Scorpio Love

by S. Tamanaha

  “This is great,” he said as he dug in. “But I’m gonna have to spend extra time working it all off.”

  As they enjoyed the meal together, Angel finished her breakfast and then began sniffing around the packages beneath the tree, searching for the source of a scent that had caught her attention. She stopped suddenly and started growling and barking at a small, square-shaped package, her tail wagging excitedly.

  Susan smiled. “She found her present.”

  She got up and went over to the little dog. “Okay, you can have your present now,” she said. She unwrapped the gift and from a cardboard box she pulled out a new rubber ball that she bounced across the floor. Angel chased it down, barking excitedly, and then began tossing the ball around on her own.

  “How’d she do that?” Johnny asked. “How’d she know that it was her present?”

  Susan shrugged. “I don’t know. Whenever I buy her something, I try to wrap it in different shaped boxes—I even wrapped a toy in towels once before putting it in the box—and she always finds the right package. Maybe there’s a lingering scent from the pet store or something, although I don’t always buy her things from the same place. Or maybe it’s just because she’s a Scorpio too. Her birthday is a couple of days after yours.”

  He grinned. “Really? No wonder she’s so smart.”

  Susan picked up another package, a box wrapped in gold foil and a red velvet ribbon, and placed it in front of Johnny. “Merry Christmas,” she said.

  He smiled. “You got me a present? Can I open it now?”

  She nodded and wondered if he would like his gift. It was a crystal ball on an Eagle’s claw mount.

  “It’s like the one that I have in my room. The ball is made of clear natural quartz, which is supposed to keep you protected, and the stand—it’s the claw of an Eagle.” She told him what the woman at the fundraiser had told her about Scorpios who are Eagles. “It was after I bought that piece that I began having those dreams about you so I thought that maybe if you had one too it would keep you safe and keep us connected somehow even when we’re apart.”

  “I love it,” he said. “Thank you.” He pulled her to him and kissed her lovingly. “But you know that you’ve already given me the best gift that I could ever hope for.”

  “I feel the same way,” she said softly.

  He smiled. “But since this is Christmas ...” He got up and retrieved a small package that had been hidden beneath the other presents under the tree and handed it her.

  She was stunned. She hadn’t expected a gift.

  “Go ahead and open it,” he said.

  She sat down and opened the prettily wrapped box. Inside was a gold pendant in the shape of the astrological sign of Scorpio on a delicate gold chain.

  “It’s gold, so I know that you won’t be allergic to it. And you can put it on a stronger chain if you want. I wasn’t sure about that. I hope you like it.”

  “I love it,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Then it matches you,” he said, “because you’re beautiful.” He kissed her again. “Hey, don’t cry. It seems I always make you cry.”

  “I’m sorry. You know, other people hardly ever see me cry but you make me feel so much love inside, Johnny. That’s what makes me cry. Do you hate that I do it?”

  He kissed her tenderly. “If you’re crying tears of love, then I don’t mind it at all.”

  She touched the pendent lovingly. “I think I will have to put it on a stronger chain though. This one’s so delicate that I might break it and I don’t ever want to lose the pendent.” She kissed him gently. “Go on with your breakfast. I’m going to look through my jewelry box. I think I have a rope chain that my sister gave me that I can use.”

  “You can do that later, can’t you?”

  She shook her head. “I want to put it on right away.”

  He smiled, pleased that she liked his present so much. She disappeared into the side bedroom and returned in a few minutes with the pendent around her neck on a different, much stronger chain.

  “How does it look?” she asked.

  “Beautiful. Like you,” he said.

  “I’m always going to wear it,” she promised.

  He smiled. “Do you really like it that much? It wasn’t that expensive, you know.”

  “It’s not about how much it cost you,” she said quietly. “It’s that you remembered that I was a Scorpio and allergic to costume jewelry. It means that you were listening to me when we talked on the phone. And as busy as you are, you actually took the time to buy it for me.”

  He pulled her to him and hugged her. Her appreciation of his gift for those reasons touched his heart and reminded him of how special she was. “You know, I’ll bet that even Jordan Cain couldn’t resist falling in love with you,” he said.

  “Who’s he?” she asked.

  He pulled her away from him and looked at her with complete surprise in his eyes. “He’s the character that I play on television. I know you said that you didn’t watch much TV, but after we met I just assumed ... I can’t believe this. You’ve never seen my series have you?”

  She looked a little embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I have watched it. I just didn’t remember his name.”

  “How many times have you watched it?”

  “Once,” she replied.

  “And you didn’t like it? Be honest now.”

  “It’s not that I didn’t like it,” she said softly. “I just preferred watching you in my dreams when you weren’t acting and then, later on, talking to you on the phone. That told me so much more about you than watching you on TV pretending to be someone else.”

  Johnny didn’t say anything for a few seconds and then he pulled her to him again and kissed her deeply, lovingly.

  “You’re not upset?” she asked, relieved that he didn’t seem insulted by the fact that she wasn’t a fan of his show.

  “Upset?” He smiled and caressed her face gently. “Baby, you just showed me that it’s really me that you love. That you’re not getting me mixed up in any way with that guy on the screen the way that a lot of people do.” He kissed her again and then laughed a little. “I never thought I’d be so happy to find out that someone didn’t watch my show.”

  Except for a few leisurely strolls along Ala Moana Beach at sunset and taking Angel on her daily walks, they hardly left the house during the remaining days of his vacation. There was no need for interaction with the outside world; they had created a world of their own. They spent their time talking, laughing, playing, learning about each other, and sharing their private thoughts. And they made love often—each night beneath the stars and moon in her bedroom and during the day whenever and wherever passion overtook them. It was never planned or mechanical; it was always wonderfully spontaneous. Sometimes she would say or do something that touched his heart and made him love her even more and he would make love to her right there and then. They had gone through life trying to find what they instinctively felt was missing inside of them, often wondering if something was wrong with them since no relationship had left them completely satisfied, physically or otherwise. Now they had finally found each other and sex had become what they always believed it should be—a union of souls.

  The day before he was scheduled to return to L.A., she took him into the rehearsal area.

  “Johnny, do people ask you to sing?” she asked.

  “Yeah, but I don’t.”

  “Why not? You have a beautiful voice, I can tell. And you’ve sang before on the stage.”

  “I don’t think singing Broadway stuff is going to do anything for the image thing. I don’t know much of anything else though.”

  She thought that might be the reason. “Can you listen to something for me?” she asked.

  “Sure.”

  She turned on the sound equipment and put in a disc. “This song is classified as ‘country’, but it’s really not. And it isn’t a ballad or rock and roll and it’s not one of those Andy Wi
lliams type songs. A karaoke host I knew used to call this ‘the walking song’ because it has a good easy beat, and I think if you learned to sing it, your voice could make it something really special. I know the women would love it. Listen, okay?”

  He nodded and she put on the song. It was “There’s No Getting Over Me” by Ronnie Milsap. He liked it and he understood what she meant about the beat. When it was over, she asked him what he thought.

  “I liked it. Not sure if I’d sound good singing it.”

  “I think you’d sound great. This song has always been a favorite of mine, but I’ve always thought that it needed a deeper, sexier voice to be really special and you have that voice. And it fits your image. I can just see you picking out a woman and dancing with her during that saxophone part. Now that would definitely make her day.”

  He grinned. “You’re trying to make me sexier to other women?”

  She smiled. “I’m just trying to help you show the world that you’re more than just that beautiful face. Now I’m no singer—”

  “Yes you are,” he contradicted her.

  “No, I’m not,” she said. “I have no real range or volume. The only reason that people think I can sing is because I choose the right song to sing for my voice. That’s what I’m good at—picking the right music for a particular kind of voice and audience. In your case, it’s picking the music that’s going to enhance your image in the eyes of adoring women and expand your options in the eyes of producers and directors. Do you know what I mean?”

  He smiled at her. She really did want to see him get his dream and to have people stop looking at him as though he was just a sex symbol.

  “Let’s hear it again,” he said.

  She smiled happily and walked over to the equipment. “If you want to practice it, you can just turn this mike on and sing along. If you need to change the key, you can just use this button over here. When you’ve found a good key, I’ll make a copy of the song and when you get back to L.A. maybe you can practice it there.”

  She played it again and they listened to it together. She could hear him humming along a little and even with only that she knew that she was right. After that, she didn’t push the issue. She had given him the option and now it was up to him.

  “I’m going to make us lunch,” she said as he started to fiddle with the sound equipment.

  She deliberately closed the door to the room when she left to give him the freedom to try the song without worrying that she was listening to him. She took Angel outside to play for a while and then gave her a little treat. She made a variety of sandwiches for lunch, cut them into halves, piled them on a platter, and then wrapped the platter with plastic wrap before putting it into the refrigerator to keep the sandwiches fresh until he was ready for food. He walked out of the rehearsal room as she was setting the table.

  “Do you want to hear it?” he asked. “I don’t really know it by heart or anything.”

  “Yes, I want to hear it,” she said eagerly and followed him back into the room.

  “I needed to drop the key a little,” he said. Then he played it and sang and his voice literally sent shivers through her. It was deep and rich and yes, so sexy singing this song. When he was done, she was beaming.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  “It’s the perfect song for you,” she said happily. “Can’t you hear it through the speakers? You sound wonderful. Once you memorize the words, you can play with the music a little like making an ending that’s all your own—I’ve never really liked the ending as it is—and it’s going to be great. I’ll make a copy for you, with and without the guide vocals.” She began to rummage through the cabinet to find a blank diskette. He bent down and gave her a loving kiss.

  “Thank you. Not just for finding me the music but for thinking of me and trying to help me.”

  “I want you to be happy Johnny,” she said softly, and he knew that she meant it.

  CHAPTER TEN

  When it was finally time for him to leave, they could barely stand to let each other go. She could not wait with him at the gate so he checked his bags and stayed with her just inside of the entry doors to the terminal as long as he possibly could. They simply held each other, her head resting on his chest listening to his heart beating.

  “I don’t want to leave you,” he said softly.

  “You’re not leaving me behind Johnny. I gave you my heart and my soul so you’re taking me with you.”

  He held her tightly. “If that’s the case, then I’m not really leaving because I gave you my heart and soul too.” He sighed. “There’s never been a single person in my life that’s made me feel the way that you do. And you know that I don’t mean just the physical part. With you I feel happy, calm, and I know that I’m where I belong. Even your home, your sanctuary, the first time that I walked in there, I felt so comfortable. There’s no place back in L.A. where I’ve ever felt that way. Not even in my own home. This is the first time that I’ve questioned the path that I’ve taken, my goals. How can they be right if they tie me to a place and people that I don’t like and keep me from you?”

  She pulled away and looked up at him with a troubled, almost fearful, expression in her dark eyes. “Please don’t feel that way. Please don’t let what’s between us come between you and your dream. I told you about my father and how my mother prevented him from getting every dream he ever had. I don’t ever want to be my mother. I don’t ever want to do to you what she did to him. I want what we have to inspire you to get your dream; not interfere with it.”

  He kissed her then, lovingly, passionately. “I love you.”

  She saw the love in his eyes. Those beautiful Scorpio eyes. “I love you, Johnny. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tell you or show you how much.”

  “You’re coming to L.A., right? Just as soon as your project is done?”

  “In five or six weeks. I’ll be there. I promise. Will you call me often?”

  “Every night. I don’t think I can sleep without hearing your voice in bed with me.”

  They were announcing last call for boarding his flight and they both felt the ache of loneliness.

  “You’d better go,” she said. “Stay safe.”

  He kissed her again, long and hard and passionately. “I’m not saying goodbye.”

  He picked up his carryon and walked quickly to the security gate. He turned to look at her one last time before passing through the metal detector. Even from that distance, he could see that she was crying. She had been wearing the pendent that he had given her every day since Christmas. She lifted it then and kissed it. He felt such an ache in his heart.

  Johnny arrived back in Los Angeles early in the morning on New Year’s Eve, having taken the latest possible flight out of Honolulu. It was too early to call her so he went home, slapped a “Do Not Disturb” sign on his bedroom door to warn his roommates about excessive noise, and climbed into bed to rest so that he could make it through the New Year’s Eve party that the studio was requiring him to attend that evening. When he awoke several hours later, he instinctively reached for her and felt the pangs of loneliness again as he realized that the space beside him on the bed was empty. He picked up the telephone and called her.

  She saw the caller ID on her cell phone and picked up quickly. “ Hi, Johnny.”

  He heard the happiness in her voice. “Hi, baby. What are you doing?”

  “Missing you,” she replied in that voice that soothed his soul. “You sound tired. Are you okay?”

  “Just got up. I hate not having you next to me when I get up.”

  “Me too. This place seems so empty now without you. I think Angel misses you too. When I came home from the airport alone last night, she just sat watching the door, as though she expected you to walk through it. Sometimes I find myself expecting the same thing.”

  “You’d better get that project finished as soon as possible. I need to hold you in my arms again ... make love to you again.”

  “I’ll
be there as soon as I can. I promise. What time do you have to go to that party?” She hated the idea of him being at that studio party with all those beautiful and willing women.

  “We’re supposed to all be at the studio around six to have the hair and makeup done and get dressed. They’re going to take some promotional photos. Then we’re all supposed to go to the party together, in a fleet of limousines so that we can make that big entrance. Then it’s just another night of paparazzi, interviewers, mediocre food, and acting like I care. How about you? Still staying home?”

  “Yes. My sister called again about going over to her place and Gail called. Everyone’s going to the karaoke bar to celebrate. But I think I’d rather just be at home with Angel.”

  He knew that it was selfish but he was glad that she had decided to remain at home. “Then I’m going to call you to wish you Happy New Year, okay? I want us to welcome in the New Year together. I’ll call you just before midnight, your time.”

  “It’ll be 2:00 a.m. in L.A.”

  “I don’t care. I’ll call.”

  He did call, a few minutes before midnight, and they counted down the seconds together until it was the New Year in Hawaii. He wished that he was there with her so that they could welcome in the New Year properly. She wished it too.

  He called her every night after that, just as he said he would, and sometimes even during the day when the film crew took a break. On the weekends, after he was done with photo shoots, interviews, classes, and exercising, they talked to each other for hours. He looked forward to sharing with her all that was happening in his life, good or bad. If he was irritable, she soothed his heart and soul. If he was in a good mood, her laughter made him happier. He wanted to hear about everything that she was doing as well. On the couple of occasions that she had to perform with the band, she called him at least once between their sets to assure him that she was safe and missing him. He didn’t particularly like the idea of her performing, especially after he had witnessed that drunk grab her arm, but he had seen her handle herself and he knew better than to insist that she stop. She never tried to interfere with his activities, even when those activities required his presence at events teeming with what she called “drop dead gorgeous women” and he knew that it bothered her. To interfere with the life that she had made for herself before she met him would be unfair. He had placed their picture and the present that she had given him for Christmas on his bedside table. He looked at them often and whenever he did, he felt the connection between them—two Scorpion Eagles brought together magically by a dream.