The Trinet

"Hello?" Lynn answered the phone, cautiously.

"Lynn McCloud please!" A woman on the phone asks.

"Yes, this is she! Um, well…" Lynn sat on the edge of the bed, un-easy and nervous. Glancing around more at mental images than the room.

"Mrs. McCloud, this Evelyn Lawrence of James, Franklin and Beard, attorneys at law. We were pleased to hear you have arrived early." The woman sounded professional and courteous.

"It is actually Lynn Blackburn. My father's name was McCloud, I married and carry the name Blackburn, now." Lynn tried to make the point clear and at the same time looked around the room trying to decipher rather all of this was real or not.

"Okay, Mrs. Blackburn, we will have a driver pick you up in front of your Hotel at nine a.m. sharp tomorrow morning. We estimate a fifteen-minute drive and your appointment with Mr. Franklin are confirmed for Nine thirty a.m. tomorrow. Is this still executable?" The woman on the phone asked.

"Yes, that is fine. Nine a.m. tomorrow, got it. Thank you!" Lynn replied.

"We were just notified of your arrival and wanted to ensure that the accommodations meet with your approval?" The woman paused in wait for a reply.

"Oh yes, very much so …thank you!" Lynn said, expressing relief.

"Your welcome, We will see you tomorrow then Mrs. Blackburn. Have a good day."

"Bye, You too!" Lynn said as she hung up the phone. The Dream Catcher hung close and Lynn's hand reached for another quick feather count and used that for an excuse to feel the softness as she thought about the hard things in life, like the reading of her Father's Will, tomorrow. Her near miss, with the eighteen wheeler, that still has her mind raging a storm of confusion.

"My car?" Lynn reached and picked up the phone. The phone offered a directory for the hotel extensions in small print. She ran her index finger down the list. Lynn pushed 9 on the touch tone phone for the front desk. She put her finger over the 'one' and contemplated her emergency.

"Ritz Carlton, Jennifer speaking, how may I help you?"

"Yes, Jennifer …Hi! My name is Lynn Blackburn. I am in room … huh! Lynn darted glances everywhere to search for a room number. She turned the phone around and around looking for a clue to what room she was in. She pulled the nightstand drawer out and thumbed through the brochures and complementary matches, candies, pencils and stationary pad.

"Your in room 200!" Jennifer said politely.

"Oh great, room 200, thank you. Yes, well … this may sound strange but I am unsure of where my car might be? You don't by any chance have any idea … do you?" Lynn felt silly and put her head into her hand and rubbed her hair vigorously.

"Mrs. Blackburn all quests leave their vehicles with the valet. I can check for you if you like or you can press ext. 12?"

Oh yes, please, could you check for me. That would be great!" Lynn felt a bit more relieved but still concerned.

"Yes ma'am, I'll let you know as soon as I find something out for you." Jennifer said. People have always done for her and this comforted her more than making the call herself.

"Great, thanks a million," Lynn replied and hung up the phone. After a scan of the room she sprang from the bed and went on an exploration of her deluxe suite Hotel room. She slid a large sliding door sideways and a Jacuzzi room unfolded.

"Oh my GOD, I have died and gone to heaven," she giggled. Reaching in, she fiddled with all the knobs and switches on the wall. Some turned on lights others turned on the Jacuzzi jets. Some operated heat lamps. She found herself making a musical symphony of the different lighting and various sounds of jetting water at different settings.

She found a comfortable compromise with the lights and jet speed and left it. She turned the dial, which read: HEAT, almost all the way then walked off.

She placed her luggage on the bed and began pulling out her clothes. Making a couple trips to the closet pole, hanging them up and hand pressing them out.

She passed the wet bar and stopped in her tracks. She looked at the refrigerator and smiled. She had to take a peek. Slowly she grabbed the handle and pulled. Inside were some drinks and bottle water, a lime and a lemon. A couple variety fruit cups and pudding packs. She licked her lips and shut the door. "I bet they have room service," she grinned.

Back to preparing her things she pulled out the complimentary large fluffy robe, then put it on over her clothes, just to try it out. Running her hands along the soft cloth as she came back toward the Jacuzzi room. When she turned the corner the telephone rang. Lynn rushed to pick up the receiver.

"Hello!"

"Mrs. Blackburn, your car was sent to Steve's garage for repairs, per your request."

"Oh, okay! Thank you!" Lynn replied. "I have been scatter brained lately, I really appreciate it." Lynn pause for a moment then blurted. "They didn't happen to say what kind of repairs … did they?"

"Your Air-Conditioner! I took the liberty of calling Steve's and they said it might be ready the day after tomorrow. They had to order an air conditioning compressor?" A questioning tone rang in her voice.

"Well thank you very much," Lynn was relieved.

"Would you like that phone number?" Jennifer asked.

"I don't have a pen. Could you hold it till I get by the front desk?" Lynn asked. Her face wrinkled up in tension when she recalled the drawer full of writing utensils.

"Yes ma'am. Will that be all Mrs. Blackburn?" Jennifer asked.

Yes, thank you so much! You have been a great help." Lynn put the phone down and looked across the room in a fixed stare. The sounds of the running water in the Jacuzzi seem to snap her out of it and she followed the relaxing melody.

Testing the water with her big toe, she shed the robe and began undressing. She peeled her garments like a banana skin, allowing them to fall to the floor, all about her. She stepped into the whirling water, each step took her deeper into the pooled warm wetness.

Lynn sank into its mesmerizing sound and massage. Water engulfed her naked body as she descended into the swells, created by the rocketing liquid spray of the jet portals. She melted into the waters buoyant hold. Her body felt as if it was floating and this mirrored her worries. All her confusion seem to disappear for the time being.

She allowed the back of her head to rest on the rim of the Jacuzzi while the water danced on every inch of her wet naked flesh. She watched the water swirl and bubble. Flickering sub level lights reached for the ceiling's reflection. Flickering slivers of tantalizing blue lights cast rippled shadows along the walls.

Her head turned slightly and she saw the door, then the bed, then the Dream Catcher. She began to relax in the thought. Till an image of her husband flashed in her mind.

"What in the HELL do you mean you will not drive to California with me?" Lynn screamed and cocked her hands on her hips. She had a fixed angry glare at her husband.

"Why drive, when we can fly. We could be there and back in the same day!" Tom said loudly waving his hands excitedly. "But no … you have a fear of flying. You have a fear of Spiders. Your afraid of the dark, your afraid to go swimming because you can't swim and Amy wants to go swimming but no mommy is afraid of the water and every 'Frickon' thing else!"

"That's is not fair, Thomas Alan Blackburn!" Lynn turned and walked around their bed. The canopy bed veil offered her some sense of being camouflaged.

"Look all I'm saying is I am not going if you decide to drive. Yes, my Mother would watch Amy for us. But I am in the middle of the most important contract of our buisness career right now, I can't be gone that long. Not when we can fly there and back in half the time it would take, just to drive there."

"Every deal is the Big Deal! I just buried my father today, Tom. I need you now more than ever. Please don't push me away." Lynn began sniffling.

"I am not pushing you away. I am telling you to be sensible. Get a grip on those fears of yours and do what is right." Tom paced his muscular medium frame and broad shoulders. This always intimidated Lynn. It was as if he was a pacing Tiger.

"Thomas Blackburn," Lynn said as she took a deep breath and bowed up like a cobra. "I have to leave first thing in the morning. Are you driving with me to the reading of my father's last will and testament, or not?" She said loud, clear and waiting for an answer.

Tom circled to a full stop, looking straight at Lynn. He rolled his head around his neck for a moment in thought. "No, I will stay here with Amy. You go do what you have to do. The way you want to. And God only knows rather that car of yours will make it, please reconsider." Tom at this point was wrenching his hands. Wringing them as if washing them under water only as a fidget nervous vent. "… And Lynn, when your done there and come back here, we need to have a very long talk."

"What the 'fuck' does that mean!" Lynn yelled and tears emerged. The damn of self-control collapsed. "Get out, just get the HELL out!" Lynn grasped the nearest pillow and threw it at Tom. It sailed through the air in a horizontal spiral like a cushioned sheriken. Tom caught it in flight and turned towards the door. Took the doorknob in hand and opened the door. He stopped as if wanting to say something but he charged out of their bedroom and 'slammed' the door behind him.