Jiraiya

 

It has been almost a month since my discharge from the hospital and I was beginning to feel better. There is occasional pain; a friend of mine has suggested the use of morphine to dull the pain. He has street connections and has been able to get me the drug.  If I ever get arrested—he doesn’t know me.  

I started using the drug and discovered that it was a fast and efficient pain reliever. It seemed like the best solution—the pain had been debilitating and now I have my life back.  Or something close to it.

Gracen was slowly drifting away. God bless her, she was trying to hold it together but it wasn’t working. With the diagnosis we became completely different people.  My illness had guaranteed that.

She and I sat outdoors in the shade of the trees so that I could get some fresh air.  Sitting was about all I could do these days; the illness had seen to that.  The air was nice, Gracen was unusually quiet.  I knew she had a lot on her mind.  I just didn’t know how this would all play out—and I needed to know.

"How is work going?" I asked.

"It is going fine. John Ferdinand has agreed to give me the contract for the South American job.” A few months ago, Gracen would have been turning somersaults over such an assignment.  Today, she brushed it off as just another job.    I felt sad about that, so I felt it was my duty to rectify that.

"That’s great news, but you don't seem so happy about it. This is something that we both have been waiting for. You should be over the moon right now Gracen," I pointed out.

"Yes, but sadly I am not," she turned her face to the side.

"And why is that Gracen?"

"Remember that special bottle of champagne we agreed to pop open if this contract panned out?" she asked, her face turned so I could see her sky-blue eyes.

"I still have that bottle.  But it feels wrong to be celebrating with everything that’s happening to us.

  "Oh Gracen, please don't let my illness be the reason why you cannot be happy.”

"Well, I’m not happy," she said and immediately started sobbing. I put my arm around her as I pulled her closer to me.

"We should celebrate the good things that are happening in your life Gracen.  You deserve to be happy. I never want to get in the way of that," I replied.

She nodded as her hair fell forward; hiding the tears of her despair.  

"Now, let’s uncork that bottle of bubbly. How about we meet at our favorite Italian restaurant?  You know the one we first went to? How about we go out on a date, like we did before this all happened? What do you think, Babe?”

She remained quiet.

Just then her phone rang.  I saw the caller ID flash and reveal the face of the man I saw her hugged up with in the news article online. I sucked my heart stalled out a bit. I was afraid of this very thing; I guess Gracen was no longer mine to keep; she had been stolen from me in my time of weakness.

I could hear unclear sounds coming from the phone.  “Ahh, Okay. Can we make it for noon tomorrow?” Gracen responded, disconnected and hurriedly stuffed her cell phone into her hand bag.

“I need to go. Business. Tomorrow.7:00?” Now she was in a hurry to leave.

“Seven is fine" I barely got out and then she was gone.

I sat there, thinking about the life that she and I planned to have.   I had so many ambitions: we would have kids...beautiful, of course.  A beautiful house in a beautiful neighborhood.  The finest cars.  Closets full of designer clothes. Gone. It was like everything I had dreamed for and hoped for was gone...just like that. And with these thoughts in my head, I slept the rest of the afternoon away.

 

*****

The next day, I woke to a day that seemed to glow. I could not place my finger on the reason why; I suspected that it had something to do with tonight’s date with Gracen.  Although I had mixed feelings about it, I was resolute. This dinner date was going to be an opportunity for me to determine if Gracen and I could survive as a couple.  If she was not comfortable, I had decided that I would let her go. I wanted her to be happy and if leaving me would make her happy...how could I object? I loved her that much.

I sat at a table for two, swirling the glass of water that had been place in front of me. I hoped Gracen didn’t stand me up today, the way she had some days ago. I had waited for her at a coffee shop, and she phoned to cancel, saying her time had been taken up by so many activities. She had apologized, and I had accepted her apology.

I pondered how we would handle things if Gracen wanted to move on with me. And I considered the other, more likely answer. Right now, I simply wanted to see the beautiful Gracen one more time in the first restaurant we had ever visited. I could remember that moment like it was yesterday. She had looked very beautiful from the distance as I stood beside the limo that I had hired specially for the date. She walked with classic grace and swung her hair as she moved. I realized how lucky I was to have her agree to go with me on a date.  

Our drive to the restaurant was filled with stares and smiles, compliments and small talks. At the restaurant, we talked about anything and everything that fueled our curiosity. It had been a wonderful night and when I dropped her at her home, I knew that I had a future with Gracen Lafleur.

Things continued to go well between the two of us.  The more we time we spent together, the more we learned to trust one another.  Gracen began to share the most intimate details of her life; I did the same. 

We had our second and third dates.  And then our first kiss. Gracen was a good kisser; she knew how to make you want that kiss to go on forever.  I had completely fallen for her and she seemed to feel the same. I called her Gracen and she called me ‘J’.

We continued to talk. I took her on another date, she said that she liked my choice of venue and I grinned from ear to ear. That night she came back to my house and I was surprised at how eager she was.

I poured her some wine; she drank it in one gulp. She declined a second glass, saying she did wanted to be clear-headed while she did what she had planned for me. I prayed in my mind that it was what I wanted, and it seemed like my prayers were swiftly answered because she leaned closer to me and planted a kiss on my lips.

I needed no further invitation, so I returned the kiss and we indulged in a round of passionate necking while my hands found their way to the hem of her shirt. I lifted it up while I explored her mouth with mine; she helped me ease the shirt off by lifting her hands. I gladly let my hands work on her soft firm breasts while soft moans escaped her lips. Her excitement was obvious.  I got undressed in record time and before I knew it, I was in my favorite position; on top the woman I loved with all of my heart.

I began with her lips, tracing down her neck and resting on her chest. When I looked up at her, her eyes were closed. She was in her own world...a world of pleasure. My tongue found the amazing taste of her succulent bosom and I licked and sucked, while using my free hand to caress the softest flesh I had ever touched.

My other hand went down her belly; slowly and deeper down, under the elastic bands of her underwear. I eased her out of her silk underwear and slipped my fingers into her wet creamy core, gently prodding her as she moaned. Her nectar soaked my fingers. I kissed her lips again as I positioned myself to thrust into her. She moaned loudly inside my mouth as she felt the strength of each thrust.

She was both amazing and sweet, our bodies glued together as if a perfect match.   And then we climaxed together. I stiffened as she convulsed in ultimate passion. 

The second time we would make love was different and equally beautiful. 

This time, we went to her place and I walked her to her door.  We held hands, like a king and queen walking towards the throne room. 

As we approached her door, I drew her into my arms and pinned my lips on hers. It was getting dark already and the cool evening breeze blew our shirts as we kissed like lovers who had just gotten reunited after a very long time apart. She opened the door and we scrambled in like kids going after a cookie.

I took off my belt while she unzipped her skirt, revealing lacy blue lingerie. Off came her blouse while she leaned in to kiss me.  I kissed her back in affirmation of my interest.

Gracen moaned in pleasure as my hands struck a pleasure point. I muffled her moan with another round of steamy hot kissing, finding her tongue with mine. Our tongues played a little game for a while, enjoying the company of each other. Her lips, tongue, teeth and everything in her mouth felt like they were perfectly made for kissing...me.

I worked my hand into her now soaked lingerie and, when she could take it no more, she pulled down the flimsy material and pushed me back to the table. I hurriedly cleared what was on either side of the table, allowing items to fall to the ground. Not thinking about the fact that we would have to clean everything up before her roommate came back.

She smiled naughtily at me and I was amazed when she climbed up on the table and mounted me as I adjusted myself. She lowered herself onto me, bouncing up and down and moaning softly.  That was the life we lived. We were adventurous. The games came later, and the sports and everything we grew to love together.

 

*****

Days crawled until our date. I was like someone sitting on a time bomb; I was so anxious I could not sit still. One minute I was in the kitchen with Rose, the next minute I was out again. I just couldn't stay in one place for long.  Gracen.  Gracen. Gracen.

6:00 p.m.—time to get dressed.   Why can’t I make a decision?  Am I trying to impress her?  Make her see that I am the same man she had fallen in love with? Deep down in my heart, I knew I still loved her and I really wanted to fight for a chance for us to get back again.

The drive down to the Italian restaurant was uneventful. Lucky for me, the table we had sat at on our first date was free. I sat down, ordered a glass of wine, and waited.   Earlier in the day, I had put a call through to remind her of our date, and Gracen had promised to be there.

I believed her and so I waited.  I sipped my glass of wine, ordered another, and tried to keep my anticipation in check.  Still no sign of Gracen.  My hopes of fixing what we had gently faded; as the day faded to night.

I don’t know how I got home; I only know that I arrived on the property, soaked in sweat and tears. I must have been a sight; Rose was visibly shaken when she saw me. She led me to the kitchen and made me a cup of hot steaming coffee. And then she watched me cry.

It was 8:49 p.m. when I heard the beep that indicated a text. It was from Gracen.

“I am sorry.”

That was all it said. Nothing more. Gracen was gone. She had left me, left me to die in misery!