Chapter 27

Lieutenant Kayla Fisher sat enthralled by the beauty and elegance of the giant kitchen. A kitchen had never been her thing; her idea of a home-cooked meal was barely more than heating a prepared dinner in a microwave. But these rich people were eating in the kitchen, big and elegant as it was, it was still a kitchen. She knew that the major was rich, and with them living in a place like this, certainly he had the means to have any number of servants, yet there didn't appear to be any. She had passed a beautifully appointed dining room, but they were eating like ... just ordinary people.

Deep down, she knew she was pretty, and boys had certainly chased her since she had begun to bloom in the sixth grade. By the time she was sixteen, the boys were joined by men, but among these women, she doubted if she would be able to hold her own. She had never seen this many beautiful women and girls in one place. There were several households represented here, but even she had to focus to remember all the names. Dave Hanson had three women that sat near him — well, one young woman and two girls about seventeen, she guessed. Diana had introduced Dave by his full name, then Evie, Kim and Linda by their first names only.

Evie appeared to be barely older than the girls, but she carried herself a little differently; the girls deferring to her with a subtlety that was barely noticeable, but Kayla noticed things like that. What is their relationship? Diana didn't introduce Evie as Dave's wife, but it is obvious that she is. She glanced at Diana's sparkling eyes. She's teasing me. The major has multiple wives; I think Dave does, too.

Kayla's attention was distracted for a moment as she received, took some, and passed on a bowl of mashed potatoes — then more food came. Eventually, the food was all passed around and she was eating. Her attention focused on Frank Wainwright. He carries himself differently. His and Margaret's voices are ... hmmm, a little more cultured. Not just accent, but maybe ... old money, I'd guess. He's used to being rich. Didn't Diana say that he used to own this fabulous building? He would have to be rich, then.

The food all passed around, she ate a few bites, listening to the conversations going on about her, then took a sip of her iced tea. Sweet, with a sharp bite of lemon. Southern drink, she mused. But why haven't I tried it like that. It's good.

"Crushed ice," Diana said. "We serve it with crushed ice rather than just cube ice. It seems to taste better the colder it is."

"It's delicious. Everything is," Kayla said.

Jeff sits at the head of this monstrous table, she continued her assessment of the family, and Diana sits at the other end. Kayla discreetly checked for wedding rings. All of the major's wives are wearing identical gold bands that match his. But one of the women — what was her name? Alesha, I think — isn't wearing one. That leaves nine women wearing his ring. Our rumors are behind. I thought he had seven wives. But the rumors will have to make their own way. I'm never telling anyone what I saw here tonight. They have obviously suddenly begun to trust me — us. I won't betray that trust.

Then there's Captain Bill Madison and Jill. Kathy, his copilot, sat next to Jill all afternoon. Every time we had a break, she hugged Jill and treated her like ... what? Unusual, but they don't bear a family resemblance at all. They can't be sisters. Oh, shit. Madison has two wives — shouldn't let an anthropologist into your home if you expect to keep things like that a secret — but none of them are even trying to keep their family grouping a secret. But they did to start with. I didn't even see most of these people until we walked into this kitchen and Diana introduced everyone.

Diana sat amused at her end of the table; Lieutenant Fisher to her right and Lieutenant Campbell to her left. Campbell was digging into the food with a vengeance. If he eats like that all the time, it's a wonder he isn't fat, she thought as she watched Melissa refill his tea glass and offer him another piece of roast. And our Lieutenant Fisher is checking us out. She's intelligent, has a great figure, even covered up with those unflattering clothes, and she's pretty. She also has a hard time keeping her eyes off my husband, but she's being discreet about it. It's obvious, though, that she thinks he's the greatest. Hmmm. I'll have to think about that.

So, how does Alesha fit in here? Kayla thought as her eyes swept the occupants of the kitchen again. She mentioned her job at the hotel. Why is she working a menial job and living in a rich man's resort home? But then Dave calls Major Matthews, Boss. He does it in a ... somewhat teasing manner, like maybe, Major Matthews doesn't want to be called boss? There are underlying currents here that are driving me nuts.

But these people are all, hmmm ... yeah, that's one of the things, she thought. No one is fat; no one is underweight; all of them appear to be in exceptionally good health, and there doesn't seem to be an undercurrent of ill will between the women. How can a man have nine wives and everyone be this happy? And they aren't pretending. I would notice if they were. They're really happy.

Shit, she thought as consternation became more pronounced in her mind with her assessment of Jeff's wives, I don't care how big the Major's cock is, or how well he can use it, nine wives aren't going to get along so well that I can't notice something. I'm good at this. It just can't be. But they are; there's no pretense here. They're all truly happy. I do sense something from Alesha, but she isn't one of the Major's wives. Crap, I wish I could stay here for a while. This beats anything I've studied, and it's right here on old planet Earth.

Kayla stopped with her fork of food almost touching her mouth. I can feel ... their love for Major Matthews — and that's impossible. You can't feel other people's emotions. But I can with them. She absently put the food in her mouth, and set the fork back on her plate as she chewed and swallowed, her mind churning with her thoughts.

Feeling Diana's hand gently grasping hers, Kayla looked up to meet Diana's eyes. "We'll talk after the meal," Diana said. "Eat now and enjoy your supper, or dinner, if that sounds better to you," she said with a smile of bemusement tickling her lips.

"I'm sorry," Kayla quietly said. "I just felt..."

"I know what you felt," Diana whispered back. "Like I said, we'll talk later."

The meal over, Jeff said they were going to adjourn to the living room, obviously making Lieutenant Campbell welcome. Stunned by the attention of all the women, Campbell grinned and allowed the men to take him with them.

Kayla started to pick up dirty dishes as the women began to clean up, but Arlene stopped near with a load of dishes in her hands. "We've got it, Mom," she said, as Kayla watched a younger version of Diana talking to her mother.

Kayla frowned as she focused closely on the corners of Diana's eyes, not quite believing the thought that suddenly reared up in her mind. Makeup. Women in our society wear makeup to look younger, smooth our skin, add a bit of color, look sexy, look more elegant, or something similar. Mrs. Matthews' makeup makes her look older. I've been with her all afternoon and I didn't notice it. She's wearing makeup to look older. What's going on here?

Then it dawned on her. Arlene just called Diana, Mom, not to mention the striking resemblance, or more accurately, that Arlene looks like a younger version of her mother. And Arlene is wearing a wedding ring, too. She's one of the wives, too. Then something else hit her. I doubt if that was a slip. Arlene didn't call Diana, Mom, while Lieutenant Campbell was here. She did it in front of me, only. Nor did they have to wear their rings. What's going on? Why have they suddenly trusted us with all this, and me with even more? Or was this so sudden? Diana spent several hours in the same room with me, and we talked during the breaks, I thought, casually, but maybe it wasn't so casual after all. Diana is smarter than I've given her credit for — a lot smarter.

"But you people prepared this great meal. The least I can do is help clean up," Kayla said aloud.

"Another time," Diana said, taking the dishes from her and handing them to Helen. "You and I need to talk."

"Go," Helen and Arlene said in perfect synchronization, grins on their faces.

Diana grabbed Kayla's hand and whisked her out the door. Walking down the hallway for a while, they came to an elevator. One floor up, they got out and turned left. Soon, Kayla wasn't sure she could find her way back without a false start or two.

"Here," Diana said as she opened a door and ushered Kayla into a small sitting room. "Let's sit in a window seat," she said, pushing a button that caused the drapes to pull back.

"Oh, my," Kayla said as she looked out at the raging snowstorm that she hadn't even heard inside the building. Occasionally, the snow would abate a little and they could see the naked trees swaying violently in the wind.

They sat on the plush window seat, each pulling a leg up under them so they could be more comfortable sitting facing each other and also easily see out the window at the same time.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Diana whispered. "Well, as long as you don't have to be out in it," she amended. "Frank screwed up and only built a four-vehicle interior garage. There's a much larger one out back, and a big parking lot, both front and back. With all of us living here, we get by, but come spring so the construction can go on, there's going to be a lot more room to park inside," she chuckled.

There was quiet for a moment as both women stared out at the storm while gathering their thoughts. Finally, "Tell me about yourself," Diana said as she reached over and took Kayla's hand. "Everything, please."

Audrey's clothes were in the RV, already hung up or in drawers. The four women, one in Fred's mind, shared a very upbeat mood. Brenda seemed as happy as the rest.

Fred sat watching TV. "I just wish I could be in there with them. They're having so much fun in the galley."

Yeah, you always did like to cook, Fred thought back. Shall I go stand in there with them so you can be closer?

"No, you big lug. You would just be in the way. But I can wish, can't I?"

Baby, I miss you, Fred managed to think, but he knew his voice would have broken if he had to say it aloud just then.

"I know, Baby. But at least I'm with you in spirit," she tried to kid.

Shortly, the meal was ready and they sat to eat.

"So have we," he stressed with a grin, "decided where we're going?"

Audrey smiled tentatively at him. "Well, uh ... Carla and Jessica said they didn't care where we went, and I..."

"Baby, you're one of us now," Fred said taking her hand for a moment, "so spit it out. Where do you want to go?"

"Well, when I was fourteen, my family went on the only vacation I can remember as a child. We stayed a while in Jacksonville, Florida. I know it's just a kid's memory, but I dreamed of the beach for years after that. Could we go there for a little while?"

Fred glanced at the smiling women, the answer evident. "So, someone needs to get out the Woodall's and find us a campground around Jacksonville," he laughed.

The book seemed to magically appear. Hands quickly pushed things aside on the table as Jessica opened the campground directory to an already-bookmarked place. "Here. This one is on a lake, and if the pictures are real, it surely is pretty. Their website says they're only twenty minutes from the beach."

"Print us out a route..." Fred started, but Jessica had grabbed her food and headed for her laptop before he had the sentence completed.

They sat up well into the night planning and just talking as the rain pounded on the roof.

As bedtime neared, Fred managed to get Carla aside. "What's going on? What do we do tonight?"

Carla kissed him. "You know you can have any of us anytime."

"No, I don't know that. I've 'had you, ' to use your term, once. And I haven't 'had' Audrey at all. I love all of you, and she says she loves us, but I'm not foolish enough to go into this until I know she's ready."