Love, Lust 'n Geology (1ST DRAFT)

Chapter 48: What I am!

This chapter is dedicated to LilyyyR. Though I haven't heard from her recently, I am extremely grateful to her for the encouragement & support she gave me over the 1st 40 or so chapters of this book :-)! Thank u so much, Lily! I really appreciate it :-)!

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Chapter 48: What I am!

Tom came to a halt in front of the deck on his (and Peter's) journey round the yard, and inquired with an engaging grin, "Wanna join us?" Samina smiled, and shook her head.

"You awright?" he asked. She nodded.

"Enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah!" she promptly replied, raising her now empty glass by way of evidence.

"A shot?" Tom exclaimed. "Of what?"

"B-52!"

"Oh! Like it?"

"Yeah!" she nodded. "Have you tried it?"

"Uh-huh."

"Like it?"

Tom screwed up his nose and shook his head. "Nah! Too sweet for me!"

That was a fundamental difference between her and Tom – umm, there was that other one, too? For Samina, no such dividing line existed between 'sweet' and 'too sweet', only one between 'sweet' and 'not sweet enough'!

At that moment, they heard, "Lunch! Lunch everyone!" It was Jan. "Lunch is ready!" They looked over to see Jan hurrying towards them.

"I'll take Peter now," she said, smilingly, to Tom. "C'mon, baby, come down! Let's have lunch," she coaxed, holding up her hands.

Peter's response was to tighten his grip on Tom's neck and shake his head. "Hawsey!"

"Peter, Tom's played horsey with you long enough! He's hungry! He has to eat!"

"Nooooo! Hawsey!" Peter moaned.

"Oh, don't be silly, Peter! Come here!" she cried, attempting to loosen Peter's grip, which, of course, only caused Peter to cling harder.

"Peter?" Tom muttered, coolly.

"Yeah, Thom?"

"Your Mom's right, buddy. Your horse is hungry. Do you know what happens to a horse when he gets hungry, and you don't look after him and feed him?"

"Naw."

"He feels weak. You know what happens when he feels weak?"

"Naw."

"He falls down. You know what happens when he falls down?"

"Naw."

"You fall down, too, buddy! You don't wanna fall down, do you?"

"Naw."

"Okay, better come down, then," Tom said, winking at Jan, who giggled. Tom reached up, lifted Peter off his shoulders and placed him on the ground. Jan immediately clasped Peter's hand; he, just as quickly, pulled it free and took Tom's, instead.

"Now what, Peter? Tom has to eat, baby! Let him go!"

"Feed Thom!"

Stifling a giggle, she asked, "You're going to feed Tom?" Peter nodded solemnly. All three of them laughed.

Leaning down, Tom said, "You know, Peter, you're right! You do need to feed most horses. But you have a really smart horse. He knows how to feed himself!"