Completing the whole

Word count: 2117

Anna got up from her bed and went to look in the mirror. She stopped and remembered there was no point. It was a year now since she was in a car accident which robbed her of her vision, yet still she often forgot she was blind when she first woke.

Knowing the steps in her unit by heart, she made herself a cup of tea and sat. Her friend, Julia, had asked her to lunch. Anna knew that the depression which followed her accident left her bitter, causing her to push away most of her friends. Julia was one of the few who had weathered the storm and remained supportive. While Anna hated leaving the house nowadays, she always acceded to Julia’s requests, almost out of a sense of obligation for the trials she had put her friend through.

Just as Anna finished getting ready, regretting she could not see how she actually looked, she heard the beep of a horn out the front. Aware that Julia had arrived to take her to their arranged meeting, Anna left the residence and walked towards the driveway, her cane making the familiar sounds on the path as she went. 

Anna’s unit was part of a duplex, but the other side had been empty for the past few months. While occasionally her paranoia made her think she had chased the neighbours away like her other friends, she knew it must be another reason. However, as she was getting into Julia’s car, Anna heard noises from the other unit.

“What’s happening at the other unit?” she asked, putting on the seatbelt.

Anna heard movement; Julia must be looking to assess the situation. “Looks like you have a new neighbour. There are boxes on the landing, but the tenant must have just gone inside. Wonder if it’s a cute boy?”

Anna groaned “Given I can’t tell if he’s cute, I don’t think it really matters.”

Feeling Julia playfully poke her in the ribs, she winced “Well it would help if you didn’t insist on dressing so dowdy. Sure you can’t see what you are wearing, but you know I can help you buy clothes and we can put some sort of tactile signal on the inside so you can tell what you’re actually putting on.”

Ignoring Julia’s offer, as she always did, Anna simply asked where they were going for lunch.

While eating, Julia again began trying to encourage Anna to resume much of her previous lifestyle.

“You used to be so outgoing! You don’t need sight to talk to people you know. Maybe you should go and introduce yourself to your new neighbour when you get home.”

Thinking on the concept for a moment, Anna realised Julia was right. While there were many things she felt she could no longer do, going out to meet people being one of them, there was nothing stopping her from meeting her neighbour. In fact, it would be nice to know who was sharing the space next to her own sanctuary.

“Fine, I’ll go and say hi when I get home. Happy?”

“Only if you promise me you will.” Julia said triumphantly.

“Fine, I promise.”

When she returned to the residence, Anna went to her neighbours. While she knew the unit was a mirror of her own, she was careful in case there were still boxes on the landing. As she reached the door, Anna hesitated. I know Julia is trying to be nice, but how cane I act like who I used to be when I’m not the same person and part of me is missing? Trying to build up the courage to knock and keep her promise to Julia, she was startled when the door opened before her hand even reached it.

“Oh, sorry if I scared you! I saw you through the window and thought I’d beat you to the punch. “

Anna noticed the voice was female so much for the cute boy theory. “Hi, I’m your neighbour, Anna. I just thought I would come and say hello.”

“Introductions are always welcome. Not only am I new to the neighbourhood, but also new to this city. Please, come in. The boxes are all packed in the spare room so I can lead you to a seat if you like.”

The woman had a trace of an Irish accent. Anna noticed she didn’t even flinch at her new neighbour being blind. Being too used to the fake sympathy people often gave her when they noticed her cane, she was thankful her new neighbour was more accepting.

Soft fingers grasped Anna’s hand, raising it to place on her neighbour’s elbow. Slowly, she led Anna inside to a seat, encouraging her to treat the house as her own and departing to make her a cup of tea.

“You don’t mind that I don’t have coffee?” came the voice from the area Anna instinctively knew to be the kitchen.

“Actually, I don’t drink coffee, tea is my favourite drink.”

“Good, it’s a carryover from where I grew up” her neighbour said as she returned and put a tray on what Anna presumed to he a coffee table. The fingers returned, holding her hand and gently placing a cup in it. Anna realised that her neighbour had known to make it a bit cooler in order to ensure her hands weren’t scalded.

“Sorry, but I didn’t catch your name.”

“Whoops, I’m so impolite and forgetful sometimes” and Anna could tell from the tone in her reply she was smiling.

“Where I grew up I was known as Dian. That was really a former life of mine. I found a passion for healing people, so I became a doctor and moved out to Australia. People now call me Dianne.”

Suddenly everything made sense. Being a doctor, Dianne would be experienced with blind people. Anna wondered if Dianne would then start quizzing her on the circumstances of her vision impairment either out of medical curiosity or some obligated offer of assistance. Yet neither of these occurred, Dianne simply kept making basic conversation.

Anna found herself almost entranced by this woman. Dianne acted so contrary to how most people behaved around her and it made her feel like her old self again. Hearing herself laugh as they talked about everything from the weather to their childhood, Anna realised she had not felt so alive since the accident.

When it came time to leave, Anna realised she wanted to spend more time with Dianne and invited her to dinner. When she heard the answer was an enthusiastic acceptance of the invitation, excitement coursed through her and she began making plans in her head immediately.

Shopping the day before, Anna knew she had plenty of ingredients. Cooking was one of the few things she had kept doing since the accident; it soothed her and allowed her to focus on other senses like taste and smell.

By the time there was a knock on the door; Anna was dishing up the dinner onto the plates. Opening the barrier between them, Dianne rushed in announcing she had brought wine, how good dinner smelled and asking if there was anything she could do.

Anna laughed, stating it was all done and all Dianne needed to do was sit.

As they ate, they continued to talk. While she had only met Dianne today, Anna felt as if she had known her forever. Speaking of Dianne’s childhood again made Anna think Dianne was older than she seemed. A feeling suddenly coursed through her that the woman sitting there was eternal, had always been and would always be.

“What are you thinking?”

Anna paused, coming back to the present “hm, nothing, why?”

Dianne laughed softly “You just froze with an odd look on your face. That and you missed your mouth slightly.”

Embarrassed, Anna reached for the serviette, only to find her hand stopped by Dianne. “Please, let me.”

She heard Dianne rise and move towards her, kneeling down to use the serviette. Expecting to feel the coarseness of the paper towelling, Anna was surprised to feel something velvety and moist to the side of her mouth, realising that Dianne was lightly licking only just before their lips met.

Anna had never even thought she would be attracted to a woman before. Yet this moment was something she realised she had always desired. Losing herself in the kiss, Anna felt Dianne had complete control over her. Scared that she would disappoint due to lack of experience, she went to tell Dianne of her concerns, but was hushed and advised her it would all be taken care of, all she had to do was follow.

Being led to the bedroom, Anna had no doubts that she wanted this to happen. Dianne sat her on the bed and she felt fingers slowly undoing her blouse. As the material was slid off her shoulders, the dainty touch of Dianne’s lips gently kissed each inch of skin that was being uncovered, causing shivers of delight.

Fingers trailed their way over Anna’s body, meeting on her back. Feeling her bra come loose, her nipples hardened with anticipation. Removing the cloth that had contained her breasts, Dianne moved her mouth to them, kissing and lightly moving her tongue over the erect buds.

Dianne slowly laid Anna down, as if she was a delicate offering to some god above. Anna felt her body being explored, the hint of nails moving downward, her skirt and panties removed and dropped on the floor.

Feeling movement on the bed, Anna realised Dianne was removing her own clothing. As she wished she could see Dianne’s skin, her hands were grasped and led to the body which was now returning to be with her. Slowly her fingers travelled over Dianne, Anna noting the soft and exquisite features of her new partner.

After being kissed again, deeply and passionately, Dianne whispered in her ear “Let me take care of you”. Hands raised Anna’s knees, gently parting them before the lips left her mouth and moved down her body.

Reaching the spot which was now warm and aching for touch, fingers gently parted her moist lips. Dianne’s tongue circled her clit, sending a fire surging through Anna’s body that she had never felt. Her hands gripped the bedspread, pulling it tight as she tried not to writhe too much below Dianne’s expert hands and tongue.

The fire spread, igniting her very molecules, and the familiar feeling of oncoming orgasm began to take form. Dianne recognised Anna’s state almost intuitively as if they had become one being and she felt fingers push inside her as the pleasure exploded and pulsated through her very existence. She relaxed then, Dianne kissing her as the tingling in her fingertips slowly subsided.

As she lay on the bed recovering, Anna heard Dianne move into the bathroom, the sound of running water falling into the bathtub. She could not believe what had just happened, yet it felt so right, almost ethereal, as if it was fate assigned to them by a higher power. Anna knew then, she had fallen for Dianne in a way she had never loved anyone else before.

Silently, Dianne guided Anna into a warm bath. She sighed as the fluid covered her body, any concerns she may have had flowing into the water around her. A sponge, covered in suds, began soaping her skin. As Dianne moved it slowly in circles over Anna she leaned in “Tell me you will stay with me. I’m a jealous person and I do not want to lose you. If you remain with me I can make you complete.”

Anna turned her head, kissing Dianne lightly “I don’t think I could ever leave you even if I wanted to. There is something about you that is otherworldly and my heart has been captured.”

Dianne ceased washing and Anna heard a slight clicking noise. “I told you when I lived in Ireland I was known as Dian. I was a god then, I healed people who had been harmed by events such as war and accident. I had a well which was named Slane and the waters tended to the wounds of soldiers. Now I am Dianne and I bring the waters of Slane to you.”

Anna felt water fall over her open eyes, Dianne’s mouth kissed each in turn. Her eyes began feeling pressure and she closed them, not knowing what her new love had done. Once the feeling passed, she opened them, seeing silvery grey eyes looking back at her. As the raven haired beauty that was Dianne leaned in to kiss her again, Anna stroked the porcelain face and knew she was now whole.