus name. The agency never existed. I've hit another dead end," she concluded.

"And how do you feel about that, Billie?" Art asked.

"Lousy," Billie said, truthfully. "I feel lost, Art. Like my whole existence is nothing but a lie. I hurt inside. How could they deceive me like that? How can two people who professed to love me, deceive me like that?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes once more.

Art reached over and raised Billie's chin with two fingers. "When two people want a child badly enough, they'll do anything to get it, Billie. You said they were older. Maybe they had been denied by adoption agencies because of their age," he suggested. "In any case, you had a good childhood. They did love you, Billie, you know they did," he finished.

Billie nodded her head. "Yes, they did. I just wish they hadn't lied to me," she said. "I don't know if I can forgive them for that," she added.

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

CHAPTER X

"Hello?" Cat said into the receiver.

"Hi honey, It's Mom," came the voice from the other end.

"Hi, Mom. What's up?" she asked her mother.

"I just wanted to let you know, Sweetie, that your grandmothers will be home for a visit this weekend. They're stopping over for a few days on their way back to South Carolina from Greece," she explained.

"Really?! That's great! Billie wants to meet them. How long are they staying?" Cat asked.

"They said a few days, but I'll try to get them to stay longer, of course. How is Billie, dear?" Ida asked.

"I'm worried about her, Mom. She's so depressed about her parents," Cat explained.

"Well, I'm sure, given time, she'll be okay. I can understand what a shock it was to her. Be patient with her Cat, she needs you now more than ever," Ida said.

"I know, Mom. I'm doing everything I can, but I look at her and see a stranger in her eyes. She scares me sometimes," Cat remarked.

Ida's voice took on a guarded quality. "Cat, she's not becoming violent or abusive, is she?"

"No, Mom, she isn't!" Cat exclaimed a little harsher than she intended. "Look, I'm sorry, but I don't want to give you the wrong impression. Billie is NOT being abusive. I'm just afraid for her emotional state. It breaks my heart to see her in so much pain," Cat explained.

"I know, sweetheart. Maybe visiting with your grandma's will help. You know how distracting they can be, especially Grandma Jan. If anyone can pull her out of the doldrums, it will be Janice Covington," Ida chuckled. "Okay, Dear, I guess I'll let you go. Kiss Billie and the babies for me, all right? Talk to you later. Bye."

"Bye, Mom, I love you," Cat said before hanging up the phone.

No sooner had Cat hung up the phone, then Billie arrived home from work. Cat smiled at her as she dropped her briefcase and kicked her shoes off by the door. "Hi, Love," she said, going into Billie's open arms. No matter how bad things were, there was always time for a display of love and affection between the two women.

The two women clung to each other desperately, Cat's arms around Billie's waist, and Billie's arms around Cat's shoulders. For several long moments, they just held each other, allowing their heartbeats to come into sync as one. Finally, Cat pulled her head back and looked into the blue abyss of Billie's eyes. "How was your day?" she asked the taller woman.

"Fine ... yours?" came the reply.

"Just fine?" Cat asked.

"Yeah ... just fine," Billie answered.

"Billie, I'm worried about you," Cat said.

Billie abruptly released Cat from her embrace and walked a few steps away. "Cat, I really don't want to hear about this again. I'm fine ... really. So just drop it, okay?" she said sharply, her back to Cat.

"No Billie, I don't want to drop it. I hate seeing you like this. You haven't smiled ... and I mean, really smiled since we started this search. Billie, my heart is breaking for you. Please don't shut me out," Cat finished, tears in her eyes.

Billie turned to face Cat. Seeing the pain and tears in her eyes, she immediately took Cat into her arms and apologized. "Cat, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I know you are just concerned about me, but it will take some time to come to terms with this whole adoption mess. Please forgive me?" she asked, looking deeply into Cat's emerald green eyes.

Cat just nodded and reached up to wipe away her tears. Billie pushed her hands away and wiped them for her, before pulling her once again into a tight embrace. Kissing the top of her wife's head, Billie released Cat, and headed upstairs to change into a more comfortable shorts and T-shirt before dinner.

Dinner was an animated affair, with Tara and Seth competing to describe the water fight that occurred on the school bus that day on the way home. It appeared that students in the upper grades had been planning this for a week, several of them coming prepared that morning to battle it out on the bus. Unfortunately, the entire busload of children was caught in the crossfire.

"Boy, George was really mad!" Tara exclaimed.

"That's because Tommy got him in the back of the head with his squirt gun!" said Seth.

"That's no fair. I wanna ride the bus too!" Skylar exclaimed. Being five years old and only in a half-day, morning kindergarten session, Skylar missed out on the water fight.

Billie worked very hard to contain her grin as Cat turned this into a lesson. "You know, each and every one of you are lucky that George wasn't distracted enough to run off the road. That water fight could have ended in an accident," Cat explained.

"George pulled the bus over and took their guns away," Tara said. "Serves them right," she added.

"You're just mad 'cause you didn't have a squirt gun," Seth said to his sister.

"I could out shoot any of them!" Tara bragged.

Billie interrupted the conversation before it ended in an argument. "I'm sure you could, Rugrat, but Mama is right, you're very lucky that George didn't lose control of the bus during the fight," she said.

"Tommy and Billie got suspended from school for starting the fight," Seth explained. "And five other kids have detention after school for a week!"

"Well, I don't want to ever hear of you guys becoming involved in something like that. You'll have one very angry mother on your tail if you do!" Cat exclaimed.

"Make that two angry mothers," Billie added.

"Don't worry, we won't" Seth said, watching his two sisters shake their heads in agreement.

"All right then. How about ice cream bars for dessert? You can take them into the back yard to eat them, okay?" Cat suggested, receiving nodding heads all around.

Within moments, the children were playing and eating ice cream happily in the yard while Cat and Billie cleared away the supper dishes. Billie rinsed the dishes and handed them to Cat to be loaded into the dishwasher. During this exchange, Cat brought up the phone call with her mother earlier that afternoon.

"Got a call from Mom today, Billie. It seems that my grandmothers will be in town this weekend," Cat said.

Billie's eyes perked up. "Really? That's great! I've been wanting to meet them," Billie replied.

"I know you have. Now you'll get a chance to see just how much you resemble Grandma Mel," Cat commented.

Billie smiled at the mention of her resemblance to Melinda Pappas. She looked at Cat, grinning from ear to ear. "From what I've heard about Grandma Jan, I'd better say clear of her, huh? I'm liable to get my rear pinched or something, do you think?" she joked.

Cat laughed out loud. "I wouldn't put anything past Grandma Jan!" Cat exclaimed, loading the last dish into the dishwasher.

Billie took Cat into her arms and kissed her tenderly. "I'm looking forward to the visit, Love. I think I need the distraction just about now," she admitted.

"Well, with Grandma Jan around, anything is possible. They are going to love you, Billie ... but you are right about Grandma Jan ... she'll put the moves on you if you let your guard down around her!" Cat said chuckling.

"Thanks for the warning, Red ... thanks for the warning!" Billie replied, adding her own chuckle to the fray.

**********

Saturday found Billie enjoying a cup of coffee and the daily paper in the early morning hours before the rest of the household had risen from their sleep. Sitting back in her chair at the kitchen table, she stared at the paper, the printed words blending into a psychological ink blot test as her mind wandered to the impending visit with Cat's grandmothers. She was looking forward to meeting the colorful Janice Covington and Southern Belle Melinda Pappas. She was especially curious about the alleged physical resemblance she apparently bore to the Southerner. So engrossed was she in the ink blot tests before her, that she was unaware of Cat's presence in the room until the smaller woman had wrapped her arms around her shoulders from behind, and planted a kiss on her collar bone, startling her from her reverie.

"Good morning, Love," Cat said, placing her left cheek against the right side of Billie's face. "Sorry I startled you. You seemed pretty focused on that paper. Anything interesting?" Cat asked, looking down at the paper over the taller woman's shoulder.

Billie reached up to cup the right side of Cat's face with her hand. "No ... nothing interesting," she said. "Actually, I was just staring, caught up in thought about our visit with your grandmothers today," she explained.

Cat slid into the chair to Billie's right and smiled at her wife. "I'm looking forward to seeing them again. It's been about six years. Tara was just a toddler the last time I saw them," Cat explained.

"Your mother hasn't seen them in six years?" Billie asked.

"No, Mom spends a couple of weeks in South Carolina with them every year. Dad drops her off on their way to Florida each winter. This is the first time they've been here in six years," Cat said.

Billie just nodded her head. "What do you think they'll say about me ... about us?" she asked.

Cat grinned broadly. "About you? Well, Grandma Jan will probably make a pass at you, and Grandma Mel will shower you with her Southern hospitality and charm, that is, of course, once they get over the shock of your resemblance to her," Cat said.

Billie's brow drew into a frown. "You know, I am really, really curious about the resemblance thing. Everyone is making such a big deal of it. To tell you the truth, it makes me a little uncomfortable," Billie confessed.

Cat rose to her feet and leaned into Billie, resting her upper body on the table. Nose to nose, she looked deeply into Billie's blue eyes and said, "Sweetheart, you have nothing to worry about. They will absolutely love you ... I guarantee it. Now, where is my morning kiss?" she demanded.

Billie smiled as she grabbed Cat and drew her down into her lap, wrapping her hands around the red head's shoulders and kissing her passionately, until the smaller woman was out of breath. "How was that?" she asked, looking into the flushed face of her wife.

"Ah ... ah ... Th ....That was good ... very good!" Cat stammered. "Got any more where that came from?" she asked.

Billie was about to oblige, when a small voice interrupted their tryst. "I'm hungry!" the voice said.

"Hold that thought!" Cat said as both women turned to see Skylar standing in the doorway with her teddy bear in one hand, and her blanket in the other.

**********

"Caitlain Maureen, come on ova here and give your Gram a big hug!" the elderly Southern belle said as she pulled the smaller woman into her embrace.

"Grandma Mel, it's so good to see you. I've missed you so much!" exclaimed Cat as she found her face buried in the older woman's generous bosom.

"Let me take a look atcha, child," she said as she took Cat by the shoulders and turned her around. "Oh my Goodness! You have grown into quat a beauty. Hasn't she Janice?" Mel said in her thick South Carolina accent.

"Melinda Pappas, you're going to smother the woman where she stands with those breasts of yours. Come here, Cat, let me get a look at you. Yep, I have to agree with you, Mel. She's a real beauty. Turn the ladies heads, do you?" Janice said, winking at Cat and making her blush.

"There's only one head I want to turn, Gram," Cat said, still blushing.

"Oh yeah, we've heard about ... your lady. So when do we get to meet her?" Janice asked.

"Right now," came a voice from the doorway as Billie chose that moment to enter the room.

Three faces, one young and two old, looked toward the door at the sound of the voice.

"Oh My!" came a Southern accent as the bearer slid to the floor in a dead faint.

"Holy Shit!" exclaimed Janice, standing there, staring at Billie, her mouth wide open.

"Grandma Mel!" exclaimed Cat as she ran to the rescue of the unconscious woman.

"Holy Shit!" Janice exclaimed again.

Billie quickly went to assist Cat. Janice continued to stare, mouth agape at Billie. "Holy Shit!" she said for the third time.

"Billie, help me move her to the couch," Cat said.

Billie lifted Melinda under her arms while Cat took her feet. Together, they moved her to a more comfortable position on the couch. Once she was settled, Billie came around to stand beside Cat, affording her a closer look at the elderly Southerner who lay there unconscious. The woman was quite literally an older version of Billie. Tall and slim, her hair a beautiful mixture of salt and pepper, pulled into a bun at the nape of her neck. Long eyelashes could be seen behind cat eye glasses, her face slightly wrinkled, but still retaining its youthful, sculptured appearance. Her lips tinged in red, full, and kissable.

Billie's face contorted into an intense frown. "Wow, Cat. You're right. The resemblance is uncanny," she said.

Cat turned to Janice. "Gram," she said. "Please get the smelling salts out of Grandma Mel's bag."

With robotic movements, Janice retrieved Mel's bag from the coffee table, found her smelling salts, and handed them to Cat, all without taking her eyes off Billie.

Looking down at the object Janice had placed in her hand, Cat said, "Ah, Gram ... this is a tube of lipstick. I need her smelling salts."

"Damned purse. She keeps everything in there but the kitchen sink!" Janice cursed as she finally found the salts and handed them to Cat.

Within minutes, Mel was conscious and looking up into crystal blue eyes that mirrored her own. "Oh My!" she said, as once again, she fainted away.

Billie looked from Mel to Cat, then back to Mel. "Damn!" she said. "Is that what you call a delicate Southern constitution?" Then looking at Janice, she asked, "Does she do this a lot?"

"Holy Shit!" was all Janice could say.

Cat looked at Janice before rising to her feet. Approaching the elderly woman, she took her by the shoulders and looked her in the face .... at least she tried to look her in the face ... Janice was too busy looking around her at Billie. Reaching forward, Cat took Janice's chin in her hand and turned the older woman's face toward her until they made eye contact. "Gram ... are you all right?" she asked.

Janice pointed to Billie and stammered, "Sh ...sh ...she's Mel!"

Cat smiled and said, "No Gram, she's Billie. She just looks like Grandma Mel."

"Holy Shit!" Janice repeated yet again.

Billie looked at Janice and Cat standing face to face and was suddenly awestruck at what she saw. If she was Mel's double, then Cat was certainly Janice's. Both women were of the same height. Tinges of red-gold remained in Janice's long flowing hair, despite the strands of gray running through it. Although slightly bent and plumper with age, Billie could see where Janice had been firm and muscular in her youth. The most striking resemblance though, were the emerald green eyes, full of mischief and edged with crows feet, and china doll features that portrayed a youthful exuberance, even in her late 70's.

Billie's focus was suddenly diverted from the pair by the sound of "Oh my Goodness!" coming once again from the couch beside her.

"Where are my cigars ... I need a smoke!" replied Janice.

"Okay, Time Out!" shouted Cat, who had moved to the middle of the room. Throwing her hands out to the sides, she repeated, "Time Out .... okay? No more fainting .... no more 'Holy Shit!' ... n more anything ... you got that?" she asked, looking around at a perplexed Janice and Mel, and a grinning Billie. "Now ... Grams, this is Billie ... Billie, this is Grandma Jan and Grandma Mel."

Janice and Mel looked from Cat, to Billie and then at each other. Struggling into a sitting position, Mel was the first to speak.

"Janice Covington, you didn't tell me she looked like me!" Mel accused.

"I .... I didn't know!" Janice defended herself. "Damn, I need a smoke!" she added.

"Gram, you know you gave up smoking years ago," Cat reminded her grandmother.

"That's right, I did! Okay, then ... I need a drink!" Janice replied.

"Janice, you are going to be the death of me yet!" Mel scolded as she rose to her feet and approached her wife.

"Mel, sweetheart, not unless you're the death of me first!" Janice bantered back to her wife.

"Well, where are my manners?" Mel began, turning toward Billie.

"They fainted to the floor with you a few minutes ago, my love," Janice quipped, making Billie struggle to hide the grin that threatened to spread across her face.

Sending a dirty look toward Janice and poo poo'ing her with a wave of her hand, Mel turned to address Billie once more. "Don't mind her. Let me welcome you into the family proper-like," Mel said as she pulled Billie in for a hug. Then, turning to Janice, she said, "Janice Covington, come welcome your granddaughter into the family."

Grumbling, Janice walked over to Billie, one hand shoved deep into her trouser pocket as she reached forward with her other hand to shyly shake Billie's.

"Janice Covington, you are acting like she's a business associate. Now welcome her properly!" scolded Mel.

Janice removed her hand from her pocket and reached around with both hands to hug Billie, tweaking her behind in the process.

"Yeow!!" shrieked Billie, jumping back and rubbing her behind, casting a knowing glance in Janice's direction.

Grinning, Janice leaned in and said to Billie, "Now how 'bout that drink?"

Billie grinned back. "You're on! Scotch on the rocks, right?" she asked.

Janice threw her arm around Billie's waist and led her to the bar. "Girl after my own heart," she said, chuckling.

Mel was dumb struck at her wife's boldness. "That woman!" she sputtered.

"Don't worry about Billie, Gram. She'll give Grandma Jan a run for her money!" Cat explained.

"Well, I'd like to see someone put that brazen woman in her place for once!" Mel said.

Cat smiled and locked arms with Mel. "Oh, she will, Gram ... she will," she said.

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

CHAPTER XI

"Jan," Mel said. "Jan, are you sleeping?"

"Not any more!" came the agitated reply. Hearing a slight sniffle, Janice pulled herself into a sitting position, Leaning over Mel, she reached forward and felt the woman's forehead. "Mel, are you all right? Why are you crying, love?" she asked.

Mel looked up at her wife. "Jan, it's Billie. There's something about her ... something familiar," she tried to explain.

"Well, I should hope there's something familiar ... she looks just like you." Janice pointed out to the taller woman.

"No, it's more than that. Jan. I can feel a connection to her. I .... I ..." Mel faltered.

Janice was becoming concerned. "Mel, what is it?" she asked, taking her wife's hand in her own.

Mel closed her eyes and allowed the tears to flow, tears that she had held in check for 50 years. "Janice, please hold me," Mel begged.

Janice laid back down next to Mel and took her in her arms, holding the distraught woman as she cried. Moments later, she had calmed down enough to talk. Janice was lying on her back, Mel's head resting on her shoulder, the tall woman's long arm draped around her waist, their legs entwined. "Jan, seeing Billie tonight reminded me of my daughter." Mel said.

Janice stiffened at Mel's words. "You mean, Ida?" she asked, knowing the answer well before Mel replied.

"No." was all she said.

Janice turned her head and kissed Mel on the temple. "Mel," she said softly. "Your daughter was stillborn."

Mel sat up and looked at Janice. "Was she? Was she, Jan? I never saw her. The midwife told me she was stillborn. I never saw her, Janice," Mel finished in a choked whisper, pulling her knees into her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

"Mel, why would they lie to you?" Janice asked.

"To protect my family's name? I don't know, Jan. How else would you explain Billie? Her resemblance to me is too much of a coincidence," Mel tried to reason.

Long moments of silence followed. Finally, Janice spoke. "What do you want to do, Mel?"

Mel laid back down into her previous position on Janice's shoulder. "I need to tell her, Jan. If there's a chance ... " Mel replied haltingly.

Janice lay silent for a few more minutes. Finally, she nodded her head up and down. "Okay, Mel. We'll tell her," Janice said. Then, leaning over once more, she kissed Mel gently and said, "Sleep now, sweetheart".

It was several more hours before Janice finally succumbed to fatigue and joined her wife in sleep.

**********

"Well, what did you think of them?" Cat asked, accepting a kiss from her wife.

Billie looked into Cat's eyes. "I think they're cute," replied Billie, placing another kiss on Cat's mouth.

"Cute?" Cat questioned. "I've never heard them described quite that way before," came the comment from the red head.

Billie was hovering over Cat, both of them basking in the afterglow of lovemaking. Laying completely on top of the smaller woman, Billie's upper body was propped up on her forearms, which were pressed into the bed on either side of Cat's chest. Cat's arms were wrapped around Billie's neck, fingers massaging the scalp at the back of the tall woman's head. Billie pressed her head into the probing touch except for occasionally lowering it to kiss to her wife's lips below her.

"Gods, Cat!" Billie moaned. "You have exactly two hours to stop that."

Cat chuckled at the almost orgasmic look on Billie's face in reaction to the massage. "You, my love, give too much away," Cat warned her dark haired wife.

Billie looked down at her in question. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"What do I mean?" Cat repeated the question as she applied a little more depth and pressure to the massage.

Billie dropped her head onto Cat's chest and moaned loudly.

"See what I mean?" Cat asked, grinning ear to ear. "You are way too easy."

Billie raised her head to look into the green lipid pools below her. "Busted!" she said, smiling.

"Busted indeed!" Cat replied before adding, "So, really, what did you think of them?"

Billie shifted her weight and lowered herself to the bed at Cat's right side. Reaching her left arm up over the pillow, she pulled Cat into an embrace. Cat settled in, resting her head on Billie's left shoulder, arm thrown across the tall woman's waist, legs entwined. Billie turned her head and kissed Cat on the temple.

"I liked them, Cat. I liked them a lot. I will say, however, that my resemblance to Mel is kind of scary. I mean ... I can see how you might look like Janice, but, Cat, why Mel and I?" Billie asked.

"I don't know, Billie. But you're right - it is kind of scary. I thought their reaction to meeting you though, was very funny," Cat replied.

Billie's chest rose up and down slightly as she laughed at the memory. "Yeah, it was kind of funny. Mel acted like a typical Southern belle, and Janice ... well, Janice was quite brash. Does she always swear like a trooper?" Billie asked.

"Gram has been known to turn the air blue on occasion ... much too frequently for Grandma Mel's tastes of course. She is quite a character!" Cat explained.

"She's quite a lech!" Billie exclaimed. "She either pinched or felt up by butt three times during the evening!" Billie said, a chuckle belying her tone of mock indignance.

"Can't say that I blame her, love," Cat commented.

Billie reached over and tilted Cat's chin up to her. "So, is that where your inherited your lusty nature, wife?" Billie asked.

Cat wiggled her eyebrows up and down and nodded her head vigorously.

Releasing Cat's chin, Billie laid back down and pulled Cat over on top of her saying, "Remind me to thank her," before claiming her lips once more.

*********

Cat, Billie and the kids returned bright and early to Doc and Ida's the next morning to take the entire family out to brunch. Billie made sure to keep her distance from Janice this time to avoid potentially embarrassing encounters that she might have a hard time explaining. As it turned out, Billie's precautions were unnecessary, as both Janice and Mel seemed preoccupied this morning.

Returning to the house after brunch, the kids conned Billie into playing a game of football with them in the backyard. Surprisingly, Janice asked to join in. Soon, Mel and Cat were standing on the back deck, watching two grown women playing football against three children.

"No wonder I'm gray!" Mel commented as the children tackled Janice to the ground, two yards short of her goal. "That woman still thinks she's in her 20's!"

Cat looked over at Mel and smiled. Reaching for her grandmother's hand, she brought it to her heart. "It's this," Cat indicated by sweeping her hand across the scene in the back yard, "and your active lifestyle that keeps both of you so young, Grams. She's having fun, don't give her too hard a time when they're done, okay?" Cat said.

"Okay, I won't," Mel said grinning. "I'll wait until tomorrow morning when she can't get out of bed!" she added wickedly.

Finally, the game was over, the children, having beaten the adults. Cat and Mel stepped off the deck into the yard to meet their respective mates as the children ran into the house looking for something to drink. Janice and Billie were walking arm in arm toward their wives, very proud of themselves for even making it through the game.

"I'd give you a victory kiss, but seeing as you lost ....." Cat teased.

"I'll take that kiss anyway!" Billie said as she grabbed Cat and dipped her backward placing a wet sloppy kiss on her mouth.

Janice and Mel looked on with knowing smiles, both women reminiscing about times gone by, when they would have done the same thing. Just then, Janice looked up at Mel and said, "What the hell," then proceeded to dip Mel backward for a kiss.

Mel was very flustered when Janice finally released her. "For Goodness sake! Janice Covington, must you behave so wantonly all the time?" she scolded.

Janice backhanded Mel on the butt as she walked over to the porch swing. "Ah, get over it, Mel. You liked it, and you know it," she stated, and evil grin plastered on her face as she sat down.

Mel fussed with a few strands of loose hair as she stammered, "Well ... well, yes, I did, but that's beside the point."

"What is the point Mel? That even after 50 years together, I still find you sexy and irresistible? That I spend several hours a day fantasizing about making love to you?" Janice said. She knew she was baiting Mel, but the Southerner was so much fun to pick on ... and after all, she did mean every word of it.

"Oh my Goodness, Janice! How can you talk like that in front of the youngsters?" she said, as she felt a flush rising into her face from her neck.

"That's a pretty shade a pink, Mel," Janice commented. "I'm sure Cat and Billie don't mind that I still find my wife so attractive. In fact, I'll bet they could show us a thing or two," Janice teased.

Now it was Cat and Billie's turn to blush as they looked everywhere but at the grandmothers.

"Janice Covington, you stop that right now. Look, now you've got them a'blushing. My word," Mel scolded again as Janice grinned from ear to ear.

Mel needed to put some distance between herself and Janice. All this kissing and talk of fantasies were making her warm and fidgety. Turning to Cat, she said, "Caitlain, honey, would you like to help you old grandma fetch some ice tea for our football heroes here?"

Cat smiled and nodded her head. Winking at Billie, she followed Mel into the house.

Billie sat down on the swing next to Janice. Looking over at the older woman, she said, "You are a wicked woman, Janice. Do you realize the state you have Melinda in right about now?" she grinned.

Janice grinned back. "Ohhhhh Yeah!" she said, before falling silent, as though she had just remembered something sullen.

Noting the mood change, Billie reached out for Janice's hand. Taking it in her own and placing them both in her lap, she looked at the older woman and said, "Jan, is everything all right?"

In the kitchen, Mel set about retrieving four ice tea glasses from Ida's cupboard. Looking at Cat, she said, "Sugar, you might wanna go ask your Mom and Dad if they want some. I think they're in the living room with those beautiful children of yours."

Cat went to run her errand as Mel placed her hands on the counter top and tried desperately to compose herself. Janice's teasing of Billie and Cat out there in the yard, brought back memories of how she used to make Ida blush whenever she brought a beau home. Thoughts of Ida, led to thoughts of the child she lost. "It's time, Melinda. It's time they knew," she told herself, regaining control as Cat returned to the kitchen.

"They already have some tea, Grams," Cat said as she approached. Noting the forlorn look on Melinda's face, Cat reached out and touched her arm. "Grams, are you feeling all right?" she asked.

Billie narrowed her eyes at Janice. "Okay, spill it," she said. Getting no response, she tried another approach "Look, Jan. You haven't made a pass at me all morning ... so either I've grown a third eye in the middle of my forehead, or something is wrong. Now what is it?" she demanded.

Billie's comment was made just as Cat and Mel stepped within hearing range onto the deck.

Janice smiled at the comment. Looking up at Mel, she nodded her head sideways at Billie and said without thinking, "Well, Mel, she's got your spirit, doesn't she?"

Cat narrowed her eyes at her grandmothers, shifting her gaze between the two women. "Now what was that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"Oh my!" Mel said, quickly putting the two glasses of ice tea down before she spilled them.

Billie quickly jumped up from the swing. "Now don't you go fainting on us again, Melinda," she said as she guided the older woman to the swing beside Janice. Handing her one of the ice teas, she said, "Here, drink this," which Melinda did obediently. Billie handed the other glass to Janice, then took hers from Cat. Leaning her backside against the railing facing the elderly ladies, she reached her free arm out to Cat, who went willingly to her. She draped the arm over the red head's shoulder as Cat too settled in with her backside against the railing, leaning into Billie. "Now," Billie said. "Something is going on here, and I .... no, WE, want to know what it is," she finished, looking at Cat for affirmation.

Melinda looked at Janice. Receiving a slight nod from the archeologist, she looked to Cat and said, "Caitlain, please go get your mother. She needs to hear this too."

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

* Look for the conclusion in "On Solid Ground" *

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

NOTE TO READERS: Once again, I find myself apologizing for posting a partial story ... I really don't like doing that, however, as with the two installments, "While I Was Gone ..." and "Unchained Memories", this story became too long to post as one. BUT .... also like those two stories, I am posting this one, and the continuation of it (titled "On Solid Ground"), together so that there is no lack of continuity, and no waiting period. So, with humble apologies, I ask that you forgive me this most grievous sin ... please?