“Want a different lens?”
“I don’t know. Do I?”
“Yeah. I think you do. Go below and get one that’s in a pouch marked 24-225.”
“You’re the boss.”
“Captain,” Kaatje called after her. “I’m the captain.”
Chapter Six
THE SUN WAS starting to set by the time Laurie had exploited all of the available photographic opportunities. Kaatje then took a few dozen of Laurie: sitting on a cushion, standing on the deck, acting like she was going to jump off the boat and, of course, holding the wheel.
A sense of real melancholy descended on Laurie as she thought about the end of the day. Being with Kaatje had seemed like meeting a new kid in the park when she was young. Someone you clicked with, who thought you were funny. Someone who knew what kinds of games you liked and fit right in without asking a bunch of questions. But in the back of your head you knew you’d never see the kid again. It was fun because you could be anyone you wanted to be, but it was all too brief. And when you got home you had to get back into the “you” that everyone knew.
“Now we can relax and wait for the sun to set,” Kaatje said. “I think I’ll set the anchor. Want a drink?”
“Sure. What do you have?”
“Name it.” Kaatje went to the bow, opened a small door in the deck, took out some sort of device and pressed a button. The anchor shot off the bow and splashed noisily into the water. Yards and yards of chain followed, then Kaatje returned to the captain’s chair, turned on the engine and backed up until the anchor caught. She reappeared by leaping onto the deck just inches in front of Laurie, startling her. “What’ll it be?”
“How about…vodka and tonic.”
“Excellent. I’ll have the same. Be right back.”
Just minutes later, Kaatje returned and handed Laurie a glass with a flourish. “I pour a lot of rum out here, but I’ve never developed much of a taste for it. I stick to vodka, beer, and wine.”
“I’ve had a lot of sake the last few years and I don’t think I’ll ever love it. Vodka’s my favorite, but I like beer on a hot summer day.” She raised her glass and toasted. “To a great, and surprising day.”
“Those are the best kind.”
“I probably shouldn’t drink, since I have a blazing headache, but what the heck.”
“From the sun?”
“No. Stress. I’ve gotten used to them.”
“Want a hand?”
“At what?”
“I know a little acupressure. It helps sometimes.”
“Uhm, sure. Couldn’t hurt.” Yeah. Sure. Watching the sunset with a pretty, flirtatious lesbian, having a drink or two, letting her work on your muscles. What could be dangerous about that?
Positioning herself so she could put the tips of her fingers just over Laurie’s temples, Kaatje pressed with gentle but constant pressure.
“Mmm, that’s…interesting.” It felt like having her head in a vise, but the pressure was strangely soothing.
Kaatje let go, then put her thumbs on the back of Laurie’s neck and pressed again.
“You know, it feels a little better.”
“Give it time. It usually takes a few minutes for the blood vessels to open up and relieve the pain. Let me do a few more.”
“No arguments.” Laurie sat there placidly while Kaatje applied firm pressure to several spots on her head, then moved down to her neck and shoulders.
“These muscles are as tight as violin strings.” Kaatje increased the pressure on the big muscles that ran from Laurie’s neck to her spine. Then she started to rub them, digging her thumbs into them until Laurie whimpered. “Just bear with me for a minute,” she soothed. “This will help.”
Kaatje’s confident manner inspired Laurie to let her continue, even though it was painful. As soon as she eased up on the pressure, Laurie turned to her and said, “It’s better.” She moved her head experimentally, then more vigorously. “It’s much better.”
“Good. It doesn’t always help, but sometimes it can really be of
“I don’t know. Do I?”
“Yeah. I think you do. Go below and get one that’s in a pouch marked 24-225.”
“You’re the boss.”
“Captain,” Kaatje called after her. “I’m the captain.”
Chapter Six
THE SUN WAS starting to set by the time Laurie had exploited all of the available photographic opportunities. Kaatje then took a few dozen of Laurie: sitting on a cushion, standing on the deck, acting like she was going to jump off the boat and, of course, holding the wheel.
A sense of real melancholy descended on Laurie as she thought about the end of the day. Being with Kaatje had seemed like meeting a new kid in the park when she was young. Someone you clicked with, who thought you were funny. Someone who knew what kinds of games you liked and fit right in without asking a bunch of questions. But in the back of your head you knew you’d never see the kid again. It was fun because you could be anyone you wanted to be, but it was all too brief. And when you got home you had to get back into the “you” that everyone knew.
“Now we can relax and wait for the sun to set,” Kaatje said. “I think I’ll set the anchor. Want a drink?”
“Sure. What do you have?”
“Name it.” Kaatje went to the bow, opened a small door in the deck, took out some sort of device and pressed a button. The anchor shot off the bow and splashed noisily into the water. Yards and yards of chain followed, then Kaatje returned to the captain’s chair, turned on the engine and backed up until the anchor caught. She reappeared by leaping onto the deck just inches in front of Laurie, startling her. “What’ll it be?”
“How about…vodka and tonic.”
“Excellent. I’ll have the same. Be right back.”
Just minutes later, Kaatje returned and handed Laurie a glass with a flourish. “I pour a lot of rum out here, but I’ve never developed much of a taste for it. I stick to vodka, beer, and wine.”
“I’ve had a lot of sake the last few years and I don’t think I’ll ever love it. Vodka’s my favorite, but I like beer on a hot summer day.” She raised her glass and toasted. “To a great, and surprising day.”
“Those are the best kind.”
“I probably shouldn’t drink, since I have a blazing headache, but what the heck.”
“From the sun?”
“No. Stress. I’ve gotten used to them.”
“Want a hand?”
“At what?”
“I know a little acupressure. It helps sometimes.”
“Uhm, sure. Couldn’t hurt.” Yeah. Sure. Watching the sunset with a pretty, flirtatious lesbian, having a drink or two, letting her work on your muscles. What could be dangerous about that?
Positioning herself so she could put the tips of her fingers just over Laurie’s temples, Kaatje pressed with gentle but constant pressure.
“Mmm, that’s…interesting.” It felt like having her head in a vise, but the pressure was strangely soothing.
Kaatje let go, then put her thumbs on the back of Laurie’s neck and pressed again.
“You know, it feels a little better.”
“Give it time. It usually takes a few minutes for the blood vessels to open up and relieve the pain. Let me do a few more.”
“No arguments.” Laurie sat there placidly while Kaatje applied firm pressure to several spots on her head, then moved down to her neck and shoulders.
“These muscles are as tight as violin strings.” Kaatje increased the pressure on the big muscles that ran from Laurie’s neck to her spine. Then she started to rub them, digging her thumbs into them until Laurie whimpered. “Just bear with me for a minute,” she soothed. “This will help.”
Kaatje’s confident manner inspired Laurie to let her continue, even though it was painful. As soon as she eased up on the pressure, Laurie turned to her and said, “It’s better.” She moved her head experimentally, then more vigorously. “It’s much better.”
“Good. It doesn’t always help, but sometimes it can really be of
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