Rising Storm

'Not likely,' she said. 'I stopped using it because the smell made me gag.' They grinned at each other until she lowered her eyes.

'It's obvious that she adores him,' Dieter said, his expression sympathetic.

Sarah instantly went on the offensive. 'She also allegedly adored Ron Labane, and look at what happened to him!'

'Oh, come on, Sarah! She's a victim of circumstance. John backs her up.'

'And the neighbors always say, 'He was such a quiet man,' ' Sarah snapped back.

'It's pure coincidence that she got involved with the murder. The killers were clever, but they couldn't know how resourceful she would be.'

'I don't believe in coincidence, or accident, or happenstance when it affects John,' Sarah said firmly. 'I can't afford to.' She looked in his eyes. ' We can't afford to. Especially not now.'

He lowered his head and looked at her from under his eyebrows. 'Do you think she's a Terminator?'

Sarah threw up her hands again and looked away. 'Before Serena Burns I would have sworn it wasn't possible. Now?' She shook her head. 'Who the hell knows.'

In Wendy's room, on Wendy's bed, the two young lovers lay entwined. John was still completely dressed, Wendy was far less so and not minding that a bit. She tugged at John's shirt as she kissed him, inhaling his scent, her eyes closed in sheer pleasure.

John stayed her hand, captured it, and brought it to his lips. He kissed it and smiled at her, his eyes begging her to understand. 'Mom's still awake.' he said softly.

Wendy groaned, then buried her face in his neck. 'I love you,' she said passionately. After a moment she said timidly, 'But I don't think your mother likes me at all.' She looked up at him. 'She's not what I expected.'

John laughed lightly. 'Right now she's not what I expected. But then, you're my first girlfriend and a total surprise to her. Mom doesn't like surprises. One time I baked a cake for her birthday, lit the candles, and hid behind the door. When she came in I jumped out and yelled, 'Surprise!' and she pulled a gun on me.' He chuckled. 'It's a wonder I wasn't shot.'

Wendy stared at him, wide-eyed, as he recounted what he apparently thought of as a fond memory.

Noticing her mood, he gave her a squeeze and kissed her forehead. 'Once she gets to know you, she'll like you,' he assured her. 'I know she will.'

'I hope so,' she said with a sigh, and kissed him again.

After a few heated moments they came up for air. John held her more tightly and groaned. 'I wish we had more time!' he said fervently.

Wendy's head went back and she studied his face in the dim light of the bedside lamp. 'Before your mother comes up to bed?' she teased.

He sighed and shook his head.

'Then what do you mean?'

'Dieter and I have to go somewhere,' he said. 'We'll be gone for a few weeks at

least.' Or forever, he thought, depending on how things go.

'Where are you going?' she demanded, frowning.

'Shhh.' He laid his finger on her lips. 'Don't worry, you can stay here with Mom.'

Wendy sat up and looked down on him. 'I'd rather go to hell,' she said frankly.

Then she drew close to him again, snuggling into his arms. 'Or with you.'

He shook his head.

'Please,' she begged.

'Wendy,' he said, tracing the curve of her cheek with his finger, 'I can't. I'm sorry to say no to you. But I just can't.'

She closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath. After a moment she nodded.

'Fine,' she said. 'I understand.'

John looked at her in concern; he thought that her eyelashes had grown moist.

Before he could speak Wendy said, 'I'm really tired. I should go to sleep now.'

She still hadn't opened her eyes and John felt a sinking feeling as she drew herself from his arms and turned her back on him. He reached out for her.

'Good night,' she said.

John drew back his hand, confused. He knew he'd somehow mishandled this situation, but genuinely didn't see any alternative. In his heart he understood that

Wendy felt rejected, but he could hardly take her to Antarctica for a raid on a military facility.

He'd missed her so much, had wanted to see her and hold her for so long. But not now! There was just no time. No time to be with her and maybe not even time to heal this breach. He let out his breath in an almost inaudible sigh and reached out to touch her bare shoulder.

'We'll talk tomorrow,' he said. Leaning over, he kissed her neck. 'Sleep well, sweetheart. Good night.'

Getting up from the bed, he left the room, closing the door softly behind him. On the way to his room he reflected on how he'd often wondered as a kid how adults could say things like sweetheart and darling to one another with a straight face.

He thought of the girl on the bed and smiled. And now I know.

Wendy heard the click of the latch as he left the room and raised her head from the pillow. She gave one self-pitying little sniff, then steeled herself. She was going with him. He just didn't know it yet.

John's mother made no comment when he announced at breakfast that he intended to ramble around the estancia with Wendy that day. The very lack of reaction raised Wendy's hackles even more than John's blithe assumption that she'd go with him.

'Do you ride?' John asked her, smiling.

' 'Fraid not,' she said. 'I wanted a horse when I was little, until my dad explained about mucking out. Then I changed my mind and made do with

Bryer's figures and glossy calendars.' She grinned. 'Truth to tell, we had a hard time affording my cat.'

'I can teach you,' John offered.

She smiled at his eager expression, her heart giving a little extra thump, and decided to forgive him. 'I'd like that. But first I'd like to enjoy your company with no distractions. I'—she was about to say, I've missed you, but suddenly remembered that they weren't alone and became shy—'can't wait to hear about what you've been doing,' she finished lamely.

'Likewise,' John said. 'Are you finished?'

Wendy instantly laid down her napkin, saying 'yes' despite the food remaining on her plate.

'May we be excused?' John asked his mother. Sarah was examining a printout that Dieter had given her and didn't hear him. 'Mom?' he said again, somewhat louder.

She looked up at him. 'What?'

'May we be excused?'

Sarah glanced at their barely touched plates and shrugged, slightly bemused that he would even ask. 'Of course,' she said. When the two young people left in a clatter she turned to Dieter. 'Suddenly he's exquisitely polite.'

'She's the older woman,' Dieter observed. 'Maybe he's trying to appear

sophisticated.'

Sarah gave a little laugh and shook her head. 'This thing between them—it's for real, isn't it?'

Dieter nodded, suddenly solemn. This thing between us, he thought, is that real?

Aloud he said, 'I'm glad of it. It will give him something special to come home to.'

'Hunh!' Sarah said. 'That puts me in my place.'

'You know what I mean.' He laid his hand on hers for a fleeting moment. 'He's young and she's a pretty girl; the thought of her will keep him going.'