1 comments/ 10073 views/ 4 favorites The Taming of Monique By: Scorpius1945 This is a work of fiction. No person in this story is based on or relates to any living person. The activities described in this story are imaginary and are neither condoned nor recommended by the author. ***** Monique falls for just the right guy. She strode into the bar, looking as though she owned the place. We get plenty of chicks here, but she was exceptional. For a start she was tall, about six foot in her heels I reckon, well built with curves in all the right places. She was well-dressed in a cream low-cut blouse, moderately tight black skirt finishing mid-thigh, sexy fishnet stockings and black four inch or so heels. She oozed confidence and sexuality and, with her waist-length blonde hair neatly fastened in a ponytail down her back, drew the attention of every man in the bar. "What can I get you, Ma'am?" I asked as she positioned her tight derriere on a bar stool. She looked at me as though I was a less than salubrious insect and asked for a bloody Mary. I mixed this and handed it to her, exchanging it for a fifty and finding the change for her from the till. She took a sip, grimaced, then turned her back and surveyed the bar. Nothing or nobody seemed to attract her attention, so after pushing out her chest and flaunting her 36D boobs, she turned back to me. "What do people do for a good time in this hick town, mister?" she asked disparagingly. "Whatever they damn well please," I replied disdainfully. I was certainly in no mood to allow this brazen hussy to get the better of me and I certainly wasn't going to pander to her snobbery. My answer obviously took her by surprise, probably not used to receiving as good as she got, I thought, and she turned back to me and smiled for the first time. The smile almost made her look like a human being. "So what would you do for a good time, mister whatever your name is?" "My mother called me Randolph but most call me Randy. I am sometimes too. What's yours?" She smiled again, her smile lit up the whole bar. I noticed that many of the patrons had stopped their talking and the pool games they were playing and were watching the pantomime taking place at the bar. "Monique," she replied softly. "So what're you doin' in this hick town?" I asked, using her term for the place. "Just passing through, thank God. How about you?" "Well, I was born here and have lived here all my life, so far," I replied. "I guess you could call me a local." "OK, so where can I get a reasonable room with a comfortable bed and a decent meal?" she asked. "Yeah, I've got all those at my place. Wanna share?" She looked at me as though I was less than dirt and for the first time appeared to be at a loss for words. Eventually she overcame her repugnance to tell me that she wasn't that desperate. She turned back to the bar again and a couple of regulars came up for refills, nodding politely to Monique, who studiously ignored them. A vehicle pulled up outside and a moment later Sheriff Bruce Forlong walked in for his regular evening pint. He stopped as he entered, obviously taken aback by the stunning blonde at the bar. He walked slowly towards me and greeted me as I pulled his usual pint. "Good evening," he greeted Monique, "I'm Sheriff Bruce Forlong. I hope you're enjoying the hospitality we offer in our little town." Monique's demeanor changed radically as she replied. "Good evening Sheriff. Yes, so far I've found my brief stay in your little town, as you put it, to be tolerable." "That's great. If you have any problems just let me know." He glanced around the barroom and moved a little closer to her, lowering his voice. "They're a pretty basic lot but their hearts are in the right places." "Thanks for that, Sheriff. Right now I need somewhere reasonable to stay. All I've had so far is a ridiculous offer from Randy, which, of course, I refused." "Well, we're not really on the tourist route here so there really isn't anywhere set up to cater for tourists. However, if you wished, I live alone since my wife died and you would be most welcome to stay in one of my three spare bedrooms." "Hmmm," replied Monique, considering the offer, "I guess if that's the situation then I might just have to accept. Thank you for your generous offer." "You're most welcome," replied the Sheriff, "And please, call me Bruce. I'm off duty." "Thank you, Bruce. Is there somewhere I could eat first please? Where would you recommend?" "Well, actually you're standing in not only the best eating place in town, but also the only eating place. I eat here every night and would be honored if you would join me for dinner. Can I buy you another drink first?" Monique thanked him, I poured another bloody Mary and together they walked to a table to await Fran, our waitress. I watched as the bar atmosphere returned to some semblance of normality, the locals obviously discussing the new arrival and the way in which Sheriff Bruce had apparently tamed this renegade filly. After dinner, Sheriff Bruce and Monique left the bar together, Bruce giving me a wave and a wink as he walked out, and drove off, Monique following the Sheriff in her own flash European import car. ***************************** The following Sunday Bruce and I sat at home and discussed life. Needless to say, our discussion turned towards happenings after he and Monique left the bar a few days before. "Huh, bloody bitch," said Bruce heatedly. "Biggest cock tease I've ever met." "Oh? You want to tell me what happened or is it still too tough to talk about?" "Well, you know I've been real down since Mary died last fall. My sex life has been zilch. Can't do much around here with everyone knowing everyone else's business. I also still feel almost duty bound to be faithful to Mary even though I know she's gone. However, when Monique arrived I thought maybe she'd been sent somehow to look after me. The thought even crossed my mind that just maybe Mary was looking out for me from wherever she is now. Stupid, I know. "Anyway, we got home and I took Monique in with me and showed her around. She chose a spare king size bed and changed into more comfortable clothing, as she said. When she came out I expected her to at least be dressed in clothes, but she appeared in sexy lingerie with an almost transparent gown over it, tied with a bow just above her breasts, the nipples of which were clearly visible. She sat down next to me, really close, and placed her hand on my crotch, giving me a kiss on the cheek. She thanked me for the bed and said she'd really like to pay me somehow for the accommodation. Obviously I thought she meant she was available for sexual congress, so I put my arm around her and we started fondling each other in an intimate manner, if you get what I mean." I nodded briefly. "As the evening drew on she became more forward and soon had my cock in her hand, jacking it slowly while I was about to start removing what little coverings she had to really get down to business. Suddenly she just yawned, and stood up, telling me that she'd had a long drive and had a long drive again tomorrow so she was off to bed. I obviously thought this was code for me to follow her and have a night of loving, but when I tried to follow her I found she'd locked the door. I called out to her and she just told me 'Good night' and that she might see me in the morning. "You can imagine how I felt. I was sexy as hell, frustrated to buggery, ready to fuck anything on two legs, yet at the same time I had this guilty feeling about betraying Mary. I crawled off to bed and slept very poorly that night. Next morning I heard her moving about so thought maybe now she would be more refreshed and more receptive, but was mistaken. She'd been awake for a while, was dressed in her travelling clothes and invited me into her room without hesitation. We kissed and cuddled, feeling each other in most erotic ways, and I was just about to make my move and remove her skirt and panties when she jumped up, said she had a long way to go today, thanked me for the accommodation, picked up her bag and headed out the door. "Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather. Once again I felt cheated; very aroused, ready for a great time with a gorgeous chick and then nothing. Never trust a woman, that's my thoughts on the matter. They'll lead you on then disappear, leaving you horny and angry. It's only today that I've calmed down a bit, but if I ever meet her again I'll certainly tell her exactly what I think of her." ******************************** Monique pulled into the city and drove into the entrance of her apartment block. She flipped the keys to her Audi to a parking valet and took the elevator to her suite on the 23rd floor, with beautiful views of the city, coast, and foreshore. She walked in, accompanied by the porter carrying her bag. She showed the porter where to put the bag, tipped him generously, closed and locked the door after him then collapsed onto the bed, sobbing her heart out. She felt terrible. She hated herself for leading poor Bruce on then rejecting him. He was, she knew, a really nice guy and deserved better than that. She would have loved to have made love with him all night but had deliberately chosen to ignore that opportunity in favor of leading him on and frustrating him, punishing him for things that he, personally, had not done. Her mind went back to her mother in the Paris slum, when she was only very small, and when men would come and beat her mother, for what she did not know, while she hid in a cupboard until they had gone. At that young age she hadn't known that her mother was a prostitute. All she knew was that her mother had sent her away with a friend who then raised her as her own child. The only lasting thing she had of her mother was the memory of her insistence that she must never trust a man. Her thoughts came forward to her failed relationships, to the men who had mistreated her, had hurt her both physically and mentally, who had abandoned her after she had mistakenly trusted and loved them. She remembered the exact moment when she had decided that this would never happen again and that she vowed to seek revenge on all men for the wrongs these men had done to her. She felt the bitter anguish boil inside her as she used her energy to maintain these vengeful thoughts. Another wave of tears flooded through her as she thought about her hopes and dreams of a stable, loving marriage with a few gorgeous children; hopes that were dashed by being betrayed by the only man she had ever really loved. She had chosen to protect herself against further heartache by never allowing any man to get close to her again. Yet that was not enough. Her vow to punish men had led her to entice them into compromising situations and then dump them, often, as in the case with Bruce, against the wishes of her body and the rational part of her mind. She would have loved to have been held, cuddled, and made love to by Bruce. He seemed a very genuine person, sad after his family tragedy, two lone spirits who had met, with the means to comfort each other, yet her drive for vengeance came between them and she left him lonely and frustrated, as she herself had been as she drove away. One part of her asked how long this must go on; the other part, the hurt part, the controlling part, answered forever. Slowly she pulled herself together, washed her face, rang down for some dinner, opened a bottle of wine, and ate and drank the evening away, alone. Tomorrow would be early enough to face the world as she returned to her job as the prize bitch courtroom defence attorney, defending the scum of the earth, or so she viewed them, men who she had never met yet who she hated for being men. ******************************* The legal seminar had been long, dull and boring but at last it was Friday and she was on her way home. Monique was ready for a cocktail, dinner and then a good sleep in her own bed. Another hour and the flight would land, meantime, even in first class, she had to have someone placed next to her. He hadn't tried to get her into conversation or, worse, to hit on her, yet. Actually, the lonely part of her thought, he looks a real nice guy. He seemed to be deeply engrossed in a book he was reading which, from the brief glance she'd had of its cover, appeared to be something to do with alternative energy, an area of interest for her but only from the legal perspective. He looked at his watch and grimaced, then turned to her. "Do you have the time please? My watch has stopped. Probably a flat battery, I guess." "Yes, that happens," she replied, "It's 5.30pm. I guess that watch batteries have to run down sometime, usually at the worst possible time." She chuckled. "Yes, guess so. My name's Aidan, by the way." "I'm Monique," she replied with a smile. He's not really so bad, despite being a man, thought her lonely part. She looked at his hands; no rings. Doesn't mean he's not married but maybe . . . Don't be crazy, chimed in the bitchy, vengeful part of her, still hurt after all those years, he's a man; his only use to you is as a target. Still, target, lover, friend, whatever; maybe he could be useful. "That looks like an interesting book you're reading," she said. "Yes it is. It's pretty technical but definitely interesting. Alternative energy's a really hot topic right now and the basic problem is that people have believed what they've been taught about energy, without giving quantum physics a chance to be developed." "So are you a scientist or something?" asked Monique, intrigued by this guy despite herself. "Engineer, actually, specializing in the design of prototype alternative energy systems. We have one that seems to be producing energy from thin air at present. If it could be developed it would certainly revolutionize transport. What field are you in?" "I'm in the legal profession," replied Monique. Time went quickly as they talked and grew to know each other a little better. He'd had a failed marriage, his wife walking off with another man, and for the first time Monique found herself telling another man about her failures in the relationship area too. Aidan listened sympathetically, but without pity, putting her traumas into perspective and pointing out the learning that she had been offered by these so-called mistakes. "You know, they say that there's no such thing as a mistake; it's only a learning opportunity," he told her. "So I wonder what learning opportunities you've had from all those so-called mistakes." Monique didn't reply, but sat quietly as she thought about his comment. The hostess came on the PA system and told them they would be landing in a few minutes and the usual landing preparations they should make. "Are you a local here or a visitor?" asked Aidan. "I'm a local, and you?" "I'm visiting for a few days. Want to see an old guy who has been pottering in my field for many years and has made a few remarkable discoveries, which, as usual, nobody believes. It's amazing how the credibility of a person seems to depend so much on the position he holds in his work or society. Who knows how many potential discoveries have been ignored due to this." "Where are you staying?" asked Monique. "I haven't booked ahead; it was a last minute trip because the guy was reluctant to see me so made the visit for only 24 hours ahead. Where do you recommend?" "Well, I live in the city and have a few spare bedrooms if you want to bunk down there for the time you're here." It was out before she even thought; spoken words that could not be retracted. "Thank you, Monique, that's a very kind offer and I would love to accept if you're sure that's OK." She had a chance to back out, but just as she thought that, she heard herself say: "Yes, of course that's OK. It will be a pleasure to have some company for a change." The plane landed and Aidan and Monique went through the normal formalities, collected their baggage and Monique led him to her car. "Wow!" exclaimed Aidan, "An Audi R8 Spyder! What a car. What did you say you did again?" "I said I worked in the legal system," replied Monique, "Actually, I'm a defence attorney, and a very good one so I've been told. The DA hates me, so that's a start." They climbed into the car and Monique quickly threaded her way through the traffic, arriving shortly at her apartment building, tossed the keys to the valet and together Monique and Aidan took the elevator to her apartment. She opened the door and invited Aidan inside. The lights of the city were just twinkling on and the coastline was still visible in the twilight. "Wow, some apartment," commented Aidan. Monique led him through to a spare bedroom. "You can use this room while you're here. There's an ensuite bathroom so you can freshen up and come out to the lounge for a drink when you're ready. What's your poison?" "Jack Daniels thanks if you have it, on the rocks." "Done. See you in a few minutes." When he arrived in the lounge Monique was already seated on the sofa with her shoes kicked off, bloody Mary in her hand and his drink was on the table in front of the available seat on the sofa. Part of Monique was screaming at her for even having him in the apartment, let alone allowing him to sleep here, and especially indicating for him to sit next to her instead of in a chair on the other side of the room. However, in the last couple of hours she had become accustomed to ignoring that part of her. "Thank you," acknowledged Aidan, sitting beside her. "This is a wonderful place. You live here permanently?" "Yes, it's just so handy. I work just down the street, five minutes' walk, car parking is safe and easy, as you saw, meals are good here with a wide choice of menus. So what would you like to order?" She handed him a menu and he quickly chose the steak. Monique ordered for them both by phone, confirming how he liked his steak done. "Look, let me pay for the meals at least. I feel I need to make some contribution for this luxurious accommodation, terrific company and wonderful dinner." "It's all a bit complicated really," explained Monique, "I simply put everything on my bill and at the end of each month it's automatically deducted from my bank account. I never see the money. So treat it as a present." The bitchy part of her was having convulsions. Monique smiled inwardly; I'll show her who's boss, she thought. About time I took control of me rather than letting me be run by a dysfunctional inner self. The conversation flowed freely and easily as they sipped their drinks until their dinners arrived and they sat at the table to eat. Monique opened some wine and poured them each a glass as they chewed meditatively, made small talk and admired the view up the coastline. Once dinner was over, they retired to the sofa once again with coffee and liqueurs and the conversation changed also as they found themselves talking of lost loves and betrayal, expanding on the past emotional traumas they had started discussing on the plane. Monique found that Aidan was the first man she had been able to talk with about her past relationships, and that he was sympathetic and knowledgeable about interpersonal interactions. She valued his male viewpoint also, a viewpoint she had never heard before as she had been unwilling to listen to men in the past. Already she recognized that Aidan was changing her, or rather, she corrected herself, she was changing in response to Aidan. She realized the subtle difference was important. By the end of the evening they were sitting close together, her head on his shoulder, both with eyes wet and red rimmed from tears, unshed until tonight. They both realized they had stored up a great deal of hate, jealousy and fear and that this coincidental meeting and subsequent open and honest discussion had been unbelievably cathartic. The Taming of Monique "It's past my bedtime," said Monique after a lapse in the conversation. "What time do you need to see the alternative energy guy and where is he?" "Oh, you don't need to be concerned about that. I'll get a cab. He's about fifty miles out of town. He said about 11am would be best time for him. I really don't know if I can do it all tomorrow or if I will need a return trip on Sunday, but whatever, I'll organize it myself. Thanks anyway." "Now listen, Aidan, tonight you've helped me more than you'll ever know. I've never been able to discuss what we discussed tonight with anyone. The very least I can do is take you out to this guy in the country. I have nothing planned for the weekend; can't we please spend it together?" As she listened to herself say this she noticed the bitchy part was really up in arms, tearing herself apart that she was being ignored. Tough, thought Monique. Let her suffer as she's caused me to suffer. "That's extremely generous of you and I would certainly enjoy spending the weekend with you, but only if you're sure." Monique distinctly heard her bitchy self tell her to change her mind, as she rubbed her hands in glee at being able to refuse a man. Monique ignored her, again. "No, that's fine. A trip in the country would be great and the car could do with a decent run. What say we leave about 9.30am so we have a bit of time if we get lost, although I do have a GPS." "Sounds good to me," replied Aidan. They put their glasses in the dishwasher and went to their respective rooms. They showered and Monique pulled on her gown as Aidan pulled on his boxers. Then each, unbeknownst to the other, went to the kitchen for a glass of water. "Oh, sorry," said Aidan looking away from Monique in her semi-transparent gown, "I just needed a glass of water." "Me too," replied Monique, looking carefully at his well-developed musculature while her lonely inner self had her tongue hanging out in lust. He turned away and headed for his room. Her lonely inner part cried out in agony at the lost opportunity, and Monique heard herself say, as though from a vast distance: "Aidan, just hang on a second please." He stopped, turned and looked at her. She blushed, knowing full well that he could easily see her silhouette against the light from her bedroom door, and feeling the thrill of that pass through her. She walked slowly to him and carefully placed her arms around him. "Love me, please," she whispered in his ear. He didn't respond for what seemed like an age, unsure of what he should do; unsure that he had heard her correctly. "What do you want me to do?" he asked. "Take me in your muscular arms, carry me to your or my bed and make gentle, sweet passionate love to me, then sleep beside me all night. Now, is there anything you don't understand about that?" Aidan reached down and placed his right arm behind her legs, lifting her with his left arm still around her shoulders and carried her to her bedroom, placing her gently on her bed. He left to turn off the kitchen and his bedroom lights then dim her bedroom light, before laying himself beside her. "Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked gently. "Oh yes, darling, so, so sure. It's been so long since I've let a man make love to me." Aidan placed his lips against hers and kissed her gently. She pulled his lips against her s harder, exploring his teeth with her tongue and, once this permission had been granted, feeling him explore her mouth also. She also felt him rise against her hip, a feeling that sent thrills and chills through her body. She had to do this, she told herself, had to trust this man who she had so recently met. If you trust him he'll betray you, chimed in her strident bitchy part, but this was now overshadowed by the loving she was feeling from Aidan and the reassurance she was receiving from her lonely part, who was lying back lapping up the attention. Gradually they progressed through the stages of love, caressing through clothing, removing clothing, caressing bare skin, examining each other's body, focusing on erogenous zones, turning each other on, feeling each other let go of the need to remain separate and allowing each to meld with the other at many levels. When the time was right, he mounted her and slowly and gently pushed his rock hard penis into her streaming vagina. The first contact was magical, and scary. It had been so long for each of them; the simple action brought back so many memories, some pleasant, some horrendous, for each of them. Both gasped at the sensations, the conflict between what they were feeling now and the stored memories of the past. Stay in the now, Aidan told himself; the now is all there is, repeated Monique to herself. Once the lovers were united, they rested for a few minutes, amazing themselves with joy they felt as they experienced the almost forgotten sensations of unity, fullness and love for another human being. Then they commenced to move gently with each other, exploring each other's desires and rhythms, enjoying this physicality of love. He knew that he wasn't going to last long; she knew it also and that she herself was nearly there too. In a few minutes it was all over; no fireworks, no bands playing, just two lovers experiencing gentle releases together as they moved as one, thought as one, felt as one. They lay together for a short time then Aidan rolled them both onto their sides and he removed his flaccid penis from her. They kissed gently. "Thank you, sweetheart," he said, "I really needed that. You have no idea how long it's been since I felt this loved." "Absolutely right, darling, my thoughts entirely. Thank you darling, that was wonderful," she replied. "Honey, I forgot to ask you about contraception. Is that all taken care of?" he asked. "No, I've had no relationship for so long that I haven't bothered. However, it is the relatively safe time of my cycle and if I get pregnant, great. I really want a child sometime and now's as good as any." She grinned up at him, "Do you want to be a Daddy?" "With you as the Mommy, sweetheart, definitely," he replied with a smile. He turned off the light and they spooned together, both falling asleep very quickly. The following morning there was the usual slight embarrassment of first time lovers seeing each other in the harsh light of day. They kissed in bed, lying together naked, each feeling the subtle pressures of the other against their skin. He glanced at the clock by the bed - 7.30am. He kissed her again, deeper, more loving, more intense. "Would you like to make love again?" he asked. "With you, darling, yes," she breathed in his ear. They caressed each other and threw back the sheet so they could see the subtle changes they wrought in each other's body. His penis growing harder, longer; her labia swelling, becoming dewy with her moisture, her nipples hardening and lengthening. She cupped his testicles gently, feeling each one, sliding in their sac below his hard rod. He massaged her breasts, rolling her pointy nipples between finger and thumb as she closed her eyes and threw her head back, soaking up the erotic sensations. They caressed each other's stomachs, feeling the softness of their skin, the roundness of their hips, the increasing eroticism as they turned each other on sexually. "Please fuck me now, sweetheart," she whispered when she really needed to be taken to the next level. "I want you on top, darling," he whispered back, rolling onto his back and carrying her with him so she ended up lying on him. She squatted up on her haunches, raising her body and positioning her pussy directly over his rampant penis. He used his hand to position his penis then she sat down slowly, feeling the exquisite sensation of being slowly impaled. Aidan felt this pleasure also as his penis was slowly engulfed by Monique's warm, wet vagina. Could he ever tire of this feeling, he wondered. Once she was seated fully on him, feeling him pressing the end of her tunnel deep inside, her clitoris pressing on his pubic bone, she let out her breath in a sigh, unaware until then that she had actually been holding it. She leant forward onto his chest, her nipples pressing firmly against his skin, and kissed him lovingly, longingly, a full-tongue, no holds barred French kiss. While she was still in mid-kiss, she began moving her hips back and forth, massaging his penis with her vagina, stimulating them both and setting them on the road to their combined orgasms. Aidan reached up and cupped her breasts, kneading her firm flesh, twirling her nipples between his fingers as Monique gasped at each new erotic sensation that assailed her body. The feel of his penis in her tight velvet sheath rapidly increased Aidan's level of arousal until he had almost reached crisis point. Monique by this time was also almost there; her head was thrown back, eyes closed and she was panting rapidly. Aidan grabbed her hips and increased the tempo, pushing and pulling her until he could hold on no longer and with a cry he released his pent up sperm deep inside Monique. The feeling of Aidan's hot cum jetting into her body was enough to send Monique into orbit, almost. She came hard with a shrill squeal, holding herself motionless as her vaginal muscles milked Aidan's penis for all they could get. Her body shuddered from the release of so much tension and then she seemed to just collapse onto Aidan, lying like a limp rag on his chest and abdomen as she gasped for breath. After a short time she sat up again, then bent down to kiss him. "Oh darling, that was wonderful; you were wonderful. What a fantastic lover you are. Thank you sweetie. I love you so much." Inside her bitchy self was livid with rage; Monique simply ignored her, focusing instead on her better self, now no longer lonely, but incredibly loving and enjoying being loved in return. "Mmmm, you are so wonderful too. So loving, gentle, kind; all the things that for so long you have thought you were not, that you have denied; they are the real you. I love you so much, sweetheart. Marry me, please. Please will you marry me?" Monique wondered for a moment if she had heard correctly. Here was a guy asking her to marry him when they'd only met about 15 hours ago. That must be a world record, surely. Part of her was appalled, but her loving part urged her to go with her gut feelings, which were that they should be together for all time. What to do? What to say? If in doubt, procrastinate. "I'll need to take a rain check on that question," she told him. "I'm not prepared to answer at this time, darling. Sorry, I want to, oh how I want to say yes, but we attorneys have caution drummed into us and I just cannot in all honesty say yes right now. What I will say is that I want to be with you, want to love you, want to share our lives together, but marry? That's scary, and if you're honest you'll probably find you feel the same way." "Yes, I do feel the same way. Thank you for your honesty. There was part of me saying 'Ho hum, here we go again' as I asked you, but I think we can win that part over quite easily. If you're happy about us living together, then so am I. Let's do that. My work is mainly administrative so I can work anywhere, so if you're willing I can move in with you here. However, right now, we should get ready to visit this guy I need to see. What say I give you a year to make up your mind. Will that be enough time? Till then, we'll live together, share our lives and be lovers together. Does that sound like a plan?" "Oh yes, sweetheart, a wonderful plan," replied Monique, leaning forward and kissing him passionately. ******************************* Monique looked radiant in her gorgeous satin and lace wedding dress as she walked down the aisle towards Aidan. It wasn't a large wedding, neither of them wanted that, just a few friends at a private location. She was marrying her lover and best friend, the man who had restored her faith in all men, the man she had shared the past three years of her life with, the happiest years of her life so far, and with whom she wanted to share the remainder of her life. She had never known her father so was being given away by her manager and mentor from her work. Her best friends were bridesmaids, just as Aidan's were his best man and groomsman, and trotting along behind, looking a real picture in a beautiful lace dress, was Adele, her and Aidan's two year old daughter, accompanied by her nanny. Monique never had got around to starting those pills again.