Asia

Returning to the kitchen, I sat down, picked up my fork and began playing with my salad. I had no appetite at all between the nerves and the drinks. Thankfully, Marc didn't seem to notice. He kept up a running conversation about the day's work, which I tuned in on occasionally, but mostly it disinterested me. Then I caught Nick's name and my ears perked up.

"He told me he didn't think I had any right to say what Asia could do or whom Asia could see and that he would see her if he wanted to one way or another. Well I told him that was going to be interesting since she's living in my house and he's not welcome there anymore. You should have seen it. It was so funny! His mouth just kinda dropped open. Then he asked me if you knew about this and I told him of course, we always discuss these things. He said he didn't believe me and that he would check with you himself. I told him he wasn't to be bothering the women over here, they were my responsibility, not his, and if I caught him over here, I would have him arrested for trespassing. He said that was fine with him, he just wanted to verify that you felt the same way. It didn't sound like you to him. That's when I really blew him away and told him that if he wanted to be that big a troublemaker he could just find himself another job, too," he ended with a laugh. "But wouldn't you know not an hour after he cleared his tools out these two guys came in looking for work. Been mechanics all their lives, one is 23, the other is 28 and they have experience car racing! Started them right then. They look like they're going to work out alright, too," he crowed.

Marc peered closely at her trying to get a fix on how she really felt, not how she was trying to appear, but she seemed fine. Evidently the drinks were doing the job because she looked as calm as could be.

"Well I'm glad everything worked out for the best. Gee, you ended up with two good mechanics instead of one. How lucky can you be?" she asked with a smile.

He smiled back at her and spontaneously leaned in and gave her a kiss on the tip of her nose. He cleaned his plate and she cleared his place for him.

"Do you want another drink, honey, or something else? I'd like to stay in here a bit. I want to tell you about my day, too," she said resolutely.

"Sure, I'll take another drink," adding as she walked away, "so you had an interesting day, too, did you."

"Yes and I'm sure it'll interest you, too." She came back with their drinks and sat down. "Asia and I went to visit the Community Center I found. It's an Indonesian Community Center. They have a lot of activities there so everyone can find something just right for them."

She was talking a little fast to get out as much as she could before he exploded but to her amazement, he was just sitting there calmly listening.

"I found some that were just right for meeting our needs, honey. It will save us so much time, effort and energy as well as make Asia more useful to us. The program director, Budi, suggested two programs one after the other. The first one is necessary before taking the other one, and that would be finishing her English. He talked with her for about half an hour and guess what her real name is? It's Tuti, isn't that pretty?"

She went on to tell him the rest of her story as Budi related it to her. Marc continued to sit and just listen. Candy thought she was in heaven. He didn't look like he was holding back anything to spring out later. This was too wonderful. Was it just that Nick was such a threat to him?

"The second program he suggested is one that helps them study for their Citizenship exam. That way she will be legal and no chance of our getting in any kind of trouble! Isn't that wonderful! She could even go to work and bring some money in, or stay home and study and keep house while I write. I don't know, but the possibilities are endless!" Now she was grasping at straws but it was getting unnerving the way he wasn't reacting at all. "What do you think baby?"

Marc took a drink, looked down at his hands, turned them over, looked at the other side, and then put them down.

"Don't I make a good enough living anymore?" he asked.

"Well of course you do, sweetheart. I didn't mean to imply that..." she started.

"You already have her learning English and doing a real good job of it, too. I don't see why you need someone else coming in at this late stage messing her all up. And I know for a fact they do not make citizens out of hookers and that's exactly what she was when we found her and basically, she still is. I don't think you need to be going to this Center. They don't have anything for you that you don't already have." And with that, he got up from the table and went to the couch to watch TV.

Candy's heart sunk. She thought it was going so well, she should have known better. But really, it was the first time ever he had sat and listened all the way through to something she had to say before shooting it down. Well she wasn't going to get belligerent and state that she was going to the Center anyway, so she just got ready for bed and took her book out to read. Tuti came in and curled up next to her on top of the bed.

"Marc said no," she stated sadly.

"Yes, honey, he did," Candy answered.

CHAPTER TEN

The next day started like any other except at 9:30 sharp Candy called, "Tuti, come on, let's go." She stood by the door purse in hand as Tuti came hurrying in to see what was going on.

"Where we going?" she asked.

"Same as yesterday. Come on, hurry," Candy rushed.

Tuti didn't quite understand all of that so she looked very concerned as she got in the car.

"Tuti, do you know what 'secret' means?" Candy asked. Tuti shook her head no. "It means you know something but you never tell anyone. Understand?" Candy looked over as she nodded her head yes but she didn't look convincing.

"Remember when you and Nick got me a present?" Tuti nodded vigorously up and down. That had been a new experience for her with ribbons and bows. "You couldn't tell me what was in it could you. It was shhhh," she held her finger to her lips. "That's like a secret only without the present. You can't tell something."

Candy looked over at her and caught her with her eyebrows drawn together in concentration like she just may have it, almost, maybe. They were almost there. One last try.

"We are going to the Community Center. Now you know Marc will be very angry," Tuti's eyes widened and her mouth became an O, "so we aren't going to tell him. No talk to Marc about the Center. Understand?"

She looked directly at her as she put the car in park in the Center's lot.

Tuti, her voice barely above a whisper said, "Yes, no I won't," looking scared to death.

Candy suppressed a smile at her answer and added, "You know how mad he will be if we tell, so we can't tell. All right?" Tuti nodded solemnly.

"Lets go learn English," Candy said as she opened her door.

Tuti caught up beside her and grasped her hand scared now that she knew the danger involved. Budi was inside the building this time.

"Good morning ladies," he said first in English then repeating it to Tuti who smiled in return.

"How do you want to do this?" Candy inquired looking around at the neatly arranged furniture and carefully labeled relief boxes stacked along one wall.

"I set up my office," gesturing to a room off to one side, "with the books and slides I use where we won't have any distractions. Your welcome to wait out here of course, but it will be a couple of hours if you have some errands you would like to run and then come back," he said kindly.

"I think I'll do that if Tuti's comfortable with it. If I get back too early I'll just wait out here. Listen Budi, while I'm thinking about it, did you find out how old she is when you talked with her yesterday?"

Budi turned to Tuti and after conferring with her briefly smiled at Candy and said, "She is perfectly comfortable with your leaving and coming back. And on the matter of her age, today happens to be her birthday!"

"Oh my! So she is what, 19?" Candy asked.

"No, she is 16 today."

Candy doesn't know how she got out of there and was fairly certain she wasn't able to hide her shock and shame. Marc had lied to her. More subterfuge. Could it be that the old man lied to him and he believed it? No, Marc was used to dealing with all sorts and wouldn't be taken in. For that matter the whole story could be false.

She didn't know where she was heading until she pulled into his driveway. She needed to see Nick. The one, the oldest, friend she could trust to be straight with her. Before she could close her car door he was at the front door holding the screen door open welcoming her.

'Be careful now. Don't say too much. He's still your husband,' she told herself as she walked up to the porch. Nick opened his arms as she reached the door and she walked right into them for a big hug.

"Come in Candy. Would you join me for some coffee?" he asked lifting his mug for emphasis.

"Yes, that sounds lovely," she sighed setting her purse down and looking around.

She hadn't been in Nick's house since she helped him measure for, and then hang, draperies some seven or eight years ago. He was very neat for a bachelor, for anybody as far as that goes. She perched on the edge of the couch as if she had to leave any second.

"I'm relieved you came by," he called from the kitchen. "I've been debating all morning going against Marc's demand that I stay away and come by to see you today. I suppose he told you what took place yesterday," he finished as he came in, setting a cup of coffee down in front of her. Cream, no sugar. Real friends know how you take your coffee.

"He told me the version he wanted me to hear. I'm so sorry you lost your job over it. Why were you ruffling his feathers about him not being able to say what Tuti does or who she sees? You of all people..."

"Tuti? Who's that?"

"Oh, I need to catch you up!" Candy proceeded to tell him about going to the Center, the story of her life and the two programs they set up for her.

"And Marc agreed to this?" Nick asked incredulous.

"No," she shook her head sadly. "He came up with some lame excuses that he set down as law and that was that."

"Where is Asia, I mean Tuti, did you leave her at home?"

"No, she's at the Center having her first lesson. We learned what a secret is today and we are keeping this a secret from Marc," she answered with a smile. Nick burst out laughing.

"What are you going to do now, Nick? Do you have a line on a possible job? I just hate that this has come between our friendship. It's not going to be the same around the house without my favorite mooch, not to mention race nights," she stressed. She glanced at her watch. "I better get going. I have to pick up a cake and presents yet. Did I tell you today is Tuti's birthday?" she relayed excitedly.

"Oh I'm so sorry I'm going to miss that! If you get the opportunity, tell her Happy Birthday from me. How old is she now, 19?" he asked smoothly.

"Aren't you the slick one," she chided. "No, she's turning 16. I was right all along about how old she is. I'm very disillusioned by Marc these days," she said as she stood up. "Nick, I'll keep in touch the best I can. Marc may shed his friendship but I don't have to and won't," she said giving him a hug goodby.

"I'm still gonna miss you Candy. And Tuti," he answered with a tear in his eye.

Candy did her shopping and just made it back on time to pick up Tuti. She ran out of the building to meet her, a big grin on her face, hair flying back, "Hello Candy. I missed you," she said flawlessly.

"Oh, my, Tuti, that is perfect! I'm so proud of you!" Candy gushed.

Budi came from behind a pleased look on his face. "You've done well with her so far. You set the groundwork which will make the rest easy. This shouldn't take long at all if you can bring her every day." They agreed to meet again tomorrow and were on their way home.

Tuti chattered the whole way trying out, seemingly, all the English words she knew. Once home Candy put her to work vacuuming and dusting her room so she could stash the birthday things.

She wondered what Marc would do to ruin the evening this time. She didn't care if he blustered, she was having a little birthday celebration and he wasn't talking Tuti away from it either.

She started dinner, Tuti's favorite spaghetti and meatballs, but when she was finished Marc still wasn't home. The way he'd been acting she took that to be a blessing and decided not to wait for him. Wrapping a dish for him and setting it aside in the refrigerator she called Tuti in for dinner. Tuti dived into her dinner in a most unladylike way looking up at Candy with a smile as well as red sauce on her face. Wiping the sauce off Tuti's face Candy asked her if she knew what "birthday" meant and then spent the rest of the meal teaching her that and her age. By the end of dinner when Candy brought out the cake with sixteen lit candles singing "Happy Birthday to You", Tuti laughed and clapped her hands. They both blew out the candles and they each ate a slice. Candy didn't think Tuti could smile any bigger but when she left and brought in the brightly wrapped gifts her eyes grew bright and round and her mouth formed a big O.

She set them down in front of her and told her, "Go ahead, Tuti. Open them up." She started with the biggest one and unwrapped a large, stuffed Panda bear. She gave him a big hug and started crying. Once Candy assured herself they were tears of joy she encouraged her to open the others by handing her another one. This one was a portable CD player with headphones. She showed her how to use it and Tuti was enthralled. The rest of her gifts were CD's for her player. While she was busy playing her music Candy cleaned up the kitchen in case Marc came in, putting the wrapping paper in the garbage and the dishes in the dishwasher. When she was done she went to the living room to make herself a drink. Tuti followed her giving her a big hug.

"Thank you for my presents," she said.

"Oh, you are so welcome, and Happy 16th Birthday, Tuti," she squeezed back.

Just then the dogs started barking. Candy and Tuti looked at each other, then Tuti quickly took her gifts in her room and came back out looking toward the door. Marc came through the front door a moment later with a voluptuous blonde woman in a short, red halter-top dress hanging from him. They were both quite drunk and laughing raucously. When they realized they were being stared at they hushed, looked up, looked at each other, and then cracked up again. Stumbling over to the couch they fell back in unison.

"Candy, this is Brea. She's staying the night. Make us a drink, will you. Brea, this is Asia I was telling you about. I think the three of us will have fun together. Could be four, but if I know my Candy she'll back out." He said the last real nasty, making Candy flush with anger.

Candy made two very weak drinks and handed them to Marc and Brea. "Where did you two meet, Brea?" she asked.

"It was outside the Kit Kat Klub. Marc was just coming out and I usually hang there on the corner," Brea replied nonchalantly.

Taking one of Brea's breasts in hand Marc said, "This is why I picked her out. Look at the size of that! So different from what we have around here. That and the blond hair versus black hair and complexions, I wish we had a video camera!" he said excitedly, laughing.

Candy wanted desperately to diffuse this situation but didn't know how without angering Marc.

"Tuti has had a long day and I was just getting ready to send her to bed," she said quietly.

"Her name is Asia," he said dangerously low.

"No, the man who spoke with her at the Center said her name is Tuti Hasan and she turned 16 today," Candy shared quietly. She waited for him to blow up, but Brea spoke first.

"Well that calls for a celebration! Give the girl a drink! I wish I had a present for her."

"You'll give her a present honey, in a little while," Marc said eyeing Candy darkly.

Tuti just looked from one to the other of them in trepidation. Candy didn't see any way out of this. Turning and looking directly at Marc she said clearly, "Marc, I don't like this and I want it to stop."

"I know you don't Candy, but I am surprised you finally had the balls to say so." Turning to Brea he suggested, "Hey, lets watch some porn flicks!"

Hopping up he got a tape and pushed it into the player. Sitting back on the couch Marc patted the seat next to him and called, "Come sit Asia, uh Tuti."

As they watched, Brea put her hand on Marc's leg and began stroking it higher and higher. Marc played with both girls breasts freeing them from the confinements of their clothing. Eventually Brea got down to give Marc a blowjob and pulled Tuti down to help her. Candy got up and made herself another drink taking it into the kitchen. At least it looked like Marc was going to be civil and not hurt anyone.

Bang! Crash!

"What was that?" Candy rushed to the living room door.

"It's no big deal, honey. It happens to everyone once in awhile," Brea whined. "Give me a while and I'll get it up."

The TV was on its side, the VCR even further across the room. Tuti was cowered in the corner crouched on all fours.

"Not to me it doesn't. Get out! Get out now!" Marc hollered.

"You still owe me even if you can't get it up you asshole, and I'm not leaving without it," Brea yelled no longer wheedling. Marc retrieved his pants, took out a wad of bills and shoved them into her hand. She hurried out the door not even taking time to count them.

Tuti hadn't budged. Candy went over and helped her up coaxing her to her room and to bed while Marc was preoccupied. 'What an end to her wonderful birthday party,' Candy thought to herself turning out the light.

Back in the living room she started picking up the dumped over furnishings and knick knacks.

"I've made a mess of it, haven't I," Marc said quietly.

Not knowing if he meant the room or their marriage Candy played it safe and didn't answer.

"I should have never brought that girl home, she's been nothing but trouble."

He took a swig from the bottle of Jack Daniels he'd taken from behind the bar.

"It'll all look better in the morning," she said kissing him lightly on the cheek. "I'm going to bed."

"I've got to get rid of her," he muttered as if he hadn't heard her.

Candy got ready and climbed into bed grateful things had ended as quietly as they had. Her marriage was a shambles. First bringing home a young girl for a live-in threesome, then never having that threesome but just the two of them, then bringing home a hooker for a threesome with the live-in. She was nothing but the housekeeper and treated with no respect whatsoever. It is time to go. Tomorrow she would pack and leave with Tuti. She would see what arrangements the Center might be able to make for Tuti.
CHAPTER ELEVEN

A sudden scream broke into her thoughts. Then another that was stifled suddenly. Candy jumped from the bed and flew down the hall. She could hear thumping noises. A glance into the living room told her it was empty.

She tugged at Tuti's door calling, "Tuti, Tuti, are you all right? Marc, are you in there? What's wrong? What's going on?"

The door was locked and pushing on it with her shoulder all she could wouldn't budge it. She leaned with her ear against it but all she could hear was smothered crying and thumping like a ball bounced off the wall interjected with smothered cries once in awhile. She slumped to the floor crying herself.

"Marc, please, no, please let me in. Don't Marc, please, please."

She could feel the terror in those cries and feel the shame because that was her husband inflicting it on her. It seemed like hours but finally the doorknob turned and Marc came out stepping over her and closed the door behind him. She started to go in.