I highly recommend you read the posts that follow these chapters- they are hysterical. I love each and every one.
They speak to the wonderful readers that have come along for this ride.
Truth - am I updating too often?
Helena's Torture
Myka reached around Helena and hugged her. "I am so sorry this happened to you, Helena," Myka said. Helena appreciated the sympathy, but Myka's touching had made her forget any annoyance about the day. Helena was ready for a different kind of care taking.
"Here you go," Myka said handing Helena a soapy facecloth who took it slowly. Her spirits lifted again when Myka suggested putting first aid cream on her back. "Do you have a robe?" Myka asked and Helena decided it was better than asking where her pajamas were. Myka grabbed a white fluffy one from a closet. She handed Helena a towel and offered her hand as she stepped out of the tub. Helena held the towel against her chest, so that it looked like she was at least making an attempt at modesty. Myka held the robe open in-between them and Helena slowly slid her arms through it.
"Do you have any cream?" Myka asked and noticed Helena just standing there. Helena's eyes were locked and staring at that word fall off Myka's lips. Helena opened her mouth, but didn't say anything. Myka raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for an answer, but the only thing that Helena could repeat was 'cream'?'
Myka smiled, thinking Helena must be exhausted. "Yes, I want to rub some on your back," Myka said and Helena's knees started to go out from under her. Myka was there to catch her.
"Oh sweetie, you must be so tired. Come on, I want to you lie down on the bed here," Myka said taking charge of her charge. Helena blindly followed her. She felt guilty that her mind was on a very different page than Myka's at the moment, but hers was more fun.
Myka looked down at the king sized bed and began taking the decorative pillows off. She made trip after trip to the chair as she piled them up. Helena stood there, mesmerized by the sight of Myka bending over the bed and pulling at the very heavy Jennifer Taylor duvet and finally getting to the soft blanket and sheets. Myka couldn't remember feeling anything so soft and satiny, but then remembered when she awoke in Helena's guest bed room. Lost in that kinesthetic moment, Myka recalled how cool those sheets felt beneath her skin. Helena watched silently as Myka ran her hands over the satin sheet until she finally caught herself.
"It's good …..now …..there…. was a wrinkle," she coughed as the blush came to her face. She stepped back as Helena sat down on the bed.
And then Myka asked the question that made Helena draw blood from her inside lip.
"Do you want to eat something?" Myka asked remembering the food Leena had prepared and left for them.
Helena bit down hard to keep the thoughts in her head from expressing themselves in words or actions. She could feel the warm sensation of her own blood mixing with the saliva as she tried to speak. She swallowed hard and shook her head and whispered "no thank you".
Now images of Myka feeding her flashed through her mind as Myka stared at the silly grin on Helena's face. Only when Myka remarked that Helena must be very tired - why else would she have that expression on her face? - did Helena snap out of it and protest. "No, I need … you're going to put …..," Helena said letting the robe slip off one shoulder.
"Oh yes, thank you for reminding me," Myka said. "Now where should I look….," she asked and Helena cut her off before she said that word again. "In there."
Myka went back into the bathroom to retrieve the salve while Helena flipped over in the bed and prostrated herself with the robe gathered at her waist.
Myka went into the bathroom and closed the door. She opened the cabinet where the salve was and retrieved it quickly. Then she splashed cool water on her face. The more she touched Helena, the weaker she felt. She was worried that this was happening while Helena was injured. She needs your care, not your ogling, Myka chastised herself. Myka fought like anything to forget the feelings Helena aroused in her, if only for Helena's sake. What would Helena think if she knew you were having these thoughts? Myka asked herself.
If only she had asked the woman on the other side of the wall, she would have found out how wrong she was in her assumptions. Myka pulled herself together after deciding that her friend's health was most important.
"I found it," Myka said holding the cream up as proof that was what took her so long. Helena lay with her face sideways on the pillow staring at Myka, her arms bent at the elbow next to her. "Oh, good you …. moved your robe," Myka said swallowing. "OK, let me just put some ….," Myka started and Helena interrupted her again.
"Wouldn't it be easier to sit next to me," Helena asked. There was plenty of room, Helena made sure of that. Myka sat down on the bed and looked down at the expanse of ivory skin before her. There were reddish slashes that went from shoulder-blade to shoulder-blade where the bronzing left its marks.
"Are my hands too cold?" Myka worried and placed one in Helena's hand.
"Not at all," Helena said.
Myka opened the tube, placed a dab of the ointment in her palm and wiped it with her fingers and slowly, gently began rubbing it into Helena's back. The sensation of Myka's warm touch sent off sparks in Helena's whole body. She clutched the pillow slowly as Myka concentrated on her soothing touch. Meticulously, Myka rubbed the ointment across Helena's back. Within minutes, Myka had covered the affected areas in white balm. Helena was drifting off under the spell of the feelings. It was only when Myka started to pull the robe up did Helena's brain refocus enough to say; "I think there's more. It hurts farther down my back," she practically gasped and prayed there would a mark of any kind to back her up.
Myka stopped and pulled the robe back down. She looked at the base of Helena's back, but couldn't see anything.
"Do you know where?" Myka asked looking for help.
"A little….. farther down," Helena said and felt the robe slide off her back. Myka's hand grazed Helena's lower back in search for the inflicted area and Helena quivered.
"There?" Myka said, thinking she had caused Helena discomfort.
"Yes," was all Helena could say.
Myka took the cream again and started to slowly rub the lowest part of Helena's back inches from her right cheek. The sensation of touching Helena's skin was making the temperature in the room rise for Myka. Her mouth was getting very dry and swallowing was getting harder. Myka did the only thing she could think of that might help.
"Would you mind if I took a shower?" Myka suddenly asked and it took Helena a moment to answer. Helena had no idea that Myka meant a really cold one.
"No, of course," Helena said and put her arms back inside the robe. "I'll be back …," Myka said quickly.
Helena's disappointment was palpable. She knew this was new territory for Myka, but she seemed to be navigating it quite skillfully for a novice. Perhaps she just needed a little encouragement. Helena waited for Myka to turn on the water before she slipped off the robe, put it at the end of the bed and laid back down, pulling the sheet up to cover herself. Then she waited patiently.
Even at the most expensive hotels Myka stayed in, she never experienced anything like Helena's shower. Soft colored lights shone down as water shot out of four different shower heads strategically placed. She thought she would need cold water, but the digital readout stopped at 105 degrees. Steam filled the cubical as warm beads pulsated at Myka's neck and back. Maybe it would have been better for Helena to take a shower.
The one side effect of bronzing that Helena completely forgot about was how it sapped you of energy. She set the stage for Myka's return, but while Myka indulged in the effervescent sensation of the steam shower, Helena fell asleep. When Myka came back into the room, she found Helena sound asleep in the bed. Even touching her face did not rouse her, and so Myka kissed her goodnight and slipped out of the room. She went to the guest room and went to sleep.
It was the worst night's sleep either of them had ever had.
Helena suddenly became aware that Myka was gone a long time. She came to and realized she could not hear the water running anymore. What she could hear was New York's version of the rooster – garbage trucks banging and beeping outside to signal it was morning. Helena never liked starting the day off with failure and by all accounts, her plan to seduce Myka….. had failed. She threw back the sheet and marched her nakedness into the bathroom, but it was empty. She grabbed her robe and opened the door. Myka was her One! Had she left her alone? Forgotten her duties?
Helena seemed startled when she saw Leena coming up the stairs to the landing.
"Ms. Wells? Are you okay?" Leena asked because the Brit looked confused.
"Did you see Ms. Bering?" Helena asked.
"Oh yes, she said she didn't want to disturb you and she left to go home before she went to the office," Leena announced and wished she hadn't.
"What does that mean? Go home?" Helena asked.
"Well, she spent the night in the guest room, but didn't have a change of clothing so she went home to change before going to work. That's what she told me," Leena said backing up just a little.
"I…. she…..last…but I…..," Helena said looking around to find the answers to how morning had rudely come before her evening worked out.
Leena smiled helplessly at her boss because she simply had no idea what she was trying to say.
"Would you like some tea?" Leena offered.
"Madam, the day is starting out poorly enough without adding an offer of your concoction," Helena barked. "No offense," she quickly added.
She retreated to her bedroom where doors were slammed and things were thrown all in an attempt to help Helena express her deep disappointment. Helena's plans always worked – most especially with potential lovers. In fact, this was usually the time when Helena was saying adieu and suggesting that they date other people. Helena flung opened the doors to her massive closet, admonishing herself for playing by the rules. It simply never dawned on Helena that Myka's hesitancy was done with great restraint and out of caring. Helena's was frustrated – on many levels now – and she did not deal well with that.
Helena muttered the entire time she donned her Donna Karen gray suit with the button front cutaway jacket that flared at her hips. If it were any tighter on Helena's shape, it would have been her skin. She shoved her stockinged feet into Claudia Ciuti short boots with three-inch heels. She sprayed her signature perfume on as she practiced just what she would say to Myka about leaving her last night. OK, this morning. But without saying goodbye.
"She didn't wish to disturb you," Leena tried after picking up on how annoyed her boss was when she slammed her IPad down.
"Had she been paying attention, she would have known just how badly I wanted to be disturbed," Helena said not caring if Leena understood her or not.
Pete waited in the car until the loud slam of the front door to the townhouse jolted him out. He had seen that stomp before – and it was not good. He said good morning to the woman he helped rescue, but she didn't say a word. In spite of the dark Ray Bans that covered her eyes, Pete felt the weight of them as she came towards the car.
"Dressed to Kill," he quickly texted to Claudia as official code for their boss' mood.
"Really? A day after almost being killed and she's cranky? I simply don't get brilliant maniacal people," she complained to Steve. "This is your first drill and you better be ready. Oh God, get Eileen to make the tea," Claudia yelled because this was their first line of defense.
Claudia texted the young woman who would have to face Helena alone when she got to the top floor. Eileen rushed to the kitchen and prepared the tea.
"Oh my God," Claudia yelled and Steve grabbed her to hold her still.
"What is going on with you?" he asked.
"What if her old One whose not her One can't keep her in line and her new One won't know to do that for every …one," Claudia said tripping over her own words.
"What?" Steve asked.
"Suppose Mrs. Frederic can't do that thing she does with Helena?" Claudia said pacing the floor.
"Put her in time out?" Steve guessed incorrectly.
"No, she tells her stuff. Suppose she can't do that cause she's not … you know," Claudia said raising her index finger alone because people were around and she was trying to be discrete.
"Do what dear?" Mrs. Frederic asked coming around the corner.
"Helena's dressed-to-kill," Claudia said in a sing-song voice so as not to scare the entire department.
"Why?" the HR Director asked.
"Seems a certain guest was not there this morning when she awoke," Claudia said reading the text from Leena.
"Oh for crying out loud," Irene said having hoped they would have a less exciting day after yesterday.
"Can you … you know….still….," Claudia asked covering her mouth, hoping the older woman could read her expression.
"Can I still …. Talk to her?" Irene guessed.
"Yeah …You're like the Helena-Whisperer. You didn't lose that right? You can still get her to calm the frack down?" Claudia explained.
"I'll do my best," Irene smiled and headed for the top floor.
"OK people, listen up! We have got to test that firewall pronto. Incoming!" she yelled and people ran to their desks and started making sure the Wells Corp firewall was ready for any intrusion.
Myka ran to her apartment and asked the cabby to wait because she would only be a few minutes. She pulled out a blue suit and pink blouse and quickly changed. She was anxious to get back to work to see how Helena was doing. She wouldn't have left her alone, but Leena was there and assured her she would give Helena her message. She quickly applied some mascara, wiped the blush brush across her cheeks, and hastily put on some lipstick. She was back downstairs before the meter doubled.
As she headed back up to midtown, Pete was driving his boss down to the same location. Myka entered the building in Times Square just minutes before Helena did. Myka noticed the rapid pace at which people seemed to be running about in the hallways. She was humming a song as she made her way to her office, stopping to say hello to Millie and pick up messages.
Myka went into her office and reviewed what she needed to get done that day. Fortunately, most of it seemed routine and there were no urgent calls from the City about anything Helena did. A little while later, Myka pulled at her jacket and fixed her hair and was about to make her way up to see Helena. The down elevator doors opened and Eileen got off.
"Eileen, I was just coming up to see you," Myka smiled. Having spent so much time with the young woman the past day had only endeared her to Myka more.
The girl's eyes filled with water immediately. "Oh, Ms. Bering," Eileen said and Myka panicked that something had happened to Helena.
"Is Helena okay?" Myka said worried that she had left her before the side effects had subsided. Myka was pulling the girl toward the up elevator, but Eileen was resisting.
"What is it?" Myka asked urgently.
She tried to talk. but the words wouldn't come. Finally she caught her breath long enough to say; "She fired me," Eileen said and began to sob.
Myka pulled her into her and hugged her. "No," Myka said sure the girl was mistaken, but Millie shot up from behind her desk, wide eyed – nodding her head rapidly to confirm that it was true.
Bad news traveled quickly at Wells Corp.
I know ... I know...