2: The Tryin', the Itch, and the Wardrobe

"Mrs. Richards..." I began.

"Please. Call me Leora," she answered. I glanced at Lisa and she raised an eyebrow to me. Leora's eyes were cast down as she held out the ring.

"Leora, I know that this ring was precious to Seth. He always wore it. I thought it was his wedding ring. You should keep it or hand it down to your children," I said softly.

"He wore the ring long before we were married. Seth gave me very specific instructions," she said. "We've always known this could happen, but I prayed it never would. He was only 45." She pressed the ring into my hand and I held it.

"What happened?"

"He was killed on Chaos."

"The Crossroads game? How can you be killed in a game?" I asked.

"Have you ever once seen anyone play Crossroads?" she asked.

"No. I assumed it was by invitation only and I've never been that into games. You know Seth and I worked on magic tricks all the time. I quit playing games soon after I was injured," I said. "Don't tell me they actually acted out all that stuff he told me!"

"Lincoln, Crossroads isn't a game. It's a place. Chaos and Cassandra are real. I don't know what happened. I know that Sunday afternoon, like he's done every other Sunday afternoon since I've known him, Seth walked into Crossroads from our bedroom. Fifteen minutes later, he was back in our bedroom lying dead at my feet," Leora sighed.

"You believe in all this?"

"I've been there. Early on, I accompanied Seth as his companion. I went on three missions with him and when I was nearly killed, Seth insisted that I stay home. He didn't have to insist very hard. After that experience I never wanted to go back. I didn't really want him to go back, but by that time I knew and understood what was at stake for those poor women. And I knew that Seth would be driven to go no matter what. If nothing else, he could never abandon Rita Caretaker. Sometimes, I had to fight the urge to go back just so I could see her," Leora said. "I need to know what happened."

"I think I should go fix us some tea," Lisa said. "I probably shouldn't have been here to hear what I have. You two are talking magic. I'm not ready for that."

"May I help make tea while Lincoln reads Seth's letter?" Leora asked. "I'd like to speak privately with you, as well." Lisa has this expression where she pulls both eyebrows up and her forehead wrinkles. On some people it would be a look of surprise, but I'd learned a long time ago that with Lisa it was the precursor to a lecture. I reached over and patted her hand. She sighed and took Leora to the kitchen. I placed the ring in the box Leora gave me and pulled out the letter. 'Seth, what have you gotten me into?' I thought. I finally opened the letter.

My dear apprentice Lincoln,

Since you are reading this, I'm dead. I assume that I have failed in a mission. My poor Leora has carried out my last wish and brought you three items that I treasure more than anything on earth other than my love. I want you to have them.

Over the past several years, I've told you stories of Crossroads and Chaos. The hardest thing for you to do right now will be to believe them. But that's what I'm asking. And I am asking that you take my place and become an earth hero and rescue damsels in distress. I've taken the time to really get to know you and to know that you have what it takes to become a hero. You rescued your sister-in-law and niece at the sacrifice of yourself and your father. I know that still haunts you. But that is what being a hero is. It is putting the lives and welfare of others above your own.

It's really as simple as that. It isn't about being a great warrior or about courageously charging into a burning building or battling your country's enemies. It is purely putting the needs of others above your own.

If the single act of heroism was all I had to go on, I wouldn't be sending you my ring. I know that in spite of you being confined to a wheelchair or bed for the past years, you have continued to act heroically. Remember my definition. Not giving up and succumbing to your injuries makes you courageous and determined. It doesn't make you a hero. The fact, though, that you have continued to protect your sister-in-law and niece from your brother and face him down, does. I know that you have transferred more of your assets to your niece, even though it could mean you don't have enough to live on in the future. That's heroism. Her welfare above yours.

You can't expect to be compensated for being a hero. That's mercenary, not heroic. People don't promise to take care of heroes in their old age. Real heroes aren't usually recognized. The best aren't even known.

I've told you that on Crossroads, there are healing chambers. I've wanted to take you there for a long time, but Rita Caretaker counselled against it. First, if I attempted to take you through and for some reason the portal didn't allow you, you would have thought I was an idiot and that I'd built up false hopes in you. That's not the kind of person I am. But the second reason was more important. We don't know how well the chamber can heal your injury. If you were only partly healed or were weak, I would still have to take you on a mission to Chaos as my companion. If you weren't a hundred percent, it could easily kill both of us.

So I came up with this plan. Go to Crossroads as a new hero. Choose a caretaker and get healed. Then come back to earth. You are allowed to do this once. The next time you go to Crossroads, you will have to accept a mission. Use your time on earth to get strong and to train. If you are not able to walk and to fight, don't go back.

It's a chance, hero, but it is all I can offer.

In the box are the rule books for Heroes, Caretakers, Damsels in Distress, and Companions. There is also my journal of missions. Read these all carefully and understand them before you go to Crossroads. Take Lisa with you. She is your caretaker here on earth and I know you love her. She needs to know exactly how to train you.

I no longer have eyes, so I make one last request. Shed a tear on my behalf for my beloved Leora and my precious Rita. Tell them both that I loved them to my last breath.

Your friend,

Hero Seth of Earth

Leora left about the time Cadence got home. That ended our conversation about Crossroads. That evening, the doorbell announced the arrival of the third part of Seth's legacy. Leora couldn't move it by herself and had hired two guys and a truck to bring the wardrobe to me. It was ornate and heavy, a kind of Victorian cabinet that almost touched the ceiling. I was amazed that they were able to get it through the doors and maneuver it into my room.

Cadence was sad when she heard that Seth had died and that he'd sent me a few of his things. She liked Seth and had often been entertained by his magic tricks. She'd even heard a couple of his stories of Crossroads. One day, maybe, we would all be able to believe in the stories. Or not.

It seemed like a cruel joke in one way. The promise of a healing chamber that would miraculously restore my legs when I'd been sweating it out in physical therapy for five years. I had progressed to the point that with the aid of braces, parallel bars, and two assistants, I could swing my legs in front of me and put weight on them long enough to move my hands. I could do this for almost ten feet. It was retraining. I had to constantly be aware of where my feet landed and that my knee was locked before I could put weight on it. If I didn't, it would simply collapse on me. It was great to be vertical, though, even though my arms and shoulders took most of the strain. All I needed was to have parallel bars run like train tracks everywhere I wanted to go.

But Cadence and Sandy both cheered when I made it to the end of the track the first time. Seeing the light in Cadence's eyes was motivation enough for me to keep trying.

She kept looking over at the wardrobe as she massaged my legs. I kept staring at her bare breasts as she held my feet against them, willing my toes to curl. The first time she'd taken her shirt off before starting my massage, my heart had leapt into my throat. She'd made no secret about exposing herself to me down her shirt front and I'd thoroughly enjoyed touching them and watching her get turned on. But seeing them—seeing her topless ... I didn't know how to tell her she was the first naked woman I'd ever seen. Or at least mostly naked.

"I'm going to Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Value Village tomorrow," she said.

"What? Why?" My focus was momentarily distracted from her beautiful breasts.

"We need big, furry winter coats to put in the wardrobe," she said.

"Why do we need a wardrobe full of winter coats?"

"Because that was what was in the Pevensie's wardrobe when they went to Narnia. It was cold there, so we'll probably need to take coats with us when we go," she sighed. I chuckled.

"We should have put the wardrobe in the spare room," I said. Cadence looked deep into my eyes and pulled both my feet to her breasts as she rubbed her nipples to a taut erection.

"Can't you feel it, Lincoln?" she asked. I sighed as I watched my feet against her breasts as if they were on television and not attached to me at all.

"Cadence, you know..."

"Not my breasts. You'll get to feel those in your hands as soon as we get in bed tonight. You can touch all of me, Lincoln. Everywhere." Her eyes drifted closed for a moment as she kept one foot on her breast and pulled the other slowly down her body to her waist. She let out a little gasp and put my feet on the bed, stepping away. She walked over to the new piece of furniture. "I meant, feeling the magic. I don't know what there is about this antique that Seth wanted you to have, but I can feel it as if it is alive. It's a magical wardrobe. I know it."

"You've been playing too many games, my love," I whispered. Could she really feel the portal Leora said was hidden in the wardrobe?

"Do you mean that, Linc? Did you mean that I'm your love?"

"Maybe I've never said it or meant it this way, Cadence. But you've conquered me. I love you."

She turned toward me but stayed next to the wardrobe, out of my reach. She slowly unfastened her jeans and pushed them down off her hips. They were so tight that she had to bend to pull them off. She stood there in just a pair of plain panties and then pushed those down as well. I held my breath as her privates came into view. The area around her lower lips was shaved smooth and the hair above her slit was neatly trimmed. She turned so I could see her back and bent to pick up her clothes and neatly fold them. That was a rule in our house. I could get seriously stuck if I caught clothes up in my wheels. But bending at the waist to pick up her jeans also served the purpose of exposing her to my sight. She turned back to me.

"I love you, Linc."

"You are so beautiful, Cadence. I've ... I've never seen a woman like this."

"I'm yours, Linc. All yours." She did her best impression of Scarlett Johansson as she walked toward me. My eyes couldn't stay still, flicking to her softly swaying breasts, her round hips, and her bare sex.

"You're shaved." Brilliant.

"Partly. Mom said I couldn't expect you to lick through my thick bush to get to my clitoris. I made it nice and smooth so your lips wouldn't get scraped up."

"Oh god, Cadence. I don't know what to say."

"You don't need to say anything. I plan to sleep with you like this from now on. I love you, Lincoln."

Cadence made her run to the secondhand stores and Lisa and I pored over the books that Seth had left us. There was an instruction manual for heroes, one for companions, one for caretakers, and one for damsels. I read the Hero's Handbook and Lisa immediately grabbed the Caretaker's Guide.

"I can't do this," I said.

"I'm not sure I can, either," Lisa agreed. "We would have to have an understanding. I can do all the things in the caretaker's rules except have sex with you. If you can live with that, I'll agree."

"Wait. I thought the caretakers were all Cassandrans. I thought you'd be my companion."

"Cassandran caretakers can't come to earth. According to this, the role includes training, providing for you, strategizing, and researching. I can do all of those things on earth. At Crossroads, you would have a Cassandran caretaker. If I go with you, I might be your companion on Chaos. But on earth, I'm your caretaker," she said.