by Tiana Laveen
An angry red scar stretched from the side of his knee to his upper thigh. It reminded him of a broken tree twig, perhaps a grape vine, winding every which way. He touched it gently. The injury was now smooth, like a keloid. His heart jumped. He took a deep breath, then exhaled. He did this again and again until his heartbeat returned to normal. Shoving his dripping hair away from his face, he focused on his eyes, which reminded him of a girl he once knew, an old friend who had become a lover. That thought was replaced with the memory of another young lady he’d dated one summer. They’d fucked religiously outside by the river and in an old abandoned shed. Off his mind wandered, remembering sexual tryst after sexual tryst. His looks and popularity had afforded him all the pussy he could handle.
He blinked and smiled when ‘F*ck You Tonight’ by the Notorious B.I.G. started to play, as if on cue. Eyes fluttering closed, he reached for his flaccid dick and began to stroke it, crashing into his hazy memories of college parties, one after another, girl after girl, drinking until blacked out, rolling blunts, smoking weed… getting ridiculously high and fucking his way to the top of the food chain. He groaned as he picked up momentum on pleasuring himself, his fingers travelling the long, curved length of his nature. It had been so long… so damn long. After a short while, he stopped. His mind shut down fast, like a switch had been pulled within his brain. Disengaged.
A wave of regret filled him like liquor poured in an old, rusty tin. Releasing his cock from his grip, he watched it swing against his leg for a spell as if in slow motion, heavy and hard, weighted down… disappointed… swelling with need. He quickly turned away in frustration and made his way to the sink to splash much needed cold water on his face.
“Ahhh, shit.” He winced and bared his teeth as he made the cold liquid snatch him out of his sordid thoughts.
Towel wrapped around his waist, he brushed his teeth, enjoying the music, freeing himself from the darkness that threatened to drag him somewhere deep and far away. The days before that past weekend had been a blur. There was no start and no end, but today, well, it felt different. It had a different flavor, a different feel, a different hue, a different vibe. Going through the motions, he got dressed. He slipped on a white tank top and a fresh pair of jeans then covered his feet with a pair of thick white ankle socks. Trotting down the steps to the kitchen with a water bottle in hand, he took a swig now and again.
“Well, holy shit!” He gleamed, chucking the bottle up to his lips and swallowing the last few gulps before crushing the plastic in his grip. “I did all right, huh? Not too damn bad!” He tossed the bottle in the recycle bin, admired his work a bit longer, then made his way to the living room.
This shit isn’t ever going to end.
The room was still filled with boxes, big rolled-up rugs, covered paintings and Lord only knew what else. He rummaged through a few of the items then found one he’d opened a while back and pulled out an unused notebook. Turning to the first page, he grabbed a pen from the kitchen drawer and sat down at the granite island in the kitchen. Then, he began to write…
Dear Jessica,
I believe in being hospitable. Every lady should have a nice place to sit on game night. I have made such a place for you. I don’t have your number or I would’ve called, so this is the best way to go about this. I would like to invite you over this upcoming Friday night for a game of Chess. Please give me the honor of your attendance. I can order some food and I have snacks and drinks, too. I would love to spend time with you and hopefully this can be the start of a friendship.
Sincerely,
Kane
This is a little corny and I don’t even speak like this.
He re-read it, and read it again, then tossed the damn thing and started over…
Jessica,
Want to play Chess? I cleaned up my pig sty.
Kane
Really?! That’s the best I could come up with? How is that even remotely all right? What woman in her right mind would say yes to this? She’ll tear this up and toss it in my front yard!
He ripped out another piece of paper and began again. He could feel the heated flush beginning from his neck and crawling up to his forehead as he rested the tip of the pen against the paper, trying for yet another time to get it right.
Hi Jessica,
I enjoyed meeting you the other day. Since you like to play Chess, I want to formally invite you over for a game. We can have dinner together, too. Here is my number: (832) 771-2121. Give me a call to let me know if you’d like to stop by and what day and time works best for you. My schedule is open.
Look forward to hearing from you,
Kane
He read it once more, nodded in approval, then tri-folded the sheet. Going to the hallway, he slid on a pair of Puma sneakers. He took a deep breath, then swallowed so hard, his throat burned as he rested his hand against the doorknob. He swung the door open and the sunlight kissed him hard. The intense rays of her touch beamed on him, the flickers of light striking and the glow bright. He stepped out onto the porch, covering his eyes with his arm for a spell, as though he were some vampire thrust into the dawn of death. Then, he made quick work of journeying to the mailbox. The previous evening had been Halloween and though he’d had his lights off, his bell had still rung a few times.
He was reminded of such when he took note of an Almond Joy candy bar wrapper blowing past his foot. As rapidly as he could, he placed the envelope inside, put the red flag up to signal mail was inside to be taken away or reviewed and ran quickly back towards the front door. As he was on his way back to safety, his neighbor, an attractive but pushy woman who appeared to be in her early 50s, came racing towards him as if her house was on fire.
“Mr. Westbrook! Mr. Westbrook!” she called out, her white capris flapping against her pale freckled legs. Every time she spotted him outside, she did the same thing. Screaming his name in angst… inviting him over for supper… flirting… asking a bunch of personal questions that were none of her damn business. She’d even told him her life story.
She’d been divorced for three years, had two adult children in college, and lived in that big house all by herself with a cat named Giggles and a dog named Rufus. She was a part of some group called Pampered Chef and some MLM pyramid group he’d told her he wasn’t interested in attending meetings for. She’d come to his house several times, ringing his bell, knocking on the door but he always refused to answer once he realized it was her.
Here we go again… He stopped in his tracks and waited for the shit to begin again—some invitation to some premium bullshit. It would probably include a side dish of her touching him in ways that a girlfriend would, not a random neighbor. He was tired of her antics, but she didn’t get the hint.
When she finally reached him, he could see her pink and yellow striped visor hat had a little crinkle in the plastic portion as if she’d tried to bend it to wrap around her head. Her perfume was overwhelming, reminding him of strong baby powder. “Sorry to bother you.” She placed her hand against her chest, sounding out of breath, yet smiling with glossy dark pink lips. “It’s just… you so rarely leave your home that I never get a chance to speak to you.”
So, she’s been watching my comings and goings. Color me surprised.
She flipped her long red ponytail to the other shoulder and posed just so, as if getting ready for a photo shoot.
“Yeah? All right. Well you’ve spoken to me. I’ll be going now.”
He turned to leave, but the woman grabbed his elbow and jerked it towards her as if it were a jammed doorknob in need of a good yank. His mouth opened, but he bit his tongue and swallowed the profanity he was overdue to unleash. He looked down at her holding him tight, her short, shiny nails practically digging into his skin. Catching onto his mounting anger, she nervously chuckled then quickly released him.
“Well, that was awfully curt of you to say, Mr. Westbrook. I was only being friendly.”
He sighed and gazed up at the sky for a moment before looking into
her bluish-gray eyes. Her complexion reddened about the cheeks and chin. “I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that I’ve got a lot going on and I’m in a bit of a hurry.”
She smiled and nodded.
“I’m sure you do a lot of labor, huh?” She looked him over as if he were a damn piece of steak, the best cut in town. “What exactly do you do? I’ve asked you a few times but we seem to always get off topic.”
“Thanks for stoppin’ by. I really have to get going.” He turned to finish walking the rest of the way up his driveway. Each second he was out there, his nerves were worked down to the nub, his temper flared and his heart beating so hard in his chest it felt like a band concert was playing inside him at full volume.
“Mr. Westbrook!” He stopped in his tracks, rolled his eyes and spun around in her direction.
WHAT?!
“Yes?” He huffed.
“It’s really unhealthy to be cooped up in the house so much… ’specially a young, vibrant, strong man such as yourself.” Her teeth sank into her lower lip as she sized him up. He could only imagine the saucy thoughts spreading through her head, all on account of him. “You obviously work from home, but maybe you should get some fresh air?”
“I go out at night.” Her brow arched, interest clearly piqued. “But only on full moons. I’m a werewolf. Ahhh WOOOOOO!” He howled, then raced back to his house and slammed and locked the front door…
“I said to them, y’all better work them streets like nobody’s business! Get out there and do the damn thang, move ya ass! Come home empty-handed, get slapped up, and that’s on everythang! I want what’s owed to me, ya hear me? Life ain’t free! Gimme my shit. Every bit of it. So, check this out. They were out there for three damn hours Jess and both of them came up shorter than headless midgets chopped at the waist! I wondered what the hell they were doing all that time? Jumping rope?!”
“It’s Halloween candy, not crack cocaine! You sound like a damn pimp, Alicia. You should be ashamed of yourself… doing the boys like that.” Jessica cackled as she slurped the last bit of flavor from her fast food cup of diet coke. “Leave the twins alone. Alexander and Allan can only take so much pressure.” Her friend giggled.
“Pressure my ass! What about all the pressure my bladder had from them two heathens jumpin’ up and down on it in the last trimester of my pregnancy like it was a trampoline? It’s amazing it didn’t drop out on the floor while I stood in the hospital. Then they come into the house last night, big smiles on their faces, adding insult to injury and hand me those anorexic Halloween bags. They weren’t hangin’ low like a good pair of balls; them thangs was light as feathers, like a ninety percent density synthetic wig from Wish. I could barely find a Snickers bar between the two of them.”
Jessica looked at her half-eaten salad and snarled. The lord of flavor had forsaken her.
“You are a mess, girl. Thanks for the laugh.” She shoved the food away, sort of disgusted with it.
“Gotta laugh to keep it all together sometimes out here, baby. Are you off work yet?”
“Girl, no. I have about three more hours to go. I had to stop and get something to eat since I skipped breakfast but I need to get back on my way before I’m out here too late and dealing with people coming home from work. If they see you on their way inside the house, they want to strike up conversations and ask about stamps and what not. I’m just not in the mood today.”
“Okay, I’ll let you go then. Call me back later. We need to discuss Melissa’s birthday party.”
“Melissa’s birthday party?!” Jessica rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth. “She’s been havin’ a birthday party for six months straight in my house!” Alicia burst out laughing. “She needs to be giving me a gift!”
“I know!” The woman cackled loud on the other end of the phone, clearly amused at her misfortune. “You can’t wait until she’s gone, Jess, I get it, but better you than me. I don’t have that sort of patience and Melissa be trying my nerves with all of her dramatics sometimes. She shoulda been an actress. Oh wait! She is! Actin’ like she’s tryna find a job!” She could almost see the woman jetting her tongue out and laughing. “All right though—bye, girl. I just left the school, on my way home, so, uh, about to stop in H-E-B. Call me back tonight.”
“All right, I’ll hit you up later.” They ended the call and Jessica drove on, her radio playing on low volume as she went from house to house delivering the mail. She figured if she put some pep in her step, she could easily shave off another fifteen to twenty minutes, which would afford her extra time to swing by Walmart and pick up a new pair of house shoes. The old ones had been attacked by Melissa’s boyfriend-of-the-week’s dog that had stayed over one night and wreaked havoc. The little piece of shit had made a meal of her fuzzy slippers. Pieces of fluff had been strewn up and down the halls like confetti.
Little hairy fucker. Barked all night too while that bed was squeaking like a dog toy. She bet not bring another one up in there, either. Boyfriend or dog. Sometimes there’s no difference.
She leaned her head out the window, enjoying the cool weather. As she went from house to house, she could see the remnants of Halloween night… Bits of orange and black streamers here and there, discarded candy wrappers, flashing skull eyes on someone’s porch that had yet to be removed.
She slowed as she pulled up to Mr. Westbrook’s home. It was still just as beautiful, still just as quiet. She pulled the bin towards her and pulled out two pieces of mail for him – a dentist office flyer and some letter from an address in Dallas.
Oh wait a minute, he has something outgoing. She took notice of the little red flag. Stretching out of the truck window, she opened the mailbox to retrieve it then paused when she saw her own name scribbled across the front…
To: Jessica – The nice mail lady
She held it for a second, and then another, and another. Unfolding it with both hands, she took a deep breath and read it. Her lips twitched, then curved in a smile. Glancing up at the house, she expected to perhaps see him at the front door, or maybe peeking out the window, but no such luck. She wondered if she should call him right then or just knock on his door? Either way, she was filled with a rush of jubilation at the thought of it all. She placed the letter down on the dashboard, put his deliveries inside his mailbox and moved forward to the next house, then the next, and the next. When she got to the end of Cheshire Bend Drive, she pulled out her cellphone and gave the number on the paper a call.
It rang once. Twice…
It’s going to voicemail. He ain’t gonna pick up. I guess I could leave a message.
“Hello?” he answered on the third ring, his voice raspy and deep like a bottomless ocean. Her insides rumbled, as if she were hungry to hear him speak again.
“Hi, Kane, this is Jessica. I… I got your letter.”
“Good… good. So, uh, what’s up? Want to take advantage of a rusty Chess player who’s outta practice and nosh on a little something?” She loved how he spoke—not only his voice dripping with Southern Texan flare, but his choice of words.
“You know what? That doesn’t sound half bad.” She chuckled. “Well, usually weekends are the best for me so how about Friday night?”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s cool, Jessica. What time are you thinkin’?”
“Hmmm, six-thirty?”
“That’ll work just fine. All right, great. So, what type of food do you like? I can order Chinese, Mexican, Indian, or I can cook you a steak that’ll knock your socks off.” She couldn’t help but giggle.
“Anything is fine.”
“No, no, anything is not fine. Tell me what you like. I want to know what Jessica wants.”
You swimming naked in a pool. She swallowed a chuckle.
“Uh, let’s see, you know what? I haven’t had Chinese in a while. That’ll be nice. I’d like some sweet and sour chicken with white rice.”
“Sounds good to me! You like those spring rolls ’nd shit?”
She burst out laughing.
/> “Yeah, those are good, too.”
“All right, I’ll get some. Now I know you might be worried ’bout me being some nutjob. Totally understandable, but I’m not, well, that’s not true, but I’m harmless… Of course most nutjobs probably say that, right?”
“I’d imagine so. I don’t think most crazy people really know that the elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top.”
“I figure that’s true, so just know I’m not the kind of guy that goes around doin’ nutso stuff to people.”
“Fine. I’ll make a note of it.” They both had a good chuckle at that. “I plan to tell my friends who I’m with and where I’m going anyway because in this day and age, you can never be too careful. So, I’ll see you on Friday at six-thirty.”
“I can’t wait. See you soon.” And he disconnected the call.
Jessica stared at her cellphone for a bit, grinning, then set it down. Gathering her wits, she continued on with her route until it was fully complete. When she was done, she sent her best friend, Melissa, a text message:
I won’t be watching that show with you on Friday and don’t bother cooking dinner for me. I’ll be playing Chess with a tall, handsome devil.
CHAPTER FOUR
A Game Two Can Play
Friday Evening
“Everything all right?” he asked, a toothpick hanging outside his mouth. He propped his feet up on a dining room chair. The smell of Chinese food overpowered the large room.
“Uh, yeah… fine. More than fine.” The woman wore an expression of awe as she stood clutching her emerald green purse, smelling like a new day and evening that had gone past way too soon. “Are you expecting more than us? Maybe an army?” He smiled, then winked.
She chuckled, her dark eyes scanning the room. There was that blush across her high cheekbones again.
