Chapter 13 (Sunday)

Early morning sun trickled through the windows and danced on the walls, but it went quite unnoticed by the lovers still locked in each other’s arms. Even Alex continued to sleep peacefully past her normal wake-up time. When she finally did awaken, she wondered whether it was the pills, the exhaustion of the experience, or the security of being close to Samantha that had allowed her the luxury of ‘sleeping in.’

"Good morning, Samantha," she whispered as she kissed the head nestled beneath her chin.

"Hmmm," replied the sleeping blonde. "Is it really morning already? Can’t you turn the clock back a few hours?"

"I do believe we already did that. You don’t have to get up yet if you don’t want to." Alex removed her arm from around the smaller woman’s body and started to get out of bed. She slowed her movements, as injured areas that had felt good lying still began screaming at her. She had been in one position all night long and her body was not at all happy at being moved. An involuntary groan escaped her lips and the exclamation shook the sleep from Samantha’s head. The blonde propped up on one elbow.

"Are you okay, Alex?"

"Just a little stiff from lying so still all night, Sweetheart. Go back to sleep."

"Uh huh. You just wait here until I go get the crutch."

"I can get the crutch myself, Samantha," Alex started to argue.

"I don’t think so; we left it in the living room, and I don’t want you putting full weight on that ankle. Gary also said so–and you know better."

Reluctantly, Alex remained seated on the bed while Samantha rolled off on the other side and limped into the other room.

"Doesn’t look like your body’s doing exactly what it’s told, either," her voice trailed after the small blonde.

"Yeah, well, at least it’s moving, and I’m thankful for small favors," the reply filtered back from the direction of the kitchen. "You just stay there; I’m going to put the tea on while I’m out here. I’ll just be a minute."

Alex threw her body backward on the bed with a disgusted "Humph!" She absolutely hated feeling helpless and that was exactly how she was feeling right now. After lying quietly for a few minutes, she sat back up. "Samantha, I’m getting up; I have to pee."

Before she was finished with the sentence, the blonde came through the door carrying the crutch. "My, my . . . aren’t we testy today. I have to pee, too and guess what? I’m going to beat you to it."

"Samantha!"

"But here, I’ll give you this to get started, and meet you in the bathroom." She handed Alex the walking aide and started toward the bathroom door.

Alex gave a painful sounding groan as she placed her weight on the crutch and rose to a standing position.

Hearing the exclamation, Samantha turned around and started back to help the brunette stand, until she saw the gleam in the sapphire eyes.

"Alexis Dorian, you’re playing me for a sucker!"

There was now a full smile radiating across the brunette’s face as she maneuvered herself up to stand in front of the smaller woman.

"Gotcha!"

"That’s not funny! Didn’t you ever hear of the boy who cried wolf?"

"Of course I did, silly, but I don’t think he needed to go to the bathroom as much as I do right now."

Samantha couldn’t help but give in when she saw the look of real anguish on her lover’s face. She might be a physical therapist, but she was certainly a lousy patient. At least she was in excellent physical condition and knew how to maneuver the crutch to her advantage, but she was used to moving with the speed of the hare not the tortoise.

"You go ahead, Alex. I’ll go check on the tea and be right back."

"You do that," the brunette smiled as she took her position on the seat of honor.

Although Alex was moving slower than usual, Samantha felt that her eyes looked a lot clearer than the day before and there was normal color in her face again. Alex's recuperative abilities amazed her, but she was determined to make the stubborn woman follow Gary’s orders and wear the gel splint whenever she was up moving around.

"Hey, I don’t want to be putting that on before I even have a cup of tea," Alex whined when Samantha came back into the bedroom carrying the splint.

"Do you realize you sound like me?" Samantha replied. "Gary said ice was your friend last night and today."

"Don’t you think I know that?"

"Alex don’t get nasty, please; I’m only trying to . . ."

"I know, Hon. I’m sorry. Give me the damn thing." Alex sat back down on the bed and reached for the splint. Taking it from Samantha, she grumbled again about wearing it, even though she knew she was lucky she wasn’t in a full cast.

"Do you have any more of the leaves you put on it in the cave? You know that really took the pain away; I hate relying on pills."

The blonde smiled as she started toward her backpack on the floor. "Actually, I do. I grabbed a handful of them and I even have some more of that root. You know Alex, I should really try to find the names of the leaves and the root. Where do you suggest I start? "

"There’s an Hopi trading post on the outskirts of town. We can drive over and ask someone there. If anyone knows the indigenous plants in the area, it would be the local Indians." She smiled over at her lover. "After all, it was a very special Indian who led you to them in the first place."

Samantha walked back into the kitchen area ahead of Alex, poured their tea, and set the cups on the table before sitting down next to the brunette.

"So . . . what are we going to do?"

"Let me give Kim a call at the Center and see how everything’s going, before we decide on that, okay?"

"Sure, but you have to call the Moms either way, right?"

"Right, Samantha. I’ll call and tell them what happened and why we won’t be home tomorrow. But let me call Alternative Paradise first. In fact, I’ll do that right now and get it out of the way." She started to get up from the table but felt a small hand as it gently kept her from rising.

"I’ll bring it to you."

"Samantha, I’m able to get up and get it myself," Alex protested.

"Why can’t you just let me do the little things and stop fighting this? If you insist on getting up every time you want something that ankle is never going to have the opportunity to heal properly. I know you don’t like feeling helpless, Alex, but you’ve got to think about the outcome. Isn’t it better to let me do now and have you get better sooner?"

"Okay, okay–that’s enough of the lecture. You’re right. I’ll try to stop letting my ego get in the way and let the body heal. So . . ." Alex shrugged her shoulders and pointed in the direction of the telephone.

"Good girl." Samantha picked up the telephone and handed it to Alex. "I’ll go use the bathroom while you make the call. I’ll be right back."

"Take your time; I’m not going anywhere."

Sam headed to the other room and Alex dialed the familiar number. Minutes later the blonde came back into the kitchen area to find her lover sitting pensively, looking out the window.

"So . . . what’s the verdict?"

Without turning around Alex began softly, "You know, Samantha, I don’t know whether to be pleased or disturbed. It’s either that we did a damn good job in picking and training the personnel or we’re just not that important."

Two small arms draped themselves around the tall woman’s shoulders. "Are you jealous of the monster you created, my love? I guess you’re trying to tell me that the show is running along quite smoothly without us?"

"Exactly! And I’m not sure how I feel about it." Glistening sapphire eyes searched those of emerald green for understanding, and she was not disappointed.

"Alex, you told me yourself this was part of your plan. You said you wanted to build the Center and then be able to take off and travel and know that it would operate at optimum efficiency even if you were not physically there. You accomplished what you set out to do, you should be proud of yourself."

"I am. I’m proud of both of us for hiring the right crew and teaching them to work as a team. It’s just that I feel . . . "

"Useless?"

"Well, I wouldn’t go quite that far; I feel helpless right here–I don’t need to feel useless, too." She chuckled and grabbed one of Samantha's hands, bringing it to her lips for a quick kiss. "I guess I simply didn’t expect it to all gel so quickly. They’re doing fine with the clinic patients, the doctors are being kept happy, and all the classes that have been scheduled are running smoothly. Of course in another week an entire new set of lectures will be set into place and no one really knows enough about that aspect of the Center to set them up, so we will have to be back by the first. It seems you’re more indispensable than I am."

"Uh, huh–don’t go there, Alex–no pity party here. You’re the coordinator, for gods’ sake; don’t go getting ridiculous on me."

"Okay." The brunette nodded in agreement and then continued. "What do you think to giving the Moms a call and inviting them to come spend a few days with us here and then letting Kelley fly us all home?"

"Sounds like a great idea to me; that way, I don’t have to worry about you overdoing either of those injuries. Remember you have to be in perfect condition by the end of October when we go up to visit Sonny and Ray."

"How could I forget that planned occasion?" She turned around in the chair and pulled the smaller woman in close to her. "Guess we get an extended vacation. The only problem is I’m really not in much shape to be amorous, what with two limbs swollen and painful."

"I’m into snuggling. You can still snuggle can’t you?"

"Yes."

"And kiss? You’re lips didn’t get bruised did they or your . . . " she started to giggle and Alex aided in the process by tickling her with an uninjured hand.

Samantha took advantage of the fact that Alex could not hold onto her very easily with her left hand in a splint. She stepped away from the seated woman and shook her finger in Alex's direction. "No fair tickling! Besides, you’re just going to get yourself hurt. I think you’re not the only one able to take advantage of this situation.

"Okay! Truce. What to do say to going down and having a pancake breakfast?"

"I say it’s time to get dressed! Pancakes sound great."

Although it took longer than usual to get dressed and ready to leave the rooms, neither of the women were in too big of a hurry.

Gary had decided to join them for the meal and wanted to know all the details of the catastrophe and how they got back to the Jeep without totally ‘fucking up’ Alex's ankle. The women began dancing around what happened after they had fallen and Samantha had gone in search of the car.

At first, the two women would exchange glances as one or the other told bits and pieces of what had occurred. When Gary got an incredulous look on his face because he didn’t understand why they were being so evasive, Alex said the hell with keeping it from their friend and blurted out the entire story.

He sat there listening to the taller woman speak, with Samantha interrupting occasionally. As unusual as it was for him, the man didn't utter a word until the two women both stopped talking and sat looking at him.

There was an uncomfortable silence and Alex was just about to try changing the subject when he seemed to find his voice.

"That’s the most incredible story I’ve ever heard and living around here, I’ve heard some wild stories, believe me. Damn! I’ve been through my own regression and found the experience thrilling, but to actually see a vision of your former self, even with the wounds I would consider that excursion into the canyon a success."

"We kind of feel the same way," Samantha agreed.

"Wait ‘til your parents hear about it. Aurora’s going to be exhilarated, it puts all her theories into the light." Gary turned to Alex. "Have you decided what you’re going to do about getting home?"

"Yes, I’m going to call Mom and Kelley when we’re done here and fill them in on what happened. I think I’ll leave out the revelations until they arrive."

"That sounds practical enough; otherwise, knowing Aurora, you’ll be on the phone for hours," Gary agreed with Alex. "Also, I want the two of you back down to the clinic before you leave for town. I’d like to put some magnets on your knee and wrist, Alex and a couple on Sam’s knee. "

"Magnets?" The blonde gave her friend a skeptical look. "I thought we were weird talking about reincarnation," she giggled.

"They’re special magnets used to help speed up the healing process."

"Oh, I’ve read about them in one of the sports magazines at the Center," Samantha countered, looking pensive.

"We’ve found them to be quite an asset, in most cases, sometimes the bruising even disappears overnight. It never hurts to stack the odds in your favor." Gary reassured her as he got up from the table and kissed Samantha gingerly on the cheek. "I’d like to see the two of you leave here in good condition, after all this is a healing center. I’ll see you before you go in town, but now I have an appointment scheduled."

Finishing the meal didn’t take long, and to avoid having to ambulate anymore than necessary, Alex used the phone in the lobby to call California while Samantha busied herself with some of the literature on the tables.

When Alex finally returned the phone to its cradle she was sporting a look of satisfaction.

"That was actually a lot easier than I thought it was going to be."

Samantha scooted over closer to her lover on the couch. "What do you mean?"

"I thought I might get a lecture about hiking in unknown territory and being unprepared, but Mom was just concerned that we were both okay. Kelley said there was no problem with coming out and flying us back. She said Mom deserved a mini vacation; she’s been working hard on her new book and could use a little change of scenery. Of course, I know we’ll have a lot of explaining to do once they do arrive, but I know Mom will get so caught up in the past lives experience that she’ll probably forget all about us getting hurt." She reached over with her right hand and brushed a strand of hair from Samantha’s forehead. "We were really lucky, you know?"

"Yes. We were." Samantha agreed. "So, when do we expect your folks?"

"Hopefully, Tuesday sometime. Kelley’s going to call for reservations today and let me know this afternoon. So, are you ready to go get tortured?"

"Not me. I only have a few aches and bruises; you’re the one he really wants to see." She helped her lover up off the couch and slowly the two of them headed in the direction of the therapy room.

The next hour was spent with Gary fawning over the two of them, again and taking a few more tests to make sure Alex didn’t have any problems he hadn’t caught yesterday from the concussion.

Alex trusted Gary, explicitly, when it came to the process of healing, almost more than she trusted herself. He had been working in the field for more years than she had and had delved deeper into the spiritual aspect of healing as well as continuing with the physical. By the time he was finished with the women, he had talked them out of leaving the Center and going into town for the afternoon. He counted on Alex’s professionalism to kick in and make her realize that walking around on her ankle would only slow the healing process. She agreed that they could go to the trading post when they went to pick Aurora and Kelley up and that would give the injury an extra day or two to heal.

Gary promised that if they would behave themselves and relax for the rest of the afternoon, he would send someone over to the video store to get them whatever movies they desired. To make the compromise even sweeter, he told Samantha he would make sure the kitchen made pizza for dinner and have someone bring one up to them.

With the promise of one of her favorite meals and the aspect of sitting around watching movies all day, Samantha was in her own little heaven. Alex, on the other hand, felt a little less thrilled at the aspect of having nothing to do all day but watch videos, but when she saw the look of elation on her lover’s face, she gave in to all the stipulations Gary laid before them.

"What movies would you like to see?" the blonde leaned over and asked her partner.

"I don’t really care, Samantha. You go ahead and pick whatever you want." She smiled sweetly into the angelic face. "I’m a captive audience today."

In all honesty, Alex was glad for the chance to just sit and relax; she didn’t feel as chipper as she was letting on. It would do her good to sit and not be walking around on the wounded ankle. Samantha promised to repeat the hands on treatment she had performed in the cave and Alex was looking forward to it.

After Sam put in her movie order, the two women returned to their rooms. Samantha made some popcorn and poured them both something to drink. "At least we’ll be ready when the munchies hit," she stated, as she brought the refreshments into the living room and placed them on the coffee table. A knock on the door soon heralded the arrival of the entertainment and the two settled in for a sedentary afternoon.

A tapping sound jolted the two lovers from a sound sleep. Alex loosened her hold on the small blonde and reached for the table light switch, as the room was unusually dark. "Um . . . who’s there?" she croaked before stretching to read the clock in the kitchen area.

"Ah, excuse me, Ms. Dorian," an apologetic male voice filtered through the door. "It’s Jeff, from the kitchen. Mr. Black asked that I bring you up a pizza. "

By this time Samantha had her hand on the knob and was opening the door. "Thanks," she smiled at the young man. "It smells marvelous!"

"Mr. Black said it was getting kind of late and he hadn’t heard from either of you. He didn’t want you to miss dinner, so here I am." He handed the large covered tray to Samantha and turned to go.

"Tell Gary thanks, we really appreciate the delivery," Sam called after him as he started back down the hallway.

"Will do. Enjoy!" He waved at her without turning around.

Samantha sniffed at the pizza, while walking into the kitchen. She grabbed two plates and some extra napkins and proceeded into the living room. "I guess we were more tired than we thought. I don’t think I saw 15 minutes of the second movie before I was out like a light."

"Ditto. But, I’m awake now and that pizza will not last long; I guarantee." She reached out and took the plate Samantha had filled for her and placed it on her lap.

True to her words, the dinner was made short work of by the two women. Samantha rewound the movie and they actually watched it this time.

"Why don’t you try doing what you did on my head before to my wrist and ankle? Would you mind? It would be good practice." The brunette smiled down at her lover who turned away from the television when the credits started to flood the screen.

"You know I’m not sure exactly what it was I did in the cave, Alex. I just kind of placed my hands on your head and could feel where the throbbing came from."

"No time like the present to practice."

A pensive look crossed the freckled face as she helped Alex remove the sling Gary had insisted she wear during the day. The ice had definitely kept the swelling to a minimum, but the skin circling the tall woman’s wrist was a deep purple.

"Damn, that looks painful." Samantha could feel the tears welling in her eyes as she inspected the damaged area. "I noticed that you have some bruising on the shoulder, also."

"It looks worse than it feels, Honey," Alex reassured her. "It was inevitable that the shoulder would discolor a little, after the shock it received in the fall. In a few days, I’ll be as good as new, promise."

"If that were the case, Alex, Gary wouldn’t have suggested you call Kelley to come fly the plane."

"I didn’t say the ankle would be as good as new," the brunette retorted. "Besides with a few days rest, I could have probably flown home."

"Uh huh." Samantha nodded her head and smiled. "I’m just as glad you decided to call your folks."

Positioning one hand on either side and slightly above the bruised wrist, Samantha could feel a difference in the temperature of the skin as she slowly moved her hands around. Her own palms began to emit what felt like a surge of warmth as she concentrated on relieving the pain in her lover’s wrist.

"I can feel the heat coming from your hands, Samantha."

"I think I can feel the area of the most damage," the blonde replied as she worked on the injury.

They agreed that putting a movie on might be distracting to the healing they were trying to accomplish, so instead the two women sat and rehashed all that had happened to them the past few days. The entire time they talked, Samantha worked on the bruised wrist and then some on Alex’s ankle. When she looked like she was beginning to tire, Alex insisted that she stop and that they get ready for bed.

"One more day of relaxation is my limit," Alex commented as they turned down the bedspread and climbed onto the bed.

"We’ll see what your parents have to say about that." Green eyes twinkled as the blonde teased and then waited for a reaction.

When she didn’t receive the expected answer, Samantha lifted her head to spot a tear trickling down Alex's face.

The tip of her finger caught the moistness as it rolled down her lover’s chin.

"Alex, what’s the matter, Honey?"

The dark-haired woman turned her head, only to have a small hand turn it back, forcing her to look into the concerned verdant eyes.

"I feel so helpless and vulnerable. I haven’t felt like this since I was a child, and I hate it!"

"No one likes to feel powerless, Alex."

"You don’t understand, Samantha . . . "

"No! You don’t understand, Alex. You’re not Superwoman, even though you have made yourself out to be one for all these years. You are flesh and bones like everyone else and you can even break. I don’t know why you feel you have to hold onto this façade, but it really is time to let it go. You could have been killed trying to keep me from getting hurt; how do you think it makes me feel to look at your injuries and know that all I have is a small limp because you took the brunt of the fall? I love you, but sometimes you can be a real pain in the ass, Alexis Dorian."

Alex placed two slender fingers across the pouting lips of her lover and shook her head, a smile brightening her sapphire eyes. "You’re absolutely right–I’m not Superwoman–I think this little escapade shows that quite clearly. But," and her voice took on a deeper more serious tone, "don’t you ever think that I wouldn’t react exactly the same way again. You’re the most precious thing in my life, Samantha–your safety will always be my responsibility."

Samantha began to interrupt but was quickly stifled.

"Remember when we first met and I told you I would be there for you if you fell?"

The blonde gently shook her head in affirmation.

"I will always be there if you stumble or fall, Samantha." She hugged the smaller woman closer and kissed her on the top of her head. "My wrist and ankle feel much better after your treatment tonight, thank you."

Samantha mumbled, "I’m glad, and you’re more than welcome."

"I don’t know about you, but I’m tired again," Alex confessed. "Must be all the resting we did today." She giggled slightly and pulled the smaller woman closer. "Sweet dreams, my Destiny."

"Sweet dreams, Alex."

Although they were both more tired than either of them would have thought, the lovers lay in each other’s arms without sleeping for the longest period of time. Each was lost in a world of her own where thoughts of ‘what if’ and ‘why’ floated aimlessly around in circles. Visions of the Indian maiden and brave graced the mind of both the women as they closed their eyes to sleep, and Alex thought she could feel Samantha's heart beating faster as she gently squeezed the smaller woman in a soft embrace.

It was the experience of a lifetime, actually coming face-to-face with a former self; at least that is what the two had to believe the Indians were. The situation set Samantha off on a new course in her life and gave her something to strive for that had never been there before.

For Alex it was an epiphany that all she had been taught through her childhood had, indeed, been truth. In her heart of hearts, she was always afraid that perhaps her mother merely had a highly intelligent but overactive imagination. Now she knew there was more truth than fiction in her mother’s philosophy.

The evening grew late before the two lovers became dreamers, and even then, they shared a common bond as each relieved their own special memory of the Indians’ visitation.

Again the sun was well above the horizon when sapphire blues batted their way into wakefulness. The weekend was over, and by all rights Alex had planned on having the two of them back in California and headed up to the Center by this time. Of course, life has a way of telling you when it’s time to slow down a little, or perhaps even stop for a day or two and merely enjoy the surroundings you find yourself stuck in. As was the case here, Alex had no problem enjoying her environment. What she did have a problem with was not having the ability to move around easily, due to the outcome of the other day’s excursion.

Her body still rebelled to movement as she began to unwind from the small woman snuggled up against her. No sense in making her get out of bed, because I can’t sleep.

But, it seemed that Samantha was tuned in to Alex's every move.

"You okay, Alex?" Sleep-filled eyes peered up into her lover’s face.

"Sure, Honey. I’m just getting cramped being in this one position and I can’t force myself to sleep any more this morning; just let me get up and you can go back to sleep, okay?"

"No."

The answer took Alex totally by surprise and she stopped inching toward the edge of the bed. "What do you mean, no?"

"I mean if you’re getting up, I am, too."

"That’s silly. I know how much you like to sleep in."

"I slept most of yesterday away. I even slept through a movie. I think I can manage to see the sun before she reaches her noon position today." Green eyes now sparkled as the blonde rubbed the remainder of sleep from them before scooting up and planting a kiss on the full lips of her lover. "Hum, you taste great! You want to . . ."

"Samantha, I’d love to but . . ."

"I know," the smaller woman pouted. "It’s just that you look so . . ."

"If you say helpless . . . "

The small blonde gave an impish grin as she kissed her lover on the cheek. "I wouldn’t think of insulting you like that," she giggled as she slid off the bed and hobbled into the bathroom.

The rest of the morning cruised by as Alex used the laptop to catch up on her e-mail and Samantha sat pensively on the porch doing some writing. They met Gary for lunch, watched another movie, and played a game they had borrowed from the recreation room.

By the end of the evening both of the women were feeling immensely better and anticipating that by tomorrow doing a little shopping with the Moms would not be too difficult a task for either of them.

Wrapped contentedly in each other’s arms, they bid the evening adieu with no more than a final good night to each other. The day had been long, even though it had been uneventful and their bodies were still in a recuperative mode, allowing sleep to find them easily.

Being driven to the airport, while sitting in the passenger’s seat, was not the way the independent Alexis Dorian had intended on greeting her mother the next time she saw her. But, Alex was not a fool and realized that calling her parents to come and fly her and Samantha home was probably the least selfish and most practical thing she could have done.

She knew headstrong and independent were duplicate middle names of hers, and she tried her damnedest in the past to be totally self-sufficient and not rely on her folks for minor and even for some major setbacks in her life. She was aware that she hurt her mother’s feelings when she didn’t include the older woman in some of her daily activities, but that had been the way their relationship played out, and she had always figured that her mother would merely have to deal with it. Now, things were slowly changing and she was being drawn closer to her family as she realized how much Samantha relied on family influence. Alex was even beginning to realize just how selfish she had been these past years when shutting her parents out of important events in her life. Since Samantha's mother was no longer the main figure in her life, it seemed Aurora was filling a much-needed void for the small blonde. Samantha loved being with Aurora and the feeling was obviously mutual.

The brunette laughed to herself as they turned the corner and came in sight of the airport. Her final thought before spying the plane carrying her parents to her aid was that this must be what ‘married’ life was all about.

"Well, you ready to greet your saviors?" Alex kidded as she turned and faced and unsmiling Samantha.

"I wouldn’t go that far, but do you realize how lucky you are that your parents can put their lives on hold to come and help us, or that they’d even want to, for that matter?"

Putting her hands up in surrender, Alex quickly tried to change the subject. "Hey, girl, I didn’t mean to start World War III here; I was just kidding."

The blonde’s features softened as she placed a hand on Alex's cheek. "I know you were only kidding, Alex, but I don’t think your realize just how great your parents are."

"Sure, I do," the brunette shrugged her shoulders as she grasped the small hand on her cheek. "I just don’t like feeling like a child, and right now I am feeling rather juvenile having to have the Moms come and take me home."

"At least they’re around to do it, Alex. Think what it would be like if you didn’t have them to rely on when you really needed help." She looked into brimming sapphire eyes and smiled warmly. "I really can see both sides, Honey, and I know you could have ‘bought’ us out of this, but isn’t nice you have family who come to help when you need them?"

Samantha brought the car to a halt and turned to face her companion. "I love you Alex. Thanks for stepping down into the child’s position and calling your folks; everyone needs to be needed occasionally, even Moms."

She leaned over and kissed away a small tear, as it trickled down Alex's face. "Now, get rid of that wet stuff, or Mom’s going to think you’re in pain. She’ll really go into ‘mother mode’ then and you’ll find yourself being pampered a whole lot more than you bargained for." Receiving the smile that the comment called for, Samantha directed her attention to the runway where a small jet was coming down for a landing.

Even though the gasp was small, Samantha heard Alex's reaction as she spied the plane that was now grinding to a halt on the tarmac.

"What is it Alex? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

"Nothing," the brunette started to stutter slightly, losing her normal poise and control. "I just wasn’t expecting them to ask Uncle Al to fly them here."

"Uncle Al? Great, I get to meet another relative. You don’t talk much about your relatives, Honey. Whose brother is this?"

"Kelley’s and before we go any further, he’s gay, too, so we’re all just one happy family!" She shook her head slightly as she grabbed her lover’s hand. "Bear with me, Darlin’, you’re about to embark on an unforgettable adventure."

The questioning look on Samantha's face made the taller woman smile as she tried to quickly explain the enigma.

"Uncle Al is kind of the black sheep of the family, even though there are so many of us on the gray side that he barely stands out anymore. He’s Kelley’s older brother and I think he came out to Gram when he was about five." She couldn’t help but grin at the incredulous look on her lover’s face. "That’s just to say that Gram was not at all surprised when Al blurted out a week before the male equivalent to the debutante ball that the only person he would even think of appearing with would be Kelley. He refused to escort the debutante his father had picked out for him and announced that either his sister would be at his side or his date would be wearing a tux like he was. My grandfather knew there was no arguing with him and Kelley was Uncle Al’s date for his ‘societal coming out’ party. Listen, Honey, I don’t have time to go into all this before they come tripping off that plane. Let me just say that if you like the Auntie Mame character, you will love my Uncle Al. He’s as close to a free spirit as you are ever going to meet and . . . "

The plane had completed its landing and the passenger door was opening. Alex sped up her conversation with a promise to fill Samantha in on all the details later that evening when they were alone. The blonde smiled broadly at her partner’s uneasiness.

"This is definitely going to be fun," Samantha acknowledged as she saw a hint of red paint Alex's cheeks.

As the three relatives approached the Jeep, baggage in hand, Alex whispered, "Samantha, please don’t be surprised if Uncle Al is extremely doting."

That final confession only heightened the enthusiasm that had been building ever since the blonde saw the jet on the airfield. "Oh, this is absolutely going to be an evening to remember," was the last remark before the Moms and Uncle Al reached the car.

Just as Samantha was about to open her door, it was graciously opened for her by an extremely handsome, white-haired man. The blonde looked up into piercing gray eyes that were the exact color of Kelley’s and there was no doubt that this gorgeous man was a Dorian.

A rich tenor voice greeted her ears. "You must be the new addition to our little family?" Sparkling gray eyes glanced in her direction before lighting on Alex's face. "I’m Uncle Al and by the looks of the expression on little Al’s face, this is the first you’ve heard about me."

Samantha did a double take on the mention of Alex being called ‘Little Al.’ She didn’t know whether to laugh or hide the giggle and did a very poor job of concealing her surprise at the pet name.

"Okay, Uncle Al, you don’t have to embarrass me before you even get properly introduced." Alex was quick at redeeming her composure. "This is Samantha. Samantha, this, as he has already introduced himself, is Uncle Al."

By this time the man was over on the other side of the car and getting as much of a hug as the wounded Alex could muster.

"It’s been quite a while, munchkin," the large man enveloped the woman sitting in the front seat of the car.

"Al, how about letting someone else get in a hello, instead of hogging the entire conversation?" Kelley was standing on Samantha's side of the vehicle and Aurora was behind Al on Alex’s. "Let Aurora in to say hi to Alex."

With the look of a wounded animal, the tall man stepped back to let his sister-in-law take his place at her daughter’s side.

"Hi, Sweetie." Aurora leaned in and kissed her daughter tenderly. "How are you feeling?"

At the same time, Kelley greeted Samantha and for a few seconds, the conversations became a hodge podge of hellos and informal greetings. In the middle of the cacophony, Uncle Al interrupted with the suggestion that he drive them all to wherever it was they were going to eat before his stomach embarrassed him, and that perhaps they could then get a singular conversation going so everyone could be involved.

He loaded all the suitcases in the back of the Jeep and helped Samantha from the car. As she stepped out from the behind the wheel and joined Kelley and Aurora in the back seat, Uncle Al took her place in the driver’s seat.

"Good, now we can get this little party headed in the right direction. So . . . seafood or pasta?" Not waiting for an answer he put the car in gear and started for the highway.

Sandwiched between the two women in the back seat, Samantha occasionally would glance at Al and then Alex, at Aurora and then Kelley. The resemblance between Alex and her uncle was uncanny, but then she guessed it was not any more so than that between Alex and Kelley. The younger woman was certainly a combination of looks between both her parents. If Samantha hadn’t known better, she would have sworn that they were all blood relatives. She marveled at the accomplishments of science and even thought a little about her and Alex discussing the possibility of starting a family of their own some day.

Samantha received a warning look from Alex when they reached their destination and Al proceeded to walk around the car to pick the brunette up off the front seat of the Jeep and carry her into the building. Aurora whispered in Sam’s ear that if she knew what was good for her relationship she would play down the act as much as possible and then giggled as she hugged the small blonde close. "He never could get over the fact that she’s all grown up. This is just an excuse for him to pamper her like he used to when she was little."

The conversation never paled the entire evening, as it ran the gamut of everything that had happened to the two campers, interspersed with the adventure that Uncle Al had just finished on a safari over in Africa. Samantha was interested in hearing all about his escapades and he was far from shy when it came to being the center of attraction. On the other hand, Aurora was interested in the experience the girls had had with their former selves, and Kelley was concerned with their physical well being and whether or not they should be out gallivanting around the countryside.

Alex assured Kelley that they had rested for the past few days and were both well on their way to recovery. She mentioned that they had wanted to stop at the trading post, but the request was put aside when early evening turned late and the group was still in the midst of after dinner conversation.

Whenever Aurora could get Samantha alone for a few minutes, the dialogue trickled back to the spirit encounter. Samantha loved being the center of attention with her mentor and was more than happy to fill the author in on all the details of the adventure.

On the way back to the clinic Kelley, Al, and Alex discussed the anticipated weather conditions for takeoff on Thursday. Al had to leave for an appointment in New York tomorrow night and Kelley wanted to get back to California before the weekend. While the pilots were busy discussing flight plans, the two writers had a little more time to chat about a more intriguing subject.

"I know I’ve been writing about past life regression, dealing with your past lives and meditating into them but, Samantha, an encounter such as the one you and Alex experienced proves how blurred the line is between one life and the next." Aurora’s sapphire eyes twinkled as she spoke of helping Samantha gather all her thoughts together and put them into book form.

Samantha was sitting on top of the world, imagining her first novel hitting the bestseller charts when a deep contralto voice knocked her back into reality.

"Does the fact that the two of them could have been seriously injured and not be around to tell this marvelous story ever enter your little mind, Aurora?" Steel gray eyes narrowed on her partner’s enthusiasm.

"Of course I was concerned about that, Kelley, but that’s all after the fact now, isn’t it? They weren’t mortally harmed and, in fact, it seems the entire motivation behind the visitation was to help get Alex out of that situation where she might have suffered more harm."

"There’s no calming that vivid imagination of yours, Aurora, even for a second."

"You wouldn’t know me if it was tamed; admit it," Aurora retorted. "Besides, why should it be? They’re both fine, with only a few bruises and scrapes. Alex did more damage to her body in the first few years of martial arts training than she did during the fall. She’s just older now and doesn’t heal as quickly."

"Thanks for talking about me like I’m an old woman, Mom." Alex leaned over the front seat and sent her mother a sarcastic glance. "And for acting as if I’m not even in the car!"

"Alexis, I wasn’t . . ."

"Sure you were, but that’s okay." This time the smile was genuine. "I realize what an important revelation this is for you and I’m doubly thrilled that Samantha is here to do most of the story telling. I guess I’m still waiting for the I told you so."

"That’s no way to talk to your mom, Alex," Al interjected with as solemn a look as he could muster in the direction of the younger woman. "She has been telling you about past lives and the interactions of spirit with present incarnations since you could reason. It’s not her fault you had to realize she was right, again, the hard way." His demeanor softened as he reached out and touched the ebony locks of his favorite relative. "I guess it’s the way of the warrior, now isn’t it munchkin? You always have been hard headed and in need of finding the truth for yourself. Now you know you truly were a warrior; I’m sure you’ve brought a lot of that young brave’s essence through with you again this time."

"Well, we can all tell you’ve just returned from a spiritual journey. Out too long in the jungle with no one to talk to but the apes, Uncle Al?"

"Hey, don’t start ragging on me, little miss. I’ll have to pull this car over and . . ." The twinkle in the gray eyes was unmistakably jovial.

"Okay, okay, enough." Kelley intercepted from the rear seat. "Samantha already knows we’re a bunch of kooks; this is just giving her more fuel."

Al pulled the car into the driveway of the clinic and pulled up close to the front door to let everyone out. Gary had offered to put everyone up for the next few days and told Kelley when she had phoned him earlier that he would leave the front door open until they arrived. He added that the keys would be on the main desk in the lobby.

The lobby was empty, save for the envelope with their names on it lying on the desk. After they managed to get the luggage inside, Kelley locked up the front door and the little entourage began their trek as quietly as possible in the direction of their rooms. They were all on the same floor and within shouting distance of each other.

Al suggested that they all pile into his rooms and have a nightcap. Kelley squelched the idea and said she felt the girls had been out quite long enough for one day and needed to rest up if they wanted to venture out again in the morning. For once, she got no argument from either Aurora or Alex. Big Al pouted for a second or two but realized his little sis was right and agreed that he was just being selfish and wanted to spend all the time he possibly could with everyone before he had to leave tomorrow.

Breakfast was promised and kisses were given all around at Alex and Samantha's door.

Alex gave Kelley a particularly affectionate embrace as she pulled the woman close with her good arm. "I just wanted to thank you and Mom for coming; it really means a lot to me."

"Alex, we’ve always told you we were never farther than a phone call away. You don’t doubt that, do you?"

"No, it’s just that I felt like such a . . . "

"Kid?"

"Yeah, like maybe I was twelve again and locked myself out of the house."

"Honey, you’ll always be twelve to us, even when your hair is as white as Uncle Al’s."

The two women switched partners as Kelley and Samantha said their goodnights and Alex said goodnight to her mother.

Just as Alex was about to close the door, Kelley motioned her outside. "I’ll be right there Samantha," she yelled across the room as Samantha headed for the bathroom.

"Okay, I’m gonna start a bath."

"Is something wrong?"

"Not exactly," the older woman looked intently at her daughter. "We saw how you kept looking at Samantha this evening, Alex, and we know what’s been running through your mind."

Trying her damnedest not to look like a child who had gotten her hand caught in the cookie jar, Alex knew exactly what her mom was talking about.

"And? You all think I should continue to keep my mouth shut and keep family secrets, secret?"

"Actually, no. If there’s ever going to be the right person in your life to confide in, we believe Samantha is the one. We just wanted you to know that we’re in agreement with you on this, Alex. Once you’ve talked to her, you don’t have to be afraid of keeping your disclosure a secret from us."

A sigh of relief escaped from the younger woman’s lips and brought a smile to Kelley’s face as she saw the tenseness flow from her daughter’s body.

Once again, Kelley reached out and embraced the younger version of herself. "I’m sorry we saddled you with so many secrets, Honey; we just wanted your life to run as smoothly as possible."

"I know Kelley, and I love you and Mom …

"Now you go on in and relax; Samantha's waiting."

Alex watched as Kelley turned and walked back down the hall toward her room. She then stepped inside, closed, and locked the door. She felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders as she leaned back against the door and sighed. Then she smiled broadly and slowly started toward the bathroom to join her lover.

"You haven’t used up all the bubbles, I hope," Alex chided, as she neared the bedroom door.

"What makes you think I put bubbles in the bath?" There was a watery echo to the question as it trickled through the half-open bathroom door.

"Number one, I know you, and number two I can smell the scent of vanilla," Alex answered as she began to undress in the bedroom.

"What makes you think that’s not just the candles you smell?"

"Is it?"

"Well . . . "

"I’m right aren’t I?" The brunette snickered, as she finished taking off her clothes and started toward the bathroom door.

"Yeah, you’re right. But you had better hurry and get in here before the water gets cool."

Alex opened the door and drank in the vision of Samantha sitting in the swirling water, the glow from the candles flickering off her golden locks, casting an ethereal halo around the small blonde. The tall woman smiled as she beheld her fantasy sitting before her, clothed only in the fragile bubbles that bounced aimlessly as they were tossed by the jets, allowing minute glimpses of the unadorned skin beneath the water. My world was truly empty before you cast your magic on it, Samantha. Again, the words of her mother echoed in her mind, "Like everything else, Alex, when you are ready to accept it, love will find you." She must have been ready because she couldn’t imagine her world without Samantha now.

"Penny for your thoughts? You look like they’re pretty deep."

"Nah, I was just thinking how lucky I was to have you."

"Ah." The smaller woman could not keep from smiling, as she lowered her eyes and played with some of the bubbles. "So, naked lady, are you going to just stand out there tempting me to leave this warm liquid, or are you going to come join me in this bath?"

Without another word, Alex slowly stepped over to the Jacuzzi and lowered her statuesque body down into the bubbles, seating herself on the opposite side of the tub from Samantha.

Samantha let the water carry her over to her lover’s side; she then lifted one of the goblets off the edge of the tub. "It was a lovely day, Alex, and here’s to an even more lovely evening."

"It was a good day, wasn’t it?" the brunette acknowledged.

"Yes, but you have some explaining to do, Little Al," Samantha smiled, as Alex cringed at her use of the ancient nickname. "Explaining about this mysterious uncle of yours who travels the world and appears like magic to come to your aid when you’re in need. He appeared out of the blue, like a white knight on a winged steed." She giggled as she handed Alex the glass of the warm red liquid she had poured before starting the bath. "How come I haven’t heard of him before now?"

"Samantha, we’re still just getting to know each other; you can’t expect me to have touched on all the facets of my life in these few short months."

"Why not? You know absolutely everything there is to know about me and my life."

"I doubt that I know everything," Alex countered. "I’m sure somewhere along the line we’ll be having a conversation and something I don’t already know will rear its ugly head. It will be at that point that I’ll turn to you and say, ‘Why, Samantha, you haven’t told me everything!’"

The blonde laughed as she edged even closer to Alex and sipped on her wine. "Nope; I don’t think so, at least not anything of any importance. I lead a rather dull life before hooking up with you Dorians."

"Well, then you’ll just have to be patient with me and I will eventually fill you in on all the lurid details of my family life, okay?"

"Sure, you have the rest of your life to fill me in, but you can start right now with good old Uncle Al."

"Okay," she took another sip of her wine and put her good arm around Samantha, drawing her close until their bodies were touching.

The smaller woman decided that the best position to listen to a story was on Alex's lap so she continued to move until she was straddling the dark-haired beauty and they were face-to-face.

"There, that’s better, now I can really concentrate."

"Well, it’s the kind of thing you need to concentrate on. As I said earlier, Uncle Al is the blackest of the Dorian sheep. He was the middle child and refused to be stunted by his place in the family. I guess we really haven’t talked much about the Dorian side, but there is, of course, Kelley, who is the youngest, Uncle Al and Uncle Darian . . . "

"Darian Dorian, what an unusual name," Samantha interjected.

"It’s a family name all the way around and Uncle Al has made mention more than once that he was glad he didn’t get saddled with it, as he believes the name made Uncle Darian an old stick in the mud."

"And were you named after Uncle Al?"

"Not really. We were both named after a great-great-great, like five or six times great grandmother Alexis Llewellyn. I think Gram was working on having an Alexis when Uncle Al showed up instead. He laughs that he thinks he should have been me but there was a mix up in the cosmos and he came out instead. He’s been trying to make it up to Gram ever since. But Gram really didn’t care; she always felt that homosexuals had it all over the rest of the world anyway when it came to inspiration, artistic abilities, and flare."

"That’s the most original reasoning behind being gay I’ve ever heard," Samantha laughed. "So, tell me something Alex." The blonde’s smile began to fade slightly. "Why would your uncle have thought he was supposed to be you?"

"Because Gram was trying for a girl and because our birthdays are just two days apart."

"Well, why didn’t she wait and call Kelley Alexis?"

"Because Kelley was a change of life baby and Gram hadn’t planned on having any more babies. Besides, Kelley wasn’t born in the right month."

"Oh, Alexis has a special month to its name?" Now the verdant eyes were spinning with questions. "Alex this web is getting thicker and thicker as you weave it."

Alex took another sip of her wine and sighed deeply, something she seemed to be doing a lot of this evening. "What do you say we finish with this bath, reload these goblets, and I finish telling you the Dorian saga in the nice comfortable bed?"

"It’s that long, huh?"

"Let’s just say it has a few twists and turns."

"Deal."

Thoughts of seduction were put aside in anticipation of knowing more about Alex and the other side of her interesting family. Samantha’s own family history paled in reference to either side of Alex's but this was sounding downright intriguing. They finished washing up and dried quickly. Samantha insisted that she be the one to go get the wine and for Alex to settle herself on the bed and wait. Alex was in no mood for confrontation and agreed, figuring she would have a few extra minutes to gather her thoughts and put the family dynamics into some semblance of order.

"Okay, Alex, I hope you’re ready to talk because I certainly am in the mood for listening," Samantha chuckled as she reentered the bedroom to find her lover propped up on pillows and waiting.

"I guess the best way to start is to go back to the beginning, at least to the beginning as I know of it." She reached out her glass and let Samantha fill it up, then took a sip and waited while the smaller woman climbed up in the bed beside her.

"The grandmother I spoke about–the one I’m named after–was a gold miner back in the 1800’s and she struck a mother lode. Sometime when we’re home, I can go into more detail about her life, but the important thing about the two of us is that she was the one who started the Dorian Dynasty."

"Wouldn’t she have had to had all male children to start a dynasty?"

"Not really, the money is handed down through blood line, not necessarily the name."

"But you said the name was important . . . "

"I said the name Alexis Llewellyn was important, Samantha, not the Dorian part. But we’re getting off the subject. It seems that one of my grandmothers got it into her head that the majority of the inheritance should go to a relative with the same name as our benefactor, then she further elaborated that the child needed to also have the same birth date. Whoever it was she had draw up the will made it ironclad and no one has been able to break it to this day. The extra monies that had been set aside for this lucky distant relative were to increase in value until ten generations had passed, and if by that time no female child had been born to stake the claim, then the monies would be put into a fund to help needy women. Up until my birth, it was very hard to exactly match a birthday, but my folks did their arithmetic and then mom decided on a caesarian birth so she could pick the exact date. Needless to say, my Uncle Darian was less than thrilled when I came along to claim the bounty. By the time I was born, he had three sons but no daughters."

"And so you’ve received all the money?"

"No, the last of the stipulations is that I do not get the extra money until my 31st birthday and I have to still be single at that time." Alex smiled broadly at her lover. "A woman after my own heart!"

"Okay, but I’m still confused. If this lawyer was so good at his job and this will with its prerequisites is so stringent … how can you get the money if it goes by bloodline. I mean I know you’re a Dorian by birth, but Alex, don’t you think they would have taken that into consideration at some point along the line? If she made sure of all the other provisions, I would think she would have insisted that the girl child be of the same bloodline, also."

Alex looked over at Samantha and smiled, her face turning a distinct shade of pink before she continued her explanation.

"I told you we were a bit of an eccentric family, Samantha. There’s also a lot of love between my parents, all of my parents."

A light went on in Samantha's head as she realized what Alex was saying. It was no coincidence that Alex and Kelley looked so much alike, it wasn’t environmental; it was biological.

"Uncle Al is you dad?"

"Yeah. It was kind of a rotten trick for the two of them to play on Uncle Darian. He thought with them both being gay that his kids would have a greater chance of getting the inheritance. But, Uncle Al knew how much Kelley loved Mom and it was his way of allowing his little sis to actually be blood kin to her lover’s baby."

"How beautifully romantic."

"It turned out to be more than just romantic for me."

"Yes, and you turned out to have three parents."

"Actually, no. After I was born, Uncle Al took off on one of his overseas adventures and was gone for the first five years of my life. He and my moms had an agreement that he would always be my Uncle Al, and I wasn’t told that he was my father until I was old enough to understand all the implications. But he does spoil me, Samantha. He has since the day I was born. Even though he was not a part of my everyday life, he’s always been there in the background. The Three Musketeers were not going to inform anyone in the family as to what they had done, but when I was born, they figured Grams had a right to know. Grams figured Uncle Darian did too, so he wouldn’t keep trying to have a daughter, at least not for the wrong reasons."

"I’m sure he said that Kelley and Aurora and Al had you for all the wrong reasons."

"He tried, but no one really paid much attention to his paranoid ramblings. Grams knew the reason I had been conceived; fixing the date was merely a plus."

"So, Alex, exactly how much money are we talking about?"

"Over all the years, the money has been handled by an investment firm and a group of lawyers. Mom said she talked to one of the attorneys on my last birthday and with all the stocks and bonds, as well as the real estate holdings, the accumulated total is a little over forty million dollars and a 200-acre spread in northern California."

Samantha was so unprepared for the astronomical number that when she tried to swallow her last mouthful of wine, she ended up choking, with the majority of the red liquid spraying the taller woman’s night shirt. "Oh, shit! I’m so sorry, Alex." She started to jump up from the bed but was caught by a strong right hand.

"Calm down, Samantha; it’s okay."

"Damn, I knew you had money Alex, but that’s . . . that’s . . . "

"Amoral, ludicrous, inconceivable?" The brunette pulled her lover close. "You’ll never want for anything Samantha."

"Alex, people are going to think I got with you for your money."

"But we know better. We were destined to meet. Our little adventure out in the wilderness only further proved the fact that we were meant to be together."

Trying to take her mind off the family secret that she had just been privy to, she focused back on the soiled nightshirt. "Take that shirt off, and let me put it in some water to soak. I’ll get you a clean one."

"This is fine, Samantha."

"No, come on Alex, let me get the wine off it."

Alex smiled and let Samantha help her out of the nightshirt, pulling her close and nibbling on her neck, trying to distract her.

"Alex, you know you’re not up to that." The blonde giggled softly as she pulled away ever so slightly, feeling the hardness of her lover’s nipples against her own and unable to resist bending down and kissing one of the pink tips before sliding off the bed and walking into the bathroom.

"No fair getting me all excited and then leaving the room, you know." She glanced over on the nightstand and spied a piece of paper covered with Samantha's printing. "Is this the poem you were working on the other day?"

"Yeah," came the answer from the next room. "I was going to read it to you before you started talking about dynasties and … rich people."

"Can I read it while you’re playing Dorothy Domestic?"

"Sure."

Alex unfolded the sheet and began to read:

WHEN LIVES COLLIDE

Out of a primal and distant past, beyond the frame of time

An Indian maid and brave appeared to mingle souls divine.

The ancient emerged to those now here ~ they met on common ground.

Then with the help of mystical means, a healing way was found.

The present incarnations viewed reflections of long ago,

The essence of who they used to be, the new selves came to know.

A link with their eternal souls brought old and new together,

Then generations mingled in the moist Sedona weather.

A clap of thunder, a lightening bolt, Indian Summer rain ~

Shamanistic knowledge worked its spell on Earth again.

A final glimpse of who they’d been ~ then a poignant fare thee well.

Ancients left their modern selves with a fabulous tale to tell.

Now, I’ll tell you all the story of the maiden and the brave.

Of love that brought them back, again, to a long forgotten cave.

Just because you have not seen them, don’t negate this tale is true

For I talked with her as surely as I stand and talk to you.

My challenge now will be to let the world know natural truths

They taught me love surpasses time, those ancient Indian youths.

Though it may take me years to weave the tale for all to see,

The Indian maiden and her brave remain a part of me.