by Utt, Kelly
I remember once when we were first dating, Ali asked me what I would have done if I had been a passenger on United Airlines Flight 93 that fateful morning on September 11, 2001. She wondered whether I would have been one of the guys who rushed the hijackers in an effort to regain control of the plane or, at a minimum, keep it from becoming a flying missile as intended. I told her that, of course, I would have. It’s who I am. I would have been right there with Todd Beamer when he said: “Let’s roll.” My conscience would never have allowed me to sit by idly when there was a threat to my own safety and that of those around me. Ali also asked me how I’d know what to do and who to do it with. I told her that those of us who are the protectors would have already recognized each other before we ever stepped foot on the plane. At go time, a quick glance and a beginning movement from any one of us would have been enough to spur a well-coordinated counterattack against the hijackers. No words would have been necessary. Ali seemed surprised to learn this about me but said she understood. I think she understands me even more after all the years we’ve spent together. She’s seen my reaction in various situations and to news of various tragedies.
These days, with my own family quite possibly in actual danger, my vigilance and readiness to help serves double duty. As I scan the crowds, I’m looking for both a general, unspecified threat to the public as well as a specific, targeted threat directed at my family. It’s unsettling and confusing at times, but I’m grateful for the training which allows me to be better prepared for whatever might come to pass. I’m also grateful that my uncle has the same set of skills. Between the two of us, we’re a serious threat to anyone who might seek to do us harm. And when Roddy is added to the equation, we’re damn near unstoppable. That’s what I tell myself, anyway.
Honestly, when I talk about my own safety as being included in any plan for protection, that’s secondary. Protecting my people comes first, and I do mean both my family and my country. Now, granted, I feel like I did my fair share of time protecting my country. When I was a young airman, I volunteered to take the place of older guys who had families so they didn’t have to go TDY as often. I expect the younger guys down the line to take over now that I have a family of my own. But if there were to be a general threat to the public like on 9/11, Ali already knows I’d have to go and help out. She knows she could lose me that way. Let’s just hope nothing like that happens. Especially since my own family is in danger. Figuring out how to balance my duty to my family might get complicated, depending on the specifics of a threat to the public. I guess ultimately, I have to trust myself to make the right decisions in the moment. What I know for sure, though, is that if I have to lay down my life to protect my family, whether it’s five years from now or five minutes from now, I’ll gladly face that eventuality without hesitation. I’ll step in front of a bullet, in front of a bus, or in front of a grizzly bear. It doesn’t matter what the specific threat is. I’m already there in terms of being ready to face it. I stay there. I’m not afraid to die. My only fear is letting my people down.
When we arrive in Reno, we eat what, for us, is a late lunch at the airport. The three-hour time difference means it’s still morning local time. That will take some getting used to. It’s one thing to adjust to time zone differences as an adult, but for little kids whose lives revolve around predictable routines, it’s something else entirely.
When everyone is fed and has used the facilities, we head to the rental car area to claim our reservations. A weaselly looking young blonde guy behind the counter asks too many questions about where we’re staying while we’re in the area, but I shrug it off. I don’t share the address at our rental cabin. I do have to list our home address on the rental agreement, but I can’t imagine what harm this punk might actually do to us or how he could be connected to the bad guys in Ithaca. I figure he probably just lacks social skills and needs dental work and a long shower. He doesn’t look sophisticated or intelligent enough to pull off being a real criminal.
We move forward with renting two vehicles that we’ll keep for the entire time we’re out West. One is a black Honda Odyssey minivan, and the other is a black Jeep Wrangler. Marjorie, Ali, the boys, and I pile into the Odyssey, while Roddy and Liam take the Jeep. We figure a minivan will be the easiest way to keep the boys happy. It has a built-in DVD player that flips down from the ceiling and reclining seats complete with footrests that flip up. And the Jeep, well, it seemed like a perfect summer vacation vehicle. Us grownups will love running around in it with the top down and doors off, soaking up the sunshine. I’m not sure if it’s crossed Ali’s mind or not, but the Wrangler reminds me of Isabel Madera and her orange version. It makes me feel kind of like we’ll be walking on the wild side when we drive it. Maybe I’ll take my wife out to a secluded area in the Jeep one night and bend her over the backseat. The thought warms me and sends a surge of blood to my manhood. There’s always something magical about making love outdoors in the moonlight on a warm summer night. The Jeep and its connection to Isabel will only make things more exciting.
We stop at a kiosk and pick up a movie on disc for the ride down to South Lake Tahoe. The ride isn’t much more than an hour, and the boys stay occupied with the movie the whole time. We don’t usually watch movies in the Tesla, so this must feel especially festive to them. I drive so Ali can grab a power nap on the way. I’m feeling tired from having been on guard all morning at the airports, but I’m beginning to relax now. The Sierra Nevada mountains are stunning. I’ve always loved nature and these mountains feel wise and alive. They’re helping me calm down and clear my head.
The odyssey connection dawns on me somewhere around Carson City, Nevada. I wonder if it’s a coincidence that I’m driving my family around in an Odyssey, what with Dr. Epstein’s place being called the Odyssey Psychology Center and the fact that I lived with my family before in Ancient Ithaca, Greece. Just like Homer, who penned the Iliad and the Odyssey. Honda Odyssey minivans are common, but it feels like a sign. Although, I also think about how our two vehicles traveling together remind me of the Transformers following Optimus Prime. I’m a sucker for those types of movies where everyone works together to take care of each other and keep each other safe. I’m a typical boy, I swear. And it’s true what they say about how boys grow up and the only thing that changes is the size of their toys.
6
The Flesh
When we arrive at the lake house, it’s mid-afternoon. We’re tired and it feels later to us, but there’s still plenty of day left to enjoy.
The house is stunning. I think it’s nicer than our own home. The booking agent told us it had been featured on the South Tahoe Garden Tour, but I didn’t realize it would be so gorgeous in person. It’s probably best described as an estate rather than a house, truth be told. The property is surrounded by national forest on three sides. The place ought to be nice since the nightly rental rate is more than most people pay each month for their mortgage. Hell, the nightly rate is more than most people probably pay each quarter for their mortgage. I feel a pang of guilt for spending so much and I think about what Mom would say if she were here. Ali and I are splitting the cost with her parents and my Uncle Liam though, so it isn’t nearly as much when divided by three. I tell myself to relax and enjoy, just like Liam told me to do when I called him the night we moved into our new house in Ithaca.
As we turn into the driveway, we’re greeted by two pillars made of round stones that sit at the edge of the property and hold large lanterns on top. The house number is affixed to one of the larger stones and perky red flowers cover the ground below. Tall evergreen trees stand proudly behind the pillars and line the driveway leading down a slight hill to the house. A three-car garage sits closest to the road with ample room for parking out front. The four-story house sits just past the garage and boasts sweeping, long-range views of the sparkling lake and surrounding mountains. I can tell already that this is a fantastic party house. We might just have to take advantage of that fact and do a little partying dur
ing our stay here. We park in front of the garage doors and get out to take a look around before we unload luggage. Our excitement is palpable. The boys are giggling and talking excitedly. The adults aren’t saying as much, but we’re just as stoked about our digs for the next few weeks.
I use the keypad affixed to the door handle to open the compartment and retrieve the house key, then I carefully slide it into the lock and turn. There’s an alarm system, thank goodness. I nod at Liam and Roddy when we hear it beep as we enter the property. It’s a relief to know that the system is functional. It makes an ascending alert sound until I use the instructions provided by our rental agent to disarm it. I plan to get in touch with the monitoring company once the family is settled and request that they change all the codes, to be extra safe. The rental agent knows about our history and assures me I’d be able to adjust the alarm system to meet our needs. I wouldn’t have felt comfortable bringing my family here if she hadn’t been willing to accommodate that request.
When we walk inside the house, we’re immediately impressed by the huge stone fireplace and floor to ceiling windows in the main living area. The view of the lake out the windows is breathtakingly beautiful. Every single one of us oohs and ahhs at the sight of it. It looks so clear and clean. I’m pretty sure we can see all the way to the bottom, even from way up here in this house on the side of a hill. We’re used to the water back East in Ithaca, D.C., and New York City, which is often murky. The lakes and rivers back home look blue in certain light, but other times they look downright brown and nasty. I get the idea that Lake Tahoe looks blue in any light.
Ethan and Leo plop down on one of the leather couches in the living room and hug each other to celebrate, then hop back up just as quickly to continue looking around. Liam is carrying Will on his hip and the little guy is smiling and babbling up a storm as they go. He can feel the excitement from the rest of us.
There’s a view of the lake from almost every room. We’ll be able to enjoy the view when we wake up in the morning, as we eat together at one of the two big wooden dining tables, and on either of the two back decks. This house is sort of a Tahoe version of our own when it comes right down to it. The decor is a little bigger scale, but the inside of the place is a similar size, a similar layout, and a similar level of finishing as our own. Outdoors, this place has more stone accents, taller trees, and a crystal clear lake to enjoy. That makes it all brand new.
We split up to check out the bedrooms. Will continues on with Liam while his big brothers take a tour of the upper level with their grandparents and Ali and I sneak away to survey the master bedroom.
Our bedroom is amazing. The pictures we saw online don’t do it justice. A built-in stone bench extends from the fireplace and wraps all the way around two walls underneath the windows. I’ll be making love to my wife on this stone wall. I can tell you that much right now. Alessandra’s body is enticing in any setting, but it’s a special thrill to feast upon her in a new and unfamiliar place. I can’t wait to get started. The king-size bed has four thick, sturdy posts at each corner. Those will be perfect for holding onto while I pump and thrust inside of my wife. My mind can visualize the scene quickly and easily. I see Ali standing next to one of the bedposts, completely naked from head to toe. Her golden, wavy hair dancing around her supple breasts and reflecting the light from outside. Her long, elegant arms and legs wrapping around the post seductively, hiding her entry point from my view to save the best for last. I can almost taste her now. I can’t help myself.
Ali can tell what I’m thinking. She knows me so well. We have a long history together. I’m convinced there’s some kind of synchronicity between our bodies. When one of us wants the other, we both feel it. Energized from her nap in the van, my wife smiles seductively at me while biting her bottom lip. Now I’m done, for sure. Ali knows it brings to my knees when I see her bite her lip like that. She’s toying with me. My organ is tight and threatening to burst right out of my twill shorts. It feels so hard, so ready to be inside of my love that it seems like it might spill just looking at her. And she’s still fully dressed.
There’s no way I can wait another minute. I dash to the bedroom door and close, then lock it securely. I know Ali doesn’t want the others knowing about our sex life, but I don’t care right now. I must have her.
“Is there something I can help you with, Dr. Hartmann?” my wife asks in a low purr as she uses two hands to pull her blouse and bra off over her head in one swift motion.
“You know what I want,” I say while walking towards her.
“Oh? Do I?” she teases, placing her hands in the waistband of her skirt then shimmying out of it.
Her muscular body looks like perfection as it’s exposed inch by inch. She leaves her panties on intentionally. She knows that drives me wild once I’m already excited. Unable to speak, I let out a guttural sound as her mouth covers mine and we kiss each other deeply. I tear at my own belt buckle and let my manhood out into the daylight. It’s standing up high, urgently ready to feel the warm, wet center of my wife. I grab her gently, yet firmly as I drop my shorts and boxers to the floor then pull her white lace panties hungrily from between her legs. We walk towards the stone bench as we continue to kiss, already intertwined. I take my shirt off and sit down with my back to the lake. She knows what to do next. We’re in sync with every movement. She climbs on top, straddling her exquisite legs around me as she slides down gracefully, taking me deep within her. I wrap my arms around her firm buttocks and place my fingers lightly along the edges where we meet. She straightens her back, lifting up in front of me so I have a chance to look at her as she wriggles with pleasure. She knows how much I love to watch her body respond when I take her to a place of pure ecstasy. She moves up and down around me, gripping me tightly as she goes. I lean forward and bury my head between her breasts as she grinds, smelling her sweet, intoxicating smell. It doesn’t take me long. I hold as far as I can until my entire body feels like it’s about to explode. She comes to the same point at the same time, grinding harder and faster until she can no longer hold back her telltale moans of pleasure. When I hear those blessed moans, I allow myself to release in a wave of goodness that spurts upwards into her deepest nooks and crannies. We grip and pull at each other until the tension recedes and she flops her head down onto my chest, exhilarated.
“Well, Georgie,” Ali begins. “That was fast. We’ve been in the vacation rental, what? Fifteen minutes now?”
“Something like that,” I say as I stroke her back lovingly. She’s still sitting on me. I’m still inside of her.
“You’re insatiable,” she says playfully.
“Hey,” I reply. “I don’t see you complaining one bit.”
“You’re right,” she says. “No complaints here. I wonder if the others will know what we’re doing though.”
“And so what if they do?” I ask.
“I understand,” she says. “But let’s go on and get dressed so we can help unload and get the boys settled in. I don’t want to get too spoiled with Mom and Dad’s help. They may need some downtime themselves.”
“Come on, now,” I tease. “Can’t I look at your beautiful body a little while longer? It dresses up the place, you know?”
“Oh, Georgie,” she says, laughing.
“Alright,” I reply. “As long as we do some more of this real soon.”
“I wouldn’t dream of waiting long,” she replies as she slowly kisses me on the neck.
My body responds to my wife’s mouth on my skin and the blood surges again. I look at the curve of her shoulders and her breasts. Her plump lips. I want her again. Right now. She can feel me rising inside of her. My rush is hard and fast, filling us up.
“Are you serious?” she asks.
“I… I can’t help myself,” I say, nibbling on one of my wife’s earlobes as I grip her hips tightly with both hands, creating friction where I’m throbbing between us.
She turns to look at the locked door over her shoulder, then sighs he
avily. I figure I can talk her into it, so I move two of my fingers around and underneath to rub her most sensitive spot. She smiles and arches her back in response to my touch. She’s ready again, too.
“Alright, alright,” she says teasingly. “Do your worst, Dr. Hartmann.”
She climbs off of my lap, then leans seductively over the stone bench, resting her elbows all the way up against the wall below the windows. Seeing the view of the beautiful lake in the distance and my sexy wife in front of me gets me going even harder. She looks back at me and coos, then slowly raises her backside high into the air. She knows this is my favorite position. I make sure my wife is thoroughly pleasured before being too greedy myself, but nothing feels better than entering her from behind. I think it’s the combination of seeing her body in front of me and being able to thrust most deeply that I like so much. It feels good to her, too, don’t get me wrong. I see to that. But this position is for me. I feel special when she invites me to partake.
“The lake out there looks almost as gorgeous as you do,” I say to my wife as I again place my hands on her hips and grip tightly, preparing to enter her.
“You’re sweet,” she says. “But stop talking and get inside of me. Show me how good I look to you. I want to feel it.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I reply, pulling her smooth, wet, pink skin to me and locking myself in place.
My whole body ripples with electricity as I push and pump up against this most beautiful creature I have the honor of calling my wife. Feelings of affection for her envelop me and make me feel like we’re somehow transcending the physical act of lovemaking. I dip and swerve, getting into every crevice. Touching every bit.
In a flash, my attention splits and I’m both thrusting here in the present and remembering making love to Ali in the very same position back in Ancient Ithaki, Greece. I’m getting used to these past life memories now, so I close my eyes and let them take over. Ali is wearing a white gown in my memory. I’m not sure what it’s called. Maybe a dress or tunic. I find it odd that I don’t remember the names of the things I used and saw in Greece. I lived an entire life there, so the names must be somewhere inside of my subconscious mind. Much to my chagrin, they seem to elude me. I let that go and continue.