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C13 - Friday - The Sixty-first one, or there about /
{Time Moves In Splinters}
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Knowledge, is knowing that falling from great heights can kill you. Wisdom, is stepping away from the cliff.
A howl of surprise called from across the field, quickly turning into a baby's uncontrollable laughter. His father's beard had tickled his bare belly.
I was standing, in that same field, with a head on my shoulder and two warm arms holding mine, holding hers.
There was a trellis of sticks and vines, intertwined in a gateway. There was Amico Crimson and white lace adorning its columns and arches. It bowed over a deep blue rug.
Two rings, of gold rope, side by side, laid empty on the carpeting's threads, in front of a podium, that was fashioned much like the arbor. The sun was heavy and warm. The bodies around me, had a welcoming pull.
A reason to celebrate, in and of itself.
I'll catch you up to speed. Quick. So as not to bore you. This tale is almost at an end, or a beginning, or a middle or it could be off somewhere else completely. Probably somewhere else. I don't know. That's the beauty of it. But, my telling of this yarn, is pretty near done.
Carol and Suze had moved into a nice little brownstone, about a month after they started, both, their new jobs. They visit the lodge, every chance they get, grabbing the same room and helping out where they can. They're still not allowed near the kitchen though. Not when Marisol's around anyway.
Darren stayed at the lodge and loves every minute of, his content and simple lifestyle. Marisol is pregnant. Glowingly so. The two of them have mud fights in the garden, and toil away, side by side, doing the dishes at night. They are very strong together.
Paul, was one of the few who actually went to work for the magazine. He moved to NYC. Carol and Suze helped him find an apartment. He does a column on getaways of a sport related nature and travels the country looking for regional oddities. Like pond hockey tournaments in Minnesota or snow mobile drag races in the Iowa mud.
His little friend? He decided college was delayed long enough. So he packed himself up and Paul moved him right the hell in.
Steve, bought a bike, an old 883. Gruncle and Marisol taught him the basics. Granny Hicks joins them for a ride, time to time.
She's ecstatic about becoming a Great, Great, Auntie by the way.
Pamela and Nimbuwe? Well, what can I say about the Queen of Truth and the Jaguar, except, they haven't missed a sunrise since he returned. Olofi smiles.
And here we all were, in that same place, but in a different world than when we met, surrounded by more, than we ever knew we had.
Trevor, Meat's brother, was dressed as a warrior priest. Meat was regaled in his finest barbarian. Mabel and William donned their Sunday best, holding hands, around Marisol, on a very swollen tummy. Waiting to feel a mystery kick.
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"I wonder who's inside there?" Emily puzzled, in her best River Tam. I just pulled her tighter to me and smiled.
Art always imitates life. And life, somehow, always returns the favor. They just can't help themselves.
Sam stopped what she was doing, and watched a, wildly grinning, Sasquatch cradle a sleeping wonder, in one massive, protective paw. Lanie and Beccah were dressed up like Valkyrie, decorating flowers to the ground. Creating a path of multicolored pastels upon the greens of the grass and the reds of the earth.
Big Frank, was just watching his grand kid sleep, with his feet up on a cooler, and a smile, cheek to cheek.
And there were more, intermingled in some way, sharing a joy, within someone else's dream. Like different spokes in a tapestry, brought together by the seers, of this thing we call life.
We are the needles,
time is the thread.
Our choices the knots,
the weavers hand led.
Knit one line right,
the flow we can ebb.
Purl two lines tight,
we strengthen the web.
The din got quiet.
Two bodies centered the attention around them.
They walked the flowered path and stepped into the circles of gold at their feet. Carol was adorned in a white laced sundress. Without a stitch more underneath.
Suzie was in black spandex shorts with a matching, mid riff top. She'd put on some weight and some muscle. And honestly, she looked fucking good. But maybe that was just how she felt about herself coming through. It didn't matter, it worked for her. In a really sexy way.
The ceremony was short and emotionally to the point. Suze had planned it, so it kinda had her style.
Carol's vows, were poetical and floral. Some people had tears.
Suzie, pulled a slip of paper from her waist band, then ripped it up and handed the scraps to Trevor. She took Carol by the hand and looked her dead in the eyes.
And then, she just, declared it.
"I love you Care, with all my fucking soul. So if you want me, just take me like you did on our first night."
Carol wrapped her up in a big hungry kiss, as Trevor declared the union forged, then she carried her all the way across the field to their promissory tent. We didn't see them again until it was well passed nightfall. We heard them. A few times, but we didn't see them.
Well, that's not wholly true, a couple of us did. I stopped by to see if they needed for food or drink, and to give them the sd card with their wedding pics. Scotty beamed them up somewhere around the kiss shots.
Pam and Emily peeked in. And just made themselves home between my legs. Pam up front, Emily right behind her. Hugging tight. Rocking.
I finally got around to taking the pics we had half-joked about at the lodge. I don't think either of them has a spine, as we know it. Their just so, malleable and.. I mean some of the positions were just… ouch.
I'll let the Queens give you the gist.
"How does she…"
"I don't have a fucking clue."
"Do you think they might be... Aliens?"
"See that there? That! Still haunts me."
"Oh. I hope you got a shot of that."
"I think I did."
"Good, I need to study that… For scientific purposes."
"Send me a copy too, I, don't think I could do that justice, with words."
"It looks like Tetris, gone wonky."
"Oooh! That looks… hmm."
"Ooh. You wanna maybe, try that later?"
"You're on. But, Ummm, I think I need to go get my Prince on right now. Sooo. Love ya both!"
I heard a big smooch, felt one on my jaw. The canvas broke and five became four.
Fingers twirled in my hair, lips brushed against my ear, then a whisper, sent a shiver.
"I'm kinda feeling naughty. I think I need a spanking."
"Oh do you now?"
"Mmhmm."
I slipped the sd card out of my camera, right into my new laptop. I copied three files to the hard drive, then pulled the card out and put it with the other.
We left the two lovers to their own happy time slip. And went to forge one of our own quilter's making.