The Girl on the Road

Chapter 4: A Stolen Moment in Time

"Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may not remember, involve me and I'll understand"
Unknown tribal saying

Shaggy had put on his new swimsuit and a T-shirt; opening the door to find Kathie holding a new shirt with a Southwestern design. "Take your shirt off; we'll be going out for dinner later and we don't need to get dressed up but I think this will look better than an old T-shirt."
He took his T-shirt off, slipping on the stiff new shirt. "'Jack' from the café was wrong you know" Kathie said, "You are without doubt not skinny." She ran her hands all along his sides.

"How long have you had Scooby?" she inquired, nuzzling his neck.
"Since he was a puppy" Shaggy answered, looking into those green eyes, holding her close. He thought these feelings were long time buried. He was mistaken.
"Does he interfere when you…er…have company?" her hands pushed the new shirt off his shoulders.
"I don't know; that situation has never come up." his hands combed through her damp hair; His hands found the straps to her suit.
"Do you want to find out?" she sighed.

They had time; all the time they needed in this stolen moment of time…she hadn't wanted or planned to fall in love, if this was love. No one need know she was stealing. Stealing a moment in time. She had never known love; her Order forbade it. She had the mission and the mission came first; she had the appointment and nothing could stop her from keeping the appointment. She had the Order; the Order was her life.

-------------Xxxxxx

They lay together; whispering, touching and laughing.
"You're a devil in disguise, teasing me like that." he whispered, his hands caressing her sides.
"NO! Never say that! I am no devil!" she said vigorously. She leaned forward again, kissing his lips then pulling back "No, my darling, I'm no devil." she whispered so softly he had to strain to hear her. "Come with me; let me show you my world."

-------------Xxxxxx

"That was my world…the forbidden part." She whispered, fatigued.
Shaggy held her intimately; caressing her body, forming memories he knew would be hard if not impossible to forget. There were no words to express his feelings; only tender butterfly kisses…to kiss her tears away.

She had little time to rest, shower, and dress and make her appointment. She wished she could keep Shaggy from joining her but that was impossible now; in sharing the stolen moment in time he became part of the mission. He had become her responsibility also; that was the frightening part. And there was Scooby to consider. She couldn't let Scooby interfere!
She traced a line the length of his jaw to cheek; he took her hand, kissing her fingertips.

"Thank you" she whispered.
"Why are you thanking me? It's I who should be thanking you." he questioned.
"There are no words to describe what this experience means to me. A simple thank you isn't enough but it will have to be enough for now."

The new lovers found that the shower was big enough for two; if they stood very close together.

----------Xxxxxx

At exactly 7:15 PM they arrived at Pat's café. They had a new waitress, but Flo, their waitress from lunch, saw them enter and take a table. She noticed they sat on the same side of the table this time. The glow on the girl's cheeks told her all she needed to know. The only thing that troubled Flo was the fact that the girl insisted on the outside seat; the man usually took the outside. Flo dismissed it as irrelevant; Bud was due at 8:00, by 10:00 she would be in bed, she had the opening shift tomorrow.

Shaggy saw Bud, the Justice of the Peace, when he entered. He nudged Kathie, nodding his head at Bud who bypassed the counter, heading into the back office.

"Getting his share of the take…or more likely dividing the kitty…Oh, we have another player…a three way split?" Jonas Black of the Jack-a-lope trading post entered, following Bud into the office.

"Think they're sharing more that the kitty?" Kathie winked, squeezing his hand gently.

"Maybe…but if so one doesn't know about the other" Shaggy said thoughtfully. "I think it's more likely that our waitress has someone in the wings. These two gentlemen are business only."

"Why would you think that Shaggy?"

"Small town, big grapevine. If they are sharing more that the kitty, no way does she keep it a secret for long…therefore a third party is getting our waitresses' affections."

At exactly 7:58 PM, a man came in to buy cigarettes and something to drink on the road.

He wore a leather jacket which in this heat caught Shaggy's eye. The waitress filled his order; telling the man the total. He began shouting that the total was way too high; he demanded to see the owner. Bud stepped out of the office, Flo following right behind him…

Kathie's appointment was here; she rose from the table, walking slowly. Shaggy rose also, following her…the mission was almost completed…she only needed to wait…