Strong Currents (lesbian)

Chapter 8 - My Home

Chapter 8

“Nix?” Alona reached out to the bent-over girl.

“Ally?” Nixie straightened up so fast that she nearly knocked Alona clear off her feet. “Are you okay? I’m so, so sorry Ally.”

“Don’t mention it Nix.” Alona smiled but shifted her eyes towards the floor when she caught a slight movement in her peripheral vision. “What were you doing bent over like that anyway?”

Nixie glanced down, slightly nervous, but recovered quickly.

“I thought I saw money lying around - must have been a reflection or something though. So, have you heard anything about Cassie? I know we’re in a different dimension, but surely there’s communication between them?”

“Sure, I’ll see what I can do.” Alona could probably feel the intrigued stare coming from the exquisite woman behind her; which would explain why she rushed off like the Road Runner.

When Nixie’s eyes averted back to the woman - who was now staring at her – she felt a sudden unease. She’d seen this woman in those dreams. But she hadn’t been the polished lady she was now. Then she’d been dressed in rags; but still that eerie beauty and controlled, untameable grace sat upon her much like the diamond and sapphire crown did her head – perfectly. The woman’s emerald eyes found her own and held them with an intense curiosity.

“You are Nixie.” Wow… I hadn’t known that… I hope my mentally rolling eyes don’t get stuck up there.

“Yes, I am.”

Queen Raya stood before Nixie with all the grace and power of a queen; yet in her eyes Nixie saw the unrefined commoner who lurked like a fox in the shadows of Raya’s mind. Raya’s hand reached out, perhaps on an impulse, to touch, just barely, the gentle rise of Nixie’s cheek.

“I see why she chose you.” With one last glance Queen Raya turned her head and strode from view. Nixie stood there or several more minutes before she was interrupted by Alona’s return. Alona looked like she’d just run a mile but was beaming from ear to ear.

“I have news! Cassie has been transferred here for the day; she’s perfectly fine. She’s only here for a small memory readjustment and then she’ll be sent straight home.” Nixie grinned back and Alona and moved into her arms.

“Thank you so much, Ally.” Alona held her in a tight embrace. When they pulled back Alona held on, and their faces were left only a couple inches apart. Alona leaned in, but she stopped when she realised that Nixie had made no move to meet her.

Their eyes met again. Nixie looked into Alona’s eyes, and she knew what she should feel knew what she wanted to feel. The feeling had been there before, and had nearly eaten her alive with its desperation to be explored. What would have once been shaking hands and numb legs was merely a calm confusion.

“Nix, is something wrong?” Alona brushed Nixie’s cheek with the back of her hand. Nixie was even more disconcerted.

“I don’t know.” Nixie pulled herself from Alona’s circle of warmth and stepped away. Why is this happening? Why do I feel so much the same, but at the same time it feels like I’ve changed?

“They’re ready to release you now, Nix. We should get going. Blue Plain Two might be a little behind in time, but by now your mother will have heard of everything and be worrying.” Shade placed her hand gently on Nixie’s shoulder and smiled comfortingly. When Nixie wandered off back to her room Shade stood there with Alona.

“Is it me?” Alona slumped into the chair beside her.

“What? No, Alona, it’s not you. Nix just, well, she’s been through a lot of difficulty recently. You know first-hand what it’s like to have your world in a perpetual mess.” Alona dipped her head in the slightest nod. Shade moved closer to her and rested her arm over Alona’s shoulders. “Nixie has a new path to follow. New choices to make, as well, and to be honest I don’t doubt for one second that she’d have fallen into your arms like a wilting flower had the circumstances been different.”

“Wow, I never ever thought I’d be happy to see this pile of rubble again.” Nixie hopped out of the sleek Jaguar that she, Shade and Alona had ridden in. Alona’s family definitely had money, and loads of it. They all walked up the cobbled path towards the large wooden house that sat lazily on the rising hill. After not having seen the place for so long, or so it seemed, Nixie could look at it with new eyes. It was in disrepair and was also more than likely to be a giant safety hazard, but it also had a gorgeous old European elegance that, with a large amount of cash and man-power, could be absolutely stunning.

“Wow.” Alona sounded mesmerized, as if she’d just beheld a wonder of nature.

“Yep, it’s a dump isn’t it?” Shade winked in Nixie’s direction.

Alona stared open-mouthed at both Shade and Nixie. “How can you not appreciate this beautiful estate? This place is absolutely gorgeous! Alona was practically skipping up the cobbled path, gazing lovingly at every little plant and bug that caught her eye.

“Is there something wrong with her?” Nixie and Shade were both dumbfounded.

“I blame it on you.” Shade shrugged and started following Alona along the path.

“Why me?” Nixie started after Shade.

“You walked into that ring of night-flyers. Ever since that she’s been acting all emotional and crazy-like.”

“Whatever; and it’s ‘crazy’, no reason to beat around the ‘like’ bush.”

Alona was three quarters of the way up when a woman appeared in the now-open doorway; her mouth dropped open and a potted plant fell from her left hand. Nixie smiled up the path at her mother and increased her pace until she was moving in a flat-out sprint. Alona was soon passed and Shade was following closely behind.

“Mom!” Nixie was enveloped in her mother’s arms and buried she buried her face in her mother’s pink floral shirt.

“Mrs Erikson, we’re so happy to see you!” Shade pilled in and wrapped her arms around them both for a few short moments before pulling away to allow them some privacy. Alona walked up beside her but she didn’t look excited or even happy; she looked miserable.

“Alona, what’s wrong?” Shade tried to pull Alona back from what was obviously a tide of dismal thoughts but Alona shrugged her off and stepped to the side. When Nixie and her mother turned around Alona pasted on a tight smile and introduced herself briefly. They all followed Mrs Erikson through the foyer and down the passage, into the kitchen and talked merrily while dishes of freshly baked bread, various sandwich spreads and tall glasses of juice were laid out on a table for them.

“This is absolutely divine.” Alona had cheered up, but Shade still sensed the feeling of dread that coated Alona’s aura like a second skin. They moved to the lounge for a while before Shade finally noticed the setting sun and mentioned that she and Alona should be heading home soon.

“Bye, Alona. Thank you so, so much for everything. I’ll see you soon okay?” Mrs Erikson had already given her soppy goodbyes and left Nixie to say a final farewell to her ‘delightful friends’.

“Anytime, Nix. No matter what, I’ll be there.” Alona gave one final squeeze and then pulled away. Shade waved a final time as the car pulled off from the curb and they left back to The Port. Nixie really hoped she’d be going to visit that particular place again soon. The feeling of travelling between dimensions was like nothing anyone on Earth could ever experience… or as she’d now come to know it as: Blue Plain Two.