Coffee Fellowship

Naked branches of a black tree, so thin, so refined, leaning savagely back and forth, following the wind. A strange movement, sinuous, like a snake crawling up the skin. Half white, half black. The white half of the tree barely visible, moved also in wavy patterns as the muscle flexed before her eyes. The branches got longer with the skin being stretched. She saw the bones in his spine slowly contouring under the skin, putting bumps into the tree trunk and as he curved his back, the tree moved with him, silent and lonely. She bent forth and lay her lips right in the middle of the tree, cupping in one breath both sides of it. Black and white. And the black branches halted, while the shadowy white half shivered painfully. Baby…

"Shit!" Manu sat up abruptly, bending down to grab her knees as she sat on the bed, half asleep, in shock and sweaty. "What the fuck!..." Emma got up as well feeling with her hand on the bedside trying to find the switch and turn on the lamp. She finally found it and turned around allowing her eyes to adjust to the light.

"Manu, are you ok?" But Manu didn't answer; she kept rocking gently with her eyes closed and Em kneeled behind her resting her hands on her shoulders. She pushed the long hair aside, making some room for the cooler air of the night to caress the back of her head. "Dreaming?"

"Aha…"

"About what?"

"A tree…"

"A tree?" Manu stopped rocking and turned around to see her. Em crouched back, still on her knees, but falling on her calves for a better balance.

"The tree on his back."

"The tree on his back?" Em frowned trying to make out something of what she was saying.

"Didn't you see it? He has a tree on his back!" Em made serious effort to keep that smile from surfacing.

"Who?"

"Jason!" and she said it like it was goddamn obvious.

"Jason has a tree on his back?"

"Yes." And this time she said it almost losing her breath, like thinking about it alone took her strength away.

"I … I didn't know. I didn't see that."

"I saw it yesterday when he gave me his t-shirt." She paused for a moment trying to remember. "You didn't see it because we stopped at his car first to get the jacket and he put another t-shirt on before we got together again… with everyone else."

"What weird tattoo is that, of a tree?"

"Actually it's really beautiful." Manu sighed. She felt exhausted and uneasy. The kind of feeling you get when something is going to happen. She got off the bed, dragging her feet through the hallway and into the kitchen. She turned the light on and dropped into a chair and Em followed her sitting next to her at the table.

"Do you need anything?"

"I was thinking of some orange juice but I can't fucking even make it to the fridge. I'm numb." Another sigh. She glimpsed the photos on the fridge and smiled remembering why Em kept them there. Em got up and looked for glasses then poured some juice for the both of them before coming back to the table.

"Wanna tell me about it?"

"It's not like something happened in the dream! I only saw his back, but it was like the tree was alive, moving on his skin, like in a motion picture… it was friggin' weird."

"Did he tell you what the tree means?" Manu took a moment to put her thoughts together and answer her.

"No, I didn't even ask. Too much, too fast happened yesterday to remember all the questions I have for him… I mean you don't understand the number of questions in my head! Can you realize, I don't know anything about this guy, nothing, nada, zip! But we kissed under a fucking pontoon and I was this close to raping him! Jason… I mean that's all I know. And that he graduated this year… Wow!" and she gestured exasperated with the situation.

"Hey, relax!... things happen for a reason, remember?"

"I don't want to think that way Em! I can't! It's driving me crazy! I don't want fate to take action for me, I want it to be my decision, 'cause this is my life and I'll live with the consequences!"

"I think you're going too deep into the problem now and things aren't that complicated."

"What do you mean they aren't that complicated?"

"I think you got a problem back home that's obviously eating you on the inside and I think… hold on, let me finish! … and I think you just happened to meet a guy that soothes that for you. Aaaaaannndddd I seriously think you should just accept it, whether it's a temporary patch to your broken self or he's actually the one, you should go for it."

"I can't go for Jason – whatever that would mean – and then fly back to my husband! What if I like it? Being with him…"

"Well that's the point! He's here for you to enjoy it so it takes your mind off things!"

"That would make it worse! Plus there's the moral aspect that I also have to consider!"

"Fuck the moral aspect! If the moral aspect was respected in your marriage you wouldn't be in this situation in the first place! Just do what you feel like doing and don't look back or you're going to miss your chance."

"What do you think of Jason?... One minute he behaves like a retarded freshman, careless and loony tunes; then he turns on this intelligent look that flushes me down like water through sewage, you know!"

"That's a very plastic description of a human feeling!" Em giggled uncontrollably.

"Shut up! Can't you see, I know nothing about the guy, not even how old he is!"

"Definitely younger than you, you old witch!" Em burst into laughter. "I need a coffee!"

Manu shook her head.

"It's 5:30 in the morning."

"My point exactly." Em stood up looking through the drawers for her coffee ingredients.

"You're such an addict!"

"I'd stop bitching if I were you, 'cause you'll be pleading for my coffee soon hooker and you won't get any with this attitude!" Manu giggled and pushed herself up heavily to give a helping hand.

"So you think we should actually go to the ranch?"

"Are you fucking kidding me? Silver Wolf Ranch! Do you know what that is? It's like this awesome private property down on highway 71. You don't get in there girl unless invited, otherwise someone will stick a shotgun up your ass and shoot! That would definitely help with killing the cellulite but I'd rather not!" Manu watched her still dozed with sleep and numb from the dream.

"I am not in the mood for any cowboy games. I'm leaving tomorrow. I dread it so badly, you can't believe it."

"That's why we should make the most of this ranch adventure! Where's your pioneering spirit!" Manu looked at her like Em'd just escaped the mad men's house. "And put something darker on this time. Just in case Jason comes up with some other ideas of how to attract attention!" She grinned molding the night gown on her body showing just how sexy Manu looked in her wet white dress.

"Shut the fuck up whore!"

"Aham…" Em giggled boiling the water.

"I need some sleep!"

"What you need is to go wash your face and then come back and have a coffee with me! You're the Dracula descendent between us so don't give me this sleepy shit!"

"We're only supposed to meet with them at 10!"

"But we gotta get ready!"

"Ya… polish my Prada shoes, slip some diamonds down my fingers, cut my jeans right down my butt cheeks, put my lace pink bra on… all this shit that I do EVERY DAY when I go to a ranch!" She stared at Em with an obvious mocking face.

"Retard! Go wash your face and don't even think about jumping back in bed!"

"Girl, if I am to ride this Jason stud as you think I will…"

"Hell ya!"

"Shut up!" Em giggled turning her back at her. "… I need to save my energy!"

"What energy? You're like a rusty old lock! He needs to take his time in polishing the metal to make it shine again!" Manu laughed out loud.

"I love you girl! You always find ways to make me feel so much better!"

"My pleasure!"

"Fuck off!"

"Bitch!"

"Don't get me started!

"Already did! Now go WASH!"

Manu groaned unhappy but with devilish smile on her face. It's gonna be a long morning.