Keeping Faith

by T J Vertigo

  They eventually wound up sitting across from each other at the table, drinking their coffee, both lost in thought. Reece, back to her worrisome musings, Faith, deep in an entirely different train of thought.

  "Why don't we pierce your nipple."

  Reece's eyebrows shot up and she looked down at her bare chest. Her nipples began tightening in fright. "What?"

  "Yeah." Faith stared appreciatively at Reece's left breast, "That one. I think it would look great, besides, I'd love to play with it."

  Reece's eyebrows never lowered. "Faith, I'm not piercing my nipple." She covered her breast with her hand and winced.

  "Why not? You think mine is so hot, well... I think on you it would be hot to." Faith opened the robe and exposed her pierced nipple. "Look." Reece did, and her lips curled into a sexy grin. "See? All you do is look at it and you get evil."

  "Bring that over here." The tall woman said with a leer.

  Faith straddled Reece's lap and narrowed her eyes playfully. "Hmph. Don't think I didn't notice the distraction. I still think we should."

  The club owner palmed her lover's breasts with both hands and hummed happily.

  "You just can't get enough." Faith teased, arching her back into the touch.

  "Never. I always want you, now gimme those lips."

  Just as their mouths touched, the phone rang. Reece growled as Faith jumped to answer it. "Let it ring for shit sake." she complained.

  "Could be Mr. Wells!" The blonde grabbed the handset. "Hello?"

  "Hey, you sexy piece of flesh. Are you still fucking?"

  Faith giggled. "No, Cor, we were just going to make out."

  "Well quit it, we're coming in."

  With that the phone went dead and a key entered the front door.

  "I'm topless." Reece called out half-heartedly.

  "Reece! Go get a shirt on!" Faith ordered.

  The brunette rolled her eyes, snatched Smudge up from the floor, and grumbled as she obeyed. She complained as she passed Cori and Violet, "Can't even walk around naked in my own damned house."

  "Good to see you too." Violet replied sarcastically."

  Faith hugged the piercer excitedly. "How was the convention? Did you do anything sick?"

  Cori reached over and yanked down the top of Violet's shirt, exposing her boob. "Have a gander at that!"

  Faith's eyes went wide. "Wow!" Violet had criss-crossing barbells in her nipple. "How the hell do you get both in there?"

  "Carefully." Violet replied with a wink.

  Reece returned just in time to witness this. "What the fuck? I have to go get a goddamned shirt on and she's got her shit hanging out?"

  "Calm you drawers Conan, it was a wardrobe malfunction." Cori said putting Violet's shirt back up.

  "Yeah, I wasn't so thrilled to know my woman whipped her tit out in front of the whole convention, but it is cool."

  "Please, Cor, there were ball sacks as far as the eye could see."

  All four women made horrified faces.

  "Ew! Vi!" Faith said through a scrunched face. "I prefer my ball sacks of the latex variety."

  "Less hair that way." Cori agreed.

  "Very pleasant morning talk." Reece said with a disgusted expression. Smudge struggled in her arm to get to Faith, so she handed him over, grabbed her coffee mug and headed for the living room.

  "Ooo, she's cranky today! Didn't you give her any?"

  Faith sighed. "Plenty. She's been brooding a lot lately and I don't know why. She thinks I don't notice, but I do."

  "You think it has something to do with the movie?" Cori asked in concern. If Reece was holding something in, it was bound to come out some time, and in a big way.

  "I'm not sure." Faith said with thought. "Anyway, I'll talk to her about it later.

  "Speaking of the movie..." Violet grinned from ear to ear. "Congratulations are an order! My little Faith, I knew you when." She said, carefully hugging Faith, so not to squash the small dog. "What are we doing to celebrate?"

  "Sorry, Charlie, we already celebrated last night." Reece said, poking her head into the kitchen.

  "Ha, you're so funny." Cori pretended to laugh. "What's say we go out and do something freaky!"

  "Cor, just you waking up is freaky." Reece commented.

  Violet threw a napkin at the club owner. "Butt out Legs, you already celebrated." She said sticking out her tongue.

  "Come on, go get dressed. Today's on me!" Violet said, pushing Faith toward the stairs.

  With their women disappearing upstairs, Reece and Cori were left alone. Cori stared at Reece inquisitively, following her wherever she went, until the tall woman couldn't stand it any more.

  "What the fuck is your problem?" she asked in irritation.

  Cori laughed, totally expecting the outburst. "I was just gonna ask you that? What's with the face? It's way unattractive."

  "What are you writing a book?" Reece replied, picking up the tiny dog and plopping down into the sofa.

  Undeterred, the dancer followed. "Maybe. I think I'll call it 'Stupid Reece and Her Ugly Face.'" Cori sat cross legged on the coffee table and watched in amusement as her friend ignored her. Reece had diverted all her attention to Smudge as she pet him and pretended to clean his eyes. Cori rolled her eyes as the club owner peeked in is ear.

  "Make yourself useful and get me a Q-tip."

  The dancer blew out a breath and disappeared to the guest bathroom right next to the living room. On her way out, she could hear Reece talking to the dog.

  "At least I know you won't be spending all your time making a movie, you'll be right here where you should be. Look at that ear, its got all sorts of crap in it, Cor? You coming or what?"

  Cori sighed heavily. She knew what Reece's problem was now, but there was no solution to it. Faith was making this movie, and that came with a lot of extra shit for Reece to deal with, and Reece doesn't deal well with shit. Cori sighed again, realizing what Reece will be going through and how difficult she'd become. Justifiably difficult. She smiled weakly at how Reece was keeping it to herself, and not making Faith feel guilty, but still was upset because she wasn't going to be able to make her friend feel better. When the dancer finally turned the corner into the living room, she laughed out loud at the various ear products Reece had laid out in a row on the coffee table.

  "It's about time, what did you do, take a shit while you were in there?"

  "Yeah, and I didn't even spray. Here Miss Impatient." she handed over a bunch of Q-tips and sat down to watch her large, muscular, intimidating friend, delicately clean the tiny dog's ears. She smiled at the image, and decided to file it away for recall in the near future when Reece was being unbearable.

  "Oh, Little Man, this is not good, you have a sick ear." Reece said with worry.

  "Thelma and Louise came down with ear mites from the neighbor's cat. Maybe he has them too?"

  Reece looked horrified. "He does NOT have bugs in his ears!"

  Cori chuckled. "They're miniscule Reece, and he can get them."

  "YOU must have brought your dogs' bugs to him. Oh man, now he has to go to the vet! I hate going to the vet! They stick a thermometer the size of a baseball bat up his ass!"

  The dancer shook her head in amusement. For someone who generated a whole lot of carnage in her life, Reece was incredibly squeamish when it came to her dog. "I'll take him if you want."

  "No way, you gave him ear bugs in the first place. I'll take him. I'll take him as soon as Faith and Vi leave for their day of freakishness."

  "At least let me come with you. I'll be bored." Cori begged with a lower lip pout.

  Reece thought for a second. "Okay, you can come with. At least I'll know what you're up to."

  Faith and Violet were well on their way to shop, leaving Reece and Cori to venture to the Vet. There was an argument when Reece insisted they use the car and driver Reece had hired for Faith, but the two women were against it, they wanted to walk. Reece had a loud fit about Faith wandering the streets of New York unat
tended, but Violet, Faith and Cori drove her insane with what Reece called their "chicken cackling" until she gave up. Now she was crankier than before, worrying about Faith's well being on top of everything else. Finally getting in touch with the Vet, the tall scowling woman walked out the front door.

  Cori jumped up from the couch. "Reece! Wait up!"

  "You snooze, you lose, get a move on."

  Cori jogged out the door to keep up with Reece's long strides. "Jeez, it's not like he has rabies or anything, it's probably just dirt. And I thought Faith told you not to put that monstrous collar on him."

  "He doesn't have dirt in his ears. I clean them you know." Reece replied defensively, shining Smudge's spiked collar with her shirt. "He likes his collar thank you very much."

  Cori laughed out loud and received a menacing look. "Hey, I happen to think it's cute how you obsess over that little eunuch."

  "Little man thank you. Just because Faith and her sadistic needs, had to chop his balls off he's still a man."

  "You know, I saw on TV where they have prosthetic testicles for dogs. You can get him Great Dane balls, this way between that collar and his balls, he'll be totally unable to walk. "

  Reece turned and growled at the dancer, as they headed through the Vet's door.

  The club owner walked to the front desk and announced her presence to the receptionist, who winced. She remembered full well the neurotic standing before her from when the small dog was neutered. She hurried to get the chart to avoid any confrontations with the tall brunette.

  "Just have a seat the doctor will be right with you."

  "I'm not waiting forever." Reece complained before her ass even hit a chair.

  "God Reece, you're one of those clients who drive people to drink." Cori observed, lingering by the brochures.

  "Bite me."

  The doctor's assistant appeared. "Goliath, Goliath Corbett."

  Cori's eyes widened. "Goliath??"

  "Shut it." Reece stood up and followed the assistant.

  Cori sat in the waiting room, laughing herself stupid. "Wait til Faith hears that one!" Suddenly she was being dragged into an exam room by her ear and she raised an eyebrow at Reece.

  "I don't trust you out there."

  "You sure you want me to see you swoon when they take his temperature?"

  Reece stood tall. "I do not swoon”

  Reece stomped out of the Vet's office with a big fat scowl, followed by Cori with a smug grin. She didn't dare speak to Reece yet, the club owner needed to some time to calm down after what happened in the Vet. Turns out, Smudge, aka, "Goliath" had an ear infection and when the doctor suggested a deep cleaning, with sedation, Reece had a fit, snatching her dog off the table and attempting to flee. Cori finally convinced her to allow it, talking to her until the tall woman understood that this was going to make him better. Unable to hand him over, there was a tug-o-war of sorts over the tiny dog, with the doctor winning. Reece stood, menacing, eyes narrowed, arms folded over her chest to emphasize her muscles... daring the doctor to hurt the dog. He filled the syringe, stuck the dog with it and Reece's knees promptly buckled.

  Now, Cori was dealing with a horrified Reece, grasping her sleepy dog and racing through the streets with long strides to run away from her. The dancer was getting tired.

  "Reece, please, I won't tell anyone I swear! Just slow down will ya?"

  "Oh, you know better , besides, I think it was a sudden sprain." Reece said, red faced, reaching down to rub her knee.

  Cori snickered, "Yeah, that's what it was."

  PART 4

  AS SOON AS Reece settled Smudge at home, the doorbell rang. Peeking out the window she saw it was the FedEx guy and, and frowned. She had no desire to be bothered by the FedEx guy.

  "It could be her script ya know." Cori said, poking Reece.

  "Right." Reece sighed and opened the door.

  The delivery guy looked back and forth between both women, then behind them with disappointment. "I'm looking for Faith Ashford?"

  Reece took the guy's pen out of his hand. "She's not here. I'll sign for it."

  "Oh." The delivery man looked dejected.

  Reece glared at him impatiently as he clutched the box close to himself. "Are you gonna give me that or do I have to take it from you?"

  "Well, I was kinda hoping... I mean, Faith Ashford lives here?"

  Reece growled and snatched the package away. "No, but I do, and you wouldn't want to piss me off, buddy."

  Cori snuck around Reece and sneered as best she could. "Yeah, me neither." She made biting gestures at him.

  Reece slammed the door and shook her head. "Great that's all I need! Fuck!"

  "It's not like you won't see him coming, he is wearing orange and blue."

  The club owner glared at the dancer. "Make yourself useful and call Faith. Tell her the script is here, I have to do something."

  Cori raised an eyebrow at Reece. "What do you have to do?"

  The tall woman scooped up the small dog and cleared her throat. "He's sick." she replied in a quiet voice.

  "Reece, you're not going to spoil him any more than he already is, are you?"

  "Lick me."

  The dancer stuck her tongue out at Reece as she ascended the stairs, then, stared at the box. With her excitement building every second, she shook it, and tried to tear a small hole in the box. Finally, after nosing as much as she could with no luck, she picked up the phone and dialed Faith.

  "Hi baby!"

  "Well, hello honeylamb."

  "Oh, Cor... what's up? Where's Reece?"

  "She's too busy doing some irreversible damage to the dog. Your script is here! I wanna open it!"

  "It's THERE? For real? How big is it?"

  "Yep! I'm holding it in my hot little hands right now! It's pretty heavy. Please let me open it!"

  "Cor! Behave. I'm sure you'll be there when I do open it."

  "But I wanna be special. Pleeeeeeease?"

  Faith laughed. "Oh, alright you big baby, go on and open it. I'm on my way home anyway."

  Cori hung up the phone and tore into the box like a kid tearing open candy. It was two big binders full of script. She held it in her hands, pretended to weigh it, smiled and giggled excitedly. Looking around, she saw no sign of Reece and began to peek inside. She shuffled through the first binder, than the second. She blinked a few times after thinking she saw the words naked and bed. She thumbed through that particular section of the script again and came upon what she was looking for. Jessie was naked, in bed with Meredith and from the looks of it, it wasn't the first time. Cori's stomach began to drop until she realized she had no idea what character Faith was playing and it very well may not be her at all. Nervously, she read further, liking very much what she saw, but uncomfortable with putting Faith as any of these characters. Reece began moving loudly and Cori slammed the script shut, almost throwing it on the table.

  "What the hell?" The club owner asked, pointing at the open box.

  "Faith said I could!" The dancer's voice was high pitched and nervous.

  Reece raised an eyebrow and approached the two binders. Cori ran and grabbed them. "Do you think it's respectful to peek at it if she hasn't read it yet?"

  "Did you?"

  "Me? No! I wouldn't do that!" Cori replied defensively.

  "Well, alright, I'll wait, but just in case." Reece took the script and put it on top of the entertainment center so Cori couldn't reach it.

  "I'm hurt that you don't trust me."

  "You'll live." Reece handed Smudge to Cori and went to the fridge.

  "What the...? Reece, he smells like your cologne!"

  "I gave him a bath, he likes the bubbles."

  "Oh lord. Does Faith know you bathe him in the jacuzzi?"

  "She doesn't have to." Reece glared, getting some chicken left-overs.

  Cori watched with interest as Reece pulled the food processor out and started picking chicken off the bones. "You're pureeing chicken?"

  "Yes."

>   "What? Do you have a tooth ache?"

  "It's for the little man."

  "Oh, brother!" Cori rolled her eyes and kissed Smudge on the nose. "You are so lucky, do you know that "Goliath?"

  Reece spun around and pointed at Cori. "Oh, and no Goliath in front of Faith."

  "Yeah, I saw how fast you whipped that collar off. You are so pussy whipped."

  Reece guffawed. "I am not!"

  Cori snickered. "Yeah, right, sure."

  "I'm sure you know I could kill you with one poke to the neck."

  "C'mon Goliath, lets leave the terminator to her pureeing."

  Faith and Violet burst through the door in a flurry of bags and perfume, nearly knocking Reece to the ground.

  "Hey!" The tall woman shouted, clasping the tiny dog to her chest.

  "Where is it?" Faith asked, hurrying through the house.

  Cori grabbed her excited friend by the back of the pants and stopped the nonsense. "Settle down, Reece put it away so I wouldn't peek."

  Faith snickered. "And I'm sure that worked, not."

  Reece reached up and took the script down, grinning at how wide Faith's eyes became at the size of it.

  "Oooo, gimme!"

  Reece dropped the heavy script down on the coffee table, and all four women hovered over it, looking at it intently, like it might do a trick. Cori was the first to act and reached for a binder. "I'll read it to you if you want."

  Faith snatched it away with both hands and promptly sat on the other binder. "Oh no you don't, I bet you already know what happens in scene 85 by heart." Faith joked.