Raga Six (A Doctor Orient Occult Novel) by Frank Lauria Read Free Book Online Page A

boy sitting on the pillow next to his head.  
    "Hey," Julian shouted, "he’s awake."  
    Orient tried to push himself upright and fell back as a sharp pain flashed through his arm. He looked at his wrist. It was slightly swollen and a long yellow, green bruise discolored his forearm. A deep ache in his left side forced him to change position.  
    "Does it hurt, Owen?" Julian asked.  
    Orient nodded and carefully sat up. "Good morning," he yawned.  
    "It’s almost noon." Julian got up and ran into the other room.  
    When he came back he was followed by Sun Girl who was holding a glass of orange juice.  
    "Hi." She sat down at the edge of the bed and handed Orient the glass. She smoothed his hair back from his forehead as he drank. "How do you feel?" she whispered, nuzzling his neck.  
    "I’ll live, I suppose," Orient grunted. He rubbed the small of his back.  
    Sun Girl examined his wrist. "Could be worse," she murmured. Then she noticed his hand. The palm was cracked and wrinkled, etched with a network of short deep lines like that of a very old man. "What happened here?" she asked. "Hand grenade?"  
    Orient shook his head. "Too many parties."  
    Sun Girl took the empty glass and stood up. "You travel with a fast crowd."  
    "Mommy, Owen has white hair in his head," Julian announced.  
    "Don’t make fun of senior citizens, Julian," Sun Girl giggled.  
    "Don’t bother to apologize, Julian," Orient said. "Just call them the way you see them." He looked at Sun Girl. "Remember the naked emperor and his invisible clothes. And speaking of clothes," he scratched his head, "where did you come by all that finery?"  
    Sun Girl laughed and twirled, making her long red-and-yellow flowered skirt billow and lift from the floor. She was wearing a pair of black sandals with long thongs that crisscrossed around her legs and tied above her knees. An emerald-sequined vest and a rose silk scarf wrapped turban-like around her head completed the outfit.  
    "Mommy’s a gypsy," Julian yelled. He ran into the next room. "Just the costume for the day," Sun Girl said. "This morning while you were snoring I was busy." She pointed behind Orient. He turned stiffly, the pain in his side still making sudden movements difficult.  
    There was a large, battered wooden trunk next to his suitcase. The top of the chest was open and belts, beads, blouses, dresses, scarves, sweaters, vests and hats hung on every corner and cascaded over the sides. The floor next to the trunk was lined with dozens of pairs of shoes and boots.  
    "All my worldly goods."  
    "Pretty worldly indeed," Orient said.  
    For a long moment they stared at each other.  
    Sun Girl came back to the bed and sat down next to him. She was still holding the empty glass. "If you don’t want us around, just say so, Owen," she said.  
    "That’s not the problem—" Orient hesitated.  
    "Julian," Sun Girl interrupted, "get dressed, we’re splitting." She stood up.  
    "Wait a second." Orient took her hand and pulled her gently back to the bed. "Just listen before you make up your mind."  
    "You want to tell us that whatever you have to do doesn’t include me, right?" Sun Girl’s voice was even. "I understand, Owen. Details aren’t necessary."  
    "Wrong. You missed the point." Orient began rubbing her neck. "It’s just that you should know that I can’t make any emotional commitment to anybody right now. I have to find myself first."  
    Sun Girl was silent but Orient could feel the tightness in her body under his hand. "If you stay," he went on, "it’s got to be with that understanding. Just good friends for awhile."  
    Sun Girl relaxed and leaned against him. "You’ve got lots to learn about Sun Girl," she said. "Do you know why I moved my stuff here this morning?"  
    Orient shook his head.  
    "Because you need me, stupid," she said gravely. "And," she lifted the sheet and regarded his naked body with detachment, "because I’m a sucker for skinny men!"  
    She