The morning came too quickly for both Karen and Erica-Rose. Erica noticed the sun as soon as it came up around 5:30 because she forgot to close the curtains the night before. Before the morning light had a chance to wake Karen, Erica rolled over her to block the sun with her body. She pulled the covers up over them both and held her close.

Karen snuggled close to Erica. She loved being wrapped in her arms. Erica’s legs were longer than her own so she got to entangle her legs in them and it allowed for less distance between their bodies. Karen kept replaying every moment from last night over and over in her head. She couldn’t help but smile to herself. She finally had Erica back in her life for good. She wasn’t going to do anything to ruin that.

Karen was a little worried about Kim though. She knew Erica too well and how much she was a sucker for a damsel in distress. Karen knew how much it pained Erica to let Kim down. She would really want to do right by her because she has been there for her. Karen knew that was her own fault. She should have been there for Erica all these years. She never should have left.

Karen let her thoughts lull her back to sleep for another three hours. When Erica slid her arm from around her waist, they were both officially up.

“Good morning beautiful.” Erica said with a smile.

“Good morning baby.” Karen replied.

“I was going to make an omelet or something.” Erica continued. “Do you want one?”

“Mmmm an omelet sounds good E.” Karen bit her bottom lip and smiled at her new thought. “But would you mind taking a quick shower with me?”

Erica looked to the ceiling as if she had to really think about it. When she made eye contact with Karen again she looked like she was going to take her offer back in about three seconds.

Erica jumped out of the bed and was half way across the room before she looked over her shoulder to say, “I’ll race you to the tub.”

Karen was right behind her by the time Erica turned the water on. It was times like these, that Erica was glad she had a huge tub with his and her shower heads. Erica laughed to herself remembering her comment to the man who installed them. “Actually, those are her and her shower heads sir.”

Erica made sure the temperature coming from both sides was just right and positioned them right towards the middle of the tub. Then, she slid the shower door open and held out a hand to help Karen in. Erica stepped in right after her and placed her first kiss of the day on Karen’s lips. The water hit them hard and dripped down their bodies slow. They both forgot for a moment that they were suppose to be bathing. Their kisses just seemed more important at the time.

Erica did end up washing Karen’s entire body, followed by Karen doing the same to hers. But most of the time they spent in the shower went towards licking and kissing every body part the water touched. They would have gone on forever if the fire that was burning in them both wasn’t put out by the water that went from warm to freezing cold.

“Guess the hot water was jealous. What you think?” Erica joked.

“Yeah. That’s it. Or maybe we were in there too long.” Karen replied laughing.

Erica made the omelets like she promised and they spent the next few hours lounging around. It wasn’t long before the lunch hour approached and they both knew Erica had to go. Karen wished she could go. She didn’t want to give Kim any chance to prolong this conversation, but she played it cool instead. Erica still hadn’t decided what to say to Kim but she had to go anyway.

Around one Erica pulled up outside the country club a few miles from her house. Kim already sent a text saying she was waiting in the restaurant. When Erica approached her, she didn’t even stand to hug her like she usually did. Erica bent down to kiss her cheek anyway and then sat across from her at the table.

“I thought you were going to stand me up.” Kim said without looking in Erica’s direction.

“Kim, I would never stand you up. This was my idea remember.” Erica reminded her.

“You’re right. But you’ve been doing a lot of surprising things lately.”

Before Erica could respond, the waiter came over to take their order. They both asked for the chicken salad and pink lemonade. Their eating habits were so similar. Neither could eat anything too heavy before five. Until their salads came they had a light conversation about the country club and reminisced about the last tennis match they saw there. It was one of their first dates and when they both decided they should continue dating.

When the waiter brought their salads and complimentary bread sticks, Kim finally made eye contact with Erica and asked her where they were going to go from here. Erica stuffed a fork full of salad and chicken in her mouth to delay her response.

“That is why we’re here right?” Kim pushed.

“Yes” Erica finally responded after sipping her lemonade. “We are here to see where we go from here.”

“Well, you’re the one that cheated…so what do you have to say for yourself.”

Erica didn’t know how to respond. Technically, she had been cheating. Even though they finally went all the way last night, Erica had been cheating mentally since the day she bumped into Karen on Melrose. How do you tell someone you’re leaving them for someone else, Erica asked herself.

“Kim, I never meant to let her in the way I did.” Erica said staring at her plate and using her fork to play with her food.

“But you did” Kim quickly came back. “Did you think about me at all?”

“Kim…it didn’t happen the way you think. Of course I thought about you.” Erica struggled to keep her voice low. “You know I care about you.”

Kim noticed that Erica said she cared about her but not loved her. “Do you love her?”

Erica dropped her head to her hands dramatically. Is that the only thing women ever care about, Erica screamed to herself.

Erica looked at Kim in search of the strength she hoped she had to hear what she was about to say. “Yes Kim, I do love her.”

Kim turned her head so she could blink away the tears that were stinging her eyes already. When she looked back she could tell Erica was doing the same.

“You came here to break up with me didn’t you? You made the wrong choice right? You really meant to choose her?” Kim asked, signaling the waiter to bring the check.

“Kim…” Erica struggled to find her words. “I never meant to hurt you. I do care about you.”

When the waiter dropped the bill on the table, Erica beat Kim to grabbing it. She pulled out the cash for the bill and tip and placed it on the table.

“Let’s go for a walk in the garden.” Erica suggested, standing up and holding her hand out for Kim to stand.

They walked out to the garden and stopped by the rose bushes. Erica wanted to hold Kim’s hand so bad. She felt terrible about the pain she may have been causing Kim, but she didn’t know any other way.

“Kim, please believe me…I do care about you. I was wrong to tell you that I loved you.” Erica reached for Kim’s hand but she pulled away. “I just wanted so bad to make you happy. You really loved me and you deserved to be loved in return.”

“I do love you Erica!” Kim raised her voice. “But I would never have wanted you to lie or say it before you were ready.” Kim plucked a rose from the rose bush beside them.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry” Erica reached for her hand again and this time Kim allowed her to hold it. “I have been so happy with you. But I can’t keep lying to myself or you. I love Karen and I want to be with her. I’m sorry.”

Kim let the tears she was holding back finally fall. Erica pulled her into her arms and hugged her tight. They swayed for a moment and let the warm breeze blow past them. It was almost like everything around them was frozen and for their last few seconds together, time stood still.

Kim pulled away slowly, “I don’t know what to say.”

“I know this is really cliché.” Erica smiled a little to lighten the mood. “But would it be terrible if I said lets be friends.”

“Yea…it’s cliché baby.” Kim continued. “But I don’t know what to say…because I can’t say bye to you.”

Erica raised her eyebrow, “What do you mean Kim. Ummm, I thought we were both on the same page here.”

“No…I’m sorry.” Kim wiped her tears. “I have invested too much time in you and there’s no way I can just let you walk out my life. Not that easy…I can’t. She will not take you from me.”

“Babe…” Erica tried to speak.

Kim interrupted her quickly, “You are making a big mistake Erica and I’m going to prove it to you. She can’t have you…she just can’t.” The look in Kim’s eyes was serious with a hint of anger.

Erica was speechless and they both just stood there for an awkward moment.

“Sooo ummm, I guess I better go.” Erica started to back away slowly. “We’ll talk soon…okay.”

Kim walked towards Erica to catch up with her backwards stroll. “Babe…we’re meant to be together. You’ll see.” Kim placed the rose she plucked from the bush in Erica’s hand and walked around her to leave.

Erica held the rose for a second before letting it fall to the ground. Guess that one was hiding a crazy gene, Erica thought to herself. Yeah…I made the right choice. Erica walked back to her car laughing a little. She couldn’t wait to tell Karen what happened.

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