A Long Time Coming

Heart's Passage

No Ocean Deep

Infinite Possibilities

Cate's Home Page

Sarah stood in front of the full-length mirror that sat in the corner of her bedroom. She watched herself carefully button the loose-fitting silk shirt. It felt good against her skin, and she took a few extra seconds to luxuriate in the sensual flow of the pale blue material.

The book she had been reading for the last few hours lay open on the bedspread, abandoned where Sarah had dropped it when she had first heard movement downstairs. That had been her cue to get up and dress.

What will this day bring? she thought as she padded out to the spacious living room. I have no clue. And yet here I am letting a few sleepy sounds from downstairs dictate my plans. She cocked her head and listened again as the telltale sounds of a running shower filtered up from the floor below. Interesting.

Sarah caught herself smiling and was surprised how serene she felt given her usual compulsion to work 10-hour days and give the most she could to her clients. But rather than question her motives any further, she began to busy herself around the house.

It was a big place … probably too big, now, she contemplated as she tossed a throw cushion back into its place on the sofa. Ten years earlier they had converted most of the lower floor into a self-contained apartment, complete with its own kitchen and bathroom. It had given her mother-in-law somewhere to live while offering Sarah and Joe at least some privacy, but since the old lady had passed away the place had gathered dust.

And then Joe had died, and suddenly the house had been far too big for comfort.

I miss you, Joe. Sarah picked up the vase that had been his wedding anniversary present to her. Our 20th? 25th? … She couldn’t remember exactly. But, it was Wedgwood, delicate and ornate, and it never ceased to remind her of her husband’s particular eye for detail. She smiled again and replaced the vase, running a fingertip across its lip.

The timing had been perfect to have someone move in downstairs. Shelby was an ex-client, and now a good friend, reliable, stable and independent. She worked nights, in contrast to Sarah, who was usually asleep by 9pm and out of the house by 7am. Their schedules meant they only saw each other when both wanted it and the result had been a remarkably easy transition into co-habitation.

Sarah ran a long-fingered hand through her grey-sprinkled blonde hair as she contemplated the contents of her refrigerator.

I must have been planning this for at least a week, she realized as she scanned the makings of a decently decadent picnic. How did that happen?

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

Shelby sighed and leaned forward against the kitchen sink, which was currently full to the brim with hot water, suds and dirty dishes. Reluctantly she dipped her rubber-gloved hands into the mix and began scouring a plate. A warm, furry sensation around her calves distracted her for a moment.

“Good morning, fuzz-ball,” she said. A glance down was met by a pair of golden eyes that blinked at her expectantly. “Why don’t I ever learn, eh?” she asked. “I could have done this lot before I went to bed, but noooooooooo.”

“Riiiiiiaaaaaoowwww?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Breakfast is coming, just give me a minute.” Shelby pulled off the rubber gloves and walked to the small pantry in the corner of the kitchen, dodging the big black cat which wove between her legs. She reached into the second shelf and extracted a small can of cat food. “Mmmm sardines, whiting and calamari in aspic. Deee-licious.”

Rufus leapt up onto the counter, earning a quick tap on the rear end from his mistress.

“Down, boycat. God help you if you do that upstairs, Rufe. Sarah will have your guts for garters.” She cracked open the can and scooped the sloppy contents into the cat’s bowl before bending down to place it on the floor. With one hand she pushed her long auburn hair behind her ear, then scratched the cat’s head as he hunkered down to his breakfast. “Ugh, rather you than me. That stuff smells foul.”

She straightened to her full 5’10” height and caught sight of the washing-up.

“Then again, I have to deal with yesterday’s lasagna,” she muttered, hands on hips. “So who’s really getting the fuzzy end of the lollipop, hmmm?”

The intercom unit next to the sink buzzed into life, making Shelby jump. She reached for the handset and put it to her ear.

“Good morning,” came Sarah’s slightly distorted greeting.

“And good morning to you, too,” replied Shelby, more than a little surprised to hear her landlady’s voice. “What are you doing home? Shouldn’t you be out shrinking heads?”

“I took a day off.” Shelby could hear a slight note of smugness in her friend’s tone.

“I’m impressed.”

“Me too. It’s all part of my grand plan to wind down into a sedate and leisurely retirement.”

Shelby chuckled. It was a long-standing joke between them that the day Sarah gave up her practice would be the day some kind of hell froze over.

“Right. So what’s the occasion?”

She heard Sarah pause and then sigh. “Do you know, I honestly couldn’t tell you? It just felt like the right thing to do this morning. And then I decided that it was time to watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy.”

One dark brow shot up. “You’re kidding?”

“No,” Sarah confirmed. “You’ve been giving it rave reviews for months. Today’s the day.”

Shelby pushed herself off the doorjamb she had been leaning against. “You want to watch all three films?"

“Yep.”

“In a row?”

“Yep.”

“All eight hours and 56 minutes?”

“Yep.”

“Should I call a paramedic or just drive you straight down to see your doctor?”

Sarah laughed out loud at that and Shelby grinned into the phone, happy, as always, to provoke such a reaction from her usually very self-contained friend.

“I’ll provide the food and drink, if you provide the DVDs and the company,” Sarah continued.

Ah, what the hell, Shelby thought. It’s been ages since we’ve had a good chat. It’s not like I’ve got any other plans for the day. And it sure beats doing the dishes. “You’re on,” she said aloud.

“Okay, see you soon.”

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

“So, how is it possible that you have all this free time today?” Sarah leaned over and whispered. The two women were sitting side by side on the comfortable sofa, a giant bowl of popcorn between them. Both had their feet up on the coffee table as the first movie played out on the giant flat-screen television on the wall. “I thought it was production week.”

Shelby nodded, her eyes glued to the screen. “It is. But we had a great dress rehearsal last night and the director gave the cast the night off tonight. And the crew’s in fine shape so I gave them the night off as well. The lighting guy’s going to have a dry run, but he doesn’t need bodies around for that. The next few days are going to be hectic – including sitz-probe tomorrow, God help us – so everyone could use the chance to recharge.” She felt Sarah’s eyes on her and smiled, turning to meet the look. “What’s up, Doc?”

Sarah chuckled. “Nothing. You just look tired.”

“I am tired. Went out with the crew for coffee and a late supper. Didn’t get home till after 4am.” Shelby rested her head on the back of the sofa and flicked her eyes back to the movie.

“Did Karen go along?” Sarah asked innocently, provoking a laugh from her long-legged friend. Funny how I’m noticing her long legs all of a sudden, she thought. Interesting.

“Oh, you are so subtle,” Shelby retorted. “Yes, Karen went along. Yes, we had a good time. No, nothing is happening with us. Nor does it look likely to.”

“Just asking,” Sarah said, smiling as she took another sip from her glass of white wine.

Another laugh from Shelby and a gentle slap on her thigh. “Watch the movie.”

“Okay.”

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

They were not far into the second film when Sarah noticed Shelby’s head beginning to droop against her shoulder.

Well, that’s not necessarily how I pictured the afternoon going, she thought wryly. Then again, I’m not really sure just how I did see it going. She smiled affectionately down at the auburn head. She’s going to get a crick in her neck. Absolutely. Have to do something about that.

“Sarah Morgan, you are so transparent,” she muttered to herself. She leaned a little closer to Shelby and spoke softly. “Shelby.” Nothing. “Shelby, honey.”

“Mmmm?” It was the sleepiest of responses and Sarah was sure the younger woman was nowhere near conscious of what was going on around her.

“Why don’t you lie down and get comfortable? You’re going to get a stiff neck like that.”

“’k.” Shelby almost immediately pulled her legs up on to the sofa and swung around, dropping her head down onto Sarah’s thigh without coming close to waking.

Sarah chuckled and reached for another handful of popcorn. Well, I guess I asked for that. Not exactly what I meant, but it’ll do, she decided. A glance down at Shelby told her her tenant was already fast asleep again. I am such a liar. She smiled to herself and turned her attention back to the movie. These films really are quite good.

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

Shelby was vaguely aware of a low voice above her, calling her name. She was also aware of the warm, soft surface she was burrowing against. Silky soft, it was almost alive. The addition of a hand on her shoulder increased the feeling of being nestled in a cocoon and there was nothing Shelby wanted more than to stay there, sleepy and safe.

“Shelby.”

Something gelled in her brain and her eyes flicked open, but the pale-blue vista before her didn’t offer many clues. Except … Sarah was wearing a shirt that color, just …

“Holy shit!” Mortification and haste conspired to make a mess of Shelby’s attempt to get out of Sarah’s lap as quickly as possible. She flailed about, trying to get a hand on either side of Sarah’s legs so she could push herself up. In the end she managed it, but not without succumbing to a deep blush and the feeling that she had embarrassed them both. “Jesus, I’m sorry, Sarah,” she hastily apologized.

Sarah was nothing but amused. She had spent a very pleasant couple of hours enjoying the movie, knowing that a big part of her enjoyment was the sheer sensuality of having the younger woman obliviously contented in her lap. When Shelby had turned in her sleep and burrowed her face against Sarah’s stomach the psychologist had been hard-pressed not to run her fingers through the long, dark hair splayed across her legs. Eventually she had contented herself with resting a hand on Shelby’s hip and had refocused on the movie.

“Relax,” Sarah urged, raising her hands in a calming gesture. The two women were still only inches apart and it was disconcerting for both.

I want to kiss her, Sarah realized. When did that happen?

I want to kiss her, Shelby rediscovered. They had known each other for so long and she had loved Sarah for most of that. But the nature of their relationship had been strictly professional for so much of it that Shelby had grown used to dismissing those feelings as nothing more than a side-effect of having a therapist who cared about her. And then they had moved on, evolved into something else again.

And now? Shelby blinked back at the familiar blue eyes that had gazed at her so patiently over the years. Her body was reacting as if a kiss were a possibility, a tingling, warm tension seeping from low in her belly, touching every inch of every extremity. And now … I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what she wants … and I don’t want to risk …

It was all thought in the blink of an eye as they locked gazes, Shelby still poised over Sarah’s lap.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered again, still feeling the heat of her blush.

Sarah’s easy smile was a welcome answer.

“It’s okay,” the older woman said softly. “I honestly didn’t mind. I only woke you because the movie had finished and I wanted to put the next one in the machine.”

“Wh- … bu- …” Shelby rubbed her face, trying to clear the sleep from her mind. She looked over her shoulder at the screen, watching for a few seconds as the credits rolled. Then she turned back to Sarah and grinned shyly. “I can do that.”

Carefully Shelby pushed herself up off the couch and walked to the DVD player which sat on the low-set table under the television screen. Sarah watched the tall woman crouch down in front of the player, fiddling with the controls and finding the next disc.

Sixteen years we’ve known each other and she’s still so concerned about offending me. Sarah smiled. She knew every inch of Shelby’s psyche and it didn’t surprise Sarah to find her younger friend hesitating to press her advantage. After all, that’s how it had to be for a long time. That’s how I wanted it, needed it to be. Or I couldn’t have done what she was paying me to do. And now …

“Are you enjoying them?” Shelby asked as the DVD slid into its slot and the movie began. It took a few seconds for Sarah to realize what Shelby was talking about.

“Oh, the movies, yes, very much,” she finally answered, smiling up as Shelby came back and sat down next to her again.

“I don’t remember any of the second one at all,” Shelby mused. Sarah nodded. “Mhmm. You fell asleep pretty quickly after it started.”

Shelby looked at her. “So I must have been out of it for a couple of hours then,” she said. She picked up the remote control and quickly flicked through the options, ignoring the special features and scene selections, before clicking on ‘play movie’.

“You needed it,” Sarah replied.

“I could sleep for a week to be honest,” Shelby sighed.

Sarah looked at her steadily, waiting until her friend’s dark eyes met her own. “Then come and lie down again,” she suggested, patting her thigh. “You’ve seen the movie, and there’s no rule says you have to watch it again, just because I want to. Come back and relax.” What am I doing? She caught herself holding her breath as she waited for Shelby’s response.

There was hesitation there, but when Sarah reached out an inviting hand something inside Shelby broke free. With a wide smile that lit up her face she took the offered hand and moved closer, turning around until she lay along the length of the sofa, leaning across Sarah’s lap, facing her.

“Um, did we just … did something just …?” Shelby was at a loss for words as she again hovered over Sarah’s lap.

“I think so, yes.”

“Are we going to talk about it?”

Sarah smiled. “At the very least, I would think.” Again uncertainty flickered across Shelby’s face and Sarah laughed lightly. “Let go of whatever it is you’re thinking and just be, Shelby,” she said softly. “Just be.”

Brown eyes blinked at her and Shelby’s smile broadened. Then she did just as the doctor ordered and sank down into Sarah’s lap, burrowing in happily. Sarah leaned back and relaxed, letting Shelby’s warm weight anchor her as she drifted away on the movie’s storyline.

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

Shelby glanced down at the stopwatch that rested on the slanted surface of her stage manager’s desk. One look at the digital figures glowing up at her told her it was time to get the show on the road. She reached for the phone on the wall above the desk and keyed the switch that would broadcast her voice to the orchestra pit, dressing rooms and the green room backstage.

“Five minutes, ladies and gentlemen. Five minutes to curtain up. Men’s and women’s chorus, Mr Browning, Ms Fleming to the stage please.”

Shelby replaced the phone and turned back to the stage, giving everything a final visual once-over. Her desk was tucked into the dark front corner, stage left and although all was quiet onstage, she could hear the constant rumble of the incoming audience. For a few seconds she closed her eyes and imagined the people taking their seats, reading their programs, settling in for their night of entertainment. She stepped out of the darkness and into the dim illumination onstage provided by the working lights. Right now all was still here, the players still backstage, and Shelby wandered to centre stage, her back to the heavy velvet curtain. There was a brief crackle in her headset.

“Everything okay, boss?” It was Karen, Shelby’s deputy stage manager, tucked into her own dark niche on stage right. Shelby turned her head towards Karen’s position and smiled as she keyed the transmit button.

“No problems,” she replied quietly. “Just checking.” She heard Karen chuckling.

“You love this time of the evening, don’t you?” Karen asked.

Shelby knew her friend could see her and she nodded. “You know it,” she replied. “We’ve done everything to get it ready; the actors are happy, the follow-spot operators are hanging from the ceiling and all’s right with my world.” She turned and walked back to her desk, smiling at the sounds of laughter from the two operators in question as it came through the cans. As she reached her position the first few of the actors walked past her and stepped onto the stage, settling themselves into their places.

The next few minutes passed in relative silence. Shelby watched the seconds tick by until all the actors were in place. “Dim working lights and bring up orchestra lights, please. And standby house lights,” she said into her microphone.

“Working and orchestra, house standing by,” came the confirmation from the lighting operator. Shelby heard the bells ringing in the foyer, warning the stragglers to get to their seats or risk missing the first half of the show. All went dark around her, except for the glow-worm like illumination from the orchestra, peeking up from under the bottom edge of the curtain.

“Call it in, folks,” Shelby directed softly.

“Lighting operator ready.” “Follow-spot one ready.” “Follow-spot two ready.” “Orchestra ready.” “Stage right ready,” said Karen, confirming that all the actors were where they should be for the start of the performance. All she needed now was to hear from the front-of-house manager. It wasn’t long coming. “Doors are closed and we’re ready, Shelby.”

“Thank you.” Shelby opened the first page of her script and smoothed the paper with the flat of her hand. Time to get this show on the road. One more glance at the stopwatch and Shelby took a deep breath. “Lower house lights, standby light cue one,” she said.

“House lights out,” the LO confirmed and Shelby saw the darkness descend under the lower edge of the curtain. Almost immediately applause began and Shelby knew the conductor had just stepped into the front of the orchestra pit. Within seconds the opening strains of the overture began and she let out a long slow breath. If the musicians went at their usual pace, she had about three minutes and 45 seconds before she needed to cue the next part of the process.

Shelby let her eyes drift to the card pinned to the top of her desk. Its front cover was a black and white close-up of a cat’s face, a paw brushing lazily forward across its eye. She opened it, re-reading the words that were scrawled in Sarah’s characteristic hand.

Break a leg tonight. Here’s to a long run and a happy show. Love, Sarah.

As she had done since opening night a week ago, Shelby frowned slightly as she read the inscription on the inside of the card. Despite living in Sarah’s back pocket, so to speak, for 18 months, this was the first time the psychologist had chosen to mark the opening of one of Shelby’s shows.

Not that Shelby was complaining. Not by any means. In fact, it had given her the warmest feeling she’d experienced in a long time. She just wished Sarah had come to see the show, but so far that hadn’t happened.

Shelby cast her mind back to the day she spent with Sarah on the couch in front of the big-screen television. After the movies were finished they had kept each other company through a long and leisurely picnic-style dinner that had been filled with laughter. And although they had had plenty to talk about, neither woman had chosen to approach the subject of their close encounter earlier in the day.

And since then … Shelby contemplated. Since then we’ve barely crossed paths. Just too damn busy, the both of us.

“Standby light cue one, standby curtain,” she muttered into her headset, the telltale bars of music filtering through her thoughts. Tension rose amongst the cast as everyone readied themselves. “And … curtain,” Shelby directed, waiting a half beat before she ordered the first light cue. Warm light filled the stage as the curtain rose and immediately the heat from the lights washed across the players and into the wings.

“Up and running, boss,” came Karen’s soft tones.

“Mhmm. One light cue down, 87 to go,” Shelby murmured back.

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

Sarah settled back in her seat as the curtain rose.

I probably should have told Shelby I was coming, she thought as she took in the first impression of the set and the actors draped across the stage. I just didn’t want to disappoint her if I was too tired to come again. I wonder if she’ll have time to come and have a cup of coffee with me afterwards. We need to talk.

Sarah felt like she had missed an opportunity when she and Shelby had skirted the issue 10 days ago during their picnic dinner. Her natural instinct, therapist-like, had been to let Shelby dictate where the conversation went, and Sarah was now regretting it. Damn it, it wasn't a therapy session. I should have just talked about what I wanted to talk about. This is a friendship and it's been that way for a long time. Besides, Shelby wasn't going to bring it up.

She smiled ruefully, even as she watched the actors moving through the opening scene of the musical. And why would that surprise you? By all appearances, you’ve done a 180-degree turnaround about what kind of relationship you want with her, without any explanation.

And as the days had passed with little chance to catch up with her younger friend, she had felt the need to talk to Shelby growing.

She glanced towards the wings, wondering where Shelby was stationed. One day I must ask for a tour backstage, Sarah decided. I’d love to know more about what she’s doing, what her job is about. Her attention was drawn back to centre stage and she watched as the lighting changed somewhat as the focus of the action moved. I guess that’s Shelby calling those shots.

And with that Sarah put further thoughts of her evolving relationship with the stage manager to the back of her mind and concentrated on the onstage entertainment.

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

Shelby let out a long, slow breath of satisfaction as she watched the highly-trained mechanism that was her stage crew complete the most complicated of the show’s set changes. While the biggest pieces were shifted hydraulically by a computer-controlled set of jacks and tracks there was still plenty for the humans to do in the 15 to 20 seconds afforded them between scenes. It had been a close-run thing, as it had been every night of the run so far. Karen made one last quick foray to centre stage before ducking out of sight just as the lights came back up. Shelby was gratified to see that the changeover was getting smoother with each performance.

Give us another few shows and we won’t remember what we were worried about, she thought.

There was a palpable sense of relaxation amongst the crew as the action resumed onstage. Everyone knew it was a relatively calm cruise to the end of the show now and chatter between crew members on the cans picked up, both in frivolity and volume. Shelby didn’t want to squelch that too much, but she also knew it was easy to lose track of things. And the last thing she needed was the cast bitching about the crew.

“Keep it to the noisy bits, please,” she growled into her mike, gratified when there was an immediate decrease in output. Shelby hated being a hardass and had many happy memories of her own hi-jinks in the wings, but those were in her days as an amateur. These days she was a professional and, what’s more, a professional with responsibility.

That didn’t stop her grinning as a familiar line of banter began in the hushed undertones known as ‘wing whisper’.

“Come on, Karen, how about a command performance.” That was from the senior of the two follow-spot operators, a burly Scotsman called, incongruously, Tiny. “You keep promising me paradise.”

Shelby heard Karen sigh dramatically. “Tiny, you know I only do that for special people. I can’t just do it on cue, y’know.”

“That’s not what I heard,” said Ryan, the No.2 follow-spot operator. Shelby lifted an eyebrow. At 19 he was the youngest member of the crew and it wasn’t like the teenager to pipe up in this kind of exchange.

He must be starting to feel like a part of the team, Shelby thought. It’s a good thing.

“Cheeky bastard,” Karen said playfully. “I’ll have you know my world-famous patented fake orgasm party trick is only rolled out for the privileged few.”

“Oh, so we don’t qualify?” asked Tiny and Shelby could almost see the hopeful hangdog look on his red-bearded face.

“Mmmmm, well, I don’t know,” Karen mused. “What am I going to get out of it?”

Shelby keyed her transmit button. “Doesn’t that depend on just how fake it is?” she couldn’t resist saying.

“Boss!” Karen’s mock outrage was almost believable.

“Rumor is, you’d know for sure, boss,” came Tiny’s retort, confirming Shelby’s suspicion that the crew believed she and Karen were more than just friends.

Ah, well, you can’t help bad luck, she decided. “Guess you’ll just have to let me be the judge, then, won’t you, big fella?” One look around one of the black sightscreens showed her Karen’s grinning face in the gloom of the wings, stage right. Her deputy stuck her tongue out at Shelby, who chuckled.

“Come on, Karen, you’re not going to let that challenge go by, are you?” Tiny asked.

“Rightio, then, I’ll give it my best shot,” Karen accepted.

“Wait for the song, please,” Shelby pleaded, knowing her entire compliment of backstage staff was about to be reduced to gibbering idiots, one way or another.

Three more light cues and then the opening bars of the second act’s biggest musical number struck up. Shelby could almost hear the held breath of the four men in the crew. Not to mention the three lesbians, she chuckled to herself.

Once the music was in full swing, Karen started her own performance.

“Ohhh yes,” she began, her voice low and husky.

“Bloody hell,” came a squeak from someone. Shelby thought it was the usually taciturn lighting operator, Phil.

“Steady, man, it’s early days yet,” said Tiny, high in the rafters of the theatre.

Karen moaned, and a ripple went down Shelby’s spine. “Jesus,” she muttered, glad that, of all the crew, only she could choose when to transmit to the rest. A very good thing.

As the song built towards its crescendo, so too did Karen, working her way to a masterpiece of erotic fakery. Shelby could feel her own palms sweating and could only imagine what the effect was on the rest of the crew.

“Ohhhhhh yesssssssss, yesssssssss, oohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”

As applause broke out in the auditorium, Karen panted her way down from her ‘high’ until there was nothing but a breathless silence in the cans. Shelby was sure she could hear several sets of heavy breathing, and was once again glad nobody was listening to her own respiration.

“Holy Mother of God,” came a Scottish-tinged moan from somewhere over the stalls. “You are trying to kill me, aren’t you?”

“Hey, you challenged me, Tiny. Ya gets what ya paid for.”

“Standby light cues 82 and 83,” Shelby interjected, letting the grin that split her face sound in her voice.

“Standing by,” came the rasping, desperately sweaty-sounding response from the LO.

“Oh, and Karen?” Shelby continued.

“Yes, boss?”

“Bravissima.” Soft laughter all round.

“So how did it compare to the real thing, boss?” That was Ryan.

Shelby glanced right and again saw Karen grinning at her from the wings. “I never kiss and tell,” Shelby replied. “Light cue 82, go … and light cue 83 … go.”

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

“Ms Macrossan?” The voice in her ear was unfamiliar, but whoever it was had to be connected to the system, so … Shelby keyed her transmit button.

“Right here,” she muttered as she packed away a piece of scenery, securing it to its place on the wall with a long octopus strap.

“It’s Charlie from the green room reception desk,” said the man. “There’s a lady here says she’s a friend of yours and she’s wanting to come in and say hello, but she’s not on the list.”

Shelby’s brow furrowed. “Sure she is. Lynne Wright. I put her on the list this afternoon,” she replied.

“Oh, no, Ms Wright is already here and inside,” said Charlie. “This is someone else.”

“Okay. What’s the name?” Shelby tossed her gloves on to her desk.

“Um … Ms Sarah Morgan.”

Shelby stopped in her tracks. She came. She could feel the silly grin widening on her face. How cool is that? A glance around told her there was still work to be done though.

“Charlie, that’s Dr Sarah Morgan, and please let the lady in, find her a drink and something to eat,” Shelby replied. “And do me a favor? Let her know that it’s probably going to be another 20 minutes or so before I can come out.”

“Will do.”

Shelby clapped her hands sharply and strode out into centre stage. “Okay, come on let’s get this done.”

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

Sarah sat in the comfortable armchair, nursing a glass of white wine. It was turning out to be quite a fascinating evening. She had never been in a theatre’s green room before and the passing parade of artistes was entertaining in and of itself. Actors mixed with musicians and crew members, who stood out in their all-black outfits. There was also a smattering of what Sarah would call ‘civilians’, people who were obviously friends of the company, and were sporting the same visitor’s badge that Sarah had pinned to her lapel.

Sarah’s chair was part of a quartet down the left-hand side of the long room. At the far end, and up a level, was a small cafeteria, complete with a smattering of tables and chairs. The lower level was filled with sofas and chairs like the one Sarah was sitting in.

“Hello. You looked lonely, so I thought I’d come and keep you company.”

Sarah looked up to see a large woman in a diamante-encrusted black evening gown flouncing into the chair opposite her.

“Hello,” Sarah replied, smiling slightly as the stranger made herself comfortable.

“I just couldn’t stand up for one more second,” said the woman dramatically. “You don’t mind do you? Don’t be alarmed by me. I’m only half as eccentric as I seem.”

“No problem,” Sarah demurred. If you knew what came through my office doors every day you wouldn’t even begin to think of yourself as eccentric, she thought.

“Who are you waiting for?” asked the woman. “I’m Lynne, by the way.”

“Sarah,” she murmured. “Um, a friend of mine is the stage manager.”

“Shelby?” Lynne’s face lit up. “You’re a pal of Shelby’s?” Sarah nodded. “Me too!! Excellent. The more the merrier at the party.”

Sarah’s heart sank just a little. Party? Well, of course there’s going to be a party, Sarah. It’s Saturday night and they don’t have another show until Tuesday. Of course they’re going to party.

“Wait a minute.” Lynne was talking again, oblivious to the psychologist’s thought processes. “You’re Sarah? THE Sarah?”

“Um … well, I don’t know about THE Sarah, but yes, that is my name,” Sarah replied, a little bemused by the look of delight on the other woman’s face.

“You live with Shelby,” Lynne stated. She now looked like she was the keeper of the world’s biggest secret.

“Uh … more or less,” Sarah confirmed, wondering if inhabiting separate floors and never seeing each other actually constituted ‘living together’.

“Oh, I’ve heard all about you,” Lynne said conspiratorially.

Sarah decided to ignore that. “And how do you know Shelby?” she asked instead, putting the conversational ball back in Lynne’s court.

“Oh, we’ve known each other for years,” Lynne replied. “I first met Shelby when she crewed for a production of Mame I was directing.” The large woman grinned. “She was the cutest little baby dyke back then.” She chuckled. “She must have been barely legal, too. Quite the temptation.”

“I was 20, thank you very much,” came a voice from behind them. “And clueless, what’s more.”

Sarah turned and watched the arrival of the woman in question. Shelby looked hot and slightly disheveled, but, to Sarah’s eyes, quite gorgeous in her tight black jeans and black body-hugging sleeveless shirt. Her bare arms were tanned, lean and muscular. Sarah found herself staring, just a little, a gaze that was met squarely by Shelby’s big brown eyes.

“Hello, you two. I see you’ve met.” Sarah had the impression that Shelby was slightly nervous about that fact.

Lynne bounded up out of her chair with a speed surprising for one so rotund and within a second she had Shelby wrapped in a bear hug that squeezed the breath out of the taller woman.

“Hello gorgeous,” Lynne bellowed. Sarah stood up in her wake and watched, amused as Shelby half-heartedly fought off the attentions of her friend, who managed to plant a wet kiss on the stage manager’s cheek despite her best efforts.

“Hello, Lynnie,” Shelby laughed. She caught Sarah’s eye and grinned as she disentangled herself. “Hi,” she said softly. “This is a nice surprise.”

“Well, I thought it was about time,” Sarah replied, as she leaned in and brushed her lips across Shelby’s cheek.

Mmm, she smells wonderful, Shelby thought. The barely-there touch of Sarah’s kiss left a tingling trail that she tried to store away in her memory.

“It’s a good show,” Sarah said, her blue eyes twinkling at her younger friend.

“Thanks.” Shelby shrugged self-deprecatingly. “We had a decent night. The actors managed not to trip over the furniture and we remembered to put all the props in the right place.” She grinned. “You can’t ask for much more than that.”

Sarah was aware of Lynne watching their exchange avidly just off to the side, but any further discussion was pre-empted by the tornado-like arrival of another woman, who barreled into Shelby. She wrapped her right arm over Shelby’s shoulder from behind and pulled her close.

“We’re done, boss, let’s go party hard and party hearty!”

Shelby felt the blush crawling up her neck and across her face, certain that she was beetroot red. Sarah had one eyebrow raised and seemed amused, if not totally thrilled by Karen’s ambush. Lynne, on the other hand, looked like the cat who’d found the cream, her gossip-hound instincts on full alert, Shelby was sure.

“Uh, Karen, this is Sarah, my … um … landlady.” Shit, that doesn’t sound right. And by the look on Sarah’s face it didn’t come out right, either.

Karen lifted her hand from Shelby’s breastbone long enough to wave it in greeting at Sarah. “Hiya. You coming to the party, too?” she asked.

Sarah took in the tall brunette’s easy familiarity with Shelby and shook her head quickly. “Oh no, I don’t think so, thanks,” she replied easily, smiling back. “I just wanted to come back and say hello and congratulations.” And the last thing I want to do is try and compete for her time with a room full of boisterous strangers. Damn it.

Karen leaned closer and growled in Shelby’s ear. “Come on, babe, let’s get moving. The night is young.” To Shelby’s consternation she finished the statement by placing a playful, nibbling kiss on the nape of her neck.

With a start Shelby felt her embarrassment burning like a brand on her cheeks. She heard Lynne giggling wildly next to her and turned to her old friend with a glare that would have peeled paint. With her free hand she dug into her jeans pocket and pulled out her car keys. She handed them to Karen and smiled wanly.

“Why don’t you load up the gear and I’ll see you in the car park in a few minutes,” she said, her eyes pleading with the deputy stage manager to give her a break.

“Sure,” Karen said, tossing the keys into the air and catching them again with a flourish. “Nice to meet you, Sarah,” she said, before turning on her heel and walking jauntily away.

For once, Lynne decided discretion was the better part of valor. “I’ll … um … go help,” she said, her amusement still evident to everyone.

Shelby watched her two friends wander backstage and then turned back to Sarah, rolling her eyes.

“Sorry about that,” she said gruffly, sure the blush was still coloring her cheeks.

“Nothing to apologize for,” Sarah said calmly. She was determined not to show her disappointment at not being able to get any time with Shelby. To mask her feelings she took a few seconds to place her wineglass on the coffee table next to her chair before straightening up and facing Shelby again.

“Are you sure you won’t change your mind and come to the party?” Damn it, I want to talk to you Sarah. I need to talk with you.

Sarah shook her head and smiled. “No, thanks. I’m about at the end of my energy and I have reports to write tomorrow,” she explained. “Besides you’ve got friends who want to spend some time with you, and I think they’re much bigger party animals than me.” She smiled gently at her younger friend. Oh, I knew I should have told her I was coming.

Shelby sighed. “To be honest, I’ve about had enough of these people for this week,” she said, trying to be as lighthearted about it as Sarah seemed to be. “Maybe I should just go home.”

“No, go out and have some fun,” Sarah urged. “You’ve got a couple of days to make up the sleep.” She reached out and patted Shelby’s forearm gently. “I’ll catch up with you later in the week.”

Shelby nodded. “Okay. Well, thanks for coming.” She waited until Sarah’s blue eyes met hers. “It meant a lot.”

Sarah’s answering smile crinkled the corners of her eyes in a way that Shelby found quite adorable. “It was my pleasure, honestly,” Sarah said. “Oh, and by the way.”

“Yes?”

“You know how you thought you and Karen didn’t have much chance of being more than friends?”

Shelby shifted her weight from one foot to the other, suddenly feeling awkward once again. “Um, yeh?”

Sarah grinned. “I think Karen has other ideas.” With a soft laugh she patted Shelby’s arm again and turned to walk out of the green room. “Goodnight,” she called out as she left.

“Uh, ’night,” Shelby murmured, watching the older woman walking out the door. “Damn, that is SO not how I wanted that conversation to go.”