A Red Picket Fence
Checking his phone, he noticed it was a quarter after six. He set the alarm for 8:30 PM. He'd be able to get a couple hours sleep before he needed to move to the next motel, and get ready for the next ex...
Chapter 14
A twin
He woke when his alarm went off at eight thirty. Even though he was a bit groggy, he was packed and ready to move to the Hillside by nine.
He was starved. Not far off was the Tutta Bella Pizzeria... Thin crust pizzas so good... Nearly as good as sex. Nearly... He called, ordered and picked one up on the way. By ten he was dining on pizza and a couple of '805' beers in his room at the motel. While eating he was considering who would be his star for tomorrow... His 'wife' or her sister. Or maybe after all the activity of a couple hours ago, forget the twins and just fuck Carly for a couple weeks... No, variety is the supposed spice of it all, he chuckled as he considered his problem... Who to fuck next. Most guys would give a nut to be in this predicament.
Either was good at what he had planned for them. He cued up a couple of the old pre web - show videos from the Shay's upstairs studio - old home movies, he chuckled, and watched as he finished his beer.
Finding Melanie was going to be much simpler than Sam. Melanie's own employer made it simple. All he had to do was inquire about a property that Mel had listed for sale via text message or email. The bots receiving the message automatically routed all questions to the listing agent if the agent worked within the firm. He could set an appointment, and meet her at a house.
So Melanie it would be...
The food and beer had made him drowsy... It was after eleven, after all. He chuckled to himself; he was 'fucking tired' - he went to bed.
Fred didn't set his alarm, but woke a few minutes before seven. He needed to head to a coffee shop with wifi since here at the Hillside 'no internet' Motel a good phone connection was a pain.
Peet's Coffee.
He was standing in line ninety four minutes later waiting to place his order in the chrome, black and gray themed coffee shop. This place was all windows, and bright as hell. Not being a real fan of this much light, he looked around for a dim corner - that didn't exist. However, he'd deal with it. Everyone always talks Starbucks, but Peet's is the real deal - the best coffee. Besides, it's actually closest to the Hillside.
The Barista is an amazon. Not the long legged big boobed gorgeous type... nope. One of those six foot tall man - gals built like a rhinoceros. Big everything, butch haircut and quite unattractive... Even in the rhinoceros sense. Ms. Amazon reminded him of Rosie O'Donnell. Fugly. Probably Gay - not happy gay as the word meant originally. Gay as it is now, after being usurped by homosexuals as a descriptive. The way she interacted with females being much different than how she did with males was the final tell.
He made his order before she had a chance to ask. She wasn't used to that - males have a bravado, a mental swagger that she just can't wrap her mind around. It wasn't that she needed or wanted a dick - in any sense. She just couldn't pull off 'male' regardless of how many times or ways she tried. When she did try, it just seemed like she was being brash and oafish.
She was flustered. She hated him for it. She hated him for acting like... A man.
He noticed the glare aimed at him, but had no idea what he'd done to deserve it. He mentally shrugged. He really didn't give a damn, he just wanted coffee and a bagel - and then a gray and chrome table. He paid for the first two, and acquired the third.
He could feel her wrath as he walked away. He shook his head and ignored the idiot bitch.
He connected to the in - shop wifi and began his search. Finding a house Mel had listed on her Broker's mini MLS listings was easy. He typed in his message, and pressed send. All Mel would see was an interested person, not a name or identity. The system worked really well, he knew this from previous experience. Mel should be getting the message indicating his interest in just a few seconds. Unless she was in the shower, she lived with her cell phone just for this type of thing. This was money in her pocket. Money she didn't have to share with another agent.
He had just finished his first bite of bagel when his phone chimed. It was Mel's email reply as it came in. She had introduced herself, and was asking what would be the best time to meet at the property. He had just begun to type out his response, when someone grabbed his shoulder and squeezed.
He turned... It was Sam.
She walked around to the far side of the small, square plastic topped table, sat her coffee down, pulled out the chair and sat across from him. For a moment, Fred was surprised, until he remembered who had told him about this place originally.
'Shit'... He thought.
She nodded, he nodded back. Her expression left him confused. Her body language screamed conflict - clenched hands, crossed arms on the table... Yet she was smiling, a bit.
"So where ya been, Benson?" She asked matter - of - factly, then took a sip of her coffee, and the bottom half of his bagel.
His phone chimed again - another email from Mel. He glanced down to see she was asking if he'd received the last one. He looked back up to Sam, whose smile had faded to a slight frown.
"Around..." He replied, shrugging. "How did you..." Fred continued.
"Find you?" Sam interrupted.
Fred nodded.
"I was in the drive through. I saw you park and walk in. Thanks for the half bagel." She answered, holding up what was left of it.
He nodded again.
"So, let's see. You disappear for nearly a year, and all you can say about where you've been is 'around'? That's bullshit Freddie." Sam said.
He knew that answer would get him nowhere. He looked her in the eyes, and shrugged again. He was playing for time while he decided what he was going to tell her, and he was pretty sure she knew it.
She stared at him for a moment, then said; "So let's play the game then. I think you're setting up a meeting with your wife. I think you want to meet her, fuck her, tell her some bullshit line and then your plan would be to move onto me tomorrow. Why? Why not just come home?" As she said this, she never broke eye contact. Neither did he. She was looking for the lie - and maybe some insight as to what kind of stunt he was trying to pull off.
She continued to stare.
He was sorting through his options of what to tell her: Lie, or truth. Which would work... Or maybe a bit of both... Which was a general Sam - ism from the past. He decided on partial truth.
"Well?" She asked.
"That's nearly it, Sam. Except tomorrow is Carly. I was saving you, the best, for last." He replied.
"Don't lie to me you ass... Don't try to play this stupid fucking game with me. Carly came home with a massive freshly fucked glow last night... And she was having a small amount of difficulty walking. She'd either been riding horses or fucked, and fucked hard. She's never been a fan of horses, we both know that. What's your real story?" Sam angrily whispered.
Fred's phone chimed again, announcing another email. He was grateful for the diversion, but he knew it wouldn't last long.
He decided for the truth - both barrels of rock salt truth.
"Did you ever figure out why I left, Sam?" He asked as he sipped his coffee.
Sam turned, held up her cup to catch the Amazon Barista's attention, then waved it to and fro. The Amazon quickly ignored the customer in front of her, picked up a coffee pot and brought it to their table. She grinned at Sam, filled her cup, glared at Fred, then asked: "You know this guy, Sam?"
"Yeah... We go back... Way back. Thanks Annie." Sam said while grinning up at Miss Manly.
Annie glared at Fred again, turned on her heel and returned to the previously ignored patrons at the coffee bar.
"Well?" Fred said, mimicking her tone from earlier.
"Yeah, I think so. We were fighting with each other, so you left." Sam said, shrugging.
"Just to be clear... I wasn't fighting with anybody. You, Mel and Carly were fighting." Fred stated.
Sam shrugged again. "...so that's a reason to bail? So we had a few bad weeks... You left. We stuck it out. That makes you the ass hat, not us." Sam replied.
Sam had begun to relax. She had unclenched her fists, and had her arms on the table, with her hands very close to his own... As if she was waiting for him to take her hands in his - all would be forgiven. She was acting far more smug than he liked. Now was the time to pull the trigger... This should surprise her.
"So... Annie, the Gay Amazon Barista... Is she a client?" Fred blurted out, then watched for Sam's reaction.
Sam was stunned. Her arms pulled back and her fists clenched. Her shoulders squared off, dropped, then drooped. She leaned forward, her eyes wide, and asked: "What?"
"Is Annie a client?" Fred asked again, now staring at her, waiting for her response.
Fred's phone chimed again.
"You better get that." Sam said, looking off to the side.
"No, it's fine. Answer the question." Fred retorted.
"I think she lives in some apartment. Annie doesn't need a yard service." Sam flatly stated, looking anywhere but at Fred.
"So... It's just her bush that needs attention... Right?" Fred snidely asked.
Sam's jaw dropped. She stared at Fred. "What do you..." She blustered out.
"What do I mean, Sam? What am I saying?" Fred interrupted.
She loudly slammed both hands on the table and sat up straight as her response. She looked as if she wanted to tear him apart. Fred looked around at the other patrons seated around them. Suddenly they were the center of attention - 'The Fred & Sam Show'.
"We're making a bit of a scene. Would you like to take this somewhere private? Say back at my motel?"
Sam stood up without a word and walked toward the door. Fred pocketed his phone, picked up their coffee cups, and followed.
"Where?" Sam barked after they were both outside.
Fred's phone quietly chimed again - another email. He glanced down at the coffee cups in his hands. Realizing he may end up wearing hot coffee, he dropped Sam's cup into a nearby trash can.
"Asshole..." Sam remarked.
"Hillside Motel, just south of here on Aurora..." Fred called back to her as he turned away and walked to his car.
Sam got into her truck fuming... And very concerned. "What the hell does he know?" She mumbled to the dashboard. She sat very still for a few moments before she started the truck and pulled around, heading back into the coffee shops drive through. She hadn't been finished with her coffee, and wanted more. Placing the fresh cup into the cup holder, she noticed her hand was shaking slightly. She spoke 'Hillside Motel, Seattle' into her phone.
"Hillside. Motel... Found." The canned 'every woman' voice responded in it's nasally voice. "Arrival in... Eight. Minutes. Traffic... Light..." The voice continued giving directions until she arrived. She parked behind the motel, and walked around toward the front. Freddie was waiting for her in front of his room. He saw her, turned and walked into the room leaving the door open. Sam paused, took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself, and followed him inside.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Now what?
Yes, it's not the end. A few more.