Appalachian Trail

Even though her goddess, April, had submitted to June, June still had hopes that April would take control some day. Until that time, she would try to be a good mistress for her pets and make her goddess proud. She was mulling over how to have April take control without her knowing it when she heard a yelp from the bedroom followed by a loud thump. Running to the bedroom, June found April on the floor holding her ankle and whimpering in pain.

Rushing to her June pried her fingers away to look at the ankle. The deep bruises had come to the surface overnight and had turned her ankle black and blue. Also, as far as June could tell, April's ankle had swollen up more. "Let me get you back into bed love and call the doctor," she said as she started to lift April.

"Gotta pee," April said crying.

"Shhh, it will be ok," June, said hugging her for a moment. She helped April into the wheelchair and wheeled her into the bathroom. Helping her onto the toilet June smiled and said, "See, all better." Once April had finished, she wheeled her into the living room and put her on the couch. Rushing to the bedroom, she grabbed the blanket and room service menu before coming back.

April took the offered blanket and wrapped herself in it still crying silent tears. She watched as June ordered a large pot of coffee and something called the Shenandoah breakfasts before coming over to sit on the floor next to the couch. It was not right for her mistress to be on the floor while she sat above her she thought. "It's not right," she said as she swung her legs down off the couch to get up. She yelped in pain as her hurt foot hit the floor with a thump.

June pulled April's legs back up on the couch and sat on the edge, "Let me pamper you pet." She wiped away April's tears and kissed her tenderly. Standing she went to her pack, got her brush, and came back to brush April's hair slowly. She liked doing things for April, for that matter she needed to do for her goddess.

April closed her eyes and enjoyed June's touch. It was like a gift from an angel she thought. The brushing was interrupted by room service bringing up breakfast. At first, she was annoyed, but that quickly faded at the sight of pancakes topped with blueberries. They ate in silence savoring the meal for a time before she said, "It seems odd to not have instant coffee and oatmeal for two days in a row."

Finishing her plate, June nodded. "I was thinking the same thing, that and not having to do the dishes." She smiled and gathered up the plates and set them outside the door. She sat sipping a cup of coffee and smiled at April. Every day, her lover seemed even more beautiful.

April looked down at her ankle and taking a deep breath said, "You have to continue without me."

"What do you mean?"

She looked up at June, bit her lip, and continued, "My ankle is worse today. It would be better if you left me here and continued up the trail alone."

June looked at the offending ankle, feeling panic rise in her. "Alone?" She shook her head, "You staying here while I left is the same as you running away."

April's eyes got wide, she felt blind fear fill her mind and she lunged out to grab June. "Noooooo...." She wailed.

June felt the same panic filling her. Breathing deeply, she reached a decision, "No love. We will both stop here." "The trail is not going anywhere," She added as she calmed down. "Anyways, my pack is ruined." Standing up she added, "Let me get dressed and go see if I can find a way down to a town."

April sat thinking as June hurriedly got dressed. When June came back into the living room she said, "Mistress, come sit with me a minute."

June sat on the edge of the couch and stroked April's hair. "I am not leaving you love, just going down to the front desk to see about transportation."

"It's not that..." April paused and looked away, "Will you stay with us? We have a little place in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. Can we go there please?"

"Of course love, no matter how small and cramped it is, I will always stay with you." June smiled and kissed April.

After June had left, April tried to get up once more but the pain in her ankle caused her to crash to the floor. Rather then admit defeat, she dragged herself over to the phone and made a call. By the time June made it back up to the suite, she was back on the couch. "Well?" she asked as June came into the room.

"I made a deal, one of the rangers will drive us down to Luray on the condition that you go have your ankle looked at." When April started to protest, June put her foot down, "No, you and I are going down to the hospital. While they are checking you out I will go rent a car."

Quivering her lip April said, "You said you would never leave me..."

June had not wanted to leave April ether; she had only hopped to save some time. "Ok, I will stay with you and we will then go see about getting a car together." By the time she had April dressed and packed everything up, the ranger had arrived to drive them down to the hospital. To her delight it was the same woman from the day before.

They rode in silence, the only sounds coming from the truck's radio. It was not until the ranger stopped in front of the emergency room that she rested her hand on April's leg and said, "You are very lucky, she," she nodded in June's direction as she hurried into the hospital. "Loves you very much."

April looked at June's retreating back before looking at the ranger, "I know and I try to be worthy of her love."

What the ranger said next caught April off guard. "Does she know?"

April who had been looking towards the entrance spun around, "Know what?"

"Who you really are," The ranger replied with a smile. Patting April's leg she added, "Don't worry, I won't say anything. I just wanted you to know I recognized you when I saw you on the trail."

April looked down at the hand on her leg and rested her own over the ranger's hand. Looking up at her she said, "Thank you for that." She looked down and added quietly, "No, she doesn't know, I don't know how to tell her."

"Honey, if she loves you, and you her, then it will not matter." The ranger said. She added a moment later as June came hurrying out with a nurse and wheelchair in tow, "Just tell her, she will understand."

As June and the nurse helped her out of the truck and into the wheelchair, April nodded. "Thank you...for everything."

June watched as April was wheeled into the emergency room and went to grab their packs. The ranger helped her carry them in and did not leave them. Instead, she stood with her hands on her hips looking at June a long moment before speaking, "If you need anything, a shoulder to cry on, anything at all, call me." She dug into her pocket and came out with a card. Taking her pen, she wrote a number on the back and handed the card to June. "That's my cell number just in case. If nothing else let me know how it all works out please." She hugged June and hurried away before June could speak.

June watched the ranger drive away. She knew rangers were friendly but had no idea they really cared. Turning she went to go join April however the staff had other ideas and made her wait in the waiting room. Four cups of coffee later April was wheeled out, on her lower leg was a soft cast. "Oh my god," June said hurrying over and crouching down next to April.

She gestured at it and said, "Just a bad sprain." When June started to stand back up, she grabbed her arm and pulled her back down. "Forgive me mistress," she said softly. "But I asked the staff to see about a cab for us."

June smiled and stroked April's hair, "Good thinking." She stood and looked around at the few people who were watching the couple. She wanted to say something about their stares; however, she kept her mouth shut. This was not the time or place for that. When a taxi pulled up out front, she wheeled April out and deposited her and a pair crutches into the back seat. With the cabby's help, she placed the packs in the trunk before getting in next to her pet.

Before she could give a destination, April said, "your local airport please." June looked at April in confusion but before she could speak, April looked at her and added, "Trust me."

Nodding June said, "I do." She sat quietly as the cabby drove them to a small airport. It was filled with private planes and did not have a terminal to speak of. Sitting off to one side was a large turboprop plane with its door open and a man standing beside it. She watched in shock as April directed the cabby to drive over to the plane and stop.

"Just a bit longer love please, "April said looking at June worriedly as the man walked over and opened the door. "Been waiting long?" she asked as he helped her and June out of the cab.

"We arrived twenty two minutes ago," He said in reply.

April looked at June and said, "Better to fly then spend all day in a crappy rental." With June following silently, April hobbled over to the plane and up the steps.

Once they were settled inside with their packs, the plane took off. June did not know what to make of everything. Renting a plane had to be expensive, however, renting a car one way a couple hundred miles to Harper's Ferry would cost almost as much. Before June realized it, April was off her seat and next to hers on the floor.

Looking up at June, April said, "Mistress, we have a confession to make." She rested her head against June's leg and clung to them as if her life depended on it. "Please don't hate us," she said sobbing.

June looked down at April, "Oh baby, no matter what, I could never hate you."

"We, May and I are rich," April said not looking up at June.

"So?" June asked confused. She had already figured that out when she saw the platinum card. "I knew that love."

"There's more... but this not the place to tell you." April continued as if June had not spoken. She looked up and said, "All I beg is that you trust me a bit longer love."

June looked down at April's puffy eyes, "I trust you with my life. No matter what, you are stuck with me forever." She held April's head in her hands and added, "Or did you not mean what you said last night?"

"We did, and we do!" April answered shocked.

"Good girl," June replied and pulled April up to sit in her lap. They spent the remaining short flight cuddling together.

It was not until they landed that June got inkling how much money April and May had. The pilot came back and opened the door of the plane to reveal a limo waiting for them. After helping the driver load the packs into the trunk of the limo he turned to April and asked, "Will you be needing us anymore Miss April?"

"No John, you can head back to New York." April replied hugging him. "And thanks for coming down on such short notice."

The pilot smiled, "My pleasure." He nodded to June and got back into the airplane.

June sat in the limo stunned; it was not a rented plane after all she realized. After that shock, she expected the limo to take them to a huge mansion and was even more surprised when it drove into the historic district and stopped in front of a small two story stone house. Standing next to the front door, she watched as the driver deposited the packs, and took something from April.

April leaned on her crutches and looked at June. Her mistress stood with her arms crossed not speaking and that worried her. She unlocked the door and hobbled inside not speaking.

June grabbed her pack and followed April inside. Setting it down on the hardwood floor she went back out to get April's before returning. As she was entering, she saw a plaque by the door. "Jenson House, 1787" Closing the front door she set the pack down and looked at April, her goddess was biting her lip and looking more lost and scared then June had ever seen. Trying to lighten the mood she said, "When are the tours?"

April's shell cracked and the tears she had been holding back burst forth. She slid down the crutches until she sat on the floor, her face a mask of sorrow, "We're sorry Mistress." She looked up at June and said, "There is more you need to know about us, no one knows about May's death." She sighed and added, "No one other then my lawyer and Aunt Susan who both helped April set it up that way. As far as anyone else is concerned or care, we are both alive and well." Soft tears started to flow down her cheeks as she paused.

When June moved to speak, April shook her head and said, "There is one more thing, we instructed our lawyer for you to be named our Mistress and owner. While he did not understand why, he will make sure you are given control of our accounts and properties. If you need to leave us, we under..." Her words failed her as she covered her face and cried.

June watched in horror as her levity backfired, she saw her goddess fall to the floor and listened to her. Rushing to her June gathered April in her arms, "Don't cry baby, I'm here...it will be ok." It took only a moment for April's arms to encircle her and hold her as tightly as she held her. "April look at me," she commanded. When April's head rose June continued, "Both of you, stop this right now and get it through your heads that I will never leave you no matter what foolishness you try to pull. I don't want your money; I want you both." As April smiled June said, "Now then, I want you to get up, and give me a tour of our new home."

April smiled knowing no matter what, everything would work out. "As you wish mistress," With June's help she showed her mistress the house. They ended in the larger of two bedrooms. "This will be your bedroom Mistress; I will move into the other one."

June shook her head, "No pet, this will be our bedroom, the other we will turn into a home gym. We still have the AT to hike."

It was a cold march morning a year later when the two women stood hand in hand at the top of Springer Mountain in Georgia. They looked down at the journal entry that one had just finished. "April, May, and June were here. See you in Maine!"