JC: William Redman Carter Noble Savage Chapter 40 By Lazlo Zalezac Copyright (C) Lazlo Zalezac, 2005 “What’s the matter, Betsy?” Betsy looked over at her brother and said, “It is just not as much fun swimming without the sharks near me.” Smiling at the fact that even when she was depressed Betsy couldn’t slow down, William said, “I’m sure.” “I felt really complete swimming with them,” Betsy said with a sigh. She eased into a simple backstroke straight from treading water and swam away at what was a leisurely pace for her. William watched her swim and thought about her swim with the sharks. She had been totally at ease with the animals. He knew that she’d be back in almost no time. At most, he’d have to wait a whole ten seconds to give her a reply. When she swam past, he said, “You know that they won’t buy you any sharks.” “It’s so unfair,” Betsy said going back to treading water. Her mothers had really gone ballistic over her swimming with the sharks. She sighed and, in a tone of voice that suggested a complete lack of understanding by her parents, said, “You’d think they were afraid of them or something.” “I’ll talk to them and see what we can figure out,” William said chuckling to himself. He wondered what he could say or do to convince them of a way to help Betsy satisfy her need to swim with sharks. He could just imagine asking Ling or Claire if Betsy could get a pet shark. That would go over about as well as passing gas in an elevator. Betsy nearly lifted out of the water in her excitement and hugged her big brother. She said, “I knew you would help me.” “I’ll do what I can,” William said. Betsy barely heard since she had burst into a strong breast stroke that carried her across the pool like a flash. Turning to Lucy, William said, “I guess I have a problem to solve.” “You’ll solve it,” she said with calm assurance. She turned to watch the new hires moving around the pool. Noticing that Amanda looked a little uncomfortable, she swam off in the direction of their new receptionist. William watched his wife swim off. Despite the fact that they were now married, he still considered her to be the most beautiful woman in the room. He slipped over to his back and started a slow easy back stroke. After swimming most of the time in the pond back home, the full size pool was a treat. Shutting everyone out of his mind, he moved lazily across the pool enjoying the sensations of the water flowing over his body. Lucy swam up to Amanda who was standing in the shallow end of the pool. The blind woman had turned to face the approaching swimmer and covered her body with her hands. Seeing the reaction, Lucy asked, “What’s the matter, Amanda?” Feeling uncomfortable in what felt like a very small bikini, Amanda answered, “I don’t know if people are staring at me.” “Why would they be staring at you?” Lucy asked. There was enough naked female flesh in the room to distract anyone’s attention away from Amanda. “This bikini doesn’t cover much,” Amanda said. She had borrowed the swimsuit and had been shocked when she had been handed a suit that was little more than a string. “Don’t worry about that. My swimsuit isn’t covering anything at the moment. It’s back in Pennsylvania,” Lucy said trying to help the woman feel a little more comfortable. She added, “You and Donna are the only ones wearing swimsuits.” “You’re kidding,” Amanda said. She had believed that the whole swim naked thing was some sort of practical joke being played on the blind girl. “Feel me,” Lucy said. Amanda was shocked when her hand touched bare skin. She ran a hand over all the bits that would have been covered by even the skimpiest bikini and still felt naked skin. Confused, she asked, “Donna is the only other person wearing a swimsuit?” “That’s right. You can call anyone over and confirm it for yourself,” Lucy answered. “I thought you were playing a joke on me,” Amanda admitted. She wondered if she could ever work up enough nerve to swim naked with other people in the room. Lucy hadn’t thought how it would be to be blind in that situation. Shaking her head, she said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that without being able to see us that you’d think that. Would you like to talk to Donna? She seems just as uneasy about the situation as you.” “Maybe,” Amanda said. She wondered what William was doing with all of these naked women in the pool. She was sure that he was probably swimming around with an erection and was glad that she couldn’t see it. “Donna! Could you come over here for a minute?” Lucy shouted in the direction of the Native American woman. The woman was wearing a one piece bathing suit that she had brought with her. It was clearly purchased without the intention of looking sexy. Donna swam over in the direction of Lucy and Amanda. She was totally unnerved by the sight of so many naked people. This was not something she had been expecting when she had made the trip from Seattle. Talks with Animals and Walks with Wisdom were supposed to be people of the highest honor. She wondered what others would think if they were to learn that they swam naked with other people. She kept her eyes on Amanda and asked, “What do you need?” Amanda asked, “Is everyone else naked?” “Everyone except you and me,” Donna answered. She looked around in time to see the rest of the Carter Clan enter the pool. She swore when everyone dropped their clothes. Shocked, she said, “There are more people coming and they are getting naked.” “Really?” Amanda asked unable to believe what Donna said or the sounds that she was hearing. It sounded like another six people had entered the pool room. A number of the voices sounded masculine. Wanting confirmation of what her ears were telling her, she asked, “Are there men?” “Yes.” “Are they … um … excited?” Amanda asked curious and a little concerned about what would happen next. Unable to prevent her eyes from moving the area under question, Donna looked at the cocks of the naked men. Surprised at the flaccid state of the men, she answered, “No.” Lucy grinned at the exchange and said, “I’ll leave you two to talk a bit.” Donna watched her swim away. She was surprised when she turned back to find a teenage boy standing next to them in the pool. Her eyes flicked down and she observed that he wasn’t excited by the naked women in the pool. Clearing her throat, she asked, “Who are you?” “I’m Eddie. I take it you are working for William and Lucy now,” Eddie answered looking her in the eye. His intense attention on her eyes surprised her. Unable to hold her gaze on him, she said, “Yes.” Amanda held out a hand and said, “I’m Amanda.” Shaking her hand, Eddie looked at her for a moment taking in the sunglasses on her face. She didn’t seem to be looking at anything and then an explanation dawned on him. He asked, “Are you blind?” “Yes,” Amanda answered expecting the normal sympathy statements. “Would you like us to set up a separate swim lane for you? We have ropes and buzzers that we can set at each end of the pool,” Eddie offered. Surprised at the offer, Amanda said, “No that’s okay. I don’t really know how to swim that well.” “I’ll be glad to teach you,” Eddie said. Shocked that he was wasting his time with two women who were suited when surrounded by attractive naked women, Donna asked, “Why aren’t you staring at all of the beautiful women who are swimming naked?” Eddie looked around the pool taking note of the three new women swimming naked. Shrugging his shoulders, he said, “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.” Amanda was still processing the offer to teach her how to swim. She finally answered, “Some other time, perhaps.” “When ever you want, just let me know,” Eddie said. Betsy bumped him on her circuit across the pool. He said, “Whatever you do, don’t let Betsy teach you. She’ll run you ragged. She forgets that people don’t have the same energy as her.” “Okay,” Amanda answered. “I think they are starting some chicken wars. Let me go over there and join them,” Eddie said. After telling him to go ahead, Donna stared at him while he swam away. She turned back to find Amanda staring off into space. Shaking her head, Amanda asked, “Was he excited?” “No, he wasn’t,” Donna answered puzzled at a teenage boy who didn’t react to the sight of naked women. “I thought guys got erections whenever they are around a naked woman,” Amanda said. Puzzled, she said, “I’m not very experienced when it comes to men.” “I’m a virgin,” Donna said. Betsy popped up between the two women and said, “Me too. By the way, I’m Betsy.” Looking at the young woman, Donna didn’t know what to say. She associated nudity with immorality. She and Amanda introduced themselves to the young woman. Amanda had a hard time keeping track of where Betsy was at any given time. Deciding that she didn’t want to participate in the chicken wars, Sandra swam over to meet with the two coworkers she hadn’t had a chance to talk with. When the pool was shallow enough to stand, she walked over the small group of women. She announced her arrival, “Hello. What are you gals talking about?” Treating the subject matter as if it were nothing more significant than discussing the weather, Betsy turned to Sandra and said, “We were talking about being virgins. Are you a virgin too?” “Uh…” “All of us are virgins. My brother, Eddie, is a virgin, too. Of course, I think half the girls in town would like to be the one who gets his virginity, but he’s waiting for the right girl. Did you know that William was a virgin until he met Lucy?” Betsy volunteered dancing around in place. She fired the sentences out like bullets from a machine gun. She looked around for a fraction of a second. When no one answered right away, she said, “I don’t know what the big deal about sex is. My moms say that you have to be mature in body, mind, emotion, and spirit before you have sex. If you don’t wait until you are mature enough, then you get hurt. I’m probably grown up in mind, but my body has a bit to go. Don’t you think? I mean, I hardly have breasts although that could be because I’m always moving around and don’t have much fat. Did you know that breasts are fat?” There was barely a pause long enough for her to take a breath before she continued, “Anyway, I don’t have much time for the spirit and everyone says that I’m still a child when it comes to emotions. It is going to be a while before I’m ready for sex. What do you think?” All three women were stunned at the rate at which Betsy spoke. It was like listening to an auctioneer working to get the bids up. Tired of being motionless, Betsy returned to swimming. As she splashed away, she called over her shoulder, “I’ll be back to talk some more.” “What was that?” Sandra asked, stunned by the rapid fire delivery of such personal information. “That was Betsy,” answered Donna staring at the young woman cutting through the water at a high rate of speed. She’d never seen anyone able to swim that fast. The shouts from the other end of the pool, the continuous motion of so many people around her, and the conversation was taking its toll on Amanda. She asked, “Could someone lead me out of the pool and to a chair? I have a headache.” Amanda had barely finished talking when Ling showed up and said, “Amanda, William said that you might need a little peace and quiet. Would you like to come with me to the dojo? It is the quietest place in the house.” The thought of peace and quiet was too tempting to resist. Amanda answered, “Yes that would be nice.” Ling offered her arm by placing Amanda’s hand on it and led her out of the pool. It was a little tricky navigating the stairs. They dried off before leaving the pool room. Ling walked out without dressing while Amanda remained in the skimpy bikini. The bikini had small triangular patches of cloth that barely covered the nipples and a thong that left practically nothing to the imagination. William watched the pair walk away. He turned to Lucy and said, “I hope that Ling begins her training soon.” “I’m worried about Donna,” Lucy said with a slight gesture of her head in the direction of the young woman. “She must think that she has landed in a den of iniquity,” William said with a smile, “I wonder how long it will take her to realize that it is just the opposite.” “I imagine it will take her a little bit of time. Believe me when I say that it takes a lot of getting used to it,” Lucy said with a laugh. Pointing to Juanita, Lucy asked, “What happened during the interview with Juanita?” William frowned feeling uneasy at the reminder of the interview session. In a quiet voice, he said, “I don’t know. I knew everything necessary to realize that she was there for an interview, but the pieces just didn’t come together. I really thought she had come here for a visit.” “That’s not like you.” “I’m worried. It seems to me that my knowledge of what is going on around me has been lessening lately. I was totally clueless about what was going on through the whole interview,” William said. He hadn’t even picked up on the reason why Lucy was asking the women to strip. Knowing his mothers, Mary Gold, and Lucy, he should have been able to predict everything about the interview. Concerned, Lucy asked, “Are you feeling okay?” “I’m fine now. It was like a fog lifted from my mind when the interviews ended,” William said. He looked up at the ceiling and asked, “What’s going on?” His query went unanswered. Lucy frowned seeing the hurt expression on his face. She said, “Maybe your gift wasn’t needed today.” “Perhaps,” William said feeling uneasy. Pulling himself together, he said, “Let’s show them how a chicken war is supposed to be fought.” “Okay,” Lucy said forcing a little excitement into her voice. She was worried about William, but didn’t want to let him see just how much she was worried. A frowning Ed was seated in the library reading a journal when William sat down across from him. Looking up from his journal, Ed said, “This article is not very good.” “It happens on occasion that a bad article slips through the review process,” William said knowing that in the hard sciences that it was a much rarer event than in the soft sciences. “I’m sure that you didn’t search me out to talk about the peer reviewed publication process. What can I do for you?” “My ability to see the future seemed to desert me today,” William said watching his father carefully. Surprised, Ed said, “I’m sorry to hear that.” “I was taken by surprise several times this afternoon,” William said. “You rely upon it too much,” Ed said voicing a sentiment that he had told William many times. “You are probably right,” William said. He looked at his father and asked, “Could I touch your medallion?” Ed ran a hand over his medallion before he answered, “What’s the matter?” “The Two-Sided One has been quiet lately,” William said licking his lips nervously. “So you want to us my medallion in the hope that you can talk to him?” Ed asked. “Yes,” William answered. “We serve them. They do not serve us,” Ed said looking at William with a frown. “I know. I just have to know if I’ve angered the Two-Sided One somehow,” William said. He wondered if swearing on his future service to warn Happy Harry of his death was the cause of his problems. Resting his chin on his clasped hands, Ed thought about the request. He was about to tell William that it would be okay when he heard a chuckle and a voice say, “Tell the little one that it is training for the future.” Noticing the blank expression on Ed’s face, William asked, “What? What did he say?” “It is training for the future,” Ed said. “Huh?” “It is training for the future.” “It is training for the future?” William asked. “Perhaps the Two-Sided One wants you to understand your ability better by seeing how life is like without it,” Ed said speculating on the meaning of the message he had been instructed to deliver. “I don’t understand.” “Neither do I,” Ed said with a sigh. He considered the nature of his service to the Two-Sided One. He said, “I tell you all the time that you rely on your ability too much. I must admit that I am guilty of the same thing. I can’t imagine what it would be like to deal with people without knowing if they are telling me the truth or lying. There are even times when I fail to realize that others don’t have the same ability.” “Really?” William asked despite knowing that his father always told the truth. “I overheard a conversation the other day. Both people were lying to each other and neither one realized it. It struck me that most people do not have the kind of insights into human nature that my gift has provided me,” Ed said. “So you are suggesting that the Two-Sided One wants me to experience life in the same way that others do?” William asked. It was a plausible explanation, but he wasn’t sure that it was correct. “That is my guess,” Ed answered. He did wonder why the Two- Sided One chose to inform William through him rather than doing it directly. “I will consider it,” William said. “What are your plans?” “I’m going up to the house tomorrow with Lucy to see how it is coming. I will go alone to reservation the next night to meet with the tribal elders. Lucy and I will head home in a couple of days to set up the office there with the new staff,” William said. He figured that a couple of days would be sufficient for Mary Gold to hand off the job to his new employees. “Sounds like you’ll be busy while you’re here,” Ed said. Recalling that Derrick had bought horses for William and Lucy, he asked, “Are you going to check out the horses?” “You bet,” William said, “Lucy is going to have to learn to ride.” “She shouldn’t have too much of a problem. Young women enjoy riding horses,” Ed said. He thought back to the night that he and Kelly went for a horseback ride before they got married. He asked, “What are you plans for the rest of the summer?” “I’m going on a tour to meet the elders of the 500 tribes. I’ll stop by some of the homeless hotels and see how things are going there. We have to get Lucy set up for her Master’s degree. In the process, we’ll be setting up the office at home,” William said. “Sounds like you’ll have a busy summer,” Ed said. William was silent for a moment and then said, “There is one other matter.” “What?” “Betsy.” “What about Betsy?” Ed asked. “John, Beth, Eddie and I spent our summers off traveling with Happy Harry. You haven’t done the same for Betsy,” William said. “She’s too active to ride around the country with Harry,” Ed said. William looked down at the floor knowing that was the official reason for keeping Betsy at home. He said, “I have a suggestion.” “What kind of suggestion?” Ed asked. “Send her to one of the shark research institutes for the rest of the summer,” William said watching his father carefully. Thinking about how his wives would react to such a suggestion sent a shiver down his spine. He definitely didn’t want to be the one who raised the subject. Shaking his head, he said, “There’s no way I’m going to suggest that to your mothers.” “What do you think she’ll be doing five years from now?” William asked. “I have no idea,” Ed said. There was a twinge of pain on saying it. “She’s going to follow in Leroy’s footsteps. I expect she’ll become an oceanographer with a biology background. She’s going to spend the rest of her life studying sharks,” William said. The truth in William’s words couldn’t be ignored. Ed pursed his lips and thought about it. He had seen Betsy swimming with the sharks and knew that there had been a fundamental change in her from that experience. Groaning at the thought of telling the wives, Ed said, “You’re right.” “I suggest that you have Ling and Linda go there with her,” William said. Having executed his promise to Betsy, William sat back and relaxed. He didn’t have many chances to talk to his father and decided to take advantage of this opportunity. It was a very pleasant conversation.