by K C West
“Goddess Bless me!” she cried and pulled away. “I have never… in all my… so amazing…”
“What is it? Can I speak now?” I started to sit up.
“Relax, Little One.” She pushed me down. “I am finished and I must make my report. You will sleep now.”
Fat chance.
She faded from my sight. “But… what about my… Am I worthy? Do I get to wear the medallion? More importantly, do I get to live my life with Kim?”
Her response came from right above me. “You will know the answers to those questions soon enough. I can only tell you that I have never seen a love so strong in any of my examinations. You do great honor to the medal you wear. Your heart is strong and full of purpose. You will see great adventure, Little One.”
“Please… Before you go… You make lots of these exams?”
She laughed. “Yes, of course. It is necessary for the continuation of the Amazon Nation.”
“Please don’t be offended, but you sure have bizarre initiation rites.”
She laughed again. “It is necessary. These are uncertain times.”
I wasn’t sure what times she meant. “Can’t you tell me anything about …you know…my worthiness with Kim?”
“I’m sorry, I have my orders. I was to make the tests and file a report. You will know soon, however. And you must abide by the final decision. Even possessing as much spirit as you do, it will not help you to fight against the results. They are already written in the scrolls of eternity.”
She was gone, then. I lay awake, certain I could never sleep after such a vivid dream.
I don’t know what I ate to bring that on, but I’m never having it again.
A feeling of calm stole over me, though, and I was able to drift off.
Though I was filled with sketchy memories of my strange dream when I woke up on Wednesday, I decided to keep the thoughts to myself and concentrate on current duties. Our deadlines approached. Real life called and I had to answer.
Kim and I stood in the motor home kitchen, consulting the list. “I’ll clean the place when you leave to take Pup on his walk. Don’t stay out too long, the air is getting clearer, but you need to play it safe.”
I saluted her. “Yes, General Doc, ma’am.”
She laughed. “No need for such formality. A simple, ‘Your Highness’ will do.”
“Okay,” I replied, wrinkling my nose at her. I went to the table and picked through the pages of our assembled report. “Let’s finish proofreading this and I can drive over to the copy center and get that finished this morning. I think there’s a Federal Express place near there, too, so I can mail it right out.”
Kim leaned over my shoulder. “Good idea. How many copies do we need?”
“Hmm.” I did some mental arithmetic. “About six should do it.”
We each took five of the remaining ten pages of the final draft and settled down at the table to read for errors. Pup gave me a soft whine and an anxious look.
“It’ll be ready in just a second, sweetie.” He snuffled and sat down with his nose on my thigh, waiting and watching.
We made corrections, which Kim entered into the computer. Corrected pages were printed.
I sighed as Kim put our finished document into a manila envelope. “Two hundred and twenty pages. Is that a lot for three months work? It doesn’t seem like much.”
“Hard to say, Kim. To quote Winston Churchill, a lot of our ‘blood, toil, tears and sweat’ went into that report. There’s no way to account for that properly.”
I stood up and located my purse and Pup’s leash. He dashed to the door in anticipation of a great adventure.
“Anyway, if it isn’t in there now, it didn’t happen.” Kim said as a final pronouncement.
Pup was nudging me along to the door in noisy fashion. “Easy, fella. I’m coming.” I left my purse on top of the report and Pup and I took our walk.
“Ya know, I could do a lot better cleaning job if you could keep Pup away from here a bit longer,” Kim said, when we returned.
“I’ll take him with me in the minivan when I do the copying.”
“You’re an angel, PJ.”
I headed to the bathroom for a quick shower and a change of clothes. “I’m a lot of things,” I called back, “but angel isn’t one of them.” I looked down at the medallion as I pulled it over my head.
Am I worthy? Who knows? Anyway, it was all a crazy dream.
The motor home sparkled when Pup and I returned. Kim sat at the table sipping a mug of tea, munching on a fresh muffin. She got up and poured a mug for me, while I phoned Dad about the delivery of our report.
“They’ll be on your desk by tomorrow afternoon, Dad. That’s a promise.”
“Fine, Princess. I’ll make sure the board members get copies for the next meeting.”
We wished each other well and I hung up.
There was a print out of an email on the table in front of Kim when I slid into my seat.
I poured milk into my tea, stirred in two spoonfuls of sugar and broke open a hot muffin. “Just what I needed,” I said after breaking off a bite and sipping my beverage. “My mission is accomplished. Your copy of the report is on the sofa.”
“Good.” Her face looked tense.
“How’s everything else on the home front?”
Kim slid the message across to me. “It was going just peachy until this popped up on my computer.”
I scanned the message and the return address. “Shit. What are we going to do about the media? Specifically, what do we do about Fritz Green?”
Kim grimaced. “Well, he’s one of your old drinking pals from the Oasis, isn’t he?”
I choked on a mouthful of muffin. “That is so not funny, Kim. He’s a pain in the neck and I’d just as soon—”
“I know, I know. He’s been a thorn in my side ever since I came to Apache Junction.” She paused, tapping her fingers on the tabletop. “Your father promised his station an exclusive…or at least a chance to make a documentary of the discovery. Now, there isn’t anything to see. You’d think Green would give up.”
“You’d think.” I reached for another muffin. Kim slid the butter and jam closer to me. “Thanks, these are delicious, by the way.”
Kim popped the last of hers into her mouth and chewed. “Mmm. They are. Albertson’s has a great bakery. These are banana walnut, but the cranberry ones are good, too.”
I licked my fingers to eliminate excess jam. “So, about Fritz…”
“We both have too much going on right now to worry about him. Let’s see if your father can put a muzzle on him. Even from across the country, I’ll bet Frederick can squelch the phone calls and emails.”
“You’ve had phone calls? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Just a couple. I let the answering machine pick them up.”
I shook my head. The nagging tightness in my sinuses threatened to return. “Why don’t you talk with Dad? Or do you want me to call him again?”
“Why don’t we both do it? We can present a united front.”
I raised my mug to clink against hers. “To a united front against the Fritz Greens of the world!”
“There ya go!”
We finished our snack and made a second call to my dad.
“Wow! Twice in one day,” he said with a laugh, when he heard my voice. He was delighted to flex his parental muscle from far across the country.
“Don’t you worry about it,” he told us. “I’ll handle it with the station. They can demand all they want, but any interviews we grant them will be at your discretion. I’ll have the foundation send them some data sheets and press releases…. maybe a few carefully chosen pictures from your reports.”
He mused for a few seconds. Through the phone line I could hear papers shuffle and the tap of his pen. My mind flashed back to my childhood and the huge, leather chair he used to sit in when Mom would bring me in for a visit. I loved how it creaked when I’d climb onto his lap and bang on his intercom and
phone. I recalled the spicy fragrance of his cologne, and his strong hands gripping my waist as I leaned too far onto the desk, in an effort to pile up all his important files.
“Thanks, Dad. I know we can count on you to handle things.”
“Thank you, Frederick, it will be a great help to us,” Kim added when it was her turn to speak with him.
We put that problem behind us and forged ahead with the schedule for the rest of the day. Our supper consisted of sandwiches and salad, which we ate at our laptops. The meat for our cookout was wrapped and sat ready in the refrigerator. Kim made the potato salad and divided it into two bowls for better storage. I lined up the paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils and cups in stacks on the kitchen counter.
In the morning, air quality permitting, we’d cover the picnic table outside with a checkered cloth. The park manager allowed us to borrow a second table for temporary use. We’d have plenty of room to eat and enjoy our last session together.
Okay so far.
Condiments? I opened the refrigerator and looked at the bottles and jars. Better make a note to chop that onion. I can get more ketchup when we go for the ice and ice cream.
What else?
Check the computer for emails. See if anybody needs a ride over here.
Kim and I worked on our laptops, sitting across from each other at the table, sharing online time. Darkness settled around us in the motor home. Pup stretched out on the floor at Kim’s feet with a hefty sigh. As the hours passed, my back and neck grew stiff with tension and fatigue. I could feel the ‘mother of all headaches’ building behind my eyeballs.
If I don’t quit soon, I’ll have nausea to worry about.
Damn. There are still a few things to do.
And that nagging dream keeps intruding into my thoughts at the worst times. Now I know how Kim felt when she had her dreams.
I powered down my computer and eased upright, stretching to align my spine. “I’m sorry, Kim. I’ve got to give it a rest.” I rubbed my eyes, keeping them closed for several seconds. “There’s too much going on in my brain right now.”
“Goodness, where did the time go? It’s after ten.” She moved to my side, touching my cheek. “What is it? Your sinuses again?”
I nodded, hissing at the resulting dizziness. “Ow. Too much tension I guess…or dust…eyestrain… something.”
“You’re exhausted from everything that’s happened in the last few days. You aren’t Super Woman, you know.”
I gave her a weak grin. “I’m not?”
“No, little one, you’re not. Sit on the sofa.” She walked through to the bathroom and I heard a cabinet open. “I’ll get some Extra Strength Tylenol into you pronto.” The door shut and the faucet switched on. In a few seconds she was back with me. “Take these.” Two pills dropped into my right hand. She pressed a cup of water into my left.
“Let me turn off my computer and some lights so—”
“Kim, you can keep working, if you need to.” I swallowed the pills and settled into the sofa. “There’s still the thank you notes to the lab at UA to do.”
She sat down next to me, gently guiding my head to her shoulder. “Time for a rest, PJ. I can wrap up the last of the work in the morning.”
Her chin grazed my forehead and her lips pressed against my bangs. I felt her right arm slide across my back, moving in slow circles, creating a pleasant friction of warmth through the fabric of my shirt.
The embrace was clumsy, but effective. Kim concentrated on my aching head. I couldn’t suppress a moan when she stroked my temple and brushed her fingers through my hair, then back across my forehead.
Gawd, that feels wonderful. Don’t stop… ever.
“Relax, PJ. Let the medicine work.” She kept a gentle pressure on my eyelids and forehead, working her fingers and lips over my skin. I fought hard, but another moan escaped.
“Am I hurting you?”
“No,” I murmured, “but you’re making me ache in a different spot.”
Kim chuckled and continued her gentle assault on my face, rubbing my temples, then reversing direction to include my eyebrows, eyelids and cheekbones.
“Sorry.” Her voice was husky. “One ache at a time.”
I breathed a deep sigh, feeling heat suffuse my cheeks. Kim’s fingers combed through my hair, lifting my bangs. She kissed the top of my head.
“Your fingers are so strong, but your touch is so tender,” I whispered, growing drowsy. I closed my eyes and felt her warm breath against my eyelids.
“So beautiful,” she murmured, kissing the tip of my nose, making me giggle.
I opened my eyes to find her smiling down at me. “You’re kinda easy on the eyes, yourself, Kim.”
She touched my cheek with the back of her hand. “You’re so warm. Do you have a fever?”
Yes, a fever in my blood that only you can cure.
I sighed. “Uh…uh. You’re kissing me, Kim. I’m getting warm all over. Can’t be helped.” I sat up and looked into her eyes.
She swallowed.
Seconds spiraled away, dissolving into missed opportunities, never to return. I could feel my heart pounding, the heat in my face building, my mouth going dry at the sight of her intense eyes and soft, luscious lips, just a passionate gasp away.
We sat frozen with indecision, gripped by some mysterious force that neither propelled us apart, nor pulled us closer together. Kim finally gave an anguished sigh and dipped her head toward me. Her lips brushed against mine with feathery touches at first, then with force and conviction, leaving me in a state of blissful paralysis.
Oh my God…My poor head. What a kisser, you are. I’m positively giddy. If I died right now, I’d have the biggest smile on my face.
I regained my senses enough to return her kiss with all the love I possessed.
“Gawd, I’ve wanted to do that for ages,” Kim said with a shaky laugh.
“I know the feeling.”
She sat up a bit straighter and pushed me to one side. “Here, let me stretch out my legs.” She grabbed a sofa cushion and placed it on her lap. “Now you lie down and put your head on the pillow.” I did as she said. “Good. Now, I can continue to work on your head and see you at the same time.”
“Are you sure this is what you want to be doing right now, Kim? I mean, it feels wonderful, but—”
“Shh… Little One. Relax. We need to talk a bit more, anyway. I think I owe you a progress report.”
“Oh? I’m not sure I want that now…this feels too good.”
She continued to stroke my eyelids and forehead, knowing just how hard to press for maximum relief. The painkillers kicked in and I grew sleepy. I wondered if the Amazon woman would return again tonight.
Kim was talking and I had missed her first few words.
“…so the dream made me think of Terry and you and all that has happened to me up until now. One of the things I’m looking for in a relationship is faithfulness.”
“Okay,” I murmured. “That makes sense.”
“Someone who will make a promise to me and keep it. I thought I had that with Terry. She promised to love me and stay with me, but one day I came back to our apartment and found her in bed with another woman.”
“Oh, Kim.”
She took a ragged breath. “So, one of my needs is someone who will keep her promise.” She stroked my cheek. “You’ve already demonstrated that to me by staying here and not demanding a quick decision.”
I took her hand. “It hasn’t been easy, let me tell you.”
“I know. But, you said you wouldn’t pressure me… that you’d wait patiently… and you have. I love you for that, PJ.”
I turned her hand over and kissed her palm. “I love you too, but I think you know that already.”
She smiled at me. “I do. I think you are the bravest woman I have ever met to be able to say that without knowing if I can give you my full love in return. I’m so sorry to have put you in that position.”
My voice was strained with
emotion. “It’s okay, really. I know it’s more complicated for us. And I know that sometimes lovers start out a little unbalanced in their devotion to each other.”
“Unbalanced?” Kim started to laugh despite the seriousness of my words.
“Well, maybe that wasn’t the right word. Sometimes, one person in a loving relationship has to be bold and make the commitment well ahead of the other person.”
Kim nodded. “I see.” Her eyes were shining. “PJ…the bold…the brave…the incredibly beautiful.”
I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat. Don’t cry now. Tell her more.
“It’s not so bold or brave, Kim. I see it as my future. It’s laid out for me…for us. As improbable as it sounds, I think we’re meant for each other. It’s our destiny to be partners…to love each other. Whether you permit a physical relationship or not, we’ll share a lasting friendship. We’ll work together, and our bond will be so strong it will last forever…always and forever.”
Kim’s eyes welled with tears. “Oh, PJ, that was so beautiful. How can you know that? Can you see into my heart and head?”
I yawned, feeling suddenly exhausted by my emotional revelation. “I think I dreamed it last night. An Amazon woman touched my chest and head, and my heart swelled with such emotion…such love…I don’t know…I just seemed to see it all in my mind. I hope it comes true…” I yawned, feeling so warm and drowsy.
“Oh, Little One,” Kim murmured from far off, “We’re even sharing Amazon dreams now.”
I fought to stay awake, but it was a losing battle. Some time later, in the midst of the most pleasant dream, I was certain that a strong Amazon Warrior had carried me to her soft, comfortable bed, where she kissed me on the lips and told me she loved me with all her heart.
And I smiled because she kissed just like Kim.
Chapter Twenty-three
“All right, lazy bones, up and at ‘em.”
I opened one eye. PJ was standing beside the bed with a mug of tea in hand.
“I thought some English Breakfast blend would help you wake up,” she said.
I opened my second eye and focused on my surroundings and the lovely woman who had awakened me. Even to my sleep-laden eyes, she looked as fresh as a spring morning.
