Ninovan (Hypernaturals 10)

Love Struck Baby

People are gathering in the community hall.

Jessica, Morgan, and I have been cooking up a storm, their unbound, recently cleaned, and brushed hair capes flowing behind them. A side effect of the woods trip and Morgan and Jessica's new intimacy is that now as we swirl and spin and cook, when we pass each other, there is no difference in how we pause to kiss and caress each other. Morgan will grab Jessica's butt for a squeeze, the same as mine. We are all equally handsy. If there is any difference at all, it is only when Jessica wraps Morgan in her arms, and opens her mouth to her wife's and they stop for a deep kiss. I get those too, but not like that. Jessica has always loved Morgan. She proposed to her first. Now I can see a change. She is in love with Morgan. 

While it is not exactly the same thing, it parallels Vera and Angel. Angel and Morgan the solid bedrock types. Vera and Jessica, the wild at heart that need to be tamed. It falls apart there because while Angel is exerting her possession of Vera,  with the freedom to do as she pleases, as long as she comes home. For Jessica, she has spent decades being the solid center of the family, the Doctor, the accomplished fighter. She has been making up for her youth withs its human pain and Vampire wildness with accomplishment after accomplishment. Focusing her passion on things like her clinic and her family. This event sort of came out of the blue. A throwback. Temporary insanity.

In the 'I am yours and you are mine' derby of love, Jessica is showing Morgan she has accepted her ownership with enthusiasm.

Every now and then, Morgan gives me a secret smile. I read it as a lot of things. Happiness that she herself was able to get past her reluctance to be with Jessica when the need arose. At the same time a declaration to me that our love for each other is being amplified, not diminished.

All this affection while cooking is a warm-up for later tonight. Round two of healing Jessica. As good as this is, we have work to do. We all have mental and physical memories that need to be exorcised.

For this many people, we have some serious logistical challenges. We made huge trays of Nachos and massive trays of enchiladas. Huge roasters of Chicken and Beef Fajitas. When I cook for a large crowd, it's always Mexican food. I figure anyone can make massive pots of overcooked spaghetti or bland Chili. One of the cool things about Mexican is that you can lay out all the trimmings in huge bowls, and people can plop on the sour cream and guacamole and chili con queso and salsas and Pico, and on and on, to their hearts' content. They tell you it's great, but they made it to their taste. They pile it on a flour or corn tortilla, and it's their invention that we get credit for.

I had no idea how many people lived in Ninovan until I saw the community center jammed to overflowing. There are well over one hundred and fifty people, and I am concerned we had not bought or made enough food. We loaded up the truck at the nearest grocery and liquor stores and thought we bought enough, but this is a crowd.

The bar we set up is self serve. Family style, like at our house, scaled up to Ninovan community size. There are trash cans full of ice and bottles of beer and box wine. People that poo-poo boxed wine are usually saying that because they think they have to. Hard liquor is set up with ice and tumblers. To go with the theme of the food we have two blenders spinning up Margaritas non-stop, with a rotating crew of bartenders.

When Simi was taking a turn, she pointed out two faces in the crowd. "Those are my two with Alexander. Zoe and Abigail. We call her Abby. Zoe is about forty now. Abby is 31. They both slow-turned. Zoe at 24, and Abby at 26.

The two young women look like the physical blend I would expect of the good-looking shit and Simi. Beautifully dark skin. Hair pushed back by headbands but forming a corona of curls about their heads. Zoe has striking hazel eyes. Abby the brown of her mother. Each has their mother's generous figure, and move with grace. Their bone structure, influenced by the sperm donor, showed that influence, with Zoe being slightly rounder faced. There is no doubt looking at them they are sisters. There is no doubt looking at the room that they are popular with the people. In an unkind thought, I felt a secret joy knowing those are two women Alexander can't have. There are many others, but knowing Alexander's tastes as I, unfortunately, do now, Zoe in particular would drive him to distraction.