Adagio, Aria and Sunset were wiping down the bar after closing the club for the night. Sonata had long since gone upstairs, tired and needing a nap, leaving the other three to finish closing up. Unfortunately, closing up had taken three times as long due to Adagio being unable to keep her hands off either Aria or Sunset.

“I swear, if you start needing fifteen orgasms a day just to keep your head clear…” Sunset snickered.

“She doesn’t get them that often,” Aria remarked, “She’s a giver, not a receiver.”

“Guilty as charged,” Adagio smirked.

“Eh, still,” Aria snickered, rolling her eyes playfully, “I count myself lucky she wasn’t there during my first stress test.”

“Stress test?” Sunset asked, looking up from the bar as she reapplied the polish to her rag.

“In some studies to become a bartender, you have to take a stress test. What they do is bring you and the trainees to a bar, pack it with to the brim with customers, and see how you perform on really busy nights. You know, to test your weaknesses and your strengths under pressure,” Aria explained, “If Ma were there, she’d be all over me and I wouldn’t be able to focus.”

“I don’t think being sexually harassed by your employer would count against your score,” Adagio snickered.

Aria blew a raspberry, “Oh, kiss my ass and eat my shorts, Ma. Not in that order, mind you.”

Adagio pushed Aria over the bar and bent down, planting a kiss on Aria’s rear before letting her go.

“Gee, thanks,” Aria said dryly, but was grinning.

“When we’re all done here, I’ll give you a lovely little treat,” Adagio purred in her ear as someone outside was pounding on the door. She sighed and buzzed it open, only to roll her eyes as Mrs Dusk walked into the club, “Sonata’s asleep, and you know the rules.”

“Oh,” Mrs. Dusk sighed a little bit, disappointed, “I did want to talk to her, but I also wanted to ask you something, Miss Dazzle.”

“Me?” Adagio raised an eyebrow as she sat down, “Why?”

“There’s something I’ve been very curious about,” Mrs. Dusk explained, “It’s about how Sonata seems to have latched onto you like a mother figure. I can see you’re very motherly, but I’m curious about how it was brought on.”

Adagio shrugged, “She says it was because I was a better mother than her actual mother,” she smirked ever so slightly at this, “What can I say? I take care of my girls.”

“You really do have a motherly disposition,” Mrs. Dusk remarked, “Why is it that you don’t have children of your own? You seem to be a very nurturing and giving woman.”

Adagio’s eye twitched momentarily as Sunset looked on in curiosity and Aria’s eyes widened, “...It just never happened, I guess. I’m gay, so…” she said, her tone far stiffer than usual.

“But there are other options available for having a child,” Mrs. Dusk reasoned, “You have a good home and very successful business. You might want to end up passing it down someday.”

Adagio took a deep, steadying breath, “Mrs Dusk, I really don’t feel like talking about this with you.”

“How come?” She asked with surprise, “I’m just curious, and even a little surprised that such a motherly woman like you isn’t taking the opportunities to raise children.”

Adagio’s nails dug into the wood of the bar as she stood up, “Excuse me,” she said, her voice cracking ever so slightly as she turned around and slowly made her way toward the door to their apartment. Despite how quiet and slow she was, she slammed the door shut behind her so hard that it shook the bottles on the bar shelves.

Letting out a sigh, Aria stood up from her seat and turned to Mrs. Dusk, “What the hell was that about? She clearly told you she didn’t want to talk about it! Yet you badgered her anyway and then wondered why she was so upset.”

“I don’t get it, what’s wrong?” Sunset asked, looking between Mrs Dusk and Aria as she set a broken wine bottle into the glass can.

Aria’s lips set into a firm line, “Mrs. Dusk, please leave. I’ll tell Sonata you were here later. But right now, I think it’s time you went home.”

Mrs Dusk looked bewildered, but stood up and backed away from the two of them before retreating out the door. Once it was shut and locked, Sunset turned to Aria, still looking confused.

“What happened?” she asked.

Turning to her, Aria rubbed the bridge of her nose, “Adagio had a stillbirth a long time ago. The kicker? It turns out that she can’t have children to full term. Her son died before he was even born… She just…. never tried since then.”

Sunset’s eyes widened as she pressed her hand to her mouth. Sterility was one thing, but that was flat out horrific, “Oh my god! Is… is she going to be okay?” she asked, glancing up at the apartment windows.

“Yeah, you know her. She’ll bounce back. But it really is a tough issue for her,” Aria sighed sadly, “Sonata doesn’t know about it. So just, you know… try to keep quiet about it. Especially around her.”

“Oh yeah… of course,” Sunset nodded, glancing back up at the apartment, “Just… go make sure she’s alright, please?”

Aria nodded, “Sure thing. I’ll be back later.”

She left the bar, going upstairs to the apartment. Aria entered, but couldn’t see Adagio anywhere.

“Ma? Hey, Ma? Where are you?”

“I’m in here,” came Adagio’s voice from the solitary room that was always locked.

Aria hesitated, then approached the door, “Are you going to be okay? She’s gone now, I told her to leave.”

“I’ll… be fine,” Adagio said quietly, “The door’s open, Ari-baby. You can come in…”

Slowly opening the door, Aria entered the room quietly, “I’m sorry, Ma… I know this subject’s real tough. And I did just tell Sunset about it. She was confused and pretty concerned. I’m sorry she had to hear it from me, but I know you weren’t up to talking about it.”

Aria took a minute to look around, as she’d never been in here before. The room was small, but warm and looked very comfortable. Two bookcases absolutely loaded to the brim with books, a few chairs, a lamp, and a couch that Adagio was sat on, her knees pulled up to her chest. Glancing around, she saw what Adagio was focused on. Another bookcase, only this one filled with photos of her and Sonata, all of Sonata’s childish little crafts over the years, and the few gifts that they’d gotten her. Set right in the middle, between a photo of her and Sonata, and a photo of all three of them together, was a small ceramic urn.

She glanced back to Adagio to see that she’d been crying.

“Yeah… I understand sweetie,” Adagio whispered, wiping her eyes as she curled in tighter.

Aria approached her slowly, feeling the heartbreak at seeing her normally calm, composed and very charismatic girlfriend so… downtrodden. She sat next to her, bringing her arms around her in a hug.

“I love you, Mommy. I’m here for you,” Aria murmured.

Adagio leaned against her, and the dam burst as she broke down and started sobbing into Aria’s neck, wrapping her arms tightly around her shoulders as she shook. Holding her close, Aria held her tightly and nuzzled her hair. From the first time she’d heard this story, it was heartbreaking. Now, she could see the further gravity of how much it affected Adagio even today. She exhaled, keeping herself strong for the saddened woman.

There was a soft knocking on the door, “...Mommy? Are you okay?” came Sonata’s voice from outside.

Adagio’s head jerked up, “Go back to sleep, Sonata!”

A squeak sounded, then followed by a saddened whimper before Sonata’s footsteps faded away. Aria felt words die in her throat, finding the urge to retract that, but decided against it for now.

Adagio sniffled and whispered, “I’m sorry, Sona…” as she squeezed Aria tighter.

“I know you are, but I’m not the one you should be telling that to,” Aria exhaled, stroking her hair.

“I know…” Adagio whispered, squeezing tighter as she cried into Aria’s shoulder.

Aria held her tighter, yet again feeling conflicted. She didn’t like keeping Sonata in the dark about something so important, but wasn’t about to against Adagio’s understandable request. Nonetheless, she let it slide for now. Stroking her hair, Aria kissed her forehead.

“It’s gonna be okay, Ma,” she murmured.

“Sona…” Adagio whispered as she sat down next to her the next morning, wincing as she felt Sonata recoil away from her, “Sona-baby, Mommy’s so sorry she yelled at you last night…”

“...What did I do, Mommy? Why did you yell at me?” Sonata asked in a small voice.

“You didn’t do anything, sweetie,” Adagio said, her voice cracking, “Mommy shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. You didn’t deserve it.”

Sonata sniffled, not quite looking at her, “...Why are you keeping secrets from me? Why don’t you trust me?”

“Mommy does trust you, it’s just…” Adagio bit her lip, trying to recall why she was keeping this from Sonata, “It’s not something you need to worry about. Mommy has… her own baggage. And Mommy doesn’t want you to worry…”

Sonata looked at her, hurt. She sniffled, wiping her eyes again, “You know, Adagio… I told you everything about myself. Even things I never told anyone else. Yet you don’t even seem to tell me anything. I feel like I know nothing about you sometimes! When I ask, you just laugh, pat my head and tell me not to worry. Well, maybe I want to know! I get it, I’m young and a little naive, but I’m not stupid! I can take it more than you think I can! I don’t want to just be a cute little baby for you. I want to be your partner. Someone you can trust and confide in… Is that too much to ask?”

Adagio was quiet for a minute, before she slowly stood up and backed away, retreating behind the hallway wall to the door that was always locked. Sonata sighed and looked back down to the floor as she listened to the sound of a key rattling in a lock, clearly being held by shaking hands.

“...Come here, sweetie…” came Adagio’s voice.

Wide-eyed, Sonata looked back up, seeing Adagio slowly opening the door. Heart beating wildly, she stood up, slowly following her to the room. Adagio led her inside and waited as Sonata started cooing excitedly over all her books and the shelf full of pictures and gifts. When she’d finally calmed down, Adagio gingerly lifted the urn off it’s shelf and brought it and Sonata over to the sofa.

“Hey! I remember this! It was in the boxes you were unpacking when I got here,” Sonata smiled, “Are you gonna finally tell me what it is?”

Adagio took a deep, shaking breath as she turned the engraving over to her. It read ‘TIMBRE DAZZLE, BORN OCTOBER 9th 1996, DIED OCTOBER 2nd 1996.’

“...This is my son.”

“...Oh… Mommy…” Sonata gave her an embrace from behind, nuzzling her back, “I’m so… so sorry. Was he a stillborn…?”

Adagio nodded.

“Oh... I’m sorry,” Sonata hugged her tighter, “That’s… a really nice name you gave him.”

“Thank you…” Adagio said quietly, “...Anyway… Mommy can’t have kids of her own. It’s not that Mommy’s sterile… it’s that there’s a very high chance that it’ll die before I go into labour.”

Sonata came around, giving her a hug and kissing her cheek, “Oh Mommy, I'm so sorry… but… thank you for telling me, Mommy. I appreciate it so much. I’m just sorry it makes you so sad… But, you can tell me… I’ll be here for you. Just like you were for me.”

Adagio wrapped her arms around Sonata as she set the urn down on the table, “Mommy loves you, Sona,” she whispered, nuzzling Sonata’s hair as she clung tightly to her, “And Mommy doesn’t want to lose you too…”

“I love you, Mommy! I’ll never leave you, ever!” Sonata promised, holding tightly to her.

“Thank you, sweetheart…” Adagio whispered as she squeezed tightly to her.

“Hey, you feeling better?” Sunset asked as Adagio sat down next to her behind the bar.

Adagio nodded with a smile, “The girls have been absolutely doting on me the last few days. I’m okay. I’m over it. These hurdles come and go, and I’m sure it’s going to be back in a few months…”

“Hey, at least they want to help you feel better about it, and not face it alone,” Sunset smiled, giggling.

Adagio smiled as she kissed Sunset’s cheek, “Mmhmm. I love my girls so much,” she wrapped her arms around Sunset’s midsection and gently squeezed.

“And we love you, too,” Sunset kissed her cheek back and hugged her. “You do so much for us, so of course we want to be there for you, too.”

Adagio cooed happily as she reached down Sunset’s jeans and squeezed her rear, “I’m so lucky to have… three now… three wonderful girls like you.”

“Awww… come on,” Sunset giggled, nuzzling her cheek, “We’re the real lucky ones.”

“Nope, I am,” Adagio giggled, pulling Sunset closer and squeezing harder.

“No, we are,” Sunset giggled, nuzzling her hair.

“If you say so, sweetie,” Adagio purred as she hoisted Sunset back onto her hip and kissed her collarbone.

“Let’s just say we’re all lucky to have each other,” Sunset nuzzled her hair happily.

“If you say so,” Adagio giggled, holding Sunset up by her rear, “Mmm… you have the tightest little bum, Sunny.”

“Do I?” Sunset wiggled it a little.

Adagio giggled, “Yup. So tight and tiny and round. I love it,” she purred, nuzzling her neck.

“Thanks…” Sunset kissed her cheek.

Adagio grinned and bounced Sunset on her hip as her hands squeezed her rear, “You’re welcome, sweetie,” she purred as she leaned her head down to kiss Sunset’s toned stomach.

“Oooh!” Sunset giggled from the touch, “That tickles…”

Adagio trailed her tongue over Sunset’s navel as she set her onto the bar, “You’re so gorgeous, Sunny,” she cooed as she pulled up Sunset’s shirt to just below her breasts.

“So are you… You’re definitely one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen in my life,” Sunset purred.

Adagio looked up and grinned as she kissed under Sunset’s chin, “Oh sweetie, flattery will get you everywhere.”

“Especially with you,” Sunset toyed with her blouse, giggling.

Adagio winked and kissed between Sunset’s breasts, through her shirt, as she ran her hands over her stomach, feeling every muscle and curve that she had. Sunset shuddered pleasurably, inching her hands up Adagio’s blouse. She went up to her bra, toying with the hooks. Adagio cooed softly as she ran her fingers along the line of Sunset’s jeans.

“Mmm…” she whispered, “You know, we have a really bad habit of getting steamy right here on the bar, don’t we?”

“Yes, we do,” Sunset giggled, “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Nope,” Adagio purred as she unclipped the button on Sunset’s jeans, kissing along her stomach.

“Oooohhh…” Sunset trembled, giggling as she toyed with Adagio’s skirt, stroking her leg.

“Mmm… just imagine if your mother were to walk in here,” Adagio purred as she laid Sunset back onto the bar, “And see you getting so steamy with your boss right in front of the whole club?”

“She’d be shocked…” Sunset giggled, “But then would just hope we’re using protection.”

“The shock is the fun part,” Adagio purred, nibbling on the hem of Sunset’s jeans.

Sunset moaned a little, lifting the hem of her skirt and coming around to caress her rear, “You’re right, it is…”

“If I didn’t already love how sexy you look in these jeans, I’d have you just come to work naked,” Adagio giggled, kissing Sunset’s thigh as she raked her fingers over her stomach.

“Naughty,” Sunset purred, fisting her fingers into her hair as she moved up.

“Indeed,” Adagio whispered, sliding up and kissing between her breasts again, “But then I’d never take my head out from between your legs, you’d just be too inviting.”

Sunset laughed, “As much as I love it, I’d have to get work done sometime.”

“Mmhmm, you’re a bartender, not a barslut,” Adagio giggled.

“That’s true too,” Sunset nuzzled her hair.

“Although, if you were a barslut, that would be lovely,” Adagio smirked as she licked between Sunset’s breasts, pulling her shirt up to her neck.

“Oh, Adagio… You’re too much,” Sunset placed her shirt aside, giggling.

“What can I say? I love stripping you down,” Adagio whispered as she nibbled at Sunset’s bra.

“And I love it when you do that,” Sunset purred.

Adagio giggled as she ran her hands over Sunset’s legs when a soft tapping sounded from above them. Looking up, there was a particularly angry-looking woman dressed in a well pressed suit glaring down at her.

“Yes?”

“Are you Adagio Dazzle?” the woman asked.

“Yes, who are you?”

“I’m Canni Soda,” the woman said with a roll of her eyes as she handed her an envelope, “You’ve been served.”

“What?!” Adagio sprung up off of Sunset as she ripped open the envelope while Canni strode away, “...No way…”

“What is it?” Sunset asked in surprise and concern as she pulled her shirt back down.

“...I’m being sued,” Adagio whispered, “You remember that waitress who quit last week?”

“You mean Hazel?” Sunset’s jaw dropped, “I knew she always had a chip on her shoulder, but now she’s suing you? On what grounds?”

“Sexual harassment,” Adagio whispered, showing her the letter, “She’s written here that I’d been making ‘unwanted advances’ toward her, Sweet Leaf, and you.”

“What?!” Sunset uttered in a loud whisper, “This is mutiny! I… I can’t believe she’s saying that pack of lies!”

“Well, we can deal with Sweet leaf and you easily. But she may still have a case with herself,” Adagio groaned, sitting back down at the bar, “I told everyone who started here, if they didn’t like it, just say so and I’d stop…”

“Did she ever tell you to stop?”

Adagio shook her head, “Never made any indication whatsoever.”

“Then what the hell is she doing?!” Sunset whispered loudly, grabbing at her hair, “This is stupid.”

“I have no idea,” Adagio sighed, sitting back down and running her fingers through her hair, “This is the last thing I needed right now…”

“Well, don’t worry,” Sunset hugged her, “We’ll prove her wrong and that the courts are going to think twice before taking this case further.”

“I suppose…” Adagio sighed as she hugged her back, “Great… now I need a lawyer…”

“You don’t have one?”

“Nope,” Adagio laid the paper down, “Until now I’ve never needed one… hmm…”

She stood up and shouted across the club, “Who in here is a lawyer?”

There was a surprised silence, before three hands went up in the crowd.

“One of you be here tomorrow morning, first thing,” she shouted back as she sat down at the bar, “There’s that covered.”

Sunset smiled, patting her shoulder, “Well played.”

Adagio sat back and downed the last of her previously forgotten beer, “Well, that certainly killed the mood.”

“No kidding,” Sunset nuzzled her comfortingly.

Adagio sighed and nuzzled against Sunset, breathing in the scent of her hair, “Mmm… you smell lovely, Sunny-baby.”

“Thank you,” Sunset kissed her cheek, “You smell wonderful, too. Like daisies...”

“Daisies? Ohh, that’s new,” Adagio purred, kissing the tip of Sunset’s nose.

“I try,” Sunset winked.

“Yes you do,” Adagio purred as she licked along Sunset’s chin, pulling her into her lap.

Sunset giggled and nuzzled her happily, “And you’re sweet as sugar… Mommy.”

Adagio cooed softly and hugged her tighter, “Oh, thank you sweetheart!” she giggled.

“You’re welcome,” Sunset kissed her cheek, “I’ll do my best with that.”

“Mommy loves you,” Adagio purred softly, wrapping her tightly in her embrace and kissing her cheek.

“And I love you too,” Sunset nuzzled her, snuggling against her.

Adagio smiled brightly, nuzzling Sunset’s sweet smelling hair, “When are you going to be ready to move in?”

“I have everything packed, and the movers will be coming tomorrow,” Sunset grinned, “I’ll have everything here by then.”

“Wonderful,” Adagio purred as she patted Sunset’s back, “I can’t wait to have you in the house with us. Sona loves you so much.”

“Awww, and I love that adorable cutie pie,” Sunset nuzzled her, “It’ll be great living with you girls.”

“Mmhmm,” Adagio purred softly, “They can’t wait for you to get here. Sona’s always asking ‘When’s Sunny coming!’”

Sunset laughed, kissing her cheek, “Well, you can tell her that Sunny will be there by tomorrow…”

“Ooh, she’s going to be over the moon!” Adagio giggled.

“Aww, now that would be so cute!” Sunset cooed, laughing more.

Adagio nodded, “She’s gonna be in your lap all day!”

“Really now?” Sunset snickered, “Well, she is quite the lap puppy! I can’t imagine that being a bad thing…” She winked.

“Nope,” Adagio laughed, “I love having her in my lap. She’s the cutest thing!”

“She really is,” Sunset cooed, “Spending every day snuggling with her? Must be heaven on earth!”

“Mmhmm,” Adagio giggled, “And she’s tasty too,” she winked.

“Ooh… You think she’d let me?” Sunset smiled.

“Why wouldn’t she?” Adagio giggled.

“Good point. Well, then I intend on making good on that…”

“Goodie.” Next Chapter: The Smell Of Cinnamon Estimated time remaining: 4 Hours, 14 Minutes