Kim had finished her last test four days earlier and headed home for semester break. Shego had left ‘on business’ and couldn't be reached -- out of service range for Kim's cell phone provider. Kim wondered if it would be fair to ask Wade to provide her with the same sort of no-frills Kimmunicator Ron carried.
Jean Possible took the call from the university on the kitchen phone. It was bad news, but she had to break it to Kim. Her face grim she knocked on Kim's door pushed it open after her daughter called, “Come on in.”
“Are you all right, Mom? You don't look happy.”
Jean took a deep breath. “I'm not. That was Dr. Kemal on the phone.”
“I thought I did pretty well on finals. It wasn't good news?”
“It depends on what you call good news. You did very well on your finals. You ended up with a high B average for the semester. I hate to call that bad news, but I promised to give you this if you made it.”
Kim opened the envelope. Inside was a plane ticket and a ‘what to bring’ list: passport, toothbrush, swimsuit, smile. Written under the list was one instruction, ‘Look for your driver in the airport.’ The itinerary called for her to leave on December 24th, returning to Middleton on the 30th.
Kim broke into a broad smile. Her mother prayed Kim would turn down the invitation, “You don't have to go, Kim. It means missing Christmas with the family.”
On Christmas Eve Kim picked her bag from the carousel and headed for the line waiting to go through customs.
“Miss Possible?” a uniformed man asked.
“Yes?”
“Welcome to Mexico. May I say thank you for our entire nation for the way you stopped Pool Shark from fixing the soccer match with Argentina last year.”
“No big. Once I figured out the ball was radio-controlled it was easy to jam the signal.”
“Please come with me, we'll take you through the short line.”
Ten minutes later Kim headed towards the exit. The end of the airport was filled with rental car companies and men in blue shirts and white pants asking if she needed a taxi. Outside she could see lines of buses. She noticed a group of uniformed chauffeurs holding up signs and looked for her name. Before she found her name she recognized her driver
From the waist up Shego was the perfect picture of a professional driver -- cap, mirrored glasses, starched shirt, tie and uniform jacket. From the waist down Shego was also dressed as a professional, but the short skirt and fish net stockings suggested a different sort of profession.
Kim grinned and walked up to her driver, “I am Kim Possible. Are you waiting for me?”
“Yes, señorita. Welcome to Mexico.” Then she kissed Kim, a passionate open-mouthed kiss that stunned the other drivers.
Kim handed her bag to Shego, who took it and said, “This way Miss Possible.” They managed to get out of the terminal before they burst into laughter.
“If I ever get out of the mercenary business I may become a driver. I had three business men asking what company I worked for before you got here.”
“And it looked like a dozen gave you their business cards after that kiss.”
There was no limo waiting them in the parking area. Shego threw Kim's bag into the back seat of an orange VW bug. “Make yourself comfortable, it's about an hour drive.”
“To Cancún?”
“To Playa del Carmen, they use the same airport.”
Kim wondered about the Volkswagen Beetle, “Did you rent this just for me?”
“No, I've owned this for a couple years.”
“They did a great job of restoration.”
“Restoration, hell. They kept making the Beetle here until a couple years ago. This was in the last production run.”
“Isn't a little weird that we both have Beetles?”
“Not weird, it's fate. We are meant for each other.”
“Oooh, and WHEN are we meant for each other.”
“I'm thinking after a candle-lit dinner tonight. We'll take a long walk along the beach--”
“We're on the beach?”
“Well, almost. Damn it Kim, I'm trying to get you in the mood and you're asking about the house. The Mexican government owns various houses they let witnesses, visiting diplomats, hard-working bureaucrats or free-lancers like me use. I get whatever is available when I'm here. Twice I've had fancy places right on the beach. This one is a lot smaller, and about a block away. Oh, and the house keeper watches everything we do for their secret service. Are those enough details? Can I go back to trying to seduce you?”
“Only if you feel the need -- I'm already in the mood.”
Kim stared at the palms as they headed to the coast. While she was a world traveler she flew in and out of most countries too fast to look at the scenery.
As they got ever closer to the beach house Kim had to ask a question that troubled her. “Shego, are we psychic?”
“I think so,” the pale woman smiled.
“What is your real name? Can you make love if you don't even know the name of the person you're in bed with?”
Shego lost her smile, and silence reigned for minute in the Beetle, “Shego has been my name for years.”
“When you were five years old?”
“Probably since I was three -- but that was only a nickname then. If you want the story we have time on the drive…” She sighed, “My birth certificate reads Sharon Georgiana O'Ceallaigh. I need to spell that for you some time.”
“It's not O-K-E-L-L-Y?”
“If it was I wouldn't have to spell it out. Teachers hated seeing my name on the first day of class. Most of the O'Ceallaighs who came to the US changed the spelling when they got here. Or maybe it was done to them at Ellis Island. My folk kept the old spelling, but became more American than Irish a couple generations back.” Shego laughed, “Until dad. His parents named him George, but now he's born-again Irish. He wanted all his kids to have G names, thought it would be cute. Mom put her foot down, but we all ended up with G middle names.”
“Is Georgiana from your dad's name?”
“That's what dad says. Mom says it's from a character in Pride and Prejudice. Anyway, I was Sharon, or Georgiana, and sometimes Georgie as a kid. But Henry Gregory, he was old enough to read, noticed his initials, or maybe it was the fact we lived in Chicago, but he became Hego and recruited Matt and me to join Team Go and fight crime in the back yard.”
“Matt?”
“Matthew Gilliford, Mego.” Shego smiled at the memories, “I think I challenged Hego for leadership of Team Go from the start. Mom says I hit him with a sand pail when I was four and gave him a bloody nose.
“I was almost seven when the twins were born, William Grant and Edward Geoffrey, and glad to not be the baby -- but as the only girl I still got lots of smothering. I thought later we should have called them Id and Ego instead of Wego.”
“What was your family like when you were growing up?”
“You can make any family sound good or bad. Looking back now it was a happy time. Mom and Dad sometimes got in crazy fights with each other -- but never with us kids. Until the comet hit we were more normal than a girl with a rocket scientist and a brain surgeon for her parents.”
“Do you ever see them?”
“I don't think I can, Kim. It would break their hearts.”
“… I thought you said you had nothing to cry over?”
“It's just a piece of dust in my eye.”
Kim changed the subject. She wanted to hear more about Shego's family, but worried that an air of melancholy might interfere with her own plans. She steered the conversation back towards how wonderful it was for the two of them to finally have some time together.
Eventually the Beetle pulled into the driveway of a house a little fancier than Kim had expected from Shego's description.
Shego's heart pounded as she opened the door and let Kim into the house. “There are a couple bedrooms. I'm in here,” she gestured to the right. “Do you want your own and some privacy or--”
Kim's tongue kept Shego from finishing that sentence. When they broke for air Kim picked her up and headed into Shego's bedroom.
“Kim, what about tonight?”
“We can do it tonight too, but I've been waiting for this.”
This was not Shego's vision of their first time together. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she had the strength to say “No,” but surrendering herself to the fire of Kim's passion. It thrilled Shego that this beautiful woman wanted her and she could not deny Kim anything -- although she had one request, “Be careful, the uniform is rented. I have to take it back.”
Kim responded with a question, “Aren't you supposed to be undressing me?”
Minutes later they fell onto bed together. Shego had never felt like such an object of lust before. Kim's need both thrilled and frightened her. The younger woman's inexperience showed, but what she lacked in experience she more than made up for with enthusiasm.
Forty-five minutes later the older woman brushed a strand of red hair from Kim's face and gently kissed her. “Thank you. Did you do that on purpose?”
“Was I so bad you thought it could be an accident? … Sorry, what do you mean, ‘on purpose’?”
“I was afraid I might be taking advantage of you. But that certainly seemed to be your idea.”
“You're welcome.”
“It is considered polite, however, to ask if your partner is in the mood.”
“I'm sorry…”
“Don't be. I was in the mood -- you just need to file that away for future reference. Oh, and can I assume we are both in here instead of separate bedrooms?”
“I don't want to see a bedroom on this trip without you in it,” Kim laughed.
Actually, Shego was upset. She had planned on a special night and Kim's spontaneous love-making had thrown off everything in her imagination. Still, the romantic evening she had planned could celebrate their first intimacy of the afternoon instead of serving as a prelude to their first love-making. Shego had instructed the housekeeper to take the day off and she took Kim to a restaurant in Playa that evening. Under candlelight they ate their dinner entrée of conch in lime juice and cilantro, and for dessert -- strawberries and cream. After a trip back to beach house they changed into swimsuits and wandered hand-in-hand down the beach.
“We're going back to the house in a little while I have a bottle of white wine on ice. You'll have a small glass. You'll hate it because you have no taste for it, but you'll drink it with me because you'll be afraid if I drink the whole bottle by myself I'll get drunk. I'll pour just a little of it on you, it's warm enough tonight that it will feel good. And then I'm going to lick it off you. And that will feel even better. And then, I pour a little more. And lick a little more.”
“And then?”
“Oh, let's leave something for a surprise.”
“Can we head back now?”
“No, it's a beautiful night and we are going to stand here on the beach and enjoy the moonlight and each other's company for a little while longer.”
Kim shivered, “It is starting to get chilly.”
“I've got a solution for that. She moved behind Kim and wrapped her arms around the redhead, then Shego raised her body temperature slightly. They watched the stars a little longer, Kim content in the warmth of her lover's arms.
When they returned to the beach house Shego found herself grateful for the explosive love making of the afternoon. It removed the edge from their desperate need for each other, and allowed the more experienced woman to take things slowly that evening.
Much, much later Kim held the sleeping Shego in her arms. She truly believed she had never felt this happy in her life.
Shego awoke first. She didn't move, but lay content in Kim's arms until the younger woman stirred. They moved into the kitchen to break the fast. Kim sat at the table while Shego checked to see what was on hand. The dark haired woman looked over at the redhead and felt alarmed that Kim didn't look happy. “ Are you okay? You look kind of … I don't know… wistful? Was there something wrong with last night?”
Kim gave her a big smile. “No, nothing wrong with last night. It's just… This is the first Christmas I haven't been with my family. I love being here with you, it's just a little weird not being with them. Maybe next year you can be with us in Middleton.”
Shego laughed, “Let's see what your Mom and Dad think about that.” “And if I'm not in prison. Global Justice must have that next Cage about ready.” Shego planned ahead, she opened a drawer and announced, “Merry Christmas. Don't know if this will make you feel better, but I got you a little present.”
“Another one? The trip is enough.”
“Catch!”
Inside the box was a medium width gold ring, heavier than Kim expected. The flat top of the ring, which would be visible when the ring was worn, had alternating inlays of black onyx and green jade. “It's beautiful… Oh, I didn't get you anything.”
“Kim, can you stop feeding me straight lines?”
“What?”
“You're setting me up to play the romantic fool and carry on about how much you gave me by coming here. Can we wait until after breakfast before we swear undying love?”
“You're not going to try and send me back or exchange me?”
“The warranty's off. I'm afraid I have to keep you.”
Kim giggled, “Hey, what is for breakfast? I worked up a big appetite.”
“I don't know if Itxel will be in today, so--”
“Itxel?”
“I told you, there's a housekeeper. Maybe she'll be in later today -- but the government has to pay triple-overtime if you work on Christmas. It may be just you and me kid. I'm not completely helpless in the kitchen. Do you want Chorizo con Huevos or Huevos Rancheros?”
“Those sound great! What are they?”
“It roughly translates into American as eggs and sausage or scrambled eggs.”
After eating Shego left the dishes by the sink. “Come on, Kim. Let's head for the beach. It's as nice with the sun as it is with the moon.”
First, of course, the two fair-skinned women had to apply sun block. Lots of sun block, it was important to be protected. And it was nice to have someone to make sure you got the sun block into those hard-to-reach places. Especially those hard-to-reach places. That wonderfully slippery sun block in those wonderful, hard to reach places… And it is very important to show your appreciation when someone helps you…
“Damn it, Kim. We were supposed to get to the beach this morning. I want you to see more than our bedroom while you're here.”
“You're saying that laying out on the beach is more fun than this? Flash-light of truth?”