When his tongue emerged from her asshole, he continued the chant like a mantra. “Yummy Mummy, Yummy Mummy, Yummy Mummy,” while pumping out his slimy semen all over her war- torn bottom. “Mummy, you’re the tastiest,” he crowed, untying her wrists.
She moved away when he tried to kiss her.
This guy is definitely stuck in the oral stage. Lucky for me he didn’t go for anal intercourse. No condom. But, I guess that would have taken him out of the oral stage.
“Where’s the john?”
She pointed while scrabbling to her knees and rising, her panties down around her ankles. She pulled them up. Luckily, she had a black skirt on so if she spotted, no one would be the wiser. Unless, it stained the chair.
Sydney came back into view, dressed, buckling up his belt, looking every bit the innocent, smug preppy.
“Sydney you can’t come here again. You know where to go for some fun,” she said, staring into his empty eyes. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“I can’t come here anymore. Can I make more appointments there?”
“Of course you can.” She shuddered inwardly.
He left happy and reassured.
Once he was gone, she cleaned herself up, readying herself for her first patient as best she could. She kept worrying about staining the chair seat.
The rest of the day dragged. Sophia’s mind wandered. She had a hard time concentrating and listening to her patients.
How had simple Sydney found out about her other life? Rudy sprang to mind. That fucking Rudy had to be stopped.
She called Maria. She had ten minutes before her last patient
Maria picked up immediately.
“Maria, I’m so glad you answered.”
“What’s wrong, hon?” She barreled on, not waiting for an answer. “Listen. I’ve been following Magda and nothing so far. She’s morbid. Creepy. Like a lot of the survivors. They’re like the living dead. No offense, Sophia. Not your parents. But nothing suspicious.”
“The hell with Magda. I just had one of the Momma’s Boys assault me in my office. He was hiding under the couch, pounced, and tied my wrists up. He’s the one with really bad acne and he wears this unusual fig scent. I smelled the fig first. Talk about creepy. Rudy had to be the one who gave him my psychotherapy office address.”
“I’m gonna kill that motherfucker.”
“Maria, no. One death is enough. Just scare the shit out of him,” Sophia said, already regretting the call.
“What did he do to you?”
“He nibbled on my buttocks, which he’s done before, but this time he drew blood, and then he tongued my anus. That was new. That felt weird. But it’s not that. He also paid handsomely. It’s the fact that he showed up at my office and did his dirty work here. The more I think about it, the more I’m sure Rudy put him up to it. I have to go. I have one more patient.”
“Come over afterward?”
“Yes. Okay. I’ll walk over. I need an escape. We can talk about your game plan for Rudy.”
“Game plan,” Maria snorted. “My game plan is a bullet right between those smarmy eyes.”
“Maria.”
“Kidding. Kidding. We’ll talk about intimidating him. That’ll be fun. Watching him squirm.”
Sophia was opening the door to her final patient of the day. Samuel was a man paralyzed by his anxiety and low self-esteem. She heard her cell tinkle. She couldn’t answer. Even a brief delay past his appointed hour would spiral Samuel into shattering self-doubts. She’d retrieve the message on the way to Maria’s. She heard another call coming in. Everyone wanted a piece of her. She shut it off while Samuel was settling in on the overstuffed couch.
An hour later, having locked up carefully, wondering how Sidney bypassed the alarm system and knew Amanda wouldn’t be in the office, she scurried west on Lincoln Road, ignoring the early merry makers and shoppers, always abundant on the street, even in the swelter of summer. The street was a people watching nirvana, but she had neither the time nor the inclination. Her mind was roiling with anxiety.
She remembered the phone. Ada. She was listening to an agitated, frightened woman when she called back. The phantom struck again. Ada returned home at noon from food shopping to an unbearable stench, filling the hallway and the apartment. Someone had let themselves in, fired up the stove, and left bubbling gorgonzola in an iron frying pan to work its magic. That was early afternoon. The smell still pervaded the place.
“How come you’re calling now?”
“I ran to Ta. Mathilde was there shooting daggers at me. But Ta was good. He sent her packing.”
Ada sounded like someone who was tearing her hair out.
“What did you do, Ma? Why is someone after you?”
“Oy, Zophitchka, someone? It’s that fershtinkener Magda. I didn’t do anything. I’ll tell you what I did one day,” Ada contradicted herself. “But that was a war over fifty years cold.”
“You’ll never tell. Even though, you’re still living that war. Maybe it’s not Magda and it’s nothing to do with the past.”
“Don’t say mein Rudy again. He loves me.”
Sophia shuddered at the name.
“Who else could it be? It smells so bad.”
“I’ll bring incense tomorrow. And candles. Votivos are really powerful. Where’s Ta now?”
“With the koorvah. She was just back from her trip to see her son up North, so it was a bad interruption when I came in. He had to go back to her. He’s coming back to spend the night when he puts her to bed at her place.”
“Good. See you tomorrow.”
She stopped at her favorite candle store and stocked up on Votivo incense and candles, which cost a pretty penny, but her smarting ass reminded her she was rolling in money.
Thirty Three
The all too familiar Gitane scent assailed Sophia’s nostrils when Maria opened her shiny, fire engine red door. The green-eyed monster grabbed her by the throat in a strangle hold of corrosive jealousy. Her jade eyes darkened and narrowed.
“Who’s been here? The Gitane puffing girlfriend?” she panted, shooting daggers of suspicion with each glance.
“Come in before you start squawking at me,” Maria grinned. She ushered Sophia in and grabbed her ass, saying, “I love it when you get jealous.” She started squeezing her buttocks with a concentrated ferocity.
“Ow.” Sophia slapped her hands away. “I told you my ass was chewed up by that simpleton who invaded my space.”
“Sorry. I forgot,” Maria said, holding her hands up high. “No word from Rudy?”
“No. Not yet. Wait. I did get a second call when I was ushering my patient in and shutting the phone down. I forgot all about it because Ada was the first call about the stalker striking again. Let me get settled with a drink and a smoke and I’ll fill you in on the latest installment in the Ada saga. Meanwhile, who was here smoking those things?”
“Relax. An old colleague. We were catching up. She’s straight.”
“So am I and look at us. Does she take a walk on the wild side?”
“Stop. Let me take your stuff. You go out back and I’ll bring wine and ciggies. What about food? Aren’t you hungry?”
“Starved.”
“I’ll bring some cheeses and a baguette. I went to the Epicure today. Camembert, fontina, and stilton. You’re in for a treat.”
“Yum. I love all three. What cheese don’t I love?” Sophia said, happily heading out to the bay, jealousy and drama forgotten for the moment.
She settled in, admired the view, and was about to go back in for her cell, when Maria came out with it in one hand and a full wine glass in the other.
“Don’t leave the door wide open like that. A rat could run in.”
“Stop nagging. I’m busy anticipating your every need.”
“You’re right. You’re so good to me. I hope it’s me and me alone,” she couldn’t help adding.
“Get that call out of the way. I’ll be back with the food.”
“I’m not fooling around you filthy cunt. I sent Sydney to invade your professional world. Get cracking on a plan to cut me in before your holier-than-thou world collapses around you and you’re in the gutter with the rest of us. I’ll be in touch on Friday. Be ready to talk. Don’t disappoint me or things will get a whole lot nastier.”
Sophia noticed Gloria staring up at her with those hypnotic eyes. She soothed her shattered nerves. Gloria lay down at her feet, delicately sniffing her shoes before curling up into a ball. Sophia stroked the fur ball with her bare feet.
Sophia tried to calm herself further by engaging in deep yogic breathing. In and out through the nose. Long inhales and longer exhales. She felt herself letting go of the anger.
“Who was the call from?” asked Maria, carrying over a platter loaded with enticing cheeses, good bread, cornichons, and a trifecta of grapes, red, green, and deep purple.
Before Sophia could answer, Maria bustled back out for the bottle of wine and cigarettes.
When Maria, finally stationary, gulped her wine and puffed on a cigar, Sophia said, “that was the fershtinkener Rudy giving me a Friday ultimatum. What does my mother see in that stinking piece of trash?”
“Fuck that clownish cocksucker. I wanna break his jaw.”
“Maria, darling.”
There was that darling, warming the cockles of Maria’s lovelorn heart.
Sophia placed a restraining hand on her powerful bicep, pausing for a few seconds to squeeze it.
“Go easy. We don’t want another Bernie incident. But do scare the shit out of him.”
“I won’t get carried away.”
Outrage had acted as a temporary appetite suppressant. Now they both dug in, savoring the cheeses’ textures, flavors, and aromas, ripping off chunks of baguette to complement the cheese, greedily gobbling the sensual grapes, and eagerly slurping up the fine red blend. They were enjoying themselves in the tropical night air. Gentle bay breezes caressed their skin, relaxing them further.
“By the way, I can’t believe there were never any Bernie repercussions. I keep waiting for detectives to show up on my doorstep or something,” Sophia said. “Should I throw Gloria some cheese?”
“No. She doesn’t eat people food. Only deluxe cat food for her.”
“Titi as well. Anyway, is it that easy to get away with murder?”
“Sometimes,” Maria said, looking as if she’d wandered a million miles away through a portal into her murderous Russian past.
“I guess I wasn’t obvious in his appointment book, or wherever he kept track of our appointments. Or, maybe he just kept everything in his head. Once Rudy busts me wide open, I might be implicated in Bernie’s disappearance. No way am I complying with that scumbag’s wishes.” Sophia was ruminating again.
“Tell me about Ada.” Maria touched Sophia’s left hand, stopping her from further ravaging her ear.
Sophia sighed and dropped her hand. “What’s that line from some poem? The world is too much with us? Someone popped in while she was food shopping and left frying gorgonzola on the stove. Apparently, the place still stinks. I’m bringing incense and candles tomorrow. Oh. Here’s one for us. I forgot. Red currant. It smells delicious. Light it will you? It’s in the bag I brought.”
Maria came back with the candle. When she lit it, they both sniffed and said, “Aah”.
“Different,” Maria said, breathing in the powerful jammy scent.
“When was this? When did they pop in?”
“It must have been before noon. Ada told me she came home at noon to the stench and the mess on the stove.
“Looks like Magda is not our woman. I was following her from ten to noon. We’ll double check with Ma, but Magda is most likely innocent. She slouched around South of Fifth for a while, briefly talked to some acquaintance, another member of the living dead club, bought some fruit, and then went into that big synagogue down there. The place was pretty empty. She never looked back. She sat up near the front, not praying or anything, just sort of lost in thought, or in another time and place. Then, after a long sit, staring off into space, she got up and walked home. She was easy to tail. She never looked back or acted self-conscious. A woman with nothing to hide. By then it was after noon and stinking hot out there. There’s not that much foliage or trees South of Fifth.”
“The shul wasn’t locked?”
“Shul?”
“Synagogue.”
“Oh. I may get on like a house on fire with Ma and Ta, but I don’t know the language yet. No. She walked right in with her bag of fruit in some cute sort of yellow string bag.”
“Who could it be?”
“I can’t imagine.”
“Come with me tomorrow and you’ll tell her it’s not Magda. We’ll double check the time with her.”
“Okay.”
“Who’s frying garlic?”
The words were barely out of her mouth when she slid to the ground, her head resting inches from Gloria’s elegant furry dome.
“Not again,” Maria muttered, picking her up in her arms and carrying her to the bedroom, where she deftly deposited her on the bed.
Thirty Four
“Do you know you’re the only voice of sanity in my world right now?” Sophia told Jack, who was wearing jeans, a black cowboy shirt with a touch of white embroidery, and a hastily donned corduroy jacket for the restaurant. His thick red hair was overgrown and tousled, giving him a sexy aura.
They were sitting next to each other on a red velvet banquette in Pied a Terre, Jack’s favorite restaurant. Quiet for South Beach and not trendy. It looked like someone’s chic living room.
French food was not as vegetarian-friendly as Italian, but they made a mean potato Dauphinois gratin. And what could be better than potatoes, cream, and cheese? Not good for her figure, but great for her taste buds. With a big green salad, a cheese plate, and lots of burgundy, she was happy. She’d worry about the fat creeping relentlessly onto her hips and thighs later.
“What’s going on?” he asked, pouring her more pinot noir. She stopped to savor the taste of red currant, blackberry, and earth. Ah, terroir.
“Mmmm. Everything is going on.” She turned to face him. “But first,” she eyed him closely, “what’s with the fem/macho shirt? That’s not your style.”
“A present from a female admirer. Don’t get sidetracked.”
“Where do I begin?” she said. What do I leave out?” she thought. She knew damn well she had to leave some things out. “The mystery of the black roses is solved. You know we said one week, but it feels like ages since we last met.”
“It’s been a while. Tell me about the black roses. Don’t keep me hanging.”
“Before I start, because I’m afraid I’ll never stop, tell me about you and Annabella.”
Jack’s face lit up.
“Sophia you’re a miracle worker. We’re happy. We decided to have the baby and we’re seeing a therapist. All thanks to you.”
“I’m so glad Jack.”
She covered his thick capable hand with hers before raising her glass and toasting him.
“To happy days,” she said, clinking his glass before taking a long slow draught of the glowing purple liquid, sparkling ruby in the candlelight.
Jack absently contemplated her elongated throat working while she drank.
When she put the goblet down, she began again, but in a different place. “Remember Rudy, my mother’s so-called gay boyfriend?”
“You told me you didn’t like him. You think he’s a scoundrel. And you know Sophia,” he smacked the lace covered table top, “you still want your parents to get back together. You’d hate anyone your mother or father brought around.”
“Jack you’re so wrong about this.” Exasperated, Sophia grabbed him by the wrist.
“Listen. He’s not just a clown. He’s a pimp. And a druggie. I fo
und out the hard way. He wants in on my operation. He knows some of these boys and he’s accusing me of horning in on his exclusive territory.”
Jack stared at her in disbelief.
“Now you’re dumbfounded Mr. Know-It-All. He sent one of my clients to my office. Amanda wasn’t in. The guy made an appointment under an assumed name, lay in wait under my couch, and…, well, I won’t go into the details of his sexual predilections…, but it was there on my psychotherapy office floor that he strong armed me into sex. This is ridiculous. It’s gotten way out of hand. My worlds, which I worked so hard to compartmentalize, are colliding.”
“Do you want me to talk to this Rudy? Pay him a visit?” he asked. Now it was his turn to cover her hand, concern clouding his voice and wrinkling his brow.
“Sweet of you Jack, but you are the law and last time I looked prostitution and pimping were illegal. I sicced my girl Maria on him. She’s going to warn him off.”
“Who the hell is Maria?”
She breathed deeply before taking the plunge, diving right into the sticky subject of Maria. “Jack don’t judge me. I’m not gay or anything, but I’m having it off with this masculine woman who, paradoxically, has a pretty feminine face. She’s almost a guy in some respects. I don’t know. It just happened.”
“How does that just happen?”
“You really want to know?” She was beginning to feel the wine’s effects. You really want to know?” she repeated.
Jack kept staring expectantly.
“She was my new massage therapist. She offered me a happy ending. One thing led to another and we’re dating.”
“What? What the fuck is going on?”
“The sex is phenomenal. About the black roses. I got diverted. Maria confessed that she was leaving them. You see I remind her of Gloria, her beloved. She says I’m the spitting image and it’s true. I’ve seen photos. Tons of them.”
“Wait. You’re all over the place. So what’s with the roses?”
“Once she had me, she figured she could confess and stop that nonsense. She no longer was worshipping me from afar.”
Time's Harlot: The Perils of Attraction, Seduction, and Desire Page 13