by M. T. Pope
Her world was airtight. Nothing, not even a gay husband, could deflate the bubble filled with self-confidence, superiority, and entitlement that surrounded her. Her world was created by and for her alone. Those fortunate enough to float in her orbit benefited from the residue of privilege and access that accompanied her, her entire life.
I let him into my world and this is how he repays me. By fucking a man.
Orpheus’s thoughts raced faster the more steps he took around the room. He couldn’t let go of the love he had for Darius even though the images on the screen tried viciously to rip it from his heart. The pain of losing him was only intensified by the betrayal that followed. I never should have gotten involved with him. Look what I’ve done to him.
Orpheus clung to the idea that Darius loved him. He needed to believe that what they felt for each other was real. If it wasn’t, then nothing in his life had ever been real. If Darius didn’t love him then he had nothing. In the short time they were together the depth of their connection became the measure for all that was good and right in the world. Their relationship suddenly put every medal, every star on his shoulder, and every military honor in perspective. They all meant nothing without someone in his life who loved him apart from all that he had accomplished.
Darius didn’t know that he had led the American effort in Iraq. He wasn’t aware that he was one of the youngest four-star generals in the history of military. He hadn’t been told that the man he held in his arms may be the next vice president of the United States, but he loved Michael anyway. Michael was naked and Orpheus was in full military dress. Michael was vulnerable while Orpheus was a warrior. Orpheus longed to be Michael again, vulnerable and invisible to everyone but Darius.
Saturday morning crept into the Roulette house like a thief through the windows. The night was gone and so was the life that had been theirs for so many years. The telephone started ringing at eight o’clock and continued throughout the day. Orpheus refused to speak to anyone, but Raven answered every call and defiantly accepted every invitation. It would take more than two little men groping each other under the cover of darkness to stop her.
In the dead of night a plan was born. In the morning, Raven would do as she had always done and make everything right again. Now the children were occupied in their rooms and Orpheus was locked away in his study. Raven sat at the island in the kitchen and dialed Alice Waters’s number.
“Alice, honey, it’s Raven. I know it’s early. I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“No, I’ve been up since five this morning. The workers are here now. Remember I told you I’m redoing the kitchen.”
Raven heard hammering and drills buzzing in the background as Alice shouted to one of the construction workers, “Hey, watch what you’re doing. That painting is worth a quarter of a million dollars. If you damage it, you bought it. Sorry, honey. These guys are making a mess of everything.”
“I need your help with a problem. Can you talk now?”
“Of course I can. What is it? Are you all right?
“Not really. Alice, you have to promise me you will not repeat what I’m about to tell you to anyone.”
“I promise. What is it? You’re scaring me.”
“Orpheus had an affair.”
“Oh my God, honey,” Alice gasped into the phone. “You must be devastated.”
“I’m not,” Raven responded without hesitation. “That isn’t the problem.”
Alice was instantly confused. “I don’t understand.”
“He had an affair with a man.”
There was silence on the phone as Alice dashed from the house onto a deck off the kitchen. “Raven, you must be mistaken. Orpheus is the straightest man I’ve ever met.”
“That’s what I thought until last night. I’ll get over that, but here’s the real problem. The guy is blackmailing him.”
“Blackmail!” Alice blurted, then covered her mouth. “For how much?”
“Two hundred thousand dollars.”
“The son of a bitch. Fucks him and then robs him.”
“We don’t have that kind of money, Alice; can you come up with it? Of course I’ll pay you back as soon as possible.”
Alice sat down in a patio chair and looked over the Silicon Valley that was sprawled at the foot of her secluded mountaintop. “Of course I can, honey, but are you sure you want to pay him? What’s going to stop him from coming back for more later? If Orpheus becomes vice president you guys will be sitting ducks. You’ll never get rid of this fucker.”
“I realize that, but I don’t have any other options at this point. Orpheus is scheduled to let Milo know if he’s going to join him on the ticket this week. If this guy does something stupid between now and then, we’re screwed. It’s over.”
“I’m shocked,” Alice said with a sigh. “Just shocked. How could Orpheus get himself involved in something like this? And the timing couldn’t be worse.”
“Exactly. I know by paying him it’s just buying time, but it’s the only choice I have. With more time I can come up with a more permanent solution, but I don’t have that luxury today.”
“When does he want the money?”
“Tonight.”
“Raven, I don’t think you should pay him,” Alice said, walking farther from the house to ensure the conversation wouldn’t be overheard by the workmen in her kitchen. “I want you to consider using the services of a contractor I have access to. He specializes in situations like this.”
Raven stood from the island and closed the kitchen door. “What kind of contractor?” she asked in a whisper.
Alice looked over her shoulder to the house. “He makes problems like this disappear. Quickly and quietly.”
“Are you saying with I think you’re saying?” Raven said, sitting back at the island. “You don’t mean—”
Alice cut her off abruptly and said, “Don’t say it, Raven. I’m saying exactly what you’re thinking.”
The idea had immediate appeal for Raven. Eliminating the problem for good had merits that far outweighed paying a man who would then become a part of her life forever.
“I’m interested,” she finally said. “How do I meet him?”
“He doesn’t live in this country. When his services are needed we fly him in on our jet. He takes care of the problem and we fly him home the same day.”
“You’re joking, right? This sounds like something out of a movie.”
“No, I’m not joking,” Alice replied flatly.
“How much does it cost to ...” Raven caught herself and stopped midsentence. “How much does he charge?”
“You can’t afford it so don’t worry about that. I’ll take care of it. Just think of it as an early inaugural gift from your sorority sister.”
“Thank you, Alice,” Raven said with a sigh of relief. “I knew I could count on you. So what’s his name? What country does he live in?”
“The less you know about him the better, darling,” Alice said with caution. “I’ll make the arrangements to fly him in tonight. Meet me at my jet at the Hayward Airport tonight at nine and bring the ‘problem’s’ address and a description of him. Okay?”
“What is he going to do?” Raven asked.
“Don’t ask any more questions, Raven, and for God’s sake, when you meet him tonight whatever you do, don’t ask him any questions about himself or his work.”
At exactly three o’clock that afternoon Orpheus’s cell phone rang. It was Darius.
“Do you have the money?” he said coldly.
Orpheus and Raven had not spoken the entire day but he knew if Raven said she would get the money, she would get the money.
“Yes,” Orpheus said.
“Good. I want you to bring it to my house this evening at exactly midnight. Do not ring my doorbell. Do not knock on my door. Put it on the doorstep and leave immediately. Do you understand?”
“Darius,” Orpheus said. “You don’t have to do this. We can still be together. I’m not going to be vice pres
ident. I’ll leave my wife. I just want to be with you. Just stop this now.”
“It’s too late, Michael.”
“No, it’s not. You can end this madness right now. I want to go back to the way we were. I need you, Darius. Let me make love to you again. Just say you love me.”
“I do love you, Michael.”
Orpheus sat on the edge of the sofa in his study and savored the sweet words. A tear fell from his eye as the words echoed in his ear. He felt the world would soon be right again and that he would soon be immersed in the life that he had been meant to live all along.
“But it is too late,” the voice on the phone said. “The damage is done and we can’t go back.”
“How can you say that?” Orpheus asked in desperation. “If we love each other it’s never too late.”
Darius wiped a tear from his cheek. “Why did you have to lie to me, Michael?” he asked through his tears.
“I don’t know. At first I was afraid to tell you who I was because I’m a general for God’s sake. I’m the one who testified before congress against the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ I didn’t want it to get out that I was involved with a man. But then, after I fell in love with you I ... I liked that you loved me for me, not because of my rank. I loved that you knew a part of me that no one else knew anything about. I was your Michael. Only for you.”
Darius curled into a fetal position on his couch. The tears flowed freely now. He wanted nothing more than to be enveloped in Michael’s arms at that moment but he could not erase the pain of betrayal.
“Are you there, Darius?” He could hear him sobbing softly. “I love you, baby.”
Darius sat up on the couch and wiped the tears from his eyes. “It’s too late, Michael. The pain is too great. You’ve broken my heart and you must pay for that. You have your instructions. Midnight.”
The phone went dead. Orpheus found a grain of hope in the weeping he heard from Darius. “He loves me,” he said out loud. “He loves me.”
For the first time that day Orpheus found the strength to leave the study. The wooden floors creaked as he made his way down the hall to the kitchen where he found Raven sitting at the island.
“What is his name?” Raven asked as soon as he stepped into the kitchen.
“Darius.”
“What is his address?” she continued coldly.
“Why?”
“Because I’ll be the one taking him the money.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Orpheus snarled. “I’ll take him the money.”
“I’ve told you already, you can never see him again,” she snapped. “Have you spoken to him today?”
“Yes.”
“And?” she asked angrily.
“He wants me to leave the money on his doorstep tonight at midnight.”
“What is his address?”
“You’re not going, Raven.”
Raven stood from the island and walked directly in front of Orpheus. “This is not a debate, Orpheus Beauregard Roulette,” she said firmly. “I’ve made arrangements to get the money from Alice and I don’t trust you or your boyfriend with it. So either I deliver it or he doesn’t get it at all. Now, are you going to give me the address or not?”
The two locked eyes. Raven reached to the counter without taking her eyes off Orpheus and picked up a pad and pen and extended it toward his chest. Moments passed before Orpheus snatched the pad from her hand and wrote down the address to the apartment in the Haight.
“Did you tell Alice what the money was for?” Orpheus asked, shoving the pad in her direction.
“No,” she replied tersely. “I told her it was for some reimbursable campaign expenses.”
“What are you going to tell her when she finds out I’m not running?”
“That won’t be an issue because you are running,” she said, walking from the kitchen into the entry hall.
Orpheus followed closely behind her. “I told you already—I’ve decided to not run!” he shouted to her back.
By the time the words reached her ears, she was already halfway up the staircase. She stopped on the first flight, turned slowly, and said, “You don’t get it, do you, Orpheus? Because I’ve had to step in and clean up this horrible mess you’ve gotten yourself into, I own you. You’ll do what I say, when I say it. The first thing you’re going to do is contact Milo Frederick and tell him you would be honored to serve as his vice president. Is that clear?”
Orpheus did not recognize the woman on the stairwell. Her face was cold and hard. Yes, she was still the beautiful black bird, but there was something different about her. He felt a chill in his spine when she looked down on him and his throat became dry under her glare. He could not respond.
“Good,” she said, interpreting his silence as consent. “I’m glad we have an understanding.”
It was nine o’clock on Saturday night. Raven drove onto the tarmac at the little deserted airport in Hayward. Lamps cast pools of light along the dark runway. She saw Alice’s white Learjet parked near a hanger in the distance. The door was open and four steps rested on the ground. A gold glow could be seen from the cabin. Next to it was Alice’s black Escalade with the headlights on. As Raven drove closer she saw Alice sitting in the car.
When she parked Alice got out and walked to her door.
“Is he here?” Raven said, stepping from the car.
“Yes, he’s in there,” Alice said, pointing to the jet. “I haven’t gone in yet.”
“Why not?”
Alice slipped her arm under Raven’s, led her to the jet, and said, “I prefer to not be alone with him. He makes me very nervous.”
The women ascended the steps one behind the other and entered the cabin of the plane and Alice whispered, “Remember, don’t ask him any questions.”
The long, tubular space had six buttery-cream leather seats with high backs, a flat-screen television, wet bar, and refrigerator. Sitting in one of the seats was a man wearing dark sunglasses, a navy blue sports coat, and gray slacks. Raven could see his clothes were a very expensive cut and his loafers were Gucci. Except for a scar on his cheek that ran from his left ear to the corner of his mouth, he was a strikingly handsome man with curly black hair, chiseled cheekbones, pouty full lips, and five o’clock shadow.
“This is your client,” Alice said to the man without a greeting. “Raven Roulette.”
The man nodded his head in Raven’s direction. “As-seyez-vous s’il vous plaît,” he said, directing her to the seat facing him. “You are a very beautiful woman, Mrs. Roulette. What man in his right mind would offend a woman as lovely as you?” he said with a French accent. “I normally don’t do jobs for people I do not know, but for my dear friend Alice, I do it for you.”
“Thank you,” Raven said softly.
Raven Roulette had had her hand kissed by kings and curtsied before queens. She had dined with presidents and made love to a secretary of state, but she had never come face to face with a shadowy assassin. She sensed something evil simmering beneath the handsome façade. When he removed his sunglasses she couldn’t see anything in his eyes. They were empty and vacant like the dead.
“Who has offended you, Mrs. Roulette?” he said, leaning forward. “I will avenge your honor.”
Alice motioned for her to speak.
“His name is Darius. I’m sorry I don’t know his last name.” She reached into her purse and retrieved the paper that contained his address. “This is his address in San Francisco. He and my husband—”
The man abruptly held up his hand. “Please, I have no need for details. Your word alone is enough to convince me that he is worthy of death. When shall it be done?”
“Tonight,” Alice blurted. “The sooner the better. A car is waiting for you at the terminal. The plane will be waiting here to take you home as soon as the job is complete.”
“How will I know it’s been done?” Raven asked.
The man’s eyes tightened when she said the words. Alice reached over and gr
abbed Raven’s arm tightly. “Don’t worry, Raven,” she said nervously. “Everything will be taken care of.”
“My dear Mrs. Roulette,” the man said coldly. “It has been my pleasure meeting you. I wish you the best in your life. Now if you will excuse me, I must prepare for the night.”
Alice and Raven tried to not appear too anxious to exit the plane but they nearly tripped over each other walking down the four steps.
“I told you not to ask him any questions,” Alice said angrily when they reached the cars.
“I’m sorry. I was so nervous I forgot.”
“It’s over, Raven. Go home and put this out of your head. Your problem is solved. Now go and deal with your husband,” Alice said and then slammed the door to her car and sped off.
As Raven entered her car, she looked up at the plane and saw the man staring at her through the window. She nodded her head slightly and he responded with slight wave of his hand. Raven prayed that she would never see the man again.
Darius had not left the apartment the entire day. The black fabric was pulled tight over the windows and Nina Simone sang sad songs to him all day. After speaking with Orpheus earlier that day, he couldn’t stop thinking of the way he felt when he was wrapped safely in his arms. His kiss made all his fears melt away and the sound of his voice made him feel all was right in the world. Today was no exception. He wept for an hour after the call and longed for Orpheus to come and wipe his tears away just as he did on the night they first met.
Darius desperately wanted everything to return to the way things were only one short week earlier. The long afternoons in bed. The walks through the groves at Golden Gate Park and the kisses on his forehead as he fell asleep in his arms. Darius tortured himself by playing the video of them making love on his couch. He saw their bodies twisted and tangled together, making them appear as one tamed and contented beast that, until that moment, had roamed the earth aimlessly and without meaning. To any other viewer it would have been pornography but to Darius it was the greatest love story ever told, because it was his.
