MBards Mini Archive

Disclaimers: The characters you are about to read about might remind you of certain people depicted on television, ignore that fact for it is merely a coincidence. If you decide to sue though, know that I am a poor person not worth you time and effort.

As for the sex part, if you find that a relationship between two women distasteful try listening to Dr. Laura on the radio, now that’s distasteful in my opinion. But seriously if you are underage and live someplace where that is not allowed move on, literally.

Sit back and enjoy the story and if you have something wonderful to say about it write to me at terrali20@yahoo.com

Lastly I want to thank the love of my life, you know who you are, for encouraging me every day to be the best person I can be. I would also like to thank my beta reader Jaden Rose for all the time she spends fixing all my mistakes. You are a real sweetheart. Thanks also to Mel, Paula and Becky for your feedback on this.

This story is dedicated to all those people that helped me have a good time during my college years in New Orleans, when I was suppose to be studying. I actually graduated in Baton Rouge, but my a lot of my weekends were spent in places like the Tropical Isle listening to different musicians that knew exactly what drinking music is. If you ever vacation in New Orleans, drop me a line and I’ll give you a list of the bars to get started.

Play It Again Sam
By
Ali Vali

Part 1

“Come on Tallulah girl, it’s going to be ok. Mommy just needs some coffee before we fly out this morning,” said the petite blonde nearing the head of the line. The other, not so amused customers, ignored her as she tried to juggle a diaper bag, flight bag and a red faced crying infant.

“Lizzy calm down. I’m not concerned over your siblings or your father. Whatever is going to happen, is going to happen so no sense worrying about it,” said Poppy to the small woman walking next to her. When the small blonde frowned over her comment, Poppy continued, “Don’t worry buttercup, we won’t go down without a fight.”

“Are you sure you want to wait in this line? There are coffee shops at the airport you know,” asked the still scowling Elizabeth. Raquel Poppy Valente was the young attorney’s only client. Poppy, as her friends and family knew her, had been there when Lizzy had graduated from high school, college and finally law school. The thought of working for anyone else had never crossed Elizabeth’s mind.

“They don’t have this kind of coffee Lizzy, and didn’t your mama ever tell you not to make faces like that? Good Lord, that child sounds like its about to have a major melt down,” commented Poppy. Poppy watched as the young mother bounced the child trying to get it to stop crying. I guess that’s who she is, thought Poppy.

“If you can’t control your children better than that, you shouldn’t take them out where they can annoy decent people like us,” expounded the middle aged woman in front of them. “Madame I’m sure that no one has ever mistaken you for someone decent,” replied Poppy. Leaving Elizabeth to hold their place in line and deal with the miffed customer in front, Poppy headed for the young woman and child.

“Sorry ma’am, she hasn’t had her coffee yet,” said Elizabeth with an insincere smile.

“May I offer you a hand?’ asked Poppy. Standing next to the woman and baby, she could see that the mother was as frustrated as the baby. With the knowledge that most people were mistrusting of strangers, if you considered the nightly news, Poppy was surprised by the willingness of the young woman to accept assistance.

Julia Johnson wanted to cry in relief when the offer of help came from the soft velvet voice next to her. Without hesitation the flight bag and diaper bag were handed off so that she could concentrate on her daughter. Once her savior was loaded down with her possessions it was Julia’s turn to order. “A café au lait decaf please and a blueberry muffin.” The clerk nodded then turned her attention to the pack mule standing next to the blonde and smiled. “And what do you desire good looking?” asked the clerk with the nametag that read Megan. Megan’s arched brow looked a little funny to both the women standing across from her when they noticed the spike piercing it had through it. Poppy waited until the girl had finished her visual perusal before placing her order. “A viente latte and a cup of hot tea, Earl Grey, please.”

“That will be thirteen fifty-five all together,” said Megan. She watched as a hand with long fingers slipped into the front pocket of immaculate black pleated pants and extracted a gold money clip that had a flower engraved on it in place of a name or initials. It’s a shame she’s taken, thought Megan as she looked over the whole package again. Poppy pealed off a twenty from the folded bills and pressed it into the teenager’s hand. “Here you go kid, keep the change. You’re good for my self image.” The rich laugh that followed caused Julia to look up and join the infatuated clerk in taking in her benefactor.

It was the sight of the laughing tall stranger that brought Julia out of the frustrated mood she had been in. She realized all her money was in the flight bag she had so readily handed over, and that the businesswoman had paid for her order. The only one not impressed with Poppy was Tallulah, who was still crying with abandon in her mother’s arms.

“I can’t let you pay for my breakfast,” said Julia. She was still bouncing the baby trying to get her to stop crying, noticing for the first time that most of the other patrons looked annoyed with her. Julia followed her luggage, which was still attached to the woman she had given them to, out to the coffee preparation area. “Why not?” asked Poppy.

“Why not what?” asked a confused Julia.

“Why can’t I buy you breakfast? Is there some law or religious reasons why I wouldn’t be able to?” countered Poppy.

“No, it’s just that I don’t know you and I don’t want to impose,” said Julia over the wailing going on over her right shoulder. The baby was trying to crawl over her body and the cries made it seem like Tallulah was in pain.

“Why can’t they talk from the beginning?” Julia asked softly in a rhetorical question. She watched as Poppy placed a tea bag in the cup of hot water squeezed a wedge of lemon into it then placed the lid back so it would stay hot. Funny she doesn’t seem like the tea type, thought Julia. Before she could analyze why she would care what kind of morning beverage the woman should be drinking, Julia saw a beautiful blonde walk up and take the cup then retreat back towards the door. Figures, was the next thought that ran through Julia’s mind much to her own surprise.

“What? I’m sorry,” said Julia after the snapping fingers brought her back to the coffee shop. “How do you take your coffee?” asked Poppy. “Three sugars thanks,” Julia replied.

“They can talk from the beginning ma’am, you just have to listen to what they are saying,” said Poppy. She shook three sugar packets getting the granules to go to one side before ripping them open.

“Excuse me?” asked Julia.

“What?” asked Poppy. She smiled thinking that talking to this young mother was fun. Either the woman was punchy from all the crying, or Poppy was throwing her off balance.

“What do you mean they can talk from the beginning?” Julia elaborated. The bouncing and the back patting were not working and Tallulah was only crying louder.

“The kid’s got colic. She doesn’t need to tell you verbally, the crying and the leg kicking are a dead give away. And as we all know there is only one sure cure for colic, care to give it a try?” asked Poppy.

“At this point I’m willing to try anything. Poor thing has been crying like this since yesterday,” said Julia.

Poppy put both their cups down at a table out in front of the coffee shop they had just walked out of. Pulling the chair out for the two small blondes, she sat close to Julia and held her arms out. The young mother noticed that the blonde the child expert had come in with was off by the door of the shopping center speaking into a cell phone. With a little apprehension, she handed Tallulah over into large capable looking hands and sat back to see this miracle cure.

The six week old was red and hot from the crying she had done up to this point, and Poppy noticed the little legs encased in a sleeper with pink teddy bears all over it were pulled close into the child’s stomach. Putting one of her hands behind Tallulah’s head, Poppy faced the baby toward her so that she could rub her stomach with her other hand. For the first time in what seemed like days, Julia was greeted with silence. With the comforting hand rubbing her where it hurt the small forest green eyes opened and focused on the person in front of her. Both Tallulah and her mother listened as the miracle worker started singing softly as she continued her massage.

Goodnight, my angel
Time to close your eyes
And save these questions for another day
I think I know what you’ve been asking me
I think you know what I’ve been trying to say
I promised I would never leave you
And you should always know
Wherever you may go
No matter where you are
I never will be far away

Goodnight, my angel
Now it’s time to sleep
And still so many things I want to say
Remember all the songs you sang for me
When we went sailing on an emerald bay
And like a boat out on the ocean
I’m rocking you to sleep
The water’s dark
And deep inside this ancient heart
You’ll always be a part of me

Good night, my angel
Now it’s time to dream
And dream how wonderful your life will be
Someday your child may cry
And if you sing this lullabye
Then in your heart
There will always be a part of me

Someday we’ll all be gone
But lullabyes go on and on…
They never die
That’s how you
And I
Will be

Poppy ended the song quietly as she cradled the sleeping infant to her shoulder. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply to take in the essence of the life she held and smiled. Children had never crossed her mind, as in having them, but Poppy did enjoy the feel of them in her arms, and liked to play with the multitude of children that were part of her life because of her friends.

Julia watched as her tempestuous daughter curled up on the broad shoulder and fell asleep for the first time in twenty-four hours. The baby had looked up at her serenador with droopy green eyes and quieted down as her stomach had been rubbed. Whoever this woman was, she was a godsend as far as Julia was concerned, so any nervousness of having a stranger holding Tallulah was vanishing.

She leaned over the table and extended her hand in greeting, “I know I’m kinda late but I’m Julia and that young lady you’re holding is Tallulah.”

“Heck maybe I was wrong and the kid doesn’t have a stomach ache, she’s just protesting getting stuck with the name Tallulah,” said Poppy quietly. As she started to make circling motions along the baby’s back, Poppy looked into another set of green eyes, only these didn’t look all that happy.

“For your information, Tallulah is my grandmother’s name. My grandmother that raised me from the time I was as old as the baby you now hold, so no cracks about her name,” said Julia a little more forcefully than she really meant. Poppy’s reaction was no different than everyone else she knew who had tried to dissuade her from saddling the infant with the old name.

“I’m sorry. I was just joking, Tallulah is a beautiful name. It’s just one you don’t hear very often these days. May she be as unique as her name, and as special as your grandmother obviously is to you. I am pleased to meet you both, my name is Poppy Valente,” said Poppy still holding the hand Julia had extended toward her.

“Your name is Poppy and you’re making fun of Tallulah,” said Julia with a twinkle in her eye.

“Actually my name is Raquel Poppy Valente but people call me Poppy,” answered Poppy with an added arched brow to her comment.

“But don’t you think Poppy is a stranger name than Tallulah?” asked Julia with persistence.

“For your information Poppy is my mother’s name. The mother that raised me from the time I was born, so no cracks about her name,” said the tall woman. Whoever this small blonde was, Poppy found her delightful. And when Poppy considered it had been awhile since she had found delight in anything or anyone, it was a surprise to discover it in a coffee shop in the middle of a shopping mall. Life had lost so much meaning in the past two years after having lost the one thing that had grounded her.

“I thought you said your name was Raquel?” asked Julia. Julia kept her hand where it was when she felt the warmth of the larger one it was encased in. No wonder you fell asleep so quickly Tallulah, this woman is magic.

“It is. I’m named after both my parents,” started Poppy, before she was interrupted again.

“Your father’s name is Raquel?” asked a surprised Julia.

“No it’s not smart ass. My dad’s name is Raphael, and as you already know my mother’s name is Poppy. Only no one calls her that,” continued Poppy. “What is she called?” came the next interruption.

“If you would sit there quietly, I would have the opportunity to tell you. Her middle name is Isabelle and that is what she goes by. Poppy, which is an old family name on her side, got passed to me.

Now that you know my whole name history Miss Julia, is there a car seat or stroller that you would like me to put Miss Tallulah in? I hate to put your kid to sleep and run but I have a plane to catch and I’m sure that I’m running late by now,” said Poppy.

“I’m sorry Poppy. I hope that I can call you Poppy?” asked Julia. Continuing with her statement after getting a head nod from the woman across from her. “Actually her car seat is up in the hotel room but I’m sure I can manage if you give me my stuff back. We’re heading to the airport too.”

“Nonsense. Lizzy,” said Poppy in a low voice. The small blonde attorney in the taupe colored suit dropped her empty cup in the garbage and walked over to her employer. “Yes?” asked Elizabeth. “Could you call and have the car brought around and arrange for one for my two friends here. I’ll be right back,” said Poppy standing up, she towered over the two women standing next to her. She leaned down and handed the baby back to Julia and picked up the woman’s bags intent on following her upstairs and helping her with her things.

The glass elevator in the Canal Place shopping center in New Orleans headed toward the eleventh floor where the lobby of the Westin Hotel was located. Both women looked at each other when they thought the other wouldn’t notice. After noticing an important thing about her blonde companion, Poppy decided to carry out her good deed for the day, then be on her way.

There on Julia’s left ring finger sat a diamond engagement ring and wedding band. About two and a half carats, thought Poppy. At least the bastard’s not cheap; he certainly has good taste in women. From her side of the elevator car, Julia too noticed the wide platinum wedding band on her new friend’s left ring finger. It was plain but seemed to suit the wearer, who with her height and good looks didn’t need much adornment. In actuality the only adornment on the ring was engraved on the inside. You Make Me Sing - C.

They took another set of elevators to the eighteenth floor where Julia and Tallulah’s room was located. After seeing the amount of luggage the young woman had, Poppy picked up the phone and called for a porter to help them. While she was on the phone, Poppy watched Julia strap the baby into the car seat carefully so as not to wake her.

“Yes Ms. Valente someone is on the way up now. I apologize for not realizing that you were staying with us ma’am,” said the person stationed at the concierge desk. “I’m not a guest, just helping someone out. Could you step outside and tell Elizabeth that I’ll be down directly please?” requested Poppy. She hung up after getting a quick reply then headed toward the door after hearing the soft knock.

Out in the hall stood two porters waiting to come in and load up Julia’s possessions. Standing next to the car seat, which was sitting on the bed, Julia was amazed at the quick response Poppy had gotten out of the hotel staff and how quiet they were being because of the sleeping baby. Nodding her head when Poppy tilted her head toward the baby asking a silent question as to whether Julia wanted her to carry the loaded seat, Julia followed them all out the door toward the elevator.

Downstairs the base of the baby’s car seat was strapped into place in the black Lincoln Towncar that would take them to the airport. The door was held open by a middle-aged man wearing a dark suit and driver’s cap as two porters made quick work of loading the bags into the trunk. They both thanked Poppy for the generous tip she had evidentially given them, then headed back up to the lobby. Behind the car that was waiting to take Julia to the airport stood another one just like it with two women standing next to the back door, both pointing to their watches.

“That would be my cue to get going I’m afraid. Julia, it was a pleasure having breakfast with you and your daughter this morning. May you have a pleasant flight wherever you are going today,” said Poppy. She took possession of Julia’s hand again to shake it in farewell, finding that she liked the way it felt in hers.

“Thank you for all this. I don’t know if I would have survived the morning without you, Poppy. It was a pleasure meeting you too, and thanks for your song. Can I pay you back for the coffee or anything?” asked Julia. For the first time since they met, Julia looked up and saw that the color of Poppy’s eyes were Caribbean blue. It was the only color that she could think of to describe them. They were the same color as the water in all those travel brochures that showed the blue green vistas around the resort locations. It was a striking combination when you put it together with the jet-black hair that looked slightly curly and was pulled into a short ponytail. As she felt Poppy start to pull her hand away, Julia felt a sad wave cross over her heart at the thought of never seeing the tall interesting woman again.

“My treat, and you can thank Billy Joel for the Lullabye song. You just take care of that little baby in there and yourself as well. Have fun on your trip and maybe we’ll run into each other again,” said Poppy. On impulse she kissed the petite hand she had been holding before letting go and walking back to her car. Julia watched as the two beautiful women that had been waiting by the car got in behind Poppy, and then lost sight of all of them behind the dark tinted windows.

“Who was that boss?” asked Susanna Hebert, Poppy’s administrative assistant. “Someone who is wondering if all strangers in coffee shops sing to crying children I’m sure, Sus. Just someone I helped out this morning so don’t make a big thing out of it please,” answered Poppy. The two blondes sat in the back of the car with their tall boss and watched her pick imaginary lint off the trousers she had on, both wondered what was going on under that black curly hair.

They had grown used to Poppy’s bouts of silence, so Elizabeth and Susanna left her to her thoughts. Both missed the carefree person she had been only two years prior but had yet to find what would bring that Poppy back. Sometimes it took only a city sight or a phrase to plunge Poppy back into the hole she had dug for herself, though the girls thought that she was getting better. When they saw the tall lanky form sink back into the leather seat and expel a sigh, they looked out of the window on the other side and left their boss and friend to relive whatever memory was playing in her head now.

The events of the morning flooded Poppy’s brain with memories of when she first met Carly. It would prove to be the turning point of her life and no matter how much pain she was in now, given the opportunity Poppy wouldn’t change anything about their time together. Sinking into the soft leather of the car, she allowed herself to go back to that time in her life and remember the woman that held her heart and had taught her how to love.

She was playing the guitar in the corner of the crowed bar, some slow jazz tune that blended well with the whispered conversations going on around the room. This wasn’t her usual gig but there were two more semesters to go at Tulane and crowed joints full of drunk college students drinking quarter cent beers wasn’t going to help her accomplish her goals, one of which was a diploma without the burden of student loans. So wearing her only good black pants and a white shirt, Poppy figured she would strum out as many maudlin songs as they could handle.

The groups that gathered at the Oak Bar in the Royal Orleans Hotel every night never seemed to differ. It was the upper crust of what the city had to offer, which to Poppy meant those willing to pay eight bucks a drink that were poured in the smallest glasses the hotel could procure. Tonight was different though. Tonight in the corner opposite from where she sat playing was a group of three women who were on at least their fourth round, and laughing louder than anyone had in this stuffy establishment in a long time.

The brunette in the middle sat flanked by two blondes. One short and one tall but both had their heads thrown back laughing at something the brunette had just finished telling them. The other older patrons scattered throughout the bar would look their way disapprovingly every so often to convey their displeasure at their behavior. Every scowl thrown in their direction only seemed to drive the volume of the laughing up a notch, and the waiter over with the next round.

Poppy watched as the brunette retrieved a large purse off the floor by her feet, and pull out her wallet. Removing something before she set it back on the floor, the woman got up and strolled toward Poppy. As she watched the roll of her hips and the ease of her smile, Poppy forgot the next notes of the song she had been playing and just stopped. With a loose grip on the neck of the guitar she just sat there until the woman came to a stop in front of her.

“Do you happen to know any Buffet?” the woman asked.

“Buffet?” asked Poppy. She could feel the blush that was running up her face and the beginning of the nervous tick that made her leg bounce. This woman was making Poppy sweat and she had asked something but a fog had settled in Poppy’s brain that rendered her unable to answer.

“Jimmy Buffet,” responded the woman. She smiled as if enjoying the affect she was having on the young woman in front of her. She leaned over and stuffed a twenty dollar bill into the pocket of the shirt Poppy had on before continuing the one sided conversation. “Margarita Ville, Pensacola Run or anything else along those lines?”

Poppy sat there mesmerized until the hand waving in front of her face brought her back to her senses. “Sure I know some Buffet tunes, they just don’t let me do them in here,” answered Poppy. The heat that radiated off her ears, Poppy was sure was enough to cook an egg at this point and all the woman had done was make a song request.

“Well one of the patrons has made a request… um?” the brunette left the question hanging. She leaned over a bit more as a sign of wanting to continue the conversation.

“Poppy, my name is Poppy,” answered the guitarist. The way she answered made it sound like she was trying to convince herself that it was the correct name she had given. Before extending her hand for a more formal introduction, Poppy wiped it on the black pants because for some reason she wanted to make a good impression.

“Nice to meet you Poppy, my name is Carly Stevens and those two wild women sitting over there with me are Ginger Thorenson and Matlin Moore. Now that you know who we are, we would like to hear some Buffet if you please,” said Carly. She had trouble getting her hand back from the young woman in front of her, not that Poppy held it too tight; it was that she just didn’t want to let go. When Poppy had held her hand out for an introduction, Carly had immediately noticed how large the young woman’s hand was. When it enveloped her own, she felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and safety she had never experienced in her life, not even as a child with her parents. Carly walked back to her seat with the knowledge that Poppy’s eyes were glued to her, and to her surprise, considering her upbringing, it didn’t bother her in the least. It actually felt good to her to have those blue eyes trained on only her. I wonder how I can get you to do that for the rest of your days Poppy?

Hooking the guitar strap on and standing, Poppy gave the ladies their wish that night by performing all of the Buffet songs she had in her repertoire. Her boss was about to reprimand her until he was called to the table where Carly and her friends where sitting and she didn’t see him for the rest of the night. She made enough tips that one night from some of the other Buffet enthusiasts in the audience, to pay for her next semester books, which she had to purchase the next day.

The college education she was working on was something that Poppy’s parents, Raphael and Isabelle, wanted more than she did. They weren’t poor but the Valente family had what her mother called ‘a healthy respect for the dollar’, since there weren’t many to go around. It was lucky that Poppy had a natural musical talent that paid for the education Tulane provided for a premium price, which in turn was her mother’s favorite subject when she sat for a visit with her friends. Not the part where Poppy was out in bars all night making a living, but the - ‘my kid is going to graduate from Tulane’ - part. What Isabelle didn’t realize until much later was that the late nights were paying for more than just Poppy’s education. They were bankrolling her dreams.

A little bleary eyed the next morning; Poppy went up and down the aisles of the Tulane bookstore. She pulled books and other material out as she went and added them to the growing pile under her arm. Poppy had scheduled an extra class for the spring semester, which would allow her to take the summer off to work and finish up in the fall. After she walked across the stage in December she would embark on the plan she had formulated two summers before that, when she had worked on the island of Aruba.

Caught up in a dream of swaying palm trees and thick cushioned chaise lounges, Poppy didn’t see the woman that stood behind her. Only after she backed into her and then saw the woman sprawled on the ground did Poppy realize it was the woman from the night before. Carly just looked up and laughed at the shocked expression on Poppy’s face over their chance second meeting.

“I am so sorry Ms. Stevens, I didn’t see you standing there,” started Poppy. She had dropped to her knees next to Carly and was picking up all the merchandise she had dropped on the woman in their crash. In the light of day, Poppy found the delightful smile of the older woman just as enchanting as she had the night before, and to Poppy’s surprise the blush that had graced her face from the night before was back in full force.

“Poppy what a surprise bumping into you here,” said Carly. She laughed at her own joke and looked up into the handsome face above hers, now red as the coke can the young woman had put down to help her up. “Don’t worry Poppy no harm done. I may be older than you are, but I’m far from fragile.”

“It’s just that I’m usually not so clumsy and dumb witted although I have been nothing but since meeting you. Why don’t you let me pay for all this stuff and then I’ll treat you to breakfast down the street?” asked Poppy. She had piled all her stuff next to Carly and then sat on her heels waiting for the woman’s reply.

“That my dear is the best offer I’ve had all morning. Lead on oh clumsy and dull witted one,” said Carly with a clear tease in her voice. “Hey I’m clumsy and dumb witted but I guarantee that you will never find me dull,” answered Poppy.

They headed to the registers together and paid for their selections then walked to Poppy’s car to drop off their stuff. “It’s only about four blocks from here Ms. Stevens, so do you mind walking?” asked Poppy.

“Please Poppy if I am going to have breakfast with you we have to be clear on two things,” said Carly. The sternness in Carly’s voice made the blue eyes she had been looking into take on a hint of sadness, and she wanted to take back her comment so she softened her voice when she saw the solemn nod coming from Poppy. “One you have to call me Carly, and two you have to tell me your last name. Or are you one of those musician types that only goes by one name?”

“No ma’am, I mean Carly,” said Poppy. Relief flooding her body that she hadn’t struck out before the game even began. “My name is Raquel Poppy Valente, but my friends all call me Poppy. So if it’s going to be Carly for you, it’s got to be Poppy for me.”

“Deal. Now take me to some food before I pass out,” said Carly. She lived in the uptown area of New Orleans with her family, so she had narrowed down the locations of where the young woman wanted to go depending on the direction they headed off in. When they headed toward the river from where Poppy had parked her car, Carly could only hope that a Burger King sandwich wasn’t in her future.

Carly was perfectly charmed by the young woman from the beginning of their walk. From the way she listened to what Carly’s opinions were on the subjects they covered, to the way she held her elbow when they reached the street corners to make sure Carly crossed safely. Something about Poppy made her feel alive and young again, and from that morning Carly decided that she would find a way to spend more time with her. As they sat next to each other at the counter of the Camellia Grill, one of New Orleans’s oldest traditions, they spent the morning talking about a whole slew of topics. From the chili that was drowning the omelet Poppy was eating, to the problems of today’s politics.

The morning ended too soon for Carly’s liking and she found herself being escorted back to her car by her breakfast date. She found that Poppy’s baritone voice was both addictive and soothing. From their morning meal conversation Carly found out that Poppy was a senior in management, worked to pay her way through school, lived at home to save money and was a month shy of twenty. Considering that she was a month past her forty-second birthday, the thought of spending more time with the attractive Poppy faded with each step they took back into reality. They had walked past four different young beautiful women on their way back, and none of them seemed to have a problem in greeting Poppy with a firm hug and a firm kiss on the mouth. The young woman took it all in stride and even had the decency, Carly thought, to look slightly uncomfortable with all the attention.

By the time they retrieved Carly’s books from Poppy’s car and the fifth girl had given Poppy her fifth kiss of the late morning, Carly was angry. It was an anger she didn’t understand, but it didn’t make it any less real of an emotion. Even though she had declined Poppy’s company, the young woman had walked Carly to her car. The last block of their walk was done in silence. They stood next to the BMW sedan still not talking, the ease of the earlier conversation gone so Carly took the opportunity to study the person in front of her.

Poppy had to be one of the most beautiful people Carly had ever seen. If she had to guess Carly would put Poppy’s height at six feet, the hair color would have to be black or very dark brown and the eyes were definitely blue. The blue jean encased legs were long and ended in jogging shoes, and in the other direction the broad shoulders were covered by a Tulane sweatshirt. Poppy wore no jewelry except for a gold chain around her neck that only glistened in the sun every so often. It was worn, Carly guessed, for more sentimental value than for adornment. The big hands she had admired the night before were stuck in the jean pockets as far down as they would go, and the handsome face with the cheek bones to die for held a hint of longing.

“Look Carly, I’m sorry about all those girls this morning. There is something about me you should know before you commit to spending any time with me, or you are seen out in public with me. I’m gay and I don’t hide that fact from anyone. The girls this morning were all just friends of mine, as in just friends. I’ve only dated one person seriously, and this being Louisiana, she thought it would be best if she got married and had a bunch of kids. You probably have an address book full of friends, but I would like to see you again. To have lunch or coffee or something,” Poppy finished in a hurry. She had figured the anger that was fairly palatable coming off of Carly had to do with the woman’s deduction that Poppy wasn’t a sorority girl.

“Why would you want to spend time with me when you obviously have the pick of the litter?” asked Carly. Time to find out if the young woman just wanted to toy with her emotions, or was just out looking for a free ride.

Almost as if she had crawled in her head and heard Carly’s silent question Poppy answered her. “I don’t want anything from you Carly, except maybe to be your friend. I know I could always use one, and you look like you could stand another one in your life. Come on you know you want to. You could sit there and watch me clog my arteries with chili while I regal you with my wisdom of life,” said Poppy. She leaned against the side of the black sedan they were standing next to and waited for Carly’s response. There was something about the woman, who was at least a foot shorter than she was, with her brown hair and green eyes that spoke to Poppy’s heart, and she didn’t want to stop listening just yet. The two times Poppy had seen her, Carly had been dressed to impress, but she got the feeling the woman did it because it was her style and not what others would think about what she had on. When she heard the beep of the car’s alarm system, Poppy thought she had her answer.

“Where are you playing tonight Poppy?” asked Carly as she opened the door to the car. The part of Carly’s brain that was screaming for her to just drive away and forget about the night before, and the morning after was beat into submission by her heart. When she looked from her seat, Carly watched the genuine smile that broke out across Poppy’s face and thought, the cruelties of life haven’t gotten to that smile yet my young friend. My one hope for you is that they never will.

“A little dive in the quarter called the Tropical Isle. The tips are good and I get to play all the stuff I like, which would include, but will not be limited to, some Buffet songs. If you and your friends stop by, I promise to sing you a special song,” said Poppy. She placed one hand on the hood and the other on the car door as she waited for Carly’s response.

“I’m usually not a little dive kind of girl but life’s too short not to try new things, so why the hell not. There is something about you Poppy, that makes me want to….,” started Carly.

“Yes, makes you want to what?” asked a teasing Poppy.

“You make me want to sing Poppy, and no one before you has ever done that.”

Poppy rubbed the ring on her left hand that held a variation of those words as she watched the passing landscape. The memories had gotten easier. The tears that they usually brought were held in her eyes giving Poppy a glassy look, instead of streaming down her face like they had for so long. That meeting of two hearts seemed like an old cliché of a lifetime ago, and it almost seemed funny that it took them so long to figure that out.

“Don’t you want to talk about the case before we get in there?” asked Elizabeth. She felt it was all right to talk since there was movement coming from the left side of the car. When she rubbed the ring on her left hand it usually meant that Poppy was back from her trips to the past and ready to talk business.

“No. We’ve been through this a dozen times Lizzy and there is nothing new to discuss. I have the videotape and I have her will, what more do you possibly think is relevant to this case. Your mother was in her right mind when she died, and nothing your father or your blood-sucking siblings can say is going to change that fact. They want my money; they are going to have to kill me for it. I would have gladly given them what they are asking for if they had visited her once in that last month, just once. Hell, I would have even left the house if I was the reason they wouldn’t come, but they didn’t so, I say fuck them,” Poppy screamed across the car. The whole thing was in bad taste, in her opinion, but after seeing the defeated look on Elizabeth’s face she calmed down immediately.

“I’m sorry Lizzy, you know this is making me crazy. I loved her with all that I was capable of and it wasn’t enough to save her, and it wasn’t enough to make your brother and sister see that by not giving her the opportunity to say good-bye, they broke her heart. Lizzy I can’t forgive that, ever. She called me a stubborn Cuban all of my life and I guess this is no exception. Sorry I yelled at you Lizzy,” said Poppy. She reached over and took Elizabeth’s hand in hers and marveled at how much the young woman’s skin resembled her mother’s. The fingers were even the same and they fit together with her larger ones just the same.

Elizabeth was a constant reminder of all that she had lost, but the young attorney had never worked for anyone but Poppy, and Carly’s death wouldn’t change that. It was unfortunate for her in that the lawsuit brought by part of the Stevens’s family had drawn a line in the sand for the young blonde. Her family thought she was a traitor when she crossed that line and joined forces with Poppy on the other side, but it was the right thing to do after watching her mother die with only one of her children by her side. Besides, Elizabeth thought, Poppy had been a part of her family for years now and nothing would ever change that. There wasn’t an important date in her life that the young woman didn’t remember looking up and seeing those blue eyes shining back at her. Growing up she had sometimes wished that it had been her sitting in that bar that night instead of her mother, but seeing the happiness her mother experienced the last ten years of her life was worth the sacrifice of her school girl crush.

Poppy loved her, but only as a parent would love a child, even though their ages weren’t all that different. The one thing Elizabeth wished that Poppy would come to realize is that her mother didn’t die of a broken heart, but with a full heart after she had lived the best fifth of her life with the woman who now held her hand.

“I’m sorry about all the problems this is causing with your family Lizzy. My wish was that it wouldn’t come to this,” said Poppy. She squeezed the hand she held and smiled for Elizabeth. The truth was the situation made her sick. If given a choice she would give the money the Stevens children had demanded to the first big guy she found, if he promised to beat the crap out of the lot of them.

Like her mother Elizabeth had learned to read the different expressions on Poppy’s face, and the one she saw now caused her to laugh. “No Poppy you can’t have them killed or maimed for the trouble they are causing. Once they figure out what you have in mind I’m sure they will rethink any litigation in the future. Just promise me that you will stay in complete control in there, no sudden outbursts and no cursing. Do you promise?” asked Elizabeth.

“Not even a kiss my ass?” asked Poppy. She poked her bottom lip out in her trademark pout and sighed loudly for effect.

“Don’t start with me Poppy, I mean it. I want you to look like the calm, cool and collected one at this morning’s proceedings. Between my brother’s temper and my father’s righteous indignation the judge will be beating someone with the gavel before this is all over. Mom made her wishes clear in a room full of her friends and family and nothing they can say now is going to change that. On another subject Poppy, it’s time that you started to forgive yourself. You didn’t cause her cancer and there was nothing you could have done to change the outcome. I want the old Poppy back. Do you remember that person? The Poppy that was quick with a song, a laugh and knew how to enjoy the hell out of life, remember her?” asked Elizabeth.

“Yeah Lizzy, I remember her. A big part of her died out on that beach two years ago and hell if I know how to revive her. Your mother was more than just my soul mate Lizzy; she was my playmate and my friend. I can’t tell you how many times I pick up the phone to call her and talk about some problem I’m having, or just to say I love you, when I remember that I can’t. I guess that part of me is still angry with her for leaving me here alone. But knowing Carly the way I did, she is probably riding the waves at the new place and having a ball without us and wondering why everyone is so sad. I just miss her Lizzy,” said Poppy. The playful pout had disappeared and the tears she had valiantly tried to keep in where now fell freely down her face. She was tired of crying, but the pain was still so fresh. Poppy didn’t know how to stop.

Continued in Part 2
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