Her mother laughed. “You would probabaly do if you met him face to face or spent some time with him. There is a dormant love for a father in you, only you haven’t met, or known, a father. Except the one in heaven.”
Lavida walked around the couch to the end of the room and picked up the magazine. She knew what he looked like, of course, but she turned to page eleven. She had seen the photo a hundred times, without knowing what he meant to her.
“That limo will be here any time, Lavida,” her mother said. “I don’t want you going dressed like that. Put on a dress.”
“Dress? Why not my faded denim jeans and my lovely white-grey sweatshirt? Who is doing the inspection?”
“Just look clean and neat and behave like I taught you to, Lavida!”
“O-okayyy..no need to snap!” Lavida walked out. “If they get here while I’m getting ready, tell-em to wait!”
*
The girl made a series of those muffled sounds again.
“Shut up!” the young man yelled, approaching her. “I will teach you not to cheat on me. I told you I’m the only boyfriend you will ever have!’’
Before Con could say anything, a series of screams startled the three performers from this unnatural scene. Con spun around to find Lavida gaping at the tied-up girl and the violent knife holder and screaming at the top of her voices. The boy gasped, turned and ran further into the palm trees at top speed, grabbed a motorbike and rode off. The screams had brought forth other people from the beach, and soon a crowd of about twenty people surrounded them as Con unsecured the girl and removed the gag from her mouth.
“He’s a murderer!” she screamed as soon as her mouth was free. “He should be in jail, or in a mental asylum!”
“How did he get you here?” Con asked, ignoring the crowd. “Is that blood?”
There was indeed a fresh reddish stain on her sun-tanned left arm. She frowned at it.
“I think he drew blood with that knife when he was pressing it against me. He lied to me! For some reason he thinks he’s my boyfriend, and promised to give me swimming lessons. He’s been such a good friend when he visits the place where I work as a waitress that I just naturally agreed. When we got here he drew me to the palms behind these shrubs and showed me a chain and said it was a gift for me and he had been waiting to ask me to be his girlfriend. When I told him I already have a boyfriend things turned ugly real fast. I think he drugged me, because when he pressed his hanky against my face I just felt weak. It was as if I temporarily passed out and found myself bound to the tree.”
“I think it’s a very serious crime for somebody to tie you to a tree and threaten you with a knife,” Con said. “I think you should report the matter to the police.”
“But I only know his first name! His name is Winston,” she wailed. “I don’t even know where he lives! I tell you I only see him where I work. I’m Aggie.”
There were murmurs of sympathy from the crowd.
Con snapped his fingers. “You might know his motorbike registration number, perhaps?”
“No.”
“Never mind. I don’t think he’ll ever visit your workplace again, but anyone who threatens you with a knife is capable of doing worse. It would be good to record a statement, even if all you can do is mention his first name, description and motorbike.”
“That’s sensible advice, young man,” a brunette woman said. “Do it, honey. You have nothing to lose and you may save yourself from that pervert in case he starts stalking you around,” she said to the girl.
After that Lavida and Con had headed home from the beach.
Chapter 2
“You know...I’m glad we can lie here at your place and do not have to have sex,” Lavida said to Con as she lay in her shorts on the couch and he knelt beside her. His hands moved along her back from her neck down to her butt. His hands began to chop down in fast movements along her back all the way to her shoulders.
She laughed. “You have no idea how good that feels,” she said, arching her back. He kissed her neck and got on his knees, his knees pressing down on her soft ass.
“What are you doing?”
“This is the ultimate massage. I’m a master.”
“And how many gals did you practice with to perfect your craft?” she asked. He stood up and his bare feet were on her back, one foot pressing against her shoulder.
“Mmmmhhh. This massage thing ain’t bad,” Lavida said. “That beach thing today was so scary. You know, one particular date of mine turned into a very scary situation.”
“Really?” Con’s hands were on her neck. Lucas was out.
“Yes...here’s what happened. Hey, don’t stop the massage. Here’s what happened three years ago.”
*
“Mmmhh....I have to admit that I have an issue troubling my mind,” Stan smiled, a smile that did not take the thoughtful look out of his eyes. “But trust me, Lavida, I will not allow that to ruin our lovely evening. I have immensely enjoyed the evening. You are one of the most interesting, addictive and beautiful people I’ve shared a table with...or let me say boldly, dated...in my life.”