5 Death by a Whisker

Coriolanus jolted awake with a gasp, his head lifting off the pillow.

Julia placed her hand upon his arm. "Are you okay?"

Rising onto his elbows, the young senator searched for a clock. "How long did I sleep?"

Setting her computer tablet aside, Julia smiled. "No more than twenty minutes."

"Don't let me do that. Please don't let me fall asleep."

"You're my last client of the evening; you can stay longer if you are worried about lost time."

"It's not that." Coriolanus sat up. "I enjoy being with you; I enjoy talking to you. I don't want to waste a single second. Besides my daughter; my time with you keeps me going."

Julia eyed the young senator.

"It's true. If you ever decide to retire from...the business, I'd hope that I could still hire you as a therapist or consultant, just to talk."

Pushing herself more upright, the experienced companion sat against the headboard. "As your therapist, I've noticed that your mood and confidence have improved greatly. You haven't showed up distraught to our sessions like the first time we met. How are you fairing on the days we don't meet?"

"More upbeat, and I'm free of angry thoughts. Plus, the demon in me that my wife had awoken has not returned." Using the tip of a finger, Coriolanus began connecting the freckles on Julia's thigh to form random patterns. His smile growing, he glanced up into Julia's eyes. "Thanks to you."

"But?"

Organizing his thoughts, Coriolanus gnawed his lip. "Knowing that the passion in my marriage will never return still bugs me a little."

"Divorce her."

"I'd lose my daughter."

"Fight for her."

Pressing his lips tight, the young senator shook his head subtlety. "I would never separate mother from child. I gave my word when we first got married."

"I'm sure you could visit your daughter weekly."

Coriolanus's mouth twisted with the thought. "I need to see her very day. In addition, I cannot afford to take the political hit this early in my career. Divorcee politicians statistically fare poorly in elections."

Crossing her arms, Julia frowned. "That's so old fashioned."

"True, but statistics don't lie."

"So you are going to ignore your own happiness and accept your current situation. For how long?"

Coriolanus shrugged. "As long as it takes. Until I'm president." He tried not to smile.

With a discerning eye, Julia's smile twisted into a smirk. "So you do have big ambitions?"

"Not really. I'm happy to have become a senator."

"I can see you as president. Not now, of course, but maybe in a decade or two. You're willing to stay married for that long?"

"If need be." Reaching for an opened box of chocolates from the side table, Coriolanus picked a small square piece from the assortment. "My wife is usually medicated and docile, which keeps us from fighting. Consider it a blessing...if not a curse. If only there was a pill to cure her of her constant complaining."

"If there was a cure for bitchiness, I'd be out of a job." Holding out her hand, Julia took the box of chocolates and began inspecting the assortment of candy. "Which pills does she take?"

"Oh, um...she takes Valersom for sleep and Lembalm for anxiety."

"Those are popular medications." Julia bit into a piece of chocolate. "I did my college thesis on anti-anxieties."

"I just wish she didn't take so much."

"How many does she take?"

Coriolanus took back the box of chocolates and began inspecting the remnants. "She takes at least two anti-anxieties after dinner and two sleeping pills just before she goes to bed. Every day."

With a slack jaw, Julia stared at the senator. "You're kidding?"

"No. She'll sometimes take a third anti-anxiety at bedtime."

Julia took back the box of chocolates. "She's lucky to be alive. I know this from when I worked on drug studies in college. Some people have succumbed to overdose on half that amount."

"She must have worked up a tolerance. She's currently fighting with her doctor since he won't refill her prescriptions early. She always runs out of her medications before she's allowed her next refill. The wait for the next refill makes for some hellish days at home."

Chewing her candy slowly, Julia gave her guest a subtle look.

"What?" Coriolanus returned her stare.

"You could go in and ask for the same prescription. You could make sure she never runs out. Do you have the same doctor as you wife?"

Snow's brow knitted with confusion. "We have different doctors. Why?"

"Over half of all drug overdoses in the Capitol are from prescription medication. It's only a matter of time." Julia gave a light shrug. "I'm just saying."

The senator froze in thought as he tried to comprehend Julia's suggestion.

Julia stared at her guest with somber eyes. "Tell me; what are the election statistics of widowed politicians?"

Coriolanus's face reddened. "I would never do that."

"You wouldn't have to. Your wife is an adult and knows what she can handle; however, she is on the knife's edge taking that much medicine. Her body will eventually succumb."

"I couldn't. Even if I wanted to help her with her stress and insomnia, I would not help her abuse her prescriptions." Left to ponder Julia's suggestion, the room fell silent as Coriolanus tried to push the idea out of his mind. Becoming flustered, the senator cleared his throat. "Do you put your college education to use with your other clients?"

"Somewhat, but most my clients indulge in chemical romances that involve illicit drugs." Julia bit off a piece of chocolate. "There once was an older gentleman who I would procure some powerful arthritis medicine, along with an E.D. drug. He was one of my favorites."

"Was?"

"He died from a stroke. It happened during one of our sessions." Julia's full lips formed a smug grin, revealing a peculiar pride in her work.

"He died in your bed? What did you do to cause it?"

"Nothing unusual. As soon as I detected the stroke, I called my lawyer. He came over and helped me dress the man. He was still alive when we dropped him off at the emergency room."

"Why didn't you call for an ambulance?"

"For his family's sake, he was not the type of man who wanted to be found in a hotel. He made this clear to me when we first started seeing each other."

"Ah." Snow chuckled. "What a way to go."

Julia huffed. "Not really. If you could see his eyes, you could tell that he took no revelry in the situation."

"I suppose." Signing, Coriolanus rested his head against the headboard. "You have a lawyer on retainer?"

"Every companion worth his or her salt has a lawyer on retainer."

"Ever get arrested?"

"Nope."

Watching Julia indulge in her chocolate, Coriolanus could not help but to ponder about his companion's personal life.

Reading his mind with ease, Julia glanced at her guest and smiled. "What?"

"Nothing." Snow could not restrain from smiling.

"You can ask me anything; I may not answer it, but you can ask."

He looked into her eyes. "Is your job dangerous?"

"It could be." She began sorting through the chocolate. "However, I seem to have a good judge of character and have been lucky in my career. It also helps to have the luxury of only entertaining affluent clientele."

"How can you be sure with a stranger?

"It's the absence of love that keeps me safe."

"Love?"

Julia nodded. "Since there is no love to blind me, I don't make mistakes when it comes to clients. I can't say the same for my personal life."

"You have an abusive boyfriend?"

"Had. And only the one time. I put him behind me immediately thereafter."

"Sorry to hear that."

"We learn from our mistakes; that is what humans do." Staring at a half eaten piece of chocolate in her hand, Julia shrugged. "Love is probably the most dangerous drug of them all."

"I love yo—" The young senator diverted his eyes.

Gnawing her lip, Julia stared at the young senator with a raised brow.

Coriolanus swallowed. "I mean as a woman in general. I don't know you personally of course, but the femininity that I see is...perfect. From you long hair and painted finger nails to your aloof eyes. Even the sound of your voice puts a spring into my step. You're amazing, and I'm honored to know you." By now, he could feel a bright red flushness radiating across his face.

Leaning over, Julia whispered in his ear. "And I love...men. Gentlemen to be specific." Lifting his chin with a single finger, she smiled. "Thank you for your respect."

Resting his head against the headboard, Coriolanus stared at his companion as they shared a simple smile.

Julia held up the candy before Coriolanus. "You know what; zero calorie chocolate has to be the greatest invention in the past thousand years. Why can't they do this with other foods? The other zero calorie foods taste horrible."

"I once heard that it's due to the cocoa bean. The oil in the bean blends with synthetic butter. Moreover, the good stuff is ungodly expensive. I believe they use the cheap stuff in the other foods."

Julia smiled. "Thank you again for the gift."

"I figured that I couldn't go wrong with chocolate."

"You know what goes great with chocolate?"

"Strawberries?"

Using the half-bitten piece of candy, Julia rubbed a bit of chocolate onto her body.

"Oh." Coriolanus smiled.

Julia smeared chocolate onto another spot on her body.

"Won't we stain the sheets?"

"Well then, you better be thorough. It's expensive chocolate, and we don't want to waste any of it."

"Okay." The grinning man cleaned one of the spots. "I'll help you with the bed later just in case I miss some."

"No need to worry. I have three rooms."

Coriolanus looked up. "In this hotel?"

"Yes. It's for security and convenience. The hotel manager knows who we are and gives us special rates." Julia smeared another part of her body with chocolate.

Ignoring the new spot, Coriolanus leaned in for his favorite treat and stole a kiss. "I'll get what I miss in the shower."

"How about a bath? We have time."

"Really? I've never shared a bath with anyone."

Julia shook her head. "Speaking as your therapist, we have a lot of work ahead of us in the upcoming months."

Stealing another kiss, Coriolanus smiled. "Good. I'm eager to learn."

Eventually, the pair moved to the comfort of the luxury hotel bathtub. Lighting the last of the candles, Julia settled back against the gratified senator.

Coriolanus wrapped his arms around her. "If they could put your essence in a pill, all the worlds' problems would probably vanish."

"It wouldn't work."

"Why not?"

"The human body knows. I doubt a drug could trick it, and companions like me would still be needed. Nature always wins in the end."

"I suppose. Strange how self pleasure is not enough. I must confess that, in an odd way, needing someone physically makes me feel weak."

"It's just another hunger, and the body needs to be fed once in awhile."

Snow sniffed his companion's hair, planting a gentle kiss upon her neck. "Is it hormonal?"

"Maybe. But, I suspect it's mostly psychological. We need the feedback we receive from another human being. Perhaps that feedback reassures our self-existence. Perhaps it's proof that we are not alone. Either way, Mother Nature wanted to make sure that her children didn't go extinct and has programmed us appropriately."

"Like humans have to worry."

Julia took hold of one of Coriolanus's arms. "We go to war easy enough. We find reasons to hate one another at the drop of a hat. Something tells me that we could easily become extinct. Look at the tiger."

Loosening his grip, the senator's hands began exploring. "What about the tiger?"

"That majestic animal was one of the most powerful, ferocious mammals on this earth. Now they are gone. Strength and prowess wasn't enough to save them."

The young senator planted a gentle kiss behind Julia's ear. "True, but they weren't top predator. Maybe Mother Nature created her own Hunger Games and left it to the top mammals to fight it out."

"I doubt it. Mother Nature should have made it much harder for humans to reproduce. If reproduction was difficult, maybe we'd value life more."

"Wasn't it difficult for Pandas to reproduce before they became extinct?"

"Yes. Moreover, the humans at the time did not deem them important enough to save, along with the tiger. Human consumption doomed many of the great mammals." Lifting one leg from beneath the bubbles, Julia set it upon the edge of the tub. "Did you know that people use to think that a tiger's whiskers were poisonous when chopped up fine and mixed with food?"

The senator's hands stopped exploring. "That doesn't make sense. Does it work?"

"No. Toxins were one of my subjects in college. Nothing in nature works like this. Remember the monster that tried to conquer Europe?"

"The one who started the Third World War?"

"No, the one from the Second World War. During that war, a small group of people were going to assassinate him using this method, but they couldn't get their hands on any tiger whiskers."

Coriolanus remembered his college studies and smiled. "Most people think that they wanted to assassinate the madman to stop the war. It wasn't true. Most wanted to assassinate the man because they thought he was the cause for them losing the war. They wanted to kill him in the hope of winning the war. This is one reason why I don't want to be president: leaders always have to watch their back."

Setting her other leg upon the edge of the bathtub, Julia closed her eyes. "Fools. If war was the answer, the world's problems would have been solved by now."

Using a sponge, Coriolanus moistened Julia's shoulders. "Such a strange time in human history. After that war, they claimed to be the most compassionate and understanding humans in history, but they only became more efficient when it came to slaughtering one another. Things truly never change."

"Nor do I expect that they ever will." Julia exhaled.

Listening to the faint sound of classical music seeping in from the bedroom, the pair fell silent as they soaked in the warm bath with eyes closed. Not needing words, both relaxed in the other's presence, lingering past the Snow's scheduled time.

Inadvertently, Snow's thoughts of notorious leaders brought him back to one of his daughter's comments. "Do you know of the story Alice in Wonderland?"

"Yes, of course."

"I read the story to my daughter, and she commented that the Queen of Hearts was mean."

"Didn't the Queen want to cut off everyone's head?"

"They were empty threats. But if she had to, I'm sure she would follow through."

Chuckling, Julia patted Coriolanus's arm. "You do know that it's just a fairy tale?"

"Is it? Every leader, good or bad, has blood on their hands. Even the most idolized leader has had to kill. This is the main reason why I don't think that I can ever be president. That is a line I could never cross."

"If you were president, you could make that decision to not cross that line."

"No. Civilization is an illusion, and we are always on the edge of collapse. Governments are always juggling various crises in the background. Things seem calm right now in Panem to the average citizen, but we could wake to chaos and quickly find ourselves back in the Stone Age like when the governments of North America unexpectedly collapsed. Like it or not, we need a Queen of Hearts. I'm just one of the jokers."

Julia turned around and kissed Coriolanus's pouting lips. "You are no joker. You are a silent Knight, a thinker, a man with a long political career ahead of you. And if the day comes and fate makes you...The King of Hearts, I'm sure you would do whatever it takes to keep your people safe."

Coriolanus smiled. "And I would still bow to you. I will forever bow to you, my lady."

Chuckling, Julia straddled her guest. "I'm no lady."

"Guardian Angel?"

"Some have called me a serpent." Julia leaned in and began nibbling on his ear.

Breathing heavy, the young senator pulled her close. "Is your bite dangerous?"

"Only if provoked, but you are a good student and shouldn't have to worry."

"Good to know." With a brief kiss, Coriolanus stared into her comforting eyes. "I believe this student is ready for his next lesson."