You Only Die Twice

Chapter SEVEN





Patty Jennings woke that morning alone.

She was flat on her back, the covers were pulled close to her face, and she was sore, unusually so.

She looked to her right and wondered what time he left. Or if, in fact, he had left. He might be in the living room or in the kitchen, but she doubted it. During the few times in her life that she’d taken home a man, they usually just left, which Patty didn’t mind. She preferred it when they left. No awkward good-byes that way. No lies that they’d see each other again. No being set up for disappointment.

She laid there for a minute and tried to remember the night before. She and Cheryl went to The Grind. It was her thirtieth birthday, she remembered coaxing Cheryl to do shots with her, and then she met―what was his name? Jake? Jack? She couldn’t remember. Whatever his name was, she met him when she came out of the bathroom and while he was younger than she, she couldn’t help noticing that he was awfully good looking and built.

Though her head was still foggy from not enough sleep and too much alcohol, what she also remembered is that he was a powerhouse last night. Young or not, he was so good in bed, so masculine for his age and in control, that she let him have his way with her, which he did. And did again. Was there a third time? She thought back, remembered there was and couldn’t help a smile.

“Finally,” she said aloud, “I’ve lived up to my reputation. Good for me.”

She swung the covers off her, used the bathroom, thought of giving Cheryl a call to apologize for leaving her last night, but decided she’d do it after she made coffee and fully woke up.

What was it? Saturday? She looked at the time on the clock next to her bed and saw that it was just past nine. Knowing Cheryl, she’d still be in bed. Always the late sleeper, but not today. Today, Patty wanted to take her to lunch because she felt guilty for ending the night without her. She decided to call her in an hour and see if she was interested.

If she’s not, I’ll bring lunch to her.

She went into the kitchen, which was so bright with sunlight, it hurt. She made her way to the coffee machine and found a note waiting for her there. She didn’t have her glasses, but the idea that he’d left her a note was kind of sweet. She went into the living room, reached for her glasses on a side table, put them on and read.

“Last night was fun,” it said. “Very hot. I’ve left something for you. Go to this Web address: http://on.fb.me/kCZNl3 Hope to see you out again soon so you can let me know what you think of it. ―Jack. P.S., When you took my load, I knew I found the right one.”

She stared at the last sentence in surprise. Had she done that? She never did that. How messed up had she been last night? Had they even used condoms?

She went into her bedroom, turned on the computer sitting on her secretary, and while she waited for it to start up, she looked for evidence of condoms around the bed and in the bed, but there weren’t any. She checked the bathroom. Nothing, not even used wrappers in the waste basket. Could he have flushed them? She knew better than that. What man cleaned up after himself, especially after sex?

She wasn’t concerned about a potential pregnancy because Patty Jennings was unable to conceive children. What frightened her was the potential of contracting an STD.

What have I done?

She ran a hand through her hair and wondered how she could have been so careless. She had her share of drinks last night, but she’d certainly had more in the past and they hadn’t affected her like those drinks had. Did someone buy her a drink? It was possible, but she wasn’t sure. If they did―if he did―did he slip something into it?

He must have.

She remembered most of the evening, but not all of it, which worried her. Like what he said in his note about what she did. She couldn’t imagine ever doing that. She was no prude―she believed that consenting adults could do whatever they wanted to do behind closed doors. It’s just that doing that wasn’t her thing and frankly, she considered it dangerous.

Still, she couldn’t ignore it. She needed to be tested. Patty Jennings knew she had a reputation for being a lot of things, much of which were negative and not of her own making, but she also knew that at her core, she was a good person who never would put someone else’s life at risk without being tested first. So, she’d be tested. Decision made.

She went back to the kitchen, made a cup of coffee, took his note and went to her computer. She opened a browser and typed in the Web address he’d written down.

When the page refreshed, it altered the course of Patty Jennings’ life.