In Absentia by Kelli Jae Baeli

Author:Kelli Jae Baeli [Baeli, Kelli Jae]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lesbian Literati Press
Published: 2014-03-07T23:00:00+00:00

The white manuscript box sat under the tree with a red bow on top of it. She had no other gifts, yet, for India. What do you get for the woman who doesn’t have everything and doesn’t want more of it? It was going to be awfully hard to shop for a minimalist. Tegan would have to give that some thought.

But the tree was beautiful. The lights on the branches, and the others she’d added to those few she’d already strung throughout the cabin, were just the right amount of festive and shiny. Quasar seemed to agree, and even batted at the silver orb that dangled from the tree. Low-hanging fruit for a cat. Tegan was certain she’d find the ornament on the floor soon. She might have to move the ornaments up higher.

Happy with her project for now, Tegan convinced herself to go lie down, knowing her back could not take much more. She sequestered the laptop beside her in the chair, grabbed the brake, and Quasar noticed, scampering over to put her paws on her Tegan’s leg. She wanted to hitch a ride down the hall. It was a ritual now, a game. Tegan imagined Quasar would love to be conveyed around on one of those Roomba vacuums, like the cats in the videos on YouTube.

“Well come on,” Tegan coaxed. The cat jumped up and settled onto her thighs and the two of them rolled into the bedroom, while Quasar made biscuits on her legs and watched ahead of them, as if she had her paws on some controls for the chair. All she needed was a little kitty aviator cap, and a billowing scarf, and the picture would be complete.

Tegan paused at the door to India‘s room and wondered if she should lie down there, or in the guest room. The idea that India’s pillow might still smell like her made the decision and she fetched the Artifacts book and returned to the room and climbed in bed, with Quasar wadding up beside her and purring.

First things first. Tegan opened her laptop and booted into Windows, then Googled the publisher, AfterHere Press. In their list, she quickly found India’s novel, and promptly ordered it for overnight delivery.

That done, she propped herself on pillows, preparing for the treat to come. She had only just finished reading Dark Nebula #6, having read it slowly, because she knew that when she finished it, there were no other books by India Bell. Now there was one more book. And she had found it, just like a pirate’s stash of jewels in an treasure chest in the sand.

Tegan pulled out the nightstand drawer and brought out the copy of India’s most recent book. Her one, and probably only, excursion into romance-writing. Tegan had read it right after India finished it. It had been hysterical, but she realized it hadn’t been crafted that way intentionally. She was glad to know India had taken her advice and left the awkward sex scenes in, and embellished on them.

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