Simone

“Nonna said we had guests,” said a female voice from the top of the stairs, slightly accented, melodic. All four turned their heads to see the young woman standing there, long house coat wrapped tightly around her. She was absolutely stunning, golden blonde hair with a slight wave hung loose and back over her shoulders and even at this distance, they could see her bright green eyes sparkle. Coming down the stairs, she seemed to glide, stopping in front of them. She was only an inch or so shorter than Charles, the shortest member of the quartet at 5’9”.

“I’m Simone,” she said, rewarding them with a breathtaking smile.

Each of the boys introduced themselves, babbling almost all at the same time.

She held up a delicate hand. “Please, one at a time,” she said, pointing first at one then the others until everyone had been identified.

“Nonna is making some tea, why don’t you come sit in the parlor?” she said, taking a couple of steps in that direction.

“We, ah, we were going to go,” Blake said, turning to look at the door

“Nonsense,” she said, flashing her magnificent smile. “It is cold and dark outside and it would be inhospitable to let you leave without at least tea to warm your journey.”

“I didn’t see her come down,” commented Charles, lips pursed.

She turned to Charles, “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“You said your nonna was going to make some tea, but she didn’t come down,” Charles said.

Simone smiled and put her hand on his shoulder. “There’s another set of stairs from upstairs that go into the kitchen,” she explained.

Glancing from the painting to the woman and back again, Dustin frowned. “You bear a striking resemblance to the young lady in the painting,” he said.

She smiled. “Thank you, it’s not often one hears she resembles the earthly manifestation of the Goddess of Love herself,” she said. “Now come,” she instructed, moving across the entryway to point into another room. She pushed on the light switch.

The boys did as bade, entering the parlor. Expertly crafted furniture, all looking like polished antiques filled the room, resting atop a fancy Persian rug. “Please sit, I’ll go and check on nonna,” she said, vanishing from the door.

“Holy crap!” hissed John, leaning forward.

“What a fucking babe,” Blake said, puckering his lips and shaking his right hand.

“I don’t know, there’s something off here,” Dustin voiced, brow furled. “She looks just like the girl from the painting.”

“Which is probably why they have the painting. What did Nettie say the model’s name was? Simonetta? Her name is Simone, probably named after the other chick,” Blake said.

Dustin frowned. “There is no way in the world her parents could possibly have known she was going to look like Simonetta Vespucci when she was born.”

“Is she, or is she not the hottest chick you have ever seen?” Blake asked.

“Yes, she is very attractive,” conceded Dustin, “But I’m wondering,”

“I’m wondering too, like why she’s not naked,” chimed in Charles, sniggering.

Dustin pulled out his cell, then frowned.

“What are you doing?” John asked.

“Trying to look Simonetta Vespucci up,” he explained. “Hmm,” he said, finger swiping across the screen of his smart phone.

“What?” Charles asked.

“No service,” he replied, moving his phone in an arc around himself. “It’s like a dead zone,” he said.

Just then, Simone appeared at the door. “She says it’ll just be a minute for the kettle to boil.” She walked into the room and sat down, folding her legs under her. “Everybody drinks tea right?”

They all nodded, Dustin surreptitiously slipped his phone back into his pocket.

“You look like you’re about our age, but I’ve never seen you in school,” Dustin said, eyes narrowing.

She smiled. “Oh, I’m not from around here, I’m just here visiting my nonna. I already finished school. The real question is why are you boys here at this unusual hour, skulking around?” she asked, curious look on her perfect features.

“Ah, well, it’s a funny story,” John said.

“I like funny,” she said, urging him to continue, smile on her face.

“Well there was a big party out by the lake and the cops broke it up and we couldn’t go back to my car, so were started walking and found this house,” he said.

“And the funny part…” she said.

“Well we thought this was an abandoned haunted house, so we sort of challenged each other to come in here,” Blake added sheepishly, “You know.”

“I see,” she said. “And why would you challenge one another to break into nonna’s home? What reason is there for this?”

Clearing his throat, Charles explained “Well, there’s a, okay,” he paused, trying to find the right words, “The rumor in town is that this house used to belong to a witch and that she hung herself.”

“So you thought it was something you needed to explore?” she asked.

“It was more like a double dog dare than a need to explore,” John said.

Simone frowned. “Double dog dare?”

“It’s like a dare you can’t refuse, sort of,” Charles clarified.

“And so we snuck in through the cellar and your grandmother, nonna, scared the bejesus out us,” John said.

Simone smiled, bringing her hands to her mouth as she giggled. “That is funny, you thought nonna was the witch!” she said, mirth in her verdant eyes. “I’ve told her many times she needs someone to come tend the grounds, the house is starting to look a shambles, but she is stubborn and set in her way,” she said, dropping her hands back into her lap.

“It is starting to look pretty bad,” affirmed Charles, nodding his head. “Like a place where a witch might hang herself,” he added with a grin.

Getting up off the chair, smile still on her incredible face, Simone said, eyes wide in mock terror, “I’ll go check on the witch,” exiting the room, still chuckling softly.

“What I wouldn’t give to spend an hour inside of that,” John said, shaking his head from side to side.

“No way I’d last that long,” Blake said, grinning.

“You’re awful quiet Dustin,” Charles said.

“Don’t know, just getting a weird vibe, you know,” he said.

“Who cares, did you see that Simone chick, holy shit man. You’re probably starting to sober up, or gay,” Blake added with a chuckle.

Dustin smiled and shook his head, “That’s probably it exactly,” he said with an exaggerated eye roll. “I am absolutely beat though.”

The old woman appeared in the doorway, a serving tray in her gnarled hands.

“Here let me help you with that,” offered John, half rising.

“No, no,” she said shaking her head. Setting the tray down on the table in the center of the furniture, she lifted the painted porcelain teapot, age spotted hands shaking.

Blake got up and reached for the pot. She slapped him on the back of the hand. “I can do it,” she said. Slowly she filled each of the four delicate cups. Setting the teapot back down, she smiled at each of them, lifting a saucer and cup to each in turn. “You make sure you blow, it’s very hot,” she said, miming the action by puckering her wrinkled lips and blowing, the hairs on her upper lip moving with the force of the wind coming out of her mouth.

John sniffed at the dark liquid in the cup. “I don’t know,” he said, wary.

“You drink,” she said, lifting her hands under his cup, “Is good, make you strong.”

John took a sip and instantly wished he hadn’t. It took everything in his power not to spew the bitter liquid back into the cup. Forcing himself, he reluctantly swallowed. “Mmm,” he said, “Good.”

Blake raised his cup and took a big swig, eyes growing round as the translucent brown liquid made contact with his taste buds. Swallowing hastily, like nasty cough syrup and trying not to retch as the aftertaste sat on his tongue.

Charles and Dustin also sipped. Charles pushed his cup away, while Dustin closed his eyes and swallowed.

The old lady nodded and made her way out of the room.

“Blech,” said John, sticking his tongue out.

“Dude, you said it was good,” Blake said, “It was horrible!”

Charles brought his cup back up and dribbled the tea from his mouth back into it.

“That’s was nasty,” complained John, making a sour face.

Simone reappeared and John hastily smiled.

“How is the tea?” she asked, sitting back down, house coat parting slightly to reveal the deep red teardrop shaped stone dangling from a delicate gold chain laying on the smooth flesh of her décolletage.

“Good,” said Blake. “I don’t drink a lot of tea, but it’s pretty tasty.”

She laughed, a sweet sound. “Personally, I can’t stand the stuff,” she shook her head and grinned.

“Thank goodness,” Dustin said, returning the cup to the saucer and setting it back on the tray. “No offense to your grandmother, but, glah,” he said.

“I was only trying to be polite,” Blake said, also placing his cup back on the tray.

She chuckled. Getting up, first she stopped by John, extending her hand to take his cup and saucer before getting the other from Charles. Setting the cup back on the tray. She curled back up on the chair, a playful smile on her exceptionally pretty face.

“I feel wiped,” John said, hiding a big yawn behind his hand.

“It is late,” she said, “Perhaps you should remain the night,” she suggested.

Charles nodded, eyelids impossibly heavy.

“Yep,” John said, closing his eyes, ignoring the soft snoring sound coming out of Blake.

“I feel strange,” Dustin said, his voice sounding very far away in his own ears.

Simone got up and walked over to him. Leaning in close, he could smell a light floral scent coming off of her, she kissed him on the cheek, “Sleep now,” she whispered, touching her fingers to his eyes. Dustin closed his eyes, tucking his chin down to his chest as Morpheus embraced him.