CHAPTER 3: IN WHICH MUCH IS EXPLAINED
Leo walked to his car with his head spinning. He unlocked and opened the door, placing the flask Mya had given him securely in the cup holder next to the seat. He put his seat belt on and placed the key in the ignition, all without conscious thought, then sat with his hands on the wheel, staring ahead at nothing.
‘What just happened?’ he asked himself in confusion. One minute he was at his intimidating best, attempting to force the witch to perform the magic that would heal his ticket out of this life, the next, he was making mad passionate love to the woman!
‘No. Not making love. Having sex. It was just sex...mad, passionate sex; but just sex all the same. In fact, it was barely sex- more like an assignment.’ He nodded to himself in affirmation. ‘Besides, I did it for Charlotte. The witch needed the passion for the spell, and I provided it…someone had to do it, and I was there. ‘With that firmly settled in his mind, he turned on the ignition and headed toward the Le Carre mansion where Charlotte lay hovering between life and death, waiting for her prince to save her. And when he’d done that, then she could save him right back. Just like in Pretty Woman... He smiled grimly as he thought this and dismissed Mya from his mind. His future lay in front of him, not behind.“Was she alright though?” He couldn’t quite stop himself from thinking...she’d looked a little shell-shocked when he left, definitely trying to act calmer than she was. It looked like what she’d said was true; if she wasn’t a virgin, she was definitely virgin-adjacent. Or maybe she was just naturally tight; who knew with witches? They had their spells and things, they could make you believe anything if they wanted... Why was he still thinking about her?!Charlotte, Charlotte, Charlotte; his future wife if he had anything to say about it. His ticket out of this one-horse town. Not that he didn’t love her, of course he did. She was hot property, she was rich, she was beautiful, and she was the most popular girl in school. What was not to love? But if she died today that was it; back to square one. He pressed his foot down on the accelerator and went faster. Ten minutes later, he was at her gates. The guards saw him coming and let the gates up without stopping him. They knew what was at stake, and it wasn’t worth their lives to impede him. His best friend Miles was waiting at the Mansion doors; pacing up and down in anxiety. He barely waited for Leo to get out of the car before asking, “Did you get it?”“Yeah. I got it” Leo replied, streaking past him on his way to the living room, where Charlotte’s still body lay on the divan.
“Thank God”, he heard Miles murmur behind him. Ahead of him in the room were a number of people, milling about anxiously. There was Teddy the Bear, otherwise known as ‘the bodyguard’ who towered over everyone around him and who managed to top Leo’s own 6’4” by a good four inches. Tina the Barbie doll sat close to the divan, wringing her hands anxiously – she was Charlotte’s bestie; in her own words. Next to Tina stood her boyfriend Aaron, staring off into space in indifferent boredom and smoking a joint. At the far corner was David, brother of Aaron and rival in his affections for Tina. He leaned against one of the huge marble pillars that dotted the parlour, shooting envious glances at his brother from time to time. The other girl in the room was Ashley- dark-haired and pale; she was there because Miles was there. Hopefully one day he would notice her...Leo sank to his knees as he reached the divan in three huge steps. He uncorked the flask and pried Charlotte’s mouth open. It was hard to keep her mouth open and manipulate the flask...“Help me!” he threw over his shoulder at whoever was there, and immediately Miles leaned down and held Charlotte’s mouth open for him. He measured a spoonful of the liquid and carefully decanted it into her mouth. With Miles’ help, he lifted her head slightly so she wouldn’t choke, while massaging her neck muscles so that she could swallow. When they were sure she’d got it all down, they lay her head back down on the pillow and waited...and waited. Nothing seemed to happen for a long time and Leo began to wonder if Mya had given them a dud, then...Charlotte opened her blue eyes, and stared around her at everyone in the room.“W-what happened?” she whispered painfully before suddenly shooting upright and projectile vomiting all over Leo’ black Levis and Tina’s Jimmy Choos. The vomit was black with slime interspersed with unidentified chunks. Leo froze in shock while Tina screamed in revulsion, but then Charlotte heaved again and they both quickly jumped out of the way. Apparently nothing was left to come up and so she dry heaved herself into exhaustion and then lay back down. Teddy the Bear ran for some water for her to drink and David hurried forward with his hankie proffered so that Tina could wipe her shoes. Since no such solicitude was shown him, Leo took off to the nearest bathroom to affect what repairs he could. Everyone else, meaning Miles, exclaimed in relief that Charlotte was better and the room relaxed. When Leo returned, slightly damp but feeling a little cleaner, if with a slight whiff of vomitus about him; Charlotte smiled and held out her hand to him. He did his best to smile back, and taking her hand in his, looked her straight in the eye, and said sincerely;“I’m so glad you’re better.”She smiled weakly at him and pulled slightly at his hands so he could come closer. He approached the divan and sat on the edge still holding her hand in his.“Miles tells me you saved my life,” she whispered huskily, eyes shining with adoration at him. He smiled modestly back, shaking his head in dismissal of his heroics and thought wryly to himself that that just might be the first time saving a life could legitimately be used as an excuse for infidelity.
“I know you’d have done the same for me” he replied smiling into her eyes. “Now you need to rest, shall I take you upstairs?”
“I’ll take her”, Teddy the Bear said, just like Leo knew he would. He bent down and picked her up in his arms like she was a doll. Leo let go of her hand, mouthing, “I’ll see you later” to her as Teddy bore her off. Returning the little wave she gave him, he turned away from her, his mind immediately moving on to other things. Or rather, continuing the thought that had occurred earlier.
‘Speaking of infidelity...’ he thought, his mind returning to his last glimpse of Mya, frozen in surprise because he had said her name. What was to be done about that situation? Was she likely to talk? Maybe tell Charlotte what had happened between them?
‘Unlikely’ he thought derisively. First, she didn’t have the guts; and second, Charlotte would ostracise her if she knew that she’d had sex with her boyfriend. And Charlotte was her only friend, so no. She wouldn’t risk it. But should he go over there maybe, make sure of it? Talk to her, so that they both knew what the deal was?
“So what happened over at the witch’s?” A voice asked in his ear, startling him out of his reverie, “How did you get her to do the spell?”He turned around to look at Miles and opened his mouth to lie to him, and then found that he couldn’t do it.“Not here“. He murmured, grabbing Miles by the arm and dragging him out to his car, “Let’s go”. They got in his car and drove, Leo concentrating on the road until they had put several miles between them and the mansion. He drove to their favourite spot, an abandoned cabin in the woods where they came as boys to play cowboys and Indians and dream about pirate ships and fools’ gold; a spot where they came now to hang out, drink beer and smoke cigarettes and dream about leaving this town in their rear view.
“Well?!” Miles demanded, “You’re making me antsy; what’s the big secret? Did she turn into a hag or something? Or did you sell her your soul for the cure?”Leo could see that he was only half-joking. The anxiety in his eyes was real. He sighed aloud, looking out into the twilight.“I slept with her.” He said resignedly.
“WHAT!!” Miles practically screamed in his ear, “Have you lost. Your. Mind??”
“Don’t scream at me”, Leo said, wincing at the noise. Miles continued to stare bug-eyed at him, opening, and closing his mouth like a landed fish so Leo decided to take pity on him and tell him the whole story.
“...so you see, I had no choice” he concluded at the end of his tale – which did not include the part where he had never wanted a woman more or exactly how fan-fucking-tastic that orgasm had been.
“You had no choice” Miles repeated in a disbelieving whisper, “the spell required that you fuck her?”
“Well, technically no... It just required passion but I didn’t think that that was the time to be taking any chances okay? I wanted to make sure she had enough. I mean, Charlotte was dying!”
“Yeah she was”, Miles agreed after a pause, “Are you going to tell her though?”
“Are you out of your mind?” Leo asked him in disbelief, “For what, why, why would I do that?” he asked a bit incoherently.
“You’re probably right, but if she finds out...” Leo said.
“She won’t” Leo replied promptly and decided that yes, he would pay Mya a return visit; just to be sure.