Reece's Faith

by T J Vertigo

  "Not even a goddamned aspirin! Great!" She felt miserable. Her head was pounding and she knew she had a fever.

  Me and my stupid ideas. Fucking on a bike in 20 degree weather... I must be insane.

  Slamming the cabinet closed she stepped into the shower. It felt like she couldn't breathe in all the steam, and she washed quickly. After drying off and wrapping herself in a warm towel, she tried to blow her nose again. This time it made a squeaky noise, and continued to make that noise every time she inhaled. After trying unsuccessfully to glare at her own nose, she stomped into the bedroom muttering.

  Now cranky, Reece stood in front of her closet looking for something to wear. Hating the feel of tight clothes when she was sick, she opted for baggy jeans, a thick sweater, and big warm socks. She glanced at the bed, messy and unmade. Boy was it inviting.

  "No.. you can't." She argued with herself. "Why not? It's just an order, it can wait till tomorrow." The tall woman frowned. "I sound like Fran Drescher."

  The phone rang.

  "Hey boss, how ya doing?"

  "Fine, Cori." She snipped.

  "Hair is fine, Reece. So, you're ok?"

  "What the fuck?"

  "The wife asked me to check on you." Getting no response, Cori tried again. "Faith said you were sick."

  Reece shook her head. "Yeah well, I'm good. Just got a little cold."

  "I hope you don't mind I asked Sarge to cancel the delivery." Cori asked.

  "Fucking shit, Cor! I just have a cold!" Reece was getting aggravated.

  "Ok, ok.. but now you can sleep in anyway."

  Cori knew how completely intolerable her friend was when she was sick. The last time she slept on the couch in her office for two days before anyone found her, and unfortunately it was Cori. The dancer had to bear the brunt of Reece's crankiness when she volunteered to watch over her in her house. Of course the rewards were outstading..

  "As much as I'd love to sit here and listen to you breathe..." Reece said with annoyance.

  "Hey, just wanted to see if you needed anything. Nyquil is awesome."

  "You still got those little round pill things you got from Chinatown?"

  "Yeah, want 'em? They were a lifesaver."

  "Yeah, I gotta pick up a few things and then I'll stop by."

  Cori grimaced as Reece sniffed in vain. The boss was completely congested and must feel miserable.

  "Reece, you should get in bed and I'll come over until Faith gets home. You know I make a great nurse." The dancer giggled.

  "Oh don't remind me. You're like a warden Cor. I'll be there in a few."

  * * *

  "I got it, baby. It's probably Reece."

  The dancer looked through the peephole and snickered as the distorted image of her boss's face moved closer to the peephole until it was one big eye.

  "Open up, Freak."

  Cori opened the door and stepped aside. "Patience is a virtue, Reece."

  "Eat me." The tall woman twanged nasally.

  "Ewwww, you sound awful!"

  "I feel awful," Reece groaned.

  "But ju look maahhvelous." The glare that she recieved from bloodshot eyes sent Cori skittering into the kitchen to stand behind Violet.

  "Just gimme the pills, Freak, I need to collapse somewhere soon." She followed her friend and rolled her eyes.

  "Hey, Reece, Cor tells me you're not feeling so hot."

  The club owner looked over the piercer's shoulder at the pot on the stove and gasped.

  "Ok, I must really be sick because now I'm hallucinating"

  Violet snickered. Reece rubbed her eyes roughly, and took another look.

  "Why the hell are you cooking dildos in a pot?" Reece was wide-eyed with confusion and just a bit of sympathy for the poor innocent toys. She rubbed her crotch and frowned.

  "Jeez, Reece, I'm boiling them to sterilize 'em. Haven't you ever done that before?"

  The tall woman shook her head and got dizzy.

  "Ugh. No, I just used condoms. Leave it to a piercer to sterilize a dick."

  Violet fished one out with a pair of tongs and put it on a towel. The sight was amusing to the dizzy woman and so she laughed, then coughed, then moaned.

  Violet winced at the sound, then frowned at her friend's flushed face. "Come here, I think you have a fever."

  Reece shrugged Violet's hand off her head but it landed on the back of her neck. "Man, you've got fever!"

  "Don't touch me, penis killer!" She hissed as she escaped the room.

  "You're such an asshole, Reece." The piercer chuckled.

  "Shut up.." Reece started at the tone of her own voice.

  "Did you just whine?" The dancer asked with a look of horror.

  "Cori, she's really sick, she's burning up." The worried piercer followed the club owner into the hallway where she found her leaning heavily on the wall.

  The dancer was scared for the boss and fetched the strange herbal pills she was given when she had the flu. They worked wonders for her and she was well in two days.

  "Reece, you gotta take a bunch of these whenever you need them. They're little tiny things, but damn do they work!"

  Cori nodded her approval as Reece swallowed 4 of the little bb's and Violet placed a cool rag on her head.

  "That feels good Vi. Thanks."

  The dancer eyed her friend's odd ensemble and cocked her head to the side.

  Poor baby.

  Knowing Reece only wore that type of clothing when she was really sick, Cori wondered why she ever left the house. "Why aren't you in bed?"

  "My bed is too big. It's lonely." she muttered.

  The dancer and the piercer exchanged raised-eyebrowed looks.

  "Well, you oughtta be laying down, Reece. Why don't you go lay in Faith's old room?" Cori took the tall woman's arm and began walking her to the room.

  "Yeah, I'll leave word for Faith at the studio that you're here." Violet added.

  "I don't want her to worry." Reece felt dizzy and hot. "I love her, you know." She squinted at Cor.

  "I know, bosslady. You get some sleep." The dancer bundled the blankets up on her friend and winced. Reece was sure to sweat out any fever in this apartment. She pulled off the tall woman's boots and wiped the damp bangs off her forehead.

  "You remember the last time I took care of you Reece?"

  "Uh huh. I returned the favor quite well."

  Cori blushed. Once Reece was feeling better, she showed her appreciation in the most unconventional ways.

  "That you did boss. You nearly spoiled me."

  "Well, you wanted it, I was horny.." Reece yawned.

  "Please Reece, we practically did nothing but fuck for a week."

  "I was real horny?" The sick woman chuckled, then rumbled, then coughed.

  "Shhh, rest Reece. I'll wake you when Faith gets here. I promise."

  Cori stroked her friends head. It made her feel strange to see Reece Corbett at the mercy of anything. She used to think the woman was made of stone, but now she knew better. Her friend surprised her so much lately. And she was sure it wasn't going to be an easy ride now that Reece finally found her own heart. For her, for Faith for anyone.

  Reece's soft snoring brought the dancer back from her thoughts. Looking down at the club owners face, made her smile. She spontaneously kissed her head.

  "Don't ever leave me, Faith." Reece mumbled. "I'm nothing without you."

  Cori smiled warmly. God Reece, you really are human. She bent down and kissed her friend gently on the cheek, then went to find her lover.

  * * *

  "Where is she?" Faith was worried to death, Reece never got so sick that she couldn't call her.

  "In your old room, hon. She's cooler now, but she's had a rough go."

  "What do you mean rough, Cori?" Faith was even more worried.

  "Calm down, sweetheart, she had some nightmares, nothing extraordinary considering she was burning up with fever." The dancer explained.

  "Nightmares?" The actress got visions of the n
ights she spent watching her lover twist and turn, yelling out in her sleep. Faith could do no more than watch in fear as Reece struck out violently in the clutches of terrifying nightmares.

  "Oh no, she hasn't had a nightmare in ages! This is my fault." Faith sobbed.

  "Faith, you don't know that she got sick that night. Stop that. She's just got the flu, she'll be ok tomorrow. Trust me." Violet tried to calm her friend.

  "Oh, she got sick that night alright. She sweats when we... a lot. It was freezing out!"

  Cori agreed with a nod towards her lover. A lot is an understatement.

  Faith disappeared into the bedroom.

  "God, could you imagine getting the flu fucking?" Cori shook her head in disbelief.

  Violet laughed. "It's certainly another first isn't it?"

  * * *

  Reece was fretting when the actress entered the room. Faith crawled on top of her lover and kissed her forehead, and immediately she was wrapped in two strong arms. A sigh escaped Reece's lips and she smiled.

  "I missed you, baby." Reece whispered groggily.

  "I'm here now. You go back to sleep. I'm not going anywhere."

  "Good."

  The tall woman turned on her side and snuggled into Faith.

  "Faith?"

  "Mm?"

  "Don't eat the soup."

  "Huh?" The actress propped herself on her elbow and discreetly felt her lover's forehead.

  "Just don't."

  "OK." Faith chuckled and turned around in the circle of Reece's arms. The club owner pulled her tightly against her and sighed loudly. In moments, both women were fast asleep.

  * * *

  "You have no earthly idea how impossible that woman is, Sandy!" Faith threw her hands up in frustration.

  "Come on, sweets, it can't be all that bad, can it?" Alison squeezed her friend's shoulder in a comforting gesture.

  "Yes, it can and it is." Faith paused to get a plate.

  "Men."

  "Ali, she's stubborn, temperamental, obnoxious, cranky, whiny, nasty...oh, and if you ask her, she's none of the above. Let me tell you, I love her to death, and this playing nursemaid crap may just prove that point. She's going to kill me."

  All three women stood pondering the table of food in front of them.

  "Did you try threats?" Sandy wondered.

  "Been there, done that. Picked noodles out of my hair for the rest of the evening. Soup should be empty. So I've been told. She should be the poster girl for flu shots."

  "Ooo, sounds lovely." Ali reached for a sandwich.

  "Yeah, very. She broke the lamp on the nightstand because her nose was whistling. She said it was doing it on purpose." Faith sighed and grabbed some junk food. "Yet all the while she insists that she's fine, nothing is wrong with her that a few beers wouldn't fix."

  "It's logical, alcohol sterilizes, therefore killing all the mean ol' flu bugs." Ali explained.

  "But honey, you really are beyond bitch today, what gives?" Sandy asked.

  "Sleeping next to her all night long is becoming a slow torture. She has a leg over mine, breathing on my neck...I'm horny as all hell."

  "Thanks for the visual, Faith." Sandy complained.

  "I'll give you visual. Last night, instead of subjecting myself to that torture, I went to watch a movie and it would seem my mother left a tape in the VCR."

  "Oh god no..." Ali's eyes went wide.

  "Oh yes," Faith confirmed with a nod, "there she was, in all her sweaty naked glory, her beautiful ass...flexing and clenching..."

  "ENOUGH!" Ali held up her hand.

  Faith fanned her face. "Woo, yeah...and who knows when I'll get some again." The actress's foul mood returned. "You'd think they'd surprise us once and a while with something new, but no, it's always the same freaking food."

  Ali and Sandy exchanged looks of amusement. The entire cast and crew were already tiptoeing around the actress, and now the craft services people were starting to look scared.

  "Is there something I can get you, Ms. Ashford?" A young PA with a much-gossiped-about crush smiled sweetly. "I can run and get you anything you want. Just say the word."

  Faith simmered down some upon seeing the doe-eyed young girl waiting expectantly for an answer.

  "Can she be more obvious?" Ali whispered to Sandy.

  "Hi, er..."

  "Leslie." Sandy prompted in a low murmur.

  "...Leslie. Thanks for the offer, but really, I'm fine. Just blowing off some steam." Faith smiled.

  "Cool, no problem. But if you ever need anything, I'm never far away." The PA grinned.

  "No kidding," Ali muttered under her breath and received an elbow to the kidney from Faith.

  "You got it, Leslie. Thank you again for the offer."

  The trio watched as the young girl practically skipped away. They made their way to a table to sit and eat lunch.

  "Oh, Ms. Ashford, can I wipe the seat for you?" Sandy teased.

  "No no, here, sit in my hands, Ms Ashford." Ali cupped her hands on the seat.

  "You guys are just jealous." Faith winked.

  "Yeah well, maybe so, but please girl, she's got it bad." Sandy chuckled.

  "I hope she realizes that I'm spoken for." Faith said seriously.

  "Oh get real, honey, everybody knows you have the biggest girlfriend on the playground." John popped up behind Faith. "Hey I see we're eating healthy today." He said, eyeing Faith's 2 packs of Twinkies.

  "Yeah but she's got a diet soda." Sandy pointed out.

  "So, are you holding up as well as my makeup?" John lifted Faith's chin into the light.

  "Yeah, I guess. She's just impossible is all. You know she unburied her old cell phone for me to carry around now?"

  "Well, so where is it?" Ali looked around for the phone.

  "In my bag. It's embarrassing. It plays the entire score from "The Godfather" when it rings."

  "Figures." The makeup artist laughed.

  "What, is she keeping tabs on you now?" Sandy seemed concerned.

  "Nah, she wants me to have it in case of an emergency. She doesn't like me going home from here at all hours alone. She worries about me too much, and now with her home sick..." Faith trailed off.

  "Oh, good idea then. I'm sure you can change the ringer, can't you?" John asked.

  "I'm sure it can be done, but I have no idea what to do with these things. I'm an electronic idiot." Faith smirked.

  "Let me look at it, I'm sure I can do something." John offered as the buzzer rang, indicating taping would resume soon.

  * * *

  RING

  Reece frowned at the phone. Why do people call when you're sick to ask you if you're resting?

  "What."

  "Oh, I see we're in a better mood today." Violet giggled.

  "Please don't tell me you called to ask me if you woke me. I'll have to kill you then."

  "What, do you think I'm that stupid?" Reece could hear the grin in her voice. "No, I actually called because I cooked some real food this time and figured with Faith gone for dinner, you could use the eats."

  "What did you make?" Reece's stomach growled loudly. Solid food sounded like a brilliant idea.

  "Oh, chicken cutlets, mashed potatoes, corn..."

  Reece's mouth watered. "Alright Vi, get your ass over here now." The club owner suddenly felt starved.

  "Yes ma'am." the piercer chuckled and hung up.

  "Oh yeah, some real food!" Reece rubbed her hands together in excitement. "Finally."

  The tall woman shot out of bed and into the shower. She was made aware of a few things while she washed. How much better she felt today, and how a week in bed with Faith, without sex, had affected the amount of time spent washing between her legs.

  "Ok, that's enough." she said as she ran her hand over her crotch just one more time.

  "Ok, this is the last one." This time lingering a little longer.

  "Stop that!" she told herself and found the control to rinse off.

  Stepping out of the
shower she looked at her reflection in the semi-fogged mirror as she dried off. This too proved difficult in some areas. "As much as I am looking forward to this dinner, it's going to be one hell of a long night." she told herself.

  * * * Meanwhile back at the set...

  Judith : "I'm sorry, Travis, it can never be, I love Jim."

  Travis: "How could you? He's no good for you... you deserve much better."

  Judith: "Like who? You? Ha!"

  Travis: "Yes me! But I guess Jim's trust fund was much more attractive than I could ever be."

  Judith: "That's not true! I don't care about his money--"

  The digital chirp of "Hey Big Spender" cut through the set.

  "CUT!" Jayme yelled angrily. She walked over to the side, picked up a Faith's bag and stomped over to her with steam coming out of her ears.

  "I do believe your handbag is singing show tunes." She handed the bag over to a red-faced Faith and stood tapping her foot.

  Mortified at the various snickers and giggles, the actress retrieved the phone.

  "Hello?" she said meekly.

  "I'm so fucking horny. I want you so bad."

  The actress turned her back to the room and blushed harder.

  "Reece! Not now!" she whispered in embarrassment.

  "Am I making you blush in front of your friends?"

  "Yes. Are you feeling better?" Faith figured she might as well ask.

  "Oh yeah, much much better."

  Faith closed her eyes at the throaty purr of Reece's voice.

  "God, the things you do to me! I gotta go, baby, but by all means hold that thought."

  "I'd rather hold you, but the thought will do for now."

  "Gotta go, really Reece. Love you."

  "Me too, you."

  Faith turned off the phone and cleared her throat nervously at the room.

  "Umm, sorry guys...it's off now." she blushed profusely.

  "Looking a little flushed there, Faith." Sandy teased. "I guess the woman's feeling better?" She winked.

  "Oh yes. Much." Faith smirked.

  "Come on people! I want to finish this today!" Jayme yelled and everyone fell into their places.

  * * *