Aberrant: Nova Reality - Easter

[Sandcaster]

She worked alone. Mind you, Sandcaster wasn't expecting anything different; this was, after all, Easter, and she had given the day off to everyone (though Sean and Stormwarden had agreed to remain on stand-by). But to Sandcaster, Easter had long been just another day on the calendar. Her faith in God was over thirty years dead, and she was perfectly happy with this state of affairs; what need, after all, is there for a God when there's the beauty of the universe and its workings, the knowledge that it will all go on even if one does not?

So it was with a touch of confusion that she shifted a file from her inbox and found the small card. Careful handwriting on the envelope simply addressed it to "Anne." On opening it, Sandcaster was greeted with a smiling bunny, bouncing chicks, and a flowered meadow under puffy white clouds in a blue sky. For an unfathomable reason, her fingers trembled just a touch as she opened the card, and saw the simple message: "Blessed Renewal and a Happy Easter! Love, Rhayne".

Perhaps five minutes went by as she stared at the card. But when she set it down, she went straight to work on two tasks, new items that were not on her calendar.

First was an e-mail to the Knights at large.

Quote:

We need to have a meeting regarding the reality show. In short, it is time to reinstate it in some fashion, but I would like to discuss format options to avoid some of the problems we have previously experienced. 9am Monday, in the north conference room. Thank you.

Second was a quick text page to one of her on-call Knights.

Quote:

If you do not have any plans, I would appreciate your company for dinner this evening at my house. Please let me know. -Anne

[Stormwarden]

Rhayne felt the strength of Bear course through her as she stretched herself out in yet another new position. This one entailed a handstand that slowly brought her feet down until they touched the top of her head. With that manuever complete, she shifted her weight and raised on of her hands up with a slow, precise flourish.

"Okay," she murmured to herself, "a few more practice runs then I can try this at full speed."

A few practice runs later, she was finishing the final one-hand spring back to her feet when her computer beeped at her. She grabbed her uniform up and raced to the system. Though she had her Knight's communicator active, the message indicator was from Sandcaster. Opening it, she read,

Quote:

If you do not have any plans, I would appreciate your company for dinner this evening at my house. Please let me know. -Anne

She couldn't help from letting herself smile and she felt her body flush with excitement. Her hands flew over the keyboard.

Quote:

I would be glad to attend you for dinner. When should I arrive and should I bring anything? - Rhayne

[Sandcaster]

Some part of Sandcaster was hoping that Stormwarden would ignore the message, or that she would turn down the invitation. That part nearly had a coronary when it read the reply...and was squelched by an aspect of her personality that had gone too long neglected. Trembling fingers quickly tapped out a reply.

Quote:

Six o'clock, and just yourself.

[Stormwarden]

She triple checked her breath, double checked her uniform stuffed into her satchel, and looked at herself in the full-length mirror one more time.

Well, Dorothy and a few others will probably be there. I'll be okay. Eat food. Make small talk. Maybe watch some television. Perhaps talk about some Knight's business. I can do this. I can behave and not embarrass her. I can. I can.

Rhayne looked at her watch one more time and went out the door. She locked it behind her and took flight. Her beige deerskin fringe whipped up around her as she bolted across the sky. Within five minutes, she was there. Rhayne landed away from the door and walked up. An older gentleman was out walking his dog and Rhayne smiled at him. He smiled and tipped his cap to her in return. Pushing too many of the dance songs that kept coming to her mind into the background, Stormwarden bounced up the stairs and knocked on the door.

Deep cleansing breaths. Everything is going to be okay.

[Sandcaster]

The door opened, and various scents wafted out. The cinnamon and tang of apple pie. The intricate blend of clove and honey and pineapple that told tales of a ham baked in a slow oven. The cozy scent of parrafin, a sure sign of candles. And a mixture of jasmine and rose that could only be...perfume? And could it really be coming from the casually dressed woman holding the door open with a nervous smile on her face?

"I'm glad you came, Stor...um, Rhayne. Please, come in. Dinner's just about ready." For a moment, Sandcaster hesistated, then turned with another nervous look and led Stormwarded to the dining room. A dining room with a table set with a good-sized feast and places for two.

"Dorothy's spending the day with friends, and has a slumber party tonight. So it's, um...just us." Something that might have been a blush started to creep to the host's sand-covered cheeks, and she swallowed hard as she guestured for Stormwarden to take her seat as she took her own.

[Stormwarden]

Stormwarden walks to the entery way leading into the dning room and stops. Anne says something and she finds herself nodding and speaking, but not sure what she's responding to.

"Yes. Sure. That's okay."

Well, maybe no one else could come ... Anne's blushing ... that's like rose-colored sandstone from the Southwest, so beautiful and full of wisdom ... Keep it together.

Rhayne swallows hard and takes her seat.

"Thank you for the invitation ... Anne. It was going to be me and Kruger, otherwise."

Rhayne looks at everything in the room, but Anne,

"Everything smells so wonderful."

[Sandcaster]

There isn't much in the way of conversation through the meal. Oh, the food was good enough, and there was plenty of it, but neither nova was exactly operating with a full appetite for food. Small bits of small talk were started and fell like stones, each one an obvious effort at distraction that failed to do much in the way of distracting.

Finally, as pie forks were laid to rest on their respective plates, Sandcaster tried to speak of something that wasn't small talk.

"Rhayne, this...er, we have...um...." She stopped. This wasn't working, and so she did something that did not come at all naturally to her: she trusted her heart. Without another word, she pushed back from the table and stood in a smooth motion; without delay, she walked quickly around to the other side; and before courage failed her, she leaned in and kissed Stormwarden fully on the lips.

It was a funny thing, really. Stormwarden had just eaten a full ham dinner, complete with apple pie; and yet, her breath still tasted of wildflowers and roses...just as it had that first time. Had this been any other moment, Sandcaster would have wondered how...but this wasn't any other moment, and the kiss lingered.

After a small eternity, their lips parted, and Sandcaster found the strength to say what needed to be said. "Rhayne, I want to try again. I can't just keep pretending that there's nothing between us. I can't keep pretending that...that I'm not falling for you. So if you are still willing, I'd like to see what we can be."

[Stormwarden]

At first, all Rhayne can do is sit there and nod. She gently lifts her finger to her lips and touches them, as if verifying what just happened was real.

"I ... I ... I've missed you, Anne. I want to try again too."

Rhayne stands up and reaches out to Anne, rubbing a hand alng the curve of Anne's neck, from ear to shoulder.

We are going to do this right this time.

"Let's go into the living room, Anne. I want you to tell me about yourself. Who you are and what your life has been like. I want to get to know you for who you are. Let's start there."

[Sandcaster]

With both tension and relief, fear and joy and trepidation, Sandcaster nodded...and took Stormwarden's hand. "I think that would be an excellent idea," she said with one of the first genuine smiles she had given in a long, long time.

And with that, the two walked off to a new beginning.