The Lecture: Chapter 8
I.
"Wu…wi…wi…"
"KP."
"Wi...mar…wi…"
"KP. Your tea."
"Wu…mar…wiiiiiaaaaeeeee!"
Kim's legs shot straight out as she fell back, sliding past Ron's reaching hands to knock him backwards. Her hands began scrambling frantically at her jeans button.
"Owowowoow," She managed to open her jeans, "Hot, hot, hot." Laughing, Ron grabbed her feet. Jerking off her shoes, Ron grabbed each pants leg and stood, dumping Kim out of her Jeans. She lay fanning her tea stained panties.
Ron collapsed, tears rolling down his cheeks, "I… I…tried…honest…KP…I tried..." he fell over helplessly.
"You think that's funny, Monkey boy?" A bare toe booted him in the ribs.
Ron looked up at a furious redhead. Wisely he remained silent.
"Say something." Her toe nudged him again.
"Ah…love the Ferret Girl panties, Kim?"
"You…you…" Kim crouched, hands fluttering in a useless attempt at cover. "Don't just lay there grinning like an idiot, get me some clothes!"
"Ok, ok, Kim," Ron stood, "you just look so cute." He reached for her. The 'touch me and you die, slowly and painfully' glare stopped his attempt. Turning away he walked to a door, "Go in here and have a cold soak while I get your clothes. A cold soak will take some of the sting out."
Keeping Ron's back to her, Kim stepped around him, into a bathroom that made her facilities look like an outhouse. A sybaritic marvel of white and black tile, the room furnished every dream a narcissist could imagine.
"Not quite the ascetic you try and act, are you Stoppable?" She marveled.
She could hear his blush, "Would you believe me if I said it was here when I bought the place."
"No."
"Didn't think so, I'll be back in a minute."
Kim jerked her blouse off and dropped her bra on the way to the sunken tub. Six feet into the room she froze as she realized one wall was not a wall, it was plate glass.
"Almost forgot, KP, the window is one way glass, so no need for embarrassment."
"Ron," she gritted, refusing to turn, "If you followed me in here…"
"Still outside, but, you know, we could talk while you…"
"Get the clothes."
"But, honey, we…"
"Get the clothes!"
II.
"Ah, KP, you decent?" came Ron's cautious voice as Kim lay in the cool water.
"Did you get me some clothes?"
"Yep."
""Just hand them in here." Kim stood, wrapped a soft bath sheet around herself, and eased over to the door.
Ron's hand appeared, waving a pair of black silk step ins like a surrender flag.
"Ronald Dean Stoppable…" Kim growled.
"Listen for a minute, Kim, with that scald, you won't want anything tight. Try the gown first. If you insist on being stubborn, I brought jeans and a shirt too.'
"Hand 'em in, I'll decide." She snatched the lingerie. Ron's hand disappeared, to reappear with two sets of clothes on hangers.
"KP, I…"
"Don't talk and don't leave. I'll be out in a minute." Kim warned.
Five minutes later, she walked out, grudgingly wearing the gown. Her thighs were too tender for the tight jeans.
"One 'I told you' and they're going to have to choose someone new, understand? And that innocent look doesn't work."
Looking resigned; Ron motioned her to a chaise lounge she hadn't noticed before. "I had it brought up." He answered her unspoken question, "It'll be easier for you than sitting on the mat."
Lying down, Kim wrapped the silk gown around her legs. Ron sat on the floor at her hips.
"All right, you know what I want to know. Why and how have I been married for eleven years? Why didn't you tell me? Is it legal?" Kim clasped her hands, "and what happens now?"
After a moment's hesitation, Ron began, "Kim, when I married you, it was for a lot of reasons. The main two were because I was in love with you, and I wanted to protect you."
"Protect me from what?" Kim interrupted.
Ron waved his hand vaguely, "The same as I always had, just have your back, be there for you."
"And you had to trick me, why?"
"There was a prophecy that within a year of gaining his power, the wielder of the Lotus Blade would die in battle. I had to be there for you even if I couldn't be there. I knew the ninja would protect their 'Chosen One's' widow."
"But you didn't die."
"In a way, I did. It was about four months before I recovered enough to notify my parents. I found they had moved and left no forwarding address. You were gone, Wade was offline, and the site was down. It was another two months before I could begin searching. It just seemed everyone had moved on, so I did too."
"I was with my Nana, Mom and Dad made me go. Wade was almost as broken up as I was. But why didn't you tell me?"
"You already knew more about the blade and Yamanouchi than Sensei was comfortable with. I couldn't tell you more."
"Sensei." Kim muttered distastefully.
"Don't dis the Sensei, Kim; he did what he thought best. Anyway, what was I supposed to say? 'Yo, KP, I love you. You and I are married, but don't worry, before our first anniversary you'll be a widow.' Think about that Kim."
"Ron, you could have…maybe you…I don't know, but it can't have been legal?"
"In Japan, it was very legal. In the U.S.? Since we didn't register it and the marriage was never consummated, I don't know. Kind of a moot point now, since I'm 'dead'. Sorry, Kim, but that's my legal status."
"Why didn't you let me know you were alive?" Kim asked softly.
"I almost did."
"Why didn't you?" Kim persisted.
Ron looked down at his hands. "Hurt. Cowardice I suppose." He looked in Kim's eyes. "I disguised my voice and called. Mrs. Dr. P. answered. When I asked for you, she said she'd be happy to take a message, you were out with Josh."
Kim looked stricken. "But…but I only went out that one time because Dad insisted. After I spent the evening remembering you and crying, he never asked me out again. Wait a minute, Mom never insisted I was wrong and you were dead after that. Did she know it was you?"
"Maybe," Ron replied thoughtfully, "As I hung up, I seemed to hear her scream, 'Ron'."
"Can I tell them you're alive? Will you see them? They'll be overjoyed."
"I don't know, KP." Ron was obviously uncomfortable, "I'd like to see them, too, but there are things…"
"You can't tell me. Heard it before."
"Right. Hopefully in the very near future I can. I know patience has never been your strong suit, Kim, but trust me, one more time, please?"
"We'll table that. Back on topic. Are we married or not?"
In Japan we are. In the U.S.? Well, since the marriage has now been," Ron grinned wickedly, "well and truly consummated, I suppose we are."
Kim couldn't remember her face ever burning this hot. "Ron… you…I…it was…"
"KP, you didn't think it was…" She would never have believed he could look so tragic, "well…I guess…" Ron's grin bloomed, "we'll just have to keep trying until we get it right, won't we?"
Kim's eyes narrowed. She reached to caress Ron's bearded cheek softly. Her other hand grasped his collar, pulling him up and on top of her. Her hands move to encircle his neck, playing with his hair, as her lips reached to gently kiss him. "Oh, yes," she purred, "'Well and truly' indeed." She kissed him with a sudden passion that melted Ron's spine before…
Lying shocked on his back, beside the chaise, Ron looked up into Kim's eyes.
"But if you think we're doing that again until I decide if I've forgiven you, think again, 'Master'!" Kim glared down into her lover's/husband's stupefied face. "Hope you enjoyed the passive me, because I've decided that is over. I'll let you know what I decide tonight, after your lecture."
"Lecture?"
"You do remember the lecture, the reason you're here?"
"Right,lecture,tonight."
She leaned over for a quick kiss before standing. Walking to the door, she threw over her shoulder, "KP is back, monkey boy, hope you're ready."
Feeling his eyes on her sashaying hips, Kim grinned at his laughing, resigned, "Oh, man, what have I started now?"