The Last Woman—A Novel of Rebirth: Book 4 of the Kristen-Seraphim Saga

By G. V. Loewen

"The serpentine narrative of Kristen-Seraphim continues unabated as the youthful heroes must not only confront themselves and their past in a novel manner, but rebuild their team, half of whom are at first in utter ignorance of any of their once shared accomplishments, let alone the Earth as it is now at hand. Prepare yourself for a blistering ride that will send your imagination into orbit. But around which world?" With both God and the Devil apparently merged and lost alike, the stunning relief felt by the now veteran half of the heroic community at the appearance of their comrades' successors is instantly turned to anxiety and shock as Mary discovers she is inexplicably pregnant! By whom, or by what? And then again, who, or what kind of being is now developing before their very eyes? The new Kristen struggles under the weight of the feats of her predecessor and doubts Mike's enduring love for her. Likewise, both Michelle and Kylie must come to terms with the tragic fates of their previous selves, but this too holds a bizarre twist. Yet their enemies have hardly given up. A continuous assault by anachronistic figures, the appearance of the Smythes' interdimensional siblings and impossible events that seem to stop time itself all figure to unravel the gains made by the legendary team. The most hoped for and yet dreaded moment prompts their new leader to make for herself an oddly existential sacrifice and thus set the stage for what may be the final showdown with the liminalist forces.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Oct 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781528999649

G. V. Loewen

Social philosopher G. V. Loewen is the author of almost forty books in ethics, education, aesthetics, health and social theory. His Kristen-Seraphim Saga is meant to communicate some of these ideas more broadly.

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Grandeur

About the Author

Social philosopher G. V. Loewen is the author of almost forty books in ethics, education, aesthetics, health and social theory. His Kristen-Seraphim Saga is meant to communicate some of these ideas more broadly.

Dedication

To those who have had to make a life anew

Copyright Information ©

G. V. Loewen (2020)

The right of G. V. Loewen to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

Austin Macauley is committed to publishing works of quality and integrity. In this spirit, we are proud to offer this book to our readers; however, the story, the experiences, and the words are the author’s alone.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781528999632 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781528999649 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published (2020)

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd

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Acknowledgement

To Jennifer Lynn Heller and the dedicated

Staff at Austin Macauley Publishers

Epigraph

I remember I say only that woman who passionately clung to me,

Again we wander, we love, we separate again,

Again she holds me by the hand, I must not go,

I see her close beside me with silent lips sad and tremulous.

– Walt Whitman

A magic dwells in each beginning and

Protecting us it tells us how to live.

– Hermann Hesse

Chapter One

Class Reunion

Yesterday the world had ended. Not even twenty-four hours ago. That might account for the odd amalgam of anxiety and relief. Mary felt it depressing her chest. It was an asthma of atmosphere, an unclenched fist nonetheless at the ready. When she closed her eyes, it was all the more palpable. Pulpy, palpitating heart of the swollen seas, whose slight wash could be heard down the beach at the turn of the slack tide.

How do you think they’re doing? a voice inveigled itself. A gentle surf washing over her. But the water was warm, winsome, and ever close to frolic. For it was her lover and mate, Evelyn, who owned that voice. And that was the very voice that Mary needed right at that moment, and now likely forever more. Opening her eyes, she squinted into the afternoon sun. There they were, about a hundred feet down the sand. Nothing could be heard, of course. They stared intently at one another, the young woman perhaps blinking, the young man still trying to breathe normally thrice in a row. And the tears she had shed! And now they were watching them as intently, more so perhaps, as they had no need of artifice, no need of caution at this distance and together as they were.

I guess it’ll come back in time, Mary offered in return, shaking her head slightly, eyes back down, then back downcast. After all they’d been through. The inertia of memory, the monument that must never be taken down even if it became eroded, corroded, and yet corrupted in the same kind of time that it could take for love to renew itself, was possessed of a gravity that was inexorably pulling her into the void of its embrace. Evelyn was as well aware of it as was she.

A fresh start, she responded simply.

For half of us, Mary almost pined. But then more gamely: Sorry, really for all of us. I… Evelyn had reached for her countless times already that day. Evie, we’ve all died and come back, but…

What is it? her best friend queried gently.

Just that we’ve all died and we’ve all killed, haven’t we? Evelyn shook her head.

Unless I wasn’t there, I don’t think Michelle ever killed anyone. Right. I guess not. Hmm. Well, then:

"But still, I’m the only one who has killed myself." Evelyn stared hard at her.

Is that really the case? She was still a different person. She looked like you and had the same name, but we don’t know anything else about her, after all. True. The other Mary never got a chance to say a word, apparently, before she herself had gunned her down in a fit of vitriolic terror. Still, why had she appeared at all? Who was she then? It’s still bugging you, huh?

It’s a loose thread, Evie. One of a few, I think.

Like BL’s true identity. Mary nodded a little absently as she was still peering across the low dunes at their other friends. Do you really think these loose ends are going to be a problem now? If we’ve experienced a reset, I wonder if we should make certain of our previous gains before we go chasing after what might not even be our losses. Again, hmm. Like making sure we don’t have parents again.

Their other two friends, the crucible of all their dreams, were now touching each other for the first time since the four of them had descended on the beach after an awkward lunch back up on campus. And they were not merely holding hands. Just a little more, it looked like, from this distance, the diameter of affection unwilling to expand, to expend itself too loosely for the moment. But there they were, even so, grasping each other’s forearms tightly, holding them in solidarity. It was like they had made a pact. To fall in love again? No, Mike was already there and beyond there. To commit to friendship, then? Perhaps. A terrifically laden term with all the profundity of longevity and loyalty and yet in spite of all of that, or also because of it, somehow weaker, more tentative, less radical than any love could be. No, not any love, for what Mike and Kristen had had before she had disappeared in her quest to find and overtake her sister was a love supreme, a love beyond what had been known to be love, and be able to love, before all of them had become embroiled in their saga of adventures.

Evie, please… Mary was now almost tremulously looking into her lover’s eyes, Kiss me. Evelyn’s visage, sometimes so hardened in its bas-relief brazenness, became immediately gentle.

Ah, sweetie… she responded, wiping her left eye. They kissed and kissed again. Now they were holding each other closely. Now they were lying beside and astride one another on the warm sand. God, it felt so good to be loved like this with the absolute promise of being this way indefinitely. But Mary knew that part of this spontaneity and authenticity was still a demonstration, one aimed at their other two friends. For this was exactly what the both of them wanted to see occurring just over the series of sand dunes, there, in the middle distance. But it was not to be, at least, not right then and there.

Uh, guys? That looks like fun. Mary and Evelyn both started. They hadn’t expected Kristen to not only have observed their affections but to be suddenly upon them. Looking up a little startled, they beheld their saviour’s face, itself a mix of disbelief and mischief. Yeah, well it is, thought Evelyn. Why don’t you get busy with prince handsome back there and try some yourself? But she was then surprised by her waifish angel of a mate:

We thought we’d lead by example over here. Mary offered up to the still reigning goddess on earth, no, back on earth. Kristen’s eyebrows raised dramatically:

"Oh? I actually am interested in him, guys. I don’t want to scare him off by appearing to be a horny little slut-faced minx the first day we met, was her almost acerbic reply. Evelyn no doubt had a canny response to this but before she could return fire Kristen had fired again. She was doing her best impression of the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars: But speaking of horny little minxes, what exactly is going on here? Have you guys been, like, secretly seeing each other? When I left the two of you back on campus before I went into the library you appeared to be your usual selves, that is, distant, suspicious, and downright uncomfortable with each other. In other words, normal." Oh, uh yeah, right.

Welcome to the new normal, Kris, a deep and warm voice sounded out behind her. Mike had caught up to them at length. He looked weary still, but there was now almost a spark returned to those dark orbs. Perhaps a spark of a spark, at least. Lord knows what they had been talking about for the past two hours. Kristen turned and gave him a gentle smile. I do like him. And I do want him. No comment? Nope. Odd, that. You mean, you’re not going to tell me I’m exactly what I just called myself aloud? Nope. Hmm. Very interesting. She then blinked at the news her inner voice had not seen fit to fully share. Mike was no doubt resisting with all his might the imperative and absolute urge to take her into his arms and commence the same sequence of affections his two remaining veteran friends had already begun beneath his towering form. The tension was enough to make Mary bury her head into Evelyn’s mane again, as if hiding from the light of a day naked with desire untrammelled but as yet still leashed. It was much more of a challenge than any of the three of them had expected it to be. For this was no ordinary homecoming.

Like you would know, Kristen replied, her tone quizzical but also critical. She was now very well aware that there was not only much more to this than she was being let in on, but that it was past a joke. The beautiful poem that she had supposedly written to this young fellow whom she had never met before this very morning, his protestations regarding its authenticity, and stranger still perhaps, her two best friends all of a sudden looking very much like they were going to be bed-partners – which meant, incidentally, that Kristen would now be part of a threesome, not uninvited, but still – and this the self-same day that they had been fighting with one another in her presence on the way up to campus, all of this, aside from all of the bizarre emotionality displayed by these three who also appeared to know one another, was gradually breaching her civility.

Oh, Kris! Please be gentle. We love you. Fuck me, all three of us do. Evelyn had finally been able to fire off a ragged broadside. The French may have had more clever ship designers, but when the oak hit the ocean, as it were, you had to have a crew as well. Kristen raised her brows again. Her look was verging on the severe. Then Mike took a big risk and laid a hand, as gently as Evelyn’s indictment to her, on Kristen’s shoulder. The three veterans held their still collective breath. Kristen froze for a moment and then stepped away. But she didn’t scowl. Mike let his hand drop and languish by his side. To push this might well be construed as a form of assault. His love would have to take a different, though related, form from Eros for the time being. It was a little paradoxical, perhaps, that the one person who had been their leader through the thickest of action and the narrowest of passages and who could not now lead at all, still had to lead. For it would have to be up to Kristen when and how love would announce itself, let alone fulfil itself. Ah, shit. Evelyn thought with her now patent succinctness. Then Mike, with his usual acumen, decided to change the subject. He sat down:

We’ve still got almost three hours. Did you two want to run by your respective homes just to make sure all is unchanged on those fronts? Oh, Michael Hunt! Mary gave him a look of gratitude, and Evelyn smirked up at him slyly. They had just been thinking the same thing. Kristen was immediately out of the loop. So clever that. Not quite a change of subject, but enough to push along on a different tack.

If you think you guys have exhausted the beach. We haven’t, but… Evelyn replied vivaciously. She was entirely dissatisfied with their reunited friends’ progress, but this had to be tempered by the fact that they did, in fact, have some version of Kristen back. That miracle needed to be celebrated, and Evelyn was determined to start that very evening, with their other two prodigal versions of erstwhile soul-comrades.

We had a great discussion about William James, Mike replied evenly, a slight twinkle in his eye for but a moment. Oh, Christ. William who?

That, at least, I could follow, was Kristen’s sardonic addition to the detail of the past two hours. But there was more to it than that. Those clasping forearms, for instance. But this Kristen would be private. She’d think she was beginning to betray her, Evelyn recalled with some bad conscience. She’d think that any plan to love Mike, to fall in love, or at least have sex with him, would be devastating to me. How to explain it to her, then? Evelyn resisted the sulk. Mary, sweet angel, had not let go of her the entire time. Ditto, lover. Kristen was still eyeing them with an almost grave suspicion. They had to give her something. But what, and when?

Kris, please stick with us today, huh? was all she could manage. Kristen didn’t reply. Instead, she started to wander back down the beach toward the water, her lithe willowy form gradually being dissolved into the heat of the sunny summer beach. Okay, oh for god’s sakes! Kristen, after reaching a desired distance, calmly slipped out of her top and kicked off her sandals. Then, before the three of them could utter any audible exclamation, she was completely naked and dipping into what still must be quite chilly water. Well, bully for her. That’s our Kristen, isn’t it? Or is it?

She’s still a sight for sore eyes, isn’t she? Evelyn spluttered out at Mike. He nodded.

The sorest. Damn her. What a bitch, leaving Mike like that and then parading around on a very public and very much non-nude beach. A community park no less. But there was a clue here, nonetheless. For the moment, all the three of them could do was watch her, graceful to the inch, desirable to the nth degree. Mike finally gave up and turned himself away from the sea view and its additional benefits and stared a little glumly back at the parking lot. Mary had pressed herself back into Evelyn’s side. Finally, the latter stated:

A real effing bitch of a brat, Mary almost chuckled.

Maybe we should all follow her lead. Mary! Well, you know, that might just break the ice. Get all four of them in the water, or, better… hmm, how long before any possible police officers could arrive, even if anyone, in the middle of a Friday afternoon before school was out, could or would call them? No matter. Evelyn was now undressing. Mary, with a lot less circumspection than her mate would have credited her with, was doing the same. By the time Mike had tired of scanning the parking area the two best friends were trying to steal up from behind Kristen. Mike, upon turning round once again, must have realised this, as he didn’t make a sound. They didn’t look back to see his face but it must have been a picture well worth seeing even so. But for him to join in might be too much. Oh, fuck it. Would it be? No, better not. Better play the chivalrous knight. Better be ready to whisk the three of them off up the hill away from any official sanction. Oh, fuck it, no, no and no. Mike made a decision. Now Evelyn was beckoning him and he was still fumbling around. No, it wouldn’t do. He was aroused as it was, in spite of everything, and with all three of them buck naked he couldn’t possibly hide it. It wouldn’t do, not here, not at this very moment. So he stood there, stuck more by the physiology of what he was and nothing more. Evelyn threw up her arms at him and rushed to join Mary’s sneaking ambuscade. He watched them, full of desire. Okay, shorts then. Yes, why not? He stripped down to one remaining item and ran hard at the little knot of naked nymphs. He was determined to leave them naked, and not turn them into nudes. Then, a shriek! Kristen had been overtaken waist deep in the cool seawater. And cool wasn’t really the word. Mary, of all people, had dashed up a whole head-soaking volume of water right into her friend’s face. More shrieks, and Evelyn was guffawing. Kristen was now fighting back. He had reached the water’s edge and strode manfully in. Hah. Wow. Man or woman, the water was freezing.

You’re the biggest show off since Prince, you brat, Mary declared as Kristen was now actually swimming. Wow again, well, maybe one could get used to the temperature after a few minutes. Mike was now shivering. But he knew it wasn’t just the water. Speaking of Princes. Kristen had now seen him, standing ankle deep in his skivvies. It was then that she began to laugh. Thank God! And she was blushing too. How about that? It was the right thing to do. Oh, how could he have doubted himself about such a thing? Now he was bodily into the water with the rest of them. Now he was splashing Evelyn, er, Evie, and now he had even caught Kristen by her ankle and dragged her towards him She was shrieking with enjoyment and mock fear. He decided to risk everything and pulled her in close to him. But instead of expressing any erotic affection, he simply held up a cupful of water in both his hands and poured it slowly over her beautiful head and face. She shook herself like a wet puppy and then looked up at him:

Okay, mister, who are you and what the hell do you think you’re doing? She was smiling at him. Mike held his breath. The other two were splashing and swimming in a tight circle around them. They stood there, head and shoulders above water for Kristen – thank god just that, Mike thought sheepishly – and a fair bit more for Mike himself. How to reply?

"I just want to be your friend. Your best friend." Hmm. Well, the way things looked like they were going between Evie and Mary maybe she was about to need a new best friend. She splashed him full in the face and took off towards shore. It really was freezing in here, Kristen shivered as she hauled herself out of the salty drink, having left the other three in her wake. Presently they caught up to her, Mike quickly turning away from the three graces. Hmmph. They know each other. How? She looked keenly at her two girlfriends. Evelyn stared stolidly right back into her eyes. She was daring her. Yes, she was. Hmmph. And Mary?

Wow, super cold. I can’t believe it! Mary exclaimed, hustling back into her clothing. That might not have been the best idea, using her clothes as towels as she would then have to wear them damp. But the sun was very warm. It might well dry them out while she wore them. Mike had done the same, somewhat surreptitiously a few yards away from them now. Oh, Michael, Mary found herself thinking, looking over at him. She trotted up to him just then, leaving what from Kristen’s point of view would be a half-normal couple of naked lovers together. Mary had to smirk a little., wondering what Evie was about to say to her. Those two had made no effort at all to dress, and there were some amused looks flickering down the beach at them from other sun-bathers.

That was, uh, fun. Sort of, Mary offered Michael. He looked at her, shaking his head.

This is gonna be harder than I thought. Yeah. And just wait until tonight.

Do you think that Michelle and Kylie will recognise her? Mike opened his mouth at that.

You mean like, they’ll think she’s Smith instead of Smythe? Mary nodded. Wow. That could be very, very strange.

After all, her coming back from the dead is easier to swallow than the actual truth. Now Mike found himself nodding slowly. Oh man. But then this Kristen wouldn’t buy into it. For she actually was Smythe, the same girl he had met, seemingly, some four months ago or so. But maybe not quite. There was something he needed to tell Mary right away. Continuing to avert his eyes from the other two who continued to be stark staring naked as they spoke to one another, and to the amusement of his little friend, he spoke:

Listen, Mary, angel girl, Kris doesn’t have her old parents back in this world, she’s a foster kid. Mary’s eyes widened. Apparently, there’s no problems at home at all, just that they basically ignore her. Hence, the library every day instead of actually attending school. Okay, makes sense. That news might make things a lot easier, but maybe that was exactly what Mike was driving at. And, there’s one more thing I’ve learned so far: she’s been in the foster care system for years, maybe over a decade. Her parents died accidentally, but violently, when she was away at a ballet camp. Holy shit, Mike, you’re not saying…

Mike? Mary wavered at him, but there was a note of warning in her voice too. Mike caught it immediately:

"I think this is the outcome of two translation effects: one, whatever the Kristen we knew and loved was able to do with her sister, and that’s fine and what we sort of had hoped, but two: when that same Kristen killed her parents, or her Mum and then Robert killed her dad, they somehow left an orphan daughter – who may have been three or four years old at the time, she wasn’t sure – because our Kristen had travelled interdimensionally to do the killing."

So when she did so, her double was already present but much younger, Mary finished. Mike nodded. Holy fucking moly, Mike. Was all she could add at present. Mike once again nodded slowly, almost painfully.

"I mean, it might not be a big deal, if you know what I mean, but it’s still shocking in a way. We never thought of the possibility at the time, and neither did Kristen. The only weird part about it was that she told us that the two persons she and Robert killed recognised her."

"Not only recognised her but were corrupted before she returned to kill them. That was what started the whole thing off in the first place."

"Uh-huh. So the translation effect, as we’ve been calling it, only substituted our old Kristen with a younger version of herself once she had left that dimension only to return some ten days or so later. So the question is: how did she leave it?"

Do you think BL arranged it without her knowing?

It would be handy to have another interview with him, but to find him…? Yeah, exactly. All three veteran friends had now agreed that BL, especially if he was Mike himself, would have come from a farther future, at least perhaps another quarter century onward from even where they had travelled to meet him the first time.

Do you think that Evie is going to spill something now? Mary changed the subject, given that the idea of hunting down BL again was not particularly attractive. Mike and she had wandered down the beach a little, trying to warm up and dry off. The other two were determined to do so the more rapid way, it appeared…

Evie, are you leaving me? Kristen was shaking a little in the gentle breeze.

"No, babe. I’ve already left you. But you left me first. And I still love you. Maybe even still in love with you, and that’s fine too. Mary too, by the way. And goddammit, Kris, Mike too. More than any of us, more than anything." There, Evie let that one also hang out to dry. Kristen gave her a strange look:

"How in the fuck do you guys even know him?" Let alone know everything about him, it seems. Kristen was still annoyed, though to be fair, nothing untoward had occurred coming out of this novel scenario. Rather the opposite, in fact. Mary and Evie getting downright chummy. A handsome, brilliant dude apparently ready to marry her. A beautiful day to boot. Oh well. If all of this was some well propelled jest, she’d make the three of them pay royally for it. Well, maybe not. I like him, she said to herself again, and I want him and maybe, just maybe I need him too. Evelyn didn’t answer her, but just stood there, her arms crossed. She was the very picture of adorable brattiness, and Kristen couldn’t help but grab her and kiss her head. Evelyn softened up and hugged her in return, then whispered:

"Kris, baby, you’re going to have to trust us now, maybe with your life, but certainly with your future. We can’t explain everything in one day, but you need to know this: all three of us will live and die for you. You’re everything to us. And Mike is in love with you. He’s the best person I’ve ever met. As far as how we know him, you’re just going to have to be patient. Trust, my goddess, okay?" Kristen had never heard Evelyn speak so dead seriously. She nodded at her, peering keenly into her friend’s eyes:

Evie, your eyes have a light in them I’ve never seen before. It’s almost as if you’re no longer bearing the burden of your life. You know, like at home, huh? Evelyn now looked a little flustered:

"That’s because I’m not. Neither is Mary. We’re free, Kristen. This is a new world and now that you’re in it, or rather, back in it, it’s the only world we want… and we’re going to fight to keep it if we have to." Now Kristen was really paying attention. What on earth did Evelyn mean by that word ‘freedom’? Then, for the second time that day, a little tingle ran up and down her spine. These were not the friends she left on the grass this morning. Neither of them. They looked and sounded exactly the same. They clearly still cared for her deeply, loved her even. And they were more loyal than ever. But they had changed, nonetheless. For the better, though. Everything looked to be for the better. Okay, I’ll go with it for now.

Evie, you and Mary aren’t the persons I knew before just today, are you?

"No, sweet lover, we’re not. But we were those persons not long ago, so please don’t fear us, Kris, huh? We know everything they would have known; we are them, just altered by our newer experiences. For the better, baby. Mary and I are in love and have been for many weeks. We’re planning a life together. But listen, sweet girlfriend, we’d only have done that if you and Mike hadn’t already done the same thing. The same thing, perfect one." Oh, wow. Meaning?

So I’ve got some serious catching up to do then.

"Listen, no one’s going to chart your life out for you, least of all him. He’s slavishly in love with you, it’s almost disgusting. Evelyn was now teasing her, she knew that much. So go at your own pace. Just know this, you and he are meant to be, girl. It’s a love transcendental in force, really. Kristen looked at her friend again. Really, she repeated. And I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you again. Mary too, if you hadn’t noticed."

Uh no, I noticed. Hmmph. Oh, this is kind of sweet, me and Evie holding each other naked on a warm sunny beach, but it’s very much not a private beach, nope, and here comes someone who looks kind of official like. Okay, dress! Evelyn had also noted the uniformed person sauntering slowly in their direction. Their bodies had dried off far sooner than had the other two still standing some distance from them engaged in what appeared to be just as serious a conversation as they had just had. At the sight of the girls clothed once again, the officer paused and turned back. Okay, one for the home team. Yeah, but what really threw me right off the deep end was Michael’s reaction. Evie, you have to understand my point of view here. He’s a total stranger. I’ve never seen him before this morning. You can’t know what it felt like having him appear before me in the stacks back up on campus and acting the way he did. I thought he was a lunatic. I was actually starting to get nervous for a while, until you two showed up and started slobbering all over me.

"Sorry about that. It couldn’t be helped. Before you… oh fuck. Kris! Anyway, we knew that we needed to meet you in the library, is that good enough for now?"

I guess so. Jeez. But the other two had now joined them.

Everyone dry enough to walk back to the car? asked Mike amiably. Huh? What car? Oh, right, go with the flow. Yep. Okay. Nods all around. Well, I’ll be damned, I’m going to kiss him. Just on the cheek for the moment, but its high time I turned the tables on this crowd a little in my favour. So just watch this girls! Kristen lurched herself gently into Mike’s solid frame and got up on her toes. She gave him a big kiss on the cheek and then one on the neck as well as she sank back down flat-footed. That stopped everyone dead in their tracks. Then she pirouetted and simply carried on. Mary was now tearing up. Oh, sweet Mary! That at least hadn’t changed. Thank god. I love Mary as she was. No, not as she was, not exactly. She’s free now too, according to Evie. Good. Best news I’ve ever heard that, and Evelyn looked relieved. Mike batted an eye at her. Then she leant up and whispered something in her ear. That devil. Huh. She probably thinks she convinced me. Not quite. I’m doing my own thing here. Yeah, I’d sleep with this guy in a second. But let’s just see how it goes for now.

It was a long walk back up the steep hill, through campus and to the parking lot where Mike’s new car awaited. Kristen was stumped yet again, but this time by a normal chain of logic. She decided not to bother asking after it as at least it held within it a probability relation she could understand. A one-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar sedan owned by a twenty-two-year-old doctoral student must mean he’s simply rich, with a rich family. No problem. Even better. I’ll move in with him. I’m sixteen, my foster parents will be relieved. Better and better. She made a big deal about sliding into the front seat with him. But Mary and Evie had already perched themselves down in the rear. Evie was rummaging through her bag, a bag that Kristen had never seen before. Mary had a hand on her arm, and wouldn’t you know it, here they were whispering again. Kristen rolled her eyes but said nothing. Mike looked a little nervous now. Some humour?

You know, you could always claim that I went voluntarily, she chirped at him. Now he was blushing. Good.

Well, in that case I’ll keep my gun in my bag. Evie’s voice from behind her stated flatly. Hah-hah. Now Mike was grinning softly. Well, Evie’s sense of humour hasn’t been altered. That’s good too. Am I going to have to get to know my closest friends all over again? Plus this new guy?

You two feel free to have sex in the back seat if you like. Kristen wasn’t going to be outdone.

Yeah well, you could use the inspiration. Evie’s rapid-fire reply left her a little flustered. Uh no, I don’t need lessons from you, girlfriend.

Mike’s place has three beds, and there’s going to be exactly six of us over this evening, so… That was from Mary! Okay, whoa, hold it right there:

"Uh, so this is a kidnapping after all?" Mike’s face had once again turned red as he drove on. Hmmph. Uh, what happened to go with the flow, brat? You feel no sense of danger here then? The opposite, truly. Okay.

"Kris, please. Mary sounding now more like her old self. I’m sorry I said that, I just wanted to make you feel as welcome as I could. Her voice was breaking. Oh, Mary! Kristen twisted around and gave her little friend her best smile. She shone her beacon eyes into hers and relit the sweet fire that had momentarily been extinguished by well, by what? Thanks, Kris. Oh, holy hell, I missed you so much…"

Yeah, so Evie told me back at the Blue Lagoon there. Mike was almost grinning again. Okay, back on track. Now where the hell were they going? It looked like they were making for Mary’s house. Uh, why? Your parents are both going to still be at work, huh, Mary?

I hope not, was the enigmatic reply. They presently attained the address in question. Mary and Evie both slipped out the rear set of doors and both were carrying their respective satchels. Kristen eyed them a little narrowly. But she was, for the first time, truly alone with Michael. Michael the new, but also, incomprehensibly, Michael the old. She looked across at him a little shyly. He was staring straight ahead, seemingly somewhat tense. She decided to take a slight risk and try to ease that tension. Sliding her hand along the leather seat she caressed the top of his thigh. Just back and forth. Just once. He responded by clasping her hand in his. This was the first time they’d done that. The grasping of each other’s forearms back on the beach was signatory to more of a pact than an act. His hand was warm but slightly damp. She realised that he must be quite damp elsewhere as well, as he had never gotten completely naked like the three of them had. That made her smile gently. He was looking at her with a potent mix of adoration and concern. Come on, buddy.

"So, do you know why we’re at Mary’s house?" She needed to start buttonholing him at every turn from now on. Mystery was fine, and romance, well, that might be more than merely fine. But the mix of the two didn’t quite appeal to her.

Yes, they’re just checking the status of Mary’s parents, then onto to Evelyn’s. Uh-huh. I might have gathered that. But why not the workplace then? And why bother at all, especially with Evie’s, whose parents had always seemed hardly human to her.

Uh yeah, but why? Mike looked away from her. This wasn’t getting anywhere near as fast as Kristen desired. So she applied some leverage by leaning over and nuzzling her face into his shoulder. He automatically caught her around her torso and hugged her to himself, exhaling a huge sigh. But it was not entirely made up of relief, no, more akin to the relief found on the complex topography of emotional condensation. It was sublimation she was after. So she backed off once again, maintaining her grip on his hand just to let him know she was still interested. Still no response. Well, dammit. So what’s this about, hey? Not sure, but I am sure they’ll spill everything in due course. Just be patient. Me? There’s a first time for everything, brat. And now her two friends had re-emerged from the house, looking relaxed and chummy. And now Mike had belatedly sighed true relief. Jeez. Evelyn had swung around the front and popped her head right in through the window in front of Michael’s face. Then Kristen gaped as she kissed him not quite perfunctorily right on his lips and gave him a sly wink. Okay, girl. Speaking of leverage. I can, no, I will, do a lot better than that soon enough. Oh, but she’s leading me on here, isn’t she?

All clear here. We phoned their employers and found they hadn’t been at work for the right amount of time in each case, Mary declared from the back seat. Evelyn had now joined her and Mike had started off again.

So you actually talked with Bryan Lefley again? That must have given him a fright. Mike chuckled. Evelyn now joined him.

Nope. That girl of his instead. But good news, as it were, anyway. So far.

I can’t see it being any different with your folks, Evie, this seemed to be the greater test since it presented itself as the test case. Evie? This guy calls my lover Evie? And the kiss. How well did they know each other? And how could that possibly be when Evelyn was a dyed-in-the-wool lesbian. Well, it was only a smooch, after all, and not even a true kiss, but still. And how did he know where Mary’s parents worked? I don’t even know that, or, I never cared to know. Now Kristen found herself sighing. She had let her hand drop away from his when her two friends had approached the car. Once again she felt left out. But here was Mary now, reaching around to the front and massaging her sculpted shoulders and aquiline neck. Hmm, you sweet girl that feels nice. She tried to relax as the car drove on towards Evelyn’s family home. What next? The silence that accompanied the four of them now seemed to be more of a shadow than an envelope. Things were beginning to defrost. And then some kind of party tonight. Well, her foster parents could care less. She’d get to see where Mike lived, it looked like. And who were the other two guests? With six of them there might well be some more time where she and Michael could talk by themselves. But first things first now:

Hey Evie, I know Michael here told me that you didn’t do this, but I want to hear it from your lips, no offense; did you forge my handwriting and write that verse back up on campus there? Mary abruptly stopped her massage and was rustling through her bag. Hey!

No, I didn’t, was Evelyn’s reply, almost flat. But Kristen detected a slight waver, nonetheless. She twisted around and looked her friend in the eyes. Evelyn eyed her back, not quite as stolidly as on the beach. Hmm.

Evie…?

I didn’t, Kris. Read my lips. Evelyn’s face had hardened up a little. Huh? It’s because she doesn’t think I trust her. That is offensive. But still. "I’ve never lied to you and I