Sarange rising.

Next to you.

"You didn't forget anything, right?" 

"And again... no, I took everything" 

"So we're good to go?" 

"Yes," 

Susan looked at her and smiled, a smile which made Jessica's heart melt. They were going to Massachusets for the 4th of July, decided to spend some time together, far from everyone and everything. Susan didn't even take her dogs and when Bryan asked if he should accompany her she refused kindly. Susan rented a car and booked a place for them to stay. The plan was that they would stay for two or three days there and then Jessica would go to Paris and Susan back to work. Jessica loves seeing new places and she couldn't ask for a better company. Susan is an elegant woman, so clever, she loves traveling around the world and that's what makes her so open-minded. 

They were traveling in silence, it was early in the morning and Jessica is not a shiny person in the mornings. Susan, of course, knew that so she wasn't starting a conversation. Until she took a wrong turn... at least that's what Jessica thought. 

"I think you took a wrong turn, honey." 

"No, I don't think so" 

"Susan, I'm telling you. Massachusets it's on the other way around. We're driving towards Philadelphia now" 

"I know..." 

Jessica couldn't understand what exactly was going on, she decided to ask. 

"Sue, where are we going? I thought our plan was to go to Yarmouth and Barnstable." 

"Oh, plan's the same. I just want for you to see something" 

"And where's that?" 

"In Washington... " 

"That's almost four hours, Susan!" 

"So? Are you the one who's driving? No. So relax and enjoy" 

"Jesus Christ," Jessica said and threw her head on the side, watching out of the window when out of the blue she felt Susan's hand sneakily climbing on her lap. Susan knew how to relax her, she finally found her "buttons". Jessica smiled and looked at her. 

"You could've at least told me" 

"Why? What would change?" 

"Well... nothing I guess," said Jessica and took a sip of her coffee. 
                                                                               ********

It was 11.30 when they arrived in Washington, Susan parked her car at the Smithsonian American Art Museum's parking lot and walked out, followed by Jessica who had no idea why they were there. 

"Should I ask now?" 

"Yes..." 

"Why are we here?" 

Susan was leading them inside "We are here to see the art of Burning Man" 

"What?" 

"We're gonna see a temple. David Best is the one who made it, he creates temples for Burning Man that are made of recycled wood and are ritually burned at the end of the festival..." 

Susan stopped in front of a white big door, the temple's door and continued.  

"He started building temples in response of his friend's death... they were building a motorcycle for Burning Man when one night his friend went out on his own motorcycle and crashed. He continued building the motorcycle as a tribute to his friend. It was the first time they experience death. The structure became a way for others to remember people who had died... So Burning Man then asked him to come back next year and build a temple, and that's what he does until today. People adorn the temples with memorials and inscriptions before burning the structure, an act that is meant to inspire healing. He describes them as sacred places for people to reflect on loss... It's for people who lost someone they love, they come to reflect on that loss and celebrate their lives rather than grieving. There are small wooden plaques where you can leave your own inscription." 

Jessica looked at her with a slight smile. She knew that they were there for her, she didn't say anything and walked inside the temple. 
                                                                                ****** 
They stayed there until 13.00 and they were back on the road again but this time something has changed. Jessica changed, she wasn't talking, not even looking at Susan who tried plenty of times to start a conversation. Jessica wasn't rude she was simply answering with a yes or a no but nothing else. She was lost in her own world, lost among her thoughts, looking outside the window. She kept smoking one cigarette after another, with her hand hanging from the window. This situation was starting to annoy Susan. <<If I knew that she would end up being like that I wouldn't take her there>> she kept thinking. It was getting dark outside. 

"Sue" Jessica said without looking at her. 

"What?" Susan was irritated. 

"Your lights" 

"What?" she couldn't understand her. 

"Open your lights" 

"Oh! Yeah, thanks" 

Jessica didn't say a word. 

In eight hours they finally arrived in Barnstable, they took their bags inside the small, wooden house and examined it. Still, no one was talking, Jessica went into the bathroom to take a shower leaving Susan behind. Susan stopped thinking about this, the whole thing she just refused to think. She went straight into the bedroom and changed her clothes, she took her phone and lied on the bed. In a few minutes Jessica came out, she went to the bedroom because she left her bag there. Susan was looking at her. 

"Jess" 

"Yes?" 

Susan was so angry, Jessica wasn't even bothering to look at her. She didn't want to talk anymore, she looked back on her phone. 

"Nothing" 

Jessica took her underwear and clothes and walked back into the bathroom to put them on. In a few minutes she walked to the kitchen and searched for something to drink, she found a bottle of whiskey and poured some into her glass. It was so quiet compared to the concrete jungle where they were leaving. She lighted up a cigarette and decided to talk to Susan, she walked inside holding her glass and leaned on the door. 

"Sue..." 

"What?" Susan glanced up. 

"Thank you" 

"For what?" 

"For everything that you are doing for me, I can see you trying" 

"Yeah but as it turns out I only make things worse so..." 

"No, don't say that" 

"Would you please tell me what's going on? Eight hours for Christ's sake, eight, whole hours and you didn't even look at me! What did I do? I mean... did I do something? What the hell happened!?" 

Susan sighed and looked at her, Jessica took a moment "I'm... I'm not so good, Susan" she said with a shaking voice. Susan's face suddenly changed, it was like she was about to cry just by hearing those words from her lover. 

"Last time we fought you said that from now on we have to talk more... that's why I'm telling you. I want to say that I'm good, I really do but something inside of me doesn't feel good. I just... I can't explain it. I know it's been long since Sam died and yes, we've been separated but... it's hard and the only thing that's keeping me away from giving up is you. You might not believe me but it's true. I don't know how I would be right now if you weren't next to me. You're giving me strength and you showed me how it is to be in love again and I never thought that I would experience all these feelings especially with a woman. So thank you and I really liked the temple" 

Jessica turned around and started walking away until she heard Susan calling her so she went back. 

"I can see that you are not good. I can see it. And what you did just now it's admirable and it's the beginning of solving this. Together. That's what I'm trying to show you, whatever that's happening in your life I want to be there for you, I want to help you, I would do anything and you know it. We'll make it through this, you and me." 

Jessica was tearing up, she left her drink and cigarette on the nightstand and crawled under the bedsheets next to Susan who opened her arms to hug her. Jessica's head was placed on Susan's breasts, she could hear her heart beating. 

"I'm tired Sue" 

"Everything will get better" 

"You don't know that" 

"I do... you've got to trust me. " 

"Everything fades when I'm with you but it grows bigger when I'm alone" 

"Then I'm gonna make sure you will never be alone again"

Jessica chuckled "I sound like some teenager" 

Susan's finger started stroking her hair softly. 

"You are a wonderful person Sue, you mean so much to me and I can't lose you but I don't know if I deserve you. " 

"Stop it, Jess! You are stronger than you think, you've got to stop underestimating yourself. You are a wonderful woman, you are beautiful..."

Jessica interrupted her "Yeah right" 

"What?" 

"I never thought that I was beautiful... I was just okay" 

"Jess, believe me, you are and that comes from inside of you. You are the most breath-taking woman I've ever met, you are kind, sweet. You are incredible and God, I love you so much, so much. I can't even imagine my life without seeing your face and your smile. Without getting angry at you because you got angry in the first place... " 

Jessica chuckled

"Without kissing and making love to you. I can't imagine my life without you."  

Jessica raised her head, and looked into her eyes, she really cared about her. Jessica pressed a light, barely-there kiss beneath Susan's ear making her gasp, she tilted her head to the side, giving her a better access to her neck. She was brushing her lips over her skin while her hand slid under Susan's t-shirt, touching her soft skin. "You are the one for me," Jessica said tickling Susan's ear with her warm breath. 

Susan closed her eyes and raised her head up, she parted her lips with a soft moan, she could feel Jessica's breath coming closer to her and her lips curved into a smile. Susan opened her eyes and looked straight at Jessica's who took advantage of her parted lips and darted her tongue softly between them, tasting her mouth.

Susan's tongue slipped against hers and moaned into her.  Their tongues lashed together as the heat overwhelmed them. Susan capped her face deepening the kiss. And as a response, Jessica reached for Susan pants and slid her hand inside, no clothes were removed, she caressed her center above her underpants until she could feel Susan's warm juices running out of her center. 

"Please," Susan said out of breath and Jessica knew that it was time. She slid her fingers under her underpants and separated her wet folds using just a single finger. She tried to make this moment last as long as she could, she couldn't look away. Jessica started circling Susan's clit, slowly. 

Susan opened her legs and took a hold of Jessica's arm. 

"Jess... fingers" 

All Jessica wanted that night was to satisfy her so she would do anything that Susan asked, she immediately shoved two fingers inside Susan and moved them slowly. Susan threw her head back, unable to keep looking at her lover as the pleasure she was feeling was overwhelming. Jessica used her other hand to work on her clit. She didn't wait for Susan to tell her to increase the speed, she started working faster. 

"Ahh, yes baby" 

Jessica's mouth was still kissing and sucking her neck and she was now using her teeth, biting softly her flesh, leaving red marks behind. She added another finger and then another. Susan grabbed with force Jessica's head and kissed her, moaning loudly that made Jessica work harder between the other woman's legs, she kept thrusting her fingers faster until she felt Susan's walls tightening around them. 

Susan took her lover into a deep kiss. 

"Ahhh, Fuck" Susan yelled inside Jessica's mouth and threw her head towards, Jessica brought her fingers in front of Susan's mouth and watched her as she was now licking them one by one. Susan closed her eyes and lied on her back. She was so tired... 

Jessica lied next to her, looking at her. They didn't say anything, what could they say? There were no words to describe how they were feeling. Jessica only reached for Susan's cheek and stroked her, she then placed a kiss on her forehead. Susan opened slowly her eyes and looked at her smiling.

"I wish I could sleep and wake up next to you every day."

Jessica smiled and closed her eyes.