by Silke Ming
“Does that mean you’re not going to take it?” he asked, gazing at her.
“I didn’t say that either. All I want is a chance to hear what the position is all about.”
“That’s exactly what I mean,” he said, laying his brushes down. “I decided to take the year off so that we could have fun together, but it seems as if I will be going off alone.”
“That’s blackmail, Seamus,” she shouted. “Don’t do this to me.”
“I thought we had a made a deal, but now I know I’m not that important to you.”
“Of course you’re very important to me, Seamus. I would like to hear what the position is all about. I’m not leaving you,” she said, getting up from her crouched position. “You are my life.”
“Then don’t leave me, Summer. I love you more than life itself.”
“I know that, but just give me a chance to see what this job is all about.”
He stared down at her, and then he smiled. It was not a smile of happiness but one that said, “Go ahead and check the job out.”
“Are you coming back to bed?” she asked.
He stood up and held her hand and they walked out the door. He turned the light off and they returned to the bedroom. She threw her robe to the bottom of the bed and they climbed in. She snuggled close to him since it was still frigid in the room.
“By the way, that’s quite a good likeness of Tahiti that you painted,” she said.
“I’m glad you approve,” he replied.
“I don’t think I can sleep anymore,” she said. “I guess I, too, have jet lag.”
“What do you think is happening in Tahiti at the moment?” he asked.
“What time is it there now?” she asked.
“I don’t know. It’s six hours behind us, or is it ahead of us?”
“I can’t remember,” she said, running her hand through his hair.
“It would be nice to live somewhere in the tropics,” he said.
She didn’t reply.
“What do you think?” he asked, kissing her on the neck.
“Seamus?” she said.
“Yes,” he replied.
“Why did you bring up the dream tonight? I thought that being honest with you would make life easier for us,” she said, her eyes opened in the darkness.
“I’m sorry, Summer. I shouldn’t have done that,” he said, snuggling closer to her. “I don’t know why I have this feeling, that you are moving farther away from me.”
“I don’t understand why you feel that way, Seamus. I love you. I haven’t felt this way about anyone in a long time.”
“Do you really love me?” he asked.
She flicked on the bedside lamp, sat up, and stared at him.
“Seamus Balsam, I love you. There is no one who can replace you in my heart.”
He held her and squeezed her then turned on his side to face her. He ran the back of his hand along the side of her face as he stared at her.
“I never thought anyone would come into my life and love me for who I am,” he said.
“Oh, Seamus,” she replied, hugging him tightly.
“Quite a few women passed through my life, Summer. As a matter of fact, there were not a few, there were many women, but I just couldn’t let any of them get too close,” he said with a loud sigh.
Stretching out on the bed, he put his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling. She kept looking at him, but did not want to interrupt his thoughts.
“You were lucky, Summer. You had a loving mother,” he said, turning his head and addressing her. “Mine deserted me. She left me with that cruel son of a bitch. She knew what he was like, but I guess it was self-preservation. What makes me angry is that she never looked back. I don’t know if she is alive or dead.”
“Are you referring to your father?” Summer asked, propping herself on one elbow.
“I never call him my father,” he said with bitterness in his voice. “He was the man who planted a seed inside of a woman, and I was the result.”
“Isn’t he a constant reminder each time you see his face in that portrait?”
“Yes,” he replied.
“Then why don’t you move it and stow it away?”
“You wouldn’t understand, Summer.”
“Try me,” she said, staring into his face.
“He stipulated in his will, that the stupid painting must remain there for as I long as I occupy this house.”
“He is dead, Seamus, and the house is yours,” she said, hugging him. “Don’t allow him to have this power over you. He can’t do anything to you. He is gone.”
“I was tired of the beatings and the insults. Whenever he opened his mouth, he said I was going to be just like my mother, so I had to get out of there.”
“What did you do?” she asked, intertwining her fingers with his.
“I ran away from home when I was sixteen. That’s when I met Marianna. She was eighteen and had just started working as a waitress. I went to the restaurant one day and we started to talk. She said if I had nowhere to go, I could stay with her until I found a place of my own. So I moved into her tiny loft apartment with my paint brushes and a duffle bag,” he said, pulling her closer.
“So you became lovers?”
“Not at first, but after we did, we decided to marry,” he said. “Yes, Marianna was a nice lady. She encouraged me to work hard and on my very first show, I met the Podestas. Fred bought two paintings and showed interest in seeing more, so we invited him to our home to have a look. He realised we were just getting by and offered to assist me.”
“What did Marianna think about the Podestas?”
“She liked them very much, especially Fred. However, Lana started to monopolize my life and my time. She was always in the apartment even when Marianna was at work. My wife wasn’t stupid and she realized that something was going on. She wasn’t very sure about Fred, but because he always showed up late at night, she knew that something wasn’t right. One night when she came in from work and saw him there, she gave me an ultimatum. The Podestas or her! I was young and stupid. I never thought she would leave me, but one day I came home and she was gone.”
“When did you move to this house?” she asked.
“About six years ago. One day I received a registered letter from a lawyer. It said that he had died and asked if I would come to his office. At least he remembered I was his son. He left me this home with this ridiculous stipulation.”
“Does anyone visit you to see if it’s still hanging there?”
“No, the lawyer also probably thought it was a stupid idea, and has never once shown up here.”
“His eyes follow me everywhere, as if to ask what I am doing here,” she said.
“The more I see his face, the more I dislike him,” he said, running his hand up and down her back.
“Let’s move it,” she said, sitting up and looking at him. “We can hang something else in its place.”
“I’m not sure, Summer. I just don’t want to tempt fate.”
“I didn’t know you were superstitious,” she said, laughing.
“I’m not superstitious!”
“You have nothing to lose. Let’s put something else there.”
“Let me think about it, Summer. Let’s try to sleep,” he said, pulling her closer and turning out the light.
“Do you think we’ve seen the last of Lana?” she whispered in the darkness.
“I think so. Since I didn’t help them when she showed up at the door, I’m sure she is pissed with me, but there was no way I was going to put you through that. I guess I had a flashback of my life with Marianna, and the part they both played in our breakup.”
She hugged him tighter.
“Goodnight, Seamus,” she whispered. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Summer.”
* * * *
The following morning Summer awoke to the sound of Millie moving around the house. She turned over and looked at Seamus. He seemed so peaceful.
He looked like an innocent little boy. As soon as she slipped out of bed, his hand reached out and felt for her. Finding an empty place beside him, he opened his eyes and looked around. He smiled at her and beckoned her to him.
“How do you feel this morning?” she asked.
“I feel good. With you beside me, I will always feel good.”
She kissed him on his forehead.
“Get up,” she said to him. “We’ve got something to do today.”
He stared at her.
“What do we have to do?” he asked.
“I’ll remind you after you’ve showered. Millie is already down there,” she said.
“Are you going to shower with me?” he asked, lifting his legs off the bed.
“Come on. Let’s go,” she said, heading for the bathroom.
She dropped her robe to the floor and stepped under the shower. He joined her, and they were soon soaping and massaging each other’s bodies.
“There is trouble,” he said to her.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, stepping away from the water.
“He wants you,” he said, pushing her hand between his thighs.
“Uhhh! He definitely does,” she said, stroking it gently.
“Should we give him what he wants?” he asked, kneading her breasts.
“We must be fast, because Millie is in the house.”
He spun her around and gently rubbed her clit. She spread her legs for him, and she melted as his hands began exploring her. Two fingers probed deep inside, putting her into a trance-like state, and she gasped loudly as he replaced them with his cock. The water beat down on their bodies as they worked themselves into a state of euphoria.
“I want to stay inside you like this forever,” he said, pounding into her.
She could feel him deep inside her, massaging and stroking her. He lifted one of her legs and plunged himself deeply into her while he sucked greedily on her breast. His speed increased and he came, filling her with his juices. He rested his head against the wall while his hand remained on her breast, squeezing and kneading it.
“I’m sorry, Summer,” he whispered. “I couldn’t help it, but I’m going to make it up to you.”
His dick slowly slipped out of her, hanging its limp head.
“I’m going to kiss you until you come,” he whispered, his voice hot with lust.
He worked his way down her body, and his tongue probed her. She writhed and groaned deeply. He flicked the tip of his tongue over her clitoris and she gasped, her body moving forward to meet his. Two fingers now inside and his tongue exploring her, she soon came, bucking and gyrating to his touch. He stood up and pinned her body to the wall, his body grinding against hers and his tongue plunging deeply down her throat.
Finally it was over and they washed each other’s bodies and stepped out of the shower, physically and mentally drained.
“I have an idea,” she said, looking up at him.
“I know you’re going to tell me what you’re thinking,” he said, caressing her still-warm sex.
“This is where you should hang the painting,” she said, smiling.
“Never,” he said, laughing. “I don’t want to have him watching my every intimate moment.”
Chapter Eight
“Good morning, Millie,” Summer called out.
“What’s for breakfast this morning?” Seamus asked, throwing his arm around the woman’s shoulders.
Millie stared up at him then at Summer. The previous evening, the two of them had not been on speaking terms. Today it was a completely different story. The telephone started to ring and he left to answer it.
“Today you are snugger than two bugs in a rug,” Millie said.
“You know how he is,” she replied.
“He needs a lot of love,” Millie replied. “I can see that, but you must stand your ground and not let him always have his way.”
Before she could reply, Seamus returned to join them.
“It’s for you,” he said. “It’s Toby.”
She jumped up, took the phone from him, and walked into the living room.
“So what’s for breakfast?” Seamus asked again.
“What would you like, my son?” she asked, running her hand through his unruly hair.
He was soon sitting at the table feasting on oatmeal, toast, and coffee.
“Welcome home, my friend,” said Toby. “Tell me all about Bora Bora and Tahiti. Seamus said you had a wonderful time.”
“I didn’t want to come home. You can’t imagine how beautiful it was. The blue water, the golden sand, and the friendly people! I can’t wait to get back there.”
“Does Seamus also want to go back?”
“He loved it, but I don’t know if he is really willing to give up everything here, to settle on a tropical island.”
“Take me, honey. I’ll go with you,” her friend replied.
“How is Joshua?”
“Still as sweet as ever,” he replied. “I keep pinching myself and wondering how I got so lucky.”
“Is there anything new going on around town?” she asked, turning around to look behind her.
“I guess you heard Lana and her husband have called it quits.”
“We saw that on the Internet,” he replied. “Did you hear the rest of it?”
“What?” she asked, nervously.
“I was going to e-mail this to you, but Joshua said it might only spoil your holiday.”
“What is it?” she shouted.
“One of Lana’s friends apparently stole her diary, and is now blackmailing her,” he said. “Nobody seems to know about it yet, but I got it from Joshua. You know when these high society people sit down, they gossip. He overheard it at some soiree he attended.”
“What secrets could she have in her diary?”
“I don’t know. Whatever it is, she seems to be paying her friend dearly to keep it quiet.”
“Did you tell Seamus anything about it?”
“No, I didn’t. I thought I should tell it to you and let you handle it.”
“We should meet for lunch and discuss this at length,” she said. “Then I can tell you all about our vacation.”
“That would be a fab idea. Just you and me,” he replied. “How about tomorrow?”
“Let me talk to Seamus and I’ll get back to you.”
* * * *
“What did they say?” asked Seamus, after she called the university.
“I will be able to work from home most of the time, and only if there is an emergency would I have to go in.”
“That sounds interesting.”
“It’s only an hour and a half away, and if I am successful, I must go in two days per month.”
“You’ll have to get up early and fight your way through traffic each morning,” he said. “Perhaps you should overnight there.”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“Of course not, but I think it is the sensible thing to do.”
“I never said I had taken the job,” she said, noticing the unhappy look on his face.
“What are you saying, Summer?”
“I’ve got to go for the interview on Friday morning. Once I have more information, I will make the decision.”
“Would you like me to go with you?” he asked.
“That won’t be necessary, Seamus. I should be back shortly after midday. You can use the time to find a replacement for that painting,” she said, pointing to the portrait of David Balsam.
“Yes, I forgot all about all him.”
“What are you going to put there?” she asked.
“I haven’t the slightest idea.”
“I know what you can put there,” she said. “How about the painting you made of Tahiti.”
“It’s not quite finished. I have a better idea. I want to put your portrait there,” he replied, staring up at the austere face of his father. “I want to see your beautiful face whenever I enter the house, and not his.”
“Bu
t you don’t have a portrait of me.”
“That can change very quickly,” he said.
* * * *
“Bye, Seamus,” she called out as she set off for her luncheon appointment with Toby.
“See you later,” he said, looking down from the upper landing.
She said good-bye to Millie and was on her way into Whitney.
“Tahiti has certainly agreed with you,” said Toby, hugging and kissing her. “You look so healthy.”
“I wish we were still there,” she said. “Thanks for the great suggestion.”
“So what did you bring me?” he asked, staring at her purse and laughing.
She pulled a small bag from her purse and handed it to him.
“I was just joking,” he said. “There was no need to bring me anything.”
“Do you like it?” she asked.
“I love it,” he said, looking at the mother-of-pearl carving.
“It’s for your chain. This one is for Joshua,” she said, handing him a second bag.
“Now people looking at us will know we belong together,” he said with his trademark cackle.
“I’m dying to hear the gossip about Lana,” she said.
“Who knows what’s in the diary,” he said. “All I know is that her friend is blackmailing her, and she has to pay out some heavy dollars to keep her quiet.”
“Where does she live now?”
“She’s still in the house, and Freddy has moved to an apartment, not too far away from me.”
“Well that ought to keep her out of our hair for a while. I wonder what’s in the diary.”
“Let’s hope it has nothing to do with Seamus,” he said.
“When it comes to Lana, who knows?”
“If it has anything to do with Seamus, what will you do?”
“There’s nothing I can do. It’s all in the past, and it’s not as if I will be finding out for the first time that he had been sleeping with her.”
“You won’t run off again?” asked Toby, looking directly at her.
“No, Toby. I’m here to stay.”
“Tell me about Tahiti and Bora Bora,” he said.
“Paradis,” she said, mimicking Jean-Louis.
