Second Time Around

by Darrin Lowery

  Each day was a new adventure. Each day brought a promising new thing that few people even dreamed about, let alone dared to do. Vaughn promised to show Korie the world and he started with Japan.

  Their week in Japan turned into eleven days. There was just so much to see that they couldn’t leave. They saw the sights by day, made love well into the night, and got to know one another on a whole new level. They saw Tokyo’s Imperial Palace, with its grand walls, moats, and most of the imperial grounds that were open to the public and even a few that were not.

  They saw Kokyo Garden, Mount Fuji, Hakone National Park, and the Sumo tournament known as Hatsu Basho. They watched fire-walking at the foot of Mount Takao and they even watched a 1400-year-old ritual of Yamabushi monks meditating in the mountain region. With everything that they did, Korie took pictures.

  They went to the village theater in Kyoto, and they had a somber visit to Genbaku Dome, the only surviving structure from the bombing at Hiroshima. All these years later, you could see images of people that died and the exact place where they died as the world’s first atomic bomb was launched. All these years later, there were still outlines of the dead. Being there was reminiscent of being at Ground Zero in New York after 9/11.

  Their last days there were also full of adventure. They visited Hokkaido one last time because it was so beautiful, so serene and so secluded from the rest of the world. It had a dense forest and an unspoiled wilderness at its national park, also known as Daisetsuzan. Korie commented that the place was so beautiful that she wouldn’t mind one day returning there to be married. On their last day in Japan they went to a Kodo drum festival and went bike riding in the Tono Valley.

  That last evening in Tokyo they had dinner at Aragawa, the most expensive restaurant in Tokyo. The eatery was in the basement of a business building in the Shinbashi business district. It was a small and humble place, but it was also elegant, romantic, and truly a spot for only the country’s elite. They specialized in Kobe beef, which Korie never had before. They also had an amazing wine list.

  Korie and Vaughn had an elegant dinner and as they waited for dessert, she excused herself and went to the restroom. She relieved herself and was re-applying her makeup when a beautiful Japanese woman walked into the restroom. She looked like the Japanese model Miri Hanai.

  She had a small frame, was top heavy, and her makeup was flawless. She wore a nice black formal, Manolo Blahniks, and flawless diamond earrings. She looked like a supermodel or a real-life model for an anime production. She stood next to Korie in the restroom and retouched her makeup.

  Korie had seen the woman in the dining area. She was with an older Japanese gentleman in the rear of the restaurant. She was very pretty and Korie wondered if the man she was with was her father or grandfather. She smiled at Korie before speaking. Her English was okay, but very heavy with a Japanese accent.

  “You are very pretty.”

  “Thank you. You look amazing yourself. I love your earrings.”

  “Thank you. Which a-gen-see are you with?”

  “Agency? I’m sorry, what do you mean?”

  “You are with Dee-Vawn-Har-iss, right?”

  “Oh, DeVaughn . . . yes. Yes, I’m with him. But I’m not with an agency.”

  “Not with an a-gen-see?”

  “No. No, I’m not one of his clients. I’m his girlfriend.”

  The Japanese woman’s expression changed.

  “Girlfriend?”

  “Yes. He’s my boyfriend.”

  A few seconds later, a few more women came in. Two were Asian and the other was white. They were all equally beautiful. Their makeup was flawless and they each had on formals or form-fitting dresses and heels. The white woman went to the bathroom. The two Asian women engaged the first Asian woman in conversation. One of the two new women asked Korie the same question. This one spoke better English.

  “You are not with an agency.”

  “Uh . . . no.”

  “And Mr. Harris is your boyfriend?”

  “Yeah, is there a problem?” Korie assumed they had a problem with her and Vaughn’s obvious age difference.

  “Okinoduku,” one woman said. [too bad]

  “Kurombo” another said. [negroid]

  “Baka-mitau!”[that’s stupid]

  “Kyapi kyapi gyaru.” [bimbo]

  “Busu!” [ugly]

  “ Gaijin Kono ama!”[foreign bitch]

  On and on they went. Between speaking they laughed as they applied their makeup. Korie assumed the women thought her relationship with Vaughn was disgusting, but then it dawned on her that the first woman was with a man who was at least Vaughn’s age. She definitely thought he must have been related to her. Korie knew what ridicule sounded like, but did her best to ignore it. She pretended she was back home in the States; she pretended these Asian women were no different than Hispanic women who start a conversation in English and then switch to Spanish.

  Just because they were speaking in Japanese didn’t mean they were talking about her, but the looks they were giving showed that they were. Korie didn’t know that many of them had been to bed with Vaughn before. She didn’t know that they were employees of the Elite Escorts Japanese office. She had no idea that once upon a time, Vaughn bedded women all around the world.

  Just as Korie started to confront the Asian women, the toilet flushed and the white woman surfaced. She began washing her hands and in the middle of the Asian women bantering, the white woman scolded them.

  “Yamete yo! Dame yo! Nande sonna koto shita no? Hottoke yo! Muko ni itte yo. Bako amas!” [Stop it! You shouldn’t do that! Why would you say such things, leave her alone. Get out of here, you stupid bitches.]

  The Asian women stopped their tirade. They each looked at the white woman, who was short and curvy. The white woman was built like a black woman. She had legs like Serena Williams and a butt that reminded Korie of Jayna’s backside. She also had implants. She was thick in all the right places and ripped in all the right places as well.

  The white woman gave the Asian women a look as if she were from the hood, and that was enough to make them stand down. Korie was impressed with how the white woman was built and equally impressed with the fact that she spoke Japanese. Korie didn’t know what was being said, but she knew at that point the Asian women were clearly jealous of her and clearly talking about her. Korie was ready to fight if she had to, but the Asian women made a hasty retreat. The white woman then started doing her makeup.

  “They were talking about me, weren’t they?” Korie asked.

  “Yes, they were.”

  “What were they saying?”

  “Among other things, they were saying that you are a foreigner.”

  “Okay. But I’m guessing that’s not the worst thing that they said.”

  “No, no it’s not.”

  “Do you mind sharing?”

  “Sorry sister girl, it’s not my place to say.”

  “Then why come to my defense?”

  “The shit they were saying was out of order. And you’re American.”

  “Well, thank you. My name is Korie.”

  “Korie, my name is Tenae.” She pronounced it Tenay.

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “Same here. Are you really Vaughn’s girlfriend?”

  “What is so hard to believe about that? Do I look that bad?”

  “No, no you don’t. No offense, you’re a pretty woman, but Vaughn—I mean, Mr. Harris—travels the world with women who are taller, slimmer, and who have quite a few more artificial parts. He’s sort of a playboy and again, no offense, but you seem . . . well, average, pretty, but average.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Just that you’re not a model or a celebrity. In fact, I’m betting you have a job, don’t you?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “Amazing. Well, like I said, no offense, but usually Vaughn—I mean, Mr. Harris—dates women who are looking to be kept. You look like an independent woman.�
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  “I am.”

  “Well, good for you. I love it.”

  Tenae laughed a bit and then headed toward the door. Korie was lost, confused, and obviously felt out of her league. Her self-esteem had taken a major blow and she was not feeling very good about herself. Before Tenae left, Korie asked her a question.

  “Tenae?”

  “Yes?”

  “What did they mean by asking me if I were with an agency?”

  “Not my place to say, Korie. Not my place to say.”

  Korie exhaled as she tried to take in all that just happened. When she surfaced from the bathroom, the Asian women had rejoined the men they were with, and none of them made eye contact with her. Tenae walked by Vaughn and to the man she was with, a professional basketball player who was in Tokyo for a preseason game. Korie sat down, still confused about everything that just happened.

  “You ready for dessert?” Vaughn asked.

  “Actually, I’m ready to go home.”

  “Okay, sweetheart, then let’s go.” Vaughn smiled at Korie and kissed her reassuringly as they left. That put Korie at ease—some.

  But now her radar was up.

  Her women’s intuition was telling her something was wrong.

  Her spirit told her that there was more to the bathroom incident.

  Her heart told her to let it go.

  By the time Korie left, she knew more about the history of Japan than she did Chicago. When she returned the first thing that she wanted to do was tell Jayna everything. Vaughn gave her a trip with memories that would last a lifetime. There was much more to see, but Korie saw all that she could see in the time that she was there. Vaughn needed to get back to work. He needed to make some things clear to his board of directors. He needed to show everyone that he wasn’t losing his edge. His priorities had changed. He wasn’t losing his competitive nature, he was simply in love. Before meeting with his board of directors, however, he wanted to meet again with his therapist. He sent a text message to Darren the minute he touched down in Chicago asking to meet with him that following weekend on the golf course. He also thought that his therapist should meet the new lady in his life.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Darren awoke with Karen beside him. She was nicknamed properly with the moniker Special K. She definitely had skills. Her breasts, though fake, were flawless. Her ass was flawless. Her weave was impeccable. To top all that off, she had amazing skills in bed. She knew how to move her body. She knew how to give herself to a man.

  She was almost as good as Stephanie, almost as good as Korie. She had a few major flaws, however, none of them aesthetic. She was uneducated and she needed to step her vocabulary up immensely. She also had a tendency to swear a lot. Darren talked to her about the way she spoke, the ways she presented herself. She tried to curb her language. But just like a person with Tourette’s, sometimes things just blurted out.

  “That shit was fucking amazing,” she said as she climbed on top of him.

  Case in point.

  “You know, it was amazing. I don’t know if you have to say fucking amazing, but it was good. You were incredible.”

  “Oh, that’s right, you don’t like it when I swear.”

  “No, I don’t, but do you, sweetheart.”

  “Hmm. Maybe I will just do you.”

  She went down on him. He let out a sigh of pleasure as she began pleasing him yet again. She had an amazing appetite for sex and she also had amazing skills. As she pleased him, he grabbed a fistful of her hair to assist her. His breathing became rapid and his eyes closed. As his eyes closed he imagined that it was Korie pleasing him. The more he thought about Korie the more aroused he became. The more he thought about her smile, her body, and her personality, the more he missed her, even now. Even with another woman between his legs, he thought about Korie. He thought about the first time that they made love and every single time after that. He thought about the times that he “won” in the bedroom, the times she “won,” and times that they went at it like two porn stars.

  He thought about his ex. It angered him, but he thought about her still. Minutes later he was coming. As he came, Karen, aka Special K, continued doing her special thing.

  “Wow, I bet you didn’t know a sistah had skills like that, huh?”

  “Again, you were amazing,” Darren responded.

  You didn’t do anything. It was my ex. It was all my ex, all these years later, he thought.

  “So I guess we’re done, huh?” Karen said with a devilish grin.

  “Uh . . . no. We’re far from done,” Darren said, smiling.

  He climbed on top of her and began planting kisses all over her body. He then reached for a condom and made his way inside of her. She let out a gasp as did he, as he slowly began to go in and out of her.

  She thought he was amazing. Intelligent, fit, attractive and paid.

  He thought she was a beautiful woman with good bedroom skills.

  She looked at him with lust and wanting. As they made love, she wondered if he could be a male figure for her son. She wondered how far things could go. She wondered if they would have a long-term relationship, great sex like they were having now, and perhaps one day, babies.

  His eyes were closed and he was enjoying the sex, his mind somewhere else. His mind with someone else. With each stroke, he thought of Korie. He occasionally looked at Karen and her beautiful body. That helped him maintain his erection, but as he thought of her, as he thought of Korie, he took his lovemaking to a new level.

  He turned Karen over and took her from the back, gently caressing her back while he was inside her and occasionally grabbing a fistful of her 2,000-dollar weave. He slapped her ass from behind. He kissed her neck. He fondled her breasts and he took methodic slow strokes when he felt himself on the brink. They switched positions at least four more times before they both came simultaneously. They laid in the bed in each other’s arms. Her back was to him and she smiled to herself as he caressed her side. It had been a long time since a man made her feel as Darren had. It had been a long time since she felt pleased mentally as well as physically.

  “What am I going to do with you?” she said, smiling “You make me feel so good.”

  Darren said nothing, but continued to caress her. He then looked up at the ceiling and wondered, What am I going to do with you? That is the real question. She was beautiful, but she wasn’t Korie. She had a great body, but she wasn’t Korie. He thought to himself that he could grow to love her . . . maybe. But he knew Korie still had his heart. He grabbed his cell phone and went to the bathroom as if he were cleaning himself up. He sent a text message.

  I REALLY WANT TO SEE YOU.

  -D

  He cleaned himself up some. He brushed his teeth and ran a quick shower. He locked the bathroom door so Karen couldn’t just readily walk in, looking for yet another bout of sex. A few minutes later, he received a text.

  I SAID . . . NO.

  -K

  What the hell is up with her? he thought. He lathered himself up and quickly rinsed off. He then dried off, left the water running, and sat on the toilet seat to think.

  He felt rejected yet again. He wanted to see Korie. He needed to see Korie. If nothing else, he needed to get closure or to get her out of his system so he could move forward. Was she married? Was she seeing someone? Had she gotten fat and had a bunch of babies? He needed to know. He thought about simply showing up to the apartment they once shared, but did she still even live there?

  A million thoughts ran through his head about her, mistakes he made, and where he might have gone wrong. Korie had him sprung, and they hadn’t seen each other in close to five years. Just as Darren thought about calling her directly, there was a knock at the bathroom door.

  “I have to piss,” Karen said.

  Crass . . . this broad is so crass, he thought.

  “You mean you have to pee?” Darren shouted.

  “Um, yeah.”

  He grabbed his phone and put it on silent. He t
hen turned on the security code and turned his cell off and placed it on the bathroom shelf. He opened the door and stepped back into the shower. Karen came in, looking good. That gave him a moment of pause. She looked so good that he felt his manhood pulse just a bit. She looked down and saw that he was almost ready to go again and smiled.

  “Dang, does it ever stop?” She put the toilet seat down, sat down and went to the bathroom.

  Crass, he thought. She’s already comfortable enough to pee around me.

  “You do that to me. He likes you,” Darren said, referring to his penis. He closed the shower and simply let the water rinse him off again. He could hear the trickle of Karen peeing.

  “So what was up between you and Gucci, really?”

  “You sure you want to talk about that?”

  “Uh, yeah. Why not?”

  “Because of us.”

  Us? What us? We just had sex. That’s all. Why must women assume things? he thought.

  “I want to know,” he said.

  “Well, I knew Gucci when he was still playing basketball. I used to go to the games all the time and one day I saw him while I was with my girls and he asked me out.”

  “Okay, and?”

  “And we went out a few times. I slept with him a few times, but nothing more ever happened. The only time he called me was when he wanted some ass. Well, I wasn’t about to just be his ho and I told him that. Then we went out a few more times and our relationship was nice, really nice. Back then he was caring. He started calling more and he used to send me nice gifts and stuff.”

  “So what happened? Why do the two of you argue like Ike and Tina?”