Marquise

“I am not going to hurt you… shit! I still don’t know your name. Will you tell me what it is?” I do not expect her to tell me or to even speak to me at all, but it never hurts to ask.

I glance back over at her and get a shock when I see she is staring at me. Her eyes are mesmerizing and piercing. It’s like they can see straight through me. “You okay, Goddess?” I’m not sure where the nickname comes from, but it seems to fit, especially since I feel as if I’ve just found something that is worth more than anything I can or have acquired. It seems to be a shock to her too. Sliding her eyebrows upwards, she seems to relax a little. But she still hasn’t answered me on what her name is.

Pulling the car into the garage of my townhouse, I exit the driver side and go around to help her out. She hesitates slightly at first, before taking my hand and getting out of the car. “I promise, I am not going to hurt you. I know you have no reason to trust me, but please… you won’t be sorry if you do.” I say as I hold my hand out.

She looks at me with her eyes burning straight into me. Hell, I find myself fidgeting under her scrutiny. In my entire life I have never felt as if someone is able to see inside of my soul. In this case, it is okay, because this little Goddess is mine and she could tear me to shreds with one word. When she finally puts her hand in mine, a feeling I can’t even put into words overtakes me. Definitely not something I was prepared for, but certainly not something I plan to let go of.

We walk together through the door. For the first time since I bought the place a couple of years ago, I wonder what someone’s thoughts are about it. Dropping my keys in the dish by the door, I look around the room and take it all in. When I was looking for a place of my own, after my brothers and I decided to part ways from our four-bedroom bachelor pad, I had to figure out what I wanted. It was not only a new place where I would live, but what I wanted out of life too. Although I still wasn’t sure what it was. But I figured, better to be prepared for anything. Turns out, I was right.

I looked for a realtor who would take all of my needs and wants and combine them with my mother's taste. All without turning it into a feminine house. And voila, this is what we were able to find. It is a five-bedroom house that overlooks the lake. The downstairs has all country hardwood floors. A brand-new chrome kitchen with a chef’s stove and countertop. The double door fridge has a bottom freezer and state of the art appliances stationed throughout the room.

The living room is decorated in all blues and whites. I wanted something calming since I spend my days stressed and full of tension dealing with business. There is a projection screen tv that is vaulted from the ceiling and a four-piece sectional sofa. Off to the side is the dining room and one and a half bathrooms on the main level. Below the main level is a fully finished and furnished basement. The upstairs has all five bedrooms in various colors and each with their own bathroom. I recently admitted that I bought it with a family in mind. Even though, until I laid eyes on her, I wasn’t sure I really wanted one.

I glance over to try and see if I can read her thoughts through her facial expressions. Suddenly, I note that she is bent at the knees. “Do you need to go to the bathroom?” she nods.

“Right this way.” I lead the way down the hall to the restroom and show her in.

“Can I get you anything?” She shakes her head no. “Okay. When you are done, I will be right in the kitchen. Okay?” Another nod. Her body is extremely frail and weak. I would love nothing better than to pull her into my arms and tell her she never has to worry about anything again. Instead, I watch as she closes the door and my mind immediately goes to another memory of my birth mom.Arriving home from school in the first grade, I was surprised at not seeing my mom waiting for me at the bus stop. I walked into the house calling her name and looking through all the rooms. It wasn’t until I made it up the stairs, that I realized something wasn’t right. Getting close to the bedroom, I notice a man putting on his clothes. He looked startled to see me and immediately started trying to gather his things. On the verge of running to call the 911, because I was worried he had somehow hurt my mother. Suddenly I hear my father yell at her, his voice coming from the bathroom and asking her if she liked it. I knocked.