Chapter 20: Hori-Hori

Willow stepped inside the bar grateful for the air conditioning that hadn’t been turned on the day before.

“That you Chere?” Bridgette called before dropping what sounded like ten metal pots onto the floor.

“Yeah.” Willow stepped into the large dining area. The bar was to the back of the room.

“Lock the door and pull down the shade.” Bridgette called from the kitchen. Willow could see little of her as Bridgette moved quickly across the open door to the kitchen.

Willow twisted the bolt lock in place, and pulled down a once white shade now a dull brown to the bottom of the dingy glass door. Instantly the dim room grew darker, with only an orange light behind the bar. “You not having any more customers?”

“Middle of the week always slow,” Bridgette said as more pots clanged.

“You mind if I make a drink?” Willow asked staring ravenously at the well-stocked bar.

Bridgette poked her head over the swinging doors. “You want something to drop the hammer down with our pie? Then look in the fridge under the bar and grab that jar with red juice and cherries swimming in it.”

Bridgette disappeared again as Willow went behind the bar, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. She stooped down and opened the door. Looked past several bottles of orange and cranberry juice and saw a squat jelly jar. “Found it,” she called.

“Good, now pour us both a healthy spell.” She hollered over the hum of a microwave.

About half a dozen cherries were swimming inside a dark amber liquid. Willow raised an eyebrow. “What’s this?” Willow asked when her eyes fell on a black wallet wedged between the bar and the top of the refrigerator. The microwave in the kitchen dinged.

“That there is some of my home made Cherry Pie Moonshine. Rested on oak, cinnamon, and ginger for a time. Then I split the cherries, and let some floaters sit. Best shine you’ll find.” Bridgette replied as the microwave started again. “Be out soon Chere. Just getting our slices nice and hot.”

Willow tugged the smooth black leather wallet free from its makeshift nest above the refrigerator. She was careful to limit the noise. Raised the jelly jar of homemade shine, pretending to be affixed. The wallet came freely and Willow opened it. It was empty except for a lone white business card with Rachel’s name engraved in black.

“Son of a bitch,” she hissed as a microwave dinged in the back.

“Be out soon Chere. Just warming up our slices,”

Quickly Willow slipped the card back inside the wallet, and placed it back in its hiding spot. She stood straight. Closed the refrigerator door. And reached up on her tip toes to retrieve two whiskey glasses above her head as Bridgette strutted from the kitchen.

“Now we gon’ have some fun,” Bridgette was holding out two small plates overflowing with pie.

Willow looked at the two dessert dishes where a single healthy portion of pie sat under a dollop of whip cream. “Now that looks good.”

“Why darling did you expect anything less? I got the best pie in town.”

Their eyes locked as Willow poured their drinks. She slid one across the bar at Bridgette who sat on a bar stool right in front of her. “You know, that’s my spot you in Chere.”

“Sorry. I used to bar tend in college,” she replied. She raised a glass to her mouth, and Bridgette reached across and playfully slapped her wrist.

“Drink it with your pie Chere.” She instructed. “It tastes better that way. Now reach on into that cup beside you and get us some spoons.”

Willow pulled two spoons, and handed one to Bridgette.

“Now eat you some, then take a swallow.”

Willow cut off a piece, ate it, then chased it with the drink. Her eyes grew big as the liquid warmed her down to her soul. “Wow, this is strong, and it goes perfect with the pie.”

“Glad you like it.”

“I’m already buzzing. What’s in this?”

Bridgette ate another piece, and her demure gaze went from hot to smoldering. “Now that is a secret I don’t share with just anybody,”

“Well,” Willow replied. “I’m not just anybody.”

“That remains to be seen Chere.” Bridgette stood, and Willow noticed her shorts were hanging just a little lower than before. “Needs more whip cream,” she said and strolled into the kitchen.

Willow’s mind raced as she ate the pie and chased each bite with a swig of the drink. So, not only has Rachel been here, but Chase too. She thought about retrieving the card, when Bridgette came back shaking a can of whipped cream.

“Where you want it?” She stood behind Willow, wedging the woman between her body and the bar.

“Right here,” she pointed at her half eaten pie, and Bridgette sprayed a healthy amount onto what was left.

“Anywhere else?” Their arms and hips were touching as Willow turned to face Bridgette. Willow smiled and kissed her softly on her lips.

“You decide,” she said and they kissed again. “That drink has me feeling good.” Their tongues danced as Bridgette sat the whipped cream on the bar, and then wrapped her arms around Willow’s neck.

“I’m sure I can make you feel even better Chere.”

Willow gasped with surprise when Bridgette coyly picked her up off the floor and sat her on the bar. Willow’s t-shirt was the first thing to go, as Bridgette stared ravenously at her unencumbered breasts that fell with a subtle reverberating bounce one released from the bottom of Willow’s taut top. Their lips melded once more, and Bridgette cupped Willow’s chest in her hands, rubbing her thumb against her hardening nipples, sending waves of erotic pleasure throughout her body.

Willow managed to snake her own hands beneath Bridgette chest, and the bartender cried out when Willow pinched her right nipple.

“That’s the one, huh?” Willow reached under her shirt and pulled it up, revealing a set of rounded alabaster breasts with a cherry top. Lust consumed her as the fat tip of Willow’s tongue circled around Bridgette’s nipple, before slipping the entirety of it into her mouth. Bridgette grazed her fingertips down and up Willow’s back, watching the gooseflesh sprout as Willow’s hands pulled down her denim shorts.

Hungrily, Willow sucked one then the other, reveling as each nipple hardened under her sultry touch. Willow’s hands trailed down, finding, then teasing her blistering sex.

“Enough,” Bridgette breathed, gently pushing Willow back onto the bar, where she took her time pulling down her tight jeans and the black thong.

Bridgette kissed her dampening flesh, and Willow’s body quivered in anticipation as the kiss drew longer, and more heated, until her body was screaming for the imminent release of pleasure now teeming at the edge of her core.

Bridgette shoved the plates onto the floor. She snaked her body onto the bar, turning upside down to feast unabashedly below the soft tuft of hair between Willow’s legs. Willow’s mouth and fingers sought out and then found Bridgette’s succulent crease.

Bridgette focused her mouth on Willow’s hardening pearl, circling and teasing the soft mound as the flavorless juices began to mingle on her tongue. Willow’s hips fell in time with Bridgette’s sensual onslaught. She coaxed a fountain of honey from the well. Bridgette’s fevered sex succumbed to the generous touch of Willow’s mouth and fingers.

Bridgette dragged her tongue up and down, then slipped a single finger inside, feasting on the juices drowning her tongue.

Willow’s hips bucked, before a sudden orgasm caused her to scream into Bridgette’s firm thigh.

“I’m coming too Chere.” Bridgette allowed the release to take over, while Willow plunged two fingers between her folds.

“I think we ruined the pies,” Willow said breathlessly.

“I got more in the kitchen.”

The two stood, as if nothing happened. Their inconspicuous nature playfully conspicuous. Bridgette took Willow’s hand and led her into the kitchen to attempt a second tasting of her Cherry pie.

Through a crack in the blinds Lenora watched her sister and the journalist walk hand-in-hand into the back of the kitchen. In her hand she held what the Japanese knew as a hori-hori. Known as a gardening tool, the blade was thin and strong. One of the sharpest tools Lenora had ever held. The extraction from a body was narrow often delaying a body’s blood response. Lenora twisted the wooden handle between her hands with the butt of the hori-hori sliding on her palm. As her sister and Willow disappeared into teh kitchen Lenora waited a moment before sliding the blade into the sheath strapped to the belt loop along her backside.

In the distance she could hear the splash of an animal. Perhaps Pappy found a late snack. But then came the shuffling. That wasn’t an animal. Well, it was… but it was an animal that walked on two legs instead of four. “The fuck?” she said under a whisper hidden in the wind, spinning soundlessly she surveyed the parking lot.

In the distance a shadow moved along the trees and then vanished.

Lenora pulled the hori-hori from its sheath. Inside she could hear the laughter of her sister and the journalist.

Ahead, Lenora squinted to see what the faint distant light held. It held nothing for her. So, she darted toward where she’d seen the shadow. She didn’t need light to lead her way. If she came across someone she only had to begin swinging the digging blade. It would land its mark. That she was sure of.