NEMESIS

He blew her a kiss as he walked away laughing, a free man. She looked at the state prosecution attorney with a puzzled look as he stuffed his papers into a briefcase. He just shrugged his shoulders and walked away as if he couldn’t care less. The trial had lasted for just under two hours and had been thrown out of court due to the state failing to prove its case.
She had accused him of rape but it did not take the high-powered defence counsel long to tear apart her testimony and the state’s evidence. He had entered the court with his father a prominent business tycoon who engaged the best and most expensive law firm in the city for his son’s defence.
She, on the other hand, had no wealthy daddy. She had come out from Ireland to work as a nurse at a local hospital. The agency in Dublin had advertised for State Registered Nurses and she had been accepted. The money was very good and after a few months she had managed to find an apartment within walking distance from the hospital. She was quite attractive and laughed easily and this made her very popular with her working colleagues.
Now she sat in the courtroom utterly dejected shoulders slumped and the tears slowly falling down her pretty cheeks.
“Excuse me Miss you will have to leave there is another trial about to begin. In fact it starts in a few minutes.”
The young woman got up and slowly walked out.
Outside in the corridor a beautiful blonde approached her,
“Hi you don’t know me but I was in court watching the trial. I know how you are feeling.”
“How can you?”
“Because I went through the same ordeal about two years ago and the guys walked free. Say what about a cup of coffee? You look like you could use one. There’s a place across the street.”
After the waitress had brought the coffee the blonde asked,
“Have you been to rape counseling?”
“No but I have been seeing one of the hospital psychologists where I work.”
“Has it helped at all?”
“Yes a little.”
“You’re from overseas aren’t you?”
“Yes from Ireland. I got a nursing job through an agency.”
“How long have you been here?”
“About six months.”
They chatted a long time and the Irish woman began to relax in this strangers company.
“Want to talk about it?”
She sat staring at the tabletop for a while,
“I met him at the hospital.”
“Does he work there?”
“No he was visiting a terminally ill patient an elderly woman. She was dying of advanced cancer of the pancreas. There was nothing we could do except help relieve the pain through drugs. She died a week after his visit. It turned out that he was her nephew. A couple of weeks later he turned up at the hospital with a bunch of flowers for me. He said it was for looking after his Aunt at the end. I was deeply moved and slightly embarrassed at the same time. At first I tried to refuse but he insisted. The following evening when I finished my shift he was waiting outside the hospital. He invited me to have a drink with him and I said no. Then he said that he would wait every night at this same spot until I agreed. Well he is quite nice looking and to be honest I had no male friends except fellow workers who are all happily married men. So I agreed and we went for a drink. He was very entertaining and made me laugh. Everyone in the bar knew him and he seemed very popular. We left quite late and he drove me the few blocks to my apartment. He opened the car door for me and we said goodnight and he drove off. After that we went out for dinner quite a few times. I think that I was falling for him. His manners were very good he never tried to get me into bed or anything like that. He often drove me to the Chapel and waited outside. He was just a wonderful kind person or so I thought.”
At that she began to weep quietly. The gorgeous blonde put her hand on her shoulder,
“It’s OK you don’t have to tell me anymore if it upsets you so much.”
“No it’s doing me good to talk about it I can feel it.”
Wiping away her tears she went on,
“He came up to my apartment a few times but as I said he always played the perfect gentleman. When we were out he would never let me share the bill. So I offered to cook a meal for him. ‘Only if it’s Irish stew’. He said he had heard about it but had never tasted it in his life so I agreed. It was my day off and I spent the morning shopping for the meat and other ingredients. I even bought a candlestick for the table centre. I splashed out on a new dress and shoes. I was so happy and a little nervous. What if he didn’t like my cooking? I checked the table setting over and over. I know it was only a meal for two but I wanted it to be perfect. He said that he would bring the wine. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings and tell him that my father drank beer with his Irish stew.”
“Did you ever discuss sex?”
“Yes and he was surprised when I told him that I was a virgin. I told him that I had been raised in a very strong Catholic family and intended keeping myself intact for my future husband.”
“What was his reply?”
“He looked at me for a while and said quietly, ‘What a wedding gift for any man.’”
“Sorry, I interrupted you.”
“It’s alright, where was I? Yes well six o’clock came and the doorbell rang and it was he. He was holding this bottle of wine and a bunch of red roses. He knew that they were my favourite flowers. ‘What a delicious smell’ he said as he came through the door. I thanked him for the lovely flowers and kissed him on the cheek on impulse. I remember blushing and he laughed. ‘Do you want to eat now?’ I asked and he said ‘let’s have a glass of wine first. Have you got a corkscrew?’ I went and fetched one and he expertly pulled out the cork. I battle to do this at the best of times.”
“So do I.”
They both laughed.
“Go on.”
“Well he poured out a little wine for me to taste and a little for himself. He frowned and picked up the bottle reading the label. ‘What an idiot I am. It says to drink it cold. I’m sorry have you got any ice?’ I went and came back with the ice tray and he put a couple of cubes into each of our glasses and poured more wine. ‘There that tastes much nicer don’t you think?’ ‘Yes’ I replied.
We sat down and finished our drink. ‘I’m just going to check the Irish stew’ I said and he said ‘Fine I’ll top up the glasses.’ That was when his mobile phone rang and he answered it. I could hear him speaking while I was in the kitchen but not what he was saying. He came into the kitchen looking quite annoyed, ‘I have to go help a friend of mine for a few minutes but I promise I won’t be long. Give me about ten minutes and I’ll be back. Have some more wine in the meantime.’
He went out and I came back into the lounge and sipped my second glass of wine. It was really delicious and I picked up the bottle to see what kind it was but I couldn’t read the label. The letters were blurred and moving about. That was when the room started spinning around.”
She paused and the blonde sat patiently quiet. When the Irish woman continued she spoke very softly and her eyes were downcast. The tears fell silently down her cheeks once more.
“When I awoke I was lying on my bed with my dress up above my breasts. My underwear had been removed and I knew that I had been raped. I was bleeding and hurt very badly down… down there.”
“What time did you recover consciousness?”
“One twenty a.m.”
“What did you do then?”
“I phoned the hospital and they sent an ambulance. While I waited for them to arrive I went through to the kitchen and found that my Irish stew had been poured into the sink.
I was admitted for observation and examined by the police surgeon. He took smears for DNA testing. The hospital tested me for AIDS and venereal disease but I was clear. As you heard in court there was nothing to test for DNA.”
“Yes he must have used protection, he was clever. I’m sure he has done this before.”
“I feel so violated and soiled. The scars in my mind will never heal.”
“The best thing to do is to try and get on with your life. Nobody can undo what has happened to you. Take it one step at a time and after a few months the memory will slowly fade but never vanish completely, I know. One blessing for you is the fact that you were not conscious when you were raped. I was and believe me it is much harder to forget.”
“I’m sorry, I’m so rapped up in myself that I forgot that you came through the same ordeal. How did you cope?”
“It took a while but as I said one day at a time.”
“Excuse me a minute I have to visit the loo.”
The Irish woman rose up from the table and walked in the direction of the rest rooms. The stunning blonde sat and thought about what had transpired that morning.
The court had heard that on the evening of the fourteenth of August that the accused had spent the entire evening in Charlie’s bar. At least twenty witnesses were prepared to come forward and testify under oath to substantiate this fact.
The police forensic department stated that they had examined the apartment and while finding some fingerprints of the accused there were no prints of his on the wine bottle. The accused admitted having been in the woman’s apartment on previous occasions but not on the night that she was allegedly raped. He went on to say that he had broken off their relationship a week previous because she was getting too serious for him, always phoning him at work. At this point the Irish woman had screamed,
“Why are you telling these lies about me? Why are you doing this to me?”
The presiding judge had ordered the counsel for the state prosecution to control the plaintiff or he would have her removed from the proceedings.
When she was asked to take the stand she was sworn in and sat down. The senior defence counsel had only one question to ask her.
“Can you point out the person who allegedly raped you? Is he present in the court at this time?”
She just stared at him then at the accused then looked up at the judge, who said,
“Please answer the question.”
She sat and stared very hard at the accused then said,
“I… I don’t know.”
“The defence rests its case your honour.”
“This court will recess for twenty minutes while I make my deliberations.”
The bailiff spoke up,
“All rise.”
When he returned they all rose up until they were told to be seated.
“This was not a hard decision to make. While there is definite proof that the plaintiff was drugged then raped of which I am truly sorry. The prosecution has failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused had been party to this disgusting crime. I find for the accused. Case dismissed.”
There was lots of handshaking and back slapping by the defence side of the court.
When the Irish nurse had been asked if the man who raped her was present in the court, she felt so lost and helpless. She began to doubt even herself and had to answer the truth. It was when he blew her a kiss and laughed that she knew that he had raped her. The stunning blonde had also witnessed this callous gesture and was convinced that he was guilty. She knew that he had planned it very carefully and cleverly. But why? Rape was not only about sex. To rapists it was more about power over women but something was different here. Then it struck her; the bastard had stolen something very valuable from this virtuous Irish maid… Her virginity… Her precious wedding gift to her future, unmet, husband. This was what had turned him on. Yes sir this guy was a real piece of work… A monster of the finest calibre.
“You seemed very far away just now.”
It was the pretty Irish woman returning. Sitting down she asked,
“Would you like some more coffee?”
“Sure thanks.”
The waitress brought two more cups of cappuccino.
Sipping her coffee the Irish nurse asked,
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“What happened to you? If you don’t mind my asking.”
“You mean when I was raped?”
“Oh forgive me I shouldn’t pry.”
“Why not? I asked you and you didn’t mind.”
She sat for a moment as if collecting her thoughts.
“I was twenty-three and in love with a wonderful man. He proposed to me and I accepted. Life was beautiful; the wedding plans were all arranged and we had picked an attic apartment to live in. He paid for all the furnishings and let me choose them. I was the happiest woman on the planet. We had been making love for three months and… and… I loved him… so much. He loved me in the same way, that is, until…”
“Stop. Please stop. I’m sorry I asked you.”
“Don’t worry I’ve told plenty of… of women. It makes it easier every time I do. As I was saying he loved me so much until my life was changed forever. It was over so to speak.”
The young nurse sat staring at her with her hand cupping her mouth. She mumbled
“Jesus Mary and Joseph, You poor thing. How did your husband to be take it?”
“He didn’t.”
“I don’t understand?”
“I was badly beaten and lying in hospital. I was there for two weeks.”
“Did he visit you?”
The blonde laughed then answered in a broken voice,
“Almost.”
“Almost?”
“He came into the ward and stopped about five feet away from my bed. He just stood there looking at me with a perplexed look on his handsome face then his face closed down and he turned on his heel and walked away out of my life forever.”
“Did you ever see him again?”
“No, when I was released from hospital I went back to the apartment but when I opened the door it was empty. I cried and cried until there were no more tears left.”
The nurse sat looking at her then decided to change the subject.
“What do you do for a living?”
“I work for a travel bureau looking for interesting places for overseas tourists to visit. A sort of roving reconnoiterer.” She laughed, “If there’s such a word.”
“Have you found anywhere interesting here.”
“No but I only got here two days ago.”
“Why were you in court this morning?”
“I happen to like going to court as a spectator.”
“Since you…?”
“No long before that.”
“This was my first court experience and my last I hope.”
“Did you never suspect him of…? Was there never anything…? Something that he did or said that might have alerted you to him not being what you thought he was? As you said perfect gentleman?”
“Nothing. I’ve wracked my memory time and time again about this and always came up with nothing. The only thing that puzzled me, a little bit, is that when I first met him he could have had his choice of numerous beautiful girls.
“Why do you say that?”
“I noticed the admiring glances he got when we went out to various restaurants. So I broached the subject one evening.”
“You asked him? What did he say?”
“We were in his car after an evening out and he was taking me home. He stopped the car and turned at me. ‘You are the nicest girl that I have ever met in my life.’ Then he started up the car and took me home.”
The blonde lifted her cup of coffee but replaced it in her saucer. “Was this before or after you told him that you were a virgin?”
She sat and stared at the blonde for a while and once more tears slid down her cheeks. She dropped her head and replied in a crushed voice,
“After.”


The place was quite busy and there were a few whistles as the blonde entered and walked up to the bar. She had taken extra care dressing.
“A martini please.”
“Sure thing miss.”
She watched him, in the bar mirror, casually strolling in her direction. He leaned one elbow on the bar top,
“Tell me honey are you a model?”
“No.”
“Well what do you do for a living?”
“Look buddy I’m not in the habit of talking to strange men in bars let alone be interrogated by one. So why don’t you go and annoy someone else?”
It was like a slap judging by the expression on his handsome face,
“Please yourself lady I was only trying to be friendly.”
“I will.”
She had another martini then left.
Two nights later, she walked into the bar.
“Martini?”
“Why did you remember?” She asked the barman.
The man smiled,
“Who wouldn’t remember what a beauty like you ordered a coupla nights ago.”
“Thank you.”
“Look miss it’s none of my business but I witnessed the young man talking to you the other night. I just wanna say that he is a real gentleman and I don’t think he meant any harm. He is very popular and comes from a decent family. As I said I’m sure he meant you no harm. There I’ve said my piece. I’ll get your martini now.”
“Look I’m sorry if I was rude to one of your patrons but he caught me at a bad time. If he comes in again please give him my sincere apology.”
She picked up her drink and smiled to herself as the barman picked up the telephone at the end of the bar.
Ten minutes later the handsome young man walked in carrying a single red rose.
He sat at one of the tables and gave the flower to one of the floor waiters who came up to the stunning blonde,
“Excuse me miss but the gentleman at the corner table asked me to give this to you and wonders if you would like to join him for a drink?”
She turned and looked over at the young man and finishing her martini, slowly walked over.
“Thank you for the rose it is beautiful.”
They left the bar one-hour later and were in bed twenty minutes after that.
When he produced a condom she said,
“There’s no need for that I’m on the pill. Anyway they put me off. If you’re worried we can forget it.”
When they arrived at his apartment she had asked,
“Where is the bathroom?”
She emerged wearing a beautiful smile and nothing else. He was drooling at the mouth as he undressed. He dropped the contraceptive as if it was red hot.
“No problem honey.”
Being good-looking he had his pick of any of the beautiful girls who frequented the bars in town as he had in the past but this woman was something else. She took over completely and taught him things about the art of love making that blew his mind.
He couldn’t get enough of her he was absolutely besotted by the whole experience. They stayed in his apartment for three days, making love most of the time.
On the morning of the fourth day he woke up and put his arm over the bed to find her place empty.
‘Probably making the coffee.’
Thinking about her magnificent body, he felt himself arousing and a slow lecherous smile came over his handsome face.
‘I’ll take her wherever she is’ and getting out of bed he walked into the kitchen to find it unoccupied. The only other place was the bathroom.
<><><>
At the time that he entered the kitchen a gorgeous looking brunette received quite a few admiring glances as she stepped aboard the long distance bus.
<><><>
Opening the bathroom door his eyes were immediately drawn to the long mirror running the length of the bath. He blinked a few times just staring at the message that she had left for him. There, written neatly in lipstick was his Nemesis.
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
<>
Welcome to the Aids Fraternity
Loverboy. How’s your rich Daddy going to help now?