Chapter 3 RESCUE ME

Exposing a secret that you are shame of maybe bring out the best in someone that they didn't know they had in them.

RESCUE ME

 

The Next morning Vivian is eating a bowl of sugary cereal at the kitchen table, Gloria sitting across from her sipping a cup of coffee reading the newspaper.  Vivian glances at her pondering about the mommy look, ‘does she care for me like a real daughter?’  Vivian thinking that maybe she could treat her like her real mom until she can go back home.

 

“Mom,” Gloria did not answerer because Vivian would accidentally call her mom but immediately correct herself, but not this time, “Mom!”

 

Gloria drops the paper to peek at Vivian startle, “Yes Vivian?”

 

“I was wondering if you can go to the mall and help me buy some makeup,” Gloria eyes widen, “You know I think it time that I should start wearing that stuff and take care of my skin, you know,” a huge smile appear on Gloria face.

 

“Sure Vivian I will help you, that will be my pleasure,” she rose from the table looking for her handbag finding it pulling out her keys, looking up at Vivian proudly thinking my Vivian wants to do girls things, “Ready to go?”  Vivian was very surprise at Gloria that she wanted to do it now, but she was too excited grabbing Vivian hand sprinting to the department store.

 

Vivian seated in a high chair Gloria next to her padding her hand beaming in the cosmetics section of the department store.  Two women, makeup artist, an older woman and her young assistant inspecting Vivian face, the older woman adjusting the light to see the true color of her skin and texture moving her head to see at difference angles saying “Hmmm.”  Speaking to the young woman, giving instruction that sounded like code, she pull out trays of miniature jars, tubes, bottles and brushes making Vivian wonder ‘what are they going to do to me?’

 

“You are going to look beautiful,” said Gloria squeezing Vivian hand, Vivian looking back at her with an uncomfortable smile.

 

Ok, we are ready,” spoke the older makeup artist, “There is a charming and alluring face that wants to come out and we will let her free.”  They started Cleansing her face showing the products and giving her instruction, the assistant handed the older woman the foundation she apply it skillfully like an artist with a canvas dabbing concealer and brushing.  The old woman let her young apprentice apply the blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara as the old makeup master observed.  Vivian can only guess what her face look like because they would not let see her image in the mirror.  Almost finish the young woman step aside as the older makeup master choose the lipstick color for Vivian lips with the gentle touch apply it afterward the woman stop.

 

“It is finish,” said the older woman, the assistant furnish Vivian a hand mirror she was surprises how pretty she looks.  “Before you had a little girl look now that alluring attractive young lady is free,” said the older makeup artist proudly.

 

Gloria more than happy to buy everything they use on Vivian face as they walk through the store, Gloria was scheduling in her mind with glee to get Vivian hairstyle and buy pretty clothes to match that sweet face.  Vivian felt awkward noticing young and old men peeking at her, she like the attention but felt wired.

 

“Vivian! Vivian!”  Hearing her name turning to spot Jack, one of the boys she played pickup basketball games and one of the few boys in school that taller than she is.

 

“Hi Jack?”

 

“I thought that was you, I almost didn’t recognize, you look great!”

 

“Thank you,” smiling confidently, “why are you here at the mall?”

 

“My mom drug me here shopping for a new suit,” then he heard her voice, “Oh I got to go I talk with you later.”  Leaving he kept glancing at Vivian beautiful face.  She grins and blushes as the young man left.

 

“Who was that, one of your boyfriends?”  Ask Gloria

 

“Oh no, he just one of the guys that I play pickup games with, they don’t see me like that.”

 

Gloria grinning at her, “Season changes Vivian.”

 

A silver two door Studebaker sports car rolls to a stop in front of a white and gray house, the car door open out steps a man dress in a black 3 piece suit tailor to his frame walking to the front door.  The grass along the sidewalk light gray the trees in the yard dark and pale gray, the sky above silver gray with white clouds this world is without color, wow, using the doorknocker he tap the door.  The made open the doors he step in handing her his card, “I’m Zackary Duke Stone I have an appointment to see Miss V Swanson.” (Zack voice similar to Bogey)

 

“Yes sirs,” she led him to the study, “Please wait here and I will inform mistress you are here.”  Zack walk into the room as the made closed the sliding double doors.  He survey the room viewing the build in book case full of books a desk neatly organize one side of the room a bar the other end a fireplace well used, in the middle of the room couches and coffee table at the far end of the room double window doors leading to the garden.

 

The sliding door opens walking in a balding man, Zack turn staring him.  “So you are the private dick,” said the man, Zack did not like how the said that.

 

“Yes, I’m Zackary Stone P.I, who are you?”

 

“I’m David, brother to Miss Swanson and her business manager, there been a mistake Mr. Stone we no longer need your services please leave.”

 

“Well I can’t do that David, because I was personally invited by Miss Swanson.”  Said Zack smirking, David march toward him pointing his finger in his face.

 

“I don’t care, I told you to get out of this house now or I will…”

 

“David, do you like that finger?”

 

Suddenly the double door spring open standing in the middle of the doorway with spotlight glow stands a tall slender woman with long lush black hair down to her shoulders.   She is wearing a single shoulder sparkling black evening gown, in the middle of the day, with a spilt that goes all the way to her thigh showing off a well shape legs.  Zack turn his head to watch this beautiful vixen stroll into the room.

 

“Mr. Zackary Stone,” said woman, in a sensual voice, “I’m Vivian Swanson…”

 

“He was just leavening!” sprouted David, Zack kept gazing at Miss Swanson.

 

“David leave us I want to talk to Zack, can I call you Zack?” Zack did not care what name she calls him, but David furious storming out the room. “Do you smoke Zack?” he nodded yes as she promenade over to the desk pulling out two cigarette lighting them as Zack moves toward her taking the cigarette smoking it, their eyes watching at each other as the smoke fills the room like vapors.  Zack begin to cough without stopping turn put it out in the ashtray he stop coughing realizing his imagination filter does not allow him to enjoy any dangerous narcotics, he clear his throat.

 

“Ok Miss Swanson why did you call for me?”

 

“Zack my life is in danger someone is trying to kill me.”

 

“Well how do you know,” Zack notice that she was rubbing her fingers, “Did you get a threaten phone call or letters?”

 

Laying down the cigarette,” Yes I have being getting strange little note at the nightclub, but I did not pay attention to them because I am a singer and get some strange note from fans all the time.  Then  someone tamper with the car because the butler had an accident the brake line was cut,” she open a box on the desk and pull out a bullet, “Then I got this in the mail with a note attach saying this is for your head.”

 

“Ok its look like someone is trying to scare you,” inspecting the bullet, “Miss Swanson do you have any enemy that you can think of that would want to hurt you?”

 

“The only person I can think of is Joyce, she the wife the owner of the nightclub…”

 

“Let me guest you are seeing this owner, tell me…,” In the corner of Zack eye he saw a shinning object out the double window doors.  Suddenly he realize it’s a barrow of a rifle swiftly grabbing Vivian arm pulling her to the floor as the bullet blast thought the glass crashing into the desk breaking wood fragment and paper in the air.  Miss Swanson on the floor screaming and crying in fear Zack covering her now knows that someone trying to kill her.  He pull out his gun crawling around the furniture to reach the window doors seeing the broken glass spying out to the garden, rain drop hit his gun he look up wondering how is it raining?

 

RUMBLE, RUMBLE BOOM

 

Walking home from school Zack did not notice that dark cloud was bubbling fast he heard the thunder feeling the blast of wind mix with dust and water.  Seeing a shelter ahead, he decided to hide in their until the storm blow over.  Dashing into the shed another person already had the same idea.  Striking the ground, a lighting bolt causes a loud thunderclap, shaking Zack and the other person.

 

“Whoaaaaa,” respond the other person looking back its Vivian, “Did you see that, Hey Zack!”  Zack is surprise that the other person in the shed is Vivian, the lighting excited her, but he was afraid.  Zack hoping that this disturbance is not a crazy lighting thunderstorm, he did not want to show fear in front of Vivian but the lighting kept flashing, gigantic thunderclaps hit, vibrating the ground and shelter.  He tries to zone into a happy place in his mind but he kept seeing continues flashing of lighting and hearing constant booming of thunder all around him. 

 

BOOM,

BOOM,

RUMBLE,

RUMBLE!

 

The enormous thunder violently shook the shelter, Zack trembling backup against the wall slid down in a crouching position.  His knees up against his face folded his arms around his legs eyes closed wishing the storms would go away hopping Vivian do not see him like this.

 

“Wow!  This storm is crazy,” said Vivian in her excited voice stepping back so she will not get wet from the rain.  Vivian twists her head to see Zack reaction, but saw him crouch on the ground face between his knees.  Zack cold, heart beating fast and breathing heavy realize that Vivian is looking at him cowering like a little boy.  Now he ashamed and embarrass thinking ‘she will laugh at me and I deserve it a few year from turning 18 years old and he still afraid of storms.’  Vivian advance toward him, he would not look up expecting her to kick and ridiculed him.  She squat very close to him reach over and pull his hand next to her chest holding that he can feel her heart beating fast.

 

“I don’t like this storm ether, its scare me too,” Zack quickly glance at her wiping his face, holding his hand firmly she lay it on her lap, “You know I saw a movie where the father was trying to calm his son during a storm.  He said when you see the lighting start counting and stop when you hear the thunder, the higher the number you go that mean the storm is going away,” a lighting flash she started to count, “one, two, three, four…” A thunderclap, Zack look up, they both saw another lighting flash, and they both started to count.

 

“One, two, three, four, five…”

 

BOOM,

BOOM,

 

They both kept counting until the number reach double digit, Zack would not look a Vivian direct only her hand holding his.  Zack calm as the rain stop and the sun peaking through the clouds, Vivian drops his hand leap to her feet.

 

“I got to go, see you later,” said Vivian as she ran out the shelter in a flash, Zack rising to his feet watching her leave.  Running a few hundred feet, she stops breathing fast heart racing talking to her self, “Why did you do that?”  Looking back with a smile, “Girl stop it, no stop it!”  She begins to run hoping to leave that emotion behind her.  Zack peek out the shelter then he heard thunder in the distant and ran home like a rabbit.

 

Author's Note

This part of the story I consider important in bonding the relationship, I hope Zack fear is vivid