CHAPTER 153: Wild Thing

 

I've got to break the C barrier...I've been stuck on a C grade for some time now and I think I deserve a B at least.  I'm putting in the effort, I do my homework nearly on time...I mean, I could be doing something frivolous with my time right now but instead I've given up that to do this homework...how can the teachers grade me a C now?

I finish it with just minutes to spare before I have to go to school.  Finish it the night before, finish on the day, finish it in between breakfast and having to leave...it all gets marked the same way.

A few hours later...

Another C!  Ripped off!  Those teachers must hate me, that's the only logical explanation.  

"Jamie...can you take the trash out for us please?" 

"Sure mom..."  I say flatly.  That's all I'm good for I suppose:  Garbage collector or quarry worker.  I grab the sack of refuse and put it in the bin around the side of the house.  As I return, I see someone I really didn't expect to on my front doorstep.  I mean, when I see who it is I'm glad...pleased...even excited but still, how does she know where I live?

"Hi Jamie...I guess I found the right place"

"Morgan!  Yeah, this is my home...how did you find out where I lived?  I thought we only exchanged phone numbers the other night?"

"Yeah, but I'm no good with talking over a phone but I knew you were friends with Efrain Webber so I broke into his locker and looked in his address book and...hey presto...there were your details!"

"You broke...into....Efrain's locker?"

"Yeah, no big deal.  He has a crappy cheap padlock on it which I know how to pick.  Oh don't worry, I didn't steal anything:  I just wanted to have a look through it."

She...didn't...steal anything.  Oh well that makes everything A-OK then!  The way she says it, almost innocently with those wide, bright green eyes of hers it sounds like breaking into people's lockers to look at their private address books is just a normal, everyday thing.  I don't get it:  Is she joking?  Is she a nut job?  But she's so pretty and those big, bright green eyes...oh my!

"Oh hello, is this a friend of yours, Jamie?"

Oh no!  It's Mom!  Trust her to walk in on us...whatever is she going to make of Morgan?

"Ah...yes...yes it is.  Mom, this is Morgan...Morgan this is my mother" 

"Hey there, Mrs McGregor"

"Hello Morgan, lovely to meet you.  Jamie have you invited Morgan inside yet?"

"I was just about to"

"Now, Morgan, I'm just about to make some dinner...you're very welcome to stay and join us.  It'll be great meeting one of Jamie's friends...he rarely invites them around."

"Thanks, Mrs McGregor...I'm STARVING!"

Oh swell, Mom's moved right in...what if Morgan starts talking to her about breaking and entry?

"Yeah, Jamie and I are at high school together...although we're not in the same class.  We met down at the park a few days ago.  He was cooking up some delicious hamburgers on the BBQ grills there and I hadn't eaten dinner and lunch was sparse so he was literally a life saver.  Yeah, and we got chatting..."

Morgan has turned on that cute, chatty charm of hers.  This is the kind of thing that drew me to her...that open friendliness.  And those eyes!  And lovely long red hair...and her legs...anyway, I like this chick; why does she have to make me all tense with all the naughty stuff she gets up to?

"Hi honey I'm home...oh, I see we have a guest" 

"Hi dad, this is Morgan"

"Pleased to meet you" 

Dad quickly gives me the wink.  I think we share similar tastes in women.

"I was thinking, Mom, Dad...maybe Morgan and I can go out into town for a few hours.  Does that suit you, Morgan?"

"Sure does!  I know this great place!"

"Well that sounds good...OK, let's go"

"You know the rules, Jamie?"

"Yeah, Mom, don't worry.  This is just a casual thing.  Isn't that right, Morgan?"

"Yeah, casual like.  Don't worry Mr and Mrs McGregor...I'll return Jamie home in one piece!  HA!"

Things seemed promising.  We'd go somewhere cool; Morgan seems like the kind of girl who knows where all the cool spots are in town.  Maybe a bit of dancing, a bit of quality time and...well, who knows, maybe we could get to make out!  OK, I'll just ignore what she said earlier on...

"Do you mind if we swing by my place, Jamie?  I want to change outfits.  It won't take long"

"You look great as you are.  That's a nice dress."

"Meh.  It's a little too big.  Wofie knows my dress size so I'm annoyed he didn't swipe one that fits me properly."

"Wolfie?  Swipe?"

"You know Wolfgang Munch, don't you?  He's the leader of The Renegades; this gang I'm a member of"

"I don't know Wolfgang.  And you're in a gang?"

"Sure!  I'll tell you all about it but first I need to change out of this dress and get it back to Wolfgang."

OK, now I find out she's in a gang with this character called Wolfgang and he apparently swipes dresses.  This is just going swell and I'm being ironic here.

I travel with Morgan to her house but she makes me wait outside while she gets changed.  When she emerges she's in her black, form fitting outfit with the skin tight top, short shorts and red boots.  Wow, she looks amazing like this.  Again, my concerns fly out of the window when I look at this willowy beauty with those big, bright green eyes.

"Thanks for waiting for me.  I'd invite you inside but my step-sister is having one of her nerdy club meetings."

"That's OK, so where are we going?"

"Somewhere new, somewhere I've never been but I want to go to.  You'll see"

We head off to Newcrest and to the brand new Charrington Bowl complex.  It used to be the Bowl-O-Rama but it was getting old and dilapidated so they tore it down and built a new bowling alley and movie theatre on the site.

"So are we catching a movie or going bowling, Morgan?"

"Neither.  There's a nightclub downstairs.  I thought we could go there...if you like music and dancing"

"I love music and dancing.  Sounds good!"

This is shaping up nicely.  As we walk into the place some people are checking out me with this hot red head.  Yeah!  But as we got to the stairs that led down to the club, we saw a sign that read CLOSED FOR REFURBISHMENT.

"That's a shame, I guess a movie instead?"

"Pfft! I know for a fact they've finished refurbishing the club as the Renegades held a meeting there the day before yesterday.  They're just putting the sign there because of one or two minor things the fusspots who run this place want to tinker with.  Come on, let's head down there for some fun!"

"But the sign says 'CLOSED'!"

Morgan shot me a disapproving look and walked on down the stairs anyway.  What's a guy to do in this circumstance?  I quickly followed her, looking around to see if anyone had noticed what we'd done.

Downstairs looked groovy with all it's bright colours, swirling lights and fountains embedded into the walls.  I was impressed.  Morgan, however, went over to the record player and switched everything on.  She pulled out a record, put it on the turntable and whacked the volume up.  Then she trotted over to the dance floor and beckoned me to join her.

"This is a cool place but aren't you worried we're going to get busted?"

"Oh lighten up, Jamie, don't be so tense!  If anyone comes downstairs I can handle them"

"By handle do you mean....?"

"I'll bat my eyelashes, act all cute and innocent while you run upstairs, ring the fire alarm and then we'll all get out"

"...swell..."

This chick's on the edge!  We dance some more but there are definitely more questions than answers Morgan is raising.  I'll try to find out more, try to find out whether I'm going to make it out of this date in one piece and not in jail.

"So.  This club, The Renegades.  What do you do?"

"Oh we hang out, challenge each other to dares, push the limits a bit"

"What kind of dares?  Doing things like this?"

"Yeah, but this is small scale stuff.  A level one dare.  One time we kidnapped a sheep and put it in the Dean's office..."

"Oh my gosh!  Wow!  That would leave a mess I would imagine."

"What?  Who cares about the mess?  The Dean screamed the place down but he never caught us.  I hate that Dean:  Graded me an F on my history paper when I slipped in a little sentence saying he smelled in the middle of a 2000 word essay.  I just wanted to see if the teachers actually read the papers and I got an F and a week's detention!  I hate that Dean!"

Keep dancing, Jamie, keep dancing and maybe she'll snap out of this.  But I can't help but checking the staircase to see if anyone else is coming.

"Hey, quit checking the stairs.  Like I said, no one should come down here and if they did, we have a plan.  Sheesh, you are so square, Jamie"

"I'm just not used to sneaking into places where we shouldn't be and...well...shouldn't we keep the music down, just in case?"

"You're being a real drag, you know?"

"I just don't want to get a ban from coming here?  Listen, there's a club in Windenburg we could go to..."

"Huh...do you always play it safe?  Wolfie says..."

"LOOK!  I don't know who Wolfie is but he sounds like the kind of guy you should avoid!"

And at that moment the music stopped.  We both stood there, looking awkward.  I walked over to the couch and sat down.  Morgan joined me but that spark we had earlier had gone now.  We sat on that couch and didn't have anything to say to each other.  She looked hurt but I was worried that if I did what she said I'd end up in the hands of the law: I don't know how far she'd go.  The silence was too awkward and I had to say something to her.

"Look...I'm sorry I was rude about Wolfie.  I don't know the guy..."

"It's OK.  I think you and me are too different.  You're a nice guy..."

Oh here comes THAT line again...

"...but I'm not a nice girl."

"Don't say that.  I think you are."

"Yeah, right"

"No, seriously.  If you were a genuinely bad girl, you would have stolen stuff from Efrain's locker or you'd make for that bar and drink the contents dry but you didn't.  You certainly would have said something stronger than 'the Dean smells' in your essay.  No, you're not bad you just live life on the edge and, well, I'm a few feet back from that and I think that gap is too much for us."

She looked at me and I swear there was a tear welling up in one of her eyes.  She cleared her throat and stood up.

"Awww, don't make me feel so sentimental!  I hate that!  No, seriously, that's one of the nicest things anyone has said to me.  I hope you find someone more in tune with you...but if you ever get the urge to be a bit naughty, you've got my number."

Time to leave Charrington Bowl and this strange girl.  I had hopes when she approached me back at Desert Bloom Park, but it's all come to nothing.  The one time, THE ONE TIME, a girl took notice of me and it turned out to be crazy, wild Morgan Fyres.  I hope she doesn't get hurt on one of her escapades.  Ugh, it's a long, lonely walk back with nothing to show for it.

CHAPTER 152: Prancing About

"All the little pieces in place, neat and proper!  All the pawns ready to fight..." Edna mused one morning as she and her husband, George, enjoyed the beautiful warm air of a June morning in Oasis Springs.  " I must get better at this game" she added.

George, however, wasn't paying attention.  He was lost in his own thoughts; thoughts that Edna couldn't be privy to.

Once they had finished breakfast and Edna grew bored with chess stratagems, they went inside, showered, dressed and got ready for their respective days.  Edna was out on the campaign trail all day and George had a day off from the hotel, although he did have to do one small task for work the rest of the day was his and he knew how he was going to spend it.

"So first of all I have a meeting with the Mayor's deputy assistant commissioner for the removal of litter, waste and unauthorised scribble on walls, then I'll be having lunch with the Concerned Mothers About Television Violence and after that I'll be doing a door to door opinion polling in Willow Creek so I'll be rushed off my feet, as usual.  And what about you, George? What are you going to be up to?"

"I'm typing up the menu for the weekend, dear.  I have the recipes all worked out"

"Very good.  You know, we must have a big dinner function for the League and its supporters at your hotel one of these days.  I get to show off your culinary skills to the people who matter.  Anyway, I must change...this outfit is totally unsuitable for my meeting:  My new grey skirt suit would be more appropriate.  I won't disturb you, George.  Bye bye for now."

Edna went to the bedroom to get changed and George frantically typed away, determined to finish the menu in mere minutes.  Again, Edna called out goodbye and the front door slammed shut.  He could hear her footsteps jog down the street to the bus stop and, satisfied she wouldn't be coming right back, he stopped typing and headed downstairs to the basement bunker.

He got out his special suitcase, went back upstairs to the bedroom and began his transformation into Georgina.  Alas his cross dressing experience almost ended before he began as he struggled to fit into his corset.  George had put on weight and already the lingerie was barely fitting him.  He struggled and puffed, letting out groans and grunts until he had managed to squeeze his portly body into the corset and then almost tired himself out putting on a pair of stockings and attaching them to the garters.

"That was more trouble than I thought" he muttered.  "I'm going to have to go on a diet; no more of my own rich food.  If I keep putting on weight I'm not going to need false boobs" he said, feeling his enlarged man breasts.  However, he did put the falsies into the corset.

Then it was on with the makeup, the false nails, the dress, cardigan, high heels, jewellery and wig until his transformation was complete.  The dress was a little tight but still wearable.  Checking himself out in the mirror he was at least pleased with his hair and make up and the dress was nice...even though he was a larger lady today.  

Georgina pranced around the house in a feminine manner and occasionally paused to admire herself in the mirror.  She liked the little feminine touches like sitting cross legged, brushing some lint off her dress or adjusting a stocking.  

"What to do, what to do?  I'm a lady and I shall do ladylike things" she said as she did some chores or looked in one of Edna's fashion magazines.  Outside, the weather was beautiful and Georgina had a hankering to step out of doors.  It was a risk if anyone saw or recognised her so she peered out of the window to see if either the McGregors or Zest were out in their yards.  

"OK...I'm going to do it!" she decided.  Just a short walk, down the road...away from the McGregors and Zest...and back.  But getting the timing right was all important:  When there were as few people around as possible.  Georgina's heart started pounding faster and faster as she slowly turned the handle of the front door, opened it gradually and then looking out on to the porch and beyond.  She inched her way daintily forwards, through the doorway and on to the porch as a first step.

This was exciting for her and looking around the next thing was to walk down the road for a little bit.  Not too far and definitely not attracting attention.  She couldn't see anyone nearby and was pretty sure no one had seen this lady stepping out of Sneedley Burrow but there was a concern that someone might rumble that she was a he and that Georgina was none other than George Sneedley.

Georgina was an old hand at walking in heels but rarely had she done so on a sidewalk.  On stage with the USO and prancing around the house, yes, but a public pavement, no.  The issue wasn't maintaining balance as she sauntered down the road it was nerves.  But there were only two other people out and about and Georgina didn't know them so the fear of discovery wasn't overpowering.  There was a mild breeze which blew through her wig and around her legs with a slight updraft up the dress.  This sensation gave Georgina a thrill and now she was actually enjoying this little walk.

Up ahead was a bench and she decided to sit down and catch her breath.  This was exciting, she thought.  Again, she sat with her legs crossed in the feminine manner and enjoyed watching the world go by for a few minutes.  "I feel so feminine!" she thought to herself.

She sat there and sighed in bliss but that soon went when she saw who was coming down the road:  Nancy Landgraab, on one of her seemingly never-ending runs.  George knew Nancy somewhat and was now worried she'd notice him dressed in women's clothing.  Georgina dropped her head and pulled a strand of hair over part of her face to obscure it.  Fortunately Nancy was in one of her "zones" and wasn't distracted by anything...especially not a 270lb man in a dress.

Georgina thought she'd chanced her arm enough and that it was time to head home.  She got up, brushed her dress again and sashayed back along the road.  However, just as she was getting there she heard a voice behind her.

"Oh excuse me, madam, do you happen to have the time on you?" said a man's voice.  Georgina pretended not to hear him and walked on.

"Only I forgot to wear a watch today and it's important I know what time it is.  Please, madam.  You in the blue dress."

Georgina couldn't ignore that any longer and she turned around to see who was asking for the time.  Her heart sank when she saw it was none other than Geoffrey Landgraab.  Now Geoffrey did know George quite well and he was sure to see through the disguise but Georgina was trapped in a corner and it would take all of her amateur acting skill to get out of this one undetected.

"Oh the time, sir?" she said, suddenly speaking in a high, feminine register.  "Why it's 11:47am".  Not only was Georgina speaking in a high female voice, she had somehow developed a Deep South accent.

"Thank you...my that's a very nice watch you're wearing there.  May I have a closer look?" said Geoffrey, seemingly oblivious that he was speaking with George Sneedley.  In a dress.

"Oh this little ol' thang..." Georgina giggled Why the hell am I speaking in a Southern accent? she thought.  "It's nothin', just an adornment"

"It's exquisite for an adornment" Geoffrey replied, taking Georgina's left hand and holding it in his whilst he examined the watch.  "It's my wife's official 29th birthday, again, and I'm looking for something like this to give to her as a present"

"She must be a very lucky lady to have such a fine gentleman like yourself to buy her presents" Georgina continued the Southern Belle act.

"Keeping her happy is a full time job" he replied, wistfully.  "But where are my manners, my name is Geoffrey...and yours?"

Georgina froze momentarily.  She couldn't use the name Georgina as that would be too much of a giveaway so she had to think fast.

"Erm...Beulah." she said on the spur of the moment.  

"I'm guessing by your name and accent that you're from....Georgia?  Am I right?" asked Geoffrey, turning on the charm.

"Oh yes sir...a regular Georgia Peach am I!" said Georgina with a nervous giggle.

"I can see that" said Geoffrey, looking up and down at her in a slightly lecherous way.  "On a visit or do you live around here?"

"Oh no, sir, ah don't live in this here neighbourhood, ahm jus' passin' through so to speak.  Never been here before"

"Hey, I saw you come out of that house.  That one, over there!" said another passer-by: This time it was a little boy who had overheard the conversation and had stopped to interject.

"My, how observant you are little boy" said Georgina/Beulah in her falsetto Southern accent but through gritted teeth.  The boy smiled, smugly.

"That's Edna and George Sneedley's house, do you know them?" asked Geoffrey.

"Oh the Sneedleys?" began Georgina/Beulah, desperately thinking of something to say.  "Why yais ah duly do.  I do...erm...some cleaning for them.  Lovely couple."

"Ah, you're a cleaner are you?  I'd never have guessed.  Such a pretty dress to be doing the cleaning in...you must have very high standards."

"Oh Geoffrey, ah do declare that you'll make me blush with all this fancy talk!" She was really getting into character as Beulah now.

"You're a pretty big lady" said the little boy.

"That's on account of my big bones" said Beulah, glaring at the boy.

"As a matter of fact I live in a large mansion and my wife is very busy these days and good cleaners are hard to find.  I don't suppose you have the time to manage another property; I imagine you get a lot of work." said Geoffrey, again turning on the charm.

"Yes sir indeedy I am kept busy." she replied.

"Well, I pay well and...anyway...here's my card if you're interested" he said, handing her a business card which she took and then, impulsively, she curtseyed.  "Please think about it" he said, softly.

"Ah will, sir, I will" replied Beulah.

"It was lovely meeting you... Beulah" said Geoffrey, saying her name in a sultry voice.  "Another time, perchance?"

Beulah just nodded before Geoffrey waved goodbye and continued his run.

"He has the hots for you, lady!" said the boy, who also walked off.  Georgina was picturing ways of strangling the precocious little brat.

Georgina wasted no more time in getting home.  Once inside, she shut the door firmly and slumped against it.

"I hate children!" she muttered.  "Phew, that was close old girl.  I can't believe I fooled Geoffrey Landgraab!  Oh good grief; I'm 'Beulah' now as well!  I need a coffee..."

One strong, black coffee later Georgina...or was it Beulah?...was feeling calmer.  The experience of going out and about in drag was a real buzz and one she wanted to repeat, and there were good improvisation skills upon meeting Geoffrey but maybe choose a different time or place for the next excursion.  But reflecting on that encounter, not only did she fool two people into thinking she was an actual woman but it seemed as though Geoffrey was flirting with her!  And the Southern accent....well, it might come in handy in future; it helped her sound more feminine.

She walked over to the bookcase in the lounge, pausing to check herself out in the mirror.  "OK, I could do with losing some weight but my face with this hair...with the right make up I look convincing.  I have the mannerisms and now the voice...still need to work on that...yes...YES...I could lead a very convincing double life!"

She found the business card Geoffrey gave her but instead of throwing it away, she put it on a shelving unit in the lounge.  Feeling very feminine now, she picked up a popular romance novel and lost herself for an hour in the steamy passions of the fine art world...

Fun, exciting and sometimes terrifying this experience had been it had to come to an end.  Bit by bit Georgina...or was it Beulah?...was put back in her case, the clothes folded neatly, the nails and wig came off and the make up removed.  George had returned to Sneedley Burrow in time for when Edna came home.

"Phew, George, what.  A.  Day." she said when she arrived home.  "That lunch I went to?  Completely dry it was!  Their boss is a fervent tea totaller!  I need something to pick me up..."

"I'll make you a Wrench" said George.

"You read my mind!  But...and here's the really good news!  I got a promotion!" she said, excitedly.

"Congratulations, darling.  You deserve it!"  he replied.

She kicked her shoes off and walked around the lounge in her stockinged feet.  "You have no idea how hard it is to walk a whole day in heels, George" she said.  As she enjoyed her drink she noticed the business card on the shelf.  

"George...this is Geoffrey Landgraab's personal card with his home phone number on it!  I've only got his office number and you have to go through his secretary in order to speak with him!  How did you get this?  This will make contacting him so much easier."

George froze in his tracks again and had to think quickly.  "Oh, I have a contact...they gave it to me." he said.

"Well do thank them; this is gold dust!" she said, excitedly.  "Now is there any dinner for me?  And I'm sorry not to be more sociable but I'm beat so I'm just going to have some food and go to bed."

"No worries, dear, there's food.  We'll catch up more another time" he replied.

When she finished her dinner and went to bed George put on his sports clothes and went for a run.  He was sure going to shed those pounds now!

CHAPTER 151: Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder And All That

 

"I SEE THE GIRLS WALK BY DRESSED IN THEIR SUMMER CLOTHES NA-NA-NAH...I HAVE TO TURN MY HEAD UNTIL MY DARKNESS GOES!" Travis Scott was up and about grooving and singing to his latest purchase; The Rolling Stones' Paint It Black.  He was still in his pyjamas and hadn't showered yet but was still belting out the songs on his stereo at nearly full volume.  Summer had just entered the lounge, by contrast fully dressed, made up and with not one strand of hair out of place, and scowled at him.

"Travis, you've got to turn that noise down...Liberty's still catching up on her sleep!" she said.

"Hey babe!  Dig this!  TOTAL SOUND!" he replied.

"Total noise more like...turn it down!" she said, hands on hips and staring him down.

"Spoilsport..." he muttered as he reluctantly walked over to the stereo and turned the volume dial down.

"That's better.  Liberty's jet lagged, she's been working real hard and she came to the wedding having had only two hours of sleep...the poor thing needs to be left to doze" Summer remonstrated with Travis.

In fact, Liberty was already up.  When they had staggered home after the wedding she unzipped her gown, slipped off her shoes and just fell into bed where she fell asleep instantaneously and slept the whole night through undisturbed.  She woke up about 20 minutes before Travis' 'total sound' experience with her mind buzzing with the Gemini IX mission, Suzy and Neil's wedding and the thought of returning to life in Willow Creek.

It was great to catch up with her housemates but there was someone else she was desperate to see:  Her boyfriend, Gary.  They hadn't been together long and her going to Cape Canaveral was the first time she'd been out of touch with him.  There was a gnawing feeling in her stomach that maybe he'd found someone else or had grown bored or tired with her.  There was still so much about him she didn't know nor he knew about her.  Liberty had other boyfriends in the past and she knew those early weeks were when things were at their most vulnerable; where initial attraction could fade away and the signs of incompatibility reared their heads.  She really liked Gary and wanted to know if he still liked her.

Meanwhile back in the lounge, Summer managed to get Travis to sit down with her and have a quiet talk.

"The thing is, Travis, is that we must give Liberty plenty of peace and quiet..."

"What's that about me?" said Liberty, suddenly appearing in the room.

"Oh you're awake!" replied Summer, shocked at seeing Liberty up, dressed and full of energy.

"Of course I am!  When I hit the sack I fell fast asleep...8 hours of undisturbed peace and I feel fine!" said Liberty.

"I'll put my music back on then!" said Travis, getting up off the couch.

"Oh no, here we go again..." sighed Summer.  "Well, if you can stand the din, how about telling us all about your trip, Libs?"

Liberty sat down next to Summer on the couch.

"It was full on, I can tell you!  There were...complications...with the mission which I can't really talk about, even with you guys."

"The aborted space walk?" asked Summer.

"Yeah...when I left the Cape they were having a big debrief about it but I'm not on that side of the team so I came home. "

"I wish I knew more about space stuff but I leave that to you and Travis" said Summer.  She turned to see him back dancing and singing way out of tune.  

"Shall we split and leave dancing boy here?" asked Liberty.  "I was going to head to the gym, wanna come?" 

"To escape the noise?  You betcha!"

The two young women packed their exercise clothes into bags and headed briskly off to downtown Willow Creek and the gym.  Liberty said little but Summer knew her friend well enough to notice that there was something on her mind other than getting out in the sunshine and working out.  As they walked down the street to Movers n' Shakers, she pried for information.

"So...has Gary called you since you got back?" asked Summer.  Liberty turned her head to her friend and smiled ruefully.

"I found a message on the answerphone" said Liberty.  "He wants to meet later"

"That's good, right?"

Liberty shrugged her shoulders.  "Maybe"

"What do you mean, maybe?  He's been missing you!" said Summer, encouragingly.

"Did you see him while I was away?" asked Liberty.

"Erm...no.  But why would you think he's not missed you?"

"I don't know...a gut feeling, probably"

Summer didn't understand her friend's reticence.  She often found that Liberty overthought problems and created issues where there weren't any.  

They reached the gym and stepped inside.  Looking around, they saw that it wasn't too busy.

They headed upstairs to the locker room and changed into their fitness clothes.  All the while Summer was trying to instil some positive vibes and thinking into her friend.  Gary seemed like a nice guy, he was crazy about Liberty and she should trust in him more.  Then Liberty let out a little laugh.

"You know, Sum, I don't know anyone as peppy as you!  Alright, alright...you've convinced me; Gary still likes me and I'll stop worrying now will you stop with all this perkiness otherwise we'll soon have Disney animals frolicking around our feet!"

They headed back downstairs and hit the apparatus.  Liberty was focussed and pushing the limits but seemed happy enough.  Summer smiled; as long as Libs had something to focus on, some kind of project (and having a boyfriend was a project) she was happy.  The moment her world stopped turning and stood still, she started to fret.  Coming to the gym was the best thing for Liberty right now and Summer was sure Gary had a special homecoming arranged for her.

After the session, the two headed home where Liberty noticed a flashing light on the telephone answering machine.  Quick as a flash, she ran to find out who the message was from.

"Hello?  Hello?  I'm not used to speaking into these machines..." the voice was very familiar.  "This is Gary, if you can hear me, Liberty, would you like to come down to the Fashion Quarter for drinks and dinner?  Hello?  If you can here me, call me back:  I'm at home.  Oh, and one more thing....CLICK!" The tape had run out at that point but Liberty was wasting no time in calling him back.

Summer smiled; she knew everything would be alright.  Of course Gary still liked her.

"Oh my gosh, Sum, what if he wants to break up with me in person!" cried Liberty, when she hung up the phone.

"How did he sound?" Summer asked.

"Erm...happy, cool, I guess.  He's keen to meet up but I don't know..."

"Just go, have a great time!"

"But..."

"No buts...go...GO!" and with the Summer ushered her friend out of the front door.

Liberty raced down to the Fashion Quarter as fast as she could and once there was frantically on the look out for Gary; her heart pounding and her stomach filled with dread.  To make matters worse, there was a Llamaman live event going on and the place was filled with fans and curious onlookers, making it harder to look for Gary.

Her attention was drawn to someone dressed in a Llamaman costume but right next to them, wearing his distinctive flat cap, was Gary.  Liberty stood still and looked at him.  At that exact moment Gary turned to look at her.  There was a moment's pause where both of them looked surprised to see the other and yet no word was spoken.  Then Gary's face broke out into a huge, warm smile and Liberty's fears evaporated as they ran towards each other and kissed, passionately.

"Obviously I'm intruding..." said the guy in the Llamaman outfit before walking off.

"You are a heavenly sight, Liberty" said Gary, looking at her admiringly.  She, by contrast, looked bashful.  "Hey, is anything the matter?" he asked.

"No.  On the contrary" she replied, blushing.  "I was wondering how this reunion was going to go" 

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Nothing.  It's silly.  It's wonderful to see you too" she replied.

"Well, I don't know about you but I'm starving" said Gary.  "Do you fancy a bite to eat first?"

"First?"

"Sure!  We've got a lot of catching up to do" he replied, smiling.

"Lead on, I could eat a horse right now" said Liberty.

They grabbed some food from the street vendors and found a place to sit.

"You look even more beautiful than when I last saw you.  That's my favourite outfit on you" he said.

"This?" she said, giving her top a gentle stroke "this is my French look.  I saw Anna Karina wear this outfit in a French movie and I wanted to get it for myself."

"Well, vive la France!" said Gary.  "So, I hear the mission ran into some trouble" he said, changing the subject.

Liberty took a deep breath.  "There were difficulties...first, the target vehicle's launch shroud didn't jettison so Gemini couldn't dock with it and then the EVA..."

"EVA?" interrupted Gary, who wasn't up to date on all the NASA slang Liberty often used when describing her job.

"Oh, the space walk.  Anyway, there was a plan to use an experimental manned manoeuvring unit...kind of like a jet pack for space...but that had to be abandoned and finally Cernan, the astronaut, had difficulty on the space walk and almost fell unconscious."

"Oh, so the mission was a disaster!" asked a shocked Gary.

"Oh no.  It was a success.  We learned a lot from all the things that went wrong.  As long as the astronauts make it back alive the mission is a success."

Gary was impressed and let out a sigh.  Her job was infinitely way more interesting than his boring administration one.  "Well my work was very boring by comparison.  I kept counting down the days until you returned." he added.

"You old softie" she said.

"It's true!  Liberty...I truly missed you. I couldn't stop thinking about you either.  Now seeing you here, once again, looking stunning and with that cute look on your face whenever you describe something you're clearly passionate about I've realised that I can hold this in no longer....Liberty, I love you!"

Liberty was stunned.  He had said the words!  There she had been all day fretting over whether he was going to break up with her and instead he'd done the opposite.  She took his hand in hers and said "I love you too".

Gary jerked his head in the direction of the bar and said "Let's celebrate"

The two of them celebrated being reunited and talked about their respective weeks, their work and how much they missed each other.  Liberty was relieved and relaxed now  and opened up with Gary.  After a few drinks both were keen to move on from talking and instead wanted to be more intimate.  Liberty thought about inviting him home, but Summer and Travis would be there...making a noise...and Gary shared a large house with his parents and that wasn't ideal either.  But she was desperate to hold him, kiss him and do other things with him and, looking out of the bar window, she had an idea...

"Gary...do you see that observatory over there?" she asked in a suggestive way.

He looked out of the window and saw a wooden tower with a large telescope poking out of the round, dome like roof.

"Yeah...it's one of those temporary ones they put up for shows, fairgrounds, exhibitions" he replied.

"No one's used it since we've been here.  I'm pretty sure the guy who runs the concession on it went home.  How about you and me....make use of it?" she said, very suggestively.

"You mean...you and me go in there and...."

Liberty nodded fervently.  

"What if we get caught?" he asked.

"That makes it more exciting!" she replied.  The idea appealed to Gary a lot.

Gary took a deep breath.  "We just drink up our drinks and saunter over to the observatory, casually, and without anyone noticing we'll just slip inside and have a little fun"

"How about we run over there instead before anyone beats us to it!" replied Liberty.

"Alright, let's go!" he said, downing the last of his drink in one and running out of the bar.  Liberty was way ahead of him.

Liberty entered the empty observatory quickly followed by Gary, who had found a sign saying OUT OF ORDER which he put on the door handle to deter other potential astronomers.  Inside it was cramped and both of them found it awkward taking their clothes off but they persevered and were soon naked and trying to have sex without making a big noise; which was made more difficult by their bodies pushing up against the creaky, wooden beams.  Liberty was in ecstasy but had to bite her bottom lip to stop her yelling.  After the climax they disengaged and had the difficult job of putting their clothes back on.  There was no room or time for a post-sex snuggle and they both stepped out of the observatory, looking calm and innocent.

It was a tired and worn out Liberty who came home about an hour later.  

"Did you have a nice time with Gary?" asked Summer as Liberty staggered in.

"Oooooh yes!" Liberty replied as she flopped on to the couch, kicked off her shoes and gave her feet a rub.

"What did I tell you?  The guy is crazy about you!" said Summer.  

"Most definitely" said Liberty, shutting her eyes and thinking of the woohoo in the observatory.

"You look like you could use a coffee" said Summer, walking off to the kitchen.  She got out a fresh bag of ground coffee, put it in the machine which fizzled and popped with electricity. 

"Oh no!" cried Summer.  "This thing is broken again!"

Liberty opened her eyes and knew that the only person capable of fixing the coffee machine was her.  Reluctantly she put on her shoes, found the tool box under the sink and went about fixing the wiring.

Travis had just arrived home to find the girls busy.  "So how did it go, Liberty?  Was Gary pouring out his heart to you?  Did he serenade you?  Did he have a rose between his teeth?" he teased.

"Oh he did a lot more than that!" said Liberty, suggestively.

"Now that sounds juicy!  Spill the beans!" said Travis, suddenly getting interested in what went on.

"Travis!  It's rude to pry!" interjected Summer.  "Liberty and Gary obviously had a nice time together and I'm glad because he's a nice guy and Liberty deserves a bit of happiness and romance."

"Yes, ma'am" said Travis, feeling scolded.  He sometimes thought that Summer was too prim and proper for her own good:  A right Mary Poppins she was!

"The machine's fixed, I'll make us all a coffee" said Liberty.

The three of them sat down together to enjoy their food and drinks.  Liberty was very content, Travis was still keen on finding out what she and Gary had got up to and Summer was making plans...

"I think we should have Gary over more often!" she said.  "Invite him to dinner...or better yet, let's have a BBQ...a double date!" 

"At this rate why don't we invite him to move in?" joked Travis.  But judging by the serious looks on their faces, Liberty and Summer didn't treat Travis' off the cuff remark as a joke.

CHAPTER 150: Honeymoon

 

The red Volvo P1800 sportscar wound its way among the twisting, turning roads of the I-51m highway.  Inside were a young couple, newlyweds, who had crammed their suitcases into the back of the nimble Volvo until their rear view vision was practically blinded.  They'd set off from Willow Creek, Sim City, drove through Newcrest and then Windenburg on their way North to their honeymoon destination.  The man, Neil Humphries, took delight in downshifting the Volvo's stick from 3rd to 4th gear and hearing the sporty engine purr from life into a sexy growl.  Beside him sat his newly wedded wife, Suzy Humphries, nee Kent.  She loved to look at the changing landscape as they drove.

Finally their destination hove into view:  Granite Falls.  Set in the beautiful Sim National Park, this area was a haven for nature lovers and those wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of Sim City life.  It was also very private and not overrun with tourists or inquisitive people:  Exactly the kind of place Neil and Suzy desired to spend a week in.

"Well, darling, this is the right spot...I see the cabin up ahead" said Neil, slowing the car down.

"I'm excited already, this is a beautiful place.  I can see why Alan recommended it for a honeymoon destination." replied Suzy.

"This is a great wedding present he's given us:  His own personal cabin in Granite Falls for the week." said Neil.  

Alan here meant Alan Cuffe:  Owner and editor of Lothario magazine, who Suzy contributed articles to.  He was always a supporter of her reportage and had backed her when she was coming under pressure from the Landgraabs not to publish material that showed them in a bad light.  But Cuffe was a passionate First Amendment believer and supported the right of a free press...which he was a member of.

"Just the two of us, Mr Humphries" said Suzy, coquettishly.

"Indeed, Mrs Humphries" replied Neil.

"Let's see what it's like inside" said Suzy, enthusiastically.  She had the cabin keys while Neil unloaded the luggage and followed behind her.  Then he put the bags down on the porch.

"Almost forgot.." he said, walking up to her.  "OK, you know what we have to do now?" he said, his arms outstretched.

"A hug?  A cuddle?  Wait!  You're picking me up!  What?  Put me down!" she said, her legs kicking in the air as he cradled her in his arms.

"Stop kicking!  I'm trying to carry you over the threshold!" he complained.

"That's meant for our home, not out honeymoon!" she said.

"OK, I'll drop you on the ground then" 

"NO!  You may carry me over it...say, this is pretty romantic.  I didn't know you had such strong arms" she said, resisting the kicking and instead putting both her arms around his neck and shoulders whilst pointing her foot in a suggestive manner.

The inside of the cabin was pure rustic charm in the American pioneer style.  Cuffe had the place looking immaculate and made sure the fridge and pantry were fully stocked and that there were clean towels and bedding for the happy couple.  

"This is lovely" said Suzy, sitting on the couch.

"Are you happy with a week in Granite Falls instead of London, Paris or Milan?" asked Neil, who sat next to her.

"Oh absolutely!" she said with enthusiasm.  "I want to go to those places for sure but it wouldn't be just us...it would be me wanting to check out the scenes and would end up like work!  No, we'll save that for another time.  I want to be away from it all!  How about you?"

"This place will do more to inspire me creatively than London." he replied.

"Well, I'll get the rest of the stuff out of the car" said Neil.

"I'm just going to freshen up a bit" replied Suzy.

"You look lovely and fresh the way you are"

"Oh stop it, you old romantic you!" she said, lightly slapping his arm.  She sauntered into the bedroom and found a full length mirror there.  Posing in front of it, the rustic charm of the cabin plus the buzz of being married and on honeymoon stirred her romantically and she became flirty.

"Look out, big boy, here I come!" she said, walking back into the lounge and seeing Neil on the front porch.  "So, would you like to have some 'fun' now?" she said, in her most sultry voice before realising that Neil wasn't alone on the porch and that this visitor had heard everything that Suzy had said.

"Oh!  Hello!  I didn't know..."

"Suzy, this is Sara, she's a park ranger here.  This is my wife, Suzy" said Neil, clearly embarrassed.

"Howdy, folks.  Newlyweds?" asked Sara.

"Yes, how can you tell?" said Suzy, still blushing.

"I have an instinct for that kind of thing, ha-ha.  And is this your first visit to Granite Falls?" 

"Yes it is." replied Neil.

"Well, you've picked a dandy time of year to visit.  The weather's set fine all week, the fishing's good and the flowers are all in bloom." said Sara.

"Sounds perfect" said Neil.

"I'll show you around the place so you know what's what" she said, getting up.  Sara showed them all the cabin's amenities and those of the site itself.  "Most of this was paid for by Mr Alan Cuffe, but I believe he's letting you use it?" 

"Oh yes, I work for him sometimes" said Suzy.  Sara raised an eyebrow in surprise.  "Oh, not like that!  I write articles for his magazine.  I'm a writer." Suzy said, backtracking.

"Well, if there's anything you need the Ranger shack is right over there" she said pointing to a small wooden hut near a big carving of a grizzly bear.  "I'll leave you folks to enjoy your honeymoon" she said with a playful wink.

Neil and Suzy waved goodbye to her and they stood next to each other, hand in hand.  "Let's see what this place has to offer", said Neil.

"What a day!" said Suzy, flopping down on the couch and taking off her shoes.  Neil sat down next to her.

"And that's just day 1!" he replied.

"How about we do as little as possible tomorrow to catch our breaths?" she said, giving her sore toes a flex.

"As little as possible?" responded Neil with a smile.

"Well, relaxing with some fun thrown in there" she said.

"What did you have in mind?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh a little of this..."

When they eventually stopped kissing, Suzy leaned back in the couch and let out a contented sigh.  Then she said "I wonder how everyone's doing back home?"

"No!  Let's not think about that...the purpose was to get away from it all" said Neil, friendly chiding her.

"I know, I know...but you know me; I'm always itching to do or think or come up with something"

"Don't think...just relax" replied Neil.

"You're right" said Suzy, leaning back further and stretching out her legs.  "It's just that..." she began to say but her voice trailed off.  She had something in the back of her mind she'd been pondering but couldn't find the words to articulate them.  It wasn't about Neil or being married...it was more to do with being so far away from home in a tranquil place but lurking out there were all the things that had been building up over the months; the oddities, the mysteries, the sinister events that had taken place.  She was a couple of hundred miles away from home and yet, on the fringes of her mind, those things were still present in a shadowy form.

"It's just what?" Neil responded.

Suzy sat upright and looked into his eyes:  So caring, so loving she thought and all she could do was smile at him.

"It can wait" she said.