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Felicity is woken in the night. Chapter 5 of 5.

Felicity was woken in the middle of the night to the lightest touch on her elbow.

“Hello?”

“Me,” Saxifrage responded.

“Oh, good,” Felicity mumbled, head already back on her pillow. Then her half-asleep mind trudged through the word, and she sat up again. “What are you doing up at this hour?”

“Nightmare.”

“Oh, you poor thing. Do you want to talk about it?”

“No sense. Over now.”

“It might be over, but it still helps to talk sometimes. Come lay down with me.” Felicity’s mind caught up with her mouth a second later and started screaming. What had she just done? Invited a pretty woman in to her bed? The very same pretty woman who had been staying with her for months now and brought her flowers every week and sometimes embroidered things to gift to her?

She didn’t get a chance to voice any apologies or clarifications because Saxifrage sat down on her bed, and before her mind knew it, Felicity was scooting over to make room and the pair were laying down in the dark, facing each other.

Felicity stared at Saxifrage. Her eyes traced the gentle curve of her cheek and the wrinkle at her brow. Saxifrage’s eyes closed, and Felicity studied the tiny, delicate patches of skin this small action revealed.

“Nightmare real thing still nightmare?”

“Any sort of bad dream is a nightmare, yes.”

“Your language…not enough words.”

“Really? I think there’s too many words sometimes. Or maybe there’s just too many people who say way too much.”

“You?”

Felicity scrunched up her nose, then let out a half laugh. “I suppose so. I do talk a lot more than you. I’m sorry if that’s obnoxious.”

“No, good thing. Pretty voice.”

Felicity blushed. “Thank you.”

Silence stretched between them again.

“My dream real. Dream of family,” Saxifrage said.

Felicity hummed.

“Tell secret.”

“I won’t tell anyone anything,” Felicity agreed.

“I seal person.”

“A selkie?”

“Don’t know.”

“A selkie is a person who can change between being a seal and a human.”

“Yes, selkie. Family selkie. I taken, very young. Wife to human, long time. Try escape, family help. Mom, dad, brother, sister. Husband angry. Arrows. Now here.”

“That’s a horrible thing to live through,” Felicity said, reaching out and finding Saxifrage’s hand.

“But lived.”

“Yes, you did. Can I ask a question?”

“Yes.”

“Where were your clothes when Penelope found you?”

“Need pelt change. No clothes for pelt. Husband saw after clothes off, before pelt.”

“So you need to get your pelt back?”

“Husband hurt pelt. I never go back.”

“I am so sorry to hear that.”

“Not so bad. Some human keep chickens, flower. Some human nice,” Saxifrage said, giving Felicity’s hand a squeeze.

Felicity couldn’t find the right words to respond, so she settled on squeezing Saxifrage’s hand back.

*****

The firelight crackled while Felicity worked on patching the ripped knees on Saxifrage’s pants. Saxifrage sat beside her, working on embroidering a shirt for Penelope. 

Saxifrage shifted, leaning her shoulder against Felicity. Felicity stiffened and almost stabbed herself with her needle, then leaned against Saxifrage in return. The pair returned to their work for awhile, then Felicity felt Saxifrage stop moving.

Felicity looked over at Saxifrage, who looked right back. Saxifrage’s face was cradled by the firelight, and her eyes shone softly. Felicity was about to start talking, to ask about the embroidery or make a joke, maybe. Instead of words filling the air, Saxifrage shifted and put her lips to Felicity’s.

Felicity melted in to the kiss. Saxifrage’s soft, full lips filled her thoughts. The taste of honey and the sweet air by the river pulled her deeper, and when Saxifrage pulled away, she was dumbstruck.

“Pretty when surprised.”

“Oh, well I can’t be a little surprised that you kiss me all of a sudden?”

Saxifrage tilted her head, and the firelight glinted almost mischievously on her pupils. “Sudden? Give flower, talk late, live same house. No sudden.”

“Well- But- You never kissed before.”

“Should have.”

Felicity fell silent, feeling the heat spreading across her cheeks.

“Well, I did like the kiss.”

“I know.”

“But what does that make us. Kissing isn’t really a thing friends do.”

“Before wife. What word?”

“Girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend. Gender friend. Your language bad at love words.”

Felicity laughed, “Maybe so, but that’s the word.”

“Girlfriend. Like word if you.”

“I would love to be your girlfriend, Ms Saxifrage.”

“Love you.”

“I love you, too.”