[Fiction] Moments

[z-Carver]

“I can’t believe you’re going to be on TV!” Ruth’s voice was shrill enough to cut the Girl Made of Titanium, and Carver pulled the phone away from her ear. “I’m so jealous!”

“Ruth, you don’t even like scifi,” Carver pointed out, putting an arm over her eyes to block out the sun pouring in the window. Getting up to close the shutters seemed like too much effort right now. Kruger was lying under her legs, his head curled around to rest on her hip.

“It’s TV!” Ruth said. “It doesn’t matter what kind it is!”

“Fine, I’ll see if I can get you a walk-on or something,” Carver said. “You’ll have to get yourself to LA, though.”

The joyous shriek nearly tore her brain apart; Kruger whimpered and wiggled out from under his mistress’ legs, slinking away. “Done, done and done!!”

“How you getting there?” Carver asked. “Aren’t you broke and between jobs?”

“Nope – I just got a job,” Ruth said, “and I got a signing bonus because I agreed to teach in an inner city.”

That made Carver sit up, her face twisted with worry. “Ah, geez, Ruthie, are you sure about that?”

“With the bad recommendations from St. Bernard’s, I wasn’t getting anything like my old job back,” Ruth sighed. “I’m a good teacher, and I know it, but I have a millstone around my neck. I’m fortunate that the Bronx High School of Law and Community Service was willing to hire me.”

“If you say so – wait, the Bronx?” Carver said, catching the name finally. “You’re… moving here? To New York?”

“Yep!”

[z-Carver]

Jael slipped between the dreams, looking for just the right one for tonight’s fun. Her fingers played idly over the surface, looking for an emotion or a mood that appealed to her tonight. It was going to be a particularly unfortunate night for whomever she decided to play with; Jael had had a bad day. Another mental discussion between her, Willa and Harold had shown just how different she was from them.

It was really frustrating how much they choose to complicate things with morals, as if they meant anything. But more than frustration was the feeling of isolation – Harold loved her, she knew that, and she knew he’d never say it, but she knew Willa was his favorite. It was infuriating that an invader in her body, a freaking mental construct, could be the favorite.

The happiness in a passing bubble caught her attention, and Jael returned to the sphere. The dream was strangely indistinct, and Jael slipped into the dream, curious about it. There was nothing firm or solid in the dream, just blurring colors and strange sounds. There was no sense of personality, despite Jael’s best efforts to probe and find it. With a burst of insight, she realized that she was in a baby. “This is interesting,” she grinned as she focused her effort outward.

There was no personality to fight, and Jael soon had a lovely nightmare going. She could feel the agitation of the mind, but she was having so much fun playing without having to fight against a consciousness that she continued. There was a sudden, sharp pain in the mind, then the dream faded, leaving Jael floating between dreams again. “That was fun,” she grinned, “but the night is still young.” Her grin became even more predatory as she twisted around, seeking new prey.

[z-Carver]

“You’re moving in December for sure? So you’ve found an apartment?” Carver asked as the hot, midday Phoenix sun bore down on her.

Ruth nodded, even as Donna worried, “Are you sure it’s a nice place, honey?”

“Yeah, it’s nice,” Ruth said. “A friend took pictures of it for me.” A little smile teased her lips, making Carver gives her an inquisitive look. ‘Later’ the younger Carver sister mouthed, looking at Donna as the reason for silence.

“I can’t believe you’re moving away, too,” Donna said, her voice getting scratchy with tears.

Carver looked longingly at her father and Harry walking ahead of them on the sidewalk; it looked like Robert was telling one of his tired old stories, but Carver would rather be dealing with that than Donna struggling to not cry. *I so wish we could switch places,* she told him.

*Nope,* he said affably enough, looking back at her with a quick smile. And with that, he gently shut off his end of the link, knowing that Carver would keep on whining if he let her.

With a sigh, Carver looked to the side at one of the shops they were walking past. The glitter of jewelry caught her eye, and she stopped, peering in at the scintillating diamonds, gleaming on gold hoops of promises and hope.

“Looking for a reason?” Ruth asked in a teasing voice, coming to stand next to her sister. “Or just hoping for a reason?”

“Ha ha,” Carver chuckled. “No, we haven’t talked about this yet.”

“Well, he needs to get on that,” Donna smiled, moving up on Carver’s other side. At the incredulous look her daughter gave her, Donna said, “You said he’s the one you want, and I see how happy he makes you. I know I didn’t approve earlier, but I’m sure that this wrestling thing will pass. How he makes you feel is the important thing.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Carver said, giving her mother a hug. Ruth nodded in agreement and joined the hug; the three women held each other tightly. At the end of the sidewalk, Mythic and Robert waited patiently for the hug to break up and for the women to join them again.

"What do you think that's about?" Harold asked Robert.

The older man shrugged. "It's a woman-thing - let them do it," he said. "You'll find that the Carver women have their way of doing things."

"Oh, I know that," Harold said, nodding and watching the woman he loved. I probably know it better than you.