Rebecca wiped sweat from her brow and tied another tourniquet. “Aila, you need to check this,” she said, standing and waiting for her friend.
“No I don’t!” the nurse called from across the infirmary. “You’ve got it Becky, stop doubting yourself.”
Every bed in the infirmary was now filled. Phuong had given up his, despite not being fully recovered, and had begun helping them carry people to restrooms or go out for supplies from the central storage.
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” he’d slapped their hands away when they tried to dote on him. “Tonight I want to sleep in a house like a regular person.”
“You’d better hurry with all these new people comin’ in,” Rebecca grinned. “I expect Blake’ll start making some rules.”
Aila snorted. “Maybe he’ll just make more houses out of thin air. Since apparently he can do that.”
“Maybe we can build some?” Rebecca shrugged. “Glenda said she could probly do it with a little help. Wouldn’t be so fancy as the system houses, but I’m not used to that anyway. Nice log cabin might be nice.”
“And romantic,” Aila winked. Rebecca tried and failed to fight the flush that made her friend giggle with victory.
Then she was thinking of Mason and their time at the waterfall, and she felt her skin growing hot as warmth went up her gut and down to her thighs. She tried to think about a cold shower but then thinking about water put her right back floating in that pool, with Mason’s hands all over her body…
Ah hell.
He’d been gone damn near two whole days, but at least Haley told her why. He was out saving lives, apparently. Of course he was.
Rebecca felt so selfish in that moment that she didn’t care and wanted him all to herself. Then Haley had asked if they could have a ‘drink’ together at her house today, and of course she’d had no choice but to say yes.
The blonde Canadian was so damn beautiful, and sophisticated. She was Mason’s assistant, was living with him, and frankly she was intimidating as hell. But she seemed nice, too. Of course looks could be deceiving.
Rebecca sighed and glanced at the digital clock on the wall.
“Go, go,” Aila said, watching her. “We’re fine, really. Most of these people just need time and rest now. Go on and have your interview.”
“It’s not an interview.”
“Oh yeah?” Aila grinned. “Superman’s secretary sets you a one on one meeting and you think it’s no big deal? She’s probably making sure you’re not some kind of post-apocalyptic gold digger.”
“Oh my God,” Rebecca felt her stomach flip with butterflies. “I...didn't think about that. I don’t even really know what a gold digger is.”
Aila laughed and waved her on, and she did her best to fix her hair and make sure she wasn’t stained with blood or sweat, then gave up and walked towards Haley with a twisting gut.
* * *
Rebecca got to Mason’s door and hesitated, finally summoning the courage to knock. Haley called from somewhere inside, then opened the door with a wide smile. She was wearing a simple flower dress with an apron, and somehow it suited her just as well as everything else.
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“Come on in, sweety,” the blonde knockout leaned forward and kissed both Rebecca’s cheeks European style. She smelled wonderful, and Rebecca felt like a dumb, uncultured country bumpkin when all she could manage was to smile.
“Can I offer you some wine? I’ve made us a little snack.”
“Um, sure.” She tucked some hair behind her ear and came inside, eyes widening at the beautiful spread of food set up on the table. It also smelled divine, like Haley had been cooking and baking all morning. “This is amazing,” she said. “Did you do all this...for me?”
“Of course,” Haley smiled warmly. “I’m glad you like it.”
They sat and Rebecca tried not to moan with pleasure as she tried the different appetizers and washed them down with red wine. She'd never really had much alcohol at home, and certainly not since 'the apocalypse'. She also hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and she felt a blush starting when she realized she’d eaten about three times as much as Haley already.
“Sorry,” she said, “Guess I was hungry.”
The beautiful woman just laughed and waved it away. “I never get tired of your accent. And please. I’m just glad someone is appreciating my cooking! Doing this for Mason is like, how do you say? Casting pearls to swine.”
Rebecca flushed. "Please, I talk like a country kid, yours is so much nicer." They both smiled politely, and Haley took a deep breath and seemed suddenly a little nervous, which practically lit Rebecca’s nerves on fire. What could make a woman like this nervous?
“I asked for you to come today because I know you and Mason are…at the start of a relationship,” she said, then smiled a little. “I know he cares about you very much.”
“Oh.” Rebecca hated that she probably had crumbs on her shirt for this moment. “I…yes I hope so. I care about him too.”
Haley started taking dishes away, and Rebecca practically leaped to help her despite some protestations. They went to the sink and started cleaning before Haley spoke again.
“Did he tell you about me? I mean, how we met?”
“Not really,” Rebecca focused entirely on drying her plate. “Just that he, um, found you in a dungeon?”
It sounded a little ridiculous to say out loud, and the beautiful blonde laughed when she heard it.
“Yes, that’s true. But he did more than find me. He saved my life. I was trapped in a terrible place with monstrous creatures too horrible to describe. He fought against odds that were…impossible. Giant beasts much larger than bears, and a flying...how do you say, wizard? They hurt him very badly. I think any other man would have died. But not my Mason.”
Rebecca could see the moment still haunted the girl’s eyes, as if she could see it now. But she was also distracted, hearing my Mason again and again.
“Why are you telling me this?” she said quietly, and Haley turned and took her hands.
“Because I want you to understand—I would do anything for Mason. I owe him my life. And also to tell you that, we were alone, in a place and under circumstances we thought would mean our deaths. We became lovers.”
Rebecca felt her breath stop completely. She probably sort of clutched the other girl’s hands. It wasn’t jealousy, she realized, it was despair.
Oh God, she thought, her heart threatening to break. I can’t possibly compete with this woman! And they’re living together!
“Oh my dear,” Haley’s eyes were so damned annoyingly kind, and she was holding onto Rebecca’s arms. “Please know, I am no threat to you. Mason is my patron. I would die for him. His happiness and life are what matter to me. And he wants you, so that’s what matters to me.”
Rebecca didn’t know much about women or love or sex but she knew she was way out of her depth.
“Are y’all…I mean,” she felt her voice sort of squeak, “are you still…lovers?”
Here Haley’s mouth drew into a line. “I am whatever my patron requires. Nothing more, nothing less. If he takes you as a lover and wishes no others, than no, I am not.”
“I see.” Rebecca said, heart pounding and still somewhat speechless. “I’m, um, new to all this.”
Haley squeezed her hand. “We’re all new to this. But I like you very much, Rebecca. And I would be happy if you and Mason were a couple. I could see in one day you made him happier than I’ve seen him since all this terribleness began. That is what matters. I just wanted you to know and understand.” Haley came forward and put her arms around Rebecca’s shoulders, and she found herself hugging the woman who’d been sleeping with the man she wanted.
She was so damn soft and smelled so good, it didn't really help Rebecca's confidence...
“Thank you,” she said, no idea what else to say. Mostly she was just annoyed and confused at how warm and pleasant the older woman’s embrace was. It had to be an act, right? She had to be secretly jealous and hate her and want her gone?
“Of course. I would like us to become friends.”
“I’d like that too,” Rebecca said, no idea if it was true. “They need me back in the infirmary. But I’ll see you soon?”
Haley smiled and let her go, and she practically ran out of the house and back towards Aila, hoping maybe her friend might help her figure out what the hell to do.