में पोस्ट समकालीन

Frost shuts off the water, the sudden silence deafening in the spacious bathroom. He steps away from me, his movements fluid and controlled, to grab a hand towel from a nearby rack. I watch him, my body still thrumming from his touch, hyper-aware of every slight movement of air around me. I take it from him with trembling hands, acutely aware of his eyes drinking in my throbbing breasts. His gaze is…hungry. There’s no other word for it. And, God help me, my pussy meets that look with a pulsing… अधिक पढ़ें

Frost returns with my duffel bag, eyeing it curiously. “Why bring clothes when you won’t be wearing any?” he asks, his tone a mixture of amusement and something darker. The question hangs in the air between us, heavy with implication. My mouth goes dry, and I struggle to find my voice. “You never said I couldn’t,” I manage to croak out, hating how small and uncertain I sound. It’s a weak defense, and we both know it. His lips curl into a smirk that sends shivers down my spine. “Strip,”… अधिक पढ़ें

I pull up to Frost’s address, my knuckles white on the steering wheel. Over half an hour early. The exact opposite of last week, even though the weather is worse. Then again, I have all the incentive to be. Fear is a hell of a motivator, and I’m more afraid of the real abominable snowman waiting inside than anything nature could hurl at me. “…teaching you a much-needed lesson in being respectful of other people’s time—as well as your own.”  I pick up the Ice Block, debating whether to text… अधिक पढ़ें

I sit at my vanity, staring at my reflection in the mirror as I attempt to style my hair. No. Not style. Consolidate. The clock on the wall ticks relentlessly, each second bringing me closer to my second session with Frost. My stomach churns with a mix of anxiety and…something else I don’t want to name. As I gather my hair, my eyes are drawn to the fading marks on my neck. Frost’s fingerprints, still visible after a week. I swallow hard, and the action makes me think of Gran’s… अधिक पढ़ें

The familiar scent of incense and old wood envelops me as I slide into the pew beside Gran. Despite my protests, she insisted on attending the after-Christmas Mass since being in the hospital “robbed” her of coming on Christmas Eve. I couldn’t let her come alone, not so soon after her discharge. I shift uncomfortably on the hard wooden seat, acutely aware of my surroundings. The congregation is probably only a fraction of what it was on Christmas, but that doesn’t help nearly as much as I’d hoped it would…. अधिक पढ़ें

Hours later, we linger over cups of warm fuzzy cider—minus the rum, generous servings of key lime pie reduced to crumbs on our plates. By now, I’d feel a sense of peace settle over me. Instead, I feel dread. After Gran goes to bed, I find myself unable to sleep. The weight of her revelations presses down on me, driving me back to the living room where the photo albums still lie scattered across the coffee table. I flip through the pages, my eyes lingering on the images of Herman,… अधिक पढ़ें

The small silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken words. I chance another question. A different question. Trying to keep my voice casual. “How old were you when you met Grandpa?” When you dumped your boyfriend for him? Gran’s eyes cloud over, lost in memory. “I was twenty-two,” she says softly. “So young, so… naïve.” She inhales audibly, a sardonic smile on her mouth. “But old enough to know better.” Twenty-two. Two years younger than I am now. There’s something in her tone that makes me pause. “Why did you… अधिक पढ़ें

Even as I think of my grandfather, I sit there, stunned, as the revelation of Gran’s past with Herman Frost sinks in. The air in the room feels thick, heavy with the weight of this new knowledge. I try to process the information, to reconcile the image of my sweet, reserved grandmother with the young woman in the photograph, caught between two men and two very different futures. “So, before you were Helen Gallo, you were slated to become Helen Frost?” I ask. “Sounds like you became Helen of Troy.”… अधिक पढ़ें

I study the photo more closely, taking in every detail. The way the three of them stand together, the easy camaraderie between them. The way Gran’s hand rests on grandpa Sal’s arm, a gesture of intimacy and affection. And the way Herman’s smile seems to light up the entire picture, even as his eyes hold a hint of something darker, something that sends a shiver down my spine. I try to reconcile the image of the young man in the photo with the portrait I saw in Frost’s home. The… अधिक पढ़ें

As the last of the dishes are dried and put away, I find myself struggling to keep my thoughts from drifting to Frost. To the mounting medical bills that weigh heavily on Gran’s shoulders. Being at home for Christmas has her in a much better mood, but the worry lines etched on her face seem deeper, a testament to the stress she tries so hard to hide. I can’t bear to see her like this, the weight of the world resting on her frail shoulders. In an effort to distract… अधिक पढ़ें