Part 22 (1/2)
”That's the way to feel, dear. As an ex-man I know that's the att.i.tude a man values most in a woman. 'Proud of him.' But let's hurry; we're keeping Jake waiting. If you're going to wear pants, better find some with stretch in them. And thank you for lending me this outfit-turned out that, without the ap.r.o.n and cap, it was still most effective. I had the robe off a while. Tell you later.”
In moments the girls were hurrying down the corridor to the Green Suite, each just in a negligee and barefooted. At the last instant Winifred had decided that, if her mistress was going to practice meditation in the correct uniform, she would also.
They found the counselor in a bathrobe, looking sheepish. Joan said, ”I hope we haven't kept you waiting. Is your tub ready? If not, I'm willing to draw it before we start. Then into it and out, don't risk falling asleep. Then-”
”I cheated. I took a quick tub-tepid, as you specified-and ate a little, too.”
”Good. Then we'll pop you straight into bed after this and kiss you good-night and you'll be asleep before we're out the door. Jake, this is the simplest of yoga, not exercise, just meditation. Controlled breathing, but the easiest sort. Inhale through one repet.i.tion of the prayer, hold it through one more. Exhale through one, hold through one, and repeat. All of us together, in a triangle. Can you sit in Lotus? Probably not unless you've practiced.”
”Eunice-”
”Yes, Jake?”
”My father was a tailor. I was sitting in tailor's seat before I was eight. Will that do?”
”Certainly if you are comfortable. If not, any position that lets you relax. For you have to forget your body.”
”Squatted in a tailor's position I can fall asleep. But what's this prayer?”
Joan Eunice slipped off her negligee, melted down onto the rug into meditation pose, soles upward on her thighs, palms upward in her lap. ”It goes like this. Om Mani Padme Hum.” (Om Mani Padme Hum. I should have taught Jake this long ago.) ”I know the phrase. 'The Jewel in the Lotus.' But what does it mean to you you, Joan Eunice?”
Winifred had followed Joan's example as quickly as she set it, was bare and in Lotus-and not blus.h.i.+ng. She answered, ”It means everything and nothing, Mr. Salomon. It is all the good things you know of-bravery and beauty and gentleness and not wanting what you can't have and being happy with what you do have and trees swaying in the wind and fat little babies gurgling when you tickle their feet and anything that makes life good. Love. It always means love. But you don't think about it, you don't think at all, you don't even try not to think. You chant the prayer and just be be-until you find yourself floating, all warm and good and relaxed.”
”Okay, I'll try.” He took off his bathrobe, had under it boxer's shorts. ”Joan Eunice, when did you take up yoga? Winnie teach you?”
”Oh, no!” said Winifred. ”Miss Joan taught me me-she's much farther along the Path than I am.”
(Watch it, Boss!) (No huhu, Lulu.) ”One learns many things, Jake-and loses them for lack of time. I used to play chess, yet I haven't set up a board for fifty years. But for longer than that I could no longer even attempt a Lotus seat . . . until Eunice gave me this wonderful young body which can do anything.”(Which sh.e.l.l is the pea under, Eunice?) (It'll be under you you if you relax too much; you should have emptied our bladder.) (Never fear, dear. I shan't go under, must watch Jake.) ”Join us, Jake. You lead, Winnie; start as soon as Jake is in position.” if you relax too much; you should have emptied our bladder.) (Never fear, dear. I shan't go under, must watch Jake.) ”Join us, Jake. You lead, Winnie; start as soon as Jake is in position.”
Salomon started to sit on the floor, suddenly stopped and got out of his shorts. Joan was delighted, taking it as a sign that he had decided to give in to it all the way. But she did not let her serene expression change nor move her eyes. Winifred was staring at her navel; if she noticed it, she did not show it.
”Inhale,” Winifred said softly. ”Om Mani Padme Hum. Hold. Om Mani Padme Hum. Breath out. Om Mani Padme Hum. Hold. . . . . . ”
(Om Mani Padme Hum. Dig that clamdigger, dearie?) (Shut up! You'll ruin the mood. Om Mani Padme Hum.) ”Om Mani Padme Hum!” said Salomon in a voice that would have graced a cathedral. ”Om Mani Padme Hum!”
”Winnie darling,” Joan said softly. ”Let it fade and wake up wide. We're going to have to wake Jake.”
The redhead's eyes fluttered, she whispered one more prayer and waited. ”Jake darling,” Joan said softly, ”Eunice is calling. Wake just enough to let us help you into bed. Eunice is calling you back. Jake dearest.”
”I hear you, Eunice.”
”How do you feel?”
”Eh? Relaxed. Wonderful. Much rested but ready to sleep. Say, it does does work. But it's just autohypnosis.” work. But it's just autohypnosis.”
”Did I even hint that it was anything else? Jake, I don't expect to find G.o.d by staring into my belly b.u.t.ton. But it does work . . . and it's better than forcing your body with drugs. Now let Winnie and me help you into bed.”
”I can manage.”
”Of course you can but I don't want the relaxation to wear off. Indulge me, Jake, let us baby you. Please.”
He smiled and let them-slid onto the opened bed, let them cover him, smiled again when Joan Eunice gave him a motherly good-night kiss, seemed unsurprised when Winifred followed her mistress's example-turned on his side and was asleep as the girls left the room.
”Don't bother,” Joan said as Winifred started to put on her negligee. ”It's my house and no one comes upstairs after dinner unless sent for. Except Hubert and I a.s.sume that Jake sent him to bed, knowing that he was to be called on by two tarts in three quarter time and not much else.” She slid an arm around the redhead's slender waist. ”Winnie, much as I like to dress up-isn't it nice nice to wear just skin?” to wear just skin?”
”I like it. Indoors. Not outdoors, I sunburn so badly.”
”What about at night? When I was a boy, ages and ages ago, it got unbearably hot in July and August where we lived-the sidewalks used to burn my bare feet. Houses were bake ovens even at night-no air-conditioning. An electric fan was a luxury most people did not have. Nights when I couldn't sleep because of heat I used to sneak quiet as a mouse and bare as a frog out the back door, being oh so careful not to let my parents hear, and walk naked in the dark, with gra.s.s cool on my feet and the soft night breeze velvet on my skin. Heavenly!”
”It sounds heavenly. But I would be terrified of getting mugged.”
”The word 'mug' hadn't been invented, much less any fear of it. I was a middle-aged man before I became wary of the dark.” They turned into the master bedroom. ”Kiss me good-night, Winsome, and go keep your date. Sleep late in the morning; I'm going to.”
”Uh, my date isn't until after midnight. Aren't you going to tell me what happened today?”
”Why, of course, dear. Thought you might be in a hurry. Come take a bath with me?”
”If you want me to. I bathed after dinner.”
”And you have your face on for your date. I bathed this morning but it seems a week ago. Sniff me and tell me how badly I stink.”
”You smell all right. Luscious.”
”Then I'll let it go with toothbrush and bidet and a swipe at my armpits; I'd rather go to bed.”
”You haven't had dinner.”
”Not all that hungry. Just happy. Is there milk in my bedroom fridge? Milk and crackers is all I want. Want to join me with a gla.s.s for yourself and get crumbs in bed and talk girl talk? Things I can't mention to dear Jake now that I'm a girl and not mean, old, cantankerous Johann.”
”Joanie, I don't believe you ever were cantankerous.”
”Oh, yes, I was, hon. I hurt most of the time and was depressed all of the time and wasn't fit to live with. But Joan Eunice is never depressed; her bowels are too regular. Scrounge us two gla.s.ses of milk and a box of crackers while I take a pretend bath. Don't go downstairs; there will be something over there in the iron rations. Fig newtons, maybe, or vanilla wafers.”
Soon they were sitting, munching, in the big bed while Joan Eunice gave an edited account of the day: ”-so we visited in Judge Mac's chambers and let the car go ahead, as Judge Mac the sweet darling wouldn't hear of my leaving through the streets. Even though the phony riot was over. Then we switched from copter to car at Safe Harbor and came home.” (Protecting her 'innocence,' twin?) (Not b.l.o.o.d.y likely. Protecting Jake's reputation.) ”But the best part of the day was when I took off that street robe and let 'em look at the Acapulco outfit you dressed me in. Made 'em go ape, dear.”
” 'Ape?' ”
”Out-of-date slang. They dropped one wing and ran in circles, like a rooster about to tread a strange hen.”