[Intertwined Souls 05.0] No Good Deed

by Mary D. Brooks

  The more she watched, the more her longing to make love to Zoe intensified, to the point that she had to turn away. She was hurting herself by watching Zoe. Eva’s fantasy involved running outside naked and making love to her very pregnant wife in the garden, in the pool, in every room of the house.

  That was not going to happen. Eva sighed deeply and tried to control the building desire within her. She heard the screen door open and turned just as Zoe’s voice reached her.

  She plastered a smile on her face when she saw Tessa, who stood just inside the threshold watching her.

  Eva got the distinct impression Tessa could see right through her, could see her burning desire for Zoe. She turned around and went back to peeling fruit to take outside.

  “How are you?” Tessa asked and came up behind her. She put her arm on the small of Eva’s back, causing her to jump a little. “What’s the matter, darling?”

  “Nothing,” Eva mumbled.

  “Alright.” Tessa accepted the answer.

  Eva leaned forward a little and took a surreptitious look outside the window.

  “See anything out there you like?”

  Eva glanced at Tessa and sighed. “Yes.”

  “What?” Tessa turned and took a look out the window.

  “My wife.”

  “Oh.” Tessa chuckled. “She’s such a beautiful woman, and she has that pregnant glow.”

  “She glows. She’s just beautiful, and her eyes... Have you seen her eyes lately? They shine and when the light hits them… She takes my breath away.”

  “When I was pregnant I could hardly keep Stella—”

  Eva very quickly threw the towel she had in her hand over Tessa to make her stop. “That is the last thing I want to hear.”

  Tessa chortled. “So you don’t want to make love to your wife?”

  Eva turned away from the window with a mixture of outrage, incredulity, and mortification that Tessa was having this conversation with her.

  “Aunt Tessa…I…”

  “You’re what, darling?” Tessa cupped Eva’s cheek and smiled.

  Eva sighed heavily. “I’m acting like a teenage boy. I can’t think of anything else other than making love to Zoe.”

  “Did the two of you have an argument?”

  “No!” Eva shook her head. “I don’t want to anger Zoe in her condition. Not that we argue, but not now—I could bring on the delivery.”

  “What makes you think that making Zoe angry will induce labor? Zoe’s temper is legendary and can make angels tremble, but why do you think it can induce labor?”

  “The book says.”

  “The book?”

  “Yes.” Eva got up and went into the living room and brought back a well-used, bookmarked book. Tiny slivers of paper were stuck in various places. “The Definitive Guide to Pregnancy.”

  “You have been doing some reading,” Tessa said as she took the book and looked through the various bookmarks Eva had made.

  “Look.” Eva took the book from Tessa and immediately went to the chapter she was looking for. “It says ‘Husbands, this time in your wife’s pregnancy, you will need to be extra careful with her and not cause her any undue excitement or worry. Try not to excite your expectant wife as this can induce labor.’”

  Tessa burst out laughing before Eva finished the last sentence. “Oh, darling, I’m not laughing at you…”

  “What?”

  “That’s a whole lot of rubbish.” Tessa tried to stop the giggles. “Oh, darling, you should throw that book away!”

  “Isn’t this true?”

  Tessa shook her head. “No. Zoe won’t go into labor if you…” She wiped her eyes and looked up at Eva, who was waiting expectantly. “If you gave her some undue excitement.”

  “You are making fun of me.”

  “Only a little.” Tessa grinned. She leaned in and kissed Eva on the cheek. “Making love to Zoe won’t induce labor.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it,” Eva muttered.

  “When you see Zoe now, how does she make you feel?”

  Eva took out a cigarette from her cigarette case on the table and lit it. She stared at Tessa and sighed. “How does she make me feel? I’m a horny teenager,” she muttered. “I look at her and all I want is to make love to her.”

  “To be near her? To kiss her?” Tessa gently asked. Eva felt a pink hue travel up her chest and infuse her face.

  “More than that.” She looked down at the table top and worried a sliver of wood from it. “I want to make love to her so much that it’s the only thing I think about,” she added quietly.

  “Why don’t you?”

  “‘Because.”

  “Because? You don’t find her attractive now that she’s pregnant?”

  “What? NO!” Eva replied vehemently. She tapped her finger against the book. “I might induce labor, Aunty, and the babies aren’t cooked yet.”

  Tessa sucked on her lower lip to stop from laughing. Eva was shy about talking about her feelings, and discussing her sexual urges with Tessa was not the easiest of things.

  “Evy.” Tessa touched Eva’s hand. “Trust me, you won’t induce labor.”

  “I won’t?”

  “No. Your desires—”

  “My desires? It’s stronger than that.”

  “What is it?”

  “I passed desire a long time ago and I’m insane with lust,” Eva joked as she met Tessa’s gray eyes.

  “I see. How long ago was that?”

  “Are you asking me when I last made love to my wife?” Eva asked as she was about to put the lit cigarette to her mouth.

  “Yes.”

  Eva groaned in frustration. “Feels like forever.”

  “Well?”

  “Five weeks, two days and,” Eva looked down at her wristwatch, “ten seconds,” she added. “We made love six weeks ago, but I just didn’t want to…erm... I just didn’t want to induce labor and I tried everything not to...um...”

  “So what did you do?” Tessa asked. Eva scowled at her.

  “I thought of stuff that makes me ill.”

  “You thought of stuff that makes you ill? While you were making love to Zoe?”

  “Yes.”

  “How does one do that?”

  “Aunt Tessa!” Eva exclaimed loudly. “It’s very hard, and I was so frustrated that…um...”

  “You had to take matters into your own hands?”

  “AUNT TESSA!” Eva exclaimed and then muffled the expletive that followed with her hand. Tessa leaned back against the kitchen bench top and grinned. “It’s not funny!”

  “No, taking matters into your own hands is never funny…well...” Tessa couldn’t contain her mirth and she laughed. “I’m sorry, darling.”

  “This is painful.”

  “I know it is. I’m sorry.” Tessa put her arm around Eva and pulled her into her embrace. “It’s very difficult for you and for Zoe, who…” Tessa slapped her hand over her mouth. Eva was so surprised she dropped the cigarette on the floor.

  “What?”

  Tessa paused for a moment, only to have Eva glare at her. “Did Zoe come and talk to you?”

  “Zoe came to me to ask me my opinion about a certain matter.”

  Eva glanced behind her at the open door and caught sight of Zoe sitting on the wicker chair talking to Elena. She turned back to Tessa.

  “What’s wrong with her?”

  Tessa’s demeanor changed, which alarmed Eva. Tessa took Eva’s hand and led her to the table, where she sat her down. “All joking aside, Eva, this is a serious matter.” Eva went up to stand but she stopped when Tessa held her hand. “Sit down, and I want you to listen to me.”

  “What’s wrong with Zoe? Is it the babies? I knew it…”

  “Please, calm down. Take a deep breath and relax.”

  Eva did anything but relax while she scowled at her aunt. Tessa was having none of it and didn’t say a word until Eva took two deep breaths and exhaled slowly.

  “There is
nothing physically wrong with Zoe or the babies…”

  “There is something wrong? If it’s not her health or the babies, what is it?”

  “Yes, there is…” Tessa stopped and shook her head at Eva, who was ready to take off. “Sit down and listen. Your patience has evaporated.”

  “I’m patient,” Eva muttered. “Why did Zoe come to you and not go to Stella?”

  “There was nothing medically wrong with her. Do you want to be quiet and listen or are we going to go around and around?” Tessa asked. Eva stayed silent. “Alright. She wanted to know if I had seen any changes in you after Saint Theresa removed the block.”

  “Huh?”

  “Zoe believes that the removal of the block caused you to stop loving her…” Eva bolted upright and was ready to run out the door. Tessa grabbed hold of Eva’s shirt and pulled her back.

  “Sit down,” Tessa asked very calmly. Eva stopped and looked back, scowling at the hold Tessa had of her shirt. “Can you stop letting your hormones overrule your head? Listen to me, alright?”

  “I’m listening,” Eva replied. She continued to stare and seethed quietly. “I will never stop loving her,” she said hoarsely. “I do love her.”

  “Have you told her?”

  “I tell her I love her every night before I go to sleep.”

  “Except for when you stay out at Tommy’s, playing poker to the early hours and getting drunk?”

  “Oh, god.” Eva slapped herself on the head. She dropped her head onto the table and put her hands over her head. “Earl had made his own brew, and it was so strong it got to me after three drinks. It’s the worst thing I’ve ever drunk.”

  “It got to you after only three drinks?”

  “Yes. I couldn’t stand up, so I foolishly kept drinking and playing that stupid game which I hate.”

  “Oh, dear.”

  “Henry had to carry me from the car to the bedroom because my legs just would not work.” Eva felt mortified that her drunken state was now known by Tessa.

  “What’s in that brew?”

  “God only knows, but I’m not touching it again. So Zoe thought I got drunk because I didn’t want to be with her?” Eva asked. She raised her head and waited for Tessa’s answer.

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, god.” Eva doubled up in the chair and cradled her head in her hands. “Oh god, oh god, oh god,” she kept repeating.

  “Stop beating yourself up now. It’s done. Now the question is, do you love Zoe?”

  “Of course I love Zoe!” Eva was outraged and almost stood up, but she stopped when she saw Tessa’s glare. “What kind of question is that?”

  “Calm down. How often over these past six weeks have you told Zoe you love her?”

  “I told you, I tell her every day. Every morning and at night.”

  “And then what?”

  “Pardon?”

  “What do you do after you tell her?”

  Eva blinked. “I kiss her.”

  “And then what?”

  “We cuddle and go to sleep,” Eva replied. “I try and keep my mind off the one thing I want to be doing. Poor Tommy and Earl must think I’m crazy in love with playing poker. That has to be the most boring game.”

  “Why do you do that?”

  “So I don’t have to spend time near Zoe. I sleep with the most gorgeous woman on earth and I can’t touch her. It’s maddening.”

  “You have made each other crazy. Zoe thinks that you don’t love her anymore and that you find her unattractive. You are so much in love with her that you have been led to believe that you can’t make love to her because you might induce labor.”

  “What should I do?”

  “This is one of those times when actions speak louder than words. You need to show her.”

  “Are you sure I can even though the book says I shouldn’t?”

  Tessa’s gentle laugh filled the kitchen. “Yes, darling, you can,” she said with a smile.

  “Are you really sure?”

  “Positive. Stella and I—”

  “No, no, no, stop.” Eva covered her ears and shook her head.

  Tessa leaned across and pulled Eva’s hands from either side of her head. She smiled. “Trust me, you won’t induce labor. Be gentle; she is pregnant with two babies…”

  “Oh, I will be.”

  “She can do whatever she wants to you, no gentleness required there,” Tessa added and laughed. “Oh, my goodness, you should see your face.”

  Eva covered her face with her hands. “I don’t believe I’m having this conversation with you.”

  “That’s what you get when you have a doctor in the family.” Tessa chortled. “Now, let’s go outside and have a good time at the dinner party. Try not to look at your watch too often and do some gentle flirting with Zoe. She needs to know you still find her attractive.”

  “But—”

  “Eva, darling, Zoe is hormonal and she finds herself unattractive at the moment. She thinks you don’t love her anymore. You need to reassure her. The only way you’re going to do that is if you make love to her. You telling her you love her and not showing it, like you normally do, has made Zoe think the worst.”

  “Can I get up now?”

  Tessa laughed. “Oh Evy, you’ve been able to move the moment I put up the barrier.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “The fact you sat down or nearly stood up again,” Tessa replied. “The barrier was there to prevent you moving. Your power is greater than mine. You have great power, but you are just learning to harness it. You didn’t have to think about breaking the hold, did you?”

  “No.”

  “We have to get you to the point where you think about it. You have to control it, not let it to control you. You were angry and you could have easily lashed out.”

  “I wouldn’t do that to you.”

  “No, not to me, even though you were annoyed with me, but if the situation arises that you are in a position when you or Zoe or the babies are being threatened, you need to control that power. You will then be able to defend them and know how to do it effectively.”

  “I think we still have work to do.”

  “We do, but that’s for another day. Now you have far more interesting things to think about.”

  “Like what time is everyone going to go home?”

  “Yes, like that, and how you are going to show Zoe you not only love her but desire her as well.”

  “Oh, that’s not going to be a problem.”

  “You can tell me tomorrow.”

  “No.” Eva shook her head.

  “Or not,” Tessa finished as she put her arms around Eva and kissed her on the cheek. “I do love both of you, but you are especially cute.”

  Eva glanced at her with a wry smile. “Thank you, I think.”

  Tessa took the bowl of fruit and threaded her arm through Eva’s elbow as they both left the kitchen and joined their friends outside.

  CHAPTER 50

  The barbeque dragged on, much to Eva’s dismay. She wanted everyone gone so she could have Zoe to herself, but the lingering continued and Eva’s ability to stay focused had long since evaporated. She had progressed to paranoia when she noticed Tessa looking her way, and then Elena. Eva was certain Zoe would have confided in her best friend, and that was the reason Elena was giving her a disappointed look. Or it could have been Eva’s own inability to be rational. One thing she was certain about was that she had been totally asinine.

  She walked out of the kitchen and into the back yard to find Stella cleaning up. Stella looked up and smiled.

  “She will forgive you.”

  Eva looked up into the heavens and shook her head. “Aunt Tessa told you.”

  “Yes, but even if she hadn’t, I would have guessed. You look extremely flustered, Eva, and have been for quite a few weeks, and Zoe looks ready to explode by the way she is scowling at you.”

  “How did you know that?”

  “I have eyes, and I did exactly the same
thing.” Stella put her hand on Eva’s shoulder. “I’m a doctor and I should have known better, but that’s what I did. Tessa, in her usual calm way, just came out and told me I was acting stupid.”

  “Hm,” Eva retorted as she picked up the plates. “I’m the gifted one and I have a something or other gift that should tell me these things.”

  Stella gazed at Eva for a moment and laughed. “Darling, the only way to fix this is to make up for your silliness tonight.”

  “That’s if Zoe will let me sleep in the same room.”

  “Oh, she will, trust me, she will,” Stella replied, patted Eva on the shoulder and left when Tessa came out and waved her inside. “I don’t plan on seeing you tomorrow,” she said with a chuckle.

  Eva went back into the kitchen and sighed at the mountain of plates that were piled onto the sink. Zoe had disappeared into the bedroom with Elena to discuss baby clothes or something Eva did not find interesting at that very moment. Zoe’s voice drifted in from the bedroom. Eva wasn’t sure what she was going to do with Elena still in the house, so she set about washing the dishes and losing herself in the task.

  “Hey,” Zoe said and put her arm around Eva’s waist. “El’s gone home. Didn’t you hear her?”

  Eva blinked and shook her head. “No, I was...uh...”

  “I’m tired, Evy. I’m going to go and have a bath.”

  “Alright.” Eva nodded and gave Zoe a chaste kiss. She saw a quick flash of disappointment in Zoe’s eyes, which disappeared just as quickly. “I’ll be there shortly to help you out of the bath.”

  Zoe didn’t say a word, and she left the kitchen just as quietly as she had entered. Eva lowered her hands into the water and sighed. What she wanted was to turn around and make love to Zoe right there, but she needed to explain and tell Zoe why she had been acting this way.

  Eva heard the bathroom door open and the water running. She very quickly finished the dishes and set them to dry. She took the nearest towel and dried her hands. “Not sure why I’m drying my hands, Ourania,” Eva spoke to the cat, who was curled up on the bench. “I’m only going to get wet again.”

  She made her way to the bathroom. What she saw took her breath away. Steam was rising from the tub, and Zoe’s head was resting on the rim, cushioned by a towel. Her eyes were closed and both hands rested on her belly. The photographer in Eva was overawed.