Classification: TRHA

Rating: PG-13. A little bit of implied sex at the end; mention of rape.

Summary: A weird visit with a very weird and wondrous lady.

Spoilers: None.

Disclaimer: Not yours, not ours, but give us time. And we are patient. Apology is policy. Property of 1013 Productions and Fox Television.
 

"Master and Slave, in equal parts split down the middle
Drinking doubles at the bar
Master and Slave, you got two for the price of one...

"Master and Slave" by the Cherry Poppin' Daddies. Copyright 1997 and used without permission.
 

La'ah
 

January 31, 2000
 

Benny had truly cooked up an artery-clogging marvel that was divinely delicious. I could make fried chicken, but not like Benny could. And what I called mashed potatoes were a pale imitation next to his.

"Hey, this is the good stuff. Good old country cooking." He had joined us; business was slow. And apparently there was a light dusting of snow on the road. We probably needed to watch how many beers we downed.

"This was delicious." I felt safe, satiated, calm. For a change.

"So what's this about you finally hanging it up and getting hitched, Langly?"

"Well, I found a willing victim." Once again I had beer in my mouth, but this time, I caught myself.

"When's it at?"

"May 15. In Baltimore," I announced.

"Baltimore? Why the fuck you having it in Baltimore?"

"Because our wedding consultants see fit to invite in excess of 600 people. I hope they can find a caterer."

"You oughta talk to my mama. She's done lotta catering. Big stuff, little stuff, corporate stuff, ambassadors, all that shit. But nothing so good as this." He pointed at the empty plates. "She still does a little here and there during the slow times. Rest of the time, she's too busy catering to yuppie assholes at her B & B." He finished off the Bud in front of him. "So what brings you folks out here in the dead of winter?"

"Needed to get away for a while," I explained.

Langly's face turned serious. "You remember Byers, don't you, Benny?"

"The suit that came in with you and the old guy, what's his name?"

"Frohike."

"Yeah. Weird old guy. But tips good. So what's about old Byers?"

"Hey, don't say that, he's four months younger than me," Langly whined. "Seriously, Byers is in bad shape. Real bad shape."

"What happened?"

"He's got some bizarro virus that's really taken him out. We almost lost him today."" Langly'' eyes were downcast.

"Shit. So what're you guys doing out here?"

"We got thrown out," I said simply.

"Well, you were with him, that explains everything." He jerked a thumb at Langly.

"He's quarantined. We can't see him."

"Well, no wonder you guys look like shit."

"Thank you, Benny, I needed that," I said sharply, sipping my beer.

"I just mean, you guys look like you need a break."

"We went out to the Bay this afternoon," Langly said.

"And froze your fucking asses off, I bet."

"Well, I tried my best to keep his warm." I leered at the blonde man across the table whom I ordinarily recognize as my fiance. Right now, he looked as though he was a million miles away.

"Tell you what. I'm closing up soon, seeing as it's really coming down out there. I gotta make a call first. Be right back."

"We need to check on Byers," Langly reminded me.

"Your turn." I handed him the cell from my purse. He keyed in the numbers, then programmed it in on the speed dial. I hoped we wouldn't be needing that number much longer.

Apparently Gizzie was on shift now; I heard her clear, ringing voice across the table.

"So you decided to get a life. I'm shocked," I could hear her say.

"We just wanna know how our boy is," Langly told her.

"Your boy? He woke up for five minutes. Set a new land speed record. He's out of it now again, but not as deep. Temp is 103.8. All other vitals still weak but gaining. We''e upgraded him from extremely critical to critical. Any other questions?"

"Nah, we'll take it where we can get it. Bye, Gizzie."

"Hey, don't everybody thank me at once," I heard her say. Then I heard a shout. She must have been bashing one of the residents. "Goddammit, don't do it like that." She came back on. "Gotta go. Just 'cause they're residents, they think they know everything." She clicked off.

Benny strolled back in. "Just talked to my mama. She's waiting for you at her place."

Langly eyed him quizzically.

"Yeah, she's waiting for you. Said she knew she was having company tonight when I picked up the phone. It's her slow time, so you won't have no problems getting your pick of rooms. And she takes Visa and MasterCard." Benny had a large, prominently displayed sign that said: "In God we trust-all others pay cash." The other sign, displayed underneath, in equally large print, read: "Please check all weapons at the door."

"You think that's a good idea?" Langly asked me.

"'Course it's a good idea. It's coming down like a sonofabitch. She's only five miles up the road. 'Less you think going back to Virginia in this shit's a better idea." We'd told him all about our new house, the offices, and moving in.

"Look, Mrs. Scully said she'd stay as long as we needed her to. I could really use a night of nonreality, babe."

Langly thought about this one. "You said she takes credit cards?"
 

We finished off our last beers and prepared to leave.

"Benny, we need our check," I called to him as he put things away behind the bar.

"Get the fuck out of here already," he yelled. "Don't you know closing time when you see it?"
 

Stepping outside was like being inside one of those paperweights after it's been turned upside down. A lovely, clear day had given way to swirling snow and cutting wind. There was already a thick blanket of it on the car.

"Where's the scraper?" Langly asked, fishing through the back seat.

"What scraper?"

"The one you use to get rid of ice and snow on your car!"

"Fuck. Didn't buy one."

"Ally, honey, it snows here. Get the net." He used his sleeve to brush the snow away, and I joined him. Thick, wet, heavy flakes slapped us.

Benny had given us directions-she was actually 4.7 miles up the same road that the bar was located on. The road was dark and very slick, and navigating it was tricky. I was perfectly content in this situation to let Langly deal with piloting the Neon. We finally spotted what looked like a very large, very old house with several porch lights burning.

"Guess we don't have to deal with any bags," Langly said, turning off the car's engine.

"Wrong again. I had no idea how long we'd be at the hospital, or anywhere. I packed us a change."

This struck him as very amusing. "Ah, she thinks ahead. Now if we could only get her to remember to get something to scrape her car with!"

I grabbed the duffel from the trunk, and Langly took it from me. We were greeted by a very tall, very weathered old woman on the front porch.

"Hurry up and get inside. You'll freeze yourself half to death out here," she called. The speech was soft, Appalachian in character. She let us in, and we were amazed by what we saw.

The place could not have been more different from Benny's tavern. The carpets were thick, and there were throw rugs placed over them. The place was packed floor to ceiling with antiques-quality stuff, from the looks of it, at least if I'd learned anything from shopping with my mother. The furniture looked expensive and comfortable. And the wood burning fireplace
was real, and greeted us warmly.

"I'm Imogene, but everybody calls me Genie. You're Benny's friends. Ally and Langly, I think he told me." I found myself soothed and intoxicated by her voice.

"That would be us," Langly confirmed.

"Well, come in, take a load off. Don't get much business this time of year, so it's real quiet here. You folks looking like you could use some quiet."

"We could. Definitely," I assured her.

"Care for a beer? Normally, I keep all kinds of brews from all those micro-breweries that people ask for, but when it's just me, it's Bud."

"We've been drinking it all afternoon. Might as well stay consistent," Langly shrugged.

"That'd be nice, thank you."

"Wow, Ally, you might become a real American after all," Langly chuckled. He turned to Genie. "Ally's from California, likes Mexican beer."

"They all taste the same to me." Genie waved her hand. "Listen, I normally don't do this when I got guests in the house, but you mind if I smoke? I don't feel much like taking it outside tonight."

"Only if I can smoke as well," I laughed. Genie smiled and handed me a crystal ashtray. The real thing, from what I could tell.

"Real few of us left. Gotta stand up for our rights." She sat down, and beckoned us to curl up on her very comfortable sofa. The lights in the room were soft and dim, and the firelight created a totally intoxicating effect. Coupled with this woman's voice, I'd be lucky to stay awake another hour.

The room, and Genie, seemed to have the same effect on Langly. He curled up on the sofa like a small child snuggling up with a favorite teddy bear, only in this case, I was the bear. I happily placed my head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. A feast for the senses.

"So you've been havin' some troubles," she said gently, sipping her Bud longneck and smoking an unfiltered Camel.

"Benny filled you in, I gather," I said.

"Benny don't need to tell me nothing. I can just tell. It's in your faces." God, how many people had told us that today. It was getting redundant.

"Your friend. You're worried about him."

"You heard about Byers, then," Langly said.

"Didn't hear nothing. Just knew." She half-closed her eyes. "He's real sick. You're worryin' he's gonna die." This jarred me out of my reverie. "He's worryin' about you, too. He can't say nothing to nobody, but he's thinkin' 'bout you both. He's thinkin' he's gotta get better 'cause he's gotta be there on your weddin' day. And there's a lady he's thinkin' 'bout. Two of 'em, actually." This was really getting spooky, but she had us transfixed.

"If you know all this stuff, tell us if he's gonna make it," Langly challenged.

She shook her head. "Can't tell yet. You." She turned her eyes to Langly. "Cancer. Gemini moon. Scorpio rising. July, not June. Born here in Maryland. Family tragedy. Lost your daddy early. Mama didn't want you. Everybody left you."

"O-kay." Langly was still skeptical, but definitely spooked, and not about to stop listening.

"You got a big sister out there who's needing you." That made him jump. "You got two kids at home. One of 'em's in real trouble. Other one, she's fine. And you know why? 'Cause she's got the sight."

"The sight." I was puzzled.

"She sees things. She knows. She always knows. It's like me when I was a girl. We was dirt poor, but the good Lord gave me two gifts. One, I could cook. And the other was the sight. Your little girl's got it, y'know."

"How old is my daughter?" I asked, still not quite believing all I was hearing.

"She's - must be 14 or so by now. Purty girl, I bet. Dark, like her daddy." I almost keeled over. "Didn't get her mama's red hair, but purty all the same." She bored into me with her gaze. "Leo. Virgo moon. Scorpio rising, too. That's your bond with each other. August, not July. Lotsa brothers. Your daddy died too young, and you're daddy's girl. Your mama, she loves you but you're not close."

"Uh-yeah." I nodded to her to go on. Not that she needed encouragement; she was probably going to keep talking regardless. And it almost didn't matter what she said; the sound of her voice was lulling, hypnotic.

"You been alone all your life." She looked at Langly with those half-closed eyes. "Well, most all your life. You stopped bein' so alone 'bout ten, 'leven years ago, but you was still alone till you knew that you was in love with this here girl. Can't say as I blame you. She's a purty one."

"I think that's obvious." Langly made the statement with some skepticism, but you could tell she had him hooked.

"You're happy now in your life," she went on. "Well, mostly happy. You got lotsa questions you can't answer. 'Bout the early times. You don't know why your mama didn't want you, did you?"

"Never could get a grip on that one," he responded offhandedly, but the expression in his eyes belied the tone of voice. "I couldn't have been THAT ugly."

"Well, you know, your mama, she and your daddy, they wasn't getting' along for a real long time. Your mama, she wanted out. But your daddy, he wasn't willin' to give it up. So they was trying. Finally, your mama decided she was goin' anyway, come hell or high water. But...let's just say that you didn't come outta a union that would exac'ly be called consensual." The word "consensual" came out as "consent-yall."

"Now, your daddy, he wasn't no violent man, no. But your mama threatened him with somethin'...and your daddy got real scared. And he had his way with her. And sure enough, nine months later, out pops you.

"Your daddy, he wasn't violent or nothing. But he did some deeds he's gonna have to account for. And your mama knew those deeds."

"What sorta things?" Langly's voice had an angry pitch to it.

"Things he shouldn't a been doin'. And he knew he shouldn't be doin' em. And he was scared. Scared all the time. Mostly scared a bein' alone. You're like him that way. I don't know what he was doin' exactly. You gotta learn that yourself. But he had a terrible, terrible life. Everybody thinks he killed himself. You don't."

"No, I don't." He calmed a bit.

"You gotta find out what happened to him."

"He's been dead a long time."

"You gotta find out what really happened," Genie insisted. "It's real important that you do. And not just for you."

"Why's it so important?"

"Because of what he did."

Langly was pale and silent. I don't think this was what he had in mind as an evening of nonreality.

"Your mama and daddy," she turned her eyes on me, "so much money. But so much blood and tears all over that money. And not even the way your daddy wanted it to be. But he's your grampa's son, and he had to. That's your tragedy.

"Your husband, your first one. He learned things. And he got killed for it. He wasn't s'posed to be, but he did. He was protectin' you. That's why he told you nothin'."

I was trembling.

"Now, you wonder why I tell you all this."

"Uh-yeah, actually, we do. Unless it's to just torture us," Langly retorted.

"No. I don't tell nobody nothin' just to cause 'em pain. I tell 'em things so they can see. I tell 'em things so they can get their lives right. Do what they need to find some peace. We all got devils, all of us. That's why folks come here. I'm just like a thousand other places up and down the road, but folks, they come here so they can see. And I got doctors and lawyers and businessmen and all kinds a people, they come here so they can get their lives right. And the thing of it is, I don't do nothin'. I ain't nothin' but the mirror."

"Okay. Assuming what you said was true," Langly challenged her, "what sort of advice would you give us?"

"I don't give no advice, 'cause advice is cheap. I'm warnin' you though: brothers and sisters. You gotta pay attention." She closed her eyes. "I don't worry about you two. You're strong. And put together, you're mighty powerful, more'n you'd ever be if you wasn't. That's why you got so many folks lookin' to you. And why you got so many people comin' to your weddin.' Y'know, I cooked for lotsa parties that big before."

"This is a really monstrous affair," I warned.

"Ah, I done bigger'n that."

"How about if we have our wedding planners get in touch with you?" I asked. "I have to warn you, though, it's in May, and I imagine you're busy in May."

"Who says I can't just take no reservations that weekend? I mean, I am the proprietress of this here establishment, and I do as I please." She lit another unfiltered Camel. Her eyes took on their half-closed gaze again. "You're gonna have a happy day, and I'll be mighty offended if you don't let me do the cookin'."

"Okay, you can make chicken like Benny's, you're on," Langly told her.

"Benny? I mean, that boy can cook, for sure, but you only think his is tasty 'cause you ain't had mine yet." She laughed. "Taught him everything he knows."

"So he says."

"Y'know, you ain't never gonna have no problems. It's just not your way. But I don't worry none about you two. You got that bond. And both of you is just plain stubborn, too." She laughed again, and we did, too. "Stubborn ain't a bad thing, doesn't have to be. If I wasn't stubborn, I'd a never got what I did in this here life."

She closed her eyes again and was silent. I thought she might have fallen asleep. We sat in the dwindling firelight, curled against one another. And feeling strangely peaceful. The earlier alarm that had crossed Langly's features had given way to a strange calm.

As we rose, she said softly, "Take the first door on the left. And don't worry none about your friend tonight."
 

The room was not extremely large, but it was beautifully appointed. Looking at the double-wedding ring patterned quilt on the bed, I was guessing it had been made by hand. The lighting was low, soothing. And the antique bed was the real thing. Genie had done well for herself.

One great aspect of Genie's was that every room had its own bath. Many B & B's I'd gone to on the West Coast had communal bathrooms, an arrangement I found distasteful (my princess genes do surface periodically).

"She didn't spare any expense," I commented. "This stuff is all real. I think even my mother would approve."

Langly stretched his long figure out on the bed. His feet slapped the footboard. There are advantages to being a short person.

"I've had a lot of weird nights...and this has to be one of the weirdest," he mused, looking at the ceiling.

"It has been...strange," I agreed, sitting on the bed next to him.

"She is one spooky lady."

"She's cool, though. I like her." I couldn't explain why I was comfortable with Genie. I just was.

"Think she's a spy?" He grinned at me.

"I don't know what she is. But there's something about her...and this house...I feel calm here."

"She's got a way of drawing you in, that's for sure." He reached an arm around my back. I removed his glasses from his face and set my own next to his. Two naked, nearsighted sets of blue eyes bored into one another's. I bent down and kissed him on the mouth, lips barely touching, just softness. He reached up with his other hand and put it around my neck. We kissed again, this time a little harder, but still tenderly.

"Mmm. Ally?"

"Uh-huh?"

"You still bleeding?" We hadn't made love since I'd miscarried; we had been told to refrain while I still had bleeding.

"No."

"You want to?"

"Yeah. I do. We've just gotta be really careful, babe. I'm still kind of tender."

"However you wanna do it. I just really need this right now, Ally."

"Me, too." And we melted into each other until we could no longer tell where one ended and the other began.

END OF PART 59