Episode 4 – Blind Date
October 2001, Milan
He walked over, pulled out a bar stool and sat next to her, the most ordinary thing possible. Things like this must happen every evening, he thought, in every city, all over the world. Married people meeting unmarried ones and wondering what the evening would bring.
She looked exactly as he remembered, even the same fire truck shade of lipstick and the same ridiculously short skirt, although this time it was as part of a cocktail dress and not a suit.
"Good evening," he bowed, more than a little nervous,
"Hi," she smiled widely, a smile that should have helped him relax, but didn't, "you made it. Thanks for coming."
He glanced around, checking the exits. He saw him across the room, in an alcove seat behind her where she wouldn't notice him. The man nodded at him from behind dark glasses. He was there. Good.
-o-oOo-o-
September 2001, Hotel Alfonso
It had started out as a complete shock. She had phoned him and arranged a date, just like that, from right out of nowhere, a voice from two years ago. As people do.
No they don't. They never do that.
Scary thing was, he'd said yes. And he hadn't a damn clue why
so why not say no? why not say I'm happily married? I'd love a date with you but my wife just went into labour. why not just throw the phone down on the table, watch it bounce to the floor and scream sorry, gotta go, earthquake!
He'd expected her to call within a couple of weeks, or a month at the most. But when she didn't he mentally put her aside. Maybe the woman had come to her senses, seen his wedding band, seen his nervous reaction to her advances and decided to forget it.
pah, he's just a kid, married and still a teenager – so what can he know? he'd be no fun anyway, he'd know nothing of the world, nothing about real women. he'd be a boring date.
In time he forgot her entirely, maybe it had been his imagination, her elbow against his, her face far too close, her strange contact when they'd shaken hands goodbye.
her crossing and uncrossing those legs. no, wait up – that wasn't right. that hadn't been his imagination, his imagination wasn't that good.
But then, a few days ago, she'd phoned him. He was having lunch, a quick canneloni, a ciabatta and a peroni on Tony's terrace. Cheap and convenient.
"Si, Amasawa."
"Seiji Amasawa?"
"Si."
"Gutentag! Hallo from Chermany!"
"Uh, hello?"
Shizuku doing a prank call?
"Seiji, this is Lisette."
"Lisette?"
should I know you? are you a musician? or with an orchestra?
"Lisette Bergfeldt. Don't play innocent to me Seiji! You remember, Hannover. Those funny old dolls."
"Oh."
And that was the extent of his reaction.
oh
"You do remember! I knew you would! How are you?"
married. like I was before. are you stupid?
"Fine. I'm OK."
and I'm nominated for the conversationalist of the year award
"That's great. You're keeping well then?"
"Sure. Everything's fine."
my wife is fine too. remember her? I'm sure you do? that other person I was with. you know the type – a wedding ring, a skirt, breasts.
"Seiji, you sound really well, I'm pleased. What are you up to these days?"
"Making violins. Didn't I tell you before?"
"No, you didn't. I didn't know that. An instrument maker, that's so romantic. You must be good with your hands."
why don't I just say I'm sorry, I'm married, I have to go now. or turn the phone off. or invent a traffic accident. say I had a curry last night, nice talking with you but I need a shit.
But while these possible lines of conversation went around in his head, none of them came out of his mouth. He hardly knew how to react at all.
"Well, yes, I do work with my hands."
duh
And that was the problem – Seiji had only ever known one girl, he'd fallen in love at thirteen, married at nineteen and moved to a foreign country, worked in a workshop run by an elderly gentleman who didn't even have a female secretary, and he'd never had close contact with girls. Much. Or at all really. So Seiji was completely under-equipped to respond to this. He remembered Lisette now. German, tall, blonde, bubbly, more curvy that should have been physically possible, amazing red lipstick, and legs. Yes, legs. Lots of legs. She'd be what – twenty eight or so now? He wondered if she still had a penchant for wearing wide belts instead of skirts. Seiji was both afraid, and strangely intrigued as to why she would call him after two years. He was nothing special, in fact he was a clueless kid really. Had her marriage failed? Had she worked her way through every man in Germany and broken them all? Shopping in Italy now, hm? Fresh meat. He was simply puzzled. Which was why he said yes to the date. He was just plain intrigued.
"That sounds so interesting. Look, Seiji, I'm down in Milan next weekend. A computer conference. I'm staying at the Hotel Straf on the Via San Raffaele and the people I'm with are so boring…"
you mean you've had them all already
"… – you know IT guys – I mean, you know…. so I thought of you and wondered if you'd like to meet up?"
she sounds desperate. even I can tell that. and I've never even heard a desperate woman before. but now I know what a desperate woman sounds like. she sounds like Lisette phoning up some Jap kid she has absolutely nothing in common with and who she saw once over two years ago. how far down her phone book was my number anyway?
"Uh…"
"That's great, I'm so pleased. Saturday night. I'll meet you in the hotel bar at eight. And I'll be thirsty – I always get so thirsty staying in those air-conditioned hotel rooms."
come on, even I can tell you're desperate. you haven't broken all the Germans have you? you just opened your mouth and they all said "no thanks, I don't go on dates with mindlessly crass bitches".
Seiji was by no means a man of the world, but even in his relative innocence he could detect a pathetic attempt at getting him into bed.
"Uh, sure, yeah. See you at eight."
Which was why his last line deeply disturbed him.
He wasn't desperate like she obviously was. He was happily married. Extremely happily married. To a woman who provided everything he could possibly need. It was just the plain damn weirdness of this call. A girl like Lisette must have dozens of boyfriends. A girl like her was a dream to lots of men, surely? An almost perfect body, a never-stop-partying personality, and successful in her job.
Which left the unanswered question.
What the fuck was going on?
-o-oOo-o-
September 2001, Via Versecchi
"You remember Lisette don't you?"
"Mm? Who?"
She was preparing fish. One good thing about the market in Cremona, there were a couple of great fish stalls. This was seabass. Topped and tailed, skinned and filleted it made fair sushi. A little oily but not bad. It might not be the same as her mom could sometimes get in Tama, but it was still good. And fresh. And cheaper.
"Freiheit Software. In Hannover. The people with the Steuben doll archives."
"Oh that Lisette, I was trying to think of someone we knew here."
"Yes."
"Wow. She's a blast from the past. Why bring her up?"
yeah, you're right Seiji, this is the best way to deal with it. honesty is the best policy. I can't go on a date with a woman while I'm married. at least not without telling Shizuku. because I'm too young to die.
"You remember our conversation in the car? On the way to Berlin that night?"
"Yes, you fancied her or something."
"I did not fancy her! She made a pass at me if you remember."
"Yes, I know she made a pass at you. And you fancied her."
Calm eyes, placid face, sweet innocent voice. Shizuku was delighting in twisting the knife. Seiji was just glad he wasn't seabass.
"No way. I told you I didn't and that was the truth."
"Was the truth? You mean it no longer is?"
"You'd make a good lawyer, you know. Ever thought of twisting people's words professionally?"
"I recall you were the one with fantasies of her, having her sit in your lap not wearing very much."
That smile of hers was there wasn't it? Playing? Testing?
"Oh, come on! That was a game. Just a game. Hypothetical stuff."
"Is that why you called out her name a couple of nights later on the train?"
"What! I never did that?"
oh, his face. priceless
"No, you didn't. Just checking. Sometimes, Seiji, you're no fun. I can't tease you with my wit; you end up screaming foul every time. It's such a shame. If you had half a brain we could have such a lot of fun, jousting words with each other."
"You read too many books. You always did."
"Oh, why did I marry a workman? Seiji, why didn't I marry someone with a brain - like a rocket scientist, hm?"
"I don't know Shizuku, some stupid reason. Love maybe."
"Hm, yeah. Love. Baka! Silly invention."
"And you know what they say about rocket scientists – one good launch and they're finished."
"So why bring her up, if you're not carrying a torch for her?"
"She phoned me this lunchtime."
"Really?"
A fish head was decisively removed. Hard.
"My reaction exactly. Double-you-tee-eff, was my first thought when I put the phone down."
Shizuku smiled at his language. Another bass had its head removed from its shoulders. She turned the fish around.
"And?"
"We have a date. Next Saturday. In Milan. She's staying over for some computer conference. That OK with you?"
She was removing a tail when the knife slipped and cut her finger.
"Ow. Baka!"
"Careful, the kitchen is a dangerous environment."
His turn to grin.
"I can throw them as well as cut with them Seiji."
"So, you can have a nice quiet night in. Don't wait up for me."
"You aren't serious?"
"Of course I am!"
"Now I don't know if you're messing with me or not."
"Annoying, isn't it? When someone messes about like that?"
"Once in a while it's fun watching you try to match me, it helps me know how good I am at it."
She fiddled with the knife, making slick, incisive cutting gestures. He just replied with his best grin, a little more on one side than usual. He knew he had the upper hand.
"Well work the scenario over in your head and come to a conclusion. Considering I needn't even have told you."
A pause. She sucked her fishy finger and Seiji watched the cogwheels turning.
"Double-you-tee-eff."
"Yes. I just want to find out what she's up to. It makes no sense. She must have loads of men in her phone book, why pick me? Two years later out of the blue."
"Maybe none of her other boyfriends are Italian. Down here she has no-one else to go out with."
"She only needs to walk into any bar in Milan and she'd get company for the night within fifteen minutes. I may be wet behind the ears but even I know that."
"Maybe she has a thing for Japanese. Maybe she's working her way down her list of her Jap toy-boys and your name finally rose to the top."
"You know, I'd go for the lawyer job, definitely. As a guidance counsellor you'd suck."
"Hmm… suck."
Shizuku paused, her sore finger still in her mouth, a faint smile, as though of good memories, played gracefully over her face,
"Have you ever stopped to consider what a lovely word that is?"
"Anyway, moving on… the Jap toy-boy scenario is more believable. I can't believe she'd pick me specifically."
"And you really are going?"
"Hm," wide grin, crooked grin.
"She'll eat you up and spit out the pieces."
"Spit out? I was rather hoping she'd swallow."
Now it was her turn to look worried.
"You're not going."
"What?"
"I don't trust you. Or rather, I don't trust her."
"Who are you? My mom?"
"No, your wife! And you wouldn't survive ten minutes with Lisette, Seiji, I know it."
"You come then."
"What?"
"You come too. Sit in the bar somewhere and keep an eye on me. I just want to find out what she's up to."
A pause. Shizuku took her finger out. Her mouth stayed open. A look of wondrous revelation came over her face, to be replaced a moment later by a look Seiji had never seen before. Ever. Not once in the seven years he'd known her. Flipping though his mental card catalogue of her moods he came to the 'S' section under which he disturbingly found "scheming evil cow".
"I have a much better idea," she said.
The combination of her smile and that cold tone of voice, caused a footfall on Seiji's grave.
He was fine with "playful" and "teasing mind games" and even, on certain days, if she was nice to him afterwards, he could live with "wind Seiji up mercifully then laugh at his expense" but he wasn't sure he liked the look of "scheming evil cow". Oh, no. That look spelled trouble. He hoped not for him.
-o-oOo-o-
The "scheming evil cow" plan involved Adamo, and Adamo would save him, if things went wrong. Well, that's what the scheming evil cow told Seiji.
-o-oOo-o-
October 2001, Milan
The Hotel Straf was very unusual. A traditional large hotel in Milan's chic centre (possibly the chic-est centre anywhere in the world), its old school stone frontage concealed a culture shock interior. All raw stone, much of it dark, subdued recessed lighting, large bright bold modern art, everything down to the smallest accessory such as ashtrays and table lamps was designed on a shiny minimalist theme; inside it was more art gallery than hotel.
"No trouble finding it then?"
"No. It's pretty stylish here isn't it?"
"You like it?"
Seiji looked around: country boy comes to the big city.
"Yes, it's really arty, I love it," he said, genuinely impressed
"The fashion designer Vincenzo de Cotiis completely renovated it."
"Who?"
"Never mind," she gave a wave of her hand as though she dealt with dim country boys every day, "but I like this hotel. I stayed here at the convention last year, I love it, it's like being inside a machine. I like the dark masculine décor, very… hmmm… what's the word… solid. Like a man's chest."
"Uh, yeah. Sure. Drink?"
"Thank you. A Southern Comfort and lemonade please."
The barman knew his job, he was hovering a little way away ignoring their small talk but picked up the sound of a drinks order. Seiji raised a finger.
"Two, please."
"You're looking good Seiji."
shit, so soon?
"Thanks. You too."
"Aw, no wedding ring I see. Are you…?"
"We split up. It didn't work out. She went back to Japan."
he never was much good at lying
"Oh, I'm sorry. That's so sad."
hmm, like you so mean that
"So you're a free agent now?"
"Hm, kind of. But I'm not looking at the moment."
"Oh, everybody's looking, Seiji. All the time. Even when they're married, they're looking. If they are honest about it."
didn't she think about anything else?
"I was thinking…"
"I like a man who thinks, intelligence makes a person more inventive don't you think? More imaginative."
"...why you called me?"
"As I said. I'm down here for the convention and it's boring in the evenings. It's boring all night in fact."
"Um, uh-huh, but I mean we only met once. Two years ago. For a couple of hours. Surely you…"
"Surely I what?"
She turned on her bar stool, swinging away from the bar and facing him. She swung one of those amazing legs over the other, crossing them deliciously with a hiss of nylon. She didn't pull her skirt down. Seiji glanced where he knew she wanted him to glance. He went red.
I'm twenty one. I'm not a boy any more. so why am I behaving like one?
The drinks arrived.
"Surely you didn't call me specifically after two years?"
"My fingers seem to have dialed your number."
"No, I mean, if you wanted to meet up, why wait two years?"
"If you really want to know, it's been a pretty rough two years. Freiheit didn't succeed in making it in the computer games industry. I lost my job. I'm now in Cologne with FB Games, the big American company, you'll have heard of them, yes?"
"Yes, everybody has."
"I now head up their European PR department and things have been fantastically busy this last fifteen months."
this is bullshit, I know it is, you must trot out a variation on this story for every old boyfriend you keep hanging on
"And the two weeks after I came to Hannover? You didn't phone me then?"
"What is this, a police interview?"
"I'm only asking."
"You agreed to meet me tonight," she held his gaze, "You had my number, but you didn't ring me. Hey, never mind, enough of this negative stuff. Let's not fight. Why don't we just talk about something nice? Like… you?"
yeah, definitely avoiding the subject. something isn't adding up here
"And anyway, Seiji, you underestimate yourself. Where's your sense of self-worth? Of course I like you. I've had a crap couple of years, this is one of my first big conventions for FB, and I remembered you and I thought I'd call you up. I like you, you're really cute."
With her winning smile she raised her glass.
"Prost!"
"Yeah, cheers."
Their glasses clinked. She lifted hers. He did too. But he held his an inch from his mouth and watched her over it. Those red lips. They were amazing. They opened and she tilted the glass. Seiji watched in shock as she downed the drink in one. She lay the tumbler down on the bar, ice clinking. A curve of her lipstick stained the rim. She raised a finger.
"Yes, please, barman."
oh shit. this did not look good
She gave him a radiant smile. She put her hand on her leg and smoothed it down from skirt hem to knee, she stroked her knee a moment then slid the hand back up her thigh. The dress she wore was blue, a simply stunning blue. French blue, it's called, bright and pure. And it seemed to have a high lycra content. It had a high neck with a choker collar and the top fell away in a vee, no shoulders (her arms were bare too). It didn't actually show anything. But at the same time it showed everything. Her chest made Shizuku look like a child.
like she's got two puppies down there.
He laughed at the randomness of the thought, even though it scared him.
oh shit shit shit
shi tzus
Shizuku had been right. there was no way there was a bra under there
"And it's obvious how you feel Seiji. I think I made it clear in Hannover that I found you… intriguing… I have never known a Japanese man. And after two years you still come out to see me. You being still married as well."
"No, we split up. I told you."
She picked up her fresh drink and took a sip. Her cool eyes studied him over the rim.
"Seiji, I've known lots of married men. It's standard procedure to take the wedding ring off. But I know. The mark on your finger is still fresh. I'd say you were wearing it earlier today."
fuck. fuck. oh, fuck
"But don't feel bad. I know why you came here tonight. Everybody's looking, Seiji. If they are honest about it."
Idon'twanttobeherehelpfucknooooooo
"So I'm very flattered that you like me. There. Don't you think it's good to get all the doubt and confusion and playing silly games out the way at the beginning? Now we can relax and enjoy ourselves."
you've done this before haven't you? hundreds of times. I've wandered into the spiders web here. seriously under estimated the opposition. oh, no, I'm in deep shit. way too deep.
He looked at his watch. Only ten minutes had gone since he'd sat down. Shizuku was right on target. He'd lasted ten minutes before she'd chewed him up. Seen right through him. By taking off his wedding band, he'd completely blown the 'no, I can't I'm married' get-out. And she knew it. Now would come the swallow. Seiji looked past her toward the man in the alcove. He was reading a paper. He tried to catch his attention but the sod was ignoring him. Was he smiling a little? Enjoying his suffering?
you wait Adamo, you're so dead
He tried to string her along, to pad the time out, to buy himself breathing space until he could catch the attention of the man in the alcove. He asked her about the computer games industry but she gave a couple of short dismissive answers about her job. About how it was only one of her skills and wouldn't he rather hear about what else she liked doing? Everything about her oozed sexuality and innuendo. And confidence. It was that damned, cool, feminine self-assurance that pole-axed him. When she was in one of her moods, Shizuku could be deliciously suggestive like this. But Seiji so much enjoyed Shizuku doing that, because he knew how it would end and how much they both enjoyed her style of verbal foreplay; the game itself was half the pleasure of the encounter. But Lisette was simply scary, because she was so confident and because he knew that, unlike with Shizuku, where this was leading, he didn't want to go.
It turned out that Lisette, rather than talk about herself and her job, would rather talk about him and his. So he told her. But then she brought the conversation around to his hands and suddenly she'd picked up one of them and was holding it.
"Hmm, yes, very strong hands. But gentle too. And lovely long slim fingers. I expect a violinists fingers are so dexterous…"
This was no longer funny. Seiji was almost wetting himself in panic. He looked again at the man in the alcove. The man smiled at him and waved back. What was he playing at? Wasn't that his cue to come to Seiji's rescue? Lisette reached for her drink. In doing so she let his hand drop. But she let it fall on her leg. Seiji looked, like an idiot, at his hand on her skin.
Adamo. damn it, man, you're the cavalry, get your arse over here. now!
"Excuse me."
He got up to go to the toilet. Checking that she wasn't watching, he went past the man in the alcove.
"When I come back from the toilet, you damn well do your job and get your sorry backside over there and help me out!" he hissed.
-o-oOo-o-
He sat back down. She smiled. Was that her third drink now? And was her skirt a little higher up her legs? Uh… was that the front of her panties he could glimpse?
ohmygod
he could see…-
her…-
she's not wearing any
Adamo! help!
And then he was saved. The man in the alcove stood up. He removed his sunglasses, lay down his paper and came towards Lisette's back. Yes! The U.S. cavalry was coming. Thank God, everything would work out. Seiji watched Adamo approach. He wore a lilac shirt and his best grey silk suit, a fedora hat on the back of his head. How would he handle this?
good thing I'm not gay, I'd knock her aside and jump him myself
Seiji needn't have worried, Adamo handled it beautifully. He'd seen him do this so many times, it was like watching a professional football team make a perfect winning play, like the Spanish riding school of Vienna, their Lipizzaner stallions prancing with exact precision across the arena. Like a well oiled machine. It was a self assured Italian man, who knew he was Gods gift in full cry. It wasn't just what he said, it was the body language, his winning smile, his whole demeanour. It was stunning.
"Hey! Lisette, no?"
She turned toward the voice.
"It is you! Lisette, wow, you look fantastic! What are you doing here?"
Adamo stood back a step and let his eyes run down her body, very obviously enjoying what he saw.
"Hi… have we met?"
"Ah, Lisette, always the slippery lady, don't you remember? The Rome games-con, two years ago? You were with… hm… let me think. Oh, yes, Freiheit! That was it, Freiheit, that crappy two-bit software house up in Hannover. Boy their games sucked. But I remember you. How could I forget! That fantastic end of show party, and afterwards – oh, yes. How are you these days?"
Seiji sat back and waited for the response.
"Uh, fine. I'm fine. Mr…?"
Ah, yes, she had no idea who he was, but didn't want to appear clueless so she covered herself. It was even interesting seeing this confident woman backpedal and start to think about a counter-move. Seiji wished he could take notes, or a video.
"Balbo. Enrique Balbo! You haven't forgotten me surely? I never forgot you! And you never returned my calls. I was heartbroken. We had such a great night."
"Uh, Enrique… yes… didn't we?"
"So, it's amazing to see you again. You're here for the computer show, I assume?"
"Right. And you? Are you still with…?"
She was fishing for a hint, for some help. She had no clue who this guy was but wanted to seem as though she did. Adamo let her flounder, a fish caught on a line. He merely stood there and smiled. Damn, he was good looking Seiji thought.
"Hey, you must remember. Guess!"
hey, nice. come on cool lady, get out of that one.
"I'm sorry Enrique, that Rome show was huge, I spoke with so many people that week, I forget..."
"Spoke? Spoke? We didn't just speak! You don't remember me? AKR Graphics. We make all the force feedback equipment. Steering wheels, joysticks. All those heavy duty vibrator mechanisms. You seemed very interested in those. We didn't just speak. You don't remember that fantastic night? You're breaking my heart."
"Uh, sure, I think I remember…"
Seiji sat watching for five minutes while Adamo led her along this crazy convoluted path, all the time suggesting what they had done had been a lot more than talk at the show. He was a master at this. But so was she and he thought she might suddenly work out that this was all an act and then begin to wonder why.
"So, you seem to be enjoying yourself tonight, with your Chinese friend."
"Japanese. Seiji is Japanese."
"Sure, whatever." To Seiji: "You guys all look the same anyway. No offence mind. Pleased to meet you."
He stuck out his hand. It was part of the plan for him to insult Seiji, but even so, for some stupid reason Seiji was annoyed. He didn't take the proffered hand.
"Ah, no problem. Anyway, Lisette it's great to see you. I'm in town all weekend, you'll be staying tomorrow night as well?"
"Yes. Of course."
"Great. I'll be around. What room are you in?"
"Three three two."
"I'll drop by the bar again, same time. How's that?"
hold on a minute. what?
"OK, Enrique, that would be good. We can catch up on things."
uh, wait, this isn't right… Adamo?
"Great. But hey, how about a nice goodbye? They way you always do?"
goodbye? What the heck are you on about? you're supposed to take her away and push me aside so I can escape you jerk!
"Alright, seeing as it's you, Enrique."
She smiled at him and leaned back against the bar, her elbows behind her resting on it, her chest pushed out. Adamo moved forward, he pushed one leg between hers and put his hands on her waist.
no, no, this isn't how it's supposed to go, you idiot!
Adamo kissed her. It was a typical Adamo kiss. Much sexier and longer than anyone else would have had the nerve to try in such a public place and with a complete stranger. Seiji's mouth hung open. Very much like Lisette's was doing, in fact. He had a bad feeling about this, a very bad feeling. Adamo and Lisette carried on, right in front of him. She even began to make some noises, she was clearly enjoying this. Seiji was frozen to the spot. He was lost, Adamo wasn't following the script. Why? What the hell was going on?
Adamo and Lisette broke apart. She was turned on, that was obvious. Adamo turned to him. Seiji's mouth still hung open, the colour draining from his face.
"Enjoy watching do we, Mr. Chinese man? If you're here tomorrow night, you can watch a lot more, if that's what turns you on. It'll cost you though. Ciao!"
And he went, without a backward glance at Lisette but as he passed Seiji he winked. Seiji turned.
no, no, this isn't in the plan. you're supposed to take her with you, leave me in the cold then lose her somewhere outside in a bar, somewhere where you can go to the toilet then slip out another way. why the hell are you leaving me here. with her?
"Hey!"
Seiji called after Adamo. But what would he say? What could he say that wouldn't blow his cover? He was fucked, he was stuck in a trap and couldn't get out.
In response to his shout Adamo raised a hand, but didn't turn, and disappeared through the front doors. What Seiji didn't see was Adamo getting his phone out and making a call.
oh, hell. now what?
He turned back to Lisette. She had recovered her composure and was repairing her lipstick. She still had a little pink colour in her cheeks and down her neck. Seiji was now stuck. Well and truly stuffed.
"Who was that goon?" he asked,
This was damn weird. Too weird to contemplate, so he asked her what was going on. She, of course, had no idea.
"Oh, just some guy I met years ago. Forget him. Anyway, where were we?"
"Wait a minute. Wasn't he supposed to…?"
"What? Supposed to what?"
"Sorry, I don't know… but I thought…"
"Oh, that kiss? You think he knew me that well? Ah, don't worry about it. I've forgotten him already. Tonight is our night."
Seiji got off his bar stool. His legs were actually shaking.
"But weren't you going to spend the evening with him?"
"No. What are you talking about Seiji? I phoned you tonight."
"But…"
shit, oh, hell, oh mother!
"But what? Look Seiji, no need to get excited. He's just some guy. Come on. Let's enjoy ourselves. And as you seem to have got up, that must be my cue. Let's go."
She turned "Barman – please add the drinks to my room bill."
She slid gracefully from her stool, put her arm in his and led him towards the lifts.
"Uh…"
"Oh, don't worry. Look, I know you're quite young. And married. And maybe you're not sure about this. But no need to panic and certainly no need to feel guilty. This will just be a night of simple fun and in the morning, no worries. You go home, I go to the computer show and nobody gets hurt. So, just enjoy!"
And she squeezed his arm and slid closer, pulling his arm around her waist and sliding hers around his. She was warm and smelled nice and was just so different to Shizu…
no. no. no this wasn't right. this mustn't go on. hell, no. what do I do?
In the lift it was worse,
ohmygodnomuchworse
As soon as the doors closed she came to him, pressing close, her arms came around him, her hands up his back and into his hair, her soft chest pressed into him and her mouth closed over his.
Seiji was literally pissing himself in fear, as soon as her mouth touched his he pushed her away.
"No, no, wait. Um, this isn't right."
"Sure it is. It's no big deal. Seiji, it's just sex. Just your body against mine without clothes in the way. It's fun, great fun. I'll show you how much fun it is. And when it's over, no harm is done."
Seiji was seeing red, he was sweating, shaking, his heart was hammering. What the hell had Adamo done? And why? Shizuku, what am I doing?
what the hell had that "scheming evil cow" look really meant?
-o-oOo-o-
The lift doors opened and she led him by the hand down the corridor. Some way down in the other direction two women were outside another room. Seiji didn't know why his legs moved, he didn't know why he didn't suddenly scream and run off. But he couldn't, something to do with being a man, and not acting like a complete baby, a complete – baka!
"Where the hell have you been?"
A voice behind him. A woman's voice. She sounded angry.
"And what the hell are you doing?"
She sounded very angry. He stopped. He turned. Lisette stopped as well. And she looked.
"Seiji!"
It was a race between Lisette's and Seiji's jaw as to which hit the carpet first. Seiji won, but only just. Because something very, very odd was happening. So odd that for a moment his brain just couldn't accept what he saw, let alone decipher what it meant. The two women he'd glimpsed down the corridor were closer, approaching. One was in front of the other. Correction, one was leading the other. Leading, as in how an owner leads a dog.
good doggie.
His brain tried to make sense of this bizarre scene but had difficulty because -. Because -. No, this was not happening. After the weirdness downstairs, his brain had come undone, disconnected from reality. Was he so scared it was shutting down and showing him strange things? That woman was leading another girl by a collar and lead…?
Time seemed to stand still. Seiji seemed to have hours in which to watch this strange tableau of this peculiar couple. It was made all the odder by the design of the hotel – the walls were dark grey, occasional red and yellow abstracts were between the room doors, each lit by a single bright spotlight. At intervals down the corridor other spots made pools of light on the floor. As the two women approached they were alternately lit and in deep shadow.
"Seiji! What the hell do you think you're doing?"
The two couples were now a few feet apart. The two women stopped. The taller one was dressed all in black. Ankle boots, stockings, what looked like a corset and a calf length leather skirt cut full and which swirled as she walked, supported by heavy lace petticoats long enough to show below the hem. She wore nothing over the corset and her upper chest and arms were bare except for elbow length leather gloves. From her ankle boots, her corset and from her waist hung metal chains. Her black hair was piled up on her head, and her lipstick and heavy eye makeup were also black. The flesh of her face was pierced in several places with rings and studs. A Goth. A very serious one. What shocked him most was that in her left hand she held the leather loop on the end of a chain dog lead, the other end of which was linked to a leather collar around the other woman's neck, while in her right hand she held what looked my God like a riding crop. The other girl was slighter, slimmer and smaller, but clothed no less outrageously – again all in black: high heeled shoes (incredibly these had ankle straps that closed with small padlocks), stockings and a strapless dress that was so short the stocking tops showed. The smaller girl had very long straight black hair and was wearing black sunglasses. Her face was meek and downcast and she held her hands behind her. The only thing about both women that wasn't a part of the black theme were the lips of the meek girl. These were painted the same shocking red as Lisette's.
Seiji seemed to have a long time in which to take all this in. The two women were outrageously dressed, the tiny skirt of the slender woman was completely out of place in a public corridor of a smart chic hotel. And yet the stylish dark minimalist surroundings somehow were the perfect setting. Mistress and slave, out for an evening stroll. What could possibly be more ordinary?
Seiji looked at the taller woman. Her eyes sparkled with a dangerous fire.
"I asked you a question, bitch!"
Seiji looked at Lisette and waited for her to explode in anger. It was only when she didn't but continued to wear an expression that must be similar to his own, that it dawned on him that the Goth wasn't talking to her. But to him.
"Answer me!"
"Uh…"
"Don't look at me. Keep your eyes down, that's the way it should be and don't you ever forget that."
He looked down. But as his eyes left hers he knew. A spark of recognition passed between them. He knew only one Goth, in fact he knew her very well. And this was her. While his mind tumbled in freefall at the sheer strangeness of this meeting a part of it was suddenly happy, thrilled and even relaxed.
oh, its her. thank god, its her.
Lisabet, Adamo's girlfriend. She now spoke in Japanese, she must have learned this from Shizuku.
"Do exactly as I say Seiji, and we'll get rid of this woman."
In Japanese, Lisette could not understand. In Japanese this was a code.
god, I'm saved. thank you Lisabet. and Adamo, did you do this? you bastard!
"I'm still waiting for an answer," her voice was chill with menace.
"Sorry, I don't know…"
The riding crop lashed out and cut his thigh, but not too hard. He flinched and to his right Lisette flinched too.
"Sorry… Mistress, was what I think you meant."
"Mistress. Sorry, Mistress. I don't know."
"Pathetic, trying to run out on your own for the evening. To do what. Have fun? Did you think I'd not find you? I will deal with you later, for now, keep silent."
"Who the hell do you think you are and what the hell is going on?" Lisette asked.
"I'd ask you exactly the same questions, but I know the answers," came the cold reply. Seiji had never seen her like this, she was scary, "You have picked the wrong boy to take to your bed, my girl. He is my property and I'm taking him back. Go down to the bar again and get yourself another lover for the night."
A door opened a little way down the corridor and a stylish elderly couple came towards the group, heading for the lift. As they passed they stared at the three women and the Japanese man. At the lift they were still staring.
Lisabet stepped close to the German woman.
"That wasn't a suggestion. Do it. Now."
"You're sick."
"Not as sick as you will be if I take my crop to you. Now step away from my property."
She took another step. Lisette slid her key into her door and opened it. She glanced at Seiji.
"You sick bastard. You Pervert! Disgusting!"
The door slammed behind her.
"Come on. Move. Quickly. Come with me."
So grateful he could hardly believe it, Seiji obeyed.
-o-oOo-o-
Lisabet took them up one floor to another room. Walking behind the two women Seiji saw that the meek slim girl had her hands held behind her by leather handcuffs. She was a lovely shape, very slim. Seamed stockings too, expensive ones, just the kind he liked.
no, no way, you've got in trouble with one woman tonight. that's enough.
A door opened, they went in. The bedrooms, it seemed, followed the theme of the rest of the hotel, dark walls, muted simple furnishings, bright abstract art, subtle but stark spotlighting.
The laughing began at once, a man's laughter. Adamo was in a chair on the far side of the room. He sat, relaxed and amused, chuckling, drink in hand.
"Kneel."
Lisabet spoke to the meek girl and she sank smoothly to her knees, head down. The Goth looped the dog lead through a catch in the side of her collar. Seiji, not yet grateful, still in shock and with traces of fear from nearly being dragged into bed by another woman, strode over to Adamo, fist pulled back.
"Oh, here comes trouble."
Adamo quickly got up and side stepped the first blow, he stepped back, hands held out before him.
"Whoa, whoa there, boy. Down. Good slave."
"You deserve a good kicking, you bastard. You just put me through hell. I must have grey hair! Bastard! How could you do that?"
"Hey, don't kill the messenger, it wasn't my idea."
"No matter, I'm gonna smack you and then the idiot who thought this all up."
Adamo kept moving away, as Seiji came at him. He ran out of space to retreat and pressed himself up against the wall by the bed. He covered his face with his forearms.
"I'm too young to die," he whimpered in mock fear, although he was still laughing.
"He's right, it wasn't his fault," Lisabet spoke. She too was smiling. She opened the mini bar and poured herself a drink, "Something to calm your nerves, Seiji? Looks like you need a good stiff drink."
"Was all that your idea?"
"I added a few finishing touches, the clothing, the dog lead, the slave thing. Worked quite well I thought. Taking orders suits you, we should try it again some time… Now, what have we here? Bourbon, hmm, and lemonade. I didn't know you drank Bourbon, Seiji."
"How the hell? Were you in the bar?"
"No, but mobile phones are so useful. I was up here. When Adamo found out her room number he told me and watched from outside. He let me know when you left the bar and I came down one floor and waited. I think it all worked rather well. Drink."
This last word wasn't a question. It was an instruction. She lowered her glass to the mouth of the kneeling bound girl who raised herself, opened her red lips and took a sip. The slim girl sank down again.
"Here."
The Goth poured Seiji a drink and offered it to him. He turned back to the cowering, chuckling Adamo and gave him a heavy slap up the side of the head.
"You arsehole!"
"Ow!"
Adamo rubbed the stinging mark Seiji had just left. But he didn't stop laughing, if anything he found this even more amusing. Seiji went towards Lisabet and took the glass, sat on the end of the bed.
"You guys are twisted. You set me up."
"No. You set yourself up. Without any real skills, without a hope in hell, you went into the lions den. Zoo told me about that German girl. From what I saw of her she could have caused you a lot of trouble. Aside from messing with the contents of your trousers and your boyish head, she might even have started messing with you in the future, a kind of blackmail, knowing you were still married. I bet she could have made contact with Zoo if she'd put her mind to it. Nasty piece of work. Take my advice, Sage, and next time just stay away from anything and anyone like that."
"So this must have been Shizuku's idea. Wait 'til I get hold of her, that evil, scheming little…"
"She must love you a lot."
"What?"
"To do all this for you, just to show how much she cares."
"I don't follow."
"It was all her idea. I just added the mistress/slave bit at the end, just for kicks. Zoo came up with the idea of telling you that Adamo would get you out of the fix if things went wrong. Only she didn't tell you the whole plan."
"I don't see how that shows her love, it only shows how twisted she can be. She loves messing with me but this time it's too much. When I get home tonight I'm going to tell her what I think of her stupid plans."
"And conveniently forget about your stupid plans?"
"Sage," Adamo spoke, "she put you through all this to teach you a lesson. Hell, man, you must have got it by now, are you that dim? By letting you come here and then shocking you badly she's teaching you not to do it again. If you do ever get tempted and she's not around… well, just don't, my man, hm? Don't even consider it."
"When you next see her I think you should say thank you," Lisabet continued, "She went through a lot you know. She came to me in the week and was really worried. She knew she had to cover your sorry arse in case something silly happened but she was scared too. As I said, she loves you a lot."
"Yeah," Adamo, again, "Don't be hard on her. She might even have suffered more discomfort tonight than you have."
Seiji held up his hands defensively,
"Alright, alright, you made your point."
He stared at the carpet. Adamo chuckled again.
"Funny, eh? It was your date but me who got a really good kiss out of it."
"Oh, really?" said Lisabet, "That wasn't in the plan I don't think?"
"No, you embellished things with your little slave girl, I embellished them with a kiss. So we both had our bit of fun.
"And me," said Seiji, resignedly, "all I got was being this close to crapping myself."
He looked at the kneeling girl.
"And this is…?"
"A friend of mine, a good friend. She agreed to come along tonight and play the role, which was great because having her in the dog collar added a lot to that scene downstairs, it unnerved Lisette that little bit more, knocked her off-balance."
"Does she do this often?"
"No actually, it's her first time. She agreed to do it just to help out. Although just between you and me I think she quite likes it."
Seiji stared at her, there was something appealing about such a submissive attitude, about someone being so calm and obedient and yet obviously happy as well.
"So let that be a lesson to you," Adamo said, "I'm a man of the world, I've seen everything Seiji, and done nearly all of it. You're still innocent. Play it safe, hm? I don't wanna see my friend get hurt."
"Nor Zoo, either," concluded Lisabet.
She drained her glass.
"Adamo should have left you something in the minibar, I don't think he drank the lot. So you can share it later. Time we were going. Come on you," she spoke to Adamo, "me and my riding crop have got words to say to you about that kiss."
"You're going?"
"Yes, my man, enjoy," Adamo winked as he went toward the door, stepping around the kneeling girl in handcuffs.
"No, I have to get home, Shizuku will be expecting me. Uh, I need to phone her, let her know I'm OK."
"Don't bother. She knows," smiled the Goth, "oh, yes, something else you'll need."
She unhooked the dog lead from the kneeling girl's collar and placed the leather loop in his hand. She also passed him a key ring.
"Now the little ones are for the shoes, the biggest one fits the collar lock and the other fits the handcuffs. Not that you'll be taking them off for a while, maybe not until the morning even. I do actually think she was out of order and took the game a bit far. I would leave you my riding crop too but I plan to use that on this uncontrollable Casanova tonight. Come on you, let's get you home."
Seiji looked at the keys in his hand. He pointed at the bound girl.
"Uh?"
"And the wig is a very expensive one, so please take it off before you start any rough stuff. And one last thing – the room is paid for. Our little gift to you for the fun we had tonight. It was definitely worth it. And remember, an evil scheming thing she may be, but she does love you. Bye."
She pecked him on the cheek. The door closed behind them. He heard their laughter fading down the corridor.
Seiji looked at the kneeling silent girl. He went up to her and put his hand on her head. He sank his fingers into the wiry black hair, gripped it and pulled. The long black wig came off. A shorter style was revealed beneath, a familiar auburn. He bent down and removed the opaque glasses. Still she didn't move. He refilled his glass and sat on the bed, took a sip.
"Drink."
It wasn't a question, but an instruction. He held the glass to her mouth and she opened her lips and swallowed. Finally she spoke.
"I had a lot of fun at your expense tonight. Now it's your turn to have some fun at mine."
"Look at me."
She did so, lifting her head for the first time.
"That really sucked."
"I'm sorry," she replied.
"No, I didn't mean that. I mean Lisette. That was stupid of me. I won't do that again."
"Thank you."
"I'm the one who's really sorry."
"It was a lesson worth learning, and no harm done."
"And as Lisabet said, looks like I won't be needing these keys until the morning."
She looked at him. And smiled.
"Behind me, in my hand. Take a look."
He did so. His wedding band.
"Put it on. If you're going to go to hotel rooms and spend the night messing with strange women, I'd much rather you wore that."
He put the ring on his finger. He thought about it.
"You know, I don't think I have ever taken this off. Not once. Not since you put it on the day we were married."
"Sucked," she said in response, "I always thought that was such a nice word. And here I am, already kneeling…"
22 – 28 Feb 07
28 Feb: A few changes to the end scene in the hotel room.
Some notes about this story are in my forum - click on my pen name.