CHAPTER THREE
OCTAVIA
Although the days go by in such a blur, I don’t know the day of the week, I gotta say, I’m feeling damn good.
“Maybe there is magic in wishing,” I chuckle.
Getting out of my SUV, I bundle up while I walk across the parking lot towards the small local store. Things are just poppin without me having to do little to nothing. No force, my creative juices are flowing, the money I was expecting is finding its way into my pocket, and more clients seeking me out are the everyday occurrences for me. In fact, I plan on clicking buy on the online shopping cart I have loaded with gifts as soon as I get home to kick off the shopping season.
My mind runs wild as I imagine Nova’s expression when she sees the Christmas decorations I have packed in the trunk. For the first time in a long time, we’ll be adding to the tired ornaments and lights.
I smile a greeting at the young girl who passes me by as I glide through the sliding double doors. I’m so happy, I’m in such a good mood, I grin, wave, and say a greeting to the people I normally would ignore. My cheerful nature actually has me commenting on the things the other customers are saying on the aisles. I’m not too shocked by their confused reaction. I tend to keep to myself. Whenever I’m out, I get my shit done, speak when spoken to, and gone before another question can be asked.
Finishing up in the produce department, I follow the layout of the store into the bakery. Deciding festive cupcakes would be a nice after dinner touch, I head over to scope out the selection.
“Hey, ask her. She’ll know.”
I glance over to find the gang of people huddled together with their carts, staring in my direction. Taken back, I glance over my shoulder to find no clear reason as to why they were looking at me.
“Octavia.”
I smile back at the cheesy grins. I don’t know how to feel when the shopping carts encircle me.
“So, how is he, really?”
A deep frown creases my brow.
“He who?” I chuckle.
The woman rolls her eyes at me. “ Him, she stresses. Still at my silence, “Your neighbor…Bradly,” she gushes.
“Oh, I don’t know. I really-“
“Oh my Lord, you live right next to him,” she goes on, cutting me off. “Honey, if it was me, I would be constantly over at his place.”
“Oh, yes,” moans another woman. “I would be giving him all my goodies,” she teases.
“You slut. You’re married,” the other woman reminds her friend.
“It gotta be written somewhere that getting famous dick gotta be a hallpass,” the woman rebukes.
“Famous?” I chirp. “Ya’ll are too damn old to be believing he’s Santa Claus,” I tsk.
I blink at the town folks’ deadpan expression.
“What the hell you talking about?” one of the men finally join the conversation. “Did he ever play Santa?” he wonders.
One of the women come to the rescue when she pulls up Google on her cell.
“Bradly O’Hara as Santa Claus,” she speaks the question. “Holy shit, it’s his next movie,” she exclaims as she turns around and holds up her cell for everyone to view the search results.
Like a deer caught in headlights, the world slows….their voices fade into the background. Like a Zombie, my feet shuffles me closer to the woman’s cell. Rudely, I snatch her phone from her manicured fingers to scan it with wide eyes. My brain is on overload as all the pieces begin to sync up.
“Santa Claus,” I mumble in disbelief. “T, that’s why Nova…Oh!” I gasp. “I cussed him….kicked his…OH NO!” I cry clutching my non existing pearls.
I’m gone. You hear me? I lose no time running out of the store to reach my car. The entire seven mile ride to my house, all I can do is replay my actions from that morning.
“An actor?” I growl. “How? Why? Why here…next door,” I cry while I weave through the town’s streets to enter the neighborhood.
“Maybe he’s fakin’ being…Nah,” I stop myself from going with the lie.
The picture didn’t lie. It looks just like him. Then there’s the explanation of why Nova thinks him to be Santa. It all lines up. Its him. It gotta be. I mean, the entire goddamn town knew it, but me. That’s what I get for sticking to myself. If I ran my mouth and was willing to be more friendly, I would have been on the list to know. However, I’ve let my pride and shame stop me from warming up to the people. I just hate knowing that I’ve been the main topic of gossip since coming here. The fact that not too many African Americans live here, I was in a mixed marriage, and my ex’s dick has been down the throats of multiple women has kept me in the spotlight.
I’m thankful that I made it home before Nova got off the school bus. I cut my eyes over at Bradly’s house while I speed walk to unlock my door and run inside. Out of breath, I plaster my back to the door.
“Shit,” I hiss. “Think, think,” I command my brain to do more than conjure up how I’ve made an ass of myself.
With a start, I take off for the kitchen.
“Damn it,” I lament.
I should have bought a least a cake or brownies as a peace offering from the store. I snatch open the pantry. Fuck it. I grab whatever, …cookies, a few blueberry muffins, and cram them into a metal tin I use yearly as Christmas decorations on the kitchen counter. Before I can talk myself out of making amends, I’m speed walking down the sidewalk, and up the lane leading to his front door. I freeze with my hand ready to knock on the wooden door to come face to face with him.
I swallow hard at the way his brown eyes rakes over me.
“Whatever noise you heard isn’t coming from me.”
I chuckle weakly while I lick my lips.
“Oh, well…yeah,” I exhale. “I am…so, so, sorry for my behavior the other day. I-“
Folding his arms over his chest, “You’ve tapped into the grapevine, huh?” he smirks.
“I, I, I mean never in a million years could I have known-“
“Trust me, I understand…and that was an asshole, selfish move I did.”
“It really pissed me off,” I mumble.
“Yes, I think the Christmas lights on the porch would agree,” he smiles.
“Uh,” I groan.
“Those for me?”
I’m thankful for the rope he’s throwing me.
“Yep. It’s not much, but hopefully good enough as a peace offering.”
“Only if you’ll come in to share a few with me.”
He steps back to offer me entry into his home. Graciously, I walk inside. I’m shocked by how cozy and inviting the home is on the inside.
“Not what you expected, huh?”
“That obvious. I thought more posh and Hollywood. Then again, you probably came here for the total opposite. I’m happy you kept with the vibe. The last owners had big plans to make it more modern.”
“Why did they move?” he asks, as if he didn’t already hear the story.
“Don’t know. I kinda mind my business,” I shrug.
“Well,” he says with a sassy hand wave. “The woman got pregos and when she told her boyfriend, he was not happy. They had promised to hold off on all that stuff, but she had other ideas,” he reveals.
“Really?” I whisper on his heels into the kitchen.
“Instead of tea, how about hot chocolate,” he offers with a wolfish grin.
“Oh, yas,” I answer gleefully.
“It’s Swiss Miss…not homemade.”
“No worries,” I smile.
With his back to me, I let my nerves show on my face. I can not believe I am sitting at Bradly O’Hare’s kitchen table. Never in a million years would I have thought to be here. I have to admit, I wasn’t all gaga over him. Yeah, he is a good actor…doing a few actions, a lot of dramas, and a few historical movies, but nothing that I just had to watch. Shifting in my chair, I check my posture, and re position my boobs to make sure they are sitting up.
Free to look, I let my eyes roam his body.
Nice. Firm ass from hours of working out.
The high pitch whining of the kettle snaps me out of my lustful staring.
“How about sitting in the other room. That way you can see when the bus comes,” he suggests.
“Sure,” I answer a bit too loud.
I freeze when he sits next to me on the couch instead of taking one of the straight back arm chairs. I chuckle nervously as I take my mug and saucer of cookies from his hands. I calm myself by glancing around the room.
“So have you ever been in the area?” I question to banish the silence.
Does he always talk like this? I couldn’t remember from the first morning if his voice held so much bass and honey in it. Shit, his bottom lip really is plump. That wasn’t makeup magic that caused his lips to be so sexy.
“Never been to this neck of the woods,” he confesses.
“Really? So, why here?”
He pauses to look around the room. “This place is everything my mom ever wanted…so, I bought it…for her.”
“Hum, I’m sorry for your loss,” I remark. “I know the holidays can be hard,” I nod.
“You lost a-“
“Not in death,” I rush to say.
“Understood.”
“I’m sure you’ll have many house parties,” I comment.
“As long as it’s not them,” he points to the house on the other side of his home. Leaning over, “You know all they do is salt, no seasoning,” he jokes.
“Oh, lord,” I groan, shaking my head.
“And they let their cats sample the food,…so,” he warns.
“Yuuck!!” I manage to get out with a mouth full of muffin. “Oh, hell nah,” I growl.
His eyebrow notches upward in a comical expression.
“You’ve fallen victim?” he chuckles.
“Yes,” I groan, “Halloween cookies and bread for Thanksgiving…every year,” I add while I jump to my feet. “The whole damn street,” I exclaim.
Wishing I had x-ray vision, I turn my head towards the direction of the house. Bradly’s laughter does nothing to help my rage. Nasty ass people. I got too damn comfortable. I was raised on the ‘don’t eat unless you know the family’ principle. Fuck trying to be polite.
Suddenly, mouth open to speak, I twirl around to remark only to freeze. Now, I’ll be the first to disclose that I have been known to have a big imagination. Half of my day is filled with me daydreaming. However, there is no dreaming up the expression I catch on Bradly’s face when I turn around. Remnants of his laughter is still in the room, but his eyes are stuck on my ass as he sucks on his bottom lip. In fact, he makes sure I know, too. Instead of pretending innocents, his brown eyes leisurely roam by body until they connect with my gaze.
“I’m sorry. You were about to say something?” he inquires.
I’m…I’m melting? Is that what it means when your panties get wet? I, I’ve never experienced it before. It can’t be my period. So, this is melting? My juices are coming down like goddamn candle wax due to the amount of bass he’s added to his voice.
WOW, I moan while I clench my pussy walls to allow for another gush to soak the material. Nervous, I break eye contact.
“I was just wondering how you figured out about the Perki….”
That’s how far I got as the answer to my question is revealed. Narrowing my eyes, I point to the like new item still seated on the window seal.
“You spied,” I chuckle.
With no shame, I march over, snatch them up, and attempt to look into the windows of the people’s homes on the street. Coming to stand next to me, Bradly quickly shows me how to adjust the vision.
“Have you seen anything in this house?” I ask.
“No, why.”
I flash him a wicked grin.
“I bet she’s fuckin her step son,” I accuse.
“Shit, really?” he remarks.
Snatching the binoculars out of my hand, he leans into the window to peek into the neighbor’s house.
“All I’m saying is his college breaks line up with her work breaks. And get this, on those days, the step son catches the bus to come home even though he has a car,” I finish with an elbow to Bradly side.
He slowly lowers the binoculars to give me a disbelieving, dumbfounded stare.
“You think the dad knows?” he wonders.
“Hell, he might like to watch,” I shrug.
“They say small towns get up to some good shit,” he teases.
“Oh? Is that why you’re doing this?” I smirk as I motion towards the window.
“It breaks up the loneliness,” he admits.
“And what have you seen that kept you entertained in my house?”
My question causes Bradly to put down the binoculars. Towering over me, his brown eyes take on the same lazy, warm heat.
“I’m happy you have a habit of sanitizing your hands after you pick your nose,” he jokes.
“My GOD!!” I yell, as I cover my eyes with embarrassment.
“Don’t shout that too loud. They’ll think we’re in here fucking,” he warns.
Wide eyed, I cover my mouth. Although my brown skin can’t show it, my face heats up.
Laughing at my antics, Bradly forces my hand from my mouth. Still holding it, he tosses his head back in thought.
“I love watching you and your daughter’s nightly Karaoke…and movies in front of the fire. That’s the highlight of my night. I make sure to time it just right so I don’t miss it. Pissed me off when you skipped it a few days ago. You need to just give up on the homemade bread,” he mumbles. “Save the poor girl’s tummy and order it. Why do you like eating flour?” he adds on a thought. “And may I suggest keeping the curtains open a wee bit whenever you decide to fuck yourself?”
I got nothing. From the serious way he’s looking, you would think he didn’t just admit to watching my life. Void of any real thought, all I do is blink. The sound of the familiar humming of the engine of the big yellow bus is the only sound, followed by the screeching of the hydraulic breaks can be heard. His hold on my hand tightening brings me out of my trance.
“The bus,” I say.
Shit, my throat is dry. Taking a step back, Bradly refuses to let my hand go. Instead, his eyes roam my body until they stop at my snow booted feet.
“Hum, images appear larger…not in your case,” he mumbles under his breath.”
“What?” I snap.
“Nothing,” he goes on while he begins to lead me out of the room. “Just that your ass and chest seem to be just as large with or without the binoculars. I like that,” he finishes as he drops his hand to my lower back.
Now in complete command of my wits, I pause at the front door.
“You know, I have a pair of scopes of my own,” I lie.
Tilting his head, “I’m a showman by trade,” he teases.
Opening the door, I step over the threshold into the cold, “Oh, you haven’t shown it all,” I say as my eyes drop to his crotch.”
Tossing back his head, Bradly laughs. Walking away, I steal a glimpse over my shoulder to find him watching me. I got two takeaways; one: melting is going to be my new normal…and two: paying that next day delivery fee on a set of binoculars is going to be worth it.
**
brADLY
“What the fuck am I doing?”
I voice the question long after I’ve watched Octavia’s swaying hips disappear through her front door. Now standing in my warm foyer, I rub my chin covered with a 5 o’clock shadow.
Being normal. Seeking connection. Not hiding.
I don’t have to wonder whose voice is speaking. Although no longer in the physical, my mom is always nearby.
“Working shit from the other side, huh?” I tease.
I swear I can almost feel her hand running through my hair. Wasn’t that her wish for me…that I would live and stop pretending. Stop pretending to be happy, stop pretending I was okay…stop pretending that I wasn’t lonely. It’s been so many roles in the last eight years that the scripts all become a blur and the years past become a memory. I’ve had lovers, fuck buddies, drinking friends, but no one that really knows me. Being here has been the first slither of life…of really living.
While I had been worried that the people would break their necks blowing smoke up my ass, for the most part, they have gone out of their way to remain chill. They wave and shout a greeting when they catch me outside. And when I venture out, they speak in passing, but only engage in more conversation once I give the vibe that I’m open to talk.
Hum .
I chuckle as I recall Octavia’s reaction. Me, flirting? I shake my head. I kinda cringe at the thought. I know I’m a bit rusty in that department. In Hollywood, fucking is like high school. Everyone on the scene tend to swap partners with it almost understood to fuck within the ranks, never outside. That mindset does keep the balls from going blue and your secrets kept. However, after a while, it’s all the same.
Returning to the sitting room, I plop back on the sofa. With a smirk, I walk over to the window facing her house and pull back the curtains.
OCTAVIA
“Stop that shit,” I growl under my breath.
“Huh? You alright?” she wonders as she hands me her plate.
“Yes,” I crack a controlled smile.
I’m not though. Never had I felt eyes on me until now. Knowing that Bradly’s been watching me has had me acting weird….causing me to smile, extra cleaning throughout the house, actually changing my clothes…what the fuck! I walked outside of a room just to pull my panties out of my ass.
This is dumb , I declare. Boundaries. If he wants to peek, it will be on my terms.
Okay, my office and living room are open for viewing. If he wants to sit in the snow, he can peep through the kitchen. Second floor, my bedroom…on occasions.
“I can’t believe I’m even doing this,” I whisper to myself.
What is this? Flirting from afar? He probably isn’t even watching me. Him knowing so much of my life proves that he was… is spending time with me in focus. Shouldn’t I be worried? What he’s doing can be considered a crime. Anyone else, I would have kicked their ass and called the cops. Just because he’s famous…and handsome, I’m going along with his creepy shit.
“Are we gonna sing?”
“What?” I ask with a start.
Blinking, I survey the room I’m in. I was so lost in thought that I didn’t even realize I had finished up in the kitchen, moved into the living room, and was standing with my karaoke mic in my hand.
“Yeah, crank it up,” I grin.
Not too convinced, Nova cuts her eyes at me. Flashing her a winning smile, I will myself not to steal a glimpse of the window facing Bradly’s house. With everything within me, I will not give into the urge to put on the extra. I have to shake my head a few times to remind myself that this time is all about Nova and me. I won’t let a man take that away. In fact, I lengthen our singing by three more songs to make sure I’m not mentally cheating out on our special time together. We finish our night by the fire, eating our snacks, while watching a Christmas cartoon like all ways.
On our track upstairs, the lights go out, and the doors are doubled checked.
“You’ll be okay when I go to my sleep over on Saturday.”
Keeping with the running bit of the last two weeks, my shoulders slump and a frown creases my forehead.
“Well,” I sigh dramatically, “I hope I don’t waste away while you’re off laughing, having fun.”
Chuckling, Nova wiggles under her covers while I tuck them around her body.
“Oh, mommy…it’s just for a little while.”
Falling face down on the bed across her legs, “But what will I do all by myself? I can’t have fun without you,” I cry.
“There, there, mommy,” she sings while she consoles me with a tap on my back.
I fake cry loudly, causing Nova to laugh.
“But you have a good time with your friends. I guess you need a break from me anyway,” I mumble, sadly.
“Yeah, I do.”
Pretending to be shocked, I jump up as if I had been deeply offended.
“Nah! Nah, mom, come back,” she laughs.
Dropping the act, I laugh.
“But really…I have you for two more days. Then you’ll go to Jamila’s sleepover, have fun, and you’ll be back to being my partner in crime.”
“Even with me going, I’m still your partner,” she promises as she pulls me down for a bear hug.
“Darn right,” I confirm before I put a wet kiss on her forehead.
My head is full of my baby girl when I enter my bedroom. Our antics keep me light-footed and cheerful. However, that goes out the door as my gaze falls upon the item sitting on my entertainment center. I swallow hard as I consider using what’s in it. I tap the box. I lucked out by finding a pair of binoculars at the five and dime store. Although made for kids, maybe they will be strong enough to peer across a few yards.
Checking my bedroom door to ensure it’s locked, I glide over to the window. I made sure to keep the thick, black out curtains open all day long. Being on the second floor, only Bradly has a clear view into my bedroom. Placing the binoculars to my eyes.
“Shit!” I yelp.
Clutching my chest, I pant as my heart threatens to explode from my chest. Licking my lips, with shaking hands, I bring the binoculars back to my face. Unsure that I saw what I did, now I know it wasn’t my imagination. Across the fence, Bradly and I watch each other. Me in my cozy onesie and him wrapped in a robe. Our peeping stand off ends when he slowly lowers his binoculars. Placing them on a small table, he pulls the curtains back further. I watch a wicked smirk spread across his handsome face.
“Oooo,” I moan.
I give a thumbs up when he starts tugging at the strap of his thick robe. I chuckle at his little dance as he puts on a strip tease, but my air gets lodged in my throat at the sight of what he had hiding underneath. Tanned, chiseled, and I swear not an ounce of noticeable fat I eye his muscular body…across his six pack…and then down to his-
“Oh, come on,” I gripe.
Turning his back to me, he walks away from the window. He had been standing too close to the window for me to see the size of his dick. I smile at being given the view of his firm ass cheeks. Doing a dance, he finally turns around, slowly, and I’m ready. Dick in his hand, he strokes his unit causing it to thicken and grow in length.
“Um…I can work with that…hold up,” pausing, he turns to the side, “Lord, big and with a curve,” I end on a groan.
Walking back to the window, Bradly points to me. I know what he’s asking for. Picking up his set, he watches me as I open the buttons on my top. No bra underneath, my C-cup breasts spring forward. I’m sure he can see my hardened, dark nipples. Pinching one, my hand begins to travel further downward. Shaking his head, he tells me that’s enough. I love the veins in his arms that come alive due to the firm grip he has on his dick. Bending at his knees, he sets a slow rhythm as he fucks his hand. Although he can’t see my lower half, there’s no doubting what I’m doing when my hand disappears into my pants. Sucking on his bottom lip, he picks up the pace of his long strokes as I finger myself faster. Removing my fingers from my pussy, I rub the juices from my pussy while I manipulate my swollen clit. Watching each other, the sight of his cum shoot from the mushroom-shaped tip of his dick is just the visual I needed to bring on my own release.
Letting his hand drop, his firm cock jumps and jerks as if his possessed. No longer watching me, his face is dark. Working his jaw, he runs his hand roughly through his hair. He barely manages a smile on his face while he waves goodnight before pulling the curtains close.
“Wow,” I breathe.