Cupid's Iss

Before making the call to Harold, Melissa had been convinced that the events that were transpiring were too extraordinary for Psyche and her to handle by them selves and they could do with all the help that they could get.

But, on hearing Harold’s voice she realized that there was no way in hell she could explain what had happened without sounding like a loony bin.

“Harold here” A deep male baritone spoke on the other end of the line.

Clearing her throat Melissa spoke “You better come here as soon as possible.”

“Who am I speaking to? Dr Baggett is that you? Has something happened?” the concern was evident in his tone.

Opening a canvas bag Melissa took out two valium pills. Gulping one down without water, she spoke, “Yes, something has happened but Psyche is fine. I can’t explain over the phone so will you please come here ASAP?”

“Fine, I’ll be there by eight in the morning. Meet me at the air strip.”

Praying that she had done the right thing, Melissa walked down the stairs in deep thought and received a big shock when she entered the kitchen. The place was swarming with red ants and Psyche was sitting on top of the kitchen table.

“What the….?”Melissa stared at Psyche in astonishment.

Psyche scooted to the center of the table and picked up a banana from the fruit tray.

Peeling the fruit, she took a bite and munched it.

Melissa shook her head and asked “The place is swarming with ants and that too in the middle of the night. What in the name of heaven is going on?”

Taking one last bite from the banana, Psyche squashed the rest of the banana, threw it on the floor and watched it get swarmed by ants.

“Hey, don’t distract my workers.” A voice spoke up, making Melissa nearly jump out of her skin.

“Who spoke just now?” Melissa looked around the empty kitchen.

Psyche gave a mischievous smile and said “Oh that was the queen ant who is sitting on the apple on the fruit tray.”

Melissa gave her a ‘have you gone mad?’ look, to which Psyche laughed and said “You better prove it to her or else she might lock me in the nut house again.”

Melissa saw an insect rise from the fruit tray and fly towards her. Stunned she watched the insect settle down on her shoulder and said “Hi Melissa glad to meet you.”

Unable to believe what was happening Melissa stuttered “I need to sit down.”

The voice of the queen ant spoke up “Sorry Melissa, my workers are all around the place and I don’t want you to step on them.”

Melissa looked at an ant on her shoulder and said to Psyche “This is no time to play games with me, how are you doing this?”

Psyche sighed and said “I told you she wouldn’t believe me.”

The voice from Melissa’s shoulder spoke up and said “Maybe if I bite her she will realize.”

Shocked, Melissa squeaked out “No there is no need for that I believe you.”

Then under her breath she muttered “Anyways I have seen enough to put me in a loony bin, first I met Cupid’s mother and now a talking ant. That’s enough material to put me in straight jacket.”

The ant queen chuckled and said “No you have it all wrong. Let me explain, there was a time when most of you humans could speak to us as your species knew that they were no different from us and treated the creatures of the earth at par. But then arrogance set in and only a few of your people could talk to us like the shamans, the African priests and other religious heads of the tribes in various parts of the world. But the modern world has shut the minds of the humans to anything that may lie beyond their own limited thinking.”

Psyche laughed and said “You mean to say we can’t look beyond our own nose.”

The insect flew back to the table, settled down a pear this time and answered “Exactly and what an arrogant nose it is. You humans think you are the masters of the earth whereas your species is as much at the mercy of nature as we are. We all are equal in the grand scheme of the universe.”

“Who would have thought such pearls of wisdom would come from an ant?” Psyche said in a dry voice.

Melissa rubbed a shaking hand on her forehead and said “I’m still trying to comprehend what’s happening I feel like Alice in Wonderland.”

Taking pity on her psychiatrist, Psyche began to explain “A little while ago while I was putting the grains back in the sack I began to cry and who could blame me? This task obviously couldn’t be accomplished and I was going die in some horrid manner. It was then that I heard the voice of the queen ant who had settled down on my shoulder. She told me that she owed a friend a favor who had sent her over to help me out and her workers were going to count the grains and once done they would let me know the total number of grains in the sack.”

Smiling down at the pear she continued “I thought I had really gone mad but then I saw a splash of red crawl out of a little crack on the floor next to you.”

Melissa shifted away from the doorway uneasily and saw a train of ants going back and forth from a crack in the wooden floor.

Psyche continued talking “I was told to take out all the rice from the sack and carefully lay it all on the floor and they would count it as they took it back to their home.”

Melissa raised an eyebrow and asked “So, you worked out a deal? Who is the good Samaritan who sent you?”

The ant remained silent and Melissa sighed and said “I can’t believe I was talking to an insect.”

Psyche laughed and said “Imagine if you told my dad that insects could talk. He would admit us both to the institution.”

Melissa felt a pang of guilt and decided to tell the truth to Psyche. Straightening her back she told Psyche “Your dad is coming here tomorrow.”

Psyche slid off the table and stared at Melissa “What? My father is coming here? You have got to be kidding me!”

Crossing her arms under her breasts Melissa answered in a low voice “I called him up when I went to my room to change. I was scared for you and thought he help us through the situation.”

Psyche walked towards Melissa angrily and a voice in the background said “Careful, don’t step on my subjects.”

Psyche closed her eyes. Life couldn’t have thrown a more absurd card her way. Turning her head she said “Sorry I will be careful.”

Tiptoeing out of the kitchen she beckoned Melissa to the living room.

“I’m not going to lose my head and scream at you. The damage has been done and now we have to keep him out of the kitchen at all cost till tomorrow night and since you are the one who called him, you will have to take care of him.”

Psyche began to stride back and forth and think aloud “Okay here is what we will do, we will meet him together and together we will assure him that I am fine. Get him back here for his shower, I’ll get his breakfast to his room and then the whole day you two will stay out.”

Melissa gaped at her and said “The whole day? You have got to be kidding me.”

Clenching her teeth, Psyche faced Melissa and said “Look – I have enough on my plate to worry about and can do without my father’s interference. He will only make things worse, so you have to keep him out of the way.”

Melissa spread her hands out helplessly and asked “How can I keep him busy the whole day?”

Psyche walked towards one of the armchairs in the hearth and sat down on it heavily and said “That won’t be a problem. My father is an out-doorsy kind of a person. He loves to go fishing, canoeing and trekking during the summer months. Just keep him out of the lodge okay?”

Knowing she had no choice Melissa nodded in agreement and watched Psyche’s eyes begin to droop.

Sleepily Psyche spoke to Melissa, “I need to sleep and I bet so do you. Wake me up before we have to go down to meet dad okay?”

Melissa looked at the valium in her hand that she had got for Psyche and shoved it into her jeans pocket and said “I will, but what about the ants?”

“They will be fine, go on Meme, and go to bed.” Psyche curled her legs up, rested her head against the arm of the big chair and fell asleep.

Heading up the stairs, Melissa felt overwhelmed. Throughout her adult life she had always been in control of her life and made sure that nothing untoward happened that would rock her stable life but now she felt the boat capsizing and she was the only one without a life jacket.

Entering her room she looked at her bag which still had the meticulously folded clothes in it and wondered if she should put them in the closet but then decided to lie down for ten minutes and then she would decide the next day’s strategy. But as soon as her head hit the pillow she was fast asleep.

Morning came with the rays of the sun gently kissing Melissa’s eyelids. Yawning, Melissa stretched and then something clicked in her mind and she sprang out of the bed. She stared at the watch on her watch. “Thank god, it’s only 7:30.”she muttered and headed towards the bathroom for her morning ablutions.

Coming out of the bathroom naked after a quick shower Melissa quickly unzipped her bag and took out her brown corduroys and an off white peasant top to go with it. Donning a matching set of white bra and panties, she quickly wore her clothes. Moving towards the dresser she brushed her pale blond hair and a applied quick dash of pink lipstick on her thin lips.

As she ran down the stairs she checked her watch.

“Damn! It’s quarter to eight.” She continued to run towards the living room. Once there she saw Psyche still asleep in the arm chair as she had left her last night. She looked fragile and small, like a little child who hadn’t been put to bed when she fell asleep. Melissa stared at her for a second and then cleared her throat and said in a rather loud voice “Wake up Psyche, we’re getting late.”

Psyche opened her eyes and stared at Melissa. Comprehension dawned in her eyes and she asked “How late?”

Melissa showed her watch to the reclined figure and said “Fifteen minutes.”

Psyche sprang up from the chair and began to move towards the main door.

Melissa followed her out and was surprised to see Psyche run down the trail barefoot. She cried out “Hey you’re not wearing your shoes.”

To which she got a reply “Don’t need to, you better catch up we don’t have time dad will be at the strip soon.”

Drawing a quick breath in, Melissa broke into a jog and tried to catch up with Psyche who ran fast and light like a young deer. Melissa increased her pace and yet only caught glimpses of her pony tail bobbing up and down as she turned a corner, jumped over a fallen a bark and laughed when Melissa called her to slow down.

Psyche reached the strip on time and saw her father’s plane land. She smiled at Melissa who was holding her waist and was decidedly out of breath.

She looked at Melissa and said “You need to exercise, doctor.”

Melissa saw the plane stop a few yards away from the mountain wall, drew a deep breath in and said “You people play with your lives so callously. And how in the name of heaven did you remain in shape despite being in the institution?”

Going forward to meet her father Psyche looked back and said “I used to use the doctors’ exercise room. Money can open all doors don’t you know?”

Melissa simply shook her head and watched the warm reunion between the father and daughter. Harold hugged his petite daughter hard against his barrel like chest and when Psyche protested about cracking ribs he let out a loud laugh that reached Melissa’s ears and made her feel a twinge of envy. She could see the similarity between them. Psyche was a delicate female version of Harold. She had the same aquiline nose, full lips and the stubborn chin that would put an obstinate mule to shame.

“Hello, Dr Baggett” Harold said as he shook Melissa’s hand.

Tipping her head up, Melissa stared at the face of her patient’s father and felt another twinge but this time of attraction. Staring into his green eyes so similar to his daughter’s and yet filled with more life, wit and laughter, she wanted to bask in his presence even more.

“Call me Melissa please.” She said softly.

“Melissa then,” His even white teeth shone in a smile that took her breath away. He wasn’t a handsome man and yet his charismatic personality drew her like an erring moth towards the burning light. She wondered whether her wings would get seared by this man.

Lost in deep thought, she walked behind the father and daughter who were having a light hearted conversation and laughing at each other. Listening to them, she began to miss the banter she used to have with her father. The child within her still hungered for that parental love that was denied to her.

She looked at Psyche’s back which had her father’s arm casually slung over and envied her rich life. Even if she never got to see the love of her life there was love in other forms surrounding her whereas Melissa had no one except a cat to go back to.

“Hey Meme, Dad wants to go out today will you go with him?” Psyche turned back to look at Melissa with a rather determined smile.

Harold laughed and said “Come on Psyche – I’m here for you, not to gallivant.”

Psyche banged her fist lightly on her father’s shoulder and said “I’m fine, ask Meme. It’s just that I played a joke on her and she got real scared and called you. I’m okay dad really.”

Harold stopped in his tracks and stared at both the women and asked in a very serious tone “Is that the truth Melissa? And what kind of an awful joke did you play on her Psyche, that she called me up in the middle of the night?”

Melissa turned and looked at Psyche with raised eyebrows and actually saw her mind working.

“I …um….I was throwing knives on the kitchen door and she thought I had gone nuts. That’s all.” Psyche gave her father a sickly smile knowing it was the stupidest thing she could have come up with.

Melissa rolled her eyes and had to hold a hysterical laugh back.

Harold searched his daughter’s eyes and then said “You need to be more responsible and less crazy Psyche. I think your mother and I gave you girls too much freedom and you tend to abuse it.”

Psyche rolled her eyes and said “Dad, don’t start that lecture again and by the way where are your bags?”

Harold resumed walking towards the lodge and spoke in a level tone “Adam will be returning tomorrow morning with my bags and with your sister.”

He emphasized the last part of the sentence and ruffled his daughter’s hair, which began to look more and more dismayed.

As they approached the lodge, both the women felt their heart begin to race. They didn’t want him to go to the kitchen.

Picking up the pace, Melissa reached over and opened the door of the lodge.

Harold laughed and said “I think I should be opening the door for you, Dr Baggett.”

Melissa smiled back at him and said “Don’t worry there will be other opportunities when you can be chivalrous.”

Psyche herded her father to his room where she had laid out his ‘country clothes’; his flannel shirt and jeans.

Melissa stood near the kitchen watching the grains being taken away by the ants and was startled when Psyche spoke up behind her “So far so good.”

“I’m going to make a quick sandwich for him and then I want you two to head out. Ask him to show you around and try to loosen up will you? I don’t want him returning home bored okay?”

Melissa felt a little miffed and said curtly “I can be very charming when I want to be and starting now I will show you how amicable I can be.”

Psyche carefully tiptoed into the kitchen, pulled out the ingredients for the sandwich and after making it, she handed the salami, cheese sandwich to Melissa and said “Fine, then you take it up to Dad. I need to talk to the queen ant, can’t let her feel neglected.”

Melissa took the plate from Psyche and headed towards Harold’s room. Knocking on his door she closed her eyes for a second and pleaded with the butterflies in her stomach to settle down. When she didn’t get any responses she entered into the room and saw Harold stepping out of the shower with just a towel around his waist.

She stared at his wide chest which was matted with light blond hair. Feeling a little awkward she muttered an apology and began to back out.

Harold walked into the room quickly and said “No Melissa, its okay. Come in, you can turn your back while I dress. We need to talk without Psyche listening in. Please shut the door behind you.”

As Melissa closed the door, she felt her mouth dry up. She felt a strong tug of attraction towards him and she wondered how she could keep it under wraps.

Turning her back to him, she looked out of the French windows at the high peaks and the surrounding greenery. She could hear the rustle of clothes and then he said “You can turn around now.”

Melissa took in his dynamic presence and watched as he tightened the belt around his lean waist. For a fifty-six year old man he had an athletic body of a thirty year old. His broad shoulders were flung back in assurance and his big hands were shoved into the pockets of the jeans making the rough cloth strain against the strong masculine thighs.

Clearing her throat, Melissa handed him the sandwich and said “You wanted to talk to me.”

She could feel his appraisal and straightened her back and asked “Did I pass the test?”

Harold gave her a friendly smile but his shrewd eyes continued to assess her every move making her feel a bit jumpy.

He sat down at the edge of his bed and gestured to a nearby chair for her to sit.

“By now you must know that I tried to bump you off the trip.”

Melissa nodded her head in acknowledgement and said “Psyche told me what happened during the flight.”

“I was just looking out for my daughter’s mental health. I did not doubt your medical expertise. Please be assured of it.” He looked earnest as he spoke and Melissa bit her tongue and didn’t tell him that it was wrong on his part to do a background check into her past. It was important to remain on his good side and not antagonize him as it could deteriorate the already delicate situation.

Crossing her legs like a demure convent school girl she looked into his razor sharp green eyes and said “No offence taken.”

He seemed to sigh in relief and began to eat his sandwich. Melissa continued to wait like a loyal subject for her king’s next command. The silence that fell in the room quite comfortable and Melissa was surprised to feel at rest with him despite of him being one of the most important personas in the business world.

“All done” He brushed the crumbs off his jeans and got up from the bed and held the door open for Melissa.

As Melissa walked through the door, he sniffed in her perfume and smiled. She seemed more human here than back in the mental institution or maybe it was his worry for his daughter that made the healer fade into the background.

Following her out of the room he looked at her pert bottom incased in tight corduroys and had to hold back a smile when a devilish thought raced through his mind which had something to do with her bottom fitting in his palm. He liked his women curvy and small. She was small but definitely not curvy. Her thin body made her seem fragile and the sadness behind the cool reserve in her eyes evoked protective instincts in him which he thought he felt only for his daughters.

Heading down the staircase he put his hand on Melissa’s arm to hold her back and asked “Is Psyche alright?”

Melissa felt a pang of guilt. She blinked and said “She is fine. You need not worry about her mental condition.”

Shrugging his shoulders, he gave her a smile and said “A parent’s job is to worry.”

Just then Melissa’s stomach growled in hunger, embarrassing Melissa to no end.

Harold raised an eyebrow and said “Jeez girl, didn’t you eat breakfast?”

“Come, I’ll make an omelet for you and I promise you that it would be one mean omelet.”

Before Melissa could stop him, he headed towards the kitchen.

“No it’s okay; I’ll grab a bite soon.” She stuttered behind him, wondering how to stop him, hoping and praying that Psyche would not kill her.