Love's Autograph (37 page)

“
Oh, yeah,” Ellie said. “Right up here.” Ellie said as she walked up the spiral stairs and Ria followed. Ria had some difficulty getting her huge bag up the staircase. “Leave that there. I’ll show you a cool trick for getting that up here.”

“
This is gorgeous,” Ria said. They both stood at the foot of the bed. There were sloping eaves of the room on each side of them. There was a huge window at the head of the bed. “Look at that view of the mountains. Wow, this is something to wake up to.”

“
Yeah, the sun sets there, and the sun rises there,” Ellie pointed across the balcony to the windows above the front door.

“
Nice,” Ria said. “This was a great find. What's this?” Ria pointed to the cot beside the bed.

“
I wasn't sure if Maggie would be okay sleeping in the same bed, so this is for her if she chooses,” Ellie said. “It's okay, but not that comfortable for you or I to sleep on.”

“
Kids are resilient,” Ria said. “She’ll probably choose the cot.” Ria sat on the edge of the bed and laid back. “Wow, this is comfortable.” Ellie crept back and scratched the back of her head as she scanned the room. The site of Ria on her bed was very enticing.

“
Yeah your same bed, remember. I think I told you,” Ellie said. Ria noticed Ellie was uncomfortable with her on Ellie's bed and sat up. “Oh, and check this out. Come stand here.” Ellie pointed to the ledge overlooking the first floor. Ellie hurried down the spiral staircase. She rolled Ria's suitcase over to below Ria and took a carabineer and hooked it up to the handle of the suitcase. “Now pull on that rope there.” Ria pulled on the rope and the suitcase started to rise. Ria looked up and saw there was a pulley hanging from the ceiling. Ellie hurried back up the stairs and was next to Ria by the time the suitcase was eye level with Ria. “Now give it a quick tug and let go of the rope.” Ria did and the suitcase stayed suspended. Ellie helped Ria pull the suitcase over the ledge and into the loft.

“
Neat,” Ria said. “What else do you use this for?”

“
My laundry,” Ellie said. “It's mostly fun. I met a climbing friend out here. She set it up for me and is trying to talk me into screwing in these holds, you know the things you screw into the wall and climb. She wants me to be able to climb up the wall to bed.”

“
She,” Ria said. “Who's this person who has been to your bedroom?” Ria put her hands on her hips.

“
Relax,” Ellie said. “She's straight anyway. Also, not my type, and my heart belongs to someone else.”

“
It does?” Ria said as she looked into Ellie's eyes. Their bodies were only about a foot apart with a suitcase between them.

Ellie stepped back,
“Oh, and it's strong enough to hold 300 pounds!” Ellie said as she jumped off the balcony and rappelled with the use of the two ropes.

“
Ellie!” Ria panicked. She ran down the spiral steps and met Ellie on the bottom floor. “What was that?” Ria asked. “You’re crazy!”

“
Ria, we're going to have to avoid being up there together,” Ellie said. “I was safe. I do that a hundred times a week.”

“
Don't do it with me here or let Maggie see you do it,” Ria said. Ellie sucked her lips in and walked into the kitchen. “Ellie? Did Maggie already see you do it?”

“
Yes,” Ellie said. “And she has done it once or fifty times.” Ellie smiled an apology.

“
Oh my gosh,” Ria said. “She didn't tell me that. Did you tell her not to?”

“
No, I guess she used her judgment in not telling you. She probably thought you'd freak. When she does it, I have her wear a harness. There's no way she can fall. Even if she drops the rope, she'll only fall one to three feet before it catches.”

“
I guess it's good she has someone that allows her to be more reckless,” Ria said. “Like right now I'm dying that she isn't back yet. How long is the trail?”

“
She’s right in the backyard there playing fetch with Remi,” Ellie pointed to the backyard where the two were playing.

“
She’s so taken with Remi,” Ria said. “She has her as her screen saver. She has a notebook about her. I don't even have a notebook.”

“
Oh, but you do,” Ellie said.

“
I do?” Ria said.

“
Oh yes,” Ellie said. “Don't even ask what it’s about. I’ve been sworn to secrecy, and I'm storing up the information for ammunition.” Ria smiled and looked Ellie up and down, and then looked from Ellie's lips to her eyes.

“
I came here planning to behave, and avoid any physical contact, but this is hard. You look so cute, and... how are we going to do this exactly? Are you having the same problem?”

“
Yes, I'm having a very hard time. Well, our one saving grace is Maggie, and then there is keeping very busy,” Ellie said. “And no alcohol.”

“
Yes rule four I think,” Ria said.

“
Yes,” Ellie said. “It'll be fine. I intend not to take a shower the whole time you're here. Oh, let me show you the rest of the house.”

Ellie, Maggie and Ria went into Northampton for lunch. Against Maggie's will Remi stayed at the house. Maggie only agreed to it when Ellie told Maggie that Remi need
ed at least fifteen hours of sleep and had not slept yet today. They went to a pizza place on one of the side streets of town. Several younger women came up to Ellie and asked for her autograph, and took photographs with Ellie.

“
I still get noticed here, but for some reason people are more respectful of my privacy,” Ellie said. “That's not to say that you two might not end up on some media by tonight.”

“
That's okay,” Ria said.

“
It is?” Ellie asked.

“
Yeah, everyone at work knows that I know or that I'm seeing you or something,” Ria said. “I don't care.”

“
I think it would be cool,” Maggie said. “Can I tell people that I was on your album?” Maggie said.

“
Of course,” Ellie said.

“
Ellie, hey how are you?” a brunette sauntered up to the table. She was a little taller than Ellie had bright green eyes, and a body that only existed in Photoshop.

“
Theresa, how are you?” Ellie asked.

“
I’m good. Picking up some pizzas for my office,” Theresa said as she looked at Maggie and Ria inviting Ellie to introduce them.

“
Oh, Theresa this is Maggie and Ria.”

“
I played a song on her album,” Maggie announced.

“
Oh, how nice,” Theresa said. “I'm a big fan of EJ's. I mean Ellie's.” Theresa eyed Ria.

“
And Theresa this is my... girlfriend Ria,” Ellie said as she smiled at Ria.

Theresa
extended her hand to Ria. Ria shook her hand as Theresa whispered, “Glad she has a girlfriend. I was starting to wonder if she was a hermit. I asked her out a dozen times. Now I know why she said no.”

“
Yeah, thanks,” Ria said. Theresa left and Ria smiled at Ellie as Ellie bit into a fresh slice of pizza.

Maggie broke the silence,
“So you guys are girlfriends now?” Ria looked at Ellie shrugged and pointed to Ellie for Ellie to answer.

“
Would that be okay?” Ellie asked.

“
Finally,” Maggie said. “You guys are going to go on
another date soon.”

“
Yeah, are we?” Ria asked.

“
Would you like to, Ria?” Ellie asked.

“
I'd love to,” Ria said. “What do you think Maggie?”

“
Like I said, it is about time,” Maggie said.

“
That's what I'm saying,” Ria said. They all laughed. After lunch they walked around Northampton. The center of the town had a main street with restaurants, art galleries and a variety of stores. Each store front had a unique artistic sign over the front display window. The sidewalks were adorned with families wearing two-hundred-dollar fleeces, homeless people, and assorted street performers. At a crosswalk they waited for the walk sign to illuminate. As they waited, Ria slid her hand into Ellie's. Ellie squeezed her hand, and brought it to her lips and kissed it.

“
I could get used to this PDA,” Ria whispered in Ellie's ear. The walk sign illuminated and an auditory walk signal played the background music for their crossing.
Beep boop, beep boop.

“
Hey, I have to pick up a necklace in here,” Ellie said as she ducked into a gallery filled with jewelry and glass art. There was a rounded ceiling with a cloud-filled sky painted on it. Ellie went to the counter and talked to a sales clerk while Ria and Maggie peered through the glass cases. A sales clerk came up to Ria and encouraged her to try on some rings while Ellie paid for her necklace.

“
I’m just looking while my girlfriend picks something up,” Ria said.

“
Oh, that's fine,” the clerk said. “It doesn't hurt to look. It will be a while before we complete her order. Our owner goes all over the world finding artists to feature in there. All these are handmade and one of a kind. Let me show you this new artist we now feature here.” Ria seemed glad to oblige and after a few minutes had tried on several beautiful rings.

“
You ready?” Ellie called from the front of the store. Ria hurried to Ellie and Maggie's side.

They headed back to Ellie's house after Ria grabbed some groceries for the weekend of meals. Maggie took Remi on another adventure through the trail in the woods while Ellie helped Ria make dinner.

“So, can I chop something or peel something?” Ellie asked.

“
No, you can sit and keep me company,” Ria said.

“
Okay,” Ellie said.

“
So, girlfriend huh? What does that mean?” Ria asked.

“
Yeah, I think we’re, or at least I'm ready to leave Platonicville,” Ellie said. A huge smile formed on Ria's face. Ellie noticed she rose onto her toes and then went back down to being flat footed.

“
Mom, we saw a bear,” Maggie said as she ran through the door. “It was far away from us and walking away, but it was a bear.”

“
What?” Ria said.

“
Oh, yeah there are a lot of bears around here,” Ellie said. “Was it big or small?”

“
About a little bigger than Remi,” Maggie said.

“
Oh, that's the cub,” Ellie said. “Be careful, because the mom is around. Maybe during early morning and at dusk you should stay in.”

“
Definitely,” Ria said.

“
Okay, I am going to go on my laptop now,” Maggie said as she walked up the stairs to Ellie's bedroom.

“
Dinner will be ready soon,” Ria called after her.

“
Bad timing,” Ellie whispered to Ria.

“
Are we safe here with the bear?” Ria asked.

“
Yes, it won't get through the door, and if anything, Remi will scare him or her off,” Ellie said. “I also have a bell that we can give Maggie to carry when she's out there. The noise will keep the bear away.”

“
Okay, so anyway. We were saying,” Ria whispered. “You're ready to leave Platonicville?” Ria giggled and another huge smile spanned across her face.

“
I think so. At least as ready as I'll ever be,” Ellie said.

“
Really? I'm so excited. What made you decide? Forget it, I don't want to know. Really?” Ria asked as she nervously giggled. Ria stood on her toes and back to flat footed again.

“
Yes,” Ellie said. “Are you having second thoughts?”

“
No, absolutely not,” Ria said. “You're so lucky Maggie is right here. I'm having a hard time restraining myself from you,” Ria whispered.

“
Okay, to help you with the restraining, I'm going to go out into the studio to get a few things done while you finish up dinner, okay?” Ellie said. Ria nodded as she stirred the vegetables and meat in the dish. Ellie leaned in and gave Ria a kiss on the cheek and Ria turned and smiled at Ellie.

Ellie floated to the barn. She opened the barn door and entered the studio. Ellie pulled out a piece of paper and ripped it into a few pieces. She then found a small box and threw in the pieces. She found a few pages of old sheet music and wrapped the box with the music.

Ria texted,
Dinner is ready!

Ellie answered
,
Okay be right there, I'm starving.
Ellie opened the door to the barn and a huge bear was between her and the house. She quickly and quietly closed the door and noticed the bear was looking at the side of the barn. There was a small cub sitting on the west side of the barn. She walked to the other side of the barn and saw another small cub sitting on the east side of the barn.