Music of the Soul 1, 2, & 3 Starter Bundle

by Erik Schubach

  Counting seats, we instructed MBOT to drop Tammy off with us at the Rand's. “No de-wenching shall befall yon nanny-ish maiden! Yes that means you Nick-D-Googly-Eyes with your stupid floppy hair.” He raised his hands in defense, shaking his head in amusement.

  Then I dragged myself to the van with my giggling little, freckled leg attachment, strapping in children and it was off to “Home”. I smiled at the thought.

  We arrived at la casa de Rand around 7:00pm, I eyeballed Tammy as she got out of the MBOT-mobile for any signs of de-wenching. Moving two fingers to my eyes and swinging them back at the MBOTs, eliciting chuckles from them. Then I waved them off as our merry band of women, oh, and Ham, poured into the house.

  Sar and Tammy magically whisked away the now sleeping babies to the upstairs nursery, in a carefully choreographed manner. Zoey trailing singing “I wanna help tuck the peanuts in!” All of this making me suspect that June has spent a lot of time here in my absence. I rose an eyebrow in suspicion as I watched them disappear up the stairs. Where's my list?

  I turned to Dave as he mumbled something about coffee and biscuits not making themselves, and disappeared into the kitchen. Leaving me standing bashfully blushing with the object of my affection wrapped around my arm, her looking down and twisting a toe on the floor shyly.

  I took a second to look around and saw paper stacks and whiteboards plastered all around the living room labeled with “Children's Shelter”, ”Teen Suicide Hotline”, “LGBT Education” and the like. One caught my eye, “City Council Campaign”. I was simply amazed.

  “Holy...! This looks like the headquarters for a world invasion!” I whistled. Bella laughed nervously, casting her eyes down. That musical laugh still made me tingle just like the first time. “Well it sorta is. I figure people need to be more educated on certain topics, so the things that happened to me, don't happen to any other children. So I'm championing a few causes, and also running for city council, so I can effect change on a larger level. Give a voice to the people who can't. Eventually I want to go even farther, maybe at the state level or higher one day.”

  I couldn't be any prouder, or amazed, or in more awe of her. “You've got my vote already! Is there anything I can do to help?” She looked at me with a hunger on her face, her eyes taking control of me, leaning in closer and setting off a whole new round of arousal in me. “Maybe... but right now, all I need from you is...” and we were kissing in the clouds again. I think my synapses short circuited on pleasure, because all I was seeing was sparks.

  Somehow she had maneuvered us onto the couch, me tingling with heat in some embarrassingly pleasant places when we finally broke the kiss. I gasped for air and whimpered. “Okay.” I'm sure there was a dreamy faraway look in my brown eyes. We just sat there with our faces inches apart sharing our hot breaths, taking each others faces in, fingers of each hand intertwined. I don't know how long we sat just drinking in the closeness, inhaling each others scent.

  We were knocked out of our personal time dilation field and snapped back to reality as a pillow struck us. We both turned to look at our assailant, a smiling Sarina. “Oh, get a room would you? No wait, not yet, if you do, we probably wont see you two for days. I wanna hang with Mandy while I have the chance!” She rolled her eyes and Bella and I shared an amused smile.

  She bumped her hip on mine nestling in, scooting us to the end of the couch, and settled in beside me. Tammy had already claimed the loveseat as her prize. Zoey climbed up and draped herself lazily on top of Bella and me. I smiled looking around at my girls.

  Right on cue with his wizardly ways, I saw Dave appear from the kitchen with a tray full of coffee and fresh biscuits, setting them on the coffee table and sitting on the arm of the couch. Sarina laid her head on his lap and raised her feet and draped them across us.

  “This feels more like home now.” Sar mumbled as she grabbed the remote and turned the TV onto a chick flick while we all visited and caught up with each other. Just talking and laughing. Bella laid with her head on my chest. This was the warmest, most comfortable, most loved, I had ever felt. So this is family? This is what I have been missing my entire life? I finally saw why this matters so much.

  As the night rolled on, all too soon, Tammy said her goodnights and wandered off to the downstairs guest room, then Dave and Sarina said their goodnights, carrying a sleeping Zoey with them.

  Bella looked up at me longingly, then stood and grabbed both of my hands, dragging me to my feet then upstairs to her room. She gracefully navigated backwards, keeping our eyes locked, the words dancing in them promising me the world.

  When the door to her room shut, we were instantly at each others lips, kissing, nibbling, tracing them with our tongues. Gently probing each others mouths, our tongues twisting in a sensual dance. Hands tracing each others curves. Fire was burning through me with every kiss, our desire consuming us.

  Then her hands were desperately grabbing at the buttons on my dress. Her's had already slipped off her shoulders to the floor. Suddenly we were in her bed, with me gently tracing circles with my fingernails on her soft exposed flesh, inhaling her scent.

  She rolled us over, and ran her hands down my sides then started kissing me behind my ear, sending tingles shooting down to my center, heating my sex. She slowly kissed down my neck, stopping to nip and suck on my flesh along the way. Then she continued her path downward, the rest was a haze of passion and intertwined bodies as we merged, our beings becoming one. I can tell you that I have never felt so whole, so happy, so aroused in my entire life.

  Chapter 18 – Planning

  I awoke the next morning with Bella's head on my chest and her arm around me. I gently rolled her over, God she's beautiful when she sleeps. What did I do to deserve such an angel? My eyes drank in all the lines and curves of her body, causing the heat to rise inside again. Then sat up, softly lowering her head to the pillow and I gently straddled her waist and kissed her on the mouth, our lips barely brushing.

  Her eyes fluttered open and she almost purred as I said, “Morning, sleepyhead.” She smiled dreamily up at me, her eyes swirling through the blue spectrum as she spoke “I had the most wonderful dream.” She kissed me again. She's so dang cute!

  Then I heard a creak as the door swung open and Sarina walked in announcing “Rise and shine... oh!” Shit! I dove to the side, Bella and I pulling the covers up under our arms for modesty, both of us laughing out loud.

  Sarina's shock was replaced by mirth as she shook her head side to side, “Didn't you two get enough last night? I learned things last night that I should never know, like the fact that my sister is a screamer!” She shuddered.

  Bella couldn't have turned any redder, biting her lower lip. I looked at her teasingly, but then it was my turn. “Mandy, what's that on your neck?” She raised an eyebrow. Bella grabbed my head and pulled it to her chest possessively. “Just marking my territory!” Sarina rolled her eyes as I blushed. “Well get yourselves cleaned up and down for breakfast.”

  “We have some heavy planning to do this weekend. A plan of attack for both of your current situations on either coast is needed. Yes, I just invoked the 'planning for the future' card, so get over it and get downstairs!” She ordered, to our mock shocked faces. “Aye aye Cap'n!” we chimed in unison as she shut the door. We turned to each other and exploded in laughter.

  Now, I know I'm not that old, but I can tell you that I've never had such an 'enjoyable' time getting prepared for any day in my entire life. I wound up in one of Anabella's dresses, since I didn't think to bring a change of clothes on the plane with me. It still held a hint of her unique scent on it, I can't begin to tell you the things that did to me. Now I'll be thinking of her all day... well you know, like, a lot more than my normal obsession. I could get lost in... Huh? Oh yeah, downstairs. On it!

  We seriously skipped our way downstairs to the bustle in the kitchen. I found out that Dave was already off to the diner and Tammy and Sarina were busy cooking up something that smelt heavenly and b
reakfast-y. Is breakfast-y a word? Zoey was zooming around setting the table, making little motor sounds.

  I zeroed in on the playpen and scooped up June as Bella snagged Eve. Tammy, glanced up at us playing with the giggling and squirming children. “Hey ladies!” she said with a suggestive grin, wiggling her eyebrows. “Remind me on the next sleepover to bring some earmuffs, that guestroom is directly below Ana's room.” she said dramatically.

  I'm pretty sure I let out an “Eeep!” but I was too busy blushing to notice, looking anywhere but at Tams. I swear Bella was trying to shrink herself into non-existence behind me. “What? We were playing... umm... checkers!” I shot back. Causing some snickers from the evil cooking ones. If they weren't making bacon for me, I'd put them on the list!

  Zoey ran over to me making a “Zooooom!” sound, and held out a stick figure drawing of a girl with what kind of looked like a circle with a stick coming out of it. “I drawed a picture of you in kinneygarden, Mandy! You can haf it!” I took it in the hand holding June to my hip with a huge grin on my face. Zoey looked expectantly at me with huge eyes.

  I crouched down with June and gave Zoey a kiss on top of the head and a great big smile “Why thank you Zoey! It is so pretty, and look, you drew my guitar too!” This got an ecstatic smile from her, and relief from me, guessing it was a guitar. Then she zoomed off to her other tasks as I looked adoringly at the picture again.

  So what if it was a stick drawing, this had to have been one of the most beautiful pictures I had ever seen, it was from Zoey! It was sure to find its way into my shoebox at Harmony.

  My phone rang and everyone turned to me, I looked back between them all, wondering why they were staring at me. “What? Do I have a platypus on my face?” I asked as Sarina rolled her eyes, pointing at my phone. “You going to get that?”

  I suddenly realized what was going on, and grabbed my phone, answering before it got to voice-mail, “Hello? Yeah, sounds great, see you in five.” I hung up and looked around sheepishly. “Ummm... MBOTs will be here in five for a planning session. Sorry, I'm not used to answering the phone anymore, guess I better get used to it again.”

  That got people shaking their heads and a little bit of egg thrown at me by Sar. “Yeah, we noticed.” Tams prodded. Before I put my phone down I saw that I had a voice message flashing, tagged at midnight last night, from Bella? I looked over at her curiously and hit play “OH... MY... GAWD... M! I hope you'll have sweet dreams tonight, I know I will.” and she giggled.

  I looked over at her, she was swinging from side to side, her hands clasped behind her back with a coy look on her face. We were together all night, how did she? I cocked an eyebrow “When did you?” She caught on to what was happening and giggled “In between, ummm... sessions, when I went to the restroom.”

  We were lost in each others gazes again when Sarina playfully muttered. “Get a room!” But instantly both Sarina and Tammy shouted in unison, “Wait! No!” It started a whole new round of laughter.

  Ahhh! Stench! Must de-stench my June! That's just not natural. I crinkled my nose and squinted my eyes. “I'll be right back, June just dropped a toxic bomb in her pants.” I wandered upstairs to the nursery to change June's diaper and raspberry her belly to test the integrity of her giggle circuitry.

  While I was there, I heard the doorbell ring then the guy's voices downstairs a minute later. We came back downstairs and I placed June in the playpen where Eve was waiting for her gurgling and cooing buddy. I looked around and acknowledged the MBOTs with a head bob to each.

  Nick was looking at me a bit oddly, like he was trying to put some puzzle pieces together. “Mandy, you and that baby were almost inseparable last night at Harmony. Is she...” Sarina chimed in. “That's Tammy's daughter, June, and the other squirming worm is my daughter Eve. Mandy is godmother to both of them.”

  I almost panicked. It hadn't even crossed my mind last night as I was fussing over June, that none of the guys even knew she existed. Well with the exception of Darryl, I'm damn sure that nothing about me ever gets past him. I don't ever want June exposed to a world that can exploit her.

  I trust Darryl implicitly, Nick is climbing the ladder in that direction quickly, but I still don't know if Terry would try to leverage her. That man is a mystery to me even after all these years. Just when I think he is in things only for the money, he goes and surprises me.

  I shot a look of thanks to Sarina for her quick thinking, getting a secreted wink in return. I'm equally relieved that the other girls picked up on it instantly, playing along. The only wildcard is Zoey, but if she says anything, it could be explained away with the goddaughter excuse. How friggin smart is Sar to factor all this in on the fly?

  Present broken record! And play! I really like this family!

  Terry spoke up, pulling my attention. “Mandy, what are we going to do about abandoning the tour? The venue has been calling me nonstop threatening lawsuits and the like. We need...” Smack! Sarina, slapped him on the arm “None of that now, everyone sit down for breakfast before it gets cold. We have all day to strategize.“ He looked down sheepishly like he had just been chastised by his parents.

  We all had a “Yes mother.” look on our faces as we sat around the six place settings at the table. I only had a fraction of a second to wonder why it wasn't seven when a tiny freckled dynamo jumped up in my lap. Of course, what was I thinking? A smile spread on my face.

  Those had to be the best half stack of pancakes I had ever had. They melted in my mouth and the other half of my stack were inhaled into the little redheaded garbage disposal on my lap. Mmmmm... now onto the eggs and bacon!

  As I sat idly munching on a strip of bacon in my fingers, Anabella kept catching my eye then taking sensual bites of her meal. Oh my God! She's going to make me explode! Any career topics about Bella or I were steered around as we exchanged idle gossip.

  I saw the kitchen door swing open and Jimmy strode in holding a teenage girl's hand, and another gangly boy wandered in behind them. Jimmy stopped and looked around at the table and then started backing up to the door again, but froze when he saw me.

  He looked at Anabella with wide eyes. “Sorry, Miss West, we were just coming to drop off a batch of petitions and get some more. I didn't know you had company.” Signing about as crudely as me. His eyes shot back at me then to his friends. I waved with a little smirk on my face. “Hi Jimmy!” His friends stared back and forth between him and myself with their mouths open.

  Bella smiled a patented knee buckler at him. “It's okay, Jimmy. Which ones you got there?” He raised up a couple clipboards. “Teen suicide hotline funding, and gay rights education. That puts us a couple hundred signatures above minimum for each. We'll get some more later to buffer, just in case, before you submit them to the city.” I watched the interchange intently.

  He continued talking. “We were thinking about the one for the Underprivileged Children Center expansion, it is falling a little behind the others, but we should hit minimum today if we get the AWK crew on it.” I was impressed, Jimmy seemed to be quite organized.

  Bella shook her head, still smiling. “You kids are wonderful, but it is Saturday, you should be out having fun.” Jimmy smiled back at her shyly. “But THIS is important. Not many adults let us do anything that can actually make a difference. Besides, there will be plenty of time to goof around tomorrow.”

  Anabella beamed with pride. “Well, okay. But don't overdo it. Just help yourself in the HQ, were just catching up with friends here.” I turned to watch the kids quickly file into the living room. Depositing papers on some stacks and retrieving some from others. Marking some things on the whiteboards and maps. It was quite obvious they knew exactly what they were doing.

  The girl beside him was whispering a little too loud to Jimmy. “That really is her! That's Mandy Fay! I didn't believe you knew her!” They walked back through the kitchen to the door and the girl stopped and spoke, “Miss West, is Mandy Fay really your girlfriend?” stars were sparkling in her eyes.


  Bella grabbed my hand adoringly, which made my skin tingle. “She sure is. We make almost as cute a couple as you and Jimmy do, Mary.” I watched her, giving a wink to the startled girl.

  “They're both so pretty,” Mary said as the kids filed out the door. Anabella called out, “And Remmy, ask Peggy out! Don't make me track you down at the shelter and do it for you!” The gangly boy stuck his head back in and squeaked out “Yes Miss West.” then exited and closed the door.

  “Such wonderful children.” Sarina mused as I looked at Bella and asked “AWK crew?” Anabella blushed. Tammy chimed in, “Ana West's Kids. They are forming an army on their own to help petition the issues Ana is championing. It seems that the compassion for her fight has struck quite a nerve in the youth in the city, they are coming on board in droves. She's the 'girl who took on hate singlehandedly' to them. You should hear her share your views on scars with them Mandy. Inspiring stuff.”

  There should have been a little chibi me spinning around with hearts popping up around it right about then. Is there anyone this girl doesn't inspire? I looked over at Bella in awe.

  Nick looked thoughtful as I saw him stand to bring his plate to the sink, keeping his face turned toward us for Anabella's benefit, to his credit. “Looks like you guys have quite a well oiled machine going on here. How many petitions are going at once? How many kids are canvasing? Is that an election campaign in the corner?” He shot the questions out, rapid fire.

  Bella chimed out musically. “Currently we are going after only four causes, though we plan on widening the net after the election, when we can dedicate more focus on other areas of need. We have over on hundred twenty children and parents volunteering to canvass, push the projects, and just give general education on the issues.” I was impressed as I listened.

  She frowned. “I'm in the running for a city councilwoman seat, but traction is slow because we don't have the advertising budget Ben Ellington has. He's running a smear campaign against me. His isn't even the seat I am running for. Can't blame old egg salad puss I guess, after what I did when he tried to take my children from me.”