Globusz^® Publishing 

Maria walked down the stone path of her quaint white-shingled house. She walked past the swing on the front porch and the daisies that sprouted with a stubborn streak of their own. She walked past the red mailbox with the fake robin’ nest on it and walked towards her man, Billy. Billy was sometimes shaven, often slightly bearded drifter who had stumbled across Maria and she had loved him on sight. She was the ideal woman for him. He was a taker and she was a giver. A true blue gold hearted woman who saw him for the gem that he could be, if only he wasn’t such a lazy bum.

“Billy-Bob, I do declare, you are lookin’ finer than the President of the United States!” She opened her arms and took him in. He smelled like beer and nachos. “Maria. I have missed you so, woman! Come here and give me a kiss!” She embraced him and his kiss was like water for a thirsty woman. Maria didn’t know why she loved him so. She just did. His vulnerability, his shy schoolboy’s demeanor always thrilled her. He was so different than any other man she had ever known. They were all control freaks, dominating controllers who always tried to take over her life— her simple life that she had worked so hard to maintain on her own— her little house— her small but thriving business as a dress designer and of course— her music. Her music was her life. And now more than ever her music depended on Billy. Billy was the love of her life, be he ever so humble. He was her inspiration.

“Come on in, let’s sit awhile. I just made some sweet tea”. They stepped into the house past the rusty screen door that squeaked every time it opened. The front door of the house was painted bright lipstick red and had old dried up Indian corn husks on it. They stepped inside the living room. The floors of the house were old, wide planks painted white. The walls of the house were bright yellow with brightly painted pictures everywhere. Maria loved to collect at garage sales and old antique stores and sometimes even Goodwill had pieces of wooden furniture that she polished with a nice lemon scented oil. An old silver tea set gleamed in the afternoon sun on the sideboard. She went over and poured the tea.

“I had Mrs. Kramer in the shop today. She’s looking for a dress for her daughter’s engagement. She wants somethin’ pretty but serious”. She set the glass down on the table. “You’ll design it Maria, you sure do have the knack for that kind of thing. That’s why all those society ladies come to you. You know what they look good in”. Billy put his feet up on the table. “That’s some damn good tea.” Maria poured herself a glass and took a long sip. “I have some ideas I’m working on now. Will you come to town with me later and I’ll get some magazines?” He looks at her. “Sure thing, sweet pea. Why don’t you come on over here and rest with me awhile?” Her long flowered dress turned translucent in the afternoon sun and her legs were outlined. Her breasts were large and swollen. Her period was due any day. She felt lusty and horny for him. He always turned her on, just by the touch of his fingertips.

“Right here”. He patted the soft pillow. She lay down in his lap, her head resting against his jeans. Her long black hair got all tangled on his chest. Her breathing slowed down. Billy took his finger and ran it down her neck, over her Adam’s apple. He played with the thin chain she had on. His fingers felt rough beside her soft skin. He touched her necklace. “Who gave you this?” Maria thinks back. “Oh, I do think it was from my first husband. Richard.” Billy smiles. “What happened to him?” Maria smiles. “I left him”. The necklace gleams in the light. Billy’s hands fumble as he takes the necklace off. His fingertips barely touch her breasts. She squirms in his lap. “Stay still now” Billy says.

He reaches into his glass for an ice cube and slowly undoes the buttons on her dress. He finds a breast and runs the ice cube over it...Maria moans softly....”Oh Billy Bob, I do declare: You are driving me crazy!” He smiles a crooked smile. She looks up at his face and touches his stubble. “You need a shave”. He smiles down at her. “Yes ma’am”. His hands move over her belly. “You thinkin’ what I’m thinking?” “Yes, oh Billy....” They sit up to undress and make slow love in the afternoon sun. Of all the men in her life, Billy was the best lover she ever had. Maybe that’s why she kept him around.

The afternoon sun faded to a deep purple. The room was dark. They lay back in each other’s arms. “You think we should get up,” asked Maria. “Yeah...Lets get up. I am starving.” Maria stood up and reached for her dress. It lay crumpled on the floor. She put it back on. Her body felt spent, but good. Billy relaxed her like no other.

“Come on, I’ll fix you a little something to eat”. She went into the kitchen and started to pull out dishes from the fridge. There was some linguine with meat sauce left over from the night before, some bruschetta and a bottle of red wine. She heated up the oven and put in the bruschetta and the linguine.

They ate in silence awhile. They had been together almost five years now. Maria loved him and he told her he loved her too. Maria wondered sometimes if he was entirely faithful to her. He had times when he’d disappear for a day then return home moody and quiet. She didn’t ask him about those days. He didn’t talk about it, she didn’t ask. There was something he was keeping from her though, something from his past. Once she had gone through his wallet when he was sleeping and she had found a torn, faded picture of a little blonde girl in pigtails. He had never told her that he had a daughter, so she figured he would tell her in time. But he never told her much about his past.

“What you thinkin’ about, sweet pea?” Billy asked. “Oh nothing, Billy!”. He chewed on a piece of bruchetta. “We still goin’ over to the magazine store later?” He asked. “Yes, let’s go” she said. They finished up their meal and she blew out the little candle on the table. She cleared the dishes and put the leftovers in the sink. “I have to stop by the shop first”. Billy sticks his head in the door. “Okay, let’s go.”

The night sky was changing from purple to dark blue. The smell of fragrant flowers was heavy in the air. Maria hopped in, and Billy took the drivers seat and they sped down the dirt lane that was banked by bushy trees on both sides. Maria was concerned about the shop. Lately business had been slow. Seems the ladies in town weren’t buying as many dresses as they used to. Her rent was only $500.00 a month, a small amount to pay for the little storefront, yet she still worried. Billy looked at her. “What are you thinking?” Maria replied, “Oh nothing, just thinking about the shop. I have a lot of work to do to prepare my line for the fall collection”. “You’ll do great, honey. You always do.” Maria smiled. “Thanks....”she said.

They rode down Hwy 51 through the scattered small suburbs of Newton. Houses with the scattered remains of daily life dotted the road, a bicycle here, a small garage sale there. People sat back on their porches and smoked a last cigarette of the day; the fishermen reeled in their last line, gathering up their gear to go home to supper.

They arrived on Beale Street, the main drag in town. There were some quaint stores there: an ice cream parlor, a hairdresser, the corner convenience store and some antique shops. Billy pulled in front of the dress shop. The window was lit and one of Maria’s creations was on display: a sequined jacket and a long flowing chiffon skirt. The jacket caught the light and sparkled like a diamond on a bed of cracked ice. Her store! How she had worked to maintain this little shop. But the beauty of it was that it was hers and hers alone. No partner, no one to tell her how to run the business. It was her dream come true, at least one of her dreams.

She turned the key in the door and they stepped inside. Racks of dresses were suspended on the wall. The floors were concrete, painted with wildflowers on it and the walls were a bright fuchsia color. The store was a kaleidoscope of colors and textures. Bolts of fabrics were piled up in the corner, a worktable with plastic drawers held buttons and zippers, plastic beads and lace trims. Her workroom. Some clients came to be fitted there in the store, some preferred to be fitted in their homes. She made summer clothes and winter clothes, beach clothes and work clothes for her very demanding clientele.

“I have so much work to do!” said Maria, pulling a bolt of fabric open. “You’ll get to it soon enough, sweet pea”, said Billy. “I had an idea, I wanted to sketch it out for Mrs. Kramer, for that gown....”Maria said. She grabbed a roll of trace paper and a grease pencil and quickly sketched a gown. Billy watched in silence. He had always admired her talent. She was different than any other woman he had ever known. She was a gifted person, a dressmaker and a singer. She had ideas. He knew to stay back from her ideas and let her live her life as she liked.

Maria finished her sketch. She set it down on her desk and looked at all the piles of paperwork and messages she had. The place was a disorganized mess. But that’s how she worked. In all the confusion she knew exactly where everything was.

Maria took one last look around. “Alright”, she said reluctantly,” I guess we can leave now”. “You’re sure?” said Billy, “Yeah, come on, you’re right, I’ll get to all this work next week.” She flipped the lights off with the exception of the halogen light on the dress in the window and locked the doors. On the way out she took one last look at the sign. It had just her name on it, MARIA.

They walked down the street to the bookstore. The night was warm and silent. People passed them by, looking happy. It was almost June. Soon the tourists would be in town for the summer season, the streets would be swarming with vacationers, but for now, just they were.

They entered the old bookstore and headed to the back to the magazine rack. The store had a smell like old mothballs and new books. New books always had that same smell. They descended on the magazines like two vultures on an antelope. Maria headed to the latest Vogue issue and Billy went straight for Popular Mechanics. Maria browsed through the gigantic issue, with page after page of glorious styles of gowns, of blouses, of shoes. Billy watched her from afar, noticing how beautiful she was when she was engrossed in something. He sometimes watched her sew, her head bent down, creating some piece of wearable art that she so loved. He knew he loved her. He still had not told her yet of his past. She had asked a couple of times but he had never really told her the whole truth, thinking that if she knew who he really was she would leave him. So he stayed silent.

He walked over to her. “Are you done there, Miss Vogue?” Maria smiled. “I haven’t seen the Vogue Italia yet”. She reached for a thick magazine with a picture of a stunning blonde on it. “Now, that’s Italian!”. She skimmed through the magazine and put it in her pile. “Okay, I guess I am ready to leave.” Billy looked at her, “You sure now?” “Yes”, said Maria. “I’m sure, come on, let’s go get some ice cream”. Maria paid for all the magazines. Billy always felt guilty whenever she pulled out her wallet to pay for things. He didn’t have much money and after the rent Maria charged him, he was pretty much broke. But she took care of him, buying him clothes and paying for the food and all the bills at the house. He tried to get jobs, but they never lasted very long. He was just too irresponsible. He liked drifting. Maria gave him a reason to stay, maybe for a while.

They strolled over to the ice cream store and went in. The place was packed with loud kids with freckled faces, all shoving ice cream down their throats. They looked in the counter. “Hmmm, I think I’ll have the Jamaica Almond Fudge!” said Maria. “And I’ll have the Raspberry Delight!” said Billy. The young girl behind the counter was about sixteen years old with wispy brown hair and a face like a fawn. Maria noticed her young, simple beauty and her slender figure. “Excuse me miss, but do you model?” asked Maria. “No, I just work here!” said the girl. “Well, why don’t you come and see me at the dress shop on the corner?” “Alright!” said the young girl.

They left the ice cream store hand in hand, eating their ice creams. “Did you like that little girl?” Maria asked. “Yes, she was cute!” he said. “I think she’ll be a good model for some new dresses I have coming up at the cocktail party.” Billy smiled. “You sure can pick’em”.

They drove back home, the night air blowing through her hair. Billy put a CD in the CD player. It was Maria’s record. She smiled. “Aren’t you tired of this yet?” Maria asked. “No way, I listen to it all the time” said Billy. They drove in silence, listening to the CD. Maria’s voice was low and sultry, very bluesy. She had an acoustic record player that played with such a feeling it was impossible to deny the raw emotion of the music. “I love your voice!” said Billy. He touched her arm and traced it to the tip of her shoulder. They reached the house. Only the porch light was on and they walked up the steps to the porch. It had been a long night.

“Come on sweet pea, let me read you a bedtime story! ”said Billy.