“Tomorrow’s going to be one hell of a day. And, since we’re being honest, I already know how to do everything you do. Like you told me, it’s all mental. Pure will. I just wanted you to stop me sucking my thumb. I’m not sure why, but I knew it would make me feel calm. Safe... Like everything’s going to be okay. I’m not sure how else to describe it.”
“That’s an interesting mix of coping device and kink.” She grinned and kept hold of his thumb. “But I can’t blame... I mean, judge you for that.” She giggled and continued. “Within twenty-four hours life will be wonderful and everything will be resolved. I promise you. Now, David. Go before you embarrass me again, like how you know I love it, and I end up bending the rules and taking you right here and—” She paused and switched off David’s spell. “You’re awful. But I still love it. You don’t have to cast any spell on me to get me to admit that. Go.”
“Before I do. A few questions?”
“Of course, love.”
“If everything’s always been mental, why did your breath affect me when you made me your almost-equal? Why did my breath affect you? Why did my touching your face, after, make it harder for you to shift shapes? And why did your breath stop me from seeing the blood on the walls?”
“Your breath, and your touch, only affected me because you believed it could.” Cadence looked down, chewing on her lower lip. “But, as far as the blood... Our joining... Must you know now?”
“It’s going to drive me crazy, but... I suppose it can wait.”
He turned to leave and she blurted out: “My breath was an excuse. I just desperately wanted to finish—” She blushed. “Damn it. I mean... Is that enough of an explanation for now? You’ll understand what that meant when I fully explain myself to you. I promise.”
He smiled back at her. “Yes, Melody.”
As David left, she removed the glass prison, her face turning crimson. He waved to Brent in the kitchen, who was sure he only saw David leaving the bathroom.
David walked back out into the living room. Juno was sitting on the couch by herself and Brent was back in the kitchen, looking beat down and ready for bed.
“Hey Brent,” David said. “We’re going to get going. Spend time in our home and give you and Cadence some space.”
Brent looked at him and shrugged. “Hey, it’s no problem.”
“I want you to have this,” David said.
Brent looked as David shielded his hands from Juno’s view and pulled a fat wad of ones from his front jeans pocket. “What’s this?”
“For your hospitality,” David replied. “Don’t question it. Just accept it. We might not be alive if it wasn’t for you and Cadence. I want you to know we appreciate you taking two complete strangers in. Giving us a place to stay. Feeding us. Especially the two of us. We put your lives in serious danger, and you took care of us. There isn’t enough money in the world to pay you back for that. I know this isn’t a lot. About seven hundred. But it’s all we have to give. And I want you to have it.”
“I can’t...” Brent eyed the cash.
“Yes, you can.” He pressed it into Brent’s hand and closed his fingers around it. “Spend it on something fun.”
Brent patted David on the shoulder. “Well. Okay. Thanks, buddy.”
“Not at all, Brent.” He turned around. “Junie, you want to head home? The Strange household deserves a night off.”
“Of course, baby.” Juno stretched out, adjusting her bra through her shirt, and moved slowly from the couch.
When she made her way into the kitchen, Brent’s face lit up a little. Appreciating Juno with his eyes. David wanted, with everything inside him, to suggest Brent spend the money he’d given him on Juno. To give him release and give Juno practise doing what she so desperately wanted to go back to doing for a living, but Cadence wouldn’t stop flooding his head with thoughts about how improper that would be of him.
“Are you sure I should be spending the night in my new home yet, Davey?” she asked in a whisper. “I mean, after that stunt you just pulled on the telephone, I’m in more danger now than I ever have been. Like Ricky said, if I run, he’s going to come after Brent and Cadence. How is leaving them here to fend for themselves being at all considerate?”
“Everything’s okay. Thanks for asking, though,” David said at a normal volume as Brent looked over at him. “After tonight’s meal and Cadence’s meltdown. We should give these two a little alone time. We’re being a burden. They need to be able to talk without us hovering.”
“It’s no problem,” Brent said, stealing glances at Juno’s ass. David pretended not to notice and wondered how long he’d been pretending not to notice without noticing it before that night. Deciding it didn’t matter. “Cadence is all worked up. She’s not coming out of her bedroom. She feels like she ruined everything, I’m sure. I don’t understand it. I probably never will.”
“One second, baby,” Juno whispered to David.
She walked up to Brent and motioned for him to bend down so she could give him a hug, as David sucked his thumb and then rubbed his forehead with it. “Yeah?” Brent bent over to hear Juno and hide the bulge in the crotch of his jeans..
“Thank you so much for looking out for us.” Juno squeezed him tight. “I don’t know how you put up with that smelly uptight boner-killer, but you’re a good man. Still, between you and me, I think putting Cadence up for seven years is thanks enough for whatever you feel you owe her, right?”
Brent nodded and shook his head. He agreed Juno had a point about Cadence being a bit difficult to deal with at times, but he also knew she had no idea what else Cadence provided for him, and for everyone in the community. The provision they all craved. That they all demanded, yet were all too squeamish or too weak to provide for themselves. All while keeping things low key enough that their continued consumption was guaranteed.
“Seriously, you’re a better person than I am,” Juno continued as she relaxed her grip and let one arm hang free. “She’s lucky to have a piece of beefcake like you looking after her. But if she wasn’t living with you...” Juno adjusted her bra. “You might find yourself a real woman. A smoking hot woman. Who could appreciate a real man. Take care of him. See that all his needs. His desires were met. Every day, like he deserves, after slaving to put food on the table. Every morning when he wakes, before work. Every night, when he needs to get real, quality sleep. Someone like me. Think about it, sweet meat.” Brent gulped as she breathed her last words into his ear, heavy and warm.
“Jesus, I wish you would come on to me so I couldn’t keep talking myself out of trying to fool around with you. Just my luck, I guess. The first available woman comes to this town in forever and I’ve got an old biddy permanently camped out in my spare bedroom,” Brent replied. “That’s kind of you to say.” He looked and saw David rubbing his forehead with his thumb, but thought better of asking what was wrong. “But it’s been our pleasure having you. You’re welcome to stay here any time you like.” He looked over at David. “If you get any threatening phone calls tonight, you can come right back over. And Davey, if you don’t mind, can we call you if we get any threats? Like the masked one I got at work today.”
“Yeah.” David gave Brent their house number from memory. “You call us any time, if the bad men call you.” He snapped his fingers. “We’ll be over like that. I promise. It’s the least we can do. But you’ll be safe. Nothing’s going to happen tonight.”
“Okay, cool,” Brent said, watching Juno roll her eyes. “Thanks, buddy. You two have a great night. Take it easy on each other. Crazy kids.”
“Sweet dreams,” Juno said as they began to leave.
“Say good night to Cadence for us.” David closed the glass patio door as Juno echoed his sentiment.
Juno hiked up her jeans and pulled them forward at the crotch, so they hugged her ass nice and tight. Feeling Brent’s eyes on her. Imagining him checking her out with delight and the exciting fear of being caught looking. Juno loving it, as usual.
David sniffed at the air as they walked across the street.
“What the fuck is it with you and the sniffing, baby?” Juno asked as they approached their front door. “Seriously, has the house mother rubbed off on you that hard?”
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing. Let’s go inside and, if I’m lucky, poor lost and lonely Miss ‘Manners’ and her white knight will let me have some peace before Paulie and his crew come to interrupt us.” She stopped him as they entered the house. “Did I ever tell you what you do for me, my big, strong, sexy man?” She smiled and licked her lips.
“Yeah.” He closed the door behind them. “More than you’ll ever know.”
BBrent knocked on Cadence’s door as she began to undress for bed.
“Leave me alone,” she called out. “Tonight was a horrible embarrassment. I don’t want to be seen.”
“But, Cadence,” Brent pleaded. “Things were going so well. I thought we could spend some time together, now that the pests from next door have left us alone for a few minutes. They could be back any moment now. You never know.”
“So?”
“Well, I mean. Don’t you want to, maybe, watch some television. See what happens?”
“I know what happens on the television,” she said, opening her door. “But no. I think we should spend this night like we’ve spent every other night for the past seven years.”
“Come on, Cadence.” His jeans were already unzipped. “Let’s just. You know—”
“Why?”
“Because...”
Not able to think of a decent answer, he fixed Cadence’s gaze, took her head into his hands and brought her lips to his.
She pushed him back and looked at him with revulsion. “Really? Now?” She shook her head. “I know you don’t love me and you never have. It’s okay. Life will go on.”
“But—”
She slammed the door in his face.
David laughed, while he rinsed the smell of meat off his arms in the kitchen sink, as Cadence spoke in his head. Telling him how Brent lunged at her the moment they’d left. How he’d, almost literally, dropped his pants and how he’d tried to kiss her for the first time since she moved in. How badly she felt about having to reject him, though she felt good about it, since she knew he only wanted her because she had become, in his own words, ‘something he could fuck’. Mostly, she said, wanting him to know she’d remained faithful. He told her he would know if she wasn’t, which made her begin to float.
How are we doing this, Cadence? David asked. How are we ending our stories?
They’re going to end naturally. She purred. We won’t have to do much. Nothing about our current relationships—your overdue explanation excepted—is, or was ever, broken, so we don’t have to fix anything. Those obligations were just vehicles designed to guide us to this place and time in life where we’d meet again. We’re meant to be together, so the pieces will fall into place. You’ll see. Just wait. It may even start before tomorrow, but it will be done by tomorrow night, I promise you that. You’ll see. It’s going to be fun. ...mostly. It will be a wonder to watch unfold. To tell you the truth, I don’t want to know how it’s going to happen, so I haven’t looked forward. Not in any sense. I want it to be a surprise. Like how you showed up in my life again. I love how that happened. As much as the first time you showed up in my world. I want it to be magical, like that. Again. You’ll understand everything by tomorrow night. She paused. Would it be all right if I brought my things over tomorrow morning? I know you haven’t promised yourself to me yet but, however things work out, it’s time for me to leave Brent, and, just as you wish to, leave this town.
Of course, Cadence. You took me and Junie in when we were a danger to you. Or... well, we thought we were. You’re welcome to come over as early as you like. Even if things don’t work out as well as they can, after we’ve laid everything about ‘us’ on the table, you’ll always be welcome to stay wherever I am if you need a roof over your head.
Cadence smiled. Now, see to Juno, and keep her on her leash. She giggled, though it sounded slightly pained. I’m going to try to sleep now. But, seriously, she’s not good enough for you. Good night, David.
Good night, Cadence.
“Hey, Davey.” Juno purred and scratched at the hallway wall, peeking her head out playfully. Comfortable again in less clothing. “You want me to pretend I’m ever so embarrassed about the spectacle I made of myself this evening, eating supper and all? Maybe you and your magic wand can make me forget how terribly I ruined everything.” Her eyebrows bobbed suggestively.
“Junie.” He got up and walked over toward her. “You don’t have to pretend.”
She looked back at him. Puzzled, but acting as if she was sure he was playing her game. “Then punish me for being such an awful guest, Davey. Show me what happens when bad girls don’t act appropriately.” She giggled as he continued to approach her.
“All of a sudden I’m tolerable again?” he asked.
She looked back at him and scowled.
The phone rang and he held up his hand as he lifted the receiver, much to her chagrin.
“Hello,” he said. “Is this Brent? Just making sure I didn’t give you a fake number?” He laughed. “I would never play with a real man like that, sweet meat.”
Juno’s brow furrowed, and her eyes squinted in confusion.
“No,” the voice on the other end of the line said. “This is Ricky, you little rat fuck. You’re really pushing your luck with me, you piece of—”
“Could you do me a favour and swear seven or eight more times?” David asked. “I mean, in every sentence. And not all jammed together. For instance, if you could call back and say something like this: ‘How the fuck are you, Davey? This is fuckin’ Ricky, you fuckin’ little piece of fuckin’ shit rat fuck mother fucker’. Something like that?”
“What?” Richard replied, infuriated.
David hung up the phone. Juno looked at him with disbelief. “Hey, Junie,” he said, “do you have another cigarette? I need to go outside in the garage and be alone for seven seconds. I need to think about how I want to deal with Ricky and Paulie and this whole fuckin’ mess.”
“Sure.” She went back into the bedroom and returned with a cigarette and lighter. “Are you okay, Davey? Are you trying to fuck me up?”
“Of course not. Why would I do that?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “But when you keep talking like that to a connected guy like Ricky, who has a, literal, army of goons to send after me. Not to mention at least half the police department in his pocket. I start to wonder if you want me dead. Because, though I love you, there isn’t a whole lot you’re going to be able to say to keep me around if you put me in that position. I let you talk me into being your accomplice on that fucked up drug sting. If it was even legitimate. But I swear, baby. You’re taking this too far. You’ve got to stop or you’re going to get me seriously hurt.”
“You’ll be fine.” He walked out the front door.
She ran to the screen door to close it, not even aware she was braless in a see-through white tee shirt and wearing nothing below the waist. She left the front door slightly ajar behind her as the kitchen phone began ringing again. She moved quickly. Sweating fast and cold. Hoping David hadn’t heard.
She ran into the kitchen and picked up the receiver. “Hold on one second.” She covered the earpiece and listened. Hearing David talking to himself about something she couldn’t make out, she breathed easy and put the phone back to her ear. “Hello? Are you still there?”
“Is this Junie?” Richard asked.
“Yeah, Ricky, it’s me.” She shivered. Not because it was slightly chilly out. Mostly because she thought she could see a way to save herself.
“Finally, the sane member of the dynamic duo.” He breathed out heavily. “What the fuck is going on with your man, Junie? Is he back in the saddle? You know he’s baiting us to come out there and see him? And he’s putting your ass, and the two
little cuties you live next door to, in a pretty tight spot. Says he killed all the guys we sent after you already. Although I’m sure they just got lost trying to find that backwater nothing little town you ended up in. Am I right?”
“I haven’t seen anyone here. As far as I know, we’ve had two or three scares, but nothing’s come of any of them. I haven’t seen any of your guys.” She paused a moment. “Two little cuties? Something must have gotten lost in translation. Davey’s just talking tough to impress this ghastly woman across the street he wants to fuck for some ungodly reason. There’s only one of her, thank God. And he wants me to think he’s taken care of—what?—like twenty-six, twenty-seven bad guys. All by himself. But I mean, come on. He can barely handle me. Or our fuckin’ neighbours. Who, by the way, are driving me up the God damned wall.”
Richard laughed. “Country life not agreeing with you, Junie? I’d imagine it’s hard to drum up any business before everything shuts down at seven.”
“Fuck you, Ricky. That’s not fair.”
“Oh I’m sorry. I forgot about your delicate sensibilities. My apologies.”
“I’m sorry I swore at you, Ricky. Tell Paulie too. None of this was my idea. The only reason I ran was because Davey said you held me as responsible as him, though I didn’t even know what the hell he was doing until he told me right after it happened.”
“You didn’t know? In the thrift store? You didn’t walk me right into a dead end?”
“I swear on my life, Ricky. Everything I told you was true. And I’m still clean but...” She hesitated for a moment, noticing the door to the empty, unused bedroom across from the kitchen was cracked open. “I never agreed to any of it. He just fucked me up and then I had no choice but to run. You wouldn’t have believed me. You still don’t.”
“Of course I do, Junie. I believe you. You still want back in? You want to start earning again? You still looking good?”
“Better.”
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