Watercolour Study: The Two Faces of the Jack of Diamonds

 

Watercolour Study: Red and Blue

 

Homeward (Final Part)

I closed my eyes. He just pushed the speed pedal down harder and went up the ramp. I heard the noise of something being hit and the sound of breaking glass and the man blaring his curses against us.

I screamed in shock and fear. The rain fell heavy and hard on the car when we hit the street.

- We’re OK now. He was quick to jump aside.

- Where did he come from, for heaven’s sake? Was he stalking us?

- I don’t know…

- Fuck! I’m really terrified now.

- Calm down. We’ll be home soon.

- We should have called the police… a long time ago!

- We didn’t think it was necessary at the time. Maybe we should now.

- We must!

***

- What are you doing? Let me go!

- Say you’re going to have a coffee with me.

- You’re scaring me. Leave me alone… please…

He held me tighter in his grip. His eyes were like the ones of a madman. I tried to push him away, but he was stronger than me. Then he pulled me closer and showed me a knife. I could feel how strong he was by the way he held me, but I would not move an inch away anyway.

And then it happened so quickly…

***

- What if it did not happen?

- You could be dead by now or…

- I know… I owe you…

- You owe me nothing. I’m glad I was there.

- I will never be able to thank you enough. You were so quick and acted like a true hero.

- I just acted by instinct. And I am so glad I was there at the moment I saw him forcing the situation. When I noticed he had a knife, I just could not help but interfere. You were in danger. But it was risky, although I never thought it was, before later on. He could have killed you… or us. But he was a coward in the end, anyway. He ran away as soon as he was unarmed.

- And then you threw his knife so far away into the sea. It was like throwing the situation away from us. And then now he comes back into our lives. Why?

- I have no clear idea. But it’s known that he’s been following you since the day you almost bumped into him at your door. And he probably have not overcome the day I kicked his ass off. Revenge is, maybe, what he wants now. Let the police deal with him from this point on.

***

The police could do nothing in terms of security, as there was no evidence that we had been threatened by that man. It was us who tried to run over him, so he could have sued us for the attempt of murder, if he wanted to. Justice would not protect us in any case.

We decided we would have to protect ourselves on our own account and our safety and that could lead to extreme measures.

For some time, we were not threatened by him or anyone else though. He simply disappeared for long. We were still being careful, but not paranoid anymore, almost relaxing and coming back to our normal lives, wishing we were blessed by fortune.

***

- Are you photosynthesizing?

He laughed. With his face turned to the morning sun, he seemed to be having so much pleasure in that. He was shirtless, showing off his shaped torso. His hair was shining as was his pale skin. His eyes were as blue as the sky above us. I praised the summer for that lovely vision and thought of a Greek god… Apollo, maybe, for his fiery hair and beard, and…

He noticed my almost discreet smile and I assumed he was reading my mind.

- I think I am. It feels so good. It’s so good being home.

- I totally agree. Take this…

He knew I was playing with words, so he just accepted, smiling, the cup of fresh coffee I was offering him. We sat outside, listening to the sounds of birds chirping and the running water of the stream by the back of the house. It was a relaxing Sunday morning and we were enjoying the company of each other.

After the nice breakfast we had in the backyard, we decided to go for a walk in the woods before lunchtime. It was a pleasant morning and we wanted to enjoy it the best we could. Being in the woods would be fresher and we would not be exposed to direct sun. We knew our skins would get sunburned easily, even with the protection of sun lotion.

It took us about two hours to come back home. As we were getting closer to the gate I noticed his face changed.

- Did we leave the gate that open?

- I don’t think so…

- Shit! Be careful. Stay here. I will check this out.

I tried to protest, but it was of worthless. He was very serious and I knew why.

- Stay here. Keep the phone. We might have to call for help.

- Who…?

He crossed the gate and went inside. I waited out of the gate, as he told me to, but my mind was so apprehensive I could not think.

I heard him shout. I heard him shout again and then silence. Strange sounds.

‘Was that a fight? What the hell?’

My heart sank when I realised what was going on.

- Oh, no! Oh, no!

I heard a thud and then a shot.

- Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no!

I crossed the gate without thinking clearly. I felt as if my heart was in my mouth. Then I saw the worst vision I could at that moment.

The blood was still running fresh and sticky on the brownish tiles of the porch.

The two bodies were still on the floor. I knew the man who was on top of him… both bodies motionless.

Then I screamed. The body on top rolled over to the side.

- He came out from the house with my gun in his hand... and we fought… and…

- What? How? Are you…?

He was covered in blood but it was not his.

- Call the police! I just killed the guy!

- Oh, my goodness. This is horrible! We are so fucked! What do we do now? What are we supposed to do now? The police will not believe us…

- Don’t panic! Call the police! Now!

- And what if…

- For fuck’s sake! Call them! Now!!!

***

The Ginger Fox (Part 2)

The wind blew through us, making his hair swirl like a volcano spitting red burning lava. I felt a chill going down my spine. He was still staring at me. My body was getting too stiff, when he spoke:

- A coffee and nothing else?

I nodded affirmatively.

- Uh-hum…

- Why not?

- OK.

- By the way, I’m Roidh.

I relaxed a little bit.

- Roy?

He giggled. I blushed, feeling relieved by his sweet tranquillity. I raised my hand to shake his, still trembling. He felt it, as he held my hand firmly in his.

I told him my name. He just smiled.

There was a hoarding on part of the street and sidewalk, with tall wooden boards, so we had to walk around it. On one of the larger vertical boards there was a stencilled graffiti depicting a fox. The graffiti was very well done and I really liked it.

- This is so beautiful. I love foxes.

- Foxes are scary.

- They are not.

He looked at me and smirked.

- Coffee, right?

- Sure!

***

The Cafe was busy, as most of the times we went there. The waiter smiled when we got in. We had a favourite table by the window and he knew our preference. There was a reserved sign on top of the white linen cloth. We were celebrating. He knew that.

We sat down and the waiter left us alone for a while, to choose our favourite items from the familiar Menu. 

- This is still so amazing. Here we are again in the fanciest Café in town… like the first time…

He smiled. His face was now covered with a thick ginger beard, which made him look even more handsome than before. I was so evidently charmed, I could not stop looking at him.

- How can you still be so charming after all these years?

- Oh. It’s a natural thing on me being a charming and sexy ginger, after all.

- Says who?

- Says I… and you too…

He laughed out loud, as he did that first time, when I told him, while drinking from the small cup of coffee, how sexy I thought ginger men were and how attracted to him I was from the first moment.

- You were so daring and so deliciously crazy. I was really shocked by that statement. I had always been bullied for being a ginger and I really hated being one. But then you come into my life and celebrate that fact as if I were a special gift sent from Heaven.

- My sweet ginger dream man, you are special.

He smiled and changed subject. He hated the demonstration of affection in public as he loathed that mellow conversation.

- Can I have two slices of toast with butter, please? And a macchiato.

The waiter was smiling. He had heard part of the conversation and probably thought it was funny.

- Same for me, please.

When the waiter left, I asked:

- Are we getting fancy?

- With bread and butter? I don’t think so!

We both laughed.

***

 “She thinks life is water

And love, love is a river” *(It’s only Mystery – Eric Serra)

- Close your eyes. Accept that you’re loved.

His hands were warm and his soft touch on my eyelids made me utterly believe how loved I really was. He kissed my front and my closed eyes. I smiled lightly. He kissed my lips, very softly and slowly.

- I hate to see you crying.

- I try not to. You’re so sweet, lover of mine.

He laid on top of me, his legs around mine and his arms and hands around my head with his body heating mine up. He just kissed me over and over again, silently, carefully, affectionately. I surrendered completely to him and to his loving touch… and not only. He took advantage of that… for as long as he could, for as long as I could stand without exploding in a wave of warm pleasure…

***

- You know we are together for such a long time.

- Amazing, isn’t it?

- It is indeed.

- I hope you’re not regretting anything.

- I’m not. Ever. I promise.

- Then, what?

- I think we should do something different. We must celebrate. It’s been such a long time and we deserve this.

- Celebrate? We don’t need to.

- But we must. Who cares if we don’t need to? We can, so we must!

He smiled.

- And you probably know already how.

- Well, I have a suggestion.

- Which is?

- A romantic long weekend in Vienna, perhaps.

- Oh. Are we getting fancy, after all?

- Think about it. No gifts, no worries… just a free weekend, away from everything but fun… and cultural beauty… and us, of course…

He smiled again. I loved when he did: that meant acceptance and that would be a great time away from our normal lives and daily affairs and chores.

***

The city was still waking up when we got to the station and walked into the Café to have something to eat and drink a hot cappuccino. We loved walking the streets early in the morning. It was fresh, like all autumn mornings could be. The leaves were turning into a colourful explosion of every tonality of red, yellow, orange and brown; a feast to the eyes of every soul enchanted with beauty.

Those colours had everything to do with him, his skin and his hair. I’ve never realised I loved the autumnal colours for that reason. I was looking outside and smiling to myself when he giggled.

- What are you thinking about? You’re smiling…

- I’m just happy we are here.

In a short while after that, doors were opening and closing one after the other in a frenzy rhythm that announced the place was alive again and totally ready for one more working day.

We were all set for exploring the city, walking its streets and visiting its autumnal fallen leaves covered parks and boardwalks. I was happy… I was really happy to be there. But most of all I was happy because I was there with him.

He was looking at me. No, he was staring at me… seriously. His face was suddenly grave, his eyes a little different from his normal. He noticed I thought something was happening by his silence. He opened his mouth but no sound came out.

- What is it?

- We need to talk…

***

The Ginger Fox (Part 1)

- What is it that you see?

- They seem like eyes, gleaming in the dark.

- Maybe a cat.

- Or a fox…

- Let’s get closer.

- Oh. It’s a fox. I love foxes.

- You’re crazy. Who’d love foxes? They’re scary.

- Well, I do. They’re cute.

- Yeah, right.

I don’t like being chased. I don’t think that fox likes it either. The poor animal was busy on its hunting and trying to catch its prey and we were chasing it, out of sheer curiosity, disturbing the natural order of things.  It was our obligation to feed the poor animal, after all.

I went inside and grabbed a piece of meat from the fridge and threw it to the bush where the canid was hidden and waited. Not too long afterwards, I heard the characteristic snap and the movement of the foliage. It had probably gotten the compensation gift I offered.

I smiled, feeling kind of relieved.

- Let’s get back inside. He’ll be ok now.

***

I walked down the staircase to the hall of the building, as I used to do most of the times, every day. Working on the second floor was a good reason to avoid using the lifts and an excuse to exercise my legs.

As I opened the door and stepped outside I noticed there was a man standing at the bus stop nearby. He was busy with his phone and did not look at me straight away. He was in his mid-thirties, at least. His shaved face, pale skin and ginger hair called my attention, so I looked at him for a longer while. He probably noticed I was staring at him, so he lifted his eyes and looked at me.

His deep green eyes pierced my stare like two sharp arrows. I felt a pinch in my stomach, but I could not look away. He smiled lightly, as if he was used to cause that type of reaction, in a land where most of the people were dark haired. 

I tried to smile, but was unsuccessful. He, on the other hand, found it funny and smiled again. The bus stopped and he hopped in. To my surprise, as the vehicle moved away, he looked out of the window, as if to be certain I was still there. I was… staring at him in absolute awe and smiling foolishly.

***

I decided I had to check if he was always there to catch the bus at the same time. When I could I would go downstairs at the approximately the same time just to be sure he was there. For a long time I did the same and I never happened to see him again. I was so disappointed.

With time, I forgot almost all about it and went back to my normal life. It was an illusion; a sweet ginger illusion and I had to get over it as soon as I could… sadly…

***

- Why did you do that?

- Because I wanted to know more about the one who was always looking at me with such interest.

- You’re funny.

- Maybe I am. I don’t think you regretted my actions.

- Of course not. On the contrary.

- “I walk alone”…

- I know. I thought I was being stalked.

- Well, in a way, you were.

- You’re right. I should have called the Police. There were so many policemen around, anyway…

I looked at him. He was just waiting for my reaction. Then he burst into laughter.

I wanted to punch him, but he just held my wrists and pulled me into his arms, in a tight embrace and, when I was not fighting anymore, he smiled and kissed me… a long and zealous kiss which stopped me from doing anything but kissing him back with a passion I knew I had for a long time already, probably since the day I first saw him standing at the bus station, pretending he was busy with his cell phone, when he was really watching me staring at him.

I thought to myself: ‘was it really I who seduced him, or was it the other way around?’

- You’re so obvious, my dear. I knew what you wanted from the first time I saw you staring at me.

‘How could he know what I was thinking about?’

- I am obvious. I cannot pretend I don’t want you, when you’re the only one in my mind all the time.

- How sweet.

He smiled. It just came to my mind the recollection of when and why I fell for him. That smile was a killer then. It’s a killer still, after all this time.

***

The 600 bus just stopped in front of the building. For some strange unexplainable reason I had the impetus of jumping on, before any idea did really come to my mind. He was still at the door and did not look back. I was so close to him I could smell his perfume.

He sat on the back seat. I looked around, pretending not to see where he was, trying to find a place where I could watch the back of the bus. I wanted him to know I was there, but I did not want him to think I was there because of him, so I pretended not to notice where he was. I saw when he stood up close to the main station downtown.

‘Easy’, I thought.  A busy station would not be suspicious, as most of the people were also standing up to leave the bus at the same place. He came closer and got ready to leave. I stood up. He looked back and our eyes met.

In fact, our eyes locked.  I could not look away and he was staring at me, as serious as he could be. He was right. I should have known better. I was stalking him and he knew it. The bus stopped and he left. I followed, but was ashamed and stopped on the sidewalk, staring at my feet. I wanted to die.

Decided to stop that nonsense, I looked around, just to go the opposite direction, in case he was still observing me. When I turned around and started walking down to São Bento, as he was looking to the other side, I felt my chest hurt in sorrow. I was a fool.  A few steps further down the street, feeling like the worst person on Earth, someone bumped my arm, when walking down the same direction as if in a hurry. I did not pay attention to who it was. I was feeling so sad, I had tears in my eyes.

- Are you stalking me?

- Uh?

And now this. So embarrassing. What do I say?

- Uh. No. Why would I?

- You’ve been following me.

I could not look at his face, but I would not lie, either.

- I’m sorry.

- For?

I looked up at his face. He was staring at me again and he was still serious. I wanted to disappear. He moved one step further toward me. I thought he was going to punch me right there in front of all the people. I raised my head and waited.

- What are you sorry for, after all?

- For causing you the sensation of being stalked.

- You don’t seem to be the dangerous type of stalker.

- Oh. Thank you very much. That’s so very kind of you.

Sarcasm goes a long way.

- Can I compensate this awkward situation with a coffee? A coffee can mend so many things… I’m really sorry.

His bright green eyes were seriously fixed on mine. I froze.

***