Chapter 9

Rod was watching her, standing there at the door. Her body
and mind were tired and she was battling to deal with everything that had
happened. Okay, her father has told her
that I went there this morning. He could see it on her face. But he
wondered why she was not angry, or even a little annoyed with him. Her eyes
looked so hollow now, he went to her. ‘Patricia, it has been a long day. Come,
back to bed. Let’s get some sleep.’
 ‘We need to talk,
Rod.’
 ‘I know, but not now.
Anyway, I don’t want to talk to you when you are blind drunk. It makes you
impossible. Now come. Tomorrow we will have a long chat.’
 ‘You always want your
way. Okay, I am tired and I suppose, today has been too much.’
She took his hand and they went to bed. She dozed off to
sleep, but Rod could not sleep. He was worried. How are we going to deal with the issue that has plagued our
relationship right from the beginning? Would he stop himself from getting
angry? She had not told him, and in fact, had gone to a lot of trouble to
conceal the most wonderful thing about herself from him. She had not trusted
him and had assumed that he would treat her badly. It hurt him to think that
Patricia had such thoughts about him. It hurt and angered him. He did not want
to talk about it, because there was always the possibility that he would get
angry and do something crazy. He could not trust himself to speak about it, but
he knew that if he didn’t, they would always have it hanging over them. He
wanted her to be with him for a long time. He thought about it and realized
that he would have to deal with whatever happened. He got out of bed and went
to watch television. The images flew off the screen and he sat there, hoping
that maybe this time, he would do the right thing. He hoped he could just keep
calm and deal with her in a rational way.
His brain reminded him that he had accused her of having an
affair with his brother and he was in no position to fight with her about
trust. But he needed to know that she ....what? That she thought he was a
wonderful man, who would always take care of her. He wanted her to adore him
and trust him. His phone was ringing. He looked at the time. It was 2.00. He
grabbed it quickly, hoping its shrill did not wake Patricia.
 ‘Hello?’
‘Rod, where are you?’
‘Patricia?’
‘Hmm, where are you?’
‘Next door. Watching television.’
‘Come back to bed.’
‘What?’
‘Come back to bed. I need some of those strong, sensual
strokes.’
She hung up the phone. Rod stared at his phone. Was he
dreaming? Patricia was very strong with him today. But he smiled. He loved it
when she commanded him to come to bed.
‘Rod, really, do I have to look for you all over? Why aren’t
you in bed next to me?’
He laughed. ‘You are a very bossy woman.’
‘Shh. Make love to me.’
He climbed into her bed and hoped that this was not just a
beautiful dream.

He woke up early, still concerned about their pending
discussion today. She seemed to deal with him very nicely when they were making
love, but outside the bedroom, she was completely different. What would he do
if she clasped her hands and lied to him? He needed to get some control before
she woke up.
She was standing at the door, looking at him.
‘Rod, what were you thinking the first time we met?’
‘What?’
‘That day, I turned around and you looked like you had a
question that you couldn’t answer.’
‘Oh, you stood next to the painting and I had been thinking
that it was so sensual, but it needed something. You stood there and it looked
complete. I wondered whether you were a dream, my imagination, because the
image was too perfect.’
‘Oh, fine.’
‘Why?’
‘You have that look again. What are you thinking now?’
He looked at her for a long time.
‘That I hope I don’t get angry when we talk. I was telling
myself that I had better behave.’
‘Ah.’
‘What?’
‘I was thinking that I should properly introduce myself to
you.’
He looked confused.
 ‘I am Patricia
Diason, a horny psychic.’
She held out her hand to him. He took it and shook it. ‘I
see, pleased to meet you. I am Roderick Keyes, a crazy man who does not
understand you.’
 ‘Ah, nice, nice. But
are you not also the man who threatens my father with untold misery?’
‘Yes, yes, that is the crazy part. It also accuses you of
having an affair with my brother. It also wants to shake you right now.’
‘Oh why does crazy Rod want to shake me?’
‘Because you should have told me, right at the beginning.
You should have trusted me. It is a wonderful gift and you should have told
me.’
‘Yes, I know, but I... I suppose it is not something you
tell a man on a first date, if you are planning to have him in your bed.’
 ‘You didn’t tell me
because you wanted sex?’
 ‘Yes. I told you I
was horny. I figured I could just have great sex and then run away.’
‘So you didn’t trust me?’
Yes, I did not trust you, Rod. Please, are you going to get
all angry now?’
‘Yes, of course and now I really have to shake you.’
‘What now?’
‘Because you have just taken the most difficult thing for us
to discuss and made it the most natural thing in the world.’
‘Is that bad?’
‘No, but I wanted a chance to shout and get angry and get
crazy.’
 ‘Okay, okay, Fine.
Get angry and then I will get angry with you, for making me live for two whole
weeks without great sex because of Jocelyn. Go ahead. Hit me with your best
shot.’
He stared at her and then he laughed. ‘You are crazier than
I am.’
‘Good, now we understand each other.’
She was getting agitated now. He pulled her closer.
‘I will never understand you, horny Patricia, the psychic
Diason.’
‘Good. That will keep you interested for a long time. Rod,
now seriously. I need to talk about it with you. Are you still angry with me?’
‘Hmmm, a little. Okay, tell me.’
When she had talked, Rod sat quietly and listened for once
in his life.
‘Okay, thank you for telling me that, Patricia.’
 ‘I suppose, while I
am confessing all, I need to tell you something else.’
He raised his eyebrows.
‘I ...ur... when I get a vision, I get very horny.’
‘Patricia, stop teasing me.’
‘Yes, it sort out creates too much energy in me and I get
horny. Is that okay?’
He just laughed.
‘Also, you seem to induce the images, sometimes you are
staring at me and it just happens.’
 ‘Let me see. Is it
possible that they get stronger because you are feeling horny?’
‘I don’t know. But the thing that scared me about you is
that they got so much clearer when you were around. Yes, maybe you make me
horny and then the images are sharper. I don’t know. Whatever the case, it is
entirely your fault.’
 ‘Fine, I am happy to
be responsible for your horny visions. I can deal with that. But Patricia, you
have not told me the most important thing. What do you need from me?’
 ‘Oh Rod! You have
done it already. You listened. I need you to listen to me and accept me.
Sometimes I get very.... strong. And you have to be able to cope with that.’
 ‘Fine. But Patricia,
what happens when you are driving and it happens?’
‘It doesn’t happen that often. It flashes quickly through my
brain.’
 ‘I don’t like it.
That is dangerous.’
 ‘I have managed to
survive this long, haven’t I? Anyway, you must just make sure that I don’t get
horny while I am driving.’
‘My fault again. But which man will ever be able to control
you? You are horny all the time.’
She laughed. ‘Only when you look at me like that.’
‘Oh no, not my fault again.’
‘Oh Rod, I love you.’
He looked at her and held her. ‘Hmmm, we shall see about
that.’
‘What?’
 ‘Do you love me
enough though?’
‘What?’
‘To accept that sometimes I am crazy? That I will do things,
like visit your father or anybody else who dares to hurt you?’
‘Yes, yes. But Rod, no more visits, okay?’
He just looked at her. ‘Really Rod, otherwise I will use my
special powers on you.’
‘Don’t try that on me. I just said that to your father.’
‘Really, are you so sure that I can’t do it?’ She smiled at
him, titling her head.
Rod laughed.  ‘Oh
Patricia, I love you. You are going to drive me insane, but I love you.’

They heard the phone ringing, but they ignored it. Not today. Today, they were going to
spend the day exploring the joy of being loved.
~ ~ ~ ~

Later that evening, they went to Rod’s house. Wayne and Gareth
were sitting in the lounge laughing about something. They must have been
talking about them, because they both looked so guilty.
 ‘Hello, you two. We
were getting worried. Why don’t you answer your phones?’
Wayne looked harshly at his brother.
‘Sorry, we were busy. Sorry Wayne. Are you okay?’
‘Yes, of course, but are you? You look a little tired.’
‘Fine, fine, yes. I am tired.’
Gareth went over to Patricia and hugged her. ‘Are you okay?’
he whispered.
‘Yes, thanks. Relax, he knows.’
‘No fireworks?’
‘No. We had a very decent conversation.’
‘Will you two stop whispering? That is very rude. I also
want to hear what she has to say.’ Wayne was laughing.
‘Do you want a drink, Patricia?’ Rod looked at her.
‘Oh no. No more alcohol for the rest of my life. Never
again. Rod made be drunk last night and I still have not recovered.’
He laughed. ‘Everything is my fault.’
He went off to his bedroom.
‘So which one of you told him?’
‘Ur, me. He was getting so angry that I swear he was going
to beat me up. Trisha, he already sort of figured it out. I am sorry. But then
I figured, it was not helping you that he didn’t know. Also, I knew it would
not be a problem for him.’
 ‘I’m going to kill
you Wayne,’ and when Gareth laughed, she glared at him.
‘Don’t think you are off the hook. How could tell him to go
my father? Are you crazy?’
 ‘Ur.., he insisted.
He was going all demented. I had no choice. Trish, he was really going crazy.
That’s why we told him he can’t go unless Wayne was there.’
She glared at them.
 ‘Truly. He would have
done it himself. At least with Wayne there he had to act with some level of
decency.’
‘Yes, Trisha, but he was very calm. He was polite and spoke
properly to your father. I was so scared he would attack him, but he was
perfectly civilized.’
 ‘I don’t care what
you say. Both of you should not encourage him to do these crazy things. He has
a terrible temper. You allowed him to go and intimidate an old couple.’
 ‘Sorry, Trisha, but I
promise I went along to make sure he didn’t do them any harm.’
They all kept quiet as Rod walked back in.
‘What now?’
 ‘Oh nothing. Just
chatting,’ he watched Trisha clasping her hands.
‘I see. Fine, lie to me. When I find out, you can live with
the consequences.’ He walked out.
 ‘You two always get
me into trouble. He was perfectly fine the whole day.’
They laughed at her, looking so distressed when it was clear
to them that Rod was teasing her.
 ‘Relax, he is just
teasing you. He wants you to panic, so he can have his way with you. That is
how he controls everybody.’
Wayne laughed. ‘Even me.’
‘Oh, okay. But, just in case, I had better go to him.’ She
walked off.
Gareth was laughing now. ‘You would think a psychic wouldn’t
fall for that trick.’
‘Yes, but fortunately for him, she can’t see for him.’

She went out to him. He was standing on the balcony. She put
her arms around his waist and he could not turn around, because she would have
seen him grinning in triumph.
‘Rod, will you please just relax?’
‘Not when you lie to me.’
‘Fine. I was just shouting at them, for encouraging you to
do crazy things.’
‘So why didn’t you tell me that?’
‘Because you look at me in that accusing way and I want to
just drop the subject.’
He turned around now. ‘How is a man supposed to feel when he
finds his woman huddled with two men, whispering?’
She laughed. ‘You are too possessive. That is your brother
and my friend, remember? They are not some random men in a pub somewhere.’
‘Still you should be whispering to me.’
 ‘Okay.’
She leaned over to his ear and whispered. ‘Rod you are
absolutely gorgeous.’
He laughed. ‘Is that all you think about?’
 ‘Sometimes I think
about other things. Like, how do you always know when I am lying?’
He looked at her for a while, his eyes sparkling, smiling at
her. ‘That’s obvious, I am psychic,’ and laughed out loud.
She glared at him and tried to run away. He pulled her
back.  ‘I know lots of things about you.
I pay attention to detail. Now, kiss me so we can go back and have a normal
discussion, for a change.’
She kissed him and he was very pleased as they went back
inside.
‘Rod, have you heard from Joss lately?’ Wayne was in that
mood tonight. He liked to see the sparks fly between them.
 ‘Yes. She has gone
away to that awful place her parents own out there in the bush. She needed new
inspiration.’
‘That is very nice. I couldn’t stand her hanging around here
now.’
‘Where is Kathryn?’
‘She has gone off with Janine. They said they would meet us
here. They wanted Trisha to go with them. That is why we phoned. Anyway, it is
a big secret.’
‘I am glad you couldn’t get hold us. I am not interested in
any more secrets.’
Rod smiled. ‘Also, can you men please stop whispering things
to my woman?’
‘The crazy is back.’ Wayne laughed. ‘Trisha, you are going
to need the endurance of Hercules to deal with this man.’
‘Yes, I know. I know.......’ and she laughed when Rod glared
at her.
She stopped suddenly and frowned, then she looked at Wayne.
‘Okay, just tell me. I know that look. I am not going to
spend weeks trying to figure out if it is good or bad. Tell me Trisha.’
 ‘Oh leave me alone.
It is nothing,’ and when she clasped her hands, this time Rod wanted to laugh.
‘Trisha that is depraved. Was it something good or bad?’
She laughed now. ‘Nothing. That was to punish you for telling
Rod my secret and for taking him to my father.’ But her hands were clasped and
Rod smiled. She looked at him and he laughed out loud.
 ‘Good, for once I am
not in trouble. But that is wicked, Patricia. How can you torture my brother
so?’
‘It could be worse. I might have used my special powers on
him’ and this time, Gareth and Wayne laughed.
 ‘I swear I had
nothing to do with that. Rod made that up all on his own.’
~ ~ ~ ~
Rod and Trisha went into the kitchen to cook. Even though
she had lost the bet and had to cook for him for a week, he liked moving around
the kitchen with her, kissing her when he felt like it.  ‘So what did you see for Wayne?’
She was about to lie when he went her and held her hands. He
kissed her lightly on her lips. ‘Before you decide to lie, I am going to take
some precautions.’
He kissed her again and she sighed.
‘Rod that is not fair. You know how horny I am. Don’t use it
against me,’ as he placed his hand on her breast.
‘Okay, okay!’ She moved away from him.
‘Kathryn is pregnant. She doesn’t it know yet, but he can
feel it. He wants it very badly.’
 ‘But they just met a
few weeks ago. He used no protection?’
 ‘Ask him that. Don’t
tell him. She won’t tell him because she wants him to decide to stay on his
own.’
‘Damn, Patricia. Why do you women think you can hide things?
If she doesn’t tell him, I will. All these secrets have to stop. Anyway, he has
already decided the stay. He loves her, even when she is impossible. This is
great news. I am very pleased. Is it is girl or a boy?’
 ‘Rod please, it was
just a flash.... okay, a little boy. He actually looks more like you than Wayne.
Rod, Kathryn is going to be important in your life.’
 ‘Why?’
‘You will understand each other and help each other.’
‘I would prefer to understand you, not my brother’s woman.’
‘I know, but I suppose, I understand Wayne a little better.
Like now, he has figured out already that I really did see something and he is
going to hound me.’
Rod laughed, ‘no, let him suffer. I can’t have people nagging
you this way. That is my job.’
Rod heard the doorbell and peeked out the kitchen. ‘They
have arrived.’

They went to greet the women. Kathryn smiled shyly at
Trisha. She was still a little awkward to find her boss in the same house as
her lover. Trisha smiled at them.
‘I can’t wait to get you two alone. I hope you have found
the secret weapon to control these men.’
Janine giggled. ‘Yes, I think so. We will brief you later.’
Kathryn smiled at her and Trisha knew she had found out she
was pregnant. She was afraid of what Wayne would say. Trisha went back to the
kitchen. Wayne followed her.
‘Okay, tell me.’
‘You sound like your brother. There is nothing to tell,
honest.’
‘Honest? Trisha, don’t play with me. Okay I admit I told Rod
everything. I am sorry, but he needed to know. Don’t I need to know?’
‘No, not really. Leave Patricia alone. There is nothing to
tell.’ Rod was standing at the door.
‘Not yet.’
Rod laughed at the desperate look on his brother’s face. He
went to his brother and hugged him. ‘Relax, brother, you are going crazy.’
‘Then it is really bad. You never hug me, unless it is a
matter of life and death.’
Rod looked at her and they both laughed. It was definitely a
matter of life.
‘You know me too well. We are teasing you. You should have
told me about Patricia and now you will pay.’
‘Damn you two. Trisha punishes me because I told you and you
because I didn’t! What should I have done? Either way, I am in trouble.’
They laughed at him, happy for him and enjoying his
desperate plea to them.
 ‘It is nothing. We
are teasing you, I promise brother. Patricia just wanted some fun at your
expense. Gareth will get his turn soon.’
He relaxed a bit. ‘Fine. Can you move on to him now?’
‘Okay. Now go and entertain our guests.’
When he left, Rod and Patricia laughed. ‘Rod you are
completely crazy!’

When Kathryn came into the kitchen for a glass of water, she
cleared her throat because Rod was about to kiss Trisha.
‘Sorry, I just......’
Rod moved away and Trisha smiled.  ‘I am sorry but this man just can’t keep his
hands to himself. Let me take this through otherwise everyone will starve.’
Rod looked at her leaving. What is she up to now? He knew she was up to something again. When
would she stop these games? When would she learn to tell him everything?
‘Ur, Kathryn, what do you need?’
‘Oh a glass of water, please.’
 ‘Sure. Are you
alright? You seemed a little distracted.’
‘Fine, fine. Really. I suppose the stress of the exams was
getting to me and now that it’s over. I feel a bit out of sorts.’
 ‘Yes, especially with
Wayne coming into your life at that point.’
‘Yes, it just adds to the stress.’
‘I know he doesn’t tell you everything. But in the end, he
talks. So relax. He is just like Patricia. They keep you wondering what is
going on all the time.’
She laughed. ‘Yes, it drives me crazy. Sometimes I just want
to throw something at him. I am always the last to know everything.’
Rod laughed. ‘I know, I know.’
 ‘He will probably
never tell you this, so I will try to help you. He loves you.’
‘What, he said that?’
‘Yes, of course, right from the first day. He was
shell-shocked that he had met you.’
‘Oh. He never told me.’
‘He does. And he will be very happy when you tell him.’
‘What?’
But Trisha had walked back into the kitchen. She knew that
Rod was misbehaving and telling her things he shouldn’t. This man is impossible. But she smiled at how well he accepted her
psychic powers. He even seemed to enjoy it now.

When Kathryn went back into the lounge, she went to Wayne
and hugged him as he stood there, smoking on the balcony.
 ‘Hello, are you
okay?’
‘Hmm? Yes, Wayne. Yes.’
‘Do you want a smoke?’
‘No today, thanks.’
‘So what’s up?’
‘Nothing. I just needed to hug you.’
‘Ah I see.’
She went back inside and Wayne panicked for a moment.
Kathryn never hugged him in public and Rod never hugged him at all. He wondered
if he was going to die and they knew. Would Trisha tell him something like
that? He looked at her, smiling at Rod. No,
I am not going to die. Rod would never have that naughty look in his eyes.
He wished he had not told Rod, because now, he was going to use it against him.
Damn, he should have made him suffer,
the way he was suffering now. They all knew something and he was the only one
who didn’t know. Next time, I will not
tell Rod a bloody thing.
He watched his brother hugging Kathryn. Damn! I am going to kill him. Why is he getting so cozy with Kathryn?
He hardly spoke to her and now he was hugging her? Damn, this was getting out
of hand. He walked back inside and they all looked at him.
 ‘Wayne, I don’t know
why you insist on smoking outside. Really, Patricia just smokes everywhere.’
 ‘Habit, I suppose.
For years you made me smoke outside. Suddenly all the rules have changed. I
just don’t know what to expect.’
 ‘Whatever works for
you. Now, come and help me. Explain to these women that a horse cannot suffer
from depression.’
Wayne laughed. I am
going to be fine. Rod would never joke like this if there was a problem.

Gareth smiled. He liked the way these brothers understood
each other. He liked the way Rod was taking so kindly to Patricia and her life.
Yes, my cards were right. Rod was her
King of Cups and he would keep the whole family together. He wondered if she
should tell Trisha that she and Rod were going to get married and that her
father would give them an amazing present. He would buy them a ranch for all
her animals. Rod was going to fight every time she went to spend the night
there without him. He smiled, of course, that was fairly predictable.
He wanted to laugh out loud as Rod joked about the horses. He does not know how much he will love those
very horses. He wondered if he should tell her that Kathryn was going to
stay with her, until they retired. It was all too country for him. Really, the sisters-in-law in business
together! He smiled, because, in his cards, they would have a happy life
together and he was pleased.