Black
Cherry's
GUN CONTROL
the sixth story of the "Skin Deep" saga
CHAPTER TWO:
“The big
red rocket of love”
“Drinking spirits is
against Jesus, just water for me”. Virgillia replied to the waiter.
“Oh brother.” Torrid
said, nervously stroking her eyebrow and playing with the piercing that went
through it.
“Melinda—if not to
come home to me, why did you call?”
“Mom, I called you
because I have something to tell you. And I haven’t seen you since I was a
kid. Do you know how that makes me feel? How does it make you feel?” Torrid
asked earnestly.
“Sad, Melinda. It makes
me sad that my baby was gone from me all this time.” Virgillia started to mist
up. “ You were such a beautiful and bright girl…why you chose this, I’ll
never understand.”
“That’s just it, mom.
It’s not a choice! Do you think I wanted to be this different? That I wanted
to be rejected by you? Do you think
I wanted to leave my home? Why the hell would you think I chose any of this?”
“Melinda, I don’t
understand.”
“No…you don’t. But
I’m trying to explain it to you. Will you listen? Will you really listen?”
Virgillia looked into her
daughter’s eyes. She had the most beautiful pale blue eyes, like her
father’s. She suddenly flashed back to a time when Melinda was young and she
and her father were the best of pals, when did everything together, they were
inseparable. “You look at me with
your father’s eyes.”
“Yeah….I guess I do.
Maybe I’m more like him than I want to think.”
Torrid said,
admitting,” But I’m also your daughter. It’s been so long, mom, I wanted
to see you, to see how you are, I …missed you.”
“You did?” Virgillia
asked, somewhat surprised. “I didn’t think you would, with the last words we
exchanged. You hurt me, Melinda.”
“We hurt eachother,
Mom.” Torrid said gently, “But it’s in the past. Can’t we just enjoy the
moment? Being here, having lunch on this nice spring day?”
“I’d be nice, dear.
But I’m not good at pretending, Melinda. I can’t pretend that I understand
your choices. I want you to know
something. Melinda…I, do love you, I never stopped.”
“God, I hope you really
mean that.” Torrid said, “Because there’s something really important I
have to tell you.”
“You can tell me
anything, honey. I’m your mother!”
The waiter brought the
drinks and sat them on the table. Virgillia’ s reaction to him wasn’t lost
on Torrid. It made her feel uncomfortable. She wondered, is that how she sees
me? With that kind of disdain?
“Well, First off, “
Torrid said, “Being gay is not a choice. Now I know what the churches say, but
they don’t know. I do know first hand. I was born this way. It’s what I am,
and nothing can ever change that. But that doesn’t make me any less your
daughter, mom. Can’t you see that?”
“Oh Melinda, I see your
struggle and your pain and I am so sorry. I know you are my daughter, you never
stopped being my daughter, and I love you. I want to help you, to be here for
you…but sweetie, you’re sick. You need help.”
“What I need is another
drink…Waiter!” Torrid
said. “You’re not listening to me, Mom.”
“Baby, I met this
man…he can help you. He’s a real prophet of the Lord. He says he can cure
this…whatever it is—save your immortal soul so you don’t burn in the hell
fires of damnation for all time!”
Torrid’s jaw dropped.
“Mom…could you keep
it down?” Torrid said, looking around. “And while we’re on the subject of
it, I have something to ask you about this prophet man and his miracle cures.”
“What is it baby?”
“Are you nuts?”
“Melinda Bairn
Duncan!“
”Torrid. It’s Torrid. I’m not Melinda anymore. I’m Torrid Goddamned
Duncan. I’m a leather wearing, gun toting, tattoo sporting, black belt,
motorcycle riding, lesbian bad ass dyke!”
“I can see it was a
mistake in coming here.”
“Well yeah, I could
have told you that!” Torrid said, downing her drink and standing up.
“Why did you call me
then?” Virgillia asked, perplexed.
“My girlfriend—who I
am going to kill, when I see her next; she wanted me to. She thought she could
help me get over some of my childhood traumas, get some closure to the
estrangement between us. She meant well, but you’re right…. it’s
hopeless.”
“Melinda, it’s not
hopeless. Who is this girlfriend?”
“You’d like her mom,
she’s a doctor. A professional woman, good money, great career, smarts,
beautiful—but, blonde. She still believes in unicorns and rainbows. She still
believes that a mother’s love can overcome anything…. even brain washing.
She’ll have to grow out of
that fantasy world one
day, because it’s a load of crap!”
“Melinda, that’s not
fair! I’m only trying to help you! I’m trying to help you get better so you
can be –“
“Be what, mom? Be like
you?”
“I, uh, I just want you
to have a normal life!”
“Normal? Do you think
it was ever normal? My God mom, you drove Dad away with your zealous devotion to
those crack pot evangelists on the TV, you condemned your own daughter, tried to
have me locked up against my will and given shock therapy…what the fuck is
normal about that?” Torrid demanded.
“I think I’d better
leave before I say something I’ll regret.”
“I wish you would! I
wish you would regret some of the shit you say! I’m not sick mom…. I AM
normal! I am the best person I can
be. If that’s not good enough for you, then I’m sorry. I can’t be what you
want me to be.”
Drelica pulled into the
parking lot of Baba Yaga’s and parked her car. She rushed to the front steps
of the entrance only to see the scene that was in full burning glory on the
patio. She rushed into the restaurant and out onto the patio to try and put out
a fire that seemed to be raging out of control.
“Torrid!” Drelica
said, breathlessly.
“Dre—you’re
late.” Torrid said, calming down. “You missed the excitement. Mom and I were
catching up on old times.”
“Mrs. Cartwright? I’m
Drelica Truman, it’s so nice to meet you, “ Drelica said extending her hand
to Torrid’s mother.
Virgillia stared at
Drelica’s extended hand and let it hang in space for what seemed like an
uncomfortable eternity, and then she gingerly accepted it and gave an eely cold
fish shake. The kind that Church women are so skilled at; the kind that make you
feel as though they’ve just put their hand in a bucket of eyeballs by touching
you. It was the most unwelcoming feeling Drelica had ever experienced.
“Dr. Truman, is it?
Melinda said you were a doctor.” Virgillia said coldly.
“Melinda?” Drelica
said surprised. Then she felt Torrid elbow her and she was shaken out of her
momentary shock. “Uh, yes, I’m a PhD in Vertebrate Paleontology. I work at
the museum as curator of the Paleo wing.”
“I don’t follow.”
“She’s in charge of
the dinosaur stuff at the museum, mom.” Torrid said, irritated at her mother.
“I see, an
evolutionist, and a lesbian. Well, it figures. Ms. Truman it was kind of you to
set this up, but it seems Melinda and I can’t see eye to eye on some matters
of importance.”
“Oh?”
“What matters are they,
if I may ask?”
“Well for one, the fact
they you’re both sick and need help or you’re going to burn in hell for all
eternity. But this seems to be of little concern to my daughter. Would you care
to give me your expert opinion on the matter, I mean, as a scientist?”
“Uh…” Drelica
searched Torrid’s face for help, but found none. It was obvious that his was a
bad idea, and the ship was sinking fast. “No. I don’t have anything to add.
I guess I’ll be on the elevator going down with Torrid, since we’re going to
be married next month.”
“What??” Virgillia
said, shocked. “You can’t be serious! You can’t do that; it’s against
the sacred union of a man and woman. Two women can’t be married…it’s
against God!”
“See? I told you.”
Torrid said to Drelica. “There’s no reasoning with her. Let’s go.
Mom…you take care. “
Torrid walked into the
restaurant, and headed straight to the ladies room. Drelica stood there agape in
disbelief that this woman gave birth to her brilliant amazon. This woman who was
so frail, and so filled with negative thoughts and feelings, so brain washed,
was Torrid’s mother.
“I’ve lost her.”
Virgillia said, sadness in her voice.
“Mrs. Cartwright, my
heart goes out to you. I can’t imagine what you must being thinking. Or what
you think of me, but I love your daughter.
And whether or not you approve of us being married or not,
I want you to know that I
will take care of her. She’s a good woman. She’s taken care of me. She even
saved my life. I hope that counts for something in your book. Whatever book that
is.”
“My book, Ms. Truman is
the word of God. Good day.”
With that, Drelica shook her head walked into the restaurant to try to find
Torrid.
Virgillia, reached for the bill placed on the table by the
waiter and opened the card to find Torrid had left a $100 bill to cover the
drinks.
Virgillia frowned. “I
guess sin is profitable.” Just
then she noticed that Drelica had left a calling card. At first, she pushed it
away, but reconsidering picked it up, stuck it in her purse. She then got up and
left.
Drelica was too late to
catch up with Torrid. She had missed her in the ladies room of the restaurant,
and again in the parking lot. Torrid had already pulled out onto the street and
couldn’t hear Drelica calling after her over the sound of the bike’s engine.
“Great. I sure am going
to be in the doghouse over this one, “ Drelica said to herself.
Ariel Ryder walked
upstairs to her apartment after another long day that seemed to last 48 hours.
She was exhausted, but determined to succeed at finding the lunatic that was out
there somewhere murdering people in her neighborhood.
She picked up her
newspaper and fished for her keys, just as a noisy motorcycle pulled up into the
parking lot below.
Great. Just what I
need after a long noisy day.
She leaned over the balcony and called out to the stranger who was
getting off the bike,
“Hey keep it down will
ya buddy, it’s been a long day.”
“Buddy? Say what?”
Torrid said, annoyed.
God, how embarrassing,
Ariel thought to herself as she realized she just insulted the dyke below.
The really hot dyke. You’d think I’d be good at spotting my own
kind by now.
“Uh, I’m so
sorry—like I said, long day.”
“No problem—I’m
just here to see a friend. I’ll keep the bike quiet when I leave.”
“Thanks.” Ariel said,
and turned back toward her apartment door. She unlocked the door and stepped
inside, enjoying the cool rush of the A/C over her misted body. She hated
wearing a suit in the warmer months, and even though it was April, it was
heating up fast. Everything seemed to stick to her skin. She was ready for a
cold beer and a pair of clean cut off jean shorts.
There was nothing in the
fridge but a moldy carton of cottage cheese and a half a dozen eggs.
“Shit.” Ariel said,
slamming the fridge door. “What’s a girl gotta do to get a cold beer around
here!”
Two doors down, Torrid
was sitting on Liz’s couch recounting the tale of terror of her meeting with
her mother.
“You’re shitting
me.” Liz said, wide-eyed and hanging on every word of Torrid’s story.
“No. That’s what
happened.”
“What did Drelica say
about all this?” Liz asked.
“I don’t know—I’m
sort of not sure if I’m ready to talk to her about this. I’m a little pissed
off at her right now.” Torrid admitted.
“Why? She was just
trying to help.”
“I know that, but—I
knew how it would end.”
“And?”
“What do you mean,
‘And’?”
“I mean, ‘and’,
you’re pissed off at Drelica…because? She
never put a gun to your head, Tor. You agreed to this. Cut her some slack.”
“Thanks, Liz make me
feel like a heel already.”
“If the boot fits,
babe, wear it.” Liz smirked.
“Piss off. I need a
beer. You got?”
“No. Fresh out. But if
you give me a lift to work, I can hook you up there.”
“Okay. I’m not ready
to deal with this shit just yet anyway.”
A few minutes later Liz
and Torrid were mounting up on Torrid’s bike.
Torrid put her helmet on and kick-started the engine. Liz was riding
bitch, with Torrid’s spare helmet. Torrid revved the engine and they were off
to the bar where Liz worked as night manager and bar tender.
Inside her apartment
Ariel Ryder heard the bike engine and scowled. That was the last straw. She
wanted to unwind, and her apartment was gross and devoid of food or beers. Now,
whether she liked it or not, if she wanted any diversion from a long day,
she’d have to go out to find it.
”What the hell, right? I’m off for a couple days; I deserve a night out to
unwind. And, if I’m lucky, I might get …lucky!” She mused to herself.
Drelica checked the
voicemail on her home phone hoping to find a message from Torrid, but there was
none. “She’s probably over at Liz’s licking her wounds. I hope she’s not
too upset with me.”
She sighed sadly then
threw her shoes off and flopped down on the sofa clicking the television on to
catch the news.
Ariel Ryder parked her
Toyota Tacoma in the space next to the door of the neighborhood bar, and
chuckled to herself as she put the gear in park. “Right up front, must be just
the bare bones at this hour.” She
took her shades off and put them on the dash and unfolded her pop up sunshade to
keep the cab of the truck from turning into an oven in the Houston heat. This
was definitely a hot and steamy day, even though it started out rather mild.
Inside the bar Liz was
setting up for her shift. “Have a seat, Tor, and I’ll get you a cold
beer.”
“You’re a Goddess,
Liz.”
“A fact of which, I am
well aware.” Liz replied as she popped open a long neck for Torrid.
As Torrid reached for her
beer, a sudden blinding flash of light disoriented her as someone opened the
door at the west entrance filling the room with the bright blistering sun.
Torrid shielded her eyes as she tried to refocus on the silhouette of the figure
standing there framed by the spillage of sunlight.
“Come in or go out, but
shut the door, will ya?” Torrid growled. Ariel eyebrows raised in slight
surprise when she realized the person growling at her was the really hot
tattooed woman riding the motorcycle in the parking lot of her apartment
complex.
“My bad…” Ariel
Ryder replied. “I’m just looking for a cool quiet place and an ice cold
beer.”
“Come on in!” Liz
smiled, motioning for Ariel to enter.
“You’re a Goddess.”
Ariel smiled back.
“We were just having
that same discussion,” Liz replied. “I am the Goddess of Brew…. here….
sample my sacrament!”
Liz slid a cold long neck
across the bar to Ariel who caught it and grinned in gratitude.
“Thanks, Liz—It’s
been a long day.”
“How’s the job
treating you?” Liz asked.
“It’s been stressful
lately. This one case I’m working on is especially stressful, so I’m glad to
have a couple of days off.”
“You two know each
other?” Torrid asked Liz.
“Torrid, I’m
sorry—this is Ariel Ryder. My neighbor. She’s a police officer.”
“Oh yeah, I saw you
today.” Torrid said, eyeing Ariel suspiciously. “Good to know you, buddy.”
“Ariel, this is Torrid
Duncan, my best friend since high school. She owns an ink shop, Skin Deep.”
“No kidding? I was
thinking of getting a tattoo…but I’m not sure what.”
Once the subject of ink
came up, Torrid warmed up rather quickly to Ariel, and they visited and drank
beers together for a long while, waiting for the Texas sun to set outside.
Virgillia Cartwright
waited outside the church door trying to gather her composure. She had an
upsetting afternoon. She had thought her prayers were answered and that her
daughter was returning home to God, but it was as she had feared all of these
years. Melinda was indeed lost to the devil. Her only hope of saving her
daughter was to go to Reverend Smyth and tell him what had transpired today. He
would know what to do, he was a true man of God. She wiped her tears away with her hands and took a deep
breath. She got out of her car and
took the steps to the office door. She knocked and went in.
Drelica clicked the TV
off and tossed the remote on the couch. She stretched and yawned and looked at
the clock. It’d been a few hours and there was still no word from Torrid.
Damn. I guess it will be up to me to call her…damn butches. Drelica sighed as
she pressed the speed dial on her cell phone.
That’s okay…just call
me? I love you.”
Drelica stuck her tongue
out at the phone as she flipped it closed. She walked to the window and looked
out at the sun setting over the park.
“Well, now what? I’m
sick of TV, and my girlfriend is off being all dark and broody. I’m bored.”
“Mrs. Cartwright—do
come in, sister.” Reverend Abner Smyth said as he opened the door to the
Church office wider for her to enter.
“Thank you, Brother
Smyth. I didn’t know where else to go. Something terrible has happened. I need
your guidance.”
“Of course…what has
happened?”
“The devil,
Brother….the devil has happened!”
Drelica decided to go for
a walk in the park and enjoy the beautiful evening. She loved springtime in Houston,
and the warmth. It was a nice change from the windy city, and the freezing cold
winters of the Midwest. Drelica didn’t know what to expect when she decided to
move back to Texas, with her turbulent family dramas, and maniac smugglers
trying to kill her, but things had worked out for the better and her life was
for the most part, happy. She was just disappointed with the way things went for
Torrid and her mother, and she felt helpless and frustrated over the whole
situation. It’s just so fucking stupid. How can people really believe all
that hateful shit?
Drelica strolled past the
museum and into the rose garden where she could walk among the blooms and
relieve the tension in her mind and body. She loved Torrid, more than anyone on
the planet and she wanted only good things for her lover. She was disappointed
at herself for dragging Torrid into an awkward and painful situation, and she
was disappointed in Torrid and her mother both for being knot heads. Sheesh.
Maybe in time things would improve. Maybe if they invited her to the
wedding, or out to dinner sometime? Maybe she should just forget it and accept
the fact, that some people just cannot accept the fact.
Drelica frowned. There
was some days that all of it really did get to her. Some days that she felt that
no matter how happy she and Torrid were, or how successful, that nothing they
did mattered to society and that they would always be outsiders.
“Well I guess, when you
come out…you really are out.” She
shook her head and walked on toward the Japanese garden, unaware that she was
being watched from a distance.
“And she blew the
bitch’s head off!” Liz said, pouring drinks and finishing the story she was
telling of how Torrid took out Elektra Knossoss.
Ariel looked Torrid up
and down, “That was you?”
“Yeah. But it wasn’t
that dramatic and exciting—well, okay it was, but it was also nauseating. The
woman was a friend of mine at one time, it was hard to pull the trigger. It was
hard to be in that position where I had to pull the trigger.”
“I take it the grand
jury gave you a pass?”
“I wouldn’t be
sitting here if they hadn’t. I’ve got a clean record, Detective Ryder.”
Torrid said, punctuating the point. She was annoyed at the inference.
“Sorry, occupational
habit. But you have to admit, Torrid, bodies fall a lot when you pass
through.”
“What’s that supposed
to mean?”
“I’m just saying.
Your ex friend and rival turns up dead—“
“Don’t you mean a
homicidal maniac who killed a woman and attempted to murder me and my ex
girlfriend—?“
“And what about that ex
girlfriend? She turns up murdered, the case is still unsolved, and you
conveniently start dating her sister. I’m just saying.”
“Ariel, wait just a
minute.” Liz interrupted. “You’ve had too much to drink.”
“No…let her finish,
Liz. I want to hear this, before I kick her ass.” Torrid said. Now she was
really starting to get pissed off. Breaking balls was one thing, but this woman
was digging for blood. “Lady, what’s your beef with me?”
“What?” Ariel said,
suddenly lost in her own thoughts. Jesus she was drunk. What was she doing?
“Fuck—you’re right. I’m out of line. I’m sorry…I’m going home.”
“Ariel, you’re not
driving?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Torrid—“ Liz
pleaded.
“Fuck. Okay
‘detective’, where’s your squad car?”
Torrid said as she caught Ariel’s arm.
“What? No way.”
“Then you’re walking,
because you’re not driving on my streets in that condition. What the hell kind
of cop are you?”
Ariel jerked her arm away
from Torrid’s grasp. “Not a very good one. There’s a killer out there and
I have no clue who it is!”
Liz and Torrid stared at
each other.
“Killer?” Torrid
asked.
“Shit.” Ariel said.
“We’ve set up a task force at the substation. We think it’s a serial.”
“Serial? Here in
Houston?” Liz asked
“Houston? Try right
here in Montrose!”
Drelica walked along the
reflection pool dropping breadcrumbs from a hotdog bun she bought from a vender
into the water. A trail of ducklings followed along gobbling up the breadcrumbs.
The sun was setting and the city was growing quiet. She really enjoyed walking
in the park at this time of day.
The ringing of her cell
phone broke the peace of the moment, and she was disappointed to find that it
wasn’t Torrid calling her, but rather, Oh shit!
The wedding planner…
“Hello? Dennis….Hi
there! Uh….well, no we didn’t forget…” she lied. “We had a bit of
drama today with Torrid’s mother. Can we reschedule? I’m so sorry. Tomorrow?
How about the day after? I’ll buy you lunch…. Okay, great! Thanks, hon.
Bye.”
Oh Torrid…I’m so
sorry. She thought, regretting that
she pressured Torrid to reunite with her mother.
There’s a lot of baggage between them, a lot of unresolved hurt on
both sides, not to mention stubborn pride. Drelica let out a sigh and turned
to go back to her apartment; just then she noticed a stranger watching her. He
was sitting on a picnic table, with his feet on the seat, feeding the ducks, and
pigeons that pecked and scratched for morsels dropped by the park visitors.
He seemed occupied with
his feathered friends, and uninterested in her, but it was still creepy, since
she had thought she was alone for the longest time.
The man watched her as
she walked the trail back toward the edge of the park, and he even nodded and
smiled as she passed. She smiled nervously back and let out a breath as she
passed him and cleared the
Trees.
“Shit, Dre—you’re
just being paranoid.” She said aloud to herself as she stepped off the curb
and crossed the street to her building.
The eyes of the stranger
stayed with the woman until she had cleared the tree line and gone out of his
line of sight. He turned his
attention back to the hungry flock at his feet, and smiled. He made cooing noises as she brushed crumbs out of the bread
sack for the pigeons. He began to hum, and smiled to himself as he sang the
words to an old fashioned hymn, then he took out a note pad from his pocket and
made some notes. He scribbled and thought and scribbled some more.
Then he looked down at
the birds and he addressed them.
“Gather around my
congregation….I will practice my sermon for you today. How does this sound? Children
need to know: become gay and face the wrath of God. And this message needs to be
backed up with spanking, with summers at Jesus camp, with mandatory prayer and
Bible readings. At every step, there must be at least some hint of the suffering
and pain that will follow should a child choose a life of sin. It would be
especially helpful if the people that chose the gay life-style were publicly
humiliated and forced to walk the streets in shame. I’m thinking something
along the lines of being forced to wear ballerina outfits and bright red
high-heel shoes. Of course, my mind isn’t set in stone on this point —
somebody is more than welcome to offer a better idea.”
He smiled at the
congregation of birds below him, and blessed them, as he got up to leave.
“Bless you, my children, you are beloved in the eyes of the Lord.”
continued in chapter three