Chapter 29

Christmas dinner was quite an adventure, especially since none of us had ever attempted a turkey before. I lost track of the number of calls we made to Betty Street for advice and instruction. And of course everyone knows what the day after Christmas is.

I'm not a shopper on the best of days, and that is no place for a young girl, so Missy and I spent the day together. We started with pancakes at IHOP, then took in an early movie, and ended at the local family fun center. They actually had a complete miniature golf course indoors. I think I'll buy Missy clubs for her birthday. If she can hit the ball at all, she's got a bright future; that girl is deadly with a putter. The girls were beat when they returned, and that meant I got to give them all foot massages. After I helped unload Tanya's Jeep – which was packed with stuff – and after the traditional dinner of leftovers, they had to show me what they'd bought. Not all of it, of course; some items had to wait until after Missy went to bed.

It snowed two feet overnight, so after shoveling the sidewalk and driveway the next morning, we spent the day indoors, watching movies, playing games and just recovering; two feet is a lot of snow and we were all pretty exhausted. Well, you know, after we built the snow man, and made a few angels on the front yard. Missy loved the snow. Growing up in Vegas, and especially living with Victoria, she hadn't gotten to do a lot. Tanya was working really hard to live on a budget, but she still made it a point to do something fun with Missy at least once a week. A couple times during the day I caught Tanya looking at me funny. I had a pretty good idea what she was thinking, and when I had a moment alone with Lizzy, she confirmed it.

"Oh, yeah," she said. "She's wondering if you'd turn her down if she offered again. You have to remember, Jimmy, she's used to getting sex on more than just a regular basis, and now she's been forced to go almost completely without. Amber and I have been taking turns watching Missy while the other one takes her out for a while, but there is only so much you can do in a couple hours, and you can't really play the kind of games she likes in your average hotel room. I've done what I could to try and ease her out of the hole she's been in, but it's slow going."

"Ah, that explains all those charges for The Courtyard."

"I didn't tell you about those?" she asked. "I'm sorry, I thought I told you."

"No big deal, it was money well spent. So what do you suggest? I kind of think it's still a little too soon, and even if it wasn't, I'm not ready for her." Even as I said it, a thought occurred to me. "God, I am so dense. I'll take her to May. Or even Jasmine. She'll trust them, and they can definitely handle her."

"So could you, Jimmy. Trust me; it wouldn't be as hard as you think. The ultimate threat for Tanya is that you might quit, but she's got enough experience to be able to see your limits and not push too hard. Remember, she was a paid submissive; she had to cater to the needs and experience of the client, not her own."

"So you think I should do it myself?"

"Not if you really don't think it's time, and I think you're right there; it isn't. But the other idea sounds good. Why don't you talk to Jasmine about it tonight and set something up?"

What Jasmine set up was an evening of instruction for me, with Tanya as my slave. Even though it was just a dream and I didn't let her remember the details – like that it was really me playing the role of her master – the difference in Tanya in the morning was marked.

"Feeling better this morning?" I asked when she finally staggered into the kitchen. She even looked like she'd had a long night.

She was still a little bleary, but she smiled and nodded and said, "Yeah, I am. God, I slept sooo good last night."

"Nice dreams?" I asked with a smile.

"Very," she said, smiling back. She looked very fetching in her robe and slippers. She gave a big stretch and then almost fell over as the change in blood pressure unbalanced her. I caught her and pulled her in close, turning her so I could hold her against me and hug her from behind.

"You okay?" I asked after a couple seconds.

"Yeah, but this is nice. If I'd known that was all it took to get into your arms, I'd have done it sooner."

"Tanya, you know it's not because I don't want to," I said, kissing her neck.

She turned in my arms and put her arms around my neck.

"Yeah," she said. "I do. I remember what you said in Florida, about the reason I offered, and you were right. I did it because that's all I had to offer, but David, even though that hasn't really changed, that's not the only reason I want you. Lizzy's explained a little about your relationship, and I have to tell you, it's about the weirdest thing I've ever heard, but that's none of my business.

"I do want to thank you, David – that part hasn't changed, but I also just want to make love to you. I know you know what I was before, and I want you to know that I'm not just whoring myself to you to pay a debt."

I've never been violent towards a woman in my life, but I'm not sure it was entirely Jamie, either, that suddenly pushed Tanya away and slapped her hard across the face. The force of the blow staggered her, and if it had been the back of my hand, I'm pretty sure it would have drawn blood.

"Do not ever say anything like that in my presence again," I growled. "Do you understand me? You are not a whore; not now, not then, not ever. Is that clear?"

It wasn't the slap that put the tears in her eyes. To this day I don't know what prompted me to do it, but it was apparently exactly the right thing to do. She melted; that's the only way I can put it. Something inside her just gave way, and she began sobbing, softly at first, but then more forcefully. There was nothing else to do but take her in my arms and hold her until she got it all out. Moments later Lizzy walked in and hugged her around the back.

"Amber's keeping Missy busy," she said. No other explanation was necessary, and Tanya's sobs seemed to gain new strength. There was a lot of pain here, and it had needed to get out for a long time. After a couple minutes it finally started to subside, and Lizzy quietly pulled her away from me. "Come on," she said. "I think you need to lie down again."

I kissed Tanya lightly and sent her off to snuggle with Lizzy, and then I got started putting together something for breakfast

On Thursday Tanya drove us all over to see the condos. They were billed as "Modern Brownstones". The outside was a combination of brick and wood siding, with classic red brick facing the street and painted wood siding in the rear over the garage. The units were side-by-side and shared a common stairway to the front entryway. They also shared an interior wall, but it was specially reinforced and lined with sound deadening material – as were the outer walls – so you didn't have to worry about the neighbors hearing everything that was going on. They were listed as two-story, but it was three if you counted the garage. The main floor consisted of the living room, kitchen, one bedroom, a half bath, and a pantry-slash-laundry area under the stairs. The main part of the Living Room was open to the second floor, so it felt positively huge, even though the whole place was only a little over twenty-three hundred square feet. The upstairs consisted of the two main bedrooms; both with their own full bathrooms, but the master also had a dressing area.

The original floor plan called for the kitchen and main entry areas to be hardwood, but that made no sense to me. Why would you want hardwood in the kitchen where spills were most likely to occur and where a heavy pot could do permanent damage if dropped? After consulting my favorite bachelor friend, I had them move the hardwood to the living room and use a commercial grade tile in the kitchen; you could bounce a billiard ball on the stuff without so much as marking the surface. A ten pound bowling ball dropped from three feet wouldn't crack it unless there was an air pocket directly under the impact, and even then it was questionable. I also went with the cultured marble tubs and showers, granite counter-tops, stainless steel appliances – gas of course, I don't know how anyone cooks on an electric – and Jacuzzi tubs in both of the upstairs bathrooms, crown moldings and, of course, gas fireplaces for those cold, romantic, winter nights.

It was listed as being only a few blocks from the college, but in truth it was closer to a half mile before you got to any buildings that really counted. Still, easily within walking distance even in bad weather, and Missy's school was only about a mile the other way. Unless something went seriously wrong, they were going to be really nice when they were finished, and by the time the girls graduated, it would not be unreasonable to expect a market increase.

Lizzy had to leave early because the women's basketball team had a game that night. The rest of us had a light snack and then went to watch her play. Wow, my sweetie's got game! She's not that much taller than Allison, so I had to wonder if my sister had been selling her future short. Granted, women don't run as large as a rule, but the tallest girl on the court was six-four, the average running closer to six feet even, which still put Lizzy on the short side, but talent and energy make up for a lot. I had to wonder if her special sight had anything to do with her play. After the game, we went to Frankie's for a late dinner, and it was about ten-thirty before we got home and crawled into bed. I spent the night checking in on people I hadn't gotten to see in a while; my parents, Bob and Rebecca – I even dropped in on Susan to make sure that her dreams had not turned dark again. Things appeared to be going well; Bob had said there was a noticeable change in her at school, too. I knew there was still something else lurking there, and I hoped that my life would even out sometime soon and allow me to spend some time working on it with her.

Amy's rehabilitation was going very well, and enough tone had returned to her muscles that she was able to start taking short walks – very short walks at first – but as long as she didn't push too hard or hurt herself they expected her improvement to continue. She was doing so well that Bob and Rebecca had set a date. June sixteenth. It was a Saturday and late enough in the month to guarantee that Bob would be done with school before their anniversary every year.

There was another celebration scheduled for mid February. Rico Girard was making good on his promise and throwing a huge party for Amy's birthday. How big? He was hiring temporary staff to fill in at all five of the rehab centers so that as many of the regular staff as possible could attend. The centers aren't really that big; the largest only employed around a hundred people covering all three shifts.

Rico is a pretty sharp guy, and knowing, or at least hoping, that he would get to do this one day, he had been hosting a national convention for the last several years. It had started small and grown quickly to become a four-day event where speakers and vendors gathered to share the latest in treatment ideas, success stories, and technology related to the industry. The event was to be held at one of his casinos in Atlantic City, and Amy's presentation at her birthday party was to be the finale.

For her part, Amy was a little embarrassed at the attention, but once it was clear that there was no way out of it, she determined that she would make the best of it. Her announcement that she wanted to dance at her birthday party was met with more than a little skepticism. Yes, she was making progress, and her strength was returning, but there was a vast difference between walking, which she was just getting started at, and dancing. Everyone tried to be positive about it, but in the privacy of his office, her doctor made it clear to Rebecca that he didn't see it happening, and that if there were the slightest chance she would hurt herself doing it, he would go to Girard personally and forbid it. Rebecca made it clear that he could count on her full support in whatever decision he made, and that if it came to it, she would be the one to break the bad news to Amy. I talked to Walter about it, and he assured me that he would be monitoring her progress as well and would support their decision to Amy. He was the only one brave enough to tell her that she must be prepared to accept that it might not work out.

"The wedding is only a few months after your birthday, little one. Would you risk not being able to dance at your sister's wedding for an act of pride?"

Amy had glowered at him, but she had to admit he was right. Dancing at Rebecca's wedding meant more to her than showing everyone how tough she was. But that didn't mean she wasn't going to try.

"Of course you are," he had chuckled. "We are all going to try, but we are also all going to make sure that you do not hurt yourself trying too hard."

"I wish you could dance with me Walter."

"What do you mean you wish you could dance with me?" he asked, affronted. "Of course you will dance with me. Who else will teach you?" His voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "We will practice in the quiet hours of the night when all the others are asleep. My Lord will build us a grand studio and help hide our secret, and on that night you will be as Cinderella at the ball."

"And you will be my Prince Charming," she said with a smile.

"We have spoken of this Amy," he said sadly. "I am a thing of dreams and shadows, and I cannot walk in your world. You must accept this."

"I know that," she said with a stubborn smile. "But you will dance with me, Walter."

He just smiled down at her indulgently, shaking his head. "We shall see."

I was tempted to stay and spend New Year's Eve with the girls, but, all things considered, I was a little afraid of what they might have been planning in the way of a New Years "Celebration" – if you know what I mean. I also felt a little guilty leaving Christine alone all that time. Despite the fact that the holidays were the busiest travel time of the year, the flight school was closed for two weeks, starting with Christine's little surprise the Saturday before Christmas, and not starting up again until the second week of January; which meant we had a week to kill. What to do, what to do?

Apparently, Christine likes to ski. Due to her father's disability, she hadn't gotten to do it much as a kid, but she had gone on a couple of trips to what they called the 'Snowbowl' up near Flagstaff, with the youth group at church while she was in High School. She was nervous at first, which of course got her a good teasing from her boyfriend, but she overcame her fear quickly, and by the second day she was exploring the intermediate runs. Her boyfriend spent the second day in the lodge suffering from a mild case of "Last Run". This is apparently a syndrome that overtakes many skiers, mostly males, at the onset of dusk. As soon as someone realized it was 'getting late' and mentioned it, all the other males would have a sudden adrenaline rush, heralded by many voices crying, "Dude, c'mon, like we've got time for one more run."

Somewhere in the middle, Craig had taken a right turn he shouldn't have and ended up on a 'Double-Diamond' run that branched off midway down the slope they had started on. The twilight conditions coupled with poor visibility on the narrow, tree-lined run, proved more than he could handle. Fortunately, someone with a lot more experience, and sense, spotted the trail of debris: gloves, poles, hat, skis etc., that led to the dark lump that was Craig as he lay face down in the snow doing his best to breathe without moving. Being the last one down is generally enough cause for ridicule; coming down last on a sled, a sled being pulled by a really HOT member of the ski patrol at that, is something you just don't ever hear the end of. Moving from the sled to the waiting ambulance and then on to the Emergency room will just plain ruin your night.

There is not much you can do for a broken collarbone except to brace it and try not to move. That part gets easier fast as you quickly discover just how much it hurts when you forget. They broke up after the trip because he couldn't seem to get over the fact that she would rather be skiing with her other friends than sitting in the lodge having a pity party with him.

For some reason, Vegas isn't known for its skiing. Go figure. There are a few places close by, but nothing really ... uhm ... no. Flagstaff would have probably been the easiest to drive to; Mammoth Mountain in California was a nicer area, but it was a really long drive due to the required route. A quick trip around the web, and we had it narrowed down to Northstar in Lake Tahoe or Brighton in Utah. A coin-toss later we were on to the next decision: fly or drive? Hmm. Snow and ice or ... no, thanks, I'd just left that party, and I wasn't in a hurry to go back just yet.

I was quickly falling in love with the American Express Business Travel Center. Sure, I could probably find something cheaper if I really wanted to spend the time, but there is just something about making one phone call and having everything handled. It was also nice to know that if anything went wrong with the trip, they would bend over backward to fix it. All we had to do was get to the airport, and they would take care of everything else. One thing even I knew was that we didn't want to actually purchase our ski clothes there. Resort prices could put a dent in even my finances. A quick trip to a high-end sports shop in town had us set up with everything we might need for a comfortable time in any winter wonderland. Our plane landed at 2:00 PM, and by 4:00 we had already checked in and were being fitted for equipment at the pro-shop.