“Charles, don’t be that way. We care for each other. I want to stay with you and be your wife. I love you.”
“Cynthia, I don’t feel like putting up with you and your selfish ways. After the way you treated me and threw my clothes out of my own house, I don’t want to see you.”
“You know you don’t mean that, Charles,” she said in a whiny voice.
Tired of Cynthia and too stressed to argue about it any more, Charles turned and walked back to his in-home office, closed and locked the door.
Not having taken any of her clothes or personal items when she was arrested, Cynthia went into the bedroom. She decided to draw a bath. Removing her dress and bra, she donned a robe, which she left unbuttoned. From the wardrobe she took out a clean skirt and blouse. She took underwear from the bureau drawer and laid them on the bed. Then she walked back to the office and knocked on the door. Charles opened the door after a few moments and saw Cynthia standing there with all of her delights on display.
She said, “I’m drawing a bath. Would you like to join me? You used to enjoy that as I remember.”
Charles closed the door.
“Your loss,” Cynthia said and returned to the bathroom and got into the claw foot tub, leaned back, and closed her eyes. “Everything is going to work out just fine,” she said and began to soap her ample bosom.
* * *
Taking Bandit out for his daily walk, Rebecca passed Charles’s house. She made no move to take the turn and the sidewalk to the front door. She had decided it was up to Charles to make the next move. As she continued her on her way, the front door flew open. An attractive young woman stepped out onto the porch. Rebecca recognized her from the pictures she had seen in the house. It was Cynthia. “What are you doing with Shakespeare?” the woman asked. “That’s my dog.”
“Charles asked me to care for him,” Rebecca replied.
“He’s my dog and I don’t need you to care for him. I’ll take care of him.” Her voice had escalated to a loud yell.
Rebecca was startled. She was not accustomed to people yelling at her.
Cynthia advanced down the sidewalk. “Give me my dog,” she demanded.
“Charles told me you had bought him, so take him,” said Rebecca.
“Come, Shakespeare.” Bandit made no move toward her. “Come on Shakespeare.” Still no move other than to tuck his tail between his legs. Cynthia picked him up and returned to the house without another word.
Not knowing what else to do, Rebecca continued her walk.
* * *
Charles sat at his desk, holding the papers from one of his clients in his hands. He was looking at the paper but the words held no meaning for him. He was aware of a scratching at the door, he stood, walked over and opened it. There was Bandit, obviously wanting in. “Rebecca must have brought him back,” he said to himself. “She really must be upset to do that.”
He walked out of the room and went to his bedroom. He opened the door and walked in. Cynthia was standing there, nude except for her pantalets. She was drying her hair with a long white towel. Surprised she was still there, Charles just stood there. She walked to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her breasts against him. She said, “This is like old times, isn’t it.” She took one of his hands and placed it on her breasts. Charles made no move when she put her hand atop his and squeezed it, squeezing her breast at the same time. She moved her other hand down and felt his manhood through his trousers. It was fully erect.
“I knew you still cared.”
Massaging his member, she pulled him to the bed. She undid his shirt buttons and pulled it over his head. She undid the belt and let his trousers fall. She pushed his shorts to the floor. She slid her pantalets down and stepped out of them. Charles still had his undershirt on so she pulled that over his head. She fell back onto the bed and pulled him on top of her. She took his free hand and moved it slowly down her chest and belly and to her entrance.
She felt a Charles’s hand on the silky hair guarding the entrance to her vault. His fingers were moving, touching and then one moved inside her. He was cooperating. She had won. Exulting in her victory she climaxed, not once but twice. Now for the final victory. She guided his member into the very moist channel. He was moving. She arched her back and thrust her hips up to meet him. He began to move faster and she caught the rhythm and moved with him. She felt the pulsing as he emptied himself into her. With a sigh, he let his body come down to rest on her. They were touching, head to toe.
She glowed. The final goal and been achieved. There would be no turning back now.
CHAPTER 10: REMORSE
Following their making love, Charles got out of bed, leaving Cynthia sound asleep. Not wanting to awaken her, he picked up his clothes and went into his office and dressed. He sat at his desk working until he became so tired he fell asleep. He slept soundly until he heard Bandit scratching at the door. Surprised he was still there, he stood, stretched, and then walked to the door. When he opened it, Bandit turned and ran to the kitchen and stood in front of the door. He needed to get out. Charles let him out, turned and saw Cynthia standing there in a loosely tied pink robe. It was not concealing much of her body.
Embarrassed and angry at himself for what he had let happen, he said, “Cynthia, I want you to leave. I want you to get your clothes and all of the things here that belong to you and leave.”
Having thought she had achieved her goal, she was shocked at his demands. “Now Charles, you know you don’t mean that,” she cajoled. “We just made love and you liked it. I could tell.”
“I’m ashamed of what I let myself do. It won’t happen again. Now, get your things together and leave. I want you out of here,” he said in an angry voice.
“Charles, I have no place to go. This is my home. I belong here. I earned my place.”
“Looking at his watch, Charles said, “It is half past eleven. I want you out of here and gone by one. Now get moving.”
“It’s that woman who had Shakespeare isn’t it? She’s the one that has come between us. Well, she’s not going to get away with it.”
“I want you out of my life, now and forever. If you’re not out of here by one, I will call the police and have you arrested for trespassing. You know I will.”
He turned and went to the door to let Bandit back in. He wasn’t there. Charles turned, Cynthia was still standing there. She had tears in her eyes. “Charles, please let me stay.”
“Time is passing, Cynthia, you had better get moving or I will have you arrested.”
She believed him. She returned to the bedroom and began gathering her belongings.
Charles returned to the back door. He saw Bandit at the far end of the fence, digging.
Bandit was probably trying to return to Rebecca. Charles brought him back into the house.
The thought of Rebecca caused Charles to feel even more ashamed. He had begun having warm feelings but had treated her shabbily. She deserved an apology. Charles resolved to give her one. Right now though, he had the more pressing matter of seeing that Cynthia left. He stood in the bedroom door unnoticed by the busy Cynthia, muttering to herself as she packed. Her language was colorful to say the least.
One hour later, he heard the front door slam. Looking out the window, he saw her getting into a carriage with her things. Bandit was not with her. “I guess she’s abandoning him to his fate. She won’t get him back,” Charles resolved.
He opened the door and called Bandit, who came immediately. He sat back in his chair idly scratching Bandit’s tummy. When he went to Rebecca’s to apologize, he was going to give Bandit to her.
He went back to work. He was slowly reducing the pile that had backed up during his withdrawal period. Rebecca was right. He had not been delivering good service to his clients. Going through the remaining cases, he decided it would take him the rest of the week to catch up. He was accepting any new ones until he got his head on straight.
The next morning…
Wit
h Bandit, he walked to Rebecca's. He rang the bell and she came to the door. Contrite, he said, “May I please come in? I need to talk to you.”
Wordlessly, she held the door and stood aside. He walked to the sofa. Can I get you anything?” she asked.
“I’m fine,” he said. “Rebecca, I have to apologize for the other day.”
“Which time ?” She asked.
“Both times I guess. Cynthia’s gone. Under threat of arrest for trespassing, she took all of her belongings and left. Well, except for Bandit. She left him. My behavior when you came over was completely unacceptable and I am ashamed of it. Please forgive me.
I must tell you, I did not know Cynthia was there. When she wanted to move back in, I told her no but she stayed anyway. I went into my office, and went back to work, not knowing she was still there until Bandit scratched at the door and saw her.” He decided telling her about the lovemaking was not germane to his apologies so he left it out. No point in burdening Rebecca any further. “I told her to collect her belongings by one p.m.yesterday or I would call the police. She apparently believed me because she left with her clothes and thing in a carriage.
I will be all caught up with my work by the end of the week. I would like to go to Atlanta and visit my family. After that, I don’t know.”
“What about Bandit?”
“If she asks for him, I will have to give him back. I would be willing to pay her for him but she is so spiteful she wouldn’t take it.”
“Is Cynthia going to come back for him? She is his owner, I guess. I don’t want another confrontation with her. She was not a nice woman and I don’t want to have to deal with her anymore.”
“I don’t think she will be back. She will to find another sugar daddy to get her hooks into, and there won’t be any time for a dog. She left without him and gave up all rights to him. I’ll call you and bring him over before I go to Atlanta. One more time, I apologize for all of the problems I have unloaded on you.”
“Thank you for the apology. I appreciate it. It was nice of you to do that. I’ll take care of Bandit, so you won’t have to worry about him. Charles, I’m sorry it has to end this way.”
“Yes, well I am too. I’m not seeing things straight right now and I need to get that settled and get some direction in my life. It’s time for me to grow up.”
“For what it’s worth, I agree with you. Goodbye Charles.”
He was dismissed. He stood and walked to the door. He extended his hand and said, “Thank you Rebecca. You’re a nice lady and your parents can well be proud of you.”
“I hope so,” she said. She closed the door after he started down the steps.
Bandit went with him as if sensing her being upset and unhappy.
The following evening…
Rebecca’s phone rang. “Hello, this is Rebecca Atkins. May I help you?”
“Rebecca, this is Charles. Is Bandit at your place?”
“I haven’t seen him since you left with him yesterday. I guess he’s gone again. Let me see if he’s in the back yard.”
She put the phone on the table. Charles heard her call Bandit, then he heard the door open and the screen close. He heard her call several times, getting further away as she went into the yard. She came back in, picked up the phone and said, “Charles, he isn’t here. I’ll help you look for him.”
They walked two blocks in every direction, calling him. As they walked, they talked and continued walking and calling. They resolved most of the issues that had come up between them. They didn’t find Bandit, but they were friends again.
Suddenly Charles said, “I’ll bet Cynthia came and got him. It would be the sort of thing she would do. She probably went to her mother’s house. I’m going over there and see.”
“I’ll go with you,” Rebecca said, surprising Charles.
They walked down to where they could get a street car and rode to the closest point to Cynthia’s parents’ house. They went to the door and Charles twisted the ringer. Cynthia answered the door herself. “Do you have Bandit?” As he spoke, Charles could hear Bandit barking.
“I have Shakespeare if that’s what you mean. I bought him and you're not going to get him back.” She started to close the door, but Charles blocked it with his foot.
“I’ll pay you whatever you paid for him, Cynthia. I really want him back.”
“Well, you’re not getting him. Get away from our house or I’ll call the police myself.” Knowing she wasn’t bluffing, Charles turned to leave and heard the door slam behind her.
They walked slowly toward the streetcar stop. Rebecca stopped, and said, “Wait. I’m going back.”
“She will call the police if you do,” Charles said.
“She doesn’t know I was with you. It might surprise her if I show up. She knows who I am because I gave him back to her before.” She waited a few minutes, then turned and strode purposefully back to Cynthia’s house. Instead of using the ringer she rapped on the door. It was answered by a matronly woman who appeared to be her mother’s age.
“Yes?” asked the woman.
“Mrs. Swearingen, may I speak to your daughter please?”
“Whom shall I say is calling?”
“Tell her it is Rebecca Atkins.”
“Just a moment and I’ll get her,” said Mrs. Swearingen.
In a couple of minutes, Cynthia came to the door and said, “Yes, how can I help you, Miss…”
“Atkins. Rebecca Atkins. I came to pick up Bandit.”
“You’re not getting him. I just told Charles he’s not getting him back.”
“You don’t really want him do you? You’re just doing this to spite Charles. You’ve done nothing but beat him down the entire time you’ve known him. You’ve completely destroyed any feelings of self worth he has. In Texas, I would just shoot you and be done with it. I might still do it. I’m an attorney and a good one. I think I could get away with it.”
Cynthia was shocked speechless. She had never been threatened before. Nor had she been talked to in this manner.
Bandit came running into the room. Rebecca scooped him up and turned and walked away.
“You bring him back right now or I’ll call the police.”
Rebecca turned and said, “Do you have any idea how big a hole a .44 caliber handgun would leave in a skinny little thing like you?” She continued down the street to where Charles was waiting. She said to Charles, “You take Bandit and let’s hurry before she realizes what I said to her and how I’m not likely to carry it out.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Charles.
“I’ll tell you when we get on the streetcar. Now come on, let’s hurry.”
Once they were on the streetcar, Charles asked, “What did you say to her.”
“I just told her she was lucky we weren’t in Texas, because if we were, I’d just go ahead and shoot her, and I might anyway.”
“You didn’t?”
“I did. She threatened to call the police. I asked her if she had any idea how big a hole a .44 caliber bullet would leave in a skinny girl like her.”
“That sounds like something your father would say, only he wouldn’t be bluffing.”
“What makes you so sure I was?”
“Do you have a handgun?” he asked.
“I do,” she said and they rode on in silence to their stop.
When they arrived back at her house, Charles started to say something and couldn’t. He tried again and still couldn’t. His uneasiness was so noticeable, Rebecca asked “What’s wrong,”
“I have something I want to tell you and I don’t know how to start,” he said.
“Just come out with it. It can’t be all that bad.”
“It is. I made a big mistake. When I told Cynthia to get all of her things and leave, she begged me to let her stay. I refused and she continued pleading. I left the room and went into my office and started working. I fell asleep, for how long I don’t know. When I woke up, I went into the bedroom thinking she had gone.
She hadn’t. She had taken a bath and was standing there almost naked. I don’t know how to tell you the rest of this but it’s true, I swear it. She took her pantalets off and hugged me. She started unbuttoning my shirt. I should have stopped, I could have stopped but I didn’t. We made love. Afterward, I told her I was going to call the police, if she wasn’t finished packing and out by one o’clock. I’m so ashamed of myself. I know I’ve hurt you and I didn’t want to. I really didn’t. I should have told you then but just couldn’t. I haven’t seen her or heard from her since that day.”
“Yes, you should have. If you had, I might have shot both of you.” She did not smile.
“Maybe I’d better leave.”
Rebecca Atkins: Attorney At Love (Lonely Cowboy Series) Page 5