Dark Kisses Pt. 03

Dark Kisses III of IV

Black Magic Woman

Copyright @ calibeachgirl and Jim Crowell

All rights reserved, 2011

**********

Chapter 6: Yesterday's a memory...

Carolyn wandered around David's house, familiarizing herself with where everything was. She stood in the hallway for a long while, looking at his medals and then going on the internet to look them up. In all their time together, he had never mentioned his time in the Air Force except in passing. She tried to imagine him in his fighter plane, zooming through the skies high above the earth.

She stopped for lunch, making a ham sandwich and then went back to her explorations. And then, her heart came to a stop as she opened her daughter's closet and found the ancient bag she recognized in her mother's house so many, many years ago.

Trembling, now on her knees, she pulled the bag out and opened it, afraid of what she knew she would find. The old book, more sheaves of musty parchment than anything else, lay there and the smell of primeval power rose into the air, causing her to sneeze as the dust settled around her.

She opened the pages, turning them one by one until she found Kendra's last visitation, marked by the yellow ribbon she always wore in her hair. Carolyn slowly read the incantation and tears formed and began to flow down her now dusty face.

It was all a lie... her love... his love... none of it real, only the result of her own mother's black magic spells and her daughter's interference. The yellowed parchments fell to the floor, scattering across the rug as she wept.

She wiped her face with her fingers, gathered up the almost faded spells, carefully put them into the bag, got her keys and drove to her mother's house.

When the old woman opened the door, she guessed what had happened and when she saw the old carpetbag, she knew. Carolyn's mother stepped back as her daughter angrily stormed into the house and stood in the middle of the living room.

"Take it back!" she screamed, "take it back to the way it was!"

The woman looked at her daughter. "I can't. It's forever, ma chère fille. It cannot be undone. Kendra..."

"Damn Kendra and damn you. Make this go away."

"Je suis désolé, ma chère, s'il vous plait, sit down. I must think."

"Mère, make this go away... I don't care how you do it, just do it. You have ruined my life. My love is built on a lie. What have you done to us?"

"Kendra wanted you to be happy, chère, that's all."

"But, now I know."

"Yes, now you know. Does it matter? Is he not everything you want? Is life so bad with him?"

"But, now I know and it will never be the same, again. I will always know. I would rather die than live this lie."

"Sit. I must think. I will make you some tea."

The air in the room shimmered and turned grey and nebulous and thick and Carolyn had trouble breathing; there was a tightness in her heart and her soul felt something burning and leaving and an emptiness and then everything went black and she fell to the floor...

**********

Chapter 7: Memories... I must think of a new life

The dull roar of the vacuum filled the house as Carolyn went from one room to the next, leaving a tell-tale track on the rug until she came to Christy's office. Entering the room, she was once again reminded of who he was and what he had done. Even now, she was overwhelmed by what he continued to do.

The room was what he was.

Along two walls were floor to ceiling bookshelves containing books and technical journals about satellites and their design, modern military aircraft and the shuttle. Another wall was nothing but windows facing to the south, bringing in warmth during the winter, chilly even for Southern California. The last wall had a twelve-foot long computer counter he made from cabinets from Home Depot and above the computers were framed shuttle mission patches and color photographs of the space station and two of the satellites he had helped build as they orbited the earth. He even had a piece of Skylab.

She looked at his three computers, a far cry from the new laptop he had given her children to use for schoolwork. They had quad cores, Nvidia's quadro line of graphic cards and eight gigabytes of RAM. Sometimes he had all three working at once as he designed the next generation of satellites and the hum of their cooling fans could be heard in the hallway when he had the door open. Carolyn checked the lock on the room's closet. Inside, there was a safe that held his two-terabyte external drives when he was at home. Satisfied, she turned back to the room.

Carolyn lifted her duster and started at one end of the bookshelves and worked her way to the other. She noticed a new book and pulled it out. "Western Pacific Diesels, Passenger and Freight, Vol. II" was still shrink-wrapped. She was surprised. The book was the first indication that his interests had broadened past aerospace. He had taught her that word: 'aerospace'.

She put it back and finished dusting the books and then the framed patches and photographs. Taking the special cloth he had given her, she wiped down the computer flatscreens and then closed the door.

Carolyn walked down the hallway to his bedroom and turned the vacuum back on, running it across the carpet and under his bed. She hit a pair of shoes, got on her knees, pulled them out and put them into the closet. She smiled, imagining what his wife would think... if he had a wife. She couldn't understand why he was still single. From everything she knew about him, he was prime husband material. Why was he still single? She knew he wasn't gay; over the last two years she had seen his occasional girlfriends but she had also seen him sit quietly in his office, just staring out the window like he was missing something in his life... something or someone.

She walked back into the hallway and dusted Christy's military awards hanging on the wall, wondering if he would ever tell her the story behind them as she carefully dusted. Probably not... her employer was a private man and kept to himself.

Occasionally, though, he stayed out all night, returning the next day, his clothes smelling of perfume. Either the woman changed her perfume or he was dating several women, although not regularly. She shook her head. What he did was his own business, she knew but, for some reason, it bothered her... it depressed her. Every time she looked at him, she felt there should be something there, like when you see something out of the corner of your eye but when you turn, it's gone and you wonder what it was.

She looked at her watch. He would be home soon and she needed to start dinner. He had given her free reign to cook what she wished and while she wanted to give him the healthiest meal possible, she also wanted him to enjoy the food. Tonight, there would be grilled salmon with dill sauce, baked potatoes, a small salad and homemade peach cobbler. The way to a man's heart...

Carolyn remembered the day he offered her the position. They had met at Islands in Manhattan Beach for lunch. She ordered the fish taco and he the Greek salad. "Are you honest?" he asked, smiling, "because if you aren't, that's a deal breaker."

She was taken aback, never expecting such a question.

"Yes, sir, my mother brought me up to follow the Good Book."

"Can you cook?"

"Yes, sir, I can, very well, mainly southern and Louisiana French."

"That sounds interesting. How soon can you start? The position is live-in."

"Oh, I didn't know. The agency didn't mention that."

"Will that be a problem? Husband at home?"

"Uh, no, sir, I'm a widow but I have two teenagers."

Their food arrived and he asked for another iced tea.

Carolyn sat there, looking at him as he was trying to make up his mind. Would the advantages of a live-in housekeeper outweigh the inherent problems two teenagers would bring? She wondered if he could see the desperation in her eyes. She still wondered if she made the short list because of her husband's death in Afghanistan.

"I've got room. They're not noisy, are they?"

"No, sir. Michael plays basketball, though. Will that be a problem?"

"I can put up a backboard on the garage but nothing after eight o'clock. Do you have dependable transportation? You would have to do the usual... shopping, dry cleaning, things like that."

Later, she found out he decided to buy her another car. Her ten-year-old car, in his mind, wasn't dependable enough for his needs.

"Well, it's not much to look at but it runs OK."

"When can you start?" He watched her eat the taco.

"Would Saturday be all right? We're staying with my mother. When I lost my office job, I lost the house."

"What happened to the furniture? Are you going to need anything else?"

"It's all in storage."

"OK, when we're finished here, you can follow me over to the house, it's about a mile or so from here and I'll give you a set of keys and you can arrange to have what furniture you need delivered. I'll give you a credit card you can use."

"I'm hired?" The look of relief that passed over her face was something he vowed never to forget.

"Yes."

Carolyn remembered the rest of the day although at the time it seemed to pass by in blur. She followed him to a quiet neighborhood. The house was on a tree-lined street, the venerable Chinese Elms giving it a shady look that was missing from most of Los Angeles.

True to his word, he showed her the house, the pool, gave her the card and the keys and said, "I'll see you tomorrow. Make yourself at home. Have the furniture delivered by Saturday morning. Here's my cell number if you have any problems. Any questions?"

**********

She looked at her watch. Kendra and Michael would be home from school, soon enough. Kendra was going to graduate soon and attend UCLA as part of a four-year ROTC program in aerospace studies. Carolyn smiled. Christy's influence the last two years had given her daughter the impetus to study hard for the opportunity and he had tutored her nightly in physics. He had offered to use his influence for an appointment to the Air Force Academy but Carolyn wanted her daughter to stay home as long as possible and he had respected her wishes.

He bought Kendra a sunlight silver 2006 Miata convertible as a graduation present, saying she had to get to the campus, somehow. Carolyn was sure there was a twinkle in his eye when he handed the keys over and yet, there was a sadness, too, as if he was hoping for more... some intangible that remained missing.

"Mom, we're home!"

"I'm in the kitchen. I need a little help, today. I'm running behind and he'll be home soon enough."

"Be right there, Mom." Kendra dropped her book bag in her bedroom and washed her hands before setting the table.

Michael took the vacuum cleaner outside and emptied it into a black plastic bag. "Anything else, Mom?" he asked.

"No... we'll eat as soon as he's home."

The strong rumble of Christy's green Challenger rattled the house as he pulled into the drive and the car door slammed just moments before Carolyn opened the back door, iced tea in hand. She took his laptop case and carried it into his office. Returning, she began to bring food to the table as Christy was speaking quietly to Michael about next year's basketball team.

"Watch out, they're hot," she said as she put the plate of potatoes down. Kendra passed the sour cream around the table and then the bacon-bits.

"This salmon is wonderful," Christy said as he scooped some cream onto his potato. "Is there any butter?"

"I'm sorry, I forgot," said Kendra, moving to the refrigerator and pulling out a new stick and putting it onto a saucer.

"That's all right, young lady. How's that airplane you've been building?"

"It's almost finished. Would you like to see?"

"Sure... after dinner OK?"

Kendra blushed, happy with the attention he gave her. "Yes... thank you."

"Uhummm... more salad, Mr. Christy?"

"I'm good, Mrs. Smith, thank you. I'm trying to save room for dessert. You mentioned cobbler this morning?"

"Yes, sir. Peach, from my mother's recipe."

"Remind me to thank her next time I see her." Christy put the last spoonful of potato into his mouth and then cut up the skin.

"Michael, any chance shooting some hoops, later? Maybe, a game of horse?"

"I'd love to, Mr. Christy, but I've got a test tomorrow."

"Studies, first. Maybe, next time... ah, here's dessert." Carolyn put a large bowl of peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream in front of him. "You know, Mrs. Smith, if it weren't for that Canadian exercise program, I'd weigh a million pounds by now."

She put her hand on his shoulder and then hastily withdrew it, surprised at her unconscious gesture of familiarity. Christy looked up at her, searching her face, while she wondered what possessed her to do such a thing. She stepped away and turned toward the sink, looking out the kitchen window toward the setting sun, her hand to her mouth. There was something electric when she touched him and she knew he felt it, too for he had moved his own hand to hers and held it, if only for a moment.

Carolyn could feel his stare... oh, God, what had she done? Play it off...

Still looking out the window, she asked, "Anyone for more dessert?"

There was no answer and when she turned around, he was gone. A worried look of confusion crossed her face and Kendra just shrugged her shoulders.

Later, the door to his office was closed and she recognized Vivaldi's Four Seasons playing. It was 'Summer', its thunderstorms echoing through the room and it matched the turmoil in her soul. Why had she touched him, she didn't know and it was causing a painful twinge to burn through her heart. How could she look at him in the morning?

**********

The next morning, Kendra was quickly frying some pancakes for Christy's breakfast as he sat down. "Mom's not feeling too well," she said to his raised eyebrow as she watched the bubbles form in the batter.

The disappointment was obvious in his voice. Kendra looked at him. She had heard that same voice at school, between her love-struck classmates. "Ummm, yeah, she's not good at all, probably be in bed all day."

"Maybe, I should stay home. She might need..."

"No, no, no... I don't think it's that bad, maybe a 24 hour thing, you know, like the flu or something."

"Oh?" he asked, putting his fork into another pancake.

*********

Carolyn ran as hot a shower as she could stand and stepped in, relaxing immediately as the hot water streamed over her dark curly hair, plastering it to her head. Still wet, she shivered while the tub filled, her mind churning with emotions, wondering why after all this time, she was becoming attracted to him. She sprinkled her favorite bath salts into the water and lowered herself in the steaming water, the heat taking away much of her physical ache.

David strode down the hallway and found her room dark and vacant. Steam that smelled like fresh cut roses escaped from under the bathroom door. He smiled involuntarily, inhaling deeply and tapped on the door. "Mrs. Smith?"

"Just a moment," she said, quietly.

He heard the splashing of water. "You OK?"

There was silence... and more splashing. He tried to imagine a naked Carolyn. He was startled by the vivid image that flashed before his eyes. "You didn't drown, did you?"

"No," came a muffled response. "I'll be out in a minute."

"I need to talk to you."

There was a long pause. Finally, the door cracked open, Carolyn freshly scrubbed in a high-necked green robe. "Yes?"

His eyes trailed down the delicate line of her cheek, perfect for kissing, her lips full and perfect for even more kissing.

He had brought her a large box of See's candies. Carolyn was stunned. Christmas and her birthday... those were the gift-giving days... not just a gift for no reason.

"I was, uh... um... Kendra said you weren't feeling well and I, uh... well, here."

"Thank you, Mr. Christy; I don't know what to say."

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you." She looked at the heavy box on her lap.

"Good. Get dressed. We're going to dinner. Didn't I see a blue dress in there, somewhere?"

"Uh, huh... but, Mr. Christy..."

"I won't take 'no' for an answer. Say, twenty minutes?"

"All right... thank you."

He walked to his room, whistling Bob Marley's 'Three Little Birds'.

They watched the sun set along the Pacific horizon from the Charthouse's window. On short notice, it was as romantic as possible. She was wearing the off-the-shoulder royal blue evening dress and a single strand of pearls from her wedding. With her high heels and her shiny black ringlets, she looked like an ebony princess. He hadn't taken his eyes off her since they arrived. She was beautiful. How had she lived with him for two years and he never noticed?

"This is a beautiful place," Carolyn said, looking out the window as the sky slowly darkened.

"Yes, it is. I come here when I want to celebrate."

"Is that what tonight is? A celebration?" How many women has he brought here? she wondered, nervously, a tight smile on her lips.

"I'd like to think it is." Christy leaned forward. "You're the first woman I've ever brought here... so, I... yes, it's a celebration."

"Oh..." She blushed, feeling the hot rush of blood flood her cheeks.

He blushed and reached for a piece of bread to draw attention away from his face. "Anything you'd like."

"OK, I'll have the lobster, since it's a celebration. Thank you. Oh, look! A pelican!"

Christy turned to the window but it was too late and the large seabird was gone. "Missed it. Maybe, we'll see another, some day." He drank a sip of his iced tea.

"You've been drinking a lot of tea, lately. Doesn't it keep you up, all night?" Then, she put her hands to her mouth, realizing what she had just said to her employer.

He laughed. "Well, you're the first woman to ever ask me that. I don't know how to answer. I'll take the Fifth."

Carolyn was a delightful dinner companion and slowly drew him out, asking him about his time in the Air Force and listened for the rest of the evening as he relived his time in the front seat of his Eagle, swooping his hand across the tabletop.

He found himself talking about nothing in particular, trying his best to make her laugh.

David was surprised how much he had adjusted to life with her family.

"I had a wonderful time, Mr. Christy. Thank you so much for tonight. It was magical. I'll never forget it."

"It was my pleasure, Mrs. Smith. I hope you feel better, now."

"Good night. I'll have breakfast ready, tomorrow."

"Good night, Mrs. Smith. Pleasant dreams."

His footsteps sounded in the hallway as he walked to his own room. She threw a brief but intense look toward her bedroom door and waited. Nothing... for one moment she hoped he would return and take her in his arms... but, nothing.

Carolyn unzipped her dress until it lay open and dropped to the floor. She fell back on the bed and closed her eyes but her body felt hot and unsettled. She looked in the mirror, catching a glimpse of her breasts, still high and proud, even at her age. She touched one briefly, felt it tauten and dreamed it was his mouth, his hand hot to her skin.

As her nipple jutted away from her breast against her fingers, she moved her hand away, down to her panties and peeled away the silky layer of cloth until it slid down over her knees and off the bed to the floor.

Carolyn closed her eyes. Her head lay on the soft, white pillow; her stomach curved inward accentuating the line of her hips and the mound of curly black hair between her legs. There was a stirring, a feeling inside her there, and although she tried, she could not stop the image of the two of them, intertwined, lying together, making love on her bed.

She listened to the quiet and then, something... she looked at the ceiling. Nothing... it was nothing. She glanced around her room, trying to make things out in the darkness. The reflection of her body stretched out sensually, her darkness in sharp contrast the white sheets of her bed. She tried to relax but her hand strayed between her legs, touching, feeling, probing... it had been so long. She arched her back as her hand worked itself deeper until she had to muffle her moans with her other hand.