Disclaimer as Norm

Another Appointment

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Cal woke in what he assumed where the early hours of the morning.

Scrubbing his eyes he tried to work out the strange surroundings he was in.

Lifting his head and looking down his body he realised that a second beanbag had been placed underneath him and a large blanket was covering him. As his eyes scanned the room he spotted Serena asleep on the worn, but large and comfortable looking couch.

Laying his head back down he pulled the memory of the previous evening to the front of his mind.

Her hands had spent over an hour working through the knots and strained muscles in his back, shoulders and arms.

He could still smell the musky aroma of the oils she had used on his skin.

The sensations and peace of the house and Serena's ministrations had eventually allowed him to relax enough that he had fallen asleep.

Cal sat up and looked for his sweatshirt.

"Hello sleepy head, how is your back feeling?"

"Mornin, and..good thanks- actually more than good, better than it has for a bloody long time! You really know your stuff don't you?"

"I know a lot – but there is always more to learn. Emily is upstairs in my bed- I haven't had time to set up a spare room yet. Would you like some warm honey tea?"

"Mmmm – sounds…delightful, but I'd prefer coffee if you have it"

As she emerged from under the blanket and walked to her kitchen he noted that she had changed into a soft cotton night shirt of sorts.

It came to just below the top of her thighs, apart from that, as far as he could tell there was little else – he couldn't help but admire her long slender legs, her breasts sat high even though they were unsupported. "Shit gotta stop this line of thought RIGHT now" he muttered under his breath to himself.

"Well I'm sorry we put you to so much trouble, you should have just woken me"

Cal got up and started folding the blanket, hunting for his shoes that had also been removed at some point.

"I'll go and wake Em up"

"I wouldn't! she might not be too appreciative of a 5.30am wake up"

"Christ I didn't realise it was that early"

Serena came back through with 2 mugs. Placing them on the central table she curled herself back up on the couch.

"Sit down Cal, don't bother with all that now, have your coffee"

He went and sat next to her, not wanting to chance the beanbag again.

"Yer know, as much as I hate to sound like Emily, I really don't know that much about you – care to enlighten me"

"Ohh, lets see – I'm 35, single, moved out here because their school system is more open than England's, I have got a part time post teaching 'alternative living' I have already established a reasonably large customer base for my massage and other healing activities. I enjoy most pastimes including dance, reading/writing singing, performance art and.. sex"

Cal laughed, he couldn't help it, she was so delightfully open which was refreshing for him.

"Well I don't know bout the rest of the stuff, but the massage works"

"And You – Dr. are going to need more than that one session to sort out your problems properly, probably the day after tomorrow sometime?"

He was just about to start on his standard 'don't wanna be a problem' and 'that would be nice but' when he decided 'Why not'

"Same sort of time would be good for me – I like to pay the normal rate tho, whatever it is"

"I only ever ask for some sort of donation – in your case – your company will do"

xXx

'

"Lightman's in an usually good mood today"

Loker was swinging from side to side in his chair

""Yeah It's kinda creepy isn't it?"

Torres was having yet another try at the 'Rubik's Cube' he had brought in recently.

"You don't think he and Foster finally…"

"Nah, she's still stressed and covering it"

"Are we due at any more schools today?"

"Nope, just gotta score all the files and give Lightman a shortlist of possibles"

"Got any ideas on this yet Ria?"

"Not really, some of the kids know who their suppliers are, but they have no idea where the source is"

"It's weird stuff isn't it? kinda like the standard date rape stuff that's already out there, but 'different'"

"Yeah – it's like they sorta remember what's happened – but it doesn't seem to stress them out any. The labs still haven't worked out the new mix – which means they can't predict any side effects that may occur"

"Well none of the people that have come forward yet have reported anything, not even a headache. They still think that a whole load of people haven't even come forward because of this 'not fussed' attitude it leaves them with"

Torres put the cube down, defeated again by Lookers stupid toy.

"We better get on with these files so we can produce that list for Lightman – His good mood can't last forever"

Loker picked up the coloured cube and with a few short twists and turns completed the puzzle.

"Yep"

xXx

Cal was still gushing and Gillian was starting to get annoyed with it, (or was that a touch of jealousy – NO it was definitely annoyance)

"Cal! The case – do you think we could get back to the case?"

"Yeah, sorry luv, it's just that I never thought a massage could do that much good – maybe you ought to give it a go"

"Oh I think I can struggle on without, besides when I get a massage I prefer to be in a nice clean Spa, with a lovely young man to administer it"

"Your loss. Right. Do we have a list from Torres and Loker yet?"

"They're working on it now – have we decided to eliminate all the teachers?"

"Think so, they know what's happening, but I don't think they are selling – or using actually. – No it's the kids we have to push now"

The door burst open and Emily came bounding through.

"Hi dad, Gill – Got a half day study break, so I thought I'd come and use the library. Hey Gill, did dad tell you about the amazing massage Serena gave him last night – I've never seen him look so happy, even when he fell asleep…"

Emily caught the half warning glare appear on her fathers face.

Cal knew instantly what she was up to – try and play Gillian off against Serena – Would she never give up?