Chapter 9: Hope Springs

The card read 'Congratulations on your achievement. Best wishes for your future endeavors. Davidson Fishery and the McElroy Family.' It was the only word she'd had from him in more than a month.

Rachael felt her lip trembling, "Oh. Damn." She ran to the bathroom for a tissue as much to keep her sister from seeing her cry again as to save her perfectly applied makeup. She pulled herself together. She smoothed her hair again and took a deep breath. Smile, she thought, it's graduation day.

JD had wanted her to walk and had convinced her to invite her family. Now he was gone and she was stuck sitting in the middle of the public spectacle when she'd much rather be at her apartment watching TV. Still, her sisters, mother and great aunt had all come down from New York for the graduation so it was not all bad. Mom and Tanta Nilda still spoke more Spanish than English and Rachael was hard-pressed to keep up with some of the conversation. But last night, after they went to bed, the conversation with Gabriella and Lucille had been long and stressful. Where was JD, why did they break up? You should find a nice boy your age - he was too old for you anyway. It had all grown tedious in very short order.

Mid-way through the graduation ceremony, Rachael caught herself looking at her watch and wishing the whole event was over. Eventually the scrolls were distributed, hands were shook and caps were tossed. Rachael found herself greeting friends and looking over their shoulders for someone she knew was not there. Helen shook her out of it.

"You should get laid."

"Helen!"

"You should." She shrugged, "It'll remind you that there are other men out there. Or you could just come home with me." She leered.

"Thanks but I'm not ready for that yet."

Helen exaggerated a sigh, "Fine. Just remember, I offered." She snapped her fingers, "Speaking of offers, here, call this guy. He's looking for a paralegal." She handed Rachael a business card.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I meet him at the club and we got started talking about work."

"Thank you so much!" she gave her friend a big hug.

Helen pulled back and looked at her, "Have you heard from him yet?"

"No. I was really hoping he'd come today." She sighed heavily, "I just really thought..."

"See? That look right there is why I never let love interfere with a good relationship."

"I wish I could do that." Rachael could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Oh, no! No crying - this is a happy day. Asshole or no asshole, you just graduated! Smile!" Helen manually lifted the corners of her lips and when that did not work just hugged her.

Rachael managed to keep from making her mascara run and pulled away from Helen with a warm squeeze, "Thanks. I'm ok. New piece of paper, new career. Right?"

"Right."

So, Rachael tried to make the best of the rest of the day and went graduation party hopping with her sisters and Helen. Eventually, they dropped Gabriella and Lucille at their hotel and Helen offered to drive Rachael home. They rode mostly in silence, Rachael lost in thought. She had been planning a wedding, a family, a life in the country. Now all that was gone.

'I'll meet someone else.' she thought at the same time thinking 'I miss him so much.' Her eyes welled up with tears again but she knew Helen would cut her a break if she cried again.

Helen parked and Rachael looked up to find herself in completely unfamiliar surroundings.

"Ok, where are we?" It looked like the dock in the warehouse district of some Bogart movie.

"Home?" Helen offered, failing utterly to sound innocent.

"No. We're not."

"Well, I practically live here."

"Oh my god!" Rachael gasped with equal parts excitement and dread, "This is The Crack?"

"Well, they are having a graduation party tonight. I promise we'll stay in the front room."

"You are such a liar."

"No, really. Front room only. If I take you into the back room, you can tie me to a wall and spank me." She paused and smiled, "Maybe I should change that; that's a really good idea."

"We will stay in the front room, we will have one drink at the bar, then you will take me to my home. Well, then at least, I'll go home; you can stay and play all night if you want to."

"Ok, front room, one drink, home. I swear."

As she got out of the car, Rachael knew she won that too easily but she let herself be lead to the club anyway. At the door, as Rachael's ID was checked, Helen french kissed all three of the door attendants.

"Gentlemen," she said when she finally came up for air, "this is my friend..." she paused then smiled, "Marie. Marie just got her heart broken by a jackass who didn't appreciate what he had."

"Now that's a shame," one of them said kissing the palm of Rachael's hand and sending shivers up her arm, "because I would treat you like a queen."

"I imagine you would." It was a tempting offer. He was tall and wide with black hair and black eyes.

She had left her cap-and-gown in the car but was wearing her tassels around her neck. His fingers gently followed the braid around her neck and down her chest. He lifted the tassel just before stroking her cleavage and Rachael caught her breath. "Congratulations." His voice was soft and deep, a true bass. He took her hand and slipped a wristband on her - drawing it tight while staring into her eyes. He let her go with a nod that was almost a bow.

Rachael quivered, shocked at how quickly her body responded to him. "Oh, you're good." She breathed.

Helen put her hands on Rachael's shoulders and steered her inside, "Come find us when you get a break, puppy dog. We are staying in the front room only, at the bar and having only one drink."

All three men laughed at that.

Inside it looked like any other dance club. The music was too loud, there was too much smoke and the lights were so low they may as well have been off. They squeezed through the crowd of dancers and made their way to a bar at the back of the room. The bartender smiled at Helen and paused long enough from the drink he was mixing to kiss her lightly. After serving a few others, he returned to them and kissed her again, much more deeply.

"What can I get you, Hot Lips?"

"Two rum and cokes."

"No." Rachael laughed, "One rum and coke, one merlot."

Helen shrugged, "Ok, two rum and cokes and one merlot."

He leered at Helen, "You paying tonight or is this on your account?"

She leered back, "I think I'll pay tonight." Helen leaned over the bar and Rachael could see her stroking the man through his pants, "How's the till tonight?"

"Why don't you come around and count it?"

"Helen!" Rachael was shocked. She knew from her own relationship with Helen that the woman was not shy. But she was completely off guard watching Helen climb over the bar and slid down the bartender, oblivious to the loud cat calls of the crowd around the bar watching her drop to her knees and unzip his pants. The bartender for his part continued to mix drinks - albeit it more slowly. Rachael was too embarrassed to watch the details but even over the loud music, their groans of pleasure could not be missed.

"She's not supposed to do that."

That soft deep bass sent a shiver down Rachael's spine and she swallowed hard before turning to see the speaker.

It was the man from the door. He sat down next to her without peering over the bar for a closer look. He looked like the kind of man who's other suit had a cape and tights - wide shoulders, chiseled abs, tapered waist. The tight black jeans and security t-shirt left nothing to her imagination and much to be admired. "All sex should be in the back room. But they always seem to make an exception for Helen."