Realms of Eden: Home Fires B2A1-4

The woman began to laugh wholeheartedly as the man indicated for her to join him in the kitchen. She followed him out of the room and watched as he put the kettle on for tea. They chatted for quite some time over tea and biscuits that she found were delicious and asked if he made them himself. Shyly he indicated that he had but, "Only with the help of Kelsey. I am pretty bloody useless around the kitchen I am afraid."

Proudly he showed her the Kelsey Simmons' recipe vid display and Ronnie Kelleher was intrigued. "You know my George reckons I was a very good cook. He made some vids of me doing my dishes," she said. She didn't add "among other things," that she was almost tempted to do.

"Well perhaps, if you don't mind, you could add them to my education," the man replied. His eyes twinkled in merriment and Ronnie Kelleher got the distinct impression that he had read her intended addition to her statement. She blushed profusely.

"Now tell me Mrs Kelleher, what did you think of my bedspread and why did it make you sad?" he asked softly when they resumed their seats.

Ronnie Kelleher gave him a small smile and told him how her George loved the 30/40 hole, as he called it. "Thirty degrees warmer and 40 degrees tighter!" she cackled as the man across from her laughed loudly with her. She soon found herself telling the young man, who listened quite attentively to her, about the man who had shared the greater part of her life, now gone for the past three years. For some reason Sydney was beginning to understand the sadness, loss and pain in the woman's eyes for a man that held the woman's heart for so long. He also sensed the need in the woman to have someone to look after again. George it appeared was very much like the man she was having such a long conversation with.

"Let me guess, Mrs Kelleher. George had dark-blue eyes like mine," he said softly as she gazed at him as she finished speaking.

The woman nodded as Sydney passed her his handkerchief as tears gently fell from her eyes.

Kelsey Gilroy couldn't suppress her own tears as she had listened to the pair speaking. She had come back to see if the interview was over. Ronnie Kelleher was the last one of the day. If she did not prove to be the right one she would have to start ringing some more candidates. She turned away and silently went back to her own home. Part way back she began to smile, her boy was going to have someone to look after his house while she concentrated on loving him!

Jo was amazed at the energy Kelsey had when she returned from a very brief visit to Sydney's house. She had expected Kelsey to not return for some time letting her friend have a rare few hours with her boy. Jo still giggled when Kelsey referred to the ancient warrior up at the house to the north as a boy. "What happened?" she asked the beaming woman who had begun to clean up her rooms, pack the dishwasher and sort out washing all at the same time.

"Ronnie Kelleher is going to be a terrific help around here, Jo! You know what that means!" the woman giggled as she measured powder for the washing machine.

"You get to spend more time on your back than on your feet cleaning two houses," the nurse snickered as she hugged the smiling woman from behind.

"Sometimes Jo it feels like I haven't seen him for weeks then when I do it is simply to hand him his ironed shirts and pants, or give him his cleaned cricket spikes. I feel more like his mother on those days than his lover!"

Jo's fingers traced a path under the short skirt that Kelsey wore and the tips of them touched wetness high on Kelsey's thigh. Nuzzling into the woman's hair then kissing her neck she buried two of them into the source of that wetness as Kelsey pressed her hips back hard against her with a low moan. "I think she has gone Kelsey, my fingers aren't what you need here," she pressed them deeply inside the wet sex, "go, I will look after Jenny for a while."

Kelsey turned and kissed her friend then was out the door and heading to the house to the north. Jo sucked her fingers into her mouth and giggled as the woman met Sydney coming the other way. Both disappeared from sight at the top of the small slope that led back to Sydney's house. "I don't think I will go and feed the ducks just yet," grinned a little red head from beside the nurse who could faintly hear the noisy billionaire's daughter as she began to reap the rewards of getting Sydney's domestic chores off her list.

Another who heard the noisily coupling pair just out of plain sight over the top of the hill grinned a little as she brushed her dark hair and pulled it into place to fasten the tie around her pony tail. Bonnie was happy for her aunt, the woman would never slow down. Looking down at the small cut she had made on herself with her fingernails as she wound the tie around her hair she watched it heal before her eyes. She dipped her tongue onto the bright red blood that had seeped from the wound and licked until it was gone. No trace of any damage remained.

Jo looked up as Bonnie came into the kitchen and grabbed some orange juice out of the fridge. The girl appeared to be bright and happy but Jo could see the dark rings under the girls eyes despite the make-up she had applied. She hoped that the meeting Dr Evans had called for all of them while Bonnie was at school the next day would shed some light on how they could help the little woman that Jo cared very deeply about.

As Bonnie looked out the window over the kitchen sink towards where the lovers were just out of sight Jo lay her head on the dark haired woman's shoulder. "She will be ok, Bonnie, she has just been worried about everything and running herself into the ground." The shoulder trembled at her touch, Your nightmares being one of them, she added in her mind.

A loud scream and roar drifted down to their ears. "I think someone has just been ridden into the ground," Bonnie tried to joke as she turned in Jo's embrace and kissed the nurse softly.

"Hold me Jo, I'm scared," she continued as her eyes filled with tears. Jo Jepson clung to her little love mate desperately and hoped fervently that Sydney would come back down with Kelsey soon. Her wish was answered as the big man took one look at the crying woman and gathered her up in his arms to carry her down the hallway into Bonnie's bedroom.

He returned a few minutes later. His face carried a smile that certainly didn't reflect what the two women and one girl watching him saw in his eyes. "She is reliving the past," said Jenny softly as she took the big man's hand and tugged him over to the lounge and cuddled her small frame around him. Her little arms couldn't reach around the big man's chest but he still let her hold him as well as she could, he felt extremely comforted by the girl's body.

"It's always the same thing," he looked over Jenny's curls as he spoke to them all. "A crash, the burning, the blackness. I wish I knew what it meant! I can't hold the fears back, there is something powerful in her memories that stops me from fighting them."

"I will tell you all tomorrow everything I know," said Kelsey softly, "but not tonight. Bonnie's fears have been with her for a while now, worse since she has started to menstruate. Perhaps Dr Evans will have some more ideas tomorrow as well."

Jenny nodded her head in agreement. "I will watch her sleep tonight. Mummy, Syddy, you two need some time.

"Jo will you stay with me tonight?" she asked the woman who sat beside them on the lounge.

"Yes little one I will stay with you tonight, as long as you promise not to chase me all over the bed!"

The little red-head dived from Sydney to her and snuggled into the laughing nurse. "But you are so nice to cuddle, Jo," she squealed as rubbed her head into the warm breasts of the nurse.

Sydney and Kelsey laughed as Jo's long fingers began to find Jenny's ticklish spots.

Later as Kelsey and Sydney lay spooned together, ready for sleep, in his large bed, Kelsey turned to her lover with a quizzical smile. "You know we are being manipulated by a seven year old don't you?"

"Yes, but she does it out of love. Otherwise we would all be sitting around the kitchen table worrying about our little woman and with long faces. That is why she is more powerful than any of us Kelsey. She has had more experience than any of us."

"It just worries me that she is taking on too much. Her real mind is still only young. Yet she knows about sex, people, love. Quite honestly Syd she scares me!" Kelsey's voice showed the awe of a woman who has met more than her match and doesn't know how to handle it or what to do.

"Try being on my side Kelsey," Sydney said softly. "I am struggling to come to grips with a power that she has almost full control over." He grinned adding, "And I am a million years old!"

Kelsey shivered. "Sometimes I remember things Sydney. Like I watched you with her today, when she cuddled you on the couch. I have seen her hold you like that before except her arms wrapped you into her, not struggled to get across your shoulders. It seems like sometimes she is the protector and comforter of us all. I see the ancient wisdom in her eyes. My little girl is going to hold this whole world together someday," her voice dropped to a whisper, "even if it kills her."

Sydney could not give her anything more to quieten her fears. Wrapping the woman into his arms he simply held her gently. "She is more than capable, Kelsey. She is Mollenny."

The lovers drifted to sleep.

The object of their concerns walked the dreams of the little dark haired woman that lay in the bed with her and Jo. Diverting her nightmares of laughing with her parents in a hover that flew only a few metres off the ground and then suddenly exploded in a fiery ball of flame. The young girl struggled to keep her cousin's mind focussed on a soft glowing form that flew alongside the vehicle and reached out to pluck her from the flaming wreck.

In her large home overlooking Corkscrew Creek Ronnie Kelleher sipped her beer and reviewed the list that Sydney had given her. It was a list of the duties that the girls from the harem had created in order to look after the man that loved them all. Sydney Douglas had been quite open about the women in his life and what she might encounter on the three days a week that a housekeeper was required. His openness coupled with the slightly embarrassed look her gave her as he listed off names and descriptions had set her off to giggling.

"Mr Douglas," she had begun. He had told her that his name was Sydney and he would prefer that he call him that.

"Sydney," she had started again, "I am sure that all of the women that come here will get used to me. I am pretty open minded about these sorts of things. Some of my other part time employers used to wander around naked forgetting that I was there. I am sure that it will be fine."

The big man had laughed with her and he had gone on to tell her about Kelsey, Jo, Bonnie, Thelma and of course Jenny. Laughingly he had referred to them as the harem. Ronnie had been impressed with the man's obvious love for the four main women in his life but she could see the protective and very passionate feelings he had about the little red headed girl. Jenny had entranced her with her honest and open appraisal when she had first arrived. Somehow Ronnie believed that the little one was the most important one to impress.

She snickered as she recalled the conversation that she and her new employer had had when he formally asked her if she wanted the position.

"I am sorry Mrs Kelleher if there seems to be a lot to do for just one man," he had said. The list contained half a dozen items. Washing, cleaning, ironing, making the beds, watering the gardens and other duties as requested. Ronnie laughed out loud when she read the last scrawling hand written addition to the list, as if written by someone who was only just forming her words on paper, that simply said: Make him happy.

Gazing out into the darkness Ronnie sighed. "Oh yeah Jenny," she whispered to herself, "I will definitely be trying to make him happy."

Humming to herself she got up from the table where she had been sitting and made her way into her large kitchen. Opening the refrigerator she examined the stock of beers that were always present and decided to select the rare bottle of wine that sometimes resided in the chilled door area. The white wine was pleasant in her mouth as she took a sip before returning to her favourite chair on the verandah. The other chair remained empty, its slightly battered cushion still retaining the indentation of the man that used to sit on it and talk with her about their days.

Turning to the chair she raised her glass in toast and said, "Well George, I think this old lady may have found a reason to hang around this world for a bit longer." She grinned as a soft breeze sprung from nowhere and a small gust of air brushed across her legs and ruffled the material of her skirt. George always stroked her thigh with his big hands whenever she said something that made them happy. That stroking always seemed to fire up her sexual needs and if he left his hand there for any length of time she would find herself helplessly ready for his attention. Sometimes they never found their way back inside the house before their satisfied cries floated across the stillness of the air above the creek.

Ronnie Kelleher found herself opening her legs wider for the soft breeze as thoughts of the big hands and dark-blue eyes of Sydney Douglas stroking and watching her sent her into a state of excitement she had almost forgotten she could feel. Setting aside the wine glass her hands found their way between her legs to help the insistent breeze finish its job.

"Oh goodness, Sydney!" exploded from her mouth as her fingers rapidly flicked her swollen clit as her hips convulsed causing her chair to buck gently. The breeze blew a little harder against her hot wet flesh still exposed by her hands holding her panties aside causing more tingling. She thought she caught a pleased chuckle in the back of her mind from her deceased mate and the smile on her face grew wider.

Patrick Evans tried to finish the examination of the data he had collected. He had been trying to build a scenario that was understandable for the audience he would have later that day with the people he had come to admire most. Now he had a problem. Bonnie was an angel and he needed to protect her. Not from the renewed speculation that had recently occurred over the angel that was discovered 50 years ago, but from the hatred and grief that threatened to swallow the woman in her guilt at surviving.

With a sigh he realised he could do nothing else but present his findings. Jenny would have to find a solution where he could not. All of his professional instincts screamed a huge negative at the burden he was placing on a seven year old child, but he could not see any other way. He waited in his office for his appointment.

Alfred watched from the monitor on Patrick Evans' desk as Sydney, Kelsey and Jenny came in and took seats in the large lounge that aligned one wall of the office. Jo was already present beside the doctor and her cheery face was enough to lift the others in the room as she poured tea and offered biscuits. "Come on people," she cajoled them, "it's not as if we are going to a council meeting here!"

Sydney smiled and Kelsey laughed. She had attended enough of her local council's meetings to know how boring they could be. "I certainly hope it is not as boring as our local members are!" she grimaced as she sipped her tea.

"Well it is not that bad, but I guess some of the stuff I might put up will be pretty boring," said Patrick with a small smile.

Jenny stood in the middle of the floor and once she had all their attention she spoke. Softly and calmly, her million plus years of existence showing in the solemn brown eyes that regarded them all. "Dr Evans simply tell us what Bonnie's physical problems are. Then we can discuss the mental things. There is much work to do and I, for one, would like to know whether I can take actions that I think can be of use without hurting her."

Sydney grunted as if he had been hit as the little girl never changed her form. She spoke simply as the little red-head, he had expected Mollenny to appear.

"No warrior," the little girl shook her head as she turned her bright eyes up to him. "Mollenny has no place here, nor does the warrior. Bonnie has to be helped as herself, not as Bonnadrice."

Sydney nodded his understanding and waited for Dr Evans to begin.

The three adults took up the lounge chair in Patrick's office with Jenny arranging herself at Sydney's feet as Kelsey and Jo sat either side of him. Patrick pulled up his chair to face the four of them with Alfred watching from the monitor on the wall behind him.

"What I am about to tell you is something that Bonnie herself is not totally aware of, yet," he started, "but she is beginning to understand that what she is and what she thought she was are two different things."

Sydney looked up quickly at the man and felt Jenny's hand grab his foot and squeeze gently. "Wait" her body seemed to say, he relaxed and waited for Patrick to continue. Sydney felt Kelsey tense beside him and he placed his hand on her leg and squeezed giving her the same message. Jo had felt him tense and relax and so she followed his lead and kept quiet.

"Bonnie is a very special young lady," he continued, "and of course I know that you all feel that in your hearts for her but physiologically and psychiatrically she is very special in more ways than being an angelic woman." He paused, "An ironic use of the word there Doctor," he said almost to himself and he turned a very bright smile upon them and continued.

"Since the dawn of time we medical people have faced so many things that we don't understand and still don't understand I suppose. I guess that we continue to live and learn every time we deal with patients, diseases and catastrophes. Ever since the holocaust over 1,000 years ago we are facing more and more mysteries."

Jo spoke softly, "The mutations." Dr Evans nodded and took another sip of his tea and set the empty mug on the table.

Kelsey, seemingly needing something to do, rose from her seat and moved to the tray of tea items to pour another mug for him and for herself as well. Her hands trembled and she slopped a little tea on the tray before apologising to Patrick, who waved her words away with a smile.

Kelsey's eyes glazed a little and she spoke to the room. "As you all know Bonnie's parents died in a hover crash."

They all nodded and the thing that had puzzled Sydney for years suddenly crashed into his head. Before Kelsey spoke again he blurted out, "How does a hover crash? Unless someone was overriding the automatic controls they never crash!"

Kelsey nodded slowly. "Unfortunately we will never know. The reports said that something had caused the guidance systems to malfunction and the hover crashed into the ground at almost 300 kilometres an hour."

She gulped a mouthful of her tea before she continued, "Bonnie was in the hover."

Sydney's eyes closed then opened in shock as Jo beside him jumped out of her seat. "Impossible!" she cried, "She would never have survived!"

Dr Evans took over. "But survive she did and without a scratch."

Sydney was dumbfounded and shook his head in denial as Dr Evans continued. "You remember Syd when she broke her hand punching your mother?"

Sydney grinned at him. "Biggest haymaker I ever saw," the man smiled at the memory, not something he could have done at the time as his mother was crunching her heeled shoe onto his broken arm.

"Well we didn't need to plastisheet her hand. It was already repaired by the time she was brought in. We did it to take away any curiosity about her injury, to protect her from any unwanted attention. It was done at the insistence of Kelsey."