Scene 5 -The House
By the time they reached the house the whole "morning after" uneasiness had set in. So they pretty much walked in silence. Aadriana was considering just asking if he would call her a cab and taking her ass home. Howie was still pondering the whole crying situation; it kinda threw him for a loop.
Howie was the on to break the silence, "So the sand was a pain in the ass huh? Other than that what did you think of my spot? Nick loves it cause of the water and all."
Aadriana noticed when he got uncomfortable he talked about the boys, like they were a security blanket or something. " It was beautiful. I was speechless especially that sunrise. At home, whenever I made it to the beach I would always stand on the balcony of my room and wait for the sunset. Then, I'd get up extra early just to see it rise again; sometimes I'd just stay on the beach all night and wait." She realized she was rambling again and clamped her lips shut. " You've done this before girl and you never acted like this what's you're friggin' problem ... he's just a guy. Just like all the others," she thought.
They walked in the door and he took her to his bathroom. She tried not to be surprised at that.
"Just leave your clothes on that chair over there, I'll put them in the washer to rinse out the sand.... that is if you don't mind waiting for them to dry. I'll just leave you a shirt to put on in the meantime, come into the kitchen when you're done. Did I leave anything out," he waited for her to shake her head, and when she did he rushed out like the hounds of hell were on his trail.
"Alrighty then," she said to her self as she removed her sandy clothing and got into the shower. She washed herself quickly, got out, dried off, and put on his shirt. She hummed to herself as she walked barefoot into the kitchen.
"Lord please don't let him look at my feet, I hate that." She thought when he looked up at her.
He was pouring the coffee when she walked in. As he handed her a cup he said, "I'm gonna go jump in the shower real quick. Make yourself at home, I won't be but a minute."
"Kay, um before you go could you tell me where to find some ice? I love coffee but I never drink it hot." She had to smother a laugh at they strange look he gave her.
" The fridge is behind you help yourself," he said thinking, "Who drinks cold coffee, this one is definitely different"
Alone, her thoughts turned to picture him in the shower; hair wet, water running down his body. "Stop it," she said to the empty room. Her inner voice was being bad again, telling her she might as well go ahead what was the worse that could happen.
She decided to listen. She walked back to the bathroom. When she tried the handle and found it unlocked her inner voice gloated. "Oh what the hell," she said to the door. She walked in and opened the door to the shower. As she stepped in he turned around, eyes huge.
" I ...uh found some more sand ... mind if I rinse off again?" she said innocently, but ruined it with a devilish grin.
" Don't mind a bit, I have a small suggestion though. It might work better if you take off the shirt," he smiled really big and then on impulse he shook his head like a wet puppy.
"Oh, you'll pay for that!" she said and tossed the wet shirt in his face.
Before he had a chance to recover she smacked him with the towel she had used earlier. They played in the water until she slipped during one of her many retreats and he had to catch her. They ere both soaking wet and with their bodies pressed together like they were, Howie didn't want to play water fight anymore.
"Are you okay? I mean, you didn't sprain your ankle or anything like that cause..." Aadriana noticed then that he like herself had a tendency to babble when things got a little slippery. "Shhh!" she said reaching up to meet his lips with hers," No more talking, play now ... talk later, kay?" She asked a question but really gave him no chance to answer. She remained in control for all of 5 seconds, before she found herself turned around with her chest pressed against the tiles. From this angle he had easy access to all the sensitive spots on the side of her neck. He bit her kind of hard and then licked the same spot to take some of the sting out, while parting her legs with a nudge from his knee. He slipped inside her with ease and decided it would be okay to be a little more rough with her this time. He continued to nip, and graze her with his teeth while he pounded his body into hers. She managed to shock him by grabbing one of his hands and putting it in her hair, tugging to show him what she wanted. He was happy to oblige and the combination of his hands in her hair and feel of him deep inside was all it took to send her over the edge. He followed moments later.
They just stood there pressed against the tiles letting the water cool them, each waiting for the other to say something.
Finally she did, "Let me shampoo your hair." She simply stated what she had been thinking. Once again she took him by surprise.
"Okay, but that has to be the strangest request I've ever gotten from a woman," He said it with a smile.
"Well, I'm no ordinary woman, now turn around," she said in jokingly forceful tone. He handed her the shampoo and did as he was ordered with a mock salute. As she lathered and rinsed his hair he was amazed at how good it felt to have her perform this simple task.
"You keep that up and I'll have you doing it every morning," he sighed.
She figured he was just fooling around and brushed it off with a sarcastic "Whatever."
"Okay your turn, assume the position," he said when she was finished.
When she protested her turned her around and put shampoo in her hair so she had to let him. She really wasn't for it because she knew once it dried her hair would be in a short tightly curled afro. In the end he got his was and she had to admit albeit grudgingly that she liked the feeling of his fingers on her scalp.
"I'm going to look like a poodle when it dries," she pouted.
"Tell you what, then I'll just let mine do whatever the hell it wants to and we'll be matching poodles, okay? I think we both know who's hair is gonna look worse." He said that in attempt to be charming but dreading the look in the mirror later.
"Don't bet on it! So how about we get out now? The water's turned cold?" she suggested.
"Yeah, try to hurry up and dry off I'm starving. There's another shirt on the chair by the door. When you're done come back to the kitchen." Aadriana started to wonder why he always rushed out like that.
A few minutes later she joined him at the table. She'd just started sipping her coffee when the doorbell rang. Howie rushed to answer the door. As she sat in the kitchen she heard the conversation. She recognized AJ's voice but there was something different about it.
"Oh, no, Not this time Buddy!" Howie said dreading the conversation to come. "Johnny please be so kind as to leave and when you see AJ, tell him to stop sending you over here!"
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of his cage this morning. Or did not get any sleep at all? I've never known you to be so rude," AJ said in is Johnny accent, "Alexander assured me that your mood would be much improved this morning. Something to do with a nurse or some such shit." He said with a wave of his hand.
"Well, why don't you go tell him he was mistaken," Howie suggested, his dark mood was quickly returning. He hated playing this game with AJ, and he did it just to piss him off.
"And here I thought we were chums and I could stop by for a chat before I return home. What is it is your friend still here," Johnny said attempting to sound hurt.
Howie wasn't fooled. "Okay, listen carefully. You are going to turn around, walk back to your car, get you ass in it and go home! Call me later we'll talk then," He was getting frustrated, "Why don't you call Nicky? You guys can catch a movie or somethin. Tell him I said we can all get together later."
"He left for California with what's her name already and AJ and I are getting on a plane for England around midnight." Johnny replied.
"Well, then tell him to call me and we can have dinner before you leave. Have a nice trip now. Okay? Buhbye!" with that he closed the door in His friend's face.
"That dude is losing it, " he said to himself as he returned to his guest.
"What in the world was that about?" Aadriana asked, " Wasn't that AJ?"
"That dear girl, was a chap by the name of 'Johnny No-Name'" Howie said in an awful British accent. The confused look on her face was so cute he had to laugh. "AJ is trippin again, is all it boils down to. So are you hungry and what do you want in this thing?" He finished gesturing to the eggs.
" I'm not all that big on eggs so whatever you put in it is fine as long as it's not too big. I don't eat pork at all so skip that. Just veggies and cheese will work"
"So what are you a vegetarian or something ?" He asked.
"Nope just don't eat pork," she replied.
As soon as he had all the ingredients out the phone rang.
" 10 to 1 that's AJ" he said grinning
"Nice odds, too bad I don't bet on a losing cause," she said laughing.
The phone continued to ring.
"So what do you bet on," he asked, once again trying to appear innocent.
She didn't fall for it. " Not too much of anything. Now answer the phone and talk to your friend."
He did.
"What's goin on J?"
"I was just calling to see what you were up to. I just got off the phone with Johnny and he said you were still kinda cranky. Things didn't work out with the nurse, huh?"
Rather than answer Howie made a suggestion," Why don't we have dinner together tonight just you and me. Leave Johnny at home you know he gets on my nerves. We'll have some down time together and I'll even take you to the airport if you want." Howie knew something was up with AJ; it's was usually when he started that whole "Johnny" business.
"Sure, okay, where you wanna go?" AJ agreed.
"You decide and make whatever arrangements needed. Call me around 4 with the details. okay? I'm gonna go now... Later." Howie said feeling very pleased with himself.
"Tell me one thing before you go, dude," AJ couldn't help himself.
"Okay, but make it fast!"
"The nurse, you did fuck her right?" AJ said trying to sound serious.
"Later AJ. Give my regards to Johnny." Howie said just before he hung up the phone.
They ate in virtual silence. And when she was done Aadriana felt the same compulsion all smoker's do. So she stepped out onto the balcony for a cigarette. When she came back in her clothes were waiting for her.
"Okay I'm going to go get dressed can I use your phone to call a cab before I do though," she asked. For some reason she had this odd compulsion to get home.
"You don't have to rush off. I'll take you whenever you're ready but I figured you'd just wanna chill for a while." He was confused, she had said all this so suddenly.
"My dog has worried probably worried himself into a frenzy, and in the process driven my cat and bird crazy. Which means the bird is probably yelling at them. Plus I need to do some laundry. I'll take you up on that ride though."
He waited for her to dress and pondered her hurried attitude; he'd thought things were going well. Who knows I mean she is a woman. I'll be here all forever trying to figure them out," he said to the empty room.
"I didn't know where you wanted this," she said gesturing to the shirt.
"Just hang it on the back of that chair I'll get it later" he said with a wave of his hand. They walked out and he led her to his car.
"Okay, Let's Ride" he said as he opened the door for her. When she got in she automatically reached over to unlock his door from the inside. "So thoughtful," he said to himself. He noticed he was doing a lot of talking to himself these days.
As they went down the street he asked for the directions and she gave them to him, beyond that they were silent. Both lost in their own thoughts. Then they reached her condo, and he pulled in to the curb.
"Thank You for sharing your special place with me loved it and breakfast was wonderful," she leaned over and kissed his cheek. Inwardly he cringed, next she was gonna say something like he'd make a great friend or call him cute. Women were predictable that way first this cheek kiss; then the kiss off. He thought those things but said nothing of the kind.
"You're very welcome. Thanks for helping me think things out. So am I going to see you again or is this good-bye?" "Dammit that wasn't supposed to come out!" He thought. He felt like he was in high school asking the prom queen for her phone number or something.
"Um, is there a number you feel comfortable giving me? If so I'll call you," she said with a small laugh.
He wrote down two numbers and gave them to her, he kissed her cheek and said good-bye. He watched her walk up to the door, waved and drove off.
"Whew," she sighed as she walked in her door." That was the most amazing night of my life!"
While her puppy, took his morning romp outside she decided to go ahead and change the kitten's litter box. She was so sleepy she knew after she put a load in the washer she was going straight to bed. She changed the box, and sat down, it was then that she noticed that her answering machine was blinking. She smiled at the message from her best friend, who's 3 year old could be heard in the background.
She sat and cried when she realized that the one message she had been waiting for hadn't come yet. It had been months and still nothing. She wondered how "together" Howie would think she was if he knew her secret..... That was her last thought as she cried herself to sleep.