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day.
    Brigit had watched her every night since the
accident. She had stood over her lover watching her sleep, noting
when she dreamed, noting when she grieved. In her sleep, Maggie had
cried and then, at other times, she had smiled. Brigit felt herself
mirroring her lover’s emotions, wishing she could reach out and
wipe away the tears or caress the smile that had spread across her
lips. She refrained, however, knowing that if she reached out, she
would not feel anything but Maggie’s warm energy under her
fingertips. That thought was some consolation; but it was not the
same as being able to touch Maggie and really feel her.
    “Where are Brigit’s papers?”
    It was Liana’s voice that snapped Brigit from
her thoughts. She had wondered how long it would be before her
mother would begin snooping through her life with Maggie. A sly
smile came to Brigit’s face as she watched Maggie square her
shoulders and look Liana Evans in the eye.
    “They’re in the office. Why?” Maggie asked.
Mama Dee had come from the kitchen and was standing at the entrance
to the hall in silent witness to the exchange going on. Her
presence blocked the path to the office where Maggie and Brigit hid
the business side of their life together.
    “I want to see them. Surely, my daughter
meant for her family to handle her affairs in the event of her
death. Now that-that has happened, her family will do so,” Liana
stated matter-of-factly.
    Maggie and Mama Dee exchanged a brief glance.
Carefully, Maggie set her wine glass on the small table next to her
and returned her gaze to the woman attempting to trump her with the
ties of blood. Brigit watched intently as her partner took a deep
breath. Maggie had been drinking all afternoon and Brigit knew
better than anyone that Maggie was a force to be reckoned with when
her temper was ignited while intoxicated. Liana Evans was in for
the storm of her life if she didn’t listen carefully and heed the
warning that Maggie would give her before firing all canons.
    “Brigit did mean for her family to handle her
affairs,” Maggie began. Her voice was calm and level. Brigit knew
her temper was standing ready at the door to be loosed on the woman
that had abandoned her daughter for being a lesbian. “Her family
has done just as she wished with the exception of being buried. As
for her papers,” Maggie paused. Brigit and Maggie had set
everything legally in order when they had bought the apartment
together. Right of Survivorship was a wonderful thing at
this moment. “They have nothing to do with you.”
    “That’s impossible. I don’t believe you. I’m
her mother,” Liana spat vehemently.
    “Who disowned her when she decided to follow
her heart,” Maggie pointed out. The intonation of her voice had
risen. Brigit saw the fire spark in her partner’s dark brown
eyes.
    “Brigit made her family of all the people you
saw here today. You did her a favor by shunning her. She was free
to choose wonderful, loving people to call her family. You shut the
door on the blood lines, Liana. Brigit made sure that the people
who truly loved her would be taken care of. So if there’s anything
you’re looking to take away from me, you can go to hell because
Brigit made sure she would always take care of me. The house is
mine, the accounts are mine, her memory is mine,” Maggie explained.
“I think you need to leave now.”
    Brigit watched her mother square her
shoulders in offense that she would be asked to leave anywhere.
Brigit could tell that Liana was considering pushing the issue
further. The idea would do no good and Brigit saw that fact
register on her mother’s face as she stared into the dark eyes of
Maggie Devon. Mama Dee made a slight movement towards Maggie, as if
to reinforce the fact that it was time for Liana Evans to leave.
Finally, Liana picked up her purse and started for the door.
    “My lawyer will be calling you,” she warned
as she opened the door. Maggie made no reply as the door