Vision Ch. 06

"Maybe you should take a few days to rest bébé?"

Nodding in agreement, she immediately steps off to the side and calls Eddie who seems to question her at length. I can hear the irritation seeping into her voice.

"It's normal, not heavy, there's no clotting so far. Yes, yes, No! Hell No! He doesn't need to know all that. Fine. Dax phone for you."

"Eddie wants to talk to me?"

"Yes." She looks exasperated and pissed off as she hands me the phone.

"Yeah, hey?"

"She's your responsibility, yeah?"

"Yes, she is."

"OK good. This is her first period since the incident and I want you to watch her carefully for the next 24 to 48 hours. Let me know if the bleeding becomes heavy, ask her if she's clotting hard. You're to question her carefully and watch her to make sure she's not making light of a more serious situation.

Pain freaks her out, so more than likely she'll tell you if there's anything beyond cramping. Enough time's passed, but really you two should really have waited until examined her and I told her as much last time we talked. I'm guessing she got itchy and jumped you without telling you. Did you two use protection?"

"That's pretty much what happened and no ma'am we did not."

"Typical. I wouldn't be so concerned if it weren't for her medical history. A miscarriage, which is what that was by the way, is still a pregnancy of sorts and afterwards fertility can shoot up. It's been a month and it sounds like her hormones have regulated. But you could have easily gotten her pregnant again."

"Shit!"

"Exactly. So you understand enough to take her health seriously even if she won't. Lecture over. For what it's worth I know how it is with Lou, she's hard-headed. She goes right ahead with no regard and does whatever she feels like doing. You've hung in longer than most, so good luck with that.

Now Paris has free healthcare but free is not necessarily best. Take down this name and number and call it immediately if there's a problem. Thanks for loving my friend. Be careful with her."

"Yes ma'am."

I hand the phone back to Lulu who's rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Are you happy now?"

I can hear Eddie's screeching across the room as Lou pulls the phone away from her ear.

"Thanks for your concern and yes we will and no we won't. Thank you and good night."

She takes a deep breath.

"I honestly cannot wait for this portion of my life to be OVER. It's been nothing but blood, and yeasts and sweats and cramps and hormones since I was 11 years old and that's if everything's working properly god forbid anything should be wrong."

"Eddie was pretty specific about what we can and can't do right now. I'm not even sure we should have been doing anything other than holding hands to hear her tell it. There was every chance I could have gotten you pregnant again. Why didn't you tell me? I don't like taking chances with your health like that. If I'd known I'd have stuck to my guns and said no until you were checked out properly. You need to start sharing these things Lou."

"Not you too! Look, I've been with my body going on 30 years, I think I have a pretty good handle on how I'm feeling and what I can or cannot withstand. I am not going to be told what to do and when to do it. Eddie tends to overreact. I've monitored myself and reported to her every time my body so much as squeaked for the last 6 weeks. So for fucks sake, enough already!"

"She's concerned Lou! And rightfully so! You don't have to be such a raving bitch about it!"

I've never cursed at her it shocks us both.

She gives me a long look. "There's a bar on the corner, I'm going down. I need a minute. Alone."

"Fine, try not to leave the country this time."

Without breaking stride she digs in her bag and flings her passport at me on her way out the door.

I hate fighting with her. But as skirmishes go that wasn't too bad. At least she left her passport. I unpack us and do some work and when I look up again 4 hours have passed and it's getting dark. Most likely she's at Match Bar. I know the manager and I call down and sure enough.

"Café-au-lait American lady?"

"Yes."

"She's watching basketball and chatting up a Canadian fellow. She yours?"

"She is."

"She's very . . . persuasive. We've been watching this basketball for a while now; she's even got the remote. Not bad looking, her French is good."

Antoine's understated and very carefully conveyed assessment means he himself is interested. Married 8 years but it's not stopped him from being a major poon-hound. Lulu is going to be the death of me.

I hot foot it down and sure enough there she is, at the bar. I hang back to just watch her for a few moments. About to tuck into what looks to be steak & fries or frites as it were.

Jacket off, napkin tucked into her tank, bare shoulders flexing beautifully as she balances on the stool and cuts into the steak, takes a bite and closes her eyes in appreciation.

"I like a woman who appreciates a good cut of meat." Says Antoine. Not subtle.

She gives him a hard look.

"What I'd like is more wine. Now chop chop."

Baby is not having any of it.

Fork in air she leans to her left to talk to what I presume is the Canadian. He says something that makes her really laugh. They're having a rather heated discussion. She's making little stabbing gestures at the television with her fork, looking annoyed but when he says something else that makes her laugh, she puts down the knife and fork, pointing at him with her finger.

That's enough. I walk over.

"Hey."

"Dax, there you are! Help me out, this Canadian here is talking smack about American basketball and football, American's in general and my steak is in danger of going cold, set him straight already.

I'll make concessions for our politicians, though I think we're even if you count that Toronto mess. But don't mess with the sports."

We shake hands and his face falls as she turns her face up to mine for a kiss. Public PDA is unlike her. She's clearly sending a message, and I am more than happy to help her send it.

"That steak tastes pretty good on you babe."

"I'll have Antoine make you one." She calls Antoine over and issues orders like a drill sergeant.

The Canadian and I talk sports, he's a good sort after all and soon I'm laughing as hard as Lulu. He and she talk about the American fascination with living beyond its means and how debt should be anathema but is not only recommended but celebrated.

We eventually move away from the bar to a quiet corner table. Speaking quickly and softly in French even Portuguese at some point before lapsing into English and French again she's leaning forward really absorbed in the exchange, it makes me a little uneasy and possibly jealous. But I like seeing her like this, she's quiet at work but especially good conversation is a big thing with her.

Usually though it's my every word she's hanging on. Over the course of their talk she takes my hand and holds it to her cheek while she laughs and drinks, very natural gestures. She manages to pull me into their talk and finally sits back to watch and listen to us. It turns out he and I have much in common he's a software developer.

We exchange info and invite him round for drinks tomorrow night.

She's quiet as we walk back to the flat.

"Did you know that the words flirting and trifling use exactly the same letters, same letter count and everything."

She stops and scoffs. "Your point being?"

"You were shamelessly flirting with that poor man. Trifling."

"I was conversing, there's a difference."

"Mmmhmmm, I see."

"About earlier. Us. I'm not used to . . ."

"You need to learn to be part of a couple."

"I guess." She mumbles.

"Consider the relationship a team and we're both co-captains."

"You've seen my jerseys. I've always been captain."

"So was I."

"That explains a lot."

"I like how alpha you are Lou. I love it in fact, but you can't be calling all the shots, and you not telling me key information and just going ahead anyway, is just that."

"It's my body damn it!"

"I love your body and I say it's mine too."

"Yeah? Well why am I the only one with cramps right now?"

"Is it bad? I turn her into the light and look at her carefully."

"No, this is typical, nothing serious. I'm not gushing blood and I'm not in any serious pain. I've been down this road. As long as there's no golf-ball sized clotting, it's manageable."

"You sure, because you look damned uncomfortable."

"I'm fine honestly. I just don't like talking about this."

"You talk to Eddie."

"She's a woman, my best friend and my doctor."

"And I'm your man and I say you can talk to me about this."

She sniffs. "You are such a liar. I wish I had a picture of your face when I said gushing and clotting."

Ok so she has a point. "I mean to be with you so we're both going to have to get over it. If it helps my body's yours too."

She arches that eyebrow and tilts her head. "Now you're talking."

"Don't look at me like that because the answer is No. No more until you see Eddie and we sort out some definite birth control. No pouting. We've only covered a fraction of all the ways there are to satisfy each other."

Laying her hand on my chest she says, "Dax, look around? We're in Paris."

She kisses me and gives me that slow sleepy-eyed blink and rubs herself against me. Temptingly cute, damned tempting. But no, not this time. She's nuzzling and sucking at my neck, anything to win every argument I swear.

"Stop trying to blackmail me. The answer is a firm no, until we get home. We are going to do some normal things, talking, holding hands, making out, just being together. You know we've never been to an actual movie theater? We need some real dates under our belt."

In a huff she pushes away. "Dates?! This isn't high school. I don't want a bunch of teasing and titillating. I'm a grown woman and I need tendin'."

"You are overly fond of your own way. That's me calling you a brat. You had no problem with teasing and titillation in London, we were both reasonably satisfied."

Gathering her to me, I lightly stroke her neck. "You came and came little girl. Tell me you didn't like it?"

She groans. "Man you are really kicking my ass here."

"Yeah, well it needs kicking."

She's pouting beautifully, her little lip is poked out and I suck at it until she relaxes and kisses me back.

"We're going upstairs to bathe and once we've determined that you are reasonably okay, I'll see if I can't tend some of your needs."

"Seriously Dax I appreciate the effort but I can do for myself. I'm not an invalid."

"I mean to take care of you. Besides, I promised Eddie and I don't mean no harm, but she seems meaner than you. I don't want trouble with her. She's a doctor and prone to being evil, there's no end of things she could do to me."

She snorts. "She's not meaner, just taller." Taking my hand as we go in for the night she says, "Alright have it your way, just don't faint on me."

------------

She immediately reneges on our agreement, locking me out of the bathroom and forcing me to pick the lock. I take off my shirt and shoes and walk over to her standing by the tub.

"Come on now 'lil bit, it's nothing I've not seen before. Let me help you."

Looking terrified and ready to bolt, I think if I weren't standing between her and the door she'd make a run for it. I turn on the shower and help her strip down. I go to slide down her panties as I have about a thousand times now but she clutches at my hands her eyes welling up.

"It's ok Lulu." I slide them off and there's a small red flower, still bright red and recently bloomed.

"Alright, I've got it from here."

"We need to remove the plug and see what's what Lou."

She swallows and shakes her head. "That's too much Dax."

I take off the rest of my clothes and we stand naked together.

"I love you and it's never enough and never too much. I plan on being with you for many years to come. Who knows what we'll have to do for each other? My balls could very well swallow my penis one day when I'm old, when that happens I'll be depending on you to break out the pump and do what needs to be done, so I can get at you."

She laughs and relaxes a little. "Ok then," she says soberly. "I need toilet paper and the trash can."

I show her where the rolls are and she stops looking at the toilet paper like she's come across a miracle.

"Charmin? In Paris? That's what I call luxury. Wow!"

I laugh, "Max, my brother brings it in by the suitcase load. He even had the plumbing re-done to accommodate it."

"My kind of man."

She looks at me. "Last chance to bail Dax."

I stand firm. She rolls off some toilet paper before breathing out and reaching down to remove the tampon.

Depositing it on the small bed of toilet paper in her hand, where we examine it carefully. Sighing with relief she says, "I don't see any clots. Do you?"

"No. I don't and being as we're not standing in a pool of blood, I'm guessing you're doing ok?"

Nodding shyly and wrapping the toilet paper around the tampon she tosses it in the trash.

"Revamped or not, plumbing and tampons are a big no-no."

She quickly steps into the small tub and gets under the shower and then stops short.

"Crap, could you bring me my purse, please."

"Don't lock the door Lou."

"I just need a tampon for after that's all."

I do as requested. I also get her fancy soap and fresh underwear for us both.

I come back to find her rinsing out her panties in the shower, wringing them out she lays them on the lip of the tub to dry. She's so self-conscious she won't even look at me. I notice when we're at home she uses the guest bathroom during her time of month. I lather up with the soap and start to wash her tense body.

"You're a woman and I'm very glad about it. This is part and parcel that's all."

Looking at me in astonishment she asks, "How are you not revolted by all this?"

"How could I be? I love knowing you like this."

She's grumbling under her breath.

"As if the bathing and going to the bathroom in front of each other weren't enough. It's like having a goddamned de facto husband. Shit, we might as well be married."

I stop washing her and grin. "I was speaking figuratively." Taking the wash cloth she begins washing me thoroughly, almost roughly.

I lean down and kiss her hot little cheek.

"You know you want me Lulu." She pushes me away and turns me around to wash my back and backside, rough and unsparing with her application of the washcloth.

"Don't be cocky. It's not attractive. Besides, I have you already. That's what you said, so there."

Turning quickly, I reach out to pinch her, she pokes out her tongue and quickly hops out the tub, immediately slipping and landing squarely on her butt. I'm dying to laugh and would do so were it not for her murderous expression. I smile anyway because I just can't help it.

Helping her up I say, "That'll teach you to run from me. It'll only serve to land you flat on your ass every time."

Fuming, she snatches the proffered towel.

"We've met and exceeded our bonding quota. Now get out so I can use my last shred of dignity to take care of myself in private." She pushes me out the door.

________________________________________

Going for the essentials of fruit, yogurt, fresh juice, pain au chocolate, coffee and a newspaper I find early morning Paris rainy, humid and warm enough to be verging on hot. Luckily, there are several portable cooling units throughout the flat. I turn on two of them.

Up several times during the night to tend her needs, she was making her sleepy way to the bathroom when I left, but is now dozing again, her hair curling against her forehead in the heavy damp heat.

I'm sitting at the open window with my coffee and paper randomly looking out at the early morning activity on the street when she turns over and opens her eyes and gives me the most beautiful smile. Last night's pique seems forgotten. She sits up and stretches.

"Morning beautiful."

"Hello, what you got there Mr.?" Immediately honing in on the croissants and fruit.

I frown at her.

"Lulu, why is it that I get the best smiles from you when there's food and or sex involved?"

"Because you feed and fuck me oh so very well, mmmhmmm."

"Behave yourself little girl."

"Well you won't fuck me, so come on and feed me already."

"I should wash that potty mouth of yours out with soap and turn you down on my knee."

"No to the soap, but maybe on that other." She gives me a sinful look.

I groan and shake my head at her. "You are killing me." I sit down on the bed and feed her a tiny strawberry.

She closes her eyes and her toes wriggle in delight. "Mmmm, that's really good, it's so sweet. What is that?"

"A strawberry."

"A strawberry?"

"I think so, at the stand they were labeled Mignonette Gariguettes," Not certain of the pronunciation, I spell it out for her - small, brightest red and jewel-like, florally fragrant and very sweet.

"The vendor let me taste one and I was hooked."

Taking another she drags it through the creamy thick yogurt and sighs delightedly as she eats it, sucking the juice from her fingers. She picks up a piece of pain au chocolat and bites, chewing slowly. I love watching her eat, the way she enjoys food. I don't think I've ever seen her so utterly relaxed. She feeds me a strawberry.

"Strawberries are easy you know, we should try growing these, we'll get some seeds for back home."

"I'm sure there are international laws against that."

"Maybe, but there are ways and there are ways." She winks at me slowly.

"Brat."

"Yes, your brat."

-----------

Four days later, Lou comes skipping out of the bathroom. "Period over!" She twirls around and shakes her little hips.

"I've never seen an after period dance."

"Let's shop. First on the list - condoms." She looks at me pointedly.

I groan. "Come on Lou, you heard what Eddie said, you need to be checked out and measured and all that."

"I'm calling bullshit. We've already had sex. My period was pretty much perfect. Her main concern is that we use protection. I've been good. I expect to be rewarded."

Having spent four days more or less lounging about the flat we decide to venture farther than the antique movie theatre and local street vendors. The heats finally broken and it's a gorgeous day.

It's postcard beautiful in Paris. Everything bright and clear. After spending a jaw dropping amount on two business suits each, we obtain some warm basics - sweaters and jeans.

We stroll by shops and I watch in fascination as a ring catches her eye. An unusually large clear yet grayish oval stone surrounded by tiny diamonds. The store clerk looks at us curiously and smiles. Without too much convincing I get her to go in for a closer look.

Having spotted our bags and clearly assuming we're in the mood to spend he pulls the ring she was eyeing. Bending down with arms crossed against temptation she gives it a long and careful look. Lou doesn't wear much jewelry beyond earrings so this is interesting.

"Madame has great taste. Would you like to see it on?"

"Mademoiselle." She corrects him quickly. "And no thank you."

"M'mselle has great taste, this is a very unique ring - the focal diamond is gray, 4 carats and flawless, TDW is 5 carats."

Looking into my eyes she looks at the ring again and leans a bit closer to it completely entranced. "Is it blue, gray or green. I really cannot tell what's going on with the color." She squints and tilts her head this way and that.

I slowly manage to take her hand and slide it on watching as she smiles delightedly. The clerk is starting to grin himself at her reaction. It's a bold yet delicate ring and the horizontal direction of the stone complements her hand quite nicely. I hold her hand to my heart.