Erika Hoffmann closed her arms even more tightly around her friend, her lover, and let the last vestiges of her orgasm slowly dissipate.
So much emotion flooded through her, so much understanding of why she was still single and why Elsa Schröder was her only friend. Now she knew this moment had been destined from the start, maybe even why Helmut had been taken from her so cruelly.
She opened her dark brown eyes and looked into Elsa‘s, lying naked in her arms. What she saw through those beautiful, ice blue windows was love, joy and even peace. Moving her head forwards she placed a kiss firmly onto the other woman’s lips who responded eagerly.
Although Erika had never made love with another woman before, she knew exactly what to do. And the feeling of Elsa’s hardening nipple beneath her palm was wonderful and new as she massaged her friend’s breast and squeezed and gently pulled the dark flesh of her teat whilst tasting her very breath as she exhaled whilst they kissed and the saliva in her hot sweet mouth as her tongue explored it and she revelled in this wonderful new experience.
Erika moved her leg up between Elsa’s and began to rub her thigh against her lovers hot, wet vagina, the course hairs feeling so silky against her skin and the moisture escaping onto her own flesh, warming and lubricating. At the same time she felt a leg between her own thighs, pressing against her own sex, first squashing then separating the petals of her labia and rubbing against her clitoris.
She continued to kiss her friend and massage her breasts whilst pressing into her and moving herself against her leg until she could feel Elsa’s excitement beginning to build to it’s own crescendo and, almost in unison the two girls cried out, pressing hard into each other and lifting their knees to increase the pressure and the intensity of their orgasms, moisture flooding out and mingling between them.
For some time they lay in each others arms, silently. No words were needed but soon the room began to darken as the sun set.
Elsa stirred first and sat up, swinging her legs off the bed and placing her feet firmly on the floor.
Turning back she looked at Erika and smiled.
“Coffee?” Her lover just smiled back and nodded her head then she too sat up and began to get out the other side.
Standing, Erika adjusted her underwear, fastened her bra and dressed once again in the satin blouse and thick wool skirt she had placed so carefully on the chair, several hours ago.
With Elsa in her robe, they walked together to the kitchen and she sat at the table whilst the coffee brewed on the stove.
For a while the two of them sat in silence, neither one really knowing what to say until, “Are we okay, ’Rika?”
“Yes, Elsa,” she replied, “We are more than okay.”
Silence reigned for a while longer then Erika looked at her friend and asked:
“Did you know this would happen? Did you plan this?”
“Yes,” came the reply. “Well, no, not exactly. I have loved you for a long time but I didn’t dare tell you because you have never shown any interest in me that way. I was afraid that if I said something you would leave me and to have you as a friend and love you from afar was better than losing you completely.” She looked at Erika intently, worried at what she would say but when no answer was forth coming she continued, “Do you understand me now? You are not angry with me are you?”
Erika took her friends hand and held it tightly.
“No, Elsa, I am not angry. You are right, I didn’t think of you that way. I have never thought of any woman that way but feeling you next to me in the bed, your warm body against mine, I knew that we were meant to be together. That I love you more than just as a friend and that I never want to loose you, ever.” With that, she stood and walked around to the other side of the table and kissed her new lover as if to seal their new found happiness, then sat on Elsa’s knee. They placed their arms around each other and held each other with Erika resting her head on top of Elsa’s.
“We cannot stay here now,” she said, without moving. “If anyone finds out about us we will be reported to the Stasi. We have to leave, and soon.”
“But how, ’Rika? We cannot just get on the train and say ‘two singles to Bad Hersfeld, please’.”
“No, silly, of course we can’t,” Erika smiled, “but you work on the trains, you must meet the West German staff. Can we trust any of them?”
“I don’t know, you are the only person I have ever trusted.” Elsa paused. “What are you thinking we should do?”
“Well, my first idea is that I get on the train at Eisenach and you hide me somewhere on board. Then, when we get to the border maybe one of the others could get you a DeutscheBahn uniform to change into and you stay on board until we get to Bad Hersfeld. What do you think?”
Elsa thought hard.
“I am not sure. The guards have dogs. Maybe I could try and get two uniforms and we could both pretend to be staff.”
Erika kissed her head.
“Let’s eat,” she said, “and then I must leave. I dare not be late today it was so frightening last night, I can’t go through that again.”
The two of them sat down together and ate the meal they prepared together. They had done this so many times but now it was different. They were no longer just friends they were lovers and together nothing would stop them.
When they had finished and tidied away the dishes, Erika turned to her friend and said:
“Don’t take any chances. If you feel you cannot trust anyone then we will find another way. One way or another, we will get across the border and we will be together. For ever.”
They kissed and held each other for a moment and parted.
This time Erika did not run silently between the shadows. This time she walked confidently home, smiling because she had finally understood what her solitary life had been about.
That night she slept soundly. She remembered no dreams and awoke only with the insistent ringing of her alarm clock.
The day passed uneventfully and she didn’t even think about their escape. After all, until she knew whether Elsa could obtain the necessary uniforms, she didn’t really know how they would do it.
One night, she sat alone in her apartment, listening to the radio. A young man had been shot dead trying to escape to the west in Berlin. The newsreader reported a spokesman as saying he was a traitor to the state and all such attempts to defect would be treated as treason.
Erika shuddered but they could not stay, especially now. If the Stasi found out about them they would be arrested anyway. Risking death would be a fair price to pay if she and Elsa could be together safely.
Almost a week passed by before the two women saw each other again. Elsa had been working the late shifts so the curfew meant they could not be together.
Saturday morning and Erika awoke to an urgent knocking at her door.
“Who is there?” she called.
“It’s me, Elsa,” came the reply.
She quickly opened the door and let her friend inside.
“What are you doing here so early? It is only seven o’clock.”
“I’m sorry,” Elsa said, “but I had to see you before you went to the shop. I risked telling one of the conductors about our plan. He promised to help but could only get one uniform. I have brought it here in case he tells anyone and they search my apartment.”
Erika smiled as she listened. Elsa hadn’t even stopped to take a breath.
“Don’t worry,” she said, placing a fingertip on her friends lip, “We will think of a way with just one.”
“I know, ‘Rika, but there is worse news. The uniform belongs to a colleague of his who is away on holiday. She doesn’t know he has it. We have to go before next Saturday so he can return it without her knowing!”
“A week!?” Erika exclaimed. She thought for a moment then said, “Fine, we can do it.” She took Elsa’s face in her hands and looked into her eyes, “We will do it!”
Erika shuddered but they could not stay, especially now. If the Stasi found out about them they would be arrested anyway. Risking death would be a fair price to pay if she and Elsa could be together safely.
“Are you working tonight?” she asked, taking the brown paper parcel from her friend.
“No,” Elsa replied, “should I come over?”
“No,” came the answer, much to Elsa’s surprise. “Meet me at the shop at five, when I finish. I don’t care if people see us. Only we know that something is different now, they don’t.”
The relief was obvious on Elsa’s face. she smiled happily and put her arms around her lover, enjoying the warm closeness of her body and kissed her with a gentleness that shouted, I love you.
Just before five, the shop door bell tinkled. Erika looked up from the dress she was repairing expecting to see Elsa but instead there was a man wearing a dark raincoat and trilby hat. he looked very severe and Erika immediately identified him as a secret policeman, Stasi!
Her heart leapt into her mouth. She had done nothing but even so, she was afraid. What did he want with her?
Had someone reported Elsa this morning? Did they think it was suspicious, her arriving so early with a parcel?
Even though her heart was pounding in her chest she smiled and said, “Can I help you?”
The man looked at her for a moment before saying, “Erika Hoffmann?”
Her heart missed a beat. She was amazed it was still beating at all.
Her legs went to jelly and her back hurt as her muscles tensed with fear. She swallowed and licked her lips to moisten then before replying, “Yes, I am Erika Hoffmann.”
“Ah, good.” The man offered her his hand. “My name is Dieter, I have been told you are an excellent dressmaker. I need a special dress for my wife for our twenty fifth anniversary party.”
Erika breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed.
“Are you alright?” The man looked concerned.
“Yes, I am sorry, it’s been a long, busy week. When do you need the dress by?”
“Four weeks, the seventeenth if that is possible.”
“Yes, it should be.” Erika didn’t even consider that she may not be here. “What do you have in mind?”
“Something elegant but not too fancy.” He smiled. “She is beautiful enough.”
“That will be fine.” She had forgotten her fear now. “I have some pattern books if you would like to look for a style.”
“Oh, yes, okay but not now, you are closing soon. I will come back on Monday if that is alright?”
“Yes, certainly, thank you.” Erika almost forgot to ask, “Could you get some measurements?”
“Ah,” he replied, “I didn’t think of that. It was supposed to be a surprise.”
“That is okay.” She smiled. “Can you perhaps bring an old dress she won’t miss? I can work from that”.
“Yes, I think so,” he replied after a moment’s thought. “Do you want a deposit?”
“No, that can wait until we sort out the details.”
At that moment the door opened and Elsa appeared. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the man so Erika just smiled and shook her head almost imperceptively.
“Then I will see you Monday, Miss Hoffmann, thank you.”
Elsa held the door open and he nodded to her as he passed. “Thank you, young man,” he said, and was gone into the darkening, wet street.
“Who was that?” The look on Elsa’s face was that of fear.
“Don’t worry, it was just a customer wanting a special dress for his wife. He frightened me too, at first.”
“‘Rika, I don’t like being afraid again. It is worse than when the Russians came. At least we knew who the enemy was. Now we can’t trust anyone.”
A tear welled in Elsa’s eyes and Erika wanted to take her in her arms and reassure her but she couldn’t, not here in the shop so she smiled and whispered:
“Soon, my love. Soon we can leave and not have to worry any more.”
After locking the shop they walked together in silence back to Erika’s apartment.
The door to the concierge’s home was open and as they passed she appeared in the doorway.
“Good evening, Erika.” She didn’t smile as she looked at them. “Elsa.”
“Good evening Mrs. Steiner,” they answered in unison. “How are you?”
“Fine thank you,” she replied and watched as they continued on their way to Erika’s door and went inside.
“Does she suspect something?” Elsa was still nervous.
“No, I don’t see why she should,” her friend told her, “It is her job to watch people.”
They sat down together at the kitchen table and whilst they ate they discussed how they were going to escape.
“Do you know when your counterpart from the west side is working the same train as you?”
“Yes,” Elsa answered, “there are several options but there is only one opportunity where we have the best chance and that is Thursday night. There is a border guard who likes me. He keeps asking me to go out with him. I always refuse, of course, but I think he is more likely to let me go if he finds out what is happening. Thursday is the only day this week where he, I and the other conductor are scheduled to be on duty at the same time.”
She paused for a moment whilst taking a drink from her coffee cup. Erika looked at her intently, listening carefully as she continued.
“I have an idea. You get a ticket to Eisenach from Gotha. Obviously you will not get off at Eisenach. I am the conductor on that train. When we leave Eisenach, you go into the toilet and put on the uniform and stay there until the train stops at the border crossing. The West Germans get on there and you can come out when they are there.
I will get off with my colleagues but will get back on and hide until the train moves again. Once the train is moving, the guards will have got off and we will be free.”
Erika sat silently. She liked the idea but it seemed a bit too easy. Eventually she asked:
“What if the guards want to know why you are still on board if they find you?”
Elsa smiled.
“I have thought about that. The guard believes anything I tell him. I just tell him I have left my hand bag or ticket machine or something. I will stay in the guards office until the train moves off. He will not question me if he has already had an explanation.”
“Can you be certain of that?”
“Of course not,” came the answer, “We cannot be sure of anything but I can’t think of another way. Can you?”
Erika’s brain was in turmoil. So many questions, so few answers.
“No,” she said, finally, “I can’t.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes until, at last, Erika looked up and said:
“Thursday it is then.”
Elsa got to her feet and walked around the table to where her friend was seated and sat down next to her.
“I am frightened, ‘Rika,” she said at last and, taking Erika’s hand in her own, placed her head on her lovers shoulder and listened to the sound of her blood rushing through her ears.
Erika thought hard whilst she stroked Elsa’s hair but try as she might, she couldn’t think of another way through.
She thought about her friend beside her and how long they had been friends. She thought about her cousins in Bad Hersfeld. She couldn’t tell them she was coming and she just had to hope they would be pleased to see her.
What if it went wrong and they were caught? She shivered. She couldn’t think about that. It just had to be case of what will be will be.
She had to be positive. Be strong. Elsa was depending on her.
She looked down at her friend. Elsa was right, there really was no-one else to depend on, no-one who could be trusted. It was only going to be the two of them for the rest of their lives.
She heaved a deep sigh.
Elsa looked up.
“‘Rika?” She looked concerned.
“I am okay,” she replied and placed a soft kiss against Elsa’s forehead, then, after a pause, another on her nose and, after another pause, one on her lips.
Elsa responded immediately. Opening her mouth and welcoming Erika’s forceful tongue which pushed it’s way insistently inside, exploring and delving deep, feeling the smoothness of her teeth and the soft warmth of her inner recesses.
“Come on,” she said, standing and took Elsa’s hand, guiding her towards the bedroom.
They made love with the urgency of two people who, having found each other so recently were afraid that they may have no time together. They pulled at each others clothing, undoing buttons, unclipping hooks, pulling at fabric so much that threads strained under the onslaught but that was all unnoticed in the frenzy to get at each other’s bodies.
Fingers pressed into soft flesh and pulled and kneaded. Lips pressed and teeth bit gently. Their tongues explored every possible area of each other, attacking every opening, every dimple, every crease and fingers delved deeply inside, feeling heat and moisture, gripped tightly by excited, welcoming muscles whilst sliding in and out of soaking wet interiors until they climaxed almost simultaneously, biting their own lips to prevent the neighbours from hearing their cries of passion and muffling the sounds that made them so in tune with each other until, slowly, they sank down into the soft covers and lay silently in each others arms, breathless and exhausted but happier now than they had ever been in their entire lives.
Suddenly, Elsa sat up.
“What time is it?” she cried.
Erika panicked, the curfew! She looked at the clock on the bedside table and relaxed slightly.
“It’s okay, Sweetheart,” she soothed the short blonde hair, “It’s just past nine.”
“I have to go,” the little voice from her shoulder answered.
Erika watched her dress in silence, drinking in the beauty before her. Toned and slender, firm yet soft then, covering herself with her robe walked to the door.
They kissed tenderly. All urgency was gone now and before she opened the door she looked into the beautiful blue eyes before her and said:
“Nothing will stop us, I love you so much.”
“And I love you too, ‘Rika,” came the reply.
Erika closed the door quietly after Elsa left and rested her head against it for a moment. Now she was scared. From this moment on she would think of nothing else but the days ahead which could mean a new life for both of them or, quite simply, death!
