London Bitches

Prologue

~~~~~~

~~~~~~ Kansas ~~~~~~

~~~~~~

Farmers call it Harvest Moon

Big

Bright

Buttery

Too late in the year to be standing naked on a raft in the middle of a pond.

But that’s exactly what they were doing.

Five girls.

One boy.

Huddled around a fat fluttering candle inside a Mayonnaise jar.

Oldest girl held The Oath.

Boy held the knife.

Cut his arm first; left one … closest to the heart!

Six-inch long shallow slice on the back of his forearm; half-way between wrist and elbow.

Nothing more than a scratch really; just enough to bleed.

Oldest girl got the next cut. The tall blond amazon with crystal blue eyes that captured moonlight and seemed to glow didn’t even flinch when he sliced her arm; her twin sister cried.

Last two girls closed their eyes; gritted their teeth; didn’t really feel it.

The boy wiped his Buck Knife with his fingers and folded it shut; held it tight.

Oldest girl unrolled the swath of parchment that was really a piece of brown grocery sack wadded and water-stained to look old and mysterious. Other four girls held the candle lamp up so she could read the painstakingly precise calligraphy composed by the two youngest sisters and hand-written by the still whimpering girl. First the girl read a phrase; then they all recited it in unison.

The Grace Of Almighty God,

Has Brought Us Together.

Though We Be Of Different Bloods,

Brother And Sisters

Are We Meant To Be.

By This Sacred Oath,

And The Joining Of Our Bloods,

We Bind Together Our Hearts,

As God Has Bound Together Our Family.

What God Has Thus Joined Together,

No Person Or Thing

On Earth,

In Heaven,

Or Hell,

Can Ever Break Apart;

Even Unto

The Death Of Us All.

Amen.

The boy raised his bloody arm; girls raised theirs.

They mashed their arms together so their bloody cuts joined together.

Boy spoke first. You are my sisters; I am your brother.

Girls followed; each saying the binding words. You are my brother and sisters; I am your sister.

Then they put the Oath parchment into a plastic sandwich bag; mashed the air out; zipped it shut; rolled it up; crammed it into a wine bottle already half-filled with pea gravel; hammered in a greased cork; screwed on an aluminum cap; dribbled candle wax on the cap; tossed it into the pond; out toward the deepest part; figuring that somebody would find it in about a million years and think they were pretty cool!

Then they jumped into the water.

Lafe had pulled the raft to the small fishing pier for them to walk onto and ride back out naked but still dry; they’d put it back in the middle of the pond by hand-over-handing the anchor rope. Swimming back naked seemed like the perfect way to seal the deal; until they hit the water!

"SHIT this is COLD!" Raylee screeched.

Lulu just shivered and tried to paddle to shore fast as she could!

Bea and Suzi clamped themselves together and giggled along behind her.

Kaylee was in a blind, thrashing panic because the water was deeper than her knees; Lafe held her with one arm and swam with the other!

Took them about thirty seconds to hit dry land; another minute to dry off and get dressed and get a big fire going!

"Told you we shoulda done this shit on the Fourth Of July!"

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Chapter One

~ * Then * ~

"I just don’t see why you got to go all the way out there just for more college."

"It’s not just more college, mother. It’s Law School … and UCLA is one of the best in the country … and they offered me a scholarship …"

"But it’s so far away!"

Ol’Woman’s eyes were wet. Like she was going to cry. But Ol’Woman never cried! Well … except when Poppa died!

"I’m not going away forever. I’ll come back for visits whenever I can."

"Came home lots when you was at State."

"Well … California is a little bit further away than Topeka … but it’s not like I’m going away and never coming back."

"Might as well be. You’re all grown up now. Ready to strike out on your own … make your way in the world. Next time you come home … probably be to bury me."

"Oh … mother …" Now they were both leaking tears. "I’ll come home between semesters … I promise. And you …" They hugged hard. "You’re going to live … forever!"

*~ Now ~*

Washington

D.C.

Ol’Woman’s dying …

She listened to the voice mail again, but the only part she seemed capable of hearing was: Ol’Woman’s dying.

Kicked off her shoes, shrugged out of her suit jacket and blouse, dropped her skirt to the floor, poured a glass of wine, drank it, poured another, sat down behind her office desk in her bra and pantyhose and listened to the message again.

Raylee, it’s Lafe. You need to come home soon as you can get here. Ol’Woman’s dying. She’s in the hospital. In a coma. Don’t know how long she’ll last. Next stroke’ll likely finish her off. Called ZuBe and Lu. Ain’t got no number for Kaylee. Call me back when you can.

Ol’Woman’s dying …

Just didn’t seem possible. Ol’Woman, as they had always called their mother, was barely pushing seventy; she couldn’t be dying; she was supposed to live forever … wasn’t she?

And Lafe …

Lafe had called!

She hadn’t heard from Lafe Cantrell in ages.

Now … he was calling!

An hour later, her cell chimed in her hand. Thought it was Lafe. Hoped that it was. Prayed it wasn’t.

Wasn’t.

Another voice mail.

Think I found your girl.

Madeline Petrechelli didn’t know whether to cry, laugh …

Or just jump out the fucking window!

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Chapter Two

~ * Then * ~

"This place is your home, for as long as you want it to be."

He just looked at her; the hard woman with kind eyes. Didn’t really trust her; didn’t really need to. Heard this kind of bullshit before.

"You don’t know us, not yet. Give us a little while; see if we grow on you some. But this ain’t no charity, son. You gotta work just like the rest of us. That’s what we do here, on th’farm. We take care of th’land; land takes care of us. Ain’t fancy. Not much sparkle. But we’re a family, and we take care of each other. We talked it over, me’n’Poppa and th’girls. You’re welcome to stay long as you want. And you’re free to go whenever you feel like you need to. Now get on in yonder and wash up for supper." She pinched his skinny arm gently. "Let’s start puttin’ some meat on them long bones of yours. I’ll put fresh sheets on th’bed and towels in th’cabinet." She hugged him one more time. "Welcome home, son. You’ll always have a place here … long as you want it."

*~ Now ~*

Pulido

Kansas

Lafe opened another beer and looked up at the big buttery moon and almost cried. Ol’Woman was as real a mother to him as the woman who’d birthed him, cared for him as best she could, then up and died on him. Now Ol’Woman was passing too.

Be gone soon … for keeps!

He’d be alone … again!

Three sisters were already here … wouldn’t stay!

Raylee would come soon; probably bring Kaylee with her … wouldn’t stay either!

The London Bitches weren’t farm girls.

Never were.

Never would be.

Lafe dropped the empty beer can back into his lunch sack, pissed on the dusty ground and then climbed back up into the tractor cab. With a little luck, he could finish early tonight. Maybe get four hours sleep before he had to start up again with the rising sun.

Four hours sleep …

Hell of a lot less than he needed.

Hell of a lot more than he’d been getting.

No wonder th’girls blew outta here soon as they could!

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Chapter Three

~ * Then * ~

"Gimme my dollar back, retard!"

Kaylee hunkered up in a corner of the school yard and cried. Just like she always did. It was all she knew to do.

"You get th’fuck on outta here, Perry Gordon! I mean right NOW!"

"You don’t scare me none, Raylee London. Retard said I could see her pussy hair for a dollar … and she ain’t even got no hair …"

Raylee hit him!

Hard!

Right smack in the nose!

Not a girly hit; she splattered his snot-locker like a ripe berry!

Then kicked him square in the nuts!

Hard as she could!

And while he was laying on his back trying to suck in air that wouldn’t come, she dropped down with her kneecaps on his chest and growled into his ear, "You ever come near my sister again, I’ll cut your nuts off and feed‘em to the crows. You believe me, don’t you Perry Gordon?"

He couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t speak. But his eyes screamed YES!

*~ Now ~*

Baltimore

Maryland

Her soles stuck and sucked loose with every step she took across the dilapidated hotel’s lobby.

Piss.

Puke.

Shit.

God only knows what else.

She hardly even noticed!

Short, smelly fat guy behind the wire-screened counter watched the tall, lithe woman coming towards him like she was a gazelle strolling into a lion’s den; and he was king of the jungle!

He was not.

She slapped a photo down on the sticky desk and asked, She here?

Short smelly fat guy never looked at the picture; the tall drink of water staring at him claimed his full attention. Sparkling eyes that seemed to shift between dark green and some flavor of violet bringing to mind smoldering fire; long auburn hair twisted up in a bun behind her head; face hard-boned like a statue that had just come to life; black leather jacket loose over a tight sweater; dark jeans even tighter; shoes low-heeled boots practically bragging of asses already kicked. Could make some serious bank with that rack, hon.

She leaned in, grabbed double hands-full of his reeking flannel shirt and literally growled into his scraggly bearded face, Listen, fuckface. One call, this shithole closes up until they implode it into a parking lot and you spend the rest of your stupid fucking life as some lifer’s bitch while your pissant court-appointed lawyer who just got out of night-law-school pulls his hair out trying to chew through all the paper I’m going to write on your sorry fat ass. IS? SHE? HERE?

Two … oh … three.

Thanks. She pushed him back. Elevator work?

Not in my lifetime.

She hurried up the stairs. He made a call. She just might put him in the joint, but Big-Bad most certainly would cut one of his nuts off if he didn’t call!

Short, big-boobed woman on the bottom was naked; gone-to-seed man on top was still wearing his white tank-T undershirt, white boxers, black knee-socks and black wing-tips. His white dress shirt, black suit jacket and trousers were neatly folded over a ratty chair with a broken leg. He kept pumping away on her twin sister while she lifted the fucker’s wallet and dumped the contents out on his humping ass. Blow your load in her without a rubber and I’ll rip your nuts off with my fingernails and make you eat’em.

The banker screamed and jumped to his feet! "Who are you?"

"I would say Your worst nightmare, but that’s so done to death. She picked up all the folding money from the bed, and his credit cards. I’ll keep these; pick up the rest and get th’fuck out of here before you end up on tomorrow morning’s news."

But … the portly gentleman hopped around as he tried to put his pants on without sitting down or removing his shoes. "That’s my money! My credit cards!"

Cancel the cards, write the cash off as business expenses … like you were going to do anyway. She stepped over and squeezed his flabby face. "I know who you are now, fuckhead; ever see you again, you better drop dead from a heart attack before I cross the street to kick your dead ass into the gutter … got it?"

Yyyyeeesss …

She let go of his face and the chubby little chump ran out like a rat with his tail on fire!

Hey sis, Kaylee called meekly from the bed upon which she still lay spread-eagle and limp like she was waiting for her next ride of the evening.

Wasted! Hey sis, She called back and stuck out her hand. Come on, we’re going home. Ol’Woman’s sick.

"Sick?"

Yeah. You drunk or stoned?

I’m …

"She’s mine!" A big, deep voice boomed from behind Madeline Petrechelli’s back.

She Slipped her hand into her jacket pocket just as the large man spun her around and grabbed her arms.

Picked the wrong night to be playing Wonder Woman, bitch.

Madeline smashed her forehead into the big fellow’s nose, jammed her Taser into his crotch and squeezed the trigger when his hands shot to his face. He flew back into the doorjamb like a huge invisible hand had swatted him across the room. Collapsed unconscious.

Madeline stepped over and gave him one of her best Karate kicks square upside his big melon head. "Not playing Wonder Woman, bitch … I AM Wonder Woman!"

Big Bad … Kaylee whimpered … then vomited!

Dead gorilla in the doorway, Cyrus Stubblefield laughed. Ain’t that a Travis Tritt song?

Beats me, don’t know Hip Hop. Madeline started gathering up her sister’s clothes, pitifully few though they were. Thought you were going to wait in the car.

Thought you might need a little help getting your girl down the stairs.

Thought you didn’t want the desk scuzz to see your face.

He went home.

To the sewer?

Philadelphia.

Nice there this time of the year.

No it’s not.

Sorry … guess I was thinking of Hawaii.

"Tahiti … where all the women let their big brown titties sway in the warm sea breeze and a man can wander down main street butt ass naked with a hard-on and nobody cares!"

She gave him a look.

Ok … maybe not that last part. Cyrus picked up the now scantily dressed Kaylee and threw her up over his shoulder like she was a hollow rag-doll … which she mostly was these days!

Kaylee threw up again.

Cyrus made sure it hit Big-Bad. Then kicked the puke-pile hard in the other side of his swelling head. You saw that, right?

Him attacking you? From the terror in your eyes, I’d swear that you were in mortal fear for your life.

Shoulda shot the sack of shit. He kicked the door shut. Oughtta set this shithole on fire.

Probably roast most of the Baltimore city government; not to mention the Maryland Legislature.

"So … you agree, then."

"I’m gonna be sick," Kaylee moaned softly.

Already are, sweetheart, Madeline answered just as softly as Cyrus started down the stairs.

You already are …

Cyrus pulled the big black Crown Victoria right up to the Hertz front door. You gonna be ok, hon?

Sure. Madeline leaned over and gave the big dark man a kiss on the cheek. "You’re not so bad … for a local hick cop, Captain Stubblefield."

Always happy to cooperate with the Feds, Stubblefield lied.

You just wanna bag my panties.

Since when you wear panties, Special Agent in Charge Petrechelli?

Twenty minutes later Madeline Petrechelli came screeching around the corner in a big black Mercury that looked an awful lot like the Crown Vic. Cyrus hauled Kaylee out of his car and put her in the rental with the gentleness of a man handling a sick child. Madeline gave him a hug. Go find one of your exes; you deserve a little happy tonight.

Juanita’s hubby’s outta town this week.

The orgasmic screamer?

Yeah, Cyrus grinned wide. Kids’re both in college now.

Go for it … make her Sing With The Angels!

Amen!

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Chapter Four

~ * Then * ~

"Don’t know what to do‘bout her no more," Ol’Woman said with her face buried in her hands.

"What’s th’big deal?" Lulu pretended not to notice the cold, hard sneers shooting her way. "She’s a little snockered … ain’t like she killed somebody or somethin’."

"She got drunk in school … passed out …"

"I’ll look after her," Raylee spoke up, squeezing Ol’Woman on the shoulder.

"So will we," Bea chimed in for her and Suzi.

"I’m in," Lafe nodded as if his concurrence was a foregone conclusion.

Lulu beamed a big smile; like the whole thing was over and done with.

"She may act dim and stupid, but she ain’t," Ol’Woman warned them about what they already knew. "She’s a wily one, that girl is. I just don’t know what’s got into her …"

"Bourbon," Lulu laughed; she was a little snockered herself.

Raylee slapped Lulu so hard that she rolled out of the chair and hit the floor with a mushy thump; laid there silently wondering where the freight train’d come from that’d just knocked her on her ass!

"Don’t hit your sister, Raylee," Ol’Woman said softly.

"Yes mam."

"Gotta quit giving her liquor, Lu."

"Wasn’t me," Lulu whined, trying to ignore the stars swirling in front of her eyes. "She was shitfaced when I found her, I tell you."

"Where’d she get it?"

"Dunno …"

"Well you better find th’fuck out, bitch!" Raylee pulled Lulu up to her feet. "You know more‘bout this shit than we do. So find out where she keeps getting it! This shit has got to stop!"

Ain’t gonna stop her by cutting off her source, Lulu thought to herself, she’ll just find another one. "No problem."

"Better not be."

But of course it was …

for the rest of Kaylee London’s pathetically short excuse for a life!

*~ Now ~*

Pulido

Kansas

"Mamma …" Kaylee whimpered softly as she hugged Ol’Woman and tried not to cry. Adeline London was unconscious; pale and shriveled up as old lunchmeat. Kaylee wasn’t in much better shape; except for the unconscious part … mostly!

Took you long enough to get here.

Long drive, Raylee shrugged with far more casualness than she felt. Dealing with a dying mother and her family was going to be a lot tougher than she’d admitted to herself!

Figured with all your money’n’such, you’d have your own jet plane. Lulu, Raylee’s Foster Sister, sniffed and turned her nose up a little. Just like them heathen movie stars.

Loaned it out to some Devil worshipers. Sarcasm was as good a defense as any with this bunch. Raylee sat down beside Kaylee; forced herself to take her mother’s hand. "She looks so … used up …"

Last stroke hit’er hard, said a soft, deep male voice from the door. Reckon she’s only hanging on‘til y’all got here.

Every eye in the small hospital room, except of course Ol’Woman’s, turned to the large figure silhouetted in the open doorway.

"Thought you was working," Lulu snotted and tried to push her nose up a little higher. Nobody paid her any attention, which was the worst insult they could’ve inflicted upon their self-righteous sibling.

Lafe stepped over and laid his hand over Raylee’s. She looked up at him with wet eyes. Why didn’t you tell us?

She wouldn’t have it. Didn’t want y’all coming and fussing over her. She was well looked after. Mrs. Sanchez and her daughters took good care of her. Ol’Doc Glenn says she likely ain’t coming back from this one, though. Thought y’all should know.

Lulu was about to say something catty again, but Raylee shot her a stone-cold Shut Th’Fuck Up! look that closed her down; for the moment. Kaylee laid over on her mother and began to weep. Lulu stood up and stepped closer. "Is she still … sick?"

"What?"

I don’t think it’s good for her to be that close. Lulu’s eyes were glued to Kaylee. "Ol’Woman’s not in no good shape to fight off nothing … catching."

Kaylee pretended not to notice her insult; though maybe she wasn’t really pretending at all. Raylee, on the other hand, stood up and balled her fist. Say that again, shithead.

Lulu took a step back.

Com’on now, Lafe tried to step between the girls; just like he’d always done.

The whole confrontation thing fell apart when Suzi and Bea came bubbling through the door with sacks of food and drink. Hey everybody!

Suzi London was tall, leggy and buff as an Olympic sprinter. Her jet-black Dutch Boy cut hair perfectly framed her dark green eyes, Goth-style make-up that included black lipstick & nail polish, and of course ridiculously heavy mascara. Her right arm sported a Snakes&Lilies tattoo sleeve. Diamond studs in her nose and silver rings on her eyebrows sparkled in the room’s stark fluorescent light. Little gold ball pinned to her tongue clicked against her teeth as she gasped, "My god, Raylee!"

"You look positively fabulous!" Bea London practically squealed as she jumped up and wrapped herself around her oldest sister. Bea was shorter than Suzi and Raylee, but perfectly sculpted and proportioned. She’d spent a lot of hours in gyms and surgeries re-making her body; the results were captivating to say the least. Her large brown eyes practically oozed mischief through their Egyptian Princess décor. Her massive curls of reddish blond hair with scarlet streaks somehow complimented her South-Of-The-Border complexion and unusually fastidious makeup.

Raylee got double hugs and kisses! Then Kaylee got pulled up and dosed with hugs and kisses, and seemed to notice for the first time that there were other people in the room.

Lafe got in on the hugging with Suzi under one arm, Bea under the other; his big hands squeezing their tushies (which always made them both squeal with delight!) and kisses that teetered on the brink of sisterly.

Lulu just sat back down in her vigil chair and sulked.

How was your trip?

Long.

They all looked at Kaylee, who was again leaning over her mother. Yeah … I bet …

Bea casually pulled Raylee towards the door while Suzi eased down beside Kaylee and stroked her tenderly. When they were out in the hall, and presumably out of earshot, Bea whispered, "How bad is she?"

Lafe said she’s dying …

"Kake."

"Oh … way past fucked up. Monkey’s got his fuckin’claws in deep this time. Sick the whole way. Why I drove. Figured I’d give her time to sober up. But she couldn’t hold anything down. We had to stop and change cars three times because she kept puking in‘em."

We thought she was doing well in that rehab place.

She was. But I had to go out of town for a month … she slipped out.

I know she’s your twin sister and all … but she looks like … twice as old as you …

You don’t even want to know what she was doing this time when I found her.

God, Raylee … we’re going to have to make some hard choices for her …

I know … this last place was supposed to be top notch.

Bet it cost you a fortune.

I can afford it …

"Yeah … but …"

I know … Raylee stepped over and sat down in a highly uncomfortable plastic chair; stared at her feet and mumbled, "I … know …"

Bea squatted down beside her sister. "Hey. You’re with us now. We’ll take the load for a while. We’ll keep an eye on her and Ol’Woman. When … this … is over with … we’ll figure out the next thing, ok."

Raylee sat and held her head in her hands for a few moments. Like she might be pushing back tears. But Raylee London never cried. Everybody who knew her knew that. You staying out at Th’Place?

Yeah. Got our old room. Had to shove out a couple of Lu’s brats. She and Slick Dick sucked up Ol’Woman’s room.

Don’t supposed there’s a motel around?

Not for a hundred miles or so.

"Hundred miles isn’t that far."

Go on out to Th’Place. Take Her Royal Lowness with you. Stake out a claim for your old room. Use a rubber hose if you have to.

"She bring all her kids?"

I guess … looks to be somewhere between eight to maybe a dozen or so … hard to tell … all look pretty much alike … except for the oldest … got a sweet young rack just begging to be played like a cheap fiddle!

Gonna burn in hell, girl.

"Yeah … why I’m living it up while I can."

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Chapter Five

~ * Then * ~

"Down in Texas, ranches all got names," Lafe said as they stared out through the hayloft at a magnificent setting sun. "Do that‘round here?"

"Don’t think so," Raylee answered. She liked lying next to him. Feeling him next to her. Smelling the sweat drying in his shirt. "Don’t call‘em ranches. Don’t even call‘em farms. Mostly, we just say … The Whatever Place."

"Whatever Place?"

"Yeah. Like: Th’Tillet Place. Or Th’Pearson Place. Get it?"

"Ok. So … this is Th’London Place."

"Yeah. Guess that’s what everybody else calls it. We just call it: Th’Place."

"Do that down in Texas too, ‘cept they say: Th’Ranch."

"We say: Th’Place."

"Yeah." He patted her on the ass. "Heard’bout that."

Raylee felt the heat of his hand all the way through her bluejeans; felt her panties getting a little wet … again! "Like it when you do that."

"This?" He patted her other butt cheek.

"Yeah."

"I like it too."

"You a dangerous boy, Lafe Cantrell?"

"Just might be. You a dangerous girl, Raylee London?"