Time's Harlot: The Perils of Attraction, Seduction, and Desire

by Brenda Kuchinsky

  “Let me admire you,” she said, dropping all thoughts of Keith and Amanda. You’re so beautiful. Your hair’s like an angel’s halo.

  “Hold on. You’re reversing roles. I’m handsome, not beautiful. I’m the chap. Remember? Now get up and let’s eat.” He slapped her buttocks as she got up to find a kimono.

  “Very becoming.” He admired her curvaceous form, highlighted by the clingy, aquamarine kimono with two warring, jade Komodo dragons on the back. He kissed her. “Mmmm. You smell good enough to eat. Maybe that should be lunch.”

  “No, Mister One-Track Mind. Time for food.”

  “I just happened to have picked up two stunning sandwiches at this shop, not as great as Pret A Manger, but pretty damn close.”

  “What’s that?”

  “A killer gourmet sandwich shop all over London. Once this madness is over, I’ll take you there. To London, that is. You can help me sort things out. Close that chapter of my life.”

  “Of course. You’ll need help. I love London.”

  “You’ve been?”

  “A few times. For conferences. I’d love to find an annual conference in London.”

  They walked down to the kitchen hand in hand. The sandwiches, still in their wrapping paper, lay temptingly on the red and gold mosaic table.

  “Sit, Ginger. I’ll get plates and make coffees.”

  Sophia hesitated before she spoke. “Did I tell you I’m a vegetarian?” She imagined some bloody roast beef concoction under the paper.

  “Yes, you did mention it at the hotel. Yours is goat cheese and veggies, including the ubiquitous sun-dried tomatoes. Maybe I’ll call the restaurant Sun-Dried Tomato. Has a ring to it? Yes?”

  “Great idea.” He placed the coffees and two plates on the table. “Cream? Sugar?”

  “Grab the soy milk in the fridge. I don’t have cream.”

  “That’s fine. I take my coffee black, unless it’s shit coffee, and then I just don’t drink it.” He dug into his sandwich, which was bloody roast beef on some sort of wonderful-looking bread.

  “You’re the best. You remembered that I’m a vegetarian. I’ve never been with such a caretaker. What worries me is that I’m a caretaker, too. Will we end up clashing? Getting in each other’s way?” Concern creased her face.

  “You over-analyze. Let’s be happy about it. I’ll take care of you and you’ll take care of me.” He took another large bite, chewing thoughtfully.

  “Perfect. I could get used to that.”

  “Eat up, luv. You haven’t touched your food.”

  Sophia took her first bite. “Out of this world delicious. We have so much to learn about each other. I want to know everything about you.” She put her food down and reached for his hand.

  Jonathan was devouring his roast beef, but he gave up one hand to her and squeezed her hand in his. “This week will be the beginning of our discovery. It’s going to be a great journey.”

  “Once I get Maria out of the way. I’m worried about her reaction. She’s impulsive and angry.” She visualized Bernie’s demise and shuddered involuntarily.

  “Do you need protection? How angry is she?”

  “No. A man in the equation will infuriate her. I’m going over there tomorrow to get my cat and end it. And that will be that. I’ll be free.

  “You know best.”

  “The other amazing thing is that I could have sex with you and love it.”

  “What do you mean? Of course.”

  “After what happened in Barbados.”

  “I don’t know the details. Did he rape you? Did they rape you?” He put his food down.

  “I’m sorry I brought it up. I’m not ready to talk about it. I wanted to say I trust you and feel comfortable, even after being traumatized. Enough said for now.” She withdrew her hand.

  “I respect that, but I want to know what happened. You’ll tell me, won’t you? I might have blown them away if I thought they’d hurt you that badly.”

  “I’ll tell you. Not now. All in good time.” She was watching him eat again. She wondered if she would ever tell him the truth. She doubted it.

  Fifty Four

  Jack arrived at seven with flowers. A dozen red roses. It reminded her of Maria’s mysterious black roses. The woman hadn’t called since her return. Of course, she didn’t expect her until tomorrow when Sophia knew she had to face the music. There were plenty of messages from earlier in the week. Lots of messages about the Holocaust Memorial imbroglio. Messages about missing her and hoping she was being a good girl.

  Sophia welcomed Jack in after smelling the disturbing roses and thanking him with forced cheerfulness.

  “I’m going to have to break if off with Maria tomorrow. It’s weighing me down.”

  “How bad can it be?”

  “She killed the last one. Gloria. I’m the spitting image.”

  “That does sound bad. You want me along for protection?”

  “Are you mad? That’s sure to drive her over the edge.” She thought of Bernie.

  They had seated themselves in the living room while talking.

  “I don’t think I told you about how entangled I got with her. I was getting jealous and everything.”

  “I have her particulars. Remember? You gave them to me. If I get worried, I can go over and check on you.”

  She nodded. She visualized Maria impulsively bashing in the cheating Gloria’s brains. They were a long-term involvement. She was having a fling. Not the same. “That won’t be necessary.”

  “Call me if it gets heavy. When are you going?”

  “I don’t know yet. I will. I’ll call if I need to. Don’t worry.”

  Jack, his carroty hair sprinkled with gray, looking sturdy and steadfast in his Gap blue jeans and plaid shirt, beamed his green eyes on her. He rubbed his hands together. “What’re we gonna eat? I need strength to continue this conversation.”

  Sophia, grateful for the change of subject, brightened up. “Italian or Thai?”

  “Italian.”

  “Good choice. It goes better with this big, chewy red I’ve been saving for just such an occasion.”

  “I’ll have lasagna and a salad.”

  Sophia called in to her favorite Italian delivery spot. She chose eggplant parmesan and a salad.

  “What happened with your mom?”

  “That’s where Jonathan comes in. I met him earlier in a peculiar way at Maria’s. Chance encounter of the third kind." She laughed, remembering that sexy roll in the hay. “Turns out he’s MI6. He was coming to see Maria about this messy case that ended up involving Rudy and Ma. Life is strange. I thought he was just taking a walk and stumbled upon irresistible me. He’s quitting to be with me so I can blab.”

  “Whoa.” Jack held up his hand. “Aren’t you two going way too fast? You’re the psychologist. You know it’s not a good idea to rush into something.”

  “Not this time. This was meant to be. We were both at a crossroads, ready for transformation. It wasn’t just a roll in the hay. What are the chances of that? Let me get the wine.”

  She poured and sat after handing Jack his glass. She sipped, satisfied it was a good as she had anticipated.

  “Anyway, Jonathan was on this cold serial killer case. Rudy, my mother’s pal and the one who threatened me, was the latest victim so it wasn’t cold any more, but they figured the original killer was too old. It had to be a copycat.”

  “Complicated.”

  “My mother’s grieving for Rudy. Ta sends her off with Mathilde to the Holocaust Memorial. Mathilde was already jealous and was harassing Ma, unbeknownst to us. Ma thought it was her neighbor. This renewed closeness with Ta after Rudy’s demise must have been killing Mathilde. Yet, she did away with Rudy. That left Ma alone. She trained her son to kill. He killed a Nazi’s son in Philadelphia. That’s where he lives. Children of Nazis were the targets. Rudy was the second one. He was Klaus Barbie’s bastard son. Mathilde had killed ten Nazis over the course of ten years. In a ritualistic way. Shot between
the eyes, eyes gouged out, and a swastika carved on the belly. Her son continued the tradition. Like mother, like son.”

  “That’s a lot to digest.”

  The doorbell rang. The food had arrived.

  “Let’s go into the kitchen. Bring the wine.” Sophia laid out the food and brought out plates, cutlery and napkins. “Looks delicious.”

  Jack began eating. “I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

  “It ends up with Mathilde’s jealousy consuming her. Her plan was to torture my mother by forcing her to climb up the arm sculpture until she fell off. The tables were turned on her.”

  “How’s Ma doing?”

  “She’s basking in the warmth of all the attention. Ta. Me, now that I’m back. Jonathan. Maria was over there after she read about it. Of course, Maria found Rudy’s body. She broke it to the three of them. Mathilde must have been gloating, thinking she had the upper hand. And let’s not forget the media. Not just the Jewish rags wrote this up. It was big. She loves it. I think they’re back together, too. She’s staying at his place. What surprises me is that you didn’t even hear about it.”

  “I guess I did, but didn’t make the connection. I’m working on a sex slavery case involving girls as young as twelve. It’s consuming me mentally and physically. It’s turning Annabella off.”

  Jack had worked his way through all his food and Sophia wasn’t far behind him.

  “Want more wine?” Sophia asked, refilling her glass.

  “Johnny Walker for me.”

  “Let’s go into the living room.”

  They sat back down. She on the couch and he in the lounge chair.

  “Do you want to tell me about it?”

  “Sorry about Annabella.”

  “We’ll manage. Don’t change the subject.”

  “You’re the only one I want to tell. I don’t even want to go into detail with Jonathan, who rescued me and is understandably curious.”

  “Go on then. I’m here for you.”

  “I know you are, but my heart is racing, my palms are wet with sweat, and I can’t breathe.”

  “Take a few of your famous yoga breaths. Sit back and sip your wine and just start.” He drank some of his whiskey.

  “I’m so ashamed.” She broke down, sobbing and covering her face with her hands.

  Jack came over to comfort her, taking one of her hands from her drenched face. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. You were the victim.” He sat down next to her, saying, “Tell Papa Jack everything.” He put his arm around her shaking shoulders.

  She reached over for the tissue box on the coffee table.

  “Okay, not easy, but necessary.”

  Jack squeezed her shoulders. “Do you want me to stay here while you talk?”

  “Yes, please. Keep your arm around me. Your warmth is giving me strength.”

  “Take your time.”

  “Don’t you want your drink?”

  “It can wait.”

  Sophia took a deep breath, breathing through her nose. Her chest ached with regret and sorrow. She released the breath slowly through her flaring nostrils.

  “Drink some wine.” Jack handed her the glass and retrieved it after she took a long, lingering quaff.

  “The place was unbelievably posh. I paid a ton for it, but I was overcome by the endless luxury and pampering. It made me want to rebel. To be naughty. Nuts, huh?”

  “A little.”

  “They send the massage therapist to you. There’s a table in the suite. All very convenient. My masseur was a hunk. What can I say? I ended up going to bed with him.” She turned to face him. “Do you think I’m a sex addict?”

  “You tell me. I think you’re flirtatious, appreciate a good-looking man, and like sex.”

  “Amanda disapproves. I know she thinks I’m an addict.”

  “Back to the story, Sophia. You’re getting sidetracked.”

  “Right. We had a great time in bed. There was a weird incident early on. I took a long walk on the beach and chanced upon a raucous Santeria ceremony in this pastel-colored house. Noah, the masseur, was there. He denied any involvement. I wondered because he had blood on his clothes. They were slaughtering chickens. Long story short, he starts pushing for a threesome with this woman he claims he barely knows, who’s a sex pistol. I eventually go for it. Curiosity trumped apprehension. The big day arrives. I find a voodoo doll with blood and piss on it under my bed. I tell myself it has nothing to do with Noah and this chick. Must be a disgruntled employee. I go to meet them in the clearing near the church.” Sophia started crying again. “I’m so stupid.”

  “You were in the thick of things. You weren’t thinking straight.”

  “I was thinking with my pussy.”

  “That sums it up nicely.”

  “I get there early and have a seizure. I wake up tied up. The woman turns out to be a Santeria priestess. She’s between my legs with her mouth, having a grand old time. Then she orders Noah to rape me. It was humiliating, painful, horrifying. My beautiful lover turned into a vicious rapist. I can’t stand to think about it. I went into the whole thing with blinders on.” She broke down again.

  “Jonathan saved you?”

  She nodded, still crying. “They wanted money. They threatened to hurt Lili. I had come dressed in this elegant white jumpsuit. The priestess took it and gave me her tattered rags.”

  “Jonathan saved you.” It was becoming Jack’s mantra. “That’s enough for now. You went through a horrible ordeal.” Jack released her shoulders and took her hands in his.

  “Don’t you see? I’m so ashamed. I’m so stupid. I brought it all on myself by being so greedy.”

  “Sophia listen to me.” He took her by the shoulders, faced her, and looked into her eyes. “Listen. Do not blame yourself. Do not beat yourself up. You’re the victim. They’re the criminals.”

  “I wish it were so simple.”

  “It is.” He stood up and raised her to her feet. “You need to lie down, take a tranquilizer, and sleep. Come. Let’s go upstairs. I’ll tuck you in.”

  After she took her pill, she changed into the red terry robe, and let Jack tuck her in.

  “Feel better?”

  “I do. It helped to talk it out. Lie down next to me. Till I fall asleep.” She patted the spot next to her.

  Jack took his shoes off and complied. He held her lightly and fell into a deep sleep himself.

  Fifty Five

  “It’s divine to come home and slip into bed next to your warm wife and wrap your arms around her,” Jonathan said, spooning the half-asleep Sophia.

  “I thought you were Jack,” she mumbled. “Wife?”

  “You’re like a wife. What do you mean, Jack? Did you two have some after dinner nookie?” Jealousy, descending like a sudden storm cloud blacking out a serene sunny sky, roughened his voice. He unwrapped himself from her and sat up.

  “Don’t be absurd. Jack and I are dear friends. I was telling him about the Barbados fiasco and got agitated. He tucked me in. Besides he’s thirteen years my junior. He’s a baby.”

  “I’m ten years your junior.” He got out of bed and began pacing.

  “That’s different, silly Billy.” She watched him pace, admiring his long, lean body and his walk, and the back of his head, and everything about him. She stretched out her arms, beseeching him to come back to bed. “Come to Momma.” Her lusty grin lured him back to her.

  They made lazy love, rejoicing in each other’s ardor. Sophia felt as if she were moving through molasses and savored the languorous heat they were generating. The slowly spreading, fiery heat of a midsummer’s day in the country. Bees buzzing, butterflies gliding, dragonflies zooming, while the blazing sun smothered the world with its intensity. Time stopped.

  Afterwards, they lay in a sunny stupor. Sophia broke the silence. “Feel better, now?”

  “Infinitely, Ginger.” He stroked her moist flank.

  “I’m glad, darling.” She caressed his face. They fell into a stupefying sleep.<
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  Sophia awoke, terrified, soaked in sweat, her heart pounding. Before she felt for Jonathan, she knew she was alone. She fell back on the pillows, vividly recalling the raw terror in her dream. Noah, his rabid red eyes raging, was chasing her, a large knife, glinting in the moonlight, clutched in his upraised left hand. She was hurtling down the beach road, the surf pounding, tumultuous in the night. She was running as fast as she could. He was gaining, coming closer with that shiny, curved blade raised up to slash at her. She tripped over a mess of bloody, decapitated chickens, lying smack in the middle of the road. She couldn’t gain purchase as she kept slipping and sliding in the chicken muck. The smell of dusty death was draining all her strength. Just as Noah was hovering over her, she burst up with a superhuman surge, flinging chicken carcasses in his face, and resumed running for her life, heart hammering a fatal tattoo. She screamed out in elation at the reprieve. It was a brief relief. She stopped short inches from a cliff, dead ending the road. Jump to her demise or face the knife?

  Sophia shook her head, trying to dislodge the images. She took deep yoga breaths. Her autonomic nervous system slowed down. She jumped out of bed to shower off the fear.

  Not a good way to start any day, she thought. Today was Maria’s day. She couldn’t wait to see her beloved Titi. Breaking up with Maria, however, was not something she was in a hurry to do.

  The phone rang when she was heading down the stairs, anticipating a bracing cup of Starbucks dark roast with vanilla soy milk. She raced the rest of the way, knowing in her heart of hearts it was Maria.

  “Welcome home, hon,” boomed through the phone. Maria’s deep, hoarse voice was somehow music to her ears. She warmed to her.

  “Maria. It’s lovely to hear your voice. How are the two girls getting on?”

  “Just like when you were here with us. Two peas in a pod.” She chortled. “Dinner tonight? My place? Then I’ll drive you back with Titi and don’t forget. As a bonus you get the mouse.”

  “Right. Yes. Seven?”

  “Purrfect.” She laughed her distinctive laugh. “Get it?”