Wednesday, June 25
Early in the morning, Mary, José, and the kids took off on their five-day trip to San Diego.
“Remember to call at 7 PM like you promised,” Mary said.
“I will,” I assured her.
I hung out in the guesthouse all day, assembling dolls and listening to music. I still thought it odd that Kya hadn’t come looking for me, but I was glad nonetheless, regardless of how surprised I was by it.
That was until a few minutes before 7:00 that evening.
I had decided to take a break from dollmaking and do a little reading in one of the chairs out front. Moments after I sat down, I heard a rustling sound from behind a wall of oleanders—and then I saw her.
She slowly sauntered out from behind the oleanders and came toward me. Damn, she looked good. She wore black pants and a royal purple T-shirt with black swirls throughout it. I could see a slight bulge where her gun was tucked in her waistband.
I thought my heart had stopped completely.
“Well, hello there, my lovely lady,” she said, casually striding toward me. She stopped just a few yards in front of me, poised with confidence.
“They-they’re gonna come running out shooting,” I stuttered with fear.
“No, they’re not,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone. “They’re out of town. I was below the window listening to every word Mary said the day she told you they’d be taking off for California.”
I felt the blood drain from my face as I stared at her in horror.
A slow smile of satisfaction crossed Kya’s thin yet sexy lips. Sunlight glinted off her glossy coral-colored lipstick. She was the vision of perfection from head to toe. Her thick, dark eyebrows were finely sculpted, her hair glowed with health and vibrancy, and her body was to die for. Oddly enough, I noticed no jewelry on her. Perhaps she anticipated a struggle and didn’t want to risk breaking or losing anything.
The muscles in her forearm rippled as she lifted a hand to run her fingers through her hair. “It’s mighty warm out, isn’t it?” she asked, glancing toward the slowly setting sun. “Wouldn’t it be polite of you to ask me inside? Perhaps offer me a cold drink?”
“If I’d known you were coming, I’d have poisoned a nice cold drink just for you, Kya,” I dared to say.
Instead of getting mad, she chuckled. “Yeah, well, tell me something, Sativa: how could you not know I was coming? I told you I’d never let you go. We may not be legally married, but we promised each other forever and always—through thick and thin, sickness and health, till death do us part—and neither of us is dead yet, are we?”
My frustration was overriding my fear. “Why me, huh? Look in the mirror, Kya. You could get just about any lesbian in the world.”
“I don’t want just about any lesbian in the world. I simply want what’s mine, and that’s you.”
“Well, you can’t have me. I’m not yours—not with the way you slap me around.”
She came closer.
I stood up. “Get out of here! In case you haven’t also heard, I’m to call Mary every day at 7:00, and if she doesn’t hear from me, she’s going to send your friends over to check things out.”
“Then I guess you’ll just have to call her and let her know we’ve reconciled and that everything’s just dandy,” she said.
“But it’s not, and I’m going to call the cops instead.”
“Gee, that’ll do you real good, Sativa. I mean, look where it got you before.”
The fear was rising in me once again, shoving away any last traces of bravado. She was right. Calling for help had gotten me absolutely nowhere, and I was sure that this time wouldn’t be any different—even though she was trespassing. Somehow, she’d manage to talk her way out of it, and once again I’d be left to fend for myself.
“This is the deal, girl,” she said, coming even closer. Now she was just a couple of feet away.
“You’re going to call Mary and tell her we kissed and made up—or else you’re dead. Understand?”
“No, you don’t understand. You don’t own me, and I—”
Her hand rose up and smacked me across the mouth before I even knew it was coming. Instantly, my lips felt warm, and I could taste the metallic tang of blood. “You fucking bitch!”
She raised her hand. “You want it again, even harder? Do you!” she screamed, eyes ablaze with fury.
“N-no,” I whimpered, wiping the blood from my lips with my hand.
“Then get inside, clean yourself up, and make the call. And you better make damn sure you put on your best act, too, and not let on any distress, you hear me?”
I simply nodded. It was all I could do. I felt I had no other choice but to follow her demands, as I truly believed she’d either hurt me more or even kill me if I didn’t. I also realized that I’d have to play it her way till I could escape once again—and next time, if I lived long enough to break away, I could not go to a friend’s place. She’d only hunt me down and take me back, and I knew there’d only be so many times before she got tired of that routine and killed me for sure.
I entered the guesthouse with her close at my heels. I went into the bathroom and rinsed water on my lips several times.
Kya looked a little guilty. “I’m sorry I had to do that, but there’s just no reasoning with you without getting physical.”
“Bullshit!” I screamed, turning to face her.
She stood still as a statue. Only her eyes moved, darting around my face, scanning my terrified features. God, she was so beautiful! She turned me on as much as she terrified me. Her face, her hair, her body, her mannerisms, her voice—it was all magic to my libido.
“Ok, feisty girl, if you don’t settle down long enough to make a convincing phone call and return to our home soon enough, I’m going to give you a bloody nose to add to your bloody mouth,” she told me.
Oh, how I hated her! I wished with all my heart I could take her down a peg or two with a swift punch of my own to give her a taste of her own bloody medicine. However, I knew I didn’t stand a chance. My best bet at this point was to kiss up to her, break away, and do a better job of hiding next time around.
“Apply some pressure to your lip, and it’ll stop the bleeding. Come on, hurry up! I don’t have all night, and it’s already a few minutes after 7:00. We can’t have you being too late for the call.”
After a couple more minutes, the bleeding finally stopped. I threw the tissue in the toilet and turned to face her, standing in the doorway. She nearly reached the top.
“Remember what I said,” she said in a low, threatening voice with a deadly look added to it.
“Ok,” I said.
We walked out to the main room. I sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up the phone that was on the nightstand. She sat right next to me. She was so close that I could feel the heat of her body and smell her wonderful scent. Was that Sophisticated I was smelling?
I glanced at her.
“Let’s go. Get to it,” she ordered. “And make sure you tell her you’re going to leave some things behind for now, including the rats.”
“No way! They’re coming with me.”
“No, they’re not. You’re taking just what you need, and that’s it. You’ll leave the rats enough food to tide them over till your little friend gets back.”
“But I don’t think I have enough!”
“Tough shit, Sativa! You should’ve thought about this before you ran off. Now get on with it!” she screamed loud enough to make my head spin. “Move it!”
“Ok, ok, I’m moving.” I placed the call with my trembling fingers.
“Hello?” said Mary.
“Hi there. What’s up?”
“We’re having a wonderful time. What’s up with you? Why are you late in calling?”
“I’m only a few minutes late,” I said, trying my best to keep my voice steady.
“Yeah, I suppose. Any signs of you-know-who?”
“Yes, she stopped by, and we talked things out.”
“Oh, no! You’re kidding?”
“No, we had a wonderful talk, and we’ve agreed to give it one more try.”
“Don’t do it, Sativa. They never change.”
Kya leaned toward the phone.
“She knows she’s only getting one more chance. In fact, I’m leaving some stuff behind just in case. Meanwhile, don’t you worry about me. I’ll still keep in touch, and like I said, I’ll be back if things don’t work out.”
Silence.
“Ok?” I said.
“Yeah, I guess. If it’s what you really want.”
“It is. Give my love to José and the kids, and keep having a wonderful time.” I hung up the phone and turned to Kya, who sat motionless, still very close to me. “There. You happy?”
She stared at me, seemingly unsure of what to think, then she stood up. “Ok, let’s get a move on it. Pack nothing but the bare necessities.”
“Shouldn’t we take some doll kits for me to make and sell for extra money?” I asked. The trips out to the consignment shops would be a good place to run from, as opposed to from her rather secluded home.
“No, I’ll gladly support you. Now quit fucking around and move your little ass before I kick it.”
I dumped the rest of the rats’ food in their cage and hoped it would hold them over till Mary returned. Then I packed a few days’ worth of clothes and some toiletries.
“Go on,” she said, shoving me toward the door.
I looked around me as I headed for the door and wondered if I’d ever see Mary, Andy, or my rats again.
ns216.73.217.39da2
and then Add to home screen.