Dinner consisted of delicious salmon fillets and stir-fried vegetables.
“Bet you don’t usually eat this healthy in your country,” said Hildegard, which was promptly translated by Nadja.
“I like all kinds of food, but it’s true that most folks in the U.S. would prefer burgers, fries and eight-hundred-calorie milkshakes,” Rainbow said, smoothing down the nightie she wore.
After Nadja translated she told Rainbow she’d take her for burgers and fries over the weekend.
Her mother said something next, throwing a thumb over her shoulder at the counter behind her.
“Oh, yeah,” said Nadja.
“Oh, yeah, what?” asked Rainbow.
“Your medication. I have to give it to you.”
“I hate taking the stuff,” Rainbow whined. “It makes me so drowsy for the first few hours.”
Nadja translated for her mother and then for Rainbow. “Too bad, she said. You have to keep your word to the judge or else you’re back in the hospital. She also said to watch you and make sure you take it.”
Rainbow did nothing to hide her annoyance as she rolled her eyes. “I really hate being made to feel like a child or even a criminal.”
“Just take the damn pills, Rainbow,” Nadja said impatiently, glaring down at her with a look that suggested it’d be best not to argue.
Rainbow took the pills from her open hand.
“Thank you, ma’am,” Nadja said, now smiling and trying to brighten the mood. “You’re getting better both physically and mentally. I’ll bet mom agrees.”
She repeated her observations in German and then translated for Hildegard. “Physically yes, mentally no. Notice that while she’s said some nice things like when she complimented all the flowers she still hasn’t smiled even once?”
“And I’m never going to smile again,” Rainbow said.
Nadja translated.
Ignoring her, Hildegard tossed her wadded napkin on the table and spoke to Nadja.
“Oh yeah, that’s right,” said Nadja. “I gotta help you with your leg exercises, too.”
Her mother spoke again.
“What did she say?” Rainbow asked.
“She said yeah, it’s not easy taking care of someone else, is it? Then she reminded me that I never raised one kid let alone three as she has.”
“I’m not a kid,” Rainbow said and studied Hildegard as Nadja cleared the table. The older woman’s beauty was prominent in every feature of her face from her perfectly plucked eyebrows to her vivid blue eyes, and then from her perfect nose to her exquisite teeth. Even the spray of fine lines around the woman’s eyes and aging spots did nothing to detract from her beauty. They only made her appear more distinguished.
She tore her eyes from the woman’s unreadable gaze and began to push herself up onto her feet. Then she tried to gather her plate.
“Nein,” Hildegard said with an appreciative smile. “Danke, aber nein.”
“I’ll take care of it, sweetie,” said Nadja.
Hildegard stood up and guided Rainbow to the living room couch.
Rainbow thanked Hildegard for dinner in her shaky German.
Hildegard flashed a smile and then corrected her.
At least she knew I was telling her she was a good cook, thought Rainbow as she watched the woman move about the room. Hildegard was now wearing a yellow and blue striped housedress and it was the first time Rainbow saw her with her hair down as well. It fell in soft layered waves to just below her shoulders and her bangs reached her eyebrows. It seemed pretty thick for one her age.
After Nadja finished setting off the dishwasher and wiping down the counters, she joined them in the living room. “Ok, Lady Rainbow. On the floor.”
She helped guide her onto the floor but was sure to keep from blocking her mother’s view of the TV. Once they were comfortable enough, Nadja helped her with her leg exercises. This meant Rainbow had to move her legs, one at a time, to the back, front and sides to the best of her ability without assistance. Then Nadja would help her work through the full range of motions, allowing the muscles to stretch as far as they comfortably could.
“What’s the sign for exercise?” Nadja asked when they were done with the series of exercises.
Rainbow showed her, and then in German, she told her mother that Rainbow was teaching her sign language.
Her mother spoke in German.
“What?” Rainbow asked.
Chuckling Nadja said, “She said I should be teaching you more German.”
Rainbow laughed. “So are you staying here all week? Except for when you’re at work, of course.”
“Oh, no sweetie. Mom and I thought it best if I only stay in the middle of the week on Wednesdays, but remember, it’s only for two weeks,” Nadja told her.
“But today’s Wednesday. So that means you’re leaving for work in the morning and then I won’t see you until Friday night?”
“Friday afternoon,” Nadja said.
Sensing something was wrong, Hildegard asked Nadja something and Nadja spoke to her. Then she turned back to Rainbow. “You’ll be fine with mom, now stop whining, worrying, and getting all upset, ok?”
Rainbow looked into Nadja’s eyes. Her expression suggested she would be better off dropping the subject. Afraid to say anything more, Rainbow remained still as Nadja pulled herself up onto the couch behind her.
Rainbow remained still for a while. Eventually, she sat upright. Curious, she then half-crawled, half-slid along the carpet until she could peer around the living room entryway and down the hallway. Knowing it was none of her business but having nothing better to do anyway, she began to slowly move down the hall.
Once out of view of the others, Hildegard motioned for her daughter to go retrieve her new charge. Grinning, Nadja got up and found her halfway down the hall. “Now’s not a good time for worldly explorations, Miss Karson. Shall I escort you back now?”
Rainbow didn’t say anything as Nadja swooped down and lifted her up from under her arms. Her body momentarily fell upon hers. They gazed intently into one another’s eyes, aware of the heat that the contact had sparked within them.
“Come,” Nadja said, still gazing into her eyes.
She walked her back into the living room where she thought she might’ve seen Hildegard trying to hide a look of amusement.
A moment later she lay on the couch alongside Nadja, surprised to realize how tired she was. Just minutes later she felt her eyelids grow heavy with sleep even though it was still relatively early in the evening. She slept peacefully with an occasional awareness of the two other women’s soft chatter as they talked and watched TV. Their presence gave her a sense of comfort, even if she still wasn’t sure what to make of Hildegard.
She wasn’t even sure what to make of Nadja anymore.
Rainbow awoke in the dark. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the soft glow coming from the low-wattage bulb over the stove in the adjacent kitchen.
Nadja’s body felt warm beside hers and she could feel her faint, steady rhythmic breathing against her neck.
She turned her head toward the television and read the digital display on the clock above it. It was after midnight.
She became aware of the fact that she had to pee. Not wanting to wake Nadja up, she rolled herself over the edge of the couch and onto the floor. Then she began to crawl toward the kitchen. Once she entered the kitchen she was unable to move as fast because the hard floor beneath her hurt her knees.
She bumped into a chair.
Damn it! She really needed some crutches.
Nadja was awakened by the sound, got up, and came toward her. “Hey, what are you doing?”
“I had to pee.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?”
“I didn’t want to bother you and I thought I could manage on my own.”
“Oh, don’t be silly. It would take you forever, and I told you to wake me up, didn’t I?” Nadja said, somewhat annoyed as she swooped down and lifted her to her feet.
Hildegard also heard the commotion and joined them a moment later. Nadja told her what happened and then brought Rainbow into the bathroom. When she was done and they re-entered the living room Hildegard motioned her onto the couch first so she would have to wake Nadja if she wanted to get up for some reason.
Rainbow apologized in German for waking her, but Hildegard simply gave a curt nod before heading back into her bedroom. Then Rainbow closed her eyes, feeling worse for others than for herself over the fact that she was so damn helpless.
But that feeling was quickly replaced by desire as she concentrated on Nadja’s body lying closely against hers. Their bodies stiffened as they both became acutely aware of one another. Nadja’s hands began to wander to places untouched since well before the tragedy. They could almost hear each other’s heartbeats as Nadja whispered, “Sorry, Lady Rainbow. You’re beautiful. You’re here. And I’m only human.”
“I’m not complaining,” Rainbow said, guiding her hand under the thin fabric of her short nightie and to her hardened nipples.
Nadja’s other hand slipped beneath her silken panties.
They kissed as Nadja’s fingers found Rainbow’s most delicate spot and began a rhythmic motion that soon turned her longing into desperateness. The closer Nadja brought her to ecstatic release, the more desperate Nadja became as well. Eventually, they both climaxed, bodies shuddering against one other with sweet relief.
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