“And I love you, Tami, with all my heart and soul.” She smiled at that and gently pressed her lips on mine, our tongues gently probing and exploring. I could still taste the sweet residue of the pavlova and it made me want her more. I pulled her in closer, my arms wrapping her tightly into me. Then the kiss ended as she tilted her head onto my shoulder, resting it there as she stared out the window.
“I’ve wanted to say that for such a long time, Jim. But,” she paused, contemplating her words, “but my father wouldn’t allow it.” I pulled away, looking at her, the words hitting me in the chest.
“He what?”
“He didn’t want me to see you. He kept saying that you would be too scarred, like me, and that life would be too difficult for two scarred people to make a go of it.”
“That’s horseshit,” I cried, my anger building.
“He wanted me to find someone normal, unhurt. Someone who wouldn’t suffer from anxiety and depression.”
“Anxiety and depression? You mean like him?”
“I’m sorry.” I could see tears begin to form, building behind her eye lashes, threatening to spill over at any moment. I pulled her in tight again, hugging her in a fierce embrace.
“I will never let you go again,” I whispered in her ear. She returned my embrace, pushing her face into the crook of my neck, her fingers grasping my shirt. And as I held her, I heard the tiniest whisper from her as she fought back the tears.
“Forever.”
3.
I stayed for as long as I could with Tami, but around six that evening had to bid her a good night. She was OK with me having to attend Chief Rademeyer’s house for dinner, and perfectly fine that I was going with Steph. As I said, Tami was not the jealous type. But she made me promise that I would return the second the dinner was over.
“I promise, Baby,” I said as she kissed me good night. I looked over my shoulder as I jumped in my car and saw her leaning against her doorframe, flashing that Cheshire grin.
4.
It didn’t take me long to get myself ready for the Chief’s house. Men never seem to take much time to prepare. What’s there to take care of? You shave, shower, comb and splash some sort of cologne on. Brushing your teeth adds a couple of minutes. And unless you needed to shine your shoes with some good old spit n’ polish, that was pretty much it. Women on the other hand. WowWee, that’s another ballgame entirely. I cannot even begin to work out just what the hell takes over an hour. Hair and make-up almost require the previous day to plan and execute. There were a couple of ladies whom I dated in my younger years and every one of them required a couple of days’ notice and an entire vacant house in order to prepare.
But Steph was different. That lady could get herself ready and looking a treat almost as fast as me. When I pulled up in front of her house at twenty to seven that evening, she didn’t come out. I hopped out of my beetle and went to the front door. She answered, still wearing a bathrobe, her hair dry and looking the way it had before lunch.
“Steph, it’s nearly a quarter to,” I said, pointing at my watch. She smiled.
“And?” I didn’t know what she implied, so went into the living room as she detoured to the bathroom. A second later, I heard the shower start and groaned. I knew the Chief did not like to be kept waiting.
Mrs. Wong was sitting in one of the sofa chairs in the living room, an open book in her lap. She smiled when I walked in and gave me a little wave which I returned. Judith was sitting at the dining table, a menagerie of pencils and crayons sprawled out before her, as well as several blank sheets of paper.
“Hello Mrs. Wong, hi Judith.” She looked up from her drawing and gave me a little wave, her face unsure of me. But she shot me a smile none-the-less, then resumed her drawing, a kindergarten scene with swings and see-saws with a slide in one corner.
“Say hello, Jude,” Steph suddenly said from behind me. I was startled, not only by her presence but also at how fast she had showered and dressed. I felt she had done both in the time it took me to take half a dozen steps or so. She whizzed past me, then whizzed back again, going to her room, as Judith whispered a ‘hello’ at me. I swear it was less than two minutes and she was back, dressed, hair up and face as pretty as a picture. I thought she had hypnotized me to finish everything so fast.
After the usual “have her in bed by 8, call the station if you need anything, I won’t be late, behave yourself” to Judith and Mrs. Wong, we left the house.
“Take mine,” I said as Steph headed towards her own car, parked in the driveway beside the house. She paused for a moment as if considering. “I think it’s my turn to taxi you around for a bit.” She didn’t argue, instead, walking towards my car, flashing me
