Author's Note: This story contains loose dream logic and involves the loss of a sibling. I'd describe the tone as wistful, melodramatic. More cathartic than erotic.
***
"What the heck is that?" Belle asked.
Ken held up a thin metallic helmet, fingers wrapped around its glossy contours. To Belle, the object looked like it belonged in the year 3000, more than it did in the hands of her nephew.
"It's a prototype my team's working on," Ken replied. "This gadget's called Lucid—Seelby's future award-winning consumer product, at least I'm hoping so. The helmet induces more restful sleep. And a lucid dream."
"Restful sleep, huh?" Belle said.
"Perfect for a new mother," Ken added. "Has your name written all over it."
Belle then turned to Eva. "What are your thoughts on this thing? Is your boyfriend here a boy-genius, or just talking out of his butt?"
Eva smiled. "I've actually tried on the helmet, Belle. My sleep did improve. But it didn't give me a dream, much less a lucid one. Cute boy-genius here hasn't had one either."
Ken faced his aunt. "Third time's a charm. Maybe it'll work on you."
Belle took the helmet, inspected every curve in its futuristic design. "And here I thought you guys came over to play board games. Not make me your guinea pig experiment."
"Well," Ken said with a grin, "there's only so many times I can lose to you in Scrabble before I get bored. But seriously, Belle, we know taking care of a newborn is no small feat. Let Eva and I take a shift. We'll babysit Nathan for you while you catch up on sleep."
"Tempting..." Belle said. "Has your uncle left for work yet?"
On cue, Artie appeared. He leaned on the door jamb, at the foot of the guest room where the group was gathered.
"Hey B," he said, "I just put Nathan down for his nap. Leaving for my work trip now."
"Wait up, Uncle Artie!" Ken said. "Do you mind getting your wife here to test out my cool, new sleep helmet? The one that, y'know, if successful, will net me that promotion I desperately deserve."
"Jesus Ken, don't be so dramatic," Belle said jokingly. "I'll give the alien-looking thing a spin. You already had me at restful sleep."
Belle stood up to lend her husband a cute peck, then turned back to Ken and Eva. "Thanks for watching Nathan. Feel free to wake me if he starts crying." She then exited the guest room, the metallic helmet in hand.
Artie waited until his wife was out of range of his voice. "Hey guys, how's Belle been today? Tinge of sadness? Today's her brother's birthday."
"I thought Johnny just celebrated his, when he last visited here," Ken said.
"No, not his... Noah's," Artie replied.
"Oh, right..."
"Yeah..."
Eva's eyes pinged between her boyfriend and his uncle, wondering what type of coded communication they were sharing.
"Right, I'm off to the airport then," Artie said. "Thanks for coming over to play Scrabble with Belle. And for watching over Nathan. Belle does deserve some well-needed rest. Hoping your helmet tech gives it to her."
After Artie left, Eva sidled up to her boyfriend, curious. "I didn't know Belle has another brother."
"Had," Ken clarified, delicately.
"I see... Um, what happened?"
"Sorry Eva, not sure it's my story to tell..."
***
In her master bedroom, Belle Adelson lay on her back, atop her mattress.
She stared at herself in the mirror affixed to her ceiling, then slipped the sleek helmet over her blonde hair, immediately thinking how kooky she looked with it on. But whatever, good sleep was a luxury to a new parent. She'd happily endure worse for a recharged battery.
Eyes closed, Belle deepened her breaths, and began counting sheep...
***
Chapter 1
Render
Belle stepped out of a gaudy airport terminal, exited through automatic sliding doors, only to find herself in the middle of a bustling downtown area.
Oblivious to the peculiar transition in setting, she continued strolling along the sidewalk, feeling tired and irritable. Yet excited for the day ahead.
Men on the street walked past her, all of them turning their heads to look back in her direction. Interestingly, each one looked like a wealthy philanthropist or a dashing male model. Belle didn't question this fact. Didn't think to.
She herself was a model. To her, this streetscape of sizzling men was inspiring a sudden shift in her libido. She continued walking, a runway strut now marking her gait, welcoming every pair of eyes that fixated on her in her red dress that screamed
fuck me
.
Familiar signage then caught her eye. Her favorite luxury hotel brand had its typeface slapped onto a six-story building, with the name of her hometown printed right below it.
Belle excitedly entered the hotel's lobby, her high heels steering her to the ground-floor bar. She took a seat at its counter, her eyes drawn to the wall of distilled spirits.
"What can I get you, ma'am?" the attractive bartender asked.
Your number,
she wanted to say. Or rather,
a room key
. Belle didn't know why she was feeling so horny, but she rode the rising wave, looking to score some pleasure.
"Still deciding on a drink," she said. "Come back to me."
"Take your time," he replied. "And this room key too. My shift ends in six hours. If you can wait that long..." He winked at her as he handed over a keycard, before leaving to tend to other patrons.
Belle puffed out a heady breath, trying to steady her growing urges. She definitely couldn't wait
that
long for some cock. She needed someone now!
She looked down the length of the bar counter. There, she saw a lanky man, maybe a handful of years younger than her. He wasn't as ruggedly handsome as the bartender, but he wasn't a slouch either.
More interestingly, this man had his eyes pointed down at his phone, not tuned into her in the least, something she found all the more alluring.
She scooted over six barstools to engage him, flashed him her pearly whites, the irresistible bait.
"Hi there. Can I join you?" she asked.
"K," he replied, not exactly chomping on the lure, only making Belle want him more.
"Looks like that's vodka you're drinking. My favorite."
"It's water," he replied flatly. "Tap water."
She couldn't tell if he was joking, perhaps playing hard to get. He definitely wasn't smiling as if he was. Now she was curious. Men rarely turned her down when she approached them like this.
"Water's hardly fitting," she said, trying to be flirty. "You're in an upscale bar in an upscale hotel."
"I guess I just like the ambience here."
She expected him to follow up, to say he also loved the
views,
as he ogled the length of her body. But he wasn't ogling her at all. Belle was intrigued, increasingly drawn to his aura. Had to know more about him.
"Hey buddy!" She gripped his drink glass, getting his attention. "I'll just be upfront with you. I just got off a long flight. Finished three gigs, back-to-back-to-back! I'd like some company. Yours! And I've got a room here. How's that sound to ya?"
He took another sip of his water, then offered her the final swig. She gulped it down, confirming that his drink was, in fact, just water.
"Sure, lady. Could be fun," he said, so unbothered.
Belle snatched this stranger's hand and pulled him with her out of the bar, straight into an open elevator. Belle had a one-track mind to get fucked, and nothing was going to stop her from doing what she wanted.
On the 6th floor, she dragged her company with her into a suite, then made a beeline toward the bed. Told him to lose the clothes, pronto!
Belle herself undressed to her underwear, freeing her slender curves from her figure-hugging red number.
"Do you like my body?" she said, teasing him.
"You must be a model."
"Spot on!" she replied, excited that she and this guy looked like they were finally getting on the same page.
Now in lingerie, a lacy crimson two-piece, Belle flung a condom the man's way. "You're going to fuck me good, got it? I so need this today! I'm fucking exhausted. Flown 15,000 miles the past week!"
"Okay," was all he said back.
***
Six minutes later, in bed, the man turned over onto his back, having withdrawn himself from inside Belle, his condom hot with cum.
"Holy fuck, lady!" He panted endlessly, trying to catch his breath. "You're incredible!"
Belle avoided eye contact, having endured some of the worst sex of her life. The guy's movements were often awkward, not fluid in the least. He could've used way more practice, she thought...
"Uh, thanks for a good time," she said, lying through her teeth.
"Ow! My head!" he shouted.
Belle observed her odd lover, his hand rubbing his temples. "You good?" she asked.
"Yeah, it was just a small jolt. But it felt like a dam broke inside my brain. All of a sudden, I'm remembering my parents, I think. Their names, what they looked like. For the first time in my life."
Belle got off the bed, unsure how to respond to his random confession. She began dressing up, donning a pink-colored sundress that'd appeared on a side table.
The man stood up too, still naked, politely covering his crotch. "Hey lady, can I take a bath here? I need to relax my busy brain, cleanse it or something. Do you mind?" He glanced in the direction of the suite's bathroom, then back at Belle.
She nodded yes. What else was she going to say?
No?
The only thing on Belle's mind now was how she could neatly ditch this eccentric stranger...
***
Minutes later, Belle continued staring at the closed door of the suite's bathroom, its lone male occupant inside, taking his supposed bath.
She wondered why she even needed to linger. If she wanted to leave, she could. She was her own woman, with her own freedom. To pursue things to her heart's desire.
She picked her feet up then, and coldly fled the suite, returning to the hotel's lobby, eyes now aimed at its exit. Before she reached it though, the attractive bartender from earlier appeared in her path.
