Lady Shipper

“Oh,” Fina breathes, pulling away slightly to better look at Marta. “Did you love her?”

“Not in the way I love you, but I did care for her, yes.”

Fina nods. “How did you meet?”

“She works for Brossard - we worked together - still do,” Marta shrugs. 

“Ah, the woman at the office last night?” Fina guesses. 

“Yes, that was her. I was depressed for so long, Fina, I could barely function. I had to turn down the directorship, I was so unwell.”

“I’m sorry,” Fina says, taking her hand. Marta clings to it.

“I couldn’t see a way forward without you. But eventually, I became engaged with work again and Cloe was there every day. She made it obvious she was attracted to me and I…felt flattered,” Marta smiles wanly. “It shocked me when I first realized I could feel anything other than an aching numbness and despair.”

“I’m glad you found someone, Marta,” Fina says quietly, lacing their fingers together. 

“Are you?” 

“Yes. I told you to move on. I didn’t expect that I would ever see you again and I wanted you to be happy. I hope that you were with her.”

“For a little while,” Marta nods. “But I was never able to let you go from my head or my heart. Eventually it became too much and we ended things. A few weeks later I saw your photographs in a Mexican newspaper and I haven’t stopped searching for you since.”

“How did you learn about my post office box to send your letter?”

“Dario found it among Pelayo’s notes. I’m grateful he agreed to help me.”

“It was the least he could do after Pelayo’s betrayal. And why he didn’t tell you what happened himself if he knew…” Fina shakes her head. “Well, what’s done is done, at least we’re here now.”

“Yes,” Marta agrees, holding tighter to Fina’s hand. “Are you sure you’re okay with what I’ve told you?”

Fina sighs. “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me - of course it does, Marta. You’re the woman I love. But I understand it, I do.”

“And what about you?” Marta hesitates to ask. “It’s been a year - was there someone?”

Fina shakes her head. “Not a relationship. But there was a woman one night when the loneliness became too much too bear and her smile was warm and inviting,” Fina admits. “And a different woman after a party I went to with coworkers. But it wasn’t love - just a connection.” 

Marta grips her tighter. “I’m sorry,” she says, a tear falling. “I’m so sorry you were all alone.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“I should have known you would never willingly leave me. You had been so upset before you left, I should have known…Pelayo made me believe you abandoned me, even as he consoled me, Fina,” Marta cries. 

“Shhh, Marta, you couldn’t have known what happened. Pelayo used us both. He said he would tell you in time, where he sent me, but I should have told you as soon as he blackmailed me. I wasn’t thinking clearly after everything that happened. Pelayo gave me no time to think and I reacted in fear - fear for you. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you, and it did anyway,” Fina says despondent.

“I’ve never stopped loving you, Fina, not for a moment, I swear it,” Marta says, tears glistening in her eyes.

“I know - your letter explained that very well,” Fina smiles, “and I’m here with you now because I feel the same way - I’ve never stopped loving you either. How could I?” She moves forward to kiss Marta, sighing as their lips meet and linger. “I love you, I love you, I love you,” she speaks fervently, lips brushing against Marta’s skin with every declaration.

“I love you, Fina,” Marta answers, arms encircling Fina’s shoulders and pulling her further down into the bed, meeting Fina in a kiss once more. 

“Marta,” Fina says desperately, her hand trailing up Marta’s body, hand grazing her breast before resting her palm gently over her heart, feeling it race beneath her fingertips. 

Marta kisses her desperately, messily, as her fingers work the buttons open on Fina’s pajama shirt. She breaks the kiss to look down at her handiwork and remarks, “I love your new pajamas - so much easier to gain access to what I want,” she grins, parting the shirt before slipping it from Fina’s slender shoulders.

Fina moans at Marta’s touch and moves over her, dark hair falling into her eyes. Marta gently brushes the hair from Fina’s face, blue eyes meeting hazel before she reaches forward and gently tugs Fina down into another heated kiss, her arms encircling Fina, hands splayed at her back, holding onto her as they begin again.

***

Basking in each other’s arms, Fina breaks the moment to say, “I suppose we’ll need to get ready soon to go back to real life -  go back to Toledo.”

“Why?” Marta asks.

“Why?” Fina laughs. “Because you have work, Marta, that given everything you told me on the drive last night, you’ll need to return to, to try to avert ruin.”

Marta sighs and sits up, clutching the sheet to her chest. “Yes, it’s true the factory is in a precarious position at the moment - not for the first time, as you know. It’s also in this current state because of my dear cousin, so he can be the one to fix it. I have more important things in my life,” she says cradling Fina’s face in her hand, her thumb brushing over her lips.  

Fina’s smile slowly widens. “Marta de la Reina, you never cease to surprise me.”

“Fina, if I’ve learned anything during our time away, it’s that I knew if we were ever reunited, you would be my priority, not just with words, which I know I’ve so often spoken before, but with action too, which I know I have often disappointed you.”

“Marta?” Fina asks uncertain. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that you are the most important person in my life and I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. I’ve had to cancel too many of our plans because of work or family obligations and I’m not going to do that again. Not now that I’ve just gotten you back. You are my life, Fina. Toledo, the factory, family and friends can wait. They’ll be there when we return.”

“Return from where?” Fina’s smile broadens. 

“From anywhere you want. I was going to Buenos Aires, without a return flight. I would have been there as long as it took to find you.”

“Oh, Marta,” Fina says, kissing her again.

“I’m already packed - so are you, so we’re taking a trip together, wherever you want, for however long you want. To the beach, to Paris, anywhere, I don’t care, as long as we’re together.”

Fina laughs loudly and happily. “Are you serious?”

“Absolutely serious,” Marta says. “Once we’ve settled somewhere, I’ll call home and let them know my change of plans, let them know about you, but we have so much time to make up for. I don’t want to wait any longer, Fina Valero.”