The party was starting to wind down as the midnight hour was fast approaching. Looking around I can see that most of the guest have clustered up in groups around the room. Walking through the room I see the lady who I have found myself watching through the night sitting up at the bar alone. Making my way to the bar I grab the arm of a guy who had just left it and stop him.
"Hey Joe. Are you having a good time tonight?"
"I sure am, just hate that my night is ending since Cheryl told me this was my night cap and then we were going to head home."
"To bad, but maybe she has some after party plans to make it all better for you."
"That is what she has been hinting at. In fact I can see her doing a foot taps now so I had better scoot along. Thanks again for putting this party on, everybody seem to have enjoyed themselves."
"It has been a treat for me Joe. Before you run of, who it the nun?" Joe looks towards the bar where I am watching and sees who I mean.
"That is Katherine, she is executive computer administrator, have you not met her?" I shake my head no for an answer. "Oh yeah, when you first came around she was gone to learn about a new computer system we have since swapped to. If you haven't seen her since she has been back then you haven't made it to the computer floor cause she has been there getting all the kinks worked out there before working in the offices upstairs."
"I guess now is as good a time to meet her as any then" I say and start to walk towards the bar. "Slow down there Casanova" Joe says taking me by the arm. "Katherine is the best at what she does but she is not the most popular one or much of a social butterfly. She is nice and all and everyone enjoy working with her but to be honest I am surprised she made it to this, she usually skips."
"I understand what you are saying but for some reason she has intrigued me so if you will excuse me I believe I need a drink and looks as if she could stand a refill" I say as I pull my mask down over my eyes and nose.
"Well you have been warned and now I am going to go home and do my best to end this night on a high note." I smiled as Joe walked to join his wife and took her by the arm leading her out the room. I make my way to the bar and take the stool to the back of Katherine.
"Can I get a jack and coke and would you please give the lovely nun a refill of her drink?"
Katherine swiveled on her stool to face me as I sat there waiting for my drink.
"Thank you but you didn't have to do that" she said in an almost angelic voice, soft with and hint of southern drawl.
"Oh it is my pleasure. To be honest it has always been a fantasy of mine to buy a nun a drink. Especially one that is wearing sexy high heels" I say with a laugh looking at her feet on the barstool.
"Well thank you then" she says with a smile as our drinks arrive and we both pause to take a drink.
"Are you having a good time tonight?"
"Yes, I am. I have been swamped under at work for about the past month and felt I was due for a night out to enjoy." She looked up at my face as she took another sip of her drink. Normally I would have had a hundred reasons not to come but for a change I thought of enjoying myself."
I swivel on my stool so that I am facing her more now and my knees brush against hers lightly.
"Forgive me for my lack of manners please, I am Evan" I say while extending my hand towards her.
"Katherine, and before you can ask, no not Sister Katherine" she said with light laugh. With her hand in mine I pulled it up and softly kissed the back of her left hand. "A pleasure to meet you."
"I was about to go and explore some outside while everyone seems to be content in here, would you care to join me Katherine?"
"I think I had told myself it was time to go home after this drink" she said as she held the nearly empty glass in her hand.
"I see, well how about getting some fresh air before making your way home? Come on" I say with gentle prodding, "I promise not to let anything get you" I assure her with a broad smile.
"Here I thought the Phantom was a bad guy."
"Maybe, but you can think of me as his good twin brother" I say standing and offering her my hand in assistance off the stool. After a minute of thought she takes her last drink and takes my hand and slips off the stool. Before leaving I pay for our drinks and leave a tip.
"Follow me" I say and lead her out through a set of double doors to the side of the bar. "That sounded like something the devil would have said to Eve" Katherine said as she fell in step behind me out the door. As we made our way down the path I slowed down so I could walk beside her. "It seems as if you know your way around here, even at night."
"I have been here a few other times for social functions and some were during the day so I got to know the lay out of the grounds then" I tell her" but I have also learned a lot of the scenery is much prettier under a full moon like we have tonight."
We talked about different things as we wound around the buildings on a path that I knew led to the rose garden and where a lot of fall flowers would be on display. Making our way to the hothouse I hold the door open for her.
"After you."
"Thank you" she says and stops in her tracks once she sees where we have ventured to. "It is very beautiful in here and such lovely roses" Katherine said as she moved in close to some pink ones and deeply inhales their sweet aroma. Quietly I walk up behind her and place my hand in the small of her back to gently urge her to move on. Slowly we make our way through all the pretty flowers that are glistening in the moonlight as we talk. The winding path leads us to yet another passage way and once again I step to the side and motion for her to take the lead. I follow and stop just short of bumping into her as she stops just inside the other room.
"Oh my goodness" Katherine exclaimed in surprise.
"What do you think of this little hideaway?"
"You knew about this, how?"
"Like I said I have explored these grounds before and one time just happened to have been a beach party for one of my nieces."
"I see, so does that make you a man of secrets" she said jokingly, "are you another James Bond?"
"No, afraid not anything on that level. Let's take off our shoes so we can explore a little."
I took a chance and went to take her hand into mine. After a moment hesitation I felt her relax and let me take it we moved around feeling the sand between our toes. The sand beach was as wide as the room and went about twenty feet till it reached the waters edge. Palm trees stood tall in different corners and a volley ball net was stretched out ready and waiting for a game. To the left on the beach there is a concrete pad with lounge chairs and tables with a bar off in the corner for drinks. The pool water is a sparkling blue and reflects the moonlight that shines down through the clear roof. It starts off shallow on the near end then as it goes towards the back wall it gets deeper till it reaches the back wall. Two empty lifeguard chairs stand on each corner of the deep in.
"This is all breathtaking and it feels so warm in here too, is the water?"
"Yes, everything here is climate controlled to keep it at a constant temperature, usually around 78 for the water and about the same for the surroundings, that way feel like you are actually in the sun on a warm beach."
"You just impress me with your vast knowledge" Katherine says while pushing the hood of her habit back off her head.
"I am glad you seem to be enjoying it all. So what would you say to take a moonlight swim to help shake off the drinks before going home?
"Do you think a bathing suit is what is worn under this by nuns? I am afraid not" Katherine said batting her eyelashes and smiling.
"Just so happens I ma without one too, so guess that makes us even." I raise my eyebrows a few times and give a wind to show my playfulness.