Capricorn Season - Jimmy Page

Chapter 16 Part 3

She finished the dusting with one final swipe and smoothed down her sweater. She walked from the living room to the kitchen, surveying her handiwork. The carpet was vacuumed, the first floor was dusted, and the dishes were done. The house smelled like vanilla and laundry detergent.

Lucy jumped on the counter and sat beside her busy hands, tail swaying as she cut a watermelon. The long silver knife glided through the grainy meat of the melon and slid out with a squelching sound as she went to the next section. She sliced the red body, producing a long and thin strip. She worked until the chunk was free to slide into a plastic bowl. Pink sticky juices pooled under and around the ridges of the bowl, creating a mess Lucy was impatiently waiting to slurp up.

The sun was brighter this day than it had been all month. Streams of white light trickled in through the sliding glass door that was positioned between the living room and kitchen. Sallow shapes sat on the counter, created by the curtains that framed the kitchen window.

She looked out the window as time slipped by. She couldn't tell if two minutes or hours had passed. The days all seemed to melt together, molded only by the monotony of waking and falling unconscious. Even work was stilling into a boring chore.

The only chip in her tedious tasks was Lucy, who was brushing against her legs. The familiar tickle broke her from the staring spell. She looked down at the pile of partially cut fruit and sighed. She'd made a mess.

It wasn't long before a car pulled into the driveway. Gwen hadn't finished dicing the pears before the front door opened with a creaking welcome whistle. She made her way to the hall to see Jimmy.

There he was, standing before her, and now he had a beard. A beard! She couldn't believe it. His face was soft and round as always, now complete with a thick tangle of facial hair. His eyes were clear and tired, a dichotomy that created an innocent look. He looked so dapper.

He stripped the scarf from his neck and hung his coat up. Then he was left in his sweater. Before she could say anything more Robert was trailing in behind him.

"Gwen, hi," his voice was soft and round and filled the hall. He too had a patch of facial hair growing in, but his was blonde and short, much shorter than Jimmy's, "you look ravishing. Love that sweater on you, dear. Do you have any tea? And the bathroom, I need it."

"Hi," She smiled and stepped closer to hug him, "yes, we have tea. I'm finishing it right now. I can't believe you guys are back. It feels like it's been an eternity." Her hands brushed against the smooth material of his coat. It was soft and pleasant as his presence.

His hands were on her arms. He hadn't taken his coat off yet. It was puffy and made of patterned fur. It looked a bit ridiculous but she thought he made it work. "It does seem that way, doesn't it? Especially since we've seen each other."

"Yes, exactly."

He flashed his leatherette smile, thin and cheesy, but stunning nonetheless. "But the bathroom, love, where is it?"

She laughed. "The one on this floor isn't working right now. You can use the one upstairs between our bedroom and the spare room." Her words sent him up the wooden stairs, each one creaking under the weight of his bounding step.

"Is that my sweater?" Jimmy asked, his eyes fixated on her with a sweet glaze.

She smiled, her lips pressed together and drawn into a plump line. Her cheeks were tinted pink. "Yeah. I missed you and it smelled like you."

He grabbed her hands and held them, looking at her eyes. Her pupils were wide, the black circles drawn to the edges of her irises like curtains framing windows of golden light. Her cheeks were pink like roses, her lips were Christmas poinsettias he waited all year to press his hands into.

They hid away in the hall, the only light came from the window on the front door and a candle on the table beside them. Wax dripped from the mouth of the white glim, collecting in a puddle around the bottom. The droplets hardened before more could fall.

The warmth from her hands and smile were melting him too, and now he flowed from her soft frame like wax. He was gathered in a pool at her feet, staring up at her shining face.

"I missed your scent too. Your hair smells so good. And your skin... I don't know what lotion you use, but it smells so good. Like home."

She giggled. "We should get back before they start to wonder where we are."

"Or," he took his hands from hers and rested them on either side of her face, "I could do this for the time in weeks." He kissed her, gently and sweetly.

She swooned. Oh, how she had missed the feeling of his lips. He was such a good kisser. Now she was a waxy puddle on his patent leather loafers.

When he was finished, pulling away only to breathe once more, she wrapped her arms around his torso. She lay her head on his chest and breathed him in. Not just his scent, but his esse. He had such a pervasive quality about him. It was tangible, she could consume it.

He turned to walk away but she held on, stopping his movement. "Shall we get back?"

"I just want to stay like this for a little bit longer. I've missed my Jimmy."

"I can't say no to that."

He embraced her, clasping his hands on her back, and rested his head on hers. They stood in the hall for what seemed like an eternity. They had returned to the place where only they existed. God shook the contents of the Earth from the grassy bulb and left the lovers to lie in their regard.

They apparently had been hiding away for too long. Their guests had begun to look for them. Robert asked the girls where they could be and Carmen took it upon herself to lead her parents to the two.

"There you are. We were wondering where you'd gone off to." Robert smirked in the pallid light.

Jimmy and Gwen separated, feeling caught. Like two teenagers, they stood away from each other and looked sheepishly at their friends.

"It's a good thing Carmen is such a good detective. Who knows if we'd ever find you two if she hadn't been here."

The baby smiled at everyone, content with her father's praise. She had inherited his love of the spotlight. Just as he, she never tired of hearing a stream of good words about herself.