Sunday, October 26, 2008

Zion: Part 2

At a little past seven that evening, when TwoSpears wearily approached his trailer, he saw a vehicle parked just outside his home. And someone was sitting on his front steps. He smiled slightly, unnoticed by the man and woman he was walking along with. They turned off and went toward the house just before his.
"Zion, why are you still here? I know my stubborn sister well enough to know that she has not changed her mind about seeing you since earlier today" the tall man said. He looked tired. Zion slid her feet apart to free up a space for the tired man to sit. With the sun going down, the temperature was also lowering. But it was still hot.

"Where does she live?"

"She doesn't want to see you, so I'm not going to tell you. She's mad at me as it is for writing you in the first place. Did you have to tell her about the letter?"

"Sorry. Does she ever talk about me? What did she say after seeing me today?" Zion asked. She took the shirt that was thrown over his left shoulder and began to wipe his back with it. He was surprised and even more so when she started to massage his shoulders. He sighed when she stopped. She stepped off the side of the step she was on and went to the car. He watched her with tired and hungry eyes, when she put a basket on the hood of the car. Using a napkin, she took a piece of chicken from the basket, walked to the tired man and waved it under his nose. "Take me to her, and you can have this and a cold, cold soda." Without saying anything, he lifted the basket and started to walk in the direction he had come from a few minutes earlier.

"Wait. I'll take the basket, you get the cooler. How far is she? Do we need to ride?"

"It's not far. Oh wow! Coke" TwoSpears said looking inside the cooler. It held can sodas and ice.

The houses were scattered. Six houses away they stopped outside a cabin. In the fading light, it looked like it might be the most sturdy dwelling of them all. It had a front porch with three plastic green chairs on it. When TwoSpears knocked, the boy he had been talking to earlier answered. The teen's smile faded when he saw who was with his uncle. The two whispered to each other and finally the boy went inside. When he came back out, he said his mother did not want to see the visitor. Zion fixed two paper plates with food, put two can sodas in her pants pockets and went into the house. Sky's brother and son, shrugged their shoulders and began to fix plates for themselves. The uncle used ice from the cooler to wash his hands.

When Sky came through a curtain into the livingroom and kitchen all-in-one, she stopped and crossed her arms over her chest. She stared silently at the woman who was making herself at home in her kitchen side of the room. Zion had put the plates and drinks on the table and was washing her hands and face at the sink. There was no plumbing, but a bucket of clean water was beside the sink. She used only a small amount to freshen up from the dirt and heat. Without saying anything, they both sat down and began to eat.

"Where do you think we would be right now if you hadn't been in an accident and I hadn't been sent to prison?"

"I have no idea. But thinking about it, I'd probably be here and you'd probably be out on tour somewhere."

"What, you wouldn't want to tour with me?"

"Yeah right. You think I would like a smelly bus more than a smelly truck?"

"Well sometimes they can get smelly when somebody has too many burritos or doesn't wash his feet."

"Zion, I want to say, I never believed you did what you were accused of" Sky said noticing but not mentioning Zion's stiff left hand.

"Thank you. But how did you know? We barely knew each other. Some people that have known me longer had doubts."

"I just didn't feel like you were the kind of person who would take advantage of someone like that. I mean, I was in a motel with you, on your bed, and not once did you even try to touch me inappropriately.

"If you know -- feel so much, do you know and feel that I love you?"

"You don't know me, so how can you love me. We talked on the phone a few times ..."

"I love you."

"Don't say that."

"Why?"

"Too much has happened. Things have changed."

"A lot has happened. I wouldn't exactly say it's too much, 'cause we're here. Things have changed, but what has not changed is the fact that I love you."

"Zion please."

"That's why I'm here, to please you. And me."

"That's so corny."

"But did you like it? I think I saw a little smile."

"Zion, when you were singing that song about leaving and you looked right in the camera and then turned your back to the audience and the cameras and just played your guitar ..."

"You. I was singing to you. I wrote it about you." A month after Sky had did a no show, Zion had been on a nighttime talk show performing. She had written a song about wanting someone who would not accept what she was offering. Zion was hurting bad and she turned from the audience and cameras just to try to get through the song. As she sang it was totally for the woman who had captured her heart without effort.

"It was the most sensuous song I've ever heard you play. And your butt was so cute. As I watched you, I felt that as you played, you were making love to me."

"I was thinking about what it would be like to make love to you. As I played I could feel you over me then under me, you in me and me in you. That last solo part was being written as I played. I couldn't remember much of what happened but I remember how I felt, how you felt."

"If you're that passionate, then how could any woman ever let you go?" Sky asked quietly. She had gone into town to watch the show at her sister's house. She was glad and sad to see that Zion had not forgotten her. When Zion had silently mouthed her name, she cried.

"Sky, I'm going to Virginia. I have a house there remember I told you? Will you come stay with me so that we can get to know each other? I'm tired and I need to go home. Home, well right now, it's just a house, that I've rarely been in since I had it built. I don't want to be there alone."

"I have a son Zion. He maybe almost as big as his uncle but he's still a boy. And I have other responsibilites here. We have a crop to get in, and ..."

"How much for the whole field?"

"Unless we get some rain soon, it's not going to be worth much. And according to the reports, you're broke."

"Don't believe everything you read. If it was a thriving, best of the line field, how much?"

"And just how much are you willing to pay me to leave my son?"

"He can come also and so can TwoSpears."

"You can't buy me Zion."

"I don't want you if I have to pay. Look, you work the field, you get paid. Well, why can't I buy the crop, you get paid and come with me. And anytime you want to leave you can. All I'm asking for is a chance for us to get to know each other. And if I'm lucky enough, you'll fall madly in love with me and never want to leave."

"And is there a deadline me falling in love with you?"

"No. Woman, you're already in love with me. You just need time to accept that we're be good for each other."

"And just what makes you so sure that I'm in love with you?"

"The way you're trying to act like you are indifferent to me. We're not physically touching but I feel you. Tell me right now that you don't feel me, and I'll go and never come back."

"I don't ... that's not fair Zion" Sky said almost smiling. Zion's feet were touching her, so she couldn't honestly say she couldn't feel the woman. And it would have not been an honest answer if she had said it without Zion touching her. Without saying anything else, Sky stood and let the night shirt slip down off her shoulders. She turned slowly so that Zion could see the burned tissue. Without saying anything, Zion went to the woman and stood only inches from her. Sky's usually long hair was now only just below the shoulders. The fire had burned some it and so it had been trimmed down.

"Does that hurt?" Zion softly asked, gently touching the burnt shoulder. When Sky shook her head, Zion repeated the question, but this time she touched her back. Again another head shake. A third time it was asked, when Zion softly kissed the damaged skin on Sky's torso. Once again the head shake which turned into a nod when Zion kissed her chest where her right breast use to be. "And does this hurt?" Zion asked as she gently, softly kissed Sky's lips. Three nods as the kiss intensified and both moaned.

"Hurt so good" Sky moaned as a tongue met hers. Zion didn't know how much too hold her, so she just tried to convey it all with a kiss. Sky eased in closer and her skin felt like it was burning where Zion touched her. This heat was burning both bodies. They broke the kiss when TwoSpears stuck his head inside the door and said RainCloud could spend the night with him. He put two sodas inside the door. He and the teen took the basket and left. /E5\

-----Going Home-----
Zion and Sky took the train to Virginia to give them time to get better acquainted before they actually had to occupy the same house. They were easy with each other, except that Sky was worried about how Zion would later feel about her scars. Right now Zion was glad to be with her, but would she want to be more than friends. What had happened to them both since they last saw each other, had changed them emotionally and physically. Before the accident, she knew she was an attractive woman, but it wasn't anything she gave much thought to. But after the accident, it took her a long time to adjust to her scars and missing breast. There were things that could be medically done to change her appearance but she didn't have the funds. If she could have afforded the medical procedures, she would have spent the money on a well for the community. Right now, she just wanted to get away and get to know the woman she had not been able to forget. Even if Zion no longer felt sexually attracted to her, just being her friend would be okay. She knew that what she felt was a very rare thing for her and she didn't want to deny herself a chance. It would be up to Zion about how their relationship would develope.

Both women were travelling light. Once off the train, they didn't have to wait long for a cab to come and was soon at the entrance to Zion's property. It was August and the heat was oppressive. Each side of the paved road leading to the house, was lined with trees. Zion wondered why the grounds keeper had let the grass get so overgrown. She was paying for the outside upkeep of the place. Sky and the cab driver admired the way the house was built. Zion had helped with designing it. She liked architecture and had a talent for sketching out designs. All the windows had closed shutters.
After Zion unlocked the door, entered and coded the alarm panel, she invited Sky in. The cabbie brought in three suitcases, two were Zions. He put them down and stared in awe at the framed photos on the foyer walls. There were pictures of Zion with her band, with other celebrities but even more of her with fans. The driver of course had recognized her, seeing that she was the biggest name to come from that town. He couldn't wait to start telling people that he had not only driven her and a woman from the station but had also been inside her house. It was the biggest and most expensive house he had ever been inside.

"Nick, don't forget tomorrow okay?" Zion said to the cabbie. She had gotten him to stop at a fast food place to get something to take in with them. She had asked Nick to pick them up the following day about ten o'clock. She wanted to get the phone turned on and purchase a vehicle.
"I'll be here at ten or a little after if I have a fare before then" he said smiling as he left.

Sky was looking at the photos. Zion was at a control panel turning on the air conditioning. Pressing another button, the shutters started to open and light began to fill the hallway from the window above the front door. Everything was on one floor.There were four doors leading to rooms off the foyer. The first door to the left lead to Zion's private rooms. The first was her bedroom and sitting area. The second door led to her office and the room beyond was her private bathroom. And the third door was the kitchen and dinning room. The first door on the right was a large living room with comfortable sofas and chairs and a piano. Behind the second door was a good size closet for coats and such. The third entrance way on the right was an arch opening that lead to a hallway. On the right wall was a big linen closet with bed dressings, and bath supplies. And the next was the laundry room with a washer, dryer, racks, iron and board and shelves with detergents. Across the hall from the laundry room was a big bath room with a deep bath tub for relaxing in and a seperate shower. Coming back toward the entrance were three bedrooms. Each had different colors and patterns without being too masculine or feminine.

"Take any room that you want" Zion told Sky after showing her the rooms. She didn't want to rush things with Sky. It was enough right now to have her there. Maybe soon they will be using only one bedroom. Sky chose the first bedroom because it was closer to Zion's sleeping area. Putting her suitcase on the bed, Sky was impressed with Zion's knack for decorating and mixing colors. The shutters had opened in each room letting sunlight in. Each guest bedroom had a glass door that opened out onto the long porch that ran the length of the house. The outside doors also had electronic doors that slide open. It was a beautiful house, each room spacious, but not pretentious. Anyone staying there would feel comfortable. Out back, there was a paved barbecue area with the grills covered. Further back was a building with a dome. This was Zion's music studio. The lawn at the perimeter was also overgrown. But the lawns couldn't have been neglected long, for they were not out of control. The AC was cooling the house and freshening the air.

Zion had gotten a variety of things to eat at the fast food restaurant. She put the bag on the dinning room table. She plugged in the fridge. Being gone for long periods of time, it was better than wasting the electricity. She put the remote to operate different things in the kitchen on charger. Both women decided to freshen up and change into something more comfortable. Thirty minutes later, Zion had unpacked, hung up her clothes, showered, dressed and returned to the kitchen. Fifteen minutes more passed and she went looking for Sky. The woman wasn't in the bedroom, so Zion tapped on the bathroom door. Sky replied that she would be out soon.

"I almost fell asleep in that tub. It's a real luxury to submerge in a tub and just soak" Sky said smiling. Zion just admired the smile silently. The food had been taken from the bags and put on the table. They both had eaten on the train so neither was really hungry at the moment.

"This is a beautiful place. It's warm and welcoming, like you" Sky said as they sat in the living room.

The room was huge, but sort of divided into sections. Upon entering was a sitting area: a sofa and chair on the left and on the right a chair and sofa. There was an ottoman in front of each sofa and a table with lamp between chair and sofa. The obdoman's were also storage chest. In each, Zion had board games and puzzle books. She had planned ahead for when she had some off time, that her band and friends could come stay and have a variety of things to occupy them. On the tour bus, she and her band often played board games or jammed to help past the time. Her non-celeb friends also liked to play cards and board games. Past the sofas and chairs, on the left was a cabinet that held bottles of wine and other liquors. And on the right was a floor to ceiling bookcase. Not many books were on the shelves yet. She had read books while touring and saved the ones she really liked. They were in a box at her California condo.

The condo was now for sale and she was having everything shipped to her that she wanted to keep. And beyond the cabinet and bookcase was another sitting area for watching television. A sofa and two chairs occupied that area. And in the right corner was Zion's favorite pinball machine. And in the left corner was her favorite racing video game. Zion was looking around herself admiring the room. She had only stayed in the house for about a month since having all the work completed. Most of her time had been spent touring, recording, going to different hollywood events. There was always some red carpet event, award show or party to attend. What she had really enjoyed was being on stage performing and spending time with her friends. But she had lost the desire to perform. So now she was ready to settle into her house and make it a home. /E6\

-----Zoe-----
The cabbie returned the next morning as promised. He took them to the phone company and a couple of auto dealerships before Zion decided on a woodie Cruiser. She had given her California car to a homeless shelter for gay youth. A few more things had changed in Zion's home town since her last time there. She went into the neighborhood where she had grown up and showed Sky the house she had lived in for most of her childhood. She was glad to see that it was still a well-kept area. They went grocery shopping and Zion was recognized and a few people asked for autographs. Not wanting people in her home town to think she was stuck up, she did it. Truth was, she wasn't stuck-up at all. In almost any other time, she would have enjoyed talking to her fans and having her picture taken with them. She remembered how she had felt about her favorite celebrities and was fortunate to meet several of them. But now, she felt far removed from being a celebrity and just wanted an average life.

When they returned home, a local tv-news van was waiting outside the entrance to her property. Several cars were parked on both sides of the road and a small crowd of people were standing around. Zion stopped and gave a brief interview, thinking that if she got it over with now, they would go away and leave her alone. She waved to the small crowd of people but wouldn't sign autographs or pose for pictures. However, some pictures were taken while she gave an interview to the media. A reporter from the city newspaper was also there, but she did not give him an exclusive. She preferred to have her interview only on camera so that everyone interested could hear what she said and not have it distorted by the print media. She wouldn't speak about her incarceration but did say that she had retired from show-biz. She publicly thanked her fans and friends who had supported her. That brief interview was more than she gave the media in California after she walked out of prison. An hour or two later, the small crowd had left since it seemed that Zion wasn't coming out anytime soon.
The next day, the gardner showed up and apologized for the way the grounds looked. He explained that he had been sick for several days and a family situation had kept him from coming out to care for the lawns. He had a helper but wouldn't let him come out to Zion's property alone. Zion had personally hired him and overall was satisfied with his work. She could tell that the grounds had been kept up except for the slight overgrowth. He was glad that she wanted him to continue as her groundsman.

Zion and Sky settled in and was getting more comfortable being together. A week after their arrival, Zion answered the front door to a teenager who looked slightly familiar.

"I'm Zoe", the teenager said with a nervous smile. The girl held out a picture. Zion had seen her before but it was years ago when Zoe was a baby in her arms. With a smile, Zion opened her arms and the girl moved into them. They went into the kitchen where Sky was preparing one of her favorite dishes.

"The last time I saw Zoe, she was just a few months older than she was in that picture."

"I use to show that picture of us to my classmates. Some kids wouldn't believe me until I showed it to them. But I stopped doing it when I got to senior high. In high school, it was too much like bragging, being popular off your name, so I stopped."

"I'm glad you came to see me. How is everyone?" Zion asked not naming anyone in particular. She had not seen her family since she left home when she was eighteen. Zoe didn't know the full story behind Zion leaving home at such an early age. Her family rarely even mentioned Zion's name. So she naturally assumed it had something to do with Zion being a lesbian.

"Ma is okay. She recently divorced my stepfather and is dating a guy i don't like. Grandma Grace had pneumonia a couple of years ago, but is doing okay now. Uncle Nat has nine kids but I haven't met them all. Grandpa Rob has a daughter my age. I don't see him too much. Let's see, ..." Zoe went through several names of Zion's immediate family. Grace and Rob, Zion's parents were separated when Zion left home. Zoe's mother, Ann, was eight years older than Zion. And Nat, was three years older than Zion.
As they ate lunch together, the three females got better acquainted. Zoe, usually shy, was surprised at how easy it was to talk to her rock star aunt. It had taken her a week to work up the courage to visit Zion, not knowing how she would be received. She treasured the picture of her as a babe in her aunt's arms. She had all Zion's cd's and watched her on tv whenever she knew she would be on. She stayed up on occasion to watch Zion on a nighttime talk show. She loved the way her aunt was laid back and even though a big name in the music business, she seemed like she was approachable. She was glad that she had taken the chance and had gotten a friend to drop her off. She had not told any of her family that she was going to see Zion. Her friend had wanted to meet Zion but Zoe told her that she would introduce them later, but first she wanted to see how things went. If it didn't go well, she would call for a ride. After what Zion had been through recently, maybe she wouldn't be interested in meeting strangers, even blood strangers. In the interview a week before, Zion had said she wanted to be left alone. But here she was in Zion's fabulous house, (she had already been shown around), having lunch and talking to the woman she had a past with and hopefully would get to know better. She stole glances at the beautiful raven-haired woman who let them talk without interrupting. She was having a good time until she gasped when she saw the back of Sky's neck.

"I'm sorry - I ..." stammered Zoe. Sky had gotten up to get more ice which gave Zoe a view of her neck. It wasn't noticeable from the left where Zoe was sitting.

"You don't need to apologize" Sky told the girl. "It takes a while to get use to. I've looked at it daily and I'm still not use to it."

"She was in an auto accident a few years ago" Zion explained.

As she told about how she met Zion and how they lost touch and got back together again, she watched Sky. Each day she was falling deeper in love with the raven-haired beauty. But Sky wasn't giving in easily to her passes. The most she got out of Sky was a brief hug during the day and a kiss good night. She had nothing but time now, so she wasn't in a big rush to share her bed with Sky. However, she was looking forward to the time with Sky would not cut short the day-time hug, or pull away from the night-time kiss that got hotter and longer.

Zoe called her friend to pick her up and Zion told her niece that she could return whenever she wanted to visit. Zoe had a big smile on her face when Zion said hello to her friend. When she told her mother that she had been to Zion's house and had lunch, she could tell that her mother wanted to ask questions but didn't. She called her grandmother and told her, and Grace did ask questions and half she didn't know the answer to. Zoe had Zion's unlisted phone number. Her grandmother wanted the number but Zoe said she would have to get Zion's permission to give it to her because she had promised not to give it out to anyone else. Zoe couldn't wait for the weekend to come, so that she could see Zion and Sky again. She hoped that Zion would say it was okay for her to give Grace the number. Her grandmother didn't really know the daughter who left home when she was eighteen. Even though her family didn't talk about Zion in her presence, she had watched a show with her mother and grandmother when her aunt was performing. She had asked each about Zion but they wouldn't comment. Well at least they didn't say negative things about Zion. Zoe had seen her grandmother wipe tears while Zion was singing one of her hit songs. She had mumbled that she had bought Zion her first guitar.

Sky and Zion spent time enjoying each other's company, but Sky wasn't use to so much time of basically doing nothing. They went for walks on the property, went to restaurants for lunch and dinner and to the movies. There really wasn't much to do in town. Sky talked to her son and brother once a week when they went to her grandmother's house for dinner. Four weeks passed and they went out for their one month anniversary. At least once a week since their arrival, the local paper had something written about Zion. If she went to a place to shop or to dine, it was reported in the paper. And people continued to park outside the entrance to her property but no one tried to get inside the entrance. That Zion was glad of because she didn't want to have to keep the electric gate close until at night. People who came with the hope of seeing her up close, took pictures when they could. Zion waved, getting use to several people being there during that first month. She didn't care as long as no one breached the perimenter. Sky, however, would always avert her face if she was aware that a camera was present.

Zion had given Zoe permission to give her phone number to her mother. It took several days after getting the number that Grace got up the nerve to call and say hello to her daughter. Zion wasn't sure how much her mother's attitude had changed, but she was willing to see the woman who had birthed her. She wasn't real comfortable with the idea, remembering the last words her mother had spoken to her shortly before she left town. Rob, Zion's father, was a deacon at the church where Zion had been baptized. He still had not made the effort to contact her. And she felt that it wasn't her place to contact any of her family seeing how it was them who went against her. After passing a few words with her mother, she invited her to Sunday dinner. Grace and Rob had separated before Zion left home, and both had remarried, but Grace's second husband had died five years ago.

That Sunday afternoon, Sky answered the door and welcomed Grace and Zoe. Zion was having trouble getting her stomach to calm down. The woman had performed before thousands of people, had did tv interviews, but here she was in her own house, with her stomach jumping with anxiety. The dinner didn't go well. Zion could not relax. After all that she had been through over the years, she couldn't shake the look on her mother's face or the words from her mouth all those years ago. She still hurt over that, and until the moment she saw Grace standing in the livingroom did she realize how much. There was a stiffness in Zion that Sky had never seen before. She and Zoe left mother and daughter alone to give them space to say whatever needed to be said. With Sky and Zoe making small talk, they got through the meal. Zion couldn't seem to form sentences and the most that came out was one word replies. She kept watching her mother, absorbing everything she said and tried to memorize every inch of her face. The first woman she had loved had hurt her badly and she still had not gotten over it. No one ate much and Grace didn't stay long after the meal was over. Grace invited them both to her house the following Sunday.

"I take it that your family didn't take it well when they found out you are a lesbian" Sky said putting the leftovers into containers.

"No they didn't. I had a girlfriend and was so happy but it all came a part."
"Are you up to telling me what happened?"

"I fell in love with a wonderful girl. We talked about going away together. When her grandfather found out about us, he took her away. I asked my mother for help. My father disowned me, saying he would never say my name again. That I was damned and told my sister and brother not to ever say my name around him. My mother, she said she would pray for me to change. She said she didn't know why she had been cursed with such a child as me. She didn't put me out because that wouldn't have been the Christian thing to do. But I couldn't take the disapproving look from her when she glanced at me. And it was glances. She stopped looking at me directly, as if she would go blind if she looked into my eyes. I lost the girl that I loved, and my family. I left home a few weeks after graduation." /E7\

-----High School------
Zion was a teenage musical genius according to her high school year book. She could play several instruments, write songs, arrange music and could rock like a professional. Her junior year, she had led the school band in a rocking halftime show. She wrote a piece for the school band and played a guitar solo that blew the crowd away. Her team lost but she and the band had a successful night that was talked about for weeks. Her senior year, for spring break, there was to be a talent show to raise money for new school band uniforms. She and three other classmates had gotten together to form a rock band. They rehearsed and rehearsed until they were as good as they could possibly be. However, that's when things started to come undone for Zion.

Her girlfriend Millie, had a baby a few months before, but they worked it out and had decided to leave after graduation. Rumors started about her and Millie and some people didn't want her to participate in the talent show. At that point, it was just a rumor and the principal decided that they would raise more money with Zion performering. The lead guitar player for her band was forced to leave by his father. The boy didn't want to leave but his father made him. The parents of the bass player and drummer didn't want their sons associated with Zion either, but they were allowed to play. One band was eliminated which left Zion's band and the band who was popular from doing summer parties. It was close with Zion's band doing radio songs. Some people booed when Zion's band played, and it was solely because of the rumors. Upon being booed the second time, Zion decided to do one of her original songs. The crowd of adults and students were stunned at how good the band was performing. Zion was singing from the heart and even the ones who booed became less loud. The other band however, got the most applause and they won, even though everyone present knew they were not the best band.

Zion's parents would not help her when she pleaded with them to give her money so that she and Millie could leave. Millie would not tell Zion the name of the baby's father. They had broken up earlier because Millie told her she was pregnant. But Millie insisted that she wasn't in love with the father. The teens could not stay away from each other and eventually decided to go away together. Millie's grandfather threatened to have her put in a mental hospital and take the baby if Milly didn't stay away from Zion. So when Zion went to her parents and they would not give them the money, they planned to leave anyway. But didn't get the chance because Millie was suddenly gone. Zion never knew if she had been locked up and the baby taken as the grandfather had threatened.

Zion got more and more despondent. She barely passed the exams she needed to graduate. Rumors were all over the school and the neighborhood. But Zion was determined that she wasn't going to be forced out. She was close to a nervous breakdown, not knowing where Millie and the baby had been taken or even if they were okay. One day she had it all, a girl and a son. And the next, she had nothing, including her family. She ignored the stares at school and barely tolerated the attitude of her parents. She missed Millie and baby Ryan. Ryan, who held her fingers tight and went to sleep with his head on her chest. Ryan, who spit up on her favorite shirt and peed on her several times until she got quicker with the diaper.

Many days and nights, Zion wanted to scream but cried silently. Then one morning when her mother and siblings awoke, they found that Zion was gone. And the next they heard of her was years later, when she was on stage performing at a big charity event.

-------Nightmares-------
Zion often would wake during the night sweating. It had been happening for years. It started way back when she was eighteen, after Millie and Ryan were taken from her. As she roamed from place to place, before becoming famous, she would watch people, hoping to see a familiar face. And after she became famous, she would look out into the crowd and wonder if Millie was somewhere out there. Several songs had been written about Millie and her name was even used in one song. Zion had continued to hope that one day, Millie would just be standing there.

One night in the wee hours, Sky went to get water from the kitchen and heard Zion at the piano. She had not heard the music from her room because the playing was so soft. Sky entered the livingroom and sat on a chair to listen. Zion's eyes were closed and she was crying. The tune was soft and lovely and Sky knew who Zion was thinking of. At first she started to leave so that Zion could have her privacy. But she wanted to be there if Zion needed to talk. Suddenly Zion stopped playing, opened her eyes and looked at Sky. Without a word Sky went to her, sat on the bench and rubbed Zion's shoulders.

"You loved her very much didn't you?"

"I loved them all. And lost them all. It's the not knowing. I don't know if Millie and Ryan are okay." Zion said sadly. When Sky tried to embrace her, Zion moved away. She shook her head and went to her room.

Later that afternoon, Sky called her sister needing to talk. She felt better afterwards. Zion wasn't just having dreams, they were nightmares. Not able to sleep some nights after dancing with Zion in the livingroom, Sky would hear Zion at the piano. One night, Sky had heard grunting sounds coming from Zion's bedroom. Thinking that maybe Zion was as horney as she was, she listened outside the door. But the grunts were not sounds of arousal. Sky quietly entered the room and found Zion sweating, tossing and grunting. As gently as she could, she woke Zion from her nightmare. Zion was shaking. Sky went into Zion's bathroom and ran a tub of water. She put bubble bath in it and made sure the water wasn't too hot. Returning to the bed, she helped Zion stand and led her to the tub. Zion was still shaking and sweating as Sky removed her pajamas. As Sky instructed, Zion got in the tub and soaked. Sky stripped the damp sheets from the bed, redressed it, and laid out a pair of clean pajamas from a dresser drawer. Returning to the bathroom, she washed Zion's body, dried her, and led her back to the bed. She then dressed Zion in the pajamas and told her to get back in bed. Then she went to the kitchen and made hot chocolate. Zion always liked it at night. She was hoping that Zion had fallen back off to sleep, but no, she was wide awake but watched her with blank eyes. Sky held the cup and let Zion drink until it was gone. Turning off the lights, she slid into bed beside Zion and held her until the singer drifted off to sleep. Neither of them spoke a word.

The next day, Zion left the house right after breakfast. She said there was something she needed to do. When she returned, she had flowers and a box of chocolates and a basket of fruit for Sky. She didn't say where she had been, and Sky did not ask. Sky knew Zion had another reason for leaving, a reason other than wanting to buy her something for last night. But they did not talk about it. Later that evening, Sky listened for the piano but didn't hear it.

Another month passed. Every other Sunday, Grace came for Sunday dinner or they went to Grace's house. Most times Zoe would join them. The relationship between mother and daughter was still strained but they were trying to make it better. Zion's sister, Ann, even showed up one evening for dinner at Grace's. The sisters barely spoke to each other. It felt strange to Sky, to be in the same room with these women who were so close but so separated from each other. Zion's brother and father still had not made an appearance. After all these years, could they not let the past go and try to unite their family again. After one of the awkward dinners, Sky tried to talk about it, but Zion would not comment.

One evening after dinner, as Sky and Zion sat in the livingroom watching tv, Zion saw Hudson in a video. He had joined a new band. Actually, the band was made up of members that had been in other bands. They had spoken to each other only once since Zion returned to Virginia.

"Do you miss it?" Sky asked. She was sitting on the sofa and Zion's arm was around her shoulder.

"No." Zion replied. They were watching one of the music video channels.
"Not even a little bit?"

"I don't miss any of it. Well, I miss my band and my friends. But I don't miss being on the road, or in a studio. I don't miss all the red carpet events. There was always some award show or premier to attend."

"I think you should have won Grammys and American Music Awards. And that was before we ever met. At least they recognized your writing talent" Sky said. On the foyer wall were two songwriting awards that Zion had received. Suddenly Sky pointed at the screen. "Zion, that girl was in two of your videos. That's her in the beer commercial. She's cute. I think she's dating one of the guys on that new doctor show."

Zion mumbled something. She wasn't really paying attention to what was on tv. Her hand was gliding higher up Sky's thigh. Tonight she was hoping that Sky would come to her bed and not just to sleep.

"There are rumors that she's gay" Sky said. She looked closely at Zion and smiled when no answer came. "Did you ever date her?" Still no reply. "I saw her on a tv show. She was a date of the leading guy. She only had a couple of lines. Come on tell me, I promise not to tell anyone. Who would I tell?"

"I don't kiss and tell" Zion said kissing Sky's neck. She wasn't interested in the woman on the screen anymore. They had dated for a couple of months just before the accusation was made against Zion. The actress wanted to stand by Zion even when her agent told her the risk of being associated with Zion. She had fallen in love with Zion and would have risked her up and coming starlet status. But Zion wouldn't let her throw her career away and so she stayed away from the starlet and wouldn't answer her phone calls. Zion still had not gotten over falling for Sky and just couldn't give the other women she dated her heart.

"And I suppose you will not tell me what other top name stars in hollywood are gay?" Sky said barely able to breathe now that Zion had a hand under her top and was caressing her midsection. She made herself not push Zion away. The heat between them was building up daily and when they kissed it made her pulse race. But until now, she would not let Zion place a hand under her top. And Zion was only allowed to kiss her on the left side of her neck. Tonight she felt ready for more. She wanted to make love with Zion but the scars kept her from fully giving in to her desires.

"I don't understand the fascination people have about who celebrities are having sex with. Or who their neighbor or anyone else is sexing. Why don't people talk more about their own sex life if the topic of sex is so interesting?" Zion said leaving hot kisses on Sky's ear, neck and lips.
"Come on Zion. Tell me the initials of one actress or model that you had sex with. I promise not to ask again or tell anyone."

"Sky, I want to have sex with you tonight. Will you come to my bed and let me make love to you?"

"I want you too Zion. You know I do. I just don't know if I'm ready for ... "

"I love you. Look, we can find a plastic surgeon and see what can be done about the damaged skin. And that's what it is Sky, skin. Your skin."

"It's my skin and it took me a long time before I could even look at myself. And I'm not comfortable being nude in front of anyone. I also have a breast missing. You think it wouldn't have an affect on you but it will. And I don't know if I can stand to see that look on your face seeing me, well, bare."

"You said the doctors told you some procedures. I haven't brought it up since you first told me because you didn't want to talk about it. Baby, we do have options. It's ackward trying to make out with you while sitting on your left side. I can work better if I could sit on your right side" Zion winked.

"We do make a pair don't we. First off, I can't afford surgery. No don't say it. I'll not let you pay for it. The report is that you are close to broke after the trial and lawsuit. And even if you can afford it, i wouldn't accept the offer. You should be thinking about getting therapy for your hand. How can you not be angry over what was done to you by that girl, the D.A, the police, the media and those women who crippled your hand?"

Zion stood up and held out her right hand but Sky did not take it. Turning off the tv, Zion poured more wine into her glass but Sky did not want any more. Zion took the tray with the wine and glasses into her bedroom. She lit a couple of scented candles, turned on her cd player. Soft music began to play. She went back to the living room, took Sky's hand and they walked to her bedroom. They began to dance slow. As they gave themselves up to the music and the rising heat, their bodies were pressing tightly against each other. The kisses were electric as their tongues entered and withdrew from wet mouths. Sky pulled the t-shirt over Zion's head, but she would not let Zion remove her top. She had often wanted larger breast having only a hand full, but now she would welcome her missing small breast. She wasn't wearing a bra because it only made her feel more uneven about the chest. She unsnapped Zion's bra and let it drop at their feet. The time she had given Zion a bath she had paid little attention to Zion's nude body. Of course, she saw the form but she didn't have time to study and admire the physique of the rocker. Due to the ordeal Zion had been through recently, she was thinner than her average body mass. Her tall frame was beginning to fill out since they had arrived at the house.

"I'll try this but only with my top on."

"Sky, baby, we don't have to do anything tonight. Will you just stay here and lay beside me? I want to hold you and sleep with you in my arms."
"I want to make love to you Zion. I just can't do it unless my top stays on."
"Okay. Well, this is different. Kind of technical. Usually, me and whoever would just rip our clothes off each other the first time" Zion laughed playfully.

"Believe me, I wanted to rip your clothes off the first night we were together. I've learned to restrain myself. I'm not as impulsive as I use to be" Sky said watching Zion step out of her pants. The underwear had come down with the pants, so that she was standing totally nude. She got on the bed and waited for Sky to join her. On each bedside table was a scented candle. Sky wanted the candles blown out, but compromised and only one was put out. She stepped out of her shorts and panties and sat on the bed. Zion fluffed their pillows and waited but Sky would not lay down until the other candle was blown out.

"I'm sorry Zion. I just think I'd feel a little more comfortable without the light" Sky said finally laying down and moving closer to Zion. Even more than not wanting Zion to see her naked scars, she didn't want to see Zion's reaction when seeing it all for the first time.

Laying on her back, she put her head against Zion's shoulder. They listened to the music each in their own thoughts, which were similar. Should they wait or make love now. Both women were wounded emotionally and physically. Both women wanted to be held and made love to and to give pleasure to each other. Being together every day was nice and the nights they spent watching tv or playing a board game only increased the aching need in their hearts and loins. Sky was the first to make the move. She eased herself full length over Zion and kissed her softly. She smiled in the darkness when Zion moaned and caressed her back.

It didn't take long for their hips to start a slow rotation. Zion lifted up as Sky pressed down. Zion didn't try to put her hand under Sky's shirt. She rubbed the covered back gently until her hands moved lower. Her left hand was partially stiff from scar tissue so she couldn't do much with it. But her right hand was strong and caressed a bare butt cheek. The caress turned into a tight squeeze as Sky finally took a nip into her mouth after licking and kissing each breast. /E\ (c)Salty2008

ADD-ON: Wednesday/September 15, 2010. Hi SPT readers. I'm not going to post the ending to Zion. So I'll just tell you some of how the story continues in my head.

Zion and Sky had an irrigation system installed for the crops and a couple of water wells drilled. They also built a couple of low rent one story 4 unit apartment buildings that Twospears managed. With a new water supply, the crops improved and was extended. The farming land belonged to Sky and TwoSpears. The workers were share croppers so they benefitted as the crops improved.

At Zion and Sky's home in Virginia, they added a stable and had several horses and a couple of dogs. Zion started recording and performing again but limited shows. Sky had surgery on her damaged skin to where only a few barely visible scars remained.

There is even more to this story in my head but that's all I'll relate. Thanks for reading. I mean no disrespect to Native Americans by the names I used for the characters in this story. I just didn't want to use names like Sally and John.

Feedback is always welcomed. :)

4 comments:

  1. Oh I love a butt rub! Great story when do we get part three?

    Amy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Amy. So you are finally online. Thanks for stopping by. I'm working on part 3. I've been tinkering with the videos most of today, so have not added to either story. Hey, I like a good rub anywhere. Okay, don't get me started. You know how I get if unleashed. --Salty

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is greatly writen.I love the story.Oh,please do go on Salty!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi milenanik3. Thanks for stopping by SPT and for leaving a comment. Wow, "greatly writen". I like reading that someone likes what I've written. I've not worked on any stories in quite a while, but maybe I'll get to post something new soon or maybe add to this one.

    ReplyDelete

NOTICE BOARD

Hi SPT readers. I haven't posted anything new in several months. I don't want to post about political issues so until I'm inspired with something new or finish a story ....

Feel free to post comments about something you have read at SPT because I do like hearing from my readers even if it is just a hello. I don't put up my email address because I already get mail from people trying to sell me Viagra which goes straight to the Junk box. :) I do receive notification when someone has made a comment at SPT and I will respond as soon as I can. Thank you for visiting. -S

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