Читать книгу The Red Spark - DH Steppler - Страница 5

Charlie picked me up at the airport. When I got off the plane and caught sight of him I nearly cried with how much I had missed him. He was all dressed up in his ‘signature’ suit that I designed and made for him. Lordy, he looked so handsome. His hello kiss was the perfect greeting.

As we were getting into the truck for the trip home, I asked Charlie how fast he could drive because I could hardly stand it that we were so close and still wearing clothing.

Charlie just smiled and shook his head and kissed me again as he started the truck.

“Lover, I can tell that you have a plan. Did you want to let me in on it?” I asked.

“You have to wait and see.” Charlie smiled again.

Charlie’s truck had a bench seat; I sat as close to him as a person could get without sitting on his lap. I actually thought of unzipping his trousers and straddling him for a bit of the good stuff before we got home but Charlie would have been uncomfortable with that and it wouldn’t have been right to interfere with what he had planned.

He put his hand on my knee and then inched closer to the inside of my thigh. Having him touch me like that was the sweetest tease as Charlie continued his foreplay.

When we entered the house I could smell the pork roast still in the oven. The table was set with candles and a small bouquet of flowers as a centerpiece. Charlie seated me at the table and put a napkin over my lap and then he served me the food that he cooked and the produce that he’d pulled from the garden only hours before.

It was a great meal and at first Charlie couldn’t take his eyes off of me but mid way through the meal Charlie was looking down at his own plate. When I realized what the problem was, I took his hand in mine and asked if he could be my dessert.

Charlie’s smile was all I needed as I pulled him to his feet and jumped into his arms. He carried me to bed, removed my clothes like only he could and then pleasured me thoroughly. Charlie didn’t have a lot of words but the ones he whispered were spot on.

“Time away from you is torture for me, your man who wants you all the time.”

His breath in my ear tickled and sent shivers down my back. I closed my arms around his neck and whispered back.

“Yes, you are my man; I claim you and want you all the time, too.”

After that we let our bodies speak for us. We loved each other and made each other feel good.

After a couple of hours in bed, the mess in the kitchen started to work on my nerves.

“I’ll be back in a bit,” I told Charlie.

I was gone maybe five minutes before Charlie came looking for me. He found me just starting the dish washer. He grabbed a sponge and wiped down the counters and then readied the coffee maker for our morning coffee. We were a good team in the kitchen, too.

When we were heading back to bed, I collected my guitar because I had a little thing that I wanted to give to Charlie.

“While I was alone in the music room yesterday I worked on the final song for the PBS special. I completed it and now I’d like to play it for you because I wrote it with you in my head and in my heart for every line and every note.”

We crawled into bed propped up on pillows. Then I played the guitar and sang my song for Charlie. It was a song of love lost then loves return again even stronger and sweeter than it was before. It told of how missing my man made our time together revered and would never be taken for granted again. It was a pledge to do all in my power to keep our love fresh and inspiring. The importance of being there for those who are the most precious in our lives was the final verse and rang of promise and hope and an anchor when things got too crazy.

Did Charlie like the song? Yeah, I’d say he did because it replaced ‘Crazy Love’ as his favorite.

“I can’t wait for Tut to hear that,”

Charlie took the guitar from me and showed me just how much he liked the song.

“Helen squawk, Helen.”

Tut screeched as he came running into the kitchen to greet me.

“I love you, Helen.”

As soon as he got my attention, he stood tall, spread his wings, and walked to me with his full wing span on display. It was the sexiest thing that bird could do for me. He knew how much I liked it.

“Hey, hey good lookin’, I’ve missed you pretty boy.”

I cooed to him. When he got to me, I stroked his beautiful feathered head and scratched his chest in answer to his physical request. Stroking my fingers through his feathers all the way through his tail feathers was a favorite coddle of Tut’s and I did it time and again while I spoke of my undying devotion to him.

“I love you Tut, my sweet pretty boy. Have you missed your Helen?”

I sweet-talked him all the stuff I knew he wanted to hear.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah asshole.”

Tut had indeed missed me; he butted his head into my arm over and over again to get me to touch and stroke him.

We spent about a half an hour together before he bored of the coddling and went to find Charlie. He and Charlie liked to screech and whistle at each other daily. Sometimes it was annoying but most of the time I’d just go to the garden so they could have their fun without my interference.

I took my coffee to the garden and sat for a time at the table in the middle of all my plant buddies. While I was there I started piecing together the meaning of the ‘red spark’ travel information that I’d acquired to that point. Even though I had an idea that I was secondary in the whole connection scenario, I couldn’t make any hard decisions yet and knew that more travel was necessary.

Charlie went to work and Tut went to attend to his morning nap so I was free to do a little traveling. First and foremost I called Charlie to let him know that I was taking a trip into the universe if Ricky invited me with her red.

“We didn’t talk about it Charlie, but did you get a chance to hook up the camera in our bedroom to watch me while I travel?”

“Yes, as long as you stay in the bedroom I can keep an eye on you.”

“I’m going to jump as soon as we hang up. I love you Charlie. Thank you for protecting me.”

“You’re my woman, what can I do?”

I knew Charlie would prefer that I didn’t travel via the red spark but I don’t think I had a choice. I needed to find out some stuff.

On my bed I looked at Ricky whose invitation was surrounding me and pulling at me but I waited until she presented her red spark then I jumped. Catching the current took no effort and the decent didn’t take me by surprise. I was ready and relaxed and focused on learning whatever it was that Ricky willed me to learn. The redness was still odd and maybe a bit ominous but I tried to accept that it wasn’t going to harm me and worked to keep the peace and calm that was necessary. The turbulence and the spinning felt like an amusement ride so I looked at it as though it was based in fun.

When the initial rush was over I found myself again on the cruise ship with Michael but that time we were in his stateroom on the bed for the kiss back. I was privy to more of Michael’s thinking.

“This is the oddest relationship. She looks so serious; Christ, what is she going to do to me?”

I saw the effect the kiss back had on Michael. As he clung to me in the throes of his instant orgasm, I could feel his fear as he pushed it into the background and reveled in the feelings that the connect ridden kiss back presented to him.

“I’m in love, Jesus, that’s strong. Help! I’m going to have a heart attack. Whoa, who is this woman and is she trying to kill me?”

Then there was nothing for an unknown period of time and I awoke with Charlie sitting next to me. Unable to do anything other than smile at him, I did just that. Charlie pulled me into his arms and cradled me in a sweet and tender embrace and held me until my strength returned. It didn’t take long before I could move so I took the opportunity to put my arms around his neck and put my fingers in his hair.

I hoped I’d never take Charlie for granted; no one in the world had ever been sweeter to me or made me feel more loved. It was comforting to have him there when I was so vulnerable. I seized a large section of Charlie’s hair and with it pulled him to me.

Charlie kissed me and when we separated he asked.

“Oh, can I have you now?”

He waited for my nod and then removed my clothes. I wish I had, on one of those occasions, timed that little ritual just to see how fast he was. When our bodies were bare we glided our skin over each other for the silky feel of it and to enhance our arousal. When our coupling began, I never wanted it to end. He made me feel whole and our joined bodies felt like the perfect union.

A whisper in his ear was all I could manage by way of speech.

“I’ve never been so happy to be a woman.”

Charlie whispered back.

“My woman.”

We spent an hour or so in bed before I inquired after the cameras and whether or not he was satisfied that he could see what he needed to see while I was traveling. He told me that Tut had made an appearance and was a bit put out that he couldn’t wake me up to get the lovin’ that he was used to getting.

“He was trying to open your eye lids; he stepped on your face, so I came home.”

“Thank you Charlie, you’re the best, the best friend, the best lover, the best protector, the best playmate, the best companion, the best lover again, and the best lover again.”

As I said those words I wriggled my body in close to him and cupped my hands on both of his butt cheeks and pulled him over so that he was cradled between by thighs. Re-gripping those sweet butt cheeks I helped to guide him into me again and hear his little moan of pleasure with the entry. Yeah, it was good, it was all good.

Planning well would make the traveling and the experiments more thorough and more valuable. Because of good planning when I went to the kitchen to make dinner, I knew exactly what I was going to prepare and actually had part of it taken care of. Our dinner of pulled pork sandwiches and a fresh garden salad with hot cinnamon apples over vanilla ice cream for dessert turned out to be delicious and satisfying.

Charlie and I talked about Sunday dinner at Kevin and Kathy’s place. We’d bring a basket of fresh harvest for them and Charlie said that he had finished fixing two of the shops computers that he’d like to get back to them on Sunday as well.

Time passed at the dinner table and we usually heard from Tut before then so I was checking in the direction of the guest room every so often until Charlie whistled one of Tut’s specialty whistles. We waited for a response and were not disappointed to hear Tut come back with the very same whistle. Charlie called him to come into the dining room. Tut walked over to Charlie and bumped his head against Charlie’s leg to get a pet from him. Charlie of course obliged.

“Our love Helen is waiting for you.”

“Hey, hey good lookin’, I’ve missed you pretty boy.”

Tut was in a mood and was showing me his anger by being ‘aloof’ to me.

I tried again.

“Tut, King Tut, Tut for short doesn’t love Helen anymore?”

“Helen squawk, Helen, I love you Helen.”

Tut screeched at me in Miles’ mean voice.

“Oh Tut sweet Tut, I love you. Can I have my hello kiss?”

I asked him hoping he would come to me and we could make up or get to the reason that he was upset.

Tut jumped up on to the dining room table at the other end. He spread his wings and walked to me while singing in Michael’s voice, “Baby that’s back atcha. That’s the same thing you do to me, givin’ me this for that, tit for tat, baby that’s back atcha.”

When he got to me he put his wings around me as best he could and then made his very loud kissing sound. Charlie laughed and made the same sound. Tut wouldn’t be out done and made the sound again even louder; again Charlie laughed and bested the volume of that freaked out parrot. Tut just aimed his head toward me and I rained kisses down on him until he’d had enough.

Tut asked, “You love Tut, King Tut, Tut for short?”

“Damn straight I love my Tut, King Tut, Tut for short?”

“Tut, I’m sorry you couldn’t wake me up today but I don’t want you to worry; sometimes that will happen. Sometimes I sleep very deeply but I will wake up. So, don’t worry, ok?”

“Okay,” Tut said emphatically.

“While I was away I visited Miles. He was still at the house but said that he was moving on. Since we had each other, he felt he could go. I gave him our love and sent him on his way – whatever that means for him. We’ll miss him and always love him and from time to time remember him to each other.”

“Squawk Miles, I love Miles,” Tut replied,

“Yeah, me, too, we’re gonna miss him.” I agreed with Tut.

After the kitchen was cleaned up we had a small group catch, Charlie, Tut and me. Tut made us laugh with his crazy antics of head bobs and pretty boy whistles. Eventually Tut was worn out and came to me for his good night kisses and a good night pet from Charlie. We gave him what he needed and wanted from us. It felt good to see him happy again.

The next day was Saturday and Charlie didn’t have to go to work so we could sleep in but we didn’t. I was up at sunrise and in the garden with my coffee. There only a few minutes, Charlie joined me because he liked to give the morning toast.

“To a new day of riches for all, cheers, thanks a lot, eh?”

Charlie brought my guitar with him to the garden. He didn’t say anything; he just handed me the guitar.

I sang.

“Who’d ever dream, a love so supreme could go and leave me lonely?

Who’d ever dream, our love supreme could fade and leave me lonely?

No one should ever know that kind of pain, the pain of loosing you, my love

No one should ever know that pain, that tormenting pain of loosing you

Who’d ever dream, a love so supreme could go and leave me lonely

Who’d ever dream, our love supreme could fade and leave me lonely

I ache for what I can’t have any more, I cry for what isn’t mine anymore

I lost it why I couldn’t hold your love I don’t know, I’m inadequate and slow.

I can’t believe you really love me now-how could you leave me

Yes, please hold me now, I still need you.

I can’t believe you really love me now. But hold me please, I love you still

Yes, please hold me now, I love you still and I always will.

Thank you for showin’ me that you love me now

Oh thank you, thank you for lovin’ me now

Can I have you now? You can have me now. Yes, you can have me now.

Oh thank you, thank you for lovin’ me now.

Oh yes, you can have me now.”

Charlie’s new favorite song, my song for him; I sang it to the garden. They approved and I felt happy.

Charlie looked at me and then raised his mug to me in a quiet little salute.

After the produce was collected from the garden, Charlie and I headed into the kitchen to get breakfast going. He’d voiced his desire for potato latkes which was a great use for the new potatoes that the garden released to us.

Charlie pushed the play button on the answer machine in response to the flashing light.

“Hello Helen; its Michael. Sorry I missed you; you’re probably in the garden. Please call me back I need to have a discussion with you about Ricky’s red sparks. Oh and that last song, the one you wrote. Call me, baby; I love you. B-bye.”

Charlie finished peeling the potatoes and as he passed to get to the sink for rinsing them he bent down and kissed me on the neck. He was passing the torch in our kitchen relay making it my turn for a little foreplay and I gently cupped his fanny in my hand as I slipped by him to get to the dish towels. So it went while we prepared the meal.

Our silent loving continued through breakfast but I did notice that Charlie was avoiding watching me eat. Breakfast was delicious and healthy and satisfying. Our clean up was quick and perfunctory.

Before I called Michael back, I spent about an hour and a half playing with Charlie in bed. Eventually we took a shower together and had a little more fun. I loved that Charlie wanted me all the time and anytime I wanted him he was there for me making me feel good.

“Hello Helen, glad you called me back. How are you?”

“I’m good Michael, are things ok there?”

“Yeah, it’s all good; how about Charlie and Tut?” Michael continued.

“They’re good, too.”

“I want to talk about Ricky and her red sparks; are you ok with that?” Michael forged ahead.

“Yeah, sure; I’ll talk about anything you want.”

“Remember when I mentioned that I’d like to jump the sparks with you the next time you travel on Ricky’s invitation? Well, can you tell me how often Ricky shows the red sparks?”

“It’s sporadic and I’ve never really noticed how often she sends those particles. If you’d like me to track them, I will. It’s probably a good idea to keep track anyway to add to what we already know about the connect.”

“Another question, do you think I’d be able to take the same trip as you?”

“I don’t see why not. Yesterday I took a trip and went back to the day on board ship when I introduced you to the ‘kiss back’. It would have been nice to have you there with me while listening to your thoughts and worries that I was trying to kill you. You called for help during the kiss back. There was fear in your thoughts.”

“Baby, it’s kind of freaking me out that you can know what I was thinking; a person’s thoughts are supposed to be private.”

I replied, “Michael I invite you to know my thoughts, I’ll hide nothing from you. What you see is what you get. I can’t control what Ricky shows me just yet. When I do get more control I’ll steer clear of your thoughts if it’ll make you feel better.”

“Lu isn’t really happy about me ‘going on a red space trip’ with you.” He laughed.

“But I’d like to schedule a trip after our PBS taping at your place. Do you think Charlie would help with it? I really liked the idea that he set up the camera for your safety”.

“I’ll talk to Charlie.”

“Michael, tell me, have you ever seen Ricky’s red sparks in any of the particles that you’ve jumped to get on the current? Have you seen the red sparks without me being there?”

“No baby, I haven’t.” Michael admitted.

“How many times have you seen them with me?” I asked.

“I think 3 maybe 4.”

“We can give it try. I won’t schedule anything for awhile after the taping so that I’ll be available.”

I tied it up.

“Oh Baby, I almost forgot about the last song, the one you wrote the day before you left. I’ve played it for Lucy a few times and she agrees with me that it should be the final song of the show or maybe even the encore at the end of the performance. Are you good with that?”

“Of course, I’m ok with that. So, Lu likes the song?”

I wanted to know more of what Lu thought of it.

“Yeah, we both do and we like it more each time we hear it. It’s a strange phenomenon that the meaning becomes fuller with each rendition. We both think it’s a song that everyone, in any love situation, can get behind.”

“I sang it to Charlie and now it’s his favorite. It’s now our song.”

“Of course it is baby, I love you b-bye.”

“I love you, too Michael, b-bye.”

As the conversation with Michael was ending, Charlie came into the room. His expression was one of tolerance and maybe resignation at hearing me say that I loved Michael.

“Lover, I’d like to run something by you regarding the red spark travel. Michael wants to take a trip with me but he wanted to find out if you would help us out. He likes your camera idea and the monitoring and was asking if you would monitor a trip that we both attempt to take. What do you think?”

“If you’re going I’m monitoring. If he’s there, so be it.”

“Thank you Charlie.”

Sunday dinner was fun to prepare for. I wouldn’t be cooking but I just had to bring something. Along with the ripest harvest, I made a potato salad to take and Charlie had the computers to return to the shop. When we got there we were the last to arrive. Ollie, Mattie, and Margaret were already there.

Kevin was doing a bar-b-que so my salad fit right in. I was pleased to know that Margaret made her specialty cinnamon nut cake and Ollie and Mattie brought some nice white wine. Kathy was thrilled with the fresh produce and created a lovely green salad from some of the contents of the basket we brought.

Charlie got a beer for each of us and then found a good chair for us to settle ourselves in while we waited for dinner. It was a nice time for Charlie and me; we just teased each other. There were a couple of times that evening before dinner that Charlie would have gladly taken me home for a quickie and then come back for the meal.

After dinner Kevin showed us his designs for the ‘Catch Arena’ and the official, endorsed by ‘The Queen of the Catch’, swivel chairs represented at the edge of each of the arenas – a set of six chairs went with each arena, accommodating both the ‘Two Person Catch’ and the ‘Group Catch’. Ollie was submitting Kevin’s designs during the following week to the Olympic Committee for their endorsement for the games. Kevin reported that he’d been asked by the Olympic committee if his team would spear head the Olympic trials for ‘The Catch’. We all knew that Kevin was the man for the job, who else could handle it? No one knew more about the catch, the objects, or the stage it took to be part of a memorable catch.

For that evening’s ‘Group Catch’ we used his proto type arena and the swivel chairs. The arena was the perfect size and shape and we felt honored to be the first to use it. The chairs were a hoot and worked well for our group catch. That night Charlie and I were the two battling players at the end. It was a long catch because Charlie was good and could throw the object with excellent velocity using a variety of pitches. He made me laugh but I could tell when he could no longer hold his own. I couldn’t say what it was that brought on the erection but I knew exactly when it happened because he stopped looking at me. The catch ended with the object nailing Charlie in the stomach but he didn’t really see it coming.

Shortly after that we said our good nights and walked home. On the way, Charlie apologized for ending the catch.

“Woman, I couldn’t help myself.”

“It’s ok; I wanted to be home with you anyway because of all of the teasing before dinner. Every time I looked at you all I could think of was having you inside of me.”

“Oh God woman,” Charlie said. “Can you wait until we’re home to say stuff like that?”

We had a good time after we got home. Tut was asleep and Charlie picked me up as soon as we got in the front door. With the dead bolt securely in place he marched us to the bedroom and had our clothes off in less than a minute. His clothing removal process, again, a thing of beauty to watch.

In the following week I traveled on the red sparks nearly daily in search for the reason I would be deemed a punishment for another human being. Charlie was there for me every time after to wrap me up in his big arms and help me regain my strength.

The more I traveled I gathered more evidence pointing to the idea that my involvement with the connect was random and that it was just Michael’s dumb luck to be partnered with me.

Each time I traveled during that week Ricky took me back to the cruise ship and my time with Michael. With each trip I relaxed more and embraced my role as an objective observer. I watched as Michael’s attitude changed towards me from basic annoyance that he had to deal with me to actually thinking of me first and trying to protect me so that I’d not breach my principles.

While relaxing into the turmoil of the decent into the past I began to catch what seemed like breaks in that decent as I fell. Those breaks could be ledges of time and I intended to pay more attention to them during future travel.

At the end of each trip, Charlie loved me while I regained my strength. When I’d open my eyes to see Charlie watching me I’d feel his love for me and mine in turn grew for him.

Before the week was out I’d be in LA for the taping of the special. I’d designed six gowns for the event but they hadn’t gotten back from the ‘Three Women’ machine.

“Amanda; it’s Helen.” I opened the conversation.

“Hi Helen. What’s up?”

“I’m traveling to LA this week and I haven’t gotten the gowns I created for the trip. Can you check on them for me and maybe light a fire under the project?”

“Oh, no need; the gowns went out yesterday morning. You should be getting them today. They are wonderful, original, and so clever. The fabric took some doing to get but I think you’ll be really happy with them. The original designs sent your sister into a creative frenzy just by looking at them. Our next showing at ‘The Miles’ is going to be sensational with the three of us cranking out gown after gown. Denice wanted to know if you are going to allow for those gowns to be in the show.”

“Of course, I’ll probably never wear any of them again and it would be good for others to enjoy them.”

Amanda ended the conversation.

“I’ll let her know. Have a great time in LA and please give my best to Michael and Lu.”

“Will do; thanks Amanda, b-bye.”

Amanda was true to her word; the gowns did arrive that very day. When Charlie came home he caught me trying them on again before I packed them away in the wardrobe for the trip south. He watched as I examined each of the gowns in the mirror to make sure they were put together correctly and that they looked good. When I was nearly finished and wearing the final gown he said that they were very pretty but he preferred me naked.

“Would you like to go to LA with me Charlie?”

“I’d better not; I’d distract you and be jealous of Michael.”

Charlie had only a few words but he said a lot with them.

“You never need to be jealous of anyone. I love you Charlie and I want you, only.”

“I know but I’m not connected to you like he is.” Charlie explained.

“He’s never been connected to me in the same way as you Charlie. Michael and I’ve never had a complete connection, we never will, like you and I have everyday.”

“Glad to know that woman. Show me what you’re talking about.”

I showed him how connected the two of us were and he liked it.

The taping of the PBS special took two days. The first day was the rehearsal and the following day we performed the show in front of a live audience. The rehearsal went smoothly. It was great to be with Michael and working with him was always fun. Our voices were true and strong.

At the end of the first day Michael and I enjoyed dinner together and then we ended up staying the entire night with each other. Lu was working and didn’t get to accompany Michael but I was pleased to see that Michael had dropped some of the excess weight so I assumed that he was getting the attention that he needed from Lu. Even so, Michael seemed insatiable for the reconnect and came to me nearly every half hour to get hooked up. His eyes were liquid with love and need of me which we knew worked well for the show.

“Hello,” Charlie said.

“Hi Lover, do you miss me? I’m thinking of you, Charlie.”

“Yeah, woman, I miss you; so does Tut. You coming in tomorrow, same as planned?”

“Michael’s coming with me. You ok with that?”

“Where’s Lu?”

“She’s working and couldn’t make it; Michael and I’ll be flying without her.”

“I’ll pick you up. How long is he staying?”

“He’ll stay for two nights and then he has to go back to LA for more studio work. After that we won’t see him again until the PBS special airs at a special screening for the cast. Think about attending that with me, would you please. I always end up a third wheel and it never feels very good. I’d love to have the most important person in my life with me at that time. Would you please, at least think about it?”

“Ok,” was all Charlie would offer me at that time.

“Ok Lover, until tomorrow, I’ll think about you right up until I see your smiling face. I love you Charlie. B-bye.”

“I love you too, Woman; bye.”

As I was hanging up the receiver from my conversation with Charlie, I felt Michael put his arms around me for a full body reconnect. The reconnect nearly took my breath away. It was amazing how good it felt to be in his arms and meeting his need for me.

“Charlie’s picking us up tomorrow at SFO.” I told Michael.

“Oh, baby, he doesn’t need to do that. I could get a rental car so that I wouldn’t need a ride back to the airport after.” Michael said.

“Charlie always insists that he pick me up at the airport. He doesn’t think he should have to wait for me to get a ride from the airport to be with me. I’m glad he feels that way.”

“How does Charlie handle our relationship?” Michael asked.

“He gets jealous sometimes but who could blame him. Wouldn’t you have a difficult time if Lu were connected to another man and had to wrap her arms around him every 30 minutes to make sure he’s sated in the reconnect? Wouldn’t you hate it if Lu were helping another man get his rocks off especially if you knew that she loved him and that she was experiencing intense orgasms with that other man?”

“Yeah,” was all Michael could say.

After the live show, Michael and I took the late flight to SFO and to Charlie waiting there for us.

Charlie was wearing a suit and tie and carrying a flower, yellow rose from my garden to give to me. When I caught sight of him, I couldn’t hold myself in reserve. I nearly took flight to get to him. He picked me up as I got within reach and pulled me to him possessively and gave me, right there in the middle of that airport terminal, his hello kiss. It was difficult after that to cool my desire for him.

“Oh God Lover, I’ve missed you. You feel so good to me.” I whispered in Charlie’s ear.

“You feel nice, too woman.” Charlie whispered back.

While Charlie held me, he accepted Michael’s hello handshake. Lu had always been with Michael when Charlie was around him so I knew that we were in for a different experience with just the three of us. Michael would be the third wheel for a change.

The three of us fit easily in the front seat of Charlie’s truck. I couldn’t get close enough to Charlie and he possessively put his hand on my thigh which gave me a thrill. He teased me all the way home.

When we got home I was as polite as I could be to Michael and set him up in the guest room with Tut. I gave him a full body hug and then we separated for the evening. I went to my room to unpack, conduct my evening body maintenance, and to be with Charlie.

Remember that Charlie had teased me all the way home from the airport I took my time unpacking while Charlie watched me from the center of the bed. When he could take it no more, he helped me with the unpacking. He put my suitcase away and then came to collect me. He was practically inside of me before we were actually on the bed.

“Oh, an eager lover, I like that,” I told Charlie.

Charlie claimed my lips along with the rest of me and from then on there was no talking. The only sounds were of pleasure moans and laughing, ok maybe a little grunting went on during our climaxes. We woke each other up during the night to meet our needs. We were honeymooning. Our whole relationship was a honeymoon and I hoped it would never end. I was thrilled that every touch was a turn on for Charlie. Charlie was perfect for me and I think I was perfect for Charlie, too.

The following morning the three of us made breakfast in a smooth exchange of tasks that left us with a great meal. Tut joined us to say good morning and to tell me that he loved me and to screech at Charlie. Tut was polite to Michael.

“Good morning Michael,” Tut said using my voice.

Michael responded and gave Tut a pet. They were friends but Tut still spread his wings and made the march to me and wrapped his wings around me in a possessive hug. Tut graced us with this little sound of pleasure when I squeezed back.

If there was tension between Charlie and Michael, they kept it from me. Before Charlie went to work we talked about the travel and the fact that Charlie would be monitoring the progress from where ever he happened to be for his job that day. I told him that I’d call just before we made the jump to make sure that he knew what we were doing.

Michael and I spent a short stint in the garden.

“Baby, it’s kind of strange to be the odd man out, which has been your lot every time you’re with Lu and me. I prefer direct access to you and that’s probably why I never wanted you to have another man in your life. I’m sorry about that.”

“Charlie is a good guy and I’m so happy that he’s my man. You see how he treats me, like I’m a treasure. I’ll never take that for granted.”

“I’m happy for you baby.”

“Michael while we are in my room you know that we can not wrap up because Charlie will be monitoring us and I don’t want him to feel bad or to be jealous in any way.”

“Ok,” Michael said.

“Hello Woman,” Charlie answered my call.

“Hey Lover, can you see us, we’re ready. Tut’s taking his nap.”

“Yeah, everything is working. Begin when ever you want, I’ll be with you.”

“Thanks lover. See you later.”

Michael and I aligned ourselves on either side of the giant bed in a position that would be comfortable for hours as I knew that it took that long to return from a trip with the red sparks.

We laid there for sometime before Ricky showed any particles at all but eventually she sent her invitation and even graced us with a couple of her red sparks. Michael and I glanced at each other and then we jumped.

I’d made that jump so many times that the red sparks seemed like old friends and not the menacing premonition they felt like to me in the beginning.

The redness presented quickly but the decent had more of a floating feel to it instead of the frightening falling sensation that I’d experienced before. As the decent was slower I could make out the ‘ledges’ on the way down. I’d only passed a couple of the ledges before I made the decision to stop. And wouldn’t you just know it; I stopped at the ledge that was only a bit of a decent, right where I wanted to.

When the darkness lifted, I found myself with Charlie but he was with someone else. He was with the physical therapist with the funny name – who should have been called Colleen.

Charlie wasn’t speaking but I could hear him talking to himself.

“What the hell am I doing here? God, I want my crazy woman back.”

The sad look on Charlie’s face nearly broke my heart. I didn’t hear what the ‘Colleen’ girl said to him but I heard his non verbal response.

“This bitch is mean, I’m done.”

All went dark. When I woke up Michael was sitting on the edge of the bed and so was Charlie. I heard them talking and I didn’t open my eyes. I was bad, I eavesdropped on their conversation.

“How long does it take for her to come out of it?”

Michael was asking Charlie.

“It’s different every time.”

Charlie answered.

“This is nerve wracking. Is it like this every time? Do you think she’s ok? She’s been out for quite awhile.”

Michael was showing his nervousness.

“Yeah, it’s difficult.”

Charlie agreed.

“She’s going to travel whether we like it or not.”

“She’s a handful; isn’t she Charlie?”

“Yeah, but she’s my handful, my woman, crazy or not. I love her.”

“She feels the same about you. She’s told me often enough.” Michael reported.

“Yeah, she loves you, too.” Charlie said flatly.

“Not because she wants to, but because of our connection. There’s a big difference you know. She’d probably give me up in a heart beat if she could.”

I opened my eyes and looked at Charlie. He was looking at me. I smiled. He drew me into his arms and cradled me the same way he did every time until I got my strength back. Showing him that my strength was back I wrapped my arms around his neck and put my hands in his hair and then kissed him soundly on the lips. He squeezed me tight into him. It was so nice to be in his arms.

“Thank you lover, can I have you now?”

I whispered in his ear.

“Michael’s here.”

Charlie whispered back.

“What time is it?”

I was trying to gauge how much time the travel took from me.

“2:30.”

Charlie answered.

“You were out for 3.5 hours.”

It suddenly dawned on me that Michael was supposed to take that trip with me but I didn’t remember him being there.

“Michael, what happened? Where did you go?”

The fog was beginning to clear and I needed to be in the know.

“Baby, I ended up on the current but not with the red sparks. Do you do something special to be able to ride the red sparks?”

“The only thing I do is aim for the red; I think that Ricky kind of does the rest.”

“You should have told me that before we got started. Do you think we can try it again tomorrow?”

I looked at Charlie before I answered.

“Sure.”

“Maybe next time we should be holding hands because I’d hate for you to get lost on the red current and I think I have a bit of control now. If I stop in the decent, I’d like for you to stop with me.”

“That all sounds foreign to me, you’ll have to explain.”

Charlie started to put me down while saying that he was going to see about lunch. I clung to him and kept my arms around his neck. I drew him to me and kissed him several times. We weren’t done with our hello and welcome back which I’d grown accustomed to and I wanted more. He could read me and kissed me back until I was willing to let him go. Charlie laughed and left for the kitchen.

“So tell me,” Michael began.

“Where did you go and did you get to hear more of my stupid thoughts?”

“Baby, remember I said that I have a bit of control. I stopped the decent of the red spark at a ledge. I’ll have to give it some thought but I think that the ledges in the decent are spaces in time.”

Michael just sat there with a dumbfounded look on his face and had no comment.

“We’ll try again tomorrow but first we need to have a thorough conversation so that you are aware of everything that I can think of and we shouldn’t be so far apart – we should be connected and close so that I can keep you with me. I suggest that you don’t close your eyes. You need to see where you’re jumping. The red current is a bit frightening because it looks down right evil and other-world at first.”

“Baby, I say again, where did you go this time and what did you see?”

Michael was like dog with a bone that he could not be distracted from.

“The red current took me to Charlie and the woman he left me for. I don’t want to talk about it without Charlie being in the room. I might tell you after I’ve talked to Charlie about it.”

“Didn’t you tell me that it was all about me?” Michael asked.

“Before my interference the episodes were about you but really it’s the ‘connect’ that’s all about you. I’m not sure the space travel has anything to do with the connect except possibly that the connect may give us the added boost to even be able to see the particles. Charlie has never seen them.”

I tried to explain.

“Have you had other rides that weren’t about me or involved me?”

Michael, chomping on the same bone, needed clarification.

“No baby that was the first. But it was also the first time I was able to slow and then stop the decent. You’ll understand that better when we go for a ride together.”

The following day, Michael and I having had a very thorough conversation about what could happen, prepared ourselves for the red spark jump. We were in the center of the bed close, very close. We even linked our arms in our effort to be as close as we could get.

“Michael, I’m going to stop the decent and not let us fall all the way because the recovery time is longer with the greater decent. But know this, I am still flying by the seat of my pants and have no control over where we land, understand?”

“Yeah, I’m with you.”

Michael’s voice betrayed his fear.

“The worst that could happen is that we’ll sleep for awhile, right?”

“That’s the worst that’s happened to me.”

I assured him.

“Woman.”

Charlie answered my call.

“Hey lover, we’re ready and plan to jump as soon as Ricky presents her red sparks. You got us covered?”

“Yeah, I gotcha,” Charlie said.

“B-bye.”

Michael and I made eye contact and received an unexpected reconnect which made us laugh; we already had tight physical contact.

We both focused on Ricky and her particles. We waited for awhile and just when I thought that maybe Ricky wasn’t going to present her red sparks to us, we saw them. We squeezed into each other, kept our focus on the red and jumped. Just as we jumped I felt Michael wrap his loose arm around me. The move seemed to stabilize our union.

Michael was right with me, I could feel his reaction to the chaos and turmoil but our connection I think was what enabled me to slow and then stop the decent as easily as I did. Michael felt like a rider in my sidecar but around my neck. The red haze cleared and we found ourselves at the Marin Center with David and Alan during the very beginning of our ‘dueling piano’ routine.

We floated as one to the stage and everything was background to the thoughts of David.

“What is Michael doing with this woman? Yes, she can sing and they have an amazing sound together but I mean, come on. She’s definitely not a looker and oh my god, she’s so aloof and annoying. She could be a real detriment to Michael; an albatross around his neck.”

After that the darkness fell over me and time didn’t exist.

I opened my eyes to see Charlie sitting next to me on the edge of the bed and I smiled at him; happy to see him. He just looked at me for a moment and then he extricated Michael’s arms from around me and took me into his lap. He held me close until I gained back my strength and I was able to put my arms around his neck and bring him to me for his kiss.

The emotion I felt after hearing David’s thoughts about me was surprising. I needed reassuring that I was loveable even if I wasn’t a looker.

I whispered in Charlie’s ear.

“Tell me you love me please Charlie. You love me, right, even if I’m not pretty. Please tell me.”

My sweet, sweet Charlie kissed me soundly and whispered in my ear.

“Helen I love you and woman you are beautiful to me. You are the most beautiful woman in the whole world.”

“Thank you Charlie,” I said smiling because Charlie loved me.

Charlie asked, “How long do you think before he comes around,” nodding to Michael.

Right about then Michael came round. I knew he couldn’t move but I wanted him to experience the feeling of not feeling before I would reconnect with him. Things were always made easy for him and he needed to really know about the travel and the toll it takes on a person and there it was available to him first hand. It would be wrong to rob him of the experience.

Finally Michael could speak. “Wow, everything comes back in increments. It’s good to have a voice.”

Another minute or two passed and Charlie looked at me.

“Come on, have pity on the poor guy.”

I snuggled in closer to Charlie and bit him in the chest.

Charlie laughed.

“You little vixen. You want me now?”

“Always lover, I want you always, remember?”

I reminded.

Charlie surprised me when he looked at Michael.

“Excuse us for a bit.”

He picked me up and carried me to the guest room.

Twenty minutes later we went back to see after Michael; he was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. I knew he’d have a head ache so I brought him a couple of aspirin.

“You’ll feel better after you eat; Charlie made us each a ‘Meaningful Coupling’ for a late lunch or an early dinner.

“Come.”

Taking Michael’s hand helped a great deal because we were both blessed with the goodness of the reconnect.

While the three of us were enjoying the Monte Cristos that Charlie made I asked Michael to tell me about his experience. He had just taken a big bite. I waited until he chewed and swallowed, watching him the whole time. He took another bite. I looked at him like he was supposed to be talking to me.

Michael swallowed the bite and said, “It’s hard to interrupt, this is delicious and I’d like to enjoy it and then talk.”

“Yeah, you’re right about that. This is delicious Charlie. Thank you.”

Charlie insisted that we take Michael to the airport. He said that it was a perfect time for us to discuss the travel.

“The biggest impression is that the difference in the two currents was remarkable. The universal travel current is peaceful and calm whereas the red spark travel is nearly violent in comparison. The fall was scary along with the spinning and tumbling. It felt as though it could go on and on and on.”

Michael squeezed my hand as he continued.

“Hearing David’s thoughts was a freak out and not because of what those thoughts were but because they were his private thoughts. It felt as though we were breeching some unspoken law by trespassing in his head.”

“Maybe that’s because those thoughts weren’t really about you, they weren’t questioning your value. They were questioning my value to you and to the world in general because of my lack of good looks and my terrible aloofness.”

My voice went up a bit both in volume and in pitch.

Charlie laughed.

“Really Baby, it has nothing to do with what he was thinking but the fact that we were listening to his private thoughts was what I felt to be wrong. Hell, people think what they want but it’s what they do that counts.”

“Michael you’ve got that righteous thing down pat and I’m sure it’s based in the ‘Golden Rule’ but, on the red spark we are but observers, you can’t figure it out after one trip. Plus you can’t be a true and clear observer if you’re already harboring opinions.”

Charlie laughed again.

“Baby, I gotta go again, you know that, right?”

“When,” I asked.

“When the special has its premiere,” he said.

“Where,” I asked.

“San Francisco for the special but your house for the travel; does that sound ok with you?”

“You’re on,” I said.