A Little Night Music Ch. 21

"I did The Thing and made you into a sleepy kitten, then made you forget all about me. And then I called you a 'wounded bird,' and don't think I'm not aware of the hypocrisy there. So, what reason would you have NOT to think I'm like that every day to everyone?"

"Exactly," Susan replied. "You know, most of the time, when someone interrupts me, it's really annoying, but with you, it honestly seems like you're just helping me complete the thought. Not in the way we can. I recognize the difference."

A warm smile appeared on Helen's face. One that she hoped didn't look too much like a knowing one.

"I think that's one of the things I've enjoyed most about talking to you, Susan. Most people tell La Contessa what they think she wants to hear. Ramirez and a few select others tell me what I need to hear; you're the only one who tells me what I ought to hear."

"Well, thanks. And yes, your actions since HAVE shown that you're really striving for the better, Helen. There isn't a lot we can do about that past." Susan picked up the teapot, felt that it had gone cold, and put it back down. "Unless your Ministry of Science has developed time travel..."

Helen laughed at that.

"If I had a TARDIS, don't you think THAT'S where we'd be having this talk?"

"It would be a huge point in your favor. That makes me think of the wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey nature of things, though. I don't remember our first meeting; so, by forgiving you, that means I'm saying that it never happened. And the woman that I've heard so much about on my way here? The one I've talked to online a few times? She sounds like someone worth getting to know. And I think I'd like to do that."

Susan stood up, walked over to Helen, and extended her hand.

"Hi. My name's Susan Bailey."

Helen took her hand.

"Helen Parker, it's nice to finally meet you, Susan."

* * *

The rest of the week passed quickly. All of them, including La Contessa, came to Stavros' family dinner that evening. They told her she'd always been welcome, and not just because by law, Helen was allowed everywhere in San Finzione. She gave Troy, Julie, and Susan the Royal Tour, when she didn't have to rest; and let all of them take pictures of themselves on the Throne. By their last day in San Finzione, Dr. Tenente Maisson had cleared Helena to stand and walk for a couple of minutes every few hours; however, sexual activity was still too risky for another week, at least. And so, they spent most of their evenings catching Susan up on old stories and showing each other new things they'd been doing with The Thing They Do.

"Two weeks of pent-up Helena, in need of unleashing," Julie said as they stood on the red carpet leading up the stairs to the Air Finzione SST home; giving her first girlfriend a passionate kiss and goodbye hug. Behind them, baggage handlers loaded their luggage and some large crates into the plane. "And now, with the flight time just a bit less than the round trip drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks..." She turned to her husband. "Troy, hon, we got anything happening next weekend?"

Troy's response was to say nothing, but take out his phone and start checking their calendar. The other three laughed at him. Julie made her way up the ramp.

"If it helps, you all DO have free Contessa Class tickets for life on any Air Finzione flight," Helen responded, turning to Susan. "Oh, don't give me that look," she said jokingly. "I'm a Contessa. Grand, magnanimous gestures are part of my job description. My friends get stuff. Not because I want them to like me, but because I like them and I can. You'll adjust."

Susan walked up to Helen and smiled.

"As long as you didn't sneak any sports cars on board..."

"Oh no," Helen replied. "Just Vespas."

Susan raised an eyebrow, Helen grinned at it.

"I've been advised against thinking you're joking about lavish gifts, Helen."

"You call Vespas lavish?" Susan remained silent. "I thought it'd be fun," Helen said, cocking her head with somewhat less pain now and a broad smile. "You guys got to watch me putt around in that thing for the past few days." She gestured to the wheelchair. "I figured next time I see you, we can all putt around together."

"Well," Susan said with a sigh. "At least we don't have to expand the garage again." She smiled, shook hands with Helen, they gave each other cheek kisses.

"Don't die." They whispered simultaneously and smiled before Susan boarded the plane.

Troy stood before Helen last.

"Julie's portrait is great." Helen told him. "And I gave my word."

Jeanne approached with a plastic garment bag. Inside was Propappou's smoking jacket, the scent sealed in by the bag. Troy thought for a moment before speaking.

"You know, we probably won't be able to make it back next week. However, we're going to come for our Anniversary, and we'll be back a month after to help with the Festival of Cupid. Maybe you can hold onto it until the anniversary trip, at least. But THEN, I'm gonna want to take it home."

Helen wrapped her good arm around him and met his lips. First like a friend, then like a lover, and then, like a relative; because, even moreso than Julie, Troy was all three to her. She nodded at Jeanne, who spun around and returned the bag to the limousine.

"If there's enough Medina DNA on that thing to clone, I'm putting my science people on it. Fair warning."

"S'ayapo, Petalouda Emay," Troy whispered to her with one more hug before boarding, himself.

Once all three were out of sight, Colleen peeked out from in front of the stair car and looked at Helena. She smiled and nodded, and Colleen got out of the truck, grabbed an overnight bag, and boarded the plane, wearing her old stewardess uniform. She ran up the stairs after them and closed the door.

Helena got back into the chair and wheeled over to the limousine while the engines powered up. Jeanne and Scappa helped her in, then went to load the chair into the vehicle's trunk. When they shut the doors, she looked across the back seat of the limo, to Generalissimo Ramirez.

"And what now, Contessa." He asked, then waited for her response.

Helena watched as their plane made it to the runway, sped up, and lifted off the ground, climbing higher as it sent the people she loved back home. She then lit a cigarette and turned to Ramirez.

"Now," she said. "We get to work on this shit."