Sapphic Voices Romance

Second Rate Dreams

Anne woke up to Brie bitching again. "Anne how come they are so many dishes in the damn sink!" Anne rubbed her head and opened her eyes. They hurt and were blurry. One eye hurt more than the other and she rubbed the swollen eye. It was her right eye that was pretty much messed up. Brie had hit her again because she had forgotten to call the gas company to get the gas reconnected. She heard Bries heavy footsteps getting closer and closer. Soon Brie's tall lean figure hovered over her. Anne winced. "Are you going to get up today? huh? Are do you just going to lie in bed?" Brie stared down at her, her brown eyes glared. Brie's eyes were so dark they were almost black. When you looked into them it was like they burned straight through you. Anne wondered if Brie had stolen the devil's eyes.

Anne looked over at the clock, "I guess I am ready to get up." She sighed it was never her choice because Anne was in a wheelchair and get not move herself. Brie picked her up in one swoop dumping her into her chair.

"I gotta go to work." Brie said grunting. Brie was like a man in many ways very rough and even vulgar. Brie even looked like a man. Flat-chested, semi-short hair, she never wore makeup ever.

"Brie aren't you going to give me a bath?" Anne sat there in disbelief how Brie could be so abrupt.

"No your caregiver can." Brie said. She turned around and walked meaning that was the final word on that. Brie took care of her only when it was absolutely necessary. Brie used to be so good at giving her whatever she wanted but time had passed. A lot of time, a year in fact. Brie sighed with Melanie it wasn't different she would do most of what she wanted. Towards the end Mel had gotten a little lazy but that was Anne's fault she had let her. Mel had an anxiety disorder and had a lot of migraines so it was hard sometimes for her to get up and around. They had plans to move in together. They had even saved up money. They had found a beautiful apartment with a fireplace and a view of the lake. Now she lived in a small run-down trailer on the edge of town. So much for dreams.. Her mind wondered what ever happened to Mel. The last day was so horrible. Mel had drove off crying and then called a few times telling her how upset she was and that was it. Anne tried to call a few weeks later but the number was disconnected. Anne still loved her. There was a knock on the door interrupting her thoughts. It was probably the caregiver. "Come in." She said, as she remembered Mel's pretty face in her mind. Long blonde hair, big green eyes, dimples and a baby face. She had looked 16 but she was much older than that.

If only she knew whatever happened to her? where was Mel now...


Melanie got up with a sigh. It was a Monday and how Melanie hated Mondays. She groaned reaching for the switch to the tiffany lamp on her bedside table. She had to go work at Starbucks for a few hours and come back to watch her sister's kids. She hated her job so much but that was all she could find. It was only 3 hours from 10 am to 1 PM but still that was a busy time. People had lunch breaks at that time. It was the second busiest time next to the morning shift. There was a time when she had been happy with her job and her life. Now it was OK but nothing compared to what it would have been. She sighed she could not think of that again. It had been a year now and that was the past.

"Mel" Her sister's voice called from down the hall.

"What Colette?" Mel rubbed her eyes. They always itched in the morning.

"Are you going to work today?"

"Yes, I think so." Mel was tempted to just call in sick. She was feeling headachy again.Mel rubbed her head. She often got lots of head aches. She went to the doctor for them and he gave her medicine but it never helped.

Mel got up walking into the bathroom. She opened the medicine cabinet. She stared into it. There were old prescription pills of various kinds for anxieties and headaches. She looked through grabbing a bottle of Zanax. She wondered what would happen if she took the whole bottle. She opened them and took a few out. swallowing the pills.


Anne was done taking a bath so she was eating breakfast. Her caregiver Tiffany had questioned her many times about her eye. Anne had told she had fallen off the bed. But both knew that was not the truth. It wasn't the first time she had a black and would not be the last. Brie had hurt her many times. She had bruised her ribs, cracked her hip, given her many black eyes. Mel had only hit her twice and she had felt so bad about it. Brie didn't care though. She rarely apologized and when she did. It did not sound sincere. Anne wanted to talk to Mel again. True Anne had ended it but not because she really wanted to but because she felt like she had to. Mel was having a tough time with her anxieties and Anne thought she just needed some time alone. She had wanted to call Mel several times in fact she had gotten as far as looking up her number in the white pages. She had a found a listing for a Melanie Grec. She had written that number down. She knew it was probably her number because her last name was not too common. She even placed it where she could find it but Brie would not see. She asked Tiffany to bring her the box with the number in it. Enough curiosity she had to call Mel. Tiffany handed her a small silver box. Anne kept her ring that Mel had given her a long time a go in there. Brie had asked what it was and she had said it was something her grandmother had given her so Brie never mentioned it again. Anne's grandmother had passed away years a go. they had been very close. Anne opened the box taking out a small piece of paper. "Tiffany can you pass me the phone." She asked looking down at the number.

Tiffany passed her the phone. Anne dialed the number quickly. Her heart raced. What would she say? The phone rang and a someone picked up.

"Hello" a girl's voice said.

Anne froze.


The phone ringing stopped Mel from swallowing more than 3 pills. Although Mel now felt groggy it would pass soon enough. She picked up the phone. "Hello" Mel said her voice raspy and soft.

There a long pause on the other end. Someone cleared their throat. "Hi" a voice said lightly.

Mel's heart jumped it sounded like Anne. Anne was Mel's last ex. It had been a messy break up but they had both loved each other deeply that it was hard. "Anne", Mel said with tears in her eyes.

Anne started crying. " I love you still, can come get me and take me away from here?"

"Where are you at?" Mel asked shocked that she had called after so long.

"At my new house with Brie, in Northeast side."

Mel nodded her head. She had expected her to go live with Brie after all she was part of the reason they had broken up! Mel hesitated. Mel was dating a girl Stephanie on and off but they weren't committed "It's been so long, Anne.." Mels voice trailed off. She wanted to go and get, bring her to her house. It had been so long and what if Brie came after her? Mel's life had changed since then it was no longer built around Anne. Mel shook her head instead what if Anne was hurt."Tell me your address. I will be right there." Anne told her and Mel wrote down the address. Mel had told her she would always be there for Anne no questions asked and she was.


Anne sat there waiting her bags packed. She wanted to try to build a new life with Mel. This was not just a spur of the moment decision she had thought about this for a while now. Suddenly there was knock on her door. Tiffany opened it and there was Mel. Mel looked a little worn out but just as beautiful as ever. Mel's green eyes still sparkled but were dulled slightly. Mel came over to Anne slowly at first then just scooped her up quickly.

"Oh baby, I missed you so much." Mel cried, steadying Anne in her arms.

Anne's tears filled her eyes. She had missed being in Mel's strong arms.Mel was only 5ft 4 but had the strongest arms of any girl she had ever know.

Mel looked down at Anne's black eye. "What happened are you OK?"

Anne shrugged, "I feel but I am OK now." She whispered her heart feeling ready to burst.

"I will kick her butt!" Mel protested. putting Anne back in her chair.

"No" Anne said in a firm tone let's just go.

"You are so beautiful." Mel said.

Anne just shrugged she knew she was just average with her short brown hair and blue eyes but she didn't mind being called beautiful.

Mel picked up Anne's stuff.

Now they could get that apartment by the lake. Now they could sit by each other by the fire. Anne sighed as Mel closed the door to their second rate dreams.

The End

If you have enjoyed Summer Lynn Forester's "Second Rate Dreams", then please be certain to e-mail her at  SummerLynnForester[at]yahoo.com  and thank her for posting this Story.

Click here for a list of all of Summer Lynn Forester's  Stories and Poetry at  Sapphic Voices Authoresses.