“Can I ask you a question? Do you like the penguins?” said the man. He looked at Kady, smiling and pointed over at the tank.
“No! I hate them! They’re meanies! They… they… that pen…pen..penguin…he ate my Daddy!” she cried. Hot tears flowed down her smooth cheeks, her face reddened with her anger and pain. Its delicate features were contorted with such anguish, that Sarah also began to leak again.
“Sweetie,” said the man again, “did I hear your mother call you Katie?” He looked at Sarah, who nodded, slightly.
Kady was suddenly not wailing, but she was still sobbing. She kept putting her head in Sarah’s lap, trying to bury herself in her mother’s body.
Sarah wished she had not told her but was also attempting to deal with the sudden appearance of the man. She wondered who he was.
“May I ask your name?” she said.
“It’s Walter. I gather your lovely daughter is Katie?” he said, still looking at Kady. He had a look of concentration and compassion on his face, which put Sarah at ease. She sensed that he truly was concerned with trying to help them.
Sarah nodded, but Walter was still looking at Kady. “It’s Kady, with a ‘D,’,” she said.
“What a lovely name, Kady. My name is Walter Reighland. I own this park,” he said quietly. “I am very pleased to meet you, my dear. May I ask you the name of your beautiful, lovely mother?”
Reighland looked directly at Kady and smiled broadly. He gently put his hand on Sarah’s leg, right next to where Kady had her in a death grip. Sarah watched as he took his other hand and offered it to Kady, while steadying himself as he stood. The motion was hypnotic.
Kady took the man’s hand and shook it. She was down to sniffling.
“My name is Kady, Mister Walter, and my Mommy’s name is Sarah,” she said.
“Sarah is a very strong name, and your mother is a strong woman, to be sure Kady,” said Reighland. “I like both of your names. And I like both of you. Would you do me the honor of having lunch?” he said.
Sarah wasn’t too sure that she wanted to trust this man so quickly and was protective of Kady. The realization that Jim was gone was devastating to her, and Sarah wanted to assure that Kady was coping with the loss in a healthy fashion.
“I am not so sure, Mr. Reighland,” said Sarah. “We’re both in a bit of a mess, and I wouldn’t want to impose on you, with us in such a state.”
“Well, then,” he said. Standing next to them, Reighland was an imposing figure. He looked relaxed, yet alert. His hair was just starting to gray, and his clothing made him look like an adventurer. Sarah snickered inwardly at how much he looked like Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones.
“I would bet you are wondering where my bullwhip and pistol are?” he said. “I left them in my other suit!” said Reighland, laughing. He doffed his hat and placed it gently on Kady’s head.
“Would you like a personal tour of the park, then, Miss Kady? As my very special guest?” he said.
“Mommy?” she asked. “I like the animals. Can we see them?”
“Well, Kady, I am not all too sure that we should…” began Sarah.
“Please, Mommy? I promise not to cry anymore. I’m a big girl!” she said, a defiant pout on her upturned face.
Reighland again knelt close to her. He took her gently with a hand on each side of her face.
“Kady, never apologize for your feelings, girl,” he said.
“Well, I am a big girl!” she said. She was a bit overwhelmed, and Sarah thought maybe it would be best if they left the zoo. As she was getting ready to gather Kady, Reighland sat down on the ground.
“Can you tell me why you were crying?” he asked. He sat, watching, as Kady struggled to find the words.
“My Daddy’s dead. Just like that fish the penguin ate!” she said. She crossed her arms, defying everyone to challenge her.
Walter Reighland did something very strange, then. He began to cry. Not loudly, but he wasn’t ashamed of it, either. He looked up at the sky, shaking his head, with real tears coming from his eyes. He held out a hand to Sarah and Kady.
“Oh, my!” he exclaimed. “Oh, I am so sorry! Forgive my stupidity, my rude intrusion!”
The little girl immediately put her arms around his neck and cried with him, trying to comfort the weeping man.
“Don’t cry, mister! It’s ok! My mommy said it’s okay!” she said.
Sarah was stunned. She had never seen a man cry like this. She felt embarrassed for him, and then suddenly saw exactly what had happened. She realized that the man had genuine empathy and sympathy for her and her daughter, and unconditionally had shared his deepest feelings of sadness for their loss.
She knelt down, and the three of them hugged each other, sobbing. They were oddly alone. They made an intimate little tableau of sadness, sitting there on the ground inside the penguin exhibit.
After a bit, they calmed down. Reighland, his eyes red and brimming with tears, played with some small stones.
“I am so sorry to have intruded. But, you see, my own mother has recently passed,” he said. “She was very old, so old that it seems hard to believe.”
“She was one hundred and six years old. The year she was born, a huge meteor or comet crashed into the Siberian wastelands. It exploded, and no one knew what had happened for many years.
She had many children, and four separate husbands, one of whom was my father. My dad passed away a long, long time ago. But, Kady, I want you to know that it hurt very much when he died. And, my mother’s passing has been just as wrenching. It doesn’t get easier. When you love someone, they are part of you. They always are with you. Just try to remember that, ok?”
Walter Reighland stood, raising himself to his full height. He grasped each of them with his strong hands and helped them up.
Looking up, again, he shouted out a strange word.
“Ocaba!” he said. He raised all of their arms together and said the word again.
“Ocaba!” he shouted.
Sarah and Kady started to laugh.
“Ocaba!” they said, along with him. For some reason, it made them feel better.
Later, Walter made good on his promise. He took them behind the scenes, escorting them personally, and introduced them to all manner of interesting trainers, the food preparation staff, and the dedicated team that kept the zoo operating smoothly.
Sarah and Kady had a wonderful day, and Walter told them they were always welcome as his personal guests. He shook Kady’s hand and then gave her a contrite kiss on her cheek when she hugged him goodbye.
Sarah thanked Walter Reighland. She was intrigued by the man but was still years from any possible understanding of just who he was, and what he was capable of accomplishing.
The two of them, now buoyed by hope and the realization of a shared experience, went back to their car and drove home.
“Mommy,” said Kady. “I like Mr. Reighland. He’s very nice, and he made me feel better about Daddy. Is it okay to feel better?”
“Sweetie, anything you feel is ok,” said Sarah. “You grew up a lot today, and I am very proud of you. I love you very much, and it’s fine to feel sad. You don’t need to hide your feelings from me, honey.”
Kady smiled at Sarah and blew her a kiss. Sarah puckered her lips and kissed her back.
It would be a long time before Sarah saw Walter Reighland again, but she would remember his kindness to Kady. And, they did go back to that zoo a few more times, over the years. But, even though Walter was never there, they were extended every courtesy and the utmost care was given to assure their visits were marvelous. Kady remembered the day she met Indiana Jones at the zoo but didn’t remember he was Walter Reighland.
But, Sarah never forgot him.
Chapter Twenty
Walter Reighland was showing Brett and Kady the interesting parts of Ocaba Bien. When he saw the dumbfounded looks on both their faces, he assured them he was serious as to his intent to transfer ownership
to them.
“Mr. Reighland, I am not sure exactly how to ask this question,” began Brett. “But, why would you do such a thing for us?” He took Kady’s hand, and they stood before the great Walter Reighland, waiting for his answer.
“Well, my dear boy, and young lady,” he said,” you have every right to wonder and be curious about our relationship. I want to let you know that all will become clear to you, very soon. But, for now, let’s just explore Ocaba Bien together and learn to trust each other.”
“Sir, I respect that you may have some reasons to not tell us,” said Brett,” but you must admit that this is unprecedented.”
Kady nodded her agreement and squeezed Brett’s hand. He gripped it back and held onto it. It made him feel warm, and he knew Kady was the girl of his dreams.
“Please, trust me. I am sure that, when everything becomes clear, you will be more than satisfied with the arrangement, and what your futures will hold,” he said. As he did, he looked over to the side of the room, at something out of their field of view.
“Excuse me, but I must take care of something,” he said, and then walked off, leaving them to wonder just what the hell was going on.
The two youngsters found an alcove and sat down on chairs that didn’t appear to have any means of support. They were extremely comfortable and floated beside a bar, where many drinks were appearing for the wait staff to collect and distribute. One of them walked past, followed by a floating tray that held empty glasses, and used napkins and the other detritus of the party.
As they sat there, they each finished their drink; the glasses glowed red, and a tray floated over to them. They set the emptied containers on it, and it floated off.
Immediately, another server had appeared with twins of the first round of drinks, handing them to Brett and Kady, who were feeling very excited. They quaffed the second round quickly, the sensory overload of the place taking its toll. Just as they finished, a second tray floated by; again they set down their drinks, and again a server arrived, but this time each had been given a tall glass of sparkling mineral water.
Despite the Dutch courage they now felt, they were anxious to learn just why they had been brought to Ocaba Bien.
“Have we been kidnaped, Sis?” said Brett, worried that she may be in danger. He glanced around at all the people enjoying themselves, and immediately felt foolish for having voiced such an outlandish proposal.
“I don’t know,” Kady countered. “This is totally new to me. I think I know Mr. Reighland, vaguely. For some odd reason, I believe he may be the man my mother used to refer to as ‘Uncle Walter’, but I swear to you I have only met him just now. Maybe we met when I was a child, and I just forgot?” Her brow furrowed in concentration as she searched her memories. All she came up with was a feeling of melancholy and a silly glimpse of Indiana Jones at a zoo. She sipped her water, trying to identify the nagging certainty that she knew this man.
Brett sat back into the floating chair. He wanted to see him, so he began to turn to look. Instead, the device rotated so that, with the slightest movements of his head, he could navigate to peer about the room.
“This is absolutely fantastic!” he exclaimed. “I mean, I know that some of the companies in the industry were looking into haptic feedback and artificial intelligence, but this is light-years ahead of anything that the team has even thought about. Watch this!”
Brett dropped his glass. Without hesitation, ‘something’ arrested it and caught it mid-air. It floated to one arm of his chair, where it settled. He picked it back up and sipped thoughtfully.
“I wasn’t sure that was going to happen. I have seen a few small bots flitting around, cleaning up things. But, maybe, within the field of the sensors of this thing, there is some other technology that prevents the glass from breaking?” he said. Brett was thinking out loud, mainly to calm Kady. Her eyes had gotten very wide when he dropped the glass, and even larger when it stopped its fatal plummet. In fact, she had almost tried to reach it, to prevent it breaking.
“It’s spooky, Brett! I don’t like it!” she said. “Don’t do that again!”
They sat in the amazing chairs, people-watching for a bit; contemplating their situation.
“Brett?” said Kady. She had a pensive look on her face. Kady had been thinking about a few things and wanted to be sure that her feelings for Brett were not misplaced because of the rapid drama and intensity of their shared experience over the last few hours.
“What is it, Sis?” said Brett. He was thinking about how his feelings for her were becoming more and more solidified. He no longer thought of her as a sibling; he was fast realizing that she offered many of the values and attributes he sought in a mate. He had known since they had met that Kady was a special girl. She was very voluptuous; her athletic prowess had manifested itself in developing strong muscles, but she was all woman. Her beautiful face, with its innocent features and pouty lips, was exciting him all again. He wondered if they could be together. There were some very real obstacles before them, but Brett had already conquered quite a few in his time. The most important thing to him was Kady’s happiness and her security. He recognized these protective feelings as the first intimations of just how much he was coming to love her. Their tryst in the limousine was fast and racy, but also mind-blowing for him.
“Brett, I think I’m falling in love with you,” said Kady. Her bright eyes were close to tears, as she reached over to hold his hand.
Brett cupped her hand in both of his, then lifted it his lips and gently kissed it.
“Kady, I’ve loved you since I first set eyes on you all those many years ago! I just want you to be happy! I’m also quite concerned with appearances, and what Mom and Dad are going to think when they find out that we’ve been together.” Brett stood up and walked over to his stepsister. He held her in a warm embrace and then looked her straight in her wide eyes.
“I love you, Kady,” he said, and then covered her mouth with his.
Kady felt his lips over her own, and her bottom lip trembled slightly as Brett gently teased the tip of his tongue into her mouth. She could feel it exploring the corners of her moist warmth, and how it tasted like ambrosia to her.
She felt herself swoon slightly and thought it might have been from the drinks she had imbibed. Then, Brett’s tongue slid deeper into her hungry mouth, and she closed her lips on him. She sucked and licked his tongue, willing it to travel further, clenching it between her teeth, lightly and playfully. They kissed long and passionately, and Kady knew that her emotions and passions for Brett were eclipsing the effects of the alcohol. Her thighs melted, and she hugged Brett closer.
His strong muscles were firm against her and rippled as they encircled her body.
Brett stroked Kady’s strong back and kneaded her ample buttocks. He grabbed her left ass cheek in a firm grip, lifting her partially off her feet and grinding his prominent and obvious hard-on between her legs.
Kady gasped with delight, as Brett became far more attentive to her ass. He played with her derriere, squeezing and pushing it around. Kady could feel her pussy getting wetter by the second, and between Brett’s hot mouth and the action from his eager hands, she was feeling close to an orgasm. Her breathing was getting ragged as Brett caressed her breasts, not caring who was watching. Even though their little alcove was semi-private, it was still along the path of the servers and others who were walking past.
The thought of being caught pushed Kady over the edge, and she tried to stifle her scream of pleasure as she was coming. Her legs clenched around Brett’s leg as she ground against him. Her clit was on fire, and her pussy pulsed with wave after wave of climax. Kady buried her head into Brett’s shoulder and bit down on the muscles of his neck. She grunted as the passion rocked through her body. She was unsteady as her legs felt like jelly, and Brett held her up, even as he massaged her nipples. Each brush of his fingers added a note to the crescendo of her orgasm, and soon she was screaming out his name. In her passion, she was oblivi
ous to anyone else’s attention, and Brett covered her mouth with his own to drown out her cries of pleasure.
Brett was getting very excited as well and looked around for somewhere they could move so as to gain more privacy. He motioned to a waiter as the man walked passed.
“Do you have anywhere more, uh, private? My sis.. I mean my girlfriend is feeling a bit flushed and would like to get away from all this for a bit?” said Brett. The waiter, nonplussed, spoke into the air.
“Mr. Ghent and Miss Markland would appreciate a lift to their rooms if you please,” and then walked off. Brett stared after him and was about to try to chase him down when another cart drove up to them. The driver motioned that they should board, and two attendants appeared as if from invisible doors to secure them to their seats.
Kady unsteadily sat down, blushing like a schoolgirl. Brett was a little angry and tried to put his belt on, but the attendant gracefully managed to strap him in despite his protestations.
The cart shot off into the air and backed off in a wide circle from the tower.
As soon as it had aligned with the upper penthouse, it flew straight into the open hangar that had become visible as it climbed out. Brett and Kady watched as the marvelous cart traveled smoothly over the open ocean and saw the last rays of the sun setting on the cliff face. Little lights like thousands of fireflies appeared as the gloom came over the beach. Sparkling shapes and nocturnal creatures that were glowing floated beneath them in the waters. The waves undulated, and the lights became a kaleidoscopic display of wonders.
The cart landed in the hangar, and two attendants removed their harnesses, then helped Brett and Kady from their seats. The driver thanked the attendants, who slipped into the shadows again. Then, he drove the cart out a tunnel door.
They stood there, amazed again at the efficiency of this palace. For that is what it obviously was. Ocaba Bien was a rich man’s paradise, a Xanadu. It was a monument to absolute pleasures.
Brett and Kady walked into the penthouse and were again speechless at the opulence. Champagne fountains, a complete spread of every kind of food, complete with personal chefs and wait staff standing at attention met their gazes.
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