0 comments/ 24892 views/ 5 favorites Giving Thanks By: standingstones My wife Marie and I were having Thanksgiving over at thes this year. After all the dishes were cleared, most of the family moved into the other rooms. I was still seated at the dining room table when my sister-in-law Sandy sat down. Sandy normally doesn't have much to say to me, but this day she was quite chatty. It wasn't but a few minutes before I felt a hand resting on my inner thigh. She was acting as if nothing was going on, but her fingers were inching towards my crotch. The table cloth was covering her hand movements, but I was getting a bit nervous. My sister never acted this way towards me before, what was going on? I soon felt her fingers lightly touching my crotch and I felt my cock starting to rise. I couldn't take it, so I got up and went upstairs to the bathroom. I locked the door behind me and took my pants down. I was semi-erect from all that touching! It wasn't long before the door between the main bedroom and the bathroom swung open. There stood Sandy. "What is your problem down there?" I asked her. She didn't answer me directly, but said this, "Marie wasn't lying, you do have a big one." Most men like to say they have a big cock, but I actually do. I am around ten inches long, and quite thick. Guys also think that would be a blessing, but for most of my life, it was a curse. Women would see my member and think about how much it was going to hurt or that they couldn't possibly suck all that down. My wife Marie was one of that group. Sandy however, kept her eyes glued to my cock. "Almost all the men I know try to make a play for me Tim, everyone but you." "Well, I also happen to be your brother Sandy," I told her. "Don't you find me attractive Tim?" I wasn't headed down that road, and I said nothing. Sandy settled the question when she began stripping in front of me. Her top and bra came flying off, followed by her pants and underwear. Sandy had big tits, but with the smallest nipples. Her bush was shaved way down. Sandy was good looking in a Rubenesque way. She had full hips but she wasn't fat. I could understand all the men making passes at her. We were both there naked, mere inches apart. Sandy made the next move. She pulled my shirt off of me and pulled my pants away. She then knelt down and opened her mouth wide. She reached out and took hold of my ball sacs and grasped my shaft. She began sliding my cock across her tongue, she didn't use her lips at all. I couldn't take too much more of this so I began moving my hips forward. It took awhile but soon I had most of my cock down Sandy's throat. She was now sucking me, and I was getting pretty hard. She did this for a few more minutes, then she stood back up. She took hold of my cock and aimed it towards her pussylips. She then put her arms around my neck. I reached under and lifted her up underneath her thighs. My mushroom head was balanced directly under her slit. I lowered her down, and her pussy smothered my cock. I was stroking nice and easy at first, and Sandy was working her pussy muscles all around my girth. I then began to really pump into her harder. My thrusts grew longer and her pussy was making sucking noises as she took almost all of my cock inside her. I was fucking her while holding her up against my body, and it felt so damn good! She was virtually the first woman to take all of my long shaft all the way. I rammed her hard and Sandy was getting a bit loud. I heard a noise and turned to see the bathroom door open from the main bedroom. There was Aunt Emma, and her eyes said it all. I never saw anyone get so flushed in the face that quickly. She watched us in our all-out fucking session for a few seconds, then turned tail and ran down the steps. I saw my life coming to an end right there. Emma would start blabbing her mouth, and all parties concerned would know what was going on. For right now, however, I was so close to cumming. I could feel some of Sandy's juices dripping down my leg. She looked like she was out of it. I had my piston buried deeper than she ever experienced, she told me later. Another few strokes and I emptied all my love seed into Sandy. "Oh Christ, Tim, I am cumming too!" Sandy was almost screaming at me. I figured the whole family had to have heard that, but we were not going to stop. I gave her such long strokes now, just leaving my cock head inside her, then I thrusted all the way into her belly. We did this for what seemed an eternity. Sandy was shaking when I finally pulled out of her wet hole. We were both spent. We also had to go back and face the consequences. Sandy went down first, and then I followed a few minutes later. Needless to say, we didn't get a warm welcome. My wife Marie was fuming. Sandy's husband Peter, looked stunned. Marie rushed me out of the house and into our car. I got the silent treatment until we got inside. Marie then ran to the bedroom and locked the door. I heard her crying. I knew I had really fucked things up but good. I don't think we were home a half hour, when the phone rang. It was Sandy. "Are you insane calling here?" I asked her. "I am so horny still, I need you in me," Sandy told me. She wanted me to leave the house and drive over to see her. I asked her where Peter, her husband was. He blew up at her after all the family left, everyone basically wanted to get out of the way of a tornado. Peter then went to a buddy's place to cool off. If I walked out my front door now, it was all over. I might be able to patch things up with Marie over time, but if I left now, forget it. I grabbed the car keys and left my house. I went over mys place. I ended up fucking Sandy for most of that evening. I took her pussy twice more and fucked her in the ass for the first time. Sandy also sucked me to completion. Sandy emptied me out of all my seed that night. My cock was raw after we finished. When I finaly left and went home, Marie didn't say a word the rest of that weekend. Come Monday, she went to see a lawyer to file divorce papers. Sandy's husband did the same thing. I gathered up a few of my possessions, moved out of my house and got my own place. When I finally got the divorce papers, they stated my wife was filing due to " Unusual Mental Cruelty." Ouch! After Sandy and I were divorced from our spouses, we moved in together. The sex was fantastic with her. This was the person I had been looking for all along. The day after the divorce was final, I received a call from my ex-wife. She said she had a change of heart, she was willing to take me back. So I asked her if we would go back to the old way we lived, having sex once a month. Marie's last reply to me, before she hung up the phone was, "You prick!" Yes, my prick was the problem all along. I now had Sandy to make all that better. We made love everyday, sometimes twice a day. She is the one woman who can take my cock completely. Thank God I finally met her! Giving Thanks Publication of any and all trademarks contained herein are not authorized by, associated with, nor sponsored by the trademark owners. ~~~ "All right, everyone. I've got some bad news. So listen up." Tanya O'Brien sat in the spacious dining room of the Northern Indiana Food Bank. The full-time secretary of the organization, she sat with the other staff members and roughly twenty regular volunteers, waiting for the director to speak. It was a late Monday evening, two weeks before Thanksgiving and her heart was heavy because though she already knew what he was going to say, it didn't make the blow hurt any less. The director of the NIFB, Brother Nicholas Caulfield, affectionately known in the community as Brother Nick, took a deep breath before continuing, a sad expression on his face. "Now, everyone, you all know that donations have been down this year," he said. "The economy has really taken its toll on our regular donors. We're finding that the people and companies who used to donate to us, are now either in need of donations themselves or just don't have the extra funds to send to us. As a result, our cash and food donations are now down over fifty percent." Tanya held her breath, knowing what was coming next. "Therefore, if our donations aren't up in the next two weeks," he continued, "we'll have to shut down indefinitely. Which means we'll be shutting down before Thanksgiving Day, our busiest time of the year." A chorus of gasps and groans went up through the small crowd. The Northern Indiana Food Bank had been a saving grace for the past fifteen years. Located in South Bend, Indiana, they were responsible for providing food to six counties, which housed over fifty food pantries, emergency shelters, childcare centers, soup kitchens, senior centers and night shelters that directly served Northern Indiana's homeless, unemployed and working poor. Every day, year round, the NIFB provided hundreds of pounds of food to the various organizations. Most of the food pantries allowed residents to come in once a month to receive their allotment. In contrast, the counties' shelters fed people daily, as did the soup kitchens and the senior and children's centers. Additionally, on the major holidays, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, the NIFB itself also provided a citywide hot dinner to anyone in need. As a result, the NIFB went through a tremendous amount of food on a daily basis, and always needed donations. However, this year, due to the challenging economy, the food bank was operating at below fifty percent of its usual inventory. And as more and more individuals and corporate entities drastically lowered or cancelled their donations altogether, while the number of people that needed their help rose just as dramatically, even that fifty percent figure was dwindling rapidly. Tanya found that she really enjoyed working at the food bank, especially on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. It warmed her heart to be able to help, but this year their circumstances were dire. Her deep brown eyes teared up as she continued to listen to Brother Nick. "I do have a few ideas up my sleeve," Brother Nick said, smiling. "For example, Joshua, the assistant director, and I will be doing several newspaper and TV interviews to advertise our cause. And here in the office, Deb and Tanya are going to keep making phone calls to local businesses to see if they can donate more to our program." Tanya nodded over at Deb Ross, the treasurer of the NIFB. For the past month, they'd been calling local companies to secure additional donations, but they weren't making much progress. "Anyway," Brother Nick continued, "I just wanted to let you know what's going on. And to ask you for your help. We really need a miracle this year, so I'm counting on all of you to help us stay open." Brother Nick spoke a few moments longer, then adjourned the meeting. Tanya gathered her belongings, put on her coat to protect herself against Indiana's mid-November chill, and headed out to her car. But before she could reach the door, Brother Nick stopped her. Standing a full six-feet-four inches to her five-feet even, he towered over her. However, his warm smile always put her at ease. He placed a large hand on her shoulder. "Tanya? If you can, come in early tomorrow morning and get started on those donor calls. Every little bit will help." "Sure, Brother Nick. I'll come in an hour early and be in at about eight." "Thanks Tanya. And I know that you'll be blessed for your assistance." Tanya frowned as she pulled her coat tighter, a sudden chill running through her that had nothing to do with the weather. What Brother Nick didn't know is that she could afford to come in early, as she was single and lonely, not having anyone to occupy her time outside of work. "I think we could all use a miracle this holiday season," she muttered, even more downcast than before, and walked out the door. ~~~ First thing in the morning, Tanya opened up the main office, then went to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. The men in the warehouse opened at nine am, so Tanya had a bit of peace and quiet before the other workers came in. Since it was so early, no clients were due in yet, but there were still mounds of federal, state, county and city paperwork to finish, in addition to the donor calls that she and Deb had to make. When the coffee was done, she went to grab a mug out of the cabinet and happened to glance out of the window at the far end of the kitchen. As she saw her reflection, she studied herself. She loved her rich, cocoa-brown skin and her pleasant features. Her smile was bright and her mid-length dark hair looked great in her natural, voluminous curls. Also, her heart was as big as they came. However, her twenty-eight years of age were slowly catching up with her. "When did I get old," she wondered as she studied the tiny wrinkles near her eyes and her thickening figure. It seemed like she was just in college, now it was just about ten years later. "I just wish I were able to finish school," she said sadly, as unhappy memories threatened to consume her. Sighing, she couldn't afford to think those thoughts yet again, so she took a seat at her desk and got to work. By the time Deb came in an hour later, Tanya had gotten through the first page of businesses, but with dismal results. By their lunch break, neither of them had had much luck. They received plenty of "No, not this year's," a handful of "maybe's" and only one or two "yes's". After lunch, as Tanya picked up the phone to dial yet again, she looked toward the ceiling. "We really need a miracle," she said softly. Then she flashed on all of the lonely nights she'd been having lately. "And I really need a miracle," she added. The next business on her list was the local Kroger grocery store on East Ireland road. She dialed quickly, then waited. A young female voice answered and Tanya asked for the manager. When he came to the phone, she re-introduced herself and launched into her speech about the additional donations they needed for Thanksgiving. Surprisingly, the manager, Rick Gonzalez, was helpful. He recommitted their prior support of the NIFB and was still impressed with their work, but there was one problem. "Well, we'd love to help you with some additional donations, Ms. O'Brien," he said, "but this holiday season, Kroger has instituted a new practice: All donation requests must now be processed through our national corporate office first. If you can hold, I'll get you the number." Though she was a bit put off by the extra hurdles they'd now have to overcome, she was still hopeful. "Okay, Mr. Gonzalez. Thanks." He came back in an instant. "All right. The name of Kroger's National Director for Corporate Giving is Ms. Christine Parker. She's in New York City. Would you like for me to transfer you to her office?" "Sure, and thank you." As she waited, a shiver ran through her. "Goodness! I used to know a Christine Parker. In fact, I had a huge crush on a Christine Parker back at U of M." Then she laughed, embarrassed at her schoolgirl crush. "I mean, what are the odds?" Just then, a soft, feminine voice came on the line. "Hi, this is Christine Parker for Kroger Corporate Giving. How may I help you?" Oh my God, Tanya thought. That soft, sweet, yet husky voice? It couldn't be... The voice spoke again. "Hello?" Suddenly shy, Tanya stuttered. "Um...I'm sorry. Hello. I'm calling from South Bend, Indiana." Then she paused, vexed. The voice was even more gentle than before. "Yes?" Ugh. Get it together, Tanya, she thought. She began again. "I'm sorry. I'm calling from South Bend, Indiana and I wanted to find out about your donation programs. Our local food bank would like to apply for assistance. I was recommended to call by Rick Gonzalez, the manager at the South Bend Kroger on East Ireland Road." She waited expectantly. "Sure. Just let me get some information first. Okay, what is the name of your organization?" "The Northern Indiana Food Bank." "And the address and phone number?" Tanya gave her the information. "And tell me a little bit about your program, please?" Tanya told her about all the great work they did in the community. That they had been actively supplying over fifty community food pantries and shelters for just over fifteen years, and how this year their program was in dire need of some additional donations. Christine's voice had a hopeful tinge to it. "Well, I need to have you fax me some information; namely, a company brochure, a formal request letter from your director on official letterhead, your tax information and your nonprofit 501(c)3 certification letter. Can you do all that for me?" "Sure, sure I can. Give me your fax number." Christine gave her the number. "Oh yes," she added. "What's your name and number? I need a contact name for my paperwork." "Um...my name is Tanya O'Brien." There was a short pause. "Tanya O'Brien?" Christine asked. Then there was another pause. "Tanya, your voice sounds so familiar! Did you happen to go to the University of Michigan? About, say, ten years ago? Like around '98, '99? And were you in the Black Student Union there? Tanya's heart nearly beat out of her chest. You mean Christine remembers me, she thought. Then she got it together, yet again. "Yes. Yes, I was," Tanya answered. "Tanya! This is me, Christine! Christine from the BSU! Don't you remember me?" Tanya played it off. "Oh, Christine! Of course, I remember! I remember you! Christine Parker's a common name, so I wasn't sure it was you. How are you?" Christine's voice was tender. "I'm fine! And I'm just sorry we lost touch after you left school all those years ago. But it's so good to talk to you now!" Tanya nearly blushed at Christine's enthusiasm. "It's really good to talk to you too." "Now, normally I don't do this," Christine said, "but why don't I make a trip down there to check out the food bank in person? For most donation requests, I usually just get all the information I need through email, fax and regular mail, but I'd love to see you again! Do you think we could we work that out?" Tanya's heart nearly stopped. "Sure." "Okay, I have some vacation time coming, and I need to use it before the end of the year. Now, since you're in a tight spot and since there's only a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, why don't I come this week?" "Sure." Then there was a slight pause, and Tanya thought she heard pages rustling. No doubt, Christine was flipping through her calendar. "Okay," Christine said. "Today's Tuesday. Why don't I come down there Friday morning and stay the weekend? How's that sound?" Tanya was dumbfounded. "Sure," she repeated inanely. "Well, it's a date, then!" Tanya shivered at the word 'date,' but she was determined to keep it together for the sake of the NIFB. "Thanks, Christine. I really appreciate it." "Now, unfortunately, I can't promise anything because I have to get the okay from my boss first, but I'm going to do everything I can to help." "Sure," Tanya said. "So I have your number here and I'll call you Thursday afternoon to finalize our plans. And then I'll go ahead and check in with you on Friday when I'm on my way to the airport, okay?" "Sure," Tanya said for the umpteenth time. "That sounds great." They spoke for a minute longer, exchanged good-byes, then hung up. Afterward, Tanya sat at her desk, quiet for a long time. That was actually Christine Parker, she mused. She thought about the woman's tight, trim body, soft hair and attractive features. I wonder if she's still single, Tanya thought absently. Then, sure she was just engaging in wishful thinking, she dismissed the thoughts from her head, and went back to the next company name on her list. ~~~ That night, as soon as Tanya got home, she took a steaming-hot shower, put on a satin nightshirt, then went to fix a hot French vanilla cappuccino. Taking the mug into the living room, she collapsed on the couch in front of the TV. However, the thoughts swirling in her head make her unable to concentrate on the screen. She clicked the TV off, lay back and reminisced about Christine. They'd met freshman year when they both joined the Black Student Union at the University of Michigan. Focused and determined, they joined a collection of students bent on changing the world. With the help of their advisor, the students sponsored on-campus seminars, charitable events, high school outreach programs and other events that celebrated African-American history. Throughout the year, though she dated a couple of guys, Tanya was more interested in girls, and had been for a long time. And she found that Christine was her number one crush. At first, Christine was just another cute, sexy girl on campus. Tall and lean, with a warm caramel complexion and long, dark hair. But being in the BSU together gave Tanya a different look at the young woman. She came to realize that Christine had a sharp, analytical mind, a passion for knowledge and information, and a love for her community and humanity in general. "I wonder how she's doing," Tanya wondered as she took a sip of the now-cooled liquid. Before she left school just after their freshman year ended, Tanya learned that Christine planned to major in Business Administration. Once Tanya left campus, she and Christine lost contact. Tanya hadn't given any of her friends or classmates her contact information, so she hadn't heard from anyone since. It was truly a miracle that she'd found Christine all these years later. Then Tanya frowned. Christine sounded so upbeat, so cheerful. "She must have somebody," Tanya mused. "She's probably married. Or at least dating. And probably nowhere near gay." Tanya looked around her empty house, a three-bedroom brick home in South Bend. Her mom and younger brother also lived in South Bend, less than ten miles away; however, she still desired a romantic, intimate connection with a warm, caring woman. Unfortunately, she realized that the holidays were quickly closing in on her, and she had no prospects to speak of. She'd dated over the years, had some intimate encounters, even. But nothing like the deep, all-encompassing love she wanted to share with someone who could know her deeply, totally. "Maybe next year," she sighed and settled in for the night. ~~~ "You have a very nice facility here," Christine said just after Tanya showed her around the Northern Indiana Food Bank compound. That Friday morning, Tanya had picked her up from the airport and, at Christine's insistence, instead of taking her to her hotel room, had taken her right to the food bank. Tanya had given Christine a comprehensive tour of their facilities, then introduced her to a number of their staff and volunteers to give her a better picture of their organization. "It looks like you're doing a good thing here," Christine said warmly. "Yeah," Tanya said as she led Christine back into her office. "We're trying, but we have so much need, and not enough resources. It's the kind of job that can be very rewarding, but very depressing at the same time." Christine nodded. "I can certainly understand that. At Kroger, we try to do all we can, in as many communities as we can, but more and more people need help. Now more than ever." Tanya went to her desk. "I know you got my fax, but I wanted to give you some hard copies of our documents," Tanya said as she handed Christine a manila folder. "It's got all the info you requested: the brochure, the letter from our director, our tax info and our 501(c)3 certification." "Thanks," Christine said as she flipped through the papers. She then slid the folder into her briefcase. "Now, I still have to run this past my boss, but I gave him my preliminary report right after you called, along with some news articles I pulled from the Internet. It's looking good, but I won't have official word for a few more days." "That's fine," Tanya said. "Anyway, I appreciate your help." "Anytime," Christine smiled. Tanya was smitten. She decided to try for more. "Well," she said, checking her watch, "it's almost lunchtime. Wanna grab a bite to eat? I'd have to get back to work pretty soon, but we can at least have a quick lunch together?" "Sure," Christine said. "And after lunch, you can come back to your office, after you drop me off at my hotel. Now that I've seen your facility for myself, I want to send another report back to my boss so he can have all the information he needs before the workday ends." Tanya decided to make a move. "Well, you don't have to stay at a hotel. I have plenty of room at my place. And I have Internet access so you can email your boss." Tanya stopped speaking and held her breath in anticipation. Christine hesitated, but only for a moment. Then a big smile spread all over her face. "I'd love to! I thought you'd never ask!" ~~~ "So how've you been?" Tanya smiled at Christine as they sat in the Rosemont Café. Deciding on a light lunch, they both chose salads along with hot coffee to warm themselves from the Indiana cold weather. Before Tanya answered Christine's question, she took in her friend, and one-time crush. Christine's skin was the same smooth, luminous, warm caramel tone as it had been in college. Her hair was still soft-black, but now had auburn and copper streaks, and was cut in an easy, swinging bob. She was still tall and lean, and was as analytical as ever. But she still had the same compassionate nature, given her work with Kroger's corporate giving program. "I've been fine," Tanya answered. "Very fine. But what about you? What have you been doing all these years?" Christine was blunt. "Well, just after graduation, I got married." Tanya winced. There goes that fantasy, she thought. "Wow! That's wonderful," she said, with as much glee as she could muster. "Don't be. We got divorced less than two years later." Seems like Christine is full of surprises. "Are you all right?" Tanya asked. Christine sighed. "I never should have gotten married." "To him?" "No. To a man in general." Tanya's eyes widened. "Really? That means...you're gay?" Christine gave her a lopsided grin. "I guess I always knew, but I never really wanted to deal with it. But now? I'm cool. My family still hasn't come around, though," she said, taking another sip of coffee. "And it's been two years now, but what can I do? I have to live my life, right?" "Right. Well, when I first came out, my mom --" Christine's head snapped up. "Excuse me?" It was Tanya's turn to grin. "I said, when I first came out, just after high school, my mom had a real problem with it. But later on, she admitted that she always knew. In fact, she was kind of waiting on me to tell her. Now, she's okay with it." Then Tanya stared at her for a moment. "You know, there's a good chance that your family will come around too." Giving Thanks "Yeah. I know." They sat there quiet for a few moments, each lost in their own thoughts. Christine sipped on her coffee, then began to speak. "Tanya, there's something I need to ask you. Why did you leave school? It wasn't until we came back for sophomore year that I even knew you were gone. What happened?" Tanya took a deep breath. She hadn't told this story to anyone. "It was my mom," Tanya began. "She got sick just after Christmas break freshman year. She wasn't eating, was nauseous all the time, and just run down. She went to some doctors and had a lot of tests, and just before the school year ended, we found out that she had leukemia." "Oh my God," Christine said. "That's horrible!" Tanya nodded. "She's doing well now, but back then? Our family barely had the money to send me to school, let alone to cover mom's doctor bills. We didn't have any insurance, so we were pretty much on our own. I dropped out of school and came back here to South Bend to take care of her and to work full time." Tanya took a sip of her drink. "In fact, things got so bad financially, that we had to use a soup kitchen ourselves. Thankfully, there was one right near our house." "That's why you're so dedicated to the food bank," Christine said. "That's pretty admirable." "Yep. We came to the South Bend Community Soup Kitchen almost every night. And we went to the Baxter House food pantry for groceries once a month. So, yes, I'm committed to helping the people that helped us. Eventually, I got a job with the food bank and I've been there ever since." "You know," Christine said, "I did Google your name over the years. It's just that 'Tanya O'Brien' is a pretty common name. Very common, indeed. Plus, I had no idea where you lived. I didn't know that you were in South Bend." Christine looked off in the distance. "I thought that you could have been anywhere." Tanya blushed. "Wait. You actually looked for me?" "Of course I did," Christine said, looking back at her. "I considered you a friend. I was hurt when you didn't come back to school. I'm sad to know that things had gotten so tough for you, but I'm relieved to have finally found you again." "Really?" Christine's voice was sure. "Really." Tanya was silent as her mind began to spin. Could she really be interested? Just then, Christine looked at her watch. "It's almost one now. You have to get back soon?" Tanya glanced at hers. "Yeah. So I'm going to drop you off at my house first. Just make yourself at home and I'll be there after five." Christine smiled as they stood and gathered their belongings. "That'll be fine. It'll give me time to get my report to my boss. And maybe I'll have something special for you for later." A thrill went through Tanya as they went to the cashier. "I'm looking forward to it!" ~~~ Once Tanya got home from work, she was pleased to find that Christine had made dinner for the two of them. Though it was a simple meal of some items she'd had in her fridge and in her pantry, Tanya was on cloud nine at Christine's thoughtfulness. They talked late into the night, reminiscing more about school and how their lives had changed over the years. They then exchanged stories about their respective jobs, finding several similarities, in that each loved to help their community and that each admired the other's generous spirit. In addition, both seemed pleased to learn that the other was single, but nary a move was made. They spent the following day, Saturday, exploring South Bend. Both die-hard University of Michigan Wolverine fans, they eschewed the Notre Dame tailgate parties and home football game, in favor of a late breakfast back at the Rosemont Café. Then they took a drive around South Bend and its surrounding communities, where Tanya showed Christine more of the shelters and centers the NIFB serviced. Afterward, they took in a leisurely lunch, then a trip to the South Bend Museum of Art. After an early dinner, they caught an evening performance at the Southold Dance Theatre. Every step of the way, Tanya was the perfect hostess, making sure that Christine's every need was taken care of. But often, when she thought Christine wasn't looking, she stared at her crush, and was overwhelmed at the feelings she still had for the compassionate woman. She still imagined the eyes she wanted to look deep into, the skin she wanted to caress, the soft lips she wanted to kiss. However, Christine, staying in one of Tanya's guest rooms, never made a move. As such, Tanya didn't either. They continued to enjoy their time together until early Sunday afternoon, when Tanya reluctantly drove Christine back to the airport. "I had a wonderful weekend," Christine said as she pulled her luggage out of Tanya's trunk. They were standing at the curb in front of the terminal with Tanya's car still running. "It was so good to see you." Then Christine's mood seemed to dampen a bit. "I'm going to miss you, you know." "Now you know we don't have much time here," Tanya joked, trying to lightened the mood. "Airport security is a bitch. They just enjoy giving tickets here." Christine smiled. "Then I'd better make this quick." She leaned in and gave Tanya a hug, then a soft kiss on the cheek. "I'm so glad you're back in my life again. And I'll talk to you soon." Christine waived as she grabbed her bags and headed into the terminal. Tanya stood there for a moment, stunned. Then she touched the warm spot on her cheek and a huge smile spread across her face. ~~~ Monday morning, Tanya kept that huge smile as she opened the office. She put on a pot of coffee and readied her desk for the morning's work. She had many more donor calls to make, but her weekend with Christine left her giddy and unfocused. Just then the phone rang. She checked the clock. At just after eight am, the office wasn't officially open yet, but she went ahead and answered anyway. "The Northern Indiana Food Bank, this is Tanya. How can I help you?" The light, feminine voice was crisp and pointed. "Hi Tanya. This is Maureen David at First Federal." Tanya was elated. South Bend's First Federal Bank was their largest donor. Though they hadn't yet submitted their yearly holiday donation check yet, Tanya was certain that Maureen would send it over right away. "Hi Maureen. What can I do for you?" Maureen paused. "Tanya? I have some bad news..." Tanya listened in horror as Maureen explained that the bank wasn't going to make their donation this year. "We'd really love to help, Tanya," Maureen explained, "but as what usually happens in business, when cuts need to be made, the first to go are the charitable giving programs." Maureen and Tanya spoke a few minutes more, then they hung up. Dazed, Tanya first thought about calling Brother Nick on his cell phone, but then promptly decided to wait until he came in before she gave him the bad news. "What a way to start a week," she thought, as all memories of Christine left her head. Little did they know, the week was going to get worse. ~~~ Tanya sat in the food bank's dining room, in a meeting eerily similar to the one they'd had two weeks prior. It was now the Monday before Thanksgiving and Brother Nick had called a special meeting. Things were looking dim since all the week before, like First Federal, a great number of their largest sponsors were either substantially decreasing, or canceling altogether, their food and monetary donations. Brother Nick had been sullen for several days, obviously with an important decision to make: whether or not to close the Northern Indiana Food Bank until further notice. Tanya had been fielding calls all the week before from the various food pantries, shelters and centers, but she was just as clueless as anyone else as to what Brother Nick would decide. As she watched, Brother Nick slowly took the podium in front of the staff and the regular volunteers Just as he was about to speak, one of the volunteers, Corinne, came out of the kitchen and into the dining room. She motioned to Tanya. When Tanya walked over to her, Corinne spoke in a low voice. "I know you said to hold all your calls until after Brother Nick's meeting, but this one is urgent." Tanya frowned as she followed Corinne back into the kitchen. "Who is it?" Corinne watched as Tanya picked up the extension located on the wall. "She says her name is Christine. Christine Parker." Tanya's heart fluttered as she answered. "Hello?" Christine was breathless. "Hello Tanya? It's me, Christine." Tanya's eyes were downcast. "Hey there. It's good to hear from you, but I'm going to have to call you back. We're actually in a meeting now. Our donations have not only not gone up, but they've declined sharply. In fact, I think that Brother Nick might be about to cancel the program for the holidays." "No! Don't do it!" Christine said sharply. "Go tell him not to cancel!" Tanya frowned. "Why not?" "I have a surprise for you. For all of you. But I'm not quite sure of all the details. So just stay tuned, and Wednesday, everything will work out fine. I promise! So go tell him not to cancel the program! Go now!" Tanya said a quick goodbye, then ran back into the dining room. ~~~ Wednesday morning, Tanya arrived to the office fifteen minutes late. For some reason, just before she turned off the main road onto the private road leading to the office, there was what appeared to be a logjam of vehicles located on the road. There were about ten semi-trucks nearly blocking the road. She actually cursed as she had to carefully maneuver around the caravan. Still angry, she put on a pot of coffee, and before she could get back to her desk, the phone rang. "Hello?" she snapped. Then she caught herself. "Hello. Northern Indiana Food Bank. This is Tanya. How may I help you?" A deep male voice spoke. "Hello, Tanya. This is Mack McConway. I need to know where to park." Tanya frowned. "Excuse me?" There was a pause. "Have you looked outside yet?" he asked. Tanya put the phone down, went to the window and peered outside. She gasped at what she saw. Out in the parking lot were the ten semi-trucks, all in a line, back to front. Somehow, they had all moved from the main road to right in front of her office. And the most interesting part? All of the trucks were marked 'Kroger.' She put the phone back to her ear. "I'm sorry. What is all of this?" "Ma'am, we have a delivery from Ms. Christine Parker, Kroger Corporation and the WNBA." Tanya was floored. "The WNBA? The Women's Basketball Association?" Just then, line two rang. She put Mack on hold and answered. "Hello?" "Tanya! It's Christine. I'm at the front door to your office. Can you let me in?" Tanya dropped the phone and ran outside. She saw Christine on her cell phone standing next to the first truck. Its driver was leaning out of the window. "Hey Tanya!" Christine called out. "This is Mack. He needs to know where he can unload his shipment. In fact," she said, waving her hand at the other trucks, "They all do!" While they were outside, Brother Nick pulled up. Tanya and Christine ran over to him as he got out of his pickup. "What's going on here?" he asked. Tanya pointed to Christine. "She's responsible for these donations." "Donations?" Brother Nick asked. "What donations?" "These donations," Christine said as she pointed to the trucks. "I called in a few favors and got you ten semi-trucks filled with food and other grocery items." Then she pulled out an envelope out of her purse and handed it to Brother Nick. "And I also have this." "What's this?" he asked. "It's a check for fifty thousand dollars," Christine answered. "And there's more where that came from. Much more." "Thank you," he said as he hugged her hard, his eyes watering. "Thank you so much!" Christine motioned back toward the trucks. "You're very welcome! But we need to know where to unload these shipments. There's quite a few perishable items in there." Brother Nick went over to the drivers as Tanya and Christine stood in front of the office. They watched as Brother Nick directed them to the warehouse in back. As the convoy started to pull off, Tanya turned to Christine. "How...how..." Christine laughed. "First, my boss was truly impressed at what you all are doing here, so he gave us permission to donate the food from our warehouses and our other vendors. And about the cash? Some of it came from personal friends of mine, but most of it came from the WNBA." "The WNBA?" Tanya asked. "How?" "I'm a season ticket holder with the New York Liberty WNBA team. And I also knew that the Indiana Fever, your team right in Indianapolis, Indiana, has a corporate donor relationship with Kroger. I just called the WNBA corporate offices and voila! We have cash! Also, as an extra special treat, some of the Indiana Fever players and coaching staff are coming here tomorrow to help serve your Thanksgiving Dinner." Tanya was overcome with joy. Filled with emotion, she pulled Christine into a great big bear hug. "Thank you! Oh my God, Christine, thank you!" Christine laughed and hugged her back. "You're welcome." Then she leaned in close to Tanya's ear. "It was my pleasure to help you," she said in a low, seductive voice. "My pleasure, indeed!" A shiver ran through Tanya as she took in Christine's low, husky voice. Her body began to heat up, and she went with the new, erotic feelings rushing through her. Christine spoke again. "Tanya, I crushed on you so hard back in college. But I was just so scared. But now? I'm looking forward to helping you with even more things in the future. Our future." Tanya's heart nearly burst at Christine's admission. She hugged Christine even tighter and whispered in her ear. "Then it will be a pleasure for me to thank you properly. And I promise you, one day I will!" ~~~ Author's note: Please consider making a donation of your time, money, food, clothing and/or toiletries to your local charitable organization. Happy Holidays! Giving Thanks I had just separated from my wife after 10 years of marriage. The person who I had become bore little or no resemblance to the person I had always wanted to be. I had systematically dismantled myself over the course of my relationship with my wife and could no longer remember who I was or what I wanted at all. It was the day before Thanksgiving and I had no plans for Thanksgiving day - my ex was taking the kids to New Jersey and I wasn't invited. I felt self-hatred and fear and paranoia to a dangerous depth and degree. I had absolutely no plan in my head about how to spend the holiday. In fact, it was impossible for me to make any kind of plan to soothe or satisfy myself because I had lost myself so completely I no longer know what I liked or didn't like. Shattered as human being, I was going through the motions at all times. I left the house and wandered stupidly. With no plan at all in my head I wandered into Key Food and started looking at the shit on the shelves. The Thanksgiving crap was everywhere and in my mind ideas began to coalesce into something like a plan. A small turkey. 8 pounds. Stuffing. Potatoes. Sweet potatoes...I tossed it all into my cart, added a case of beer on top of it and headed for the registers. Did you ever think about the millions of tiny choices and decisions you make in a day and the consequences that unfold or fail to unfold as a result? On September 11, 2001, for example, I dropped my daughter off for her first day of preschool. I walked out the door of the place at 8 am and I walked halfway to the subway with her Hello Kitty lunchbox in my hand and, upon realizing what I was holding, had to turn back and bring it to the daycare. Leaving the daycare at 8:21 I was irritated with myself, cursing under my breath that I was going to be late. Getting off the train at Chambers street at 9 am I was greeted by sirens and panic. And I think to myself, damned near every single day, "what might have happened if I hadn't walked out with that lunchbox?" In a way, of course, it didn't matter. In a way, I was dead despite having survived. What might have happened on that Thanksgiving if I had chosen register 7 instead of register 6? Impossible to say. I got on line for register 6 and when I reached the front of the line I started putting my items on the belt and I peripherally clocked the cashier watching my hands. I turned and looked her in the eyes. Her nametag read "Ana Sofia." I had flirted mildly with her before but it was just small talk. Ana was a Puerto Rican woman somewhere in her mid thirties. Her brown eyes were smoky and she had a penetrating gaze that made me avert my eyes when I spoke with her. Her face was pleasant and she smiled brightly. Her nose was a little too wide, her cheekbones too soft, she had a scar on her left cheek. She was the sum of her imperfections, but the depth in her eyes offset the odd way her face was assembled. For me, anyway, everything came together in a nice way, and I found her to be pleasant to look at. The stupid blue vests they made the cashiers wear made it impossible to get an idea of what her body looked like, but I couldn't help but notice the firm, full breasts that pushed that vest out from the inside like a gust of wind in a parachute. All of this I had noticed, because a thirsty man can't help looking at a glass of water, because a man who is starving can't stay away from a thick juicy steak. All of this I had noticed before and yet none of it meant anything because I was dead inside, incapable of sorting the feelings and facts and figures into something of value, and it would be like that until I learned to live again. Ana watched my hands as I unloaded my cart and when I finished she gave me a smile that stopped me dead. "You ring," she said. "You lose you ring." I looked at her stupidly. She held up her own left hand, pointed at her empty ring finger and repeated, "you ring." "Ah," I laughed lightly. "Yeah." I exhaled. "Not married anymore..." She looked at my groceries, the unassembled component parts of a Thanksgiving dinner. She looked back at me, straight in the eyes, a deep gaze that knocked me onto my heels. "You cook all this yourself?" she asked. Suddenly I was at ease. Funny the things life teaches you. All those years married to someone who couldn't be relied on to prepare meals, those years of being the only source of income and, functionally, the only parent, did give me a few little gifts. One of them was that I learned to cook. I could pull off a delicious thanksgiving dinner without breaking a sweat. "Sure," I answered. I felt some swagger returning to my battered ego and, before I had a chance to stop myself, I said "how 'bout you come over and let me cook for you?" I am sure the surprise was obvious on my face when she said "yes" and she giggled a little at my reaction. I gave her the address and phone number and only half expected her to actually appear the next day. I woke up at 7am on Thanksgiving, walked my dog, and cleaned my shitty apartment. I had been there a month and already had let it go to seed, a testament to how little I gave a shit. Then I started cooking and by the time the bell rang at 3pm I had a nice meal prepared. Ana's hair was done up, her makeup was nice, all the stuff you wouldn't bother doing for a shitty cashier job. I have her a hug and told her she looked amazing, which she did. I helped her out of her coat and turned to hang it up, and when I turned back I nearly hyperventilated. Ana was wearing a short red dress that accentuated and displayed a body that made my throat close. I couldn't help but stare a little at her incredible, c cup breasts, her hard nipples poking through the sheer fabric. She did a flirtatious little spin and asked "you like it?" and in so doing showed me one of the finest asses I have ever seen. High and tight, perfectly shaped, generously proportioned...I considered grabbing her and kissing her hard right there but I resisted the temptation. I looked in her eyes and she smiled, a smile that promised things that I wanted more than air, that held secrets I needed more than life itself. I had squandered the gifts I was given, wasted my time, erased myself. For years I wanted nothing for myself because I didn't deserve to want, let alone to have. That day, that Thanksgiving Day, I wanted. What I wanted was Ana Sofia. We sat and ate. She was very impressed that I could cook. We made slow and halting conversation but despite the language barrier we were able to communicate and things were comfortable. I felt myself being absorbed by her voracious, big, open eyes, eyes that were eager to watch, to learn, to live and to love. We finished eating and I made some coffee. She excused herself and I sat down on the sofa. My thoughts drifted aimlessly, stupidly. I thought about the last time I was in India for business. I was stuck in traffic in a taxi on my way to a business dinner. Late, frustrated, trying to get a signal from the spotty cell service, I looked out the car window and next to the cab was a guy riding an elephant down this busy, crowded street. Suddenly Ana was next to me on the couch. I turned and looked into her eyes and I knew it was right. It was time. It was here. I put my arm around her and pulled her to me and kissed her lips lightly and softly. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back and I kissed her harder. She opened her mouth and our tongues were entwined. There is nothing more powerful than kissing; nothing more intimate, powerful, erotic or arousing. I was alive with desire, with a need for Ana that felt primal and basic and came from a place that reason doesn't dare to tread. I tore my lips from hers and I kissed her eyelids lightly. I kissed her ear and her forehead gently. I ran the back of my hand across her cheek. She reached up and grabbed my hand. She opened her eyes wide. She planted my hand on her firm breast and looked me in the eyes and said "Yes." It was like tasting water again after wandering in the desert for days. Every fiber of my being needed this, and yet I had no idea until that moment how much. I kissed her passionately and put both my hands on her breasts. I kissed her neck and she moaned lightly and softly and I knew what to do. I hadn't been with a woman other than my wife for more than 15 years, but there are behaviors that are in the DNA, that don't need rehearsal, that are as much a set of instincts as the result of thought. I slid one hand under her knees and the other around her shoulders and I picked her up and carried her to my bed. I laid her softly on the bed and then I lay down with her. I started with soft kisses again but it was only seconds before we were pawing each other lustfully and our mouths were pressed together. I unbuttoned her dress and tugged it open. I pulled it out from under her...black lace bra and panties...her beautiful body almost naked before me. I kissed her neck again, and then her shoulders. I kissed her chest and then I reached under her and opened her bra and pulled it off, revealing her breasts. Her skin was a beautiful light tan. Her breasts had not succumbed to gravity and they stayed firm and beautiful without her bra to hold them. Her brown nipples were hard and I couldn't stop myself from lightly kissing the left, then the right one. My kisses gave way to gentle licking, and she moaned and writhed a little bit on the bed. I kissed her chest between her breasts and then I moved down, down, kisses along her belly and then I put one hand on each side of her panties and pulled them off. I kissed her right ankle, then her left, and then I ran my tongue from that left ankle all the way up her leg until I was between her legs. I gently touched my tongue to the lips of her pussy and licked slowly up and down...again...again. Then I slowly and deliberately ran my tongue around her clitoris. I had stopped thinking entirely. My instincts were guiding my every move and it felt like freedom. She tasted sweet, and she began moaning rhythmically and grinding her hips. I found a rhythm and a pace and off I went. My tongue was inside her, and then it was circling her throbbing clit, then rhythmically up and down, then back to the circles. I heard her pleasure rising, her breath getting short, her moans getting louder, and I kept up my rhythm until I felt her whole body contract. She cried out "Fuuck, fuck fuuuucckk" and pounded the bed with her hands as I watched her convulse. It was unspeakably beautiful to see such pleasure unfold before me, and I lay down next to her naked, glistening body and looked in her eyes and smiled. She looked back with those impossibly lovely eyes, and I felt a wave of gratitude for her presence in my bed. Then she reached over and undid my belt. She pushed me onto my back and straddled me, quickly unbuttoning my shirt, tearing it off me, and then making her way to my pants. She undid the button and pulled them off me and then...there I was, as hard as I could ever remember being. She grabbed my cock with one hand and then brought her face to it. She locked the head of my cock slowly, and then she removed her hand and eagerly accepted me into the soft warmth of her mouth. I had been sexually inactive for months. I had forgotten just how good it felt to have soft lips and a warm mouth engulf my hard cock. I knew I wouldn't last long. She began slowly bobbing her head up and down, taking the full length of my cock into her throat, then backing up, her tongue licking along the underside of my shaft as she withdrew, only to quickly take me back into her throat. She sped up, faster and then even faster. I arched my back. I could feel it inside me. Faster, her soft wet mouth...I exploded into her mouth, my body convulsing as I let months of come loose. She stayed attached to me, drinking every drop, her big soulful eyes gazing up at me as I gasped for air and then slowly relaxed. We lay naked together...wordless. The feeling of her body beside mine was...comfortable. How long had it been since I lay beside a woman and felt warmth and acceptance and love? How long had it been since I had breathed, since I had opened my eyes, since I had reached for something and touched it, and grasped it, and held it, and made it mine? I thought about that elephant on that street in Mumbai. How it seemed so out of place among the cars, the honking horns, the little kerosene powered open taxi scooters. How utterly out of place and yet...an elephant...in India...not out of place at all. It belonged there before anything around it. And for all my surprise, that elephant was part of the scene, it did not draw cries of concern or gasps of wonder. It belonged there, probably more than I did. I felt the cold, abject terror that had frozen my heart beginning to melt. I belonged here. I was not an "other", an outsider. I was becoming human again, becoming connected to another human being in that bed, right then, right there. I felt Ana's hand on my cock and I began to get hard again. I looked at her beautiful eyes and I ran my hands over her hips before settling on her lovely breasts. She exhaled deeply and I was immediately hard. She lay back and I got on my knees and positioned myself between her legs. I took an ankle in each hand and I could see that she was soaking wet. My cock was aching now, straining toward her. I guided myself between her legs and slowly inserted just the head of my cock in her wet, hot pussy. Her eyes widened. She looked up at me and bit her bottom lip and nodded. I slid into her slowly...slowly...one inch...then the next...a little more...again...stop...then more...and my cock was buried deep inside her. It had been so long. I walked out of the desert and into a pool. I was determined to take it slow, to resist my impulse to fuck her like a rabbit fleeing a fox, to fuck her greedily. I slowly withdrew my cock until only the head was inside her...then I slid back into her. I slowly pulled back...then hard and fast, back inside her. I started to build a rhythm. Harder and faster each time. Her eyes, staring up into mine...the soft, warm, west, tight pussy around my hard cock. I went harder and faster, then I stopped and slowed down...then quickly again, deep inside her...and then I slowed down. I grabbed her hips without my cock leaving her for even one second. I pulled her up and turned her slightly. She got the cue and got on all fours. I began fucking her hard and fast. She was bucking herself up and down, riding on me, spitting out random words in Spanish and English. Harder and faster now. I felt it coming. There was no bed. There were no walls. There was only me and her. Two bodies, connected...me and her...connected. I came so hard for so long I almost lost consciousness. Her loud moans and sharp cries filled the room as she shook with pleasure again. Again we lay there in silence. I felt a wave of peaceful calm wash over me. Since that day in September ten years ago, I have never slept more than 3 hours in any night. I looked at the clock. 7 pm. I turned to look at Ana. My eyelids felt heavy. At the core of my being, I felt a weight was lifting. I felt the noises and voices in my head begin to ebb. I slowly drifted into sleep. My eyes opened and focused on the clock. 11 PM. The bed was empty next to me. I was alone. I wanted her there beside me. I wanted someone there, I needed someone...I deserved someone. The ice around my heart had melted away. I knew I would live again, that I would have desires and need and feelings like any other man, and that I would go out again and live. I gave thanks for the life I almost lost and then almost lost again. I felt a wave of gratitude and I told myself I would never waste this gift again. I wished Ana was still there. I was still alone. I heard footsteps and then Ana appeared in the doorway. "Su perro necesita salir" she said, her eyes sparkling with warmth and life and her smile promising mystery. My dog. She had walked my dog. I exhaled a sigh of deep relief. She climbed back into bed and her fine ass rubbed against me as we lay together. I had my arm around her and we sat in silence for a few moments again. I looked at the ceiling, at the small crack that ran from the corner. I looked out the window to the side and I saw the trees in Prospect Park, waving in the breeze like beauty queens in a parade. The blue light of the night shone through their bare branches and I was filled with love. I gave thanks for life. I gave thanks for love. I gave thanks for Ana Sofia.