Lucky Blue Smith: How About Two?

12. 'The Ladies Bond'

Deneo gets up from beside Lucky saying, "I need something sweet to offset this residual taste, please excuse me." And so, she walks off, but feels strangely awkward doing so. Her cupboards are empty. The only things to eat are coffee and sugar granules. She personally doesn't mind the latter, but the prospect of crunching white particles in front of Lucky? Not the only reason for her timidity. She feels herself watched from behind. And so she hurries her steps, chugs down a tablespoon of sugar and crunches. Lucky breaks into laughter. Once her mouth is free from crystals, she pulls a face saying, "I prefer brown." Lucky's laughs are retriggered. Deneo can't help herself chuckling either. And the laughter makes them both dizzy, as though inebriated. Lucky's face is turned a rosy pink and Deneo's vivid imagination has her fancying a halo above his head. Then there's a light knock on the door. Deneo and Lucky are dead still pupils dilated staring at each other; to both, as ridiculous as it seems, they're on the verge of being caught doing something wrong. Lucky quickly stands from the bed, preening the duvet and himself. Once she sees him done, Deneo turns the doorknob. 

Rumble. 

Deneo has never been so relieved, and in fact happy, to see a young girl at her doorstep. "Hi Honey," Deneo fawns taking Rumble's hand. "Are you looking for daddy?" 

Rumble walks in half scared. Yet as soon as she sees her father all her fears subside. She runs into his arms and he picks her up, gives her a peck on the cheek, asking where Mommy is. Just then Nara announces her entrance. Lucky gazes at her as though she's a fairytale princess come alive, so in awe he is of her. Deneo turns to see Nara. Curls tight but bouncy, a maroon long-sleeved blouse that brings out the pinkness of her pouty lips, the radiant glow of her caramel brown skin. The shirt is cropped showing off her enviable midsection. 

Holding a baby monitor Nara makes her way over to Lucky. Lucky puts Rumble down and holds his arms out for his wife. As Deneo tries to process her slimy green envy, Lucky presses his body onto Nara's, gives her a deep - and, to Deneo, a disturbing, if not disgusting - kiss. Nara blushes unable to look Deneo in the eye. She takes Rumble by the hand and as she walks away from Lucky, he smacks her butt. 

WHAT! ON! EARTH? 

Deneo's heart explodes. She ponders giving Lucky a disapproving glance, but that would be rude. Surely a man has a right to publicly embrace his wife. 

But what Lucky did hurt Deneo. Didn't they share a moment right before his daughter came in? Deneo brushes away these thoughts, but her emotions are simmering. Nara with Rumble in hand rushes off in front of Lucky and Deneo to get back to a waking Slim. The echoing footsteps bother Deneo, and, yet again, she feels watched from behind. She ignores her seeming paranoia. 

During an interval Nara approaches Deneo asking if they can speak outside. Deneo follows her out trying hard to appear nonchalant. 

"Is there something wrong with you today, dear? You seem weighed by multiple thoughts," Nara starts, and Deneo, surprised by the sudden magnitude of her feelings for Lucky, the pain linked to them, knowing she can never have him, cannot reply. Pools of water gather at her lower eyelids, and she strains to detach herself from her emotions. Nara noticing the tears at her eye beds pulls Deneo in for a hug. Deneo doesn't withdraw, to avoid being rude. But she wishes in her heart she could pull away. Nara won. She's the one-in-a-million that Lucky chose. The one-in-billions out there for him. The mucky envy stirs up again. Deneo slowly pulls away. 

"Whatever it is dear, you can tell me," Nara expresses with sincerity. "I know because I'm married with two blessed children you may think I can't empathise, but Lucky and I have our problems too you know. Try me?" 

Deneo's curiosity is piqued. What issues could they possibly have? They're well off, beautiful, gifted...basically living a fantasy... What more could anyone ask for?

"I'm just tired of being single. Having to deal with my problems alone," Deneo almost slurs, hoping they can get back to the topic of her and Lucky having problems.  "What could you and Lucky ever be in want of? You two are practically idols living everyone's dream."

"You don't have to be alone dear. You're cute, they can snatch you up in no time, but only if you'll give them a chance."

"No man has ever even asked me out Nara."

"Shut up, are they mad?"

"Yeah, and I'm 30."

"Because you're standoffish. They're too scared you'll reject them."

"No, that's not it."

"Then what? 30 years old and never, not even once? I don't believe you."

"I kid you not. The truth is, actually, that I always like men that are out of my league."

"Like The Christ. Yeah. That seems probable."

"No, not him. The Christ is after me. I don't want Him."

"Okay, look at you girl. I feel like you're hiding a lot of spunk behind that shy persona of yours," Nara jests and Deneo laughs it off. Just then the door opens and out walks Lucky carrying a whimpering Slim at his hip. 

"He ate, his diaper's changed, he doesn't want his pacifier. I think somebody misses mommy," Lucky expresses handing Slim over before going back in the suite. Nara coddles him, and before long Slim is quietened. 

"I love watching you with your kids. You can tell they are loved deeply," Deneo says seeing how calm Slim is at her bosom.

"Lucky wants more. I don't think I can go through labour again, never mind how I'm barely coping with the two we already have."

"Oh," Deneo expresses acknowledging that this is at least one of their relationship issues.

"He doesn't want us using contraceptives, he doesn't want to get a vasectomy..."

"Hm," Deneo lets out not wanting to air out her agreement with Lucky. Surely she has no business telling a grown woman what to do with her body. It just would not come out right. Especially since being the bride of Christ means having intercourse without the ability to bear. If I told her no, you have to keep bearing children, she would be furious at my lack of empathy. 

"I got on the pill before but I experienced severe side effects so I had to stop."

"Sure... I hear you."

"I honestly don't know what to-"

"Hey, we should finish off before dinner. Are you ladies done chatting?" Lucky asks, his head peeking out the door.

"Oh, sorry hun. We got lost in our conversation, we'll be right in," Nara replies before giving Deneo a 'are-you-sure-you're-okay?' look. Deneo smiles with a light nod of the head, and just then Austin appears to her saying, "She's more than okay, she's plotting how to steal your husband from right under your nose."

Deneo follows Nara in, enflamed at Austin. She meets Lucky's gaze by mistake. Lucky looks at her puzzled. He then sharply looks away. Deneo feels like another episode is stirring up, and so she asks Lucky and Nara to excuse her for the day. Nara is shocked. Lucky is confused. But Deneo insists. They let her go.

Back at her suite Deneo says to Austin there's a difference between taking someone's husband and sharing him. God, which is you, allows the latter. I'd rather be Lucky's second, and even third wife, than be either yours or Christ's one amongst billions. How lecherous you are, you foul old man!