"I'm liking the digs," I said.
"Thanks." She smiled, hearing the admiration in my voice. She then led me into the kitchen and switched on the lights.
"Put the bags on the counter," she said pointing to the black and gray marble counter in the middle of the room. I did so and scanned the room with my eyes. In front of me was a stainless steel fridge and oven to the left of it. The cupboards were wood and they covered the wall to my left in a half circle design. There were shelves lining the bottom half of the wall with the steel sink separating one half from the rest. The surface was also the same black and gray marble as the counter. To the right of me was a rectangular dining table able to fit four people and had a nice view of the front yard due to the three windows that overlooked it. On the table’s center sat a vase of purple orchids. Even though I knew they were plastic, they charmed me anyway.
I began taking the contents out of the bags and placed whatever needed to be kept cold in the fridge. Salli busied herself by putting all the other stuff in the shelves and cupboards. Looking inside the cold metal box I was surprised by how much stuff was inside considering there were only two people living in this house. I mentioned this observation to Salli and she chuckled.
"Billy has a big appetite," she said.
Trying to ram a jug of milk in between a whole roasted chicken and a plastic container with what looked like soup I said, "Apparently. Speaking of which, your son isn't home yet?"
"Nope. He's an editor for his school's newspaper and they have a meeting today until late afternoon," she said, her face covered by the open door of a cupboard.
It was four o’ clock right now. I thought to myself, if I can get him alone today I'll be able to complete my mission soon. I sighed inwardly, if only I knew what I was supposed to coerce him into doing. Class 2 missions require the target to be lead down a very specific path whether it’s in lifestyle, career, vocation, choice of spouse or any of a number of things. I was pretty much clueless. The more I thought of it, the more I became frustrated that I had nothing to work with. Damn it, if EJ was keeping Billy Carnham's eventual fate away from me on purpose I was going to yell at her until her beloved King Arthur did return, if only to save her sorry ass.
The last of the groceries were out of the bags and I must've been deep into my thoughts because when I finally shut the refrigerator door, I didn't notice Salli standing less than a foot away looking straight at me. I turned my body to face her. Due to our height difference I had to tilt my head down to look at her. I saw the look in her eyes and I knew I shouldn't have come here. She moved in closer to me then and put her hands on my chest; I don't know if she felt my heart beat faster as she did so.
She said, "Billy won't be back for another hour..." She didn't say more. I looked straight into her eyes, and it felt like I was staring at the world being created and destroyed at the same time.
Is it wrong of me to say that I wanted to take her into my arms and kiss her? To feel the wetness of her lips on mine? To toss aside all self-control and remove everything separating the two of us? To caress every inch of her with my fingers? To rip off her clothes and toss her onto the countertop, the cold surface colliding with her senses as my warm tongue enters her? After making her cum I'd enter her, moving with a smooth, unwasting rhythm like that of all the tides of the sea that ever were. It would be wild but in control. Rough, but passionate. After we climaxed I'd take her into her bedroom and we’d continue, until we were both spent and exhausted. Afterwards we would lie down facing each other, our bodies touching, and I'd kiss her forehead, nose, and lips and tell her, "You're the most enchanting woman I've ever met. I want to stay here forever." And I saw it all in that moment, looking into her eyes.
She was so, so lovely.
But it couldn't be. Mustn't be. I wanted to force my way into her mind and stop her. To push her into thinking about her husband and how much she might be betraying his memory by doing this. But no, doing that would've made me a coward. Instead, I draped my arms over her and pulled her close in an embrace. I lowered my head and whispered into her ear, "We can't do this."
"Why not?"
"You barely know me. I'm a stranger in your home."
"All I needed to know I saw today. You're a good man."
"No, I’m not. In a couple weeks I'll be gone from your life forever." I felt her body stiffen at those words.
"Why?" she asked.
"I'm just..." If I could've said anything else I would've. "I'm just passing through your life."
I said it with a finality that couldn't be questioned or assuaged. A feeling of helpless acceptance emanated from her and I felt her body sag a tiny bit. After a minute she nodded once and pushed herself away from me and I didn't resist. I felt so alone at that moment. The only other time I felt this alone was when I knew I'd never see Bol again.
No, that’s not true. There was one other time before. Another world. Another life. Another person.
Her resolve returned as well as some of her usual charm as she knuckled some tears from her eyes.
"I've been doing this a lot today," Salli said with a chuckle. "Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. I must've come off as a desperate girl looking for pity sex."
"Not at all. You just needed a shoulder to cry on is all." I smiled, though the worlds know where I got the strength to. I gestured toward the dining table. “Here, have a seat. I’ll make some coffee.”
She nodded, wiping away the last of her tears. “Okay.” She sat down at one end of the table.
Looking through the cupboards I found some hazelnut coffee grounds and a filter and placed them into the nearby coffee maker. The funny thing is, people tell me I make good coffee but I don’t drink it. I waited for the hot water to start dripping before I joined Salli at the table. She must’ve opened up the window blinds because I found her staring outside at the snowy yard. I sat down on a white chair close to her and joined her in looking out the window. The streets were clear of all snow, as were the sidewalks. The house in front of us was a subdued shade of red. From my vantage point it looked as if the house had the same structural design as Salli’s. Looking at the other homes it looks as if they all did but with different colors. The smell of hazelnut brought me out of my chair and I poured Salli a cup. I handed it to her and sat down.
“Thank you.” she said.
I smiled. “Don’t mention it.”
With a curious look in her eyes she asked, “You’re not going to drink any?”
I shook my head. “I’m not a fan of coffee.”
She nodded. “It’s my fuel. And I have to have it on a daily basis.”
“That’s fair. I hope you don’t drink too much.”
“Maybe,” she said before taking a sip. She had a sheepish look on her face that made me chuckle.
We sat in silence for what seemed like a long time until Salli broke it.
“My husband Tyler, he was part of an investigation into the mafia here in Orlando. The case went on for a couple of years and he was tasked to do some undercover work during the last few months of the investigation. His cover was that of a Russian arms dealer selling weapons to Gionnini. It was going smoothly but…he, um....” She paused, trying to find the words.
“It’s okay, take your time.”
She flashed a short-lived, grateful smile and continued, “His cover was blown. That bastard Gionnini must’ve had him checked out and followed to the precinct. Or someone talked. I don’t really know. But he was supposed to meet up with that big thug you saw today for an exchange. From what the detectives at the scene gathered, it looked like a car pulled up and they just opened fire on him.”
Though I already knew all of this, it felt different hearing it from someone who was there. From someone who cared about a man I’ve only read about. Listening to her speak, I felt both sad and a little jealous. Sad, for having seen this woman’s life torn asunder by this one cr
uel act. She didn’t deserve to have this happen to her. Jealous, for wishing that I was the object of her love and affection. My jealousy was needless and the moment I felt it I suppressed it as nonsensical. I was not this woman’s lover; I had no place in this woman’s life.
“Wasn’t there enough evidence to arrest him?” I asked.
She shook her head. “He was brought in for suspicion, as was his bodyguard but their alibis supposedly checked out. Tyler had a lot of friends in the precinct so even when the case was left unsolved they dug some more.” She sighed. “But they couldn’t find any connections with him and the shooting. That was four years ago.” As she finished her story she cast her eyes down to her almost empty coffee mug, seeming to find some comfort in the murky depths of the dark liquid.
********
When I was certain she was done telling her story I turned to look out the window and sat there in silence. The memory of Bol’s trial hearing came to the surface of my mind. I remember approaching the Conclave’s bench after his guilty verdict was read and saying it wasn’t right, that it wasn’t fair. I heard Bol call my name and when I turned to look at him I saw his face, both kindness and acceptance apparent in his expression. He said, “It’s okay, Darrius.”
“But…”
“Darrius. There isn’t much in life that’s fair. One way or another we’re all proof of that.” And with that, he smiled his kind smile one last time before he was hauled away. That was the last time I ever saw him.
********
“Hey.” Salli’s voice broke me out of my thoughts and I turned to look at her. She smiled. “I just need to shower before I make dinner. You mind looking after the house for a bit?”
I smiled back. “Sure.”
She nodded, brought her cup over to the faucet to clean it and proceeded to go upstairs to her bedroom. I sat there for a while, staring at the vase with the purple orchids. I heard the shower turn on and I imagined Salli’s beautiful figure stepping into the tub, her slim hands drawing the curtain closed. I shook my head and quickly thought about the other missions and Earths I was assigned to. Most were straightforward, some a bit complicated. But my visit to the Sunless Earth was easily the most difficult. I was there for only one day, but that one day felt like it wouldn’t end. It was also the only time I ever felt truly afraid for my life.
I was reliving the moments of that day when I heard keys being entered into the front door’s lock. I stood up and forced my abilities to ascertain if this person was a threat or not. I felt both relieved and confused when I sensed it was Billy; he had gotten out of school earlier than expected. He closed the door behind him and from the entrance hall I heard him say, “Hey mom! I’m home early.” Billy took off his coat and boots and I braced myself as he entered the kitchen. Billy stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me. With suspicion and tension obvious on his face he said, “What are you doing here?”
I smiled, hoping to persuade him of my good intentions. “I was at a Starbucks in the area and your mom happened to pass by and say hi to me. She asked me to accompany her as she shopped for groceries. So I did and as a thank you she agreed to have me over for dinner.”
Billy’s scowl darkened. “I don’t believe you. Where’s my mom?”
“Billy!” We both looked around to see Salli in a pink bathrobe just beyond the entrance to the kitchen.
“Mom!” said Billy as he drew closer to his mother and stood protectively between the both of us.
Salli looked confused. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s he doing here mom? He said you invited him over?”
Salli’s face brightened. “Yeah, we met up at Starbucks by accident and he went grocery shopping with me. Since he’s new to town and he did me a favor I think it’s only right he have dinner with us.”
He turned to face his mom. “But mom, he’s like, a freakin’ stranger. He could be a hobo or something. Or even one of those mafia guys who killed dad…”
“William!” Billy shut up at once. It wasn’t loud but her voice had enough authority to make my back somehow straighter than it was before. She continued, “Richard here helped me out today. You don’t know what happened but it was bad. I will tell you later but just know he’s a good man and means us no harm.”
Billy cast his eyes down to the floor.
Softening her expression Salli walked past Billy and said to me, “I’m sorry about that. My son is just trying to protect me.”
I smiled, understanding. “It’s okay. He’s the man of the house, he has every right to look after you in any way he can.” With relief clear on her face she scurried over to her son, and with her arm around his shoulders brought him over to stand in front of me.
“Billy. Don’t you have something to say?”
His face flushed red with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, sir.”
“No need to apologize to me, I understand. And you don’t have to call me ‘sir’. Richard is fine.” Billy nodded his head in acknowledgment, relief clear in his demeanor.
Turning to his mother, having forgotten she was in her bathrobe, Billy’s face turned red. “Mom, could you please put some clothes on?”
With almost casual aplomb she said, “Oh yeah. I heard your voice Billy and thought I’d come down to greet you as soon I got out of the shower.”
“Well okay you did that, now could you please put on some clothes?” He was pleading now, still embarrassed.
Salli smiled. “Sure. You boys set up the food and dinner table. I should be back in 30 minutes.”
We both voiced our consent. She nodded and walked out of the kitchen, but not a second passed before her head popped back in the doorway. “Billy, be nice,” said Salli.
Billy nodded, and satisfied with his response Salli headed upstairs to change.
Billy looked at me and I tipped my head and smiled. He scratched one of his ears and walked toward the fridge. He opened it and pulled out a couple pieces of chicken cutlets. I went to the stove and took one of the pans hanging on a nearby hook. I turned on one of the burners and placed the pan on top of it. Meanwhile, Billy busied himself by cutting up the chicken on a cutting board. He was quite good at it. I said as much to him.
“Thanks,” he said, somewhat taken aback at my compliment. “My mom taught me how to cook some.”
I nodded. “That’s cool. I like cooking myself instead of eating out at diners or restaurants. At least I know firsthand the quality of the ingredients.”
“Yeah.” After a few moments Billy cut the last piece and slid the chicken onto the pan. “Hey, can you pass me the bag of brown rice over there?” he said as he pointed toward a cupboard behind me. I obliged him and handed over a small bag of brown rice. He thanked me and poured most of the bag’s contents into a small rice cooker. He lifted the detachable bowl from the cooker, filled it about a level or two above the top most layer of rice, placed it back inside and shut the lid. Billy then walked over to the stove and took charge of cooking the chicken. I leaned against the countertop, parallel to him.
“Your mom told me she was expecting you later this afternoon,” I said.
Billy was moving the chicken around to make sure they all cooked evenly. “My friend’s dad was supposed to drop me off but we ended the meeting early.” There was frustration in his voice.
“Oh yeah? Did something happen?”
He sighed. “Our Editor-in-Chief Mike got into a fight with one of our other editors, Paul. It’s not the first time it’s happened but this was definitely the worst.”
I thought it best not to say anything so I let him continue.
“I don’t know what it is but they just can’t stand each other. Outside of the newspaper they’re both cool guys. I’ve hung out with the both of them and they’re nice. But man, once you get them in that room together it’s like, a switch turns on.” Billy snapped the fingers of his free hand. “And bam, they suddenly hate each other.?
??
I nodded. “What were they fighting about?”
“I was busy writing a piece on our JV football team so I didn’t catch all of it but they were arguing about one of Paul’s articles. Paul wanted it placed somewhere on the front page but Mike disagreed. He said something like it didn’t belong anywhere near the front page and then Paul flipped out.”
“I don’t think I blame him,” I said.
Billy shrugged one shoulder as he poured some spices onto the chicken. “I guess. They started yelling at each other and all the other editors started looking at one another. It was pretty obvious that this was much worse than it ever was. And it was also obvious that if no one stopped them they were going to get into a fight.”
“So what did you do?”
“I walked over to where they were arguing but made sure to keep back just in case, you know? They both stopped to look at me and I just started talking.” Billy paused.
I tilted my head and asked, “What did you say?”
Billy turned to me and gave me a look of embarrassment. “Honestly I don’t remember. I just know within a couple of minutes of me speaking both guys nodded to one another, shook hands, walked to their desk and started working.”
Listening to this part of his story I remember feeling this weird sensation in the back of my mind warning me to pay closer attention to what he was saying.
Billy noticed the meat was ready and turned off the stove. He brought out a bowl from a nearby cupboard and put the chicken inside. He asked me to check on the rice and I just nodded. I didn’t want to say anything, I was afraid I might break both his train of thought and my own concentration.
Billy continued, “After Mike and Paul walked away from each other I remember just standing there, like I couldn’t believe what I did. What brought me out of my daze was Chris, one of the associate editors, patting me on the back saying, ‘Good job once again!’”
My mind was trying to reconcile something important about Billy but couldn’t quite get there. “Again?”
“Yeah,” said Billy as he took the pot from my hands; I was concentrating so hard I didn’t notice I had taken it out of the rice cooker. “I had stopped a few arguments before between other people at the school. So that wasn’t the first time.”