The Fight Within (62 page)

“Uhhh…uh!” She held him loosely, studying him with hooded eyes. “Mmmm!” And he released himself within her, emptying himself into her essence.

They lay there with the music playing and the world spinning around them. She turned him into a pillow, the feel of her so good and warm on his chest. As he brushed her hair away from her face, he couldn’t imagine anything else he’d rather be doing, nor anyone else he’d rather be with. She lightly ran her hand along the hairs of his chest, her eyes fluttering open as if she were resisting sleep.

“You can fall asleep, you know,” he offered as he continued to play with her hair.

“Yeah, I know. Hey, I want to ask you something.”

“Yeah.”

“You said you went to the Hudson last night. Why? What happened?”

He looked closer at her hair, paying particular attention to her hairline. Dark, slightly wavy roots branched forward, wild and free, soft and lovely. He loved the beauty mark right above her left eyebrow. It was so small, most wouldn’t notice it, but he did…

“Kyle is an ugly person, Treasure. That’s really all I have to say about it.”

She remained quiet for some time, still running her fingers through his chest hairs, swirling them about.

“He has an issue with me being black, right?” Her tone wasn’t one of disappointment or even surprise.

“Kyle has a problem with a lot of people it seems, Treasure.”

She lifted herself up, kissed his nose, and smiled at him. It was such a sweet gesture, one he wished she’d do again, just so he could be sure to see the lovely shit.

“You have a freckle smack dab in the middle of your nose.” She pointed to it with her golden fingertip. “It sits there all alone. That’s kind of what it’s like, Sean, when you find yourself having to distance yourself from people you thought were similar to you, loved you, or cared about your happiness. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way. We’re both like that lone freckle of yours.” She kissed the top of his nose, making him grin.

How strange that I was just looking at her beauty mark…

He closed his eyes for a spell.

“Yeah, I think you’re right.”

“Hey?”

“What baby?”

“Tell me a joke.”

“What do you think I am? Some machine?” He chuckled. “I can’t just do jokes on cue.”

“Bullshit.”

“Okay, this isn’t really a joke, but just an observation.”

“Alright, go ahead.” She snuggled closer, wiggling a bit between his thighs.

“Heeeey now, be careful. Your knee grazed my nuts.” His brows furrowed at the possibility that he could have been singing soprano.

“Sorry!” She chuckled.

“Yeah, funny…ha ha,” he protested, caressing her shoulder. “If you had nuts, you wouldn’t be laughing.” He smiled.

“Go on with your observation, you big baby.”

“Okay, here it is. I notice women put a lot of stock in their makeup and hair, but if a guy says we like it, some of you will get mad and say things like, ‘What? I don’t look good naturally?’ Then, if we don’t say anything at all, you get mad about that, too…saying we don’t pay attention to you. Now what gives with that?” He looked at her seriously, for this was a million dollar question.

The woman simply stared at him, as if he were the stupidest motherfucker on God’s green earth.

“I asked you for a joke…”

“Yes.”

“And instead, you offered an observation, which I was hoping would turn into a joke.”

“Yes.”

“And this is what you come up with? This is what you thought would tickle me? Touch my funny bone, get me goin’? Well, it doesn’t!” She cracked up, playfully slapping his chest.

“Look! I started out with nothing, okay?”

“And you still have most of it!” They both burst out laughing.

“I’m sorry, baby.” He shrugged. “…I guess I’m just not in that mood, the right frame of mind. Shitty things happened in the last couple of days.”

She nodded in understanding, then rested her chin on her folded hands.

“You look like a little angel.” He grinned at her.

“I’m not one, but I’ll be your new best friend.”

He gripped her hard, forcing her lips into an urgent kiss. “I’m so glad. It feels good having a best friend that’s an angel.”

“I don’t have any wings or a halo though. I must’ve lost my touch.” She smirked.

“Nah, my dick would disagree.”

“Your dick thinks I have wings?”

“No! That you haven’t lost your touch.” He laughed and kissed her forehead.

“I’m no angel. Only babies are angels…”

He traced her shoulder in slow circles as he looked away from her, going deeper within himself.

“Sean, you look so upset. Is there anything I can do? I’m really sorry about Kyle.”

“Nah, don’t be sorry. I needed to know the truth. That’s not what I was just thinking about just now though…” He sighed.

“Oh.” she looked at him in a puzzled sort of way. “What is it?”

“One thing you just said reminded me of something.”

“Oh. What?”

No more masks. No more costumes. No more veils…

“I’m going to tell you something. Something you said just a second ago reminded me about it. It’s important to me because it changed my life. I’m going to tell you, and…” He massaged her scalp with a light touch when she rested her cheek against his chest. “When I finish, I don’t want you to feel like you have to say anything, okay?”

“…Okay.”

“Just hear me out, and thank you for making me feel safe and loved. Thank you for letting me feel like I can tell you
anything
. Thank you for being a true treasure…”

*

You said you were going to go first.
–FINDERKEEPER

I tell you what, how about a warm up?
–Sapphire Storm

Are we doing Jazzercise? You teach yoga?
–FINDERKEEPER

Jazzercise? Yeah, you’re an 80’s baby for sure! LOL
–Sapphire Storm

LOL. What’s the warm up?
–FINDERKEEPER

Never mind. I should’ve known you’d be difficult. LOL. I had a great time with my boyfriend last night. I feel so close to him, we are so connected.
–Sapphire Storm

You never told me you were dating your Siamese twin. I find that a bit reprehensible.
–FINDERKEEPER

LOL. You are insane.
–Sapphire Storm

No, I’m in-my-chair – *wink*
–FINDERKEEPER

You are a mess, lol. I took a selfie with him. Wanna see it?
–Sapphire Storm

Are you in it?
–FINDERKEEPER

Yeah.
–Sapphire Storm

So you’re going to ruin the Wizard of Oz brick-by-yellow-brick road we’ve built? No, I don’t want to see it.
–FINDERKEEPER

LOL. Come on, FINDERKEEPER! It’s time, right? I can break the ice. How about I just describe myself then? We’re friends, we should be able to do this by now.
–Sapphire Storm

Okay fine. Lay it on me.
–FINDERKEEPER

First, tell me what you THINK I look like.
–Sapphire Storm

Women, I swear. Okay, you’re hairy, 3’5, your head is shaped like a cube of ice, and your feet are wide and flat, like a platypus’. You also smell like two-day-old sautéed onions and sauerkraut, but that last detail has nothing to do with how you look. I still care about you though. You’re messed up, but we can get through this together.
–FINDERKEEPER

LMAO. Dumb!
–Sapphire Storm

No, you’re not dumb, just short, hairy, and walk a bit odd.
–FINDERKEEPER

I hate you. LMAO
–Sapphire Storm

Go ahead and ruin my perfect vision of you. Display the man that stole-eth thine heart, too. Seriously, show me the pic, it’s cool.
–FINDERKEEPER

Okay. Here we are.
–Sapphire Storm

Sean waited a couple of seconds for the picture to load and then…

And then…

…His heart fell to his goddamn feet…

For there, on the screen, stared back a photo of him and Treasure, kissing under the cabana with their arms high in the air, clutching colorful drinks and yelling ‘Cheers!’

So, what do you think? Don’t look at me, I’m hideous! LOL!
–Sapphire Storm

He couldn’t type. Couldn’t speak. He could do nothing but stare…

FINDERKEEPER? Are you still there?
–Sapphire Storm

Yeah…
–FINDERKEEPER

He finally mustered the strength to move his fingers and start to type, but then she asked a question…

What’s wrong?
–Sapphire Storm

Nothing. Nothing at all. You’re beautiful.
–FINDERKEEPER

Thank you. That is very sweet of you to say.
–Sapphire Storm

Hey, I need to take care of something real quick. Can I talk to you in, like, an hour or two?
–FINDERKEEPER

Uh, ok. Sure. Are you sure everything is ok?
–Sapphire Storm

Yes, everything is fine.
–FINDERKEEPER

It couldn’t be. You would’ve made a joke of some sort right then. LOL
–Sapphire Storm

No, seriously. Everything is fine. I just need to take care of something. Talk to you in a bit, ok?
–FINDERKEEPER

Ok.
–Sapphire Storm

He immediately logged off and slammed his computer shut, veering back from the damn thing as if it had suddenly grown fangs and morphed into a snarling, growling mess. But in moments, he burst out laughing, falling onto his bed like a sad sack until his laughter grew so tight and loud, it bubbled in his damn chest, and tears formed in his eyes.

“I don’t believe this shit!” He tried to sit up straight to no avail. “Oh my…damn.”

He pulled out a dresser drawer and began to collect various odds and ends, putting things together just so. After a few minutes, he jumped up from the bed and hightailed it up the hallway to the small closet near his kitchen. Whisking the white shutter doors open, he removed his black leather jacket, slid it on, and grabbed his wallet. He burst out laughing a few times during the process. His heart swelled and beat fast within his chest, making him feel a little more insane as he juggled a plethora of emotions.

This shit has to be destiny or something. How the hell does something like this happen?!

When he opened his apartment door, the dull hallway lights bathed him in the science experiment gone wrong slime green. He locked the door behind him. All the while, his head throbbed from the crazy pressure of it all. This development required action, and he knew just what to do…

*

I shouldn’t have
done it…

Treasure looked at her computer for the longest time. She wasn’t sure what had sent her Internet buddy off and running, but it happened right after she’d shown the photo of her and Sean. Even after meeting the love of her life, she still enjoyed chatting with FINDERKEEPER every now and again, for he was the golden ticket—the one that gave her permission to laugh, even when life didn’t seem quite funny at all. He kept her grounded during her internal battles and struggles with this new dating world, and so much more. Through her talks with him, she’d become more optimistic, growing, changing a bit, gathering the inner strength she’d forgotten she possessed after being emotionally devastated from a marriage built on watery hopes versus concrete trust.

Truth of the matter was, she and Jackson used to be in love, but they’d changed, grown apart, and it hadn’t happened overnight. No, it occurred gradually over the course of their tumultuous relationship. In this new phase of her lifetime, she’d wandered out into unknown territory. FINDERKEEPER was a riot, but a realistic soul nonetheless…and it didn’t matter what he looked like…what they both looked like. There was something significantly more important at play here.