A Sister's Power. Cydney Rax

about to back out of the garage when she remembered to cover her weekender bag with a quilt that she always left in the vehicle in case of an emergency.

      Just as Burgundy was about to back down the driveway, the front door opened. Natalia raced out of the house with no shoes on.

      She waved at her mother who sighed and then rolled down her window.

      “Y-you leaving us? W-where are you going?”

      “Um, Natalia get back in the house. You’re barefoot and it’s freezing cold out tonight.”

      “I asked you where are you going?” The girl rose up on her toes. She stared into the SUV.

      “Nat, I don’t feel well and I need to make sure I get better.”

      “You’re going to the ER?”

      “Not quite. It’s called Urgent Care. It’s kind of similar but doesn’t nearly cost as much . . . And the lines aren’t as long.”

      “Are you going to get sick and die like Daddy?”

      “Oh my God, sweetie. No. It’s not that serious. Just something I need to take care of. I’ll be back before you know it.”

      “No, Mommy don’t go. Let me go with you. Please.”

      “Oh God,” Burgundy cried out. Ever since Nate died, neither girl liked for Burgundy to be out of their sight for long. She got out of the car and gave Natalia a nice, long hug, and kissed her several times. Then she got back in the car and started the engine.

      “I swear nothing is going to happen to me, or to you, or your sister. Stay away from that stove and do as Liz tells you. Go back in the house. I’ll call you as soon as I can. Love you.”

      Natalia stood there as her mother slowly drove off.

      Burgundy fought back tears all the way to urgent care.

      She parked outside Edmund’s house and called Natalia. “I made it to Urgent Care.”

      She hung up, sat for a while and got her head together, and shortly thereafter Edmund welcomed her inside.

      A warm bath awaited Burgundy as well as a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. The flame from the apple spice candles flickered around the whirlpool tub. Edmund was a jazz enthusiast with an appreciation for good music. When Burgundy entered the bathroom, smooth jazz could be heard. Lush, lovely, melodies made the ambiance pleasant and romantic.

      “Wow, all this for me?” she cooed.

      “Why of course.”

      “I’m impressed.”

      “I actually had to let the water out and run another tub full. But you finally made it.” Edmund grabbed Burgundy around the waist. He kissed her lips, hungrily devoured her, as he’d been wanting to touch her and be with her all day long.

      “I’m sorry, Elm. I-I had to handle some things first.” Her mom guilt was trying to take over. “You know how it is.”

      “It’s fine. You’re here now. Make yourself at home.”

      First Burgundy called Liz to see how the girls were doing.

      “They are totally into this movie,” she said in her Caribbean accent. “They aren’t paying any attention to me.”

      Burgundy laughed. “Sounds good.”

      Liz whispered to her, “Enjoy your night. We’re all right over here.”

      After she hung up, Burgundy joined Edmund. She threw her arms around his neck. Upon smelling him she felt she’d made the right decision. He smelled good. He had an earthy, petrichor scent that made her feel womanly and sensual.

      “Let’s get you more comfy,” he told her. She was wearing a black, double-breasted coat dress that clung to her wide hips.

      Edmund sat on the bed and reached out to grab her. He pulled her close as she stood in front of him. He squeezed her around her ass which was as smooth as a baby’s bottom. She smiled and looked down at him. Staring at Burgundy in admiration, he slowly undid each button. He unlatched her bra and tossed it to the floor.

      When her round, plump breasts were exposed, he couldn’t help himself. They stood at attention, not sagging at all, and the mere vision of her body made Edmund hunger for her even more.

      “May I have some?” he asked.

      She nodded.

      He took one nipple into his mouth and sucked it softly at first and then more firmly. He flicked his tongue across the nipple and felt it hardening as he licked it repeatedly.

      Warm sensations flowed through her. She closed her eyes and felt herself grow weak.

      “Mmmm, Edmund.”

      He moaned too. They moaned together as he proceeded to go from her breasts to her flat belly, then from her thighs to the taut skin underneath her bosom. He made a soft trail of tender kisses all across her body.

      When he finally mustered up the strength to undo the last button, he slipped his fingers on the sides of her bikini and slowly pulled them down past her knees until they dropped around her ankles.

      She laughed, stepped out of them, and kicked them out the way. When she looked up, Edmund, who had been wearing a wifebeater T-shirt and some boxers, was completely nude.

      “When did that happen?”

      “I’m fast, baby. Very fast.”

      “Oh, I’m sure but right now I need you to go nice . . . and slow.”

      Soon they both stepped into the tub filled with a mountain of bubbles. She sat behind him with her legs clasped around his waist. She kissed his back then washed it. He turned around to face her. He took a sponge, dipped it into the warm sudsy water, and rubbed it across her breasts that were glistening in the dimly lit room.

      He got up and sat behind her. Edmund kissed her bare shoulder, something that felt extraordinarily electrifying to her tired, aching, love-starved body.

      Once the bath was over, they dried each other off with huge bath towels. Then took their glasses of wine to his bedroom.

      He pulled back the covers, let her climb in bed and he joined her.

      “Your hair looks beautiful, Burgundy.”

      “Thanks. I got it done a couple of days ago. I was at the salon for four, almost five hours. It was very crowded and Destiny, she’s my hairdresser, she’s always in demand. The wait is awful but I love the results.”

      “You look very pretty, my dear.”

      She smiled at Edmund from ear to ear. Being with him took away some of the hollowness that had settled inside of her since Nate passed.

      “Your support means everything to me, Elm. I don’t know how I’d make it without you.”

      “It’s always my pleasure to please you, Burgundy.”

      He scooted down the bed until he was at the foot of it and was on his knees.

      Burgundy gazed at this man, just taking him all in and brimmed with joy.

      “You know what?” she said. “When you wear boxers, I can’t see what I normally see.”

      “And what do you normally see?”

      “Your big dick. I mean, I know you’re packing but when a man wears boxers, unless he’s King Kong, you can’t really see his size.”

      “Don’t worry. You’ll be seeing my big dick in no time.”

      He sniffed her feet.

      “I love how you smell. Clean, sweet, fresh, and eatable.”

      He kissed her toes.

      “You like that?”

      She pretended