All the Time

by Cherie Denis

  “I love you Elaina Marie…you understand me, don’t you?” Mike asked her for the thousandth time since Friday.

  “Oh, darling…I love you, too,” she sighed as his lips settled over hers in a tongue tangling kiss.

  Did she really understand how much he loved her? He’d tried all weekend to tell her, and to show her in every way possible how much he cared. Still he could feel her drawing further and further away from him. If only he could find a solution to their problem. He knew if he could find the answer, Lainie would truly love him. Forever. And, if he couldn’t find the answer?

  Then what?

  Would she leave him for another man or men trying to find some satisfaction?

  One last kiss, one last touch and Mike ushered his beautiful wife into her car, picked up his briefcase and headed toward his own vehicle.

  “I’ll call you,” he promised, waving goodbye.

  Lainie acknowledged his farewell with a wave and a toot of her horn.

  She was gone before Mike could get his briefcase stowed in the backseat of the BMW.

  Shaking his head, Mike slid behind the wheel. “Ah, shit, darling,” he mumbled. “What in the hell are we going to do about all this? God, I wish I was a magician.”

  Over the weekend some weird thoughts had come to him. What if she tried something as desperate as a sex change operation to give her the penis she coveted? Lord, what would he do then? She really would be lost to him.

  * * * *

  Déjà vu, all over again, Mike thought as he walked through the revolving glass door and greeted the security guard. The days and weeks blended into sameness. If it weren’t for the excitement he found at home, Mike knew he would die of boredom. Ah, but life with Lainie was never boring, just the opposite.

  He punched the up button to call the elevator and stepped back out of the way as a trio of young, pretty black women walked up chatting.

  At first it sounded as though the women were speaking in tongues. Mike smiled pretending to study the scenery outside the window at the end of the broad, airy hallway. All the while his ear was tuned to their conversation. He wasn't spying. He felt it was his duty as an executive of the company, to keep his finger on the pulse of the employees. He never knew when he might hear something useful, and one of the easiest ways was to eavesdrop whenever possible.

  “So I says to Marcus,” the youngest of the trio said sotto voice. “Marcus, baby, either you fuck me every day or you’re out of here, sucker.”

  “Yvetta, you didn’t?” a girl with dreadlocks squealed.

  “I sure as fuck did. I’m sick and tired of him playing dead all the time,” Yvetta answered, pushing her mop of blond-streaked black hair back from her face.

  “Well, did it work?” Dreadlocks asked with a chuckle.

  “Fuck, no, Tarita. He was a limp biscuit, the whiney-assed baby,” Yvetta assured her friend.

  Where in the hell was the elevator, Mike wondered. His face was hot. Shit. He had to be blushing like a damned seventh-grader with the hots for his teacher.

  Maybe they wouldn’t notice.

  The third girl spoke, “Shit, Yvetta, is it ‘cause he’s white?” She’d glanced quickly at Mike before whispering the word ‘white’.

  “Shit, Jakisha, you always ask me the same stupid question. No, it’s not ‘cause he’s white. It’s ‘cause he’s too fuckin’ lazy to please me,” Yvetta gave Jakisha a push, laughing when Jakisha hit her on the arm with her fist.

  Jakisha straightened her skin-tight black top, yanking it until her cleavage was prominently displayed. “So, what did you do about it?”

  Yvetta grinned like a Cheshire cat, “Well, I went to see Miss Lawanda in the mailroom and she gave me a potion to put in Marcus' coffee.”

  “And?” Tarita asked.

  Yvetta laughed loudly. Her vibrant laugh filled the hall, covering the sound of the elevator’s arrival.

  Mike looked up in time to see the three women enter the waiting elevator and rushed to catch the car. He needed to know how Yvetta solved her problem. He had to find out who the mysterious Lawanda was. Maybe she was the solution he’d been searching for the past few weeks.

  “Push three, please,” the girl named Tarita asked Mike when he turned to face the front of the car.

  “Thanks,” she whispered brushing suggestively against his back. Mike felt the timbre of her voice right down to his aching cock. Wow, the woman had a voice hot and sexy enough to curl hair. He’d had plenty of time to stare while the women were chatting and had taken a good look at the young lady named Tarita. He couldn't help admiring her. She was very sexy with high, full, heavy breasts, a nice tight ass clothed in a skin-tight animal print, mid-thigh skirt of some slinky cloth which caressed her body like a second skin.

  Tarita, unaware of the stir she was causing in Mike's trousers, turned to her friends and giggled. “So, tell already, Yvetta, what did Miss Lawanda say to do with the potion?”

  “She said to put it in his coffee, every morning and before the week was out he’d be fucking my brains out,” she answered not bothering to lower her voice making it perfectly clear to Mike she didn't give a rat’s ass who was listening to their conversation.

  “And?”

  Yvetta filled the elevator with her sensuous, laugh.

  “He’s wearin’ me out…I mean we’re doin’ it everywhere and all the time. He’s a fuckin’ machine…and, I love it.”

  “Ooo, care to share?” Jakisha asked greedily.

  “I don’t fuckin’ think so, bitch.”

  The elevator slid silently to a stop, the door swept open, and the three stepped out laughing and joking. The women made their way through the doors separating the elevator lobby from the customer service area of the third floor.

  The elevator door swept shut behind them and a weak-kneed Mike leaned against the elevator wall. He’d never heard of the woman named Lawanda. If she had potions to help a man’s potency, could she possibly have a potion to make Lainie forget about wanting a penis? And, if she had such a potion, would it affect Lainie’s sexuality in any way? He certainly didn’t want to change her sexually. He loved her just as she was, hot and willing to try anything.

  “Morning, Rita,”

  “Good morning, Mike,” Rita replied, jumping up from her desk to follow him to his office.

  “Rita, do you know anything about a Lawanda in the mailroom?” he asked, taking off his suit jacket and hanging it up. He turned in time to see a frown cross Rita’s lovely face.

  “Yes. What do you want with her? Lawanda has a reputation as a bit of a witch, sorceress and evil genii combined. She’s pretty scary. At least that’s what I’ve been told.”

  Mike gave her a penetrating stare and sank into his chair. “Scary or not, I need to speak to her. Get her on the phone for me right away, will you please, Rita?”

  “Sure, Mike…right away. But, I have to tell you, most people avoid her at all cost, and I think you should, too.”

  “Just do as I ask and let me do the worrying. And, when you’re done, I want you to take some dictation.”

  Before leaving his office, Rita placed a phone call from Mike’s desk to the general manager of the Atlanta office. Handing him the phone, she mouthed, “Coffee?”

  Mike nodded, turning his attention to the phone he asked, “Greg, how’re they hangin’, buddy?” He paused, “Good, good…now, let’s get down to why I phoned…”

  Mike was still growling into the phone when Rita returned with a mug of steaming, fragrant coffee. She gave a mock curtsey and exited when he waved his thanks and continued his conversation.

  Mike hadn’t been off the phone long when Rita rang through. “Miss Lawanda Jones is on line three. And, I'll warn you, she wasn't too happy to find out she was going to be put on hold.”

  “Thanks.” Mike clicked off and punched line three, “I’m sorry to keep you waiting. I appreciate you taking the time to stay on the line. I realize everyone has a job to do, Miss Jones, and you're probably anxiou
s to get back to it. As my secretary told you, I'm Mike Sneider in Marketing. I hope you have a couple of minutes to speak to me.”

  The woman on the other end of the line remained silent for several seconds and he began to wonder if she’d hung up. “Miss Jones?”

  “Yes?”

  Taking her ‘yes’ as approval to continue, Mike asked if she could come to his office later in the morning.

  Her slightly accented contralto voice still held a bit of puzzlement when she answered. “Well, I suppose I can get away from the mailroom around ten.”

  “Excellent. I really appreciate you making time for me. I’m on five North, third office from the link…you can’t miss it. My name’s on the door.”

  * * * *

  Instead of having second or third thoughts, Mike was already having fifth thoughts about speaking to the mysterious Miss Jones by the time Rita tapped on his door and ushered the lady in. He stood and tried not to stare at his visitor. A lovely woman of approximately thirty, her smooth, café au lait complexion, shone with good health. She wore her shining dark hair, plaited in an intricate design of braids gathered at the nape of a long, graceful neck and held in place by an elaborate, large piece of silver. Dark eyes sparkled as she returned Mike’s stare, making it plainly clear she was not intimidated by his executive position in the company.

  Lawanda walked up to his desk and extended her hand. Mike grasped her long, slender fingers and was immediately surprised at the amount of heat and yet coolness the woman exuded.

  “Good morning, Miss Jones. Please sit,” he gestured to the chair opposite his desk.

  She smoothed her long, floating skirt under her and sat with the grace of an African queen.

  “Can I offer you coffee?” Mike asked.

  Lawanda’s smile remained cool and aloof. “No thank you, Mr. Sneider.” Folding her hands in her lap, she waited patiently for him to speak.

  Mike got right to the point. “I’ve heard some interesting things about you, Miss Jones.”

  She arched her eyebrows in question. “Oh, really?”

  “Yes…very interesting things, I might add.”

  Her eyes flashed shots of fire and Mike feared he may have offended her.

  She surprised him by laughing and again Mike was enthralled by her lush contralto tones. She had a lovely voice. Sexy and tempting, it gave him a funny feeling deep in his belly.

  “So, now the truth comes out; you have heard about my power.”

  “Yes. Is what I’ve heard true?"

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I can’t say until you tell me exactly what you’ve heard.”

  He didn’t want to tip his hand too early, so he sidestepped her question. “Before we go any further, I was hoping you’d tell me a little something about yourself and this supposed power.”

  Lawanda quirked a regal eyebrow and frowned, “I don’t feel it necessary to explain myself…to you.”

  Mike wasn’t intimidated by the woman. “I think it is very necessary. I want to know how you happen upon this so called power, and I want to know where you obtained your knowledge.”

  She stiffened, slid to the edge of the chair and started to stand.

  Mike held up his hand. “I’m sorry if I offend you, Miss Jones, but I have my reasons. Just humor me for a few minutes. Please.”

  She slid back into the chair. A frown furrowed her brow. She was not a happy camper.

  Mike was relieved. At least she'd decided to stay.

  Before he could get his thoughts in order, Lawanda spoke. “So, you think you need to hear my pedigree, do you? Others aren’t so fussy.”

  He’d pissed her off. Shit. He didn’t like her attitude one damn bit, but he also didn’t want to make her angry before he found out her secrets. He wasn’t used to being defied. This woman showed no fear of him.

  Mike wasn't accustomed to being ignored and he wasn't sure how to handle her attitude. “Sorry, but I’m not other people,” Mike said. “I want to get the full picture before we go any further.” He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “So, I’m sure you won’t mind telling me, now will you?”

  Lawanda’s facial expression was far from friendly. “Oh, I mind all right, but since you seem so intent on knowing, I’ll give you the highlights."

  "My mother was born the only white child in a family of thirteen extremely black children. The fact Mama was white came as a total mystery seein’ as how my grandma never left the swamps, nor had she ever so much as seen a white man. My grandma immediately decided mama had been touched by angels and my great-grandma decided my mama must have been the reincarnation of Aphrodite and was, indeed, blessed.

  “So, Mama grew up special out there in the swamp; the only white child amongst all those little black children. And, as Mama grew, my grandma and great-grandma passed along all the things they had learned in their homeland, making sure she knew all the secret potions and spells they’d been taught by their mothers.

  “Then, when Mama was thirteen, they sent her even deeper in the swamp to live with Mammy Love. Now, Mammy Love, she added all the unique potions and incantations Mama would need to keep a man happy and a woman satisfied.”

  Lawanda gave Mike a strange look and lowered her voice to a harsh whisper, “I'm sure you have heard the old song about a love potion?”

  Who hadn’t at one time or another? Mike nodded.

  “Well, it’s all true and more,” she said with a leer.

  Mike shuddered. Was Lawanda telling the truth? If so, could she solve his dilemma with Lainie? “Go on,” he urged, barely containing the excitement growing in his soul.

  Lawanda’s generous mouth tipped up at the corners. “My uncle, Emanuel, led Mama out of the swamp when she was sixteen and put her on a bus to Hotlanta where she met my daddy and the rest, as they say, is history.” Lawanda gave him a knowing look. “When I was old enough, Mama taught me everything she learned in those rugged backwaters and now, I’m carrying on the family…curse or business, whatever you want to call it.”

  Mike wasn’t sure he believed Lawanda, but he had to do something. Lainie was driving him crazy with her insatiable desire for a cock and her demands for sex at all hours of the day and night.

  Lawanda smirked. “So, let me guess. You’ve got problems. Right, Mr. Big Shot?” Her smile was nasty when she continued. “Can’t get it up any more?”

  Mike fought the urge to lean across the desk and slap her beautiful face. He’d never hit a woman in his life, but this morning he came close. The one thing stopping him was the possibility she could be telling the truth, and he could easily find himself a frog in a puddle before he had time to say he was sorry.

  What a stupid thought. Come on who was she bull shitting? She’d told him was pretty farfetched and less than 100% believable. She had to be making up much of it to keep the rumors flying around the company.

  He frowned and stared with rude machismo at Lawanda’s impressive breasts, barely contained in her flowing dress. Her intimation he had a hard time keeping his cock up fueled his anger. “Get fuckin’ real, Lawanda. I don’t have any problems 'getting it up' as you so finely put it, I could probably fuck you under the table, lady.”

  Lawanda met his challenging words with a grin. “I think I like you, big man. Maybe some other day, honey we can test you’re theory, but I’m busy today.”

  Mike chuckled. Oh, she was good, giving back as good as she got. Someday he might be tempted to take her up on her challenge, but not today. He studied his adversary a moment. “Actually, Lawanda, it isn’t me with the problem…it’s my wife.”

  Lawanda sat, silently smiling.

  “I’m going to be frank about this. My wife…wants…a…penis. You understand? She wants a cock.”

  “Really?” Lawanda's laugh was musical.

  Mike snickered. When you actually thought about it, it was pretty funny. Most women weren’t like his Lainie. “Yeah, a nice, big, firm cock of her own.”

  “Well, that’s a new one on me, honey.” Lawand
a rolled her eyes and chuckled.

  “I know. She seems to want mine, as a matter of fact. I have no idea how to satisfy her desire for a cock. Do you have any ideas?”

  This time Lawanda gave a hoot. “Are you kidding? No. I’ve never run into this situation before. I doubt my mama has either. But, give me a day or two to consult my books and my mama and I’ll get back to you.”

  For the first time in weeks Mike felt a touch of optimism. At least Lawanda had said she’d look into it. He’d been hoping to hear an encouraging word from the moment he’d gotten the crazy-assed idea to call her this morning.

  They sat staring at each other for a moment.

  “I can see your mind workin’, Mr. Big Shot. Whatcha thinkin’?”

  Mike leaned forward, clasped his hands and rested his chin on them. “Any idea how much this is going to cost me, Lawanda?”

  “It always comes down to money, doesn’t it? Money is the root of all evil.” Lawanda’s distain showed clearly on her face. “I can guarantee you it isn’t going to be cheap.”

  Of course not. Something this important couldn’t possibly be cheap. Mike shrugged with resignation. He stood and held out his hand, “Well, do what you have to do, and let me know as soon as possible. I’ll wait for your call.”

  Lawanda took his hand in hers, “One more thing. How much are you, as the person asking for help, willing to give, Mr. Sexy-man?”

  Mike looked deep into her bottomless eyes, “Whatever it takes.”

  “Then I guess we understand each other. I’ll get back to you in a day or two. Don’t call me…I’ll call you. You call me again, and you can forget any further help.”

  Lawanda left silent as a cat and Mike sat staring at the door for a long time. "Whatever it takes,” he kept repeating and knew it was true.

  Chapter Eight

  “What is taking so fucking long?” Mike wondered out loud. He’d given Lawanda plenty of time, for Chrissake. She'd said it would be a couple of days and it had been closer to two weeks without a word from her. He'd followed her orders. He hadn’t phoned her, hadn’t tried to reach her in any way, but damn it all, he couldn't take the tension any longer.