Carey opened the door and walked inside the cabin and glanced around. "I'm home," she said as she deposited a canvas shopping bag on the half wall that divided the living room from the kitchen.

It had been five weeks since the surgery, and she had spent the day at the cancer center, meeting with the radiologist and getting everything ready to begin radiation treatment the following week.

She started walking toward the bedroom when the bathroom door opened and she was greeted by Grace's smiling face.

"Whatcha got?" Grace asked as she walked over and peeked in the bag.

"Did you know that most deodorants have aluminum in them?" Carey asked.

"What?"

"Really, they do." Carey reached into the bag and pulled out a package of deodorant. "They sent me to the health food store to pick this up. Apparently the regular deodorant makes the radiation cause burns because of the trace amounts of aluminum in it." She pulled Grace into her arms and leaned over for a kiss. "And I'll have you know that you're not the only tattooed lady around here any more."

"My, my, you're getting daring, my love," Grace said. She stepped back and placed her hands on her hips. "Well, what are you waiting for? I want to see it."

Carey pulled her shirt over her head, then unhooked her bra, revealing a series of dots tattooed on her breast. "You think they'll be able to hit the target?"

Grace crossed her arms over her chest. "You brat. I thought you meant a real tattoo."

Carey looked down at her breast. "These are real." She pulled Grace back into her arms. "What? You thought I had your name tattooed on my ass?"

Grace smiled. "I wouldn't complain if you got my name tattooed on your ass. In fact, I rather like the idea."

Carey threw off the covers for the second time that night and sighed in frustration. She hated the hot flashes that had begun shortly after she started taking the estrogen suppressant her oncologist had prescribed.

The six weeks of radiation treatments had been uneventful, and the only side effect Carey had suffered was fatigue. She seemed to be tired all the time. But at least the radiation treatments were behind her now, and the doctor had assured her that her energy would return.

She turned her pillow over to find the cool side, then snuggled down to try to get back to sleep. Of course she knew she would be wakened again to pull the covers back when the heat left her body. Grace yawned and rolled over onto her back. "What's the matter, honey, another hot flash?"

"Yeah," Carey said, lightly touching her lover's hair. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

Grace propped herself up on one elbow, her naked breasts visible in the moonlight. "Something's bothering you," she said. "I can feel it."

Carey reached out and traced Grace's lips with her fingertips. "I love your lips. Have I told you that?"

"No changing the subject, Carey. I need to know what's been bothering you."

"I want to go fishing."

"Now?"

"No, not now," Carey said. "I mean I want to be able to wake up and go fishing."

"At your cottage? But you can't do that and be here."

"I know," Carey said. "And I can't afford to be there."

"Maybe you can't," Grace said. "But can we?"

"I don't know."

"We should figure it out," Grace said. "Two can live cheaper than one and I'm making good money. At least as good as I can get with an associate’s degree and a telecommuting job."

"Would you make more if you went to the office every day?"

"I like having to go to town only one day a week," Grace said. "I love making my own schedule and I have one of the highest productivity ratios in the office." She leaned down and rested her head on Carey's chest. "I can work from home wherever home is," she said, kissing the soft skin near her lips. "I love you."

"And I love you, but it's not that easy," Carey said. "Right now we're not worrying about paying the mortgage, and it's almost an hour more each way for you to commute from the cottage to Mohawk." She hugged Grace close. "That beat-up wreck of yours would never make it."

"Your truck would," Grace said. "Or I could buy a better car. I've been saving money, you know."

"I hoped you were," Carey said. "But your finances are your business."

"I wanted to talk to you about that," Grace said. "I don't hide my pay stubs and I'd be happy to show you how to use my banking program." She propped herself up again, looking down at Carey. "I don't want it to be my finances, I want it to be ours. We're a couple. Why do we keep the money separate?"

"You know how to bring up the big subjects, don't you?" Carey said, turning on the lamp. "What happens if we break up?"

Grace brushed her lips over Carey's. "I hate when you say things like that," she said. "I'm not planning on going anywhere so don't quote me statistics about lesbian relationships not lasting. We're going to sit down and look at everything and see if together we can afford to move to the cottage." She settled down and cuddled against Carey's side. "Now go to sleep."

"And that's it, hmm?" Carey said, kissing the top of Grace's head. "No discussion?"

"Give me a good reason, other than you being afraid of commitment, and we can discuss it," Grace said, pulling the blanket up over them. "Good night, my love."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I am,” Richard said.

"But Dad, you live in Alaska, she lives in Massachusetts."

"I'll move."

"But that will make her my step-mother." Grace followed the logic. "And Carey would be my step-sister."

"I love her, Grace."

Grace hesitated. "Are you sure about this?"

"Very."

"If she makes you happy, Dad." She covered the receiver with her hand when Carey walked in. "They're getting married."

"Who's getting married?"

"Your mom and my dad."

"Is that your dad?" Carey asked, pointing at the phone. Grace nodded. Carey snatched the phone out of Grace's hand. "It's about time you made an honest woman of her, you old reprobate. I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to get my shotgun out." She heard laughing on the other end of the line. "Seriously, congratulations. I can't think of anyone that I'd rather have as a step-dad. My mother has very good taste."

"I guess good taste runs in your family."

Carey looked over at Grace and smiled. "No doubt about it."

"I'm planning on making the move to Boston, but I'm keeping my house here. We plan to spend part of the summers here."

Carey laughed. "You'll make a country gal out of her yet. So, have you two set a date?"

"This weekend, actually," Richard said. "We don't want a big affair. We've both been through that once, and once was enough. We thought we'd just fly off somewhere, just the two of us. Make it a combination wedding, honeymoon trip. We just need to settle on the destination. I think it's going to be Hawaii."

"Sounds romantic."

"I've got another call coming in, Carey, so I'll say good-bye now.

Say good-bye to Grace for me."

"Will do, Rich—Dad. See you soon." She hung up the phone and turned to Grace. "He told me I have good taste." Carey stroked Grace's cheek. "I have to agree."

Grace leaned over and put her head on Carey's shoulder, snuggling against her. "It's kinda strange thinking about our parents getting married."

"Why is that?"

"Well, technically that will make you my sister." Grace lifted her head and looked at Carey. "Doesn't that seem a little strange?"

"Well, it is unusual, but I don't think of it as strange."

"I guess," Grace said. "The important thing is that they're happy."

Carey pulled her close. "Yep. That's all that matters." She kissed the top of Grace's head. "I've been doing some thinking about what we talked about the other night. You know, moving up to the cottage."

"And?"

"I think we can swing it. I'm sure I'll be able to find some kind of a job. It won't pay as much as I make here, but it should pay the mortgage. And we only have two more years to pay on it. Then it's ours, free and clear."

Carey walked into the mess hall, her eyes scanning the room. Finally she spotted who she was looking for and walked over to Gage, who was chatting with a couple of the girls with Instructor Donaldson. She walked up behind them and tapped Gage on the shoulder. "Can I talk to you for a minute, Sue?"

Gage followed her over to an empty table and sat down across from her friend. "What's up?"

"I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about what's important in my life. I guess finding out you have cancer can make you look at your priorities in a different light."

Gage nodded. "I guess it can."

"I've turned in my notice, Sue. I'm leaving Sapling Hill at the end of session. I recommended you as my replacement, so if you want the job, it's yours."

Gage was stunned. She had noticed that her friend had been kind of introspective lately, but never expected this. "I don't know what to say."

"Nothing to say, really. My mind's made up. It's done."

"I'll have to think about it. Taking over running this place is a big responsibility. I'm not sure I'm up to it."

"I wouldn't have recommended you if I didn't think you were up to it, but I don't want you to think I'm pushing you."

"I don't, I'm just...I'm just surprised, that's all."

"You'll have the whole summer to find a replacement for yourself so there shouldn't be too much pressure. And you know if you have any problems, all you have to do is call and I'm here."