Chapter 2

After visiting with Mike for an hour or so, meeting Syl'fair and her sisters, and allowing the sisters to compare notes, they returned to Mike's house, making their way to his room, where Mike provided Dyl'fair with a dose of his essence, and they enjoyed the resulting energy surge.

Resting in the afterglow, they discussed Mike's Mother, allowing her to know of Dyl'fair's existence, and presence. The consensus that they came to was that Mike's mother was friends with Roy's Mother, and if Mikes Mother already knew about the Nymphs, then Roy's Mother shouldn't have any difficulty helping her to understand, and accept the situation.

Mike's mother was Head Nurse for the trauma wards on the mid-shift, when most incidents occurred, making it possibly the worst shift to have.

Often alcohol or other drugs were the precipitants fueling the problem. Throw in the incipient madness of the humans as a species, induced by out of control hormones, and it didn't take much to slip the veneer of civilization from the rotting carcass.

The only way I have found to retain my sanity after all this time, was to leave it at the hospital, difficult to do but necessary, and rewarding when I'm able to be warm and caring with my children, Helen thought, I hope I can continue but it's a struggle every shift.

This thought was quickly supplanted by an incoming ambulance call, which switched her mind into 'Professional Nurse Mode, ' and she hurried the rest of the way to the ER to insure everything was in readiness for the arrival.

Four hours later, the last of the gore encased victims from the most recent multi-car pile up were admitted, transferred to the morgue, or to other facilities, or treated, and released.

Helen, still the picture of a Professional Nurse on the exterior, she was at the end of her physical, mental, and spiritual strength. Luckily her shift was finished and had been for an hour.

Arriving at the Nurse's Lounge, Helen mechanically exchanged greetings with the others present, as she slowly disrobed, grabbed a towel from the stack, and entered the shower.

Too out of it to do anything but stand under the shower's pounding hot water at first, she allowed the water to slowly drain the horror of the night away as it washed away the sweat, dirt, and soothed the sore muscles caused by tension, stress, and exertion too long sustained.

Unnoticed and masked by the water and barely noticed even by Helen, tears were slowly trickling down her cheeks. She was tired, true but more than that, as a widow she was alone. She was still young, only 36, but lately her hands or her various toys were having little lasting effect on her sexual frustration. She knew what she needed and it wasn't just the sexual release, it was the need to be held, loved, and she knew why she didn't have it.

She thought, I decided not to date, first because my husband had just died, and I was in morning. Later I made the choice that my children came first and now, one is leaving the nest for college, I'm all but burnt out at work, and if I continue without a vacation...

Wrenching her mind from those thoughts, she finished and exited the shower. She dried off, dressed in her street clothes, and left the Lounge on her way to the Director of Nursing's Office with determination.

She would make them an offer they couldn't refuse; vacation or resignation.

Mike and Dyl'fair were still naked while seated at the kitchen table. Mike in the process of finishing his cereal and Dyl'fair sipping on a glass of orange juice, discussing what to tell his Mother, and how to let his Mother know about Dyl'fair's existence.

Dyl'fair opined, "It would be best to just tell your Mother the truth from the beginning," when, in a rising tone as it continued, they heard, "Tell me what Mike... , Who is your company... , Why are you both naked, and WHAT IS GOING ON!?"

Mike promptly dropped his spoon, causing cold milk and cereal to cascade into his crotch, which caused him to jump and squawk. This led to the cereal bowl tipping over, spilling the rest of the contents onto him. The sequence took longer to describe than to occur but was actually begun and over in the blink of an eye.

Standing with the mess dripping off his front to puddle on the floor at his feet, a 'Deer-in-the-Headlight's' look in his eye's, Mike could only soundlessly open and close his mouth.

Dyl'fair, seeing that Mike was in shock and unable to respond, arose from her chair, stepped in front or Helen, extended her hand to shake, and said, "Hi, my name is Dyl'fair, and I'm a Nymph."

Helen automatically shook Dyl'fair's hand and responded, "What?"

Dyl'fair repeated, "My name is Dyl'fair and I'm a Nymph."

Helen promptly ended up in a boneless head on the kitchen floor, unconscious.

Helen was dreaming that someone was massaging her feet and it felt heavenly. She felt warmth, security, and love all around her with hands slowly caressing her hair, face, and neck.

She felt as if she were floating in a golden haze, she was relaxed, and it felt so good that she didn't want it to stop but ... a thought began to intrude. She tried to resist it but it was persistent and growing, until it ruined her peaceful rest.

What was it that was trying to intrude? Oh yeah, the semi-nightmare she had experienced before the contentment she was experiencing now. She must have really needed the vacation she had demanded, and had been in much worse shape than she thought.

Then she had a disturbing thought, What if it were not a bad dream? Working to become more aware of her surroundings, she felt the sheets under her body, which indicated that she was naked, and in bed.