Chapter 6

EARLY MONDAY MORNING. Earl was driving, Chris sat in the middle, Sebastian was on the outside, smoking a cigar. A bright, clear day. They had Ellen's '55 Chevrolet, a red convertible.

"How white automobile exhausts are in cold weather," Chris said. "I may write a poem about them."

She turned on the radio, picked up a jazz station. "What a pleasant ride this will be," she said.

Wolff yawned. "Anything interesting to do in Boston while we're there?"

"Sure," she said. "Lots of unpuritanical people in Boston. Just so you leave the women alone, Wolff."

"Women?" he asked, with a stirring of interest.

"You don't say."

"We really shouldn't stay there long," Earl said. "I told Ellen we'd be back this evening. After all, it is her car."

"Yeah. Well, don't let her start taking you for granted. Do her good to find you are undependable."

"No, Sebastian. Not Ellie, she doesn't need that. I like her quite a bit."

"Too skinny. Is she that skinny with her clothes off?"

"I don't know."

"Don't know?"

"I mean that I haven't seen her without ... I'm not sleeping with her. Not that way, at least. She's a virgin."

"What? There's no such thing."

"Yes, Sebastian, no lie. She's a virgin."

"Man, you'd better end that fast," Wolff said.

Earl shrugged. "I'm in no hurry. There's nothing wrong with being a virgin. For a woman."

"Don't you believe it," Chris said, snuggling up to Sebastian. She kissed his ear, and he blew smoke in hers.

"Well, there's lots of time," Dreggs said.

"Never lots of time," Sebastian told him. "There are always new conquests to be made." Chris bit his ear.

"Don't say that again," she warned. "Before marriage, of course," Wolff said. "Well, I just might marry Ellie," Dreggs said. Wolff raised his eyebrows. "Has she got dough?" "No," Earl said.

"Man, she's too skinny to marry if she's not rich. They've gotta' be rich like Chris or beautiful like Ginny," Sebastian said.

Chris said, "Bastard!"

Sebastian laughed.

Earl said, "I don't know. I like her. Maybe it's just the rebound from Ginny. She a sick girl, Ginny. But I felt pretty bad at first."

"Not sick. Just promiscuous,"-Wolff said. "It's always good to give them the Wolff test before you marry them. I'll give Ellie a fast check, if you like."

"No," said Earl quickly.

"Better now than after you marry her," Wolff said.

"No. I said no." Earl's voice snapped. Sebastian looked sharply at him, but Earl's eyes were glued to the road ahead. Chris put one hand to Sebastian's lips. He looked from Earl to her, his eyes softening, and kissed her fingers.

She was very white in the cold air, and her hair was very black. Wolff looked in her eyes for a long time, then he said, "You are beautiful."

He pulled her to him, stroking her long hair, and said, "You are very, very beautiful, and I love you very much."

"I am so happy," she said.

Earl kept his eyes on the road.

They arrived in Boston at noon. Sebastian had taken over the wheel, and he whipped wildly and laughingly through the worst traffic in the world, weaving in and out, blowing the horn, shouting.

"I love to drive in Boston," he proclaimed. "Maybe your father will buy us a car to drive in Boston. A car would keep me occupied, keep my mind from straying to other women. It's to your advantage that I have a car when we're married."

Christine directed him to her bank. He double parked while she ran in. In a few minutes she returned, smiling.

"Here it is," Chris said. "Eight hundred dollars."

She handed it to Sebastian, who put it in his money clip. "How fine it is to be rich," he said. "Where to?" she asked.

"It's your town," Wolff told her. "Name it. I want fun and excitement and drink to celebrate our wealth. Is there a bar where you might know someone?"

"No. Boston isn't like New York. Most people don't go to bars, they get quarts and drink at parties. There are always parties."

"Direct us," Wolff said.

Chris gave directions, and the Chevy tore through traffic. In ten minutes she said, "Turn here and park." Wolff eased the car into a space, and the three got out.

"This is Symphony Road," Chris said. "I know some people here. We'll see what's going on."

Earl said, "Let's not stay too long, huh?"

"Uh," said Sebastian, noncommittally.

The street was a tangle of old apartment buildings, stone and brick. Chris led the way to one of them, and up the stairs. From apartment eight came the sound of a jazz record. Very loud.

Chris knocked and entered without waiting.

Wolff followed. In the center of the room stood a tall, shaggy-haired man, dressed in a paint-smeared sweatshirt. He greeted Christine with a kiss, hugged her, and extended his hand to Sebastian.

"Sebastian, this is Bob Kelly," Chris said. And, "Bob, this is Sebastian Wolff, whom I am going to marry."

"Great, best luck," said Kelly. "Sebastian Wolff ... what a great name that is ... sit down." He went to the refrigerator for beer, and the three sat on cushions on the floor.

There were other people there, all on the floor, all drinking. Both men and women. Each one had a quart of beer. The apartment was a shambles, a tangled chaos of furniture, paintings both finished and unfinished, empty bottles and relaxed bodies. Sebastian leaned back on his elbow and looked around.

"I like this," he said.

Kelly returned with quarts. He said, "First one on the house. After that Chris can show you where to get more."

Chris introduced him to Earl.

"Are you alone?" Kelly asked.

Earl nodded. "My woman had to work, couldn't get away."

"I'll fix you up," Kelly said. He looked around, spotted a redhead alone. "Jeannie, come here." She came over with a lazy, swivel-hipped walk.

Kelly said, "This is Earl, a guest from New York. Make him feel at home, huh?"

"Sure," said Jeannie.

"I think," said Sebastian, "That we like Boston."

Looking at Jeannie at the other girls, he decided that he liked it very much.

It was a frantic party. Everyone was drunk. Sebastian finished his quart and finished Chris' and she went with him to get more. They cut through a little alley to the next street, where there was a small package store, and bought a case of beer in quarts.

Coming back through the alley, swinging the case of beer between them, Sebastian saw a bottle fly through an open window and crash against the wall of the next building. Chris said, "That's Bob's kitchen window. The party is getting a little wild."

"Good," said Sebastian.

They went back in. Earl was making out okay, Jeannie had her head in his lap and he was stroking her hair. Sebastian put the beer in the refrigerator, opening two, and he and Chris returned to their place by the door.. Both drank steadily, Christine keeping up with Sebastian through the first few quarts.

Kelly was doing a limbo dance, while two girls held the ends of a broom over him. One of the girls was a Negress, very light skinned, with honey colored hair. She had a tight black sweater and tight orange slacks. Sebastian, narrow eyed and frowning, watched her move.

He wanted her.

Chris opened two more bottles. She said, "I'm getting tipsy, Sebastian, maybe I'd better go easy."

He laughed. "Drink!" he said, taking a swallow from his bottle. Chris followed suit.

Kelly had fallen on his back, in the center of the floor, and was lying there laughing. The Negress walked away, into the other room. She was slender, with small pointed breasts and wide, inviting hips. The way she swung them was an invitation in itself.

She walked the way most women make love.

Wolff wondered how she would make love.

He intended to know.

"Gotta' hit the John," he said to Chris, and got up. His legs were a little unsteady, he knew that Chris must be nearly out. She had drunk quart for quart with him. He crossed the room, stepping over Kelly, and went into the kitchen. The bathroom was off the kitchen. Sebastian passed that door, and went over to the window. The Negress was standing there, looking out. She seemed sober, perhaps a little bored. "Are you alone?" Sebastian asked.

She looked at "him. Very sexy eyes she had. "Yes, I'm alone. But you aren't."

"Yes. But I can drop that chick. She's just a pickup." Sebastian told her, leaning against the window-sill.

"She's very pretty."

"You are very beautiful. You are an angel."

She smiled. "Drop it," she said, "I'm no kid."

"Yes," said Sebastian.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Maryanne," she said.

"I am Sebastian Wolff."

"I don't believe it. Then again, I don't care. A name doesn't matter much."

"Are you from Boston?" he asked.

"This is a strained conversation," Maryanne said.

Wolff kissed her. She didn't fight it, and after a moment her arms went around his neck. When they parted, she said, "My place is just across the hall ... when the party breaks up. If I feel like it."

"The party just ended," Wolff said.

"Not yet." She broke loose, and went back to the other room, her orange bottom taunting Sebastian.

He shook his head, and took out a cigarette. He lit it, looking out the window, letting his head clear in the fresh cold air. Then he returned also.

He sat by Chris. She was still drinking, was very drunk. He noticed that she got drunk very nicely, was not loud or incoherent. He considered himself lucky to have her. But at the moment his thoughts were on Maryanne. He watched as she moved from guy to guy, a kiss here, a word there. He hoped it was for his benefit.

Earl was kissing Jeannie. Everyone else seemed to have paired off and were starting to kiss and hold. Kelly was talking to Maryanne now, and three other guys were crowding around. Sebastian looked at Chris. Her eyes were shut, a smile on her face. He quietly got up and moved over to the group.

"Okay," Kelly was saying, "If you say that a person should always do what he wants, then that must go for everyone. Not just you. Is that right?"

"Why, yes," said. Maryanne.

"Well, then. Just as a hypothetical case, suppose I want to make love to you. Would I just take you, even if you objected?"

"You should try to do what you want," she said.

"Suppose all of us want you. All together. What about that?"

She shrugged. "Who am I to say what you want or what you do? If I didn't want you, I'd struggle. Of course, one girl and four ... five ... guys, I wouldn't have much of a chance."

"But we wouldn't want to rape you. We'd want you to agree to it," Kelly said.

"But I wouldn't. I'd only want one of you, if I wanted any at all," she answered.

"Oh. And which one would you want?" Kelly asked. "First," he added.

She smiled. Sebastian caught her eye, and she looked back at him. He stepped forward, and took her hand; pulled her toward him.

"I think," he said, "That Maryanne wants to go with me. Am I right?"

She shrugged, smiled. Wolff led her to the door and out.

"Which place is your?" he asked.

She went to a door, leading him now. It was unlocked, and they went in, Maryanne bolting the door behind them.

The room was dark. She said, "Wait a moment," and moved off. Sebastian stood waiting, hearing her move about. Then she struck a match; lit a candle.

And another.

"I think candles are so romantic," she said. "Don't you?"

"Yes," he told her. "I think so. I think that you are even more beautiful by candlelight. I think I want to make love to you by candlelight."

"Yes," she said. "It gives my skin such a nice color. like gold." With a laugh she was across the room. Sebastian followed.

She was on the bed. A narrow, single bed. She said, "Single beds are nice. Makes it necessary to double up."

Wolff took off his shirt, throwing it on the floor. Then he sat next to her and kicked off his shoes. She didn't move, watched him. He reached out, caressed her breasts through the sweater. He could feel the nipples straining against the material.

She wore no bra.

Sebastian tugged at the sweater, pulled it out from the slacks. His hand moved under it.

"Let's do this right," she said, sitting up. She pulled the sweater off, over her head. Her young breasts stood out, pointed at Sebastian. He took them in his mouth, first one then the other. Her hands held his head to her. Then he bent, caressed her stomach, moved down. Maryanne lay back, pressing his head to her. j

Sebastian took her slacks in both hands and pulled them gently down, kissing the line where the waistband had pressed into her smooth skin, following the slacks down to her golden belly.

With one frenzied motion she kicked the slacks from her feet, urging him to her. He felt her hands make deft movements on his clothing, and he was naked too.

Sebastian rolled under, and Maryanne moved on him, her back arched, her thighs tight in a circular motion on him. Her head bent forward and he heaved his straining loins up against her.

They moved together in urgent, all-consuming lust, driving their bodies together, writhing against each other. Working, and gasping with the efforts of love.

A draft caught the candles. The flames rose higher, brighter, shimmering and dancing.

Rose to a white heat.

And were extinguished, with a sigh.

In the dark, Sebastian said, "I love you, Maryanne."