Unusual Circumstances

Mayani felt her nerves grow taut, and she began to fear that Kaylin might make good on her threats after all and dump her off in jail on the way home. She dared not say a word, hoping against hope that Kaylin would relax enough to let them continue their shopping. She lived for shopping anyway, even if it was nothing more than groceries. She moved a short way down the aisle and grabbed some diet soda. Walking back to the cart, she saw that while the couple returned to study the can’s label, Kaylin was still eyeing her with intensity, as if she hadn’t quite made up her mind yet about taking her to jail. Without looking at Kaylin, as if that might make her decide to toss her in jail for sure, she placed the soda in the cart and studied other items on the shelf. After what seemed like an eternity, Kaylin began wheeling the cart down the remainder of the aisle. They finished their shopping in silence and were checking out ten minutes later. Still not speaking, Kaylin grabbed all the bags from the cart and turned to leave the store, with Mayani trotting alongside her in an attempt to keep up with the fast-paced, long-legged detective. Kaylin was placing the bags on the floor of the SUV behind the driver’s seat when a woman approached them. “Well, well, look who’s here.” Mayani and Kaylin turned to see who had spoken. A petite, young, blue-eyed blonde with soft, attractive features came forth. “So she’s the reason you dumped me, Kaylin?” the girl asked as she motioned toward Mayani. “Get out of here, Bethany,” Kaylin said harshly. “Do you always pick up chicks and then dump them like yesterday’s trash?” the girl persisted. “Hey, look,” Kaylin said, spinning around to face the girl. “I didn’t dump you. You understand? You and I never had a damn thing going other than one night. Just one casual, lousy night, which I thoroughly regret. Furthermore, I warned you up front that I don’t get serious.” Bethany studied Mayani for a moment, then her eyes flicked back to Kaylin. “Well, you and Miss America here must be more than just bedmates. After all, you’re at the store doing your grocery shopping together, aren’t you?” “That’s none of your business. Now move along, ok?” Again, Bethany studied Mayani. “Does she treat you well?” “Like a queen,” Mayani said with an exaggerated smile. “Now that gays can marry, we just may do that real soon. That is, before we go on a luxury cruise to Hawaii.” “Shut up, Mayani,” Kaylin growled. “I’ll bet she led you straight to the bedroom once she got you in the door.” “Nah. She wined and dined me first, gave me a full-body massage, and then she did me.” “And kicked you out bright and early the next morning,” Bethany finished matter-of-factly. “Far from it. She cooked us bacon and eggs…” “I said shut up!” “Well, Kaylin, at least you have good taste. Not even I can deny the fact that she’s way better looking than me,” said Bethany. “Is she as good in bed as I was?” Kaylin slammed the back door of the SUV so hard that Mayani thought it just might tip over and squash the little old car next to it. “Get your ass out of here!” Kaylin shouted, fury evident in her features. “Fine, bitch. I just hope she screws you over good,” Bethany spat with both anger and nervousness before she took off. Kaylin turned to open the driver’s door near where Mayani had been standing. Mayani, nervous as well because of Kaylin’s anger, scurried over to the passenger door. They got into the SUV. Kaylin slammed her door and yanked her seatbelt across her with a quick tug. “You know, Mayani, sometimes I don’t know why I do the things I do.” Despite the fact that she knew full well that she was referring to having taken her in, Mayani said, “You must’ve been burned real bad. When you find the right one, you won’t do the things you do. You’ll loosen up, learn to love, learn to live, that sort of thing.” Kaylin glanced over at Mayani incredulously, but Mayani said no more. That was until a few minutes later, when she could no longer suppress her laughter. “Oh, that’s right, Mayani. Go on and laugh. You think this one’s funny, too?” asked Kaylin, still irritated. Once back at the house, Kaylin said, “Get your shit away and get in your room.” “Yes, Boss.” A half hour later, Mayani entered the kitchen, where Kaylin sat poring over some paperwork. She glanced up questioningly at Mayani and said, “I thought I told you to go to your room.” “You did. But that was a half hour ago, and now I’m hungry.” “Make something fast and scram.” “Do you have a tray or something?” Kaylin pointed out the cabinet the tray was in, and Mayani fixed herself a chicken sandwich on dill rye bread, grabbed a can of diet soda, and said, “Ok, back to my jail cell.” Kaylin snorted. “This is hardly a jail cell, Mayani.” “Is it?” Mayani questioned on her way out of the kitchen. She knew she should be grateful it wasn’t a real jail cell she was temporarily living in. After all, real jail cells had no laptops or cell phones, let alone carpet and such comfortable beds and furniture. Yet Kaylin sure had a way of making her feel like she was still in jail. Despite how much more comfortable she was here in her home, Kaylin’s lack of hospitality and friendliness made it all the more jail-like to Mayani, even though she understood that Kaylin was in no way obligated to show her any kindness. To make matters harder for her was her growing attraction to Kaylin. She didn’t understand it. After all, the woman was a flat-out bitch. So then why did she make her tremble with such desire? Was it simply a matter of lust? As Mayani ate her sandwich, she found herself thinking of her parents and some of her old friends back east, though she didn’t regret coming to Arizona. If anything, she was more than happy to escape the cold, snowy winters of the Northeast. She wondered if she’d still be living in New England if her parents were still alive—and what her life, and that of her parents, would be like if they were alive right now. She doubted they would be thrilled to know of her present situation, though she knew there were worse things than being confined to the home of a gorgeous bitch for two months. When Saturday came around, Mayani slept in, occasionally floating upward toward the line between sleep and wakefulness. At times, she was vaguely aware of Kaylin peering in at her as she passed by her room. Just after 9:00, she finally pulled herself out of bed. She found herself hoping that Kaylin would be a little friendlier, perhaps talk with her more. She still wondered frequently about the woman whose home she temporarily resided in. Where was she from? How old was she? What kinds of things did she like to do? What was her childhood like? What happened to make her not want anything more than casual encounters? Kaylin, who could hear Mayani stirring from her office, entered the room a moment later. “Mayani, if you want to visit your grandmother or anyone else today, I’d like to leave in an hour so I can have the rest of the day to relax.” “Ok. I’ll grab a quick cup of coffee and hit the shower.” “I want you to eat breakfast, Mayani. Not just have coffee.” “I’ll get right to it, Boss,” Mayani said, heading into the kitchen. She fixed herself a bowl of cereal to go with her coffee. Kaylin came into the kitchen, and Mayani noticed that there was something about her that looked different. She couldn’t pinpoint it at first, but then it dawned on her that she wasn’t wearing any makeup. Although she could see a light spattering of very faint freckles on her face, Mayani thought she looked just as good. Dressed in denim shorts, she admired Kaylin’s endlessly long and muscular legs, as well as her slender arms. Without speaking, Kaylin approached the sink a few feet from where Mayani stood pouring her coffee and got herself a glass of water. As she held the glass, Mayani noted that Kaylin’s pinky was about as long as her middle finger. “Is it hot out there?” Mayani asked. “Well, it’s late May, so yeah, it’s pretty hot.” Kaylin didn’t seem as tense and serious as usual. If anything, she seemed more relaxed. Yet there was something in her mannerisms that suggested an underlying boredom, or even sadness. “Are you ok, Kaylin?” Kaylin’s eyes met hers, seriousness returning to her expression. “I’m fine. Why do you ask?” “I don’t know,” Mayani said, sipping her coffee. “You seem a little down, is all.” Kaylin shrugged, shook her head, and left the kitchen. A half hour later, Kaylin approached the bedroom doorway as Mayani sat brushing her long, damp hair. Mayani thought she now had a bit of a dreamy look in her eyes. “Howdy there, Officer.” “Ready to go soon?” Kaylin asked. “Sure. In just another minute or two, I should have these damn knots out.” Kaylin leaned against the doorframe. “You sure got a lot of hair. How long did it take to grow it?” “About five years from the shoulders,” Mayani replied, happy to talk about anything other than the terms of her so-called probation. Even so, she was surprised Kaylin would ask her about her hair, of all things. “I cut it every five or six years just to give myself a break from it, then I let it grow back. Getting regular haircuts would be a bitch anyway, and that’s how you risk someone screwing it up on you.” Kaylin said nothing as she continued to gaze at Mayani. A moment later, Mayani laid her brush down and announced that she was ready to go. Mayani’s grandmother was delighted to see her. She hugged her granddaughter as if she’d been gone for weeks. “You lonely, Nana? Or hasn’t Bella been around to see you much?” “Oh, she’s been around. It’s just not the same as having you here, dear, you know? I still get up in the morning expecting to smell the coffee you usually have ready for me, only to find the place empty and smelling of nothing but that gingerbread sachet you’ve got hanging over the sink.” Her grandmother turned to Kaylin. “And how are you doing, young lady?” “Fine, thank you,” said Kaylin with a slight smile. “I’ll just sit quietly in the background while you two visit with each other. You know how it is. Can’t let her out of my sight while she’s here.” “Well, aren’t you sweet,” said her grandmother, “to care enough about her like that.” Mayani chuckled as Kaylin took a seat on the couch opposite where Mayani and her grandmother sat in matching plush chairs. “How have you been feeling, Nana?” Mayani asked. “Just fine, dear. And you?” “Ok. Have you been taking your meds like you’re supposed to?” “I sure have. Bella can attest to that.” “Good. Now you just wait here while I go check things out and tidy up whatever needs tidying up for you, ok?” “You can if you want to, sweetie, though I can assure you everything’s in order.” “I’ll be right back anyway.” “Come on, shadow,” Mayani said to Kaylin, knowing she’d get up and follow her. Kaylin gave her a look as if to say that she was the one who was supposed to give orders and not the one taking them. Mayani breezed through the house’s few small rooms, pleased to see that things were indeed in proper order. In her room, she sprayed some perfume on her wrists. “Want some?” she asked Kaylin. “No.” She set the bottle back down on the dresser, and they returned to the living room for the remainder of the visit. Although Kaylin tried to remain detached from the conversation by focusing her attention on the fitness magazine she’d brought with her, Mayani’s grandmother was determined to include her in it as well. “Have you any family around here?” she asked her. Kaylin looked up from her magazine. “Uh, no, ma’am. I don’t.” She glanced back down at the magazine. “She’s not very talkative,” Mayani explained. “No?” questioned her grandmother. “No, but we won’t take it personally, right, Kaylin?” Mayani said with an impish grin. Kaylin looked back up again, eyes flicking from Mayani to her grandmother. “Well, you two can take it any way you need to take it. I’m just following policy and letting you two catch up with one another.” With Kaylin’s eyes focused back on her magazine once again, Mayani and her grandmother fell into a discussion about various things. They talked about what shows Nana would watch on TV, the afghan she was knitting, things Bella had said she was doing, and how life at Kaylin’s house was for Mayani. “It gets boring when I’m alone,” Mayani told her, “but it’s better than sitting in a jail cell with over a hundred inmates screaming in the dayroom just outside of it, begging you for just about everything you’ve got.” “You hear that?” Nana asked Kaylin. “She likes it better with you.” Kaylin looked up and smiled politely. Apparently, she had been following the conversation while reading her magazine. “Then she'd better keep on behaving.” “She’s a good girl,” Nana told Kaylin as if she needed convincing. “She’s not the little terror she was as a child.” “Oh no?” Kaylin said, suddenly seeming a bit interested. “Oh, the things she did as a child!” Nana said, shaking her head with mock scorn. “She made a boy sicker than a dog one day in grade school.” “Did she?” Kaylin turned the page of her magazine. She was trying to hide her interest, but Mayani detected it nonetheless. Nana nodded and explained. “She gave the boy a piece of chocolate, and after he ate it, she convinced the poor lad that he’d really eaten a chocolate-covered ant.” Mayani burst into laughter as Kaylin gave a slight snort of amusement, which she quickly checked and replaced with her usual down-to-business attitude. “Even your friend can’t hide or deny the fact that that’s a funny one,” Nana pointed out. Kaylin said nothing and resumed reading. Mayani and Nana chatted some more, then, after about half an hour, Kaylin announced that it was time to go. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Nolen, but I’m afraid I’ll have to bring Mayani back now.” “Ok, dear,” Nana said, rising shakily to her feet along with the others. “Time sure does fly, doesn’t it?” “Sure seems to at times,” Mayani agreed. “Oh, oh. I almost forgot to tell you,” began Nana. “Tell me what?” asked Mayani. “You won some perfume from one of the sweepstakes.” “Oh, cool!” Mayani said excitedly. “Can she take a look at it before you take her back with you?” Nana asked Kaylin. Kaylin nodded, though with some reluctance. “She’s welcome to spray a little sample on herself, along with that other nose-clogging stuff she put on in the bedroom, but she won’t be allowed to take it with her.” “No?” asked Nana. Kaylin shook her head. “If it’s not considered a necessity, I can’t let her have it.” “Why not? You’re not a necessity, yet I have to take you back with me,” Mayani said, drawing a hearty chuckle from her grandmother and a roll of the eyes from Kaylin. “This girl’s got an answer for everything, doesn’t she?” Nana said almost proudly. “Yes, ma’am, she does,” Kaylin agreed, giving Nana a quick smile when she thought Mayani wasn’t looking. “Did you order any clothes with the gift certificate you won?” Nana asked Mayani. “Yes. They should arrive here in about a week, so by next Saturday’s visit, I hope they’ll be here.” “Can Bella and I check out what you got if we get curious?” “Of course, Nana.” Mayani removed the bottle of perfume from its box and uncapped it. She took a whiff and winced. “Not very nice.” She held the bottle out toward Kaylin’s nose. “You like it?” Kaylin sniffed hesitantly, then said, “No, not really.” Then she sneezed. Mayani giggled, then turned to face Nana. “Ok, Nana, we’ll be on our way. Remember to keep in touch and to call Bella if you need anything.” “I will,” Mayani’s grandmother said, gathering her granddaughter in her arms for a farewell hug.