What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?

She kissed Cammie upon arrival, and noticed that Cammie's offering was half-hearted at best, prompting her to say, "What's wrong?" as she took the seat next to Cammie.

"A lot of things," Cammie said. She looked up at Lou, held up two fingers, then said, "I got a call from Mrs. Boatright today. You know, Dean of Arts and Sciences at the college?"

"Okay," Jillian said.

"She called to tell me that everything was set for me to begin on Monday."

"That's good news, isn't it?" Jillian asked.

"It should be," Cammie said, "but before she hung up, she said something that didn't strike me as weird until, like, an hour or so later."

"Which was?" Jillian asked just as Lou set a Stormy Weather before her and a Tequila Sunrise before Cammie.

"She said, 'It must be nice knowing someone believes in you strongly enough to open doors for you.' The only person who has the means to do that for me is you, Jillian, so I'm just going to ask you point blank: Did you get me that job at the college?"

"And if I did?" Jillian asked.

"I wanted to do that of my own merit, Jillian."

"Cammie, baby," Jillian said as she took her lover's face into her hands. "In the short time we have known one another, I have developed more love for you in my heart than for any other person I have known. Do you hear me, Cammie? I love you with all my heart." She let go of Cammie's face, stood, and announced to the now six patrons in the bar, "My name is Jillian Winterbourne, and I love Cammie Waters with all my heart."

"Sit down," Cammie said with an embarrassed laugh. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not ashamed of my love for you," Jillian told her as she took her seat. "As far as what I did for you at that college, you're right. I opened a door for you, but even I don't have the authority to hire anyone out there, Cammie. You impressed them on your own. You got that position ON YOUR OWN." She looked to Cammie, who looked up and smiled briefly before returning her gaze to the countertop. "Remember what I told you that first night about being gracious enough to accept the good things that came your way?"

"I know," Cammie said. "I'm sorry."

"I am a woman of means," Jillian reminded her lover. "You may as well get used to the idea of me doing things for you," she moved close to Cammie's ear, then finished with, "both in the bedroom and outside of it." Cammie pulled back, smiled, then became a bit sullen once again. "What?" Jillian asked her.

"You just reminded me of the other reason I wanted to speak with you," Cammie said. "All I know about you is that you're rich, you're divorced, you have a son and daughter, and we met the night your boyfriend dumped you. I feel like you're keeping things from me, and ... and sometimes I think you're just slumming it with me."

Jillian just sat there. Thirty seconds of silence passed before she said to Cammie, "Look at me." Cammie didn't budge. "I told you to look at me!" Jillian said a bit too loudly. This got Cammie's attention. She did. "You look in my eyes right now and tell me if there is anything but purest love there for you." Cammie gave a glance. "I said to look, God damn it!"

Cammie jumped back, wide-eyed. She looked into Jillian's eyes. There was an intensity there that she had never before seen. Twin tears spilled over her eyes and ran down her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she hugged Jillian. "I'm so sorry. I'm just so afraid of losing you."

"So, your plan is to self-destruct first?" Jillian asked softly as she held onto Cammie. "You would sabotage this wonderful thing between us, just so you can be the one to end it?"

"I'm sorry," Cammie repeated. "Will you please just answer a few simple questions for me? I promise I will never doubt you again if you do."

"I'm an open book, Cammie. Ask me anything."

Cammie pulled back and wiped at her tears. "The night we met, if you had access to a car, why did you walk the whole six miles from that restaurant to here?"

"Because I needed to, Cammie. It gave me time to think, to purge. Don't forget, you were going through the same thing as I, and you walked here as well."

"Why did you wait so long to mention your family to me?"

"Because even though I knew I loved you, I wanted to be sure that I believed you and I had a future together. Once I believed that, it was easy for me to open my past to you."

"How come you have never invited me to your home? We always go to my apartment."

"You asked me a few nights ago if I trusted you, and without question I answered, 'Yes.' I pose that same question to you now, Cammie. Do you trust me?"

"I do."

"Do you trust me enough to believe me when I say that so very soon, you and I will be living under the same roof?"

"What?"

"I'm having the master bedroom remodeled, Cammie, because ..."

"Because why?" Cammie asked.

"I wanted this to be so different. Hell, I don't even know if you'll say yes. I just ... I love you so much, Cammie. I know it's been what? Two, three weeks? But I know you are my future, and I, yours. Marry me, Cammie. I have never been so sure of anything in my life."

Cammie's hands moved to the sides of her face as she sat bolt upright. Her bottom lip trembled, and soon after huge sobs were heard throughout the bar as her body spasmed with convulsions of joy.

"What the hell's going on over there?" Lou shouted.

"I think she's saying yes," Jillian responded, and everyone in the bar joined them in celebration; Cammie showed no signs of calming down. Jillian had Cammie gulp down her Tequila Sunrise, then Jillian's own Stormy Weather. Cammie finally got a hold on her emotions, which prompted Jillian to say, "I guess we should make this official." She pulled a tiny box from her purse, opened it, and placed the vulgarly expensive engagement ring therein on Cammie's finger.

Cammie near-tackled Jillian as she began to pepper her face with sloppy, wet kisses. "Oh, Jillian. I do! I will! I am! Forever!"

"A round of drinks on me," Lou shouted, much to the joy of the patrons.

If Cammie and Jillian had heard her, they didn't show it as they were too busy kissing like the lovers they were. Finally, as Cammie pulled back, she said, "I have just one more question. Can you forgive me for being a total jerk?"

The following night, Jillian and Cammie made their way to their dinner date with Vanessa and her fiancé. "I'm so nervous," Jillian confided in Cammie. "It's been more than two years since I last saw her. I'm just glad you're here with me, not just as my date, or even my girlfriend, but my fiancée as well."

"I love you," Cammie said as she kissed Jillian. "I will always be here for you."

"I'm glad you decided to wear the Donna Karan again," Jillian said.

"It's not like I got much use out of it the other night," Cammie pointed out.

"Well, here," Jillian said as she reached under her seat and produced a small box. "I think this would make the perfect accessory."

Cammie opened it to find a small Chanel clutch purse. "Jillian, it's beautiful." They kissed, then their lips lingered as their kisses became more deliberate and passionate.

"Whoa, better stop," Jillian said. "Any more of that and I'll have to cancel our dinner date this evening."

They arrived, and soon began heading up the walkway to the door. Jillian stopped, took Cammie in her arms, and kissed her. "I love you, Cammie."

"I love you, Jillian." She laughed. "It feels like I'm saying it for the first time, simply because every day with you brings a deeper level to my love for you."

"I'm going to rock your fucking world tonight," Jillian said with mad intent. She kissed Cammie again, then they took another few steps before Cammie said,

"My Chanel. I forgot it. Go ahead, I'll catch up."

Jillian did. She rang the doorbell, and was greeted by her daughter. "Hi," she said very meekly.

An equally meek, "Hi," was given in return. Then, "Come in, please."

"Thank you."

"My fiancé is in the wine cellar trying to pick a good one for this evening." She looked around. "Um, didn't you say you were bringing a date?"

"My fiancée left something in the car," Jillian responded.

At that moment, outside, Cammie's phone rang. She looked at the Caller ID and saw it was her mother. "Hi, Mom. I'm in a bit of a rush, can I call you back?"

And inside the house, "Fiancé? Do tell."

"Just the most wonderful person I have ever met," Jillian said with a smile. "It happened so quickly, but my heart knows it's real."

"Well, that's nice to hear, Mom. I hope—"

At that moment, "I found a lovely 2008 Didier Dagueneau Silex—"

Jillian looked to where the voice had originated, and said, "Devin?!?"

He stopped cold in his tracks. "Jillian?"

Vanessa looked first at her mother and said, "Devin?!" then at her fiancé, and asked, "Jillian?"

Jillian set her sights on Vanessa's fiancé, the very same man who had broken up with her not even a month ago. "What the hell are you thinking, Devin? She's forty years younger than you." She thought a moment, then said, "Oh, my God. Is Vanessa the woman you left me for?"

Outside: "Mom, I hear shouting. I really need to go. Callyabackbye," and she killed the connection as she made her way to the door.

"Who the hell is Vanessa?" Devin asked.

At that moment, Cammie came through the door. "Jillian, I just—Indie!?!"

Vanessa turned, and, "Cammie?"

Jillian looked to Cammie. "Indie?"

"Indigo, how do you know this woman?" Devin asked his fiancée.

"What the hell is this?" Vanessa asked, as visibly perplexed as everyone else in the room. "Mom, what the hell are you doing with my girlfriend?"

"Your girlfriend," the other three asked in unison.

"Indigo, what's going on here?" Again, Devin.

"This is Indigo?" Jillian asked, and near-swooned.

"You left me for this dried up prune?" Cammie finally offered.

"What about you two?" Indigo asked. "What the hell's going on here?"

"We found each other after you two so callously broke our hearts," Cammie said, "and you want to know something funny? You both dumped us on the same night, and we found each other, and I love Jillian more than I have ever loved any other woman in my life, including you, Indie. You broke my fucking heart, and Jillian has placed every tiny piece back together again."

"Keep fooling yourself about that," Indie said. "She's a user. You think she's serious about you? You'll find out soon enough."

Cammie stuck the engagement ring in Indie's face and said, "How's that for serious?"

"I've got one, too," Indie said, and flashed it. It was every bit as elegant as Cammie's. "And a word of advice? Keep her on a short leash. She likes to fuck what isn't hers."

"You miserable fucking bitch," Cammie spat. "Jillian told me what happened that day, and if you could have seen the tears in her eyes, you would know how truly sorry she is for ever having hurt you. How long do you plan on torturing her, Indie? How much grief is enough? Why can't you grow the fuck up and let go of the past?"

"After what that bitch did to me?"

Cammie stepped forward. "Call her that one more time." Devin opened his mouth to say something. Cammie looked at him. "Don't!" then back at Vanessa. "You lied to me. Our whole relationship was just one, big lie. You have allowed this whole situation to turn you into some kind of monster that doesn't deserve one speck of love, but I don't hate you. I pity you. Jillian's heart is so pure and full of love, but instead of embracing that, you'd rather languish on the past and try to corrupt her, but I won't let you. I love her, Indie, and she loves me. I don't know what you call this," she pointed between Vanessa and Devin, "but it will never be what your mother and I share."

Vanessa laughed. "What do I call it? What do I call it? I call it revenge. That's right, Mom. I knew who he was when I first availed myself to him. How does it feel to know your daughter has done to you what you did to her?"

"Jillian," Devin said, "I didn't know. Honest. She told me her name was Indigo Wilde."

Jillian looked at her daughter, then her former fiancé, then said, "You know, you two deserve each other. Come, Cammie. Let's find someplace else to be," and they left.

Once in the car, Jillian said, "Oh, I can't believe that son of a bitch! It was bad enough that he was twenty years older than me, but Vanessa? Forty? Really?" She began to cry.

Cammie raised the partition that separated the driver from the passengers, then bushwhacked Jillian. She forced her tongue into Jillian's mouth and furiously worked it into a volley with Jillian's own as she slid a hand under Jillian's dress, peeled back her thong, inserted two fingers into her, and ferociously worked them in and out until "UUUUUNNNNNHHHHH!" Jillian came twenty seconds later. "Dear God, Cammie. What was that for?"

"You needed it," Cammie answered softly.

Jillian smiled. "Yes, I suppose I did. Do you?"

"I can keep for now," Cammie answered. Then, "So ... I've just got to ask this: Does the fact that your daughter was my former lover change anything between us?"

"Oh, it certainly does," Jillian responded. She watched Cammie's head bow. "It changes the fact that I love you even more right now than I ever had."

Cammie looked up. "What?"

"I've told you before, Cammie: If it weren't for Vanessa dumping you, you and I would never have met. We are together because of her, and there is absolutely no other person I want to be with."

"Do I even deserve you?"

"You are deserving of all good things, Cammie. I'm just happy that I am one of them. Now, I'm still quite hungry. What do you say to Aligatou's Japanese Steakhouse?"

"Or," Cammie began as she offered what she felt a comparable alternative, "You can let me treat you to a plate of hash browns at the Waffle House."

"Hash browns?" Jillian questioned with an upraised eyebrow.

"Oh, they're not just plain hash browns," Cammie informed her. "They're smothered, diced, sprinkled ... Trust me, you'll love them."

"I do trust you," Jillian said.

Cammie lowered the partition and said to the driver, "Could you take us to the Waffle House on Bemiss?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"My name is not 'ma'am,' it's Cammie. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Are you going to call me Cammie?"

"No, ma'am."

Cammie fell back into the seat as they made their way there. Once inside, Cammie placed the order, and Bob, the manager, allowed her to fix them. "This is the most delicious thing I have ever had," Jillian said when she took her first bite.

"Most delicious?" Cammie asked with a playful smile.

"Well, second, anyway," Jillian amended.

Once back in the car, Jillian said, "The master bedroom is still being worked on, but we can stay in one of the guest rooms if you'd like to come home."

"If I do, I'm not going to leave you. Ever," Cammie said as she looked deep into Jillian's eyes. She saw a promise there, a promise that their lives would never know heartache or pain, and she smiled, for she knew Jillian saw the same in hers.

"I'll have Sonia gather your things from your apartment tomorrow."

They kissed. This was the first night of the rest of their lives together. It was good.