As each month melted into the next, and gentle rains gave way to heat, which gave way to the first cool breeze of fall, Vivian and Lula's coffee dates became lunch dates, and then dinner dates, and even special event dates. Lula made Vivian her plus-one to a friend's wedding, and Vivian invited Lula to accompany her to a charity benefit banquet downtown. And through it all, they slowly found out more about each other.
Lula revealed, one night at dinner, that she had been married before, in her early twenties, to a man she'd met at the college. They didn't last long; he wanted to travel, and she wanted to stay and help her family tend the flower shop. They parted amicably, but didn't keep in touch.
"It was an eye-opener," she said, slicing into her steak. "So many people feed you this 'love conquers all' line, but it takes work. It takes compatibility. He was a good lesson learned."
"Do you miss him?" Vivian asked.
"No, not at all. He pops up in my memory sometimes, the same way an old classmate would. We were husband and wife in name only, really. He's a nice guy, I was still sorting my own stuff out; it was more of an experiment than anything. A let's-see-if-we-can-be-normal situation, before I understood that I don't have to be anyone else's version of 'normal.'" Lula smiled. "Why so serious, querida? You're not jealous of an old ex, are you?"
"No, just wondering." Vivian picked at her plate. It wasn't jealousy, it was curiosity. How much was she like this ex-husband? What traits did they share? How long did Lula see herself and Vivian staying together?
"Forever, hopefully," Lula said in answer to the last question. "You're nothing like him, and that's what I love about you. You see, I was a different person back then. I had no idea what I wanted. But I've learned that everyone's got to decide that for themselves, and stand by it. So, when I say I love your curiosity, or your business sense, or your tendency to get carried away by whimsical feelings, I mean it. I know what I want now, and you're it, chica."
Vivian rose from her chair, leaned across the table, and gave Lula a peck on the lips. "Thank you. You're exactly what I want, too. I think I knew it from the very first day we met. Your kindness to a hapless stranger caught in the rain, the way you practically radiate sunshine even in a storm, the way your head is so full of ideas, for the flower shop and life in general…you amaze me, Lula." She looked down at her plate again. "But, you're right. Sometimes the road to what you want can be very confusing."
"Oh?"
"I grew up in a small town, and anything that wasn't considered the norm was kept pretty hush-hush. I didn't meet an out lesbian until I came here for college, and that felt like a revelation. But, similar to what you said, one commonality doesn't equal love. We dated, then drifted apart. There were a few others, but after college, I really threw myself into my work, and didn't make the time to nourish a relationship. Did you know it took me eight years just to get Typereader off the ground?"
Lula raised her wine glass. "I admire your dedication. Looks like it's paid off."
"Oh, it has!" Vivian clinked her glass against Lula's and took a sip. "There were times, though, when I'd wonder if it would all be worth it. I'd wonder if I was missing out on something, on real life." She laughed. "That seems so foolish, in retrospect. That bookstore brought me exactly where I want to be."
"Perhaps I should have saved the toast for that line."
"No reason we can't toast twice." Vivian raised her glass. "To you and me, and the people we've become!"
"And the people we're going to be," Lula added, "together."
"Together." Vivian finished her wine, feeling its warmth seep throughout her body. As Lula finished her meal, Vivian looked out of the restaurant window at the chilly night beyond. People wrapped in jackets and scarves, the last of the leaves being plucked from the branches by a persistent breeze. A year ago, she would have been looking toward another cold winter, holidays spent in a silent apartment, or as a sympathy-invitation to someone else's family gathering. Fall and winter were lonely months for her, and she always looked forward to the return of spring, but this year, with Lula by her side, the darkness and cold posed no threat.
"Ready for dessert?" Lula's question pulled her out of her reverie, and she turned around with a smile and opened the dessert menu.
"Should we get one to share, or…?" She glanced at Lula over the menu, and they simultaneously wrinkled their noses at the idea. "But you have to give me a taste of yours."
"Only if you do the same. Deal?"
Vivian laughed. "Deal."
* * *
Even in the digital age, Vivian insisted on keeping a physical day planner. It was simply easier for her to keep track of events and deadlines when she manually wrote them down. Perhaps she should have written, "take planner home from work" somewhere, as well. But there was a thrill to visiting her own shop after hours, and she fancied herself a character in a spy novel when she unlocked the door and disarmed the alarm, in the dim glow of the emergency lights. Tonight, though, after their dinner date, she had a partner in Lula, who followed her inside and looked around appreciatively.
"You know, I think it's even cozier in the dark," she said, plucking a book off of a display and flipping through it. "If I had a flashlight, it'd be just like reading comics after bedtime when I was little."
"You did that, too?" Vivian asked, en route to the office. "I'll admit, my comics were fantasy novels, but the concept remains the same."
"I don't know any kid who didn't sneak some kind of reading material to bed." Lula chuckled. "I used to have a silly dream when I was little. Similar to this."
Vivian stopped and turned around. This was too good to miss. "What was it?"
"Oh, it was silly."
"Come on, you started it! You can't leave me hanging. Remember my curiosity, that trait you love so much?"
"Promise not to think I'm an idiot."
"I would never."
"Okay, then." Lula took a deep breath. "When I was little, the county library had its children's section in the basement. The decoration was very fun and colorful, but what I remember most were the windows. They were these long, narrow windows, running right under the ceiling, at ground level outside. And they faced east, so that in the morning, you'd get a nice row of sunbeams into the basement. Well, anyway…I used to have this dream—or maybe it's more of a wish—that I could hide out somewhere at the time the library closed and spend the night down there. I'd have a flashlight, of course, and I'd read all the adventure stories and the books about plants and flowers, and then I'd fall asleep, only to wake up just as the sun was rising through those windows." She shrugged. "I don't know, I guess I thought it would be cozy or something."
Vivian pressed her fingers to her mouth, not to stifle a laugh, but to hold in the joyful sounds Lula's story roused in her. It was such a sweet, wholesome dream, from someone who grew up to be so strong and no-nonsense. A little glimpse into Lula's inner workings, a moment of vulnerability from her. When the feeling became too much for Vivian to contain, she ran forward and flung her arms around Lula. Lula gave a cry of surprise and staggered backwards, then caught herself and gave Vivian a quick squeeze.
"Whoa, what's this for?"
"You. It's for being you!" Vivian looked up at her. "That was such an adorable story. If I'd have been security at that library, I would've let little Lula spend the night, just once."
"Yeah, just once, because you'd probably lose your job after that."
"Worth it."
"Really? What about your wife and five kids?"
Vivian laughed. "They can manage." She snuggled against Lula, her day planner momentarily forgotten as Lula placed a kiss on the top of her head. The thought of spending a night inside a library continued to run through her mind, and an idea began to take shape. "Why don't we do just that?"
"What? The security, or the wife, or—"
"Spend the night among the books! This isn't a library, but it's close enough. I'm sure there are some flashlights in the storage room, and I have a couple of blankets in my office for those times when Isabel cranks up the A/C." Vivian nodded to herself. "Yes, let's do this, let's make little Lula's dream a reality!"
"Are you sure about this?" Lula leaned back and looked down at her, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes. "You won't get in any kind of trouble, will you?"
"I'm the owner. The door is locked, the alarm's disarmed, and no one should be coming by until Isabel comes in at eight. We can stay for an hour or two, just to get the feeling of spending the night in a bookstore."
"All right, let's do this!"
"Great! There's a very comfortable chair in the back right corner. I'll get the flashlights and blankets, you pick out a couple of books."
"You trust my tastes?"
"I trust all of you, Lula Fuentes." With that, Vivian scurried into the office. She made her way to the reading chair with blankets and flashlights and found Lula already sitting there with a stack of books on her lap.
"Okay, what first? Epic fantasy, western, or romance?"
"Let's start with fantasy. I'm feeling adventurous."
"Me, too." Lula took a blanket and wrapped it around herself, then moved the books and patted her lap for Vivian to sit there. Vivian hesitated, feeling completely silly doing something like that, but Lula won her over with a dejected expression. She settled half-onto Lula's lap, half-onto the chair and clicked the flashlight on. Lula began to read, her voice soft and sonorous in the empty bookstore, and Vivian leaned back against her. Whatever else was happening outside of the bookshop was in another world. She looked up at Lula, at her eyes moving across the page, her long eyelashes brushing against her cheekbone, and she leaned up and kissed her cheek. Lula didn't miss a beat, but squeezed her hand in response.
Vivian could not tell when drowsiness overtook her, she only knew that when she next opened her eyes, late-fall sunlight streamed in through the front window. She was still wrapped in a blanket, curled up on the chair beside Lula, whose head rested against the opposite wing of the chair. Moving slowly so as to not wake her, Vivian glanced at her wristwatch. Seven twenty-three. Enough time to get up and get Lula out of the store before Isabel showed up. The last thing Vivian needed right now was another round of Isabel's teasing.
She shook Lula's shoulder, and Lula stirred with a groan. She opened her eyes halfway, but when she registered her surroundings, they grew wide and she sat straight up.
"What happened?" she asked.
"We fell asleep, reading."
"And it's morning already! What time is it?"
"Seven…twenty-four."
"Ah, I have to get ready for work!" Lula extricated herself from the blanket and stood up. "I should have enough time to change. What about you?"
"I can just tell Isabel I pulled an all-nighter."
Lula looked her up and down, from her wine-colored dress and silver necklace to her strappy black high heels. "In that outfit?"
Vivian looked at her dress and pressed her hand to her forehead. "I forgot. Isabel takes care of all the opening duties. I'll go home and change, and come in a little later."
"It must be nice to have that luxury. I've got to run."
Vivian gathered the blankets and flashlights and Lula replaced the books, and they both hurried out of the bookstore, Vivian setting the alarm and locking the door behind her. As they walked to the corner, where their paths split, they began to laugh, quietly at first, then building into full-throated laughs that left them gasping for air. Who would've thought two mature, professional women could end up oversleeping in a bookstore chair, wrapped up in blankets and reading by flashlight?
"Certainly not me," Vivian said. "But I'm not going to say it wasn't worth it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
"But maybe set an alarm this time," Lula added.
"Definitely. Does that mean you'd be up for it again, too?"
Lula stopped walking, and turned Vivian toward her. "I don't think I've ever spent a more comfortable night. No stress, no demands, just sitting next to the woman I love, just being together. If it's a bookstore or a gazebo or a seat on the bus, it doesn't matter, as long as you're there with me." She hugged her tightly. "That said, last night was lacking one thing. Something that would have made it perfect."
"What's that?"
"A cup of cocoa."
"I'll definitely have some ready next time." Vivian gave her one more squeeze, then patted her shoulders and told her to hurry home. Turning toward her own home, she felt light and free, the sun on her face, Lula's warmth in her heart. She smiled to herself, to passersby, to everyone and no one, her heart more open than it had ever been, a day-blooming flower in full sun.