Chapter Forty: Surprise
Watson
"Doctor Watson, what the hell is going on up there? I gotta pack for our train ride to Paris!" Becky complained for about the fifth time.
I shrugged my shoulders and attempted not to show my lack of patience for her behavior. "I cannot answer your question Mademoiselle," I said civilly. I hoped that Holmes and Mackenzie could come to some type of agreement that would benefit both of them.
"I hope Mac's at least getting some action! I mean she's making us wait long enough!"
"I beg your pardon," I said, not sure of what she meant by 'getting some action.'
"Oh you know Doc Watson, a little adventure in body chemistry," she said making an obscene gesture with her body.
I felt my face redden. She was acting extremely un-ladylike! "Mademoiselle, please!" I smiled uncomfortably at the people who were staring at the girl. I shrugged my shoulders and proceeded to chastise her in English.
"Yeah whatever," she said with an arrogant shake of her head. "Listen I'm gonna go up there and see what the hell is going on!" She began walking towards the stairs.
I grabbed her arm, an action which was disrespectful, but was the only thing I could do to stop her from interrupting the conversation between her friend and Holmes. "Mademoiselle, you will stay here. I will go upstairs and check on our friends."
"Not without me! With my luck you'll involve yourself in some orgy and I'll be here forever."
"Then come along," I murmured. Her brash actions certainly solidified my somewhat low opinion of the Americans. As we headed to the room, I secretly wished that they finished whatever conversation they were having.
With some chagrin, I noticed my hand trembled as I placed it on the door handle. For all I knew, Holmes could have taken yet another injection of cocaine and be listless and unresponsive. When I opened the door, I was completely taken aback by the scene that lay in front of me.
Becky
"Oh shit! Way to go Mac! I didn't think you had it in you!" Suddenly, Watson put his hand over my mouth to silence me. What the hell is his problem? My best friend is sleeping with a guy! Yes! I've succeeded in getting her to become sexually active! Now all I have to do is get her to experiment with the sexes! But hell that will come later! Right now, I'm thrilled.
"Quiet!" Watson whispered harshly. He glared at me, but I didn't care. All I knew was my best friend was no longer a Puritan.
"What the fuck is your problem? Don't you see that my friend and your friend got it on up here?"
He dropped his hand from my mouth and looked at me totally puzzled. "What did they get on?"
Jesus Christ! Remind me never to let Mac make any travel decisions. "Uh Doc Watson, look at the bed. Tell me what you see."
"Holmes and Mackenzie," he replied simply.
Fuck he is stupid. "Hello! Is anybody home in there?" I asked tapping his forehead. "Mac and Mr. Misogynist are lying in bed together, sleeping! Don't you realize what they were doing?"
He shook his head.
"For a doctor you're friggin stupid! He's a guy she's a girl, both single. They were procreating up here! You know, trying to make a baby. Shagging each other! Doing it! Having sexual intercourse!"
At my honesty, the doctor's face went completely white and his knees began to shake. He swallowed several times and grabbed the wall with a pale hand.
"You okay? You look sick." Man what is his problem? He should be happy, his buddy got some action! I mean, hell I'm thrilled!
He nodded and sharply expelled his breath. "Th…that is not possible," he said his voice full of shock. "Holmes would never…"
I started laughing at him. "I just hope lover boy decided to use protection! I mean I don't know how a fetus will survive time travel!" That thought made me laugh even harder, the sound woke up the spent couple.
The detective slowly opened his eyes and looked down at Mackenzie, whose head rested comfortably on his chest. He frowned a little and then allowed himself to timidly stroke her blond hair in hesitating strokes.
Jesus! There's something wrong with everyone here! "Look Mr. Holmes, you just had her. Why are you so afraid to suddenly touch her?"
His head jerked up and his eyes grew wide with shock. "What the devil!"
Mac
I felt Holmes stroke my hair, but continued to pretend I was sleeping, because I did not want him to stop.
When I heard Becky's voice my eyelids snapped open and I saw her smirking and Watson very pale-faced, leaning against the wall for support.
"Mac how was your first time?" Becky asked, not bothering to hide her wicked smile. "Glad you took my advice and fucked someone before college! Although I don't know if a consulting detective would be my choice, but hey what ever turns you on!"
My face reddened at her misconception of the situation. I could not find my voice and swallowed several times. I looked up at Holmes, who was equally shocked.
"He was so good that you're speechless?"
"Becky!" I was horrified when my voice came out in a horse whisper. Quickly I clamored out of bed to show her that I was fully dressed and that absolutely nothing happened between me and Holmes. "Becky! My God, what the hell are you thinking?" My face grew redder as her eyes ran up and down my small frame.
"You're a quick dresser," she falsely observed. "Damn," she said when she saw Holmes get up. "Did you two get dressed right after it?"
I took a deep breath and looked at Watson, who was surprised to find both Holmes and myself fully clothed. "Doc I swear, it's not how it looks. You believe me, don't you?"
Watson blinked and looked at the detective who was standing a few feet behind me. When his gaze once again met mine, it was filled with both humiliation and a type of humor. When I saw his face, I exhaled slowly. He believes me. He knows nothing happened. Thank God.
"Mademoiselle," Watson said turning to Becky. "I daresay your deductions are erroneous. I believe you owe both Holmes and Mackenzie, as well as myself, an apology. The things you have implied could both get them falsely arrested."
Becky raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Are you kidding me?"
I shook my head good-humoredly. "Never assume Beck, because when you do, you make an ass of you and me." I stretched and made a show of crossing the room to open the window. After Becky announced her misconception, the room seemed extremely close and stifling. I stuck my head out of the window, and felt the cold air on my face. "So, Holmes," I said staring out at the picturesque scene of freshly fallen snow. "You still wanna see where I found that piece of cloth?"
"Holmes it is nearly five o'clock," Watson said before the detective could answer. "We must pack and leave for the train station."
"It appears," Holmes said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "my Boswell is correct. You have aptly told me where you found the said material as well as the events that surrounded your discovery. I doubt there is anything I can learn from seeing the alter."
I shrugged and continued to stare into space. Things changed, changed drastically from when Becky and I first arrived in the Victorian era. I went from being a typical teenager, with all the social problems that go along with always having your head stuck in a book, to falling in love with an emotionally autistic consulting detective who could not, rather would not accept my feelings for him. And yet, there were times when I swore he felt a hint of my emotions, but those moments were so few and far between that I wasn't sure if they were real or in my mind.
"Yo Mac!"
I started and cracked the top of my head the window. "Sonofabitch!" I swore rubbing my bruised brain case. I looked at Becky with annoyance. "What do you want? Haven't you caused enough trouble all ready?"
She grinned and threw my carpetbag at me. "I packed for you last night. Come on, we're ready to go!"
"Thanks dude," I replied following her out of the room. We found the doctor and the detective chatting quietly by the fireplace.
"Hey boys, we're here," Becky said causing both men to look up.
"Come along then," Watson said gently. "There is a four wheeler waiting to take us to the station."
