Olivia sat in pensive silence as the train bounced and shook on the westward rail line. Between both of her hands sat a handwritten envelope dated the end of last year.
Running her thumbs along it, she felt a pain in her heart and a tense anxiety through her whole body. She'd never believed she'd find herself here, but the closer she drew to the destination written on the envelope, the more uncertain she became.
She'd written to Fievel for years, and she felt she'd developed a strong bond with him through those years. She'd never met him, nor did she think she ever would, but it didn’t stop her from fantasizing repeatedly about doing so.
With her father having moved around so much after the incident with Ratigan, she found friends challenging to maintain. It wasn't until the advent of the penfriend's board in East London that she found that opportunity.
While humans were restricted only by their mechanical toys, the mice had the aid of birds. All it took was a simple exchange with them for far-off mail delivery, and one could talk to any mouse in the world if one wished.
Thinking back, it was on that cluttered board that she set her address to be taken elsewhere. She never expected to hear back, but was elated when she received a handwritten letter in the winter of 1890.
It was the beginning of a long correspondence that extended far past the ocean and struck straight through to her heart. She’d never say it, but as she spent more and more money sending letters to Fievel, the more she felt like she “loved” him.
It was a stupid thought in her mind: how can someone love another if they've never met them? Still, the fact that Fievel faithfully responded and continued through every address until the last meant that she felt she did know him well.
He told her everything, as did she… Their fears, their family, their wants, and their tears….
Olivia sighed and wiped the wetness away from her eyes with the back of her hand.
She was scared for him; for the first time in his life, he'd not responded to her for almost a year. She sent dozens of letters, some pleading for a reply, but he never wrote back….
Did he hate her all of a sudden? Did he find someone else to spend his time with?
She didn't know; not knowing was far more painful than accepting any possible truth. She’d become so crestfallen over the affair that tears wet her pillow nightly, and her hygiene plummeted into disrepair for a time.
As Olivia remembered the pain, she glanced out the window containing the endless expanse of gorgeous desert space.
“….”
It was her father who eventually came and spoke to her. She didn't know why he suggested she come here to see Fievel, but the mere suggestion of it had made her eyes sparkle so brightly that he only hugged her lovingly.
“You’re growing up so fast….” She whispered her father's words while resting her chin on her hand.
She had grown and spent many years improving her intuition and problem-solving skills. Basil had rubbed off on her, and her competence was likely why her father was not concerned about her traveling so far alone.
“….”
As the locomotive began to slow, one of the servicemice on the train called out to passengers in her tiny train cart.
“Next stop, Green River, Utah!”
His voice was thunderous, and it jolted Olivia from her thoughts. Standing up, she slid the envelope into her leather side bag while picking it up and then straightened her long, blue coat and plaid dress.
Despite the area, she was dressed in similar attire that she'd had as a child. She always kept her favorite color and the beautiful red bow gifted by her dear, departed mother.
As the train pulled to a complete stop with a screeching sound, she quickly left and stepped outside onto the train platform with the many other humans and mice stopping there.
Immediately, the sun blinded her, and she squinted hard to dull the pain. The rays were hot against her, and she began to sweat immediately.
With a huff, Olivia walked beneath the ticket window for shade and, from there, was able to better see the entirety of the quaint western town before her.
Mice and men walked around in the sun, and many seemed to be at work. To her right was a billboard with various sheets of paper containing many different informational tidbits.
Some of which caught her eye….
Penfriends signup! Come meet mice from around the world!
Olivia smiled somewhat as she looked at the board full of numerous addresses, names, and locations. Indeed, she could only imagine Fievel walking here and grabbing her letter to nobody….
Turning, she was about to leave when another poster caught her attention immediately.
Greetings, New Arrivals! Job Opening! October 4, 1894:
Looking for a skilled typist and an investigator with experience.
See Sheriff Fievel Mousekewitz for an interview!
…
“That’s only weeks ago!”
Olivia's heart pounded, and excitement nearly stole her breath. Quickly looking about at the many mousey establishments built into human ones, she could see the one labeled "Sheriff" fairly easily.
Pausing briefly, she thought over her options, and it was then that an idea came to her.
She could erase all of these turbulent feelings if she went in for the “interview” instead of as herself…. Fievel did not know what she looked like, so if it was clear he was too busy for her, she could let him go without making it complicated….
Sure, she told herself that, but as she walked out into the sun, she found her bravery lessening with each step. Standing before the establishment labeled “Sheriff,” she heard an old man’s voice greet her.
“Well, hello M’am, haven’t seen you roun’ here before.”
Olivia turned to see a mining mouse standing with his pick over his shoulder.
"Oh, yes…. I am here to see Sheriff Fievel. Is he in?"
The older mouse tipped his hat and responded kindly. "Sure is, though. I hope ya ain’t gonna ask him to climb no mountains or nothin'; boy's havin’ a rough time of it….”
Olivia became terrified and so tried to keep her worry hidden. "Oh… Well… H-he's, ok? Isn’t he?”
The man laughed and nodded. "Yep, just needin’ help, but not findin’ the right kind, I s’pose.”
Olivia nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, that is what I am here for… To, erm… help…”
The old man grinned and spit on the ground. “Well, then, Missey, welcome to Green River! I look forward to seein’ yer pretty face roun’ here!"
Olivia was silent and watched the man walk away. He was friendly, but her mind could concentrate on nothing but Fievel.
Turning to stand in front of the entryway, she breathed in to calm herself and slowly opened the door. Gently, it moved, and as she peeked in, she could see a young mouse sitting at a desk.
His white hat glistened in the sun through a small hole in the wall, and his hand wrote shakily on a paper set before him. Taking his white coat and form in, she zeroed in on the Sheriff’s shimmering gold star as it reflected in the sunlight.
“….”
Olivia's immediate thoughts were how handsome he was, even more so than her imagination allowed. Though he was so young, she was always surprised that he was the central acting Sheriff.
Pushing in, Fievel was oblivious to her presence. He seemed preoccupied and struggling. Glancing down at his papers, Olivia could see his hand trembling and that his handwriting was exceedingly poor, unlike the nice pen strokes he usually produced when writing her.
Glancing at his expression, he seemed forlorn and sad but dutiful regardless. Olivia was now beside his makeshift desk admiring him, but then she self-consciously felt like a creep for doing so.
“….”
Perhaps…. Perhaps it was time to talk to Fievel…. Even with her planned cover, she felt unbelievably uneasy.
“Uhm…. Ah-Hem…” Olivia muttered as she placed her hand to her mouth and made a sound.
It finally broke Fievel's concentration, and he glanced up. Immediately, he placed his fountain pen down, and it seemed he could not break his stare on the sudden company.
“I… Well, hello….” He began. “Is there something I can help you with?”
His voice was calm and masculine but oozing with unbridled empathy. He was as kind as his letters portrayed, Olivia could tell…
“Uhm, erm, well, uhhh…." Olivia lost her nerve as she bashfully ran her shoe across the wooden planks.
Fievel placed his left hand underneath his hat behind his head and scratched, then laughed nervously. “Well, I haven’t seen you in Green River before…. Did you travel here and now need help with something?”
Olivia cleared her throat and then timidly lied in her subtle Scottish accent. “Well, I… I am here about your poster....”
Fievel looked confused, but then it seemed to snap into his mind. “Oh! Well, I haven’t had too many come in for those positions, so it is good somebody finally decided to show….”
He laughed a bit more, then returned the pen to his right hand. "Go on, have a seat! We can discuss how you can help.”
Olivia quietly walked before the desk and sat in the wooden chair made from a discarded toy block. From her new vantage point, she could clearly see the right arm of his coat was severely torn, and he had bandages creeping out of his coat sleeve above his hand.
“….”
Fievel looked down at a form atop his messy desk and placed his pen on it to fill out the essential details. Olivia watched as he struggled and hid his pain through subtle, deep breaths.
His handwriting suffered immeasurably, so she broke the silence with her immediate thoughts. "Uhm, it looks like you are having a hard time writing…. Why don’t you use your left hand instead?”
Fievel frowned and then held up his right hand, after which he responded. "I am right-handed, and believe it or not, this hand still writes better than my left…. If I want to be able to read what I write later, then I need to use it."
“….”
Olivia watched him as he began writing, and then she spoke again. "What happened, Fievel?"
Her direct utterance of his name made him look up at her, and his cheeks turned slightly pink in the sunlight. She spoke as if she cared about him, and it was flattering from someone so drop-dead gorgeous.
"I…" Fievel began. "Well, we have been having a lot of trouble with rising crime and cat bandits recently. My friend Tiger is out looking for them now, but I got severely swiped a few months back… It has been slow healing."
It made sense to Olivia now, and she watched as Fievel went back to writing with his injury. Overworked and clearly suffering, he likely hadn't written her because of how serious things were for him presently.
She gazed at the floor and watched her feet. She felt like a selfish, despicable mouse. Not just because she was lying to Fievel right now but because she ever even thought he would abandon her.
“….”
After a moment longer, she heard Fievel speak.
"Ok, Miss, all I need is your name, and we can discuss your abilities that will help around here."
Olivia stared blankly at him as he readied his pen to write on the paper again. Now, she knew she could slink away with him never knowing, but she also felt obligated to tell him that she was finally here.
Glancing over at his plethora of messy papers strewn about the desk, Olivia caught a glimpse of lines he had clearly been drafting for a letter to send her at some point.
“…”
“Dear, Olivia…. Sorry that I have not responded….”
"Olivia, I do not know how to say this. We have spoken for so long, and because of that, I am afraid to….”
“Olivia, I do not want to worry you, but….”
“Olivia, please, forgive me for not writing…. I hope that you won’t be mad….”
“Olivia, you are my best friend….”
The last one, in particular, got to her so much she couldn’t read anymore, and she wiped her eyes to keep them from sprouting tears.
It was at this point that she heard Fievel speak again.
“Miss, are you alright?”
She nodded slowly, trying to hide her sentimentality, and just responded. “Sorry…. now, what was it you were saying?”
Fievel merely grinned kindly and responded playfully. “I asked you your name, silly. I haven’t learned it yet!”
Olivia stared, and when Fievel looked down at the paper again, she spoke softly to him.
“I… My name is Olivia Flaversham….”
Fievel absent-mindedly began to write the name in awkward handwriting, but by the time he’d finished “Olivia” and made it to “Fla,” his pen slipped right off the page, leaving behind a trail of ink.
He looked up and stared directly at Olivia, his mouth agape and eyes wide. It was clearly a mixture of awe and terror.
“I…. Olivia?!” He choked out.
Olivia could only give him a dopey smile, and she nodded her head to his question without speaking.
Fievel immediately got up and looked down at her from his standing position. When she mimicked him, she stood straight and decided to try and speak through her trepidation.
“I… It is so go…." She began but was abruptly silenced.
!
Fievel had spontaneously thrust himself forward from around the side of the desk, and before she could even think, she found herself with his left arm wrapped around her, brought into an intimate hug.
She wasn’t frightened or offended by the sudden gesture…. She wanted this more than he could possibly imagine.
She inhaled his scent when she wrapped her arms around his frame and placed her head against his chest. It was intoxicating to her and was making her knees weak.
They stood in the Sheriff’s office while the sun beamed onto them from the mousehole window. Their eyes were shut, and they felt that their strong bond had been infinitely tempered beyond any ability to destroy it.
“….”
After some time, Fievel removed himself and looked her over. Then, he spoke honestly.
“Sorry about that, Olivia…. I don’t know why I did that….”
Olivia shook her head and smiled. “No, it is good to meet you too. I… Well, it has honestly been a dream for me to do so for a long time now.”
Fievel agreed and beamed brighter than she’d seen him since she’d gotten here. “I feel that way, too…. I really can’t believe you are here…. Come to think of it, how did you get here? What brought you all this way?”
“…”
There was absolute bashfulness in her reasoning, and now, it was her face's turn to go soft pink. Glancing up towards Fievel's face, she eventually explained that her father had given her the money…. However, when it came to admitting her reasoning, she was avoidant.
“I… Well, I always wanted to visit here, and uhm… I figured I could see you while I was at it.”
Fievel nodded and simply tipped the brim of his cowboy hat. "Well, you are always welcome to spend time here with me whenever you'd like…."
Olivia’s heart skipped an entire beat, and part of her wanted to jump for joy. Even though she was utterly unwilling to admit her deep care for him and her worries over his not writing to her, she would allow herself all the space in the world to feel this way privately.
“….”
As Fievel turned and sat at his desk, he held out his left hand and prompted her to sit back down. "Shall we continue with the hiring process?"
Olivia merely gave him a smirk and shook her head. “You know that I have been working every day to be more like Basil, so I am pretty sure we can skip the paperwork….”
“Fair enough,” Fievel began, then got back up and stood before her. “Uhm…. Olivia?”
Olivia looked over his solemn expression and then answered hesitantly. "Y-Yes?”
Fievel sighed and then let out what he wanted to say. "I am incredibly sorry I didn't write you…. Things happened, but that is no excuse to ignore somebody I care about."
“Oh….” Olivia cast her gaze away from him.
Hearing him say that lifted her spirit, and she felt entirely at peace again. Shifting her bag slung over her shoulder, she tried to express her feelings over his words.
“I… Fievel, I want….” There was a pause as a loud noise grumbled audibly from the center of her torso.
She put her hand on her stomach, and Fievel chuckled at her stomach interrupting her. “Well, someone’s hungry…. Come on, why don’t we get something to eat?”
Olivia was ashamed over the noises her belly made but had little time to really dwell on it. Before she could even answer, she felt Fievel grab her hand with his left one and pull her gently out the door into the sun.
The shame and anxiety she'd felt previously now felt like a living dream. Growing up, she'd fantasized about doing this with Fievel, and as this fantasy turned into an actual event, she was left with the undeniable revelation that she did and had loved him far more than she ever allowed herself.
Olivia now realized there was no shame in it; she'd known "who" Fievel was for so long that coming here wasn't like meeting a stranger at all; it was like a reunion with a very dear friend.
“…”
…
…
…
…
…
Olivia squinted again as the two made their way out into the overwhelming sunlight, but as the two walked, her eyes adjusted better over time.
Glancing at the quaint western town, she was charmed by how different it was from England. The rustic wooden structures matched the desert scenery well, and the many establishments made by human settlers had since been expanded to the many mice that migrated here.
Glancing down at her hand touching Fievel's, she preserved her feeling of floating off the ground and only broke her grasp on him when he stopped and directed her to what appeared to be a restaurant.
Curiously examining the establishment, it was apparent it was connected to some human inn. The closer they got to the hole in the wooden porch, the more detail Olivia could see on the tiny old sign before her.
“Mouse House!”
Olivia only vaguely recalled reading about it from Fievel some time ago and looked at him curiously.
After interpreting her expression, he spoke on it to refresh her memory.
"It is a place where they serve quick, good food. I never saw anything like it before it came here, so it will be a nice treat for you to experience.
Olivia nodded quietly, then entered the establishment with Fievel. The place was packed while looking very homely and well-furnished with repurposed human trinkets. There was an overwhelming scent of delectably cooked meat and vegetables wafting throughout the place.
The room was waited on by a plethora of gorgeous mice in distinct, white, and black starched skirts. Olivia was surprised by the civility and atmosphere of the place and followed Fievel to one of the only empty tables, where they both took a seat.
…
…
…
It was only mere minutes before one of the girls came over and spoke to them. “Hello, Ma’am, Sheriff Fievel! What can I get y’all to drink today?”
Fievel leaned back in his chair and spoke his routine favorite. “I’d like an iced tea, please.”
“Right,” the waitress began, turning his already set China cup upside down and letting it tilt off the saucer.
“And you, Miss?”
Olivia thought, and tea did sound delectable right about now. “I’d like a hot tea, please….”
The waitress smiled and turned Olivia's cup upside down on the saucer. "Right, now, what would you like to eat, or did ya need me to return in a moment?”
Olivia was uncertain, but Fievel spoke for himself and on her behalf. "I'd like some beef and vegetables, and Olivia likes seafood…. Do you have anything nice in stock?”
Olivia beamed and merely stayed quiet. Fievel had remembered that she liked fish and seafood. Trendy dishes in England…. He seemed to remember even small details she'd written him.
The waitress nodded in Olivia’s direction and responded. "Well, she's in luck. We have a catch of fresh oysters brought in from Maine this mornin'."
Olivia had never had oysters, but her curiosity was piqued as it sounded like somewhat of a delicacy to her. "That sounds lovely, I will try that…."
With their orders given, the waitress was off, and Fievel, sitting across from her, was relatively lax.
Even though she was here experiencing this, it still felt unreal…. It wasn't until a few moments later, when another waitress came by and set up their China and poured their preferred drinks without a word, that she could speak.
“I… This is really neat….”
Fievel leaned forward and then took a sip of his cold tea. "Yeah, this place is really great…. I come here all the time and dine while I write to you…."
Olivia blushed again and then shook her head. “I meant, sitting here with you….”
Fievel had his moment to turn hot, and he looked at the table. "Yeah, I…. Uhm…."
Olivia raised an eyebrow curiously and then encouraged him to continue. "Yes, Fievel…?"
Fievel rested his injured arm on the table and just shook his head. “I dunno’, I just feel like I have things I want to say, but I am not sure I ought to….”
Olivia felt similarly, but as she was about to tell him she wanted to hear it, the waitress returned and placed their meals directly in front of them.
Olivia was shocked by the sudden interruption but still captivated by how it was presented. Her oysters were on a decoratively painted plate that resembled that of an oyster shell.
Their composure and smell were delectable, and as she forgot what she was about to say to Fievel, she decided to try her meal.
Fievel quietly cut a small sirloin strip and observed Olivia as she tasted her oysters. At first, Olivia seemed unsure of the texture, but as she settled on the flavor, she found it highly palatable.
“Mmm…. This is just as good as English cod….”
Fievel laughed and took a bite of his meal. “Well, I am extremely overjoyed you like it. Please, enjoy yourself. It is my treat."
Olivia was speechless, not because of the gesture, per se, but more so because this now resembled dating and courtship to her.
“….”
Fievel was utterly unperturbed by how others might interpret this, so she merely acted as if she didn’t care either.
By the time the two were rounding down their meal, a call from beside them broke their gaze on one another.
“Fievel! Hey, and who is this, huh!?”
When they looked over, they saw a dolled-up mouse girl not quite as tall as Fievel. At first, Olivia felt anxious, but then Fievel dispelled all of it by speaking.
“Tanya…. Don’t you have a show right now!?”
Tanya walked over happily and shook her head. "Well, no! It was canceled…. That still doesn't answer my question, though!"
Olivia recognized the name, and she spoke before Fievel could introduce her. "Tanya? Fievel's sister?"
Tanya frowned and then looked at Fievel before playfully teasing him. “Been talking about me, are you?”
By their interaction, Olivia could tell they loved one another dearly. Indeed, he had written a lot about Tanya to her, and to finally see her felt like an honor.
Fievel shook his head and responded. “No, this is…. Well, uhm…. How do I put this?”
Tanya put her hands on her hips and responded directly. “How about her name? She seems to know mine!”
Fievel rubbed his right hand with his left and then spoke. "Well, you probably won't believe this, but, well, this is Olivia…."
Tanya stared as if she’d blown a fuse, and then, when she looked over Olivia, her expression turned to shock. “You mean…? YOUR OLIVIA?!”
Hearing Tanya raise her voice with those words made Olivia freeze in utter fear, but Fievel only confirmed it with a “yes.”
Tanya went over and scrutinized Olivia and then quickly grabbed a seat from a newly emptied table and dragged it over. With her now sitting next to Olivia, she began to speak.
“Wow, I can’t believe she’s here! You’ve been talking to her for several years now!”
Olivia grinned at Tanya’s developed gregarious demeanor and responded. “Yes…. I am here, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Tanya….”
Tanya shut her eyes and chuckled, then leaned back before deciding to humiliate Fievel. "Well, good thing you are, Fievel does nothing but talk about 'Olivia this,’ and 'Olivia that…’ I feel like I know you even though you’ve never been here.”
Fievel pulled his hat down slightly, seeing where this was going, and hid his gaze from them behind the brim of his hat.
“….”
“Oh…” Olivia was caught off guard, so she ended up saying more than she had intended.
"I didn't know he thought about me as much as I do about him…."
When she uttered the words, Fievel raised his hat slightly to glance, and Tanya had a knowing look on her face before speaking again.
“You two are made for one another, I am oh-so sure….”
“….”
“….”
There was an awkward silence between Fievel and Olivia, so Tanya just rolled her eyes. After that, she raised her hand and called over the waitress.
Within seconds, a dried fruit pie had been ordered on Fievel’s dime, and when it came, the three beginning to eat had cushioned the anxiety of the two.
Tanya began to ease into a conversation and genuinely showed interest in Olivia, her father, Basil, and England.
…
…
…
Hours went by, and the three continued bonding. When Tanya had her fill, she decided to let Olivia and Fievel have the time they truly deserved.
When the check came, Fievel paid the 70-cents for their dinners and pie, as well as left a generous 20-cent tip for the server.
…
…
…
By the time they made it outside, Olivia was surprised by the massive drop in temperature at night. It made her feel happy she’d worn her clothes from England.
Once they made it out onto the dusty trail, she was wholly entranced by the clear presence of night. The gorgeous sky was so absent in light that she could see the stars and galaxies beyond them in a way that defied expectations.
Fievel timidly spoke after the two walked in silence next to one another for a while.
“So, if you’d like, I can put you up at an inn, or you can stay with me for the night….”
The offer came off as more of a request to her, and Olivia’s immediate thought was the latter regardless. “I’d like to see your home….”
With that, nothing more needed to be said, and Fievel led her along the now sparsely lit roads of the town.
“….”
…
…
…
…
…
By the time Fievel and Olivia made it to his home located under the porch of the human Sheriff’s office, she was surprised by the modesty of it. It was cramped with various things but decently organized.
She watched as he lit a small lantern made of scrapped tin, and then took his hat off for the first time. His unkempt head fur was adorable and made her smile.
Placing it on a dull human fishing hook that he used as a hanger, he took her bag and set it beside it. After that, he struggled with his jacket until he finally pulled it off and hung it. Olivia could now see how badly he had been hurt; indeed, it looked agonizing from her perspective.
Bandages ran along his upper arm, down through his forearm, stopping at his wrist, and he was very slow to use or move it. Olivia placed her hands to her mouth and, for the first time, really felt deeply sorry.
Seeing her, Fievel frowned, and walked up to stand right before her. When she looked up at his face, he spoke.
“Don’t worry, Olivia…. I… Well, I am ok…. I figured out that you are here because you were worried…. I really am sorry for that.”
Olivia’s motivation was now transparent to him, so rather than deny it, she responded. “I was so scared you stopped talking to me forever…. I am sorry for doubting you…. Really, Fievel….”
Fievel raised his left hand and rubbed her cheek, which she did not bother to try to stop. The dim flickering light of the small lantern made the mood tensely intimate.
Fievel eventually sighed and then spoke once more. "As I was trying to say earlier…. I have so much I want to tell you, but I…. It is like, now that I have the chance, I feel unsure and unable…."
Olivia’s eyes sparkled with the light of the flickering flame beside her, and her pulse quickened. As Fievel drew his face closer to hers, she mimicked him. Then, when she could feel his warm breath on her face, she responded.
“Just…. Say what you need to, Fievel…. What’s in your heart….”
Fievel stared, and the moment felt like an eternity. Before long, he moved closer until their noses practically touched and spoke.
“I love you, Olivia Flaversham….”
That was all he needed to say and all she needed to hear. Without a bit of hesitation, the two pressed their mouths together. It was slow at first but quickly escalated beyond their control.
Pent-up feelings exploded forth from years of childish fantasy and personal experimentation. They'd both dreamed about this, what this could be like, and now that they had a face to add to those fantasies, it only inexorably propelled their desire for love.
As they awkwardly added their tongues to the kissing, Olivia let out a moan, which caused Fievel to vigorously push her against the wooden wall of his home.
She shut her eyes and kissed ever harder as he used his left hand to hold her up against the wood. Her hands began searching his body and found his sides. Softly, she caressed them as the two freed their imprisoned passion for one another.
Eventually, the infinitely long kiss broke, and they were gasping for oxygen. Looking into Fievel's eyes, Olivia stated the obvious because she felt just as much of a need for it as Fievel.
“I… Love you too, Fievel Mousekewitz….”
…
…
…
…
With undeniable desire, Olivia touched just about anywhere she could while they hugged. Inevitably, Fievel moved in due to the good feelings that were being shared and began to kiss along her exposed neck.
She gasped in excited titillation as she shut her eyes. After returning the love that she had given him to her, she squealed with delight and then commented on his prurient behavior.
“Fievel…. I… This is e-embarrassing…. You are experienced with this?”
Fievel stopped kissing her neck, then gazed into her eyes again. “N-no… I…. I’ve never even courted a girl before…. I just….”
There was slight hesitation to continue, but Olivia just waited patiently, which inevitably caused Fievel to spill his private thoughts.
…
"Well, every time you would write me, I would get so excited…. The writing started at a time when, uhm, I was becoming more interested in girls…. I guess you could say, I liked you so much that I could only dream of you above all else.”
Olivia found it sweet, and so shyly reciprocated. “Well, it is the same for me…. When I realized I felt that way, I felt stupid for liking someone I never met in person….”
“….”
Fievel stood there admiring her, feeling as if they were identical. After a bout of sentimental silence, it wasn’t but a few moments later, that Olivia whispered into his ear. Her mind made up about where she wanted this to go.
“What kinds of things did you dream of, Fievel?”
He became nervous and stammered heavily. “M-marrying you, uhm…. S-some other s-stuff….”
“What other stuff?” She grinned mischievously.
“….” Fievel refused to speak any more on it.
With assertiveness, Olivia moved forward and whispered again to him.
“Show me…. Please….”
…
…
It didn’t take more than that for Fievel to begin touching her body with his uninjured hand, and then, before they knew it, it was a whirlwind of unadulterated ecstasy.
Moving back and forth, groping, moaning, and then, the clothes they wore were shedding all about the floor. Neither could stop it, but at this point, neither wanted to.
When they inevitably made it atop Fievel’s bed made out of an old human matchbox. They began to roll all over its covers until Olivia found herself on top positioning herself....
“….”
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Sometime after their thrillful fling, filled with adulation, need, and a desire for experience. They wound up under Fievel’s covers by the flickering of the lantern light.
Their nude bodies soaked so through with passion-laden sweat that their fur was damp. Olivia’s hand rested atop Fievel’s bare chest, and he used his left arm to hold her body against his.
The boisterous sounds of the quaint western town had ceased long ago, and given them the solitude to feel inner peace.
Olivia moved in and kissed Fievel, after which he spoke.
“Olivia…. Thanks for coming…. It has made me the happiest mouse that ever lived….”
Olivia giggled slightly and then shook her head. "No, you’ve made ME the happiest mouse that ever lived….”
…
…
…
There was a drawn-out silence, and then Fievel spoke in a more reserved and somber manner. "Well, whenever you need to go, I will pay your way home…. I make quite a bit as a sheriff in town…”
Olivia frowned at first but then returned to a smile when she began to speak. "I… Well…. I think I will stay here for…. for a little bit. You are looking for help, and I…."
As she trailed off, Fievel rubbed her bare shoulder. “What of your father?”
Olivia sighed. That was the hard part, but ultimately, she recognized she needed what she had right now in her life more than anything else. "I can write him, as you did me…. Our home has been stable for a few years now, so it should be ok…."
Fievel nodded and then pecked her cheek. “Well, my home is yours, so long as you want it….”
Olivia collapsed onto him and nuzzled her head into his neck while lovingly holding him. "Forever and always, is the answer to that…."
With that, the two new lovers spent the night contented. Rather than reading their most recent letter received over and over and over again, they now could speak extempore to one another while experiencing the unbridled joy of physical contact.
“….”
