JANUARY THAW
© 2007 By C. J. Wells
Disclaimers: See Chapter One. The song "Valerie" was written by Steve Winwood and Will Jennings for Winwood's third solo album Talking Back to the Night‚ which was released in 1982. The more successful remix was released in 1987 on Steve Winwood's compilation album Chronicles.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ORPHEUS ENCHANTS
Lindsay and Rejeanne stepped out of Lindsay’s Hummer and into her dimly lit garage.After grabbing her overnight bag‚ Rejeanne followed Lindsay into the house.The two women walked through the utility room and past the kitchen to a spiral staircase that took them upstairs and eventually to Lindsay’s bedroom.As she walked into the bedroom for only the second time‚ Rejeanne began to feel butterflies in her stomach.
"Are you sure that Martin won’t be making an appearance tonight?" she asked Lindsay.
"Rest assured‚ Jeannie‚" Lindsay replied."He is not coming back here."
At that moment‚ Betty Shively approached the room and lightly knocked on the open bedroom door."Good evening‚ Lindsay‚" she said‚ "all of the changes have been made and your attorney will be expecting your call by 9 a.m. tomorrow morning."
"Thank you‚ Betty‚" Lindsay said before the older lady departed.
"What changes?" Rejeanne asked.
"I had every single lock changed‚ as well as the security codes‚" Lindsay replied.
"I guess you are really going to file for divorce this time‚" Rejeanne stated.
"Absolutely‚" Lindsay said.
Rejeanne walked over to the bed and gingerly placed her duffel bag on it before looking over at Lindsay who had begun undressing.
"Did I ever show you my bathroom?" Lindsay asked Rejeanne.
"No‚ is there something special about it?"
"Well‚ I’ll let you be the judge of that."
After the two women stepped over to the master bathroom door‚ Lindsay grabbed the door handle and opened the door slowly and dramatically."Ta-da!" she enthusiastically announced as Rejeanne stepped in and took in a deep breath.
"Holy shit!" Rejeanne exclaimed as she first looked up at the vaulted ceiling with a heavy arch and a small chandelier in the middle of the room. Rejeanne then looked around with jaw dropped at all of the amenities in the massive bathroom.On one side of the room was a pair of matching furniture-style vanities‚ with mirrored medicine cabinets on both ends of the vanities. Along another wall was a series of closets with mirrored doors. An elegant glass shower enclosure was situated next to a bathtub the size of an eight-person sauna.A 42" high-definition flat-screen television set was positioned on another wall.All of the cabinetry was done in rich solid antique oak‚ which contrasted beautifully with the slate tile flooring‚ marble sinks‚ bronze fixtures‚ and beveled mirrors and windows in the room.
"I thought that you’d like it‚" Lindsay said.
"Dude‚ I bet Buckingham Palace doesn’t have a latrine this nice.All I would need is a cot‚ a stove and a fridge and I could live in here."
Lindsay chuckled."I had it remodeled about four years ago‚" she said."I figured that I deserved to pamper myself somehow since my married life as I knew was going to be forever changed."
"So you had this done right after you found out about hubby’s infidelities?"
"Actually‚ right after I decided to stick it out in the marriage."
Rejeanne wandered over to the enormous hot-tub."Look at all the jets and gizmos in this thing!" she exclaimed."Who needs a husband?Just sit the right way and you can cop yourself your own multiple orgasms in this baby."
"Would you like to experience my bathtub‚ Jeannie?"
"Only if you experience it with me."
"Well‚ of course."
The two women sat next to each other with hands clasped under the water‚ relaxed and enjoying the massaging jets of the sauna.The combinations of the steaming and rippling water‚ a soft hand holding hers‚ and the soothing hum from the bathtub’s jets were beginning to put Lindsay to sleep when she was jarred awake by Rejeanne’s voice.
"Lin?"
"Uh-huh."
"Were you dozing off?"
"Kinda."
"I’m sorry‚" Rejeanne said.
"That’s okay‚" Lindsay replied."It’s really unhealthy to spend more than a half-hour sitting in this thing anyway."
"Do you like football?" Rejeanne asked.
"Not really‚" Lindsay replied."Why?"
"I think that you and I should go to Jo’s Super Bowl party next Sunday."
Lindsay sat up and looked over at Rejeanne."Why?"
"Because I think that Jo can help us in our search for the scrolls."
"Other than her being the reincarnated Bahri‚ how do you figure?"
"Because I believe that there is significance to her being the reincarnated Bahri‚" Rejeanne said."Also‚ there’s something that I didn’t mention to you about Jo."
"What’s that?"
"Jo’s adopted."Rejeanne started."I never brought this up before because there was no relevance to it until now.Her adopted dad‚ Mr. Clark‚ worked for the State Department during the Johnston administration‚ but then got embassy duty when Nixon became president.He was working at the embassy in Addis Ababa when he met Jo’s biological parents‚ both of whom were high-ranking officials in the Haile Selassie monarchy.They became good friends with Mr. Clark.When the Communist Derg took over Ethiopia in ’74‚ the US started pulling out all of the embassy employees.The Derg began imprisoning and killing Selassie loyalists.They executed Jo’s biological dad‚ but her mom was able to get out with the foreign diplomats and Ethiopian exiles.Jo was born in Stuttgart‚ then West Germany.Her mom died in childbirth‚ and it was her dying wish that Mr. Clark take baby Jo.He brought her back to the States and he and his wife legally adopted her here."
"So‚ Jo is Ethiopian‚" Lindsay stated.
"Yes‚ she is‚" Rejeanne said.
There was a long silence between the two women.
"Yeah‚" Lindsay finally spoke as she nodded her head."We need to go to that Super Bowl party."
* * * *
Lindsay’s Hummer pulled up to the headquarters of the Dell Valley Gazette."Would you like for me to swing by here at lunch time?" she asked Rejeanne.
"Sure‚ if you’re comfortable with that."
"Why wouldn’t I be?"
Rejeanne leaned in and kissed her lover on the lips.Lindsay placed her hand on Rejeanne’s cheek as the kiss grew deeper.Moments later‚ as their lips slowly and reluctantly separated‚ Lindsay looked deeply into Rejeanne’s sea-green eyes."Thank you‚" she whispered.
"What for?" Rejeanne asked.
"For making me the happiest woman on Earth‚" Lindsay replied.
As Rejeanne approached her desk at the newspaper‚ each coworker that she passed eyed her‚ but not one of them spoke other than a perfunctory "good morning."Moments after sitting at her desk and reviewing her assignments for the day‚ a familiar voice greeted her from behind.
"What’s up‚ Jeannie."It was Tyler.
Rejeanne turned to face her friend."Hey‚ Ty‚" she responded."What’s up with you?"
"Nothin’ much‚" he responded."How was your weekend?"
"Very nice."
"Things work themselves out?" he asked‚ cryptically.
"Yes‚ they did‚ very nicely‚"Rejeanne responded with a sinister smile that spoke volumes.
"That’s what I wanna hear‚" he said as he extended his hand for her to slap.
* * * *
For the remainder of their first full work week as lovers‚ Lindsay and Rejeanne decided to place thoughts of the souls and scrolls aside and focus on enjoying the newness of their relationship.Their ritualistic lunchtime phone calls had become a thing of the past.Now‚ the couple met in person for lunch.Most days they ate‚ but on one occasion‚ they were so overcome with passion that they crawled into the back of Lindsay’s vehicle and behaved as if they were a couple of horny teenagers at a make out point.After work found them at either Stone Hills‚ having dinner‚ then playing pool‚ table tennis or darts in Lindsay’s game room‚ or relaxing in the bathtub‚ or at Rejeanne’s condo‚ having dinner‚ watching TV or playing a board game.Each evening ended the same way‚ with the two women in full honeymoon mode‚ eagerly undressing each other and making vigorous love until sheer exhaustion claimed them both.
By Saturday‚ Lindsay and Rejeanne were contemplating their second trip to Chicago.Rejeanne was trying to figure out a way to approach her friend Jo about reincarnation.She believed that‚ in addition to Jo’s biological roots‚ her role in uncovering the scrolls was tied to her dreams as well‚ as Rejeanne recalled that her old friend tended to have vivid dreams.
Lindsay was far more anxious about the trip.She was going to meet a former lover of Rejeanne‚ and the thought was causing a burning surge of jealousy in her.She did not want to make a bad first impression‚ but a part of her‚ a part that she was rapidly beginning to tie to that Xena within her‚ wanted to make it clear to Jo that Rejeanne was hers now.
"So‚ are we doing another road trip in the Hummer?" Rejeanne asked.
"No‚ this time‚ I want to fly down."
"Commercially?" Rejeanne asked‚ "Or do I get to experience that skill of you piloting a plane."
"I’ll fly us down."
The two women arrived at the Alastair family’s private hangar located at the Dell Valley airstrip.There was one helicopter and three airplanes in the hangar; two single-engine planes‚ a late model Cessna 182 and a vintage 1966 Beechcraft Musketeer‚ and a Bombardier Global Express business aircraft.
"This is too cool‚" Rejeanne said under her breath as she looked at the airplanes."Okay‚ that plane is almost the size of a 747‚" she said as she pointed at the Bombardier.
"Not even close‚ Jeannie‚" Lindsay replied."But it’s still pretty fast for a small business plane."
"Are we taking that?"
"No dear‚" Lindsay said."I’m trained to fly it‚ but FAA regs require at least two crew members for a plane that size.We’re taking the Cessna."
Lindsay escorted Rejeanne over to the small plane where they were met by two aircraft mechanics who Lindsay had contacted earlier to prepare the plane for flight.After the plane was wheeled out of the hangar and onto the runway‚ the two women boarded and buckled in.Just before receiving clearance from the air traffic control tower‚ Lindsay turned to Rejeanne‚ who was sitting behind her‚ and handed her a bottled water and a pill."What’s this for?"Rejeanne asked over the noise of the plane’s engine.
"Dramamine‚" Lindsay said."This thing may bob and weave somewhat under the stress of January air turbulence."
"How did you that I suffer from motion sickness?"
Lindsay cocked her head‚ raised her eyebrow and smiled."Oh yeah‚" Rejeanne smirked."Duh."
* * * *
Rejeanne slowly opened her eyes and looked out of window of the small airplane and saw a sea of lights in the darkness of night and a cascade of light snow falling.Seated in front of her was Lindsay‚ who was talking into a microphone attached to her headphones.The plane was on the ground and Lindsay was slowly taxiing it down a runway.Rejeanne looked down and saw the airport ground crew directing Lindsay toward a private plane concourse.
Moments later‚ Lindsay removed her headphones."Welcome to Midway‚" she said cheerily to Rejeanne as she unlatched her safety harness. "We hope that you enjoyed your flight with us this evening and please fly with us again."
"Hardy-har-har‚" Rejeanne replied."I fuckin’ slept through the entire flight.Are you sure that wasn’t valium you gave me?"
"Nope‚ just Dramamine‚" Lindsay replied."I didn’t think that it would completely knock you out."
Rejeanne leaned up and stretched as best as she could in the confining cabin of the airplane."Where to now‚ Lin?"
"My driver is waiting for us‚" Lindsay replied."Tonight‚ we spend the evening at a hotel of my choosing."
The two women stepped out into the cold night air for only seconds before a sleek black Lincoln Town Car pulled up in front of them.A burly man with a goatee stepped out of the driver’s seat to open the rear door for the two women."Evening‚ Ms. Alastair‚" he said.
"Evening‚ Gian-Carlo‚" Lindsay replied."This is Rejeanne Piscard‚ my… my partner."
"Welcome to Chicago‚ Ms. Piscard‚" Gian-Carlo said as he took Rejeanne’s hand and helped her into the back seat of the vehicle.
Lindsay got in next to her and immediately took Rejeanne’s hand in hers.Rejeanne looked at her lover and smiled."Your driver’s an imposing-looking dude‚" she whispered. "Is he on loan from the ‘five families?’"
"Well‚ this is Chicago‚" Lindsay said jokingly.
"So‚ where are we going?" Rejeanne asked as the driver began cruising out of the airport.
"The Fairmont Chicago‚" Lindsay replied."They have a fabulous lakeside suite with a…"
"Oh‚ no‚ Lin‚" Rejeanne interrupted."I don’t want you to spend unnecessary money at some swanky hotel downtown.Let’s just go to a Holiday Inn or something."
"Look‚ this is what I want to do‚ Jeannie‚" Lindsay replied."Please‚ let me give you this special night… please.I so want to do this."
Rejeanne relented."Okay‚ but I’m drawing the line at room service.You don’t need to spend six dollars on a glass of orange juice."
"Fine‚ but I’m hungry now‚" Lindsay said."I’d like to eat right after check-in. We can go to the hotel’s restaurant."
"No thanks‚" Rejeanne said."There’s this karaoke bar about a mile from the Fairmont.When I was in college‚ my buddies and I used to go there‚ eat pounds of buffalo wings and sing ABBA tunes very badly."
"Okay‚ karaoke and buffalo wings it is."
* * * *
As the two lovers walked into the massive hotel suite‚ Lindsay guided Rejeanne over to one of the large windows."Just look at this view‚" she said.
Rejeanne was impressed‚ but still uneasy about Lindsay’s insistence that they stay in one of the most expensive hotels in Chicago.In Rejeanne’s mind‚ spending hundreds of dollars for the privilege of sleeping in a bed was abominable.As much as she wanted to voice her opinion on the matter‚ when she looked over at the bright and excited smile of her love‚ she just could not bring herself to voice her disdain."It is a beautiful view‚" she finally said.
"I’ve wanted to bring you here‚" Lindsay said."Winter is one of the best seasons to experience this view‚ and I can’t wait for you to see it in the morning when it’s light.Hopefully‚ the clouds will pass and the sun will shine over Lake Michigan for us."
"That’ll be nice."
"But in the meantime Jeannie‚ let’s get something to eat."
The karaoke restaurant was in sharp contrast to the hotel.Although it was dark and somewhat rundown‚ Rejeanne felt far more comfortable in the blue-collar surroundings of the restaurant as she eagerly guided Lindsay to an open table.Minutes after taking their seats‚ Rejeanne and Lindsay were greeted by a young waiter wearing a Chicago Bears sweatshirt.After the young man took their food orders‚ Lindsay grimaced at the bad singing that she was hearing from the patrons doing karaoke.
"They sound almost as bad as my friends and I used to sound‚" Rejeanne joked.
"Perhaps I could do better‚" Lindsay said as she stood and walked over to the woman operating the karaoke machine.Moments later‚ Rejeanne watched in utter disbelief as Lindsay stood up on the small raised platform and took the karaoke mike from the previous participants.Looking over at the karaoke operator‚ she nodded her readiness.
"Next up‚ Lindsay from Dell Valley‚ Wisconsin‚" the operator announced."She’ll be singing Steve Winwood’s ‘Valerie.’"
As the music from the hit 1980s tune began playing‚ Lindsay looked at Rejeanne and gave her a huge smile before she began singing.
"So wild‚ standing there‚ with her hands in her hair‚
I can’t help remember just where she touched me‚
There’s still no face here in her place‚
So cool‚ she was like jazz on a summer day‚
Music high and sweet‚ then she just blew away‚
Now she can’t be that warm‚ with the wind in her arms."Rejeanne placed her hand over her mouth in awe as Lindsay improvised the chorus.
"Jeannie P‚ call on me-call on me‚ Jeannie P‚
Come and see me-I’m the same girl I used to be."As Lindsay continued singing‚ some of the patrons looked over at Rejeanne‚ who began sobbing with jubilation.After finishing the song‚ everyone clapped as Lindsay‚ gleaming with accomplishment‚ returned to her table and her lover.
"I can’t believe you did that‚" Rejeanne said after she wrapped her arms around Lindsay.
"I can’t either‚" Lindsay said."I’ve never sung in public before.But watching your face light with joy was worth every minute of it."
Rejeanne grabbed her lover’s hands."That was the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me‚ Lin‚" she said."Thank you."
"You’re very welcome‚ sweetheart‚" Lindsay replied."Did you like my singing?
"Of course‚" Rejeanne answered."I knew that you could carry a tune."
"How did you know that I have a singing voice?"
Rejeanne cocked her head‚ raised her eyebrow and smiled."Oh yeah‚" Lindsay smirked."Duh."
* * * *
It was just before midnight when the two women returned to the hotel suite.Lindsay’s singing was still playing melodiously in Rejeanne’s mind as the two entered the room.She turned to Lindsay and grabbed to her hands."Thank you for a most wonderful evening‚" she said.
"It isn’t over yet‚" Lindsay replied as she began slowly and sensuously removing Rejeanne’s coat and then unbuttoning her blouse.Rejeanne then removed the blouse as Lindsay took off her own coat.She then threw her arms around Rejeanne’s bare waist and scooped her in for an embrace.Rejeanne cupped Lindsay’s cheeks and the two began kissing.The kissing continued while Lindsay strategically removed her blouse‚ and then unbuckled both hers and Rejeanne’s belts.Rejeanne reached down and unbuttoned Lindsay’s button-fly pants before sliding her hand under Lindsay’s underwear.She began rubbing Lindsay’s clit and labia‚ at first slowly‚ but then with increased feverish strokes.Lindsay likewise positioned her hand down in between Rejeanne’s legs and was stroking her as well.Through all this‚ they never broke their kiss.
Eventually‚ both women had removed what was left of their attire and had collapsed on to the king-sized bed.Lindsay scooped up Rejeanne and positioned her on to the center of the bed‚ still over the comforter‚ as they resumed kissing.She then straddled Rejeanne‚ placing her knees on the sides of Rejeanne’s hips and lowering her body so that four hardened nipples could connect.Rejeanne ran her hands down Lindsay’s long back to her rear where she kneaded and massaged for a few moments before returning her hand to Lindsay’s saturated vulva.She then entered Lindsay with her index and middle fingers‚ and while inside‚ bent the fingers to apply sensuous pressure to Lindsay’s g-spot.Lindsay let out a deep moan at the sensation and then immediately returned her hand to Rejeanne’s sex.
"I can’t get enough of you‚" Lindsay swooned as the pace of her thrusts inside of Rejeanne increased.
"I want more… more… more…" Rejeanne repeated as both women were enslaved by their passion.
Within minutes‚ Rejeanne cocked her head up as she was hit with a powerful orgasm.Lindsay’s came only seconds later‚ after which she relaxed her body next to Rejeanne’s and began gently caressing her face."I love you so very much‚ Jeannie‚" she whispered.
"I love you‚ Lin."
The two women lay quietly in each other’s arms for several minutes‚ enjoying the tranquility of their adoration and intimacy‚ until Lindsay broke the silence.
"So‚ who will be at this Super Bowl party tomorrow?" she asked.
"You mean besides Jo?"
"Yeah."
"Her girlfriend Shawn‚" Rejeanne responded."Some of their mutual friends‚ some old friends from college‚ and a couple of women on the force‚ I’m sure"
"So Jo has a girlfriend?"
"Yup."
"Do you think that there’s any chance that she‚ you know‚ that she still might have feelings for you?" Lindsay humbly asked.
Rejeanne chuckled."No‚ my Warrior Princess‚" she said."Jo and I are good pals‚ as it was meant to be."
"And your ex‚ Stockholm‚" Lindsay continued‚ "is there any chance that she might be there?"
"Oh‚ hell no‚" Rejeanne replied."Jo hates Ingrid’s guts because of the way she treated me.Besides‚ Ingrid got married a couple of months ago.So she’s totally embracing the hetero lifestyle these days."
Lindsay rolled her eyes."Goody for her‚" she said low and sarcastically.
Rejeanne laughed as she began curling up even closer in Lindsay’s arms."You are so fucking adorable.How is that you are so fucking adorable?"
"I have many skills."