Together As One, John C. Laird [i read books .txt] 📗

The woman had entered the dimly lit hotel lounge twenty minutes earlier, and she was stunning. Wearing high heels, a black skirt ending a few inches above her knees and a long sleeve, dark-red silk blouse that revealed a modest amount of cleavage, she sat at the other end of the bar and ordered a drink. She crossed her long shapely legs, revealing several more inches below the hem of her skirt.

In the short time that she had been there, the brunette had rebuffed the advances of three different men. It was obvious that she drew men like a lamp attracts moths.

And now this seductive vision was sitting next to him, literally having invited herself to join him. David was still having trouble breathing. He didn’t consider himself bad looking, but this dream was way out of his league. Besides, he had never been that good with women, not even with his wife as it had turned out.

The discrete, neon lights on the wall behind the bar highlighted her thick, dark hair, curling down to her shoulders. Her heart-stopping smile was focused on him. “I want to thank you for buying me a drink and saving me from those persistent jerks with the over-inflated egos.”

David could feel the glares of the other men from across the lounge. “I…uh…my pleasure.” He caught a hint of her perfume—something light—reminding him of dew on rose petals in the early morning. He was still trying to remember to breathe and managed not to choke on his beer.

She was smiling and looking at him. Her complexion was tanned and flawless, her lips full and red, her eyes dark and fathomless. She was achingly beautiful. She touched his hand lightly and said, “By the way, my name is Estrella.” She was looking at him expectantly.

He was remembering to breathe regularly, and now he even remembered the power of speech. “Uh…my name is David…er…Latimer.”

She held out her hand. “Pleased to meet you, David. Do you come here often?”

He shook her hand. It was warm, her grip firm. “No, first time. I was here for a convention over the weekend; I stayed a couple of extra days.”

“Tell me about yourself,” she said

And somehow he did. David told her about his job, his ex-wife and their divorce. She listened attentively with a half-smile on her lips. Looking at her he was starting to get flustered again, but managed, “Uh…what brings you here? What do you do?”

“I’m on my way home to Dallas from a visit to San Francisco,” she replied. “And I’m self-employed; I make jewelry.”

As if on cue, he noticed the thin gold chain around her neck and the pendant lying between the swell of her breasts. It was bronze colored and triangular with an odd design on it. It was awkward for him to look at, considering its resting place.

Estrella laughed softly, reached behind her neck and undid the clasp, handing him the
pendant. “Here, one of my gifts to you.”

Taking it, David ran his finger over the intricate design on the front, turned it over and looked at the miniscule writing on the back.

She continued, “The design represents an earth goddess from the ancient civilization of Samaria, and the inscription means ‘Together as One’ in Sumerian.”

He was looking at her with a puzzled expression. “You said, one of my gifts to you?”

Estrella leaned forward and whispered in his ear, “Oh, that other gift would be me.”

David could smell the scent of morning roses and feel the warmth radiating from the closeness of her body. His heart was pounding; he was trying to remember to breathe, think and talk all at the same time. This was the most beautiful, desirable woman he had ever met, ever seen…and she…He stammered, “But… but, why me?”

Her smile was gone, replaced by an expression of disdain, maybe scorn. Her voice was still low, but somehow harder. “You could say I’m an independent woman. I choose the men I want to be with, they don’t choose me. I choose the right ones for me.” Her half smile returned; she handed him a hotel key card. “Room 306. Just give me ten minutes.” Then she slid out of her chair and headed for the elevators.

David was in a daze. He could hardly think. He could still smell her perfume, feel the touch of her hand, the sound of her voice. He concentrated on finishing his drink. He didn’t know if it was ten minutes or ten hours, but he got up and headed for the elevators and room 306.

He didn’t remember getting there, but suddenly found himself entering her room. A lamp was turned on low, and Estrella was standing by the window looking out, her floor-length, silk nightgown silvery in the glow from the city lights outside. She turned, undid the gown’s sash, opened it and let it fall to the floor. David had never seen anything or anyone as beautiful as this woman, like a Greek goddess come to life. Without a word she came towards him, a Sumerian goddess.

Fifteen minutes later a sudden scream broke the silence, a guttural roar of agony. Or maybe it was ecstasy; it was difficult to tell, the scream lasted no more than a second or two before being abruptly being cut off.

Irene and Charles, celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and returning from an evening on the town, were sauntering down the hotel hallway arm in arm. The diminutive, grey-haired woman jumped, falling into her husband. “Oh my God, Charles. What was that?”

Her dapper, sport coat clad husband nodded at the door immediately to his right. “I think it came from in there.” He walked up and put his ear to the door.

His wife was clutching his arm. “Maybe we should call hotel security.”

After several more seconds, he moved back from the door with a puzzled look on his face.

Her grip tightened. “What was it? Could you hear anything?”

"I’m not sure, it was so faint. It was like when we used to go camping, and I would break up the small branches for the campfire. You know, the snapping sound. And I thought I could hear a sucking noise, like a milk shake through a straw, but I could be imagining that. I don’t know, maybe we should just knock and see if everything is okay.”

“No way, Charles. We’ll call security, and they can check.”

The security guard was knocking on their door five minutes later. The guard, almost as old as they were, didn’t seem too impressed. “Are you sure it wasn’t a loud TV, or maybe kids playing around?” Their thin-lipped frowns were his only answer. He gave in. “Okay, okay, I’ll go check.”

His knock on door 306 was answered by a strikingly attractive brunette in a satin nightgown. “I’m James Dugan, security for the hotel,” he said. I’m sorry to bother you, but I had a report of a possible scream coming from this room.”

With a beatific smile she answered, “I’m here alone, Mr. Dugan. My name is Estrella. I didn’t hear anything, maybe I had the TV on too loud. But you’re welcome to come in and check if you’d like.”

It took him only a minute to verify that no one else was in the hotel room. Although he was at least 35 years the woman’s senior, he felt it strangely difficult to leave. “I’m sorry to have bothered you, miss.” Then looking down at her distended and bulging abdomen he smiled and amended, “I should say, ma’am. If you don’t mind my saying, you’re as big as my wife Betty was with my son Johnny. Looks like you’re expecting pretty soon.”

The woman’s radiant smile warmed him. “He’s a big boy, but he’ll last a little while longer. I took real good care of him.”

The security guard reluctantly took his leave. “You have a nice evening, ma’am. I’m sorry to have bothered you.”

He returned to the old couple’s room and updated them, advising that he would check any other occupied rooms along the corridor. For several seconds he stood musing in the hallway. If he were 30-35 years younger, he would have been following that Estrella woman around like a puppy dog.

She finished packing the suitcase, placing the rest of her clothes on top. Securing the pendant back around her slim neck, she patted her distended belly tenderly; it was already slightly smaller. David had been a big man; she’d be good for a month or two.

As with the countless others, they were now together as one. For the seductive and uncontainable goddess—once worshiped by a long dead civilization and known by many names over the millennium—that’s the way it had always been.

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Text: John C. Laird
Editing: Alexandra Laird
Publication Date: 01-29-2012

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