Spreading Seeds Saga 04

Lauren waved and took Molly up to where Barb was looking suspicious and had backed up to the length of her tie rope.

The women tried three more times before April was satisfied. The women got off the machine and were bent over catching their breaths. I grinned at Maria as she came out of the stall. She was smiling and breathing hard.

April got off the machine grinning and shook hands with the women who all gather around to congratulate her and Maria.

I walked up to check on Barb and found Lauren petting her and stroking her nose. Barb nickered at me when I approached her.

"She is beautiful," Lauren said. "Gloria B. told me about her and I saw her in the corral but never up close before." Lauren rubbed her nose and smiled.

"Gloria curries her three or four times a week. She's going to wear the hair right off her if she's not careful." I said and stroked Barb's nose. My hand touched Lauren's and I smiled at her.

She grinned and looked over to April and Maria, "Think they're finished for the day?"

"Most likely, the ones in the stall are all worn out." I said.

"I'll go get Molly's harness on then and we can start towing it back to Maria's shop." Lauren went and gathered up Molly and came by me. "Josh, are you going to be massaging tonight?" she was smiling.

"I wasn't going to," I said, "But if you come by about two hours after dinner, I'll come over and fit you in."

She smiled and said, "How about a little later after the kids hour?"

"I'll be there for you, waiting." I said and tightened Barb's cinch.

Lauren waved and went on her way. I put Barb's bridle on and tied the lead rope to my saddle. I watched from the shade as the women started to leave and thought about what April and Maria had said about the Buddha, they never told me what it was but it must be an engine of some sort.

Now we had engines in Davis but they never ran very well or long on vegetable oil lubricants. We, in Davis, had just about given up on them until we could get better oils.

I mounted Barb and rode down to where Maria and April were watching Lauren and another girl hook up the combine for its trip back to Maria's shop. April looked up as I rode up, "I'm going to check my oat fields while I'm out here." I said to her.

"Ok, as soon as the combine gets started I'll come down and see you." April said. Maria just looked at me and grinned.

"Sure, See you soon then," I nodded and tipped my hat and rode off.

I walked Barb down to one of the oat fields and saw that they had just been irrigated and the field was muddy so I didn't get down but I could see that they were growing well and seemed in good shape. I rode along the road that bordered the field. There were blinds built along the road of brush and dry grasses between the oats and an alfalfa field. The alfalfa was growing very well now but the field was uneven. Along near the oats it was high, but farther out the alfalfa was shorter and almost disappeared at the edge of the field.

I stepped down to look at one of the blinds. They were fairly low and an archer would have room to maneuver her bow in it. A small rough seat was on the oat field side so I figured that the archers had been setting here watching the deer in the alfalfa, waiting until the taller alfalfa lured the deer into range. There were drag marks coming from the alfalfa that appeared to be where the archers had dragged the deer to the road. I looked up to where the women were just making the assent to the rise over the fields. April was riding down on a bay to meet me so I walked along the road leading Barb.

April rode up smiling, stepped off her horse and led him up to me. "Hi" she said.

"Well are you satisfied?" I asked.

"No," she said, "Maria said she would build a training stall and get someone, probably Lauren De Soto to work with Molly while Maria modifies the tracks and rollers. But I don't know what we can do about the noise?"

"You'll figure it out. That's why they call it Research and Development. Nothing ever works completely right the first time." I said and put my arm around her shoulder as we walked on the road.

She grinned at me a little then put her arm around me, her hand on my hip. We walked a while, not talking but enjoying being out in the open and free.

"Oh, I had lunch in the Dining hall today." I said.

"Don't you every day?" she asked.

"Well today was different. Seven Black Brothers came for lunch. They called a meeting and took a vote and Amelia Desoto is taking it to the Council meeting this afternoon."

"What was the meeting about?" April asked, stopping me in the road.

"Well it was about the Fertilization Law and giving the men the Rights of Man. Some of them want to live in the village and they want to eliminate the Escorts."

"What let them run free?" April was terrified for a second. "You mean they want to live and work in the village not in the Barracks? Why?"

"Why? To live like this free, without minders and restrictions on whom you can do what with. They just want their Constitutional Rights"

"I have to talk to June," April said and mounted up. "Are you coming?" she asked as she whipped the bay into a gallop.

I mounted Barb and caught up with her. "Pull up a little!" I yelled. "That horse can't make a gallop all the way."

April looked at me and then pulled him up into a canter and I held Barb up to match April's speed. The bay was already breathing hard but was catching his breath and seemed to begin to enjoy the ride after a few minutes. Barb was in easy cruise and could hold this for a lot longer than the bay.

We passed the combine on the way and I waved to Lauren. She smiled and waved at me. We didn't talk on the way in but April was anxious and by the time we arrived at her house she was off the horse and in the house. The bay was spent and Barb was lathered a bit so I gathered up his reins and led him slowly down to the corral to let him and Barb cool off.

I let them have a small drink then pulled the bay away from the trough and tied and unsaddled them both. I took the bay's saddle in and hung it on an open strap and tossed his blanket on the saddle wet side up. I looked around and found a horse rug and took it out and put on him.

I took my saddle in and walked down the rows of saddle racks until I saw the one Gloria had told me I could use. Most of the racks had family names or numbers carved into them. Mine had a wood plate that said in flowing script, "Barb" and below the name a carving of her head with her nostrils flared and her neck arched. Gloria had carved it while on herd patrol and it was very well done and even had the blaze on her forehead outlined.

I picked up the curry brushes and a hoof pick at the door of the tack room and went out and scraped the sweat off Barb, checked her feet and brushed her until she had cooled down, I led her to the corral and let her in and took off her bridle. She went and took a long drink then wandered off.

I went back to the bay and took a look at him. He was pretty wet so I pulled the rug off him and scraped the sweat away and brushed him down some and took him for a drink and walked him around for 15 minutes before he started to look interested in his surroundings. I brushed him out, checked his feet, let him in the corral, took the bridles in and hung them with the saddles.

I was wondering what the hell had gotten in to April but I figured if she wanted me to know she'd have told me. I went to the Kiva and made notes on the progress of the oats and alfalfa. I wrote up a brief in my journal of the doings at lunch and April and Maria's conversation about the Buddha. I figured I find out more in the baths that I would in asking Sarge. So I got a beer from the cooler in the stores alcove and took Lady Chatterley outside for a read.

Sarge had finagled for a patio and barbeque to be built outside the Kiva and Able had come up with four Adirondack Chairs and a small table so I took a chair with the sun over my shoulder, sipped the beer and read about a time long ago, 1920 there had been a war, a man had come back paralyzed from the waist down, his wife stayed with him and they lived in England.

I knew where England was on the maps and knew that the English had colonized the east coast. It was to get away from English rule that had sparked the revolutionary war and gave us the Constitution that today had seemingly triumphed. There was talk of classes, Upper and Lower and I didn't understand some of the references but in the whole it seemed a depressing tale, perhaps it would get better?

The dinner bell was ringing so I closed the book and rinsed my empty then put it in the box at the door and went to dinner.

Wini served beef stew with vegetables and soft buttered biscuits and cold tea. All very tasty but not Lenore's style or subtlety of flavors. I wondered about how Bob was getting along and smiled as I thought of Lenore as she waved to me walking down the stairs. I had to admit to myself I felt jealous just a little. Lenore was such, had wonderful, had such ...? I couldn't finish that sentence and I was thinking about Lenore when Able came up and sat next to me.

"Did you hear, the Council voted to free the men?" Able said as he accepted a bowl of stew from one of the girls.

I turned to him, "I'm not surprised after the vote at lunch."

Able shook his head, "No, Sarge told me it was a close thing, the Black Brothers said that if the Council didn't approve the changes that they would have no recourse but to call in the debt that the Administration owed them. Apparently it is in the billions and billions of Burney Dollars."

"What How can that be?" I asked. It seemed odd to me. "Surely the Black's are part of the community, and paid their share of the community debts. If the Community owed them so much money, then the Blacks owed their fair share as well."

Able took a bite of stew and chewed a while then said, "I only talked to Sarge for a minute or so. He was walking around with Stewart after the meeting. Stewart decided that since he was a free man that he would spend the night in the Kiva, and Sarge was going to take him to the Baths tonight to Worship the Goddess for the first time. "

"Really? Well, he'll be happy in the morning," I laughed.

"He seemed happy already. He was walking around with only one go-fer girl about 15 and she was holding his hand and giggling. He introduced me to her, she's his daughter and she knows it. She walked around holding his hand and kissing him, kind of fatherly, but you could see she was happy for him. She was taking him around to show him the sights of the village and where she lived and introducing him to her mother, who Stewart had never seen before."

I ate my stew and thought about having to be introduced to the mother of your child after so many years. I wondered if I could remember the mothers of my children, and started thinking.

As I was thinking and eating, Mike came over with a woman on his arm. "Able, Josh this is Justine Hanford, Justine this is Able Drake and Josh Perkins."

"I know," She said. She smiled at us and said, "I'm so happy to finally meet you. I've heard about you both and I hope I get to know you better in the future."

Mike laughed, "Justine, you promised I'd be your escort tonight. Here you are now trying to pick up my friends."

Justine smiled at Able and I, "I was just being honest Mike, and didn't you say that honesty is best in sexual matters?"

"Yes it is best." Mike said and kissed her cheek. "But, I'll try to be all the man you need tonight." Mike turned to Able and I, "I heard all the players were all going to be in the bath house tonight to celebrate, you guys ought to go. Justine and I are going to stay at her place tonight, but you two ought to go to catch the overflow." He smiled and raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Able and I ate and left the Dining hall together. He was going to shave in case Amelia showed up and needed any assistance. I went to the Kiva and read a little more but the story was strange and I lost interest after thinking that maybe Astral might show up with Lauren, after all they were sisters.

I gathered up my massage oils and my oil heater, put on my robe and walked over to the Bath house. It was busy with women washing children and sitting around talking. I moved through the crowd, saying hello to some and being introduced to others. They all appeared to be in good spirits. I went to my alcove, set up for massage and went out to see if I could generate any hair washing business.

Amelia De Soto had a young girl about four or five in my shampoo chair washing her hair. She smiled at me, "I hope you don't mind Janie wanted to try the shampoo chair." I nodded to her and said, "Please be my guest. Perhaps I can give you a shampoo afterwards. I don't have any appointments and I am not on rotation tonight."

Amelia smiled and said, "Just a shampoo? Your reputation for bathing women is well known."

I laughed and said, "Able is going to be over here soon. It would make his day to be able to give you all the bath you need and he is on rotation tonight. How about a massage? I have time before my only appointment."

Amelia's smile got bigger and she laughed, "Let me finish Janie and get her home and I'll be back. Ok?"

"Sure Amelia, I'll see you in an hour say?"

"Yes Josh, an hour or less." Amelia hurried poor Janie through her shampoo and rinsed her hair, while I watched the crowd and Amelia, who in accordance with local custom was naked in the bath area and was well worth the viewing.

I wandered over and got a beer from the concession alcove, Steve was running the stand tonight. We talked a bit and Steve got busy selling beer and pinion nuts and so I left and took my beer to the pedestal and talked to Wini De Soto who told me, "Josh, you may not know how much this day means to me. I have been fighting the Bahia dominated Council for over a year to release the men. Finally we had a vote and we won. I'm so happy." She kissed me and not in a motherly way so I slipped my hand in her robe and caressed her breast. She kissed me harder and moaned a little, so I took my hand away, because after all it was still kid's hours.

She drew back, cupped my cheek in her hand and said, "Bless you my son, I really liked that, but Sarge is coming tonight and I'm sort of promised to him."

"Wini, save yourself for Sarge, I'm not on rotation tonight but I can still kiss my favorite Auntie, can't I?"

She smiled and kissed me softly. "Josh they told me you were smooth." She put her head close and whispered, "But if you shaved, you'd be irresistible."

I rubbed my chin and decided she was right. "Perhaps I will shave. See you later." I kissed her forehead and went in to the Massage parlor and got out my razor, lit the candles around the mirror I kept to show women the results of a Perkins facial, and dry shaved. My beard isn't heavy and I had shaved this morning so it only took a few minutes. I cleaned my razor, snuffed out all the candles but two and went to see Wini.

Wini was talking with a couple of women about her age and they were all smiling. I came up to her and said, "Wini what do you think? Am I irresistible now?"

She looked at her friends and said, "I don't know Josh perhaps if you came and let me feel?"

I moved over and put her hand on my face, "How is that?"

She smiled and felt my face with both hands and pulled me to her lips which nibbled my face a little then she kissed me. "I told you I was promised to Sarge tonight and here you come back and tempt me this way."

Her friends were suitably impressed and Wini said, "What do you think Sandy, isn't his face irresistible?"

Sandy reached out and stroked my cheek, her hands were very soft and she smiled at me. "Certainly appealing but I don't know about irresistible, what do you think Vera?"

Vera was slightly younger and smaller that Wini or Sandy. She smiled at me shyly and put out her hand. I moved to get closer and fell in her lap. She flustered at first but she felt my face as I looked up at her. She didn't say anything but just smiled and felt my cheeks with both hands and then said, "Well he seems irresistible to me but I'd have to kiss him first to be sure."

I got up out of her lap and took a seat facing her and a little to the side and almost towered over her. I smiled and looked into her eyes, "You may kiss me now."

Vera looked at Wini and Sandy, blushed then put her hand on my cheek and slid it into my hair and got up on her knees to get the right angle. She leaned down and kissed me hesitantly at first. Her lips barely touching mine then pulled back slightly changed the angle of her head and kissed me harder and pulled my head to her. Her other hand slipped into my robe and she felt my chest and squeezed my nipple. Since she was in my robe I slid my hand on to her leg and stroked inside of her thigh.

"Auntie Vera, What are you doing?" a voice said loudly.

Vera stopped and looked up. Her hand came out of my robe and she blushed, "Well Wini and Sandy were trying to decide if Josh was irresistible after he shaved. I was just trying to break the tie."

I turned and saw Amelia standing there.

Amelia smirked and said, ""And what's your verdict?"

Vera looked down at my face and stroked my cheek and kissed me again briefly. She sat back down and fanned herself.

"Well?" Amelia said grinning at me.

Vera looked at me and stroked my arm, "Well yes, I'd have to say that he is irresistible. But I'm no judge, he is the first man I've ever touched, or has ever touched me."

"In that case I offer you a free massage tonight." I said. It's on the house and the best I can do. I have to do Amelia and I have another client but if you can wait, say an hour or two, I'll be happy to touch you some more."

Vera blushed and looked at Wini and Sandy who both nodded vigorously. "Ok I'll just bathe shall I?"

"You've got time to bathe and relax a bit. Besides it's early yet and a woman as delightful as you are may have other offers tonight." I smiled, kissed her quickly and got up.

Chapter 21 - Inanna and Amelia

Amelia took my hand and we went to the Massage alcove. She hesitated about going in and I asked her why, "Well I wanted Able to see me go in with you, can we wait a minute until he comes in?"

"Do you want the hot oil treatment? I'll go light the oil heater and get that started, you peruse the services offered board and I'll be right back."

I ducked in to the alcove and lit the oil heater; a small oil lamp that had been modified to hold a small copper pot of water with a smaller pot inside for heating the oil. I came back out and Amelia was still looking at the price list and glancing at the entrance.

"Well have you decided?" I asked her smiling.

"I don't know what they all mean exactly can you explain them?" and she looked back at the entrance quickly.

I leaned over and whispered to her, "You know I am going to tell Able about this tomorrow. You play a dangerous game. Able might break me in half."

"Oh he'll know by tomorrow. I'll tell him, after." Amelia said.

I put her hand on my arm and said a little loudly, "Well Amelia You can have the Backrub for five cents. It is just on the back and mostly therapeutic for back ache."

"No I wanted more than that." she said looking at me seriously.

I glanced over at the door, still no Able, "Well I offer a full body massages for 12 cents, but that is with cold oil, it would be 15 cents for a hot oil full body massage."

She looked at me smirking and asked, "What do you mean full body?"

I looked at her and glanced up; Able had just come in the door and was looking around. "I generally start with the feet and massage them then the calves and thighs and then I work from the neck down the shoulders and arms then the back down to your hips. "