We drank each other in and talked about life in general. There were other things we learned about one another. She wanted to live in a two-story white house in the country with a red door and black shutters and dreamed of going to the ocean where she always thought of sitting in the sand and writing poetry. I told her that I would give her anything she wanted, but Jocelyn was the most humble person I had ever known and despite me being a poor man, I was prepared to work my ass off. It was as if we drank a wine of perfect age and each sip made us tipsy. Intoxicated, we took each other to ecstasy and back again.
I had to take the bus to the airport in the morning and yet this did not stop us. We were exhausted. The bus was going to leave at eleven o'clock a.m and we were still in bed at ten. Her delicate fingers tangled themselves in the little hairs on my chest. She was awake now.
“River....” Jocelyn's angelic voice muttered my name. “We should get up. It's 10:00. We have to get ready.”
“I don't want to,” I whined and held her closer to me.
“We must,” she responded.
Opening one eye, I looked down at her. Her face was glowing an unearthly glow.
“Come on,” she whispered. “Let's get up.”
I closed my eyes again and yawned. She unlocked my hands from her waist and she sat up in bed.
“Oh, so this is the game we're going to play. Okay,” she said.
I felt a tickling on my neck. As it continued, I groaned in pleasure. She knew this made me weak. Her kisses won me over.
“River, darling,” she purred and kissed the side of my neck. “The bus is going to leave you if you don't get up soon.”
I opened my eyes and we stared at each other. “Let it,” I grumbled and grinned before I abruptly took her in my arms and placed her under me so that we switched positions.
“River!” she squealed and I chuckled.
“You thought you'd get away with that, didn't you?”
Jocelyn rolled her eyes. “Get off of me.” she tried to sound stern, but I saw her trying to stifle a smile.
I leaned in closer and kissed her full and passionately on the lips. “No,” I responded to her. Then I moved down her body until I got to her womanhood.
“Oh, God!” she yelled. “River no.”
I could see the pleasure lurking in her eyes and so I smiled wickedly prior to licking the lips of her womanhood. I went deeper, making her arch her back and moan. Years ago, her conscious of being a good girl stopped her from allowing me to go anywhere near her treasure. When I stopped, at that exact moment, a knock sounded on the door. We both paused in alarm.
“Are you expecting anyone?” she asked and I shook my head.
I stood up from the bed and put on some pants. I walked out of the bedroom into the living room where the knocking still went on. I approached the door, unlocked it, and then I opened it to reveal my father. He didn't smell too nice either and his face was a little red.
“Hey,” he greeted me and held out his hand. I skeptically looked at him, down at his hand, and then I shook it.
“Wh-what are you doin' here?” I asked in confusion.
“What do ya mean? I know you're leavin' today, so I wanted to stop by and say good-bye.”
“Oh,” I said.
“Well, aren't you gonna invite me in?” He didn't even let me respond. He just walzted on up in the apartment. “How ya feelin'?
“I'm fine,” I answered even though I was beginning to get pissed off. “Look....I don't really feel like havin' any company right now.”
“Oh, I won't be here long, no way,” he assured me as he went to sit down on the couch.
My nostrils flared. “What do you want?” I asked.
He turned his head to look at me where I stood behind the couch. “You're a lil' snappy this mornin', ain't cha,” he commented and stood up from the seat. He came towards me and placed a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. “I understand.”
“River, what's going on?” Jocelyn's voice rang in the air. She walked out of the bedroom wearing the yellow sundress she had on yesterday.
“Everything's fine,” I answered and took a deep breath and stood up tall. “Nicolas, my father is here to visit me.”
Jocelyn came to stand beside me, took my hand, and entwined our fingers. Nicolas watched us in sheer astonishment. He didn't know what to think.
“What's this.....you been sleepin' with the cleanin' lady.”
My body's temperature increased and my fist started to shake.
“Excuse me.....” Jocelyn gasped.
“She's my fiancée!” I growled at him and let go of Jocelyn's hand. “You damn son of a bitch.”
I nearly grabbed him by the collar and I would have if it weren't for my future wife who was standing by me.
“No, River,” Jocelyn placed her hand on my chest and pulled me to the side. “He's still your father. Remember what you told me.”
I landed back on earth when her hand touched my chest and she locked eyes with me. From absorbing her kind warmth, I calmed myself. My father was behaving like a fool and only one reason popped in my head. He had been drinking. After he told me he was changed man, he went and broke his promise with God. I was ashamed.
“Get out,” I grumbled.
“What?” he said.
“Get out!”
“B-but...” he started.
“You broke your promise with God and you lied to me. You don't belong in our home.”
“Son, don't do this to me, please,” he implored and pressed a hand to his chest. “I didn't lie to you. I'm tryna' recover, but I had more than a few lousy drinks last night and a couple more this mornin'. Ya see, when I first came back down here, I was plannin' to pay your ma a visit. Then I found out she died. It got me feelin' kinda' down, ya know.”
I folded my arms across my bare chest and turned my back to him. I pressed my fingertips to the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes.
“That wouldn't of been a good idea, anyway,” I muttered.
“I know,” I heard him whisper. “But I'm sorry I bothered ya and I sure do apologize for what I said Miss....” he paused, not knowing her name.
“Jocelyn,” she spoke up and stepped closer, but I grasped her wrist before she got any closer to the man. She cut her eyes at me and looked back at my father. “Jocelyn Smith, sir.”
“I'm sorry, Jocelyn,” Lyndon expressed. “Well, Riv, I just wanted to wish ya well.”
I bowed my head in silence and listened to the sound of the door as it opened and closed and he walked out of my life for the second time.
“What's your problem, huh?” Jocelyn snatched her wrist away from me.
“I don't trust that man,” I told her.
“Give him a break!” she exclaimed. “He's obviously going through a crisis.”
“The man's a drunk, Jocelyn,” I elucidated as simply as I possibly could and tried to get access into her innocent head.
“Okay, I get it,” she nodded her head. “Are you going to disown him just as he did you years ago? Is that it?”
“Just drop it, okay. I gotta get ready to catch the bus,” I brushed it off and walked pass her to go back to my bedroom.
She followed behind me while saying, “I can't just drop it, River. I'm worried.”
I was standing on the left side of the bed now and I turned around to look down at her. It was enough that I was leaving her to go fight in the war and now this happens.
“Baby.....” I whispered huskily as I stared at her. “I'm fine.”
“No you're not,” she disagreed and stormed out of the room.
Sighing heavily, I went to the other side of the room to retrieve my suitcase and carelessly packed my clothes inside. When I was finished, I stepped out into the living room, leaned against the archway, and watched her as she sat on the couch pouting adorable. Guilt washed over me and I ran a hand through the buzzes of little hairs on my head. Sneakily, I crept up behind her, crouched down, and kissed her on the neck. She didn't even budge.
“Why don't you come and shower with me real quick?” I asked, but she huffed and puffed and shook her head. “A-h-h, come on. It'll take some of the stress off us both.”
Reaching over her, I gently took her forearm and then I leaned forward and pinched her ear with my teeth. I saw the slight grin on her face. Slowly, I stood up and pulled her along with me. Holding hands, we walked to the bathroom where we washed each other up with soap and kisses.
The lovely shower we took together pushed us for time. It sure was worth it, though. Now, we were running late. The bus was already there and everyone was loading up. To my surprise, my aunt and uncle had been waiting for me. They brought the kids, Lori and Scott with them.
“Hey, little man,” I greeted Scott and knelt down to match his height.
“Riv, when you comin' back?” Scott inquired innocently with his big green eyes.
“When all the important stuff is done, then they'll start releasin' us,” I explained simply. “I'll be back in twelve months, okay, buddy?”
“Alright, Riv.”
I stood up and ruffled Scott's curly auburn hair. Aunt Debbie held three year old Lori on her hip and I took the toddler in my arms and kissed her on the cheek and smoothed my fingers through her blonde ringlets.
“I got somethin' to annouce to ya'll,” I said.
“Look, you comin' or not?” the bus driver snapped.
Turning towards the open bus doors, I looked inside at the driver and told him, “Yeah, just hold on a sec.”
“What's goin' on, Riv?” Uncle Brian asked.
I wrapped an arm around Jocelyn's waist and held her close to me and said, “I'm gonna marry this woman when I get back.”
“Oh....” Aunt Debbie breathed and I was afraid of what she might say. “Why, that's wonderful!”
“Yeah, it is. Welcome to the family, Jocelyn!” Uncle Brian told her.
“Thanks,” Jocelyn smile at them and then she looked up at me.
“I'll see ya in twelve months,” I whispered.
She nodded her head. “Twelve months,” Jocelyn repeated. “I love you.”
“And I love you more,” I promised her with pleading eyes as I leaned towards her and gave her a long farewell kiss before I grabbed my suitcase and got on the bus.