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Allison loved Bonnie on sight, the two women still in deep conversation as their arms flew about. She had no idea there could be places like this, had thought Outpost was the best they could hope for and to now see an entire community hidden underground filled her with hope.
Especially with so many with kids. A rarity. Babies.
"I don't see many women" she said carefully, noting the men wandering about.
"Oh, we let the men think they are in charge. Come this way" Bonnie winked and she followed her into another room where it was an explosion of womanhood, someone dancing on a stage with a feather boa and not much else and the others threw things at her, her middle aged body on display like it was no big deal stretch marks and what looked like a C-Section scar were nothing to be embarrassed about.
"I hope you don't mind nudity, we are a bit loose here" Bonnie whispered "Here and in the hot pools, we all know there is no shame in the human body's many forms."
A pretty black woman was laughing, her hands around her belly that looked to be full of baby, yelling at the one on the stage that she was making a fool of herself as she laughed and joined in the singing and clapping.
"Hi, I'm Martha" a hand came her way and Allison smiled as she was pulled into the room "Welcome to the Woman's Cave. Sort of like the Man's Cave but better. We can bitch, moan, run about naked, try each other's clothing … I don't dare think what they do in theirs."
"Compare dicks" Francine shrieked, then slapped her hand over her mouth as they all laughed.
"So … segregation?"
"Not really. Sometimes a man will come in but it's like an unspoken thing that we both get our little personal space. No, men are still allowed" Tish said firmly knowing Martha was about to touch her stomach and looked slightly horrified.
"So, come sit over here" she was motioned to a chair and settled to watch two women fight over a piece of fabric then agree they could actually both get what they needed from it.
"Where did you and …Kris? … where are you from originally?" a pretty young thing asked, then smiled "I'm sorry. I am Micha. Ianto and Jack's niece."
"Oh. Hi Kristofer is Scottish through and through despite his manners." She smiled, and Micha laughed.
"My great grandmother was Scottish, my great grandfather always said he forgave her for it." Micha explained then frowned "Wait, you are not Scottish?"
"No, I was born in Cornwall. Met him at…..what?"
"We thought you were siblings. The way Jack is acting he is …. Oh this is lovely" Fay laughed as she leaned back and Brandy looked from one to the other as she asked what was so funny.
"Jack is jealous of Kris. Thinks he is too familiar with Ianto and is getting that bristle thing going when he almost pisses on his leg. It's been years since I've seen it but I assure you … he has no idea this is Kris' partner and is of the view that Kris wants to warm Ianto's bed" Martha chortled "Ianto must know. He must know full well that Jack is jealous, I mean … we don't have the bond and we see it. Little minx is letting Jack make a fool of himself!"
"Is that bad?"
"No, knowing Ianto he wants some make-up sex or at least some angry jealous sex" someone laughed then they were all laughing "You've not lived until you've seen Jack begging. Ianto has this thing he does with an eyebrow that is so fucking sexy."
"Toto. Kris said they all called him Toto. I only met him a few times. Mostly at the end of bad happenings. He talked of tin men, pepper pots …. I thought he was talking about something … when it all went to shit I finally saw that he was the sane one" she sighed as she accepted a glass of …. "Is that … is that a margarita?"
"Our house, our rules!" a sweet looking girl said happily "You should see the kid's den."
"So … the men never ask the good questions" Martha settled and rubbed her large belly lovingly "tell us."
"What?"
"Your story. Tell us … we have books. Here. You can tell us or write it down. Each chapter is another person's story of before. We have a whole library of the before. Cars. Planes. Malls. For the kids of the future."
"Beauty salons" Allison sighed and the laughter started gain as Marley leaned in.
"Hi, I'm Marley. Billy's wife. I am the local beautician, have a saloon and everything" she said as she held out her hand and Allison finally saw that she had been right in the first place. Tin men, pepper pots… fantasy land … they were down the rabbit hole now and she was in some wonderful place tht was just like Oz.
"What are you thinking?"
"If this is Oz… who is the wizard?"
"Oh … Ianto of course. But unlike Oz, he is a real magical creature." Martha said as she leaned over to pat her arm "Just remember that we are warning you now. Ianto is … a horse of a different colour!"
"And we are back to Oz" Allison laughed.
"So tell us" Martha settled back "Yell us your story."