Aversion

Aversion



Part One



White walls, light blue bed linens, soft-colored uniforms, linoleum floors – this hospital was like any other, with the exception of the specialty operations it performed. True, looks could be deceiving, but there were no hidden motives about this institution – it was a building full of the best surgeons in their respective fields; one of many reason William Bradley chose that specific location.



“Sir, we are nearly letelete in preparations for the procedure. Will you be needing anything else before we begin?” The anesthesiologist wore clothing similar to the doctors and the nurses – pale, soft pastel toned scrubs and a personalized cap atop his head. The man smiled at Mr. Bradley, his features seemed genuinely warm and compassionate.



“No, just put me under.” William Bradley closed his eyes as the small mask was placed over his mouth.



“Count to five, Mr. Bradley.”



“One…” the needle was placed in the device in his arm, the numbing liquid coursing itself through his veins. “…two…” a strange, hot feeling filled his arm, then ran up to the back of his head. “…thr…” before he could utter the word, a tranquil feeling overtook his senses, and a dark, empty black image streamed in his mind, and his eyes saw no more until he awoke several hours later.









The surgeon lightly tapped her arm lightly. “Heidi?”



She was still lethargic from the drugs in her system, the drugs that numbed her body for the extremely painful procedure. “Hmmf?”



Doctor Fox smiled broadly as he watched Heidi’s eyes blink several times, the open. “You are in the recovery room, dear. Everything went well, just as planned. As a matter of fact, we actually completed the surgery several minutes early.”



“God, I can still feel the anesthetic in me.” She bent her long, feminine fingers into her palm, forcing a tight fist. “I know that my fingernails are cutting into my palm, but I can’t quite feel the pain.”



“It will wear off soon.” Doctor Fox stroked her hair.



“Why are you still here?”



“I wanted to be the first person you saw when you opened your eyes.”



Heidi grinned, yet when she tried to giggle, she held herself back. “It’s gonna hurt like hell if I try to laugh, isn’t it?”



“Perhaps not right away, but it will be painful once the anesthesia wears off.”



“How long will that be?”



“About thirty minutes.”



“Soyou you kissed me, I wouldn’t really feel it?”



“No, but I will.” He leaned into her and softly brushed his lips atop hers.



“This is going to suck for the sex life, Greg.”



“For now. But think – after this, we have these lovely mountains to caress together.”



“How much bigger did you make them?”



“You went from a C cup to a double D.”



“Jesus Christ, I’m going to tip over.”



“I doubt it. I will admit, it’s going to be hard leaving for work at night when I know I could come to your place and fondle you all night instead of deal with these insecure pricks.”



“Here you go again. Look, if you’re so miserable with your job, why don’t you get into another field?”



He released a hearty laugh. “Yea right, hun. You kidding me? Do you know how much money is in this stuff?”



“I can tell by your Benz parked out there, Greg.”



“Plus, I can come in whenever I want to, I make my own hours, and the kick-backs are unlike any other field. Plus, I don’t have to deal with children, and you know how much I detest the little…” he lowered his voice, “…pricks. I’m doing fine in here, I just wish some people wouldn’t bitch about something on their bodies that I’m going to fix anyway.”



She yawned.



“Like these obeeopleople who come in fopo –po – honestly, we can put them on a meal plan, set up an exercise regimen for them, guide them and set up trainers for them. It’s easier for them to just come in and bitch about it, and it’s incredibly easy for me to just suck the fat right out of them.”



“Greg?”



He took her hand in his own. “Yes?”



“Do you think I’m an insecure pain in the ass?”



“Of course not.”



“Then why am I here, in a recovery room, after just having my breasts augmented?”



He sighed. “Because you’re everything that a woman should be – gorgeous, cute, feminine, you have great taste in clothes and men. However, you’re better than the other women, so you deserve a step up from them.”



“Don’t you think that makes me… I don’t know, maybe it’s just the drugs talking.”



“No, finish what you were saying.”



“I don’t know, maybe, I just, well, it feels unnatural.”



“Heidi, they’re made out of saline. That’s an organic, earthy product.”



“No, I know that. I mean, if I wasn’t born to have huge tits, then why can’t I just be happy with smaller ones?”



“Because that would be settling, and I don’t want to be with someone who just settles. You want to be better than everyone else, don’t you?”



“Yes.”



“Good. Heidi, you are going to love these, believe me. I did the surgery with exact precision – under the breastbone, so they won’t submit to gravity in several years. Hun, when you are done with the recovery time, you are going to love them. I can tell already. I just know.”



“Know what?”



“They’re perfect.”





* * *

A small girl, wearing pink shirt and denim jeans, skipped across the school’s lawn before she spotted a small, flat rock, then ran to the pond and skipped it across the water. Her eyes watched intently as the stone skidded along the water’s surface, the ripples echoing the rock’s jumpy path. She counted the number of times the stone jittered across the water, then smiled when the stone was out of sight. “Hey Chris, I got seven on that last one!” She waved her hands as a boy, slightly older than she, came running across the grass and shortly joined her.



“Wow, that’s a lot.” He picked up a rock and tossed it over the pond, easily clearing the diameter of the water.



“Why did you do that?”



“I didn’t feel like skipping stones today, Ash”



A town car pulled up the school’s entrance, and the driver honked the horn twice.



Ashley turned to the car, then faced the boy. “Don’t call me Ash.”



“Why not? I like it.”



“I don’t. My daddy doesn’t like nicknames, so please call me Ashley.”



“Okay Ash.” He smiled, then ran off to meet up with his friends again.



“Stupid boys.” She grabbed her backpack, then make her way toward the town car. Upon approaching the car, the driver came out and held the door for young Ashley.



“Hello miss Ashley!”



“Hi Wade.”



“How was school today?”



“I hate school. I wish I could just skip stones all day.”



The tall man, dressed in his usual black suit, black tie, white dress shirt and driver’s cap, smiled warmly at the young girl. “I’m sure, one day, you will like your classes and might actually enjoy homework.”



“Homework isn’t that bad. It’s… it’s the boys.”



“Someone giving you trouble? I’ll let your mother know if…”



“No, wait. I think it’s just the boys at my school. You’re a boy, and I think you’re okay.”



“Well thank you, miss Ashley.”



She entered the car, and Wade closed the door behind her. He approached the driver’s door, opened it, then sat in his seat. “Would you like the windows open?”



“No thank you.”



He closed the windows with the automatic button. “Pretty day today, isn’t it?”



She released a dramatic sigh. “I wish I could skip stones all day.”



He turned the key in the ignition, turned up the air coioneioner, put the car into drive and pulled away from the sidewalk. He looked forward as he pulled away from the school and made for the drive toward Ashley’s home. He whispered to himself, “so do I Ashley, so do I.”





The car pulled into the driveway, and Wade opened the door for Ashley again. He carried her backpack to the front door, then opened the door as she entered the house. Her mother greeted them at the entrance, dressed in a gray silk blouse and expensive-looking slacks. She always looked picture-perfect, no matter what the time of day. “Good day, ma’am.”



She lit a cigarette, hugged her daughter, and took the backpack from Wade’s hands. “I told you Wade, call me Bridgett.”



“Yes ma’am… I mean, yes Bridgett.”



She took a deep drag from her cigarette, then placed her hand on the door’s frame, her arm raised made the sleeve of her blouse drop slightly. The soft silk stretched across her shapely form. “New blouse. I bought it on Rodeo drive today while Martha tended the garden this morning. Shopping today was distressing, I could use a glass of Merl Car Care to join me?”



The sound of Ashley’s footsteps were lost as she stopped at the back door, then slide the door open, ran outside, and chased after the family dog.



“Oh no ma’am, I better not. I still need to fill the tank, wash and clean the car this afternoon.”



She laughed, then slid her arm down the door’s frame a bit more, and took a step toward the driver. “Wade, it’s Friday. We won’t need the car again until Monday morning when you come take Ashley to school.”



Wade shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “I like to get ahead of schedule, ma’am.”



“Wade, call me Bridgett. Anyway, don’t even worry about it, I’m sure you’ll still get things done.” She brought her hands to her hips, then eyed the man in front of her. “Yes, I can see why my husband likes you. ‘Ahead of schedule’, among many of your other wonderful qualities, I’m sure.” She reached for his driver’s hat, removt, at, and hung it on one of many pegs in the hall closet. She walked back to him, “Ashley has taken a liking to you as well. Come, at least have a cup of tea with me.”



“Alright, ma’… I mean, Bridgett.”



“Good man.” She stepped aside, then outstretched her hand toward the kitchen. “After you, Wade.”



“Ladies first, ma’am.”



“Let me get a good look at you. Go on.”



Wade stepped forward awkwardly, then walked into the kitchen.



“Indeed.” She followed after him.









A woman in an off-white apron poured a cup of tea for the man dressed in the black suit. “Thank you,” he spoke as the woman handed him the cream.



Bridgett reached for the decanter filled with Merlot. She poured herself a glass of wineen sen sniffed the top of the glass. “Merchand, year 2005. Great year for California Merlot; harvesting conditions were harsh in oh-five, thus the high cost of each bottle. She took a sip of the wine. “Ah, but that’s why I enjoy it so much.”



Wade poured a bit of cream into his tea and stirred the liquid until it appeared thoroughly mixed. He sipped his tea and placed his teacup back onto the kitchen counter.



“Merlot, just like any good red wine, needs to breathe a good while before it can be properly enjoyed. It amazes me how much money people will spend on a good bottle of wine, then immediately drink themselves silly. See, drinking wine isn’t just the actual consumption of wine, it’s more an appreciation. Really, it’s an art.”



Wade nodded, then took another sip of his tea.



“You must find me incredibly boring.”



Wade lifted his eyes to meet hers, then watched as she took another sip of her wine. “I do not, ma’am.”



“Bridgett. And yes, I find myself boring.”



He cleared his throat. “I think you’re very interesting, if I may say so.”



“You may say so, and please continue.”



“Well, like you said about the wine. Most things in life, I feel, need to be appreciated. No matter how much money people spend on something, like you said, I think sometimes they may take it for granted. I don’t think you’re one of those people.”



“You’re absolutely right about appreciating the things we spend our money on.” As she finished her sentence, the phone rang. The woman who poured Wade’s tea lifted the phone from its’ receiver and handed it to Bridgett.



“Your husband, ma’am.”



“Thank you, Carla.” She took the phorom rom the maid’s hand. “Hello dear, how are things? Will you be home for supper? Carla will be making Lasagna, at Ashley’s request.” She then held the mouthpiece closer to her, and with disappointment in her voice she said, “Oh. Okay then. I’m sorry to hear that dear. The whole weekend, are you sure? That’s just unfortunate, honey. I understand. Do you need me to send you anything to the office?” She awaited the response, which as she expected was ‘no’. “Okay, I’ll give her a kiss for you. Alright dear, I will see you Monday night, yes? Good, have a good stay, and grab some matchbooks, you know how I love their beautiful inscription on the matchbooks. Yes, I know you could buy them for me, but if you’re going to stay there, you might as well get your money’s worth.” She smiled at Wade. “Right, you know me dear, always getting the best of our money. Alright, Monday night. I’ll have Carla prepare that veal medallion supper you enjoy so much. Have a good time, bye.” She handed the phone back to Carla, then sipped her wine. Bridgett lit another cigarette as soon as she extinguished its predecessor in an elegant ashtray on the kitchen counter. “How rude of me. Wade, do you smoke?”



He shook his head. “No ma’am.”



“Very well.” She inhaled the drag she took, then exhaled as she raised her glass to her lips again. “My husband, the poor dear. He will be stuck in Los Ans als all weekend, leaving me here all alone to look after things.”



The driver stroked his finger against the handle of the teacup sitting on the counter. “Well you have Ashley to keep you company.”



“Yes, and the maid and butler, but still, no one I could really talk to and spend time with.”



Wade shifted in his seat.



“I got it! Why don’t you come by tomorrow afternoon and take me to Rodeo. I could go again, there was this duster jacket I absolutely fell in love with, but I couldn’t carry it with the other packages today.”



“Um, sorry ma’am, but I am off tomorrow, and I had…”



“Oh hush dear. I’ll pay you triple time.”



Wade silently cursed himself for needing the money. “Sure ma… I mean, Bridget.”



“Like I said, I get the most out of my money, and it will be worth it to take a ride tomorrow. Say, how is ten AM for you.”



“Sounds great.” He tried to add a hint of cheer in his voice as he answered. “However, I’m sorry, but before I can agree to anything more, I need to tell you that I will be unavailable on Sunday.”



She laughed, took another sip of her wine and asked, “why would you feel that you needed to tell me that?”



“I just wanted to get it out in the open.”



“And what are your big plans for Sunday, Wade?”



He stood, took the last sip of his tea and answered, “Sunday is God’s day, ma’am. I go to church on Sunday and visit my mother and brush her dogs for her.”



“I like you already, Wade. I’m glad you took a bit of your afternoon and spent it with me.” She walked with him to the door, handed him back his hat and spoke, “tomorrow at ten AM. I’ll see you then.”



“Have a good afternoon, ma’am.” He slightly bowed, tipping his hat as he came back up. He looked over Bridget’s shoulder and waved at Ashley who was in the backyard, playing catch with the dog. When Bridgett closed the door, Wade started the ignition again and placed his hands on the steering wheel. “Fuckin’ rich white people, thinkin’ they can push me around. Shit, if I just could… dammit. What a bitch.” He drove the car off, heading for the town car’s own garage where he still needed to clean and detail the vehicle. He stopped once to fill the tank. He wanted to make sure he had enough gas to drive Bridgett around the next day.







After filling the town car with the standard premium unleaded gasoline, Wade pulled the car into the spacious garage. He removed the keys from the ignition, and then he exited the vehicle. He ran his fingers along the smooth black paint, and when he raised his finger to eye level, he sighed as he examined the week’s worth of dirt and grim, subsequent from the frequent trips through the different roads and paths in southern California. He rubbed his fingers along his palm to take the dirt off, then he opened the trunk and removed a small bag containing a change of clothes, and a container which held several cleaning agents as well as rags and paper towels to clean the car.



He changed into a muscle shirt and dark shorts, and then he separated the cleaners into small piles, depending on their respective functions. The window and glass cleaner were placed next to the detailing fluids, and the towels and rags were placed adjacent to them. He tossed a large rag over his shoulder, walked to the large closet and removed a large bucket. He then reached for the car wash suds, opened the bottle by twisting the cap, and dumped a generous portion of soap into the bucket. He started the hose, adjusted the water’s pressure, and filled the bucket with enough water for what he considered would be enough to wash the car with. He doused the car with a generous shower of water, dipped a large sponge into the sudsy water, and proceeded to scrub the car with the sponge. The lather bubbled on the black surface of the town car, and he drew circles on the car, the continued the circle pattern until the circles were completely filled in. After washing a given panel of the car (driver’s side, back end, et cetera), he would rinse the bubbles from the surface, examine it for any signs of dirt, and then start on another panel of the car. Upon completing the initial scrub-down phase of the car’s washing, he rinsed the entire automobile, and then dipped the large rag into the bucket. He gently swiped the car all over with the rag, paying special attention to the textured surfaces, such as the doorfs, ts, the bumpers, headlights and the like. After wiping the car down with the sudsy rag, he rinsed the car one last time, removing any excess soap from the surface to prevent the soap from corroding the car’s beautiful paint job. Wade then hosed down the tires, applied a foam cleanser to each tire and wheel cover, and he waited several minutes until the foam slide down the tires, leaving a foamy puddle directly below each of the now grime-free tires. He reached into the container which held the cleaning products, removed a thick-bristled brush, then he got on his knees and swished the brush into the bucket, removed it, and proceeded to scrub any neglected residue on the tires and wheels. He reached into the wheel housing and removed any debris and grease stains, rinsed the wheel off, and examined for any remaining dirt. When he was done with the front left wheel and tire, he did the same with the remaining wheels until each of them were sparkling clean, free of any filth.



Wade scrubbed and detailed the last tire, rose to his feet, then examined the wet, clean car. He smiled in satisfaction as the car stood before him, spotless and appearing brand new. He eyed the surfaces intently, grabbed the bottle of detail cleaner, and sprayed a careful amount of the cleaner onto a fresh, clean rag. He carefully detailed all the rubber surfaces on the car (window frames, rubber on the bumpers and the like), and took another clean rag to remove any particles left from the cleaning rag. He took a clean towel and removed any remaining water on the car’s surface, then stepped back to admire the detail work. Satisfied with his efforts, Wade opened the brand-new can of wax, wrapped the corner of a rag around his left pointer and index finger, swiped his covered fingers through the wax, then drew concentric, small circles in the same fashion he did with the sponge earlier, closing each circle with the wax. After the circle was complete, he leaned into the circle, then rubbed the surface until the wax disappeared and a glorious shine remained. After two hours of drawing circles and waxing them away, he took a clean rag and buffed over the car’s entire surface.



Wade popped some change into the vending machine in the garage, selected an iced tea, and withdrew it from the door on the bottom of the vending machine. He twisted the cap, lifted the bottle to his sweat-beaded lips, and drank heartily from the wonderfully cold bottle. “Ahhh.” He released a sigh of satisfaction as he withdrew the bottle’s tip from his lips, and took another look at the now shining car in front of him. “One more day of this shit and I’m done. Triple time for my day off, shit I’m gonna get everything I can out of this ‘Bridgett’ craka’, I will.”









After the private town car was cleaned and polished, Wade packed all the cleaners, bottles and other remains into the container, tossed the rags into the dirty towel pantry, and pressed the automatic lock button on the pad hanging from the key chain. He tucked the keys into his pocket, watched as the rest of the water flowed into the drain on the ground, turned the lights off in the garage and closed the garage’s door and walked to his own car, a small coupe, old and well past it’s time. He opened the door, started the engine and drove back home to his tiny apartment in Englewood. He turned on the radio and cranked up the volume, then sang along to the old Motown music playing on his favorite station. With soul in his mind, his spirits lifted as he sang along on the long drive home.



Upon pulling into his apartment complex, Wade turned down the radio, turned the engine off, opened the door, locked the car and headed for his apartment. He walked in the door and hung his keys on the hook next to the door. He looked at the clock hanging on the wall and realized that he hadn’t eaten anything since his short lunch break before, and he decided to shower, change and grab some dinner at a bar that was a short walk away from his apartment. As he started the shower, he picked out a clean pair of boxer shorts, loose-fitting jeans and an orange cotton tee shirt. Before he entered the shower, his phone rang. He walked to the phone and picked it up from the receiver. “Hello?”



A familiar voice answered on the other end. “Hey boy, what you up to?”



“Girl I was just about to take a shower, what’s up?”



“Oh honey I just got out of work and I need me a drink. Where you headed to tonight baby?”



He smiled. “Yolanda, check it out. Lemme take a quick shower and meet me at Rog’s place. You know that joint up the street from my place?”



“I sho’ do, Wade.”



“Right on. Gimme ‘bout twenty minutes and I’ll meet you there.”



“Aight.”



With confidence, he added, “And girl, wear that red teddy you know I dig.”



She laughed. “Already got it on, baby.”



He heard the click, a sign that she had hung up her phone. He placed his own phone back on the receiver, then stepped into the shower. He felt the hot stream cover his face, then he placed his hands against the wall as he let the water cover his back and flow down his tired body. He took a bar of soap from the soap holder, rubbed it in his hands until he got a good lather going, then rubbed the bar of soap over his body, cleaning off the day’s sweat and dirt. He removed a razor from the side of the bathtub and shaved his head, removing any stubble from the past few days. After his shower, Wade wrapped a towel around his waist, wiped the steam from his mirror, and cleaned up his goat-tee. Upon his shave, he brushed his teeth, dried off, dressed, and sprayed a few sprays of cologne on his body.



Wade closed the door of his apartment, locked it, and walked to Roger’s bar; a few minutes’ walk from his place.







The bar was filled with smoke and people talking amongst themselves. A competitive game of pool was taking place, and when Wade walked by the table, he could see several stacks of cash separated by each competitor. He approached the bartender, laid down several dollars and ordered a drink. “Lemme get a gin and orange juice, man.”



“Sure thing Wade.” The bartender removed a glass from the rack on the wall, filled it with ice, then poured the gin over the ice, shortly followed by a dash of orange juice.



“Make it two, Frank.” The woman wedged herself een een a seated man at the bar and Wade, who had just ordered his drink. “Hey Bubba.”



Wade reached behind the woman, placed his hand on her ass and squeezed. “That fine ghetto booty, gotta be Yo-landa.” He turned and faced her.



“You gonna buy me my first drink.” She didn’t ask him to, she was telling him to.



“I best be getting’ the most from my money, girl.”



“Nigga please.” She reached for the two drinks on the bar and handed one to Wade. She sipped her drink, then motioned for them to sit at an unoccupied table.



“Hold up, I’m hungry.”



Frank approached the two people directly in front of them and asked, “what do you want to eat big man?”



“I could eat a horse right now, man. For now, I just want some wings and fries.”



“I can do that for ya, pal. Have a seat there and I’ll bring it to you.”



Wade and Yolanda sat at a nearby table, drinking and conversing with one another. Yolanda leaned forward in her chair. “Fuckin’ boss was being a dick today, baby. He come in when Rita and I was havin’ a smoke. Talkin’ some shit about ‘quality assurance’ and some bullshit. That ass really gotta learn to calm down sometime.”



Wade sat back in his chair. “I feel ya. I been drivin’ miss whitey aroun’ all week, and now the boss lady want me to pick her up tomorrow and go shoppin’. I done told her that I can’t do it Sunday cuz I got church and ma to see, but I still gotta work tomorrow.”



Yolanda placed one hand under the table, her other hand on her drink. She ran her finger along the rim of the glass and under the table, she placed her hand on Wade’s thigh. “You gotta stop playin’ to that bitch, boo.”



“Yo, if she wanna pay me triple time to work on my day off, I won’t be needin’ this job for long. Girl I’m gonna take all I can outta that rich bitch.”



Yolanda smirked. “She can’t give you everything, baby.” Her hand crept up his thigh and made it’s way into his crotch.



Wade smiled. “Ain’t that fo’ damn sure.” He took her hand under the table and encouraged it higher to his crotch. He cupped his hand over hers, and now her hand was firmly placed right on his zipper.



“Damn Wade, you ‘bout ready to go already?”



He brought his hand back to the table and drank more of the gin in juice in the glass in front of him. “Nah Yolanda, I gotta get some food in me first.”



She smiled, then walked back to the bar and ordered two more gin and orange juices for them. When she came back, the bartender brought Wade’s dinner to the table, and he reached for a chicken wing. “Yo, you hungry?”



“Nah baby, I’m cool. You go right ahead.” She still took several of his French fries as he enjoyed his dinner. She watched him eat, and said, “mmm I love a man who can eat.”



He licked the wing sauce from his fingers, his eyes glaring into hers. “It’s the sauce that make it good.” He dipped his finger into the sauce on the plate of wings. “You know I like this sauce.”



“Yea I got some sauce fo’ you, Wade.”



“Few more drinks, and we outta here.” Wade ate several more wings, finished his second drink, and ordered another round of drinks.







* * *

Night cast over the sky, and Ashley called the dog over to her. “Come on, Luke!” The Labrador ran over to the girl and stood, wagging it’s tail. “Sit, boy.” The dog immediately sat its bottom to the ground, and she gave it an affectionate pet on the head, rubbing his ears as she pet him with both of her small hands. “Luke, you are such a good doggie! Yes you are! What a good boy.” The dog wagged its tail more and more as she pet him, her hands rubbing his chest. “Wanna go inside, boy?” The dog stayed in its spot as she kept petting him. “Good, I don’t want to go in either.”



“Ashley, come to dinner.” She heard her mother calling her from the kitchen.



She turned her head towards the back sliding door. “Is daddy home yet?”



“No honey, he won’t be home until Monday night.”



“Why?” Ashley sat up from her spot on the lawn.



“Daddy’s going to be in L.A. this weekend, Ashley. Come on inside, dear. Carla made your lasagna for supper.”



Ashley lay back on the ground, the dog Luke resting his head on her arm. “I’ll be right in, mother.”



The sliding door closed, and Bridgett turned on the backyard patio light.



“Hey Luke, you know what they say about stars? If you make a wish on one of them, your wish will come true. What would you wish for?” The dog licked her hand. “You’re a dog, you’d probably wish for food. Doggies love food. I do too, but I also wish for more things.” She pointed to the sky. “See that star there? I’m going to make a wish. Wishes are supposed to be secret, but I’ll tell you because you won’t tell anyone. Would you, Luke?” She stroked the dog’s head again. “I know you won’t. You’re a good doggy!”



Ashley stretched her legs out, looked intently upon one single star and spoke, “On that star,” she pointed toward the star she was speaking in reference to, “I wish my daddy was home. I wish my daddy didn’t work all the time, and I wish that just for once, my daddy would come home and give me a hug.” She stood up, and Luke immediately copied her movement. “He doesn’t even hug me when he is home. Mommy hugs me, but he doesn’t hug me. He doesn’t even hug mommy. Daddy is a jerk sometimes, Luke. He doesn’t even play with you, does he?”



The dog wagged its tail again.



“You don’t care, pal. You’re still a good dog, even though daddy paid for you but doesn’t play with you. I’ll play with you, Luke. I love you, doggy!” She leaned down and hugged the Labrador. The dog licked the girl’s face, and followed her inside as she slid the back door open.



“Hey sweetie, how was your day?” Bridgett pulled out a chair from the table as her daughter approached her.”



“It was great as soon as I got home!” She smiled at her mother.



“That’s wonderful to hear, Ashley.” Her mother sat across from her at the table. Carla came in with a delicious-smelling tray, filled with bubbling, hot lasagna. Bridgett faced the maid, “oh thank you Carla, it looks splendid. Some more of that Merlot when you have the chance.”



“Yes ma’am, and for Ashley?”



Ashley faced the maid and spoke, “some milk, please?”



“Yes miss Ashley, milk it is.” Carla walked back to the kitchen.



Bridgett spooned some lasagna onto her plate, then onto her daughter’s dish. “Your favorite, Ashley!”



Ashley smiled, then lowered her head.



“What is it, honey?”



“I miss daddy.”



Her mother took the wine and milk from Carla as she came back with the drinks. She thanked the maid, then addressed her daughter again. “I know you do. He will be home on Monday, he promised. And Carla is making that veal dish your father loves, so you know he will come home.”



Ashley nodded, then enjoyed her plate of lasagna.



* * *



With a good buzz working on him, Wade unlocked his door, Yolanda standing right behind him. He opened the door for her, and as she entered his apartment, he smiled in satisfaction. He had a long day, and he was not really looking forward to spending his day off with Bridgett. He figured he could get some rest and relaxation tonight, and Yolanda always provided some good company. Among other things.



She turned on the light in the living room of his apartment, and then she walked to him. She put her hands on his belt and cocked her head as she looked directly into his eyes. “Is this for me?”



He put his fingers on the straps hanging on her shoulders and lowered them down her arms. “Yea.” He lowered the straps further, exposing the smooth curves of her cleavage. He dipped his head down, lightly running his tongue along the curvature on her chest.



Yolanda unbuckled him, then proceeded to remove his shirt. Once he was shirtless, she wrapped her arms around his head, encouraging his already eager motions on her chest.



He reached his hands down to her pants, unzipped them and dragged them down the floor. She aided him by lifting her feet as she kicked off her shoes and stepped out of the pants. She stood before him, her shirt hanging low and without pants, her red teddy holding up a pair of flattering stockings. He proceeded with his tongue on her breast, lowering the shirt as she rubbed her hands along his shaved head. He ran his hands inside her shirt, underneath the soft material and onto her skin, letting his hands run higher underneath the s unt until his hands met his mouth, sucking and kissing on her chest. He quickly lifted the shirt over her head, and she raised her arms so he could remove the shirt. He cupped each of her breasts in his hands, and he lightly squeezed each one before brought his lips to each mound, letting his tongue lick at the stiff peaks of her nipples.



She walked backwards as he stepped forward, motioning for his living room sofa. She lay back on the couch, and he followed after her, laying his body atop hers, propping his arms on the couch to steady himself. He licked her body in trails, leading himself lower and lower on her as he brought his hands to the straps of the red teddy on her legs. He undid the clasp on the teddy, then slide the stockings down her legs, his hands flat against her skin so he could feel the smooth surface. He ran his hands along the now completely nude body underneath him, taking one hand and unzipping his own pants and removing them. Wade stood and took his boxer shorts off, so that now they were both completely naked. He returned to her, and ran a hand along the inside of her thigh as she opened her legs a bit more to encourage him further.



She grinned as he watched her body intently, observing the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, anticipating his eager movements. “You’re the only brotha I been with who takes his sweet-ass time, Wade.”



“I savor it, baby. And the more time I take, the wetter you get and the sweeter you taste.”



She inhaled deeply as she felt his fingers creep up her thigh, and rest before her entrance. “You know the old saying about the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice?”



He inserted a finger, withdrew it and licked at the moisture. “Baby you must be black as night.”



She leaned back further on the couch, resting one of her legs along the back of the couch. He kneeled on the sofa, leaned his head into her, and tasted all she had to offer as she moaned, enjoying his licking motions.



He placed one of his hands on her stomach, enjoying the sporadic breathing as he curled his tongue, licking and twirling at her sensitive areas. After several minutes of this, she let herself go as she leaned her head back further into the sofa, bucking her hips against his face and quivering in delight.



Wade kissed his way up her body again, stopping at her breasts. He covered one with his hand, the other with his mouth as his other hand echoed the movements his tongue just made. She wrapped her legs around his waist as his fingers played below, his mouth centered on her breast. Yolanda reached her hand down between his legs, stroking him in her hand as he pleased her. “Now, Wade.”



He nodded, then eased himself into her, grabbing the side of the couch for leverage. She grabbed his back by tucking her arms under his arms, and as he rocked forward into her, she pulled his body closer to his as he thrust forward. He leaned forward and buried his face in the crook of her neck as he increased his speed. Her legs still wrapped around his waist moved on to his rear end, encouraging him deeper with his strokes. With a steady pace going, he lifted his head and put his arms around her sides, now thrusting faster and faster, yet intent with each stroke. He felt the urge to release build deep inside of him, yet he wanted her to receive the same satisfaction he was feeling. He brought a hand down, then rubbed on her again as he thrust deep inside of her. She raised her hips to meet his as he brought his body forward, and before long, their mutual release was achieved.



He lay atop her, his head resting along hers on a pillow. She released him from her grip, then stretched her legs. “Damn boy, that was some good shit.”



He wiped the sweat from his brow and stood. “You thirsty? I am.”



“Yea.”



He went into the kitchen and grabbed two glasses, and filled them with ice and water. He brought the glasses back to the living room, where she was sitting up on the couch. She took the water as he handed it to her, his body slightly wet from beads of sweat.



He sat beside her and asked, “you gotta work tomorrow?”



“Nah, I’m off.”



He stood and walked toward his bedroom. “I’m gonna see what’s on television.”



“The T.V. is in your bedroom.”



“I know.” He walked into his room and turned on the television.



“I could go for another round.” She said to herself before following after him.





* * *

“Ashley, it’s time for bed.” Bridgett approached her daughter who was playing marbles by herself on the living room floor.



“But I don’t have school tomorrow.”



“I know dear, but mommy has a busy day tomorrow, so please get ready for bed.” Bridgett rested her wine glass on the end table as she leaned down to talk to her daughter. “And remember, when you go to bed, it will only be two more bedtimes before daddy is home.”



Ashley stood up, collected her marbles and handed the sac of marbles to her mother. “Daddy will be home on Monday night, right mommy? He did promise.”



Bridgett gave her daughter an encouraging smile and answered, “yes honey, he did promise.”



“Okay mommy. Did Carla run my bath for me?”



“She sure did, and there are clean pajamas on the towel rack. I found your rubber duck, too.”



“Yay!” Ashley ran to the bathroom, throwing her clothes off as she ran up the stairs. A trail of her clothing lay as she opened the bathroom door and entered the bath with her rubber duck. She played with the soapy bubbles, putting them on her face and pretending to shave them off with her finger. She tucked her head under the water, then lifted herself back up as the suds covered her face and hair. She splashed some water over her head, then bobbed the rubber duck under the water, giggling as it would bounce back up to the surface.



After her bath, Ashley dried herself off with a towel, put on her pajamas and headed for her bedroom. She called the dog to her, and Luke jumped in her bed as she tucked herself under the sheets and closed her eyes, the dog resting at her feet as she fell into a sleep-filled sleep.



* * *



Heidi pressed the nurse-call button next to her bed and then lay back in her bed. The drugs were wearing off quickly and she winced in pain as she lay back, the added weight in her chest now taking its painful toll on her body. She tried to reach for the television’s remote control on the bedside table, but the pain was increasing and she just couldn’t reach for it. The nurse came into her room, dressed in standard scrubs.



“What’s the matter, miss Debamatre?”



Heidi’s slightly hoarse response was, “I can’t reach the remote, I’m awfully sorry to bother you, Reba.”



“Not a problem, miss. Here.” She handed the remote to Heidi after tapping the ‘on’ button to activate the television.



“Thank you so much.” Heidi took the control in her hand and rested her hand on her side.



“Can I get you anything else?”



“If there is anything else for the pain, I’d appreciate it.”



The nurse nodded and replied, “I’m sure I can find something. How bad is the pain so far?”



Heidi winced again as she tried to lift her arm. “I can hardly move.”



“It will be like this for a few days, but it will wear off as soon as you retrain your muscles to respond to the added weight. Doctor Fox did the procedure under the pectorals, right?”



Heidi nodded.



“What happens is that your muscles have been stretched like they’ve never felt before, so the recovery will take some time as your body learns to compensate for the lack of chest muscles for a while. You should be ready to go home by Monday morning, but don’t push yourself, miss Debamatre.”



“Okay.”



The nurse asked, “By the way, I wanted to ask, just out of curiosity. Your name, it’s French, isn’t it?”



Heidi answered, “yes, my parents came from Province in the late 2010’s.”



“Were you born in the United States or over there in France.”



“The U.S.”



“Neat! My parents came over here from Germany in nineteen ninety-two, but I was born in Germany. I still have a lot of family over there, so we try to make trips to see them about once every other year. The airfare, to everyone’s surprise, is still rather high. You’d think that would change over the years, but it hasn’t. At any rate, I still enjoy going back to the old country, and I want my children to grow up and learn the culture of their ancestors. My husband is from Germany as well, we actually met over there. Beautiful country, and beautiful men.”



Heidi sm.


“So your parents, how do they like it here?”



Heidi closed her eyes, wishing the pain to subside. “They enjoyed their last few years here, and I’m glad I was raised in the United States. I am happy to be American, there are opportunities here that I don’t think I would have had in France.”



The nurse nodded. “Get some rest. I’ll be back with some Demerol, that will help the pain and you will sleep like a baby tonight.”



Heidi flipped around the channels on the television, unsurprised that the hospital only had about 10 options to choose from. When the nurse came back, Heidi was falling asleep; the only thing keeping her from sleeping peacefully was the pain. However, that was quickly remedied as the clear painkiller was inserted into her intravenous tube, then flowed into her arms and pumping through her body, along with the flow of blood being pumped by her heart. Set get go of the remote control in her hand as sleep overtook her mind and body, and the television softly played on as she felt no more pain and passed out comfortably on her hospital bed.