Gail Livingston a Chinese American, blessed with beauty and grace and an insatiable desire to play board games of all things had talked Vesper and two guys into some Trivial Pursuit on a slow Friday evening, April the 5th.  The guys, one whom Gail was interested in was a tall black man with a easy manner and a broad smile, Nehemiah or Nihm.  He majored in business finance but was principally there on a basketball scholarship.  His friend a tall white guy who was also on the basketball team but often sat on the bench was trying to concentrate on the game, Craig.  Maahes however had taken a liking to Craig who was a Freshman majoring in the arts.  He didn't have a scholarship but Nihm liked him and he played ball well enough.  Trivial Pursuit however was not really their game.

"Now, Maahes, when I'm done scratchin' yur head, I'm done, this isn't fair," his southern drawl was thick at times.  Alright, but I think this cat is sending y'all the answers.  What is the top selling campus snack according to the American Association of College Stores?"

Nihm stood up, "Mind if I get a drink from your kitchen?"

Gail looked at him with a smile, "No, go right ahead."

"Anyone else, then?" he offered to get others something.

"There's a bottle of a authentic German Riesling in there. Would you please pour me a glass? Vesper asked playfully.

"Fancy, fancy, I'd be happy to pour you a glass, but I'm testing it for poison, just to be safe.  A tiny sip," he smiled.

Gail answered, "Oreos."

"You want oreos?" Nihm asked as the sound of a bottle opening hissed outward from the kitchen.

"No, Oreos is the answer to the question, but to be fair, I had a business report in high school about snack foods.  So we roll again," Gail picked up the dice and rolled herself into an arts question, a known weak spot for her but she tried to nonchalance about it.

Nihm came back with Vesper's drink and some for himself as well.  He picked up a card and read the question aloud, "What's the name of the beer with the red triangle in a painting by Manet?"

After taking an obviously satisfying sip of her wine, Vesper confidently replied, "Bass."

It rushed into her like a heartbeat.  The thump thump in her brain filled her ears and she couldn't hear Nihm announce that she was correct.  Instead, she heard his heart, a whisper and a shout at the same time.  He held a certain degree of lust in his chest and loins for both Vesper and Gail, and he knew that Gail liked him.  He knew also that God frowned on these torn feelings but he thought little of it and desired for something more than Trivia to happen this evening.  Gail was his best hope for a little action, Craig was supposed to draw Vesper off.

Another heartbeat in her mind and her body instantly was in a light cold sweat.  "Vesper, you can roll," Gail said which seemed obvious to her to be said for the second time.

Slightly startled, she turned to Gail and nodded. "Sorry, I just have to get used to drinking a really good wine again. Guess I should drink a little more often." Taking a breath, she looked to Maahes and thought So you like him, should I consider giving him a roll just so my room mate and her guy can play in private? while picking up the dice and rolling.   After moving her counter she found herself on a history question.  While the question was being read aloud, she wondered,  What just happened? Did I really hear Nihm's heart and feel his feelings? I mean I could have just projected that from what I knew of the guy and Gail but why am I sweating?

"I give up and apparently Vesper doesn't know," Gail says giving Vesper a playful tap on the arm. 

"Gerald Ford, apparently not much of a ladies man," Nihm says as he flips the card down and looks over the board.  "Five to Nothing.  I think this game is a foregone conclusion.  I don't want to be a sore loser, but maybe we should just call this game quits."

"Yeah, Vesper, you aren't lookin' so well right now.  Maybe we should just go home," Craig said.

"Craig," Nihm says under his breath.

"Maybe we can head over to the down to the Laughing Monkey and catch the end of trivia night then if we're done here," Gail says to Nihm.  She quickly adds, "That is if you don't need me here, Vesper." She lifts her thin eyebrows and gives a pleading smile.

Managing a smile, Vesper nodded and looked over to Craig 'If you wouldn't mind staying here to keep me company for a while. Maahes doesn't look like he'll be letting you go anytime soon and I'll be feeling better in a few and then we can catch up, alright Craig?" Hopefully, he'll be a gallant southern gentleman and offer to stay with me, even if he hasn't got clue about Gail and Nihm. The things I do for my roommate. Besides, I'm not getting any strange feelings from him. she thought.

"Not at all," he smiles big looking a bit more boyish in that aspect.  Nihm smiles and bobs his head, Gail ushers him quickly out the door and then it is just Craig, Vesper, and Maahes in the room.  "If you're not feeling well, maybe we could just watch a movie or cable for a bit."  Craig moves himself to the couch and stretches out, Maahes promptly lays down on his hand and uses it as an ear scratching extension.

"Or maybe Maahes and I can just hang out here," Craig says sarcastically to the cat.

"Thanks for staying and looking after me and Maahes. I know you probably had other ideas about what you wanted to be doing this evening, but some times we just have to take one for the team. Right, Craig? she offered with a weak smile. Taking a slower sip of her wine she looked Craig over once again. "Hey, I think I may be feeling better already. I'm going to head off to the bathroom and freshen up a bit, you keep Maahes entertained and find something on the Movie Channel. I think they are showing The Expendables again." Vesper offered with a smile. She walked by him, her hips swinging seductively, and dropped the remote on his chest while on her way to the bathroom. "Channel 32" she added as she sashayed out of sight.

The TV flicked on but it turned onto the last station and seemed to stay there which wasn't channel 32.  PBS rings out "...of water, where dry land is a scarce and precious commodity, something you dream about while fording rivers that used to be streets, while going about the daily business of living, up to your elbows in water. This is what the future could look like for much of the planet if the current pace of climate change continues."  Vesper knew her sashay was the focus of Craig's attention.  "Maahes, stop," he whispered and it was obvious which way his head is facing.

When Vesper leaves the room the channel changes and the familiar sounds of the opening theme of the movie comes out of the television. 

Closing the door to the bathroom, Vesper took a few breaths and then made use of the toilet. A few moments later, feeling somewhat relieved and even actually a bit more sexy than she did when she flirted with Craig before, she pulled a Dixie cup from the dispenser and poured a half cup of mouthwash. While swishing the peppermint tasting fluid in her mouth, she dabbed some perfume in a few strategic places and then emptied the contents of her mouth into the toilet. After rinsing her mouth completely, she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror over the sink. Breath, check! Body, check! Attitude, check! Alright, ready for round two. If Craig doesn't really rise to the occasion, he's getting shown the door. she thought as she continued to inspect herself in the mirror over the sink.

The sound of running water came to her attention even though Vesper didn't remember turning on the sink.  The toilet wasn't running, and Vesper looked down and didn't see the faucet of the sink itself running but water was running into the sink from underneath her hands and onto the floor as well.  Moving her hands away from the flow over the sink, Vesper could see that from her very skin, seemingly from the ridges of her fingertips, water was pouring out of her body.

She stared at her hands and the water pouring out of her fingertips, stunned by what she was seeing. Realizing she would flood the floor if she didn't contain the water flow, she put her hands back over the sink. What is this? What is happening to me? I must be dreaming or having some kind of delusion, thats what this is. Maybe there was something wrong with the wine? she thought frantically, trying to find some logical reason for what she was seeing. Wait, maybe the only way I'm going to deal with this is to try to understand it. Maybe If I just will it to stop it will. Stop! she thought.

Vesper focused on the water coming from her fingertips and as the water slowly stopped her skin seemed to form a hard bony callus that then absorbed into her skin.  Looking up at herself in the mirror she saw that her eyes were like watery orbs devoid of sclera, pupil, iris.  They too slowly changed back to the normal state that she remembered.  The last bits of water flowed down the drain, only a minor mess on the floor that a single towel could clean up.  Vesper may have thought she imagined the whole thing if not for the standing water around her feet.

So that really did happen. Or maybe I just went slightly delusional?  No, that was real and this is real water soaking my feet and damn! I still have a guest out there and I'm going to have to clean this up. How do I explain it to him. Maybe we had a momentary leak in the pipes. Okay and that way I can get his help with mopping  all of this up. she thought. Sticking her head out from behind the doorway into the common room, she addressed the lone human occupant "Craig, could you be a sweet and noble gentleman and come help me with something in the bathroom? Seems we had a bit of a leak and I need a strong man to help me clean. Oh, and there's a nice reward in it for you." she cajoled.

Craig could be heard jumping up off of the couch and appeared in the bathroom door in a flash with a smile.  He looked down at the floor, "Woah!  You ain't a kiddin'."  Dropping to the floor on one knee, he grabbed a couple of towels from the basket nearby and through them over the standing water.  They rapidly soaked it up and he proceeded to inspect the sink from the base to the pipes and the bottom of the toilet as well.

"Well, that's odd.  It's all dry as a bone.  Maybe the sink splashed over and you didn't realize it?  Sink at Parent's house does it all the time.  Air trapped in the pipes."  He looks in the mirror and smiles and turns his charming smile on Vesper.

After briefly sharing a smile with Craig, she walked over to the soaking wet towels spread about the floor. With her back to him, she bent forward and picked up the scattered towels. Looking over her shoulder at him after she slowly stood upright, she said with a coy smile, "Enjoying the view?" Certain of his reply , Vesper picked up the next towel the same way except for an added a wiggle of her hips.

"Ah certainly am," Craig said as he stood up and came close to her making sure that as she picked up the second towel his leg was cradled in behind hers and he put a hand on her back and leaned over with her to help her pick up the towel.  His hand went up under her hair and brushed the skin of her neck and Vesper suddenly felt thoughts that wasn't her own, about her.

"God, how lucky am I!  She is sexy as hell.  Let's hope for the best.  All the signals are there.  This is a sure thing.  Maybe it lead further tonight.  I do have a condom in my wallet."  Vesper and Craig seemed to stand up together and he turned brought his hand down her back and tried to turn her slightly towards him so they could be face to face.  Even without those strange thoughts, Craig's feelings could be well known.

Startled slightly, Vesper stepped forward and then let Craig turn her to face him. Did I just hear his thoughts before. I mean we both know what he's thinking but I didn't imagine the part about the condom, she thought. Looking into his eyes with a hand resting lightly on his cheek she said, "Well I hope you enjoyed your reward. I am sorry if you were looking for something much more. Were you?"

"Well, I thought I might at least get a kiss?"  he said looking down into her face.  His head turned slowly to the side however and his charming smile was slowly being replaced with a look of confusion.  The wet towel, even though both Craig and Vesper had let go of it, was still floating patiently beside them in the air.  Craig's thoughts seemed to infiltrate her mind again, "What the hell am I seeing?"

Craig when I figure it out, I'll be sure to not tell you. But for now, its time to distract you. Vesper thought.  She reached up with both hands and turned his head back towards her face asking. "I didn't know you were so shy, Craig. You really should keep your eyes on a woman if you really expect to get a kiss." With that, she kissed him gently on the lips while wishing that the towel would somehow get into the tub.

The sound of the towel hitting the tub could be heard, Craig let the kiss distract him, his thoughts going into Vesper's mind.  "She must have been holding the towel.  Must have.  Hmmmm."  The final note is one of satisfaction.  Craig pulls gently on her hips hoping to get a little more pressure on his lips, but allows her to pull away.  "I'd say you are feeling a little better."

The sound of the towel in the tub was almost as satisfying as understanding that both her ruse and her concentration on the towel both worked. Inwardly, Vesper relaxed for a moment and let herself enjoy the kiss. Okay he's a nice kisser. But as long as he's here I'm not going to have a chance to understand what has been happening to me. But I don't seem to be springing a leak now and being able to hear/read/feel his thoughts is interesting. I just hope he remains clueless about mine, she thought. 'Well I told you before that I'd only need a few minutes to freshen up. So did you want to catch up with Nehemiah and Gail or do you mind watching an action movie with me and Maahes? if we aren't going out, I can slip into something a bit more...comfortable," she teased.

"An action movie sounds good to me.  You get as comfortable as you need to," Craig says and his thoughts come through differently, "I hope comfortable means nekid as a jaybird."  He reluctantly lets Vesper go as he exits back into the living room to settle onto the couch and wait for Vesper to join him.  Vesper finds herself alone in the bathroom with a moist floor and a few soaked towels int he bathtub, soaked by water that seemingly eminated from her.  One of those wet towels seemingly made it to the tub without physical assistance as well.  And once again her thoughts are solely her own for the moment.

Alright. There does seem to be some semi-logical connection between everything that has been happening. Water. More specifically the water that came from my fingers? Wait. But that shouldn't have happened. If I were alone i could examine this phenomena without distraction. I'm being much to analytical about this. I should be seriously freaked. Well, I am I guess but  I have to try to keep my head because of my guest. She mentally reflected. Walking over to the mirror and sink where the strangeness started she looked closely at herself in the mirror trying to see if there were any visible changes from the person she was that morning.

The reflection that stared back was not any different from the one that stared at her earlier that morning.  The brief vision of the watery orbs that greeted her before Craig came in danced in her memories but it was her own eyes, the eyes she was born with that looked back at her.  A man's voice comes from the television, "What happened to you?" Stallone's distinct tones followed it with a little grunting and groaning, "I got my ass kicked."  Craig's laughter follows with a sigh, "Yes, Maahes."

Vesper thought, I really should clean up this bathroom mess before the towel gets completely soaked.  Walking over to the bathtub she picked up both towels and began to wring them out into the tub itself, twisting sections of each towel over the drain and watching the water trickle out her mind considering what to do next.

I talked to Craig about taking one for the team but maybe I should really do the same. Wait, I am doing the same. I wonder if Gail ever made it to the Monkey. I bet she and Nihm are getting quite cozy, she laughingly thought. To confirm her suspicions, she called Gail on her cell phone.

Gail's cell phone rang without her answering.  Her voice mail kicked on, she speaks in a mock Chinese, "Gail isn't home light now, reave a message."  Either she can't hear her ringer or she is ignoring it completely.  Craig laughs at some explosive sound in the movie and Maahes wanders in to rub against Vesper's leg.  The sounds of Craig getting up and getting a drink from the fridge also can be heard.

"Hello, Gail. Just thought I'd check in and see how you were doing. I hope that you and Nihm are having a good time. You're going to owe me for this one. Text you later," she left as a message. Vesper picked up Maahes and nuzzled him briefly, before cradling him in her arms and walking into her bedroom.

A few moments later, Vesper came into the living room wearing a floor length velvet blue robe with Maahes by her side, with his head and tail held high, looking like he was escorting the royal princess. She sat next to Craig and smiled saying, "So, whats up doc?"

He chuckles and says, "I'm huntin' wabbits, are you a wabbit?"  Craig smiles.  On the television, some series of high speed chases and explosions were going on as middle of the movie came and went.  "That certainly looks like it is more comfortable," Craig's eyes dart around as he takes in all of Vesper.  He reaches out to the coffee table and picks up a glass of water and takes a sip, the ice clicking a little in the glass and he sets it back on the table.

Vesper replied playfully,letting her r's roll into brief purring,  "i'm sorry, wabbit hunter. But I am more cat than wabbit, more feline than lupine." Maahes chose that moment to leap into her lap, rubbing his head against her stomach. Vesper smiled briefly at Craig while her hand lightly caressed the happy cat. "Well I see Maahes is not the only tomcat who wants to get closer," she observed with a grin.

Craig reaches out and caresses the back of her neck, his thoughts jumping into her head, "Take it slow, and score.  Oh yeah."  He leans in for a kiss his other hand moving to rest on her knee.  The television plays on, Jason Statham's voice says, "Ten seconds you won't believe what's gonna happen."

Vesper kissed Craig and then stood up gently placing Maahes on the couch. With one hand she reached for the remote and turned off the television. Then she smiled coyly at Craig saying as she took his hand in her other hand and dropped the remote on the couch alongside her cat, "Come along Craig, its time to see if you are an action figure or an action hero." The sparkle in her eyes and the smooth sway of her hips under the tight fitting robe, seemed to promise an interesting night. Turning off lights as they went along, she led him from the living room to a door opening into darkness.  Pulling him through the threshold into the dark bedroom, she kissed him fully and closed the door. 

GO TO April 6th