"That started the argument. She feels I'm just taking a brief holiday from my life to fuck up hers and then I'll be off again."
Robbie frowned. "I can see why she would think that way. So why did she throw the peas at you?"
Ryan slipped from the wood pile and dusted off her blue jeans. "For calling her fiancé Stewy Fart-on."
Robbie chuckled. "Dumb move kid."
"So I discovered."
As they drove, Janet had been venting about Robbie's temper, her fear of Janet's breast reconstruction surgery, and her ridiculous jealousy. She finally wore down as they arrived at her former home and now Elizabeth and David's cottage. "I'm really sorry about going on and I feel terrible about Robbie hitting Aliki, Dawn."
Dawn smiled and patted Janet's knee. "It looked good on Aliki. The only thing hurt was her ego. Those two are so damn competitive. Don't worry about it, Janet. There is no harm done. They are very close and love each other very much. They are just too pig-headed to admit it."
Elizabeth blinked several times, still feeling rather dazed by the turn of events. "I don't think I have ever witnessed a brawl before. Isn't it amazing how quickly they can erupt. Thank heaven David was there. He is so good and can turn his hand to anything."
Janet and Dawn looked at each other and tried not to smile. Dawn turned off the engine and opened her door. "I don't know if that could really be classified as a brawl, Lizzy, more of a food fight."
Elizabeth got out and nodded her understanding and Janet slid out after her. "It was another Olive event,"she sighed, "And my Olive is going to be paying big time for it."
Reb drove and Ian sat beside her in shock. "What do you suppose happened back there?" he finally asked.
Reb shrugged. "Hard to say, no doubt we'll hear the whole story over pizza, that is if you still want to have dinner with us." She had asked casually but to be truthful she was pretty worried about how Ian was going to take this.
Ian laughed. "And miss the next exciting instalment? Not on your life!"
Reb frowned. "Ian, aahh, the family does not like publicity, at least not that kind. We are private people although you wouldn't know that by the press coverage. I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about today."
Ian looked at his girlfriend in surprise. "I wouldn't gossip about your family, Reb. I haven't even told my parents who you are. I have to admit it was a bit of a shock to discover that you are one of THE Williams. To be truthful I am not sure what you see in me."
Reb took her eyes off the road for a second to flash him a smile. "Well, for one thing I've known you over two months now and you haven't started a food fight yet."
They laughed and some of the tension vanished. "So who were all those people?"
"Hmmm, lets see. The one wearing the creamed peas was my sister Doctor and Major Ryan Williams. The one bandaging her wrist calling her names was my cousin, MacKenzie. Her mom, the author Dawn Freeman, was the one holding onto the woman with the black eye. That's her partner, Doctor and Inspector Aliki Pateas of the RCMP. The tall angry one, I am afraid to admit, is my mother the actor-director Robbie Williams, and the woman wearing the smashed potatoes on her back side trying to talk some sense into her is my other mom, Janet Williams. She's the president of the Bartlett School of Film and Animation. The woman battling with the dog over the remains of the turkey was my aunt, Doctor Elizabeth Williams, the physicist, and the man trying his best to bring order to the chaos is my Uncle David. He's married to my Aunt Elizabeth."
"Ugly dog."
"Yeah, but a great tracker if there are no squirrels about."
"An amazing family."
"They're all nuts."
"That too."
By ten o'clock, the kitchen had been cleaned, everyone had showered and changed into clean clothes and Thanksgiving pizza had been eaten. Ian had survived Robbie's third degree and seemed to have got a temporary Good Housekeeping seal of approval. He had formally asked Janet if he could take Reb to the dance and she had agreed on the understanding that he have her home by eleven. Most of them were now lounging in various places in the livingroom in front of the huge stone fireplace catching up on family news.
Robbie had followed Aliki into the kitchen on the pretense of getting more beer. " Aaah, I shouldn't have hit you. Is your eye okay?"
Aliki pulled some cold beer from the wine and beer cooler that Robbie had in the pantry. "Yeah, it's okay. So what the hell is the matter with you?"
Robbie blushed. "Janet and I...well, we haven't seen eye to eye on this breast reconstruction thing. She doesn't trust me. She doesn't think I understand."
Aliki twisted the top off a bottle and handed it to her sister then opened one for herself. "Do you understand?"
"I understand why she feels she needs to go through this process - I guess. I just can't handle it very well. If anything happened to Janet..." Robbie swallowed and couldn't go on.
Aliki frowned. "Dawn and I have been in a similar situation. My work can be dangerous and as you know I've been hurt and Dawn and Mac have been in danger more than once."
Robbie nodded. This was an understatement. There had been a number of close calls for all of them. She remembered vividly sitting with Dawn while Aliki's life balanced on a thread and dealing with Aliki's breakdown after. "Yeah, I know."
Aliki blushed, still embarrassed about her emotional breakdown even after ten years. "Dawn and Mac came to terms with the danger much more quickly than me. I felt I had to go it alone and protect my family at all costs. I was wrong. You want to protect the ones you love but you also have to give them room to take chances and do what they feel is right. This partnership thing, I've discovered, is all about love and commitment without boundaries or ownership."
Robbie ran her hand through her hair. "Janet and I haven't talked about it yet but I know there is more surgery to come. I don't know how I am going to get through it."
"Is there any real danger?"
"No, not really. It's just that I can't stand the hospital. Knowing Janet is vulnerable again..." Tears welled up in Robbie's eyes and she wiped them away with annoyance.
Aliki came over and wrapped an arm around her sister. The fear of cancer had always been there for them right from the start of their relationship and that must be hard. "Janet's going to be fine. You gotta believe that just like I have to believe that my family will be able to handle any danger that my job might bring their way. There are enough problems that we all have to face without looking for more."
Robbie swallowed hard and then revealed a big part of her soul to Aliki. "Janet made my life work. Before her I was so unhappy. I can't go it alone again."
Aliki felt for her sister and pulled her in for a quick hug. "First, that is not going to happen. Janet is well and strong and will out live you for sure considering the way you abused your body in your wild days,"she teased. "Second, you are not alone anymore. You have family and we are all here to get you through the rough times. Now come on, people are waiting for their drinks. And Robbie?"
"Yeah?"
"Hit me again and I'll knock your block off."
Ryan had stayed on the edge of the group talking quietly with Elizabeth about her research until David had come to get his wife to show her how much Dufus had grown compared to their beloved Quasar. Then she had just sat quietly in the shadows, enjoying being near her family again but feeling embarrassed about ruining the Thanksgiving dinner.
After a while Mac came over and sat near her. "Hi."
"Hi."
Mac wasn't sure how to approach this. "Did you really come back because I got engaged?"
Ryan looked away but nodded. "The time was right. I'd achieved what I felt I had to achieve to prove myself and I knew I had to tell my family about the mission before they heard it on the news. I knew you'd all be here...the time was just right. I'd put it off because I didn't know what sort of a reaction I would get coming home after all this time. But knowing you were engaged...I just had to know."
Mac couldn't look at Ryan. She stared over at her family. "I have always loved you, Ryan. I think of you as my soul mate but you went away and you were gone for so long."
Ryan's voice sounded hurt and bitter. "I wrote and emailed you all the time!"
Mac snorted. "About work, not love. And I could read between the lines; you had some relationships."
Ryan blushed. "Nothing serious." She swallowed hard. It was none of her business but it was eating at her and she needed to know. "Are you sleeping with him?"
"No. I haven't slept with anyone."
They sat in silence after that and after a while Mac reached out and took Ryan's hand. Their fingers intertwined but neither of them said anything or went any farther.
Reb was sitting on the couch with Ian, a jealous Dufus wedged between them on the rug. "Uncle David, we were talking to Ted about the old mine shaft down lover's lane. Do you know anything about it?" Robbie shot Ian a murderous look and Reb quickly went on. "I haven't been there but Ryan told me about it."
It was Janet who answered. "Oh God, not the old mine shaft again!"
David chuckled. "Go on, Janet, you are in a better position to tell them."
Janet rolled her eyes. "Reb as you know your great grandfather was a gambler. He and Ted, that was David's grandfather, were good buddies and the town con men. Whenever they were down on their luck they would spread the rumour about a meteorite hitting up there and the river running gold after. Then they would sell shares in the mine. There must be hundreds of people with shares in that worthless mine."
"So what sort of a mine is it?" Reb persisted.
Janet shrugged. "Granddad always said it was an Algonquian First Nations' site."
Mac looked up with sudden interest. "We have to go."
"I'm in," Dawn said, having had an interest in First Nations' folk lore and particularly an interest in the Salish because her adopted daughter, MacKenzie's natural mother had been a Salish woman.
"Caves, cool, I'm game." Robbie beamed, always ready for an adventure.
Mac looked at Ryan who smiled and nodded. "We're in on the expedition."
"I have tomorrow off. If you are going then I'd sure like to go along," Ian said a little nervously.
"Oh course you are welcome, Ian," Robbie said smiling, and saw Reb beam with delight.
David made things easy for Elizabeth. "Well, you lot enjoy. Lizzy has a paper she needs to be working on and I plan on doing some repairs around the cottage. Pop by on your way out tomorrow and I'll have a picnic lunch for you to take and we'll see that there is a dinner for you when you get back."
"Thanks, David. Could you take Dufus and Moppy for the day as well?" Aliki asked.
"No problem. Quasar will enjoy the company."
The only one who looked worried was Janet. She didn't say anything but she wasn't sure about the mine at all. Her granddaddy had always said it was haunted. Not that she believed in any of that stuff but childhood beliefs can often haunt an adult.
Indian Summer by Anne Azel
Indian Summer Part 3
Disclaimer: The characters of Xena and Gabrielle are the property of Universal Studios and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended. The characters and events in the Seasons Series are the creation of the author.
As always a good deal of credit has to go to Lisa, and Inga, my beta readers and friends, who work hard on these stories with me. Special thanks to Fran who fought and beat breast cancer.
Warning: This story is alternative fiction. Please do not read on if you are under age or if such material is illegal in your end of the swamp.
You can contact Anne Azel at <a_azel@hotmail.com> Anne's books are also available through Dare 2 Dream Publications at <http://www.limitlessd2d.net/>
It was late at night and the family members had drifted back to their various homes. Ian had left earlier right on eleven to show he could be a responsible and trustworthy date for Reb. He had liked Reb's family although he was in a bit of a daze about spending an evening with so many famous and rich people. He thought about his parent's modest little subdivision bungalow. It would nearly fit inside the Williams' livingroom and kitchen. His dad worked as a floor manager in a small plastics factory and his mom had a job as a secretary in a school. What would it be like to take Reb home to meet his family?
It had been kind of weird too to be in a room that was mostly filled with lesbian women. He found, however, that in a very short time he had just forgotten about it. Who people were sleeping with was really not such a big deal as people made it out to be. He wondered how his family would react. He knew his parents were pretty liberal minded but they were of the generation that often confused bigotry for righteousness.
Mac had stayed on after her parents had left and she and Ryan had gone for a walk down to the lake. The night was clear and the stars hung close and brightly reflected in the still water. The air was fresh and crisp and Ryan hesitantly put her arm around Mac to share body heat as they sat on the wood bench by the dock.
"Wouldn't being gay ruin your chances at getting a place on a shuttle flight? I mean, I would think NASA is very careful of its public image," Mac asked.
Ryan squirmed with embarrassment. "I have to stay pretty much in the closet publicly. But there has been speculation in the tabloids over the years about my orientation. I just don't deny or confirm the rumours. It is hard to have a private life when you are a Williams. People are watching to see if I can live up to the name."
"Does that bother you?"
"I don't know if bother is the right word. I am driven by a need to prove myself for many reasons, you know that." Ryan wanted to be honest but she also needed some breathing space. She wasn't used to heart to heart talks. She changed the subject. "How is the Master's Degree going?"
Mac understood and let the conversation take a new turn. "Well. I'm just about finished my thesis on how Greek mythology has shaped our modern concept of the super hero. I hope to have my degree by the spring."
"Then what?"
"Marriage was the next thing on the list," Mac stated and felt Ryan stiffen. "Then I think I want to write like my Mom. I've already had a few short stories published in magazines."
Ryan got up and walked to the end of the dock to stare at the heavens. Someday soon she would be up there, free floating on the edge of the universe. It was something she had wanted since she was a child. She turned to look at Mac. "If it would make a difference, I will drop out of the Space Program and ask mom to lend me the money to buy out my commission."
Mac looked up in shock. "I would never ask that of you, Ryan. I know how much it means to you to reach your goals your own way."
Steady green eyes looked into blue. "I know you wouldn't ask. I am offering to do so because there is nothing in this world more important to me than winning your love."
Mac stood up and walked over to Ryan, hugging her close. "You have always had my love, Ryan. Always. I am just not sure that is enough. I am not sure if this is just another Williams who has to win at all costs and will lose interest once she does. I'm not sure if you really do love me."
Ryan swallowed hard. "How do I prove to you then that I love you?"
"I don't know. I'm pretty confused at the moment, Ryan. You coming back has really turned my world upside down."
Mac leaned her head against Ryan's chest and could feel her strong heart beating steadily. It felt right in Ryan's arms, far more so than when she was being held by Stewart. She wasn't sure that she and Ryan could ever make something work between them. She knew one thing for sure now, she wasn't going to marry Stewart because if only for tonight she wanted to know what it was like to have Ryan make love to her. She wanted Ryan to be the one, not Stewart.
"Ryan?"
"Mmmm?"
"Make a fire in the boathouse fireplace and then make love to me, please."
Ryan wanted it to be perfect. Mac was giving her a wonderful gift and she meant to show her just how much she was loved. Ryan got a good fire going and while she waited for the chill and dampness to leave the room she lit some candles, turned on some soft music and closed the bolt on the door so they couldn't be disturbed. She was as nervous as if this was her first time.
Mac was nervous too. She watched Ryan move about the room with hungry but also embarrassed eyes. She had often dreamed of this moment but now it was here it was so real, so intense it was scary as hell. The room above the boathouse was large and beautifully decorated with a small bar, and comfy, overstuffed furniture. Sliding doors led onto a small balcony and beyond the lake and stars blended into one.
Ryan came over with two glasses of wine and they sat close looking out at the night in silence as they drank. Then Ryan put down her glass and stood, offering MacKenzie her hand. Mac rose and Ryan took her into her arms and swayed against her to the sound of the music. Mac's hands ran up the front of Ryan's shirt and wrapped around her neck, her fingers gently playing with the hair at the nape of Ryan's neck. She felt her soldier shiver with desire and decided that she liked very much that she could get that reaction from Ryan. She could feel herself wet with need.
They moved well together, bodies close and movements intimate. Finally, Ryan stopped and stepped back. She did not speak but instead used American Sign, Mac's first language. She signed confidently and Mac blinked back the tears that Ryan would have learned and maintained this skill for her.
"I have loved you from the moment you came into my life. I have waited for the day when we were each old enough and ready to share this very special moment. You are beautiful down to the centre of your soul. I know in my heart that you are the one that I am meant to be with." Then much to Mac's surprise, Ryan dropped to one knee and signed. "I do not want you to answer yet because I know you need time but I need you to know before we go any farther. I love you. Will you marry me?"
Before Mac could react, she stood and gently pulled Mac close again, dancing slowly to the smouldering music. Mac cried a little, then nestled into Ryan's arms. This was a gentle, loving Ryan that she had never really seen before. She dropped kisses on Ryan's neck. Ryan looked down at her and her head lowered. The kiss was fire spreading passion to the wet, warm folds of her being. She was swollen and ready to the point where the need was a hurt.
Ryan was in no better shape. With trembling hands she undressed Mac slowly and her trim, golden form standing in the firelight made Ryan squirm with desire. She stepped back, reluctantly breaking contact and slowly removed her own clothes and heard the gasp of pleasure as Mac's hungry eyes looked at her well toned and lean form.
Ryan stepped close again and the touch of their naked bodies together made them both moan with need. Dancing now as they explored each other with touches and kisses, Ryan was very aware of Mac's excitement wet on her thigh. She couldn't stand it any longer and stooped and picked Mac up into her arms, carrying her to the day bed. Her body lowered between the spread legs of the woman she loved and she felt the warm moisture of wet hair against her belly. "I love you. I want to make love to you. Is that still okay?" she whispered.
For an answer, Mac wrapped her legs around Ryan and reached up to capture her mouth with her own. She heard Ryan's soft growl of need as their tongues explored - entering each other's being, foreshadowing what was to come.
Ryan's voice came softly as she slowly let Mac get used to the touches, the feel, and the scent of her. She nuzzled at Mac's ear and the soft underside of her throat."There is always a faint scent of mountain herbs to your hair. I remember your youthful body and how it used to turn me on but those memories did not prepare me for the beauty of the woman you have become." Ryan's lips kissed small breasts, teasing the hard nipples with her tongue and letting her hands stroke and fondle soft, warm flesh.
"Oh Ryan," Mac moaned, bucking with need under the hard lean form.
Ryan's hands stayed on Mac's breasts but her head lowered, dropping kisses on a tight stomach and using her tongue to tease Mac's navel. "I am going to make you mine, lover. I'm going to enter you slowly and gently and do everything I can to make you feel all the love that I have for you. You excite me. Your soul lies gently with mine. This is right." As she whispered soft words of love and comfort Ryan slid down Mac's body and enjoyed for the first time the feel and taste of Mac's sex.
Her tongue caressed a swollen bud of desire and slipped between moist, hot lips to taste Mac's need. She felt the petite woman shudder with want and slowly she started to slip her two fingers into warm velvet. When she felt resistance she stopped and gave Mac pleasure with the rhythmic movement of her hand.
"Mac?" she asked.
"Take me. Take me,"came the soft answering moan.
Ryan pushed through and sensed Mac's pain, holding her close until it passed. Then she moved within her again. Slowly, gently, in the rhythm of love, she built the tension between them, whispering words of passion and need into the most intimate places of Mac's being. With a cry, Mac grabbed Ryan tight and went over the top in a long shudder of release. Ryan remained in her, feeling the contraction of her muscles around her fingers as the aftershocks still coursed through her lover's being. "I love you. I have always loved you and I always will," Ryan whispered and kissed the wet, warm sex of the only lover she ever really wanted.
They lay like that for sometime and then slowly, reluctantly Ryan withdrew from the warm centre of Mac's being. "You okay?" she asked, softly.
Mac looked at Ryan, now her lover. "I am a whole new person and I feel wonderful." She reached up and kissed Ryan's lips tasting herself there. The thought of where those lips had been just a short time ago rocketed sensations low into her being. "You are amazing."
Gently, Mac slipped down underneath Ryan's form, kissing and sucking on hard nipples and feeling her lover's hard muscles contract as she kissed along her abdomen. Then she was where she wanted to be. She wrapped her arms around her lover's thighs and buried her face in Ryan's sex. Ryan on hands and knees bucked with want as Mac's ate at her. Then fingers were pushed into her being and Ryan rode them as her lover enjoyed her sex. With a cry of release Ryan sat up contracting around fingers deep inside her. She was kneeing now over Mac's breasts her passion wetting Mac's hard nipples. With one last shudder she collapsed beside Mac totally spent.
Much to Aliki's surprise she woke to the smell of fresh brewed coffee. It wasn't often that she wasn't the first one up in the morning. Blurry eyed, she slipped into sweats and ran a comb through her hair before heading into the kitchen. Mac met her in the doorway and gave her a big hug and then poured her a mug of coffee. "You were so right, Aliki. Thank you."
Aliki smiled not sure what she was right about but glad that Mac was happier this morning.
"Good. 'Bout what?" she mumbled sleepily, taking a sip of the morning brew.
"Sleeping with Ryan."
Aliki choked and Mac rushed to pat her on her back. "What!?" Aliki managed to squeak out between gasps.
"I just got home. I stayed with Ryan last night."
Aliki held up a hand and bounced about the kitchen in a near panic. "I never told you to do that!"
Mac laughed. "Mom said you wouldn't be able to handle it."
"Your mother knows! You didn't tell her I told you to sleep with Ryan did you!" Horror was written all over Aliki's face at the thought of having to explain this one to her partner. "Because I didn't!"
Mac considered this. She was enjoying seeing her usually composed Mom in a state of total panic. "Well, not in so many words,"she conceded. "But you did tell me to be sure."
Aliki sank to a chair feel weak and shaky. "Are you okay?"
Mac smiled gently and came over and wrapped her arms around Aliki. She'd teased enough. "It was the most wonderful moment of my life. I love her very much and if it hadn't been for you I would have been too stubborn and hurt to see that."
Aliki's hands came up to pat Mac's. "That's the way it should be. So where do you go from here?"
Mac sat down and pulled her own mug of coffee over. "That's a tough one. Ryan has asked me to marry her. I haven't answered yet. I think I owe it to Stewart to end that relationship before I make any decisions with Ryan. I'm not sure whether Ryan and I are ready for a permanent commitment."
"Aah, how did your Mom take all this?" Aliki asked weakly, still in a state of shock.
Dawn came in then with Moppy on a leash and their old cat Sally-slurp following along behind. "I told MacKenzie that I was very relieved to have her following her heart instead of settling for conformity."
Moppy ran forward and stuck her big orange head under Aliki's arm demanding attention and almost knocking Aliki's mug of coffee over. "Dumb dog," Aliki muttered affectionately, scratching the dog's floppy ear. Sally-slurp jumped up and curled contentedly in Mac's lap.
Dawn came over and kissed Aliki's head and then joined them at the table. "You need to go wash up, Aliki. Ryan is coming over at eight to talk to us."
The look on Aliki's face was priceless but neither woman laughed until after Aliki had hurried off to shower. Mac's eyes looked thoughtful. "I wouldn't hesitate for a moment if I thought I could have the relationship you have with Aliki."
Dawn tried to be diplomatic. "Ryan has a brilliant mind, she's talented, and a hard worker, and I am sure she loves you."
Mac's sighed. "Oh she is all that alright, but she is also quick tempered, moody, driven, and totally confident that what she wants is right."
Dawn chuckled. "She is a Williams. But Janet seems to be able to handle Robbie with no problem."
Mac played with her now empty cup. "That's because Aunt Obbie believes that without Janet she would totally fuck-up. I don't have that leverage over Ryan. I'm going to have to live in the background while Ryan trains and flies off into space."
Dawn's eyes widened in mock shock. "Then more fool you! If Ryan is getting on with her goals then so should you. A commitment to someone does not mean that you can't have a life of your own. Ryan has five years to serve, you use those five years to make something of yourself. If you think you can make something work with Ryan it had better be an equal partnership or you will soon get to hate her."
Exactly at eight Ryan drove into the yard. Mac went out to meet her and they kissed holding each other close. Dawn watched from the window. It seemed so right and natural and yet she knew the decision to live an alternative life style was not an easy one. Still in Ryan's arm's Mac looked relaxed and happy. In Stewart's arms, she had always looked like an unhappy, little girl clinging to her big brother.
Aliki came up beside Dawn. "I never told her to sleep with Ryan,"she protested.
Dawn smiled. "I know, Sweetheart. You just gave her the push she needed to take a chance on love."
Aliki frowned. "What if it doesn't work out?"
"Then it doesn't. No what ifs, isn't that what you told her?"
Aliki nodded.
They sat down in the morning room and waited for their daughter and Ryan. Dawn's heart went out to the two of them when they walked in looking so happy and holding hands. Ryan clearly had raided her mom's wardrobe for the occasion. She was wearing pressed black dress pants and a brushed cotton grey dress shirt.
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