On A Wing And A Prayer Part 3

Ca.s.s Conway"

Rox smiled. "Thanks Ca.s.s, I really needed that," she said out loud. So he thinks I'm stunning, does he? she thought. Well, I guess I used to be ... before Chris, that is. I seem to have this permanent bluish tint to my face these days. Well, we're supposed to go to Mom and Dad's next weekend, so that means no beatings this week, Rox thought as she read Ca.s.s' note again. So you bought my book based on the picture alone, huh? My publisher was right - s.e.x sells. I wonder how many other guys have bought the book for the same reason? Oh well, I'm glad you at least liked the story, she thought.

Rox hesitated before answering. "From the sounds of it, this guy doesn't really expect a response, Gerald ... but, what the h.e.l.l. What can it hurt?" she said to the stuffed giraffe she had sitting on her desk next to the computer. Gerald the giraffe was a gift from a fan who purchased her first book two years ago, and it had been a constant writing companion ever since. Clicking on the 'reply' b.u.t.ton, she responded ...

"Hi again Ca.s.s!

I am never too busy to respond to an appreciative fan. Thank you for your kind words ... but you are being far too generous in your appraisal.

Has anyone ever told you not to judge a book by it's cover? Buying my book solely based on the picture on the back cover was risky ... the book could have turned out to be c.r.a.p. But ... I am glad that you did, and even gladder that you enjoyed the story.

By the way, I noticed your userid is 'flyboy.com'. I a.s.sume you are a pilot? Just curious.

Later!

Rox"

Rox hit the send b.u.t.ton and watched as the note became irrevocably un-retrievable. Sighing deeply, she exited out of e-mail and entered her writer's chat room, where she spent the next two hours trading information and advice with fellow authors. Being a relatively new author, Rox gained a great benefit from the chat room. It allowed her to communicate and seek the advice and council of veteran writers, most of whom had best sellers at one point or another in their literary careers. Finally, at 5 pm, Rox logged off the 'Net and opened her word processor. For the next five hours, she threw herself into her story, totally absorbed in her latest tale of alien love and intrigue. Finally, thoroughly exhausted, but elated with her progress, she went to bed.

Rox was dreaming. She was in a field of flowers, wearing a diaphanous gown of cream colored crepe, billowing in the breeze. Walking slowly through the field, she stopped often to pick flowers, smelling each one before adding them to the growing bouquet in her arms. Every now and then, she would glance up at the sky and smile into the sun, basking in the warmth on her skin. Suddenly, from across the field, she saw a form approaching. It didn't seem menacing. The closer it got, the more Rox was convinced that it was a woman. Someone taller than herself, with long dark hair. She too wore a diaphanous gown of cream colored crepe. Rox thought to herself that is was odd they were dressed alike. The woman was not picking flowers, as she was, but Rox did notice that she was carrying something ... something resembling a sword. Is she a defender of some sort? Rox asked herself as the woman neared.

Rox continued to pick flowers, feeling no fear from this intruder. The woman continued her slow approach. Soon, she was close enough for Rox to see that she was very beautiful. Tall and slender, with long dark hair and piercing blue eyes. The woman walked toward her with self a.s.sured confidence. Rox wondered once again if this woman was a defender, or savior. Stopping directly in front of Rox, the woman looked down into her eyes and smiled.

"Who are you?" Rox asked, looking into azure depths.

"I am the other half of your soul," the woman answered.

Rox looked at her puzzled, her hand immediately going to her chest, her palm laying flat against her heart. "My soul?" she asked. "I didn't realize it was missing."

"I have always possessed it ... through countless generations in time. I have known and protected it through many lifetimes. Each flower in this field represents one of our lives together. Those you hold in your arms are ones already pa.s.sed ... those yet to be picked are yet to be lived. We are soulmates, past, present and future," the woman explained.

"Why are you here?" Rox asked.

"I am here to rescue you -- to protect your current life," the woman said.

"But there is no danger here," Rox replied, looking around.

"Danger is approaching ... let me protect you," the woman said, driving her sword deep into the ground beside her and taking Rox's face in her hands.

Rox was captivated by the sea of blue she was staring into, unable, and unwilling to move away.

The woman slowly lowered her face. Rox's pulse increased exponentially at the woman's touch alone. Her kiss would surely cause her to lose consciousness, as soft lips descended slowly to within a hair's breath of her own.

"Roxanne! Roxanne, you b.i.t.c.h! Where are you?" screamed the voice as Rox jolted awake, sitting upright in bed.

Rox was totally disoriented as she reached to touch her lips, the woman's warm breath still evident on her skin. Her eyes darted around in the dark trying to determine where she was. Finally, she realized that she was at home and in bed. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, she noted the time was 3:08 am. She also realized at that moment, that the voice she had heard call out her name, was Chris ... on a rampage.

"Oh my G.o.d, no..." Rox whispered into the dark as Chris burst into the room. She was suddenly sick to her stomach.

"You filthy b.i.t.c.h!" Chris roared. "You filthy, good for nothing, G.o.d d.a.m.ned b.i.t.c.h!"

Rox couldn't see well in the darkness. "Chris, what is it?" she said in a tiny, fearful voice.

"What is it? What is it? I'll show you ... what, b.i.t.c.h!" Chris said, grabbing a handful of Rox's hair and painfully dragging her out of bed and into the kitchen. Once there, Rox was thrown up against the counter, where she crumpled to the floor..

"There - that's what!" Chris said, pointing to the microwave.

Rox climbed back to her feet, looking confused, until all of the sudden, she remembered the roast she had put in there to defrost earlier that afternoon. Rox's face immediately took on a look of sheer terror. G.o.d, no!! she thought to herself as Chris grabbed her and slapped her across the face, sending her flying across the room and into the refrigerator. The next thing Rox knew, the belt was in Chris' hand and her back was on fire.

CHAPTER V.

IT WAS 2 PM by the time Ca.s.s' show was finished. Even though she had seen Fried Green Tomatoes several times, it always left her crying. "Poor Idgie!" she whimpered out loud. "To lose the love of her life like that. Thank G.o.d she still had her son." The movie reminded Ca.s.s of the type of relationship she had with Patti ... Patti was so Idgie ... before things went terribly wrong. The major differences, were that in real life, it was her Idgie that died, and there was no child left behind to love. She was alone with her memories and her pain.

Ca.s.s pointed the remote control at the TV and pressed the power b.u.t.ton, switching the set off. Still holding the remote, she curled up on the couch and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Resting her head against the arm of the couch, she stared straight ahead and let her mind wander back to better days.

They had decided on a picnic lunch. Packing the basket with sandwiches, fresh fruit, wine, cheese and crackers, they made their way to the river's edge, where they spread a blanket and sat cross legged, facing each other. For the next several hours, they talked and ate, feeding each other bits of food, grapes, and sips of wine from long stemmed gla.s.ses. An occasional kiss would pa.s.s between then, tongues raking across fingertips as a morsel of food was slipped into the other's mouth. By the time the meal was over, the aura of s.e.xuality surrounding the ladies was palatable, the atmosphere charged with s.e.xual energy. Reaching forward, Patti pulled Ca.s.s into her lap, Ca.s.s' long legs straddling Patti's waist. Chest to chest, they faced each other, eyes locked in s.e.xual combat as their hands roamed up and down each other's torso. Placing a hand on the small of Ca.s.s back, Patti gently lowered her to the blanket, covering her mouth with her own, and laying directly between the legs of her dark haired lover, her right leg stretched out, left knee bent and supporting her weight as she pressed her abdomen into Ca.s.s' core. "I love you, Ca.s.s," she whispered hoa.r.s.ely as she devoured Ca.s.s' mouth. For the next several hours, the ladies caressed and loved each other to distraction, until both were sated and weak with s.e.xual fulfillment.

Ca.s.s was brought back to reality by the sound of the telephone ringing. Snapping into awareness, she wiped the moisture from her cheeks with the back of her hand before reaching over to lift the receiver.

"h.e.l.lo? she answered.

"Hi Ca.s.s, this is Angie. Just calling to see if you'd mind bringing Stargazer II with you when you come to the diner tonight ... I'd like to read it," she asked.

"Ah ... sure Ang," Ca.s.s said, sniffing back another tear. "Sure ..."

"Ca.s.s, are you all right?" Angie asked, concern filling her voice.

"I'm fine, Angie ... really," she said, not sounding too convincing.

"Ca.s.s, I'm off early tonight. You're coming home to spend the evening with Roger and I, okay? It sounds like you could use the company," Angie offered.

"No, really, Angie. I'm fine," Ca.s.s countered.

"I won't take no for an answer - capishe?" the older woman said firmly.

Silence.

"Ca.s.s?" Angie asked.

"Okay ... Okay. For a couple of hours," Ca.s.s agreed. "And Ang ... thanks. I'll see you for dinner round 5 p.m.," she added before hanging up.

A couple of hours quickly turned into four as Ca.s.s unlocked her condo door at precisely 10:09 p.m. She always enjoyed spending time with Angie and Roger. Roger was quite a character. She swore he could make a stone statue smile. The childless older couple had unofficially adopted her when she suddenly started showing up alone at the diner at regular intervals for meals. Angie had seen her in the diner before with Patti, but she always seemed to be preoccupied with the attractive blonde woman, obviously very much in love. It wasn't too long before Angie noticed a change in Patti and immediately suspected drug abuse. For the next several months, there was no sign of Ca.s.s nor Patti, until one day, Ca.s.s came in alone, looking very drawn and tired. Her forlorn state went straight to Angie's heart as she immediately took the dark haired beauty under her wing, where she has remained ever since.

Re-locking the condo door and throwing her keys on the coffee table, Ca.s.s went straight to the bedroom, stripping her T-shirt and shorts off along the way. Moments later, she had crawled into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, falling into a deep sleep.

Ca.s.s opened her eyes and found herself laying in a field of wild flowers. Looking up, she noticed the sun shining overhead, warming her skin with its touch. Blinking several times, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up, noticing that she was wearing a diaphanous gown of cream colored crepe. Rising to her feet, she turned around in circles, looking all around at the apparently endless field of flowers. Suddenly, she noticed that she was holding a sword in her hand. Lifting it, she examined the weapon. The blade was approximately two feet long, the handle black and gold, and studded with milky colored gems. It was perfectly weighted, and almost seemed to be made especially for her.

Not knowing where she was, she began to walk, slowly strolling through the field of color. As she walked, visions came to her ... visions of past, present and future lives. Suddenly, everything was clear. She had a purpose, a goal, a mission. Continuing to walk, she eventually noticed a figure in the distance. She felt she was being pulled in the figure's direction. As she approached, she realized it was a woman, small in stature, with short red-gold hair and emerald green eyes. The woman was picking flowers, inhaling the floral aroma of each one before placing it in the growing pile in the crook of her arm.

She approached the woman and stopped in front of her. The woman did not seem to fear her, however, her own heart was beating out of her chest at the beauty of this small cherub.

"Who are you?" the woman asked, while looking directly into Ca.s.s' eyes.

"I am the other half of your soul," Ca.s.s heard herself answer.

The woman raised her hand to her heart. "My soul?" she asked. "I didn't realize it was missing."

"I have always possessed it ... through countless generations in time. I have known and protected it through many lifetimes. Each flower in this field represents one of our lives together. Those you hold in your arms are ones already pa.s.sed ... those yet to be picked are yet to be lived. We are soulmates, past, present and future," Ca.s.s explained.

"Why are you here?" the woman asked.

"I am here to rescue you -- to protect your current life," Ca.s.s said.

"But there is no danger here," the small woman replied, looking around for the danger Ca.s.s spoke of.

"Danger is approaching ... let me protect you," Ca.s.s said. Driving her sword deep into the ground beside her, Ca.s.s found herself reaching forward and taking the small woman's face between her hands. Her heart was pounding in her chest at the excitement and intensity of emotion that was coursing through her veins.

The woman seemed unable and unwilling to resist Ca.s.s' advances. Instead, she stood there, apparently captivated by the moment, tilting her face up to eagerly accept the lips that were descending toward her own.

Suddenly Ca.s.s bolted awake, sitting up and looking around disoriented. It took a moment for her to realize that was in her bed. She looked at the digital clock on the night stand ... midnight. Throwing her legs over the side, she sat up and rested her elbows on her knees. Dropping her head into her hands, she sat there for long moments, trying to remember the dream. The details were sketchy at best. The only thing she could remember in detail, was the face of the young woman. Lifting her head and looking straight ahead at nothing in particular, she whispered one word ... "Rox."

Ca.s.s had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was wrong ... she could feel it. Standing, she walked back and forth at the foot of the bed, trying to make sense of the dream. I wish I could remember more of it, she mused. Something about a sword ... soulmates ... past, present and future lives ... what does it all mean? she asked.

It means you're losing your marbles, girl! Enforcer piped in. Get a grip Ca.s.sidy! Soulmates? Past, present and future lives? Give me a break! Don't tell me you're gonna fall for all that spiritual mumbo jumbo are you? Geesh! You need help ... and you need it bad. Do something before you completely lose it, Ca.s.s. Enforcer encouraged.

Ca.s.s couldn't get the image of Rox out of her mind. Why would I dream about Rox? she asked herself. It must be because Angie and I spent hours talking about Stargazer I this evening. I have Rox on the brain ... yeah, that's it, she reasoned.

Ca.s.s went to stand in front of the window, looking out into the darkened, star-less night. Why do I feel so unsettled? My gut is twisted in a knot. Something is wrong. But what? "d.a.m.n!" she whispered into the night.

Wide awake, Ca.s.s paced back and forth, trying desperately to get the pet.i.te redhead out of her mind. Finally, acknowledging it as a wasted effort, she decided to take the opposite approach and to check her e-mail to see if the author had responded to her last note. Going to her office, she pressed the power b.u.t.ton on the hard drive, then turned and left the room to retrieve a cool gla.s.s of water, knowing she would strangle the computer with her impatience if she had to stand there and watch it boot up. Moments later, she returned and logged onto the Internet.

"Okay Rox, talk to me," she said as she selected 'new messages'. There it was ... one new message from Ca.s.s' heart flip flopped in her chest with excitement. Opening the mail, she read: "Hi again Ca.s.s!

I am never too busy to respond to an appreciative fan. Thank you for your kind words ... but you are being far too generous in your appraisal.

Has anyone ever told you not to judge a book by it's cover? Buying my book solely based on the picture on the back cover was risky ... the book could have turned out to be c.r.a.p. But ... I am glad that you did, and even gladder that you enjoyed the story.

By the way, I noticed your userid is 'flyboy.com'. I a.s.sume you are a pilot? Just curious.

Later!

Rox"