The Tender Reeds

She reminded me of a honeysuckle with her intensely wild nature. Her thick accent perfumed the air. Have you licked the nectar from the stem of a suckle? Each one has a delicate honey bubble shimmering through it. Her words rolled off her tongue and glossed over her lips. I never got enough of the sweet taste or the tease from our encounters. We had met at an exclusive nightclub in LA. Needing to be alone, she took me by the hand and swayed us in and out of the crowd. All eyes were on her, including mine. Rushing to put the party scene behind us, we ran through an archway and across the bridge. The promenade was striking. The sound of water filled the night air with tranquility. Leading me to a gate, handed me a key, she said to unlock the door. I did, and the scene was set for us to enter. "Isn't this just transcendent? When the nights feel too lonely, I dream about our walks. You too, oui? I never feel alone here, with my famille." She spoke softly.

It is essential for you to understand, in the club, her beauty was intoxicating. Out in the gardens, it was inconceivable. We were never intimidated—we were intrigued. She placed her top lip right under my lower lip. When I moved my lip gently down, I could feel heat running through us. We stood by the roses, under the moonlight, with flowing water, enjoying the intense feeling of sweet honey kisses. Automatically the colors and fragrances of any garden now bring a smile to my face. "My famille, oui," I playfully mocked the intelligent way she slid French words in and out of conversations. "My family owns beautiful orchards, and even the birds walk with their chest puffed out." I whispered. "Like you walking in the club, oui?" She patted my chest while popping hers out. I like her. "Tell me again, the beautiful name?" Pulling her closer to me, both of us ready to face the night and all that would come with it. "Rini Rosales Rosaceae. My Papa calls me La Rosa. When I was a newborn, Papa looked into my eyes and saw vintage jewels. My Mama told Papa to call her by her proper name, Rini Rosales Rosaceae. Papa insisted on La Rosa. “What will you call me, Remington?" Rini's watched my mouth. "Wasn't it Shakespeare that wrote, a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet?" I smiled, feeling poetic.

Rini was visibly nervous as we passed through the iron gates, driving down the gravel path. My family had invited us to an exclusive gathering at an associate's home. Over a mile-long stretch of red and white blossoms from pear trees waved in the wind, welcoming us. The Autumn Blaze and Chanticleer trees were in full bloom. Rini's eyes were filled with pleasure. Opening her door, I reached for her. She stood tall by my side. The pear trees made a natural backdrop for us. Her emerald dress was on point. “I am Grey, your personal butler for the evening.” The butler walked us straight through the house to the drawing room. My parents' presence was profound. "Mother," I said kissing her cheek with admiration. I firmly grasped my father's hand. "Rini Rosales Rosaceae, La Rosa as her Papa calls her, meet Gavin and Paige Remington." The introduction was etiquette. "It is both an honor and pleasure to meet you and a dream to see this beautiful estate.” A dignified and elegant kiss on both cheeks was an acceptable greeting from Rini.

"Sir, shall I? " Grey held up a bottle of champagne. "Let's let our guest decide, Grey." Mother held her hand out as an invitation for Rini to choose from a generous selection. The champagne cart would serve as a test—not a test to define her but to probe her. Rini looked over the selection with caution. She pulled her thumb up to her lips while thinking. "As an appetizer, if you agree Mrs. Remington, we indulge in the Krug Private Cuvee and save the Moet and Chandon for dinner. Later in the evening with desert, might I suggest the Poire'." Mother's eyes scanned the cart as her brows lowered, "Dear, Poire is not on this cart.” Mother was concerned, the choice was close to perfection. “Madam, Ms. Rosaceae's family sent us a case earlier, as a gift." Grey's respect for Rini showed. "How completely thoughtful." Father smiled as he clinked four champagne flutes. Rini added, "Grey assured me you hadn't had this champagne." Rini winked at Grey. She certainly had done her homework. I had never mentioned what type of orchards our friends invested in. “The chef has agreed to pair it with desert, Poire belle hélène.” Grey informed us.

My brother, Jacque, and his girlfriend Drew, joined us at dinner. Drew was flirtatious and bold. Pulling back slowly from me, she said, "It's been too long, Quentin Remington." Rini was not the least bit threatened. Dinner was prepared by the top Michelin chef. Nothing was out of place. The center pieces were breath taking. Excusing ourselves, Rini and I moved into the ballroom. "Quentin, not fitting at all, by the way?" Rini questioned me. "Because Quentin is not my name; it's a facade. Remington is my first and last name." Telling her this, I hadn't realized I told her a secret. She was sharp. "Star-crossed lovers?" Rini glided across the floor as if she was skating over ice. "She would love you to believe we are, but no." I was honest, it was over. "I do not return the feelings any longer.” I twirled her around gracefully. "Why me? Certainly, I'm not the only beautiful woman looking your way, Remington?" She held me tightly. "No, of course not. But you are the only direction I see.

I took her hand as she had mine that first night, swerving in and out of the crowd, only stopping when we reached the outside garden. I whispered, "These roses will fade, vanity oh vanity, memory- time often takes, but true love is work and dedication. Did you choose me by chance? Let's be honest," I said. Rini's gift of Poire gave away secrets also. She pressed herself against me. "Was the champagne not a perfect clue?” She brushed her lips by my ear. “Yes, the key also." Looking deeply into the rarest shade of green eyes I'd seen, I vowed to her, "Together, we will be indestructible—a pear-fect match." I said with a French accent. “My heart aches for those Tender Reeds Remington.” We stood under a pear tree and kissed passionately.

"La Rosa, your father was a clever man. Someone who lived where the wild roses grow. Southern Spain?" Father and mother had waltzed right into the garden.” Rosaceae, a medium-size family, nice touch?” Mother was putting the clues together swiftly. Time was not on our side. "Rosales, so we are looking for an order of flowering plants. Catalonia, not Southern Spain, dear?" Mom's eyes scolded dad for the error. "Rini and Remi together are Rimi which means..." She paused, hoping we’d get the clue. Mom couldn't wait, "Rimi in Bengali means the woman is beautiful." We lifted our freshly poured French whiskey to toast our breakthrough and uniting. The mission was now a global fight.

"Remington," father instructed, do the honors and the math." "Bengali is split, Bangladesh and West Bengal." I thought aloud as I walked to the center of a map, chiseled in cement on the garden floor. "West Bengal, the distance from there and Catalonia is..." as I added, Rini drug her foot over the space. I continued, "8,040 km, so it's 4995.824 miles from here." Rini's toe touched Santa Rosa. I kept talking, "The red and white trees. Santa, how clever, Santa Rosa, California." I moved her foot. Mom corrected me, "It would be times two, Rini and Remi. Beijing, China," Mom paused. Rini called out, "As the crow flies. 10061.217 miles, oui?" Rini waited for confirmation. We all stood for several minutes in a shared deep concentration. "The math is off. Do not lock it in." I instructed. Rini bent down tracing with her fingers, Singapore, 9,990 miles, Asia." Rini's eyes connected with mother's. "Good work. Grey, get the Jeep.” No one questioned her decision. The Jeep screeched to a halt in front of us. "Grey, you know what to do?" Father asked respectfully. "I do," Grey assured us.

The Jeep moved us forward as our minds moved us back over every detail. We came to a sudden stop in front of a pear tree, towering thirty feet over us. "Pyrus Calleryanna." Mother called her by her proper name. "Native to China and Vietnam, Rosaceae family, order Rosales. Not edible pears." Mother read back over her research notes. Puffing out her chest, Rini added, “taken by the birds." I took the key that opened the empty garden in Los Angeles. Standing in the middle of the orchard, I placed it in the lock. Slowly, the tree split in half. I hit the bright lights on the Jeep, which was now revealing the way down. "Careful, the staircase is narrow, and it's moving." We all jumped on. "Everyone, hold tight, lay flat." Dad had the right timing. The stairs were now moving into a lateral position towards another staircase. The two slammed together and locked. We were tossed around hard and held on for our life.

Checking the stability of the stairs, that now made a bridge for us to walk across, was my job. Rini's hand searched for mine. "Mom, dad, you good?" It was eerily silent. "We can drop the charades," Detective Albriet said as he gave Commander Paige a hand up. Commander Paige, who had been playing my mother, was extremely emotional. "Four years of our lives went into this operation. Let's hope we got it right; we don't need a repeat of Los Angeles." Paige reminded us Rini Dalton was a secret service agent, and I, the head of the FBI. "Albriet, Dalton, and Remington, check the vest and harnesses. Be careful down there," Paige instructed from the top of the stairs. It took years to build up international trust, to be invited to this event. The last clue was when Detective Drew called me Quentin, a clue Rini almost missed. Quentin is a French name that comes from the Latin name meaning Quintinue, "the fifth." The Orchard we were now under, was a fifth-generation pear orchard owned by the Quintini family.

Hours had passed, we were the last standing in the underground cave cells. Commander Paige called out, “Albriet, Rini, Remington, Jacque, Drew, Grey, we have our new orders.” Drew quickly rolled out the blueprints. To all of our surprise, the entrance was at the edge of a popular bay. "We can't be extracted here.” Drew's flashlight moved over the map rapidly. We were all suited up in the proper attire. "Once we start the clock, we have less than 24 hours of oxygen," Jacque said. "Anyone wanting to go back, no judgment." Drew interjected truth, "Your cover will be blown, and we will not protect you." Albriet motioned for us to start moving. We had one rope that went around the team. In a straight line, we jogged, blindly following our leader. Drew was a spearhead for global forces. We knew if anyone could get us out, it would be her, and she did. We were able to leave our suits in Big Sur. Crossing over into Mexico by boat, flying to…” You didn’t think I would tell you, did you? We are a special team freeing modern slaves, which we refer to as Tender Reeds. This was a medium size group of over eight hundred men, women and children. Nothing personal, I hope we never meet.

The end