If It's Tuesday, it Must be Sleepyside

Chapter 17

Cathy found herself rolling down what felt like a grassy hill and figured �what the hey�. �As�..you�.wiiiiiiiiish!� she yelled, doing her best �man in black� impersonation.

�Oof!� she involuntarily grunted as she landed flat on her back. She lay there for a moment, eyes closed, pondering who she irritated in a past life to warrant such rough landings. When all this is over, and Jim is finally safe and sound, I am treating myself to a full body massage, she thought sourly. She finally opened her eyes to find familiar green ones peering down at her.

�Are you an angel?� a little girl with goldy-red curls asked, her voice solemn.

�That�s what the Katie in my universe would say,� Cathy muttered, still in a daze from her rough trip.  She slowly straightened and smiled when she realized who the small figure was.  �Hi Katy. Believe me, I�m no angel!� She reached out a hand and gently patted the little girl�s curls. �My name is Cathy, and I�m an old friend of your mommy and daddy�s,� she said.  She glanced around and took in her surroundings. She was sitting in the yard of a very nice, two-story house with a porch that went entirely around it, and she realized she must be at Ten Acres. �Will you take me to them?�

Katy nodded so vigorously that her curls bounced. �Sure! My mommy�s taking a little nap, and she said I could go outside as long as I promised not to leave the porch.� Her pretty face dimmed. �I didn�t mean to be bad.�

Cathy was puzzled until she realized that they were now several feet away from the porch. �I know you didn�t. It can be our little secret, okay?�

Katy beamed at her. �Okay!�

Cathy stood up and was relieved she seemed to be in one piece. �Where�s your daddy?� she asked as they climbed up the steps and walked towards the back door.

Katy frowned, and Cathy could immediately see a striking resemblance to Jim. �He went there,� she said, pointing down a well-used trail.

�Where does that go?�

�To the horsies!� Katy said, her frown erased by a delighted grin. Then she frowned again. �I wanted to go, too!� She looked as if she were going to cry. She opened the door, and the pair entered the bright kitchen.

Cathy patted her head. �I�m sure your daddy wanted you to stay and take care of your mommy,� she began, thinking that if Trixie was taking a nap, she could only be sick. God, unless there�s a Pod Trixie, too! she thought, suddenly weary.  She didn�t think she could stand anymore pod people.

�My mommy�s gonna have a baby,� Katy whispered confidentially, and Cathy understood.

�Angel, who are you taking to?� a voice said.

�Um�sorry to wake you,� Cathy called out, feeling a bit awkward. She walked into the living room just as an extremely pregnant young woman with long, tousled curls struggled to a sitting position. �Hi, I�m��

�Cathy P!� Trixie exclaimed.

Katy rushed to the sofa and climbed onto it, nestling into her mother�s side. �She fell out of the sky!� she exclaimed.

Trixie laughed and stroked a curl out of Katy�s eyes, bestowing a light kiss on her upturned face. �She did?� she said in that tone adults use with very small children when they hear what can only be fantasy, but don�t want to stifle young creativity. �From the sky?�

Katy wasn�t buying it. �She did, Mommy!�

Trixie wisely let the subject drop. �Have a seat,� she said to Cathy, waving a hand at a large armchair.

Cathy sank wearily into it. She was about to ask Trixie how she knew her, but remembered that the Trixie in this universe didn�t like small talk and liked to get right down to business.  �We have a problem,� she started, then glanced at Katy.

Trixie nodded slightly. �Katy, sweetie, I need you to go up to your room for a little bit.�

Katy didn�t look happy. �Noooo,� she began to protest. She wanted to stay and talk to the pretty lady. Maybe she could tell her how to fly, too!

Trixie rumpled her hair.  �Yeeeess,� she said firmly. A little smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. �You go upstairs without arguing, and I won�t get mad that you disobeyed me and didn�t stay on the porch. How about that?�

Katy sighed and didn�t bother wondering how Mommy knew. Her mommy knew everything. Daddy always told her that lying to Mommy made about as much sense as building a snowman in the summertime. �All right,� she said. She slid down in the impossibly slow way of reluctant children and went upstairs.

Trixie made sure she was gone before pouncing. �What�s up?� she asked without preamble.

Cathy sighed. �I don�t know how to tell you this, but��

�It�s Jim, isn�t it?�

�How did you��

�He�s been acting very mysterious today,� Trixie said, shaking her head. �And I figure it must be something pretty dire for you to actually make a physical appearance here.�  She leaned forward, her worried expression momentarily lightening. �By the way, thanks a million for all the great sex I get to have in your universe!�

Cathy laughed. �You don�t seem to be doing half bad in this one either!� she said with a sly glance at Trixie�s belly.

Trixie nodded and grinned. �Yeah, luckily for me Mary is totally obsessed with my and Jim's relationship. She probably needs to get a life, but hey, at least I�m benefiting from it. Although I must say I�m a bit of a baby machine. She really ought to deal with her own biological clock and leave me out of it!�

The two women laughed. �Which one is this?� Cathy asked. She couldn�t tell yet at what point in the �As You Wish� universe she was in.

Trixie sighed and rolled her eyes. �This is number two. Honestly, no wonder Mary gets lost so much. She can�t even write in a straight line! I never know from one day to the next what point in her universe I�m going to be in. She�s completely incapable of writing in order.� She shook her head, then dismissed the thought of her creator, getting back to the subject at hand.  �Wow, we�re as bad as Honey and I at going off on tangents. What�s up with Jim?�

Cathy rose from her chair and took a seat next to Trixie, taking her hand. �He�s been kidnapped by Laura Ramsey,� she said in the blunt style she knew Trixie favored.

Trixie paled. �Oh no!� she exclaimed.

�Oh yes.�

Trixie�s face hardened. �That bitch,� she muttered.

�I�ve been chasing her all through the Jix universes trying to find them, but so far I just keep encountering Pod Jim,� Cathy said, her voice hopeless.

�I knew something was up with him when he told me to rub my own damn back this morning,� Trixie said. She gave Cathy�s hand a squeeze.  �Would you mind helping me up?� she asked. �Your so-called Pod Jim went to the stables. Let�s go have a little chat with him.�

Cathy rose to her feet and taking hold of both of Trixie�s hands pulled mightily as Trixie struggled to a standing position.

�Katy, come on down. We�re going to the stables,� Trixie called. She smiled apologetically at Cathy. �Sorry, but I really don�t feel like tackling the stairs unless I really have to!�

�No problem,� Cathy assured her as Katy appeared at the top of the stairs.

�And no running,� Trixie added automatically, without even glancing towards the stairs.

They made their way towards the stables, Katy skipping ahead then doubling back, her hair gleaming in the sunshine.  As the stables came into view, she spotted a tall, red-headed figure brushing a large, black horse and broke into a run.

Phew, it�s Regan, not Pod Jim, Cathy thought as the pleasant-faced groom turned around at the sound of footsteps. He easily scooped up the little girl with one arm and lifted her into his chest.

�Regan, have you seen Jim?� Trixie asked as they drew up to the stables.

Regan set Katy down. �Guess who has Tootsie Roll pops in his desk drawer?� he asked, then grinned as the little girl instantly bolted away.

�What the heck is up with Jim?� he demanded as soon as Katy was gone. He set down the currycomb and placed his large, freckled hands on his hips.

�What do you mean?� Cathy asked. She took in his broad shoulders and muscular body and felt a little weak-kneed. There was just something about a red-headed man�

�He took Jupe out without so much as a �howdy�. Then he comes back and poor Jupe is really heaving, covered in dirt.  Tells me it�s about time I earn my pay around here and orders that I get him cleaned up. Tells me he wants to see his face shining in the saddle by morning!� Regan�s face made it clear that murder should be made legal under certain, understandable circumstances.

Trixie shook her head. �God, it really is Pod Jim. I thought I�d seen the last of him in #34. �I try to be nice to everybody!�� she said in a sickly voice, her expressive blue eyes rolling in disgust.

Cathy moved closer and laid her hand on Regan�s shoulder. Mmmm. �Then what did he do?�

Regan glanced uncomfortably at Trixie. �Why, uh�nothing,� he said, his honest face flushing.

Cathy patted his shoulder way longer than necessary and took a surreptitious sniff of his masculine scent. �Don�t worry, Regan. It isn�t really Jim, you know. The real Jim has been kidnapped by Laura Ramsey.�

Regan�s gaze smoldered. �Laura Ramsey! I might have known. That explains a few things,� he muttered. He decided to take advantage of his airtime and put a strong arm around Cathy�s waist, pulling her in line with his body. �Jim told me he had a hot date and was outta here.� He glanced at Trixie who have him a reassuring nod. �Said he didn�t know how anybody could stomach such a smushy universe, and that the KK who invented Laura Ramsey should get a medal.  Then he just took off.�

Trixie and Cathy groaned in unison. Cathy decided that any port in a red-headed storm would do when she was feeling this tired so she laid her head on Regan�s shoulder.  �I don�t suppose he said where he was going,� Cathy murmured.

�No, he didn�t,� Regan replied. He began massaging Cathy�s neck. �Listen, Mary has been really lazy about fleshing out my character. She hasn�t decided what she wants to do with me yet, although I happen to know she�s had a few of her own personal fantasies about that. It gets pretty lonely waiting for a fanfic author to give you a life. Why don�t you stick around for a few days? I could give you some riding lessons,� he whispered.

I�ve been working so hard. Don�t I deserve a little break? I�m sure Jim�ll be fine for a few days�Cathy allowed herself to be tempted for a few seconds before reluctantly pulling away. �I�d love to ride you, er, I mean ride with you, but I really need to find the real Jim before something terrible happens.�

She could see Trixie bite back a grin as Regan reluctantly released her. �Yeah, okay. You�re right.�  He gave her one last intense stare. �Can�t you talk to Mary and tell her to hurry up?�

Cathy gave him a sympathetic grin. �Sorry Regan, but I never interfere with other people�s universes. I�m sure she won�t make you wait forever. Mary looooooves getting people together. She likes to think of it as �exploring the emotional lives of her characters�, but we all know it�s just smush smush smush!�

�Jim didn�t say anything about where he was going?� Trixie asked, her voice impatient. She wasn�t completely unsympathetic to Regan�s plight, but she had her own priorities.

�No, he didn�t,� Regan said. He picked up the currycomb and resumed grooming Jupiter, who nickered. �He just gave me this really disgusting smirk and�� he stopped and picked something out of Jupiter�s mane. �What do we have here?�

�You�ve found something?� Trixie said, her face lighting up.

Cathy hid a smile. Apparently, worry about Jim and having to carry a tummy the size of a basketball couldn�t stop Trixie�s usual enthusiasm for mysteries and clues.

Regan held out a small object. �Looks like some kind of ribbon,� he commented. He let Trixie take it.

�It�s a military decoration,� Trixie said, holding out her hand towards Cathy. In her palm rested a brightly colored ribbon, about an inch long.

�Here�s another one!� Regan exclaimed. He handed it to Cathy and let his hand linger over hers for a brief moment, his green eyes gleaming lustily at her.

Cathy tore her gaze away from his and down to the ribbon. There was something so familiar about the green ribbon with the red, tan and blue stripes in the middle�

�Navy! These are U.S. Navy ribbons!� Cathy exclaimed.

�The Navy!� Trixie exclaimed. She looked at Cathy. �I know Jim can be a bit over the top with his whole honorable thing, but he�s just not the military type. He�s way too stubborn. He�d never want to be in a position where he had to take orders knowing that his own way was better.� She bit her lip and looked as if she was going to cry. �What does this mean?�

Cathy gave her a reassuring hug. �It�s okay, I know where I have to go next! He�s gone to Janette�s universe. Brian�s a Navy man,� she explained.

Trixie grinned with relief. �Now that I can see. There�s a lot more to Quiet Brian than most of the KKs ever got around to showing.� She hugged Cathy and stepped back. �Please find him,� she said, unconsciously laying a hand on her stomach.

�I will,� Cathy promised.  She glanced towards Jupiter�s stall and sighed at the now-familiar wavering that meant another portal had opened. �It was great meeting you. Both of you.�

Before she could move, Regan swept her into a clinch and planted one on her. �Great to meet you, too. If you�re ever universe-hopping again and happen to end up this way��

Cathy waited for her eyes to roll back into her head before replying. �Uh�sure. Sure thing�.Bill.�  She gave him a saucy stare and then ran into Jupiter�s stall, feeling herself dissolve as she was whisked away into her next adventure�.

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