Saint And Sinners (16 page)

The woman nodded in understanding as she ran her finger against an empty white teacup
setting on the table before her.

“They are so fascinating though, aren’t they?” she said in a whisper as she looked
dreamily into the living room. Her eyes glossed over as if she’d just seen an iridescent,
beckoning beauty that was invisible to others. Xenia could not only witness the love
in the older woman’s dark brown, expressive eyes that glittered and shined just so,
but she could also feel the energy radiating off of her profound soul that warmed
the entire kitchen, covering everything close by like a heated hug.

She adores that man so much…

“Yes, they
are
fascinating. You know…” Xenia tapped her finger along the table, slightly bunching
the table spread. “One of the things that strikes me, Kyung Mi, something that is
a part of this whole thing…” Xenia took a sip of her tea and set the cup back down.
“Before I met Saint, I believed in the unexplainable. Due to my journalism and news
reporting background from media school, that wasn’t what I could talk about on air.
I had to stick to facts early in my career. Then, when I had my own show that focused
on music celebrities, I had much more leeway. I’ve seen and heard all sorts of things,
some of which most people wouldn’t believe.” Xenia grazed her fingertips over her
collarbone as she glided into an array of innermost reflections.

“Before I met Saint, I had these unconventional notions. I think in some ways, it
was preparation for meeting a man such as himself. Anyway, I kept my little kooky
ideas to myself up until that point… but inside, yeah…” She grinned and shrugged.
“I’m the ‘Lochness Monster is real’ type of person. I had an open mind, but never
in my wildest dreams would I have believed that people like
him
,”—she lowered her voice to a whisper, looked briefly over her shoulder, then back
at Kyung Mi—“…and his father existed. There are so many wondrous things going on in
the world, much of which we know nothing about. It makes sense to me that God would
create people, just like you and me, that are a bit more in tune with the workings
of the human spirit, you know? That is how I see Saint. He is just more aware of his
soul surroundings, I guess we could say.”

“I am so grateful for this chat, Xenia.” The woman rubbed at her left eye and flashed
a grateful expression, as if a great gift had been given to her. Xenia squirmed in
her seat, resisting the urge to shower the woman with an avalanche of tender affection.
She didn’t want to draw the men’s attention. After all, this was a ‘ladies only’ meeting.
“You have really helped me. I have no one else to talk to.”

Xenia nodded and took another sip of her tea.

“Well that’s over with…
now
you
do
.”

Kyung Mi grinned, exposing her small teeth in a friendly, almost child-like smile.

“Tell me your philosophy on the existence of Angel Children.”

Whoa. Kyung Mi apparently fell into a soft comfort zone with Xenia faster than a comet
filled with rocket fuel. Her questions became more complex as she dug around for another
slice of understanding to devour. The woman was hungry, thirsting for the companionship
of another Angel Child’s wife, and someone who could listen to her objectively, in
a safe environment.

“Angel Children are here to help protect other people. They have a lot of rules they
must follow. There are all
sorts
of things going on that Saint himself doesn’t even quite understand but he is trying
and at the end of the day…you know what?”

“What?” The woman smiled at Xenia, hanging on to her every word.

Xenia paused, fearful that her train of thought could be derailed if they came bustling
in the room a moment too soon. Instead, she was greeted by the distant image of two
men, definitely father and son from all physical attributes, horsing around and laughing
as they spoke in some mannish code.

“I just see a man…my Saint.” Xenia kept her eye on that stunning specimen a bit longer
before turning to face Kyung Mi once again. “I don’t see the thick swirls of smoke,
the strange colored eyes, the ability to read my mind. No, I just see a gorgeous man,
inside and out, that I am so in love with, and a wonderful father to our children.
He’s funny…the man makes me laugh all the time, and he loves me so much.” Xenia’s
lips curved upward in a warm smile. “That’s all he really wants, too. Saint just wants
me to see him as my husband and my best friend, and I imagine, Kyung Mi…” The woman’s
eyes were filled with tears—“…that’s
all
Osaze wants you to focus on as well. Never fear, eventually he
will
let you in. He has no choice, that’s what he needs, and that’s what he’ll do.”

Kyung Mi stood from her seat and cupped her cheeks like a little girl told how pretty
her frilly dress was. Her face flushed with hues of red and that smile of hers grew
increasingly wider.

“Thank you so much, Xenia. That helps. It really does. I love him…I love Osaze so
much. I don’t think he even knows how much.” She turned back towards the pot, gave
it a few good stirs, then turned the eye off.

“I know you do, and you’re welcome. My door is always open.”

A few moments later, Osaze stumbled into the kitchen like a gunshot victim. The man
huffed and puffed, trying to catch a breathy tiger by its wispy toe. His salt and
pepper hair, once combed to perfection like a gentleman’s, was now disheveled, the
black strands on top poking here, there and everywhere. Even his faded, plaid blue
and white shirt hitched up on one end, exposing part of his stomach and side, as if
it had been buttoned incorrectly.

Xenia’s raised fingers to her lips as she wrestled to keep her composure. For a fleeting
moment, she could barely contain herself. Her body vibrated with restrained mirth,
threatening to have her break in a fit of giggles.

“What in the
world
happened to you?!” Kyung Mi asked when she turned and saw him standing there, a goofy
grin on his face that didn’t match his obvious condition.

“Suh…Saint happened.” He gasped for air, his hand poised on the wall as if he needed
help with balance. “… That no good son of mine, he…” He closed his eyes, breathing
even harder. “He tried to throw away my incense.” The old man leaned against the yellow
and beige wallpapered wall, unable to stand on his own. He paused, then slid his crooked
glasses up his nose. “He pretended it was out of his mind, and then he grabbed my
stuff and attempted to bolt out the front door… I…had to stop him. Never mind that
though. Will lunch be ready soon, honey? I’m famished.”

Both women looked at each other and it was a wrap. They both burst out into laughter,
winking at one another, vowing to keep secrets forever more.

“Yes, Osaze. Lunch is almost finished. Have a seat.” She pointed to one of the chairs
and turned back towards the stove, her little shoulders moving up and down as she
continued to chuckle.

“Saint! You leave your father alone!” Xenia screamed out, her voice cracking and hoarse,
with no semblance of sincerity. Saint appeared at the doorway, his hair all over his
head as well, reminiscent of moistened black feathers as if a cow had slid its sloppy,
thick tongue all over his scalp and licked the man’s tresses into a wet peak.

The old man gave you a run for your money, huh?

Xenia smirked, not daring to utter her thoughts.

She looked a bit closer at her husband, noting more evidence of the altercation. Dark,
sooty smudges could be seen all over the left side of his face, probably from the
unwrapped incense he’d attempted to cart away.

“Kyung Mi, I’m hungry.” He sounded like a little boy, and his expression reminded
Xenia of one, too—his bottom lip slightly pouty, a sheen of moisture on the light
pink, poked out thing, and also that notorious mischievous glimmer in his golden eyes.
“I need nourishment, please. That elderly person,” he pointed to the back of his father
who was keenly ignoring him, “…still has some pep in his broken-down step, took me
by surprise.”

Xenia could see Kyung Mi’s shoulders rising and falling all over again. She’d cooled
down, and now Saint got her back started.

“I yanked you like a yo-yo…” Osaze muttered. “These kids try to tussle with their
own parents!”

“Saint, let me feed you, sit down please. You owe your father an apology for attacking
him like that,” Kung Mi chastised. She stood there, a big smile on her face, the kind
where all of her teeth showed.

“It smells great in here.” Saint huffed as he took a seat, ignoring the woman who’d
made a request.

“Why’d you attack my husband?” Kyung Mi asked, still playing the role of a caring
wife, not letting the notion go. Unfortunately, her acting was horrendous. It was
evident she was highly amused.

“Attack your husband? No, you have it all wrong.” Saint waved his hand in the air,
as if trying to stop an airplane from taxiing too close. “Your
crazy
spouse tried to attack
me
over some funky ass old incense sticks!” Saint pointed at himself, as if he’d been
the victim of some vicious assault. “Kyung Mi, please throw all of his stuff out!
Do it when he isn’t here. My mother had the same problem with him, but it has gotten
worse in his old age. He is a hoarder!” Saint shot his father a faux hateful sneer.

“They’re
my
funky ass old sticks and neither you nor anyone else had better toss anything that
belongs to
me
in the trash!” Osaze warned as he poked himself in his heaving chest, then took hold
of a glass of water that had been just been freshly poured. He gulped it down as if
he hadn’t drunk a drop all day. Saint grumbled under his breath before he stood.

“I’m going to go wash my hands, I’ll be right back.” He disappeared down the short
hall.

“Osaze, thanks for coming out with us today.” Xenia reached for the man’s hand and
gripped it. “It was nice having your opinions about the different properties we looked
at.”

“No problem. It was fun. I can’t wait until you all are moved in and settled.” The
man paused, looked at Kyung Mi’s back then waved to Xenia to come close. He cupped
his hands around ear. “Don’t tell Saint, but I missed him so much that when he told
me you guys were moving back, I levitated off the bed that night. Thank goodness Kyung
Mi slept through the entire episode!”

*

“Mmmm hmmmm uh
mmmm!” Saint hummed a catchy tune he couldn’t recall the name of as he washed his
hands, the warm water flowing over his sudsy fingers, sending lather remnants into
the drain. He’d taken a look around the small bathroom, and thought thank goodness
Kyung Mi had gotten her Goddess-like hands on the place, kissing the rooms with a
dainty feminine touch. Once filled with ruddy and burnt orange rust stains on the
taps, an old powder blue shower curtain that he had been there since his teenage years,
and a dusty plastic plant with several missing leaves, the place now looked refreshed
and pleasant. The old sink and basin had been replaced with a sparkling bowl and tub.
He was certain his stepmother had insisted upon it, and any person in their right
mind would have done the same.

He also took note of a brand new clear shower curtain, double layered with pictures
of the Parisian Eiffel tower, and two pedestal soap dishes with something sweet and
lemony that filled the entire room up. Saint dried off his hands on the flowery pink
hand towel and motioned to leave the bathroom as he drew closer to the locked door.
But then, he paused.

I wonder what’s in there…

Not known to snoop, his curiosity got the better of him as he caught his own reflection.
The mirrored medicine cabinet had been replaced, too. Looking both ways, as if planning
a robbery, he plucked the magnetic hold of the cupboard open and peered inside, taking
a gander at the translucent, brown tinted medicine bottles, strangled toothpaste tubes
and container of Q-tips.

“Ahhhhh, shit! You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” He cackled as he reached inside,
clawing his way through an assortment of naughty treasures. These were customary in
his
home, but he’d never dreamed such fascinating and fabulously explicit contraptions
would be in his prudish father’s residence.

Excitement pumped through his veins as he collected incriminating evidence. He couldn’t
help but touch the top of the thick, sensual massage oil lid, noting some of the content
was missing. Alongside it lay a small, light pink bullet vibrator sticking partially
out of a satiny pouch and a bottle of KY personal lubricant. It, too, had been applied
at least a time or two…

Pops is gettin’ his damn groove on…

Saint’s lips rose upward in a smile fit for an exhilarated fiend and he flicked his
tongue out.

“Now this was just silly… They need to keep this shit in their bedroom. If they did,
people like
me
wouldn’t see it, all their private business out in the open.”