Chapter Text
Despite the hazy bar, the beauty of a newcomer was easy to find. Maya’s eyes had been trained on the golden-brown strands of hair, the way it had fallen past the shoulders and down to the mystery woman’s back.
It was Maya’s stomping ground; she’d found the bar in her early 20s and had become a regular. Everyone knew her name inside, but her name would never be spoken outside by other members. Frankly, this bar was illegal and hard to find. It was a gay bar, the only bar in the city of Seattle. The city had its issue with the ‘others’, Maya’s family had issues with those people as well. They were happy their family hadn’t been cursed like many others, unbeknownst to them, Maya was. The one thing, her family could live with were the one difference she’d been born with. They didn’t have a name for it, it was the 1950s. But Maya had a cock, to her it represented evil. Despite the loving childhood home, she’d grown up in, Maya knew her family couldn’t accept her fully.
Women were beautiful, and whiskey tasted better on her one-night stand’s skin. It had been a while since she’d experienced what she’d craved, her time in the last war had torn her skin to shreds. Scars painted her back and her left shoulder. No tattoo could ever cover not only the physical scars but the mental scars of what she’d seen. She wasn’t on some battle ground shooting people face to face; she was in the air flying hundreds of miles. She loved her team, but only one member still remained: Andy. They’d been through it all together. She was Maya’s first friend in the air force, the first person to find out everything about Maya. And possibly the first person outside of the bar that had accepted her wholeheartedly.
For Carina, she didn’t quite know how she’d found this place. She shouldn’t have come, her husband at home had been told she had plans to see friends. He’d dismissed her and asked when his dinner would be on the table. It wasn’t a marriage built on love but rather money. Her dad owned multiple businesses around Seattle and Sicily, he was a worldly and well-known figure around the town. If he’d find out that his well-to-do daughter had been perusing a lesbian bar, she was sure she’d lose everything she’d ever loved. She’d known what she felt for years but in her family, those were never something to consider. The first time she’d ever been with a woman was when she was 18, she’d already been married for a year. A summer vacation at home, led her to meeting a very attractive gardener on her father’s estate. With those soft touches, Carina felt more than she ever had with her husband.
Carina’s fingers stroked the rim of her wine glass as she thought of her next move, she’d never been in a space where laughter and alcohol could mix without any consequences, her husband had a heavy hand after a few drinks. Maybe this lesbian bar wasn’t the place for her, but it was an excuse. Her excuse to give herself some space and prolong said space before she’d have to return.
Across the room, Maya’s eyes remained on the brunette’s hair. She’d been out of practice for months, even years. Her mind had been made up; this mystery brunette would be the first of many. With that, she stood up and the room silenced. The piano in the corner changed tune, the happy jingles turned into a slower more romantic sounding song. The blonde was well known in this bar, the regulars knew the way she’d hit on women. They’d all grown accustomed to it, years ago they would have betted on it.
With the sudden silence, the brunette turned around and found too captivating blue eyes staring right at her. Her eyes for a second left and took in the gaze of all the other women. One of her eyebrows rose as she observed the blonde get closer and closer.
“1920s heavy red, I don’t think anyone has ever bought that drink in these parts. Women here prefer whiskey or something quite sweet.” Maya commented, the brown eyes, the birth mark above the lip had momentarily thrown her off of her game.
“This is still very sweet.” Carina muttered; she took a sip before her eyes found the blues; she knew could be dangerous.
“Attractive accent, hot body, and nice hair. You tick all the boxes. Can I buy you another a drink?” Maya rudely spoke, Carina felt a taken back from the comments.
“There’s a lot more to a person than their physical appearance. I’d prefer to drink wine alone” Carina almost growled back.
“Jesus, it’s not gonna happen guys. A round for everyone” Maya spoke, cheers were heard from all around them.
“Please leave me alone” Carina spoke, she took a larger sip as she turned to face the wall behind the bar filled with unopened bottles.
Maya simply walked away; she regretted those words. A high-class woman would never enjoy those words, or her usual play at hand.
-
Multiple drinks had been downed by the blonde; the glass whiskey bottle only now held the residue of the amber liquid. She watched the brunette leave the bar and sighed.
“You know you could have said anything but what you did.” The barmaid spoke. Maya nodded; she followed the brunette out but lost her in the crowd. The cold air acted like a bucket of water, she inhaled and finally found the brunette entering a large Rolls Royce, this woman had power and money. She wouldn’t have either if people knew her secret expenditures on a queer bar in downtown Seattle.
The drive home from the bar was eye opening and sobering. Her driver was trusted, he knew never to speak unless spoken to, with that he only ever spoke to Carina. The winding roads and the black gates protecting her mansion on the hill from the ‘peasants’ left Carina wondering how her husband would be.
With the click of her door opening, and the light slamming of the door once she’d left the car. She prepared her for whatever sight she’d see. So, she walked, she entered her large home and walked to their shared bedroom. Her eyes clicked and clacked against the marble floor as she found her way through the decorated halls.
The bedroom door eerily squeaked as she pulled it open and then closed, her husband was asleep, a glass of whiskey hung lazily from his calloused fingers off the side of the bed, while a book rested on his chest, rising, and falling with each breath. One day she’d hope to leave but tonight, she’d find herself pretending to sleep; and dream of a future she could only wish for.
Across the city, Maya had trudged up to her apartment. It in itself was large for someone of her pay grade. It overlooked a city square where a fountain rhythmically sprayed water. The floors creaked and one side of her bed had lowed exponentially through her amorous activities over the years. This was home, her new home away from her family’s eyes and away from the recorded address known only to the air force, she wasn’t going back. She wanted a new life, she wanted to find herself.
-
Weeks had passed and Carina had been reeling to return to that bar. It was an unexplored life she wanted to invest in. On the night of her husband’s monthly meeting with her father, she found herself in her car moving smoothly towards the center of downtown Seattle. She’d dressed up for the night, she knew her husband would drink himself to sleep.
Across town, Maya found herself sitting in her usual chair. The broken leather scratched her bare arms as she palmed her whiskey glass. From her place, she watched the busy bar move around her. She’d gotten a phone call hours earlier from Andy explaining how she’d be moving to Seattle permanently. It was good news for the most part, the only issue was that Maya wanted a new life. She’d left the air force, she’d left everyone behind, but Andy was coming.
Maya’s thoughts clouded her brain until she saw the familiar brunette enter the bar with a level of confidence usually only exuded by the regulars like herself. Their eyes met and for a second time stood still, Maya was sure she’d had enough whiskey at that exact point. She shook her head and stood up.
Carina ordered wine yet again, she felt highly sophisticated around the workers of the day. Today had been a particularly bad day for her, her husband came forward with another business proposal her dad wouldn’t spare a second looking. That’s who her husband was, he was spineless, aggressive, and unintelligent. But his parents had money and that was the only criteria needed.
“You’re back. I didn’t think you’d want to be seen around here” Maya muttered, she pointed to Carina’s glass and to herself, signalling she’d like the same thing. “While you’re here, I suppose I should try your drink of choice” Carina nodded but continued to face forward.
“Okay then. There’s no reason to ignore me. I understand I was rude last time, but I didn’t think you’d be so stuck-up that you’d ignore someone below your paygrade” Maya sneered, she didn’t mean a word she’d spoken but she wanted a reaction.
“I truly do not care enough to give you the attention you believe you deserve. Can I just enjoy my wine alone?” Carina begged.
“No one should drink wine alone, especially now that I’m sharing the bottle.” Maya replied, she watched Carina expel a heavy sigh before she chugged the rest of her wine glass leaving Maya’s eyes wide with somewhat surprise.
“If I can’t enjoy my wine alone, I’ll go somewhere else.” Carina didn’t spare a second to look at anything but the door she was heading to.
“What is wrong with that woman?” Maya muttered to herself; Carina had become a problem that Maya wanted to solve. Why would someone come here?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud scream outside the bar. She hurried through, her experience in the air force pulled through her as she prepared herself for whatever would be on the other side. She pulled the door open to find three men inappropriately touching and shouting at the brunette.
Her body reacted before her thoughts could align with the scene in front of her. She punched, kicked, and strangled with precision until all three men had collapsed on the floor. Their cheap suits had been ripped and their skin had started to bruise.
“Of course, it would be you who would try to be a hero” Carina rolled her eyes at Maya and started her walk back to the car.
“Are you okay?” Maya called from behind her, Carina slightly shook her head at the persistence the blonde had to be near her.
“Perfectly fine, I’d just like to get home to my husband” Carina confessed, shocking Maya in the process. Now why would a married, sophisticated woman enter a gay bar more than once?
“I’d like to make sure you are okay. I’m trained, don’t worry. Entertain me for 10 minutes” Maya spoke, she followed the brunette to the car and got in, much to Carina’s annoyance. Carina’s driver looked up but with a single nod of reassurance, he pulled away and started the drive back.
-
The ride to the grand house amazed Maya, she could feel the engine vibrate the car it brought her back to her fighter plane she’d once flown in. Before long, the gates appeared, and the car drove them up the stoned drive. Maya’s eyes glistened with wonder; she hadn’t exactly grown up around the rich and wealthy.
“In we go. Where we met will not be discussed and if my husband joins our conversation, you will state that we’d met at the country club where you stopped a fight.” Carina stated rules immediately, she wasn’t ready for her life to fall apart. She didn’t want to give the strange woman the power to do so either. Maya just nodded along, as they walked through the house, her eyes remained on the back of the brunette’s body. She took in the curves, the model-esque body she could only dream of touching. Her eyes only strayed from the woman in front of her when she saw wedding portraits, the brunette’s smile hadn’t reached her eyes in any of them. A heartbreaking sight for most, but for Maya; maybe this had given her a chance. Much like Maya, Carina’s eyes were trained ahead. She didn’t want to see the faked pictures representing a happy day they’d faked.
“Here’s the kitchen. Everything you’re looking for is in that cabinet” Carina directed, she dropped loudly into a chair and watched the blonde. The blonde had captivated her; obviously different to most of the people she’d ever known.
“It looks like you’re bleeding from your shoulder, eyebrow, and knee. Tell me if it hurts” Maya warned before she started tending to each wound meticulously. It hadn’t hurt Carina.
Carina found herself amazed by the care she’d been given.
“A woman who is educated in first aid. I don’t think that’s very common” Carina remarked, she knew it sounded odd to say.
“I fought in Poland; you’re taught to look after others and yourself in case you’re shot. A grazed knee is hardly as serious as being shot. Once you’re taught it, you can’t get rid of it.” Maya mutters, her memories fill her brain as she’s taken back to the last week of duty. Her comrades were happy, they were going home… until they weren’t. It took one single grenade and Maya lost her family, the people she’d chosen. The people she’d made plans with to have a barbecue with.
“Very brave” Carina replied.
“Did you husband fight?” Maya asked and got a shake of the brunette’s head as a response.
“Sounds like I’m more of a man than your husband. I probably have the muscles to show it” Maya joked; she rolled her sleeves up to show her biceps. The defined muscles were something Carina nearly drooled at.
“You might just beat him on the muscle part, but I don’t think you’d quite hit the requirements for a man.” Carina chuckled, she watched Maya’s hands leave her body before the blonde’s left hand palmed her crotch, showing the length and thickness any woman would desire.
“I think you stand corrected” Maya joked, she swiftly turned around to both brace herself for any reaction and to put the rest of the bandages away.
“I guess I do.” Carina softly smiled; her brain was working on overdrive as she tried to come to terms with the mystery in front of her. “I think my husband is just parking up, I’ll follow you out” she spoke and began to lead Maya back through the halls of her house. Before they reached the front door, Carina stopped and turned quickly.
“Thank you for being a hero” She spoke sincerely.
“You owe me a drink. Next time you come to my parts, I’d like a whiskey on the rocks” Maya teased, and Carina simply nodded. She had the money to throw away. Finally, the fresh air hit both of them, sobering both up just in time for the tall dark-haired man to reach them.
As the couple whispered sweet things to each other, Maya took her chance to leave. But as she walked, she felt like she had to look back, so she did. In that moment, the world stopped, the tall man had raised his hand and Carina had flinched. The man looked over meeting Maya’s eyes, before softly stroking his wife’s cheek. The blonde found herself in two minds to leave. Carina’s marriage had nothing to do with her, so she left, and she hated herself for it.