Play It Again, Sam

Part 1

"Come on Tallulah girl, it's going to be ok. Mommy just needs some coffee before we fly out this morning," said the petite blonde nearing the head of the line. The other, not so amused customers, ignored her as she tried to juggle a diaper bag, flight bag and a red faced crying infant.

"Lizzy calm down. I'm not concerned over your siblings or your father. Whatever is going to happen, is going to happen so no sense worrying about it," said Poppy to the small woman walking next to her. When the small blonde frowned over her comment, Poppy continued, "Don't worry buttercup, we won't go down without a fight."

"Are you sure you want to wait in this line? There are coffee shops at the airport you know," asked the still scowling Elizabeth. Raquel Poppy Valente was the young attorney's only client. Poppy, as her friends and family knew her, had been there when Lizzy had graduated from high school, college and finally law school. The thought of working for anyone else had never crossed Elizabeth's mind.

          "They don't have this kind of coffee Lizzy, and didn't your mama ever tell you not to make faces like that? Good Lord, that child sounds like its about to have a major melt down," commented Poppy. Poppy watched as the young mother bounced the child trying to get it to stop crying. I guess that's who she is, thought Poppy.

          "If you can't control your children better than that, you shouldn't take them out where they can annoy decent people like us," expounded the middle aged woman in front of them. "Madame I'm sure that no one has ever mistaken you for someone decent," replied Poppy. Leaving Elizabeth to hold their place in line and deal with the miffed customer in front, Poppy headed for the young woman and child.

          "Sorry ma'am, she hasn't had her coffee yet," said Elizabeth with an insincere smile.

          "May I offer you a hand?' asked Poppy. Standing next to the woman and baby, she could see that the mother was as frustrated as the baby. With the knowledge that most people were mistrusting of strangers, if you considered the nightly news, Poppy was surprised by the willingness of the young woman to accept assistance.

          Julia Johnson wanted to cry in relief when the offer of help came from the soft velvet voice next to her. Without hesitation the flight bag and diaper bag were handed off so that she could concentrate on her daughter. Once her savior was loaded down with her possessions it was Julia's turn to order. "A café au lait decaf please and a blueberry muffin." The clerk nodded then turned her attention to the pack mule standing next to the blonde and smiled. "And what do you desire good looking?" asked the clerk with the nametag that read Megan. Megan's arched brow looked a little funny to both the women standing across from her when they noticed the spike piercing it had through it. Poppy waited until the girl had finished her visual perusal before placing her order. "A viente latte and a cup of hot tea, Earl Grey, please."

          "That will be thirteen fifty-five all together," said Megan. She watched as a hand with long fingers slipped into the front pocket of immaculate black pleated pants and extracted a gold money clip that had a flower engraved on it in place of a name or initials. It's a shame she's taken, thought Megan as she looked over the whole package again. Poppy pealed off a twenty from the folded bills and pressed it into the teenager's hand. "Here you go kid, keep the change. You're good for my self image." The rich laugh that followed caused Julia to look up and join the infatuated clerk in taking in her benefactor.

          It was the sight of the laughing tall stranger that brought Julia out of the frustrated mood she had been in. She realized all her money was in the flight bag she had so readily handed over, and that the businesswoman had paid for her order. The only one not impressed with Poppy was Tallulah, who was still crying with abandon in her mother's arms.

          "I can't let you pay for my breakfast," said Julia. She was still bouncing the baby trying to get her to stop crying, noticing for the first time that most of the other patrons looked annoyed with her. Julia followed her luggage, which was still attached to the woman she had given them to, out to the coffee preparation area. "Why not?" asked Poppy.

          "Why not what?" asked a confused Julia.

          "Why can't I buy you breakfast? Is there some law or religious reasons why I wouldn't be able to?" countered Poppy.

          "No, it's just that I don't know you and I don't want to impose," said Julia over the wailing going on over her right shoulder. The baby was trying to crawl over her body and the cries made it seem like Tallulah was in pain.

          "Why can't they talk from the beginning?" Julia asked softly in a rhetorical question. She watched as Poppy placed a tea bag in the cup of hot water squeezed a wedge of lemon into it then placed the lid back so it would stay hot. Funny she doesn't seem like the tea type, thought Julia. Before she could analyze why she would care what kind of morning beverage the woman should be drinking, Julia saw a beautiful blonde walk up and take the cup then retreat back towards the door. Figures, was the next thought that ran through Julia's mind much to her own surprise.

          "What? I'm sorry," said Julia after the snapping fingers brought her back to the coffee shop. "How do you take your coffee?" asked Poppy. "Three sugars thanks," Julia replied.

          "They can talk from the beginning ma'am, you just have to listen to what they are saying," said Poppy. She shook three sugar packets getting the granules to go to one side before ripping them open.

          "Excuse me?" asked Julia.

          "What?" asked Poppy. She smiled thinking that talking to this young mother was fun. Either the woman was punchy from all the crying, or Poppy was throwing her off balance.

          "What do you mean they can talk from the beginning?" Julia elaborated. The bouncing and the back patting were not working and Tallulah was only crying louder.

          "The kid's got colic. She doesn't need to tell you verbally, the crying and the leg kicking are a dead give away. And as we all know there is only one sure cure for colic, care to give it a try?" asked Poppy.

          "At this point I'm willing to try anything. Poor thing has been crying like this since yesterday," said Julia.

          Poppy put both their cups down at a table out in front of the coffee shop they had just walked out of. Pulling the chair out for the two small blondes, she sat close to Julia and held her arms out. The young mother noticed that the blonde the child expert had come in with was off by the door of the shopping center speaking into a cell phone. With a little apprehension, she handed Tallulah over into large capable looking hands and sat back to see this miracle cure.

          The six week old was red and hot from the crying she had done up to this point, and Poppy noticed the little legs encased in a sleeper with pink teddy bears all over it were pulled close into the child's stomach. Putting one of her hands behind Tallulah's head, Poppy faced the baby toward her so that she could rub her stomach with her other hand. For the first time in what seemed like days, Julia was greeted with silence. With the comforting hand rubbing her where it hurt the small forest green eyes opened and focused on the person in front of her. Both Tallulah and her mother listened as the miracle worker started singing softly as she continued her massage.

          ~~~

          Goodnight, my angel Time to close your eyes And save these questions for another day I think I know what you've been asking me I think you know what I've been trying to say

          I promised I would never leave you And you should always know Wherever you may go No matter where you are I never will be far away

          Goodnight, my angel Now it's time to sleep And still so many things I want to say Remember all the songs you sang for me When we went sailing on an emerald bay

          And like a boat out on the ocean I'm rocking you to sleep The water's dark And deep inside this ancient heart You'll always be a part of me Good night, my angel

          Now it's time to dream And dream how wonderful your life will be Someday your child may cry And if you sing this lullaby Then in your heart There will always be a part of me

          Someday we'll all be gone But lullabys go on and on... They never die That's how you And I Will be

          ~~~

          Poppy ended the song quietly as she cradled the sleeping infant to her shoulder. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply to take in the essence of the life she held and smiled. Children had never crossed her mind, as in having them, but Poppy did enjoy the feel of them in her arms, and liked to play with the multitude of children that were part of her life because of her friends.

          Julia watched as her tempestuous daughter curled up on the broad shoulder and fell asleep for the first time in twenty-four hours. The baby had looked up at her serenador with droopy green eyes and quieted down as her stomach had been rubbed. Whoever this woman was, she was a godsend as far as Julia was concerned, so any nervousness of having a stranger holding Tallulah was vanishing.

          She leaned over the table and extended her hand in greeting, "I know I'm kinda late but I'm Julia and that young lady you're holding is Tallulah."

          "Heck maybe I was wrong and the kid doesn't have a stomach ache, she's just protesting getting stuck with the name Tallulah," said Poppy quietly. As she started to make circling motions along the baby's back, Poppy looked into another set of green eyes, only these didn't look all that happy.

          "For your information, Tallulah is my grandmother's name. My grandmother that raised me from the time I was as old as the baby you now hold, so no cracks about her name," said Julia a little more forcefully than she really meant. Poppy's reaction was no different than everyone else she knew who had tried to dissuade her from saddling the infant with the old name.

          "I'm sorry. I was just joking, Tallulah is a beautiful name. It's just one you don't hear very often these days. May she be as unique as her name, and as special as your grandmother obviously is to you. I am pleased to meet you both, my name is Poppy Valente," said Poppy still holding the hand Julia had extended toward her.

          "Your name is Poppy and you're making fun of Tallulah," said Julia with a twinkle in her eye.

          "Actually my name is Raquel Poppy Valente but people call me Poppy," answered Poppy with an added arched brow to her comment.

          "But don't you think Poppy is a stranger name than Tallulah?" asked Julia with persistence.

          "For your information Poppy is my mother's name. The mother that raised me from the time I was born, so no cracks about her name," said the tall woman. Whoever this small blonde was, Poppy found her delightful. And when Poppy considered it had been awhile since she had found delight in anything or anyone, it was a surprise to discover it in a coffee shop in the middle of a shopping mall. Life had lost so much meaning in the past two years after having lost the one thing that had grounded her.

          "I thought you said your name was Raquel?" asked Julia. Julia kept her hand where it was when she felt the warmth of the larger one it was encased in. No wonder you fell asleep so quickly Tallulah, this woman is magic.

          "It is. I'm named after both my parents," started Poppy, before she was interrupted again.

          "Your father's name is Raquel?" asked a surprised Julia.

          "No it's not smart ass. My dad's name is Raphael, and as you already know my mother's name is Poppy. Only no one calls her that," continued Poppy. "What is she called?" came the next interruption.

          "If you would sit there quietly, I would have the opportunity to tell you. Her middle name is Isabelle and that is what she goes by. Poppy, which is an old family name on her side, got passed to me.

          Now that you know my whole name history Miss Julia, is there a car seat or stroller that you would like me to put Miss Tallulah in? I hate to put your kid to sleep and run but I have a plane to catch and I'm sure that I'm running late by now," said Poppy.

          "I'm sorry Poppy. I hope that I can call you Poppy?" asked Julia. Continuing with her statement after getting a head nod from the woman across from her. "Actually her car seat is up in the hotel room but I'm sure I can manage if you give me my stuff back. We're heading to the airport too."

          "Nonsense. Lizzy," said Poppy in a low voice. The small blonde attorney in the taupe colored suit dropped her empty cup in the garbage and walked over to her employer. "Yes?" asked Elizabeth. "Could you call and have the car brought around and arrange for one for my two friends here. I'll be right back," said Poppy standing up, she towered over the two women standing next to her. She leaned down and handed the baby back to Julia and picked up the woman's bags intent on following her upstairs and helping her with her things.

          The glass elevator in the Canal Place shopping center in New Orleans headed toward the eleventh floor where the lobby of the Westin Hotel was located. Both women looked at each other when they thought the other wouldn't notice. After noticing an important thing about her blonde companion, Poppy decided to carry out her good deed for the day, then be on her way.

          There on Julia's left ring finger sat a diamond engagement ring and wedding band. About two and a half carats, thought Poppy. At least the bastard's not cheap; he certainly has good taste in women. From her side of the elevator car, Julia too noticed the wide platinum wedding band on her new friend's left ring finger. It was plain but seemed to suit the wearer, who with her height and good looks didn't need much adornment. In actuality the only adornment on the ring was engraved on the inside. You Make Me Sing - C.

          They took another set of elevators to the eighteenth floor where Julia and Tallulah's room was located. After seeing the amount of luggage the young woman had, Poppy picked up the phone and called for a porter to help them. While she was on the phone, Poppy watched Julia strap the baby into the car seat carefully so as not to wake her.

          "Yes Ms. Valente someone is on the way up now. I apologize for not realizing that you were staying with us ma'am," said the person stationed at the concierge desk. "I'm not a guest, just helping someone out. Could you step outside and tell Elizabeth that I'll be down directly please?" requested Poppy. She hung up after getting a quick reply then headed toward the door after hearing the soft knock.

          Out in the hall stood two porters waiting to come in and load up Julia's possessions. Standing next to the car seat, which was sitting on the bed, Julia was amazed at the quick response Poppy had gotten out of the hotel staff and how quiet they were being because of the sleeping baby. Nodding her head when Poppy tilted her head toward the baby asking a silent question as to whether Julia wanted her to carry the loaded seat, Julia followed them all out the door toward the elevator.

          Downstairs the base of the baby's car seat was strapped into place in the black Lincoln Towncar that would take them to the airport. The door was held open by a middle-aged man wearing a dark suit and driver's cap as two porters made quick work of loading the bags into the trunk. They both thanked Poppy for the generous tip she had evidentially given them, then headed back up to the lobby. Behind the car that was waiting to take Julia to the airport stood another one just like it with two women standing next to the back door, both pointing to their watches.

          "That would be my cue to get going I'm afraid. Julia, it was a pleasure having breakfast with you and your daughter this morning. May you have a pleasant flight wherever you are going today," said Poppy. She took possession of Julia's hand again to shake it in farewell, finding that she liked the way it felt in hers.

          "Thank you for all this. I don't know if I would have survived the morning without you, Poppy. It was a pleasure meeting you too, and thanks for your song. Can I pay you back for the coffee or anything?" asked Julia. For the first time since they met, Julia looked up and saw that the color of Poppy's eyes were Caribbean blue. It was the only color that she could think of to describe them. They were the same color as the water in all those travel brochures that showed the blue green vistas around the resort locations. It was a striking combination when you put it together with the jet-black hair that looked slightly curly and was pulled into a short ponytail. As she felt Poppy start to pull her hand away, Julia felt a sad wave cross over her heart at the thought of never seeing the tall interesting woman again.

          "My treat, and you can thank Billy Joel for the Lullaby song. You just take care of that little baby in there and yourself as well. Have fun on your trip and maybe we'll run into each other again," said Poppy. On impulse she kissed the petite hand she had been holding before letting go and walking back to her car. Julia watched as the two beautiful women that had been waiting by the car got in behind Poppy, and then lost sight of all of them behind the dark tinted windows.

          "Who was that boss?" asked Susanna Hebert, Poppy's administrative assistant. "Someone who is wondering if all strangers in coffee shops sing to crying children I'm sure, Sus. Just someone I helped out this morning so don't make a big thing out of it please," answered Poppy. The two blondes sat in the back of the car with their tall boss and watched her pick imaginary lint off the trousers she had on, both wondered what was going on under that black curly hair.

          They had grown used to Poppy's bouts of silence, so Elizabeth and Susanna left her to her thoughts. Both missed the carefree person she had been only two years prior but had yet to find what would bring that Poppy back. Sometimes it took only a city sight or a phrase to plunge Poppy back into the hole she had dug for herself, though the girls thought that she was getting better. When they saw the tall lanky form sink back into the leather seat and expel a sigh, they looked out of the window on the other side and left their boss and friend to relive whatever memory was playing in her head now.

          The events of the morning flooded Poppy's brain with memories of when she first met Carly. It would prove to be the turning point of her life and no matter how much pain she was in now, given the opportunity Poppy wouldn't change anything about their time together. Sinking into the soft leather of the car, she allowed herself to go back to that time in her life and remember the woman that held her heart and had taught her how to love.

          * * *

          She was playing the guitar in the corner of the crowed bar, some slow jazz tune that blended well with the whispered conversations going on around the room. This wasn't her usual gig but there were two more semesters to go at Tulane and crowed joints full of drunk college students drinking quarter cent beers wasn't going to help her accomplish her goals, one of which was a diploma without the burden of student loans. So wearing her only good black pants and a white shirt, Poppy figured she would strum out as many maudlin songs as they could handle.

          The groups that gathered at the Oak Bar in the Royal Orleans Hotel every night never seemed to differ. It was the upper crust of what the city had to offer, which to Poppy meant those willing to pay eight bucks a drink that were poured in the smallest glasses the hotel could procure. Tonight was different though. Tonight in the corner opposite from where she sat playing was a group of three women who were on at least their fourth round, and laughing louder than anyone had in this stuffy establishment in a long time.

          The brunette in the middle sat flanked by two blondes. One short and one tall but both had their heads thrown back laughing at something the brunette had just finished telling them. The other older patrons scattered throughout the bar would look their way disapprovingly every so often to convey their displeasure at their behavior. Every scowl thrown in their direction only seemed to drive the volume of the laughing up a notch, and the waiter over with the next round.

          Poppy watched as the brunette retrieved a large purse off the floor by her feet, and pull out her wallet. Removing something before she set it back on the floor, the woman got up and strolled toward Poppy. As she watched the roll of her hips and the ease of her smile, Poppy forgot the next notes of the song she had been playing and just stopped. With a loose grip on the neck of the guitar she just sat there until the woman came to a stop in front of her.

          "Do you happen to know any Buffet?" the woman asked.

          "Buffet?" asked Poppy. She could feel the blush that was running up her face and the beginning of the nervous tick that made her leg bounce. This woman was making Poppy sweat and she had asked something but a fog had settled in Poppy's brain that rendered her unable to answer.

          "Jimmy Buffet," responded the woman. She smiled as if enjoying the affect she was having on the young woman in front of her. She leaned over and stuffed a twenty dollar bill into the pocket of the shirt Poppy had on before continuing the one sided conversation. "Margarita Ville, Pensacola Run or anything else along those lines?"

          Poppy sat there mesmerized until the hand waving in front of her face brought her back to her senses. "Sure I know some Buffet tunes, they just don't let me do them in here," answered Poppy. The heat that radiated off her ears, Poppy was sure was enough to cook an egg at this point and all the woman had done was make a song request.

          "Well one of the patrons has made a request... um?" the brunette left the question hanging. She leaned over a bit more as a sign of wanting to continue the conversation.

          "Poppy, my name is Poppy," answered the guitarist. The way she answered made it sound like she was trying to convince herself that it was the correct name she had given. Before extending her hand for a more formal introduction, Poppy wiped it on the black pants because for some reason she wanted to make a good impression.

          "Nice to meet you Poppy, my name is Carly Stevens and those two wild women sitting over there with me are Ginger Thorenson and Matlin Moore. Now that you know who we are, we would like to hear some Buffet if you please," said Carly. She had trouble getting her hand back from the young woman in front of her, not that Poppy held it too tight; it was that she just didn't want to let go. When Poppy had held her hand out for an introduction, Carly had immediately noticed how large the young woman's hand was. When it enveloped her own, she felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and safety she had never experienced in her life, not even as a child with her parents. Carly walked back to her seat with the knowledge that Poppy's eyes were glued to her, and to her surprise, considering her upbringing, it didn't bother her in the least. It actually felt good to her to have those blue eyes trained on only her. I wonder how I can get you to do that for the rest of your days Poppy?

          Hooking the guitar strap on and standing, Poppy gave the ladies their wish that night by performing all of the Buffet songs she had in her repertoire. Her boss was about to reprimand her until he was called to the table where Carly and her friends where sitting and she didn't see him for the rest of the night. She made enough tips that one night from some of the other Buffet enthusiasts in the audience, to pay for her next semester books, which she had to purchase the next day.

          The college education she was working on was something that Poppy's parents, Raphael and Isabelle, wanted more than she did. They weren't poor but the Valente family had what her mother called 'a healthy respect for the dollar', since there weren't many to go around. It was lucky that Poppy had a natural musical talent that paid for the education Tulane provided for a premium price, which in turn was her mother's favorite subject when she sat for a visit with her friends. Not the part where Poppy was out in bars all night making a living, but the - 'my kid is going to graduate from Tulane' - part. What Isabelle didn't realize until much later was that the late nights were paying for more than just Poppy's education. They were bankrolling her dreams.

          A little bleary eyed the next morning; Poppy went up and down the aisles of the Tulane bookstore. She pulled books and other material out as she went and added them to the growing pile under her arm. Poppy had scheduled an extra class for the spring semester, which would allow her to take the summer off to work and finish up in the fall. After she walked across the stage in December she would embark on the plan she had formulated two summers before that, when she had worked on the island of Aruba.

          Caught up in a dream of swaying palm trees and thick cushioned chaise lounges, Poppy didn't see the woman that stood behind her. Only after she backed into her and then saw the woman sprawled on the ground did Poppy realize it was the woman from the night before. Carly just looked up and laughed at the shocked expression on Poppy's face over their chance second meeting.

          "I am so sorry Ms. Stevens, I didn't see you standing there," started Poppy. She had dropped to her knees next to Carly and was picking up all the merchandise she had dropped on the woman in their crash. In the light of day, Poppy found the delightful smile of the older woman just as enchanting as she had the night before, and to Poppy's surprise the blush that had graced her face from the night before was back in full force.

          "Poppy what a surprise bumping into you here," said Carly. She laughed at her own joke and looked up into the handsome face above hers, now red as the coke can the young woman had put down to help her up. "Don't worry Poppy no harm done. I may be older than you are, but I'm far from fragile."

          "It's just that I'm usually not so clumsy and dumb witted although I have been nothing but since meeting you. Why don't you let me pay for all this stuff and then I'll treat you to breakfast down the street?" asked Poppy. She had piled all her stuff next to Carly and then sat on her heels waiting for the woman's reply.

          "That my dear is the best offer I've had all morning. Lead on oh clumsy and dull witted one," said Carly with a clear tease in her voice. "Hey I'm clumsy and dumb witted but I guarantee that you will never find me dull," answered Poppy.

          They headed to the registers together and paid for their selections then walked to Poppy's car to drop off their stuff. "It's only about four blocks from here Ms. Stevens, so do you mind walking?" asked Poppy.

          "Please Poppy if I am going to have breakfast with you we have to be clear on two things," said Carly. The sternness in Carly's voice made the blue eyes she had been looking into take on a hint of sadness, and she wanted to take back her comment so she softened her voice when she saw the solemn nod coming from Poppy. "One you have to call me Carly, and two you have to tell me your last name. Or are you one of those musician types that only goes by one name?"

          "No ma'am, I mean Carly," said Poppy. Relief flooding her body that she hadn't struck out before the game even began. "My name is Raquel Poppy Valente, but my friends all call me Poppy. So if it's going to be Carly for you, it's got to be Poppy for me."

          "Deal. Now take me to some food before I pass out," said Carly. She lived in the uptown area of New Orleans with her family, so she had narrowed down the locations of where the young woman wanted to go depending on the direction they headed off in. When they headed toward the river from where Poppy had parked her car, Carly could only hope that a Burger King sandwich wasn't in her future.

          Carly was perfectly charmed by the young woman from the beginning of their walk. From the way she listened to what Carly's opinions were on the subjects they covered, to the way she held her elbow when they reached the street corners to make sure Carly crossed safely. Something about Poppy made her feel alive and young again, and from that morning Carly decided that she would find a way to spend more time with her. As they sat next to each other at the counter of the Camellia Grill, one of New Orleans's oldest traditions, they spent the morning talking about a whole slew of topics. From the chili that was drowning the omelet Poppy was eating, to the problems of today's politics.

          The morning ended too soon for Carly's liking and she found herself being escorted back to her car by her breakfast date. She found that Poppy's baritone voice was both addictive and soothing. From their morning meal conversation Carly found out that Poppy was a senior in management, worked to pay her way through school, lived at home to save money and was a month shy of twenty. Considering that she was a month past her forty-second birthday, the thought of spending more time with the attractive Poppy faded with each step they took back into reality. They had walked past four different young beautiful women on their way back, and none of them seemed to have a problem in greeting Poppy with a firm hug and a firm kiss on the mouth. The young woman took it all in stride and even had the decency, Carly thought, to look slightly uncomfortable with all the attention.

          By the time they retrieved Carly's books from Poppy's car and the fifth girl had given Poppy her fifth kiss of the late morning, Carly was angry. It was an anger she didn't understand, but it didn't make it any less real of an emotion. Even though she had declined Poppy's company, the young woman had walked Carly to her car. The last block of their walk was done in silence. They stood next to the BMW sedan still not talking, the ease of the earlier conversation gone so Carly took the opportunity to study the person in front of her.

          Poppy had to be one of the most beautiful people Carly had ever seen. If she had to guess Carly would put Poppy's height at six feet, the hair color would have to be black or very dark brown and the eyes were definitely blue. The blue jean encased legs were long and ended in jogging shoes, and in the other direction the broad shoulders were covered by a Tulane sweatshirt. Poppy wore no jewelry except for a gold chain around her neck that only glistened in the sun every so often. It was worn, Carly guessed, for more sentimental value than for adornment. The big hands she had admired the night before were stuck in the jean pockets as far down as they would go, and the handsome face with the cheek bones to die for held a hint of longing.

          "Look Carly, I'm sorry about all those girls this morning. There is something about me you should know before you commit to spending any time with me, or you are seen out in public with me. I'm gay and I don't hide that fact from anyone. The girls this morning were all just friends of mine, as in just friends. I've only dated one person seriously, and this being Louisiana, she thought it would be best if she got married and had a bunch of kids. You probably have an address book full of friends, but I would like to see you again. To have lunch or coffee or something," Poppy finished in a hurry. She had figured the anger that was fairly palatable coming off of Carly had to do with the woman's deduction that Poppy wasn't a sorority girl.

          "Why would you want to spend time with me when you obviously have the pick of the litter?" asked Carly. Time to find out if the young woman just wanted to toy with her emotions, or was just out looking for a free ride.

          Almost as if she had crawled in her head and heard Carly's silent question Poppy answered her. "I don't want anything from you Carly, except maybe to be your friend. I know I could always use one, and you look like you could stand another one in your life. Come on you know you want to. You could sit there and watch me clog my arteries with chili while I regal you with my wisdom of life," said Poppy. She leaned against the side of the black sedan they were standing next to and waited for Carly's response. There was something about the woman, who was at least a foot shorter than she was, with her brown hair and green eyes that spoke to Poppy's heart, and she didn't want to stop listening just yet. The two times Poppy had seen her, Carly had been dressed to impress, but she got the feeling the woman did it because it was her style and not what others would think about what she had on. When she heard the beep of the car's alarm system, Poppy thought she had her answer.

          "Where are you playing tonight Poppy?" asked Carly as she opened the door to the car. The part of Carly's brain that was screaming for her to just drive away and forget about the night before, and the morning after was beat into submission by her heart. When she looked from her seat, Carly watched the genuine smile that broke out across Poppy's face and thought, the cruelties of life haven't gotten to that smile yet my young friend. My one hope for you is that they never will.

          "A little dive in the quarter called the Tropical Isle. The tips are good and I get to play all the stuff I like, which would include, but will not be limited to, some Buffet songs. If you and your friends stop by, I promise to sing you a special song," said Poppy. She placed one hand on the hood and the other on the car door as she waited for Carly's response.

          "I'm usually not a little dive kind of girl but life's too short not to try new things, so why the hell not. There is something about you Poppy, that makes me want to....," started Carly.

          "Yes, makes you want to what?" asked a teasing Poppy.

          "You make me want to sing Poppy, and no one before you has ever done that."

          * * *

          Poppy rubbed the ring on her left hand that held a variation of those words as she watched the passing landscape. The memories had gotten easier. The tears that they usually brought were held in her eyes giving Poppy a glassy look, instead of streaming down her face like they had for so long. That meeting of two hearts seemed like an old cliché of a lifetime ago, and it almost seemed funny that it took them so long to figure that out.

          "Don't you want to talk about the case before we get in there?" asked Elizabeth. She felt it was all right to talk since there was movement coming from the left side of the car. When she rubbed the ring on her left hand it usually meant that Poppy was back from her trips to the past and ready to talk business.

          "No. We've been through this a dozen times Lizzy and there is nothing new to discuss. I have the videotape and I have her will, what more do you possibly think is relevant to this case. Your mother was in her right mind when she died, and nothing your father or your blood-sucking siblings can say is going to change that fact. They want my money; they are going to have to kill me for it. I would have gladly given them what they are asking for if they had visited her once in that last month, just once. Hell, I would have even left the house if I was the reason they wouldn't come, but they didn't so, I say fuck them," Poppy screamed across the car. The whole thing was in bad taste, in her opinion, but after seeing the defeated look on Elizabeth's face she calmed down immediately.

          "I'm sorry Lizzy, you know this is making me crazy. I loved her with all that I was capable of and it wasn't enough to save her, and it wasn't enough to make your brother and sister see that by not giving her the opportunity to say good-bye, they broke her heart. Lizzy I can't forgive that, ever. She called me a stubborn Cuban all of my life and I guess this is no exception. Sorry I yelled at you Lizzy," said Poppy. She reached over and took Elizabeth's hand in hers and marveled at how much the young woman's skin resembled her mother's. The fingers were even the same and they fit together with her larger ones just the same.

          Elizabeth was a constant reminder of all that she had lost, but the young attorney had never worked for anyone but Poppy, and Carly's death wouldn't change that. It was unfortunate for her in that the lawsuit brought by part of the Stevens's family had drawn a line in the sand for the young blonde. Her family thought she was a traitor when she crossed that line and joined forces with Poppy on the other side, but it was the right thing to do after watching her mother die with only one of her children by her side. Besides, Elizabeth thought, Poppy had been a part of her family for years now and nothing would ever change that. There wasn't an important date in her life that the young woman didn't remember looking up and seeing those blue eyes shining back at her. Growing up she had sometimes wished that it had been her sitting in that bar that night instead of her mother, but seeing the happiness her mother experienced the last ten years of her life was worth the sacrifice of her school girl crush.

          Poppy loved her, but only as a parent would love a child, even though their ages weren't all that different. The one thing Elizabeth wished that Poppy would come to realize is that her mother didn't die of a broken heart, but with a full heart after she had lived the best fifth of her life with the woman who now held her hand.

          "I'm sorry about all the problems this is causing with your family Lizzy. My wish was that it wouldn't come to this," said Poppy. She squeezed the hand she held and smiled for Elizabeth. The truth was the situation made her sick. If given a choice she would give the money the Stevens children had demanded to the first big guy she found, if he promised to beat the crap out of the lot of them.

          Like her mother Elizabeth had learned to read the different expressions on Poppy's face, and the one she saw now caused her to laugh. "No Poppy you can't have them killed or maimed for the trouble they are causing. Once they figure out what you have in mind I'm sure they will rethink any litigation in the future. Just promise me that you will stay in complete control in there, no sudden outbursts and no cursing. Do you promise?" asked Elizabeth.

          "Not even a kiss my ass?" asked Poppy. She poked her bottom lip out in her trademark pout and sighed loudly for effect.

          "Don't start with me Poppy, I mean it. I want you to look like the calm, cool and collected one at this morning's proceedings. Between my brother's temper and my father's righteous indignation the judge will be beating someone with the gavel before this is all over. Mom made her wishes clear in a room full of her friends and family and nothing they can say now is going to change that. On another subject Poppy, it's time that you started to forgive yourself. You didn't cause her cancer and there was nothing you could have done to change the outcome. I want the old Poppy back. Do you remember that person? The Poppy that was quick with a song, a laugh and knew how to enjoy the hell out of life, remember her?" asked Elizabeth.

          "Yeah Lizzy, I remember her. A big part of her died out on that beach two years ago and hell if I know how to revive her. Your mother was more than just my soul mate Lizzy; she was my playmate and my friend. I can't tell you how many times I pick up the phone to call her and talk about some problem I'm having, or just to say I love you, when I remember that I can't. I guess that part of me is still angry with her for leaving me here alone. But knowing Carly the way I did, she is probably riding the waves at the new place and having a ball without us and wondering why everyone is so sad. I just miss her Lizzy," said Poppy. The playful pout had disappeared and the tears she had valiantly tried to keep in where now fell freely down her face. She was tired of crying, but the pain was still so fresh. Poppy didn't know how to stop.

          Part 2

          They arrived at Lakefront Airport for their short trip to Baton Rouge and were met by Poppy's pilot, Bob. He had flown combat missions in 'Nam', as he referred to it, and there were times when Poppy was sure that he still thought that Charlie was still on his ass. She had paid more fines for buzzing towers around the globe with the old guy than she cared to count. But Carly had found and hired him, so until he either crashed and killed them all or was too old to fly, Bob was a fixture. In any case he keeps my fingers nice and strong from clutching the armrest, thought Poppy.

          "We are ready for departure Commander," said Bob. When he saw Poppy get out of the car he snapped to attention and saluted. She wore different types of uniforms than what he was used to, but the nice lady that had gotten him the assignment had made it clear this was the top honcho.

          Poppy snapped to attention from beside the car and saluted back, it was just easier that way, she figured. The guy was many cards short of a full deck, but he had yet to kill her in the air and that had to count for something. "Good, soldier, now carry on we have to be on the ground by eleven hundred hours. After our mission, Lieutenant Wallis, I want you to be standing by to fly the girls back to home base. I want you to be ready to fly another mission once we land. This is a need to know mission, so please don't mention it to the other soldiers. Are we clear?" asked Poppy.

          Bob clicked his heels again and gave a sharp salute before answering. "Yes sir, you can count on me sir."

          "Good. Let's fly Wallis."

          Susanna, Elizabeth and Poppy all relaxed in the cabin of the private jet, while Bob confused the new guy in the tower with military jargon. The thirty-minute flight would allow them to get some other business out of the way before their scheduled appearance in court. Poppy's business was vacation resorts. After she had worked her summers in the Caribbean playing some of the outdoor bars, Poppy had fallen in love with the way of life the getaway locations provided to those lucky enough to visit.

          With the money she saved from those summer jobs, she purchased her first property, which was renovated for college kids wanting a cheap vacation before school started again. Then in the winter they catered to low to middle income older people who wanted some time in the sun. With the right marketing and the help of Carly, Ginger and Matlin, Poppy's Place in southern Mexico made enough money to finance the purchase of the next property, which bankrolled the rest of the purchases she had made.

          The culmination of ten years of work was near completion off the coast of Venezuela on a privately owned island close to Aruba. The land purchase had been the easy part; the hard part came in carving out one of the world's most exclusive resorts on the wild island paradise. But with careful guidance from Carly and Poppy, they were close to opening Carly's Sound. The top management staff had been in the New Orleans headquarters of Valente Resorts, Inc. for the past three months getting their last minute training. Their success came not only from the structures themselves and their exotic locations, but from the top-notch service everyone received during their stay. It didn't matter if you were Oprah or a hardware salesman from Ohio, you were treated with the same respect.

          Susanna sat at the only table in the cabin typing letters for Poppy to sign while she updated her boss on the new location that was opening. "Miguel flew down last week on a commercial flight just to check the flow from the airport to the boat shuttles onto the island. He said it still needs a little work but there will be plenty of opportunities to practice with the arrival of the other staff starting today. His assistant, Rayford Johnson, will be flying out this morning with someone named Julia Johnson and a child. Hopefully this Rayford character will be available to help with any glitches they encounter between the Venezuelans and the shuttle captains. Miguel said he would call you if there were any problems that had to be solved directly by you Poppy. He sure sounded excited about his promotion from the Cancun property," said Susanna.

          "Rayford Johnson? That sounds like an interesting name Susanna. Where is Mr. Johnson from?" asked Poppy.

          "He's from the Houston area. Just graduated from UT in hotel and restaurant management, but most importantly his father is an old acquaintance of Matlin's. The old man is a New Orleans native transplanted to Texas via the oilfield. He called on Matlin when the kid got out of school and asked for a favor. I wonder if his son realizes how lucky he is getting a position like this right out of the box?" asked Susanna.

          "Lucky indeed Susanna, let's see this wonder kid's folder," requested Poppy. She reached across Elizabeth for the folder then sat back to read it. It wasn't that she mistrusted Matlin's opinion, but this was a special project to her and Miguel had enough to deal with without having to act as a babysitter to some friend's kid as well. The two women sitting with her watched as Poppy ran her finger down the page looking at the bio sheet the kid had filled out as part of his employment packet. The typing Susanna was doing stopped when she noticed the right brow on Poppy's face crawl up to her hairline.

          Poppy read that Rayford had requested family accommodations in the resident's quarters. Julia Johnson, the person accompanying him with a child named Tallulah, was also a graduate of UT in landscape architecture but would not be employed by Valente Resorts, Inc.

          "Mr. Johnson was put up at the Ritz with the rest of the management team?" asked Poppy.

          "I guess he was. Want me to check it out for you?" asked Elizabeth. She arched a brow of her own over the strange question. With all the other things going on in their lives, where some kid from Texas stayed during his training wasn't high on her priority list. Elizabeth flipped her cell phone open so that she could check with the business office of the Ritz to see if Rayford Johnson had been a guest.

          "Hey Joe fire up the computer for me and look up Rayford Johnson's guest files. Should have checked out today," requested Elizabeth. She waited for the man to start typing but only heard a pause. Poppy listened to Elizabeth's side of the conversation while she finished reading the file Susanna had handed her. "Yes I know those are private documents Joe, let's say but I have a burning desire to know," said Elizabeth. She looked at Poppy with a questioning look on her face, and when she got a nod in response she continued her conversation with Joe. "Type in this access code Joe, CVPV8912."

          "Holy shit Elizabeth where did you get that code?" asked Joe from his New Orleans office. "That's Poppy Valente's private code to access the files, or so it says here. Does she know you have access to that?"

          "She is sitting across from me now Joe so yes, she does. Now back to Rayford Johnson, was he a guest or not?" asked Elizabeth. She rolled her eyes at Poppy, who laughed at the dressing down Joe had obviously given the attorney from his end. "Thank you Joseph, you have been a great help. Not!" said Elizabeth as she snapped the phone closed. Joseph St. Thomas, the business manager of the New Orleans Ritz, was one of the very few people in the city that knew that the hotel he was employed in was one of Poppy's properties. She had purchased the building that housed it for two reasons. One, it was in Poppy's opinion, the prettiest building in the downtown area, and two, the mayor had begged her as a personal favor to add four thousand jobs to the economy before the next election. After three years of round the clock renovations it had opened to a brisk business six months prior.

          The only hint of who the owner was hung on one of the pillars of the lobby. The picture showed the back of someone sitting with their legs crossed in an old rocking chair overlooking the city skyline, and had a brass plate at the bottom that read 'We hope you enjoy your stay.' The only thing that changed from resort to resort was the view the same person looked out on. The long legs in all of them belonged to Poppy, and the reason that they were all taken from the back was to commemorate her motto of always looking forward and not dwelling in the past. It was something she had forgotten to practice after Carly's death, but there would be no change at the new property where the picture already hung in the open-air lobby.

          The anonymity the photo afforded her, helped in the surprise inspections of different locations throughout the year. Only certain employees in the company shared a close enough relationship with Poppy to recognize her on sight.

          "Yes he was a guest for the three months of training Poppy. Shipped out this morning with the rest of the trainees present and should be there by tonight," reported Elizabeth.

          "Care to tell me why his wife and child stayed at the Westin by the river then?" asked Poppy. She took off the reading glasses she had on and pinched the bridge of her nose, which prompted Susanna to get up and pour a glass of water and take two aspirin out of the bottle sitting next to the pitcher. Poppy swallowed them without comment and waited for Elizabeth to answer her question.

          "His wife was in the city?" asked Elizabeth. She asked the question almost to herself and without prompting from Poppy pulled out the phone again getting her secretary to connect her with the Westin. "Come on Philip don't you want to be in the position of having Poppy owing you a favor? Well I don't know if she would owe you that much, how about a long weekend in Cancun, you spring for the airfare," said Elizabeth. She waited a moment and then thanked the man for the information.

          "She checked in three days ago with the baby. A Mr. Frederick Johnson, with a credit card that had a Houston address, settled the bill. Room service records showed a dinner delivery for every evening that she was there, but only for one. She also drank a juice out of the wet bar every day. Anything else you need to know Dr. Evil?" asked Elizabeth. She tapped her fingernail on the closed phone in her hand and wondered why the sudden interest in the accommodations of the management staff.

          "No Austin that will be all for now," said Poppy. She could see that they were flying over the capital as she looked out the window, which meant they would be on the ground in about five minutes. Her thoughts flitted between Carly and the young woman she had met in the coffee shop this morning. Something that Carly use to tell her all the time popped into her head, nothing is a coincidence. How that applied to Julia and her daughter Tallulah was something she would have to ponder later.

          * * *

          They sat together on the charter flight down to Venezuela to start on their new life. Julia just wanted the opportunity to get away from her family for a while and was glad Rayford had given her the opportunity to tag along. Rayford had wanted to stay in the Houston area with his friends, but the opportunity to help run something like Carly's Sound was too good to pass up.

          She would miss her grandmother most of all, but the pressure her parents had put on her after the birth of Tallulah was too much to handle at the moment. Julia refused to believe, like her parents did, that the birth of her daughter was a mistake that would ruin her life.

          The old woman with compassionate eyes, whom Tallulah had been named for, had looked on her the day of that argument with sympathy. Julia had lived with her Granny Tallulah almost from the time of her birth. Her parents had been too busy with her father's career and social life to be burdened with children. Her grandmother had given her love and a stable home life while her parents traveled the globe working in one exotic place after another.

          She looked at the man sitting next to her and wondered what their future held. They both deserved happiness; maybe this job would bring an iota of it to Ray. The party boy had always fallen short in his father's eyes, cursing the fates for giving him a son with so little ambition. Rayford wasn't a bad person; it was just that he liked the lighter side of life more than the mad rush for money and power. Julia laughed at the thought that he should have gotten a degree in drinking and frat parties instead of management.

          The other thing that had been peaking Julia's curiosity was the name of the resort. It didn't sound very beachy to her. Most of the other places in the islands had some exotic sounding name like Mayan Gold or something along those lines. From the pictures she had seen, it didn't have the look of your average large resort. Carly's Sound had bungalows instead of a large building with suites, and the way they were arranged on the island gave every guest their own piece of private beach if that is what they desired. There was another beach with a large collection of chaises and tiki looking bars if you wanted company instead. There were four different restaurants each serving different types of food and one bar that would host live music every night for those guests that felt like a little dancing. The whole resort was located on the lee side of the island which faced the Venezuelan coastline, because of the fact the other side was almost barren of vegetation. Julia had read that the constant winds, which made the beach areas pleasant all day, made for monster waves on the north side of the island. It was almost a study in different contrasts for the landscape architect.

          "They gave us a bungalow with three bedrooms in the employee village," commented Rayford without looking up from the magazine he was reading. The past three months had been pure torture as far as he was concerned. He had read more in the training sessions than he had the whole time he had been at the University of Texas. In his opinion, they could cut out about two months of the sessions and save everyone the boredom of sitting through the rest of the droning. After all, how many different ways could they expound on the importance of guest satisfaction?

          After flipping through a few more pages and not receiving an answer from Julia, Rayford continued, "I figured you could put the kid in one room and you in the other. Once you decide let me know, and I'll take the remaining room. You should be ecstatic to know that I won't be home much, so you and the kid can have the run of the place. Miguel told me that if you don't like the color schemes or if you want some other appliances installed to let him know. Your satisfaction is our first concern," Rayford told her with a laugh. It had been the slogan that had been beaten into his head in the conference rooms at the Ritz.

          "Who is Miguel?" asked Julia.

          "Miguel Flores is my boss sweetheart, so make sure to talk me up when you meet him. He was the manager of the Cancun resort the company owns before being promoted to this place. I figure a couple of years of ordering the staff around and I'll be able to move to a better place," said Rayford.

          "I thought this was the crowning jewel in the Valente Resort Corporation?" asked Julia.

          "To the idiot that built it maybe, but I'm more interested in a hotel where younger livelier people go, instead of one on some rock out in the middle of nowhere. No ma'am, this is a temporary situation. Once Matlin comes for a visit I'll start working on her for a transfer, and once that's done, you can come with me if you want."

          "Ray, the baby's name is Tallulah not the kid, try and remember that when other people are around," said Julia. She kept her voice low so the other passengers couldn't listen in on their conversation and also not to wake the baby. Tallulah, thank God, was still sleeping after her encounter with the singing businesswoman from that morning.

          "How can I forget? I can't believe you saddled that cute kid with that name Julia. I was more partial to Rayanna," said Rayford.

          "Let's not get into that conversation again, shall we. And once she's old enough you'll have to give up this nasty habit of yours," said Julia pointing to the magazine he was reading. "Just in case I've never told you, you're a pig Rayford," said Julia with a laugh. He could see the conversation was over when her attention went from the baby between them to the window and the water they were flying over. Miss May was looking good, Rayford thought as he unfolded the centerfold ignoring the pig comment.

          * * *

          Bob's voice came over the intercom informing Commander Valente that they were cleared for landing and would be on the ground in two minutes. Poppy gathered her papers and put them in the soft leather briefcase that had been a graduation gift from Carly, before standing to put her suit jacket back on. She rebuckled her seatbelt and waited for the wheels of the plane to hit the tarmac.

          A car would be waiting to take them to the courthouse downtown and to the trial that the Stevens family had waited months for. Once that was out of the way, Poppy was planning a little vacation no matter the outcome. It was time to either rejoin the living or find a quick solution to joining Carly wherever she had ended up. The time had come to go back to what she knew best and see if there she could find the enthusiasm she once had. The same excitement she felt when three friends entered the funkiest bar in the French Quarter to catch her act.

          * * *

          They were all dressed in linen pants, print shirts and sandals. Finding a table with enough barstools right next to the stage, Carly sat with Matlin and Ginger to enjoy the show. The three women all smiled up at her and ordered a round of drinks from the bar. Poppy looked different from the night before in that she was wearing a loud Hawaiian print shirt and shorts. The shirt clashed with the equally loud guitar strap she had hanging around her neck and to complete her ensemble she had a straw hat perched on her head.

          The friends listened as Poppy worked the crowd of the small bar, getting them to join in on the songs they knew and to clap along with the ones they didn't. Listening to the music she made with only a guitar, Carly couldn't help but sport a smile all night long. It was as if the tall singer who looked so relaxed and casual one minute was infused with energy once her hands flew across all those strings. The other patrons must have agreed with her assessment, since for a Thursday night, the place was packed. Every so often someone would pass around a five-gallon water jug to collect tips for the performer and from the look of it, Poppy would be able to afford new tires on her car.

          At midnight Poppy took a break and hopped down from the stage and made her way over to their table. Sitting next to Carly and across from her two friends, they told her how much they liked her style, saving Poppy from having to join in on the conversation. On the last two songs her voice had cracked a couple of times from overuse, so the trio took their turn in entertaining her. While she wasn't expected to talk, Poppy's sides hurt from laughing after hearing some of the women's adventures growing up. There was only a one-year difference between Carly and Ginger, while Carly and Matlin were the same age. The friends had grown up as neighbors ever since they had been toddlers.

          Ginger and Matlin could see the difference in their friend Carly whenever she was around Poppy. The smile that had been missing for so long was back and the brunette had practically dragged them out of their houses that night to make it there in time. Carly's twenty-four year marriage to Thomas Stevens Jr. had been shaky for some time, and finding out that he was having an affair with his secretary wasn't helping matters. No matter how unhappy Carly was though, she was financially tied to Tom and he took great pleasure in reminding her of the fact. Since he was a successful divorce attorney, Ginger and Matlin were sure that Tom would do everything he could to divest Carly of any assets that were rightfully hers if it came down to that. It was unfortunate, the two friends thought, that the first sign Carly showed of being interested in someone, it had to be a poor college kid with a questionable future.

          "Well let me get back to work ladies. Thanks for the water and the stories they were much appreciated. Walk me back?" Poppy asked Carly. She held out her hand to help Carly off the stool and didn't let it go for the ten-foot walk back to the stage. "Want to have lunch with me tomorrow? As you can see from the bottle over there I can take you some place nice," said Poppy.

          "Will you wear a real shirt?" asked Carly with a smile. This young person made her feel like a teenager again, and even if she showed up in her underwear there was no way she was going to turn her down.

          "I'll see what I can do. I have a ten thirty class tomorrow, but after that I'm all yours," answered Poppy. She waved off the bar manager who was pointing to the empty stage and waited for Carly's answer.

          "I would be honored to have lunch with you Poppy and you can wear whatever you like."

          The three friends left in the middle of the second act noting that it was well after two in the morning. They walked out onto the crowded street to Poppy singing them the 'Goodnight farewell' song. When she pulled up to the large house in the Garden District, Carly found Tom still awake and reading in his study on the first floor.

          "Out barhopping again Carly? What will the society pages think if they saw you two nights in a row? Try and remember that we have an image to uphold darling," said Tom with as much sarcasm as he could muster for the late hour.

          "Yes dear, I'm sure that you and your pet Rita can discuss it tomorrow, after you finish fucking her on the desk. Have pleasant dreams Tom; I'll be in the guest room if you need me. My suggestion to you is that you not need me," said Carly with equal sarcasm. With that Carly turned and headed up the stairs toward the back room where she had moved all her possessions. Being stuck with the man for money was one thing, but being stuck with the man with some STD was quite something else. Matlin and her equally flawed marriage had taught her that. There was no way in hell she was going to their family doctor with something Tom picked up from some cheap whore around town.

          The next morning Poppy sat on the first row of the class and tried to ignore the grumbling coming from behind her because of her height. "Just how tall are you?" asked the familiar voice. It was so close the warm breath made the hairs on her neck stand on end.

          "Six-two, but who's asking," Poppy replied with a smile and a question of her own.

          "A fellow classmate," answered Carly from behind her. It made her almost break out in a happy dance when she had walked into the class and saw the big good looking singer sitting there wearing glasses and flipping through her textbook. There are no such things as coincidences Carly, this is fate girl.

          "Mind if I join you?" asked Carly. She had put on a sundress that morning in anticipation of their lunch date and was happy to see that Poppy looked like every other preppy student attending Tulane, with her Ralph Lauren button down cotton shirt and a pair of navy blue pants.

          "You don't ever have to ask me that Carly, you will always be welcomed at my side," Poppy told her softly. Carly could see that the blue eyes behind the lenses covering them were sincere. "Fancy meeting you here. Are you taking this class or are you just stalking me?" asked Poppy.

          "What would you do if I said I was stalking you?" asked Carly. She put a finger up to her lips to wait for Poppy's answer.

          "Wear brighter clothes so that you can find me easier?" answered Poppy in question form. It left her open to answer something else if Carly didn't like the first answer.

          "I'll keep that in mind," said Carly as she faced forward when the professor walked in. For the next hour Poppy couldn't have told you what the man said about advanced management concepts if her life depended on it, but she could still describe the smell of Carly's perfume years later.

          After class Poppy treated her classmate to lunch at Commander's Palace, laughing at the shocked expression on Carly's face when they were seated at one of the best tables in the restaurant. "I play the jazz brunch here every so often when they are short a player," was her only comment before turning her attention to the menu. It was to become their routine for the next three months until the end of the semester and Poppy's time to leave for the summer.

          In those stolen moments they were able to carve out, the two fell in love. Poppy worried that Carly would forget her in the months she would be gone, and Carly worried that Poppy would come to her senses while she was down in the sun and decide that she was too old for the college senior.

          They were studying for finals in the library one evening that Poppy had off, when the talk turned again to the upcoming summer. "You could take a week off and come and visit me," said Poppy. Even though they hadn't really done anything that could be called sexual, the thought of leaving Carly behind was becoming physically painful.

          "Come on walk with me," requested Carly. She stood and gathered her books and held her hand out in an invitation. She smiled when it was readily accepted and Poppy took her books away from her. They crossed the street and entered Audubon Park and sat under one of the oak trees and looked through the branches at the night sky.

          Sitting between Poppy's long legs, Carly relaxed back into the body behind her. It felt so right to sit in Poppy's embrace and soak up the body heat the girl seemed to generate in abundance. "I'll try honey, but I don't know if I'll be able to make it down there this summer. Even if I don't, I want you to have a good time and try and find some time to write me and tell me how it's going. No matter what, I want you to know that I'll miss you," Carly told her. While she had been talking she felt the two strong arms she loved snake around her waist. Without thought she began to run her hands along Poppy's forearms and felt the bands of muscle just under the surface.

          "You won't forget about me will you Carly?" asked Poppy in a whisper.

          "Oh honey, how can I forget you? You are the best thing in my life aside from my children."

          "I love you Carly," said Poppy. She seemed almost hesitant in the admission not sure of how it would be received. Carly stopped the motion of her hand on Poppy's arm and turned to face her. Poppy's heart sank when she saw the tears in Carly's eyes.

          "What did you say?" asked Carly.

          "I said I love you Carly," Poppy said again. She brushed Carly's cheek to remove the tears that had started to fall and fought the urge to cry herself if the feeling wasn't returned.

          "God, that is so wonderful to hear, finally. I've been in love with you Poppy Valente for so long I can't remember not being in love with you honey," Carly finally admitted.

          "Yeah?" asked Poppy. Carly just nodded her head and stopped breathing when those lips that had sung her so many love songs in the past three months took possession of hers. It was sweeter than even Carly had imagined it could be. Poppy was gentle, and through one kiss conveyed all that she was feeling in her heart. Carly felt loved and turned on all at the same time, and she didn't want it to end.

          When Poppy pulled back she could see that Carly still had her eyes closed. "Are you all right baby?" she asked Carly.

          "What?"

          "I asked if you were all right," said Poppy.

          "NO, and I don't think I'll ever be all right again if you stop wanting me Poppy," Carly admitted her darkest fear. Her other fear was that Thomas would see the love she had for Poppy written all over her when she got home that night, now that they had admitted their feelings for one another. It could be the out he was looking for to get rid of her and install someone else in his life. That wasn't important to her but she did want to have some means to take care of herself should the situation warrant it. Carly was old enough to have learned that sometimes love wasn't enough to get you through. She and Tom had proven that.

          "Look at me Carly," said Poppy putting two fingers under Carly's chin. She pushed up gently so that the green eyes she knew by heart would focus on her face. "I promise you darlin' that I will always want you and I will always take care of you. I'm going to make it so that you will never feel insecure or beholden to anyone Carly; I'm going to give you your freedom. What you do with it and with whom you share it, will be up to you baby."

          "Honey you don't owe me anything, I just want to be happy with you and for you to be happy in return. At this point, I think I'd be happy in a two room shack if it meant seeing you come through the door at the end of the day," said Carly. She leaned in again to feel the touch of Poppy's full lips. Her body was on fire but in the middle of a park wasn't her idea of a great first time.

          "I'm not telling you that because I feel I owe you Carly, I'm telling you that because it's going to be my gift to you," said Poppy. She kissed Carly one more time before she stood up and pulled Carly up after her. They hugged for a moment before heading out of the park hand in hand. Poppy walked her to her car and Carly drove home in a dream state. A week and a lot of kisses later they said good-bye at the airport before Poppy boarded a plane bound for Aruba. Two months seemed like a lifetime to them, but Poppy needed the time to put the final pieces of her plan in action.

          Poppy slept her days away and worked nights for three weeks solid before she set up her meeting with Gloria Guiterrez to finalize their ongoing negotiations. Gloria's husband had been one of the first to build a resort in the area known as the Mayan Rivera, or Cancun. Robert Guiterrez had died and his widow had no interest in running the old Spanish style hotel he had left her, so when the young charming American came to call on her, Gloria was more than willing to listen.

          It amazed the aging Mexican native that the tall American spoke fluent Spanish with no accent, almost as if it had been her first language. After their second dinner in Aruba Poppy admitted that her family, while naturalized citizens of their adopted country, the United States, were originally from Cuba. Raphael and Isabelle had insisted that their only child speak the language of her heritage, and in this case the child was glad they had been so hard headed about it. Gloria was grateful to be able to communicate in the language she felt most comfortable with while selling away her husband's dreams.

          By the third dinner they arrived at a price they were both comfortable with and Poppy wrote the check that would give flight to her dreams. The money Gloria walked off with represented thousands of hours spent in dimly lit rooms in front of microphones for Poppy, but it had been worth it. Now she would get to sing in her bar, for her customers, in her hotel. Her parents would wonder where the three hundred and sixty five thousand dollars came from, but frugal living and persistence of her own had finally paid off. The payment wiped out most of Poppy's savings but there was still enough for some fresh paint for the rooms and three months of operating expenses. After that it was a gamble but it would be an interesting roll of the dice.

          Poppy put Gloria in a cab headed for the airport after dinner and walked to the nearest mailbox to drop in the letter she had written that morning. Hopefully Carly would be agreeable to her invitation once she received it. The night crew laughed as Poppy danced her way to the bar that night to the music she heard in her head.

          A week later Poppy waited at the airport for the plane Carly was supposed to be on, if she had decided to use the ticket she had sent. Poppy waited until every passenger got off and the plane took on new passengers for its return to Miami before throwing the orchids she had bought in the nearest trashcan and headed back to the Hyatt to get ready for work. Carly didn't come which meant that she would head to Mexico alone in January. The experiment the older woman had tried obviously didn't last the test of time and distance Poppy surmised, but the admission didn't come easy to her heart.

          She slept until it was time to go to work, even though singing for happy tourists was the last thing she wanted to do that night. An hour into her night, Poppy put down her guitar and sat at the piano behind her and started to play an old song for a couple in the audience who had requested it for their fiftieth wedding anniversary. In the middle of the chorus of 'Moon River' she looked up and saw her. Carly stood at the foot of the stage wearing a green dress that matched her eyes and an orchid in her soft brown hair. In one hand she held the letter that Poppy had sent the week before, and in the other a card that said simply, "yes". For the rest of the night Poppy sat at the piano and played slow love songs for the anniversary couple, but the woman in the green dress sat and listened to the words that she knew were being sung to only her. Poppy had been slow and methodical in her courting techniques, Carly thought as she sat there. From the first song she had heard all those months ago in bar of the Royal Orleans, Poppy had swept her off her feet until Carly felt she would die without her touch or the sound of her voice.

          When the set ended they didn't say anything to each other at first, Carly just followed Poppy out of the bar and out to the beach. When they stopped at the waters edge, Carly looked out and saw the distant lights of the Venezuelan coastline that seemed so close to them. As the gentle waves came up to caress Carly's feet, she felt the arms that she had dreamed about for weeks come around her waist and hold her close.

          "I missed you baby," was all Poppy said before turning Carly around and kissing her. She threw the flower in Carly's hair into the water and let the silky strands down so she could sink her fingers into it.

          "I love you Poppy and I missed you too honey," admitted Carly. The stifled feeling that had plagued her in New Orleans was gone. Poppy made her skin hot and her emotions raw, and Carly found it an exquisite feeling. They sat on one of the chairs under the palm trees and enjoyed the star filled night and the feel of being close again. What didn't go as planned in Carly's mind was when she yawned, she found herself being deposited at her room for the evening and Poppy kissing her goodnight. They still had a lot to talk about, but maybe waiting until morning wasn't such a bad idea.

          They sat in the large outdoor café having coffee and fruit salad for breakfast the next morning. Poppy sat with her long legs propped up on one of the empty chairs at the table, and Carly took the opportunity to give her a thorough appraisal. Carly noticed that while Poppy worked nights, she had obviously spent some time in the sun from the dark tan she had. The darker coloring of her skin made the blue of her eyes stand out even more than they usually did given the new contrast. Poppy had also lost weight which made the muscle the young woman possessed stand out more, and her hair was longer than she normally kept it.

          "What?" asked Poppy around a piece of mango. She could feel Carly's eyes on her so she turned her body to face her. Poppy was still amused by the shorts and t-shirt that Carly had put on that morning. The uptown socialite had been nothing but a fashion guru since they had met, so seeing this new and relaxed version of Carly was refreshing.

          "Nothing, just admiring the view. I haven't been able to look at you for a month, so I'm entitled. Now that you are finished being amused by my shorts, we need to talk. You are finished being amused aren't you?" asked Carly. She returned the smile that Poppy sported and continued when the head next to hers nodded. Carly intertwined her fingers with Poppy's for their talk, not wanting to lose contact with the girl.

          "Before I got your letter, I formally and legally separated from Tom. I rented a small house in the French Quarter for now, or until I find something more permanent that I like. I went to Tulane and arranged for a student loan to get me through the fall semester, and then I will be heading out into the working world with you. You should know that I want certain things out of life," began Carly.

          Poppy lifted their hands and kissed the back of Carly's as a form of encouragement. "What do you want baby?" asked Poppy.

          "I want a life with you. I want to live with you and wake up with you in the mornings. I want to love you and be a part of your family for as long as you want me."

          "Are you sure about this Carly?" asked Poppy.

          "Why, aren't you?" replied Carly. The question Poppy had posed was not the response she was really looking for. A simple ok would have been a lot better.

          "Because I am going to want you forever Carly. This isn't a passing phase for me and I have to know that you and I want the same things. The letter I sent you asked if you wanted to join me on a journey, and the card you held up last night said yes. It isn't a vacation trip I'm talking about baby; it's a life's journey. I bought it yesterday and I want you to join me," explained Poppy. From the look on Carly's face Poppy could see that the woman thought her explanation was as clear as quantum physics.

          "I want the same things as you do darling and no, this isn't a phase. Whatever you want to do or wherever you want to go just look to your side and I'll always be standing there. What do you want to do?" asked Carly.

          "Love you and make music in the sun," was Poppy's answer.

          "Perfect," was Carly's commitment.

          Poppy told her about the purchase and her plans for the future. After graduation they would head down to Mexico and go into the resort business. She laughed at the look on Carly's face when she found out exactly how much Poppy had saved.

          "You had almost a half a million dollars in the bank and you drive that death trap of a car?" asked Carly.

          "Yes that's why I have so much, I'm cheap. I got use to the not spending when I was young and considering that I have worked almost everyday since I was a junior in high school, it adds up. Don't tell Uncle Sam but most of it was in tips, the rest came from diverse investments. Just think, you'll be able to use that degree you've worked so hard on while I pick my guitar and make eyes at the ladies," kidded Poppy.

          "Those eyes and every other part of you, Ms. Valente, belong to me. I'm staking my claim and I don't play well with others. Now let's go celebrate," said Carly.

          Poppy loaded Carly on a sailboat she had borrowed from one of the managers of the hotel and set off to show her a treasure she had found working on the island the year before. Carly stood beside her with her arms wrapped around Poppy's waist for the forty minute sail, and enjoyed the spray of the blue green water as they cut through the waves. When Poppy dropped anchor a little out from one of the most perfect beaches Carly had seen, she turned to her adventurous partner and kissed her.

          "One day baby I'm going to buy this whole piece of the world and build a resort. I'm going to design it, and I'm going to name it Carly's Sound. After a lifetime together we are going to walk along that beach right there and relive the memories we made here, starting today," Poppy explained.

          "What memories are we going to make here my love?" asked Carly. She looked up at the face she loved and felt light headed she was so happy.

          "It will be the place we first make love, it will be the place we get married and it will be the place we gift the world when we are ready to share it," answered Poppy. She leaned down and kissed the tip of Carly's nose then moved to put on a backpack.

          "Wait here a second baby," she told Carly before jumping over the side into the crystal clear water. When she saw that it only came up to the middle of her chest, Poppy turned around and loaded Carly onto her shoulders for a ride to shore.

          On the white pristine sand, under the large majestic palm trees, Poppy put Carly down and took a blanket she had brought out of the backpack. She ran her right hand reverently over Carly's face while her left hand pulled Carly closer. "I want to touch you Carly," Poppy said.

          "I want you to touch me too honey," Carly told her. Carly sensed Poppy's hands shaking and smiled up at her to help settle her nerves. "It's ok honey, we'll take this nice and slow. I'm the one who should be nervous here, I've never done this before with a woman, and compared to you, my body may be a little lacking."

          "I've never done this before either, with anyone, so quit worrying," laughed Poppy.

          "You're a...," Carly started.

          "I believe the term is virgin baby," supplied Poppy.

          "Thank you for sharing this with me Poppy," said Carly. She had tears in her eyes because the young woman who could have had anyone had waited for her. Carly pulled up the wet t-shirt Poppy was wearing and noted the whiter skin where clothes had protected the skin from the sun. When Poppy went to do the same to her Carly stiffened a bit so the tall singer stopped.

          "It's silly honey, but three pregnancies and forty-two years hasn't exactly been kind to my body. I don't want, well, I don't want to turn you off," admitted Carly.

          * * *

          Poppy could still remember how she felt the first time she had seen Carly naked. Alone on their island in the late morning light that hid nothing, Poppy added the feeling of lust as well as love when she looked at the woman that stood before her. Carly had been right, in that her body wasn't perfect, but to Poppy's eyes it was. Unlike Tom, Poppy was able to see past the little bit of sagging and the stretch marks and touched Carly like she was satisfying a deep hunger. Eleven years later Poppy still remembered what it was like to touch Carly's skin for the first time and what a gift it was to make love to her.

          By the time they were finished, Poppy had had to navigate back to Aruba by the stars. In all their time together, the part of their relationship they consummated that day never lost its excitement and luster.

          * * *

          Rubbing the ring on her finger and looking at the buildings in downtown Baton Rouge as the car drove past them, Poppy laughed at the thought of some of their more risqué couplings. Once Carly was free of her past, she devoted her life to being happy, making Poppy happy by default.

          "We're here Poppy," said Elizabeth quietly. She was concerned at the distance Poppy had shown all day. The trial that was about to begin, Elizabeth was sure, was bringing a lot of old memories to the forefront of Poppy's mind. The thing that scared Elizabeth the most was the fact that Poppy wasn't completely healed from the wound left by her mother's death. What would the added pressure and the unpleasant situation do to the fragile balance Poppy kept?

          "Ok kiddo let's go," said Poppy. Before Poppy got out of the car she leaned over and kissed Elizabeth on the cheek then brought her hand up to caress where her lips had just touched. "Knock 'em dead Lizzy," she said with the trademark Valente smile.

          "I promise my friend," said Elizabeth as she leaned into Poppy's hand. They would never have a relationship other than the one they shared, but Elizabeth like her mother before her, felt cherished in this woman's presence. Carly had polished Poppy like a jeweler would a rough diamond, but some of the rough edges would always remain. And that was ok with Elizabeth. It was those rough edges that made Poppy so unique and so protective of those she loved, but gone were the shorts and the sweatshirts. In their place were tailored suits and starched pinpoint cotton shirts that were custom made. The shoes were Italian, and the hair was done by one of the exclusive shops in New Orleans. Poppy had changed her look after Carly had commented how sexy she looked in the more formal trappings of the business world.

          At the top of the courthouse steps stood the rest of the Stevens family. Elizabeth's brother, Thomas III, and her sister, Josephine, had brought not only their spouses but their children as well. Elizabeth figured her siblings thought a strong family showing on their part would sway the judge in their favor. After all Poppy is a perverted degenerate, a perverted degenerate with a lot of money, but still a degenerate, thought Elizabeth as she took Poppy's hand. The patriarch of the family stood next to his second wife, Rita, and scowled down at his youngest child when he saw it was she who had initiated the contact with Poppy.

          From the first time Thomas Stevens Jr. had met the woman his wife had left him for, Poppy had intimidated him. Poppy had made it perfectly clear to him that day long ago that if he ever insulted, hurt or looked at Carly in a way that displeased her she would beat him within an inch of his life. The fact that the bitch was over eight inches taller than he was didn't improve Thomas's comfort level with Poppy. But today Ms. Valente we play on my turf and we will see who is beaten within an inch of their lives, thought Thomas as the usual smug smile returned to his face. The odds were in their favor by filing in Baton Rouge, the town where both his son, Tommy and his oldest daughter, Josephine practiced law. Thomas would get his revenge for Carly's desertion and his loss of social status with his marriage to Rita, by hitting Poppy where it hurt, her bank account.

          Poppy straightened the European cut suit she had on and tightened her grip on Elizabeth's hand and on the briefcase she carried in the other, before starting up the steps. She looked at the group of people above her and tried to forget how much pain they had caused Carly before her death. Susanna walked behind them engrossed in a telephone conversation with Miguel Flores, who was at the airport in Venezuela, awaiting the arrival of the staff that had flown out that morning.

          When they reached the top step, Poppy put the briefcase she was carrying down and addressed the rest of Carly's family. "Ah, it's petite Thomas and smaller Thomas, nice to see you both again. And Jo, I see that Willy hasn't improved much with time," said Poppy referring to Josephine's husband.

          "That smugness will cost you today Valente," said Thomas. His face reddened even more when Poppy continued as if she hadn't heard his comment.

          "Rita, darling how are you," said Poppy. She took the redhead's hand in her own and kissed the back of it. A deep sexy chuckle followed the action when she saw the veins in Carly's ex-husband's neck stick out in plain view.

          "Watch it petite Thomas, you keep pumping blood into your brain like that and it's liable to cause a stroke," said Poppy. She let go of Rita's hand picked up her briefcase, and retook Elizabeth's before turning to head into the building.

          The first courtroom to the left was crowed with Stevens's family and friends who were there in support and to take notes for later gossip sessions around town. The men were there to pitch business ideas to the two siblings that had filed the suit, and their wives were there to push their various charity causes, should the ten million in dispute be awarded at the end of the day. A hush fell over the room when Elizabeth walked in ahead of Poppy and headed to the defendant's table. The proceedings weren't set to begin for another thirty minutes, so they just sat and relaxed showing an air of confidence that rattled the crowd.

          The Stevens entourage followed them in, but only Thomas Jr., Thomas III and Josephine made their way to the plaintiff's side of the courtroom. The older Thomas's eyes narrowed when Judge Nancy Rodrigue's clerk came out and whispered something in Poppy's ear, which caused the tall woman to unfold her frame from the chair she had taken. Poppy threw a smile in Thomas's direction before she followed the young man back to the judge's chambers.

          "Poppy you old dog, how in the hell are you?" asked Nancy. "I'd be doing better if I were somewhere other than here, truth be told Roddy. How is Fenton?" asked Poppy. "Your little buddy starts junior high this year if you can believe that. He asks about you all the time Poppy, I wish you would find the time to come for a visit," replied Nancy about her son.

          Poppy looked at the boy in question from the picture sitting on his mother's desk. It was his baseball league picture from the summer before. "This isn't going to cause you any problems is it Roddy? As much as I want to get this resolved one way or another, I don't want you dragged down with me," said Poppy. She sank into one of the leather wingback chairs that faced Nancy's desk. Poppy looked past Nancy and out the window that had a pretty fair view of the capital building in the distance.

          "No Poppy this isn't going to cause me any problems and hopefully we can still call each other friends if it doesn't work out for you. You know if they present a good case the jury will make you cut a check for the whole ten mill today don't you?" asked Nancy.

          "Yes Roddy I'm aware of that, but don't count me out just yet. Let Fenton know that as soon as I work out a few things, he and I have a date at the ball park in New York for a Yankees game," said Poppy as she stood. She bid her high school friend good-bye before heading back out to the icy stares of the Stevens family.

          "I'll hold you to that if I tell him Poppy. If you don't keep your end of the deal I might just sue you myself on his behalf," called Nancy to the broad back heading back out to the courtroom.

          * * *

          The plane taxied to a stop on the tarmac, a few hundred feet from a terminal that bore the Valente company logo, which consisted of a cluster of palm trees with a guitar leaning against one of them. There were jeeps lined up to take the passengers to the docks as soon as they had collected their luggage and cleared customs. The island they were headed to, was in actuality a part of the Dutch Antilles chain, but the Venezuelan government had agreed to take care of the formalities for Aruba for any tourist headed for the Carly's Sound Resort. Poppy had set it up that way because of a better port layout for the launches needed to get visitors onto the island.

          Julia tilted her head back and enjoyed the sunshine and fresh air from the top of the steps that had been wheeled to the front side of the plane. The weather is a lot like Texas, she decided as she started down the steps with Tallulah in tow. An older tall Mexican gentleman met her at the bottom of the steps and greeted her by name and offered to carry the baby for her. He introduced himself as Miguel Flores, and Julia found herself charmed by his thick Spanish accent and snow-white hair. When her luggage had been loaded by one of the porters and Tallulah was secured in the backseat, Miguel had one of the custom's officials come to the jeep and stamp both hers and Tallulah's passports. Miguel then drove their jeep toward the helicopter that waited for them on the other side of the terminal. It too, had the Valente logo on it, with an additional RPV I painted in small letters on the door.

          "I thought we were taking boats to the island Senor Flores," said Julia. She looked back to see Rayford getting in a jeep and pointing in their direction. He seemed to be screaming at the driver.

          "The owner, she say all the waves not good for the baby," was Miguel's only response. "This is better, no?" he asked.

          "Well yes it is. I'll let you in on a little secret Senor Flores, I get sea sick in the bathtub so I was not looking forward to that boat ride," said Julia. She watched as the pilot loaded their luggage in the compartment under his seat then turned for Tallulah's baby seat. It sure was observant of the owner to know she had a baby and arrange special transportation to their new home.

          "Please call me Miguel, Mrs. Johnson, Senor Flores makes me feel too old," said Miguel. He helped Julia up into her seat and walked around to the other side. Per Poppy's instructions, via Susanna, the pilot waited until they were all seated to start the rotors.

          "Ok, Miguel vamanos," said Miguel. He made a circle with his finger and then handed Julia a set of headphones. After Miguel went through his preflight checklist they lifted off for Carly's Sound. Along the way Miguel pointed out the window to the different sea life that was visible from the air. Julia nodded as the older man pointed out some of the moose head coral reefs that were just below the surface as they neared Poppy's island. Through the microphone he explained it was called that because the coral looked like the antlers of a moose, although he had never seen one to compare.

          Three more porters waited for them when the helicopter touched down on a natural rock formation that, with a little help from the construction crew was now flat topped. They had only had to remove a three-foot by four-foot outcropping that was to one side to make the perfect helipad. Local craftsman had cut the rock in one piece and used it to make the stairs that led down from the helipad to the trail leading to the resort area. At the end of the trail was a golf cart with a bench seat across the back to take them to the bungalow Julia would be living in during her time on the island.

          The sturdy looking structure was bigger than the ones close to it, and while rustic looking Julia took note that there was an air conditioner unit hidden in the foliage planted along the side. A distance away stood a lone bungalow with a much larger back porch that overlooked the water. When Miguel saw where Julia's line of sight was trained he told her, "That one is no available Mrs. Johnson. It belong to the owner, but I don't think she will come very often so it will stay empty most of the time."

          "Why do you think so Miguel, and please call me Julia?" asked Julia as she continued to look at the empty bungalow.

          "Oh, that is how you say a long story, one that she would kill me for telling, so we leave that alone no? You and the bebe come with me and we will get you into your new home," said Miguel. He bowed slightly at the waist and waved his arm in the direction of the bungalow. Julia wondered why he wasn't sweating with the dark blue slacks he had on, and how he kept the white linen guayabera shirt he was wearing so ironed and crisp.

          "Maybe I can bribe it out of you one day Miguel," Julia teased. "Oh no young lady, the owner she got muscles like this," said Miguel as he held his hand away from his bicep, "I never tell her secrets."

          They entered the mutely decorated front room that led into the kitchen area. All the other rooms were similarly decorated and all had large windows that looked out to the vast gardens outside. Because the colors of the rooms didn't compete with the natural flora outside, it brought their colors out that much more. Whoever had designed the living areas kept as much of the natural beauty intact as possible, only cutting into the dense vegetation when necessary. Because of her background, Julia knew what kind of planning had gone into the natural looking spaces outside her windows. No plants grew in the wild in those perfect proportions, so while it looked untouched, the gardens were actually immaculately kept and balanced. The ground's keeper must be a genius, she thought as she looked out of the kitchen windows.

          Tallulah's fussing brought her attention back toward the living room and Julia headed in that direction to give the baby her afternoon meal. Miguel beat it out of the front door when he saw that the woman was still breastfeeding.

          Julia sat on the plush couch with Tallulah cradled in her arms and offered her a nipple. When the little girl started suckling, Julia ran her index finger over the baby's head and began to hum to her. It took her a moment to realize it was the melody of the song Poppy had sung to Tallulah that morning, and just as quickly she found that she missed the gentle giant she had just met. I wonder what she's doing?

          * * *

          "All rise," said the bailiff as Judge Rodrigue entered the courtroom.

          "Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. We only have one case today so let's get started shall we? I believe that attorneys for both sides spent a majority of yesterday empanelling a jury, but before we bring them in I want to review a few things. There will be no histrionics here today, and both sides will take care not to try the patience of this bench. I am interested in the facts and not hearsay testimony, so consider yourselves forewarned," said Judge Robichaux. She looked from one table to the other to make sure everyone understood the warning. Nancy leaned back into her chair and closed her eyes for a moment in an effort to mentally prepare for what was to come. These cases that pitted families against each other were never good.

          "Bailiff please seat the jury," said Nancy. She got more comfortable in the big leather chair and waited while the seven middle-aged men and five younger women took their seats.

          "Mr. Stevens whenever you are ready," Nancy said as she looked to the older man sitting at the plaintiff's table.

          "Thank you judge, and good morning ladies and gentlemen. We are here today for a simple reason. We are here to right a wrong that has been done to Thomas Stevens III and Josephine Stevens Birch after the passing of their beloved mother. Carly Virginia Stevens died with a trust in her name in the amount of ten million dollars. A trust that should have been passed to her children upon her death, but instead was given to Raquel Valente," said Thomas. He looked every bit the high-powered attorney with his navy blue suit, white shirt and dark red tie. The salt and pepper colored hair enhanced his appearance in an almost regal way. Thomas looked like someone that you could trust to tell you the facts as they really happened.

          "I object your honor," said Elizabeth as she stood from her chair.

          "Your honor, she can't object during my opening statement," yelled Thomas. The jury sat up straighter in their chairs having found the proceedings suddenly more interesting. A fifty seven year old man in the first row of seats in the jury box thought, if that old guy has this reaction to all the girl's objections he should be dead by two this afternoon.

          "Calm down Mr. Stevens, Ms. Stevens what is your objection?" asked Nancy.

          "My apologies Judge Robichaux, but my mother's name was Carly Virginia Valente. It was the name on the death certificate, the name on all her legal papers and the name on the passport she used to travel with. It has been her name for the past seven years and we would appreciate it if plaintiff's attorney use it," said Elizabeth with conviction.

          "Objection sustained, Mr. Stevens please refer to the deceased in the correct fashion from here on out," ordered Nancy.

          "We plan to prove that the money was willed to the wrong party while Carly Valente was not in her right mind, thus, it should be awarded to her children," finished Thomas. He took out his handkerchief when he sat down and mopped his brow. It had not escaped the jury's notice that Thomas had almost choked on the name Valente. The heat on his face let him know that it was now bright red; he would have to concentrate on deep breaths to make it through the day.

          "Good morning ladies and gentlemen, good morning Judge Robichaux," started Elizabeth after she got a nod from the judge. "Two years ago a wonderful woman passed away after losing her battle with breast cancer. Carly Valente was my mother, my best friend and I miss her very much. As much as she suffered with her illness, for the last year of her life some things she never lost. One was her sense of humor and the other was her mental facilities," Elizabeth paused to take a drink of water. She knew it would be hard to talk about her mother but she had to get through this as best she could and still look professional.

          "My mother did die with a trust in her name in the amount of ten million dollars, on that Mr. Stevens and I agree. The trust had been given to her as a gift by Raquel Poppy Valente, the woman you see sitting before you today. Poppy put this money in my mother's name for her to do with it as she pleased, for one reason. That, ladies and gentlemen was so that she would never feel trapped in a relationship because of having no means by which to take care of herself. She was trapped in a loveless marriage for over twenty four years for that very reason."

          "I object," yelled Thomas. He rose so fast from his seat he toppled his chair over.

          "What is your objection Mr. Stevens?" asked Nancy. The judge rolled her eyes at the behavior already evident, and it was only the opening statements.

          "I object to the term loveless marriage your honor. Miss Stevens has no basis to use that term," whined Thomas.

          "Your honor we have the court transcripts from the Stevens divorce where Mr. Thomas Stevens Jr. uses that same term to describe his marriage. Of course, at the time it was so he could keep as many assets accumulated during the marriage as he could, but today's proceedings aren't about that," said Elizabeth.

          "All right Ms. Stevens you've made your point. As for you Mr. Stevens, you scream at me like that one more time and I will have you removed from this courtroom with a gag. Understand me?" asked Nancy.

          "Yes ma'am," replied Thomas. He turned and looked at the overturned chair like someone else was responsible.

          "Your objection is denied, continue Ms. Stevens," said Nancy.

          "Poppy Valente gave her the money and upon my mother's death she gave it back. It was clearly stated in her will and it was perfectly understood by those around her when she died. Thank you," finished Elizabeth.

          "Mr. Stevens call your first witness," said Nancy.

          "The plaintiffs call Thomas Stevens III to the stand your honor," said Thomas in a calm voice.

          Carly's son walked to the witness box and placed his hand on the bible provided by the bailiff and swore to tell the truth before he sat down.

          "Please state your name for the record son," started Thomas.

          "Thomas Elton Stevens III," answered Tommy.

          "Mr. Stevens did you love your mother?" asked Thomas.

          "Yes sir, I did. Being the oldest my mother and I shared a special relationship. We didn't see each other as much when I started college and then went on to law school, but I felt my mother was a special person," said Tommy. As he waited for the next question he wiped a tear from his eye and took a sip of water from the pitcher that sat to his left.

          "Mr. Stevens what was your understanding as to your mother's assets should anything happen to her?" asked Thomas.

          "To my recollection, any assets would be equally distributed between my two sisters and I. My mother even provided the money for the construction of all of our homes. We all signed contracts with her attorneys stating that the money she gave would never have to be paid back. We didn't think that the trust would be any different. My mother had three children that she loved very much, any life choices she made at the end of her life won't change that fact," testified Thomas.

          "Thank you Mr. Stevens, your witness," said Thomas. He turned and looked at his youngest child as she passed him on the way to the witness stand.

          "Mr. Stevens, when did you find out that your mother had been diagnosed with cancer?" asked Elizabeth.

          "A year and six months prior to her death," answered Tommy. He fidgeted in the witness chair and wondered where Elizabeth was going with this line of questioning.

          "How did you find out she had been diagnosed with breast cancer?" asked Elizabeth. She looked at the jury during her questioning, and had yet to look at her brother.

          "My mother called a family meeting at her house in New Orleans. She served lunch and calmly told us that she hadn't felt well for some time, and that one of the specialists at Tulane Medical Center found a lump in her breast that turned out to be malignant," answered Tommy.

          "Who was present at this meeting, Mr. Stevens?" asked Elizabeth.

          "Mother, my sister Josephine, you and myself," replied Tommy.

          "You mentioned that it was mother's house where the meeting took place, did you not? If not, I can have that testimony read back to you. Did Carly Valente hold the title to the home that you referred to?" asked Elizabeth. She pulled a piece of paper from the pile she had sitting on the defendant's table.

          "I have no idea who holds the title on the property, I assumed it was my mother," answered Tommy. He looked at his father for guidance in the answers he had provided, and the older Stevens nodded his head at him.

          "The property in question is, in fact, owned by Poppy Valente but was inhabited by both her and mother," said Elizabeth.

          "What does that have to do with anything?" asked Tommy, the frustration evident in his voice.

          "Mr. Stevens you are here to answer my questions, not the other way around," said Elizabeth in the same controlled tone she had used from the start. Poppy looked at how relaxed the young woman was in a courtroom. Maybe it would only be a matter of time before some other company stole her away.

          "Was Poppy Valente present at this lunch meeting you attended?" asked Elizabeth.

          "No, she was not. This was a family matter and only family was present," said Tommy.

          "Did you not, in fact, inform mother that you would not attend if the, and I'm quoting here, 'tall bitch' was there," said Elizabeth. She turned around for a moment and smiled at Poppy, and almost laughed when she got an arched eyebrow for her trouble.

          "I don't remember putting it in those terms, but yes, I did refuse to come if Ms. Valente was present. She is not a member of my family and she never will be," said Tommy. He crossed his legs and leaned back into the chair with a tight smile on his face.

          "When did you find that mother's condition had deteriorated and she wasn't expected to survive?" asked Elizabeth.

          "Ms. Valente called me six months prior to mother's death and told me of her condition," replied Tommy.

          "I see, Poppy Valente called you to tell you that? Was your mother incapacitated in anyway, to your knowledge, that would have prevented her from calling you herself, to tell you of the change in prognosis?" asked Elizabeth.

          "Not to my knowledge, no," answered Tommy. The jury watched him as the nervous tick over his left eye became more pronounced, and Tommy drummed his fingers on the railing in front of him.

          "After that luncheon you attended, Mr. Stevens, when did you in fact see your mother again?" asked Elizabeth.

          "I didn't," said Tommy softly.

          "I'm sorry, did you say you didn't?" asked Elizabeth again.

          "Yes, that day was the last time I saw my mother alive," said Tommy.

          "I don't understand Mr. Stevens, you just stated that you loved your mother and you shared a special relationship, but you never visited her again. She was sick and needed round the clock nursing at the end, but you didn't visit her?" asked Elizabeth.

          "She chose that woman over her family, so no Elizabeth, I didn't see her again. What she did to dad was unforgivable. What in the hell are you doing working for her? Have you no family loyalty?" asked Tommy. He pointed his finger at Poppy as he finished his tirade.

          "You find Poppy Valente so disgusting, Tommy?" asked Elizabeth. She ignored his outburst and continued with her questioning.

          "Yes Elizabeth, I do," said Tommy.

          "It's a shame you don't feel the same about her money," finished his sister.

          "Objection," yelled Thomas.

          "Withdrawn, no further questions at this time your honor. I reserve the right to call this witness again at a later date though, your honor," said Elizabeth.

          "Granted, call your next witness Mr. Stevens," said Nancy.

          Thomas called his middle child, Josephine, to the stand and asked her the same questions he had asked her brother. After he got the same testimony as before, he turned Josephine over to her sister for questioning. Again the same answers were given, in that Josephine too, had not visited her mother after that last luncheon in New Orleans. When Josephine returned to her seat, Thomas rested his case.

          "I would like to call Ms. Valente to the stand your honor," said Elizabeth.

          After she was sworn in Poppy faced Elizabeth and prepared herself to answer questions. They had fought over the fact that Poppy didn't want to practice the answers she was going to give, Poppy saying that she didn't want to sound too polished.

          "Ms. Valente how much are you worth?" asked Elizabeth. She smiled at the look on Poppy's face and knew she would pay for that one later.

          "Last I checked about eight hundred million and change," answered Poppy.

          "If you have that much, why not just cut the check for the ten million the plaintiffs are asking for and be done with it? It would be easier on you," stated Elizabeth.

          "If I have to spend the whole amount to keep from doing that, that's what I'll do," said Poppy firmly.

          "Why?"

          "Because that's what Carly wanted, and even though she's not here anymore it doesn't mean that she won't get what she wanted," answered Poppy.

          "Ms. Valente, could you tell us why you called the two plaintiffs after Carly's health took a turn for the worse?" asked Elizabeth. She stood close to the witness stand so that she didn't have to raise her voice to the woman sitting there. Elizabeth kept her voice gentle enough so that both Poppy and the jury could hear her.

          "Because their mother wanted to see them before she died. From the time they told us the chemo wasn't working and she started to get weaker, she wanted to make peace with them. To have them know that she loved them, no matter if they thought her life was immoral. In the end she pretended that it didn't matter, but their pictures stood in our room until she died. I called to try and reason with them. Hell, I even tried to bribe them into coming, but they stayed away," explained Poppy. She tilted her head up momentarily to try and stop the tears that had welled up in her eyes.

          "Did you have anything to do with her last will and testament?" asked Elizabeth.

          "No, Carly called on the one attorney she trusted most in the world. She called you Elizabeth and worked out all the details. I didn't really care what she did with her things and the money; I would have traded them all for a healthy Carly. The first time I heard the will in its entirety was when it was read after her death. That's when her two lost lambs showed up," commented Poppy. She looked at the two siblings sitting next to their father, then to the jury.

          "No more questions at this time your honor," said Elizabeth as she took her seat.

          "Mr. Stevens do you have any questions?" asked Nancy.

          "You bet your ass I do," said Thomas. He grimaced when he realized that the comment had come out of his mouth.

          "Will the clerk please note that I am fining Mr. Stevens ten thousand dollars for that last outburst and any more cursing in this courtroom will result in some jail time," said Nancy. She turned to Thomas and just stared at him as if issuing a dare for him to say anything else.

          "Who put up the money to start your company Ms. Valente?" asked Thomas.

          "I did."

          "No partners? No silent interests?" persisted Thomas.

          "Nope just me," answered Poppy.

          "You expect us to believe that you put up over three hundred thousand dollars to buy a hotel when you were twenty?" asked Thomas.

          "I don't care if you believe it sir, it's the truth. From the time I started working till I wrote the check for it, it was all me. The money generated from the first purchase helped finance the second place and so on," explained Poppy.

          "You never took any money from Carly Valente for these endeavors?" asked Thomas.

          "No sir, I didn't, because she had nothing to give me. I was present at your divorce from Carly Valente and remember her signing over her share of the marital assets to you. She walked away from that life with the clothes on her back. Carly worked with me, and anything I had I considered hers too," said Poppy.

          "Really. Everything?" asked Thomas.

          "Yes sir, Carly never wanted for anything with me. What is mine was hers, but what is mine isn't theirs," said Poppy as she pointed to Tommy and Josephine.

          "Did Carly earn a salary while she worked with you?" asked Thomas.

          "No sir she did not. I offered but she turned me down. My solution was to gift her a trust in the amount of ten million dollars to do with as she pleased," explained Poppy.

          "What did she do with the money?" asked Thomas.

          "She kept the principal intact and only drew off the interest every year. My accountant has the exact figures, but I believe that it ranged around seven hundred thousand every year," answered Poppy.

          "Is this the money she used to buy her children's homes?" asked Thomas. He smiled, waiting for her to say yes, so he could then prove that Carly had meant the money for her children.

          "No."

          "NO! What do you mean no?" bellowed Thomas.

          "I mean sir, that is not the money she used to provide the financing of the children's homes. Carly used the interest she received every year to support her favorite charities. It meant me having to don a tux various times a year to attend several functions in her honor, but it made her happy, so what the heck. If you would like an example of her philanthropic side, there is a battered woman's shelter here in Baton Rouge named for her. The Carly Valente House for Women was purchased and financed through Carly's trust," said Poppy.

          "Where did she get the money for the houses?" asked Thomas. Oh daddy, never ask a question you don't already know the answer to, thought Elizabeth. The smile that lit up Poppy's face doubled Thomas's pulse.

          "Me."

          "You gave her the money?" asked Thomas.

          "No sir, I loaned Thomas, Josephine and Elizabeth the money for the homes they built or bought."

          "There was no repayment clause in that contract," said Thomas. The situation had gotten out of hand.

          "Oh yes there was, my attorney showed it to me this morning. Carly asked me for the money and I gave it to her, she in turn asked Elizabeth to draw up three contracts for the use of the money. The contracts were signed by all three children, and notarized and witnessed by Thomas and Josephine's attorneys. The final tab came to two point two million for the monstrosity Thomas built, one point nine for Jo's and three hundred fifty five thousand for the cottage Elizabeth bought in New Orleans. On the second page of that contract it states that if the lender, that would be me, should get sued for any reason by the borrowers, that would be your spawn over there, then the loan would come due plus interest, starting from the date the contract was signed. No suit, no mortgage, fairly simple really. Oh, and she set the interest at fourteen percent," said Poppy. She looked at the plaintiff's table were the two siblings were hunkered over copies of the contracts. If they got any paler they both might just pass out.

          "That fourteen percent is, I believe, compounded daily. Considering that they are both attorneys I'm thinking they could have cut a better deal," supplied Poppy.

          "No more questions your honor," said Thomas. He walked back to his seat while he calculated how much that would add up to after a six-year period.

          "You may step down Ms. Valente," said Nancy. As Poppy walked back to her seat glad to see some of the jury looked at her in sympathy. "Call your next witness Ms. Stevens," continued Nancy.

          "We have no other witnesses your honor but we would like to play a tape left by Carly Valente, made three weeks before her death," said Elizabeth holding up a videotape. "We have affidavits from everyone present at the taping, as well as the crew that shot the footage, and affidavits from three different psychiatrists who examined Carly Valente to determine if she was in any way mentally impaired. Thomas and Josephine are also patients of two of the doctors, so mother figured my siblings would trust their assessments," said Elizabeth. She then handed the documentation to the clerk before her father could make an objection. The gallery made a happy note for future gossip, that two of the Stevens children were seeing therapists.

          The jury leaned forward as Carly came to life on the wide screen. The bald woman wearing a large terry cloth robe sat on a porch that over looked a beach with crystal blue water. Next to her was a cup of hot tea and when the camera panned back the jury could see that her legs were folded under her.

          "I hope you don't mind the way I look but clothes are the least of my worries these days," Carly started. "First time in my life I want to be naked all the time because clothes have become painful. Hell, I have a partner that's half my age, and what do I do? I get cancer. Life's a bitch, isn't it ladies and gentlemen?" asked Carly as if she were there having a conversation with the jury. The jury looked at Poppy when she laughed at the comment then brushed a tear from her eye.

          "If I have been pulled out of my daughter's file folders, and you are seeing me, that must mean that Thomas and Josephine aren't happy with the way I left things. To remedy that, maybe you should hear from me why I left things the way I have. The doctors keep telling me I won't be around much longer, weeks if I'm lucky. It's a strange concept to wrap your brain around, the fact that you'll be dead in a matter of weeks, but I'm not that overly concerned. Don't get me wrong, if I could I would change my fate, but alas I can't. My life has been good, I have lived it all in the last eleven years with a wonderful person named Poppy," said Carly. She stopped and made their 'I love you' sign with her left hand for Poppy's benefit.

          "As you probably know by now, Poppy has a shit load of cash piled up in the bank. Sorry judge, but what are you going to do, kill me?" asked Carly. The jury, along with the judge, laughed at the line. "After she started to do well, Poppy gave me a trust fund as an anniversary gift. Her reasoning was that she didn't want me to feel trapped by life ever again. I was too beautiful to do anything else but spread my wings and fly, she told me. It was the one gift that ever meant anything to me, not because of its size or because it meant that I was rich. It represented the fact that she had listened to me and took me seriously. This big lug, that I love more than my life, gave me something that not everyone experiences, she made me feel like I was worth more to her than even the ten million she had given, no strings attached," Carly stopped and pulled a tissue out of her pocket and wiped her eyes. The big lug that she had referred to sat next to Elizabeth and had trouble seeing the screen because of the tears streaming down her face.

          "Poppy loves all of me. She has taken the last eighteen months off to take care of me and to spend time with me. I laughed when she first told me that, because we have been together and worked together for the last ten years. Thomas and Josephine, you should know that Poppy, your sister and I have crammed the world into four months while you stewed in your hatred of me, but I forgive you. We've returned here to the place that we began a lifetime ago, and we will add one more memory on this beach. Ooh la la, the stories I could tell," said Carly with a beautiful smile.

          "I can't help you anymore in trying to sort out your feelings about me Tommy and Jo, but I won't allow you to take your bitterness out on Poppy. You shouldn't have jumped so quickly at all that free money to build houses, to impress your friends, it came with a price. I'll leave that up to Poppy on how she wants to deal with that. Pray that the old Cuban temper isn't flaring on the day she does," Carly stopped to take a sip of tea and tilted her head back into the sun. Poppy looked at her and remembered how frail she had gotten at the end, but the sense of humor had remained. I miss you so much, baby.

          "Dry your eyes now my love and shed that sadness. I love you ya, big guy and don't you forget it. Take it easy on my babies and I'll be seeing you in your dreams honey."

          The cameraman panned back and filmed the others present while Carly was talking. The person behind the camera captured the image of Ginger, Matlin and Elizabeth crying at the words Carly had shared. At the end, a message that verified the last will and testament of Carly Virginia Valente scrolled up the screen.

          "Your honor, we also have copies of my mother's written will for all the jury members if they would like to review it," said Elizabeth. She was encouraged by the fact that a majority of the jury was crying. Mama you can even wow them from the grave, thought Elizabeth.

          The judge gave the jury their instructions and released them into the custody of some waiting deputies who would escort them to a conference room for deliberations. Elizabeth kept her seat at the table and split her attention between Susanna and Poppy. Poppy's assistant used the time to go over legal documents for the new resort that needed Elizabeth's signature, and the attorney tried to follow what she was saying as she watched Poppy talk quietly into the small phone in her hand. Whomever she was speaking to was making the tall woman smile and it piqued Elizabeth's curiosity as to who it was.

          "She wants to live on an island and she gets seasick?" asked Poppy. Miguel had called her to report on the status of the new arrivals. The rest of the staff would be culled from the near by islands and would arrive within the next two days. For those who lived within an hour boat ride, they would take the shuttles in and out every day cutting down on overcrowding in the resident bungalows. They would start with small groups of old customers to make sure things were running smoothly before opening their beaches completely.

          "Si, she does Poppy, so I think the helicopter was the best idea you could have," conveyed Miguel. He sat in his office and propped his feet on the desk. The opportunity that Poppy had given him was overwhelming at times. It saddened him to think that the one property the energetic woman had seen through from beginning to end was the one that she would enjoy the least in the future. Miguel had been part of the ground crew when Poppy had bought her first place in Cancun. The son of poor farming family, he had become the top wage earner, which made him responsible for keeping food on their table. He remembered the first time he had seen Poppy. It was right after New Year's years at the Cancun location.

          She walked out by the pool with a guitar in hand, and for an hour had the guests out there singing old rock'n roll songs. The bar manager told him later that they hadn't done that brisk a business in years. Miguel went up to her the next day when he took a break from his raking duties and introduced himself. It was thirty minutes into their conversation when he figured out this woman that looked like a beach bum, was in actuality the new owner. When he met Carly, Miguel had wrongly surmised that this was the rich older woman who was financing the operation. Over the months he watched as Poppy charmed the guests into spending money, while Carly and her two friends brought new life back to the old resort. Miguel grew to love the couple, whom he could see were devoted to each other, and because of his daily talks with Poppy saw his responsibilities change.

          Both Carly and Poppy saw the man's potential and promoted him from laborer to junior management. The day Miguel put on his new uniform and collected his new high wage was the day he promised he would follow wherever Poppy wanted to lead him. It wasn't the money or the clothes that were the best part of what she had given him, it was the look in his children's eyes when he left everyday for work. Miguel knew that they would be able to stay in school and have more opportunities in life. His oldest son had one more year at Poppy's alma mater in New Orleans before he graduated then started to work for the company. The other two children, twin girls, were still in high school but had already been accepted into Tulane. Leaving his wife and daughters behind in Mexico, not getting to see them except for summer vacations and frequent trips home, was the only draw back to taking the job at Carly's Sound. Poppy had promised that as soon as the other junior managers ran the place without problems, Miguel could start making the trips home more often.

          "Did everyone like their accommodations?" asked Poppy.

          "Si, they like that it is like a home instead of living in a hotel room. When we get to see you Poppy? Gisella and the girls will be here soon and they want to cook for you," said Miguel.

          "Sooner than you think amigo. Let me go, they jury is coming back in," said Poppy.

          "Adios Poppy, que Dios te bendiga," said Miguel. May God bless you.

          "Gracias Miguel," said Poppy. She snapped the phone closed and turned to look at the jury as they came back in and took their seats. "Isn't this a little early for them to be coming back?" asked Poppy as she leaned over and whispered in Elizabeth's ear.

          "This could be good or bad. Let's wait and see," whispered Elizabeth back to her.

          The bailiff took the note the foreman handed him and gave it to Nancy. She looked at it and handed it back for the foreman to read to the gallery.

          "Have you reached an consensus?" asked Nancy.

          "Yes we have your honor. In the matter of Stevens versus Valente, we the jury find for the defendant. It is our opinion that Carly Valente meant for the trust she was given by Raquel Valente to revert back to her at Ms. Carly Valente's death," the man read. They had been sitting in the jury room for the past thirty minutes just so it wouldn't look like it had been a hasty decision on their parts. The first vote they took was unanimous in Poppy's favor. The mostly middle-income people that made up the jury saw the two plaintiffs as greedy, ungrateful vipers that had let their mother die without making peace with her.

          "Thank you for your time ladies and gentleman you are free to go," said Nancy. She rapped her gavel once before she stood up and headed back to her chambers.

          Poppy sat while the verdict was read and showed no outward emotion when the foreman read the verdict. It was finally over. The last tie she had with Carly's less than charitable side of the family would be severed after today, leaving only Elizabeth as her link to the Stevens family. Elizabeth stood next to her chair and waited for Poppy to acknowledge her.

          "I guess in this case it was good," said Elizabeth before she was swept into Poppy's arms.

          "You did it kid," Poppy told her. She stood up and hugged Elizabeth tightly to her body to congratulate her for her victory. Poppy looked out into the gallery and saw Charlie, Elizabeth's law partner, sitting in the back. His briefcase sat on his lap and he nodded his head in Poppy's direction.

          "Don't call me that Poppy," said Elizabeth.

          "But you're so short, how can I not call you that?" teased Poppy. Elizabeth wondered if her mother always felt this good in the warm embrace that surrounded her. Whoever won Poppy's heart next would be very lucky in Elizabeth's mind. She refused to believe that the thirty year old would go through the rest of her life alone.

          "Look Lizzy, Charlie's here," said Poppy. She turned Elizabeth around and pointed to the older man at the back of the room. Elizabeth hugged him as well, when he walked forward then stood to the side as Poppy shook his hand. The old and wise business attorney had been Poppy's idea when Elizabeth finished school. Semi retired, Charlie jumped at the chance to help start a firm whose sole responsibility was to oversee Valente Resorts, Inc. From the time Elizabeth and he hooked up together, Charlie had spent his time teaching her the finer points of business law. The pupil now could be the teacher, Charlie thought as he had watched her in court.

          "Charlie, you came to check up on me?" asked Elizabeth.

          "Nope, baby girl, the boss called me here today to have you sign some papers," said Charlie. When he set his case down, Charlie noticed that the rest of Elizabeth's family was in no hurry to leave the courtroom.

          "What papers?" asked Elizabeth. "Lizzy for once in your life trust me and just sign," said Poppy. When Poppy uncapped her pen, Elizabeth took it and signed her name in each place Charlie pointed out.

          "Congratulations, Elizabeth. You are now the recipient of the Carly Valente Trust," said Charlie when the last line was signed.

          "What?" asked Elizabeth.

          "Think of it as your legal fees for today," said Poppy.

          "Poppy this is ten million dollars," said Elizabeth. She sat down in the chair Poppy had just vacated. She hadn't asked for the money just like her mother hadn't, but there would be no giving it back now if she knew Poppy.

          "It's more like fifteen Lizzy, so enjoy. You should thank all that dot COM stuff we invested it in, though I wouldn't recommend that now. Please tell me that you'll spend some of this on yourself and not just give it away like your mother did. It's your money, enjoy it," said Poppy.

          "You're giving her the money?" asked an outraged Tommy.

          "Shut up now, pecker head, and I might not ask you to pay me my money back. I would have to guess that your mom was mighty pissed when she compounded that whole amount daily. That was one of the things I loved about your mother, the woman could hold a grudge and she had a wicked sense of humor," Poppy told him. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked down on the now red-faced man.

          "You think this is funny you big freak?" asked Tommy. He had never wanted to hit someone so much in his life, but knew if he took a swing, Poppy would pulverize him. He just stared up at her and clenched and unclenched his fists.

          "I find a certain amount of humor in this, yes. The only thing I don't see is how you and the other one over there are related to Carly? I can see how you are related to the old snot with the wife half his age, but not your mother. May I ask you something Tommy? Why is it you hated your mother for being with me, but didn't say anything about the fact your father married Rita a week after his divorce became final? Guess you didn't have the wherewithal to put together that she was just another bimbo in a long line of bimbo's, petite Thomas cheated on your mother with. No offense Rita," said Poppy. She looked over Tommy's head at Thomas's wife and winked.

          The woman had married Thomas because she thought that it would be her entrée into the social scene in New Orleans, and a ticket into the good life. What Rita didn't count on was that it was Carly with the social connections that Thomas had married into. When Carly and Poppy had returned to New Orleans after the couple of years they had spent out of the country, the Stevens name had been dropped from all the right party lists and replaced with the name Valente. The city's old establishment didn't care that you were gay. Who would decorate for them if they suddenly became gay bashers? What they did care about was old clout, which Carly had, and money, which Poppy had in abundance. Rita had taken to hiding the social page whenever the golden couple was in town just so she didn't have to listen to Thomas rant about his ex-wife.

          "None taken Poppy," said Rita as she winked back. She looked Poppy up and down and figured Carly had made the right choice. It had only taken ten years of marriage for Rita to come to that conclusion.

          "Let's go girls, we have a plane to catch," said Elizabeth. The attorney figured that they had gotten what they had come for and there was no sense reliving the past. The jury had agreed with her mother and that was the last legal battle she wanted to fight with her family.

          "You're right Lizzy let's go," said Poppy. She took her dark glasses out of her jacket pocket and slipped them on, then offered an arm to each woman going back with her. As they reached the door the sound of Thomas's yelling stopped them short.

          "What do you plan to do to my children, you freak? What do you want from them and me? Blood?" the irate man asked.

          "Have them pay their mortgage of course, pervert," replied Poppy. She heard both Elizabeth and Susanna laugh when she issued the insult. She turned and looked Thomas in the eye before she headed back up the aisle toward him. When Poppy reached the railing, Thomas took a couple of steps back and raised his hand up as if to order her to stop. Poppy could see the thinly veiled hatred in his eyes.

          Thomas had never liked the tall woman from the day he first saw her. Poppy had an easy charm about her that Thomas would never achieve. He was good at what he did, and people respected his opinion when it came to the law, but they didn't want to sit and talk to him as a friend, and women had never looked at him like they wanted to devour him. It was only after he started to make money that the woman dilemma became easier, but even now years after their first encounter, Thomas could still hear the snickers behind his back that Carly had left him for a woman.

          * * *

          "Tom I want a divorce," said Carly. Her luggage sat in the foyer in the same place the cabdriver had left it an hour before. Tom sat and just looked out the window and tried to process what his wife was saying. It couldn't have been the cheating, after all he had been doing it for years and it had never bothered her, why would it now? No I think this has to do with something else, thought Thomas as he tried to think of something to say. He tapped his index finger on the arm of his leather desk chair and pushed the tips of his toes into the ground to make it rock.

          "Why?" he asked. He still wouldn't look at her, it was one of the ploys he used to unnerve her.

          "Thomas, this is no time to start to play the ignorant one, it insults the intelligence of both of us. I want nothing from you, other than my freedom," said Carly. She ran her hand through her unruly hair and prayed for patience. A deep breath escaped her lips in a rush as the thought that her husband was daft entered her mind. Didn't the conversation we had last week and the fact that I have rented a house mean anything to him? I did not move out because I had a burning desire to be with him for the rest of my life, thought Carly.

          "I just came to pick up Lizzy then I'll be leaving. You and she can work out some sort of schedule of time together later. I just came from the airport to pick her up since she has my car. I left the number and address by the phone in the foyer if you need to get in touch with me. All I want Thomas, is my family's home in Metairie and for you to pay Lizzy's tuition," said Carly.

          "I will never let you take my daughter Carly. You want out then get out, but Elizabeth stays here. Be careful what you ask for Carly, you might just get it and then some. Once you see how it is in the real world, you'll be back. Only you might find that I've changed the locks on your cushy lifestyle," Thomas shot back. He gripped the edge of the desk and swiveled his chair around to face her. Thomas looked at her as he leaned back in the chair and waited for the next round.

          "Daddy, I'm not staying here with you, I'm going with mom so don't make this harder on yourself. I'm sure that Rita lady, who was here last week, will take good care of you. Call me next week and we'll go to lunch or dinner," said Elizabeth when she walked up behind her mother. She hugged her mom from behind to welcome her home and looked over Carly's shoulder to gauge her father's reaction. That morning she had packed the last of her things and was anxious to go. Her mother seemed like a different person away from the house, and while they had been decorating the new house her mother had looked like one of her teenage friends, especially when the phone rang sometimes. The way Carly twirled the cord in her hand and laughed made Elizabeth hold out hope that her mother would find happiness.

          The youngest of three, Elizabeth had been the child that Carly had spent the most time with. Bright from the beginning, the little blonde had figured out, a long time before that day, what the cause of her mother's unhappiness was. Her father didn't hide the truth of his extra women very well. Elizabeth didn't hate him, she just didn't respect him.

          Thomas waited a month before he called, figuring that it would be sufficient time for Carly to cool down and be ready to come home. Rita was becoming too much like a wife and that was making his ardor cool considerably. He parked his car three blocks away from the address Carly had left him and walked along the uneven sidewalk in the August heat. He carried in his right hand a bouquet of roses just to prove to Carly that he still cared and wanted her back.

          He stood in front of the little house and surveyed the yard. The grass was neatly trimmed and the flowerbeds already held Carly's distinct signature of care. Maybe she's gotten over her fear of the lawnmower, thought Thomas laughing to himself, thinking that maybe he could let the lawn maintenance service go.

          The house before him represented everything that he wanted back, the life he had before Carly left. Thomas was not a man that liked change of any kind, and this past month had rocked him, especially two weeks prior when he had been served with divorce papers. Carly hadn't called and she hadn't asked him for anything, just like she had promised that afternoon when she had come back from her trip. He remembered the tan color of her skin and her casual dress. When had he forgotten how beautiful Carly was?

          Thomas pushed the bell and waited for Carly to come to the door. The sharp buzz he heard echo through the house corresponded to the button he had pushed, and he found himself comparing it to the doorbell that chimed at home. As Thomas shifted from foot to foot, he heard Elizabeth scream at her mother that she would get the door.

          "Daddy? What are you doing here?" asked Elizabeth. His daughter looked at him with hurt in her eyes, from the fact Thomas hadn't called her in over a month. She looked him over seeing the seersucker suit and the flowers in his hand, and for a moment she felt sorry for him. Behind her, she knew without having to look, was a huge arrangement of wild flowers that had been a gift from Poppy. Elizabeth didn't know where she got them, but they were replaced every week with a new batch, after her mother had told her tall friend that they were her favorite flowers.

          "It's nice to see you too Elizabeth," said Thomas sarcastically. "Is your mother here?" he asked as he pushed past her.

          "She's in her room getting ready daddy. We're spending the day at the zoo, I'll let her know that you're here." When Elizabeth turned to walk toward the back of the house, Thomas took the opportunity to look around. In the corner of the living room stood a black guitar case and next to it a picnic basket. He recognized the furniture as the antiques Carly had stored from her parent's home after their deaths. Her sentimentality over the pieces had prevented her from selling them, or giving them, to the kids when they went away to college.

          "Thomas, is there something I can do for you," her voice caught him by surprise. The woman standing before him caught him equally by surprise. Like Elizabeth, Carly was wearing a white t-shirt with blue shorts. Her hair looked longer and more relaxed, which to Thomas made her look years younger. Carly wore no makeup, and standing this close to him he could tell that she had changed her perfume.

          "I came to see when you two were coming home," said Thomas. He held out the flowers for Carly to take and tried to look comfortable in his surroundings.

          "Thomas, I won't be coming back, and Lizzy will visit you whenever you like if you just call her. Didn't you get the papers that my attorney sent two weeks ago?" asked Carly. She accepted the flowers and put them on one of the end tables near her. From the front of the house she could hear the rattle of Poppy's old jeep. She had left to go and get it so that she and Lizzy didn't have to walk the five blocks in the unforgivable heat.

          "Thank you for the flowers, and I wish that I could stay and chat, but Lizzy and I were heading out for the day. They are having story and song day at the zoo and we promised to volunteer," said Carly. She moved to the corner to retrieve the picnic basket as Lizzy ran out the front door.

          In the short time Poppy had been back she spent every moment she could with Carly and her daughter. For the first time Carly could remember, she watched her young daughter blossom under the attention Poppy lavished on her. With his career, Thomas had never had time to do things like they were doing today. It was a project the kids from Lizzy's school had taken on for inner city kids, and they had needed someone to lead the song hour. Poppy had readily agreed, even though she hadn't gotten home until four that morning. Carly and Elizabeth had been sitting in front of the sofa that morning watching the news and eating pancakes while Poppy slept behind them. They had agreed to not sleep together until the divorce was final, to set a good example for Carly's daughter, so whenever Poppy stayed over, it was on the sofa.

          Having heard the jeep, Elizabeth ran past them and out the front door to greet Poppy as she walked up through the yard. The high school junior had come to enjoy the company of her mother's new friend, and had warmed up to the revelation that her mother was gay. "Poppy hurry up we're going to be late," Elizabeth admonished.

          When he heard his daughter's reprimand, Thomas turned around and looked out the front door. She stood there like a garden goddess wearing a variation of what Elizabeth and Carly had on, and tossed her keys to the short blond barreling toward her. She cocked her head up and looked past him as if he were transparent and locked her blue eyes to Carly's green.

          Thomas stood frozen in place, as somewhere deep inside his mind he realized that he had lost. Standing there in the yard stood his replacement, and he had envied her from that moment on. Poppy, if he had to sum her up in one sentiment, was someone that looked comfortable in her own skin. Thomas put his hands in his pants pockets as he watched her come up the rest of the way into the house. Her deep voice seemed to wrap around him as she held out her hand and introduced herself to him. It took him a while to register that her hand had been out for a while. By then, she had shrugged her shoulders and went to pick up the guitar case in the corner and relieve Carly of the picnic basket.

          "Time to go baby," said Poppy as she lopped down the front steps to join Elizabeth in the jeep. "I'll be there in a moment honey," answered Carly. Carly gently moved Thomas outside as she pulled her house keys out of her front pocket and locked the door. "Good bye Thomas," she said as she joined the two in the jeep.

          * * *

          That day was etched into his memory for life. He remembered every detail. How he sat down on one of the porch rockers as the realization hit him of how happy Carly looked. She had called that woman honey, and it had fallen so easily from her tongue. In their whole time together Carly had only called him Thomas or Tom, never by any endearment and she had never looked back after she walked away.

          That had been the one thing he remembered the most. It was as if Carly had given him a message that day, she would never look back on what they had. She had lived a fantasy life after leaving him, one that he was no part of. Thomas tried to convince himself that Carly had left out of selfishness; she had walked out while he was out trying to earn a living. No one had any cause to criticize him for the choices in his life, especially the tall woman standing before him who looked like she wanted to kill him.

          "Hit me and it will be the last thing you do," he threatened. Thomas puffed out his chest and decided to take one step forward. Maybe she wouldn't hear the fear in his voice and see the way his hands shook.

          "Thomas I have never liked you, I won't pretend to start now. You were a shit to your wife, and never had any intentions of keeping the vows you made to her, but that was between you and Carly. I am not going to waste any more of my time harboring any ill will toward you, as a matter of fact, I will never give you another thought once I walk out that door. What I want from you, is for you and your evil spawn from hell to leave me alone. I want you to start inviting Elizabeth to family functions despite her relationship with me. Consider the mortgage deal null and void, my gift to them," said Poppy. Thomas looked at her and for the first time noticed the dullness of the blue eyes across from him. Poppy looked tired and sad.

          "Can I have that in writing?" asked Thomas.

          "Old man, don't push your luck," answered Poppy. She ran her hand through her hair and laughed. "The one thing that I will send the paperwork for, is the trusts Carly wanted to set up for her grandchildren. They are set up to be collected on their thirtieth birthday, and they come with videotapes she made for that occasion as well. Their granny wasn't interested in paying for their schooling, but she was interested in them having fun once they finished. Lizzy is putting the final touches on it now. Have a good life Thomas," said Poppy. Like Carly she never looked back once she turned and headed toward the door.

          Part 3

          Elizabeth, Susanna and Poppy walked out into the Louisiana heat to head back to the airport. Poppy shed her jacket and handed it to Susanna to take back to the car. They weren't in a hurry and Poppy wanted to take the opportunity to talk to Elizabeth before they got back to New Orleans.

          "Walk with me?" asked Poppy. She held out one hand to Elizabeth and pointed to the nearby park with the other. She smiled down to her attorney when the small hand slipped into her larger one. Before they descended the stairs Poppy helped Elizabeth out of her jacket as well leaving the fair complexioned blonde in a sleeveless silk shell.

          "Lizzy when we get back to New Orleans I'm going to take off for a while. Take a little vacation of sorts and see if I can't get going again. I don't want you to worry about me, and I want you to keep an eye on the shop while I'm away," started Poppy as they started down the sidewalk. Elizabeth had threaded her fingers with Poppy's and squeezed a little harder when the woman mentioned leaving.

          "How long will you be gone, and where are you going?" asked Elizabeth. They sat on a park bench under one of the massive oak trees to continue their talk.

          "I'm going to Carly's Sound, Lizzy. For how long I don't know. However long it takes me to get my head screwed on straight again I guess. I'm tired of feeling sad Lizzy," answered Poppy. She sat back on the bench and spread her long arms along the back and looked at Elizabeth. Poppy didn't need the young woman's approval, but it would be nice to know she wouldn't be upset with her leaving.

          "Are you going to help Miguel with the running of the place?" asked Elizabeth.

          "Nope."

          "No? What you're going as a tourist?" asked Elizabeth. She smiled at her employer and friend as she pushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

          "Nope, I'm the new nightly bar act, just a guitar, the piano and me to entertain the folks and the wild life after sunset. I thought I would go back to the basics and see where that takes me. I had Miguel promise to hide all the rotten fruit since I haven't played in so long, I might actually suck but I'm willing to give it a try. The staff is new enough that most of them won't know me, might help out with an honest review of my act. I promise that I'll be back whenever I can Lizzy," said Poppy. Poppy rubbed her hand along Lizzy's back in comfort when she saw the tears in the green eyes that looked so much like her mother's. They had been each others comfort since Carly's death, but also a constant reminder of what the other had lost.

          "That sounds like a great idea Poppy, I'm just going to miss you. Can I call you?" said Elizabeth.

          "You'd better young lady, or else. I wanted to take the time to say thank you," said Poppy. The blonde head had fallen into her shoulder, Poppy was sure it was so she wouldn't see the tears in Elizabeth's eyes.

          "For what?" asked Elizabeth.

          "For helping me through this sweetpea. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost both you and Carly," confessed Poppy. She kissed the blonde hair under her lips and squeezed the young woman tightly. "I love you Lizzy."

          "I love you too Poppy, and you don't owe me any thanks. The time that I spent with you and Mom was great. You always valued my opinion and cared about what was going on in my life Poppy. I should be thanking you for showing up and participating in all that stuff when I was in school. You made me popular, if you can believe it. I'm glad you are going back to singing; it is your talent Poppy. You make other people happy when you do, and if you're not careful you'll find the happiness that you have locked away in your heart. But just because I'm glad doesn't mean that I'm not going to miss you," said Elizabeth.

          "I'm going to miss you too kid. While I'm gone could you not let anyone from the office know where I am? If they find out the damn phone will never stop ringing," said Poppy. Elizabeth got up and headed back to the car to take Susanna out to lunch and shopping before heading back. Elizabeth had frequented the city often and was fond of one particular Mexican restaurant, but Poppy wasn't up to it and decided to stay in the park and meet them at the airport later. Poppy watched them drive away then closed her eyes for a moment to listen to the birds in the tree branches over head.

          "Mind if I sit down?" asked the familiar voice Poppy thought she would never hear again. Her eyes flew open and there next to her sat Carly. Not the sick Carly that she remembered from just before the cancer finally won the battle, but the Carly she had first met. Back was the wavy shoulder length brown hair and the beautifully tailored clothes. The only thing out of place was that Carly was barefooted.

          "Hey I'm dead, don't need shoes for that believe me," said Carly. She watched as a fat drop of sweat ran down Poppy's pale face and dropped off the end of her chin onto the white cotton shirt she was wearing.

          "Holy shit I've gone off the deep end," muttered Poppy. She had read about things like this. People in intense pain just snap one day and lose touch with reality. "Holy shit I'm one of those people. Nuts, crazy, bonkers, loony - holy shit I've become Bob," said Poppy.

          "Will you stop saying that! And what have I told you about cursing?" asked Carly. She pulled one leg up to her chest and leaned back into the bench next to Poppy.

          "Not to," answered Poppy.

          "That's right no cursing honey. So how've you been?" asked Carly.

          "You can talk to yourself, but if you find yourself answering questions then that means you're crazy," said Poppy ignoring Carly's question. The sweat dripping down her face and the color in her face had gotten worse.

          "Poppy snap out of it. I'm here, deal with it. Think of it as a gift from Satan," said Poppy.

          "You're in hell?" asked Poppy. She snapped her head around and looked at the apparition that sat next to her. It looked so real, almost like you could reach out and touch it.

          "At the moment yes if you don't stop babbling like an idiot, but technically no I'm not in hell. Just a little dead humor, I thought it would get your attention. Now that I have your attention we have to set some ground rules for our visits," said Carly.

          "You're sticking around?" asked Poppy.

          "Why, don't you want me to?" asked Carly.

          "Of course baby, but unless everyone else in this park can see you, people are going to think I'm certifiable," answered Poppy.

          "Sorry slick, only you can see me and only you can hear me. As for the certifiable part, we both know that to be true without the benefit of seeing dead people. Now answer my question, how have you been?" asked Carly.

          "You went and died on me Carly, how in the hell do you think I've been? I should have listened to Lizzy and seen a therapist," answered Poppy.

          "Told you there is no hell, and you are the most mentally balanced person I know sweetie, you don't need a therapist," said Carly. She leaned back in and touched the side of Poppy's face. The dull film that had haunted the blue eyes for two years fell away at the touch. Heck maybe being crazy wasn't so bad after all.

          "I am here to help you honey. Sorry it took me so long, but it seems like just yesterday to me that I closed my eyes with you holding me on our beach. I don't know how I got here and I don't know how much time we have, but I do know that I'm here because Lizzy asked me to be. We did a good job on that one, didn't we honey?" asked Carly.

          "Yes Carly, Lizzy's a great kid. Best attorney on my payroll and the best friend I've had since you've been gone. I've missed you so much baby," said Poppy. Almost as if she were afraid Carly would disappear, Poppy reached across the space between them and touched Carly's cheek. It felt so good to touch Carly again, to have that beautiful head lean into her touch.

          "So you're taking a trip I hear," said Carly.

          "Yeah going back to my lounge lizard persona," Poppy told her as she smiled.

          "I fell in love with that lounge lizard honey, so don't knock her. It was a thrill to have some good looking young thing singing to just you night after night. I could see why my ex always went for younger women. Come on honey let's walk, you keep a girl locked away in that urn all day and she's got to stretch her legs," said Carly. She stood up and straightened her long skirt out while she waited for the long body to unfold itself from the bench. "Love the hair Poppy, and the suit is to die for. Literally."

          "You are a laugh a minute, but I guess if I have to lose my mind I should do it with a ghost that knows how to deliver a line. We could go on the road Carly," said Poppy as she stopped and put her hand up to her mouth like she was speaking into an imaginary microphone. "Presenting for your listening pleasure Poppy and dead woman walking."

          "Poppy I could just reach into your chest and rip your heart out to prove to you that I'm really here, though I did like the dead woman walking line. Very original my love," chided Carly.

          "You could do that?" asked Poppy still not moving from the spot she had stopped in.

          "No silly, but I got your attention didn't I?" asked Carly. They had reached a pond in the middle of the park and Carly stopped to look down at the koi fish swimming lazily in the semi murky water. It was one of the simple pleasures that Poppy had taught her in their short time together, to notice the simple things in life. Poppy would often tell her that it was where Carly would find the hidden treasures that life had to offer. Funny that with all the wealth they had accumulated in their time together, it was the sparkle of the many sun rises that she remembered the most.

          It was time for Poppy to move on to the next phase of her life, and to the young woman that waited there for her. This was Carly's mission in their time together. Carly looked at the young woman that stood beside her and saw the subtle changes time had made since their time at Tulane. Poppy had grown into a stunning woman that captured the attention of both sexes because she had no concept of just how beautiful she was. To Poppy, her looks were like the money, neither mattered in the realm of all things.

          "Poppy would you like to join me on a journey?" Carly asked the question that Poppy had posed to her in Aruba years before. A retired schoolteacher that sat on a blanket on the other side of the pond stopped his hand in mid motion when he heard the rich laugh coming from the tall woman that stood across from him. He wondered what she found so amusing in watching fish eat the bread bits he was feeding them.

          * * *

          It was different waking up in the bungalow than at home, thought Julia, as the first light of dawn crept through the blinds in her room. The breeze from the night before had been so cool that she had forgone the air conditioner and opened the wall of windows in the bedroom that faced the surf. Lying next to her on the bed was Tallulah, who had gotten up an hour before, ready for her five o'clock feeding. Once she had eaten and been changed, the little girl had rolled into what looked like a soccer ball and gone back to sleep. In a smaller room down the hall, Julia had heard Rayford stumble and crash on the bed sometime during the night. Today she would go out and see what there was to do on Carly's Sound and how she could occupy her time so that she wouldn't go mad during their stay.

          She got out of bed and walked into the large bathroom on the other side of the room. Whoever had designed these facilities had gotten the proportions of the rooms just right, thought Julia as she snapped the lights on. Someone who obviously loved to spend time in the bathroom had designed the room. From the large claw foot tub by the bay window, to the large shower stall, it was the vision of perfection. Having lived with her grandmother in a house with small bathrooms and then in a dorm room at the university, Julia was in heaven when she turned on the shower controls to adjust the temperature of the water coming out of the large rain type of showerhead. Pulling her t-shirt up and over her head and untying the drawstring on her pajama pants, she spent twenty minutes soaking up her new surroundings like a pleasure hound.

          "I'll have to call granny today and tell her about this. With any luck she can come out for a visit before we get thrown out," said Julia to the white and black tile wall in front of her. It would be nice to explore the island with a friendly face. She would have to check with Miguel and see what the policy was on family visitors to the employees' facilities.

          Showered and dressed, Julia took the time to change and dress Tallulah so that they could go out and have breakfast. Miguel had told her to leave a grocery list with the kitchen and it would be filled on their next trip into Venezuela. Despite not knowing what they liked, the refrigerator had an ample supply of soda, juice and milk as well as fruit and bread on the countertop. Have to remember to work up a list for today so that I can get into that great kitchen, thought Julia as she assembled Tallulah's stroller.

          Since the facility wasn't expecting guests for another eight weeks or so, the employees were allowed to dine in the areas usually reserved for guests. Not to discriminate against their employees, the areas designed for their use were every bit as nice as some of the restaurants used by paying customers. Julia sat by the large pool and ordered breakfast from a friendly young man with a thick Spanish accent who had cooed at Tallulah the whole time he was at the table.

          "Mind if I join you Senorita?" asked Miguel. She looked up and saw that the pants and pressed shirt of the previous day had been replaced with a resort t-shirt and shorts. "Please Miguel, I would love the company," answered Julia.

          "How are you enjoying our fair island Julia?" asked Miguel. He sat down and the waiter ran over to take his order. Miguel had spent his morning in the spa working out in the complete gym that Poppy had ordered built in the employee section. The island posed a danger for those who liked to run because of the different terrain, so the facility was flush with the state of the art treadmills and other equipment needed to keep the staff in shape.

          "I haven't really gotten the opportunity to walk around but that is on my agenda for today. Things will be different once guests start to arrive so I want to see how the other half lives before I'm sent back behind the bushes," teased Julia. Miguel laughed at her joke as the waiter poured them both a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice along with two cups of strong Cuban coffee mixed with steamed milk.

          "I would love to show you around but I am helping the staff stock the resort today," answered Miguel.

          "Stock the resort?" asked Julia confused as to what he meant.

          "The items for the different locations like the bars and the maid's carts have arrived and need to be put away so that we may see what is still missing. Our time before the first trial run is growing short and I want to be ready," answered Miguel. He paused to drink the glass of juice before him before he made his next offer. This woman somehow knew Poppy and he wanted to make sure that she and the baby were kept comfortable. "If you like, I will be free this afternoon to show you around."

          "That would be great Miguel, but I don't want to keep you from any important duties you may have. If you like I'm pretty good at putting things away, so if you need any help Tallulah and I would be happy to be of service to you and the staff," offered Julia. She could see that he was getting ready to protest so she went on, "Please Miguel it will give us something to do and we won't be in the way. It's the least I can do to repay the owner for that wonderful bathroom in my room."

          "Well ok but don't tire yourself out Julia, you just have a baby and I don't want any problems with that," warned Miguel. "You have yourself a deal Mr. General Manager," said Julia shaking his hand. They finished their breakfast together with Miguel telling her more about his family and his beginnings in the resort management business. When he found out that she was a landscape architect, Miguel promised to introduce her to the ground's keeping staff that was responsible for the beautiful plant life on the island.

          Her first stop after Tallulah's morning feeding was the front lobby. Miguel had put her in one of the coolest spots in the resort filling the caddy's found there with the brochures that explained all the special amenities available at Carly's Sound. Poppy had made arrangements with some of the surrounding tour providers to make stops at their marina for those interested in diving and snorkeling trips, and with some of the boat captains for those interested in fishing trips.

          As she was going for more parasailing brochures, Julia noticed the picture hanging in the lobby. The long legs were covered by navy blue, what looked to be linen pants and the feet were bare. The scene the person overlooked was a section of the beach that Julia guessed was located on the island. The long fingers of the left hand were the only other clue as to the identity of the person in the picture. They were strong looking to Julia, and sported a wedding band on the ring finger. The reason Julia stopped and looked at it for so long was that the hand looked so familiar to her. So familiar, that she expected the person in the chair to lift the hand and offer her a seat.

          "It is the owner in the picture senorita," said one of the girls behind the counter. "I never meet her but I hear from the others who have that she is nice. She can sing like the birds and looks for her lover in the sea."

          "Celia, do I have to find you something more to do since you have so much time to spin tales for Senorita Julia," said Miguel from the arched entry way. The lobby like the rest of the public areas on the island was open. With the area only receiving two inches of rainfall a year there was no reason to shut out the beauty that surrounded them.

          "Perdonar me Senor Miguel," said Celia. Forgive me Mr. Miguel. "I did not mean to talk about the boss behind her back."

          "It's ok Celia, the boss is used to such speculation I think. Come Julia it is time for lunch and that tour that I promised you," said Miguel. The beehive of activity continued without them as they sat under one of the umbrella tables by the pool. Julia looked pensive with the image of those fingers still playing in her head as she held Tallulah to her breast with a light blanket covering her open shirt.

          "What did she mean she looks for her lover in the sea Miguel?" asked Julia. She turned her head towards him and waited for an answer.

          "It is idle talk among the women Julia, it means nothing. The love that those eyes search for is gone, and it is a shame that it is. I witnessed it when it was still fresh and new, and you could see it burning in both of them. My wish for the one that remains is that she will find love again so that the songs that built this paraiso (paradise) will come again. There is a story there but you will have to ask her yourself if you get the pleasure of meeting Ms. Valente. She is my friend though Julia so I don't like, as you Americanos say, to talk out of school about her business."

          "Her story sounds sad Miguel," said Julia. That name sounds so familiar, thought Julia as she continued to listen to the congenial man tell his story.

          "Her story is not complete yet Julia. I refuse to believe that so good a heart will die broken. Her love waits still, perhaps she will find it again here by these blue waters," said Miguel. They ate the rest of their meal in silence. Each lost in their own thoughts, one thinking of the friend that had given him so many opportunities, and the other wondering why a stranger's tale had touched her so much.

          * * *

          "Good afternoon Poppy, it's nice to see you again," said Charlie. The old gruff looking man was the mechanic of the marina in Aruba. He wiped his hands on an oily cloth before he extended one in greeting to the woman loading the sailboat in the last slip.

          "Hey there Charlie, how's it going?" asked Poppy. She took a break from loading her stuff onto the 'Pied Piper' to catch up with her old friend. They had met years before when he had taught her how to sail on her days off. When her first investment started to make money, Poppy had come back and bought the old boat she was loading from Charlie. Together they had brought it back to its original splendor. The old girl had wood decks that had a new gloss to them, and the interior had been modernized from the galley to the radio equipment she carried. It had been a labor of love on the part of Charlie, and he remembered all the times he watched his tall friend pull out of the marina with Carly by her side.

          "Getting older and crankier by the day Poppy. Loren and I were sorry we couldn't make it to Carly's services when we heard what happened. Doesn't seem right for that to happen to someone so full of life," said Charlie. He had twisted his hat into a ball while he had been talking, not wanting to bring up bad memories for Poppy.

          "You're right pal, it wasn't fair, but you know what they say about life and fairness. Don't always go hand in hand do they? And tell Loren that she didn't miss the services because I haven't had any yet. Thanks for putting on a coat of shine for me pal, the old girl has never looked better."

          "Are you sweet talking me again?" asked Carly from the top of the storage cabinet on the dock. Poppy wasn't expecting her and from the sudden appearance lost her balance and fell headfirst into the water. She surfaced with a scowl on her face and one of her sandals in her hand. After throwing on the dock she had to dive to the bottom to retrieve the other one, Poppy came up to explain her actions to the man who couldn't see the casually dressed ghost sitting right next to him.

          "Poppy are you all right?" asked Charlie. He watched as the muscles along the long arms bunched as they pulled Poppy's weight back onto the dock, where she now stood dripping wet.

          "Yeah Charlie just lost my balance, maybe I'm getting on in years myself," she answered. "You shouldn't do that to me, you scared the hell out of me," Poppy muttered to Carly.

          "I'm sorry if I scared you Poppy," said a confused Charlie. He didn't do anything in his opinion to frighten her, and why was she directing her whispered comments to the storage locker.

          "No Charlie, just talking to myself, don't mind me. I'll see you before I go back to the states. I'm going to take the Piper to Carly's Sound for a couple of weeks, but I promise I'll take good care of her. Say hello to Loren for me and I'll see you soon ok?" Poppy told him as she jumped on board and headed down to get a fresh set of clothing.

          "Honey you are going to have to act more cool when I show up before there is a competency hearing on your behalf," said Carly. She sat on the wide bunk and watched Poppy strip off the wet clothing. "You've gotten obsessive about working out again haven't you?" she asked. The muscle along Poppy's back was extraordinary, as was the definition in her butt and legs.

          "You're crazy if you think I can pass a competency hearing now Carly. Yes your honor, as a matter of fact I am seeing my dead partner. What do we talk about? Well the other day she was looking at the muscles in my ass and telling me I work out too much," said Poppy as if she were testifying in court. She pulled on some fresh shorts and a polo shirt and shook her finger in Carly's face.

          "Calm down boss man, before you have a stroke or something. Now tell me, you haven't had any services for me yet? Does that mean you are going to have services for me? I was never a big fan of the religious mumbo jumbo that went along with sending someone into the great beyond. I found the directions quite nicely by myself thank you, heck I even found my way back," said Carly.

          "Yeah lucky me," muttered Poppy.

          "You be quiet Poppy, you know you love having me around again, admit it. Stop being such a sourpuss and take me sailing," said Carly. She went up with Poppy and settled into the padded bench behind the wheel and watched Poppy untie from the dock. When she watched the fluid grace that Poppy displayed as she moved around the boat, Carly remembered the first time they had taken the boat out after Poppy had bought it and refurbished it.

          * * *

          They had been cutting through the clear blue green water for over an hour headed back to the island they had first made love on. Carly had wanted to go out and celebrate the newest purchase in the Valente chain that would bring them back to the place they had started. The ink wasn't dry on the contracts when Ginger and Matlin had arrived to start the renovations on the old Holiday Inn Resort Poppy had gotten at a cheap price on Aruba. It would take them at least another year to reopen under a new name with a new look, but it meant that they could spend time on their island so Carly didn't mind.

          When the palm trees came into view over the port side of the boat, Carly got up from the bench behind Poppy and put her arms around the trim waist. Seeing that Poppy was caught up in finding the perfect location to drop anchor, Carly had stripped off her bathing suit when she had stood up.

          "Going my way sailor?" asked Carly. Poppy turned her head slightly to take in the woman behind her before smiling.

          "Depends, what cha offering?" asked Poppy. The hand around her waist unbuttoned her shorts and pulled down the zipper.

          "I'm offering to christen this new boat for you," said Carly letting Poppy's shorts fall to the deck. She pulled the tank top over Poppy's head next leaving her as naked as Carly was.

          "I thought you were suppose to use champagne for that lady."

          "I was thinking of another fluid all together," said Carly. She stepped in front of Poppy and pushed her onto the bench behind them. "Something much more tasty and doesn't require fermentation."

          An hour later they were still laying at the front of the boat, and were enjoying the feel of naked skin under the tropical sun. "You know Poppy for someone that has never done this before, you could write a how to manual. If I were a more giving person I would share you with the world, it's such a shame to waste all this raw talent on the pleasing of women. But in the end I'm a selfish bitch that never learned to play well with others. Wanna go skinny dipping with me?" asked Carly. Carly had rolled over onto her stomach and was tracing Poppy's abdominal muscles with her finger.

          "How about if we throw everything into the bag and swim over to the island for lunch?" suggested Poppy. Before she finished the question, Poppy heard the splash off the front of the boat signaling that Carly was already in the water.

          "I guess this means I'm swimming over with the bag?" asked Poppy.

          "That's what I keep you around for baby," said Carly. She waited for Poppy to join her before she started swimming, if only to play voyeur to the body moving around on the deck. The tan lines on the lean muscular body packing the bag hardly had any tan lines, due to the fact their jobs gave them plenty of opportunities in the sun.

          Carly took a hold of the back of the bag once Poppy hit the water, letting Poppy drag her to the beach. They spent the afternoon under one of the old palm trees near the water and ate the food Carly had packed that morning. As they got to the fruit salad Carly had brought for dessert, Poppy leaned against the tree and served as a pillow for the now lounging Carly.

          "Baby maybe you should put something on," suggested Poppy as she fed Carly another piece of pineapple.

          "Why am I getting burned?" asked Carly. She was so comfortable that she didn't want to move.

          "No just thought you might want to slip into a little something," said Poppy. She reached into the bag that lay beside her and took out a small antique wooden box. There was a small spring release on the front and a small hole in the back for a turnkey. Poppy held the box in her hand but didn't open it. "We've been together for three years now beautiful lady and I thought that it was maybe time for me to make an honest woman out of you. I promised you a long time ago that I would always take care of you, and I want you to wear this as a sign of that commitment. I love you Carly," said Poppy pressing the spring latch that opened the box.

          Inside on a bed of deep blue velvet laid an antique engagement ring that Poppy had found in a French Quarter shop on their last trip home. She knew that Carly wasn't a diamond kind of girl, so the plain two-carat flawless emerald set in platinum was something Poppy thought she might like. The color of the stone, which was an emerald cut, matched Carly's eyes. A matching platinum wedding band with no stones sat beside it in the box.

          For a long moment Carly didn't do anything but lie there on Poppy's thigh. There were tears in her eyes but they had yet to spill over her cheeks. As if in slow motion she pushed herself to a sitting position and took the box from Poppy's hand, it was only then that she noticed that the moment it had been opened it had started to play the Wedding March.

          "Oh my God honey, this is beautiful. Put it on me," demanded Carly. She stuck her hand out as if she were afraid that Poppy would change her mind if she waited much longer.

          "Well?" asked Poppy.

          "What? Oh, the answer is yes honey. For you it will always be yes no matter what the question is," answered Carly.

          * * *

          Carly held her hand up to the sunlight and let the emerald sparkle off the water in the bay. It wasn't the original she knew, but in all the time she had been away from Poppy it had never left her finger. "Where is my ring honey?"

          "It is in your jewelry box at home, along with your wedding band. I thought I would give them to Lizzy when she finds her one true love. I thought I would save he or she the cost of buying the big rock if she wants to use yours," said Poppy. The sun reflected off the medal of Poppy's ring as she hoisted the main sail now that they were in clear water. The fact she still wore it made Carly happy and sad at the same time. The type of woman that Poppy needed in her life wouldn't come anywhere near her if the ring still graced her finger.

          "Lizzy did always love that ring set honey, so that's nice of you to think of her. I remember the day of our commitment ceremony on Aruba; she made me promise that if you got me a new ring she could have that one. Maybe it's time for you to put the final piece of the set into the jewelry box too honey," suggested Carly softly.

          "Not yet Carly. You can't ask that of me just yet. My head may know that you are gone, but my heart is not so convinced. And my heart is attached to my left ring finger," said Poppy. Once she had secured their course, Poppy sat next to Carly and opened a beer. The water smelled wonderful to her, and she looked up to a sky was full of big white fluffy clouds. Poppy wanted to explore some of the other smaller islands along the way before setting her final course to Carly's Sound. It had been on their to do list forever, but they had never found the time to take a day and explore.

          The third island was the smallest one Poppy had seen so far, and when she swam onto the beach Carly disappeared. The beach was littered with fallen coconuts that were covered over by wild orchids. The stretch of sand on the beach was shorter than Carly's Sound; beyond it was the volcanic rock that made up the majority of the islands in the area. The one major difference of this island from all the others was at its center. There amongst the rock formations was a small waterfall. It was salt water but it was warmer than the water she had just swam through. When the sun hit the spray it made the most wonderful rainbow effect that Poppy had seen in a long time. It reminded her of a trip she had made with her parents to Niagara Falls when she was ten. The roar of the water wasn't close, but the rainbow was the same. The setting filled her with a sense of peace that replaced the longing if only for a heartbeat.

          The sun was setting by the time Poppy pointed the bow in the direction of Carly's Sound. She dropped anchor offshore from her house and dropped an inflatable raft over the side so that she could transport her stuff onto shore. Hopefully Miguel had stocked the kitchen with something to eat, and the refrigerator with something to drink. The last two waterproof bags that Poppy lowered into the raft contained her laptop and other electronic leases that were part of her life. In the morning she would check with Susanna and Lizzy on the status of the invitations they had sent out. Ready or not the staff would be entertaining guests in two months, they were people that had frequented their properties in the past and were good customers, but hard to please. They were the perfect patrons to put the staff through their paces.

          Poppy jumped into the now inky black water for the fifth time that day and towed the raft to shore. The island was quiet and dark due to a lack of moonlight, but the bungalow on the end away from all the others still looked inviting. This was the spot that she had brought Carly onshore a million years before, and it was the first structure built.

          The bungalow contained two large bedrooms, each with its own complete bath. The kitchen was fully stocked with every cooking gadget that Poppy had found around the world. The old whicker rocking chair that was used to take the lobby photos for each property sat facing the water on the wide porch. At the end of the porch was strung a hammock, and on the other side stood a concealed outdoor shower.

          She dragged the raft as far up as she could before she started piling its contents onto the porch. Comfortable in the fact that the shower was far away enough from the other bungalows, Poppy stripped the wet clothes off and stepped inside. She reached for the half full bottle of mildly scented shampoo that was left on the shelf and started washing the salt water off. She walked dripping wet into the house to get a towel when she was finished, noticing the note propped up on the kitchen counter. Miguel had had the cleaning staff in expecting her arrival, and had stocked not only food but toiletries as well. Though as rustic looking from the outside as all the others on the island, the bungalow had high quality Persian rugs that covered hardwood cypress floors that had been shipped in from Louisiana. The furniture was a mix of modern comfortable with antique pieces sprinkled throughout. The bed in the master suite was an antique sleigh bed that Poppy had refinished and modified herself to accommodate her longer torso. She had refinished the four-poster bed in the guestroom as well, and it was there that she set all her things once she had gotten dressed. There was no interest on Poppy's part to sleep in the room that she had shared with Carly.

          Poppy looked at the picture of Carly and Lizzy that sat on the desk of the small office in the front of the house and remembered the day it had been taken. It was the first summer that the young attorney had spent with them once they had left the States to get the first property going. The twin smiles that were on each beautiful face was a testament to the happiness the camera had captured. The laptop came out of its case and Poppy fired off an email to Lizzy to tell her she had arrived safely and would call her in the morning. After, Poppy checked on the status of the other properties to see if there was anything that needed her immediate attention. If she had stockholders, Poppy was sure they would be concerned when they saw the way she usually conducted business when she was at home. The wrinkled shorts and old t-shirt fit in perfectly with the bare feet propped up on the desktop and the beer that sat on the other corner.

          She left the powerful system running once she was done, then went in search of an old friend she hadn't seen in a long time. It sat in one corner of the spacious living room. Scarred from all the late nights it had spent with Poppy from the time she was a teenager, she was still as eager to please as Poppy. No matter how many more she acquired through the years this was the one that had built her bank account. It was time to see if there was any magic left in her and in the old guitar. Time to find if she could recapture part of her past.

          The long fingers started to play, not a ripping bar song or a love song, but a classical piece. It was something Poppy didn't get to do often since they weren't real inspiring to drink to, but it was the music she had learned first. In the quiet of the night the music carried to the open windows of the nearest bungalow. Julia stopped her pacing with Tallulah in front of her bedroom window and listened to what she assumed was someone's stereo. She hummed along and rocked from side to side trying to get her daughter to go to sleep. When it stopped a while later, Julia was sorry but was surprised to find Tallulah sleeping contentedly in her arms. Hmm maybe music does sooth the savage beast, Julia thought as she placed Tallulah in her bassinet.

          Poppy sat the guitar next to the whicker rocker and went to bed happy in that she could still play. A few hundred yards away, Julia retired as well feeling happy for some reason. Their dreams carried them to different locations but the theme was the same. Each wanted to find happiness and the missing piece of their souls.

          In the morning, Julia got Tallulah dressed and ready to go out after her morning shower. On the way out the door to do some more exploring she ran into Rayford who was just getting up. Miguel had kept the staff late the night before getting the inventory stocked and taking a new inventory of what was still needed. "Where are you headed off to so early this morning sweetheart?" he asked with a smile on his face. He had seen her having both breakfast and lunch with Miguel the day before, and wondered what the manager found so interesting in Julia.

          "Don't you dare drink the juice out of the carton," said Julia. She watched him taking the said item out without a glass in sight. "To answer your question, I'm going out to do a little exploring and look at the rest of the landscaping on the island. Miguel is going to introduce me to the guys who maintain the gardens today, so I can ask some questions as to how they got some of this stuff to grow like this."

          "Yeah I saw you with Miguel yesterday lunching by the pool while I was working my ass off. What in the world were you two talking about anyway?" asked Rayford. He cocked his head to the side and waited for her answer.

          "He was just giving me a tour of the island Rayford, no need to work yourself into a frenzy over it. Don't worry though, I talked you up every chance I got," Julia told him making little quotation marks with her fingers.

          She decided to head away from the main facilities that morning and out to the thick foliage that was close to the lone bungalow by the beach. It would be time for the baby's feeding soon and the palm trees would give her the privacy she needed to accomplish the task. It would also give her the opportunity to look at the back of the owner's bungalow, and see if it would give her any further clues about the person it belonged to.

          Julia was surprised to round the corner and find a patch of wild flowers. They were the kind of wild flowers that you found back home, not on a tropical island. Whoever had planted them had created a cascade of color along the back of the long porch before it gave way to sand. Growing up in Texas, Julia had loved the patches of highway the state planted every year with multicolored sprays like this one. The state was known for its Blue Bonnets, but garden clubs in every city took the time to spread seed every spring to make every drivers trips more pleasurable.

          As she looked up to the porch, Julia noticed an old whicker rocker that looked vaguely familiar. I wonder if anyone would mind my using it, she wondered as the baby started to fuss. She was about to mount the stairs when she noticed the feet stretched out in the front of it, and the left hand hanging off the side. That's where she remembered the chair from, it was the chair from the lobby, and that was the hand from the picture. Julia was about to head for the trees that had been her first destination before she bothered the person sitting there, when she heard the deep voice.

          "How are you liking your new home?" Before she answered Julia looked out at the water to see what was so interesting that the person hadn't turned their head. A couple of hundred yards out bobbed a beautiful sailboat that hadn't been there the day before.

          "I love it actually. It's a real challenge to get out of that bathroom everyday. Whoever designed it must be a hedonist to the first degree," said Julia. The baby was voicing more displeasure, so Julia was torn as to what to do.

          "Well I have a definite streak of pleasure hound running through me, I'm afraid. I'm glad you like it," said Poppy as she got up from the rocker and walked to the edge of the porch. "Would you like to borrow my chair Tallulah? I'm beginning to develop a complex since you are crying every time I see you," said Poppy in a teasing voice.

          "Oh my God it's you," said Julia. She looked up at the woman she had met in the coffee shop in New Orleans. The suit had been replaced with a white terry cloth robe and her hair was wet and slicked back on her head.

          "Yes I believe it is me, I think," teased Poppy. She had been sitting on the porch enjoying a cup of coffee when she heard the footsteps coming up the path. The thought of getting up and screaming at whoever had decided to disturb her morning had crossed her mind until she had heard the whimper of a baby. Then she knew precisely who was sneaking up on her.

          "It's nice to see you again. I just didn't think it would be here is all. How've you been?" asked Julia. She stepped onto the porch and took the seat that Poppy was pointing to. Tallulah was now in a full-blown tizzy acting as if Julia never found the time to feed her. The baby was lifted out of her lap when Poppy saw that she was fumbling with the buttons on her shirt. The little green eyes that had been shut tight in her tirade popped open when she heard the low voice singing her a silly song.

          ~~~

          Oh I woke up this morning I looked up the wall The roaches and the redbugs Were having a great big war

          The score was ten to twenty The roaches were ahead The redbugs made a touchdown And knocked me out of bed

          I land upon this redbug And this is what he said

          Ooh yi ooh ah ah Ting tang walla walla bing bang Ooh yi ooh ah ah Ting tang walla walla bing bang

          ~~~

          The crying had stopped and the dreamy face Poppy remembered from the coffee shop was back. She handed the baby back to her mother and watched as Julia lifted Tallulah to her exposed breast. When the baby started her meal one little hand waved around as if trying to get Poppy to come closer.

          "I hope that isn't the theme song for this place," Julia said with a laugh. The tall stranger she had met only briefly had a way of putting both the Johnson women at ease, thought Julia. She had opened her shirt and undone her bra while Poppy was singing to the baby, and didn't feel modest in doing so. It was funny that she had never done that in front of anyone before.

          "Funny Ms. Johnson. No it's a song I learned in the third grade and has been one of my all time favorites ever since. I take great pleasure in teaching it to all of my friends' kids so this great classic will never fully die away. Would you like a cup of coffee, I have decaf?" offered Poppy holding up her coffee cup. The melancholy of the morning was slipping away as Poppy watched the mother and child sitting in her chair. Poppy found herself moving closer and putting her finger out for Tallulah to grab onto. Julia watched her interact with Tallulah and had to fight the urge to run her fingers through the dark wet hair.

          When Poppy turned her attention on the young mother, she gave her a genuine smile for the simple pleasure she had brought into her morning. Julia returned the smile and answered the question Poppy had asked her, "I would love a cup of coffee Poppy. Let's see if you remember how I take it." As Poppy moved in the house, Julia watched her finding the more relaxed woman even more attractive than the one she had encountered in New Orleans.

          Poppy put the cup of hot coffee on the small table next to the chair and watched as Julia moved the baby to her other breast. The suckling had gotten slower and Poppy could see that it would be a matter of moments before the baby would go to sleep. To help her along, Poppy picked up the guitar and played an old Spanish lullaby that her mother had sung to her as a baby. Julia appreciated the gesture, but feared that now that Tallulah was sleeping there would be no excuse to stay.

          "Want to put her down inside for a nap while you finish your coffee? I can put a blanket down on the rug in the den if you think the bed isn't safe enough," offered Poppy. "That sounds like a great idea," said Julia. She handed the baby over to Poppy so that she could put her clothes in order.

          The inside of Poppy's bungalow was different from hers in that it was filled with personal mementos. Pictures from different points on the globe covered the piano that took up one corner of the room, and Julia took her time looking at them while Poppy went in search of a blanket. The one that captured her attention was the picture in a beautiful old wooden frame. It was taken on the porch she had just been sitting on and showed Poppy sitting in the old rocker with an older woman on her lap. The final rays of the sun highlighted the wildflower garden, and the women sitting on the chair were oblivious to the photographer. Julia could see that this was the love Miguel had told her about. It made her irrationally jealous that it was someone else that had put that look of adoration on Poppy's face, and Julia couldn't figure out why she felt that way.

          Poppy had gotten dressed while she was in the bedroom taking the comforter off the bed for Tallulah, and came in to find Julia frowning slightly while looking at a picture of her and Carly. "Here we go. How's right here?" asked Poppy pointing to the middle of the rug. She spread the navy blue blanket out for the baby and stepped back as Julia put her down. When Julia was done, she moved back to the picture and picked it up.

          "That's Carly, the person that the island is named for," Poppy offered. She didn't understand the look on Julia's face. God let her not be one of those religious zealots that hate gay people, thought Poppy as she moved closer to the small woman.

          "Is that why you look so sad?" asked Julia softly. Whoever this woman was, she didn't deserve Poppy for hurting her. She remembered what the girl behind the desk had said the day before 'She looks for her lover in the sea.'

          "Mighty perceptive of you Ms. Johnson, yes she is the reason I look so sad sometimes but I'm getting better."

          "Why did she leave you?" asked Julia. When she saw the raw pain in the handsome face, Julia wanted to take back her question. "I'm sorry Poppy, and please call me Julia. You don't have to answer that, you hardly know me so it's not like you owe me any explanations about your life. Forget I said it," continued Julia. She put the picture down and moved to pick up Tallulah fearing that she had overstayed her welcome.

          "You don't have to go Julia. If you do you'll never get to know me, and if that happens how can we be friends?" said Poppy. They moved outside again so they wouldn't disturb the baby, but left the door open so they could hear her. "Carly left me Julia, but only because she died. Simple story really. We met, fell in love and shared a good life. Till the day that is that she found out she had breast cancer. After that it was chemo and radiation until they weren't effective, then I lost her. That was two very long years ago. So there you have it, my sad sordid tale."

          "Thank you for sharing that with me Poppy. I know that we've just met, but I would like to be your friend. If you need someone to talk to I don't live very far away," offered Julia. Poppy gave her another smile for her offer, and then they sat back and enjoyed the scenery in silence. Maybe her self imposed exile on the island wouldn't be so bad, thought Julia, as the bobbing of the Pied Piper was lulling her to sleep.

          "Hey why don't you crash on my couch for and join your daughter while I go and talk to Miguel about some business. When I get back maybe I could interest you and the bald one into some fishing?" asked Poppy as she picked up both their cups to put inside.

          "Are you sure you don't mind?" asked Julia. "Nope go ahead. That way you'll be well rested and can bait my hooks," teased Poppy.

          The gardens had filled out considerably since her last visit, thought Poppy, as she moved toward the resort area. Everywhere she looked there were clusters of confused looking people working furiously to get their areas ready for service. Obviously Miguel hadn't shared with them that there would be guests arriving sooner than they thought.

          "Tell them not to forget to put the vases we found in Rome out on the tables by the pool. I didn't haggle the price down so they can collect dust in a box somewhere," Carly reminded her as Poppy circled around the big pool. Next to their bungalow it had been one of the first things built so that the garden islands that came up and out of the water would have a chance to mature.

          "I'm sure Miguel took care of that baby. No sense in breaking any of them before we have to," answered Poppy. Carly's little visits were becoming less disconcerting to her. The short brunette walked along side her wearing a bathing suit and a large brimmed straw hat to shade her face from the unforgiving sun.

          "Thank the heavens that I didn't go to hell, the heat would have been murder," commented Carly as they both took in the fruit of their labors. Poppy laughed out loud at her memory of Carly and heat. The two did not mix well, which left her open for a lot of complaining for their life in the tropics. The staff all took notice of the new tall good looking woman that was headed toward the offices and wondered who she was.

          "Where've you been?" asked Poppy. "Having breakfast with Elvis," answered Carly.

          "So he really is dead. The National Enquirer will be so disappointed."

          "The real scoop for them would be to find out what really happened to Jimmy Hoffa," said Carly with a twinkle in her eyes.

          "What, you're not going to tell me?" asked Poppy.

          "Well I could but then I would have to kill you baby, so it's best you wait to find out. On a different subject I'm glad to see that you are mingling," said Carly.

          "Mingling?"

          "You know, the mother and cute baby," said Carly.

          "I'm just trying to be nice Carly. She's married, which makes her unavailable. Being blamed for the break up of one marriage is enough for me, thank you. Her husband is our new assistant manager."

          "What have I told you about jumping to conclusions honey? You did not break up my marriage. Thomas and I did that all by ourselves with no outside interference needed," said Carly, ready to continue her point when she saw Miguel ahead of them sitting with Rayford.

          "Poppy! I'm so glad to see you old friend," shouted Miguel. He stood up from the paper-covered table and embraced Poppy. The manager had seen the boat anchored off the shore earlier that morning but had not wanted to bother Poppy.

          "Hello Mickey, how's it coming?" asked Poppy.

          "We should be ready soon. We are just reviewing the inventory list now. After everything is stocked I'll let the staff take turns being guests to get them in the flow. The fact that Ginger and Matlin will be among the first group arriving should be motivation enough for everyone to finish ahead of schedule," said Miguel. He waved a hand toward Rayford and motioned for the young man to get up. "Rayford this is Poppy Valente."

          "Nice to meet you Rayford, I understand your father is a friend of Matlin's," said Poppy. She extended her hand to the young man standing next to Miguel. So this is the sort of guy that Julia goes for, thought Poppy as Rayford shook her hand weakly. It was for certain in her mind that the assistant manager didn't realize who she was. The training session he had just finished in New Orleans referred to her as only Raquel Valente, and not Poppy. They only had to learn her philosophies on how to treat guests. The name she went by was unimportant.

          "Pleasure, Poppy is it? That's sort of a weird name isn't it?" asked Rayford. The sun, and the fact that Miguel had just sprung the news of guests' arrivals a month ahead of time, had not left the assistant manager in the best of moods. Rayford had figured to take at least a month to leisurely slide into his duties, not to be thrown into the deep end of the pool so soon.

          "So I've been told. Well like I said Rayford it is a pleasure meeting you, now if you don't mind I need to borrow Mickey here for a moment," said Poppy with a tight smile. Miguel noticed the change in Poppy's face and signaled for Rayford to carry out the duties they had just discussed.

          "I sincerely hope that he doesn't use the word weird around anyone getting off those shuttles tomorrow Mickey. What's your feel for him?" Poppy asked. She sat in the seat Rayford had just vacated and reached for the pitcher of juice sitting on the table.

          "He is young Poppy, give him time. The young they think the world owes them sometimes, but he will learn soon enough that you must work for what you get in life. I will keep my eye on him so don't worry," said Miguel.

          "Anything else that I should know about now that I'm here?"

          "No I have everything under control. Elizabeth and Susanna have ironed out all the problems that have come up so that you can enjoy your stay Poppy."

          "Good. If the two queen bees call, don't tell them I'm here until you absolutely have to. Once they figure out my whereabouts it will take dynamite to get them out of the bungalow. Oh, and while I'm here Mickey, I'm just another one of your employees. I'll be out by the pool bar tomorrow afternoon. The vocals may be a bit rusty, but I'll try my best." Poppy leaned back in her chair with the glass of juice she had just poured and smiled at Carly. She was perched on the table facing her, but not blocking Poppy's view of Miguel. Carly smiled back then waved her goodbye before disappearing into a mist.

          "That's great Poppy. The bar manager will be glad to hear that. You were singing by the pool the first time that I saw you amiga. I'm glad that Carly made you name all the bars in the different resort Poppy's, it is where you seem the most at home. To make people forget themselves if only for the afternoon is your best gift, remember that."

          "I'll try Mickey. Now if you will excuse me, I have a date to take two ladies sailing this morning."

          She walked back to the bungalow alone. After listening to the conversation Poppy had had with Miguel, Carly had disappeared for the moment. There was someone waiting for Poppy on the porch when she walked up, and the sight of her made her smile and quicken her steps. As always, the woman was dressed from head to foot in white, including the scarf that was tied tightly around her head. Her skin was the color of perfectly mixed cocoa, and the smoothness of it hid her true age.

          Marta had been a friend to the Valente family as long as Poppy had been alive. By trade she was a chef of extraordinary talent, but to Poppy her true talents lay in her special gifts. The women in Marta's family were strong clairvoyants. She worked for Poppy as a chef but was also a mentor of sorts. Poppy had seen grown men break a sweat when they talked with the perpetually jovial woman as she told them their inner most secrets like she was reading them from a ticker tape coming out of their forehead.

          "Poppy, mi amor, how are you? Marta is mad with you. You never call me no more even thought I love you. Come here and sit so you can tell me how you are," said Marta as she pulled Poppy into a tight hug.

          They caught up with each other for over an hour before Marta leaned over and told Poppy something that the young woman already knew. "Poppy I don't want you to worry but Carly, she is here. She got unfinished business that one, and it got to do with you. The love she have for you Poppy it is stronger than even my magic, so you listen to what she got to say. She come to help you like Marta come to help you."

          "Are you working the kitchens here Marta?" asked Poppy. She was thrilled to see her friend but wondered why she had left her sister behind in New Orleans to work on the island.

          "For now baby, so come to the restaurant before the wind blow me back to New Orleans. I come here to bring you lunch so you can feed the woman inside, but now I got to go back and scream at the staff some more." Marta got up from the rocker and headed down the stairs in the direction of the main restaurant.

          "How did you know I needed a picnic lunch sister?" asked Poppy. Her only answer was a strong laugh as the woman dressed in white walked away. At the end of the trail before the foliage swallowed her, Marta turned and shouted, "Carly told me."

          The picnic basket sat on the kitchen counter along with a cooler full of drinks. A quick look in the next room showed Poppy that Marta's visit hadn't disturbed Julia and Tallulah. Mother and child were sleeping peacefully on the blanket Poppy had laid out for them. The breeze coming through the windows every so often picked up Julia's blonde hair, and Poppy sat on the sofa to watch. There was something about this small woman and her baby that touched Poppy, it wasn't so much attraction as it was the need to protect. Poppy had first felt when she had seen the other customers in the coffee shop turning a blind eye to their need.

          So caught up in her thoughts, Poppy didn't notice the green eyes looking up at her from the floor. They were so much like Carly's that Poppy's misted from looking at them. The little hands were waving at her in a silent plea to pick her up, and Poppy moved to do just that.

          Poppy walked outside with Tallulah and sat on the rocker to talk to her now attentive audience. Tallulah was a little on the small side, but Poppy attributed it that to Julia's being so petite. Her head was still missing any substantial hair growth, but what she did have was almost white blonde. Poppy held one of her little hands in her own and laughed at the concentration on the small beautiful face.

          "You will be a heart breaker when you get older, won't you beautiful Tallulah? My wish for you is that you find your one true love early, and enjoy that time like a great hidden treasure that you find buried in the sand. And may you be happy sweetpea, because you deserve no less," Poppy cooed to the baby. Julia stood at the door and watched the scene unfolding before her and the way that Tallulah reacted to Poppy. The baby had had no other caretaker but Julia from her birth, so it was fascinating to see the little girl lying so contentedly in Poppy's arms. The difference in her and Poppy's sizes, thought Julia made Tallulah look that much smaller when she was help by the gentle giant.

          "That is my wish for her as well," echoed Julia as she moved to join them. She had gotten up in a panic when she found Tallulah missing when she woke up, but the feeling had fled just as quickly when she heard the one sided conversation going on outside. It was the longest Julia had slept in the past six weeks. "I'm sorry I dropped off like that and you had to deal with Tallulah. I just haven't gotten a lot of sleep since the little princess made her appearance."

          "Don't worry about it, Tallulah and I were having a wonderful time without you. We were solving world hunger and good will among men while you slept, but it's a good thing you got up we were about to leave without you. That would have been tragic too since you wouldn't have gotten to share that great lunch that was delivered," said Poppy standing up with Tallulah still firmly held in her arms.

          "You had lunch delivered and they came inside and I didn't hear them?" asked Julia. She kept her position by the doorframe waiting to see if Poppy would be anxious to give her the baby back.

          "Yes I did. Thank God you are on a friendly island Miss Julia, if not I would fear for your safety. You sleep like the dead lady," teased Poppy. She looked down at her small charge to make sure she was still happy with her situation before moving to the door to make a quick call. Julia's smile got surprising brighter as she and Tallulah passed her by on their way into the house.

          "Mickey could you send one of the porters down to collect the stuff Marta left for me and have them meet me at the dock? Tell them to bring one of the infant lifejackets that are stored with the pool stuff if you would. No, I'll bring the Piper around then head back out in the same direction. Thanks pal I owe you one," said Poppy. She put the phone down and turned to Julia realizing that she had just assumed they would come with her and hadn't really asked.

          "You two are coming with me aren't you? I promise to have you back at a decent hour so that Rayford won't worry," Poppy promised. "You invited us already captain so there is no going back on your promise now. Tallulah talked of nothing else after you left this morning, so we wouldn't want to disappoint her," said Julia. "Let me just run and get Tallulah's diaper bag and other assorted stuff she needs and we'll be right with you."

          "Just wait for the porter and they'll stop at your place for a second on the way to the docks. That way you can hitch a ride and it will save you the long walk to the docks. I'll meet you over there with the Piper then we'll take off."

          "How are you going to get the boat?" asked Julia. She looked out at the sailboat tethered to a buoy offshore.

          "I'm going to swim it," answered Poppy. The hum of a golf cart cut off any response from Julia. "Ready to go Tallulah?" asked Poppy making like she was taking the baby for her trek to the boat.

          "Hold it," shouted Julia. Poppy handed the baby over with a lop sided grin, one that made Julia blush for some reason, then pointed the porter in the right direction of the things he needed to pick up.

          * * *

          They both listened to the water hitting the side of the boat as it sat anchored off one of the small islands close to Carly's Sound. Poppy had two large red snapper iced down in one of the boat's coolers for later cleaning, and was just enjoying the stillness of the moment. She had found in Julia someone, who like herself, liked the quiet of what this part of the world could offer. Here there was only the wind, the water and the trees that swayed in the distance. Poppy remembered a movie she had seen once where one of the characters had said that trees were like the arms of God waving at you, telling you to stop and see the beauty that was around you.

          Poppy laid on her stomach under a tarp she had set for shade at the front of the boat with her head turned in the direction of the island. The wind was cooling the sweat on her body and there was a feeling of lethargy running through her after eating the lunch that Marta had packed for them. Behind her Julia had taken off her shirt and was feeding Tallulah, who had not cried once since being put onboard the Pied Piper. There was nothing sexual in her nudity, not that Poppy has noticed, thought Julia. The reason that she had shed her top was that the tall woman had a way of making her feel at ease with who she was. For the first time in her life, Julia felt as if she wasn't on trial for her actions and there would be no judgment in Poppy eyes when they looked at her.

          "Do you dream Julia?" asked Poppy without turning around.

          "Yes I do. I may not always remember what they are but I know that I do dream. My daydreams center around Tallulah now, and what she might grow up to be. To tell you the truth, it's been such a hassle since she was born that I haven't had the opportunity to indulge in that much. Carly's Sound has been almost a gift in getting away from all of that," said Julia. She looked at the back of Poppy's head and wished she were sitting closer to her. There was still one unanswered question that she had, but was hesitant to ask it.

          "Poppy can I ask you something?"

          "Sure, I'll answer if I can," said Poppy. She turned her head to face Julia and give the small woman her undivided attention. The look on her face when she did, gave Julia a boost of ego with the knowledge she was still attractive after Tallulah's birth. For Poppy, it was a reminder of Carly's admonishments of her not having a poker face.

          Julia was creamy white and still had some fullness that Poppy attributed to her recent pregnancy. The sight of the half naked blonde brought her libido out of hibernation. Not a good time old buddy, thought Poppy as her ears felt like they had a severe sunburn. "I'm sorry," stammered Poppy. She turned her head in the other direction as fast as she could.

          "It's ok Poppy, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable but the solitude out here got the best of me. I hope you don't mind?" said Julia. She wanted to move closer to the embarrassed woman and offer support but Tallulah was still not finished. "You can turn around you know, I don't mind."

          With some hesitancy Poppy turned her head around and concentrated her eyes on Julia's face. The warm smile she found there relaxed her again. She enjoyed Julia's company enough that she didn't want to jeopardize it by making the young mother think she was sexually interested in her. Ah, but are you sexually interested in her, asked the voice in her head. "What did you want to ask me?"

          "Well it's not any of my business really but what is your connection with Carly's Sound, besides Carly I mean?"

          With a wrinkle in her brow Poppy blinked a few times. "I'm not sure I understand the question."

          "What is it that you do, I guess is what I'm asking?" said Julia. She lost sight of the blue eyes in front of her when Poppy closed them and let a small smile break out on her face. Some of the curls that had fallen out of the ever-present ponytail were blowing in the direction of the island behind them, and Julia thought that Poppy looked like one of the pirates that had roved these seas at one time.

          "I own it," said Poppy quietly. She waited to see what the reaction would be. Julia had known her only for her good deed in the coffee shop, and for the day they had spent together so far. Poppy had learned over the years that women and most men were willing to do or say anything to get close to her. It had noting to do with wanting to be her friend, she was smart enough to figure out, but because of the money. How many cocktail parties had she been to where someone had talked on topics that interested her, only to be rounded out with a request for a loan on a sure winner investment?

          "Yeah right. Carly's Sound is owned by Valente Resorts, Inc., which is owned by Raquel..." Julia's voice faded off before finishing the name on her lips. She had talked with Rayford on a few occasions when he was attending his training in New Orleans. That was the name he had given her when she asked more about the company he was going to work for. Why hadn't she recognized it in New Orleans when Poppy had furnished it?

          "Raquel Poppy Valente," finished Poppy for her. "At least that's what I answer to. I would hate to think that there is more than one of me. My mother would never survive," said Poppy. She opened her eyes again and looked up at Julia to see why the woman had gotten so quiet. Julia held on to the baby and looked at Poppy like she had suddenly grown fish scales in the sun. "Is that going to be a problem?"

          "No, I just never imagined you would be so young. You don't compute with the picture I had of you in my head," said Julia. "I'm sorry that didn't come out right did it? What I mean is that being around my parents for small spurts of time for business functions I have met the heads of major corporations, and they don't look like you."

          "Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment. Just for the record I've met some of those guys too, they stay at some of my places, and I don't ever want to be mistaken for a fat white guy with a farmer's tan. I just did what I loved Julia, and got lucky. I didn't ever want to be famous, or tour. I just wanted to sing and entertain people. Business suits and a corner office would have to be my definition of a slow death. Funny thing is, I have one of those in New Orleans, Lizzy uses it. What you see is what you get," said Poppy. She had yet to move from her spot on the deck, and decided to stay put to see what direction the conversation took next.

          "I like what I see," said Julia in a soft voice. Poppy just closed her eyes at the short statement and drifted off to sleep. Each had found a new friend and knew they had the time to explore the possibilities of what that meant. Julia put the baby between them after she was finished with lunch and joined Poppy in a nap. When their dreams began, one drifted toward the past, while the other dreamt of what the future might hold.

          * * *

          Poppy stepped into the bedroom of the new house she and Carly had purchased in the Garden District section of New Orleans. They had been in Mexico for the past three years and had decided to return to the city to plan their next move. The resort Poppy had purchased had done well enough to help finance the purchase of another in Cozumel and Aruba. With staffs that she trusted in place at all three locations, Poppy was now doing the legwork from the new house for the purchase of two other locations. Being back in town also put them closer to Elizabeth, who was now in college and had moved in with them. Carly had missed her children being so far away, which had made the move easier to make in Poppy's mind.

          "Happy birthday baby," Poppy told Carly. It was Carly's forty-fifth birthday, and that alone had made for one unhappy socialite all day. When she heard that Poppy and her closest friends were throwing a party in honor of the occasion it had not improved her disposition. Poppy, with her hands behind her back, circled the aqua clad woman and let out a wolf whistle.

          "I can't believe that you are reminding people that I am this old," whined Carly. She looked up at Poppy and wondered what her lover was hiding behind her back.

          "You are as beautiful as you timeless my love, so quit your griping and get with the program. I did want to give you your present before we head out though, so close your eyes," requested Poppy. Poppy moved them to the small sofa at the one end of the room before she handed Carly the box in her hand. When the box was safely in Carly's hands, Poppy let go leaned over and kissed her. "I love you Carly. You are the most precious thing in my life and I want nothing more than to make you happy. Happy birthday and I hope you like it."

          Carly leaned in for another kiss before she tore the paper off the box. There was something about Poppy in a tuxedo that was making her want to reconsider going anywhere that evening. The genuine look of surprise when Carly opened the box came not from knowing what was inside, but from what wasn't. An envelope with legal looking papers was the last thing she would have guessed the gift was.

          "What is this honey?" asked Carly. After Carly's dealings with Thomas in their divorce, any legal looking document gave her hives.

          "It's your birthday present Carly. All that legal stuff says that you are now the beneficiary of the Carly Virginia Valente Trust. The money is yours to do with as you please no matter what happens to us. You don't need me to tell you that you have worth, so don't think this is what this is about. Think of it as an insurance policy or a large shoe fund," laughed Poppy. I still don't understand how two women can own so many pairs of shoes, thought Poppy as her mind wandered to Carly and Elizabeth's closets.

          "That's so sweet," said Carly. The words were leaving her mouth when she pulled the cover letter open and read what Poppy's attorney had written. Carly stopped at the number. It was the amount of zeros after the one that was causing the brain freeze that she was experiencing. "Poppy are you crazy this is ten, ten million dollars."

          "What you need a little more?" asked Poppy. The papers slid out of Carly's hands onto the floor, so Poppy moved closer to her. Even she couldn't understand the ease in which they had accumulated money. Where they were now was so far off the mark of what her original idea was, but it had been fun working with Carly to build their future. Ginger and Matlin were now employed by Poppy as decorators and what they liked to call marketing consultants. They both would tease Carly every time they got together that if she ever got tired of Poppy they would be happy to fill in. Anyone that let them shop to their heart's content and actually paid them to do it was a god in their eyes.

          Carly slapped Poppy's arm and started to cry. "No you idiot, it's too much. Poppy do you have any idea of how much I love you? I'm not keeping this, but I love you for taking me so seriously."

          "Baby of course I take you seriously and there is no way you are giving that back. Give it to charity if that's what you want, but the money, like me, is yours to keep. Now let's get going to this swank party the girls put together for tonight. People paid a lot of money to see the birthday girl so we don't want to disappoint."

          "I wanted to thank you all for that. It was a nice way to raise money to send kids with cancer to summer camp. The only drawback is that I have to turn another year older. Why does the gulf between forty-five and twenty-three seem that much bigger?" Carly asked. The starched chest in front of her looked so inviting, Carly fell into it. The long arms that had brought Carly so much pleasure in the last three years came around her body and held her tight. From the doorway, Elizabeth watched as the couple danced close together as Poppy sang 'Are the Stars Out Tonight' softly into Carly's ear.

          * * *

          "Do you know that you hum in your sleep?" asked Julia. The sound of the water had pulled her from a pleasant sleep, and Julia had looked across from her to find Poppy still sleeping. She had indulged in looking at the tall body for at least five minutes, before she saw movement under the eyelids signaling her that Poppy was waking up.

          "No I didn't know that," said Poppy. The rest had left her refreshed enough to do some more fishing before heading back, so Poppy sat up and faced Julia. "Ready to go back or want to add to our bounty?"

          "I could fish some more, but I don't think the baby should be out here in the sun any more."

          "No problem we'll bunk her down inside in the air conditioning. A couple more of these snapper and I'll cook for the two of you," said Poppy as she stood up. Once she had her footing, Poppy picked Tallulah up and gave Julia a hand up off the deck.

          Julia was tired by the time Poppy pulled along side the dock at Carly's Sound. Her hostess for the day called for a cart once she had tied the boat down. The baby went without protest to Poppy, as she had done all day, so that Julia could step back on dry land. The porter retrieved the diaper bag and carrier from the boat and strapped them to the back of the golf cart he had driven over, then turned to Julia and told her they were ready to go. With Tallulah back in her arms, Julia looked to Poppy to ride back with them to prolong the day as much as she could.

          "Good night ladies, I will leave you in the capable hands of Javier who will escort you home," said Poppy. She kissed Tallulah on the head and handed her back to her mother. "Be careful with this precious cargo Javier."

          "You aren't coming with us?" asked Julia.

          "No, the shuttles will be arriving in the early afternoon with supplies and need the dock space. I'll sail the Piper around and get her settled for the night. Thank you for coming with me, and I'll make sure to have the cleaned fish delivered to your bungalow." Poppy jumped back onboard the sailboat and waited as Javier threw the leads back onto the deck. With her sails stored and folded, Poppy turned on the Piper's engines to get her around the island. When Julia turned around before getting in beside Javier, she waved goodbye.

          Sleep would not come, so Julia walked out to the bungalow's den toward the kitchen. Sitting on the sofa was Rayford watching a Cubs baseball game courtesy of the satellite system Poppy had installed. "Hey looks like you got some sun today," said Rayford looking up as Julia came in.

          "I went fishing." The hand that came up to feel her forehead was batted away.

          "You went fishing? Who are you and what have you done with Julia Johnson?" asked Rayford.

          "A friend asked Tallulah and I, so I went Ray. No biggie, and you would think that after being out there all day I would be exhausted but I can't go to sleep."

          "Who is this friend and why did they ask you to go fishing? You don't even like to fish Jules, so why the interest now?" asked Rayford. Julia relaxed against him as Ray rubbed her shoulders and tried to come up with a good explanation. For the time being, she wanted to leave Poppy out of the conversation, since Poppy was technically his boss. Ray could be a bit of a suck up if given the opportunity and Julia wasn't going to do that to her new friend. The look on her face after my reaction to who she was tells me that would definitely be a bad idea, thought Julia.

          "Get some sleep Ray, tomorrow's a big day," said Julia as she kissed his cheek. She continued her trek into the kitchen to get something to drink as Rayford took her advice and went toward his bedroom. Julia looked out the window and tried to look past the trees to Poppy's bungalow to see if there were any lights on yet. She had been home for over an hour and had kept watch out of her bedroom windows to make sure Poppy made it home safely. The fact that she was not back yet was starting to concern Julia.

          She pulled her robe tight and wandered down the trail not worried about the baby since Ray was home. There was only a little light coming from the sliver of the new moon, and the garden lights that were dispersed throughout the foliage, so Julia walked slowly. From the end of the trail she could see that the Piper was back where she had first seen it and there was the sound of water coming from somewhere near the bungalow. Julia moved closer to investigate when the water stopped and Poppy stepped up to the porch. The body glistening in the night stopped Julia's forward progress and she just stared. Something about Poppy called to her. It was as if there was an animal living inside her waiting to come out and touch every part of skin showing on the tall muscular body. To see Poppy like this, Julia could see the fluidity of her movements that were usually covered by clothes.

          "She look good, don't she?" asked the voice from behind her. Julia spun around surprised that she hadn't heard the woman's footsteps coming up the trail. Her first reaction was to be embarrassed, having been caught staring at the naked woman on her way into the house, but the kind look on the stranger's face told her it wasn't necessary. "Come with me child and help me put your fish away, now that you know the boat captain is home and in bed," said Marta. Julia followed the woman back to her bungalow and saw the neatly piled plastic bags full of fish filets waiting in a pan packed with ice waiting to be put away.

          "Thank you for doing all this. Should I set some bags aside for Poppy?" asked Julia. The woman beside her didn't answer for the longest time making Julia think that she hadn't understood the question. Julia had to fight the urge to pull back when the callused black hand took a hold of one of hers. It felt like the woman had a high fever, her hand was so hot, but she looked perfectly healthy, and after the initial shock Julia felt a sense of peace come over her and she felt sleepy.

          "Don't worry none about Poppy child, she gonna be fine. You give her some time and those scales on her eyes, they gonna fall away and she will see you. Ain't no changing your fate Julia, and there ain't no sense fightin' it. Just go with what's written in the stars and don't run away from your heart, she's waiting for you."

          When Julia blinked her eyes open, her first thought was that she didn't remember closing them, and why was she so tired? She was standing outside on her porch in her robe and there was a pan of fish at her feet. Looking around and seeing no one, Julia picked it up and went inside with it to put it in the refrigerator. The moment her head hit the pillow she was asleep. It was a deep dreamless sleep that left her half dazed the next day.

          When she woke up the next day she bundled up Tallulah and headed back to Poppy's porch almost anxious to see her again. Julia laughed when she saw the tall woman standing by the rocker with a towel draped over one arm and two coffee cups sitting on the small side table. "Serve you madam?" asked Poppy. She bent slightly at the waist and swept her arm in the direction of the rocker. She had just known that Julia was coming and had made breakfast in anticipation of her arrival.

          "Thank you. No wonder you are so successful in the pleasing of guests if this is the treatment everyone gets. Good morning Poppy," said Julia. She sat in the chair and handed Tallulah over to Poppy so that she could drink her coffee. They sat in silence until they had finished their coffee, each enjoying the beautiful morning that was coming alive around them. It was the same way they enjoyed the rest of the day. They were alone on a private island with just themselves for company. The rest of the world seemed like it was miles away.

          Poppy took them sailing again that afternoon. Not to fish but to introduce Julia to the area she had fallen in love with years before. They returned by nightfall and Julia held on tightly to Tallulah as Poppy towed them to shore on the small dingy. Julia felt exhilarated and tired at the same time. On the sail she had seen nothing but the vastness of the water with a small island dotting the horizon every so often. Poppy had opened her eyes to the beauty and solitude the green blue water offered, and had opened her heart to the beauty her future could be.

          "How about dinner?" asked Poppy. She stood on the shore and pulled the dingy in far enough so that Julia wouldn't get her feet wet getting out. Poppy had to smile every time she looked on little Tallulah wearing the smallest life vest she had ever seen.

          "Sure, if you give me a minute to change and feed the baby," said Julia accepting a hand out of the small boat. The thought of spending more time with Poppy sounded very appealing.

          "I was thinking more of eating here, with me. No need to change and you are free to use whatever room in the bungalow you wish to feed Tallulah. Let me fire up the grill and put on some of that fish we caught yesterday, I promise not to give you food poisoning," said Poppy. She stood in the sand dripping from her swim waiting for an answer, and instead of giving her one Julia just walked past her and into the house.

          Poppy jumped into the outdoor shower to give Julia some privacy in getting cleaned up, and was a little shocked to find her robe hanging over the porch railing when she stepped out toweling off her hair. Next to it was a cold beer, the brand that she liked the most. When she walked past the living room, Poppy saw Julia wearing her other robe lying on the sofa with her daughter.

          Dinner was eaten outside under the stars and by candlelight. The fish they had caught the day before was accompanied by a salad and steamed vegetables that they had made together. They moved around the kitchen like a seasoned team. The only trouble that they had had was in finding all the ingredients. Julia sat back with her only glass of wine, which was only half full, and indulged in and looked at her dining companion wondering what her life with Carly had been like. Had the smiling woman in all those pictures inside felt like she felt now?

          "What?" asked Poppy. She mirrored Julia's relaxed position and arched a brow in question.

          "Nothing just enjoying the night air. Hopefully this one glass of wine will relax Tallulah enough to skip one of those late night feedings," said Julia raising her glass in a toast.

          "What are your plans for tomorrow?" asked Poppy. She clinked her glass against Julia's to complete the toast as she waited for the woman to answer.

          "Well my social calendar has been just hectic since I got here. What did you have in mind?" asked Julia.

          "How about a picnic lunch at a place I found around here just recently," offered Poppy.

          "You have a date Ms. Valente," said Julia. The answer earned her a full smile, one that she noticed Poppy didn't use very often.

          For the next two months Poppy showed Julia the waterfall she had found, as well as some of the more populated islands like Aruba. They grew more comfortable with each other as the days melted one into the other. It was becoming a common sight in Aruba to see the tall American holding a small baby in one hand, and the hand of the child's mother in the other. The small intimacies between them grew, but neither of them acted on them.

          On their last night together before the guests arrived they stayed on Carly's Sound and cooked dinner. They had spent the day on the beach under a canopy that Poppy had set up for the baby. Julia listened as Poppy conducted business on the cell phone in her hand throughout the day as she lay next to Julia on the sand. The baby had become accustomed to the deep voice and turned her head in Poppy's direction. A large hand massaged Tallulah's stomach without the owner missing a beat in the conversation. To return the favor Poppy was giving her daughter, Julia ran her hand across Poppy's back in a soothing motion. From Poppy's end of the conversation, Julia could tell that it wasn't happy news, and hoped whatever it was wouldn't take Poppy back to the states and away from her.

          The feel of Julia's hand on her back put Poppy to sleep as soon as she finished her talk with Lizzy. She enjoyed the moment and decided to forget about labor negotiations for now. They woke up in time to see the speculator sunset that had turned the sky slightly pink.

          "Well it's back to the real world tomorrow Julia. I hope that you don't forget about me once you have more people to talk to. Forgive me for monopolizing your time for the past couple of months," said Poppy. She watched as the sun made its final plunge into the water and the night sky illuminated with a billion stars. The moonlight had turned Julia's hair almost golden, and Poppy had a sudden urge to run her fingers through it to see if it was as soft as it looked.

          "I have been where I most wanted to be," said Julia softly. Not resisting her urges, Julia placed her palm on Poppy's cheek to show her that she was sincere. "Promise me that you will set aside some time to spend with us after you are finished doing your thing?"

          "I promise," said Poppy leaning into the touch.

          Part 4

          Miguel was waiting for the shuttles the next afternoon with Rayford by his side. Poppy had commissioned four vessels, each a little different so that they would accommodate different guests' tastes. You could travel the two hours to the island either in air-conditioned comfort, or you could get there a little faster in one of the open-air boats that fit less passengers. Ginger and Matlin where the only two on board the fastest boat. By the load of luggage they carried, Miguel figured they were there for only a short stay. He had reserved one of the bungalows with a nice stretch of beach behind it for the two friends. It's a wonder they aren't wearing white gloves, thought Miguel as he waved to them as the boat neared. He had been at openings when the two had attended, hopefully his prayers from the night before would be answered, and they would stay calm.

          "Hi Miguel, it's nice to see you again," said Ginger as she accepted his help off the boat. "And you Miss Ginger, it is nice to see the two of you again," answered Miguel.

          The ladies gave both Miguel and Rayford hugs once they were onshore, and accepted the men's invitation for an escort to their bungalow. The rest of the guests would be arriving within the hour, and they still had much to plan, but a bad word from these two women would go straight to Poppy's ear.

          Matlin walked slowly behind the group, taking the time to look around. There were so many memories here on this island that she personally hadn't experienced, but had heard about from Carly. The saddest part of the coming week was that Carly wouldn't be there to celebrate with them. The three of them had done the finishing touches to the décor of the bungalows; it was one of the last things Carly did before she had died. They had laughed together that month like they had when they were children. May we all go into that good night with as much class and courage as you my friend. I miss you Carly, thought Matlin.

          By six that evening the pool area was full, and the staff was doing an admirable job of keeping up with requests. Rayford was busy at the front desk, but had taken the time to escort Julia and Tallulah to one of the tables to meet Ginger and Matlin. The two older women had asked about her as soon as they had seen Rayford, and insisted Julia join them for drinks. It was Julia that first noticed the empty barstool by the pool, and the tall woman with a guitar heading for it. When the old friends looked to see what the young woman was staring at, both their eyes misted it up.

          "Good afternoon ladies and gentleman, and welcome to Carly's Sound. The staff and I hope that you enjoy your stay," said Poppy. She sat down in the stool Miguel had sat out for her and took a moment to get comfortable. There were butterflies in her stomach, so she thought the best course of action was to just get started.

          ~~~

          This old guitar taught me to sing a love song It showed me how to laugh and how to cry It introduced me to some friends of mine

          ~~~

          Poppy looked toward Ginger and Matlin's table and smiled. It was nice to see them again and to see that they had taken the time to invite Julia. As Poppy headed into the next verse she felt a weight settle onto her back, and her smile grew bigger. Carly was back and had taken the place she had so many times before when Poppy was singing her a love song.

          ~~~

          And brightened up some days It helped me through some lonely nights Oh what a friend to have on a cold and lonely night

          This old guitar gave me my lovely lady It opened her eyes and ears to me It brought us close together And I guess it broke her heart

          It opened up the space for us to be What a lovely place and lovely space to be This old guitar gave me my life my living All the things you know I love to do

          To serenade the stars that shine from a sunny mountainside Most of all to sing my songs for you I love to sing my songs for you Yes I do, you know I love to sing my songs for you

          ~~~

          She finished the song to strong applause then launched into some livelier rock and roll songs. Two hours later, Poppy's voice was a little raspier, and the people around the pool were a little drunker. Some of them knew who had been entertaining them and slapped Poppy on the back as she made her way to Ginger and Matlin's table.

          The adoring look on Julia's face as Poppy got closer, was not missed by Matlin. "She's hotter than a Rolex in a pawn shop, ain't she?" Matlin leaned over and whispered in the young woman's ear. The blush on Julia's face confirmed Matlin's suspicions. Poppy stopped behind the empty chair at their table and bowed deeply at the waist. It had bee several months since she had seen Carly's old friends. After finishing with the New Orleans Ritz, they had taken a deserved vacation through Europe.

          "Poppy you must have done something wonderful in your last life girl to get all this wonderful karma. No one is this good looking, talented and charming without being burned at the stake or some other nonsense people used to do to each other. Come over here and give us both a hug," demanded Ginger.

          "Hmmm I see being dead has changed a few things," commented Carly. She watched as Ginger then Matlin greeted Poppy with a hug then a kiss on the lips.

          "Ladies it's nice seeing you two again. You have to tell me later how Europe was, but I have a conference call with Lizzy in twenty minutes. Something to do with the Fort Lauderdale location, so I have to run," said Poppy. She cut off any complaints before they began. As she kissed the women again, Rayford walked up and put his hands on Julia's shoulders possessively.

          "How are all my girls doing?" he asked. He directed his comment to all the women seated at the table. The assistant manager seemed almost displeased that the singer was standing at the table talking. "Don't you have work to do?" Rayford asked Poppy. He wanted Matlin to see how well he handled the employees, before asking for a transfer back to the states.

          "Sorry Mr. Johnson, how careless of me to be goofing off on the company clock," said Poppy. With a small nod of her head, Poppy made her way around the table and headed in the direction of the employees' quarters.

          "Ray that mouth of yours will get you in so much trouble one day. Will you all excuse me?" asked Julia. Taking hold of Tallulah's stroller, Julia followed the path that Poppy had taken. When she got to the last bungalow there was no sign of Poppy anywhere outside, but Julia did notice that the back door was open. She entered holding the baby when her soft knock went unanswered, and found Poppy sitting back in her office chair with her eyes closed and her feet propped up on the desk.

          "Hold it Lizzy," said Poppy. Hearing someone come in, Poppy put her hand over the receiver and looked over at her two visitors. "What can I do for you ladies?" Poppy asked without much humor. The hurt look on Julia's face stopped Poppy from making any more hurtful comments. There was something in the way that Rayford had handled Julia that she didn't like, but that was no reason to take it out on the small woman. "Why don't you go and rock the half pint, and I'll be out in a minute. I got labor problems in Florida, and I want to see if I can solve them over the phone." Julia slowly nodded her head and headed outside.

          Julia rocked Tallulah until the little girl went to sleep. She went in and put her down on the blanket that was still on the floor from the previous day. The day had been torturous until she had seen Poppy walk out to the pool deck. The blonde had tried that morning to come and see the object of so many of her thoughts, but the bungalow had been empty since the early morning. It was getting harder for Julia to stay away, and there was some part of her that craved being in the presence of the tall woman. It had nothing to do with their talks or Poppy's history, but it had to do with the intimacy that they seemed to share without words or touch. The woman that had delivered the fish that night told her to follow her heart, and not fight what was meant to be.

          She heard the screen door starting to open and got up from the rocker. Listening to the advice of someone she had never seen again, Julia walked up to Poppy and fell into her. Julia wanted to be held by this woman, to feel her body pulled into the strong one standing in the doorway. It was as if Poppy understood what she wanted when Julia felt the arms tighten around her. The feeling was so right that Julia didn't understand the tears streaming down her face. Before she could control it, she was crying hysterically as she clung to Poppy feeling as if she would die if the tall woman would let her go, or sent her away.

          If Poppy was surprised by Julia's actions she didn't show it, she just gathered the crying woman into her arms and provided the only comfort she could. For the first time in two years, Poppy didn't think about Carly or anything else. She just held the woman who had two fists full of her shirt and rubbed her back in a soothing motion.

          When the crying started to calm, Julia's hands moved from Poppy's shirt and came to rest behind her neck. Julia pulled down gently trying to get Poppy to bend down a little so that she could reach her lips. Poppy stiffened at the action, and it was like trying to bend a telephone pole. She only relented when the teary green eyes looked up at her and asked, "Please?"

          There are times in your life when the universe opens up a small window and shows you the possibilities that are out there for you. What you can do with your life if you choose the right path, or what you can achieve with the right motivation. Poppy had only stood on that precipice three times in her life. The first was on a warm night under an oak tree in New Orleans, the first time she had kissed Carly. The second was the day she signed a contract to buy an old resort in Mexico from an elderly woman. And the third was happening to her right now.

          Julia's lips were soft and yielding, her hands felt so right behind her neck and her body felt at home in her arms. What made it so wrong, was the fact that it felt so right. That's what made Poppy pull back. Julia was married. Married to someone else, and that made her off limits. That closed the window on the endless possibilities with this woman, and Poppy felt almost cheated at having been shown the glimpse to begin with. You can live your whole life happier not knowing some things. Ignorance is truly bliss, thought Poppy as she leaned her forehead against Julia's.

          "What's wrong Poppy? Didn't you like that?" asked Julia. The neck under her hands felt tight with tension, but at least Poppy wasn't moving away from her.

          "Yes I liked that very much, and I like you very much, but we can't do this. You belong to someone else Julia, and I won't go through that again," said Poppy with finality.

          "But..," started Julia. She didn't get to finish her comment because someone behind them called Poppy's name.

          "Poppy I hope that you don't mind, but I asked Miguel where I could find you. I'm so glad I finally caught up to you," said the redheaded woman standing at the end of the trail.

          Julia looked at the woman like she had suddenly emerged from a large shell like the birth of Aphrodite. The short skirt and matching bra top hid nothing of the flawlessly tanned body. Her red auburn hair was a little past her shoulders, and framed a face that had to be one of the most beautiful that Julia had ever seen.

          "Jillian is that you?" asked Poppy. All that good karma Ginger had talked about was suddenly taking the final shuttle off the island. Poppy dropped her hands from Julia's body but took hold of one of the small hands.

          "Yes it's me. It's been a long time, but I would think that you could still come down here and kiss me hello," said Jillian. To press her advantage the redhead dropped her final tidbit meant to get the tall woman moving in her direction. Poppy couldn't have changed that much in twelve years where her convictions were involved, figured Jillian. "Rayford told me where I could find you and his wife, Julia is it?"

          "But..," started Julia again, but Poppy had already moved away from her. Whoever this woman was, she was now sucking on Poppy's mouth like it contained some life sustaining meal. The only thing that made Julia feel better was that both of Poppy's hands were up in the air like she were getting ready to start flapping them. Julia could see that the woman was not about to relinquish her hold of Poppy, so she went in to get Tallulah and headed back toward her bungalow. She wondered if Poppy would even notice that she had left?

          Poppy watched, as Julia and the baby moved further away, not missing the hurt look on Julia's face as she walked away. They needed to talk about what had happened between them, before their interruption, but she first had to get rid of Jillian.

          "You haven't forgotten how to show a girl a good time I see," said Jillian as soon as they ended their kiss. The small redhead was still in Poppy's personal space, running her hands up and down the tall woman's arms.

          "This is the famous Jillian I take it?" asked Carly. She circled the couple with a finger pressed against her lips. Jillian was the one woman that Carly had given thanks to everyday when she was alive. The short redhead was Poppy's first love, but had taken the easy way out by getting married instead of following her heart and staying with the one person that could have brought her happiness. So Miss Jillian had ended up in the suburbs with a husband that liked to fish more than he liked to make love, and three sons that inherited their father's love of slimy things. Carly loved Jillian for one simple fact, and that was that the girl had cut Poppy loose opening her heart to the possibility of loving someone else. That someone else, thought Carly happily, had ended up on a tropical island with a spouse that couldn't keep her hands off of her, and a fairly tale life.

          "I give her extra points for waiting this long to track you down, and where does this girl shop?" asked Carly. She stood behind Jillian facing Poppy. They both laughed at the situation.

          "Yes baby, I'm happy to see you too. I knew that you would be thrilled to see me," said an oblivious Jillian.

          "Why don't you have a seat Jillian and I'll get us something to drink," offered Poppy. She pried the woman off the front of her body and headed back toward her porch. Jillian followed and sat in the chaise lounge to one side. "What would you like?" asked Poppy. "Whatever you're having Poppy."

          "This is too much. She's here to comfort the poor lonely widow that's worth more than her whole family combined, going back to caveman days. You are not seriously considering entertaining this woman's delusions are you?" asked Carly. Poppy was ignoring Carly for the moment, as the dead woman ranted in the middle of the kitchen as Poppy pulled two beers out of the refrigerator. "Poppy she is here because you have money, not because she is trying to rekindle the flame, that might I point out she put out, you once shared."

          "Calm down Carly, I know what I'm doing. I'm young but not totally brain dead," Poppy told her. It was one of their oldest arguments. Poppy had savvy, but Carly always had her beat on life's experience.

          "Calm? There is a viper sitting out there on your porch looking like an open buffet, and you expect me to stay calm?" asked Carly.

          Poppy thought that Carly had gone back into the great beyond when she walked back outside alone. Alone with Jillian, until Carly just walked through the wall behind the reclining woman and sat on the railing next to her.

          "Still boring when it comes to picking out drinks I see Poppy," commented Jillian, as she reached up for the green bottle. She had had enough beer to last a lifetime after marrying Philip.

          "What did you expect, champagne cocktails?" asked an amused Poppy. She plopped down on the rocker and waited for an answer. The brow over her left eye arched in question, not for the breathing woman but for the transparent one seated on the railing.

          "I loved that you never changed much of your true self once you made it honey. It was one of the things I always found most attractive about you. The memories of you that I will treasure most is that you never seemed embarrassed by showing your pleasure in something. It didn't matter if it was seeing something for the first time, or trying something new. I never had that growing up, everyone always tried to act so cool about everything it stifled my own enthusiasm for things. You gave that back to me," said Carly. Carly looked at Poppy and smiled. Only when the responding smile came back at her did she realize her mistake. The bitch in heat on the chaise thought that the smile, and the eyes filled with love were for her.

          Ginger and Matlin saw Julia in a rush to get back to her bungalow. The young woman was coming from the direction of Poppy's bungalow, and that caused them some concern. Looking at each other they veered off of their original destination, which was to see Poppy, and headed toward the young woman's home.

          "What do you suppose Poppy did to her?" asked Ginger. "Don't go jumping to conclusions there Madame Butterfly, this could just be a case of hormones," commented Matlin, even though she had a feeling she knew what this was about. You big lug, if you hurt that sweet girl's feelings, I will personally knock some sense into you, thought Matlin. She was one of the only people who knew why Julian was on the island, and promised both Rayford and Julia that she would keep quiet about it.

          Julia came to the door when she heard Matlin calling out to her. At the sight of Matlin's concerned face, Julia started crying again. Between sobs she told the two older women what had happened, and about the arrival of Jillian. "I'm afraid that I've messed things up now, and I'm going to have to leave. She didn't seemed to thrilled with the fact that both of us kissed her," said Julia. She wiped away her tears again and looked at the two sympathetic faces looking back at her.

          "First off, no one is going anywhere, so put that thought right out of your head young lady. Matlin and I are going to do our best to tell you a story, and you and Tallulah are going to do your best and sit there and listen to what we have to say. Julia, when two people meet and fall in love, that usually changes their lives for the better. In this story that holds true, but it also changed so many other lives, that it didn't make for the smoothest of rides. Not to say that that wouldn't have happened anyway, but by a chance meeting, it sped things along. This is the story of Poppy and Carly, the way we saw it and lived it," explained Ginger. She began her story in that bar they had found Poppy in and went on from there. They took turns telling Julia about the two women that had shaped this island, and their lives around one another. They were about halfway finished when they stopped and ordered dinner.

          "She lost so much when she lost Carly, didn't she?" asked Julia. She bit into the egg roll in her hand and closed her eyes in ecstasy. The strange woman she had met when she had delivered their cleaned fish had personally delivered a meal that they had not ordered. Picking from the menus of the different restaurants they had ordered a variety of items, but Julia had had a craving for Chinese food. Unfortunately for her it had not been one of the choices to pick from. Marta had laughed at Julia's expression when she lifted the lids on the dishes and saw all her favorites sitting there. Julia found the laugh, as well as the food, a great comfort. This woman dressed in white had a way of making her feel like everything would be all right, if you had enough faith. For an old Spanish woman with a heavy accent she sure can make a mean egg roll, thought Julia.

          "She did, and she didn't," said Matlin. She scooped some more fried rice into her plate and thought of the best way to explain her comment. "Poppy learned things from Carly, things that will make her next mate very happy." The laughter from the other two women stopped Matlin from saying anything else. "Not that, you two heathens. What I mean is, that Poppy has been properly trained in how to conduct and participate in a healthy relationship. Carly always joked that when she was done training Poppy, making her perfect, some young thing to come in and swoop her away from her. Before she died, she made Ginger and I promise that we would do our level best that that would happen. She wanted Poppy to go out and find someone new and exciting to share her life. People look at Poppy to solve all these problems with the company she founded, but I bet they forget that she is just on the other side of thirty. She still got a lot of living to do before she dies, and Carly wanted her to take advantage of that."

          "Yeah, she told us they would work out the logistics of time sharing once they all got to the afterlife. What we are trying to tell you Julia is that we don't think Poppy rejected you because of the fact she isn't attracted to you, she did it because she is scared. Get some more of that Imperial Chicken and I'll explain," said Ginger. "Poppy got all of Carly. She got her love, her family and the problems that came along with that. When it was all said and done, they went on to be happy, but Thomas did not go away quietly. If Poppy thinks that you are married there is no way in hell she's going to come anywhere near you, even if she thinks you might be the holy grail. I remember this one Mardi Gras season when they had just come back from Mexico, and were invited to one of the more exclusive balls."

          * * *

          The room was crowed with the power brokers of New Orleans. To be there meant that you had made it into the enter sanctum of New Orleans society. This was not one of the large balls that you could buy tickets to, this was by invitation only. An invitation that was delivered to your door by a butler carrying a silver tray, on which rested a linen paper handwritten addressed envelope and a blood red rose. If you accepted then you agreed to mask until midnight, there were no exceptions. That was the only costume required, besides ball gowns for the ladies, and tails for their escorts.

          What surprised Poppy the most, beside the fact there had been an older distinguished looking gentleman on their door with a tray in his hand, was that the invitation had come addressed to her and not Carly. Carly was there with her that evening, not the other way around. Her wife had explained on the way over to the large uptown mansion that Poppy was considered to be the head of their family. Carly's name change had signaled the hostess as to who should get the invitation.

          Poppy watched as the slim figure, which had been poured into the black sheath gown she was wearing, walked across the empty dance floor toward her. A quick scan of the room told her that she wasn't the only one watching. The woman stopped two feet from her, and made a slow perusal of the body in front of her. Poppy could see the green eyes behind the black plumed mask, which matched her own, rake up and down her body. Some of the conversations around them had come to a conspicuous halt as the spectators looked on to see how this tableau was going to play out. This couple was new and they had speculated as to who they might be. The woman in the devastating sexy black dress had come in on the arm of the person in front of her. The only features they could make out of him, or her, was the short ponytail tied with black silk ribbon, and the blue eyes behind the mask. Carly had picked Poppy's tuxedo with tails as was expected, but had outfitted it with an old fashioned shirt. The kind that had a high collar with a tie that was wider and softer than the customary black worn by everyone else. The look made Poppy seem taller, and more distinguished than everyone else in the room.

          "Would it be rude to ask you to dance?" asked Poppy. They had been there an hour and no one had made a move toward the dance floor yet. By the change in her eyes, Poppy could tell that Carly was smiling.

          "I just spoke to Emily and she asked if we would get the ball rolling, so to speak. How about we try out some of those dance lessons we took?" asked Carly. With a short nod, Poppy moved away from her and headed toward the bandstand to speak with the conductor. Carly watched as the long fingers reached into the front pant pocket, and removed the money clip that she had given the young woman as a Christmas present. The clip had a poppy flower engraved on the front, and Love C engraved on the back. Poppy shook the man's hand giving him the money in her hand, and moved back toward Carly.

          When she heard the passionate guitar opening, Carly threw her head back and laughed at Poppy's choice. Emily would probably remove them from the guest list after this, but it didn't matter to Carly now. Now she concentrated on the strong tall body behind her and looked for Thomas in the crowd. This should blow his little mind right out of the ballpark, thought Carly.

          The hands around her waist tightened and Poppy turned her abruptly around when the rest of the band joined the lone guitar in the playing of the Tango. The world fell away as Carly molded her body to Poppy's and moved with her around the dance floor to the sensuous dance. The Spanish were passionate people, and it showed in the dances they had learned together, but this one was like making love on the dance floor. Poppy guided her through the steps, as all the while, she whispered in Carly's ear. On the last note, Carly's chest was heaving, not from the dancing, but from the soft love words Poppy had told her as they danced.

          Emily St. Claire stepped onto the dance floor and moved toward the couple with slow deliberate steps. Emily was in her early sixties, and married to Myron St. Claire, the president and CEO of New Orleans' oldest and biggest banking chains. This party had become a bit of a chore instead of fun in the past few years. It took a tremendous amount of effort and work to ready the third floor ballroom of their large home to host this event every year, but Myron loved it and Emily capitulated. Carly and Poppy managed to put some sparkle back into the evening with a short three-minute dance. As Emily neared them, she took in the tall figure of Poppy Valente, and her hands, one of which was intertwined with Carly's. Carly sugar, I hope this one doesn't kill you one night from pure pleasure, thought Emily when she stopped. In an instant, Myron was standing next to his wife as she readied herself to pass judgment.

          "Carly would you do an old woman and an old friend a favor?" asked Emily. Carly nodded her head and smiled behind all the plumes covering her face. The tone of Emily's voice told Carly, she would like whatever was about to be asked by the hostess.

          "Lend me your spouse here for the next dance. I promise to return her in the same condition in which I found her," said Emily to Carly. Addressing Poppy she continued, "Only, would you consider a waltz? I don't think I could contort my body like Carly can. And if I hadn't had the opportunity, let me give you our congratulations now. Myron and I are thrilled for you both," said Emily softly. She wanted to be heard by only the couple in front of them and no one else. Her peripheral vision told her that most of the other guests were about to fall over onto the dance floor trying to hear their conversation.

          "Thank you Emily. Poppy and I got your lovely card and bottle of champagne on our honeymoon. I'll lend you Poppy, if I can have the next dance with Myron?" offered Carly.

          "Please dear be my guest, only watch those big feet of his. They can be lethal."

          Millicent Voncleef, the social reporter for the paper, sat in the back of the room and took notes. When the masks came off she would have her lead story for the Sunday edition. Whoever the young buck was twirling Emily around the dance floor, would be Millicent's quest for the evening. She vowed to get the whole story before the night was through.

          When the music started again everyone joined into the merriment, and hit the dance floor. Poppy and Carly enjoyed themselves into the evening, and were on the dance floor as the clock reached the witching hour. Poppy was singing softly along with the band as she held Carly, when the time came to remove their masks. The lights were dimmed and with one quick tug from Carly, Poppy's mask fell away. Carly had missed looking at Poppy's face all evening and was grateful when Poppy returned the favor and relieved her of her own mask. Their moment was shattered when Thomas barged up and grabbed Carly by the arm intending to tell her what an embarrassment she was. He didn't get his chance when a large hand closed around his throat with a vice grip and lifted.

          The crowd parted as Poppy walked past them with Thomas attached to the end of her arm, walking on his toes and pawing futilely at her grip. There was a fleeting moment of worry in Carly's mind for Thomas, as she followed them out to one of the balconies. The calm, low voice that Poppy was using told Carly just how mad she was. Her lover had a way of becoming more controlled in her actions, the more out of control her emotions got.

          "Listen to me you asshole. You see that woman there?" asked Poppy. She swung him around to look a Carly. "Do you?" she asked again. There was a slight nod from Thomas as his face got a darker shade of red. "You are never to lay a hand on her again unless she invites you to do so. If you insist on manhandling her, then I will beat you until your mother won't recognize you. You might not have respected her when you were married, but you will respect her now that she is married to me. Understand?" asked Poppy. She let him go and turned to Carly to see if the woman was all right.

          "Hold me?" asked Carly.

          "Always."

          * * *

          "He never messed with them much after that, not to their faces anyway. Thomas is still trying, I think, to ruin their standing in the community but it was all for nothing. I mean catch a clue, Carly died, but he is still bitter. The next day had it been any other hostess but Emily St. Claire, they might have been mighty pissed with Millicent's article. It was a lengthy article about Poppy and Carly, and the love they shared. The only picture included with the story, was the one of Poppy holding Carly on the balcony. Emily had it framed and gave it to them as a belated wedding present. Thomas and Rita never found the St. Claire butler darkening their door again, and were dropped from a number of other social events as well. Thomas was downright spiteful after that," explained Ginger.

          "That was just one of the things he pulled during that time Julia. During the divorce it was just horrible, so you see Poppy's reluctance to go through that again," continued Matlin.

          "But I'm not married Matlin, and you know how Tallulah came along, so I don't see a problem. My life and how I live it, is only a problem for my parents. I'm perfectly content with who I am, as are the people that are the most important to me. Rayford and Granny have been great through all of this," explained Julia. For once in her life, she felt connected to someone even after a couple of days in their presence. She couldn't explain it but she wanted to be with Poppy, and get closer to her. The time that they had together already, had been perfect, and not strained like most first dates were.

          "We realize that honey, we just have to get the hardhead next door to realize that as well. It would make me and Ginger happy to see you happy, as well as fulfill a promise to a dear friend," said Matlin. She looked at the exhausted young woman and decided that it was time to intervene. Julia, like Poppy, had had a rough life up to now, and maybe they could change that for the better for each other.

          "Would you like to go out to dinner?" asked Jillian. Poppy had sat across from her all evening, and answered all her questions in a formal manner. No amount of seductive poses on Jillian's part was getting the singer to move from the rocker. She had told Poppy about her divorce, hoping that it would prompt Poppy into action but it hadn't so far.

          "No thank you Jillian. If you don't mind I'm going to call it a night, it's been a hectic day. Thanks for stopping by, and I'm sure there will be time for us to get together before it's time for you to leave. Would you like for me to call for a cart to escort you back to your bungalow?" asked Poppy. Three and a half hours of listening to her old girlfriend's complaints about her life was her limit. For the most part she carried on a private conversation in her head with Carly, only grunting and nodding her head in the appropriate places with cues from Carly.

          "No that's ok, I can find my way back. I was just hoping that we could spend some quality time together while I was here, and I can stay as long as you want me to. With Philip getting custody of the children, I don't have anyone waiting at home for me." Jillian got up and stretched, putting her body on display for Poppy.

          "But if you want me to, I'll strip right here, right now, and give you a lap dance," chimed Carly from the banister she was seated on. Poppy laughed at the sarcastic remark as she walked Jillian down the steps. She moved quickly back to the porch to avoid any more amorous advances from the new divorcee.

          The next morning Julia left the just fed Tallulah in Rayford's care, and set out toward Poppy's bungalow. They needed to talk about what had happened between them the day before, and about any future they might have. It was time to set the record straight with the tall woman and there was no time like the present. When she made her way to the back hoping to find Poppy having her first cup of coffee in the rocker, Julia was surprised to find Jillian instead. Wrapped in what she assumed to be only a robe, the woman looked like she had just gotten up from spending the night with Poppy. The thought of this woman sharing Poppy's bed, made her feel sick. Julia turned around and made her way back to her baby. Her only thoughts were to get off the island, and as soon as possible.

          "Thank you Miguel, you're a life saver. I'll be at the helipad in an hour. No whatever flight you can get me this afternoon is fine. It'll be me and the baby," said Julia. She didn't turn around when she heard the door open and close not caring who it was.

          "Where are you going Jules?" asked Rayford. He could tell that she had been crying and couldn't understand why.

          "I'm going home Ray. Even if it is going to be hell, I'm going back, because I can't stay here any longer," said Julia as she fell against his chest crying again. It hurt so much that Poppy had picked that woman over her.

          "What happened Jules? I thought you were going to stick out with me for a while until you decided what you wanted to do?" asked Ray.

          "Well there is some stuff that I didn't plan on Ray, and because of that, I have got to get out of here. Will you help me pack up and get the baby ready?"

          It seemed like she had just asked him the question when Rayford found himself standing next to the helipad waving Julia goodbye. He had gotten part of the story out of her while he helped her put her belongings back into the luggage that had brought them there, and now that she was airborne he went in search of the object of Julia's hurt.

          "Miguel who is landing today?" asked Poppy over a cup of coffee. She and the manager had been going over the problems encountered by the staff after their first day with real guests.

          "No one is landing Poppy, someone is leaving. Or should I say, two people are leaving," said Miguel in a miffed voice. He knew something had happened between his boss and Julia to make the sweet woman want to leave. The shocked look on her face confused him, and Miguel waited to see what she would say.

          "YOU! What did you do to Julia, you big ape?" screamed Rayford. He didn't care that there were guests milling around them, he wanted answers.

          "I didn't do.." Poppy started but didn't finish due to the fist connecting with her nose. It happened so fast that she didn't have time to defend herself from Rayford's attack. The force of his blow threw her back and into the pool filling the water around her with blood. When she resurfaced, Rayford looked suddenly unsure of his actions when he saw the rage in Poppy's eyes. No sooner than her hands had hit the pool deck, Poppy was on him like fury. She grabbed his collar and cocked her fist back to retaliate, but hesitated before hitting him. There was something about the guy that she found familiar.

          "I didn't do anything to her, asshole. If you were home more often instead of flirting with the front desk workers, maybe your wife wouldn't have flown out today," said Poppy. Her fist was about to return the favor of a broken nose, when Poppy heard Rayford, Ginger and Matlin all break out into laughter.

          "What's so damn funny?" demanded Poppy.

          "She's not his wife, you idiot, she's his twin sister," said Matlin. It was his eyes that she found so familiar, decided Poppy as she let Rayford go.

          "She's your sister? But she had a wedding ring on," said Poppy. When she dropped back into her chair was when she noticed the blood streaming down her face. But the pain of her nose was no competition for the pain in her heart. Julia had left without saying goodbye, which only meant that she didn't want a future with her.

          "The rings belong to our grandmother. She didn't want people looking down on Julia because she wasn't married," said Rayford. The people sitting next to them were straining to hear what the altercation was about.

          "It's going to need surgery to set it properly Ms. Valente," said the nurse on the island's infirmary. She had put two stitches in the cut over the bridge, but didn't want to attempt straightening Poppy's nose, less she do more damage. The bruise was starting to set in and Poppy's nodding head made her resemble an agreeable raccoon.

          "You are going after her aren't you?" asked Matlin from the chair in the corner of the room. Her concern over Poppy's dazed look was starting to grow. Ever since Rayford had slugged her, Poppy had been acting strangely.

          "Considering that she left the island Matlin, should tell you that she doesn't want anything to do with me," said Poppy. In that instant, it was like she woke up from a three-day stupor and figured out Julia was really gone. Poppy jumped off the table with the intention of going home, when the blackness set in. When her feet hit the ground they were followed by the rest of her as she fell forward.

          "Nurse, get back in here," yelled Matlin.

          The feeling of someone running their fingers through her hair woke Poppy up. Focusing on her surroundings she could see that she was in a hospital room in Venezuela. Both Matlin and Ginger were asleep on the small sofa across from the bed snoring softly against each other. Carly was the only one awake and keeping vigil over Poppy, and the sight of her sitting on the bed made Poppy smile.

          "Look at you my love. You are quite the sight," Carly said softly. The bruise from the broken nose had only darkened with time, leaving Poppy with two perfect black eyes, and the fall had left her with a broken right wrist.

          "Tell me that I didn't have surgery on my nose here?" whispered Poppy.

          "No, you'll have that when we get you home honey, so stop worrying. Would I let anything happen to this face?" asked Carly. She squeezed Poppy's cheeks together for emphasis and laughed at the picture Poppy made.

          "Since we have time, let's plan your next step honey. Cause let me tell you, you haven't done so well on your own this time around. That girl loves you, and you let her get away. You know you are suppose to get better with age, not the other way around," chided Carly.

          "Please baby, I would rather not discuss my love life with my dead wife, if it's all the same to you. I just don't understand why she left?" Poppy mused out loud.

          "She left, rock head, because of that barracuda ex-girlfriend of yours. Julia is important to your future honey, so don't screw this up. Now let's get a move on."

          Poppy looked for the clothes she had been wearing when she left the island but couldn't locate them anywhere in the room. Moving slowly around the two sleeping women on the sofa, she found one of their cell phones and started making calls.

          "Bob this is your commander speaking," Poppy whispered into the phone. She waited for the question he was going to ask, and hoped that her foggy mind could remember the codeword.

          "This is eagle one sir, what's the mission codeword and what's your position?" asked the pilot.

          "The codeword is gypsy lady, and my position is Venezuela. Now get your ass over here and pick me up. I'm being held captive at the hospital, so make it snappy. While you are en route, call in a flight plan for the states. Our destination is Houston, Texas. Got all that soldier?" asked Poppy. She was crammed into the small closet so that she wouldn't wake Ginger and Matlin.

          "Aye aye sir, I'll be there in twenty minutes. Should I come armed, sir?" asked Bob.

          "No! I'll be out front in the bushes waiting for you. Don't shoot anyone, do you copy?" asked Poppy.

          "Yes sir," yelled Bob before hanging up. He started a fast jog toward Poppy's plane that had been parked at the Aruba airport since her arrival. Bob had been enjoying some R&R while his boss was on her secret mission on one of the islands.

          "Crazy son of a bitch," Poppy muttered into the phone as she waited for her next call to go through. "Miguel where is she? I know you know, and I know that you are going to tell me."

          "I can't tell you that Poppy, she made me promise. Miss Julia is a sweet girl and she was very hurt when she left," said Miguel.

          "Miguel I have a broken nose because of that Neanderthal brother of hers, and my wrist is now broken. Do you for one minute think that I am in a good mood? Because let me tell you, my little Mexican friend, I'm dying to hit someone with my good hand and I would hate for it to be you," Poppy whispered menacingly from the closet.

          "I'm not afraid of you Poppy Valente, so stop threatening me, and I'm not going to tell you where she is so there," said Miguel with more bravado then he felt. The dial tone on the end the line worried him more than the threat of a beating. He had no doubt that she could do it, but Poppy was all bluster and no action when it came to her friends. A hang up though, meant that she was mad with the outcome of the conversation, and that took a little more doing to get over.

          The security guard at the front desk of the hospital rubbed his eyes when he saw a tall woman running across the front lawn toward a waiting jeep wearing a hospital gown. It was open in the back showing off a lovely backside so he figured he must have been hallucinating. An airport worker had the same hallucination when he saw the same tall figure getting into a private plane parked on the tarmac.

          "Lizzy get all the information on a Julia Johnson you can find. And before you ask, don't. Just get it and call me on the plane. I'm on my way back to the states."

          "Ok, can I ask why you sound so funny?" asked Elizabeth. From her office in New Orleans, Elizabeth pulled a white pad out of her desk drawer and readied herself to take notes.

          "Rayford Johnson punched me in the face and broke my nose," answered Poppy. Her explanation sounded so nonchalant that Elizabeth almost missed what had happened.

          "Why that little. Wait till I get a hold of Matlin for hiring the little creep. You fired him didn't you? And please tell me that he is at least hospitalized after you got through with him?" asked Elizabeth. The answer Poppy had given her had made Elizabeth jump out of her chair in anger.

          "Nope, he's fine and still at work. It's a long story Lizzy that I'll tell you when I see you. For now start working on that information and I'll call you when we touch down," said Poppy from the sofa of the plane. She was lying down trying to get the throbbing in her head and arm to go away.

          * * *

          "Julia honey, you really should eat something. It's not good for the baby, or for you," said Julia's grandmother Tallulah. The kind old woman had a sandwich and a glass of milk on the tray she carried into Julia's old room. Granny, as the two Johnson children so fondly called her, had taken care of the twins from the time of their birth. Her son, Fredrick, and daughter in law, Janice, had traveled so much and had lived out of the country so much with Fred's job, that his mother had volunteered to keep them. They had brought Tallulah so much pleasure over the years, that she had come to think of them as her own.

          "I'm just not hungry granny," said Julia. She was sitting in the box seat under the window looking out into the night. During the day, the window looked out on the green pastures that surrounded her grandmother's home. In Texas you were either in the oil 'bidness' or the cattle 'bidness', and her grandfather Fred had been a cattle rancher.

          "Well, why don't you try and take a few bites, and when your mouth's not full you can tell me what's bothering you, and what's brought you back here. Not that I mind having you and that beautiful little girl here with me. It's been quite lonely here since you and that grandson of mine went off to college," said Tallulah. She set the tray down by Julia's legs and took a seat across from her on the bed. With her hands folded on her lap, Tallulah waited for an answer.

          Julia ate half the sandwich as a delay tactic in beginning her talk with her grandmother. She looked out the window so that she wouldn't have to make eye contact with the one person whose opinion meant the most to her. "I met someone granny," started Julia.

          "Oh Julia, that's wonderful. I've always dreamed of you finding your Prince Fredrick out there. I want you to have the same love in your life that your grandfather and I had. You never got to know him, but your grandfather was such a romantic fella. There were always flowers or something that he would think to get me so that I wouldn't forget who his favorite girl was," reminisced Tallulah.

          "Trust me granny, I've been wined and dined plenty in the past two months. Not to mention sailed, and serenaded as well." Julia thought back to the bug song Poppy was always singing to the baby, and a smile broke out across her face. Just as quickly she thought of Poppy in bed with Jillian, and the pain in her heart was evident even to her grandmother.

          "What's his name honey?" asked Tallulah. She was beginning to see what the problem was, and hoped whoever this idiot was, hadn't used the young woman as a quick fling on his vacation.

          "Poppy."

          "That's an odd name. Sounds like some kind of cartoon character. If this guy is so wonderful and you love him sweetheart, then why are you not with him?"

          "She's real all right, granny, and I'm not with her because I saw something that makes me think she doesn't feel the same way about me," said Julia. The blonde head bowed and waited for the outburst that would certainly come from the bed. Her grandmother had never judged her, but Julia had never told her that she was gay.

          "I see. What did Poppy do that makes you think she doesn't feel the same way about you?" asked Tallulah in a calm, sincere voice. The old woman laughed when the blonde head whipped up and green eyes focused on her because of her question. Julia's eyes had misted over at her grandmother's approval.

          For the next hour Julia told the story of her and Poppy. From their first meeting in the coffee shop in New Orleans, to the singer's sleeping with Jillian. When she was done, Julia fell into the arms that had soothed away her childhood fears, and cried over the pain in her heart.

          "Did you talk to her about this sweetheart? Maybe you are jumping to some big conclusions here, and she does think that you are married to that ornery brother of yours. Though, God help the woman that finally gets that job," teased Tallulah. Julia laughed along with her grandmother as she thought of her brother's romantic history.

          "No, I just left before she would feel like I was in the way. Poppy doesn't even know I'm gone," said Julia. She hugged her grandmother one more time before sitting up and reaching for her daughter. "Let me get the little princess changed and ready for bed. Mother invited me for lunch at the club tomorrow when she called earlier. I'm not looking forward to another lecture about how I've screwed up my life by having a child out of wedlock, but I might as well try to mend fences since I'm home for now. That is if you don't mind me and Tallulah Jr. here staying with you granny."

          "You and your little one can stay as long as you like. Maybe together we can come up with a solution to your Poppy problem. She must be pretty thick headed if she passes up the opportunity to get you two beauties tied up in one neat package." Tallulah kissed both of them on the cheek then headed downstairs to turn in for the night.

          "Thanks granny."

          * * *

          "Good evening Ms. Valente. Do you have any luggage on board that I can help you with?" asked the clerk from the rent a car agency. There was a familiar looking bag sitting at his feet, and Poppy knew that Elizabeth was responsible. The closet in the plane had some of her clothing, but not a lot. The hospital gown had been replaced with jeans and a t-shirt since they were the easiest things to put on with her hand being incapacitated.

          "Just the briefcase and laptop case if you would. Thanks for meeting me, and I presume that the bag you have there belongs to me?" asked Poppy. She descended the steps of the plane and walked to the sports utility vehicle that stood waiting for her.

          "Yes ma'am, I'll put them all in the back, and the keys are in the ignition. Ms. Stevens wanted me to let you know you and Bob each have rooms waiting at the Hyatt under your name, and the information you wanted is waiting at the front desk.

          "Thanks, do you have another car for Bob?" asked Poppy.

          "All taken care of Ms. Valente," said the clerk as he disappeared through the door of the plane to get the rest of her stuff.

          "Bob I'll give you a call when I'm ready to go. Until then, have a good time, and call me if you need anything." Poppy jumped into the Ford Expedition and drove off to the hotel. She had figured out on the trip there where Julia probably ended up after her return to the states. Now, Poppy just had to find where the elder Tallulah lived, then see if she could straighten things out with her granddaughter.

          The next morning, Poppy headed out of town following the map the front desk clerk had made for her. The vast empty spaces that she was traveling through were new terrain for her. It gave the place a lonely feel to it. As she listened to the Charlie Daniels Band telling the story of the devil fiddling in Georgia on the radio, Poppy wondered what it would have been like to grow up here.

          After an hour and forty minutes, a large gate on the right broke the monotonous scenery she had been driving through. The iron structure had a large E on the top that was pierced by long cattle horns. On a smaller plaque at eye level from the car was the name Esperanza Ranch. "Let's wish that the name bodes well for my visit. Everyone needs a little hope," said Poppy to a cow that was grazing near the front fence.

          The house didn't come into view until three miles down the dirt drive. Its white wood and black shutters reminded Poppy of the house on the show Dallas. While not as big as that one, it was still a decent size porch running along the length of the front. Someone had taken their time with the gardens in front, since they were brimming with flowers and healthy looking trees even in the unbearable heat. Before Poppy's first foot hit the ground out of the car, a slight looking woman came out of the front door. She shielded her eyes from the glare as she looked toward her visitor.

          "Excuse me, I'm looking for Julia Johnson," said Poppy. She closed the car door with her good hand and stepped forward to introduce herself.

          "Come on up here Poppy, and have a seat," ordered the old lady as she went back into the house. A few minutes later she walked back out with two cups of coffee and a coffee cake she had baked that morning. She looked at the woman still standing in her front yard and laughed at the shocked expression on her face. "Well come on, I don't bite."

          "How did you know my name?" asked Poppy as she stepped forward.

          "My granddaughter did a fairly good job at describing you. I bet if you took off those fancy sunglasses, there would be some pretty blue eyes waiting there for me. Now come talk to an old woman and tell me what you want."

          "I came to see Julia and Tallulah. They left without saying good-bye, and I have a feeling I know why. I'm here because, I want her to understand how I feel."

          "How do you feel Poppy? I want you to be sure of your intentions. Julia is important to me, and I love her more than life itself. I don't want her hurt," said Tallulah. She leaned forward and patted Poppy's knee.

          "I want to spend time with Julia and her daughter. The past two months of my life have brought me more joy, than the last two years. Julia is important to me too ma'am, and I want the opportunity to build on that. I'm not out to hurt her," said Poppy. She took the hand on her knee and squeezed it. "Can I see her?"

          "She's not here Poppy," said Tallulah. The slump in the broad shoulders told her that Poppy was disappointed. Julia's grandmother was about to explain, when a familiar cry broke the quite around them. When Poppy looked at her suspiciously, Tallulah defended herself. "I didn't say the little one wasn't here, I just said her mother's not here. She went in to town to have lunch with her mother."

          "May I?" asked Poppy. She was up and moving into the house as soon as Tallulah nodded her head. It wasn't time for the little girl to eat again, so her grandmother figured she was just crying for attention, or her stomach hurt. She was interested in how this tall imposing figure handled Julia's daughter.

          The screen door creaked again as Poppy stepped out with a now quite baby. She sat on the porch swing and started singing to the little girl. The baby's great grandmother had never heard the gentle song and didn't understand all the words since Poppy was singing in Spanish, but she saw the face of the singer soften when she looked down at her charge. It was a touching sight when the baby reached up and put her little hand on Poppy's cheek like it was something she did everyday. She loves one without even knowing it, let's see if we can get her to see that about the mother too, thought Tallulah as she watched.

          Poppy held Tallulah close to her and inhaled the sweet innocent smell that always clung to the baby. It had only been a day, but she had missed seeing the little person that had become a part of her life. When she looked up, Poppy could see the elder Tallulah staring at her.

          "You are dressed appropriately, so why don't you go and collect her mother. This is just a hunch on my part, but I'll bet she'll be happy to see you," said Tallulah. When Poppy smiled the old woman could see what her granddaughter had fallen for. There was nothing you could call feminine about Poppy, but it wasn't unattractive. It was in Tallulah's opinion what was attractive about her. Poppy reminded her of her late husband Fred. Not a man of many words but had a look about him that made you want to follow him into hell if necessary. "You wouldn't happen to have a jacket in that vehicle would you?"

          "Yes ma'am I do. If you would be so kind as to direct me in the right direction," said Poppy. She stood up and handed Tallulah her sleeping namesake, and waited for an answer.

          As the SUV drove away, Tallulah whispered after it, "Go and get what's yours Poppy."

          The grounds and buildings of the country club she drove up to told Poppy a lot about the people who belonged. They all had money and plenty of it, and they wanted people to know that they money and plenty of it. Poppy was willing to bet that if she took a quick tour of the place she would find no African American, Mexicans or other assorted minorities on the grounds unless they worked there. It all had a formal uptight feel about it, which made her laugh. I thought you came to places like this to relax and exercise, not get your underwear all in a twist.

          She followed Tallulah's directions until she was at the main clubhouse that housed the club's restaurant. Poppy took the light linen tan jacket off the hanger in the backseat and slipped it on. The light jacket matched the pants she had on, and together with the trademark white cotton shirt, made Poppy blend in with everyone else around her. She opted to take the sidewalk that lead to the back of the building betting that she would find a large pool. These places are all laid out the same, thought Poppy.

          Julia was half listening to her mother drone on about everything she needed to do to get her life back in order as she looked out toward the pool. "The first thing Julia, is a trip to the boutiques to get you some new clothes. The fall season will be upon us before you know it and you have to look decent for the circuit parties. I'm sure that you looked fine for life on some island, but you are back in civilization now," said Janice. For the first time in ten minutes the prim woman noticed that she was facing the back of her daughter's head instead of her face. "Julia, are you listening to me?"

          The blonde head shook as she watched the scene unfold outside. When the first woman sat up a little in the chaise lounge she was sitting in, Julia didn't pay it any attention, but when heads were popping up like fishing corks she looked to see what they found so interesting. A row of faces were lowering their sunglasses discreetly to watch the tall woman pass by. Julia had seen the look before in the coffee shop in New Orleans, when the young clerk had gotten an eyeful of Poppy. Janice watched as a slow smile curled her daughter's mouth at the sight of the casually strolling stranger out by the pool. The two black eyes and the cast on her arm didn't take away from the looks this woman possessed, the elder Johnson woman noted.

          Poppy walked down the pool deck looking for the back way into the restaurant. As she had predicted, the building had a wall of glass that looked out to where she was walking, and from behind the sunglasses, Poppy looked for her prey. The cold air felt good when she opened the door into the building and walked to the entrance of the restaurant called The Garden Room. Julia watched as the golden money clip made an appearance with one of the waiters blocking Poppy's path. Just as quickly the man stepped aside pointing toward their table.

          "May I join you for lunch?" asked Poppy. She would have arched her brow, but the pain in her face prevented too much movement. Her mouth though, worked fine, and she smiled for the woman she had come to see. It was a relief when Poppy saw Julia smile back.

          "Mother would you excuse us for a moment," requested Julia as she stood up. The tall body bowed a little bit and let her walk past as Poppy smiled at Julia's mother.

          "Armando who is that thug?" asked Janice. The waiter placed the shrimp cocktails the women had ordered on the table and looked in the direction Julia had headed in. "I don't know ma'am, but I'll try and find out for you."

          Julia led them to one of the empty ballrooms on the other side of the building. They walked the whole way in silence, waiting for more privacy before starting their much-delayed talk. When the solid wood door closed behind them, Julia turned to Poppy and fought the urge to fall into her arms like she had the day before. Has it been only a day since that happened?

          "What happened to your face?" Julia asked softly. The bruises looked angry and painful, but strangely enough, they somehow brought out the blue of Poppy's eyes.

          "Your brother punched me in the face for hurting your feelings," answered Poppy. She took a step closer, then stopped to gauge Julia's reaction.

          "Tell me that the broken hand doesn't mean that poor Rayford is hospitalized somewhere in the Caribbean?" asked Julia. She was starting to feel the body heat emanating off Poppy's body as she moved closer to her.

          "No, poor Rayford is just like you left him. I don't even think anyone has told him yet exactly who he knocked into the pool in his frenzy to protect you."

          They stood there looking at each other without saying another word. Poppy knew that she wasn't married, and with the resort owner's being here, it told Julia that maybe her grandmother had had a point. Going with her gut like she had so many years before, Poppy took the plunge. With her good hand she reached out for Julia and bent down to reach the lips she had been thinking about since her first taste of them. Julia needed no further encouragement, and fell into the body she visited in her dreams since they had met.

          It was slow and soft. The kind of kiss you tell your grandchildren about when you spin tales of how you fell in love with the person sitting next to you fifty years down the line. Julia would remember it that way. The plastered hand that was holding her close and the fingers in her hair belonged to the person she wanted that future with. This was the person that had slowly swept her off her feet, with her gentle manner and sweet soul.

          Poppy pulled back just a little not releasing the woman in her arms and said, "Don't ever leave me again without talking to me first. That's all I ask of you."

          "I just saw Jillian on your porch that morning, and thought I was not wanted or needed."

          "Julia never be afraid to ask me what I want or need. I can promise that the answers will always be honest and they will never be Jillian."

          "Not that I'm complaining, but how did you find me?" asked Julia.

          "Tallulah told me where to find you," said Poppy. She kissed Julia again just because she was so close.

          "Smart girl, that daughter of mine. Now tell me why you are here?"

          "I wanted to see you and that daughter of yours first off. Secondly I want to take you out on a date. That is if you want to go out with me?" asked Poppy.

          "Let's start with introducing you to my mother, it might change your mind on wanting to take me out on a date," said Julia. She reached for the unplastered hand and walked Poppy back to the table she had been sharing with her mother. "Armando, would you please set up the table to include my friend and bring her a menu?" "Of course Miss Julia, it would be my pleasure."

          Poppy pulled out Julia's chair before turning to face the woman burning holes in her back with hazel eyes. "Mother I would like to introduce you to Poppy Valente. She is Rayford's boss, and my friend," said Julia. She waved a hand in Poppy's direction hoping that her mother wouldn't embarrass her.

          "Julia I don't know what kind of prank you are trying to pull, but this person is not welcome at our table. Just look at her. What will people think?" asked Janice. She had placed her hand at the center of her chest and looked like she might pass out at any moment.

          "Mother please, Poppy is my guest," said Julia through clenched teeth.

          "Julia let me handle this. Now Poppy is it? My daughter and I are not interested in having lunch with you. I mean just look at you. Are you some drug lord or something?" asked Janice. Poppy watched as Julia's mouth hung lower as every word came out of her mother's mouth.

          Looking at Julia, Poppy laughed. "What is it with your family and my name? The only one that doesn't have a problem with it is your grandmother. Ladies, I am sorry to bother you. I'll leave you to enjoy your meal. Julia take care of yourself." Heads turned as Poppy made her way to the front door. In one moment the heat had swallowed her and she was gone.

          Julia watched the door close and it sent a pain right through her heart. They had just been kissing, and now Poppy had given up so easily. Why wasn't she as willing to fight for her like she had for Carly?

          "Julia where are you going? Sit down this instant, or I will be forced to tell your father about this outlandish behavior," hissed Janice. The coifed woman's admonishments fell on deaf ears as her daughter followed the same trail out of the restaurant that Poppy had just taken.

          "You know the problem with families is? You can't pick them, they are preordained," said Poppy. She was sitting on a bench outside the building waiting for Julia to come out of the doors. Julia stopped in her tracks and turned around slowly. The jacket had come off and was thrown over the back of the bench, and the long legs were crossed making Poppy look like she was just out there waiting for a bus.

          "I thought you had left," said Julia. She stood her ground and waited to see what Poppy would do next. The relationship, if they were to have one, would have to be a partnership of equal emotions as well as responsibility.

          "No honey. The first rule of business is that you never walk away until you get what you came for." Poppy stood up and started toward the woman that had brought her more than a thousand miles from where she had started.

          "Is that what I am to you? Business?"

          "No you are something much more than that. You are someone special to me Julia." She walked until they were barely touching and then held out her hand. Without hesitation Julia took it and was once again pulled into a heated kiss. Julia could hear the slowing down of some golf cleats, and knew it would be minutes before her mother would find out about the show she was putting on outside. The problem was she didn't care.

          Part 5

          "So, are you going to tell me what happened to your arm?" asked Julia. The seat of the rented vehicle Poppy had gotten was so comfortable that the blonde was enjoying the trip back into the city for their date. Poppy had shown up with a bouquet of flowers for both her and her grandmother. The two arrangements couldn't have been more different, and Julia wondered where Poppy had gotten her information, as to not only what her favorite flowers were, but also her granny's. Julia smiled as she watched the sunset over the land she had grown up on, and thought about her granny's face when she saw the bunch of yellow daisies tied together with a silk ribbon. Tallulah had accepted them with a shy smile and was more than willing to kiss her benefactor for thinking of her. The flowers were on the mantle before they had left the house and sat next to the dozen yellow roses Poppy had brought for Julia.

          "If you promise not to laugh, I'll tell you," answered Poppy. She was driving them a restaurant in Houston that was owned by Marta's daughter. Unlike her mother, who had learned her cooking skills at her mother's side, Grace had refined her culinary skills in Paris.

          "I promise," said Julia as she turned in her seat to face Poppy.

          Poppy told her how she had added the second injury, and was greeted by peels of laughter from the other side of the car. When she turned into the heavily landscaped grounds of Valentine's, Julia's laughter stopped and her eyebrows climbed into her hairline. In the middle of the Houston metropolis was a perfect replica of a French countryside bistro.

          "You got reservations here? My parent's have been trying to get in for months with no luck," said Julia. The valet opened her door and helped Julia down from the high vehicle so that she could join her dinner companion.

          "Welcome Ms. Valente, it's nice to see you again. If you would step inside, your table is ready," said the doorman. When the man opened the front door, they stepped inside to the most romantic setting Julia had ever seen. The space was small and intimate, and illuminated only by candlelight. There was a harpist in one corner plucking out some soothing music that muffled the conversations of every table. In reflex, Julia put her hand on Poppy's arm and walked further into the bistro along side her.

          "Poppy we have been waiting on you, your table is ready," René the maitre d greeted them. He led them to a side door that led back outside to a private table in a gazebo in the back gardens. The table bathed in candlelight was surrounded in flowering plants as well as fruit trees. Poppy didn't know how Grace did it, but no matter what time of year it was, the space was always a comfortable climate and was bug free.

          "Can I borrow her for a moment Julia?" asked the feminine voice from the darkness of the garden. When the blonde turned in the direction of the sound, a beautiful young woman dressed all in white stepped up to the space where they were standing. She was almost as tall as Poppy, with gorgeous light brown skin and pale blue eyes that reminded Julia of ice.

          "Hello beautiful," said Poppy. She opened her arms and the young woman fell into them as if they were a place she had been before. Julia looked on as the two friends exchanged a brief kiss on the lips. It took all her self-restraint to not go and separate them. Hey remember me, I'm the date here. Any kissing to be done on tall, dark and sexy should be referred to the blonde.

          "Poppy has my mother finally beaten some sense into you? Look at you, all dressed up with a beautiful woman on your arm, and the most romantic table in the city," said Grace. She stepped back so that Julia could take her place back by Poppy's side, and waited for her old friend to introduce her.

          "Julia Johnson, may I present Grace Rojas, the owner of this fine establishment. Grace this is Julia," said Poppy. She could see the critical eye in which Grace cast Julia, sizing her up much like her mother would do. "I believe you met Grace's mother on the island, Marta Rojas."

          "Yes, mami mentioned it when I spoke with her this afternoon. Please sit, and Julia don't let her fool you, shy and humble here owns the paperwork on this fine establishment. It will take me another two million glazed ducks to pay her back in full. I hope you both don't mind, but I took the liberty of cooking the meal for you tonight, one that's not on the menu," said Grace. When she stepped back toward the kitchen, four waiters appeared out of nowhere and started their dining experience with a bottle of chilled white wine.

          "Aren't you just full of surprises," said Julia. She watched as Poppy swirled the almost clear liquid in her glass before taking a small sip. When Poppy nodded her approval the waiter came and filled Julia's glass half way before he poured more into Poppy's glass.

          "What?" asked Poppy. Poppy's smile was hidden behind her wineglass as Julia continued teasing her.

          "You know what. You own this place. If you had met my mother before today, I would know why she hasn't been able to get a reservation. Are there any more assets in the state of Texas I should know about?" asked Julia as she raised her glass to her lips.

          "Ah shucks ma'am, you are giving me more credit than I deserve. Grace and I grew up together, so it was only right that I help get her started on her first business venture. Her mother could have financed her, but you know what it's like to go to the folks for money. With me, she has a silent partner that only comes into town for a good meal every so often. Her glazed duck is to die for, and as long as she keeps making it for me, I don't care if she ever pays the mortgage. Grace is a true visionary when it comes to design as well. All this you see came from her talented mind," explained Poppy.

          "No, I don't believe that I have begun to give you the credit that you deserve Poppy. I want to thank you for flying all this way to take me to dinner, I have never had anyone go through that kind of trouble for me before," said Julia. She reached across the table and placed her hand over Poppy's. Julia felt the familiar comfort she always did when she touched Poppy. In the back of her mind, Julia tried to ignore the face that the platinum wedding band was still on Poppy's ring finger.

          "Julia you are a special woman who deserves no less," said Poppy. The soft music from inside was drifting out through the speakers that were hidden in the shrubbery filling in the only missing piece of the romantic setting. "Dance with me?" asked Poppy. She stood up and extended her hand in invitation to the blonde, who didn't pause in taking it.

          "You look beautiful tonight Julia," said Poppy. She lifted the small hand covering her and kissed it. The white thin-strapped dress that the small woman had chosen to wear looked good with the little bit of sun she had gotten in the past two months.

          "Thank you," whispered Julia. As she was led around the gazebo by Poppy, Julia felt like they would start floating at any moment. The few times that Julia had been close to Poppy, she was drawn into the warmth and smell of the tall woman. Poppy always smelled crispy clean and Julia had tried to figure out what the scent reminded her of. When she placed the side of her face against the pale pink shirt that Poppy had on it finally came to her. Poppy smelled like the ocean. It was a fresh salty scent that made you want to bury your face into Poppy's neck. Why had no one ever made her feel this way, thought Julia? It was as if a higher power had given Poppy a manual that listed all the right things to do to make a woman feel like the center of the universe.

          The rest of the evening was just as special for Julia. They sat down to a wonderful meal served by Grace and her staff. The good looking chef told Julia some stories of Poppy's adolescent years during dessert that made her want to kiss away the pout on Poppy's face. Julia fell asleep on the drive back to her grandmother's, and was almost surprised when Poppy gently shook her awake.

          "I'm sorry I fell asleep on you."

          "Not to worry. It wasn't the company I hope," said Poppy before she got out to open Julia's door. She lifted Julia and carried her to the front porch, so that she wouldn't ruin her heels in the dewy grass outside her grandmother's house, and only put her down reluctantly.

          "Thank you for a wonderful evening Poppy. When can I see you again?" asked Julia. Her arms were still lightly draped around Poppy's neck. Standing two steps higher than her date, Julia could see into the blue eyes that looked darker than usual. One of her hands played idly with the short ponytail at the back of Poppy's head.

          "Anytime you want to Julia. Maybe tomorrow I can find a place closer to have lunch, and we can see where we want to go from here?" said Poppy. With Julia so close Poppy had to kiss her. She willed her hands to stay still on the blonde's hips, but Poppy felt the tie of her ponytail come loose and gentle fingers run through her hair.

          "What do you want Poppy?" asked Julia. Her lips were still so close to Poppy's that the tall woman could feel them moving against her own when Julia asked her the question.

          "I haven't wanted anything in so long Julia, that it's hard to answer that question now. What I do know, is that you are slowly bringing light to the dark places in my heart, and I want to thank you for that," said Poppy. The time on her watch told Poppy that it was close to Tallulah's next feeding so she kissed Julia again. "Good night Julia. Kiss the princess for me."

          Julia slumped on the other side of the door until she couldn't hear the crunch of Poppy's tires on the road outside. Was Poppy ready to move forward? She didn't know, but she would give the tall woman as much time as she needed to make a decision.

          On her ride back to the hotel, Poppy drove letting her mind wander back to the past. She had to let that go before she could give Julia and her daughter better answers as to all of their futures. But could she let Carly go?

          "You don't have to let me go silly, you just have to learn to put me where I belong. I will always love you Poppy, and I know that you will always feel the same way about me, but it is time for you to follow your heart honey. You need to find your way back to the here and now, it will be the only way you will find your clear path to the future," said Carly. Poppy couldn't see her, but heard the admonishment loud and clear. Carly had always been a clear talker no matter what the subject. It was nice to hear that things hadn't changed, even after she was gone.

          * * *

          Poppy could feel the gentle fingers drawing circles on her back. It was early Monday morning and the light was just coming through the windows in their New Orleans home. She could feel Carly's nipples pressing into her back, and the tangle of sheets around her legs. They had spent a lazy Sunday at home knowing that their week was going to get hectic with business. The crews had started to clear away the areas the bungalows were going to go up on today Carly's Sound, and they were expected to join them by the next week. Their bungalow had already been completed and was completely furnished with the stuff Carly had sent down.

          "Good morning sexy," said Carly. She had been awake for a while thinking of her doctor's appointment late that morning. It was a small thing really, but it was something that hadn't been there before the previous month. Carly had found the lump in the shower, and was surprised Poppy hadn't done so before her considering how attached she seemed to be to that part of her body. "What are you thinking about this morning?"

          "How happy I am, and how tied into that you are," said Poppy. She flipped over so that she could hold Carly and kiss her good morning. The kiss was slow and knowing, after ten years it was hard to surprise each other during sex, but it didn't diminish the feeling behind it.

          "I have a doctor's appointment this morning honey, so I'll have to meet you and Lizzy at the restaurant for lunch," said Carly. She could already feel the slow burn between her legs as the large hands caressed her back. After years of plucking guitar strings Poppy had calluses on some of her fingers that gave Carly the best sensations when she felt them.

          "Want me to come with you?" asked Poppy. Her hands urged Carly to lie completely on top of her. Carly had other ideas as she rolled to the side, pulling Poppy on top of her instead.

          "No I want you to make me come first, then we'll see about you," said Carly as she pushed the dark head lower down her body. Poppy's sensual mouth wasn't only good for singing love songs. Carly heard the familiar laugh before her world narrowed to Poppy's mouth, and the point it was now sucking on.

          * * *

          It was the last time they made love without a sense of urgency to it. For a year they had had to settle for just cuddling because of Carly's chemotherapy. After they had accepted that it wasn't working, they had tried to cram a lifetime of loving each other into six short months. Poppy almost had to pull over when she relived the phone call that had brought her to Carly's doctor's office.

          * * *

          "I'll tell you when you get here, she just wants to talk to the both of us together," said Carly for the third time. The horns blaring in the background told her that Poppy was not taking her time getting to the medical complex on Tulane Avenue.

          A nurse was waiting for Poppy when she came crashing through the front door of the doctor's office, and lead her back to where Carly and Dr. Susan Jackson were waiting.

          "Nice to see you again Poppy. Have a seat and we'll begin," started Susan. She waited until the two women had kissed hello and had reached for each other's hand. "I wanted you here Poppy because I feel that it's important for Carly's spouse to hear what is going to be happening in the next few weeks." The doctor explained about the lump they had found and what it might mean. Susan wanted to stay optimistic because of Carly's past health and family history, but unfortunately for all of them, the cancer wasn't that caring.

          They walked from Susan's office to the hospital for Carly's biopsy, and three days after that life stopped being normal. Susan had looked so calm when she said, "Carly you have breast cancer and we have to remove your right breast." Poppy sat on the bed with her and felt like someone had turned the lights out on her world. This couldn't happen to them. They had plans, they had money, but most importantly they had each other.

          * * *

          Poppy did pull over and get out of the car when she thought of the treatments, and the pain they had involved. Carly had explained it as liquid fire going into her veins from the IV drip. Carly had lost her hair and her appetite, but thanked God everyday that she was going through this with Poppy and not Thomas.

          In that year and a half Poppy never cried or talked about anything but hope and optimism in front of Carly. In private, she cursed God for what Carly was going through. Never a really religious person, Poppy finally turned her back on any form of Supreme Being she might have believed in, when Susan told them that the chemo wasn't working. They could try new experimental treatments, but it was up to them. It was December by that time and Carly asked her for one gift.

          * * *

          "Honey, I want to stop all this madness. I want the rest of my days to be filled with loving you, not medicine and doctors. I want quality of life, not quantity of it. But this has to be a joint decision. Let's take Lizzy on a trip, and then go back to where we started and finish the resort. Please honey, I want to enjoy the time I have left," said Carly. They were sitting naked in front of the fireplace wrapped in a light blanket enjoying a night at home. It broke Carly's heart to feel the big teardrops falling on her back. Her rock wasn't so stoic after all.

          They took two months off and headed to Europe to see all the things on Carly's list, then went back to Carly's Sound. The next four months their lives were filled with paint colors, fabric swatches and construction crews. Ginger, Matlin and Elizabeth moved into some of the adjacent bungalows and never left Carly's side during the day. Two months before she died, Carly tried to reconnect with her other two children with no luck. It hadn't been the deciding factor in the terms of her will, since a New Orleans law firm had drafted it with the help of Elizabeth three weeks prior to that, but they would never know that.

          At the end of a beautiful day in early June, Carly asked Poppy to carry her out to the beach. It was another beautiful sunset in a string they had witnessed since moving to the island, but tonight's was significant.

          "Promise me something?" asked Carly. She was weak and had had trouble breathing all day. The disease that had started in her breasts was now in her lungs and bones.

          "Anything," answered Poppy. They sat with Carly on Poppy's lap on one of the chaise lounges Poppy had put out by the water.

          "Promise me that you will find someone that makes you happy. You have given me so much in the past eleven years, that I want you to be happy again. You deserve nothing less. There is someone out there waiting for you my love. Promise me you won't turn away when they find you," said Carly. The arms around her tightened tentatively not to cause her any pain. There was no answer from Poppy, but Carly could feel the nodding of her head.

          "I love you Poppy. Think of me, and I'll always be there for you," said Carly. Her strength was ebbing, but she hung on until she heard the words that had sustained her one more time.

          "I love you Carly, with all my heart." Once the words left Poppy's mouth, Carly took her last breath. Elizabeth watched from the porch as her mother and Poppy said their good byes. She and Carly had done so before the sick woman asked her lover to take her out on the beach. For a good while after the sun went down, Poppy just sat there holding Carly, knowing that it would be her last opportunity to do so. Poppy choked out all the tears that she had stored up over Carly's illness until she had no emotion left. The pain that was left was the pain she still carried with her.

          * * *

          She screamed into the night until her throat was raw, with only the cows as witnesses to her torment. Why she would think about this all now after the wonderful evening she had spent with Julia, Poppy didn't know.

          "You are thinking about it honey because it is time to let me go. We have come as far as we can, you and I, and I can't go the rest of the way with you. Poppy you are this close to finding what you have looked for your whole life, only you might not realize it if you don't start following your heart. You need the other half of your soul sweetheart, and she is waiting for you in the opposite direction than you were just headed," said Carly. She stood next to Poppy in the field bathed in a brilliant light.

          "You were the other half of my soul Carly," said Poppy. Her head hurt and her arm was killing her, but it didn't compare to the despair in her heart.

          "No Poppy, we taught each other to love, but your soulmate is still out there looking for you. Open your heart Poppy and you will see her looking back at you with open arms and a lifetime of love. Trust me," said Carly. Carly was getting dimmer as she finished talking, but Poppy could still feel the love that surrounded her.

          "Don't leave me again," pleaded Poppy.

          "I'm not leaving honey. I'll pop back somewhere even you won't suspect." With that she was gone, drawn back into the heavens leaving a shooting star as proof she was there.

          Poppy walked back to the car slowly thinking about what Carly had said. She looked up and followed Carly's path, then looked inward and put voice to her wishes. There was only one answer that she could come up with.

          "Julia."

          * * *

          The elder Tallulah was pulled out of a pleasant dream when she heard the soft footsteps on her porch. Whoever it was paused at the door before knocking, as if hesitant of doing so because of the hour. Poppy looked at her when the old woman opened the door, and gave her a disarming smile.

          "I'm sorry to disturb you but I have to see.." started Poppy. Tallulah held up her hand and gave the flirt at her door a smile of her own. It was nice when you got to see young love take flight, the old woman thought.

          "Go up the stairs, and it's the second door on the right. Be real quiet though, the baby's in there too."

          "Thanks Mrs. Johnson, I owe you one," said Poppy. She opened the screen door and stopped to give Julia's grandmother a kiss on the cheek.

          "A nice vacation at some exotic location might be an even trade," quipped the old lady.

          "I'll keep that in mind."

          The next morning Poppy woke up to feel someone running a finger slowly across her eyebrows. There was a weight on her chest, as well as along the rest of her body, and after the cobwebs cleared she realized who it was.

          "Good morning," Poppy whispered. The burr of her voice got the blonde head to look up at her and smile. Poppy kissed Julia hello as she caressed her cheek, loving the feel of the soft skin under her fingertips.

          "I'll have to wish on shooting stars more often," said Julia when they broke apart.

          "Huh?"

          "After you left last night, I was feeding Tallulah and saw a shooting star from the bedroom window. I wished that it would bring you back to me and it did," said Julia. She moved in and kissed Poppy again before she asked for an explanation as to how the woman had gotten into her bed without her knowing it. "Now as much as I would like to give the star all the credit, how did you get here?"

          "I saw the same star. It told me to look into my heart, and make my wishes come true," said Poppy. Julia put her head back on Poppy's chest and just soaked up the warmth of the body beneath her.

          "I asked you last night what you wanted. Does your being here this morning mean that you've figured it out?" asked Julia.

          "Yes I have. With a little help, I sure have."

          "What do you want Poppy?"

          The question was so like the one Carly had asked at the beginning of their relationship, and she had given an honest answer then. Now would be no different. "I want you. I want a life with you and Tallulah, and I want to make music in the sun. I want to take care of you, and have you two take care of me. And when all is said and done, I want you to feel like you have lived a good life." Poppy just spoke from the heart and told the woman she had fallen in love with what she felt.

          "I want that too," Julia told her. Julia stroked the inside of Poppy's left hand before moving to her fingers. She stopped when she came across the ring finger and almost cried. The wide banded ring was gone, in its place was a prominent tan line as the only sign it had ever graced her finger. Poppy knew why Julia had stopped and just curled her fingers around the smaller ones in her palm.

          The significance of the gesture would have to wait for another time to savor as the soft sounds coming from the bassinet interrupted their morning. Julia rolled onto her side so that she could watch Poppy get up to retrieve Tallulah. Poppy had kept her shirt from the night before on, but had taken off her pants and shoes. The sight of the rumbled looking woman wearing only the shirt and boxer shorts made Julia laugh.

          "I see that your mother is not a boxer woman," said Poppy to the baby. The cooing baby turned her green eyes to her tall savior and reached out for her face again like she had the previous afternoon. Poppy walked back to the bed with her and asked Julia, "Got milk?"

          Julia's grandmother heard the laughter coming from upstairs and went back to sleep. She had obviously made the right decision in letting Poppy in. The couple upstairs settled back into bed and with Poppy spooned up against her back Julia fed the baby. By lying Tallulah on her back and feeding her that way, it gave her mother the opportunity to look down on her and see the changes the baby was undergoing. It would be wonderful to have someone to share this with now.

          "Her hair is starting to lighten up, don't you think?" asked Poppy. With her arm around Julia, Poppy used one of the fingers poking out of her cast to rub the baby's head. "Yeah, Ray and I both had almost white hair until we were like five then it became more of the color we have today."

          There was only one other question that Poppy hadn't asked in the whole time they had known each other, and that was who Tallulah belonged to? Who had fathered the baby that Poppy had come to love? "I got drunk at a party one night and one of Ray's friends decided he liked me. It was stupid, but I woke up the next morning naked and in bed with this guy who didn't want another thing to do with me. I thought about the alternatives, and tried to drown out the objections of my parents, but in the end I wanted her. She was growing inside of me and I wanted her. I figured I would find someone that would love her as much as I do, and want to help raise her, so the decision was easy," Julia offered up the explanation. It was best, her granny always told her, to start on anything with no secrets.

          "Doesn't he want to be involved in her life?" asked Poppy. She hadn't moved away from Julia, so the young mother took it as an encouraging sign.

          "No, he said he would fight paternity so I didn't push it since I don't want anything from him. When the time comes I'll have to explain that to her, and hope that she understands."

          "When the time comes we'll face that together, won't we Tallulah?" said Poppy as she picked the little girl up to burp her. Julia held the sheet up to her chest and watched her daughter give Poppy a milky smile. She wants a future with the two of us, thought Julia. Thanks Ray for knocking some sense into her. Julia had fallen in love with Poppy almost from the beginning and it was nice to know that the feelings were mutual.

          The night before when Poppy had crawled into bed with her, Julia had felt right at home next to the big body. If Poppy was expecting an argument, she was surprised when the blonde just rolled over and pressed herself into her side and pillowed her head on Poppy's shoulder.

          "What's the game plan Poppy?" asked Julia.

          "It's simple really. We find a place to live, and then head back to Carly's Sound to finish up the opening activities. Where would you like to live?" asked Poppy.

          "Anywhere where you are," was Julia's answer.

          By late that afternoon Poppy had Julia and the two Tallulah's seated in the Expedition. They were headed back to New Orleans before heading back to the island. There was a suite at the Ritz waiting for them, and Tallulah was looking forward to hitting the casino in town. On the nightstand next to her grandmother's bed, sat the wedding ring Tallulah had lent her. Julia didn't need them anymore, and figured her granny would want them back. The only time it had been off Tallulah's finger since Frederick had given them to her, was when she had lent them to Julia.

          Bob was waiting for them at the private airport they had landed at, wearing his usual pressed clothes. The two Johnson women looked at each other when the man snapped to attention once Poppy was out of the car. Maybe that's why they call the rich eccentric instead of crazy, thought Tallulah as she watched Poppy salute the man back.

          "Commander we are ready whenever you give the word."

          "At ease soldier. There are some people I want you to meet. Bob meet Julia, her grandmother Tallulah, which is also the name of the baby. Ladies this is Lieutenant Bob Wallis, our pilot today."

          "Pleasure to meet you ladies, if you would step on board I don't want any trouble like we had in Venezuela. Why I had to break the Commander out of an enemy hospital, where they were interrogating her," explained Bob.

          "Yes well I don't expect anyone is after us here Lieutenant, so let's bring it down a notch," said Poppy. She was hoping Julia and her grandmother had a sense of humor.

          "Would you like me to frisk them Commander?" asked Bob, taking a step closer to the three Johnson women.

          "Not if you value your life little man," said Tallulah with conviction. The rest of the flight progressed without another word from Bob.

          "Where was this taken?" asked Tallulah. She was standing in the opulent lobby of the Ritz in New Orleans looking at the picture hanging on one of the post. The old woman had never seen such a commotion in a hotel staff, than when their car had pulled into the covered drive. They treated them like they owned the hotel, thought Tallulah. Julia was standing next to her grandmother holding the baby as they waited for Poppy to finish her conversation with Elizabeth and for their luggage to make it up from the car.

          "Somewhere in the hotel I would imagine granny. That is a view of Canal Street and a section of the river," answered Julia. The long legs and the rocker in the picture were almost identical to the one hanging on the island. The only thing that was different was the scenery the person looked out on. Julia laughed when she saw that the feet were bare even though this hotel was much grander in scale than the resort on Carly's Sound.

          "Canal Street is actually one of the widest streets in the world, second I believe only to the Champs Elysees in Paris. The building you are standing in was once one of the premiere stores in the downtown area. I think this was the house wares department we are standing in now. The floors that host guestrooms now were once office space, but I bet they didn't fetch the rent they are getting now," teased Poppy. She turned slightly so that Elizabeth could join their group and meet Julia and her grandmother.

          "It is a pleasure to meet the three of you. Welcome to our city, and to the Ritz. I hope you enjoy your stay, and I will see you all at dinner this evening," said Elizabeth. Her feelings were warring between jealousy and happiness. Would Poppy cut her out of her life now that she had found someone, was the question that weighed most heavily on the young attorney's mind?

          The group of porters arrived with their luggage and escorted them to the bank of elevators. Julia and Tallulah watched as Poppy shook hands with all of them and complimented them on a job well done. When the doors slid closed, Poppy removed a golden key from her pocket and inserted it into a slot on the control panel. The initials RPV were engraved into the brass plate above the key slot. The numbers above the door started climbing until they registered the same initials, instead of numbers.

          The doors slid silently open to the top floor of the hotel. The suite that was located there took up a majority of the summit and had a homier feel to it than an average hotel room. Julia looked at Poppy with an arched eyebrow, to which the tall woman just shrugged her shoulders.

          "The picture downstairs Tallulah was taken right over here," indicated Poppy as she slid the glass door open. The balcony did indeed capture a wonderful view of the street below all the way to the river.

          "We have put away the luggage Ms. Valente. Will there be anything else?"

          "No Eddie that's it for today thank you," said Poppy. The three young men refused to take her tip as they boarded the elevator back down. It was the first time either of them had been in the private apartment everyone knew was there.

          "I must say that was the best service I've ever gotten in any hotel I've been in," said Tallulah. She stepped back into the living room and sat on one of the chairs that overlooked the bar in the room.

          "Maybe Poppy would like to tell us why we received such excellent service today Granny?" asked Julia. She waved her hand palm up toward Poppy and walked over to where Poppy was setting up the baby's blanket on the floor.

          "You never asked if I owned anything in the city sweetheart," said Poppy. She laid the blanket out and got out of Julia's way.

          "I thought when you said home, you meant you had a house here. The Ritz isn't really what I had in mind," teased Julia. She walked up to the bar that Poppy was leaning on and put her arms around her waist. The baby was comfortable on a blanket on the floor playing with her feet, so Julia wanted to reconnect with Poppy.

          "I do have a house here. Well I did. I just gave it to Elizabeth, so we are homeless at the moment. I just thought since her mother put so much into the decoration, Lizzy would enjoy it. I want us to start fresh and find a space that we can share and be happy in."

          "Wait a doggone minute, you own this place," said Tallulah. What had Julia gotten herself into? "How old are you?"

          "I just turned thirty one, and own is relative," said Poppy. She answered the question without taking her eyes off Julia's face.

          "You don't own the place?" persisted Tallulah, leaning forward in her chair.

          "Valente Resorts Inc. owns the property Tallulah," said Poppy wiggling her eyebrows at Julia.

          "And who is Valente Resorts?"

          "You are looking at her granny. Poppy is in the hotel business," said Julia.

          "Well at least we have a place to stay when we come to the city," said Tallulah. She had a twinkle in her green eyes, and Poppy could see the feisty nature of the woman come shining through.

          "Ladies if you will excuse me for a little while, I have some business that I have to take care of downstairs. Just call down for Monique at the front desk if you need anything," said Poppy. She kissed Julia, then went and kissed her grandmother on the cheek. Her last stop was to get down on the floor and kiss the baby goodbye.

          "Julia I think that we need to go shopping," said Tallulah. She had watched the spark that was growing by the minute between the two young women, and she could see that the tall charmer that had just stepped into the elevator truly cared for her granddaughter as well as her great granddaughter.

          "For what granny?" asked Julia. The elevator doors had just closed and she missed Poppy already.

          "A rod and reel."

          "Excuse me granny what would I need that for?" asked Julia. She turned and faced her grandmother with a confused look on her face.

          "To reel in that big fish that keeps making kissy faces in your direction girl. That woman is so gone on you it's down right fun to watch."

          "She has never said she loves me though. I can feel that she does, but a girl likes to hear it. You know what I mean granny?" asked Julia. "She told me it took her months to admit that to Carly. I just don't know if I can wait that long, and I'm afraid of scaring her away if I tell her how much I've come to care about her. Is it wrong to want her to fall on one knee and pop the question? To have a little romance in my life," confessed Julia.

          "I think that in the end you will get what you most want my love, but I can't tell you how long that road will be," said Tallulah. She took her granddaughter into her arms and debated silently on whether she should have the same talk with Poppy.

          All of the Johnson women took a nap for the rest of the afternoon. The three-bedroom apartment had been set up with the middle room as a nursery. The baby was sleeping in the most beautiful baby bed that the staff had set up, and the monitor next to the bed in the master suite let her hear if the baby was crying.

          "Well she certainly thinks of everything," Julia said out loud into an empty room.

          "Maybe she was a girl scout in a previous life," teased Poppy from the doorway. The deep voice interrupted the fantasies Julia was spinning in her head while Poppy was out. Now that the subject was back in the room, she could concentrate on making them come true. "How would you like to have dinner with me? I know a great place that is quiet, romantic and you can go just like you are now," asked Poppy.

          Julia was wrapped in one of the big fluffy robes she had found in the bathroom, so she waited for the punch line. "I'm sure my grandmother would drag me back inside by an ear if I try to leave the hotel looking like this," said Julia. She drew her knees up and rested her chin on them giving her an innocent air.

          "Your grandmother is out for the evening. There is a gentleman waiting at the casino for her with a couple of buckets of coins for her entertainment, after she finishes her dinner downstairs."

          "She's eating by herself?" asked Julia.

          "No baby, I wouldn't do that to her. Bob flew her friend Crystal in a little while ago. Last I saw of them they were sitting down to some big steaks and were talking a mile a minute. If you want I can arrange to have us meet them if you don't want to have dinner with just me and the butterbean in the next room," said Poppy.

          "I'm sorry, I just didn't want her to be alone in a strange city. I would love to have dinner with you," said Julia. She kneeled on the bed and walked over to the edge of the bed and held her arms out in invitation. It was getting easier to lose herself in the sensual haze that Poppy seemed to put her in effortlessly.

          "Was there another one of these in there for me?" asked Poppy. She pulled lightly on the robe tie that Julia had on.

          "It's your hotel, don't you know?" teased Julia. There was still that niggling self-doubt in the back of her head that this would be old territory for Poppy. The places that they would eventually make love, would they be places that Carly and Poppy shared already? Let it go Julia, the woman is gone.

          "It's the first time I've stayed up here so no, I don't know. I thought you might like the apartment while we are in the city until we find a house," said Poppy.

          "Thank you sweetheart that means the world to me, and yes there is one of these great robes in there for you."

          Poppy took a quick shower then donned the same outfit Julia had on. From the phone in the bathroom she called down to have dinner brought up. The time she had spent with Julia on the island had given her insight into the young woman's likes and dislikes. One quick look in the foggy mirror showed that the bruises around her eyes were still dark and ugly, but hopefully the love in Julia's heart would see past that tonight.

          "You got me ribs and baked beans?" asked Julia. She looked under the domes the room service people had left and squealed in delight.

          "No I got you a salad, the ribs are for me," teased Poppy. They ate their way through two racks of perfectly grilled ribs, and the best baked beans Julia had eaten since leaving her grandmother's. As Julia was on her last rib, Poppy looked across at her and smiled.

          "What do you want Julia? You asked me that back in Texas but I have never had the opportunity to return the favor," said Poppy. She leaned back in her chair with Tallulah. The baby had woken up when the meal had been brought up, and they had taken turns holding her while they ate.

          "I don't want or need much. I mean it's great that you have all this stuff, but I just want you. That's all, it doesn't matter what we do, or where we do it, I just want you."

          Poppy stood up and went and put Tallulah back in her bed. The little girl had fallen asleep again on her favorite pillow giving the couple some privacy. When she stepped back into the room, Poppy was surprised to see Julia crying. She kneeled next to the blonde's chair and pulled her close.

          "What's the matter baby?" asked Poppy. She could feel Julia's hot breath through the front of her robe as she held the blonde tightly against her.

          "I said too much didn't I? If this is too much for you just tell me, and I'll try and back off? I don't come without some baggage huh? I never thought about if you want to be a parent to a baby, or just be a part of her life," rambled Julia.

          "Honey could you do me a favor and shut up for a minute," said Poppy. Poppy put her palm on Julia's cheek and with her thumb dried some of the tears away. "I've been as clear as the Mississippi River when it comes to my feelings, haven't I? I'm sorry about that."

          Julia shook her head to protest but the finger pressed to her lips stopped her from doing so. "I went out this afternoon and got you something that might put things into perspective for you as to how I feel," said Poppy. She never stopped caressing Julia's face. When she had gone downstairs earlier to meet with Lizzy and inspect the progress of the shopping area of the first two floors, Poppy passed one of the places that had actually been opened for business. One look at the window display had brought her life into focus.

          She had lived well up to now. Her success was there for everyone to see in the bricks and mortar that she had laid over the years. There had been joy and overwhelming pain because of that joy, and now it was time to live and take chances again. All that her life had taught her up to now, had brought her to this place, with this woman. Poppy's future laid in the green eyes of Julia, and those of her daughter Tallulah. There were still lessons to learn, and things to build, but now she didn't have to face that alone.

          "Julia I know that to commit to you means a bigger commitment than if I were to pick someone else, but what sets you apart is the fact you have Tallulah. The thought of helping you raise her to be whatever will make her happy doesn't scare me. I love Tallulah, as much as I love you," said Poppy. At hearing the words, Julia's tears started again.

          "I love you too," said Julia.

          "I know you do baby. Julia, would you do me the honor of sharing your life with me? Would you be willing to share Tallulah with me? If you say yes I will spend my life making you two happy, and working hard to make us a family," asked Poppy. Julia followed the path of Poppy's hand as it dipped into the deep pocket of the robe. When it came out again there were two small boxes in her hand and Julia could feel her heart hammering in her chest.

          "I saw this today and I thought it would be perfect for my yellow rose of Texas. Wear it as a sign of my love and commitment," said Poppy. When she popped the ring box open there was a beautiful round yellow diamond in a simple but elegant band. The other box was a duplicate of the stone, only smaller and on a small pendant for Tallulah. "I thought you two come as a package, so you should both get a diamond."

          With the ring on her finger Julia slipped her hands into Poppy's hair to pull her forward. She slipped her tongue into the open mouth and savored the taste of Poppy's. It was their beginning, here in the clouds of a magic city. Breaking their kiss, Poppy stood up and pulled Julia up after her. Hand in hand they walked into the bedroom to experience more new beginnings.

          Julia put her hands on the tie of Poppy's robe and pulled. When the garment fell open she could see that the tall muscular body was unencumbered by clothes. It looked as good as it did that night she had watched Poppy walk into her bungalow after getting out of the outdoor shower. Poppy felt Julia just stop and stare.

          "We can take our time Julia, we have all the time in the world."

          "I've waited all my life for you Poppy. Make love to me."

          Poppy pulled off Julia's robe and let it drop to the floor. With a slow touch she ran her hands along the smooth creamy skin of Julia's body, loving the goose bumps she raised as she went. When Poppy stepped back to look at her, Julia stood nervously under the scrutiny of her soon to be lover's gaze. For Poppy, the sight of the full and heavy breast and the small patch of blonde hair flooded her passions. With a quick flick of her wrist, Poppy turned down the bed and pulled Julia to her. She wanted to feel the smaller woman against her with no barriers.

          Julia couldn't wait anymore so she settled herself on top of Poppy. She moaned when Poppy closed a big hand over her right breast and arched her back to push herself harder against the contact. When the hand let go, Julia was about to protest when she felt Poppy's hand move between them until it settled between her legs.

          It was Poppy's turn to moan when her fingers encountered so much wetness that it had painted Julia's thighs. When her middle finger slid across Julia's clit, the blonde broke off from her mouth and pushed her upper body up and off Poppy's chest. The move put Julia's nipples right in front of Poppy's face, and pushed the blonde's center harder into Poppy's hand.

          "Don't move your hand baby," demanded Julia. It was such a delicious sensation to let go with someone you loved, thought Julia as her body became more urgent in its movement. She practically screamed when Poppy moved her head up a little and sucked one of the hard nipples into a her hot mouth. That combined with the pressure of her hand, sent Julia over the edge.

          Julia stopped moving all together and Poppy thought that she had done something wrong. After an intense moment Julia just slumped bonelessly into Poppy knocking them both to the mattress. The relaxed woman was about to make a comment about how perfect that had been, when they both heard the soft whimpering coming from the monitor on the nightstand.

          "Don't move baby, I'll be right back," said Poppy. Rolling Julia off of her and onto the bed, Poppy got up and padded into Tallulah's room. Julia expected them both to come back into the room, but after a few minutes Poppy hadn't returned. She was about to get up to see if there was a problem when she heard Poppy's voice coming out of the little plastic box on the nightstand.

          "What seems to be the problem sweetpea? Wow, from that smell, I wouldn't be too happy either," said Poppy. Julia smiled at the comment and waited to see if her assistance would be called on.

          "Let's see if we can find you some new pants Tallulah girl." Julia eavesdropped on the one sided conversation Poppy was conducting in the other room, and wondered if the big goofball remembered that the monitor was in there.

          "Guess what princess? What you say? Well, we are officially engaged. Your mama accepted on your behalf but you're stuck with me now pumpkin. I am going to enjoy a lifetime of spoiling you rotten," said Poppy. Picking the little girl up off the changing table, Poppy headed for the rocker by the window. Julia hugged her companion's pillow in the other room when she heard the soft lullaby song that Poppy had sung for them the first day they had met her. Two sets of identical green eyes fluttered closed with the help of their own pied piper.

          "Hey why didn't you wake me?" asked Julia. The warmth pressed up against her back pulled her from a pleasant dream. It was nicer to indulge in the real thing.

          "You looked so cute curled up around my pillow that I didn't have the heart to wake you," said Poppy. She had been propped up on her hand watching her blonde bedmate sleep, and had laid the other on the Julia's hip. Her fingers on the plastered hand hurt a little bit from stretching them to change Tallulah's diaper, but Poppy's relaxed back onto the bed when Julia started running her finger gently over her face.

          "You're so sweet to me and my baby girl, and you made me feel, so good I'd like to return the favor. But, before we do that I have a confession to make," said Julia. Poppy's eyes opened and looked at the woman leaning over her. "When we first met and you took us out for the first time on the boat, I went to your house that night to make sure you had made it back all right. I knew that you were going to swim back to shore once you had anchored the Piper, and I was afraid something might eat you or that you'd get a cramp, so I walked over. When I got there you were getting out of the outdoor shower and walking naked into the house. Marta caught me staring, but even then I couldn't look away from you. Poppy you woke something up in me that night without even touching me, and I have been dreaming of nothing else but touching you ever since. I guess that's why it hurt so much when I saw Jillian on your porch that morning and I thought what she wanted me to." Poppy pulled Julia down so that she was lying on top of her.

          "I guess this can only mean one thing," said Poppy. She kissed the top of the blonde head and pulled Julia closer.

          "What?" asked Julia.

          "We need more bushes around that damned shower." Julia struck quickly giving Poppy no chance to defend herself from the hard pinch to her bottom. With equal quickness Poppy rolled them over so that she was pinning Julia to the mattress, and with her one good hand she captured the two smaller ones of her tormentor.

          "You've got me you big brute. What are you going to do with me?" asked Julia. She pulled her head up and bit down on Poppy's neck before sucking it into her mouth.

          "I think I'll keep you."

          "Oh honey, you ain't getting rid of us now. I love you Poppy," said Julia. At the words Poppy let go of her hands and kissed her. Free, Julia let her hands wander over the broad back and down to the place she had only seen from a hundred feet, Poppy's butt. She had to sit up a little to reach it, but the hard perfect cheeks were worth the uncomfortable position. Julia felt Poppy's breathing start to quicken at the massage she was getting, so she moved her hands running her fingernails slowly up the broad back applying enough pressure that it left some light red marks.

          The muscles in Poppy's left arm and her chest were standing out in vivid relief from the exertion of holding most of her weight off Julia, but it was getting more difficult as the blonde kept changing the direction of her hands. It had been so long since Poppy had felt like this, Julia made her free. Poppy bent her head so that she could join their lips in a kiss. Julia opened her mouth and her legs to her. Poppy's panting and the jerking of her hips were turning her on.

          Opening her legs wider to accommodate the big body on her, Julia squeezed her hand between their bodies and opened herself up feeling the new flood between her legs. The evidence of Julia's excitement mingled with Poppy's equally drenched folds. With the same hand, Julia reached up and spread Poppy apart so that they could slide against one another. With the first deep moan from Poppy, Julia locked her legs around Poppy's waist locking them for the ride.

          "That's it baby, let it go for me," said Julia. She could feel the raw power in Poppy's body as she pumped harder and faster. They had both started to sweat which made their movements that much easier.

          "Oh Julia, I'm coming baby," panted Poppy. She could feel Julia's nails dragging up her back and it was driving her crazy.

          "Come on love, we'll do it together," encouraged Julia. When her hands moved down to Poppy's butt again and squeezed, it was the final catalyst. Poppy pumped faster but Julia was there to meet her thrust for thrust until there was no turning back. With one final push, Poppy brought them both over the edge.

          Poppy didn't know how long she lay in Julia's embrace or why there were tears streaming down her face. The hands that only moments ago were all over her were now rubbing her back slowly and holding her in place. Julia hadn't even moved her legs from around her waist, making Poppy feel like the small woman was using her whole body to reassure her.

          "I'm sorry baby, I must be crushing you," Poppy said with a small crack in her voice. She tried to roll off but only met with resistance when Julia tightened her hold.

          "I like you just where you are love, don't move. Are you ok?" asked Julia. She had felt the hot tears on her shoulder when Poppy came crashing down on her after they had made love. Julia just knew that her heart wouldn't be able to take it if Poppy regretted they had moved their relationship forward like this. The blonde knew that Poppy loved her and found her attractive, but it was hard to fight the perfect image of a dead woman.

          "I'm great as a matter of fact, just got a little intense there for a minute. It's a little embarrassing really, but it's been a long time for me baby. I don't usually cry after sex as a rule, but this time I just felt so happy I went with it."

          "Well I think that it's great that you trust me enough already to do that. You don't ever have to be embarrassed Poppy, for showing your emotions, especially if it's because I've made you feel good about something. I want us to always be honest with each other even when you think I might not like what you have to say. We have a lifetime to look forward to so a few spats here and there will only make it interesting," said Julia. The tie of Poppy's ponytail had come undone so she was running her fingers through the thick curly hair wondering what it would look like shorter. The pensive look on her face made Poppy look up to see if Julia was ok.

          "How are you doing baby?" asked Poppy.

          "Wonderful, I was just wondering how your hair would look if you cut it."

          "It looks a lot curlier than it does now. The length tends to pull the curls down a bit, but when it's short it's downright springy. Why do you ask?" inquired Poppy. Poppy was enjoying the afterglow with Julia, but she was starting to get distracted by the smooth skin stretched out underneath her.

          "I was just thinking how it would feel curled around my fingers if it was short. Have I told you that I love curly hair?" asked Julia. The mouth sucking on her neck made Julia lose her own interest in the conversation, and her mind wrapped instead around the hand that was burning a path up her body. Julia moved her legs to straddle Poppy's sides as the brunette rolled them over again.

          "I have my own confession to make to you beautiful," said Poppy. She could almost feel Julia's moans, they were so deep.

          "What...What is it?" asked Julia. Poppy's hand was doing interesting things to her body that were impairing her ability to form coherent sentences.

          "Ever since I got in this bed with you, I have been wondering what you might taste like. Is that part of you as sweet as the rest of you?" asked Poppy. Because of her broken wrist, and broken nose Julia opted for the only safe alternative to what Poppy had in mind. Taking two fingers, Julia ran them through her sex, thoroughly coating them, and then pressed them to Poppy's mouth. When the warm tongue came out of Poppy's mouth, Julia pushed Poppy's good hand down between them. Knowing that Poppy was right handed, Julia placed the long fingers into position so that she would be doing all the work.

          "God baby that's so sexy," said Poppy. She watched as Julia reached her third orgasm of the night. When the walls around Poppy's fingers clamped down, Julia stopped moving. Once she had reached the pinnacle of her excitement it was her turn to drop onto Poppy's chest bonelessly. In the hall Tallulah stopped momentarily when she heard her granddaughter scream, but kept going when she registered what was going on. It was past time, the older woman decided, to have a talk with Poppy and her intentions toward Julia. There would be no free rides with her family, so she hoped Poppy was in for life or she wouldn't look all that good when she hit the sidewalk outside. She only thinks she's got bruises now, thought Tallulah as she headed into the bathroom in her room.

          The next morning Poppy had almost made it to the elevator when the icy voice of Tallulah stopped her. Julia was still sleeping with the baby next to her in their room after Poppy had retrieved her for her four o'clock feeding. "Where do you think you are going?" asked Tallulah. She was sitting at the table next to the bar, having a cup of coffee room service had just brought up with a basket of croissants.

          "I'm off to get a surprise for Julia, if you must know. Is there something you needed?" asked Poppy. A quick look at her watch told Poppy that she still had some time before she was due at the appointment she had just made.

          "You sure you're not sneaking off after what you did last night are you?" asked Tallulah. Poppy looked at the old rancher and wondered if she would consider working for her. With a stare like that she could come in handy at land negotiation deals.

          "Well now Tallulah, I'm here to tell you that I consider Julia to be a lady. Because of that fact, I'm not going to discuss with you or anyone else what we may or may not have done last night."

          "All I'm saying is that my granddaughter is not giving away any free milk, to you or anyone else. I was married for thirty years Poppy, I believe in commitment. All I'm asking is that you do the right thing by that beautiful girl." Tallulah stood up and crossed her arms waiting for Poppy to contradict her in any way.

          "I was married for almost eleven years and the only reason you are sitting in my living room drinking coffee, is that she past away. The only way someone else's grandmother will get to do the same thing is if the same fate befalls either Julia or me. Don't get me wrong, I admire the fact that Jules has someone looking out for her and loves her enough to stand up to me, but I am interested in commitment too Tallulah," said Poppy. She put her hands out to her side and smiled at the old pit bull. "I've only known your girls for two months, but I love them. I promise you on all that I hold sacred that I will make them happy and keep them safe."

          "I'll hold you to that Poppy. On another subject, what's going to happen to my boy Rayford?" asked Tallulah. Poppy could see where the twinkling green eyes all these blondes seemed to have had come from.

          "That is another subject for another day, old girl. Don't worry though, we'll see how I feel after the surgery to fix my nose goes before I make any rash decisions. I have to go if I'm going to make my appointment this morning. If my two rays of sunshine wake up before I get back, tell them I won't be long."

          The elevator doors slid shut before Poppy saw the sleepy form in the first bedroom doorway. The smile on Julia's face after hearing the conversation could have been interpreted as a ray of sunshine had the tall woman seen it. Tallulah was about to explain herself when the young woman she had taken care of since she was a baby came up and gave her a tight heartfelt hug. If she had had any lingering doubts after waking up alone, Julia had them answered and reassured after hearing the talk the two women had on her behalf.

          True to her word, Poppy walked back in an hour later looking a little different. The baby was still sleeping and Julia was enjoying breakfast with her grandmother. When Poppy stopped in front of her by the table, Julia would have done a mountain climber proud when she scaled the tall body with quick and precise moves. When she reached the full lips, Julia claimed her prize. Tallulah looked on in amusement and wondered what looked different about the woman that had stolen Julia's heart. There were no answers forthcoming out of either young woman as Poppy walked with Julia still wrapped around her to the bedroom and closed the door behind them.

          "Well, maybe Crystal's up and wants to go and do something with me," said Tallulah to an empty room. She shook her head at young love. Hell she wasn't that old that she couldn't remember the excitement of it. Whatever Poppy had done, Julia sure had acted like it beat the big rock she was sporting at breakfast that morning.

          An hour later they were naked again and in need of a nap. Poppy had her hand propped up on a pillow, and Julia draped over the top of her. "In case I haven't told you baby, your hair looks great," she told Poppy. Gone was the ponytail, and in its place the kind of hairstyle that made you want to run your fingers through it all day.

          "If I'm going to get this kind of reaction, then hell, is there something else about me that you would like changed?" asked Poppy.

          "Nope you are perfect now. I hope that I didn't push you into cutting your hair if you really loved it, but something about short curly hair does something to me. Is there something about me that you would like for me to change?" asked Julia. The fingers of Poppy's left hand where reeking havoc with her senses, and Julia was having trouble concentrating on their conversation.

          "Well there is something, but it's more like a favor than it is something I want you to change. Would you have dinner with my parents tonight so that they can meet you?" asked Poppy. The inevitable would have to happen sooner or later, and Poppy could only hope that Isabelle was in a good mood when she met the new woman in Poppy's life.

          "Of course I would baby. What should I wear?" The question was a stall tactic on Julia's part. What if the older Valente couple didn't like her?

          "Great you can meet them in the restaurant down stairs at eight tonight."

          "You're not coming?" asked Julia. She pushed herself up a little so she could look into Poppy's face.

          "No, I thought I would give you the opportunity to get to know them without me," said Poppy. She almost laughed at the look on Julia's face. Not having the heart to keep up her joke, Poppy kissed the tip of Julia's nose and tried to wink up at her.

          "That was mean Valente, just be prepared for my revenge."

          * * *

          "Where are you?" asked Julia through clenched teeth. Poppy had gone to her office after they had gotten up that morning to get some work out of the way. She had called around three to say that she was running late and would meet Julia in the restaurant before her parents arrived. Julia had now been sitting at Poppy's private table in the bistro entertaining Poppy's parents, and there was no sign of her tall lover. When the waiter showed up with a phone instead of her blue-eyed date, Julia just smiled and took the phone.

          "I'm upstairs changing. Sorry I so late but I finally got that labor dispute settled so that we don't have to go to Florida, and the time just got away from me. Where's the princess?" asked Poppy as she stripped off clothes in the bedroom.

          "She's with granny for the afternoon, but they hadn't gotten back when I came down here. I left her a note telling her that if she had plans with Crystal tonight, to just bring her down to us."

          "Is Isabelle behaving herself?" asked Poppy.

          "Nothing that having you down here wouldn't cure. I miss you and I love you. Now get dressed and get that cute butt of yours down here."

          "You know, my Poppy, what she need is a good person to settle her down and give me grand babies to spoil. My husband and I live a good life because of her, but all my friends they are talking all the time about their children's children and I have no pictures of cute babies to show them," said Isabelle. There had been an instant chemistry between the two women when they sat down. Raphael looked on in amusement as the two women planned his daughter's future. As he signaled the waitress for another drink he spotted the subject of the women's conversation enter the eatery.

          Poppy looked good to her father. He was glad to see the sullen defeated appearance was gone, and in its place was the confident young woman that had conquered her world. Like all the members of the Valente clan, Poppy had inherited the trademark looks that set them apart. Even Julia had commented on how similar Poppy was to her father.

          "Papi, look what I found in the lobby," said Poppy as she walked to the table. Raphel got up and took the cooing baby out of Poppy's arms so that his daughter could say hello to her mother. As he looked at the cute little girl in his arms, Poppy dropped a kiss on his cheek before moving around the table and giving her mother a big hug. Before she made introductions, Poppy gave Julia a soft kiss on the lips and handed her a beautifully wrapped gift.

          "I believe my mother has been waiting for this moment from the day I was born, so why don't you do the honors love," Poppy told Julia. Not being able to control herself, Julia ran her fingers through the freshly washed locks before taking the box out of Poppy's hands. When she looked at Isabelle, the woman had tears in her eyes as she watched her husband play with the infant he was holding.

          Julia had an idea of what was in the box from their early conversation about Poppy's parents. She had waited to tell the couple about Tallulah until Poppy was there. Wanting grandchildren, and accepting one that was no blood relation to you was something else. "Mami, a little something for the next cocktail party you host," said Poppy as Julia handed her mother the box.

          Inside was a framed picture of the three of them coming into Aruba's port aboard the Piper. The harbormaster's wife had taken the picture, in an unguarded moment, and had captured the beginnings of a family. Poppy's head was thrown back in laughter as Julia leaned against her holding the baby.

          "May I hold her?" asked Isabelle. For the rest of the evening Poppy and Julia talked with her father while her mother fussed with Tallulah. They returned to the room early so that Julia could feed the baby with her soon to be mother-in-law looking on. It filled her heart to know that at least Tallulah would have one set of dotting grandparents.

          "Are you mad that I didn't tell you about her sooner?" asked Julia. She was sitting in the rocker in the room breast feeding and talking with the woman who had once done the same with Poppy.

          "No that was a sneaky Julia, but I forgive you if you let me spoil that little girl. I never a thought that Poppy would have a family that would include a baby. Carly, well let us say that I did not agree with that choice, but who am I, but just the mother. We grew to be friends, she and I, but it was a long road. I promised myself when she died, and I saw the suffering in my child's heart, that I would accept Poppy's choices for her life. Why not, she plays life as well as she plays music on that old guitar of hers. But now look at what she has found. Raphael and I welcome you to our family Julia. You, and your daughter, will never want for anything."

          "We just want Poppy Mrs. Valente, and we promise to always take good care of her," said Julia. She reached out and took the older woman's hand in her own and squeezed. She liked this woman that had helped shape Poppy into the person she was today.

          "You've lost her now, baby. Once my mother gets her claws into her, Tallulah will have more stuff than we do," teased Poppy from the door. If she expected a snappy comeback from her mother, Isabelle surprised her by walking up to her and hugging her. Isabelle walked out to sit with her husband, leaving Julia and Poppy alone.

          Poppy held Tallulah while Julia adjusted her clothes back into place. By the middle of the second song she sang softly, Tallulah was sleeping and Julia was dressed. They both stood by the baby bed and watched the baby sleep for a minute before rejoining Poppy's parents.

          "I never thought this kind of happiness could exist for me. When I was pregnant with her, I was always so sad because my parents were giving me such a hard time about the situation. I used to think that they should be happy because they would be grandparents, but that never happened. Instead I have to travel to another place then come back home to find the people that will give my daughter the kind of home she deserves. I love you Poppy, and I want to thank you for introducing me to your parents," said Julia. She felt the strong arms encircle her from behind and the rest of her bad thoughts just disappeared.

          "Your welcome my love, but just remember she's our daughter now. You have to learn to share." Poppy kissed the top of Julia's head then walked her to the outer room. With promises made to see each other before the young couple left the city, Poppy's parents left for the evening. As they were lying in the dark getting comfortable for the night Julia asked Poppy a question that had been on her mind.

          "What was your wedding to Carly like?"

          "It was a simple matter really. Carly had had the big wedding, with all those trappings before, so we did ours on the beach. It was a real casual affair with all of our friends and family that wanted to attend. It was on the same beach she died on." Poppy answered her as she twirled a piece of blonde hair in her fingers. Julia thought that conversations like this were important since Poppy wouldn't forget her first wife ever. It was to her benefit to learn why Poppy had loved the woman. Relaxing into Poppy's touch Julia continued their talk.

          "Did you want a big wedding?"

          "I remember the day I got married, and I remember the things we said to each other which made what type of ceremony it was unimportant."

          "That didn't answer my question baby," said Julia. She pinched Poppy in the thigh to encourage her to answer the question.

          "Honey, let me ask you something. Do I look like the kind of person that puts a whole lot of thought into things like that? I'm more like a guy when it comes to stuff like weddings and clothes. I concentrate more on the outcome and how it will change my life. The secret to thinking like that, is to try and make more decisions that will affect you to the better than not. I think my mother was the most disappointed with the whole affair."

          "What type of wedding do you want us to have?" asked Julia. The buttons on Poppy's pajama bottoms had all of sudden become fascinating to Julia, Poppy noticed.

          "That was a round about way into that conversation," said Poppy teasingly. "By way of Toledo I think." Julia stopped playing with the buttons and slapped Poppy's leg over that comment.

          "That is not why I asked you that, so don't be mean. I know that before me there was Carly. I know that you loved her and have mourned for her all this time. I want what she had with you, and because I want that, I need to know what makes you happy. Is that wrong?" asked Julia. The voice in her head was screaming at her to be quiet and not rock the boat. Two months ago this woman she was in bed with, was crying over the death of the perfect woman, so reminding her of that fact might not be such a good idea.

          "We will never have what Carly and I had honey," said Poppy. Before she could say anything else, Julia was up and out of the bed. The sight of the small woman standing next to the tall windows holding herself like she was cold was breaking Poppy's heart. Moving slowly so that Julia wouldn't bolt again, Poppy came up behind her and put her hands on her shoulders.

          "Let me finish sweetheart. I don't want with you, what I had with Carly," said Poppy. In trying to begin to explain, her first comment out of the box earned Poppy a sob from the shrinking body in front of her.

          "Jules, look at me honey," tried Poppy. Julia turned but kept her head down. How had an evening that had started so wonderfully turn out so badly, thought Poppy?

          "I met Carly when I was not even twenty, and over the course of eleven years she was my teacher. I didn't resent her for it; I appreciated what she had to offer me. I loved Carly because of the woman she was and what she meant to me. Carly made me happier than I had ever been, and you're right I will never forget her. There is a piece of my heart that will always belong to that time we shared, and to her, but then I met you." When Poppy said that Julia finally looked up at her. It was the look in Poppy's eyes that made her start crying again. The look told her without words that she never had to compete for Poppy's affections. Julia would be loved with the same intensity, if not more, as Carly had been before her. Poppy would see to that.

          "You didn't replace what I had lost honey, you brought me back to life. Without trying Julia, you made me fall in love with you. I know that you don't want me because of the money or the lifestyle that comes with it. I know that you love me for just me, and that is what I see in you. Julia you are a wonderful person, a wonderful mother so it only stands to reason that you will be a wonderful wife. I know because you can't hide that forever. If Carly had lived to meet you, she would have liked you. I think that you would have been friends," said Poppy. It was a relief when Julia moved in and grabbed hold of her.

          "What would she have thought when I fell in love with you?" asked Julia.

          "She would have had a bit of a problem with that I'm afraid, just like I will if you decide to fall in love with someone else. I'm not into short-term relationships when I find perfection, Julia. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, don't ever doubt that. I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't serious. Now tell me what type of wedding you want?" asked Poppy. Julia looked out the window to the busy street below while she thought of her answer. She could hear Poppy's heart beating under her ear and she felt comfortable answering the question.

          "I want something more formal than standing on a beach, that is if you don't mind. I know that is probably where you feel most comfortable, but I want Tallulah to look back on our day, and dream of her own fairytale wedding. But most of all I want you to think back on it and feel like you made the right choice. Am I making any sense what so ever?" asked Julia from her warm cocoon. She was guessing that the staff from downstairs would not be so quick to jump to attention if they could see Poppy now standing by the window holding her wearing a t-shirt and pajama pants with hearts all over them. Julia had seen them in the gift shop earlier in the day and couldn't resist.

          "How about, if I make you a deal sunshine. You pick out a dress, or whatever outfit you want to wear, and I'll take care of the rest. If you trust me, I promise not to disappoint you. You have to give me at least three months to prepare though, but when I'm done, I promise memorable," suggested Poppy. She moved them back to the bed and laid them down. Susanna would be one busy person for the next few months.

          "You don't want any help?" asked Julia.

          "Well I know what your favorite flowers are, I know what you like to eat and I'm sure your grandmother will fill me in on the rest," said Poppy.

          The shadowy figure standing in the corner listening nodded her head in approval. Poppy had done admirably in Carly's opinion, in putting to rest Julia's fears. She and Poppy's hearts were spiritually connected still, which meant that until Poppy moved on, Carly couldn't either. She would be able to take the love they had shared with her into her next life, just as Poppy had said she would carry Carly in her heart for the time she had left. It wouldn't diminish the love Poppy had for Julia, it only make it stronger and deeper because of her previous experiences.

          Carly vanished from the room, knowing that she was no longer as needed as she had been in Poppy's life. There were new lives waiting for the both of them, and it was time to start the journey.

          Part 6

          "Sus, do you remember Charlie's wedding?" asked Poppy the next morning from her New Orleans office. In between the grand opening of Carly's Sound two weeks away, and the finishing touches ready on the next property they were trying to acquire, she was trying to give Julia the wedding day she wanted. The more Poppy thought about it, the more fun she thought it would be to go over the top of what she figured Julia had in mind. The woman in front of her looked at her like she had grown horns at the question.

          "You're kidding right? That is not one wedding I will be likely to forget anytime soon. When Emily St. Claire puts her mind to it, the old girl can put on quite the show. I'm just glad Charlotte's marriage held up after the money they must have poured into that one. Why do you want to know that?" asked Susanna. It had been a surprise when Poppy had come in whistling that morning and stepped into her office. Elizabeth must have known the boss was coming in since she had moved down the hall to her own office for the time being.

          "We are going to recreate that particular affair, and you have three months and two days to pull it off. Why don't we start with inviting Mrs. Emily St. Claire to lunch so we can pick her brain. Stop looking at me like that, I'm going to help you." Poppy smiled up at her assistant, mostly from the fact the woman in front of her looked faint, and the memory of picking a date with Julia the night before.

          "Who are we doing this for?" asked a stunned Susanna. She slumped against Poppy's big desk, and wondered whom Poppy had promised to plan their wedding for them.

          "Me," said Poppy pointing her thumb to her chest.

          "Yeah right. And who, may I ask, are you marrying?"

          "Miss Julia Emily Johnson of Houston Texas," said Poppy. The Rolodex on her desk was turned to the right page and Poppy picked up the phone to call the socialite she had met years before, stopping when Susanna stopped talking. Poppy was shocked to find her assistant crying in front of her desk looking slightly green.

          "But...You are getting married?" asked Susanna again. She had noticed a change in Poppy when she walked in that morning but would never guess that it was because she had fallen in love again.

          "That she is Susanna, so start getting used to the idea that Poppy might actually be happy again. You remember that don't you? The person that would break out into song for no apparent reason, the same one that would dance with you in the copy room. Remember her?" asked Elizabeth. Poppy had indeed called her that morning to tell her the latest developments. Elizabeth could hear the baby in the background as Julia gave her a bath. They had shared breakfast at the hotel to review the contracts Elizabeth had been working on, and she had seen it. The easy manner was back, as was the sharp humor that set Poppy apart from the person she had become after her mother's death. Her only hope was that Julia deserved Poppy. Some of the attorney's fears had been put to rest when Poppy gathered her into her arms and told her their relationship would never change, and she wanted Elizabeth's blessing as to what she was doing.

          The lunch with Emily in one of the uptown restaurants, was enough to get them started. Knowing the woman's panache for entertaining, Poppy was not surprised when she showed up with a neat folder with all the information she would need. The St. Claire butler still showed up every year on her doorstep with the invitation to the Mardi Gras ball Emily hosted, but it had been at least three years since Poppy had attended. At Carly's death, Poppy had figured Emily would stop sending the invitations, but Emily had been a true friend through the whole ordeal.

          "Maybe you will start responding in the affirmative from now on to my invitations Poppy. It hurts my feelings when you are not there to waltz with me. This year I want no excuses since I would like to meet this woman that has stolen your heart. I have a feeling that you are as lucky as I know she is with this latest development. If you would allow me, I would like to offer my assistance so that your wedding day goes off without a problem," said Emily as she sat with Poppy and Susanna at lunch.

          "I would be honored if you would Emily. Your friendship meant the world to Carly, as it has to me. That night that you danced with me will be one of my most treasured memories. You gave me something that night that I will always be grateful for. You gave me, and Carly legitimacy in New Orleans. Not that I needed other people's approval, but I think it made Carly feel better to know that she didn't have to give up all of her old life to be with me." Poppy reached across the table and took Emily's hand into hers. She liked the woman simply because she marched to her own drummer and made her own rules as she went along. If you didn't like it, you didn't have to stay in her inner circle of friends.

          "I'll tell you something Poppy. I didn't need to give you anything that you didn't already have. Your Carly would have followed you into the gates of hell if you had but asked her. She loved you fiercely and it made so many people jealous to see you two so happy. If I know Carly, she is looking down on you now and smiling on your newfound happiness. Now if you don't mind, I'll be taking this lovely young lady with me and we'll get busy planning a special day for you." People nodded their heads as the queen of New Orleans society made her way to the door with Susanna at her side. Poppy was heading back to the office to make more phone calls before heading back to her two girls.

          * * *

          The week flew by as they finished their business in the city. The staff of Carly's Sound had been put to the test in the last week and had pasted with flying colors according to Miguel. Starting the next Saturday they would be opened for business. The reservations log showed that for the next sixteen months they were booked solid. Poppy had guessed right, in that there were people who were interested in relaxing for a week or longer at a time with nothing else to do but sun and enjoy good food.

          Per her instructions, the bungalow was ready for their arrival that Friday, and had undergone some redecorating curiosity of Ginger and Matlin. The guestroom had been transformed into a baby's room, and the bed in the master suite had been switched out with another one Poppy had restored that had been in storage in New Orleans. The piano had been swept clean of most of its photos so that Julia would feel comfortable during her stays there, but there were still some of Carly and Elizabeth up. The two friends figured Poppy would want to remember some of the good times they had shared here.

          Miguel and the helicopter were waiting for them when the plane landed that evening. The hotel manager grimaced when he saw the bruises around Poppy's eyes and the cast on her hand. He hadn't had the heart to tell Rayford exactly whom he had punched out the day his sister had left, and unless Julia had called and told him the young man was still in the dark.

          "How are you Poppy?" asked Miguel. Poppy glared at him through pain filled eyes. She had undergone the surgery to fix her nose two days before they had left, and the pressure of the cabin had made swollen sinuses more miserable on the flight over. Julia's only salvation had come from the pain medication the doctor had prescribed before they had left. It would be nice to spend some recuperating time in their bungalow while they were back on the island.

          "I've had better days Mickey. Let's just go before my head explodes and you both have to clean me up off this tarmac."

          Julia carried Tallulah toward the vehicle she had first flown to Carly's Sound exchanging greetings with Miguel. She was looking forward to seeing her brother again and spending time alone with Poppy. Their relationship was new but when they had been in New Orleans, Julia had had to share Poppy with too many people for her own comfort. The blonde figured there was still so much that they didn't know about each other, and this would be the perfect time to learn. Susanna had told her that it was Poppy's custom to spend up to a year at each new place to make sure the service and facilities were all in proper working order. It had been Poppy's hope to just spend some time in the bar at night singing a while, but in her current condition there would be no music.

          By the time the sun went down, they were resting comfortably together in the hammock on the porch. Poppy slept behind Julia leaving the small woman to think about the time they had already spent here and what life with Poppy would be like.

          "What are you pondering there my little sweetpea?" asked the burly voice behind her. Julia looked up to the bruised face and grimaced in sympathy. Poppy had been grumpy for the whole day, but Julia couldn't blame her. Poppy looked like her face should hurt.

          "How much I love it here, and how much I love being here with you. I know we can't live here, but I would like to come back as often as we can. Tallulah should know where her parents fell in love don't you think?" asked Julia. Julia felt the arms that were holding her tighten around her waist, and Poppy's soft breath ruffle her hair. The curly head lifted a little and looked at the sleeping baby on the blanket close to them.

          "I think we can show the princess the fact that we are in love on a daily basis baby. On a different subject, Lizzy and Susanna are flying out in a couple of days. They are stopping and picking up your grandmother and her friend on their way. Seems Tallulah needed to get her 'cabana wear' together, whatever that means. If I'm feeling better by then, want to go into Aruba with me and pick up the Pied Piper?"

          "I think that can be arranged love, but only if you're feeling better. I want you all nice and healthy as soon as possible," said Julia as she arched against Poppy enjoying the backrub the woman was giving her.

          "Well if it hadn't for your brother, speaking of which, where is the little shit?" asked Poppy.

          "I really don't know, I haven't seen him since we got back. Poppy please tell me that you aren't going to kill him. Dr. Landry said you'll be good as new once the swelling goes down, and Ray is the only brother I have. I am almost sure that if he had known who you were, he wouldn't have hit you," explained Julia. Julia was rubbing Poppy's stomach like she had seen the tall woman do to Tallulah countless times hoping to calm her down. For someone that had enjoyed singing all her life, Poppy sounded like a cross between a chipmunk and a parrot with a sore throat.

          "Yeah well he deserves a pop if you ask me," said Poppy. She was enjoying the attention Julia was lavishing on her so much that she didn't hear the heavy footsteps coming up the path.

          "You want me to kiss it and make it better?" asked Julia. When she got a slow nod the blonde moved up and initiated a slow kiss that had Poppy forgetting about her nose and her arm.

          It was the man screaming, "What in the hell do you think you are doing with my sister?" that broke them apart. Actually it scared Julia so much that she rolled off the hammock, which threw Poppy off balance causing her to crash over the other side. When she landed on her back, the force of the fall caused Poppy's nose to start bleeding. The last thing Rayford remembered, until he came to, was the look on Poppy's bloody face as she got up and stalked over to him to deliver her own punch.

          "Maybe Dr. Landry gives family discount rates," said Julia when she looked down on her brother. She knew by looking at him that he would have one hell of a shiner by the morning, but at least Poppy seemed to feel better and was oblivious to the fact a pint of blood had just drained out of her nose.

          The next morning Rayford sat in his kitchen with an icepack on his eye while Julia sat across from him and explained just who Poppy was. The eye that wasn't swollen shut was blinking at her furiously, as Julia could see the 'oh shits' flying through his brain.

          "Oh my God! I punched the owner of Valente Resorts, and broke her nose? Why in the hell didn't anyone tell me?" asked Rayford. He got up from the table and started looking for the folder that they had given him in training.

          "What are you doing?" asked Julia. The color draining from his face when she told him what Poppy's position was had concerned her for a moment, until he made a mad dash for the pile of papers on the small desk in the living room.

          "I'm looking to see where she owns all her properties, because believe me if there is one next to hell that's where I'm going to be transferred to."

          "Ray calm down. Poppy is in the vacation business, so I'm sure all the properties are in decent locations where people are interested in going. Besides nothing is going to happen to you so chill," said Julia smiling at him.

          "Yeah, how do you know?" asked Rayford. Julia's smile got wider and she waved her left hand in his direction. He tried to focus with his one good eye but even from this distance Rayford could see the diamond on his sister's finger.

          "She gave me this and asked me to marry her, so I'll protect you from the fury of Poppy Valente. Which brings me to the other reason that I'm here. I introduced her to mother and she wigged out, which probably means she went home and told dad. Translation to that conversation is that he is now wigging out too, so I have no one to walk me down the isle. Interested?" asked Julia. Rayford wasn't convinced by the light banter coming from Julia. He could see that it was hurting her that their parent's couldn't be more supportive now that she had found love and the person she had waited for.

          It had come as a big shock to Rayford when Julia had told him she was pregnant. He had always known that his sister wasn't that interested in men, and was fanatical about commitment. Ray was never disappointed in her, and knew that alone or with the help of someone, Julia would be a terrific mother.

          "So you love her huh?" he asked. Rayford moved back to the table and took the seat next to Julia's. Their relationship had always been close, and they had always been each other's best friend so he was happy for her.

          "Yes I do. Poppy is the one person in this world, besides you Ray, which loves me no matter what my faults. In those two short months I spent here, I fell so hard for her it scared me that she wouldn't feel the same," said Julia. She explained to him Poppy's history and her relationship with Carly.

          "Are you sure about this Julia?" asked her brother.

          "As sure as I am that Tallulah is my daughter."

          "Well then I need to do the manly thing and have a talk with Poppy and make sure she's clear on her responsibility to the two of you," said Ray. He bit his lower lip hoping that the woman wouldn't finish the job she had started on his eye when he did talk to her.

          Rayford worked up the courage to confront Poppy two days later. He found her in the small office toward the front of her bungalow sitting with Elizabeth. The two looked up from the slew of contracts in front of them to see Rayford dressed in his uniform shifting from foot to foot.

          Poppy wasn't going to make it easy on him as she leaned back in her chair and pinned him with an icy stare. The effect was more menacing with the two black eyes causing Ray's shifting to become more pronounced.

          "Cut him some slack Poppy before he wets his pants," whispered Elizabeth into her ear.

          "Hi I'm Elizabeth Stevens. I'm Poppy's stepdaughter and her attorney," said Elizabeth holding out her hand. Rayford stared at her for a moment trying to figure out her introduction before shaking her hand. The blonde was about Julia's height and had the prettiest blue eyes he had ever seen.

          "Rayford Johnson, I'm Julia's brother."

          "I know. I'll leave you two to your talk. Poppy, I'll wait for you outside," said Elizabeth. She leaned down and gave Poppy a kiss on the cheek before stepping out of the room to head out to the porch. When she stepped outside, Elizabeth found an equally nervous Julia pacing with Tallulah. "She won't kill him I promise. Not this close to the wedding anyway."

          For thirty minutes Rayford apologized profusely for breaking her nose then moved on to praising Poppy for her accomplishments. A solid ten minutes was devoted to telling her how much he loved his job and his interest in continuing it. The now sweating man stopped talking when Poppy reached into her pocket and pulled out a small round container and threw it to him.

          "What's this for?" asked Rayford looking at the small Carmex container in his hand.

          "After all that ass kissing you just did, I figured you might need some lip balm Rayford. Now how about we cut the shit and you tell me why you are really here?" asked Poppy. That finally got Rayford to calm down enough to see that Poppy didn't hate him. He laughed as he pocketed the lip balm and stood up and held his hand out.

          "Hi, I'm Rayford Johnson, and Julia is my twin sister." Poppy stood up and took his hand in a firm handshake and gave him a friendly smile.

          "Rayford Johnson, I'm Raquel Poppy Valente, and I am in love with your sister Julia. As her other family representative I would like to ask you for her hand in marriage. I should tell you that I already spoke to Tallulah and she gave me her blessing, but it would be nice to have you on our side too," said Poppy.

          "If you promise me that you will do right by her, and my niece, you will always have my blessing. Julia is a special woman and she deserves someone that will love her, and be at her side for the rest of her life," Rayford said seriously. He put his palms on the end of her desk and waited for an answer.

          "Rayford, your sister will always be loved, and she will never want for anything including my love and attention. And your niece will be raised like she were my own. That's all I can promise you."

          "That's all I can ask for. Be good to her Poppy, and I am sorry about your nose," said Rayford as he stood and shook her hand again. They walked out together and Poppy watched as Julia's brother wrapped her in a bear hug and whispered something into her ear. It couldn't have been bad because Julia looked at her over his shoulder and smiled.

          "Thanks Ray, I will, I promise." Julia waved to him as he walked back toward the resort area to get back to work. When soft lips pressed up against her neck, Julia turned around and pulled Poppy's head down toward her. With only a little encouragement the mouth that was on her neck opened and accepted her tongue and let it explore to its heart's delight. It was the feeling that Julia hoped would never die, the feeling she got from being held like this while possessing Poppy's mouth. "He's right I should take care of you. You're a keeper."

          * * *

          "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" asked Julia for the fourth time. "What if you start not to feel well?" asked Julia. Out of an old cedar box on the mantle, Poppy had pulled an old tin container in the shape of the cartoon character Betty Boop. Poppy had put it in a waterproof bag and was heading out to the Piper with a persistent blonde on her heels.

          "Baby come and sit with me for a minute," requested Poppy. She sat in the old whicker rocker and pulled Julia onto her lap, putting the bag on the floor next to them. In her lap sat her future, which she kissed and held until Julia relaxed against her. On the floor sat her past, which was waiting to be set free of its confines. Elizabeth was waiting on the Piper, so that she wouldn't have to do it alone, and Poppy wanted to reassure Julia before she left.

          "Baby, there is one more thing that I have to do for Carly, and it's something she asked me to do before she died. While I'm sure that she has loved living in this charming container she found at some flea market, it's time to let her go. I put it off thinking that this was my last link to her," said Poppy pointing at the funny tin bombshell. Carly did have a sense of humor, even about the most bizarre things, like where her ashes were to be kept until Poppy released them. "But it turns out she's in here," she said pointing to her heart. "I will always have love for Carly, and I will always have Lizzy in my life, but it is time to lay her mother to rest. She wanted to be here, where she found much of her happiness. It doesn't matter that I am the one who found this place, she loved it here and here she will remain. Though, knowing Carly, she will find new places to haunt and discover as she enjoys whatever paradise she was sent to. Our adventure, though, has just begun my little butterbean, so I don't want any old baggage getting in the way. I love you and I promise I won't take long."

          Julia leaned in and kissed her again. She loved the fact that Poppy was always honest with her feelings and that she was not going to so readily forget the woman that had shared most of her adult life. As much as Julia wanted to go with her, not out of jealousy but out of concern for Poppy, she knew it was something Poppy and Elizabeth needed to do alone.

          "Promise you'll be careful?" asked Julia when their lips parted.

          "I promise baby."

          * * *

          When she lifted anchor the sun was low in the sky, Carly's favorite time of day. They had often sat out on the porch or on the beach and watched the big orange ball make its final decent into the water. As she pointed the sailboat away from the island into open water, Poppy remembered all the dreams they had voiced during those sunsets. For once, the thoughts didn't make her want to cry out of pain, but out of the happiness for the opportunity to have done them with the woman she had loved. There had been so many firsts with Carly, but Poppy was starting to get comfortable with the idea that there would be so many more in her lifetime.

          "You once told me, that you get only one chance at the big game. To do it justice you must live every day to its fullest. The one thing that pisses God off more than anything is to die without having enjoyed your life. Do you remember that Poppy?" asked Carly. For once Poppy didn't care if it was a figment of her imagination. It would be easier to say good-bye this way. Poppy looked at the woman standing by her side and smiled.

          "Yes I do my love. You did an admirable job of it, even if you did get off to a late start. I like to think that you made up for lost time once you cut loose."

          "Thanks to you. Poppy you know that I loved you, but I wanted to make sure that you knew how grateful I was to you. You always called me the wise one, but it was you that taught me some of my most valuable lessons, and I wanted to thank you again. I want you to be happy, and I want you to be a good parent to your children. Not that you need my approval, but you made a good choice in Julia. In her, you found the other half of your soul and your one true love," said Carly. She smiled up at the charmer that had stolen her heart. There was closure now and Carly felt ready to move on.

          "I appreciate that Carly, she is really special to me. I love her, and I promise to be good to Tallulah. Though it would be nice if the kid had a nickname," laughed Poppy.

          "Ask her mother what her middle name is. I'm surprised she hasn't told you already, but maybe she's been scared to, knowing what she knows about you. Remember that I love you, and I will always be looking out for you my love. We're here baby," said Carly as she disappeared.

          Elizabeth and Poppy stood side by side as Poppy let the boat sail where it wanted to for a while. Popping the top of the container off, they watched as Carly's ashes took to the wind, scattering it seemed in all directions at once. "Goodbye my love, safe journey," said Poppy. Poppy slipped the rings Carly had worn from the time of their ceremony into Elizabeth's hand, and then held the crying woman in her arms. They had come full circle and Poppy was ready to get back to the life that awaited her.

          That night as Poppy held Julia close to her, she remembered something Carly had said before she had left. "Baby can I ask you something?" said Poppy. Julia moved up to lie on top of Poppy to hear the question.

          "Sure you can sweetheart. What is it?" asked Julia, kissing Poppy's bottom lip.

          "What's Tallulah's middle name?"

          "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," said Julia. She wondered why this would come up now.

          "Try me," said Poppy. She could feel the body draped over hers shiver a little so she ran her hands along Julia's back for comfort.

          "Her full name is Tallulah Carly Johnson. I just liked the name Carly, but I wanted to honor the woman that had raised me so Tallulah came first. Once I got to know you, I didn't know how you would react to it so I thought about changing it if it made you uncomfortable," said Julia. Julia remembered the first time she had held her daughter and thought about what to name her. It was as if someone had whispered the name into her ear and it seemed to fit. The laughter coming from Poppy broke her train of thought and Julia laughed along with her.

          "You always were dense when it came to what women want Poppy, so I thought I would point you in the right direction," said Carly. Poppy couldn't see her, but she could hear the distinctive voice in her ear.

          "No baby it doesn't make me uncomfortable. She'll probably grow up to think we named the island after her, and that's ok with me."

          * * *

          "Ray would you stop pulling on that collar, you're going to mess up you shirt," chided Julia. They were standing at the back of an old church outside of Nice, in the French Rivera. Inside were three hundred of their closest friends waiting to watch Julia walk up the isle and marry the person she loved most in the world. When Poppy had promised different and special, she had definitely delivered.

          At the front of the isle stood Poppy, in a suit that matched Ray's, waiting for her. The newest resort in the Valente chain was housing all their guests back in Nice, and Bob had flown a larger jet with their families on board. Everyone else was treated to chartered flights that had flown them in three days ago. When Poppy had driven Julia out to where the wedding would take place, Emily St. Claire had tagged along with them to tell Julia the history of the place. The ancient castle, which sat on the mountainside situated between the ocean and the French countryside, had been in the St. Claire family for generations. The church they were in today was part of the castle's holdings, as was the great banquet room where the first reception would take place. Once everyone got back to the resort there would be another party waiting to continue the festivities. Julia had wanted a fairy tale, and Poppy had done her best to make her wishes come true.

          "Did it have to have this many ruffles?" asked Rayford, running his hands along the front of the shirt.

          "Yes it does. It's what all the French autocracy is wearing," said Emily, causing Julia to laugh. She had taken an instant liking to Poppy's friend, who reminded her of her grandmother in so many ways. Not caring if it wrinkled the dress she had picked out, Julia leaned over and hugged Emily to thank her for her hard work.

          "She is waiting for you lovely girl, but I came to ask you a favor," said Emily as she held Julia lightly by the shoulders.

          "Sure if I can," said Julia.

          "Be good to her Julia, and love her beyond the limits you think you can. And promise me you will have her in New Orleans, next month, for my ball," requested Emily.

          "I promise to both things."

          Poppy saw that the doors at the back of the church opened and the music started. Taking a deep breath she waited for Julia to walk out on the arm of her brother. Had anyone bothered to look to the front of the church they would have seen the brightest smile Poppy had ever shown in public lighting her face. The blue eyes took in the simple white long dress that Julia had on, the crown of flowers in her hair and the small bouquet of Texas yellow roses she carried, and thought she was the most beautiful bride in the history of weddings. Poppy didn't take her eyes off of Julia as Rayford shook her hand after kissing Julia, then taking his seat.

          Isabelle and Raphael's parish priest stood at the alter awaiting them. Their union wouldn't be sanctified in the eyes of the church, but the older priest thought differently. The God he believed in would never truly condemn true love.

          After the preliminaries were out of the way, Poppy faced Julia and took her hands in her own. "My love, I found you in the strangest of places, at what seemed to be the bleakest moment of my life. Ever since then, you and your little girl have opened the doors of my heart and let the sun back in. I've been told that for every person there is perfect match. The person that will always welcome you home and love you. Some are unfortunate in that they never find them, but we are fortunate, us two. I promise to always love you, cherish you and give you comfort. I promise to take care of you, share my life with you and love you above all others. Today I give you my heart and my solemn vow that you and Tallulah will never want for anything that is within my power to give you." Poppy finished her vows and kissed both of Julia's hands. Poppy wiped away the few stray tears that had leaked down Julia's face with her thumb, wanting to just skip to the part where she got to kiss the girl.

          The bruises had long since faded from Poppy's face, and the cast was gone from her right hand. Once her nose had healed her voice had come back to its original state, to which she was grateful so that she could sing for her bride. Without the need of instruments, Poppy took a deep breath and started.

          ~~~

          She's got a way about her I don't know what it is But I know that I can't live without her

          She's got a way of pleasin' I don't know what it is But there doesn't have to be a reason anyway

          She's got a smile that heals me I don't know why it is But I have to laugh when she reveals me

          She's got a way of talkin' I don't know why it is But it lifts me up when we are walkin' anywhere

          She comes to me when I'm feelin' down Inspires me without a sound She touches me and I get turned around

          She's got a way of showin' How I make her feel And I find the strength to keep on goin'

          She's got a light around her And everywhere she goes A million dreams of love surround her everywhere

          She comes to me when I'm feelin' down Inspires me without a sound She touches me and I get turned around

          She's got a smile that heals me Oh I don't know why it is But I have to laugh when she revels me

          She's got a way about her I don't know what it is But I know that I can't live without her anyway

          ~~~

          "I love you Julia."

          In the first pew, the baby Tallulah looked up at her big teddy bear, and waved her arms at her to get her attention. At almost eight months, Tallulah recognized that voice anywhere. Both the baby and Poppy enjoyed their early mornings together as Poppy fed Tallulah a bottle. Julia was thrilled as the bond between the little girl, and Poppy grew. Their daughter would never want for love or attention from her mate.

          On the alter, Julia had to take a minute before her voice would work again. The big warm hand that held hers was the only thing that she was focused on now, that and the big blue eyes that held only love for her.

          "I'm so happy that you belong to me. If I were sitting out there looking up here, I would be thinking that the woman by your side must feel like the luckiest woman alive. I'm standing up here, and let me tell you, that's how I feel. A year ago life seemed so scary for me. I think that Tallulah and I would have made it on our own, but I'm glad that we have found our champion. On the day you found us, you sang just like you did today, only then it was to put our baby girl to sleep. I know you remember those green eyes looking up at you with adoration, like she had a sixth sense that you would be there for her always. If you had looked across the table at her mother, you would have found the same look on her face and in her eyes. I know that you are the other half of my soul Poppy, just like I know that for me, there will never be another who will own my heart. My promise to you is that I will always love you, honor you, comfort you and hold you above all others in my heart. My vow to you is that in my arms you will always find a home, and your family. I love you Poppy and I want you to always know that." When Julia was finished it was her turn to wipe tears from Poppy's face. It took them both a moment to realize that the priest was talking to them.

          "Raquel and Julia you have made your promises and vows before God, your family and friends. Raquel do you have a ring for Julia?" asked Father Justin. Elizabeth who was standing behind both of them handed Poppy a ring.

          "Julia take this ring as a sign of my love and commitment," said Poppy as she slipped the wedding band on the slim finger, then put the engagement ring back on.

          When Elizabeth handed Julia the new gold band, she held it up to Poppy's finger. Gone was the tan line from the one Poppy had worn for so long. Julia looked at it as her opportunity to make her own mark on Poppy. Inside was inscribed the words that had come to Julia when she picked the ring out for Poppy. In her short time with Poppy, it had shown Julia why Carly had engraved what she did in the ring Poppy had worn for so long. Poppy had given that ring to Elizabeth along with those of her mother's. It was what had inspired Julia's own version of words. You are my living love song - Love J.

          "Poppy take this ring as a sign of my love and commitment," said Julia as she slipped it past Poppy's knuckle.

          "Go on Poppy, and do what you've been waiting for," said Father Justin with a wave of his hand. "Kiss your girl."

          Julia reached over and grabbed Poppy by the lapels pulling her forward. When she felt the big hands settle on her hips, Julia ran her fingers through the short curly hair and welcomed the lips she was now familiar with. Julia tightened her hold when she felt her feet leave the ground. Now that she was Julia Valente, she did feel like floating.

          * * *

          The party went on without them as the newly weds retired to their room. They had been up in the large suite, that overlooked the Mediterranean, for over two hours and Julia felt like she couldn't possibly reach another pinnacle, but the large hand sandwiched between her sex and the bed was proving her wrong.

          "Slow baby. Take it slow," she requested. Poppy had her facing the bed and was lying on Julia's back. Poppy could feel Julia's point of need grow hard again against her middle finger. All Poppy had to do was hold it steady while she moved them up and down with her hips. On every downward thrust, the tip of her fingers slipped between drenched folds sending Julia on another exotic trip.

          When Poppy felt the walls of Julia's sex start to contract on her finger the small woman beneath her screamed, "Oh..... fuck me hard." It was a little out of character for Julia, but Poppy seemed to find amusement in the fact that in the throes of passion, her partner seemed to relax her usual language just a bit.

          "I'm trying to baby," Poppy said into her ear.

          "Poppy unless you want me to hurt you real bad, you will not joke at a time like this," ordered Julia. She moved faster against the point of pleasure Poppy was providing, feeling the orgasm start.

          "Time like what baby?" asked Poppy to keep her talking.

          "Holy shit, I'm coming," was the last thing Julia could get out before all her concentration shot to one area of her body.

          Poppy rolled off of Julia and went to open the doors to the balcony so the breeze off the water could come in. When she got back in bed she snuggled Julia to her chest once the spasms had stopped. When her breathing returned to normal, Julia reached up and kissed her. She could taste herself on Poppy's mouth and the desire flared again.

          "Honey did you ever see the movie 'Casa Blanca'?" asked Julia. She ran her finger along Poppy's ear feeling the woman shiver.

          "Yes I have, why do you ask?"

          "Give me a few minutes to recover from that last one, then you can play it again Sam."

          Tallulah held her great granddaughter as she slept, and talked with some of the guests. She paused in her conversation when she heard the rich laugh coming from the open doors above them. "Your mothers are off to a good start little princess. There is nothing but blue skies in your future kid and I couldn't be happier for you."

          Epilogue

          Three years later...

          "Poppy look at this one," said an excited Tallulah. The seashell in her hand was looked over thoroughly by Poppy before it joined the other ones in the bucket. Julia sat watching them from the porch of their bungalow with Ginger, Matlin and Elizabeth. It was their third summer on the island, and the first where Tallulah was old enough to truly enjoy it.

          "That's prettier than the last one Tully," said Poppy. The tall woman sat on her heels and praised her daughter for her latest find. The older the child got, the more she looked like Julia. Poppy wasn't sure what Tallulah's biological father looked like, but it was clear from the long blonde curly hair and big green eyes that she had gotten all her physical attributes, as well as her personality, from her mother. "But the prettiest shell out here is you, my little beach bum."

          "I love you Poppy," said Tallulah. She laughed when Poppy hoisted her in the air and propped her on her shoulders. "I love you too buttercup. Let's you and me get cleaned up so we can go sing." Tallulah clapped her hands before grabbing two fists full of hair for the ride to the porch.

          Julia watched them walk up from the beach together. She was sure if the little girl riding high had asked Poppy to drop to her knees and eat sand, her big softie would have done it. It didn't matter what her daughter was doing, when she heard Poppy's deep voice it became the center of her world. In turn, Poppy was wild about her daughter, and legally that was who Tallulah was. She walked to the railing to wait for her two of her favorite people, and melted a little when the blue eyes fixed on her. In the garden under her were now yellow rose bushes mingled in with the wildflowers growing there. "What's your name little girl?" she asked Tallulah who was almost at eye level with her considering where she was perched.

          "Tallulah Carly Valente, mama you know that." Julia smiled up at her as she watched the blonde curls being blown around in the breeze. Tallulah would be petite like her, and Julia thought that like her, Tallulah had also lost her heart to Poppy.

          "That's true, I knew that. Now go wash some of that sand off you before you go in the house." Ginger got up and walked the little girl to the outside shower to help her clean off. "What about you big girl, who do you belong to?" Julia asked Poppy.

          "You and nobody else but you," sang Poppy. Elizabeth and Matlin continued talking as the couple exchanged a sweet kiss. It was no fun for them to make fun of the much in love couple. Matlin had often told them they could give someone diabetes if in their company long enough.

          "I missed you baby, even though I could see you the whole time. I think your son did too," said Julia pointing at the baby lying on the blanket by her feet. Raphael Rayford Valente was six months old, and true perfection to his two mothers. Compared to his sister, Rafe was a bruiser. Born with a full head of curly black hair, Rafe was big for his age. The only thing that linked him to Julia and Tallulah was the green eyes. It had taken months but they had finally found an anonymous donor with all of Poppy's characteristics. They had both wanted other children, but Julia wanted them to favor her spouse as well. Julia wanted to keep trying, to see if she could match the Valente eye color eventually.

          "I promise to make it up to you later baby. A command performance for an audience of one," said Poppy, as she stretched up a bit to reach Julia's lips.

          "I'll hold you to that Valente."

          * * *

          "Hi my name is Poppy, and I'd like to welcome you to Poppy's. Now you know where the name came from," said Poppy into the microphone in front of her. Poppy looked out on a number of friendly faces out in the audience, and enjoyed the fact she was back on one of her favorite stages. The bar on the resort that carried her name was the only place that didn't follow the understated class the rest of the buildings had. Poppy's looked and felt like one of the joints she had played in college. You came here to sit drink beer, and sing along with whoever was up and playing. For a month every summer since they had opened, that's where you could find Poppy every afternoon. The three women there that night that had known her the longest, were glad to see Poppy hadn't lost that old spark. Matlin, Ginger and Elizabeth sat back with a cold beer and prepared to enjoy their friend's first set.

          "I want to start out tonight with a song that I recently ran across and it reminded me of someone I loved once, and lost to cancer. This week is the anniversary of her death and I want her to know that wherever she might be I still think of her every now and then."

          ~~~

          I walked down to the park last night Warm breeze stirring up a soft moonlight And my mind started drifting to way back when Yes I do think about you every now and then

          The other day I saw a car like you used to drive I got a funny feeling down deep inside And for the briefest moment I felt a smile begin Yes I do think about you ever now and then

          I love my life and I'd never trade Between what you and me had and the life I've made She's here and she's real, but you were too And every once in a while I think about you

I heard a song on the radio just yesterday The same one you always asked me to play And when the song was over I wished they'd played it again Yes I do think about you every now an then

I love my life and I'd never trade Between what you and me had and the life I've made She's here and she's real, but you were too And every once in a while I think about you

I've been layin' here all night listenin' to the rain Talkin' to my heart and trying to explain Why sometimes I catch myself Wondering what might have been Yes I do think about you every now and then

Every now and then Every now and then

When the last chords of the song had left her guitar, Poppy felt the weight on her shoulders and recognized it as the arms of her wife. Julia just kissed her neck, and smiled at Elizabeth in the audience over Poppy's shoulder. Carly's daughter had needed to hear the song, just as much as Poppy had needed to sing it. Julia knew that, like the line in the song Poppy had just finished, there was the briefest of moments every year when she needed to share the woman she loved with the one that had come before her. She only hoped that they could raise their children with as much integrity as their other mother had.

Later that night after they had put Tallulah and Rafe to bed, Poppy and Julia walked along the shoreline looking out into the clear night. In the distant sky a brilliant shooting star lit up the darkness for a brief moment giving the two lovers a celestial fireworks display. They didn't need to wish for anything more.

When they went to bed, Poppy sang Julia her own love song. A love song that had no words except for those that Poppy whispered in her ear, and showed the small blonde that her tall hero had eyes only for her.