feralferret
Veteran Member
CCG, thanks!
Story Market Day
- Thread starter ComCamGuy
- Start date
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Later
The space was ‘cozy’, to use Mia’s term, cramped in Nadia’s. One of the best things was it was a place other than a tent on the beach, where they were warm and dry and out of the wind. Oskar was whipping up some great meals, not that the ones he made beachside weren’t good, but with a real, though small, kitchen to work with bumped things up significantly.
They had all rinsed their exposure suits out. Getting rid of all the salt and grime was a blessing. Soaking in the hot tub was heaven. It drove all the cold from their bones and aching joints.
The constant flow of warm water from the spring through the pool kept the building warm. This made it serious T-shirt or less temp inside. After all the time the group had spent together, both in the pool and later here at sea, they were a little more casual at this point about changing clothes or being less dressed around one another. People would just do what needed done.
One of the major benefits of this layover was it let Evelyn and Erich air out their legs and equipment. This led to something Mia hadn’t seen in a long time; Evelyn baring her stumps in front of people. She knew this was a big thing, and something not done casually.
Late at Night in the Hot Spring
Evelyn was just soaking in the water. It was her safe space, the place she could feel whole again. She knew it was strange, especially since it was just the opposite for Erich. It was wonderful, just floating in the dark, soaking in the warmth.
The past couple days, they had moved around the building doing all the various chores. Whenever there was a lull, it wasn’t uncommon for one or more of them to slide into the pool. It made more room for the others to move around, or that’s one of the excuses Evelyn used.
It was late. She was just floating now. She felt Mia’s hands on her shoulders.
“It’s ok, I wasn’t going to fall asleep.” She said as Mia worked her muscles.
“I know.”
Evelyn stiffened. It wasn’t Mia.
“Oh, relax.” Erich said as his hands kept working on the shoulders.
She lay there in the water, her brain not sure what she should do. His hands on her shoulders felt good. Shoulders. Shit! She remembered. Erich fixed her shoulder. Not that she remembered the process, but he had seen a lot more of her than he could in the water right now.
She liked him. He was smart, funny and unlike most people, had a good frame of reference on some of her particular ‘issues’. But you don’t build a relationship on ‘hey, we’re both cripples’. Besides, she was sure he had the hots for Mia anyway. Anyway, anything he felt for her was probably the whole therapist patient thing.
The whole time she was thinking this she still floated there. His hands felt too good and so did the water. She had no idea how long this went on. She also didn’t know when things changed. The water was wonderful. She felt warm and…his arms around her felt good. Her head rested back against his chest. She was wrong. She had fallen asleep.
The space was ‘cozy’, to use Mia’s term, cramped in Nadia’s. One of the best things was it was a place other than a tent on the beach, where they were warm and dry and out of the wind. Oskar was whipping up some great meals, not that the ones he made beachside weren’t good, but with a real, though small, kitchen to work with bumped things up significantly.
They had all rinsed their exposure suits out. Getting rid of all the salt and grime was a blessing. Soaking in the hot tub was heaven. It drove all the cold from their bones and aching joints.
The constant flow of warm water from the spring through the pool kept the building warm. This made it serious T-shirt or less temp inside. After all the time the group had spent together, both in the pool and later here at sea, they were a little more casual at this point about changing clothes or being less dressed around one another. People would just do what needed done.
One of the major benefits of this layover was it let Evelyn and Erich air out their legs and equipment. This led to something Mia hadn’t seen in a long time; Evelyn baring her stumps in front of people. She knew this was a big thing, and something not done casually.
Late at Night in the Hot Spring
Evelyn was just soaking in the water. It was her safe space, the place she could feel whole again. She knew it was strange, especially since it was just the opposite for Erich. It was wonderful, just floating in the dark, soaking in the warmth.
The past couple days, they had moved around the building doing all the various chores. Whenever there was a lull, it wasn’t uncommon for one or more of them to slide into the pool. It made more room for the others to move around, or that’s one of the excuses Evelyn used.
It was late. She was just floating now. She felt Mia’s hands on her shoulders.
“It’s ok, I wasn’t going to fall asleep.” She said as Mia worked her muscles.
“I know.”
Evelyn stiffened. It wasn’t Mia.
“Oh, relax.” Erich said as his hands kept working on the shoulders.
She lay there in the water, her brain not sure what she should do. His hands on her shoulders felt good. Shoulders. Shit! She remembered. Erich fixed her shoulder. Not that she remembered the process, but he had seen a lot more of her than he could in the water right now.
She liked him. He was smart, funny and unlike most people, had a good frame of reference on some of her particular ‘issues’. But you don’t build a relationship on ‘hey, we’re both cripples’. Besides, she was sure he had the hots for Mia anyway. Anyway, anything he felt for her was probably the whole therapist patient thing.
The whole time she was thinking this she still floated there. His hands felt too good and so did the water. She had no idea how long this went on. She also didn’t know when things changed. The water was wonderful. She felt warm and…his arms around her felt good. Her head rested back against his chest. She was wrong. She had fallen asleep.
feralferret
Veteran Member
CCG, thank you.
223shootersc
Veteran Member
Thanks, CCG! Slip slidin' away!
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
Shooter that lyric certainly triggers my memory vault!
223shootersc
Veteran Member
Mine also!
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
The Next Day
She went looking for him. After last night, she had questions, questions she wanted answers to before tomorrow. Tomorrow they would be out on the water again. They would have too much time to be alone with their thoughts, and too worn out at the end of the day to talk without fatigue coloring their conversations. Most of them were in the hut, taking advantage of the relaxation, but he wasn’t.
She looked carefully at how she was dressed. She made some adjustments. She wanted this to be right. Hair was easy. The other required a quick change. The right shirt, the right pants. Her mind was set on what she wanted to look like for this conversation.
Out the door and down the stone walkway she went. She placed every step carefully on the pavers. Even after all these years, she had to make a conscious effort to get every step right.
He was down by the kayaks. He had told Ian he was just going to make sure some stuff was put away, so he didn’t have to do it tomorrow. While he was there, he would check the tie-downs and the covers on all the kayaks that were keeping them weather tight and safe. This was welcomed by the others so they didn’t have to get dressed and go out into the cold to do it. That’s what gave her the opportunity to talk to him alone.
She saw Erich now. He was sitting on one of the large square stones they had tied the kayaks to. He wasn’t doing anything, just sitting on the stone, staring at the water. She came up behind him. Without a word, she slid her hands over his shoulders and down his chest, mimicking his actions last night in the tub.
He slid his own hands up and held hers. Neither said a word, just stood there a long time, both staring at the sea. Finally, he gave her hands a gentle squeeze before he spoke.
“I guess this is the part where you ask me what my intentions are with your sister, right Mia?”
“What gave it away?” She asked him.
He tipped his head back far enough to look at her.
“It’s your hands,” he smiled as he gave them another gentle squeeze. “Yours are a little more delicate.” He let go of one of her hands and pulled her around in front of him. When she was in front of him, he stared up into her eyes.
She held out a hand as if presenting herself. “I thought I got it all right, and it was my hands that gave it away?”
Erich looked her up and down a moment.
“You did get it perfect. Anyone else would have been fooled. Hell, I would have been fooled for a moment if I saw you at a distance instead of felt your hands first, but I would have known right away anyway.”
“Oh? And how would you have known?”
“I’ve stared at you two ever since I met the both of you. I’ve studied every line, every curve. I’ve been so angry at each of you I could spit fire. Both of you fought with me and for me. Body and soul, you two drove me forward. Neither of you were willing to let me quit. Along the way, I found out I didn’t care about anyone else’s opinions but you two. I found myself measuring things by things like ‘I bet Mia would like this’ or ‘this would make Evelyn giggle’. Last night…Last night I took a leap of faith when I had an opportunity to do something more that I thought would make Evelyn feel good. I wasn’t trying to do it in a creepy way, but now I have a problem.”
“What kind of problem?” Mia wasn’t sure where this was headed. She wasn’t quite understanding exactly…
“My problem is it’s not something where I love her more than you….” he stuttered to a stop and flushed as he realized what he had said.
“You love me?”
“I…Yes. I love you. I love Evelyn. I can’t imagine being around one of you without being around the other. I could never choose between either of you. That’s why I haven’t said anything. I guess I just went too far last night. Now I don’t know what to do.”
“You held Evelyn. You made her feel loved. It was pure. You aren’t going to look at her like she’s a freak. You’re already over her biggest worry.” Mia said.
“But that’s Evelyn. What about you?”
Mia noticed he was still holding one of her hands. What about her? This was a whole jumble of new ideas and emotions for her to sort through. She had no idea about her.
Growing up, she had always defaulted to protecting Evelyn, and making sure Evelyn was taken care of. Hell, when she was away, she still viewed people and relationships through the lens of what would Evelyn think about this guy or that guy. She paid attention to how they reacted around people with any sort of ‘impairment’. Snarky comment about the kid in a wheelchair? Kicked to the curb. Less than sympathetic to the guy using a cane? Gone.
Evelyn moved up here to help her through stuff and she was right back to being the protective big sister all over again, even now! Shit, here she was dressed in Evelyn’s clothes, coming out her to try and trip Erich up to get a good read on where he thought this whole thing was headed. Didn’t work.
Here was a guy who would have none of those issues. He would understand Evelyn’s limitations without stifling her. But that wasn’t the problem. The problem was he said he was in love with both of them. That was new. OK, not technically, but the other person that expressed that was years ago and was only hunting a threesome with twins for his bucket list.
Erich was different. He seemed sincere. He was out here agonizing over it. He didn’t know what to do. Hell, why should he. She didn’t know what to do either.
Erich was someone walking down the same path both her and Evelyn were traveling. He was trying to adjust to losing his identity, no longer able to do the job he loved, was good at. He faced the challenges of how to adapt to his new physical limitations. He had a connection with both of them.
“What about you?” He gave her hand a little squeeze.
“Honestly? I don’t know.” She tugged him gently to his feet. She looked at him. She leaned forward, pulled him to her and planted a kiss on him. He was startled at first, but got the hang of it quickly. She let go.
“I still don’t know but I’ll talk with Evelyn, and we’ll get back to you.” She smiled as she stepped back and walked back up the stairs.
She went looking for him. After last night, she had questions, questions she wanted answers to before tomorrow. Tomorrow they would be out on the water again. They would have too much time to be alone with their thoughts, and too worn out at the end of the day to talk without fatigue coloring their conversations. Most of them were in the hut, taking advantage of the relaxation, but he wasn’t.
She looked carefully at how she was dressed. She made some adjustments. She wanted this to be right. Hair was easy. The other required a quick change. The right shirt, the right pants. Her mind was set on what she wanted to look like for this conversation.
Out the door and down the stone walkway she went. She placed every step carefully on the pavers. Even after all these years, she had to make a conscious effort to get every step right.
He was down by the kayaks. He had told Ian he was just going to make sure some stuff was put away, so he didn’t have to do it tomorrow. While he was there, he would check the tie-downs and the covers on all the kayaks that were keeping them weather tight and safe. This was welcomed by the others so they didn’t have to get dressed and go out into the cold to do it. That’s what gave her the opportunity to talk to him alone.
She saw Erich now. He was sitting on one of the large square stones they had tied the kayaks to. He wasn’t doing anything, just sitting on the stone, staring at the water. She came up behind him. Without a word, she slid her hands over his shoulders and down his chest, mimicking his actions last night in the tub.
He slid his own hands up and held hers. Neither said a word, just stood there a long time, both staring at the sea. Finally, he gave her hands a gentle squeeze before he spoke.
“I guess this is the part where you ask me what my intentions are with your sister, right Mia?”
“What gave it away?” She asked him.
He tipped his head back far enough to look at her.
“It’s your hands,” he smiled as he gave them another gentle squeeze. “Yours are a little more delicate.” He let go of one of her hands and pulled her around in front of him. When she was in front of him, he stared up into her eyes.
She held out a hand as if presenting herself. “I thought I got it all right, and it was my hands that gave it away?”
Erich looked her up and down a moment.
“You did get it perfect. Anyone else would have been fooled. Hell, I would have been fooled for a moment if I saw you at a distance instead of felt your hands first, but I would have known right away anyway.”
“Oh? And how would you have known?”
“I’ve stared at you two ever since I met the both of you. I’ve studied every line, every curve. I’ve been so angry at each of you I could spit fire. Both of you fought with me and for me. Body and soul, you two drove me forward. Neither of you were willing to let me quit. Along the way, I found out I didn’t care about anyone else’s opinions but you two. I found myself measuring things by things like ‘I bet Mia would like this’ or ‘this would make Evelyn giggle’. Last night…Last night I took a leap of faith when I had an opportunity to do something more that I thought would make Evelyn feel good. I wasn’t trying to do it in a creepy way, but now I have a problem.”
“What kind of problem?” Mia wasn’t sure where this was headed. She wasn’t quite understanding exactly…
“My problem is it’s not something where I love her more than you….” he stuttered to a stop and flushed as he realized what he had said.
“You love me?”
“I…Yes. I love you. I love Evelyn. I can’t imagine being around one of you without being around the other. I could never choose between either of you. That’s why I haven’t said anything. I guess I just went too far last night. Now I don’t know what to do.”
“You held Evelyn. You made her feel loved. It was pure. You aren’t going to look at her like she’s a freak. You’re already over her biggest worry.” Mia said.
“But that’s Evelyn. What about you?”
Mia noticed he was still holding one of her hands. What about her? This was a whole jumble of new ideas and emotions for her to sort through. She had no idea about her.
Growing up, she had always defaulted to protecting Evelyn, and making sure Evelyn was taken care of. Hell, when she was away, she still viewed people and relationships through the lens of what would Evelyn think about this guy or that guy. She paid attention to how they reacted around people with any sort of ‘impairment’. Snarky comment about the kid in a wheelchair? Kicked to the curb. Less than sympathetic to the guy using a cane? Gone.
Evelyn moved up here to help her through stuff and she was right back to being the protective big sister all over again, even now! Shit, here she was dressed in Evelyn’s clothes, coming out her to try and trip Erich up to get a good read on where he thought this whole thing was headed. Didn’t work.
Here was a guy who would have none of those issues. He would understand Evelyn’s limitations without stifling her. But that wasn’t the problem. The problem was he said he was in love with both of them. That was new. OK, not technically, but the other person that expressed that was years ago and was only hunting a threesome with twins for his bucket list.
Erich was different. He seemed sincere. He was out here agonizing over it. He didn’t know what to do. Hell, why should he. She didn’t know what to do either.
Erich was someone walking down the same path both her and Evelyn were traveling. He was trying to adjust to losing his identity, no longer able to do the job he loved, was good at. He faced the challenges of how to adapt to his new physical limitations. He had a connection with both of them.
“What about you?” He gave her hand a little squeeze.
“Honestly? I don’t know.” She tugged him gently to his feet. She looked at him. She leaned forward, pulled him to her and planted a kiss on him. He was startled at first, but got the hang of it quickly. She let go.
“I still don’t know but I’ll talk with Evelyn, and we’ll get back to you.” She smiled as she stepped back and walked back up the stairs.
feralferret
Veteran Member
Thanks for the rather interesting chapter. Life does sometimes complicate things.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
On the Roof Deck
“He is so screwed, and not in the fun way.” Nadia said.
“How so?” Ian said as he turned to her. They were up on the roof deck of the hot springs building so Ian could call back to Jim and let them know their progress.
“He was in the tub with Evelyn last night, and now Mia just went down to him, dressed like Evelyn.” She grinned as she glanced at Ian then back to waterside where Mia and Erich were talking.
“Uh Oh.”
“Uh oh is right. If she fools him, he’s in trouble, and even if she doesn’t, what kinda game is she playing with playing ‘Parent Trap, the home game’ with him?”
“No idea, but…” Ian wasn’t sure what he was going to say, but Nadia’s gasp derailed whatever thought there was. “What?”
“Mia just kissed him.”
“Damn. Now the question is, was it Mia, if so, was it because she revealed it or he figured it out, and if so, was it before or after the kiss, or was it ‘Evelyn’ kissing him, and it’s still secret that it was Mia, or…”
“Yeah, and the other thing will be how much and how soon will we find out?”
Ian was grinning now.
“What?”
Ian just grinned.
“Come on! What?”
“You know who would love to be here for all of this?”
“Who?”
“Your Aunt Gail.”
At this, both of them burst out in giggles.
“She’d already have a bowl of popcorn and a huge ass glass of wine and just watching.” Nadia said.
“And trying to figure out how to spin and twist things for even more drama.” Ian said.
“We’ll have to take good notes and tell her all about it when we get back.”
“He is so screwed, and not in the fun way.” Nadia said.
“How so?” Ian said as he turned to her. They were up on the roof deck of the hot springs building so Ian could call back to Jim and let them know their progress.
“He was in the tub with Evelyn last night, and now Mia just went down to him, dressed like Evelyn.” She grinned as she glanced at Ian then back to waterside where Mia and Erich were talking.
“Uh Oh.”
“Uh oh is right. If she fools him, he’s in trouble, and even if she doesn’t, what kinda game is she playing with playing ‘Parent Trap, the home game’ with him?”
“No idea, but…” Ian wasn’t sure what he was going to say, but Nadia’s gasp derailed whatever thought there was. “What?”
“Mia just kissed him.”
“Damn. Now the question is, was it Mia, if so, was it because she revealed it or he figured it out, and if so, was it before or after the kiss, or was it ‘Evelyn’ kissing him, and it’s still secret that it was Mia, or…”
“Yeah, and the other thing will be how much and how soon will we find out?”
Ian was grinning now.
“What?”
Ian just grinned.
“Come on! What?”
“You know who would love to be here for all of this?”
“Who?”
“Your Aunt Gail.”
At this, both of them burst out in giggles.
“She’d already have a bowl of popcorn and a huge ass glass of wine and just watching.” Nadia said.
“And trying to figure out how to spin and twist things for even more drama.” Ian said.
“We’ll have to take good notes and tell her all about it when we get back.”
223shootersc
Veteran Member
Oh what games we play in the dark! Thanks, CCG!
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Later
There was a strange tension in the air. It was amusing to Ian and Nadia who understood, but no one seemed to be ready to pull things out into the open. The only one who wasn’t in the middle of things was Oskar, who seemed to be willfully oblivious.
Everything got packed to leave the first thing in the morning. They all looked at their dry suits with at least a touch of dread. After dinner, they all reviewed the maps and plan for the next leg of the trip.
“So, as long as it goes well, we should make the campground for our next reset in about ten days. John’s notes say it should be big enough we can pull the kayaks inside for repair and resets.” Ian said as he pointed at the maps.
“How are the overnight spots looking?” Oskar asked.
“A couple are going to be tight. Shallow gravel beach with maybe some space for a couple tents for two or three.”
“Maybe if we squeeze into two tents instead of three?” Nadia said with a straight face.
“That might be a good idea. We can Brady Bunch it; three boys in one and three girls in the other.” Mia said quickly.
“Shoot, depending, we could probably fit all of us into one if we had to.” Erich offered up.
“That’d be a bit cozy, but we would be warm, that’s for sure.” Ian said.
On and on they went, looking at the maps and charts, reading the notes and making plans.
There was a strange tension in the air. It was amusing to Ian and Nadia who understood, but no one seemed to be ready to pull things out into the open. The only one who wasn’t in the middle of things was Oskar, who seemed to be willfully oblivious.
Everything got packed to leave the first thing in the morning. They all looked at their dry suits with at least a touch of dread. After dinner, they all reviewed the maps and plan for the next leg of the trip.
“So, as long as it goes well, we should make the campground for our next reset in about ten days. John’s notes say it should be big enough we can pull the kayaks inside for repair and resets.” Ian said as he pointed at the maps.
“How are the overnight spots looking?” Oskar asked.
“A couple are going to be tight. Shallow gravel beach with maybe some space for a couple tents for two or three.”
“Maybe if we squeeze into two tents instead of three?” Nadia said with a straight face.
“That might be a good idea. We can Brady Bunch it; three boys in one and three girls in the other.” Mia said quickly.
“Shoot, depending, we could probably fit all of us into one if we had to.” Erich offered up.
“That’d be a bit cozy, but we would be warm, that’s for sure.” Ian said.
On and on they went, looking at the maps and charts, reading the notes and making plans.
feralferret
Veteran Member
CCG, thank you.
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
"Warm"??
Understatement, given the apparent layers of 'chemistry'.
We'll see I'm sure . . . . . . .
223shootersc
Veteran Member
Thanks, CCG!
larry_minn
Contributing Member
I still recall a canoe trip with night rain. I set tent with decent drainage, not in low area. In AM I found a bra on my pillow. I recall people getting in, less room. But I was not expecting a bra. On a church group.
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
Many folks have a tough time keeping track of undergarments . . . . . .
Now if someone's SO finds a strange bra in someone's trail gear I can see an issue developing in jig time.