Karyn pulled into her drive way, then told Jonnie "Well, we're here, punkin. This is 'Casa She-Ra'. while my folks are out of town."
Jonnie looked at the two-story house, set in a residential area. It was bigger that Suzie's house, but not as nice. Also, the other houses set so close...and so few trees...it looked much less inviting than her lovers home. Still...it also looked somewhat familiar...just a bit...
She lied, saying "It's kinda nice, She-Ra." as she took her bag in her hands and stepped outside. She saw a man in the yard next door, raking some leaves...and looking at her in that awful way men did. Like he thought she'd let her stick his thingy into her...or that she couldn't stop him if she wanted to. Jonnie was in good shape from all those days of aerobics, but she still wouldn't have any chance of stopping him if her tried to force himself onto her. She shuddered in disgust, glad that Suzie had told her all about how the Goddess made the world a paradise for woman, and how males had snuck in, ruining the world and subjugating woman. She was glad that she was a lesbian, and was morally superior to these men...though she wished she was strong as well.
Karyn surprised her by waving to the 'male', and saying "Hi, Mister Watson. How's the day treating you?"
The man nodded, but still looked at Jonnie. "Hello, Karyn. So...who's your friend? A relative?"
"Stop looking at me like that!" Jonnie wanted to scream over and over again. He was just...staring at her like she was a piece of meat, and it made her want to puke! Why didn't the Goddess smite men like this? He was a monster! He...oh, no! He had an erection! She could see it tenting his pants like a weapon! What could she do? She was going to be RAPED by this...this MONSTER!!!
"She's a cousin of mine, come to stay with us for a little while. Jonnie, say hello to Richard Watson. He's been our neighbor for ages."
Jonnie nodded shyly, but she wanted to bolt into the house, or better yet...the car! Then She-Ra could drive her back to Suzie's house, and this would all be over. She saw males every day on television, but they were safely distant then. Having this...this ugly beast so close to her in REAL LIFE was raising gooseflesh up and down her arms, though. Men were the cruel oppressors of WOMYN kind, and meeting them in person made her want to cry.
"H-hello, Mis'er Wah-h-hats...son..." she stammered, tears pricking her eyes. Karyn looked aside at her, then smiled wryly at Watson. "She's really beat from the trip. Almost 16-hours on a Greyhound bus! She needs to get to bed for a bit before we start introducing her around. Come on, Jonnie. Time to get you inside."
Jonnie followed Karyn into her house, and was led into the kitchen. It was much bigger that Suzie's...but again, not as nice.
"What's the matter with you, Jon? You acted like a basket case out there!"
Having She-Ra raise her voice to her made Jonnie flinch, and she muttered "Sorry, She-Ra. I...I jus' don' like to talk with...guys,. They're the oppressors, an' we gotta struggle for everythin' 'cause they ruin the world an' dominate th' womyn. It's too bad that they corrupted the Goddesses gifts to us, an' ruin th' environment..."
Karyn was taken aback by this. She knew Jon was brainwashed...but only now realized just HOW brainwashed he/she was! This was some pretty radical stuff she was being taught...and obviously swallowing it hook, line and sinker!
"Well, I was taught that guys can be jerks sometimes...but they aren't always. After all, if the Goddess really wanted them gone, she'd just snap her fingers and poof, they'd be gone!"
"Yeah...maybe...I guess..." Jonnie mumbled, not certain how to take that. She'd not heard a nice word said about men in almost two-months, and she didn't know She-Ra well enough to take what she said at face value.
She-Ra picked-up a phone and called someone...and asked some questions while Jonnie puzzled over the limited worth of the male population. She-Ra seemed to feel pleased with the call, and after she hung up, she smiled at Jonnie. "Now, I'm gonna take you up to my room to put your stuff away...then I'm going to take you to the home of a friend of mine. He's been missing for a bit, but I think YOU can help me find him. His mother misses him very much, you see. And...well, she IS a sister, you know. We should help her."
Jonnie nodded disinterestedly, feeling that she WASN'T going to be enjoying herself very much at this sleepover. Still, maybe Suzie would come over soon, and they could all snuggle together while watching 'Beaches' or something. That would be fun.
Just before they left, the phone rang. She-Ra answered it, and listened for a moment, before saying "You've got the wrong number, lady. Try again...some other time." and hanging up.
"Well, lets go, Jonnie. I want you to meet this woman. I want to see how you and she get along."
********************
Sue Golden scowled as she closed her cell-phone. She set it on the passenger seat, then checked her directions again. She'd be at Karyn's house...and with her beloved Jonnie...in just a few minutes. She'd bring her lover home, then take care of this bitch.
*******************
"I trust you, Karyn. If you say you need something of Jon's, then go get it. But...who's your friend?"
Jonnie couldn't stop looking at the woman, who looked so familiar that it was scary! Jonnie could vaguely imagine herself snuggling with this woman...but in a purely innocent way. A way that had nothing to do with sex or romance, but just a kind of childish sisterhood with the woman. Like a daughter with her mother.
"I...um, I'm like...I'm Jonnie. How...uh, how are you, ma'am?"
The woman smiled at Jonnie's simple innocence, and touched her face. Then she frowned, asking "Do...do I know you, sweetie? I mean, before this meeting."
"Aw, gee...no, Ma'am. I'm jus' a friend o' She-Ra's. I mean, Karyn...uh, y'know?"
But dang it all, Jonnie was sure she knew this woman! Was certain of it! She could remember her better now, but still didn't feel right saying anything yet. Instead, she turned and went after She-Ra/Karyn, glancing back at the woman.
The woman...never looked away.
And Jonnie...felt like crying all over again. Crying...and running to this woman for comfort. She knew in her heart that this woman with the missing son would sing the best lullabies, read the best bedtime stories and make the best hot cocoa. She wanted to run to her and give her a long hug. She wanted to cry on her shoulder, and tell her she wished she was her daughter.
The woman still looked back at her.
"Jonnie, could you come in here?"
"Sure, She-Ra...Karyn...whatever..." she mumbled.
Karyn couldn't imagine how the stone could have been left in Jon's room, but this was the only obvious location that she hadn't checked yet. And...now that she had Jon back...he/she might just have a chance to locate it in some mystical way. Perhaps she'd be able to just...sense where it was? She had to try something! And this was perhaps her last idea.
