by Bella Knight
“That takes a load off my mind,” said Ace. “We’re going to be in the same position.”
“Have you heard of therapy rabbits?” asked Lily, walking over to her bike, its doggy box sadly empty.
“Well, at least they would multiply quickly,” said Ace. They laughed. “I am so tired,” he said. “No sleep.”
Lily felt exhausted too.
“Let’s go to Sedona, get a hotel, have a nap, have a super-romantic sunset dinner, and make love all night.”
“Sold!” said Lily.
They hit up a convenience store for cola to keep them awake on the ride. They crossed over to the 17 and took it up to Sedona. The scenery was stunning. They found a bed and breakfast with a gorgeous garden, surrounded by trees and the rocks rising to meet the sky in the background. They courtyard was blessedly cool. They got a room near the fire pit and slept for several hours. They woke up ravenous and ate a steak and potato dinner with corn chowder and soft, brown bread in the courtyard. They took a trail into the desert, sat on a rock, and watched the sun go down. Then, they walked back and held hands by the fire pit, kissing in the dark.
They went to their room, took off their boots, and took off each other’s clothes. They slipped into the four-poster. Lily giggled, taking advantage. She made Ace hold onto the rails at the head of the bed. She didn’t let him touch her. She started at the top, stroking his head, kissing his face and his longing neck. She nipped his right earlobe and rolled her tongue down his neck. He gasped as she went lower, stroking and touching his side, her touches featherlight on his ribs.
She crossed over, laying kisses on his stomach, pressing her breasts into his groin. He groaned. She went back up his left side, ending up at his earlobe. She stroked her fingers down both sides of his body, kissing him deeply, and reaching down to cup his ass in her hands. She slid down him, licking and nipping him from his throat to his groin. She reached his groin, and she stroked him gently, and got off the bed and left him there, his soldier standing at attention.
She came back with wet wipes and several condoms. She climbed back on the bed and used her tongue and teeth on his penis until he finally broke the rules, letting go of the rails and stroking her hair. She ripped the condom with her teeth, rolled it on him, and mounted him. He held onto her hips as she moved. She used teeth and nails on him, making him gasp. She made a throaty growl, clenched on him, and came in a great rolling wave of passion.
He held onto himself, grabbed her hips, and held on, sitting up. He propped pillows behind him with one hand, cradling her ass with the other hand. She nipped at his neck, rose and fell, and clenched, again and again, making him wild. He came then, moaning into her hair.
They sat there, gasping until he managed to lift her off and put her on the edge of the bed. She helped him up, and they went to the spa tub. She ran the water while he disposed of the condom. They sank in, running the jets, and he brought two condom packets into the bathroom with her. He turned off the water, slid a condom on his still-hard erection, turned her over, and took her from behind. She was kneeling in the water. She moved back and forth, pounding into him. He braced his toes on the edge of the tub, happy for the non-slip strips on the bottom. She came, screaming, and he followed right afterward.
He disposed of the condom, turned the water back on, and carefully washed her hair, rinsed her, and added conditioner. He used a poofy and scrubbed her face with cleanser, then rinsed her face. He scrubbed her from head to toe, kissing her closed eyes. He turned off the water and kissed her eyes, and worked his way down to her toes. He washed his hair, shaved himself, scrubbed his skin, rinsed, turned on the jets, and floated with her in the water until it ran cold. He drained some of the water and put some hot water in. He got out, and dried himself, leaving her to soak.
He went out to the bedroom, and found some lemon water in a sweating pitcher and some lovely hand-blown glasses. He filled one with water and brought it back to her. She sipped gratefully, then put down the glass, floating in the water, sliding in and out of sleep. He got dressed in clean boxers and shorts, praising himself for packing enough for one night for Lily and him. Enough to stay in a hotel room if they got too tired to return.
He texted Ivy and told her where they were. She texted him back to take some time off. He found some hiking boots online with a local vendor and emailed that he would pick them up in the morning. He smiled as he heard the blow-dryer. She came out, nude, and he handed her clean panties and a T-shirt. She laughed, and kissed him, smelling of lavender soap.
“This is awesome,” she said. “You’re a genius.”
“It gets better,” said Ace. “We’ve got tomorrow night off, too.”
She squealed, dressed, and dove under the covers, sidling up next to him. They kissed. They fell asleep, her head on his shoulders, encircled by his arms.
They had breakfast in the gorgeous courtyard, with scones and clotted cream, and berries and nut butter. They went to the hiking store for hiking boots, heavy socks, sunscreen, small backpacks, and insect repellent. They went back to the hotel, took several bottles of water and a picnic “basket” backpack, and took the trails out into the desert. They took their time, holding hands, just being quiet, entering into a bone-deep relaxation. They made it to Oak Creek and ate their lunch of brie cheese, grapes, fresh bread, and sparkling grape juice. They took off their sock and shoes and waded at the river’s edge.
They walked back to the hotel, meandering a bit, and took a nap. They awoke, dressed, and rode out to a tapas restaurant, a courtyard with sparkly lights in trees. They had grilled shrimp, tacos, cheesy corn biscuits, and wonderful lime drinks. The Spanish guitar was lovely. They kissed, and truly relaxed. They took a walk, looking around, and Ace bought Lily lots of turquoise and silver jewelry. They stopped for ice cream and ended up splitting a hot fudge sundae. They rode back to the hotel and sat in the courtyard.
“Well,” said Ace, “we’ve found our getaway spot.”
She kissed him, relaxing into his arms. “Absolutely,” she said.
They watched the sunset and went out to look at the million stars, stealing a blanket from the courtyard. Just a whirlwind of trees between them and anyone else for miles. They slipped into the beauty, laid out the blanket, and made love there… slowly, face to face, looking into each other’s eyes. They came in gasps, and Ace praised himself for bringing both wipes and a little plastic bag to dispose of the condom and the wipes. They dressed, went back to their hotel room, and made love in the bath again. Then, they slept like mummies.
Ivy Sees Damia
Ivy and Callie dropped off the girls and the lunches. Henry came out of the classroom as Callie put the food away in the fridge.
“Today’s the big day?” he asked.
“Snip, snip,” said Ivy.
Shockingly, they barely had time to sign in at the doctor’s office before the nurse had them in. Callie had an X-ray, then the doctor came in, a tiny Hindi woman.
“Excellent remodeling,” she said.
“I take it you’re not talking about a house,” said Callie.
The doctor laughed. “Your bones have healed.” She looked carefully at Callie. “A person did that to you.”
“Already reported it in New Orleans,” said Ivy. “Her whacked-out boyfriend assaulted her, broke her arm.”
“Was he charged?” asked the doctor, as the nurse prepared the scissors.
Callie shrugged. “The police came to the urgent care, took pictures, took a report. I signed it. He’s Cajun. Helped me and my daughter a few times. I didn’t know he was violent. His pupils were dilated. I told him we were breaking up, and there’s the door. Then, he did this,” she said and waved her arm.
“Hmm.” The doctor tapped some notes into an iPad. “I’ll have my assistant call the police there, see what they did. Now, let’s get this cast-off.”
“Please,” said Callie, feelingly.
The doctor did the snipping, and the cast came off, and the doctor wiped down her ar
m, and checked her movement.
“Excellent,” she said.
“Take it easy for a day or two, don’t lift anything heavy or do any handstands. Start with half-pound weights, and add weight. There are tons of videos for you to use to exercise. You need to use cardio to keep your heart strong, lift weight to gain muscle, and maybe yoga for flexibility. So, I suggest high-intensity interval training, with yoga, and weightlifting. And dance or kickboxing, if you want to kick up the intensity.”
“Will do,” said Callie.
“If that doesn’t work, she’ll get a great workout working in my bar,” said Ivy.
“Which one?” asked Doctor Kapoor.
“Dirty Vegas,” said Ivy. “It’s a rock bar.”
“Hmm,” said Doctor Kapoor. “I’ll tell my relatives when they come. My sister loves hard rock music.”
“Be happy to have her,” said Ivy.
Ivy paid, and they went out into the street. “What do you want now?” she asked. “Lunch? A massage? A body scrub?”
“Body scrub,” said Callie. “But you have to get to work…”
“Ace is back,” she said. “I can motor in half an hour late.”
“Okay, but let’s get closer to the house so you have a quick run to the bike.”
“Alrighty then,” said Ivy.
They found a place within walking distance of the house, and they both decided to get lavender-sugar body scrubs. They got lockers, robes, and showers, and they cleaned themselves up. Then, they got the scrubs in the same room together. They moaned with pleasure.
When they were done, Ivy kissed her. “I’m going home, love. Get a massage.” She kissed Callie again, and said, “Give her anything she wants, I’ll leave the credit card number at the front desk.”
“On it,” said the tech; a short woman with dark hair, a flat nose, and black eyes. “You get the full ride, Callie,” she said. “I’m Cristiana, and if you want anything, just ask.”
“Mmmf,” said Callie.
The massage was amazing, then they did a facial, and a full mani-pedi was next. They brought her dim sum, lavender tea, and rose petals dipped in sugar. They had little hand weights in the lobby, so she took those home too, in both half-pound and one-pound sizes. She went home in a dreamy fog. She took a nap, fed herself smoked chicken, and corn and cucumbers, then a plum. She went to pick up the girls and was very relaxed as they chattered away. Neither one of them commented on her now-missing cast.
She got them water and listened as they talked nonstop about their day. Apparently, Hu was able to explain a math problem in Chinese, and Grace understood the explanation.
“A major step forward,” said Callie, praising her daughter. The pods looked great; Callie had installed curtains and yellow MDF and stairs. Gregory helped with the lights. The girls loved it, and said they slept in a “yellow spaceship.”
Callie read them two chapters from a chapter book about a girl who didn’t know she had hidden powers, and she kissed them goodnight. She took pictures of them in their pods, and sent them to Hu’s mother.
She was shocked to receive a message back. She found a translation website and translated the message, character by character.
“I am Hue Bao. My mother say you help my daughter go to very good school. She also say your daughter, Grace, is the sister-friend of my daughter. She says that Hu learns good English, and can play the little guitar. I am so happy at her progress. I send you little picture of me. My daughter send me information too. She send me pictures of her school and Teacher Henry. Thank you for taking care of my girl. She is my soul.
Callie saw the picture of a woman in front of a cement wall. She looked very young with a tired face and sad eyes. She put her head down and wept.
The next day, she told Henry the whole thing. “That’s heartbreaking,” he said. “We’ve got to get that woman here.”
“No effing kidding,” said Callie. “She can have a job here, starting with the restaurant.”
“She can teach Chinese here,” he said. “Mrs. Fa is mainly doing this as a favor for me.”
“Okay, so how do we get her here?”
“Don’t have a clue,” said Henry. “I’ll reach out. I know people. Maybe someone from the Iron Knights.” He stopped, thought a minute. “Ivy’s in tight with them. Ask her.”
“I fell asleep, and she slept in. I’ll talk about it with her.”
“Do,” said Henry.
Callie went back and climbed into bed with the exhausted Ivy. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“Awesome,” she asked. “Just being a lazy shit.”
“I have something to tell you,” said Callie, handing Ivy an iced mocha.
“That sounds ominous,” said Ivy, propping up pillows behind her. Callie gave her a bowl of strawberries and blackberries.
“I need your in with the Iron Knights to figure out how to legally get Hu’s mom Hua Bao from China to here.”
“Oh,” said Ivy. “Not so ominous. Alright, I’m on it.”
“I’ve got to lift my little hand weights,” said Callie, kissing Ivy. “Enjoy your breakfast.”
“Mmm,” said Ivy.
The video went well, a series of seated exercises. She then did some stretching yoga and shared Ivy’s shower. They didn’t have time for more than kissing and soap; Ivy was running late.
Callie went back into the school. She helped with reading time, snack time, and a science rotation involving mixing oil and water to show how and why they didn’t mix. She went back home, cleaned the kitchen, ate chips, salsa, and tacos, then cleaned up again, and worked on her early childhood education classes. Afterward, she took a nap, and went to pick up the young ladies.
In perfect English, Hu said, “Thank you for picking me up.”
Callie was stunned. “You’re welcome,” said Callie, finding her voice.
“You are being very nice to me,” said Hu.
“Of course,” said Callie.
“My mom is very happy with your pictures.”
“I hope so,” said Callie. “She is working very hard.”
She smiled. “She is an excellent mother.”
“Yes, of course,” said Callie.
“So are you,” said Grace. Callie tried not to cry.
The explanation for Hu’s sudden English knowledge came in the form of a secret mission game. The girls were diplomats and spies and had to speak both perfect English and Mandarin Chinese to manipulate the game, which was set on Mars, and an Earth colony. The Martian language was Esperanto. The girls loved it and would walk around talking in all three languages, driving Ivy and Callie insane, especially since neither of them spoke Esperanto.
Grace and Hu spent all day Sunday at the Chinese restaurant, folding napkins, and putting chopsticks and spoons and the occasional fork in trays… and playing the game. with Uncle Jian, a tall, stringy fellow with close-cropped black hair and laughing eyes, who took them to the nearby park for running and jumping and swinging on swings twice a day. Mrs. Hua took it all in her stride. Callie took some pictures and sent them to Mama Bao. Callie, up to date on the housework, especially with two girls to help with chores, finished one class, wrote a paper for another one, and started a third. She was blowing through the loaded credit card; and she needed to start working soon.
The day dawned bright on Monday. Callie did her interval training, took a shower, finished editing a paper and turned it in, and made banana-chocolate roll-up pancakes. Grace and Hu thundered up the stairs, eager to start the day. They took the dog for a walk when Callie finished making the pancakes.
Ivy came in, and Callie handed her a sealed cup and straw, filled with a coffee shot with soy milk and a thin stream of chocolate. Ivy humphed, kissed Callie, ate a fruit-filled pancake. She lovingly sucked on the chocolatey caffeine goodness. Callie herded everyone to the bathroom to wash up, then filled up the backseat snack-and-drink-box cooler and the front seat Doritos-and-sodas cooler and got them all in the car.
Ivy was still speaking in
“umpf.” The girls pulled up their game and started getting intel to make a run on the palace of the Martian princess, held against her will, headphones in their ears. Callie put on a hilarious audiobook about a lazy lawyer with a love for dogs. She laughed her way through the desert.
They stopped off in Boulder City to wade in the water, and to get snow-cones. Callie dried everyone’s feet. They got back in the car, and Ivy slept while Callie listened to her book. The girls argued in three languages over how to rescue the princess. Apparently, a jewel found in the heart of Olympus Mons was important somehow.
The road got blurry, so Callie sucked on a cherry Coke and switched to Ivy’s rock. That woke Ivy up, and they sang and snapped their fingers. When they got close, they pulled off for lunch at a diner. Over chicken fingers, fries, and ice-cold shakes, and Callie explained the situation.
“We’re seeing Ivy’s daughter Damia. She has autism.”
“Bruiser has Asperger’s,” said Grace, all-knowingly. “We get it.”
Bruiser, a tiny guy with golden skin and a narrow-eyed stare, was actually some sort of black belt; Callie had never asked which one. He loved his Harley, and he loved to man the snack bar at the club and tell stories of rides to see the huge sequoia trees in California. He didn’t make eye contact, looking over your shoulder when he talked to you, and he made excellent grilled cheese sandwiches with basil-tomato soup. All the Nighthawks loved him and helped him by avoiding eye contact with him.
“Bruiser doesn’t look at anybody and doesn’t want to be touched. What if he didn’t talk?” asked Ivy.
“Then we’d have to learn sign language. Bobby Feather uses sign.”
“Yeah, and I should have thought of that,” said Ivy, rubbing the back of her neck. “It’s taking me forever to learn. And, what if Bruiser also hated loud noises, and was very scared of people?”
“That would really, really suck,” said Grace.
“It does,” said Ivy, blinking away tears. “We have to move very, very slowly, like ninjas. And we can’t talk to Damia unless she talks to us. And we can’t touch her or make eye contact. She’s in a very special, quiet school. We hope that, someday, she’ll be able to manage her inputs and come out, but that may never happen.”