#FunTasticSummerReading – The Blended Lives Chronicles Sides of the Order book I.

A Publication of Patty’s Worlds Publishing (Where Blogging and Podcasting Are Publishing Too)

It’s #SublimeSummerReadingFun time and I’ve got a treat for you. Though I do indeed want you to keep reading from your various library and other book sources, I also want to share my work with you.

Over the next few #FunTasticSummer afternoons and evenings I’ll be posting chapters from my The Blended Lives Chronicles a Lady MoonWalker series.

We’ll start at the beginning with book I, Sides of the Order and work our way through to the end of A Battle of Choices book II.

While this is going on I’m in the process of writing book III as well as a poetry book. I’ve hit a snag and am scrambling to find new editing and publishing staff and so my best advice is following me here for more as it becomes available.

For today, let’s continue the journey. Laya and Derrick are sure to be more interesting than our worries.

Buckle your seatbelts and prepare to leave the Earth’s atmosphere!

Destination, “Casimian Heights Celtic New Year Convention and Witches Ball.

About the Book

Lady Laya MoonWalker is a well respected author and magazine owner and a high priestess in the magickal community. After a drawn-out battle with the forces of dark magik, she has come into her own. She lives and works on Planet Korponious, where she is the owner and creator of an Interplanetary Magazine called “Blended Lives Chronicles.” Her mission is to blend the lines of race, creed, and disability that separate so many and to elevate the recognition of the training and ability of Service Animals of all kinds to a new level. She has just been accepted into the Blended Lives Federation and now hopes to continue her work in a way like nothing known to her before.

Laya has created allot of wreckage along the way through her dark journey into the light, and now she wishes to set this to right. She has just received her best break ever. Frank Prince, the CEO of The Blended Lives Learning Center, has invited her to the Celtic New Year Convention and Witches Ball as a reporter to write a story on the progress of The Blended Lives Planetary Federation. She will be their guest speaker at the opening ceremonies.

When Laya arrives at the Celtic Convention, she finds herself face to face with an old and dear friend, Blended Lives Learning Center Instructor and member of the Order of the Night, Derrick Gibbous. As they begin to connect, causing old sparks to reignite, they are tossed into a nasty battle from which not everyone will escape. People are not as they seem, and not everyone supports the side for which they appear to work.

As their love for one another grows, so does the battle. Despite everything, Laya and Derrick are determined to see their work to unite beings of all kinds succeed.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Patty-L.-Fletcher/author/B00Q9I7RWG?

The Blended Lives Chronicles:

A LADY MOONWALKER SERIES

BOOK ONE

SIDES OF THE ORDER

By Patty L. Fletcher

Independently published with assistance provided by

Dawn Blythe

Illustrations by Colleen Myles

Editing by Jo Pinto and Dawn Blythe

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, events, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

ISBN:

Chapter Two

The Encounter

I stood in front of my room, with the keycard in my trembling hand. I found myself amazed at how quickly hearing Derrick’s voice so close to me in the crowded lobby had rattled me to my core. We’d not seen or spoken to one another in six years, and though I thought I’d locked my feelings safely away, it appeared there’d been a breach of security.

Worse, I’d almost allowed myself to look into his mind. “Girl, you must never do that unless there’s no other choice.” I reprimanded myself sharply.

Suddenly, I longed to be a novice again, under someone else’s care, thus only partially responsible for what happened. At the same time, I was glad for the independence of my rank.

I tried to insert the keycard into the lock and I thought of all the crazy, terrifying, incredible things which had brought us to this place in our lives.

When first I’d reconnected with Derrick, via the ‘Aftercare Services’ provided by the Blended Lives® Learning Center, I’d been delighted and amazed when he’d begun calling me on his personal communicator. For some time, he called me under the guise of the need to walk to and from work should I find myself with no transportation. But after he’d come, provided his lesson and gone home, the calls continued. Soon we were chatting as any two friends would do. Sometimes, I had found myself asking for his advice concerning situations I found myself in with my dog Titus. When Titus had become ill, I knew I never would have gotten through turning him over to the Blended Lives Learning Center’s Nursery School without Derrick’s advice and assistance.

Then, a year after Titus had passed, a match from the genetically enhanced dogs had become available. Derrick had amazed me again by saying yes when I’d made the request to train with him once more. During our calls, we talked about our work, and though he never told me the staff or students’ names, his descriptions of funny things that happened throughout his days made me laugh. Sometimes, I could hear a tinge of displeasure or annoyance at something someone said or did in his voice, and after a bit more time of sharing, I learned who was who by the import of the things he stated, or quick quips he made. I too was constrained by confidentiality laws, but I did tell him quite a bit about how the organization for which I worked ran, and about how important the activities we engaged in were to our communities.

As my illness grew and my then fiancé Jack, now a genetically altered vampire who turned out to be a rather diabolical man, increased his abuse, I became quite ill. Symptoms of that illness, at their worst, included dissociative behavior and OCD loop thinking. After a time, my symptoms spun horribly out of control. Not only was I a bipolar train wreck, but my magick had come to full power during one of the worst cyclonic storms in Casimian history. I’d caused more trouble than anyone, including myself, had known I had the potential for.

In short, I became a destructive force in Derrick’s life and the lives of those around him. However, rather than confront me about my behavior changes, he simply ignored them and me. Maybe he thought they’d subside. Maybe he’d never cared at all. I had no way to know.

His last communique in reply to one of my mania-driven blasts of messages which read, “You’re wasting your time, I no longer read these, had destroyed me in ways I still couldn’t quite define.”

Derrick had represented safety and security to me. We’d been friends. When I’d realized what I’d done, the guilt had overwhelmed me. In trying to fix what had been destroyed, I’d only made things worse.

No matter what anyone said or did, I couldn’t seem to stop trying to reach him. Because our original reconnection had taken place via ‘Aftercare Services,’ I thought starting there was the right thing to do.

When I wrote and asked them to have Derrick call me, Ken, my class supervisor, had called me instead.

He’d stated in a matter-of-fact tone, “Mr. Gibbous feels he’s assisted you all he can.”

“I don’t understand,” I cried into the phone.

Ken had replied in that same matter-of-fact tone, “Mr. Gibbous is simply following protocol. You made a request for services. Mr. Gibbous, with the center’s help, has provided your request. There’s nothing else anyone here can assist you with as a handler for the moment, so you’re being asked nicely, for the last time, to cease and desist.”

“But I—” I tried to say.

“Miss MoonWalker,” Ken insisted, “this is the last conversation you and I will have on this subject.”

This had gone on for quite some time before I’d begun to understand I was behaving in ways I couldn’t seem to control. As it turned out, Terrance Clevenger, a genetically altered vampire Member of the Order of the Night and Head of Instruction and Training at the Blended Lives Learning Center had unintentionally frightened me into taking that first, hard look at the situation as a whole. He had spurred me forward by quietly letting me know his approval of my action when finally, with a mix of anger, hurt, and embarrassment, I realized everyone thought I had initiated continued contact with Derrick with no provocation. I sent proof which showed that was not quite the case.

Hideous as those dark times had been, I no longer regretted them. For now, I was stronger. Though I finally had the symptoms of my illness in hand, I still carried barely healed emotional scars.

I’d had little time to think before giving my decision as to whether I’d attend this convention, so I’d locked my feelings away and came full speed ahead.

Here I was trying not to fall to pieces in this hotel, filled to bursting with every kind of being imaginable, with King fidgeting nervously beside me. I knew he was hungry. I’d not fed him. I rarely did before traveling. He wanted badly to get inside, to eat and be out of his harness, and I couldn’t get the keycard to work. Gods! I hate these things! Could they make them any less blind friendly? 2060 and we still have these Gods forsaken hindrances.

Just then, I heard the lift door slide open down the hall, and as it did, King turned his head and began to wag his tail, swishing its feathery tip round and round in quick little circles.

“Leave it!” I snapped the leash a bit more harshly than I meant to, jostling my bulging shoulder bag again. I figured there was someone with a dog or other annoying animal coming out of the lift, and the last thing I wanted at this moment was an unfamiliar encounter.

There were magickal beings from all kinds of learning facilities, covens, and tribes here, and most seemed to have forgotten more than they’d ever learned. There were groups of hostile rebels lurking about just looking to start a fight about who belonged where, and I was exhausted beyond belief.

The trip from Korponious to Casimia had been hell. The takeoff had been delayed due to meteor storms in the area. Between the delay, the turbulent take-off, and that Gods-forsaken squawking retriever parrot repeating its mistress’s command of, “Pick it up, baby, pick it up,” every five minutes, my nerves were shot.

I leaned forward, struggling to release the lock and open the door. But before I managed to get the door open, the strap on my oversized shoulder bag began to break, causing it to tilt and spill much of the contents onto the floor.

Derrick’s voice floated to me a moment later. “Honey, can I help?”

The keycard dropped from my trembling fingers. At that moment, I’d have taken an alien encounter or the squawking parrot over what the lift had delivered. As I leaned down to retrieve my wayward card, my bag hung crookedly off my right shoulder and swung awkwardly forward. The worn strap finally gave out, spilling the remainder of its contents onto the ever-growing pile of clutter, burying the blasted keycard all together.

“Great Morrigan! Bloody hell!” I swore before I could snap my mouth over the words.

The universe, it seemed, was having a good laugh at my expense, because suddenly, I dropped King’s leash. He, having not seen Derrick in a long time, and obviously loving him as much as always, decided, ‘To hell with the rules!’ He ran wagging, yipping the way only a labrador can, straight to him.

“God’s teeth! King! By all Hells! Come back here!” I cursed and scolded in a shaky voice, as I sifted through the clutter of my bag scattered hell to breakfast on the floor.

“I have him, and I think it’s okay just this once. You look like you could really use some help. How about it? Let an old Casimian friend lend a hand?”

I bit my lip in frustration and could taste blood in my mouth. I could smell his scent. Oh Gods, I could smell him. His fresh, clean, man scent. A warrior’s scent. My warrior’s scent.

This pleasant yet unexpected assault to my senses, along with the smooth assurance of his voice, washed over me. I knew to resist what Goddess had put in front of my path was futile and possibly disrespectful.

My throat ached with tears of fear and longing, which threatened to break free.

Resigned, I internally recommitted to a familiar mantra. There is no part of my life which does not belong to the Goddess. I stepped forward onto the path being given to me.

I sighed heavily as I stood. I knew if I were careful, I could put things back together with flows of earth and air. But as shaky as I was at the moment, I feared starting a detritus cyclone. So, after cautiously weaving flows of air to secure the strap, not daring one puff more, I began taking things from Derrick one at a time, making certain to put them into their proper places in my bag.

Once I was finished, he handed me King’s leash and said with just a hint of amusement, “And here’s your runaway dog.”

I reached for the leash with my left hand and held my right palm out toward him. “Thanks, I’ll take my key card, please?”

But he had already slid it into the door lock and opened the door. “Lights!” He commanded. He stepped inside and held the door for me so it would not catch King’s tail as we made our way through.

“King, heel,” I commanded in a low voice as we maneuvered past him into the room. King sat politely at my feet, sending visions of his food bowl directly into my mind.

I turned to face Derrick, and for a moment we stood, neither knowing quite what to say. I felt his eyes on me.

I took a deep breath, holding it for a full count of thirty. Then, speaking all in a rush, I said, “Well, now that I’ve made a complete fool of myself and ended up being a total nuisance right off the bat, let me say I didn’t know you’d be here until I’d already accepted the invite to speak.”

He paused, gathering his thoughts. “Would you have turned down such an awesome opportunity as this if you’d known?”

For a moment, I could only stand in silent shock. His response hadn’t been quite what I expected.

Finally, I took another deep breath to steady my voice. “No, I wouldn’t have. I would have had them let you know, and said you could either like it or lump it.”

He laughed, took my hand in his, and gave it a bit of a squeeze. “That’s my lady! I’d have been disappointed with any less.”

“So even though you knew I’d be here, you came?”

“Absolutely! I’ve wanted to see you.”

I angrily dropped his hand, white hot sparks of fire flashing as our fingers came undone.

Somewhere below, far away yet near enough to hear, someone shouted, “Look at the sky. Where did that storm come from?”

As clouds covered the mid-day Casimian sun, neither of us spoke.

Then, after a quick look out the window at the darkening sky, with a cautionary note in his voice, Derrick broke the silence. “I suppose you’d like to know, if I wanted to see you so badly, why I didn’t do something about it. Contact you in some way, something?”

“Well, Derrick Gibbous! Renowned, twisted psychic!” I snapped, sarcasm dripping from every word. Loud crashes of thunder roared one after another overhead as I worked to rein in my fury. “Of course, you’re right! What do you mean, you’ve wanted to see me? I’ve been trying to talk with you forever, nearly going crazy, and you’re standing there chatting excitedly as if we’re at a friendly reunion.” I bit my lip again, unknowingly releasing the scent of blood into the air.

I snapped. The stress was finally more than I could deal with. I turned away from him, tossing out a blast of power that ripped the door from his hand and slammed it shut. It was all I could do to keep from levitating him right off the floor and hanging him upside down from the ceiling. For a moment, I nearly lost complete control of the flow of air I’d blasted out, and there were a few uncomfortable seconds when Derrick’s feet floated an inch or two above the floor.

Making no word of apology, I took a deep cleansing breath to ground myself. I regained control of my power. Derrick’s feet settled back where they belonged. I turned away from him and began to tend to my dog. Knowing the room had been dog proofed, I removed King’s harness and took off his leash. I dropped my bag from my shoulder and fished around in it until I found his food and water bowls. Then I realized I knew nothing of this room, or where anything was.

“Audio guide, please?” I called to the room’s computer.

Nothing happened.

“Computer. Audio guide for room 108D, 4^TH floor.”

Still nothing.

Tapping my foot in frustration, I turned to Derrick. “Well! Mr. Casimian to the rescue! Since you seem to have arrived just in the nick of time, how about a tour of this room?”

He chuckled to himself and didn’t appear to let my attitude rattle him at all. Offering me his arm, which I gratefully took—though I valiantly tried to hide my embarrassment, exhaustion, and relief—he began guiding me around the room. He made a few suggestions as to where it might be good to put some of King’s things, and although it irked me to admit it, his advice turned out to be helpful.

Then, rather than going on his way, Derrick made himself at home. He sat himself down on my bed, kicked off his Casimian leather loafers and took out his pipe from its pack. He crossed his legs and sat filling the pipe, contentedly watching me as I fed and watered my dog. His presence filled the room.

Knowing I was being examined with a trainer’s eye, I took great pains in setting up King’s living area before doing anything else.

Finally, Derrick’s voice rang quietly through the silence, “He’s beautiful, by the way. You’ve done an amazing job with him.”

“What did you expect?” I worked hard to keep the incredulity out of my voice. I straightened from assembling King’s crate and turned to him with a smile I hoped didn’t look forced. “Everything else aside, I had a great teacher.”

Turning away, I went into the bathroom. After I’d relieved myself, washed my face and hands, and ran a brush from my port-a-pack through my hair, I put it up in one long ponytail. I came back out into the room. I stood there, my arms folded protectively across my chest, casting a circle of white light around myself. I took slow deep breaths in and out. I was at a loss as to what to do or say.

We stayed like that for a minute, him sitting on my bed smoking, getting his pipe going just the way he liked it. A severe popup thunderstorm raged outside. I stood there in the middle of a circle of white light pulsing in time with the beat of my pounding heart, absolutely determined not to cry.

And then as the sweet smell of the tobacco rose into the air, and King, who had finished his food, began to explore the room, Derrick asked, “Are you gonna stay pissed at me the entire time we’re here, or can we sit and work stuff out?”

At the sound of his voice, rolling like a slow peel of thunder round the room, my focus broke, and I lost the circle. I couldn’t take it anymore. I stood where I was, lowered my head, and soon hot, fiery, hurt-filled tears began to roll slowly down my face, sizzling onto the floor.

As I sobbed, and the wind began to rise to a shriek outside, the words poured out. “Pissed? Is that what you think? Pissed?” I was gearing up to full cry.

“Why didn’t you answer me if you wanted to talk with me like you say? Why Derrick?” My body shook with the emotion it began to release from that knot of pent-up hurt I’d been stuffing down and storing up for so long. My breath came in sobbing gasps.

“Why was it necessary for you to be so cruel? Why was it suddenly no longer okay for the two of us to talk, and why did you let everyone think I was the one who reached out inappropriately, never ever admitting you’d stayed connected with me after you’d come to visit? Why?”

Now that this subject had been released like the evil Casimian imp Patrina from her box into the room, it would not be put back.

“I’ll have an answer!” The hysteria of my own voice shocked me, but somehow, I was unable to do a thing about it.

Derrick blew a plume of smoke into the air, then set his pipe aside and came to me, speaking gently. “There are a lot of things you simply couldn’t be aware of, and I know maybe I should’ve found a way to connect with you and explain everything. I didn’t, and I’m sorry. I can no more change that than you could do anything about your behavior during the four horrible years after I visited you and Jack.”

I started to speak. But before I could do more than mouth the first word, he continued, with pride filling his voice, “Before you say another word, I’d like to be very clear. I’m quite proud of how you’ve put your life back together.”

I took a deep breath to speak and caught his scent again. Suddenly, I was terrified of taking that next step, but I could resist him no longer. I reached out, wrapped my arms around him, and overwhelmed by my emotions, buried my face against his shoulder. I cried out in awe and fear as another volley of thunder sounded outside the window.

When he caught me in his arms, I nearly panicked at the feeling of him holding me. Then, taking a breath, I sobbed, “Derrick? Are you real? I mean, am I going to wake up on the shuttle in a minute and figure out this is all a dream, then come to the hotel only to find you still hate me?”

He led me over to the bed, sat us down and held me close as he asked, “Is that what you thought? That I hated you?”

“Yes, I’ve thought of nothing else since learning you’d be here.”

He sucked in a breath, trembling a bit at the thought. “My Lady! I could never have hated you.” His voice shook with the emotion of it.

“Then why did…?”

He covered my face with tender, tiny kisses. Even in my anxiety, it made my whole body quiver with joy.

“Shhhh! I’ll explain it all to you, I promise. I promise before the weekend is over, you will know all there is to know about what happened and why, and I pray it will be enough for you to understand and forgive me.”

“Do you forgive what I did to you? I mean, the things I did were so wrong. I never meant for it to be like that between us. I never…”

As the rain pounded the building and my tears fell hard and fast, I continued to shake. For a moment I could not catch my breath. Then between gasping sobs, I continued saying, “Everyone told me you hated me. Terrence Clevenger told me you wished you’d never ever trained me. Told me my problems went far beyond the scope of even what the Blended Lives Learning Center did. I felt like the most worthless thing on the planet. Jack laughed at me. He used to say to me, ‘Did you really think someone like Derrick Gibbous could have given a shit about something as disgusting and stupid as you?’”

He held me tight. “Shhhh. Hush now. There’s nothing to forgive. What Terrence Clevenger told you was wrong. I believe he was trying in his way to keep you away from me by telling you such false tales. Gods! I knew that behavior couldn’t have been normal. I suspected you’d been enchanted. I knew that something was very wrong with your situation, but I couldn’t help you. I had no choice but to continue to let you think as you did. I didn’t know any other way to keep you safe by then, and as far as Jack, he’s worthless. If I ever get my hands on him, I’ll kill him for the things he did to you. I’d have never left you with him if I’d known.”

He began to brush tears from my face, his fingertips soft and deliciously cool on my flushed cheek. Somehow, even though I was filled with fear and confusion, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Here you are again, wiping away my tears.”

“Yeah well, some things just refuse to change. I guess this is always going to be one of them.”

Suddenly, more thunder sounded, and there was a knock on the door. I jumped, my heart pounding double time, then started to get up from his lap.

“I’ll take care of it. You sit and take a moment to catch your breath. It will help calm you and the storm.” He stood and deposited me back onto the bed.

“I programmed a service bot to bring your suitcase up from the shuttle bay. You forgot it. I saw you when you got off.”

“Wow! I’m a real magickal mania mess, huh?” I said softly as I felt the heat of embarrassment creep up my cheeks.

He opened the door, and the service bot slid the suitcase into the room. After sending the bot on its way, closing and relocking the door, he came back, snuggling me into his arms again.

“Gods, I’ve wanted to hold you for so long!” He whispered. “I missed you like you cannot know.”

For a moment, I allowed him to hold me, to run his fingers through my hair and to touch my face as if he too wanted to make sure I was real.

“Derrick? Couldn’t you have just sent one communication back and at least told me it wasn’t true what had been said about you hating me, and regretting that you helped me to have King? Couldn’t you have just done that?”

Again, he hesitated, as he too tried to reign in his emotions.

“Darling, I wanted to. You haven’t any idea how badly I wanted to. But I couldn’t. For so long there has been so much more at stake than either of us could afford to lose. I had no way to let you know. None, but it’s over now. All over, and that’s why I’m here. I knew you were coming. I traded places with someone so I could come because I wanted…hell! Tell the truth and shame the devil, I needed to see you!”

“I guess I just don’t understand. No one could get a message to me, not one person?”

He sighed, and began to rock slowly back and forth, whether to comfort me or him, I didn’t know.

He wound his fingers more tightly into the long thick strands of my hair, pulling me ever closer. The leather thong I’d tied my ponytail with suddenly snapped and flew across the room, sending King into a chase full of obedient yet bouncing Retriever glee.

It was obvious the events of the last few years had been as heart-achingly difficult for Derrick as they’d been for me. Wrong as it seemed, I felt vindicated.

“Baby, by the time I realized what was truly going on with you, there was simply no one with whom I could confide that I could send a message through. The ones who did know, who were a part of the new government to be wanted no one to know until the take-over was irreversible.”

I raised my head from where I’d rested it against his shoulder, and once again felt his burning gaze. I didn’t have to see him. I could feel the power radiating from his intense stare. His heartbeat, slow, strong and steady, matched mine, and for a moment we were connected.

“So, tell me now. I must understand. I nearly died because of all this, and I simply must know and understand. If I never have another thing, I must have that.”

Just then King ran up and jumped up on the bed, crowding in between us, dropping the hair tie in my lap.

“Can I pet him?”

“Oh, good grief, Derrick! Yes, you can pet him.” I shook my head in disbelief, flinging my hair into my eyes. “Do you honestly think that I’d say no to you?”

He laughed and petted the big dog’s head. “Big Guy, you are an impressive sight to see. I never imagined in a million, billion years that you’d be so big and beautiful.”

“I guess you think he’s overweight, too?”

“Only slightly. I’ll admit, the reports worried me, but seeing him like this—.” Derrick scratched King’s velvet-soft ears. “Oh, Laya, he’s beautiful.”

I could hear the approval in his voice. This, I had to admit, made me feel much better.

“I’m glad.” I couldn’t help letting out a slight sigh of relief. “I was a bit nervous for you to see us.”

Brushing the hair out of my eyes, I allowed my voice to trail off. Suddenly I felt a little sick.

“Are you okay?” He asked, a note of concern in his voice.

“No, I feel ill,” I answered as a wave of intense nausea and weakness rolled over me, due to my rapidly dropping blood sugar.

With King going into alert mode and jumping off the bed to follow me, I stood up and started toward the counter, asking the auto-snack for a drink and a sugar tab. But about halfway across the room, I felt everything slipping away from me.

A moment later Derrick was there, catching me before I could hit the floor. King ran frantic circles around us, barking an alert.

Derrick sat me down on the bed and then stood back to appraise me with a trainer’s critical eye. “Let me guess, you haven’t eaten.”

I sighed, not bothering to give him the obvious answer.

Derrick went into the bathroom, wet a cloth under the tap, and slipped into full trainer mode as he came back into the main room.

Bathing my face, he spoke in a soft but stern voice as he lectured, “You know how dangerous it is for you to leave the house without eating. Why do you continue to do that? What if you’d been stuck in a shuttle port somewhere?”

As King pushed him aside with his massive head, I wondered vaguely if he wanted answers to his questions or if he just needed to vent his worries.

I decided he’d only needed to vent, when a moment later Derrick picked up the hotel communicator and placed a call. He requested two steaks, a double-sized order of fried shrimp puffs, and a large jug of Casimian ale. “Please put a rush on the order and make one of the steaks very rare and the other medium,” He said, and after paying for the meal with his credit card, he tapped off the call.

I sat for a moment petting King, letting his calming energies flow into me, absorbing all that had just taken place. I thought of and rejected several responses, finally settling on, “Wow! Hungry?”

And suddenly it was as if we’d been doing this forever.

On one hand, that felt awesome. On the other hand, it concerned me. I’d made serious mistakes before where Derrick was concerned. My mental stability continued to be fragile. The last thing I wanted was to undo my healing.

I said, “Derrick, you don’t have to just jump right back in to taking care of me, you know? I mean, I’m thinking Angelina’s not going to—”

“She has nothing to say about anything I do, or anyone I see from now on!”

I sat quietly for a moment, breathing slowly in and out, allowing the tension filled moment to pass.

He added more gently, “I’m sorry, it appears you don’t know. She left me about a year ago.”

My breath caught, and for a moment I was stunned into speechlessness. Sitting there with Derrick less than an arm’s length away, a voice somewhere in a room back in the deepest corner of my heart whispered, He’s free. He can be yours.

Before that thought could grow into even the most miniscule of sparks, I dashed cold water over it, found my voice and said, “No, I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

“Please, don’t be. It’s honestly the best thing to ever happen to me.”

Again, the voice in the corner room of my heart said with a shiver, He could be yours. You could be his. You could belong to one another.

Walking over to the Auto-Snack, Derrick said, “Casimian Spring-Fed Water.”

Settling down again beside me, he uncapped the bottle, passing it and a sugar tab he’d removed from his first aid pack to me. “Listen, Laya, I’m not trying to leap in and start taking charge. I seriously doubt I could get very far if I did such a thing. I will say, it would make me happy to explore the possibility of finding our way back to each other. I do happen to know you’re not seeing anyone since the merchant from Star City so, well, how about it?”

So, Derrick Gibbous has given up being a Blended Lives instructor for detective work. I suppose being a twisted psychic helps with that. I smirked.

While waiting for our lunch to arrive, we talked. I told him of how I’d finally broken free of Jack and his abusive ways. I explained how hard it had been to come away from him even after he’d gone to prison for exploitation and alien trafficking. I described as best I could how I’d become so confused and fragmented due to all Jack had done to me, and as I finished, I said, “The guilt from the things that I let my mental illness make me do to you damn near destroyed me. I just never understood why, when my behavior changed so drastically, after all the times we’d talked for no other reason than just to catch up, you said nothing. Then, suddenly and with no warning, you simply cut me off. Why, Derrick? Why?”

Pulling me closer still, he cradled my head on his shoulder. His long fingers stroked my hair.

“After fighting broke out yet again, things were so messed up between us, I simply didn’t know what else to do. Terrance and other supervisors had taken notice of the problem and after you sent out the communique proving you weren’t alone in continuing contact, since we were both on the hot seat, I thought to say nothing more would allow it to simply fade away. I must admit, as much trouble as I got into when forced to admit my part in that debacle, I was kind of proud of you for sticking up for yourself. I mean, I started you down that road to confidence.”

He reached out and picked up his pipe with his free hand. He sat for a moment, smoking, and gathering himself. After an uncomfortably long silence had stretched between us, he continued by telling me that Angelina had ended up on the side of those who wanted to take us back to the time when people with disabilities weren’t allowed to congregate with others. She had begun her own group of genetic cleansing supporters, now known as the Clear Bloods, and she’d threatened to leave him if he didn’t cut all ties.

“I don’t understand. Why did she hate me so badly?”

He sighed, running his hand slowly down my back as he spoke, causing my heated flesh to break out into goosebumps.

“The reason is simple. She knew without a doubt that this time for me with a woman was different. She knew I loved you and that I’d leave her for you. She realized that I had come to Korponious to see you and tell you that very thing. And when I got back, she didn’t know why, but she figured she’d dodged a bullet. When you refused to see me alone that night, I believed you were happy. I had not allowed my powers to come forth then and I was easily fooled. For a time, I was quite disheartened, and I even thought of joining the resistance. I went to a few meetings. Then I began to question some of what they were pushing. Things like having segregated schools, worship houses, and public eateries again. Taking rights, and even changing the One-World Health Care so the minorities had less coverage. By the time I got out, she was in it all the way, and we were through. I started following your blog and discovered you were happily dating Daniel Knox so I decided to leave you to rebuild your life. By the time you and Knox were over we were deep into a government takeover, of which I was a part, and I couldn’t contact you at all.”

I reached up and removed his pipe from his mouth, and took his face firmly in my hands. I began to seek out his lips with mine. A moment later our lips touched.

Our kisses came slowly. We were discovering one another for the first time.

As we became caught up in the moment, and the passion between us grew, his tongue played just inside my mouth and took away the few remaining droplets of blood from the earlier bite on my lip.

His fingers first ran through my hair and then trailed down my spine. My skin continued to prickle as a slow warmth spread through me. Soon we were entangled with one another, and there we remained until room service knocked on the door.

Later, as we shared a meal at the small hotel room table, he laughed. “Well, this is not quite what I had in mind the night I asked you to dinner all those years ago but…”

I smiled and reached for his hand. “You silly Casimian, don’t you realize this works out much better?”

“I’m sure I’ll regret asking, but how do you figure that?”

“Tsk…tsk—” I dropped his hand and stretched playfully, catlike. “Because once the talks are done, we don’t have to travel far to see the fun begin.”

We laughed together, and King stretched and moaned as if to say, “Hello? I’m down here, and I’m starving, and no one has petted me in ten minutes! Hello?”

I laughed, then reached down and gave the big dog a pet on the head. “King, are you trying to imply that you’re neglected?”

Derrick stood and gathered our trash. “Seriously? Kid’s gonna have to try something else. I never saw a dog so spoiled, or so well bonded, ever.”

“Ah. You must have seen many teams as closely bonded as ours.”

He turned from the incinerator, and snuggling me into his arms said, “Sweetheart, I’ve been doing this for, as you say, many moons. And I’m here to tell you that in all of them, I’ve seen very few handler dog teams, Hybrid or no, turn out as well as the two of you have. You’re an exceptionally good handler. You’ve made me enormously proud twice now.”

He glanced down at the dog and added, “And King, you may as well get rid of the picture of you in the dog catcher truck. I’m not buying it. I know your mother takes excellent care of you.”

I laughed and tossed my hair out of my face. “He’s just hoping you’ve got a pocket full of kibble waiting on the clicker.”

When King saw his efforts weren’t appreciated, he left us with a puff from his nose, and flopped down into his crate with a thump and sigh.”

Derrick and I settled onto the loveseat together, and he handed me another mug of ale. I sipped in silent contentment for a moment, letting the cold foamy liquid slide down my throat, simply enjoying the feel of Derrick’s arms around me. I still was having a tad bit of trouble believing this was really happening, and each time he left me for even a moment, I expected the dream to fade and to hear a shuttle host’s voice ask, “Ma’am? Are you okay?”

At first we talked about nothing and everything. But after a while his mouth once more found mine. Again we began hesitantly, but soon our passion grew hot, and our kisses came fast and furious. Making our way from the loveseat onto the bed, we eagerly wrapped ourselves around each other. I leaned into him, slightly nibbling his ear so that he huskily moaned, “Laya.” I allowed myself to enjoy a moment of what being with him forever could feel like. Then, he slipped his hands beneath my shirt, pressing them directly onto my skin, causing shivers to run all through me. Suddenly, I could barely breathe, and I wanted him like a man dying of thirst in the desert wanting a drop of water.

Just as I began entertaining thoughts of abandoning all control, my communicator reminder went off.

“What’s that?” he asked, with just a hint of annoyance in his voice.

I slowly unwound myself from his arms and stood, taking a trembling breath. “My alarm reminding me that it’s four hours until the opening ceremonies. The program begins at 7:30. One hour after sundown.”

He stood to face me, tucking in his shirt. “So, may I escort you?”

“Wow! You wanta kick this convention off with a bang! Huh?”

He laughed as he slipped on his shoes. “Well, about six people, two of which were Blended Lives staff, saw me follow you up on the lift, so I’m sure half the hotel knows we’ve been here together now for a couple of hours. How many bets you think they got going on?”

I couldn’t help it. I had to laugh, and once I got started, I couldn’t stop. I collapsed back down on the bed, and folding my arms around myself, I laughed and laughed.

When the fit had finally passed, I extended my hand to Derrick, and he helped me up.

“So, tonight?”

“I will allow you to escort me on one condition.”

“Condition? What condition?” He asked warily.

I giggled. “You must buy me a bottle of the most exceptional white wine Casimia has to offer.”

He sighed. “Oh! Is that all? Wait, wine? You know how you are when you drink wine.”

I smiled, scooting seductively away from him while straightening my clothes. “And that, Casimian, is the entire point.”

When I put King back into his harness, I said, “Oh, by the way? You’re not walking downstairs with me to relieve him either. I’m not giving anything away until the opening tonight. Let ’em wonder. For all anyone knows, you went on up to your floor. No one has any idea for sure where you’ve been or what you’ve been doing.”

“Even though there was an order of lunch for two sent to your room?” he asked incredulously.

“Even so. After all, I could very easily have eaten the entire order of shrimp puffs and given King one of the steaks. Some dogs do eat rare meat.”

A groan of frustration escaped him. Lingering at the door he said, “Wow! I guess I’m still underestimating you.”

“Maybe you are. Derrick, look. I’m glad to see you. I’m extremely glad things are somewhat worked out between us. You did show up in quite a timely manner, which seems to always be your way, and I must admit you turn me on. But I’m not ready to simply hover off into the happily ever after with you.”

Clearing his throat and slipping out the door, he said, “All right then, tonight.” And then he was gone.

I had to admit, I was glad to see he’d not lost his cocky attitude completely. I didn’t want to knock all the wind from his sails; I only wanted to hold him at arm’s length till I could see how things were with him.

I also really did need this to go well. Yes, everyone expected something from the two of us. I couldn’t avoid that, and if I were honest, I didn’t want to avoid it. Hell, if nothing else, it would help sell books and magazines. What did I want? I wanted to be someone they could be proud to list in the Blended Lives Federation newsletter as having attended and participated as a reporter in this convention. I wanted them to finally recognize me as a magazine creator, who could, if allowed, help them raise awareness and funding. I wanted them to recognize me as the author of a book detailing The Blended Lives Learning Center Guide and breeding programs, and I wanted this with no more issue or delay.

Well, that’s it for today. Remember, if you must know right this moment what happens next, just click on the links for the books and pick your pleasure.

A headshot of Patty standing in front of a mirror. The light on the wall sits above the wooden framed square mirror. Patty is in the reflection, wearing a brown t-shirt and a black lanyard. Her arms are crossed in front of her and she wears sunglasses. Her hair is short.

*Note*

This photo was taken by the author by using the Metta Ray Ban Glasses, you see her wearing in the photo.

About Patty L. Fletcher

Updated November 2024

Patty L. Fletcher is a woman of passion and exploration.

She studies the art of manifestation and is a seeker of knowledge and the wisdom to know what to do with it when it’s learned.

From April 2011 through September 2020, she owned and handled a black Labrador from The Seeing Eye® named King Campbell Lee Fletcher A.K.A. Bubba. Sadly, after a long battle with illness on September 24, 2020, King Campbell went to the Rainbow Bridge where all is peace and love. In July 2021, she returned to The Seeing Eye® and was paired with a Black Labrador Golden Retriever cross named Blue.

PATTY’S BLINDNESS…

Patty was born one and a half months premature. Her blindness was caused by her being given too much oxygen in the incubator. She was partially sighted until 1991, at which time she lost her sight due to an infection after cataract surgery and high eye pressure. She used a cane for 31 years before making the change to a guide dog.

WHERE SHE LIVES AND WORKS…

Currently, Patty lives and works in Bristol Virginia

Patty is quite involved with The American Council of the Blind – ACB and its community.

She’s a member of Guide Dog Users Incorporated where she serves on the GDUI board of directors, the Election Candidacy Task Force, and is now the chair of the membership Committee.

She works with the Audio Description Project by serving on the ADP Performing Arts Committee.

Patty’s the creator and owner of Tell-It-To-The-World Marketing (Author, Blogger, Business Assist), The Writer’s Grapevine Online Magazine and the creator and host of the Talk to Tell-It-To-The-World Marketing Podcast, which have recently been reconstructed and can all be found in Patty’s Worlds.

WRITING GOAL…

Patty writes with the goal of bridging the great chasm which separates the disabled from the non-disabled.

Patty is also a published author. Learn more at the links below.

LINKS…

All full length published works

Anthologies

Poetry Treasures 3: Passions

Strange Weather Anthology