Chapter Twenty Two
Pairing: W/T
Rating: NC-17 – for naughty bits.
Angst/Drama Rating: This is about a 4 on the 1-10 scale.
Setting: The Grove – Tucson
Disclaimer: I in no way, shape or form own the characters from BtVS, they’re owned by Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy. All original characters are in no way connected to them except by me in this forum. To date I owe a crotchety 9 year old Russian Blue named Corazon, and a bratty 3year old polydactyl grey and white tuxedo cat named Brogan, that are both giving me the hairy eye since I said I own them, along with a 15 year old car. Oh, and they bratty one plays fetch, she’s my kuppy (the ex wanted a puppy, I won since the animal would ultimately be mine and a dog just wasn’t happening, but since she plays fetch I call her a kuppy – kitten + puppy = kuppy). I also own the original characters, Dana, Rowan, Claude, Tabitha (wherever she’s slithered off to), Marisol and Bunny - who is whining about his “face time”. So as you can see, I’m rolling with the big dogs.
Email:
riverwillows@me.comFeedback: Make me scream – I dare ya!
Author’s Notes: Music for this chapter: The Duke Spirit “Cuts Across The Land” – love this one lots and lots, and “Neptune”, Kate Havnevik “Melankton”, The Joy Formidable “The Big Roar”, Radiohead “The King of Limbs”, and Camille Saint-Saëns “The Danse Macabre”. As always thank to my beta, the inimitable Crystal aka CYTEACH, for putting up with all my quirky quirks.Syn•chro•nic•i•ty
Pronunciation: /si?-kr?-‘nis-?t-?, sin-/ Function: n; pl -ties;
The coincidental occurrence of events and especially psychic events (as similar thoughts in widely separated persons or a mental image of an unexpected event before it happens) that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality.Tara opened her eyes on a dark room, with the sensation of feather light kisses being trailed up and down her back. She smiled and didn’t move to see how long the kisses would continue, and she could play possum. Which turned out to be not long – enjoying only two more passes of Willow’s lips along her skin before the silence was broken.
“I know you’re awake, baby. Your breathing changed,” Willow whispered into her skin.
“Mmm, I didn’t want to disturb you. It’s such a wonderful way to wake up,” Tara murmured sleepily, as she rolled over. “What time is it?”
“It’s late, close to eleven thirty. I guess I wore you out, huh?” Willow asked with an overly pleased smirk.
Tara laughed, and with a broad smile agreed. “I think between you, the heat, and the wonderful food, I was a goner.” Tara stretched and the sheet slipped down off her breasts, and she was immediately beset upon.
“Oh,” she gasped as Willow’s mouth attached itself to her nipple. “Willow,” Tara breathed as she brought her hands up to play with the shortened red locks. Willow pinned her to the bed with her body, as her hands and mouth went to work on Tara’s nipples.
Willow let go of Tara’s nipple with a pop. “You just looked so yummy I couldn’t resist testing that theory, then again I always find you to be my favorite yummy treat,” she said as she looked down into Tara’s eyes darkened by arousal. “I also changed the sheets on your bed, and to be honest I could smell us on the sheets. Now it’s time for us to muss my bed,” Willow said with a wicked, throaty laugh.
Tara kissed Willow hard, kicking the sheet free so she could wrap her legs around Willow’s slim hips, pulling her as close as possible. Hands and mouths began to wander in a dance made all the more elegant by the desire and love being shared.
*******
Both laying naked, flat on their backs as their breathing slowed to normal, Willow played with Tara’s hand as their fingers entwined between them. Their bodies shimmered with sweat as Tara brought Willow’s hand to her mouth, and kissed the back of it. Not so discreetly hiding a yawn behind her other hand, her tummy rumbled.
“Hmm, feed me,” Tara insisted.
“You mean I wasn’t enough?” Willow asked incredulously.
“
You are like having desert before the meal, my love; and I never get enough of
you,” Tara purred as she rolled over to kiss Willows neck and shoulder.
“Mmm, very good answer. Now that we’ve mussed my bed,” she giggled. “Shall we go get something to eat? The kitchen should be clear at this hour.”
“Yes and yes. Quite a productive day on the mussing front,” Tara agreed, before she slipped off of Willow and into her own bedroom. Willow rolled off of the bed to pad after Tara, and heard the shower start.
*******
As they both stood in front of the bathroom mirror wrapped in towels, Tara combed her hair, this way and that, and much to her chagrin, she realized she had a cowlick on the crown of her head. Now that her hair was short it stuck up no matter how hard she tried to get it to lie down. She had finally had enough when Willow started laughing.
“Don’t you dare laugh at me,” Tara warned.
“You have a sprout, baby, it’s adorable,” Willow cooed and she began to play with the chunk of hair standing upright.
“It is not cute, and what do you mean by ‘sprout’?” Tara pouted sublimely.
Willow kissed her on the cheek. “Didn't you ever watch ‘The Little Rascals’? My dad used to watch them, believe it or not, and Alfalfa always had this cowlick that stuck up. Anyway, when I was seven Xander put this awful fake watermelon smelling bubble gum in my hair because Cordy told him to – I should’ve known then she was evil. I had to have my hair cut really short to get it out, my mother cried. That, and the time she tried to burn me at the stake might be the only times in my life she ever showed any real interest in me, and I have one too, my dad called it my ‘Alfalfa Sprout’. When it gets a little longer it’ll go away,” Willow said with a smile.
Tara stood with her mouth agape. “Did you breathe at all?” Then shook her head and laughed.
“Just comb everything forward a bit, here let me,” Willow took the comb, and turned Tara to face her, then styled it very closely to the way Bunny had, and magically no more ‘Alfalfa Sprout’. As Tara turned back to the mirror, Willow growled and attached herself to Tara’s neck, nibbling and sucking. “See? There’s my gorgeous girl, mmmm…easy access indeed…I like, I like lots,” she breathed in to Tara’s ear before she began to suck on the lobe.
“Sweetie…mmmm….that feels
so good…it’s like my neck is more sensitive now,” Tara groaned as Willow made her way up and down Tara’s neck. She pulled their towels free so their skin could touch again, making them both moan with the intoxicating pleasure of the sensation.
“Baby, if you keep doing that then we won’t be leaving this bathroom, I’ll have you right here,” Tara insisted as her hands began to knead Willow’s supple bottom harder.
“Then do, because I’m not stopping,” was all Willow got out before Tara turned her quickly and pushed her up onto the vanity edge. Dropping to her knees, she grasped Willow’s hips to keep her balanced in place. Without any further warning Tara buried her face into Willow, lapping away at her lover’s very ready sex.
“Baby,” Willow moaned and she mussed the hair she had so carefully styled just a few minutes before.
“You’re so wet Willow, god, you taste so good, I’ll never get tired of this,” Tara sighed into the still sensitive flesh of her lover.
“Getting aroused has never been a problem for us – ohh, right there, baby,” Willow breathed heavily. “Oh god, Tara, that’s so sweet…baby!” Willow tangled her legs over Tara’s shoulders, as she rapidly came.
Tara softly licked as Willow rode out her orgasm. “I think we might have a time record there, sweetie,” Tara said as she looked up at a very flushed girl, resting her hands on Willow’s shaking thighs.
Willow chuckled, “Hmmm, we’ll have to see what I can do about that,” she said, resting her foot on Tara's shoulder and gently pushing her back onto the tile. She slid off the counter, to straddle Tara. Willow ground her hips down in a slow circle into their heated and sensitive flesh, making her moan. With her mouth on one nipple, Willow wiggled off to the side and entered Tara with two fingers.
The unexpected focused penetration combined with strong suction on her nipple made Tara come up off the floor. Willow relentlessly teased her g-spot and tormented both her nipples rapidly.
“WILLOW, OH DEAR GOD, NOW!”
With two flicks of Willow’s thumb on just the right spot of Tara’s clit, she climaxed. Willow snickered as she rested her chin on her hand and watched Tara calm down. “I think we
now have a new speed record,” Willow said the pride obvious in her voice.
“Uh-huh.”
Willow started to move her fingers inside of Tara again, but Tara grabbed her hand and held it still, and Willow thought she had had enough.
“I want you to put that pretty mouth and talented tongue to much better use,” Tara said as she put her hand on the top of Willow’s head and urged her down.
“Whatever you want, my love; I want to taste you, all of you; I want to find out everything that turns you on,” Willow breathed as she kissed down Tara’s stomach, “I want to make you happy for the rest of our lives.”
Settling herself between Tara’s thighs, Willow kept constant eye contact and watched Tara writhe beneath her from the pleasure her mouth provided. When Tara could take no more she began to try and scuttle backwards and away.
“No more, Willow, no more,” Tara whimpered as she lay shaking on the tile.
Willow grabbed their towels as she moved next to her and used them as make-shift blankets to cover them. Nuzzling Tara’s neck, Willow whispered, “As you wish…” She urged Tara to roll towards her, so she could wrap her arms around her.
Once Tara had stopped trembling, Willow began giggling until it became outright laughter.
“What’s so funny?”
“You don’t see the humor in this?”
Tara just looked at Willow unsure of what she was getting at.
“We’re lying on the cold tile of the bathroom floor after our third round of sex in less than twenty four hours, and at least as far as I’m concerned, lying here on the tile with you, it’s better than the Honeymoon Suite at the Ritz Carlton,” Willow said as she tightened her grip around Tara.
Tara smiled, “I can see the humor, although a Jacuzzi tub would be nice.”
“There’s one in my bathroom,” Willow stated simply.
“How did you pull that off?” Tara asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“Well, it’s thanks to the rod in my leg. Sometimes my leg will cramp from the hip down, it can go on for a few days and the Jacuzzi helps. Really hot water, and the jets in a few good places and I’m good as new. Guess I’m not the spring chicken I look to be, huh baby?”
Tara face had clouded over as she listened to the reminders of what Willow had dealt with.
“So you’re always reminded in some way aren’t you?”
“Hmmm? Yes, I guess I am, but I don’t look at it that way. It’s just an injury. I could have gotten it skiing – not likely, or from a fall – good chance of that – we know ‘grace’ is
not one of my strong suits, or even out on patrol – most likely of all. I don’t need to focus on the how, it just is. Although the rod seems to be a bit sensitive to weather changes, I think it’s the barometric changes. It will ache some and make me sore.” Willow smiled before kissing Tara tenderly.
“I love you,” Tara whispered.
Willow smiled and rubbed her nose against Tara’s, “Love you too. Still hungry? I could go raid the kitchen and come back, besides I wanted to ask if maybe you’d like to do a spell with me?”
Tara snickered, “I thought we just did a spell.”
“Mmm, yes we did, one of my most favorite-est kinds of spells, I’ll have you know, but I actually wanted to do magick with you. I’ve been meaning to ask, and I know it’s been so long. We stopped when I started going all power crazy…” Willow trailed off, guilt and sorrow flickered across her face as she suddenly sat up and stepped into the shower again.
Tara sat up with a slightly confused look, wondering what had just happened to the good mood they had been sharing.
“Umm, what the hell, Will?”
Tara got up and went into the shower behind Willow. She stood towards the back with her arms crossed over her chest, as she waited for a response.
“I’m sorry I pulled away, I shouldn’t have. It’s just that it’s something I regret, Tara. I’ve wondered more times than I can count, what if we had continued to practice more together after Glory and Buffy if that in some way that wouldn’t have helped to keep me more grounded, less…hungry, less…needy. Maybe I would have felt more secure – I’ll always wonder on some level, baby, I can’t help it,” Willow turned around to look at Tara.
“Our magic had always seemed to have that effect on me. You’re so calm and sure, it comes through even in your magic. Mine is like me, wound a bit too tight and a little spazzy. I have to make a conscious effort to have the calm you seem to have so readily. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, you never have believed me, but I could see it, I could feel it. You have a gift, baby, you have control. I don’t know if your mother taught it to you, or if it’s just you.” Willow shrugged and smiled.
“I’ve learned a lot, but I think you can teach me so much more, I want to learn from you – I want us to learn together! Now that you're here to begin training and devote the time to learning with Rowan and Dana, you’ll see. Then maybe you’ll believe me, too… Tara, a dream woke me earlier. This is a new one, and I have a funny feeling we – you and I – need to be careful. We know what we feel around Tabitha and it’s only going to get worse. I hope my dream was a lie, but if it’s not it won’t end well for her or Amy.”
Willow had grabbed the soap as she talked, washing away the signs of their recent lovemaking and quickly rinsed off. She stepped aside to let Tara get under the water.
“Explain,” was all Tara said.
Willow shook her head, “It was just flashes, snippets like Polaroids. We know Tabitha isn’t to be trusted and neither is Amy. I don’t know exactly why Tabitha is here other than what Giles said, but I have suspicions that there’s more to that story about Tabitha’s mother and father…there’s something either he doesn’t know or isn’t telling. I saw flashes of a pool, flashes of you and me with Rowan and Dana, of Amy being bound and it royally backfiring. It has something to do Tabitha. Amy may have learned a lot of tricks from Catherine, but I just get the wiggins to the nth degree when it comes to Tabitha.”
Tara's expression grew serious as she said,“So is that why you want us to practice together, to prepare?”
“No…and yes,” Willow opened the door and pulled their towels off of the floor, handing Tara one. “I missed it; I miss the connection I feel with you when we practice. Now that I know you aren’t going anywhere, if you are up for it, that’s something I would like for us to do again. I have some things I’d like to show you too.”
“Will, you outclass me on the power front –“ Tara began.
“Stop saying that!” Willow snapped at Tara. “Baby, didn’t you hear anything Lady Rowan told you? I don’t want you to say that anymore, and I
really, really hope you stop believing that. You. Are. My. Equal. – In all
ways, even if you are being a stubborn, dummy head about it.” Then Willow giggled.
Tara stared slack jawed at Willow’s outburst and subsequent laughter.
“Uhh…”
“If
you’re a stubborn, dummy head, what does that make
me?” Willow continued to laugh.
Tara’s jaw snapped shut as she thought, then she started to speak and stopped again. She cocked her head to the side and just watched Willow as she dried off, then brushed her teeth.
Looking at Tara through the mirror, Willow couldn’t read her expression.
“What?” She said and turned around.
Tara just shook her head, and handed Willow the comb and pointed to the ‘sprout’ for her to tame. Willow pulled Tara into her arms and held her. “Baby, things are going to change. I can’t say I know how, but I know, and I want you to think about this. When all of this is done, we don’t
have to be on the front lines anymore, and we won’t have to be. So let’s think about not, okay? I want to go places with you, and not worry about the gang and what big bad they might be facing. I want to only worry about us. I don’t know why I know this, but things are going to go down big, everything will change for all of us. Remember, change is good.”
Willow stroked Tara's cheek, and with a wink began combing her hair for her.
*********
Tara had just finished changing the sheets on Willow’s bed as Willow returned with a tray of food, bottles of water and two cokes hanging in a bag off of her wrist. Kicking the door closed behind her, she leaned against it for a moment.
“Baby,” she called out.
Tara came out of the bedroom in a pair of boxers and a light blue camisole top, and hurried over to a loaded down Willow.
“We have been summoned,” Willow said.
“I wondered how long we would get to fly under the radar. By who, and when?” Tara smirked as she replied.
“We have lunch tomorrow, with Rowan. She and Giles were up having tea. Giles at least looks better than he did, he even commented on my hair. I told them we both saw Bunny at his salon. Rowan said she can’t wait to see yours, I think I might have gone on a bit about your ears,” Willow blushed.
Tara rolled her eyes, “Let’s sit and eat, at some point I have some school work to do, but I’m not off schedule or anything. I have half a paper to finish for Ancient Languages, and I have to come up with something for my Art final. I’ve been playing with so many things and none seemed good enough.”
“Marisol will be here tomorrow, so I can take you to the stables, maybe some new scenery will be inspirational, and um, there’s always Claude’s offer,” Willow said keeping her voice level. “I know a little about where she wants to take you, and it would be pretty and cooler.”
“Take
us, where she wants to take
us, love. Only if you wanted to,” Tara said with a shrug.
Sitting on the couch, Willow uncovered the tray. She had a turkey sandwich on wheat, and one, Tara wasn’t sure what was in it, on a baguette. She could see cheese and sprouts, but she also smelled pesto. There was also fruit salad, and two bags of chips.
“What did you bring us, and who does the shopping here? I mean I can’t imagine the amount spent on food here, and I’ve fed the Slayer and Xander regularly,” Tara said with a smile as she looked at the plates.
Willow smiled. “You can make requests, if there’s something special you want, or we can simply go get it. There are a few vegans, several vegetarians, and some not. So you can always count on lots of fruits and veggies. We grow our own here and sell what we can’t eat, I’ll show you the hothouses tomorrow, and we’ll pass two of the eight on the way to the stables. There are a few of the Sisters who like to cook, and there’s about fifty of us here at any given time, so they cook a lot at one time so there’s something for everyone. I think we’ve all gravitated to the things that interest us; I help out in the hothouses with the herbs and veggies twice a week. Some clean, Dana is one of our cooks. There’s no set meal time but by 7am there’s breakfast, around 12pm lunch, and about 7pm supper. There’s a general rule of clean up after yourself in the kitchens, and for those like me, who don’t dare do anything more than sandwiches or omelets, but if several sisters came in hungry I’d offer to make something for us all. The only time there is a set meal is around a sabbat or like there will be when I complete my year and a day.”
Taking the bag from Tara she pulled out the sodas and waters, and began to point around the tray. “Here we have a standard turkey sandwich, with lettuce, tomato and honey mustard for my baby, and over here we have my own creation, I call it a PPLT, which is normally sans the sprouts but I couldn’t resist. It’s provolone cheese, pesto, lettuce, tomato, on a baguette – very yummy. I cut both sandwiches in half that way we could share if you want to. Here is some fruit salad – pineapple, green grapes, kiwi, cherries, and I think that’s cantaloupe,” she said popping a piece of orange colored fruit into her mouth. “Nope mango, mmmm. So take what you like, halfsies?”
Tara nodded as she pulled her sandwich apart, offering Willow half. The switch made, each bit into their favorite first. Willow opened a bag of chips and handed it to Tara, then opened the other for herself. They ate in silence for a few moments, scarfing the first halves quickly. Taking a bite of Willow’s PPLT, followed quickly by Tara-yummy sounds, she commented, “Mmm, this is good. The sprouts give it a nice crunch.”
“Mmmhmm, I’m not sure what kind they are, we grow several, and they looked fresh cut, hence the not resisting,” Willow smiled.
“So about this spell, what did you have in mind?” Tara asked, getting a sense of
déjà vu. Eating sandwiches back in her dorm with Willow, and asking what new spell she wanted to perform while she watched Willow lick her lips, or her mouth move as she talked, or chewed, and yearning so desperately to kiss her.
“I’m sorry, what did you say sweetie? I was off picking daisies for a moment,” Tara smiled apologetically.
“No, you were watching my mouth,” Willow said as she smiled, “I know you, Miss Maclay.”
Tara flushed, “True, but I was also thinking back to before we had even kissed, and how unbelievably much I wanted to push you down on my bed, and just kiss you senseless back in my dorm room,” Tara sighed. “Now to think of all the places that wonderful mouth has been, it makes me almost giddy.” Her eyes glittered, and the flush stayed in her cheeks, she reached out and brushed her knuckles against Willow’s cheek. “Spell, yes, a spell. Tell me about this spell or I may dissuade you with another type of…spell.”
Willow giggled coyly, batting her eyelashes, “Why Miss Maclay, the things you say – you could sweep a girl off her feet.
This one in particular.” Willow bounced a little in her seat. “Oh yeah, spell…it’s one I’ve been doing for a long time now – get your mind out of the gutter, missy – it’s another one that tests focus, but synchronicity too. Wait, I have things to show, so let’s finish eating first.”
The girls finished off the last of their sandwiches and set the fruit aside for later, along with the leftover drinks. Willow went into her bedroom, and Tara could hear her rummaging around. She came back with what looked like posters rolled up, one of which looked quite large. She also had a large brown bag, and a large sketch pad.
Knowing Willow didn’t draw, a fact she would readily admitted to, the sketch pad had Tara intrigued, along with whatever she had in the bag. Then Willow left to come back with a roll of drawing paper like would be used in a kindergarten class, it wasn’t horribly great quality, but it was on a roll so it was easy to maneuver and it was cheap.
“First, I want you to look at these and tell me what you see,” Willow said as she handed the smaller roll of what appeared to be drawings, keeping a longer one aside, until Tara opened them up.
Tara unrolled the sheets and could see many colored dots, and that there was a pattern but she couldn’t discern it. So she looked questioningly at Willow. Willow took the top one and began to back up as she talked.
“We both know I can barely draw a straight line even with a ruler, but I can visualize, and I can focus. Tell me when you can see the picture, by the way. I thought of this when I was in England. Giles had taken me to Dover to see the cliffs – yes, the white cliffs of Dover, apparently the English are quite proud of them – and we had gone to the beach. It was cold and I was standing on the rocks watching the sand swirl around the stones…”
“Stop,” Tara said as her eyes went wide. Willow was holding a remarkable copy of one of
Monet's Garden at Giverny paintings; it was one of Willow’s favorites. “How…”
“The swirling sand made me think, that if I could focus and control sands of differing grit, I could make the images I see. As I got better I started pulverizing and adding pastel chalks to the sands, and now I can actually make whatever I can imagine. I have to focus and concentrate, which is something I need. At first they were nothing, and I did nothing but make a mess. So after two attempts inside I moved outside, but as my control got better,” Willow came forward and took the rest of the pictures from Tara and backed up again. “I actually began to draw.”
“Stop,” Tara said, this time she was looking at an amazing black and white of Buffy laughing, shadow and light played across the sheet, it wasn’t one dimensional and it was actually very good. Willow let the sheet drop and the next was Dawn and Xander watching t.v.; Willow slowly dropped the sheet and Tara saw herself staring out the window in her dorm, one of her studying at the table with Dawn, the next showed her sleeping.
“Willow,” Tara barely whispered as she looked at what she saw.
“Help me with the long one, we’ll need to hang it so you can see it properly,” Willow had come back to her, and grabbed the longer rolled piece, and pulled scotch tape out of the bag of what Tara knew now must be the colored sands.
They hung the picture on the back of the door into Willow’s rooms. Then Willow covered Tara's eyes and backed her away from the door, checking over her shoulder until picture began to come to life.
“Have you ever seen the picture of
Marilyn Monroe on red velvet from the ‘50’s– actually 1949, but anyway. It’s the first nude she ever did, and well, Marilyn isn’t the subject but the pose is the same. It was the first time I saw a female nude, it was in the New Yorker on the anniversary of her death and it was shortly after the bubblegum incident with Xander. The article talked about her and the photographer, and there were later pictures, but this one stuck...” Willow said as she moved her hand from Tara’s eyes, and Tara could see herself in the same pose, her hair styled the same way, but she was most definitely there and nude.
“Willow, how? You did this with sand? Who has seen this?” Tara asked as she started to blush.
“No one but us has seen this one, Giles and a few of the women at the coven in England have seen the others. Giles has one I did of him with a book in one hand and his glasses pushed up on his forehead. He liked it so much he framed it. Dana has seen the ones I just showed to you. This is yours, you can do what you like with it, and I have others I can show you too. Some are landscapes; a lot are of you…” Willow ducked her head and shuffled her feet a little.
“It’s beautiful, Will…is that how you see me?” Tara asked in awe.
“It doesn’t do you justice,” Willow said softly.
“What does this have to do with a spell, though? Do you want us to try to do this?” Tara pointed at her 'on velvet' as she asked.
“Exactly! We used to be able to be in synch without trying, and I think we can be again. That’s what the bigger roll of paper is for; this is how I’ve worked it out as I’ve gotten better. I use that as a cover sheet so to speak, and using the different colored sands, I push them through it; when the sand hits the paper the dust shakes off leaving the colored dust dot behind. Dot by dot it makes the image, that’s why up close it’s all dots. I'm like an old dot matrix printer! So we have to be careful, there has to be a certain amount of force used but not a lot because this paper isn’t that thick, but is slows the sand enough so it doesn’t rip the sketch sheet behind it. I have sand of different grit so I can be pretty specific – look at you, I even got the mole under your right breast if you look for it – I really think we could have fun with this, baby,” Willow said as she got excited at the prospect. “What do you think?”
Tara nodded as she studied her image; she even saw a cluster of freckles on her shoulder that Willow hadn’t missed.
“Willow, how long did it take you to do this?” she asked.
“This is version 7.0. I wasn’t pleased with the others, I kept leaving things out…I didn’t want to forget anything about you,” Willow admitted softly as she shuffled her feet again across the carpet.
“What do you want to do?” Tara asked.
Willow bounced on the balls of her feet and clapped her hands with glee.
“I thought we could do something simple, since the first time nothing may come of it.” Willow held her hand out for Tara and began setting up a small area on the tiled floor of the kitchen. “I thought we could try in here since clean up would be easy, and I can control it enough so we don't make a huge mess.”
After Willow spread out several garbage bags along the far wall, she taped the sheets of paper together; one over the other then tacked the 17 x 14 sheet between them on the wall. She then had Tara sit across from her and pulled out the sands in all the colors of the rainbow.
“I thought made we could do a rose. Instead of floating one this time, we would draw it together. Unless you have an idea for something? We can try anything you like,” Willow said, the excitement clear in her voice.
Tara smiled sweetly, “A rose is perfect.” She looked closely at everything Willow had set out, the colors, and even touched some of the sands.
Willow watched her with a faint smile on her lips as Tara examined everything in front of them. “I’m ready when you are,“ Tara said.
Taking each other's hands they closed their eyes and began to breathe. Their breathing slowed and matched pace, and as they sat hand in hand, sand in differing shades of greens, reds, and pinks began to swirl in the air before them, heading towards the wall like different colored dust motes, before dropping to the floor under the paper. Next browns and blacks, and finally violet were swirling and falling. They could hear the sand hitting the paper, and when it was silent they knew their first attempt was complete.
They opened their eyes and smiled at each other, eager to look at what they might have created. Willow peeled the tape off of the sides and lifted the sheet away. Helping Tara to her feet, they began to back away until they could see the image.
What they had created was a single, thornless,
lavender rose, that was just beginning to bloom, resting in a delicate pale green and blue vase that Willow had given Tara on the round cherry night table they found at a yard sale, that sat by the window in Tara’s dorm.
They both smiled goofily at one another before Tara turned, placing her hands on either side of Willow’s face before kissing her lightly on her cheeks and then her mouth.
“I knew we could do it,” Willow breathed, her eyes shining with love.
“I never had a doubt, sweet love,” Tara whispered before she rested her head on Willow’s shoulder to gently kiss her neck.
TBC…
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I was thrilled to see that the commercial is on youtube, because now I can prove to them that I'm not as crazy as I sound! You see our lab sends a lollipop with every order, usually a Blow Pop, but occasionally a Tootsie Roll. The last time we got one I recited the commercial word for word and they all just stood staring at me in dead silence...I think I actually heard crickets! 
So, the next time a Tootsie Roll pop comes in the mail...the commercial will be mandatory viewing!!! 
? I have a feeling rough times are a coming!
She needs to be put down along with the rat.
