Exquisite Perspective Ch. 02

Morgan sighed, her fingertips grazing Amelia's cheek. Amelia had to hold in the fresh tears that were threatening to break free. "Okay. If you say so," Morgan concluded, but Amelia knew it wouldn't be the end of that conversation.

**

Morgan wanted to press Amelia further, but she fought the impulse. One would assume her crying could've been brought on by a distant memory of her late mother, yet something told Morgan that wasn't the case. Amelia held things guarded from her and as much as she wanted to know everything about the writer, Morgan didn't want to corner her, nor did she want to do anything that could cause her discomfort. The last thing she needed was to push her away before she could even establish that they were a legitimate couple.

As for that matter, Morgan had planned on finally bringing up the conversation. Well, in so many ways. Amelia squeezed her hand and led them out of the shop. "You lead the way," Amelia cheered, any remnants of what triggered her tearful episode gone from her tone.

Gillian's Wonderland Pier was toward the northern end of the boardwalk and heavily crowded with families and their small children. Morgan and Amelia walked through the archway of the faux castle structure and headed to a ticket booth. "How about the Ferris wheel?" Morgan mused after purchasing a short stack of tickets. Amelia smiled and nodded.

The ride in question was quite tall and could be seen coming into the city from the 9th street bridge. When the two women approached the line, the wheel's lights twinkled in the semi dark sky as twilight took over. They were seated rather quickly and the ride began, lifting them up into the darkening night sky.

The clamorous voices of the amusement park visitors and music were all muffled as they rode to toward the top, replaced with the soft crashing of waves. A gentle breeze tugged at Amelia's hair, whipping into Morgan's face. "Oh, I'm sorry," she tied her hair with a band and smiled sheepishly at Morgan. "I wonder if they keep track of how long people ride. Do they mentally time each car's ride? Like, 'car five has two more rounds,' or something like that," Amelia mused.

Morgan chuckled. "I think that would be kind of hard to keep track of."

Amelia turned to her, determination in her tone. "I should ask when we get off. Now I have to know," she grinned.

Morgan slipped her hand into Amelia's, her eyes searching her face. "Amelia, how would you feel about meeting my family?" There. She finally gained the figurative balls to ask. Morgan's heart thrummed against her chest but kept her face relaxed. She figured it was the easiest way to gauge the depth of their relationship. If Amelia wasn't interested in furthering it, she had the opportunity to say so. Or maybe Morgan's plan was idiotic.

"Your family?" Amelia inquired neutrally.

Morgan nodded. "Yeah. My parents are having a barbecue next Saturday. It'll only be them, Allison and her fiancé. I figured we've been dating for long enough that maybe you'd want to...," Morgan trailed off, unsure of what she was trying to convey.

"I'd love to," Amelia began, "but that means you have to meet my best friend."

****

Amelia was apprehensive as she led Morgan up the three flights of stairs to her best friend's loft but then quickly chided herself. She'd explained to Morgan that her best friend traveled a great deal and she wanted them to meet before Liz was off to her next location.

If Morgan was going to introduce her to her family, it was time to introduce her to Liz. What perfect timing that she was back in town? She'd sent her a text and Liz was more than ecstatic to invite the couple over. Aside from Kathy, whom Morgan already met, Liz was the only family Amelia had left. With her mother and maternal grandparents gone, her paternal grandparents having nothing to do with her, and her hoping she'd never have to be in the same room with her father, Liz and Kathy were all she had.

No, that wasn't right. She also had Morgan. She couldn't deny the feelings she'd developed for the realtor over the course of the last few months and wanted nothing more than to continue with their blossoming romance. All the more reason to rip off the band-aid and let Liz finally meet the woman who was quickly possessing her heart. How can it be this easy to love you?

As she raised her fist to knock on the door, she only hoped Liz would be gentle and not a total asshole.

"Well, this is Morgan?" Liz blurted as way of greeting when she opened the door. Her eyes sized up Morgan and Amelia felt incredibly annoyed by her best friend's blatant scrutiny of her lover.

"Yep. Morgan, this is Liz," Amelia gestured to her best friend. Liz moved out of the way so the two women could pass. The remodeled loft was heavily modernized and held an industrial atmosphere. Concrete floors with chrome tinted countertops and cabinets, the large space wide open through out. Everything was dark or shining. "Come and sit. I'll grab us some beers."

Amelia and Morgan sat on the stiff couch and watched Liz step behind the tall island in the open kitchen. Morgan's face held a mild hint of unease as Liz placed two beers on the coffee table in front of them and sat in a black Barcelona chair across from them. Amelia sensed her lover's disquietude. Doubt crept into her mind as she wondered if the meeting was a mistake.

With that thought, Amelia snaked her hand to Morgan's, fingers grazing her knuckles. Liz cleared her throat and Amelia glanced at her friend. Her blonde eyebrow lifted and Amelia could see her eyes canvassing Morgan again. "So, who'd you have to sleep with in order to keep Martha's flowers from being kicked out of the building they've been in forever?" Liz questioned.

Amelia should've known the uncouth inquiry was coming. Oh, God. Can I just disappear now? As if on cue, her phone started to ring.

"Hello?"

"Amelia, honey, I'm sorry but we have an issue. The sink in the back just won't stop running. It overflowed and I had to call an after hours plumber. Problem is, they can't fix it without your approval because you own the business," Kathy lamented over the phone. Amelia bit her lip. I wasn't serious, universe!

"Don't worry about it. I'll be right there," she reassured Kathy before ending the call. She pinched the bridge of her nose and met Morgan's concerned inspection. "I have to run back to the shop. Apparently the sink is overflowing and the plumber won't do anything until I'm there," she explained and Morgan gave her hand a light squeeze. Amelia looked to Liz. "Sorry. We'll have to come by another time."

Liz smirked. "What? It shouldn't take you that long. Morgan can sit right with me while you run over there. I'm sure we'll find something to talk about," Liz announced with a devious smile.

Amelia regarded Morgan, searching her face for any unease. "What do you want to do?"

Morgan shrugged with nonchalance and smiled warmly. "I can stay here. I don't care either way," she reassured her with a kiss to her cheek, which did nothing to soothe Amelia's worriment.

Amelia nodded despite her apprehension of leaving Morgan with Liz. She did that want her best friend berating her new girlfriend. "Okay, I'll be as quick as possible," she said as she stood. She gave Liz a skeptical glance before leaving the loft.

**

Kathy was standing next to a woman who appeared to be around her age, a wrench in one hand and a tool Amelia wasn't familiar with in the other. They were laughing, the sink apparently fixed. Towels were strewn over the floor, sodden with what Amelia assumed must've been a cascading flow of water from the now fixed sink. "Oh, here she is," Kathy said to the plumber, indicating to Amelia.

The plumber wore a ballcap on her head and smiled kindly when she approached Amelia. "Sorry to make you come out here. I just need a signature from you. It was a simple fix and luckily I had the part in my truck. Here you go," she handed Amelia a clipboard with a sheet of paper on it before turning back to Kathy and continuing their conversation.

The cost was much less than Amelia anticipated and she signed it before handing it back. "Thank you for coming out so late. I hope it wasn't a far drive."

The plumber brushed off her concern as she took the clipboard. Amelia began to gather the soaked towels from the floor, dumping them in a bin toward the back exit of the building. When she came back, the plumber had left and Kathy was finishing what Amelia started. "I'm sorry to interrupt your night, honey. Where's Morgan?"

Amelia chuckled, taking the last of the towels from Kathy. "She's over at Liz's place. I hope Liz isn't being too much of a butt to her. I told Liz about the new owners nearly kicking us out for good and now I don't think she trusts Morgan," Amelia conceded and Kathy laughed loudly.

Kathy wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder. "What happened with your father this afternoon?"

Amelia gulped. She knew Kathy was going to ask and also knew she had a right to. Kathy had been there for Amelia's mother through the roughest time of her life and her support helped her mother escape her predicament. "He's dying and wanted to apologize to us for what he put us through. A little late for that," Amelia sighed. Kathy hugged her tighter, the gesture almost bringing Amelia to tears. "Thank you for being there for Mom and I," she whispered.

Kathy let her go. "Oh, honey, of course. I loved your mother, more than you know. It makes me happy to be able to help you now that she can't be here herself. Now, you go on and finish your evening," she gave her arm a squeeze before heading to the front of the shop.

She thought about Kathy's word choice as she drove the short distance to Liz's loft. It kept her mind from the concern of what transpired while she was gone. Hopefully Morgan was still there and hadn't gone walking back to Amelia's condo. It wasn't as if Liz was a mean person; she was simply too blunt and forthright.

A soft rap at the door granted her Liz's voice shouting to come in. She opened the door to find Morgan where she'd left her, two empty beer bottles on the table in front of her and one in her hand. Liz was still in her chair, legs tucked beneath her and three empty beer bottles on her side of the table. Both were laughing vivaciously, Morgan raising a knuckle to her eye to brush back a tear. Amelia smiled at the lighthearted atmosphere and sat beside her lover. "What are you guys laughing about, or do I even want to know?" she inquired.

They were both still laughing, Liz sobering first. "I was telling her when you professed your love to Ms. Phelps in eighth grade," she choked before laughing again. Amelia giggled, rolling her eyes at the memory of her adolescent mind thinking it was okay to be in love with her extremely well-toned gym teacher. "She was hot, I'll give you that!" Liz added, clearing her throat in a weak attempt at stifling her laughter. "I've got to pee," Liz announced as she stood and started down the hall.

Amelia glanced over at Morgan who was sipping her beer. "I like your friend," she said to Amelia, who gently pushed the beer aside to claim her lips.

**

Amelia's steady deep breath transformed into a nervous sputter as Morgan headed up the driveway. Morgan squeezed her hand, unaware of the depth of her lover's plight. Amelia was terrified to meet Morgan's family. The thirty-five-minute drive from South Philly to Yardley was a short distance, but to Amelia, it felt as if the trip was twice as long. Coming from a broken family as she had, she was worried about Morgan's passing judgement upon her. Amelia's mother may have owned her own business, but they lived their lives frugally after her parent's divorce. Morgan's sister, Allison was pleasant enough from what Amelia had seen of her, but the implications of her impression on the rest of the family terrified Amelia. What if they didn't like her? Would Morgan cut it off?

The car stopped, and Amelia looked out the window to see the grandiose home. It was a huge lot lined with colorful bricks and a long, winding walkway lain with cobbled stones leading to the driveway. Two vehicles were parked in front of the three-car garage, a red Convertible and Allison's Prius, which they were parked behind. "Come on," Morgan coaxed as she got out of the car. Amelia hesitantly followed.

As she stood and really took in the house, she noticed the flash of water below. The house sat on a small cliff side. The seemingly one-story home truly contained three-stories as the landscape fell closer to the lake. "Is, is that a lake?" Amelia asked incredulously.

"Yeah. It's Silver Lake," she answered as she gathered a few bags from the back seat. A mahogany colored deck wrapped around the left side of the house where the ground dropped off, a huge finished backyard with an inground pool sat in the middle of the space. Allison with her fiancé and an older woman Amelia didn't recognize, who she assumed was Morgan's mother, was seated on lounge chairs around the pool.

Morgan led Amelia into the house, which the inside was just as magnificent as the outside. Dark hardwood floors spread throughout the house, the living room held a massive television and furniture upholstered with real leather and surrounded an intricate fireplace. "Wow," Amelia gaped.

Morgan turned to her with a smile, her dark eyes soft. "They're going to love you," she said, as if she knew exactly what was going through Amelia's head. She returned the smile, still unsure but comforted by her lover's words. They dropped the dessert in the kitchen, which was also majestic with dark stained cabinets and granite countertops, before they headed down the stairs to the wide French doors leading to the backyard.

Allison was at the grill, turning over long skewers filled with various vegetables and meat. She threw Amelia and Morgan an enthusiastic wave with her free hand. "Hey, guys!"

Mrs. Burke stood from her lounge chair and smiled at the two women. Amelia could immediately see the family resemblance between Mrs. Burke and her daughters. She held a similar skin tone as Allison and was quite petite but her eyes were the same brown as Morgan's and they shared the same facial structure. "Morgan," she exclaimed, embracing her daughter before stepping back and taking in Amelia. "And you must be Amelia," she wrapped her arms around Amelia and hugged her tightly.

She ushered Morgan and Amelia to the chairs scattered next to the pool, the scents of burning charcoal and chlorine filling the area. A few moments later, a tall man emerged from what Amelia assumed to be the pool house. "Hey, Morgan," he bounded over to the cluster of chairs and grabbed Morgan in a bear hug. He was tall and lean, more so on the scrawny side, Amelia noted when he turned to regard her. "And Amelia, I take it?" She nodded and he hugged her with just as much gusto as his stepdaughter before taking a seat next to his wife.

They talked for quite some time, about the flower shop, beach erosion, politics, religion, the Phillies. Every topic usually off the table during a first meeting was brought up. Amelia was dumbfounded how kind and welcoming Morgan's family was, not as though she expected any different from her love.

Morgan was kind, loving, and selfless. She expected all of the above from the people who brought her into this world. But, it was uncanny how well they all meshed together in harmony. There was no tension to speak of, no resentment or cold remarks. Amelia couldn't help the sudden longing she felt to become part of their family and it startled her.

After a long goodbye in which Mrs. Burke nearly convinced the women to stay the night, Morgan and Amelia were finally headed back to Philadelphia. It was quiet for some time while Amelia fiddled with her hands in her lap, unsure how to convey her happiness in meeting her lover's family. She sighed, catching Morgan glance at her while stopped at a red light. "Thank you," she started, her voice barely above a whisper.

"For what?"

"For introducing me to your wonderful family," Amelia chewed her lower lip before she continued. "They're so loving. I wish you could've met my mom."

Morgan pulled forward when the light changed, her eyes back on the road. She reached her hand over and took Amelia's, giving her a light squeeze. "Is that why you were crying in your office?"

Amelia laced her fingers with Morgan's and looked forward. "No. It was because I saw my father."

The statement hung between them. "Your father?"

"Yeah. My parents got divorced when I was ten," she started, hoping she wasn't making a mistake by divulging in the depth of her familial issues. She didn't want Morgan thinking of her differently after sharing her past.

Morgan's fingers were warm and comforting in her hand. "It got ugly but not for the normal reasons, like fighting over custody. It was bad because he was an abusive, alcoholic lawyer and didn't want them to the separate. She tried so hard to get us away from him, but he had all the right connections and knew all the right people to make things, like police reports, disappear. My mom didn't make enough working at the grocery store to support us and she felt so stuck," Amelia cleared her throat for fear of her admission dissolving into tears.

Morgan's hold on her hand tightened slightly and Amelia peeked at her. The other hand gripped the steering wheel, her muscles straining from the pressure. She was staring at the road, her jaw tight and brows drawn together, waiting patiently for Amelia to continue.

Amelia looked ahead again. "It was when he started targeting me that she finally realized she had to do something. I remember being so scared all the time, worried he would snap at the drop of a hat. His temper was just awful," Amelia heard what sounded like a growl come from Morgan and it made her feel oddly cherished, the weight of Morgan's hand in her own giving her to courage to continue.

"My grandpa let us move in with him and threatened to kill my father if he came near us again. Part of me wonders if the only reason my father didn't want the divorce was because he didn't want to pay alimony or child support. Bastard."

Amelia bit her lip as the first few tears slipped down her cheeks. "When you were down last weekend, he showed up to the flower shop looking for my mom. He didn't know she died. God, he looked so bad. He told me he wanted to apologize to us for what he'd done," she chuckled crudely, "But, I'm pretty sure the only reason was because he's dying of liver failure."

Amelia hadn't noticed when Morgan pulled into a desolate grocery store lot and put the car in park until her lover turned to her. "Oh, Amelia. No one should ever have to deal with what you went through," she whispered before her arms were around Amelia. Sobs racked through Amelia's body as Morgan's embrace engulfed her with warmth and ardor.

Her tears slowed and she couldn't help but worry that she made a mess of her lover's shirt. Strong arms held Amelia, Morgan's gentle hand caressing her back while she whispered sweet words to her. They sat holding one another for a while until Amelia's sobs lessened to a quiet weeping.

Amelia pulled back, wiping her face with the sleeve of her sweater. Morgan was watching her with concern, her hazel eyes filled with tears of her own. "I'm sorry. You probably think I'm silly," Amelia said. She worried Morgan would think less of her after hearing of her childhood. "It's just, your family is so wonderful and together and mine...mine isn't."

Morgan smiled and the sight as well as the words she spoke caused Amelia's heart to feel as if it were going to burst. Her arms were snuggled around her before she spoke. "I'm sure talking about that isn't something you do easily. It hurts me that you suffered through such crap as a kid, but you coming from a broken family doesn't make me love you less," she paused with contemplation, easing back to gaze into Amelia's eyes. "Amelia, I love you so much."