Chapter twenty-two. Melanie opened her eyes to the cheerful sound of birds outside the window and the sun streaming across the bed in a dazzling display

MELANIE OPENED HER eyes to the cheerful sound of birds outside the window and the sun streaming across the bed in a dazzling display. She was lying on her left side, facing the window. She'd never noticed the small birdfeeder attached just outside it, and she smiled as she watched the sparrows chatter busily over their breakfast.

She let her eyes drift shut again, and snuggled into the warmth pressed against her back. Taylor was spooned behind her, one arm draped over Melanie's stomach, one knee firmly ensconced between Melanie's thighs. A flush crept through the smaller woman as she flashed back to the previous night, and she felt her face redden. She sighed, amazed at how good it felt to be held by this woman. Her eyes flicked to the bedside clock, then flew open wide.

Ten-thirty?

God, that's the longest I've slept since I was in college, she thought. Not to mention the soundest.

She extricated herself from Taylor, and stood next to the bed looking down at her as she continued to snore softly. A pang of guilt crept into her mind as she realized she hadn't done anything to alleviate the pressure that must have been building in Taylor's body the night before.

Taylor had been so gentle, so passionate... God, she knew how to touch me. She knew Taylor had been excited...she had felt the proof coating her own thigh as she'd pushed against the taller woman. But, Melanie had been very nervous about touching Taylor any more intimately than that. After all, she'd never been with a woman. What if she didn't know what to do? She immediately shook her head in self-deprecation. That wasn't it. She was rationalizing. She had been scared, plain and simple. She vowed to talk to Taylor about it when she finally woke up. Well, she worked hard last night. She deserves a rest.

She smiled as she memorized each and every line of Taylor’s face, noticed the tiny brown mole on the side of her neck, and catalogued four strands of gray hair, filing their locations away for use as ammo later on. She bent and placed a light kiss on Taylor's shoulder, hearing Lynda's snickering laughter in her head.

" I think I love you, " she whispered. Standing, she found an old, oversized T-shirt in a drawer and slipped it over her head.

She felt reborn. That was the only word she could come up with as she padded to the bathroom. Even her reflection looked oddly different. She studied it intensely for several moments, before giving up on finding the change. Her stomach rumbled loudly, reminding her that she'd had no dinner the night before and she padded into the kitchen, wondering if it would be possible to salvage any of the food they'd left out over twelve hours ago.

The kitchen was a mess. Dishes and a large frying pan were strewn about. The eggs had been left out all night...Melanie wondered if they were still usable and decided to wait until Taylor was up. The white brick of cheese had darkened slightly and was covered with a greasy film, causing Melanie to wrinkle her nose at the sight. " Yuck, " she murmured.

She hummed a tune as she returned dishes to the proper cupboards, thinking maybe they'd just go out for breakfast. She was so lost in her thoughts and the din of clattering plates, that she didn't hear the front door open, nor did she realize she had company until the voice from behind her nearly gave her a heart attack.

" Hey, Mellie."

Melanie dropped the plate she was holding and it shattered on the floor at her bare feet. " Jesus Christ." She turned to meet the smiling eyes of her cousin. " Are you trying to scare me to death? "

" Sorry, baby cousin, " Sam apologized with a chuckle, squatting to help Melanie pick up the pieces. She wore skin-tight jeans and a bright yellow tank top, her blonde hair pulled back off her tanned face. " I forget how lost in your own little world you can get." She did a double take at her younger cousin, a smirk forming on her pretty face. " Um, Mellie? Did you forget something? "

Melanie looked up. " What? "

" Your pants, maybe? "

Melanie's head snapped down and she realized her cousin was right. Before she could say a word, Taylor came skidding into the kitchen, clad in only a sheet.

" What the hell was that noise? Are you okay...oh. Hi, Sam."

Samantha stood up slowly, the smirk sliding right off her face. Her eyes moved from her cousin to her friend and back, taking in their various states of undress, comprehension lighting her face.

" What exactly is going on here? " she asked in an unnervingly quiet voice.

" Um...well, " Taylor began, searching for the right words. She turned to Melanie for help. The redhead's eyes were darting from Sam's feet to her own. She looked very much like a cornered animal.

" We had dinner together, " Melanie offered feebly, feeling like she had magically reverted to her awkward, shy, teenage years when she fought as hard as she could to please Samantha so her cousin would look out for her socially.

" Looks like you had dessert, too, " Sam added sarcastically. The disappointment in her voice cut through Melanie like a knife.

" Sam, " Taylor began gently. " Melanie's a big girl."

" She's also straight, " Sam snapped. Taylor flinched as though she'd been slapped. " What did you do, get her drunk? Get her drunk so you could seduce her? "

" No, I didn't get her drunk, " Taylor responded, trying unsuccessfully to keep the anger out of her voice. " And I didn't seduce her."

Melanie squeezed her eyes shut as the animosity level in the room increased.

" Well, then, tell me. How else does a dyke get a straight girl into bed? "

Refusing to begin a debate about Melanie's sexuality, Taylor decided to channel her anger in a different direction. She focused instead on the pain of these insults that were being hurled at her by somebody she considered a friend. Her only defense was to hurt back.

" What the hell is your problem, Sam? Rob dump you off somewhere? "

" Shut up, Taylor." Samantha's voice was a low, warning growl.

" Don't you dare tell me to shut up. You come in here spouting off about what a wretched seductress I am, tempting innocent straight women to their doom with my lesbian charms, and you have the audacity to tell me to shut up? No, Sam, I think you should shut up."

" What on earth is going on in here? "

Ben's voice was as unexpected as his presence filling the front doorway.

" Oh, God, " Melanie whimpered upon seeing him, self-consciously pulling down on the hem of her T-shirt.

" I came over to see Melanie and I heard shouting. What is going on? " His eyes took in the sight before him slowly. Several emotions visibly crossed his handsome face: realization, shock, disappointment, anger, hurt.

" What's going on? I'll tell you what's going on, " Sam spat. " Your daughter's fucking my cousin."

" Sam! That's enough, " Melanie cried. " Please." Her eyes shimmered with tears. This was too much. Too much, too soon. She turned and walked to the bedroom, snapping the door shut behind her.

Taylor watched her go, torn between running to hold her, to comfort her, and staying put to defend them against this unexpected onslaught of hostility.

" Dad..." she began.

Ben held up a hand to silence her. " No, no, T. You don't have to explain anything to me. You're a big girl." The pain in his voice was so apparent, it made Taylor wince. He looked like he wanted to say more. Instead, he turned and made a quiet exit, feeling ten years older than he actually was.

Taylor and Samantha stood alone in the kitchen for several awkward minutes, neither able to meet the other's eyes.

God, how did this become such a mess? Taylor asked silently. She swallowed back the lump in her throat, gathering up the sheet around her ankles and approaching the closed bedroom door. She hesitated for a minute, then knocked softly.

" Melanie? " Please.

Several minutes went by with no answer.

" Melanie? " she repeated, unable to disguise the crack in her voice. " Are you okay? "

" I just need to think, Taylor, " came the soft voice. " Okay? Just...give me some time to think? "

There was such confusion and uncertainty in the tone, and it filled Taylor with dread. She leaned her forehead against the door, willing the tears not to fall until she was alone. She cleared her throat. " Okay, sweetheart. Whatever you need. You got it. I...um...I need my clothes, though."

There was a rustling behind the door, then it opened and Melanie handed a pile of clothing to Taylor, her head down. She knew if she looked into those dark, loving eyes, she'd be lost forever. She had a hard time ignoring the searing fire that shot through her at the simple touch of Taylor's hand as she took the clothes from Melanie's grasp.

" It'll be okay, " Taylor whispered softly.

The door shut again quietly. Taylor closed her eyes for a minute, then went into the bathroom to rid herself of the sheet. She put on the clothes from the previous night, stopping when she noticed that Melanie had put her own pale blue tank top in the pile. Taylor didn’t know if it was by mistake or intention as she lifted the soft fabric to her nose and inhaled deeply, drawing the scent of the woman she'd fallen head over heels for into her lungs. The action caused her eyes to brim with tears. She shook herself, tucked the tank under her own shirt and exited the bathroom.

Samantha was still standing quietly in the kitchen, not sure what to do next. Taylor stopped in front of her, keeping her eyes downcast, her voice low and calm.

" I would never force anybody to do something they didn't want to. Especially not Melanie. I was under the impression that you, as my friend, would know that."

With that, she left the carriage house. Halfway to her own house, she stopped. She looked from one building to the other. She didn't want to face her father, though she knew she owed him some sort of explanation. She couldn't go back to the carriage house.

She wasn't exactly welcome right now. Completely at a loss, she fished her keys out of her pocket, unable to believe she actually had them, and headed for her car. Right now, she needed to get the hell away from everybody.