Taxi - Trials
By
Sophia DeLuna
*****
PUBLISHED BY:
Taxi - Trials
Copyright © 2013 by Sophia DeLuna
Cover design
Copyright © 2013 by Sophia DeLuna
*****
As always, I want to say thank you to my wonderful friend and editor, Agota.
You are the best!
*****
Taxi - Trials
"She's staring at me," said Ulrike, unable to concentrate on her lover’s gentle wake-up treatment.
Casting a quick glance at her Norwegian Forest Cat, Tabitha, who was sitting on the chest of drawers, Carmen grinned and said, "She's just admiring your beauty," and she went on placing soft kisses on Ulrike’s neck and shoulders.
Ulrike snorted. “To me she looks rather as if she is pondering which part of my body she should scratch to pieces next."
"She would never do that," protested Carmen, her brown eyes sparkling, "She is a very gentle cat."
"Gentle my ass!" said Ulrike, "She's already done it twice!"
Disengaging herself from Ulrike, Carmen sat up and exclaimed, "I have already told you that the first time was a misunderstanding," referring to the first night Ulrike had spent at Carmen's place, when Ulrike had been rudely awakened by a slap in the face with extended claws. She still bore the now faded scratch marks of that encounter. "She wasn't used to someone lying on her side of the bed and was scared when she jumped up and a stranger was there. And the second time was your fault."
Turning onto her side to face her partner, and propping herself up on her elbow, Ulrike said, "And I've told you that it is hardly my fault that I didn't see her in the dark," defending herself for the time when Tabitha had attacked her as she went to the loo at night, and fumbling for the light switch, had accidentally touched Tabitha who was lying on her scratch tree next to the switch.
"Well, it wasn't her fault either. You probably woke her up and she thought you were attacking her," countered Carmen, underlining her words with gestures, as was her habit.
"Yeah, well," muttered Ulrike, "Always attack first and think later. Are you really sure she is female?"
"She is as much a female as you are," said Carmen, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Squinting at Carmen, Ulrike asked mock-seriously, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I just say, boxer shorts," said Carmen dryly.
"It's not my fault that they are incapable of producing comfortable women's underwear!" said Ulrike with a shrug. "I'm already compromising by wearing boxer shorts instead of men's briefs when I'm with you."
"Madre de Dios! You are soo considerate," said Carmen mockingly, and playfully throwing a pillow at Ulrike, she swung her legs out of bed and said, “I’ll make breakfast.”
Chuckling, Ulrike pressed the pillow to her face and inhaled deeply, relishing in her partner's scent. God, she loved this woman!
Then, finally letting go of the pillow, she got up as well, giving the chest of drawers a wide berth, on which Tabitha was still sitting and watching her every move. “I'm sorry for causing you so much inconvenience,” said Ulrike, surprising herself by actually meaning it. She still thought that Tabitha was a terribly spoilt little madam, and an aggressive one at that, but on some level Ulrike felt sympathy for the grey Norwegian. She had been Carmen’s priority for eight years after all, and now coming second, at least some of the time, was certainly not easy. Grabbing her shorts from the chair and a fresh T-shirt and boxer shorts from the bag she had put at the foot of the bed the previous night, Ulrike headed for the bathroom, thinking how very practical it was that Carmen’s and her habits complemented each other so well; herself being used to getting ready before breakfast while Carmen always showered afterwards.
During the first two weeks after Carmen's stay at the hospital, they had shared the bathtub several times. It had been rather cramped in the small tub, not to say a bit awkward as Carmen had to place her leg on the rim with a plastic bag around her cast. Nonetheless it had been a lot of fun as well. However, now that Carmen no longer needed help getting in and out of the tub, they both preferred showering individually.
As Ulrike crossed the small hallway, she heard the radio from the kitchen, and she smiled when Carmen started to hum with the melody. Carmen loved singing, and Ulrike thought she had a beautiful voice, even though her partner generally dismissed her compliments, often insisting that as her lover she was biased. Actually, Carmen dismissed most of her compliments. And while Ulrike found that somewhat annoying, she admired Carmen's modesty, as she disliked people who were full of themselves. So she graciously overlooked Carmen's insecurities, whilst secretly hoping that someday she could convince her that there was no need for it.
While she showered, Ulrike thought about how well she and Carmen seemed to suit each other in many regards.
Seven weeks had passed since they first met, and so far, it looked as if in Carmen she had finally found a partner with whom she could spend the rest of her life. Granted, she had thought that about her last partner as well, but Carmen wasn't like Gitti, she was actually rather different. Not just in looks, but also with regards to temperament and character. And although Ulrike hadn't had much trouble talking to her as her passenger, she would never have dreamed that a gorgeous looking lady like Carmen might be interested in her.
While she shampooed her hair, Ulrike thought, smiling, that the fates had truly been kind to her that day, as she had just decided to call it a day when Carmen waved down her Taxi. What a coincidence that her last fare had taken her to that area at that particular time. And then Carmen leaving her the labrys pendant and a note with her number, even though it wasn't something she had ever done before, as she had explained to Ulrike later. And when they finally got to know each other, the temperamental Argentinian beauty had conquered her heart in such a short period of time; it was still a marvel to Ulrike. Perhaps, she thought, perhaps it had been an advantage that they had been forced to take it slowly, although she could still throttle José for his reckless driving. He had only been released from hospital last Monday, and up until now Ulrike had refused to see him, even when she had driven Carmen to the hospital to visit her beloved brother; and the first few times she had even accompanied Carmen to his room to make sure she got there safely on her crutches. Carmen thought Ulrike was being ridiculous, but Ulrike couldn’t help it. She was anal when it came to driving style. And since she had learned that José and the maniac who cut in on her on that very same day was one and the same person, she knew it would cost her an effort not to lose her manners when confronted with the guy who landed Carmen in hospital – and before that almost the three of them, for that matter.
Unfortunately, it was inevitable that she would meet him today. It was Carmen’s mother’s birthday, and she had been invited. She did look forward to meeting Carmen’s parents. She had met her mother twice at the hospital, and even if it had been very briefly, she had got the impression that Frau Bauer was a very charming lady. Yet, she could have done without meeting José; and even though she realised she was being mean, she wished he had stayed in hospital a week longer just so she wouldn’t have to face him – but, alas!, her wishes would not be granted. Thus, she was going to be forced to be polite towards him, and she hoped she would manage. It was going to be a trial.
Sighing, Ulrike stepped out of the shower and towelled herself. It was already beautifully warm and Ulrike was glad that she would only need to wear shorts and a T-shirt. However, she was less happy about her hair, she found as she looked at the tangled dark-blond mess in the mirror. Nonetheless, a smile flashed over her face as she reached for the brush.
La
st week Carmen had surprised her by having cleared space for her on the shelf over the washbasin and having already put there everything Ulrike usually brought. The gesture had shown Ulrike that Carmen was as serious about their relationship as she was.
Now, as Ulrike was brushing her hair, trying to manage to arrange it so it wouldn’t bother her, she decided that she would pay a visit to Renato’s hair salon on Tuesday. He should return this weekend, and if she wasn’t mistaken, Tuesday would be the first day he opened after his holiday. She just couldn’t stand this hairdo any longer. It was still too short for a pony tail – not that she would want a pony tail; she would feel ridiculous. But neither did she want her hair falling into her face. No, she definitely had to get rid of this mop. Annoyed, she brushed her hair back and reached for Carmen’s tin of hairspray.
After a violent sneezing and coughing fit, she noted even more annoyed that one strand had defied the treatment and was dangling provocatively in front of her right eye. Clenching her teeth, Ulrike squinted at the offensive strand in the mirror. Then her glance drifted towards Carmen's nail scissors, and with sudden determination she grasped the scissors and cut the strand of hair to a less bothersome length.
Meanwhile Carmen had set the breakfast table on the balcony and was waiting for Ulrike to appear. With a frown, she rearranged the plate with the cold cuts yet again; and leaning back to survey the display, she finally nodded to herself, a contented smile on her face. She wondered what was taking her partner so long. She was usually rather quick with her morning shower. Her efficiency and practicality were traits that Carmen admired the most. Though, thinking about it, she loved her strength just as much … Closing her eyes, Carmen relished in the memory of how safe and secure she always felt when she was lying in Ulrike's arms. And those hands … dreamily, Carmen thought back to the first day they met.
Ulrike's strong hands on the steering wheel had caught her attention before she had even truly looked at her face. However, once she dared to look at Ulrike in the rear-view mirror and caught her watching her with her piercing green eyes, she had been mesmerised. At that point, she hadn't known that Ulrike was a lesbian, but when she saw the rainbow sticker on the dashboard, her heart had skipped a beat. Of course, the taxi could have belonged to someone else, or she could have had the rainbow sticker just because it was pretty. But Carmen secretly studied her driver with the short hair, her visible muscles that showed that she was working out, her rather masculine choice of clothes and her short fingernails … and those strong hands that indicated that she didn't shy away from hard work. Sure, nowadays, there were a lot straight women who looked like that, but all those signs combined plus the fact that Ulrike seemed to watch her in the mirror, caused Carmen to think that there might be hope that this fascinating woman shared her romantic interest. And although her heart fluttered from nervousness, she had dared to make the first move by leaving the labrys pendant she had just bought for herself and a note with her number in the taxi. Initially she had wanted to give the little bag to Ulrike as a tip, but then she had chickened out and just left the bag behind, hoping that Ulrike would find it. And afterwards, once she was safely inside the building in which she lived, she had leaned against the wall next to the elevator, all shaky from her own courageous move.
When Ulrike finally stepped out of the bathroom, the smell of fresh coffee greeted her. “Mmmh,” she hummed in appreciation, and forgotten were all her frustrations. With a smile on her face, she headed for the balcony, where Carmen had arranged breakfast.
“Ahh, what a fantastic day!” exclaimed Ulrike as she stepped onto the balcony.
The weather was gorgeous on this hot August summer day, the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of the blossoming lime trees, and since it was Saturday and still early, there was only little traffic noise coming from the Ku’damm and the autobahn.
Kissing Carmen on the cheek, Ulrike carefully walked around the chair on which Tabitha was sitting with a regal air, and sat down opposite Carmen with a contented sigh.
“The forecast is that it’s going to be 35°C today, and 38°C tomorrow,” said Carmen.
“Awesome!” said Ulrike and took a fresh bread roll from the basket.
“Yes,” agreed Carmen, “Finally a summer in which I don’t crave to be somewhere in the south.”
Having cut the bread roll open, Ulrike looked at the lovingly prepared breakfast in front of her. It was a typical Berlin breakfast but Carmen always made it appear as if she were catering for a party. All on the matching dinnerware with the ‘rooster and hen’ design that Ulrike so loved, there was a plate with a variety of cold cuts, another with different sorts of cheeses, soft boiled eggs in egg cups, and there were even little hearts of butter arranged on a plate. And to top it off there was freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee, and of course the fresh bread rolls that Frau Krüger, Carmen’s neighbour, usually brought in the mornings in a bag which she hung on the door-knob. Carmen in turn often made a bit more dinner or lunch and shared it with Frau Krüger for which the old lady was very grateful. Frau Krüger was one of the few people who knew about Carmen’s relationship with Ulrike, and she didn’t mind it; her response having been that ‘she had seen weirder things in her life’. Thus whenever she knew that Ulrike stayed the night, she brought two extra bread rolls. Ulrike liked Frau Krüger, and she had given the old woman her number so that she may call her whenever she needed a ride.
Her gaze still fixed on the table, Ulrike said, “My, you are spoiling me.”
Carmen chuckled. “It’s just an ordinary breakfast.”
“Ha, this is what I love about you,” said Ulrike as she looked at her partner, “You call this 5-star buffet ordinary.”
Laughing, Carmen said, “This isn’t a 5-star buffet, Ulli. There isn’t even anything special about it; it really is rather ordinary. But I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it,” said Ulrike, and reaching for the butter, she shook her head and asked amazed, “Where did you get these butter hearts?”
Taking a sip of coffee, Carmen said, “Nowhere, I just cut them out with a biscuit cutter.”
“Du bist echt spitze!” Ulrike voiced her admiration.
Carmen shrugged her shoulders as she fed a piece of Prague ham to Tabitha. “What can I say, you inspire me.”
Raising an eyebrow over the spoiling of the cat, Ulrike put the last slice of ham on her bread roll before Carmen could feed that to the cat as well.
Still occupied with feeding her cat little pieces of ham, Carmen went on, “I’ve always loved cooking and baking and arranging things nicely. But it’s so much more fun when there’s someone who appreciates the results – apart from Frau Krüger, that is.”
“Frau Krüger is dufte,” said Ulrike, praising the neighbour, “Although I’m wondering how she always figures out when I’m staying the night.” Suddenly, she grinned and said, “I hope it’s not because your walls are too thin.”
Chuckling, Carmen said, “No, it’s because I tell her.” Sobering, she looked at Ulrike and said blushing, “Though she did put in one more bread roll today. And – I forgot to mention this – yesterday she asked me to tell you to drink buttermilk to enhance your stamina.”
Ulrike almost choked on a sip of coffee that went down the wrong way.
“At the time I didn’t know what she meant. I thought you might have chatted with her about putting together your mother’s new furniture. But now you’ve got me wondering…”
“Uh, no, I haven’t told her about my mother’s furniture,” said Ulrike.
“Then maybe you were right about the thin walls.”
“Oh boy! Do you think she minds?”
Shaking her head, Carmen grinned and said, “If she minded, she wouldn’t have recommended you drinking buttermilk.”
“True,” agreed Ulrike grinning as well. Taking a bite of her bread roll, she suddenly stopped chewing, and with her mouth still full she asked, “Do you think I should drink buttermilk?”
; Carmen laughed, and while she removed the shell from the top of her egg, she replied, “I don’t think you’re lacking stamina, if that’s what you mean. But perhaps Frau Krüger thinks I’m going to wear you out if you don’t take preventative measures.”
“Well,” said Ulrike with a mischievous glint in her eyes, “Considering that you’re getting back to top form now … Maybe I should take her advice.”
Chuckling, Carmen said, “I don’t think I’ve ever been as fit as you are, Ulli, and I’ll probably never be.”
“Ah, don’t confuse strength and stamina,” said Ulrike, “I may be stronger, but I haven’t been focussing my training on endurance as you have.”
Carmen shrugged. “I haven’t specifically trained for endurance. I just prefer swimming over body building.”
“I like swimming as well, but nothing beats the feel of lifting a proper dumbbell, straining your muscles to the limit,” said Ulrike dreamily while flexing her biceps.
Shaking her head, Carmen smiled and said, “And you are wondering about Tabitha’s not-so-lady-like behaviour … Tsk!”
Ulrike grinned as she chewed, thinking that Carmen might actually have a point, and once she had swallowed, she said, “Well, maybe we are more alike than I care to admit; but at least I’m not aggressive.”
A blackbird was about to land on the balcony rail, but when it spotted Tabitha it flew up immediately with great clamour. Ulrike could have sworn she saw the Norwegian grinning smugly for having scared the bird.
Placing her cup on the saucer, Carmen looked at Ulrike for a moment before she said, “The way you talk about my brother is not exactly kind either.”
Ulrike’s face darkened and she turned her gaze from Tabitha to Carmen. “His reckless driving at the wheel of his macho car landed you in hospital.”
“It did not, Ulli," said Carmen annoyed. "How often do I have to tell you that it was an accident caused by oil on the road? He didn’t even exceed the speed limit.”
Lighting a cigarette, Ulrike said, “If he was driving as he did when he cut in on me on the day we met, there was neither oil nor high speed needed to cause an accident. It was only my quick reaction that kept me from smashing into him, Carmen.”
“Look,” said Carmen, “I do agree that his driving style is a bit too passionate sometimes.” Ulrike snorted at the understatement, but Carmen went on, “Regardless, Ulrike, he is my brother and I love him. And he is a very capable businessman who is doing a great job as my father’s partner, and he is a really charming guy. You shouldn’t only judge him by his driving style.”
“Oh, it’s not just his driving style; with that photo on your desk I can imagine him just fine,” said Ulrike, “The typical charismatic Argentinian macho - straight women probably drool over him.”
“Why do you always revert to stereotypes when it comes to José?” asked Carmen, gesticulating exasperatedly before lighting a cigarette herself. “I’ve never seen you doing it in relation to any other person, and it does not suit you at all.”
Taking a deep breath, Ulrike said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be a bitch. I just hate people who drive as if they owned the road.”
“You’re just jealous that he drives a better car than you,” said Carmen, teasing.
Ulrike snorted. “A red painted Italian tin can is hardly better than solid German quality.”
Raising her eyebrow, Carmen asked, “Stereotypes yet again?” and not waiting for a reply, she counted with her fingers, “The Ferrari is faster than your Daimler. It has more hp. It cost about ten times as much. It sounds terrific and looks gorgeous.”
With raised eyebrows and a superior grin, Ulrike countered slowly, “My Daimler has a mileage of almost 500 000 kilometres. The engine is still running like a charm, and overall the car is still in a good condition with no rust at all. Show me a Ferrari Testarossa with that mileage in a similar condition.”
Making a face, Carmen argued, “A Ferrari is not a taxi, it’s not meant to drive half a million kilometres.”
“That's true," agreed Ulrike. "I just wanted to prove to you that - to me - a Ferrari is definitely not better and certainly no cause for jealousy.”
"All right, I believe you," said Carmen. "Nevertheless, I hope you will behave yourself at my parents' place."
Watching the grey Norwegian as she jumped off the chair, arched and then lay down, languidly stretching herself out on the balcony floor, Ulrike sighed and said, "I'll do my best," and changing the subject, she asked, "Say, do you have any idea what I could get your mother for her birthday?"
"You don't really have to buy anything," said Carmen. "The presents I bought can be from the both of us."
"I don't know," said Ulrike, "I'd rather give her something I chose myself. As I couldn't come up with anything better, I thought I'd give her the mandatory bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine. But since you mentioned the other day that your father is a connoisseur of wine, I thought that it wasn't such a great idea after all."
"Indeed, that's not a great idea," agreed Carmen, "Not even I would attempt to take wine. My father has quite a collection of exquisite wines in his cellar, and he's very particular about it."
"Well," asked Ulrike, "Do you know what else I could buy?"
Looking thoughtful for a moment, Carmen's face finally lit up and she proposed, "Why don't we go shopping together?"
"Knorke!" Ulrike voiced her agreement, "That's even better. Where should we go?"
"To the KaDeWe of course," said Carmen.
Ulrike's face fell. She should have guessed that Carmen would want to drag her to the luxury temple. After all, she was wearing the reminder of Carmen's exquisite taste on a chain around her neck. And sometimes Carmen would wear the very same labrys pendant, as she had bought an identical one for herself. And Ulrike knew that it wasn't only jewellery Carmen bought at the KaDeWe. Carmen simply loved shopping, especially at exquisite stores. "I had been thinking of Karstadt or Wertheim," she suggested two somewhat lesser expensive department stores.
"I rarely go there," said Carmen dismissively, "I wouldn't know where to look. The KaDeWe I know like the back of my hand, and I'm sure we'll find something nice there that's within your budget."
Making a face, Ulrike said, "I'm not a charity case, thank you very muchly. It's just that I don't like spending more money on the very same item just because it comes with a plastic bag that has the KaDeWe logo printed on it."
"It's not just the bag; it's also the service and the convenience. You can find everything you desire there."
Ulrike grinned, "I bet they don't have frozen pizza."
Shuddering from disgust, Carmen countered, "Actually, I think they do."
Taking a sip of orange juice, Ulrike raised her eyes in surprise. "If they do, it's probably from some gourmet brand and costs over 5 DM."
"Probably," agreed Carmen, and they both laughed.
"Na gut, von mir aus," Ulrike relented, "We'll go to your beloved KaDeWe."