"We don't usually room freshman with seniors, but until the new Sorority house is finished, we're kind of tight on space, and well...you are a legacy. Taylor is the only sister with her own room because...well, she, aw hell, never mind. She knows you're a newbie, and she did volunteer to double up." The brown haired girl talked quickly as she helped Torrey carry her belongings through the busy halls of the Sorority house.

Samantha Evans was the preceptor for the house's third floor. She wondered if she should tell the young blonde more about her future roommate, but realized what Sam did know about Taylor Kent might scare the hell out of the small blonde. Better leave well enough alone and hope this new girl has a sharp wit and a thick skin, Samantha mused to herself.

The two women stopped every once in a while so Samantha could make an introduction. Torrey's mother told her TAU ALPHA ZETA was a huge house, even when it was started in the sixties, but the young woman knew she would never be able to remember all of these people she was meeting. She already liked the fact that hers was the last room on the floor, set far back away from the rest of the house. Perfect place to write...I like it already. Samantha told her it was the largest room in the house. The graduating seniors flipped for it every year and the two winners got the honors for their last year at Benton. Torrey still couldn't get a straight answer as to why she, an entering freshman, should get such an honor.

They finally arrived at Torrey's new room. Music could be heard from the other side of the door, Torrey was surprised at the listener's taste. Upon opening the door Torrey saw a woman seated on the floor, her long legs stretched across a dirty sheet onto which a dozen mechanical parts were spread. The seated woman didn't bother to look up, her ebony hair fell in loose bangs across her forehead, the rest of her wild mane cascaded freely along broad shoulders and back. She wore a faded Grateful Dead t-shirt tucked into a pair of Levi's that were so worn they probably felt like velvet. She had heavy black biker boots on her feet and her hands were coated in grease the same color as her boots.

Gene Pitney blared through speakers that were nearly as tall as Torrey was. The young woman couldn't believe there was another woman this side of sixty that enjoyed Gene Pitney's music as much as she did. She recognized the strains of '24 Hours From Tulsa' right before Samantha grabbed the arm of the phonograph and lifted the needle from the LP.

"Shit, Taylor! What did I tell you about bringing that crap in here? Gina is already all over my ass...do you have to give her reasons to put you on kitchen duty?" Samantha shouted.

"Oh, hell, it's just a carburetor!" the seated woman growled.

Torrey set the two suitcases on the floor and leaned over the seated woman, immediately intrigued by the motorcycle parts. Her shadow fell across the tall woman's hands.

"Get the hell out of my light!"

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry." Torrey said as she quickly backed up, looking at Samantha.

"Taylor, you said you didn't mind if Torrey roomed here this year." Samantha said with exasperation.

"I said she could room here, not get in my way." The dark-haired woman replied in an ominous tone.

"You know it looks like the manifold cover is worn...that's probably what the trouble is. When you shift gears does it sound like the motor is strangling?" Torrey asked in an offhand manner.

Samantha couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. Oh, yea...these two are gonna be just fine.

When Taylor finally looked up at the annoyance she ran smack into what she would call for years to come, the face of an angel. A young woman all of probably seventeen or eighteen, long blonde hair framing a smiling face and a pair of sparkling sea-green eyes. She wore a Chicago Bear's jersey, tight Sergio Valente jeans, and a white pair of Nike's. The young girl smiled at Taylor and the seated woman felt her mouth go dry.

"Hey," the dark-haired woman offered.

"Hey," Torrey continued to smile at the older woman.

"Okay, well...Torrey Gray this is Taylor Kent. Taylor...Torrey. I gotta run." Sam set down Torrey's typewriter case and turned to leave the room. "And, Taylor...please, I'm begging you. Find a place inside your bike for all that." The preceptor said before she closed the door.

"She's right, sorry." Taylor began grabbing the edges of the sheet. The dark-haired woman stood up, the bundle of parts at her feet.

"Whoa, how's the weather up there, Stretch?" Torrey teased. Taylor looked to be at least six feet tall.

An eyebrow arched over one eye, disappearing under dark bangs.

"I'd say that's a bold comment from someone as vertically challenged as you appear to be. Why you're just a little bit of nuthin." Taylor said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"I'm five four!" Torrey replied; her pride a little wounded.

"With or without a chair to stand on?" Taylor laughed.

"Okay, touché. Uhm, sorry...I was just kidding. Hey, I could help you with your bike," Torrey offered.

"No." Taylor answered, more harshly than she had intended. "It's okay, I can handle it," she added, noticing the slightly wounded look on the young woman's face. "A Bear's fan, huh?"

"Yea...they're going all the way this year!" Torrey said enthusiastically.

"Yea, right," Taylor laughed. "Bet you like the Cubs too."

"Diehard fan." Torrey replied.

"Figures. You must be from Chicago...good to meet you." Taylor put out her hand.

Torrey took the offered hand in her own, suddenly lost in the blue eyes looking down at her. Regaining her focus, the young woman felt a warm sliminess to the handshake. Before she looked down at her hand, she watched as the cerulean gaze in front of her sparkled, a wide toothy grin playing across the woman's features. When Torrey looked down, her hand was covered in black grease.

The young woman just stared at her hand for a moment.

"I can't believe you just did that," Torrey said, astounded.

"I can't believe you fell for it!" Taylor was barely able to contain her laughter.

"Oh, you!" Torrey shoved the taller woman in the stomach.

It was Taylor's turn and when she looked down at her abdomen, a small, black hand print stood out. She was absolutely amazed that the girl had the nerve to do it. Actually she was more amazed at the fact that she wasn't throttling the life out of the girl.

Taylor looked up from her shirt and saw the panicked expression on Torrey's face. The dark-haired woman held her own hand up and looked, first at her hand, then at the smaller woman's jersey, then a smile crossed her face.

"Oh, no Taylor...not my Bear's jersey. I'm sorry...it was an accident...I lost my head." All the while Torrey was backing toward the door, the taller one advancing.

Torrey stopped and tried to gauge the distance left to the door. Taylor saw where the young woman was headed. The taller woman tossed back her hair back with a shake of her head, looked at the door, then her lips pulled back in the most feral smile Torrey could have ever imagined.

"Watch it, you're going to step on the carburetor!" Torrey pointed down to Taylor's boots.

By the time the dark-haired woman looked down to move her feet; Torrey was out the door and running through the hall.

"Oh, I don't even believe I fell for that!" Taylor said aloud as she raced off after the young woman.

Torrey was fast, but Taylor's long legs ate up the distance between them in a hurry. Both women were shouting and laughing as they tore through the three levels of the old building, one large and one small handprint left at every turn.

Samantha looked up from her desk as a tiny blonde blur flew past her door, followed by Taylor's lean, muscular form.

"Oh my God, it's only been five minutes and she's already trying to kill her!" Samantha said aloud as she jumped up to intercede.

Torrey made it out the backdoor first, but soon realized she was in an enclosed backyard, most of the space taken up by a large built-in pool. The young woman circled completely around only to be confronted by Taylor, advancing slowly, her blue eyes narrowing and an evil smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Got ya now, Little Bit."

Torrey backed up as she talked. Most of what she said made no sense, but she didn't want to lose her only jersey so she talked fast. Abruptly, Taylor's eyes grew wide.

"Torrey, look out!" Taylor yelled.

Torrey could feel her body shifting backward into thin air. Her arms windmilled around, but she couldn't get her weight going forward again. In the heartbeat's time this took, Taylor had crossed the distance between the two and grabbed the loose material at the front of the smaller woman's top. Torrey reached out and grabbed the dark-haired woman's arm, her backward momentum, however, carrying the both of them into the pool.

The two heads reappeared above the surface at the same time. They swam to the edge of the pool, to the shouts and laughter of half the Sorority House, who were leaning out their windows watching the show. Samantha couldn't help joining in the laughter, watching the usually stoic and reserved Taylor Kent cavorting along with her new roommate. Samantha's laughter died down in a hurry once she saw Gina Rice walk out the back door of the House. Her ever-faithful lackey, Terri Kozla, was behind her carrying two buckets filled with cleaning solvent and rags.

"Well, you must be our new legacy, Torrey Gray." Gina said, leaning down to the edge of the pool where the two women still floated. "I'm Gina Rice, President of Tau Alpha Zeta. Welcome, Miss Gray."

"Thank you, sister." Torrey tried to smile sweetly, knowing this wasn't just a social call. She made sure to use the term 'sister.' All freshmen were to address upperclass Sorority sisters as such.

"We'd like you to join us for dinner in the dining room tonight. There's just one little catch. You will be on kitchen duty!" The older woman's plastered-on smile changed into a frown. "Along with your new best friend here. Taylor will be happy to show you the ropes...she ends up there quite often." Gina stood and started to move away. Indicating to Terri to set the buckets down, she called back to the women in the pool.

"You can start with the handprints you left through the whole damn house!" Then she walked back inside.

Taylor was sorry she was the cause of the young girl's bad start, but there was something about her that she immediately liked, and that never happened to Taylor. She couldn't help laughing.

"Welcome to the University of Maine, Torrey Gray," she stuck her greasy hand out.

Taking the hand in a strong grip of her own, Torrey smiled right back at the older woman.

"Thanks a lot, Taylor Kent!" Torrey replied, sending a small splash of water in the dark-haired woman's direction.

Of course, Taylor took this as a direct challenge and soon the two, fully clothed women, were splashing, shouting, and giggling at the top of their lungs, all to more shouting and laughter from the girls in the windows above.

Just like that they became Torrey and Taylor. It seemed where one was; you would soon find the other. Before long people just began saying T'nT.

"You are so lucky I like you, Stretch. Five more minutes and I was going to have to start serving salads without you!" Torrey said to her roommate, quickly tossing her a clean shirt from a backpack on the kitchen floor.

Taylor pulled off her blue t-shirt in one fluid motion. Torrey looked away and pretended to busy herself by putting bowls filled with salad on a large tray. The older woman had no inhibitions surrounding her own body and she rarely wore a bra. She buttoned up the clean white shirt, while a hint of a smile played at her mouth at her small friend's embarrassment. She wondered if it was knowledge of her preferences or just her naked body that embarrassed Torrey. Taylor and her roommate had never talked about it, but she was sure Torrey had heard it from at least one of the other students at the University.

"Thanks, Little Bit, I owe you." Taylor smiled at her friend.

"It just so happens that I know how you can repay this debt." Torrey smiled back.

Taylor groaned. She knew this was a chat up for something.

Torrey continued as if she hadn't heard the groan, throwing her roommate a brush and watching her tame her ebony locks.

"There's going to be a DeBussy concert at Hutchins on Friday night and I really would love to hear it, but I hate going to those things alone. What do you say?" Torrey pleaded.

Taylor ran through the list of possible excuses she could use, but was captured by the trusting and loving look in her small friend's eyes.

"Allright, consider it done." She replied.

"Yes!" Torrey said triumphantly. "Okay, you first." She said, handing a large metal tray to her friend.

Both women entered the dining room and began serving the first course to the already seated women.

"Well, well, if it isn't our favorite serving duo," Gina Rice began when she saw Torrey. "Let's see what was it this time...oh yes, pornographic artwork printed in the House newsletter."

Taylor snorted at the description of her work.

* * * * * *

Actually, it was the first piece of work by the dark-haired artist that Torrey was allowed to see. Taylor was at the University working on a Fine Art Degree, while Torrey struggled to get hers in English Literature. Many nights spent studying in their room or in the campus library, Torrey watched out of the corner of her eye as her roommate filled one sketchbook after another with drawings. When Torrey asked to see some of her work, Taylor would quickly close her drawing pad and mumble something about unfinished work.

One day, when Torrey came back from a day full of classes, a large portfolio sat on her desk with a note in Taylor's handwriting. 'Remember...if ya don't have nuthin' nice ta say, don't say nuthin' at all.' Torrey laughed. It was Thumper's line from the Disney film, Bambi. Torrey had to literally drag her friend to the theater to see it, the dark-haired woman hunching low in the seat so no one would recognize her. Torrey wasn't the least bit surprised, however, when she turned to glance at her friend during the 'death' scene of Bambi's mother, and the older woman had tears in her own eyes.

The young woman carefully looked at each drawing, some with notes at the margins about how to paint or sculpt a certain area. They were mostly of women, some with lean muscular lines, and others full of soft curves. The last was a line drawing done in black ink. It was of two women locked in an embrace. It was more than just an embrace, it was an erotic pose. Both women had their faces obscured. One by long hair falling across her features, the other had her face turned away. The smaller of the two women had her lips just brushing against the other woman's nipple, the taller of the two seemed to be pulling her closer. The picture caused an odd feeling within Torrey, but she thought it the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It was almost compelling in the lines, the way you couldn't tell where once woman left off and the other began. When Taylor finally returned home that night, more than just a little high, she smiled as her roommate helped her find her own bed. The artist felt a great weight had been removed from her shoulders, as sleep overtook her with Torrey's praises in her head.

* * * * * *

Gina's face took on a look of distaste. "Did you say something, Taylor?"

Taylor moved over to serve the House President and coughed. "No, I think I may be coming down with something, " then she made a terrible coughing sound and placed the salad in her hand to the President.

Gina looked up in disgust and caught the smile on Torrey's face.

"Miss Gray, you're becoming a regular at this, I do hope it wasn't a mistake rooming you with Miss Kent." Then the seated woman put on an evil smile. "I do hope Taylor isn't teaching you any bad habits."

A number of the girls giggled at the comment. Torrey thought the words came out like a dirty joke, but she didn't get the jest behind it. She did, however catch the look Taylor was passing to Gina. An electric blue fire flashed from Taylor's eyes and her jaw took on a tight edge as she stepped toward the seated woman.

Torrey intercepted her friend's move, stepping easily in between the two.

"Absolutely not, sister." Torrey said in that subservient manner that Taylor was always amazed the girl could conjure up. She should be an actress!

"You know, if you two weren't both here on a legacy, you'd be sleeping in the dorm by now." Gina said.

"Yes, sister. I understand, I'll try to do better." Torrey smiled that sweet appeasing smile she had.

"Miss Gray, how is it possible that you are the only Sorority Sister here that can make 'yes, sister' sound like 'fuck you'?" Gina asked.

"I really have no idea what you mean, sister." Torrey replied.

Gina didn't like to get beat, but this little kid was sure doing it to her. At least in her mind.

"Just get back to work...both of you!" Gina said hotly.

"Yes, sister," The roommates said in unison as they left the dining room.

"Hey, Judy...how about coming to the frat kegger with me Friday?"

"Eric, I'm going out with your best friend!" Alicia said impatiently.

"Oh, yea, right." The young man turned his chair toward Torrey. "How 'bout you beautiful?"

A throaty growl was heard from behind Torrey. The young woman knew immediately who her savior was and smiled. The young man looked up, swallowed once, and proceeded to vacate the chair.

"Hey, Stretch," Torrey said, not bothering to turn around.

"Hey," Taylor said as she turned the chair around and straddled the seat, resting her hands on the back. "Hey, Ally."

Hi, Taylor," the young woman replied, surprised the older woman even knew her.

"Are you on your bike with only this on? Taylor, you're going to catch your death." Torrey chided, pulling at the sleeve of the leather jacket.

"Yea, and I froze my ass off too, it's starting to snow again." Taylor replied, blowing a warm breath onto her hands.

"Well, here, at least take my scarf," Torrey leaned over and wrapped her Bears scarf around the taller woman's neck.

"Thanks, mom!" Taylor grinned. "Hey, I got something for you." She said, pulling down the zipper of her jacket and pulling a book that was lying against her chest.

"Oh, Stretch this is too excellent! In the original Greek too. Wait a minute, the University library couldn't even get a copy of this. How did you do it?" Torrey asked.

"I happen to be very proficient at a great many things." The dark-haired woman answered with a Mona Lisa like smile, and her trademark eyebrow arch.

"You're too wonderful, thanks," Torrey said, covering Taylor's hand with her own.

"No problem, Little Bit." Taylor smiled at her friend.

"Hi, Taylor," an attractive blonde called out to the seated woman.

Taylor looked up and winked at the girl. "Gotta go," she rose from her chair. "We're still on for tonight? You're going to help me study for that Spanish test, right?" Taylor asked her roommate.

"Yep, our place at seven, I'll be there." Torrey answered.

"Great, adios...hey, I've got it down already...I'll pass with flying colors." She laughed.

"Yea, right." Torrey replied sarcastically.

Torrey began eating her French fries, as her friend, Ally shook her head.

"You know, Tor, this is the eighties...you really should try to keep a tighter rein.

"Huh?" Torrey questioned.

"Free love went out a ways back. I mean, if my lover just winked at someone else..."

"Ally," Torrey pushed her food aside. "What in the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm saying that if you expect to keep Taylor--"

"Keep her doing what? I think we're on two different pages here, what are you talking about?"

"You and Taylor."

"Me and Taylor what?" Torrey was beginning to lose her patience.

"You and Taylor as a couple."

"Couple of what?"

"Lovers!" Ally finally said.

"What?! Have you lost your mind?" Torrey sat back, dumbstruck.

"I'm sorry Tor, I just assumed...I mean, most people do. Didn't Taylor ever tell you?" Ally asked.

"Tell me what?" Torrey asked, suddenly very afraid of her friend's answer.

"Torrey, you live with her, couldn't you tell? I mean you're her best friend...hasn't Taylor ever told you that she's gay?"

For a moment Torrey thought she could pretend that she hadn't heard what her friend said. She felt the tears that threatened to break through at any minute, and she didn't want to be around anyone when they did. The young woman jumped up from the table and rushed from the cafeteria.

"Torrey!" Ally called out to her friend.

Taylor paced the floor of their room. Torrey was an hour late, she was never late for anything and Taylor was becoming worried. Just as she was throwing on her leather jacket she heard a knock on the door.

Alicia took a step back as Taylor flung open the door.

The dark-haired woman saw Torrey's coat and leather backpack in the young woman's hands and took them from her.

"Where is she?" Taylor demanded.

"Taylor, I'm sorry...I mean, I thought she knew."

Taylor stopped and looked at Alicia.

"You know...Knew about you." The young woman finished.

"Did you tell her?" Taylor asked flatly. They didn't have to say about what. Taylor knew exactly what the young woman meant.

Alicia nodded.

"What happened...where is she?" Taylor asked.

"She just got up and ran. I looked for her, but I couldn't find her anywhere." Alicia said tearfully.

"How long ago?" Taylor questioned.

"A couple of hours."

"You mean she's been outside without her coat for a couple of hours? For God's sake, it's snowing out!" Taylor sped past the young woman and out the front door of the Sorority House.

A half-hour later, Taylor still couldn't track the young woman down. She gave herself fifteen more minutes, and then she would call the campus police. There would be a hell of a stink and if the reason why Torrey was missing ever came out, Taylor was sure her scholarship would be kissed away, but none of that mattered to her now. The only thing she was concerned with was finding her friend. Taylor searched everywhere the two had ever hidden out on the campus, or so she thought until she looked up.

As soon as the dark-haired woman pulled herself up the last rung of the ladder, she could see Torrey, huddled in a dark corner of the bell tower. The young woman was shivering so much her teeth chattered loudly.

"Oh, Torrey...what the hell are you doing?" Taylor came up next to the woman. She grabbed the young woman and started pulling her ski jacket on her freezing frame.

"You want to hate me, fine you go ahead and hate me," Taylor hissed rubbing the woman's arms to get a little warmth into them, "But, don't try to kill yourself for it."

"Are you really gay?" Torrey asked, still shivering.

"Yes," Taylor answered impassively.

Torrey started sobbing uncontrollably.

"Hey, I said you could hate me, not cry. Please, Torrey, don't cry." Taylor pleaded.

"I don't want to lose you." The young woman cried.

"You're not losing me, I'm right here," Taylor wrapped strong arms around the smaller woman and pulled her closer. "Talk to me, Little Bit, tell me what this is all about."

"My brother Stevie was gay. He got sick and he died last year" Torrey sobbed as she told the rest. "My mother wouldn't let me go see him anymore. She said that if you were gay, God made this disease to kill you. And, if you're gay, then you'll get it too. I don't want you to die, Taylor...I love you too much. You're the best friend I've ever had."

"Oh, honey, no, no." Taylor pulled the young woman into her lap and held her tightly. "Was it AIDS? Is that what your brother died of?"

Torrey nodded before burying her head in the older woman's shoulder.

"Honey, it was a disease your brother died from, but gay people aren't the only ones that get it, and it most certainly is not some kind of judgment from God. I don't believe in a God that would do something like that, do you?"

Torrey shook her head, but couldn't stop crying. The older woman held her until all her tears were spent.

"Come on, Little Bit. We've got to get you inside." Taylor said. The taller woman helped Torrey down the ladder and onto her bike. By the time they were inside their own room, Torrey admitted she felt like a popsicle.

Taylor made the young woman soak in a hot tub until Torrey complained she was turning into a prune.

"First you're a popsicle, then you're a prune. Everything really does revolve around food for you, doesn't it?" Taylor teased.

She wrapped the smaller woman up in her robe and an extra blanket, and built a fire in the fireplace that was one of the perks to the large room. Sitting side by side, drinking instant hot chocolate, Torrey started the conversation out.

"I guess you think I'm pretty stupid, huh? I mean, to believe everything my mother tells me like that."

"No, Little Bit, I don't. How are you supposed to learn things if the people you trust won't even tell you the truth? I guess the sad part is that to them, that is the truth. I have some papers and stuff about AIDS if you want to learn more."

"I'd like that, thanks." Torrey said. Both women silently drank their cocoa, still too shy to bring up the inevitable.

"That's why I got to share this room, isn't it?" Torrey asked.

"Nobody else wanted to share a room with a queer," Taylor replied flippantly.

"Why didn't you ever tell me yourself, Taylor?"

Taylor had been waiting for that question. She didn't really know the answer herself for sure, but decided to be as honest as she could.

"I've never had anyone offer me the kind of unconditional friendship and love that you do, Tor. At first I didn't care if you knew, then later I figured you knew and didn't care. Once I realized you didn't know anything about it, I guess by that time I was too afraid of losing your friendship." Taylor looked up from her lap and into Torrey's sea green eyes. Tears began to slowly slide across the dark-haired woman's cheeks.

"I've never had fun with anyone like I do with you. I never...I never cared about anyone else but myself. It feels so good to have a friend like you, and I like the kind of person I become when I'm around you." Taylor finished.

Torrey reached out and brushed the tears from her friend's face.

"I'll always be your friend, Stretch." The young woman smiled, leaning into the body that wrapped a protective arm around her.

"And I'll always be there for you, Little Bit. All you have to do is call and the answer will always be yes."

The older woman didn't realize, until that very moment, that she just gave her heart away to the young woman in her arms.

"Are you kidding? You're still a virgin?" Taylor looked in amazement at Torrey.

The two women sat on the rug in the center of their third room floor, books piled around Torrey, sketch pads around Taylor. Gene Pitney resounded from the stereo as usual. All it took, for Torrey, was to hear 'Town Without Pity' and she was spilling her sexual woes to her friend.

"Could you say it a little louder, I don't think they heard you on the first floor." Torrey answered sharply.

"Well...I can't believe it! You're what? Eighteen?" Taylor laughed out loud.

The dark-haired woman caught the wounded expression on her friend's face, the young woman turning away with tears in her eyes.

"Oh, Little Bit, I'm sorry," Taylor's expression naturally turning into a frown whenever she ignorantly hurt her young friend's feelings. "I didn't know it was such a big deal."

"Well, it is to me." Torrey couldn't stop the tears that spilled from her eyes.

"Hey, don't do that," Taylor moved next to the young woman and put an arm around her small frame. "What's up with this, Little Bit?"

Torrey explained her feelings regarding her innocence and started talking about the boy she'd been dating for the past two weeks. Taylor's shoulder muscles tensed at the sound of Stephen's name. Tall, jet black hair, and sky blue eyes, even Taylor had to admit that Torrey had done well for herself with this one. He drove a bike that Taylor rolled her eyes at, a Honda Shadow...a wannabe compared to her Harley, but he seemed to treat Torrey with respect, and that was something that Taylor would insist on from any man that hoped to date her young friend.

Of course, no one would ever be good enough for Torrey in the older woman's mind. Ever since the night she had been forcibly outed to her friend, The dark-haired woman had been fighting the knowledge that she was hopelessly in love with the young woman. She wanted to take Torrey in her arms and show her how deeply her emotions ran, but Taylor had a feeling if she did that, it would be Torrey doing the running. So, the artist swallowed her feelings up and became the best friend she knew how. Naturally, hearing about Stephen was the hardest part.

"Stephen wants me to sleep with him." Torrey brushed her tears aside.

"Yea, well that's no surprise." Taylor answered dryly. Okay, she doesn't need sarcasm, Kent! You're just mad because it's not you she wants.

"Are you saying I shouldn't?" Torrey asked.

Damn right, that's what I'm saying!

"Well, I guess that's not up to me, Tor. I mean, it's kind of a personal thing." Taylor answered.

"So I should?" Torrey continued.

"It's just that I'm confused, Stretch. I mean, part of me wants to, but part of me doesn't see what all the fuss is about. Stephen said he doesn't know how long he can stay with a girl who doesn't trust him enough to sleep with him." Torrey continued on tearfully.

Taylor was fighting an internal battle as well, in this situation. Her love for the young woman was obviously clouding her judgment, but the dark-haired artist quickly realized the way she wanted Torrey in her life would never come to be. She looked into her small friend's eyes wanting Torrey to see what was in her heart. Wanting her to realize the depth of her love. For a moment, Torrey's eyes grew bright, then her brow furrowed in puzzlement.

Taylor looked away, suddenly afraid for her friend to see the hunger in her eyes. Unable to stand the confused expression and the tear filled eyes of her friend, the dark-haired woman moved around to face her. Sitting cross-legged, Taylor took Torrey's slender hands within her own.

"Little Bit, I can't tell you whether you should or you shouldn't do this. I lost my virginity when I was fourteen to a guy that was old enough to be my father."

Seeing the wide-eyed expression on Torrey's face, Taylor grinned at her friend. "Yea, I know how both sides live. The point is I thought I was special and loved, turned out all I was to this guy was a fourteen-year old piece of ass." Taylor felt her own eyes grow misty with the memory of her first time.

"Torrey, honey...your first time should be with someone you love, someone special to you, but most of all someone that you know feels the same way about you." Taylor brushed a stray lock of hair back from the girl's face and used her thumb to brush away a tear from her cheek. "Just remember that it's a gift you can only give away once."

Torrey couldn't shake the feeling that the person she wanted to bestow this gift on was the woman sitting in front of her. Shaking her head to dispel the disturbing notion, she smiled up at her friend and squeezed the hands that tenderly held her own.

Torrey walked into the darkened bar and had to squint and stop moving for a moment until her eyes adjusted to the dark interior. It was two o'clock in the afternoon and the bar was relatively empty, all except the back room where the pool table was. Torrey could here the sounds of the balls as they were hit against each other and fell into the pockets.

"Hi, Jack. Is she here?" Torrey asked, not even bothering to show the bartender her fake ID as she reached for the wine cooler the man pushed toward her. Torrey was a regular and Jack smiled down at the petite young woman.

Jack was the owner of the small bar. Part biker hangout, it was also where all the college students bought their liquor and drugs. Of course, that made it Taylor's favorite hangout.

"Yea, you better give her an excuse to leave. She's winnin' again and you know Billy don't like that a whole lot." Jack answered.

"Will do, thanks." Torrey replied. She liked Jack, no matter what a lot of people in the community thought. He was a giant of a man, who wore an old Hell's Angels vest that Torrey suspected was authentic. He looked like Jerry Garcia would have looked if the Grateful Dead star had been a linebacker with the Chicago Bears.

Torrey made her way to the back of the bar. She pulled up as she saw Taylor stand up from her chair and stretch her arms over her head. The dark-haired woman had on a black muscle tee with her usual worn denim jeans. Her lean, muscular frame caught the young woman's eyes immediately. Oh, God I made a huge mistake last night.

Before Torrey could examine her thoughts any further, Taylor looked up and smiled at her. The look on the smaller woman's face caused the muscles in Taylor's belly to clench. For an unguarded second, Torrey had a positively carnal look in her eye as she watched the artist. The young woman's face returned to its casual appearance as soon as Taylor smiled.

Torrey walked over and placed her wine cooler bottle by the chair where Taylor's leather jacket was draped.

"Want another?" Torrey held up Taylor's empty beer bottle. "I got my allowance today," she whispered.

"Well then, I'm not proud," Taylor winked as Torrey made her way to the bar again.

"Wish I had an old lady who took as good a care of me!" Billy yelled over at the tall woman.

"Eat yer heart out!" Taylor tossed back, watching Torrey's backside as the young woman walked away. Taylor kind of enjoyed the bikers thinking someone like Torrey could belong to someone like her.

"Okay, yer up Taylor." One of the men called out.

Torrey had a cold bottle of beer in hand as she returned, but Taylor caught the odd expression, almost sadness, on the young woman's face.

"Hey, you okay?" Taylor asked, touching Torrey's cheek.

"Yea, I'm fine," Torrey lied.

Taylor stood close to Torrey and let her hand rest on her shoulder. Torrey looked up into the cerulean gaze of her concerned friend, taking in the bloodshot eyes and the smell of pot on the woman's clothes. She knew Taylor hadn't returned home last night because she was there all night, most of it spent with someone other than her roommate.

The impatient pool player walked up next to the two women.

"I said yer up. Kiss her, fuck her, or play pool...either way I'll watch, but make up yer mind!"

So fast Torrey hardly knew what was happening, Taylor reached out with her left hand and grabbed the man around his throat. The muscles in the tall woman's arm tightened and stood out as she cut off the man's flow of air.

"I don't like it when you use that kind of language in front of her," Taylor hissed to the man who was well on his way to being on his knees. "Apologize."

"Taylor, please...let him go." Torrey pleaded with her friend.

"Apologize!" Taylor said applying more pressure to the man who could only grab at the iron grip of the woman who towered over him.

"Apologize to the pretty lady, Dennis...now." Billy commanded of the kneeling man.

Dennis gasped an apology and Taylor immediately released the man. He slumped to the floor, desperately pulling much needed air into his lungs, glaring at the dark-haired woman.

"So, Taylor, introduce me to the lovely lady." Billy said.

Taylor scowled over at the amiable biker, attempting to discern if he was trying to jerk her around or not. Noticing the relaxed grin on the blonde haired man's face, she introduced her roommate.

"Okay, now for that game of pool," Billy said, slapping his hands together.

"No can do, I gotta go," Taylor replied, turning back to Torrey.

"Come on, one last game for a hundred bucks." Billy said good-naturedly.

"Where the fuck am I going to get a hundred bucks?" Taylor asked with a smile.

"Hey, I thought you said you didn't talk that way around her," Dennis rasped.

"Nooo," Taylor smiled wickedly at the man. "I said I didn't like it when you talked that way around her."

Like I said, Billy, where am I going to get that kind of cash at?" Taylor asked, grabbing her jacket.

"From me!" Torrey stepped forward.

"There ya go...your old lady will bankroll ya." Billy laughed.

Taylor grabbed Torrey's elbow and pulled her away from the laughing bikers.

"Torrey, put your money away." Taylor said under her breath.

"But, you can beat him, I've seen you play before." Torrey replied.

"What if I lose? You're out your allowance for the rest of the month."

"I believe in you." Torrey answered the older woman.

It was a simple answer, but it implied so much to Taylor. In later years when her confidence would run low, she would always look back on this day and remember that Torrey was the only person, other than her mother, to ever utter those words to her. Taylor rewarded the young woman with one of her sparkling smiles and then turned back to the bikers.

"Rack 'em." She said, removing her jacket.

Torrey and Taylor were lying on the rug in front of fireplace. The Sorority house was it's usual chaotic self on a Friday night, but set back from the rest of the floor such as they were, the noise was almost completely muffled. Taylor's stereo was tuned in low to a local jazz station and the two women were relaxing after the pizza that they literally devoured.

Torrey tried to give the money won from the pool game to Taylor, but the older woman refused. She said she would be happy with a pizza and a six-pack as her share. Taylor rolled over and pulled a joint from her jacket pocket, searching her pockets for a lighter.

"You got any matches, Little Bit?" Torrey rolled over on her stomach, waving the joint in front of her. "I'll share..." she offered.

Torrey shook her head at her friend, in answer as well as in exasperation. In the last month Taylor always seemed stoned. She smoked pot to calm down and took speeders to keep going. The last couple of months seemed especially bad, and Torrey began to worry about her friend's drug habit.

"Aha!" Taylor found her lighter in her jacket pocket and sat back down on the floor. Just as she was cupping her hands to light the hand-rolled item, Torrey reached over and placed her hand over the dark-haired woman's fingers.

"Not tonight, huh, Stretch?" Torrey asked.

Taylor looked over at the young woman and lost her heart all over again. How could she tell her this had become such a habit because she used it to forget, to feel, and to accept? Forget that Torrey didn't belong to her, that the woman she was in love with didn't love her back. To feel something when another woman was touching her and all she could picture was Torrey caressing her body. Most of all to accept that Torrey could never be with her that way; would never love her that way.

But, the older woman had trouble refusing this girl anything, so Taylor simply smiled and tucked the joint away for another time.

Torrey smiled back at her friend in thanks and the look of sadness from earlier crossed her face again.

"Little Bit, what's wrong? And, don't tell me nothing this time because I'm not buying it." Taylor questioned.

Torrey gave a half-hearted grin to her friend and told her the truth.

"I slept with Stephen last night." Torrey said without looking up into her friend's eyes.

"I figured as much." Taylor replied softly.

Actually, Taylor knew what had gone on in their room last night. They had a system to avoid embarrassment. If one or the other was home entertaining someone, they left a Do Not Disturb sign that Taylor stole from a local motel, on the door. When Taylor arrived home from her date, which had been more of a quickie in a car in the Library parking lot, the artist had been amazed to see the sign on the door. Torrey never put the sign out. Taylor listened at the door and the unmistakable sounds coming from their room cut through to her heart. Of course, she didn't hear Torrey, but she heard male grunts and could only assume Stephen had finally gotten his wish.

Taylor couldn't get out of there fast enough. She never thought about all the nights Torrey came up to their door and heard the same type of sounds. The young woman never said a word, she would just find a warm spot to crash and spend the rest of the night there. Taylor never thought about that, especially not now when her heart was breaking. Up to that point she kept hoping that something would happen and Torrey would see all the love the older woman had in her heart for her small friend, but hoping never made it so.

Taylor rushed out and managed to get as drunk as humanly possible while still being able to remain upright, landing in Orono's one and only lesbian bar. The inebriated woman was so out of it, she let herself be coaxed into the bathroom by a pretty blonde that, somewhere in Taylor's intoxicated mind, reminded her of Torrey. The woman went down on her in the bathroom stall and Taylor simply allowed it to happen. As the dark-haired woman climaxed, she groaned out Torrey's name. Which earned her a slap in the face from the pretty blonde.

Now, Taylor looked into the sad eyes of her friend and felt her heart break for her. It was hell to lose your virginity and wake up the next day and not be certain it was to the right person.

Torrey looked back into the frank gaze of her roommate and realized with a sudden clarity that she had given away her precious gift to the wrong person. Her mind finally accepted the truth.

Taylor was shocked at first by the open look on Torrey's face. The young woman's eyes looked at her with such a loving expression, Taylor would not have been at all surprised if Torrey would have leaned over and kissed her at that very moment.

"It was kind of..." Torrey searched for the words to explain her experience, but found she couldn't come up with any. "...Disappointing." she whispered at last.

Taylor moved behind the seated woman and wrapped her arms around her. The dark-haired woman couldn't speak her heart. If she did, she knew her secret would slip out too. Instead she offered a strong shoulder and a warm pair of arms.

"I'm sorry, Little Bit." Taylor murmured against Torrey's ear.

"It just seemed so...I don't know, not really rough, but not gentle." Torrey remarked as tears filled her eyes.

"Did he hurt you?" Taylor tensed, pulling back in alarm.

"Yes, I mean no, not the way you mean. I guess it was just the usual 'first time' pain." Torrey answered.

Tears started to slip from Torrey's eyes as she allowed herself to be held by the woman that she now realized she was in love with. She cried for the loss of the gift she had given away for such a foolish reason. More so, she cried, as she understood that the woman she loved would never return that love. Taylor gets laid, she doesn't make love, she thought to herself.

"I know I'm not the first woman in the world to lose my virginity," Torrey sobbed into her friend's shoulder, "but right now, I feel like it."

Taylor held tightly to the weeping young woman. She remembered the regret and the heartbreak she felt herself the morning after she had lost her innocence. She wished for someone, anyone to simply hold her just like this. Someone to caress her and tell her things would be allright again.

So, Taylor pulled the small woman close against her and did exactly that.

Taylor walked into the Sorority House realizing this would be one of the last times she would be crossing this threshold as a student. She had already begun the countdown to being alone in the world without Torrey. The two women tried not to talk about it much, but this was Taylor's last semester, with only a month before graduation and she already had a scholarship opportunity all lined up to get her Masters at Berkley. It was hard for the artist to find any excitement in going back to California. She knew that without Torrey in her life, she would revert back to her solitary ways. Always keeping to herself, never allowing anyone to touch the real person she kept hidden away.

She tried to tell herself it was all happening the way it was supposed to. That's what Torrey believed anyway. The young woman said everything happened for a reason. The young writer was always trying to explain to her friend about balance and harmony, light and dark, the yin and the yang. After two months of watching Torrey practice her Tai Chi every morning, Taylor finally worked up the nerve to ask the smaller woman to teach her the moves. The dark-haired woman admitted to her friend and herself that there was something to the relaxing movements, that seemed to add a certain focus to her life. Torrey used them as a way of losing herself to her thoughts and emotions, a way of letting feelings rise to the surface so she could examine and then release them.

Taylor repeated the words to herself on a daily basis, everything happens for a reason. She had to make a hard decision, and her answer was due by the end of this week. She could stay in Maine and take the job offer from Diamond & Allen, a cutting edge design firm that offered Taylor the moon to become their new Art Director. The position was full of incentives and prestige, and quite unheard of for a new graduate to be obtaining. They immediately saw the young artist's talent and liked her drive and no-nonsense personality. The job would afford Taylor the kind of living she only dreamed of previously. Most of all, it would allow her to stay by Torrey. Taylor even thought about coaxing the young woman out of the Sorority House and into an apartment they could share.

Then there was option number two. A paid education wasn't something to be sneered at, especially the chance to go back to California to do it. She would have three years to work on her Masters in Art, plus the opportunity to work with some incredible artists, all paid for by the State of California. The only catch would be that she would end up on the other side of the country from where Torrey was. Taylor thought about little else in the last month.

Torrey hadn't been seeing much of Stephen lately and Taylor worried that maybe it was because she monopolized so much of the young woman's life. It was almost as if the young woman were resigned to a relationship with the good-looking young man, though. There wasn't any excitement when Torrey talked about him. Of course, the last couple of weeks you couldn't say anything to Torrey without the girl flying off the handle or simply breaking down crying.

Taylor knew that even though her small friend loved her dearly, a real, committed relationship with the artist was something Torrey could never handle. So, Taylor made the heartbreaking decision that she would have to move on and let her friend get on with her own life as well. Maybe without Taylor in the picture, Torrey would begin to work on a future with Stephen. On Friday, she would notify Diamond & Allen of her decision.

Taylor started up the steps to the third floor, nearly running into Torrey's friend, Alicia. The young girl had obviously been crying.

"Hey, kid, you okay?" Taylor asked sincerely.

"Taylor, have you seen Torrey, I don't know if she's heard yet." Ally asked tearfully.

"Heard what?"

"Stephen...Stephen Townley is dead. He was killed last night outside of Bangor on Interstate 95. I guess he got hit by a truck while he was on his motorcycle."

Taylor dropped the jacket she had slung over her shoulder and headed for the door. She had no way of knowing if Torrey knew about the accident, but she didn't want her friend to find out from anyone else.

The dark-haired woman at least knew where to look first. On these warm spring days Torrey had been spending a great deal of time studying on a bench that was behind the Sciences building. The classes used a small lagoon as a simulated ecosystem and it began to rival a nature park, even though very few people knew about it.

When she came around the corner of the building and walked through a small copse of trees, she immediately heard Torrey's sobs. Taylor's heart could do no more than ache for her friend. When she stood over the young woman, Torrey looked up at Taylor. Once she recognized her roommate's face she began sobbing uncontrollably. Taylor scooped the smaller woman into her arms and held her, whispering soft words of tenderness.

Half an hour passed, but Taylor still couldn't get Torrey to talk to her. When the young woman tried, she got frustrated and cried all the more.

"I'm sorry, Tor. I didn't know what Stephen meant to you. I guess I didn't realize you were in love with him." Taylor said.

Torrey pulled a clean piece of tissue from her pocket and tried to settle herself enough to talk. She blew her nose and wiped her eyes that immediately refilled with tears.

"I'm so sorry this happened to him, but I wasn't in with love him. Oh, Taylor...I'm pregnant." Torrey began softly crying again.

Taylor was frozen. For her friend's sake, she prayed she heard wrong.

"You're probably disgusted with me too, aren't you?" Torrey sobbed at her friend's silence.

Taylor quickly knelt in front of the young woman, taking both the small hands in her own.

"Torrey that could never be true. Honey, you know I love you...I could never think anything like that about you." The dark-haired woman reached up a hand and tenderly caressed Torrey's cheek as salty tears wet the palm of her hand.

"Honey, are you sure...did Stephen know?" Taylor asked.

Torrey shook her head. "I just went to the doctor this morning. Taylor, what am I going to do?" She asked, the crying starting anew.

Taylor jumped up and moved next to the seated young woman, the older woman's arms wrapping easily around the familiar form.

"What do you want to do, Tor?" Taylor asked, stroking the woman's hair, gently rubbing her back in small circular motions.

Torrey let out a torrent of thoughts at once.

"I don't know where to go...if I'm pregnant, I lose my scholarship...I called my mother and she said I--I have to come home, but she said I have to get an abortion first! I can't do that, Taylor...I just can't, I don't have any where to go..." Torrey was unable to go on by then and Taylor didn't want her to. The dark-haired woman thanked the powers that be, that Torrey's mother wasn't in front of her now. Taylor would have laid the woman out.

The older woman held and rocked the young girl.

"Shhh, It'll be allright, Little Bit." Taylor tried to relax the young woman. She tenderly kissed her forehead, her wet cheek, and finally the artist leaned down and softly brushed her lips against her friend's. There was nothing erotic about the kisses; Taylor simply tried the only way she knew, to convey the power of her love and friendship to her frightened friend.

It worked, and Torrey eventually let her head fall into the crook of Taylor's shoulder. Torrey was heartsick and her body ached all over from the tension of the day. She could barely think anymore and Taylor's touch felt so reassuring, she gave in to the older woman's caresses and the tears began to subside.

"You know, I already have the perfect solution to all your problems, I just haven't been able to get a word in here." Taylor teased.

Torrey blew her nose again and looked up at her friend.

I already decided I was going to take the job at Diamond & Allen, so I'll be staying in Maine, just when you thought you'd be rid of me," she wiggled her eyebrows. "It'll work out perfect. We can get a place not too far from here and you can go to school. After the baby's born, you can take afternoon and evening classes, and I can watch the kid." Taylor smiled proudly at the plan.

"Stretch, if I stay here, I'll lose my scholarship. I don't think I can get a job that will pay enough to afford to raise my baby and go to school." Torrey replied.

"Job? No, you're not getting it, Tor. I work and earn the dough and you get to spend it."

"Taylor, I can't allow you to do that," Torrey said softly, speechless at the gift her friend was offering. "It wouldn't be right."

"Oh, but it would be right for me to move clear across the country when my best friend doesn't have a dime to her name, is pregnant, and soon to be homeless...that would be right?" Taylor asked gently.

"Tor, These people are paying a hugely obscene amount of money for a twenty-three year old right out of college. I think we should take advantage of it. After all, how much money can I actually blow on drink, drugs, and women?" Taylor intercepted her friend's look. "I'm just teasing." She added.

"Please let me do this for you, Little Bit. I like having you in my life. I'm not quite ready to give that up yet." Taylor admitted.

"How are you at changing diapers?" Torrey finally asked with a smile.

"I'm highly trainable." Taylor answered with a grin of her own.

"Thank you, Stretch...I love you." Torrey said as she wrapped her arms around the taller woman's neck.

When they separated, Taylor kissed the top of Torrey's head.

"I love you too, Little Bit. Remember, whatever you need, whenever you need it, all you have to do is ask and the answer will always be yes." Torrey replied.

Taylor faced the window and wondered why doctor's offices were always so cold. It was a ninety degrees outside and felt to be slightly above the freezing mark inside. She watched as the cars sped by outside, her ear always listening to the conversation behind her. Torrey hated going to the doctor alone, especially once she started showing. The young girl always seemed to have a run in with the same old crony of a nurse in the office that noticed she wasn't wearing a wedding band and that she signed everything Miss. Last month when Taylor came home from work, Torrey was in tears over the situation. The dark haired artist promised that from then on she would leave the office early and join her friend for her obstetrics appointment.

Actually, it was starting to get to Torrey. She felt that everywhere she went, people looked down at her hand, then at the missing wedding ring, and instantly she felt inferior. It was hard for Taylor to convince her to blow off people like that. Her young friend was sensitive at the best of times, but being six months pregnant and a walking hormone factory did nothing for the woman's self image. Of course, it didn't help when Taylor had to go to San Francisco for a client meeting and Torrey couldn't go along because of classes.

Taylor made up for it though. While wandering around down on the Pier, a wedding band set caught her eye in one of the small jewelry shops. Platinum settings were circled completely with small stones of pale green jade and blue sapphires. The color combination of their eyes prompted the dark haired woman to purchase the set. She had one sized for herself while she waited, and the other sized down to Torrey's ring finger. The look on the young woman's face made the expensive purchase worth it all.

"I mean, I don't think people will...I mean you don't have to tell them you and I are...well, I got it mostly so people wouldn't think..." Taylor stammered incessantly when she arrived home. She was feeling rather tongue tied as she tried to give Torrey the duplicate ring to the one the young woman immediately noticed on the older woman's hand.

Torrey slipped the band on the ring finger of her left hand and threw her arms around the taller woman's neck, but not before placing a kiss on Taylor's cheek.

"You're wonderful, you know that, Stretch?" The young woman beamed.

Taylor didn't think her young friend would be having any more problems here in the doctor's office after today. The tall woman smiled to herself as she looked out the window. Taylor was running late and got a hold of Torrey between classes to let her know she would meet her at the office. As Taylor walked through the waiting room door, Torrey sat, about to be brow beaten by the frowning nurse. Every head in the room turned to look at the striking woman as she walked in.

Taylor's foray into the professional world gave Torrey reasons to go clothes shopping and one thing Taylor could say was, the girl had good taste. The dark-haired woman came directly from the office and so still wore her dress clothes. Black slacks, a purple silk blouse, and a black jacket. With the high heel pumps that Taylor hated, but tolerated for the office, she stood well over six feet tall.

She immediately noticed the nurse that Torrey described to her and was in no mood for her. She had a hellish day and if the old bat wasn't careful she was going to become the next in a long line of victims the artist had to crucify today. Torrey watched as her friend got that look in her eye. It reminded the young woman of a cat who just cornered a mouse, knowing mealtime was a sure thing and within easy reach.

Taylor walked up to Torrey and leaned over, placing a small kiss on the top of the girl's head.

"Hey, Little Bit, you look like you've already had a long day." Taylor said, noticing how tired the young woman looked, brushing her fingers against her cheek.

"Excuse me," the nurse interrupted.

That's when Taylor gave the woman the look. Torrey had seen it plenty of times. Taylor recently perfected it, finding it most beneficial to instill the fear of God into her employees. Of course it deflated the dark-haired woman's ego a bit when she used it on her roommate and Torrey merely laughed at her. She realized then, that it helped if the person didn't know you had no intention of wringing their neck.

The ebony-haired artist pulled herself up to her full height, arms crossed upon her chest. She shook back loose strands of hair that framed impossibly high cheekbones, an eyebrow arching up and disappearing beneath dark bangs.

"Yesss," she purred.

"Can I help you?" The nurse asked.

Torrey had to reach her hand up over her mouth to cover her smile. Oh, someone should have warned this old gal.

"Nooo, I've done my part," Taylor whispered quietly, winking at the nurse as she looked from Torrey's swollen belly to the old woman.

Torrey was biting her lip to hold back her laughter by this time. Taylor had a look on her face that was as serious as surgery, as the nurse sputtered and coughed.

"Do you belong here?" The flustered woman asked.

"I belong to her," Taylor replied, her fingers drumming against her crossed upper arm, the band on her finger gleaming as the light caught it.

The nurse looked at the ring and then at the ring on Torrey's hand, opening her mouth to say something, but thought better about it as Taylor's smile turned into a withering 'back off' glare. The old woman turned on her heel and disappeared into the back office.

"Taylor, do you want to listen?" Joanna Weller, Torrey's doctor asked. She offered the stethoscope portion of the Doppler to the tall woman.

"Yea, why not. I bet he's singing Gene Pitney or Tony Bennett," she winked at her young friend, lying on the examining table.

Torrey giggled at the remark and watched as her friend's eyes widened slightly, the corners of her mouth curling upward, then breaking into a toothy grin.

"That is totally cool!" She pulled off the earpieces and grinned at her friend. "That's some good work you're doing, Little Bit."

Dr. Weller began writing in Torrey's chart. She watched the two women and couldn't think of a better pair to raise a child. It seemed obvious they adored one another.

"Well, everything looks great. I've got all the information you'll need for your Lamaze classes here, Torrey," she said, laying a few papers on the table beside the young woman as Torrey buttoned her blouse.

"I do have a small group that will be meeting on Monday nights that's comprised of female partners. We have five couples so far, if the two of you would be more comfortable in that class." Joanna offered.

"Uhm," Taylor started, feeling she was going to have to explain.

"That would be great," Torrey answered, without hearing Taylor's voice or seeing the look of stunned amazement on the taller woman's face.

Once they were outside of the office Torrey turned to her friend.

"I guess I should have asked you first. I mean, you may not even want to go to Lamaze with me."

"Hey, we're in this together, right?" Torrey smiled down affectionately at her.

Taylor stumbled into the darkened kitchen to get a drink of water. The muffled sound of crying woke her from her drowsy half-sleep state. She quietly peeked into the living room and saw Torrey, huddled on one end of the couch.

"Torrey, are you okay?" the older woman asked in alarm.

Taylor surprised the young woman. She wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her robe.

"I'm allright." Torrey answered.

Taylor sat next to the blonde, stretching her arm along the back of the couch, her chest pressed softly against the smaller woman's back. Taylor ran her hand up the woman's arm reassuringly.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"I'm going to be a terrible mother." Torrey blurted out.

Taylor smiled and chuckled out loud.

"Torrey, you're going to be a great mother." Taylor comforted her.

"Yea, well I bet Evelyn thought that, too. Look what happened there!" Torrey's tears reasserted themselves.

Torrey had taken to calling her mother by her first name. The fight the two engaged in was almost enough to melt the phone wires when the young woman told her mother of her plans to keep her baby. When Torrey told her that she would be living with Taylor and the artist would be providing for she and her baby, Evelyn exploded. The things she said to her daughter that evening, the names she called her, caused an incendiary reaction from Taylor, who was listening in on the extension per Torrey's request.

The dark-haired woman slammed the phone down in her hand and quickly walked into the other room. She pulled the receiver from Torrey's hand.

Torrey, go take a walk." Taylor hissed.

Taylor's eyes turned dark with anger and she was trying to control herself in front of her small friend. Torrey, sobbing hysterically by now, ran outside, but as soon as she heard the door close behind her she heard the first few words Taylor had to say to the woman on the phone.

"You goddamn bitch..."

They never talked about what happened after. Torrey never asked her friend what words had been exchanged and Taylor didn't volunteer the information. Now, sitting in the dark with Torrey in her arms, Taylor felt something inside her that said Torrey would be a wonderful mother. She felt this young woman's child would be blessed with a love beyond anything Torrey could now imagine.

"Whoa, wanna feel something neat?" Torrey took hold of Taylor's hand and placed the woman's palm on her abdomen.

"Wow," Taylor exclaimed as she felt the baby's kick for herself. "Does that hurt?"

"No, it just feels kind of...I don't know, weird." Torrey answered.

Torrey relaxed back against her friend, Taylor resting her chin on the smaller woman's shoulder.

"Hey, Tor, after the baby's born, why don't we take a little vacation?" Taylor asked.

"Did you have somewhere in mind?"

"Ever been to California?" Taylor asked, already knowing the answer.

"No. Are you thinking of taking me?" Torrey laughed.

"I thought it might be kind of cool. I could show you where us beach bums grew up and you could meet my mom. I may be a little on the wild side now, but I guarantee you, my mom knew all the tricks. I'm sure she can give us some pointers."

Torrey smiled at the way Taylor said, "give us" some pointers. She enjoyed the feeling that they were a family, even if it was only temporary.

"You will be a great mom." Taylor whispered in the young woman's ear.

"How do you know?" Torrey asked.

"Because, like you're so fond of telling me, everything happens for a reason. You're having this baby for a reason. You have so much love to give, Tor. I just can't picture you being a bad mother. I don't think you have it in you. I think you'd do anything...make any sacrifice to see that your baby grew up healthy and happy." Taylor responded.

"Torrey," Taylor shouted with her hand over the receiver of the phone. "It's Joanna. She wants to know how you're feeling."

Dr. Weller called once a day to check on Torrey's condition since she'd hit the ninth month. It wasn't usual for women having their first baby to be overdue, but it wasn't rare either. The doctor tried to explain to Torrey that the young woman's calculations as to the date of conception may have been off a little. The small blonde had to indignantly explain to the good doctor that she'd only had sex with a man once in her entire life to get this way, and that date was not one she would easily forget.

"Tor, are you awake?" Taylor called again. She lifted her hand off the receiver and began talking to Joanna.

Torrey's head popped out of her bedroom door.

"Tell her it's been nine months, I want it out!" Torrey shouted back.

"Did you hear that?" Taylor asked the doctor. "Oh no, she's in a lovely mood." The dark-haired woman answered sarcastically. Taylor laughed at something else the doctor said, then looked up as Torrey came into the room.

"Don't hang up," Torrey said in a serious voice.

"My water just broke," Torrey said in response to Taylor's questioning look.

"Hey, doc," Taylor grinned into the phone, "I think it's show time!"