Текст книги "Animate Me"
Автор книги: Ruth Clampett
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Текущая страница: 18 (всего у книги 26 страниц)
Animate Me / Chapter Twenty-One / Master of the Woo
“It’s my turn now and I’ve got to make it.” ~ Speed Racer xx
“You really outdid yourself, you know,” Brooke sighs as she curls into me. The alarm clock’s gone off but we’re doing our best to ignore it.
“Yeah, that was a great evening,” I agree. “But I have to tell you, I have a whole support group behind me; Team Woo is leading me to victory.”
She laughs. “You’re just so damn charming that everyone wants to help you. Who got you those Hollywood Bowl tickets on such short notice anyway?”
“My parents,” I admit.
“Awww,” she croons. “Remind me to thank them. That was so sweet.”
“They really like you,” I share, hoping that makes her happy.
“I like them too. I see so much of them in you.”
I pull her tighter into my arms and kiss the top of her head. She sighs happily then lifts up to face me. “So don’t forget I have a late meeting tonight.”
“That’s right,” I say. “How late do you think it will go?”
“I’m not sure, I’ll call as soon as I get home.”
“Okay. What would you like for breakfast?”
“Can we have Pop-Tarts?”
“Strawberry or brown sugar?
She laughs. “Both!”
On the way to work, my cell phone rings.
“Hey Dad. Thanks again for last night. It was completely perfect.”
“I’m glad, Son. We were happy to do it, and the reward is hearing it achieved the desired effect.”
“I’ll say,” I agree, remembering not just the concert, but also the rest of our night with the physical manifestation of the woo. Before my thoughts get too X-rated though, I try to focus back on the conversation.
“By the way, I just finished going over your contract for your comic books. Nathan…wait a minute, are you driving? Is your headset on? Because the statistics of accidents due to cell phone usage while conducting a vehicle are staggering.”
“Headset’s on, Dad.”
“Excellent,” he says sounding relieved. “So regarding the contract, I’m not concerned about the points you asked me about…pretty much standard legal-speak. This looks pretty solid to me.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. Knowing Dad is good with the Sharper Edge Comics deal means a lot to me.
“I do have one question though, Son. How are you going to manage these obligations for Sharper Edge, do your job at Sketch Republic justice, and have a romantic relationship all at the same time? Don’t get me wrong—you’re highly capable. But men traditionally are not multi-taskers. Evolution really left that in the hands of the female species, and their ability to excel at it convinces me that they’ll eventually rule the world.”
“I can multi-task,” I insist, imagining myself stepping out of a phone booth and ripping my shirt open to reveal the big Super N on my chest.
“You’re already under the hypnotic spell, I see. With new love, when the surge of hormones hit you, you’re so euphorically distracted and blissfully unaware of the world that your house could burn down around you and you wouldn’t notice.”
I’m so flustered that I swerve the car a bit before I regain my composure. “Dad, can we please not discuss hormones hitting me?”
“But do you understand the ramifications of my point? Sharper Edge has very high expectations for you and your comics.”
“Of course. Look, my plan is to give it my all and go without sleep for a while until B-Girl gets established and hopefully succeeds. Then I will quit my day job and devote myself to Brooke and B-Girl full time.”
“Quit your job?” he asks thoughtfully. I can tell he’s making complex financial calculations in his mind.
“Hell, Arnold may fire me before then, and I’ll get unemployment. That could work to my benefit.”
“Being fired is never a desirable option, Nathan. Your industry is small. The stigma could follow you if you wish to re-establish yourself in animation.”
I start tensing up. Thinking about fucking Mojo just does that to me. It’s a relief as I pull into the parking structure not to see his car and be reminded I won’t see his car or his hairy ass all week.
“Dad, I just arrived at work…gotta go.”
Dad is patient with the brush-off. He knows I can only take so much advice at once. “Okay, Nathan, I’ll call Walter and let him know you’ll sign the documents and get them out today. Congratulations, Son. I’m proud of you.”
I feel a thrill realizing that this is good to go. I’m going to sign that darn contract as soon as I get in my cube, and be one step closer to my dreams coming true.
• • •
At lunchtime Dani agrees to order me a sandwich so I can drop the contracts at Fed Ex, before meeting up with them to eat.
“So it’s a done deal?” She nods at the contracts on my desk as I pull money out of my wallet and hand it to her.
“Yeah, I still can’t believe it,” I admit, shaking my head. “Everything’s working out so much better than I could’ve hoped.”
“Everything?” she asks, her eyebrows raised.
“Can you and Nick keep a secret?” I know I can trust them, and I feel like I owe them the truth after what we all went through together.
“It’s on with Brooke?” She asks, smiling and looking hopeful.
“It’s so on.” I grin like a fool.
“I knew it, I knew it!” She bounces on her heels excitedly. “Nick owes me twenty! I could tell—your whole vibe was so different yesterday, even if you were trying to hide it. We have to go out for drinks soon so we can hear the whole story.”
“Okay,” I agree. “But meanwhile we have to be on the down low until the Monkey gets back and she tells him,” I explain.
“Well that’ll be an interesting day at Sketch Republic,” Dani states. “But fuck him. He’s getting just what he deserves. And even if he’s an ass and gets nasty, you have something else already lined up.”
I nod, because it feels good to hear Dani so confident about my future.
That afternoon Joel walks in on me as I’m doing a drawing on a Starbucks cup. He doesn’t say anything—just rolls his eyes, and walks out of the cube. I vow to stay later tonight and get some extra work done to show my thanks.
I’m happily buzzing as I sketch out Brooke posed as a modern day Juliet on her home’s balcony. Of course, I’m below…one hand reaching up to her, the other placed solemnly over my heart.
I finish it up with a few details and then hold it up proudly and shake my head. My Dad’s right, the hormones have rendered me insane…but damn, am I a happy fool.
Morgan gives me a look I’ve never seen before. She seems genuinely impressed with my apparent progress. She gives me a thumbs-up as I pass her on the way into Brooke’s office.
But when I step inside my girl looks tense as she tersely says something into the receiver, then slams the phone back down in its cradle. She leans over the desk and drops her face in her hands. It’s obvious she hasn’t seen me yet.
“Brooke?” I ask, tentatively.
She looks up startled. “Hi,” she replies weakly. “How long have you been standing there?”
“I just got here. Who was that you were talking to?”
She gives me a pained look. “It was Arnauld.”
Anger fires up in me. “What did he want? I thought he was supposed to leave you alone and give you space for a week.”
“Exactly,” she agrees. “He was interrogating me as to what I’ve been doing, who I’ve been with…”
“Did you tell him?” I ask, twisting my fingers together.
“No, of course not…so he threatened to come back early.”
My stomach drops. “But this is our time,” I say, trying to hold back my frustration.
“I told him that if he came back now, I wouldn’t even talk to him, so he may as well stay and take care of business. I think he got the message loud and clear.”
“So he isn’t coming back early?”
“I really don’t think so. He still has a lot of work to take care of. And I swear, I’m not going to let him mess up my woo week, damn it.”
I stare at her all flushed and wild looking. I can’t help it; I want her. I’m getting more distracted by the moment.
“Have I ever told you how incredibly sexy you are when you get mad?” I ask.
“Really?” She looks at me and almost smiles, and then finally notices that I’m holding coffee. I feel her mood instantly shift.
“Is that for me, Mr. Woo?”
“Yes, it’s especially for you, Ms. Woo.”
Brooke has a coy smile as she approaches me. She reaches for the cup anxiously as if she knows this is going to be a special one. I proudly hand it to her. I’m feeling good…confident…like I’m the master of the woo.
She oohs and runs her finger gently over the image as if she’s holding a masterpiece.
“Nathan,” she whispers.
I smile at her, basking in my masterfulness.
“This is my new favorite cup!”
“I puff my chest out proudly. But when I see her eyes have glazed over, I tone it down. “Remember, I told you how much you inspire me.”
She suddenly turns and picks up her phone and taps a button.
“Morgan, I need to have a private conversation. Can you make sure that I’m not interrupted?” She then walks over and shuts the door quietly, carefully setting the lock.
Oh my
As she turns, she gives me the look, and it only gets more heated as she walks back into my open arms. Her lips find mine, in an insistent, insatiable way. My arms wrap around her tightly as one of her hands works it’s way through my hair.
“Whoa, Brooke,” I gasp when we finally part. She pulls off my heavy black glasses and sets them down with such energy that they skid across her desk.
“Nathan…how will I get through today without having you?” she asks, pressing into me.
I can tell that the frustration over Arnold’s call has made her reckless. She seems to need my full attention right now.
I press my hands over her and pull her against me so she understands how much I want her too. “I’ll be thinking of you like this all day,” I whisper, my lips on her neck, my hand edging up towards her breast. “But we’ll be together later tonight and we can have fun then.”
“That’s too far away,” she sighs. “I can’t wait that long.”
“Brooke, what are you doing?” I ask, as she starts to undo my belt buckle. Holy shit. I remember her office-sex fantasy. It’s looking like her fantasy could be mine too. “In here?” I ask nervously, gesturing to her office door and the walls with offices on either side. “There are people working all around us.”
“Is this too much?” she asks, when we stop to catch our breath. “I know I can get loud.”
“Well, it’s obvious how much I want you but are you sure? The gossips around here would love nothing more than having something to talk about. I don’t care about me, but I don’t want to put you through that.”
She holds onto me and sighs. “Oh, you’re right…that would be really bad.”
I nod my head and kiss her forehead. She knows I’d do it if I could figure out how we could get away with it. I’d make love to her anywhere, anytime.
That’s how much I want this girl.
Amped up and inspired, I head right over to the Outer Limits when I get off work. I don’t see Billie at first, so I get lost in the graphic novels section of the store.
Moments later I fell a tap on my shoulder. “Hey Nathan!”
I didn’t even hear her approach. “Hi Billie.”
“I have your whip and other shit in the back. Hold on a sec and I’ll get it.”
As she walks away I watch the tattoos flex on her calves as she moves. I marvel at the idea that Billie is practically a sister now. Who would have thought?
She returns, handing me a black shopping bag full of my props. The brim of Indy’s fedora peeks out of the top of the paper sack.
“Hey, thanks so much, Billie. I really appreciate your help.”
She shrugs. “Sure no problem.”
She walks over to the new releases part of the store. “Hey, we got your new book in today. I loved the new monkey-man villain. Is that who I think it is?”
I grin and nod.
“You play a dangerous game, my friend.”
“But that’s the last book,” I warn her.
“What do you mean the last?” she demands, her eyes squinting as if she’s angry.
“Well, the last I’m publishing. I signed my deal with Sharper Edge Comics today. They’ll be publishing the next one in about eight weeks. I’m submitting the pages tomorrow, and they really work fast.”
She throws her arms around me and hugs me tightly, before stepping back and placing her hands on her hips.
“That’s so awesome, Nathan! Mother fucking Sharper Edge, Dude! This is going to be huge…I just know it.”
“Thanks, Billie. I don’t know about that, but I’m never gonna forget that you supported me and B-Girl from the very start.”
“Awww. Hey, I know! Let’s have a big party here when the first book launches. What do you think?”
“That’d be great,” I assure her. I think about Brooke and imagine that everything will be settled then and she will be my special guest that night…my real life B-Girl.
• • •
At seven Brooke texts to ask if I mind her having a drink with her girlfriend Jenn, who was at the meeting. They rarely get to see each other. I assure her to take her time and have fun. It’s almost nine when she calls me from her place.
“Hello, Nathan.” She sounds very flirty and I like it.
“Hi Brooke, are you home safe?”
“Yes, I am and guess what?”
“What?” I ask.
“I told my friend Jenn all about us. I think I bored her. I couldn’t stop talking about you.”
“What’d you tell her?”
“That you’re the kindest, sexiest, most talented, loving, brilliant man I’ve ever known. I also told her you’re an awesome kisser.”
“Just kisser?” I ask, teasing her, since I’m already flying high with the “sexiest” comment.
“Alright, I didn’t want to be crude, but after a few lemon martinis I told her you were the best lover I’d ever had, and that I’m madly in love with you.”
Best lover ever? I can’t help being skeptical, but I sense she means it. Maybe it’s because she’s never made love to someone who adores her as completely as I do.
“Wow, you should have drinks with her more often if these are the reports I get back. What did she say to all of that?”
“She was rather shocked. She never thought I would fall for someone this hard.”
“Not even when you were with Arnold?”
“Who’s Arnold?” she asks playfully.
I know she’s kidding, but she has no idea what those two words do to me.
Yes, who the hell is Arnold?
It reminds me of that Looney Tunes cartoon where Daffy is Duck Twacy and Eraser man tries to “rub him out” by erasing the crazy duck away completely. I’m going to get Brooke a big-ass eraser and together we will rub Arnold right off our page. With one careless sweep of my hand, his little, pathetic eraser crumbs will tumble to the floor.
“So did you really tell her that I was the best lover you’ve ever had?”
“Yes, handsome. And I meant it.”
I swallow and take a deep breath.
“Brooke, I just want you to know that I’m really wanting to drive you wild right now.”
There’s a long pause.
“How wild?” she finally asks, all breathy and hot.
“Really, really wild. I know it’s late, but can I come over?” I try not to not be too pushy, but there’s definitely urgency in my voice.
“How fast can you get here?” she asks. She sounds urgent too.
“Really, really fast,”
“Well then…Go Speed Racer, go,” she chants into the phone.
The spirit of Speed Racer’s with me as I fire up my Mini-Cooper, Mach 5. I race through the streets of Burbank knowing the sooner I get to her place, the sooner she’ll be in my arms. Tonight I will make wild Speed Racer love to my Trixie-Brooke. I sing the theme song at the top of my lungs, all the way back up that hill.
“Go Speed Racer, go Speed Racer…go Speed Racer, goooooooo!”
Animate Me / Chapter Twenty-Two / Indy Gets His Princess
“The choice to lead an ordinary life is no longer an option.” ~ Kevin Parkerxxi
“When I was a kid I saved my allowance to buy a vintage Speed Racer slot car set.” I grin as she takes a sip from her Speed Racer-styled Starbucks cup. In the drawing she’s driving his Mach 5 racing car and has left tracks where she’s raced round and round her cup.
“You’re such a guy, Nathan.” She laughs.
“And aren’t you glad,” I tease back.
“Are you still coming over tonight, Indiana Jones? I noticed you haven’t shaved.”
“Hell yes,” I reply, thinking about my costume and props laid out on my bed.
“And you’re sure you want to see Wonder Woman tonight?” she asks.
“Brooke…” I state categorically. “Do you really think I would pass up a chance to see you dressed as Wonder Woman?” I fold my arms over my chest, and shake my head in mock disbelief. “Really woman, I thought you knew me better than that.”
She laughs and throws her hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay…the little blue panties and red bustier will make an appearance tonight exclusively for you…seven o’clock sharp!”
As I head out of Brooke’s office Morgan calls me over.
“Nathan?”
I stop in my tracks, and turn back towards her desk.
“Yeah, Morgan?” I ask, smiling. But I’m always smiling when I’ve just seen Brooke.
“I don’t know what in the hell you’ve been doing…sprinkling fairy dust in her macchiatos, or whatever…but do me a favor?”
“Anything…just name it.”
“Please, just keep it up. I’ve never, ever, seen her so happy.”
I grin widely. “Really?” I can’t help asking.
“Yes, really,” she offers, smiling.
“It’s a deal,” I agree.
Her expression becomes serious. “You know you’ll need to be careful when Arnauld comes back. So if I can help in any way…well, I just want you to know that I’ve got your back.”
Even though she bursts my bubble, reminding me about the monkey’s highly anticipated return, I’m very touched by her sentiment.
“Thanks, Morgan. That means a lot to me.”
She nods.
“And if I can ever do something for you, will you let me know?”
“Sure thing. But no bullshit…Brooke’s the best boss I’ve ever had by far, so it makes me happy to see her this happy.”
• • •
After work I head home and get my costume together for my big date with Wonder Woman. When I finally pull the hat on my head and look in the mirror, I have to smile and admit to myself that I look pretty good. The look is right, but that’s only part of the effect. So all the way up the winding road to Brooke’s I give myself a pep talk to get in character for my girl.
I am the man…I am Indiana Jones!
The sun is low in the sky as I stride up to my Wonder Woman waiting in her home’s open doorway. It takes my complete focus to maintain my Indiana Jones bravado when all I want to do is stop and bask in her super hero glory. From her majestic gold headpiece, all the way down to her sexy boots, she is everything I’d hoped for and more. With great concentration I manage to carry off my swagger as I move close to her.
“Hey, Wonder Woman,” I say in a low voice, tipping my hat. “You’re looking mighty fine.”
Wow, the way she’s looking at me…it’s kind of wild…
“Indiana,” she says in a low seductive voice. “I always knew someday you’d come walking back through my door.” She reaches out and runs her fingers along the edge of my shirt. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you.”
Hot damn.
There’s so much pent up desire fueled by our private fantasies that between the flush moving across her chest, and the way she’s gazing at me, I can tell she’s excited already. I sweep her into my arms and kiss her with everything I’ve got. My hat falls off my head and tumbles to the ground. Moments later, we’re grinding together against her door jamb, not even caring who might pass by and see us. At this point I just want to make love to her until she sees stars.
When I grope her breast over her costume, and bite her neck, she gasps, “Let’s go inside.” I kick the door wide open and carry her towards her living room. I feel this unbelievable surge of adrenaline…I am Indiana Jones, sweaty and rugged, ready to take my woman!
I stop in the hallway and press her against the wall so I can kiss her again. She wraps her legs around my waist, locking them at the ankles and pulling me close.
Damn, we really should’ve done this dress-up stuff sooner.
I take her cuffed wrists and secure them high above her head, pressing them firmly against the cool plaster. Her abundant cleavage is spilling out the top of her costume. With one quick yank downwards, I set her breasts free.
She’s panting as she gives me a wild look. She’s unbelievably sexy, her desire wrapping around us like a cape. Her naked breasts are so beautiful. I tease her nipple with my tongue as she watches.
“Are you trying to overpower me?” she asks, her voice heavy with want. Her wrists are fighting against my grasp.
“I already have,” I reply with confidence. Moments later, my eyes quickly scan her living room as I gruffly pull her toward the couch.
“Are you going to take me, Indy?”
I give her a dark look. “Yes, Wonder Woman…Diana…Princess of Themyscira…I’m going to take you. I’m going to take you hard.”
Whoa, that was good.
Despite the fact that I’m dragging her into the living room, I can tell she’s impressed I’ve done my Wonder Woman homework. My rewards are the lusty moans she cries out as I wrap my arms around her, and pull her back so she’s pressed against my front.
“Do you feel what you do to me?” I chant in her ear as my arousal pushes against her round bottom, tightly bound in little blue panties sprinkled with stars.
“Jesus, Nathan…I mean Indy,” she groans. “Yes, I can feel everything.”
That’s all I need to hear. My trembling hands almost give me away, as I slide my fingers inside her waistband and pull her blue panties all the way down. She quickly steps out of them, and they fall to the floor. Between her red corset and boots, and the way her naked bottom sways before me, I’m barely holding on.
With one hand I fold her down over the edge of the couch, with the other, I slowly start to yank apart my belt strap and buckle.
I pull off my belt accessorized with the whip and knife and drape it across the chair to my right. When I place my hands back on her hips, I feel her softness as she arches her back, lifting her ass towards me.
“What are you thinking about?” I ask, my hands stroking her silky skin.
“I’m thinking about how good it’s going to feel when you take me, Indy.”
I swallow hard, trying to calm myself. This is even better than I’d imagined.
“But first I have to know,” she asks demurely. “What were you going to do with that whip?” She taunts me with a look before glancing over at the belt.
Brooke, oh Brooke…does my girl want to get naughty?
I remember my scouting days and get an idea. I reach over and separate the whip from the belt.
“You want it, rough, don’t you?” I demand.
“So rough.” She moans wantonly, but then pauses, as if in thought. “Well, sorta rough,” she offers, gently correcting herself as she looks at me nervously.
I grin back at her before getting stern again…as if I could ever hurt this girl.
“Well, then you need to remember that I’m in control,” I demand in my best Indiana Jones voice. “Stop squirming and put your hands forward.”
“Have you been talking to Billie?” she asks, sounding concerned.
“Don’t worry, Princess, this isn’t going to be like that.”
I step around her, pull her arms forward, then carefully wind the narrow end of the whip around her wrists. It only takes seconds for me to secure her with a two-half-hitch knot I learned in Boy Scouts.
I would feel creepy about this if Brooke didn’t look so thrilled. She seems less nervous now.
“So now that you’ve got me just how you want me, what are you going to do with me?” She wiggles her butt a little side to side. “Are you aroused, Mr. Jones?”
“Hell yes, woman. If I were the Tasmanian Devil, I would’ve ravaged you by now.”
She looks back, arches her brow and shakes her head at my cartoon slip.
“But I’m not Taz, I’m Indiana Jones!” I exclaim, correcting my serious lack of continuity.
She brings us back into focus with a super hero command. “Show me how aroused you are.” I notice her furrowed brow; she’s looking like she means business.
I undo the zipper, push my pants and boxers open, and free myself. Her eyes grow wide as she watches. I give her one of those Harrison Ford smirks as I grab my hard-on, “This is what you do to me Wonder Woman.”
“Oh, God,” she moans. “I want it.”
“And you’re going to get it,” I assure her as I step behind her delicious derrière—a bottom worthy of a super hero. I slide my boot in between hers and ease her legs further apart.
As I push into her, my eyes roll back in my head. Who needs the Lost Ark when you’ve got Wonder Woman bent over and begging, her blue spangled panties wantonly discarded on the floor?
What would the people that know us think? Wonder Woman, Princess Diana of Themyscira is mating with Indiana Jones of Princeton, New Jersey…We are sexually and spiritually united in something akin to a bad fan-fiction crossover in our very own X-rated production.
• • •
When we finally conclude our most daring lovemaking yet, I pull her into my arms. We settle down, and although our costumes are askew, we’re completely satisfied.
We decide to get into her Jacuzzi tub. She pours some stuff in the water, making the bathroom smell like the Sherwood Forest. I recline against the back of the tub, while she settles in between my legs leaning into me, as the Jacuzzi bubbles move around us.
“Oh, that was so damn good,” she says, letting out a satisfied sigh.
“Mmmm,” I agree. “You sure inspired me in all your Wonder Woman glory.”
“And you, my God…I think you should dress up like Indy, at least once a week.”
I smile and kiss her behind her ear, until an unsettling feeling starts creeping up on me. “Hey Brooke?”
“Yes?” she asks, pulling my arms tighter over her.
“You know how you encouraged me to change my look: new glasses, haircut, clothes? And now, with this dress up stuff, I have to wonder. Do you think that me, just plain old me, is going to be enough to keep you interested?”
She pushes away and turns around to face me. I can see she’s stunned by my question.
“It’s just that I’m not that exciting,” I continue. “What happens if you start getting bored with me?”
“Bored? First of all, let me make myself perfectly clear,” she states firmly. “I know you don’t realize it Nathan, but you’re the least boring person I know. I always have the best time with you. Then to top it off you’re so gorgeous just looking at you gets me going. And in some ways the fact that you are clueless about it is so endearing, in another it’s maddening. And if that isn’t enough, there’s your body.”
“What about my body?”
“Hello? Your body is so damn hot, all lean and long, but strong and defined. Don’t you know what you do to me? Jeez.”
I smile as she runs her hands over my shoulders and across my chest.
“Now, as a lover you are everything I could want. Let’s not even discuss how incredible you make me feel.”
I grin widely. “Oh, yes, let’s discuss that.”
“You’re the best lover I’ve ever had because of how passionate and enthusiastic you are. And how long have you been at it? My God, I can only imagine what the future holds.”
“Really? The best?”
“Yes, the very best. You make me feel like a goddess, like I’m the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“Well you are,” I point out. I’m grinning like an idiot now. My happiness can’t be contained.
She slides closer to me in the tub and rests her hands on my chest, right over my heart. “But most of all Nathan, most of all…it’s your heart that has captured me body and soul. I didn’t even think anyone as strong yet tender, tenacious yet sensitive; someone with such an open, warm heart even existed. But here you are and you’re mine.”
“Yes, I am…and you’re mine too,” I say, pulling her closer.
She leans forward and presses her forehead against mine. “I am. So does that answer your question?” she asks, as she gently kisses across my eyebrow and down my cheek.
When our lips meet, it’s sweet and slow. “Completely,” I say grinning.
• • •
The next morning we watch Hong Kong Phooey on Boomerang until I drag myself out of bed. “I’ve got to get home and get ready for work.” I grin and lean over to kiss her.
She gets out of bed too, pulls on a robe and follows me to her front door.
“So I’ll see you later,” I whisper into her ear, as I hold her tightly in my arms. “I love you.”
She grins and kisses me before whispering back, “I love you too.”
Back home, I’m about to leave for work, when a feeling comes over me. Something about remembering Brooke as Wonder Woman last night makes me crave a moment with B-Girl. So I go into my studio office and pull out a box that holds final printed copies of the entire series to date. I spread the various issues over my animation table and proudly examine the covers with the fresh eye of time passing and a new perspective.
I pull the first book closer and slowly open it and begin turning the pages. As I examine each layout, I wonder how it would look to Brooke. Would she be flattered to see her persona as a beautiful heroine, a woman capable of changing people’s lives and possibly even saving the world?
I smile at this early issue, conceived long before I knew Brooke intimately. Whatever I could learn about Brooke back then, I would weave into the story. Sometimes it was something as specific as a particular outfit I had seen her in at work. Other times it was an expression or mannerism that I observed from afar. It’s interesting to me now that I wrote stories with B-Girl musing about people from the dark side, and how her mission in life was to eradicate those whose power grew by belittling others. Some of it feels prophetic now…as if I understood intuitively how Arnold would change and become a blighted shadow across her sunny path.
I remember at the beginning agonizing over her super hero costume design. It needed to showcase her curvy, glorious figure, without looking expected. I wanted the “B” to be cleverly identified as part of her look…so I created a jewel-encrusted “B” pendant that rested gently around her neck. Half rap-star inspired, half shaman-esque, the “B” of the pendant would shimmer when she needed to summon her powers.
If life were a comic book, I could construct a “B” pendant for my girl. Whenever we parted, it would protect and preserve her from the Mojos of the world, until she was back in my arms again.
I glance at my watch, then gently fold the books closed and return them to their box. As I slide the lid back on I realize that next week we will face our final test…Brooke will finally meet B-Girl.
Will she be flattered and moved to know how long she’s owned my heart, or will she resent the continual cover-ups and evasion about my big project, and lose her ability to trust me? In the end I believe Brooke will understand why I kept B-Girl a secret and that she will see the character as a reflection of my love for her. Brooke has a big heart and she loves me. I’m certain she will love B-Girl too.
