by Amy Neftzger
Karen turned to face Fate, but the sudden motion caused a sharp pain to shoot down her back. Karen winced.
“I told you that would be sore for a while,” Fate replied casually.
“You tricked me. You knew he would follow,” Karen said, and then added with a small amount of relief, “but he didn’t go to hell.” She was annoyed with Fate for using her, but at the same time she was relieved that Trevor wasn’t spending eternity in torment.
“Are you disappointed?”
“No. I just thought — ”
“Stop thinking. You’re not very good at it.”
“I’m not going to stop thinking at all. In fact, I think I prefer Fortune to you. He’s a lot more likable.”
“You don’t know him very well,” Fate snapped.
“He’s more attractive than you.”
“I’m a very attractive woman.”
“No,” Karen shook her head vehemently as she spoke. “You’re stylish, but it’s not the same thing as being attractive. Being attractive means that people want to be near you. I don’t think people are drawn to you like they’re drawn to Fortune.”
“Yes, people love Fortune,” Fate retorted, “but in the end, I’m all they have, and I will have the last word.”
Fate took two steps backwards and vanished so quickly that at first Karen wasn’t sure if she was really gone. After a few moments of silence Karen slowly smiled to herself, but as soon as she glanced around the corner the feeling of victory vanished as quickly as Fate.
As she studied the empty doorway where Trevor had been sitting, she thought about how odd it was to meet someone after the person was already dead and how it was possible to care about another person in only a matter of minutes. She had learned something new about herself, but she had also learned more about Fate. What she learned today was that sometimes Fate jerks around someone that you’ve grown to care about in order to get to you.
Episode Five
Fortune Steps In
Karma. Could the answer be that simple? Was Fate simply another name for the force in the universe that mirrored our own intentions back to us? If it was true, Karen reasoned, then perhaps she had created this job for herself. Furthermore, given the reciprocal nature of karma, it stood to reason that if she wanted freedom to come to her, then she had to give freedom to someone else. But how could she do that? Would it matter if she was helping someone become free only so that she could buy her own freedom? And did it matter who or what was holding the other person in bondage? The whole thing sounded complicated. Maybe karma wasn’t a simple thing at all, but perhaps she was making it more difficult that it needed to be.
Karen thought the matter over as she sipped her coffee. She found its scent soothing. The drink might be a stimulant, but the fragrance was relaxing to her. It always had been. It reminded Karen of Saturday morning cartoons and eating sugary cereal in front of the TV while her parents sat in the kitchen laughing and drinking from their steaming cups. Karen recalled the smell of the brew and the sounds of joy. The two had been linked together in her mind for years. It wasn’t until she joined the workforce that she associated coffee as something to get her through daily drudgery.
Karen stood up from her chair as soon as she heard Claude running down the stairs. He was already dressed for school and headed for the front door. He had his overloaded backpack slung over one shoulder. Books and papers were sticking out of the top. Karen stopped him and attempted to tuck the items back inside, but she quickly gave up.
“Use both straps,” she advised. “Your back will thank me later.”
“My back doesn’t have a mouth,” he replied with half a smile. “So it will be forever thankless.”
“Don’t forget you have soccer practice after school today. I’ll pick you up at three.”
“I wouldn’t forget that. My stuff is already in your car,” he said as a broad smile spread over his face.
“Did you put an extra pair of clean socks in the bag?”
He nodded and then turned his head to stare at the door.
“You have your inhaler, right?” she continued.
“Please.” Claude rolled his eyes. Karen tried to hide her laughter. Claude never forgot to assert his independence despite forgetting just about everything else he needed on a regular basis.
“Have a good day,” Karen said as she kissed the top of Claude’s head, inhaling the scent of coconut shampoo as she did so. She stepped aside and watched him sprint out the door.
After she locked the door behind him, she quickly dressed in the best outfit she had. It was a simple pencil skirt and a white button down blouse. She searched through all her drawers looking for a pair of nylons that didn’t have a run. Nothing was folded or organized, and she had to untangle a few items to determine what they were. She finally located a pair of stockings that had a small tear on the thigh where no one would see it. She paused to dab the tear with clear nail polish so that the rip wouldn’t spread or begin a run down her legs while she was walking. The smell of the polish burned her nostrils and caused her to sneeze several times, and she almost dropped the bottle.
Once she had finished dressing and put on her back low-heeled pumps she paused to look at herself in the mirror. The black skirt and white blouse appeared drab. She needed something but didn’t know what. At first she tried tying a scarf around her neck to add some color, but she finally decided that the scarf looked out of place on her. It was too big and gaudy. After she tried on several other accessories she found herself asking, “What would Fate wear?” She finally settled on a simple gold chain with a small ruby colored pendant and a pair of button earrings. It was cheap costume jewelry, but it looked almost real. She left the scarf behind on her bed in a crumpled pile and went out the door.
Her first priority for the day was to find another job. If she didn’t want to work for Fate forever, then she needed to find an alternative. Her plan involved submitting applications around town at several locations where she had seen signs advertising for help. These weren’t great career moves, but they were a step in the right direction away from Fate. The list of employers was in her purse. She had mapped out a route to maximize her time so that she could get at least four applications done before lunchtime.
She parked her car in a downtown garage and started walking down the stairwell to the street, searching her purse for the list she had made. She was almost to the bottom of the stairs when Fate appeared. Karen jumped backwards and almost fell as she stumbled down a few steps and tried to get a foothold.
“Don’t you look nice?” Fate said in an overly sweet tone.
“Thank you,” Karen replied as she gripped the railing and stood upright. She glanced down at her purse. Nothing had spilled from it, and her wallet was still tucked safely in the bottom, so she quickly zipped it closed.
“Big meeting?” Fate asked in a polite tone.
“Not exactly.” Karen glanced over Fate’s tasteful deep red blouse and starched tan linen pants. The creases down the front of each leg were perfect and unwrinkled. She wore open-toed sandals with a wedge heel, and her toes were painted the same shade as her blouse. Gold drop earrings hung from her lobes and shimmered like her eyes in the dim light of the stairwell. Karen felt as if a spotlight always shined upon Fate, even in the darkest places.
“I already know where you’re going before you do. I can’t help it, really. It’s part of what defines me,” Fate said as she looked down her nose at Karen.
“Where am I going?” Karen challenged her with confidence. She was still convinced that there was a way to outwit Fate. After all, Fortune seemed to be able to surprise her. Why couldn’t anyone else do the same?
“You’re looking for a job, but don’t bother. The drugstore only hires girls under the age of twenty and only if they apply in person wearing shorts. The manager is a bit of a perv, but everyone will know about that five years from now. In the meantime, I already know that you won’t be hired, so let’s not waste our time, okay?�
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Karen let out a deep sigh.
“I’m not tricking you into not submitting any applications. I just know how this will all turn out before it happens,” she paused to inspect the French manicure on her right hand. Karen slumped to the side and leaned against the railing. “Oh, don’t do that,” Fate continued. “That’s the only decent outfit you have, and you wouldn’t believe what’s on that railing or how it got there.”
Karen reluctantly stood upright. She briefly closed her eyes before glaring at Fate.
“Will I ever be rid of you?”
Fate laughed.
“You’re really quite cute when you’re frustrated. You should develop that. I think men would find that side of you very attractive.”
“I don’t want a man,” Karen replied.
“Really? You prefer women?”
“I don’t prefer anyone. I don’t need anyone.”
“Right,” Fate replied dismissively. “So now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s move on to your next assignment.” Karen took a deep breath and sighed aloud.
“Where are we going? Are you going to do that thing where we transport somewhere and it leaves me bruised and feeling like I’ve been in a car wreck?”
“We’re going outside,” Fate whispered as she pointed over her shoulder. “That’s why I put the idea into your head to apply for a job down here. It saves me the effort of dragging you through space.”
“This was not your idea!” Karen snapped. She didn’t know if Fate could actually do such a thing, and the thought made her uneasy. If the suggestion was a psychological trick to unnerve her, it was working.
“Okay,” Fate agreed, wide-eyed and in a patronizing tone. “It wasn’t my idea. It was just convenient that you and I appeared at the same place at the same time. And it’s even more convenient that your assignment is less than a block away.”
Karen brushed past Fate and continued down the stairwell without looking back. She threw her weight against the door at the bottom and it creaked open, producing a rush of air as it opened.
“Which way?” Karen demanded as she walked out onto the street. Fate stepped confidently in front and led the way, taking long strides as she did so. Karen shuffled along in her heels, trying to keep them from slipping off her feet as she struggled to keep up. They walked about half a block to a bus stop where Karen spotted the ghost of a woman sitting on the bench.
“There you go!’ Fate announced as she stopped walking and placed one hand on her hip. She motioned with her other hand towards the ghost, smiled, and vanished with a small popping sound. Karen jumped backwards at the noise. It sounded like an electrical wire had short circuited and was about to catch fire. Karen wondered if she was about to get burned as she studied the woman waiting for the bus.
“I wish Fortune were here,” she said softly as she looked up at the sky. At least the weather was good. It felt warm. No, it felt better than warm — it was unusually pleasant. Maybe even a little festive, like a holiday. When her gaze dropped back to street level, she noticed Fortune standing beside her. He removed his top hat and tipped it towards her with a slight bow at the waist. His eyes locked on hers and she felt chills followed by a flash of heat that consumed her whole body.
“Does she always give you the dirty work?” Fortune asked.
“Yes,” Karen mumbled. As much as she tried, she could not look away from Fortune. She felt as if she would faint if she did. He took a step towards her, reached down for her hand, and kissed it gently. His lips were soft, and Karen immediately wanted to feel more of them.
“It’s so very wonderful to see you again,” he said as he tilted his head to one side. His every movement caused a new wave of weakness to pour over Karen’s body. As she felt her face go hot, he took a step backward and glanced up and down her whole body. “You look amazing,” he said with that warm smile. The way he looked at her made her want to undress in public. Karen put one hand on her stomach and wiped her moist palm against her skirt several times. She had to pull herself together.
Karen closed her eyes, but at first all she saw was Fortune — as if she had never closed her eyes at all, and that only made it worse because the vision of Fortune was more intense than the reality of him. The desire for him overcame her, and she fought the urge to tear at her clothes. She quickly opened her eyes and stared down at the sidewalk, attempting to shake whatever was taking hold of her.
“I have work to do,” she stammered, struggling to find her voice.
“Yes,” Fortune said. Everything about him was beautiful. It was the most wonderful feeling, but at the same time Karen knew it was distracting her from what she needed to do. She wanted to give in. Her whole body was aching for her to turn off her mind, and she felt the conflict as her legs began to tremble.
“I need to work,” Karen repeated in a choked voice. She tried not to look at Fortune, but she couldn’t help it. She felt the urge to touch him. She wanted to run her fingertips over the skin of his cheeks and feel the grittiness of the stubble. She didn’t care if he was married or to whom, she just wanted him and quickly. She struggled with her desire to place her hands on his firm shoulders and rip the elegant tuxedo from his body. She’d never felt passion like this for anything or anyone. She leaned in his direction as she fought the urge to embrace him. She continued to struggle with making eye contact by staring off to the side.
“I’m here to help you,” he said in a whisper.
Karen swallowed hard. Her throat was dry, and she struggled to breathe. He was getting the best of her, and she knew that she wouldn’t be able to control herself. She finally looked over at Fortune and when his blue eyes met hers she took a few steps towards him.
“I want — ,” she stuttered. As he stepped even closer and took her by the hand, it felt like he was gently caressing her entire body. Only their hands were touching, but it felt like so much more. “I can’t do this,” she said.
“Can’t do what?” he asked benignly. He must know, she thought. How could he not know what he was doing to her? Was he doing it on purpose? He looked so innocent, so sweet.
“Are you — are you toying with me?” she finally asked in a gravelly voice.
“Am I what?” He knitted his eyebrows together and cocked his head to one side. Then he looked at Karen carefully, and Karen felt his eyes caressing her every curve. She felt the goose bumps rising on each part of her body as his eyes moved over her breasts and down her waist to her hips. Karen gripped his hand tightly and pulled him close enough that their bodies were just barely touching. Then she leaned into him, pressing her body against his. She could smell the scent of his cologne and it only made her want him more.
“Oh, that,” he said with a knowing smile just before he kissed her. Karen collapsed awkwardly as she threw her free arm around his neck, pulling him closer and feeling the firmness of his body against her. She hadn’t been kissed in a long time, and she’d never been kissed in this way. It felt good.
She didn’t know how long the embrace lasted, only that it wasn’t long enough. The sound of Fate’s voice was like being dropped naked in the snow. As soon as she heard Fate, Karen jumped away from Fortune and held her hands up, as if Fate were a police officer holding a gun on a suspect.
“Don’t worry,” Fate said coolly, “I don’t blame you. I know what he’s like. He kisses a lot of people, but it doesn’t mean anything.”
“It didn’t?” Fortune asked as he placed his hand over his mouth. Fate ignored him.
“Just be glad it was a kiss of favor and not the other kind,” Fate continued.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Fortune insisted as he dropped his hand from his mouth.
“I knew you’d show up,” Fate said politely when she finally addressed him directly. “This young woman has a job to do, so perhaps you and I should go for a walk somewhere quiet.”
“You do always know, don’t you?” Fortune said. “It’s one of the things I love about you. You’re not jus
t another pretty face. You also know the future.” He spoke the last sentence in a breathy voice, taking Fate’s hand as he gazed into her eyes.
“You’re a flirt,” Fate said with a girlish smile. Karen’s face became hot as she watched.
“Only when the company is worth the effort.” He smiled back at his wife. They looked like an affectionate couple. Almost like newlyweds, and nothing like the unhappily married couple Karen had previously witnessed fighting.
“What a bi-polar relationship,” Karen said to herself. It was that old adage of opposites attracting, and the two clearly didn’t belong together. The relationship was completely dysfunctional. As Karen watched them bantering playfully she made up her mind to steal Fortune away from Fate.
“We won’t be back today. Finish your job and go home,” Fate said to Karen as the couple began walking away. After they had taken a few steps down the street, Fortune turned to look over his shoulder at Karen.
“I’ll help you,” he mouthed. He winked at her and then turned his attention back to Fate.
Fate and Fortune disappeared as they strolled away into a crowd. Karen stared for a few moments as she recalled the rapid series of events she’d just experienced. It felt surreal and she began to wonder if everything had happened as she remembered it. Had she just kissed Fortune? Or had she imagined it? And why wasn’t Fate angry with either her or Fortune? What a strange relationship. How absolutely dysfunctional.
While she didn’t know what Fortune saw in her, he had awakened her body to sensations she had forgotten were possible. It had been a magical experience, and Karen wanted more. On one hand, it was absurd to be thinking about the boss’s husband, but he had started it. Well, Karen thought, it didn’t matter who started it. It was clearly there, and no one — not even Fate — could deny it. Karen knew she had experienced something special with Fortune, and it was just another good reason to be rid of Fate.
As she thought about that extraordinary kiss she felt the passion intensifying in her body, and she wondered when she would see him again. Fate had said that she knew everything, and yet she wasn’t upset over the incident. It didn’t make sense. Clearly, there was a strong connection between Fortune and herself. Karen had felt it when they kissed. It was unmistakeable. The yearning had brought back memories of Claude’s father. They had been very much in love right up until she became pregnant and he left. At least, she thought they had been.
