Wrongful Kiss Chapter 14 : The Week Is Almost Over September 14 2011
It was a pretty day. And Thomas was setting at the picnic table with Ben and Barry. They were all three drinking a cold beer.
Dakota and Eddie were in the trailer making lunch. Eddie had tried to give the kitchen to Dakota when she had arrived but Dakota told him no, it was his kitchen and she would be his helper. She had also said she would make the men do the dishes. That had not happened. Eddie did the dishes and Dakota found her self helping him.
Dakota had begun to love Eddie. Not as a man, but as a sister. She had even said this to him. She told him he was like the sister she always wanted. And Eddie using his broken sign language had told her that he thought that was the best think anyone had ever said to him.
Eddie thought of his self as a girl. Not a woman. He would never be a woman, and he didn’t want to be. But his personality was very girl like and that was what he wanted. He did not want to dress up as a woman, or a girl. But inside he was a female.
Eddie wanted to do the things a girl did. And he wanted a man to love him and treat him like he was special. He knew he could never do all the things a man wanted, but he could do the things the right man needed. And that was all he cared about, as long as it was the right man.
Eddie was now training Dakota how to be a girl.
Dakota had grown up as a loner. Her aunt could not have children so Dakota had become her child. Living on a farm, her aunt had home schooled Dakota, so Dakota had not had many friends.
The three of them, Dakota, and her aunt and Uncle, lived on the farm alone. Dakota had helped out with the chores, so she was more boy than she was a girl; maybe even more boy than Eddie. Their rolls were reversed.
Now the two together were for the first time in their life finding someone they could call friend, that wanted nothing except to be the others friend.
Eddie was not like Barry. He did not want what Barry wanted. And Eddie was not like her daddy or Uncle Dick. He did not have to like her because she was kin. He was just a really nice person that liked her for her.
“Okay Eddie I got the dogs and buns. You get the dressings and drinks.” Dakota said as she started for the door.
Eddie reached for the twelve-pack of beer that had not yet been open and a basket which he had already stuffed with plates of fries and other goodies. Then he followed Dakota out the door.
“All right boys, lunch is served.” Dakota said as she started to lay out the paper plates. “We have hot dogs and hamburgers, and fries.” She looked and seen Eddie coming out the door. He had a large bag of potatoes chips under one arm.
“And we also have potatoes Chips.” She said laughing.
Everyone started laughing then.
“That boy sure does like his chips.” Thomas said.
“Yes sir he does.” This was Ben. “I sometimes have to make him eat something else just to make sure he don’t starve to death.”
Eddie was turning a little red with all the attention.
The small talk went on for a few minutes till everyone had made a plate of their favorite. Ben had two hot dogs and two hamburgers each. Barry had only one each. And Thomas had just one hot dog.
Eddie was eating chips, and Dakota was watching. Eddie would have only been watching also if not for the chips. He liked to feed people and make sure they were full before he would eat. But there was nothing that would keep him away from the chips.
And Dakota had picked up this habit from Eddie. Not the chips part, but the waiting till the men were finished eating, she thought it was the girly thing to do after seeing Eddie do it.
Dakota also didn’t want any of this food. What she wanted was a banana split: maybe with peanut butter on it. Or even a pickle, or maybe just the pickle. There were pickles on the table so she reached for one.
Ben and Barry were talking about cars. They had been talking about cars for two days. Every time they were alone, they started talking about cars. At first Thomas had joined in with them but he soon grew bored of talking about cars.
Thomas had been in a fowl mood all day and he did not know why. He had a bad feeling that something was wrong. He didn’t know what, but something just did not feel right.
Why had Dan not called him back? Or why had that young Andy guy not showed back up? Were they going to be trouble?
What was Kelly doing right at this minute, he thought? I wonder if she ever thinks about me, he asked his self silently. I wonder if she will even remember me.
Thomas had a million things going through his head.
“What are you thinking father? Dakota asked. She had eaten half a pickle and then laid the other half on Barry’s plate.
Thomas just looked at her supporting a small smile.
“I was thinking how great it would have been if you and Kelly had been able to be together. She would have taken very good care of you. She would have been a great ….” Thomas stopped, He thought, “Mother.”
Thomas rubbed his eyes. Dakota thought he was crying and said “Don’t cry father.”
Thomas said, “I am not crying. I have something in my eye.” He looked up and seen that everyone was watching him.
Thomas started to say something, thought, then said, “Kelly took it upon herself to find you when you were a baby. We never believed you were dead. They could not show us a grave or death certificate. So Kelly was always sending off letters and finding new ways to see if she could find you.”
“Why did she want to find me so bad father? Dakota asked.
“For me; she knew I missed you and so she wanted to find you and bring you home to me. Her own father had gone missing and she once told me that she missed her father but she was old enough to handle it. But you were a baby and we needed to find you and bring you home.”
“I remember you telling me about her when I was younger.” Dakota said. “We use to set here and talk about her at night. You would drink until you passed out. And sometimes you would start talking about her.” Dakota smiled. She was not being mean, just remembering her father and the way he was. He seamed like a total different person now, almost alive.
Thomas just looked at his daughter and returned the smile.
“You were enough to make anyone drink.” He said still smiling. The other started laughing. Dakota hit Barry in the shoulder with a fist. He hushed and so did Ben when Eddie gave him a side ways look.
“How old was she father?” Dakota asked.
Here it comes thought Thomas. Up to now Thomas had avoided this part of the story. He was sure Dakota would find out sooner or later. He was hoping it would be later. How in the world could he tell his baby girl that he had been living with a girl not much older than her? Granted it was a long time ago, and he was much younger, but he still did not know what to say.
“She was just a little girl,” Thomas heard his self say, “a Baby.”
“Well she was about the same age as my grand parents were when they married.” Ben said.
“They were the same age Ben.” Thomas said.
“Maybe so, but that doesn’t matter. It shows that a young person can make a choice of what they want their life to be at that age and live with the consequences. They were both the same age as your Kelly and chose each other. Your Kelly chose you. That does not make her choice wrong unless she was forced into it.”
“No one forced her.” Thomas said.
“Then I guess she knew what she wanted and went for it.” Ben said.
“How old was she father?” Dakota asked again. She already knew Kelly had to have been in her teens. At lease she hoped so.
“She was almost thirteen the first time she kissed me.” Thomas said.
“Almost?” Dakota’s jaw dropped. Barry gasped.
“Drop it.” Thomas ordered.
“Father?” Dakota said.
“I said drop it.” Thomas looked at his daughter. “I don’t care what you think about it. It is done. It is her and my business. And only she and I have the right to judge if we were right or wrong.”
Dakota was silent. She was counting.
“Father, you were over twenty years older than her.” Dakota said.
“Not quite.” Thomas said. “But over nineteen for sure.”
“Way to go pop.” Barry said. Looking at Dakota when he said it and wishing he had not. “Sorry, my bad.”
Ben laughed.
“Dakota, you were not there. You do not know Kelly, or even who I was then. It happened. It was not something we had planed or set out to do. It just happened.” Thomas was shaking again.
Thomas hated his self for what he had done. He hated that he had not been stronger. He wished he could go back and change it. But he could not. And really, he did not want to. Damn these fools. Could they not see that he loved her? Could they not know that he never set out to hurt her?
She had done it. She had kissed him. He had not asked for a kiss. Did not expect one. And would not have taken one. But she had kissed him. She had reached up and took his face and pulled it to hers and kissed him.
He should have known better. And he should have stopped it. But he could not stop it. Her kiss was magic to him. And it took his strength away. He was lost to her spell. With that one kiss she had forever captured his heart. With that one kiss, his soul was lost in her love. And with that one kiss, a million tears had been released to fall. And those tears were still falling, even twenty years later.
“You don’t have to except what she and I did. Only that we did it because we loved each other. And you can think what ever you want about us. But do not try to make it dirty. It may have been wrong. But it was never dirty. We loved each other. And I still love her. I don’t know if she still loves me. But now that I found her, I will give her the chance to love me or hate me. But one way or the other I will make it up to her.”
Thomas stood up. “Now I need a fucking drink.” He turned and walked away.
The four people set there and didn’t say anything for the longest time. Then Ben said “I think the 302 short blocks was a little weak for an engine.”
Barry didn’t have time to say anything before Dakota spoke.
“Ben why are you helping father in this?” she asked.
Ben didn’t say anything. He set there and thought about the questing.
“Well Ms. Dakota it’s like this. I know a lot of people think that Eddie and I am a couple. And if that is true, then it is our business. I would not want anyone trying to say we could not be together because it was wrong.”
Dakota just looked at him.
“Black people have been told for over three hundred years that we could not do some things because it was not right. And I am not sure that it is right for one man to tell another man what is right or not right.”
“But she was a little girl Ben. She didn’t know what was right or not right. She was not old enough to know.”
“That may be Ms. Dakota. But then who are we to say she didn’t know right from wrong. Maybe what was right for her at the time was what she did.” Ben said.
Ben reached for the wine bottle that Eddie had pulled out and took a drink of.
“To tell the truth Ms. Dakota, if I saw a man trying to do something like that with a little girl I would stop him. And I would not be easy on him. But I was not there then. And I don’t know what happened or why it happened. All I know is Mr. Thomas is my friend. He has been a good friend ever sense I come to Lucky Tree. I have to be on his side.”
Ben took a drink of the wine.
“I also trust Mr. Thomas. And I don’t think he would have done this thing if Ms. Kelly had not wanted too. I bet she had a hand in helping make what even happen to happen.”
“But she was only a little girl Ben.” Dakota said.
“So was my grand mother.” Ben said.
“But that was along time ago Ben. Things were different then.”
“How so. My family has always been rich. My name speaks of richness. My name is Rothschild. My grand mother or grand father neither one had to marry. They wanted to marry. They wanted to be with each other.” Ben was thinking about his grand mother now.
“Well I think that one way or another, we will find out if this was real love or not in a few days.” Barry said. “After all, we know your dad still loves her. But does she still love him? That is the questing. And one I cannot wait to find out.”
Dakota looked at her husband. “I love you.” She said.
“I love you more.”
“No you don’t. I love you more.” Dakota said.
Barry opened his mouth and started to speak, but Eddie put his hand over Barry’s mouth.
“Eddie wants you to know that unless you want to sleep on the sofa tonight, you might think about which one of you love’s who the most.” Ben said.
Dakota smiled. Barry did also.
“I am the luckiest man alive.” He said. “I have the most beautiful wife in the world.”
Thomas was setting in his room behind his desk. He had a picture of Kelly in his hand. She was fourteen in the picture with a pink bikini. He remembered the day he had taken the picture. He had not wanted her to wear the bikini. It was more or less a string he told her. But she said she just wanted a picture with it on so he would have it to remember her always.
Thomas had never let anyone see the picture. It was their picture. And it would stay that way. He lay the picture down and picked up another one. Kelly was about eight or nine in this picture. She had given it to him. James, her father had taken it on the day they had first come into the store. The day he had first spoken to Kelly.
“What a beautiful child.” He said again looking at the picture. That was what he had said on that first day. It was the first thought he had about Kelly. And she never let him forget those words. And she loved it when he said it to her.
Thomas was thinking about her. The first time he saw her. She had looked at him, and smiled at him. He had taken her entire view in, and consumed it. It was like a fire burning deep into his soul. He had wanted her then, he thought. But no, that was wrong. She had been just a baby. But yet, his heart was crying for her. Even on that first day, he felt something was not right.
Thomas lay the picture down. He asked his self, would I have made this happen if she had not? Kelly had kissed him. She was in danger, and he had saved her. She felt the need to bond with him. Maybe only because she wanted the securities of having him love her deeply. Knowing that that love would keep her safe.
But if she had not kissed him, would he have kissed her. That was what he wanted to know. He could accept the fact that she had put her lips to his and kissed him first. But he was unsure how he would feel if he thought he had kissed her first.
Letting her kiss him and then following up on that kiss was a sign of weakness he thought. But kissing her first was taking advantage of a child. Did he do that?
He remembered the first time he seen her. He had wanted her then. Not to make love to. But to replace a hole in his heart. He knew he had fallen in love with Kelly the first time he seen her. He just did not know how much he had fallen.
Tasha ran into the office and laid her books on the counter.
“I will be right back” she said, “I am going to see Carl.”
“Wait” yelled Kelly stopping Tasha before she went out the door. “He is not there hon.” She said. “I was just down there a few minutes ago and he has not showed up today.”
Tasha’s jaw dropped and her eyes went wide. She looked like she was going to cry.
“I am sure he is okay.” Kelly said. “You know Carl. He sometimes does this.” She was thinking she would have to have a word with Carl about other people’s feelings. She was a little worried herself after all that had been going on, but she could not let Tasha know about it.
“Should we call the police, mama?” Tasha asked?
“No, I don’t think so. Carl can take care of his self. But if he does not show up by Friday then we will call when you get home from school.”
Tasha thought about this a minute. It made sense to her. Carl had disappeared before. There had been a few times when he had been paid by Kelly and not show up again till the next time he had to work. She was sure he would be here Friday morning.
“Do you have any homework?” Asked Kelly?
“I did most of it already on the bus. But I have to write a paper on current events.” Tasha said. She pulled out a Weekly Reader from her book bag. The Weekly Reader was a small four page news paper that was given to school children with current events for the week.
“The teacher said to pick out a subject and write a report on how we feel about it. She also said we could pick out something else if we wanted too but it had to be something that was in the news now.”
“What are you going to write about?” Kelly asked.
“Murderer’s” Tasha said.
“What?” Kelly asked.
“I am going to write about this guy that is going around killing people.” Tasha said.
“I don’t think that is a good ideal Tasha.” Kelly had stopped what she was doing and was looking at her daughter.
Greg was also listening to Tasha. He had been reading email on an I-Pad computer. He looked at Tasha.
“Why not mother?’ asked Tasha.
“Well,” Kelly thought, “Tasha I have tried to raise you to think. But some of the kids in your class might not be as mature as you. You might scare some of them by talking about a subject like this. It might not be a good subject for the sixth grade.”
Tasha thought about this. “You are right. Maybe I will wait and watch the news tonight and pick something to write about.”
Kelly stood there and watched her daughter. Had her daughter just played her? Kelly was feeling a little foolish.
“Thanks for the help Mom,” Tasha said, “I am going to go over to see Gilda and tell her all about Andy the spy.” Tasha reached and took Andy’s hand. He had just walked into the room and had not heard the conversation.
“We will be back soon.” Tasha said as she led Andy out the door. Andy was looking at Greg trying to see what to do.
Kelly had not said anything as Tasha and Andy disappeared around the corner of the building. She was standing there with her mouth open. She looked at Greg. He was laughing silently to his self.
“Did I just get played?” Kelly asked.
“I think you did.” Greg said. “And I have never seen it done better.” He broke out with laughter. Kelly joined him.
“I should have known she was up to something when she said Mother.”
William was awake when the door opened. A cop was standing there.
“Come with me.” The cop ordered.
“Where are you taking me?” William asked.
“Don’t worry.” said the cop. “They just want to ask you a few more question’s then they are going to let you go. Come with me.”
William got up with a smile on his face. That was the best news he had heard in a long time. It would be even better than hearing that he had received the job promotion.
William was taken to a small office. Not like the room he was in the night before. This office had a desk, and some shelves. There were books on the shelves, and this office looked like it belonged to someone.
He was told to set in a chair in front of the desk, and not to touch anything. Then the door was shut, and the cop was gone.
As William set there, he notice that a mirror on one of the walls was a little too oversized for normal. This is another game they are playing with me, he thought. They are watching me.
William set there for what he thought was at lease thirty minutes before anyone came in. Had this been only thirty minutes he thought, or I have I been here for hours.
“Hello Mr. More. I’m Mark Punch. Detective Mark Punch.”
Mark walked over to the other side of the desk and set down.
“You can call me Mark.” He said. He had a file in his hand. He opened it to the first page. “You spell your name M O R E. that’s a little strange isn’t it. Most people spell it Moore.”
William only said “Yes.” Meaning that was the way he spelled his name. The two men set there and looked at each other.
“Mr. More, we know that you did not kill this girl.” Detective Punch stopped, waiting for the reaction on William’s face. “But we don’t know how she came to be in your house. We need your help to figure this out.” Mark closed the file and laid it on the desk. “Let’s go over your story again.”
They did. William told how he had left Atlanta on Friday the second, and returned on Wednesday the seventh. He drove straight home making no stops. When William arrived at his house, at first everything looked okay. Nothing seamed to be missing. But someone had been there. They had cooked something and left the kitchen a mess. So William called the police.
It had not taken the police long to arrive. Two cops, one asked him if anything was missing. He told them nothing that he could tell.
They asked him if he had looked all through the house, and he said he had not. So they asked if it was okay for them to look.
William gave them permission and that was when they found the girl in his bed.
Mark punch knew all this. William had been over it a dozen times with Dan Johnson. Mark had watched through the one way glass just like Dan was doing now.
“Please let me go home.” William said. “I did not hurt anyone.”
“We know you didn’t.” Mark said.
“Then why can I not go home.” William asked.
“Someone used your house to kill and eat part of a girl. We need to find out who did that.” Mark said.
“But I don’t know who did it?” cried William.
William did not know the girl. And he had no family here in Atlanta, no girlfriend, and no friends that he would have left in care of his house.
“We checked out your computer.” Mark stopped. He was watching William’s face for a reaction.
“You like to go to some strange places on the Internet.”
William didn’t bat an eye. He was scared. William had a deep dark secret. One that he had never acted on. But one that he wanted no one to know. He was gay. No not gay, he did not like other men, but he did like little boys. He was a pedophile, and it would never do for his bosses to find out about this. He would not only be out of the promotion he was working on, but he would be fired also from his job.
“Why do you go to that man-boy site so much?” Mark asked. “Are you into little boys?”
William gave the detective a look of discuss. William thought about his mother, it would kill her if this got out.
“How sick can you people be?” William asked. “I like to study. I go to all kind of places on the net. That doesn’t mean I like them.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Mark said. “Hell I like the little guys myself. Looking at their little butts. Looking at their little swingers.” He had a big grin on his face. He licked his lips.
William was sick all at once. This cop was saying things that William only thought. And things that he wished he did not think.
He’s trying to trick me, thought William. He’s trying to get me to say something.
“It is not a crime to have a computer. And I can go where I please on the net. It’s none of your business.” William was looking the cop right in the eye. He was tired and wanted to get out of here.
“I did not kill that girl. I do not know who did. Are you going to book me or let me go?”
William stood up. “Do one or the other. But stop this sick stuff right now.” He looked like he was ready to leave.
Mark looked at him. No expression at all on his face. “Set Down.” Mark said.
“Set Down now.” He meant it. And William set down. He had tried to be strong, but he had given his best shot. He was shot down by this cowboy, and he knew he was dead.
“I didn’t kill that girl.” He cried. He was holding his head in his hands now. And the sobs were coming out with uncontrollable ease.
“I have never hurt anyone.” He held his head up. Tears were coming out of his eyes. The crying was real.
Mark was watching the man in front of him. He hated the man. He knew that this man was a sick pervert. But he also knew that this man had not killed that girl. That did not stop him from hating the man.
“We got a long day in front of us William. If you help me, we will finish up here, and I’ll have you home by the end of the day.” He did not smile, but he did look William in the eye. “But you better know one thing. I’ll be watching you from now on. For the rest of your life.’
The two men just looked at each other. Then the door opened. Dan Johnson walked in.
“Put him back into his cell. Then come with me. They just found another girl.”
