Black Hearts Dance

by Gerald Lopez

  Chapter 53

  Show and Tell Time

  MRS. BENTON took my arm and we walked down a path toward the rear of the property which was at least a few acres in size.

  “We back onto a large lake,” Mrs. Benton said. “My Aunt Delilah succeeded in getting pregnant by Mr. Carson—she so wanted that court above everything else, but could never see how impossible a dream it was. When Mr. Carson found out she was pregnant, he was furious. I’ve read several versions of what happened in journals and accounts left here in the private library. Delilah kept everything related to those events.”

  “What did happen?” Shannon said.

  “Mr. Carson stormed into the bordello filled with rage and out for blood,” Mrs. Benton said. “He knocked Josiah to the ground when he tried to stop him from going upstairs to Delilah’s room. Every account I’ve read said there was no man that could stop Mr. Carson that night. And Delilah was stupid enough to taunt and berate him. Telling him that their children would be heirs to the court or she’d tell everyone about what Mr. Carson and Josiah had done in her place. She would reveal the truth about the Black Hearts Dances, that they were places for men to be with other men. She’d make sure that everyone would hear about Mr. Carson having been with a black man.”

  “It would’ve ruined him,” Delilah said.

  “They would’ve lynched him for it,” Mrs. Benton said, “and he knew it. The accounts I read said that Delilah rubbed her swollen belly, and smiled wickedly at Mr. Carson, making him angry to the point he grabbed for her. That was when she pulled out a knife. It was a warm summer night and the doors leading to the balcony off her room were open. Delilah went after Mr. Carson with her knife and he swung at her blindly. The two ended up out on the balcony and before anyone could do anything Delilah had fallen against the railing which broke from the force and she plummeted to the ground below. It wasn’t that high to fall from and Delilah recovered, but she lost her babies. She would’ve had triplets.”

  I shuddered when I heard the number three, and felt Alex’s hand on my shoulder.

  “It’s just a number, Layton,” Shannon said. Mrs. Benton looked at her. “Layton doesn’t like the number three, he’s had to deal with it a few times, in not so good ways.”

  “Don’t be fearful of things lest you give them power over you,” Mrs. Benton said, then she turned and walked to a statue of three angels under a tree. “They say that the remains of the triplets were buried under this statue. No accounts can say for sure whether Mr. Carson threw Delilah off the balcony on purpose or if it was an accident. The law showed up, but there was a never any official investigation. I’m inclined to believe it was an accident, but who can ever know for sure. Delilah always said Mr. Carson had murdered her babies and she would have her revenge.”

  “By taking the children he had with Veronica away,” Shannon said. “A woman’s cruel vengeance.”

  “Yes,” Mrs. Benton said. “Delilah couldn’t conceive children after the fall, so she would force Veronica to be her brood mare.” She started walking again toward a small brick room nestled under trees.

  “What does this building have to do with anything?” Delilah said. “Nobody’s ever been allowed near it.”

  “This is where they kept Veronica,” Mrs. Benton said. “They charged a high price for her services because she was a white lady from high society. The men all had to wear protection so she wouldn’t get pregnant by anyone but Josiah. And that evil Delilah would stand there herself and watch to make sure the men wouldn’t get Veronica pregnant. Secretly she enjoyed seeing what they did to Veronica. You read some of the accounts I showed you, Forrest—tell them.”

  “It would curl your hair on end,” Forrest said. “Delilah was consumed with revenge and hate for the Carson family.”

  “After your people decide whether or not they want to look at the building, I’ll have it torn down,” Mrs. Benton told Forrest.

  “Could I take a look at it too?” Shannon said. “After the police do, of course.”

  “That’s why you’re here, my dear,” Mrs. Benton said. “Isabel told me you were writing a story about the court. It seemed to me that a young black woman would be just the person to write the full account of what happened there and here.”

  “How did Veronica get away?” I said.

  “Josiah broke down one night and told his mother everything,” Mrs. Benton said. “He told her he feared for his soul, but he was terrified of his Aunt Delilah. That night Miss Morelle saw what happened to Veronica with her own eyes. I suspect that as a woman who’d been raped three times by the same man she could relate to Veronica’s situation.”

  “What?” I said.

  “In Martinique,” Mrs. Benton said. “Delilah wrote that her younger sister had been raped by the same man on more than one occasion and children were born from it. Nobody would lay a hand against the man because he had money and influence. On one visit Delilah somehow managed to blackmail the man into giving her the money to start this very brothel. After the birth of Moses, she told the same man that she’d kill him if he ever touched Luisa again. The man did touch Luisa again and impregnated her with Javina. In time, Delilah herself mixed the poison that killed the father of Javina, Moses, and Josiah. Then Delilah brought Luisa and the children here.”

  “That really will make one helluva story,” I said.

  “Truth is often worse than any fiction,” Mrs. Benton said. “Anyway, Luisa managed to free Veronica and get away. They had to leave Florida and go to North Carolina in order to get help. Authorities from out of town and out of state rounded up everyone directly involved in what happened to Veronica. The trial was a speedy one since Josiah confessed everything in a bid to save his soul.”

  “But why was everything kept so secret?” Forrest said.

  “For the sake of the children involved, Veronica’s delicate mental state at the time, and Mr. Carson’s reputation. This house held a lot of secrets then… and still does today. Veronica’s twins were separated and raised well. On this side I knew of all the family connections from my mother who learned it from my grandfather. Eventually either my daughter or I would’ve told it to my granddaughter. It was decided a long time ago to keep the other side of the family in the dark about things. But we remained acquainted with one another. The court was always open to us as a safe place free from prejudice and strife—and not just us. Every year there would be a debutante ball held for the girls in the neighborhood, whether they be black, white, or anything in between.”

  “I bet the neighbors loved that,” Shannon said.

  “They knew,” Alex said. “That’s why it was accepted. Everything that happened couldn’t be kept a complete secret from everyone.”

  “Oh people knew or thought they knew about certain things and they were kind to us, Veronica, and the others because of it,” Mrs. Benton said. This has been a good place to live for me and I think at long last some of the ghosts here can be at peace now that the truth has finally come out. Who wants another pina colada? I’ll need something a bit stiffer when I fill my granddaughter Delilah in on all the details.”

  We stayed and talked a while, then Forrest said he had to take the books and information Mrs. Benton had given him to the station. I thanked Mrs. Benton and Delilah and told them they’d always be welcome at the court, then left with Shannon and Alex.

  WHEN WE got back to the court, Alex and I walked Shannon to the guesthouse then went to our bedroom.

  “What a night, huh,?’ Alex said.

  “You can say that again… but please don’t.” I stripped out of my clothes and shoes, then pulled on some shorts, a tank top, and my flip-flops. “I’m wired after all that, what’s say we take Rory up on his offer of a drink by the pool.”

  “Sounds good to me, provided ghosts and journals aren’t involved.”

  “I’ll try to do my best to follow your orders, but I can’t make any promises.”

  Chapter 54

  A Drink and a Dip

&nbs
p; ALEX HAD also changed into shorts, a tank top, and flip-flops, and we walked hand in hand to the pool house.

  “Are you OK, Alex?” I said, then gave his hand a squeeze.

  “That’s funny, I was about to ask you the same thing. I actually would just love to be distracted from everything for tonight. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

  I hugged Alex and smiled. “Let’s see what we can do about that.”

  When we got to the gate in the fence surrounding the pool we found it unlocked and opened the latch.

  “Hey, fellows, come on in,” Rory said. “I’d given up hope on you two coming over tonight.” He was wet and naked in the moonlight.

  “We’re not interrupting anything, are we?” I said.

  “Naw, I was just coming up from a dip in the pool and was gonna fix myself a mango mojito. Should I get dressed?”

  “Don’t bother on my account,” I said, then looked at Alex.

  “Its just good ole’, Rory,” Alex said.

  “Good then,” Rory said. “I really do hate clothes. Why don’t I fix the three of us some mango mojitos. You have a sweet tooth, Layton, so you’ll like them.”

  “Sounds great,” I said.

  “OK, then, I’ll be back in a couple minutes,” Rory said, then went in the house.

  “Are you distracted yet?” I said to Alex, then hugged him from behind.

  “Well,” Alex said, then turned to face me and whisper. “I wonder if Rory will use that long, famous dangle of his to mix our drinks.” He chuckled.

  “It is a thin, but long dangle, perfect for stirring drinks I would think,” I said, then grinned.

  “You’re bad,” Alex said.

  “So are you, more than I’d originally thought,” I said, then put my hand on his crotch. “You’re hard too. I wonder if it’s from seeing ‘The Dangler’ naked.” I tickled Alex’s side and he giggled, then grabbed my crotch.

  “You’re excited too.”

  “I’m a guy, what can I say? There was a naked dangle in front of me and a gorgeous man in my arms. How could I not be excited?” Alex giggled again and I had a mischievous thought. “Maybe we both need a cold dip.”

  “No,” Alex said. “Don’t you dare.”

  “Before he could fight or argue I’d lifted him up, and jumped into the deep end of the pool with him in my arms.

  “I can’t believe you did that!” Alex said when we were above the water. “It’s… hold on… it’s nice and warm in here.”

  “It’s our body heat making the water warm,” I said, then kissed Alex.

  “It’s a heated pool, fool,” Alex said.

  “Don’t you think the two of us could make this water boil with the sexual heat between our bodies?” I chuckled.

  “You’re crazy… and no I don’t think we could heat this water up with just our bodies.”

  “I am crazy,” I said, then kissed him. “Crazy for you.”

  We were kissing again when Rory came outside with a drink in his hand.

  “I only have one drink done, but I heard you jump in the pool and when I looked, I noticed you were dressed,” Rory said.

  “Is that a problem?” I said.

  “When you try and walk home in wet clothes it will be. Hand them over and I’ll put them in the dryer.”

  We stripped and put our wet clothes on the floor in front of Rory who handed me the drink.

  “Rory, can I ask you a crazy question?”

  “Shoot,” Rory said.

  “You kind of get with a lot of people,” I said. “Are you safe and disease free?”

  “Yes, I am. Why do you ask?”

  Alex gave me a strange look, but I spoke again. “Alex and I were talking while you were inside and—”

  “Oh, no, Layton, don’t say it,” Alex said.

  “It’s just good ole’ Rory,” I said, then turned to Rory again. “As I was saying. Alex and I were talking about how that wondrous dangle would make a perfect drink stirrer and were wondering if you’d stir our drink for us.”

  Alex laughed, then put his hand over his mouth.

  “Believe it or not that’s not the first time someone has requested the services of ‘the dangle’ to stir their drink.”

  I held my drink up toward Rory and he put his cock in it and stirred. Then I beckoned Alex over with my finger.

  “Together,” I said.

  “Always,” Alex said, then we both drank from the glass at the same time. “Mmm, tasty.”

  I laughed so hard at Alex’s comment that I spit some of the drink out of my mouth. “It was mighty good, brother,” I said, to Rory.

  “Let me get another for you two,” Rory said.

  “And one for you,” I said.

  Rory smiled, then walked back in the house. Alex and I looked at each other and laughed. I drank some more of the mango mojito, then handed the glass to Alex who drank some.

  “This really is a delicious drink,” I said. “I can’t even taste the alcohol.”

  “It is good,” Alex said. “And that extra ingredient adds just the right kick.”

  “Huh?” I said.

  “That bit of essence of dangler,” Alex said, then drank some more and giggled.

  “Was there alcohol in our pina coladas, after all?” I said.

  “I don’t think so,” Alex said, then wrapped his arms around my neck and straddled me. I hoisted him onto my waist and he tightened his legs around me and we kissed. “I feel like being naughty.” He kissed me again with lots of tongue this time.

  “Not in a supernaturally induced way, I hope,” I said.

  “No, dummy,” Alex said. “It’s just Javina’s journals were so sad, and hearing what happened from Mrs. Benton was sad too. Is it wrong for me to say I want to lose myself tonight, just for a little while?”

  “No, that’s not wrong,” I said. “You’re with me and I’m with you. We’re OK. Feel free to lose yourself. Tonight for a change, I’ll follow your lead… boss. Maybe I’ll even show you my wondrous dangle before the night is out.”

  “Promises, promises.” He rubbed his wet ass against my cock and I held him closer.

  Rory reappeared with three drinks and walked to where we were.

  “I come bearing gifts,” Rory said. “Two drinks, one for each of you. And one for me.”

  Alex held up the first drink we’d gotten, then downed the remains of it in one gulp.

  “You guys look like you’re getting cosy, so I’ll leave your drinks and go,” Rory said.

  “Wait,” Alex said. “They haven’t been properly stirred yet.”

  Rory looked my way.

  “He’s the boss tonight,” I said.

  Alex held his drink up and Rory used his cock to stir it like he’d done before.

  “Alex swears essence of dangler adds to the mojito,” I said, then smiled while Alex tasted his drink.

  “Mmm, it does,” Alex said.

  “You should taste it straight from the source,” Rory said, then laughed.

  Alex bent over and engulfed Rory’s cock with his mouth, leaving both Rory and me in shock. As he pulled away Alex licked the shaft then his lips. “Cock and mango mojito, I highly recommend the mix.”

  “OK,” I said, then smiled, shrugged and held my glass out to Rory, who stirred it.

  When I’d tasted it I looked at Alex.

  “Don’t you want to taste it straight from the source?” Alex said, then giggled.

  I’d been concerned, but when I heard his giggle and saw his eyes light up I knew he was having fun losing himself in the moment with me there. It was nothing supernatural, just the two of us having fun with a friend. I leaned over and took Rory’s cock in my mouth. The combination of mango mojito and cock did taste good. I licked a drop of the sweet mojito off the tip of Rory’s cock before I turned to Alex and spoke. “I’m not greedy, I’ll share.” I kissed Alex and put my tongue in his mouth.

  “Um, Listen, guys,” Rory said.

  I looked at Rory, then at Alex unsure of what woul
d happen next. Then Alex winked at me and spoke.

  “He’s not in the way, is he, Layton?”

  “No,” I said, unsure of myself, then something inside me said what the hell, there’s enough sadness in the world. Why not lose ourselves tonight. “He’s not in the way at all.” I reached up and pulled a surprised Rory down into the water with us and kissed him on the lips. “You had some mango mojito on your lips,” I said. “I had to wipe it off.” As he laughed I pulled him onto my lap next to Alex.

  “You missed a spot on his mouth, Layton,” Alex said, then kissed Rory. It was hot, but strangely fun or funny too and we all laughed. I held onto the side of the pool and floated with my knees bent to provide a sitting area for both my companions as we drank mango mojitos and kissed. What had started off as one of us kissing Rory at a time turned into the three of us kissing.

  “You both taste the same,” Rory said.

  “Oh, yeah,” I said.

  “Like mango mojito,” Rory said. We laughed again and Rory sighed. “This is happening because today was so tough with reading that little girl’s account of things.”

  “You don’t give yourself enough credit, Rory,” Alex said. “I thought you and Layton looked handsome standing next to one another when we first met.”

  “Really?” Rory said. “Did you know that, Layton?”

  “Oh, yeah,”I said, while shaking my head no and smiling. “But, he’s the boss of me you know.”

  “He seems like a good boss to me,” Rory said. “Damn, Layton, you are rock hard.”

  “What the fuck, man?” I said. “I have two naked hunks in my lap, why wouldn’t I be hard?”

  “We’ve officially gone nuts,” Alex said. “Especially me.”

  “No, we haven’t,” I said, then spotted the large round lounger with orange cushions in the corner. It had a half circle wicker top over part of it to shade people from the sun. “That wasn’t here before.”

  “Nope,” Rory said. “It’s brand, spanking new. Nice, isn’t it. Wanna try it out?”