\u201cWake up, sleepy head.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michelle opened her eyes, looking around the cabin. For a moment, she was disoriented, didn\u2019t know where she was. Then she remembered running into Helena in the woods and following her back here. Yawning, she saw the owner of the cabin holding out a Sat phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cCall your parents and let them know where we are meeting them,\u201d Helena said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMeeting them?\u201d Michelle parroted, frowning, \u201cthey are coming here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smiling at her, Helena said, \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking. Not even the best SUV is going to get back here. We are going to have to take the horses to the old watchtower. There is a somewhat passable road out of the woods from there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSomewhat passable?\u201d Michelle asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell them to get an SUV,\u201d Helena said, then thought better of it, \u201cpreferably one with a winch. With the rain we just had, I\u2019m sure that road is going to be a muddy mess.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d Michelle said, sitting up.<\/p>\n
Her movement disturbed Samantha, who opened her eyes. Looking from the phone to Michelle, she asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n
Taking the phone, Michelle said, \u201cI need to call my parents and tell them not to meet us here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not?\u201d Samantha asked, yawning.<\/p>\n
\u201cHelena doesn\u2019t think they can make it, even with an SUV,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n
Frowning, Samantha asked, \u201cThen where are they meeting us?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s an old watchtower,\u201d Helena said, pointing east, \u201cabout fifty miles that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFifty miles?\u201d Michelle said, raising her eyebrows.<\/p>\n
Laughing, Helena said, \u201cNot a lot of roads in this part of the woods.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long will it take to get there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we get an early start, we\u2019ll make it before dark fall,\u201d Helena said, pointing at the phone, \u201ccall your parents.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d Michelle said, dialed her dad\u2019s cell phone number.<\/p>\n
It rang once, then her mother came on the line, sounding like she was crying, \u201cMichelle, baby. Are you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m okay, Mom,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are at the airport, waiting on our flight into Winnipeg to board,\u201d her mother said.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, Helena doesn\u2019t think you can reach this place in a car. There\u2019s an old watchtower we can meet you at. She says the road is probably going to be a mess after the rain we had. You\u2019ll need to rent an SUV, preferably one with a winch.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA winch?\u201d her mother parroted, then after a second, \u201cyour dad Googled your location. You really are in the middle of nowhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laughing, Michelle said, \u201cYeah, I know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes this watchtower have an address?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUm,\u201d Michelle said, then held the phone away from her mouth to say to Helena, \u201cMom\u2019s asking where the tower is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me see the phone,\u201d Helena said, holding out her hand, \u201cthis is Helena. Do you have a piece of paper?\u201d<\/p>\n
Michelle listened as Helena gave her mother directions to the watchtower. She got the feeling the last couple of roads she listed off probably weren\u2019t even on a map. She just hoped her parents didn\u2019t get lost.<\/p>\n
Helena handed the phone back to Michelle. Putting it to her ear, Michelle asked, \u201cDid you get that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUm\u2026 yeah,\u201d her mother said, then laughed nervously, \u201cmaybe\u2026 \u2018Look for dirt road at kilometer marker 132\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n
Grinning, Michelle said, \u201cDon\u2019t get lost.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSounds like that\u2019s going to be easier said than done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Changing the subject, Michelle said, \u201cHave you heard from Samantha\u2019s parents?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are having problems getting their passports\u2026 Samantha\u2019s too. We offered to stay with Samantha until they could either overnight the passport to us or come get her themselves,\u201d her mother said, then added, \u201cwe might end up having to stay a few nights in Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs long as there is a shower and a bed, I\u2019m okay with that,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t even imagine what you\u2019ve been through,\u201d her mother said, sounding like she was about to cry, again.<\/p>\n
\u201cReally, Mom. I\u2019m okay. It wasn\u2019t all that bad,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot all that bad?\u201d Her mother said, in disbelief. Away from the phone, her mother said, \u201cGod, she\u2019s your daughter, alright. You talk to her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laughing, her father came on the line, said, \u201cIt\u2019s been an adventure, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could say that,\u201d Michelle said, smiling.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, you can tell us all about it when we get there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHelena said it is about a days ride from here to the tower,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, let me figure out when we land and how long it\u2019ll take us to drive out to the tower,\u201d he said, then paused, \u201cI wouldn\u2019t leave there today. It\u2019ll be tomorrow at the earliest.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cListen, we have to go. They are boarding our plane,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d she said, then added, \u201cI love you\u2026 Mom, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe love you too. See you as soon as we can,\u201d he said, then ended the call.<\/p>\n
Michelle started to give Helena the phone, but the woman inclined her head at Samantha, said, \u201cYou better call your parents, too. Let them know what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
————————————————-<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are going to have to come here, if you want it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blue looked at the slice of cooked meat in Helena\u2019s hand wearily, then up at the woman. She sniffed the air and licked her chops, but didn\u2019t move from her spot about six feet away from where Helena sat in a rocking chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuit yourself,\u201d Helena said, popping the slice of bacon into her mouth. She picked up her novel and pretended to start reading, again.<\/p>\n
Blue\u2019s eyes cut to the plate next to Helena with more of the cured meat, and she made a mewling sound in the back of her throat. The wolf got to her feet, moved a couple of feet closer, then changed her mind and sat down, again. Her eyes went back to the bacon.<\/p>\n
Sitting on the porch step, Michelle watched this exchange with amusement. She wondered how long it would take for Blue\u2019s stomach to get the better of her instinctual distrust in humans. Blue had decided Michelle and Samantha were okay, but the wolf was still trying to make up her mind about Helena.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s okay, Blue,\u201d Michelle said, getting the wolf\u2019s attention, \u201cyou can trust her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blue looked at her for a long moment, then turned back to Helena. When the old woman put her bookmark in her novel, then picked up another strip of meat and held it out, Blue got to her feet and walked slowly over to where she sat. The wolf\u2019s body was tense but her posture not aggressive, like she was ready to run away, not attack.<\/p>\n
She sniffed the offered treat, then carefully took it from Helena. Once it was between her teeth, the bacon didn\u2019t stand a chance. It was gone in an instant.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it good, Blue?\u201d Michelle asked, laughing.<\/p>\n
Blue glanced back at her, her tongue lulled out. Michelle took that as \u2018yes, it is delicious, Michelle\u2019.<\/p>\n
Remembering that she was still in swatting range, Blue looked back at Helena nervously. When the woman held out her hand, Blue took a step back wearily. She looked at Helena\u2019s outstretched hand, sniffing the air. Mewling in her throat, again, Blue glanced back at Michelle.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think she wants to be your friend,\u201d Michelle said, smiling at the wolf.<\/p>\n
Turning back around, Blue fixed Helena with her beautiful eyes for a moment. Seeming to make up her mind, Blue stepped forward and nuzzled Helena\u2019s offered hand. Very carefully, Helena petted the wolf. Blue relaxed, the tension leaving her body as Helena\u2019s good intentions were confirmed. She grinned happily as the woman scratched behind her ears.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou two have a connection,\u201d Helena said, feeding Blue another sliver of bacon.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Michelle agreed, smiling at Blue, \u201cshe adopted Samantha and me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe trusts you,\u201d Helena said, meeting Michelle\u2019s eyes, \u201cit\u2019s rare for an adult wolf to form an attachment to a human. Raised from a cub, sure, but an adult\u2026 If I didn\u2019t know better, I\u2019d say you two had known each other for years, not weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know why she chose us, but I\u2019m glad she did,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you know it is rare for a wolf to have a black pelt?\u201d Helena asked, petting Blue, \u201cit is even rarer that an adult wolf has blue eyes. As a baby, wolves have blue eyes, but they usually change to a yellow\/brown color as they mature.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m pretty sure Blue is one of a kind,\u201d Michelle said, laughing.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, I have no doubt she is special,\u201d Helena said, smiling, \u201cand clever, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe thought about changing her name to Yogi,\u201d Michelle said, making Helena laugh.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is smarter than the average bear?\u201d Helena guessed.<\/p>\n
\u201cDefinitely,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n
Changing the subject, Helena said, \u201cSpeaking of the average bear\u2026 That skin on your backpack\u2026 That from the bear you killed?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n
Helena looked at her a long moment, then asked, \u201cHow does a girl your age know how to skin a bear and tan its hide?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy dad is a survival instructor,\u201d Michelle said, shrugging, \u201che\u2019s taught me a thing or two.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh,\u201d Helena said, nodding, \u201cthen it makes more sense that you are alive.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMakes more sense we are alive?\u201d Michelle asked, laughing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese woods have claimed more than a few people,\u201d Helena said, meeting Michelle\u2019s eyes, \u201cthe ground you\u2019ve covered and what you\u2019ve survived\u2026 Not a lot of people would have fared as well. You and your girlfriend should be proud.\u201d<\/p>\n
A little embarrassed, Michelle said, \u201cThanks.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long have the two of you been together?\u201d Helena asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cSamantha and me?\u201d Michelle asked, then went on when Helena nodded, \u201csince the crash\u2026 A little under three weeks?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReally?\u201d Helena asked, surprised, \u201cI\u2019d have guessed a lot longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy do you say that?\u201d Michelle asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see a couple that\u2019s been together a while, they are comfortable around each other,\u201d Helena said, smiling at Michelle, \u201cyou two seem pretty comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI love her,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n
While she meant it with all of her heart, it still felt weird admitting it out loud to a stranger. It had nothing to do with Helena, but that she wasn\u2019t used to expressing her feelings about her sexual orientation. Her parents knew or strongly suspected that she was gay, but they didn\u2019t talk about it. It wasn\u2019t that Michelle thought they wouldn\u2019t approve, just that the conversation hasn\u2019t come up, yet.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s going to have to come up pretty soon<\/em>, Michelle thought, her eyes going to the cabin door. She couldn\u2019t see Samantha inside talking to her parents, but the girl was going to be the catalyst for that conversation.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I know,\u201d Helena said, her smile widening, \u201ca blind man could see that you two have it bad for each other.<\/p>\n Her heart started beating faster thinking about being in the car with Samantha and her parents, then probably at the hotel for a couple of days. If Helena- a relative stranger- could tell that she and Samantha were in love, then surely her parents would be able to, as well. She had a feeling that conversation was going to happen before they made it back to the States.<\/p>\n Even if Mom and Dad don\u2019t notice, I might as well get it over with<\/em>, Michelle thought, making up her mind to have The Talk with her parents. The thought made her smile because it was the reverse of how it usually went. Usually, the parent had the talk with the kid, not the other way around. Michelle got a mental image of her parents sitting on the edge of the bed, listening as she explained, Sometimes, when a girl likes another girl…<\/em><\/p>\n ——————————————–<\/p>\n \u201cYou really don\u2019t have to help with the chores. You are guests.\u201d<\/p>\n Smiling at Helena, Michelle said, \u201cUninvited guests. Samantha and I just wanted to\u2026 I don\u2019t know… show we appreciate you putting up with us.\u201d<\/p>\n Waving her hand dismissively, Helena said, \u201cYou two have been a welcomed distraction from writing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWriting?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m an author,\u201d Helena said, nodding at a bookcase half full of hardback novels on one wall, \u201cI come up here to write.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d Michelle said, sheepishly. She had assumed Helena was just a crazy old lady who lived in the woods.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Did you think I was a crazy old lady living in the woods?\u201d Helena asked, laughing. Sobering up some, she said, \u201cThat\u2019s probably not too far from the truth. Since Allen died, I\u2019ve been spending a lot more time up here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour husband?\u201d Michelle guessed.<\/p>\n \u201cFor almost twenty-five years,\u201d Helena said, sighing heavily, \u201chere\u2026 I can still feel him here. There are so many happy memories here to keep him alive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry for your loss,\u201d Samantha said.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, it\u2019s been almost seven years,\u201d Helena said, getting up and going to the fireplace. She came back with a framed photograph and handed it to Michelle.<\/p>\n Smiling at the young couple in their wedding trappings, Michelle asked, \u201cHow old were you when you got married?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTwenty,\u201d Helena said, with a little laugh, \u201cjust don\u2019t ask how old I am now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe was very handsome,\u201d Samantha said, smiling.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, he cleaned up okay,\u201d Helena said, taking the photograph back to the fireplace, \u201calthough most times he was a mess.\u201d<\/p>\n The love that Helena and Allen had shared was as clear as day and as warm as the noon sun in July. Even with the comment about her husband being a mess most days was delivered with affection that hadn\u2019t been dulled by Allen\u2019s death or by the passing of time. It still shined as brightly as it had in their wedding day photograph.<\/p>\n Michelle glanced at Samantha and wondered if the love she had the girl was as strong as Helena\u2019s and Allen\u2019s had been. The girl must have sensed Michelle looking at her, because she looked up and met Michelle\u2019s eyes. Taking Michelle\u2019s hand, Samantha smiled warmly at her. That smile said the girl was thinking about the future they might have together, too.<\/p>\n \u201cSay cheese,\u201d Helena said, then there was a flash of light.<\/p>\n Blinking in surprise, Michelle glanced at the woman and saw the digital camera in her hands. Distracted by Samantha\u2019s smile, Michelle hadn\u2019t even seen the woman pick it up. Laughing, she said, \u201cA little warning would have been nice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t want to ruin the moment,\u201d Helena said, smiling as she showed Michelle and Samantha the photo, \u201cyou two smile at each other the way I used to smile at Allen. Such a cute couple.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm, thanks,\u201d Michelle said, a little embarrassed.<\/p>\n \u201cCan I get one more?\u201d Helena asked, holding up the camera.<\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d Michelle said, smiling as she put her arm around Samantha. She laughed when the girl kissed her cheek right before the flash went off, again.<\/p>\n \u201cPerfect,\u201d Helena said, smiling at them. She tucked the camera away in a drawer on her desk, then turned back to the girls. Giving them a weighing look, she asked, \u201cDo you really want to help?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe storm we just had did a number on the fence around the little pasture I put the cows out in,\u201d Helena said, motioning toward the barn, \u201cthey are okay in the barn, for now, but I could use a hand mending the fences.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll help,\u201d Samantha said.<\/p>\n —————————————–<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s true what they say- many hands make light work. You two are a lifesaver.\u201d<\/p>\n Rolling her tired shoulders, Michelle looked at the stretch of fence they had just finished mending. It was her first time repairing one, but she thought they had done a good job. The cows definitely seemed happy to be outside and munching on the grass instead of cooped up in the barn.<\/p>\n It had been about five hours of work with the three of them, but she doubted Helena could have done it solo. She figured at least four hands were needed at any given time to set the posts back in the ground and re-run the barbed wire.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was a lot of work for the three of us,\u201d Samantha said, echoing Michelle\u2019s thoughts, \u201cI don\u2019t think you could have done it by yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I wouldn\u2019t even have tried,\u201d Helena said, taking off her gloves, \u201cI\u2019d have had to hire someone in town to fix it, and they would have charged me an arm and a leg.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh,\u201d Michelle said, laughing, \u201cI guess we both got lucky we ran into your cow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed lucky,\u201d Helena said, smiling at her, \u201cEspecially you. There is nothing but more trees the way you two were headed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOur GPS showed a town south of here,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, there is\u2026 but it would have taken you another week to get to,\u201d Helena said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt looked pretty close on the GPS,\u201d Michelle said, dubiously.<\/p>\n \u201cAbout another twenty kilometers south, you\u2019d have run into a very deep ravine with sides too steep to traverse. Goes east and west for kilometers, with very few places to cross,\u201d Helena said, shaking her head, \u201cI\u2019m not surprised it didn\u2019t show up on your GPS, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you know it\u2019s there?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI have to cross it every time I go into town,\u201d Helena said, smiling at her, \u201cLuckily, I know where one of the few bridges across it is located.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d Samantha said, then her eyes got wide, \u201cyou really did get lucky, then.\u201d<\/p>\n Her smile widening, Helena said, \u201cYeah. You and Michelle saved me a four day horseback ride into town and another four back\u2026 and who knows how much the laborer would have charged me to mend the fence.\u201d<\/p>\n Grinning, Michelle asked, \u201cWe\u2019ve earned our keep, then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI told you didn\u2019t need to help me,\u201d Helena said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know\u2026 We wanted to,\u201d Samantha said.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I appreciate it and so does my purse,\u201d Helena said, stuffing her gloves in the back pocket of her jeans, \u201clet\u2019s get back. We all need to clean up before supper. The sun\u2019s nice and hot today, so we should be able to use the solar shower.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSolar shower?\u201d Samantha asked, frowning, \u201cyou mean like a camp shower?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Helena said, smiling at her, \u201cit\u2019s a solar-powered water heater.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy dad made one out of a wooden box, an old garden hose, a pane of glass, and some black paint,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n Laughing, Samantha asked, \u201cHow does that work?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVery well, actually. We use it to heat our pool,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Samantha said, putting her arm around Michelle\u2019s waist, \u201cyou have a pool.\u201d<\/p>\n Stealing a kiss, she said, \u201cYou are going to need a new bikini.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Samantha said, blushing when she saw Helena giving them a curious look, \u201cum, long story.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh,\u201d Helena said, laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, solar shower,\u201d Samantha said, changing the subject.<\/p>\n \u201cAllen made a solar water heater similar to the one Michelle\u2019s father did. On a hot day, you have to add some cold water to the mix, or it will burn you,\u201d Helena said.<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d Samantha said, dubiously.<\/p>\n \u201cDad\u2019s gets really hot, like a hundred and forty degrees,\u201d Michelle said, then with a little laugh, \u201cof course, it gets a lot hotter back home. It\u2019s what, seventy-five degrees?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout that. Still, Allen made a double coil of hose, so it is exposed to the sun longer. The water still gets over fifty degrees\u2026 Um, that\u2019s Celsius. I think that\u2019s one-twenty-ish in Fahrenheit,\u201d Helena said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s crazy,\u201d Samantha said, sounding impressed, \u201cthis I have to see.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d Helena said, heading back to the cabin.<\/p>\n Instead of going inside, she led the girls around back to a secondary structure a dozen yards or so from the main building. It could be a small shed, but Michelle figured Allen had built a shower stall for his improvised plumbing. It was about eight feet by six, with an a-framed roof running north to south on the long side. One of the sloping sides of the roof was dominated by the solar water heater, a wooden framed box with a glass front. Inside were two spirals of black hose against a black background. Michelle could see the input hose coming from the house and the other end disappearing into the building.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the water heater?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n Helena laughed and opened the door to the shower shed. Michelle followed her inside and saw that Allen had gone all out. There was a sink and a tiled floor, paneled walls and a glass shower stall. It reminded Michelle of her bathroom back home.<\/p>\n Going to the sink, Helena turned the tap with the red H on and stepped aside. Samantha glanced at the water coming out of the faucet, then shrugged and stepped forward and ran her hand under the water. Gasping, she jerked it back in a hurry.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s really hot,\u201d she said, laughing sheepishly, \u201cbut how long does it stay that hot? Until the water that\u2019s been sitting in the sun is used up?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt stays that warm- assuming the sun stays out,\u201d Helena said.<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cReally. There will be plenty of hot water for everyone to grab a shower,\u201d Helena said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s good,\u201d Michelle said, with a little laugh, \u201cwe haven\u2019t had much chance to clean up since we left the cabin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about the cave?\u201d Samantha asked, smiling at her.<\/p>\n That smile brought back lovely memories of mud and pouring rain, and their passion in both. A flush of heat spread over her body just thinking about it. Smiling back at the girl, she said, \u201cYeah, but we got just as dirty as we did clean.\u201d<\/p>\n Michelle blushed when Helena gave her a curious look, and the woman just shook her head and laughed, said, \u201cAh, what it is to be young.\u201d<\/p>\n Embarrassed, Michelle shrugged and said, \u201cHormones, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, there are towels in that cabinet\u2026 Soap in the shower,\u201d Helena said, turning to leave, \u201cThe red lever is the hot water, blue is the cold.\u201d<\/p>\n Michelle\u2019s face was still hot as she watched the old woman leave the outside bath. She thought the woman was getting to know too much about her sex life. Helena had to know what was about to happen in the shower.<\/p>\n Samantha gave her a sheepish grin, said, \u201cThat was embarrassing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Michelle said, with a little laugh, \u201cfirst the barn, now this.\u201d<\/p>\n Smiling, Samantha moved against her, asked, \u201cYou are expecting a repeat of last night, then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHoping, anyway,\u201d Michelle said, kissing her.<\/p>\n \u201cMm,\u201d Samantha said, putting her arms around Michelle\u2019s neck and glancing at the shower, \u201care you sure you want to do it in the shower? You already owe me a tub.\u201d<\/p>\n Laughing, Michelle said, \u201cA shower would probably be easier to rig.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think your dad would notice the pool heater is missing?\u201d Samantha asked, playfully.<\/p>\n \u201cI can make us one of our own,\u201d Michelle said, kissing her, \u201cassuming it\u2019s worth the trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d Samantha said, stepping back and hooking her hand in the hem of Michelle\u2019s shirt, \u201clet\u2019s get out of these clothes and find out.\u201d<\/p>\n Michelle put her arms up and let Samantha remove her shirt. She reached back to unhook her bra as Samantha unbuttoned her jeans. Stepping out of her shoes, Michelle helped Samantha wriggle the pants off her hips and down. Naked, she turned her attention to Samantha\u2019s clothes. The girl\u2019s shirt and jeans joined Michelle\u2019s in a pile on the floor.<\/p>\n Stealing a quick kiss, Michelle opened the shower stall and turned the red handled valve all the way open. The water began to flow from the showerhead, and Michelle winced when she ran her hand under it. She turned the cold water tap until the water temperature was a bit more comfortable.<\/p>\n \u201cLet it run for a minute,\u201d Samantha said, wrapping her arms around Michelle from behind, \u201cI want to see if it really stays hot.\u201d<\/p>\n Turning in Samantha\u2019s arms, she smiled at the girl, asked, \u201cWhat are we going to do while we wait?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure we can keep ourselves entertained,\u201d Samantha said, kissing her. It was a deep, lingering kiss that made Michelle forget about the tick of the clock. In fact, she forgot about the shower all together as Samantha\u2019s hands roamed over her back. It wasn\u2019t until the girl pulled back that she noticed the hiss of the water, again.<\/p>\n Running her hand under the water, Samantha grinned at her, said, \u201cStill warm. We don\u2019t need to hurry.\u201d<\/p>\n Her heart beating faster at what that statement implied, Michelle stepped into the spray of water and pulled Samantha with her. She sighed as the hot needles of water found her tired muscles. The tension melted out of her body, carried away on the water swirling down the shower drain. As Samantha moved against her, Michelle thought she was more than ready for the girl\u2019s touch, her kisses. A hard days labor couldn\u2019t keep her from responding to Samantha\u2019s body pressed against her own.<\/p>\n \u201cGod, the water feels so good,\u201d Samantha said, sighing.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Michelle said, kissing her.<\/p>\n Her eyes flashing, Samantha asked, \u201cCan you really build us one of these?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll figure it out,\u201d Michelle said, her hands roaming over Samantha\u2019s back.<\/p>\n \u201cMm\u2026 Good,\u201d Samantha said, kissing her tenderly, \u201cI\u2019ll still love you if you don\u2019t but if you do…\u201d<\/p>\n Smiling, Michelle guessed, \u201cYou\u2019ll love me in the shower?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust thinking about you all wet and soapy…\u201d Samantha said, her eyes flashing, \u201cwhat\u2019s not to love?\u201d<\/p>\n Her own heart skipping a beat at the visual Samantha\u2019s words planted in her brain, Michelle kissed the girl one more time, then reached for the bar of soap Helena had mentioned. To Michelle, it looked homemade and, considering what they knew about Helena, it probably was. Bringing it to her nose, Michelle inhaled the scent of lilac. She wondered how Helena had made it.<\/p>\n Smiling, she worked the bar between her hands, bringing it to a lather. She gave the bar to Samantha and ran her hands over her girlfriend\u2019s lovely body. The soap made everything slippery and sexy, and she didn\u2019t want to stop exploring Samantha. The girl didn\u2019t seem to mind, her soft sighs and moans mingling with the hiss of the shower. Then Samantha\u2019s hands were on Michelle, just as eager in their exploration. Hygiene gave way to foreplay, their sense of touch excited by the feel of smooth skin under their fingertips.<\/p>\n The air in the shower stall was redolent with the scent of lilac by the time Samantha\u2019s hand slipped between Michelle\u2019s thighs to tease her bud. The lovely pressure of her swirling fingers brought a moan to Michelle\u2019s lips, then another. Her own soapy hand found Samantha\u2019s girlhood, her caress making Samantha\u2019s hips push against her eagerly. Their young bodies responded to the intimacy of their touch, the desire that had built up as they soaped each other spilling over. The sounds of their excitement soon filled the shower stall.<\/p>\n Samantha\u2019s hand moved lower, and her fingers eased into Michelle. Slick with soap, they slipped deep easily, finding the magic spot inside. Her fingertips teased that very sensitive spot, drawing a gasp from Michelle. The gasp quickly became a thick moan of enjoyment, as pleasure surged through her young body. It felt so good, she forgot what she was doing, her own hand stopped moving between Samantha\u2019s thighs.<\/p>\n With one more kiss, Samantha sank to her knees in front of Michelle. She splashed some water on Michelle\u2019s girlhood to remove the soap, then her lips found Michelle\u2019s bud. The flick of her tongue made Michelle\u2019s knees a little weak, and she had to put a hand on the shower stall to steady herself.<\/p>\n The hot water on her back, the fingers inside of her, and the tantalizing caress of Samantha\u2019s tongue was maddening. Too many wonderful things were happening to her for her body to take it all in separately. The sensations blurred together, many pleasures becoming one.<\/p>\n Her body writhed under the attention of Samantha\u2019s fingers and mouth. She needed the shower stall wall more and more as Samantha continued this sweet torture. Her free hand was on the back of Samantha\u2019s head, encouraging her not to stop.<\/p>\n Michelle wasn\u2019t surprised when an orgasm came on fast. The things Samantha was doing to her felt too good for her to last long. The pleasure finally overwhelmed her, and she cried out as the climax exploded through her. It shook her and left her trembling in its wake. Gasping for air, she leaned heavily on the shower stall for support.<\/p>\n Samantha got to her feet and leaned into Michelle for a kiss. Michelle pulled her even closer, their lips not parting for a good while.<\/p>\n Eventually, Michelle turned them until Samantha was under the spray of the shower. Michelle molded to the girl\u2019s back, kissed her shoulder as the water sluiced the soap from Samantha\u2019s body. Her hands slid up Samantha\u2019s stomach to cup her breasts, to tease their straining nipples. Samantha moaned thickly, her hands coming up to cover Michelle\u2019s. Smiling, Michelle didn\u2019t let up until Samantha was ready for something else.<\/p>\n Michelle stepped slightly to one side and Samantha craned her neck so they could kiss. More than once, Samantha moaned into the kiss, Michelle\u2019s hands on her breasts a sweet distraction.<\/p>\n Only when Samantha dropped her hands, did Michelle let one of her hands slide back down her stomach and between her thighs. Her fingers didn\u2019t need to be soapy to slip deep into Samantha. The girl was more than ready for them, her core slick with her excitement. The girl made an inarticulate sound of enjoyment as Michelle\u2019s fingers found that spongy spot inside of her. The tease of Michelle\u2019s fingers against that magic button had Samantha\u2019s body going crazy.<\/p>\n \u201cGod, that feels good,\u201d Samantha moaned, her hips pushing her girlhood against Michelle\u2019s hand eagerly.<\/p>\n Michelle\u2019s free hand roamed over Samantha\u2019s lovely body, thrilling to the planes and curves of her girlfriend\u2019s body. While she was sure Samantha was turned on by her touch, Michelle\u2019s motivations were purely selfish. She couldn\u2019t get enough of the girl, hasn\u2019t been able to keep her hands off of her ever since that first time in the cave at the lake. Familiarity hadn\u2019t dampened her desire to explore Samantha, either. If anything, it made her want to touch the girl more. She knew how soft and smooth Samantha was and her fingertips craved the warmth of her skin. The water running over Samantha\u2019s breasts and down her taut stomach made her even more touchable, more irresistible.<\/p>\n As greedy as her hands were, Michelle\u2019s eyes were even more insatiable. From her position behind and slightly to one side, Michelle was able to look down and drink the girl in. Samantha was sexy as hell all wet and glistening, her body writhing in pleasure.<\/p>\n Michelle smiled, thinking, I\u2019m definitely going to build one of these for us.<\/em><\/p>\n The pitch of Samantha\u2019s cries changed as Michelle\u2019s fingers started to do her in. Her cries filled the shower stall as her hips began to lose their grace. Michelle kept her fingers moving inside of Samantha, teased that sensitive spot right up until she felt the girl stiffen. She could feel the girl\u2019s climax around her fingers, the fluttering of her vaginal muscles.<\/p>\n Michelle eased her fingers out of Samantha. On wobbly legs, Samantha turned and embraced her. Michelle held the girl as she basked in the lovely sensations washing through her young body, let her drift down slowly from her orgasm. When the girl pulled back a little, Michelle kissed her tenderly.<\/p>\n Smiling, Samantha said, \u201cWe definitely need one of these.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Michelle agreed, laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t believe the water is still warm,\u201d Samantha said.<\/p>\n \u201cHow long do you think we\u2019ve been in here?\u201d Michelle asked.<\/p>\n \u201cToo long,\u201d Samantha said, kissing her, \u201cHelena is probably wondering what\u2019s keeping us.\u201d<\/p>\n With an embarrassed laugh, Michelle said, \u201cI\u2019m sure she knows.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe should probably get out, anyway,\u201d Samantha said, easing out of Michelle\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n Turning off the water, they found some towels. Dried off, they slipped back into their clothes. Putting dirty clothes back on after a shower made it seem like they had wasted their time, but at least they had cleaned the mud and sweat off their skin. Their clothes on the other hand\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWe might have to borrow Helena\u2019s nightgowns, again,\u201d Samantha said, looking down at herself.<\/p>\n \u201cMending fences is dirty work,\u201d Michelle agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad we could help Helena, though,\u201d Samantha said.<\/p>\n \u201cMe too,\u201d Michelle said, kissing her, \u201clet\u2019s get out of here so she can grab a shower, too.\u201d<\/p>\n They found Helena sitting on the porch, a yellow legal pad opened on her knee. Blue was stretched out at her feet, sleeping. Michelle had to smile at how quick Blue had taken to the woman. All it had taken was a few strips of bacon, and a scratch behind the ears and Blue was smitten.<\/p>\n Helena was busy writing and didn\u2019t look up until one of the steps creaked under Michelle\u2019s weight. She smiled when she saw Samantha and Michelle with their arms around each other\u2019s waist.<\/p>\n \u201cWriting?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cSort of,\u201d Helena said, setting the pencil aside, \u201ckicking around an idea for a new story.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s it about?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTwo girls lost in the woods who fall in love,\u201d Helena said.<\/p>\n \u201cAh,\u201d Michelle said, laughing, \u201cus, then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI won\u2019t lie,\u201d Helena said, her smile widening, \u201cyou two have inspired the romantic in me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d say you are already pretty \u2018romantic\u2019,\u201d Michelle said, thinking about the dozens of hardback novels on the bookshelf in the cabin that had Helena\u2019s name on the spine. She had pulled one off the shelf to look at the cover, and she had had to smile. It looked like a book her mother- a romance novel junkie- would read, with the fiery redhead in the arms of a shirtless fellow in front of a rustic cabin. If the cover had been any indication of the story contents, the tale would undoubtedly raise the heart rate of the reader.<\/p>\n Laughing, Helena said, \u201cI take it you looked at my bookshelf.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt probably won\u2019t be as\u2026 um, graphic as my other novels,\u201d Helena said, then couldn\u2019t resist, \u201calthough considering how you two get on…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDamn hormones,\u201d Michelle said, making Helena laugh.<\/p>\n Continue to Part Thirteen<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWake up, sleepy head.\u201d Michelle opened her eyes, looking around the cabin. For a moment, she was disoriented, didn\u2019t know where she was. Then she remembered running into Helena in the woods and following her back here. Yawning, she saw … Continue reading