JC: Ed Biggers
Part 5: Stasis
Chapter 23
By
Lazlo Zalezac
Copyright (C) Lazlo Zalezac, 2004

Sitting in the living room, Ed was watching the weather channel. 
Everyone was flying out the next day for the new academic school 
year at the Druid College and he wanted to make sure that the 
weather would be good for their flight. Betsy came running into 
the living room and ducked behind the couch. A minute later, Ling 
came in the room and looked around. "Where is she?"

Ed pointed to the end of the couch and said, "You've been found, 
Betsy."

Betsy came out and started to tear out of the room. Ling caught her 
at the last minute and said, "Stay right here, young lady."

She bent down and put a band around her daughter's ankle. 
Observing the action, Ed asked, "What's that?"

"A tracking device," answered Ling. She shook her head in 
frustration. Trying to keep up with Betsy was a full time job that 
didn't give her a minute of peace. She looked over at Ed and said, 
"You should never have taught her to play hide and seek."

"I didn't teach her," replied Ed. Betsy had figured that game out all 
by herself. 

"She didn't make it up." Ling straightened up and put her hands on 
her hips in frustration. Looking down, she saw that Betsy was 
already gone. She stamped her foot and started a tirade in Chinese. 

Recognizing that his wife was at her wits end from chasing Betsy 
around the house, Ed stood and said, "I'll watch her for an hour."

He headed out of the living room searching for Betsy. It took him a 
minute to realize that she was running around the enclosure for the 
atrium, making sure to keep it between him and her. Kneeling 
down at one of the corners, he waited for her to show up. When 
she came charging around the corner, Ed grabbed her. Putting his 
head on her stomach, he blew air making a loud noise and tickling 
her. She giggled and kicked her arms and legs.

She kicked and wiggled trying to get free. Most kids learned to say 
mama and no as their first words. Betsy had learned a different 
word and said it now, "Go!"

Smiling, Ed said, "Bring me one of your toys."

He set her down on the floor as she shouted, "Okay."

Moving at her normal breakneck speed, Betsy ran down the length 
of the hall to get to her room. Within fifteen seconds she was 
rushing back holding a toy in her hand. Stopping in front of Ed, 
she handed the stuffed bear to him. Ed looked at it and said, "This 
isn't the toy that I wanted. Take this back and bring another one."

Grabbing the stuffed bear, she turned and raced back down the 
hall. Ling came out and watched as Betsy ran down the hall. In a 
minute she had returned with a wood block and handed that to Ed. 
Shaking his head, he said, "Different toy."

Taking the block back, she headed to her room again. Ling said, 
"That's cruel."

"She wants a reason to move. I bet she comes back with the stuffed 
bear and then turns around before she even hands it to me," replied 
Ed. His prediction proved true. As Betsy headed back to his room, 
he said, "She'll bring the ball next and then we'll play a game of 
fetch."

Ling frowned and said, "You play fetch with a dog!"

"She just wants to move. She doesn't care why she's moving," 
replied Ed watching as she came back with a ball. He smiled and 
accepted it from her. He threw the ball down the hall and she 
turned to chase it down. Looking over at Ling, Ed said, "She's a 
totally different person than Little John, Beth, and William."

Ling watched as Betsy came back with the ball and handed it to Ed 
who then pretended to examine it. Betsy danced nervously for a 
minute and then said, "Throw it."

Smiling, Ed threw the ball down the hall and Betsy chased after it 
emitting a loud squeal of delight. He laughed as she ran past it and 
then had to wait for it to come to her. It was amazing how fast the 
little girl was able to run. She was only a year and a half old. Ling 
went back into the living room and took the opportunity to relax.

William came out of his room and walked down to where his 
father was seated on the floor. He watched Betsy make a round trip 
in the time it took him to walk the length of the room. Without 
slowing down, she waved to him as she ran past. Laughing, 
William sat down next to his father to wait for her to return. 

Betsy returned and handed the ball to William. The boy threw the 
ball down the length of the room. He turned to his father and said, 
"I was reading and saw her running past my room a dozen times. 
She likes to move, doesn't she?"

"Yes, she does," replied Ed.

William nodded and said, "She's going to be a very physical 
person, but not as fast a learner as Little John and Beth. That's 
going to be hard on her."

"I don't know. She's going to get to experience school like other 
children," replied Ed as he waited for her to return with the ball. 
When she came, he accepted the ball and threw it to the other end 
of the room.

"She won't have the patience to sit in a classroom," countered 
William. 

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." That was the only 
answer to William's comment. That was the only answer for every 
possible situation with the children. William was five and would 
be ready to head to college in one or two years. Little John was 
seven and Beth was eight. They had basically passed their tests to 
graduate high school and could go to college anytime now.  The 
parents were trying to hold the kids back a little to give them a 
chance to mature a little more before heading off to college.

Betsy returned with the ball and he threw it down the room. She 
raced away as William said, "I'll be there for her."

"I know you will," replied Ed. The children looked out for each 
other and that pleased him a lot. 

Ling came out of the living room and said, "I'm going to take this 
opportunity to train a little."

"Okay, I'll keep her busy," replied Ed. He watched Ling go into the 
playroom. The floor of the room was covered with padding perfect 
for working out on. 

As Ling worked out, Betsy made several more round trips before 
getting curious about what her mother was doing in the other room. 
When Ed threw the ball, she headed to the playroom. From the 
doorway, she watched her mother go through her practice routine. 
She started to imitate her mother's moves as Ed watched. It was 
amazing the concentration that the little child put into the routine. 

William noticed and said, "She's a warrior. Mommy Ling should 
start training her."

"I think you are right," replied Ed as he watched Betsy attempt a 
kick. The poor child didn't have the co-ordination to perform at the 
speed that Ling was executing her exercise. He wondered how he 
could get Ling's attention so that she would see what her daughter 
was doing. He called out, "Betsy, come here."

Betsy ran over to him, stopping once to look back in the room 
where her mother was training. She faced her father and, with 
significant impatience, asked, "What?"

"If you stand in front of your mother, she'll see what you are doing 
and will give you hints on how to do it better."

A wide smile plastered itself on Betsy's face as she ran back to the 
playroom. William said, "Smart."

"Go get your big brother and sister and join her in the playroom," 
said Ed.

William looked at him, shrugged his shoulders indifferent to the 
instructions, and then went to find his brother and sister. Watching 
him go, Ed smiled at the reaction his son to the news that he was to 
begin training in the martial arts. Indifference was the only 
reaction that he didn't predict.

It was five minutes before William returned with Little John and 
Beth in tow. After they went into the playroom, Ed went to the 
door and watched the action. Ling was lining them up to teach 
them the basic moves. He turned and headed towards the kitchen to 
spend the time drinking iced tea with Marguerite and to lament the 
loss of Shauna with her. 

Entering the kitchen, Ed found Marguerite at the table reading a 
cookbook. Sitting down across from her, he asked, "Isn't that a 
little advanced for you?"

Marguerite laughed and sat back in her chair to examine Ed. "So, 
what are you doing here?"

"Came to have some iced tea."

"You know where it is," replied Marguerite returning to her 
cookbook.

Ed picked up a glass from the cabinet and poured a glass of iced 
tea from the pitcher in the refrigerator. After bringing the glass and 
pitcher over to the table he sat down across from her. She didn't 
look up from her cookbook and that was odd. Finally, he asked, 
"What's the matter?"

"You guys are leaving tomorrow."

"Yes, we are," replied Ed.

"You're having dinner at Maria's tonight."

Raising an eyebrow, Ed said, "Yes, we are. So are you and the rest 
of the staff. What's the matter?"

"It's going to be quiet around here," replied Marguerite with a sigh. 
She said, "Shauna is serving hundreds of people every week."

"Are you jealous?" asked Ed.

"Yes. No. I don't know." 

Leaning forward, Ed asked, "Tell me who is the most respected 
private chef in the world."

"I am," replied Marguerite knowing that if she didn't answer that 
way, Ed would call her on it.

"That's right. Now who is going to be the second more respected 
private chef in the world soon."

"Shauna," replied Marguerite proud of her former assistant. Shauna 
was a rising star in the culinary world. 

"So who is going to be your next project?" asked Ed with a smile.

"With no one here, there's no one to cook for," answered 
Marguerite with a frown.

"So we don't get tortured as your apprentice learns their craft. 
Sounds like a plan to me," replied Ed. 

Marguerite looked down at the cookbook for a moment and then 
closed it. She asked, "You're willing to pay someone for me to 
train them?"

"No, I'm willing to pay for an assistant chef. If they happen to get 
trained by the great Marguerite at the same time, that is an added 
benefit," answered Ed. He winked at her and took a sip of his iced 
tea.

She looked down at the table thinking about what Ed had said. It 
was a tempting offer and training another chef would fill up her 
time. She asked, "Will the family be returning her to live for more 
than three months at a time?"

"I can't promise that," replied Ed with a sigh. The truth was that he 
didn't know what was going to happen in the near future. In the 
upcoming December, John was consecrating the glade and no one 
wanted to talk about what would happen after that. 

Marguerite shook her head and replied, "I'll think about it."

Taking another sip of his iced tea, Ed wondered if he was going to 
be losing Marguerite soon. It was possible. The long absence of the 
family was putting a strain on the staff. For all intents and 
purposes, they sat around with nothing to do for nine months of the 
year. Cathy was the only one that actually kept busy.

It was understood that she wasn't going to say anything while she 
was considering his offer. The conversation was over and Ed left 
the kitchen disheartened by what Marguerite had said. At the door, 
he turned and said, "Before you accept another position, please talk 
to me."

He didn't have to explain what he meant and the lack of an answer 
from Marguerite confirmed what he suspected. Saddened by the 
conversation, he left the kitchen behind.

After wandering around the house, he found himself in front of the 
wall where the family pictures were hung. He stared at the picture 
of Beth for several minutes and wished that she were still alive.  A 
picture of Leroy dressed in a suit had been added a long time ago. 
The inset picture showed him in the biology lab holding up a test-
tube. Aloud, he said, "We were so young then."

Kelly walked up behind him and watched as he studied the 
pictures. By the slope of his shoulders, she could tell that he was 
depressed. In a quiet voice, she asked, "What's the matter?"

"I think Marguerite is looking for a job elsewhere."

The news struck Kelly like a slap in the face. It was made worse 
since she understood the special relationship that existed between 
Ed and Marguerite. If Marguerite were to leave, Ed would be 
devastated. She asked, "What?"

"The staff is not happy sitting around nine months of the year 
doing nothing. Marguerite is a chef and she only gets to cook for 
us three months a year. That's not good for her and we both know 
it."

"You'll be here more and so will Ling. Betsy doesn't need to be at 
the Druid College."

"Ling would never leave Little John alone for that long," replied 
Ed knowing that Kelly understood that as well as he did. 

She sighed as she considered his statements. Everything that Ed 
wanted and worked for was falling apart. She joined him in 
looking at the pictures of the family, understanding what had 
brought him there. "We were young then."

"You still look as good today as you did that day when we took the 
pictures." Smiling at the Medieval dress that she wore in the 
picture, he said, "I bet you can still wear that outfit."

"Of course I can," replied Kelly. She was proud of her figure and 
the fact that she had managed to keep it after giving birth to Beth. 
It had been a while since she had tried it on. 

Sighing, Ed said, "I'm going to my room now."

"Okay."

She watched as Ed walked away. It was tempting to join him, but it 
was obvious that he wanted to be alone. Instead, she went to watch 
the kids in the playroom.

In his room, Ed went up to his office and sat down at his desk as he 
ran his hand over the wood. He reached over to the architectural 
drawings of his new office building and laid them flat on the desk 
to examine them. It was a simple two-story building with a lobby 
and a few offices on the first floor. The second floor was an open 
work area. He added some notes as to where he wanted power, 
phone, and internet outlets. 

Picking up the phone, he called the architect and let him know that 
he wanted to go ahead with the project subject to the modifications 
that he had made to the drawings. He had agreed to have the 
drawings forward to the architect for final changes. It felt good to 
work rather than worry about his problems. 

He checked the clock and realized that it was still early in the day. 
Dinner wouldn't be for another three hours and he had nothing 
pressing to do until then. He wandered downstairs and went to bed, 
hoping to get in a short nap.

The stars above were bright that night and lifted his spirit as he 
watched them move across the sky. A meteor streaked across the 
sky burning up before it hit the ground. He listened to the sounds 
of the town closing up for the night.  It soothed his soul to know 
that some things changed very little. The restaurant closed the 
same time now as it did years ago. The same was true for all of the 
other businesses in town.

In a quiet voice, Kelly called out, "Ed, would you like to come 
down with me?"

He answered, "Why don't you join me up here?"

She came over to where he sat and said, "I was kind of hoping that 
we could sleep together tonight."

"Have a seat."

Puzzled by his lack of response to her offer, she sat down in the 
chair next to him. Having watched Ed and John sit up here for 
hours she knew the pace of conversation with which Ed was most 
comfortable. With nothing better to do, she watched the stars 
waiting for him to say something.

After fifteen minutes, Ed said, "We may have to close up this 
house."

"I don't think that is necessary," replied Kelly surprised at the 
direction that his thoughts had taken. She loved this house and 
didn't want to see it closed any more than Ed did.

"We have six staff sitting around nine months a year. There are 
only three adults and four kids here during the other three months." 
Ed watched a jet cross the night sky. At this late hour it had to be a 
private jet. The commercial jets didn't fly over that area that late in 
the night. 

Even though Kelly knew exactly what she wanted to ask, she bided 
her time and tried to imagine the various answers that he would 
have. Finally, she asked, "Where will we live?"

"I'm building a new office building. My business will move into 
the new building and I'll move back into my old house," answered 
Ed. He had laid in bed that afternoon thinking about it. He added, 
"Everyone else can live at the Druid College and I'll commute."

Kelly was stunned by his assessment of the situation and stared at 
him incredulous. He didn't look at her, but stared up at the night 
sky. To the east, the moon would be rising soon. It would be the 
barest sliver of light that would not displace the darkness. It took a 
half an hour for her to come up with any to say. Breaking the 
silence, she said, "Why?"

"When Marguerite leaves, the spirit of this house will never 
recover. Bob will go with her and I'm sure the rest of the staff will 
leave as well." To admit it aloud hurt Ed more than he could put 
into words. 

More than anything else, Kelly wanted to run away and cry. 
Staying there was the hardest thing that she ever had to do, but Ed 
needed her and she had to stay for him. She wracked her brain 
trying to come up with some counter argument that would end this 
discussion, but couldn't come up with one. She asked, "Would you 
come make love to me now?"

Ed answered, "I'm sorry Kelly, but I can't tonight. It just isn't in 
me."

"I understand," she replied taken aback by Ed's lack of interest. It 
was as though something had broken inside him today. She 
wondered if she should get Ling to come up and keep Ed company. 

"I'm very sorry."

"Let's just watch the stars for a while," replied Kelly. She sat back 
and looked up at the sky knowing that she didn't see the same thing 
that Ed saw when he looked at it. 

An hour passed and Ling came up the stairs wondering what had 
happened to Ed and Kelly. She took a seat so that Ed was between 
her and Kelly. Looking over Kelly, she could see that her wife was 
very upset. She asked, "What's the matter?"

"Ed wants to close up the house," replied Kelly.

Ling did not react to the announcement quietly. She screamed, 
"What?"

It was loud enough to start dogs barking across the entire town. 
Irritated that she would wake people in his town, Ed replied, "Don't 
scream. You'll wake up the town."

His comment angered Ling, but she lowered her voice as she 
asked, "What do you mean that you want to close up the house?"

Kelly answered on behalf of Ed and described what he had said. 
As she talked, Ed walked over to the edge of the roof and looked at 
the town below. All of the houses were dark with the exception of 
those that were occupied by the three night owls who tended to 
stay up all night and sleep late into the morning. The deputy's car 
moved through the town performing a late night check. 

Ed looked down at John's old house and noticed that it looked 
happy. It was strange how a structure that just sat in place seemed 
to age faster than when occupied. A young couple had moved into 
the house. They had lived in Phoenix previously and had fit into 
the town very well. Maria was very happy to have neighbors again. 
Everyone was waiting to find out when the wife would become 
pregnant.

They had rented out Dr. Hayes house after he had passed away. An 
electrical engineer had rented it and pretty much kept to himself. 
As a bachelor that didn't appear to date much, he tended to be the 
subject of gossip around town. Ed knew how that was and 
wondered how the young man was reacting to the scrutiny of a 
small town. Cathy's assessment of the young man was that he was 
very shy. It amused her that he was unable to talk to her without 
blushing and had to keep averting his eyes.

He glanced at the house where the doctor lived. The doctor was 
becoming better adapted to the town. The crucial incident occurred 
when he had tried to pay one of the townspeople who had stopped 
to help him change a tire. Rightfully, the young man was insulted 
that he would stop to help a neighbor for money. Everyone in the 
community had let the doctor know that his actions were very rude. 
The entire episode had taught the doctor that the town didn't use 
money to express thanks.

He returned to his chair receiving frosty looks from Ling. In a cold 
voice, she said, "This is our home too."

"You've spent less than five months here over the past five years," 
replied Ed.

"Still, it is important to know that it is here."

Ed said, "Linda is the only one that uses the house with any 
regularity. She comes here and writes another book between book 
tours, but mostly she spends her free time at the college. She's 
maybe spent a year and a half here over the past five years. Leroy 
spends almost all his time in Wisconsin. He even has a house there. 
John has only been here for funerals."

Ling stood up and walked away unable to come up with a counter 
argument. She was furious as she felt that this house was hers. 
Kelly loved the house, but she had helped build it when she 
installed the security center. Ed had the town and John had the 
college. All she had was the house.

Kelly had listened to Ed with care. She knew that he could live 
anywhere in the desert and would be very happy there. He didn't 
even need a house since he would be quite comfortable riding 
through the desert on the back of a horse. She also thought about 
the role that the Druid College had in all of this. Now that Ling 
was gone, she decided that it was time to bring up one aspect of 
future that she didn't want to discuss. Clearing her throat, she said, 
"Ed, you are forgetting something very important."

"What?"

"What is going to happen when John sanctifies the glade?" asked 
Kelly.

Silent, Ed thought about it. Kelly and the kids suspected that the 
result would be the death of John. This is the same thing that he 
thought would happen. It wasn't a common topic of conversation 
and John had not said what he thought would happen. He replied, 
"You know what I think is going to happen."

"Won't we return home if that does happen?"

"I don't know. If there isn't a new Grand Druid, someone will have 
to stay there to make sure that John's dream doesn't die. I would 
stay there until I died if that was necessary," replied Ed in a cold 
factual voice. 

Kelly didn't doubt that for a minute. She patted his hand and said, 
"The Gods and Goddesses won't let things develop to that point."

Ed woke finding himself in a meadow surrounded by birds, rabbits, 
squirrels, and other small animals. The meadow had the same other 
world feel to it as it had the last time that he was there. The colors 
were too bright, the sounds too loud, and the odors too strong. Life 
pulsed with a strong beat all around him.

He found himself facing the Two-Sided One in the female form 
sitting on the ground with her legs spread wide and her upper body 
supported by her arms. Her pendulous breasts hung down over 
rolls of fat. Even her eyelids were fat. Her lips were huge and 
flapped when she spoke. In a very sensual female voice, she asked, 
"What's the matter Ed Biggers?"

"I'm preparing myself for a difficult service to you," answered Ed.

"You haven't been called to perform that service."

"If John dies and there is no one to take over the college, then I 
will," replied Ed forgetting for a moment that he was challenging 
the one of the Gods and Goddesses.

"There is another Druid that serves all three of us. You haven't 
been called to that service." The voice had the tone of a rebuke. 

"I didn't know that," replied Ed greatly relieved to hear the news, 
yet saddened by the confirmation that he had just been given 
concerning John's fate. 

The fat woman reached out a hand and traced his face with 
tenderness. Smiling, she said, "Your service is to the truth and not 
to training the next generation of Druids."

Ed couldn't help himself as his cock erected under her touch. 
Looking down, he was surprised to find that he was naked. He was 
leaking pre-come and watched it coated the head of his cock. He 
replied, "I wish to serve in what ever way I can, but does John 
have to die."

"All we ask is that you serve to the best of your ability. We don't 
ask you to sacrifice yourself when others can carry the load. John 
has volunteered to sacrifice himself. Don't dishonor him by 
fighting it."

The meadow disappeared as Ed sat up in bed. His cock was so 
erect that it hurt, but he was alone in the room. He wrapped his 
hand around his cock and started to rub it. With smooth strokes up 
and down its length, he increased the speed. After a few minutes, 
he came. His come shot up to his chest on the first blast, but ended 
up dribbling out by the fifth. 

Covered with come, he stood and went to the bathroom to take a 
quick shower. On the way, he realized that had been the first time 
in years that he had masturbated. He wondered if that wasn't a 
subtle reminder by the Two-Sided One that he had a loving family 
that supported him. He laughed to himself as he realized that there 
was nothing subtle about the message.

After his shower, Ed left his bedroom. He realized that he hadn't 
visited the atrium in a long time. He opened one of the doors and 
entered the garden that ran through the center of the room and 
down it's length. The water in the stream ran clear. The fish were 
swimming with lazy flicks of their fins. Ed noticed a small lizard 
sitting on a rock under a leaf and wondered when the lizard had 
moved into the atrium. 

He walked along the path and came to the bench in front of the 
waterfall. Taking a seat, he watched the water flow over the rocks. 
A rustle behind him caused him to turn around only to see George 
walking down the path to him. In a soft voice, he said, "Hello, 
George."

"Oh, it's you. I was afraid one of the kids had gotten up in the 
middle of the night." George sounded relieved. 

"It's just me," replied Ed.

George sat down on a bench next to Ed and said, "You've been 
acting strange today. What's the matter?"

Shaking his head, Ed knew that he couldn't tell George the whole 
reason behind his behavior. He said, "I can't really tell you."

"Oh," replied the retired army Sergeant. He looked at Ed curious 
about his answer, as this was the first time that Ed had shut any of 
the staff out of his problems. He asked, "Have we angered you 
somehow?"

"No. Not at all," replied Ed surprised that George would even 
consider that as a reason for his behavior. He asked, "Are you 
happy here?"

George knew better than to lie to Ed. He had seen enough 
demonstrations of Ed's truth sense to even consider that he could 
get away with a white lie. "I'd rather not answer that question."

Smiling, Ed said, "Don't worry. I know that you aren't all that 
happy here of late. You're guarding an empty house most of the 
time."

"True," replied George wondering what that meant about his future 
employment. 

"Don't worry. You're job is safe," replied Ed. 

"I guess you can't sleep?"

"Oh, I slept a little," replied Ed. He calculated that he had about 
two hours sleep before being awaked out of his dream.

"You had better get some rest. You've got a long day ahead of 
you."  

The water made a nice tinkling noise as it cascaded over the rocks. 
The inner garden, with green leafy plants, made a nice contrast to 
the desert outside the house. A very small green frog entered the 
water at the pond below the waterfall. He wondered where a green 
frog came from.


