All the Time (15 page)

Lawanda walked up to his desk and extended
her hand. Mike grasped her long, slender fingers and was
immediately surprised at the amount of heat and yet coolness the
woman exuded.

“Good morning, Miss Jones. Please sit,” he
gestured to the chair opposite his desk.

She smoothed her long, floating skirt under
her and sat with the grace of an African queen.

“Can I offer you coffee?” Mike asked.

Lawanda’s smile remained cool and aloof. “No
thank you, Mr. Sneider.” Folding her hands in her lap, she waited
patiently for him to speak.

Mike got right to the point. “I’ve heard some
interesting things about you, Miss Jones.”

She arched her eyebrows in question. “Oh,
really?”

“Yes…very interesting things, I might
add.”

Her eyes flashed shots of fire and Mike
feared he may have offended her.

She surprised him by laughing and again Mike
was enthralled by her lush contralto tones. She had a lovely voice.
Sexy and tempting, it gave him a funny feeling deep in his
belly.

“So, now the truth comes out; you have heard
about my power.”

“Yes. Is what I’ve heard true?"

She shrugged her shoulders. “I can’t say
until you tell me exactly what you’ve heard.”

He didn’t want to tip his hand too early, so
he sidestepped her question. “Before we go any further, I was
hoping you’d tell me a little something about yourself and this
supposed power.”

Lawanda quirked a regal eyebrow and frowned,
“I don’t feel it necessary to explain myself…to you.”

Mike wasn’t intimidated by the woman. “I
think it is very necessary. I want to know how you happen upon this
so called power, and I want to know where you obtained your
knowledge.”

She stiffened, slid to the edge of the chair
and started to stand.

Mike held up his hand. “I’m sorry if I offend
you, Miss Jones, but I have my reasons. Just humor me for a few
minutes. Please.”

She slid back into the chair. A frown
furrowed her brow. She was not a happy camper.

Mike was relieved. At least she'd decided to
stay.

Before he could get his thoughts in order,
Lawanda spoke. “So, you think you need to hear my pedigree, do you?
Others aren’t so fussy.”

He’d pissed her off. Shit. He didn’t like her
attitude one damn bit, but he also didn’t want to make her angry
before he found out her secrets. He wasn’t used to being defied.
This woman showed no fear of him.

Mike wasn't accustomed to being ignored and
he wasn't sure how to handle her attitude. “Sorry, but I’m not
other people,” Mike said. “I want to get the full picture before we
go any further.” He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “So, I’m
sure you won’t mind telling me, now will you?”

Lawanda’s facial expression was far from
friendly. “Oh, I mind all right, but since you seem so intent on
knowing, I’ll give you the highlights."

"My mother was born the only white child in a
family of thirteen extremely black children. The fact Mama was
white came as a total mystery seein’ as how my grandma never left
the swamps, nor had she ever so much as seen a white man. My
grandma immediately decided mama had been touched by angels and my
great-grandma decided my mama must have been the reincarnation of
Aphrodite and was, indeed, blessed.

“So, Mama grew up special out there in the
swamp; the only white child amongst all those little black
children. And, as Mama grew, my grandma and great-grandma passed
along all the things they had learned in their homeland, making
sure she knew all the secret potions and spells they’d been taught
by their mothers.

“Then, when Mama was thirteen, they sent her
even deeper in the swamp to live with Mammy Love. Now, Mammy Love,
she added all the unique potions and incantations Mama would need
to keep a man happy and a woman satisfied.”

Lawanda gave Mike a strange look and lowered
her voice to a harsh whisper, “I'm sure you have heard the old song
about a love potion?”

Who hadn’t at one time or another? Mike
nodded.

“Well, it’s all true and more,” she said with
a leer.

Mike shuddered. Was Lawanda telling the
truth? If so, could she solve his dilemma with Lainie? “Go on,” he
urged, barely containing the excitement growing in his soul.

Lawanda’s generous mouth tipped up at the
corners. “My uncle, Emanuel, led Mama out of the swamp when she was
sixteen and put her on a bus to Hotlanta where she met my daddy and
the rest, as they say, is history.” Lawanda gave him a knowing
look. “When I was old enough, Mama taught me everything she learned
in those rugged backwaters and now, I’m carrying on the
family…curse or business, whatever you want to call it.”

Mike wasn’t sure he believed Lawanda, but he
had to do something. Lainie was driving him crazy with her
insatiable desire for a cock and her demands for sex at all hours
of the day and night.

Lawanda smirked. “So, let me guess. You’ve
got problems. Right, Mr. Big Shot?” Her smile was nasty when she
continued. “Can’t get it up any more?”

Mike fought the urge to lean across the desk
and slap her beautiful face. He’d never hit a woman in his life,
but this morning he came close. The one thing stopping him was the
possibility she could be telling the truth, and he could easily
find himself a frog in a puddle before he had time to say he was
sorry.

What a stupid thought. Come on who was she
bull shitting? She’d told him was pretty farfetched and less than
100% believable. She had to be making up much of it to keep the
rumors flying around the company.

He frowned and stared with rude machismo at
Lawanda’s impressive breasts, barely contained in her flowing
dress. Her intimation he had a hard time keeping his cock up fueled
his anger. “Get fuckin’ real, Lawanda. I don’t have any problems
'getting it up' as you so finely put it, I could probably fuck you
under the table, lady.”

Lawanda met his challenging words with a
grin. “I think I like you, big man. Maybe some other day, honey we
can test you’re theory, but I’m busy today.”

Mike chuckled. Oh, she was good, giving back
as good as she got. Someday he might be tempted to take her up on
her challenge, but not today. He studied his adversary a moment.
“Actually, Lawanda, it isn’t me with the problem…it’s my wife.”

Lawanda sat, silently smiling.

“I’m going to be frank about this. My
wife…wants…a…penis. You understand? She wants a cock.”

“Really?” Lawanda's laugh was musical.

Mike snickered. When you actually thought
about it, it was pretty funny. Most women weren’t like his Lainie.
“Yeah, a nice, big, firm cock of her own.”

“Well, that’s a new one on me, honey.”
Lawanda rolled her eyes and chuckled.

“I know. She seems to want mine, as a matter
of fact. I have no idea how to satisfy her desire for a cock. Do
you have any ideas?”

This time Lawanda gave a hoot. “Are you
kidding? No. I’ve never run into this situation before. I doubt my
mama has either. But, give me a day or two to consult my books and
my mama and I’ll get back to you.”

For the first time in weeks Mike felt a touch
of optimism. At least Lawanda had said she’d look into it. He’d
been hoping to hear an encouraging word from the moment he’d gotten
the crazy-assed idea to call her this morning.

They sat staring at each other for a
moment.

“I can see your mind workin’, Mr. Big Shot.
Whatcha thinkin’?”

Mike leaned forward, clasped his hands and
rested his chin on them. “Any idea how much this is going to cost
me, Lawanda?”

“It always comes down to money, doesn’t it?
Money is the root of all evil.” Lawanda’s distain showed clearly on
her face. “I can guarantee you it isn’t going to be cheap.”

Of course not. Something this important
couldn’t possibly be cheap. Mike shrugged with resignation. He
stood and held out his hand, “Well, do what you have to do, and let
me know as soon as possible. I’ll wait for your call.”

Lawanda took his hand in hers, “One more
thing. How much are you, as the person asking for help, willing to
give, Mr. Sexy-man?”

Mike looked deep into her bottomless eyes,
“Whatever it takes.”

“Then I guess we understand each other. I’ll
get back to you in a day or two. Don’t call me…I’ll call you. You
call me again, and you can forget any further help.”

Lawanda left silent as a cat and Mike sat
staring at the door for a long time. "Whatever it takes,” he kept
repeating and knew it was true.

“What is taking so fucking long?” Mike
wondered out loud. He’d given Lawanda plenty of time, for
Chrissake. She'd said it would be a couple of days and it had been
closer to two weeks without a word from her. He'd followed her
orders. He hadn’t phoned her, hadn’t tried to reach her in any way,
but damn it all, he couldn't take the tension any longer.

His hand was on the phone when it buzzed and
damn near scared the pants off him.
Shit!
He pulled back as
if he'd been bitten by a snake and stared at the offending
instrument.

The strident buzz filled the room once more
and Mike grabbed the receiver. “What?” he snapped into the
mouthpiece.

“I'm sorry to bother you, Mike,” Rita
whispered. “Lawanda Jones is here to see you. She doesn’t have an
appointment, but she insists you’ll see her.”

“She’s right…send her in, Rita.”
It's
about damn time.

The moment the door closed behind Rita and
Lawanda was seated across from Mike, he growled, “Well?”

“Patience is a virtue, Mr. Big Shot,” Lawanda
said with cool dignity.

“Excuse the hell out of me, Miss Jones.” Mike
couldn’t mask his anxiety.

She stood in one smooth, silent move.
“Obviously, you don’t know a virtue when you need one. I don't have
time for attitude. I've got work to do.”

Her hand was on the doorknob when Mike found
his voice. “Please accept my apology, Lawanda. I’ll admit I’ve been
going crazy the past couple of weeks thinking you’d forgotten me
and my problem.”

Lawanda turned. Her look would have wilted
fresh flowers. “Take my word for it; I did not forget your problem.
Face it, what you ask of me was not some ordinary, everyday
project. I’ve been busy since the day we spoke.”

“Please sit down, Lawanda…and call me Mike.”
He gestured toward the chair she had vacated.

Lawanda’s eyes were cold, bottom-less, dark
pools of shimmering black.

“My most humble apology, Lawanda.”
Internally, Mike cringed. He sounded like a fucking twit.

She made him sweat for twenty long seconds
before letting go of the doorknob and slipping silently back into
the chair. She clasped her long, slender hands in her lap. Waiting.
She stared at him with hard, knowing eyes.

Mike was sweating like a prizefighter.
Rivulets of prickly perspiration slid down his back and he longed
to wipe his damp brow. Instead, he put his hands on the edge of the
desk and pushed his chair back. Crossing one ankle over the
opposite knee, he decided to wait her out.

Five minutes passed slowly while Lawanda
continued to stare obstinately at Mike. Watching and watching and
watching until Mike was ready to scream. Beads of sweat continued
to trickle down his face. When several drops of perspiration
slipped down his temple and he didn’t swipe at it, she seemed to
come to a conclusion.

At last!
Mike’s insides unwound like a
broken spring when Lawanda gave him a slow, devious smile.

“All right, then…Mike…let’s talk.”

He quirked an eyebrow and remained
silent.

“I have researched your, or should I say,
your wife’s little problem…Mike.”

He nodded.

“I phoned my mama in Hotlanda. She searched
through all her books of incantations. We consulted with Mammy
Love, who still lives far back in the swamps. My uncle had a hard
time finding her, but eventually he succeeded. He spent days
questioning her. Then he had to find his way back to my mama's
place and give her Mammy Love's answers.”

Mike gave her a smile he hoped was warm and
encouraging. “Go on.”

Lawanda’s fine, full lips curved up in an
answering smile. “As I said, this wasn’t one of the usual questions
we get. It was not easy to solve.”

The doorknob jiggled, turned and Rita stuck
her head in the door. “Can I get you anything to eat or drink?”

“No, thanks,” Mike answered giving Lawanda a
questioning look.

Lawanda shook her head.

“We’re fine, Rita. I’ll let you know."

The moment the door closed Lawanda continued.
“As I was saying…Mike, this wasn’t your every day run-of-the-mill
request, but I think I have an answer.” She slipped a long slender
hand down her hip. Her fingers disappeared into the folds of her
dress for the shortest of moments and when they reappeared there
was a tiny vial between her forefinger and thumb.

Heart pounding like a son-of-a-bitch, Mike
leaned forward.

Lawanda held the vial up to the light,
turning it slowly back and forth. Light refracted off the golden
liquid inside and Mike’s heart leapt in his chest. Was this it? Did
she really have a magic elixir?

The look on Lawanda’s face was positively
evil. Exactly how much was this going to cost? Life and limb? The
vial was barely two inches long and possibly as big as Lainie’s
pinkie finger. The liquid moved in the vial like molten gold.

“Let’s talk about money, shall we, Mike?”

“Okay…” he said without hesitation.

Lawanda twisted the vial and gold shots of
light hit Mike in the eye. He squinted, waiting and hoping for a
miracle. It was nearly impossible to contain his impatience. His
foot jiggled and his heart wouldn’t slow down. She had to know he
was on the edge.

“I was thinking.” She'd been silent so long,
her voice made Mike jerk to attention.