On A Wing And A Prayer Part 20

Ca.s.s, let's charter a plane ... I wanna go kick this b.a.s.t.a.r.d's a.s.s! Enforcer insisted.

"Get her out of there!" Ca.s.s typed back.

"We've tried, Ca.s.s. Believe me. My wife, Jerri and I have been trying to get her to leave for the past several months," Nikki replied.

"Why won't she go?" Ca.s.s asked.

"Ca.s.s, the more you get to know Rox, the more you'll realize that she is a very unselfish and dedicated person. Her dying father is under the illusion that she's happy. She won't shatter that belief for him. Quite frankly, she plans on staying in her current situation until the poor man dies," Nikki responded.

"No! She can't do that. Nikki ... please get her out of there," Ca.s.s wrote desperately.

"She won't go, Ca.s.s. Jerri and I are staying with her right now. We'll stay for as long as it takes ..." Nikki replied.

"Thank you, Nikki. Nikki ....?" Ca.s.s typed.

"Yes?", came Nikki's reply.

Ca.s.s took a deep breath and let it out slowly, before typing.

"I know this sounds incredible after knowing her for so short a period of time, but I think I'm in love with her," Ca.s.s wrote.

9:52 p.m. Rockford, Maine ...

Rox gasped when she read what Ca.s.s had written. Covering her mouth with her free hand, she looked at Nikki, tears of hope, and some of fear, rolled down her face.

"Oh my G.o.d, Nikki!" Rox exclaimed, half laughing, half crying.

Nikki was grinning from ear to ear. She didn't know why, but she liked this Ca.s.s Conway. "What do you want me to tell him, Rox?" she asked her friend.

"Nikki?" came the line of dialogue on the computer screen.

"We're still here, Ca.s.s ... brb," Nikki wrote.

"Rox?" Nikki said, looking at her friend. "How do you feel about him?"

"Terrified, excited, exhilarated, scared ... Nik, I ... I don't know for sure. He's so different from Chris ... different from all my past relations.h.i.+ps," Rox explained.

"Yes he is," Nikki replied, remembering some of the idiots Rox had dated while they were in college together.

"Nikki, you're scaring me. Is Rox all right?" the computer screen flashed.

"Ca.s.s, please be patient. Rox is right here ... she's fine. We're having a little girl talk right now. Just hold your britches on, okay?" Nikki replied.

"Did I just get my a.s.s kicked?" came the reply on the screen.

"Yes you did ... now, be patient... 'kay?" Nikki typed back.

"Yes Ma'am!" came the reply, followed by a smiley face.

Nikki grinned broadly at the response. Looking at Rox, she said, "I like him, hon. He seems like a really nice guy."

Rox smiled back through her tears and asked for the laptop back. Settling it onto her lap again, she began to type.

"Hi Ca.s.s, this is Rox again,"

"Rox! Thank G.o.d. Are you all right?" Ca.s.s typed quickly.

"I'm fine. I love you for caring. Look Ca.s.s, it's getting late. I'm under doctor's orders to rest, so I need to sign off," she typed.

"You love me for caring?" Ca.s.s asked hopefully.

"Yes I do," Rox replied, once again smiling through her tears.

Nikki had thrown an arm around her friend's shoulder and hugged her close, kissing her on the temple as she typed the endearment.

"I love you too, Rox," came Ca.s.s' reply.

Rox was crying openly now as she dropped her head to her friend's shoulder. Once more, Nikki reached for the keyboard.

"Hey Ca.s.s, Nik again. I'm afraid that last declaration just turned our friend here into a limp dishrag. I need to put her to bed, so I'll sign off for her... 'kay?" Nikki wrote.

"I understand Nikki. Tell her I love her. I'll contact her through e-mail tomorrow." Ca.s.s said.

"Tomorrow, then. Goodnight, Ca.s.s," Nikki said, closing.

"Good night, sweet ladies," Ca.s.s responded.

7:04 p.m. San Jose, California ...

Ca.s.s sat back and watched the screen until the message "alien has left the chat room" appeared. Reaching for her mouse, she scrolled back through the last several lines of dialogue and reread her conversation with both Rox and Nikki.

She loves me, E, Ca.s.s said to herself.

She loves you for caring, Enforcer pointed out ... but does she love you for YOU?

Ca.s.s' face furrowed into a frown. Good point, she said, good point. It is a start though, she thought hopefully.

That it is, old buddy. Now, what are we gonna do about this a.s.shole that's been beating her up? Enforcer asked.

CHAPTER XX.

NIKKI SHUT THE laptop down and placed it carefully on the end table next to the couch while she waited for Rox to come back from the bathroom. Watching her friend shuffle painfully across the floor toward her, she rose to her feet and took her arm, wrapping her other arm around Rox's waist as she lead her back to the couch. As they neared the stairs to the second story, Rox detoured in that direction.

"I thought you were sleeping on the couch?" Nikki asked as they headed toward the stairs.

"Nah, my bed is much more comfortable," Rox replied as she held on tightly to the railing with her right hand, and to Nikki's arm with her left. Slowly, they made their way up the stairs.

Rox was quite out of breath by the time they reached her room. After sitting her on the side of the bed, Nikki reached down and lifted Rox's feet up, swinging them up and under the covers as Rox slowly lowered her head to the pillow. Pulling the covers up, Nikki tucked her friend in then leaned over and kissed her tenderly. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she crossed her legs, then reached over and brushed the red-gold hair off her friend's forehead.

"What do you think of him, Nik?" Roxanne asked.

"I like him, Rox. He was really worried about you. How long did it take him to guess you were in trouble?" Nikki asked.

"About ten minutes," Rox replied.

Nikki nodded her head and smiled. "Sounds like he's pretty sweet on you already. He won't stand a chance once he actually meets you, you know," she said softly.

Rox frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Nikki reached forward and ran her forefinger down the side of Rox's face. "Roxanne Ward, you have got to be one of the most outgoing, friendliest, compa.s.sionate people I know. Not to mention, smart, talented and very beautiful. Any man or woman for that matter, would be a fool not to fall in love with you on first sight," she explained.

Rox blushed. "Cut it out, Nik, you're embarra.s.sing me," she said slapping her friend's hand away.

"Its true," she said leaning in until she was nose to nose with Rox, "and you know it," she added, dropping a kiss on her friend's lips. "I love you, sleep well," she whispered, kissing her again before getting up from the bed and heading for the door. Stopping, she turned around and looked at her friend, "Good night, Rox."

"Good night, Nik. I love you too. Kiss the Big Guy for me, okay?" Rox said.

"I will. See you in the morning," Nikki added before closing the door and joining her wife.

Nikki climbed into bed and snuggled up close to the taller woman. Jerri's arms instinctively circled the smaller woman, spooning herself in behind her. "Where've you been, love?" Jerri asked.

"I just put Rox to bed. She had a pretty intense chat session with Ca.s.s. Seems they're falling in love already," Nikki told her.

"So much for baby steps! She's easy to fall in love with. She's just way to cute for her own good," Jerri said, pulling her wife in tighter.

"Yes she is. Kind of like a tall dark warrior type I know and love," Nikki said, rolling back over to face her wife.

Jerri leaned in and kissed her soundly. "Hmmm, you taste good," she said.

"Make love to me, Jer," Nikki whispered pa.s.sionately.

Jerri rolled them both over so that she way laying on top of her wife. Supporting herself on her elbows, she looked down into Nikki's face. "I love you, Nik," she said, placing b.u.t.terfly kisses along her jaw.

Nikki threw her head to the right to allow Jerri better access to her throat as her wife slowly moved down, nipping at the tender skin along her collar bone. Reaching up, she grabbed Jerri's head and pulled her in closer. "G.o.d, Jerri, that feels so good," she said breathlessly.

Sitting up to straddle her wife, Jerri took Nikki's wrists and pinned them to the bed above her head. Nikki looked up into smoldering brown eyes, and knew she was in for a very pa.s.sionate evening.

Two doors down, Rox smiled, then pulled the blanket up over her head to drown out the sounds of her friends making love. Soon, Ca.s.s, she thought. Soon.

Ca.s.s was running on pure adrenaline when she logged off the computer. It was only a little after seven p.m., so she decided to burn off a little energy by going to the gym, then stopping at the diner for a late dessert, and a much needed visit with Angie.

By 8:30 p.m., Ca.s.s had completed her workout and was ready to head over to the diner. On her way out of the gym, she once again ran into Jason.

"Ca.s.s," he called to her as she headed toward the door, gym bag slung carelessly over her shoulder.

Ca.s.s turned around sharply and noticed the obnoxious man coming toward her. "Oh hi Jason," she deadpanned.

"Ca.s.s, I wanted to tell you how much I admired your skillful performance in San Diego. A lesser pilot would have crashed the plane and killed everyone on board. You must be very good under pressure," he observed.

"It wasn't a performance, Jason -- it was a necessity. People's lives were at stake." she said, wanting to stomp him like a bug right where he stood.

"Well anyway, I just wanted to congratulate you on a job well done," he said in a c.o.c.ky, self a.s.sured manner.

"Gee Jason, that means sooooo much coming from you," she said, totally wasting the sarcasm on his dense head.

"Maybe we can go out again?" he asked. "Here's my card, give me a call when you're free," he added, handing her the card then walking out the door.

Ca.s.s took a quick look at the card then flipped it into the trash can on her way out.

"Here you go, love," Angie said, placing a piece of hot apple pie topped with ice cream in from of Ca.s.s.

"Ang, its a good thing I work out. Otherwise, I'd weigh 300 pounds with the amount of food you feed me," Ca.s.s whined good naturedly.

"Oh quit your whining and tell me about his new lady friend of yours," Angie demanded.

Ca.s.s' face suddenly brightened at the mention of Rox. The glow was not missed by Angie.

"She must be something wonderful to cause even your face to glow like that," she observed out loud.

Ca.s.s bushed. "Ang, wonderful doesn't come close to describing her," she said, taking another big bite of her pie.

"Well, tell me ... how's it going? The last time we spoke, you had sent a couple of e-mails back and forth," Angie reminded her.

"Well, we're still doing the e-mail and chat thing, but it is no longer just a friendly, social exchange. Ang, I believe I am falling in love," Ca.s.s said, blus.h.i.+ng to the roots of her hair one more time.

"How can you be in love. You haven't even met her yet face to face?" Angie said, disbelievingly.

"It's true Angie. Don't ask me how, I just know that I am. Ang, she's invading my dreams. I have had three dreams now where she figures prominently. Our chat session last night was so intimate, enlightening, personal," she said, "I have never been so sure of anything in my life," she concluded.

Angie could see the truth in Ca.s.s' words just by looking into her eyes. "So what else did you learn about her in this chat session of yours?" Angie asked.

Ca.s.s' face darkened. Putting down the fork, she sat back in her hair, hands still on the table, and looked seriously at Angie. "Ang, she is involved in an abusive relations.h.i.+p. Her life is in danger. s.h.i.+t! She was typing to me last night with one hand because the other wrist is broken." Ca.s.s explained.

"Ca.s.s, forgive me for saying this, when you are obviously so smitten with this woman, but do you really need to be involved in such a volatile situation. I mean, considering what you lived through with Patti, do you really need a daily reminder by your side day after day?" Angie asked, concerned for her friend.