Part Eleven

Esta eyed her daughter and son in law. If it were up to her she would have shoved the two in a snow bank. Then hope a dog would walk by, and take a piss on them, but since she had shared her winnings with Sharki it was up to her Granddaughter to help out her parents or not.

"Mom?" Susan stood up from her chair.

"Yes," Esta answered looking Susan straight in the eyes.

Susan swallowed hard at the way her Mom looked at her. "Would you mind if I go to the restroom?"

Esta pointed down the shirt hallway. "It's in the same spot since your last visit."

Susan nodded and silently made her way toward the bathroom.

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Delaney twisted so she could see Sharki's face. With a soft touch she wiped the tears that had fallen off with her fingers. "You're right, that little girl that still lives inside you loves them and wishes that she could go back when they still did, but Honey you can't go back. You must follow what your heart says now."

Sharki opened her watery eyes and sighed. "I couldn't live with myself if I didn't help and that's the only reason I'll help. For me, not them."

"Then help them and move on." Delaney wrapped her hands around Sharki's neck. "Can I have a kiss?"

"You never have to ask that." Sharki leaned down and stopped within a hair's breath. "Never." She said before she placed her lips of the waiting ones of Delaney's.

Susan had stepped out of the bathroom and instead of going back to the kitchen she headed towards the living room. The sight that greeted her made her gasp loudly.

The two women standing by the window stopped kissing and turned towards the sound that had interrupted them.

"Disgraceful." Susan cried out.

Sharki pushed past Delaney. "I suggest you shut up."

"It's against God's law." Susan pointed from Sharki and Delaney. "You shouldn't be doing sinful things like that."

"God doesn't hate love." Delaney shouted back as she moved up next to Sharki.

Susan glared at Delaney. "I know what's going on. You're just here for her money. You're nothing but a whore looking for a free handout."

Delaney was shocked by the words thrown at her. Never in her life had she ever felt such hatred towards her.

"I suggest you leave now." Sharki clenched her teeth.

Susan realized what she had said and instantly cursed herself. She knew now that any chance of her daughter's help just flew out the window.

"What's going on?" Esta asked as she stepped up behind Susan.

"Our guest are leaving." Sharki turned to Delaney. "I'm sorry for what my Mother said."

The small blonde waited until she knew she could speak without stumbling over the words she had running around her head. "It's not you who should say she is sorry, but I know that hell will freeze over before that happens."

"I agree," Sharki bent over and kissed the smaller woman's forehead.

Clark and Susan left the house without speaking another word or any money.

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"Would you two like something to drink?" Esta shouted from the kitchen.

Sharki raised an eyebrow and smiled when Delaney nodded her head. "Sounds good Grandma, bring us whatever you're having."

Delaney looked up for her seat on the couch. "I don't want you to not send your parents the money because of what she said."

Sharki slowly turned her head and didn't say a word.

Delaney leaned over and rested her hand on the tall woman's knee. "I know you're think I am nuts, but I don't want something to happen to them and then you blame yourself because of your Mom's instinct to protect her daughter."

"She wasn't trying to protect me, she was protecting the money she was hoping she'd get." Sharki stood up and started to pace. "They honestly don't deserve anything from me, not even my pity." She stopped right in front of the sitting woman. "But you're right and I'll give them the money. Because I don't want that on my conscious."

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Two years later the snow was pretty much melted away but the air was crisp and chilled. It didn't bother the birds as they floated in the sky flying around looking for food and just having fun.

"Can't believe that the clinic will finally get started next month." Esta said as she and Delaney walked down the sidewalk.

Delaney nodded with a big smile. "I know. I can't either." She stopped and looked around at all the people walking. "It seems like just yesterday I was working at a job I hated and life was just passing me by and now I have more money than I ever thought I would make sitting in a bank waiting for me." She laid a hand on Esta's wrinkled hand. "And I have you and Sharki. That means more to me than any amount of money."

"We love you too dear." Esta replied. "You're a great addition to the family and the love I see that you have for my Granddaughter makes this old woman feel very happy."

"Speaking of your Granddaughter. Where is she today?" Delaney raised an eyebrow at the older woman as they began to walk again.

"Where did she say she was going?" Esta replied back trying to look innocent.

Delaney laughed softly knowing her friend by her side knew exactly where Sharki was. "That's the problem. She didn't tell me anything." She reached for the door to the coffee shop. "You gonna spill the bean or are you sworn to secrecy?"

Esta crossed her fingers over her heart and kissed the tips as she smiled. "Sorry Dear, but mumms the word."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see what she is up too." The grinning woman stated as she followed Esta into the building.

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Sharki paced back and forth in Esta's living room running her hands through her hair ever few steps. "Man, I hope she doesn't kill me."

"Hope who doesn't kill you?" Delaney asked as she stepped into the room.

Sharki jumped several inches in the air as she spun around. "How did you get in here?"

Delaney took off her coat and laid it on a chair. "You're Grandma needed to show me something out back so we came in through the kitchen." She tilted her head and looked over at her girlfriend. "What's up with you?"

"Umm, nothing?" Sharki shrugged her shoulders.

Delaney raised one eyebrow. "You're asking me or telling?"

"Telling?" Sharki did it again.

Delaney's other eyebrow went up before she stepped closer to Sharki and sat her down. "Tell me what's going on."

Sharki grabbed Delaney hand and pulled her down on her lap.

"I can sit on the couch you know?" Delaney giggled as she grabbed Sharki's shoulders so she could stand up.

"No, stay." Sharki grabbed a hold of Delaney's hips.

Delaney relented without a fight and straddled the sitting woman's thighs. She entwined her fingers though Sharki's dark hair. "Okay, now what's up?"

Sharki tilted her head up slightly and placed a soft kiss on the pink lips in front of her. "I did something today for you."

Delaney leaned her head back. "And that would be?"

"It would be better if I showed you, but first I want you to know I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you." Sharki reached into her front shirt pocket and pulled out a sparkling opal diamond. "Will you be mine forever?"

Delaney was thrown for a loop as she stared down at the piece of jewelry. Her fingers shook as they slid across a shoulder down an arm to softly touch the ring that sat in Sharki's palm. "You're serious?"

"With all that I am." Sharki stated without hesitation.

Delaney held out her hand and watched as Sharki slipped the ring on. "I'm speechless." She looked up into Sharki's warm blue eyes. "Forever you and me."

"Yes," Sharki nodded. "You and me."

"I like that." Delaney kissed the woman she sat on with as much love as she could pour into the kiss.

When they came up for air Delaney rested her head on Sharki's shoulder. "You want to show me what else you've been up too?"

"Sure, but let me catch my breath first." Sharki wrapped her arms around Delaney and squeezed her tight.

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"Wish Esta would have come with us." Delaney said as she looked out he car window.

Sharki reached over and grabbed Delaney's hand. "She wanted this to be just us. When we come back she'll come with us."

"Can't you give me a hint." Delaney bit her lip as the excitement inside her built up. "Just a small one. That's all I need."

"Sorry, but nope." Sharki turned off the highway. "We'll be there in a few minutes so you don't have to wait much longer."

"Okay, just as long as you don't ask me to close my eyes." Delaney mused. When she saw Sharki's eyebrow hitch up into her hairline she started to shake her head. "Oh no. No. No. No."

"It will only be for a minute or two." Sharki begged. "Please, if you don't it will ruin the surprise."

Delaney sighed, "okay." She smiled as she placed her hand on the other woman's thigh. "Just tell me when you want me to close them."

"Now would be good." Sharki grinned as she turned onto a gravel road.

Delaney closed her eyes without a sound and waited for Sharki.

Several minutes went by before the car stopped and Sharki opened her door. "Keep them closed for just a minute longer." She hurried around the car and opened the passenger's door. "Let me help you out."

"Okay," Delaney reached out for Sharki's hand. She let herself be guided out onto the gravel road until they stood in front of the car. "Can I open them now?"

Sharki took a deep breath and replied softly. "Yes."

The blonde slowly blinked her eyes open and looked around. "Where are we?" She asked as she looked out into a meadow. That was now covered with snow patches, but she knew that come springtime, green grass and wild flowers would flourish from the warming sun and soft rain showers.

Sharki opened the door and reached inside for a round cardboard tube. "I wanted to do something for you." She pulled off one end of the tube. "You have given my Grandma and me so much, and I'm not talking about the money." Sharki pulled out several pages of papers. "You have given us, you, and that is worth more than anything." She grabbed the papers and unrolled them. "I love you and I did this for you. No, I did this for us."

Delaney broke eye contact with Sharki to look at the blueprints in front of her. The house that was on the paper made tears spring in her eyes. "You did this?"

"Yes," Sharki cupped a hand on Delaney's check and wiped away several tears that fell. "I bought this land for us so we can have our home built on it."

"How did you know what my Grandma's house looked like?" Delaney covered the hand on her cheek with her own. "It looks just like it, but different."

"I have my ways." Sharki leaned forward and kissed Delaney. "I love you."

"Love you too," Delaney wrapped her arms around the taller woman and held on. "I'll be forever grateful to your Grandma. If it wasn't for her none of this would be happening."

Sharki hugged Delaney back and whispered a prayer up for her Grandma.

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Esta smiled as she watched Sharki and Delaney laugh and tease each other, when they entered her house. "I take it that you like your surprise?"

Delaney walked over and leaned down to give the older Storm woman a hug and a kiss. "Like it? No way, loved it is more like it. I can't wait until we all move in."

"All?" Esta asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sharki moved in behind Delaney. "Yes, we want you to move in with us." She rested her hands on the kneeling woman's shoulders as she waited to see what her Grandma would say.

Esta couldn't help but smile. "I think that would be a great idea."

"That is great. Let me go get something to drink and we can discuss the future." Sharki squeezed Delaney's shoulders before she left.

Delaney stood up and sat on the couch. She looked around the room and then back at Esta. "I want to thank you for everything."

"No need to thank me, dear." Esta stated. "It was meant to be, you and Sharki."

Delaney nodded her head. "I agree." She leaned back and sighed when a question popped in her mind. "Sharki is an unusual name and I have always wondered what it meant?"

"I'm surprised you haven't asked about that yet. Usually it's one of the first questions asked." Esta laughed softly. "Her parents saw it somewhere and they liked it. It surprised everyone when they announced it."

"Really?" Delaney quirked her eyebrow.

"Yes," Esta nodded. "But it basically means wind."

Delaney eyes would have popped out if they could. "Your serious?"

"Very much so. Why?" Esta asked with concern.

"When I was little I use to run around my Grandma's front yard trying to catch the wind. She told me that someday I would." Delaney wiped a tear that had fallen down her cheek.

Esta smiled, "I guess you caught your wind."

"I guess I did, didn't I?" Delaney got up off the couch and headed for the kitchen.

"Hi," Sharki said when she saw Delaney. "Whatcha doing?"

"I came in here to tell you that I love you and you have made all my dreams come true." Delaney wrapped her arms around Sharki and buried her face in the taller woman's shirt. "Thank you."

Sharki sat the cups down on the counter and hugged Delaney. "Love you too."

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THE END….


Here is what Sharki means…Thanks to Wizzy for finding it for me.

Sharki: A southeasterly wind, which sometimes blows in the Persian Gulf


© 2005 All Rights Reserved T. Stratton

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