Gotta Catch The Pretty Ones
© 2011-2014 by Mr. David R. Dorrycott
Chapter Seven
It was months, nearly their sixth month anniversary before the two women finally stood before that closed steel door. What lay beyond it they wondered, considering the ancient furniture that had dragged out then sold at the monthly market ‘as is’ it was a lead pipe cinch that what lay behind that door was exactly what they had dragged out. Using two prybars and more strength than either thought they had the steel door finally broke free of its rusted frame. Nor were the women much disappointed at what they discovered as the once carefully cared for safety shelter was as crammed with boxes and furniture as the main basement had been. It also smelled. Still, with a now spic and span (if you didn’t count the now neat stacks of boxes of journals) basement it was only a matter of grunt work to drag out the contents. After all, like the other known storm rooms in Stonehome this one was only a circular fifteen feet in size with a domed roof for strength. What else would someone use it for?
With only one day a week free it took the two women three hard weeks to finish emptying the smelly chamber, which proved only to need airing out and the removal of someone’s ancient garbage pile. It was about then that Penny announced that she was giving up her job at the library.
“But why?” Sara asked, caught completely by surprise.
“We don’t need two incomes” her wife explained. “Your income alone is more than enough to satisfy our needs. That, and I have really like being a housewife, even if my spouse is a woman. I.. I just like being with you all the time. Sara, with both of us working it has taken almost five months to clean out that mess below and we haven’t even started going through all those boxes and books. Plus even with both of us trying this house could really use a good clean. It needs a full time keeper not two part time ones. There is my savings too, so should we have need of emergency funds it is there for us and my family isn’t exactly poor either.”
Sara really couldn’t fault her wife’s logic. It was simply frightening though to know that someone’s life would soon depend upon her ability to maintain an income. “What if something happens” she finally asked. “What if I’m injured, ill and can’t work. Or even die?”
Penny ran her fingers along Sara’s lower jaw, something that never failed to entice the redhead. “In the first two cases we have my savings and your insurance. If money gets too tight I can visit my family or you can pop me into my Pokeball for a few weeks or months. If you die...” The smaller woman shuddered at that thought. “I can reactivate myself in the Guild. It will probably mean moving away but how could I live with your grave near me all the time? Sara my love there are always difficulties in life. The real joy is meeting them, then working around them together. Now listen to me carefully, I sent my letter off today. As soon as the new Librarian arrives I will settle him or her in then deactivate my status with the Guild. Oh, if there is an emergency I’ll still be available. But mainly I will be a housewife so while you are fixing those toys of yours I’ll be keeping house and preparing your meals. And Sara? I’ll be loving every second of it.”
Defeated by her wife’s logic Sara could only shake her head in disbelief and accept what was. “What about the Journals” she suddenly asked. “We haven’t taken any to the library yet.”
“And we won’t. Since I’m giving up being librarian access to them would be sporadic” Penny admitted. “I’ll talk to widow Martine tomorrow about putting shelves in the storm room. It’s clean and dry now and the Martine family are the best carpenters in sixty miles or more. Being as you have your own slave librarian I’ll have them shelved in order very quickly Mistress.”
“Your not my slave” Sara reminded the brunette. “You never will be.”
“In bed I am, and whenever we have free time to play. That is good enough for me” Penny laughed. “So, it will take about two weeks to get the new Librarian in. Until then I fear that you will have to deal with Lars by yourself, you know he has goo-goo eyes for you.”
Sara laughed, if anything the boy Lars tended to stare at Penny not herself. “He wants to be a Pokeball Technician. It’s another fourteen months before he’s old enough and yes I need to get those books as far from him as I can manage. Did you hear that he has a girlfriend now?”
“A girlfriend? Who” Penny asked.
“Sissy Harrington. She wants to be a Pokemon Hunter and oddly she looks an awful lot like you.”
“Will wonders never cease” Penny laughed.