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Title: Benign ConfusionAuthor: TinaRating: R Character: John Biebe “Mystery, Alaska”Disclaimer:The following story has been written with no intention of claiming ownershipor solicitation, nor does the author claim the movie character(s) as his/her own. Themovie character(s) have been borrowed solely out of a love of the particular movie and isnot intended for any other purpose but amusement and entertainment.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

PrologueThursday, September 21

2006

An early anniversary gift.

That was what he had told her Tuesday evening following dinner, hoping the sight of itwould cheer her, make her smile, ease the things that she carefully attempted to concealfrom him...and the one thing that would thrill his own heart was knowing he had madeher happy. So over the cups of Millstone vanilla crème flavored with Kahlua, over the plates filled with samples of bourbon pecan pie and cheesecake kissed with the sweetestraspberries and strawberries, he handed her the package. There was the usual

puzzlement...then came the surprise accompanied by an almost girlish gasp. After a fewmoments of silence she stammered “Oh...Oh my...” as the tears came to her eyes and heheard a choked, soft spoken “Thank you...” in reply.He could hear it all now as it replayed in his head, as clear as the night it occurred,including all the little comments about how long she had sought what was now protectively held against her bosom. Most of all, however, he could still smell her fragrance when she finally came to his side, the blend of amber and myrrh, carefullylayered and applied as she always did, so as to nudge the senses of the one in proximityto her. The scent remained upon the book’s hard cover – he caught the whiff again whenhe held it close and it only made his smile increase.It was difficult to believe that – as strong as her presence was within the room consideredher office, within their home – she had been gone less than twenty-four hours.And then something jarred inside him. A voice, a sensation, he was uncertain and yet itfelt very familiar to him. Perhaps he momentarily dozed and suddenly awakened with a jolt – the room was slightly dim right now, with only the natural light peeping through the partially opened curtains near her desk, just the type of conditions that would make onewant to sleep, and coupled with him being tired....Whatever happened, he glanced at hiswatch and sighing deeply, ran a hand over his face. It was time he tried to do anythingthat would help get him past all this, no matter how mundane it might be and what he hadintended to do from the time he awoke that morning. Now if he could only

practice what he preached

as the old saying went. With that, he carefully returned the book to its’ placeon the cherry wood desktop, reminded himself to make sure someone brought him freshflowers from the greenhouses or helped him cut a few roses in the garden (

Just need everything to be bright

), then made his way out into the hall.The walk even seemed longer than usual, no matter how long his strides, for he caughthimself – and then immediately shook himself – pausing too many times, as if listening:for the closing of a car door, for her footfall, for the mezzo-soprano that often filled thehouse when a song she loved came to mind or caught her attention on her I-Pod or XM-Satellite. Just the sound of her voice, whether happy or sad, frustrated or excited...in themidst of the prayers he had often overheard during the last week or simply hearing thesmile in her words when she said his name. The house,

their

house, had captured her spirit from the moment he carried her across the threshold nearly five years before,appearing to thrive from her, exactly as he once hoped, but now....“Huh...” he grunted on walking out the front door, shrugging as a reaction and rubbinghis hands together.

Nip in the air already. Guess it really IS fall

. At this time the day before, the temperatures were comfortably warm, caught between the clinging final daysof summer and the briskness of the oncoming autumn, but now he immediately noticedhow much cooler it had become. Cooler but not cold. Boy was he used to cold; made thisseem hot in comparison and although he inwardly chuckled on imagining a few of his brothers seeking out warmer climes, he promised not to lay on one of his

Oh this isnothing. You should have been in Mystery back in…

and then he would fill in the month

and year that happened to occur to him

No, he would be nice and it wasn’t as if it wasabout to snow or a couple of his siblings about to become frozen in blocks of ice. Thiswas the sort of weather he loved, with that particular, indescribable scent in the air thatspoke of leaves changing hues as a brisk wind blew them from their branches, of theharvest.

Crisp – that’s how she’d describe it. Crisp. “Do you feel that?” she’d ask me and shewould sit right out on the terrace, with a cold breeze blowing and just laugh and keep at that damn laptop or writing in a notebook, like it was nothing. Start talking about working crime scenes that made this feel hot in comparison. She’s as bad as me sometimes....No...no...it’s good weather. Feels good. I like this.

I guess it’s fall theretoo

...he considered absent-mindedly, then reached for the blower left against one side of the door. “And I need to stay busy before I drive myself nuts,” he muttered determinedly,and in one motion was down the three front steps, reminding himself – as he glanced back over his shoulder – that it would be nice to decorate the entrance before tomorrow,then stepping into the circular driveway began to clear the pavement of the few leavesthat invaded it. “Just anything to keep busy....Not think....” Not think about their last dinner together on Tuesday....Not think about their lastconversation.... Not...think....

They just took her in, John....Yes, yes...Yes, I was with her. They let a couple of us in therewith her, but they won’t let you use a cell phone back there so she couldn’t call you again.She wanted to, but you know...the machinery and all....

Yes, the machinery – the cell phone could affect the electronics somehow, just like on an airplane.

She was fine....Of course she was nervous, but she was doing okay. It was sort of the waiting game, youknow. They had to get her ready.

He had not cared to hear that her temperature wasslightly above normal or that her blood pressure was heading way above borderline,indicating her anxiety despite all the calmness she openly talked.

She was talkativethough....You know how she gets when she’s nervous....Oh no, no, when they got her it was finally time so we just all said we’d see her later

and she was calling back....Well, she said to tell you she’d talk to you as soon as she could.

...

You know she wanted you tobe there

.Yeah, he wanted to be there as well, and here at a time when she needed him most....The honking horn caused him to look up. Narrowing his eyes, it took him a second torecognize the ‘Atacama Sand’ Land Rover Freelander Sport heading up the main road atalmost reckless speed, puffs of smoke seemingly appearing in its’ wake, but almostimmediately it dawned on him as to who it was. The three-door hardback had arrived atthe Point about a week before, exactly as its’ new owner had ordered, and within the hour it was already off-roading, a few of the more adventurous residents taking a ‘wild ride’with the proud driver. (That reminded him: he wondered if the 2007 models he and Tinahad been studying online would soon be making an appearance. That would be nice, for