Love's Autograph (38 page)

Ellie texted Ria
,
Don't panic, but there are three bears surrounding me in the barn. Keep Maggie and Remi in the house.

Ellie's phone rang and Ria was on the other end of the phone,
“What? That one is huge. Is that the mama bear?”

Ellie answered,
“I guess you didn't get the memo not to panic. We're fine as long as we stay indoors. They usually stroll through. Try not to let Remi see them and don't say the word bear around her. It drives her nuts.”

Maggie was talking in the background,
“Mom, there is a...”

“
Maggie, don't say the b-e-a-r word,” Ria stopped her. “I know. I’m on the phone with Ellie who's in the barn. She says we'll be fine.”

“
Do not worry Mom, Ellie will be fine,” Maggie said. “There is a gun in here and in the barn.”

“
What?” Ria said.

“
Oh, another bad parenting moment,” Ellie said. “I told her how I keep a shotgun in the barn and in the house. They are locked up. I don't think you need it. Do you know how to use one?”

“
Yes,” Ria said. “My dad made sure I knew how. Where is the gun?”

“
There is a gun safe in my closet upstairs,” Ellie said. “The combo is 3-25-0. I don't think that you'll need it but if it makes you feel better.” Ellie moved to the barn safe and opened it. She took out the shotgun and loaded it.

“
Are you loading the one in there?” Ria asked.

“
Umm, yeah,” Ellie answered.

“
Okay, I won't worry about it then,” Ria said. “You can shoot them if it comes to it.”

“
I don't think it will, and this is the first time I've loaded it since I lived here. I get nervous because you and Maggie are here,” Ellie said.

“
Okay well, dinner is ready. Do you think we should eat?” Ria asked.

“
Yeah, go ahead. Oh man,” Ellie said.

“
What?”

“
The mama bear is lying down and so are her cubs. What the heck?” Ellie said.

“
Well, I've waited this long for you,” Ria said. “I can wait for some bear's nap.”

“
Okay, keep Remi and Maggie inside,” Ellie said. “Remi went out so she shouldn't have to go out again until bed. Pick up her water bowl and don't feed her. She'll ring the bell by the door if she has to go, but I think we have four or five hours until that happens.”

“
Okay, I'm going to feed Maggie,” Ria said. “Get over here as soon as the coast is clear.”

“
Will do,” Ellie said.

From the window Ellie watched the
mama bear. She was taking a bath between the two houses. Ellie searched online for things to scare bears away. Ellie found that she could use an air horn, pepper spray, make a lot of noise, appear big, or throw things at the bear. These choices seemed applicable if she was out in the wilderness and encountering a bear. None of these choices seemed reasonable seeing as she was somewhat safe in the barn.

Ellie dragged a stool over to the window. She looked across the lawn at the house. She could see the light on in the kitchen and living room. Ria and Maggie were sitting at the table eating dinner. Ellie's mouth began to water. She walked to the small fridge and pulled out a soda and popped the top. As she did so, she saw the bear raise its heads, sniff the air and move toward the barn.

Ellie froze as she was in mid-lift, bringing the can to her lips. Ellie could no longer see the bear, but she heard her sniff at the barn door. Then there were three loud bangs at the door. Ellie glanced at the shotgun on the table. The door moved inward slightly and there was a loud thud. Then there was the sound of licking. Ellie guessed the bear was now bathing in front of the door. Ellie watched as Maggie sat on the couch playing on her laptop, and Ria started to do the dishes.

Ellie texted Ria,
You saved me some leftovers right?

Ria stopped washing dishes and wiped her hands off on a dishtowel, and picked her phone up.

Ria answered,
Of course. Can't wait to see you.

Good.
I'm starving.

Ellie could see Ria walk over to the window and look out.

Ria texted,
Looks like they are gone!

Ellie walked around to the side windows and no cubs could be found.

The cubs might be gone, but if you look at the barn doors, Mama is slumbering there
, Ellie answered.

Ellie saw Ria nonchalantly walk to the front door and squint across the lawn.

Ria said,
Oh no. What are you going to do?

Ellie said,
Hang tight that is all I can do. Go hang out with Maggie. I'll be fine. If you hear growling it is most likely my stomach.

Ria said
,
You're too funny. Be careful.

Ellie hung
up and looked at the wrapped box on the table. Ellie walked away from the door and saw her instruments.

Ellie texted,
I'm going to try to make some noise in here. Can you see if the bear moves?

Ria answered
, Okay.

Ellie plugged in her amp, played riffs on the guitar, and played it on a loop. She turned up the guitar amp and hit the loop button. The guitar filled the room. She sat at the drum set and wailed away. She stopped playing the drums and turned off the guitar loop.

Ria said,
It was loud in here and the bear didn't move.

I might be in here all night.

Ria said,
I might have to wrestle that bear.

I don't doubt you. Don't worry we have until Sunday.

Don't even joke
, Ria responded.

Ellie sat at the stool
, looking out the window at Ria and Maggie. Ria switched through television stations, and Maggie was still on her laptop. Ellie grabbed a notepad and started writing on it. At one point, Ellie unloaded the shotgun and put it back in the safe. The gun being out was making her nervous. She watched as Ria put Maggie upstairs to sleep, and Remi followed them up. Ria came down alone.

Ria texted,
Maggie is in bed. I think the bear is still outside.

Ellie answered
,
Yeah, I think that she is still snoozing away. We might plan for me to be in here all night.

Even nature is coming between us.

Ellie texted
, Only temporarily.

Ellie wrote in her notebook as she watched Ria slowly fall asleep on the couch. Ellie walked over to the studio couch and lay down. Something poked her in the side. She pulled her phone and car keys out of her pocket and put them on the floor next to her. She then picked up her keys. Suddenly, she got an idea. She saw her car parked in front of Ria's. Ellie put her phone and the wrapped box in her cargo pocket.

She pushed the alarm button on her key chain. Her car lights started flashing and the alarm sounded. Ria stayed asleep on the couch but Ellie heard some grunting in front of the barn doors. The bear galloped in front of the house, and then back into the woods. Ellie shut
off the barn lights, swung open the door and latched it shut behind her. She sprinted across the lawn while shutting off the car alarm. Ellie entered the house and shut and locked the door behind her. Ria was still asleep on the couch. Ellie quietly closed the door and heard Remi growling.

“
Remi, it's me,” Ellie whispered up to the loft. Remi walked to the top of the stairs. “Go to bed.” Remi turned and walked back into the bedroom. Ellie walked over to Ria on the couch. Ria had a pillow pulled under her head, and her plump lips were parted slightly. Ellie knelt down in front of Ria and pushed her hair back from her face. Ria opened her eyes.

“
You're here,” Ria said.

“
Yeah, I scared the bear away with my car alarm,” Ellie said.

“
Wish I would have thought of that hours ago,” Ria said as she sat up and patted down her hair. “You must be starving. There is...”

“
I'll get it,” Ellie said as she pulled the wrapped box from her pocket. “You open this while I warm it up.”

“
What, while you were held captive you made me a gift?” Ria asked.

“
Every loyal captive does that. Don't they?” Ellie said as she put her dinner dish in the microwave. “This smells great,” Ellie said. Ria opened the box and pulled out a bunch of pieces of paper.

“
What the?” Ria asked.

“
Put it together. You good at puzzles?” Ellie asked.

“
Well, I'm a doctor,” Ria said.

“
Does that mean you're skilled at puzzles?” Ellie asked.

“
I don't know I’m too sleepy. My logic button hasn't booted up yet.” Ria placed the pieces of paper on the coffee table in front of her and started putting the edges of the page together. “This is fun.” Ria said. Ellie ate a spoonful of the rice, veggies, and meat.

“
This is delicious,” Ellie said. “I was so hungry.”

“
What the heck is this?” Ria asked. She placed a few more pieces of paper together. It revealed spaces of white paper with horizontal blue lines. Finally, Ria found a piece of paper that had some writing on it,
6. No undressing in.
“Is this our rules?” Ria asked and Ellie nodded. “So, all of them are gone?” Ellie smiled.

Ria took Ellie's plate out of her hand and placed it on the coffee table. She pulled Ellie off the couch until she was standing face to face with Ria.

“You better hold on Ellie,” Ria said. “This time I'm not letting you go.”

“
I’m counting on it,” Ellie said. Ria leaned in to kiss Ellie and Ellie put her finger to Ria's lips. Ellie wrapped her hands around behind Ria's neck. Ria wrapped her arms around Ellie's waist. They looked into each others eyes. There was an energy that sat between them. They both stared from their eyes to their lips. Each of them breathed calmly.

Ellie smiled and slowly moved toward Ria's lips. Ria lurched forward and pulled Ellie close to her as her lips pressed hard on Ellie's. Ellie tried to move back and Ria held her tightly. Ria eased up on her kissing, and began slowly kissing Ellie's lips. Ellie's hips pressed into Ria and Ria walked Ellie backwards. They landed softly on the couch. Ellie smiled back up at Ria.

“You can't let me kiss you first, huh?” Ellie asked.

“
Well it was months of pent up sexual frustration,” Ria said. “I want to devour you. You're so lucky Maggie is upstairs.”

“
Am I?” Ellie asked teasingly.

“
You would be without clothes by now if we were alone,” Ria said.

“
Really?” Ellie teased as she pulled up Ria's shirt to feel her naked back. “I love your back.”

“
I love your neck,” Ria said as she moved her lips to Ellie's neck. Ellie moaned and pushed her hips against Ria.

“
You're driving me crazy,” Ellie whispered.

“
Good,” Ria's whisper was muffled by her mouth against Ellie's neck. Ria bit Ellie's neck.

“
Ouch, careful,” Ellie said.

“
Sorry,” Ria said as she lifted her head with a smile. “I'm just a little excited. Let's break all the rules we can tonight.”

“
I'm excited too, but you don't need to take off a chunk of my neck,” Ellie laughed.

“
Maybe we need to slow down,” Ria said.

“
You
are saying we need to slow down?”

“
I know, I know, but we have to survive somehow through Sunday,” Ria said. “It's not like you have a room we can go into and close the door. Why did you have to buy a house with a loft?”

“
Guess I wasn't thinking in these terms,” Ellie said.

“
Okay so how about we watch a movie?” Ria asked. Ellie sat up and passionately kissed Ria and ran her hands from the back of her shirt to Ria's stomach. She slowly caressed her hands toward Ria's breasts. Ria quickly moved her hand to stop Ellie's.

“
Not so fast,” Ria said. “You're so coming to our apartment for a sleepover soon. Or we have to go away or something. If you start what you're trying to start, I won't be able to stop.”

They fell asleep side by side holding each other on the couch. Ellie
was awakened when she heard the door shut. She slid Ria's arm from around her and slid off the couch. Out of the window, she saw Maggie walking Remi toward the woods. The sun had risen. Ellie grabbed the bear bell off the wall, slid her sneakers on and ran out the door and down the porch.

“
Maggie! Wait up, let me go with you guys,” Ellie called. “Let's stick to the road out this way.”