arrogant producer.” She was holding a small CD player and turned it on and the volume up. Rissy was already flushed and Johann laughing but they both fell into each other’s arms laughing so hard when the song that came bursting forth was “House of The Rising Sun”. Charlotte smiled her wicked smile. “How many did you end up using Rissy? I heard that there was a shower of condoms raining from the bedroom window.” Rissy looked at Charlotte stone faced. “Why Charlotte, I decided to give them to the masses and go bareback. After all what do I have to fear unless you’ve been sleeping with him?” Everyone laughed except Charlotte. “Touché Rissy.” Rissy winked at her and walked right into the house. She then turned around. “Well Johann you may have gotten your fill, but I haven’t, so come on before my eyes wander.” To say Johann was stunned by her words and behavior is an understatement, but he found himself going to her, kissing Charlotte’s cheek on the way. Rissy took his hand and again spoke to Charlotte. “By the way Charlotte it wasn’t him that exploded. It’s his turn now.” She ran up the stairs with him laughing. Svelta and Randolf looked at Charlotte and asked her what that was about. Charlotte stammered “Will you two just leave me alone?” Randolf and Svelta shot back. “Well maybe you should be a little more careful what you say, dear.”
Rissy could sense where his room was and pulled him in. “Now where is that bath you promised me?” He showed her to the luxurious bathroom where a large tub was sunk into the floor. Johann was finding her a towel and bath cloth when there was a knock at the door. Rissy was already undressed but could not stop herself from opening the door with a wave of her hand.
There stood Charlotte with clean towels at the door. “Why thank you Charlotte. If there were more room, I’d ask you to join us, but it’s a tight fit as it is, and if you don’t believe me, ask Johann.” Charlotte threw the towels down and huffed out with a muttered “Bitch”. “Charlotte what a foul mouth you have.” Rissy giggled. Johann started to speak, but Rissy stopped him. “Let her think what she wants. You and I know what really happened and I sort of like being scandalous.” Johann went into the bedroom and closed the door to the bath, but as soon as he did, Rissy made it fly open. “Stay in here with me Johann, please. I want you here. So we can talk more, besides dear you have seen me naked so many times lately I feel more comfortable with you without clothes than with them.” He went back in and sat beside the tub and they talked. It finally dawned on her that it may be him that was uncomfortable. “Johann, I’m sorry, but I didn’t even think about how difficult this may be for you. I want to please you my love, but I just can’t right now.” He smiled at her. “I know Rissy.” He walked out and she felt bad. She wondered if this had an impact on what happened so long ago and then for him to know that another man warmed her bed and enjoyed her pleasures, must have been driven him to the brink and she might have enticed him because she wanted to be with him just as much. This was a new revelation for her. She thought. “I might have raped me too. He must really love me not to take advantage of me and be willing to wait until I am ready.”
When she exited the bath, dressed, and went into the main bedroom, Johann was gone. She went downstairs looking for him and Svelta told her that he was out in the garden. Rissy looked through the French doors and saw him sitting there with something in his hands. She went to see him and sat beside him. “What are you reading?” “It’s just an old book that I have, Rissy.” He said and turned and smiled at her. “Feeling a little more refreshed?”
“Yes I am thank you. Why don’t you go and freshen up and I’ll be here drinking a cup of coffee and admiring the garden when you return.” Svelta was just brining out a cup as Rissy spoke.
“I think that may a good idea. See you soon.” He kissed her cheek as he left her. As he was going into the house she instinctively touched the place where he had kissed her. Svelta smiled. “He tends to grow on you doesn’t he?” Rissy lowered her eyes. “Yes Svelta he does seem to be able to do that.” Svelta nodded and asked if Rissy needed anything else. Rissy told her that she had all that she needed and sipped her coffee.
Rissy looked all around her as she sat. The flowers were beautiful and there were lots of butterflies that she watched thinking the whole time thinking that this was the way it had been meant to be rather than running the rat race. She went to place her coffee on the garden table in front of her and noticed the book. She flipped through it and saw why Johann had noticed so much in the jewelry stores. She flipped to the front and noticed the inscription. "Graf….just a small gesture from a girl more grateful for your time and guidance with yet another folly within her life, though in no way does it reflect the immensity of the kindness bestowed. Rissy" She almost dropped the book. She could almost remember the man in the shop where the book had been purchased. Her memory came full force and she saw that she’d been browsing through the various booths and antique shops this past week trying to find a small thank you gift for Johann since he’d certainly took time out of a very hectic schedule of planning the upcoming trip for Alma and himself to help her yet again but nothing seemed to quite fit. What does one get a man that already is quite able to obtain anything his heart desires? And then from that should one be lucky enough to draw a few ideas choose from them something that Alma would not find offensive in one manner or another, especially since of who it would be coming from. Almost giving up she wandered through the browsing of one last shop on the verge of town when she spied a book on one of its shelves, Archaic Greek Gems: schools and artists in the sixth and early fifth centuries B.C., fingers played over the binding as she pulled it free from the others and flipped through it. He was always forming jewelry for Alma and if memory served she was from there so perhaps he might be able to use it for a few ideas? There was the risk he already had a copy but she decided to take it. Instructing the shopkeeper to wrap it and have it delivered she scribbled a quick note to go along with it. “Graf….just a small gesture from a girl more grateful for your time and guidance with yet another folly within her life, though in no way does it reflect the immensity of the kindness bestowed." Signing her name and paying for it she left the shop feeling somewhat better about the day having finally found something for him. She sat there shaking as the memory faded. She knew there could have been no other soul that could have written that note or have found that book. She got up and left through the garden gate running to her home and to her bedroom.
Johann returned but did not see her so he went throughout the garden looking for her, but with no success. When he returned to where he had left her, he saw the coffee cup shattered and the book lying upon the ground. He realized what had happened and sat down wondering how to approach this. His first impulse was to go to her, but then he thought that maybe he should let her be. It had already been an intense week for them both. He went in and gathered his paints and easel. He thought about how she had looked sitting there as he left earlier and began working. Not one to notice time, Johann continued to work and his household knew not to disturb him. Randolf had caught Johann painting like this for centuries and was glad that electricity had been invented. When they bought the house, Randolf had installed lights to illuminate the garden if necessary and this was one of the times that he was glad that he had done so. Johann worked through the night and finally finished. He took the painting into the art room to dry and went to his bed to sleep. He reached for someone who was not there and muttered. “I love you Rissy.” as he drifted off.
Wilson
It was late in the day when Rissy awoke only to find that she was late for work. She called and said that she had overslept and hurried to her office. She found it hard to concentrate. Her mind was full of thoughts about the past week. Her friends came bursting into her office with a paper showing she and Johann being escorted out of the hotel with a caption “The Devil and His Witch Destroy Hotel Room In Strange Sex Acts”. Rissy felt sick and was about to run out crying. Her boss stopped her and led her to the conference room that was surrounded by glass where everyone could see and of course everyone was watching. He told her that she was fired for improper behavior. This only made matters worse. He then rubbed her rear end and told her that she could keep her job if she performed certain favors. She looked at him and saw everyone in the office looking to see what was going on and she became infuriated.
