Finding Home by Ali Spooner Page A

glow
of the lamp coming from the bedroom and followed it like a moth to
a flame.
     
    Marissa was lying in the bed waiting
for her return.
     
    “ Welcome back,” she purred
from the nice warm bed.
     
    Nat smiled at her and reached behind
her head to pull the undershirt off her body. She then sat down on
the bed and unlaced her boots and removed them and her socks. Nat
stood to unfasten her pants and turned to see Marissa watching her
closely.
     
    Marissa had not had the opportunity to
watch Nat undress and she smiled as Nat’s hands slowly lowered the
dungarees and tossed them aside. She admired Nat’s long, lean body
in the soft glow of the oil lamp and was disappointed when Nat
reached over and turned off the oil.
     
    Marissa felt the covers rise and then
felt the weight of Nat’s body as she entered the bed. Nat pressed
her cold body next to Marissa’s and was welcomed into her warm arms
with a passionate kiss. Marissa pulled Nat on top of her and
wrapped her legs around Nat’s waist, holding her close as her body
warmed. The full moon had risen and was shining through the bedroom
window as Nat looked down into Marissa’s face. Her dark eyes shined
with excitement as Marissa said, “Love me tonight, Nat.”
     
    Nat covered her mouth with a kiss and
loved her slowly and tenderly then later with wild abandon.
Marissa’s sounds of pleasure rang in Nat’s ears as she loved her
deep into the night and finally collapsed exhausted in Marissa’s
arms for a night of dreamless sleep.
     

PART SEVEN
     
    The next morning Nat woke to the smell
of frying bacon. Marissa’s spot in the bed had turned cold as Nat
reached for her and realized she was not in the bed. She stretched
her body and then quietly crept from the bed and slipped on some
clothes. The air in the bedroom had grown cool with the dying of
the fire and Nat placed more logs on the embers and stirred them
until a small flame licked up the sides of the newly placed
wood.
     
    Nat walked into the kitchen and hugged
Marissa from behind.
     
    “ Good morning,” she said, as
her hands slid down Marissa’s arms and turned her body.
     
    “ I hope you are hungry. I
felt like cooking a full breakfast this morning,” Marissa said.
“Gyp has kept me company in your absence and I think she has worked
up an appetite walking between the kitchen and bedroom to check on
you.”
     
    Nat leaned down and stroked the dog’s
head. “She is a very faithful companion. I don’t know what I would
have done without her these last few months,” Nat said.
     
    “ Have a seat at the table
and I will bring you some coffee,” Marissa said.
     
    “ Thanks,” Nat said, as
Marissa placed a cup of the steaming liquid in front of
her.
     
    “ You are welcome,” Marissa
said as she walked to the fireplace and pulled out a tray of fresh
biscuits.
     
    “ Those look fabulous,” Nat
said, as she watched Marissa cut several open then placed a pat of
butter between the steaming halves.
     
    “ How would you like your
eggs cooked?” Marissa asked.
     
    “ I think fried would be very
nice this morning.”
     
    “ Fried it is then,” Marissa
said, as Nat watched her take four eggs from the basket.
     
    Marissa cracked the eggs and dropped
their contents inside the skillet she had used to bake the
biscuits. They began to sizzle even before she reached the
fireplace. Marissa sat the skillet on a small rack and returned to
set the table as they eggs fried.
     
    Gyp sat at Nat’s feet, licking her lips
as the smell of Marissa’s cooking filled the air.
     
    Marissa finished the eggs and doled out
two onto Nat’s plate and one to her own, placing the last of the
fried eggs in a bowl she was preparing for Gyp. She mashed up the
egg and broke up a biscuit and a few slices of bacon and cubes of
fried potatoes into her bowl and mixed it together. Gyp waited
patiently for Marissa to finish and when Marissa bent down to place
her bowl on the floor, Gyp licked her face