the evil of it

"Why didn't you tell me she was moving in!" Sebastian's eyes lit.

Ingrid was here and no one had bothered to tell him. This could mean trouble. He didn't want his cousin here.

"Relax." Jamie grabbed his shoulders. "She is family, you know, we have to welcome to her."

"Why?" Sebastian winced. "She's trouble, you know." He frowned, thinking of how she liked to get to him when she felt like it. "She sees old men." He gritted.

Jamie laughed at him.

"She wants to go to the uni." His father was so certain of it, as if he shouldn't worry about her. "I doubt she comes to you. She has bigger things on her mind."

Sebastian winced. What the hell was that suppose to mean? Did he know what she was like? What she was capable of? He glared intently at Jamie, wondering if this was all his doing.

"What's in it for you?" Sebastian swelled a frown as if he was ready to push Jamie with all his might.

"What?" Jamie grinned. "Nothing of course, absolutely, nothing." Jamie bit a smile then. Sebastian just looked at him that maybe if he kept his mouth shut and learned from this man who kept saying he was his son, he might possible learn his evil ways.

roses are red

She whispered something French in his ear. Cecil didn't really care what she'd said, just that it was sexy.. just the same.

He'd spent some time with her the previous night down in the basement of the Black Cat. She'd been such a laugh. Quite an amazing smile she had a body he couldn't get enough of. She was so intriguing. And the way she looked at him. Admired him. She'd wanted to examine his tattoos. She'd found them so fascinating. Unlike Franny who could barely look at him, lately.

It made him so angry. He thought he might hit Franny. Perhaps that's why he stayed away now. He didn't like this riff between them. He supposed it was all Rhys' doing. That's what it was really about. The tattoos were Franny's excuse about him.

Just the same, he couldn't bare to think he might lash out at her somehow. He'd handled it so well, until now. Newlyweds and on the brink of calling it quits, already. He could feel it happening. And then when he met this young lass who really made him feel quite special, he knew he had to let Franny go. Franny didn't belong to him. She never would. She'd used him. Hadn't she? Like any other lass. Or so it seemed.

This was different with Ingrid. She looked up to him. She made him feel he was the only one. He would always be the only one. He knew it in her touch. Especially in her kiss. The way her fingers played along the colors on his chest. She said she wanted a sleeve of roses around her right arm. He smiled when she spoke of it. It would beautiful. Even more so... if his name was on the nap of her neck.

never too late

"Good, you're here," Guy smiled as he breathed in Anita's ear. A shiver shot through Anita. She had just gotten to Mia's, but she wasn't around.

Guy came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm afraid Mia's had a set back." He whispered. Anita shivered once more. She was startled yet pleased with his presence.

"How so?" Anita thought she said, yet she wasn't that worried about Mia and her weight. Guy took her hand and they took off their shoes and put on some house shoes to glide up the stairs to his room. They'd been there before. And he kissed her mouth once he shut the door.

"She's fine." Enough about Mia, as they kissed while his fingers found exactly where to explore, under her dress.

"I don't know why you keep avoiding me." He told her, but Anita didn't answer. She felt the rhythem of her body pulsate as he fingered her. She'd so resisted him before, but this time she couldn't. She'd decided she'd see just how far this might go.

"I'm sorry." Was all she could manage in a breath. Finally she smiled, knowing exactly what he wanted now. And she wanted it too. Shocking, in fact. Why hadn't she figured this out before?

She touched the top of locks on his head, as she bit her bottom lip, knowing he knew the exact core of her being.

smoldering

After they'd drank quite a few lagers, it felt as if it was just getting started, and the party wasn't even tonight.

"I think I know place we could go." Sebastian grinned. Of course, he'd been there with Anita but he wasn't going to bring that up. "You know, to get away from it all." He kept smiling at Randy, and soon enough, they headed for the old factory.

It was there, Sebastian took out his little stash of cigarettes he'd gotten away with that his cousin had made.

"Here, try one of these, my cousin loves to roll them." He laughed as he lit it and handed it to Randy. Naturally, Randy choked on the first try which gave Sebastian even more of a laugh.

"You saw Ingrid?" Randy looked at Sebastian who looked away.

"Yeah. Good old Ingrid." He tried not to think about it, but truth be told. She'd had her way in the end. It was just a blow job. He couldn't admit it, but she was good at that sort of thing. He smoked the weed a bit, hoping he'd forget. Really, he had, until now. He was quiet, hoping Randy would never know about that. The more he thought about it, he tried not to think it that terrible. Was it? Besides, they were high, he and his cousin.

God, it was his cousin. Suddenly his eyes, shot open.

"What is it?" Randy asked.

"Nothing." Sebastian licked his lips as he gave the cigarette to Randy.

"Do you miss her?" Randy looked him over.

"God, no." He tried to laugh with a wince. When Randy took the cigarette out of his mouth, Sebastian couldn't help but to French him as if to forget Ingrid completely. But he still saw her face. That wicked smile of hers. Sebastian broke away and looked at Randy so sad. There were tears in his eyes. He grabbed the cigarette from Randy then and pushed the lit ember into the palm of left hand. He gasped intensely. Randy took the burning cigarette out of Sebastian's hand.

no turning back

"Honestly, I'm glad you changed your mind about things." Sebastian told Randy on their way to the library after school. He felt closer than ever with Randy, and he hoped it would stay that way. No worry about who might fancy him or even the thought of Anita thinking she could worm her way between them. She couldn't.

He didn't want to think what he might do if she did decide to tell Randy about them. He tried not to think about it. And yet he thought he could manage through it. That was then. This was now. She was not going to mess this up. He'd learned a thing or two. He guessed. He hoped. As it was, he hardly saw her at all. And it didn't even bother him.

Sebastian held Randy's hand then as if he weren't afraid what anyone might say about them. Seriously, it was the little things like this that were so important to him. And it was satisfying to feel this sense of unity. It gave Sebastian a sense of confidence that he'd missed somehow.

"So how did it turn out with Oliver?" Sebastian thought Randy was being awful quiet on their walk to work.

"Oliver?" He seemed quite oblivious to him. "His father's a footballer, you know."

"A richie, is he?" Sebastian guessed it didn't matter.

"Yeah, something like that. I got invited to a party." Randy shrugged.

"And you didn't go?"

"It hasn't happened yet." Randy looked at him.

"Then we'll go." Sebastian smiled.

"We don't have to." Randy shook his head.

"What is it?" Sebastian winced. They were almost to the library. It would be time for them to stop talking soon. "You are well, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"Then we'll meet up at the Black Cat, a drink then, aye?" Sebastian tried to read Randy's face. He didn't seem at all what Sebastian was expecting today. Just sad. What on earth did he have to be sad about?

so alone

Cecil didn't come home.

Franny worried herself so, through the night. She'd called. She'd text. She couldn't track him down. Where had he gone?

Weren't they going to try for a child of their own? Not that she was entirely ready to be pregnant again. But at least she needed to know they'd be close. They'd at least have time to think on it more. To spend time with each other.

Had she been crazy about his new tattoos? Well, not exactly crazy in love with them. Just alarmed. It would take some getting used to. And it bothered her even more that she needed to be around him to be more familiar with what was happening. There was the anxiety that he might be having more done to this freak show of his. What could he possibly be doing?

It wasn't like him to just be off like this. He was generally home for supper, and always around to help her with the kids.

Just as she picked up her cell to call the police about him, he showed up.

"Where you been?" She was ready to cry. "I was all set to call the coppers about you?"

But he was solemn as ever. Hardly cracked a smile. He went to pour himself a cup of coffee. She just watched. It was as if he were in another world.

"What did I do this time?" She waited as if she were the one in trouble. Not him.

"I hear how you been nursing that Rhys back from hell." He snidely remarked as if she'd hit a nerve.

"What? Its my job, Cecil!" She scowled. "He just came out of coma."

"I'm sure it'll be the start of something, now won't it?" He barely said.

"No." She couldn't believe the question had came from him. "How dare you! Even think to bring up something so-so over with. I thought you trusted me?"

"Just shut it! I know I married a slapper." He winced. "Once a slapper! Always a slapper!"

Franny gritted a scowl. What had happened to Cecil?

one more bite

"So was it lovely?" Katy was pleased that Sasha had remembered her and brought her back some chocolates. They were divine as she bit into one.

"It was good." She noticed Sasha hesitate.

"Did you two have a fight?" Katy wondered.

"No. Nothing like that." Sasha sighed as she went to put Risa in her crib. "Its just... it seems bits are missing."

"Bits?" What ever did she mean.

"My mind, what if I'm losing it, Katy?" Sasha looked so puzzled.

"How could you say such a thing. You are not losing your mind. You just had a baby, you know. You lose time. That's all."

"It feels like weeks, some how. I just don't know." Sasha squinted. "I know I was furious about something with Jamie, now I can't remember. And I can't bring it up. It wouldn't be fair to him. He's so lovely and generous. It has to be me. It has to be."

"Just focus on the positive." Katy sat down with Sasha for tea. "I'm sure you'll be all right. You always are. You just are."

Sasha nodded. She supposed Katy was right. No need to fret about something that was possibly nothing to begin with.

"Do you ever feel you are in someone else's life? And not your own?" Sasha looked at Katy.

"Yes, its a movie." Katy laughed, but maybe she did know exactly how Sasha felt. She took another bite of chocolate.