A Good Woman by Liz Cronkhite

Author:Liz Cronkhite [Cronkhite, Liz]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-08-22T04:00:00+00:00

Part III: Loving Erika

25

Twice on the way to Kylie’s Aly had to pull over for her to be sick. She had gorged herself on finger foods and some lucky pedestrians were going to find the consequences of this on sidewalks the next day.

At Bryn’s apartment, as quietly as she could, Aly helped Kylie clean up, went to retrieve her when it seemed she was going to pass out on the toilet, stripped her to her underwear, and put her to bed. Then she undressed and got into bed beside her. She did not want to go home. She was afraid Erika would not come home and that was more than she could bear. How long had she been seeing this woman?

She lay on her back thinking, her left hip against Kylie’s rear end. When had it happened? Because tonight she didn’t fall, but realized she had already fallen in love with Erika. Looking back, she could find no single moment when it happened. That moment of affection in line at Whole Foods was not the first time she felt love for her. It was just the first time she allowed herself to consciously feel it.

She saw how she had deceived herself with the distinction between thinking someone attractive and being attracted to her. Of course she was attracted to her. Her body told her so all the time. Yes, that was biology, but when you pair that with love you have “in love”. And she knew no one else but her father who was as worthy of being universally loved as Erika.

How had she held on to remnants of the Ice Queen when Erika was in no way cold or hard or a perfectionist? That image should have melted from the start. Aly remembered her interest and concern the day she bumped into her at the courthouse, when all of this was set in motion. Since then, she offered only words and gestures of true thoughtfulness and caring. She never raised her voice, was never harsh. If she teased it was gently and with affection, and it never went too far. When she was angry, which was only ever over some injustice, she grew tense, quiet, and grim, but she never lashed out. Sometimes she was irritated or exasperated with her girls, but never truly angry with them. Only once did she show exasperation toward Aly, and even then she caught herself and softened. Erika was not perfect, not even to Aly’s loving eyes. But what Aly loved about her was that she was quick to correct herself or to apologize when she thought she gave offense. She was willing to learn and to grow.

Who knew such a woman existed? She was everything she could want in a life partner. Not just not cold, but warm. She was affectionate and encouraging and -she felt she was safe in feeling this - her thoughtfulness and integrity made her wholly trustworthy.

Her heart soared as she lay there thinking about her. But how

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