From Africa

Paris, 1954

'Aren't you happy to finally be passing the reins of your burdensome chaperone to Miss Peake?'

Mark leered at me with a saucy grin as I moved across grass to the other side of the garden. We were attending a party thrown by one of Anna's well to do friends, out in the picturesque French countryside.

'Reins?' I looked at him, confused.

'Or, I daresay you'd call them "chains",' he laughed at his own joke.

'Chaperone...' I uttered with disgust. 'I'm twenty-three years old... I'm too old to have a nanny.'

'You should consider yourself lucky. You have a family who loves you.'

This was a surprisingly tender statement, coming from Mark.

'And you don't?' I asked, watching him as he perched on a stone urn.

'You think I'm hateful, don't you, Olivia? You think no one loves me...'

'Well, you certainly don't make it an easy endeavor...'

'You little bitch!' He stalked toward me, grabbing my arm. 'You self-righteous little bitch! I know all about you and that filthy black brute...'

'Take your hands off me,' I gave him an icy stare.

'You think you're so perfect, don't you?'

'Mark... you're hurting my arm,' I glared at him.

'What makes you think that I care?'

'I would think that you know how valuable it is to me... to all of us.'

'We don't need your bloody money!' he spit at me, pushing my arm away.

'That's a funny thing for a leech to say... I notice that you haven't been back to Africa in a few months.'

'I've been spending time with my wife. Is that against the law now?'

'What happened? Have they dug up all the diamonds already? Have they dug to the other side of the earth, only to come up in the bottom of my purse?'

He grabbed me again, infuriated by my sarcasm.

'You are so cold... that façade that you put up for the public... it's all lies!'

'I have every right in the world to be cold! Look at my life! It's just empty and sad...'

'Oh, don't let's start the pity party again,' Mark rolled his eyes.

'Aren't you supposed to be spending time with your wife?' I asked him.

He set his jaw, angrily muttering under his breath as he turned away from me.

'Hello, hello!' A young Englishman ventured out to the garden, almost stumbling from the step down from the house. 'I say... It's a fine night out, isn't it?'

I walked past him, moving back into the house, 'I need another drink...'

'Well... wait a minute, I can fetch that for you... I was wondering if I could trouble you for an autograph...'

I turned to stare at him.

'I say... you've turned out all right. You're just as pretty as your magazine pictures.'

'Excuse me, I need to find...'

'Olivia... I can't believe that you don't remember me!'

I looked at him, annoyed that he was impeding my path to the next drink. He looked vaguely familiar to me, but I couldn't quite place him.

'I'll have to tell Uncle Gene that he's successfully transformed you into a haughty prima donna.'

'Chad?' I widened my eyes in disbelief.

'Yep. It's me... your old friend, Chadwicke.'

I slapped his face.

'Ouch! What the hell was that for?'

'For swiping my knickers all those years ago.'

'I thought you'd have forgotten about that... women! You all have the memory of an elephant.'

'Go and get me that drink... and don't do anything funny, like putting your finger in it, or spitting in the glass!'

'I shall return shortly,' he walked away, rubbing his cheek.

I walked back to the garden, wanting to avoid all the stares from the surprised partygoers. I sat on a long bench, and watched Chad as he ambled toward me toting a bottle, two glasses, and a bucket of ice.

'What's all this?'

'Well, I didn't want you to think that I was going to be your lackey, so I brought out the entire outfit, so that you can refill at your leisure.'

'Cheeky...' I scowled at him, taking a glass and filling it to the brim.

'Just so you'll know... I've poisoned the draught, to exact my revenge, of course.'

'With what, bad taste?' I frowned, finally noticing I was drinking whiskey instead of wine.

'Wasn't that what you were drinking?'

'Scotch? No! I was drinking wine...'

'Oh... sorry, Old Chap.'

'It's not so bad... it's just warm, that's all.'

'Some people drink it that way.'

'Plenty of drunks do, I'm sure.'

'Just put some of the ice in it... here,' he handed me a fresh glass.

'Thank you.' I looked at him for a moment, trying to figure how old he was. 'Are you allowed to drink now? How old are you?'

'Old enough,' he replied drolly.

'You're in university now, right?'

'I was...'

'You've dropped out?' I lowered my voice to a more conspiratorial tone.

'Well, you might say that.'

'What will Mr. Stanley say?'

'He doesn't know about it yet... and he doesn't need to know.'

'What are you doing now, since you're not in school?'

'I've been... traveling.'

'All on Uncle Gene's money, eh?' I finished off my glass.

'Not all... some of it's mine.'

'You're still a little devil...'

'I'm a bigger devil than before,' he raised an eyebrow.

'Ha!' I almost choked on my refreshed drink. 'You're surely not referring to that paltry bit of goods you have hidden in your trousers, are you?'

'Well, I'm a grown man, now... and my "paltry bit of goods" has developed into a full grown man's cock.'

'Cock. That's the last word I'd use to describe that thing... I'd have to stand right over it to get a good glimpse.'

'Wouldn't you like to?' he asked impishly.

'You may think I'm drunk... but I'm not that drunk.'

'Oh, come on! Be a sport, Liv!'

'I'm not going to chase you around this garden.'

'You don't have to. Come back to my room with me... let's get drunk and fuck.'

'How dare you speak to me in that way?' I feigned shock in a haughty accent. 'Don't you know who I am?'

'Yes. You're a girl who probably hasn't had a really good fuck in a very long time...'

In my haze of inebriation, I agreed to do it. I wasn't in complete control, and he knew it. I was so horny that I was past caring about what would happen afterward. We slipped away from the party, and drove back to Paris, laughing and joking the whole time.

'All right... off with it...' I ordered as we stood in Chad's room.

'My, my... someone is certainly testy tonight. But, I guess I should be empathetic, since you said it's been... how long? Two years, is that right?'

'Chad!'

'I'm sure after going that long without sex, my "paltry bit of goods" won't seem so paltry after all...'

'Must you always be so vile?'

'Yes. It's a condition of earning the rest of my trust fund.'

'It must be in the millions, if so...'

'You're so funny,' he said flatly.

'Come on, Chad! Get those clothes off. I don't have the rest of my life to waste with you...'

'So! I'm just "wasted time" to you, huh?'

'That's not what I meant...'

'You never say things that you don't mean... what a foul thing to say to a chap!'

'Chad, you know I'm drunk.'

'That makes it all the worse. You wouldn't give me the time of day if you weren't lit up.'

I sat on the bed in a huff.

'Are we going to argue all night? If that's what you want, then I may as well go back to the party and argue with Mark. At least I get an evil pleasure out of putting him down.'

'You're attracted to the old boy, aren't you?'

'What? Heavens no! What makes you think that?'

'I saw you with him, before I stepped out. He was standing close to you, you were practically cheek to cheek...'

'He was trying to break my arm... literally.' I stood up again, growing more impatient. 'Look here, Chad, I'm going to go grey waiting for you to get undressed. I know you've just begun to wear long trousers now, but at least you could have practiced disrobing before you invited a girl up to your room.'

Before he could think of a witty retort to give, I grabbed at his trousers and pulled them down myself. I squatted in front of him, working them down his legs. When I lifted my head to look up, his semi-erect penis bounced against my face.

'You wanted me to do this the whole time, didn't you?' I laughed.

'Honestly? Yes,' he chuckled.

'You're lucky that I'm drunk.'

'Yes, I believe you.'

'You actually do have a bit more than before...' I scrutinized his member, noting the fact that I was used to looking at much darker skin than his.

'So... I do indeed possess a "cock".'

'That remains to be seen,' I grabbed it, pulling on it.

'It is permanently attached, you know.'

'Once I get through with it, it might not be...' I winked at him.

'Be gentle...' he smirked, looking down cautiously as I wrapped my hands around his hardening cock. 'I'm still a young man... I have my whole life ahead of me.'

'I won't maim you, if that's what you're afraid of. I'm not like the tarts that you're used to dealing with.'

'At least the tarts work for a tangible incentive... I know I'll get something out of them. There's no guarantee with you.'

'My level of want,' I ran my tongue down the length of his cock, '...is enough of a guarantee...'

'So, I have your desperation to thank for this experience?'

'Mmm...' I answered with a loud hum as I devoured his penis.

'I suppose I shall be in for a wild ride, then,' his voice wavered a bit as I licked all over his cock.

I released him for a moment and moved away so that I could take my clothes off.

'What are you doing?' he sounded apprehensive.

'I'm getting naked so you can lick my cunt...'

'...Such ladylike language... Uncle Gene always thought you'd develop a slaggy side,' he smirked.

'I'm not going to ruin my knees with the likes of you. Come on, get into the bed.'

He dove onto the bed, and turned onto his back so that I could crouch over him.

'Have you ever done this before?'

'Done what?' he asked.

'Licked a girl's quim?'

'What? Of course, I've done it before. What do you take me for... a virgin?'

'Well, are you?'

'Look here... there's no need to keep insulting me... if you want to keep my cock hard, you'll work on being nicer to me.'

'Sorry,' I muttered, 'I'm drunk, remember?'

'Drunk my ass! You're just being a bitch.'

I laughed.

'Turn over!' He pulled me to him, causing me to shriek in surprise.

'Oh!' I gasped as he shoved his cock into me.

He grabbed my hips and took me from behind, fucking me with quick strokes, moaning after only a few minutes.

'Slow down... You're going to come too quickly...' I complained, grasping onto the sheets to keep my balance.

'That's all that really matters, isn't it?' he chuckled slyly.

'You wouldn't want me to spread rumors about your "accelerated performance", would you?'

He mumbled something under his breath, but he did slow his stroking, changing the angle of his thrusts. I could feel his cock burrowing deeper into my dripping pussy.

'Ah... that's much better!' I smiled.

He crouched over me and kissed my neck, licking his tongue up to my earlobe, and whispered into my ear, 'Oh, Liv... you're so sweet... I've wanted you for all these years, you know... this is better than I could ever have imagined.'

My hungry pussy was stroking his cock now, pulling it in further with each of his thrusts. I pushed my hips back to meet his, causing a loud slapping sound that filled the room.

'Ah, Liv! I'm almost... there...' he panted.

'Oh, no... come on... just a little longer...' I grimaced, rocking my hips to make his cock rub harder against my spot. 'Ooh... it's so nice...'

'I... urghhh!' he sank his nails into my skin, pulling me to him as he exploded.

'Oh, Chad! I'm so disappointed!' I pouted.

He took a minute to respond, still trying to catch his breath. 'Don't worry... there's loads more to come.' He wiped his brow. 'You know, the next time we do this, I'd like for you not to be drunk.'

'You can't have your cake and eat it too,' I grumbled, sliding down to take his cock into my mouth again.

'Hmm... this is really nice,' he sighed as I took his cock down my throat. 'I think your trap being stuffed with my cock is even more pleasurable because you can't say anything...'

I let his cock pop out of my mouth for an instant. 'You'd better be careful; my teeth still work...'

He laid in silence while I tasted his cock. It was a rather nice one, well shaped, and long. I hesitated to give him too many compliments, but I showed my appreciation in a different way.

'Ahh...' he breathed. 'You're making my teeth chatter...'

He was thrusting his hips toward me in no time, but my pussy sorely needed attention. I climbed onto him, sinking my cunt down on his penis, bobbing up and down as if I was on a carnival ride.

'Chad, I need your cock so much... I need you to make me come...'

'Ohh...' Chad moaned senselessly.

I sped up my bouncing, my pussy clamped down on his cock as if it were necessary for survival. I pushed all the way down, resting my nether lips in his pubic hair.

'Oh, Jesus! You're so tight!' he exclaimed.

I began to rock back and forth, grinding my pelvis into his, feeling the pressure rising and my jaw trembling.

'Oohh...yes! Ahh... right there... yes...' I ran my fingers through the hair on his chest.

I felt as if I were riding on a pole that knew every way to pleasure me.

'Mmm...' I scratched at his chest as I climaxed, biting my lip and moaning softly.

'It's... coming... again...' Chad announced, gripping my thighs and lifting us both off the bed with each thrust.

'Arghh!' His mouth gaped open as he came again. I laughed with glee as my pussy milked his seed; I suddenly felt giddy and light.

'Haha, that was great...' Chad smiled.

'Yes, it was...' I looked down at him. 'Are you ready for more?'

He widened his eyes. 'I knew that I would be in for a wild ride!'

We fucked until we exhausted ourselves that night. When I woke up the next morning, I was sprawled across the bed, alone, and feeling as if I'd been run over by a truck. I moaned in misery with the slightest movement; it took me ten minutes just to sit up.

'You might want to just lie there...' Chad grumbled.

'I'm getting up... I need to leave.'

'I don't think you'll get far... everything else is pretty fuzzy, but I can still remember that bottle of scotch that you drank.'

I sighed. 'Where exactly is this, anyway? Will I need to take a taxi to get home?'

'I don't know... we've never discussed where you live.'

He was moving around the room, getting dressed.

'Where are you going?' I asked.

'Out.'

'You're just going to leave me here?'

'Look... I know that we're not suddenly sweethearts... I'm sure you'd be the first to say that. I have things to do today. Let yourself out whenever you manage to make it to a standing position.'

'I would think you'd be in a better mood after last night...'

'Well,' he smirked, 'I hate to say it, but not even good sex can cure a bad hangover...'

'I'll take your word for it,' I groaned again, turning my legs so that I could place my feet on the floor.

'Oh, I almost forgot...' He turned and tossed some white cloth material to me.

'What in the world... what are these?'

'Your long lost knickers,' he snorted.

'Oh! How disgusting!' I dropped them. 'They probably have more of you in them than there ever was of me...'

'How did you guess?' he combed his hair.

'Why would you keep those?'

'Just to say that I had a piece of you.'

'Well, you got quite a few pieces of me last night... I think you can throw those out now... and no, I will not be autographing them.'

'Dammit! Oh, well... I thought I'd give it a try.'

'Where are the ones I was wearing last night?'

'Don't panic, they're on the floor there. I'll let you have those back.'

'Thank you. You're so generous,' I said drolly.

'I won't be surprised if you're still here when I get back,' he said.

'Don't worry, I won't be. I have to meet my "chaperone" at the train station.'

He laughed. 'If you keep downing scotch like you did last night... you'll need to be handcuffed to that chaperone of yours.'

'Such words of wisdom...' I yawned.

'Well, I'm off,' he said as he opened the door. 'I hope your day is not too miserable.'

'I'm used to misery,' I muttered as he closed the door. 'It's all too familiar to me.'

I did make it out of Chad's room before he returned, but it took me a few hours to pull myself together. I didn't make it to the train station to receive Miss Peake, though; I pleaded with Mr. Stanley to do it for me. I was ill for most of the day, and I didn't actually present myself to her until the day after she'd arrived.

She fit herself into my routine as if she'd never been away. She was quiet, efficient, and stern, always able to see the next move that I should make. I'd grown to hate it, the fact that she was always right, and I tried my best to gain a little independence from her, whenever I could. I started practicing away from home more, hoping that she would trust that I'd stay at the piano all day and not roam the streets. Soon, though, I had to worry about more than the watchful eyes of Miss Peake.

I met with an impatient Chad in a café one morning a few weeks after we'd gotten drunk together.

'Is this going to take long? I have to travel to London today.'

'No, it won't take long for me to tell you... I'm pregnant.'

'And why are you telling me this?'

'Because you're the father.'

'And how do you know this?'

'What do you mean?'

'I'm supposed to believe that, just because you say it?'

'Chad!'

I was in shock. I didn't expect him to be happy, but I never thought that he would be hostile.

I stood up in anger. 'There was no one else. Only you.' I pushed my chair to the table and glared at him. 'When you're ready to grow up, call me. Just ask your Uncle Gene for my address.'

I debated for a few days over whether I should tell Mr. Stanley, but in the end, I figured that he would find out eventually.

'When did this happen?' Eugene sat across from me in my living room with a stern look on his face.

'Does that really matter now?' I asked wearily.

Eugene stood up and began to pace the room.

'Well? What are you going to do?'

'I don't know.'

'You'll have to make a decision soon...'

'I'm assuming there are three options...'

'Three?' he turned to look at me.

'Abortion, adoption, and... marriage.'

Eugene heaved a deep sigh.

'There's only one option for you, Olivia. It would be safest for you to get married.'

'Really? Why would you say that?'

'There is always the potential threat of blackmail.'

'Ah, I see.'

'Yes. Unfortunately, one has to think of these things all the time, to ward off petty criminals and other unsavory individuals.'

I frowned at the prospect of having to marry a man who I couldn't say for certain that I even liked.

'You'll have to make your decision quickly, Olivia,' Eugene warned me. 'Time is of the essence...'

'What about Chad? I told him, and he pretended to be innocent in the whole affair.'

'I'll straighten him out. You just let me know what your final decision is, in a few days. I'll need time to craft a story for the press.'

It angered me to see that Eugene was already assuming that I would decide to marry Chad. I took a few days to think everything through, finally guessing that I would fall prey to keeping shameful secrets for the rest of my life if I didn't marry Chad. Eugene was always looking out for con artists and shady characters; he seemed to be obsessed with keeping me safe. So, I knew that he had my best interests at heart, even if I would be stepping into a sham of a marriage, just to protect my name and my professional image.

I was very sad to realize that I'd been so foolish; drowning my sorrows in drink, only to come out of it with a situation that was even worse than what I'd been crying over in the first place. And Chad... he was so young and selfish... I cursed myself that I couldn't have chosen someone else. I gave Eugene my final decision three days later.