Dealing to a Stranger

The doctor was looking down at his clipboard, trying to ignore his scuffed Gucci loafers his wife had purposely wrecked. The nurse fiddle with a bandage she had pulled out of a pocket, also looking down. Both were well aware of the overhead cameras dotting the ceilings. Neither wanted to give the monitors a good facial shot as they walked out of the building.

"So, what did you give him," the nurse asked as they walked through a parking lot?

"Last Sunday's game against Cleveland, you?"

The nurse didn't say anything as they left the lot and crossed a street.

"Dammit Ccrsst, you know that makes me so jealous, I'm going to have the pilot stop in LA till I can find some of those big, rubber gloves, welders use. Then I'm going to glue them on your hands."

"Sounds kinky, I'll shop for some of those thigh-high, black, six inch, come and get me, stiletto boots, maybe a whip," she reached out and took his arm after the hospital was blocked from their view by other buildings.

"You're such a pervert Dear, that and being the only female of my species on this planet, are the only reasons I put up with you" he reached into her pocket and took out the bag. "Hey, how're you guys doing in there?" he asked the bag, not really expecting or getting an answer. They and the bag walked happily to their waiting limo 5 more blocks up the street. 38 minutes later the 4 engine Gulf Stream jet made its take-off roll out of Reagan International heading westbound. A few moments later the hospital room they left was a flurry of activity as the heart monitor reset and showed that the patient had finally died from her wounds.

CHAPTER 27

Date unknown, time unknown, place unknown

Kim woke with a start, she started to panic, then stopped, calming back down. She could feel Sam's warm back against hers. Kim reached out, luxurious 1000 count, cotton, Egyptian linen sheets covered her. She looked over at the folded, dark wooden slatted, doors leading out to a balcony. A slight sea breeze fluttered the off-white sheers. She could see part of a coconut palm, white sandy beaches, topaz blue water. She heard the muted, distant crash of surf pounding on a reef and Sam's slow breathing as he slept behind her. Kim smelt the fragrance of a saltwater breeze, the overlapping smell of flowers floated in the air. It was like the air was alive with smells she had never smelt before. She rubbed a hand down her right hip to her leg, the hip wasn't shattered, destroyed. Her leg was still there, she did need to start running more, her hips felt fuller. It had all been a horrible dream. They had made it to the island. She couldn't even remember the trip here, all she could remember was the terrible dream, Sam had died, her body shattered, it had been so real. Kim carefully rolled over trying not to wake Sam, yet. She just wanted to cuddle him till he woke, let the horrible, so real dream blow away on the soft sea breeze. She slid her hand over the part of his arm she could touch easily, Kim wrapping her hand half way around his arm. She carefully, slowly slid her hand up his whipcord thin body. Her hand found his long, curly, black hair, she pushed it aside to lightly kiss his neck. She freaked out.

She quickly rolled out of the bed and away from the man that wasn't Sam! She got to her feet unsteadily, naked. Kim turned as the person in the bed stretched from being woken up. She started to run out the open door. Her legs didn't work right, she stumbled, catching herself on a make-up dresser she went to her knees as the strange man rolled over, looking at her, he smiled at her. She pulled herself back to her feet, the strange, young, blonde lady in the dresser's mirror, wearing her glowing amulet, looked as shocked as she felt. She raised her hands up to her face, the other lady in the mirror did the same thing. Kim screamed and passed out.

CHAPTER 28

Again, date unknown, time unknown, place unknown

"Laura?" said a man's voice as a soft hand touched her thigh.

"Don't call her that," said another man's voice, he softly said, "Kimberly?"

Kim jerked her eyes open. A woman sat by her side on the bed, a man stood behind the woman, both were dressed in swim suits. Another man sat naked on the bed, level with her knees. Kim clawed herself backwards, the headboard and wall stopped her from going farther.

"Kimberly," the naked man said, now at her feet, "it's a shock if you don't know what to expect, it's me, Sam."

Kim looked at the stranger she had never laid eyes on before, "You're not Sam! Sam's dead. I saw his body. He's dead," Kim started to cry.

The naked man gave her a crooked smile, Sam's smile, his bright green eyes glowed at her, "OK, you got me there. Yes Kim, Sam's body is dead. But, then again, so is yours."

The lady by Kim's side said, "Why don't you two go bury your heads in the sand or something, give me some time with her. Alone. Please?"

The naked man found some swim shorts, both men left as the new Ccrsst tried to explain to the new Laura why she wasn't the old Kim anymore.

18 minutes later

"Thank you Paiteet, would you ask Miss Estelle to make us a pitcher and bring two more glasses," Theo asked?

"Right away Mr. Tailor, Miss Estelle wants to know if there will be four for lunch?"

"Paiteet, please call me Theo, if you do so, I will double your salary. Yes, tell Miss Estelle that my wife feels much better and will be joining us for lunch."

"Yes Mr. Tai,,, Mr. Theo, right away," the boy took off running back to the main house.

"Give it up Theo, I tried for years as Dan to get the boy to just call me Dan," Trassaa said. "It's his father's influence, the man has worked for us for over 25 years and the best I have ever gotten was Mr. Yearly, your fighting a losing battle. Can you read what is going on?"

"Her anxiety level is gone, I sense some confusion but that is falling off also. She'll be OK with the transfer. Give her a month and it will be Kim Who, my name is Laura. How much did you hype her up?"

"Theo, I never even heard of such bonding, I can't sense anything at all, even from Ccrsst. Can you sense Ccrsst?"

"Not a thing from her, but Kimberly is like a laser beam."

"We did jack her up to our level, you're going to have to do some very serious mental training to her before you let her off the island. I would suggest starting as soon as possible and staying by her side whenever she interacts with staff. Have you told her about receiving the rescue message?"

"I am going to stay with her Trass. I going to stay here, I'm not going back. I'll ask her if she wishes to endure another change, but this time it will not be into someone else. It will be into a different species. I can already guess her answer. She'll wish to stay, even though she has a desire to see what it is like out there. Maybe the humans might suddenly discover important ways to create a different power source."

"Ccrsst said you would Slaammu, I don't blame you. I think you are finally happy again. We will tell them you died in the crash along with Veettaa. What if she wants to restore you?"

"If she has by now, I wish her as much happiness as I have found here. Please don't tell her about me, us. Tell her I died by her side. I am sad we never bonded, if we had, I would leave and go home. I am bonded, I can't leave my mate."

The conversation was switched to stocks, bonds and oil futures as both men saw the houseboy return carrying a pitcher of Miss Estelle's famous coconut, rum smoothie. Paiteet's father, Solomon, followed carrying a tray of canapés and the two other glasses. Both men quit talking about oil futures as soon as the two were close enough to hear what they had been discussing.

"Mr. Tailor, Sir, my son said that you would double his salary if he treated you less formally?"

"Yes Solomon, I will double it again if he drops the Mr. part. I will quadruple yours, and all the others, if everyone else does so also," Theo stated matter of fact.

Whatever Solomon Hoi was going to say was squashed like a bug.

"It was tragic that the Yearly's and Mr. Stranger died in the plane accident. Sam was my best friend, a damn fine cousin and a good man. Mary Anne and Daniel live in my heart right beside Sam, they will never be forgotten. I'm just a country boy Solomon. Every time you guys say Mr. Tailor, I keep looking around for my departed father. Please Solomon, instruct the staff to just call me Theo and my wife Laura, either way, even if you don't, everyone's salary is now quadrupled."

Paiteet topped off Theo's glass and then Edward's, "I told you father, thank you for the raise Theo." Paiteet smiled at his dad, Solomon cringed somewhat.

"I will instruct the staff Sir."

Theo gave him a half frown, half smile.

"Mr. Theo," Solomon managed to force himself to say.

Two women in bathing suits emerged from the beach cabana, one sort of helped the other. Theo said, "Looks like Laura is on the mend. Paiteet, fill the other two glasses and would you both excuse us please."

Solomon didn't want his son to see him beaten at his own game, "Fill the glasses son. Then go and walk the beach again, not a stick or piece of seaweed mind you, Miss Laura might want to take a swim. If you will excuse us, Gentlemen." It was going to be an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.

Theo and Edward watched the women approach, both rose from their recliners as they neared. Nancy let go of Laura's arm, she went over to stand next to her husband. Laura stopped and looked at the group.

Now

"Is that really you Sam?"

"Yes Kim, in the flesh," he glanced over at the other two smiling people, "well, less flesh than I had before. Guess I should go for the rock star look now."

"How do I know it's really you Sam?"

"How do I know it's really you Kimberly?"

Laura smiled, "Touché."

"There is one sure way Laura."

"What's that Sam?"

"My new name is Theodore Patrick Tailor, yours' Is Laura Eleanor Yaden-Tailor." He gave her a wink, "You can call me Theo, Laura"

"OK Theo, how do you prove, without a doubt, that you are who you say you are?"

Theo walked up to her, looked into her neon blue eyes, bent over and kissed her. She melted in his arms. She brought up her arms and held him tightly, "Sam."

"Theo, Laura."

"Whoever," she kissed him again, melting back into his arms.