Part Nine

"Thank you." Delaney smiled up at Sharki with her pink colored face. Snowflakes covered her shoulders and the hat she had worn.

Sharki kissed the back of Delaney's hand. "It was my pleasure." She opened up the screen door so the other woman could unlock the door. "How about I make us something warm to drink?"

Delaney stepped into the warm apartment. "That sounds great." She took Sharki's coat and hung it up along with hers. "I'll see if there are any movies worth watching on TV."

"Sounds like a plan Stan." Sharki smiled as she headed down the short hallway to the kitchen. "Tea sound okay?"

"Yep." Delaney yelled back as she searched for her remote. "Hello Wheels, how was your day of lounging around?" She scratched her cat's head before she picked him up to reveal the missing remote. "Should have known you'd be sitting on it."

Several minutes later both women had their hot tea sitting on the coffee table and their feet right next to the cups. Wheels jumped up in between the two and waited for one of them to pet him. He looked from Delaney to Sharki when neither paid any attention to him. "Meow." He laid a paw on Sharki's thigh.

"Oh, what's the matter big boy, nobody seeing to your needs?" Sharki ran her hand down the cat's back a few times. "Spoiled cat."

"Is there any other kind of cat?" Delaney scratched the top of her cat's head. "Do you have any pets?"

"I did have a fish I won at a carnival. I had it for a week before I found him floating on top of the water after school one day." Sharki answered as she continued to pet Wheels. "Other than that, none."

"You know, I don't even know what you do for a living." Delaney scooted into the corner of the couch so she could look at Sharki. "So spill it."

"I guess you really don't know a whole lot about me other than what my Grandma has said." Sharki copied Delaney's movement and leaned back into the corner of the couch so she could tell the tale of her life. "Just the typical things growing up. Kindergarten, grade school, and high school nothing too exciting happening there. I went off to college after graduation and studied to be an architect. Was in my sophomore year when my parents found out I'd rather be with a woman than a man. They stopped funding my education and being my parents."

"Oh Sharki I'm sorry." Delaney reached over and placed her hand on her thigh. "What did you do?"

"I had no choice but to quit school." Sharki rested a hand over Delaney's. "I got a job doing whatever I could. I found a cheap apartment and lived life the best way I could."

"What did Esta do?" Delaney turned her hand over so she could entwine her fingers with the tall woman's. "I know she didn't turn her back on you."

"No she didn't." Sharki smiled as she glanced down to her lap. "When she found out what happened she found me and had me move in with her. She did try to talk with my parents and get them to change their minds but that was a lost cause."

Delaney moved closer but didn't say a word.

"She told me to quit my job and go to a community college. It wasn't architect school, but at least I wasn't struggling to keep the crappy apartment and eat." Sharki grinned. "I graduated with a degree in accounting and found a job at a local accounting firm." She ran her thumb over the top of Delaney's hand. "It's not so exciting and still not what I want to do, but it was better than what I had."

"Why don't you go back now? You certainly can afford it." Delaney suggested.

"I thought about that, and I might after we get the hospital going." Sharki nodded her head.

Delaney leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Sharki's cheek.

"What was that for?" Sharki brought her hand up to cover the spot on her face.

"Just because," Delaney leaned closer again. "Can I give you a proper kiss?"

"Silly question." Sharki whispered before she met Delaney's waiting lips.

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

Esta flipped through the TV stations trying to find something that would interest her. Not used to being cooped up in the house she was getting more bored by the minute. "Wish it would quit snowing so I could at least take a short walk."

After several minutes of nothing but bad infomercials and talk shows, Esta turned the TV off and went in search of something to read. A knock on her front door nearly made the older woman jump out of her skin. "What kind of nut would be out in this weather?" She muttered.

Not bothering to look out the peephole she unlocked the door and opened it up. "Oh boy."

"Hello Mother." Esta's daughter and Sharki's mom stood on the top step with her husband standing behind her. "Aren't you going to invite us in?"

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

The ringing of the phone broke Delaney and Sharki apart.

"Let me get that," Delaney took in a deep breath as she stood up. "Don't go anywhere."

"I can't. It's snowing outside." Sharki replied with a giggle.

"Smartass," the small blonde shot back as she picked up the phone. "Hello."

"Hi Delaney, can I talk to Sharki a second?" Esta asked as she watched her two uninvited guests sip cups of coffee.

"Sure Esta," Delaney held out the phone towards the woman on her couch. "It's your Grandma."

"Okay, thanks," Sharki stood up and grabbed the phone out of Delaney's hand. She quickly leaned over and kissed the smiling blonde once more before she brought the phone to her ear. "Hi Grandma, what's up?"

"You'll never guess in a million years who is sitting in my kitchen drinking coffee." Esta said softly so her guests couldn't hear.

"Umm, can you give me a clue?" Sharki scrunched her eyebrows together.

"Oh, I have a few clues alright, but I was told if you don't have anything nice to say then keep your mouth shut." Esta growled into the phone.

"Well, from that statement I can take it it's someone you really don't care for." The younger woman on the phone remarked calmly. "Is it Mrs. Cannery?"

"No, worse." Esta mumbled back.

Sharki thought for a few seconds. "The people you've said are worse than that woman are my parents." She laughed out loud. When she didn't hear her Grandma's usual laugh she stood straight. "No fucking way?"

"Yes, they are right now sipping coffee at the kitchen table." Esta replied as calmly as she could.

"What do they want?" Sharki could feel herself getting more upset by the minute.

"I don't know. They won't say until you come over." Esta closed her eyes knowing that her Granddaughter must be ready to blow any second now. "I told them that you weren't here and they said that they could wait."

"I'll do my best to get there as soon as I can." Sharki hung the phone up and walked over to her shoes. "I'm sorry but I have to go."

"What's wrong?" Delaney walked over to where Sharki leaned against the wall pulling on her shoes.

Sharki stomped her foot on the floor trying to get her shoe on faster. She didn't even know she had tears running down her cheeks. "My parents just showed up at Grandma's house. I have to get over there, now."

"I'm coming with you." Delaney grabbed her own shoes and quickly slipped them on and followed the taller woman to the coat rack.

Sharki tossed her coat on and handed Delaney hers. "You don't have to. God only knows what will happen."

"You and your Grandma are my friends and I won't let you go in there without me." Delaney opened her front door and waited for Sharki to step outside. "So let's go."

"Thank you." Sharki said as stepped up to Delaney.

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