Sister Laurel & the Atheist Read online

  Jessie took her hand and led her out of her office and down the hall.

  "What does Janet do?" she asked.

  Jessie snickered. "It's not what she does. It's who she's married to."

  They entered a large room, obviously the beauty parlor. "Laurel, this is Sarah," whispering, she continued, "She's my best hairdresser and maybe the best in Hollywood."

  Sarah was thirty-ish, average height, nice figure and pretty with platinum hair and friendly blue eyes. She grabbed a handful of Laurel's hair and let it run through her fingers. "Hi Laurel, love your hair. It'll be a pleasure to work on you."

  "Thank you, Sarah."

  "Okay. I'll leave you two for now. I'll be back in an hour to see how you're coming along."

  "Thanks for everything, Jessie."

  "Thanks aren't necessary. I'd do anything for Julian."

  She noticed Sarah flinch, then recovering, she said, "All right dear, we'll start with a shampoo."

  While soaping and scrubbing her hair, Sarah asked, "Are you seeing Julian?"

  Laurel opened an eye and gazed at her. Her brow was furrowed and her smile seemed tense, forced through a tight jaw.

  "No, we're just friends. Ow, that water's too hot."

  She saw Sarah's hand move back behind her head, and then the water cooled down. "I'm Sorry. You were saying."

  "He thinks I need some fun so he's taking me out."

  Her eyes seemed thoughtful. "I went out with him. I'm a few years older than him so I knew there wasn't a future."

  "Really? How long ago?"

  "Hmmm. Roughly a year and a half ago, I guess. He's a player you know? Breaks women's hearts. I knew what I was getting into. Mainly did it for the sex. But he still got under my skin."

  Laurel was nonplussed. "Really. You went out with him to have sex."

  "Sure. Fun too, but mainly sex. He's a great looking guy. I'm sure you've noticed?

  "Okay, let's get some curlers in your hair and get you under the dryer." She wrapped a towel around her head and helped her up.

  Back at Sarah's station, after blow-drying her hair, she put it in curlers. She acted quiet, seemingly deep in thought. When she finished she led Laurel to a bank of dryers.

  Her mind spun. Sarah's words in her mind eclipsed the hairdryer's loud drone. Mainly did it for the sex. He's a player you know? He's a great looking guy. He certainly is a great looking guy. Charming too. He's a player you know? Sure, fun too, but mainly sex. Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex!

  We're in the museum, Julian takes me in his arms. He's kissing me. This is bad! No it's good! I should stop him, pull away! But I don't want to! I want to kiss him back, but I don't know how. I don't know what to do. They don't teach you how to kiss an angel…an angel…an angel.

  She woke up unsteadily, from a hand shaking her arm. "Oh! What?"

  Looking around she saw Sarah half laughing at her. "You fell asleep. C'mon, sweetheart. Time to make you beautiful."

  She flushed.

  Sarah took her to her station and set her down. "How do you want it," she asked, "any ideas?"

  She gazed at Sarah's image reflected in the mirror. "No, what does your experience tell you?"

  Her hand grasped her chin. "Hmmm. Let me think. Who's your favorite actress?

  "I like Nicole Kidman."

  Sarah looked at the ceiling and shook her head. "No, someone young, preferably with dark hair, like you."

  "Then how about Sarah Jessica Parker?"

  Sarah shook her head. "No, you don't look like her and she's older than Nicole Kidman. I'll tell you what. You have such a pretty face I don't want your hair to distract from it. How about if I fix your hair up with a ribbon and curls cascading over the ribbon?"

  "You're the boss and I don't have that pretty a face."

  "Oh, yeah? Wait until I finish."

  She spun her around and wouldn't let her see what she did. While Sarah worked on her hair, the manicurist, Lucille, came over and performed a quick manicure and pedicure.

  After Lucille left, Sarah began to apply makeup. About ten minutes later, she came around in front of her, stood back and took her picture. Just then, Jessie came by. "Sarah, fantastic job. My God, Julian can sure pick 'em. She's exquisite.

  Sarah stiffened slightly at Jessie's comment, but acted normal. Swinging her chair around, she said, "Ta-da."

  She didn't recognize herself. Laurel didn't know if she was beautiful, but she couldn't take her eyes off the mirror.

  As she looked at her mirror image, Sarah, beaming, put her cheek next to hers and glancing at her reflection, said, "What did I tell you? Beautiful!"

  "Oh Sarah, It's…it's absolutely gorgeous. I don't know how to thank you."

  "Don't worry about it. I get paid to do gorgeous." She turned slightly and pecked her cheek. "But thanks for saying so."

  "I hope you're not going to be mad at me for going out with him. Are you?"

  Jessie was right there so she whispered, "Nah. He never was that interested in me, just sex. I'm pretty much over him and you've got a good shot with him. Good luck."

  Sarah's hand rested on her opposite shoulder. She reached up and grasped it and just like that, they became friends.

  "Let me give you a little advice. Don't go to bed with him too quickly. I think that's what I did wrong," she whispered.

  Laurel was beyond shocked. As attractive as she found Julian, sex was out of the question. "Don't worry Sarah. I have no intention of sleeping with him," She whispered back, probably a little too loudly. She hitched her head and blinked her eyes in a so there gesture.

  Sarah laughed. "You're a cutie, here's my card. Call me, let's do lunch sometime."

  She rose, took the card and kissed her cheek. "You're nice. Julian should take a second look at you. Even if you are older."

  She laughed again and embracing her whispered. "If Julian is going though all this trouble, he only has eyes for you."

  Jessie took her hand. "C'mon Laurel, have I got the finishing touches for you." She led her back to the spa and boutique.

  When they got there, Jessie showed her what she'd selected. Jessie had great taste. She wouldn't change a thing.

  Just then, Julian rushed in all excited. "Guess what?" He came to an abrupt stop and said, "Wow! You look great. He stepped into her and hugged her like at the museum, but without the kiss. He pulled away his hands still on her forearms. "I like your hair up." He looked at Jessie, then her. "Janet came through. She got us reservations at Capo for eight o'clock."

  "Wow! That's great." She didn't know what or where Capo was but Jessie seemed to approve.

  She looked at her watch. It was three-thirty. Except for putting on the gown and heels, she was ready, but their reservation was for eight—four and a half hours away. She looked at Julian and he seemed to read her mind. "I could take you back to the museum for an hour or so and if you don't mind me knowing where you live, I could follow you and you could get ready. We could leave from there."

  There was no way she wanted Julian to see the dorm she lived in. "Is Capo near here?"

  "Sort of. It's in Santa Monica. Why?"

  "My sister, Teresa, lives in Culver City. It would be much closer for me to get ready there. I live clear down in Torrance."

  "Fine." Julian let go of her forearms and took the dress and shoes from Jessie. "I'll be right back."

  As Julian left, Jessie pulled her aside. Speaking softly, "I've never seen my baby brother this excited about a girl. Here's a bag of accessories for you, too. Have fun and when you can, I want to treat you to a pampered day in the spa. Okay?"

  Overwhelmed by her generosity, she nodded.

  She kissed her on the cheek as Julian came back in. Then she turned to him and kissed him too.

  Swinging away from Jessie, he took her hand. "You ready, beautiful?"

  After She nodded, he led her out to his vehicle, opened the door and helped her in.

  * * * *

  Julian couldn't keep his eyes on the road for the trip back to
the museum. She was so lovely, he kept sneaking glances at her. She's so nice. The couple of times she caught him gaping at her, she smiled. Is she the one? The girl I've been dreaming about. I think she might be.

  It was a slow afternoon at the museum. Very few customers.

  Holding hands as much as she let him, he took her through the Hominid Exhibition. "And this is a replica of Homo Habilis, commonly known as 'Handy Man.' At two million years, he's one of the oldest hominids that's been discovered."

  Displaying what he hoped was a winsome smile, he placed his hands on her trim waist. "That makes him about three hundred times older than the planet he lived on."

  Edging into her, a pleasant fresh scent—citrus with a hint of womanly sex—teased his nostrils.

  She leaned away and backed against the display glass. "As I already told you, I don't adhere to a strict interpretation of the bible, especially Creation."

  He eased in closer. Her precious breasts touched his chest, the budding bulge in his pants brushed her abdomen. She's so lovely, she's perfect.

  He bent his head and planted a gentle kiss on her neck below her ear. She shivered and lifted her head up and back to urge him on. How could he resist? His lips trailed wetness up and down the left side of her neck.

  Her arms slipped through the gap between his arms and body, her hands coming to rest below his shoulder blades. Resting her head upon his left shoulder, he sensed a slight tremor in her.

  His lips found and kissed her ear lobe. Her small diamond studs were cold and rough against his tongue—he remembered she wore small diamond studs. He sucked and nibbled on the lobe, stud and all. The tremor became a tremble. She sighed. She was shaking and when his wayward tongue laved her ear, she moaned. Fully aroused, by the woman-child in his arms, He pressed himself into her. When her hands tightened on his back, he pressed again. Did she respond?

  She kissed his neck, and he craved her lips. He kept pushing and she pushed ever so lightly back. He lifted her chin toward his lips. When their lips touched, a hot flash seared his face, the heat working its way to the hard source of her arousal. She sighed. He knew she wanted to go on, but when his tongue probed for an opening between her lips she didn't respond.

  Maybe she needs to be more aroused. He reached and grasped her breast as his tongue probed again.

  * * * *

  Julian had cleverly maneuvered her against the Hominid display window. She knew she should have slipped away when he moved into her, but this man had woven a spell upon him. Her breasts, rubbing against his chest, sent tickly pulses of desire to her loins and hardened her nipples. When he kissed her neck, her heart skipped a beat and she got so warm she almost swooned. I must stop. Please God, help me. Give me strength. Or…or is this your will? She not only let Julian continue, she shamelessly willed him to, by exposing more of her neck to his moist, sensuous lips.

  And that's not all. As he thrust his hardness against her, her loins warmed and she instinctively responded and began to think of sex. She'd banished sex from her thoughts years ago when she'd made her commitment and now, here she was rubbing genitals with an angel—a non-believing angel at that! I wonder what he looks like naked.

  Still, she didn't stop him. When his lips found hers, currents of heat coursed through her body, terminating in her center. She sighed and pictured herself standing in front of Julian, sitting on a bed as he slowly undressed her. Undressed me?

  Like an artist at work, his tongue brushed across her lips. She'd read about French kissing, but didn't know what to do or if she even wanted to try it. She decided to let his tongue in when he touched her breast, her mouth flew open and his tongue darted in. Her core heated, her panties moistened and she couldn't breathe. Thankfully, they were interrupted by the sound of a young boy approaching with his mother.

  "You're kidding me, right Mom? Our ancestors didn't really look this ugly."

  Julian chuckled in the middle of the kiss and broke it. Then he pecked her lightly on the lips and they both looked toward the voice.

  "That's right, Billy. They looked like that. Some of us still do, like Daddy's uncle Dave."

  Julian whispered, "That was wonderful but, I'd better get you to your sister's so you can get ready."

  "That's not funny Martha. Don't put silly ideas in the boy's head," countered a voice from most likely the father.

  Julian lowered his arms and his hand reached for hers. Upon finding and grasping it, they headed toward the voices.

  "Daddy, what is that?" came a young girl's voice.

  After a few steps, Julian dropped her hand and draped an arm around her shoulder.

  "That's a saber tooth tiger, Punkin. They were very dangerous, but they're extinct now."

  As they turned the corner, not an eighth of an inch separating them, she lowered her head on his shoulder. They smiled and Julian nodded at the family of four as they approached a mixed marriage couple and their children. The woman, black, pretty and a bit of a tease from her expression, acknowledged them with a single nod. She elbowed her husband and said in a loud whisper, "Young love, it's so wonderful. Remember when we were like that, sweetheart?"

  The man nodded and answered his wife. "I do, dear. It doesn't seem that long ago."

  The little boy, paying us no mind, said to the little girl, "Extinct means they're not around anymore and I wish that's what you were."

  The girl hit the boy on the shoulder and began running the way they'd come. The boy ran after her, yelling, "I'm going to get you for that."

  "Yes, everything was so carefree then." The woman reminisced to herself as her husband ran after the kids.

  Julian squeezed, her shoulder. "I think I'd like a boy and girl like that some day. How about you?"

  Laurel's stomach sank and a cold sweat coursed through her head and torso. She suddenly felt faint and leaned against him for support. She wasn't ready to answer his innocent question.

  Chapter Three – Teresa

  "We are sisters. We will always be sisters. Our differences may never go away, but neither, for me, will our song." Elizabeth Fishel

  T eresa was eight years older than Laurel and had been married almost seven years. She married Seth at the age of twenty-five and had been popping out babies in twenty month intervals ever since. The youngest, the only boy, is fourteen months, which means she has either broken the cycle or hasn't had the nerve to tell her she was pregnant again.

  Teresa and her family lived in a well-kept, older tract home about six miles northeast of Marina Del Rey and the ocean. She arrived at Tess's home and Julian pulled up right behind her. It was a quarter to six, not an optimum time since the family had sat down to dinner. She answered the front door and smiled good naturedly, but she could see their arrival was inconvenient. After hugging her and shaking Julian's hand. She took them to the kitchen doorway where she introduced Julian to Seth and the kids. Julian stepped in enough to shake Seth's hand and nodded to Carolyn, Emma, Beth and Stephen.

  Tess asked if they would wait for her in the living room until she finished. They sat down and Julian tuned into CNN on the TV. After a short five minutes, her sister came in and sat on the loveseat opposite them. She seemed to apprise Julian and then her. She smiled. "Ooh, I like your hair."

  Though Tess said hair, Laurel got the distinct feeling she meant man.

  She changed the subject. "Thank you. Don't you have to do the dishes?"

  She sat back in the loveseat, her face displaying amusement. "No, Seth volunteered to do them and clean-up too." She laughed. "Maybe you should drop in at dinnertime more often. So what brings you and your handsome man friend by tonight?"

  "Julian and I are going to dinner tonight, and I came by to change into her new dress and shoes." She pointed at the shoebox and the plastic wrapped dress.

  Standing, she came over and grabbed the hanger hook and the shoebox. "Hmmm, what'cha have here? C'mon, let's go in the bedroom."

  She picked the accessory bag Jessie had given her and followed right behind her.<
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  Tess stood just inside the bedroom door, and the minute she walked through the doorway, shut the door and locked it.

  "Tell me all about him. He's beautiful. Where did you meet him? How long have you known him? Are you serious about him?"

  After shaking her head from Tess's battery of questions, she asked her, "Whoa, slow down. I only met him this morning. We spent the whole day together. I like him. I like him a lot, but you know I can't get serious about anyone. He's a friend."

  "Oh, Laurel." Tess squeezed her lips tight. "He really seems to like you. The way he looks at you. It's not too late to change your mind."

  She shook her head. "I just can't. I gave my word."

  Tess grimaced and flashed a disdainful look. "You're being a fool, Laurel. I can tell that man is very interested in you. Does he know about you?"

  Her brows furrowed at her question. "No, I have no reason. We're just friends."

  She laid a hand on her shoulder. "Well, I bet if we asked Julian, friendship is not what he wants from you."

  Her hands started moving excitedly as she spoke, "I already know what he wants from me—sex."

  Her eyes thinned to slits. "How do you know that?"

  "The girl that did my hair used to go out with him, and she told me he's a player and I believe her. He's already kissed me twice."

  Tess's jaw dropped, and her mouth fixed open. "He kissed you—twice? And you let him?"

  A flush of heat passed through her. "Yes, I wanted to see what it was like. It was a mistake."