


Saving Grace

by slyc_willie



Category: Erotic Horror
Published: 2008-10-12
Updated: 2008-10-12
Packaged: 2017-04-26 21:34:58
Chapters: 1
Publisher: literotica.com
Story URL: https://www.literotica.com/s/saving-grace-3
Author URL:
https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=748325&page=submissions
Summary: A single mother finally cuts loose on Halloween
Erotica Tags: Apartment, Costumes, Dancing, Eavesdropping, Grace, Halloween,
Jessica, Monitor, Nightclub, Single Mother
Average Rating: 4.48






        Saving Grace


_(This is an official entry into the 2008 Literotica Halloween story contest.
I hope you will read all of this year's submissions, and please don't forget
to vote and/or leave a comment.)_  
  
*****  
  
Jessica leaned against the doorway of her daughter's room, watching the tiny
form upon the shadowed bed. The sweet aroma of warm milk permeated the air,
mingling with the fragrance of rose incense wafting from the living room. The
dichotomy of the two scents reminded Jessica of her life before and after the
arrival of Baby Grace.  
  
A single mistake, a fumbling, drunken decision made in the heat of the moment,
and her life had been changed forever. For the better, to be honest; Jessica
was more than capable of handling the financial stress of being a single
mother, and the joys of rediscovering the world through her year-old child's
eyes was nothing less than magical.  
  
But damn it if she didn't miss sex.  
  
Not that she lacked for attention; fifteen months after giving birth, Jessica
was able to wriggle back into the same party dress she had worn that fateful
Halloween night. She had often joked to friends that being half Chinese meant
she never had to worry about losing her slim, girlish figure. It seemed that
not a day passed in which she did not enjoy a flirtatious man's approach.
Having a child, however, changed her reactions -- and those of any would-be
admirer -- dramatically. Most men, she had come to discover, were leery of
involving themselves with a single mother. Especially when the child was so
young.  
  
Jessica was not about to compromise her daughter's safety or happiness. She
became more choosy, more discerning. She accepted the fact that her life was
different now. No more carefree evenings dancing and getting drunk, looking
for the night's next available partner. Now, it was quiet evenings sitting at
home, with the baby thankfully sleeping through the night as Jessica lived a
vicarious life through cable television.  
  
With a last loving smile upon her child, Jessica closed the door and padded
around the end of the couch. The bottle of Corona sat open and waiting, pulp
from the lime squeezed through the bottle's mouth floating upon the surface of
the golden liquid. Making sure the baby monitor was turned on and attuned to
the right frequency, Jessica curled her legs beneath her on the couch and
flipped open her phone. She had missed a call while bathing the baby, and it
turned out to have been from her best friend.  
  
"Hi, Kelly," Jessica said when the other end was picked up. "You called?"  
  
"Sure did, mama," Kelly responded with her typical rasp. Men always found her
voice sexy. "What'cha doing on Halloween?"  
  
Jessica rolled her eyes. "Sure, rub it in," she bemoaned. "I'm looking forward
to another fun-filled night of passing out candy to a couple hundred junior
Wolverines and having all the parents tell me how cute Grace looks in her
bunny rabbit costume."  
  
"You know, it still gets me sometimes."  
  
"What does?"  
  
"How you just named her Grace. It was like, you were all set to name her after
your mom, and then poof! You put Grace on the birth certificate. Like it just
popped out of nowhere."  
  
Jessica shrugged. "It kind of did. But now I wonder how I ever thought of
calling her something else. I guess babies sometimes just name themselves."  
  
"Maybe," Kelly admitted. "Anyway, about Halloween. Trick-or-treating will be
done by, what, eight o'clock?"  
  
"Something like that. Why? I can't go anywhere, Kel."  
  
"Not even if you had a babysitter?"  
  
Jessica sighed, reaching for her beer. She settled back into the corner of the
plush leather couch. "I already asked Devin, but she's got plans. Go figure.
What nineteen-year-old is gonna give up Halloween night to babysit? I even
offered to pay her double."  
  
"Well . . . ."  
  
Jessica frowned in suspicion. "What are you thinking?"  
  
"What if I got you a babysitter?"  
  
Jessica grumbled under her breath. "You know how I feel about that," she said.
"Day care is one thing. But leaving Grace alone with someone else . . . I
gotta be careful."  
  
"Even if it's my mom?"  
  
Jessica exhaled a heavy breath. "Your mom smokes," she said pointedly.
"Besides, I don't want to take Grace out of her comfort zone."  
  
"Yeah, I know. But I already talked to her about it. You know how my mom
adores you. She said she'd come over to your place, and she won't smoke
inside."  
  
Jessica chewed her lip. "Maybe. I don't know. Besides, I don't wanna get drunk
and then come home."  
  
"So, I'll keep an eye on you, make sure you don't get wasted."  
  
"Yeah, right!" Jessica sputtered in laughter.  
  
"Hey, come on. When's the last time Pocahontas went on the prowl?"  
  
Jessica chuckled. Her Pocahontas costume had been tucked away in a box for
almost three years, now. It was a decidedly more adult version of the garment
depicted in the Disney movie, with a scandalously tiny skirt and low-necked
top. With her long black hair in twin braids, Jessica looked the part of a
sexy, brazen Indian queen perfectly.  
  
"That's not fair, Kelly."  
  
Her best friend chuckled. "Come on. You might even hook up. My mom said she'd
watch Ellie all night if it meant you might get some action."  
  
"Yeah, and that would be it. I get laid for one night, and then the guy finds
out I have a kid."  
  
"You'll still get laid," Kelly insisted in her deadpan, matter-of-fact way.  
  
Another sigh escaped Jessica's lips. "It might surprise you, but sex is not
the most important thing in the world."  
  
"Neither is chocolate, but you still gotta have it."  
  
Jessica chuckled. "Oh, well _now_ you're making sense."  
  
"Of course I am. So that settles it. You're coming out on Halloween."  
  
"Okay, fine," Jessica finally agreed with a reluctant smile. "But I'm gonna be
more careful this time, and so are you."  
  
"Pfft! Yeah, whatever."  
  
The conversation wandered off on other tangents for a while before Jessica
finally hung up. She had finished her first beer while talking, and rose to
get another before the start of one of her favorite shows, a medical comedy-
drama that starred one of the sexiest men in America, at least as far as
Jessica was concerned. Squeezing a lime into her second Corona, she settled
once more into the couch, pulling the hand-woven quilt bequeathed by her
mother just before breast cancer had taken her.  
  
"-- Hey! This thing still works!"  
  
Jessica frowned at the sound of the static-shrouded feminine voice. _That's
not coming from the TV_, she thought, glancing around.  
  
"How do you know it's working?" It was a man's voice, smooth and strong,
despite the interference.  
  
"'Cause the little light's on. Duh."  
  
Jessica rolled her eyes, sitting up to grab the baby monitor. _Shit, that's
all I need. Picking up someone else's conversation. They told me this might
happen with the cheap models, but I paid sixty bucks for this!_  
  
"Why do you even have a baby monitor?" the man's voice asked. "You don't have
a kid, do you?"  
  
"No, I got it for a friend of mine couple years ago. But she already had one."
A wondering laugh interrupted her words. "Might as well hang onto it, just in
case, you know?"  
  
"I hope that's not a warning."  
  
The woman laughed again. "No, I'm on the pill, and I'm gonna stay that way for
a few more years at least. Besides . . . I mean, it's only our fourth date. I
still, uh, believe in protection."  
  
"Of course."  
  
With a huff, Jessica pushed up from the couch, intending to sneak into her
daughter's room to change the frequency on the monitor beside Grace's bed. But
as she did so, the muffled sound of her baby's sleepy voice intruded upon the
eavesdropped conversation. Nonsensical murmurs accompanied by a long, droning
moan. The typical sounds elicited by Grace's infantile dreams.  
  
_Still, I should switch frequencies_, Jessica told herself, hand upon the knob
to Grace's room. _I can't just listen in on someone else's conver--_  
  
"-- Thinking maybe we would just stay in tonight," the man's voice sounded
once more. "It's already after nine."  
  
"I know. I'm sorry. Work kept me late and--" The woman's voice was muffled for
a brief moment before being replaced by soft moans and the unmistakable wet
smacking sounds of passionate kissing.  
  
Jessica's brow arched in voyeuristic interest. _Hmm. Okay, maybe it wouldn't
hurt to listen for just a few minutes . . . ._  
  
She returned to the couch, her eyes falling to the monitor as if she could
watch the scene. The TV flickered in the background, but she was no longer
paying attention. Taking up her beer, she grinned like a mischievous teenager,
listening to the passionate drama unfolding through the monitor.  
  
". . . Mmm, Vic . . . God damn, you're a good kisser," the woman was saying.  
  
"Only as good as my partner," the man named Vic responded. More heated kissing
ensued. Vic's lover was obviously becoming aroused. The sound of fabric moving
was just discernible beneath her heated sighs. After a few moments, the woman
gasped aloud, then cooed appreciatively.  
  
_Must be doing something right, Vic_, Jessica thought with a giggle. _What's
he doing? Kissing her neck? Her breasts? Or maybe he's one of those typically
direct guys who goes right for the honey pot--_  
  
"Fuck, yes," moaned the woman. "Bite 'em, baby. Bite--" she hissed loudly. "--
yeah, like that . . . ."  
  
Jessica nibbled her lip, feeling the warmth of arousal in the pit of her
stomach. She rubbed her thighs together, just little movements that stimulated
the suddenly needy swelling of her clitoris.  
  
"Lay back, baby, let me do something for you," Vic said. Even through the
filter of the monitor, his voice sounded strong and confidant to Jessica. A
real man's voice. She imagined him tall, well-built, with dark hair and
chiseled features, like a modern Rock Hudson or Christopher Reeve, leaning
over a swooning damsel more than ready to give in to his attentions.  
  
"God damn, you're sexy," the woman sighed. The sound of a body moving atop
leather -- like that of Jessica's own couch -- was unmistakable. Jessica could
just picture the unnamed woman reclining back, wantonly spreading her legs and
staring up into the eyes of her lover. She giggled suddenly amid a brief sound
of movement. "You like, baby? I shaved it all off, just for you."  
  
Jessica chuckled, rolling her eyes. _Oh, he's one of _those _guys_, she
thought, suddenly conscious of the sparse but tangled hair above and around
her long-neglected sex.  
  
"Hmm. Looks good enough to eat," Vic answered.  
  
"Prove it."  
  
Jessica felt her own pussy swelling and becoming more than a little slick as,
for the following quarter hour or so, she was treated to the sounds of a firm
tongue and talented lips caressing the obviously wet, intimate center of the
lucky young woman's being. There was little dialogue to tell Jessica exactly
what was going on, but her fertile imagination constructed the scene in her
mind: the woman, stretched out across the couch, her legs spread widely and
supported by Vic's strong arms. Jessica imagined dainty feet -- not unlike her
own -- settled upon the shoulders of a sun-bronzed, Adonis physique while the
man busied his tongue between the folds of a smooth-shaved pussy.  
  
By the time the woman announced her orgasm with a long series of caloric gasps
and hoarse cries, Jessica's hand had wandered beneath the waistband of her
house pants, fingers stroking slick lips and a greedy, demanding clitoris. The
TV was forgotten, and the beer sat neglected upon the coffee table. The ripe
aroma of her own arousal filled the air about her like a cloud.  
  
"I guess you liked that," Vic said at last, adding a confidant chuckle at the
end of his statement.  
  
"Oh, fuck yes," the woman replied. There was more kissing, more sighs and
giggles and moans.  
  
"Your turn," the woman said at last.  
  
_Oh, good girl_, Jessica thought, feeling a twitch in her pussy. _Returning
the favor . . . ._  
  
"Don't do it just to please me," Vic said as the sounds of movement indicated,
at least as far as Jessica was able to deduce, a reversal of the couple's
positions on the couch.  
  
"Baby," the girl said along to the sounds of thick coarse fabric -- denim,
Jessica realized -- being dragged along skin. "I almost never get off from a
guy going down on me. Trust me, you deserve what I'm gonna do for you. Just,
um . . . you know, let me know when you're gonna get off, okay?"  
  
"You don't want me to come in your mouth," the man observed.  
  
"It's just . . . it's not the taste or anything, it's just . . . I don't know.
Maybe, okay? But tell me first before you come."  
  
Jessica clucked her tongue. _She must be young,_ she thought. _Probably had a
bad experience giving head._  
  
"I promise," Vic said. There was more crinkling of leather, then a long,
drawn-out sigh from him. Jessica licked her lips, grinning, imagining a wet
tongue sliding along what would have to be an impressive, swollen shaft. She
wondered if Vic was circumcised or not. Personally, she had always preferred
at least some foreskin on a man's cock. She was fascinated by the way it
moved, sliding back and forth like a velvet sheath.  
  
As when Vic pleasured his lover, there were few words to help Jessica
construct the scene in her head as the woman gorged herself on Vic's manhood.
Given the wet slurping sounds, the many gasps and moans and occasional hisses
of pleasure, the accompanying muffled giggles and cooing sounds from the
woman's cock-filled mouth, Jessica had no problem imagining the impressively-
built Vic sitting like a king upon his throne, legs parted for the woman who
knelt between them, her head bobbing furiously, lips becoming wet and frothy,
one hand stroking the thick shaft while the other caressed swollen testicles
ready to burst.  
  
"Casey . . . Casey, baby, I'm gonna come." The desperation was telling in
Vic's voice. He was on the verge of exploding, Jessica could tell. _Bet he's
hoping she'll take it in her mouth . . . ._  
  
But Vic's lover, Casey, gasped loudly with a wet popping and slurping sound
which indicated the vacation of her mouth by Vic's cock. Loud wet smacking
sounds filtered through the crackling monitor. "Come on, baby!" she urged
hotly. "Do it for me! Come on!"  
  
Jessica's fingers delved between the lips of her sex, into moist heat beyond,
clutching tightly as she witnessed the arousing sounds of Vic's orgasm. She
could imagine his impressive cock spasming in Casey's tight grip, spraying
thick ribbons of semen in the air that would splash onto his lover's arm and
pumping hand, upon his abdomen and perhaps even getting a little on the young
woman's face. And she imagined his somewhat mild disappointment.  
  
Grace's crying interrupted the affectionate giggles of sexual aftermath,
compelling Jessica to withdraw her hand from within her pants and rise from
the couch. As she headed to the bedroom door, she thought smugly, _I would've
let him come in my mouth_.  
  
*****  
  
"That's wild!" Kelly exclaimed after Jessica had briefly related the story of
the previous evening. The two women were shopping, as was their typical
Tuesday afternoon activity when Jessica had a short day at the office and
there were a couple of hours to kill before she had to pick up Grace from
daycare.  
  
"It was pretty surrealistic," Jessica admitted, looking over a selection of
Donna Karan blouses on the discount rack. While she enjoyed a fairly
impressive salary, Jessica had always been a frugal shopper. It was a habit
learned during her years as a penny-pinching grad student.  
  
"You know who they are?"  
  
Jessica shook her head. "No, but I got the impression it was her apartment
they were in."  
  
"Well, she's gotta live close," Kelly commented, tossing back her wispy red
hair. "Those monitors don't have a real great range."  
  
"She doesn't live in my building, I'm sure of that. They're all families. But
the next building over is all one-bedroom units. She's probably in one of
those. I figure she's kind'a young. Maybe a college student."  
  
"What about the guy?"  
  
Jessica shrugged. "Only thing I'm sure of about him is that he's older. Maybe
my age, maybe over thirty. But he's definitely not some dumb college frat
guy."  
  
Kelly chuckled impishly. "Bet you'd love to have a guy like that waiting in
the wings when you need some," she remarked cattily.  
  
Jessica groaned. "Sure. Some hot hunk to fuck when I can't stand being horny
anymore, then send him on his way with a kiss on the cheek. Give him twenty
bucks for cab fare."  
  
Kelly grimaced. "Well, look who's gotten so cynical."  
  
Jessica sighed, flipping through an endless rack of identical white cotton
tops, not one of which was below a size eight. "You know, everything really
does change when you have a baby," she said with more than a little
frustration. "Most of it's good, like watching her grow, and watching her walk
and learn and talk. But some of it really sucks ass, you know? Like not having
a social life anymore. Don't get me wrong; I love Grace. Nothing on this
planet will ever be more important to me than her. And that's why I feel so
guilty about doing anything without her."  
  
"Well, hey, I'd suggest bringing her out on Halloween, but I don't think the
bars would let her in."  
  
Jessica shot her friend a look. "Hey, I'm being serious here."  
  
"Yeah, and so am I," Kelly insisted, turning to face her best friend squarely.
"Look, I get it. You're a single mom. Ellie's the center of your life. That's
the way it should be. I'd be that way, too. But damn it, Jessica! There's
nothing wrong with the occasional bout of hedonism once in a while. You wanna
be a martyr all your life?"  
  
Jessica gritted her teeth. "I know what you're saying. And I know you're
right. But that's not gonna stop me from thinking about every action I take,
because everything I do is gonna affect Grace, too."  
  
Kelly smiled supportively, taking Jessica by the shoulders. "You know when we
were kids, and I'd come over? You remember how your mom was? All those
lectures about doing the right thing and putting family first?"  
  
Jessica nodded. "I believe in all that."  
  
Kelly's smile was unwavering, but it was mitigated by the firm sense of
maturity in her eyes. "I do, too, hon. But there's a lot to be said for
sanity. You gotta cut loose once in a while, otherwise it's all gonna build
up. And then it's gonna explode."  
  
"You afraid I'm gonna explode?"  
  
Kelly's face became serious. "I've seen it happen," she said. "Like, after you
found out you were pregnant."  
  
Jessica groaned. "Okay, look. I admit I freaked out. But that wasn't because I
was pregnant, it was because of that deadbeat asshole who--"  
  
"Jess! Jess!" Kelly exclaimed, fixing her best friend with a steadying look.
"You forgetting I've been here all this time? I know it's not easy for you.
And that's exactly why I need you to come out and let your hair down. You need
this, Jess. You know you do. Otherwise you're gonna end up drinking yourself
six feet under."  
  
Jessica nodded reluctantly. "Like my mom, you mean."  
  
Kelly gave her friend an apologetic look. "You know you don't wanna be a human
sacrifice all your life."  
  
Jessica's shoulders fell. "You always were my big sister."  
  
Kelly beamed knowingly. "Yep."  
  
*****  
  
With the toys cleared up and the TV channel changed from kids' cartoons to
something a little more adult-minded, Jessica kissed her daughter good night,
tucking the flower-print blanket around Grace's neck and making sure the
bottle filled with Pedialyte lay within reach. Closing the door to the
bedroom, Jessica headed for the shower, sighing with relief as the city was
washed away from her skin. She didn't bother with anything other than a loose
cotton shirt after she dried off, and returned to the living room, eying the
baby monitor speculatively.  
  
But after a couple hours of somewhat entertaining programming, the monitor
remained silent other than the occasional moan or murmur from Grace. Twice,
Jessica checked in on her daughter, disentangling the infant from her blanket
and retrieving the stuffed orange bear that had been tossed over the edge of
the playpen turned crib.  

Eventually, she switched off the TV and the lights, and took up the monitor on
her way to the bedroom. It was after eleven, and while the Jessica Chan of
three years before would have considered such a time to be the beginning of a
night, the new Jessica was different.  
  
The air was cool as it washed over her naked body when she emerged from the
bathroom. Teeth brushed and hair down, Jessica slid beneath the covers of her
four-poster oak bed, briefly thinking how ridiculous it was that she slept
alone upon such a large mattress. She checked the monitor one last time, then
snuggled herself around a large body pillow beneath the covers, enjoying, at
the least, that simple comfort. The insistent approach of sleep was close at
hand when she closed her eyes.  
  
Faintly, through the monitor, came the creaking sound of a door being opened.
"Come on, baby," echoed the familiar voice of Casey.  
  
"Right behind you."  
  
A coquettish giggle. "Ooo. I like the sound of that."  
  
Jessica perked in her sleep, though her eyes remained closed. She listened
peripherally to impassioned kissing, imagining the scene once more. Her
fantasy image of Vic had him clothed in a dark silk shirt and tailored slacks,
a glittering watch around his wrist and leather loafers on his feet. She
imagined him with deep blue eyes. Maybe a small gold cross on a chain around
his neck, which would sway enticingly during sex.  
  
More crackling of leather beneath skin. Jessica eventually realized that Casey
had gotten on her knees on her couch, and she imagined the young woman naked,
back arched, gripping the back of the sofa as she pushed her hips out. Vic
knelt behind her, licking her sex to get her ready, then stood, naked as well
-- with the body of a god, Jessica was certain -- and pushed his cock inside
her.  
  
Jessica listened in amazement for over an hour, rolling onto her back and
allowing fingers to dance madly between her thighs as Vic drew out one orgasm
after another from the young and eager Casey. She wailed like a banshee with
each tumultuous sexual explosion. Jessica figured the couple switched
positions two or three times, but her impression was that Casey liked it from
behind.  
  
Finally, Vic announced his orgasm, accompanied by a gasp from Casey and the
tell-tale snapping of a latex condom. Listening to the woman's giggling
squeals as her body was undoubtedly pelted with dollops of spurting semen,
Jessica convulsed in her own orgasm, imagining herself in Casey's place. She
could almost feel the warm, heavy drops of fluid falling onto her back and
buttocks, dripping slowly down her outer thighs.  
  
Licking her fingers, listening to the ghostly voices of lovers who lay sated
and cuddling, Jessica returned to the land of slumber, the heady cloud of her
own pleasure mitigated by the knowledge that she was still alone.  
  
*****  
  
She pulled the silver SUV into a spot before the apartment complex' clubhouse,
adjacent to which lay the mailboxes for the community. Jerking her key free of
the ignition, and giving little Grace a smile and tickle to the infant's chin,
Jessica stepped quickly from her car and marched toward the row of mailboxes.
She hated leaving her daughter for even such a brief time, considering all the
urban horror stories she had heard about carjackings and infants being tossed
out the windows of stolen cars. But, within the community in which she lived,
and being just a minute or so . . . .  
  
She turned the key, opened the box. Two bills and a letter with the addresses
hand-written. Jessica sighed inwardly upon reading her former lover's return
address on the latter. Part of her hoped she would never hear from him again.  
  
"Asshole," she muttered aloud.  
  
"You too, huh?"  
  
Jessica frowned, looking up from her mail. A pretty young blonde girl in a
striped halter and boy shorts stood a few feet away, retrieving her own daily
dose of bad news from her own mailbox. Before Jessica could respond, the girl
continued.  
  
"Guys can be pieces of shit sometimes, can't they?"  
  
Jessica worked her jaw, regarding the letter in her hand. "Sometimes. But you
can't say it's not our fault for getting involved with them."  
  
The girl laughed. "True that," she said. "Like, why do we fall for the bad boy
type to begin with?"  
  
Jessica finally turned to face the younger woman. She wore an expression that
was both parental and sympathetic. "A couple hundred psychologists have
already tried to figure that out," she said. "They didn't have an answer,
either."  
  
The blonde rolled her eyes. "So we're screwed?"  
  
Jessica rolled her shoulders. "If we're lucky. And then, if we're not."  
  
The girl laughed loudly. "No shit, right?"  
  
Jessica laughed as well. Feeling a moment's worth of good faith, she offered
her hand. "I'm Jessica. Building seven."  
  
"Really?" the girl asked, gracing her fingers over Jessica's own. "I live in
building eight, right next door. My name's Casey."  
  
A tiny knot twisted in Jessica's gut as she realized she was speaking with the
lucky recipient of the one and only Vic's amorous attentions. Still, she
managed to maintain her friendly smile. "Nice to meet you."  
  
"So what's your bad news?"  
  
Jessica made a sound, glancing to Jason's letter. She waved it briefly.
"Deadbeat dad. You?"  
  
Casey flashed her own correspondence. "Ex-boyfriend. Trying to win me back.
Loser."  
  
Jessica couldn't help herself. "You got someone better?" she asked.  
  
Casey's eyes darkened for a moment before they dipped. "You ever meet Mr.
Right?"  
  
"If I did, I wouldn't be a single mother."  
  
Casey lolled her head back and forth. "True," she muttered, then took a deep
breath while radiating a lovestruck smile. "Well, I think I have. This guy's
fucking amazing. He brought roses on the first date, took me someplace nice,
and didn't even try anything. 'Course, that just made me want to jump him on
the second date."  
  
Jessica laughed. "Maybe that's what he wanted."  
  
"Maybe," Casey agreed. "Whatever. It worked. He's not like most guys. He opens
doors for me and everything. And he's got a cool job. He's the whole package,
you know?"  
  
Jessica allowed herself to smile. "Sounds like you found The One."  
  
The blonde grinned and winked. "Could be," she said. "Well, it was nice to
meet you. Gotta go."  
  
Jessica watched the buoyant girl prance away, the warmth draining from her
face. She looked back to the letter in her hand, while simultaneously
anticipating yet another pathetic evening of cable television and perhaps
another round of aural voyeurism. The jealous pang she felt regarding Casey's
happiness only made matters worse.  
  
Resignedly, she bowed her head and made her way back to the car.  
  
*****  
  
"_My Dear Jessica,_  
  
_I wish I could really explain myself to you and why I can't be there the way
I probably should be. But it's not easy for me. I've got so much going on with
grad school and work. I never thought I'd have to worry about being a father
too._  
  
_I really want to be part of Grace's life. She's so important to me. I hope
that eventually I can be active in her life, but like I said, I've got so much
going on. It wouldn't be fair to her, or to you. I'd just end up hurting all
of us. Plus, to be honest, I have a girlfriend now. She's very important to me
too. I think I'm going to ask her to marry me._  
  
_As bad as I feel about all this, at least it's not like you're hurting for
money. You can take care of Grace a lot better than I ever could. That's good.
I figure she needs her mother a lot more than her father anyway. Still, I want
to be involved in her life. Well, you know, as much as I can be. I hope you
understand that if Julie and I get married and have a family, I have to think
of them first and--_"  
  
Jessica crumpled the letter in her hand without reading the rest of it. With a
sour taste in her mouth and the beginnings of yet another tension headache
forming above her eyes, she cast the letter into the trash before joining her
daughter on the floor before the TV. She sang along with Jack's Big Music
Show, laughing and grinning the way a good parent would whenever her child
made the effort to mimic what she heard.  
  
"Even if it's just you and me, sweetheart," she said as she cradled her
daughter in her arms. "You're gonna be the happiest baby ever."  
  
*****  
  
"Ma! Ma! MA!"  
  
Jessica shot up from bed, her daughter's tortured screams tearing through the
monitor on her bedside table acting like a dagger of anguish stabbing through
her skull. Although befuddled from sleep, she jerked open the bedroom door,
stumbling past the kitchen and through the living room before reaching Grace's
door. Shoving it open, she found her precious little girl sitting up, pale
little face glowing and glistening with tears. Jessica raced to the side of
the pen and scooped her baby up, holding her close. The shuddering of Grace's
fear vibrated between them.  
  
"It's okay, baby, mommy's here. Mommy's here."  
  
"M-ma . . . ."  
  
Jessica held the trembling baby against her, squeezing her eyes against her
own tears. The scene was one that had been occurring far too frequently in
recent days. Whatever the source of Grace's onset of nightmares, Jessica
prayed it would pass. Not for her own sanity, but for her daughter's.  
  
As she rocked back and forth, feeling her heartbeat slow to normal, Jessica
clutched baby Grace against her bosom, whispering reassuringly in the infant's
ear, stroking and patting her back. Finally, she felt Grace sag, little hands
sliding down along her arms. Grace was asleep once more, reassured of safety
by her mother's presence. Carefully, Jessica set the baby back in the pen,
covered her with the fleece blanket once more.  
  
"I'll always be here, baby," Jessica whispered as she retreated toward the
door. "Mommy's always gonna take care of you."  
  
*****  
  
Even just a few days before Halloween, the afternoons were still warm enough
in the Southwest to enjoy getting a little sun by the pool. The water may have
been too chilly, but Jessica had no intention of taking a swim. Especially
since she had to keep an eye on baby Grace.  
  
She thought it amusing, pushing the stroller along the polished and stained
wooden planks that surrounded the apartment complex' Olympic-sized pool, how
men ogled her in her black bikini, yet shied away from approaching her because
of the baby's presence. She could see the way they made comments amongst
themselves, then shook their heads forlornly. As if saying, "Damn she's hot.
Too bad she's got a kid, or I'd be all over that."  
  
In a way, Jessica was thankful for the mitigating presence of her daughter.
Grace was like a brilliant, glowing, flashing "stop" sign that kept lecherous
men at bay. Better than any cold look for discouraging unwanted attention.
Still, a powerful part of Jessica's libido wouldn't have minded the attentions
of some of the toned young studs that lingered by the pool in loose trunks,
their six-pack abs proudly displayed.  
  
_Alas_, she thought wistfully, making sure the shade on the stroller covered
her sleeping child. She lathered up with tanning oil and wiped her hands
before reclining back on one of the lounges with a dogeared copy of a Laurel
K. Hamilton novel. Jessica wasn't so much interested in vampire fiction, but
she enjoyed the sexual aspects.  
  
Gently rocking the stroller with her foot, peripherally listening to some of
the kids playing in the water, Jessica didn't notice at first the approach of
the woman beside her until she heard her name called.  
  
"Hey, Jessica. Mind of I sit by you?"  
  
Jessica glanced up with a slight start, looking through the dark haze of her
sunglasses at the lithe blonde in the tiny blue bikini. Casey dropped her
towel on the lounge beside Jessica's. Her lightly-tanned skin glistened
already with a film of coconut-scented oil. "Sure," Jessica said with a smile.  
  
"Safety in numbers," The younger woman said with a conspiratorial nod which
indicated the various young men about the pool.  
  
Jessica grinned and laughed softly. "I'll protect you."  
  
Casey laughed as well, kicking off her flip-flops and easing back onto the
lounge. She sipped from a bottle of Aquafina. "Your baby's adorable," she
commented. "How old is she?"  
  
"Fifteen months," Jessica stated proudly.  
  
The young blonde bit her lip longingly, staring into the stroller. "Sometimes
I think I wanna have a baby so bad," she said. "But I'm not even out of
college. 'Course, half my friends got knocked up in high school. It's almost
like it's expected nowadays."  
  
Jessica shrugged. "Well, I can't say I'm the best authority on precaution,"
she said with a meaningful look. "Grace wasn't exactly planned. But I wouldn't
give her up for the world."  
  
Casey smiled broadly. "See, that's the difference. Most of my friends who've
got kids, they act like it's this big drain on their social life. All they do
is bitch about how much fun they're not having."  
  
Jessica inhaled deeply. "Yeah, it's a big change, but really, when it comes
down to it, nothing's more incredible than watching a tiny little person
growing up. It changes everything, and yeah, it's not always roses, but it
really is worth it."  
  
"Is her dad around?" Casey asked casually, then recanted with an apologetic
look. "Oh, shit. That's right. Deadbeat."  
  
Jessica shrugged sagely. "Like I said, she wasn't planned, and it was
obviously too much to expect her father to step up. Guess some of it's my
fault for fooling around with a guy too young for me."  
  
The blonde frowned with a funny smile stretching her lips. "What's too young
for you? I thought you were, like, my age."  
  
Jessica laughed. "Let's just say I'm getting dangerously close to thirty."  
  
"No way! I totally thought you were, like, maybe a year or two older than me!"  
  
"Hopefully I can keep that up for another decade."  
  
"Wow. Hey, good for you. Seriously."  
  
Jessica blushed. "Thanks," she said, shifting with a bit of discomfort. She
had never taken flattery well, even when it was honest. "So, um, how's your
Mr. Right?"  
  
Casey grinned, pale blue eyes flashing. "Mmm. Gets better every day. Fuck, I
think I'm in love. I never thought any guy would make me feel the way Vic
does."  
  
_No kidding_, Jessica thought, reflecting on the evening before, when she had
once more played the part of the clairaudial voyeur. _He had you screaming for
almost an hour last night_. "That's his name?" she asked innocently. "Vic?"  
  
"Yeah, that's him," Casey said dreamily. "Vic. _Vic Pisano_. God! Can you even
imagine a sexier name?"  
  
Jessica chuckled. "Oh, you got it bad, girl," she remarked.  
  
Casey laughed, biting her lip, undoubtedly reminiscing about her lover. "Yeah,
I guess I do. Never felt this way about any guy I ever dated. But Vic's really
different. He's older than me, and way more mature than anyone I've ever been
with."  
  
"That definitely helps," Jessica agreed.  
  
"So, what about you? You got a guy?"  
  
Jessica's smile evaporated. "Guess you could say I'm still waiting."  
  
Casey looked uncomfortable. "Damn. Almost makes me feel guilty for being
happy."  
  
The older woman shook her head with a disarming laugh. "Hey, don't feel sorry
for me. My baby's way more important than any man. I figure, maybe I'll meet
someone, maybe I won't. But it won't really matter either way as long as I can
raise my daughter right."  
  
Casey gave Jessica an inscrutable look. "You know, that's the coolest fuckin'
thing I've ever heard."  
  
Jessica rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses, but her smile remained.
"Fountain of wisdom, that's me."  
  
The blonde laughed. "Know what? I wish we'd met sooner. Specially since I'm
moving out next week."  
  
Jessica frowned. "Why are you moving out?"  
  
Casey chewed her lip thoughtfully, looking uncomfortable. "Well, it's kind'a
freaky. Like, freaky scary."  
  
The furrow on Jessica's brow deepened. "What, you got a stalker or something?"  
  
"No, nothing like that," the younger girl said, then sat up, swinging her legs
to the polished wood planks below them. "Look, I don't wanna weird you out or
anything."  
  
Jessica suddenly glanced to her baby, asleep in blissful ignorance. She
glanced back to Casey with alarm evident on her face. "Hey, if something's
going on around here--"  
  
"It's not a big deal," Casey insisted. "Well, not to you. It's just that . . .
okay, I got this friend. She's a serious geek girl. Spends way too much time
online. See, she found out that a girl got killed in my apartment a couple
years ago. Two years ago on Halloween, to be exact."  
  
Jessica's heart flipped in her chest and she sat bolt upright. "Jesus!" she
exclaimed. "They ever find who did it?"  
  
Casey squirmed, fidgeting with her hands. "Um . . . no. That's what kind'a
freaks me out. Like, I don't think I'm in any real danger, but still . . .
ever since I found out, I'm almost afraid to be alone in my own place. Good
thing Vic's been staying over almost every night."  
  
"No shit. I'd be afraid, too."  
  
"It's a real shame, too," the blonde continued. "When I first checked out the
apartment, it was perfect. Everything I wanted. Like, it felt like home. But
now . . . I can't stay there anymore. I don't know if I believe in ghosts or
anything, but ever since I found out, it's almost like I'm not the only one
living there."  
  
Jessica swallowed dryly. "Guess I can't really blame you for wanting to move
out."  
  
"Yeah," Casey said, then made the effort to brighten. "But, hey, I didn't
wanna freak you out. Not like it happened in your building or anything."  
  
Jessica nodded slowly. "Yeah. Right."  
  
*****  
  
"Oh! Look at you! You're scary!"  
  
The young boy, maybe six or seven, grinned beneath the oversized goblin half-
face mask he wore and expectantly held out the black nylon bag engraved with
"Trick or Treat." Jessica dutifully dropped a couple of dum-dums into the bag,
then smiled up at the boy's mother standing a few paces behind him on the
landing.  
  
"Say 'thank you,' Jeremy," the mother instructed.  
  
The boy looked sheepish as he turned away. "Thank you," he muttered shyly. His
mother rolled her eyes, then followed her son down the steps.  
  
Jessica watched them depart. The sun was just setting, casting the sky in deep
orange and crimson hues. A cool wind blew, carrying the scents of pumpkin pie
and incense. _Can't wait until I can take Grace trick-or-treating_, she
thought. She looked back, watching her daughter trying to dance in the
cumbersome bunny costume while watching a DVD episode of _The Wiggles_. She
laughed, fawning over the sight. _Nothing could be cuter_, she thought, _than
a clumsy baby in rabbit ears and a fuzzy cotton suit._  
  
The sound of a car pulling into one of the spaces before her building brought
Jessica's attention back outside. The doors of a champagne-colored Cadillac
popped open, disgorging its passengers. Jessica groaned inwardly, yet with a
smile, as a busty Elvira stepped from the passenger side, replete in a black
gown with an NC-17 neckline that revealed the swell of her impressive breasts.
The driver was an older woman who shared much of Kelly's Irish heritage, but
was more conservatively dressed.  
  
"Happy Halloween!" called Kelly as she advanced up the stairs toward Jessica's
apartment.  
  
Jessica laughed, meeting her best friend with a kiss on the cheek. "Wow. You
look--"  
  
"Like a complete slut," barked Kelly's mother from behind the busty redhead.
"Since when did Halloween become an excuse to dress like a tramp?"  
  
Kelly rolled her eyes, allowing her mother to pass into Jessica's apartment.
"Times change, mom."  
  
The older woman grumbled something under her breath, but her demeanor changed
once she caught sight of baby Grace. "Ooo! Look at the cute bunny-girl!"  
  
Grace squealed happily, jumping up and down before allowing Kelly's mother to
pick her up. Jessica watched from the doorway, a relieved smile crossing her
face. Beside her, Kelly settled a hand to Jessica's shoulder.  

"See? Told ya. Everything's gonna be fine. Now, let's get Pocahontas out of
the closet and go find some available vampires to hook up with."  
  
Jessica laughed, feeling both a release of tension and a swell of excitement.
She missed the days of carefree hedonism more than she thought she had.
"Sure," she agreed with a firm nod. "Just give me a minute."  
  
*****  
  
Grace's absorption in an On Demand episode of _Backyardigans_ made it easier
for Jessica to slip through the door. She knew from experience that to say
good-night to her daughter would only result in a bout of crying which Kelly's
mother would then have to deal with. Grace was not yet at the age that
separation anxiety would come into play on its own. Better to step out quietly
and let her child be distracted by the wonders of instructional TV and the
doting attentions of a woman whom Jessica could almost consider a mother
figure herself.  
  
Heading down to the car, Jessica felt more than a little revealed in the
skimpy mini-dress of beige, taupe, and ecru that was the foundation of her
Pocahontas costume. Even with the leather frill hanging from the crotch-level
skirt, Jessica felt exposed. Her hair in twin braids hanging down over her
breasts, face made up to look young and "sluttishly innocent" as Kelly had put
it, Jessica was beginning to feel if a night of adult Halloween revelry was
such a good idea.  
  
"God _damn_ you look hot!" Kelly exclaimed, stepping back to drink in her best
friend's appearance. "Shit, girl, you almost make me wish I was lesbo!"  
  
Jessica blushed, rolling her eyes. "I don't wanna stay out late," she
insisted.  
  
Kelly sighed, the very movement nearly exposing her breasts from beneath the
black fabric of her costume. "Look, relax, okay? Mom's gonna take care of
Ellie, I promise. The only _thing_ you gotta worry about is the one that might
be pushing up between your legs, got it?"  
  
Jessica frowned. "What, is this only about getting me laid?"  
  
Kelly stepped close and let her eyes smolder into her best friend's. "Got a
problem with that?"  
  
A weary laugh escaped Jessica's throat. "Don't take pity on me, okay?"  
  
Kelly scoffed. "Pity? Fuck that. Just call me your fairy fuckmother."  
  
Jessica arched a dubious brow. "'_Fairy fuckmother_?'"  
  
"Yep. Okay, time for inspection. Breath mints?"  
  
Jessica sighed, then tapped the little leather clutch she carried. "Check."  
  
"Keys?"  
  
"Check."  
  
"Cell-phone?"  
  
An inner groan. "Check."  
  
Kelly smiled cattily. "Condoms?"  
  
Jessica huffed, fixing her friend with a stare. "Check. Can we go now?"  
  
The redhead only laughed, then grasped her friend's hand. "Sounds like you're
ready to get your frontier plundered, _Poke-_a-hontas."  
  
"After you, _Whore-_vira_,_" Jessica shot back.  
  
Kelly narrowed her eyes. "Ooo. Good one."  
  
*****  
  
The music started pummeling the two ladies as they made their way from the
parking lot of the club to the front entrance. Gaudy glowing signs advertised
drink specials and a Halloween prize for "sexiest male and female costume"
above the marquee of the nightclub. Dozens of costumed patrons waited in line
for their chance to get in as Kelly led Jessica by the hand, blatantly
bypassing the line to head straight for the front. The bouncer at the door was
a huge, burly man with a black shirt stretched across his thick chest and
belly, beneath a bald head sporting a braided blonde beard.  
  
"Hey, Tim," Kelly spoke in a flirtatious tone, sidling close to the bouncer.
"I'm on the list. Elvira and friend."  
  
Tim's thin brow arched for a moment as his eyes roamed over Kelly's impressive
features. "There's a special cover charge," he said.  
  
Kelly licked her lips seductively. "I'll pay you later, promise," she said.  
  
Tim chuckled, shaking his head. "Go on, you horny bitch," he growled, giving
Kelly's ass a smack with his meaty hand. He briefly glanced over Jessica, his
eyes betraying interest. Soon, both women were through the doors and heading
down a dark-painted hall toward the club proper. Behind them, the jealous
protests of patrons waiting to be let in died away.  
  
"What the hell was that all about?" Jessica yelled to her friend above the
pounding bass shuddering in the air.  
  
Kelly rolled her shoulders casually. "Nothing. Just a blowjob between
friends," she said with a wink "Now, come on! Let's get loose! First round's
on me, and if we do it right, we won't have to pay for another drink all
night!"  
  
Jessica took a breath as her best friend cast aside the dark curtain that
revealed the chaotic, multicolored pandemonium of the nightclub beyond. A
techno version of "Monster Mash" resounded in the air above a writhing mass of
bodies upon the dance floor. Taking a breath to steel her nerves, Jessica
stepped through the curtain.  
  
*****  
  
She was surprised to find that it only took a a couple of shots of Bacardi and
a single Corona before Jessica gave into hedonistic impulses which had lain
dormant for two years. Sashaying out to the dance floor, she no longer cared
about the brazenness of her costume and instead gave in to the intoxicating
music and the aroma of sweaty, aroused bodies. She danced with no one in
particular and with everyone in general. Her movements were fluid but
reckless, sensual but chaotic. The primal nature of her dancing was both
inspiring and intimidating to others.  
  
Kelly was lost in the crowd in short order. Jessica briefly noticed her
carefree friend leaving the main floor, following the burly bouncer toward a
dark door. She grinned ruefully, imagining a large-breasted Elvira on her
knees servicing the bulky doorman. _Bet he won't even last five minutes,_
Jessica thought. But her cynicism faded swiftly, replaced by sheer base
enjoyment of the moment. She realized quickly that Kelly had been right: _I do
need this_, Jessica thought.  
  
Men approached, but she ignored them. Jessica was enraptured by the music, by
the simple unadulterated hedonism of being watched and desired. Like a goddess
come to Earth, she was aloof and uncaring, reveling in the basic pleasure of
dance.  
  
"Hey, sexy, looks like you had too much to drink!"  
  
She barely heard the loud voice above the constant din, and turned to see a
pudgy man clad in a black bodysuit, over which he wore a square white carapace
emblazoned with the legend "Breathalyzer" and a pair of colorful painted-on
dials. Over his crotch was a short length of white pipe. Jessica gave the man
a dubious look.  
  
"Get it? I'm a human breathalyzer!" cried the man, laughing. "Go on, blow me."  
  
Jessica's eyes flickered down. "Well, if the pipe was bigger, I might consider
it," she said, just loud enough that he could hear, then turned and strutted
away. She was grinning as she left the rejected man behind, luxuriating in her
cocktease status.  
  
"Hey, Pocahontas! How 'bout a pow-wow?" called another man, this one clad in a
Hellboy get-up.  
  
She laughed. "At least you got the name right!"  
  
Heady from all the attention and loosened from the alcohol, Jessica headed for
the nearest bar, glowing like the flame within a Jack-O-Lantern. Even if she
didn't deign to take up some lucky man on his libidinous offer, the attention
was enough to inflate her ego.  
  
"Corona," she announced when the biker-dressed bartender gave her an expectant
look. "Dressed." She held out a five when the bottle was handed to her.  
  
"My treat," came a voice, just before a strong, tanned arm came into view, the
hand at the end of which covering hers which held the bill. Jessica glanced to
her right, momentarily annoyed, but the sight of the arm's owner made her
pause. He looked boyish but charming, handsome but not overly so. Clad in a
short toga with a laurel rest upon dark curls, he looked like a Roman senator
on holiday. His soft green eyes reflected the lights of the club, looking
alert and disarming. He smiled upon Jessica, meeting her gaze. "I insist."  
  
Jessica shrugged. "Sure," she agreed, slipping the five back into her tiny
clutch. "But I'm not promising anything."  
  
His smile was unwavering. "Neither am I," he retorted, then called to the
bartender. "Skyy on the rocks with a twist." He set a twenty on the bar and
leaned against the polished brass rail, facing Jessica.  
  
"Let me guess," she said, admiring him briefly. He was well-built, but not
obsessively so. The part of his torso which lay exposed revealed a chest just
hairy enough to be attractive, but not so much as to invoke comparisons to
Austin Powers. She smirked in amusement upon spying the sandals complete with
leg straps. "Julius Caesar?"  
  
He narrowed his eyes in bemusement. "Well, ol' Gaius wasn't exactly known as a
lover, was he? I was going for Marc Anthony."  
  
"Hmm. Didn't he commit suicide?"  
  
"He died for love," the man said with a wink.  
  
Jessica laughed softly, finding herself warming up to the man. "There are
worse reasons, I guess."  
  
The man mocked a frown. "Ouch. Cynical much?"  
  
Jessica tittered. "Maybe," she admitted.  
  
"So, do you just want me to call you Pocahontas all night?" he asked
baitingly.  
  
She blushed and offered her hand. "Jessica."  
  
His fingers were strong yet delicate against hers. "Raymond," he introduced,
holding her hand just a touch longer than would be considered casual. "Are you
here with anyone?"  
  
Jessica glanced around briefly, not really expecting to see Jessica in the sea
of more than two thousand partiers. "Came here with a friend," she said. "God
knows who she's doing now."  
  
Raymond chuckled, taking his drink from the bartender and leaving a few
dollars for a tip. As if it was natural, the two of them moved away from the
bar to allow others to crowd in, and found a small table nearby. "Let me
guess: she's the wild child, and you're the quiet, mousy librarian type."  
  
Jessica sighed with a smile. "Used to be the other way around," she said
wistfully.  
  
He cocked his head in interest. "So, what happened? Or is that too personal a
question for a first date?"  
  
She arched a speculative brow. "First date?" she asked.  
  
Raymond's eyes darted down. "Sorry. Getting ahead of myself. Must be my overly
optimistic nature."  
  
Jessica tilted back her bottle, regarding Raymond with a wary, yet appraising,
eye. "Must be," she said guardedly. "We don't even know each other yet."  
  
He smiled cattily. "'Yet,'" he repeated over the rim of his glass. "Key word."  
  
Now it was Jessica who blushed. "Oh, so you want to get to know me," she said,
unconsciously moving closer to Raymond along the edge of the small elevated
table. "Or do you just want to see what's under my dress?"  
  
He fixed her with a level look. "Yes."  
  
She laughed, rolling her eyes and looking away, if only to hide her rapidly-
growing attraction to Raymond. "You're pretty smooth, aren't you?"  
  
He shrugged. "Not for me to decide," he said simple, then sipped his drink
again. "See, one of three things happens when I meet a beautiful woman. One,
she remains nothing more than a sex object. Two, she opens her mouth and says
entirely the wrong thing and suddenly, she's not so hot anymore. Or three . .
. ." His eyes sparkled briefly beneath the flashing strobes of the club. "I
follow her to a table in the middle of a crowded bar and forget about the rest
of the world."  
  
Jessica bit her lip, betraying at least a hint of the arousal that was
beginning to make her tiny beige thong darken with moisture. "So, am I just a
sex object, or have you forgotten about the rest of the world?"  
  
He blinked for effect. "The rest of the what?"  
  
Her cheeks darkened even more, and she cast her eyes down, feeling a warmth
spreading out from her lower abdomen, making her nipples stiffen beneath the
flimsy fabric of the dress. "Okay, you're being just a little _too_ smooth."  
  
He smiled and leaned back slightly. "I could always switch to crude locker
room jokes," he said. "I'd hate for you to think I'm perfect."  
  
Jessica said nothing for a long moment, content to study her suitor's face and
admire his soft and exceedingly kissable lips.  
  
"So, you didn't answer my question," he prompted after a moment.  
  
"Which was?"  
  
"Why you aren't the wild child anymore."  
  
Jessica's enjoyment faded, if only just. "Life changes," she said. "Good job,
more responsibility, got a little older, had a baby. You know. Life changes."  
  
Raymond's eyes didn't lose their lustre as he read her face. "Boy or girl?" he
asked at last.  
  
She smiled with parental fondness. "A girl. She's a little over a year old
now."  
  
"And . . . the father?" Raymond asked probingly.  
  
Jessica sighed. "Elsewhere," she said.  
  
He nodded with dark sageness. "Seems to be the case more and more these days."  
  
She shrugged with a hint of discomfort, but she also felt an almost cathartic
need to share her feelings with this man. "Yeah. Funny. Never thought I'd be
one of those girls."  
  
"And what girls are they?"  
  
She met his eyes with a momentarily harsh look. "Accidental single mothers."  
  
He nodded, regarding his drink thoughtfully. "Not a person on this planet who
hasn't made a life-changing mistake," he said. "But I've always found that
chance favors the outcome."  
  
"Meaning what?"  
  
He looked up again, eyes piercing into hers. "Meaning," he said pointedly.
"That some accidents aren't accidents at all. They're events that are supposed
to happen, leading to outcomes that, overall, are for the better."  
  
Jessica's fingers fidgeted along her bottle. "This is an awfully serious
discussion for a first date," she said.  
  
Raymond smiled broadly. "So let's dance."  
  
*****  
  
There was something about him that drew out a maelstrom of reactions from
Jessica, from pure arousal to guarded wariness. Raymond was the sort of man
she had longed to meet, not just since the arrival of her daughter into the
world, but since Jessica had been a teenager pining for Mr. Right. Raymond was
an intelligent man, of that there was no doubt, and intelligent men, in
Jessica's experience, came in one of two varieties: arrogant and manipulative,
or, rarely, understanding and patient. She wondered from which mold her
seductive beau had been cast.  
  
The instinctual decision had been made in Jessica's mind by the second song on
the dance floor; whatever the events of the evening yet to unfold, she wanted
it to end naked and sweaty in bed with Raymond. Near-desperate yearning,
aggravated by her aural voyeurism of Casey and Vic's sex life, buffeted like a
battering ram against an increasingly quelled inner scream that urged
restraint.  
  
By the third song, Raymond had drawn her close, swaying against her to the
slow but primal beat of some industrial house music. His breath was warm and
sensuous in her ear, just before she felt his lips and talented tongue trail
slowly down the side of her neck. She did not protest when his arms encircled
her, one hand sliding up along her belly toward the sensitive undersides of
her breasts, the other slipping between her thighs. A gasp flew from her lips,
lost in the hazy air when his fingers pressed up against her sex, massaging
with gentle surety. The single layer of fabric was sticky with moisture, a
sure sign of her arousal which Raymond had no trouble reading.  
  
Abruptly, however, Jessica spun around, facing her imminent lover, face slack
and flushed. "I wanna go," she said, voice hot and needy.  
  
His eyes searched hers for a moment. He nodded in understanding. "It's late.
Baby girl needs you."  
  
Jessica smiled, smoldering with her urgent sexuality. "Baby girl's asleep,"
she said, her voice audible only to him. "And my bedroom's on the other side
of the apartment."  
  
It took him a moment to understand. "Oh," he said, then smiled. "Should, um,
should I follow you?"  
  
She cupped his face, then leaned in, brushing her damp lips against his. The
kiss was brief but sensuous. "Yes, you should," she whispered.  
  
*****  
  
Finding Kelly was surprisingly easy, Jessica discovered, once she realized
that the reason a crowd had gathered around one of the dance floors was
because everyone was watching Elvira "getting down." Jessica rolled her eyes
once she broke through the crowd, witnessing the stripper moves of her best
friend upon the floor. The Elvira costume did little to conceal her rolling
breasts as the redhead moved about, and contrasted with the flashes of
intimate pink flesh which Kelly displayed.  
  
The crowd applauded Kelly's efforts once she was finished, and the busty woman
bowed effusively, face and cleavage flushed. Upon seeing Jessica, she squealed
loudly and assaulted her best friend with a tight hug and numerous kisses.  
  
"Hey, pokey-girl, where ya' been?" she asked drunkenly.  
  
Jessica sputtered against the outpouring of toxic fumes from Kelly's lips.
"You're trashed," she commented with more than a hint of annoyance.  
  
"Bet'cher ass," Kelly drawled, then laughed again. She noticed Raymond
standing patiently in wait, and murmured approvingly. "Ooo. Hey there, stud."  
  
"Uh-uh," Jessica said, supporting her best friend. "He's with me."  
  
Kelly breathed out. "Fucky luckin' you," she bumbled. "Gotta friend?"  
  
"I'm thinking more about getting you home," Jessica said, worried.  
  
"Fu' that," she sputtered. "Ain' goin' home. Wanna party."  
  
Jessica huffed in annoyance. _Leave it to Kel to ruin my night_, she thought,
glancing toward Raymond with an apologetic look. He seemed to understand, for
he nodded and raised spread hands, as if to ask, "what can you do?"  
  
"Coming through!"  
  
The commanding voice compelled those still in control of their senses to part
before the bulky bouncer as he waded through the sea of bodies. Others were
shoved aside. Tim looked upon Kelly with a tired but knowing look, then
shifted his attention to Jessica.  
  
"Let me take her home," he suggested, then read Jessica's protective
expression. "Look. I've known Kelly for a couple years. You can trust me. I
ain't gonna do nothing but get her some coffee and hold her hair back when she
decides to sing to the porcelain microphone, okay?"  
  
Jessica struggled with an internal dilemma for a moment, glancing from Kelly
to Tim to Raymond. For over an hour, she had been anticipating being alone
with her new admirer. But now, she faced the dilemma of taking care of her
friend -- as she had done many times before when Kelly was in such a state --
or remanding her over to a man who was as much a stranger as Raymond . . . but
from whom she felt similarly trusting vibes.  
  
"My number's in her phone," Jessica said at last, guiding Kelly into Tim's
strong arms. He lifted her with ease, curling the drunken, now incoherent girl
against him as easily as lifting an infant. "Call me if anything happens,
okay?"  
  
Tim smiled and nodded. "I don't take advantage of women," he said matter-of-
factly. "Don't worry about her. Go on, enjoy yourself. Let me worry about
Kelly."  
  
Jessica smiled reluctantly and nodded. She pushed up on her toes to plant a
kiss on Tim's cheek. "Thanks."  
  
*****  
  
It surprised Jessica how swiftly she let go of her worry for her best friend,
but something told her Kelly was going to be fine. For whatever reason, she
trusted Tim the bouncer to watch over her friend. With that decision firmly in
place, she looked forward to time alone with Raymond, feeling both a sense of
wonderment and incredulity at the the idea that, of all places, she might have
met the sort of man she had been searching for at a nightclub on Halloween
night.  
  
_Stranger things have happened,_ she thought as she drove home, feeling only a
pleasant buzz from the alcohol she had consumed. She had given Raymond her
address and phone number, just in case he lost her on the way.  
  
She pulled into her assigned space before the apartment building and ambled up
the stairs. Kelly's mother was awake, seated on the couch, watching vintage
reruns on TV Land. She gave Jessica a crooked smile.  
  
"I'm gonna bet Kelly ain't with you."  
  
Jessica shook her head sadly. "No, but she's in good hands."  

The older woman pushed up from her seat. "Let me guess: big guy, bald head,
braided beard?"  
  
"Yeah," Jessica confirmed with a worried frown.  
  
Kelly's mother laughed darkly. "I like Tim. Okay, I feel better." She rubbed
her hands together, facing Jessica. "I put Ellie down around nine-thirty. She
fussed a little bit, but she's been sound asleep since ten. Ain't heard a peep
through this thing." She held up the baby monitor.  
  
Jessica took the device, turning it over in her hands for a moment before
setting it on the breakfast bar between the kitchen and tiny dining area of
the apartment. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "Really."  
  
The middle-aged woman took Jessica's hands. "Honey, I love you like a
daughter," she said. "Always have. Things are gonna turn out right for you
some day. Trust me."  
  
Jessica smiled sheepishly. "I almost feel bad for paying you to babysit."  
  
"Well, you better not!" the woman exclaimed, then she laughed. "Oh, one more
thing. Some girl named Casey came by after you left. Had a little gift for
you."  
  
Jessica turned, noticing the basket on the kitchen counter. It was a harvest
basket, filled with various summer sausages and cheese. Jessica smiled.  
  
"Guess she figured you might be in the mood for some meat tonight or
something."  
  
Jessica echoed the laugh and took out the three folded twenties from her
purse. "Thanks again."  
  
The older woman winked. "Any time. Just take care of yourself, and that little
one in there. Ain't nothing more important than the next generation. 'Cause,
some day, they're gonna be looking out for us."  
  
Jessica nodded in agreement and watched the doughty woman leave, gently
closing the front door behind her. With Kelly's mother gone, Jessica raced
quickly through the apartment, tidying up a bit here and there. She dabbed on
some fresh deodorant and used the toilet, taking care to keep herself clean
between her legs. Experimentally, she slipped a finger between still-wet folds
and tasted her own nectar.  
  
_God, I hope he shows up_\--  
  
The knock at the front door was soft and subdued, just as Jessica had
specified so as not to wake the baby. She felt a jolt of excitement as she
headed through the spacious apartment to the front door. A quick glance
through the peep-hole made her giggle at the sight of Raymond still with the
laurel on his head. Smoothing her hands down her tight dress, she turned the
knob.  
  
"Hi."  
  
His eyes drank her in, making no effort to conceal his interest. "You know, I
have to admit I was a little worried."  
  
"About?"  
  
"About this being your address. Like, maybe you'd changed your mind or
something."  
  
She gave him a seductive look. "Something you'll learn about me," she said,
pushing the door open wider. "Once I make up my mind, I'm not about to change
it."  
  
He matched her look. "Neither am I," he said, stepping past her and glancing
around briefly within the apartment. "Wow. Nice place. Never really liked the
looks of these apartments from the outside, but I like what you've done here."  
  
Jessica barely heard Raymond's words, fixated as she was upon the implied
promise of intimate coupling. Without a word, she stepped around him and
pressed her body against his, settling her arms upon Raymond's shoulders. "You
mind if a girl's a little direct?" she asked.  
  
Raymond's chest swelled as he breathed in. "Not at all."  
  
She smiled sexily, then leaned in for a kiss the had them both moaning softly.
Hands roamed across bare and barely-covered skin. Finally, Jessica pulled
back. "Good," she said breathily. "Because I wanna fuck you."  
  
Raymond made the effort to control himself as Jessica pivoted away. He watched
her from behind, his eyes predatory. "Talk about coincidence," he said. "I've
been thinking about tasting you all night."  
  
Jessica allowed herself a small smile, enjoying the act of drawing out the
pleasure she would soon be enjoying. She headed to the kitchen, glancing to
the baby monitor on the breakfast bar briefly before eying the bundle Casey
had left. "Care for a snack?" she asked over her shoulder.  
  
"Depends," Raymond responded. "Is it hot, wet, and juicy?"  
  
Jessica smirked, opening her silverware drawer and taking out a long, sharp
knife. "Well, I could heat it up, I guess, But I usually prefer my meat raw."  
  
Raymond chuckled in a low tone behind her. "Me, too."  
  
Jessica's smile remained, becoming sultry as she reached into the gift basket.
She took down a cutting board from the wall above the sink and pulled out a
summer sausage from the gift basket. Behind her on the breakfast bar, she
heard the faint moaning of her daughter through the monitor.  
  
"Mind if I ask you something, Raymond?" she asked, passing the razor edge of
the knife easily through the sausage.  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"Does it bother you at all that I have a daughter?"  
  
His voice seemed closer when he responded, but Jessica didn't turn around. She
heard Grace moaning again through the monitor, but it was a faint sound, such
as the baby often made while sleeping.  
  
"Why should it?" Raymond asked rhetorically.  
  
Jessica shrugged. "It's just that, most guys I meet seem to be a little put
off when they find out I have a baby girl."  
  
"I'm not like most men."  
  
She grinned, feeling that familiar swelling in both her chest and between her
thighs. "I know. And I hope you don't take it the wrong way when I say that
kind of scares me--"  
  
"MA! MA!"  
  
The sudden loud and insistent scream of her daughter through the monitor made
Jessica whirl around instinctively with the intention of bolting toward
Grace's bedroom door. But she gasped as she found herself staring abruptly
into the face of Raymond, who had apparently approached silently behind her.
The expression on his face was one of shock and barely-registered pain. His
right arm was raised high above his head, fist clenched tightly about the hilt
of a folding knife with a wickedly serrated edge.  
  
For a long moment, Jessica stared into Raymond's face, and he into hers.
Eventually, their eyes drifted downward, falling upon Jessica's hand, still
clutching the long sharp knife which was now buried deep into the center of
Raymond's chest. Blood had already begun to soak into the toga, turning pale
white into deepest crimson.  
  
"Oh, Jesus," muttered Jessica, letting go of the grip of the knife. Raymond
stumbled, mouth working as if to speak, but no words issued forth, only blood
which bubbled over his teeth and dripped out from between useless lips.  
  
It took Jessica a moment to understand what had happened. She watched as
Raymond toppled back, futilely clutching at the knife in his chest. But he was
already dead before his brain registered the fact; nothing he could do would
save his life. The kitchen knife had sliced through his heart, while the blade
in his own hand fell to the floor, unsatisfied.  
  
With an anguished cry, Jessica stumbled over Raymond's still-twitching body
toward Grace's room, throwing open the door. In a matter of moments, she had
her daughter in her arms, holding the crying infant close, feeling delicate
little arms clutching her neck.  
  
"It's okay, baby, it's okay," Jessica cooed, patting Baby Grace's back.
"Mommy's here. Mommy's always here."  
  
"M-ma . . . ."  
  
*****  
  
By the time the various men and women in their uniformed coveralls had left,
removing the body and taking whatever evidence they needed, Jessica felt
dramatically sober. She sat staring at the TV, holding her daughter against
her bosom. Grace had fallen asleep in short order, and had not awakened no
matter the activity in the apartment.  
  
Detective Davidge thanked the crime scene investigators as they left, standing
in the doorway of the apartment. The information he had been given already had
him feeling as if something more had happened than that which the evidence
showed. _Typical Halloween night_, he thought cynically.  
  
Carefully, he stepped around the edge of the couch and stood before Jessica,
watching the alluring woman in her sexy little Pocahontas costume as she
rocked gently back and forth. "You okay?"  
  
Jessica glanced up, dark eyes swollen and red. "Should I be?"  
  
Davidge shrugged, then pulled the coffee table further from the couch and sat
down upon it. "Guess that depends on your point of view," he said.  
  
"H-he was gonna kill me," Jessica stammered.  
  
The detective nodded. "Looks that way."  
  
Her anguished mind could not resist the question. "Why?"  
  
He sighed. "Well, it's probably too early for speculation, but the knife your
attacker had on him looks like the same knife that was most likely used to
kill a young lady in this same complex, exactly two years ago. Could be that
this Raymond Atwood guy was a serial killer."  
  
Jessica stared at the detective in wonder. "I got the idea he'd been here
before. Something he said," she mused, thinking about the bizarre consequences
of the night. She shivered, thinking how lucky she had been to have been
holding the knife just when Grace had screamed, and how she wouldn't have even
had the knife out if not for Casey's gift basket, whom she would not have met
if not for the baby monitor, the same monitor through which Grace had
screamed, saving her mother's life . . . .  
  
"Miss Chan?"  
  
Jessica gave the detective a weak smile. "Just thinking about all the
coincidences," she said.  
  
He smiled back. "Someone once told me there's no such thing as coincidence.
Just plans other people make and don't tell you about."  
  
Jessica nodded numbly. "Chance favors the outcome," she muttered, repeating
Raymond's strangely philosophical words.  
  
"Well, fortune was definitely on your side tonight," Davidge agreed.  
  
She managed a small laugh. "I should just be happy that Grace and I are safe."  
  
The detective frowned in a wondering way. "Grace?"  
  
Jessica nodded. "My daughter's name. Why?"  
  
Davidge chuckled dryly. "Like you said, coincidences. Grace Mathews was the
name of the woman who was killed two years ago tonight."  
  
Jessica stared blankly at the detective for a long moment, then looked down
upon her daughter. Baby Grace was awake, with wide dark eyes staring up at her
mother, little mouth stretched by a knowing smile that seemed far too mature
for a child.  
  
_No such thing as coincidence_, Jessica thought in amazement, then kissed
Grace's forehead.  
  
_-finis-_  
  
_(Thanks for reading. Please don't forget to vote and/or leave a comment
below, and make sure to read all the other contest entries as well. Happy
Halloween!)_




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