Crossed Paths

Ok, here it is! I apologize for the minimal amount of smut here in Chapter 2, but at this point in the story, I had an obligation to make it not feel forced. After reading through the first chapter and remembering where I wanted to go with the next installment, it was pretty easy to get back into again. There's an exorbitant amount of Mary Sewage going on in this chapter, but it's not in any overly obvious way so I think I'm allowed.  The framework of this chapter's subject matter was thought up by my previously mentioned long lost co-creator, so I needed to really inject *myself* into this part a bit. Though I'm keenly aware that Heather would make it look a lot damn better than I ever could. ;)

 

Warning: There are also plots twists you can see coming from a mile away.

 

 

 

James Sunderland leaned against a tree and took a slow drag from the cigarette in his hand.

The disapproving looks from the young ladies walking past didn't seem to bother him. He was here for a specific purpose, and doubted anyone would confiscate his drug of choice even though he was enjoying it on the property of a school. Perhaps he was even doing it for no other purpose than to stick it to the man further.

A smile spread over his face when he finally saw her. It had been so long, he wasn't sure it was her at first. But the voice and smile didn't lie: it simply had to be her. She walked side by side with another girl her age, giggling. They parted with a hug, and James shifted his weight and waited. He knew he stood out like a sore thumb, and it wouldn't take her too long to notice him. When she did, it was like a bolt of electricity shot through her. Her eyes widened, and she nearly dropped her stack of books. James smiled bigger.

The tall, slender woman reluctantly made her way to the shade of the tree with an unreadable expression on her face. James took the last drag from his cigarette and reached into his pocket. He took another from the pack and lit it, looking up to see that she was a mere four feet away now. James returned the gaze, and tried not to exhale directly into her face. "You don't seem happy to see me, Laura," he finally said.

"Sorry. I'm just embarrassed," she responded, moving in to hug him.

James laughed and returned the warm gesture. "Why on Earth would you be embarrassed?" He kissed the top of her head as she pulled away to get a good look at him.

"For a long time, I tried to hunt you down. And here you are. You found me again instead." Laura suddenly looked around, nervous. "Come on. Walk. My car is in the shop, but I don't live far from here," she ordered as she started walking.

"Wait a second-"

"Come on, James. Wanted men shouldn't be seen," she pleaded.

"What are you going to do? Introduce me as a long lost relative?"

Laura shook her head as he followed. "No introductions necessary. She's out of town," she explained, indicating her room mate. James nodded and tried to keep up.

Twenty minutes later they passed through a short gate and settled into Laura's kitchen. She eyed the neighborhood suspiciously and pulled the blinds closed. Her actions only amused James. "It seems like the friend-of-the-wanted-man is more paranoid about this visit than the wanted man himself," he mused, lighting yet another smoke.

She reached under the sink and placed an ash tray on the counter between them. "Give me one of those."  James placed a cigarette between her lips and held fire to it's end.  She puffed until a bright cherry formed, and took a large, long drag. "Thank you."

"Once you start, it's too hard to quit."

"That's true of a lot of things in life." She looked at him for a long moment. "Did you break out?" She finally asked.

"What...?" James was confused at first. Then it dawned on him what she was referring to: Prison. "Oh! No, no. They never caught me."

"You never got taken in this entire time?" Laura smiled and nodded approvingly. "Bad ass, dude."

"I never stay in the same place for long. I do odd jobs, hitchhike, you know. I didn't realize how easy it was until I was forced into it...." James decided to change the subject. "I've been traveling with a truck driver that was headed this direction and decided it was about time I checked in on you. I guess you're a lot easier to keep tabs on than I was?"

"You can say that again. I even went to your house-"

"-You were always such a resourceful kid," James interrupted.

"Yeah, I suppose I was," she giggled. "I took some stuff. You know, from your house. At night. The side door wasn't even locked." She rolled her eyes. "Stupid cops."

"Really? Hmm. What did you take?"

"I couldn't carry much. I had a pretty small back pack to cram things in;  A few home videos, some pictures of you and Mary, your marriage license, a Robbie doll, random shit to remind me of you. My step parents found it all once. I don't remember the lie I came up with to explain it anymore." Laura took the final drag from her cigarette and snuffed it out. "I'll be right back." She disappeared down the hallway and came back with a folded piece of paper. "I don't know why, but I want you to have this," she said, extending it forward.

James took it. It was one of the Welcome to Silent Hill brochures he and Mary kept from their honeymoon. At some point, Laura had apparently laminated it.

He looked at the pictures and read every single word, trying hard not to let memories from the past flood in. He knew that Laura wouldn't be able to forget everything that happened, but he didn't think she had gone to extremes to find him again. Or that she had actually kept mementos of him and Mary. He'd spent so much of his life trying to be forgotten and stay hidden. It was sobering and heartwarming to realize that someone still remembered. And cared.

He looked up with hazy eyes and tried to speak, but Laura stopped him. "You're welcome," she said knowingly.

James put the brochure in his back pocket and lit another cigarette, trying to hide his emotions. "Enough about me. What have you been up to?"

She stole another smoke from his pack and continued nonchalantly. "Not much. I've just been growing up and trying to decide what to do with this degree. I graduate next month, but you probably already knew that."

James nodded. "I wish I could be there."

Laura's eyes lit up at the thought. "Too bad, huh? It's sad because you had more of an impact on my life than everyone in it now."

"I'm sure that isn't true."

"No, it is. To an extent. I still remember everything we talked about on the way back to the orphanage. You gave me some good advise...Hey, whatever happened to your car, anyhow? They found it on a highway somewhere, right?"

"I headed south for about a week and then I just dumped it, yeah. I left some Silent Hill maps in there so they'd think that was where I was going next. I doubt it worked, though. They probably just gave up if they couldn't weasel any information out of my father."

"Yeah, your dad did seem pretty crazy," Laura answered. James's eyebrows raised at hearing this. Just how far had she gone to track him down, anyhow? "Oh, I didn't go visit him or anything like that," she corrected. "I just talked with him on the phone. I called from a pay phone so he wouldn't know the orphanage's number. When I mentioned you, he kept saying something about 'all you damn kids snooping around are going to be the death of me,' so I just hung up. He didn't seem interested in talking to me. I honestly don't know if the police ever questioned him about you or not. More than likely, though, right? He seemed like a senile old dude, just talking in circles about...nothing. It was a dead end, like everything else I tried." Laura took another drag. "For all I knew, you were dead somewhere. Or already in prison. Seemed like I would've heard something, but at least I know why I wasn't getting anywhere now."

James nodded, letting the words sink in. "Maybe I should try to go visit him next. Just to let him know my heart's still beating. I don't think he'd rat me out to the feds or anything, but I'm honestly not sure anymore. We were never overly close."

"While we're on the subject of you being on the road," she interrupted, "how much longer are you going to be here for? We could have breakfast tomorrow. There's this little-"

James started shaking his head. "I have to meet up with my buddy in a few hours, then we're off to another state."

"Cutting it a little close, aren't you? What if I'd called in sick today? We wouldn't have ran into each other."

"I decided to give luck a chance.....for once. It's a good thing I did, too. It was nice catching up." Laura held her finger up to indicate she would be right back. She disappeared once again and returned with something behind her back. "Before you leave, I want you to have this, too."

She tried to cram it into James's pocket before he could see, but he stopped her and examined it. To his surprise, it was a fairly sizeable wad of money. He counted it. $800 in fifties. He shook his head and tried to hand it back. "No, I can't take this. You need this."

Laura took a step back and refused to touch it. "Nonsense. You made sure I got where I was headed once before. I'm just returning the favor." He eyed the cash, still uncertain. "I was just going to blow it on a paint job for my Jetta anyway. Please? I insist."

James sheepishly accepted the gift. After another hour of chatting, it was time for him to head off. "Thank you," James said when both of them were standing at the door.

"No, thank you. You took a risk coming here, I'm sure." Laura suddenly seemed uneasy. "You know, I don't know if I'll ever really understand everything that happened back then," she started. James listened quietly. "I'm remembering it through the eyes of a child and all.... All I can say for certain is that I'm glad you were in my life, James. I understand why you did the things you did, and I'm sorry I was so mean to you." James smiled warmly to let her know it was all water under the bridge. She returned it. "I just wanted to say that in case I never see you again."

"I promise I'll try to see you again someday. It might not be for a while, but I'll make the effort. Ok?"

Laura fought back tears. She wrapped her arms around her friend and squeezed tight. When James tried to pull away, she gently touched his face and brought him in for a kiss. Surprising even himself, he did not fight her.

It wasn't a particularly romantic, nor even sexually explicit kiss. It wasn't wrought with the fiery passion that one bestows on their lover in the heat of the moment. Not by any stretch of the imagination. It was a close, comfortable gesture that two people share when they meet again after a long sabbatical. It was a physical manifestation of the understanding that comes from surviving a harsh and strange predicament together. As sick as the thought sounded in James's mind, there was something about it that almost felt familial. Perhaps it was, in a sense. 

Laura pulled away first, beaming a satisfied grin. She was content to act as though nothing had just happened. "I'll see you then, James."

James looked at her for only a moment. "Yes. See you then."

 

 

 

 

 

 

James walked alone along the empty road, breathing in the moist air. He had the most beautiful view of Toluca Lake today, even if it was obscured by all the fog.

He finally saw her, sitting on a wooden bench staring out at the water. He made his way down and slid onto the bench beside her, wordlessly. 

She turned and smiled broadly, leaning her body towards him. "Hello, honey."

"Hi, Mary. It's so nice to see you again."

"It's nice to see you, too. I've been so lonely! But I know we'll be together again someday."  She looked back out at the lake. "Just look at the water, James. The tress. The birds." She sighed. "Do you remember when we were here together? I was so happy, and so were you."

He looked out onto the lake also. "You should've been around the second time I came here. It didn't go so well."

"Oh, don't say that. Sometimes the worst things that happen to a person can also turn out to be the best, ultimately. I know everything you've been through since I left. Some of it was hard, but you're a much better person now. Everything that happened to you here defines you. You needed this town as much as you need to breath and eat."

James nodded. "Yeah, maybe I did."

"You did," she repeated. "Do you want to know something else that defined you? Being with her. You should go see her again."

"I don't think she'd be interested in seeing me again, honey. I just left her-"

"-You loved her," Mary interrupted. "And she loved you. You need to see her again."

James didn't argue this time. He watched as the wind moved the tree tops in the distance. A family of ducks swam along, gulping up random bits as they glided by. This place truly did have a peacefulness to it that was hard to identify. He understood why she loved it so. "I know I promised to bring you here again, Mary. I'm sorry I never got the chance to."

"Sometimes things happen that can ruin a plan. I understand." She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do you know what you can do to make it up to me?"

"What? I'll do anything."

She began shaking him back and forth. "Wake up."

James blinked. The brightness around him dimmed. "Wake up, James. We're here," a man's voice echoed. James clenched his eyes shut and reopened them. He looked forward into a dashboard, realizing where he was. He'd been dreaming. Of course.

"There's a weigh station coming up soon, too," the man continued. "So it's pretty good timing if you ask me."

James stretched and yawned, securing his pack and preparing to set off on his own again. The huge truck was pulled over on a nearly dead section of highway, and the sun was due to break the horizon in a matter of minutes. Trying to look on the bright side, James told himself that he was at least rested for the long hike he had ahead of him. "Thank you, so much, for everything," James started.

"The pleasure was mine," his driver responded evenly. "You've been the best company I've ever had. And I've been at this for a while now. And who knows? Maybe we'll see each other again some day. I'll keep an eye out for you on my routes, buddy."

James pulled some money out of his pocket and nestled it into the other man's shirt pocket. "Here. Go get yourself a nice meal and good shave," he winked, opening the door.

"You'll stay out of trouble for me, won't you?" He called out, as James climbed down to the ground.

"You know I will! Take it easy, Travis."

James closed the door and watched his friend disappear into the distance. He really was going to miss him. James took a deep breath, and walked into the forest nearby. It was going to be a long journey, but those were usually the best kind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

James sat at a table, quietly sipping coffee. He turned a page of the newspaper in his hands, barely skimming through the articles in a poor attempt to look preoccupied. He looked at the clock on the wall. Five minutes to kill.

The waitress came by with the coffee pot again, gesturing. James nodded, and she topped up his cup. "You haven't touched your food," she mentioned. "You want something else? We've got a lot more on the menu."

James looked down at the biscuits and bacon. "No, that's fine. I'm just waiting for someone. I like it a little colder, actually."

"I see," she smiled. "Hey, do I know you from somewhere? You sure look familiar, dear."

James pretended to study her face. When he came in, he'd immediately recognized her as the same buck toothed waitress who shamelessly flirted with him in the past. He had stopped eating at this dinner simply because of her. He had no idea she'd still be working here, but her I.Q. didn't really lend itself to any other profession, now that he thought about it. "Hmmmm......no. I don't think so. I haven't been in the area for quite some time. I'm just visiting. Maybe I just have one of those faces, you know?"

Her smile widened. "And such a handsome face it is," she winked.

James nodded politely and added more cream to his fresh brew. She mercifully disappeared into the kitchen when the cook shouted her name into the lobby.

The bell on the front door chimed as someone entered, and James knew that it was Danny. He didn't have to look up, he simply felt it.

Danny settled in quietly across from him in the booth. When James got his coffee just right, he finally looked up. "Hey," James greeted casually. He was almost starting to enjoy popping into old friend's lives unexpectedly while acting incredibly calm.

"'Hey?'" Danny repeated in his lovely accent. Oh, how James had missed that. "I don't see you for--how long has it been? And the first thing you say to me is 'hey?'"

James folded up the news paper and set it aside. "I'll give you some of my food as a peace offering," he tried again. "Look. I've got bacon."

Danny looked down. "That's not fair. I really like bacon," he joked back. The ice was officially broken.

The waitress came by again and took Danny's order. James finally picked up the fork and started eating his own meal. "Look," James started between bites, getting down to business. "I'm really sorry for running off like I did. If I would've said good byes, everyone would've started asking questions and shit-"

Danny shook his head. "Nah. Don't do that. You did what you had to do, man. I don't understand it, no, but I don't want to either. If the fuzz ever questions me, I don't wanna know nothing about nothing. We never had this conversation, right?"

James took that as a sign and quickly changed the subject. "So, you got married?"

"Oh, you noticed the 'Mr. and Mrs.' when you looked up my number, eh?" He displayed the band on his left hand proudly. "Yeah. I got married. Heather was there."

"Did you tell Heather I contacted you?" James asked, almost fearfully.

"No, no. But I still keep in touch with her. She stayed here for a good while after you left, then she moved for the job, you know? A few towns over. She doesn't call so much anymore. It's usually just e-mails and pictures and stuff. She always manages to make it back every spring, for the big party. She always wants to stay in a hotel, but we let her crash in the spare room. She may as well be family, right? Her and the wife are like school girls around each other. Always laughing and giving me a hard time."

James nodded. "Well, I'm glad she's still happy," he stated flatly. He hadn't expected the conversation to turn to Heather so quickly.

"I can tell you where she is if you want" Danny offered.

"Maybe later," James smiled nervously. "Right now, I just want to sit here and hear all about what you've been up to."

The waitress dropped off Danny's plate, and James ordered some scrambled eggs. It had been a while since he ate a real meal, and he was starving.

The two men talked for a while, laughing and remembering times since past. Most notable among the tid bits shared was the fact that Danny was now a father. He and his wife had twin boys two years ago. The conversation made James realize how blessed he was to have such wonderful, secretive people in his life who were capable of loving him despite the years and miles that separated them. James had ran away from so many people, just disappeared one day without any explanation, and yet they welcomed him home with open arms. They gave him something that his life was usually lacking; understanding.

When it was time for them to part ways, Danny scrolled through his phone and jotted down Heather's information. "I'm not telling you to go see her or nothing," Danny began. "I'm just giving you the opportunity, eh?"

"Thank you. I think I might, if I'm ever headed that way," James grinned casually. He knew Danny could see right through his weak acting. They both knew he was going to practically speed Heather's direction the minute he left the building.

"If you're ever in town again, you're gonna come meet the family, right?" Danny's eyes flickered with an impossible brightness and optimism. He was always so happy and warm. James reasoned he would always be that way, no matter what life put him through.

"You know I will."

The two men shared a brief hug, and James headed for the parking lot.

He was on his way across the street to his hotel when he heard Danny yelling his name from behind. He turned around, pivoting his head in confusion. "Danny?"

Danny seemed uneasy. "Listen, man," he started. "There's something else I think you should know before you go. About Heather....."

James swallowed hard, and braced himself for the worse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heather Mason bent over her back seat and collected her groceries. She ducked past the rotating sprinkler and made her way indoors. A peppy teenager greeted her and grabbed one of the full sacks. "Back already?"

"Already?" Heather parroted. "I was gone for five hours." The two sat the bounty down on the counter safely.

"She's always such an angel. The time just flies," the younger woman said sincerely.

Heather looked around. "Is she upstairs?" She asked, pulling money out of her purse.

"Yes. She's reading that book again. She's going to be a smart one."

"Let's hope so." Heather handed over the money and winked. "Thank you. I'll take it from here."

"I'll be here the same time next week," she said cheerfully, patting Heather on the shoulder. "Tell her I said goodbye?"

"She might actually notice this time," Heather laughed.

The front door closed, and Heather decided to head upstairs and recruit some help restocking the kitchen. She crept to the child's bedroom door and watched from the hallway. The six year old was strewn out across the bed on her stomach, reading a book with her head propped up on both hands. She absentmindedly kicked her feet in the air, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the world. After a few minutes, the child sighed. "I know you're there," she said, without gazing up.

Heather smiled. "Why aren't you outside playing?" She strolled into the room and gently sat on edge of the bed.

"I was outside every day this week. What if I get sunburned?" 

"That's why you're supposed to wear sunblock, honey."

She ignored the advise. "Did the babysitter leave?"

"Yes."

The girl finally looked up. "She's nice. She's a lot better than that other one. He smelled funny."

Heather laughed. "Oh, really? What did the other babysitter smell like?"

"I don't know. Like spices and salt. It was that weird stuff he always wore," she looked out the window in contemplation. "And he was always looking at your butt."

Heather blinked. "Well then....it's a good thing we got rid of him." She cleared her throat. "Come to the kitchen. I bought groceries, and you're gong to help me put them away."

The youngster smiled and did as she was told.

A few minutes later, the girl was finished and running back up the stairs to read. "Let me know when you want to start dinner!" She called down. Heather rolled her eyes and grabbed the broom. Her daughter was predictable, if nothing else.

Heather was rummaging through the closet to find a dust pan when the door bell rang. The slightest bit of frustration rose as she made her way to the living room. She was mentally making a check list of all the things she had left to do that evening, when she was hit by a ton of bricks. Awaiting her on the other side of the door was a face she never thought she'd see again. A face that had brought her equal amounts of pain and joy. A face, she now realized, that she had half a mind to slap.

James Sunderland was standing on her front porch.

Heather blinked. Her heart began pounding in her chest, and she felt her face flush with a mix of confusion and fury.

"Can I come in?" He finally asked gently.

Heather said nothing, but stood aside.

James quietly closed the door behind them as Heather walked to the bottom of the stairs. "Honey?" She yelled towards her child, voice shaking. She closed her eyes and waited for a response.

"Yes?" an uncertain voice answered.

"Honey, mommy has a visitor. It's someone I haven't seen in a very long time, and I want you to close your door and don't come out until I come get you. Do you understand?"

There was a brief pause. "Is something wrong?"

Heather's eyes remained closed, and she stayed perfectly still. "No. Everything's fine. Just keep reading and stay in your room. Do you understand?"

Another pause. "Ok." Heather heard the soft click of the girl's door closing.

James kept a safe distance, and did not sit down. For a minute, neither of them were brave enough to move. The silence in the room was almost deafening. James let his gaze hover over some of the family photos in the room, but quickly looked away as Heather turned around to face him. She leaned against the banister with a serious expression on her face. Then she finally asked the simple, one word question she had wanted to ask James for the past seven years;

"Why?"

He inhaled to speak, but was interrupted. "No, no, no. Maybe not 'why,' so much as 'what.' As in 'what' are you doing here, and 'what' do you want?" Her voice remained stern, but calm.

James looked up from the floor, and stared Heather down. His expression was subdued, almost hurt. "I'm here to see my family," he tried.

Heather released a mocking chuckle. "This is my family. As I recall, you walked out on it."

The words formed a shard that planted straight into his heart. James noticeable jerked as it hit him. He was certain this visit wasn't going to be easy, but he had no idea it was going to be this hard either.

"Heather," he breathed, attempting reason. "I'm sorry for what I did. But you know I was right. It would've never worked out between us."

They both let the words hang in the air.

Heather balanced her arm on her hip defensively. "How did you find me?"

"The directory," he lied. "I honestly thought you'd be married by now." James didn't dare mention Danny's part in this. He was a saint for supplying him with the information, and James would be damned before he would put strain on his loved ones' friendship together. James finally got the courage to walk over to the book case and openly admire the picture of Heather with her girl. Cheerful eyes and golden hair stared back at him. "You sure don't waste any time, though. How old is she?"

"She's six," Heather intoned quietly. "She's yours."

Hearing Heather say it aloud was surreal. Tears wanted to pool in his eyes, but he smoothly fought them down without a trace of emotion. "What's her name?" As he asked, he already knew the answer.

"Laura. I named her after that girl you never got the chance to adopt."



He nodded. "That's good. 'James Jr.' doesn't sound as pretty."



The poor attempt at humor made Heather's anger return. "Why did you come see us? So you could make her love you and then disappear?"



"I don't want to hurt either of you. I just wanted to see my family. At least once."

 

Heather thought for a moment. "And then you're leaving, right?"

He shrugged. "It's not wise for me to stay in one place too long. You know that."

 

"I know?" Heather asked. "What exactly do I know? You never actually told me anything. Remember?"



"You know I broke the law. That's all you need to know.," he insisted.

Heather knew from experience there was no point in arguing this particular scenario. They would fight in circles for hours until neither of them could continue. This was something she didn't have the time nor energy for right now. "You're going to have to leave soon," she said wearily.

"Why?"

"Laura and I have to clean up and get dinner started. My boyfriend is coming over in a few hours."

James swallowed. "So you want me to just leave and never come back...?"

 

"How much longer are you in town?"



His eyes scanned the ceiling as he pretended to think carefully. "I think I could manage to stick around for maybe a week." Then he added "maximum."

Heather shook her head, but at least he was making progress. "I've been pretty busy lately, but I'm going to be home alone on Thursday about this time."



Good enough. "I'll be here."

 

 

 

 

 

 

James spent the next several days wrestling with his thoughts. Seeing Heather again had brought up some painful and conflicting emotions.

There was no way he could've known she was pregnant when he left. According to Danny, Heather didn't even know herself until a few months afterwards. Perhaps it didn't count as being the typical deadbeat dad if one weren't specifically aware of the dad aspect, but he felt a weighing guilt nonetheless. Still, in his heart of hearts, he knew that walking out on her was the right thing to do. He would have had a moral obligation to leave after the pregnancy was discovered anyhow, and that would've made it all the more difficult for both of them. If there were any Gods in the heavens keeping watch on James's life, they certainly had a twisted sense of humor; the one thing he truly wanted was now the one thing he couldn't ever achieve. After being honest with himself, he knew that everything turned out as positive as it possibly as it could. Given the chance, he wouldn't do anything different.

When Thursday came around, Heather and James were ready. They both had enough time to recover from the initial shock and come to terms with the situation.

He showed up with a single yellow rose in a weak attempt to be charming, but Heather's response was uncharacteristically neutral. It was just another detail she would have to lie about later when anyone asked where it came from. She placed it in a vase and pretended to admire it. "You never brought me flowers when we were together," she mused.

"Really? I thought I did on a few Valentine's Days."

"Maybe you did. It's hard to remember. Thank you, anyhow."

"So, what have you been up to since I left?"

"Well, I-" Heather stopped talking and watched James light a cigarette with wide eyes.

He suddenly realized he was in someone else's home. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. Is it alright if I smoke in here?"

She went to a cupboard and returned with a small dish for her guest to ash into. "I suppose so, considering you already are." The slight annoyance in her tone was replaced with curiosity. "When did you start smoking?"

 

"Over a year ago. I was traveling with this young punk that smoked like a chimney. I think I eventually got addicted to his secondhand."

"What happened to him?"

James went quiet and lowered his eyes. For some reason, the inquiry had struck a nerve. "You're killing me with all these questions," he joked. "I want to hear about what you've been up to."

"There isn't much to tell, actually. I've just been raising our daughter and living life."

 

"Living it up with your new man?" he pried.

 

Heather hid the smile that wanted to creep onto her face. She knew James was probably furious that another man was playing the role of Laura's father. Maybe he was also angry that another man was in her bed, though he didn't have the right to be. "My newest man, yes. You'd like him. He's an accountant."

James snickered. "An accountant? You couldn't find someone more interesting than me after all this time?"



"Oh, he's plenty interesting." Heather raised an eyebrow. "He struck me as the quiet type at first, but then I got him alone."

Not wanting to give Heather the satisfaction of irritating him, James changed the subject. "Nice. So, is Laura more like you or me?"



"I don't know. I guess she's more like my father than anyone else I've known. If I didn't know any better, I'd think she was bipolar."



James laughed. "She'll have more of a personality once she hits high school, I'm sure. Kids are always that way when they're young. Have their whole lives ahead of them...."

"I don't even remember what that's like," she replied. "There are some days I want to kick myself for not just going to school or something when I had the chance."

"You're doing just fine as far as I'm concerned. Plus, you still look good."

"You always looked good too, old man," she teased. "Do you want something to drink?"



"Sure. What do you have?"

Two hours later the sun was nestled on the horizon and the neighborhood was peaceful. A woman walking her dog heard laughter coming from Heather's living room as she briskly passed.

 

The two were sitting on the couch covered in a dull haze of James's smoke. Heather poured some more bourbon over the ice in her glass and continued listening. "So I heard moaning and thought someone was hurt," James said with hands up, animating the narrative. "I went to go check it out, and these two teenagers were going at it. Way out there! They snuck out to the middle of the desert just to get it on." He paused to take another sip. "They spot me, and they start freaking out. They're putting their clothes back on and everything. I say 'what are you kids doing way out here?' And the guy's mad. He says, 'what the hell does it look like?' So I say, 'I know what it looks like, but it sounds like you were killing a jackrabbit.'"

Heather put her hand to her mouth and giggled. "What happened next? Did you mug them?"

James rolled his eyes at the joke. "They were pretty cool after we started talking. We camped out for the night. I started a fire for them, so they gave me a free ride into town. The girl's parents were away, so she let me crash on her couch for a few nights. It was nice."

 

"Sounds like your life has been a lot more interesting than mine, I'm sorry to say."

James looked around, assessing her situation. "I don't know. I'd give anything to have what you've got. A nice quiet life, a beautiful girl......sounds perfect."

Heather looked up at him with soft eyes, and spoke seriously. "I used to think about what life would've been like if you'd helped me raise her. I think the way things turned out was best. I'm not mad anymore."

 

James took yet another sip. "It is what it is," he agreed. "It would've been nice, though. To have been a father to her." He resisted the urge say something further about what his role to Heather would've been during that time.

"Yeah. We had fun together, didn't we?" It was an innocent enough of a comment, but it made the mood tense. Reminiscing on their time together as a couple probably wasn't the best idea right now, considering they had both been drinking. And not to mention the fact that Heather was currently spoken for.

"Of course. How much longer do we have? I can leave whenever you need me to." He eyed the clock.

"We have the entire night, actually. I don't have to pick Laura up until the morning. She's at a slumber party."

If that wasn't a red flag, James didn't know what was. "Oh. You're not expecting any other company either?"

Heather shook her head. "No, he's out of town for the rest of the week," she answered, knowing James was probably referring to her boyfriend. "Everyone in his department had to go to some stupid 'communication and tolerance' seminar for a few days." She tipped her glass, finishing it. "So it's just you and me." James felt a knot form in his throat. Was Heather expecting something to happen tonight? He was almost embarrassed at the thought crossing his mind. He was a little rusty, but he was fairly certain he could still recognize when a woman was giving him signals. Especially this woman. His suspicions were confirmed when Heather slid off her sweater, revealing a low cut tank top. "This stuff is really warming me up," she commented, grabbing the bottle to pour some more.

"You don't want to pick your daughter up with a hang over, do you? Maybe you've had enough." James reached out to politely grab the bottle away, but his hand landed on hers. They both stopped. It was the first physical contact they'd shared in quite a while.

Heather pulled away first, with the alcohol still in hand. "Just because you're old enough to be my father doesn't mean you have to act like it," she joked with a smile. She poured some into his empty glass as well as hers. "We're just two old friends visiting and having a drink together. What's wrong with that?"

 

"Nothing at all," he answered, letting his gaze skim over her frame. "I just don't think these two old friends need to be hammered while they're alone together."

She suddenly seemed amused. "Why is that? Are you saying a little liquid courage is making you want to ravage me?"

 

He decided not to fight it. "Be careful. If you keep throwing yourself at me like this, I just might," he said evenly.



"No, I think 'throwing myself at you' would look a little more like this." With that, Heather was in his lap tasting the nicotine and warmth he'd been consuming all night.  In the back of her mind she felt a tinge of guilt for this indulgence, but she sensed it was something they both really needed. She had no way of knowing if she would ever see James again, and she had every intention of bidding him farewell the right way.



There was no hesitation in either of them, no period of time necessary to experiment and prod as one has to do with a new lover. They were venturing into territory that was all too familiar, and no length of time passing could make either forget the other one's touch. 

James curled his hands around Heather and grabbed at her hungrily. This felt wonderful, but the alcohol in his system wasn't doing quite a good enough job of suppressing his sudden uncertainty. He was well aware of his increasing age, and worried for a moment that he might not be up to the challenge. Though if anyone were capable of getting James up these days, it would be Heather. James's wandering hands ventured under Heather's shirt as they continued to kiss. The tingling sensation in his lap erased any uncertainty James was feeling. Heather impatiently rolled her shirt and bra over her head and cast them aside. James leaned forward to take her nipple into his mouth, but was stopped as her fingers fumbled to remove his belt. He smiled and grabbed them. "Why are you in such a hurry, dear? I thought you said we had all night."

Heather pushed him against the couch to assert her dominance. He was in her home, and by her invitation at that. "I've always appreciated your ability to take your time," she started, finally removing his belt and rubbing him through his pants. "You know that. But this time, we're going to do things my way." She stood to kick off her panties and skirt. Only one of her sandals went along with them, but she didn't seem concerned.  James followed suit and threw his shirt onto the pile of clothing that was accumulating on the floor. Heather practically tore the remainder of his trappings off and lead him back down to a sitting position.

She straddled him and lowered herself down slowly, savoring the way it felt to have James inside her again. He inhaled the familiar smell of her skin and scolded himself for not visiting her years ago. If he would've known she had this on her mind again, nothing would've been able to keep him away. He nuzzled his head into Heather's chest as her lower half fell into a hypnotic slow grind. He pulled her down onto him even deeper, sending a shiver shooting up her spine and all the way back down again. Heather squeezed his shoulder and sucked air through her teeth in response. This was starting to feel so good that she reached in between their bodies to stroke her clit. It was a move he had seen her do many times before and almost forgotten about. He happily leaned back to watch her work, ignoring the sensations running through his own nerves to focus on hers. Every now and then he would thrust up into her deeper, moaning along. The last time he did so, it sent her legs into a gentle shiver and caused her to move faster. James closed his eyes and exhaled. His hand wandered up to knead one of her breasts, making her moan. God, this felt so good. She was drawing an orgasm to his surface like an itch that needed to be scratched.



Heather's leg shaking intensified along with her breathing. James could tell she was getting closer, and he wanted to be holding the reigns when she came. His left hand settled into the small of her back, wiping away tiny beads of sweat. His right hand pressed into her stomach, stilling her. Despite Heather's confusion, she returned the flurry of kisses James started assaulting her with. Suddenly James had her weight supported and was carrying her. It was so quick and unexpected that she almost fell. Her toes slammed into the floor for balance, and nails of both hands dug into his shoulders at the same time. James didn't seem to notice. His lips returned over hers, and he continued leading her backwards. Heather didn't understand what he was doing until her back was firm against the wall. James pinned her hard, pushing his stiff column of flesh into her stomach with a groan. His hands smoothed their way down her sides until they reached her buttocks. He cupped them and lifted her up to his height with nearly no effort. She was still as light as a feather, and he was in spectacular shape thanks to his lifestyle. This was going to be even easier than he thought.  

Heather's palms pressed hard into the wall on either side of her to help alleviate the stress on James's back, but the gesture was equally as unnecessary as it was ineffective. He smiled and let himself enjoy a slow, deep breath along Heather's shoulder. He was teasing her; playing the part of a predator deciding what to do with it's prey. He continued up her neck and stopped at the side of her face, breathing into her ear. Every nerve in Heather's body felt like it was going to explode. Her eyelashes flickered delicately, and her eyes rolled back in response to the tantalizing way he was possessing her. She was enjoying this, just like she always did, and they both knew it.

His tongue curled along the length of her ear like an animal. "What were you saying earlier? About doing this your way?" James whispered.

By now Heather was taking in tiny, pitiful gasps of air to sustain her. With James, sex always managed to turn into a power struggle. It was the one aspect of their dynamic together that excited and captivated her to the very core. Having to be without it for so long made it all the more decadent. "You never listened before," she breathed. "Why start now?"



To answer, he finally slammed back inside her and reveled in the sound it caused her to release. Her knuckles paled to white as James thrust deep, hitting the perfect spot. Heather's pelvis melted like butter as her gaze shifted erratically around the room.  The random sundries reminded her of the daily life she was currently content to forget. She was allowing herself to be sucked deeper into the past; a past, she now realized, that made her feel more alive and complete than anything else in this world could ever hope to. James indeed was a dangerous man, though breaking the law was not a factor. The ecstasy he induced by manipulating her body and mind was like a drug she was becoming addicted to all over again. Just as last time, the more she was given the more she craved. She feared what would happen when the substance were removed from her once more.

Heather's leg wrapped around the back of his, and her hands found a higher position on the wall to brace against. Her chest heaved, not only from the effort to breathe but also the from the forgotten emotions that stirred within her. James rested his nose on Heather's cheek and inhaled the saltiness pooling on her skin. He could tell from her body language that she was nearing an orgasm again. Instilling such intense pleasure in her was not second to his own release. He ached to feel her climax around him as she had so many times before, and promptly quickened his pace.

A sly idea struck him then. He wanted to be sure she remembered who was doing this to her; wanted her to say it aloud. "Say my name," James forced out, punctuating the sentence with a moan.

Was he being serious? "What?"

"Say it," he ordered again. He plunged impossibly deep to persuade her.   

"James," practically fell out of her mouth on reflex as the orgasm finally boiled through her. Only moments later, James joined her and his hips remained still and shaking.       



Heather's feet touched the floor, and she did her best to dizzily support her own weight.

Neither one spoke as their love faded away, and reality came creeping back.