Chapter 137: Radical Alteration

Wednesday, June 16, 1971

The sky was overcast, I observed, as I lay in my berth. I had forgotten to close my curtains again. As was my routine these days on waking, I first scanned the train, checking on everyone, then around the train for any signs of danger. Most of the girls were still asleep, except for Jessica, who was busy doing something at her drafting table. Anna, I noted, was in Izzy’s room. Evidently, they decided not to bother making up the second berth, because Anna was curled up next to Izzy. Catherine was already up and taking a shower in my bathroom. Karla and Penny were busy in the galley, while Kip was outside, walking the perimeter of the motionless train, scoping out the tactical situation at the lonely siding while stretching his legs.

While I could sense he felt good to be back on solid ground again after two plus weeks on the train, I also sensed his confusion. He had spent the night with both Penny and Karla, pushing the boundaries of his relationship with his sister, as they had shared Penny between them. And while he had not actually engaged in incest with her, it was a close thing. And like most males, he had concerns about where that relationship was headed. He hoped they would tell him soon.

I hadn’t thought about it, but except for the two nights in New York, I had been onboard the train for two weeks also. That reminded me that I needed to start running again, now that we were back at Twin Springs. Which reminded me that I needed to talk to Catherine about adding a workout area on the train, replacing the seats in the front part of the Dining Car.

“That sounds like a good idea, Michael,” Catherine thought to me from the bathroom. “I agree that the space is poorly used, but until you came along, the train hadn’t been used enough to justify the expense.”

“Well, good morning, beautiful,” I thought to her. I decided that this was just about the happiest I had ever felt Catherine.

“Why, thank you, kind sir,” she thought dreamily. “And you may be right. I think this is the best I’ve felt in a long time.”

I smiled as she stepped out of the bathroom to dry herself off. And to tease me a little. I was glad she was feeling more confident in her looks and I threw the covers off to show her Little Mike’s unabashed admiration.

When standing, the top of Catherine’s head came to my collarbone. However, since I was seated on the edge of my berth, we were almost eye-to-eye.

Taking her hands in mine, I kissed her lightly, then asked, “Would you mind if I tried something the old ones taught me? I don’t know that it will work, but it shouldn’t hurt.”

“I suppose I should ask you what you’re going to do to me,” Catherine said. “But, right now, I don’t really care. I trust you, Michael.”

I placed my hands on each side of her face, holding her gently, so she didn’t move. Next, I focused on the wrinkles around her right eye, using the same basic technique I had used on Adriana, as I stimulated the nerve and then the skin tissue around the eye, basically healing it to make it healthier. Then I moved to her left eye and repeated the procedure. Both eyes took less than a minute, so I began working on her cheeks, stimulating the muscles that age had allowed to slacken. I became excited as I observed what was happening to her muscles. Concerned that I might go too far, I took baby steps as I gained experience and my skill improved.

After a while, I stopped, removing my hands from her face.

Her eyelids fluttered, as she opened her eyes. “What did you do to my eyes? They feel ... different,” Catherine said.

I suggested she go look in the mirror.

I watched her as she stood in front of the mirror affixed to the back of the door. She stared intently at her reflection as her fingertips roamed her face and neck.

“I have friends who have spent small fortunes on plastic surgery for this same thing,” Catherine told me while still looking at herself in the mirror. “It took many surgeries, and the results were nowhere near as good. I’ll have to have Pricilla pull out the old family albums to be sure, but I believe you’ve taken fifteen to twenty years or more off of my face.”

When she finally turned to face me, I could see what she meant. She stood staring at me now, with neither a frown nor a smile on her face, trying to decide something.

I hate scanning a woman in the throes of making a decision. But I was growing uncomfortable under her gaze. Had I gone too far? After all, I had originally intended just to see if I could heal the wrinkled skin around her eyes. However, it looks like I went a little further than I had planned.

“I’d say you went a great deal further, Michael,” she said without changing her expression. “And I’m of two minds about it. I want you to promise me you will not do this to anyone else until I can think it through.”

“Of course,” I nodded my head in agreement, but I truly did not understand why. I had always thought that all women wanted to look younger.