The Honey Well

by Gloria Mallette

  “I’m fine.” Arnell moved away from Trena’s door. “I’m going home in a little while and I’m taking Trena with me.”

  “And why would you do that?”

  “This one you don’t get.”

  Esther daintily clasped her hands to keep from slapping Arnell. “I’ve invested a lot of money in this girl,” she said, her voice low and steady, “and, you know me, sweetie. I don’t ever put good money on bad investments. Trena lives here now.”

  “Not anymore,” Arnell said, her voice just as steady. “Trena is going home to her parents, and I’m taking her. Now, Mother, if you’re saying that you forbid Trena to leave this house, then you’re saying that you’re holding her against her will. My, what do you think the police will call that?”

  Esther slowly raised her brow. “Are you threatening me?”

  “Actually, I am strongly suggesting that you will not contribute to the ruination of this particular teenager, and that I am about to do for Trena what I couldn’t do for myself.”

  “And what would that be?” Esther asked cooly.

  “Save her from you.” The stricken look that Esther leveled on Arnell lasted but a few seconds and was quickly replaced by a bitter scowl.

  “Oh, don’t look at me that way, Mother, I might think that you didn’t love me.”

  Esther put her hands on her hips. “You’re my daughter, Arnell, but I’ll fuck you up just as sure as I’m standing here. You know better than to mess with my money, and Trena is my money.”

  Reminding herself to remain calm and to not let Esther intimidate her, Arnell stepped within two feet of Esther and boldly put her hands on her hips. A heavy hush filled Arnell’s ears as she and Esther looked dead into each other’s eyes. Arnell saw a cruel, selfish woman who would destroy anyone that got in her way. Esther saw a rebellious daughter who needed to be taught a lesson.

  “It’s your move, Mother. Do your best.”

  This was one of those times that Esther hated when Arnell called her mother. Arnell had a way of making the word mother sound like a filthy curse word. Hearing it made Esther recoil in her skin. Even more than this, she hated, of late, that Arnell showed no fear in going up against her.

  “One day, sweetie, you’re going to push me too far.”

  “Well, Mother, I guess I could say the same about you, but I think this should be where we part company before things get a bit too ugly. I can’t say it was wonderful knowing you, but I will say, always remember, I am your daughter. Whatever you think about doing to me, I will definitely make it my business to do ten times worse to you. If you know like I know, you’ll let Trena go in peace and chalk this one up as a giveaway.”

  “I don’t think so, sweetie,” Esther said coldly. “I give nothing away that’s mine, not even you.”

  “See, that’s your problem, Mother, you think you own people. Get over it—slavery ended.”

  At that moment, Trena rushed out into the hall. Smiling broadly, she ran to Arnell, embracing her excitedly. “Thank you, thank you. Arnell, I’m going home. My parents want me back. They said they missed me.”

  Arnell’s eyes never left Esther’s. “That’s so wonderful.” Arnell slowly peeled Trena off her body. “Trena, I need you to do something right now, without question.”

  “Sure.”

  “Go outside, right now, to my car. It’s the champagne-colored Camry. The door is open. Get inside and lock yourself in.”

  “But I have to pack—”

  “You take nothing, Trena. You leave now.” Keeping her eyes on Esther, Arnell shoved Trena toward the back staircase. “Go.”

  Esther started to reach for Trena. Arnell quickly sidled in front of Esther, blocking her from going after Trena, who bounded down the stairs. Neither Arnell nor Esther said anything but their glaring anger sent sparks of disdain through each of them.

  “I’ll get her back,” Esther said confidently. “I do know where her parents live.”

  “I swear before God, Mother, if you do not leave that child alone, you will regret it. Like me, Trena was raped by Woodruff Parker. I will not leave her here to endure another rape at his hands. If you try to go after her, I promise you, I will destroy you and this business.”

  Esther’s chest was heaving. She weighed her options. Arnell was privy to everything about the business from the start and could very well destroy her. Esther couldn’t allow that. She sized up Arnell. Physically, she was no match for Arnell. She had youth and strength over her. There were other ways to hurt Arnell that were far worse than any punch or slap. She knew what she had to do. Miming a kiss, Esther blew the kiss at Arnell just as she turned and headed for the back staircase.

  Arnell breathed a deep sigh of relief. For a minute there, she thought she was going to have to fight her own mother. That would have been a mind-blowing trip. Damn, how much worse could her day get? That blown kiss made Arnell more angry, but she could waste no time going after Esther when she had to get Trena home. She wasn’t worried about Esther stopping Trena outside, she couldn’t. If Big Walt was working this afternoon, then there might have been a problem, but Big Walt had gone home right after bringing them back from the funeral. Thank God for small favors. Gratefully, Arnell’s only worry was in keeping her word to Trena and to Mrs. Gatlind. Unlike Arnell, Trena had a real home to go back to. In a strange way, Arnell felt by helping Trena, she was somehow saving her own life. Screw Esther; it was high time she learned that she owned no one. Not even her own child.

  Twenty-Nine

  “Queen Esther, you look hot, lady,” Melvina said, admiring Esther in her low-cut, long, white, form-fitting dress slit up the front to the top of her thighs. “Where you goin’?”

  Esther smoothed her hair back on the sides. “Nowhere, I’m staying in. Which is why I’d like for you to fix some simple but elegant hors d’oeuvres. Some brie and crackers, and maybe some of that shrimp dip might be nice. Enough for two, okay? Oh, and do serve some of that fine white wine that Arnell likes so much. For me, my usual.”

  “I thought I saw Arnell leave?”

  “You did. She’s not here.”

  “Yes, mon, I saw her leave in a mighty huff.”

  Esther sighed. “Lately, that’s the only way she ever leaves.”

  “Maybe this time, she stay gone,” Melvina said. “She had that kind of look in she eyes.”

  “Arnell will never stay away for good.” Esther smoothed her dress down over his hips. “I assure you, she’ll be back. How do I look?”

  Melvina raised her brow. “You havin’ special man company, Queen Esther?”

  “Of course not, Melvina. What kind of woman do you think I am? Tony just died.”

  “I beg ya pardon, Queen Esther.”

  “You certainly should,” Esther said haughtily. “Now, Arnell’s fiancé is coming over to talk about his surprise honeymoon trip for Arnell, which I’m paying for. I’m helping him to plan it.”

  “That child do not know how lucky she is. You are such a good mother to she, Queen Esther.”

  “I wish you’d tell Arnell that.”

  “You want me to? I will, you know.”

  “That’s all right, Melvina, you’ll just piss Arnell off.”

  “It do not take much to do that.”

  Bzzzz!

  Esther quickly smoothed down her dress over her flat stomach and round hips. She liked that James was right on time. “Melvina, don’t bring the hors d’oeuvres and wine in until I call you. And don’t let anyone disturb us. I mean no one.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Melvina smiled knowingly as Esther hurried off to answer the front doorbell.

  Opening the door, Esther liked, too, that James was dressed to impress in his tan, short-sleeve, linen walking suit. “James, I’m so glad you had a little time to spare. Thank you for coming over.”

  “No, thank you for helping me out with this. Even though Arnell and I won’t be getting married until next June, it is best to start planning the honeymoon now so that we can get the best acc
ommodations.”

  “This is why I never do anything last minute.”

  “I need some improvement in that area,” James said, admiring the original detail of the moldings over the doorways of the house. “This house is really great. I love old houses.”

  “They don’t make them like this anymore.” Esther led James into her suite. “Oh, that’s right. This is only the second time you’ve been in my home, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,”

  “Arnell should bring you around more often.” Esther closed the door.

  James admired the Italian provincial decor. “This is very nice, Esther. It’s quite elegant.”

  “Yes, and quite cozy.” Esther sat on the ivory white love seat and indicated for James to join her. “Have you spoken to Arnell since she’s been back?”

  “She’s back?” James asked, surprised. “I thought she was still up at the health spa.”

  “No, actually, she came back a few days ago.”

  “And she didn’t call me?”

  “Don’t be upset, dear. Arnell rushed back to be by my side.” Esther sniffled. She drew on the image of Tony lying in his casket. Her eyes instantly watered.

  James scooted closer to Esther. “What’s wrong? Are you all right?”

  Dabbing at her eyes, Esther shook her head. She crossed her legs at the knees, exposing her shapely legs through the sexy slit in her dress.

  “Is there anything I can do for you, Esther? Anything at all?”

  Esther began to weep openly. Distraught, she fell against James’s shoulder. He put his arms around her.

  “My God, Esther, what is it?”

  “It’s Tony. He was buried this morning.”

  “Buried? Tony’s dead?”

  Clinging to James, Esther cried harder.

  Tightening his embrace, James tried to comfort Esther. “I am so sorry, Esther, I didn’t know. Where’s Arnell? She should be here with you. My God.”

  Esther stopped crying but she continued to nestle in the warmth of James’s embrace. “Arnell left this afternoon. I think she might be driving back up to the spa.”

  “Are you kidding? Her place is here with you.” James checked his watch. “What time did she leave? I’ll try to reach her and get her back here.”

  “No.” Esther sat up, but she didn’t move completely out of James’s embrace. She pressed her breast into James’s side. Every time Esther moved just a little, her breast rubbed against him. “Let Arnell go. She was terribly broken up by Tony’s death. She was with me for two days. I’m the one that told her to go back up to the spa to rest.”

  “That was considerate of you, Esther, but Arnell really should be here. Why didn’t she call me? I would have been here for you both.”

  “I don’t know, James. Arnell was acting so funny.” It was but a featherlight touch but Esther rubbed her leg against James’s leg. If he noticed, James gave no indication that he was uncomfortable with the touch or Esther’s closeness.

  “What do you mean, Arnell’s acting funny? How was she acting?”

  “Withdrawn. Sullen. Which is why I called you, James. I figure if we start planning the wedding and the honeymoon, we can surprise Arnell and cheer her up.”

  “I see your point,” James said. “I’m sure she’s just upset about Tony.”

  Esther sniffled. “Yes, I’m sure that’s it.”

  “If you don’t mind my asking, Esther, what happened to Tony?”

  The tears flowed. “They said he fell down a flight of stairs. My poor Tony, I can’t believe he’s gone.” Esther pressed into James again. This time when his arm tightened around her shoulder, she turned her body toward him. She lay her face in the crook of his neck and slipped her arm around the other side of his neck. Her tears were real; she truly missed Tony, so she didn’t have to fake that, but her moves on James weren’t supposed to be exciting her. She was trying to seduce him to get back at Arnell, but she was enjoying the feel of James’s arms around her, not to mention how she was starting to feel in between her thighs. Too bad she would never be able to boast about this seduction to Arnell. This was going to have to be her little secret—Arnell didn’t have to ever know for Esther to feel satisfied.

  “Esther, I know it’s hard right now, but you’ll be fine.” James began to rub Esther’s back. “I only met Tony that one time, but he seemed to be a good man.”

  “Yes, he was,” she said, making sure that her lips lightly touched James’s neck every time she spoke. “Tony stood by me during some of the roughest times of my life.” Esther let her arm slip lazily down from around James’s neck onto his chest. It rested there. “Tony was like a father to Arnell and she was just as special to him.” Esther’s arm slid ever so slowly down onto James’s stomach and then down onto his crotch, where she would have sworn she felt a hardness, but she did not let her arm rest there for she felt James’s body stiffen. She eased her arm on down atop James’s left thigh. There it rested.

  James removed his arm from around Esther. “Ah, Esther, can I get you something? Some water?” He crossed his left leg over the right.

  Inside, Esther smiled. She hadn’t lost a bit of her skill. “Actually, James, I am thirsty and perhaps a little hungry. Let me see what Melvina has in the kitchen.” She went to the suite door and stuck her head out into the hallway, and at the same time, stuck her butt in James’s direction.

  “Melvina!” Esther called loud enough to be heard back in the kitchen, but not loud enough to be crass or to break the mood she was setting. She bent her right leg at the knee and leaned farther out the door.

  “Yes, Queen Esther.”

  “Melvina, please see if you can put together some of those leftover noshes from Tony’s wake for me and James. Nothing fancy, okay?”

  “Tony’s wake?” Melvina asked quietly.

  Esther mouthed, Shhh.

  “Right away, Queen Esther,” Melvina said.

  Esther turned around just in time to catch James looking at her butt before he looked away. Again Esther smiled to herself. This was going to be easy. She closed the door and was about to walk away when Melvina knocked. Esther opened the door straightaway.

  “Melvina, you’re a saint. You’re so fast.”

  “Thank you, Queen Esther.” Melvina pushed the serving cart in and while she busied herself uncovering the two plates of hors d’oeuvres, she got her fill of James sitting with his hands clasped over his crotch. On the way out of the suite, she raised her brow slyly. Esther did the same.

  “Melvina’s the best.” Esther picked up the plate of brie and crackers and held it out to James. “It’s not much, but it satisfies the appetite.”

  “This is fine, I’m not that hungry.” James took a cracker with a wad of brie on it and ate it immediately.

  “Take another,” Esther insisted.

  James took three more crackers. Esther poured him a glass of wine. After James drank half the glass Esther refilled it. She took her gin and sat again on the sofa, this time a few inches separated them. She didn’t want to scare James away.

  “So, James, what kind of honeymoon do you have in mind?”

  He cleared his throat. “I guess I’m like everyone else—the beach, the ocean, the sun.”

  “James, I’m surprised at you,” Esther cooed. “I took you for a real romantic—a cold weather man.”

  James grinned like a schoolboy. “That’s how you see me, huh?”

  “Sure. You look like a man who likes to cuddle up in front of a burning fireplace on a bearskin rug with the wind howling outside and snow coming down nonstop. Arnell likes that sort of thing, you know.”

  “She never mentioned it.”

  “Sure, when she was a kid, we had a fireplace. Arnell used to love to stretch out on the floor in front of the fireplace butt-naked.”

  James laughed. “You’re kidding. Where did she get that from?”

  Smiling coyly, Esther offered James the shrimp dip. “From her mother, of course. I love stretching out in front of a fire
place with nothing on but the beautiful, baby soft skin I was born in.”

  Staring at Esther, James sat with the cracker in his hand.

  Esther teased, “If you’d like something other than the dip, James, you’re welcome to it.” She slowly recrossed her legs, lifting them higher so that more thigh showed. James’s eyes followed her every move. “James.”

  “This is just fine.” He dipped his cracker.

  Like a waking cat, Esther slowly stretched her body out. “Really, James, there is nothing like a cold day and heat from a hot fireplace. I can almost feel the heat on my body.” Closing her eyes, Esther let her hands glide smoothly and slowly across her breast, down her body, over her pubis onto her thighs and back up to her breasts. “James, if you have never laid before a fire, you really must try it one day.” Opening her eyes, Esther rubbed one leg atop the other, lifting her thigh higher so that the slit fell open all the way. “Nothing feels as good as heat on a naked body.”

  Mesmerized, James watched the movement of Esther’s hands. His eyes shifted from her hands on top of her breasts down to her naked thigh. Again he was holding an uneaten cracker.

  “Sex is even better in front of a fire. Did you know that, James?”

  Blushing, James lay his left arm across his erect penis. He popped the cracker in his mouth and quickly downed his glass of wine. “So you think we should plan a winter wedding?”

  “If it were my wedding, I would.” Esther refilled James’s glass. “In fact, James, if it were cold outside right now, I’d have me a fire going. I have a fireplace—back there in my bedroom. Now that I’m thinking about it, when you leave, I just might start me a little fire.”

  “Esther, it’s almost eighty degrees outside.”

  “So, I have an air-conditioner.”

  James chuckled nervously.

  “I know it sounds stupid,” she said, “but a fire totally relaxes me.” Again closing her eyes, Esther began rubbing the back of her neck. “I’ve been so tense since Tony died.”

  James watched as Esther massaged her neck and moved her chest at the same time. He could see the top of her breast and leaned an inch closer to see if he could see farther down in her dress.