Girl in a Box Ch. 4-9

“He’s dead!” her voice neared hysteria and her chair went over as she tried to stand.

“Watch out!”

“Somebody help her.”

She had to run away, but she couldn’t see. She banged into someone, and saw their blurry shadow. An arm tried to catch her, but she flailed it away and crashed into a table.

She could see him now, more clearly than she’d seen him in life. His gray eyes always a crinkle away from a smile, his powerful hands holding her as gently as precious crystal, his shy confession that he never knew how a girl like Laura could love a guy like him. He was gone. Everything was gone.

“He’s dead,” Laura screeched, crashing into something else and finally sinking to her knees, “He’s dead and he’s never coming back,” she wailed, arms pulling her head into her lap, and rocking as she sobbed.

Judge Pool looked up when Laura’s lawyer finally came back into the courtroom.

“Is your client ready to continue?” Judge pool asked.

“I think so, your honor. She’s been under a lot of stress, and I think she had to blow off a little steam. She seems calm now.”

The bailiff waited until the defense lawyer went for his client before speaking to the judge, “She’s been sitting in that room just rocking for the last half hour. I don’t think she’s ready for anything.”

“Thanks, Bo,” Judge Pool said.

Judge Pool watched her closely as she was led back into the courtroom, looking to see if her zombie-like demeanor was some kind of an act. She watched a small trickle of snot move down from her nose and build up on her upper lip. It changed direction and followed her lip to the corner of her mouth without Laura noticing. Her mind was clearly in another universe, and wouldn’t be back for this session.

“I think we’ve had enough excitement for one day,” Judge Pool said, “Dismiss the jury for today, and we’ll pick up at nine in the morning. Bailiff, I need to see you.”

Laura felt them helping her to her feet. She cooperated as best she could. Jim had just come into their house, and she wanted to stay with him, not go back to that awful place.

“Hi, baby, I’m home,” Jim said with a beaming smile.

“Oh, Jim. You’re back. I’ve missed you,” Laura said. “You’re so beautiful, I’d forgotten.”

“Hey, that’s my line,” he said hugging her.

Ghost images of her cell, don’t worry; they’ll go away as soon as she sits down. There, they’re gone.

“I’ve missed you, honey. I’ve missed you so much. Don’t leave me. Don’t ever leave me again.”

“I won’t babe, you’re my China Doll, precious as a diamond, more beautiful than the whole outdoors,” Jim said, taking her into his arms.

“That’s so much better. You wouldn’t believe what’s been happening to me.”

“Don’t think about it. I’m here now. I’ll never leave you again.”

His shirt was gone, and she ran her finger thru the hair on his chest. Funny how she thought that hair was icky when their love was new, and now she thought it was sexy.

“Pick me up,” she said, holding her arms up for him.

“Light as a feather,” he said, sweeping her into his arms.

“You could throw me to the moon, couldn’t you?”

“The bed is much closer.”

“Take me to bed, Jim. They’re going to come for me, and I want to make love to you one more time.”

The last guard to show up for the midnight shift got the suicide watch.

“Who we got,” the relief guard asked.

“The killer dyke.”

“Don’t look so good, does she?”

“She’s been sitting there in la-la-land since they brought her in. I don’t think this one’s going to make it.”

“She don’t seem tough enough to do the stuff they say.”

“Yeah, but you never know, do you?”

“Guess not.”

Julie was still shaking her head as she pretended to read the menu. Tipping the hostess to get this table was so unusual in this joint, that the girl had checked with the manager to see if it was okay.

A waitress was taking her order when Wendy came in with several other members of the jury.

Julie gave her order, and then pretended to first notice the girl from the first row. She looked down quickly when Julie caught her eye, and finally looked back up as Julie continued to stare at her.

Julie could see the girl’s face reddening, and for the first time noticed the ring on her finger.

Perfect. All broken in, and knowing she had missed something. Julie gave a tiny start, as if just realizing that she was staring, and quickly looked down. She waited a moment, and then looked up without moving her head. The girl tried to look down, but only her head moved. Her eyes stayed glued to Julie.

She wasn’t in a class with Laura, hell, nobody was in a class with Laura, but she was a hot little number, nonetheless. Julie loved this part of the game. The eye games, the shy looks, the straight girls who never thought of another woman, until Julie got at them. She knew it was a terrible obsession, but she loved the thrill of conquest as much as any man. There was an extra thrill to this conquest, however. It was blatant and criminal jury tampering. This was almost as exciting as putting Laura on her trophy shelf.

Hot and bothered yet? Julie thought as she threw her a sultry glance.Are you dieing to be Julie’s little plaything?

It wasn’t until the following night that Julie was able to get into her room.

“Hi, Wendy,” Julie said.

“Hello, Mrs. Crenshaw,” Wendy said.

“Julie, please call me Julie.”

The phone rang and Wendy jumped. “Hello?” she said.

Julie waited patiently.

“In the cabinet next to the stove…What happened to the steaks?…For breakfast?…Did you read my notes?…Yes dear…I know…I wish she wouldn’t…When?…I’ve got to go…I love you too, good bye.”

“Trouble on the home front?” Julie said.

“My mother-in-law is going to take care of my husband until I get back.”

“I’m not the only one,” Julie said, holding her hands out to her side and raising her face as if in supplication. “Are you lucky enough to have a mother-in-law who can arrange all your stuff much better than you can?”

“How did you know?” Wendy said.

Julie moved over to the bed and sat down right next to Wendy. Putting her arm around her, Julie assumed a sad, concerned expression “Is her poor little baby wasting away to skin and bones because you don’t feed him?”

“He’d probably be under two hundred pounds if it wasn’t for her Care Packages.”

“Poor thing,” Julie said.

Julie patted her hands, and then stopped the banter with her hand resting on Wendy’s.

Wendy looked down into her lap, where Julie’s hand was moving imperceptibly on hers. She was suddenly aware of the other hand around her waist.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she said. Her voice was little more than a whisper.

“I know.” Julie squeezed her hand. “You caught me, didn’t you? You caught me looking at you.”

“No. I mean once, a few days ago, and at the restaurant, of course.”

“You’re being kind, I know. I haven’t been able to take my eyes off you since the very first day. Your eyes, something about your eyes just draws me in. You have such beautiful eyes.” Julie pulled her closer as she blushed.

She had a nice body, very kissable lips, and an almost farm girl healthiness about her. However, the best part of her eyes came from Maybelline. She’d be giving herself over-the-shoulder sultry looks in the mirror, later, trying to see what Julie saw, and marking it off to love. Julie crossed her eyes slightly and leaned forward to look from one eye to the other at close range. It was very natural for her hand to squeeze Wendy’s tighter, and the weight to press her hands down between her legs.

“I’m happily married,” she said.

“I know that now,” Julie said, glancing at the phone.

“I’m not a lesbian, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Laura and I were never serious, we were just playing games. My heart never skipped a beat looking at another girl, until you.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t do anything like that. It would be wrong.”

Julie watched all the signs that she was ready, as she said “no,” her breathing, the flush of her skin, her soft lips parting for a kiss, and the involuntary muscles of her iris opening wide. If girls had nipple erections, like men seemed to think, she’d have two holes punched in her bra by now.

“I know,” Julie said. “I should go.”

Every move was perfect. The hand sliding firmly across Wendy’s back as Julie leaned forward, the hint of Julie starting to stand as regret puckered Wendy’s lips, the grimace of agony on Julie as she tried to tear herself away from her little love bunny. Then came the coup de grace, the lightest of kisses, flashing in like a cobra, and then freezing in time.

Wendy’s eyes popped open, but she didn’t move a muscle. Julie kept her eyes closed, and made a high-pitched little sound. The moment of truth had arrived, and Julie waited as only their lips touched.

Feather light, Wendy’s hands pressed against Julie’s breasts, as if to hold her away. Soft and sweet, Wendy’s lips parted a little more, and Julie sank into them.

She was surrendering, but she wasn’t taking part. Julie understood, and her heart leaped. Wendy’s hang-ups wouldn’t let her enjoy making love to another woman. She could only enjoy it if she had no choice. She wanted Julie to take her, just like in the game of War.

“Stop, what are you doing?” Her voice wasn’t much louder than a whisper.

“I have to give you a kiss, a real kiss.”

“Get off me,” she gasped, finally breaking the kiss by turning her head into Julie’s shoulder.

Julie’s lips found her neck, and Wendy’s whole body shivered.

“No, let me go.”

“I can’t, I just can’t.”

The hand on the arm pinned under Julie’s body, weakly brushed Julie’s back. The wrist of her other hand was firmly gripped by the hand on the arm under Wendy’s head. Julie’s cheek pressed Wendy’s face into her shoulder as she used her free hand to unbutton Wendy’s blouse, whispering in her ear all the while.

“I love you, Wendy. I have to have you. Don’t fight it, it’s stronger than both of us.”

“No, no,” Wendy said. Her head twisted, her hand pulled against Julie’s grip, but she was too weak to get free, too helpless to stop the hand sliding up under her blouse.

“Your skin is so soft,” Julie said, raining kisses on the side of Wendy’s face, “don’t you know how you’re torturing me?”

She worked her hand up under her bra and found Wendy’s nipple. It puckered up between her thumb and fingers, and Wendy’s hot breath warmed the nape of Julie’s neck.

She pushed the bra up, out of the way, and caressed Wendy’s breasts as she nuzzled her neck. Wendy had stopped struggling, and her head barely moved as she occasionally said, “no.”

Julie sat up, pushed down on Wendy’s hand, as if that would glue the hand down for the moment, and started taking off her clothes. Wendy didn’t move until Julie had been standing long enough to be stepping out of her panties, and then she suddenly came to life and started crawling to the other side of the bed.

Julie let her get as far as the middle before pouncing on her back and driving her flat, face down on the bed. Lying full length on her back, Julie held her head down and kissed the back of her neck. Her naked hips thrust themselves on her soft bottom, and her free hand pulled Wendy’s blouse down her arms.

“I know you’re not a lesbian,” Julie said, and then stuck her hot, wet tongue in Wendy’s ear, “but there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

She pulled her arms up behind her back, and used Wendy’s blouse to tie her hands. Nearly all of Wendy’s body was twisting and trying to get free, but her wrists stayed relatively still, crossed behind her back. It was a lucky thing, because Julie was lousy with knots. She finished up the mess with the same bowknot she used on shoes, and figured it would hold, as long as Wendy didn’t try to actually pull her hand out.

“That’s better,” Julie said, pushing her onto her back. She grabbed her face, squeezed her cheeks together, and covered the absurd pucker with her whole mouth. She held her head steady with her arms and hands, so Wendy could put all her effort into breaking the kiss, without really succeeding.

“What are you going to do?” Wendy whined.

“I’m going to take off all of your clothes,” Julie said, working Wendy’s pants down. “I’m going to kiss every part of your body.”

Wendy’s eyes grew wide. She looked like a frightened doe. Julie would have cracked up at her dramatics, except she was the great cat, holding down its prey, and playing with it before she started to feed.

“I’m going to kiss your shoulder,” she kissed her shoulder, “your breasts,” she kissed her breasts, “your tummy, and your side. I’m going to hold you, squeeze you, lay on top of you, and feel the beating of your heart. I’m going to kiss those sweet lips of yours, and then put my eyes on your lips so you can taste the salt of my tears. I love you, Wendy, and I’m going to make love to you. I’ll make you come like you’ve never come before, and maybe you’ll love me too.”

Julie didn’t make good on half her promise. She was getting too excited. She was squatting on Wendy’s face before she had even let the girl come once.

Wendy wasn’t very good. Julie even had to adjust her head so she’d lick her clit. Even Wendy’s ineptness added to the pleasure, however. The red line of her lips, moving on the white flesh of Julie’s pussy, the face she was making, and the way her eyes were squeezed shut, they all stoked the fire in Julies belly as laced her fingers behind Wendy’s head, and pulled her head up firmly into her crotch.

Wendy was strong enough to get air, despite the way Julie pressed down on her while she came. It was a wonderful orgasm, and Julie hurried to return the favor.

As Julie got between her legs, and took her first sip of Wendy’s pussy, she saw that her knot had fallen apart. Wendy was using the expedient of holding her own blouse in her fists to keep herself helpless.

The bonds were never physical in the first place. Julie pretended she didn’t feel the hands caressing the back of her head as her tongue explored the inside of Wendy’s pussy.

The chains she had on this girl were much stronger than any steel. Wendy would be voting exactly as Julie wanted her to vote. It wouldn’t matter what happened in the court; it wouldn’t matter what the other jurors said.

Wendy’s legs kicked spastically as Julie took possession of her newest puppet..

Laura didn’t remember coming to court this morning. It wasn’t important; maybe things would be better today. She felt better. It wasn’t really Jim. She knew that. Nevertheless, he’d given her strength.

“The state calls Marjorie Kuntz.”

Laura sat staring straight ahead, as some woman walked up to the stand.

“…and nothing but the truth, so help you god?”

“I do,” Marge said.

Laura blinked and looked at the stand. It was Marge, but not the same Marge she’d left in the cell. This was a hardhearted hooker, looking back at her with cold eyes.

“Remove the gum,” Judge Pool said.

“How do you know the defendant, Ms. Kuntz?”

“We were cell mates and lovers for three nights,” Marge said.

“Marge,” Laura said.

“Counselor, advise your client not to address the witness,” Judge Pool said.

“During your lovemaking, did she ever discuss the death of her husband?”

“Yeah, she told me all about it. I wrote it down, because I forget things.”

“And then you contacted the D.A.’s office?”

“I had to. She’s a dangerous bitch. She’d kill me if she thought I’d talk.”

“Objection, your honor.”

“Sustained. Jury will disregard that answer. Answer the question yes or no, please,” Judge Pool said.

“Yeah, I contacted the D.A.’s office,” Marge said.

“What details did Mrs. Wesson confide to you?”

“Some junk about a tape. She had this perfect alibi set up, but messed up setting the timer. What a dope.”

“Could you give us more details about this alibi scheme?” “Sure. It wasn’t like rocket science or anything. She has this girl she’s hot for down at her beach house. It’s winter, so there ain’t many people around and it gets dark early. No clocks, her babe doesn’t wear a watch, and they’re getting lost in the horizontal rumba, if you know what I mean.

“Bahda-bing, bahda-bang, ‘gotta go, baby, but hey, your favorite show is on. Here, let me turn it on for you. Wow, it must be after nine. Look at that Nine-o-five. I’d better go because it’s after nine at night. Got that? Nine. I’m leaving at nine.”

“I think we get the idea, Ms. Kuntz.”

“The next day, some bum she hires takes the Orange Line bus out to the beach and tapes over it, she’s home free.”

“Thank you. Your witness.”

“She’s lying,” Laura said when her lawyer looked at her, “They’re all lying. Everybody’s lying.”

“I can’t go up there and just say she’s lying. You have to give me something. What did you tell her about the tape?”

“Nothing. Its all lies,” her voice was rising, “You’re all a bunch of liars!” she yelled at the court.

She didn’t have a cellmate in the new cell. That was good. She needed Jim tonight, and he might not come if someone was here.

She ached all over from sitting on the cement floor the night before, so she got comfortable on the bed and waited.

Time crawled by, and she waited. Lights out, he still hadn’t come. Where was he? Why didn’t he come? She’d wait, she had to wait, he had to come.

The floor. He can’t come unless she sits on the floor! Where is he? She’s in the wrong spot; she was sitting over there last night. Her neck kept letting her head fall, so she wedged her head against the sink stand. She had slid down so far that only her head was against the wall when Jim walked into her cell.

“Let me help you up on the bed,” he said in a strange voice.

“Jim?”

“It’s Martha, ma’am, I’m a guard here. You can’t sleep like that. You’ll be crippled in the morning.”

Laura’s neck felt like it was broken as she let the woman help her into her bunk. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

“Look at you,” Jim said.

“Oh, Jim,” she couldn’t speak out loud, so she said it with her eyes and upraised hand. “Come to bed with me, Jim. Hold me. Never let me go.”

“How could I ever let you go?” he answered her. “I made a promise on the day we were married. If I ever broke one of those wedding vows, it would kill you. I know it would. I love you too much to ever do that to you.”

Cold icicles formed in her chest, and their fingers started spreading thru her body.

“Wedding vows?”

“Yes. Don’t you remember them?”

She had killed him. Not his body, his heart. Even this refuge of dreams was now cold and hostile. Could he ever forgive her? How could he forgive the unforgivable?

“You have a visitor,” he said.

“What?”

“Visitor,” he said more forcefully. His voice didn’t sound right.

“I don’t understand.”

“Visitor,” the guard said for the third time, “Come on, you have a visitor.”

She was alone in her cell. Jim was gone, and the empty place inside told her she’d never see him again. Utterly alone in a world of enemies, she followed the guard to the visitors room.

A knot grabbed her stomach the moment she stepped in. The visitor waiting at the table was Helen.

“What do you want?” Laura said, sitting down hard in the chair.

“What have they been doing to you? You look like hell.”

“Fuck you,” Laura said.

“Listen, honey, I’ve been checking around for you. Something really stinks.”

“You stink,” Laura said.

This wasn’t going well, Helen realized. She shouldn’t have come.

No, she had to come. She owed it to this woman. She’d never be able to live with herself if she didn’t make things right.

“Look, I’m trying to help you. You’re getting a royal shafting, and I’m try…”

“I hate you,” Laura said.

“They’re railroading you. They’ll fry you unless you let me help you.”

“I can still taste your shit in my mouth,” Laura said, “I’ll never get rid of it.”