The Reunion (7 page)

“You are not welcome here anymore,” she mumbled, watching out her window as he passed under a streetlight. “You will never be welcome. Never.”

Ebony’s nerves bristled, and she could not get to sleep. The snow had stopped, the wind had died down, and a full moon had escaped the moody clouds. The whole world seemed to be covered by a white blanket. She looked out her window and saw Ethan rowing his aluminum boat across the bay, an eerie steam rising from it in the frigid night. Suddenly she was seized by the overpowering and irrational fear that his boat would tip and that he would be thrown into the freezing sea. Her heart pounded as she prayed that he would make it to the island safely. By degrees, her fear rose almost to an obsession, and she convinced herself he would fall into the water and die.

“Please get back safely,” she whispered, watching him intently.

When he did row into shore and climb up the wharf, Ebony sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. Then she watched as he walked beneath an electric light on a pole beside the cottage. He looked back at her house, his breath visible in the cold air. He was almost like a ghost, but this ghost was handsome, strong, passionate. His body was warm, full of life, and pumping with hot blood. He moved her deeply, and when he was near, every fiber of her being tingled with an inexplicable sensation, but now everything was so incredibly complicated.

Ethan walked behind the cover of some trees, and Ebony saw a light come on in his cottage. For almost an hour, Ebony stood at her window, staring. She could see the light and feel his spirit emanating from within its walls. She thought of Africa and the letter she had sent. Ebony would be true to her word. She would not run away from her responsibilities, because if she did, she would betray herself just as Ethan had betrayed her. Ebony watched the cottage light go out, then stoked the stove, crawled into bed, and fell asleep thinking about the only man she had ever loved, and the only man she had ever hated.

Chapter Four

When Ebony awoke the next morning, she rushed to the window. It was a sunny, warm day, and the snow was rapidly melting. Ethan was just pushing off in his boat. Against her will she watched him row to the cove wharf, tie up, and nimbly scale the ladder. She could clearly see him walking to his car in paint-spattered coveralls, ripped at the collar and ragged around the cuffs. Just as he was getting into his car, he suddenly looked up at her house. Though he could not see her, Ebony quickly walked away, mortified. She stoked the stove, then sat for a long time contemplating life and its knack for the unexpected. The phone jolted her out of the reverie.

“Could you come by after church?” Jenny asked. “I need your help doing something.”

“I’ll be there.”

Ebony changed into a loose black dress and slipped on her black boots and a gray wool hat. She put on her heavy gray coat with triangular black designs, checked herself in the mirror, then proceeded to St. Joseph’s Church.

Does everyone know he’s back?
she thought during the walk.

As soon as she entered the parking lot, people started gesturing and muttering. It was obvious to her that everyone, absolutely everyone, now knew. Trying her best to maintain an air of reserved dignity, she took her seat in the back pew and stared straight ahead. Others would turn away if their eyes met, and she felt like a wife attending her husband’s funeral. It was apparent people felt sorry for her, but just didn’t know what to say.

The service was excruciatingly long, and though Father Thomas gave a wonderful sermon on forgiveness, Ebony was so self-conscious that she hardly heard a word of it. At times it seemed like she was in an interrogation room with bright lights on her face and everyone staring at her through a two-way mirror. Never had she been more uncomfortable. When the service finally ended, she hurried out the door and avoided eye contact with all the people trying to get a look at her.

I hate you, Ethan
, she thought as she hurried away from the church.
I will never, never forgive you.

She quickly walked home, changed, then walked toward Jenny’s.
Go away, Ethan
, she thought during her stroll up the Harrington driveway.

At that precise moment, Ethan unexpectedly walked around the corner and stopped abruptly. “Hello,” he said.

“Hello,” she mumbled, putting down her head and trying to walk past him.

“You look very nice today.”

She stared unblinkingly forward and walked past him.

“If you need any help,” Ethan said, “don’t hesitate to ask.”

Ebony ignored the offer and in thoughtless confusion hurried into the house. Once out of sight, she shook her head. “That man!” she exclaimed. “I can’t stand the sight of him.”

“Oh good, you’re here,” said Jenny, coming upstairs to greet her.

Ebony took off her coat. “What do you want me to do?”

She gestured with her head, and they went downstairs, where there was a bucket of water and a mop outside Ethan’s study. “Ethan says he’ll live on the island for awhile, but if he decides to move back here, I think I better get his workspace ready.” She went inside the study and looked back over her shoulder. “This room has been locked up for a long time.”

Only then did it occur to Ebony how selfish she had been. When Ethan returned, Ebony thought only of herself, how he had wronged her and how she had a right to be angry. But she had not considered Jenny’s feelings. Ethan had deserted her, too. Jenny had also received only a note. Ethan was her elder brother, her only family, her protector, but he went away. Disappeared. He deserted her, his younger sister, just as he had deserted Ebony. That realization made her feel guilty.

Jenny suddenly realized she forgot something. “Oh, I’m so stupid. I forgot the other mop. Could you go get it? It’s on the back veranda.”

“Sure.”

“Thanks.”

Ebony reluctantly walked upstairs, searched for the mop on the veranda without finding it, then strolled back into the kitchen. Ethan came in the door just as he had two days earlier. She abruptly turned away from him.

“What are you looking for?” Ethan asked.

She ignored him.

“Nice day,” he said.

She glared at him, then quickly turned and hurried to the basement.

“Oops,” Jenny said when Ebony came downstairs. “The other mop was down here all the time.”

Jenny walked into Ethan’s study, and though Ebony didn’t want to enter, she followed her friend. The room looked just the same as it had the last time she saw it five years ago. There was a cot in the corner covered with the same blanket she remembered.

One day, when they were alone, Ebony was wearing short shorts and a light T-shirt. They began kissing on that cot, and Ethan felt her breasts for a long time, squeezing them and kneading the pliable flesh. He then started rubbing her between the legs, and Ebony remembered the glorious sensations. She lifted her top and bra, pulled his face to her breasts, and moaned like mad as he licked and sucked her nipples. As he did it, he kept rubbing her. The pressure built up to such a degree that she couldn’t stand it any longer. She pulled her shorts and panties off, stood on the cot and pulled his face into her wet, hot pussy. His tongue was like a magic wand. It found her hidden secrets and brought her to the peak of stimulation. He clasped her big, soft bottom, moaned wildly, and licked as if drunken with passion. His white skin contrasted so sharply to her black skin that it was amazing her, but then she felt a volcanic power, as if lava, bubbling for a long time, suddenly surged out in a violent eruption. Ebony whimpered and groaned, thrashing about in spasms of delight, but Ethan continued to hold her squirming body, licking and tasting her pussy. When the orgasm finally subsided, she lay on the cot and looked up at him. He literally looked as if he was intoxicated, his smile full and bright.

“What are you thinking about?” Jenny asked.

“Oh, nothing,” Ebony said, taking a deep breath and snapping out of her reverie.

Jenny started straightening things up as Ebony observed the crammed bookcases, a writing desk and drafting table, framed drawings of houses and nature scenes, and a wall of shelves. Ebony walked to the shelves Ethan’s father had built and looked at the dozens of trophies. The top two rows contained medallions and awards for outstanding achievements in academics and art. The five lower rows consisted of trophies for baseball, wrestling, jujitsu, and track. Ebony read time after time words such as: “Top Male Athlete,”“Most Valuable Player,”“Top Batting Average,”“Top Pitcher.” On the bottom shelf were scrapbooks, the pages of which Ebony had looked through a hundred times. She was tempted to leaf through them once again and probably would have if she was alone.

Jenny motioned to Ebony after moving a chair. “Look at all this dust. Ethan could have an asthma attack in here.”

I hope he chokes
, Ebony thought.

“We’re having homemade pizza today. Would you like to stay?”

“No.”

“Are you going to be friends with Ethan?” Jenny asked bluntly as she washed the floor.

Ebony started washing the other half of the room. “I hope we won’t be enemies.”

“What about me? You’re the only real friend I’ve got.”

“You have a boyfriend, and I think you and Rebecca are getting close.”

“I hardly even know Rebecca. Besides, she’s married and has commitments.”

“You have a brother,” Ebony said.

Jenny thought about that for a moment. “You know, I hate to admit it, but Ethan is almost a complete stranger to me.”

“At least you’ve got family. That’s more than I ever had.”

“You’ve got me.”

“And you’ve got me,” Ebony answered shortly, “the perfect excuse. If you can’t make up your mind whether or not to commit to Bill, don’t keep telling him you’re responsible for me because of what your brother did. I don’t want to be your excuse.”

Jenny lowered her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Ebony said, feeling flustered and bitterly ashamed. “I don’t know why I said that.” She sat down with a sigh. “There’s so much going on. It seems like I’m being pulled from all sides, and my nerves are stretched to the breaking point.” She shook her head. “Listen, Jenny, I honestly believe Bill loves you for you, not because of your money. At some point you’re going to have to trust him or move on. You can’t live forever in this limbo, and you can’t use me as an excuse every time you feel the need to pull back.”

Ethan walked into the basement and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Ron and Rebecca are coming,” he called out.

Jenny stuck her head out the door and gave him a quick wave, then dumped the water in the basement sink, washed her hands, and went upstairs. Ebony started to follow when Ethan stepped in front of her.

“Can I speak with you for a moment?” he asked.

She stared at him.

“You’ve been through a lot,” Ethan said, “and I understand that. But don’t you think it’s time to show a little Christian compassion?” He extended his right hand. “Friends?”

Ebony walked past him.

“Wait.”

She continued moving away.

Ethan walked ahead of her and stood slightly to one side. “Please, Ebony, don’t hate me.”

She started walking upstairs.

He lightly touched her arm. “If you want me to go away forever, I will.”

She slowly turned back to him. “I didn’t want you to come back in the first place. Not ever.”

“I’m going to open my own architectural firm,” he said as if trying to prove something. “In the last five years, I’ve come to an understanding that this is what I want to do.” He paused. “Over the last few years, I refined my work. It’s what gave me a reason to get up in the morning. Now I want to go out on my own.”

“Let me guess,” Ebony said sarcastically, her face as sharp as an eagle’s, “you’re about to conquer the world, but there’s one thing missing. You need an empress clinging to your arm as you survey your vast empire. And you want that empress to be me, the woman you humiliated and degraded.” She squinted. “Go to hell, Ethan.”

He looked like a little boy who has just been slapped by his mother.

“Leave me alone!” Ebony exclaimed. “Leave me the fuck alone!”

Ethan stepped back under the barrage, and Ebony hurried upstairs. When she met Ron and Rebecca, she smiled and tried to be pleasant. Ethan, sporting the expression of a gambler who has just lost everything, entered the kitchen a short time later.

“There he is,” Ron said, smiling. “Are you busy, Ethan? I was wondering if you could give me a hand again today.”

“Sure,” he said, faking a smile. “What’s up?”

“I have to cut a vent for the dryer and hook up the washer.”

“Will he be back in time for dinner?” Jenny asked as she cut up a red pepper.

“Not a problem,” Rebecca said. “They’re fast.”

Jenny smiled at her brother and gave him a slice of pepperoni. “They do work well together.”

“Thank you, Jen,” Ethan said, accepting the pepperoni and looking at her for a moment longer than he had done before, as if only now beginning to feel a degree of comfort.

“Ethan, you and Ron should enter the dory races this year,” Jenny suddenly proposed.

“Dory races?” Ron asked.

“That’s what they call the boat races they’ve held here for the last five years. They use two-man rowboats called dories.”

“Four,” Ebony corrected.

“What?” Jenny asked.

When everyone looked at her, Ebony explained, “Jack and Donnie Morton didn’t compete the first year, but they’ve won the last three in a row.” She paused. “The races have been going on for four years, not five.”

“Okay,” Jenny conceded, nodding, “four years.”

“When is it?” Ethan asked.

“The first Saturday in May,” Jenny replied.

Ethan looked at Ron and raised an eyebrow. “What do you say, partner? That gives us five weeks to train. We could win this thing.”

Ebony blurted out a mocking laugh, then, feeling embarrassed, covered her mouth with her hand and looked at the floor.

“I’m game,” Ron replied, glancing at Rebecca. “Hon? What do you think?”

“Go for it,” she said excitedly.