Author's Note: Dear Readers, please join Jeremy and his women friends for a many part adventure story combining telepathy, violence, technology and love.
Anna's Mystery Plan - Pt 1 - Jeremy Labors in the Dark
Chapter 1 - Sophie Arrives
I was taking out the trash when a maroon Saab convertible pulled into the driveway. The windblown driver smiled at me and waved. Sophie had been studying in Europe and we hadn't seen each other in three years.
She got out of the car and gave me a big hug, with a quick kiss.
'My god, Jeremy, you're all grown up! And graduated from high school."
She felt good in my arms. All woman, but lots of muscles. I hugged and kissed her back.
"How's my distant cousin?" We were related through my mother's side of the family in some complicated way.
"I am really excited to be here. Are we still planning on going up to the lake house?"
Anna had filled Karen and me with lots of information about Sophie's many talents, but not much about her appearance. The woman in front of me, and she definitely was a beautiful woman, stood a little less than my newly reached height of 5-10, with an athletic build. I'd heard she was a competitive swimmer, and the broad, muscular shoulders advertised that. She had on a sleeveless turtleneck in pale gray, large sunglasses and a mauve kerchief holding down a mane of pitch black hair. The black capris covered trim hips and well muscled legs. What Audrey Hepburn would have looked like if she were a jock, I thought to myself, gazing at her full lips and high cheekbones.
We both stood there for a moment, taking each other in and revising mental images. Finally, I broke in, "Let me give you a hand with your stuff."
"In the summer, I travel lightly," she said, "just a couple of duffels and a backpack."
Walking around to the trunk, I said, "Anna must not have told you about the cocktail parties and formal dinners?" She looked up sharply and saw my smile. "We'll be dressing for dinner every night?" she responded.
"Except when we're at the lake and skinny dipping," I said, grabbing the duffels and trying to keep a straight face. Karen had warned me again this morning about taking it easy with Sophie.
"Remember, she thinks you're just a bright eighteen year old who needs some language tutoring. Do you think you can keep a lid on it for a few days until we get her used to us?"
So maybe a little smartass male routine might divert her a bit, I thought.
Karen came down the front steps and gave Sophie a hug, "I'm so glad you could come. I hope this isn't ruining your summer, or your dissertation?"
"I really need a break after the pressure of getting ready for my comps," Sophie responded. "I think a month with you and Jeremy is just what the doctor ordered," she said.
"Come through to the back and sit for a minute. Jeremy will take your things up to the guest room."
My bedroom and the guest bedroom shared a bath and Karen had instructed me that my door was to be closed at all times unless I was in the bathroom. "You and I are casual about clothes and toilet, but we don't know that she is."
By the time I got back downstairs they were in the middle of conversation. "What about a drink," I said from the kitchen doorway. "Ice tea, lemonade, beer, water?"
Karen nodded at Sophie, who looked at me, "Lemonade, please."
I fixed three lemonades and brought them out. Gesturing toward the yard, Karen said, "Our own lemons."
Sophie turned to me, "Anna didn't really tell me anything about the language tutoring you need, just that it would be relaxing after all my concentration on Old Norse." She wrinkled her nose and almost giggled. "I suppose you want to know why I'm messing around with Old Norse?"
"Sophie, why are you messing around with Old Norse," I responded, playing the straight man. "Is it like Play Dough?"
Karen laughed, "Jeremy, there's two of us and one of you, and if you don't behave, there will be consequences. Now tell Sophie about what you need in languages."
"I'd really like to pick up some Spanish and some Italian this summer," I said. "Mom is thinking we might spend next fall and winter in Switzerland with her aunt, and visit relatives in Italy and Spain."
"Oh, that's great," she sounded relieved, "I'm good in both of them, because I also have relatives in Italy and Spain."
Karen broke in, "Well, that seems like a good start. Why don't you show Sophie around while I make some sandwiches."
The tour didn't get started because Sophie asked if she could have a few quick laps in the pool before lunch and Karen said that would be fine. Her Speedo and cap were nearby in the backpack and I showed her the pool house changing space. A few laps turned into twenty-five, the last five of which were as fast as I'd ever seen someone swim in our pool.
Karen was impressed as well. When we sat down again for lunch, she said, "Sophie, there's no reason to jump right into teaching my miserable offspring. Why don't we go up to our place at the lake for the weekend and just relax? There's great swimming, sailing, even a secret island!"
"Hmmm. That sounds divine. Sign me up."
After lunch, I escaped to the music room while Karen and Sophie lay out in the sun, talking about each other's families, schools, work, and getting to know one another.
I warmed up with some scales and then went into the Goldberg Variations, trying to get the tempo right. I was in the middle of a slow passage when I was joined by someone at the other piano. I realized right away it wasn't Karen, which meant it was Sophie. She was very good, a natural four hand player. Another music partner for me!
We finished and she peered around the end of her piano, "Hey, that was really nice."
"Yes," I said, "you didn't tell me you played Bach."
"I was raised on the Glenn Gould recording. My mom was a liberated ex-church choir accompanist, and she loved Bach."
I looked up at her tentatively, "Would you like to play with me again sometime?"