With the sun setting, the four women awaken from a long, long nap and make their way, along with the tabby cat, Fumiko, back to the cottage discussing dinner plans.
Inside the cottage, Susannah puts her hand to her forehand and sighs, "I think I had too much sun today. I feel very tired... and hot."
Chan quickly reacts, "You need to lie down, Susannah," and she slides her arm around her waist and takes her hand leading her over to the couch.
"I have some special herbal tea that will make you feel better," Chan calmly states, feeling her forehead and providing a reassuring smile.
Susannah reluctantly releases Chan's hand as her sleepy eyes follow this enchantress and her tabby cat as they silently glide up the stairs to retrieve the special tea.
In the kitchen, Becky kisses Shyla, "What should we have for dinner?"
Time almost stands still as Shyla looks at Becky, her lover, how they met on campus, the nights they shared a dorm bed together, the endless texts to each other, the simple leisurely walks through the campus park. And now the taste of Becky's mum, Susannah, on her lips. The vision of the two blonde women earlier today intimately entwined on the yoga mat under the hot afternoon sun. Shyla licks her lips again and Becky breaks her spell.
"I know, let's have tofu!" Becky suggests cheerily.
"Oh, yes. I remember a dish Professor Zhou made for me when I was at her house. Mapo Tofu. I'm sure it's in the cookbook your mum has here," Shyla replies as she flips thru the pages.
Becky moves behind Shyla placing her hand on Shyla's small firm bum.
"I like your..." Becky starts to say.
"...my bum!" Shyla interjects trying to find the recipe in the cookbook.
"No! I was going to say your shorts, lovely color, turquoise, and spandex. I'm sure it gave Chan easy access while you watched us on the yoga mat."
"I'm not sure what you are saying?" as Shyla's face turns beet red.
"Ummm, I bet if I slip my hand down the front of them, your kitty will be all wet." Becky softly intones.
"Ah, here it is! We need tofu, ground pork, scallions and Szechuan peppercorn to make it hot."
"Don't forget the sauce to cover it all up and make it spicy, like you," Becky adds giving me a firm kiss on the lips as her hand squeezes my bum.
"Are you two getting dinner ready?" Chan asks as she walks down the stairs holding a tin in her hand. Fumiko trails closely behind and jumps up on the kitchen table and sits back on her hind legs to quietly observe.
"Yes," we both giggle and I start getting the ingredients as Becky looks for the cookware.
Chan fills the tea kettle with water and puts it on the stove. She turns and watches me prepare the tofu.
"Oh, tofu! Here let me help."
My professor walks over to the counter and places her hand on mine.
I welcome the touch of another mature woman always eager to learn new culinary skills. Her touch is different from Susannah's. Where Susannah's is motherly and loving, Chan's is more like acupuncture. Finding my pleasure points, I lean my head back and let my professor take over.
Becky shakes her head and looks over at Fumiko, "Just what is Chan doing?" she asks the tabby cat.
Fumiko stares back at Becky then leaps off the table. Her four legs move silently out of the kitchen and into the living room to check on Susannah.
"Tell me how Susannah is doing?" Chan requests.
"Did you just talk to your cat?" Becky asks, perplexed.
"Yes."
"And does she understand you?"
"Yes." Chan looks over to Becky while Shyla is lost in her own trance, a state of hypnotic pleasure while Chan expertly guides her hand to skillfully cube the tofu.
"I commune with Fumiko on a lot of things. You might call it telepathy," Chan explains seeing the disbelief in Becky's facial expression.
"Pets can often understand their owners' thoughts and feelings... emotions... and help provide comfort when needed. I've created a unique bond with Fumiko. She is a very special cat, as you may find out."
Becky just smiles and looks over at me, "Are you all right, Hunni?"
Chan releases my hand, and my body reanimates as if awakened from a dream. A beautiful, seductive dream. Becky begins to understand the special bond between me and my professor.
"Am I doing it correctly?" I ask.
"Yes, dear, the tofu is ready. Let's cut up some scallions," Chan replies.
Soon the tea kettle whistles making Fumiko growl. Chan steeps her special blend of tea and carries a large cup over to Susannah, lying on her side and petting Fumiko who had settled her furry, warm body against her stomach.
"She is nice and soft. And purrs so quietly, I could fall asleep," Susannah mentions.
"That's one of her skills, gaining your trust and letting you touch her. Here please drink this tea for me."
Soon the young women finish cooking Mapo Tofu. Becky arranges the dishes and utensils around the table in the dining room and Shyla serves out healthy portions of the delicious Asian cuisine. Chan opens the fridge to select a beverage.
"Oh, Schloss Vollrads Riesling," Chan joyfully announces. She finds the corkscrew and removes the cork, silently and effortlessly. Hidden muscles? Meow.
"Mmm, nice and dry," Becky chimes as Chan fills their glasses.
Chan also provided some chopsticks she had gathered while upstairs getting the tea. They were stuffed into her tight pink denim shorts, and we all laughed at the effort she needed to pull them free.
"Is Susannah joining us?" I ask.
"No. She needs her rest. And the tea I gave her will help restore her energy. Fumiko enjoys her company and will provide her with love and warmth."
And with that, the three of us began our meal. Since Becky wasn't familiar with chopsticks I gave her some instructions, leaning close and nibbling her ear. Sitting across from us, Chan was pleased to see how truly we love each other. A strong bond that goes beyond passion and sex, something only soulmates possess.
"Tell me how you two met," Chan requests, as her thin lips close around another small piece of firm tofu drenched in spicy Szechuan sauce.
"I was trying out for a part in the Art School's production of Romeo and Juliet. It was an all-female cast," Becky bursts out laughing as the piece of spicy tofu slips from her chopsticks into her free hand and then into her mouth, swallowing it whole. Meow.
Chan avoids looking surprised when Becky squeaks from a smartly placed kick to her shin under the table.
"This may sound like fate, but actually, Professor Zhou, it was the first book you gave me. I found myself reading it one warm sunny day in the large courtyard between Anderson Hall and the Music Conservatory," I calmly answer, adding a playful sneer at Becky.
"Oh, yes. That's a lovely courtyard on the western edge of campus. And you must be referring to the book of poems by Dorothy Parker," Chan fondly recalls with her brown eyes sparkling among the candlelit dinner table.
"Not Much Fun..." I begin to say.
"The Lost Poems of Dorothy Parker," Bex finishes.
"And you've read it as well?" Chan asks Becky as she rises to get more wine.
"No, but Shy reads it to me every night before we..."
I interrupt Becky's silly words with another swift kick under the table.
Chan returns with a knowing smile, "I found this Malbec. Clos de los Siete," her Spanish accent impeccable.
"Oh, yes! I stuffed that in my suitcase knowing there would be a special night to enjoy it with my friends!" I merrily say.
"What does it taste like?" Becky asks being more familiar with white than red wines.
Chan turns the bottle in her slender hands to read the label, "Ripe plum, black cherry, lavender and cocoa on the nose. It's medium to full bodied with firm, creamy tannins. Polished and rounded with a plush, deep core of dark fruit. Lingering crushed hazelnut notes on a long, concentrated finish."
"I like the 'deep core of dark fruit'," Becky unmistakably looks down between Chan's legs.
I give her another swift kick.
Thankfully, Chan did not notice, or rather, she understands the playful nature of young women.
Chan returns to the kitchen to open the bottle.
Becky takes the opportunity to stand and rub her sore leg and then starts to limp as she goes to check on her mum. She looks back at me with a wink and resumes walking normally.
This time Chan extracts the cork with a loud sound and presses it up against her nose, smelling the dark fruit of the wine. I laugh as it leaves a red stain on her skin. Understanding my reaction, her tongue extends upward to clean it off. I am amazed how far it stretches and with the least amount of effort.
I get up to rinse out our glasses at the sink and turn around to find her right next to me. We stare into each other's eyes.
"Thank you," she whispers, kissing me as she pours the first glass.
I set it down and reach for another.
And I receive another kiss.
I reach for the third glass trying to look over her shoulder.
