Vision Ch. 04

"My family is black and white. A lot of us are mixed. Some of us come out white. Probable enough when you have mixed parents. My brother looks like them and I look like . . . well me. Its called genetic atavism.

Supposedly, I am a one in a million anomaly, but where I come from it's really not all that rare. We are all of us mutts in this country and believe it or not there are very few 100% white or 100% black people walking around.

"Yeah, but Dax? You . . . I mean c'mon man. I don't even know what you are."

I take out my license and hand it to her.

"Does it really matter?" I can tell this is a make or break moment.

She stops walking and looks at the license for a beat. Finally she tilts head and shrugs.

"No, not really. You're you. And I am me. I have red hair and freckles, aren't we a pair. It does explain a few things, a lot in fact now that I think about it. Tell you what? I'll take you to Charles City, VA one day - we'll have a good laugh."

We walk quietly for a few moments

"Who's Angela?" She asks softly.

"Someone I no longer see."

She looks at me questioningly.

"We were pretty serious for awhile. Our families are so close it seemed ideal. I don't think she loved me. She was in it for the emotional security of it being the thing to do, you know - college, marriage, children.

All our friends were on the same track and I suppose I was too until it dawned on me one day there was little or no passion to the thing. We were going through the motions. To do a thing just because everyone else is, is no reason at all. I don't want to look up one day and be in someone else's relationship."

"I saw a prom picture in your parent's parlor. Was that her? The blonde?"

My sentimental parents and those pictures I swear to god. I can't rightfully gripe about it, they lost so much in the flood as far as memorabilia, but damn it all.

"Yes, that was her."

I sense more questions coming.

"I have what will sound like a stupid question."

I nod at her to go for it.

"Have you dated black girls before?"

I sigh heavily.

"Not successfully, no. I could never get close enough to them. A date or two tops. Comes down to trust I guess."

"I see."

"It's not about your being black Lou. This is not some fetish for the exotic. You're sexy, and smart and have a good heart, that's what I'm into. You are a strong black woman, why wouldn't I love that. My mom and all my aunts and many of my cousins are beautiful strong black women."

She looks at me and nods. We walk some more and happen upon a beach fair with a live band. They're covering a pop song and they're pretty good. Listening to the lyrics I see why she's so into it. Her sex takes me to paradise too. Bouncing and twirling around me, and looking at me like she'd like to jump me right here. I need to get her back to the cottage.

"Ok Madonna, enough with the dancing, let's go."

"Let's stay a little longer? Please?" She whines adorably.

"No ma'am, we need to be somewhere private now."

She lets me lead her back, laughing as we barely make it in the door before falling down on the sofa. I open her dress and kiss her fluttering eyelids as she smiles at me.

I sigh. She's lovely and surprisingly funny, all this energy and irrepressible spirit - So confident, strong, bold, and with a bit of guidance, uninhibited. Sexy as hell.

Also stubborn, literal, though there's an honesty to her being so literal all the time, literal yet secretive, high-strung and firmly set in her ways. Damned near intractable, a bit of a brat really.

Admittedly, I've not had many long-term relationships. I'm 41 and have never lived with a woman. Save some things for marriage is what I was taught.

But I've had some basic formative experiences. I've pursued and been pursued, only to realize it was all wrong. Pursued a few girls I desperately wanted to adore me back who did not.

Made my first bumbling steps into lust and passion with Angela, I stayed with her for years because I was lonely, horny and selfish. Beautiful, deceitful Angela who killed two of my babies and never told me about it. Didn't even talk to me about it first just did it.

And now there's this, which at first I thought was just a massive crush; but it's gone beyond mere attraction and lust. The reality of 'her' has given everything a startling Technicolor clarity. Emotion, lust and passion made physical and manifested with a sanity defying intensity.

Shit. I love her to death. She's so difficult, a total pain in the ass, and I've never wanted anything more in my life. How are we going to do this?

Suddenly my head is pounding and I feel nauseous, like I'm about to stroke out. Stroke out right on top of her.

Tilting her head to the side she's looking at me in worried confusion. Dead at 41, died on top of her. Well if I have to die . . . I laugh a little at that.

"Dax, you ok? You seem a little out of breath and your heart is beating a mile a minute. We've not even done anything yet." She presses her hand to my chest and then her fingers to my neck.

"I'm fine."

"That's good to hear, because 41 is kinda young for a heart attack, I think."

Massaging behind my ears with her thumbs the pain actually eases. Looking at her my chest expands.

We've already got this little thing whereas when stare at her too long she's puts her hand over my eyes. She does this now.

"Those eyes are killing me." She chuckles.

"What's killing me is how much I love you. Already, I love you."

Her hand falls away and she stares at me as I stroke her cheek.

"Shit Lou, I've been a little bit in love with you almost since the day we met."

I try injecting some humour.

"It was that Batman T-shirt and those little panties that did me in. I was a goner the minute I saw them."

She smiles a little but looks at me with eyes so large they could swallow me. With my hand on her chest I can feel that her rapid heartbeat.

"And now your heart's beating too." I smile at her. "I know this is fast."

She having trouble and looks distressed as I kiss her quivering lips.

"Breathe bébé."

"Y-y-you're not serious? You barely know me. This is not some fucking love-story Wilde. You insist on pursuing me, dupe me into meeting your parents and now you want what?"

I ignore all the piss and vinegar as she's clearly in a panic and on the verge of tears. The walking path is pretty close to here and last thing I want is for someone to hear her crying and think the wrong thing.

I kiss her again and it intensifies and progresses. The lovemaking is tender sweet and passionate, but she's very quiet afterwards. Pushing too hard too fast Dax.

"You hungry?"

"I could eat."

"There's nothing here to cook so I'm going to order takeout, ok?"

"Cool."

Her voice is a little huskier than usual. Not monosyllabic but it's pretty close. I pass her the menu, and she looks it over briefly and asks if this place is good.

"It's pretty good yeah, same owner for 20 years and they're raising the kids in the business too, delicious traditional seafood, Pops' got in so good with the family he sometimes rides the boat out when they go fishing."

"I'm so hungry I don't know what to eat." She pushes a shaky hand through her hair.

Not good. "Why didn't you say so?"

I take a deep breath. "I took a few biscuits from Mom's, so here."

I grab some orange juice from the fridge and give it to her. She drains the glass in seconds and I pour her another while she nibbles a biscuit. I'm trying to be patient.

"So, what is it you want?" I ask softly. She looks at a loss.

"From the menu." I snap.

Her eyes widen and then narrow and her nostrils flare.

"Crab cakes with coleslaw and hush puppies, a piece of fried flounder, a lobster roll, and a slice of key lime pie and a tall mint iced tea."

There's that memory Matt spoke of. She barely glanced at the menu.

"All that food?"

"Just covering my bases. I'm going to take a shower." Grabbing another biscuit she stalks off.

I place the order and order an extra Lobster roll, piece of pie and tall tea for myself. I turn on the television to space out for a bit and when I look up again 30 minutes have passed. I knock on the bathroom door.

"Babe, we gotta go get the food. You about ready?"

"I'm in the tub. Can you drive a stick?"

"Yeah."

"Just take the car, keys are in my bag."

"Alright, be back in a bit."

I can't believe she's letting me drive her fancy car. I adjust the seat and mirrors wondering if she'll murder me for this later. It's a sweet ride, quickly and smoothly gets up to speed. I chuckle thinking of her little foot on the gas.

I pick up the food, and gas up again, this car sucks down gas like crazy.

I return in record time to find her sitting Indian style on the sofa flipping through channels.

Wearing a wife-beater of mine and plain white cotton panties, her hair has been secured somehow with a single chop stick. With her fresh scrubbed face and eyeglasses she looks like a precociously pretty little girl.

I plate everything and put the tea in glasses and bring it out to the coffee table. It's a lot of food and we dig right in, eat what we can and put the rest away.

"Those crab cakes will be great with scrambled eggs."

We watch Star Trek for a while, but she's tired and nodding.

"Come now bébé, time for bed."

"It's 9 o'clock."

"Yes, and we've had a long day, let's go."

She yawns. "Man, you're bossy."

"Said the pot to the kettle. Come on, off to bed, it's time for sleep."

"Sleep?" She blinks up at me smiling naughtily, twisting from side to side.

I look at her and somehow manage to push down the desire. We need to sleep. Baby doesn't sleep enough and almost every night she wakes up and works a few hours and I know for a fact she's still jet lagged from a last minute trip to France in the middle of the week, and we've been at it pretty hard these last few days like we're trying to kill each other.

"Ok." Her mouth turns down a little but she yawns again and lets me lead her down the hall to the master suite.

I pull back the mosquito netting and the sheet and get her settled. Out as soon as her head hits the pillow, she'll have to teach me that trick. I shower and come back and she's still sleeping soundly. I kiss her forehead and turn out the light and drop off myself.

Three hours in she becomes restless and starts to toss and turn. It's a little stuffy, so I open the door to the deck. Tang of salt in the air as the tide comes in.

"You ok babe?"

"I'm good."

She goes to the bathroom and comes back to bed and asks for a blanket, which I quickly find. We go back to sleep but after an hour or so, the tossing starts again. I turn on the lamp and look at her.

"What's wrong with you?" I'm tired and want her to settle down.

"I should have bought my laptop. I rarely sleep the night through. I won't keep you up. I'll go out to the sofa and watch some television."

"Absolutely not, I don't plan on spending a single night away from you if I can help it. Now, come here." I open my arms and she hesitates a moment but quickly comes over and snuggles against me hugging me tightly.

"We've had a long day."

"Mmmm." She's calming as I stroke her back and when I look down again she's quietly sleeping.

The sun is well up by the time I wake up. She's still wrapped around me and as I disentangle myself to go to the bathroom she smiles shyly and pulls a pillow over her face. I hear a muffled squeal as I give her a pinch.

The coffee is just done when I hear the shower turn on.

She's put up her hair and is wearing the shorts and top we picked up. She puts on her shades, and goes out to the deck where she stretches while taking in the ocean view.

I scramble some eggs and we have the rest of the crab cakes and fish from last night, with some bits of tangerine and grapefruit for breakfast.

"Lulu I'm gonna hit the shower and then we're gonna get on the road."

"Ok, I'll clear up."

I am showered and dressed in 10 minutes just as she finishes the dishes. We head back and it's another beautiful day supposed to be 85 and not humid today but it's already 80 degrees according to the weather channel and it's only 9 am, it's going to be hotter than forecast I think.

Lulu puts the hard top back, readjusts the mirrors and seat. Rolling her eyes dramatically, she slides the seat forward looking at me the whole time. I smile sheepishly.

Quietly rocking out to her music, Lips like sugar indeed, she's driving at a relaxed clip, just 5 miles over the speed limit, keeping up with the flow of traffic.

A large SUV comes up suddenly from behind, flashing his high-beams in the universal language of asshole drivers everywhere, urging her to move and or drive faster.

"Oh for fucks sake! I can only go as fast as the car in front of me."

We are blocked by a large truck on the left side. She gets that look.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"This." Putting her foot down we zoom forward in front of the truck, she puts her foot down further and goes around the car, the bastard behind her follows and goes around her and zooms off.

Unfortunately, there's the whoop-whoop of a siren and a flash of blue lights as we are ordered to pull over via loudspeaker. She throws her head back.

"Great, in the meantime the asshole that caused all this gets away."

She turns off the music. We wait and the officer eventually exits his car and comes over.

"Do you know why I pulled you over ma'am?"

"Yes, sir."

"License and registration please."

She grabs her bag and drags out her license and opens her glove compartment and gets the registration, there are what look to be two police badges and a gun. The officer sees them but says nothing. He takes the registration.

"Your name is Lou James and you currently live at 312 Camellia Lane in Richmond, VA?"

"Yes, sir."

"Please remove your eyewear ma'am?"

She does.

"Thank You. Turn off the engine and remain in the vehicle." He returns to his car for what seems like forever.

"I've had the blue lights upon me before, but this may be the day I actually get a ticket." She waits calmly, tapping her fingers impatiently.

He comes back and stands for a moment looking sternly forbidding before breaking into a big grin.

"You look real good Lulu, how are Lili and babyfriend? I'd ask about Lenny, but I just saw him."

Shit they know each other.

"Hey Uncle Jack. Lili and the baby are good. We're all fine. How are you?"

"I'm good, out here chasing down trouble makers like yourself. That Glock looks familiar? You got a permit for that?"

"Yes sir, I have the permit, it's one of mom's."

"Thought so." He nods.

Seeing him look at me pointedly Lulu pipes up "This is my . . . uh boyfriend Dax, Dax Wilde."

She stumbles but she gets it out. Acknowledgment!

"Look at you blush!" He trains a teasing grin on her. "Mmmmhmmm, Alright now!"

He reaches cross to shake my hand. "Nice to meet you young fella."

"I'll let you go with a warning, on the condition that you come to the civic officer's dance and bring your fellow with you. But please wear a dress. Don't show up in a tux like last time." He laughs.

"Why not? I look almost as good in it as you do. Besides, those guys get pretty raunchy; it's for the best. But since I'll have a chaperone maybe I'll accommodate you, just this once."

"Maybe?! Just this once? I clocked you doing 115mph! You owe me some dances baby girl and I'll hold it over you to get you out for the Christmas ball too."

"Fine, Uncle Jack." She laughs.

"Don't worry about that fool that caused all this, you'll probably see him sitting by the side of the road a few miles up when you pass. Be good baby girl."

He kisses her forehead and whips out his cell phone.

"I'll see you in 8 weeks for my dance. That's right, I'm gonna practice with Arlene and see if I can't get up an office pool right now, see if I can't make me some money off this little venture. Lulu in a dress dancing? Sheeiiit that's $200, easy money. But please slow down."

"Yes sir."

"Arlene? Baby you won't believe who I caught out playing hooky."

Lulu groans. "Tell Aunt A I say hello."

"Will do. And you," he says addressing me, "watch out for this one she's a handful."

"I'm hanging on with both hands sir."

"Alright now, that's what I'm talkin' bout!" He winks at me. "Bye bye Lulu!" He waves us off. She pulls away carefully, smiling at his reflection in her rear-view mirror.

"There is going to be some major fall out behind this. I can just hear it now. Shit!" She groans again.

"Lulu, you are mad, bad and dangerous to know, I think."

Shrugging, she says, "I got lucky today. The last time he caught me speeding he made me attend driving school. I think I have you to thank for that."

"I can't believe you didn't get a ticket."

"Man please, I'm a fucking lawyer. I haven't had a speeding ticket stick since high school." She chuckles darkly.

Well shit. I look at her sideways and she shrugs.

"So that's your uncle?"

"Not exactly, more like a lifetime hostage." She chuckles ruefully.

"My parents were on the force they worked SWAT and after the bombing, it was just me Lili and Lenny Jr. and those guys really pitched in, they did not let us fall.

The three of us spent a lot of time with Jack, Arlene and Harry. Every Sunday dinner, school play, dance recital, graduation, birthday and holiday he made sure we were ok. Each of my parents was an only child and Uncle Jack was Dad's best friend.

So yeah, I have about 50 or so 'uncles'."

She looks at me mischievously nodding. "And they all carry guns." She catches the look on my face and grins.

"So, that's your mother's gun and those badges are theirs?"

"Yep, that is Louelle's gun. My father's name was Louis, she named me Lou. She just knew I was going to be a boy and so when I came out a girl she didn't change it, just tacked on an extra Lou.

She was fantastically kind, almost to a fault. Lovely and tall, an excellent cook and a crack shot which is amazing considering her country of birth is pacifist. She worked the cage, where they keep the munitions.

I keep the badges in this car, it's like having a little piece of them with me, they deserve to ride in luxury.

"And the gun?"

"It's a Glock 26 compact polymer carbon steel spring pistol, it weighs less than 16 ounces. Light, powerful and deadly. A perfect gun for a woman. I've never fired it, not even at the range. On Moms birthday I take it out, take it apart, clean it and put it back. It's loaded and the safety's on."

"You know guns?"

"I know that gun. All lawyers should - know a gun."

I look at her carefully. "You've not shot anyone have you?"

"Nope, but the day is still young." She drawls looking at me pointedly.

"Policeman's daughter huh?"

She sighs. "Yeah."

"So, that's why no speeding tickets?"

She shrugs a shoulder. "I guess."

I guess, my ass. She should be arrested the way she drives. "You own a Tux?"

She smiles. "Why the hell not? I look hot in it. Big Pimpin' Baby!"

I laugh with her. "I'm your chaperone?"

She blushes. "Possibly presumptuous of me, but you said . . . And, well you know what you said, so . . . yes."

"Mmmm . . . I see. Of course I'd love to go. I've just got one more question?"

"What is this, an inquisition? I'm driving and you are distracting me."

"No I'm not."

"What is it Dax?" She gives me the annoyed side eye.

"I'm your boyfriend?"

She groans and looks away. "Shit. You heard that?"

"Yes. But I'd like to hear what you think about it."

She groans again making a to do of checking the rear-view and side mirrors.

"It is a ridiculous term, I mean you are definitely not a boy and I don't like labels, but at this moment, for all intents and purposes and lack of a better term, yeah, I guess."