Chapter Text
Carol’s thirty fourth birthday was a rather marvellous one, if she does say so herself. A precious weekend with Rindy. Becoming more frequent now there was to be a new Mrs Hargess Aird, but still precious none-the-less.
Therese had helped Rindy craft a birthday card with fingerprint flowers and wobbly, free-drawn love hearts. Both of her girls had been smothered in crimson lipstick kisses when Carol had opened the card and gift after lunch. Six year old Rindy had groaned at her mother’s zealous display of thanks, scrubbing her cheeks and stomping from the room.
Therese took the chance to grin at her, dimples on full display, and kiss her properly before whispering,
“I much prefer your lipstick on my thighs, I don’t have to wash those kisses away so quickly.” And left to follow Rindy to the bathroom.
Carol hummed contently and looked down at her gift. An exquisitely shot, beautifully framed photograph of her and Rindy, laughing candidly in Central Park only a few weeks earlier.
Lifting the frame from the tissue wrapping, something fluttered to the ground and landed delicately next to her left shoe.
A pale pink silk bow, only small, the size of a half dollar coin. Picking it up, Carol noticed it had a clip on the back. A very particular type of clip. A garter clip.
The doorbell rang just as Therese re-entered the living room. Carol slipped the bow into the pocket of her slacks and arched an eyebrow at her beloved. She swept past Therese towards the hallway, trailing a hand quickly across her abdomen and hip as she went.
Rindy had beaten her to the door and opened it for her Aunt, who almost flung the cakebox she was holding at Carol to drop to her knees and crush her favourite niece to her chest.
“But I’m your only niece Aunt Abby! And we’re not even really-“
“A mere technicality Nerinda! You stand to inherit everything, so I don’t want to hear anymore about it.”
Therese appears and wordlessly takes the cake, sharing a smile with Abby and leaving for the kitchen. Abby thrusts a bag at Carol. The unmistakable sound of glass bottles clinking inside.
“Thank you?” She gives Abby a shrewd look.
Abby just twirls the bag around, revealing a crumpled present bow.
“Happy Birthday Doll. You don’t look a day over thirty three.”
~~~
It’s late. The ornate clock on the mantle chimes eleven thirty. Dim lamplight fills the room with a warm yellow glow and there’s the faint haze of cigarette smoke in the air.
Rindy had crash landed on the far end of the chaise lounge at nine, after a cake fuelled sugar high and a raucous final round of charades. Her mother had promptly propped a cushion under her head and a throw over her legs.
Therese rises from her place to reset the record and fix another round of drinks. Shoes long abandoned, Carol watches her with an almost predatory fixation as she quietly pads across the plush carpet and into the kitchen.
“Down girl.” Abby cheekily reprimands, smirking at Carol over the rim of her martini glass.
“Oh hush. It’s my birthday, I can look if I want to.” Carol replies loftily with pursed lips.
The slight brunette appears with a sliver martini mixer in her hand, she pours Abby’s first.
“Ah Therese, you’re such a good girl!”
There’s a slight slur to Abby’s exuberance, but Therese doesn’t catch it, much too startled by the praise. That particular expression was one with which she had a rather complex relationship.
Always the 'quiet girl’.
The ‘strange girl’.
The ‘kind girl.’
Even sometimes a ‘pretty girl’.
Therese had been labelled time and time again throughout her childhood and adolescence. But she had never been a ‘good girl’.
Not that she hadn’t tried. No, she wasn’t bad, never misbehaved. It was just the other girls in the home seemed more capable of speaking up, being noticed, claiming their right to that particular compliment.
Catching herself before she sloshed the remaining liquid over Abby’s glass. Therese blinked quickly and righted herself before turning to Carol.
“And she can pour a proper drink! You've got yourself the whole package here Carol!” Abby chuckled and raised her very full glass before taking a hearty sip.
“Haven’t I just.” Carol purred, narrowing her eyes and giving Therese a rather suggestive once-over.
She had been watching Therese. Caught on to her dazed expression. It wasn’t the first time the young woman had become distracted by such a simple remark.
It had been the same weekend as her birthday photograph.
Rindy had stayed over, Harge in Philadelphia with his parents for a family function, and it was nearing time for Florence to collect the girl. Carol had entered the living room to see Rindy closing the lid of the vintage tea chest that stored her toys and craft items.
“Thank you for tidying away you things, Kitten. You’re a good girl.”
“Trez helped me Mommy. She’s a good girl too.”
“Of course Rindy Darling, you’re both my good girls.”
Carol only caught a glimpse of Therese’s face before she dipped her chin and turned away.
Flaming red cheeks and lips slightly parted.
Therese refuses to make eye contact with her as she tops up her glass and sets the shaker on the sideboard.
Abandoning her glass on the coffee table, Carol catches Therese by the skirt as she passes and pulls her down to land haphazardly across her lap.
Therese is sporting her adorable startled-doe look, one of the many things about Therese that Carol finds irresistible. Glancing up over Therese’s shoulder to check Rindy hasn’t stirred from the surprised gasp, she nuzzles her nose under Therese’s ear and holds her fast as the younger woman begins to squirm.
“Carol!” It’s a rather strangled stage whisper, one that catches a dozing Abby’s attention.
“Right. If the canoodling has begun that’s my queue to hit the sack.”
She downs the last of her drink and defiantly stands, only a slight wobble before she turns to her slumbering niece and scoops her up.
With a tisk from Abby and a sleepy grumble from her daughter, Carol wishes them goodnight and watches as they leave the room. Therese is failing miserably at extracting herself from her lover’s hold, limbs flailing as she grabs blindly at the couch for purchase.
Carol relents with a chuckle and allows the girl to right herself. Running her fingers through tousled hair and tugging her blouse back into a somewhat respectable position, Therese huffs and rises quickly. Carol follows her up and snakes her arms around her waist, a hand makes its way beneath the blouse to fiddle with the hooks of her bra.
Therese pushes her away and holds up a hand, one finger raised to make her point.
“Ohhh no. You’re not getting anything after that. Look but don’t touch, Madam.” She mocks, having heard Carol’s comment earlier.
Carol pouts pathetically and drops her gaze, her feigned attempt at guilt gets her nowhere and Therese turns her head away.
She inhales sharply when the reprimanding finger she’s using to put distance between them is suddenly in Carol’s mouth. Warm and wet, tongue swirling lewdly and sucking, teeth apply just enough pressure to send a delicious thrill up Therese’s spine.
Carol releases the digit with a pop of her lips and advances on her sweetheart again.
“No. I don’t care if it’s your birthday. It’s late, you’ve had more than enough to drink, and Rindy will be up early.”
She’s right. Of course Therese is right. Ever sensible. Ever delectable.
Carol sighs.
~~~
Therese beats her to bed by twenty minutes. Carol having the much longer nighttime routine. They’d kissed goodnight between rinsing mouths of minty toothpaste and Therese had climbed under the sheets, promptly falling asleep.
Rindy usually clambers into bed with them about 6am, so its only when she’s in her rarely-worn pyjamas that Carol remembers the garter bow.
It’s twin is resting on her pillow as she turns down the duvet.