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"I still can't believe Gene is actually considering going through
with this," Terri mentioned to Calen as they were having lunch on the set
of the Practice. Both had opted for juicy and rather messy cheeseburgers
with all the works.
"Well he surprises all of us now and again," Calen laughed, sipping her diet coke. "But he's a complex man, and he has complex needs. Apparently, you're meeting quite a few of those needs…"
"In more ways then I anticipated," Terri flushed, dipping a French fry into a sizable pool of ketchup on her plate. "God… it's like something out of some fairy tale…and we're not talking Cinderella!"
"And it's not Snow White either," Calen teased. "Beauty and the beast, right?"
"Yeah I guess so," Terri laughed back. "But I'm sure Gene would consider that a compliment, not an insult."
"Why are you so skeptical?" Calen asked her. "About his sincerity?"
"I shouldn't be, since he blurted it out in the heat of passion," Terri mused, tapping her cheek as she rested it on one upraised hand.
"That's one reason, and there's another," Calen said. "But I can't spell it out for you. You have to notice it for yourself. Like I said before, he's worth it…"
"I know. It's what he does sometimes more then what he says, even though he is honest… brutally honest."
"It could be he is thinking about getting settled down, did you ever consider it from that angle?" Calen tried.
"Why me?"
"Why not you?" Calen turned the question back on her.
"But Shannon…"
"You're not Shannon. You're you. Why can't you stop the 'how can he possibly like little o'l me' routine and admit to yourself you're an attractive desirable woman?" Calen scolded her.
"Old habits die hard I guess," Terri responded with a cheesy grin worthy of Gene himself.
"He's rubbing off on you in ways you don't even realize," Calen pointed out. "And you're doing the same to him. And I think it's safe to say you're rubbing him the right way."
"Definitely," Terri nodded, and picked up her script, leaving through it methodically.
"Don't try to deny it, Terri. He's hooked and so are you. That's the only explanation," Calen nodded.
"Well I have to admit I haven't contemplated life without him," Terri said. "To put it mildly…"
"Mildly, yes," Calen chuckled. "That's an interesting look."
"Well what if he gets cold feet?" Terri asked.
"Well, that's what engagements are for," Calen said. "Having been engaged myself… although I wasn't living with my fiancée…"
"Yeah, well it just seems like only a small step further, but in reality it’s a huge step for him. I wouldn't blame him if he wanted to call it off…"
"Terri do me a favor and don't call your bets off this soon in the game… give yourself and him some time to get used to being engaged. Think about setting a date, and keep those lines of communication open. That's the most important part."
"It's just strange, when I sit down and really look at what's happened the past year," Terri said.
"How is it any stranger then anything else… other then the fact you're with someone who is a 'celebrity'?" Calen asked. "Still star struck?"
"Yes and no. It's as if he leads two lives, the public and the private. Gene can always compartmentalize. What he is with me is vastly different then what he is to the fans, and to his close friends."
"Well that's Gene for you," Calen nodded. "But I take it you know that very well yourself."
"I do get it. It's just strange how he can spend a night with a woman and forever change her life. Be her dream for a night of passion. And it is his way of giving a fan what they want. And yet he turns to me for support and love."
"It obviously doesn't bother you anymore," Calen nodded.
"No. They get a piece of the Demon, and he gives them what they want. But with me, he is what he is, no barriers or needs of pretense. That sincerity was something I never would have expected."
"From what he's told me, you were the same way. You treated him like Gene Simmons the man, not the Demon who you worshipped and adored, but as a normal person. You reached him in a way that not many people do."
"Like you reach him."
"Exactly. He doesn't let many people into his 'inner circle,' Terri. Paul, Shannon, me, his other friends."
"Well that is something that is important to remember. And I realized too, rather painfully that I can't just go back to being a normal person. I mean as much as I want to… people know who I am."
"It's what you make of it. Normal's what you want it to be. For me, you and Gene, normal life is being in the public eye whether we like it or no," Calen said, taking her hand. "Besides, what is normal anyway?"
"True. This is 'normal' for me now. Life with Gene, with his friends, and my friends. This is what it's become. I spent some time trying to hang onto what I had before because I somehow felt like I didn't deserve this life, this fortune."
"Why doesn't anyone deserve to be happy? Is there some rule that says if you're happy you should feel guilty?" Calen laughed. "I know what you mean. But there's nothing evil about having lots of money and enjoying it. Gene's living proof of it."
"Definitely. He spoils me rotten and I enjoy it. I really enjoy it."
"That's one thing that separates you from Allison and some of the others. You accept what he has to give, and you take it graciously."
"Calen, we're on in ten minutes," the floor director said, hurrying by with his tray towards the trash of the studio canteen.
"Okay, gotcha," Calen nodded. "So think about it, and make sure you and Gene if you have any doubts, talk about 'em…"
"I will."
**************************************
Terri returned home, pulling the new Mustang black convertible in behind
Gene's Mercedes. He had insisted on buying her the new car with the
insurance settlement, to replace the one that was totaled.
She still had a brace around one ankle, which had knit reasonably well over the past month or so since her accident. Already she was beginning to gain more weight, though the pregnancy wasn't as visible as she would have thought. She managed to move up the walk without much more then a small limp.
Once inside she lay down her purse and threw her jacket aside. Echoing through the maze of hallways was the distant thumping pulse of some heavy rock beat. Sounded almost like a metal band from the "Rock Star" movie. Gene and Paul had gone to the premier, and she had missed it due to a SF convention, but it had gone over very well. Striding up she passed the studio, which was vacant, and wandered into the large room Gene used for his office and study. There was a separate sound system he used there for demo CD's, having moved it out of the studio where he could sit back and listen from behind the massive oak desk.
Her own office was upstairs, down the hall from the master bedroom. Shelves of books decorated the home office, which was also comfortably furnished with plush chairs and a sofa for the important producers and other guests he would have over to hobnob about business. When she entered she saw just the back of his head barely over the high backed office chair, feet propped up on one of those ergonomic rests as he made notes on a legal yellow pad.
It was tempting to move up behind him and catch him unawares, but he always seemed to sense when she was there. However he rarely let it ruin the chase. Especially when she leaned around and gently began to rub the back of his neck through the soft denim of his shirt and his light blazer, black in color. Lifting the ponytail aside, she continued up the back of his neck. Dark eyes closed shut as he sat up and stretched, and she nosed lightly into his ear.
He let the legal pad slide to the floor, letting Terri continue to brush her nose down the outside of his exposed ear. How well he had trained her in the massage, for her touch was damn near professional by now. His hums of delight told her strain she eased from his tight neck and shoulders were welcome indeed. An arm snaked around her waist, and pulled her down, until she was planted squarely on his lap in the large comfortable chair.
"Hope you didn't mind a brief interruption in your daily routine," she whispered in his ear.
"I needed to take five," Gene laughed seductively.
"Five what?" she laughed back as his hands stole over her thighs, and she settled herself across his thighs.
"Up to you, sweetheart," he smiled, his eyes darkening with desire. She could feel her face flushing with but a simple touch, and by the look on his face, she could tell her own ministrations were equally effective. Between the silk lining of his jacket and the soft flannel of his shirt her right hand crept, while her other hand fingered the side of his cheek softly. His strong arms folded protectively around her, as she slipped her arm behind his neck and he lay his cheek against her breast. With his teeth, he gently eased the top two buttons open to reveal her chest more. Up and down her back, he ran his hands, giving her backside a firm squeeze that jolted a bolt of desire up her spine to the base of her skull.
His warm tongue slipped between her breasts, exploring the valley between them as he buried his face in her chest. She leaned her head back; eyes half shut in desire as her fingers loosened his hairholder to let the black mass of curly hair free. Gene sighed with contentment, pulling his face up from his exploration while she caught his lips in a kiss. Quickly she began to unbutton his shirt, baring him to the waist. Gene grabbed her hips and turned her around in his lap, until her backside was resting against him, and he undid her bra and threw her shirt aside. Kisses rained like liquid hot gold on her bared back, and up under her neck.
"It's my turn to give you a massage," he whispered. Reaching around he began to rub her breasts softly, then with increasing firmness. His soft kisses nestled in the hollow of her neck, then over her sensitive ears, his tongue working into her left ear deftly as his hands walked over her breasts and belly. Then he slipped down one hand, pushing up her skirt and gently reaching between her legs to rub delicately at first, then more firmly. Her back slammed into his chest as she writhed in ecstasy at the feel of his fingers reaching past her underwear into hot wetness. Her fingers grabbed the arms of the chair for stability as she let out a cry of release.
"Damn Gene this was supposed to be for your benefit, not mine!" she laughed and teased through her groans.
"Pleasuring you is for my benefit as much as yours," he laughed.
"I want an inside opinion," she whispered.
"Aww I would love to oblige you, but I don't want to hurt you…" he whispered.
"I'm not made out of crystal, Gene," she laughed, and turned around so she straddled him. "Besides, we're sitting up, and the OB did say that as long as we took it easy, we can still do it."
"Silly me," he scolded. Unzipping her skirt, he pulled it up and over her head and shoulders, and threw it down, to leave her totally nude in his lap save the garter belt and stockings. He couldn't stifle the groan that escaped his lips at the feel of her hands walking over his front, unfastening his pants with an agonizing slowness.
Supporting her legs, he guided them to brace them over the arms of the chair, and pull her onto him. He walked the chair forward so her backside was resting between the desk's edge and his body, trapping her in place. Teasingly he slipped inside her, a bit at a time, savoring each inch he entered hot desire. Of course he and Shannon had made love while she was pregnant with both Nicholas and Sophie, but considering Terri's recent injuries he had avoided vaginal intercourse till now, for fear of hurting her bruised ribs or ankle.
In the hottub or pool it was easy enough to take her on his lap, so she was reinforced against him, and neither one leaned on the other to put pressure in awkward places. In the comforts of a sturdy office chair, it was equally safe for her. He rocked with a slow but potent rhythm up into her, as she rolled her hips in perfect unison to bolster his efforts.
"This is longer then five," she laughed between frenzied gasps.
"Five, ten, fifteen… perhaps longer," he winked, taking his time to work them both into a blissful release. Her exposed breasts he bathed with his lips and tongue, nibbling and working her to additional levels as she rubbed his neck and shoulders with her expert touch.
"And I thought I was tense," she clicked her tongue. "You're worse then me…"
"Not quite baby," he whispered, stopping his rocking for a moment and reaching up to finger the back of her neck with his own hands. Terri let out a momentary cry of pain as his fingers moved over a sensitive knot. He eased it out slowly, releasing the tension in degrees that seemed to untie the band that constricted her shoulders.
"Guilty as charged," she moaned, and worked down his back as they were joined intimately, exploring the muscles up and down each other's spines. Along with the release in back tension, their own orgasmic release flooded both their anticipating bodies.
"Ohh god," they groaned almost together, the wave flooding high over their heads as it crested and left them in its wake, cuddled together in his office chair.
"I forgot to tell you what I came in here to say…" she laughed when the moment had passed, and they were both glowing in satisfaction.
"Well you came all right, but what did you want to tell me?" Gene joked.
"I forgot… wait… well I was talking to Calen today. Just having lunch… and it really hit me how much things have changed over the past year, and yet it's like this is… normal…"
"That's quite a realization," he laughed, pulling out of her gently as she tried to get up. He held her hips to steady her, and gently boosted her to sit on his desk while they sponged themselves off with a few tissues he had on the desktop.
"I know it sounds cheesy, but I'm just so… comfortable, and yet it blows my mind just what it all means..."
"I'm glad to know you're comfortable. And it's my job to see that you stay that way… and make you even more comfortable when you most need it love," he whispered seductively, his gaze darkening again.
"It's my job too," she smiled, leaning forwards and pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
"I just suddenly remembered something else I had to tell you," Gene said, leaning over and picking up her discarded clothes.
"What sort of something?" she laughed, as she put her bra and blouse on again. Gene put himself back together as well.
"Another way you could relax. Other then wonderful ways like this, you might consider sunbathing. Masseuse always recommended it for me, and I thought you'd like to give it a try, since you love swimming…"
"Well I'm not into cooking my skin…" she groaned.
"Well it's better then tanning salons, and there's more. The more of your body exposed to the warm California sun, the more relaxed you'd be."
"Are you suggesting I sunbathe in the altogether?" she laughed.
"Why not? It's not like anybody's going to do anything to you… not if I can help it…"
"Other then a little interruption?" she joked, eliciting a chuckle from Gene. "Wouldn't that be a 'distraction' for you in here, knowing I’m out there, naked, every inch exposed?"
"I'd consider it incentive," Gene laughed, helping her to stand as she wriggled into her skirt again and he zipped it up for her.
"It'll take some getting used to," Terri admitted. "I usually don't go in the altogether without you with me…"
"You have a beautiful body. No sense in hiding it from yourself or me…" Gene said, giving Terri a playful swat on the butt.
"Okay you win, I'll give it a try…" Terri said. "But I'll do it in my own way…"
"That's my lady," Gene grinned.
**********************************
Later that afternoon, Terri wandered out into the backyard by the shimmering
water of the pool. She felt the warm sun beaming down on her face,
closing her eyes for a moment to feel the kiss of its radiance. In
her hand she carried a few magazines, and in the other a bottle of sunblock.
Sitting the lotion onto the glass topped shade table; she tossed the magazines next to them. She still couldn't believe what she was about to do, alone. All she could see were the leafy green trees ringing the perimeter, through which she could see the high stone wall Gene had around his yard. The path to the guesthouse snaked and meandered from the pool to its front doors, amidst the other pool and patio furniture. Taking a deep breath she pulled a folding chair into the direct path of the sun, and stepped out of her sandals. She rolled her shoulders, and spanned her arms high above her head. Then she breathed in and out, reaching for the belt of her silky robe. IN a whisper of fabric she undid the belt and slowly shimmied out of the garment, letting it fall to her ankles in one swift movement. On her bared skin the cold breeze momentarily blew, causing the goose pimples to rise. A moment later and the warmth of the sun kissed her bared chest and thighs as warmly as it had caressed her face.
Sighing, she sat down on the chair, and took the lotion in hand. She began to rub the sunblock slowly in ever widening circles over her shoulders, then down her breasts to her stomach. She finished over her thighs and buttocks, trying to reach every inch she could. Finally she lay down, and took the magazine in hand. Leafing through it she peered at the technology section, and leaned back.
Warmer and warmer the sun beamed down on her bared legs. Terri tossed the magazine down and lay back in the chair, letting her arms dangle. Her eyes shut behind the sunglasses and she tried to picture each photon of light being absorbed by her skin. It felt as if each particle imbued more and more warmth, so she was set to a warm toasty blaze.
After a time she turned onto her stomach, and folded her hands.
Down her back, the sun spread its warmth and she felt herself slipping
into sleep. Surely, it wouldn't hurt to just take a nap, after all
her skin was olive like Paul and Gene's, and she tanned easily. Terri
shivered as a cold breeze blew across her path of hotness, and muttered.
She turned over on to her back again, letting her front take more rays
to even out what tan she must be getting. No tan lines, she inwardly
thought. No unnatural tanning booths or anything else, just good
old-fashioned sunlight. SPF 15 would screen enough to keep her from
any burns, but not so much that she remained pale.
Something jolted her, because she could swear she heard a movement
in the bushes. Straightening up she looking back and forth, her hand
folding over her bared breasts reflexively. There came a loud chirping
and tweeting of some angry birds that fluttered from one tree to another.
She saw a ground squirrel skitter across the concrete of the pool's edge,
then dive into the bushes.
"Silly, I'm just hearing things. Who the hell would dare look in here? After all they'd be disappointed," she laughed. Satisfied she was alone; she let herself bask in the remaining sunlight.
**********************************************
"Mmm mm, looking hot doll," someone's husky voice greeted her later,
out of a sound sleep.
"You're blocking my rays," Terri joked as she saw the sun temporarily eclipsed by a tall figure.
"Just admiring the view," Gene laughed. "You're getting a very nice tan, if I do say so myself…"
"I always had this type of skin," Terri smiled, leaning back and turning over.
"Need a little more lotion?" he asked in a deep seductive voice. She laughed when she heard the squirt of the bottle, and felt the smoothing of his hands over her back.
Gene moved away for a moment to feast his eyes on her nude form. He was clearly enjoying himself as much as she was, perhaps even more. "I love this," she sighed, and stretched. "It feels very relaxing indeed. I'll have to thank your masseuse…"
"Mmm," Gene laughed, and sat down next to her. Out of the path of the sun, she noticed he was wearing nothing but a bathrobe as well. Already the sun had crept lower, to about the level of the upper stories of Gene's main home, and would soon disappear behind it.
"It's later then I thought," she muttered.
"About five," Gene said. He stood up, and let the robe drop from his shoulders. She admired him for a few minutes, wearing no more then she was. Except for a smile and his own sunglasses.
Terri watched as he strode over to the pool and leapt in over the side in a graceful dive. Under the blue and white ripples his body shot to the other side, then back again. Warm concrete under her toes she strode up to the edge, and peered down in. With a whoosh and hiss of spray Gene surfaced for breath, glancing up at her with a wide smile.
"C'mon in, the water's fine," Gene coaxed.
"You asked for it," she laughed, and took two steps back. She dashed forward, and twisted her body into a dive. There was only a small splash as she shot past Gene and surfaced, legs flailing under the water while she swam on her side.
They spent the rest of the evening swimming and playing water games.
The sun slipped well behind Gene's home before they even emerged for a
late dinner.
Incentive indeed. Very promising incentive. Especially since making love in a swimming pool put no stress on her body at all.
On Thursday, Gene and Terri had just come in from a particularly satisfying swim together. As she walked through the French doors in a terrycloth robe, she smelled the aroma of steak wafting through the dining area.
"Is that you or the cook?" she asked.
"Actually me," Gene said. "You go in and find a good movie to watch, and we can have a nice quiet dinner together…"
"It's a dirty job but someone has to do it," she joked.
"I know. So scoot… and pick something we haven't seen in a while… or that you've never seen before…"
Terri headed out to the living room area equipped with the HDTV and DVD player. She punched the power button on the remote, and began to graze channels. She settled on the Discovery channel while she slid open the DVD cabinet. Poking through the DVD discs, she perused the titles.
No ideas sprang to mind; at least nothing sparked her mood. She hunted through the VCR and old betamax cassettes for a second perusal. Finally, she settled on one of her anime videos, Armitage III, which she knew Gene might go for. Especially considering it had a sexy sleek leading lady and an element of horror to it. He wasn't as into Anime as she was, but he was perfectly willing to settle down and watch Dirty Pair or Cutie Honey, or the Anime with the shapely female leads. Terri collected Anime like Gene collected Horror. She already had amassed close to over two hundred different Anime features and episodes.
"If you can drool over playboy I can drool over Fist of the North Star," she joked.
"I will watch Mason Nikoko again… or perhaps those girls in Tenchi," Gene said as he set a tray down on the coffee table. "Anime again?"
"Why not?" she asked. "I'm in an action/adventure mood, and this one fills all the criteria… since you're hell-bent on Horror…"
He grinned as she held up Vampire Hunter D, and settled down. He patted the sofa next to him as she put in the tape, and feasted her eyes on the dinner he had prepared. Grilled steak, sweet potatoes with plenty of brown sugar and cinnamon, and baby carrots filled her nostrils with olfactory delight.
Readily she and Gene dug into their dinner with relish, until most of the steak was completely gone. The movie was halfway through when they were finally finished. He took her plate, and excused himself to get the next course. "I hope you saved some room for desert," he winked.
"Of course," she smiled back. "Don't take too long…"
"I will endeavor to comply," he nodded, and disappeared into the recesses of the dining room.
Terri turned off the tape so Gene would not miss anything. Figuring he might be gone longer then 5 minutes, she turned to TV mode. She flipped from the infomercial about Torso Tiger, onto the local UPN station. AT the sound of "EXTRA, EXTRA!" she rolled her eyes and was about to change the channel.
A frizzy blond anchor sat next to a young guy with a bad haircut and crisp suit. Terri chuckled when she saw the blouse on the woman was the sort you could almost see her chest through, it was sheer and light. She began to chirp in a very irritating manner about celebrity do's and don'ts. Terri grumbled in disgust, and was about to flip the channel when she saw the next don't presented in living color.
"Now you have heard the old saying, only In Beverly can you swim in your own pool without being seen. Well apparently, the Simmons household has taken this one step further. We have some rather revealing pictures where Gene's beauty bares all…"
"Holy shit," Terri gasped, the remote dropping from her hand. Shock flooded her and rooted her to the spot.
"Gene!" she screamed. "Get your ass in here! I don't believe this!"
"What the hell's wrong baby…?" Gene asked, rushing in. "You sound like…"
"Look," she whispered, pointing at the screen. Gene's dark eyes squinted, then widened in disbelief at what they saw.
"National Enquirer reporters sneaked these daring pictures of Gene's new girl, apparently bathing in the buff. Ouch, don't forget the SPF 45, girl!" the woman jeered.
"The moral of this little tale is, when you Take It Off, you can always count on being Paralyzed, especially with a risqué Exciter like this. Next time honey, remember the world is Watching You!"
"I can't fucking believe this…" Terri stammered, sickness squirming in her stomach.
"Son of a fucking goddamned bitch!" Gene roared at the screen. He was livid, dark eyes blazing with fury as he rushed off and grabbed the cordless telephone.
"Oh my god… no way," Terri shook her head, and sank to the couch. She buried her head in her lap, feeling hot tears singe her eyes.
Angrily Gene yelled into the phone, the din fading into Terri's ears as senseless clutter. It seemed as if the world had become a dark foreboding place, closing in around her. Only in a country like America could some jerk sell pictures of her for money to show on national television. Naturally, they had censored her features with their usual blurs, but just knowing it was she was maddening.
"I don't care who the fuck I have to take down! I'm gonna wring that pencil dick's fucking neck for this!" Gene bellowed. "Nobody spreads that shit around, especially about my woman damn them!"
Still livid, Gene clicked off the phone, and began to punch buttons violently. He sat down next to Terri, pulling her close to him as she huddled in continued shock. This couldn't be happening to her, could it? She willed her mind to be a million miles away, but just couldn't accomplish that feat to save her life.
"Hello… yes… Joe… did you check the security tape?" Gene asked. "What? You did see someone on film the other day? What did he look like?"
"I was sure it was a man… I mean the security cameras did pick up someone coming and going, but whoever it was, they were fast…"
"Hang on Joe, I've got an incoming call," Gene growled. Clicking the button, he listened, before saying, "Yeah, Paul? You saw it too, right?"
Terri shivered against Gene, who stroked her shoulder reassuringly as he and Paul spoke, "Yeah… she's right here. I just called our publicity people, and our lawyers to get things in motion to find out who did this… I don't the fuck care, I want to break his neck Paul!"
"Gene…" Teri whispered, glancing up at him.
"What sweetheart?" he asked. "Yes, she's right here…"
"Gene… what are you going to do?" she asked.
"Hang on Paul…" he said, and then turned Terri to face him. "I'm going to sue those bastards, sweetheart. They're going to have to bleed to death to get this stain off their record…"
"But Gene the backlash will be even worse!" Terri cried. "What good would that accomplish?"
"Darling, they're going to have to listen to me," Gene said calmly.
"Gene, I'm no expert, but that's probably what that asshole was trying to do. We would be giving him what he wants… to stir up muck!"
"I've had a lot of experience dealing with piss-ants like this," Gene said. "Don't worry…"
"Gene, instead of getting mad, why don’t we get even?" Teri asked.
"How?"
"Find out who did it, and nail him. Then make him give us the photos and demand that he make a public apology to me, and to you!"
"Wait…" Gene said. "I like that idea, sweetie… but how do you propose to accomplish that?"
"You can still use your lawyers to find out the name of the reporter. Then you and I can figure out some scheme to give him a taste of his or her own medicine… can't we?"
"Hmm…" Gene said slowly, and let a smile cross his face. "We can."
"I know if we put our heads together you and I can think of some perfectly twisted and demented way to get even," Terri continued.
Before long, they heard a knock at the front door, and Gene left her side to answer it. Terri leaned back in the sofa, shivering as she waited. In the background, she could hear the familiar voices of Paul and Veronica, who soon strode in after Gene.
"Are you okay?" Veronica asked, sitting down next to Terri. "Shit… those assholes…"
"I'll survive…" Terri groaned. Gene sat down, slipping a protective arm around her as Paul sat down in the sectional next to Veronica.
"Terri I'm so sorry baby," Paul groaned. "I guess you got the shit end of the stick…"
"I promise they'll pay," Gene growled. "Won't they?"
"If I were you I'd go to those assholes offices and threaten to rip them a few new ones if they don’t' hand over the pictures, and apologize…" Veronica fumed. "God damn them."
"Well I was going to do that, but Terri here said something about getting even…"
"I think that's even better," Veronica grinned eagerly. "What did you have in mind…"
"I'm trying to think…" Terri sighed.
"Are you sure you don't wanna just let the lawyers and publicists handle this?" Paul asked them. "I don't like the sound of this…"
"I can't rest till this asshole gets a feeling for what I am feeling right now," Terri snarled. "I want him to be scared to walk out and feel like he's in a damned fishbowl."
"Terri this doesn't sound like you at all," Paul protested.
"I'm only doing what I think is right," Terri said. "I want to make a statement about this shit…"
"I don't blame you, sweetheart, if this is what you want, I'm going to help you any way I can…" Gene promised.
"Gene… are you sure man?" Paul asked him. "This sounds stone cold serious… I don't think people are gonna like…"
"I hate this already. Only in America can they get away with this shit!" Terri snapped. "And only in America can you sometimes find a way of outsmarting sons of bitches like that…"
"But they were just nude photos," Paul groaned. "This shit happens all the time…"
"It's invasion of privacy…"
"They'll claim you're in the public domain," Paul protested.
"Well arguing it out in court is just as pointless. I'll only be satisfied when the shit who took these pictures apologizes to my face, on television," Terri nodded firmly.
"You go womyn," Veronica told her. "If you need to borrow a pair of pliers…"
"Veronica, we are not pinching any more balls, please?" Paul groaned. Both men winced in mutual agony at the mental image that entailed.
"Although some sort of verbal castration wouldn’t' be too far off," Terri nodded.
"Well tomorrow morning I'm going down to Extra's office with some of our lawyers and we're gonna find out who took these pictures… then go from there…" Gene nodded.
"Well that will be what he thinks is the only recrimination then," Terri nodded. "After we have a name, then we can move on…"
"Operation ass kick goes into motion," Veronica winked.
"Man this is gonna be a long night," Paul groaned.
Just then, the telephone rang, and Gene picked it up, "Hello… oh Calen… yeah you saw it too? Sons of bitches…"
"Well another concerned customer," Paul teased.
"Well yeah I'm gonna call my lawyers, babe. But Teri here… she has a plan to get even. Yeah… I was a little surprised… but I was wondering if we could count on your help… great! Yes we're fine. Paul and his womyn… yes with a 'y' are here…. Well what can I say? I have that effect of people…"
"Sounds like we've got another person in on the plan…" Veronica commented.
"Yeah, so like, it would be great if we had one," Paul commented. "No offense baby, but people usually have a plan when they're plotting revenge…"
"I'll think of one, by then," Terri assured them.
****************************************************
Finally, they did get some rest, as Gene curled up next to Terri in
their expansive bed. She hugged her knees, shivering. Gene
wrapped himself around her as he did many times before, whispering into
her ear in an attempt to distract her.
"Any ideas yet, sweetie?" he asked her.
"I hoped I'd dream of some…" she sighed. "Gene, am I blowing this out of proportion?"
"Does a bear shit in the woods?" Gene laughed. "Or does a KISS groupie scream 'aww fuck me'?"
"I guess it's pretty obvious then I'm justified," Terri nodded, staring into the darkness of the room.
"Well from where I stand… or lie rather, you have every right to be as pissed as me. And I must say it's an interesting change of pace to be plotting revenge in a different way then damn court battles…"
"What if we get caught Gene?"
"We don't," Gene answered. He tugged her shoulder and Terri turned over onto her back. In the dim light cast by the digital clock, they glanced up at their reflections over the bed. She felt so tired and so vulnerable, peering up at her shadowed face staring down at her.
"I hope not…" she sighed. "Damn I feel so angry…. Like I want to scream. Like something very valuable was taken away from me… and I'll never get it back."
"Your privacy, I take it, right doll?" Gene asked, stroking her hair and kissed the back of her neck tenderly.
"Yes. Everyone will see those pictures of me naked… and… this is so stupid. I mean hell Shannon was seen naked…"
"She did it because she felt it was something she wanted to do," Gene said. "No one asked you for that privilege. You have nothing to be ashamed of, but this jerk has everything to be ashamed of. A woman has the right to bare her body on her own terms."
"Right. I'm not even going to see any damn money for this… I know that sounds twisted…"
"No… but you are going to find some resolution."
"I hope…"
"C'mere…" Gene whispered, pulling her to him in the darkness. "You might not get your privacy back, but you'll get something else in return…"
"What?" she whispered as his legs tangled in hers, his arms wrapping protectively around her in the darkness.
"Respect. From all of us who see you make a stand against this shit," Gene said seriously. "I'm very proud of you Terri… and together we'll figure out a plan…"
"Your demented sick mind and mine?" she joked.
"Exactly," Gene laughed. She felt him gently teasing her lips, and pulling her close to him in an all-encompassing embrace. Their chests pressed together skin contacting skin, and Terri had a strange thought. Within her, that baby was growing steadily larger every day, and each embrace they shared seemed to cement what had been created. Odd that while he was embracing her he was also embracing that which they had made together in their new bond.
Terri also promised herself that whatever had to do about the issue; this child would not suffer the fate of other celebrity children. Shannon had done well with Nicholas and Sophie, and this was going to be as good as she could make it.