“So what happened?” Constance squealed, bouncing on her bed.
Joanna put her finger to her lips to silence the excited Constance. She slowly and quietly shut the door to their bedroom, taking care to see if her parents were around.
The blond waves bobbed on Constance’s forehead as she suppressed another outburst. She and Pauline had been waiting impatiently for hours for Joanna to return.
Joanna flung herself down on her bed and buried her face into her pillow, moaning.
Constance, aggravated, jumped onto Joanna and turned her over.
“Joanna, I swear, don’t you keep me in suspense any longer.” She squeezed her nose and pulled away from Joanna’s face.
“Phew. You smell like a brewery.” She waved her hand in front of her nose.
“You are lucky Ma and Pa went to bed early.”
Joanna sat up feeling a little woozy.
“They don’t know I’m late?”
Constance shook her head.
“They didn’t even stay awake for Mara-Joy to bring home Alan-Michael. I thought I was going to die when Mara-Joy showed up and you still weren’t home.”
“Yes, well we bumped into each other outside.” Joanna flung her hair behind her shoulder, feeling sluggish and giddy. “She was as charming as ever.”
They both laughed.
“Ugh.” The room was spinning. Joanna had to lie back down. “I drank way too much wine.”
“Wine?” Constance cocked an eyebrow questioningly.
“Yes, wine. And it was delicious,” Joanna grinned, feeling mischievous. “I smoked too, but it made me feel sick. I don’t think I’ll be much of a smoker.”
“That’s good. Mara-Joy smokes and you don’t want to be like her.”
“True.”
Pauline, who had been silently falling asleep when Joanna crept into their room, wormed onto the bed with the other two girls.
“Joanna, are you and Chad lovers yet?”
Constance and Joanna both snorted with laughter onto each other’s shoulders.
Pauline looked wide-eyed at the two, with a sagging lip. Constance had spent the evening trying to explain what lovers were and what they did. Pauline didn’t think she liked the idea of Joanna becoming lovers with Chad.
“No. Not yet,” Joanna wore a dreamy expression on her face. The look was not lost on Constance.
“Joanna, I hope you don’t go and fall in love with him.” She stood up, straightening her gown, frowning. “He is married to Mara-Joy, and nothing can change that.”
“I know that!” Joanna crossed her arms angrily over her chest. “I just had a good time, that’s all. Can’t I have fun with him at the same time as proceeding with our plan?”
“Have fun all you want, although I find that hard to believe. You have always thought Chad was weak. A walking puppet, obeying Mara-Joy’s every command.”
“Alright Constance, you’ve made your point. I haven’t changed my opinion of the guy. I still think he’s whipped.”
“A little? Besides, one day you will find your own husband and he’ll have a spine in his back.”
Joanna chortled,
“A spine, huh.”
“Yes.” Constance sat back down near the head of the bed and gazed at Joanna.
“A wonderful man who won’t bow down to you but stand beside you equally. Like Pa. If you expect more from Chad, you’ll only be cheating yourself.”
“Point taken, Connie.” Joanna reached out and hugged her sister, hoping she could follow her sound advice.
The days dragged for Joanna as she waited for Friday to come. She couldn’t concentrate in school and felt scatterbrained and nervous. All she could think of was Chad.
Finally Friday came. With the same lie she used before, Joanna was able to leave the house without much trouble. Jobeth was a little suspicious of her daughter. Joanna was not the type of girl to go out much. She shrugged it off as paranoia. The girl was entitled to have friends. She just wasn’t used to seeing Joanna so social. Now if she were Mara-Joy or even Alan-Michael, she wouldn’t have batted an eye. Both were very popular and always on the go with friends. It was good that Joanna was finally starting to be more like her other siblings. Jobeth just hoped the other two girls would follow suit.
Walking out of the house, Joanna nearly bumped into Mara-Joy.
As always, she was wearing her mink and looked very sophisticated in the latest style, with her hair freshly set from the hairstylist. It shined a glossy black.
Joanna stood back, feeling frumpy. She had spent an hour in front of the mirror trying to make herself look desirable. Constance had set her hair and brushed it into an attractive wave, which had pleased her very much until she saw Mara-Joy. As always, Joanna felt plain beside her sister.
How could two sisters be so totally different?
Memories began to surface again. Memories of the night she and Constance sat listening in on the adults talking downstairs.
The night of the reunion.
They didn’t know she had heard them confuse Mara-Joy for Oliver’s...
“Well, Joanna.” Mara-Joy appraised Joanna up and down. She blushed, her memories quickly fading away. Why did she always have a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach whenever these memories surfaced? She couldn’t even remember them fully.
“You clean up fairly nicely when you want to.” Mara-Joy opened her gold cigarette case and took out a cigarette. It had been a gift from Chad the past
Christmas. “Where are you off to tonight? I hope your wayward friends don’t lead you down the wrong road again this Friday.” She inhaled and artfully blew smoke from her painted lips.
“Don’t worry, Mara-Joy, I wouldn’t do anything you would do.” Joanna turned to leave.
“That won’t leave you much fun now, will it little sister?”
Joanna could here her cackling behind her. Her heart started to pound. She actually felt a little guilty.
“Knock ‘em dead, sister,” Mara-Joy hooted, still laughing behind her.
Chad was outside waiting for Joanna when she arrived. There was a bottle of wine already chilling on the little wicker coffee table with two empty wine glasses.
She took the bus and he had watched as she arrived stepping down off the bus steps. Chad held his breath as she began walking towards him. She was lovely.
She wore a simple light coat that shaped her lean figure and she had done something different with her hair. He liked it. In fact, he liked everything about Joanna’s appearance.
Joanna smiled warmly when she spotted him and waved. Chad grinned back and raised a hand, which held a smoke. He couldn’t help himself. He was glad to see her.
“Good evening, sir,” Joanna chimed. She noticed the wine and the glasses.
“Oh, what is this, are you going to try and get me drunk again?” she teased, lifting up the bottle and examining it. “A girl could get herself into trouble that way.”
“She could, could she?” Chad came up behind her. She was flirting with him. What was this girl up too? Whatever it was, he couldn’t help liking it, even though he knew he shouldn’t.
“Yes.” Joanna could feel Chad’s presence behind her. “Why don’t you pour us a glass?” she asked without turning around.
Chad reached around her and grabbed for the bottle. His hand went over top of hers and he left it resting there, still holding the bottle.
“You’re cold.” His voice had become husky. Her head was inches from Chad’s face and he could smell her scented hair. She leaned back, her back almost touching his chest. His hand still held hers.
“Maybe you should warm me up?” Joanna felt his hand squeeze hers tighter.
She turned around, coming face-to-face with Chad. His eyes twinkled with uncertainty as she looked into his hazel eyes.
“Joanna?” Chad still had his hand on hers, the bottle clutched between the two.
“I mean why don’t we go inside tonight, instead of staying out here?” Joanna relea
sed her hold on the bottle, her hand burning from Chad’s touch.
“I was thinking the same thing.” Chad coughed, grasping the cool bottle with both hands.
“Of course you were,” Joanna said gracefully.
Comfortably seated inside, Joanna sipped her wine slowly, careful not to get intoxicated. The wine tasted good and seemed to give her the courage she needed to begin her seduction.
He watched her closely, admiring her long, slender face and graceful neck. Her skin had a healthy color to it, as though she had been in the sun and had tanned slightly. It was golden and had warmth to it.
“How is it that you and Mara-Joy look so different?” he asked, still staring at her. Joanna glanced at him beside her and relaxed into the couch, closing her eyes.
“Are you saying you don’t like the way I look?” She smiled, very well aware of his eyes on her. “I definitely like your looks.”
Joanna felt him move closer to her.
“It’s just that you two are so different both inside and out. It’s like you didn’t come from the same factory or something.”
Joanna’s eyes fluttered open. Her heart started to race and she felt panicky.
Why was she feeling trepidation?
She sat up and gulped down the remainder of her wine.
“Don’t be silly, Chad. Many siblings don’t resemble each other. My grandparents are all dead so I don’t know what they looked like, but I am sure there is some deceased relative that my sister resembles.” She reached for the bottle. Chad got to it first and refilled her glass.
She sipped back a healthy amount.
“That’s true, she does look a lot like your Uncle,” Chad said as he refilled his glass. He hadn’t thought Joanna would be so sensitive about the subject.
“You know, Chad, I really don’t feel like talking about my family right now,” Joanna said, turning the conversation around. The mood had changed and she was beginning to feel uneasy, as if she wanted to run away. “Let’s talk of more pleasant things, shall we?”
“Like what?” he asked, closing in on her. “What would you like to talk about, Joanna?” He slid his hand onto her knee, gently caressing her leg.
Joanna eyed him cautiously.
“What are you doing, brother-in-law?” she asked, eyeing him over her glass. Heat rushed to her face. This was too easy.
“I don’t really know.” Chad said pulling back. “All I know is I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind since you were here last.” He stood up and walked around the spacious living room, wine glass in hand. “I am very attracted to you and that is dangerous.” He looked at her still face. “You are very beautiful.” Chad turned away and looked at a picture of him and Mara-Joy on their wedding day.
“I made the biggest mistake of my life that day,” he said, more to himself than to her. “Remember how you told me off?” He chuckled and took a drink from his glass. “The sad part is you were right, partly. I was a slave to her beauty. It really was that simple, but it was more.”
“The pregnancy?”
Chad turned around, surprised.
“Yes. The pregnancy. The child who never was. The beginning of my nightmare.” He drained his glass and poured another drink. “You never think of the repercussions of adolescent lust. All I thought was that I was sleeping with the most popular girl in our group. She was mine when every one else wanted her. She was like a trophy. But I was a fool.”
“How is that?” Joanna asked quietly, not enjoying what she heard. Her hands held her wine glass tightly, anchoring her in place.
“Mara-Joy is no one’s trophy. You are her trophy. Her toy. Her puppet to do her bidding.” Chad’s face had turned a deep red. His glass was empty again. He reached for the bottle but it was empty. Joanna stood up and reached out her hand to him.
“I feel so trapped with her and I don’t know how I can escape.” Chad’s voice was choked full of emotion, his face becoming a purplish red. “I can’t even stand to look at her.”
Joanna remained quiet standing before Chad’s turned back. She had no idea how tortured Chad’s life had become. Feeling pity for him, she embraced his defeated frame.
He easily fell into her arms and began to sob. He was larger than Joanna, so she had to grip him firmly with her slim arms. His solid frame shook uncontrollably
They remained like that for a while: neither talking, just holding each other.
Finally Chad pulled gently away from Joanna’s embrace.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, embarrassed, wiping his eyes. His brown hair had fallen playfully onto his forehead. Joanna warmly smoothed the hair back out of the way.
Chad took her hand that touched his hair and kissed the underside of her palm.
Electricity skyrocketed through her body.
“You should stay away from me, Joanna.” Chad said into her hand.
“Why is that?” she whispered, her legs turning to liquid under his hot breath.
“I am your sister’s husband,” he said as he raised his lips to her wrist,” and I have been known to be unfaithful to her.”
“What are you suggesting?” Warmth flooded her veins.
“I have no love for my wife, but I feel a great need to be near you.” He lifted his head and looked into Joanna’s fevered face. “If you stay, I can’t promise you anything.”
“Do I need promises?” She ached to be in his arms.
“You deserve promises.”
“Do you want me to go?
“You are just a kid. I can’t do this to you.” He grabbed her shoulder roughly.
He wanted her, but how could he?
Joanna savagely flung herself into his arms embracing him with a passionate kiss. Chad’s arms encircled her waist, snugly holding her in place. They melted into each other, starved for one another.
Joanna unlocked her lips from his, panting.
“I am not a kid.”
“No, you are not,” he said, embracing her once again.
Chad drove Joanna home, but this time he dropped her off a block from her house. They lingered, kissing one another for a few moments, until Joanna had to pull away.
“Will I see you next Friday?” Chad asked, feeling desperate. They had spent the evening kissing, talking and touching. Never had he felt such desire. But it was not just because he was so attracted to Joanna physically; he enjoyed her company as well. They had laughed a lot that evening and talked about many things they had in common.
“Yes,” Joanna smiled through the open window at him. “But I have to go before my parents kill me.”
“I will be counting the days.”
Joanna blew him a kiss and ran off.
Fridays became a regular event. Each Friday Joanna rushed into Chad’s waiting arms and found it harder and harder to pull away from him.
Constance was becoming concerned for her sister. She didn’t think Joanna realized it, but Joanna was falling in love with Chad.
Constance was wrong. Joanna knew she was in love with Chad. And when she admitted it to herself, she knew she had to end her relationship with him.
Love had never been part of the plan. In fact, she wished she had never started the plan in the first place. It had been stupid. Mara-Joy was the one who was supposed to be broken-hearted, not her.
Mara-Joy didn’t even know what was going on. All she knew was that her husband seemed cheerful lately, and she was too self-centered to think it could be Joanna who put a smile on her husband’s face.
Chad opened the front door smiling broadly.
Joanna stood in the rain sobbing. His face crumbled as he quickly scooped her into his arms.
“What is wrong, darling?” he soothed, kissing her damp forehead. Joanna clutched his shirt, not wanting to let go of him.
“This has got to stop, Chad,” she cried harder.
“What? No, no it doesn’t. Please don’t say that.” Chad began to panic.
He couldn’t stand to lose Joanna. She was the only lig
ht in a life filled with darkness.
“But it does,” she said, looking up at him with a tear-streaked face. “I thought I could handle this. I thought I was in control of things. But I’m not.”
“Joanna, I don’t understand,” he said, cupping her face with his hands.
Instantly, Joanna tilted her head so that he would caress her cheek with his hand. This brought about fresh tears.
She had to do this. It couldn’t go on any longer. Her heart was breaking.
“Understand? Chad, what is there not to understand? I can’t be yours. You can’t be mine.” She buried her face in his shirt.
“But I am yours.”
Joanna pulled away and walked into the living room.
“Look around you, Chad.” She opened her arms and waved them around the room. Everywhere you looked were signs of Mara-Joy’s presence. The house was decorated in her taste. Her things were everywhere and her picture adorned every wall. In several of those pictures, she was with Chad.
“You are not mine, you are hers!” Joanna sobbed, pulling away from his embrace. She felt her heart breaking with sorrow. How did she get herself into this mess? How could she have walked blindly into this nightmare? A nightmare she had purposely created.
Chad walked over to Joanna’s distraught frame and tried to embrace her once again, but Joanna fought him.
“No, Chad, please.” She tried to wiggle out of his hold, but she became weak. It was too hard for her. The need for him was winning over her sense of logic.
“Listen!” He forcefully grabbed her shoulders, shaking her to attention. Tears fell from his eyes, freely and without shame. The thought of losing Joanna terrified him.
“I don’t love Mara-Joy, but I do love you!” He forced his lips hard onto her eager ones, his tongue probed for hers, tasting the warmth of her mouth. She sobbed as he bent and kissed her eyes. “Don’t cry, my little one, don’t cry. I will always be here for you, always.” His hands scaled the side of her body until they reached her erect breasts.
Within moments he held them naked in his hands, caressing each as though it were a rare gem.
Joanna arched her back, her body responding to Chad all on its own. She couldn’t go back now, it was too late.
“Make love to me Chad.” She grabbed his head to her, their bodies rising back and forth with each touch. “Make love to me, please? Give me one night to remember you by, to dream about when I am alone. If I can’t have you forever, let me have you now.”
Chad lifted her up and carried her to the fireplace. Gently he laid her down and artfully removed her clothing.
“ You are so beautiful,” he sighed, gazing down on Joanna.
She lay naked in the firelight. Long and graceful, sweet and innocent, her hair fanned out behind her. Chad bent down into her waiting arms and they melted together.
They were like two pieces of the same puzzle finally connected, finally back together.
“I can never have enough of you,” Chad said through clenched teeth as he held her in his arms, wanting desperately to be one with her. Even though they were physically joined, he felt it was not enough. He pushed himself deeper and deeper inside of her.
Joanna let out a cry of glory as she pushed Chad’s buttocks harder with her legs.
“I love you! Damn it! I love you!” he announced as he climaxed.
Joanna withered as bolt after bolt of her own satisfaction released.
“I love you too,” she panted, unable to contain her emotions.
“Don’t go away, Joanna. Please continue to see me.” Chad raised himself up on his elbows so he could see her warm body beneath him. “I can’t live without you.”
There were tears in his eyes as he spoke every truthful word.
“I won’t,” she said, reaching out for him again. “Only death will keep me from you.”
Chapter 34 –