Duplicity

Lesson Five: Speech and Action

Duplicity

He noticed her as soon as she walked into the bar. She had on some floaty, wispy thing that brushed against her long legs as she paused at the doorway, looking around the dimly lit room. She was a tiny one, all legs it seemed, not more than five feet tall, if that. Lifting her right hand, she brushed her long red hair back, revealing her slim neck. Her gaze traveled slowly around the room…looking for someone in particular, perhaps?
He sat up straight but, quickly changing his mind, he leaned over resting his arm on the bar in what he hoped was a casual inviting manner. Her gaze was almost upon him. He cleared his throat and put on a welcoming smile, his sexy one with just the tips of his teeth showing and looked straight at her, lowering his eyelashes just a little, his best ‘bedroom eyes’. Her glance passed over him and stopped, jerking back. She paused and shyly smiled back. He rose to his feet and gestured to the stool next to him. She gathered the sheer material of her skirt in her slim fingers nervously and slowly moseyed over to where he was still standing.
“Can I buy you a drink?”
His voice came out husky and deep, deep like the color of his dark brown hair and bottomless hazel eyes. One eyebrow was aloft, like a sideways question mark, awaiting her answer.
She nodded and slid onto the stool, still saying nothing.
“I’m James. What’s your name?”
“Billie Lou.”
“Well, beautiful Billie Lou, what’s your choice?”
She paused, turning slightly sideways to smile at him.
“I think you are my choice tonight.”
Her soft Southern accent fell exquisitely on his ears. He loved it! It fit her so well, as dainty and sweet as she was.
“Ahhh! You’re from the South. What part?”
“Hanahan, a little place outside of Charleston. What about you?”
“I’ve been away from home so long now. I just finished my second tour in Iraq and will be heading home to see dear old Dad and Mom then back to the front for me. A man of battle!”
“Oohh! Two tours?” came her honeyed tones. “Aren’t you lucky you haven’t been injured?”
“Yes, but it’s not just luck. A man needs to be observant. That’s what they teach us in the Marines.”
“You are a Marine? I should have known by those big muscles bulging under that shirt. Where is home?”
“Southern California. I was a beach bum before this. My uncle is a general so I got put where I wanted to go. It’s been a tough duty but Marines are tough men.”
His phone started to ring and he paused.
“Let me get this. It’s an important call from the general. Just a minute.”
“Jimmy, you get home right now and if you are in that bar again, you are in big trouble, young man. You know you’ve got school in the morning so get home right this minute or I’ll send your dad to come and get you!”
The volume was turned up as loud as possible and the voice blared out of the phone as James stabbed at the volume control, futilely trying to turn down his mother’s screaming threats. He glanced sheepishly at Billie Lou who was gazing at his reflection in the mirror across the bar.
“I guess I gotta go. Duty calls. Maybe I’ll see you sometime?”
“Sure, why not? Best of luck with your tours, James.” She smiled sweetly at him, her accent calming him down. He slid off the stool and swaggered to the door, pausing to look back. She was still looking at him; his reflection diminished now.
She dropped her eyes and he was out of sight, out of mind. She sighed.
“I think next time I will try an English accent. I do it much better.”