Chapter Eighteen: Part Two
The lovers savoured the balmy air and fragrant scents of the summer night as he led her to a table on the balcony. Fussing to ensure Kate was warm in her bathrobe, his hand cupped a breast for a moment before his fingertips slid up her chest and throat to muss her hair in slow, luxuriant movements, kissing her neck when her eyes fell closed. He went inside and returned a few moments later carrying two linen wrapped glasses of hot tea. Kate could smell the chamomile and peppermint, but other scents defied her identification. It was different and delicious.
A siren’s wail in the city below broke both of them out of their silent stupor. They had stalled, lost in each other’s eyes. Neither had the slightest clue how long they had been like that, and they laughed happily at the cliché of the moment.
Rick brought out some sweet, ripe pineapple pieces and a clear, dark dipping sauce of lime, balsamic vinegar and honey, with a touch of soy and chilli. Kate looked at him in amazement, tasting a hint of mint as well, each flavour balanced by something else.
‘Where did you get fresh fruit from?’ she asked.
‘Harold came by earlier with a care package of fruit and milk, those kinds of things. Just the essentials.’
‘Well thank you Harold,’ she said. ‘The pineapple is delicious.’ Rick smiled, nodding his affirmation as they browsed on the fruit.
Suddenly serious again and looking at her intently, Rick said, ‘Kate, I want to take you to my bed and make love to you.’ Kate held her arms up. He smiled and scooped her up. As she snuggled, purring into his chest, she said, ‘You know, Rick, every time you carry me like this, I just melt inside and go all gooey.’ His smile and chuckle told her that he knew exactly what effect he was having on her.
Kate and Rick shared themselves, experiencing and exploring each other. Their lovemaking was unhurried, playful, joyous, sensuous and wonderful. Sleep eventually found them in the small hours of the morning.
~~~~~
Feeling refreshed from her shower, Kate walked back into the sunlit bedroom. She found a pair of jeans, a shirt and some underwear on their bed, with a pair of sneakers on the floor.
Rick emerged from the bathroom a few moments later, wearing just a towel as she finished getting dressed.
‘Thank you for these, Rick. I don’t know how you do it, they fit beautifully.’
‘That is actually via Dom’s couturier’s assistant. She does personal shopping for Dom. I think she has a crush on him, but that’s also about par for the course,’ he said, rolling his eyes. ‘She already knows your size and preferences. Dom loves his family to feel cared for. They most likely slipped a case to Harold while we were at dinner.’
‘I can buy my own clothes you know.’
‘Of course I know that, but you could not have conveniently bought them in a timely fashion on this very morning. Juanita acted upon a first-approximation assumption that they may be required. If they were not, you’d never have known. We are a close family, Kate. I could easily imagine you doing the same thing, given the opportunity.’
Kate considered what he had said and smiled. ‘Has anyone ever told you that you have a silver tongue? Yes, I could only hope that I would be so thoughtful.’
~~~~~
Strolling the few blocks from Rick’s apartment to the Sunday markets overlooking the water, the lovers soaked up the warmth of the morning. Instead of breakfast, they browsed on tasty morsels at half a dozen different stalls. Enjoying everything about each other and their morning, basking in each other’s company, and delighting in discovering how many food preferences they shared. Their topics of conversation varied wildly as they unleashed their intellects with each other. Their in-depth discussions and rapid changes of topic excited their minds, and their bodies followed willingly into that state of arousal, their shared anticipation tantalising them.
After being served by an old woman that Rick clearly knew, they sat on upturned crates and shared lunch behind a market stall, eating a fisherman’s stew over wilted greens from well-used bowls. With her first spoonful, Kate knew this meal would have Carrie in gastronomic heaven. Rubbed with olive oil and lemon, the home baked sourdough bread complemented the stew perfectly. When Kate requested a small second helping, the old woman poked fun at Rick. Missing a substantial number of teeth and with a floral scarf around her head, she laughed with ribald abandon when, wiggling his eyebrows, Rick asked for a little more as well. Kate guessed that there were aphrodisiac properties associated with the stew and winked to her with outrageous innuendo as she passed Rick his second helping, causing the woman to burst out laughing again.
Wandering along the rows of stalls set up next to the boardwalk, they came across a shallow amphitheatre, its circular space ringed by fixed tables and seats. Each table held a chessboard and a pair of combatants concentrating on their chequered battlefields, moving their pieces at a rapid pace. After watching a few games to assess the opposition, Rick sat in the place of a recently vanquished player. He quickly won, his victim protesting that Rick got lucky, but with a well-worn smile on his face. That he called Rick by name offered context to the light-hearted trash-talk flying back and forth. When Kate sat opposite Rick with a wicked smile on her face, whispers and nudges flashed around a few of the onlookers.
Street rules applied and the battle was fast and bloody. With matching knights and kings, the stalemate they ended up in was a poetic result. Those who had watched their game applauded appreciatively when they ritualistically shook hands.
A man in a coat a few sizes too big for him slapped Rick on the shoulder, saying in a familiar and teasing manner, ‘Man, R’doh, you be lucky she be lookin’ at your pretty face and not be takin’ that lonely rook. She be handin’ you your arse if you not keep smiling at her, charmin’ t’ poor girl, sure as man!’
Rick looked up into a white, toothy grin and haphazardly shaven face. Kate saw respect flash between them. Replaying the game in her mind, she realised he was also right about not taking Rick’s rook. Still chuckling, Rick said, ‘Uncle Benny, this is Catherine Jones.’
‘The humidity-trap girl?’
‘The very same,’ Rick said with pride in his voice. ‘Kate, this man is in disguise. In his more lucid moments, he is a moderately brilliant physicist.’ Benny grinned at Rick’s taunt. ‘In his more common and less lucid moments, Uncle Benny’s a pretty good part-time philosopher. Most of the time, he is happy in his own parallel reality and is chess coach and mentor to some of the most talented young players you’ll meet in the city.’
Kate looked at Uncle Benny. He was laughing generously at Rick’s introduction. She noted that his clothes were chaotic and un-pressed, but that they were also well laundered. Although his shoes showed wear, they were well cared for and of high quality. His eyebrows were overgrown, yet his eyes were clear and bore the tell-tale refractions of laser surgery. Kate decided that Uncle Benny was a contradiction, and suspected that he was an interesting person. Everything in his stance dared her to take him on.
She winked at Rick before saying to Uncle Benny, ‘All I hear is talk and they say talk is cheap. I reckon you better take a seat, Uncle Benny.’
The onlookers cheered her attempted trash-talk and Benny replied loudly, ‘Oh my, oh my, little girl, it be on now. Ohhh, MY! Don’t you be t’inkin’ you be getin’ an easy just cause you be’n a cute little girl. Ehh, you be way too cute f’ ‘im an’ all. He can’t be t’inkin’ clear wi’out all his blood!’ With his hip, he pushed Rick, who was still chuckling, from his seat and grabbed the pieces to reset the board.
Kate heard the moan as she slammed her bishop down, taking Benny’s queen. She looked at the board again and saw it. Uncle Benny blew her a kiss as he started retrieving pieces to reset the board. Kate’s loss was unavoidable, making it effectively game-over with checkmate the inevitable result, despite being four moves ahead. Street Rules – make it fast, make it interesting, and don’t draw it out.
‘Still got’ be fas’ to beat Uncle Benny. Maybe she no’ got all her blood neither, eh? You too good for him, m’sus. R’doh’s ugly and shit at chess.’ Rick laughed as Kate slammed a knight out to start their next game. Uncle Benny threw his arms out and theatrically hitched his sleeves. Pieces started slamming again as their battle commenced anew.
Kate pushed her pawn delicately forward on the tip of her finger with delight, smiling at Uncle Benny and blowing him a little kiss. Puzzled, his eyebrows knit as he looked again at the board. His eyes went wide when he recognised Kate’s trap, already closed.
‘Shiiiit! You smilin’ an’ witch-mama hex Uncle Benny? Damn! You must a caught me w’out all me blood, eh?’ The crowd caught up with what the combatants were seeing and cheered again. Kate spun the board, giving Benny the white pieces and the first move.
The cheers and chuckles from the crowd recognised her spirit as one of their own. Benny laughed aloud before looking at her, his face suddenly very serious and fierce except for his smiling eyes. He slammed a pawn out to start their third game in five minutes. Their tempo slowed well below the normal frantic pace of street-chess.
Each player carefully feinted, attacked and countered. Benny had even stopped talking and straightened from his normal, casually indifferent posture to concentrate. The other games had ceased and all eyes were on Kate and Benny’s contest. Murmurs rose and fell as pieces advanced in aborted attacks and feints, only to be pulled back before serious loss. Slowly the board started clearing.
Kate and Benny were locked in their own private duel. Kate saw it in the same moment that Benny did. She would take his pawn and it would become an inevitable stalemate. Across the board, she extended her hand and, with a twinkle of deep respect, he grinned and took it. When Kate recognised that his nails were manicured, his grin grew even wider. He winked before slouching to become Uncle Benny again, laughing as the crowd murmured and teasing them as they searched the board for the reason the game was a draw.
He raised his eyebrow to Kate, nodding at the board. She smiled and took the pawn. In rapid succession, each forced move denuded the board of all but two matched pairs of pieces, revealing the draw. Noise erupted in admiration from everyone there.
Benny looked up at Rick and said to him, ‘You damn full o’ lucky you no’ be takin’ her t’ rematch, boyo.’
Rick responded, looking Kate square in the eyes, ‘A rematch is exactly what I am thinking about right now.’
The crowd heard the innuendo clearly and cheered all the louder for it. Rick offered his hand to Kate and they bade Benny and the crowd goodbye. Strolling arm in arm, they listened to the games already in progress behind them and the staccato sounds of pieces slamming down in rapid succession. Benny’s voice was still clear in the distance as he loudly and rapidly finished off all challengers.