Author's Note: Sorry to keep you waiting but one can never rush a good thing. As you know, this is chapter three in my Wound in Time series. The story contains mainly F/F action as well as a plot. It's a lengthy piece that will most likely satisfy your search for instant gratification. You should check out the first two if you want extra goods on the characters. That said, read on and hopefully, enjoy the story. Please don't forget to vote and I would appreciate your comments.
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It's been four months since Adrian and Bellinda started working together. They'd finished most of the schematics and were just tweaking the design and templates for maximum style and practicality. They were also spending more and more time together.
Bellinda found herself struggling with the current state of affairs between her and Mavin. She was glad that Mavin had been honest with her but she was starting to feel uncomfortable with the thought of Mavin being unfaithful. Sure, she knew Mavin didn't view them as a couple neither did Mavin do anything to blatantly disrespect her. In fact they haven't had any real arguments so far and the distance Mavin seemed to keep between them was for the betterment of the relationship, or whatever it was.
Bellinda however, wanted to do away with the distance. She wanted something more, something she felt Mavin could not only give her but was withholding. That notion made her angry. Angry enough to not realize her hand was perched too close to the hot pot. She made a sudden movement, the kind fate prods one to make at the most inopportune moments.
Jack Ross was reading the evening paper and relaxing behind his pipe when he heard the only thing short of a political debate that could make his heart race; his only daughter's shriek. And of course, the loud clanging, sizzling sound that accompanied it. He almost swallowed his pipe whole as he lunged forward and out of his recliner. He raced through his den, jumping over furniture and into the kitchen with prayers on his lips.
"Pumpkin?" Jack burst through the kitchen breathless.
"I'm fine dad." Bellinda winced and clutched her right hand.
"What happened?" Jack examined the steaming spill of food on the marble floor and the robust pressure-cooker rolling nearby sans lid.
"It's nothing, just a mild burn." Bellinda resisted.
"Present your hand." Jack said firmly.
Bellinda obliged and allowed her father to see the stinging burn on the back of her hand. It wasn't that bad actually. She was developing a small, dime-sized blister from her brief but effective kiss with the pot. She watched her father's face as he examined her injury. Jack Ross was a tall man despite his Irish roots. With dark hair, dark eyes and a square face, he was a handsome fellow. Seeing her father in this light, with the steam enveloping them both, reminded her of her mother.
She couldn't really remember the woman whose photos lined just about every surface in her father's house. But the feelings were there and they were real and she didn't know what to do with them. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes even though she didn't call for them. They were there and just as real as her feelings.
"...dressed." Her father's brogue cut through her haze.
"Say what?" Bellinda asked foolishly, well at least that's what Jack Ross thought as he eyed the young woman.
"I'm taking you to the clinic to get this cleaned and dressed."
"No Papa, no way." Bellinda pulled her hand from him.
"Well do you want it to get infected then?" Jack looked around. So much for Sunday dinner.
"I'm alright dad, seriously."
Jack knew there was no point to continuing the argument. It would teeter back and forth on the 'My way or the highway' fence and then would explode whenever he said the magic word. Which would happen to be the wrong thing. Which would be wrong because Bellinda decided it was. Jack sighed and left the room without a word. Things were already teetering and it was best to leave them be.
Bellinda watched her father go. This was another weird relationship she had to deal with in her life. She wondered if she had a sign reading 'weird', that was only visible to others, stamped on her somewhere. She turned to the sink and ran some cold water over the blister to stop the formation. It was bad enough that connective tissues in her flesh had just been broken but there were many other things in her life that was broken. Her heart was one.
She shut off the faucet and went back to the meal she was preparing. It was a monthly ritual that evolved from a weekly one. She'd been too busy lately to care and her father was indifferent. As usual, this was her uncle's doing. When he wanted them all together, he announced he was coming for dinner and Jack would relent out of guilt and gratitude, while Bellinda did out of love.
Bellinda didn't always cook for this monthly ritual. But today, she wanted to do something to get her mind off everything else. At the moment however, it wasn't working. She'd just burned herself thinking about all of it and now would most likely have a scar to remind her of the emotional summit for the rest of her life. She might as well have gotten a tattoo.
Bellinda sighed deeply for the millionth time. She wasn't enjoying the cooking process and thanks to a certain group of people, she would have to start all over again. She didn't feel like starting anything over and decided to shoot it all to hell.
"Fuck!" Bellinda muttered under her breath as she emptied contents of another pot into the trash can. She grabbed a mop and wiped up the previous mess and also dumped the mop in the trash. She tore a few sheets of paper towel off the gigantic roll sitting on the counter top and soaked up some other spills. Everything went to the trash.
She picked up her cell from the charger and pushed a speed-dial button. After about three or four complimentary rings, the line is picked up.
"Hello, welcome to Domino's Pizza, how may I help you?"
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Mavin sat in a local bistro, not far from the lab. She was taking an extended day break to clear her head. She'd just gotten through the whirlwind activity of training her newest employees and decided she deserved a Sunday treat. She was now officially in charge of the New York branch of Lecter Corporation. All her days during the past month had been flooded with board meetings, staff meeting, regular meetings and more meetings. She didn't really mind the extra workload. It was some of the people involved that bothered her.
She ordered another sirloin steak and a fresh side of potatoes. She chomped through her thoughts and drowned them with cold, apple juice. The people bugged her. Not in a contemptuous way, but in a way that just made her feel uncomfortable. Mavin chalked it up as her nerves and went back to her meal.
Her mind however, was relentless. She'd been sucked into the Oblivion3 investigation and saw a lot more of Susan Turner than she'd have preferred. Mavin told José about the situation and how ridiculous she found it to be. She had a feeling A.J. Morris had something to do with it, but she couldn't prove that. José felt his former partners were up to something and advised Mavin to be careful.
Mavin sawed through her meal with speed that echoed her hunger. She'd started working out again. She trained like she was on call for the Olympics. She wanted to get her mind off things for a while. She could take a vacation, no one would question her. But she didn't really want one. She wolfed down the small meal, the fourth of six for the day. She was mopping the last bits of steak sauce off the plate when she sensed someone behind her. She figured it was the waiter.
"Ya wan a protein shake wit dat, mon?" The voice came from behind her but Mavin continued the chore of fueling her body.
"Me undastan if ya no wan speak," The person moved into Mavin's line of vision. "Champion."
Mavin swallowed the morsel and looked straight into the pair of dark, sun-beaten eyes of an old friend. "Jasmine."
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"Dinner's good. One large, one-topping pizza with chicken."
"Don't tease me Papa."
"Oh I'm not teasing. Just complimenting on your fine culinary skills."
"Okay, now drop it. Please?"
Dinner was off to a nice start at the Ross'. José enjoyed watching Bellinda and her father bicker about the little things. They loved each other, they just didn't like to admit it too often.
