Chocolate Kisses Ch. 12

"What's he doing here?" she asked, being lovingly polite while not caring one whit what the old lawyer was doing anywhere; her only interests were her lover, their future life together and when they would make love again. He had ignited a passion in her soul and whenever they touched, it only burned hotter.

She looked at her finger, the one with the gold ring, the one she had him wrapped around. She smiled.

Two days later, he had to the opportunity to approach the lawyer and his wife, Ruby, as they were eating lunch. The 75-year-old Darrow sat slightly stooped from age and pulled out a silver flask from his coat pocket.

His wife seemed contemptuous of her husband, forever angry at his numerous affairs over the years. She admitted to herself she only stayed for the money, all love lost between the two.

James hoped the cantankerous old man would be agreeable to talking with him. His reputation for being argumentative was well known.

"Mr. Darrow? May I speak with you a moment? I'd like to think it's important, at least, to me."

"Well... all right, I have a few minutes free." The lawyer took a drink from his flask. "What do you want?"

"Lawyer-client privilege... that requires a retainer, doesn't it? How much for an hour of your time?"

James could see the old man thinking it over as he took another swallow.

"This is just advice? Just an hour?"

"Yes, sir. Just advice."

"You're with those colored women, aren't you?"

"Is that going to be a problem for you?" he asked, expecting to leave.

"Sit down, sit down. I'd have thought you knew more about me than to ask that question. What happens, happens; it's not like you have a real choice in the matter, not like you have any free will, really. We're all helpless pawns in some incomprehensible cosmic game."

Darrow thought of his own secret love, Mary Field Parton, saving him from suicide back in '12 when he was on trial for jury tampering and had to leave California.

He remembered that chance meeting in '08, some rally for a damn Russian revolutionary or something. That young woman with fire in her eyes, almost the same age as his daughter, had caught his eye. Even though they were both married, their affair soon began and continued over the years. Of all the women he had slept with, she was the one mistress he kept returning to.

Her foolish husband never had a clue she was cuckolding him every chance she had.

Whether his wife knew or not, he didn't care. She stayed with him all these years, where was she going to go, now? It was all futile, anyway.

James looked at Darrow. He never expected such a strange comment. If there were no free will, what was the point to life? That they were destined to die so he would meet and love Bethany Rose? It was too uncomfortable, too impossible, to damning to accept. Maybe talking to Darrow wasn't such a good idea, after all.

"Sounds a little fatalistic, don't you think?"

"Give me two hundred dollars; you have that much?"

James handed the bright greenbacks over. For that kind of money, he looked at his pocket watch. Darrow wasn't quite what he expected. But, then what ever was?

"What's your problem? You look like you've got the world in your pocket."

James looked nervously at Ruby Darrow. She didn't seem the least interested in his conversation. She knew what her husband was.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Darrow, but... I had a wife and two daughters. They were raped and the children murdered. My wife became pregnant from the rape and killed herself. The men were colored."

"Colored, you say. And, yet you..."

"Are sleeping with a colored woman? Yes, that's true. It's just..."

"That's all right, boy, don't worry about it, at least not with me. You do what you will. It's not like you have a choice.

"Now, as I understand it... wait a minute... what's your name?"

"Ewart, James Ewart, Los Angeles."

Darrow was quiet for a few moments. "I remember that trial... four, five years ago, wasn't it? Very strange at the time. You testified for the defense for those two boys and yet, they were still convicted. How do you explain that?"

James looked around the salon. "The prosecutor had it thrown out, 'hearsay,'" he said.

"Yes, that's right, he did. That's what I think convicted them in the jury's mind... and they were colored, after all. One's the same as the other to a lot of people."

Darrow picked at his veal cutlet. He knew there was something bothering the man in front of him. Taking another drink of rum, he motioned James to sit down.

"All right, let's hear what you've got to say."

After James explained the situation he had been in, the old man sat back quietly, contemplating the man before him...

"You want to know if you could have gotten off, killing them... a revenge killing."

"If you put it that way, yes."

"There's the whole concept of the 'unwritten law.' It's been used quite a bit in the South. Kill the man who laid your wife, seduced your daughter... what have you..."

He decided to take a bite of his veal before it became too cold to eat.

"It all depends on the jury. Most of the time, the jury lets the man off, feeling that whoever he killed had it coming. Now, add in the fact that the two were colored and the girls were very young and your wife became pregnant with a colored man's get and killed herself... damn, man, they'd probably give you a damn medal.

"The courts are starting to not allow that, though. Stupid courts, don't understand the real meaning of justice at all.

"Back in '24, there was a case of two men, originally friends. The one, Roberts, had been sleeping with the wife of the other, Bailey. It became common knowledge in the town. Roberts and Bailey's wife straight out told him they were sleeping together and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Roberts was shot in the head by Bailey. He got nine years because the judge wouldn't let the jury vote for acquittal. It went to appeal and he lost. Poor bastard should have gotten off. I mean, it's your wife, for Christ's sake.

"Now, in some states, homicide is justifiable when committed by anyone in a sudden heat of passion caused by the attempt to rape a man's wife, daughter, sister, mother or when the act has actually been committed. Problem is, with you, you would have had to do it within a certain amount of time, so as to plead an act of passion.

"In some states, homicide in retribution for adultery, that's allowable.

"But, I can only imagine what you must have felt... but, the courts are taking that away, saying that there is no justifiable homicide allowed, even for rape, adultery... it's ridiculous to think that way. It allows people to act without consequence, destroying marriages and families."

It never occurred to Darrow that his own reasoning was contradictory to his own life's many affairs.

"That's why I'm going to Honolulu to defend Massie, a Navy officer, for the same thing. Seems his wife was raped by a bunch of natives there and he killed one of them. His wife's mother was involved, also. This should be very interesting.

"Would you have walked? Maybe or got a slap on the wrist, if they even bothered to look into it at all, especially them being colored...

"That answer your question?"

James nodded. It was a coin toss as to whether he would have gotten away with it. At the time, he didn't care but now, with his woman waiting for him, it would have been an unthinkable risk.

"Anything else? You still have a half-hour."

Thursday, March 24th, 1932

Dockside at the Aloha Tower, Honolulu

Bethany looked out the porthole to the dock. "That's quite a crowd down there."

The noise of the people started to bother her and she closed the glass.

"Yeah, they're here for Darrow. You know, I thought moving here would take us away from all those problems we were looking at in Los Angeles, but I guess I was wrong."

"People are people, Jim, you know that. At least, here, we can marry and not worry about it. And look at this place, it's beautiful, so green, so warm, so..."

"You're right, baby, it's just...'

He was interrupted by a great shout from the waiting people down below as Darrow and his wife appeared. The famous lawyer, occasionally on the side of the underdog, was defending the accused murderers in the Massie trial. The forty-thousand dollar fee probably made his decision that much easier.

The original case against the dead man, so full of inconsistencies by the woman, herself had resulted in a hung jury. The furor erupted across the country, demanding justice any way possible.

Even the Navy had gotten involved, demanding 'justice,' martial law and protection for every white woman on the island.

As the Darrows were led away by local officials, the two lovers turned to one another and nervously laughed.

"You realize that's not funny. I'm trying to remember if he ever won any of these big cases or if he just likes to hear himself talk."

"Why, Jimmy, you're a philosopher. Do you think they're packed up? I think we've hidden out here long enough, don't you?" Bethany took a deep breath of the moist tropical air. "I can smell love and freedom in the air, Jimmy."

"Yeah, I'm starting to feel a little guilty about it."

John approached. "Bethany, Liza would like to see you, please."

As James watched her sway back through the promenade, John laughed. "Taste your last chance of freedom... it's all over after this."

John looked at his friend. "So, you like this married life you've been living?"

"Well... I mean, you know..." James watched the crowd below start to leave.

John looked over the wharf to the green mountains beyond the city. "She drives you crazy in bed, you mean?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Does she...?"

"Hell, yeah. Guess the two might be comparing notes, maybe?"

"Must be..." Jim said. "Bethany has been doing some things that only could have come from you through her sister... I've been meaning to thank you for that, by the way."

John's response was a slow blush that crept up his neck. "Might as well face the music and get ready to leave this tub."

"Tub? Are you kidding? This is one of the finest ships afloat. We were lucky to get on board for this trip. They only had a few compartments left."

"Jim?" John took a more serious tone.

"What?"

"Thanks. Thanks for everything. I know you didn't have to do any of it."

"It's OK, John. Let's try and enjoy life, for a change. Old soldiers like us deserve a couple of 'twists' like them."

"Oh, I've been enjoying it, all right, maybe a little too much." He made a show of rubbing his back, laughing.

An hour later, James was in the compartment, watching Bethany's figure backlit by the tropical sun streaming through the portholes. "Got everything?" He took one last look around the compartment's cabin.

"Do we REALLY have to leave right now?" she asked, running her hand over the bed. "I mean, John and Eliza could... you know, take the children on ahead to the hotel, I mean."

"Baby, wouldn't you rather be... um, 'resting' at the hotel?"

"We're never going to take another trip like this, are we?"

"Probably not." He looked at his watch. "Wait a minute..." James walked down the passageway to the other compartment.

Returning a few minutes later, he locked the door and started kissing her. "Bethany, I'll always love you but, right now, I'm going to fuh..."

He never finished what he was going to say and within moments, clothes were strewn about the floor before she pulled him down onto the bed.

Now, face down on the bed, Bethany felt the weight of his body and as he pressed against her an electric shock went through her.

She thought she knew everything about him now yet, each time, it was a new experience, a virgin experience, a glorious experience.

Bethany felt his tongue slick across her shoulder and she shuddered, grinding her hips down into the damp sheet while her hands desperately tried to shred the pillowcase.

James continued kissing across the top of her back and neck and below her ear, giving rise to a heat that spread down between her legs, adding to the warm slippery juices already there.

She slid open for him, arching her back up from the bed, feeling his hard length slide between her legs and along her perfect wetness.

James groaned in her ear, his breath burning and wanting, his hands sliding down her waist to her hips, pulling her body up onto her hands and knees and then back to him as he raised himself into a better position.

He slipped his hands along her ass cheeks, cupping them, digging his fingers in and feeling all of her. She loved him; he could never touch her enough when they made love. Each time, she was sure she'd never felt so sexy before, so desired, so loved.

He knew that he had to feel her cum before he did. His fingers slid across her wetness and he felt her hips jerk when he found the right pinpoint spot. He kept soft pressure there in little circles as he began sliding in and out in an easy rhythm that she quickly, eagerly matched.

As he picked up speed and strength, Bethany threw her head back, moaning loudly, begging for more. The hand that had been planted on her hip slid smoothly up her back and wrapped gently around her neck. Jimmy moved his hand from her slender neck up through her wild curly hair, gently tugging as they loved each other.

Jimmy felt her body begin to shake and he knew he was no match for her at that moment. He drove into her harder and faster, his fingers still working wetly on her throbbing clit. He felt her body tense as she slipped over the edge once again. He kept his hips moving for as long as he could before her pulsing and clenching drove him over with her. He drove in deep, holding himself inside as he exploded, moaning her name huskily in her ear.

Joined together for several moments as he emptied himself fully inside of her, her body squirmed, twisted and bounced as she rode it out with him.

Bethany finally collapsed forward onto her stomach and he fell with her, landing with his weight to the side of her, still buried in her. She took several deep breaths, trying to quiet her shaking body before turning to look at him once more, smiling softly.

James returned her grin. All she could do was nod as her smile grew. She wanted to say something, anything, but couldn't... it was too much, too overwhelming, too fantastic.

She rolled onto her side facing him and reached to pull the sheet over their cooling bodies.

""Get some rest," she said softly, "We still have some time and if you're a really good boy..."

"Bethany, Bethany Rose, I love you now more than my life. I know that sounds so silly but it's the truth. You and I are going to grow old together surrounded by our children and live and love forever."

An hour later, they took a taxi over to the hotel, registered as Mr. and Mrs. Ewart and after picking up their room key, they went to the elevator.

Later that afternoon, James was on the phone for the better part of an hour with the real estate broker he had contacted before leaving Los Angeles.

They had dinner in the room. They promised for the rest of their lives, they would never be apart. No word was ever said of those miserable nights they slept alone.

"Front desk..."

"Yes, this is Mr. Ewart in 407. I have some friends that want to get married. What is necessary and how soon can it take place?"

"I can place the call for you. I'll ring your room this evening."

"Thanks. I'll be waiting.

"It'll be just a bit, Bethany. Would you like to go the beach, later?"

The next morning, it was a very long ride along the Kamehameha highway from Honolulu to the North Shore. After stopping several times to attend to the children and then eat the picnic from the hotel, they finally arrived at the open land for sale.

They were stunned by the magical view. The deep blue of the Pacific stretched to the north and west, seemingly forever. The view along the coast was breathtaking; the green-covered cliffs rose almost straight to heaven and they could see the vibrant Hawaiian rainbow living above the island.

"It's beautiful, Jimmy, just beautiful." Bethany Rose put her arm around her lover, drawing him tightly to her. Even now, she still could not believe how lucky she was with him and going to be married.

"Not as beautiful as you, darling, not as beautiful as you."

She turned her dark chocolate face, touched his suntanned one and moved her open lips to his. "Kiss me, Jimmy..." she moaned, and as his hands caressed her body, she could feel a warm rush through her. 'My God, how does he do this to me?' she wondered, hoping he would never stop.

"You really like this place? We can look at some others if you want, baby. There were some properties overlooking Pearl, but I thought we could get away from everyone here."

"This could be our own paradise, Jimmy. It's so... so serene. So far away from all we left behind. Let's stay here."

"I was going to ask John and Eliza but if this is what you want, then that's all that matters. You want to tell them or shall I?"

John walked over, holding Glory. "Jim, we think it's fantastic, but, let's face it... it's your show."

"Eliza! Oh, Eliza..." She held her sister to her. "We're home."

The broker coughed, gaining their attention. He didn't want any possible discussion to deter the sale. People had a tendency to talk themselves out of buying things. Buyer's remorse before the purchase...

Now, in the third year of the Depression, any land sale was to be appreciated. It wasn't to say that Pupukea wasn't a nice little place, but this property, so far from Honolulu...

While the white beaches were pretty, they were too far removed from the city and the waves were too large to swim comfortably. It was doubtful, he believed, that anyone would seriously come here.

"Over there, you can see Waimea Bay and that way is Sunset, and..." He pointed out to the water. "Those are surfers. They really come out here during the winter. The waters calm down during the summer, though."

James looked at the waves rushing ashore. He knew living here would be paradise with his own Eve. "Fantastic. Let's talk price."

When the broker hung up the phone an hour later, he gave James the counter-offer.

"We'll take it." James handed the broker the $2000 deposit. He was right, he thought, the sellers were more desperate than either he or the broker thought and sold the property for half the asking price. The savings would go to pay for building the house.

"I'll have that architect contact you tomorrow after the papers are all signed. You'll still be at the hotel?"

"Yes, there're a few things we have to take care of.

"Thanks for your assistance. We'll see you tomorrow; say after eleven, we can have lunch there."

The long ride back to Honolulu seemed to pass quickly. 'Why was that always the case,' James wondered, 'the ride home was always shorter than the ride out?'

The next morning, he woke to the feel of her lips on his morning erection. As she opened her mouth, her tongue slipped out and licked the head of his cock. A moment later, she began moving down, slowly taking it in to the back of her mouth and then, smoothly took him down her throat. His moans spurred Bethany on and after bobbing several times, she felt his cock swell and then the hot rush as burst after burst filled her.

She slid over his body, moving fore and back, her crotch pushing against his thigh, arousing her even further. "Oh, God, Jimmy, please..."

Her hand had already brought him erect again and grasping it tightly, sank her body down onto it, savoring every inch until she could fall no farther. Waiting, waiting as she felt herself expand and then she twisted to the left and then to the right and finally, Bethany rose and then plunged down, gasping as her first orgasm of the day spread its heat through her.