Lucky Blue Smith: How About Two?

13. 'Is This Goodbye?'

"I'm no foul old man, I'm 24. You want some of this?" Austin taunts as he manipulates his imaginary body to look aesthetically pleasing. Well at least pleasing to himself thought Deneo, baffled why he still remains an amputee despite his abilities.

"You want this. Look at this six pack. And the butt?" He teases.

"Austin?"

"Don't Austin me, I'm your God."

"Fine, God?"

"Speak n*gga b*tch!"

"You ugly asshole. I despise you!"

"P*ssy n*gga we couldn't give a f*ck," intercepts Maya. Shocked that he was still around Deneo says "Where on Earth were you this whole time? Not that I care, but anyone's better than that AIDS patient."

"His name is IHVH, and I've been here listening. When IHVH has everything under control there's no reason for me to appear."

"That's so sad," Deneo states with sincerity. "You know, sometimes I feel I could like you, I mean, you're the better of the two - in more ways than one."

"Keep your artificial sympathy. Although, I won't say I'm not curious what you mean by better in many ways..."

"I'm being genuine, but you don't have to accept it... And well, you're taller, you're more refined, more intelligent, have better hair, a goodlooking bod-"

"Shut up, that is enough!" A burst from Austin sounds. Maya and Deneo cackle uncontrollably. A knock on the door interrupts them. Thinking it might be Lucky or Nara Deneo shivers as she paces to the door. Did they hear her cackling on her own?

"Oh, hi Lucky. What brings you by?" Deneo voices wanting to seem nonchalant but in good spirits. Lucky gives her a perplexed look. 

"You seem to be in higher spirits than when we last saw you?" Lucky expresses cautiously. "Are you okay dear?"

"Oh, yes. Now I am. Maya and I- well, I guess I shouldn't say."

"Say what? I'm all ears."

"It's just- well, I was making sport of Austin and his reaction amused both me and Maya."

"So now you like them?"

"Maya's better-" Deneo starts before she splits her sides with laughter. Maya joins in her mirth. Even Austin cannot contain laughing. Lucky is perplexed and Deneo tries her hardest to repress amusement and explains to Lucky what happened before he stepped in.

"So you like Maya?" Is Lucky's overall response.

"Me? Oh no. We just had a moment, that's all." And in that Deneo remembers how her and Lucky shared a similar experience. How he so easily forgot it when Nara came walking through the door. It made her sad. She knew deep in her heart she doesn't stand a chance.

"And now you're back to being morose," Lucky inserts sagaciously. "I cannot keep up with you, honestly." Deneo gives him a reserved smile apologising about today, telling him she was fighting Austin again without going into further details. 

"So that's why I'm here dear," Lucky preludes. "We only have today and tomorrow left on this trip." 

"Oh? It completely slipped my mind Lucky!"

"So you see, we need to finish off recording today so that can give Nara and I time to edit. Perhaps we'll add new inserts as necessity arises. We need time reserved for such things. You get it, right?" Deneo nods, grabs a coat and walks out with Lucky into their suite. There's interruptions here and there from the kids but they are able to make up for it by working till midnight. As soon as Deneo gets off she calls her sister reminding her that she returns in two days, asking her to greet both her mother and brother and tell them that she, Deneo, misses them.

In the late hours of the morning, towards noon, Deneo, groggy with sleep, stumbles out of bed. She washes her face, brushes her teeth, takes her meds, showers and hungrily waits for word from either Nara or Lucky. 

At 13h30 she decides to knock on their door. Nara answers, hair tousled with a comb in hand. Even as described one could not miss her beauty. I swear she wakes up looking good Deneo thinks, the green-eyed monster peering. Nara and Lucky both appear to be overwhelmed with getting themselves and the kids ready. Deneo offers to dress the kids and keep them preoccupied until the parents are done. And so she does, them all leaving the suite at 14h15 with a camera and drone. As Lucky drives Nara flies the drone about 300m above us. Deneo takes videos and pictures of the lavish mansions on path, the terrain, the sea, and then their way in and out of V&A Waterfront.  In between they get lunch at a seafood place. None of them have anything elaborate, just grilled hake, a salad and chips. Slim has mash, mushroom sauce with broccoli. Lucky and family eat kosher. Deneo, at times, also eats kosher. She gets confused with all the controversy about whether the Old Testament laws are fixed (as not a jot or a tittle can be changed), or whether the scene with Peter seeing unclean animals and told to eat them is God changing law. On this occasion she prefers to be safe than sorry. 

Back at the hotel Lucky and Nara edit together while Deneo takes care of the kids. The couple get her take on things every now and then but Deneo seems more engulfed with the little ones. 

After dinner at the hotel Deneo is let off to go pack and rest. It's only when she takes a shower that she notices the two are there. They never pass up the chance to molest and harass her in there. Every day she dreads taking a shower but knows it must be done. She fights them, insults them, reproves them. It works but it always leaves her drained. Having packed most of her stuff, she turns in. 

Waking up in the morning Deneo makes sure everything is left the way it was when she first came. She then goes next door to let Lucky know she's done and ready to go. Before leaving with Lucky Deneo asks if the kids are up yet. He responds no and she's bummed she won't get to see them one last time before she leaves.

"I'll have the kids video call in 2-3 days?" Lucky offers as they're now driving out.

"Oh, that would be great," is her high-spirited response. "I enjoyed my time here Lucky. Thanks for making it happen."

"Don't mention it. And I can't thank you enough for how you took care of the kids when we weren't managing. Nara would say it really takes a village to raise them," Lucky dryly jokes. Deneo smiles hoping this won't be the last she sees of him.

At the airport Lucky takes Deneo's luggage from the boot and hands it to her. He gives her a hug with her free arm and says "Take care dear. And call me when you get home, okay?"

Deneo doesn't say much she just beams at him and waves him off. Her heart hurts to have him go, but she knew this was inevitable.