and quite right too. The man should be writing books not sitting on peoples bookshelves. (Anyway, I don't care if he's Steven King he should be using a chair like everyone else.)
@Paradox.....
its hard to comment when you are gobsmacked by the story!! give a fella time to digest it before i praise you....lol
LOL! Hey, THREE chapters and no comments, can make a guy begin to doubt himself. And you know what that can lead to? Loss of hair, loss of appetite, restless sleep, erectile dysfunction, marital problems and divorce, loss of job, car, house...
The fact that I am already, bald, jobless, and divorced has nothing to do with it! My life is in your hands my friends! Keep the ego fires stoked! And more words shall follow! When the flames begin to die...
@Paradox.....
its hard to comment when you are gobsmacked by the story!! give a fella time to digest it before i praise you....lol
LOL! Hey, THREE chapters and no comments, can make a guy begin to doubt himself. And you know what that can lead to? Loss of hair, loss of appetite, restless sleep, erectile dysfunction, marital problems and divorce, loss of job, car, house...
The fact that I am already, bald, jobless, and divorced has nothing to do with it! My life is in your hands my friends! Keep the ego fires stoked! And more words shall follow! When the flames begin to die...
};]
Ok boys! The man wants praise! I think we can do that. (I always though Handel was more of a looker) Anyway.....
@Paradox.....
its hard to comment when you are gobsmacked by the story!! give a fella time to digest it before i praise you....lol
LOL! Hey, THREE chapters and no comments, can make a guy begin to doubt himself. And you know what that can lead to? Loss of hair, loss of appetite, restless sleep, erectile dysfunction, marital problems and divorce, loss of job, car, house...
The fact that I am already, bald, jobless, and divorced has nothing to do with it! My life is in your hands my friends! Keep the ego fires stoked! And more words shall follow! When the flames begin to die...
};]
Ok boys! The man wants praise! I think we can do that. (I always though Handel was more of a looker) Anyway.....
You are an evil, evil man ClymAngus! I literally laughed myself into a coughing spell! }:] I may have thrown a chunk of lung!
No, I don't require quite that degree of adoration, although it was nice! };] I just need some kind of sign that my chapters are actually being read, and that I didn't "cross a line" that would drive anyone away, or "lose my mojo", etc.
Once I publish my first book, then you can all stop holding my hand! };]
Note down the number under "views" in relation to the thread of fiction you have just published.
Make a cup of tea, read a paper, feed the cat or whatever.
Pop back at an indeterminate point in time, refresh the page and by subtracting your first number from the one now there, you know how much interest there has been in your sanguine works of fiction.
Note down the number under "views" in relation to the thread of fiction you have just published.
Make a cup of tea, read a paper, feed the cat or whatever.
Pop back at an indeterminate point in time, refresh the page and by subtracting your first number from the one now there, you know how much interest there has been in your sanguine works of fiction.
Ah, but that merely indicates the number of visits to the thread. Do some click and run? Do some give up after a chapter or two? Does it count each time I answer a post? It s a good "rough" indicator I guess, but...
Ah, but that merely indicates the number of visits to the thread. Do some click and run? Do some give up after a chapter or two? Does it count each time I answer a post? It s a good "rough" indicator I guess, but...
Shut up and hold my hand damn it! };]
Well, here's 1 visitor to the thread that has read every chapter with pleasure (and intends to continue doing that).
"Aria, do you know when Bee's birthday is?" We had been bouncing back and forth between Teanrebi, Tianve, and Anle, for a couple weeks now. And I had suddenly remembered, that when I first met Bee, she had said she was almost 17, but I just realized, I didn't know exactly when her birthday was! How could I not know this? I felt very guilty.
"No Captain, I do not currently have that information on file. Do you wish me to search Aona's public records for it?"
"Yes please Aria. It's very important we find out." I was to embarrassed to just go ask her, because I should have asked her a long time ago.
"Affirmative Captain. It may take a few hours however."
"That's fine Aria, thanks. And don't tell Spitfire I was asking about it. Oh, and another thing. Can you get a hold of the pilot testing flight simulator program? You know, the one they used to train and test the pilots?"
"Affirmative Captain. That program is already in my data storage."
"Really? Can you run that on the vidscreen for me now?"
"Of course Captain." I played around with it for a few minutes, and sure enough, it was pretty much the same one, I had used on Lave to get my pilots license.
A couple hours later, Aria had found Bee's birth-records. "So her birthday is in three days?!?
"That is correct, Captain. However, it is also incorrect."
"Hunh?"
"It all depends, on which planet you wish to relate her birthday to, Captain."
"Aria... Me, simple country boy. You, big super smart, computer. Dumb it down for me, okay?"
"Yes Captain, I will attempt to explain." And so she did. And after two or three more attempts, I finally grasped the concept.
"You have got to be kidding me!" I was stunned. But this was good news. Terrific news! I think... "What do we have to do Aria?"
I had some work to do.
We were on the Teinve route, and once we had docked, I started making some calls, and sending messages. Bee spent the day working on our scoop. She had read some articles, and thought she could modify our scoop, to pick up small amounts of fuel as we flew. It wouldn't be much, she said, but every little bit helps. After dinner, I showed her the "video game" I had found. She was in heaven.
"Press space Commander."
"Oh POOP!" She shouted, as she plowed her ship into the side of the station. "It's not fair! You make it look so easy!"
I reminded her of my story, and how I almost died, launching the first time. Then, I showed her the tricks I had learned.
"Try this," I said. "Instead of trying to match the spin of the station, wait just outside, and time it. Then, when it's almost lined up, floor it!"
She made it, first try. She misjudged her second try, but for the rest of the night, she pretty much nailed it every time. I was very proud! "Good girl! 'Bout time for bed?" I had seen her yawning once or twice already. She shut down the sim. and followed me down the hall. "You gonna sleep with me tonight?" I asked. Her nightmares had gotten more frequent over the last week or so, and now I knew why. With her birthday coming up, she was thinking about her family. She looked at me and smiled. I put my arm around her shoulders, and we headed for my quarters. We skinned out of our clothes, and slid into bed. This had become a ritual now. She never had the nightmares, while she was with me.
Next cycle found Spitfire down in the scoop again. I could occasionally hear banging and cussing through the access ducts. I had Aria tell her I was heading into the station for a while, and that I would be back later. I had errands to run. I didn't make it back to the ship until late that afternoon. I found Spitfire on the bridge.
"Why did they shoot me!?" She was shouting.
"Attacking a Galcop space station is a major violation, punishable by death." Was Arias calm, matter-of-fact reply. I quietly came to stand behind the couch, she still wasn't aware I was in the room.
"Well who put the stupid laser button, so close to the deceleration button anyways?!"
"That's the same thing I wanted to know." I laughed.
Spitfire screamed, and leaped out of my seat on the command couch. "Morgan! You just scared the hell out of me!"
I was too busy laughing to reply! Suddenly, Spitfire jumped from the floor, to the seat, to the back of the command couch, and launched herself at me! She may only be five feet tall, but she weighed about 110 pounds, and it was all muscle. Except for a couple of nice cushy bits, in just the right places. I landed on the floor, flat on my back, with a Spitfire sitting on my stomach! "Don't scare me like that you big... bone head!" She got that one from my Pa.
I flipped her over onto her back and pinned her there. At six foot four, and a bit over two hundred pounds, I can do that. "Bully!" She said. So I started to tickle her. She screamed and giggled, squealed and laughed. "Morgan stop! Please Morgan! Noooo! I'm going to pee my pantieeeees!" She managed, between squeals.
"You not wearing pantieeees!" I mocked.
"Then I am going to pee all over the floooor! AAAAH!" Ooh... good point! Don't want that! I let her up, and after she punched me a few times, and I chased her around the couch a bit, we finally got back to the simulator. She practiced till dinner, and then more afterwards, till it was time for bed.
I was up early the next cycle. I had to be awake before Spitfire, it was part of the plan. I smacked a bare butt cheek that was peeking out from under the covers. "HEY! What was that for?" Came a grumpy, muffled voice.
"Sign this." I said.
"Sign what?" She turned over, and cracked one eye open to look at me.
"Just press your thumb there." I said, holding out my datapad. "Hurry up, I haven't got all day." She held out her hand with a huff, and I got the print. "Okay, I gotta go, go back to sleep. I will be back later." I kissed her on the forehead, and she burrowed back under the covers. Today was the day, and things were coming right down to the wire. I was back around noon. Spitfire had finished her work on the scoops, and I found her on the bridge, chasing pirates on the flight sim.
"Watch this!" She said as she headed towards the station. She used the fuel injectors right up to the docking buoy, "slammed on the brakes", and reoriented to the station. Then tapping the injectors, timed her entry to the station perfectly. She had docked in about 15 seconds. "Just as good as you do it!" She crowed.
"Not bad. Not bad at all, but come with me."
"Where we going?" She asked.
"To play a slightly better version of that sim." I replied. On the way out of the ship, I managed to signal to Aria, to begin operations.
Spitfire pestered me all the way to the pilot testing facility. When she saw where we were going, she said, "But I can't get a pilots license! I'm not eighteen yet!"
"I know, but I thought you might like to see what the real thing is like. So, I talked to one of the guys here, and arranged for you to play for a bit on a real one."
"Oh Morgan thank you! This is sooo cool!" One of the trainers got her strapped in, and for the next hour or so, Spitfire spun and flipped around in the simulator. The trainer came over to where I watched, gave me a thumbs up, and a small envelope.
Spitfire climbed out of the simulator, grinning ear to ear. We took our time heading back to the ship. We window shopped, but even though Bee had now amassed over 78 credits, she didn't really seem to be in the mood to buy anything. Finally, we headed back to the ship. I was just about to open the hall door to the common room, with Spitfire trailing close behind, when I stopped. "Oh, Bee... There's one more thing I wanted to say to you."
"Ya? What's that?" She asked, poking me in the stomach.
Another quick word if I may. I had to split the last chapter in two. It was getting a bit long, and I was torn as to whether I should post it as is, or just re-write it.
You see, I never intended for the story to go in the direction it has chosen. I brought Bee on board with a very young Kaylee (sp?) type character in mind. I made sure her option were open as well, so to speak. And I then planned to bring on another crew member to, at least temporarily, be Morgans love interest. I did end up revising things, and make Spitfire a little older as a "just in case", and to leave doors open for Morgan in the future. Well, he saw the open door, and bolted through it!
It was the white outfit's fault. I spent over two hours on that one paragraph. It was originally, going to be a MUCH simpler dress, but one that would show Spitfire in a more adult/mature light. But somewhere along the way, my imagination took over, and it got completely out of hand. Like most of this story. };]
Add that dress, to all the emotional moments these two have shared so far, and in such a relatively short time... And the following chapter is the result. I simply was given no choice. };]
The next chapter also brought on another dilemma. I was really beginning to push that "fine line/fence/wall" I have mentioned in the past. There is still nothing explicit. I have not jumped the wall, but I have seen it's top. And I wasn't sure it was appropriate for this wiki. After reading it over and over however. I don't feel the line has been crossed, and in the end, I have decided to post it as is.
However, the other side of the wall calls to me. };] Tempting me to elucidate upon certain moments and scenes. To write in a few true "bodice ripper" scenes (do they make bodice spacesuits?). I pondered earlier about there being another barrier beyond the one I have currently followed. And I put these questions now to my readers. Can one be explicit, without being pornographic? And, is anyone here interested in reading it, if I make a foray in that direction?
This would not be something I could post in this forum obviously, but I would provide links. Also, these stories would not take the place of this main one, but would be more like, extended scenes?
Did I say a quick word? Sorry! };] Here comes the next chapter!
I had hired a catering and decorating service to come in, and fix up the common room while we were gone. The lights were all off, and models of planets, suns, moons, and spaceships, each embedded with micro-gravplates, slowly spun and floated around the room. The little suns gave off just enough light to see by, but were helped by the hovering laser ball in the center of the ceiling. Beams of different colored light shot out in all directions as the ball slowly revolved. A large banner with "Happy 17th Birthday Spitfire" was draped across one wall. The table was laid out with all the fixin's for do-it-yourself hamburgers, just like that fancy restaurant had done. There was even one bottle of champagne! As Bee stepped into the room, Aria began playing music, then we both sang the birthday song to her. She was standing in the middle of the room, in the midst of all the floating planets and such. Her little hands covering the bottom half of her face again. And yes, tears were streaming down her cheeks, as she tried to laugh and cry all at the same time.
"How did you know?" She asked.
"Well, I remembered what you said back on Aona station. How you was almost seventeen. And well, I'm ashamed to say it Bee, but after that, I kinda forgot all about it. I asked Aria to find out for me just before we docked here. And she found out from your public records.
"You arranged all this in just three days..." She ran to me, and jumped up to throw her arms around my neck. I wrapped my arms around her, and then felt her legs go around my waist. She clung to me, like a monkey to a tree, in a hurricane. Crying into my neck she said, "You remembered! I didn't think anyone would know, but you remembered!"
"Umm... Well, umm, I just remembered you saying something about it. It was Aria who had to go find out the exact day for me. And we almost missed it!"
"But you didn't miss it, and you remembered what I had said.. Oh Morgan thank you! I love you! And thank you too Aria!" She said over my shoulder.
"You are welcome Bee." Replied Aria.
"Hey, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry." I said.
She did one her laugh-sobs, and gave me a full body squeeze with both her arms and legs. She wiped her eyes and nose on my shirt... and then I set her on her feet. Aria played music, and told us her latest jokes, while we fixed up our burgers and ate.
We had us a fine time! Once we had eaten our fill, I said, "Phase two please, Aria!"
"Yes, Captain." And into the room, came a server-droid I had rented from the catering company. It was carrying a small chocolate cake, with seventeen little holo-candles on top. Bee clapped her hands in delight. The cake was kind of small, but there was a reason for that... She blew out the candles (the micro-holoprojector was designed to detect a strong breath of air.). And she served it out.
"Looks like it's time for presents!" I said.
"Oh Morgan no, this was enough of a present!" She protested. But her eyes were also twinkling with excitement...
Well, that's what I thought too, but Pa and Terra thought different."
"Your Dad and Terra?" She looked confused.
"Of course, they're family too, ain't they? Aria, if you would please."
"Of course, Captain." One of the vidscreens powered on.
"Hello Bee and happy birthday!" It was a recording that had cost quite a few credits, to have transmitted to us here on Tianve. But I thought it was worth it. Pa was sitting in front of the camera, and Terra was behind him, her arms around his neck and her head against his. "Sorry we couldn't do this in person Spitfire, and there was no way we could get a gift to you in time. But Morgan told us his idea, and we think it's perfect. We will let him explain it, otherwise, I will have to sell the farm to get this recording to you. We love you Bee, happy birthday!" That last part they said in unison, then the video faded out.
Bee was crying again.
I went to my room, and fetched the present I had hidden there the day before. "Here you go Spitfire. This here is from Pa and Terra. Her hands were shaking as she slowly tore off the wrapping.
It was a picture. The frame was gold, and there were little ruby colored gemstones embedded here and there around the outside. Inside, playing over and over in a loop, was a holo-video of her dancing in the park. I also showed her that by pressing one of the gemstones, it would play the music she was dancing to as well. "We wanted you to always remember, just how beautiful you are." The dam burst loose again. I was holding her and rocking her. At least this time she wasn't crying 'cause she was sad! With my shirt once again saturated with snot and tears. I held her in my lap till she calmed down. "Aria and I still need to give you our present." I said.
"Oh Morgan, I don't know if I can take any more of this!"
"Well, if you don't want it, I can take it back I guess..." She slapped me on the arm, and tried to glare at me. The little tear stained grin sorta ruined the effect though. I set her back on her chair, and then handed her the other package I had been hiding. It wasn't so much of a package, as it was a large envelope. She lifted the flap, and pulled out the first sheet of paper. She looked at it a while and then looked at me, confused.
"I don't understand, what is this?" She asked.
"That there is a partnership agreement my little Spitfire! It's just a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo, that basically says, you and I are officially equal partners. Now even though, you and I know we are family, that paper there, makes it official and legal. Bee's eyes went from big, to huge as it sunk in. And she just stared at me for a while. "From now on Spitfire, your not just my mechanic anymore. You're my partner! Now look at the next one."
The paper fluttered like a butterfly, as her shaking hand set the paper on the table. She slowly pulled out the second one. "Oh no Morgan..." She breathed, looking into my eyes with her huge grey ones. "You can't be... I just can't..." She dropped the paper, and both hand went to her face again. I picked it up from the floor, and set it on the table in front of her. It was the ownership papers for Aria to the Stars. They now listed "Beatrice 'Spitfire' Noughty" as co-owner of Aria to the Stars. "That's right Spitfire, and here's why you can, and will, accept it. I'm giving you one half, of the most precious thing I own. Because, as a part of my family, I want you to have it! Also, Aria and I both talked if over. She agreed, that if anything ever was to happen to me, she wants you as her Captain."
"That is correct Bee." Said Aria.
She didn't knock me to the floor this time. She just reached over and sort of poured herself back into my lap as she started leaking again. Are all girls this emotional? I swiped at the tears in my eyes.
Through the sobs, I heard, "I never ever thought... I just never even... This is just so..." Then, after a bit, we started getting complete sentences from her again. "Thank you Aria!"
"You are welcome, Spitfire." Said Aria.
Bee arranged herself, so she was facing me with one leg on each side of my chair. She lifted her head from my shoulder, and drew back to look me in the eye. She still had tears slowly rolling down her cheeks, and her eyes were all red. but she sat and stared me down, for nine or ten long seconds. "Morgan Black, you big... lug (she got that one from Terra.)! You are the sweetest, kindest, most generous man I could ever even imagine. I love you Morgan Black!"
I smiled at her, "I know Bee. I love you too!"
"No, you don't know!" Suddenly, she looked and sounded a mite peeved. "I know that, you see me as just a silly, young, little sixteen or seventeen, year old girl. And I know that most of the time, that's exactly what I am! A scared little girl who has nightmares, and needs to sleep next to you, just to keep them away. Or who gets all emotional, and cries over the silliest little things. But that, is not all I am Mr. Morgan Black!" Hearing her use my full name like that... Made me a touch nervous.
"I am also a female. Not just a little girl... a female Mr. Black! And many of those nights I crawled into your bed, wasn't because of the nightmares. It was because I wanted to feel you next to me. I wanted to feel your skin against mine, to feel your body and your warmth! I already told you back on Aona station, I'm not a virgin. But I also know, you still see me as a child, and you are too honorable to think of me in an intimate way. But you just listen to me Mr. Morgan Black! Today I turned seventeen. And even though there's a lot of planets that consider sixteen to be an adult, I am not going to push you. I understand how you feel, and I love you for that too. But... In one more year, I will be eighteen. And on that day, Mr. Morgan Bartholomew Black... You are in sooo. Much. Trouble!
I had just enough time to wonder how in the hell she found out my middle name, before she kissed me. And then I forgot to worry about it. She kissed me long and hard, full on the mouth. And this wasn't no "love you like family" type kiss. This was a kiss, chock full, of dead serious promise! It was a kiss that Terra would have had to work hard to match! It left me gasping for breath and seeing stars! And I'm not talking about the decoration ones floating around the room either!
"I umm... I... I... Umm..." Yup, that kind of kiss. It took me a few minutes to pull myself together. She sat on my lap, watching me the whole time. Her face was still wet from crying, but she was also grinning ear to ear. Her eyes, still red, were now also full of self satisfaction.
"Consider yourself warned." She said.
"I... Um... I..." Okay, maybe I hadn't quite recovered yet. I tried to concentrate. "I... There's... There's something else I um... I need to tell you Spitfire." I think maybe, I had over played my hand this time!
"Oh no, Morgan, not another present, I don't think I can cry anymore tonight!"
"Umm... just come with me." I set her on the floor, stood, and held out my hand. She laced her fingers with mine, and I led her to the bridge. She was watching my face like a mouse watches a cat. I opened the door. Another banner was hanging from this ceiling as well. This one said, "Happy 18th Birthday Spitfire!" There was another small cake on a little table that had been set up in front of the command couch. Next to the cake, was a box and an envelope. "Happy birthday Spitfire!" Both Aria and I said again.
"I don't understand Morgan, what is all this for. I'm not eighteen." Her cute little brows were all drawn together as she gave me a confused look.
I will let you discuss the math with Aria sometime, but for right now, here's the bare bones." I took a deep breath. "Because of the way Aona turns and circles its' sun, a year on Aona, is a little bit longer than a year is on Lave. Now, according to Aria, if you had been born on Lave, you'd actually be eighteen years, one month, and fifteen days old right now." Her brows relaxed as her eyes grew large, and what I was saying began to sink in. "At first, Pa wanted to go ahead and adopt you straight out, seeing as you are technically an orphan on Aona. But the government on Lave wouldn't allow him to, because according to them, you're eighteen, and an adult. However, they have a provision that covers things like this. If both parties sign a paper, stating that your permanent home, is now with a family on Lave, then you are considered to be a member of that family. Even if you are not actually adopted. They even let you change your name if you want, but Pa figured that you might want to keep your daddy's name, so he didn't fill that part in. You can always change that later if you want to. That's up to you.
She had been wrong. She could, and did, cry some more. "Your dad wanted to adopt me?"
"You bet Bee, he's powerful fond of you, you know that. And, after you signed that paper, he pretty much did adopt you."
"I signed the paper..?" She looked at me confused like again. Then the little light went on. "The one you had me thumbprint in bed!"
I grinned. "That would be the one! But don't worry, if you don't like the idea, we can change everything back the way it was. They give you 90 days to change your mind if you want. Of course," I went over and picked up the envelope and handed it to her. "It would mean you would have to give this back too." Poor Bee just stood there, looking at the envelope, trying to take in everything that was happening to her. I pulled her around the couch, sat down in my seat, and pulled her into my lap.
This was a small envelope, and she finally managed to opened it. Her little fingers shaking again. It was her pilots license. "When we went to the simulator... That was the real thing!?" I just grinned. "You are such a sneaky bastard Morgan Black.
"Hey now, you watch your language Miss Spitfire." I teased.
"I don't have to! I'm eighteen now, and I can do what I want!" She fired back with a grin of her own, then she stuck her tongue out at me.
"And I'm still big enough to bend you over my knee and spank your bottom!" And because of the way she was sittin' on my lap, I was able to prove my point, by giving her mostly bare bottom, a good hard smack! She squealed and slapped my chest.
Suddenly, she looked very serious. She looked me in the eyes and said, "We're playing, I know. But deep down inside, you still see me as... as just a little girl, don't you." It was more statement than question.
I pushed a button on the arm of my seat. On the big vidscreen before us, a goddess in white began to dance. We both watched for a bit, then I said, "Yes Spitfire, there will always be a part of you that I see as a "little girl". And if you ever lost that part, you would break my heart. It's that part Bee, that lost, laughing, scared, lonely, loving, innocent, mischievous little pixie girl, that I love most. But after that night in the park..." I paused the video, and there I was, sitting in the grass just beyond my dancing Spitfire. My mouth was open slightly, and I had the look of a man who had just seen a vision. Because that is exactly what had just happened. "Right there Spitfire. Right there is the exact moment in time that I stopped seeing you as just a little girl. It is also the moment in time I realized, that I loved you, and not just because you were "family"... Thats when I realized that I was in love with you."
She turned back to look at me. The tears flowed down her cheeks, but that mischievous grin began to pull at her lips, and her big grey eyes began narrowed a mite. "Oh, Mr. Morgan Black... You are in so much trouble..!
A few minutes later, we had to break for air. Somehow, we had ended up on the floor. Me on my back, with her layin' on top of me. It seemed to be a pretty common position for us to end up in. She pushed herself up so she was straddling my stomach, one muscular leg to each side of me, another common variation. Then she started working my shirt up over my head. "You umm... Ain't you going to open your last present?
She gave me a look that said, "You can NOT be serious!" But then, she looked over her shoulder at the box on the table.
"You promise that's the last one?" She asked, glancing back at me.
"Yes ma'am, that there is the last one, I promise." I answered. Her curiosity got the better of her.
She used my chest to push herself up, and pulled her tiny little work-kilt down. As if that was actually going to accomplish anything! Even standing up, you could see the lower half of her bottom in that thing, let alone, what I could see from my current position on the floor..! She went over and got the box, then came back, stepped one leg over me, and plopped herself down on my stomach again. OOOF! She set the box on my chest and began to unwrap it. She gasped when she saw it, and her eyes grew bigger yet. She simply sat and stared for a few minutes, before she carefully lifted the dress from the box. I had seen that dress on a manikin in a shop, and I had stood, completely transfixed by it for most of twenty minutes my own self. I had no idea what it was made of, or how it worked. I didn't care. Even after I saw the price, I knew I had to buy it for my Spitfire! It had a high neck, and long sleeves, and fell all the way down, to puddle on the floor. But what had stopped me dead in my tracks, was the material. Imagine a bottle of pitch black ink, being slowly poured into a tank of crystal clear water. Where there was no ink, it would still be clear, while other areas, would look like a smokey cloud, and yet others would be black as night. That was how the material looked. And what's more, that's how the material acted! It wasn't a pattern, printed on the fabric. It actually moved and flowed, in never ending swirls and clouds across the dress. And areas that weren't currently covered by the "ink", were completely transparent! Like they was made of flawless, transparent silk! The sales girl had brought one out from the back and handed it to me. It weighed nothing at all. It was like holding black smoke in my hands. I held it up and asked why it was so narrow. But then she stretched the sides out to about four times its original width. I tried to picture it on my little Spitfire, the black inky-smoke against her pale skin, grey eyes and white hair. The ever changing pattern, concealing one moment, and revealing the next. A never ending game of hide and peek! I bought it on the spot.
Now she sat on my stomach, watching the inky-black, swirl across the fabric. She was as mesmerized as I had been. Eventually, she looked back down at me, then leaped to her feet and raced out of the room. "Don't you DARE move!" she shouted back, as she ran down the hall. I did move however. I picked up the box and the torn wrapping paper, the envelope, and her forgotten pilots license. It was several minutes before she returned.
My imagination had failed me miserably. Nothing could have prepared me for what came walking through the door. She stopped just inside, with her arms held out slightly to the sides. I stared. After what seemed like years, I heard someone draw a ragged desperate breath. It was me, I had forgotten to breath.
Black clouds before a pale moon. She walked towards me. "It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." She said.
I tried to speak, but I couldn't. I wanted desperately to tell her that she was the most beautiful thing in the universe, but my jaw hung slack. All that came out of my mouth, was my ragged, heavy breathing. She smiled and looked down at herself, then walked to the other side of the room. There was an exaggerated swing to her shapely little hips as she did so. Her perfect little bottom, partially exposed one instant, only to be hidden the next, over and over. I stood transfixed. She did a little pirouette at the far end of the room, then walked back toward me. She stopped in front of me, and look up into my face, waiting for my eyes to finally reach hers.
"Sooo much trouble, Mr. Morgan Bartholomew Black..."
We never did get to eat that second little cake that night.
