Thirty-Three
Tori took the small bowl out onto the patio with her, seating herself in the early morning sun and propping her bare feet up against the railing. Jade had left a little while ago, and she'd found herself with some time before her nine am appointment.
So she'd decided to clean the rocks they'd found before she got dressed and took the short drive over to her doctor's office. She shifted a little and flexed her thighs, a little heavy feeling still from her running that morning, but she'd made eight laps for the first time, keeping up with Jade in a small piece of personal triumph.
Of course, she suspected her lover had cooperatively kept her pace to something Tori could handle, but… still, eight was eight, and it felt pretty damn good. Add that to the fact that she'd finally… finally.. gotten the hang of that over-the-shoulder throw last night, and had managed to down Jade with it not once, but twice….
Yeah. She could sit here in the sun with her rocks and her solution, and feel darn proud and pleased with herself. "Heh heh heh." Tori chortled softly, dipping the rocks carefully in the very mild liquid. She was actually feeling pretty smug, to tell the truth, and she was more than a little looking forward to going in for her checkup for a change.
What she hadn't told Jade was that her doctor, Marie Simpson was a gym rat. She'd not only delighted in chastising Tori for being so skinny, she'd spent thirty minutes during every appointment trying to browbeat her into joining a gym and starting an aerobics program. She'd also been…to Tori's mild discomfort, romantically interested in her.
Marie had made it clear that she wasn't looking for anything serious, just some light-hearted fun, and they'd gone out a few times together. Tori had enjoyed herself, still very tentative in adjusting to her sexuality, but she and Marie just hadn't had that much in common. The doctor's interests tended to violent sports, poker, and frank leering at passing bodies.
Marie also liked to drink, which Tori tended to shy away from, and she loved parties full of like-minded folks, one of which she'd taken Tori to, thrown by a professional women's group she belonged to. She'd been all right until she was cornered near the bar by a couple of very drunk, and very amorous paralegals.
That had been a little ugly. But she'd gotten out of it with the help of a very sweet, and very friendly bartender, who let her slip by behind the bar and through the hotel's kitchen, where she exited and called a cab.
It hadn't been Marie's fault, though the woman had apologized profusely, but Tori had decided after that she wasn't quite the party animal. "Tori," Marie had said. "You're sweet, but you need to get a life."
Tori swished the rocks around in the solution, and looked around her, with a grin. "Guess I found a life, huh?" She told a seagull floating overhead and savored the sunlight warming her skin in a moment of pure animal happiness.
"Okay, let's see what we've got here." She gently fished the first stone out and laid it on a soft cloth, then rubbed it carefully. A layer of the dark surface came off onto the rag, and she examined it, then dipped it again. Three or four more dips, and a careful cleaning with the rag, and she was sitting in some amazement, as the sun poured down and sent fractures of colored light through the pure, clear crystal in the palm of her hand. "Wow." She whistled under her breath. "Check that out."
An idea occurred to her, and she carefully dried off the two pieces of crystal, untangling the ruined chains from them. "I think I remember a jeweler close by Marie's office…"
She grinned, as she stood up and reentered the condo, heading for her bedroom to change.
The waiting room was quiet, this early in the morning, and Tori had only been seated for perhaps five minutes before the receptionist slid her glass window to one side, and motioned her in.
"Good morning." The brunette woman smiled at the nurse who met her.
The woman glanced at the folder she was carrying quickly. "Oh.. good morning, Ms. Vega.. gosh, we haven't seen you here in quite a while, have we?"
"Not for quite a few months, no," Tori confirmed cheerfully.
"You must be nice and healthy, then." The nurse tucked her folder under her arm. "Right, this way… in room three." She guided Tori down the corridor, and into the examination room. "Go on and slip into the gown, and I'll be in to take your blood. This is just a regular physical, right?"
"Yep." Tori put her purse down and shrugged out of her jacket, draping it over the back of the chair. She'd worn a fairly casual, sundress, chiefly because she knew she'd be taking it off, and travel irons weren't really her style. She unzipped her dress slipped out of it and left it folded precisely as she pulled on the thin fabric of the examination gown.
Then she walked over to the counter and examined the various jars and containers, wishing this part of the trial was already over. She didn't hate doctors like Jade did, but like any normal person, she found the waiting, and the wondering, uncomfortable.
She didn't have long to wait, though. The nurse came back in and put her folder down. "Okay… let's get you weighed and then I have to take two blood samples, okay?"
"Sure." Tori stepped amiably over to the scale and stood on it, watching as the nurse adjusted the weights until the bar balanced perfectly.
"One hundred twenty-one…okay." The nurse marked it down. "That's a change from last year."
From ninety-four? Yes. "I took a job delivering pizzas… it's made all the difference." Tori told her solemnly. "You know you have to eat all the ones you can't deliver."
"Oh my." The nurse gazed at her, concerned. "Is that healthy?"
Tori kept a straight face. "I work with a partner... I only eat the vegetable ones."
"Ah.. that's really smart." The nurse smiled. "Okay.. go on and sit up on the table there, and I'll get what I need to draw blood."
Tori obediently went and hopped up onto the table, dangling her bare legs over the edge, and resting her elbows on her thighs. She lifted an arm as the nurse came over, and submitted to the short, chunky woman's touch as she probed for a vein.
"Do you work out?" The nurse asked, in idle curiosity, as Tori flexed her arm and caused the newly defined biceps in her upper arm to bulge.
"No. Why?" Tori asked, with devastating innocence.
The nurse peeked at her, then went back to her task. "Oh.. well, nothing. I was asking." She took her blood and then checked Tori's pulse and pressure, and wrote those down. "Okay, the doctor will be in shortly."
Tori rubbed her arm, where the needle had extracted blood, and stifled a yawn. She'd deliberately skipped coffee that morning, not wanting to send her blood pressure skyrocketing. "Musta worked." She murmured to herself, recalling the 115 over 72 that the nurse had recited.
She hopped off the table and wandered over to the frosted window, standing up on her toes to peer out the top, where green leaves moved across a blue sky. She spotted a blue bird outside, and she watched, fascinated, as the bird hopped to a nest nearby and started feeding small chicks.
In February. Tori shook her head in mild amazement, then turned, as the door opened, and Marie Simpson walked in, letting it close behind her as she stood, and studied her patient.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Tori Vega?" The slim, frosted-haired woman asked, with a laugh. "Holy Jesus came to town, kid…what's up with you?
Tori chuckled, as she turned, and leaned casually against the wall. "Hi, Marie."
The doctor put her folder down and walked over. "When I heard Nancy talking about this buff brunette in room three, who was smart-mouthing her, I had to come see for myself."
"I was just messing with her." Tori felt a blush coming on... "So, how've you been?"
Marie took her wrists, and moved her arms out, examining her. "Not a patch on you, kid… did my lectures finally sink in or something?" She slapped Tori on the shoulder. "Go sit down on the table.. let's check you out."
Tori did so, laying down on the table and stretching out, as Marie set her stethoscope into her ears and listened to Tori's heart, then moved it down to her abdomen. "So, did it?"
"Did what?" Tori asked.
"My lectures sink in?" Marie asked, probing with gentle, sure hands.
"Not exactly." The brunette woman told her. "But I took your advice. I got a life."
"Really?" The doctor laughed. "That wasn't all I told you to get." She teased. "I think I recall saying.. ' Tori, you're sweet, but you need a life, and good lay."
Tori cleared her throat, ignoring the flush of blood going to her skin. "I got one of those, too." She muttered, hardly able to believe she was saying it.
"Ooh… did you !" Marie gave her a pat on the belly. "Sit up." She waited for Tori to comply, then set the stethoscope against her back. "Breathe."
Tori sucked in a breath obediently, glad of the chance to regain her composure.
"Breathe."
Another breath.
"Sounds good in there… you had any more bronchitis?" Dr. Simpson studied her. "Those dizzy spells come back?"
Tori shook her head. "No coughing since that last time, and the dizzy spells kinda tapered off in the fall." Since October, in fact.
The doctor picked up a metal bar and tested her reflexes, then peered interestedly into her ears. Tori sat quietly, looking straight ahead and trying to think of something other than how much that thing was tickling her.
"So.. you lifting weights?" Marie asked, casually.
"Um.. a bit… not that much really, mostly light stuff." Tori resisted the urge to bat the woman's hand away from her sensitive ears. "Wall climbing.. a lot of running.. some diving.. a little martial arts.. that sort of thing." She glanced up as the doctor stepped back. "I feel great."
Marie put a hand on her shoulder. "You look great." She smiled "I can hardly believe it." She indicated Tori's clothes. "Get dressed…and c'mon into my office.. we can chit chat for a minute or two." She paused. "Did you want me to schedule you for a mammogram? No..wait.. we did that last summer, right?"
Tori nodded. "Yes…that's hard to forget... I still get chills thinking of it." She grinned wryly. "I.. um… " She chewed her lip. "Check regularly."
Possibly more regularly than strictly necessary, since she and Jade had invented a sort of mutual, gently sensual game to it when she'd found that her stubborn lover had never bothered to check herself even once.
"Good deal." The doctor nodded. "Okay then, meet you down the hall... I'm going to grab a bottle of carrot juice. Want some?"
"Uh..no thanks." Tori ignored the growling in her stomach. "I'm going to pick up some breakfast on the way to work." A Cuban egg McMuffin, she'd decided, and a nice big café con leche.
And one for Jade, of course.
Marie left her to change, and she did, sliding into her sundress, and then settling her metallic green jacket over her shoulders. She picked up her purse and went down to the doctor's office, settling into the comfortable chair across from the desk, where the older woman was busy scribbling into her files. "So… everything looks okay?"
"Hang on," Marie muttered, still scribbling. "I want to get.. okay." She looked up and folded her hands. "It'll take a while for the bloodwork to come back, but everything looks good to me." Her eyes twinkled. "And your health does too."
Tori allowed a smile to cross her face, acknowledging the compliment. "It's been quite a change for me…I moved, I have a new job…" She paused, considering. "Someone in my life… I guess that's been the biggest change… Jade's gotten me into a lot of that physical stuff."
Marie cocked her head. "Jade.. that's an .. you don't mean Jade West, do you?"
Tori blinked, truly startled. "Um.. yes."
The doctor whistled. "Wow... I never met her, but I've heard stories." She leaned forward. "You got pictures?"
She'd heard of Jade? That made no sense.. given the separate circles they traveled in. "Uh.. yeah, I do." Tori pulled out her wallet, and opened it, selecting one of her favorite pictures of the two of them, standing near an old oak outside the house, Jade's arms wrapped loosely around her neck.
"Wow," Marie said again, looking up and giving Tori a very respectful glance. "My ex was at the bar downtown the night she took out those two robbers…she said she never saw anything quite like it.. just like in the movies."
Tori's brown brow edged up. "Hah.. I haven't heard that story.. but that's Jade.. she hates making herself out to be a hero."
Marie handed the picture back, with a frank grin. "She definitely saved a few butts that night.. and put one guy in the hospital for three months." A faint shake of her head. "You picked a wild one, Tori… but if you're happy… " She let the thought drift off. "Listen, we're having a party next Saturday night at the club.. why don't you guys stop by, hmm? I'd love to meet your friend."
Tori hesitated. "Sure… I mean, I don't think we have anything planned…I'll check with Jade when I get to the office." She didn't want to refuse outright, since she did like Marie, but she wondered if Jade would want to make an appearance at what was, apparently, old stomping grounds.
Marie stood up. "Okay.. great.. maybe we'll see you then." She smiled and held a hand out. "Great seeing you, Tori.. I'll give you a call if anything unusual comes back in your tests.. but in my considered opinion, just keep doing what you're doing, okay?"
Tori also stood and gripped her hand. "Thanks, Marie.. I'll be seeing you."
"Yeah." The doctor gave her a speculative look. "I hope so."
Jade was seated at her desk, her head propped up in one hand and her mouse in the other. She was clicking through a series of spreadsheets, checking their contents, then flipping back to others in a blur of white with pale blue lines. A soft knock interrupted her, and she leaned back, welcoming it. "C'mon in."
Mariela pushed the door open and entered, closing it behind her. She was carrying several folders, which she put neatly on Jade's desk. "Is the three new companies we bring in, Jade." The secretary said. "And Vitoria just poked her head in, to say she is here now."
"Oh?" Jade visibly perked up. "That didn't take long…guess everything's okay then." You never knew with doctors, after all… though Tori certainly appeared extremely healthy, you just never knew. "Great…I had a lunch meeting sprung on me that I wanted her to attend."
As if on cue, a popup appeared on her window.
"Hey…my doctor wants to meet you."
Jade blinked, and glanced at Mariela, then leaned forward and typed back.
"Oh really? Everything goes okay then?"
"Remember what Mariela thought of me? With the trail mix? That's what my doctor thinks of you."
Jade smiled. "C'mon over." She turned and put her hands on the desk. "So..we have three new acquisitions, eh?"
"Si. " Mariela agreed.
Jade drummed her fingers on the desk. "Um… so… what did you have planned for the weekend, Mariela?"
The secretary gave her a curious look. "Aye… well… nothing really, just some work in the garden, and my husband is going to paint the bathroom. " She answered, a little puzzled.
"Ah…. That sounds nice… um… " Jade glanced up as the inner door opened and Tori ambled in, her brown eyes twinkling as they found her lover's face. "We were going to have a little get-together on Saturday morning… I'd..um... " Jade woman regarded her pencil, then looked over at Tori. "We'd like you to be there." Tori put a paper bag down on the desk and smiled at Mariela.
Mariela folded her hands and looked from one to the other. "It is a party?"
Jade looked at Tori in silent appeal. The brunette woman rolled her eyes.
"Sort of." Tori perched on one corner of the desk. "My former pastor from Connecticut is in San Fransisco for a visit, and he… offered to perform a commitment ceremony for us."
She does that so smoothly. Jade marveled.
"Como?" Mariela took a step forward towards them. "Do you mean to be saying you are getting married?"
Tori felt the strangeness of the word. "Um.. yes, I think you could say that." She turned and looked at Jade in question. The woman was chewing the end of her pen so studiously you'd have thought she had a plastic deficiency. "Right?"
Blue eyes shifted to her face, and then to Mariela. "Uh.. yes." Jade swallowed, having never really expected to be saying that.
Mariela put her hands on her hips and gave Jade a very severe look. "Chefa, that is not nice."
Jade was startled. "Wh… " Could she have read Mariela all wrong? No.. "What isn't nice?" Tori was also regarding the secretary in some puzzlement.
"You cannot just be doing this without warning… to not give me a chance to get a nice present… that is not fair, Jade….I must get a dress, and.."
"Whoa.. whoa.. no.. no. .it's very casual, Mari... " Jade stood up hastily. "You don't need to get us anything.. we just want you to be there."
"Right." Tori nodded. "Really…it's very.. we just decided to do this the other day, Mariela."
"Casual? " The shorter woman repeated. "How do you mean, casual, Jade?"
"Um.. well, we're going to take my boat out there." Jade scratched her jaw. "And it's on a little island… before dawn."
Mariela stared at her for a long moment. "Dios Mio." She shook her head. "Jade, you are too much."
Jade exhaled softly. "It's all right if you don't want to, Mariela... I know it's very short notice.. and it's not… "
"Pardon? I do not think so, Jade... I would not miss this for all the how you say, coffee in India." Mariela stated. "I will get my pair of shorts out, just for you." She beamed at them, then turned and bustled out, shutting the door behind her.
"Well," Tori remarked, turning and smiling at her lover. Then she walked around and leaned on the desk next to Jade, her brown hair brushing the edges of the wood surface. "Hi."
Jade glanced at the door, then nuzzled her. "Mm.. you smell like café con leche."
"Oh yeah?" Tori leaned her way and kissed her lightly. "Imagine that."
Jade's eyes gentled. "Everything okay?" She asked.
"Mmhmm," Tori told her. "Marie tells me I'm very healthy… and that I look great, and that she wants me to bring you to a party down there so they can all meet the infamous Jade West."
Blue eyes flickered. "Infamous?"
"Mm.. something about a robber.. or maybe it was two of them…or six "
Jade dropped her head. "Ah. " She nodded. 'That.. damn.. are they still telling that old story?"
Tori slipped her arm across Jade's shoulders. "Tell you what, partner… I've got some meatballs in the crock pot.. cooking nice and slow… how about you and me share a big bowl of them and some spaghetti later on, and you tell me that old story, okay?"
Jade smiled quietly at the desktop. "All right." She paused, reflectively. "You know… I remember going out to the beach after that whole thing happened and watching the sunrise. " She let out a breath. "It was one of the only times I felt… proud.. of who I was.. and the fact that I'd had a positive effect in someone's life."
Tori studied her profile for a moment, then she reached over and gently tilted her chin up until their eyes met. "Until now."
A calm silence fell, as they stared into each other's eyes, bathed in the warm sunlight pouring into the room, and spilling over them like a golden blanket.
Abruptly the phone buzzed., and broke the spell. "Jade, I have the Singapore on uno." Mariela's voice entered the room.
Jade took Tori's hand and kissed it. "All right, I've got it, Mariela."
Tori stroked her cheek, then straightened, and nodded. "See you for lunch?" She motioned towards the bag. "Enjoy."
"Thanks." Jade smiled, as she reached for the phone button. "Yeah?"
"Jade, we've got SITA problems again." The harried voice sounded. "The overseas net is down in the Far East… can you help?"
Tori moved to the door, and waved, Jade glanced at her assistant. "Actually, you need to talk to our operations director, Tori Vega. I'll transfer you very. I'm sure she can get your issue resolved."
"B-"
"Hang on." Jade cocked her head at Tori and lifted her brows. "Ready?"
Tori took a breath and nodded. "If I can't fix it, can we go there too?" She quipped. "I bet Singapore's way more interesting than sleepy Boulder."
Jade shook her finger at her but grinned.
"Give me a minute, then transfer it." Tori moved to the door and waved, then disappeared.