Chapter Three, Untitled

Chapter Three

Grant and I were eating breakfast, when there was a knock on the door. We looked at each other, when he got off the couch, then looked out the keyhole and opened the door.
Clark was standing there, smoking a cigarette.
I looked at Clark from the couch.
He was looking at me.
"Do you want to work on the portrait today?"
I looked at Grant.
Grant was looking at me.
I nodded, then Grant turned to Clark.
Pause.
Clark looked at Grant and took his cigarette from his mouth.
"Let me give you the address," he said.
Clark took a little notepad out of his pocket, took a pen from the same pocket, then wrote down the address and ripped it out, before handing it to Grant.
Pause.
"I'll see you later," Clark mouthed to me, as Grant was distracted by reading the address.
Grant looked up, as Clark put the cigarette back in his mouth and left the doorway. Grant closed the door, then turned to me. He walked back to the couch, then sat down.
"What time do you have to be there?"
"I'm not sure. Anytime in the afternoon."
"Alright."

Grant and I arrived at the studio. I rang the doorbell and opened the door.
He was standing there and let us both in.
I walked behind Grant and shot Clark a look.
He saw me catch him glaring at the back of Grant's head and stopped.
"Go change. Everything's already set up," he said.
I walked over behind the screen and changed. While changing, I listened to their whispering. There were laughs and other signals of comradeship.

I finally finished hanging and looked at my reflection. Transformed, I stepped from behind the screen. Both of them were talking, when I saw them. Clark shot me a look, then turned back to Grant, then turned back to me. Grant stopped mid-sentence, then turned and looked at me. Clark got up and went to his stool. Grant watched as I arranged myself into the pose Clark put me in the day before, pulling up my skirt. Grant had a somewhat puzzled look on his face. He didn't say anything, so I didn't know what he was thinking, when he kept looking at Clark.

Another couple of hours passed before Clark stopped and put his brush down. Grant was sitting on the bench drinking out of a water bottle. He looked at Clark again, then got up and motioned for me to move. I sat up and he sat next to me. He possessively put his arms around me and kissed my cheek. Grant put his hand under my chin and made me look at him before kissing my mouth. I felt a bit uneasy, as Grant moved his mouth down and started kissing my neck. I looked at Clark, as he was cleaning his brushes. He set the last one down, then looked at us. He didn't say anything and turned away.
"I don't think here's the right place," I said, stopping Grant.
Grant stopped for a second, then shot a look at Clark, who was walking over to the refrigerator.
"Clark doesn't care."
Grant went back to kissing my neck. I was looking at Clark, who opened the refrigerator and took out a Coke bottle. He closed the door, took off the cap, then started drinking. He turned towards us and leaned against the refrigerator, watching us, I swallowed the lump in my throat, then closed my eyes, as Grant started kissing my mouth. His hand gravitated to my legs and he put his hand on my thigh, squeezing it. My eyes shot open. I stopped him, then pushed him away, got off the couch and rushed behind the screen.

I finished changing and stepped from behind the screen. Grant looked confused, while C1arkk was still calmly drinking out of the Coke bottle.
"What happened?", Grant said.
I walked over to the couch and leaned close to Grant, rubbing my knee against his. I could feel Clark staring at us.
"I had to change. Take me home."
A mischievous grin came over his face, as he shot out of the couch and put his arms around me.

Grant and I were lying in bed. His arms were around me and he had his face buried in the hollow of my neck. He lifted his head and kissed my mouth, then rested his head on the pillow looking at me. I was staring off in the direction of the bathroom.
"What's wrong?"
I turned to Grant.
"Oh, nothing."
Pause.
"I can see right through you."
I hesitated, but looked at him.
"Maybe I'm just making a big deal out of nothing," I said.
Pause.
"Why? What's the matter?"
"Don't you think we should fix Clark up with someone?"
Pause.
"He's already with someone," he said.
"Really?"
Pause.
"What's her name?", I added,
"He said her name was Miranda. Didn't you notice he wears a wedding ring?"
Pause.
"So, he's not that lonely, then," I said.
Grant looked at me and kissed my cheek.
"There's nothing to worry about."
I looked at him and asked a smile.

I woke up to sunlight streaming into the bedroom. Grant was gone, as I looked at the clock, It was 7 am. I got up and wrapped the sheet around myself. I walked into the living room and was about to go over to the refrigerator, when there was a knock on the door.
I went and answered the door.
Clark was standing there, smoking.
"Hi."
He looked me over and was about to say something, when he quickly looked around the hallway. He pulled the cigarette from his mouth, then leaned over and kissed my mouth. I pulled away, blew out the smoke and looked at him.
"It's tradition to kiss any woman who wears a bedsheet to answer the door," he said.
I looked around the hallway, then looked back at him.
"You know, if the sun hits it just right, that bedsheet can become transparent," he continued, loud enough for me to hear.
He was eyeing the sheet, before he bothered to notice that I was staring at him. He looked at me, then back at the sheet with a smile on his face.
"I was going to invite you for breakfast, but I see you're not dressed, yet. Need help?", he added.
Long pause.
"I can do it on my own, you jerk."
I had my back to him and was about to walk off, when he stepped in and closed the door behind himself. I stopped and shot him a look.
He was watching me, which made me a little self-conscious. I turned away and walked off.

We were sitting at the diner, eating breakfast. He set his coffee mug down and his french toast was still in front of him, which he looked down at. He looked at my pancakes and scooted it his direction.
I looked up from cutting and eating a piece of pancake.
He looked at the bear shaped honey bottle on the table and was about to pick it up. I watched him, as he he picked up his knife and started carving into my pancakes.
After he was finished, he put the knife down and pushed the plate back in front of me.
"I want you to see something."
He motioned downwards and I looked down.
He had carved a heart and our initials on my pancake.
Pause.
I looked at him and remained silent, then put my utensils down, got out of my seat and left him there.

I was outside, when he grabbed my arm.
"Just tell me the look in your eyes yesterday didn't mean anything then I'll leave."
I swung around.
He didn't let go of my arm and was looking at me without blinking.
"What are you talking about?", I said.
"Yesterday, at the studio. He was trying to kiss you, but you kept your eyes on me."
"That meant nothing. Making out with would have made you uncomfortable."
"What does it matter how I feel, when you're in love with him? You're in love with him, right?"
I looked at him, then broke out of his grasp and turned away, taking a few steps away from him.
You think you know all the answers. What do you think?"
I looked around the street.
Everyone walking by was ignoring us.
He moved closer.
"I can't continue talking to you like a cheeseball with you over there. Come back here," he said.
I turned towards him and we were looking at each other, when he grabbed me and kissed my mouth again. I broke away and started to walk off again. I stopped after a few steps, then turned back.
"I already have someone, remember?"
"But, does he have you?", he said.
We looked at each other, then I turned away and walked off.

It was lunchtime, when I was sitting at my office desk. I was admiring the roses from the day before and had my lunchbag's contents laid out on my desk. A plastic container of spaghetti and meatballs and a thermos of tea.
I opened the container and dug my fork into the spaghetti. I took a bite into it, then left the utensil in the container. I picked up the phone and put it to my ear, then dialed Grant's work phone number.
His secretary picked up.
"Hello. Grant Kalow's office."
"Hi, Nancy. Is Grant available?"
"Hold on. Let me go get him."
I waited until he picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Grant. I'll be coming by later than we planned. My neighbor wants to work on my portrait again tonight and I promised him that I'd be there."
"Again? I planned to take you out to dinner tonight."
"I guess, you're going to have to call and change the reservations."
"I could, but I want to be selfish. I want you all to myself all night tonight."
Pause.
"I'm not going to be at the studio for more than a couple hours."
Pause.
"Alright."
Pause.
"I'll let You go, then. Bye," he said.
"Bye, Grant."
"Bye," he whispered, then hung up.
Pause.
I hung up the phone and went back to eating.

I arrived at the studio after work. Clark opened the door still dressed in his work clothes. He had just arrived himself. Nothing was set up, as he stood there undoing his tie. I walked into the room and he closed the door behind me. I walked over to the screen and went behind it.

I finished dressing and stepped from behind the screen. He had his back to me. He was smoking a cigarette and facing an open freezer door, rubbing an ice cube over his face and neck. I decided I wanted to play and walked up behind him, with the cube on his nape, and put my hand over his. He stopped and let go of the ice cube. I caught it and walked off, rubbing it over my neck. I walked over to the couch and sucked on it, while he was watching me.
I took the ice cube out of my mouth, then slid the straps of my dress down and rubbed the front of my neck and my shoulders with the ice cube. Clark took the cigarette from his mouth and licked his lips. He put his cigarette back in his mouth, then noticed he hadn't set up. He took the easel that was sitting next to the wall and it up near the couch. His paints were on top of the refrigerator, which he
took and set on the table.
I was letting the ice cube drip onto the floor, while he was sitting on his stool, watching and waiting.
"Ready?"
I nodded, then looked at him.
"Where can I get rid of this?"
"I'll take it."
Clark put his cigarette out on the ashtray, got off his stool and approached me. He reached down and tried to get the ice cube out of my hand. I kept moving my hand so it would be out of his reach. I couldn't stop laughing, until he leaned closer and I rolled over onto my back and held the ice cube on the other side of the couch. He was about to reach for it, but looked at me and leaned down, then started kissing my mouth. Clark sat on the couch and continued kissing me. I was going to push him away, but (to my surprise) relaxed, as he reached for the ice cube. He stopped kissing me and walked off with the ice cube, while I went onto my side, watching him. He moved over to one of the open windows and tossed the ice cube out, then walked back over to his stool and sat down.
"Now, if you behaved yourself, I wouldn't have had to use force," he continued, before dipping a dry brush into a container of water on the table.
"Really. though, with all that flirting you do, I'm surprised you haven't let me do everything I want to do to you already."
Clark looked at me and smiled.
"Stop resisting me," he added.
Pause.
"And, you're not convincing me you still love him," he added.
"How can I convince you, when you keep kissing me?"
He turned to the easel and started painting.
"Admit it. If he was satisfying you completely, you wouldn't need me in your life."
I sat up and crossed my arms. He looked at me and raised an eyebrow.
"What's the matter, darling?"
"You're going to have to," I said, before uncrossing my arms and getting off the couch. "Find another woman to paint. Besides, Grant told me...." I trailed off.
I looked at his hands.
He was wearing his wedding band.
I found myself standing there, staring at it.
"You're wearing your ring."
"Well, if You must know. I'm only wearing it, until you dump him. After all, it's not fair if you're taken and I'm not."
"How'd you get your ring back?"
"During one of my night walks."
We were looking at each other, then I turned away and walked over to the screen, stepping behind it.

I had my dress unzipped and sliding it off, when he came over to the screen and stepped behind it, behind me.
"Do you need help taking that off?"
I swung around.
He looked me over.
"Make up your mind. Do you want to dress or undress me?"
"Don't play coy. You know the answer to that question."
I turned away from him and stood there, trying to wipe the smile off my face. Neither one of us said anything. While I pretended to ignore him and continued sliding my dress off, one of his hands attached itself to my nape.
My dress was completely off and I was in my underwear, when his hand finally left my nape and touched the side of my garter belt.
I closed my eyes and shook my head.
Clark's hand moved down to the top of one stocking. I tried to remain calm. He took one of the straps and snapped it.
I opened my eyes and turned to him, He grabbed me, licked his mouth and kissed me. When he stopped kissing me, we were looking at each other.
A smile came over his mouth.
"Just remember this. I always get my way."
I was about to make a comment, but he stepped away and left me alone behind the screen.

I was finished changing back, when I stepped from behind the screen. He was sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette. He was leaning back and looking up at the ceiling, blowing smoke rings into the air.
"I'm leaving now," I said.
He took the cigarette out of his mouth and looked at me.
"I'll see you later," he said.
I waved to him and walked over to the door, opening it, then took a final look at him. He put the cigarette back in his mouth and watched me.
I turned away and left the doorway.

I drove up to the parking space and parked the car. I could see his apartment from where I was.
After walking up the stairs, I reached the top step and stood in front of the open front door, so he was obviously waiting for me.
Grant came to the door, happy to see me. He threw his arms around me and kissed my mouth, then led me inside. He closed the door behind us and led me to the couch.
We both sat on the couch, with his arms tightly around me. He was covering me with kisses. When I set my purse down on the couch and looked at the clock.
I had only been at the studio for half an hour.
"I haven't had a chance to change. I'm still wearing my work clothes."
Grant let go and looked me over.
"That's all right. I'm sure something of yours is around here somewhere in one of the closets."
Grant took me by the hand and led me to the bedroom. His closet was open, when he let go of my hand. He stood there, as I searched through his clothes. My green sleveless dress was in-between two of his white shirts. I took it out, then walked over to his bed, then set it down and started unbuttoning my cream colored blouse.

I had my blouse undone and laid it down on the bed. I unbuttoned my slacks and dropped them on the floor. I was left in my underwear when I picked up the dress and put it on. After going to his bathroom, flicking on the light and walking in, I turned on the faucet and washed all traces of make-up off my face. He had a hairbrush in the top drawer, when I opened it. I took out all the pins in my hair and put them in a little box he kept there stashed with some of my hair ornaments. I used his brush and smoothed out my hair, then took a jeweled barrette and put it in my hair.

I walked out of the bathroom, back into the bedroom. I left him in the doorway, then went over to his shoe rack in the closet near the front door. A pair of my heels were left there, after I went home in a pair of his oversized borrowed sandals.
I took my own shoes off and put them on.
I went over to the couch, sat down, picked up my purse and opened it. I took out my lipstick and a mirror and applied my lipstick. I was finished with my top lip, when I noticed his reflection in my hand mirror. I didn't react and continued to apply my lipstick.
I finally finish putting on my lipstick and put it back in my purse. I put my purse back on my shoulder and looked at him, standing up.
"I'm ready."
He looked at me and smiled.

We didn't leave immediately, but after we arrived at the restaurant, we were standing at the front desk and very hungry. A hostess came up to us and showed us to our seats. We were given our menus and left by ourselves in the corner. We sat next to each other, whispering. From where we were, we could see everyone else in the restaurant I looked out and saw all the different groups of people.

One particular woman was sitting at a table with a man. Both of them had light blonde hair and were tightly intertwined together. He was talking and she was laughing at the things he said, although I couldn't decipher their moving lips. Her hair was done up with a few loose tendrils. She was wearing a necklace that glittered in the candlelight and a black dress with a deep plunging neckline. Her make-up was heavily done up, especially around the eyes, which were lined in Cleopatra's method. The man wore glasses and a three-piece suit and kept giving her quick kisses on the cheek.
The man said something and the woman responded with laughter, then looked over her shoulder. She seemed vaguely familiar, until I realized I found myself staring at Miranda. And, the man, I assumed, was the one she left Clark for.
The man put his left hand on the table and I could see Miranda had traded her husband for another.

When Grant took me home, I put my key in the door. Grant was leaning against me, kissing my neck, with his arms tightly wound about my waist. I got the door open and walked in, with Grant tagging along. He left me alone long enough to turn on the light, but ended up dragging me over to the couch, as soon as the door was closed. We were kissing passionately, but my head wasn't all there. All I could think of was Clark. Him and I had something in common. We both came to live in this city because passion led us to people who were already there.
As Grant and I kissed, I realised a wall separated me from my future.