“Baby, I’m going to take it nice and slow. Tell me if you need me to stop.”
“Okay.” I hear Alexandra work a big swallow. Her voice is timid, reminding me to be gentle with her.
I slowly put the tip in and push through until she takes me a little further.
I continue moving in and out, each time I move further in until my hips are almost flat against Alexandra’s behind. “Baby, I’m going to move quicker, are you okay?”
“Yes, but not too quick.” She is breathless.
“Baby, touch yourself. I’ll hold your hips. Reach down and touch yourself.”
Alexandra moves her hand down between her legs. Though she is more quiet than normal, I can hear the soft sounds of pleasure coming from her. I move in and out gently and rhythmically. “Baby, I won't last. It feels so fucking tight.” I let out a loud moan as I pull out and come all over Alexandra’s ass.
Just as I deplete every last drop, Alexandra pushes back into my hips, her legs shake, and she hisses through her teeth as she comes.
I drop on top of her, my entire body weight pushing her into the bed. I move a little off to the side of her and reach for the box of tissues on the nightstand. Alexandra has yet to move even as I clean her off. “Baby, are you okay?”
The only sound I hear is a low moan.
After a short nap and a long shower, Alexandra and I head downstairs. My parents are in the kitchen snacking on cheese and apples and sipping wine. “There you two are. Did you have a nice nap?” My mother reaches out her arm for me to hug her. “We have snacks, join us.”
I go into the cabinet and pull out two wine glasses. Alexandra sits on the barstool next to my mother and stacks a piece of cheese onto an apple slice.
I smile at her while I pour some wine for us. I walk the glass over to Alexandra. She takes it and clinks it against mine. She winks and smiles instead of saying anything. Her cheeks flush, and I can’t help but brush my fingers against them.
“You both look well rested.” My father comments right before he pops a piece of cheese in his mouth. “Alex, you especially have a beautiful glow about you.”
“Thank you, Theo. I feel good.” She answers my dad as she looks sheepishly at me. I smile as I rub her back agreeing with my dad. Alexandra has a beautiful I’ve just been thoroughly fucked glow about her.
“And what’s that look for?” My dad now stares at me. “What are you up to?”
“What are you talking about?” I laugh because I know my dad rides me.
“That’s quite a grin you have on your face.” My dad shoots back.
“Am I smiling? I didn’t realize it.” I look down at Alex, who also smiles.
“Honey there must be some inside joke that we aren’t privy to.” My mother says to my dad.
I grab the tray with the cheese and apple slices. “Let’s sit outside. Baby, grab the wine.” I want to change the subject before Alex’s face turns a brighter shade of red.
At around eight-thirty we get the call that they are twenty- eight miles away. I start the grill while my mother and Alex set the outside table. It’s my father’s job to light the two- dozen Citronella Tiki torches.
It is a little after nine when we see car headlights pull down the driveway. My father takes my mother’s hand in his as they walk out to the back of the house. I grab Alexandra’s waist before she can follow them. “Baby, how are you holding up?”
“I’m having a good time. Your parents are easy to be around.”
“Good, but in case it gets too much, let’s establish some signal that you may need a breather.”
“Okay, but I think I’ll be okay.”
“Just in case, how about you say the word…” I look around, and the first things I see are the Tike torches. “How about you say something like, oh honey, I think I forgot to blow out the candle upstairs?”
“That will work.” She smiles and kisses me on my mouth. “Nick, I love you.”
Alexandra never had to use her signal. The weekend was perfect. Everyone enjoyed it. We took the kids camping at Rogers Rock, we went out on the boats every day, barbecued every night, and Millie and Sam joined us every time.
In the evening when the kids went to sleep the adults sat in the hot tub and drank too much except for Alexandra who still doesn’t have much of an appetite for alcohol since having the stomach virus. A half glass and she’s done. Everyone had a great time, and it was nice to see my family get to know the woman I love. Judging by my family’s interactions with Alexandra, they seem to understand why I love her so much after such a short time.
Alexandra and I stand in her driveway, arms wrapped around each other, waving goodbye to everyone as they hit the road to go back home. We hoped that they could stay until tomorrow morning to avoid the Labor Day traffic going back, but my mom promised Julia she’d help get the kids ready for the first day of school on Wednesday. There were a few things left she had to shop for, and tomorrow was their last day to get it done.
Alexandra and I planned on leaving late tomorrow afternoon since she needs to be back at work on Wednesday. I'm happy to have another day with her all to myself.
We walk back into the house, and we both drop on the couches, relaxed and tired from the busy weekend. “Baby, thank you so much for having my family here.”
“I think they all enjoyed it, right?”
“It was a great time.”
There is a long silence until Alexandra speaks. “I never thought I would say this, but I can’t eat another thing.”
I break out laughing. “Me too. How about we skip dinner, I’ll light the Tiki torches, and I’ll open a bottle of wine, and we’ll sit out on the deck and play cards?”
“Perfect. I’ll run downstairs and get the cards and the wine.”
Alexandra starts down the stairs while I look for the matches, “Honey, do you know what my father did with the matches?” I yell to her downstairs.
“The last place I saw them was on the fireplace mantel.” She yells back.
A hammered silver metal box sits on the fireplace mantel. I open it and inside there is an ancient looking envelope. Written in a beautiful penmanship, like how the nuns in my Catholic grammar school wrote was “To my Alexandra”…
I turn around when Alexandra speaks. “That’s the letter my aunt left me.”
“You keep it here, on the mantle?”
“Sure, why not, it’s kind of like people having their loved one’s ashes on the fireplace mantle?”
“Can you read it to me?”
“I haven’t read it in a long time; it might make me weepy.” Alexandra hands me the bottle of wine and places the deck of cards on the coffee table.
“Sit, I’ll open the wine, and then read it to me.”
I walk into the kitchen. I open the bottle of wine. My eyes never leave Alex as she takes the letter out of the envelope. She looks pensive. I return and sit close to her on the couch. We snuggle together and then she reads the letter to me.
To my Dearest Alexandra,
My love by the time you read this I will be gone from this earth watching over you from above…
I never forgot the day I picked you up after your uncle passed away. I thought I would find a destroyed little girl, shut down from the world, after losing her mother and her uncle.
Instead, you smiled up at me with those big brown eyes, and you held out your hand and asked me if I was taking you to a new home.
From the moment you came into my life, I knew what real love felt like. I loved you more than anything in my life even though I couldn’t always show you.
However, Alexandra, you taught me so much, and these are the things I hope you carry with you always.
You never stopped hugging me even when I didn’t know how to reciprocate.
You never stopped smiling even though I thought you had nothing to smile about.
When I thought you might be lonely, you would entertain yourself with dolls and books.
When I asked you if I coul
d buy you things trying to indulge you, you told me, there was nothing you needed.
Alexandra, you showed me how to love the simple things in life. You showed me how happy a human being could be even if life was cruel to them.
I want you to know how much I loved you, and I hope that you will find love with someone who will appreciate the simplicity of your heart.
I watched you grow up, and I fear that you will choose to be alone because it is what you know.
Alexandra, choose love if you find love. Open your heart to that person and let them in. Let them see your beautiful, generous, innocent soul!
My love always until we meet again,
Aunt Margaret
I look at Alexandra. She looks at me. She shrugs her shoulders and smiles at me. A small pool of tears tries to escape her eyes. I pull her in closer to me. Her aunt’s words express the love I feel for Alexandra. “Your aunt saw what I see every single moment I'm with you. I love you so much, Alexandra.”
Chapter 20
Alexandra
After Labor Day, I pulled in too many late nights at work trying to finish the Harmony campaign. I also spent a lot of time at Nick’s because of the late nights. We developed quite a routine. I work until about nine. He swings by to pick me up and together we walk back to his place. He usually has a light dinner waiting for me, and then it’s off to bed.
Tonight is no different.
I stretch back in my chair. What time is it I wonder? It feels late; the office is empty. It’s been empty for hours. I check my phone. Nick said he would text me when he finished his business dinner, but nothing yet.
It’s only eight-thirty. The dinner meeting was at seven so I don’t expect to hear from him until after nine. I need a break from work. I stand and walk towards my door stopping to stretch up and bend forward. As I straighten, I startle.
“Joe, you scared me. What are you doing back at the office?” Joe said goodbye to me about five hours ago. It’s Friday, happy hour begins around three o’clock at this office.
“Alex, I’m glad you are still here.” Joe stumbles into me. I catch him before he takes us both down. “Joe you're wasted. Come sit on the couch.”
I help Joe over to the couch and he falls into the cushions pulling me down on top of him. He grabs my arm. “Joe, stop. You’re hurting me, let go of my arm.”
“Alexandra, you are so fucking sexy.” Joe slurs.
I try to pull away but he pulls be harder this time, I land on my back, and he pins me down under his weight.
“Joe, stop. Please, Joe let me go.” I squirm trying to push him off of me. His body weight is no match for me. At first, I think he’s messing around with me, but that changes and panic settles in me.
“Do you know I check out your tits and your ass every chance I get?” Joe spits as he pins me down by grabbing my arms and forcing them under my body.
With his one hand, Joe handcuffs both my hands under the weight of my body. “Rumor has it you’re fucking the boss.” His other hand grabs my face. “I knew I should have tried fucking you years ago. If only I knew that was your thing.”
I push against him harder this time, but he feels like dead weight on top of me. With his hand grabbing my face, he forcefully kisses my mouth. I turn my head away from him and now his tongue is in my ear sucking and licking at it. I scream for him to get off of me. He pushes down harder on me.
“Do you feel how hard you make me?” Joe pushes his erection into my stomach. “Your body is meant to be fucked, hard and often.”
He drags my skirt above my hips. I hear material ripping and feel him grab at my skin. I buck my hips trying to push him off of me, but the force of his groin pushing against my hips keeps me pinned under him. I squeeze my legs together. He takes his hand and tries to shove it between my legs. He pounds his knee in between my thighs and pushes them open.
“Alex, you want this, trust me. You want this. Open up, you need this fuck.” His fingers rip through my underwear violently pushing through me until he roughly moves them inside of me. I sob.
“Joe get the hell off of me, I don’t want this! Joe, I am saying no! Joe, NO!” I am screaming at the top of my lungs, tears pour down my face. “Joe, no! Stop! Joe, you're hurting me!” It feels like his fingernails rip away at the skin between my legs.
The weight of Joe’s body is no longer on top of me.
I move to the other end of the couch pulling down on the hem of my skirt. Nick throws Joe up against the wall and pounds the life out of him. Joe falls to the ground and Nick kicks him multiple times. Joe lays there limp blood covering his face. A lot of blood.
“Nick! Nick, stop! It’s enough, you’ll kill him.” Nick doesn’t stop. I don’t think he even hears me. “I move closer and reach out to touch his back, Nick! stop Nick, it’s enough.” I keep my voice steady.
Finally, he looks at me, rage in his eyes. He falls into me. I wrap my arms around him, he moves me away from him searching me for damage. “Are you okay?”
I try to catch my breath. “I’m not sure, I’m shaken up.”
“What did he do to your face…there’s bruises! Fuck! I want to kill him.”
“Nick, stop. Please.” I beg him. “It’s over, Nick. It’s okay.”
“We need to call the police.” Nick looks back at Joe. He is unconscious and covered in blood.
“Is he okay?” I ask because Joe looks dead.
“He’s okay. He’s passed out, you can see him breathing.” Nick bends at the waist, places his hands on his knees, and takes in a deep breath. “Let’s call the cops.”
“No, Nick, no police. I’ll handle this on my own. I don’t want to press charges.” I rest my palm over my forehead as the shock of what happened hits me.
“What do you mean you're not pressing charges? You have to.” Nick is outraged.
“No, Nick, I’m not. He’s drunk, drunk like I’ve never seen him. I’ve known Joe for a long time. I’ve never seen him this bad.”
What happened tonight will change my relationship with Joe forever, but I’ve known him too long to press charges. I know he needs help. I recall the countless times that I’ve seen Joe wasted. He could stop after a certain number of drinks, but it seemed over the past few months he had no limit. His appearance became sloppy, and he forgot things, work related things, obvious things.
I walk over to Joe to inspect the damage Nick did to his face. I bend down and stare at his mutilated swollen face. “Let’s get him home, and I’ll deal with him in the morning.”
“What do you mean you’ll deal with him in the morning? He’s finished. I don’t want him back here. I don’t want him anywhere near you. He no longer has his job here, I won’t have it and you need to press charges.” Nick anger intimidates me but I don’t give in.
“Nick, please, I need you to be calm right now. Help me wake him enough so he stands on his own. We need to get him in a cab and get him home.” My voice is calmer than it should be. “Nick, I love and respect you, but I’m asking you to trust me to handle this my way.”
“Alex how are you accepting this?” Nick asks. "I'm disgusted."
“I don’t want to ruin his life, I know what he did to me will devastate him and that’s why I will give him only one option…rehab. And after rehab, he must still go to out patient treatment. Nick, I want you to support me in this. Please.”
Nick doesn’t answer me right away. He looks around my office and walks over to the bottle of water on my desk. He walks back to Joe and splashes it all over his face. “Get up.” Nick shouts and then follows the command with a few slaps to Joe’s face. “Get up, you're drunk, we’re taking you home.”
Joe comes to, babbling incoherent.
“My driver is downstairs I’ll call him to come help.”
I move closer to Nick and kiss his mouth, “Thank you for understanding, Nick.”
“Alex, I don’t understand, but I’m doing what you want me to do.”
Forty- five minutes later with the help of Mike we
have Joe in bed in his own apartment. Nick and I look around the apartment at the mess of papers, empty liquor bottles, dirty food containers, and in the corner is a desk with various drug paraphernalia.
“This guy has a serious problem.” Nick clears off a place on the couch for us to sit.
“I suspected as much, but I didn’t think it had gotten this bad.” I feel sad as I take in the severity of the problem. I had been to Joe’s apartment dozens of times. The first time was right after he got the apartment. He had a house warming party following the renovations he had done. It was beautiful. He even hired a professional decorator. Now it looks like a degenerate hoarder lives here.
“What do we do now?” Nick asks me as he motions for me to join him on the couch.
“Wait here until morning, I suppose.”
“We’re staying? Here?” Nick asks. “It smells like garbage. The only reason I’m sitting on the couch is because its leather.”
“I know it’s disgusting, but I’m staying, and I will feel safer if you stay with me.”
“I’m staying, there is no way in hell I would leave you here by yourself, but why not just come back in the morning?”
“Because the first moment he wakes up, I need to confront him. Nick, my relationship with Joe as I knew it, is over. He said disgusting things to me about wanting me and looking at my body. The alcohol may have facilitated his behavior, but his words I can never forget.”
Nick reaches his arm around me. I snuggle into the crook of his arm. His cheek rests on the top of my head and within minutes, he falls asleep. I don’t fall asleep. I scan the room shocked at how bad it got. Joe has everything going for him. He has a great job, makes great money. He is smart, good-looking, and people like him, he has a lot of friends, but all that doesn’t matter. I wonder if his other friends knew it got to his point, or are they as oblivious as I was?
It’s around five in the morning when I hear the toilet flush. I nudge Nick to wake. “He’s up.” I whisper.
Nick rubs his forehead with his hand, slowly stretches, and moves to stand. I am right beside him when he walks towards Joe’s bedroom door, but Joe beats us to it.
The Yes Girl Page 21