Forever Love II

 

 

Chapter 16

 

 

Helen tried to draw her hand from Nikki’s but her lover’s grip tightened. “No, Helen,” she said gently. “We’ve already spent too long hiding from the world.”

 

“Please, Nikki, not in his face like this,” she begged. “Let me tell him my way.”

 

Nikki released her hand. “OK, babe,” I understand.” She smiled. “We’ll do it your way but tell him before we go to bed tonight because there is no way I am sleeping on the couch!”

 

Helen felt her heckles rising as she walked up to her father. She could almost sense his disapproval of her. “Dad, it’s lovely to see you. How are you?” she asked stiffly. “How long are you staying for?”

 

“Let me get my coat off before you try and get rid of me!” Donald Stewart exclaimed gruffly.

 

Helen turned to Nikki and raised her eyes skywards. “Dad, this is Nikki, a friend of mine.”

 

“Pleased to meet you, Mr Stewart,” Nikki said as she unflinchingly met a pair of eyes, so like Helen’s. She held out her hand only to receive a grunt in response before he turned and went into the kitchen.

 

“Sorry, sweetheart,” Helen whispered apologetically before following her father inside.

 

Nikki made to follow them then laughed bitterly and went back to her mowing.

 

“So, Dad, what have you been up to,” Helen chatted as she filled the kettle.

 

“Maybe I should be asking you that,” he replied stonily.

 

She sighed and turned and looked at him. Her father was a big man, over six feet, and his bulk seemed to fill the kitchen. “You know who she is, don’t you?”

 

“There are only two kinds of programmes worth watching on the television – gardening and the news – and I don’t watch either of them with my eyes and ears shut. I know who she is and what she is!” he replied scornfully.

 

“No, you don’t, Dad!” she retorted. “You only know what you’ve seen and read. You don’t know the real Nikki, not like I do!”

 

“How could you allow yourself to become involved with a woman like that?” he demanded angrily.

 

“I couldn’t stop myself becoming involved with her!” she declared. “I fell in love and I won’t let you come here and spoil the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

 

“Fell in love!” he snorted in disgust.

 

Outside in the garden, Nikki had switched off the mower and she looked up as the raised voices reached her. She sighed deeply. The last thing she wanted to do was come between Helen and her father.

 

“Nothing I ever do is good enough for you,” Helen said sadly. “You find fault with everything I do.”

 

“Well, you’ve really excelled yourself this time, Helen,” he replied sarcastically. “Getting involved with a woman like that!”

 

“Will you stop calling her ‘a woman like that’?” she shouted. “Her name is ‘Nikki’!”

 

“Leave it, Helen! I don’t need you to fight my battles for me!” Nikki exclaimed as she entered the kitchen. “I’ve paid for my crime, Mr Stewart! I stopped a monster hurting someone I loved but I didn’t mean for him to die,” she said sincerely. “But let me tell you, if anyone tried to hurt Helen, I wouldn’t hesitate using any method I could to stop them! Now, you may be her father but I won’t allow you to talk to her the way you have been doing!”

 

“You won’t allow?” he sneered.

 

Nikki squared up to him. “That’s right, I won’t!”

 

He looked at her, his face serious then he started to chuckle. “Well, you’ve finally done it, Helen. This time you’ve got one with some balls, even though she is a woman! Seems as if she’s stiffened your backbone up as well.”

 

Helen looked at him in surprise. “Are you saying you don’t mind?”

 

“Of course I bloody well mind!” he retorted. “I wanted grandchildren some day, but you’ve obviously made your choice and you’re as stubborn as a mule, so I’m sure nothing I say will persuade you otherwise.”

 

“You’re right, it won’t,” Helen agreed. “And as for grandchildren, you’ll still have them one day but not just yet.” She looked at Nikki for confirmation and received a smiling nod of approval.

 

“Well, don’t leave it too long, you’re not getting any younger,” he quipped. “Come on then, Nikki. Let’s go and see what sort of a mess you’re making of this garden,” he ordered.

 

Helen suppressed a smile as Nikki obediently followed him out of the kitchen. Maybe this wasn’t the right time to tell him, Nikki had virtually been in charge of the prison garden!

 

 

Helen uncurled her legs from beneath her and stretched wearily. She looked across to the table where her father and Nikki had been busily planning the garden for the last two hours. She smiled to herself. It was ironic. Her father’s passion was gardening and Sean had been a landscape gardener but the two men had never got on together, not the way he and Nikki seemed to be doing, but then Sean had never dare stand up to him! In fact, neither had she. It was only because she knew she had Nikki’s strength behind her that she had turned on him.

 

She stood up and went and joined them. “I’m going to bed,” she informed them. “Don’t be long, sweetheart,” she said automatically to Nikki. A flush stole up her cheeks but her father seemed oblivious as he carried on with the plan he was drawing. She touched his shoulder gently. “’Night, Dad.”

 

Donald reached up and patted her hand. “Goodnight, Helen.”

 

She was still awake when Nikki came into the bedroom a good while later.

 

“Helen,” Nikki said hesitantly as she moved to the side of the bed. “Would you rather I didn’t sleep in here tonight? I understand how you might feel awkward with Don being here.”

 

“So, it’s ‘Don’, is it?” she teased, patting the space beside her for Nikki to sit down. “You seem to be getting on well.”

 

Nikki sat down on the bed and took hold of Helen’s hand. “Any man who can father such a beautiful, intelligent daughter gets my vote,” she said with a loving smile.

 

“I doubt if he would share your sentiments,” she muttered bitterly then reached out and stroked Nikki’s cheek. “Get into bed,” she said softly.

 

She didn’t need telling twice and quickly stripped off. “We’re going to the garden centre tomorrow,” she informed Helen as she wrapped her arms and legs around her.

 

“You won’t be wanting me to come home early tomorrow then?” Helen teased. “I tell you what, why don’t you drop me off at Larkhall in the morning then you can have my car for the day?”

 

She frowned. “What if someone sees me dropping you off?”

 

“What if they do? I won’t be there for much longer anyway. As it is, I think you and I are the worst kept secret ever,” she smiled wryly. “So, have you told dad about working in the prison garden yet?”

 

“Not yet,” she admitted. “He’s really making an effort, Helen, and he wants to do something for you, so I won’t spoil it for him.”

 

“That’s really nice of you,” Helen replied lovingly. “I can see, when we have our babies you are going to spoil them something rotten.”

 

Nikki sat bolt upright and looked at her in surprise. “What do you mean ‘we’?” she exclaimed. “You mean ‘you’, don’t you?”

 

“OK, then,” Helen suppressed a smile. “Why don’t I have the first and you have the second?”

 

“Hm,” Nikki mused, as she wrapped her arms around Helen again. “I wonder how our kid will feel about being an only child?”

 

“I’m only joking,” she said with a laugh. “I never thought about you giving birth for one minute.”

 

“Thank God for that,” she breathed a sigh of relief. “All that blood, gore and guts ache just does not appeal to me at all but I don’t mind changing nappies. So, when are you planning on putting all this into action?”

 

“Not yet. I’ve had to share you with ninety-odd women for so long, I want you to myself for a while,” she replied as she snuggled down contentedly in Nikki’s arms.

 

“You’re going to have to share me tomorrow. I forgot to tell you, I’ve invited Claire round for a meal,” Nikki informed her. “I’ll cook, so there’s nothing for you to worry about.”

 

“Nikki, how could you when my dad’s here?” Helen replied impatiently. “He finds fault enough without looking down his nose at my friends.”

 

“Well, pardon me for not being psychic!” she retorted sarcastically. “Your dad wasn’t here when I invited her.”

 

“Sorry, of course you weren’t to know,” she agreed, planting a kiss on Nikki’s chin. “Well, he can make up the numbers.”

 

Nikki cleared her throat. “Yeah, right. Whatever.”

 

Helen looked at her suspiciously. “Is there something wrong?”

 

“No, why should there be?”

 

“Because you have a shifty look on your face,” she said accusingly. “What aren’t you telling me?”

 

“My lips are sealed.”

 

Helen ran the tip of her tongue around Nikki’s lips. “I hope not,” she murmured softly. “Because I have plans for you.”

 

“Oh, yeah?” Nikki grinned.

 

“Oh, yeah,” Helen agreed eagerly, running her hand down Nikki’s flat stomach.

 

 

“This place still gives me the shivers,” Nikki remarked, as she pulled up outside Larkhall the following morning.

 

“Sorry, sweetheart, it was thoughtless of me to suggest this,” Helen apologised.

 

“No it wasn’t,” Nikki assured her. “At least I’m on this side of the wall now.”

 

“Yes, you are,” Helen smiled at her lovingly. “Are you going to have time to pick me up later, what with all the cooking and everything?”

 

“No problem.” She caught hold of Helen’s arm as she opened the door to get out. “Don’t I get a kiss then?”

 

Helen closed the door again and turned to her. “Sometimes a part of me wishes you were still in there then I could be with you all day,” she said softly. “You’re so precious to me I don’t want to leave you.”

 

“Do you want me to go out and rob a bank?” she teased.

 

She smiled. “No, because I love having you to come home to.”

 

“You want it all ways, don’t you?” Nikki laughed as Helen nodded and raised suggestive eyebrows. They moved together and gave each other a lingering kiss.

 

“I’ll call you and let you know what time I’m finishing,” she promised. She ran her finger down Nikki’s cheek then reached into the back seat for her bag. “See you later.”

 

“Yeah, see you.” She watched as Helen went into Larkhall before driving off.

 

 

“I’ve really enjoyed today, Nikki,” Donald informed her as he settled himself in the passenger seat of Helen’s car. “And I think you know more about gardening than you’re letting on.”

 

“Well, I did a bit in the prison garden,” she admitted reluctantly. They had strolled leisurely round the garden centre for a couple of hours, deciding what plants they were going to put in Helen’s garden and he had surprised her with his knowledge…reeling off, not only the names of plants but also their Latin equivalent. “We’re having a couple of friends round tonight for a meal,” she told him as she drove. “You’re welcome to join us.”

 

“Women friends?” he asked and she nodded. “I think I’ll make myself scarce. Never could stand being around a load of chattering women. When Helen and her mother got together, I couldn’t get a word in edgeways.”

 

“Helen has never talked about her mother,” Nikki said quietly. She heard his sharp intake of breath and immediately felt guilty for bringing up the subject. “Sorry, I don’t mean to pry.”

 

“No, you weren’t prying. Helen had just started university when her mother died,” he began hesitantly. “It was so sudden…a heart attack. Helen came home for the funeral but after that she didn’t seem to want to come back anymore. In a way I was glad. Helen looked so much like her mother it broke my heart to see her, it still does sometimes. When we should have been a comfort to each other, we both tried to deal with it on our own and we drifted further and further apart. You’ve seen for yourself, there isn’t much affection between us.”

 

“She does love you though,” she tried to reassure him.

 

“I’m her father. Aren’t you supposed to love your parents?” he asked with a hint of irony in his voice.

 

“I suppose so. I guess I even love mine, in a way,” she replied softly.

 

“Don’t you get on with your parents either, Nikki?”

 

“You could say that. We had a difference of opinion when I was sixteen and I haven’t seen them since,” she said bitterly. “It’s too late for me to go back now but there’s still a chance for you and Helen. Talk to her. Tell her what you’ve told me.”

 

“I don’t think she’d listen,” he replied uncertainly. “But I suppose it’s worth a try.”

 

“Why don’t you pick her up from work tonight?” she suggested. “You can talk to her on the way home.”

 

“I might just do that,” he said brightly. “Helen was right about you Nikki. There is more to you than meets the eye. I think I might enjoy having you in the family.”

 

Nikki checked the oven to make sure the chicken casserole was cooking then went and started to shower and dress. As soon as Helen had telephoned to let them know she was ready to be picked up from work, she had given Donald explicit directions on how to get to Larkhall and packed him off.

 

She hadn’t broken the news to Helen that Claire was bringing a guest with her…Tommo. The couple had been inseparable since the night of the party and Claire had finally decided to break the news to Helen, so if her talk with her dad went badly they could be in for a bumpy night!

 

She was just putting the finishing touches to the table when she heard the door open and moments later Helen entered the room.

 

“You look nice,” she said with a smile.

 

Nikki took a deep breath. So far so good! “Did you have a good day?” she asked anxiously.

 

“Not too bad. I don’t seem to have many problems any more. Can’t think why?” She looked at Nikki pointedly as she slid her arms around her waist. “So, come on then, what have you been doing, apart from giving my dad advice, I mean?”

 

“Helen, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to poke my nose in…” she was silenced as Helen pulled her head down and kissed her.

 

They drew apart and Helen looked at her lovingly. “Thank you for being you,” she said softly as she again pulled Nikki’s head down and their lips met.

 

As their passion grew, Nikki groaned and pushed her gently away. “If we don’t stop now I’ll be making love to you on the floor and I don’t want your dad to come in and have to stride over us. Where is he, by the way?”

 

“I dropped him off at the pub. He said he didn’t want to spend the evening with a load of nattering women.” She glanced at the table, set with four places. “I still think you’re up to something, Wade.”

 

“The sooner you get ready, the sooner you’ll find out,” she replied with a smirk.

 

“OK, but get me a glass of wine first and I’ll take it with me.”

 

 

The doorbell rang as Helen came out of the bedroom. “I’ll get it,” she called as she went and opened the door. She was surprised to see Catherine Thomas standing there with Claire. “Come in,” she invited, kissing Claire’s cheek. “Catherine, good to see you. How are you?”

 

“Yeah, great, thanks,” she smiled nervously. She’d seen Helen Stewart’s temper and didn’t know how she was going to react to the news about her and Claire.

 

They had eaten Nikki’s meal with relish and were still sitting at the table chatting and finishing off the bottle of wine. Claire took a deep breath. “Helen, I’ve got something to tell you.” She looked across at Tommo and received a loving smile. “Catherine and I…we’re together!”

 

Helen looked at a smiling Nikki accusingly. “You knew but you couldn’t tell me? What other secrets are you keeping from me, Nikki? I’ll make some coffee.” She stood up and flounced into the kitchen.

 

“Didn’t take that very well, did she?” Claire muttered with a sigh. “This is exactly the sort of confrontation I’ve tried to avoid over the years, that’s why I’ve never told her. Can’t she see I’m happy?”

 

Nikki touched her arm gently. “I’ll talk to her.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me, Nikki?” Helen hurled at her as she entered the kitchen.

 

“Whoa!” Nikki held up her hands defensively. “It wasn’t my place but I thought you’d guessed and you didn’t mind.”

 

“All the years I’ve known Claire and she didn’t care enough about me to tell me…to confide in me!” she exclaimed. “Some friend!”

 

“Helen, she didn’t tell you because she does care about you!” Nikki retorted. “You don’t know what it’s like to be friends with a straight woman…care about them…have them care about you but as soon as they know you’re a lesbian…! Oh, they say they’re OK with it and it doesn’t make a difference but the next time they see you, they treat you as if you’ve got the plague or you’re going to jump on them. Believe me, Helen, I know because I’ve been there!” she finished bitterly.

 

“I’m sorry,” Helen replied, shame-faced.

 

“I’m not the one you should be apologising to,” Nikki replied, as she tenderly cupped Helen’s face. “Are you happy with me?”

 

Helen’s face softened. “You know I am.”

 

“Then, please, be happy for Claire and Tommo,” she said gently.

 

“OK, O wise one,” she mocked with a smile. “Have you ever thought about being an agony aunt? Come with me whilst I eat a large slice of humble pie.” She took Nikki’s hand and dragged her back into the other room. “Claire…Catherine,” she began and Nikki squeezed her fingers urging her on. “I’m really sorry for over-reacting and, of course, I’m very happy for you, both of you.”

 

Claire stood up and the two friends hugged. “Helen, I’m sorry. I’ve wanted to tell you for years but I couldn’t bear to lose your friendship.”

 

“Well, who in there right mind would want a silly cow like me for a friend?” she asked in a self-deprecating voice.

 

“I would!” Nikki and Claire spoke together causing the four of them to laugh out loud.

 

Nikki looked at Tommo and jerked her thumb towards the kitchen. “Come on, Catherine, let’s you and me make some coffee and leave these two to talk.”

 

“I am sorry, Claire,” Helen apologised, when they were alone. “I suppose I felt hurt that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me.”

 

“It wasn’t a lack of trust and I knew as soon as I met ‘the one’ I would tell you but it’s never happened to me before.”

 

“So, Catherine is ‘the one’ then?” Helen teased.

 

“I’m sure of it and I know she feels the same way,” Claire replied confidently. “She’s beautiful, bright, cuddly and she has a great sense of humour. The night you were slagging her off, who would have thought things would turn out like this?”

 

“Who indeed?” Helen murmured. “What I can’t understand is, you dated men when we were at Uni.”

 

“Helen, I made up foursomes, with you and whoever you were with at the time and their best mate,” Claire said caustically.

 

“So, did you date women when we were at Uni?”

 

“Of course I did but no one long-term or I would have told you. Where did you think I was when I didn’t come home at night?” she asked with a grin.

 

“I thought you were out with a bloke, obviously.”

 

“Obviously!” Claire echoed.

 

“Can we come back in yet?” Nikki asked quietly from the kitchen doorway.

 

“Only if you bring another bottle of wine in,” Helen threatened.

 

“There’s no wonder they call you ‘hollow legs Stewart’,” Nikki threw at her then ducked back into the kitchen.

 

“You’re getting too cheeky for your own good!” Helen yelled after her. “Watch it or you’ll be down on the block!”

 

Claire regarded her friend affectionately. “Nikki makes you happy, doesn’t she?”

 

“Yes, she does,” she replied, misty-eyed. “And I’m going to miss her like mad next week when she goes back to work. I’ll be working days and she’ll be working nights.”

 

“You’ll have to get a job in Nikki’s club,” Claire suggested with a laugh.

 

Helen pulled a face. “I don’t think so. Apart from anything else I would probably scratch Trisha’s eyes out before the end of the first week. She can’t keep her hands off Nikki when she sees her.”

 

“Well, look at it this way, Helen, she might touch but she can’t have, not the way Nikki looks at you.”

 

“Did I hear my name mentioned?” Nikki demanded as she came back in followed by Tommo, both of them carrying an opened bottle of wine.

 

“We were talking about you, big ears, not to you!” Claire exclaimed. She smiled lovingly at Tommo as she sat down on the settee beside her.

 

Nikki re-filled all their glasses then perched on Helen’s chair arm and slid her arm around her shoulders. “Come on then. Tell me what you were talking about,” she ordered.

 

“Claire and I were just saying how happy we were,” Helen informed her, as she laid her arm possessively along Nikki’s thigh.

 

Nikki raised her glass. “I’d like to propose a toast. To the four of us and whatever life holds in store, may we always be as happy as we are today.”

 

“The four of us!” they all repeated together.

 

Nikki stood up and took Helen’s hand. “Need to talk to you in the kitchen,” she said secretively.

 

Helen frowned as she took Nikki’s hand and allowed herself to be led out of the room. “What are you up to now?”

 

She turned and drew Helen into a tight embrace. “I just wanted to kiss you and tell you how much I love you, that’s all,” she said with a grin.

 

Helen stroked her cheek lovingly and just before their lips met murmured, “Nikki Wade, you are completely mad but I’ll love you forever!”

 

THE END

(or is it?)

 

 

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