A short note to my readership: what began as a one-shot "lark" of a story dealing with an old man's fantasy(?) about his relationship with the woman next door has now developed into a saga of unexpected proportions. Here follows chapter 3 of what may prove to be a rather lengthy story describing this surprise series of "incidents" between neighbors. I hope all of those who choose to read this and any succeeding chapters will relax and enjoy the emotions that are – I sincerely hope – elicited by my writing. Commentary and criticism is always solicited from a faithful readership.
It had been some three weeks since Nancy and I had become "re-acquainted" with each other. I'd seen her on the porch, in the yard, with her children, with her husband, talking to other neighbors and generally in situations and/or places where we could not talk privately. I had often wondered just exactly what thoughts were going through her head and what opinions she held about our previous escapade at my house, but neither of us broached the subject as we passed by each other in our daily routine. Until last Friday, that is. That day shall live in my memory as long as I retain any semblance of gray matter under this bald head. On Friday, Nancy introduced me to Sebastian.
The doorbell had rung just before noon on Friday. When I went to the door, I found Nancy in the company of a younger man (younger than I, but older than she) who could only be described as a young Harry Belafonte in a much darker shade. The man was black, ebony, pure obsidian in color; so black that his skin shone with the luster of old teak furniture. And he was large; perhaps 6' 4" with hands akin to Virginia smoked hams and shoulders wide enough to nearly blot out the light when he stood in the doorway. I took in these details as Nancy spoke in her little-girl voice, "Ed, I'd like you to meet a new friend, Sebastian Delacourt. We met at Sarah's wedding last weekend and I thought you ought to meet him. May we come in?" She was dressed quite casually, but also quite attractively in a simple summer sundress sort of frock with a halter-top and tight waist, and a flared, full skirt that reached just below her knee. Her legs were bare and tanned and she wore tiny hemp sandals on her feet.
Not wishing to appear idiotic, I stood aside and allowed them to pass by me. Sebastian preceded Nancy, and as she brushed by me I grabbed her arm and whispered, "What the hell is this?" She only smiled a very wicked smile at me and moved into the living room toward Sebastian. She motioned him to sit down on the end of the couch while she sat immediately next to him, almost with her thigh against his. I could sense a bit of embarrassment on his part, but he didn't move away, either. In fact, his leg appeared to move a few centimeters toward Nancy's.
Nancy cleared her throat and began a short narrative. "Sebastian and I met at Sarah's wedding last weekend and we had quite a good time talking together about things in our country and in his country. Sebastian is from Sudan. He is a Reformed Muslim. His way of doing things seemed rather peculiar to me when we were talking about it, but after some further reflection, I thought you and he ought to meet. He will only be here for another two days and then will return to the Sudan, to his four wives." And she took specific pains to make certain I understood those last four words. My eyebrows shot up and I looked at Sebastian in a questioning manner.
"Yes, Edward – may I call you Edward? – I do have four wives in my country. I am rather wealthy by our standards and can afford them. Many men in the United States either wish they had several wives – all like Julia Roberts or Cameron Diaz, of course – or that they had no wife at all. I am often intrigued by your morality here. I've studied it off and on for some fifteen years in my travels. Nancy, here, told me that you and she have had some discussions recently about morality and customs regarding matters of sexual intimacy. I was surprised that she would speak to me of those things, as she is a practicing Catholic, but then I realized that she is simply a very curious individual who happens to be both Catholic and female. Why she brought me here to see you is still somewhat of a mystery. I have been told that you have something for me to view which will give me a new slant on how relationships between the Black and the White races could be vastly improved in America, and perhaps around the world. Nancy has told me that you treasure the item you are going to show me. I am rather excited to see what the common man in America would do to improve international race relations. May I be so bold as to request that you show me what it is she has been talking about?"
I was dumbfounded, to say the least. I hemmed and hawed and spoke around the topic for more than ten minutes as I complimented him on his command of English and asked some polite questions, etc.; but Nancy soon put a stop to my stalling and asked me to get out the "research video" that I had behind the book shelf. I had known all along what was being referred to, but I just could not believe the thoughts and images racing through my mind. I moved slowly toward the hiding place of the tape and withdrew it. "Are you sure this is what you want, Nancy?" I asked her.
"Of course, Ed; I am absolutely positive that Sebastian will see the specific benefits of your theory and will want to place it into effect immediately. I am prepared to assist in any way I can in that noble endeavor, aren't you?"
"Well, I suppose I am, but how about Mike? I am certain he does not agree in total to everything that my 'theory' has to offer. How will he react if he knows you have been sharing this with Sebastian?"
"Mike is out of town until late tomorrow afternoon, Ed; and, by the way, you won't be bothered by my children playing outside for the next two days. They are visiting my mother-in-law in Philadelphia. I saw your wife leave this morning with her overnight case, too. Is she off on another of her church missions?"
"As a matter of fact, yes, she is; she won't be home for two full days, I expect. Are you certain that now is the time to unveil my theory to Sebastian? We could wait until later in the day."
"Nonsense. If he is going to agree to the principles and the benefits, he will agree just as well now as later. I'd like you to begin with the presentation right now." And I watched as she squirmed deeper into the cushions of the couch and, after kicking off her sandals, lifted both bare legs up under her on the couch, causing her to turn just slightly toward Sebastian, with her tucked-under knees touching his thigh.
I looked at Sebastian and found him to be listening intently to Nancy's words and when she had finished, he looked at me and nodded in agreement. There was little else to do except trust this little woman's instincts. I slipped the tape from its hiding place and into the VCR slot. I punched the proper buttons and sat in my favorite chair across the room from the TV, next to the couch. The screen flickered a few times and the video began.
For just a second, as the video began, Sebastian seemed to lose all color in his face. He blanched and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. On the other hand, Nancy's color heightened to the point that I could see her blush from where I sat. It crept downward from her cheeks to cover her chest and I knew she was rosy-pink under her thin dress. She moved her legs a bit and I could also tell that she was rubbing her thighs together in anticipation of what might be on the verge.
Sebastian turned his head toward me – not without some hesitation, as the young girl in the video was already performing for the camera – and began to ask a question. I did not let him get a word in before I blurted out, "You'll please remember that this was Nancy's idea, not mine! I had no information that the two of you were going to appear here on my doorstep today. Believe me, Sebastian, there is a woman of very deep secrets sitting next to you."
He turned farther toward Nancy and looked directly at her face. Without saying a word, he reached out and took a handful of her hair and tugged her forward, forcing her to slide off the couch and to kneel in front of him. He used both hands, now, one on either side of her face, clenching a fistful of blonde hair, and spoke to her face in a tone that brooked no disagreement whatsoever. "Little girl, you have opened a Pandora's box. You have absolutely no understanding of the ramifications of what you have just done. You have delivered an invitation – no, you've offered a challenge; and a man of my country cannot, above all else, refuse such a challenge. Do you really think you are prepared for what is about to come your way?"
Nancy made to speak in response, but Sebastian curled his two thumbs around her face and pressed them into her lips and effectively shut her mouth. "You will not speak unless I give you absolute permission to do so. All communication from you to me will be through motions – a nod or a shake of the head, a touch, a look. You will not speak from this point on. Is that understood?" Slowly, Nancy's head bobbed up and down in a 'yes' motion.