When the Lights Go Down

(VII) I'm In Deep

A/N: Please tell me if you still see the "errors."  It still shows normal on my end :( 

Song: I Guess I'm Crazy by Prince 

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Wednesday/August 24, 1988/London, England

4:14 AM

Because Lula gave me the entry code during our 12-night affair, the guards didn't need to intervene when I pulled up. I typed the eight digits into the keypad and rode my rental straight through the gates, waving to the mansion security in passing.

For the garage door, I had to hop out and use the six-digit code to get in there. And then once parked and locked inside, I had to rummage through a tray of tools to find her spare key.

Beast was behind the door barking away, clawing in anxiety for me to enter. I stuck the brass key in the knob and twisted it in a hurry.

Before I could even get both feet in the house, he was all over me, standing on his back legs to reach my shoulders. "Alright, alright," I complained. This was how he always greeted me. Aggressive, but sweet nonetheless.

Lady never met me at the door. She was always up under her momma. So as her howling echoed off the walls, I began to worry even more as I followed behind Beast.

"Lula?!" I called out, and then Beast rushed towards the great hall. He brought me to the elevator doors, where Lady circled and continued her shrill of solitude.

After pressing the circular button engraved in the wall, there was a chime, then the doors began to slide open, sending my heart in frenzy.

As soon as space allowed it, Lady slipped through the doors. Lula was lying on her side, her back against the wall. Her dark curls sprawling over her face, her sleeveless, black dress falling off her breasts. I quickly dived my knees onto the carpet, knocked the empty wine bottle out of my way and brought her close. Before I even thought to pray she wasn't dead, I noticed the rise and fall of her chest as I fixed her dress.

"Luberry?" I brushed her hair behind her ears. "Baby?" As I tried to get her together, I couldn't stop kissing her. I even pushed Lady away because I wanted Lula all to myself. "Baby, get up." But she wouldn't budge.

With Lula over my shoulder, I headed to the bedroom. I laid her down, and stripped away her dress. She pulled the covers up to her chin on her own. From the bathroom, I wet a cloth to wipe off her face. Gently, I cleaned the stained mascara from her cheeks, and the red lipstick off her mouth.

The dogs were restless. So I let her be and took them out back for fresh air. But we didn't stay long because I was too worried about Lula, and she didn't like for them to be outside by themselves for some reason. So after about five minutes, I was back in the bedroom, alone.

It took a lot for me to just watch her sleep. I wanted to wake her. But she needed this. So eventually I got comfortable, baring down to just my pants, and brought her to lay on my chest. "I'm here baby, okay?"

And maybe she thought it was a dream, but she responded with a 'mm-hm.' Then I was able to fall asleep with her in my arms.