Constructions

Author's note: The story of Laura's and Tommy's relationship thus far is covered in

"Laura's Fire", published in the Romance category

"Being Free Together", published in Lesbian Sex category

"Love Thy Neighbor", published in Exhibitionist and Voyeurism category

"Breaking Up And Making Up", published in the Romance category

This is an independent sequel but reading at least "Laura's Fire" and "Breaking Up And Making Up" first might be a good idea.

All comments and ratings are greatly appreciated.

-#-#-#-#-#-

This was their biggest house yet. Or Tommy's. He was shining with pride when he walked her through it, and she could understand why.

It was an old wooden house, three storeys high, and held three apartments. He led her from one spacey sunlight filled room to the next and explained that this had belonged to an old man, who had rented it out but let it gradually go to ruin when he was too old to do the repairs himself and too cheap to pay anyone for it. Now he had finally decided to sell and Tommy had gotten it at a reasonable price.

Laura could see his head brimming with ideas. She smiled, he was so cute when he was enthusing about something like this. She could almost see into his mind, see his plans realized, and she knew this was going to be fabulous.

She could also see they would be here for a while.

She didn't mind. She was a writer and could work from anywhere, and this hillside lot facing the Pacific was certainly doable. They had ventured southwards to escape winter, and this far south it felt distant to even think about snow and sleet. The house had a sizable lot, and due to its age surrounding trees had grown quite big. It was a shame there weren't two that were close enough for a hammock, she thought as she looked out of a second storey window. Then again the fence around the lot wasn't high enough for any hanky panky in the garden.

"Can we make this our room?" she asked and turned to face Tommy.

"I thought of one on the first floor," said Tommy. He came to where she was standing and wrapped his arms around her. "But this works, as well. So yeah, if you wish."

It turned out the one she had picked had morning sun shining into their eyes so they relocated to the one he had picked. They went around buying cheap second hand furniture to meet their immediate needs and settled down. Tommy spent some time planning as this was the biggest renovation project he'd had yet and he needed to think about the correct order of proceeding. Laura had her hands full trying to finish a script. She was a former librarian turned writer, and her niche was erotic literature. She'd been proposed to do a filmatisation of her stories and instead of selling any one of them out she wanted to see if she could write one just for cinema in mind.

The neighborhood was nice, a little rough around the edges but not by any means a slum. Laura liked the view of the ocean and spent hours lounging in the garden and looking at it. She thought Tommy must be pretty well off by now for him to afford this, no matter how shabby the house was. Then again it made some sort of sense. They'd been doing this for years now, moving from place to place when Tommy bought a house for renovating and then sold it at a higher price. In the beginning Laura had participated in the purchases if Tommy couldn't afford the whole sum, but it had been years since their last joint venture.

He handled the houses and she wrote. That was the division of their roles, and it worked out just splendidly. She helped with jobs that required more than one person to do and they discussed her work, but it was clear who was the deciding member in each.

—#—#—#—#—#—

Three weeks later they woke up in the middle of the night with the bed shaking under them. They both jolted up, alarmed, and reached for each other in the darkness. The ground settled shortly, but the house groaned and moaned around them, and there was a distant and alarming crackling sound from somewhere above.

"Come on, Laura, we have to get out," said Tommy and pulled her to her feet. "I don't think it's safe here."

They grabbed some clothes and blankets and retreated outside. The house was beautiful in the moonlight. They stood looking at it and waiting for something, maybe for it to theatrically collapse in a pile of dust and rubble. Nothing happened. Tommy made them sleep outside that night regardless, he had strung up a hammock between one of the trees and the shed just days earlier and they curled into it with a blanket. It was a tight fit but they held each other close and it was cozy.

"I'll have a look at it tomorrow," Tommy said. "Maybe it's nothing. But I have to make sure."

"Do you have insurance on the house?" asked Laura.

"Luckily I do," Tommy said. "Cost me an arm and a leg but now I'm happy I didn't stall taking care of it. Didn't remember about the quakes, though, but I think they're covered in it. I'll have to check that tomorrow as well."

"And I can go around looking for accommodation for us," said Laura. "Just in case."

"So you don't want to move out here with me?" he asked and rubbed his cheek against her forehead.

"Maybe I do," she said and tilted her head to kiss him. "We need a place for making love, though."

Tommy laughed. "Just sleep now, love," he said.

-#-#-#-#-#-

The house did have some structural damage. Tommy found a company to help him make it safe again, but they were overbooked after the earthquake, others had beat him to it and he had to wait for two months before they could start on his house. He considered looking elsewhere but suspected other companies were just as busy. It had been a substantial quake.

Laura found them quarters on the same street. There was a house that was similar in style to theirs but smaller, and there was a hand written sign stating "rooms to let". The landlady turned out to be a small and mousey hispanic looking lady in her fifties but looking like she was in her seventies. Her name was Maria. By some stroke of luck her house was intact after the earthquake, and she showed Laura around. She seemed timid, she was short and slim and didn't talk much. She had a room available on the second floor, above the kitchen, and Laura remarked it faced away from the morning sun so it was probably just right for them.

"I think we'll take it," she said and smiled.

"You and...?" Maria said, clearly reserved.

"Me and my man Tommy. Didn't I mention it before?"

Maria hesitated but nodded her head. Laura wondered if she would've even let her in if she'd told her upright that she wasn't looking for room only for herself.

They moved in and started to wait for Tommy's building to be fixed.

-#-#-#-#-#-

One day Laura found Tommy sitting in the garden, looking at his house. He was sitting on a small wooden box and had his arms around his knees. There was something resigned in his posture and Laura stopped beside him.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"I got a call from the insurance company," he said and averted his eyes from the house to look at her. "They're not going to pay as much as I thought. And the building company called and it's gonna cost more than I thought."

"Ah-ha," said Laura and kneeled down on the ground. Tommy looked at the house again and there was a look of despair on his face.

"I was wondering whether it would be better to just tear it down," he said. "I could probably get a permit to build a bigger house. It might even pay off handsomely in the end. But I really love this house. They don't make them like this anymore."

He looked at her. "And I would need a loan. And I don't know if any bank is gonna grant me one."

He had a criminal past and it would probably lower his chances.

"All my money is in this house, Laura. This house and this lot. I can't just walk away."

She wrapped her arms around him and they looked at the house together.

"So what would you want to do?" she asked.

"I would like to fix the house," he said. "But it's gonna take a long time. And maybe more money than I have. I won't have anything coming in while it's being done, you know. So maybe I should get a job or something."

"But how would you fix the house if you'd have a job elsewhere?" she asked. "I'll give you the money. If I have enough."

They looked at each other.

"But we haven't mixed our finances so far," he said.

"We did in the beginning, remember? I'd buy part of the house when you didn't have enough."

"Oh right," he said. "So you did."

She looked at the house and stroked his back slowly.

"And maybe we should merge our finances," she said. "We've got this life together, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to pool our assets."

"You wanna get married or something?" he asked with a smirk. "Walk down the aisle in a white whipped cream dress?"

She laughed. "No, no need for that, although I'd gladly take the happily ever after," she said. "And maybe it's better if all my money isn't tied up in the same place as yours, or we'd both be looking for jobs right now. But whatever I have is yours to use, that's all I'm saying. So keep your house, fix it, I don't care how long it takes. I rather like it here."

"So you believe in my vision?" he asked and their eyes met.

"I believe in you, you oaf," she said. "Although sometimes I think you're a bit dim. You know, I share my life with you, I'd do anything to make you happy. I'll give you all my money if it'd make you happy. It's not what's important."

They kissed slowly. They were still on the rebound from their earlier breakup, the anguish of it lingered even after months. It made everything a bit sweeter, and Laura hoped his house would be habitable as soon as possible. They did make love in their current lodgings, but it was better with just them in the house, when they didn't have to try and be quiet. They didn't know how well noises carried in Maria's house, because they seemed to be the only ones ever talking there, and they didn't want to disturb anyone.

Maria was very quiet and timid and never spoke to Tommy. She had a son, Devon, who was about ten, and he was small and scrawny and blended into the walls. There was one more room that was inhabited, but Laura and Tommy didn't even know who lived there, they had never seen anyone coming out or going in. Maria's room was next to theirs, the others up another flight of stairs.

Maria had been aghast when she found out Tommy liked cooking and was usually the one to do it in their household. She was way too timid to object, though, and their lease didn't come with a full upkeep and so she didn't have much choice but to let him cook. Tommy had offered to cook for the whole household while he was at it, and Maria had objected. He did it anyway and while they didn't all eat together the food that was left by Tommy and Laura always vanished before the next morning.

-#-#-#-#-#-

Maria's house wasn't in very good shape even without the earthquake damage. Tommy, being bored with nothing to do, suggested he could fix some of the most pressing flaws. Maria was hesitant but eventually agreed. Tommy made himself busy, painting this and tinkling that. Maria didn't have supplies to do all the fixes and Tommy didn't ask, he just discreetly got them himself and didn't mention it to her. They didn't know but had a feeling Maria was living on social security, and their rent money seemed to be more than welcome.

Devon took to hanging around Tommy when he wasn't in school. He would seemingly accidentally just happen to be in the room Tommy was working in, and for a while neither of them acknowledged the presence of the other. Once they were fixing the windowsill in the kitchen when Laura happened to be there and she got to follow their interaction.

It was intriguing. Tommy didn't look at Devon nor talk to him, and yet he seemed to know exactly where the boy was in the room. He would do the work slowly, showing Devon what he was doing and how, and making sure he just happened to be in a position where he didn't block Devon's view. Devon radiated concentration.

It was Saturday, and after Tommy was done with the windowsill he cooked lunch. He set the table for three without mentioning it, and to Laura's surprise Devon sat down and ate the food he put in front of him without any comment.

Laura looked at him and then at Tommy, and she thought they looked alike. Tommy's hair was dark and Devon's was thicker and jet black, but both had tousled mop that stood up on the top. She drowned her smile in her glass of water.

After he had eaten the boy got up and fidgeted by the door. Then he cleared his throat and without looking at much of anything he said, "Was there more of that molding? I was thinking about fixing my window as well."

"In the garage," Tommy said without looking at him.

The boy left the room and Tommy turned towards Laura. "Wanna go for a ride with me?"

"Sure, why not," she said and got up to clean the table.

Tommy drove to the nearest hardware store and bought more molding. Laura watched and wondered.

"Why didn't you say it was all out? Devon's probably been looking for it since lunch."

"Because he wouldn't take it if I bought it for him," Tommy said.

He took the moldings to the small barn at the yard and got out the lawnmower. Laura sat on the stairs, she wanted to see how this would turn out.

Devon came and looked at Tommy working.

"Did you find the moldings?" Tommy asked offhandedly while mowing past him.

"No," he said. "Must've ran out."

"Oh, wait, it could've been in the barn," Tommy said. "Let me see."

They both went inside the barn and then Devon came out, carrying the moldings.

"Need something else?" Tommy asked. "I think I left the hammer and nails in the kitchen."

Devon looked at him, then at the barn, and Laura could spot the moment when he realized. He must've searched the barn when they'd been gone, and now the sudden appearance of woodware made the dots connect for him. He narrowed his eyes when he looked at Tommy. Tommy went back to mowing the lawn and didn't look at him anymore.

Devon let it slide and just went inside. Moments later Laura could hear faint hammering from where his room was.

-#-#-#-#-#-

Laura received an invitation to meet her publisher in Chicago. Tommy traveled along since there was still nothing he could do regarding his house. They had a wonderful few days rolling around in their vast hotel bed and ordering from room service. It felt like a holiday even with all her business meetings regarding the filmatisation she was working on, and they returned to San Francisco feeling rested and happy.

Maria startled and cowered away from them when they came in through the kitchen door. They exchanged a look, this was unusually nervous behaviour even for her. They knew Tommy made her apprehensive and so he proceeded to take their suitcase up to their room while Laura approached Maria.

"Is everything alright?" she asked. "You seem nervous."

She turned Maria to face her and gasped. She had been beaten up, she had a black eye and a busted lip. She eyed her and her eyes darted towards the door and back.

Tommy came back downstairs.

"Someone's been through our stuff," he said. He didn't sound angry but he wasn't pleased, either.

Maria cleared her throat and said, very quietly, "It was Hector. He's been released."

"Hector's your husband?" Laura asked.

"My...man," she whispered.

"Need to go to the hospital?" Laura asked. Maria shook her head just like Laura had guessed she would do. She exchanged another look with Tommy.

"Okay then," Laura said. "Do we need to look for other lodgings now?"

"It might be the best," Maria whispered. "Although we could use the money. But with Hector here it might be for the best."

They didn't see Hector for the rest of the night. The next day Tommy didn't want Laura to stay in the house alone, and so she packed up her laptop and joined Tommy on their lot. They went out for dinner, and when they got back around 9 PM they had the questionable pleasure to meet their new landlord.

Hector wasn't a large man but he was sinowy and vicious. He looked like a terrier, and there was an intense glare in his blood shot eyes. He was sitting in the kitchen, his feet on the table, drinking beer. He didn't cast another glance at Laura, but Tommy he took in slowly and thoroughly, letting his eyes linger on the tattoos on his arms.

"Good evening," said Tommy. "Hector, right?"

He nodded and gestured towards another chair beside the table. Tommy sat down, and Laura sat beside him despite not being asked.

"Woman! Beer!" shouted Hector. Laura startled at the sound, but apparently his order wasn't meant for her. Maria hurried in and got a beer from the fridge and offered it to Tommy. Tommy looked at her, then at Laura, and then he accepted the bottle and turned back to Hector.

"Thanks for letting us stay in your house," he said.

"Yeah, what brings you here?" Hector asked.

"I renovate houses. That's what we do. We buy a house, renovate it, sell it for a profit, move on. Only this time I stroke shit instead of gold when my house got busted in the earthquake earlier. That's why we can't stay there like we usually do."

Hector nodded slowly as if he was pondering Tommy's words.

"So, you still gonna fix the house?" he asked.

"Have to, all my fucking money's in it," said Tommy.

"Interested in something on the side?" Hector asked.

"Nah," said Tommy. "I'm done with all that."

He didn't elaborate and neither did Hector. There was a tangible tension between them. Tommy's demeanor wasn't like he usually was. He seemed bigger and bulkier, he was swearing more, he didn't acknowledge Laura's or Maria's presence in any way. Laura was intrigued, she guessed this was some sort of a male dominance play, and she'd never seen this side of Tommy before.

Hector moved to lower his legs from the table and before Laura could register what happened his arm was stretched towards Tommy and Tommy's hand was around his wrist. He looked at Hector and increased the squeeze until Hector dropped the blade. It fell clattering on the table.

"We'll move out tomorrow," Tommy said. His voice was low and level, like nothing extraordinary had happened. Hector met his gaze and didn't react even when Tommy held him so tightly now his knuckles were white and it had to hurt. Laura wondered if Tommy would break his wrist.

"Nah, you can stay if you wanna," Hector said. "Could use the money."

Tommy nodded and let go so fast Hector swayed a little. Laura could see the marks of Tommy's hand around his wrist before he snatched up the blade and made it vanish as fast as he'd drawn it. Hector got up, stretched, spat on the floor and walked outside. They heard a car door slam and the engine roar as he swerved away from the yard.

For a moment it was very silent. Tommy sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"How long?" he asked Maria, who was still cowering by the fridge.

"What?" she squeaked.

"How long has he usually stayed out?" Tommy asked. "I mean out of prison."

"Not...not that long," Maria said. "A few months tops."

Tommy sighed. "I'm not happy about this," he said to Laura. "I think he won't touch you. But I think we should still move out. And I don't want you here alone."

He thought, sipping his beer.

"He associated with some gang?" he asked Maria. "Didn't see any insignia."

"No," Maria said. "Not really. Just...co-operating."

"Thought so," Tommy said. Then he looked straight at Maria. "I'm sorry I can't help you. Does he hit the kids?"

Maria had a look like a deer in the headlights, but she just stood in place despite looking like she wanted to flee.

"Usually no," she whispered. "They stay out of his way."

Tommy nodded. "I think I wanna go sleep now," he said to Laura. "You still wanna eat or something?"