Jo White: Chapter 14 (Patreon)

Dot’s arrival and unexpected involvement had derailed what I was going to do with my boyfriend, not that I was complaining, and I am once again left on my own to rub another quick one out by myself.  It didn’t douse the fire of my many straight hours of constant horniness but it tamped it down enough to sleep.  And oh how I needed sleep!  After the most interesting and confusing and monumentally significant day of my young life I was spent in body and mind.  Despite the new smells, the new surroundings and the unfamiliar sounds of the old manor house creaking and the other girls moving about it takes mere minutes after having my O to conk out into a deep, dark slumber.

The next thing I knew the room the healthy glow of sunshine is brightening my closed eyelids.  “Mmmmm.”  I smile and stretch out in no hurry to open my eyes.  What a glorious sleep!  I hadn’t slept that good since…well, probably since my parents were still alive.  It definitely helped to sleep inside of a house not filled with ice cold bitterness and fear.  My smile grows.  The energy here was so different.  No more would I have to sit in my room alone in dread as I tried to stave off interaction with my auntie for as long as possible.  I found myself eager to wake up and head out.  My new home, my new city, my new school, and my new housemates were all new adventures waiting for me.  My place here was tenuous, I knew that, but I prayed things would work out.

As I lay there in a cozy half waking state my surfacing mind begins to spin up to full consciousness.  I think about the Cybele Sisterhood and these unique women.  What a crazy secret that I had stumbled into here.  My thoughts linger on my parents for a time and their connection to all of this.  I reflect on the amazing day before and, more particularly, on the wild night before.  Messing around with Dot had been…incredible.  Feeling her soft body next to mine, feeling her warm mouth on my breast, feeling her hard cock in my hand.  Incredible.  I really liked her and deep down hoped that we were truly on the road to becoming best friends.

And Prince!  What had that been about?  He surprised me last night in a variety of ways.  My boyfriend wanted me to sleep around.  Even now I couldn’t believe it.  As much fun as last night had been I kind of wished Prince had laid down the law and set out some reasonable limits for me to work within.  Here I was surrounded by temptation and my partner hadn’t helped a bit by basically given me free reign to chase my whims.  He might be that sort of guy but I wasn’t sure I was ready to be that type of girl.  If I started fucking around…how long until he started doing the same?  I was bolstered by how much he was secure in our relationship and I was glad to know about this new facet of his sexual desires but I’d be damned if I was going to actually cheat on him like he wanted me to.  Flirt and fool around a bit maybe, but full on cheat?  To actually have sex with someone?  It just wasn’t right.  Was it?  I think I might just play with him for awhile and make up stories about what was happening down here and see how he reacted when stuff got 'real'.

Finally, among all of the other thoughts, flutters a pesky little comment that had stuck with me from last night.  Dot had made mention of a “…BIG secret…”.  Something even more protected than the sister’s special anatomy.  What could it possibly be?  As I at last open my eyes to see the warm light of morning filtering through my curtains I make it a priority that I would uncover this mystery today.

After a half an hour I am up, cleaned up, and freshened up.  Forced to wear my same sundress from yesterday I head downstairs to scrounge up some breakfast.  Being a Saturday most of the girls are about.  Hanae I see doing katas in the gym, Sloane is flopped out watching cartoons in the living room, Beatriz is reading some old tome in the study, and Charlize I find sitting in the kitchen making herself some sort of herbal smoothie.  I learn that Gretchen is still sleeping, Dom is out to the market, and that Dot is nowhere to be seen.  Which wasn’t unusual evidently.  Sitting beside Charlize at the kitchen island I munch on some toast and peanut butter as she sips at her translucent green drink.

“I’m heading out shopping.”  I mention.  “I didn’t bring much with me.  Any good places nearby?”

As Charlize begins to rattle off a handful of stores I quickly figure out that she had very different standards than I and a much better budget.  Whereas I was looking for decent quality that looked good for a great price she waxed lyrical about natural fabrics and fair trade craftsmen, and the price never even entered the conversation.  I thank her kindly for her suggestions even though I knew I’d do little more than window shop at these places.  We start to chat about this and that with me looking for opportunities to steer the conversation in the direction of the secret of secrets.  Just as I saw an opening however my phone rings.

“Hold that thought.”  I tell her as I quickly answer my phone.  “Hello?”

“Hello Joanna.”  Comes the too bright and too chipper tone of a wheezy voiced man.  “This is Andrew from the First Bank of Alaska.”

“Okay.”  I get up and head out into the dining room to get some privacy.  “Is there a problem?”

“Well.”  He says.  “We’re not sure…”

Just then I hear another voice in the background, a shrill voice that shoots cold dread right through my heart.  “Find out where she is.”  It was my auntie.

He clears his voice.  “Your aunt is here and she seems to believe that you have gone missing.  Since she was the holder of your custodial account…”

“It’s not her account anymore.”  I say as fear seizes me that my aunt might still have her hooks in my savings.  “It’s my own account!”

“Oh yes, I know that.”  He says.  “There is nothing wrong there.  She came in this morning quite insistent that we get a hold of you and that there might be some sort of emergency.”

“There isn’t.  I’m fine.  Everything is good.”

“Well that is good to hear.”  He says cheerfully.  “So I understand that there is a change of address…”

Behind him comes the sharp voice of my former guardian.  “Let me speak with her.  Give me the phone.”

The poor bank worker suddenly trapped in the middle of family drama stutters.  “Uh…you’re aunt seems rather insistent that…”

“I don’t want to talk to her.”  I say firmly.  “She’s got nothing to do with me anymore.”

Just then my aunt’s voice comes on the line full volume.  “Joanna White!  You wretched little ingrate!  Where are…”

I hang up the call.  My hands shaking I mute the ringer and stare down at my phone with both terror and anger coursing through my veins.  Fucking bitch!  Just let me go!  I add the bank to my list of blocked numbers where auntie might try to call me from and remind myself that I had to transfer everything down here to my new home city as soon as possible.  It looked like there was more than just shopping and the beach on the agenda today.  I let out a long trembling breath to calm myself and make my way back into the kitchen.

Charlize stood at the sink rinsing out her glass, a look of kind concern on her gorgeous face.  “Is everything okay Joanna?”

I sigh.  “Family stuff.”

“Ah.”  She nods in understanding.  “Nothing too bad?”

“No.  Nothing too bad.”  I glumly tap at the edge of my half-eaten piece of toast, my appetite gone and with it my good mood.  My day had started so wonderfully too.

“I find meditation helps.”  She suggests.  “I could guide you.”

“No thank you Charlize.  I appreciate the offer though.”

“Very well.”  Turning toward she stands tall, her poise and posture the picture of perfection.  “I will see you this afternoon.  You’re still going to the beach?”

“Yeah.  I thought we could meet up around three and head out.”

She gives me a smile and a nod and goes on her way.  After I dump the half piece of toast in the trash I am on the move as well.  Making sure to give the weird Beatriz a wide berth I stop by the living room where the crashes and kaboings of an old cartoon fills the space.

“Good morning Sloane.”

“Hey sexy.”  She nods.  “How’s it hangin?”

“I’m good.”

In baggy flannel pajama pants and a loose food stained t shirt the Irishwoman looked the very epitome of slovenliness splayed out on the sofa as she was.  The thick extra appendage that I could clearly see within the fabric between her open legs told me that she was not wearing underwear.  I didn’t know how I was ‘hangin’ but I could see that she was hanging low and heavy.  God it was sexy knowing this buxom red-head was just casually packing the heat of a hung porn star.  I try mightily not stare and even more mightily not to think about it.

“Hey, have you seen Dot around?”

“Nah.”  She shrugs.

“Huh.  I don’t think anybody has seen her.  I hope she’s okay.  I should call her.”

“It’s what she does.  I wouldn’t worry.”  She says.  “What do ya need her for?”

“I was hoping to borrow her scooter…if it’s fixed.”

She points at me sternly and chuckles  “Don’t you get on my case too!  Bad enough around here as it is, all the nagging.  Fix this, repair that, do something with your life, wah, wah, wah.”  I liked how even her chuckles had that lovely Irish accent somehow, it was just pleasant on the ear.

I giggle.

“And yes, it’s fixed.”  She says with playful indignance.  “It’s no good for shopping though.  All it’s got is a little storage under the seat, not even enough for one bag.  Why don’tcha take my jeep instead.”

I am taken aback for a moment.  She and I barely knew each other and she was already willing to lend me her vehicle?  “R-really?”

“Sure, gimme a beej and it’s yours for the day.”

“Sloane!”

“I’m joking.”  She laughs.  “It’s parked out back.  Key is in it.  Go ahead.  I don’t need it this morning.”

“Well…geez, thank you Sloane.  That’s so nice of you.”

“Don’t mention it.”  She winks.  “Anything for a Sis.”

“The keys are in it?”

“Yep.”

“You’re not afraid it’ll get stolen or something?”

“Nah.  The parking area’s blocked off back there.  Only we can get in and out.”  She says.  “Besides.  I got it rigged so that it won’t start for anybody but a sister.”

“You do?”  I cock my head as I think about how she might go about doing something like that.  “Is there like a code or something I need?  My member card?”

“Nah.”  She says.  Picking up the remote she begins to surf the channels.  “Thumb on the key and she’ll turn over for ya.”

“Thumb on the key?”  This only adds to my confusion.  Did it have some sort of fingerprint scanner or something?  She hadn’t asked to get mine though, yet she was confident it would work.  Did they have my mother’s on file already?  With all this talk of the database being in a state of chaos that didn’t seem a likely answer.  I cannot help myself, I had to ask.  “How does that work?”

She looks at me with a bright twinkle in her green eyes.  Holding her free hand up, her fingers wiggling through the air, she says in a spooky whisper.  “Maaaagic.”

“Right.”  I scoff and roll my eyes.  Evidently the proud mechanic didn’t want to share her tricks.  Fair enough.  “Well thanks again.”

“Catch ya later.”

I head back upstairs to brush my teeth, grab a cloth shopping bag that I’d brought with me, and do my level best to wipe the vibe killing call from my aunt from my mind.  Just before I go I get Dot’s number and give her a ring.

“Hi!”  Comes Dot’s peeping voice through the blustering of wind and cooing of pigeons.  “I can’t really talk right now.”

“Oh.  Okay.”  I say.  “I was just heading out shopping.  I was wondering if you wanted to join me.”

“Ohhh, I wish.  I can’t right now.”  She says, her voice raised against the breeze.  “Sorryyyy, have fun though.”

I laugh.  “Where in the heck are you cutie?”

“I’m on City Hall.”

“You’re at City Hall?”

“More on it really, but sure.”

“What?”  I guffaw, sure that there had to be a misunderstanding here.  “What do you mean…?”

“I gotta go!”  She cuts me off.  “I love you!”

And with that the call ends.  I look at my phone and shake my head.  “Never change my oddball friend.”  I chuckle as I put my phone in my purse.  This wonderful madhouse never failed to surprise.

At the back door I brace myself against the heat that I knew I’d be walking out into.  As I step out I find it not quite as bad as yesterday but we were still a couple of hours of way from peak heat.  I make for the back gate and the air conditioned interior of Sloane’s jeep.  In the back I find a whole other section that I’d never seen before.  There was a parking area large enough for a dozen or more cars, a big storage building the size of a two car garage, and what I recognize as ‘Roland’s Shack’ that Dom had told me about.  I had completely forgotten that we had a gardener/handyman living back here.  The so called shack actually looked like a nice little cottage complete with it’s own patch of garden.  I consider briefly knocking on the door to introduce myself but decide against it thanks to the rising mercury.

I smile as I look around at the vehicles gathered within the fenced lot.  With just what I knew about the girls I lived with I could spot each of their vehicles with ninety percent confidence.  The blazing red Porsche was Gretchen’s, no doubt, and the sleek and classy lavender electric luxury car plugged in beside it had to be Charlize’s.  Those two definitely came from money.  The big beefy blue and white 4x4 I wasn’t quite sure about until I spotted the bumper sticker that showed a Karate fighter doing a flying kick on the rear, Hanae’s.  Dot and Dom were both out so I don’t see the scooter nor whatever it was Dom drove, though I would have put money down that it was some sort of practical minivan or SUV.  This left the tan pickup truck next to Roland’s home and…the jeep.

“Oh no.”  I mutter.

As much rust as paint the dirty forest green clunker looked like it was ready to collapse in on itself at the next stiff breeze.  Sloane’s ‘jeep’ was one of those old army Willys like I’d only ever seen in old war movies.  Air conditioning?  Forget that.  The whole thing was open to the air.  There was no roof, no walls, the thing didn’t even have doors!  Even the windshield was folded down to lay flat on the hood.  Was this thing even street legal?  I cautiously approach it half wondering if it might explode into flames from my mere proximity.  The mismatched front seats were cracked and sun faded.  The deteriorating bench in the back looked like it must have been original.  There were zero modern comforts in the vehicle, everything was metal and plain and purely functional.  It had a stick shift as one would expect.  Prince had taught me to drive a manual but not on something like this.

I let out a sigh.  “Well…better than walking I guess.”

I have to look for it because it is in a weird place, and looked a later addition, but just as Sloane had said the key was in the ignition.  Looking at this rust bucket I wonder even more what kind of security device a thing like this could possibly have.  She must have been joking around with me.  Maybe it was a reference to all of the rust keeping would be thieves away.

As I climb into it I find the seat and the huge steering wheel hot to the touch thanks to being exposed to the sun.  I sit and familiarize myself with the strange gauges and controls from yesteryear.  It looked like Sloane had done a few updates to it, but not many.  As I get ready to start it I think about what she’d told me.  ‘Thumb on the key and she’ll turn over for ya.’  I look at the plain steel head of the key.  It had no hole for a keyring and on its face was an odd symbol of straight zig-zagging lines in a square pattern.  It was an odd looking key but obviously just plain old metal.  There was no security device on this, it was definitely a joke.  In my head echoes Sloane’s voice.  ‘Maaagic.’

I squint and look at the peculiar symbol a bit harder.  It looked structured yet random.  I could make no sense of it yet there was a cohesion to it that just looked proper.  I’d never seen a symbol quite like it before, although…it did share a certain something with that rug I saw in the main bathroom that I couldn’t put my finger on.  In a flash I recall that book of witchcraft…those strange feelings and trance during my ‘cleansing’…and that impossibly good dessert last night that Dom had worked a bit of extra ‘kitchen hoodoo’ on.  ‘I love magic cake.’  Dot had said, those were her words exactly.  Magic cake.  No.  Could it…be?

“Ha!”  I shake my head and laugh at myself for even entertaining the thought.  “You’re losing it Jo.”  I say to myself.  “Sisters only she said.  I guess we’ll find out pretty quick.”

Turning the key then hitting the ignition button the old relic miraculously sputters to life.

“Pfff, magic.”  I mutter.  “As if.”

Chapter 15