34: I Want You Always By My Side

By the time Zola and Cora were riding back to Soho, it was nearly midnight. Cora felt alive with emotion, the lingering effects of the tragic love story resonating with her. Zola couldn't stop smiling, loving every moment of the evening.

"Cora, what time do you have to be back to work tomorrow?" Zola sighed, her time with Cora moving by too fast.

"7 PM - 7 AM tomorrow, so not too bad."

"When's your last day?"

"I'm not certain. I need to speak with my supervisor, but it's really up to me. I suspect I'll work through July." Zola nodded and sat in quiet reflection.

When Zola and Cora passed over the threshold of the apartment, Cora moved to the sofa, sinking into the leather cushions and gazing out the windows. She sighed with satisfaction as she looked out over the city and spoke softly over her shoulder,"You were right. The view, I love it. It's beautiful, thank you."

"Of course, I have just one more small thing. A congratulations gift." Cora heard Zola opening a drawer and watched her then move to the sofa with a small box. ", I was going to give this to you earlier tonight but then I realized, I couldn't. I didn't want to share it with strangers in the theater. Not the first time."

Cora's crooked smile emerged and she wrinkled her nose slightly. "What is it?"

Zola handed the box over. "It's a memento, from tonight."

Cora's eyes widened as she opened the box slowly. She saw a note card sitting on top of silk fabric. She recognized the stationary immediately. She half expected a note from Marge explaining the box and clothes.

She opened the card and saw Zola's delicate handwriting. "."

Zola watched as Cora read over the note a few times. She saw her eyes flood with emotion. "Zola," Cora whispered, her hands a little shaky. She pulled back the fabric and found a 5-carat round cut emerald pendant on a platinum chain. It was beautiful and elegant, classic and understated.

"Zola." Cora blinked, trying to clear her eyes. "It's so beautiful."

Zola reached gently into the box and opened the clasp. She moved to Cora, her body close enough that Cora could feel the warmth and smell the sweetness of Zola's skin.

Cora placed her hands on Zola's waist as she slipped the pendant around her neck. The light from the loft bounced gently and crisply off the gem.

Zola leaned back, taking in the sight of the gem falling just below the hollow of Cora's neck. ", it's perfect. Every time I see it, I'll think of tonight."

"I love it, Zo, but I need help. I don't understand the last line. Always? Want?"

Zola smiled. She closed the distance between them again and brought her lips to Cora's ear, pushing back her hair gently. She could feel Cora's body tense and she heard her breath catch.

", it means, 'I want you always by my side.' I want you in my life, Cora. I want you to live with me here. I want to follow you here. I want to be with you, . So we can look out at the horizon together."

Cora was paralyzed by the words. Her mind tumbled at the request and the thought of New York and Zola. She felt Zola's hands slip around her waist and to the small of her back, pulling her further in.

", my beautiful dream, I love you. Please say 'yes.' Please wake up with me every morning. Please come home to me every night. Please let me take care of you."

Cora turned into Zola, and met her eyes. Zola could see surprise and love. "Here? With me? ? In ?"

Zola nodded. ", here." Zola looked around the loft. "Right here."

Cora smiled and it reached deep into her eyes, a tear spilling over. "Zola, you mean everything to me. Sometimes I can't breathe thinking about how you have changed my life. Thinking about how much I love you. I feel wonderfully unbalanced and centered at the same time."

Cora searched Zola's eyes. At that moment, she felt she never wanted to look away from the warm cinnamon pools. "Does that make sense?"

". Perfect sense."

"Yes, it makes perfect sense. Us, together, makes perfect sense. Zo, the thought of leaving you is terrifying. There is nothing I want more than you, here. It would make me happy beyond words if you would come with me to New York."

Zola grinned, her body vibrating with joy. She kissed Cora softly on the lips. Breaking from Cora, she began to shift back.

"No, Zola." Cora slipped her hand to Zola's neck and jawline. " (again)."

Zola grinned and returned to Cora's lips. Zola kissed her gently but a shared urgency soon pushed the connection to a dizzying state. Zola gasped. She felt like Cora's emotions were washing over her like a tidal wave, surrounding her. She tumbled in Cora's presence with no anchor, completely overwhelmed.

"Zola, baby, take me to bed. I don't want anything against my skin right now but you."

Zola stood up and guided Cora to the room. All the dresses and shoes were gone, the bed perfectly made, the city lights shining softly into the dark room.

Cora chuckled. "Living with you is going to be like living with house elves, isn't it?" Cora pursued Zola into the bed and they began to strip each other down to nothing.

"Only if you want it, ." Zola rolled in the bed, wrapping Cora up in her arms and legs, whispering into the dark,"All you ever have to do is ask. I'll give you the world."

"I don't want the world, ." Cora drug the flat of her tongue over the cusp of Zola's breast, sucking and pulling with her lips and teeth.

Zola arched into Cora and hands dug into her back. " ..."

"And right now, I want you to cry out for me." Cora let herself be driven by intense want and need. She said nothing else as she dominated Zola's body, driving her into ecstasy, consuming her, and forcing her into a sweat and sex-drenched madness.

Zola thrashed, crumbling beneath Cora. Every touch from Cora was electricity in her veins. Cora's emotional energy was like nothing she had ever felt before.

Cora did not stop until she heard Zola cry out with frustration and then satisfaction. She did not yield until she felt Zola's body seize violently with total rapture and bliss.

----

Cora sat down at the table in the staff lounge, joining Edra and Jocelyn for a quick break.

"Oh my God! You're glowing, and what is that?!" Edra was staring at the pendant around Cora's neck.

Cora grinned. "I know, I can't help it. It's a 'memento' of our trip."

Joce smirked. "Tell us about the sex that happened after she gave you that!"

"Joce!" Cora laughed and teased her friend. "Until you've felt the warm, soft rush of a woman in your arms, I wouldn't really be able to explain and you wouldn't really understand."

"You suck."

"Okay, okay. So give us the other details." Edra leaned in as Cora recapped.

"Wait ... wait ... wait! Go back!" Edra was stunned. "So first, I can't even think about the clothes for a night like that. But, she's moving to New York?! You'll be living together in her Soho apartment. Did she tell you about the 'others?!' And you're leaving in June?!"

Cora laughed. "Yes, Edra. I got to keep the clothes but I didn't bring any of them back. They're staying at 'our place.'" Cora smiled crookedly. It was the first time she said that; it sounded wonderful. The plan now is to move permanently at the end of May."

"So you're leaving." Edra sighed.

"One month." Cora smiled. She simply could not be sad at the thought of leaving for New York. "Zola and I. New York."

----

On most days, Zola made it home from the New York offices first. Cora's hours could be erratic. She no longer worked on rotating 12 hour shifts, but she was living the life of a doctoral candidate in a research hospital. Some days were painfully long, Cora arriving home exhausted and hungry. It seemed the holiday season was particularly taxing for her.

Zola's eyes drifted to the oversized clock hanging on the wall. She sighed, her heart picking up pace. Cora would be home anytime.

On this Friday, Cora took a half day and Matthew had already called to let Zola know that traffic was on the light side and everything was running smoothly.

Zola took in the apartment. The entire space was bursting at the seams with love and happiness. The countertop was filled with light finger foods and hor d'oeuvres, wine and beer. A 12-foot-long table had been temporarily set up and was set up for a family-style catered meal. A 14-foot Christmas tree stood in the corner. Zola smiled to herself. Cora was stunned when she arrived home one evening to find the space professionally decorated for the holidays. A few gifts for Zola's guests and Matteo were wrapped pristinely and sat underneath the limbs waiting patiently.

"You have a beautiful home, Zola. How do you look so gorgeous in a worn sweatshirt and jeans?" Joce smirked in admiration and frustration. "It's not fair."

Jocelyn chuckled and lowered her voice, "Also, you're vibrating with excitement. She'll be here soon. Is the sex that good?"

Zola broke from her thoughts, laughing. "Thank you, Joce. Um ..."

"Well?!"

"Joce! Stop it!" Edra approached and she could tell exactly what Jocelyn was talking about. "Give Zola a break. Soon, right?"

Zola grinned. " will be home any minute."

Edra and Jay, Jocelyn and Brett, and Erin and Alison (from the hospital pharmacy) all flew in that morning via the Basilio plane for a casual holiday dinner.

Marge was on point, as always. She arranged for all the transportation, a private brunch at The Rainbow Room. They were all staying at a small boutique hotel just steps away from Zola's apartment.

Zola's family joined them for dinner too. They had been over to Zola's and Cora's place several times over the past six months. The men mingled by the sofa and tree, while most of the women gravitated to the kitchen.

Erin, Alison, and Matteo played intensely with the classic train set that wound its way around the embroidered tree skirt. Zola checked the clock again. She looked to make sure she didn't miss a call on her cell phone.

"Wow, you're absolutely smitten." Joce laughed.

----

Cora watched the city move past the car windows. She couldn't wait to get home. Home by 3:00 on a Friday afternoon was almost unheard of for her. Her body ached with anticipation. Six months, in a new city, in a challenging program, Cora quickly became deeply anchored into Zola.

Zola promised a casual evening at home and a "surprise." Cora hoped to find Zola in her favorite sweatshirt and flannel pajama pants.

They had already agreed not to exchange gifts. Zola hadn't given her a gift since the emerald necklace that hung round her neck. Cora almost never went without it. The women had everything they wanted in each other and their work.

Matthew brought the car to a stop and the doorman stepped to the car and helped Cora to the sidewalk. Matthew made the call to Zola as soon as Cora cleared the car.

----

Zola stood in the threshold of the apartment entry waiting as patiently as she could for the elevator doors to open. When the bell sounded at the lift's arrival, she felt tension and anxiety release and fall away.

Cora saw Zola before the doors were completely open. She grinned as she moved toward her. "I love that sweatshirt. You look so good."

Zola laughed. "." Surprising Cora, she stepped away from the apartment, halting her progress. "Let me kiss you. (I adore you)." Zola pressed soft, full lips into Cora. She connected to her tenderly and extended the contact into multiple kisses. "I have a surprise for you."

Cora moaned in response to Zola's soft, stroking tongue. Zola could feel heat building quickly. She realized she made a mistake.

"I'm so sorry."

Cora grinned and started to shift Zola to the door. Her hands roamed lightly over Zola's clothing. "Sorry, baby?"

"I ... I should have planned better. The next few hours is going to be torture." Zola stepped away and wrinkled her nose apologetically. She pulled Cora by her fingertips. "Um, surprise, ."

Cora stepped through the threshold and was immediately greeted with,"Cora! Cora! Come see the train!"

Her eyes widened with love and awe at the sight of the people she cared about most in the world in her home. Her jaw slackened, her eyes burned with emotion, the moment held for a beat.

Zola grinned and chuckled. Cora had an epiphany. Zola wasn't the only one who was part of her new "." She was dizzied by the raw revelation. She had . They looked back at her with the same tenderness and affection that she felt washing through her.

Then, there was movement. Hugs. Kisses. Declarations. Love. Compassion. Devotion. Heaven. God. Peace. Nirvana. Transcendent, endless, joy. Everywhere.

"Speak with your life. Not just words." - thich nhat hanh