Yes kiddies I’ve been AWOL for quite some time now, but let it be known, Esereth Amarie Rageni is back. I know I tend to disappear sporadically, nevertheless, I always, and I mean, always come back with a bite.
Let’s get down to business. The last we heard about our fabulous duo was when our beloved Maddy Keynes celebrated the glorious day of his birth (he celebrated in style, I might add). Much to Savvy’s dismay; she had to discover the hard way how Maddy celebrates his bday. A little rated R if you ask me, but knowing Mad, he’s not one to get caught with his pants down, perhaps that is because he did not have anything on when Sav discovered him and his EX beau. Yes, in our last installment we were introduced to Mad’s globe-trotting Ex-boyfriend Miguel Matthew Mattisson. Now, I’m not one to pry, but as it turns out, old Migs’ nature as a world-class wanderer, also applied to his love-life. He was a commitment nomad, but shed not a tear for our Maddox. He has grown up in the process; adversity did not mar our dapper dude’s immaculate forehead with frown lines.
That relationship has set like the moon sinking and fading as the first traces of daylight breaks. With the end of the night, Mad is greeted by a new day, AND a new love, well not love exactly, lust is the apt term. Ah, intro. Let me borrow the words of a good friend of mine, (if I were alive at that time, anyway) but yes, I would like to be presumptuous to quote from my good friend Will Shakespeare,
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.
Sweet? Perhaps, delicious? Most definitely! So, by what do we call this wild and daring rose who has captured young Maddy’s uh…. Happy parts from his designer breeches? Why, it is the dashing Reymaun Yvanda (pronounced as RE-MON EE-VANDAH) Levant.
I can imagine dear Maddox mouthing Shakespearian quotation while staring at this new… snack.
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Rey is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than he. . . .
The brightness of his cheek would shame those stars
As daylight doth a lamp; his eye in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
It seems Mad’s long wintry nights has ended. Spring brought fourth a new beginning, and Summer followed to herald sizzling possibilities. Ah… doesn’t that just compel you to break into song? How does it go?
Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right
It's all right
(Beatles, Here Comes the Sun)
While Maddy was sunning himself with his new paramour, reveling in his warmth, Savvy, was feeling the opposite. Frostbite was the least of her concerns. It has been eleven months since our last tale; Mad and Sav spent two legendary months together before he left for New York to oversee the set-up for his Father’s concert. Sav made plans to follow him, at the time she did not know that hitherto, fate shined upon her, and that glow was ebbing. Because just a day before her scheduled flight to New York. Her father’s financial adviser called with some distressing news.. Fate finally turned the light out on Sav, so they (Sav and her Father) packed up their things and flew back home.
Sav: Each day I feel like a character in a Greek tragedy. It seems I have displeased the Gods in some way. All my life it’s been one big bacchanal after the other. I’ve been ensconced in the world of Dionysus, also known as Bacchus, God of wine and revelry. Life was good, until one day on Zeus’ heavenly play set; he decided to change my fate. The big cheese of Olympus handed me over to be toyed with by Eris the Goddess of Discord.
I can hear her now chatting animatedly with her minions,
“Wake up, my beauties. Rise and shine. It's a brand new day and Savvy’s world is at peace. But not for long. Just look at her; I pull one tiny thread and her whole world unravels into chaos. Glorious chaos” (quote taken from Sinbad) .
Glorious chaos indeed
Here’s the dish, it seems while Red family were otherwise indisposed, what with, Sav and her Father roughing it in Africa, Her Mother rallying against poachers in Argentina, her sister working on her line for her Spring-Summer collection,, and her brother away at boarding school. While our royal cat family was away, the mice (Sav’s Uncle and his family) reaped the rewards of being the one’s in charge of the family business, which in retrospect was a grand mistake. Imagine their surprise when their grand homecoming turned out to be the herald for the apocalypse, per the presence of debt collectors and Repo guys.
WINTER (Sav)
Sav sat in the middle of what used to be her bedroom. She stared disbelieving the sight before her. Her brother, Melvin Julius Red came in and sat beside her, draping an arm around her shoulders as she fought back the sting of tears. Why were they sitting on the floor you ask? Well, for lack of a better way to break the news, Sav’s furniture was gone; everything, for that matter, was gone. Much like the Who’s homes after the Grinch pilfered all their things in Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, the Repo guys left not one piece of the Red’s belongings untouched. Sav’s sister, Mhyra Leanne ran into her room, totally at her wits end and asked “Have we been robbed?” .Sav only stared balefully at her; Melvin sighed, and buried his face in his hands. Ice gathered, winter was upon the Red family.
WINTER (Mad)
Beautiful pandemonium. In Mad’s interview with Rolling Stone, that was how he described the backstage scene for The Forgotten’s come-back concert tour. Mad was swimming in the glorious commotion around him. Rolling Stone asked:
“Growing up, did life touring around the world prove troublesome and tiring for you?”
Mad smiled insouciantly, thinking of all the “trouble” he got in to while touring with his Father. “Troublesome, yes it was. But not in the context that you seem to place it” he winked, “Trouble is my middle name after all. No, I did not mind touring around, I am Maddox Keyes. The stage was my playground; it was a kick-ass rock and toll childhood”.
(Rolling Stone))“ We hear you have found someone to rock and roll with these days”
Mad smiles thinking about Miguel, “Yes, I have... It’s pretty rock solid”
Rock solid was a word that came to Mad’s mind, as he stared at Miguel seated in one of the VIP spaces for the concert. Rock solid, as in he wanted to find a solid enough rock to pummel him with. You’d think with all his hard work the heavens would give him a break– blood, sweat and tears. Blood. He fell off the stage while helping the crew and received a cut on his brow. It earned him 5 stitches; it was an atrocious wound that he properly covered with a blinged-out bandage. Sweat. Everyday he worked like a maniac promoting and coming up with the best marketing strategies to amp up Papa Chad’s legendary band, so much so that it made showering impossible. He was too tired at the end of the day that he didn’t mind wearing au naturale perfume ala Maddox. Tears, well, staring at his boyfriend made him want to shed a few of them. While Mad was supposed to celebrate his coup with Miguel, considering how his toiling was presently bearing fruit as the crowd roared and cheered amidst the blast of The Forgotten’s anthem “Blaze of Glory” Miguel decided to celebrate without him. Mad’s vision turned red as Miguel locked lips with one of his hired crew members, Davies Gio Vasillisa. A man-whore ken-doll look alike.
(The Forgotten Concert)
Mad was incensed! How dare he! His first instinct was to find the nearest thing he could grab and throw it at the dolt; he grabbed his phone instead and pressed “1” on his speed dial. The name “twin” appeared… He took a deep breath hoping to reach his best bud. He cursed colorfully after several attempts, the line was busy.
(The Red House)
Sav counted to ten, fighting the urge to give free reign to her mounting hysteria. This can’t be happening, she thought, she tried calling Leeno her boyfriend, but he was away on a Medical mission in India and the area had very little cell coverage, she sent him an email with the subject “SOS”. At a loss for what to do, she then bit her lip and in a desperate attempt pressed “7” on her phone (her favorite number). In times like this she needed her lucky charm, the name “Twin” popped on the screen. The busy tone greeted her instead of her best friend’s voice. Merda! She yelled.
ICE THAWS (Mad)
(The Forgotten Concert)
Mad pockets his phone and turned his back from the scene before he loses his eyesight from the horror of it. He runs away from his post en route for his Father’s dressing room. All the way he was seething. He rounded the corner and opened the door of the dressing room, grateful to finally be able to scream “That no good, son of a—holy mother of butt cheeks!”
Mad blinked, arrested by the sight before him. A man had his back turned to him and he was displaying prime value male derriere. The man turned as he heard Mad’s words, Mad was yet again arrested by another prime value piece of male anatomy. If he wasn’t so upset, he would have clapped.
Naked man, at a loss for any way to properly shield his nakedness, grabbed a guitar and quickly covered his lower region. “Oh Hi there.” He smiled.
Mad’s eyes widened, clearly naked man had no clue that he was pressing a very expensive electric guitar on his… jewels. After rolling up his tongue, the one that fell on the floor upon seeing naked man, he spoke.
Mad: You’re naked.
Naked man: (smiling,): You are very observant.
Mad: Yeah, well, what. (Taking a deep breath and directing his eyes upward) why are you naked? More importantly, why are you naked in my Father’s dressing room?
Naked man: Your Father’s dressing room? Oh geez, you’re Maddox? Maddox Keynes?
Mad: Yes, and you did not answer my question.
Naked man: I ah… well, first off, I’m a big fan of your Dad and-
Mad: And you thought you’d volunteer to be one of his groupies? Hate to break it to you man, but he doesn’t swing that way.
Naked man (laughing): I’m aware of that, but as I was saying, I’m a big fan of your Dad and so is my boyfriend. He’s part of the crew and well, I was sort of waiting for him. It’s one of his fantasies to uh… (Inaudible words) in a dressing room.
Mad (amused): So let me get this straight, your boyfriend dragged you to this concert, on comp. tickets no less, and thought you’d just do the nasty here in my Dad’s dressing room?
Naked man (sheepish): Yeah that pretty much sums it up.
Mad (mumbling: Well, that is just bloody great): And who is this Casanova who planned on besmirching the sanctity of the lead singer’s dressing room?
Naked man: Uh… Davies V-
Mad (gritting his teeth as the image of Miguel locking lips with the very Casanova flashed): Davies Gio Vasillisa?
Naked man (nodding): Yeah you guys well acquainted?
Mad (furious): Oh no, but he knows my boyfriend well. So well in fact, that presently, they are out there shamelessly playing tonsil hockey!
Against Maddy’s will, he sagged to the floor and tears started to fall. Setting prudence aside (as if it could be helped) Naked man returned the guitar on the stand, and knelt beside him, hugging the weeping Maddy. Mad’s head was tucked under Naked man’s chin. He cried and cried, and ironically, his Father’s band played one of their more subdued ballad’s “Love Victims”.
Mad: Well (sniff, sniff) this is just perfect! After all my hard work, they mock me by playing this song! And Miguel! I’m such an idiot! A big, big dummy… and-
Naked man (rubbing his back soothingly): We’re both idiots. I knew Gio was a flirty little maggot, and still I dated the witch.
Mad (Oblivious to Naked man’s words): I’m the idiot of the year!
Naked man: At least you’re a dressed idiot.
His words snapped Mad out of his present melancholy, and beside himself, he laughed. Naked man laughed as well. Mad stood up and dusted his pants, he offered a hand to help Naked man up. Naked man stood close, almost too close, and Mad couldn’t help but notice how nice he smelled.
After what seemed like hours (only it was really 40 minutes) Mad managed to get Naked man (whose name was actually Reymaun Yvanda Levant) dressed. Mad borrowed some of his Dad’s lazy wear, Rey was clad in a thin white shirt and black drawstring pants, apparently his clothes were with his maggot boyfriend who promised to “be right back” after leaving Rey to display all his naked glory in the dressing room. They talked a spell, in the span of 40 minutes, and in their mutual feeling of despair over their significant others’ perfidy, an odd kinship was formed. A bond akin to what people who survive in horror movies have, it was scary, sad, twisted, yet a ray of hope peeked behind the curtain of doom.
After Rey regaled Mad with several tales of his job as an entertainer for Hong Kong Disney. It amazed Mad, to hear that Rey took on several characters. It became especially amusing when Rey admitted that he was embarrassed every time he donned a loincloth as he plated, Tarzan. After recovering from his mirth, Mad realized that he was actually feeling much better.
Mad: Thank you
Rey: For what?
Mad: I don’t know. Giving me a good laugh I guess.
Rey: I though you were going to thank me for being your naked comforter (He smiled) I rarely do this for free, you know?
Mad (laughing): Well, yes, thank you. The comforting was made truly special with your nakedness. If it wasn’t such a sad moment, I would have thought that you were a gift from the Gods when I walked in.
Rey: Well, coming from Maddox Keynes, I am honored by the compliment.
Rey smiled and Maddox smiled back. How to I begin to describe what happened next?
A part of Mad wanted to run like a Gazelle fleeing for his life from the jaws of the hungry Lion, but another part of him just wanted to be devoured. Let’s just say Mad was Rey’s appetizer, main course, AND dessert. . .
To further describe the scene, allow me to do a Dr. Seuess (ala Green Eggs and Ham)
They did it against the door, on the floor, until they were sore. They did it with lights aglow, by the sofa, and by the window. They broke a table, and some chairs, they pulled at each other’s hair. They were gentle, they were rough, it was wild, and Mad couldn’t get enough.
Then entered Rey’s significant other bent on doing the same, it was sweet revenge for Mad, what a shame.
Mad and Rey were quite a sight. Mad, loved that moment. It was an unforgettable night.
ICE THAWS (Sav)
“Maddox Here, I’m indisposed at the moment (wink, wink), leave me a message and I’ll ring you back. Viva la Vida”
Voice mail. Sav stared incredulously at her phone, Mad only sent calls to voicemail when: a.) He was given first blood by big name designers for their recent collections, and could not be plied away from such an event unless it involved an asteroid hitting the Earth. b.) He was at the spa being pampered by the masseuse that he was crushing on, Ram Buenavey. Another activity that required the same emergency protocol of the world ending before daring to disturb him And c.) He was making Woohoo with somebody. Now that upped the anti for the protocol, not event the Jaws of Life could pry him away from that.
It was day two of the horrific homecoming and Sav had no form of respite, not even the presence of her raucous best bud. Considering that the night before Mad was swamped with his duties at the come-back concert for his Dad’s band, it was odd that he did not call to check in, even when she failed to attend the concert in question due to her family crisis.
Something was up, and Mad was obviously tied up with it. She hoped it wasn’t as dire as her state of affairs. They all (the Red family) ate take-out Chinese food on the floor and discussed how things happened to spiral into this financial black hole that they were in. It seems Uncle Charles became horribly attached to the craps table in Vegas, to the point that he spent too much time in Sin City instead of overseeing the Red Business. The Red empire was built on the success of the grapes that grew in their vineyard in Tuscany, which was used to make Scarlet, their best selling wine, one among many of their products. Other than being a former defense attorney, Omarion Red became the acting President of Red Industries when Sav’s Grandfather decided to retire. Uncle Charles was the Vice President. It seems the knack for running a company was inherent in the elder Red sibling, while greatly absent for the younger Red brother. This changed when Omarion went through his career crisis and chucked his six figure earnings to take up the life of Nature Boy, a career that paid in dirt, sweat, and occasional animal encounters in Africa. This left the younger Red brother to pick up the elder’s mantle and manage the company while his brother did some soul searching. In retrospect, you cannot blame the elder Red brother for throwing caution into the wind as he dropped everything to hie off to Africa. His life as a defense attorney was rather stressful after all. Similarly, you cannot blame the younger brother for botching up the family business in the elder’s absence; he wasn’t even off his training wheels when big bro decided to have his mini-meltdown. Long story short, due to little Red bro’s penchant for late night Casino runs, he realized his mistake a little too late when the collectors came a courting for his dinero.
Put on some tragic opera music kiddies, Savvy‘s got to prep. In order to belt out the final aria and plunge a dagger into her corset. Who knew she would one day be eligible to play the role of the distressed damsel?
But really, let’s give our girl some credit, she wasn’t that melodramatic. She was spotted sitting in the living room. Her shapely bottom was perched or rather buried in a plastic laundry basket with a pillow inside, which served as her cushion. It seems our Sav has decided to make do with whatever resources she had, that included making her own furniture.
With her parents gone to do some major damage control, Sav was pretty much left home alone. Her siblings, Vin and Ira (as she calls them) decided to exit stage right to escape their empty domicile. With her boyfriend in some foreign land, and her best bud doing God knows what, she had nobody to talk to, she had nowhere to go,
As insane as it was, she suddenly missed being in Africa. She became overcome with longing for Ajali’s sagely tales, and Tybalt’s incessant grooming routines. They had to leave them behind in order to rush home. Savvy sighed and leaned back in her odd makeshift chair. Peace seemed to elude her as she toppled on the floor minutes after taking the relaxing pose. Her makeshift furniture broke sending a cracking noise to echo throughout the hallway.
Sighing in frustration Sav bounded to her room to do the only thing that would calm her thoughts, cleaning.
Considering that there was very little furniture to dust and scrub, Sav was finished with the chore of cleaning the house in less than 2 hours. Emboldened by this cleansing activity, she marched to the bathroom to do her second best Zen-inducing activity. She did the laundry.
With the washing machine gone, purloined by Repo men. (Why an Earth they took it? She did not know.) Sav was in the bathroom doing loads and loads of laundry (left over from her stint in Africa). Interestingly enough, the jets in the tub / Jacuzzi helped to get the detergent to bubble all over the place. Sav had both her legs in the tub, soaked till her knees, and she was bending down and scrubbing the bejesus out of her clothes.
In the living room her phone was ringing,- Jason Derulo’s song, “In my head” went on and on.
One hour later Sav was totally engrossed with her task; so much so that failed to notice the approaching figure. She was rinsing her clothes when a hand landed on her shoulder. She let out a shriek and landed in the Jacuzzi. After wiping the suds away from her eyes she was greeted by the smiling face of Leeno Gray.
Leeno (bending down to fish Sav out): I’ve been calling you for an hour. I thought you went nuts, but it seems my glasses need a new grade, because I’m not sure if my vision is correct. You’re doing laundry???
Before Sav could offer an indignant response, Leeno wrapped his arms around her and kissed her leisurely.
Sav (bemused): Mmm…. I needed that. Wait, what the Dickens are you doing here, aren’t you supposed to be in India?
Leeno (grabbing his phone, showing Sav the screen): You did say S.O.S, Kitten, I took the first flight out to get here. One order of knight in semi-sweaty shirt and jeans delivered in less than 24 hours.
He hugged Sav and kissed her again. When they came up for air Leeno noticed the silence.
Leeno: Hold on a second, the knight is here, but where is the Fairy Godmother? Isn’t he supposed to show up and bibidi bobidi boo you out of this situation with… I duno… Tequila or shopping?
Sav: (chuckling at the image of Mad in fairy regalia): Seems my Fairy Godmother is off on some Fairy Conference.
Leeno: Poor thing, and now you’re stuck doing a Cinderella huh?
Sav: Yeah, it would be great if I had the talking mice to help me… .
Leeno (Kissing her forehead, and rolling up his sleeves): What am I chopped liver? I’m better than a talking rodent. (taking on a funny pose) Okay Cindy, let’s sing a working song and get washing….
Sav (stifling her mirth): Hon, that’s from Enchanted, not, Cinderella.
Leeno: Whatever!
As he took off his shoes, folded his jeans and dipped his legs into the Jacuzzi. Sav stared at him, marveling at how lucky she was to have him swoop right in and rescue her.
Leeno: Quit gawking at me woman and get down here.
Sav sat beside him and resumed with her task of rinsing her clothes, Leeno set aside the clothes that Sav handed to him. They did this in companionable silence for a while. When the task was over. Leeno washed away remnants of the soap in the Jacuzzi. When he looked up, Sav was staring at him again.
Leeno: What? Do I have something on my face?
Sav (approaching him): I was just thinking that notwithstanding my rather hellish discovery that we have lost practically everything, I am grateful that did not lose the one thing that matters to me.
Leeno: Clean clothes?
Sav (punching him lightly on the arm): Idiot! I meant you. I don’t know how to thank you Lee.
Leeno stared at the empty Jacuzzi and gave Sav a devilish grin. Sav followed his gaze and in spite her soaked clothes, she felt a warm sensation creeping over her skin.
Leeno (Taking out one button at a time on Sav’s blouse): Ms. Red it seems to me that you need a bath…
Sav: Oh… really?
Leeno (eyeing the last three buttons): Oh (first button) yeah (second button)
Then he looked up and gave Sav a melting kiss just as final button was released.
Cue Music: Get Sexy by the Sugababes
(At Rey’s house)
Maddox was having the time of his life, oblivious to his beeping phone filled with frantic messages from his best friend, which was tucked in the pocket of his discarded designer jeans. They say revenge is a dish best served cold, well; Mad changed the Menu when he sizzled the sheets with Rey. Caliente! How does that Craig David song go? “We were making love by Wednesday, and by Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, we chilled on Sunday…”. Maddox Keynes did not recognize the concept of “chilling” when it came to bedroom acrobatics, and so, it was a week-long sizzle fest. Playing with fire might get you burned, but as you all know, Maddox is a regular fire eater.
(At the Red House)
After giving her clothes a good scrubbing, it was Sav’s turn for the royal treatment a la Leeno. Bubbles filled the tub to the brim and candles were lit. Sav leaned on Leeno’s chest and sighed in contentment. She may be the Princess turned Pauper, but the Princess still had her dashing Prince, speaking of which, her Prince tipped her chin up and gave her a kiss that lead to some bubbly water splashing on the floor.
Along with the icy chill of winter comes the comfort of a warm embrace. I wonder where we will find the dynamic duo in our next tale…
I’ll leave you wondering as well.
TTFN
