Love and Fortune Ch. 07

"Best girlfriends ever." Ben gave one last thankful smile to the two women, then stood and headed toward the house, pulling up his cousin's number from his contacts app as he walked. When he got to his bedroom upstairs, he left the door half-closed behind him, then sat on the bed and listened to the ringing. It wasn't long before Belle picked up.

"Ben? Hey!" His cousin sounded just as buoyantly cheerful as he remembered. "Oh, wow. Been a minute."

"Sure has, Belle." An immediate smile spread across his face as he replied. He liked his cousin genuinely -- of all his relatives, she was easily closest with him. His mother's sister's only child, Isabelle had lived nearby for much of his childhood. She'd been like a sister and a best friend over many of his childhood years, and the two had become confidantes over time, sharing their deepest secrets and greatest triumphs.

When Ben had been in high school, Belle had confessed to him that she was a lesbian. He'd been the first person to hear that revelation. Her coming out had been a big step for his cousin; he'd been proud of her bravery. He'd been equally proud of her when, later -- right as she was about to graduate from college -- she had announced she was going to spend the next few years traveling overseas, helping build communities, schools, and hospitals in developing parts of the world. Ben's whole family had been impressed, but in no way surprised. Even growing up, Belle had been outspoken about helping the needy, and handy with a set of tools to boot. With her bright attitude, endless drive, and sharp, empathetic nature, Ben had always known that his cousin was destined for great things.

They'd stayed in touch somewhat throughout the time she'd been away: a postcard here, a selfie there. He'd seen pictures of her in Bangladesh, smiling with friends and helping to rebuild a home damaged by storm winds. She'd posted updates about work in Sierra Leone and Senegal, where she'd helped the locals develop wells that provided freshwater. From South Sudan, she'd sent photos with women from a village she'd helped.

Over time, though, it seemed she had disappeared -- perhaps, he'd once thought, having found some kind of ultimate happiness in her travels. That had seemed a good enough outcome for him, so he'd left it at that in his mind and been happy for her.

Until, of course, she had mailed him the very bracelet that had changed his life.

"Doing well over there?" he casually asked. "In... where was it now? Kenya?"

"Yep, not far from Nairobi." She had a familiar twinge of pride in her voice; Ben could picture her smiling, with those familiar dimples on her freckled cheeks. "It's beautiful here. Not at all the way the news tends to paint it. Yeah, there's a share of poverty -- but there's also a lot of hardworking, caring, intelligent, and beautiful people. I've met some amazing souls who've shown me a lot about their culture. And about myself."

"Are you enjoying the work?" Ben asked. "You were... helping build a brand-new community, you said last time we chatted?"

"Oh, definitely." She went on to talk about her volunteer work -- how she'd spent the past year and a half there in Kenya, joining with other activists and builders and workers to erect homes, roads, farms, and water systems in an enclosed, rural spot. The way she described her job was like nothing Ben had expected; it was so much more than the mere work he'd imagined, but instead a complex interplay of tasks, responsibilities, and... above all, relationships.

"Everyone here pitches in," she told him. "We pick out tasks that fit our skillsets. There are lots of locals here, but lots from around the world too -- some I met on jobs in other countries. We just kept bumping into each other everywhere. Guess it's a small world, huh? Anyway, we really do feel like we're part of something bigger here. We're all equals, too, and it shows. Some days, I'm putting down tile; some days I'm painting houses. I'm teaching English to a few local women. Even learned a little Swahili in my downtime... comes in handy when I've gotta translate paperwork. I don't mind any of it."

"Sounds amazing, Belle," he told her honestly. He could tell she was happy, really happy, doing what she was doing, and her optimism was infectious. "It's incredible how much of an impact you've made."

She was glad for his praise. "Thanks, Ben. And thanks for asking. You know, to be honest -- I haven't told this to anybody else yet, but I'm really starting to feel like this is where I belong. I'm... settling, I guess you could say. All this time, building this place up from the ground? It's changed me. I can't imagine doing anything else, or being anywhere else. I just have this feeling like I could stay here forever. Make it a real home, you know?"

It was quite the revelation, but Ben wasn't entirely surprised to hear it. The travel bug seemed to have bitten her long ago; now, to discover a place where she felt she could truly make a difference, and a sense of belonging? He knew there was only one response to her statement: total support.

"Hey, if that's what you're feeling, then I'm going to give you all the thumbs up I can. Follow your heart, Belle. No one could ever doubt that it's led you right so far." He smirked to himself. "So, this place. It's locals and volunteers alike? Are the others going to settle down, too?"

"Plenty, yeah. I think we're all too damn attached to leave." She laughed warmly. "The locals love us, too. Hey, call it a commune, or whatever you want. Really, it's just... this amazing collective of people. It feels right to stay."

Ben laughed lightly. "I bet everyone there is absolutely smitten with you."

She returned his laughter merrily. "Oh, in a way, yes. We're tight-knit. Ah, and you'd love the location. Gorgeous land all around us... forests, water, beautiful skies. You'd really find this place amazing, I bet you anything."

Ben leaned back onto the mattress. "Not gonna argue that," he said simply. "Sounds like you landed right where you belong. Speaking of which..."

He eyed his wooden bracelet, the gift from Belle that had altered everything. All that news of Belle's good fortune, and he hadn't even begun to tell her his side of the story -- let alone thank her for what she'd given him. The longer he waited, the more absurd it felt not to reveal all.

"Remember that bracelet you mailed me? You aren't going to believe this, but thanks to that? I might have ended up in a pretty similar spot."

"Oh!" Belle seemed to perk right up. "I was waiting for you to mention that. You've been wearing it? Has it brought along anything... interesting?"

Ben opened his mouth, then closed it, then laughed. "Is 'interesting' the word for it?"

"Try me."

Where even to begin? Ben hesitated a moment -- but then caved, and told his cousin everything that had happened. From his first fateful encounters with Aimee and Alicia and Shaheen, to the adventures he'd had at the mansion and the seven gorgeous women he now called his. He spared details about sex and wild orgies, but Belle could tell he was holding back on the juicy bits -- and her playful prodding eventually had him divulging as much as he could manage without turning beet-red.

"It's all been insane, honestly," he finally concluded. "Hardly believable, really. I mean, I didn't believe in magic before. But I can't imagine life any other way now. I don't know how to thank you for putting all of this into my reach."

He hesitated a moment then, as did Belle. A worrisome thought came back to his mind -- one he'd been suppressing since he'd first considered it yesterday. "Belle, you're not... sad or mad that you gave it away, are you? I mean, you could've had your own experiences with it, and I don't know--"

"Of course not!" His cousin seemed genuine. "God, no, Ben. Why on earth would I be sad about what you've got? You deserve it. You always have. Besides..." A short pause, and a musical chuckle. "I've got my own bracelet just like it."

Ben blinked, taken aback. "You do?"

"Of course. What, did you think I'd send off the only one I had?" His cousin laughed harder at that. "I've been wearing it a long while. I actually first found it not long after I came to Kenya. Met a shaman. Learned about a certain goddess. Guess I could say I'm a full-on convert now. Heh, and when I found out I could get another -- I knew just who deserved it most. The rest is history."

"Wow," Ben breathed, stunned and yet not stunned at all. Of course his cousin, a strong and capable and noble woman, would be the rightful owner of a bracelet of Zawadi. "You're Zawadi's devotee, too, then? Does that mean..." He added it all up in his mind. At first, the implication seemed almost ridiculous. But as he thought about it more, everything made sense. The idyllic community. The group of 'friends' she had amassed to stay with her. Her insistence on staying -- being right where she belonged.

"Yep. Got all the good luck I could ask for. Couldn't have gotten here without it. And... you know how you found yourself surrounded by adoring women? Let's just say I'm in the same boat."

Ben's lips curled into a huge, unrelenting smile. The thought of Belle at the head of her own harem made him unbelievably gleeful -- but in no way jealous. Rather, he felt a kinship. Pride. Amusement. He found himself hoping she'd fill him in about every detail of her lovers' identities in time. "Now who's the lucky one, huh?" he ribbed.

"Well, I did the selfless thing and shared it." Belle laughed again. "Got enough luck to go around. Mmm, I'm pretty well-loved here. It's great. And look at you! Don't you dare apologize, Ben. God, I'm so damn glad you got to experience what I've experienced. Having so many amazing girls doting on me... sharing my love with them... who wouldn't wanna spread that kind of good energy around?"

Ben smiled wider. "I can't argue with that." He leaned back into the bed; a warm, soothing sensation spread through him. An idea was already beginning to form, spurred by his desire, encouraged by the warm ripples coming from his bracelet. What if they all got together? Ben and Belle, his lovers and hers -- all meeting in one place, enjoying each other's company, seeing where things went?

The idea was almost overwhelming. Would that much love and passion in one area even be bearable? Yet the more he let the image sit in his mind, the more he wanted it to happen. Since he'd first put on the bracelet, no desire he'd entertained or whim he'd followed had ever led him wrong. No doubt Zawadi's blessing and the magic he wielded would find a way to make the experience nothing besides glorious.

Perhaps, even, the most magnificent experience of his life.

"Hey," he said. "This might be kind of forward to ask, but I'm... seriously curious. I'd love to know more about these women you have and this community you've built. I'd love to reconnect, too. To visit, I guess I'm saying. This place -- the people -- it all sounds amazing, and I think it'd be a shame if I didn't see it all with my own eyes. Would it be all right if I came to see you sometime?"

His cousin didn't hesitate. "I'd love to have you here, Ben. You could bring those girlfriends of yours, too. Ah, I'd get to meet them in person! How great would that be?"

"It'd really be something," he agreed, chuckling.

"I have a feeling a lot of my girls would adore you, too." Her voice trailed off coyly, leaving the implication to hang in the air. Ben loved it. "Efi. She'd be reeling to meet you; she loves new arrivals. And Ruby. She's from England. Met her on one of my volunteer jobs. You'd get along great. And so, so many more... ooh, Danae."

Ben thought he heard her voice get a little higher, a little shakier. "Hm? Everything OK there, Belle?" Then he heard an unmistakable moan.

"Oh, Danae, keep that up," he heard Belle pant, then quickly catch herself. "Sorry, sorry. Danae likes to... ah, be a damn tease. Or a distraction, in this case."

"Wait, don't tell me," Ben chuckled. "You're getting your pussy eaten right now, aren't you?"

"Ooh, and I'm loving it. Ngh, you'd love Danae. She's got a great tongue... ooh, don't stop! Ah!"

Ben couldn't help but let out a laugh of amusement. "By all means, enjoy. I'd hate to get in the way of that. Can I call you back soon? I think we've got a lot to plan."

"Mmmnnhh, yeah, just... give me a sec. Don't hang up! I'll... fuck, Danae! Just a minute, okay? Fuck!"

He waited patiently, listening as his cousin's lover worked her into a frenzy with skillful effort. Belle must have slammed the phone down onto a pillow or cushion; though muffled, her orgasmic wails still registered. Ben listened on, intrigued and amused that she'd insisted on keeping the call going, even through her climax.

"Ahh, shit." Her voice was back. "Okay. Told you Danae can be a damn distraction."

"Sounds like a pretty wonderful one." Ben's mind painted the scene in his mind: a smiling African beauty, eagerly lapping up the juices between Belle's legs. He shifted his legs as his cock throbbed in his pants. "Anyway, I think I've got a flight to Kenya in my future. Soon as possible, if I can help it. Money won't be a problem, believe me. I got involved with an heiress. Eleni -- oh, you'd definitely love her."

"Bet I would. Ah, that's perfect. I'm so excited, Ben! This is gonna be great."

"I know. Can't wait for the trip. See you then, Belle."

"Talk soon. Tell those lovely ladies of yours I said hi -- and give 'em all the love they deserve for me."

"Oh, you know I will."

They hung up. Ben remained on the bed, grinning ear to ear. He thought, not at all for the first time, about how damn lucky he was. How much his life had changed in mere days; how wonderful it was to have Zawadi in his corner; how he owed it all to Belle.

And now he knew Belle herself was equally blessed in her own right, part of the same world of magic. Zawadi's power had made sure his cousin and her companions had all found each other, and that she was perfectly satisfied where she'd landed: just as the goddess had done for himself.

He wondered how many women were in Belle's sway. More than the three she'd named, certainly. She'd been at this longer than he had. It could have been dozens.

What would it be like, to meet them all? What would happen when his own entourage mixed and mingled with Belle's? Who else would they all meet in their travels?

His heart was set: a trip to Africa was on the docket. Ben knew Eleni and the others would be on board with it -- and that the heiress would be more than capable of making it happen. All together, they had the resources. All they needed was the will. A bit of planning, a flight secured; all would be minor trifles, and then they'd be in a whole other world. There would be sights to see. Experiences to try. Delicious food, beautiful culture. All the time in the world to relax, explore, and enjoy.

And for Ben? A reunion long awaited -- with so much to share.

He couldn't wait.

It caught him unaware, but hardly in an unwelcome way, when Zawadi's presence drifted up to his mind like a lover's silken touch. He hadn't called her, but there she was. A telepathic knock, a wordlessly intoned 'may I come in?' It felt perfectly appropriate that, even in communication, the goddess of love and fortune asked for consent. Ben smiled inwardly and welcomed her into his psyche.

"There you are," he mused to his patron deity. "Thought you might have been listening."

"Planning something, are we?" the goddess teased. "You're diving in fast, my devotee. One day knowing me by name, and you're already itching to make a pilgrimage to my homeland."

"Well," he thought back, mirth in his mind's voice. "Fast has kind of become my style."

"Fast is my style, too, darling. You've caught on to that already." A musical, tittering laugh. "And I know you'll make me proud. Go forth, Ben. I'll eagerly await guiding you through my ancestral land. Mmm, my energies are strongest there. Wait until you feel it. Your senses will dance like never before."

The promise was more than tempting. Ben found a whole new eagerness welling up inside him, bolstered by a wave of positive energy that fluttered out of his bracelet. It was that now-familiar sign that he was on the right path -- and he'd long since learned to trust in the magic of the goddess.

"May your journeys be swift and your destination rich," Zawadi's parting blessing came. "May love and luck be yours along the way. And..."

A brush of cool lips touched his neck. He turned swiftly, almost startled. Had one of his women snuck up, impossibly, to his side? No: the room was empty. The goddess herself had blown him a parting kiss.

"See you in your dreams," a last, whispered thought echoed, and he couldn't resist a shudder as it resonated deep in his consciousness.

He sat up. He grinned. A repeat of last night's all-too-real romp in the realm of his unconscious mind? He wouldn't have it any other way.

Being a devotee rocks, he thought to himself. Then he rose with confidence, heading off to find his women and tell them all the good news.