|
“The Catalyst” Series
Book 6 |
||||
| “Building a Legacy” | |||||
|
Crumbly Writer
All rights reserved © 2013 |
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|||||
| Home | An Unknown Attraction | Trying To Be Normal | Normalcy Is Harder | Racing the Clock | Touring Under Pressure | Building A Legacy | Contact me | |||||
|
|||||
|
|
|||||
08: Spiteful Alley Cats
Since their breakfast meeting with Diane had run so long, Alex’s entourage hurried to their noontime appointment. Getting the location from Patricia, Alex headed off to one more mysterious meeting. Patricia still wouldn’t tell him what it was about, not wanting to ‘prejudice your reactions’, she explained.
‘These people have serious concerns and truly want your help. While I’m not willing to say whether they’re worthwhile or not, I want you to evaluate them based on their presentation and their justifications, not on what you anticipate they’ll say.’
Alex hailed a couple of cabs, putting Robin, Kuubba and Winona in one while the rest took a second one. Cate waited a few minutes before turning on her brother with a withering glare.
“Do you mean you’re going to be traveling with that … that….” She gave up trying to describe Winona, waving her arms in frustration. “I don’t see this working out well,” she huffed, sitting back, crossing her arms and giving him a hard look.
“Please, don’t hold anything back,” Alex teased, hoping but not expecting to mollify her. “But yeah, it looks like we’re both stuck with her for a while. But don’t blame me; I had no idea this was coming. I was as surprised as you were. However, it does solve several problems, and personally, I like the idea of putting her to use. Somehow, I think she’ll get into less trouble working with us than she will trying to scheme her way into my good graces.”
“I’m not so sure,” Cate said, glaring at him. “Be careful around her. If she can, she’s going to sink her claws into you, and when she does, you’ll have a hell of a time getting them loose again.”
“Come on,” Alex argued, not liking to think the worst about people. “I know she’s a bit intense, but let’s not jump to conclusions. While I don’t quite trust her, I’m not about to trash talk her about what she hasn’t even done yet.”
“Famous last words,” Cate responded, surrendering the fight in the face of Alex’s reluctance to accept her advice. “Just watch your step.”
When they entered the restaurant, Acquerello, it was oddly similar to the previous ones. It was smaller but still fashionable. Located in the Nob Hill region, it was only a little further inland than the other restaurants. The patrons were dressed in suit and tie or formal dresses, and the menu seemed like haute-cuisine. When Alex introduced himself at the door, saying he was expected, the maître d’ looked at them doubtfully when he saw their number—apparently no one had updated the restaurant on the details. He asked them to wait a moment while they made some changes. A few minutes later a waiter escorted them to a small private room.
Entering, they saw four men, none of whom Alex recognized. Well, that wasn’t strictly true. One of them, a slightly graying black man wearing sunglasses, Alex recognized as a popular hip-hop star turned actor, but Alex didn’t know him beyond having seen him on TV. The rest were older white men. One wore glasses with short gray hair, another was older with a thin white beard, while the final one was younger and looked handsome enough to be a rising star of some kind.
“Good afternoon. I'm Alex,” he said, stepping forward. “You’ll have to introduce yourselves, since I don't know who anyone is or even why I'm here.” The oldest man there, the one who clearly seemed to be in charge and who the others all deferred to, started to respond, but Alex began introducing those with him, not giving him a chance. He didn't look pleased, but seeing as he was here looking for something, he bade his time—as Alex knew he would. That was Alex's objective. These people were each looking for something, and they looked like they were used to getting their way. Alex was loudly proclaiming he not only didn’t recognize them, but he really didn't care who they were. By introducing his women first, Alex was saying he considered them each more important than anything the others could offer him. It may have been a bit petty, but Alex wanted to establish his position early. Sitting down and allowing the girls to situate themselves around him, Alex watched how the four men responded to his subtle challenge.
The rapper, Dr. Ice, seemed particularly put out, but the rest appeared unperturbed. The older man in the custom-made suit smiled at Alex's antics, while the other two looked more nervous than anything else.
“My name is Joseph Herskowitz,” the older man with the beard led off, taking the lead role. “These others are Dominique Peters,” he said, indicating Dr. Ice, “a musician/actor, Phillip Rosenthal, a studio executive, and Thomas Fillmore, another actor. We’re all in the Entertainment industry, and we know of you from your work with Adrian Hart. I’m the head of a major studio, and am the one responsible for the little bonus we paid you for what you did for him.”
“Well, thank you very much for that. It’s helped the group you gave it to, I’m sure,” Alex replied. “But that doesn’t necessarily impact me. I’m not in it for the money, and I’m not looking for any kind of recognition or compensation,” he added, just to let them know he wouldn’t kowtow to them, though he didn’t think they’d understand it quite yet.
“Yeah, that’s what Adrian told us, that you didn’t care about the money,” Joseph said, leaning back and smiling, the corner of his mouth jumping. That was when Alex noticed his nervous twitch, though he didn't seem able to consciously control it. “While it’s not a position we run into frequently, I want you to know I’ve picked everyone here based on their needs, not for any other purposes,” Joseph explained, showing he had at least done his homework before showing up.
“Well, since everyone here seems to be relatively wealthy and male, I’ll take your needs with a grain of salt until I know more. What exactly are you looking for?”
The others looked a bit perturbed, but Joseph just smiled, seemingly amused by Alex’s cavalier attitude.
“In that case, let’s start with the one non-white among us. Dominique has a bit of a problem. His liver and kidneys are both shot and need to be transplanted. However, we’re afraid the operation will end his career, curtailing his performances, damaging his ‘tough guy’ image and impinging his future flexibility.” Dr. Ice nodded his head, his only acknowledgment, never once removing his glasses.
“Well, Dominique, unlike the others, I actually recognize you. Unfortunately, I also know some of your history. Your frequent partying and philandering, your troubles with the law, and your multiple rants against various groups,” Alex said, not specifically referencing his homophobic, misogamist and anti-Semitic statements, nor his publicly insulting the police each time he’d been apprehended in the past decade. “I suspect your organ failures were triggered by your wild partying, where you mixed alcohol with various drugs, never considering what it might do to you. While I’m not quick to pass judgment, I have the feeling you’re used to getting your way simply because you bring in so much money and use it to throw your weight around. I’m actually not bothered by your words, after all, they do help sell records, but it’s your history of beating up girlfriends which most upsets me.”
Dominique stiffened in his chair, glaring at Alex. Before he could go off on another rant, Alex hurried to head off his protests. “Yes, I know no one has ever proven anything, but that’s mostly because you’ve gotten the incriminating photographs suppressed and had your victims recant their accusations. But everyone knows how frequently you’ve lashed out at women, and that’s something I can’t condone. In short, I’m not about to join the long line of people enabling your bad behavior. If you want to come back in a few years when you can show me you haven’t struck anyone else, then we can review this situation again, but I’m not about to help you as I don’t think it will help anyone else.”
Dr. Ice was visibly angry. Slamming his hands down on the table he let off a long slew of invectives, reinforcing his negative reputation. “You’ll be sorry, you little shit. I’m going to destroy you. Just you watch!”
“Go ahead and try,” Alex said, leaning back and smiling at his childish display. “By the time you get around to destroying me, I’ll be gone. I don’t have a lot of ties to this industry and I have no public persona for you to rail against.” Turning back to Joseph, ignoring Dominique fuming across from him, Alex said, “OK, who’s next?”
“Fuck you all, you bunch of Holy-assed whities,” Dominique shouted as he stormed out. “You haven’t heard the last of me.”
Joseph managed to hold it in until after the door slammed shut, but then broke into a wide grin. “You certainly know how to win friends and influence people.” He wiped his eye, his fingers trembling as he did. “I had a feeling the two of you wouldn’t get along based on what I’ve heard about you, but I had to present his case anyway.”
“Don’t get too cocky,” Alex cautioned. “I suspect his attitude was because you didn’t sufficiently warn him I wouldn’t put up with it, proving his assertions about you.”
“That could very well be. I tried, but he couldn’t comprehend that someone wouldn’t respond to his earning potential. You realize he would likely have given you your own jet for doing this, don’t you?”
“Doesn’t matter, I’ve got nowhere I need to be that soon,” Alex responded. “I kind of like the bus anyway.”
“All right, moving ahead, I’ll cover Thomas next and get the actors in the room out of the way,” Joseph said, making the handsome younger actor even more nervous than he was before. His was a somewhat familiar face, having appeared in several popular TV shows and a couple of movie roles. However, he looked a little more worn and haggard than his many photographs in the media would lead one to believe.
“Mr. Fillmore has a particular problem which may be more psychological than physical, and which again affects his ability to perform. It seems Thomas has developed a fear of crowds, and now even the support staff or the extras in a photo shoot cause him to fall apart. That’s not very advantageous for an actor, and especially one as easily recognized as him. I’m not sure what he can offer you, since he hasn’t had much work in the past year based on this handicap, but if you could help it would help revive his faltering career. Right now he’s restricted to isolated photo shoots.”
“Everm … murphr … nodrin,” Thomas mumbled.
“Pardon?” Alex asked, leaning in closer to make out what he was saying.
The younger actor steeled himself and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear him, although it was still exceptionally quiet. “Even this many people can incapacitate me.”
“Hmm, now this is interesting,” Alex said, standing up and wandering around the table to regard Thomas from closer up. The actor regarded him nervously, but didn’t shy away or react. He seemed to be more intimidated by Alex’s women than he was by Alex. “I’ve never tried to treat something like this before, but I have worked with a few other social problems. I’ve got no idea whether I can do anything or not, but I’m willing to try. Gini, can you tell me anything?”
All the heads in the room swiveled, trying to determine who he was speaking to and then waiting to see what she was supposed to do, but she never flinched from her position by the door.
“That’s what I thought,” Alex responded to no audible comment. “Close your eyes please and lean into me,” Alex instructed.
When Thomas did so, Alex positioned his fingers over a few specific positions on the man’s head, quickly moving them around, never staying long and never doing more than making a few odd hand motions.
“Man, we’ve never really seen him do this much before,” Kitty observed, marveling at how assuredly he worked.
“Yeah, he’s gotten much better at it since he first treated Kimberly Morelli,” Chalise said, clutching the necklace the bipolar artist he’d treated created for her.
“OK, that should do it,” Alex said, standing upright once again. “You’ll feel better simply because of the treatment, but the real test will be how you respond over the next few days once the immediate effects of the treatment fades a bit. You’ll have to let me know how it works out. If it helps, but you need another treatment, it seems I’m going to be in town a little longer than I’d originally anticipated.”
“Uh, thanks, I guess,” Thomas said. “You know, now that you mention it, my mind does feel clearer.”
“Again, that’ll pass. How do you feel about everyone in the room?”
Thomas turned, taking them all in. “I’m still nervous about them, but I don’t feel panicky.”
“Want to do a test?” Alex asked.
“If it’s what I imagine you’re suggesting, I think I’ll skip it for now. I’m not sure I’m up for it yet.”
“That’s fine,” Alex responded. “I’ll give you another treatment before we leave and we can try it then. But I’ve got no idea whether what I’ve done will make any difference.” Alex returned to his seat. “Now, who’s next?”
“That would be Mr. Rosenthal, who’s a film producer. Seems Phillip has a particular genetic disease which disables his motor functions. His body needs a particular chemical which his body is unable to produce. He’s got a great body of work behind him, and could potentially create more great pictures, but he’s slowly losing control over his own body. Soon he won’t even be able to hold onto a cup of coffee.”
Now that he’d mentioned it, Alex could see his hands trembling slightly, and he had a slight tic, where his head would jerk occasionally.
“Gini?” he asked, causing the others to once again stare at his guard, not sure what he wanted her for, but he seemed to have already forgotten her.
“I don’t think I can do anything for you. I’ve got no problem doing so, but what I do strengthens the body, increasing its ability to heal. While I can improve your overall health, if your body isn’t creating the necessary chemicals to allow you to function, then I can’t help much.”
“That’s too bad,” Phillip reflected, “though it’s what I expected. “Could you treat it anyway? I’m curious about what you do, and would like to see what your procedure feels like. Joseph here tells some amazing stories about it.”
“Well, if you only want to feel the effects, I could give your head a shot of energy, or perhaps give you heart a shot, but I’ll try to fix your condition anyway. I take it it’s your adrenal gland?” Alex asked, and Phillip simply nodded. “Hopefully this will better allow it to produce more of the chemicals you require, but I’m afraid you may have a limited supply, so getting it to produce more now may mean you’ll run out sooner than you would otherwise.”
That statement triggered Cate’s curiosity.
“Alex, if that’s the case, how did you determine it was his adrenal?”
“It’s showing stress, presumably from being overworked,” he said, not wanting to detail how the girls’ visions worked. “He’s also got an unhealthy look over the rest of his body, mostly centered in his nerves and muscles. Now that Gini mentioned it, I think his heart could use a boost as well.”
With that Alex stood and held his hands to the man’s lower back, then walked around and leaned against his chest, as if preparing to rest his head against it but changed his mind, standing up again.
“Feel any different?”
“Hell yeah, I do,” he responded brightly. “I see what you mean about my heart. I feel like I’ve run around the block and can do it again.”
“Believe me, don’t try. Although I’ve strengthened it, it’s still struggling. I’m also doubtful you’ll get much benefit from what I did, but at least you could see what it feels like.”
“Could you do that for me too?” Winona asked, perking up. “I’ve seen you treat everyone else, but I’ve never felt it myself.”
“I can do that later,” Alex said, not directly answering her. “Now, Mr. Herskowitz, what seems to be your problem?”
“Ah, I’ve got a benign growth in my brain.” He paused, holding his hand out in front of him for everyone to observe. They could see it trembling as he fought to hold it steady. “They call it nonmalignant, but it doesn’t seem to make much difference, as it keeps growing. As it is, it’s pressing against certain necessary areas of my brain, making certain things difficult for me. They apparently can’t operate, and if this continues unresolved, I won’t be able to work for much longer. What’s more, this will complicate an ongoing crisis in the network.”
Pulling his hand back and resting them both on the table, he leaned forward, addressing Alex directly. “I’m the central force holding this company together. If I show any sign of weakness, or of not being able to do my job, it will mean the end of the studio. The other shareholders will likely transfer control of the company to a little-known conglomerate which is merely interested in stripping it of its resources, selling off the film and TV rights, auctioning off the other properties, and making a fortune selling ‘memorabilia’.” Joseph said the last as if the words produced an exceptionally vile taste in his mouth. “They’ve already made a series of offers, and the board is eager to accept their money, but I’ve been able to hold them off.
“The problem is, if the network folds, not only won’t we produce any more films and have to cancel our current shows, but our staff will be cut. Actors will lose their jobs and the tremendous talent I’ve recruited over the years will either disperse or no longer be able to produce. I need more time to hold this takeover off. If you could slow my decay for a little while, as long as you can, at least, it would help the whole company weather this crisis.”
This time Alex didn’t bother asking Gini, as she’d already shown Alex exactly what his problem was, since it was obvious to both her and Robin what was ailing him.
“I can see why they can’t operate,” Alex said, leaning back and steepling his fingers, contemplating how to tackle the problem. “The tumor is well inside the brain, instead of on the outskirts like usually happens. They’d have to cut away the healthy tissue to reach it, undoubtedly doing untold damage in the process.
“The problem is while I can access it, I too am limited as to how much I can do due to the intervening tissue. I’ve recently learned how to circumvent that problem, but it’s going to take time. What’s more, while I can restrict the tumor’s growth, I can’t kill it, since that would leave dead tissue inside your brain which would begin to decay and spread infections across your brain. Ideally if I killed it, it could be removed, but that doesn’t seem to be an option here.”
Alex took a moment to consider him once more. “I’ll tell you what, it’ll take several treatments but I’ll weaken it over time. That will give you more energy in the short term and it will diminish both the future growth and the effects on the other areas of your brain. I figure I can probably reduce it around a tenth by simply making it less healthy.
“I’d still see if you can get some specialized treatments for it. Ideally, if you could get a neurosurgeon to snake a laser into the affected region and zap the area I weaken, it would ease the pressure on your brain. I doubt they’ll feel comfortable doing it, as they can’t actually see what they’re doing, but if I lend you someone who could guide them, they could take the tumor apart with a minimum of damage. It would still be a major operation, with no assurances it wouldn’t kill you, but it would be your best bet.”
“Shit, if you can get me through the next four to six months, I’d be willing to try anything. After that, I should be able to set someone else to work in my stead. At that point I can arrange an operation like you’re describing. And don’t worry about the doctors not liking your approach. When you start promising a new hospital wing, it’s amazing what they’ll agree to.”
“Good, I’ve got a few doctors who can vouch for the procedure, though they aren’t exactly the tops in their field yet. Just remember, no one can mention my name, or how I came to play a role in this, understood?”
“Oh, absolutely. I’m not about to mention how sick I am to anyone, and if I tell them what I let you do, they’d surely force me out of the company.”
“Excuse me if I’m doubtful, but you’ve already told several people about me, one of whom just promised to ‘destroy me’. Somehow I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to tank you himself.”
“You let me worry about that. Like most divas, he just needs some delicate handling. A little pampering, some special treatment and he’ll stop complaining. As for his career, I’m afraid that’s over, but he knew this was a long shot coming in.”
So Alex proceeded to work on him, even though it only took about five minutes. While he was working, they ordered and brought in food, so he was covered but fairly worn out when he was done.
“That’s as much as I can do at the moment. The problem is whatever I take out of the tumor, I also remove from the surrounding brain tissue. I offset that by coming from a variety of different directions and then restore some of the energy I remove, but I’m afraid of draining too much at one time.
“As a result, we’ll have to continue these treatments for the next several days. I’d recommend twice a day, probably early morning before work, and then I could do the rest at the bar in my hotel at night. You could simply insinuate you have a new mistress, knowing how people love to gossip. That would account for the odd hours, while still allowing you to keep working.
“The side effects of the treatments will also make you feel more energized, which should allow you to keep everyone at bay, making them think you’re recovering, giving you time. Do you think you can manage that?”
“Yeah, I sure can,” he assured Alex. “My wife won’t be pleased about the rumors, but I can fly a private helicopter from LA to here each night, meet you for drinks in a private room, then again for breakfast before flying back to work. My opponents will be so busy trying to guess which of your women I’m sleeping with they won’t guess what we’re up to. Do you really think you can make a difference in the time you have left?”
“Well, as I said before, I’m committed here for the next week, so that shouldn’t be a problem. But yeah, I think I can do a significant amount of work in that time. What’s more, if you can arrange for the laser breakup of the tumor, I can go ahead and kill the whole thing. That would solve your entire problem, but I won’t be available to do it later. It’s either do it now, or no one else can do it for you.”
“OK, I’ll get right on making the arrangements. I hate to say it, but whoever I get, they’re likely to want to talk to either you or the people you’ll involve in the removal process. You may have to impress them as much as you have me to get their buy-in, but I’ll try to arrange it before you have to leave. By the way, can I ask what it is you’re up to here in the city?”
“Oh, you’ll like it, it’s right up your alley,” Alex replied with a smile. “I’m adding a new act to Diane Kennedy’s tour, replacing Patty Moore. It’s not up to your standards, but I’m pretty sure she’ll be a major success.”
“Wait, were you responsible for the turnaround in her tour’s success? Diane has developed a reputation in the industry, and most people won’t put up with her, but the word was her tour was suddenly a success, and then the bottom dropped out of it.”
“Don’t tell anyone, but yeah, it’ll be a success again. There’s also a new up and comer you may want to keep an eye on.” Winona couldn’t help it, although she didn’t say a word, she proceeded to slink down in her chair, blushing almost crimson hearing herself talked about in the third person to someone as influential as Mr. Rosenthal.
“Well, since you’re vouching for them, I’ll look into investing in the rest of the tour. I’m sure given the latest downturn there are several investors willing to sell out their shares. That will give it some renewed life, and hopefully buy me some leverage with the new artist.”
“Oh, I think she’ll hear about your interest in her,” Alex said, casting Winona a sidelong glance, grinning as he did. “The only problem is ‘managing divas’, as you said.”
“Yeah, Diane can be a handful. You let me handle that aspect of it,” Phillip told him.
“Man, I can’t believe how exciting it is to watch you work,” Winona exclaimed when they arrived back to the hotel that evening. After the breakfast meeting with Diane and the lunch meeting with the studio guys, the girls had insisted on celebrating with Alex, taking him on a walking tour of San Francisco, where they each had a great time. Aside from seeing new sights and exercising, they also encountered new people, which Alex appreciated.
“I don’t care what anyone says, you’ve obviously got more going for you than some random energy if people react to you the way they do,” she continued. “You may not think you’re an angel, but the rest of the world certainly does.” Winona punctuated this by pulling a bottle from the bag she’d been carrying. “I think it’s time we celebrated a little here in the privacy of the hotel room where we can finally let our hair down. How about a drink?”
“Uh, Winona, you do realize you’re pregnant, don’t you?” Cate reminded her caustically. “I mean, this isn’t just your baby’s future you’re threatening to screw up, it’s Alex’s future heir.”
“No, Cate, I certainly didn’t forget that,” Winona replied, emphasizing each word as she approached Cate. She’d gotten tired of Alex’s sister treating her like a pariah. She knew Cate couldn’t stand her, but she was tired of pussyfooting around her all the time. If she wanted a fight…. “This happens to be sparkling cider. You know; fancy apple juice? I know you’ve never liked me, but to suggest I’d drink while pregnant is a low blow, even for you!”
“Girls!” Alex said, trying to intervene before they came to blows. He really didn’t need to deal with the two bickering women all evening, as they’d been grating on each other’s nerves all day.
“Forget it, Alex,” Winona replied, not backing down. “This little bitch has been giving me grief since we first met. I don’t know what it is she has against me, but I’m taking a stand. I’m sorry to say it, but who your brother likes, sleeps with or chooses to have a baby with, is not subject to your approval. If Alex doesn’t like me, all he has to do is to say it. But we don’t need you harping on me all day in order to force him to do what you want.”
“I see the way you keep looking at him,” Cate insisted, getting right up into Winona’s face, standing only inches from her as she let her own anger and frustration bubble to the surface. “You’ve been trying to insinuate yourself into his life for some time now. What you don’t seem to understand is that Alex’s life is complicated and he isn’t available for you to just sweep him off his feet and run away with. There are lots of people depending on him, and he can’t ignore them while you monopolize his time!”
“Oh, so I’m the one monopolizing his time?” Winona responded, her own voice rising in volume to match Cate’s. “Am I the one who spends all my time by his side? The one who can’t manage to find a life of her own? Who can’t stand to see him spend time with anyone else but her? If anyone is obsessed with Alex, it’s you!”
“Girls, girls, please,” Alex insisted, trying to play the peace keeper, but Chalise grabbed his arm, holding him back.
“Alex, they really need to work this out on their own,” she whispered, keeping an eye on the two women. “It’s been brewing for some time now, and if they don’t work it out, it’ll only get worse.”
Alex looked from her to the two girls, trying to decide whether to step in and prevent a fight, or step back and watch them thrash it out.
“Hey, if I were you I’d sit back and enjoy a good old-fashioned chick fight,” Gini suggested, grinning. “Despite the whole sexual dynamic, which has always mystified me, I’ve always found them very amusing, as girls simply don’t have a clue how to fight. It’s like watching two hamsters going at it. They’re cute as heck, but no one is going to get hurt.”
“I’m sorry if dedication upsets you, but I watch out for my brother,” Cate argued, digging her heels. “My parents told me to take care of Alex,” she semi-lied, wanting to avoid the topic of her own motivations, “and I plan on doing just that. It’s never been an issue until now, and somehow, I don’t think it’s the issue now either. I think you just don’t want anyone who can call you on your own behavior.”
“What the hell is it between you and him anyway?” Winona asked, jumping onto the elephant in the room. “You’ve got the most unsibling-like relationship I’ve ever seen between a brother and sister.”
“How Alex and I relate to each other is none of your business,” Cate said, hoping to head off the line of thought before it led to the obvious conclusion. “What matters is that he trusts me, something I can’t say for you. Personally, I wouldn’t trust you to lick a stamp for me. There’s no telling what diseases you may spread, and I’d likely never see the stamp again.”
“Why you little bitch! I’ll have you know, I’m no slut, little miss always-trying-to-act-sexy-for-my-brother. If anyone is obsessed with Alex, it’s you. You know you can’t have him, and it’s tearing you up inside. I think you need to get a boyfriend of your own; go get yourself screwed and leave the rest of us alone!”
“Oh, believe me, I know all about getting screwed. After all, I can see what you’re trying to do to my brother. And while I don’t worry about him having a little fun, when I see someone bending him over a table, preparing to screw him in the ass, I get worried.”
“If it bothers you that much, then just don’t look!” Winona reasoned. “I’ve never heard him complaining about me or how I deal with him. I’m not trying to do anything Alex isn’t interested in. I can see his wanting to spend time with his girlfriends, but that’s not the issue, is it? You don’t like my being here, you want to be rid of me, and you’ll pull any line you can think of to get rid of me, including poisoning him against me.”
“I hate to break it to you, but Alex is just too much of a ‘nice guy’ to call you on your clearly offensive behavior. If it were anyone else, you’d have been on your ass a long time ago. But it’s because he’s so nice that he needs someone looking out for his him, someone who can protect him from a gold-digger like you!”
“Gold digger? Me? Who’s spending her every spare moment catering to her brother, sipping from his foundation’s trough rather than getting a job like every other high school slut? The only reason you aren’t laying down, spreading your thighs for anyone else is because you’re too lazy to put that much effort into a relationship. Not when you can soak your brother for everything he’s worth.”
“I’m sorry,” Alex responded, finally shrugging Chalise’s restraining grip off, “but I’ve got to do something here.”
“Alright you two,” he insisted. “Let’s chill! Even if you don’t like it, we’re all tied together for the next couple months. We’ve got to figure out how to get along. If Winona is going to be doing this concert, helping draw people to us, then we’ll be spending a LOT of time together. I don’t need the two of you fighting every time we do.”
“That’s just it,” Cate responded, ignoring Winona to face her brother. “I’m not going to be here to protect you for long, and I’m not sure I can expect everyone else to watch this … this alley cat.”
“Huh? Where the hell are you going?” Alex asked, confused by her response.
“I’m only speaking metaphorically,” she said, dismissing his concern with a wave of her hand. “The problem is, while you’re good at evaluating people, you’ve got a blind spot a mile wide when it comes to trusting people you like.”
“You know, you keep calling me a slut, but it’s you who first talked your brother into taking me to bed. So what does that make you?” Winona asked. “I haven’t slept with anyone beside him since we first met.”
“And why would you?” Cate countered. “Once you’ve scored an angel who’s building a movement of thousands, you can suck on their collective teat from then on.”
“Would you rather he sucked on your teat?” Winona demanded, not realizing her veiled threat was empty since it had been happening for a long time.
“All right, STOP IT!” Alex insisted. “The two of you aren’t making any headway. You’re not moving towards a resolution, and the rest of us don’t want to watch the two of you acting like a couple of spoiled brats. Kitty, Chalise, Gini and I are heading down to dinner. If the two of you can’t be civil, then you can simply stay here and bash each other’s heads against the walls, but you WON’T embarrass me like this in public. You got that?”
“I understand,” Winona said, immediately backing down.
“I’m not sure I can,” Cate argued. “I can see what she’s doing, and—”
“Cate, if you can’t shut the hell up and pretend to be civil, then you can simply find another room tonight,” Alex snapped, glaring at her.
Cate finally shut up, still giving Winona an evil eye, but when Alex looked, Winona was grinning like a Cheshire Cat, thinking she’d won and lording it over Cate, proving that neither one had any intention of getting along.
“OK, it’s clear the two of you aren’t going to let this go. Winona, you’re going to have to make arrangements to put your life on hold for a bit, so you can stay here and call whoever you need to let them know your plans, as well as preparing for a prenatal checkup. Cate, I think you should sit out in the lobby, watching for any new followers who may show up. That should give the both of you time to consider what you’re doing. As I said, we’re going to be spending a lot of time together and we can’t have the two of you fighting like this for the next two months!”
The two girls finally backed down, looking somewhat apologetic and pointedly not look at each other.
“We’ll be downstairs in the main dining room. Winona, you can call room service for dinner if you want, Cate, I suggest you grab a sandwich and you can have dinner after we finish.” With that Alex took Kitty and Chalise’s arms and escorted the others out. He’d had all the infighting he wanted.
Kuubba and Robin glanced at each other and followed. Although they felt close to Winona, they were tired of the infighting as well. They certainly didn’t want to be seen taking one side or the other in this catfight. Their allegiance was to Alex, but until he took a stand, they weren’t about to risk pissing him off. When Winona looked pleadingly at them, Robin wasn’t about to get trapped.
“You dug your hole, now you’re going to have to sleep in it,” she told the two of them as they marched out.
Cate and Winona glared at each other before Cate grabbed her handbag and tablet, hurrying after the others. Winona simply shrugged, figuring she really needed to make arrangements. This was clearly not over, but it was looking to be a bigger battle than could be finished with only a minor skirmish. They each knew this was going to be a protracted conflict, and they would be battling it out over Alex’s attention, so they each needed to figure out an extended strategy.
“You know you’re going to have your hands full with those two,” Kitty said under her breath, even though everyone there knew what she was referring to.
“I know, but I’m not sure what to do about it,” Alex admitted.
“It probably wasn’t the brightest move committing yourself to working with Winona for so long,” Chalise pointed out. “You know you’re going to be seeing her every damn day, and you also know it’s going to drive Cate insane.”
“What’s more, you know Winona is going to want something from you as well,” Robin pointed out. “She sees you with two girlfriends and making love with a whole bunch of women, so she knows you don’t have reservations about sleeping around. She sees the two of you having something more. If she wants to sleep with you, how are you going to turn her down? Do you really want to reject the mother of your child? She sees this child as being the glue which holds the two of you together, and she’s going to expect a certain level of intimacy.”
“Well, she knows how much I dislike being forced to sleep with everyone at the drop of a hat,” Alex countered.
“Yes, she knows and understands it, but she’s not just another chippie,” Kitty pointed out. “She’s the mother of your child, which makes you the equivalent of husband and wife. While that may not be a problem with your other mothers, it’s only because they aren’t traveling with you every day.”
“Damn, I just don’t see why this is becoming such a big thing,” Alex complained.
“Actually, I can,” Chalise said. “It’s not only that Winona wants to keep you for herself and Cate doesn’t like her. It boils down to cultural differences. Just as blacks don’t see the world as simply as whites like to believe it is, and Italians tend to be more emotional than those of English stock, Native Americans are rugged individuals, used to spending a lot of time on their own.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, Robin, but your people learn early how to observe nature far from people, communing with nature, time which doesn’t involve anyone else. That’s a completely different mindset than Cate is used to. She’s used to more social people, and she’s used to certain responses from people. I suspect Winona’s problem is simply that she isn’t familiar enough with our social norms to catch the subtle clues Cate both recognizes and expects. She simply doesn’t know how to respond to Cate, and Cate sees that as her being insincere.”
Robin gathered herself before responding. “Winona can not only fend for herself, but she thinks nothing of walking into the desert and spending several days by herself in a mud hut having semi-hallucinogenic dreams. Do you think Cate could stand to spend that long with no one to speak to?”
“You forget Cate and I were both loners who spent our lives without anyone to relate to,” Alex reminded them.
“Ah, but that’s not completely true, and you know it,” Kitty countered. “You’re the one that avoided other people. Cate had no problem socializing, but she was too busy and never saw the need to spend much time at it. But the reason she felt that way was because she was always with someone. She spent all her time with you. True, you may not have talked much. You always had your head in a book, and she was always studying, but the two of you spent all your time together. Cate talks to everyone, but she’s always had you to rely on. She’s used to social interaction, and she can’t relate to living alone.”
“Kitty has a good insight into the problem,” Robin offered. “I think she’s hit the nail on the head. Winona probably hasn’t had many real relationships, and those she’s had have been with other tribesmen. She simply doesn’t know the social norms she’s expected to abide by.”
“So you’re saying there’s no way to avoid trouble between them?” Alex asked.
“No, we’re not saying that,” Kitty explained. “What we’re saying is you have to tread very delicately. You’ve managed to storm into the middle of a very delicate situation without even considering what you were getting into. You tend to see all the women you meet as being rich individuals, but you don’t take into account their cultural backgrounds, which adds a whole new dimension to them.”
“Hmm, you may be right. I may have missed the warning signs about the bridge being out.”
“That’s part of your charm,” Robin told him sweetly. “You’re very good at judging people, and you try to take them as they are, not the role they’re expected to play. But at the same time, you also tend to miss much that’s fairly obvious to everyone else.”
“She’s right,” Kitty agreed. “Normally Cate’s good at warning you when you miss something, but Cate missed this as well, simply because she hasn’t experienced it. She tried to tell you, warning you she didn’t like Winona, even though she couldn’t supply a specific reason. But instead of listening, you went with your feelings about Winona, ignoring the obvious warnings Cate was giving you about the situation.”
Alex ran his hand through his hair, something he did when frustrated. “Damn, you’re right.”
“I think there’s another point you’re missing,” Chalise offered. “Unfortunately, we can’t tell you what it is yet, but in another couple of days, you’re going to see why Cate’s so upset about it.”
“Don’t tell me she’s just moody because of her period,” Alex groaned. “If you are, at least tell me this is as bad as she’s going to get. I don’t need her getting worse tomorrow when we try to work with Winona as she tries to learn her ropes. Both she and Diane want me to be there to watch the whole process. If Cate’s going to go off again, it could be really embarrassing.”
“Let’s just say I’ve already said enough,” Chalise said, providing no further clues. “I trust you’ll figure out what you need to when the time comes. After all, you’re usually a smart guy, but sometimes you have a lot of trouble with fairly obvious things.”
“Yeah,” Kitty laughed, “like when two girls both want to jump you, and you’re worrying about which one is going to dump you first.”
“I think it’s safe to say he’s gotten over that problem, at least,” Robin laughed. Alex glanced at her, wondering just how much the other Seers had told her about his history with Kitty and Chalise.
“The point is, you need to tread carefully,” Kitty warned him. “You’ve managed to walk into a minefield, and a wrong step is either going to set Cate or Winona off. And since they’re already so edgy, they’re likely to push you towards the mines themselves. So keep your wits about you.”
“Geez, you make me feel so much better about it,” Alex complained.
“And don’t forget, you can’t ignore her or punish her,” Chalise told him. “Cate’s been very good about letting you spend most of your time with us, but she’s been wanting to get all of us … um….”
Here she hesitated, realizing she may have already said too much.
“Don’t worry, I already know what the four of you are into,” Robin informed her with an accepting grin.
“And is no surprise to me, either,” Kuubba added. “I see the love between you all, and you no act like brother and sister, or like lover and step-sister.”
“Well, in that case, she wants to spend time with all of us, and this means a lot to her. If you try to punish her for acting out, it’s going to crush her.”
“Hell, I can hardly ignore how she’s been acting,” Alex argued. “After all, you’re not leaving for another day.”
“Still, you can’t leave everything for the last minute,” Kitty warned. “If you do, she’ll be primed to explode as soon as we try anything tomorrow night. You’re going to have to bite the bullet and be nice to everyone tonight.”
“Face it, Alex,” Chalise said. “It’s time to turn off that mind of yours and start thinking with your dick. You don’t do it very often, but sometimes it’s what the situation calls for. Don’t overthink it, just let yourself go.”
That, of course, provoked a laugh from all the women at the table. As Alex blushed, they continued giving him a hard time. But after that important point was worked out, the atmosphere improved and everyone was much more relaxed, so Alex felt better able to deal with the two women when he left the restaurant.
“Alex, I’m really sorry. I went too far,” Cate nervously said as Alex left the hotel’s dining room. “To help make amends, I’ve been working while I’ve been out here. And no, there weren’t any new followers while you were having dinner. Anyway, I know you want to be there when Winona starts rehearsals, so I rearranged some things to allow us to stay longer. Kitty and Chalise were supposed to fly out of the LA airport on Saturday morning, June 15th, the day after tomorrow. I changed that to Sunday, which will give you the day to spend at Winona’s rehearsal, and it also keeps us from having to leave early tomorrow night. I hope that makes up a little for what I put you through.”
“Don’t worry,” Alex told his sister, hugging and kissing her forehead like he did when they were younger. “You did good, as usual. But you caught me off guard when you and Winona went off like that. Perhaps I didn’t think through what tying myself to her for the next several weeks would do to us, and for that I’m sorry, but you really can’t let yourself lose control like that.”
“I’m sorry,” Cate replied, looking like she was about to start crying. “I know I put you in a difficult position, but it’s just….”
“Yes?” Alex asked when she didn’t finish her sentence, wondering whether she was going to continue trying to demonize Winona.
“Nothing. I was at fault and I’ll try to get along with her. That is, if she’ll allow me to,” she responded. While it wasn’t exactly a promise to behave better, it was at least a start, so Alex hugged her to him as they headed to the elevator, ready to head upstairs.
“All right, here’s how it’s going to be,” Alex announced as he walked in the door, surprising Winona. “No more bickering. You can hash it out some other time, but for now I want some peace. I want everyone in different rooms. Kitty, Chalise, Cate and I are going to discuss issues from home, so we’ll hang out in my room so there won’t be any tensions between anyone.”
Alex was half expecting Winona to question that, to see through his little fiction. After all, so many others had, but instead she merely nodded. “That makes sense. I’ll stay in my room and prepare for tomorrow. I’d like to get an early start in the morning.”
“Did you order dinner?” Winona shook her head, looking like she was so nervous about angering Alex she’d been unable to eat.
“I figured as much. You’ll probably need this,” Alex said, handing her a to-go container holding her dinner. “I didn’t know what you like, so I got you some fish. I also got extra vegetables and I threw in some peach cobbler.”
“Thanks,” she said, glancing quickly at Cate. Alex wasn’t quite sure what passed between them, but a moment later Winona threw her arms around him.
“I really appreciate everything you’re doing. I’ll try harder to get along with her, but I’m not promising anything,” she whispered before letting him go, taking the container and retreating to her room.
“Well that was sweet. I think we’ll excuse ourselves as well,” Robin said, as she led Kuubba off.
As soon as the others left, the girls began to grin wildly. This was a special night, as it was the first time they’d all been together that week: Kitty, Chalise, Cate and Alex. As much as he adored his girlfriends, they’d accepted Cate into the relationship as well, on their own accord, so they felt it natural now to include her. Only they hadn’t yet, as either she, or the events of late, had ended up putting it off. But none of them could get too exuberant as they didn’t want to tip their hands since Winona still didn’t know anything about them yet. Whatever they did, they couldn’t get too boisterous about it.
Grinning like Gadflies, Chalise grabbed Cate and ran off, but Kitty grabbed Alex and without a word, waited until the others were out of the room. Curious about the delay, Alex glanced at her, sure she had a reason for holding him back.
“Alex, we just wanted to be sure you know what’s on the agenda for tonight. This is Cate’s night, since she hasn’t had a chance at us all week.”
“Well, duh; I’ve figured that much out my own,” he responded, since that much was clear. There was no reason to speak with him separately and in private to tell him something so obvious.
“Still, follow our lead. This night is about Cate,” she stressed. “I know it’ll be easy to let us focus on her, while you focus on us, but you don’t want to do that. Pay attention to her as well. If you don’t, you may regret it.” Without any further explanation, Kitty turned and followed the others, leaving Alex wondering what that had been about. Was there something he was missing?
Alex knew Cate had been focusing on him and his reactions lately, on how he was coping with his impending death. If Kitty was cautioning him now, it could only be because she was stressing on that very subject and he hadn’t picked up on it. If that were so, then she’d be craving his attention more than anyone else’s right now, even though she hadn’t been with Kitty and Chalise for some time. Alex promised himself he’d pay attention to her, but he also had to admit, it would be difficult doing that, as there were three of them and only one of him.
As Alex entered the room, Chalise and Cate were down to their underwear, and Kitty was busy unbuttoning her blouse. Apparently everyone was too amped up to wait for any pleasantries, like talking, kissing or warming up in general. Closing and locking the door, Alex turned and watched the others as he too undressed.
The contrast between the three girls struck him whenever they were together. There were certain similarities between them; namely their youth, their slimness, their small chests and their similar attitudes, but their uniqueness also shone clearly, at least to him. Cate was the youngest, the smallest and the least imposing, except where Alex was concerned. Then she was insistent and would brook no dissent. Kitty was like a little puppy wrapped up in a little cat’s body. All cuddly and soft, while having this overwhelming need for attention and reaffirmation. She was completely competent on her own, but whenever they were together, she soaked up the others’ attention like a sponge. Chalise’s differences were the most obvious; she skin had a rich hue which stood out against the light pale skin and hair of the others, but she also contrasted from the others in other ways as well. She was generally more reserved, more conscious of the racial differences than the rest, more cognizant of not only others’ responses to them, but of the cultural differences between them. But she was just as cautious as both Kitty and Cate were outgoing. While Kitty depended on the others’ attention, and Cate demanded it, Chalise would simply back off, letting the others work out their issues before stepping up to the plate herself. That was something Alex found endearing. For as much as Alex always struggled to identify what was unique in each person he met, these three personified their own unique qualities which he didn’t need to search for, he could simply accept them for who they were, and focus on them rather than trying to figure out who they were first.
Cate and Chalise fell onto the bed together, falling into each other’s arms as they each worked on stripping off the other’s undergarments. Cate, as usual, didn’t wear a bra, though Chalise usually wore one simply because she was more self-conscious than the others. Once Kitty got involved, their clothes were history, and Kitty and Chalise pressed Cate down against the bed and set upon her. While Kitty began kissing her, not having had the chance yet, Chalise moved south, working over her breasts. It was then that Alex realized he’d been too busy staring at the three beautiful girls, and that he needed to get in the game if he expected to play a starring role.
Dropping the last of his clothes, Alex joined the other two, expecting to fight to establish his position. But the girls shifted over, making room for him. Having done this enough times together, they had their own system worked out. Chalise moved down between Cate’s thighs, leaving Kitty free to attack her breasts, which of course left Cate’s lips open for Alex to enjoy.
Cate, of course, was simply eating up the attention. Being worked on by three loving and devoted lovers can be overwhelming, and Cate was no exception. She had no choice but to succumb to their will, simply rolling over and letting them have their way with her. Yet she didn’t accept their attentions listlessly. She shivered under their individual caresses, she was constantly touching everyone, cradling Chalise’s head, pulling Kitty into her, or running her hand along Alex’s flesh; she managed to show each just how much she appreciated their attentions.
It seemed clear Cate wanted to say something, probably to each of them, but she appeared anxious to speak to Alex primarily. But with three sets of lips to contend with, not to mention three separate pairs of hands, she never got a chance to focus on whatever was on her mind, which her brother assumed was for the best. This was for her, after all, and letting her control the situation while she once again turned it into an intellectual pursuit was both pointless and distracting. They’d make her forget whatever she was concerned with at the moment, and hopefully she’d be relaxed enough to bring it up later, without the attendant head games she might have brought to the table in the first place.
It was obvious Kitty and Chalise had perfected their girl-girl lovemaking techniques since they’d last been together, as Cate was soon thrashing around. However, Chalise let up before she could come, giving Kitty a chance at her treasures. Alex surrendered his post so Chalise could kiss her, sharing her taste of Cate with her as a sign of … something. He still wasn’t quite sure what that was designed to demonstrate, but it seemed important to some people. Chalise had originally been disappointed when he hadn’t reacted negatively to being fed his own sperm, but she seemed to expect a completely different reaction when doing the same thing to Cate.
Kitty soon had Cate back on edge. She wrapped her thighs around Kitty’s head, rocking her own as she gyrated with the sensations they were giving her. After Kitty brought Cate close once again, she backed off, silently asking Alex if he wanted a turn. Shaking his head, Kitty waited a few moments before returning to her task, letting Cate’s frustration build. Alex smiled at their almost cruel teasing, glad they hadn’t done the same thing to him. When Kitty did return, she didn’t torment Cate any longer, though she didn’t finish her off quickly either. Building her up slower, she worked on her for a bit before finally finishing her off. Chalise had to muffle her scream with another kiss, leaving her a panting exhausted mess when they completed.
“No more. No more. Too sensitive,” she gasped, pushing Kitty’s face away from her.
“You were about to say?” Alex asked, teasing her since he knew she was too distracted and unfocused to properly respond.
“Wha…? Oh, I … I wanted … to say I’m sorry for what I … said to Winona,” she muttered, caught off guard by the question.
“Really?” Alex asked, smiling evilly. “Maybe we should bring her in here so you can show her how sorry you are?”
Cate’s reaction told Alex all he needed to know about how his sister felt about Winona. Her whole body shook with revulsion, and she gathered enough energy to make a face, shaking her head at the thought.
“Still don’t like her, huh?” he pressed, though he softened it by smiling with her about it.
“It’s not that I … don’t like her. It’s that I … don’t trust her. I know you’re depending on her, and she may not even intend to do you any harm, but she just … doesn’t seem to get it,” she explained, sounding like she’d thought this out carefully, despite the context they now found themselves in. “She doesn’t seem to understand that no one can lay claim to you. She seems to think that … she can make you her own, change you from what you are into a happy husband, putting her at the top of the entire hierarchy.”
“A position which you don’t want to give up?” Alex guessed.
“No, I’m not concerned with position. I’m really not that ambitious to play games with people. I serve … at your discretion,” she responded, quoting a line they’d heard on TV often enough. “I do what I do only to help you, not to get ahead. If I wanted fame and fortune, I’d do it with research. Instead what I do here very few people will ever know about. But I just don’t think Winona gets that.”
“You realize that, if she does bear Alex’s heir, she’s pretty much guaranteed that position anyway?” Chalise asked.
“Yeah, I do, but then it won’t be due to any manipulation on her part, it will be because of her child, so she can get her attention by taking good care of him. But I don’t think the same dynamic will work between her and Alex.”
“I think you underestimate me,” Alex told her plainly. “I think I can handle her.”
“I’m not so sure,” she answered, propping herself up on her elbows, looking up at him. “You’ve never had to deal with anyone for very long, and everyone has been deferential. Even Lekesia, as conniving as she was, never tried to do anything to you personally. I just … I hate to say it since you seem to trust her, but I just don’t.”
“So you’ve said,” Alex answered. “And while I trust your judgment, you also know I like to see the best in people. I trust I can encourage her to be the best she can be. I suspect she’ll rise to the challenge, even if she’d just have been a bitch otherwise.” However, even as Alex told Cate that, he was actually repeating Kitty’s advice about Cate to himself; that she was actually driven to dislike Winona for personal reasons of her own, and so he didn’t give Cate’s concern his full focus, merely telling her what he thought she needed to hear.
“Well, since we’ve covered this territory before, you’re up, chief,” Kitty told Alex, poking him in the side. He smiled, stroked his cock a couple of times, and started to move towards Cate.
“Whoa, put that away for the moment,” Cate warned him. “I’m still too worn out. Besides, this is about Kitty and Chalise. After all, they won’t be here for much longer. I’ll tell you what: I’ll go down on one while you do the other, how’s that?”
Alex smiled. It seemed everyone was so concerned about making this night about the others, they kept trying to dissuade him from paying attention to themselves. If he listened to them, he may not get a chance to make love to anyone, in which case he may end up having to finish with Winona! That thought made him grin.
“What’s so funny?” Cate asked, as she rolled over, grabbing Chalise and wrestling her into position, despite the fact she was bigger.
“Nothing. I was just thinking that if none of you is interested, one of those guys today might be,” Alex teased, lying his ass off. But his ploy worked just as he’d planned. The girls got so involved in trying to guess which of the people they’d met today might be gay, or might be interested in Alex, they ignored his response to them. While they continued to discuss it, he shifted around as well.
They ended up in a ‘Daisy chain’, where Cate ate Chalise, while Kitty ate Cate, who Alex proceeded to fuck from behind. It was a little interesting trying to arrange on a single bed, and meant they had to do so at odd angles, but it was fun experimenting, and if someone slipped off, they just laughingly shook it off, enjoying the camaraderie more than the need to get off. Because Alex was so used to doing a couple girls each night, he ended up making love to both Kitty and Chalise. But ignoring Kitty’s advice, he chose not to finish off with his sister, figuring they had plenty of time for that later. He figured he’d taken care of his concerns by assuring her he’d handle Winona. The thought she might still be bothered by his impending death continued to weigh on him, but he figured that would be better addressed just between the two of them. He once again swore to himself that he’d bury his own fears, keeping his self-doubts to himself. He’d done well by hiding his reactions, but Cate had dragged the truth from him and now it was negatively impacting her, proving decisively to him he should never have admitted to them in the first place.
He wouldn’t make that mistake again!
Check out smashwords.com or vincentberg.net for all of my eBooks.
e-mail Author
Requires an email address, for anonymous feedback
use the "Contact me" button at the top of the page.
| Copyright © 2014, Crumbly Writer. All rights reserved. | ||||
| Reposting on other sites for commercial or non-commercial purposes without specific written consent from the author is strictly prohibited. | ||||