No Confessions

Ch24

The sunlight pushed its way through the curtains. In the morning, the sun is bright, and the sunlight is warm and not harsh. The birds keep chirping, and the breeze is cool.The level of noise pollution in the mornings is less compared to the other times of the day. London would be at its quietest all day. Golden light flooded onto the floor, onto the bed, and unfortunately, into Lucy's eyes.
Lucy stirred, sunlight forcing her eyes to open. Her senses began to clear the fog of sleep; everything slowly became more vivid. The warm energy in the room. The hot morning air in the room. The wind whispered sweet secrets as it danced through the room. Catherine must've opened the window.
Lucy's skin prickled at the coolness of the wind. How it contrasted with the warm air in the room and the warmth of Mina in her arms. Mina in her arms. Mina Murray.
Lucy only now had realized that her arms were around the brunette, who was sleeping soundly. Mina, lying on side, her face was tucked in between Lucy's breast and another pillow. Her hair was quite unkempt and far from decent. It was a wonder that Mina could, somehow every morning, manage her hair into perfectly styled pieces. Even more wondrous, Mina could keep her hair in such precise hair-dos. No matter the amount of work, running or rain she endured, her hair always stayed perfectly styled.
Another wonder to Lucy, was how Mina always, without fail, smelt of lavender. Lucy had always assumed it was Mina's conditioner. But she began doubting it when she realized Mina smelled of the flower all over. Yet, it could be the most disastrous day, rains, winds, and whatever else London could throw at Mina, her hair would always look perfect and still smell of lavender.
It was becoming Lucy's favorite flower.
Quiet breaths left Mina's mouths making her shoulder rise and fall rhythmically. Mina had the most alluring lips Lucy had ever seen. Lucy being Lucy, had seen many, but Mina's had always been her favorite. They were the perfect shape, color and most of all, they had the perfect taste.
Lucy gingerly removed her arms from Mina and sat herself up against the blackboard. She looked down at Mina, causing her face to soften and her heart to melt. Mina looked as if she could be a princess; an angel, even. A pleasant twist formed in Lucy's gut, accompanied by an unexpected warmth in her chest. It was a perplexing feeling that only arose when Lucy was with Mina.
"You stun me with your beauty, my love." Lucy whispered. "You leave me completely breathless and with a strange warp in my stomach. Not to mention an even stranger hotness just above and a sense of pulsing below." Lucy sighed and shifted her attention to the blown open curtains, opened by the wind.
London from Lucy's window was magnificent. The streets were rural. Few people would be about at this early hour. Smog puffed into the sky from distant factories. Rows upon rows of estates stood proud lining cobble streets. Faint foot falls from below the window signaled that the maids were up and working. Distant sounds of horse drawn carriages and the sound of birds were the only sounds in the air; aside from Mina's soft breathing to Lucy's right.
Lucy changed her attention back to her sleeping love. "Oh Mina..." Lucy whispered. "Is it truly natural for a woman to fall in love with another woman? For you and I to–" Lucy cut herself off, her voice shaking. "No matter. I doubt there was a time I cared about society's views. Why should I now? Love is love, and you'd never see society wolfing about a man being in love." Lucy leaned her head back, resting it on the blackboard behind her. She sighed, closed her eyes, and began to question herself.
Jayne had said that these feelings, the ones she felt for Mina, were commonplace. That they were simply part of a woman's maturation. Lucy was beginning to doubt Jayne's words. Yet there was some unfightable evidence that wouldn't leave her alone. Lucy, by now, had met a small number other women who also harbored romantic or sexual feelings for other women. Lucy herself was among them, and she hoped that Mina was too.
"Oh Mina," Lucy whispered, moving her hands to comb through Mina's hair. "If only you knew how much I love you. It's ridiculous, really. How difficult it is to say that. Mina darling, I am utterly and completely in love with you. I have been for a long time. The first moment I saw you I was intrigued and captivated by you and all I wanted was to be your friend. But it was more than that. Somewhere along the way, I started to develop feelings for you, more than just friendly ones. Slowly, I started to notice all the small things. How your eyes sparkle when you speak passionately about something. How you unconsciously tap your fingers when you are nervous. The face you make when you want to be let alone but are too polite to say it out loud. But your smile is what I love the most. I always want to be the one who makes you laugh like this, open and freely, not holding it back. I know you will never return my feelings, but I could no longer keep it all inside me. I am in love with you, Mina. I feel it is highly overdue that I confess it out loud. Even if you cannot hear it." Lucy sighed. "I'm sorry." Lucy finished.
Mina sighed, stirring awake and stretching her arms out to, not so subtly, embrace Lucy. "Mm, but I can hear it."