CHAPTER 7

Ashwin groaned and sighed at the feel of Kasey's warm, gentle fingers firmly stroking up and down his manhood, and as he reached out to pull her closer, he sighed again before he drowsily murmured, “God, I have missed you SO much...”

“I've missed you too, Ashwin,” Silver Moon purred as she snuggled against his warm body and gently increased the pressure of her fingers against his member. Ashwin blinked in surprise before the fog of sleep fled from his brain, and after vacating his side of the bed, he switched on the lamp and stood staring down at Silver Moon. His face was dark with raw anger as he realized what she'd been trying to do, and his teeth were clenched as he slowly pointed towards the door and growled, “GET OUT. NOW.”

“But Ash, you were obviously enjoying it! Why do you insist on refusing to let me pleasure you? Why do you insist on this self-inflicted torture of abstinence, when it's clear what you want?”

Ashwin was breathing so hard that his nostrils flared, and as he walked around to the other side of his bed he pointed at Silver Moon and dangerously intoned, “I want nothing from you, Silver, except for you to get the hell out of my apartment, get the hell out of my life, and stay there! Is that clear?”

“Ash, surely you don't mean that!”

Ashwin swallowed hard and clenched his hands into fists in order to keep from striking her. He didn't know if she was that desperate, or if she had some kind of mental issue that prevented her from taking his words at face value. Whatever her reason, he refused to play this game with her, because he was well aware of what the consequences could be. He stood beside the bed, stony-faced and still breathing hard as he waited for Silver Moon to get out of his bed. Instead she simply picked up the photo that featured Ashwin and Kasey at the Blast From the Past Beach Bash, and her voice was cunningly soft as she gently traced the outline of Kasey's face in the photo. “Is this her, Ash? Is this the woman who has stolen your heart?”

Ashwin said nothing as he watched Silver Moon stroking the photo, but he knew that her intentions were less than noble as she suddenly stopped stroking the image of Kasey's face and instead began stroking his. Tears welled in her eyes as she continued stroking his face, and even though her voice remained soft, Ashwin felt a chill creep up his spine as she said, “Do you know how long I've loved this face? How long I've dreamed of being able to wake up to this face every morning? How many times I've yearned to see this face gazing down at me during lovemaking? Do you, Ashwin?”

“I gave you that opportunity ten years ago, Silver. You made your decision, and that was that.”

Silver Moon slowly got off the bed and pressed herself so close to him that her nipples were flattened against his bare chest as she said, “Everyone deserves a second chance, Ash. When are you going to give me mine?”

Ashwin slowly shook his head. “I'm not obligated to give you anything, Silver. All I want from you is for you to leave.”

Silver Moon bit her lip as fresh tears welled in her eyes. “But Ash, I have nowhere to go! Are you really going to put a woman with two children, one of them a newborn, out on the street?”

“Go back to the reservation, then. I'm sure your mother and grandmother have missed you.”

Silver Moon reached up to gently stroke Ashwin's face, and he jumped back as if he'd been burned. “Don't touch me, Silver,” he growled through clenched teeth as a look of hurt crossed Silver Moon's face. She defiantly reached up and touched his cheek before she softly inquired, “What happened to you, Ashwin? We were always so good together. Why don't you want that again?”

Ashwin gently but firmly wrapped his fingers around her small wrist and removed her hand from his cheek before he replied, “I've already explained all of this to you, Silver. I'm involved with someone else, and I happen to love her very much. Nothing you say or do is going to change that, nor is it going to change my feelings about you, which aren't too great at the moment.”

Silver Moon bit her lip and let her hands hang limp at her sides as she glanced down at the floor, but when she finally raised her head, Ashwin was alarmed at the new expression that was on her face. It was hard and cold, threatening, even, and he took an involuntary step backwards as she said in a menacingly soft voice, “Let's get something straight right now, shall we? I am not going anywhere. I've already told you that Sani is your son. We have that issue to contend with, so don't think you're going to ditch your responsibility to him, as well as me, just by ordering me to leave. I have rights, and I intend to fully exercise those rights whether you like it or not. I'm staying until I'm good and ready to leave. Is that clear?”

Ashwin's face darkened even more at her words, but he said nothing as he watched her slowly open his bedroom door and disappear into his living room. He quickly walked over to his bedroom door and locked it, then released a deep sigh as he glanced at the clock on his night stand. It was only four a.m., but thanks to Silver's dramatic little performance, he was wide awake and knew it would be impossible for him to get back to sleep. Even though he had the day off, he wanted to be anywhere but here, and after quickly shaving, brushing his teeth, and dressing in jeans and a button-down shirt, he quietly made his way through his dark living room and all but ran for the elevator.

After treating himself to a leisurely cup of coffee in the hospital cafeteria, he made his way up to the psychiatric ward and smiled at the nurse behind the glass partition. She returned his smile and said, “You're a bit early today, aren't you, Dr. Ross?”

Ashwin simply shrugged and took a sip of his coffee. “Couldn't sleep.”

“I see.”

“How's Kasey?”

“She's sleeping.”

Ashwin nodded and politely inquired, “May I see her? I know it's terribly early, but--”

“Of course.” The nurse smiled and pushed the button that opened the huge double doors, and as Ashwin slowly walked towards Kasey's room he wondered what time Dr. Hall would be in. The nurse would know, but he figured he'd ask her after he saw Kasey. He quietly walked into her room and stopped beside the bed, and out of habit he reached down and curled his fingers around her wrist to check her pulse. It was strong and steady, and Ashwin smiled when Kasey suddenly rolled onto her side, as if she were trying to get closer to him. He reached out and gently stroked her cheek, which evoked another soft sigh from her before she slowly pressed her cheek against his warm, gentle hand. Her actions prompted Ashwin to lean down and whisper in her ear, “When are you going to wake up, sweetheart? I miss you SO much...”

Kasey sighed again but remained asleep, and it was Ashwin's turn to sigh as he sat down in the chair beside the bed, his mind swirling with troubled thoughts.

Silver Moon sighed as she stared up at the ceiling, her irritation increasing as the baby's cries finally woke Sani. She wearily sat up and picked the baby up off the floor, then snapped at Sani, “Get me a diaper, will you?”

Sani nodded and found a diaper, then handed it to Silver Moon and watched as she roughly changed the baby. The baby continued to cry, though, which prompted Silver Moon to snap at Sani, “Do I have any formula left?”

“I dunno,” Sani muttered as he glanced down at the carpet and began picking at the edge of his blanket. Silver Moon made a sound of frustration and snatched the diaper bag off the floor, and after a few minutes of rummaging through it she found a container of formula. She quickly prepared a bottle for the infant and sat on the couch as she fed him, and half an hour later she had devised a plan. She knew it was one that Ashwin wouldn't approve of, but she seemed to be fighting an uphill battle where he was concerned, at least for the moment. Her solution was simple—get rid of Kasey, and then she could have Ashwin all to herself. Things would be the way they were ten years ago, and they would live a full, happy life together, the way it was meant to be. She glanced down at the baby, who had fallen asleep, then glanced at Sani and said, “I need you to do me a huge favor. I need you to watch the baby for about an hour or so. I have some errands I need to do.”

“But I don't know anything about taking care of babies!” Sani protested as Silver Moon got up and finger-combed her long, black hair. She walked into Ashwin's bathroom and changed clothes, then brushed her teeth and hair before returning to the living room. Sani was looking at her with panic in his eyes, but Silver Moon gave an exasperated sigh and said, “The best way to learn anything is by doing it. I made an extra bottle for the baby, and you've watched me change his diaper enough times that you should know how to do it by now. Just be quiet and don't make a mess. He'll probably sleep for a while. I won't be gone long. OK?”

Sani gave a reluctant nod as he continued to watch the baby sleep, and after Silver Moon left the apartment, Sani switched the TV on and immediately turned the volume down. It was going to be a long day.

Silver Moon sighed as she gazed up at the tall, formidable building which currently employed Ashwin and housed Kasey, and she knew that if she didn't do this, all hope of ever having her Ashwin back would be forever lost. She walked through the revolving doors and made a bee-line for the information desk, and in her best, polite voice she inquired, “Where is the psychiatric ward?”

“Psych ward is on the third floor, ma'am, but visiting hours don't start until ten a.m.”

Silver Moon nodded and inquired, “Where's your cafeteria?”

“Cafeteria's straight down the hall.”

“Thank you.” She walked away from the desk and pretended to be headed for the cafeteria, and once she was certain the security guard at the desk couldn't see her, she found the nearest elevator and stepped in. The car was empty, and as she rode up to the third floor she felt giddy with excitement as she went over her plan in her head. She took a deep, fortifying breath when the elevator doors slid open, and as she stepped into the hallway she walked up to the glass partition and cleared her throat. The nurse behind the glass looked up and coolly inquired, “Visiting hours don't start until ten a.m. May I help you?”

Silver Moon used her best distraught voice as she said, “Yes...I'm here to see my sister. I just found out last night that she was here.”

“What's your sister's name, ma'am?”

“Kasey.”

The nurse frowned. There was only one patient named Kasey in the entire ward, and the nurse knew that she had no siblings. “Kasey what, ma'am?”

“Marshall. Kasey Marshall.”

The nurse nodded and briefly glanced down at the desk as if she were looking at a visitor's log, then glanced back up at the woman and inquired, “And what's your name?”

“Sylvia. Sylvia Marshall.”

The nurse slowly shook her head. “I'm sorry, but you aren't listed on the approved visitor's sheet. In order to receive approval to visit Miss Marshall, you will need to speak with her physician, Doctor Hall. He won't be in until visiting hours start, so I would suggest that you come back then.”

Silver Moon gripped the counter and pleaded, “You don't understand! I've been out of the country and didn't find out what happened to Kasey until just last night! It's imperative that I see her!”

The nurse frowned and repeated, “I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you back there, Miss Marshall. Please come back at ten and speak with Dr. Hall. That's the only advice I can offer.”

Anger suddenly flared in Silver Moon, and as she curled her hands into fists of frustration she wailed, “So you're telling me that if Kasey, who just happens to be my ONLY sister, were back there dying, that you'd still be sitting there feeding me that bullshit line about how I couldn't see her?”

Unmoved, the nurse simply repeated, “Visiting hours start at ten. I would suggest that you come back then. I would also suggest that you be a bit more calmer when you DO come back.”

Silver Moon's anger turned into unjustified rage as she pressed her face against the glass and spat, “Who the fuck do you think you are to tell me how to act?”

“Miss Marshall, with all due respect, I am asking you to please leave before I am forced to call security.”

“You go right ahead and call security, you worthless bitch! How DARE you tell me I can't go back there and see my sister!”

The nurse simply sighed and shook her head as she pressed the silent button that would alert security, and moments later two large, uniformed security guards arrived and none-too-gently escorted Silver Moon downstairs to the lobby. Moments later she was left standing alone at the curb, and after using a nearby pay phone to call a cab, she began pacing back and forth, muttering to herself and briskly rubbing her arms to ward off the early-morning chill. Just who in the FUCK did that nurse think she was? Silver Moon angrily thought as she quickened her pace up and down the sidewalk. She had every right to be in that hospital room, because Kasey had completely fucked up everything where her relationship with Ashwin was concerned. If ANYONE thought that she was just going to slink away with her tail between her legs and give up, then they'd better think again, because that was the last thing she planned to do! There HAD to be a way for her to get in and carry out her plan where Kasey was concerned, and one snobbish bitch of a nurse was NOT going to stop her! She breathed a deep sigh of relief when the taxi finally stopped at the curb, and after getting in, she leaned back and absently tapped her fingers against her chin as her mind continued to swirl with thoughts of just how she could get Kasey out of Ashwin's life for good. That was the ONLY way she could step in and reclaim what should've been hers all along, and she was willing to die for that before she let anyone else have her rightful place. She took a deep, fortifying breath and forced herself to calm down as the taxi stopped in front of Ashwin's place, and after paying the cabbie, she slowly made her way to the elevator and rode up in silence. She entered the apartment and grimaced when she noticed that Sani had fallen asleep, and after quietly shutting the front door, she strode over to him and shook him awake before she delivered a hard slap to his young face. He bit his lip as tears welled in his eyes from the instant, stinging pain, and as he sat on the couch staring up at Silver Moon, she shook her head in disgust and said, “You're about as worthless as tits on a bull, do you know that? I ask you to do one simple thing and what do you do? You fall asleep! What if something had happened to the baby?”

“The baby's fine,” Sani replied as he glanced at the sleeping infant. Silver Moon followed his gaze and said, “But what if he'd woken up crying and disturbed the neighbors? Then what?”

Sani shrugged and glanced down at the floor, and even though he hated to ask her for anything, he said, “I'm hungry. Would you please get me a bowl of cereal?”

“What do I look like, your servant? Get it yourself,” Silver Moon snapped as she sat down on the couch and folded her arms across her chest.

Sani bit his lip again as he pointed to the top of the refrigerator. “I can't reach it.”

“Well that's just too bad, isn't it? Get something else out of the cabinet or the fridge.”

Sani nodded and slowly got to his feet, and after making himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, he sat down at the table and ate quietly so as not to invoke any more of her wrath. By then the sun had risen, and after watching a few seconds of the boring documentary that Silver Moon had selected, Sani wandered out onto the balcony and sat down in one of the little plastic chairs, desperately wishing he was back at home.

Silver Moon never thought she'd be interested in something like Haitian Voodoo, but the documentary she'd watched had proven to be more than helpful as she devised a plan that would definitely get Kasey out of Ashwin's life for good. There were only two things she needed, and in a place as big as Myrtle Beach, she knew she'd have no problem finding either one of them.