Against The Odds (16 page)

“I
am sorry, okay? Half the time I don’t know what to think. I mean,
why
do you shock me when you touch me sometimes? What does
it mean? When did you know that you were the Protector?”

“Okay, I knew the day I met your father. I saw it in his
eyes and he tried to tell me in various ways. I also saw the link
between them and us.
In fact, it was Jono who figured it
out.”

“
Jono?”

“Yes, he made me realize a lot of things I would not have
seen. What we could not figure out is what you needed protection
from.
You
were
certainly not telling me. We thought of asking your father, but
I
needed to hear it from you. But the first time we met,
when I touched your hand, I thought you needed to be protected,
after I decided that I wanted to sleep with you.”

“
Why do you shock me?”

“
Now that, I could not figure out. I hoped you would
know.”

“Clayton
, will you answer this question honestly? I
need you to be honest, okay? Do you still want to make love to
me?”

“What? Rebecca are you crazy? Of course. Gosh, woman. Do
you know how
difficult
all this has been? Do you know I have never seen a woman twice
without having
sex with her? Do you know that you are
staring at me, your black eyes flashing, and I want to take you to
that bed? Do you know?”

“No, I don’t know. I don’t know anything. But I certainly
know that I don’t want you to tell me about other women. Let
me
go, now.”

“
Nooo.... Princess. You asked me to be honest. I will always
be honest with you. Stop flashing your eyes at me.”

She lifted her head to him and he kissed her. They felt the
difference, in their love and passion for each other. The
fear
was moving away, slowly. They made love and it was
magical. Clayton got his ultimate fantasy, because the electric
shocks vibrated through their bodies at least four times as they
hungrily searched each other’s bodies. They forgot about The
Darkness, the questions, or the reason for the shocks. They needed
to be with each other and they consumed each other. It was two in
the afternoon before they came back to reality. Jonathan was
banging on the door, worried that they had managed to do something
stupid, like invoke lions, talking butterflies or the
like.

“
Are you two alright?”

“
Yes, Jono, go away. We are fine, please, we will see you
later, I promise.”

Clayton shouted through the door, but he knew Jonathan
would not go away until he had seen him. He had been so
worried
lately, he was taking no chances.

“
Okay, I’m coming. One minute.”

He went
through the inter-leading door and opened his cottage for Jonathan.
Rebecca was fast asleep and naked in her cottage.

“Jono, how are you? Sorry, things got a little crazy. We
lost
track of time.”

“
Yes, that is what I was afraid of, things going crazy. Are
you alright?”

“
Yes, of course, but we are going to need your help later.
Where is Jackie?”

“
Playing tennis with her friends. What has
happened?”

“It is long story, but I thin
k we are alright. She
is so beautiful, Jono. She is everything I ever wanted in a woman,
even in bed.” He was whispering.

“Come let me make you some coffee. I am going to need your
help and understanding once more. But this time, Rebecca and I will
talk to
you. We have had a long chat. If you thought talking
butterflies was bad, wait until you see the creature that came over
last night. Jono it is hectic.”

“Creature, what creature? Clayton, don’t tease me. You
would not look so calm if some
creature
was her
e. Clayton, you bastard, you are
teasing me.”

“
No, he is not. Jono, good morning. Stop whispering, because I
can hear everything. And you Clayton, stop telling your friend
about our sex lives okay? I’m going back to bed.”

The men looked at each other and w
anted to
laugh.

“
Creature? Tell me about the creature.”

They
took their coffee outside and closed the door. Jonathan sat with
his mouth wide open as Clayton told him the story.

“So you see, things
did
get
a bit crazy.”

“But you look so happy? I don’t
under
stand?”

“
That’s because you have never been shocked to high heaven by
the woman of your dreams.”

“
Clayton, stop that. Stop that right now. I can hear
you.”

Rebecca
was awake and wearing jeans and a t-shirt. She looked fresh and
relaxed.

“
Rebecca, how are you?”

“
Fine. I was in the shower, but I guess Big Mouth here told
you everything?”

“
Well, yes, pretty much. Rebecca, I want to ask you something.
Can you show me the butterfly?”

Rebecca was silent for a bit, “okay, might as well,
otherwise you will nag me. Come inside
. But I will
not
shock you, is that
clear?”

“
Okay, fine, unlike Clayton here, I have no desire to be
shocked at all. I don’t like creatures or talking butterflies or
lions, sorry tigers. I like things in a world I understand, like a
tattoo.”

When Jonathan
had seen the tattoo, he was silent for
a long time. He had never really believed that it existed and now
he had to question all the other things he thought had been in
Clayton’s head. He left soon afterwards and went to look for his
wife.

“Well, Double
J are going to have an entertaining
conversation.”

Clayton
was laughing.

“
Clayton, you seem to think all this is funny. It is not. It
is horrible and ugly. I don’t want to be treated like a
freak.”

“Princess, it
is
funny. Don’t you see? All relationships
have their
problems and challenges. Double J can’t have children. Brad is in
love with a woman who won’t speak to him for some reason he does
not know. We have creatures. You see my point?”

“Yes, yes. Tell me about Brad. He had
some accident and didn’t want to talk about it. He sounded
unusually grumpy. What is going on?”

Clayton laughed. “He went to some
meeting and says he was not paying attention. He has a few bruised
ribs. But he met some woman who seems to be just like him. They had
a fight, and he seemed really hurt, but I am not sure. He really
likes the ladies, so, I don’t know. You know, he told me to stay
away from you, and I guess I was hoping I would confess to him that
I didn’t. He is going to be seriously pissed with me.”

She laughed out. “He told me to be
very careful of you, that you are charming but not to be touched,
under any circumstances. He is going to be pissed with me too,
especially when I tell him that I need your touch.”

Clayton smiled.

“We will deal with him together. Let’s
get back to us. I like the fact that I am your Protector. It feels
good to a man to know he can do that. It makes me feel special. You
are not a freak. Just a wonderful, intriguing woman. We will work
it out. For now, let me enjoy the euphoria of knowing you finally
trusted me enough to tell me the truth. Let my male ego reign just
for a while, okay?”

“Okay. But I want you to be normal with me just for once. I
want to have a normal
relationship
. Deal?”

“Deal.”

*****

When they got to the restaurant, they found Blake and Zane
having an animated conversation. It seemed they knew the same
people. John and Chad had been playing tennis with Jackie and were
sitting on the patio having a drink with Marcus and
Salina.
Good
, Rebecca thought.
The two couples are being friendly with
each other
. She had
worried that Chad and Blake would have one of their jealousy fights
and it would have a long, drawn-out war of words.

“Hello,
there! So good of you to join us,” Blake said.

“Yes, I’m starving.
I need something to eat.”
Clayton was off into the restaurant.

Zane was
looking at Rebecca, “I was just having a scandal about
you.”

“
Really, what evil thoughts have been working in that brain of
yours, hmm?”

“I
was telling Blake about Spaz and how you put him in his
place.”

“
Oh, that creep. I don’t even want to think about it. And why,
dear Zane, are you entertaining yourself at my expense?”

“Because we would love to see you and Stud-muffin there
together. You are quite a dramatic couple. It
is
very entertaining.”

“We
think it is an act of discrimination that such a
gorgeous hunk is straight. It is an outrage.” Blake was
saying.

“
Oh you two, leave my man alone.”

“Possessive, aren’t we?” Clayton had come back in and was
smiling.

“Do you guys want something
to eat? Here are the
menus. I had better eat something before I go crazy.”

They were all sitting at a table on the patio when Jonathan
and Jackie arrived. Jackie was a little surprised. She had expected
something to be different, but the couple were happily
chatting with the other couples. It was a normal lunch between
friends. She looked at Clayton and he was happily charming Chad and
Blake and Rebecca was having some esoteric debate with
Zane.

Jackie
sat down and Jonathan stood around.

“Jono, not joining
us?”

“
Just in a minute. I need to talk to Clayton
privately.”

Clayton excused himself and they walked away. They stood
far away and the two of them were deep in conversation. Jonathan
did not take these matters lightly. He wanted to see that his
friend was okay. He
needed to see it. Rebecca always looked
calm, so he did not worry so much about her. Clayton tried to
comfort his friend.

“Jono, think what it must be like for her. Imagine living
with an ugly creature following you around. Imagine being afraid
and not having
someone to protect you from it. That is the
perspective you must look through. I have no idea how I am supposed
to protect her. It scares me to think about it. But I can’t let her
know that. She needs to think it is okay. She just wants to feel a
little happy, Jono, and I want to give her that. There are too many
things we don’t know, don’t understand, but I thought I would ask
George. He will help us. But for now, let us try to enjoy the
moment.”

“Yes, you really are her Protector. But we are going
to
discuss this later.”

“
Fine. But for now, let us go and celebrate your anniversary.
What did Jackie say, by the way?”

“As usual, she was captivated by the details. She thinks it
is the greatest romance story of all time.
”

They
were laughing when they got back to the others.

“Tonight, we have are having a proper, formal dinner. Today
is officially our anniversary and we want a party, okay everyone?
And you Clay, it is 7 o’ clock
sharp
, alright?”

“Okay,
okay. I will be there on time and Jackie, I promise I will
behave.”

Clayton’s eyes were laughing at her.

“
I doubt that very much.”

Jackie laughed, hoping that he did
not
behave. His life was too interesting right
now.

Zane had been watching the interaction between them.
Are they having an
affair?
They seemed so
cosy with each other. But he looked at Rebecca and she seemed
completely comfortable with the way they interacted. Jonathan also
seemed to accept it and was laughing with
his wife. It
seemed like a joke Double J shared.
Well, maybe they were those
couples that switch.
He had seen how Jono had gone to Rebecca,
touched her shoulder and asked her if she was alright. She had held
his hand and nodded. It was a
very
intimate
thing.
Yes, they must be swingers.
But his brain could not get round the idea that Clayton had an air
of possessiveness around Rebecca. He watched her all the time, even
when he was busy charming someone else. He always kept her within
the range of his eyes. He would never allow another man near
Rebecca in that way. He was sure he would kill him with his bare
hands. He had that predator look about him, as if he would just
pounce, and poof, the man would be dead.
Well, these straight
people do some weird things. Always complicated. That is because
they have no real issues to deal with, no rejecting parents, no
rejecting friends and colleagues.
They can afford the luxury
of creating complex situations.
He looked at John, smiling
beautifully at Rebecca. He loved that man and maybe he too would
pounce on anyone who touched him.