Reflections

When I woke, I was naked in his bed, alone. He was nowhere to be found. The cleaned clothes hung on a hanger on the door as I looked over. Raising my head, I felt the pain of my hangover and realised I needed to shower badly. The daylight coming through the window suddenly became torture.

"I thought you might have enjoyed last night." The familiar voice said. I turned and sitting beside me on the bed was Pamela. "Morning Karen. I think I have caught up with you at last."

"What are you doing here? Are you...?

"Yes. The one you are looking for. This device takes some getting used to. It's so complicated. But I think I have the hang of it now." She said, showing me the device. "I knew I would catch up with you eventually. You don't look very happy to see me. What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing." I pulled the quilt closer to me, hiding my nakedness. She began to look at me in a certain way; the way men do when they are trying to strip you naked in their mind. "I take it you've been searching for me?" I asked. She wore a suit similar to the one I had hanging pressed and dry-cleaned; it suited her quite well.

"Yes. And learning how to use this device more accurately. Now I have the hang of it I think all of our problems could be solved." I couldn't wait to find out.

*****

Chapter Sixteen

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I showered in the bathroom, as Pamela explained further. I reached out for the towel and she handed it to me. "I know I've got it right this time. I brought you onto this time-line with me so that we can stop you leaping. This is the most stable one of all and we can start settling down into a life, with a future."

That did not help me. I had a daughter, my baby, and I needed to be with her desperately. And what about my original life, despite how miserable it was at times? "So you abandoned the idea of going back to birth? Starting a fresh life all over again?" I stepped out of the shower and dried. Her eyes locked onto me. I could sense that she found me appealing. She tried so hard not to make it obvious.

"Yes, it was too complicated. But what I found was this line we have now." She smiled. "It's our only hope. Everything is going to work out fine, trust me."

"But what about Tanya, my baby?"

"You will see her again. Believe me." She said with a smile. I noticed at that point how appealing Pamela was too. She and I were very similar, apart from the fact that she was a good ten centimetres taller than me and more rounded in certain places.

I began to dress has she watched every single move. "How?" I asked, trying to feel comfortable with her presence. Her admiration of me began to intimidate. "Am I still married to Steve? What about Dalkis, Tanya's father?"

"Dalkis never existed on this line. Infact, there are no aliens. In this dimension, the aliens just passed by earth completely. And yes, you're married to Steve." I looked at the wedding ring on my finger. My thoughts began to piece things together slowly. And if there was no Dalkis, then who was Tanya's father?

"Hurry, Ken will be back soon. You need to be back at your house." Pamela began to gather my things together, dropping them into my purse quickly. But, I wanted to see Ken again. I felt a need to say thanks for the wonderful night that he gave me, and at least, maybe just say a last goodbye.

"Wait. I need to see Ken before I go."

"No. I wouldn't get involved. It might alter the time-line."

Too late. The door opened and Ken walked in holding a fresh bottle of champagne. "Ladies! Pamela, I am so pleased that you have returned to join us. Please, I hope that you are both staying a while. I have some champagne to celebrate the meeting of this beautiful friend of yours." He took my hand and kissed it gently. He was charming in every way as far as I was concerned. He kissed my fingers and suddenly I realised that Ken was the man of my dreams. I needed to know more about him and his personality, everything. And then I realised what Pamela had told me about spoiling things. Was staying in his company a little longer going to make a huge difference?

"I'm sorry Ken, we have to leave. We have to be somewhere else right now." Pamela briefly explained.

"Why? We are getting to know each other so well, especially the charming Karen here." Ken replied. My eyes were almost eating this gorgeous man alive has he spoke. He looked at me and moved closer. My knees turned to jelly at his very presence before me and my heartbeats thundered inside. "Then if you must leave so quickly, then may I offer you this?" He put his calling card into the palm of my hand and closed it. Our eyes never parted from each other's glances. "I need to see you again my sweet. This can not be goodbye forever." His lips moved closer to mine and contacted in such a wonderful union. Then Pamela reminded us we had to go again.

In the cab she explained a few other vital things…

"Remember, you are supposed to be in love with Steve in this time-line. I know you are not very keen on him and especially knowing how he abandons you. But, Karen you have to make this work really hard or we are both in trouble. It's the best I can do. It took me so long to find this solution."

I wondered where I was being taken. From all accounts, Steve was much more successful and richer and was he still a virgin? I was about to discover these things very quickly, although it was hard to adjust to this new strange life I had to lead.

Life with Steve was luxurious. We were millionaire's a thousand times over. And I learned that our meeting was in a very different way altogether and yet fate had brought us both together with similar circumstances. The photographs became proof positive of a real love affair, and I had swapped lives with "me" who was completely my opposite.

I was a housewife and had access to as much money as I wanted. I also had to endure nights of unromantic passion with Steve making love to me, and I did what Pamela instructed and kept it sweet and level. But I was looking desperately for an escape and just waited for whatever was going to happen. And one thing was clear; I was also desperately missing Tanya.

Weeks had passed and Ken was becoming a memory rapidly. I stood in the bathroom and gazed at the tell tale result of the pregnancy stick. I was having a baby and I sat on the toilet basin thinking deeply about whose child I was having. There were no doubts, Pamela was right. This was Tanya and she was not Steve's.

It was early morning and Steve entered the bathroom. I hid the stick quickly behind the cistern. As always he was pleased to see me. And as always I pretended to be affectionate. His hands forever straying to parts of my body that pleased him, but not me. I detested his intimate loving touches and I played my part so well. Too well at times.

Steve enjoyed his sex. Infact, this was definitely a different guy to the virgin I knew. He pinned me against the wall, kissed me and I responded. I let him finger me, even feeling something, obviously, but it was erotic lust and not love. I closed my eyes and thought of Ken. To me in my minds eye it was Ken making love to me. When it came to sex, I was the submissive one usually and Steve took pleasure in that. It felt almost forced upon me at times.

I had to see Ken again. I made many calls to arrange a date and so far they had failed. Then one day to my surprise I received a message from him. He wanted me to fly out to New York and meet him for a long weekend. I could not resist. I called Pamela and told her what my plans were.

"Do it!" She told me over the phone. "The time is right and by the way…congratulations."

I made my excuses to Steve. I told him that I was going to a meet-up of old school friends. It was hard to convince him at first, because New York was far from my original hometown. He insisted on knowing every detail and Pamela helped me out. I was relying on her lots to guide me through whatever I had to do. But one thing was for sure in my mind all of the time; I was going to see Ken again and that was all that mattered to me.

I met Pamela at the airport and found the opportunity to ask some questions that I needed to know. We drank coffee in the restaurant and it was time for her to get my third degree. I needed to know what future there was in me and Ken being together. She was holding back information that worried me. She knew what my fate was in this time-line and was reluctant to reveal things.

"Karen, you are not going to like what I know." That scared me. "Ken is a great guy and you should keep on wanting and even loving him, if that is what it is. But there is something that you are not going to like just around the corner. The best way I can guide you is to live it and let whatever happens, happen. It will all come together for you. You will be happy. Trust me." She squeezed my hand and I looked at her with admiration and appreciation for her part in all of this. Weeks had gone by and I had not shifted to another time-line. Everything seemed to be going according to plan.

I often wondered about the other "me" whose life I was living. They were condemned to leap rather than me. That made me feel cruel in a way. Yet, I had only one life personally; the life that I knew and treasured now even more than I ever did. In my womb I had a daughter I loved and already gave birth to. And at least now I knew she was all human. Dalkis was just another entity on another strange distant dimension elsewhere in this complicated universe.

Ken was at his apartment. Pamela delivered me exactly as planned. The thing that bothered me was, she insisted on being there too. Ken had also invited her and I noticed how the two of them seemed to get on well together. I began to wonder if her presence was part of the disappointments I was to expect. I soon found out.

The two of them seemed to be far too friendly with each other. Ken was being affectionate not only to me, but to her also. He was beginning to over indulge in our shared company and Pamela whispered into my ear; "Just chill, let it all happen, you'll be ok."

We wined and dined, listened to smooth relaxing music and took part in varied conversation for hours. I wanted her leave, but that was not going to happen. The wine was making me feel relaxed and slightly intoxicated. Ken sat beside me on the couch and to my surprise, Pamela joined him. I was between them both and both their attentions were directed at me.

"Don't you think Karen is a gorgeous creature, Pamela?" Ken asked. I looked at them both and noticed that Pamela was silently flirting with me. There was a plan and it did not take me long to realise that I was being drawn into a threesome. Pamela slowly began to run her fingertip along my thigh and under my dress. Ken did the same, using his hand and stopped short of my thong. I felt neither good nor bad about what was happening. I was intrigued and found both there intentions very arousing.

"Lets take a look at her closely." Pamela suggested. I opened my thighs and slipped closer to the edge of the cushion. I allowed myself to be exposed to whatever intentions they had. They were determined to play with me and share me. Slowly Pamela eased off my thong, exposing me to Ken's wonderful and delicate fingers. He knew exactly how I liked to be touched. And then I looked at Pamela has she began to strip. I had seen her naked before on another dimension. This time I was realising how sensual she was in this dimension. She eased my breasts from my dress and began to kiss and caress my nipples has Ken moved between my thighs to do likewise with my clitoris.

I began to go with the flow of it all. I was being made love to by both sexes for the first time in my life and I found myself truly enjoying it all. Ken's oral sex was to die for. He knew exactly how I liked to cum, and cum I did. Then Pamela took her turn in providing me with the same, while Ken fucked her from behind. I learned quickly how empathic sex with another woman could be. Her oral was much different to Ken's. She knew exactly how I felt and responded likewise. Very soon I was returning the gesture and loved it. But one thing I desired most of all was to feel Ken inside of me.

The final act consisted of me being fucked into oblivion by his hard satisfying cock. He lasted well, providing me with an amazing triple orgasm. Afterwards, contentment and the numbing effect of the wine made me want to sleep. And sleep I did.

*****

Chapter Seventeen

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When I woke up I was naked and alone. I looked around and found myself in some kind of basement wrapped in a blanket. It was dark and cold. I gave myself time to think. Mixed emotions and thoughts of where I could be and of what had happened to me. One thought was, I had hoped it was not a leap onto another time-line. The other was even more fearsome; where was I and why?

I gripped myself in the blanket and checked out the basement closer. Steps led up to a door that was firmly locked. There were packing cases, some sealed and others empty. Whoever put me here at least provided me with soft cushions for a bed, bottles of water and digestive cookies. The toilet was simply a crude red plastic bucket. Light was provided by a dull light bulb hanging from the ceiling, and it was desperately cold.

After all I had been through so far I was getting tougher. Expecting anything to happen at anytime. But Pamela assured me that things were resolved now. I was getting ready to accept whatever the future held from that point on.

After many hours, the door locks clicked. I held myself tight in the blanket. Then I saw Pamela walking down the steps. Our eyes met in silence and thoughts of what we did last time we were together dominated my mind. She looked at me and placed a finger to her lips to tell me to remain silent. Then Ken appeared at the top of the steps and followed her down.

"My dear Karen, I must apologise for all of this…" Ken began to explain. "You see, it's a little difficult to explain. So, Pamela, if you wouldn't mind?"

Pamela looked at me. She was different. Her attitude had changed and she was cold. I knew she was acting that way for some reason and it had to be something that Ken had planned and she was going along with it.

"You are our prisoner." She began to explain. "Your husband is rich and we know that you are very valuable to him. Get the picture?"

I nodded my reply. So, I played the game. Ken to me was supposed to be a wonderful lover and now I had realised someone else. My thoughts turned to my fate in all of this. The time-line scenario was beginning to make sense.

"Pamela, dear Pamela." Ken took her hand in his. "Isn't she so clever? Her idea. And if things work out…" He kissed her fingers, using that same charm he used on me. "We are going to run away together." He looked at me and smiled. "It wasn't you Karen. Allow me to apologise for deceiving you."

"Bullshit!"

"My my, you seem very upset? But you can make us very rich. But, not here."

"We are moving you to a safer place." Pamela said. "You ready Karen?"

I stood up and let her clip the handcuffs to my wrists. Ken ran his finger along my thigh and sneakily brushed my mound. Not the romantic lover I fell head over with anymore, but now he was a cold calculating opportunist criminal, out to make money. And I wondered if Pamela was really part of his plans in all of this. Or, would he try to dump her after he used her?

"Karen. I am truly sorry that I have to do this." He lifted my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. "You are a beautiful creature. It hurts me to do this, but business is business you understand. You are worth more to me in dollars. I regret."

I simply stared back at him, trying to remain emotionless. What I wanted to do was spit in his face for the deception. Although I knew now what was happening, I still felt deceived for what he had done to me. Were there ever real feelings behind his lovemaking?

Outside it was cold and dark. The building I had been kept in was somewhere in the open countryside and with only a blanket to shield my naked body from the chilling cold I was glad to be placed in the back of a van. Pamela winked at me as I settled into the warm mattress before she closed the doors. I noticed that the handcuffs were loose, which was intended to aid my escape. Now I had to use my own cunning to my advantage.

The van began to move and in the darkness I recalled the time I found myself naked in the open clearing in the woods after being aboard the alien ship. Everything began to make sense. Finally I was on my way to make things right. If only Pamela would have explained more clearly what was happening.

The journey seemed long. I began to drift into a light sleep only to be woken up by the van coming to an instant stop, throwing me to one side. I slipped off the cuffs quickly and listened to what was taking place outside, trying to make sense of what was going on.

"Who are you?" Ken asked. "Why did you pull in front of us like that, are you crazy?" Suddenly I heard Pamela screaming and then a loud gunshot. Now I was scared. Pamela's screaming turned hysterical and I began to panic. I knew I had to stay calm as much as I could. When her screaming stopped followed by a deadly silence, a cold chill ran through me. I held my breath and waited. The shuffling of shoes on the gravel surface of the road broke the silence. Then the van doors slowly opened.

Pamela looked in. She held the time device in her outstretched hand wanting me to take it. "It's time to go Karen." Her face was tortured by pain and then I noticed the blood pouring through her fingers has she clutched her abdomen. "Please, press the button blinking, quickly…you don't have long before it's too late." I took the device and noticed the strange shape symbol on the button blinking. I looked at her, wanting to help her as she collapsed face down at my feet. I knew there and then what I had to do…

From that moment on I re-lived a part of my life over again. The divorce, Jerry Blackwell and giving birth to my daughter. I played every part of it out as if I had rehearsed a script in some play and I was giving a one off repeat performance. This time I knew that Pamela had died trying to make things right for me. And all those months re-lived I felt the pain in my soul torturing me. I wanted to thank her and tell her how I appreciated the things she had done.

Slowly I learned to live with my new life and my daughter. The day had come when I found myself shopping in the hypermarket pushing Tanya in the cart. I froze momentarily as I reached for the ketchup and that point when I slipped into another time-line the last time I was there. Nothing happened. I looked at Tanya sleeping and lifted the ketchup placing it in the cart feeling so relieved. I was still around and life continued as it was meant to. The repeat performance had come to an end and from this point onwards my life became my own. No more leaps.

"Are you ok Miss?" the curly haired shop assistant asked. "You don't look too good. I thought you were going to faint." I looked at him. His good looks and red hair astounded me. I wanted to throw my arms around him and thank him for just being there.

"I'm fine…really." I began to cry and laugh at the same time. I had mixed emotions and could not control them. "Thank you so much for asking." I replied. "I am so fucking happy right now."

"Excuse me?"

"No, you wont understand, it's ok." How could I explain it? I reached out and held him close. I think I embarrassed him has he slowly began to hold me in return. "I'm fine. Just so very happy that's all."

"Are you having a panic attack Miss? Is there something I can do to help?" he asked. I was about to attempt to explain as simply as I could when I heard another voice…