Neptune's Ring (23 page)

“That sounds good to us,” Nat said. “Why
don’t you two lovebirds get out of here and we will see you in the
morning at eight to go to the bank,” she suggested.

“Consider us gone,” Vanessa said with a
smile.

She and Levi said their goodbye’s and went to
Levi’s room to pack a small bag.

“Do you feel better now that Cass will be on
the island with me?” Levi asked as they entered her bungalow.

“I am very much relieved,” Vanessa said. “I
love you so, Levi.”

Levi embraced Vanessa. “I love you two and I
am pleased that Cass will be there with me also. Things seem to be
falling into place very well.”

“Yes, they do. I wonder if Cat has anything
to do with Cass’s decision.”

“I think our dear friend has found someone
she is very interested in,” Levi said.

“I hope so, Levi. Cass is too good of a woman
to be so lonely,” Vanessa said.

“I agree with you completely,” Levi said.
“The chemistry between them was so obvious when they met,” she
added with a chuckle.

Levi finished packing her bag and turned
toward Vanessa. “So, my love, what are we going to do for the next
couple of days?”

“I have a few ideas, but tonight I say we
have a nice dinner on board and have a quiet evening together in my
cabin.”

“That sounds perfect to me. I packed a swim
suit so maybe we could lounge in the hot tub after dinner to
relax,” Levi said.

“I think that can be arranged,” Vanessa said
with a warm smile.

They walked to the trolley stop and waited
for a ride back to the ship.

PART SEVENTEEN

The next few days passed in a whirlwind for
Vanessa and Levi and all too soon Wednesday arrived, signaling it
was time for the Sappho One to leave the island. The previous
night’s tears spilled over into the next morning and Levi saw
Vanessa off with tears running down her cheeks. It would only be
two weeks before Vanessa would fly to Neptune’s Ring to spend a few
days with her, but two weeks seemed an eternity to Levi.

Levi watched the ship until it disappeared
from view and then returned to the resort with NeNe who had come
down to see Killian off. NeNe slipped an arm around Levi’s
shoulders as they walked back to meet the trolley.

“Don’t worry my friend, you will be so busy
the time will pass quickly, just you wait and see,” NeNe said.

Levi did not doubt that she would stay busy,
but the nights would be unbearably lonely for her without Vanessa.
Suck it up and deal with it she told herself as they walked back to
the trolley. There would be many nights that she and Vanessa would
not be sharing, so she had just better get used to it.

When she and NeNe returned to Venus they
found Nat, Liz and Cass bent over blue prints. Nat looked up when
she heard them enter and smiled at the two young women who they
placed a great deal of responsibility in with the new resort.

“NeNe,” Liz said, “why don’t you and I do
some internet research and get some ideas for the sound system
equipment so we will know what to budget.”

“Let’s do it,” NeNe said as they walked
toward the computer. “I can hardly wait to see what kind of
equipment is available.”

“Cass and I are busy, cataloging the
furnishings we will need to finish off the rooms if you would care
to join us,” Nat said.

“Actually, I think I will start reviewing
these catalogs to look for bar furniture and outdoor furniture,”
Levi said. “I also see that the brochures on the boats have come in
as well,” she said as she glimpsed at the pile of magazines. “Mind
if I take a look at those too?”

“Knock your sox off,” Nat said as she pushed
the pile over to Levi.

The next three days they spent brainstorming
and setting up items to be ordered. Saturday morning arrived and
Levi and Cass were driven to the airport to head off in separate
directions. Levi was meeting Cat to move into the owner’s house and
Cass was taking off to care for some business arrangements before
she would meet Levi at the island in a little more than a week.

“Are you sure you don’t want Liz or I to go
with you to help you get set up?” Nat said.

“No, you two are busy here and Cat has
promised to run me all over town to pick up supplies and help me
get settled.”

Nat handed Levi a brand new laptop to pack
onto the small plane to allow her to keep in touch with the island
and with Vanessa as well as a new cell phone. “Don’t hesitate to
call if you need anything,” Nat said.

“I am sure Carlos and I will have some
questions for you on Monday when the construction starts rolling
again,” Levi said.

“Well call even if you just want to say
hello,” Liz said. “I can’t begin to tell you how much we appreciate
you taking the lead on this project,” she said.

“I am glad to help out and this will be some
very good experience for me when we start up the next resort,” Levi
said with a wink to Nat.

“That’s it, a whole chain of lesbian
resorts,” Nat replied.

“You two are too much,” Liz said with a
smile. “Do call and let us know that you are settled in tonight
though.”

“Yes, mama,” Levi said with a grin. “If the
house phone isn’t working yet, I will call you from the cell,” she
promised.

“Alright then, off with you,” Nat teased.

“See you in a week or so,” Cass said.

“Any message for Cat from you Cass,” Levi
teased.

“You can tell her I will call her tonight to
make sure you got settled in ok,” Cass said with a blush.

“Will do, my friend,” Levi said and after
hugging each of them she walked out to the airplane. She climbed
the steps and turned to see her friends smiling and waving at her.
She waved back and entered the plane to find a comfortable
seat.

Levi gazed out of the window as the plane
taxied and took off. Tears blurred her vision as she felt another
chapter of her life come to close.

Cat met her at the airport and within minutes
porters had Levi’s bags stowed in Cat’s Land Rover.

“Where do we need to go first?” Cat
asked.

“A grocery store for some supplies and then I
should be good,” Levi said.

“I took a list from Liz and had some staples
already delivered to the island, so you basically just need food to
last you a few days,” Cat said. “I plan to come out several times
this week to check on you and Carlos so you can just make me a list
of other supplies and I can bring them out for you.”

“That sounds like a very good deal to me,”
Levi said. “Grocery shopping has never been one of my favorite
activities.”

“I also want you to come into town on
Wednesday if that is a good day for you and I will take you out to
dinner,” Cat said. “Too much solitude on the island might get to
your nerves, so feel free to come into town whenever you would
like.”

“Thanks, Cat, I would like having dinner with
you and I hope you will come out one night and allow me to cook for
you,” Levi said.

“That would be lovely,” Cat said as they
located a small grocery store and purchased Levi’s supplies.

“I have a small powerboat that I will loan to
you until the resort boats come in,” Cat said as they waited in the
checkout aisle. “It is nothing elaborate, but will easily get you
back and forth to the island,” she said.

“Thank you, Cat. It will be another week
before the first of the boats are delivered and I feel better
knowing I can leave the island if I need to,” Levi said.

Cat drove Levi by and showed her where her
small house was. “This is where I live and my door is always open
to you,” Cat said.

They loaded Levi’s bags and groceries onto
the small boat and Cat gave Levi a crash course on operating the
small boat. She wouldn’t win any speed contests, but the boat was
easy to operate and got them to the island quickly enough.

When they entered the boat house, Levi was
relieved to find a golf cart waiting for them.

“Carlos had this idea,” Cat said with a
smile. “It is just the perfect size for the path to the house and
will come in very handy when taking these bags to the house.”

“I really wasn’t looking forward to dragging
these bags up the hill,” Levi said.

“No need to do that now,” Cat said as she
took a large bag Levi was handing her and placed it across the back
of the golf cart.

“He thinks of everything doesn’t he?” Levi
asked.

“Carlos is a very considerate young man and
has been a joy to work with,” Cat said.

“I look forward to working with him,” Levi
said, as they loaded the last of the grocery bags and started up
the hill.

Levi had decided she would use the large
master bedroom downstairs for its convenient location to
everything. She and Cat took the bags into the house.

“Why don’t you start putting your stuff away
and I will take care of the groceries and build us a sandwich,” Cat
suggested.

“Deal,” Levi said, as she rolled one of her
bags into the bedroom.

She flipped on the light and felt the
coolness in the air. She lifted the bag onto a small chest at the
end of the huge bed and opened it taking her clothes and placing
them in the chest of drawers adjacent to the bed. When the bag was
emptied, she placed it in the back of the large walk in closet and
went back out for another. Her hang up clothes were emptied quickly
and when she went out for the third bag of clothing she found that
Cat had finished with the groceries and was preparing to make
sandwiches.

Levi carried a small box into the bedroom.
She carefully uncovered the picture of her and Vanessa and allowed
her fingers to smoothly trace the length of Vanessa’s body. With a
deep sigh she placed the picture on the bedside table. She removed
a small journal Vanessa had given her before she left the island
with a request to write down the activities of her days while they
were apart. The last few items she removed from the box were
several candles and a few more small pictures. Levi sat on the bed
and was staring at the picture when she heard Cat call to her.

“What kind of sandwich would you like?”

“Turkey with mayonnaise for me please,” Levi
answered as she rolled the last bag into the bedroom. She tossed a
smaller bag of hygiene products onto the bed as she hung up the
last of her clothing. After she stowed the bag she went back into
the bedroom to gather her hygiene supplies and walked into the
bathroom. She quickly set up her bathroom and was taking a last
look around when Cat called her for lunch.

“I will be right there,” she yelled back to
Cat. Levi picked up the computer bag and walked into the office
next to the master bedroom and set up the laptop and several files
she had brought with her from Venus Rising.

When she walked back into the kitchen Cat was
sitting at the small breakfast bar waiting for her.

“Getting all settled?” Cat asked.

“Clothing is put away and the bathroom is set
up,” Levi said. “I placed the laptop in the office so I am well on
my way.”

“The phone is working too,” Cat said. “I was
worried that they wouldn’t be able to activate the service until
Monday, but it looks like they worked you in earlier. I put one of
my cards with my home and cell numbers by the phone in case you
need to reach me.” Cat smiled as Levi sat down next to her. “It
also has my email address if you want to drop me a quick note.”

“Thank you for everything you have done for
me and for us,” Levi said. “You have been a tremendous help to me
today as well.”

“That’s what friends are for,” Cat said.

“Oh, by the way, Cass asked me to tell you
she would be giving you a call to make sure I am all settled in,”
Levi said with a grin. She bit into her sandwich and watched the
smile on Cat’s face grow.

“Thanks, I will be looking forward to that
later,” Cat said. “How well do you know her?”

“I have only known her for a few weeks, but
she is a very special woman,” Levi said. “Her lover of ten years
died and she has been alone since then searching unsuccessfully for
a new soul mate.”

“She seems so down to earth for someone of
her stature,” Cat said.

“Cass feels she is just like anyone else and
she doesn’t flaunt her wealth or social status. I think most of all
she just wants to blend in and be a part of someone’s life.”

“What do you think my chances are of being
with her?” Cat asked.

“The chemistry between you was very obvious
from the first meeting,” Levi said with a grin. “I know she is very
interested in you, so I would say your chances are very good.”

“We have exchanged a few emails and she has
called several times this week,” Cat said. “I am very anxious to
see her again if you couldn’t tell.”

“Maybe just a little bit,” Levi said with a
soft smile.

They finished their meal and picked up the
kitchen together. “Is there anything I can do to help you get
settled?”

“Thanks, Cat, but I think I just need to get
adjusted to my new surroundings,” Levi said. “All of my belongings
are put away so I thought I might do some exploring later
today.”

“Well if you will give me a ride across to
the mainland I will leave you to your exploring then,” Cat
said.

“No problem,” Levi said and they walked out
of the house to the cart and drove back to the boat house.

Levi dropped Cat off at the docks and
promised to call her later in the evening. She watched as Cat
walked to her Land Rover and waved as she pulled away. She then
turned the boat and steered back to the island. When she pulled
into the boat house she cut the engine and allowed the boat to
glide into the slip. She moored the boat securely and walked back
to the cart. Levi drove back up to the house and plugged the cart
up to charge as Cat had earlier instructed her.

She walked around the base of the house and
found a small trail leading from the back yard into the heart of
the island. Levi walked briskly as she followed the trail to see
where it led. Her steps took her into a small clearing ringed by
small twisted trees. Someone had taken great pains in planting a
small flower garden and Levi was rewarded by the fruits of their
labor as the fragrant plants were in full bloom. Levi continued
down the path with a promise to come back and enjoy the beauty of
the garden at a later date.