To Love a Shooting Star

by K'Anne Meinel

  “Come on inside you guys and I’ll show you around.” Kate invited.

  She showed the boys around her living room and kitchen, promising to show them the yard and pool after lunch. Pulling the cold cut platter from the refrigerator she told the boys they could make their own sandwiches. Then she pulled the sodas and chips out for them as well. They loved the novelty sodas.

  Erin grinned, Kate had been busy. She had even taken the time to peel the sticker off the platter so the boys didn’t realize she had just gone out and bought it. It was thoughtful though and Erin appreciated it. The boys liked the idea of making their own sandwiches and piled on the different meats, even trying the different cheeses. Kate even had smaller platters of fruit and vegetables that she made her own plate from. Erin made herself a sandwich and put fruits and vegetables on the side. Everyone ate the chips and Erin was surprised to see Kate helping herself to those as well.

  Kate answered questions the boys had about the animals. They had of course seen the huge cat tree in the living room but no cats. She explained that her cats were shy until they got to know people on their turf and would come out later when they got curious enough. She explained that her largest cat was called a Savannah and she named him C.A.T., the boys got a laugh over that. Her next cat was called Snickers because she always seemed to be laughing. She was a Balinese cat and was also an albino. They had to be careful that she didn’t sit out in the sun too much because her ears and nose could get sunburned. Her third cat they called Shadow and that was because she was all black and was rarely seen she was too shy. The boys loved Kate’s stories and she had quickly put them at ease. Erin could see why Kate was a novelist, she made pictures in their minds as she told her funny stories. She had to read Kate’s books and soon, she thought.

  Erin was also intrigued to see how well Kate got along with the boys. Never had she seen them relax so quickly with any of her friends. It must be because of her own boys. Elijah had asked if Kate had any boys for them to play with and she said yes but that they were in college and didn’t live at home with her anymore. When they came out next she hoped that they would all meet and perhaps they could all hang out together. This didn’t satisfy Elijah but then the animals were a nice distraction. He had caught a glimpse of C.A.T. who then hid after seeing the strangers. He was impressed by the size of that cat and was convinced it was a spotted leopard. Kate laughed with him.

  After lunch the boys wanted to immediately go into the pool but Kate distracted them with a ride on her little golf cart through the orchard. She explained it was better to wait until they had at least absorbed some of their lunch before going into the water to avoid cramps. She drove them to the far end of her estate and then got out to walk as she showed them around. D.O.G. had ridden with them much to the delight of the boys as he insisted on sitting between them and Kate had asked them to hold on to him since there were no seat belts. As they walked along the boys played with the dog. Erin was thrilled to see what a good time they were having.

  “D.O.G. has totally distracted them” she commented quietly.

  Smiling Kate had to agree. She was so happy to see Erin after an entire day and a half apart. The boys were wonderful and she was glad to meet them but she wished she could be alone with Erin. She hadn’t felt this type of attraction in a long time and could tell by the looks that they had exchanged that Erin felt the same way.

  Kate showed them all the different trees that she could identify and the garden beds lining the walls that contained her vegetables and flowers.

  “You moved all these rocks and the wood to make these raised beds yourself?” Erin asked.

  Making a fist and holding up her arm Kate joked “I’m a strong one I am.”

  They laughed together but Erin was impressed. Having seen the before and after pictures and now seeing the entire results she had to admit it was a lot of work.

  “Yes, your certainly fit” Erin pulled down her sunglasses to look Kate up and down. The boy’s backs were to them so she got away with her leer.

  Kate grinned “well, the landscaping helped me get into shape but I also had surgery so that helped as well.”

  “You had surgery? What kind of surgery?” Erin was shocked.

  “I had a tummy tuck and lipo suction as well as a stitch or two to raise the girls” she indicated her breasts.

  Surprised Erin looked at Kate in amazement “why did you do all that?”

  “I didn’t like the body I had, I had never lost the weight from having my boys. I had changed my diet but nothing seemed to work so I thought I would do it for myself and I did. I like the results and have been able to keep all the weight off since. I might have a little more done eventually.” Kate sounded a little defensive.

  Erin was surprised at herself. In a plastic town where she came from she really shouldn’t be surprised. Everyone did it. She had never had anything done, she didn’t need to. She worked out a lot with kick boxing and yoga. She had a naturally high metabolism. She couldn’t condemn Kate for doing it, she had done it for herself, not for anyone else. “When did you do all this?” she asked.

  “Oh a couple of years ago. I’ve been very healthy since then. Eating right, exercising. It was really good for me mentally too. I feel great and it shows.”

  Silently Erin added so the boys could not hear “yeah, you do feel great” then she grinned at her friend who joined her with a blush and a delighted smile.

  They went around the entire orchards and came to a long glass building that Kate explained was her greenhouse where they grew things out of season and grew seedlings to grow in the gardens as well as growing potted plants for the house. By the time they came again to the golf cart they all had walked off lunch. Kate let Peter drive with Erin giving him supervision and being a nervous wreck.

  “What can he hurt? A tree? Let him drive Erin, he’s doing fine and he’s taking it slow.” Kate was in the back seat with Elijah and D.O.G. She laughed at Erin.

  Peter did do fine and Elijah wanted a turn but Kate, seeing Erin’s face at that thought, distracted Elijah with a promise that perhaps another time.

  “Would you guys like to go to the beach and see if we can swim there instead?” Kate asked.

  The boys were enthusiastic especially since they could bring D.O.G. who was proving to be a great pal to the boys. Erin was enjoying their enthusiasm.

  Taking the wagon they all piled in and Kate directed Erin away from the Santa Barbara beach and took them up to Goleta. She said it would be less crowded and they could enjoy themselves more. Erin suspected she was protecting them all from being seen too easily. Erin was too recognizable sometimes and someone might take pictures that could be misconstrued. Although the odds were that no one would expect Erin Ingram to be on that particular beach at that particular time, one never knew when someone would take advantage of an opportunity. She appreciated Kate’s thoughtfulness.

  They hiked down to the beach. D.O.G. on a leash, they all carried a towel each and wore their swimsuits, the adults each carried a bag. Kate had a large t shirt over her swimsuit and Erin wore shorts and a T-shirt over hers. Kate had been right, the beach was almost deserted. The boys were soon running up and down the beach in the smaller waves with D.O.G. in pursuit or leading the way, depending on the moment. Kate and Erin sat near each other on the sand chatting and enjoying the boy’s antics. Their hands barely touched but each was painfully aware of how close they were. They hadn’t been able to really touch but Kate had deliberately brushed by Erin on several occasions, innocently enough that only they were aware of it. Erin was very aware that those brushes were deliberate. The looks they had both exchanged all day had told their own story. They were enjoying the game they were both playing. Someone was going to go up in flames if they weren’t careful.

  The boys reported back that the water was too cold to swim in but they were having a great time. Kate set up a beach umbrella so D.O.G. could have some shade. He needed it with all the running they had done. She made him
sit down, drink some bottled water, and relax for a time so he wouldn’t get heat exhaustion. The boys protested but she distracted them by pulling kites out of her bag. They were smaller than normal kites but she showed them how to work them, she had a clever little reel especially made for kite flying for two of the kites to pull in the string and on the third and fourth kites she had tied a fishing reel. Erin and she had fun trying to keep their kites from tangling. After a couple of hours on the beach in the sun they were all ready to troop back to the wagon. The boys were covered in sand and had to be brushed down before Erin would even let them in the car. Kate helped Elijah much to his delight as in the guise of brushing off sand she tickled him mercilessly. His laughter was loud and delighted. Peter helped Kate brush off D.O.G. before she would allow him in the wagon. He wagged his tail good naturedly as they brushed his entire body free of sand or as much as the curly hairs would allow.

  On the way back to Kate’s they stopped at a Wendy’s to pick up an early dinner. Erin was surprised when Kate ordered a number 7 on the menu card. It consisted of a Chicken sandwich and fries as well as a Dr. Pepper soda.

  “It’s one of my few indulgences” Kate quipped when she saw Erin’s surprised look.

  Parking in front of the house they all trooped in to eat at the bar. Elijah had gotten a children’s meal but Peter ate a double cheeseburger. Erin had gotten a hamburger meal and was content with that. After dinner Kate showed the boys the entertainment system and the games her boys had put on there including Guitar Hero. Letting them play to their hearts content allowed Erin and Kate to sit back and relax. Seeing the boys with a dog squashed between them made Erin very content. Every now and then when the noise from the game was a little odd, D.O.G. would cock his head as though he was trying to figure the game out.

  “D.O.G. is enjoying your boys” Kate mentioned.

  Erin had to agree “my boys are enjoying D.O.G.”

  The game was interrupted when C.A.T. finally got curious enough to meet the boys. Both boys sat still as the cat sat in front of them and inspected them thoroughly from close range. D.O.G. took advantage of the moment to pounce and soon they were rolling on the floor in a mock fight. The boys encouraged the combatants and soon the peace and quiet was gone. Erin repeatedly tried to shush them but that didn’t work with the animals providing such a spectacle.

  Finally as Kate sensed that Erin was becoming annoyed she said one word “enough!” loudly and clearly and both animals ceased immediately, looking towards their master to see if she was angry. The boys were surprised enough to stop as well. Kate grinned and suggested they all go for a swim in the pool before it got dark and this distracted the boys that they helped her put away the controllers hurriedly so they could go.

  As Kate went by Erin she rose from the couch and lightly brushed across Kate’s buttocks. Stiffening slightly Kate pretended to ignore Erin as she felt that had been unfair, she couldn’t and wouldn’t reciprocate. She caught Erin’s eye though a moment later and could see that Erin was amused.

  The pool was enjoyed by all. The boys used the diving board as well as the slide. Erin was pleased when Kate began teaching the boys how to do a back flip off the board with hilarious results. Kate’s young guests were both surprised when not only the dog but the large cat joined them in the pool.

  “Doesn’t the chlorine bother their coats or their skin?” Erin asked as all that was left in the pool were the boys and the animals. The adults were sitting on the lawn chairs watching the fun.

  “No, I don’t use chlorine. It is bad for you, very bad, that bleach in all your pores much less breathing it. See the waterfall?” she indicated the one that poured water back into the pool from about midway down the pool. It was an attractive display.

  Erin nodded but was a little confused.

  “The waterfall keeps the water oxygenated and we used natural salts and no chemicals in the pool to maintain it. That way, no one is ever poisoned, not people, not animals. Heck, I’ve seen birds bathe in here. It’s constantly being flushed and the waterfall hides the pumps and things that keep it clean and filtered.”

  Erin thought that was the neatest thing she had ever heard. Everyone had pools in California it seemed. That was a lot of chlorine to have to keep those clean. “Why don’t more people do that?”

  “Some people just don’t know there are alternatives. Chlorine is cheaper than having this installed but it pays for itself over time. I’m an environmentalist to a degree. I recycle absolutely everything. I’m going to leave the earth cleaner than what I found it in” her arms encompassed the estate she was living on.

  Erin agreed with her. She herself tried to do her part but she hadn’t thought of the details that Kate had, these little clever things she did were great touches.

  After a good long swim both boys and animals were tired and soon were sprawled on chairs of their own to dry off. Boys though bounce back quicker and they were soon asking to play games again. Erin thought they should be going but Kate had other ideas.

  “Why don’t the boys shower off” she indicated the showers on the side of the house next to the pool “and why don’t you guys stay the night?”

  The boys enthusiastically seconded that idea and started pleading with their Mom who graciously accepted, shooting an ‘I’ll get you for that’ look at Kate who smirked. Using the boys that way was clever, and devious. Erin didn’t mind though, not really. She thought Kate had created an opportunity for them both and she was looking forward to taking advantage of it as well.

  Soon the boys were back in their regular clothes and sprawled on the living room floor playing Super Mario Brothers 4 with a dog on one side and a huge cat on the other. C.A.T. had accepted them already as part of their pack. They were watched from the cat tree by Snickers who had allowed herself to be seen but not touched. She sat high up on the top branch, six feet in the air and studied these intruders into her domain. Shadow hadn’t been seen yet but as she was their ‘invisible’ kitty it would take time for her to adjust to these intruders.

  Erin and Kate made popcorn in the kitchen while the boys played. Innocent brushes were repeated as they kept running into each other. Both were enjoying their foreplay.

  “You don’t mind that I asked you to stay” Kate whispered.

  “No, I don’t mind, that was rather ingenious of you” Erin grinned. She was thrilled, she had been wondering how to arrange seeing more of Kate this week and she really was happy at the result. The boys really had enjoyed themselves today and she didn’t want it to end for any of them.

  It was late before Kate and Erin got the boys settled in one of her guest rooms. Kate had offered them separate rooms but Erin thought with it being a strange place it was better that they sleep together, especially for Elijah. Each of the rooms had queen sized beds so it was just a matter of choosing the one. Both of the women were happy that the boys chose the farthest one away from the master bedroom. With C.A.T. and D.O.G. both sleeping on the bed with the boys it seemed a little crowded but neither boy was going to complain. Erin pointed out the room she would be in if they needed anything and Kate left the door ajar so the animals could escape if they needed to.

  Erin and Kate sat and watched the news as they waited for the boys to fall asleep. They chatted quietly over inconsequential subjects as they waited an hour. Erin checked on them both and found the exhausted foursome soundly asleep. She thought the animals seemed annoyed at her waking them to check or at least their expressions indicated it. Erin put her things in the bedroom next to Kate’s but snuck into the master bedroom soon afterwards locking that door behind her.

  Finally they were alone together. Their hug of welcome was comforting to them both but soon became heated. The innocent brushes of their hands all day, the running into each other deliberately or not had been a sort of foreplay to this moment. Neither wasted time and yet the moment was all the more poignant for the wait. The thrill of each other’s bodies was too long unsatisfied, the act seemed hurried and yet each
was satisfied in her own way. Their second act of making love they took their time and each was surprised as they learned each other. It was fulfilling in a myriad of ways. They each fell asleep complete.

  Erin woke by some internal alarm clock at 5 a.m. and snuck back into the bedroom beside Kate’s. Kate had woken as she tried to slip out of bed and demanded a kiss in forfeit first. Both enjoyed the good morning kiss. Both went back to sleep in separate beds until the boys woke them all too soon at 8. Kate could hear them shushing each other as they went to Erin’s room to wake her. She could hear the sound of D.O.G.’s nails on the wood floor as he followed ‘his’ boys. She knew how he was and the boys were now his, forever and for always. He adored them already but the feeling was mutual so it worked out well. Kate was thrilled that they had all gotten along so well already.

  They went into old town that day and shopped around. The boys had insisted on bringing D.O.G. on a leash and much to their surprise Kate had brought C.A.T. on a leash as well. She explained that C.A.T. was a social cat and not afraid of being in public but kinda shy on her ‘home’ turf. Her buddy D.O.G. was there and she would take her cue from him. They all made quite a sight walking down the sidewalk. The boys with D.O.G. in front of them and Kate holding C.A.T.’s lead. She wouldn’t let the boys walk C.A.T. but insisted on holding his lead herself. Erin commented that if they weren’t trying to draw attention to themselves Kate was doing it the hard way. Many people enjoyed seeing the dog but the surprise and alarm that the cat engendered was amusing. How often do you see a cat as big as a dog in public? Kate was stopped a few times by people asking about the cat. She explained over and over that it was a domesticated cat and just ‘looked’ like a wild one. Erin kept her large sunglasses on and kept an eye on her boys. Although having a good time she suggested that the cat or both animals stay home next time if they wanted to actually shop. A couple of times Kate stood outside stores holding leashes as Erin went in with the boys. Kate was approached once by a police officer who questioned her about C.A.T. She produced a paper from her purse that the officer read and then nodding let her go. Kate explained to an alarmed Erin that she kept that paper with her at all times in regards to the cat, it explained that C.A.T. was a domesticated cat, a Savannah and that the state of California did allow her to keep and train the animal that it had all its shots and was not a danger to anyone. It was an afternoon to remember for all of them.