During an impromptu trip to his old stomping grounds in Miami, Basil gets...reacquainted with an old colleague over breakfast on the beach.
As he sat and looked out at the ocean waves, his eyes closed and his breathing slowed. Other than the increased percentage of seeing a large ratio of women dressed in little next to nothing, moments like these are what he missed most about Miami. Being this close to the sights, sounds and even briney smell of the ocean. Nevermind the foreign smell provided by a recent influx of seaweed along the coast, this closeness brought out the thalassophile in him.
“You look pretty relaxed right now,” a soft voice with the bounciness of a cherub invaded his headspace.
“Because I am,” he responded without opening his eyes. He knew that sing-songy tone anywhere and was comfortable enough with it, to remain in the relaxed state that he was in.
“You mind if I come with you?” She asked And suddenly a rush of all the wrong thoughts rushed to his frontal lobe. Rerouting blood flow south of the border.
“Please.”
She touched the sides of his face with both of her hands as she stood behind him.
Slowly she slid her still freshly manicured hands up and across the rim of both ears, down his neck and across the center of his chest. When her hands moved outward, grazing his nipples he fought to stay in the place he was and where she was trying to take him.
Her hands rounded his shoulders and made the trek back up his neck, across his ears and back down to this face. Repeating the original motion, she bent at the waist and allowed her forehead to lightly touch his. A scent of freshly cut pink grapefruit invaded his senses, while her hands once again moved from his chest across his shoulders and back up to the side of his face.
“Come with me Basil,” she said in an almost ethereal tone that sent a burst of white light across his mind’s eye. Suddenly placing him barefoot on the shoreline, as the waves rolled in.
She began to breathe deeply, with her hands still holding his face as he followed suit.
When her breath slowed, his did as well. As she held her arm out to the side, to halt the movement of someone coming their way.
“Come with me Basil.”
Their eyes still closed, they both inhaled for a one count then exhaled together.
Inhaled for a two count then exhaled together.
They repeated this synchronized breathing pattern until they got to a count of five, then repeated the cycle again starting back at one. After they ran through the breathing circuit a total of three times altogether the woman opened her eyes. When he didn’t move after she lifted her forehead from his she giggled, waving the server over.
The young server set down the fruit tray first then a larger platter of lox, freshly made bagels and an assortment of cream cheeses. He took a few steps back up the ramp to his cart where he made two espressos and walked them back over to the table. He smiled an unsure smile at the woman with the long nubian braids with single rows, who had just taken a seat and placed a napkin on her lap.
“I can’t answer your question if you don’t ask it.”
“That thing you were doing when I first walked up...what was that?”
“Tantric breathing.”
“Like the freaky sex stuff? You two were about to have sex right here at the table?”
The shock in the young man’s voice and phrasing used, caused Basil to wrinkle his nose. His eyes remained close however.
“Not exactly. Though I guess it is an easy misconception for some. Tantra is more a means of connection. Transcending spiritual and yes, sexual planes. What you saw was the counting breath. Good for clearing the mind. Finding one’s center.”
“Hmmm, okay. So did it work?”
“Todd.” Basil said with his eyes still closed.
“Sorry sir. If you need anything else just call.”
The young man waved and walked back to his cart, pushing it back up the ramp and inside. A couple droplets of water were splashed across the table on to Basil’s face causing him to open his eyes. When he did, he found Dr. Vivian Chase laughing back at him like a mischievous child.
Her cheeks held the amazing ability to rise and become full like a chipmunk whenever she laughed or smiled.
“Hey V.”
“Good morning Basil,” she returned after taking a sip of her espresso.