Freaks Of Nature

Four days later he called her apartment. It was on those rare weekends when she had nothing to do and found herself lounging on the couch with a book opened in her lap. Marie was not reading it of course. It was one of those dusty old harlequin novels she'd fished out of a thrift store bin many years ago. Instead she stared down at the black words printed across the page, allowing her mind to go blank for a moment as she chewed on the tips of her fingernails. In the midst of her trance the phone had started to ring and after a moment of contemplating the pros and cons she decided to drag herself into the kitchen to answer it.

“Hello?” She chimed into the receiver, wondering if it was just another telemarketer trying to scam her out of money. They contacted her religiously on weekends and Marie always seemed to be home whenever they called.

“Hello Marie, is that you? It's Carlos.” A masculine voice cheerfully answered her snapping her out of her dull stance like a face full of cold water.

“Hey there...Carlos.” She responded through gritted teeth in some vain attempt to suppress the alarm in her voice. Marie hated surprises, Especially when they came in a form such as this one where she found herself lurched into a situation without warning. “It's good to hear from you again.” She added after some awkward silence and a lot of uncomfortably heavy breathing.

“Listen, are you doing anything today? If you aren't I would really like to see you.”

An hour later she was huddled in a cushiony red theatre seat with her eyes glued to the moving images fluttering across the screen. Beside her sat the “giant” who had coaxed her out of her drab hidey-hole for the evening, and he appeared to be rather content. In between bites of popcorn and sips from a slightly watered down soda Marie pretended to be completely engrossed with the movie, but every now and then she looked over and secretly wondered what on earth was going on inside his mind. What was he thinking when he asked her out tonight? When the credits started rolling they rose from their seats and exited the theatre together. He walked her home with a polite smile lingering across her face. She noticed it when she glanced up at him a few times as they strolled together down the sidewalk. His stance was carefree and surprisingly light for someone of his size and as they reached her apartment building he nodded and thanked her for coming out with him. She smiled in response for polite measures and just when she thought it was over he asked her what she was doing next friday. She could not think of an excuse fast enough. That was how the “mess” began.

Seemingly against her own will, Marie found herself thrust back into the “dating scene”. It made her grouchy for the first two weeks. She complained loudly to both of her friends, sighing at their seemingly cheeky responses to any complaint she brought up. They did not understand how annoying it was to be forced into something against your will. Paige and Heidi had never dated anyone they didn't want to. Their looks gave them the ability to be picky with their dates. Marie was not so lucky. And to make matters worse she found herself unable to say “no”. Every few days the phone would ring and against her better judgment she would rush into the kitchen to answer it. He always called at the same time; 12:45. Not too early but not so late that they could not do something while the sun was still out. A “polite” calling hour as Paige had called it one morning after Marie recalled the bizarre habit.

Weekends spent locked up in her apartment sulking on the couch became a thing of the past. She found herself less dependant on Heidi and Paige asking her out to dinner or to a bar. They made fewer “sympathetic” visits to her place and Jack slowly disappeared from their casual conversation with her. She started looking forward to the outings. They were interesting to say the least, and Carlos was not the worst person she could have been spending time with. They went to a museum one week. A cozy little coffee shop the next. Then there was the evening spent at a comedy club near the outskirts of the city where the man hobbling across the stage made a cheeky comment about their obvious height difference. Then there was the visit to a rec centre where they signed up for a two hour pottery class that ended with Marie crafting something reminiscent of an upside down spaceship instead of the assigned bowl the instructor had showed them how to make. When she brought it home she placed it on her night table, where it became a makeshift container for storing all of her stray hair elastics.

“So are you two an item now or what?” Paige asked her about a month after the fact. It was Autumn now and Marie was suffering from a terrible cold that had caused customers to avoid going near her out of fear of catching whatever viral “plague” she was suffering from. In between blowing her nose and devouring a fortunes worth of cough drops she shook her head. Though quite a decent amount of time had passed since Carlos had begun asking her out the actual state of their relationship had not been discussed between them. Not since her disastrous reaction towards a goodnight kiss had he admitted any romantic advances. Sure he referred to their outings as “dates”, but nothing else had happened between them. They didn't kiss. They did not hold hands. They did not exchange any sappy “romantic” nonsense. Not even so much as a hug. Carlos kept his distance from Marie. If it was out of respect, or because he was simply not interested in anything other than a friendship, was beyond her grasp.

“We're defiantly not boyfriend and girlfriend. I know that for sure. As far as “dating” I think it's more of a platonic type of thing.” She sighed as she looked down at the waste bin Paige had insisted on leaving beside her. It was an hour before her shift ended and it was already filled to the brim with used tissues. “Nothing really happens between us. We just hang out together a lot. That's all.”

“It sure sounds like you two are dating.” Paige replied with a little smirk. “Maybe he's just too scared to make a move. After all, you did flip out on him that one time.”

“Oh come on. I didn't do it on purpose! I just got startled!” Marie exclaimed as she sprung up from her seated, knocking over the tissue box that had been glued to her hip since the start of work. “Besides, it's not like I whipped out a meat cleaver and threatened to cut his arm off if he tried to touch me ever again. Carlos is just not interested in me that way. He probably just wants someone to go out with. It's really boring doing things all by yourself all the time.”

Paige only shook her head as she resumed shifting through the stack of papers on her desk. “If you say so Mar-Mar...”

The conversation was over after that as far as either of them could tell. Marie forgot all about the subject until she was walking home when a young couple on a wooden bench caught her eye. They looked very intrigued about one another. Curious, but a little too shy to actually admit it. Walking past them felt almost intrusive and it made her think a little more about what Paige had asked her earlier. She could have been right. Paige was much more experienced in the romance department after all. Usually when she said something like that it was because she was following her gut instinct. After thinking about it for a little more she just sighed and gave her head a stern shake. The one piece missing from the puzzle was Carlos, and he was not like the men Paige was used to talking about and dealing with. Maybe in a different universe, where she was a few feet taller and fifty pounds slimmer he was interested in her. But not in this one.

The phone rang that night unexpectedly but she answered it with a smile, hoping that it was Carlos or Heidi calling her to rescue Marie from an evening of movie re-runs. Instead she was met with the melodic laughter of an entirely different sort, being neither friend nor activity partner. The sound made her stomach churn like she had eaten something foul. She had to pinch herself just to be sure she wasn't dreaming.

“Marie? Are you there? I can hear you breathing. Is everything alright?” The voice chimed into her ear, using that syrupy-sweet tone that made the hairs on the back of her neck twitch with expectation or dread.

“...Tricia?” She asked even though she already knew the answer. She floated into the kitchen as if under a spell, reaching into a cupboard for the stash of chocolate chip cookies she had been hiding there. For the past few months she had been doing exceedingly well at managing her eating. She'd dropped almost 40 pounds and was starting to feel comfortable wearing clingy clothing again. However being bombarded by an unexpected call by the one woman on the planet that she absolutely loathed had brought out a sudden fit of hunger and her will power shrivelled up and died.

“Yea it's me. I wanted to call earlier but I didn't think you would be home.” Tricia answered. Marie imagined her flicking her hair as she said it. She stuffed two cookies into her mouth, chewing them quickly as she listened to the woman speak. “You seem to be impossible to get ahold of these days.”

“Uh yea, I go out a lot in the evening now.” Marie replied dumbly through a mouthful of crumbs. The cookies were stale and not exactly appetizing but she didn't care. She reached for another two as Tricia started to giggle again.

“Sounds exciting. I certainly hope you aren't out getting into trouble.” The woman taunted playfully. “Listen, I was just calling to ask you if you, Heidi, and Paige would like to get together some time next week? It's been so long since I've seen you girls and I feel like I'm missing out.”

“Oh.” Marie said as she padded into the living room. The bag of cookies were left on the counter. She would not allow herself to undo all the hard work that had gone into loosing all this weight. It would have been a waste of time and effort for nothing, and Tricia did not deserve to have the power to undo her willpower so easily. “I guess that would be fine. But you would have to talk to Heidi and Paige too. I never know what they are doing from one week to the next.”

“You wouldn't happen to have their numbers on you by any chance? I lost them when my cellphone died four months ago.”

Marie was more than happy to surrender the numbers over to Tricia. She would have done anything to end the conversation. After Tricia had said her goodbyes and hung up she returned to the kitchen and tossed the bag of stale cookies into the trash bin. Keeping them around was only going to torture her. Heidi called her a few hours later. Stark raving mad of course as she had made her hostile feelings towards Tricia very clear...to everyone else other than Tricia herself. “I cannot believe the nerve she has to think she can just flounce back into our lives like that.” She growled. In the background Marie could hear the thump of drawers being slammed open and shut.

“Honestly I don't know what to make of it. She sounds genuine. But I get this funny feeling whenever I hear her voice.” Marie admitted with a shrug of her shoulders. She was leaning against her bathroom counter having completed her nightly routine of brushing her hair and applying a variety of different creams that were supposed to firm, diminish, reduce, and perform a variety of other tasks that she had recently begun purchasing every time she had money to spare. “You think we should take her up on her offer? Or should we just tell her to fuck off and be done with it?”

Heidi sighed dramatically on the other end of the line. “I really don't have much of a say in this one Mar. Tricia didn't steal my boyfriend. As much as I hate the bitch she's never really done anything to me. It's you who has to make the call. I called Paige earlier and she agrees with me. You're the only one of us who she actually hurt. So the choice is yours.”

Marie's stomach knotted. “I really wish you hadn't said that.” She replied as she stared at herself through the bathroom mirror. “Because I don't know what to do.”

Carlos invited her over to his house two days later. She was reluctant to go at first but Heidi and Paige talked her into it (“After all, you two are “just friends” right?” Paige had emphasized). They insisted that she needed time to unwind and forget about Tricia. A visit with Carlos was just what the doctor prescribed.

It was a rather modern looking place, with far too many windows for her liking and several rooms that appeared to be dedicated to his “work”. Almost every wall was painted a pale shade of blue or white. She vaguely felt as if they had entered a hospital ward but it was pleasant enough. In the very least it was “stylish” as it appeared that he had used only the most artistic and “modern” looking furniture to decorate the two story building. They sat on matching sofas across from one another and chatted between cups of sugary tea and cookies. She ate only one of them, to which he seemed to frown suspiciously at her. “Is there some reason why you haven't been eating properly in the past few weeks? You're starting to look really hollow in the face. It's kind of concerning me.”

“I don't have an eating disorder Carlos.” Marie replied almost laughingly, as if a woman of her shape could even dream of being called such a thing. “I've just been watching my sugar and fat intake lately. I cannot stand how unhealthy my weight has become so I've decided to do something about it.” She took another cookie to appease him, he seemed much happier to watch her munch thoughtfully on it. “I really like your carpet.” She added as she wriggled her bare feet into the soft floor covering. “It's really nice.”

“Feels great doesn't it? It's a living nightmare trying to vacuum it and keep it clean but it makes up for it by being irresistibly soft.” Carlos smiled, reaching forward to grab one of the remaining fragments of cookie that still existed on the plate he had set on the coffee table in between them. “This place was designed by an artistic architecture that I'm close friends with. He has this thing about making sure that everything he designs is as comfortable for the person living in it as he can possibly make it. I guess that is what attracted me to it in the first place. The fact that you could practically fall asleep on the carpeting was a what sealed the deal.”

“I can't imagine how much this place must have cost.” Marie sighed as she gazed up at the ceiling. “It's strange but it sort of feels like I'm sitting inside of a work of art.”

“That was the intention.” Carlos smiled as he collected their empty cups and stood up. “It doesn't matter where I live, I like feeling like I'm submerged within a work of art. I find that it helps inspire me. It's one of the reasons why I picked this place. It wasn't overly abstract but it's unique design and space allowed me to express myself the way that I wanted to without feeling confined to the buildings structure. I hate living in places that fit into the cookie-cut structure of what a “house” ought to be.” He drifted past her as she huddled on the couch, stepping into the kitchen where she heard him place the cups into the sink. “Out of all the places I have lived I think this is one of my favourites.” He said as he emerged a few seconds later.

“Oh. That's really...interesting.” Marie answered as she fixed her gaze on the carpet, pondering over what it could have been made of. Something told her that ordinary synthetic fibre that most of the carpets you could but in home renovation stores was out of the question. He sat down beside her this time. She didn't mind it, other than the mild annoyance of having to look to her side after becoming comfortable with the idea of just fixating her gaze straight forward. “Do you ever get lonely living here all by yourself?” She asked while hugging her knees tightly against her chest. “I mean, this is an awfully big place for just one person. It must get depressing not having a family or a roommate or a pet to keep you company.”

“Well, I've got you here don't I?” He said as he shifted a little in his seat. Her skin tingled strangely as she looked down, watching as his hand reached across the soft surface and gradually made it's way towards her. “I do get lonely sometimes to be very honest. But I've spent so much of my time traveling around and being by myself that I've just learned how to ignore it. Being alone comes with the territory.” She heard him say but the words seemed to pass through her ears without registering. All she could think about was that fact that he was only inches away from touching her and dangerously invading circumferences of her personal bubble. “It is nice to have you here though. It's been a long time since I've had someone I could invite into my home that wasn't a client or a coworker.” She flinched the moment that he touched her and instinctively Carlos pulled away, seeming just a little ashamed for having startled here. “I'm sorry.” He muttered out of the corner of his mouth. “I didn't mean to...”

Marie didn't know what to say. Sitting there with her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes glued to the male seated beside her she felt completely out of her niche. “No don't be. Really, it's fine.” She replied without thinking. The alarming guilt that washed over her when she looked over at him and saw the sadness beginning to cloud his eyes momentarily stunned her senses. “I just...um...startle very easily.”

“Can I ask why?” He responded without missing a beat, propping his elbows against his knees as he gazed in her general direction. “I've been wanting to bring it up for some time now, but you seem awfully jumpy whenever I get too close. At first I thought you were just intimidated by me, but now I'm just not sure.”

“I'm not really used to people touching me.” Marie sighed while fixating her gaze on the floor again. Not that she dared to say it out loud the honest answer was that she could not recall a time (besides that one night after too many drinks) that she had sought out physical contact from another human being. When she was still in a relationship with Jack there had been very little “touching” involved between them. Especially near the last six or seven months when he became so preoccupied with other things that there were times that he simply curled up on the couch instead of crawling into bed with her. Marie was ashamed to admit it but she did not know what it was like to behave intimately. She knew the basics of course; the things they taught you in high school health classes. But beyond that her memory seemed fogged over with miserable lonely nights and frustrating evenings of wondering how long it had been since Jack so much as hugged her. “I know it sounds weird but I really don't know what to do. I'm afraid I'll do something stupid, like when we first met.” Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as she recalled her first encounter with the giant. She knew how ton be intimate after a few drinks apparently, even if it involved a large quantity of drool and slurred words.

“It's not exactly rocket science Marie.” Carlos chuckled softly over on his side of the couch. “All you need to do is learn how to relax, the rest will come naturally.”

“Please don't make comments about how I sound like a stupid virgin. I hate it when people do that.” Marie winced, feeling the springs in the couch groan and Carlos slowly shifted himself a few inches closer to her.

“That fellow who was talking to you at my gallery opening was your ex wasn't he?”

Like a gunshot in the darkness Marie was suddenly lurched into a terrible feeling. Suddenly she was overwhelmed and trapped at the same time. Where the hell had THAT come from? The hairs on the back of her neck began to tingle as she glanced around the room uneasily. Carlos was very quiet in that time. He remained stern and insistent about his question, flooding her thoughts with the memories of her former boyfriend. It hurt to breathe. She struggled to keep from jumping up and running out of the room. All of a sudden Jack had become the focal point of their conversation and she was too far from the door to make a run for it. “Yes... he is.” she said as the blood slowly drained from her face. “Jack is his name. We dated in the past but we broke up a half a year ago. I hadn't seen him since we broke things off. It was quite a surprise I guess.”

“You mean HE broke up with you.” He corrected her in that knowing tone that made it very clear he had seen right through her. “I could tell by the way you were acting back then. You seemed fully prepared to throw yourself in front of a moving bus if it would help you escape. This “Jack” person however was as cool as a cucumber. When two people mutually break off a relationship it shouldn't be able to trigger such a mixture of emotions. Considering that you were more distressed I assumed it was he who broke things off.”

Marie found herself staring numbly in front of her. Her lips tingled oddly as she pressed her fingertips into the couch cushion. “Is it...really that obvious?” She whispered as a lock of hair gentle fell out of place and tickled the side of her face.

“I wouldn't say that it was a blaring neon sign that everyone in the room could read.” He answered her with a gentle laugh. “I'm just very observant. I like people watching, especially if it's clear that some sort of drama is involved.”

“Can't say that Jack and I were ever the “dramatic” sort.” Marie sighed as she studied the reflexive surface of the coffee table. “We didn't have that volcanic meltdown that some couples do when they blow things off. He just showed up outside my work one day and told me that it was over between us. A week later he packed his things and away he went. No fuss. No drama.” The words rang hollow against the cool air. Crossing her arms over her stomach Marie leaned back a little in her seat. “I take it you brought this up for a reason?”

“Curiosity.” He answered without missing a beat. “And because I've been wanting to ask you about it for a long time. It just sort of popped into my head as we were talking. I figured you were uncomfortable being with me because of him.”

“Oh no! It has nothing to do with that!!” Marie found herself practically shouting in response to Carlos's suggestion. Like a cartoon character she waved her arms frantically in front of her body. “It's not like I still love him or something, that's just pointless anyhow. Whatever feelings I have for Jack are stone cold dead. I really meant it when I said I'm just not used to being touched by other people. Most of the men that I have had relationships with in the past weren't the cuddly type. I mean, you're a really nice guy and all but I just know how to deal with this sort of stuff. Like I said to you before I'm not really used to it. I mean what if I screw up or do something stupid?!” The more she spoke the sillier she felt, until it seemed like she had somehow reverted back into her teenaged self. When she looked over she felt a rush of alarm to discover that Carlos had moved himself so that there were mere inches between his face and hers. He said nothing to her this time though his lips parted gently in contemplation.

In her efforts to rationalize her actions Marie had always imagined that Carlos that rough and callous all over. She expected his actions to match his size. The gentle touch of his lips pressing against hers was a delightful surprise that filled her with mixed feelings of surprise and joy. Though she desperately struggled to deny it kissing him was a wonderful experience. His skin was soft and feverishly warm as if some mysterious illness now plagued him. She found her hands bunching up the front of his shirt, gathering fistfuls of crisp white cotton. He moaned gently in response, running his long fingers through her hair. The couch groaned softly under his weight as he leaned forward but she paid no attention to it now. Everything that feather light and soft. She closed her eyes to suppress some of the sensation but it was done in vain. The room suddenly felt much warmer than before. The heat creeped across her skin, sending a trail of goosebumps all down her body. Her heart strummed rapidly in her chest when their lips parted and he plunged his tongue into her mouth. He tasted surprisingly sweet she thought, like warm tea and honey.

“Oh my god!”

The dream-like sensation that had fogged her mind cleared at the sound of a feminine voice entering the room. Her eyes snapped open and immediately looked around in frantic search of the source. Hovering near the doorway she stood, like a creature just freshly emerged from Marie's own personal hair. Her hair tied up into a sophisticated bun and one hand balancing a plate of carrot cake she stared wide eyed at them. A fresh hue of pink appeared over her cheeks, proof of her embarrassment. “Hello...Tricia.” She blurted out with a dreadful moan. Of all the people in the world...

“Marie?! I'm so sorry. The front door was open and I didn't think there would be anyone else here other than Carlos..” Tricia proclaimed as she pressed her free hand to her face, exaggerating the horror that all of them now felt. Carlos had pulled away from her by then and was smoothing the wrinkles out of the front of his shirt like an ashamed teenager whose mother has just walked in on him doing something terrible. “Should I just go?” She asked, tilting her head to one side in curiosity as he gruffly rose up off of the couch.

“No, no don't bother. There's nothing wrong.” He exclaimed while shaking his head. He forced himself himself to sound calm and collective but when he glanced over in her direction she saw that his expression was laced with hints of dread. Marie was unable to pull herself together so easily. She remained frozen to her spot on the couch like a marble statue. Even the simple task of blinking felt difficult to her but she somehow managed to listen to every word that was exchanged, absorbing them all like a sponge as Tricia slowly padded across the room.

“I assume you're here for something important Tricia? If it's about the portrait.... ” Carlos began, shrugging awkwardly as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“Actually I just wanted to bring you this as a little surprise.” Tricia beamed, gesturing towards the plate that was still perched in one hand. “I have a dreadful amount of leftovers from a party I hosted two days ago and I thought you might like to have some.” She added as her voice brightened. In one subtle movement she reached out, playfully adjusting the collar of his shirt. “I know how busy you are right now. I wouldn't dream of pestering you for a commission when you're already up to your elbows in work. How is that landscape series coming by the way? The one you were mentioning the other day in the gallery?”

“Actually I have completed the first part of that series.” Carlos exclaimed as the warmth suddenly returned to his eyes once again. Marie nodded quietly, pretending to be observing when in reality she had no idea what they were talking about. “Just this last weekend I worked for 8 hours non-stop just to make sure that it was finished. I was inspired by the sunny weather we've been getting lately, and since the theme I was asked to follow was the four seasons I thought it was very appropriate to start with the Spring painting first. Beginning with something fresh and light always helps prepare you for the dread that is to come.” Tricia giggled, setting the plate of cake down on the coffee table in front of Marie.

“I'm amazed that you are able to work so diligently at this time of year. Personally I become a complete scatterbrain whenever the first signs of Spring appear.” Marie stated intensely at the other woman, studying the way that the lighting reflected off her golden hair. She was dressed smartly in a bright red suit but as she reached to set the plate down Marie caught just a glimpse of a lacy silk shirt that lay hidden beneath it. Her pumps were Prada. Her polish was Chanel. She smelled of a mixture of wildflowers and sandalwood. Everything about her was chic and refined, something to be expected of a Harvard lawyers daughter. She smiled sweetly when she noticed Marie staring in her direction, tracing her fingertips lightly across the strand of pearls hanging around her neck. “Good to see you again by the way Marie. You look really lovely today.”

“Would you like to see it by any chance?” Carlos asked as he shuffled past them, ignorant of the tension that was slowly building up within Marie. “The painting I mean.” He added as he glanced back at the two women from over his shoulder, smiling gently as he pointed towards a door situated down the hallway. “If would be very helpful if I received a little feedback. It is something completely out of my niche after all.”

“Really? You mean it?! Oh Carlos that would be wonderful!” Tricia cried happily as she clasped her hands gingerly together.

“Actually I think I should be getting home now.” Marie chided as she dragged herself up off the sofa. “It's getting late and I just remembered that I made other plans this evening.” She dusted herself off idly, reluctantly avoiding both Tricia and Carlos's gaze.

“Are you sure Marie? If you don't mind waiting just a few moments I could walk you home.” He replied, staring at her curiously as she fumbled to adjust her shoes.

“I'm sure I can manage by myself Carlos. I am a fully grown woman after all.” She laughed nervously as she turned away from them. Mentally she crossed her fingers in hope that her trembling hands would go unnoticed as they seemed to be making her life very difficult at the moment. “I'll see you later Carlos. Have a good night.”

She didn't wait to hear him say goodbye. Marie did not wait for anything. She just went. With her legs pounding heavily against the floor she carried herself all the way to the front door, twisted the doorknob and stepped out into the warm late afternoon. The walk home was much faster than usual. Her feet carried her rapidly down the sidewalk, guiding her along the empty road, up the front steps of her complex and into her apartment. When she checked her phone for any missed calls there were none from Heidi or Paige. They were both out having fun that evening without her. But a lump gathered in her throat when she found one missed call that stood out among all the others. Hands shaking she read the name over and over again, unable to fathom it for across the neon blue screen was written only one name; “Jack”.