The Reunion

by Newman, Summer

  Jenny suddenly realized she forgot something. “Oh, I’m so stupid. I forgot the other mop. Could you go get it? It’s on the back veranda.”

  “Sure.”

  “Thanks.”

  Ebony reluctantly walked upstairs, searched for the mop on the veranda without finding it, then strolled back into the kitchen. Ethan came in the door just as he had two days earlier. She abruptly turned away from him.

  “What are you looking for?” Ethan asked.

  She ignored him.

  “Nice day,” he said.

  She glared at him, then quickly turned and hurried to the basement.

  “Oops,” Jenny said when Ebony came downstairs. “The other mop was down here all the time.”

  Jenny walked into Ethan’s study, and though Ebony didn’t want to enter, she followed her friend. The room looked just the same as it had the last time she saw it five years ago. There was a cot in the corner covered with the same blanket she remembered.

  One day, when they were alone, Ebony was wearing short shorts and a light T-shirt. They began kissing on that cot, and Ethan felt her breasts for a long time, squeezing them and kneading the pliable flesh. He then started rubbing her between the legs, and Ebony remembered the glorious sensations. She lifted her top and bra, pulled his face to her breasts, and moaned like mad as he licked and sucked her nipples. As he did it, he kept rubbing her. The pressure built up to such a degree that she couldn’t stand it any longer. She pulled her shorts and panties off, stood on the cot and pulled his face into her wet, hot pussy. His tongue was like a magic wand. It found her hidden secrets and brought her to the peak of stimulation. He clasped her big, soft bottom, moaned wildly, and licked as if drunken with passion. His white skin contrasted so sharply to her black skin that it was amazing her, but then she felt a volcanic power, as if lava, bubbling for a long time, suddenly surged out in a violent eruption. Ebony whimpered and groaned, thrashing about in spasms of delight, but Ethan continued to hold her squirming body, licking and tasting her pussy. When the orgasm finally subsided, she lay on the cot and looked up at him. He literally looked as if he was intoxicated, his smile full and bright.

  “What are you thinking about?” Jenny asked.

  “Oh, nothing,” Ebony said, taking a deep breath and snapping out of her reverie.

  Jenny started straightening things up as Ebony observed the crammed bookcases, a writing desk and drafting table, framed drawings of houses and nature scenes, and a wall of shelves. Ebony walked to the shelves Ethan’s father had built and looked at the dozens of trophies. The top two rows contained medallions and awards for outstanding achievements in academics and art. The five lower rows consisted of trophies for baseball, wrestling, jujitsu, and track. Ebony read time after time words such as: “Top Male Athlete,”“Most Valuable Player,”“Top Batting Average,”“Top Pitcher.” On the bottom shelf were scrapbooks, the pages of which Ebony had looked through a hundred times. She was tempted to leaf through them once again and probably would have if she was alone.

  Jenny motioned to Ebony after moving a chair. “Look at all this dust. Ethan could have an asthma attack in here.”

  I hope he chokes, Ebony thought.

  “We’re having homemade pizza today. Would you like to stay?”

  “No.”

  “Are you going to be friends with Ethan?” Jenny asked bluntly as she washed the floor.

  Ebony started washing the other half of the room. “I hope we won’t be enemies.”

  “What about me? You’re the only real friend I’ve got.”

  “You have a boyfriend, and I think you and Rebecca are getting close.”

  “I hardly even know Rebecca. Besides, she’s married and has commitments.”

  “You have a brother,” Ebony said.

  Jenny thought about that for a moment. “You know, I hate to admit it, but Ethan is almost a complete stranger to me.”

  “At least you’ve got family. That’s more than I ever had.”

  “You’ve got me.”

  “And you’ve got me,” Ebony answered shortly, “the perfect excuse. If you can’t make up your mind whether or not to commit to Bill, don’t keep telling him you’re responsible for me because of what your brother did. I don’t want to be your excuse.”

  Jenny lowered her eyes.

  “I’m sorry,” Ebony said, feeling flustered and bitterly ashamed. “I don’t know why I said that.” She sat down with a sigh. “There’s so much going on. It seems like I’m being pulled from all sides, and my nerves are stretched to the breaking point.” She shook her head. “Listen, Jenny, I honestly believe Bill loves you for you, not because of your money. At some point you’re going to have to trust him or move on. You can’t live forever in this limbo, and you can’t use me as an excuse every time you feel the need to pull back.”

  Ethan walked into the basement and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Ron and Rebecca are coming,” he called out.

  Jenny stuck her head out the door and gave him a quick wave, then dumped the water in the basement sink, washed her hands, and went upstairs. Ebony started to follow when Ethan stepped in front of her.

  “Can I speak with you for a moment?” he asked.

  She stared at him.

  “You’ve been through a lot,” Ethan said, “and I understand that. But don’t you think it’s time to show a little Christian compassion?” He extended his right hand. “Friends?”

  Ebony walked past him.

  “Wait.”

  She continued moving away.

  Ethan walked ahead of her and stood slightly to one side. “Please, Ebony, don’t hate me.”

  She started walking upstairs.

  He lightly touched her arm. “If you want me to go away forever, I will.”

  She slowly turned back to him. “I didn’t want you to come back in the first place. Not ever.”

  “I’m going to open my own architectural firm,” he said as if trying to prove something. “In the last five years, I’ve come to an understanding that this is what I want to do.” He paused. “Over the last few years, I refined my work. It’s what gave me a reason to get up in the morning. Now I want to go out on my own.”

  “Let me guess,” Ebony said sarcastically, her face as sharp as an eagle’s, “you’re about to conquer the world, but there’s one thing missing. You need an empress clinging to your arm as you survey your vast empire. And you want that empress to be me, the woman you humiliated and degraded.” She squinted. “Go to hell, Ethan.”

  He looked like a little boy who has just been slapped by his mother.

  “Leave me alone!” Ebony exclaimed. “Leave me the fuck alone!”

  Ethan stepped back under the barrage, and Ebony hurried upstairs. When she met Ron and Rebecca, she smiled and tried to be pleasant. Ethan, sporting the expression of a gambler who has just lost everything, entered the kitchen a short time later.

  “There he is,” Ron said, smiling. “Are you busy, Ethan? I was wondering if you could give me a hand again today.”

  “Sure,” he said, faking a smile. “What’s up?”

  “I have to cut a vent for the dryer and hook up the washer.”

  “Will he be back in time for dinner?” Jenny asked as she cut up a red pepper.

  “Not a problem,” Rebecca said. “They’re fast.”

  Jenny smiled at her brother and gave him a slice of pepperoni. “They do work well together.”

  “Thank you, Jen,” Ethan said, accepting the pepperoni and looking at her for a moment longer than he had done before, as if only now beginning to feel a degree of comfort.

  “Ethan, you and Ron should enter the dory races this year,” Jenny suddenly proposed.

  “Dory races?” Ron asked.

  “That’s what they call the boat races they’ve held here for the last five years. They use two-man rowboats called dories.”

  “Four,” Ebony corrected.

  “What?” Jenny asked.

  When everyone looked at
her, Ebony explained, “Jack and Donnie Morton didn’t compete the first year, but they’ve won the last three in a row.” She paused. “The races have been going on for four years, not five.”

  “Okay,” Jenny conceded, nodding, “four years.”

  “When is it?” Ethan asked.

  “The first Saturday in May,” Jenny replied.

  Ethan looked at Ron and raised an eyebrow. “What do you say, partner? That gives us five weeks to train. We could win this thing.”

  Ebony blurted out a mocking laugh, then, feeling embarrassed, covered her mouth with her hand and looked at the floor.

  “I’m game,” Ron replied, glancing at Rebecca. “Hon? What do you think?”

  “Go for it,” she said excitedly.

  “Good,” Ethan said in a measured tone. “I’ll buy a dory, and we’ll practice every chance we get. I see no reason why we can’t put our names on that trophy.”

  Ebony rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  “Excuse me, Ms. Evans,” Ethan said, turning to her, “is there something you’d like to share?”

  Ebony turned away. She didn’t want to talk to Ethan.

  “Yes?” Ethan persisted, challenging her and trying to make eye contact. “What’s on your mind?”

  She refused to look directly at him. “Nothing.”

  “Something struck you funny,” he said. “What was it?”

  She suddenly turned to him and pointed at his face. “You.”

  “Me?” He took another piece of pepperoni. “What about me?”

  “I found what you said funny, that’s all.”

  “Why?”

  “Well,” she qualified, eager to end the conversation, “not so much funny as arrogant. Your confidence is greatly misplaced.”

  “You don’t think we can win?”

  “I have every confidence in Ron.”

  “But none in me?” Ethan questioned, sitting in a chair in a sprawling kind of way and gazing at her.

  She leveled a cold stare at him. “That’s precisely what I’m saying. I have no confidence in you.” She paused and glared at him. “I have no confidence in you whatsoever.”

  His eyes flashed. “Maybe we should have a little bet then.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Ethan leaned back in the chair. “You don’t have the courage to bet against me, do you? All talk, no action.”

  “Really?” she snapped, glaring at him.

  Ethan ignored her as if she wasn’t even in the room.

  Ebony’s eyes narrowed. “All right, Mr. Know-It-All, name it!” she exclaimed.

  Jenny, Ron, and Rebecca watched quietly, glancing at each other as the man and woman squared off in the emotional equivalent of a tavern brawl.

  “Okay, if you insist.” Ethan paused. “If Ron and I lose, I’ll drive you to the airport in July.”

  Ebony was taken aback, but didn’t miss a beat. “Agreed,” she said, feeling a sensation of pleasure at the idea. “At least I’ll have dignity enough to say good-bye to you face-to-face.”

  He nodded sheepishly.

  “And if you win?” Ebony challenged Ethan, her passions flowing.

  Ethan tapped his fingers on the table. Rebecca and Ron glanced surreptitiously at the others, but didn’t dare utter a word or interfere with the struggle.

  “This is going to take a lot of work,” Ethan reasoned, “so I’ll want something special.”

  Ebony’s eyes flared as if they were on fire. “Any team with you on it hasn’t got a hope in hell, buddy.”

  Again he tapped his fingers. “Hmm, something special. Let me see.”

  “How about the waltz?” Jenny suggested.

  Ebony quickly turned to her best friend with a malicious expression.

  “What’s that?” Ethan asked.

  “After the dory races, there is a trophy presentation and dance at the White’s Lake Legion. The first waltz is reserved for the rowing champions and their wives”—she glanced at Ebony—“or their girlfriends.”

  “Yes,” Ethan said, nodding. “If we win, Ebony dances the winners’ waltz with me.”

  “I don’t think so,” she said, firmly shaking her head and pursing her lips.

  Ethan laughed at her. “Just like I said, all talk, no action.”

  “You really think you’re something, don’t you?” Ebony exclaimed. “I’m sure if it wasn’t for Ron, you’d finish last.”

  “We’ll win,” Ethan declared confidently.

  “Yeah, right. Like I said, any team with you on it hasn’t got a chance.”

  He suddenly stood up, stared her right in the eye, and thrust out his right hand. “I’m willing to honor a bet. Have you got the same integrity?”

  Ebony squinted, boiling with rage. “I’ve got more integrity in my little finger than you have in your whole body.”

  “Well, where I come from, you measure someone’s integrity by how they live up to a bet. If you want to back out, so be it.”

  She grabbed his hand and gave it a quick shake. “You’re on, buddy.”

  “We’d better get going,” Rebecca mumbled to Ron, her eyes downcast in embarrassment.

  Ethan looked at Ron. “You really want to do this?”

  “I do.”

  “Good enough. I’ll call Jim Coolen. He’s been the boatbuilder in Shad Bay for as long as I can remember. I’m sure that he’ll be able to sell me a dory or tell me where I can find one.”

  “Okay,” Ron said.

  “We’ll give it everything we’ve got,” Ethan declared, glancing at Ebony.

  “Won’t be enough,” she assured him.

  “Everything we’ve got,” he insisted, “and yes, it will be enough.”

  They looked at each other a moment longer, and then Ethan turned, kissed Jenny on the cheek, and left with Ron and Rebecca. Ebony sighed and went downstairs. She sat on the couch and leaned her head back, trying to find equilibrium. Instead, more memories of lovemaking flooded her mind. She remembered the nights they sat on that very couch when Jenny was upstairs asleep. They would stare straight ahead, but Ethan would have his hand under her skirt, rubbing her pussy, and she would be pulling his cock. They would be whispering to each other, describing erotic scenes of lovemaking during a midnight skinny-dip or while lying in front of a fireplace at a mountain chalet. They would have the most amazing orgasms that way, always finishing by kissing for twenty minutes or more as their blood pressure returned to normal.

  Jenny came down and sat across from her. “You two have an intense relationship,” she said.

  “I wish we had no relationship at all.”

  They heard steps on the veranda, and Ethan came into the house. Ebony walked upstairs with Jenny and met him in the living room.

  “I want to cancel our bet,” Ebony whispered when Ethan came close.

  “Sorry, a bet’s a bet,” he whispered back.

  Ebony glanced to make sure Jenny couldn’t hear, then squinted her eyes. “I’d rather die than dance with an insufferable egotist like you.”

  He sat down on the couch, picked up a deck of cards off the coffee table, and started shuffling them. “You said yourself the Morton brothers are unbeatable.”

  “And your point is?”

  He picked the nine of hearts out of the deck and flipped it onto the table. “So, realistically, we have no chance, and you have no worries.”

  She rubbed her hands and mulled over what he said.

  “Are you tired?” he asked.

  His gentle manner caught her off guard. “It’s been an eventful day, but about our bet,” she said sweetly, “I hope you didn’t take it seriously. You know I hate loose ends. You see, with this hanging over my head, it will bother me every day.”

  “A bet’s a bet,” he responded immediately.

  “I was joking when I accepted your terms,” she said assertively.

  “A bet’s a bet.”

  Her face hardened. “Surely you’re not going to hold me to this.”

  “A bet’s a
bet.”

  “I demand that you call this bet off right now,” she said so loudly that Jenny glanced into the living room from the kitchen.

  “Why should I call it off?”

  “You haven’t got a prayer,” she assured him. “You have nothing to lose by calling it off.”

  “If that was true, you wouldn’t be so insistent on me letting you back out. But the truth of the matter is that you know I’m a very determined and resourceful individual. I say we will win the race, and we will win the race. You know it.”

  “Call it off,” she said.

  “A bet’s a bet.”

  Ebony rose abruptly and hurried into the kitchen. Ethan followed her. She put on her coat, scowled at him, and moved toward the door.

  “Stay for pizza?” Jenny asked hopefully. “We have plenty.”

  “Sorry,” Ebony answered, glancing at Ethan, “but something is making me feel ill.”

  “At least let Ethan drive you home.”

  “I’ll walk.”

  Ethan put on his coat. “I’ll drive you home.”

  “Thanks anyway, but I wouldn’t want to put you to any trouble.”

  “No trouble at all,” he said, opening the door for her. “I’ll be back shortly, Jenny.”

  “Take your time.”

  Ebony smirked, then walked to the car and quietly got in, not saying a word as Ethan slipped in beside her and attached his seat belt. “You didn’t think I would accept this drive, did you?” she said in a challenging tone.

  “Women are a mystery, and you, particularly, are an enigma.”

  “You’re an acquaintance,” she explained, “and you’re my best friend’s brother.”

  “Yes, I am your best friend’s brother,” he agreed, “but I think I am a little more than an acquaintance to you.”

  “An acquaintance,” she insisted. “I am accepting a drive from an acquaintance.”

  “Whatever you say,” he returned, pulling out onto the road.

  To her chagrin, he drove very slowly. As they turned into the road that led to her house and the cove where Ethan tied his boat, they noticed a black half-ton truck parked off to the side. Painted on the door of the truck were the words “Baxter’s Pest Control.” The driver, a big man in his forties, was wearing sunglasses and staring directly at Ethan.