Rock and Roll Angel Pt. 04

To Fredric he said, "Go to my hospital room then come back here."

"This is crazy," Fredric said. "Dude, we found you collapsed in the parking structure."

The intense sexual vibe Billy got from Ethan earlier bloomed in her head again. By the look on Fredric's face, he was feeling it too. For Billy it was like a drug kicking in. "Help me get him to my car then go do what he says," Billy said.

"This is crazy,"Fredric reiterated as he and Billy helped Ethan to his feet. "Can we take these off him?" Fredric asked as he brushed a wing aside.

"They're kind of stuck to me," Ethan said.

It was impossible not to notice Ethan's erection running down the leg of his jeans. His wings were different, she noted. They were a deep burgundy over all with the edges a blackish maroon. "Careful of the wings," Billy said. They really are a part of him."

"I'll be damned," Fredric said as he briefly explored the wing on his side. They walked him up the stairs to Billy's Jeep Compass. At first they had no idea how they were going to get him in the car, but Ethan proved a pro at folding himself into a vehicle. His wings were not as delicate as they looked.

Fredric paused at the driver's door. "I don't wanna leave you alone with this nut case," he said.

"I'll be fine just come back quick," she said. He trotted off. Billy got into the driver's seat. "Okay wing boy. You wanna tell me what's up?"

"I was going to ask you the same," Ethan said laying in the back seat. "I was at a party with friends and things got kind of weird. Next I knew I was in this parking structure." He gave her a long looked that made her squirm. "I think I'm here only because you were on my mind."

Okay ... he's high on whatever drugs the docs gave him. "Why did you send Fredric to your room?"

"To see if I'm still there," he said flatly.

Definitely high ... or crazy. They sat quietly waiting for Fredric's return.

Finally, the passenger door flew opened.

"The guy with wings is still in his room," Fredric said. "They must be his twin." he got in the car and closed the door.

"I'm officially freaked out," Ethan said covering his eyes with his hands.

"You okay?" Billy asked. She saw that his wings had lightened considerably.

"The light hurts my eyes a little," he said. "Sorry about the threat earlier. Didn't mean it, I was just freaked out. I'll get out of your hair in a second."

Fredric said, "I'd give you one of my spare scrub tops but I don't think you can use it."

"I'm fine," Ethan said as he slipped out of the car.

"Where are you going?" Billy asked.

"I don't know," Ethan said as he shut the door.

"What the fuck is happening?" Fredric asked as he watched Ethan walk between rows of parked cars to get to the lower levels of the parking structure.

"What did you see in the room?" Billy asked.

"It was that dude's twin sitting up in bed surrounded by friends ... they were all chicks. They looked like a rock and roll band." He gave Billy an obvious once over. "Wanna go to my place?" he asked bluntly.

"No, mine," Billy said as she started up her jeep.

"I'm good with that," Fredric said as he reached for the door handle. "I'm parked on level one. I'll follow you."

Before he could open the door she backed out in a squeal and pulled up along side Ethan who had just made the turn to the second level. "Get in wing boy," she said.

"What?" Fredric asked confused.

Ethan slipped into the backseat.

"I'm taking you to my place until you figure out what you gonna do," Billy said.

"I don't wanna put you out," Ethan said.

"Too late for that," Billy said not hiding her anger.

"I don't know if I'm on board with this," Fredric said.

Billy gave him such a withering look he quickly changed his tune. "We'll come back for my car later."

"Thanks," Ethan said. What are your names?"

"Willamette, call me Billy, you can do the same Dr. Smith."

Fredric gave Billy a look. Back at Midtown, she was ALWAYS Nurse Ingram. He turned and offered his hand to Ethan in the back seat. "Name's Fredric."

"Ethan Grant."

********

"Nice," Fredric said taking in Billy's townhouse in the golden morning light. "The Nurse's union knows how to bring it home for you guys."

"Inherited the place from my mother," Billy said with an edge of irritation. "Coffee?"

"I just got off work," Fredric said. "Anything with alcohol?"

"Got white wine and beer in the icebox," Billy said.

"Icebox?" Fredric asked amused. "My grandma called it that."

Ignoring the jibe that was aimed at her forty two years, Billy asked Ethan, "Coffee? Something else?"

"I don't wanna be rude but I'm totally hungry," Ethan said.

"Me too," Fredric said. "You got stuff to make omelets? I'll cook some up?"

"Who ARE you," she asked Fredric a bit mystified. Was this the same hound dog asshole chasing tail back in his Midtown days?

Fredric laughed and went into the kitchen. She looked at Ethan, his wings snow white now. The sexual tension was still there but way, way down. "Sit," she said, "let me check your vitals. Can I use your stethoscope, Fredric?"

"In my bag," he said from the kitchen. She heard pots clunking.

She got the stethoscope from his bag, saw that he had a blood pressure cuff so grabbed that too along with the tiny flashlight. Several packets of condoms all linked together sat at the bottom of the bag. "Hound dog," she whispered.

As she checked Ethan's blood pressure he said in a near whisper, "I jumped backwards in time specifically to you Billy."

"Impossible," Billy said. His blood pressure was a bit elevated but close to normal. She flashed the light into his eyes, the pupils behaved normally.

"Explain my other self still laying in that hospital bed?"

"Like Fredric said, you got a twin." She listened to his heart.

"You believe that?"

"Easier that than time travel," Billy said even as her own brain wanted to know what happened to the five missing hours of her life after she had made love with Fredric. Billy heard her front door squeak open. She knew exactly who it was and charged the entry hall to head her off. "Inessa! Not now!" Billy yelled.

Inessa Pieter, tall, blond and Russian was the friend Billy went to the concert with. Billy had dropped her home before going to Pooltown to follow up on Ethan. Inessa lived across the street and years ago they had given each other keys for emergencies. Billy straight armed her friend to stop her in the hall. "You should knock first!" Billy said.

"If I knock you would not answer," Inessa said in her charming Russian accent.

"I gave you that key for emergencies," Billy said.

"I see my boring church lady black friend come up her steps with two men. Could be emergency I think?"

"You think WRONG Inessa! You gotta go."

"Okay, you don't have to be the bitch, I go," Inessa said and backed toward the front door. Then she whipped passed Billy and ran into the kitchen. "Look at this milk chocolate goodie," Inessa said giving Fredric Smith an appraising look.

"Inessa I don't want you here! And you're being racist," Billy added. Inessa social filter had gaping holes.

With a crooked half smile, Fredric wiped his hands with a dish towel then offered one to Inessa.

"Dr. Fredric Smith, please to meet you," he said.

"A doctor and he is cooking," Inessa said as she shook his hand. "Marry him now, Billy!"

"And you are?" Fredric asked.

"Inessa Pieter, my stage name is Helen Pewter, I'm dancer at club Disdain down town."

"Disdain?" he asked with arched eyebrows. "That a strip club right?"

"High end big shot exotic dance show," Inessa corrected.

"She's a stripper. Now go HOME Inessa!" Billy insisted.

"Don't have to bitch twice," Inessa said with a pout. Then she dashed into the living room.

"I'm kicking your Russian ass to Baltimore, Inessa!" Billy yelled as she chased after her rude friend.

"OMG! You bring angel man Ethan Grant home from concert?" Inessa asked. She gave Billy a sly look. "You said you go to hospital to check him out I didn't know that meant bring him HOME."

"You know this guy?" Fredric asked Inessa.

"Ethan Grant of Angel's Nest?" Inessa said. "He all over YouTube. At the club we love his wings. Give erotic dancers those wings and we make a killing. He look better than the harlots on Victoria's Secret commercial, no?" She gave Ethan a dazzling smile. "I am Inessa Pieter." She offered her hand.

Ethan stood and and spread his wings. He took her hand but instead of shaking it, he bent and kissed it. His wings spread higher as he bent.

Inessa said something in Russian as he face flushed.

It was obvious to Billy that he was showing off for Inessa. Her friend had that effect on men. It didn't hurt that the girl had a striking resemblance to Carmen Diaz especially when she smiled. Her six foot height alone was impressive. Then add a C-cup hourglass figure and long blond hair? No straight guy could escape her deadly gravitational pull.

Inessa eyed up his wings. "Tell me how to make them?"

"Sorry ... industry secret," Ethan said.

"There! Now go," Billy said.

"I'm inviting me to breakfast," Inessa said. "I help the doctor cook." She took Fredric's arm and walked him back to the kitchen.

"I'm gonna kill that fucking commie bitch," Billy said.

Ethan wisely kept his mouth shut.

Billy looked at Ethan. "Not that I believe you ... but if you are lost in time?" What you gonna do?"

He said nothing for several seconds. "I'll do what any man would do in my situation. Sit in a corner, hug myself, rock back and forth and moan in despair."

Billy laughed. "You seem to be holding out fine," she said.

"Out of the blue I grew wings," he said. "Gonna take a lot to phase me."

"You did something to me," Billy said. "I lost five hours after leaving the hospital room."

"But nothing happened to your boyfriend,?" he asked.

"Apparently, not ... and he's not my boyfriend. You said you were at a party?"

"Yeah, six months from now."

"And just like that you popped into the past in my path?" Billy rolled her eyes. "Don't you see how crazy this is?"

"Freddy said you have a twin brother," Inessa said standing in the living room holding two plates with steaming omelets.

Billy automatically went to a drawer and got out place mats to protect her mother's oak dining room table. Fredric came in with two more plates. "Use place mats and coasters," Billy said. She made it clear it wasn't a request.

The giant Denver omelets were perfect with melted Colby cheese and green salsa on top. everyone eat with gusto, especially Ethan.

"This is good," Inessa said with a full mouth. "If Billy don't marry Dr. Fred I will."

Fredric laughed. Billy gave him a dirty look.

Ethan was still hungry after the omelet. Fredric kindly made him a second and added a side of French toast, six slice in all and half a honeydew melon.

"You eat like you released from gulag," Inessa said.

Ethan made a noise and kept eating.

"I'm gonna tell them what you told me," Billy said to Ethan. He grunted his approval. She told Fredric and Inessa Ethan's crazy time travel story.

"Does your brother have mental problems too?" Fredric asked.

"Don't be mean," Inessa said. She looked at Ethan as he attacked a slice of french toast. "If you from future what is today's track winners?" Inessa asked.

"Sorry, don't know the ponies," Ethan said around a big bite of french toast. Then he stopped chewing. "I know baseball though." With a thoughtful expression, he stated chewing again.

"You know the scores of today's baseball games?" Fredric asked cautiously.

Ethan swallowed then said, "My drummer Kieth Haverdink bet on the games all the time. He liked doing it on line but has no technical sense. I had to do it for him with my computer. His wife hated his gambling so he had to keep it a secret from her. Anyway, I checked his bets against the scores all the time. He barely broke even. I remember the winners and losers."

"You can remember exact scores of the today's games after six months?" Billy asked, sure that the guy was doing some kind of con or more likely, just crazy.

"All my life I've had this ability to recall numbers," Ethan said with a shrug that made his wings wobble in an interesting way. "Before I became a rock-n-roll angel I was a math major in college. My photographic memories for numbers would have gotten me far if math didn't bore me to tears. Music was where it was for me."

Fredric went to his gym bag and pulled out his smart phone. "The east coast games are still open for betting." He showed a list to Ethan.

"Get me pencil and paper, Ethan said. Five minutes later he had a list of the exact scores of every game played from east to west that day.

"This is a con," Billy said.

"An inner city career nurse, an exotic dancer and an intern fresh out of medical school up to his eyeballs in debt?" Fredric asked. "I think he could do better than us."

Ethan pushed his list to the middle of the table. Inessa grabbed it.

"We should bet a hundred dollars on every game," Inessa said excitedly.

"Look at earliest games and bet on a couple of those to see what happens." Ethan said. "If this is real, we split the money four ways."

"And if this is bogus?" Billy asked.

"Then you each are out a few bucks," Ethan said, "and we'll know for sure that I'm crazy. He yawned hugely. "Can I crash somewhere?"

Billy took him to the guest bedroom. Right in front of her, he peeled off his jeans. Out of politeness, she turned her back. The moment he hit the bed, the guy was out. He looked totally exposed laying face down naked. She wanted to cover him up with a spread but decided not to. She worried that she might tangle up his wings. She picked up his jeans. Feeling a little guilty about it, she went through his pockets. She found a Hotel card key for a place called The Braddock in San Francisco, rock that looked like a gold nugget and a crumpled Seven Eleven receipt for a twelve of beer and some beef jerky. She shoved the items back into his pocket. Paused for a second and pulled the receipt out again and looked at the date. It was six months from now.

"Could fake that anywhere," Billy mumbled.

She folded his jeans and put it on the dresser. The gold nugget fell out and she bent and picked it up. Ethan shifted on the bed causing his wings to flair then settle. The urge to stroke them was irresistible. She delicately ran a hand along the edge of one wing. It felt warm and firm like feeling up a person with wiry athletic limbs only covered with fur. The edges of both wings went pink instantly. She quickly stopped worried that she might have hurt him. From out of nowhere, a crazy urge to strip naked and crawl in with him washed over her.

"Have mercy," she said and got out of the room fast. Back in her bedroom, she realized she still had the gold nugget in her hand. She put it down on her dresser, changed into a polo shirt and sweatpants then dropped the nugget in her pocket. Her plan was to slip back into the room and put it back in his jeans but first she needed to sit and collect herself. Next she knew Inessa was shaking her awake. "What the fuck, Inessa?" Billy complained.

"You been sleeping like baby for five hours," Inessa said. "Crazy thing has happened you must see."

"Is Ethan okay," she asked groggily.

"Mr. wings is still asleep. Get up! Come! Come!" Inessa pulled at her arm.

"Stop pulling me you stupid Russian," Billy complained as she got to her feet.

Fredric was sitting at the dinning room table with a huge cigar in his mouth. Lucky for him it wasn't lit. Resting on the table before him was a Trader Joe's grocery bag with its distinct paper cord handles. He pushed it her way. With a frown she peeped into the bag. Her eyes widened. It was full of money. "Holly shit ... how much?"

"Seventy five thousand," he said rolling the cigar in his mouth from one cheek to the other.

"We get to split this four ways?" Billy asked in awe.

"No, my good woman," Fredric said, "that bag is ALL yours minus the start up of course which added up to one box of Cuban cigars for my old man ... minus one for me, he rolled the cigar in his mouth again.

Inessa held out a similar bag. "I got one too," she said with her huge Carmen Diaz smile.

"Have mercy," Billy said as she pulled out a a brick of one hundred dollar bills. "This is insane. Gangsters are gonna bust my door down, kill us and take back their money."

"You watch too much TV," Fredric said. "I spread this around real careful with help from my big brother's wife whose father happens to be a bookie in Vegas." He smiled. "More to come when the central ball games start." His smile broadened. "Then after that the west coast."

"What did you tell your sister in law?" Billy asked.

"The truth. A dude with wings from the future fell in my lap and is giving me the scores."

"You didn't!" Billy said.

Fredric laughed. "I told her I hooked up with a couple of my college geek friends and is doing this with a super computer."

"Maybe Ethan use super computer too?" Inessa said.

Fredric rolled his cigar, smiled and said, "Frankly Scarlet ... I don't give a damn."

"The IRS is gonna find out about this," Billy said looking for fault lines.

"Only if you tell them," Fredric said.

"Oh my God!" Billy yelled holding a brick of bills in each hand.

"We should wake up Ethan and give him his share," Fredric said around the big cigar. He plopped another paper bag on the table. "I'd like to know what else the dude knows."

"If you light that thing in my mother's house I will mess you up," Billy said as she went to the guest room to see to Ethan. Inessa and Fredric fell in behind her.

At the door Billy whispered, "He's still sound asleep."

"I must see how his robot wings are made," Inessa said as she pushed herself into the room.

Billy grabbed her arm. "The wings are real."

"Bull shit," Inessa said.

"Do you believe that he's from the future?" Billy asked.

"I have big bag of money," Inessa said.

"Then believe that the wings are REAL."

"Show me," Inessa whispered.

"He's not a pet," Billy said.

Ethan lay on his belly with his arms curled around the pillow, his head facing away from the door. His wings suddenly raised up startling Inessa. She said something in Russian then switched to English. "Looking at him makes me horny."

Fredric stifled a laugh.

"Inessa, you HAVE to develop a more normal social filter," Billy said. "I was told that his wings puts out a pheromone that stimulates the part of the human brain that controls sexual desire."

"What?"

"His wings make you horny," Fredric translated.

"Look, they change color," Inessa said. The edges were going pink. After a couple of seconds of quiet, Inessa asked, "You date Fredric?"

"No!"

"You fuck him?"

"Filter! ...and none of your business. Now out of the room, both of you."

"I wanna touch a wing," Inessa said and step toward the bed.

"Not a good idea," Billy said. "When I touched one last night things got weird."

"Made you more horny?" Inessa asked.

"Yeah," Billy said. "It was like someone had injected me with pure sex endorphins."

Inessa reached for an extended wing and brushed it. "Feels like short hair on animal."

"Wow," Billy said as a wave of sexual intensity washed over her. For several seconds she considered pulling her shirt over her head and charging at Fredric.

"I wish he was awake so I could dance for him," Inessa whispered. "I want him to see me naked."

"I'd like to see that too," Fredric said. "What is this dude putting out?"

"Don't know," Billy said. Her time with Fredric back at Pooltown emergency loomed big in her head making it hard to think straight.

"If we could bottle this we'd make a fortune," Fredric said.

"You want to see me dance?" Inessa asked demurely.