Ruby & The Rose (lesbian stories)

Chapter 12

They all awoke early. They sorted out their bags, before heading downstairs for a quick breakfast. Rose and Ruby ordered a full English, cooked by the landlord's rosy-cheeked wife. It was  delicious. Meanwhile Mallory sat with her head resting on the windowsill, a steaming black coffee in her hands. She groaned every so often, mainly when Rose started talking, carelessly forgetting her friend's hangover.

"Kill me now," Mallory murmured, rubbing at her eyes and giving a yawn.

Rose caught the eye of the landlord and said, "Can we get another coffee please?"

He gave a chuckle. "Coming right up."

After finishing her meal, Rose decided to go for a stroll through the town.She fetched her jacket from upstairs, and set out along the seafront. It was still early, and therefore quiet. Apart from the fishermen bustling about along the quay, there were few people out.

Samantha Jasmine Potts was tall- almost six feet in fact- and of a slender yet muscled build. Her hair was dark and cropped, her skin a milky brown, her jaw strong. She hadn't changed much in four years. Her face had matured, but she was still very much Sam. And so when Rose saw her that morning, sipping tea in a café window, she recognised her immediately. And an arctic shock snapped down herspine.

She raced back to the pub, skidding down side streets, leaping over dustbins, giving the patrons in the bar near heart-attacks. When she burst through the room door- causing a shriek to escape from Ruby-her lungs heaved.

"It-It's her," she said, through ragged breath. Mallory's eyes widened, in spite of her headache. Soon she was awake and alert as ever. She stood up quickly.

"Right,"she said. "That's okay. We knew she'd find us eventually. Get your stuff. We leave now. Come on."

Theyhurried downstairs, paid the landlord and thanked him profusely for his hospitality.

"Well,it was a pleasure to-" the man began, but they were already out of the door.

There were no bus stops in the town, nor taxi ranks, nor any other means of transport. So they ran, still. They ran and ran. Exhausted, legs turning to jelly beneath them, they found a supermarket a few miles out.

"Right,"said Mallory. "This'll have to do."

"What will have to do?" asked Rose, fearing the answer, as Mallory began to wander in and out of the parked cars. She paused for a moment, and chewed at her lip.

"Red or silver?" she said, jerking a thumb in either direction.

"You are not stealing a car!"

Mallory shrugged. "What else would you suggest?"

She retrieved a knife from her pocket, and began to wiggle it surreptitiously into the door of a small red Renault.

"Mallory!"Rose hissed. She heard a small giggle at her shoulder and glared inits general direction. "Don't encourage her, Ruby."

Mallory made a noise of triumph, and the door clicked open. "Hop in," she said. "Quick as you like."

Asshe got to work at the wires beneath the steering wheel, Ruby openedthe back door and emptied the seats of the various baby toys andnappy bags. "You can ride shotgun, Rose- I get car sick on the passengerside."