Chapter 41

“With all due respect, do we have any idea how ridiculous we look?”

I stepped over the long picnic bench next to the community dining table as I stood to speak. My rear end protested. After several long hours of note-taking, my fanny was in no mood for a new session. My flat ass had a bad case of meeting butt. My hand was cramped, and after a day of biking through the mountains, I hurt in places the sun didn’t shine.

“This does not bode well,” I said as I closed my notepad and set it to one side; no point of recording a train-wreck. “We’re supposed to be the new day crew.”

I smiled and tapped the rounded point of my number two pencil on my half-filled pad of paper. Lead and cedar were my tools for taking minutes. I liked the effortless feel of graphite sliding across the yellow legal pad.

“Our mission,” I said, “is to figure out how to survive this disaster and we can’t even agree on something easy like what to call ourselves.” I rubbed my forehead as I stretched and tried to return circulation to my restless legs.

“Sheila has a sick sense of humor,” I said with a grin as I examined my scribbles. “She calls for to be the...” I cleared my throat and suppressed a chuckle and did air-quotes with my fingers, “ ... the Sisterhood’s Holistic Intelligence Team, or SHIT for short. Seriously?”

I burst out laughing and shook my head as the commander answered my remarks with a smirk and a shrug.

“You’re no fun. I didn’t intend for you to spell it out,” she said in a playful stage-whisper.

“Belinda prefers we be called the Crisis Management Committee, and Darlene wishes us to remain nameless.” I scanned my notes before continuing. “Our quartermaster does not have an opinion, and Alice wants us to be some sort of tribal council with a Cherokee name I can’t even begin to pronounce.”

I scratched my head. I shouldn’t have skipped the post-mission shower. “We don’t need a fancy name. We’re just a group of folks doing the best we can. Let’s keep it simple. Okay?” I returned to my seat and prepared to write.

“Group it is. It’s as good a name as any. Are there any objections?” Sheila paused for a moment and waited for the silent sisters to speak.

“Fine, hearing no opposition, I so affirm. We are the Group!” Sheila declared with a tap of her gavel. “Today has been a long and difficult, let’s start fresh in the morning, zero-seven-thirty.”

“Thank God!” I groaned under my breath as I checked my watch and slashed a line across the page and scribbled ‘22:17-all’ beneath it; my shorthand for adjournment by unanimous vote. “Bedtime for Bonzo, I need sleep,” I groaned to Sheila with a yawn as I gathered my rough draft.

“Sky, we’ve gotta talk, there’s been a change in sleeping arrangements, honey,” Darlene said as she rested her hand on my shoulder.

“Join us in your quarters; we’ll explain over brandy. Or weed if you wish,” Seraina added as she placed her hand on my other shoulder.

“Both,” I replied with a shiver as I reached for my pack of cigarettes. “Little rest for the weary and none for the wicked,” I said with a humorless laugh as I lit up and followed my two lovers to my bedroom.

It was my grandmother’s favorite saying when duty demanded more than she was able to give.

“Good to be back home,” Darlene sighed as she spread her arms and flopped down on her back in the bed we had shared since our arrival.

“Oh, crap! There are cobwebs in the corners and dust bunnies on the ceiling. Didn’t you clean anything while I was gone?” my companion complained as she wrinkled her nose.

“Sorry; I was too busy missing you to mind the mess. By the way, I did the laundry. Your stuff is in the closet.” I smiled and tried to keep my voice neutral and soothing. Something besides sloppy housekeeping was stroking her anger. “What’s on your mind?”

I studied Darlene’s troubled eyes as we sat together on our bed. “You guys mentioned something about sleeping arrangements,” I said to Seraina as she set an antique silver serving tray on the nightstand. “Care to elaborate?” I licked my lips and tried to ignore the uneasy feeling growing in my gut.

“Brandy?” Seraina asked as she tilted the ancient crystal flask and filled my glass with amber spirits. The bouquet smelled like the sweet memories of yesterday.

“My darling Sky, tonight I’ll be sharing my bed with Alice. I’m not ready to be that way with you, not for a while. Please give me space.” Darlene searched my eyes for understanding. “I love you.” She kissed my cheek in a sad whisper.

“Take all the time you need.” I took a sip from the glass and mirrored her gaze with a slight bow of my head. “I can sleep on the floor.” I pointed to the black bear rug at the foot of the bed. “Or I can go downstairs by the fireplace if you two need privacy.” I took another sip and raised my glass. “What is your pleasure?”

“That is unnecessary, my love. You can rest in my bed. My daughter and I have separate rooms.” Seraina smiled apologetically as she kissed my lips in a strange blend of affection and distance.

“What does Starshine think of that arrangement?” I asked.

“It was her idea,” she replied.

“Come on in, Wolfie. I’ve been expecting you,” Seraina’s daughter said as she pulled open the door and beckoned me to enter the smoky, dim candlelit quarters she shared with her mother.

“Mom’s room is over there,” she pointed to an open door, “and mine is over here,” she said with a flourish of her arm.

For a moment I was stunned as the folds of her translucent silk garment parted to reveal a fleeting glimpse of her bare chest. For the ladies of Liberty, nudity was normal and not usually naughty, nothing personal. Star’s nudity clothed the darkened room with unspoken desire.

“Do you like it, Wolfie?” she blushed as she wiggled and giggled beneath a sheer mist of rainbow fabric.

“No,” I lied and tried not to smile as I set my kit by the entrance to Seraina’s slumber chamber.

“You’re not my type,” I said in a stern voice as I looked into her eyes.

“And if you were,” I paused to allow my gaze to follow the contours of her body from her nose to her toes. “I would expect you to wear something, er, less, you know? Uhh, provocative.”

I averted my stare and searched instead for cobwebs on the ceiling.

“We were au naturel when we played in the shower,” Star reminded me with a twinkle in her eye as she kissed my cheek and took my arm. “Thank you for helping my mother to get back home. You were quite brave,” she whispered as she guided me to an old fashion style leather wingback reading chair by the flickering fireplace.

Whatever modesty remained in her clothing vanished as she passed between me and the flame.

“No I wasn’t, and you’re welcome. I’m glad they’re back,” I said as I settled into the leather seat and sighed with relief. The old chair was wise to the ways of people, and its cushions conformed to the contours of comfort.

“Danger Will Robinson,” I warned myself. “Be careful what you wish for.”