Chapter Text
One Month Ago
-----
Madeline winces as she is slammed against the bathroom door. Although, that pain is quickly forgotten as the redhead who is pressing her into said door slots her knee in between Madeline’s thighs, eliciting a moan from the blonde.
Madeline should pull away. She doesn’t do this-
Okay, that’s a lie. She does, a little too frequently.
What she means is she doesn’t do this in the bar bathroom. She and the woman of whatever night it is usually make it back to someone’s apartment instead.
But, it’s New Year’s Eve, and Madeline has had one too many cosmopolitans to be making any sound decisions (or thinking of calling a cab), and this woman is probably the sexiest person Madeline has ever had the pleasure to make out with.
Oh - more than make out with, she thinks as the redhead’s hand makes her way under Madeline’s skirt. Madeline moans loudly.
“Fuck-”
“Shh,” the redhead lifts her head from the crook of Madeline’s neck. “The music out there may be loud, but there’s still a chance people can hear us.”
“Like I care.”
The redhead grins like the Cheshire cat.
“Well, in that case-” She puts two fingers inside Madeline, with no further preamble.
Madeline moans, clinging to the redhead’s shoulders.
God, and they don’t even know each other’s names yet.
Madeline desperately wants to know her name.
Before she can ask though, the redhead has removed her fingers and is kissing her senseless, and Madeline decides she has been idle long enough as she starts to undo the buttons on the other woman’s shirt.
The redhead stops her though, before she can get all the buttons undone.
“Leave them,” she says, swatting Madeline’s hands away.
Madeline pouts, “But I want to see what’s hiding under this incredibly high-necked shirt.”
The woman chuckles, “Sorry, I guess you’ll just have to use your imagination.”
“I’ve never had much of an imagination. You should show me-”
The redhead sighs and undoes the last of the buttons, leaving Madeline speechless.
“Okay, what the fuck?”
Another laugh from the other woman.
“No, I’m serious,” Madeline continues, practically drooling. “Why the hell would you keep those hidden? No, actually, I get it. If those were out all the time, no one would get any work done.”
“You’re babbling.”
“Well, yes, I tend to do that when I am unbelievably turned on.”
“Ah, well, how do you stop it?”
“Unsure. I don’t think I’ve ever been this turned on before.”
Another laugh. God, she needs to keep this woman laughing.
“Well, how about this,” the redhead grabs her by the hips, maneuvering them until Madeline is sitting on the sink counter. Staring Madeline in the eyes, the other woman sinks down until she’s eye level with Madeline’s underwear.
Hooking a finger around each side of Madeline’s thong, she pulls it down in one movement. Tossing it to the side, the woman latches onto Madeline’s cunt, running her tongue up the length of her, stopping to make circular movements around Madeline’s clit, until Madeline can barely hold herself upright.
“Fuck-”
“Again, with the loudness-”
Madeline grunts, pushing the redhead’s head back between her legs.
“Don’t you dare stop.” This earns her a chuckle that Madeline can feel radiating through her entire lower body.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Madeline can feel herself getting closer, as the redhead inserts two fingers, twisting them in a specific way to send Madeline’s eyes to the back of her head. Soon enough, the blonde is yelling-
“Fuck, I’m so close-”
“I know, let go for me baby.”
The term of endearment - from a woman whose name she doesn’t even know - is enough to send Madeline over the edge.
As she catches her breath, the other woman makes her way up Madeline’s body, leaving kisses over her clothing until she reaches the blonde’s neck and starts to suck on her pulsepoint.
Madeline lightly pushes her back. “Your turn.”
Before they can move, though, there’s a knock on the door.
The voice of an obviously uncomfortable bar employee comes through the door, “Listen, I don’t want to know what’s going on in there, but there’s a line forming out here and we’ve had complaints about… noises. So, whatever you’re doing, stop it.”
The redhead regains composure first, shouting, “Just a sec!” through the door as she begins to rebutton her shirt.
After composing themselves, the pair makes their way out of the bathroom, coming face to face with a long line of people waiting, glaring at them.
Madeline scoffs, “Oh, like none of you have ever gotten it on in public.”
Several people blush. The redhead laughs.
As they make their way back towards the bar, Madeline feels an arm around her waist.
When she goes to sit on a barstool, the redhead stops her, sitting down first and pulling Madeline to stand between her legs.
“Oh.”
“What? Me eating you out in the bathroom was fine, but this is too much?”
Madeline laughs, “No, of course not. I welcome this, in fact. I just wasn’t expecting it, that's all.”
The redhead pulls her impossibly closer, whispering, “Let me get you a drink?”
Madeline grins, nodding. When the redhead tilts her head, Madeline realizes she’s waiting on her drink of choice.
“Oh! Um, I’ll take a cosmo, thank you.”
Madeline then leans forward, pressing a quick kiss to the redhead’s lips.
Now it’s the other woman’s turn to say, “Oh.”
Madeline chuckles, “See, it catches you off guard, doesn’t it?”
“Shut up.” The redhead turns to order their drinks, lightly squeezing Madeline’s hips.
Madeline takes the opportunity to stare at the woman in front of her. She’s really gorgeous. Madeline wasn’t kidding when she said she shouldn’t hide behind the high cut top she has on.
The woman turns back around to find Madeline staring. “What? Do I have something on my face?”
Madeline shakes her head, “No, just… you’re beautiful.”
A blush overtakes the woman’s cheeks. “Oh, well, so are you.”
“I was not expecting to meet anyone tonight, let alone someone like you.”
“Like me?”
“You’re different from the women I usually meet at places like this.”
“Oh, and you meet a lot of women, huh?”
“No,” Madeline laughs. “Well, sometimes, but that’s not what I meant.”
“What did you mean then?”
“You seem more… real.”
“Real, huh? You don’t even know my name.”
“Well, then why don’t you tell me? My name’s-”
Then, the redhead’s phone rings.
“Shit, I’m sorry, I have to take this,” she says, picking up the phone as Madeline catches the name Esther on the screen. Shit, does she have a girlfriend? Madeline tries her best not to eavesdrop, really, she does. But she’s standing right there.
“-No, of course I don’t mind, I- No, I’m not drunk. Yes, I am out, but I haven’t had anything yet- Yes, I’ll be right there.”
As she turns back to Madeline, the blonde says, “I take it you have to leave.”
The redhead sighs, “Yes, unfortunately. My sister needs me to pick my niece up from a sleepover. She’s working late and my niece got sick-”
So, not a girlfriend.
Madeline smiles, “I understand. I hope your niece feels better.”
The other woman smiles softly, “Listen, could I possibly get your num-”
The phone rings again, the redhead picking it up immediately with a sigh, “Yes, yes I said I am on my way- I’m literally walking out the door now, I swear-”
Mouthing “I’m sorry” at the blonde, she presses one last kiss to Madeline’s cheek and she starts to walk away.
By the time she watches the redhead open the door to the bar, Madeline realizes they never exchanged numbers.
Sprinting - as fast as one can sprint through a crowd of drunk people dancing in one large group to Get Low - she runs to the door to try and catch the other woman before she leaves.
But, she makes it outside just in time to see a flash of red hair disappear into a cab and drive off.
Fuck. She never even got the woman’s name.
__________________________________________________
Present Day - February
-----
Helen is so incredibly late. She promised to be there to pick up her niece half an hour ago. But, her agent, Lisle, would hear none of it and wouldn’t let Helen leave until they had finished editing the latest chapter of Helen’s upcoming book. God her sister’s going to kill her for being late.
As she enters the school gym, her niece, Juliet (Yes, as in Romeo And Juliet. Helen and her sister both have an affinity for Shakespeare), is talking animatedly to her theater and music teacher, a woman with her back to Helen. Juliet, spotting her aunt, jumps up and runs to Helen, who squats down enough to the 12 year old’s height to wrap the girl in a hug.
“Hi, Aunt Ellen,” Juliet had struggled with H’s as a toddler, and the nickname stuck. Though, she is the only one allowed to call Helen that. “Guess what we did today?”
Pulling back from the hug, Helen responds, grinning at the little girl who starts rambling, “We did improvisation. We had to take one word and build a whole scene off of it! And Ms. Ashton said I did it best, but that I can’t tell anyone else.”
As Helen laughs at her nieces’ antics, she hears a loud gasp from the girl’s teacher. Looking up, she is immediately met with blue eyes - eyes she realizes she recognizes.
It’s the blonde from the bar.
Flashes of blonde hair, soft skin, hands gripping her shoulders, and loud moans enter Helen’s brain all at once.
The blonde - Ms. Ashton - recovers first.
Sticking her hand out for Helen to shake she says, “Ms. Sharp, I presume? Your sister said you would be picking up Juliet today. Though, she also said you’d be on time.”
Shaking the woman’s hand, Helen grimaces, “Yes, I do apologize, my editor-”
“It does not matter why you were late, Ms. Sharp. What matters is that you were, and Juliet was upset.”
Helen stiffens, “Like I said, it wasn’t on purpose. And Juliet seems fine to me.”
“Now, maybe.”
The two women stare at each other, neither realizing they are still grasping the other’s hand.
They both notice at the same time, each letting go as if burned.
“Well,” Helen says, turning to Juliet. “We should be going. Your mother will be home soon.”
Turning back to the blonde, she says, “It was a… pleasure to meet you, Ms…?”
“Ashton. And, likewise, Ms. Sharp. I trust today was just a… one time thing?”
Looking into Ms. Ashton’s eyes, Helen can tell she’s also thinking of the other… one time thing.
“I guess that all depends, doesn’t it? On my sister, I mean.”
“Mm. Yes, well, have a good evening,” turning to Juliet, she grins, “Both of you. I’ll see you tomorrow, Juliet.”
“Bye, Ms. Ashton! Come on, Aunt Ellen, let’s goooo.”
With one last look back at the blonde, Helen lets herself be dragged out of the room.
She’s fucked.
But also, why was the blonde almost… rude? Bitchy, is a better word. Maybe, Helen thinks, she dodged a bullet.
Sitting through dinner at her sister’s house, she can’t help but think of Ms. Ashton. All that, and she still doesn’t know the woman’s first name.
Sure, she could look it up, but where’s the fun - the mystery - in that?
No, Helen decides, she should not think about the woman at all anymore. If they were meant to continue their interaction from last month, they would have exchanged numbers. Or the woman wouldn’t have been so rude today.
“-Helen, are you even listening?”
Helen’s head shoots up to her sister.
Before she can respond, Esther sighs, “Don’t bother answering that, you clearly weren’t. You’re going to wish you had been, though, when you hear what I’ve had to say.”
“What, Esther?”
“Mother called. They’re coming to visit.”
Jesus fucking christ.
“Sure, because why would she call me to let me know? When? So that I know when to flee the county.”
“Oh, no. You are not going to leave me to fend for myself.”
“Oh, yes, I do believe I am.”
“No, Helen.”
“Have you forgotten what happened last time Mother and I were in a room together?”
It had ended with tears and both women getting slapped.
“Of course not, which is why you need to bury the hatchet.”
“In her back, maybe.”
“Helen. Be an adult.”
“Fine! Whatever. When are they coming?”
“In April, for Juliet’s Spring Concert.”
Great, so not only does she have to deal with her parents, she has to deal with seeing Juliet’s teacher again all in the same event. Awesome.
“Awesome. That gives me two months to fake my death and leave the country.”
“Don’t be so dramatic. You may have minored in acting in college, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to be a drama queen in everyday life.”
“Okay, fuc-”
“Stop! Juliet, honey, can you go play for a minute in the other room?”
As soon as Helen is sure the girl is out of earshot she says, “What I was going to say is fuck you.”
“I figured,” Esther responds with an eye roll. “Look, I know that you and mom don’t get along. Believe me. I fucking know, after that stunt you pulled-”
“Okay, we don’t need to bring that up again.”
“I think we do, actually. You two argued over my husband’s casket, Helen.”
And here’s where Helen officially feels bad. Esther’s husband John, Juliet’s dad, had died two years ago, suddenly. Heart attack way too young. Juliet had just turned ten, Esther had just found out she was pregnant with their second - that she later miscarried from the heartbreak of losing her husband.
“And I am never going to be able to apologize for that enough, Esther, you know that. But, I cannot be in the same room as her, not after what she called me.”
“I get it, I do. But you will. For Juliet’s sake. And you will behave.”
“As long as she does too.”
“I will talk to her, I promise.”
“Fine. For Juliet. To see her concert.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me until April; until we make it through the evening without a hitch.”
“Fair enough.”
Helen moves to stand, “On that note, I have to get home. I have a few more notes to send to Lisle.”
“Alright. Oh - don’t think I’m going to forget you being late to pick her up today, by the way.”
“Damn, so close to getting out the door without that coming up. How’d you even know, anyways?”
“Her teacher texted me when you weren’t there at pickup.”
Helen rolls her eyes, “Of course she did.”
“What’s with the eye roll? Did you not like her?”
“I don’t know, she seemed a little bitchy to me.”
“Well, keep your feelings to yourself around Juliet. Ms. Ashton is her favorite teacher, and she’s been nothing but good to Juliet.”
“Fine, I won’t say a word. Okay, seriously I’ve got to go. Juliet!” Helen yells down the hall, so she can say bye to her niece.
After ten minutes of hugs and Juliet begging her not to leave, Helen finally makes it out the door. When she gets back to her apartment, she finds a basket with cookies in it on her welcome mat.
Carrying it inside, she notices there’s a note. Opening it, she realizes it’s from her new neighbor. Helen thankfully is on the corner, so she only shares a wall with one person. The last tenant had been a young bartender, meaning he was only ever home during the day and working at night, so he had never bothered Helen. She just hopes this new neighbor is as quiet.
Opening the note, she realizes she might not be so lucky.
“Hey, Neighbor!
I’m Madeline, I just moved into the apartment next door this afternoon. I wanted to give you these cookies and write this as a formal apology. I am currently going through the audition process for a Broadway musical, meaning I will be singing. A lot. Just for the next few weeks; although, I tend to sing regardless of if I’m going through auditions. I work during the day, so it’ll only start around four o’clock, and I will make sure I’m done at a reasonable hour. Still, I wanted to offer an apology in advance.
Enjoy the cookies!
- Madeline
P.S. If you need anything, text me!”
The new neighbor had left her number at the bottom of the page.
Helen considers it for a second before pulling out her phone.
Entering the number, she shoots off a text, to Madeline:
“Madeline, this is Helen, your next door neighbor. Thank you for the cookies - and the warning!”
She receives an almost immediate text back, which is surprising given that it’s ten o’clock at night.
“hi! i hope you enjoy them they’re my own special recipe <3”
Helen grabs a cookie, taking a bite as she leans against the counter, phone in her other hand to answer the text. She’s trying not to wince at the other woman’s lack of proper punctuation and capitalization.
“I am trying one now; they’re wonderful, thank you. Also, you won’t bother me. I am usually out of the house most of the day, and when I’m home I have music of my own playing. I’m also a night owl, so any late hour won’t bother me. As long as you’re a good singer ;)”
“oh don’t worry i am ;) hope to see you around soon helen!!!”
Helen grimaces at the grammar again, before setting her phone down.
A Broadway performer. This should be interesting.