Swirl Romance Stories

by Louis Alexandre Forestier

  Esteban started touring down his hands along the woman´s waist and hips what caused Luz moans of satisfaction. They finally settled on her fleshy buttocks and began to fondle them. She broke the kiss and asked.

  “Are not you going too fast?”

  “I think not, but if you want me to interrupt it I will.”

  “Liar.” She said in a catlike meow. “Neither you nor I can stop it.”

  The man squeezed her buttocks until Luz produced a faint moan of complaint.

  “My house is only three blocks from here.” Said Esteban. “Do you want to come with me?”

  Both entered the single room apartment after walking fast the short distance from the bar and noisily went up the four flights of stairs generating some screams of the neighbors requesting silence.

  Just as he closed the door Esteban pressed the woman against it while he pulled her tight skirt up with his hands and stroked her thighs. Meanwhile Luz unbuttoned his shirt and began to kiss his hairy chest. Finally, given the difficulties to continue their caresses both removed their clothes and threw them on the single bed, so in their movements they came permanently close to the edge of the mattress.

  The penetration was ardent and prolonged, the two bodies moved in spasmodic and uncoordinated form in order to increase the depth. The climax was reached in unison with a sense of liberation.

  Both lay exhausted on the bed, whose sheets were covered in sweat. Luz cried joyfully.

  “This is my first time since I arrived in this country. It took time but I enjoyed it thoroughly.”

  “I’ve had a long period of abstinence myself, too long indeed.”

  The girl suddenly watched her watch.

  “My cousin must be worried about me. I never came home so late.”

  “Why don´t you call her? I´ll lend you my cell phone”.

  “Thank you, no need. I´ll call her from my own phone, I have her number saved on the memory of the mobile.”

  The girl got up from the bed trying to cover her body with a sheet as if she had only then realized she was naked. Esteban yanked the sheet leaving her buttocks in the air, and then planted a kiss in them as they both laughed joyfully.

  The boy saw Luz talking to her relative on the phone; he also got up of the bed, approached the woman and began kissing her belly. She was trying to pull his head away but finally had to surrender to the persistence and began to stroke his neck. When Esteban´s mouth approached her Mons the voice of the girl involuntarily became more mellifluous so she hurried to finish the call.

  “Stop! My cousin realized I was with a man.”

  “What did she say? Did she rebuke you?”

  Luz broke into a nervous giggle.

  “On the contrary! She congratulated me.”

  Esteban lifted her and carried her back to bed.

  “Let´s see where we left.”

  Chapter 2

  That Friday afternoon Esteban returned exhausted to his apartment. He had worked from six o’clock on an inventory of his company´s warehouse and had to climb to the high racks loaded with merchandise. As he was the youngest and most agile in his working group the boy had done most of the effort.

  He had dived into bed fully clothed and was immediately in a state of dozing. After what seemed like a few seconds a sharp and recurrent sound startled him. With narrowed eyes the man groped the cell phone that in the absence of a side table was on the floor and took the call. Just as he saw the time on the screen Esteban realized that he had slept almost an hour.

  “Hello! Yes, Luz. No, I was lying because I had a lot of work. I’ll take a shower, eat and sleep … You’re moving tomorrow? … Yes, count me and my car … What time do you need me? … Well I’ll be there at eight. You have much stuff to move?

  Esteban parked in front of Luz cousin´s home. He had been several times in front of the door when took the girl back home after their meetings but had never entered it. Now he had to do it to pick up the luggage and other packages and then met Teresa’s cousin and her husband Tomas, a typical product of the Buenos Aires slums. Among all filled the small Fiat with Luz` belongings. Then the girl said goodbye to her cousin in a scene that according to Esteban was excessively full of tears.

  “You’re going to live a few blocks away and you can see them any time you want.” Expressed the boy in a critical tone after starting the auto. “You are not moving to another city.”

  “I’ve lived with Teresa since I came to this country. Actually she brought me here and gave me shelter from day one. She also helped me get a job.”

  The young man slightly changed the subject.

  “I could see the look of relief of her husband when he saw you leaving.” Said Esteban mockingly.

  “You carping bastard!” Replied the woman punching him in the shoulder. “Angel loves me.”

  “Has he some illusions about you?”

  “That I cannot know. But he never got anything. Or are you jealous now?”

  “No, no. I know for sure you have not had sex before meeting me by the way you squeeze me.”

  “Plaintive as all Argentineans. If you are not up to my standards let me know and I’ll find another who is.”

  The exchange of sarcasms and ironies lasted until she told him they had arrived at her new home, no more than fifteen blocks away from her cousin´s. Luz got out of the car and rang the doorbell of a house of dilapidated appearance, actually like almost all the block. Esteban started to take some of the bags and packages out of the car for entering them in the house when he saw that the door opened at last and a young and thin woman of blackened skin peeked. Her face and figure shocked the young man who froze for a few seconds staring at her. Luz and the black girl kissed each other and the former called Esteban. He reacted depositing some boxes on the floor and approached the women.

  “Let me introduce you to Valentina. Valentina, he is Esteban, the friend I told you about.”

  After a few moments of uncertainty the young man approached the woman, not knowing whether to shake hands or kiss her as is the custom in Buenos Aires. The girl settled the question by offering her cheek; Esteban’s lips could experience her smooth and soft skin.

  “Well, has she left you speechless? Tell her something.” Goaded Luz.

  “ It is my pleasure Valentina.” Stammered the boy.

  “Come inside.” The aforementioned answered with a velvety voice. “It’s not safe to stay so long in the door with the bags on the street.”

  Among all transported Luz personal belongings to the courtyard. From there Esteban could see the interior of the housing. Two bedrooms, a living room, the bathroom and the kitchen communicated with each other through the courtyard. A staircase led to a small room that was on the top floor, at the same level as the neighboring terraces. The courtyard was clear and had well cared flower pots. In contrast to the exterior façade, the interior of the small house looked neat and well maintained despite its age. Esteban transported the luggage to what according to the girls was to become Luz bedroom; then he stood in the yard watching the women carrying smaller bundles to the room and the kitchen. Esteban could stare at Valentina while remaining unperceived. She was likely a little over twenty years old, tall and slender, despite what she had a very well shaped rear as all women of her race. Her skin was so dark that in the imagination of the man had bluish reflections. She wore her curly hair pulled back behind her head. Her oval face was of a perfect cut and her eyes reminded Esteban those of a gazelle. The young man was immediately enraptured contemplating the girl. Luz voice called him to reality once again.

  “Come and give us a hand to carry these packages to the room upstairs.”

  By late afternoon they completed the installation of the moved staff. Although it was Saturday night the youngsters were very tired and decided not to go dancing or to carry out another evening program. Valentina and Luz invited Esteban to dinner, partly with provisions that were already in the fridge and partly with food ordered on a nearby delivery store. The convers
ation became widespread after dinner. Its focus was Valentina, who was completely unknown to Esteban and of whom Luz had a recent and superficial knowledge.

  “I was born twenty two years ago in a small village in the Department of Cauca, on the Pacific coast of Colombia. Most people of my hometown are of quite pure African origin like me and their families have lived there for generations. The first blacks were brought as slaves from Guinea and were already there in 1580, so we call ourselves Afro-Colombians quite rightfully. I never knew my father and my mother raised six children by working as a maid and as a washerwoman.”

  Victim of an emotional outbreak the girl had to make a stop on her exposure.

  “I came to Argentina four years ago, after passing through Lima with my aunt. She decided to return to Colombia and I continued my trip to Buenos Aires to study at the Faculty of Medicine.”

  “What are you studying?”Asked Esteban.

  “ BS in Nutrition. I have yet a couple of more years to go.”

  “And you work?”

  “Yes, in a public hospital and I am now about to enter as an assistant in a nursing home.”

  “Do you have time for both works?” Asked Luz.

  “Barely. I’ll probably have to quit one of the two jobs in order to continue studying.”

  “How did you get to rent this house?”

  “ The owner is a Cuban, also a black woman. She has a ladies’ hairdresser five blocks from here and as soon as I arrived in Buenos Aires I spent short time working with her, so she took me affection. When she married an Argentinean she moved to his apartment. She has not asked me sureties or guarantees of any kind to rent the house, that I obviously don´t have; just to pay her a reasonable rent.”

  Esteban looked at the woman with a spellbound expression, what caused some disapproving looks of Luz. Valentina finally got up to go to watch television and Luz asked her with complete candor.

  “We are very tired from the move. Doesn´t it upset you if Esteban spends the night here with me?

  “Not at all. You have every right to have fun after the heavy work. I just hope you will not make noises, because also I need to sleep.”

  Luz pushed the man on the bed and fell upon him lifting her skirt.

  “Do not think I did not see you staring at Valentina like a fool. I’m going to erase her black ass from your mind.”

  “Easier said than done.” Thought secretly Esteban but was careful not to show his thoughts in his face.

  Chapter 3

  Esteban was arriving late at Valentina and Luz home. He parked his car in the street and noticed with surprise that in front of the house there was a BMW looking pretty battered. He took the pizzas he had in the back seat and prepared to enter the house. From afar he glimpsed that the front door was open ajar; in a moment of silence from the outside traffic he heard screams coming from inside the house, including gruff voices of men and woman shrieks. In both cases he recognized Colombian accents.

  “This is not right.” He mused apace. Then returned in a stride to the car, opened the door, left the pizzas and took from the trunk of the vehicle the jimmy cricket to change tires; on the other hand he took the lug wrench to loosen the nuts and jumped back to the door. He kicked it open and saw a scene within that overcame him.

  Valentina and Luz lay on the courtyard floor with marks on their faces and crying inconsolably. Two burly men were with them; one of them, a mulatto, held Luz by the hair while in his right hand he brandished a long knife he approached the girl’s neck. The other man, also with a Caribbean look, was in the middle of the courtyard quite near the door and therefore close to Esteban; in his hand he held a pistol with an attachment at the tip looking definitely as a silencer.

  Everything was quick, simple, simultaneous and brutal. The man with the gun raised his arm in order to target Esteban but the boy threw with all his strength the key cross on the thugs´ chest; the bully felt the impact and stumbled dropping the gun. Esteban jumped and stood behind him placing the crowbar on the attacker´s throat. Feeling asphyxiated the man tried to break free from the desperate situation that prevented him from breathing. He was stocky but his forces were no match for the boy, who also was favored by the location from which he squeezed the other’s neck knowing it was his only chance.

  The mulatto pulled up Luz head approaching the knife to her throat with the intention to cut it. Valentina picked up the gun from the ground and without hesitation and not even aiming pulled the trigger once, twice, three times. The thug´s body was ejected backwards by the force of the impacts and fell partially supported by the shutters of one of the bedrooms. Two ominous dark circles covered his shirt expanding rapidly. The thug who was trying to free from Esteban´s action made a final effort to get rid of asphyxia until his tension suddenly eased. The boy released the pressure and the body fell to the ground like a sack. Esteban backed up releasing the metal bar prey to a seizure as he became aware that he had killed a man in a primitive and savage way. Valentina, who was sitting on the floor, dropped the gun she was still holding and approached Luz body lying motionless on the courtyard.

  “Oh my God! She’s dead!”

  Esteban approached the women and checked the young woman´s pulse.

  “No, just fainted. She’s in shock. Quickly bring water and some cushions for her head.

  Luz had regained consciousness and never ceased to mourn in silence. The boy stroked her head and said.

  “Once you calm down we have to talk about this. We need to find out whether the danger still exists or has finished with these two men dead.”

  Then he addressed Valentina.

  “We have two dead men in the house. I do not know what to do with this.

  She also drank some water and replied with a small voice.

  “In this city only I know Carmen. Maybe she can help us with this situation.”

  “Who is Carmen?”

  “My Cuban friend, the owner of the house.”

  “Why would she know what to do?”

  “She and her husband will guide us. I just know it. They have been through a lot in their lives. I’m going to call her.”

  Valentina brought her cell phone, dialed a number and spoke quietly explaining the situation. On the other side there was a moment of silence and finally the woman named Carmen said.

  “My husband is in Mendoza right now so I have to take care of this situation myself. I’ll be there in less than an hour. Prepare your bags with the most essential things for an undetermined amount of days. We have to get you immediately out of the house because you do not know if there is still danger and if someone else was aware of your address. I will also have someone to take care of the bodies.”

  Carmen hung up and Valentina readily repeated her instructions to Luz and Esteban. The three rushed to prepare the indispensable elements for a short stay out of home.

  The front door bell rang faster than expected. When Esteban opened it he met a voluminous black woman; she spoke with a distinct Cuban accent.

  “I’m Carmen.” She simply said as she threw herself on Valentina and took her in her thick arms. Both women wept silently.

  “We must leave this place immediately. We do not know if anyone else is on track to complete what these two could not take carry out.” Said pointing the fallen bodies.

  “What will we do with them?” Asked Esteban.

  “ They’re coming to dispose of them.”

  “They come? Who?”The boy regretted his question right away.

  “Get on the truck.” The Cuban said in her usual imperative tone, absolutely necessary to guide the three shocked and disoriented youngsters

  “Where are we going?” Esteban insisted.

  “ To an empty warehouse I have in Avellaneda. No one will associate it with you.”

  “Is it not better to go to my apartment?” Insisted the young man.

  It’s too small, and has just one room. There would be no privacy for Valentina.” Argued Luz in a small voice.

 
“Besides we do not know how long these two men and those who sent them have been on your trail. They may also already have your address.”

  They were already installed in the warehouse. Despite its dilapidated outside appearance, all the large ground floor was almost empty, clean and tidy. A staircase led to a kind of office space and housing on an upper floor-certainly for an eventual watchman-which consisted of two rooms, a bathroom and a kitchenette.

  “Here you should stay for a few days until we can determine if there is someone watching the house of Constitución.” Explained Carmen. “That block is full of matrons who spend the whole day peering into the street and they’re all friends of mine.”

  “And shall we move back then?” Asked Valentina in a hopeful tone.

  “If the place is safe, yes.”

  “How is it that a Cuban hairdresser in Buenos Aires has so many resources for difficult cases? Inquired Esteban addressing Carmen. “Who are you really?”

  “You make too many questions for your own good.” Was the woman´s tough response.

  “Carmen is right.” Cried Valentina. “I don´t know what would we have done if she wasn´t here for us.”

  “It´s true.” Admitted the man with his head down. “I’m sorry.”

  “Your questions are however logical.” Added the Cuban woman. “But they need to remain unanswered for your own sake.”

  “What will happen to the two dead bodies?” Luz’s question evinced a hint of trouble.

  “They will be found in some isolated field. Given their probable nationality the police will likely attribute the killing to vendettas between drug traffickers. Those events are fairly common among Peruvian and Colombian nationals in Buenos Aires.” Carmen sat on one of the two chairs of the room. “ But you two…” Added pointing at Valentina and Luz. “… should explain what really happened and if you want me to continue helping you should do so without hiding anything.”