Disclaimer: Happy Holidays. Warning of
some violence here. No animals were injured
during the writing of this story. Skippy, plays
the part of Theron, the dog. Enjoy and give
feedback or die. Umm, maybe not die but you’ll
feel guilty for a while…like until after the
holidays. Feed me, Dammit. Oh, by the way,
there is some cussing! =D
Synopsis: Two days until
Christmas Day and the Red Cross collector,
Samantha Trenton, gets pulled away from her
station on the corner to save a woman who is
being mugged. In the process, the gang double
times her and swipes her bucket of donations.
But, Samantha inflicts her own damage. A
black belt in martial arts she downs four
assailants before they can escape. The
victim, a blind woman named Elisa Rae Vistali,
is shattered by the attack. Only with Sam
near does she feel safe. Sam finds she wants
to be near Elisa too as their holiday hearts
find comfort in each other.
Holiday Hearts
By JLNicky
Samantha stood on
the side of the street ringing her small silver
bell and smiling at the passing Christmas
shoppers. She had been here at this very corner
for seven days now, only two more to go and the
big holiday would arrive. So far, although the
neighborhood was considered poor, Sam had
managed to bring in quite a decent amount of
money. Giving to Red Cross was almost
traditional for most people now.
This small
section of the huge city of Detroit had its own
holiday cheer. The few businesses had cheerful
lights dangling along the rooflines. The
supermarket was playing holiday music through
the intercom system. Decorative blinking lights
around the windows of a few houses showed
through the wrought iron bars guarding the
homes’ interiors. Although Sam thought she had
the pulse of the neighborhood, one never knew.
This particular area was not the best place to
be standing with a bucket of cash, but she was
staying alert.
Mentally, she
reminded herself to stay loose in her red
pantsuit as she pulled her white and red
skullcap down a bit. Flexing her gloved hands
to keep them warm, she glanced across the street
and frowned slightly. The small bulge of the
cord
nunchaku she hid in the back of
her pants gave her a greater feeling of
security.
She smiled at how
well her clothes hid her weapon and still met
the Red Cross idea of holiday outfits. Each
year she was asked to wear the colors of the
season. Thankfully she had found a decent set
of cheery red long johns to wear beneath the
loose white karate gui pants held up by a
perfectly tied black belt topped with a gray
sweatshirt and a Polar fleece red vest. Her
grandma’s present of a hand knitted scarf was
double wrapped around her neck and lower chin.
The skullcap on her head kept in the heat.
Although her 5
foot 7 inch stocky build, broad shoulders,
muscular thighs, and blonde hair did not exactly
meet the typical Santa’s elf requirements, she
always managed to raise a ton of cash anyway.
People seemed to understand she was giving back
to the kind of neighborhood she had grown up
in. Her sparkling green eyes didn’t hurt
either.
An
obnoxiously loud greeting of ‘Chingablood’ rang
out as two more kids joined the already small
collection of neighborhood thugs hanging out
across the street. Sam rolled her eyes at the
old street greeting used between adult gang
members of the Chin gang. These kids were
hardly old enough to tie their shoes much less
be a part of one of the worst criminal elements
on east side Detroit. The kids did resemble the
mutt mix of Chinese-black descent though. Sam
shook her head at their young age and the
obvious lack of direction. She thought she
might have some boxers older than them.
The stoop they
gathered on was the exit stairs for a slightly
run-down apartment complex. The occupants
living there, if they exited after sundown, knew
they would encounter, at the least, verbal
harassment. Each arriving or leaving resident
had the potential to become a target for the
next generation of criminals. Sam had witnessed
more than one drug transaction and plenty of
arrest-able offenses. To bad she was not a cop
anymore. Over the last few days she had tried
not to watch. The punks grew even bolder with
their insults as the night darkened. So far,
she had been able to restrain herself from
rushing over and punching out some lights.
Currently, she
eyed the suspicious looking kids with a long
hard stare. Meeting some returned gazes she
filed the details of their faces away knowing
she could report them if anything did occur.
She bent her legs slightly to get back some
circulation from standing in the frosty air.
The two snow banks pushed up to each side of
the curb seemed to be the frail barrier between
the criminal element and the honest folk.
Sam turned away
from the criminal view to grin as a young boy
rushed up and dropped a quarter into the Red
Cross bucket. She winked at him as he ran back
to his mother and father standing nearby.
‘Merry Christmas,
folks.” Sam waved.
From the corner
of her eye she saw the apartment door opening
and inwardly winced for whoever had chosen to
walk into the land of demons. As the consistent
noise from the punks didn’t alter from the low
hum of jokes and vulgarity, she wondered why and
turned to look.
A tall, obviously
white, woman, holding onto a dog stepped out of
the door. Her posture was stiff and tense. Sam
could just see the tail of the dog wagging
upward and the top of perked ears. The long
black hair beneath a newsboy cap blew outward
from the woman’s shoulders, drawing Sam’s eyes
back to her. Pale skin was all Sam could make
out as the woman moved across the stoop toward
the stairs. She was tall, whoever she was. She
towered over the kids on the stoop. Strangely,
the vagrants didn’t even turn in her direction.
Unhurried, she moved carefully across the wet
surface of the stoop; then, grabbing a handrail,
began to step down one stair at a time.
Sam wondered why
the kids were not trying to hassle the woman.
The last time people had come out of the
building; the future inmates had practically
bombarded the victims with trash talk and
threats. This tall white woman was seemingly
unappealing to the small group gathered there.
A prickle of unease invaded her senses. She let
her gaze return to the kids then back to the
woman. Nothing had changed.
Sam watched as
the woman gained the bottom step and then she
glanced at the dog, which until then had just
been a wagging tail and perked up ears. A
beautiful German shepherd walked slightly in
front of the woman. Rich brown and black fur
stood out against the white of the snow. Sam
wondered if the dog was holding the kids back.
Then she saw the dog turn slightly to avoid a
clump of snow that had fallen onto the
sidewalk. The woman turned almost automatically
and Sam noticed the harness handle draped over
the dog’s back. She looked closer and
comprehended the situation. The woman was blind
and being guided by her Seeing Eye dog.
The unique pair
moved down the sidewalk a bit and then walked
down the incline of a driveway. Sam held her
breath watching as the dog led them out over the
snow pushed barrier of one side of the street
only to find the second barrier on her own
side. She released her breath in a gasp of
needed air when they finally stepped onto the
sidewalk down the road. Sam noted the rigid
bearing as the woman held onto the dog harness.
A tight grip belied the strain the woman was
under. Sam thought she looked wonderful. A bit
more direct than normal she took a long
leisurely trip from the top of her cap to her
boots. It was readily apparent this woman had
status, class and style. The three areas Sam
felt she was lacking in.
The woman’s brown
newsboy cap, stylish and cute, was holding the
long black hair out of her face. Although pale,
the beautiful features reflected character and
strength, not an illness. The woman seemed
healthy. She probably didn’t get outside a
lot in this creepy neighborhood.
Sam liked the
look of the high cheekbones and dark eyebrows.
Full lips were parted as each puff of breath
escaped into the winter wind. Although she was
still a distance away, Sam searched her face.
Dark eyelashes rested closed as the woman
concentrated on making her way. Her chin was
slightly covered by a nice brown scarf, wrapped
around the neckline of a thick warm jacket. The
heavy-duty suede jacket and matching gloves
covered her upper body. Black slacks and black
rubber boots finished the ensemble. Sam thought
she was gorgeous.
Shaking her head,
she tried to escape her thoughts. She frowned
at the futility of her overactive mind. She
wondered why she always tried to fit someone who
was so obviously above her own deprived social
class into getting involved with her. She
smirked at herself for even trying to picture
her tattooed and grunge fetish punk ass from the
wrong side of the tracks even being a friend
with a lady like that. Sam turned back toward
the group of shoppers just coming out of the
grocery. She jingled her bell, gaining their
attention.
One of the women
dug into her pocket and pulled out some change.
Just as she was dropping it into the bucket, Sam
felt something brush against her legs. Jumping
sideways, in surprise, she turned to face the
intruder. A very large German shepherd was
standing by her side. His eyes pierced her with
a yellow canine stare.
He took the
moment of her surprise and grabbed her pant leg
with his teeth. He pulled at her. Falling off
balance, Sam struggled to stay standing. The
silver bell flew through the air into a
snowdrift nearby.
“What the…?”
She looked at the
empty handle flopping on the dog’s back and then
down the sidewalk toward where the woman should
have been. There was nobody. Sam felt her
stomach clench in fear.
Reaching behind
her she slammed the lid closed on the bucket and
snapped the small lock together. Removing the
nunchucks from her waistband, she growled at the
dog.
“Show me!”
He must have
understood her direction as he immediately
turned and started back down the empty
sidewalk. Sam followed at a run. Thirty feet
down, she saw the dog dart into a gated privacy
fence area. Following without hesitation, she
pushed the gate wider and stepped into the crime
scene.
Two creeps were
struggling to hold down the blind woman as she
fought outward. Her arms were being held as the
two men avoided her kicking legs.
Two other
accomplices were standing nearby watching.
Sam didn’t even
stop her forward motion. She rushed over toward
the woman and with an unfurling wooden nunchuck;
she flung the weapon outward and struck the arm
of one of the assailants holding her. She felt
satisfaction as he screamed and went down with a
broken arm. The other kid scrambled backward on
all fours to get away. The woman was no longer
held so Sam looked toward the two shits that
stood a short distance away.
“I think you’ve
run out of time and now it’s my turn. I’m
totally out of patience. Let’s pick on someone
who knows what kind of cowards you are, pungow!”
Sam stated to the thugs even as she measured
what sort of injuries the woman might have
taken. Nothing was showing and a slight arch of
a dark eyebrow told Sam the woman was
listening.
Sam conveyed her
background with that single word. Pungow was
the half-Chinese half-black vulgar slang term
for ‘Pussy’. Only the true street-smart punks
used it. The two kids looked at her and then
back at each other. One reached into his pocket
and grabbed a switchblade. The other took a few
steps to the side and readied himself into a
defensive fight stance, hands held up, legs
parted and center balanced.
Sam’s smile grew
feral. A low growl down at her left leg made
itself known. Used to using every angle, Sam
spoke to the dog.
“Killer. You
take the punk on the ground over there whose
pissed his pants. I’ll take these two
bastards. Got it?” A sharp deep bark was her
response. “Easy pie!” Sam replied back. The
three surprised individuals watching the unreal
conversation between the dog and the woman,
feeling a shiver of dread rush up their
spines.
Sam eyed the unarmed
fighter and jumped toward the knife holder. A
whistle of her
nunchuck twirling
overhand twice was all they heard as she struck
the kid’s knife from his hand. The knife went
flying onto the snow-covered ground while the
wooden rod rebounded upward only to be urged in
reverse to come around again from below and
strike between the spread legs of the punk.
His strangled
moan of pain and subsequent topple onto the snow
put him out of the fight as his family jewels
were shattered by the spinning weapon.
Sam glanced once
over at ‘Killer’ and noted he was taking care of
business for the separated lone creep. The dog
had rushed the kid and knocked him down with
sixty pounds of ferocity. Biting and scratching
were doing their damage; the kid was screaming
for help.
Sam dropped to
her haunches with a fighter’s instinct even as
she felt the air rush by from a roundhouse kick
over her head. Her gaze swept back to the
fighter and she saw him spin for another kick.
Drawing a deeper breath she saw the foot coming
and just stood as stone. The boot struck her
right hip and was instantly trapped by the hands
that grabbed it.
Sam let out a
whoosh of air to help fight the absorbed pain
from the strike. She quickly twisted the boot
in her hands forcing the attacker to fall off
balance. Her left boot came upward and jerked
down without thought. The high-pitched scream
of the kid as she stomped on his kneecap, told
her he was down for the count too. He became
limp as he fainted from the overwhelming pain.
Sam looked over
at the dog and yelled just in time.
“Killer,
release!” The German Sheppard was standing over
the punk with his teeth embedded into the softer
tissue of the throat. His growling and snarling
muzzle was only seconds from ripping. With
Sam’s call he released the kid and came to her
side. Her brief stroking hand was his reward.
He looked wild and brutish.
Sam walked over
to the coughing kid who was lying curled in a
fetal position as he regained his breath. His
eyes were wide and filled with fear.
“Move and you’re
a dead man.” She threatened him. He started to
tear up like the kid he should have been. She
shook her head at the lack of nerve. “Pungow!”
Sam stated clearly, and then looked away in
disgust.
Without fear she turned and
headed over to the victim of the attack.
Nearing the woman who was sitting on a
snowdrift, Sam noticed the heavy shivering
reaction of shock. As her boots crunched in the
snow, she saw the woman lift her bowed head and
look at her. Sam swallowed as she looked into
the alluring gaze of light blue eyes, fringed in
thick dark eyelashes. A shiver of excitement
ran through her.
“Are you all right?” Sam said as
she dropped to one knee next to the woman. Her
sudden arrival had the woman jerking backward in
fear. Sam hissed at the sudden twinge of pain
she felt in her hip and at her stupidity for
rushing in. She waved the dog over and ‘Killer’
seemed to know just what to do. He neared the
woman, dropping to his haunches and wriggled
closer. His plaintive whining had the woman
reaching out to feel the air in his direction.
Her fingers finding his hair had the two
connecting once again and the shivering became
shaking as the woman lost her control.
Sam watched helplessly as the dog
was pulled closer and tears fell into the fur.
Reaching out to give a comforting rub to the
woman’s shoulder Sam stopped just short of
touching.
“It’s OK. You’re going to be
fine.” Sam stated with a promise. Reaching
into her vest she pulled out a cell phone and
quickly dialed her sister.
“Pam, this is Sam. I need a
20-14 at Vaness and Brawley, 3rd
residence down from the corner. Look for a
six-foot privacy fence with the gate open. Four
assailants, down. Tell them to bring a K-9
vet. We need to have the victim’s guide dog
looked at.”
Sam looked over at the four punks
still lying on various parts of the snow-covered
lawn. A steady mumbling of whines and groans
were heard. She looked back at the woman and
knew she needed to get her out of the fenced
enclosure before the cops showed up. The snow
was not helping either. The shaking had
returned to shivering as the woman hugged the
warmth of the dog to her.
Sam looked around and found the
newsboy cap lying across the yard. She stood
up, wincing and took the eight steps to retrieve
it. Moving back she kneeled down again and set
the fabric into the woman’s lap.
“Here is your cap. Can you
stand? We need to get you up and off this wet
ground, sweetheart.” Her voice was low and
soothing. The woman sniffled and nodded. “Can
I help you up? I’ve sent for an ambulance to
come take a look and make sure you’re OK. It
should be here shortly.”
Sam talked softly even as she
reached over and petted the dog’s head. He
seemed to be grinning at her as he panted out
huge breaths of white air. Sam instantly
reached for the hand that was lifted in her
direction. The siren’s sounded in the distance.
“My name is Samatha Trenton. Are
you sure you’re OK? Can I call someone for
you?”
The woman seemed to come out of
her shocked state. “My name is Elisa Rae. Can
you check to see if Theron is all right?
Sam memorized Elisa and then
looked down at the dog and the dog looked back
up. “Theron? Is that you, boy?”
A sharp bark was her reply. Sam
smiled. She leaned forward and ran her hands
over him searching for any injury. Nothing.
“He seems to be OK. Can we get
you up off this ground now? I want to take you
outside the gate before the police get here and
trap us inside.”
Elisa gave a small nod. A sudden
sniffle and Sam was instantly concerned.
“What’s wrong? You’re hurt? Let
me call…” Her voice trailed off as Elisa
reached up and wiped her eyes and face with a
gloved hand, shaking her head firmly.
“Do I look all right? I don’t
want to look bad?” Elisa said in a small
voice. Sam frowned at her question and wondered
why she was worried about her looks. If anyone
should be worried it was Sam who was pretty sure
her hip was now dented inward instead of out.
The crouching was beginning to pain her
tremendously.
Sam reached out slowly and
brushed a strand of dark hair back behind
Elisa’s ear. “You look absolutely stunning.
Let’s go find some cops, huh?”
Elisa shivered at the soft touch
and then nodded. She held out her hand and felt
the firm touch of her hero. Sam stood and
easily lifted the six-foot tall woman upward.
She felt a tightened squeeze of her hands and
looked up at the taller woman in question.
“Thank you, Samantha. For…”
Elisa shivered and waved a hand around her.
“You’re welcome.” Sam tapped her
leg and called Theron over. He moved up beside
his mistress and her hand went down to grasp the
handle of his harness. Her grip firmly in
place, Sam started to step away. Elisa
tightened her grip on Sam’s arm and pulled her
back.
“Please. I would like to…” she
hesitated, not knowing how to phrase her
request. Sam curled her arm like an escort and
stepped close to her unoccupied side.
“At your service, Elisa. Until
you push me away.” Elisa bit her lip and gave a
slight smile.
The next two hours were
unbelievably chaotic and draining. Sam stood
next to Elisa the entire time. The EMT gave her
a fairly thorough examination in the ambulance
and the vet checked out Theron. Sam held onto
her even as she was grilled by cops and forced
to explain the attack, repeatedly.
When they first walked out of the
yard Sam had taken a look down at her Red Cross
post and sighed. The bucket was gone. They had
cleaned her out royally. Her bucket was going
to cost her $50.00 along with the loss in
profits she was going to write off. The gloved
hands clasped to her arm tightened, distracting
her thoughts from the inevitable. Sam held her
position protectively as cop after cop came to
take statements. Eventually, Pam walked up and
checked on her sister.
One could tell they were
obviously not sisters. Sam was fair haired and
white while Pam was dark haired and Chinese.
The two women were clearly close as Pam hugged
Sam and scolded her.
Sam glanced to make sure Elisa
was still involved with the cop who was taking
notes on her version of the attack.
“What the hell were you doing,
sis? I see you have not changed all that much
from your youth. Looks like those stupid
Chadingas picked a bad night to mug. Good job
on the outcome. I’m sure I don’t want to search
you right now.” Pam and Sam snickered at each
other.
Pam had been in the same foster
home Sam had been assigned to. The two girls
had formed a deep friendship and struggled to
maintain it as Sam had elected to gangsta while
Pam had focused on her schooling. With a lot of
encouragement from Pam and continued attention
from their foster mother, Sam had turned from
that life and started a new one.
Her sister’s presence at the
scene was probably the only thing stopping the
cops from searching her and arresting her on
suspicion.
Sam felt the twitch of the hand
still holding her arm. She stepped back a
smidgeon and her foster sister eyed her with a
petite raised eyebrow.
“Ahhh, the fortune cookie reveals
to me you insatiable appetite still need be
fed.” Pam’s highly fake Chinese accent was
totally phony and dead on with its message. Sam
blushed. Pam winked.
Sam turned to look away and
winced slightly as her hip complained. The cold
was causing Sam to stiffen. Pam frowned.
“You’re hurt? What the hell? Did the EMT look
at you?”
“It’s nothing, Pam. I’m just
stiff from the cold and a stray kick that punk
gave me. I’ll be fine.”
“You’re hurt? Why didn’t you say
something? Theron! Heel.” An authoritative
voice emerged from the woman at her side. Sam
was unprepared for the aggressive action Elisa
took. She left the cop hanging as she headed
with deadly accuracy back toward the ambulance.
She called for the EMT woman by name. The whole
motion from start to finish had Sam amazed. She
was only shaken out of her daze when the three
women around her stopped talking and stared at
her. What did they
want?
“Sam. Chuck your vest and raise
the sweatshirt and thermal so she can see your
side.” Pam requested. Sam wondered slightly
how she had gotten over to the EMT so quickly.
She raised her shirt and the two sighted women
hissed. Sam looked down and noted the already
bruising area just at her hip. She grimaced at
the sight but shook her head.
“See. Just a bruise. I’ll be
fine.” Pam growled. The EMT went to look for a
heat compress. A elegant hand stopped the shirt
from lowering. Long fingers slid down the
material and onto the bared skin. Sam drew in a
breath. Elisa moved her hand down lightly
touching as she covered the area and then
withdrew her touch. Sam released her held
breath and shivered.
“Take this compress and use it
while you’re out here. A hot bath and some TLC
might fix the ticket.” The EMT winked at Sam
and nudged her head toward Elisa. Sam took the
heat patch and carefully placed it over the
damaged area. She clenched her teeth at the
sensitivity of her injured area.
Looking up she saw a man moving
purposely toward the ambulance and heading for
Elisa. A quick step around her and he was
brought up short before reaching his intended
goal.
“May I help you?” Sam asked, as
she clearly hindered him from going around her
to reach Elisa.
“No, you cannot help. I would
just like to see my daugh…” Elisa heard his
voice and stepped forward to greet him.
“Dad!” Elisa exclaimed as Sam
stepped out of her way and the two figures met
in a hug. Sam could clearly see the
resemblance. Both Elisa and her father were
tall, dark haired, well-groomed and wearing nice
designer clothes. Her father was in a suit and
silk tie under a soft wool double breasted
button down overcoat. His cowboy boots were
snakeskin leather. Sam watched the two of
them. Elisa tucked her head into his neck and
cried a few tears. Sam looked away. She had
wanted that hug for herself. She needed to wake
up and smell the reality of winter.
Stepping further away she was
about to move back into the real world when
Elisa seemed to turn her head and look at her.
Those light blue eyes pulled Sam back as easily
as a siren call.
Dad, I’d like you to meet my
hero. Samantha Trenton. This is my father Eric
P. Vistali. Sam felt her jaw drop as she
recognized the name of one of the most
prominently mentioned Detroit families.
“I thought you said your name was
Rae?” Sam managed to mumble as she tried to calm
down.”
“Elisa Rae Vistali. She was
telling you her first name.” Eric Vistali
looked at his little girl and gave her a full
bodily glance.
“I’m fine Dad. Samantha saved
me.” Elisa Rae looked toward her champion. Sam
looked anywhere but at the two people now
looking at her. Matching blue eyes stared back
from them both.
“Actually, I meant to tell you
about that Elisa. I’m not sure they were after
you at all. You might have just been a
distraction.” Sam cleared her throat as she
confessed the scoop she had figured out an hour
ago.
“What do you mean?” Eric frowned
and looked back at his daughter. Sam licked her
dry lips and wondered why she had even bothered
to mention it.
“I think they were after the Red
Cross bucket I was collecting from right down
the street. I think they used Elisa Rae as a
distraction to get me away from the bucket.
When we got back out here my stand was gone.”
Sam blew out a breath of disgust. Eric shook
his head and immediately reached into his pocket
to pull out a check book.
“What did you lose? Can I donate
for it? It’s the least I can do to repay you
for saving my daughter’s life!” Sam looked at
him and frowned. Her voice was tight with
restrained anger as she grunted out a ‘no thank
you’.
Eric Vistali recognized the
controlled anger right away rolling off the
overly protective woman guarding his daughter.
He hadn’t made his millions not being able to
read people. He took in the tense frame and the
quick shift of Samantha’s gaze as she glanced at
Elisa Rae. Eric tried to read the picture and
in a flash he had the situation figured out. He
looked at Samantha Trenton with a whole new
understanding. With a casual air he managed to
thank Sam instead. He shook her hand and
expressed his thankfulness for her interference
in the whole affair.
“I didn’t mean to upset you. I
would really like to donate to the Red Cross.
I’m sure I will be asked before Christmas hits.
I’d rather it be to someone who will accept it
in the interest in which it needs to be
donated. What is your Red Cross badge number?
I’ll send it to the city office in care of you,
if that’s all right?” Eric watched the battle
Samantha fought with her pride and her
generosity. Her expressions were clear as the
frown on her face. She eventually gave in and
nodded toward his generosity. As she spilled
her badge number, he quickly wrote it down and
turned back to his daughter who was looking
rather exhausted.
“I’m taking you home, Elisa Rae.
I don’t know why you stay in this Godforsaken
area anyway. The crime rate here is only
growing. You should move home with me and your
brothers. You know mama would have never
allowed this to continue.”
“I want to go home. Can you take
me to my apartment, Dad? It’s just across the
street and I’m exhausted. I want to be near my
stuff and my own belongings. Mama would have
understood this.”
Sam listened to the conversation
and not understanding it completely she stepped
in at the tale end.
“I’ll walk with you. I’m done
for the night and I want to see you home safe.”
Sam bit the inside of her cheek as Elisa Rae
looked over at her and smiled. She had a
beautiful smile.
“I would like that, Samantha.
Theron? Heel!” Theron had been sitting at her
side, suddenly stood up and got into position.
“Are you sure, honey? You can
just come for a visit? You don’t have to
stay.” Eric pleaded as he watched his daughter
reach blindly for her new companion. Sam
quickly slid back into the place she had been
missing. Elisa Rae curled her arm through the
crook and rested her hand on Sam’s forearm. The
guide harness was clasped and the trio was all
set. Eric stepped back as Elisa urged them
onward.
“I’ll be fine, Dad. Sam is with
me.” Theron chose that moment to bark and the
three adults laughed.
“You too, Theron. I’m so sorry.
I have Theron and Sam with me. We will be
fine.”
Eric nodded and pulled out his
ringing cell phone.
“I’ll let your brother know
you’re fine. I’m sure he will be visiting
soon.” Elisa gave a soft smile and leaned down
to Sam.
“Please take me home. I’m really
tired.” Sam rewrapped her arm behind Elisa’s
arm and gave her a bit more support. She
murmured her appreciation. The two women and
the dog crossed the now empty cold street. The
punks that had been on the stoop were gone. The
temperature had dropped and the chill was
biting.
Sam led them up the stairs and
across the stoop to the front door. Pushing it
open, Elisa Rae and Theron entered. The ground
floor had an elevator, but it seemed a
disaster.
“What floor?” Sam inquired as she
reclaimed Elisa’s arm. The three walked up
three flights and turned left. Elisa walked to
the fourth apartment door and, removing her
suede gloves, she retrieved a key from her coat
pocket. Her hands shook. Sam quickly stripped
off her own gloves and, clasping Elisa’s hands
in her own, she took the key and opened the
door. Elisa’s heartfelt thank you was a
whisper. Sam guided Elisa inside and without a
word looked for a comfortable chair and pushed
her into it. Theron walked over to a huge
cushion across the room and nested into a
sleeping position. He yawned and laid his head
down to watch the two women.
Leaning down Sam unbuttoned the
suede jacket and removed the cap, scarf, jacket
and gloves. She dropped her own garmets into a
chair near the door they had entered. She waved
to Theron to take care of his mistress as she
quickly went into the kitchen looking for some
tea.
She noticed the kitchen was
spotlessly clean and organized ass she filled a
teapot from the burner and got some teabags from
a glass container on the counter. Nothing in
plain site, she searched for some alcohol. A
small bottle of cooking sherry was the only
resource. She doused the tea with a jolt and
headed back into the living room.
“Drink this, sweetheart. You’ll
feel better.” Sam set the tea down on the end
table and guided Elisa’s hands to the cup.
Elisa sipped the brew and, with a
grimace, she swallowed it and gasped.
“Here.” Sam set the other tea
cup in place of the first and again guided the
woman’s hands to it. Elisa took a small sip and
smiled. This cup had been liberally laced with
sugar instead of alcohol.
“Thank you, again. You’re an
angel.” Sam remained silent with Elisa’s
statement.
Elisa cocked her head to the
side. She looked confused for a second.
“Why do you do that?” she asked
Sam after a moment. A second sip and she looked
at Sam as if she could see her clearly.
“You always withdraw when I give
you a compliment. Why do you do that?”
Sam frowned at the accuracy of
that statement.
“How can you tell?” she wondered
and hoped she could bide her time and not
answer.
“Your silence deepens.” Elisa
set her cup down and held her hands together to
stop them from showing any stress. Without
thinking Sam reached over and covered Elisa’s
hands with her own. She let the warmth of their
combined touch flow between them. Elisa lowered
her head and felt a calm envelope her. Sam
watched Elisa relax from the strain she had been
under. The entire experience was truly
frightening. Sam wished she could erase it from
Elisa’s memory.
“Thank you for listening.” Sam
said to the silent woman. Elisa smiled and
raised her eyes to look at Sam.
“Can I read your face? Would you
mind?” Elisa took Sam’s hands in-between her
own and lifted them to pull Sam closer. Sam had
moved a desk chair near the recliner and as
Elisa pulled her Sam hooked her foot around the
leg and scooted it closer. She wasn’t sure what
was being requested, but she felt better the
closer she was to Elisa.
Elisa reached out with her hands
and accurately pegged where Samantha’s head was
located. She encountered a skullcap and without
asking brushed it back until it came off she let
it drop down Sam’s back. Her hands felt the
warmth of the top of Sam’s head. With both
hands and using her thumbs to guide…she traced
from the top of the blonde hair down the
forehead. Her thumbs brushed lightly across the
eye sockets causing Sam to close her eyes. Her
touch slowed as she found a small scar at Sam’s
temple. Sam thought about the scar she had
received from a bad dodge of a whipping cane
during a fight. She did not mention her history
as a gang member. Elisa stroked her gentle
touch over the scar once more and then traveled
back over the eyes. On the other side of Sam’s
face she lingered over a small tattoo of a blue
tear created at the corner of her eye. Sam held
still. Elisa didn’t need to know the small scar
from a broken bottle had been covered by a
tattoo. Sam kept the scars as a reminder of her
past. She reached up to stop the moving touch.
The last thing she wanted was to be regarded
poorly by Elisa. An inner voice made its way
into her consciousness reminding her the ugly
past had been useful today in a way she didn’t
expect. Sam was satisfied by being able to
protect Elisa with every skill she possessed.
For once her fighting had been a good thing. A
whispered ‘please’ and Sam released the soft
hands to continue their exploring. Fingertips
traced around both ears as the hands moved
down. Sam smiled at the tickle.
A soft touch ran over her
cheekbones and then down around the curve of her
jaw line. Sam hoped Elisa didn’t feel her body
temperature rising as the caress continued.
Thumbs moved upward from the chin and followed
the lower curve of her lips. Trying to maintain
a consistent breathing level Sam clenched her
fist closed and then opened it again. Sensitive
tracing occurred over her lips and caused Sam to
swallow. Elisa seemed to linger and then
suddenly she was lowering her fingers to run
down the length of Sam’s neckline. Her hands
ended up feeling the broad powerful shoulders of
the smaller woman.
“You’re very beautiful.” Elisa
sighed. Sam was totally entranced and felt the
warmth of her breath as she spoke. Barely
registering the comment she visually caressed
the gorgeous woman. She responded without
thought.
“Not as beautiful as you.”
Realizing what she had just said
Sam leaned back in her chair and dropped all
contact with Elisa. The hands that had been
resting on her shoulders remained in the air,
searching. Elisa frowned. Sam defeated by the
obvious reproach on Elisa’s face gave in and
reached up to guide the searching hands downward
to her lap.
“I think I’d better go.” Sam
squeezed the hands and then released them to
stand. Elisa shook her head and stood at the
same time. They were so close together. Sam
drew in a sharp breath as Elisa returned her
hands to the broad shoulders before her. They
stood together. Neither one moving away, both
women explored the connection. Elisa ran her
hands from the shoulders down the upper arms
then back upward.
“Sam?” She said softly. Sam
looked up and found those light blue eyes.
“Please don’t leave. I don’t really…want to be
alone. Would you stay with me?” For a moment
Elisa seemed terribly fragile. Sam could barely
breathe from being so close. It had been some
time since she had allowed an attractive woman
to invade her personal space. She began listing
all the reasons why she shouldn’t.
“Yes, I’ll stay.” Sam heard
herself say. She closed her eyes, wincing at
her weakness for this woman. Only to have her
eyes fly wide open in shock when she felt a soft
kiss placed on her cheek.
“Thank you.” Elisa whispered as
she rubbed a thumb over the spot where she had
just kissed.
Sam watched as Elisa moved around
her to head toward a doorway to the left. She
reached up and touched where the kiss had been
placed. Again, her mind came up with many
reasons to avoid staying. She shoved them into
a corner and smiled over toward Theron. He
lifted his head and lolled a huge grin.
“I agree, boy. She has me
wrapped around her fingers too!”
A call from the bedroom and Sam
moved to enter a guest room. Elisa had quickly
fluffed up the pillows and was standing near the
bed. A slight frown was on her face. She held
a t-shirt in her hands.
“I have a t-shirt you can
borrow. You can sleep here and…” Elisa’s frown
deepened. “My room is right next door. I just
want someone close.” Sam looked at the tired
woman and took control.
“Go get ready for bed. I’ll be
fine.” She removed the t-shirt from Elisa and
turned her toward the door. Elisa sighed and
gave a slight smile.
Sam changed into the t-shirt and
looked at herself in the mirror. A bark of
laughter escaped at the reflection she
encountered. Cherry red long john thermals
covered her lower half while the huge t-shirt
swallowing her frame said Manchester Volleyball
in bright red. She was coordinated and looked
like a child wearing a grownups clothing.
Ignoring her appearance she
turned to find Elisa standing at the door
waiting.
“Are you ok?” Elisa sounded
worried.
“I’m fine. I’ll be right here if
you need me. OK?” Sam assured Elisa.
Elisa nodded and half turned from
the entrance. She hesitated then continued on
to her room down the hall.
Sam crawled into bed and turned
off the light. She lay listening to the night
sounds of the city outside. Passing cars and
neighbors muted talking. Sam frowned as another
sound invaded her hearing. Throwing back the
covers she moved quickly down the hall and stood
outside the other door. Looking into the
darkness she found the huddled form of Elisa. A
soft sob broke the night. Sam moved over to the
woman and put her hand down on the protruding
shoulder.
“Please don’t cry.” Sam
pleaded. Elisa only sobbed louder. Sam sat
down on the edge of the bed and wrapped her arms
around Elisa. She held on as the dam released.
Elisa cried for the total feeling of
helplessness she had endured. She moved into
the strong arms holding her and for the first
time in a long time felt a security she had been
missing. Sam held her long past the tears’
subsiding. Elisa sighed in the warmth of her
cocoon. She felt Sam shiver and realized Sam
was lying outside the blankets.
Elisa tugged the covers downward
between them and lifted them up to cover them
both. Sam’s skipping heartbeat thudded in her
chest as she felt Elisa reach upward to touch
her face in the dark. “I need…” Elisa
hesitated. Her thumb brushed over Sam’s lips
and Sam felt her heart melt. Lifting upward to
one elbow she let Elisa guide her face down to
her own.
Soft lips pressed into each
other. Sam trembled and released a groan as
Elisa parted her lips and invited Sam inward.
Guiding hands ran over Sam’s neck and fingers
invaded her short blonde hair to have
fingernails lightly scratch her scalp. Elisa
pulled Sam down closer as their kiss deepened.
Sam broke the searing kiss and
moved to kiss down Elisa’s jaw line. Elisa
breathed into Sam’s ear the very words Sam
craved.
“Yes! Touch me!”
The heat grew as the two bodies
moved together. Elisa drew the t-shirt barrier
from Sam as Sam unbuttoned the nightshirt Elisa
wore. They’re combined moan of hunger and
satisfaction sounded in the room as they merged
to press against each other. Breast to breast
they kissed and touched. Elisa pulled Sam’s
hips close and ground her body forward. Sam
inserted a strong thigh between the long legs of
her lover, demanding admittance. Legs parted
and Sam thrust into the heat of their joining.
“Samantha? Touch me! Take me,”
Elisa breathed as she filled her hands with her
lover’s body. Her fingers made Sam gasp as she
caressed the taut nipples and bit into the
neckline near her mouth.
Sam growled. Her hand slid
downward to enter the wetness. She felt Elisa
tremble.
“God yes!” Elisa cried out.
Sam stroked her lover and brought
her closer to the fire. Elisa arched upward as
Sam entered her. Once, then twice, her lover
urged her beyond. Then there was a cry of
surrender.
Sam kissed the tears that escaped
the corner of Elisa’s eyes. She brought her
down into the calmness of her surrender,
whispering words of peace. She urged the spent
lover to escape into sweet dreams of sleep.
Elisa collapsed into the embrace
and finally allowed herself to believe she was
safe.
Sam watched Elisa sleep. For
hours she pretended this was forever and her
precious lover would want so much more when she
awoke. Sam dreamed of this over and over. In
Elisa's arms, Sam felt worthy. The pain of the
scars in her soul eased, soothed by Elisa's
accepting touch. Alone, she was just Sam the
fuck up, the ex thug. Elisa, of course, would
never be just a blind woman. She was well-loved
and cared for. Sam smiled at the difference
between them.
If only!
Sam thought to herself. Taking one final look
at the Christmas gift she had been given, she
carefully unwrapped from her lover and left the
warmth. She shivered as she made her way to
retrieve her clothes.
Elisa could never love me. It
was just the release she wanted. Even a blind
person could see that.
Sam never even smiled at her
poorly phrased thought. She felt like she was
leaving her broken heart behind as she gave
Theron a final stroke on his head and left the
apartment. The snow began to fall.
A different street corner and
another Red Cross bucket partially filled, Sam
clapped her hands together. Christmas Eve had
arrived and she was still at it. Breathing her
warm breath out into the cold air, she brushed
the snowflakes from her shoulders every now and
then. People still made their way in and out as
they shopped for the final countdown. Sam
regretted not going back to find her silver
bell. She had been clapping her hands together
and trying to draw attention to the cause.
She smiled at a man who dropped
in a dollar. His Merry Christmas had her
responding with the same.
“Have a great New Year too!” she
stated as he moved to allow someone else to get
near. Sam heard the bell ringing before she
turned to look.
A huge German Sheppard was
standing nearby and panting into the cold air.
A small silver bell was attached to his
harness. Sam’s eyes flew up the leather harness
to the hand holding him. Her breath caught as
she took in the woman who had stolen her heart.
Elisa looked every bit the rich daughter of
Detroit’s foremost Construction Industries
builder Eric P. Vistali. Her Navy blue overcoat
was closed and tied casually at the waist. A
lighter blue scarf and mittens, along with a
black leather newsboy cap and black boots were
perfectly coordinated. Her guide dog even
looked smart standing next to her.
“Sam?” Elisa asked as she stepped
a bit closer holding out her hand. Sam
instantly stepped forward, clasping the free
hand into her own.
“I’m here, Elisa.” Elisa took
off her glove to touch her warm hands to Sam’s
cold cheek.
“How did you find…ahh your
father!” Sam lowered her head with slight
anger. Elisa nodded her head.
“Whatever it takes, Sam. I want
you in my arms forever.” Elisa declared
directly as she leaned down and in front of
every person passing by and kissed Samantha
Trenton with all the love she had inside her.
The kiss broke and an impromptu
audience clapped nearby. Sam blushed and tucked
her head into the wonderful smell and warmth of
Elisa Rae Vistali.
“Please Sam. Say you want me
too? I need to know.” A lone tear escaped her
light blue eyes. She blinked. Sam looked up
and, ripping off her glove, caught the
meandering drop before it fell into the snow.
“I want you forever, my love.
You’re every Christmas wish I’ve ever made.”
Sam kissed the spot where she had retrieved the
tear. Then she kissed another spot, and
another. She moved to Elisa’s lips and holding
near the corner of her mouth she whispered to
her lover and the one who had granted her dream
to come true.
“Merry Christmas to us.”
Theron shook his head causing the
silver bell to ring once again. A patron of the
store they were near was just walking out. He
heard the bell and walked over to drop in a
fiver. Theron barked a friendly bark and sat
down near the feet of his two mistresses. He
seemed to be grinning. It was going to be a
great holiday.
The End
