Sex Magick

by Tom Raimbault

  Oh no! Not the Mapleview Department Store! This was the same place where Amber worked. What if Mary wanted to briefly look at the jewelry while passing through to the appliance department? “The Mapleview Department Store?” Daren asked. “You don't want to go there. I've heard nothing but bad things about appliances from there. Rumor is they will no longer be carrying appliances in a year or two. How will that affect your service contract and warranty?”

  “What are you talking about?” retorted Mary. “The Mapleview Department Store is privately owned. They've carried appliances ever since I can remember. In fact, Grandpa Trivelli bought Grandma Trivelli her new stove from there back in the 1830s. As for the warranty, it's covered by the manufacturer.”

  “No!” exploded Daren. “Absolutely not! I will not buy a dishwasher from the Mapleview Department Store. The service is bad over there, and all their products are made in Pakistan by women and children under slave labor. End of discussion!”

  Mary clicked her tongue in disappointment while shaking her head in disbelief. It was just like Amber would have done earlier that week. It seemed a lot of women were confused with Daren's behavior recently. Then Mary asked, “Daren, what is happening to you? You've been like this all week. I can't believe you made up some story about women and children in Pakistan so that we don't go to the Mapleview Department Store. What do you have against the place?”

  “Nothing! I'm just saying! Appliances are low quality over there!”

  “Daren, this is the dishwasher I want. I want it for Valentine's Day. It's a good price and the colors seem to match our kitchen.”

  “Colors… big deal! Most dishwashers come with interchangeable housings so you can get any color you want.”

  “Please, Daren! I've had my heart set on this dishwasher for about a week. Can we go? Please!”

  Daren sighed. Maybe Amber wouldn't be working on Saturday. If she was, maybe the store would be too busy for her to raise a scene if encountering Daren with his wife. “Fine!” answered Daren. “Let's check it out.”

  “Yay!” cheered Mary with a happy face. Then she moved close to her husband and gave him a gentle kiss. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I'm fine.”

  “You just seem different lately, like something is really bothering you.”

  “No…” reassured Daren. “It's just February—cabin fever.”

  * * *

  By midmorning, Daren and Mary walked through the main entrance of the Mapleview Department Store. Daren was sure to park near this entrance so that he and Mary would walk right to the appliance department—no need to pass through women's clothing, children's… or jewelry!

  Mary found her dishwasher and immediately opened it up. She marveled at the ultra-slick racks that smoothly glided out and offered plenty of room for dishes, glasses and silverware. The color was perfect. The noise rating was at 41dB—ultra quiet!

  Mary pulled at the tag and pointed to some print at the bottom. “Look, Daren; it says that it's made in the U.S.A!”

  “That doesn't mean anything!” snapped Daren. “They ship the dishwashers with the knobs, buttons and stickers not attached. An assembly plant here in the states puts these on so that they can claim them to be made in the U.S.A”

  Mary rolled her eyes at another ridiculous story.

  Just then, a sales associate approached. “Can I help you folks?”

  “Yes!” answered Mary. “Do you have any of these left in stock?”

  “I have four left. Are you ready to make a purchase?”

  Of course Mary was a smart woman like any woman is. Although she had her heart set on that particular dishwasher, she was sure to have the friendly sales associate (named Bernard) follow while she checked out a few others. Any smart woman is sure to shop around and explore all her options.

  But as far as Daren was concerned, Mary should have quit “shopping around” once she met Daren—definitely once becoming married. Daren didn't like Bernard. He didn't like the way that the kid was looking at his wife. Bernard was being a little too friendly with Mary.

  And while at the cash register upon taking her sales receipt with the scheduled delivery and install date, Mary inquired of the future of the appliance department. “Will the appliance department be closing down in the near future?”

  Bernard returned a queer facial expression. “Absolutely not! Where did you hear that from?” Then Bernard turned towards Daren while smiling. “Whoever told you that obviously doesn't know what he's talking about!”

  Mary patted Daren on the back. “See, it was just a silly rumor. You can't believe everything you hear.”

  By now you certainly know Daren and realize how prone he is to outrage and jealousy. In his world, Bernard stole Mary and turned her against Daren. Had he not been out in public, Daren would have pummeled Bernard's face with an explosion of punches. It's what the kid deserved!

  Oh, but his silent jealousy and outrage was immediately put on ice while Mary walked towards the opposite direction of the parking lot. “Where are you going?” Daren nearly shouted while asking.

  “I thought we'd check out some jewelry.”

  “Jewelry? What for?”

  Mary returned her cute, pouty face. “Daren, it's almost Valentine's Day.” Practical gifts are always nice, but every woman likes a little jewelry for Valentine's Day.

  Had Daren been thirty years older, he would have surely dropped of a heart attack. Such a clash of strong emotions; he was now overwhelmed with rage and jealousy while at the same time fearing an encounter with Amber. “Oh that's right! Silly me! Let's browse the jewelry and see if there is something you like.”

  Daren's throat turned dry, and adrenaline spiked through every nerve of his body. All he could do to calm his fears was hope that maybe Amber wouldn't be working that day. Oh, how stupid Daren felt! How he wished to have never become obsessed with Amber. Amber was different from the other women. Amber was stronger than they were and had some sort of control over Daren. And to make matters worse, she never responded to any of his Facebook messages.

  Daren could have sworn that every hair fell out of his head while discovering the terrible certainty of Amber working on Saturday. She stood behind the counter while waiting on a customer and looking just as beautiful and radiant as ever with her ultra-blond, shoulder-length hair and fair skin. Amber's body was simply divine in a knee-length dress that snuggly fit over her gorgeous figure. Why was she looking so sexy today? Did Amber have a date? Did she have a boyfriend or husband?

  Mary now stood at the glass counter and pointed at a few items. “That's cute… Oh I love that…”

  Just then, Amber looked up and towards the direction of Daren and Mary. Her face turned bitter and cold with eyes that could have set Daren on fire—and not in a good way! Amber exhibited such resentment and hatred towards Daren. She shook her head in disapproval and then called out to one of the sales girls, “Marla! Do you want to help these people out?”

  Amber was sure to glance back at Daren and give one, final bitter look that left him feeling stupid, undesirable and immature. She wouldn't waste her time with such a pathetic excuse for a man—that is if Daren could be considered a man.

  Chapter 43

  Amber was turning into nothing short of an emotional wreck. She wanted Daren so badly and knew the feeling was mutual. But would he not send another Facebook message or make a surprise visit in the jewelry department? How about siphoning the gas from her tank and then playing hero to rescue her on the cold and dark road? Men are so confusing and frustrating. They like to play mind games and waste so much time in teasing the women they desire. Who teaches men to do this? Why do they feel that women like this sort of thing?

  Amber lay awake in bed on Monday morning for about an hour before the alarm was set to go off. Round and round her thoughts spun as she could feel herself going increasingly insane. Sometimes Amber would softly cry and wonder why Daren couldn't just be a man and come out with the truth. Why couldn't he clearly state tha
t he wanted her? She would give anything to hear from him—anything, even a simple Facebook message to indicate he was still thinking of her.

  Five minutes before she was supposed to get up for the day, Amber switched off the alarm and made her way into the family room. Was there a message for her on Facebook? Would today be the day that Daren finally broke his silence and resumed communication? Perhaps this is how the young Paulette felt many years ago when that nerd engineer dumped her on the dating website. She, too, might have been delirious with hope just as Amber was at this very moment.

  As Amber flipped open the laptop computer and clicked the web browser; that moment of years ago with Paulette played out in her in mind with such crystal clear memory. Amber desperately tried to bring Paulette back down to Earth on that sad, sad morning.

  “Alright, fine! You want to see if maybe he has thought things over and is crawling back to you? I'll login, but you have to promise me something. You have to be realistic. Chances are there isn't an email from him. And if you don't see an email, I don't want you to fall apart. Can you promise me that?”

  But Amber was now the fool in love with blind hope to have received a Facebook message from Daren. And much to her surprise, there was a message in her Facebook inbox, and it was from Daren! Unlike poor Paulette, all of Amber's wishes really do come true!

  “Amber,

  I'm really sorry, but late last night I did something strange. I don't know if you discovered it yet, but I left you a rose at the front door. Actually, I quietly opened the screen door and set the rose inside so that it rests against your entry door. I'm so sorry!

  I think the reason I did that was to find some way to patch things up between us. I know you saw me in the jewelry department on Saturday, and you gave me such a bitter look! I mean if looks could kill! I can tell that you really hate me.

  It shouldn't be like that. I feel so bad that you and I have come to this. I've been trying to make contact with you and bring things to a more friendly state. All I want now is your forgiveness and maybe to be on speaking terms. Please accept the rose as a sign of my need to be forgiven. I am so sorry. It's been nearly a month of hell for me.

  Daren”

  Amber sighed and then walked over to the front door. Sure enough, upon opening the door, a long-stemmed rose that was complete with thorns had fallen inside on the foyer floor. Amber picked it up and held it close to her chest. Her eyes flooded with tears upon realizing that Daren came back. He was still interested and willing to patch things up with her.

  Just then Trista scuffed into the room and on her way into the kitchen to make coffee. But she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of the rose. “Did he leave you a rose?”

  Amber nodded, “Yes, at the front door.”

  “Oh… my… gosh! He is such a creepy stalker! What a loser!”

  “He sent me another Facebook message, too.”

  “Oh, now this I have to see!” Trista sat down before the laptop and quickly read the message. “Oh my gosh! That is so pathetic! Mom, you're not falling for that, are you?”

  It's a good thing Amber had her daughter. For a brief moment Amber really did fall for the new Facebook message and the rose left at the door. “No!” answered Amber. “Of course not!”

  Trista continued, “Yeah, this is the sort of thing that a nerdy loser does when he has run out of options. He actually thinks that this little stunt demonstrates a sweet, sensitive, romantic side to him. He thinks it might help you appreciate how desperate he is. That's what he is. He's desperate, Mom. He's turning into nothing more than a psycho-obsessed stalker.”

  Such a disappointment. Amber never considered these things. Why did Daren have to be this way? To cover her ignorance of modern-day dating, Amber agreed with everything Trista said. “Oh, I know! This Daren obviously has some psychological issues. I don't want someone like that in my life.”

  But Trista was proactive and offered even more useful information for Amber. “Okay Mom, it's time you understand how the world has changed a little since when you were younger. You know how in reality shows like American Idol how people get voted for which decides whether or not they can stay on the show?”

  Amber nodded.

  “Okay, that's pretty much how the real world works, now. See, this Daren guy is cheating and not playing by the rules. He is not supposed to be approaching you in private and trying to start a relationship with you. When a guy sends you a private message on Facebook or through personal email, it's a bad thing. He does it because he knows that other people will not approve. He's hoping that you will disregard the advice from your personal council—your friends on Facebook.

  This is how it's supposed to work: Once he gets past all of your rejection and somehow figures out how to finally get you to go out with him—and he is supposed to do this in person, not over Facebook messaging—you go onto Facebook and request him as a friend. Once he accepts your friend request, you make a post that says something like, 'Looking forward to going out with Daren on Friday night.' Then you tag him in the post.

  Of course Daren is going to like it. But he doesn't count! He can't vote for himself! And the same goes for all of his friends. They don't count! You only care about the votes from your own friends. You want to see how many of your own friends actually like your post about going out with Daren. If you get enough people to like it, then you know that people approve of you going out with Daren. If you don't get many likes and a bunch of negative comments, then you might want to reconsider going out with him."

  Throughout the lesson of modern-day dating, Amber's facial expression grew increasingly baffled to the point of hardly believing what was being said.

  “Mom, this is how it works! I'm telling you! It's just like reality TV. This Daren guy believes that he stands a chance with you. He's auditioning in front of you and it's best to be like Simon on American Idol. Eventually if Simon (you) gives him a yes, it'll be time for America (your Facebook friends) to vote. That's what's so great about Facebook. You have an entire audience that can make serious decisions for you and tell you how to live your life. I mean if you don't understand the rules of TV shows like American Idol and Dancing with the Stars along with social websites like Facebook and Twitter, then you're pretty much a social failure by today's standards.”

  Poor Amber must have appeared as though her mind had been scrambled. Where did all of these strange rules come from? Did Facebook really play such a crucial role in society, enough to allow strangers to make private decisions for other people?

  “It's not a total waste, though.” reassured Trista.

  Was there still some hope for Amber?

  “I guess if you have fantasies of some guy being obsessed with you then it's not so bad. Some women learn to make the most of a stalker. They actually think of an obsessed guy as a trophy and use him to help boost the ego. Think about it: You have a guy who is crazy in love with you to the point of maddening obsession. The best part: he can never have you, despite how badly he wants you. Doesn't that totally elevate your ego and make you feel good?”

  Amber thought about it and then laughed. “Trista! That's not nice!”

  “Well it's true!” With that, Trista scuffed off to the kitchen. She was a gold mine of knowledge and wisdom pertaining to dating, love and romance. It was most fortunate that Amber had Trista as a daughter. At least someone had it together in the home.

  Still, some hidden place within Amber felt won over with the long-stemmed rose and honest Facebook message that asked for her forgiveness. Despite what an obsessed-psycho stalker Daren had become, Amber brought the rose into the bedroom and put it in a small container full of water on her dresser.

  * * *

  Later that morning in the Jewelry department, Amber sorted through some advertising banners that were to be displayed for the Valentine's holiday. Is this all Amber's life was?—rising early each day to report to a less-than-thrilling management job at the local department store, then to return home in the evening to be
alone while pining for Daren's presence? Life was becoming depressing some years after the divorce. Amber was turning older and forced to chase men who did nothing more than play mind games. How she needed someone close; someone real who could restore her sense of pride as well as belief in herself. The only thing Amber had now to boost her ego was some stalker fantasy. There was certainly an obsessed psycho that was madly in love with Amber. But when would it start to feel good?

  It can be depressing for a woman to be alone on Valentine's Day, especially when managing the jewelry department and being surrounded by reminders of love and romance. How difficult it suddenly became to hold back the tears. Where was Daren? Why didn't he come to see her? How she longed for the days to return when Daren would visit her at the counter and look for any excuse to just talk to her. Such a good looking man; he would approach the glass while flipping through a massive wad of bills. Apparently he was trying to impress her.

  Just then, a fair-skinned, blond, handsome stranger approached the counter. “Excuse me?”

  Amber was pulled out of her sad trance of speculations. “Oh, I'm sorry. I was deep in thought. Can I help you with something?”

  “Yes I'm looking for a tennis bracelet for my wife.” He was dressed in business clothes.

  With as lonely as Amber felt in that moment, the stranger's visit was most welcome. “Well, come over to this area. We have a nice assortment. What price range are you looking in?” Now it just so happens that from where the stranger and Amber stood, there was a small swing door that allowed Amber to step out from behind the counter and next to the stranger. This is what Amber did as the stranger explained what he needed.

  “I really don't want to go over $500. I mean she's definitely worth it, but it's only Valentine's Day.”

  Amber returned a questionable look. “Are you sure? Only Valentine's Day?”

  “Yeah…? Unless you suggest maybe jumping up in price?”