[CENTER]Stripes and Spots
Chapter 3 – Quarter Pounder[/CENTER]

Another day, another dollar. Though, working for your girlfriend does have its perks. You can’t get in trouble with the HR department if you decide to slap her ass or grope her tits. Working with a pothead has its own perks, as well. There’s no worry about having to take a random drug test every year. Tyler is lucky enough to have both of these people, wrapped into one big, stripy equine. The zebra in question strode down the stairs, wearing only her bathrobe. The snow leopard turned his head toward her, admiring the Amazonian beauty as she loomed over him. Her stride had noticeably changed since the two of them hooked up. An air of confidence that hadn’t been seen before, no longer burdened by the crimson horsecock that dangled freely from her pelvis.

“Say, babe. You mind closing up the shop?” She asked, running her hand along his shoulder. “My back is killing me, so I’m gonna’ hop in the jacuzzi for a while.” His arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer.

“Yeah, no worries.” He said, rubbing her hip. “I’ll be up in a few minutes.”

“You better,” she said, pulling away and heading back to the staircase, “because I’m gonna’ need one of your patented belly rubs.” Belly rub… right. With how much her dick was dribbling on the floor, she’s going to be asking for much more than that. Tyler stood up and stretched his legs before punching some keys into the register.

The front door swung open; the electronic bell chimed in tandem.

“Sorry, we’re closing up for the…” Tyler looked up to see a lion approaching him; his brow furrowed, teeth barred and glistening. “…day.” The lion reached over the counter, gripping tightly onto Tyler’s shirt, and yanked the snow leopard over and onto the floor. The thud rang out, shaking some of the shelves.

“Hey, shithead…” The lion said, pulling Tyler up a bit. “Remember me?”

“Hi, Mr. Walton.” Bethany’s dad… of course. Mr. Walton yanked Tyler back up and slammed him hard against a shelf of glassware. Bottles of various potions and brews cascaded to the ground and exploded in a rainbow fervor.

“Son of a bitch… ending my daughter’s engagement.” Good to see his Marine instincts never left him when he was discharged. The lion grabbed Tyler by his shoulders and hurled him across to the other side of the shop. The snow leopard slid across the hardwood floor before slamming hard into a cabinet.

“Noma, we have an emergency!” He yelled, trying to push himself up from the ground. Mr. Walton ran up and kicked Tyler square in the jaw, before pulling him up on his feet again. He hasn’t skipped leg day… not with that kind of kick.

“Then you sold your house, forcing her onto the street?!” Who knew stockbrokers could be so, so angry?

“Mr. Walton… you’ve got it all wrong!” A punch to the gut laid Tyler back down on the floor, making him clutch into the fetal position.

“All of that… against an innocent, pregnant woman?” He grabbed Tyler’s shirt once more with one hand, his other hand clutching into a fist. “And to think I considered you a son…” Tyler raised his hand in a last-ditch effort to make Mr. Walton stop.

“Let. Him. Go.” Noma said, the sound of a shotgun racking followed. Mr. Walton turned around to find a seven-foot-tall, very angry zebra standing above him; the barrel of a shotgun placed against his temple. Mr. Walton let go of Tyler’s shirt, lifting his hand. Noma motioned him to take a few steps back, to which he obliged. As he moved back, Noma reached for her phone to dial 9-1-1.
      
“Noma, don’t…” Tyler said, trying to stand up. “I don’t want to press charges.”
      
“I do.” Noma says, her focus still on the lion.
      
“911, what’s your emergency?”
      
“Yeah, I have a man in my store who just physically assaulted my employee and vandalized most of my property. I need a police officer right away.” Mr. Walton’s arms fell to this sides as he sat on the ground.
     
“And what is location, ma’am?”
      
“Nomathalente’s Apothecary, at 2124 Senna Boulevard.”
      
“Okay, we’re sending a squad car over.”
      
“I also have a weapon trained on him. I haven’t fired any shots.”
     
“Thank you, ma’am.” Noma sat the phone down, keeping it off the receiver. She slowly stepped toward the lion, her shotgun still aimed at him.
      
“Just who the fuck are you?” Noma said. “Waltzing into my store and beating on my employee?” She looked at all the damaged bottles and spilled potions. “Destroying very expensive equipment and ruining my highly sought-after potions?”
      
“He’s… Bethany’s father.” Tyler said, sitting himself up. “Mr. Brian Walton. He’s a respected stockbroker… please don’t press charges against him…”
      
“And why shouldn’t I?” She said as she carefully walked toward her boyfriend.
      
“He’s rich… and powerful… we’d lose the court case almost instantly.” Noma knelt down to look at the damage. Tears welled in her eyes, seeing just how broken he was. Blood trickled down from his nose and dripped onto his shirt. His breathing was shallow and labored, exhausted from being thrown around so much.
      
“Go ahead and press charges.” Brian said. “I don’t care. I’m taking this asshole to court, no matter what.”
      
“Why?” Noma said, her attention darting back at the lion. “What the fuck did he ever do to deserve this?”
      
“He got my daughter pregnant, then ran out on her, for I’m assuming you. And he did, he sold the house, nearly putting her on the street. If it wasn’t for me, she’d be homeless.” He said, unbuttoning his blazer. “And I have a court order for him…” He pulled out an envelope and tossed it to Noma “…to submit to a paternity test.” Noma grabbed the letter; Nevada State Courthouse… great. Flashing red and blue lights shined outside, making Noma set her shotgun down.
      
“You’re an idiot…” Tyler chuckled, clutching his stomach. Brian looked over at him, his eyebrow raised.
      
“Oh, yeah?”
      
“Bethany and I haven’t had sex in over a year. If she’s pregnant… it’s either that wolf or horse she was screwing in my bed. You should be beating on them…” A couple of police officers stepped into the shop, their pistols drawn and ready.
      
“Ma’am, put your hands behind your head and move away from the gun.” Noma nodded, doing as she was told. “Sir, on your stomach and put your hands behind your back.” Brian growled as he lied down. The second officer stepped over the lion and placed handcuffs around his wrists. The first officer looked over at Tyler before grabbing his radio.
      
“Suspect in custody,” he said, “and we’re gonna need EMT.” The second officer got Brian on his feet before reading him his Miranda rights. The first officer walked over to Noma, looking at her gun.
      
“Are you the owner of this establishment?” He asked, looking at her.
      
“Yes, sir. I called after seeing that man attempt to further beat my employee.”
      
“Okay. And do you have a permit for this firearm?”
      
“Yes, sir. May I get the paperwork?” The officer nodded, letting Noma walk behind the counter to a safe built into the floor. As she fiddled with the lock, another set of flashing lights approached the outside before a set of paramedics ran in. As Noma came back with the paper, the first officer pointed at Tyler. While the paramedics began treating Tyler, Noma handed the officer her permit. He took one glance before nodding.
      
“Alright. Now, will you be pressing charges?” He asked, pulling out a notepad.
      
“Yes.” Noma said.
      
“No!” Tyler shouted, pushing a medic aside. “We’re not pressing charges!” The paramedic gently pushed him back down, wiping some blood away from his lip.
      
“Tyler, he was just about to start wailing on you.”
      
“I don’t care. I don’t want either of us pressing charges. Please… don’t…” Noma stared at Tyler, watching as the EMTs continued to clean and inspect his wounds. Her attention turned to Brian, seeing him being led out of the store. She sighed, looking back at the officer.
      
“No.” She folded her arms, looking at the ground. “We won’t be pressing charges. Just… just get him as far away from here as possible. Please.” The officer nodded before following his partner out the door. Noma stepped back over to Tyler, watching the EMTs finish up. “Is he going to be okay?”
      
“Yeah, he’s just gonna’ be sore in the morning.” The first paramedic said. “There’s no sign of a concussion or internal bleeding. Can you stand up, Mr. Collins?” Tyler nodded, lifting himself onto his feet.
      
“Now, if any pain last for more than three days, take him to the hospital. Other than that, just give him a few days of bed rest and he’ll be right as rain.” The second medic said, grabbing her things.
      
“Okay. Thank you.” Noma said, leading the two medics to the front door. Once they were out, Noma locked the door and shut off the “open” sign. She turned to face Tyler, staring at him for a moment. The vehicles outside slowly drove away, bringing back silence to the shop. Tyler smiled, but it steadily faded as Noma’s scowl burned into him.
      
“You’re mad at me.” He said, looking down. “And you have every right to be.” Noma walked toward him, still scowling. “But…” Her arms wrapped around him, gently hugging him and squishing him closer to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his head on her chest.
      
“I’m not mad at you… I’m just upset that you’re letting him get away with this.”
      
“Just have a little faith, sweetie.” Tyler said, his hand rubbing her back. “I know what I’m doing.” Noma carefully lifted him up and walked the two of them to the staircase.
      
“I hope so.”
      
[CENTER]# # #[/CENTER]
      
“$8,000? Are you serious?” Tyler asked, setting down a McDonald’s bag before sitting next to Noma. The zebra leaned herself forward, reaching into the bag. Tyler adjusted himself on the couch, resting his paws on the coffee table in front of him. The fireplace across from them crackled gently while the television was playing Hallmark Christmas fodder.
      
“Yep. I had the accountant run through our budget several times over.” She said, pulling out a Quarter Pounder. “Eight grand worth of crushed shelves, broken bottles, wasted product… and yet you still refuse to press charges.” She lifted the bun of the burger, checking for any rogue pickles. Finding the burger free of the green junk, she took a bite. “Why won’t you do anything?” Noma asked between bites.
      
“You know why.” Tyler said, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. “We won’t stand a chance against him. And…”
      
“We’ll lose the case immediately. Yeah, you mentioned that.”
      
“…and I’d lose you.” Noma’s jaw froze in place, her head slowly turned over to face Tyler. She wiped some residual mustard away with her free hand, still eyeing Tyler.
      
“What?” Tyler opened his eyes, but doesn’t return Noma’s gaze.
      
“I’d end up losing you.” He said. “If we took him to court… he’d hire the best lawyer. He’d talk with some people, maybe even pay off the district attorney. He’s powerful enough to receive a “not guilty” verdict for something like this. We’d be spending money we don’t have for a case we’d inevitably lose.” His head slowly turned to face Noma. “I’d end up paying alimony to Bethany… the financial burden would become too much and… and…” His eyes filled with tears as he slumped over, reaching his arms around Noma. She set the burger down on the table before wrapping her arm around his shoulders, pulling him closer to her.
      
“Oh, come on.” She said, running her hand through his hair. “There’s nothing in this world that can tear us apart.”
      
“Noma… I love you more than anything. But money issues are why my last relationship fell apart. I don’t think it’s too farfetched to assume ours could end the same way.”
      
“Bullshit. Your ex was a greedy, two-timing whore that forced you to buy everything she wanted. I own my own business… I pay for my own things… I am nothing like that bitch and our relationship is nothing like that one was.”
      
“But we’d be losing money in the end if we pressed charges. It’ll just breed resentment… and I don’t want that. I don’t want us to hate each other.” The two held each other tightly, the crackling fire continued to fill the room with warmth and noise. “And I know it’s a bit odd, considering what happened last week…” Tyler stood up and made his way over to the Christmas tree in the corner of the room. He reached down, with a muffled groan, and picked up a small present; perfectly contoured to his hand.
      
“What’s that?” Noma asked, watching her boyfriend walk back to her.
      
“I know it isn’t Christmas yet… but I still want you to open this.” He handed the small, wrapped box to Noma. She hesitated, looking at it and back up at Tyler.
      
“What… is it?” He gestured her to tear it open. Her hands shakily tore off the tin paper to reveal a red velvet box with a golden trim. She hesitated still, both wanting and not wanting to lift the lid of the box. Her lip quivered as she started to tear up; a smile stretched to the sides of her face.
      
“You’re timing is awful, Ty.” She said, keeping the box closed. He knelt in front of her, placing his hand on the lid and lifting it open. A ruby-encrusted, black titanium ring. Her eyes widened as her hand clasped her mouth.
      
“Nomathalente… will you do me the honor of…” The sound of a xylophone rang out from Tyler’s pocket, vibrations beating in tandem. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone; Brian Walton’s face lit up the screen. “Oh, fuck…” He quickly took a step back, answering the call. “Uh… hello… Mr. Walton.”
      
“Hey, Mr. Collins. Can we talk for a moment?”
      
“Sure… what’s up?”
      
“I just received some paperwork in the mail about a half hour ago. And they concern the paternity test you were ordered to take.” Tyler’s heart pounded loudly in his chest, making him wonder if paternity tests could be faked like lie detectors.
      
“It came back negative.” Brian continued; Tyler breathed a sigh of relief. “However… your test came back a couple days ago. And, because of the result, I spoke to Bethany… and she confirmed that there were two other potential candidates.”
      
“Was it…?”
      
“No, it was neither the wolf nor the horse.” Brian sighed. “She doesn’t seem to know who the father is, unfortunately.” Tyler’s heart skipped a beat; knowing that revelation somehow made him feel worse than before. He looked over at Noma, the zebra was now wearing her ring. He eyes were fixed on the light that shone off it. Tyler couldn’t help but smile; she made him feel better.
      
“And after a long… and awkward talk with her… I’ve called to apologize for my behavior the other week.” He cleared his throat. “And I would also like to reimburse your girlfriend for the damages I had caused to her business. As well as compensate for any medical bills you’ve incurred because of me.”
      
“Oh… I, uh… don’t know what to say…”
      
“Can we schedule a meeting to discuss payment? I can give you two some time to come up with a figure on how much it’ll cost to payback what I did. When are the two of you free?”
      
“We can meet tomorrow. Say after work, around 5?”
      
“Tomorrow around 5. I will see you then, Mr. Collins. And, again, I am very sorry for everything that I did. It was unacceptable and I truly do feel horrible for doing it.”
      
“I accept your apology, Mr. Walton. We’ll see you tomorrow.” Tyler said before hanging up the phone. He turned to Noma, sliding the phone back into his pocket. “Well… we’ve got the eight grand covered.” Noma looked up at Tyler, her eyes widened.
      
“Really? What’d he say?”
      
“He apologized for what he did and is offering to cover the cost of damages and medical expenses.” Tyler moved closer to Noma, resting his hands on her shoulders. “We have until tomorrow to come up with a figure.”
      
“Will he be able to finance it? Is there a limit at all?”
      
“He didn’t say.” Tyler straddled Noma, wrapping his arms around her. “But he is very, [I]very[/I] wealthy. Say, maybe, $15,000? That should be enough to cover the store, and then some.”
      
“Didn’t you say he bought you that car? Brand new, fully insured… the works?” Tyler nodded, rubbing his hands against her back. “That had to have been pretty expensive, right?”
      
“Well, yeah… but I don’t know how much he paid for it. At least thirty to fifty grand. Why?”
      
“Maybe we should think about more than just recovering costs. Maybe we should renovate. New shelving, new brewing stations, new tech. I mean, I’m still using stuff from the late-90s downstairs.” Noma’s ears perked up, her smile wider than before. “We could remodel our apartment, too. New furniture, get this hardwood out for some fresh carpet, repaint the walls…”
      
“I don’t think we should push our luck. We should just take a fair share and call it.”
      
“And you think $15,000 is a fair share?” Noma scoffed, burying her face into Tyler’s neck. “We should ask for $75,000. No less.” She said, pulling her head away. Tyler looked at Noma, his brow furrowed slightly.
      
“Do we really need that? I’m pretty content with what we have. Yeah, maybe a few new things could liven the place up a bit. But I’m fine with everything.”
     
“Oh, c’mon. Our hardwood floors are fucking freezing in the winter. Our shower was too small for me when I first moved in, and it’s somehow small for you, too. Our bed is on its last leg… or legs, I guess…”
      
“To be fair, that’s on you.”
      
“The point it… we shouldn’t become complacent. Do you want us to just take the bare minimum and keep doing the same thing? Or do you want a place you can really call home?” She kissed him, hugging him tightly. “Where’s the snow leopard that took my virginity? He was pretty adventurous, quickly grabbing a herm’s thick, hard cock without hesitation.” Tyler’s cheeks flushed red, remembering that night. He looked at her hand, watching the flames in the fireplace dance in the shine of the ruby ring.
      
“I guess it depends on your answer.”
      
“Answer to what?” Tyler took her hands and held them close to his chest. Noma felt his heart beating, in near-perfect rhythm with hers.
      
“Will you marry me?” Tears started filling Noma’s eyes once more.
      
“I’d be stupid if I said no.” The two went in for a kiss, holding each other tightly. Tyler’s tongue danced in her mouth, while his hands slowly undid her bathrobe. As he played with her breasts, her cock began unsheathing and twitching. Noma’s hands reached into Tyler’s pants, gently rubbing his cock and balls. Tyler pulled back, licking his lips.
      
“Do you think you’re ready?” Noma asked, stroking Tyler’s shaft. Tyler felt her cock twitch up and gently tap his butt.
      
“Not quite yet.” He said, adjusting himself. He lifted up his leg and pulled her penis out from behind him and set it in-between the two of them. “But we could do that other thing I know you like.” His hand moved up and down her cock, a small droplet of precum oozed from the tip. He pressed his tongue against her urethra and lapped up the warm, salty goo. Noma’s hand gripped the couch tightly, she inhaled sharply with excitement. His lips wrapped around the underside, sucking and kissing every inch his neck would allow him to reach.
      
Noma leaned herself forward, taking her hands off his dick and wrapping her arms around his body. Her tongue began licking the other side of her cock, before latching her lips as well. Their lips would touch on occasion as the two suckled her thick, red cock. Tyler’s hand kept stroking her up and down, squeezing the medial ring every now and then. Noma pulled herself back a bit, watching her snow leopard do his thing. With one hand, she began massaging her breast and pinching her nipple; her other hand rubbed Tyler’s butt. Her fingers edged ever closer to his hole, but were still out of reach.
      
“Actually, I have something else in mind.” She said, having him stand up. She had him take off his pants before she lied back on the couch. Her finger motioned for him to come over.
      
“I told you I’m not ready, Nomes.”
      
“What? You can’t 69 your own fiancé?” Tyler facepalmed, realizing his own shortsightedness. He straddled over her head, gently resting his crotch on her face. He tried to stretch himself out far enough, but couldn’t reach her pussy and keep his crotch in her face simultaneously.
      
“I don’t think this is gonna’ work…” He said, pushing himself up a bit. Noma said nothing as she ran her tongue along his asshole. Tyler’s tail shot up, never feeling this sensation. As her tongue ran up and down his backside, his muscles started to relax, making him lie down on top of Noma. “Why does that feel so good?” Noma gently kissed his hole before sticking her tongue inside him. He yelped and did his best to not clench. Her tongue was surprisingly long, going deeper into his ass. With tongue still inside, she wrapped her lips around his opening, bringing her face closer to him. She loved his scent, a soft mix of lavender and musk.
      
Her arms wrapped around his waist, fixing him in this semi-awkward position. After a while, his body loosened up once more, tingling a bit. With his own hands, he tried to jerk off Noma and cradle her balls. But he couldn’t keep it up. The feeling of his butt getting eaten out had put him into a pure state of bliss. He just let Noma’s cock flop onto his back, softly coating his fur with precum.
      
“That was way better than I thought it would’ve been.” Noma said, pulling her head back. Tyler said nothing, his body just quivered. “I’m glad you liked it, too. Now, for another fun bit.” She pressed her breasts together, sticking his cock in-between them. With him positioned this way, Noma licked her fingers and slowly stuck them into his ass. Tyler moaned, almost as loud as his yelp moments ago.
      
“Two fingers, not bad.” She said, digging further into his ass. “You okay down there?” Tyler said nothing, only communicating through light gasps and moans. Considering his muscles hadn’t been pushing her back, and the noises he made didn’t sound distressed, she continued fingering him. His cock gently tugged back and forth between her tits, making him attempt to thrust his hips in tandem with her fingers.
      
“There you go. A titty-fuck and prostate massage.” She said. “Feel’s good, doesn’t it?”
      
“W-why are… are you… oh, fuck me…”
      
“Don’t ask, just accept it. You needed this.” Her fingers continued to rub and stretch his butt, all the while his hips thrusted his cock between her tits faster and faster. “Though, I am curious myself… have you been practicing?”
      
“K-k-kind of… I… I use… fuck… a… I use a… plug… some-sometimes.”
      
“Oh, good boy.” She pulled her fingers out, planting another kiss. “That’s what I like to hear.” She reached over to the coffee table, opening a drawer near the bottom. She pulled out a pink vibrator and placed it in her mouth. Once it was nice and wet, she slowly pushed it into Tyler’s butt. He screeched with joy, his tongue flopped out of his mouth and eyes glossed over. Noma flicked a small switch on the bottom, sending vibrations throughout Tyler’s backside. His moans grew louder as Noma’s hand slowly pushed and pulled the device in and out. Tyler’s toes curled and his hands gripped the couch cushion tighter.
      
“N-Noma… I don’t… know how… how much more… I can take…” His back arched as his hips thrusted faster. Noma wrapped her free hand around Tyler’s cock, gripping it firmly and stroking in rhythm to his thrusts.
      
“You gotta’ build up your stamina, Ty.” She said, still fucking him with the vibrator. “But if you need to cum…” As soon as the word touched her lips, he exploded all over her chest. Tyler, when having sex, usually just moans very lightly. Maybe, sometimes, he’ll yelp a bit or screech mildly. Getting his ass toyed with, combined with his first every titjob, made him scream. A scream that echoed through the whole building, reverberating off the walls. Noma was scared at how loud he was, making her yank the vibrator out quickly to not cause any further damage.
      
He screamed louder, cumming even more than before.
      
“Sweetie, I’m sorry…!” Tyler sat back, shoving his ass into her face.
      
“EAT ME OUT! DON’T FUCKING STOP!” He screamed. Noma obliged and continued to eat him out. His cries of passion and ass grinding brought her closer and closer to climax. Tyler, still under the influence of his orgasm, grabbed Noma’s cock and shoved it into his mouth. His tongue rubbed against the head, flicking the urethra constantly. Noma couldn’t withstand the strain anymore and came down Tyler’s throat. He coughed out her cock, still holding it as she fired load after load all over his face and shirt. Once the last spurt fired, he dropped her cock onto her stomach. He leaned a bit further back, shoving his ass further into Noma’s face.
      
“That… was… amazing…” He said, breathing heavily. “We should… get cleaned up…” He tried to pull himself forward, but Noma’s arms pulled him back down onto her face. Her tongue continued licking his butt, sometimes penetrating his loosened hole. “Fine. Have it your way.” He lowered himself back onto her body, folding his arms under his chest as she continued eating him out.
      
[CENTER]# # #[/CENTER]
      
Tyler paced around and around the counter, his tail swished back and forth quickly. Noma stood behind the counter, her arms rested behind her back and her eyes focused on the front door. He stopped momentarily to look at his watch; 5:00PM. He started pacing again, this time more frantic.
      
“I’m not sure, Noma.” Tyler said. “I’m just… I…”
      
“We’re doing this, okay?” Noma said, still looking at the front door. “You just stand next to me, don’t say anything, and it’ll all be over before you know it.” Tyler stopped and stared at the door for a moment before he made his way back behind the counter.
     
“Maybe we should bump it down a bit. Maybe $30,000 instead?” Noma said nothing, just stared forward. Tyler’s shoulders slumped; his heart raced faster than before. The front door opened and in stepped Mr. Walton. Tyler’s shoulders immediately tensed back up, getting a sensation he was about to experience a repeat of last week. Brian strode forward, carefully unbuttoning his suit jacket. His hand reached into the breast pocket and he pulled out a small, leather booklet.
      
“Good evening.” He said, flipping it open. Dozens of unused checks, each emblazoned with a picture of his family on vacation. “Mr. Collins, again, I’m sorry for what I did. Are you recovering well?” Tyler’s eyes darted to Noma and back to Brian. He swallowed a bit before quickly nodding. “Wonderful. And miss…?”
     
“Nomathalente. But you can call me Noma for short.”
      
“Miss Noma. I want to extend an apology for damaging your private property and physically harming your employee.” Noma stared him down for a moment before stretching her arm out for a handshake. Brian returned the gesture before he pulled out a pen from his opposite breast pocket. “Okay, let’s get this settled then. What figure have you two come up with?”
      
“We would like $75,000. No less.” Noma said, placing her hands on the counter. “To cover the cost of renovating the store, replacing lost product, covering Tyler’s medical expenses, and paying off any debts Tyler owes because of your daughter’s spending habits.” Brian stared at Noma briefly, before nodding and writing on the check. He caught the ruby ring out of the corner of his eye, making him smile lightly.
      
“Would you prefer an even $100k? I’m always looking for new investments and I see serious potential in your business.” Noma’s eyes widened as she took a step back.
      
“Are… are you serious?” Brian said nothing and handed her a check worth six figures. Both her and Tyler held it, seeing that he wasn’t bluffing.
      
“Why?” Tyler asked. The lion put his checkbook away before turning back to the door.
      
“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, Mr. Collins.” He said, opening the door. “And congratulations on your nuptials. Hawaii is where I went for my honeymoon… just saying…” With that, Mr. Walton stepped outside to his car. Tyler and Noma kept staring at the check, never seeing such a large amount of money at one given time.
      
“Hawaii does sound nice.” Noma said. “We should go this weekend. Swing by the courthouse, get the paperwork signed, and fly out same day.”
      
“You don’t want a ceremony? This check could cover it several times over.”
      
“Oh, fuck a ceremony. Do you really want to deal with that kind of stress… again?”
      
“We should, at least, do something.” Tyler said, holding her hand. Noma looked her man, gripping his hand tightly.
      
“We’ll get a cake, okay?” Noma said, stepping away. “Let’s get this bad boy cashed already. I could use a vacation from all this snow and shit.”
      
[CENTER]# # #
      
To be continued…[/CENTER]