"Yes," Crystal gasped.

Encouraged by urgent hands pushing her lower, Laura kissed her way down to Crystal's left breast, capturing the hardening nipple between her lips and flicking her tongue back and forth. It was not long before she felt the slim hips rising beneath her, silently begging for more. Using her legs to part Crystal's thighs, Laura moved to the right breast to lavish it with attention before covering both with her hands, her fingers rhythmically squeezing the hardened rosy tips.

Keeping her hands where they were, Laura shifted the rest of her body lower, kissing the flat stomach and damp curls before settling herself between Crystal's legs. Closing her eyes, Laura kissed the damp folds, smiling to herself at the tremor her action caused. "You like that?" she asked knowingly, kissing the sensitive flesh again.

"Oh yes," Crystal cried, her legs parting wider.

"I knew you would," Laura murmured, parting the folds with her tongue and tasting the sweetness hidden within. Unable to resist, she searched out the erect clitoris and gave it her full attention, enjoying the sounds of pleasure coming from Crystal's mouth. It was not long before she had to abandon Crystal's breasts, needing her hands to hold the rapidly wriggling hips. The cries became muffled as strong thighs tightened around Laura's head, pinning her in place. Feeling the tremors against her lips, she knew Crystal was close. Increasing the pressure and speed of her tongue, Laura's efforts were soon rewarded as she felt Crystal's body stiffen, followed by the gentle release. She gentled her oral touch, riding out the climax until the young woman jerked away. Laura pulled back and kissed Crystal's inner thigh. "I love you," she whispered in a voice too low to carry.

"Oh God," Crystal huffed. Laura propped herself up on one elbow, still nestled between her lover's outstretched thighs. Assuming a cocky smile, she looked down at Crystal.

"That good, hmm?" Getting on her knees, Laura used her right arm to support herself while letting her left hand wander aimlessly over Crystal's thigh. "I'm glad you liked it." She smiled as she followed Crystal's gaze down to where her fingers were dancing dangerously close to the intimate region. She looked back to Crystal's face, seeing no fear or hesitation, only affection and desire. She entered first with one finger, then two, sliding into the slick sheath with utter tenderness, not wanting to do anything that would startle or frighten her lover. She responded to Crystal's urgent tugging and lowered herself until she was half on the bed, half on the young woman's body. Laura's left leg was hooked over Crystal's right, allowing the writer full access to the treasure she was exploring. "You feel so good," she whispered, kissing Crystal deeply. "I love touching you." "I I

" Crystal tried to answer but Laura's actions apparently made that an impossible task.

"Shh, just relax and enjoy it," Laura said, pressing in just a little deeper. "Yes, that's it so nice." She felt the pressure of the muscles around her fingers ebb and cautiously added a third, watching Crystal's face the entire time for any sign of discomfort. Instead she was answered with hips rising to meet her fingers, forcing them in faster than she had intended. Crystal's eyes were closed, her head thrown back against the pillow, incoherent sounds coming from her lips. Laura closed her lips over Crystal's right nipple and began thrusting her fingers in and out. The cries she longed to hear filled her ears, urging Laura on. All too soon she felt the precious muscles clamping down, trapping her deep inside. Though it took some effort, Laura was able to curl her fingers upward and find the smooth spot she was searching for. Crystal cried out as she orgasmed, her fingers gripping like talons to Laura's right arm, coincidentally enough in nearly the identical location as the bruises left the night before. Laura happily held her afterwards, eventually receiving pleasure of her own under Crystal's touch before the clock demanded that their day in bed be brought to an end.

Crystal watched the road signs nervously. "There!" she pointed. "Take the next right." Laura did so and soon the Jeep was traveling up a pothole filled road lined with utility poles and cracked concrete sidewalks. Dented trash cans lay near the curb and twice Laura had to slam down on the brakes to keep from striking a unleashed dog. "Okay," Crystal said, rereading her handwritten directions. "Up there where the stop sign is take a left, then you go two blocks and turn right." She folded the directions up and put them in her shirt pocket. "The park is supposed to be on the right."

To Crystal's surprise, the trailer park was not as run down as she had expected. The lots were large compared to the narrow ones of the trailer park she had grown up in. The roads were smooth and edged by trees and grass, the homes set back from the roadways. The homes themselves all seemed fairly new, peaked roofs and bay windows showing everywhere. Neat signs indicated the cross streets, making it easy for Crystal to find Pine Lane and from there, the blue and white double-wide with a front yard filled with children's toys and a pair of bicycles laying on their side. "There it is!" she said excitedly, already reaching for the door handle. Laura turned into the white gravel driveway, stopping just behind an older Toyota. Crystal was barely out of the car when the front door opened and the woman who was unmistakably her sister stepped out. "Patty!"

"Crystal!" They collided together, arms embracing tightly.

"I can't believe it," Crystal said, clinging to the reality she thought she never would have. "Oh God, I've missed you so much." Patty pulled back, wiping her eyes. "I just about dropped out of my chair when Mom told me she saw you at the store. I thought , it doesn't matter what I thought. You're here." Patty noticed Laura standing by the car. "And this must be your roommate Laura." Crystal watched as they shook hands.

"Nice to meet you," Laura said, standing just behind Crystal.

Standing at arm's length, Crystal observed the difference time had made in her sister. Youthful skin had given way to fine wrinkles near the eyes and hair that had once been sun blonde was now closer to ash. Patty also sported a body that had seen two pregnancies and not enough exercise. Still there was a vibrance there that could not be hidden by the extra pounds or lines. It was still the same sister Crystal had spent hours playing Monopoly with, sharing secrets and fears, and missed terribly.

"Let's go inside," Patty said, gesturing at the modest porch.

There was no doubt two children lived there, Crystal thought as she stepped around a toy robot and over a doll on her way to the couch where Patty joined her while Laura took a seat in the nearby recliner, immediately straightening out a stack of magazines and papers littered the end table. "So where is everyone?" Crystal asked.

"Mom took Jessica and Thomas out to Happy Mary's for dinner. They've got a playroom there and I wanted some time alone with you without everyone underfoot."

Crystal nodded, thinking it was a good idea, especially when she looked over at Laura, reminding her of the need to tell her sister the truth about their relationship. "Patty? There's something I have to tell you." It was a subject they had never talked about as children and despite her bravado at home to Laura, deep down inside Crystal held a fear that her sister would not approve. "I didn't tell you everything last night on the phone."

"No kidding," Patty said, reaching for the cigarettes and lighter on the coffee table. "We've got eleven years to catch up on. I've got a lot of stuff to tell you too." She lit a cigarette, taking a puff before continuing. "So tell me."

Nervously, Crystal looked over at Laura, seeing her looking back encouragingly. "Laura and I we're more than roommates," she finished in a rush, her eyes never leaving the writer.

Patty's hand stopped halfway to the ashtray and she looked to Laura, then to Crystal. "Are you happy?" she asked.

There was no hesitation. "Yes," Crystal said. "I mean, it's all new but yeah, I'm happy."

"Then that's all that matters," Patty said, knocking the ashes into the plastic ashtray. "Can't say it isn't something I haven't tried once myself," she said with a shrug. "Boy did that blow Mom's mind."

"You mean she knew?" Crystal asked in amazement. "Did she have a fit?"

"Oh yeah," her sister said. "But the thing is I own this place and she can't afford to live anywhere as nice as this on her monthly checks not to mention the extra money she gets from me by babysitting the kids. It wasn't anything serious. I was just curious more than anything after all the shit I've been through with men. Right now I've got too much to worry about with the kids to be looking for Mr. Right somewhere. Oh Crystal, wait until you meet them. Jessie's first grade pictures look almost exactly like yours." She set the cigarette in the ashtray and stood up. "You've got to see it. I'll get the photo albums. I'll be right back."

Once her sister left the room, Crystal found Laura kneeling beside her. "That went well," she said in a low voice, not wanting it to carry down the hall. "Yes it did," Laura agreed. "How are you doing?"

"Good," she said, relaxing now that her biggest fear had been vanquished. "It's so strange to see her after all this time but she's still the same Patty I grew up with, just a little older and I guess I can still tell her anything."

Laura smiled and kissed her cheek. "I'm glad you can." Both heads turned to the sound of a car doors opening and closing. "Sounds like they're back early."

"I can't find the one with Jessie's baby pictures but I found the rest," Patty said, returning with several large binders in her hands. Laura moved back to the recliner just before the front door opened, letting two bundles of energy into the once quiet room.

"Mommy, Mommy. Happy Mary's burned down!" Jessica said excitedly, dropping her pink jacket on the floor just inside the door. "Yeah, and there was big fire trucks there 'n everything," six year old Thomas said, mimicking his older sister's actions with his own jacket. "They were loud."

"Hang your coats up where they belong," Patty said. "I have someone I want you two to meet."

Crystal stiffened at the sight of her mother slowly entering the house. Since they had both been standing still at the supermarket, she had not noticed the pronounced limp in the older woman's walk, or the arthritic fingers that struggled to hold the two brightly colored coats the children handed her. Images of a drunken woman sitting at the table flashed through her mind, bringing with them the old anger and pain. When their eyes met, there was first a look of pleasure, then of sadness, in Margaret Sheridan's face.

"Jess, Thomas, this is your Aunt Crystal," Patty said. "And this is her friend Laura."

"I'm a Crystal too," Jessica said proudly, pushing her younger brother out of the way in their sibling battle to be closest to their newly found relative. "You are?" Crystal asked with surprise.

"Yup. My name is Jessica Crystal Sheridan. Mommy says crystals are special. I've got a whole collection of them in my room, wanna see?" the blonde girl asked, reaching for her aunt's hand.

"Later, Jessica," Patty said. "Aunt Crystal just got here. You can show her all your stuff later." She looked over at her mother. "So what happened?" "I don't know but we saw the smoke from two blocks away," Margaret said, casting a quick look at Crystal before turning away. "I better get some dinner started for these two. Are you girls hungry?"

"No," Crystal said quickly. "Laura and I ate earlier," she lied.

"Thank you anyway," Laura said, sending a subtle questioning look at Crystal. She ignored, concentrating on the coffee table until she heard the swinging doors bumping against each other to indicate that her mother was no longer in the room.

"Aunt Crystal, Aunt Crystal," Thomas said urgently, shoving past his sister. "There was fire trucks there and they were real loud. I covered my ears like this but it still was loud." Unlike his sister, who was graced with the Sheridan blonde hair and light complexion, Thomas apparently took after his father, whom Crystal guessed to be of Hispanic origin. The boy's short hair was a dark brown, matching his eyes, his skin tone several shades darker than her own. Without hesitation he climbed onto her lap, forcing Crystal to put her arms around him to keep him from falling off. "Gramma wouldn't let us get close but I got watch the firemen put their hoses on the fire hydrant."