"I need air." Serene drifted toward the back door and Kanani glanced her way. Enzo's eyes rolled up toward the ceiling as he started to talk to himself in Italian.
"Go get your air," he said in English.
Serene opened the door and slipped out. Once outside, she took several deep breaths, nerves frayed from the evening events, and the rest of her senses somewhat dulled from too much alcohol. She made her way through the yard and out the side gate closest to her house, but stopped when she heard Taylor's voice and someone else––a man––Darpan? Serene crept forth. The conversation came from the other side of her house. Then she saw them standing near the street lamp in the adjoining side yard that separated Serene's home from their neighbors. Crouching near the hibiscus, she watched Taylor sniffing, eyes puffy from crying.
"Everyone hates me." Taylor pressed the back of her hand against her mouth, a fresh volley of tears spilling down her cheeks. Serene had never seen Taylor vulnerable before. Taylor, who was so good at laughing off insults and giving her own little zingers when it pleased her. She always seemed as if nothing got to her.
"Everyone doesn't hate you," Darpan said with a sigh and then put his arms around her waist. "Come here." He pulled her to him, and she pressed her face into his chest, the sobs silent, wracking through her shoulders. Darpan stroked her back until her sobs began to subside, and then he tilted her chin up and kissed her gently on the lips. She didn't pull away. Serene felt her anger return and stood from her squatted position to give Taylor a piece of her mind, but then Taylor was pushing Darpan away.
"Don't," she said softly.
He pulled her back toward him, nuzzling her neck. "Relax."
"I just wanted to talk. That's all. I wanted someone to talk to." Her voice sounded so young, unsure.
"We are talking, sweetie. We are talking. We are love.”
He pushed his hips toward hers.
We are love. The wand always hurts Little Girl after Master says that.
"Stop it!" Taylor hissed, shoving Darpan from her.
He stumbled back and Serene held her breath as Darpan came within several feet of the hibiscus bush. He put up his hands in surrender. "I'm gonna go inside. It's all good. Okay? It's all good. We are love, Taylor. We are love.”
Taylor stood trembling, hugging herself, mouth tugging into a frown. She made a little gasp and turned away.
Darpan walked right past Serene, up the porch steps and into the house.
Footsteps. Here I come. We are love.
The headlights of a car coming down the street blinded Serene for a moment. The car parked and the lights cut out. Someone emerged from the shadows. Tall. Master? Serene’s stomach twisted and she crouched lower, heat flooding her body. She brought her hand to her mouth, clamping it tightly over her lips to hold in the scream as Taylor’s eyes widened with surprise.
"Julie. Oh my god." Taylor exhaled. "I need to get home. You're a lifesaver. I need––"
She didn't finish her sentence. From where Serene hid, she could see Julie's face, her eyes black with rage. She pointed a finger at Taylor, who took a step back.
"You fucking cunt."
Taylor shook her head.
"I thought you were my friend. An actual fucking friend."
"I am your friend."
Julie poked a hard finger into Taylor's chest. "You're a whore, you know that? My mom says––" Julie's voice cracked.
"Julie, please," Taylor begged.
"Did you sleep with my dad, Taylor?"
Taylor hugged herself and the two silently stared at each other.
Someone was crying—a child. For a moment, Serene lost all orientation as to where she was, a strange grey descending over everything. The crying sounded so close. Where was it coming from?
"Shh. Shh," a girl soothed. Serene closed her eyes, trying to shake the crying from her ears. A loud smacking sound sent her eyes flying back open. Taylor was stumbling back, her body swaying.
Julie.
Serene could make out her figure, the back of her, blond hair swallowed up by the darkness as she got into her car and drove away.
There was something wrong with Taylor; her body was still doing that weird swaying thing.
Serene stood trembling to her feet, stepping out from behind the bush. "Taylor."
Taylor turned her head, eyes locking with Serene's. Then she was lurching across the street to Steve's house.
“Go to sleep,” someone said—the same girl who'd been shushing the crying child. Go to sleep, Serene.
One by one they closed their eyes––Serene, Dora, Sahana––until only Little Girl was left, groping in the dark.
“Dora?” She called out, careful to keep her voice low should Master hear her. “Dora?”
55
Dora - January 2020
Dora opened her eyes to the sound of the crows leaving their roost, their harsh scolding cries prompting her to sit up and peer out the window. The grey morning sky was aflutter with the birds’ dark wings as the flock rose all at once to start the day. Erica’s hand reached up to cup her breast.
“Come back to me,” they murmured. Serene slid down into the softness of the covers and her wife’s embrace, meeting Erica’s mouth with her own for a lingering kiss.
“When is your flight?” Dora whispered, stroking the back of Erica’s head, letting her hand glide down their muscular back to the softness of their hips.
“Not for several hours.” Erica prodded Dora to her back. They made love slowly, Dora delighting in the feel of Erica, the silkiness of their sex. The way Erica took their time until Dora was erupting into orgasm, another closely following, Erica joining her.
“You’ll have to save some of that for when I return.” Erica breathed into her ear when they’d finished before kissing Dora delicately on the tip of her nose and slipping out of the bed to shower.
Dora stretched and smiled and within minutes was asleep.
When she woke again, it
