“Please!” Garona said, gesturing toward a satin divan.
“I’m soaked,” Suzanne said.
“It doesn’t matter,” Garona said. He bent down and picked up a small jar and removed the top.
“Are you sure?” Suzanne questioned. The upholstered couch was immaculate.
“Absolutely,” Garona said. He held the jar out for Suzanne to put some onto her palm. He did the same, and as they both reclined they pushed their hands together.
Suzanne swooned with pleasure to the very core of her being. Over the next half hour she and Garona made love in a sensitive, giving way that reached a crescendo of passion before melding into sublime, intimate relaxation.
Suzanne had never felt so close to another person. Never in her life had she acted with such abandon, and yet she did not feel guilty. In this utopian netherworld, the usual constraints just didn’t apply.
Time seemed to stand still as Suzanne luxuriated in the afterglow of an intimacy the likes of which she’d never experienced. But then, suddenly, it all changed. A soft feminine voice coming from close range shattered her mental and physical repose: “If you two have finished your beautifully tender lovemaking, which I have to say I’ve enjoyed vicariously, I’ve arranged a lovely lunch.”
Suzanne opened her eyes. To her shock, she found herself looking into the smiling face of an exquisitely attractive woman with stunning features, ice blue eyes, and flaxen hair. The woman’s expression was like a proud parent gazing down at her adorable children.
Suzanne sat bolt upright and pulled the coverlet up. Her sudden movement disturbed Garona, who rolled over and opened his eyes. “What did you say, Alita?” he asked.
“Time for you two to eat,” she said. She pointed to a table by the pool, which was being set by a worker clone.
“Thank you, my dear,” Garona said. He sat up. “I think we’re both quite hungry.”
“The food will be out momentarily,” Alita said. She turned and walked back to the worker clone to help with the preparations by arranging three chaiselike chairs around the table.
Garona stretched, yawned, and then reached for his clothing.
Suzanne made a beeline for her own clothes. Although she hadn’t been self-conscious earlier, she was now. She put on the tunic and pulled on the shorts.
“Who is this woman?” she whispered.
“Alita,” Garona said. “Come, let us eat.”
Still confused, Suzanne let herself be led over to the table. She took the chair Garona indicated and allowed the worker clone to serve her some food. While Garona and Alita attacked theirs with relish, Suzanne toyed with hers. Having been caught flagrante delicto she felt acutely embarrassed and emotionally fragile.
“Suzanne met with the Council of Elders today,” Garona said to Alita between mouthfuls of food. “She was every helpful and gave us good news.”
“Wonderful,” Alita said.
Garona leaned over and gave Suzanne’s shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “She’s assured us that the secret of Interterra is still secure.”
“What a relief,” Alita said sincerely. “We sorely needed the reassurance.”
Suzanne could only nod.
Garona and Alita launched into a discussion of Interterra’s security needs vis-à-vis the surface world. Suzanne didn’t listen; instead she watched Alita, who was directing her full attention to Garona. Suzanne was amazed at how calm the woman seemed. Suzanne was still feeling too awkward to eat or speak.
Gradually Suzanne’s emotions calmed and she began to collect her thoughts. What began to bother her was the apparently familiarity with which Garona and Alita treated each other. Eventually, Suzanne’s curiosity got the better of her. “Excuse me, Alita,” she said during a break in her fellow diners’ conversation. “Have you and Garona known each other for long?”
Both Garona and Alita laughed heartily.
“I’m sorry,” Alita said, struggling to contain herself. “It’s a perfectly reasonable question, but so very unexpected here in Interterra. You see, Garona and I have known each other for a long, long time.”
“Years then,” Suzanne suggested curtly. Despite Alita’s apology, she found the laughter rude.
Garona burst out laughing again. He had to cover his face with his hand.
“Certainly years,” Alita said. “Years and years.”
“Alita and I have spent many lives together,” Garona explained as he wiped tears from his eyes.
“Oh, I see,” Suzanne said, struggling to keep calm. “Isn’t that wonderful.”
“It is indeed,” Garona said. “Alita is… well, I guess you’d call her my permanent woman.”
“Or we can say Garona is my permanent man,” Alita said.
“Either way,” Garona agreed.
“It’s nice that it is mutual,” Suzanne commented sarcastically. “Now, perhaps you can tell me what ‘permanent’ means socially in Interterra.”
“It’s something like your institution of marriage,” Alita said. “Only it transcends one body life to another.”
Suzanne rolled her lower lip into her mouth and bit down on to it to keep from allowing her rekindled emotions to bubble over into tears. After her unconditional surrender to her feelings toward Garona in response to his persistence and flattery, she felt violated now that she knew he was already in a type of long-term commitment that she could not even fathom. She also felt stupid and appalled that her intuition had let her down so dramatically and that she hadn’t even asked about his social status.
“Well, that’s all very interesting,” Suzanne managed. She put down her flatware and napkin and stood up. “Thank you for the meal and a most enlightening afternoon. I think it’s time I get back to the visitors’ palace.”
Garona got to his feet. “Are you sure you want to leave so quickly?”
“Quite sure,” Suzanne said. Then to Alita she added. “It’s been a pleasure.”
“For me as well,” Alita said. “Garona has spoken so highly of you.”
“Has he now?” Suzanne said. “That’s very nice.”
“I trust we’ll be seeing a lot of you,” Alita said.
“Perhaps,” Suzanne said vaguely. She nodded good-bye to Garona and started for the door. Garona was immediately at her side.
“I’ll see you to an air taxi,” Garona said. “Unless you’d prefer that I accompany you back to the visitors’ palace.”
“That’s quite all right,” Suzanne said as she passed out of the house. “I’m sure you and Alita have things you need to discuss.”
“Suzanne, you are acting strangely,” Garona said. He took a few running steps to keep up with her while he used his wrist communicator to summon an air taxi.
“You think?” Suzanne asked. “How sensitive of you to notice.”
“What is the matter, Suzanne?” Garona reached for her arm, but she pulled away from his grasp and kept walking.
“It’s just a minor cultural thing,” she said over her shoulder.
“Come now,” Garona said. Catching up with her, he grabbed her arm again and this time succeeded in bringing her to a stop. “Be open with me. Don’t make me guess.”
“It would be interesting to have you guess. But from my perspective it wouldn’t be much of a challenge.”
“I suppose this has something to do with Alita.”
“Very clever,” Suzanne said. “Now, if you let go of me, I’m going back to the visitors’ palace.”
“Suzanne, you are in Interterra. We have different customs. You must adjust.”
Suzanne stared into Garona’s dark eyes. One part of her wanted him to leave her alone; the other side of her wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, this was Interterra, not L.A. “My background is so different…” she said.
“I know,” Garona insisted. “But I ask you not to judge by your earth surface standards. Try not to be selfish. You don’t have to feel you own things to enjoy them. We share ourselves with those we love, and love is an endless font.”
“I’m happy for you,” Suzanne said. “I’m glad you have all this love. Unfortunately, I’m used to sharing love with only one person.”