by Lia Davis
“I totally understand. As much as it’s been killing me, our jobs pay the bills and for our fun. But geezus, I can’t begin to tell you how much I’m craving your body next to mine.” She shook her head. “Tomorrow! I’m all ready for ya, too. Plenty of food, wine, and me. Oh, and guess what I scored?”
“Tickets to your school’s Thanksgiving Day football game?”
“No, our kids don’t play sports like that. They play Mock Congress and shit like that. But that would be fun, come to think of it. I’ll look into it. Actually, I got tomorrow off, so when you arrive, I’ll be here waiting instead of the key under the doormat.”
“Promise you’ll open the door in nothing but your birthday suit, and I’ll make the plane go faster.”
“Deal.”
“I have a surprise for you, too.”
“You do? What is it? Tell me, tell me!”
“Nope. You’ll have to wait until Thanksgiving.”
“No hints or anything? That’s cold, Mr. Blackman. Cold.”
“I got something that’ll warm you right up.” He proceeded to unzip his pants and flaunt his large tent for her to see in all its hilarity. He put on this sleazy pimp voice and teased, “I know you like. I know you want.”
Violet laughed so hard, she couldn’t wipe the tears away fast enough. “Stop! You’re killing me here!”
Abruptly, he pulled his pants back up. “That’s all you get until tomorrow. I better turn in. Early flight tomorrow. I love you. Dream of me tonight, baby. I’ll be dreamin’ of you.”
“I will. I love you, too.” She blew kisses at him.
After shutting down her computer, she visited with Benjamin for a bit. She had some decisions to make about her life, her career. The two incidents at school concerned her greatly. She didn’t know, if by staying there, she could affect positive change enough or shift deep-seated paradigms to make any difference at all. How could she stay where people clung to antiquated, bigoted beliefs about the past? Benjamin’s perspective on these types of people would surely help her understand where she fit best. Xavier Prep Academy wasn’t the only show in town.
Chapter 10
Violet heard the crush of gravel and hurried to peek through the curtained sidelight. Noah was a smart man and didn’t ring the doorbell until the shuttle was out of sight. Violet stood on the other side of the door, a trembling wreck with a red satin bow tied around her waist. And nothing more. Only when she opened the door and saw his face break into a devilish grin did her anxiety give way to raging sexual desire.
“I like a woman who stays true to her word.”
A flush crawled its way up her neck to her cheeks. She cleared her throat. “And I like a man who appreciates that kind of woman.”
Noah tossed his bags inside the foyer, and then wrapped her up in his arms while lifting her off her feet. His lips, so warm, so urgent and needful, pressed against hers and his tongue teased for entry. She opened in all ways for him, wrapping her legs around his waist as he stepped across the threshold and kicked the door closed with his foot. His hardness pressed against her and she groaned her approval.
“Noah, I can’t believe you’re here,” she murmured as he moved on from her lips to her neck.
He walked them over to the couch, where he gently deposited her. She watched and giggled as the man-turned-teenager tore off his clothes. His blaring desire stoked her confidence and lightened her heart. “Why Mr. Blackman, you look as ready for me as a piece of strawberry rhubarb pie. I devour those when given the chance, and now, sir, get over here so I can devour you.”
“You know something, Violet? Skyping all those times made me want you even more afterwards.” He knelt before her and touched his nose to hers. “You are aware this isn’t gonna last long, right?”
She nodded.
“You also know, then, we’re gonna take the rest of the day doing it all over again.”
She pushed him away, got up from the couch, and nudged him to sit in her place. “No more words.” She straddled him, and while rubbing her breasts against his chest, she nibbled his ear. “Make me scream, Noah.”
* * *
He made her scream, moan, groan, and cry out his name in the span of ten minutes. “I don’t even smoke and I feel like I should be holding a cigarette.” She laughed lightly as she tickled his ribs while resting in his arms.
“I needed that, with you, so badly I can’t begin to tell you. You know what else I need?”
“No. What?”
“Food! I’m starving.”
“Lucky for you I went shopping. Make yourself at home and go on a treasure hunt.”
“Ah,” he said, stroking her hair. “My treasure’s right here, but I’ll go look and see what you got in the kitchen.”
“I’m in love with a dork. A sweet, crafty dork.” Violet took advantage of his leaving and stretched out the length of the couch. Noah was back, and all was right with the world. Sort of.
He came back with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so she sat up and shared her space. “Of all the goodies I bought, you chose that?”
“It was quick, and it’s a good source of protein. Need to last, you know.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Here, take a bite. You need to last, too.”
Surprisingly, it tasted like manna from heaven. “This is amazing. Okay, so while you’re eating, I have so much to tell you.”
“How is that possible? We spoke last night.”
“Well, I’ve been holding back a bit, but now that things have settled down, I can share with you.”
“Uh oh. What’s happened? Whose ass do I gotta kick? I’m ready. I’m eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, for God’s sake. I got the energy for it!”
“Down, macho man. It’s just that a couple nasty things happened at school making me take a harsh look at where I’m teaching and whether I’m better suited elsewhere.”
“Okay, and do you feel you should be working elsewhere?”
“I’m not sure yet. There’s a lot to consider. My students’ views on the world are not their parents’, but their parents have been allowed to dictate my curriculum. I don’t think I can tolerate that.”
“I know you’ll make the decision that’s best for you. It may not be the easy one, but it will be right for you. There are plenty of schools around here, I’m sure, that would love to have you as one of their teachers.”
“Thanks.” She nudged him and offered a half-hearted smile. “Can I have another bite?”
* * *
The afternoon waxed on with more conversation, stops along the way for foreplay, and intense sexual pleasures that may or may not have included specific food items associated with ice cream. They’d just showered and were making their way downstairs when Violet’s doorbell rang.
Her brow crinkled as she considered the mysterious intrusion. “Strange, it’s after five o’clock, and I’m not expecting any packages or visitors.” She looked through her peephole. “Oh, dear Lord in heaven.” She recoiled and bumped right into Noah.
“What is it? Do I need to get a bat?”
“No, silly, but brace yourself. It’s Cassie Windruff. On my front porch. What do I do?”
“Let her in, of course. Aren’t you the least bit curious why she’s here?”
“Given how things were left the last time we spoke, I’m very curious. Enough to let her in my house, though?”
An insistent rapping on the door left her no choice. She grounded herself and took a deep breath as she opened the door. “Cassie, what a surprise.”
“Hello, Violet. Noah, I didn’t know you’d be here, too. Well, all the better, I guess. I know I should’ve called, but it seems when you and I get somethin’ in our heads, we let it rule our actions. So, I’m here. May I come in?”
“Sure.” Violet ushered her into the living room and offered the loveseat. Noah had already taken a seat on the couch. A magazine rested in his lap. Violet sat beside him and clasped her hands in her lap.
“So, what brin
gs you here?”
“Yes, well, I can understand you’re puzzled. I’ve had time to think about what you said during our last…conversation. I will admit to and apologize for possibly creatin’ a stir about your assignment, Violet. I am not pleased by my actions, and I have made peace with God. I did not have anythin’ to do with the letter, though, and I hope the police find the jerk who wrote it. I’m here also because somethin’ you said durin’ your visit to my house caught me like a fish on a hook and wouldn’t let go.”
Violet did her best to conceal her mortification. By Noah’s annoyed expression, she guessed she failed. His annoyance, she was sure, was due to the little matter of not telling him what happened between her and Cassie after he’d left. She’d ask his forgiveness later.
“What exactly did I say that stuck?”
“I have an obligation to teach historical fact. Not a whitewashed version. I could make a huge impact on our students if I acknowledge the facts of my own history, as well.”
“I see.” Glad for the seat, Violet could’ve been knocked over with a feather.
“Yes, well, you know I don’t have to teach, my dear. I choose to. If I’m goin’ to do it well, I must be honest, with the content and with myself. I can’t keep lettin’ familial pride and nostalgia bias my teachin’ any longer. It came as quite a shock when Noah presented himself as family. I’m sure you can understand how unsettlin’ such information can be at the moment it’s given. I mean, to find out that a secret as huge as the parentage of a child had been kept from members of my family is remarkable. I won’t fault them, though. His father was a slave. Somethin’ unacceptable in those times. But as times changed, we should have been told. Henry apparently had a good life, though, and a family to remember his name.”
“I guess I could have handled that better,” Noah interjected at last. “Not sure how one handles exposing such delicate information. For that, I apologize. So, what are you saying here, Cassie? What are you after?”
“What I’m sayin’, Noah, is that I am willin’ to accept your research as truth. I would like to welcome you into my family and apologize for my transgressions against you personally. For my behavior at my party and the horrible things I said to you when you presented yourself to me. I am ashamed of my manner and my words. It’s high time we older generation of Hawkins acknowledge our narrow-mindedness and bigotry. It’s time to let go of ancient beliefs and see people of color for what they are and have always been. People, equal under God. I hope you will forgive me and allow me to be at least a small part of your life.”
Noah sat silent for a moment, stunned. When he’d first seen her, he’d considered tearing her down and kicking her to the curb, but after her speech, thought better of it. She’d offered one powerful apology. All he’d ever wanted was to find family and connect. After meeting her, this branch of the tree threatened to be just as dysfunctional as his immediate family.
“I guess I have my answer with your silence.” Cassie stood, her face melted into disappointment.
Noah stood, as well. “I do forgive you, and I will gladly call you family.” He reached out a hand for Cassie to shake. She waved it away.
Her face brightened with a smile that could set a forest on fire. “I think this calls for somethin’ more than a handshake. Don’t you?” She opened her arms wide. Noah lowered his hand and hugged her.
“I think this calls for something else, too,” Violet interjected. “How would you all like some champagne? We can have a mini celebration, if you will. All hatchets buried, family found, new beginnings.”
Cassie’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “Wonderful idea, Violet.”
She left the two to handle the awkward moment in between.
“Noah, I have an even more wonderful idea.” The gleam in her eyes set off warning flares in Noah’s brain.
“What’s that?”
Violet came back with a tray of three wine glasses filled with sparkling bubbly. She passed them out to everyone.
“Oh. Thank you. I was just saying to Noah I had a wonderful idea, too.”
“Really, what is that?”
“Why don’t the two of you join us for Thanksgivin’ dinner?” She sipped her drink while Noah choked on his.
“Oh, well, we...I—” Flustered, Noah didn’t know what to say. Violet’s doe eyes told him she didn’t either.
“It’s more like an Open House, really. Not formal sit down. I have plenty of food. Enough for the whole of Savannah. Festivities begin at two o’clock and go through until ten. You certainly don’t have to stay for the whole time, but it would be lovely to make our newfound connection official to everyone. I even have a musician comin’ to play guitar as the sun goes down. Isn’t anythin’ I’m sayin’ enticin’ you at all?”
“We do have plans, but I think we can get to you by early evening, if that’s all right. Thank you for the invite.” Violet saved him from the awkwardness of shifting from adversary to family.
“Excellent. Thank you two. You taught me that a stuffy, older woman can rise above her family’s bigoted conditionin’. I’m sure my children will be proud of me. They’ve been tryin’ to get me to change my tune for years. Sad really. But anyhow, you shall meet them and love them. They will love you. All will be joyous tomorrow!” She downed the rest of her champagne and set the glass on the coffee table. “And now, I must go. I’m sure I’ve taken up too much of your time and there must be a million things left for me to have others do before tomorrow comes. Until then!”
She didn’t wait for goodbyes or to be escorted out. She left in a whirlwind while Noah looked at the hastily closed door in amazement.
He scratched his head. “What the fuck just happened?”
Violet slid her hands around his waist and kissed his back. “We might need to look over the tapes, but I do believe Cassie is now a reformed bigot and has accepted you as family.”
A wave of laughter welled up from his belly and shook his entire body. “Wow. Wow.”
“Yup, pretty extraordinary, if I do say so myself.”
“It’s gonna take me a bit to really absorb all of this.” He turned in her arms and peered down at her.
“I can only imagine.”
“And during that time, Violet, you are going to apologize for not sharing everything with me.”
She cast her eyes down.
“I’ll apologize now. I didn’t share this crap with you because you were already stressed out with work, and I didn’t want to add to it. From here on, I promise to be open about everything. The good and bad.”
He tipped up her chin and kissed her pouting lips. “I forgive you and thank you for caring so much about me.”
“I’m glad Cassie came. I’m glad she apologized and saw the err of her ways. I’m glad, not so much for her, as for you. You got what you came for.”
“Oh, I got so much more than that.”
She blushed in his arms, and he loved it. Thanksgiving was going to be quite the eventful day.
“I thought it would be nice to spend some time with Benjamin today, and since we’ll be gone in a little while, now’s the perfect time.”
“I’m excited. I’m actually going to talk to him, a ghost! It’s probably nothing special to you now. You’ve been talking to him for a while, but holy Moses!”
“Oh, it’s still pretty special. I won’t lie. It’s rather extraordinary.” Violet fixed her mop of curled locks with a hair band and applied a mauve lipstick to accentuate her assets. She gave a quick twirl to check her floral dress and gave herself two thumbs up in the mirror. “Ready?”
“Sure am.”
“And you sure are looking mighty fine there, Mr. Blackman. Mmm mm.”
“It’s all for you, baby. All for you.” He winked and grabbed her hand to lead her down to the basement.
As she walked down the stairs, total peace and serenity enveloped her. If only this could be the new normal, she’d be in heaven and so grateful. She’d placed a couple of chairs in the safe roo
m, so she sat on one. “Benjamin? It’s me Violet. I’ve brought Noah to see you. Benjamin?”
A minute or so went by and Benjamin’s ghost floated into the safe room from the tunnel. He stopped near Violet and stood, barefoot, with the same ragged pants, no shirt. “Hello, Violet. How are you today?”
“I’m fine and dandy, Benjamin. As you can see, I brought Noah with me. If you’ll remember, he’s a descendant from your marriage to Sarah.”
“Yes, hello there, Noah.”
“H…hello.” He fell into his seat as he spoke. “It’s truly an honor to be speaking with you right now, sir.”
“Sir? You don’t needs to call me ‘sir.’ You can plain, old call me Benjamin.”
“Thank you. Violet and I’ve worked hard to create my family tree. When it took an interesting turn, the tree grew even larger.”
“She told me about Annabelle and Henry. I’m pleased to know my other son survived all the ugliness in the world, too.”
While sitting there, watching the two men talk, a brilliant idea percolated in Violet’s brain. “Benjamin, remember when I asked if you were free to roam anywhere?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, I had a thought. Noah and I are going to the Hawkins house in a little bit. How about you try showing up over there?” She turned to Noah. “I could ask which room was Annabelle’s. Then I could ask to go see it and talk about Benjamin while there. Maybe it would bring her out. Maybe you could connect with her. It’s worth a shot, right?”
“I’d sure be willin’ to give it a try if it means seein’ Annabelle again.” His broad smile warmed her heart.
“Then it’s settled. I think I’ll leave you two to talk some more while I finish getting ready. I’ll call out for you Benjamin when we’re there. You do remember where the Hawkins house is, don’t you?”
“How could I forget? Thank you kindly, Violet.”
“Good bye, Benjamin.” She offered a warm smile, rubbed Noah’s back, and left them to their conversations.