Saira - TI5 (18 page)

"Ms. Lysanne, Ms. Devereaux, you're up early today. Your new room isn't ready yet, but if you can come back in an hour, I'll get housekeeping right on it."

"New room?" Dakota asked.

"You still want another room, right?"

Yemaya pulled Dakota aside. "It might be a good idea to keep the reservation until we find out what's going on. There must be something wrong with the room we're in."

"Or the apartment... but you're right. Better safe than sorry." Turning back to the young woman, Dakota gave her a pained smile.

"Of course, thank you. I hope you get the problem in our other room taken care of."

"Problem? Was something not to your liking?"

"Nooo. Everything was fine. Ummm... I'm just getting a little forgetful, I guess. Exactly why are we switching rooms?"

"Ms. Devereaux." The receptionist laughed. "You're such a tease, and you've been pulling my leg all along, haven't you? I mean with that country folk accent. I knew it couldn't be real. No one talks like that nowadays."

"Oh, shore nuff. I was jest funning yah," Dakota replied trying to mimic her granny.

"I have to admit you're pretty good at it. I had a bet with the manager that you were faking it. She thought you might be from West Virginia, but I knew better. No one writes like you and speaks that way."

"True. Now about the room."

"Right. Today it will be 227. Tomorrow 318 and then 129. It's getting to be quite a game for the housekeepers to get them ready in time for you two. They have a contest going to see who can clean your new room the fastest. Thankfully, you normally sleep in late so there really hasn't been much of a rush."

Stunned by the information, the two women stared at the receptionist, unable to say anything. Finally, Yemaya realized someone needed to say something. "I think we need to go for a walk. Is there anyplace we can get a good breakfast?"

"You mean other than the pizza place and hotdog stands?"

"Pizza... hot... ummm... yes. I think we would like a normal breakfast today."

"Well, there's Benny's. It's right next to that toy shop you went to yesterday."

"Ta... toy shop?" Dakota stammered.

"Yeah. You know... Tango's Ticklers. Are you feeling okay, Ms. Devereaux? You have a funny look on your face."

"Oh. Sure. I'm just wonderful."

Yemaya knew Dakota was about to lose it. Patting her arm sympathetically, she winked at the hotel clerk. "She just needs something to eat and some quiet time. Family matters. You know how trying that can be."

"Gee, I'm sorry to hear that. Hope it's nothing serious."

"Not at the moment, but I suspect it will get worse before it gets better. Would you mind giving us directions to the restaurant? I think we may have gotten a little confused yesterday."

"Sure. When you leave, take a right. Walk three blocks and turn left. Two blocks down on the right. You can't miss it."

"Thank you."

Taking Dakota's arm, Yemaya pulled her out the main door and turned right. Fifteen minutes later, they walked into Benny's and sat down. Little had been said on the short walk.

"Are you alright?" Yemaya asked.

"I think so. Just a little overwhelmed... and wondering about the apartment. I don't even want to think about Granny and Mari."

"How about we get something to eat and go check it out. We can deal with those two later."

The food was hot and savory. Scrambled eggs covered with chili and cheese, hot biscuits, and several cups of coffee helped to mellow some of the tension.

"Guess we might as well go check for damage," Dakota said pessimistically.

Squeezing her hand, Yemaya hoped things weren't as bad as Dakota imagined. With her jeans cutting painfully into her waist, she was beginning to feel pessimistic herself. She could imagine how Dakota was feeling, since it was obvious Dakota had put on more pounds than she.

Thankful that the two spirits had enough sense to take along Yemaya's wallet, the Illusionist paid for the meals with her credit card and then escorted Dakota out of the restaurant. Flagging a taxi, they gave the cabbie the address and then sat quietly staring out the windows, each wondering what other surprises lay in store for them.

Thirty minutes later, they hesitantly entered the apartment. Surprisingly, the living room was in fairly decent shape, giving them hope. The kitchen? Well, it could have been worse — not much — but still. The refrigerator was empty except for a jar of dill pickles, some olives, two bottles of lime Gatorade, and some leftovers that looked disgustingly familiar.

"Looks like they cleaned me out."

"At least we can start fresh. I hate to think what two weeks of old food would taste like."

"You did notice they didn't touch the leftovers, didn't you? That's what it looks like... tasting is out of the question."

"Like I said. Imagine the entire refrigerator looking like that."

"Maybe things are better than I imagined. Let's check the bedroom."

They pushed open the door, stepped inside, and stopped. Silence. It was the ominous type that always preceded a storm.

"My... bed. What happened to my bed?" Dakota walked over to stand next to the box spring with no mattress.

"I'm not sure I want to know," Yemaya said as a thought slowly took form, "but I think I have an idea what's going on now."

She walked to the linen closet and opened the door. Several empty shelves stared back at her.

I hope I'm wrong about the clothes,
the Illusionist thought. Pulling open several dresser drawers, all she could do was shake her head and try not to laugh out loud.

"I hope you're up for a lot of shopping."

"What?"

Dakota ran to the dresser and stared hopelessly at the emptiness.

"Where's my underwear? Where are my linens?"

"If I'm right, I think Mari and Maopa tossed them. We sometimes forget that spirits don't need clothing. I guess neither of them figured out what the washer and dryer were for."

"Damn. How could the two of them go through so much in such a short time? And what about your stuff?"

Yemaya walked to one of her suitcases, opened the lid, and smiled. "Guess they wanted to use up yours first. I still have plenty."

"You would. Well, if you think you're going to get off lightly, forget it. We're going shopping together."

"You know, sweetie, this may not be such a bad thing. After all, you might have had a little trouble fitting into the ones you had... at least until you lose a few pounds."

The look Dakota gave her would have killed any normal mortal. Chuckling, Yemaya wrapped her arms around her lover and hugged her. "Hey, I'm in the same boat. A few extra strolls around the neighborhood, and we'll be back to normal."

"For you, maybe. For me, it's always been hard to maintain a reasonable weight. I swell up like a balloon if I'm not careful."

"You're exaggerating and you know it. I've seen the way you eat."

"I don't want to hear it. Let's go."

Deciding discretion was the better part of valor, Yemaya merely nodded.

The streets were crowded as people moved about their business. The two women decided to walk the few blocks to a local department store, and neither of them noticed the street vendor until they had almost passed him.

"Hey, Ms. Lysanne, Ms. Devereaux," he called. They stopped and turned to look at the man at the hotdog stand. When he motioned them over, they hesitated and then shrugged simultaneously.

"What now?" Dakota muttered.

"Here yah go, ladies. Two of the finest dogs you ever ate, and I know how much you like them."

"Uh... Thanks, but we're really not hungry," Dakota said.

"Not hungry? You're always hungry. I've never seen two women eat so many dogs in my life. Why even my wife didn't believe me until she came down the other day and saw you."

"Oh God."

"Are you two feeling okay? You've been eating my dogs almost every day. Sometimes twice a day."

Dakota groaned. "Twice? No wonder I'm so friggin' fat."

After giving her a curious look, the vendor turned to Yemaya. "Is she okay?"

"She has been better. Look. We forgot to bring money with us today," Yemaya said, trying to think of something to get them out of the situation.

"You know I don't charge you ladies for my dogs. Go on, eat up. I have several more cooking."

Normally an avid hotdog lover, Dakota was suddenly disgusted at the thought of eating one now. Quickly glancing down at the slightly bulging tummy peeking over her waistband, she glared at the offending object, handed it back to the man, and stalked off without saying anything.

"Gosh. Is it something I said?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Yemaya looked wistfully at her own hotdog and then handed it back to him.

"No, I guess it's one of those days when she should have stayed in bed. Maybe tomorrow we can come back. They do look good. Thank you anyway."

Walking off, she quickly caught up with Dakota, glanced at her face, and chuckled softly.
Passing up two hotdogs? Disappointing. Dakota's expression? Priceless.

M
AOPA WASN'T SURE what was happening. One moment she was curled up against Mari's warm body, and the next she was in the Earth Mother's realm, alone. Even Yemaya and Dakota had disappeared.

"Dagnabit. That woman better be havin' a good explanashun fer leavin' me here alone."

Not wanting to stay there by herself, she decided to return to the Eternal Fire to check on her spirit friends. It had been awhile since she had seen them. Catching up on the news would provide an escape from boredom until Mari returned.

Sarpe, the serpent spirit, lay coiled next to a log, her body relaxed and her eyes closed. Arbora, the woodland spirit, was talking to Ursa, the bear spirit. The two had been bonded for a long time, although they seemed an odd couple. Arbora was small and slender, with lavender eyes and green and purple hair. Ursa was huge and hairy, closely resembling a large grizzly, only the eyes were different. Pale yellow, they glowed when the flames from the fire reflected across the black pupils.

Turning at Maopa's appearance, Arbora jumped up and gave her a quick hug. "It's been a long time."

"Mari and I be gettin' to know each other better."

"Good. It's about time you two spent some quality time together. She's been alone too long."

"Yep. I figured the same."

"So, where is she?"

"Now that be something I'd like tah know mahself. One minute we was all snuggled up, and the next, she be gone."

"She does that sometimes."

"Well, this time it be diff'rent. Yemaya and Dakota done vanished too."

"Really? Let's see if we can find them."

Arbora moved to the fire and passed her hand through the dancing flames. Immediately a picture appeared, showing Yemaya and Dakota talking to the hotel clerk.

"I'll be danged. They done went back. That Mari, I bet she done got tarred of bein' human."

"And I bet there's a good story behind that comment." Arbora smirked.

"Shore nuff. Only don't go expectin' me tah tell tales. She'd not be appreshatin me jabberin behind her back."

"Oh, we'll wait. It'll be more fun with her present, anyway."

"That be the truth and it'd serve her right. Leavin' me like she done."