Chapter 26: Interruption

Jaime and Keira and Trayce

JAIME AND KEIRA talked to Trayce frequently through the week, but they agreed that when they got together, they would not simply rush to bed as soon as they could. Trayce had even more of the fears regarding her first time than was typical among the other teens Keira and Jaime had listened to.

They were very different than Keira’s fears. Keira—and Jaime to a somewhat lesser degree—feared being subsumed by the mind of the other and losing their own identity. Trayce had no such compunction. Her lower level of psychic activity led her to discount the idea of other voices. Her stalwart belief that Keira and Jaime were only characters she imagined made it impossible for her to consider that she might lose her own identity in their relationship.

«You haven’t been, like, stalking me, have you?» she asked on Tuesday.

«The only time we attempted to see you was that afternoon after your class at Rose CC,» Keira said. «We’re sorry about that one. We thought if we showed you we were real, you’d be as excited as we were.»

«I was totally freaked out! Inside, I didn’t want to run away, but I couldn’t help myself. But you didn’t come back to the school?» Trayce asked.

«No. Never,» Jaime said. «We promised we wouldn’t try to see you if you didn’t invite us. Why?»

«I’ve just had the oddest feeling I’ve been watched the past couple of weeks. I mean, not just in my head. Like someone literally has eyes on me. I stayed in the classroom at Rose for an extra hour after class let out and left by a different door. But even going to school or picking Mom up at work has made me a little uncomfortable.»

«We promise it’s not us,» Keira said.

«But don’t take the feeling lightly,» Jaime admonished. «We know there is someone out there who is hunting for head talkers. I’ve encountered him twice, and Mr. Angus chased him away from the grocery store once. He isn’t a good guy.»

«Wait! Mr. Angus? The old detective I wrote about?» Trayce said. «That’s ridiculous. You can’t possibly know about that story.»

«We don’t know anything about your story, but he and his two friends often walk in the same park we do. He’s a detective and also a head talker. He agreed to keep an eye out,» Keira said.

«You’re making it harder to believe in you,» Trayce laughed. «He’s an old man with two strippers for friends and he imagines he carries a sword in his cane.»

«It’s a real sword,» Jaime said. «But hey! We don’t need to discuss him. Just be careful and watchful when you’re out and about. This stalker fellow is definitely out there.»

«Yeah. Okay.»

«If you show up,» Trayce said when they talked Christmas Eve, «I’m going to need some time to adjust to your physical presence. You see each other every day. I’m just out here alone with you in my head. No matter how much I desire you and imagine what it will be like to make love to both of you, bringing my physical body into the equation is going to take some time.»

«We agree, precious,» Jaime said. «It’s one of the reasons we’ve taken so much time with each other. I mean, if desire was all that was needed, Keira and I would be naked and making love right now.»

«Well, maybe not while my parents are in the living room,» Keira laughed. «But as soon as we could get alone.»

«What I don’t understand is that I want ... Well, I want you as much as I want Jaime,» Trayce said. «I’m not the least bit homosexual. At least I don’t think so. I’ve never met another woman I wanted so much. It’s one of the things that makes me believe you are really just a part of me I made up. I have no qualms about playing with myself.»

«Ached for,» Keira said. «I’ve looked in on other girls’ fantasies and enjoyed using the fantasies for myself. I’ve imagined myself being them, or occasionally being with them. But with you, gender seems irrelevant. I just love you and want to be with you.»

«Keira, please don’t jump to that. You make my heart beat faster and I want to say I love you, too. But I really need to see you with my own eyes. I just can’t say I love you before I know beyond a shadow of a doubt you are real.»

«I wish it was Friday,» Jaime sighed. «I want to take your hand and let you truly see inside me.»

Keira and her parents went to Jaime’s house for Christmas dinner. Jaime had volunteered to cook, but was relegated to setting the table as David and Olivia took control of the kitchen. Keira had come early ‘to help.’ She and Jaime escaped to the TV room to kiss and wish Trayce a Merry Christmas.

«Merry Christmas to you, too,» Trayce said. «But please don’t get carried away with making out and stuff today. Mom and I are going out for Christmas dinner and she insisted we get dressed up for it. Do you like my dress?»

Trayce spun in front of a full-length mirror and the other two caught their breath as they saw the beautiful girl. The only other time Trayce had given them a mirror image of herself was when she posed naked the night Jaime had been injured.

«You are breathtaking,» Jaime said.

«Girl! Where did you get that dress? And does it come in green?» Keira asked.

«Yeah ... Don’t you like the red?»

«It’s perfect on you. It brings out the color of your eyes. I’m afraid it would clash with my hair, though. I would never in a million years imagine I’d fall in love with a blue-eyed blonde! Of either sex.»

«I’m not blond,» Jaime said. «I don’t think the dress would do anything for me, though. I mean, not if I was wearing it.»

«You’re so silly sometimes, Jaime. I really like that about you,» Trayce said.

«I’ll keep that in mind.»

«Oops! My parents just arrived. We need to go upstairs and be sociable,» Keira said.

«Yeah. I think Mom’s ready to leave for dinner. Merry Christmas to both of you. If we happen to all be in bed at the same time tonight, that would be great!»

«Merry Christmas, Trayce. If you are there, we will be, too.»

The Families

“So, how are you planning to spend the next few days of your winter break,” John asked Keira and Jaime at the dinner table.

“Oh, we thought we’d just spend it in bed together,” Keira shot back.

“Keira!” June exclaimed.

“How about if we’re just occasionally there?” Keira asked.

“I’m trying to think of ways to ground an eighteen-year-old,” David growled.

“I didn’t say anything!” Jaime signed. Everyone laughed.

“Well, since you don’t like that idea, we thought we’d go meet a friend at the mall tomorrow,” Keira said. “Olivia, what did you do to the mashed potatoes? They are so rich and creamy!”

“Oh, secret ingredients. A parsnip and cream cheese. I’m glad you like it,” Olivia said.

“Not to get sidetracked,” David said. “Who are you meeting?”

“Trayce,” Jaime fingerspelled and Keira said at once. “We met her online. She goes to school across town and writes fiction.”

“An online friend?” John said. “How well do you know her?”

“We’ve known her for quite a while online and we were all talking about our love of books,” Keira explained. “We decided to meet up at B&N and each of us buy a book for the other two for Christmas. It should take us out of the category of imaginary friends we talked about at Thanksgiving. We can decide if there’s an IRL friendship in the making.”

“You have to be careful about things like that,” Olivia said. “You could be meeting a middle-aged man masquerading as a teen girl. Or a 12-year-old boy.”

“That’s why we’re meeting in a super public place,” Keira said. “With so many people around on the day after Christmas, we should be able to spot a predator. Especially in a bookstore. We aren’t six-year-olds.”

“Keep a line open to us,” David said. “If there’s a problem, I’ll be cruising around.”

“Want to drop us at the mall, Dad?” Jaime signed.

“I walked into that, didn’t I?”

Trayce and Her Mom

“Gosh, Mom! This place is really fancy,” Trayce said when they were seated at the Mayfair Restaurant for Christmas dinner. They arranged themselves at the elegant table, set with a white tablecloth and napkins and a stack of dishes and flatware Trayce wasn’t completely sure how to use.

“It’s a prix fixe three-course meal, but you get a choice for each course. I figured we’d both find something here we like,” Lanie Lombard answered.

“Would you care for a cocktail, ma’am?” the waiter asked.

“No, thank you,” Lanie answered. “I’ll just have water with the meal and coffee with dessert.”

“Same for me,” Trayce said.

The waiter left to get their water and was back in a few minutes with their water and to take their order.

“I’ll have the rutabaga and parsnip bisque and the smoked duck breast,” Trayce said. “I feel adventurous.”

“I’m going all seafood,” Lanie said. “The scallop agnolotti starter and the seared salmon.”

“Excellent choices. I’ll get the starters out right away,” the waiter said.

“Do you suppose there are anything other than excellent choices on the menu?” Trayce giggled. “I love being out with you, Mom.”

“Between the meetings and counseling and having a job where I’m around people again, I’m feeling like a new woman. It still hurts, but I’m not going to let it ruin my life any longer.”