The past 2 years had been rough on their marriage. Jack, at 56, stood about 5'10" and weighed nearly 275 pounds. His weight and smoking had led to erectile dysfunction and an inability to perform sexually. Side- effects of the popular drug therapies posed grave consequences to him which in effect eliminated medication as an option. The humiliation led to low self-esteem and eventually, he withdrew from any kind of physical relationship with Debbie.
On the other hand, Debbie is only 32 having met Jack while a student at the university while he was teaching a class in ancient cultures. She has a PhD in Anthropology but looks more like a model. She has wavy, natural blonde hair atop a 5'6" body weighing 123 pounds. Blessed with a stunningly beautiful face and stark green eyes, Debbie has shapely hips carried on long, lovely legs. With supple breasts filling a B-cup, she is a striking woman.
Although impotent, Jack's appetite for eroticism had not vanished. Having a pretty wife, he discovered a new arousal through visual stimulation. Although he never spoke to her about his feelings, he secretly harbored a desire for public exhibitionism by Debbie and encouraged a selection of fashions to provoke that behavior.
As part of their assignment, Debbie was researching the Voodoo, women who serve the Mawu, the supreme Voodoo being. Every day she went searching for the main streets and back alleys she could find to develop her understanding of the subject matter.
One day exploring an alley she abruptly ran into a strange boy about 18. She was struck by his piercing clear blue eyes. He was barefoot, dressed only in a dirty pair of shorts, and was small in stature and slightly built. With his hair in dreadlocks, his facial features and stark black complexion pointed to an aboriginal heritage. With surprising authority, he took Debbie by the hand and pulled her, leading her away. She felt unable to resist. He led her into a narrow, dim alley between broken-down shacks. Debbie asked, "Where are you taking me?" The 18-year-old just mumbled, "Hattie will see you."
"Who is Hattie?" she asked.
"Who you are seeking," was his answer.
On unsteady legs, she followed passively. The boy took Debbie to a little beachside shop. When they entered, she saw this was the place of Madam Hattie, a local fortune teller. The boy led Debbie to a small room with one lit candle in the middle of a tiny round table and then simply disappeared.
Regaining her composure, Debbie was greeted by a short, round black lady dressed in flowing purple robes. "You may call me Hattie, "I will tell you your future," and proceeded to take Debbie's hands in hers and turn them palms up studying intently. Debbie stared into her eyes and felt as if this woman was looking into her mind.
Quickly she let go of her hands and took out a deck of Tarot cards, counted out ten, and turned them face up on the table in front of Debbie. She selected 5 and pushed them toward her. She said, "These are the most important at this time for you to learn what your future holds."
She described each of the five cards, The Fool, The Devil, The Hanged Man, Death, and The Empress. Then Hattie explained "You will soon become aware of your own needs, and the desire will be very unsettling to you. Your mind is imaginative and once opened to concealed truth it will unleash a seductive thirst. You will reach the end of a phase in life which has served its purpose and will yield to another through unexpected events."
"That is very interesting Hattie, but I don't really believe in the Tarot," Debbie said trying to be cheerful but stating her convictions all the same.
Ignoring her comment and pointing to her wedding ring, Hattie asked "What is the condition of your relationship?"
Alarmed by her boldness, Debbie paused and considered what to say. Finally, she answered truthfully "He is much older than me and," hesitating, "and our relationship is, let's just say plutonic."
"Yes," Hattie affirmed confidently. "And that is a lifeless ache for one with such youth and beauty. The ache must be appeased to return pleasure to your life. You don't have to believe it. The Tarot shows only what is and not what might be if you believe." And then, looking into Debbie's eyes Hattie told her, "This old woman will help you. Quand je vous appelle, vous devez venir chez moi."
Debbie wrinkled her face not understanding. "What did you say? I don't speak French," she said.
"When the time comes you will understand," she answered.
Amused she thought, "My sex life sucks! How is she going to help me with that?"
That evening Jack and Debbie went out for dinner to a beach bar near where she had met Hattie. The crowd was a mixture of tourists and locals. There was a band playing and about half the crowd was drinking and dancing and the other half eating, listening to the music, and people-watching.
Debbie wore an ankle-length, asymmetrical hem pale green skirt with a deep side slit that barely hid a g- string panty. She had chosen a sheer net emerald green blouse that plunged to a tie just below the breast line worn over a mid-drift length see-through gauzy chemise top. At Jack's urging she wore no bra. Although the chemise and blouse were both transparent, the layering of the two teased the imagination yet offered an air of modesty. To complete her ensemble, she wore a pair of plain white heels.
After eating Jack ordered a couple of cocktails for them, and they both turned their attention on the crowded dance floor. Debbie twisted in her chair to gain a better view. It was then she noticed Mo, the strange boy from that morning. Leaning over to Jack in a low voice she said, "Casually glance over at the bar. See that black boy? He is staring at me."
As Jack looked, he found the boy just as Debbie had said, staring in her direction. "Yup, he is hoping to see your breasts," he said trying to goad her.
Debbie answered coolly, "Maybe I should let him." Jack just smiled with his approval.
