Chapter 3

"Are you sure you won't come to dinner with me?" she asked.

"Not if I'm going to get this information you wanted," he replied. "Besides, I have a feeling that outfit is intended for someone besides me."

She was stunning in a tight evening gown with lots of cleavage and slits up the sides which showed all of her still gorgeous legs.

"I may be late and... uh... I may not be alone."

"OK," he said with a tired resignation.

He had learned to accept Renee's sexual appetite but that didn't mean he had to like it. Sometimes Renee would find someone, like Maria, who could maintain her interest over several weeks, but most of her lovers were one night stands and Martin especially disliked the way they were simply discarded when she grew tired of them. He was aware that her love for him did not equal his for her and he sometimes felt both guilty and troubled in recognizing that it was primarily his money which was keeping her with him. Yet he still loved her with all his heart and knew that he wanted nothing more than to see her happy. Which led to...

"May I speak with Dr. Ackerman, please."

Martin had tried Ben's home address first, but after chatting with his wife briefly, she informed him that his long time friend was working late at the university and could be reached at his office.

The voice on the other end asked him to hold a moment, that the anthropologist was in the museum and that he would forward the call.

"Hello, Ben Ackerman here."

"Ben, it's Martin."

"Martin, good to hear from you again. How's Renee?"

"That's why I'm calling Ben. The disease has definitely broken remission and is progressing rapidly. The doctors give her one to three years."

"Oh God, Martin, I'm so sorry to hear that and I know Christine will be too."

Martin smiled tiredly. Renee had seduced Ben's wife two years ago. Christine had fallen madly in love with Renee and willingly become her plaything. Renee had introduced her to group and sadomasochistic sex. The anthropologist's wife had become a sex slave to more than a dozen men and women. To this day she was on beck and call to the group, often spending entire weekends providing perverted sexual pleasures to the group and their friends. This had made for some creative explanations at times, but the anthropologist remained totally ignorant of his wife's activities. Renee had disclosed that only this past weekend, Christine had spent a night at an exclusive estate performing fellatio on and being mounted by a number of large dogs for the amusement of her masters. Martin often fought with himself as to whether to tell his friend, but Renee assured him that Christine was happy with her secret life and telling Ben would probably only serve to break up the marriage making them both miserable.

"Ben, some time ago, you mentioned a plant or tree of some sort in a remote African society."

"Martin, you're not serious! The Mabuka tribe is real and yes, they have a legend about the Luaki Tree, but it's just that, legend."

"But you said there had been some expeditions."

"Well, yes. Anderson in '52 and Greenwald in '77, but all they brought back were stories the tribesmen had shared with them about a tree that renews life in the village Chieftess. My own expedition three years ago actually located the village and I talked with the Chieftess who claimed to be almost two hundred years old. But every village has its legends and myths and medicine men and women who make exorbitant claims!"

"Isn't it possible..."

"Martin, don't waste you time. If Renee has only three years at the most, you should be spending them with her and not going on wild goose chases."

"Actually, I'm inclined to agree with you, but she's desperate, Ben. I don't think she will ever forgive me if I don't at least try. Besides, you know how persuasive she can be."