Maelstrőm

by Michelle Love

  “I don’t know, Maxine. I really do like Anderson, but I can’t shake the feeling that there might still be something there with Mark.”

  “That’s your choice; I can’t make it for you,” Maxine said quietly, “Pass the popcorn, please.”

  Angela moved the bowl closer to Maxine. She had to admit that she had been clutching the bowl of popcorn like she was somewhat of a popcorn hoarder. Maxine was her best friend, and she knew that she was only looking out for Angela. Nonetheless, she couldn’t help but feel that she was trying to force Angela into making a decision that she wasn’t sure she wanted to make.

  She couldn’t deny that there was at least a little bit of truth in what Maxine had said. It could be entirely possible that Mark truly was holding her back from fully committing to Anderson. She didn’t hold back sexually, but she had to admit to herself that she was actually holding out emotionally. She wanted to have Anderson in every way possible, and she was pretty certain that he felt exactly the same way.

  Angela trusted Maxine more than she trusted herself at times, but it was hard to trust her about whether or not she should give up on Mark. Mark hadn’t been the worst boyfriend, but he definitely wasn’t the best either. Sure, she felt strongly for Anderson, but she also had some remaining feelings for Mark.

  It was glaringly apparent to her that soon she would have to make a decision about which man she would choose, and she would have to choose soon. It wasn’t fair to the men to keep them in limbo like they were at that moment. Mark was lingering in her heart, and Anderson was quickly forging his way into her heart and her mind.

  “How are you feeling?” Angela asked Maxine.

  “I’m really feeling a lot better. I’m still not completely better, but the doctors say I have nothing to worry about and I am on my way to a complete and full recovery.”

  “That’s good! I’m glad to hear that.”

  “Well, I am too, but I just can’t shake the feeling that they’re either lying to me or they’re wrong.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m really not sure, Angela. I just feel like the sickness is hibernating, like it isn’t really gone.”

  “I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

  “I really hope so, Angela. I really do.” Maxine said with tears beginning to well behind her eyes.

  Angela’s heart felt that it was in the grip of a very strong clamp. She could tell how worried Maxine was about her illness returning. Her worry inspired worry in Angela. She wondered what would happen if Maxine fell ill again. She wasn’t sure if she could really handle that again. She had been so worried about her friend when she was sick before, and she knew that it would only be magnified if she fell sick once again.

  She tried to put the worry out of her mind and enjoy the time she had with Maxine. It wasn’t often that they were able to just have a girls’ night in and watch television and eat fattening foods together. They were both very busy women, and it could be hard to make time for each other. She made a promise to herself right there in that moment that she would make a decision about the men in her life, and she would spend a lot more time with Maxine.

  “Well, I have to get going.” Maxine said.

  “Oh, so soon? Come on, stay a little longer.”

  “I really can’t! I’ve got to go home and start dinner.”

  “Oh, alright. Just leave me to stew in my misery.”

  “What misery? You seem pretty happy to me.”

  “I’m miserable because I want Chinese food for dinner, but I don’t like any places that deliver. Leaving my apartment is completely out of the question. The couch has accepted me as one of its own and I just can’t betray that trust right now.”

  Maxine threw a pillow at Angela. They both stood up from the couch and walked toward the door. They shared an embrace that was more than just a hug. It seemed that both of the girls were holding on to each other as if it were the only thing keeping them both alive. Angela kissed her friend on the cheek and told her that she loved her. Maxine pulled away and took Angela’s hand. She squeezed it gently, and walked out of the open door.

  Plans

  Angela heard the tell-tale sound of the upbeat music radiating from the drawer of her desk. She slid the door open and pulled out her cellphone. She smiled when she saw that it was Anderson calling her.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, beautiful. What are you doing?”

  “I’m just working. What are you doing, flying around the world?”

  “No, no, no,” Anderson laughed, “certainly not flying anywhere. I’m sitting in my office being buried by a stack of papers and thinking about this amazing, beautiful, sexy woman I’ve been seeing.”

  “Who is she? I’ll fight her.” Angela said. She was playing coy; she knew that Anderson was talking about her.

  “Woah there, tiger. She’s you,” Anderson laughed, "here’s the reason I called: what are you doing tomorrow?”

  “I’m just working.”

  “Not anymore. I have already spoken with Frank and he is going to give you paid time off tomorrow. He is really impressed with you, Angela.”

  “He’s given me time off? Why?”

  “Because I asked.”

  “Well, what are we going to do?”

  “I thought we could have a date with our clothes on for once. I’m going to pick you up at 9 in the morning, and then the rest of the day will be a complete surprise.”

  “That does sound nice. I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep my hands off of you, though.”

  “We can always make up for lost time after the date.”

  “That’s true. Oh, Anderson, I have to go. My work phone is ringing and I really have to answer it.”

  “That’s why Frank loves you! I understand, doll. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Anderson hung up the phone, and Angela answered her. It was a boring business call. A client wanted to ask her if they had received her fax of an inconsequential document, that they really didn’t need.

  The moment she hung up the phone, her mind instantly began churning the conversation and dissecting it into little tiny parts. She was sure that Anderson had something in his mind, and that it would be something to remember. He had said that he wanted to have a date with her with their clothes still on their bodies.

  She had really been wanting to get to know Anderson on a deeper level, and she guessed that he felt the same. She had gotten to know Anderson’s body more than his mind, and she really wanted to know more about him. Whatever Anderson had in mind for her, she knew she would enjoy. He was a billionaire, after all.

  The rest of the day seemed to drag on; her mind was consumed by Anderson and his plan for the next day. Every time she faxed a paper or answered her phone, she did it with only half of her mind. Sure, she made a few mistakes, but nothing anyone would notice. She corrected her errors quickly. The rest of her wandered to what the next day would bring.

  She imagined them going to a different city than where they lived. She could almost smell the salty air that would blow against her skin and through her hair. The restaurant would have a pot-bellied man singing sweet, gentle music in thick Italian language.

  Of course, that was only her dream. She knew that what Anderson had planned would probably not be quite as lavish as her imagination, but it probably wasn’t far off. She knew that the next day would be full of fun and excitement.

  Later that night, Angela climbed into her bed. The foam mattress cupped her body and made her feel cradled. Her dark blue satin sheets felt luxurious against her tanned skin. Her pillow only added to her comfort. She wasn’t sure that she had ever felt more comfortable in all of her life. As she burrowed into her nest of sheets and blankets, she thought that only one thing would make her more comfortable.

  She wanted Anderson in bed next to her. She wanted to feel his strong arms wrapped tightly around her chest. She didn’t necessarily want him in a sexual way (not that she would mind that), but instead she just longed to feel him next to he
r. She wanted Anderson in every way possible. She wanted him to take control of her body and her mind; she wanted him to take all of her and leave her completely speechless.

  She wondered if Anderson was thinking of her, too. She really wished that they were able to see each other more, but she knew that that just wasn’t possible for them at that moment. Anderson had a busy life with his company, and things were just picking up for Angela.

  Of course, now her time would be even tighter with Maxine not feeling well again. The way Maxine had spoken the other day had really worried her about her friend. She hoped that nothing bad would happen to her, but nonetheless, Angela worried that her friend might be right. That terrified her.

  Angela readjusted her head on her pillow. She found just the right spot where her head was at the perfect angle and in the perfect alignment with her body. In that moment, all of her stress and her worries melted away. She was care-free and blissfully happy.

  The last thought Angela had as she was falling asleep was of Anderson holding a bouquet of flowers. She drifted off to a deep, restful sleep with not a care in the world.

  Destination: Unknown

  The next morning, Angela woke up before the sun. She pulled the blankets tighter around her body and tried to squeeze out a few more moments of sleep. Her mind, however, had different plans for her. Her mind fired rapidly with thoughts of what the day held in store for her. She knew that the day would be great and exciting, of course, but she was really excited to spend the day with Anderson away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

  After about an hour of fighting for more sleep, Angela gave up trying. She pushed back her cocoon of blankets and silk sheets and felt the cold rush of morning air surround her skin. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and stretched her arms behind her head.

  After her shower, Angela walked to her closet. She looked through the racks of clothing that were expensive by her standards and pauper clothes by Anderson’s. She knew that Anderson really wouldn’t care what she wore, but she wanted to look nice regardless.

  She chose a pair of denim shorts with a triangular white lace cutout that went up to her mid-thigh. She always felt cute and flirty in them. She wasn’t trying to be overly sexy in the outfit; she really wanted this to be a day that she and Anderson would look back on and have fond memories of in the future.

  Her feet slid into the soft faux leather of the strappy sandals with small, delicate white beads sewn onto the straps that wrapped around her ankles and down the middle of her foot until it met the faux leather between her toes. Of course, she had had a pedicure a few days ago that had left her feet feeling smooth and soft, and her toes were painted a bright blue.

  She walked down the hallway of her apartment; her footfalls were silenced by the soft, luxurious carpet covering the hard surface underneath until her foot found the hard beige tile of the kitchen. She walked over to the pantry and removed the loaf of bread. She put one piece of bread inside each slot and suppressed the plastic slider.

  While she waited for her breakfast to pop out of the small metal toaster, she jumped up and slid herself onto the counter top. She swung her freshly-waxed legs that were tanned to look like she spent her days on an island softly against the cabinets below her. She couldn’t get her mind off of Mark and Anderson.

  Mark had only send her one text in the last week, and Anderson had called her a few times each day, taken her to dinner, and is not taking her to a mysterious location. She still had feelings for Mark, she had to admit, but she started to feel that Anderson was quickly beginning to dominate her feelings, her mind, and her time. The thing that scared her the most was that she was perfectly okay with that.

  The sound of the toast popping up from the toaster caught her off-guard and made her jump slightly. She hopped off of the counter where she had been sitting, and went to the toaster. The toast felt very hot against her thin, freshly-manicured fingers as she laid it on the counter. She opened the refrigerator that was next to the counter and pulled out the butter and jelly.

  While she ate her breakfast, she started to become more nervous about the day than she was when she had been getting dressed. She couldn’t help but wonder what Anderson had planned for her.

  “Am I dressed in the wrong clothes? Is he going to take me somewhere nice, have a great day, and then tell me that he isn’t interested in me any longer? Will we be going to the next state over and see the mountains, or will we go to the beach? Maybe, we will go to a different city.” Angela thought, the questions racing through her mind one right after another.

  There came a point in the morning where she decided that she would just have to turn off her mind and just embrace whatever the day would bring. If she knew Anderson, which she did, she had a feeling that he would ensure that she had a really great day that was full of fun and laughter.

  She heard Pat arrive outside of her apartment. She knew that in just a few seconds, he would walk to her door and she would hear his signature light knock. His knocks were always easy and light with a sort of rhythmic melody behind them.

  The knocks came just as Angela had expected. It seemed that Pat was always in a hurry, but he never appeared that way. He was always easy and gentle with a calm presence. His knocks were gentle, he took the time to help Angela into the car, and he was always extremely careful when driving. He was definitely on a tight schedule, though. He always arrived at exactly the right moment. If he was told to arrive at nine in the morning, he would pull up at 8:59 A.M. every time.

  Angela threaded her arm though the faux-leather strap of her purse and felt the weight rest on her shoulder. She walked around the corner to her living room and examined herself one last time in the floor-length mirrors that were on the wall behind her dining table.

  She really liked what she saw in her reflection. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders in perfect, easy waves. It looked like she had spent very little time on her hair; it was effortless and flowing. Her cleavage peaked over the top of her coral tank-top, giving just a hint of sexuality. Her thin frame truly looked great in the outfit. The shorts clung to her slender hips, accentuating her hourglass figure. Her tanned legs traveled down to the simple sandals.

  She really hoped that she was dressed properly for wherever Anderson was taking her. They could be going somewhere slightly colder, or they could be going somewhere warmer. She had dressed hoping that they would be going somewhere warm, and not going to the mountains. Sure, the mountains were beautiful, but Angela longed to feel the rays of the sun warming her skin.

  She decided that she had spent enough time looking at herself in the mirror. She turned and walked toward the door where Pat had knocked moments before. She flipped the light switch to the off position and opened the door.

  “Hello, Pat.”

  “Hello, Miss Angela. Are you ready to go?”

  “Yeah, I am. Hey, Pat, can you tell me where we are going?”

  “No, I can’t. Mr. Anderson has specifically told me not to disclose any information about the day. I will tell you, however, that you will have a really great time.”

  “Darn. Well, okay. Let’s go.”

  Angela stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind her. She fastened the lock, and then placed her hand on top of Pat’s waiting palm.

  Away For a Day

  The warm breeze blew through her hair. She could smell the salt from the sea as she inhaled. The sound of the waves crashing against the sand mingled with the laughter of children and the live band that was playing a lively Spanish song. The hot sand felt wonderful beneath her feet as she scrunched and relaxed her toes. She lifted her margarita and took a sip, tasting the sweet alcoholic drink and it filled her mouth. She looked out into the water and saw Anderson enjoying the water. The waves licked his body and receded, leaving his skin glistening in the process. Every ridge of muscle was accentuated, every ray of sunshine shining off of his tanned skin.

  The blue bikini looked great on her body. When they had arrived at the beach, Anderson
had immediately taken her to a bikini shop that Angela could never afford on her own. The shop had smelled of coconut, and she had been sure that all of the employees were models.

  She had tried on several bikinis and showed each one to Anderson. Every bikini that she tried was more expensive than the last. Of course, to Anderson, money was absolutely no problem. They had finally chosen a bikini that was blue lace over beige cups. The bottom of the set matched the top, but the sides had slits that ran from the top to the bottom. It was a bikini that radiated sexuality.

  Anderson stepped out of the ocean and dripped water. He ran his hand through his hair in a seductive way and kept walking toward Angela. He didn’t say a word when he reached her chair, he just bent down and picked her up.

  Angela shrieked playfully and told him to put her down as Anderson carried her toward the water. The ocean water was crystal clear beneath her when they reached the shore line. When Anderson got to an area that was about waist-deep, he stopped suddenly. The water was cold as Anderson dropped her into the ocean. She held her breath as her head was submerged.

  As she rose to her feet, her hair felt wet and stringy down her back. Anderson looked at her as he laughed a full-bellied laugh. His smile crept into his eyes, making him look truly happy.

  “You jerk!” Angela said. As she ran her fingers through her hair, she could feel the salt from the sea water.

  Anderson didn’t say anything, he just lifted Angela and pulled her to his body. She wrapped her legs around his hips and her arms encircled his neck. She kissed his lips gently amid their shared laughter. It was really a great feeling, being pressed against the man who was taking over her heart while the sun of the beach warmed her skin. She wasn’t sure that she had ever felt as content as she was in that moment. It was as if everything in her life was absolutely perfect.

  Anderson started walking deeper into the ocean. His grip around her waist tightened as she tried to get away. She was laughing, and he was grinning. They both knew what was coming. Anderson’s legs flew out beneath him as he sank to the bottom of the ocean, submerging both of them in the process.