Ishtar Rising

by Natalie Gibson

  He left it there and stormed out. All attention was drawn from him by the vision standing in the doorway. He muttered something about 'what this world was coming to' and then was gone. Oren was back. He grinned at her, obviously over whatever had amazed him about the diner before. He pointed down at his feet. Kay just shook her head and laughed. His shoes were like a giant versions of the ones she was wearing, pink sequined with five inch heels.

  She got a menu for him before she remembered that he didn't speak English. That meant he probably couldn't read it either. It had pictures; he could point. She showed him to a table. Fitting him into a booth would have been impossible. He walked well in the feminine shoes, more gracefully than most women she knew. As if he didn't weigh anything, he nearly floated.

  She pulled out the chair for him but he ignored it in favor of kissing her. He wrapped his limbs around her waist and hoisted her up. He held her several feet off the ground, her chest pressed against his, and kissed her as if he had actually missed her for the hour they were apart. She was stunned to find that she had missed him too and allowed herself to melt into the kiss. It was wildly inappropriate for behavior in a restaurant but half a second in, Kay didn't care.

  Oren kissed like it was his profession. With complete abandon and all encompassing passion, their tongues tangled. A familiar voice broke her from her stupor. “Well I guess that answers my first question about Mr. Mysterious.”

  Charly Boi must have come in with Oren but Kay hadn't noticed. It was a testament to Oren's odd appearance and overall affect on her that she would miss Charly Boi's entrance. Charles, as only his mother called him, was gay and not in the 'regular guy who likes other guys' way. Charly Boi was flaming and black, and in a town like Calum, that made him stick out like, well, like a flaming gay black guy in a small east Texas town.

  Oren set her down and Tara Kay heard a woman say, “That explains where she's been. I might loose track of time if someone kissed me like that!”. Kay and Charly Boi hugged. She'd always liked him. They were childhood friends. He understood about the difficulties of being different. He bought her drugs and medicines. He'd even seen her tree, something not many Calumites had.

  Oren sat, crossing his legs at the knee. “Now see, the kiss said straight, but...” Charly Boi pointed with his wrist limp, pinkie out and zigzagged his pointer finger back and forth at Oren. “...all this, is screaming something else entirely. Please tell me that this magnificent creature is what I think he is, Special Kay.”

  He was the only one who used that nickname. It was one she picked out and wanted but nobody used it. She loved him a little bit more for it. She pushed him down into the chair opposite Oren and then took the chair between them. “Sorry, Charly Boi.”

  He cocked his head over to the side and smirked, “You sound mighty certain, little miss. And just how do you know where his appetite lies?” She didn't have to say anything. He already knew and was teasing her. “Ooo, honey! You are going to tell me every detail. But first we have got to do something about this look he's got going on. Outside he wouldn't answer any of my questions.”

  “He doesn't speak any English.” She pushed the menu over to Oren. She gestured eating and told him to pick what he wanted. She pointed to all the pictures and he nodded. “No, pick one.” She held up three fingers. “Not three.” She put one down. “Not two.” She left one finger raised. “One. Pick one dinner that looks good.” Oren seemed to understand and began to study the pictures a bit more carefully.

  “Where the hell did he come from and does he have a brother? Preferably one that likes cock.” Charly Boi leaned back in his chair and admired his view across the table.

  “I don't know. He just showed up. He doesn't have a stitch of clothing. I found that stuff he's wearing in my house. Not the shoes. I don't know where he got those. He doesn't have any money or id. He only speaks in a crazy language that sounds kind of middle eastern but sometimes the way he accents his words sounds Asian and sometimes it's almost Russian. I don't know where he's from, how he got here, nothing. Just that his name is Oren and he really likes to screw.”

  Charly Boi made a face like he was shocked and put his hand on his chest, but Kay knew he was just acting. He certainly had no ill feelings about a person getting what they needed physically from another. “I can't have him walking around like that. He's making me look vanilla! Me. I'll go see what they have that might fit him next door. What size shoes?”

  Kay leaned down and took the shoe off Oren's crossed foot. It was the oddest thing she'd ever seen. No tag, or print inside or out. There wasn't a stitch or seam anywhere. They seemed to be made in one piece and the material was soft like flower petals. The feel made her think of his penis and she tossed the thought aside. “Doesn't say. Just get the biggest thing they have.” She held the shoe up to Charly Boi's arm so he could get a measurement. It was longer than his forearm.

  “You know what they say about big feet.” He stood to go.

  She slipped it on Oren and oddly thought of Cinderella. “Yes. And here they would be absolutely right.” She mouthed 'HUGE' to him and Charly Boi laughed.

  “I'll be right back, Oren.”

  Oren stood and bowed slightly, saying, “DarlieeBoyee”.

  Charly Boi waved over his shoulder. Kay turned back to Oren as he sat. “Did you decide yet?” He pointed to an especially mouthwatering picture of a hamburger. “Hamburger with fries?” In the photo the burger was cut in half, exposing it's cross section. He pointed to the outside of the burger where it was crispy and blackened and shook his head. Then he pointed to the pink center and nodded furiously. “Rare. Got it.”

  She turned to see if Ashley's table was ready, having completely forgotten about them for a bit, but they were gone. They were the only ones though. Everyone else sat staring at her and Oren, waiting, expecting something. Fucking small town red-necks, she thought.

  She turned the order in to Marcos and ran around for a few minutes checking everyone's drink, making sure everyone's order was right. Regular waitress stuff. The whole time she moved around the room she was aware of Oren's hungry eyes on her. Everyone was watching her but she was acutely cognizant of his stare, not theirs. She walked a little smoother, rolled her hips a little more liquidly because of it. She wanted him to watch her. She wanted him to want her.

  “Where the hell have you been, Ms. Woods?!” The sheriff's voice startled her but not his tone. He had never liked her. He blamed her for Ashley's 'fall from grace'. He had tried to break them up at every turn. She, the daughter of a couple of dope heads, would never be good enough for his beloved son. He never accepted that Ashley was to blame for his own incarceration, not Kay.

  Sheriff Whitney Stout was not a big man, but, like his son, made up for his size in attitude. He had a kind of 'boy named Sue' complex. He talked with a big voice, way lower than it should have been. He must have wanted his boys to grow up with the same hardening experience because Whitney had named them Ashley and Jackie. He was handsome and slightly charming. He couldn't be an elected official if he wasn't. He also owned the liquor store on the county line. His store sold to minors. Every seventeen year old for fifty miles knew that. It was another reason for the animosity between him and Kay. She had provided the drugs that made his business less profitable.

  “I hardly think being a little late to work is a matter for the law.” Tara Kay quipped.

  “A little late to...” Eyes were moving back and forth between Kay and the law man like at they were watching the ball at a tennis game. “I don't think you realize the severity of the situation, Ms. Woods. You can't just disappear into the woods in the middle of the night. We had the whole force out looking for you this morning, scanning the area for your body. You were declared a missing person by Ashley. He thought you were dead.”

  “I spend a lot of time in the woods. I don't know why you're making such a big deal about this. I thought someone had to be missing for 72 hours before you could declare them a missing person anyway.”r />
  He stared at her for a minute before his face got red. “You've been missing since Sunday night!” When she just stared at him, he shouted, “It's Thursday!”

  Kay was too stunned to react. Thursday? That meant she had been high for three nights and three days. That wasn't possible, was it? Oren was less conflicted. He didn't like the way the man with the gold star had yelled at his Sinnis. He growled.

  Whitney grabbed her arm. “You need to come down to the station and fill out some paperwork. I've got some questions for you.”

  Before Kay could snatch her arm away, Whitney was gone. Oren had the sheriff by the throat at arms length four feet off the ground. Sheriff Stout struggled, trying to pry the sausage fingers from his neck. Oren roared in his face. It wasn't like a man yelling. It was as if they had a male lion in the diner. The glasses shook and the sheriff when still. Oren pulled Whitney's face close to his own and started singing. Singing, of all things!

  Kay rubbed her arm where the sheriff had grabbed her. The bruising he had caused was already gone. How on earth was she healing so quickly. And how did she lose three days! What was happening to her? Why the hell was Oren singing.

  Oren set Whitney down and then the sheriff did the strangest thing. He walked to the door and turned back, waved and said, “You folks have a nice day.”, then he left. Oren turned in a circle where he stood, locking eyes with each person in the diner for a second or two while he sang. He stopped singing and sat back down. Whatever spell he was weaving with his song, broke and all the patrons went back to eating and planning their afternoons.

  A couple orders came up and Margarete served them. The other waitress was acting just like all the customers. Like nothing had just happened. Like a green haired giant in pink stilettos hadn't just attacked their sheriff and then sang to them all in a foreign language. A few of them paid and left. Oren's burger was ready. Tara Kay served it to him and he just stared at it. Kay had to show him how to hold it, how to eat it. He ate it but didn't seem to be enjoying it. She banged out a blob of ketchup but again she had to show him how to eat it.

  Kay took a French fry, dipped it in the ketchup and popped it in her mouth. She chewed and then promptly spit it out into a napkin. It didn't taste good. It tasted like chemicals, like poison, not like food should taste. Maybe the ketchup had gone bad. She tried one without. It was better but still so chemically artificial. She spit it out too.

  “Don't order the fries today. Got it.” Charly Boi stood at their table with a plastic bag in each hand. “Come on handsome. Let's get you changed. Those clothes are not working for you. I even found some shoes that might fit.”

  Oren hadn't eaten any fries after seeing Kay's reaction to them and had struggled to get even just half of the sandwich. Kay pulled the plate away from him. “You don't have to eat that if you don't like it. You won't hurt my feelings. Go with Charly Boi and when you get back you can try my pie.”

  Charly Boi snorted and said something about thinking Oren had already tasted her pie enough. Kay punched his arm playfully like she had a million times. Charly Boi made a grimace and rotated his arm away from her. Had she hurt him?

  Oren stood and took his shirt off. When he reached for his waistband, Charly Boi grabbed his hand to stop him. “Easy there, Oren. He's not much on modesty, is he?”

  Kay laughed and shook her head as she cleared his plate. “You have no idea.” Oren stared at her as he was being dragged off to the bathroom. Again Kay felt like he had eyes only for her. In a backwoods place like this that wasn't a real accomplishment. Sure there were some pretty girls in high school. Youth was always attractive but women were past their primes faster around here. It might have something to do with how young most of them got married and started pumping out kids. They seemed worn out already at 25, haggard by 32.

  “Excuse me, Tara Kay. Did I hear you say something about pie?” A woman who had once been her math teacher asked from a booth nearby.

  “Yes ma'am. The orchard is producing again even though I neglected it for so long.”

  “You were away for a long time. Austin, wasn't it?” Mrs. McElhinny asked.

  Kay nodded. She had gone to Austin to join the Daughters of Women, a coven of witches, who had eventually given her an ultimatum. Stop using blood magic and selling to outsiders or go home. She had tried to join another coven called SOFE, Sorcerers of the Five Elements, who better understood her earth magic but they had disbanded after a traumatic event. It was an event that none could clearly remember but had robbed them all, including Kay, of their powers along with their memories.

  “Well I for one am glad you are back.” Mrs. McElhinny smiled genuinely at her. Kay knew she probably was more glad the pies were back. The whole town likely was.

  “I made a few on Sunday morning.” Granted that was longer ago than she would have guessed but the pies would still be good if there were any left. She was glad she drove them into town before her big night. “I think I saw some apple back there.”

  Margarete spoke up. “I just served the last piece of strawberry pie and the peach cobbler was gone on the same day you brought it in. There's a few slices of apple left and about 4 servings of blackberry cobbler.”

  Mrs. McElhinny ordered an apple and a few other patrons claimed everything else. Kay held back the last piece of blackberry for Oren and served the rest. She'd have to make more in the morning. She nuked them all in the microwave one by one and slung them. Some wanted ice cream and one even wanted melted cheddar on his apple slice but most ate them plain. They were good. Kay wondered how Mr. Glenn had kept this place afloat without her pies for the few years she was gone.

  Charly Boi came out and gave a little fanfare, 'dun-dunt-da-da-dun!', and presented his newest makeover. Oren strolled out of the little hallway that led to the restrooms. Kay nearly dropped his cobbler plate.

  “How'd I do?”

  Kay just gulped in reply.

  Oren looked so good. So masculine. All traces of flamboyancy were removed. Well, not all traces; he still had green hair, but it had been cut. It didn't reach his shoulders anymore. Charly Boi had cut and styled it so that loosely resembled a Mohawk but had a kind of tall, but shaggy flat top effect. Slicked forward on the sides, it brought attention away from the odd hair color to his handsome facial features and made him look younger.

  He had on a black tee-shirt, probably triple x, that hugged his every bulge. His chest was impressively sculpted but his arms were chiseled. The sleeves strained but couldn't cover so he had pushed them up to end above his biceps. The pants fit, but only barely. Kay usually hated camo clothes but the military cargo pants looked good on Oren. Charly Boi knew how she felt about hunting camouflage being worn as everyday fashion (it happened a lot in Calum) so they were probably the only pair he thought would fit. The shoes were black converse, probably vintage by the look.

  Charly Boi saw her eyes get to the feet. “Hope was so excited that she'd found a use for those shoes that she just gave them to me. She said she's had them in the back for at least ten years. She didn't think anyone with a size 22 would ever come into her store.” He set the bags down in one of the empty chairs of Oren's table. “I got some extra tee-shirts and a couple of stretchy cotton athletic shorts. He won't wear anything under so I'm taking back the underwear. I'm also taking the gargantuan pink heels to her. She expressed interest in them. I think she'll sell them on eBay for him. He'll need some more changes of clothes but this was everything that would fit. Hope's going to look through all her stock and see what else she has.”

  Kay still hadn't said a word so Charly Boi gave her a one armed side hug. “Pie's getting cold.” He gave her a peck on the cheek. “I'm glad you're back. Love you, Special Kay.” He picked up the pink shoes and left.

  Kay barely noticed. She put the dark purple cobbler with flaky homemade crust and gooey dumplings in front of him and managed to stammer out, “B...bl..blackberry...all that's left.”

  Oren looked at the dessert from several angles. He didn't
know how to eat something that messy. Kay realized his troubles and wondered what kind of man didn't know about forks and spoons. She fed him the first bite with his spoon. His eyes lit up, and not in the colloquial saying way. They actually lit up. They glowed for a minute and he smiled. She gave him the spoon. He tried to use it but the difference in size between his maw of a hand and the delicate plastic spoon were too much. Kay got him a serving spoon and he gulped the sweet goo pile down in three bites.

  Oren snaked an arm around Kay's waist and pulled her down onto his lap. He put a finger under her chin and lifted her face so he could see her better. He lowered his mouth on to hers and as his lips skated across hers, her furnace ignited. She had to have him right then. Job and modesty be damned.

  She pushed her tongue into his mouth and the slight aggression seemed to tip him over the edge. He jerked the front of her uniform, popping off three buttons and slipped his hand inside to cup her breast. He palmed the right one hard and then petted it. He moved up over it, letting the soft weight fall and then slid back down, pausing to pay attention to the nipple. He pinched and pulled it into a peak. Her left breast was being stimulated too by his forearm sliding on the outside of her uniform. She hadn't had a bra or panties in the old house or car, just her uniform and the stripper shoes so she was commando today. When he removed his hand from her shirt and placed it on her leg she groaned against his mouth. She lost her breath when he pushed under her hem and found her nude underneath.

  He fingered her in the middle of the cafe. His other hand rubbed her back and rear and then came to rest on her shoulder. He pressed her down so that she could feel his erection. She was about to come but suddenly her senses came back to her and she realized where she was. She opened her eyes and stood. She held her dress together in front but no one was looking at them. They seemed to not have noticed anything.