Squeak

Jezebel's Bed

He is just a child with tattoos and a bad attitude.

Erik grew bored of the stocking helicopter and focused his attention on a crucifix on the wall. He closely observed it, and I knew he was up to no good. I picked up a tennis shoe and threw it at him when he started to rotate it upside down.

"Don't do that!" I harshly whispered.

"Watch the video, Squeak," he reprimanded.

"Behave," I warned before focusing on his phone. My face morphed in confusion, then finally disgust the longer the video played.

"So, what do you think?" Erik asked once he exited my closet wearing one of my favorite dresses. It was a white lace dress that I wore every first Sunday of the month for communion.

"Please take my dress off."

"If you say so," Erik sighed. The oxygen left my body when he crossed the room and lifted my nightgown over my hips. Out of instinct to protect myself, I slapped Erik so hard that he stumbled and had to catch himself from falling.

"Why did you do that?" I was nearly in tears as I pulled my nightgown down, making sure that it was in place, almost dusting the floors.

"You told me to take off your dress. You even said please," Erik answered as he rubbed his face.

"Erik, this is a nightgown, and you know it. I-I think you should leave."

"I'm not leaving. I have to keep you safe from your father. You heard the recording. Your dad referred to you as his woman. Squeak, I hate to be the bearer of bad news—no, I don't, but what I'm trying to say is that your father is 3000% grooming you, and if he hasn't touched you yet, then he will. Especially since another man is encroaching on his territory. I mean, look at your room and your clothes; it's all pink and frills. If he tells you that he dresses you like that to protect your modesty, then you're lying. He dresses you like that to turn other men off. Has he ever done anything that made you uncomfortable and questioned if other fathers behaved in that manner?"

One instance immediately stuck out in my mind. For my 18th birthday, my father took me to see a gynecologist for a young woman's exam. Although I was 18, he forced me to sign a HIPAA form to release my medical information to him. I thought it was very strange that I was an adult woman, and he wanted to know about my feminine health. I refused to sign at first until he berated me and told me that I was hiding something from him just like a Jezebel. I signed the form and wiped away the tears. After the embarrassing exam was finished, my father stepped into the exam room and asked the doctor if I was still a virgin. The doctor felt uncomfortable and refused to answer the question before asking us to leave.

"Erik...while I appreciate your concerns, I barely know you, and I don't feel comfortable sharing parts of my life with you. I don't trust you, but what I can say is that I've never been molested by my father."

He nodded a resignation.

"Fair enough. You shouldn't trust anyone, but why go as far as barricading yourself in your bedroom?"

I'm not answering that. No way am I going to tell him that my father practically waterboarded me earlier while shouting Bible scriptures and prayers at me.

"I'm going to sleep, Erik. I think it's time for you to leave."

"But I thought we'd stay up and watch The Color Purple," Erik said, producing a DVD from his backpack. I accepted the DVD from him and examined the cover. It was an older version made out of cardboard, and it had certainly seen some wear and tear. I opened the case and found a message written on the inside of the cover.

"Happy birthday to my beautiful son, Erik. Love Dad," I whispered.

"He gave it to me after we saw it on Broadway. I miss him."

"Where is he? What happened to him? He didn't die, did he?"

"No, he's alive and well in prison."

"Oh, my goodness. What did he do?"

"Look him up like I said. Are we going to watch this movie or not?" Erik challenged.

On one hand, I want to toss Erik and my favorite dress out the window, but on the other hand, it is nice having someone around who isn't bullying me.

"You can stay under a few conditions."

"I'm listening," Erik confirmed with a devilish grin.

"You take my dress off, you stay on top of the comforter, and you leave as soon as the movie is over."

"That's it?"

"Yes. That's it."

"Cool. Let's work on that first condition, shall we?"

My mouth gaped open when Erik took off the dress, leaving him bare with the exception of his boxer briefs. My body was going haywire; rapid beating heart, sweaty palms, temperature rising, clouded judgment. I couldn't snatch my attention away from his inked muscled flesh. The tattoos were everywhere like a graffiti mural you'd find downtown.

"E-excuse me...I have to go to the bathroom," I stammered before rushing away. I gently closed the door and locked it behind me. I tore my nightgown off and removed my panties, thinking I had unexpectedly started my period. I ran my fingers between my thighs and was surprised to find an abundance of a white milky substance. I understood the concept of discharge, but this was something completely different.

Soft knocking stole my attention.

"Hurry up, Squeak."

"I-I'm coming," I mumbled as I threw my panties into my dirty clothes hamper; they were soaked. I cleaned myself up and donned my nightgown again. "Stop being weird, Jezebel. Everything will be fine," I whispered to myself in the mirror as I washed my hands. I splashed cold water against my face and dried it.

I can do this.

Jezebel's father is sick...we all know that.

Erik has a playful side, and I was laughing when he attempted to invert her cross. That's such an Erik thing to do. When he put on the dress, I kinda imagined Joker when he impersonated a nurse and blew the hospital up.

Clearly, Jezebel liked what she saw. Poor, Stink, lol.