In Search of Satisfaction (25 page)

Yinyang was thinking, “It would be so easy for us to conclude our business. Did she dislike my mother so much? Why? What is it this woman wants from me?”

Yin was not foolish enough to believe that Carlene liked her for herself or that Carlene really wanted to help her, even in return for help with her hip. Yin thought of her last experience with Miss Will and concluded, “It is not sex; Mrs. Befoe nor I are lesbians. I don’t think.” She looked in Carlene’s eyes and saw Carlene studying her in return. “But she wants me for something. Well, I want a rich husband. And a yacht trip. Who will be on that yacht?”

Finally Carlene said, “I see you can only think of your house. I can understand that, although I have never been without one.”

Yin spoke softly, “The cost … please?”

“Two hundred dollars. That’s less than twenty dollars a year for keeping the brush back and other little sundry things that have been done.”

“That was not all done for me, that must have been done for you. I will give you one hundred dollars.”

“You are indeed impertinent. And you are asking the favor!”

“Mrs. Befoe, I will have a great deal to do to prepare the house for living.”

“That is for you. Not for me.” Carlene was enjoying herself. She laughed.

Yin laughed, too. “I will give you, if it pleases you, one hundred dollars plus a massage for your hips. I will even teach your maid how to do it for you.”

“Accepted. There, see, my soft heart ever defeats me. I can not be hard, no matter how I try.”

“Your heart knows.”

Carlene looked at Yin to see if she meant more than she said. Then, “You may go now to fetch your things.”

Yin rose from the chair. “I have not decided I shall live here as a guest. I will think about it.”

“Nonsense. It’s all settled. I will have Minna arrange for your things to be delivered.”

Yin, standing, said, “Mrs. Befoe, I appreciate your … kindness. But we must understand, I do all the decision making for myself. I am not seeking employment. I was not seeking a room. I am doing a favor in kind. I will not be a servant here.”

“Why certainly, of course. Whatever makes you think I would want to run anyone’s life? Or make their decisions? I’ve enough to do already. So you will direct your life yourself. But … I direct this house. I will have rooms prepared for you upstairs near my sister. It will be ready … if you decide to be my guest.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Befoe. Now, while I am gone to take care of more of my business, would you arrange to take a very long, hot bath? Soak in it for at least an hour. Then I shall do my best for you with a massage.”

Yin left, led by Minna. She passed the gentlemen, Mr. Befoe and Creed, still on the front terrace. Richard smiled at her, saying, “Ahhh, you have met my wife.”

Yin smiled back. “I have met your wife. I have seen your lovely home. I have much to do to my own home.”

Creed spoke, “I am right handy with hammer and nails and paint. I know a good yard man, too.”

Yin laughed. “Will they work for slave labor?”

Creed smiled. “Ain’t none of them around now. But we’d give you a good price. Fair price.”

Yin smiled down at Creed. “Mr. Befoe will know how to find you?”

Richard said, “He will give you his address himself.”

At last, Yin smiled and walked away, haughty and sassy, head held high. Both men watched her. Creed was smiling. Richard was not. He was thoughtful.

y
in saw the lawyer Syntoll on her way back to the rooming house. She told him she had taken care of her business and to prepare papers stipulating payment of the one hundred dollars and medical assistance to Mrs. Befoe. He blinked his eyes in surprise as she continued, “I will pick them up in about one hour.”

“Well, Miss Krupt, I can bring them to you.”

“I will be living at the Befoes and I can pick them up on my way back there.”

His lip dropped. Mouth open, Mr. Syntoll watched her walk away briskly. “Well! That is that!”

If Yin had stayed alone at the rooming house, he might have visited her in the hope that a relationship would create itself. But her being in the Befoe household stopped his plans cold. She would now be occupying a space that would be too large for him, and it quite put him off.

She told Mrs. Whitman she would be moving. Mrs. Whitman placed umbrage on her face until the Befoe name came through her consciousness. She had thought the lawyer Syntoll and Yin had made some headway toward a close relationship and that Yin was moving in with him. In her day, getting her husbands, Mrs. Whitman had done that several times. She was above that now, being too obviously old for it to work any longer. Now, her religion forbade anyone else to do it. The Befoe name stopped her thoughts. She immediately became obsequious.

Yin continued talking, “I do not wish to give up my room, though. I want to leave most of my things stored there.” She smiled and looked the woman in the eye. “I have inventory of everything I brought with me, so if anything is ever missing I will be able to let you know just what it is and we can retrieve them. I am sure your help is honest, I was rather thinking of other guests you may have. Now! That reduces the cost for
meals and hot water. So I will pay you for the room only, by the week. Occasionally I may sleep here in my rooms.”

Yin packed a few things in a smaller bag and Tillis arranged to take her to the Befoes’ great house. As she rode in the wagon-carriage Yin prayed, “Please, God, let me work a miracle. Let my fingers remember.”

Satan smiled in amusement. “I will be there with some suggestions to make, little one.”

m
inna brought the refill for Mr. Befoe’s prescription to Carlene, who closed her door herself and settled down to emptying the real medicine out and replacing it with the salt. It was a tedious job, time consuming. When Minna knocked on her door to say the hot water was ready, Carlene gave a sigh of disgust. She did not want to keep the hot water waiting so she covered the vials and packets with a towel. No one used her bathroom but herself, the medicine work could wait a little while. Then she told Minna to prepare her bath. She intended to hurry the bath soaking only a little, but the water felt good to her aching hips and legs. In fact, she lay there so long that Yin was already settled in her new room and ready to do the massage.

Yin had met Sally briefly; they had smiled and were prepared to like each other, then Yin started down the narrow stairs to go to Carlene’s rooms. “Mrs. Befoe must not like her sister very much to put her up in these quarters. Hell! She must not like me either! But this house does not half belong to me like it must her sister. If I was the sister, I wouldn’t stay up there. Of course, I’m not going to stay up there long myself.”

Richard Befoe was nowhere to be seen.

Yin passed Minna in the hall near Carlene’s rooms. “Minna, will you bring an extra sheet to Mrs. Befoe’s rooms?” Minna sighed, “Yes’m” and was gone. Yin knocked on Carlene’s door and heard the answer, “You wait a minute, Minna!” Yin did not knock again.

When Minna returned with the extra sheet, the two of them stood in the hall, waiting. Minna spoke first, smiling, “My gramma say she was there helpin when you was born.”

Yin smiled back hesitantly. “How does she know that? I have not seen her.” Minna made a little laugh. “Oh, Miz Yin, this such a little ole town, everbody know when someone new comes here. Everbody know a strange pretty lady is in town. She members your name is Yinzang.”

Yin smiled thoughtfully, then, “It’s Yinyang. Yinyang Krupt. I will have to meet your gramma. There are some things I would like to know about.” Minna smiled, said, “Yes, mam.”

Then they heard Carlene’s voice calling them in. Carlene stood frowning as Yin spread the sheet across the bed. “Will we really need that? This is not a hospital.”

Yin continued her preparations. “This is how I do. Please lie down.” Carlene started to lay down in her underwear and nightgown. Yin laughed and said, “You must take that gown off and all those clothes. Leave your underpants on if you like.”

Carlene bristled, “Well, I say! I don’t like being naked without clothes.”

Yin put her hands on her hips. “Oh! Pish-posh! I am a woman, you are a woman! It is not a pleasure of mine to look at naked ladies. If I am to relax and work on your … body, I must be able to touch it!” She reached for one of the extra sheets, “Here, wrap this around you and lie on your stomach across the bed.”

Carlene wrapped the sheet loosely around herself, saying, “This had better be good!”

“Mrs. Befoe, you demanded this. I did not force it on you.”

“Well, continue then. And what must I do now?”

Yin settled the sheet, lightly pushed and pulled Carlene’s body in place. “Now … just relax. I have a lotion here Minna was good enough to heat for me. It is warm and will be relaxing to your muscles and bones. Which is what we want.” Yin moved firmly about the business of massage. “We will have no talking unless I am hurting you, which I am sure I will not.”

Carlene’s face was buried in a pillow. “Certainly not!”

Yin had removed her suit when she settled in her new room upstairs. She was wearing a long, cream colored skirt and crisp blouse with the sleeves rolled up. Her hair was still pulled back in a severe fashion. She warmed her hands at the small fire in the fireplace and began at Carlene’s neck. “Now … we begin,” she said.

Carlene’s muffled voice came, “It is my hip and my legs, not my neck!”

Yin was becoming aggravated. “Do you want me to continue?”

“I’m not sure.” Muffled.

“I do not have time to waste or time to coddle. I have other things I must be doing!”

From deep in the pillow, “I am not accustomed to being talked to in that manner.”

“And I am not accustomed to giving massages.”

“You’ve never told me what you are accustomed to doing.”

“Mrs. Befoe, I have not heard your life story either.” Yin pressed down hard on Carlene’s shoulders.

A gust of breath flew from Carlene’s mouth, “Whooff.”

Yin smiled, “We begin again.”

Still Carlene complained, “I am sorry I allowed this to happen.”

“I can stop. It is your hip.” Yin did not stop the smooth movement and pressure of her hands. It did feel good to Carlene.

“Well, we have gone this far …”

“Alright then.” She smoothed Carlene’s shoulders and back with the warm cream and firm touch. She took a long time rubbing the shoulders, spine and sides with a steady, long stroke, sometimes a short, firm one. Carlene was soon totally relaxed. The begging, stiff muscles were slowly letting go, not fighting stiffly anymore. As Yin moved down to the buttocks in firm round strokes and more warm cream, Carlene moaned with pleasure a few times. Yin began to think of the pleasure Carlene was having. An idea came into Yin’s mind. She spoke softly, “Mrs. Befoe, you must know allll these muscles, nerves and bones are connected. Related. You have … certain nerves that must be touched.”

Carlene sighed with relaxed pleasure in answer.

Yin continued softly, “Your body is very private and there are places I will not touch … but you must.”

Carlene roused herself a little, said with a muted voice, “What private places?”

Yin smiled. “In the front of your body, where the pelvis bone is located, place your hands in that area.”

“What?”

“Do it. For your hip. I want to teach you something that will help you.” Carlene hesitantly did as she was told.

Yin continued, “Now … feel the bone?”

A muffled reply, “Certainly.”

Yin smiled. “Now, move your hand slowly in the direction of your feet to the lowest part of the pelvis bone … stay in the middle of the bone … until you feel what feels like gristle.”

There was silence.

Yin waited, then asked, “Have you done that?”

Muffled, “Yes … what is this for?”

Yin answered seriously, “That is the center muscle, bone and nerve between your hips. If you hold down on that, not hard, but firmly … my massage will communicate to the bones and muscle pains better, with more balance. It is like a conductor.”

Silence. Yin waited, then said, “I am going to occasionally touch another place. Don’t jump. You have your underpants on.” Still massaging with one hand, with the other she touched between Carlene’s legs at the center between the buttocks and her vulva. She explained, “This spot here is also a conductor. That is why they are as well protected as they are. You can’t reach this spot so I will have to help you, not too much, just a little.

Carlene’s voice was still muffled, “I … don’t know if … I want …”

Yin interrupted her, “It must be done right for the greatest effect on the pain in your hips. Now, hold on to that spot.” She continued to massage with long, firm strokes. Carlene’s body moved slightly, involuntarily under the pressure. Yin moved to the thigh slowly, returning at regular times back to the buttocks, stopping only for more warm cream. A half hour passed. Carlene said, “I do feel this in my hips. The pain is not so sharp.”

“Good! Now turn over. Keep the sheet wrapped around you where I am not working and keep your privacy. Oh! You can’t let go of that
spot, can you? Here, I will hold it until you finish turning. Now, use this towel to cover your eyes for complete relaxation. Mrs. Befoe, I simply can’t keep holding this nerve. I have to use my hands to rub you. Here, take your one hand and spread your fingers … you have to open your legs more, dear, to get the right spot again. You have panties on.”

Carlene spoke, unmuffled, “I feel like a fool.”

Yin soothed, “The medical profession is not always decorous, Mrs. Befoe. This is a massage.” She covered Carlene’s eyes completely with the towel as she started at her chin, working slowly to her shoulders and breasts.

“Do you have to touch my breasts?”

Yin answered softly, “Your body is a whole piece … all connected.”

Carlene spoke from beneath the towel, “I will not subject myself to this again.”

Yin smiled to herself, “As you like.” As she stroked and rubbed the old, drying skin, withering from age and no exercise except malice, the muscles responded gladly to the soothing, firm pressure of Yin’s warm, moist hands. Carlene relaxed even more. The nerves over her body were stimulated, awakened. Beneath Carlene’s fingers the nerves were also stimulated by her own pressure and Yin’s strokes on her body. The pleasure moving out from the center of her body to all points. Yin’s hands moved in circular motions on the unloved bulge of layers swelling her belly. Yin watched the muscles beneath her hands. She pressed … and pulled … with soft firmness as she rounded the thighs, moving frequently back up to the dried breasts and around the now glistening belly, soft with compliance. Carlene’s fingers held firmly in place as Yin did the lower limbs and finally the feet. Carlene made small sounds of pleasure. Yin heard a mixture of tones in Carlene’s sounds now. She watched the stomach muscles contract. She stopped. “We are near the end. Turn over, for the last time, on your stomach. Then we’ll be through.” Carlene did as she was told without a whimper. Her fingers never moved from below her pelvic bone.