25- New Beginnings… chapter twenty-five

Lynn looked at Walter sitting there, shirt open, taking a sip of his smoothie, returning her look with eyebrows raised. "Isn't that how the engineering adage goes? Overthinking the plumbing?" he asked sitting back in his seat. "I have lived here in the garage for a number of years and this is the first I have the entire edifice to myself, a massive project to research, possibly plan and design that is big enough to fill the place and keep me occupied for the foreseeable future between bouts of security programming…. who knows, a big enough project where I may even go down a rabbit hole or two in the process- your popping in periodically will help with that. Excellent fish, by the way- could have used a couple more lemons, but quite good," he said continuing to eat his dinner.

"How does one recognize when you are down a 'rabbit hole', and how does one get you out of it?" Lynn asked.

Walter chuckled, "if I look unkempt, uncommunicative, practically comatose, obviously going days without eating or sleeping- all pretty much easily noticeable signs the thought processes are going haywire. Some rabbit holes are good- such intense focus comes up with highly precise and at times quite elegant solutions to the issue being contemplated- usually three to five days of focus. However, there are times the focus gets a bit… well, buggered, shall we say, and total disorientation that can lead to physical distress usually seven or more days."

"My goodness, no eating or sleep that long? How to bring you out of such a state? Call 911 and haul you off to the hospital?"

"Depends. Short rabbit hole, of just a couple days, I can usually exit myself when the solution is found. The longer bouts- well Happy used to slug me, haul me to the shower and throw me in clothes and all- she scalded me once- that did not feel good, so stuck to cold water after that." Walter smiled, "yes, Happy pulled me out of some epic sessions, especially during the Collins era. But, I was young and stupid then- as you know, I am older and somewhat wiser, now."

"I have never known anyone to go into such mental contortions. You really are from another world….. maybe farther away than Arcturus."

Walter laughed, "how many genius have you known? Collins was closest to me, but turned out to be a psycho- he stepped over that supposed 'fine line'- deliberately made the whole process deadly- not a good combination- we went off on some real mind blowing jaunts of theoretical equations, quantum mechanics- mentally exhilarating, but physically debilitating. Had to get away from him or I might not have survived- can never thank Happy enough for that intervention." Walter said pensively, then looked up at Lynn. "Sly is another genius- he would slip into a rabbit hole, but as he is mathematics focused, once the answer was rendered he would be OK with little attention- a good meal, good night sleep and good to go. Happy is genius as well, but her genius is mechanical- once she has pounded the metal enough, her physical strength sapped, she is OK…. sore, but OK as she does not really get into a rabbit hole mentally."

Lynn continued to study Walter. "Like I said I have been living with this for all my ancient thirty-four years so used to it so quit looking at me like I have a third eye. You have been around me enough to know I am not all that terribly strange- can function relatively well in public though not my favorite pastime. You are going to be involved in this orbiter research, planning and design as well- will be interesting to see if you don't fall into a rabbit hole or two. You are certainly focused enough on the idea to have gathered mounds of research… even if a fair amount is more fiction than science, but you have any blank spots in the gathering stage you have not enlightened me about? You have a third eye your hair is covering up?"

Walter rose and started gathering up the plates and utensils to rinse and put in the dishwasher. "Stay seated, you cooked I can clean up. I told you all my weirdness, time for you to fess up. Like I said before, you don't get two degrees from MIT at such a young age without some kind of idiosyncratic thought processes, mental contortions as you call it." Opening the dishwasher, he started filling the racks up, gathered the pots and pans to put in the sink for handwashing when Lynn came up behind him.

"Well, to be honest," Lynn said running her hands up under his open shirt, "I do have a confession to make."

Walter turned around, "Oh, do tell, you have my rapt attention- a young women's confessions are always interesting to old farts like me."

"I confess, I do like to see a man in the kitchen, but if you are going to scrub those pots and pans, you really need to remove that long sleeved shirt and dangling tie….. I will just sit over here and watch while you… work," and Lynn returned to her seat at the table, putting her feet on a second chair for comfort.

Walter cocked his head with a slight frown that transformed into a bemused look and, grasping one end of his tie pulled it from his collar to hang on the fridge door handle, looked down to unbutton the shirt cuffs and pulled his shirt off to hang with the tie, then turned to run hot soapy water into the sink to scrub the pots and pans. Getting the pots and pans clean he got a dishcloth to wipe down the counters, stove top then went to the table and wiped it down. He went behind Lynn to wipe down the table around her, reached over to move her hair off her shoulder to kiss her neck to return to the sink, rinsed the dishcloth out, emptied the sink to rinse the pots and pans and pile to dry on the drain board by the sink, he rinsed out the coffee pot to set up the brewer for the morning, then turned to lean against the counter. "Kitchen all nice and clean, coffee ready for the morning. Anything else I can do to please you, young lady?"

Lynn sat there looking at Walter then seemed to have made a decision. "I watched you with the scars on your back and shoulders, the big one on your lower left side and watching you I really didn't notice them… all I saw was you… do you think you can do the same?"

"Lynn, every time I look at you I see only you. Your lively wit, your compassion, your ability to overlook my shortcomings, your intellect, your willingness to take risk with a weird semi-human fit only to commune with computers… a damaged person trying desperately to heal himself to become good enough for you to sincerely care about."

Lynn rose to go put her arms around Walter and lay her head against his chest over his heart, "I came to care about you a long time ago it is me that is the problem."

She could feel the vibrations in his chest as he chuckled, "There is absolutely nothing about you that is a problem, Lynn. As I said before, it took a while, but I learned there is so much involved in a meaningful 'relationship' between people, it will evolve, progress, grow as it will- can't rush it, can't change it, what will happen will happen in the fullness of time." He chuckled again, "I am an old fart, but have more than enough time to wait for you to catch up." He kissed the top of her head. "In the meantime, shall we go get comfortable on the sofa? I can show you the pictures and plans the structural engineers brought, plus, I'm afraid if we stay in the kitchen much longer you will ask me to strip more, and it is a bit chilly."

Lynn laughed, kissed his chest and reached over to grab his shirt, "most men don't want to put more clothes on- you really are from another world," she said helping him get his shirt on.

"Come, check out the past pictures and plans of the garage- built in 1947 and at one time it was a fruit and produce distribution business, was originally open, not divided, including the loft which was offices," Walter said putting his arm across her shoulders walking to the common area sofa. "I was thinking of expanding the floor space above the second bay, will only need one kitchen and bathroom up there so plenty of room once all combined. Will have to be supported, so a real remodeling crew may be needed to make it actually a decent living space. Richard is always on about my living in a garage, so making it a real abode may shut him up. Once the walls are open, so much could be done with the place. May even get a couple big planters by the door for a lemon and tangerine tree and have the walls sandblasted of the graffiti to make it more presentable as a business- have a business sign made for over the entrance."

"Wow, you are really getting to be a redecorating home owner. Thought you only saw this place as a workspace, car storage with sleeping options."

"No, this place has been a refuge for me for a long time- why when things get buggered I cocoon here. My computers, all my millions of code safe on the cellar servers, everything I need to survive is within these walls. It is about time I take the place and my business seriously- not getting any younger and should start thinking of the future."

"That is funny- you probably think more of the future than most- even Richard. While he may want to get man to the moon and possibly Mars, YOU are the one actually putting the theories and now, the nuts and bolts of it together. All in an enclosed O'Brien world in a garage, separate from the rest of the planet," Lynn chuckled. "I should start a science fiction novel based on you- an interplanetary visitor to Earth working to lead man off planet."

"That would be a dark novel, indeed. The rest of interplanetary space inhabitants may not be so happy as to have denizens of Earth invading their tranquil worlds."

"Ah, so you think we are too violent for out-worlders?"

"No, I dare say violence is everywhere- throughout time, just about any progress will be an upheaval to the general population's perceived natural order- man just seems always so intent on looking out where many may be happy with the status quo until stagnation sets in then just settle back comfortably into the swampy soup to become an archaeologists find rather than struggle against the enveloping ooze and look outward."

"Wow, Walter, you certainly do think outside the box even in the realm of theoretical when it comes to social norms of other planetary populations…. I was always joking when I say you are from another planet, but it may be becoming clear maybe you really are after all."

"Very funny, young lady, it is getting late and you have work tomorrow. Time to pull your car out and do message me when you get home… just a precaution."

"You trying to get rid of me? I took Saturday and Sunday off to make a four day weekend. Put it in a while ago before you decided to do reconstruction work on the place. My best laid plans for a long weekend with you =poof= up in smoke. I got some clothes in the trunk, so if you don't mind I will get them and go take a shower upstairs." She got up to head to the bay to get her stuff from the car, "that OK with you?"

"Anything you want to do is fine with me, you know where everything is. I will just kick back here and… contemplate things."

Coming back with her duffle bag over her shoulder, she stopped to look at Walter comfortably stretched out on the sofa, legs over the arm and hands behind his head. "What are you going to contemplate while laying here, old man?"

"Just… things…. whatever happens to flow through the mind."

"Well, if not contemplating anything in particular, you could always come take a shower with me- save water and all that, and I can watch you shave and talk to yourself," Lynn said going up the stairs to the loft.

"As I said, anything to please you, young lady," Walter said getting up, checking security was on and everything locked up to follow Lynn up to the loft. He was wondering at the decision Lynn has obviously made- must have been very hard. Right or wrong, women are more focused on appearance than men, so her taking the leap to, as it were, bare herself to him is an incredibly strong personal decision to make and he had better tread lightly and follow her lead- she be traumatized again, she may never recover.

Getting to the top of the stairs, Walter rubbed his chin while entering the loft with Lynn standing with her duffle bag looking rather hesitant. "Am feeling a bit scruffy- how about I shave first?" He went into the bedroom, took off shoes and socks, shirt and jeans, heading to the bathroom in boxers to shave. "You can join me- probably make the conversation better with you than me talking to myself." Standing at the sink, he turned the water on and used the brush in the soap cup to make lather to slather onto his chin. After a couple minutes, Lynn came into the bathroom in a blue fluffy robe.

"Wow, a thoroughly modern man like you, I never would have thought you would do the old fashioned soap in a cup and brush- my dad did that same routine and it was old fashioned even then," Lynn said sitting on the counter by the sink to watch the shaving process. "I always thought guys were so lucky with their fur- can change your looks by how you shave- clean shaved, moustache, goatee, beard, Fu Manchu," Lynn laughed. "We are stuck bare faced unless we have to pluck errant whiskers that pop out."

Walter's eyes flashed to her while applying the soap lather and smiled. "There is nothing wrong with old fashioned- gets a much closer shave than a modern electric, and it is hard to talk to myself with the electric shaver noise. Using this is why I can shave morning or night and be good to go. Plus, like I said, I am not so heavily bearded to come out like hairy cave man in a day."

"Ever let some grow? Ever have a moustache?"

Walter laughed, "as a teen I tried, but it never came in nice and full, just a sparse few, so it seemed pointless. Now it is just habit to shave clean…. " Walter mumbled as he shaved up his neck.

"I better quit asking questions or you may cut yourself," Lynn chuckled. "I cut myself shaving my legs in the shower and bleed like mad."

"So you use soap or shaving cream on your legs when shaving?" Walter asked looking at Lynn while rinsing off his razor.

"There are a multitude of super sudsy scented soaps these days, I am in strawberry mode these days- strawberry soap, strawberry shampoo, strawberry conditioner. Used to be cocoanut, before that was kiwi. Amazing we all smell like edible fruit, but no one makes broccoli, or carrot scented soap."

Walter laughed, "see, how good ideas pop up in the bathroom? Maybe you should start a broccoli scented soap business- could make you millions….. maybe I will invest in your new venture…. just not the grocery money as I like eating." He then, having finished shaving, splashed water on his face to remove the remaining lather. "Hand me the towel on the rack next to you?" She did, so he dried his face. "So what you think?" he asked rubbing his chin.

Lynn ran her hand along his cheek, "ooh, that's smooth as a slapped baby's butt."

"WHAT?"

"You never heard that saying before?" Lynn asked laughing. "That is the epitome of smooth as silk."

"So, which is smoother, my chin or your legs?"

Lynn ran her hand along his chin, down his neck to his chest then stuck her leg out and ran her hand along it. "Definitely your chin- what do you think?"

Walter ran his hand along his chin then down her leg. "I agree, my chin is smoother, but, I admit I like the feel of your leg better." He moved to stand between her legs as she sat on the counter, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek then, leaning close, whispered in her ear, "Lynn, when we hit the shower, am I going to come out smelling like a strawberry?"

Lynn snorted laughing into his shoulder. "Gods, that isn't very ladylike snorting on you like that," Lynn continued laughing and wiped her eyes. "You are one funny man."

Walter turned and opened a cabinet to pull out large bath towels and laid them on the counter, opened the shower door turned the water on and when it started steaming, slipped off his boxers and went in leaving the door open. "Come on in, the waters fine." Taking a bar of soap off the shower shelf he started soaping up, including his hair. He turned into the shower stream to rinse off when he felt her behind him. "You like the water hot?" he asked soaping up again. "You know, once the loft is opened up and the bathroom combined and enlarged, the shower could have two faucets- one for strawberry and the other for me."

"Won't hurt you to have a bit of strawberry aroma around you. Turn around I have the sponge and soap so man up."

Walter turned to face Lynn, "Whatever pleases you, young lady." So she soaped up the sponge and lathered his chest, "turn around so I can get your back" and scrubbed his back with the sudsy sponge. "Rinse off, old man, and my turn." She handed him the soap bottle and sponge and turned her back to him.

Walter rinsed off then turned and soaped up the sponge and ran it over her back, then stepped against her and wrapped his arms around her to lather up her chest, breasts and stomach. He pushed her hair off her shoulder and kissed her neck below her ear. He knew she was aware of his erection and whispered in her ear, "I am an old man…. not a dead one, but nothing will happen you do not want to happen. Rinse off and done." And he exited the shower. Grabbing a towel he started to dry himself off, rubbing his hair. Lynn turned the water off and exited to grab a towel and wrapped her hair with it then another towel to dry off. "Walter, can you look at me?"

"Lynn, men react to visual stimuli- you should be very aware I have been looking at you all evening." He turned to look straight at her, "when you look at me," he put his hand to his scarred mouth, "do you look at my scarred face? Marks on your body are the least important thing about you. Yes, I can look at you, and I am mesmerized by what I see. You are beautiful in my eyes because of the totality of you which is so much more than scars." He took the towel she was holding and dried her off, pulled the towel off her hair and got a comb to comb her hair out. "Yup, smell like a strawberry. Shall we go to bed and get warm?"

Lynn nodded, watched him run the comb through his curls and headed to the bedroom while Walter turned off the bathroom light. Getting into bed, Walter leaned over and turned on the small bedside table lamp.

"Do you always sleep with a light on?"

"No, but anytime you should awake I want you to see it is me beside you."

"Do I make this difficult for you, Walter?"

Walter chuckled, "more difficult than chaos theory mathematics, but you are worth waiting for."

"Why?" Lynn asked. "What makes me worth the difficulties? You could easily find a normal female without the hang-ups. The baggage."

Walter chuckled, "using me and 'normal' in the same sentence is funny. I have just as much baggage- you of all people should be well aware of that after staying here when I was buggered up- by a member of my own team. The deepest scars I have are not visible- remember the fist through the mirror. One can be called abnormal only so long. Those who knew me best said I was immature never to be normal, never to grow up, never to fit in with society, only good to commune with machinery- I isolated myself for months. Then you came along. I am attached to you, I learn from you, I miss you when you are not here and long to see you, listen to you. I want you with every fiber of my being, but I will wait for you to come to me."