Juliah had just gotten out of the tub. Michael was standing at the foot of the bed naked. Exactly where she wanted him. She was wrapped only in a towel. There was a series of three knocks on the door. Michael thought it was odd that Juliah didn’t automatically answer. Instead, she went to the closet retrieving two robes. She tossed one to him and wrapped herself up in the other one. After she made sure they were completely wrapped up she answered, “come”
The door was opened for Orion.
“You’re up late.” Juliah smiled.
“Happy Birthday,” He presented Juliah with her present.
“My this is a heavy box.” She giggled.
Michael looked Orion over. He was amazed at how thin he was.
Juliah gasped, “Orion this is gorgeous.” She twirled around the room almost losing her balance.
“I thought you would like it.”
“Come sit.” She patted the couch across from the bed.
“I don’t want to interrupt.” He glanced over at Michael.
“Nonsense,” she wiggled. “Come.”
He joined her on the couch. She put a pillow on her lap, laying her hands on it.
“Afraid of getting it dirty.”
“Habit.” She wiggled again. “You know that.”
He weakly smiled.
“So what’s up with you and Dr. Zabane?” Juliah blurted out.
“Juliah.” He said her name as if to say, please don’t go there.
“I take it she loved the gift.”
“Yes, it made her cry.”
“Wonderful.” She cheerfully sounded.
“How is making someone cry wonderful?”
“Trust me, it is a good thing. Is there something going on now?” She widely smiled.
“Should there be?”
“I wish there was. I wish you would run away with her and just screw her brains out.”
“Do you know how wrong that sounds coming from my baby sister?”
“I say what I think.”
“In that respect, you two are just alike.” He paused, “If that’s what I wanted, I could have done that already.” Orion turned his attention to Michael. “Michael isn’t it?”
“Answer.” Juliah instructed.
“Yes, sir.” Michael never looked up from the floor.
“Come over here and kneel.”
Michael did has he was instructed, he knelt in front of Orion.
“Look up at me.”
Orion wasn’t surprised to find that Michael had the same eye color as Sarah. That scared him in a way. Their eyes were a shade of blue; a shade that would make ice shiver with jealousy. His eyes were missing that spark of life that Sarah’s had. Orion could only assume that slavery had beaten it out of him. “Have you ever heard the word Pangotoe?”
To Michael’s astonishment he had, “yes, sir.”
“What does it mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where are you from?”
“Kealamen.”
“Siblings?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“A sister.”
“Older or younger.”
“Younger.”
Orion got up, “dance with me.”
“Sir?”
“Get up and dance with me.”
Michael did as he was told. Orion took the stance for the Prince Waltz or the Pangotoe as he had learned.
Michael took the opposite stance. Together they danced the Prince Waltz. Michael knew the steps correctly.
After they finished the dance Orion said, “I’ll be back.”
“What was that about?” Michael looked overwhelmed.
“You know something we know you shouldn’t know.”
“I’m not in any kind of trouble am I?”
“Not from me. I can’t say the same for my brother.”
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