Sue, page 18
But Marge had always been kind, if more than a little flaky. Sue greeted her without malice. “Hello, Marge. Nice to see you again.”
Luckily, the meal was ready and on the table within minutes. Sue ate quickly and made an excuse to leave early. At the door, she had to endure more hugs from her gushing aunt and more insincere compliments. A headache threatened as she finally tore herself away.
She called Melvin as she walked to her car. “Can you come over?”
“Is something wrong?” He sounded immediately alert, sensing the stress in her voice.
“No, not really. I just feel like seeing you.” She sniffed. “I’m at my parents’ house right now, but just leaving.”
“I’m in the middle of studying. Can you come over here instead? Keep me company?”
“Sure.” Sue’s spirits lifted. For some reason, she’d never been to Melvin’s house. Curiosity took the edge off her angst. “What’s your address?”
“It’s the big white house with green shutters on the corner of
Baker Lane and Ford. You’ll see my car in the drive.” “I’ll be right over.”
She arrived at his house, a stately home in one of the better neighborhoods. A light shone behind filmy curtains in the front. Melvin answered the door in gray sweat pants and a t-shirt that featured a mustachioed grinning rodent with a wild perm. He stepped back to allow her entry and then closed the door behind her.
Sue stared at him and then burst into giggles. Just the sight of Melvin could cheer her, let alone the silly clothes he sometimes wore. She pointed at his shirt. “What the heck is that?”
“That’s Kotter the Otter.”
“Who?”
“Didn’t you ever see the Welcome Back, Kotter reruns on TV?”
“Oh, yeah. I get it.” Now she could clearly see the resemblance between the animal on his shirt and Gabe Kaplan’s character.
“I’ve got the entire first season on DVD if you want to watch sometime.” Melvin’s grin was infectious.
“That’s good to know ‘cause, um, it’s definitely on my bucket list. In fact, it’s right up there close to number one.” She kept a deadpan tone. “So where’d you get the shirt?”
“I drew the character, took it down to Zap’s Screen Printing, and had it put on the shirt. Remember my private eyes shirt? I did that one, too.”
“I didn’t know you’re an artist. I wish I could draw, but I can hardly make a straight line. Can I see some of your other sketches?”
“Aw, I don’t know. They’re not that good.”
She gestured at his shirt. “Well, that’s good. It’s really good. Come on; show me your stuff, please?”
He shrugged and led her upstairs to his room, which turned out to be a pleasantly cluttered space with a comfortable feel, full of the sort of incongruities that defined Melvin. The bed was made, though not well, and topped with a regular pillow and a body pillow. A large oak dresser dominated one side of the room, piled with what looked like clean laundry waiting to be put away. The floor was carpeted in dark brown and the window covered with brown, red, and tan striped curtains. Three of the walls were a neutral beige color, bare except for a flat screen television and a poster of the rock band, KISS. The fourth wall was a vivid shade of lime green. Sue’s eyes widened at the sight.
“I like that color. Wakes me up in the mornings,” Melvin joked. “It’s so loud I can hear it in my sleep.”
“I think I hear it screaming right now,” Sue agreed. “I believe it’s saying ‘paint me a different color.’” She let her gaze travel over the rest of the room. Melvin’s desk contained a laptop, some papers, a Spongebob Squarepants mouse pad, a little league trophy, and a sketch tablet. She wandered over and picked up the sketchbook.
“I can’t believe you’ve never mentioned this to me.” She smoothed her hand over the cover. “May I?”
He blushed. “I don’t know...”
“Oh, come on. Don’t be so humble.” At his nod, she began turning pages. Besides goofy cartoon characters and creative doodles, there were other, more serious sketches. She stopped on an image of an old man with a gleeful expression on his wrinkled face.
Melvin leaned over her. “That’s my grandpa. Before he got sick.”
“I like it, Melvin. His personality stands out.” On another page, she found a skateboarder in flight above a half-pipe. “And this?”
“Just some guy in the park. But he was really talented. I took a photo of him and drew from that.”
More pages, more well-executed drawings. A dragon with glittering eyes, pointed wings. An elephant with its trunk draped lovingly across the head of its offspring. A skull with a vine growing out of the eye sockets. A man in futuristic attire with a binocular lens for an eye and antennae protruding from his head. “That’s interesting.”
“I like sci-fi.”
She turned another page and sucked in her breath as she recognized herself.
“Okay, that’s enough.” Melvin reached for the book, but she twisted away from him and continued to stare at the drawing.
It was beautiful, haunting. He’d managed to capture the intermittent melancholy she’d worked so hard to conceal. The loneliness. The cautious hope. A subdued touch with the charcoal had lent her features an ethereal quality, as if viewed over a great span of time. She wore a light-colored dress and held a damaged flower in her hand. She stared at the exquisite detail of her eyes, lips, fingers. “Oh,” she murmured. “It’s amazing.”
She turned to face him. She blinked to clear an inexplicable mist from her vision, barely recognizing it as a film of tears. “It’s really remarkable,” she half whispered.
“I’m glad you like it.” He gave her a shy smile.
“I love it. But how? Do you have a picture of me?”
“I did it from memory.”
Sue laid the pad on the desk and stood. She put a hand against his cheek. “I’m just blown away, Melvin.” She leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on his lips before stepping away. “Can I have a copy?”
“No.”
“No?” A trace of hurt crossed her face.
“No, but I’ll keep a copy for myself and give you the original.” He smiled.
“Sign it for me?”
“My pleasure.” He carefully tore out the page, laid it on his printer to scan, and saved it to his hard drive. He then removed the original and using a small piece of charcoal signed it in his neat handwriting. With a soft smile, he presented it to her and she laid it next to her purse so she’d remember to take it with her.
While Melvin studied, Sue played games on his computer. By the time she left for home, she’d forgotten about Aunt Ginger. She didn’t remember the unpleasantness until she got ready for bed that night and opened the journal to make her daily entry.
Chapter 34
Sue actually looked forward to her next appointment with Dr. Camden. She eagerly followed the receptionist down the hall. When the door closed behind her, she dropped into the chair and began without preamble or pleasantries.
“Zeke. He’s like an infestation that’s invaded my life. I never know when a reminder of him will pop up. It can be over the most innocuous thing or event; it comes at me before I’m aware of it and slams me down. Do you know I still avoid the beverage counter at convenience stores? If I catch even a whiff of mocha cappuccino it makes me want to puke.” With a weary sigh, she pulled her journal out and opened it to the newest entries. “And it doesn’t end there. So many little things bother me. I can’t stand poetry, of any kind. The color purple, because it was his favorite. Stupid NPR because he liked to listen to it. When men look at me in a certain way it freaks me out.” She handed over the notebook.
Dr. Camden perused the contents and paused on one entry. “You like the smell of cigarette smoke?”
“No. Not really. Well, I like that certain aroma, when it’s first lit. When that guy outside my office fired up, the smell immediately brought back memories of Zeke and it was like being there again. Just for a second or two. But actually I hate the stench of old stale smoke. The van reeked of it toward the end the trip. It was disgusting.”
The doctor read a little further. “Tell me about your aunt. Ginger.”
Sue squirmed in her seat. “I hate talking about this.”
Dr. Camden, as was her habit, waited patiently.
Sue looked off into space, and back in time. “When I was a little girl, I adored Aunt Ginger. She was pretty and bold and flamboyant. I just loved being around her, hearing her laugh, watching the expressions on her painted face. She was wild. Fun. In fact, my dad still laughingly refers to her and her friend as The Party Girls. Their visits always livened things up. Then one time I overheard her say I was an ugly child.” She grimaced. “It broke my heart. I’ll never forget it. She said putting ribbons in my hair was like planting flowers around an outhouse.”
The doctor frowned. “That’s a pretty cruel thing to say.”
“It was. And it was a shock to me. Devastating. Until then, I thought she loved me like I loved her. Anyway, I cried for hours. And I never told anyone. Until Zeke.”
“Did she know you overheard?”
“No. She had no idea I was listening in the next room. No idea at all. I was supposed to be in my room playing.”
“So what’s your aunt like today?”
“She’s still pretty, but in a jaded floozy sort of way. Her features sag a little and she’s put on some pounds. She drinks quite a bit, still hangs out in the bars with her friend, Marge.”
“Is she married?”
“Not at the moment. She’s been through four husbands and lord knows how many boyfriends.”
“Sounds like she doesn’t have the best judgment.”
“You’re right. She doesn’t have good judgment. She’s a loser magnet and jealous as hell of other women, especially my mom. Or so my dad says. I think it’s because my folks still enjoy each other’s company, have had a long and happy marriage, and Ginger just can’t seem to get it right.”
“Does she have any children?”
“No. I don’t know if she didn’t want kids or just couldn’t have them. Now she’s too old.”
“Interesting. So would you say she’s not entirely content within her life?”
“Never has been. Nothing satisfies her. She’s always searching for the next thrill, the next new man, the next job, the next hobby. And on and on.”
“I see.”
A light went on in Sue’s mind. She slowly turned the idea around before speaking. “She might not have meant what she said. She could have been speaking out of jealousy. Jealous my mom had a little girl and she didn’t.”
“It’s possible.”
“Or maybe she did mean it, but she definitely has no history of being right. About anything.” Sue released a portion of the hurt, let float away. Just like that. “And to think her words were so important to me. And now she’s just old. She has a crappy job to look forward to, that and hanging around with ugly drunks in beer joints.” Sue felt a small surge of pity for her aunt. “You know, I’m never going to feel close to the woman again, but I think I can let go of the insult now.”
“Good. That’s a big step.”
Chapter 35
Tonight was Sue’s big date with Melvin. She chose her outfit carefully, deciding to wear a full, black skirt that just touched her knees and a red satin blouse. Sue walked through a spray of light fragrance and turned her attention to styling her hair. When finished, it fell in soft waves around her face. Working meticulously, she brushed on a light coating of green eye shadow, a small amount of blush on her cheeks, and applied mascara. Finally, she smoothed on pale pink lipstick.
Overall, she thought she looked pretty good.
Melvin showed up in a suit of sorts: dark slacks and a white t-shirt under a black dress jacket. Sue appraised him and felt a small rush. He looked handsome. She’d never noticed before how attractive he really was. He presented her with a small bouquet of assorted pink flowers.
“How pretty! Thank you.” She took them to the kitchen and put them in a vase of water. Centering the arrangement on the kitchen peninsula, she stood back to admire it. If memory served her correctly, this was only the second time she’d ever received flowers from a suitor. The first time was from Zeke, and he’d wanted to take the rose back when the night was over so no one would question where she got it. She shook loose of the memory.
When she turned, she couldn’t help but notice the way Melvin watched her walk toward him. His eyes shone with appreciation. It was then she realized why he looked different. “Where are your glasses?”
He pointed at his face. “Contacts.”
“Did you just get them today?”
“No. I’ve had them but they bother my eyes so I don’t wear them often. But tonight’s special. Our first real date.”
Sue flushed with pleasure. “You don’t have to go through the night uncomfortable, Melvin. Go ahead and wear your glasses. I think they look nice on you.”
“I’ll be okay. Shall we go?” He put out his arm and she took it. He escorted her into the night.
They dined on steak and lobster and then shared a huge slice of chocolate-caramel cake drizzled in molten fudge. Melvin had also ordered champagne. Its golden bubbles tickled Sue’s nose and slid exuberantly down her throat. By the time they reached Finney’s she was suffused in pleasure, slightly tipsy, and strangely excited.
Sue was a decent dancer, not a maniac in any sense of the word. They moved well together, and though neither would win any contests, they did just fine. The floor was crowded with other couples, all shaking or stomping to the beat. Then the music shifted, went slow and dreamy with a thick, heavy beat that strongly suggested sexual longings and romantic interludes.
Some couples left the floor. Most stayed and melded together, swaying to the sensual rhythm. Sue and Melvin stood gazing at each other.
“Want to give this a try?” Her eyes teased him.
“Are you kidding? I’ve been looking forward to it all week. Longer, if I’m completely honest.” He held out his arms and she slipped into them.
As she pressed against the length of his body, Sue felt her pulse quicken. He cradled her tenderly, moved in perfect harmony with her. Halfway through the song, she laid her head against his shoulder and he cupped her cheek briefly in his hand before returning it to her shoulder. By the end of the song, he was nuzzling her neck. She raised her head slightly to bring him closer. She could feel his heart beating against her chest.
He leaned back a bit and caressed her with his eyes. Her lips glistened and there was a glow to her face. “You’re so beautiful, Sue,” he whispered before pulling her close again.
They left before the club closed, clung to each other with breathless abandon, kissed all the way to the car. When they arrived at Sue’s apartment, they resumed their embrace, pulling off clothes as soon as the door closed behind them.
Melvin swept Sue into his arms and carried her into the bedroom, where he finished disrobing her, and then himself. Sue felt his eyes consuming her before he joined her on the bed. She stared at him, too, trying to familiarize herself with his body.
They made love passionately the first time, slowly the second. Sue curled up next to him afterward and they talked quietly. He kept looking down at her as if he’d just found a treasure. She forced thoughts of Zeke from intruding on this tender moment, avoided making comparisons, concentrated on the present. Warm and satisfied, they eventually fell asleep. When she woke in the morning, he was already gone and she wondered briefly if it had all been a dream.
The note on her kitchen table said otherwise. She stared at Melvin’s handwriting and the small sketch he’d drawn at the top, of the sun peeking over a copse of trees. It was tiny but perfect.
Dear Sue,
I have to work for Will today. I’ll call you later. I wish I could say something about last night, but it was all too special for words. I’ve never felt so wonderful in my life. Thank you.
-Melvin
A soft smile lifted the corners of her mouth but quickly fell as the inevitable comparisons finally prodded their way into her head. There was absolutely nothing wrong with Melvin’s body. It was lanky, surprisingly muscular, clean, well proportioned. But it wasn’t Zeke’s. Zeke was lithe, toned, agile, a body that oozed sexual appeal.
Each had a different touch. Melvin’s was sweet, tender, and unexpectedly skilled for someone Sue assumed had had little experience. Zeke had a dirty, hot way about him that Melvin lacked. Sue had responded to Melvin’s lovemaking, but it was different from Zeke’s intense urgency. Zeke had done it to her more than with her, claimed her with his sheer magnetism, plundered her with her willing consent.
Disappointment fell over her like a stifling, heavy blanket; not in Melvin, but in herself. She fought the downward tug of disillusionment, reread Melvin’s note, and took pleasure in it.
At the sink, she washed the few dirty glasses that had accumulated along with her favorite coffee mug. She rinsed and dried it, added a few teaspoons of chocolate mix, and filled it with milk. After heating it in the microwave, she went to the bedroom, dressed, and sat at her computer for her daily victims-of-Zeke search.
Still no word on Connie Lucas, the Tennessee farmer’s wife who had disappeared. Sue watched a news clip of her worried husband, Doyle Lucas, pleading in a choked voice for someone to come forward with information, and further, that if someone had taken her, to please release her without harm. Eyes reddened and Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, he grappled to control his emotions. Sue clutched her abdomen as she listened to the agony in his voice. This vanished woman was not Zeke’s type, at least not as Sue understood it to be. But then, he’d slept with Mrs. Harrington and she certainly didn’t fit Sue’s idea of his kind of woman. If Zeke was involved, Connie Lucas was most likely dead. It was the younger ones, like herself, he liked to keep around and use for a while. She murmured a quick prayer for the missing woman and continued scrolling.
