Laurina: a Noir Sketch

This is a story I wrote for my English final last semester. This is my first attempt at writing Noir/Black literature and was surprisingly enjoyable!

Laurina
Five days. Six nights. Obsession.
The drunken frenzy. The shy smile. The short dress.
I’m not sure if I loved her, or the idea of her. A trophy wife for the empty case. A tender kiss for the empty life.
I should’ve known better. Fifty-two years old with a string of baggage. You’d think I’d know better. They say love is blind. They lie. Love is death.

My daughter tells me she’s getting married. She’s twenty-three. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She doesn’t know what love is. She doesn’t know Edwin. Who names their kid Edwin? What the fuck?
Twenty-three years old and full of dreams. Dreams I crushed from the beginning. Dreams she’s fulfilling with Edwin. Edwin Eugene Kents. His initials are EEK for god’s sake. There’s a sign if God ever sent one.
Father-of-the-bride. Future grandpa. I won’t have it.

So I went to Maguire’s. Whiskey double: best medicine I know. Served by a Barbie-blonde, even better. Reminds me of Tina. No wonder our daughter’s beautiful. Old flames die hard, eh?
Now I’m all about red. Brings me to Laurina. Beautiful. Luscious. Laurina.
“Call me Lauri. Dot the ‘I’”, She purred.
Twenty-four hours later, I’m in love. Or in like. Who knows? Who cares? Lauri did.
Lauri cares about everything. From the color of my blinds, to the flavor of my toothpaste. Fucking anal. Anal and crazy. Crazy beautiful.

She’s Eden reincarnated. Red hair like the devil. Green eyes like envy. Tricky like the serpent.
I met her at Maguire’s. Just a little fun to get my mind off of the future. The wedding. Giving her away. Kaya, my baby Kaya. My pride and joy. I never told her.
It started with a whiskey. A little flirtation from a thirty-something, remind an old man what life’s worth. Just a little fun. Take her home. Send her back. Simple enough.
Then I saw the scars. Across the back. Swollen with permanence. Backed by a story. A story she told like a pro. An actress. Another lie. I’ve done women my whole life. I can see a lie like a blind man sees black. I wish I didn’t.
Lauri, my chance to be the hero. I failed with Kaya. My baby Kaya. I should’ve told her. I should’ve known.

I told Lauri my lie. She saw right through it. Straight into my trap. She opened up. I don’t know why I wanted her to. I wished she was Kaya. I want to love Kaya, my baby Kaya. But passion tramples purpose, lust destroys love. And Lauri was lust. Or was she love?
She touched my heart with her words of pain. A love song in the dark. I gave in. I told her about Kaya. My baby Kaya. Kaya and Edwin. Kaya and EEK.
We laughed. We cried. We loved. We’re attached. An “item,” as Kaya would say. Love at first sight. Just like her and EEK. Bullshit.

Lauri brought memories. Good and bad. She latched on like a starving baby. I fathered her. I loved her. I killed her.
She reminded me of a life with women. Women in the house. Hell. My house is a mess, just like me. But I like it. Mess keeps the women out. Keeps the pain out. Keeps Kaya out. Kaya, my baby Kaya. I wish I told her.
Lauri changed everything. She cleaned my house. Washed my clothes. Met Kaya. Met EEK. Brought a connection. Maybe that’s why I kept her.
Two days go by and we’re like a married couple. Fuck. But at least there’s Kaya. My baby Kaya. She’s coming back.

Kaya calls the house. Lauri answers. Akward. They’re laughing. They’re friends. Double date. What a bitch. I haven’t done doubles since college. But for Kaya, anything.
Her and Lauri. Could be sisters. Except for the hair. So we left the girls to their jabber. Headed to the bar. Me and EEK. Get to know the future son. What a dick.
He’s trying to impress me. Ok, I’ll take it.
“Buy me another. Whiskey double,” I tell him. Of course, he complies. At least EEK’s good for something. And he’ll take care of Kaya, my baby Kaya. She’s safe now. That asshole.
We go home. Lauri raving about Kaya and EEK. The whole way. Shut up bitch. But she loves me. She’s drawn to me.
Three days of chaos. Now I’m hers. Weird.
Go home. Drink a little more. Enjoy some loving. Contemplate kicking her out. But she’s good with Kaya. My baby Kaya. Maybe she can stay. Her lips are tender. She can stay. At least for now.

Obsession follows Lauri like a shark follows blood. I don’t even like her. The bitch pisses me off every other minute. But I’m obsessed. And she’s obsessive.
She makes me breakfast. Delicious. Then tells me how to eat it. Disastrous. I should’ve known.
Why is she still here? Why did I invite her in? Look into her eyes? Green as evil in the garden.

I’m getting old. I forget. My life was good. Wasn’t it?
Lots of women. Lots of booze. Lots of mistakes. Lots of Tina. Too much Tina. Kaya. My beautiful baby Kaya. I should’ve told her.

Smooth skin under my fingers. Soft lips on my neck. Eerie silence.
“Lauri. What the fuck? It’s 5 AM.”
“Shhh. I’ll put you to sleep. Shhh.”

10 AM. Closed blinds. Empty bed. Where is she?
Cereal. Back to bachelorhood. Good old days. Weren’t they?
But she’s back. With a smile. Too big. Too genuine. Why?
“Where were you?”
“You’re eating cereal.”
“You weren’t here. Where were you?”
“Living life.”
“What?”
It’s a simple question. Simple answer. Is it that hard?
“Do you love me?”
“I love your breakfast.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”

She stares at me. Green eyes flaring. Evil. Tempting.
What can I do? Be a little bitch like Edwin and paint her nails while whispering sweet nothings in her ear?! Do I look like EEK?
So I grunt. Mumble just to mumble. Get out.
Kitchen. Hidden cabinet. Secret key. Jack Daniels. Couple swigs. A thought of Kaya.. A lust of Lauri. Laurina. Sex.

“Rick.” Kaya, my baby Kaya. Voice of an angel.
“Kaya.” I should tell her.
“6 o’clock. Will that work?”
“Kaya.”
“Rick.”
“Kaya. I want. I need. You. Something. This is hard.”
“It’s ok. Lauri told me. I think it’s great. So 6?”
“Lauri… She told. You. 6?”
“Rick. Dinner. 6 o’clock. We’ll bring the wine. Just tell Lauri.”
“Lauri.”
“Rick. I’ll see you at 6.”
“Wait. Kaya. I. Uh, yea, see you at 6.”

That was my chance. I should’ve told her. I lost my chance. Will I ever do it? I should’ve known. I really should’ve known.

“Lauri.”
“Sugarpie.”
“Where were you?”
“Did Kaya call?”
“Did you talk to her?”
“We had brunch. This cute little café. The weather was so nice. We ate outside then we took a walk. The shops were –“
“Don’t care. What is 6 o’clock. What did you tell her?”
“Kaya and Edwin are coming for dinner at 6.”
“They’re bringing wine. Why?”
“Don’t you like wine?”
“I like whiskey. You know that. And why are they coming. Why here?”
“They’re coming to celebrate. At our home. Now, steak or pasta?”
“Steak. This is my home. There’s nothing to celebrate.”
“It’s our home now. I’m yours. You’re mine. We are us.”
“Psychobabble shit. House is mine. What’s to celebrate?”
“Follow me. I’ll show you.”

Sultry. Sexy. Sinful.
Irresistible. Poison.
It’s nice having her in my arms. Especially when she sleeps. Smooth body. Shut mouth. Simple. Quiet. Comfort.
It’s dangerous. It’s death. It’s done.

“Wake up. We have to get ready.”
“For what?”
“Dinner. I started the grill. Steaks are in the fridge.”
“Steak. What time is it? Why?”
“It’s 4:30. And I don’t cook steak. I do pasta. You chose steak. The grill’s on.”
“I fucking heard you. So do pasta.”
“Steak would be better. Get up. You slept over an hour.”
“What are you doing? You smell like. Stuff.”
“I’m decorating. It’s a celebration. Remember?”
“No. There’s nothing to celebrate.”
“Kaya and Edwin are coming for dinner.”
“So I’ve heard. Why?”
“To help us celebrate.”
“Yeah. Celebrate what?”
“Our engagement.”

What. The. Fuck. She’s looking at me. Trying to look innocent. Those eyes. Those lips. Those curves. That hair. Those curves. Those curves.
Devil’s female form. Marriage. Trap. Hell. Fuck’s next? Kids? Kaya, my baby Kaya.
I wonder how Tina is. That bitch.

“You don’t remember?”
“What?”
“Last night. You said it.”
“What did I say?”
“You said forever. You wanted forever. With me.”
Glassy eyes. Pouty mouth. Beautiful face. Husky voice.
Last night. What happened last night? Dinner. Drinks. Dessert. Drinks. Love. Whiskey. Did I?
“You don’t remember. Wow. I’ll just go call Kaya. Tell her.”
Kaya, my baby Kaya. She thinks it’s great. Lauri brings me Kaya. My baby Kaya. Is it worth it? For Kaya? Anything.
“No. I. I’ll go start the steaks.”
“Rick. Are you sure?”
Anything for Kaya.
“Anything for you.”

Kaya came. She brought wine. She brought EEK. EEK brought whiskey. I guess he’s alright.
Kaya. Lauri. Jibber. Jabber. Long night.
Me and EEK. Try some of that whiskey. Pour a little more. Girls still talking. They talk all night. Right through dinner. Right through dessert. Right through wine. Drunk bitches.

Kaya left. She took EEK. EEK left the whiskey. Thank God. He’s good for something.
Lauri. Cleaning dishes. Looking tired. Looking happy. Looking beautiful.
Take a walk. Get it out of your system. Let’s go old man.

Kaya, my baby Kaya. My biggest mistake. My biggest love. My biggest regret. Tina. Fuck Tina. I should’ve told her. I should’ve known.