I turn away from the room and face the ornate glass windows that guard the bottles of booze.

Her eyes stare back at me, reflected in the panes.

My breath hitches as whirl around, but I’m alone. Even while I work to catch my breath and calm my racing heart, I’m aware of the tension and ache in my groin. My little head has responded to the thought of Her.

My hand shakes while I fill the glass three-quarters of the way.

I glance at my watch. If I’m quick, I have time to take a cold shower. I need it. My body is greasy and salty with a layer of half-dried lather. And I need something to calm down my now rock-hard erection. How would I explain that to Meisha when she drives up with little Johnny?

Every room in the house reminds me of Her now. As I walk the hallway, I see Her leading me, pulling me along in Her lingerie. The bedroom holds a phantom stripper pole. An outline of Her casts a shadow on the shower curtain before I pull it back.

I can’t escape Her.

“Nor should you try, John.” Her voice whispers from behind me, and a warm breath tickles my ear.

“Not now. Please,” I beg, cringing away from it. When I turn around, no one is with me.

I step into the shower and turn the water as cold as I can stand it. I wash off quickly, but I’m still violently shivering when I get out. I’m not convinced it’s from the ice bath.

After drying and dressing, I’m back on watch in the foyer with my glass in hand.

Five minutes later, my bride pulls up and parks next to my car.

* * *

As my hand touches the knob to open the front door and greet my family, I hear a wistful sigh followed by, “He’s perfect.”

Promise Mother you’ll give her a child, I remember her saying. And I had promised. But this one is mine. Not Hers. I can’t tell if I hear Her laugh or if I just imagine it.

The fresh morning air is cool on my brow, which is moist and sweaty again. I bound down the steps and greet Meisha as she exits the driver’s seat. I place the glass on the roof of the car and wrap my arms around her, smelling her hair.

“Hi. Good to see you, too.” She notices the glass shimmering on the top of the car. “Isn’t it a little early for drinking?” She melts into my arms and then tilts her head back for me to kiss her. “Woah, how much have you had, John? It’s still morning, and you aren’t a drinker.”

“I know. It’s just this place, this house. Too many painful memories. I needed something to take the edge off.”

With a grin, she says, “That’s what Xanax is for.”

Little Johnny hollers from the backseat, making sure we don’t forget him.

“Hey, there, little guy.” I lean in and unbuckle him. “It’s good to see you. I missed you.”

His tiny little fingers reach out and touch my cheek, something I wish he’ll never grow out of. I nuzzle my face into his neck and growl; he coos and laughs in response.

“How much luggage do you guys have?” I turn back to Meisha.

“Oh, you know, just the entirety of his room, a small bag for me, and one for you. I didn’t figure you brought enough with you since we’re staying longer. But we can get all that later. Show me the house. You never brought me here when we were dating.”

And with good reason.

I had brought a girlfriend home. Once. She even stayed the night. That was after my dad was gone, and my mom was fading away. Shelly and I didn’t have sex that night though we had before in my car. She said it was weird enough making out above my parents’ room. It had never bothered her to make out at her house when her parents were home though. Still, I didn’t push it. Nothing about sex was even close to normal at my house.

I didn’t recall getting up in the middle of the night until Shelly called out in a disgusted tone, “What are you doing?”

It was then I noticed I was masturbating to a picture of my mom. She’s wearing a lacy black bra and panty set. The picture changed when Shelly ventured over.

“What are you looking at?” she asked casually before her tone changed. “Ewww. That’s gross, John. Really gross.”

When I looked back at the picture, it had changed. It still showed my mother, but she was wearing an 80s house dress.

Not surprisingly, Shelly dumped me right then and finished the night on the couch.

“Well, I’ll give you the grand tour,” I say to Meisha. We’re going to start in the study though, because I need to refill my glass. I take another gulp, and it’s mostly empty.

Meisha looks at me with furrowed brows. There’s no disdain in her eyes, mostly curiosity and worry. She follows me inside.

“This is the foyer.” And behind that clock, Little Johnny, there is sometimes a peephole where you can watch some of the most uncomfortable, sexiest sex you’ve ever seen.

“Wow. It’s really lovely.” She turns around in a circle to take it all in.

Being here with her makes me see the house in a new light. The molding is hand-carved and exquisite. The inner walls are of warm cherry wood. It really is quite something.

“Why aren’t we moving in?” Meisha laughs.

My heart jumps into my throat. A week with Her is enough. Anything more than that would kill us all. “We can’t afford it.”

“True. That’s a shame.” Her eyes widen as she realizes something. “We’re going to have quite a sum of money after it sells, right? You just have to split it with Jamie?”

I tilt my head in thought and nod. “Yeah. I guess so. I can’t imagine it going for less than one point five or something like that.”

“Million?”

“Yeah.”

“Woah.”

“Yeah.”

We stand there for a moment, lost in our thoughts. I wonder if three-quarters of a million is enough to make me want to give up…

Johnny bangs his hands on my face to get my attention.

“Right, little guy. Let’s move to the next room.” I finish my drink. The next room will be the study.

As Meisha admires my father’s study, I beeline for the booze. Fear grips me as I raise my eyes to look into the glass. Of course, She’s there, looking back. But once Her eyes meet mine, She turns and kisses my wife. Passionately.

“No!” I cry out, whipping around.

Johnny jerks in my arms. Meisha is looking at me, her eyes wide in alarm. When I see that she’s okay and unmolested, I sigh in relief.