Timing

A Shift

   "You ready to get out of here?" Carol asked. "I'm afraid we're here for the night" Abby said. Carol looked at her confused. "I barely got here in one piece. The roads were a death trap and it's just coming down harder" Abby said.

   "Oh..." Carol said. There was a silence. "I can ask the concierge if they have another room or if they have a room with two beds" Abby offered. "Don't be ridiculous" Carol said. "This bed is plenty big enough" Carol said. "You sure?" Abby asked. "I don't want to make you feel-" Carol interrupted.

   "Don't. Don't you ever" She said, placing her hand on Abby's leg. Abby grabbed her hand and smiled at her. "I just didn't know how you'd feel, sleeping in the same bed, since I revealed what I did at the restaurant" Abby said.

   Carol smiled mischievously. "What the hell was that about?" Abby laughed. "I never told you my secret" Carol said. "What??" Abby laughed. "How I knew" Carol said. "Knew what??" Abby was not following. "That you liked women" Carol said. Abby looked at her, completely confused as to where this conversation was going.

   "I'll just say this..." Carol started. "It takes one to know one" she said, smirking. Abby got what Carol was saying but she was in disbelief. Carol smiled at her and lifted a brow. "What? Surprised?" Carol laughed.

   "You can say that" Abby said cautiously. "What is it? What's the matter?" Carol asked. "I just don't understand is all. I'm not sure I'm actually following. I mean, I think I am I just-" Abby shook her head.

   "It's just... you're married-" Abby began. "To a man?" Carol asked. "Y-yeah" Abby answered. "I can't explain it. I mean... I'm not sure I understand it but I've always liked both men AND women" Carol admitted. "I can't believe it!" Abby said.

   Carol smirked. "So, no... I'm not afraid to share a bed with you. I like women too. That doesn't mean either of us want to... jump each others bones" Carol said. Abby scoffed. "So crass..." Abby teased. Carol threw her head back laughing.

   "So yes... that's it. That's the secret" Carol said. "Huh... so... so-" Abby started gathering her thoughts. "Any crushes?" Abby asked. "Like... anyone I would've known that you had a crush on?" Abby asked. Carol smirked, then laughed, knowingly. "What? WHO?!?" Abby was dying to know.

   "Your cousin..." Carol said. "Augusta?!?" Abby questioned. "Dear god no... Clarise!! Not Augusta! She's a nun!!!" Carol laughed loudly and threw her head back. "You never know!!! I mean I have heard crazier things!!! I found out that you of all people are a lover of women!!! I mean, now I can believe anything!!" Abby said.

   Carol and Abby had tear's in their eyes from laughing so hard. "Augusta?!?" Abby said, bringing it up again. "She's like 60" Abby laughed. "Now, she's 60... but back then..." Carol shrugged. Abby looked at her and shook her head. "Plus, she's aged well... I mean" Carol wiggled her eyebrows. Abby winced. "Nope nope, I'm not... nope" Abby shook her head, not wanting to hear anymore.

   "You tell me that you like women and I FINALLY get to talk about them with you... then you say you like my cousin" Abby sighed. "I'm so sorry life has been so cruel to you, Abigail" Carol said sarcastically. Abby sighed. "I appreciate your understanding and sympathy" she said sarcastically. "Nitwit" Abby teased.

   "Okay... the concierge" Carol said. "The 2o something year old?" Abby asked. "You just don't like anyone I find attractive, do you??" Carol laughed. "Two extremes Carol" Abby laughed. "I suppose you're right" Carol smiled. "People our age... I find flaws in them quicker or I compare myself too much" Carol said.

   Abby just shook her head and gave her an knowing look. "I can understand that" Abby said. "Can you?" Carol smirked. "I can, believe it or not" Abby laughed. "All of the women I've dated, were my age mostly but... that was only two, you know that were... serious" Abby said.

   "Love doesn't come around to me often" Abby said. Carol shook her head. "Only Harge for me..." Carol said. "Of course, I'm not sure it was real love... more me wanting to get my life on with and out of that orphanage" Carol admitted.

   "Yeah, you never really showed interest in any men before Harge" Abby said. Carol nodded. "Yeah, and to think... Harge was one of the good one's" Carol scoffed. "A lot of good he does..." Abby said, bluntly. Carol laughed.

   "I still can't believe he so much as told you that he just wants you as his personal slave" Abby rolled her eyes. Carol shook her head. "Yeah... well... isn't that all men want?" She asked. Abby raised her eyebrows, agreeing with her.

   There was a brief silence. "So..." Carol said. "What's it like?" "What's... what like?" Abby asked. "You know... sleeping with a woman" Carol said. Abby was shocked at her question, well... maybe not shocked, just taken back.

   Abby got a smile on her face. "I don't... have experience sleeping with men but... from what I've been told, it's completely unlike that but the same in some ways of course" she explained. Carol just listened. "Well, in my experience... it's" Abby sighed. "It's... intimate" She said.

   "Sleeping with a woman is... getting to know her. To really know her" Abby said. "A man... now correct me if I'm wrong... a man has one thing on his mind. His pleasure. Sleeping with a woman..." she smiled. "It's all about pleasure" She blushed. "You get to... take your time" she said. "...and you leave satisfied" she laughed. Carol smiled.

   "Now, you're talking to a lesbian. I only like women" Abby said. "So it might be different... for... for someone who likes both sexes" Abby said. "But... women... just get it" Abby said. "They understand your body. They take their time because men don't. They understand, when men... don't" she said, shrugging her shoulder's.

   "I see..." Carol said. There was a shift in the room. The energy was different and you could cut the tension with a knife. For the first time, Carol saw Abby... differently. She wasn't just her best friend or the girl she grew up with. This was a different look at Abby. She wasn't sure why but... she never saw that side of her before.

   Abby cleared her throat. It was getting harder to ignore her feelings for Carol. So she just got up and excused herself. "I'll be right back, I have to use the bathroom" Abby said, timidly. She shut the door behind her and looked in the mirror.

    She was going to be sleeping in the same bed as Carol, right next to her. She needed to pull herself together. Carols life was confusing and she was not in the right space for Abby to make a move or a fool of herself telling Carol how she feels.

   She wasn't entirely set on doing that in the first place. I mean, Carol is her best friend. If she doesn't feel the same way... it could really go wrong. What if Carol didn't feel the same way? She knew she would be understanding... but what if things changed? What if Carol felt uncomfortable around her or there was a distance? Or what if it hurt Abby so bad that it hurt to see Carol??

   She knew that no matter what she did, her choices left her screwed. She was screwed because she loved Carol. She knew that she could never stop loving her, for as long as she lived. Even if Carol didn't love her back.