The Tip Toed Dance of Woo Ch. 1 ~ A Ravine of Love in the Mind

Click Here for the Intro:The Initial Convergence of Two


Chapter 1 - The Tip Toed Dance of Woo
A Ravine of Love in the Mind


A couple of weeks after Ayden's and Ava's chance meeting -
Facebook notification: Sunday Group Hiking at 9am, lower forest trail on the way to Lake Tahoe, kid and dog friendly!


     Ayden immediately accepted the invite as she had begun these hikes as a further way to get out more in the community, and in this case bring her children along with her. Ayden arrived early to the hike for the kids to play at a park near the trailhead. As Ayden pulled in the lot surrounded by the Nevadan pine trees she spotted a familiar car, unique and unmistakable. Ava was here to join in on the group hike! Ayden suddenly felt enthralled that she would again see Ava. Perhaps, this was here chance to fix her cowardice mistake of not messaging Ava the night they met. This made Ayden uncomfortable to an extent. "Should I really be dating someone younger than me?" she thought. Ayden struggled to reconcile her feelings and rationale. Ayden decided she would use this as a way to get to know Ava in a more casual "no pressure" setting. Maybe she could dismiss this crush if she discovered immaturity, or more frighteningly, Ayden would discover that Ava was as sophisticated and mature as she was breathtakingly stunning and brilliant.
     The kids played all along the hike and Ayden frequently walked with Ava to talk about this and that. She made sure to do this with all members on the hike as she didn't want to make Ava feel she was getting hit on, just in case the attraction wasn't reciprocal. With each passing word Ayden grew more enamored with Ava. When walking behind Ava on the hike she kept catching herself staring at Ava, her form, and all her striking features that could be noted on the view from the rear. By the end of the hike Ayden was still hopelessly unsure if Ava was interested in her. And again they drove off without any mention of their mutual attraction.
Weeks later, after a couple more hikes together, Ayden decided that on the next hike with Ava she had to take the big leap and ask her out. Ayden figured out that this woman was worth risking the chance of rejection. The night after this big decision, in the middle of the night, Ayden was scrolling through her Facebook feed in an attempt to rid herself of some slight insomnia. Immediately after Ayden made a post, Ava liked it! Without hesitation Ayden went to her page and found she had just posted as well, so Ayden liked the post, as it was deserving in its own right. Within moments of the mutually liked posts Ava struck up a conversation on Messenger. The two messaged back and forth for a few hours, until Ayden could no longer keep her eyes open and Ava had to return to work. This course of messaging opened up the lines of communication outside the group hikes. So Ayden took full advantage of this. On a particularly daring night Ayden asked if she could bring Ava coffee during her shift after finding out that Ava was severely caffeine deprived on a night shift. Unconsciously this was a "Dyke to Save the Day" action. Ayden wanted to win Ava over and ensure she would say yes to a date when she asked her during the next hike. As Ayden came to the rescue with coffee on her late night quest for Ava, she found herself mesmerized in conversation during Ava's lunch break. Just as Ayden was bidding Ava farewell for the night, something unthinkable happened. Ava asked Ayden "Would you like to go on a date sometime?"  Choking on her words with gleeful shock Ayden managed to utter an ecstatic "Yes!" They later arrived at a time and place over text messages. Ayden and Ava continued to text for hours on end every night leading up to their first real date.
     It was a Tuesday in mid-May, warm outside, but not remarkably so. A cool breeze swept off the river as Ayden exited her car, trembling in excitement. Ayden had hiked with Ava the day prior, and they often touched and briefly held hands. At the end of the hike as it came time to leave Ava hugged Ayden, only Ayden chickened out when the moment arrived to kiss Ava for the first time. Knowing she missed one this moment, Ayden had resolved to make up for it and kiss Ava on their first official date. Ava came early just as Ayden had. Showing up even more beautiful and glowing than Ayden thought possible. The two ordered coffee at a small joint along the river walk a stone's throw away from the lights and bustle of downtown. Ayden took Ava's hand in hers and led her to walk beside the river. Words flowed from the two as they shared their life stories amongst intertwined jokes and laughter. Every step together was adding to the magic the two held for one another in their eyes. The two incessantly smiled in the others presence so much it could make a fool sick. Ava and Ayden had not a care in the world except for sharing each passing moment fully present with the other. During their walk they arrived at a park, one in which Ayden grew up playing at. At a crook in the path there was a step down to water. They both followed this diversion and found themselves staring into one another's eyes, silent for the first time on their date. Ayden couldn't hold back a moment longer as she gazed into Ava eyes and saw something there for her in her soul. She tenderly reached for Ava's face and pulled her into their first kiss. As their planets collided and again found balance in the knowing of their shared emotion, their world had been forever altered, at last.  Ava and Ayden finished off their very perfect first date by lying in the cool grass, cuddling, and talking for hours.
     Over the course of the next few days Ava and Ayden messaged each other almost every waking hour, and met up to see each other every chance they could. Every moment together oozed with serendipitous smiles, intimate displays of affection, and the two spoke and listened to one another to what seemed to be with no end.  Their need for time and intimacy with each other matured at a feverish rate. Like, chance, lust, even providence danced and mingled with each to line the path for the two to become full-fledged lovers of the light. As the nights passed apart due to their jobs, the need to connect on a higher level compounded to the point of no return. Finally, Ayden would get to see Ava after work, and lay in her arms as skin reveled in the touch, sweat, and grace from the other. Ayden rushed out of work early, to make it across town to Ava’s place. To distract her from the growing traffic on the entrance to the freeway, Ayden turned up the music to the peak intensity and jammed along to tunes that would set her mood for the night. As Ayden was rushing over, Ava was setting her own mood with scented candles, a steamy bath, and slow provocative whispers of melodies to fill her place with an intense ambiance. In all her want to see Ava and sweep her up in her arms, Ayden continued to rush along the freeway, speedily changing lanes, and passing semi-trucks  to reach Ava as many moments sooner as was possible.  Ava knowing Ayden was close, gingerly withdrew from her warm tub, retired the water, and began to dry herself off. Ava prepared the living room and bedroom for Ayden's impending arrival. Ayden was just two miles from her exit on the freeway, and traffic had finally let up. Ayden finally relaxed into the drive knowing she was almost there. Lights flashed, a horn honked and would not let up, and everything suddenly spun out of control as vision teetered from gray to black within Ayden’s consciousness. Ava waited, nervously making everything perfect, for their first special night together. Ayden’s sight was marred with her own blood as she came in and out of awareness. She heard sirens, and the adrenalized voices of burly men, but couldn’t comprehend what had happened, or what was occurring to her or all around her. Ava, sitting in her perfectly arranged comfort, sat still as time stacked upon itself in the furtherance of more waiting. As the ticks of the clock amassed within her earshot, she became worried, something had gone wrong, Ayden should’ve already been here with her, in a hot embrace. Ayden, still coming in and out of discombobulated alertness had been loaded up into a vehicle. She couldn’t understand the words of the people helping her as she screamed in pain during the transport. Ayden was quickly given morphine. Finally, she blacked out and became entirely unresponsive to all stimuli. Sitting in worry, all Ava could do was to call and message Ayden to no avail as Ayden's phone lay smashed in the wreck left behind.


© 2016 Audrey Colleen Burns

The Initial Convergence of Two - Intro ~ A Ravine of Love in the Mind

Facebook Notification: April 13th 5PM, join us at the Lucky Beaver in Reno for Guerrilla Queer Bar, where we crash a straight bar for the night to make a safe place for those in our community to breed tolerance and acceptance.

     After 6 years of devotion to nurturing her babies and going to college in pursuit of a Master’s degree Ayden was getting out more for what she called "adult time". 

Years ago, after a few long and failed relationships, Ayden took control of her life by ensuring she got what she wanted most out of it, children and a family. Ayden had a little girl and a little boy through the same involved sperm donor. When they came along she gave herself to them and even finally pursued a higher education beyond an associate’s degree to provide and set an example for her little ones. Ayden's passion in life concerned intellectualism and living life to the fullest through a variety of defiant outlets. She was perpetually looking for the next adventure ever since she started adulthood by joining the military and traveling the world.

     This woman who had sacrificed so much, given up so much for her family finally wanted something more for herself too. Ayden was thinking she was finally ready to try and meet people, and maybe date again. The bid to crash a straight bar, named the Lucky Beaver no less, seemed like a prime opportunity to put herself out there again at a funky meet and greet event. Ayden didn't have the courage to attend such an event stag, so she enlisted her friend Jenna to tag along for the ride. As always Ayden arrived early, as her friend was running late. Those who are always on time seem karmically doomed to associate with those who are chronically late. Ayden had long since made herself acclimate to such occurrences and people in life. 

     In a brief moment of dauntlessness Ayden went inside alone. She crept up to the bar with swagger and a faked sense of confidence and pride, and ordered a pear cider. As she sipped the crisp tangy cocktail she was at once greeted from behind by an acquaintance and the host of the event, Mariah, a prominent lesbian in the local community. Mariah asked "I figured your here with us, as wearing cargo pants and a wallet chain just screams of a handsome dyke!" Ayden smirked and laughingly assured Mariah she was with the queers. After a quick chit chat and run down about "getting back out in the community", another woman walked into the straight bar and was kindly approached by Mariah. Ayden was momentarily dumbfounded by the dark skinned beauty with a soul melting smile. Mariah, seeing Ayden's eyes quickly introduced the two. This new Woman in Ayden's world, Ava, was 7 years younger with gorgeous curly hair, enchanting big eyes, and the voice of a sweet insolent angel. Even from a table away Ayden could smell the heaven wafting off Ava. At once the two started the get to know each other with flirty smiles, dangerous tones of voice, and tempting body language. They found they had a connection as the two both working in the medical field, albeit in very different professions. The conversation drew on even as distractions attempted to inhibit them. It was as if they were the only two in the room, and all else fell away. As they spoke and laughed Ayden grew in serious like of Ava and her sassy charm. Ayden was nervous yet calm at the same time. Ayden wasn't sure if Ava liked her as well, as she had always been oblivious to flirting and subtle hints of like when she liked someone. As the night was coming to end, the conversation drifted to Ayden's former profession as a successful bouncer and investigator. As Ava and Ayden were walking to their cars, that were coincidently parked next to each other, Ayden was discussing how she could "take" any man no matter how large in a fight due to her professional experience. To which Ava replied "but I bet I could take you". Unsure of Ava's intention when she made this statement Ayden quickly quipped "In a fight no, but perhaps in other ways!" Ava smiled and blushed incessantly. They bade each other good night and left.

     On the drive home Ayden thought about Ava. Was she too young? Ayden usually dated woman 5-15 years her senior, so this was new territory. Ava was so mature and had her shit together. But was she really emotionally mature? Ayden tried not to think about it further. Still she added Ava as a friend to her Facebook and checked out her profile once she was accepted. This deliriously amazing woman was beyond interesting. Ava had a child as well. Hence the main issue that had stood in the way of so many relationships for Ayden, being a lesbian mother, was not an issue with Ava. "What to do about her?" Ayden thought on and off all night. Something about her smile, eyes, and voice captured Ayden, as all of these kept flashing through her mind.... Only she never messaged. Fearing Ava wasn't into her. 

     When Ava did not get messaged right away from Ayden she thought an ex of hers who was in attendance at the bar, who was also a light acquaintance of Ayden',s had spoken ill of her because of their previous brief relationship. Ava had been in a fair amount of tumultuous relationships. With many of whom treated her poorly, lied, and sometimes even cheated. Owning so many trust issues from these relationSHITS, she had previously seen a counselor to make sure she was processing everything right, and coping in a way that would not preclude love and healthy relationship in the future. After some self-investment and work Ava had come out of these sessions ready for a new chapter in her life, so she thought. She hadn't much hope or expectation that she would find someone with all the traits she was looking for. Some traits particularly hard to find as Ava had a beautiful 8 year old daughter in the center of her life. Though Ayden was cute, deliriously charming, family focused herself, wickedly smart, and had her life in order Ava question whether she was worthy or lucky enough to have someone like that like or even fall in love with her. And so didn't message Ayden that night either. 

© 2016 Audrey Colleen Burns