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: BE WARNED... This installment contains references to rape, incest, and molestation, all mentioned in the past tense, which are essential to the story line. If you are currently a victim of molestation, please, remove yourself immediately. Again, the events in the story are written as past tense, and do not actually occur in the story.

TIME LINE/CONTINUITY: This is the twelfth 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", "Happy Campers - NOT!", and "At Loose Ends". 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 :-)

NOTE TO READERS: This story picks up immediately after "At Loose Ends" finishes. As I said in a special note at the end of that story, this installment constitutes Part II. The story was just becoming too long to post as one ... however, I did post them together, so I ask that you forgive me for violating (once again) my general rule of not posting partial stories.

On Solid Ground

By: kd bard

Started 04/19/99

Finished 05/02/99

CHAPTER I

Billie paced back and forth behind the porch swing for several long moments as Cat and Ida sat there, legs crossed at the ankles, hands folded in their laps. Mel and Janice were sitting opposite them in twin Adirondack lawn chairs. Mel looked nervously at the three women before her.

"Nona, what is it?" Ida asked, obviously feeling her mother's distress.

Janice reached out for Mel's hand, and grasped it tightly for moral support.

Billie ceased pacing and stopped directly behind Cat and Ida. Leaning over, she spread her hands out along the length of the swing. Finally loosing patience waiting for Melinda to speak, Billie took a deep breath and said, "Look, my gut is in knots here. I don't know what's going on, but I have the feeling I'm not going to like it. Please, just get it over with."

Janice rose from her seat and approached Billie. Shaking her finger in the taller woman's face, she said, "You, young lady, had better learn a little patience. Have some respect for this woman here," she said, pointing to Melinda. "You'll regret it if you don't," she finished.

Billie stared angrily at Janice. She looked ready to rip Janice's head off, before Mel stepped in between them.

"Jan, please. Let me handle this," Mel said to her wife.

Janice looked at Mel. "Mel, I won't let anyone disrespect you, regardless of who they are."

"And just who am I?" Billie asked angrily, taking another step toward Janice.

"Billie, honey, please sit down. There's no reason to be angry," Cat reasoned. This was definitely not how she envisioned her grandparents and wife getting along.

"No, Cat. Let her answer." Turning back to Janice, Billie repeated her last question. "Just who am I, Jan?"

"You are my granddaughter, Billie. At least I think you are," came the teary reply from Melinda, followed by gasps from both Ida and Cat.

Billie snapped her head around to look at Mel. "What did you say?" she asked incredulously.

Cat rose from the swing and grasped Billie's arm. Looking at her grandmother, she said, "Grams, what are you saying?"

Melinda turned her back on the group and walked a few paces away. Turning to face them, she said, "Please, sit down. It's a long story. One that is long overdue."

One by one they sat, Billie and Cat on the porch swing, Ida and Janice in the lawn chairs. Melinda remained standing, positioned at the head of the tableau. She stood there for long moments, unable to find a way to start the discussion. Billie was becoming more impatient with each minute that passed, regardless of Cat's efforts to quell the flames brewing within her. Seeing Billie's escalating mood, Janice rose from her chair and approached Mel, stopping directly in front of her. Reaching up, she cupped Mel's face in her palm and pulled her down for a kiss.

"Do you want me to tell them, Mel?" Janice asked.

Mel smiled as a lone tear ran down her cheek. "No. I'll do it. I love you for asking, though," she replied.

"Well, I'm right here if you need me," she said, taking Mel's hand in her own and holding it tightly.

"Thank you," she said before looking up at the others gathered before her. "Ah, this is very hard to talk about. The implications are almost unimaginable. It was more than 50 years ago, but the pain is still as fresh as the day it happened," she began. Jan squeezed her hand slightly.

"Fifty-five years ago, I gave birth to a baby girl. She was taken away from me immediately. I was told that she was stillborn. I never heard her cry .... I never saw her. The doc said she was born dead," Mel tried to explain. "They never even let me see her," she repeated, the tears starting to flow.

Janice wrapped her arm around Mel's waist. "Mel, you don't have to do this," Janice said. "Let me."

"No, Janice. I do need to do this," Mel said. Looking back over her audience, she saw Cat and Ida sitting on the edges of their seats, tears streaming from their eyes. Billie was sitting back on the swing, her right leg crossed over her left, her left elbow resting on the arm of the swing, her chin resting on her fist. She was staring at the floor next to the swing, her brow drawn into a frown.

Ida spoke up. "Nona, how ...."

"How did I come to be in the family way?" Mel asked for her daughter. Ida just nodded. Mel played with the hem of her jacket for a moment before looking into her daughter's face and answering. "I was raped by one of the stable hands after coming home from a ride, Ida." Pacing back and forth, she continued. "He was a good looking man. He was always pleasant. I used to stay and watch him groom the horses after a ride. I guess I was lonely, and he seemed so attentive, so friendly," she tried to explain.

Mel reached over and took a sip of her iced tea before continuing. "Here I was, nearly thirty years old, unmarried, still under my family's control. Hell, Daddy had given up on marryin me off years earlier. He couldn't understand why I wasn't interested in all the young men he brought home. I couldn't bring myself to tell him that I preferred women. I don't know how he would have reacted. I wish now I had told him though, we lost him a few years before the rape. Maybe if he was still alive, things might have been different," Mel mused sadly. "Anyway, I came home from a ride one day, and there he was. We were alone. He dragged me into the nearest stall and had his way with me. Two months later, I was shipped off to Aunt Edna's house for the duration of the pregnancy."

"What does all of this have to do with me being your granddaughter, Mel?" Billie asked.

"I don't know that it does, Billie," answered Mel, "but the resemblance is too strong to ignore. I can't help but think that you are my daughter's child," she said.

"But Grams, you said your daughter was stillborn," observed Cat.

"That's what I was told, Darlin', but keep in mind that I never saw her. Birthin' was a horrible experience for me. I had a very hard time with it. The doc had me under a heavy dose of laudanum near the end. I was pretty much out of it." Mel explained in a choked voice.

"Nona," Ida said. "Why would they tell you she was stillborn is she wasn't?"

"Sweetheart, ya gotta remember where I come from. South Carolina in the 1940's was ruled by a Southern Aristocratic mentality. My Uncle had taken over control of the estate, including me. He was a ruthless man with definite ideas about a woman's place in the home and in society. We were very rich and influential in society. In those days, a reputation was far more important than family," Melinda explained.

Janice became very agitated at this point, pacing back and forth. "Damned Southerners," the Yankee mumbled under her breath. It was obvious what she though of her wife's treatment at the hands of the aristocracy.

Mel reached a hand out to stop Janice's trek back and forth across the floor. "Janice, Darlin', please stop your pacing. You're makin' me nervous," Mel said.

Janice stopped and looked impatiently at Mel before stomping over to the lawn chair and sitting down again.

"Anyway, I never saw her when she was born ... never even heard her cry. All I remember is hearin' the doc say that she was born with the cord around her neck. My family's reputation was very important to them. It would not be inconceivable to eliminate a source of embarrassment by giving the child away," Mel finished.

Billie stood up and approached Mel, stopping directly in front of her. Looking at their profiles, they looked very much like time-lapsed twins. Billie held Mel's gaze for long moments, their audience of three holding their breaths around them.

Finally, reaching up to touch the side of Mel's face, Billie took a deep breath and said, "Where did you live, Melinda?"

"In Charleston, South Carolina, but ..." Mel started to say.

"Thank you," Billie said before looking at Cat and adding, "Cat, I'm going to Charleston as soon as I can book a flight. I'm sure to find a birth record there ... and a certificate of death for this child, if one exists. I'm going to look for my Mother."

Mel reached out and took Billie's hand. "Not without me," she said

Billie just looked at her and nodded.

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

CHAPTER II

"How long have you suspected that your daughter may still be alive?" Billie asked the older woman who sat next to her on the flight into Charleston, South Carolina.

"I guess I've always wondered," Mel admitted, "but I wasn't really sure until I met you. It isn't possible for you to look so much like me without some biological reason," she explained.

Billie held her gaze for a moment longer before looking away, leaning her head back against the seat cushion.

"Caitlain wasn't happy about stayin' home, was she?" Mel asked, seeing the look of forlorn contemplation on Billie's face.

Billie glanced at Mel, and then down at her hands. "No, she wasn't, but she's got a busy schedule at the hospital this week, and she couldn't find a replacement for the surgeries she is scheduled to anesthetize," Billie said. "But, she and Janice will be joining us in a few days. I'm glad Jan agreed to stay and fly out with her this weekend."

"You love her very much, don't you?" Melinda asked.

"With all my heart, Mel. She is my life," Billie explained.

Mel just nodded in understanding.

A moment later, the stewardess' voice announced across the PA that they were about to make their final approach into Charleston, and to be sure that all seat belts were securely fastened, all trays were in their upright and locked positions, and that all carryon luggage was stowed securely under the seats in front of them. Ten minutes later, the wheels of the 737 jet touched down on the runway of the Charleston International Airport. Fifteen minutes after that, Billie and Mel were in a taxi, on their way to Mel's ancestral home on the outskirts of Charleston.

Billie sat quietly, scanning the countryside on the ride from the airport. Broad fields of tobacco plants could be seen lining the main highway on either side. The taxi suddenly took a turn and drove through an open wrought iron gate, supported by brick pillars, at the end of what appeared to be a very long driveway. On both sides of the drive, were perfectly aligned cottonwood, magnolia and cypress trees, all standing sentry to the well traveled road that led to the stately plantation at the end of the drive.

Billie gasped as the house came into view. "Holy Shit!" she exclaimed.

Melinda laughed. "Now you sound like Janice," she said.

Billie turned to Melinda, mouth wide open in awe.

"Close your mouth, dear. The bugs will nest in there if you're not careful," Melinda said.

"Don't tell me you actually live here!" Billie exclaimed.

"Why of course we do," replied Mel.

"Holy Shit!" Billie exclaimed again.

The mansion was huge, sporting a three story center section, roof-high pillars lining the front entrance, and a two story wing on each side. Spanish moss clung to the brick walls, while yellow jessamine flowers lay in dense, symmetrically arranged beds along the entire front of the estate. Fierce looking stone gargoyles guarded the gables that protruded from the roof line at periodic intervals across the main part of the house. A circular garden area lay directly in front of the house, a cobblestone path leading around the periphery, to meet at the carport sheltering the main entrance at the front of the mansion.

As the taxi pulled under the carport, a middle aged gentleman met them at the car. Helping Melinda out of the taxi, he greeted her graciously. "It's good to have you back, Miss Melinda." he said. A sudden movement in the taxi drew his attention to Billie as she exited the car. He stood and stared in disbelief. He looked back and forth between Billie and Mel, his eyes bulging, mouth agape.

Seeing the man's surprise, Mel smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Chet, this is Billie Charland, my granddaughter," she announced, a little uneasy about how Billie would accept the moniker.

Chet smiled broadly. "A man would be a fool not to see the family resemblance, Miss Melinda," he said. "Welcome to Pappington Acres, Miss Billie. I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay here," he said, reaching for her hand and shaking it warmly.

Billie thanked the man for her welcome then looked at Mel. "Pappington?" she questioned, eyebrows raised into her hairline.

Mel locked arms with Billie as she led her toward the front entrance. Chet collected their luggage and saw to the taxi. "It was Janice's idea ... named for Pappas/Covington - after I insisted on adding her name to the deed. You see dear, I wanted to make sure that Ida inherited the estate when we are gone, and since this backward nation of ours doesn't allow our kind to marry in every state, it was the only way we could legally guarantee Ida's inheritance," she explained.

The interior of the house was even more magnificent than the outside, with tall ceilings, winding staircases, marble floors and valuable art decorating the walls. The main foyer alone was nearly as large as the entire first floor of Billie's house. Melinda gave Billie the grand tour, allowing her to choose one of the many bedrooms on the upper level as her own for the duration of this, and future stays at Pappington Acres. Billie's favorite room was the library, with leather paneled walls, a large oak desk, and oak bookshelves lining every wall. There was every title imaginable contained on those shelves, from dusty old archeology books, to current novels by Danielle Steele and Steven King. This room was obviously designed for a man's tastes, however, touches of Janice Covington could be seen here and there, including an old bullet riddled fedora, gun belt, and leather whip.

Mel stood in the doorway of Billie's room as she watched the younger woman flop herself down on the bed. "I'm gonna raid the kitchen and fetch a sandwich or somethin', are you hungry?" she asked.

Billie sat up and grinned as her stomach took that opportunity to make it's presence known. Grinning she said, to Mel, "Lead the way!"

**********

"Do you always eat like this?" Billie asked as she watched the Southerner down a thick ham and cheese sandwich. Her appetite reminded her remarkably of Cat. Thinking of Cat, she felt a pang of home sickness wash over her.

"If I've learned anything over the past 30 years of eating Maggie's cooking, it's not to cross the woman. You eat what she puts in front of you, or there's hell to pay!" chuckled Mel as she spoke affectionately of the long-term employee who ran her kitchen.

Abruptly changing the subject, Billie said, "Mel, do you mind if I call Cat and the kids?"

"Of course not, darlin', this is your home when you're here, okay? I want you to be comfortable in it," Mel explained.

Billie thanked the older woman as she rose to her feet and planted a kiss on Mel's cheek before heading into the library to call her wife. "Be right back," she said.

"Hello?" came the voice from the other end of the line.

"Jen?" Billie asked.

"Hi, Billie," Jen quipped. "How was your flight?"

"Fine ... where's Cat?" Billie asked, a little more abruptly than she intended.

"Billie, is everything all right?" Jen asked.

"Everything's fine Jen. What are you doing there so late?" Billie inquired suspiciously.

Catching the suspicion in her friend's voice, Jen said, "I'm having an affair with Cat ... what the hell do you think I'm doing here!" she said sharply.

Realizing she had over reacted, she apologized. "Jen, I'm sorry. I'm just tired. Really, where is Cat?" she asked.

"Cat is tucking the kids into bed, Billie .... and let me put your mind at ease, I'm here making arrangements with Cat about the kids staying with Fred and I for the next few days. It seems she managed to find a replacement at work after all," Jen explained sharply.

Billie's spirits soared, but at the same time, she realized she had acted like a fool to their best friend. "Jen, I'm really sorry ... I was being a jealous fool. I'm sorry." she said again.

"Billie, you know I love you and Cat very much. I would give my life for you if necessary, but your maniacal life style is too much for the likes of me! No, you two definitely deserve each other. I wouldn't touch what you have with a ten foot pole ... besides, you'd rip my head off and feed it to me if I tried!" Jen said, chuckling.

"Jen, what would we do without you?" Billie asked, smiling at Jen's description.

"I don't know, and I don't plan on giving you the chance to find out. You're stuck with me, Big Guy!" Jen answered.

"I can think of worst things to have stuck to me, my friend. So, is my wife there or not?" Billie said.

"Yep, I think I hear her coming down the stairs right now. Oh yeah - here she is," Jen said.

"Don't tell her it's me, Jen. I want to have a little fun with her," Billie said.

Jen handed the phone to Cat.

"Hello?" Cat said into the receiver.

Billie started to breath heavily into the phone, partially covering the receiver with her hand.

"Hello? Who is this?" Cat asked.

"Heh ...heh ...heh ... little girl. Wanna have some fun?" Billie asked in a raspy voice.

"Who is this? Cat asked, looking over at Jen, who was grinning ear to ear.

"Know what I wanna do to you .... heh, heh, heh ....." Billie continued.

"You are one sick person .... " Cat started to rant.

"I wanna make you naked .... and cover you with whipped cream .... heh, heh, heh ...." Billie teased

I'll contact the police if you call here again," Cat said, slamming down the receiver.

"Cat!" yelled Jen, catching the receiver just before it hung up the phone. Taking it out of Cat's hand, she held her hand over the mouthpiece and said to Cat, "It's Billie!"

Cat's eyes opened wide. "Oh yeah?" she asked, raising one eyebrow at her friend. Taking the receiver back from Jen, she held it to her ear. "Okay ... okay, you want to have some fun ... fine! But I run the show, okay?" Cat asked.

"Anything you say, my sweet," said Billie.

"All right ... first, we make sure our spouses are out of the way. By the way, are you married?" Cat asked. Jen was just about busting a gut in the background.

"Billie suddenly realized that Cat was onto her. Falling into the game, she answered, "Oh, I'm very married, but my wife will never find out."

"Good," Cat answered, now knowing that this game had turned from one of teasing to one of seduction. "Now, take your clothes off, and I'll do the same." Cat continued.

Billie was dumbstruck. "Huh?" she asked.

"I said, take your clothes off. Here Jen, hold my shirt and bra while I slip off my panties," Cat said with the receiver near enough for Billie to hear.

"Ahhhh ... What are you doing?" Billie asked.

"I'm taking my clothes off ... aren't you?" Cat asked.

"Ahhhh .... Cat, Jen is there," Billie said, giving up the ruse.

"I know she is. I kind of thought ... you know, the more the merrier," Cat said causally, causing Jen to cringe, remembering her earlier conversation with Billie.

"Cat .... Cat, I'm only kidding," Billie said desperately.

"Really? I'm not!" Cat said.

"Damnit Cat, put Jen on the phone," Billie demanded.

Cat grinned broadly as she handed the phone to Jen.

"Yes?" Jen said.

"Jen, tell me she isn't naked," Billie said.

Jen looked at a fully clothed Cat and said quite flippantly, "Okay, she isn't naked."

"Jen, I'm not fooling any more .... don't bullshit me," Billie warned.

"Billie, you asked me to tell you that she wasn't naked, so I did. What else would you like me to say?" Jen asked.

"Jeeeennnnnnn," Billie threatened with her tone of voice.

"Okay ... okay, I give. I value life too much to continue with this. All right - you want the truth?" Jen asked.

"Yes," replied Billie.

"She's naked," Jen said, covering the receiver with her hand and laughing out loud.

"PUT CAT BACK ON THE PHONE - NOW!" yelled Billie into the phone.

Jen handed the phone back to Cat. "She is really pissed," Jen said, with her hand over the receiver once more.

"Hello sweetheart," Cat said with a sugary sweet voice.

"Caaaaaaat! I am not very happy right now! Damnit Cat, tell me you're not naked," Billie demanded.

Cat finally decided to end the joke. "Billie, calm down ... Geesh, you started all this. NO, I'm NOT naked. Look, if you can't take a joke, then don't start one ... okay?" she said.

Billie took a deep breath. "I'm sorry," she said into the receiver. "Damn, but I miss you, Cat. The thought of you naked with another woman .... Aarrgghh ... it makes my blood boil!" she exclaimed.

"Billie, we're talking about Jen here," Cat said, getting a "What am I, chopped liver?" look from Jen.

"I said I was sorry ... really I am. Look, Jen tells me you found a replacement for your surgeries," Billie said, changing the subject.

"Yes, I did. Grams and I will be catching an early afternoon flight tomorrow to Charleston. It arrives at the airport at 3:30 pm, Charleston time. Can you pick up us?" Cat asked.

"You bet. We'll be there," Billie replied.

"Good. How are you settling in?" Cat inquired.

"Cat, you didn't warn me about the house. Wow! It's magnificent. Our whole home can just about fit in the entry way!" Billie explained.

"Yeah, I know. I was kind of overwhelmed by it myself the first time I saw it. It's pretty comfortable though," Cat said.

"It seems to be," Billie agreed. "Look, love, kiss the kids for me, okay? I love you, Cat, and I miss you so much. Mel and I will be at the airport in time for your flight. I can't wait to hold you in my arms again," Billie finished.

"I love you too, sweetheart. Okay, I'll see you tomorrow afternoon," Cat said.

"Kiss Jen for me, okay?" Billie added sincerely.

"I will .... on the lips!" Cat said, chuckling loud enough for Billie to hear.

"You will pay for that, woman!" Billie warned.

"Oh, I'm counting on it!" Cat replied. "See you tomorrow. Bye!"

"Good bye my love," Billie said as she hung up the phone and returned to Mel in the kitchen.

************************************************************************************************ CHAPTER III

Mel was just putting her saucer in the dishwasher as Billie returned to the kitchen.

"How are Cat and the kids?" Mel asked.

"They're fine. I've got some good news though. Cat found someone to cover her surgeries, so she and Janice will be flying out tomorrow. They'll arrive at the airport here in Charleston around 3:30 pm," Billie informed the older woman.

Mel smiled broadly, thinking about how much she missed Janice, even though they had only been apart for less than a day. "That is good news, Billie," she said. What do you say we pour ourselves a glass of wine and retire to the parlor for a while," she suggested.

"Sure," Billie agreed, following Mel into the parlor. Mel retrieved the bottle of wine and two glasses from the bar against the far wall and motioned Billie to one of the overstuffed chairs in front of the fire place. It was obvious from the look and feel of this room that it was a favorite resting spot for Mel and Janice at the end of a busy day.

Billie sat down and relaxed in the appointed chair. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. "That's Janice's favorite chair," noted Mel. "I can't tell you how many countless hours we have spent sitting right here, deciphering scrolls, and just discussing archeological digs," Mel reminisced as she poured the wine and handed a glass to Billie.

Billie smiled at the loving look on Mel's face. "The two of you have been together for a long time," she observed.

"For over fifty years," Mel responded. "I can still remember the first time I laid eyes on her. I had arrived at her dig site in Macedonia Greece, in response to a letter she had written Daddy about needin' help translatin' ancient scrolls. I was just a youngster at the time. I was in my mid 20's, as was Janice. While waitin' for her in her tent, I was accosted by some grave robbers, lookin' to steal the Xena Scrolls." Mel paused and smiled at a memory that had come to her mind. "Just when I thought I was a goner, Janice showed up, lookin' all the world like a tough guy, and proceeded to make mincemeat outta those robbers. I think I fell in love with her right then and there," she finished, her face flush with memories, a far away look in her eyes. "Anyway, we kinda went our separate ways for a while, meeting up again, several years later, near the end of the war."

"So you had the child between your first and second meetings with Janice, " Billie observed, doing the math in her head.

"Yes I did. I had come back home after we discovered the Xena Scrolls, while Janice enlisted in the war effort. We didn't meet again for another five years at an archeological convention that my family was sponsoring here in Charleston ... about a year after I had given birth to the child. The spark was still there, Billie. I took one look at her from across the room and knew that my heart no longer belonged to me," Mel explained.

"Obviously, she felt the same way about you," Billie remarked.

Mel smiled broadly. "Oh yes .... it didn't take long for Ms. Covington to find her way into my bedroom that night, and into my heart," she said, blushing a deep crimson red. "From then on, we were inseparable. I defied my Uncle and joined Janice's expeditions as an interpreter and traveled everywhere with her. There was no goin' back at that point."

"And Ida ..." Billie asked, leaving the question hanging.

Mel nodded her head and sipped her wine. "Ida was our gift from the gods, Billie. As soon as Jan and I committed ourselves to each other, I told her about the child I had borne. She was nail-spittin' angry at the stable hand who attacked me. It took a long time for her to get over the hurt she felt for me, and even longer to get over the anger she felt toward my Uncle for shipping me off to Aunt Edna's, hiding me away like the embarrassment that I was," Mel said, a frown crossing her features at the painful memories. Shaking it off, she looked back to Billie, "Anyway," she said, "about a year after we met for the second time, we committed our lives to each other. I wanted a child desperately, but for obvious reasons, I didn't want to be the one to bear it, so Janice graciously agreed. It was a difficult nine months to say the least!" exclaimed Mel, the memories causing her to smile. "You can imagine how impatient Janice was with the whole morning sickness and bulging tummy business! She was very difficult to live with. I think I was more grateful for the end than she was!" Mel explained, chuckling slightly. "That kinda explains why Ida was an only child," she added, chuckling under her breath.

Billie watched Mel closely as she spoke, smiling as the intense love this woman had for her partner came through loud and clear in her voice and on her face. Finally, unable to hold it back any longer, the older woman yawned.

"Goodness gracious, me," she said, completing the yawn. "I guess that flight took more outta me than I expected. Maybe I'll just turn in for now, we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow," Mel explained as she placed her wine glass on the table beside her chair and rose to her feet. Billie rose as well and accepted a hug from the older woman. "You just relax and make yourself to home, Billie, you hear me? I'll see y'all in the mornin'," she said, excusing herself and leaving the room.

Billie watched the older woman leave, then approached the fire place, wine glass still in hand. After watching the flames for a bit, she started walking around the room, looking at the fine art that decorated the wall, until she came to a book shelf tucked behind one of the many overstuffed chairs that lined the room. Bending over, she scanned the contents of the shelf and discovered several photo albums. Pulling the first one off the shelf, she opened the front cover and looked at the neatly written entry inside. "Melinda Pappas and Janice Covington - Book I" is what it said. Curious, Billie carried the book over to the chair she had occupied earlier and sat down, placing her wine glass on the table. Turning to the first page of photos, she came across what could have easily been a picture of she and Cat, except the subjects in the photo were dressed in period garb from the 1940's. Billie gasped as the resemblance became immediately apparent. For the next several moments, Billie flipped through the pages of the album, enjoying the story told by the pictures, reading the dates along the way. Coming to the end of the album, Billie realized that it had basically covered the first ten years of Mel and Janice's lives together. Closing the book, she carried it over placed it in its rightful place, and reached for the second book. Not wanting to move too far away from her treasure, she sat cross legged in front of the shelf and spent the next two hours watching the last fifty years of Mel and Janice's lives unfold before her eyes. Each album seemed to span a ten year time period. By the time she closed the last album and placed it back on the shelf, she was filled with a feeling of awe, peace and respect for these two ladies, as well as a connection to Mel that was so strong, that Billie was convinced without a doubt that they were family. Seeing these pictures and knowing in her heart that she was part of this family, renewed her desire and determination to prove it once and for all. She would find Mel's daughter if it killed her, and hopefully, she would find her mother and a sense of belonging in the process. Finally, tired and emotionally drained, she rose to her feet and headed to bed.

**********

When Billie returned from her jog the next morning, she found Mel sitting at the kitchen table, sipping tea, reading the morning paper. Letting herself in the back door, she approached the older woman and dropped a kiss on her cheek. "Good Morning, Grams," she said, before excusing herself to go shower and dress.

Mel just sat there, tea cup suspended in midair. "Did she call me, Grams?" she asked herself, coming to the conclusion that she did indeed, smiling broadly.

Fifteen minutes later Billie emerged and sat down next to Mel, reaching out for the coffee that Maggie had brought over to her as soon as she entered. "Thank you," she said, looking up at the cook and smiling.

"Gracious, child! You look so much like the mistress here .... you make me feel thirty years younger!" she exclaimed. "Now, how'd you like your eggs, dear?" she asked Billie.

Billie just looked at her and said, "I don't usually eat a heavy breakfast. Some cottage cheese and fruit would be enough."

Maggie looked at Mel, who was cringing at Billie's words. "Oh, oh, Maggie's goin' ta unload on her for sure!" Mel thought as the cook opened her mouth to speak.

"Cottage cheese and fruit?" she remarked. Placing her hands on her hips, she continued, "Young people today don't know what good food is. Are y'all sure you don't want somethin more substantial, Miss Billie?" Maggie asked.

Billie smiled. "No, cottage cheese and fruit will be fine ... thanks!" she said, cheerfully.

"Kids today!" exclaimed Maggie as she shuffled away to fill Billie's order.

Mel looked at Billie. Billie sported a "What did I do?" look on her face.

"She let you off pretty easy, there. You may not get way with it at dinner tomorrow night," Mel said. "Jan and Caitlain will be here by then, and I happen to know that Maggie is planing a big welcome home dinner."

Billie just smiled. "So, we start our search this morning," she commented, changing the subject. "We'll need to go to City Hall, or to the Hall of Records ... wherever Charleston keeps the city's birth and death certificate records," Billie explained. Taking a sip of her coffee, she looked up to thank Maggie as she placed the cottage cheese and fruit down in front of her. Maggie clucked under her breath as she walked away.

"All right. I'll have Chet bring the car around in about a half hour," Mel said.

"Grams, I'd rather drive myself, if that's all right with you," Billie replied.

Mel nodded at the younger woman. "Okay. We have several roadsters in the storage garage that belonged to Daddy. They haven't been driven in years, but they all run just fine," she remarked, "or you can drive the Lexus. It isn't as classy or excitin' as the antique ones, but it is a little more comfortable for longer trips, seein' as it had air conditioning and all."

Billie drew her eyebrows together into a frown. "Roadsters?" she thought to herself.

The 'roadsters' turned out to be a half dozen antique cars, including a 1923 Pierce Arrow Touring Car, a 1927 Studebaker, a 1929 Packard Convertible Coupe, a 1931 Mercedes Benz SSK Roadster, a 1932 Rolls Royce Roadster, and a 1933 Willy's Coupe, all in spit-shine condition, fully operational and finely tuned. They had been housed in the storage garage for nearly six decades, since the elder Mr. Melvin Pappas died. Although they had not been routinely driven, they were kept in tip top running condition by the mechanics staff at Pappington Acres.

Billie felt like a child in a candy store as she walked in between and around the sporty vehicles, running her hand over the still supple leather and shiny exteriors on the vehicles. Finally, unable to resist, she chose the 1932 Rolls Royce Roadster, with it's cream colored paint and red leather boot. Mel instructed Chet to pull the car out of the garage and drive it around to the front of the house. Soon, the two ladies were settled in the vehicle heading to town. Since Billie had chosen a convertible, and since it was a very pleasant sunny, 80 degree day -- she couldn't resist putting the top down, causing Mel to pull a scarf over her hair to protect her perfect coif. Billie, on the other hand, allowed her long dark hair to blow in the breeze as the car sped along the highway, reveling in the feel of freedom the wind through her hair gave her.

Mel looked over at Billie and smiled at the broad grin and look of joyful exuberance on Billie's face as she pulled into the parking lot at the Hall of Records. Billie reached over and turned the car off, looking over to Mel and smiling ear to ear.

"This is one great car!" she said to the older woman.

Mel smiled back. "It's Janice's favorite too. She hasn't driven it for a long time though. I think her eyes are starting to go, but you won't get her to admit that," Mel said, tucking loose strands of hair into place from the windy ride. "Anyway, Chet normally drives us where we want to go. There isn't much need for either of us to drive."

Billie reached up and pulled Mel's hand away from her hair. "Grams," she said. "Why don't you wear it down? You have such beautiful hair."

"Oh pshaw, you silly girl. I'm too old for that, and besides, I've always worn it this way," she reasoned.

"Well, I still like it better down," Billie said.

"Why do I get the feelin' you're avoiding going into this building, Billie?" Mel asked.

Billie sat back, hands tightly clenching the steering wheel, arms outstretched, elbows locked, her back pressed into the seat, chin tilted slightly down, eyes staring straight ahead, the muscles in her jaw tensed. Finally, she turned to look at Mel. "Am I that transparent?" she asked.

"Well, I really don't think my hair style is that important to you, Sugar," Mel observed. Then, reaching over, she placed her left hand on Billie's shoulder and said, "If its any consolation, I'm really nervous about this too," Mel added.

Billie took her left hand from the steering wheel and placed it over Mel's hand on her shoulder. Looking Mel in the eye, she smiled slightly and said, "I'm sorry, Grams, I'm being self absorbed. I haven't given much thought to how you feel about this."

"I have had a lot of time to think about and deal with this, Billie, far more than you have. You don't be worrin' about me," the older woman said.

"Tell you what," Billie said. "Let's get through this together, okay?"

Mel took a deep breath and said, "Well, then there's no better time than the present to start. Are you ready?"

"Let's go," Billie replied, reaching for the door handle.

**********

"June 14, 1944," Mel answered as the Record's Clerk asked for the date of birth on the certificate.

"Mother's name?" asked the clerk.

"Melinda Pappas," came the reply.

"Father's name?" came the next question.

"Unidentified," replied Mel, receiving an odd, knowing look from the clerk. Mel squirmed under the scrutiny.

Seeing Mel's discomfort, Billie leaned over the reception desk and said under her breath, "Look, we didn't come here for you to make my grandmother uncomfortable. Now keep your odd looks to yourself and do your job. You got it?" Billie asked.

The clerk looked at Billie nervously before shaking his head yes.

"Ah ... Ah, was it a home birth, or hospital?" he asked.

"Home," replied Mel.

"Okay, I think I have all the information I need for the search. I'll be back in a few moments," the clerk said as he nervously made his way to the archives room at the back of the hall.

Mel looked at Billie. "What did you say to that man?" she asked.

"I just reminded him to mind his manners, Grams, that's all," Billie answered, smiling smugly to herself.

Moments later, the clerk was back. "I'm sorry ladies, but I don't have a birth record on file under that name and date. Are you sure the birth would have been registered here in Charleston?" he asked.

"This is where the birth mother lived at the time. Why wouldn't it be registered here?" Billie questioned, her hands spread wide on the desk, her upper body leaning forward.

"Well, that was over fifty years ago, Ma'am. Durin' the war years too. Record keepin' wasn't at it's best back then," the clerk offered.

"Damn!" Billie exclaimed. "Now what?"

The clerk stood by nervously, waiting for further instruction from this intimidating woman. "Is there anything else I can help you with, Ma'am," he asked timidly.

Billie looked up. "No. Thank you," she said before looking over at Mel. "Any ideas?" she asked.

Mel reached over and locked arms with Billie, leading her toward the door. "One," she said. "The birthin' was actually in Lancaster, at Aunt Edna's house. Maybe it woulda been registered there," she suggested.

Billie looked at the older woman and smiled broadly. Leaning forward, she kissed Mel on the cheek and then laid her head on Mel's shoulder for a moment or two. Raising her head again, she looked into a mirror of her own eyes and asked, "Gram, why didn't I think of that?"

Mel reached up and cupped Billie's face in her palm. "Well, you would've after a time," she said. "We'll need to go home and get a bigger car if we're gonna pick Jan and Caitlain up at the airport. We'll talk about the trip to Lancaster at dinner tonight, all right?" she asked.

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

CHAPTER IV

The meeting at the airport was slightly tense. On the way there, Mel had warned Billie that public displays of affection were pretty much frowned on in certain Southern societies, Charleston being one of them .... and even more frowned on if the interested parties were of the 'gay persuasion'.

"Why do you stay here if that's the way you're treated?" Billie asked the older woman.

"This is where I grew up, Billie. My roots are here, my money is here. This is where my home is. Jan and I basically keep to ourselves. To our neighbors, we are just two old spinster ladies who share a home. We are seldom affectionate in public. I don't believe many of them give it any thought ... and those that do, have so far kept to themselves," Mel explained.

Not being able to take Cat into her arms and kiss her senseless when she got off the plane, was really bothering Billie.

Cat came through the gate, scanning the tops of the crowd for the dark head she expected to see waiting for her. She wasn't disappointed. Catching Billie's eye, she waved her hand over her head and started making her way toward her wife, dragging an irritated Janice behind her.

Cat reached Billie at the same time that Janice reached Mel. Mel greeted Janice by placing a hand on her back and gently rubbing it up and down. Janice smiled into Mel's face, promising much more when they got home.

Cat threw herself into Billie's arms. Billie held her tightly. "Don't kiss me," she whispered into Cat's ear. Cat pulled back and looked at Billie, confusion clearly written across her face. Billie smiled into her face and said, "Look around, love, and you'll see why."

Looking around, Cat saw several people staring at the two of them disapprovingly. She looked back at Billie, anger brewing on her brow. "Billie, since when have you let this type of reaction bother you?" she asked, her arms still wrapped around Billie's waist.

"Since Mel and Jan have to live here after we've gone," she replied. "Please understand, Cat. I promise to make it up to you when we get to the house," she said, smiling wickedly, her eyes promising much, much more.

Cat took a deep breath, releasing Billie's waist as she released her breath. "Okay," she said, smiling crookedly. "But you'd better make good on that promise!"

"Oh, I will ... believe me, I will," she exclaimed, throwing her arm around Cat's shoulder and walking her toward the luggage carousel to retrieve hers and Jan's bags.

Billie and Mel had chosen the 1927 Studebaker to drive to the airport in. It was the only car large enough to accommodate the four ladies and their luggage. Cat and Billie sat in the front, with Billie driving, while Janice and Mel took the back seat. Cat sat in the center of the seat, tightly against Billie, her hand resting in Billie's lap, roaming up and down the taller woman's leg, her head resting on Billie's shoulder. Billie was having a difficult time concentrating on her driving. In the back seat, Janice and Mel sat side by side, very little room between them. Janice reached over and took Mel's hand, raising it to her mouth and kissing the backs of her knuckles. Mel smiled down at Janice affectionately. By the time the car pulled into the carport, the atmosphere inside the car was palatable. Making their excuses to each other, the ladies soon disappeared into their respective rooms. Neither pair was seen for the rest of the day.

**********

Melinda and Janice were laying entwined in each other's arms. Melinda's head resting on Janice's left shoulder, her right arm tucked between them, her left hand trailing a path up and down Janice's bare arm.

"Jan?" Mel asked.

"Hmmmmm," Janice murmured, feeling very relaxed after Melinda had 'welcomed her home proper-like', as Mel liked to put it.

"Jan, Darlin, what if we can't find a birth certificate in Lancaster, either?" Mel asked.

Janice was absent mindedly playing with Mel's hair with her left hand. "I don't know. Maybe you can ask around for anyone that may still remember you when you were staying there," she suggested.

Mel just nodded her head, starting to doze off. "Good idea," she said, yawning.

Janice turned her head and kissed Mel's forehead. "Go to sleep, Mel. We'll talk about this in the morning." she said.

No response came from the sleeping Melinda.

**********

Cat was laying flat on her back, her left knee bent slightly out to the side, left arm tucked under her head, right hand stroking back the long dark hair framing the head that was lying on her abdomen. Her face was pointed toward the ceiling, eyes closed, a look of serene satisfaction on her face. Billie was laying on her stomach, partially on top of Cat, her weight shifted slightly to Cat's right side, her upper body trapping Cat's right hip and leg, her head lying on Cat's stomach, just above her navel. Billie's right arm was thrown over Cat's left hip, pulling her in closer.

"Billie?" Cat asked.

"Hmmmmm," Billie murmured, feeling very relaxed after welcoming Cat into her arms, 'proper-like', as Mel liked to put it.

"Billie, love, I'm sorry you hit a dead end today. Grandma Mel mentioned going to Lancaster ... to Aunt Edna's. What if you find nothing there too?" Cat asked.

Billie took a deep breath without opening her eyes. Talking into Cat's abdomen, she said, "Then we should probably ask around to see if anyone remembers Grams while she was there," Billie suggested.

Cat sighed and nodded her head without opening her eyes. "Good idea," she said, yawning.

Billie kissed Cat's stomach, then said, "Go to sleep, Cat. We'll talk about this in the morning."

No response came from the sleeping Cat.

**********

The next morning found Mel and Billie, once again, sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and reading the morning paper.

Billie had woken early, still wrapped tightly around Cat. As tempting as it was to stay in bed all day with her love, the lure of the crisp, fresh morning air that wafted in through the open French doors, was irresistible. Untangling her arms and legs from the smaller woman, she donned her running gear and headed out for her morning exercise.

Mel too, was typically an early riser. In her younger years, she would have accompanied Billie on her run, however, now, her body, worn with age, just wouldn't allow it. Instead, her morning routine consisted of a half hour on the treadmill, followed by 20 minutes of stretching. This morning, Mel woke to find Janice's arm thrown over her midsection, pinning her to the bed. She looked over at her partner of 50 years and smiled, remembering the woman's frisky nature from the night before. She placed a gentle kiss on Jan's forehead, then worked her way out from under the arm across her abdomen before heading out for her morning workout.

Mel and Billie were sipping coffee and making plans for their trip to Lancaster when first one, then the other of their spouses finally roused from bed, a good two hours after they had. Cat was the first to appear, shuffling into the kitchen, hair all in disarray from sleep, shuffling along in bare feet and Billie's football jersey that hung loosely and came to mid-thigh. "Coffee ..." she chanted as she plopped herself down in the chair next to Billie and rubbed her eyes. Janice was the last to join the crew. In a shuffle that matched Cat's, she made her way to the seat next to Mel. Billie looked at the older woman and chuckled at the boxer shorts, oversized T-shirt and ankle socks she wore under a worn terry cloth bathrobe that was left hanging open. "I need a cigar," commented Janice sleepily. Almost simultaneously, the two taller women leaned over and kissed their partners, welcoming them to the morning.

"Mel, you tried to kill me last night," Janice said, reaching around to rub the muscles in the small of her back.

"Well, I was just trying to welcome you home, proper-like!" Mel said, grinning. "I'll have Maria run you a hot bath to soak in, Darlin ... then maybe I can be talked into givin' ya a massage later," she said suggestively. Billie and Cat gave each other knowing grins.

Janice looked at Mel through hooded lids. "Did you put something in your coffee this morning, Pappas?" she asked the taller woman.

Mel swatted Janice lightly on the shoulder and said, "Goodness, Jan, can't a lady be affectionate now and again?" she asked.

"Grrrr," responded Janice as she gratefully accepted the coffee Maggie placed in front of her.

"Well, while you two were sleepin' the day away, Billie and I have been makin' plans to go to Lancaster," Mel said.

"Driving or flying?" Cat asked around sips of her coffee.

"Its only a two to three hour drive from here," Janice said. "Might make for a nice day out if you don't mind the ride."

"A nice ride sounds good to me," Billie said, looking around the table for approval.

"Ya know, Maggie is plannin' a big dinner tonight. She's likely to poison us all if we're not back on time." Mel said.

"You're damned right I will!" came a voice from the direction of the pantry, causing grins to break out all around the table.

"Well, its still early. If we leave within the next hour, we'll be back well before dinner," Cat said.

"All right ... It's settled then. I'll ask Maggie to pack us a lunch. There's a beautiful park in Lake Marion, right by the water, which will be perfect for a picnic," Mel said.

A half hour later, the ladies were climbing into the Studebaker, and on their way to Lancaster.

**********

The trip to Lancaster was uneventful, except for the frequent pit stops Cat insisted on making. "I can't help it, Billie!" Cat exclaimed after the third stop and evil look from Billie. "It's not my fault that my bladder is so small!" she said. Finally, two and a half hours later, they reached Lancaster. Pulling into the first gas station they came to, Billie went inside and asked for directions to the town hall. Moments later, she pulled the car into the parking lot of Lancaster Municipal Offices and turned off the ignition.

Billie glanced across nervously at Cat, then looked at Mel in the rear view mirror. Mel had been unusually quiet during the trip, focusing all her attention on the passing scenery, avoiding eye contact with the other occupants of the car. Asking Cat to scoot over a bit, she turned around in her seat and reached into the back of the car for Mel's hand. Mel put her hand in Billie's, finally making eye contact with her younger copy.

"You don't have to come in, Grams," Billie said. "Cat and I will run in and check it out."

Mel was visibly shaking, causing Janice to reach for her other hand. "Maybe that's a good idea, Billie," Jan said, looking at Mel and receiving a slight nod of approval.

Billie gave Mel's hand a squeeze and then looked at Cat. "Are you ready?" she asked.

Cat nodded her head as Billie retrieved her hand from the back seat and reached for the door handle. Climbing out of the car, she took Cat's hand, and together, they entered the town hall.

The ladies walked down the main corridor of the building, reading the names of city offices on the textured glass windows as they passed each door.

"Constable, Treasurer, Mayor, Superintendent of Schools, Town Clerk .... Billie, here it is. Town Clerk. Sounds like the right place to start," Cat said as she led the taller woman toward the closed door.

As the two women entered the room, they ran directly into an elderly man who was leaving, causing him to drop the papers he was carrying. "Oh, I'm sorry," Billie said as all three of them bent down to retrieve the papers from the floor. After collecting the papers which had scattered randomly at their feet, Billie rose to her full height and handed them to the man, making eye contact with him for the first time. The man's eyes bulged out of his head as the word 'Melinda' came from his lips, barely loud enough for Billie to hear. Then, like a scared rabbit, he scurried away as fast as he could.

Watching him leave, Cat commented to Billie, "I wonder what that was all about?"

Billie looked away from the man's retreating form to Cat, a frown on her face. "He called me, Melinda," she said.

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

CHAPTER V

"Billie, maybe we should go after him," Cat suggested.

Noticing an envelope on the floor that had been overlooked in their rush to clean up the results of their collision, Billie put her hand on Cat's arm and said, "Maybe we won't have to." Bending down, Billie retrieved the envelope and looked at it carefully. "No, maybe we won't have to," she repeated looking at Cat.

Cat looked at the envelope and then at Billie's face. "This might be an important document, Billie. We can't keep it," Cat said.

"Oh, we're not going to keep it," Billie said. "We'll return it. How we return it though, will depend on what we find in the town's records," Billie explained.

Cat smiled and nodded her head. "You, are a snake, my love," she said to the taller woman.

"Thank you," Billie replied, smiling and dropping a kiss on Cat's mouth, hissing and snaking out her tongue to tweak Cat's lips.

"Oh my!" came a voice from across the reception counter, drawing Billie and Cat's eyes to a very disturbed middle-aged woman in attendance there.

Billie turned her face back to Cat's. "Ooopps!" she said, causing both of them to break out into huge smiles.

"Damned Southerners!" Cat said in her best Janice imitation.

"Well, let's get this over with," Billie said, taking Cat's hand, leading her toward the desk, and the disapproving glances they were receiving from the clerk.

"May I help you?" the clerk said in clipped tones.

"Yes. My name is Billie Charland. I am looking for the birth record of a child who was born in this city 55 years ago. Now, there is a very good possibility that this child is my birth mother. I am looking for a birth or death certificate to help me resolve this," Billie explained.

"I'm sorry, Miss. I can not divulge confidential city records to total strangers. I have no way of validating your claim," the woman said, a distasteful sneer crossing her face as she looked at Cat and Billie's clasped hands.

Billie narrowed her eyes at the clerk. "Look, Miss .... Slattery," Billie said, leaning in to read the woman's name tag. "I just happen to be lawyer, and I just happen to know that birth and death certificates are a matter of public record. Now, either you tell me where I can access these records, or I will insist on seeing your supervisor and escalating this matter. Furthermore, I will make a point of insisting that your poor treatment of us is due to your intolerant attitude. The choice is yours," Billie finished, continuing to hold the woman's gaze.

Cat held her breath as the woman debated her choices. Finally, she opened a drawer in front of her and retrieved a set of keys. "Follow me, Ms. Charland," she said.

Without releasing Cat's hand, Billie followed Miss Slattery to a room at the back of the office. They stood there patiently as the clerk unlocked the door and pushed it open. Stepping back, she motioned for them to enter, and then followed them in. The room was lined with shelves, neatly organized file folders filling them to capacity. At the far end of the room, was a microfiche machine as well as three file cabinets containing records on microfilm.

"I think you'll find everything you need right here, Ms. Charland, and ... ah Miss ...." the clerk said, indirectly asking for Cat's name.

"Caitlain," Billie said. "This is Caitlain Charland, my wife," Billie replied as she watched the horrified expression cross the clerk's face. Miss Slattery had extended her hand to Cat at the start of the introductions, but quickly pulled it away at Billie's announcement.

Miss Slattery walked quickly to the door. Turning around, she said, "Please let me know when you are through. If you need anything copied, there is a machine in the main office. Take your time, the office doesn't close until 5 pm." With that, she quickly exited the room leaving them alone.

Cat turned to Billie. "You are a wicked woman, my love. You really know how to make someone squirm, don't you?" she asked, standing on tip toe to kiss the tall woman.

"Only if they deserve it, Cat .... and she sorely deserved it," Billie replied. "Now, let's get to work."

**********

"Mel, are you all right?" Janice asked, turning Melinda's face toward her.

"I'm fine, Jan," she said, trying hard not to look Janice in the eyes.

"Then why are you shaking, and why won't you look at me?" Janice asked persistently.

Mel looked down into her lap, at her hand clasped in Janice's. A tear fell from her eye to join the entwined fingers there.

"Mel, look at me," Janice said, grasping Mel's chin and forcing her head up.

Tortured blue eyes met green as tears flowed freely from them.

Janice pulled Mel's head into her shoulder. "It's all right, Mel. Cry it out, sweetheart. Damn. If I could take away your pain, I would. You know that, don't you?" Janice asked.

Mel nodded her head from its position on Jan's shoulder. "It hurts, Janice. After all this time, it still hurts. There are so many bad memories here," she cried.

"We should have let the kids come alone, Mel. This is too much for you," Janice observed.

Mel just breathed deeply and lifted her head from Janice's shoulder. Just then, she saw a man exit the town hall, causing her to gasp.

"Mel, what is it?" Janice asked.

"That man ... he looks so familiar," Mel said.

Janice reached for the door handle. She had one foot out the door before Melinda stopped her.

"Janice Covington, get back into this car. You can't just go approaching a total stranger on the street. He looks familiar, is all ... I may not even know him," Mel scolded.

Janice looked back at her wife and got back into the car, closing the door.

**********

The small room was neatly organized. It wasn't long before Billie located the section of shelving containing the names starting with 'P'. "Cat, over here," she said.

Together, they combed through the records until they came across a folder labeled, 'Pappas, Melinda'. Taking it off the shelf, they brought it over to the table and laid it down. Taking a step back, Billie drew in a deep breath and stared at the manila colored wrapping.

"Do you want me to open it?" Cat asked, standing next to Billie and rubbing her hand up and down the taller woman's back.

Continuing to stare at the folder, Billie shook her head. "No, Cat. I've got to do this. I'm.. ah ... I'm just a little nervous," she said, approaching the table once more. Reaching down, she opened the folder, revealing a single document. Billie reached down and picked up the paper with shaky hands, studying it carefully. Cat circled her wife's waist with a reassuring arm. Moments later, Billie reached out for the table for support as her knees started to weaken. Cat quickly pulled a chair away from the table and guided Billie into it.

Leaning over her emotional wife, Cat reached forward and took the document from Billie's hands. After reading it carefully, she pulled another chair out and sat beside Billie. Billie was staring at her hands before her on the table, tears were running down her cheeks. Running her hand up and down Billie's arm, Cat spoke softly. "Billie, honey, talk to me."

Billie turned her face toward her wife. "Cat," she said, "that document says it all."

Cat just nodded her head and rubbed Billie's back.

**********

By the time Billie and Cat left the clerk's office, it was nearly 2 pm. They had decided not to say anything to Melinda until they stopped for lunch. Returning to the car, they found Janice sitting across the back seat, her back propped up against the door, Melinda reclining between her legs, her head resting on the spot between Janice's breast, her eyes closed in sleep.

Janice watched her two granddaughters walk toward the car, hand in hand. It was obvious that Billie had been crying. They were carrying a folder, which Janice assumed contained the information they had been looking for. Reaching the car, Billie opened the door and allowed Cat to climb into the front seat ahead of her. Handing her the folder, she climbed in herself, then turned in her seat to look at the elderly women in the back.

"Is she all right?" Billie asked.

Janice nodded. "She'll be fine. I assume you found what you were looking for?" she asked.

Billie nodded her head. "We'll stop at the lake for lunch. It's about an hour away. We'll talk about it then, okay?" she asked.

"Okay," Janice said, kissing Mel on the head as the car lurched forward into traffic.

Mel slept nearly the entire way to the lake, waking up just minutes before they reached their destination. Shifting in Janice's arms, she opened her eyes. "Janice," she said.

"Hi sleepy head," Janice said, helping Mel into a sitting position.

"Where are we?" Mel asked.

"Nearly to the lake Grams," Cat said, turning around in her seat and reaching into the back for her grandmother's hand.

"What did you find, Caitlain?" Mel asked.

"We're almost to the lake, Grams. We'll talk about it then," Cat explained.

Mel just nodded as Billie pulled the car into the parking lot by the lake. Janice helped Mel out of the car while Billie and Cat retrieved the picnic basket and blanket. They chose a serene spot under a tree. The area very much reminded Billie and Cat of their favorite tree in the park back home ... the tree they spent time under while watching Seth rehabilitate from his coma, the tree they spent time under while waiting out Cat's pregnancy with Skylar ... the tree they spent time under while Billie mourned the death of Peggy McBride. For these reasons, this particular tree in this particular park seemed like a fitting place to spend time while they learned and dealt with the loose ends of their lives.

The ladies ate their picnic lunch in silence. Afterwards, they strolled along the lake shore, hand in hand, stopping to pick up and skip stones into the water. Finally, they stopped and stared out over the lake. The four woman stood as one. Billie standing side by side with Melinda, book-ended by Cat and Janice on either side. Staring straight ahead, Billie took a deep breath and said, "Grams, she's alive."

Janice was there just in time to catch a crumbling Melinda as she sank to the ground.

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

CHAPTER VI

On the drive back to Charleston, Mel grasped the copy of her child's birth certificate in shaky hands. She read it over and over. "Certificate of Live Birth," it read at the top. "Live birth!" Mel thought to herself. "I knew she was alive. I could feel it." "Date: June 14, 1944, Gender: Female, Height: 22 inches, Weight: 7 pounds, 10 oz, Mother: Melinda Pappas, Father: Unknown." It was all there.

Mel was ecstatic.

Janice was pensive.

Billie sat with her right arm around Cat, her left hand on the steering wheel as she guided the antique car down the highway toward home.

Billie was contemplative.

Cat was apprehensive.

Chet greeted them warmly at the carport as all four women exited the car. Mel charged into the house, full of pep and energy, directing them all to the parlor for a victory toast. Billie, true to her normally stoic nature, smiled warmly, but internally waged a war that had her teetering on the edge of emotional release. Cat and Janice were unnaturally reserved, both deep in thought on what lay ahead for their loved ones. Neither was looking forward to the emotional upheaval that was sure to come.

Billie and Cat excused themselves well before dinner and retired to their room to spend some time alone, thinking about the events of the day. Once in their room, Billie started to pace like a caged tiger. The atmosphere was very charged. Billie was strung like a finely tuned bow. Cat sat on the edge of the bed, watching her wear a path in the carpet, knowing that Billie would stop to talk about it when she was ready, or until Cat did something to force the issue. Cat chose the later.

"Billie, honey. Talk to me, please," she said.

Billie continued to pace. The tension was building with each pass across the room.

Cat finally rose from her position on the bed and stood in Billie's path. Billie stopped abruptly in front of Cat, her breathing coming in ragged pants, her hands clenching at her sides, her jaw muscles contracting furiously. Cat knew exactly what Billie needed to release this penned up emotion.

Looking into Billie's eyes, Cat said two words ... "take me."

That was all the encouragement Billie needed. Reaching forward, she lifted Cat off the floor by her waist and carried her to the bed. The energy building within her chest was nearly impossible to control as she literally tore Cat's clothes from her body. Cat, for one, knew what she was in for. When Billie was in this type of emotional rage, she was wild with battle lust. All Cat could do is hold on and ride out the storm ... and what a delicious storm it was. Cat reveled in these moments when Billie threw restraint to the winds and unleashed her raw sexual power on the smaller woman.

Billie ravished Cat from head to toe, biting, licking, nipping, clawing, reducing Cat to boneless flesh in her hands. Cat begged for more, screamed Billie's name out over and over as orgasmic waves crashed over her, mindless that her screams of desire were carrying throughout the house. Billie brought her to climax no fewer than three times before she begged her to stop, afraid that there would be no energy left to return the favor. But, return it, she did, flipping the taller woman over onto her back and proceeding to push her to the limits of endurance, only to back off and approach again. After several failed landing attempts, Cat circled around once more and dove into Billie's core, causing her to explode into a thousand tiny pieces, each one throbbing with spent desire. Multiple choruses of Cat's name joined those earlier sung by the red headed woman as all ears in the house tuned into the sound coming from the upstairs bedroom.

Janice and Mel were in the parlor, quietly discussing the day's events, when the sounds of intense lovemaking reached their ears. They looked at each other for long moments, before Janice rose to her feet and took Mel's hand, leading her through the grand hallway, to their room upstairs.

**********

"So where do we go from here, Billie?" Melinda asked, placing a forkful of mixed vegetables into her mouth.

"Well, I've been on a few cases at work where we've had to find a missing family members for one reason or another. A lot depends on whether the missing person wants to be found," Billie commented, "but my best guess would be to start with the state adoption records. Some states have sealed them from prying eyes ... even if those eyes have a right to know. If South Carolina is one such state, then we'll have to take legal action to access the records," she explained.

Cat put down her fork and placed her hands on the table. She looked around the room nervously. Billie noticed her discomfort.

"Cat, honey, what is it?" she asked.

"Billie, Grams, I hate to burst your bubbles, but the only thing the birth certificate proves is that you gave birth to a live baby 55 years ago. Grams ... it doesn't mean that the child is Billie's mother," Cat explained. Then, looking over to Billie, she added, "Love, I just don't want to see you hurt if it turns out NOT to be the case."

Billie held Cat's gaze for several long moments before taking a deep breath. "You're right, Cat. All we have to go on is my resemblance to Mel. I hope that its enough, but you are right - it might not be," she said, placing her hand over Cat's and forcing a smile onto her face.

"I'm sorry, Billie," Cat said.

Billie leaned over and kissed the smaller woman. "Don't be sorry, love. One of us has to stay grounded here, and right now, I'm not the best candidate for that, so you've got the job," she said, this time sporting a genuine smile and causing Cat to smile back.

"So, when do we get started," asked an anxious Melinda.

"I've been giving that some thought, Grams. I've already called my co-worker, Art, and asked him to start researching South Carolina's adoption policies. I have also asked our best Internet surfer, Jimmy, to start a missing person's search on any 55 year old female adoptee, who may be currently looking for her birth parents. If she is actively looking for you, there is a chance that we may find her relatively fast. For now, however, unless we get lucky, there isn't much we can do until we understand what our limitations are. Also, Cat and I need to get home. All this talk of adoption is really making me miss my kids," Billie said.

"I second that motion," added Cat.

"What can we do from this end?" asked Janice.

"Well, you can try to find anyone who may have known Grandma Mel when her daughter was born. That means another trip to Lancaster, of course, but there may be someone around who remembers Mel giving birth, and may even know what happened to the child. News travels fast in small communities," Billie suggested. "Oh, by the way," Billie added. "While Cat and I were in the clerk's office, we quite literally ran into a man coming out as we were going in. The collision caused him to drop his paperwork all over the floor. He looked me directly in the face and said 'Melinda'. Cat and I helped collect his papers and mail from the floor, but in his haste to get out of there, he missed an envelope. I have it in our room upstairs. Remind me to give it to you before we leave tomorrow. The fact that he called me Melinda may be important. You'll have to look for him to return the letter ... he may be the missing link," Billie finally finished.

"We can do that," Mel said.

"I can do that," Janice corrected. "You said yourself that Lancaster held some bad memories for you," Jan reminded her wife.

"That was before I new by daughter was alive, Janice. I will endure any emotional hardship to find her," Mel stated.

Janice threw up her hands at Mel's stubbornness. "Do you see what I have to put up with?" she asked the two younger women, who both smiled.

**********

The next day was filled with teary good byes as Cat and Billie boarded the plane for home. Sitting in a window seat, Billie waved and blew kisses to the two women standing by the fence, waving furiously. Both Billie and Mel clutched copies of the birth certificate in their hands. They were both on a mission to see if those pieces of paper would knit their destinies into one.

As the plane lifted off the runway, Cat reached over and took Billie's hand in hers. "It feels good to be going home," she said.

"Yes it does," Billie agreed, kissing the back of Cat's hand.

"Billie?" Cat said.

"Yes?" came the reply.

"You need to remember that whatever happens with this quest, our definition of family has to remain intact. We can't let this change who or what we are. Do you understand?" Cat asked.

Billie reached over and touched Cat's face. "Cat," she said, "we all have families we are born into, but for what ever reason, we sometimes form families of our own, unrelated by blood, but families nonetheless. What you and I have together, is a bond stronger than blood could ever be. You and the children are my real family, Cat, regardless of what we find in this quest. Please don't ever forget that," she finished.

Cat just smiled and laid her head on Billie's shoulder for the long flight home.

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

CHAPTER VII

The plane touched down at 4:15 in the afternoon. Billie had called ahead while they were still in the air and warned Jen that they were coming in, then proceeded to beg a ride home.

Jen picked the kids up from school that afternoon and headed straight for the airport. All five children stood with their faces against the chain-link fence, fascinated by the size of the jumbo jets that taxied in and out of the terminal area. Skylar spent most of the time with her hands over her ears to block out the sound of the jet engines. Soon, Jen pointed out Cat and Billie's flight as it made its final landing approach .

"Cat, honey, look," Billie said, pressing herself back into her seat so Cat could lean over her to look out the window. "Look, the kids are over there, by the fence," she said, as they both spotted the children jumping up and down and waving as the plane approached the gate. The race was on as the kids ran into the terminal to greet the ladies at the arrival gate.

Billie was first to step into the terminal. Skylar threw herself into Billie's arms as soon as she saw her. After a hug and a kiss, Billie passed her on to Cat as she opened her arms to Tara and Seth, who entered them willingly, wrapping themselves around the taller woman. After an appropriate amount of cuddling, they too moved on to Cat, as Billie turned her attention to Jen. Opening her arms once more, Jen walked into them as Billie wrapped her long arms around her friend. "Thank you, Jen, for taking care of the kids ... for being there for us when we needed you - again!" she exclaimed with a smile.

"You're welcome, Big Guy." Jen said. "How was your visit?" she asked both women as Cat approached them and threw her arm around Jen's waist for a hug.

Billie looked down at the curly haired blonde. "She's alive, Jen. Melinda's child was not stillborn. We found the birth certificate in Lancaster, where she actually gave birth," she explained.

"So now you know that your mother is out there somewhere," Jen concluded, looking at her dark haired friend as they walked toward the exit door of the terminal.

Billie looked at Cat. Remembering the conversation she had had the previous night during dinner, she answered Jen as optimistically as she could. "Jen, we don't know yet that this child is my mother. The only thing we do know is that Mel's child was not stillborn. The only real evidence we have to go on is my resemblance to Mel. We have to find the child, then probably do DNA testing to establish a link between she and I ... that is, if there is a link, and if she's willing to do the testing," Billie finished.

Jen just nodded as the trio of friends was interrupted by the sounds of the children running toward them. "We found them!" Tara and Karissa chimed together. "Seth and Stevie are coming with the luggage. They found them on that merry-go-round over there," Tara said, pointing in the direction of the luggage carousel, where Skylar was sitting between two large suitcases, happily riding around and around.

"Skylar Jean Charland, what in the world are you doing?" Cat asked as she rushed forward to retrieve her daughter from the revolving belt. "Goodness gracious child, I'll have gray hairs soon enough without you rushing them!" she scolded.

Billie thought the whole picture was quite funny, and struggled to keep the grin off her face. At Cat's words, she leaned into the smaller woman's ear and said, "You sound like Melinda, love ... goodness gracious!"

Cat swatted Billie's arm for teasing, as she set Skylar on the floor, where she immediately ran to join the other children.

Soon the eight passenger mini van was filled to capacity with five children and three adults, heading for home.

**********

Billie arrived bright and early at work the next morning. Passing Art's office, she saw that he wasn't in yet, so she continued on to her own . She walked over to her desk and put her briefcase down, then approached the coffee machine and set it up to brew. Walking back to the desk, she unlatched the clasps on her case and lifted the top. Inside, there was a single long stem red rose with a piece of paper rolled up to resemble a scroll tied to it's stem by a pink ribbon.

She smiled broadly, her eyes misting over, as she brought the rose to her face and inhaled it's aromatic essence. Taking one ribbon tendril in her hand, she gently pulled, untying the bow, until the scroll fell loose into her hand. Raising the rose one more time to her nose, she inhaled deeply, then laid it down gently on the table.

With shaky hands, she unrolled her treasure. It read:

FROM THE ARMS OF PERFECTION

From the arms of perfection

Does Sunshine spew forth

A thing of beauty none greater

Than that I see

When I rise in the morn

And look into your face

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

From the arms of perfection

Does a Rose blossom deep

Blood red crimson

Compared in beauty

Only to the hue

That colors your cheeks

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

From the arms of perfection

Does a Pearl gently form

In the depths

Of oceans so blue

They are rivaled only

By the color of your eyes

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

From the arms of perfection

Does my love for you grow

Greater than the Sunshine

And the Rose

And the Pearl

And the Oceans so blue

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

From the arms of perfection

Does our love spring eternal

It will endure

And we will be two

Stronger than one

From the arms of perfection

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

PS ... Know that I love you Billie, and that I will always be here for you. Think of us and our perfect love when you look at this rose. It's beauty is rivaled only by the love I have for you in my heart. I'll see you tonight. I love you, Fred.

Looking down at the signature, Billie saw that it was signed, "Ginger", causing her to break down into tears, lowering herself into her chair and covering her mouth with her hand as she stifled the joyful sobs.

Art chose that moment to arrive. He stopped short when he saw her crying, then rushed to her side. "Billie, what is it?" he asked worriedly.

Billie looked up at him and smiled, handing him the poem.

Art scanned the poem quickly, swallowing hard when he reached the end of the PS. Putting the note on the desk, he looked around awkwardly, blinking rapidly, his right hand on his hip, holding his suit jacket open, his other hand rubbing the back of his head. He looked everywhere but at Billie. Clearing his throat, he swabbed the corner of his eye with what he hoped looked like a casual movement, and said, "Uhhmmm, Ah, damn ... I have something in my eye ... I'll be right back" before hurriedly leaving the room.

Billie grabbed a Kleenex from the box on her desk, then leaned back in her chair, smiling broadly and dabbing at her eyes. "Art, you are a bigger baby than I am!" she said under her breath

Picking the rose up and inhaling its fragrance one more time, she closed her eyes and thought, "What a great way to start the day. I love you too, Ginger."

**********

"Okay Billie, here's what we've got," Art said, throwing a document down on the table in front of her.

Billie looked up from the case she was working on. "What it is?" she asked the tall man.

"It's South Carolina's adoption laws," he said.

Billie frowned. "That's an awfully thick document, Art," she commented.

"Yes it is ... and it looks like pretty dry reading too. Have fun with it!" he grinned, turning to leave.

"Whaaaa ... Art, I ...I thought," she stammered, really unsure of what she thought.

"You thought I would do the honors for you?" he asked, stopping to turn around and look at the woman.

"Well ... Yes." Billie replied.

"Yeah, well, that's what I had planned to do, but the senior partners have seen fit to assign me to prosecute an international drug case. Looks like I've got to fly to Honduras in the morning. Sorry," he said.

Billie sat back in her chair and looked at the imposing document sitting on her desk. Looking back at Art, she said, "I think I'd rather brave the killer mosquitoes in Honduras than to deal with that monstrosity!" she exclaimed.

Art leaned down over the desk and kissed Billie on the nose. "Why do you think I'm not complaining?" he said wickedly, backing away beyond her reach just as Billie's arm shot out to swat him.

"You're getting slow, Charland!" he joked as he turned and left her office, leaving her there to stare at the document in dreaded anticipation.

**********

"Billie! ... Billie!" the voice rang out across the tops of the cubicles.

Billie turned to see Jimmy's head pop up over the chin-height panel. "Jimmy? What have you got for me?" asked Billie, her mouth suddenly dry with nervous emotion.

Jimmy motioned her over to join him. "Actually, I need a little more information," Jimmy said.

"Did you have any luck with the search I called you about from Charleston?" she asked.

"The search?" Jimmy asked, momentary confusion on his face. Suddenly, he remembered. "Oh, the search! Yes ... Yes ... That has been done for a while now. However, I ...." he started .

"It's done? Where is it?" Billie asked incredulously, irritated that Jimmy hadn't notified her when it was finished.

"Right here," Jimmy said, pointing to the report on his desk, stopping Billie from grabbing it as she reached over his desk for the document.

"Jimmy?" Billie exclaimed impatiently.

"Now you just hold your horses there, young lady. Give a person a chance to explain, will you? Sit!" he commanded, pointing to the chair by his desk.

Billie reluctantly sat down, a look of anger and impatience on her face.

"You can wipe that look off your face too. I'm too old and much too impatient to put up with emotional nonsense from the likes of you or anyone else. Do you understand?" he asked.

Billie was shocked into silence, shocked not only by Jimmy's boldness, but by her own rude manner in dealing with the elderly gentleman. It was she who went to him for help after all She had no right to treat him so disrespectfully. She sat there looking down at the hands in her lap for long moments. Finally, she raised her head. "I'm sorry, Jimmy. I had no right to treat you like that. Please forgive me," she said.

Jimmy was a little uncomfortable with her apology and brushed it off. "Never mind that," he said. "Now, I need more information," he said.

"What kind of information?" she asked.

"Well, I've done a search on all the 55 year old women in the country that are looking for birth mothers. I excluded obvious things from the search, like certain nationalities and skin colors, and have been able to narrow down the list to about 400 women." he said.

"400 women!" Billie exclaimed in a raised voice, visibly agitated. "Do you know how long it will take to locate and contact 400 women?" she said.

"Calm down there, Missy," Jimmy warned again, waiting for her to control herself once more before continuing. "All right, now. If your mother is out there looking for her own birth mother, then it makes sense to me that she might be looking for you as well," reasoned Jimmy.

Billie perked up, amazed at the older man's logic. "That makes sense," she said.

"Yes it does. Now, what I need is your birth date so I can write a macro that will narrow the search field a little more," he explained.

"That's easy," Billie said. "March 30,1967."

"March 30, 1967, it is," Jimmy repeated as he wrote the date down on a scratch pad. Looking back at Billie, he said, "Now, go away and let me work. I'll let you know when I have something."

Billie smiled at the abrupt way she was being dismissed. Suddenly a thought came to her that made her chuckle. "If Janice Covington were straight, she would surely give this man a run for his money!" She got up from the chair by Jimmy's desk with a big grin on her face ... a grin that was missed by the older man, who was already deeply absorbed in his work.

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

CHAPTER VIII

"Janice, Darlin', are we almost there?" Mel asked nervously.

"For crying out loud Melinda, you're worse than a child. Even Ida wasn't this bad when she was little," Janice complained.

Mel looked at her hands in her lap, clasped together to keep them from shaking. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm just so nervous, is all. Jan, what if we don't find anything?" she asked.

"Between us all, we'll find something, Mel. If we don't, I'm sure Billie will. She has access to all those new fangled computers and the Internet, and besides, we have that letter Billie gave us. All we need to do is find the owner," Janice explained.

"I hope so. I just want this over with, Jan. I want to find my baby and hold her in my arms and tell her I love her," Mel said.

Jan looked at her wife with sincere concern. "Mel, sweetheart, it may not be that simple."

Mel looked at Janice with confusion written across her features.

"Mel, your daughter may not know that she was taken from you against your will. She might think that you gave her away. You have to be prepared to deal with that possibility," Janice explained.

"Janice, I will deal with whatever comes my way in this matter. I have never felt so strongly about anything in my life ... except maybe my love for you," Mel said, watching Janice break into a smile.

Janice reached over across the seat and took Mel's hand in hers, kissing her knuckles absent mindedly while focusing on the road ahead of them.

"Mel," she said, not taking her eyes off the road. "You have my full support. You know that, don't you?" Jan looked over to see Melinda nod her affirmation. "Good, we are definitely in this together. But promise me one thing ... no matter what happens, sweetheart, we can't lose us ... we can't lose who we are, okay?" the smaller woman asked.

Mel waited for Janice to park the car in the lot of the Lancaster city offices before replying. Janice pulled the car in between the lines designated for visitors and shut off the ignition. Both women turned in their seats to face each other.

Mel reached over to touch Janice's cheek. "Jan, darlin, nothing in this world can make me stop lovin' you. What I feel for you is stronger than anything I know. You are my soul, Janice. I can't live without you. I promise not to lose 'us' in the process of finding 'we'," Mel said.

Janice smiled and took Mel's hand in her own. Nodding her head, she said, "Mel, sweetheart, let's go find our daughter."

**********

Mel and Janice approached the receptionist's desk in the clerk's office and asked for help. Leaning in to read the woman's name tag, Janice introduced themselves. "Ah, Miss Slattery, my name is Doctor Janice Covington, and this lovely lady here is Melinda Pappas."

The clerk was immediately on guard after hearing Mel's name. She looked Mel up and down curiously while Janice spoke. "My, my," she thought to herself. "She looks just like the other one who came in here, only older," Mel stood there, very lady like, not particularly fond of being under a microscope, but willing to bear the scrutiny for the sake of their mission.

"We are here looking for information on an adoption that may have taken place in this town 55 years ago," Janice continued. "This woman's child was illegally and forcefully taken from her after the birth. She has not seen the infant since. Can you help us find the records?" Janice finished.

Miss Slattery smiled smugly.

"I don't think I like this woman," Janice thought to herself.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Pappas," the clerk said, addressing Mel for the first time. "I'm afraid I can't help you. Adoption records in this state are sealed," she informed the stricken Southerner.

Mel grasped the counter to prevent herself from fainting into a heap on the floor. Janice placed a hand on her back to steady her and to give assurance that she was there to support her.

"What do you mean, they're sealed?" Janice asked.

"What don't you understand about that Ms Covington? Sealed means sealed. They are inaccessible to the birth parents, adoptive parents, and even to the adoptee with out a court order." the woman answered sarcastically.

"Look, Miss Slattery," Janice said, try very hard to hold back her intense desire to call the woman a bitch and strangle her half to death. "Our granddaughter came in her just two days ago and found the birth certificate for the child, and you tell us, that even with this information, we can not see her adoption records.

"That's exactly what I'm saying, Ms. Covington. The records are sealed. You'll have to take it to the state Supreme Court to convince them to give you access ... if that's what you really want." the clerk finished. "Now, I am a very busy woman. Please excuse me," she said, starting to walk away. Mel had to physically restrain Janice from going after the woman.

Mel was crying by the time they reached the car. Taking her hand, Janice led her to a bench nearby and sat with her, her arm around the taller woman's shoulders. Pulling Mel's head down onto her shoulder, she whispered against her hair, "We're not done yet, Mel. We've just begun to fight. Come on, let's go find a decent room. Looks like we may be here for a day or two."

Leading Mel back to the car, they ladies set out to rent a room.

**********

It was mid afternoon by the time Janice and Mel found a suitable hotel room and settled in. The disappointment resulting from their visit to the clerk's office had made Mel lethargic. She sat on the edge of the bed wearily, a deep sigh escaping her lungs. "Where do we go from her, Jan?" she asked.

"You are going to take a nap. I am going to do some research," the smaller woman answered.

"Janice Covington, if you think for one moment that you are going to rush out and do this without me, you've got another thought coming!" exclaimed Mel.

"Don't get your panties in a knot, Mel," Janice retorted. "All I'm going to do is find out where one 'Johnathan J. Smythe' lives," she said, reading the name off the envelope Billie had given them before going home. "I promise ... I won't introduce myself to him without you, okay?" she compromised.

"You promise?" Mel asked.

"I promise. Now lay down and get some sleep. I want you fresh for tonight ... I've got big plans for you," Janice said wickedly.

"Ms Covington, you are incorrigible!" exclaimed Mel.

"What?!" asked Janice innocently. "Can't I make dinner plans for my best girl?" she asked.

"That depends on where you're planning on eatin' out," replied Mel coyly.

Janice looked at her with a mock expression of shock. "Now whose being incorrigible?"

"Well, anyway, you'd better get outta here now while you still can," Mel teased, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

Janice walked over to Mel, and stood very close to the seated woman. Reaching out, she took Mel's chin in her hand, leaned in, and kissed her long and hard, causing Mel to lean back and grasp the bedspread with both hands, crumbling it up into a ball in each fist. Finally, Janice released Mel and stepped back.

Mel was breathless, eyes closed, breathing ragged. "Oh my!" she managed to squeak out as Janice reached the door. Opening her eyes, she noticed that she was alone. "So much for taking a nap," the tall Southerner said to herself as she fanned her neck with the magazine on the bedside table.

**********

Janice drove slowly through the streets of Lancaster, trying to follow the directions given to her by the gentleman behind the counter at the hotel reception desk. She wasn't having much luck finding Forrest Avenue. "Should've known better than the ask a man for directions," Janice mumbled under her breath as she found herself going in circles again. Finally, thoroughly lost, she pulled into a gas station convenience store and asked the clerk for help. "Ah, excuse me, Miss, but can you direct me to Forrest Avenue?" Janice asked. "The directions I have, just are not cutting it," she said.

"Let me see that," the woman said.

Janice gave the hand written sheet of instructions to the woman, who looked at them carefully. Finally, she handed them back to Janice and smiled. "Don't tell me ... a man gave you those, right?" she asked, chuckling as Janice nodded her head. "Okay, it's really very simple. Turn right out of the station here, take your second right, and then your first left .... that's Forrest Avenue. Good Luck!" the woman called after Janice as she thanked her and left the station.

Following the directions, Janice soon found herself on Forrest Avenue. She drove slowly down the street, looking at house numbers as she went, until she located the number 14. "Bingo!" Janice exclaimed as she committed the house to memory. Janice drove up and down the street two more times to be absolutely sure she could find it later when Mel was with her. Finally, she turned around and headed back to the hotel.

Entering the hotel, Janice noticed a small flower shop inside the lobby. Stopping in, she picked up a long-stem red rose for Mel. Very proud of herself, she headed to their room, humming smugly. Janice let herself in quietly, tiptoeing across the room to the still-sleeping Melinda, to gently lay the rose down on the pillow beside her love. "Mad Dog," she told herself, "You are such a mush ball!" Leaning over, she placed a gentle kiss on Mel's cheek, then went to sit in the chair, patiently waiting for her wife to wake up.

**********

"Janice, have I thanked you yet for the lovely rose?" Mel asked innocently.

Janice took her eyes off the road for a moment to smile at her wife. "Sweetheart, saying 'thank you' has never been a problem for you, but I gotta admit, you outdid yourself this time!" Janice said, grinning.

"Well, its not everyday that a girl receives flowers from her beau," Mel said. "It's only polite to thank her proper-like."

Reaching over, Janice patted Mel's knee. "Well, love, the next time I tease you about your sense of etiquette, just remind me about the rose, okay?" she joked. "Here we are," Janice added as she pulled the car to a stop in front of 14 Forrest Avenue. Janice could feel Mel tense. Turning to her wife, she said, "Look, Mel, let me go in and talk to him. I'll ask him if he knows you, and then we'll decide what to do, depending on what his reaction is, okay?"

Mel just nodded, her mouth suddenly dry from nervousness.

Janice climbed out of the car and approached the house, ringing the bell when she reached the door. She held the envelope in front of her, nervously bouncing up and down on her toes as she waited for the door to be answered. She turned to look toward the car, smiling her assurances to Melinda. After a minute or so, she was convinced that no one was home, and turned her back to the door to walk back to the car. She had taken no more than two steps when the door opened.

"Yes, how can I help you?" a male voice asked.

Janice spun around to face a man in his 70's, medium height and build, thinning hair. Realizing that she was staring, Janice cleared her throat and introduced herself. "Ah, I'm sorry. My name is Janice Covington, and I am looking for a Johnathan J. Smythe," she said.

"I am John Smythe," the man said. "I'm sorry, but do I know you?" he asked.

"No ... no you don't," Janice said. "I, ah ... I have this letter here that belongs to you. Apparently, you had a collision at the clerk's office earlier this week with my granddaughter. You ran off before she could return it to you," Janice explained, handing him the envelope, but not quite letting go of it.

"I, ah ... I also have a question for you," Janice said. "Would you happen to remember a woman named ...."

"Melinda!" the man said.

"Melinda ... yeah, Melinda," Janice said, turning to see Mel making her way up the walk.

"JJ?" asked Mel. "JJ, is that you?"

The man stepped past Janice, walking toward Mel. "Melinda," he said, opening his arms to take the Southerner into them hugging her tight. "Melinda, it's been so long," he said. "Where have you been? How have you been?" he asked.

"I have been fine, JJ ... and you?" Mel asked, pulling back to look at the man's face.

"Oh, I'm fine for the most part. Darned arthritis acts up now and then, but pretty good otherwise," he said.

"Ahem!" came a sound from behind JJ. Mel looked over JJ's shoulder.

"Ah, JJ, there's someone I'd like you to meet," Mel said, turning him around to face Janice. "JJ, this is Janice Covington, Jan, this is JJ". Janice reached out to shake hands with the man as Mel added, "JJ, Janice is my wife."

JJ suddenly stopped shaking Janice's hand, but did not release it. "Wife?" he asked.

Mel looked uneasily at JJ and then at Janice. "Yes," she answered, expecting a disgusted retort from the older man.

JJ surprised them both by throwing his head back and laughing out loud. Releasing Janice's hand, he threw his arm across her back and extended his other hand to Mel. "Come inside. I'll put on a pot of coffee. We have a lot of catching up to do!" Soon, they were all sitting around JJ's kitchen table, sipping coffee and talking like old friends.

**********

Three hours later, Janice had a new understanding of what Melinda was like as a young woman. As it turned out, Mel and JJ had been friends throughout their childhoods. JJ lived on the farm adjacent to Aunt Edna's house, and spent a lot of time with Mel when she would come to visit every summer. They spent many afternoons walking along the lake, skipping stones and talking about their hopes and dreams. JJ was the only friendly face she saw when she showed up one day nearly 56 years earlier, a girl in trouble. He was the one to fetch the doctor when Mel went into labor. He was there when she awoke after a very difficult delivery to hold her hand and comfort her while the doctor told her that her daughter had been stillborn. Mel reached across the table for JJ's hand as the memories caused her eyes to mist and her heart to break.

After composing herself, Mel took a deep breath and said, "JJ, my daughter did not die that night."

JJ looked down at the table and whispered, "I know."

Janice was on her feet in an instant, leaning over the table. "Say that again," she said.

JJ looked up at the anger in Janice's eyes. "I said, I know."

JJ stood up and walked around, running his hand nervously through his hair. Janice was still standing, leaning over the table, her arms supporting her weight. Mel remained seated, hands clasped in front of her, her eyes locked with Janice's.

"I was curled up in the corner of the living room, by the fireplace when they brought the child out of the birthing room," JJ said. "They didn't know I was there. I saw the doc give the baby to the midwife. He told her to meet Ms. Tanner at the railroad depot later that evening. He said that she would get her cut when the Society paid him for the child."

Mel was crying openly. Janice approached her and opened her arms. Still seated, Melinda wrapped her arms around Janice's waist and buried her face in the front of her wife's sweater. Janice looked over at JJ. "Why didn't you do something to stop him?" Janice asked, her anger coming through loud and clear.

"I couldn't. When the doc realized I had witnessed the transfer, he threatened me .... He threatened to expose my secret to my parents." he explained.

"Secret?" Janice said. "It had better be a good one to have forced Mel to sacrifice so much!"

"In my mind, at the time, it was. Had it happened today, things would be different," he said. Seeing the confusion in Janice's eyes, he added, "You see ... doc threatened to expose my relationship with Jason. It would have destroyed the lives of several people, including both of our families," he said, tears in his eyes. Then, looking at Mel, he added, "Melinda, I don't know what to say to you, except I'm sorry. I was a coward ... I'm sorry."

Mel pulled out of Jan's embrace and looked at JJ. Forcing a smile onto her face, she said, "I understand, JJ. Really I do."

"If I could find a way to make it up to you, I would ... you know that, don't you?" he said.

"We can't change the past, JJ, but maybe we can shape the future. Here, sit and tell us everything you know about that night .... everything you saw and heard, and anything you may have learned later. We're trying to find her, JJ. With your help, maybe we can," Janice said.

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CHAPTER IX

Billie was in a hurry to get home that night. She had been thinking all day long about the beautiful rose and poem that Cat had slipped into her briefcase that morning. Gods, how she loved that woman. She was full of nervous energy, anticipating the results of Jimmy's search that he promised would be ready by the time she came to work the next morning. He had worked all afternoon writing a program that would narrow the 400 names he had found of 55 year old female adoptees, down to a manageable number. The only thing that worried Billie, was that in order for her mother to be in the database Jimmy was searching, she would have had to register as an adoptee on the Internet, or with some agency accessed through the Internet. Such were Billie's thoughts as she pulled into the driveway of her home.

Before getting out of her car, Billie reached over and opened her briefcase, withdrawing the rose. Grabbing her case, she climbed out of the car and went into the house, walking into an empty kitchen. She could hear the sounds of Barney coming from the family room television in the basement. Opening the closet in the corner of the kitchen, she reached in and dropped her briefcase just inside, then closed the door. Turning around, she saw Cat standing there, a big smile on her face when she saw the rose in Billie's hand.

A wicked gleam entered Billie's eyes as she placed the rose between her teeth and approached Cat. Stopping in front of her, she bent over and scooped Cat up into her arms and carried her through the living room and up the stairs to their room, kicking the door shut behind them. Billie gently laid Cat on the bed and laid down completely on top of her. Taking the rose out of her mouth, she placed it on the pillow next to Cat's head, and lowered her mouth for a long, passionate kiss, which left them both breathless.

Lifting her head, Billie looked directly into pools of green and said, "Thank you, Cat. That was the most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me. The poem, and the rose, are beautiful ... and you're right, the only thing more beautiful is our love for one another." Billie once again, lowered her mouth for a deep probing kiss, moving down to Cat's neck when it became necessary to come up for air.

Just then, the phone rang.

"Damn!" Billie exclaimed as she reached for the phone on the bedside table.

"Hello," she said into the receiver, leaning in for another kiss as she waited for the caller to identify themselves.

"Billie?" the caller said. "Billie, this is Melinda."

Billie's head shot up. "Grams?" she said. "Grams, is everything all right?"

Billie rolled off Cat and threw her legs over the side of the bed to sit up. Cat crawled over and sat back on her heels next to Billie, a concerned look on her face.

"Everything is fine, dear," Melinda said. "Billie, we're calling to tell you that we had a major discovery today, but it seems that we've hit another dead end," she explained.

Billie motioned to Cat that everything was all right, causing the red head to visibly relax. "So what did you find out"?" Billie asked.

"Hold on a minute dear, Janice has gone to get the portable from the front desk at the hotel we're staying in. She'll be back in a minute," Mel said.

"That's a good idea ... Cat, run downstairs and get the portable, we'll make this a four-way call," Billie said.

Moments later, all four women were on the phone, talking at once.

"All right ... all right. Time out here! One at a time!" Janice interrupted, calling order to the chaos.

Once order was established, it didn't take long for Mel and Janice to relay their meeting with JJ to Billie and Cat. Billie's first reaction was anger at JJ for not having the nerve to stand up for Melinda all those years ago. Janice was inclined to agree. Between Mel and Cat, however, they had made the women see that the world was not as accepting of 'their kind' fifty-five years ago, and that they needed to cut JJ some slack. What was done, was done. The only direction any of them could go in from that point on, was forward.

By the end of the call, Billie had plenty of information for Jimmy to churn on the net in the morning. She had a name, Mrs. Tanner; a year, 1944; and at least a partial name for an adoption agency, the 'Society'. Billie hoped that it was enough.

Hanging up the phone, Billie flopped back down on the bed and looked at the ceiling. Cat climbed in beside her and laid her head on the taller woman's shoulder. "Cat, I really want to rip JJ's head off for being so weak. His cowardice cheated Melinda out of her daughter," Billie said.

"I'm not angry." Cat said, receiving a nasty look from Billie.

"How can you feel that way Cat?" she asked incredulously.

Cat rolled over onto her stomach and propped herself up on her forearms. "Billie, if things had worked out differently ... If JJ had stood up for Grams, if she had never lost her daughter, then things would be very different today. There would be no Mel and Jan, no Ida and Doc .... and, no Billie and Cat. No, love ... as painful as it was for Grams to lose her child, I couldn't bear to have lived my life without meeting and falling in love with you. I'm sorry if that sounds selfish, Billie, but its the way I feel," she finished, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Billie's eyes were wide and overflowing with tears of her own. How could she refute that argument? Opening her arms, she took Cat into them and whispered in her ear, "Damn it, Cat. Why do you always have to be right?"

Cat raised her head and kissed Billie lightly. "That's what you pay me for," she replied, lowering her mouth once more.

Suddenly from downstairs, came a loud voice. "Ma! What's for supper?"

Cat's grin hovered over Billie's mouth, before landing one more time. "A mom's work ...." she said ....

"... is never done ..." Billie finished for her.

**********

"Missy, you certainly have one complicated life," Jimmy said as he took down the information Billie had given him the next morning. "I have never seen anyone with as much controversy in their past as you have."

Billie saw an opportunity to bait the older lawyer. "Have I actually given 'Jimmy the Great' an assignment he can't handle?" she said in mock astonishment.

"The day I can't handle a simple Internet search, is the day I'll turn in my resignation, young lady!" he scolded, looking up at her and seeing her grin. "Ah ... I see what you're doing, you young whipper snapper ... think you can bait me, do you? We'll I'll just show you what 'Jimmy the Great' is capable of. Give me two hours, and I'll have an answer for you, or lunch is on me for the rest of the week!" he said.

Billie's eyes opened wide. Considering Jimmy was known around the office for his penny pinching thriftiness, this was a serious challenge for him to make.

Billie leaned over the older man. "You're on ... and lunch is on me if you succeed .... but let's up the stakes ... double or nothing?" she baited.

"I hope you have a big wallet, Missy. Now scoot. I've got some serious work to do ... and I'm on the clock!" he said.

Exactly 1 hour and 57 minutes later, Jimmy entered Billie's office and threw a report down on her desk. Billie looked at her watch and gulped. Taking a deep breath, she moved her eyes from the report, to the man standing there in front of her desk. "Jimmy?" she asked.

"I'll take a reuben on rye." he said.

Billie broke into a huge grin. "You found her?" she asked hopefully.

Jimmy picked up the report and started reading, "Sylvia Tanner, owner and director of the Children's Home Society from 1937 through 1948. Arrested in 1948 for the illegal purchase of children for resale on the black market. She sold children for profit, lied about their origins to adopting parents, altered or created totally fabricated birth certificates, illegally convinced impoverished birth parents to sign away their rights to their children in order to sell them for profit, and allowed children to be adopted into homes where they were abused and neglected, some even dying from mistreatment or lack of medical attention." Jimmy paused to take a breath.

Billie's eyes grew wider with each charge Jimmy read. She hoped in her heart that her mother hadn't fallen victim to the last group of children Jimmy described.

"Now here's the important part," Jimmy said. "After Tanner's arrest in 1948, all adoptions records were confiscated, and to this day, remain sealed. The only information that has been made public, was the distribution of adoptions by area. It turns out that in 1944, there were three adoptions from Lancaster, South Carolina ... and Billie, one of the three is listed as June 14, 1944."

Billie began to shake visibly. "Oh gods," she said, reaching up to cover her mouth with her hand, her eyes wild with anticipation. "How do I get them to unseal the records, Jimmy?" she asked nervously.

"To be honest ... it will take a court order .... or, off the record, a well placed financial donation to a hungry politician," he said candidly, "if you can get your hands on that kind of money," he added.

"Mel," Billie said.

**********

Billie developed a nervous headache soon after Jimmy left her office, grinning from ear to ear at the prospect of free lunches for two weeks. She put her head down on the desk and closed her eyes, rubbing the back of her neck to ease the tension. It was in this position that Art found her moments later.

"Billie, are you all right?" he asked as he pushed her door open.

Billie lifted her head from the desk and strained to focus on the big man, wincing at the pain between her eyes. "Oh, hi, Art. Yeah, I'm fine, except for the pounding in my head," she said, trying to force a smile onto her face. "I thought you'd be on your way to Honduras by now," she added.

"I'm leaving right now. I just stopped in to say good bye. You know, you should really go home if you're not feeling well," he said.

"My thoughts exactly, only I'm having a little trouble focusing right now. Care to drop me off on your way to the airport?" she asked.

"My pleasure," he said. "Come on."

Fifteen minutes later, Art pulled into the driveway of Billie's home and let her out of the car. "Do you need any help getting into the house?" he asked.

"No, I'm okay. I'm just going to down a handful of painkillers and hit the sheets," she said. "I should be as good as new by the time Cat and the kids gets home."

"All right, then. I'll be on my way. You take care of yourself, Billie," he scolded.

"I will. Thanks for the ride ... and have a good trip, Art," she said before turning toward the stairs.

Billie put her briefcase in the closest and slipped off her shoes, padding on stocking feet through the kitchen and living room to her room upstairs. Shrugging out of her sweater, skirt and hose, she slipped a T-shirt over her head and crawled between the sheets. She laid there for several moments until she realized that she hadn't taken any painkillers. Climbing out of bed, she staggered over to the bathroom and switched on the light. Suddenly, everything in her line of vision seemed distorted, disoriented. She had a very loud ringing in her ears and an odd odor permeated her senses. The throbbing in her head became almost unbearable as she grasped both sides of her head with her hands. A moment later, she felt her knees buckle as she crumbled to the floor, hitting her head on the door casing on the way down. She lay there for several minutes, her body twitching and convulsing, until finally, she relaxed into what appeared to be a peaceful state of slumber.

It was in this state that Cat found her a couple of hours later when she got home from work. Cat had picked the kids up at the sitter, and as usual, they dispersed to their normal after-school hideouts as soon as they got home. Seth and Tara headed directly over to Jen to play with Stevie and Karissa, while Skylar went to Missy's across the street. Cat reveled in the quiet peacefulness of having the house all to herself for a while as she climbed the stairs to her room. The first sight that greeted her when she entered the room, was that of Billie, sprawled out on the floor, half in and half out of the bathroom, a large welt protruding from her right temple.

"Oh my gods, Billie!" she exclaimed as she ran to the unconscious woman.

Cat's medical training took over, as she quickly went through the list of vital signs. Having verified that Billie was stable, she retrieved a pillow from the bed to put under her head, and a cold compact from the freezer in the kitchen for the bump on her temple. Billie stirred as Cat was administering to the injury.

"Cat? Cat, what happened? Why am I on the floor?" Billie said groggily as she tried to sit up, but laid right back down again as her head pounded with intense pain.

"Billie, don't try to get up, please. I need to ask you some questions so I can figure out what happened here, okay?" Cat asked.

Billie just nodded her head.

"All right, first off, what are you doing home?" the red head asked.

"I had a really intense headache, so Art dropped me off. My vision was blurry and I didn't dare to drive." she explained.

"How did you end up on the floor, Billie?" Cat asked.

"I don't know. I remember climbing into bed then realizing I hadn't taken any painkillers, so I got up again. When I switched on the light in the bathroom, things started to get really weird," Billie said.

"Weird, how?" asked Cat.

"Well, my vision was all distorted, I smelled this really strange odor and there was a loud ringing in my ears. I remember feeling unsteady on my feet, but then everything just blanked out, until I woke up and found you here with me," she explained.

Cat sat back on her heels and nodded her head. Looking into the worried eyes of her wife, she said, "Billie, It looks like you had a grand mal seizure. I'll check with Daddy to be sure, but all of the symptoms point to it. Boy, its been a while since you've had a seizure. Fortunately as you know, they are not life threatening ... except of course, when you pick a fight with the door frame in the middle of one!" Cat added, smiling, trying to make light of the situation. "Its a good thing you have such a hard head, wife!" she said through a toothy smile. Billie smiled back, too weak and tired to argue about it. "Anyway, we might want to evaluate your meds to make sure you're taking the right dose. It could also be the stress of this genealogy search that is triggering it, but for now, let's see about getting you into bed so you can sleep for a while. I'll call Daddy while you sleep, all right?" Cat finished.

Billie just nodded, still too disoriented to hold an intelligent conversation for any length of time. With little effort, Cat managed to get Billie to her feet and into bed, kissing her lightly on the forehead as she pulled the covers up to her neck, and promised to check in on her later before leaving the room. Outside in the hall, Cat leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. "I'll never get used to treating family members," she thought before going downstairs to call her father.

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