Chapter Ten

TEN

Heavy boots enter the sitting room. I wonder how I never hear that door opening when he comes home. What sort of work is it that makes him return home past midnight?

He stands in front of my couch for a while then moves to the television. I keep my eyes half closed as I watch him in the dark room. He turns and looks at me before turning off the television. I wonder if he is trying to annoy me by turning off the television all the time.

I grit my teeth and hold in all of my resentment. He picks a book I left out of the pile. His gaze returns to me then he returns the book to its place.

He walks to the couch and lightly pats my feet. It is like he is trying to wake me up. His hands are cold against my warm feet. I have to act like I am in a deep slumber so I do not move. He walks out of the sitting room.

I wait to hear his room door close but I hear nothing. Soon he comes out again and walks to the kitchen. He spends some time there ruffling nylons and maybe eating. If he is eating, I want to join him but I remain there, my eyes wide open in the darkness, hoping he does not finish whatever it is he is eating.

He does not return to his room. He goes into my new room. I really want to jump out of my seat now. It is my room and my personal belongings are there. Well, a few things - the clothes and underwear Zuri got from garage sales for me.

He seems to be carrying things out of the room. His footsteps are heavy and hurried as he walks across to his own room. I sigh and sit up.

My stomach rumbles too loudly. I hit it and mutter, "shut up." It does not listen. It still happens again. I actually do not care about how untidy that room is. I just hope he rounds up quickly so I can steal or take food from the kitchen.

I bring out a knife from the teddy and play with it. Now it is familiar to my fingers. It comfortably fits in between them. I twirl it around in circles then put it back.

A door opens. "What's happening?" Zuri asks.

"Sorry to wake you, sleeping beauty. I just wanted to clear up," he replies.

" Is she in there?"

" No."

There is silence then I hear Zuri's footsteps as she walks to the parlor. I hug the teddy tighter and shut my eyes. Her subtle lemon scent envelopes the area. She stands there for a while then moves out. These two siblings seem to have a thing for staring at sleeping people.

So here I am like a central attention. People are checking to see if I am sleeping okay. It is new to me and I do not like the sense of gratitude and indebtedness I feel.

Footsteps return to the sitting room. He bends over me. I immediately rush up. "Did you just want to lift me?"

He shifts back and I can sense his amusement.

"I have cleared out the room for you."

I nod and pull my teddy in between my legs. "I am hungry."

"You didn't have dinner?"

"I did."

He starts walking out. I wonder if having dinner means I can not get hungry early the next morning.

"Aren't you coming?"

He is standing at the door, waiting. I stand and follow him to the kitchen.

He brings out a bowl and pours cereals into it. "Sometimes I get free packs at work."

I look on as he pours in the liquid milk and then turns it. He pushes the bowl to me and I keep watching him, wondering if he was going to feed me too.

"What?" he asks, "eat up."

I pull the bowl closer to me. "You did not want me touching your things. You must think I would be wasteful because it's free."

He leans forward with his elbows on the table. His lips part and close without uttering a word. He relaxes on his chair like he changed his mind. I shake my head and begin to eat.

"Where did you school?"

I look around the room then back at him before swallowing the food in my mouth. "I did not say I was in school."

He laughs. "Do you have to say it?"

I nod, spooning food into my mouth. He is asking me questions like he wants me to lose my appetite. I wonder if he's interested in my food. I eat more quickly and raise the plate up to lap the milk at the bottom.

When I'm done, I rise and point to a bottle that I am sure contains water. "Can I have it?"

He shrugs. I take the bottle but stay back. He's looking at me like he knows things about me that I did not say.

"You are not from the streets, Imani."

He says it with so much assurance that my lips lift in a smile. I did not lie; I'm from the streets. This small truth spreads its twigs proudly around my heart. I shrug and leave him alone.

The power goes off and I nod.

Perfect.

Now I'll have to stay up acting as a night guard for the house. I walk to the stool and pick a book before returning to the couch.

Zuri's brother is still in the kitchen. I hope it is not me that keeps him awake. If it is so, that will be a waste of his energy.

I am not interested in the little book in my hand. I just flip through the pages with my eyes on the dark television.

I wish I could say I have a plan. It will involve a place to sleep and a little income. But I am just sitting blank like a charity case. Sometimes I miss Uncle Joel's house. I could choose to stay in or go out. I could choose to eat in or eat in Kent's. There were options - some not favourable but I had options.

The routine is simple here. It feels like a loosely bound cage that I have willingly surrendered to. At least I can walk about, I can interact with people that know nothing about me.

I close my eyes as he comes into the sitting room. His weight dips the cushion as he settles in the space beside me. I open my eyes very much aware of this proximity. I know what time it is; it is that time predators look for preys.

I sit more erect and look in his direction.

"You want to have sex with me."

I like that he does not feign innocence or shock. He is silent but his silence is not one I fear. It is with meaning; someone who has nothing to say not someone who is holding back.

"Imani," he calls.

I hum my answer.

"You will have to use the room I set up for you. I do not appreciate anyone using the couch here."

I play with the hand of the teddy while staring into the darkness. He moves in his seat and the leather makes noise. "Do you understand?"

"I can not sleep," I say without turning to him. "I can't sleep without the television."

"Without noise?"

It is hard for me to explain. I have always had insomnia and I have spent nights with my headset but it is not the same.

"What works for you?" he asks. His voice is less authoritative now. He really wants to know.

"The television," I say. I even point to it and pout though he can not see me.

"Is that why you are always reading?"

I do not reply. I do not need to reply. He could figure it out himself.

He stretches his legs and uses his feet to pull the center table close by its leg then he keeps his legs on it. He is relaxed. It seems the conversation is just about to begin. I also stretch my legs and relax.

Silence stands in our midst. I can hear the sound of his breathing; drawn and uneven.

"You have got cold," I say, turning to him.

" I got drugs for it."

I lower my head onto the teddy on my laps. The smell reaches my nostrils and I raise my head. I don't know if it is the wet hair I stuffed inside it or the dirty clothes smelling.

I turn to my companion. "I thought this is the time you should be sleeping."

" Yeah, I'm waiting for you to leave."

I frown as I stare at him. " It's almost daybreak."

He nods. "I know this."

I do not think he is just sitting here waiting till I go to the room he cleared out when I just let him know I have no business with sleep. He also knows that I do not look like I am going there soon, at least not today.

I hang my teddy and crawl on the couch to him. I can sense his shock, surprise or confusion. It makes me laugh a little before I stretch my neck and kiss him.

He does not say anything. I move and sit on his thighs. I wait for the disrespectful shove or refusal. When I get none, I fully take his lips.

I can feel his hardness through my shorts. It is confusing that he is holding back. Or maybe he does not want to make out on the couch just like he does not want me sleeping on it.

I am not much of a kisser. I only kiss because it serves the same purpose as a knock; lets a person know that you are about to come in.

My lips move to his neck. I find a good spot there and trail my tongue in circles around it. He grunts lowly and I smile in content.

I bite down on his neck grazing a spot with my teeth and tongue. Another grunt follows, encouraging my lips to move to his ear. I nibble the outer layer before thrusting my tongue repeatedly into his ear. Tongue fucking his ear hole.

Now his hands are around my waist - firm and tight. One of his hands holds my boobs. He flicks my nipple through my singlet and that is my undoing. But then he stops and holds my hands.

"Imani," he says. The sound comes out strained, like a curse. I wait but he says nothing more.

I get off him just so I can pull my shorts then I zip down his fly. I let him play with a finger in his mouth while I free his hard length.

He lets me take control. I love the feeling - His "helplessness" while I play with him. I twirl it around in my hand and let it stand inbetween two of my fingers like I do with my knife. I move up and down and hold it in the middle imagining my fingers were a pair of scissors.

Slowly, I lower myself into it. His size fills me and I wriggle to adjust before pushing myself in and out of him. He throws his head back against the sofa and exhales.

I am not a moaner or talker. The pleasure builds up heat and spit in my mouth. I swallow it while increasing my tempo.

I grab the back of the couch and move my waist in a circle around his hardness before rising in a squat. I can feel the intensity of his stare on me right now. His hardness moves in and out of me as I bounce him.

He has his hands on my feet without doing anything. But I can tell he is enjoying the moment. He mutters something as I begin to move fast and hard against him. I dig my nails into his shoulders and let the pleasure control me, guide my movements to climax.

I quickly roll off him and put on my shorts. He lets out a long drawn breath then he zips his trousers and stands up.

My eyes follow him till he is out of the parlor. I can tell he is not a real predator.