From: Philippa Chapman (Glastonbury, Somerset, UK.) Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 15:00 +0000 Subject: Looking-glass Limbo, part 10/10 LOOKING-GLASS LIMBO PART 10 LAST PART! 'And the future and the past are getting nearer...' Adrian Snell: 'Silent' Start note: Take a deep breath, more adult material follows (eventually). I felt my knees buckle underneath me. Al held me up. I looked towards Ziggy's control panel. "What??" I managed, my throat still raw. "I SAID, WELCOME HOME FATHER. VIOLA IS NOT DEAD..." "Yeah, he heard. We *all* heard. Why did you save that little nugget of information till now?" Al was very close to anger. "BECAUSE, UNTIL NOW, SHE HAS BEEN IN THE HEALING PLACE. SHE WAS AS DEAD TO ME AS SHE WAS TO YOU. NOW SHE IS SOMEWHERE ELSE." "Where, dammit?" "I CANNOT SEE HER. SHE IS ALIVE, THAT IS ALL I KNOW. YOU WILL HAVE TO THINK OF PLACES WHERE SHE COULD BE AND I NOT BE ABLE TO SEE HER. THEN I WILL SEARCH FOR YOU." "Oh, my.....more riddles, just like Scherzo." I whirled around and saw Beatrice standing there, her eyes red from crying and her face drawn. Al went over and put his arms around her. I knew from the tension in their bodies and from how well I knew Al that their grief had kept them from loving each other. Another mess-up in relationships. Behind her, standing in the shadows were Gushi, Tina, StJohn and Wei-wei. I frowned, confused and puzzled. "Forgive me, but why are you *here* and not with Scherzo?" StJohn stepped forward, his eyes full of shock and sadness. "Scherzo went mad after Viola apparently died. He self-destructed two days ago. He warned us all, made us all leave and then....bang. If Viola is out there as Ziggy says, then she has to come back here." I sat down on a stool behind Ziggy's control panel and put my head in my hands. I couldn't think. I *couldn't* think. That was a clue. "Ziggy, why is my brain still Swiss-cheesed?" "YOU ARE ALL IN NULL-SPACE IN HERE. THE TIMELINES HAVE NOT RESOLVED. UNTIL THEY DO, YOU CANNOT AND WILL NOT GET YOUR FULL MEMORY BACK. I HAD TO DO IT TO PROTECT YOU ALL FROM ANY AFTER-EFFECTS OF SCHERZO'S SUICIDE." Ziggy sobbed dramatically and began to make crying noises. "You've all been in here for three days?" No wonder they were all looking strained. "Near enough, Sam. We have access to food and a bathroom and that's it. The rest of the plant just can't be reached. Ziggy opened up once to let Beatrice, StJohn and Wei-Wei inside." I felt Al's arm around my shoulder, "You'd better get your hands patched up, Sam," he added. I let him lead me to the bathroom and help me with the first aid. I didn't think I'd broken any bones, but it hadn't been for want of trying. I registered my own face in the mirror. I looked nearly as haggard as I felt. We sat around Ziggy's terminal with mugs of coffee, although I didn't feel much like drinking mine. "Okay," I began,"Conference time. What's the date in the outside world?" "July 3rd, 2001." My goodness, we could be here over the holiday. Some holiday. "Anyone got *any* ideas, no matter how far fetched, of where Viola *might* be? In fact, the wackier, the better." Our corporate brainstorm produced variable results. We started off with the simple solutions like complete darkness and adverse weather conditions and moved into considering Viola in an unborn baby or somebody in a vegetative coma. But Ziggy told us that there was no-one in the waiting room, so those ideas were out. Wherever Viola was, she was herself. I came up with Al's bar, then threw in Merlin for good measure. No dice. We speculated that Viola had gone back along her gene line like I did. Then we thought forward in time. Ziggy seemed keener on this idea than any of the others, but where to start? It was Al who finally started the strangest speculation of them all. "Let's imagine that the timelines are at a sort of crossroads," he began,"In all of them you leaped around in time, but in one you *really* married Viola, say for sake of argument in Cambridge. It wouldn't have been impossible for you to visit Cambridge to talk over your ideas with Professor Hawking at the right time to meet Viola. Your leaps would probably have been largely the same. Viola could have gone back to England to help set up Scherzo while you were away. Her character is such that if she thought you were in trouble, she would be pre-disposed to leap after you. Everything else between you might well have been the same; you could have forgotten that you had already fallen in love before.....a remote chance, I know, given how deeply you feel for each other, but it's a possibility," he paused to take a drink,"Now comes the sticky part. Where Viola is now. Could she possibly be in another computer-generated null space in the future?" "I WILL RUN THOSE POSSIBILITIES, ADMIRAL. I WON'T HATE YOU FOR GETTING CROSS WITH ME EARLIER......I HAVE A MATCH. SHE IS WITH LOTHOS AND THAMES, TEN YEARS IN THE FUTURE." I jumped to my feet. "Then let's go get her....I owe that *bastard* plenty." "THAT WOULD NOT BE SAFE, FATHER. LOTHOS IS INHERENTLY EVIL, AS IS THAMES. I COULD NOT GUARANTEE YOU WOULD RETURN. DO NOT LET ME LOSE YOU, FATHER." I slammed my hands on Ziggy's control panel, then wished I hadn't. They began to hurt again. "Then what are we to *do*? Would a neural hologram work?" "NEGATIVE. THEY WOULD SEE YOU AND COME AFTER YOU. I CAN SHOW YOU WHAT IS HAPPENING." Beatrice rose to her feet and flung herself into Al's arms and began covering his face with kisses. "Oh, you darling *genius*! You've found Viola for me!" Al was enjoying his reward far too much to point out that Ziggy had something to do with it. He began returning her kisses with enthusiasm. I went over and opened the Imaging Chamber door, where the hologram of the future appeared like the picture on a TV. screen. "I can't hear anything.....can we get sound from the future? Oh, God, there's Viola.....*and* Thames." I made to go through the doorway, but strong hands held me back. On one side, there was Al and on the other, StJohn. "Don't, Samuel. It wouldn't work. That's only a hologram." StJohn spoke urgently to me. "But what can I *do*? If he hurts one hair on her head, I don't care, I'm going in there." "I can read lips, Samuel. He's only just got her and he's still gloating." We watched anxious and helpless as Thames dragged Viola over to Lothos' control panel. The way he held her made his intention very plain. I might well have gone ahead and leaped after her, if Viola hadn't suddenly turned her head towards Lothos' main-frame with a strange sort of recognition on her face. I saw her lips move. StJohn interpreted. "'I think I know where I am......Your voice is twisted and warped, but I've heard it before, a long time ago......I don't understand how it happened, but somehow, you're Scherzo.'" StJohn looked up in astonishment,"My God!," he whispered,"It's just possible that Scherzo *might* have partially survived the blast. His grief and madness would have been easily turned to hate.....especially against other leapers. If he recognises her, there's just a chance....." Great lightning bolts of electricity surged around Thames and Viola. Thames left Viola and ran crazily to Lothos' main-frame and began pounding it in anger. A huge burst of white-hot energy surged from Lothos and engulfed Thames. He burnt up like a piece of dry kindling and all that was left after a few seconds was a pile of burnt bones and ashes. Viola sat up, her hand over her mouth, struggling between relief and shock. StJohn read her lips again. "'I can understand your longing for nothing but death now, but please could you send me home to Sam now? This time, be merciful to yourself. Do it quickly and make it thorough. You don't want all this to happen again. Goodbye, Scherzo and thank-you. You saved my life in the end.'" Viola entered Lothos/Scherzo's Accelerating Chamber and closed the door behind her. The control room vanished in a white-hot fireball. "My goodness," Al said,"A nuclear detonation. That would do it....*will* do it." Then we all turned towards our Acceleration Chamber. I think I began to pray. Al gently shut the Imaging Chamber door behind my back as I moved haltingly across the room. The door swung open and there she was, alive and whole in her fermi suit. For a moment we just stared at each other, then we both ran and met in a frenzied tangle somewhere in the middle. We held each other tight and I swung her around in my arms, then kissed her over and over until we ran out of breath. "Oh, my dearest love! I never thought to see you alive again," I cupped her face in my hands,"Are you alright....the bullet?" Viola smiled. "I have two white hair-line scars, but the healing place between the leaps did the rest." I kissed her again, more slowly and thoroughly this time. Joy surged through me, through both of us. We finally pulled apart and Viola saw Beatrice and her other friends. I didn't want to let her go, but I knew Al at least deserved a monumental hug and my undying gratitude. I broke away and let Viola go to Beatrice. By the time I hugged Al, there were tears of joy in my eyes. "Al, how can I ever thank you?" "It's nothing. Just take the damned chip out of my neck and we'll call it quits, okay? I don't intend watching anyone else go through what you just went through. Once is enough in *any* lifetime." I looked into his face. "I can do that as soon as you like.....and I'm taking mine out, too. I've chased enough windmills. It's time somebody else took over. As a doctor, I'm personally ordering you to take at least a week's paid leave, confined to your quarters - or Beatrice's. I don't want to see you outside them except to eat in the canteen, okay?" Al grinned. "Do you think you could make that two weeks? I've got a *lot* of catching up to do!" He made me laugh. "Have two, or even three.....take all the time you need." "I have a feeling that the rest of my life isn't going to be long enough, Sam. I'm 99.9% certain that Beatrice is the last great love of my life." "I'm glad, Al. And she loves you back, but I think you know that by now. Speaking of which, here she comes with Viola." Viola hugged Al tenderly, then came into my eager arms. I let her introduce me properly to StJohn and Wei-wei and I introduced her to Gushi and Tina. By this time, Ziggy had opened the main door, so we all slowly began to leave. "Ziggy," I commanded,"Shut down the Accelerating Chamber *and* the Imaging Chamber until further notice, then run a complete internal diagnostic." "THAT WILL TAKE A *MONTH*." Ziggy declared sulkily. "Do it anyway. When the news gets out, you'll need all your facts and figures ready for the Senate Committee." Beatrice, Al, Viola and I went to the laboratory. They all agreed that the chips should be removed. Using local anaesthetic, I removed theirs and then Beatrice removed mine. The incisions were small enough to close with butterfly stitches. We looked at the four chips in the plastic dish as Beatrice and I removed our gloves. "Okay, what do we do with them? They're no good to anyone else and *we* won't be needing them again. Do we keep them in a safe place, or incinerate them?" "Incinerate them," Al decided,"I can cover the loss with paperwork!" The four of us left the laboratory and called in to see Verbeena. "I knew you were back, Sam. Welcome home." We all hugged her, one after another,"I've been busy working professionally with a new client outside the project. I know I shouldn't reveal personal details, but it's Francis, the opera singer. He went through something of a crisis when I confronted him with himself! He's coming along just fine now." Verbeena's lips closed tight and I knew that was all we would get out of her. After she had done her duty of offering us debriefing and talk sessions, we went on our way. I think she knew as well as we did what was going to effect the best cure for all of us. "I still think Beena's got a thing about Francis, no matter what she says," Al commented,"You didn't see how hot their kisses were. I think she just might cure him of his....*wanderlust* and keep him for herself!" "I can't imagine Verbeena letting her personal life interfere with her professional one." "I didn't say that, Sam. But once he *stops* being her patient, you never know!" We left the main building. It was evening in the desert, and apart from the skeleton crew on guard duty, nearly everyone had gone off for the holiday. Viola and I said a final goodnight to Al and Beatrice and watched them disappear around the corner of the building. Al was nervous as he walked Beatrice to his bungalow. Anticipation, desire and love had combined to make him feel hungrier than he had been for a long time, if ever. He knew that once he started, he would be virtually unstoppable, and although he knew Beatrice was a deeply passionate woman, he was scared of overwhelming her - and almost giddy at the prospect that she might *just* meet his need with her own. He put the key in the lock, opened the door and paused. He turned back to Beatrice, almost hesitant. "Al, dear, I love cigars, but could you possibly dispose of *that* one. It's nearly finished." This did *not* seem like a good start. Al bent down, failing to read the trembling in Beatrice's body. Suddenly, before he could think, Beatrice had pounced and was kissing him with passionate abandon. He could feel her trembling now, as he responded to her kiss. "Al, I adore you. Come inside and love me, darling." Al froze, caught in the rising tide of passion. He looked at her, almost unable to believe his ears. "Al, I *adore* you," Beatrice repeated,"Love me as if there were no tomorrow." Somehow he made it through the door, kissing her and pulling off his jacket at the same time. He steered her carefully towards his bedroom, kissing and caressing her all the way. Beatrice removed his tie, then untucked his shirt, feeling the warm skin at the base of his chest. "My goodness, Al. You feel like a tiger." It was obvious she meant it as a compliment, but Al froze. "Who told you? How do you *know*?" Beatrice looked at him in puzzlement. "I don't understand, darling. I was just extremely pleasantly surprised by the feel of the hair you have just there." Al pulled off his shirt and Beatrice gasped. She couldn't help herself. Al's torso was covered in a thin layer of tight black curls, but slashing diagonally across the top third from left to right was an uneven stripe of pure white over an old wound, about two to three inches wide. Beatrice touched him with gentle care, using just the right pressure to give comfort and acceptance. "It's a burn, isn't it, dearest?" Al nodded. "It happened fifteen years ago. I fell off the wagon and got raging drunk. I went into the chemistry lab where I worked and had a close encounter with the Hydrochloric Acid. I don't think I've ever sobered up so fast in all my life. I haven't touched a drop of alcohol since." Beatrice began to kiss the place gently, but when her lips found his nipple, Al's passion surged wildly. Al propelled Beatrice back to the bed, removing her clothes one by one with almost mechanical precision, then his own down to his underpants. Beatrice lay on the bed, almost overwhelmed by the speed and urgency of Al's response. Al stopped, his eyes caressing her from top to toe. "Gorgeous," he murmured,"Utterly gorgeous. And you *are* a natural redhead, rosa mia." Beatrice blushed all over. Al began at Beatrice's feet and worked his way up, touching and kissing as he went. He reached her stomach and lingered teasingly. "Al, you're driving me *wild*!" Beatrice urged him upwards. The second Al started kissing her breasts, Beatrice arched backwards and began to move against him with impatience. Al suddenly realised what he'd accomplished. He'd brought Beatrice to the brink without even touching her sweet, secret places. His smile was triumphant as his hand moved to send her over the edge. He watched with masculine pride as she came gloriously apart under him. Beatrice looked up a little time later with eyes dazed with passion. "I told you that you drove me crazy!" "It's not over yet, bella." Al's smile became wolfish. "You bet it isn't!" Beatrice rolled Al onto his back, removed his underpants and pinned him to the bed. Al knew that he could struggle free, but he didn't want to. Beatrice looked at him. "My goodness, you *are* a tiger all over, aren't you?" Then she lowered herself onto him and kissed his open mouth. Al grinned under her lips and let Beatrice love him. They rose unerringly together to a sweet, wild pleasure that was waiting, ready to receive them both. After they had come back down to earth, Al helped Beatrice under the bed-covers. Then, after a short rest, he seduced her all over again. Viola and I walked back to my own quarters, though perhaps that should be 'ours' now. When we got inside, we stood for several minutes, just holding each other. I stroked her all over, reassuring myself that she was really here, with me. "Can I see the scar, darling?" Viola peeled back the top left-hand part of her fermi-suit. I kissed the longer scar at the back which was five ribs down, then gently turned her around to kiss the other scar which was just under her breast. Suddenly need and desire were alight within me. My mouth moved upwards and Viola held me to her. "Yes, Sam, my love. I need you too." I picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. Thank goodness, it was a double bed. The fermi suits were only a minor obstacle. My hands retraced their earlier pathway with growing urgency, and so did hers. I thought I was going too fast, but Viola kept urging and encouraging me to greater intimacy. She lifted herself to me and my desire was so great that I couldn't stop myself joining our bodies together. To my surprise, she was as ready as I was. My lips met hers and we rose swiftly to fulfilment. But my body was telling me that this had only been the appetiser, as it were. "Viola, my love....." I didn't know how to ask or explain, but Viola could feel my reawakened desire. "My darling, I understand. You need to love me again, to reassure yourself that I'm really here. And I need you to love me so that I know I'm alive and in your arms to stay." I smiled at her, my heart overflowing with joy and love. Then I captured her lips again and we continued loving. We made love three times in a row without stopping, each time lasting longer and going higher and deeper into our own special ecstasy. Then exhaustion overtook us and we fell asleep, still locked in each other's arms. When I next awoke, it was full night. The clock read half past eleven and my stomach reminded me that I'd forgotten supper last night. Viola woke next to me. "I could use a very late supper," I said,"What about you, my love?" Viola stretched and smiled up at me. "I'm glad I missed supper," she said,"You were the best banquet I ever had. You were incredible and I love you so much." "*We* were incredible, darling. Nevertheless, I'm talking real food now." "I don't know that I actually want to *eat* much. Have you got enough milk in for a milkshake?" I grinned at her in the darkness. "Milk *and* ice-cream *and* a choice of flavors. Milkshakes are wonderful when you're working late," Viola giggled,"You know what I *mean*, darling." I turned up the dimmer switch and Viola sat up and looked in the bedside cabinet. She pulled out a pair of ladies panties. "My goodness, these are mine. They've got my name in....well, actually they've got V. Beckett in them. We *are* really married. Why didn't I remember before now? Must be the string vest in my head; I haven't had time to remember." As we went to the kitchen in our underwear, I explained Al's premise to Viola. She thought it over carefully while we drank the milkshakes in the kitchen. "Well, I don't mind whether he's got all the details right. I'm just surprised that I haven't remembered any of this for myself and neither have you. I suppose it'll all come back in it's own good time; no sense worrying about it yet. How's your chocolate milkshake?" "One of my best, if I say so myself. Have a swap taste for your banana flavor?" We swapped glasses. "Sam, you've got a yellow milk-shake moustache!" Viola came up to me and kissed it off. I kissed right back. The combined flavors were so nice that we tried it again. It took no time at all before our tongues got involved in the action. Then Viola painted some on my cheek and licked it off. The milk-shakes gradually got introduced to some very interesting places. In the end, we barely made it to the couch in the living room. I'd never realised that simple milk-shakes could be such a powerful aphrodisiac. Our loving was slow and sweet and tender this time, leaving us both weak with joy. Then we simply *had* to wash all the residual stickiness off in the shower before falling back into bed, utterly satisfied. When I next awoke, Viola was spooned up behind me and daylight was peeking through the net curtains. It was 7 in the morning. Viola ran her fingers gently up and down my side. "Morning, my handsome prince." I shifted uncomfortably. "Sorry, that tickles." "Don't you like being tickled?" Viola asked, doing it again. I turned over as quick as lightning and pinned her arms by her side. I grinned wickedly at her. "Only if I can tickle back!" I exclaimed, and battle commenced. We rolled over and over, mock fighting and sending up peals of laughter. Viola finally sat on top of me, teasing me mercilessly with her hands. Somewhere down the line, the tickles had turned into something incredibly erotic. I was surprised at myself. The intensity of my love for Viola and the sheer joy of having her back had fueled more passion than I had known I was capable of. "Viola, you've set me on fire again," I whispered. She moved back downwards and saw for herself. She smiled a smile of pleasure and joy, then joined herself to me with a deep sigh of satisfaction. I let her set the pace, keen to see how *she* would love me when she was in control. She found her own pleasure, then rose with me again to a place where there was laughter mixed in with the passion. If every time kept being so different and so overwhelming, making love was going to be seriously addictive. "Viola!" I gasped, when I was half-way coherent again,"Where on earth did you get that from?" Viola understood what I meant. "From you, darling. I wanted to show you that love can be fun *and* passion." "I'm a willing and eager student, Viola. Next time it's your turn!" We fell asleep agin, still wrapped in each other's arms. Al rolled over in bed in his sleep, his face fixed in a smile of utter contentment. Then the alarm went off, bringing him awake with a jolt. He sat up in bed and quickly turned it off. Beatrice was still asleep. She certainly needed it after last night. Not only had she met his passion with her own just like he'd dreamed, but also she'd gone one better and utterly worn him out. She'd been so demonstrative, so inventive and so *vocal*, especially at the heights of passion. Al's smile widened and he thanked the day he'd fitted sound-proofing in his bungalow. As he glanced over to where Beatrice lay, his smile took on a new, tender joy. The incredible passion they'd shared had been enhanced when their souls had somehow touched and ministered deep healing to each other. More than once their eyes had filled with tears of joy from the intensity of their union. Yet all the teasing and flirting was still there, but now backed up by the security of their love for each other. Then the handlink in his jacket beeped. Al sighed, got out of bed and punched it with his finger. "Visual read-out only, please. Don't want to wake the beautiful goddess of love." The handlink squealed slightly, then complied. He climbed back between the sheets. "Do I know the twins are coming home next week? Eh? Ziggy, you're going crazy. Lilibet's in South America trying to save the Rain Forest and Ali is doing relief work in Africa. They're not due home for months yet. The *other* twins. WHAT OTHER TWINS? Oh, my.....Oh, my God! THOSE TWINS!! Bloody hell-fire, Ziggy! No, don't you dare wake them up." By this time, Beatrice was awake. "What twins, tiger?" She sat up in bed and Al paused to admire the view and his new special love-name. "Well, my luscious strawberry," he said, returning the compliment,"Just look." Beatrice looked and her eyes widened. "My goodness. Of course, I remember it *now*. We were godparents, even though we never met." Al's mind had moved onto filling in the time before breakfast. "I'm gonna make you an offer you can't refuse!" he quipped, pulling her close. "*Again*? It must be something to do with that sexy birthmark you've got down there, it's making you insatiable!" "Only with you, darling Beatrice, only with you. Son gia presa; sempre constante t'adorero. How about trying your all-over massage again? I'm hoping to enjoy it right to the end this time before I get overcome with desire." "I'm captured too, Al. And you haven't even experienced half of my skills as a masseuse yet!" Al's smile widened. "You've got to make an honest man of me after last night! I'm just an innocent Italian guy who's been seduced by a glorious wanton woman." "Al, you terror! You know I can't think straight when you touch me like that. You really know what to do with *your* hands to drive me wild." "Just say yes, darling. Say you'll marry me." Al's hands and mouth continued their slow torment. "Yes, Al; if only because the thought of you doing this with any other woman would make me insanely jealous." Al grinned in triumph. "Actually, I simply *couldn't* do all this with anyone else but you, but I'm going to hold you to that 'yes'. I can promise you a lifetime of loving." And Al showed Beatrice exactly what he had in mind. It was late morning by the time I woke up again, with Viola still wrapped in my arms. The bed had become severely rumpled, the sheets all over the place since last time. I needed another shower, then breakfast. I glanced over at the bed-side clock. Make that brunch. How on earth had I slept until 10.30 in the morning? I smiled and stretched. My beautiful passionate answer stirred in my arms. I kissed her 'good morning'. "I feel like grabbing another shower, then brunch. Is that okay with you?" "Mmmm, yes. Can I share the water with you like last time?" Well, that seemed a fair enough question and considerate on the water supply in the desert. The experience proved tender and caring, with no sexual pressure. Although part of my mind made a mental note to do this more often; maybe every morning could start like this? It would certainly make getting out of bed something to look forward to. Wrapped in a towel, we made for the kitchen. We sat down on the couch together after bacon and eggs followed by cake and coffee. I lay propped up at one end and Viola leaned back against me. I put my arm around her waist and my hand settled comfortably on her lower stomach. Suddenly Viola gasped and covered my hand with hers. "*Sam*! How could I forget them? How could I not remember our children?" The memories hit me with the force of a tidal wave.* *"The twins! *Our* kids.....Viola, I forgot them too until now. We were both so beautifully distracted last night. I felt them growing right here, inside you....and yet part of me is still remembering when they *didn't* happen, because I only met you recently." I closed my eyes and kissed her neck. "I can see them, Sam. John and Cathy; she has your eyes and he's inherited that silver streak of yours with my blue eyes." Viola smiled at me. "Don't you mean young Al and Bea?" "That too, we gave them both names.....*and* made Al and Beatrice godparents. This is crazy, Sam. I'm getting just over twenty years of family life all at once and it's like a roller-coaster ride. I've *still* got that scar on my stomach, but this time it was just a sterilisation operation from when they said it wouldn't be advisable to have any more children." "I know, Viola. They grew up and went to University.....a new generation of Becketts at M.I.T. It's Independence day and I've got a beautiful wife and two wonderful kids all at once....." "I know that John is more than a little smitten with Alison Calavicci. I do hope she won't let the three years between them get in the way." I laughed softly and pulled Viola closer, smelling the familiar rose scent in her hair. "Not if John is as persistent as I remember him to be. We Beckett men have a habit of hanging on in there until we win the woman of our dreams. Al will go *nuts*, of course, but he'll be so proud if they make a go of it together. So, my love, will I." Viola chuckled and put her arm through mine. "I've hardly got used to being a mother. Don't make me a granny as well - at least not yet!" She paused and her hand tightened on my arm,"University!"she exclaimed,"They'll be breaking up soon for the Summer! Sam, darling, how are we going to remember to be good parents in the next week or so?" I moved around and kissed her full on the mouth, spreading myself on top of her on the couch. The towels didn't stand a chance; they slipped off both of us. I looked into Viola's and grinned as I kissed her. "We'll remember, Viola. We just need to put in lots and lots of practice!" _____ FADE TO BLUE _____ (Thanks, Denise!) 'There shall be time no longer.' Revelation 10 verse 6 'Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks in a mirror, and, after looking at himself, goes away and forgets what he looks like.' James 1 verses 23 + 24 'For now we see only puzzling reflections in a mirror: then we shall see face to face' 1 Corinthians 13 verse 12 (Good News Bible) Last word: Okay, don't flame me too severely, but what did you think?!