1 comments/ 44674 views/ 3 favorites Paul/Cadence Ch. 01 By: PlasterCaster Chapter 1: Discover The party was finally over and everyone had already gone to get breakfast. As the group said goodbye in the dimly lit parking lot of the diner, Paul approached Cadence to hug and kiss her goodbye in their usual manner. Of course Cadence blushed a little as she always did, but Paul knew she loved it. This particular night was going to be different though. Cadence's parents had gone out of town for the weekend and left her alone by herself and somewhere along the course of the night Cadence had actually gained the courage to do what she was about to do. "Paul," she said walking over to the older man before he could get to his car "My parents are out of town and I was wondering if you'd follow me back to my place to make sure I got in okay..." "I should probably get home," he said simply, as Cadence's heart dropped to her feet and she could feel the her disappointment becoming readable on her face, "but why don't you step into my 'office' and we'll work out some sort of arrangement, sweetheart." he finished softly as he grinned and motioned to his car. Cadence's face flushed bright red and she was unable, momentarily, to speak. She could feel the hotness creeping up her chest and onto her face, partly from the unexpected response, and partly from excitement caused by the tone of his voice. Quickly Cadence walked around to the passenger side of his car and got in. What was she doing? She had wanted the older man, her friend from almost the very moment she laid eyes on him, but she had always been to shy to initiate the first move because she was afraid it would put a damper on their friendship or being rejected by him. As she got into the car her thoughts were racing and she could hardly breathe, but this was the moment of truth and she had to finally go through with it. "Truth is, darlin', I should probably be home to answer the phone sometime tonight because they all went to visit with her side of the family. They won't be home until day after next," he said referring to his wife and kids, "But how about you come along and keep me company?" "Okay... Sure. My parents will more than likely call my cell phone to check up on me, so I won't have to be home to answer any phones. I sure as Hell know I won't mind... I think we could have a good time." She said grinning as she trailed off. She placed her hand on his knee and ran it up his thigh stopping short of touching the hot bulge that was growing between his legs. Paul grinned at her mischievously and patted her hand to make sure her hand stayed put just where it was. He was sure that if she had mustered up this much bravery she would initiate the rest so he wouldn't feel like a dirty old man. After all, he was twice her age. He started the ignition and turned on the radio to break any awkward silences they might encounter on the drive to his house. After he backed out of the parking space he drove to where a couple friends were watching their every move. Especially their friend Christene, standing with her boyfriend Damian behind his car. Hanging out the window Cadence gave Christene the "thumbs up" and motioned for her to come to the passenger window while Paul was talking to Damian on the other side. "I'm going back to Paul's place. She's outta town and I'm going to 'keep him company'... I guess for the night." She said grinning to her friend, "Will you take my car back to my house and give this to Damian for gas money for following you?" She said handing her friend her keys and a five-dollar bill. "No problem. So who asked who? I mean, you've been telling me all damn night you were gonna invite him over to you house since your parents are gone. Why the sudden change of plans?" "He has to be home to answer the phone just in case someone calls." Cadence said hurriedly as she felt Paul let off the brake a little, "I'll call you in the morning to tell you how it went, Sis. Bye! And thanks for taking my car home for me!" She finished as she and Paul drove off. Cadence rolled up the window as she re-situated herself in her seat. She glanced over at Paul while they were driving down the road. He was singing along to the CD he had popped into the CD player and she smiled and started singing herself. One would think, since Cadence was only 20 and Paul in his early 40's, people with that much of an age difference between them would like different music, but that was not the case between these two. They were still twenty minutes from his house and she was getting a little antsy thinking of all the possibilities the night still held. Cadence slid over in her seat and reclaimed her hands place on Paul's leg. She watched every move and every facial expression he made to gauge his interest. Slowly she slid her hand from his leg and onto his stomach, barely grazing the mound that was now straining against his zipper, making him inhale sharply. "So..." she started in a teasing voice, her breath hot against his ear, "I know you're a good driver... And you've got a good head on your shoulders... So would you be opposed to a little... distraction?" "What exactly did you have in mind darlin'?" he said concentrating intensely on the road. "Well... I've never done this in a car before... 'specially to the driver," Cadence said still whispering in his ear while her hand worked at his zipper, "But I'm always up to trying something for the first time..." she finished as her hand freed his erect, rock-hard cock from the tight restraint of his boxers as he moaned a bit and rubbed his flushed cheek against hers, still trying to concentrate as much as possible on the road. Paul's pulsing shaft felt perfect in her hands. It was of average size and was the most perfect cock she had ever laid eyes on. What it lacked in length it's girth made up for. Cadence slowly started pumping her closed fist up and down on Paul's cock but was afraid the friction might be too much. She ran her thumb over the bulbous head of his rod and noticed that the pre-cum that had already started to build up in a single large droplet at the tip was enough to lube up his whole rod. As she pulled her thumb away and started stroking him in rhythm to the steady beat of the music she heard a gruff moan escape Paul's lips and she felt her own wetness grow between her legs. Slowly she pulled his black button-up shirt away from his cock and licked a trail to the point where the thick hair surrounding his cock started then licked a circle around the head of his exquisite cock to savor his bittersweet cum before enveloping it into her mouth. She felt one of Paul's hands leave the steering wheel to stroke her hair and the butterflies in her stomach went crazy. She loved having her hair played with in any situation, but one of her fetishes was to have her hair pulled while she was giving head. She had fantasized about a man bucking into her mouth with a firm grasp in her hair many times... and not just any man, mostly Paul. "God... You're great at that, baby..." Paul said through clenched teeth, now barely able to keep his mind on the road. Unable to answer, Cadence simply hummed along with the music as she rhythmically began bobbing up and down his hot shaft. She was driving Paul mad and she loved it. Since his question elicited no answer from Cadence he simply slid down in his seat a little more and enjoyed the vibrations that were being created by the humming and moaning she was doing on his cock. Several minutes passed and they finally pulled into his driveway. Paul wasted no time adjusting himself and his clothes and pulling Cadence into his arms to give her the most erotic kiss she had ever experienced. Their tongues danced in each other's mouths for what seemed like an eternity. Not breaking the kiss Paul pressed the button on his garage-door remote and waited for the door to open. After the kiss ended he drove into the garage and closed the door behind the car. Paul quickly got out of the car and went around to the other side to get the door for Cadence. After she had stepped out of the car and shut the door behind her, Paul pinned her against the car kissing her more fiercely than he had before all the while pressing the bulge beneath his zipper into her stomach eliciting a soft moan from her lips. Neither could stand it any longer and started grasping and tugging at each others' clothes in a futile attempt to remove them until a sound emanated from the inside of the house. "Shit... What a time to call and check up." Paul said between breaths "I'd better go get that. Follow me in sweetie." Cadence walked into the house behind Paul to what ended up being the kitchen where he answered the phone. She avoided listening to his conversation with the person on the other end of the phone because she knew that it was wrong and that it wasn't any of her business what they talked about anyway, she walked over to the refrigerator and looked at the pictures that were on it. Some of the kids and him, some of his wife and the kids, but none of his wife and him, which she found odd yet intriguing at the same time. As she was looking at the pictures she felt an arm snake around her waste and turn her around. Paul, still on the phone with who she presumed was his wife was just inches from her face. He continued on with his conversation as he played with Cadence's hair and stroked her face with the side of his free hand. Finding it odd that he could be so close to her yet keep his composure while being on the phone with his wife, Cadence slowly began unbuttoning his black shirt carefully and then began to unbutton and unzip his pants quietly. She grinned at him mischievously before dropping to her knees to start sucking him off again. She could hear the strain in Paul's voice when he talked to the party on the other end of the phone and she found it amusing and strangely exhilarating at the same time. She licked from the base of his shaft to the tender spot underneath the head of his cock making his knees tremble slightly and he removed his hand from the top of her head and placed it on the refrigerator to steady him. After straining to say goodbye into the phone he hung it up and dropped it onto the kitchen counter and began running both hands through Cadence's hair, gently moaning and pushing his hard cock into her mouth in a pumping motion. He could feel that he was about to come so he slowly pulled out of her mouth because he wanted to save it for something far better. He held his hand out to Cadence and helped her up off the floor and led her back out the door to the garage and then through another door into a basement room. The furniture in the room definitely didn't match the decor upstairs. It was neat, but simply decorated. The smell of the room immediately made her melt, it was the smell she had come to love... the one she smelled every time he hugged her goodnight all those nights before when she wished this would be happening to her. She knew he must spend quite a bit of time in this room by himself. There was a small television in the corner, a radio and cd cases she recognized from being in his car previously, and a sofa bed that hadn't been made or folded up the last time it had been slept in. Paul pulled her to him and kissed her passionately while gently tugging the bottom of the silky red shirt she was wearing... Up it went... over her stomach... over her breasts... finally off over her head. After he had her shirt off he pulled her to his own body where their skin touched through the opening of his shirt and began kissing her again running his hands over her smooth back and undoing her bra with ease letting it fall between them to expose her naked breasts to rub against his chest. Slowly they sank down to the mattress of the sofa bed. Paul lay back against the wall and lifted Cadence to straddle his lap while she removed his shirt the rest of the way. They sat there for a long time kissing, caressing, touching each other until neither could stand it. He flipped Cadence over onto her back, unzipped her black pants and slid them down her legs and off of her feet taking her panties off along with them. He crawled on his hands and knees over her until she could feel his hot breath on her cheek once again and he locked her in a captivating kiss. She wondered if this was how it was going to happen... If he was just going to start like this or if there was more to come before their bodies were joined. Answering her questioning mind he slowly broke the kiss and trailed down her body with his tongue, stopping to tease her nipples slightly before continuing downward toward her wet cunt. He started out teasing her by licking her thighs and as close to her pussy as he could get but he never actually touched it. Finally, Cadence pulled his face down and buried it between her legs and whimpered in ecstasy. Paul flittered his tongue against her clit quickly then lapped up her juices that were now coating even her outer lips. Paul's hardness continued to grow until he could no longer take it; raising himself up on both arms he slowly, gently buried his cock in her hot, wet pussy making them both cry out. "OH GOD... Why didn't we try this before?" he said panting in her ear, his hot breath turning her on even more. "OH PAUL!!!! Faster! Harder... Oh please... Just fuck me!!!!" She cried as Paul quickened his pace and drove into her rhythmically while moaning loudly, "Oh fuck Paul!!! Oh fuck! That's perfect... you're perfect... Oh God! I think... I think... I'm... OHHHHH!!!!" she finished with a scream. Paul kept pumping into her rhythmically while she whimpered and moaned and called out his name and before long he knew he would come too. They both felt the tension building up in his body and she leaned up and kissed him... "He may never know how much I love him, but at least we can share this." she thought to herself before he pumped into her a final time and was spent. Both of them lay still and quiet in each other's arms for sometime before either one of them broke the silence. "Thanks for inviting me to your house to make sure you got in okay darlin'." He said as they both laughed, "I would have never gotten the courage to ask you to come to my house otherwise." "No problem!" she said standing up off of the bed, trying to remain cheery even though she knew what was coming next, "um... So, I guess it's time for you to take me home so you don't have to worry about any awkward situations then..." "What're you talkin' about sweetie? I invited you over for the night so you can stay unless you don't want to." he said pulling her back down on the bed beside him. "Nothing's changed in a bad way if you're worrying about that. I'm not gonna get all weird toward you... I know you're not a bad person. You just feel the same way I do and I've known about it for a long time." "What do you mean the same way you do?" Cadence asked while she looked into his eyes for answers, "You have NO idea how I actually feel about you because it wouldn't do any good." "I miss being around you when I'm not around you, I miss talking to you when you're not talking to me, and I miss seeing you when you're out of sight. I've wanted this with you for the longest time but I didn't want to initiate it because there are certain things I have to take care of aside from my feelings... You probably already know that though." "I do know that and that's why I had never told you how I felt, Paul. If this is all we'll ever have, then so be it." Paul kissed Cadence before they fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms. The next morning, even though reluctant, Paul drove Cadence home and they said their goodbyes. But it wouldn't be good-bye for long. Paul had his mind made up. If she made him happy and he made her happy they would continue seeing each other. To be continued... Paul/Cadence Ch. 02 Chapter 2: Magic This story is part 2 to the story. If you haven't read the first part yet, I advise that you do so you'll get more feeling, understanding, and enjoyment out of this story. + + + + + + + + "What? I'm sorry, I missed what you said Gina." Paul stuttered "Yeah... Yeah... I won't forget, okay? Four o'clock. Okay, bye." He finished with a sigh as he hung up the phone on his desk. He had been staring out his window thinking about Cadence again and wondering when he'd see her again since their group of friends hadn't officially made plans to hang out this weekend. Paul quickly straightened the papers that were scattered all over his desk and turned off his computer screen. His wife had just called and reminded him he had to pick up his daughter from softball practice at the middle school at four and it was already three-thirty. He would have to skip drinks with the guys after work again, but he didn't care. He loved his kids more than anything and he would do anything for them. Heading out to his car he waved goodbye to a few co-workers and informed them of the change of plans. Most of the other guys were married with kids also, so no explanation was ever needed when he simply replied with "Something's come up." Paul tiredly strolled over to his blue ford explorer with his keys in hand ready to open the door and finally get to relax. As soon as he had sat down in the driver's seat he unbuttoned the top button of his sage-colored work shirt so he could get comfortable while his car was warming up. As soon as the car started he laughed quietly to himself at the music coming from the stereo. Last Saturday morning when he had dropped Cadence off at her house after their night together she had been listening to a Billy Squire c.d. he had owned, but hadn't listened to for ages. The song filling his ears now was "My Kind of Lover"; it made him pause, smile and start singing along with the words as he drove out of the parking lot toward the middle school. After he picked up his daughter from practice he quickly drove home and ate with the rest of the family. If he ate quickly maybe he would still catch the guys at the bar before they all went home he thought to himself. After dinner he cleared the dishes off of the table and said goodnight to his kids before changing into an old t-shirt and jeans and telling his wife not to wait up too late for him because he was going out for drinks with the guys. After checking the bar he usually went with the guys for his co-workers cars he decided to go to the club his group of close friends hung out at for a drink. The bar his co-workers frequented looked pretty dead by this time of night. He quickly drove to the next town where the bar was and got out of his car. He wasn't sure if he'd know anyone here tonight, but decided it was a better decision than staying home or going to the other place. As soon as he walked in the rotating multi-colored lights from the dance floor hit his eyes and he was immediately rejuvenated. Something about this place always put him in a better mood that he couldn't explain if he tried. Glancing over at the bar he noticed that four of his friends had already decided to come out tonight and were slamming shots back like the place was closing in a few. He walked over and greeted Christene and Damian who were making out at the bar and then greeted Karyn and Sam who were both talking to different people for the time being. Christene walked over to Paul and bought him a shot, looking around to make sure his wife wasn't with him, and then went out to the dance floor. Cadence, who was being 'entertained' by two different guys about her age but was seemingly not impressed much, was on the dance floor where Christene went to join her and inform her that Paul was there. "Guess who's here Cady..." said Christene smiling at her friend. "WHO'S 'ERE???" Cadence drunkenly exclaimed over the loud thudding bass line of the music. "Paul. He's up at the bar. Just bought him a shot of Beam to 'loosen him up' for ya." Christene said laughing making Cadence look over near the bar, squinting to try to see him through the smoky film inside the building. "Man... I wanna screw 'im... Screw 'im right here... Ya think he'd let me?" Cadence slurred, as she giggled making her friend laugh at her inebriated state. Christene helped Cadence up to the bar where she stumbled over to Paul and playfully slapped him on the ass and pretended she wasn't the one who did it when he turned around to face her. Cadence expected him to go back to talking to their friends at the bar but instead he turned around and hugged her. "God Darlin'. You're hot." He said after pulling away from her. "Thaank Ya Paul!!" Cadence said grinning from ear to ear. "No... I mean you're burning up. You wanna go outside? It's a little cooler out there." "Oh..." Cadence said covering her mouth to laugh, "Sssure." Paul put his arm around Cadence's waist and led her up the stairs and to the door. As soon as they got outside Cadence broke away from Paul and went to lay down on a bench near her car. "Ohhhh man... this ain't good." She giggled "Will you drive my car ta my house t'night Paul? I'm gonna drive yours to your house and we'll call it even." "Darlin' I don't think that would work." He said laughing as he picked up her legs and sat down placing them back on his lap. "I don't think you need to be driving either car." "I'm not a bad driver!!!" said Cadence, whining indignantly; "Ya haven't ever rode in a car with me PAAAUL... Well... Thaa one time, but I sssure don't think I drove." She said laughing, making her breasts bounce underneath her thin cotton t-shirt. "SO...maybe I can drive ya home tonight and then you can drive me back to get my car... Wait... thaa won't work either is... will it?" Paul reached out to grab her hand, helping her sit up. She was making absolutely no sense tonight and while he thought it was cute he knew that somehow she would have to get sobered up some before it was time for everyone to go home. Paul looked at her for a brief moment and remembered the night they had shared together. Her shoulder-length brown hair was slightly messy and her mascara had began to leave faint traces of dark circles under her eyes, which were showing their tiredness. Slowly she stood up to go back into the bar and lost her balance sending her down into Paul's lap. He wasn't sure if it was an accident or planned by her, but judging by her drunken state he'd say it probably wasn't planned. Immediately she apologized but he told her that there was no reason to apologize to him for it and locked her into a soft embrace - The embrace of two lovers that couldn't be together as often as should be allowed. Their hands ran through one others' hair and they sighed. Cadence stood up pulling Paul up with her and they shared a kiss that made their hearts ache for each other even more than they already did. "Le's climb in your car Paul... c'mon" said Cadence holding his hand and pulling him over to his car which was parked out of the dim light of the parking lot while he laughed behind her. Paul followed her to his car and helped her up into the passenger side seat carefully making sure she didn't fall and then walking around to the other side of the car to join her. As soon as he got in the car he saw that Cadence had laid back and closed her eyes to rest. He turned the keys on accessory and turned on the radio for her since he knew she enjoyed music so much and figured it might help her sober up to sing along but she remained silent with her eyes closed. Paul reached toward Cadence and placed his hand on her thigh making her open her eyes and grin at him. He could tell by the look in her eye that she wasn't too interested in singing right now and that there was only one thing on her mind and it was the same thing that had been on his since she left his car early last Saturday morning. Paul inched his hand up her leg and then toward the zipper of her jeans and unzipped them. Sliding his hand between the jean material and soft cotton of her panties he could feel the heat already coming from between her legs and rested his hand there for a second until he got an approving glance from Cadence. Slowly, as if to remove his hand altogether, he moved his hand back upward and down into her panties and began rubbing her hot slit with his middle finger making her squirm in the seat of the car urging him to go farther. Slowly... Teasingly... He began circling her swollen clit with a finger until she cried out. He then slid two fingers into her pussy and began pumping them in and out rhythmically with her orgasm, matching the bucking motion of her hips grinding his hand. After her tremors had subsided she basked in the afterglow of her orgasm, sitting up when the tingling sensation had left her body. Paul got out of the car and went around to her side to help her out and into the back where they would have more room. As soon as they were in the backseat Paul unzipped his pants and freed his cock from the tangle of his boxer shorts and began running his hands through her hair as she began teasing it lightly with her fingertips. Paul held her hair back as she bent down to taste the pre-cum that was already forming at the shiny, dark-red, swollen head and took it all the way into her mouth as Paul moaned loudly and pulled her hair slightly making her wet all over again. Cadence bobbed and licked on Paul's hard rod until she was so turned on again that she had to have it inside her. Quickly she undressed from the waist down and straddled him, rubbing her wet cunt against the hot-swollen head of his member making him buck his hips trying to drive it inside of her. Slowly she let some of it enter, coating it in her own sex and pulling back up off of it before slamming down hard, impaling herself and making them both cry out. Paul, as horny as he ever remembered being, grasped her hips firmly as she put both arms around his neck and started thrusting as fast as he could, driving his cock into her wetness as far as he possibly could. As her second orgasm began to build Cadence began grinding her hips in a circular motion and meeting every blow that Paul delivered, needing him deeper and deeper inside of her with every thrust. Still not finished, Paul stood Cadence up and turned her around to lean between the front seats of the car while he pounded her from behind; grabbing her shoulders and driving as far into her as he could. With one last thrust and a loud moan he blasted his hot cum into her and wrapped his arms around her waist sitting down in the seat behind him pulling her onto his lap. "Wow, Paul." Cadence said, now a bit more sober and exhausted. "That was really amazing. How long have we been here in the car?" Paul looked out the window and sighed thinking to him self. "I'd say about two hours from the amount of cars that've left already." "Are our friends cars out there or have they left already too?" She replied. "They're still here it looks like. You wanna go back inside, darlin'?" Paul said smiling back at her and handing her clothes back to her from the floor of the car. "That would be rather nice." She said with a fake cockney accent as they both started laughing. Back in the bar Cadence was greeted by Christene and Karyn who pulled her back to the bathroom. Both had been scared shitless by her disappearance for so long even though Paul had been the one to take her outside. "That was fucking AMAZING guys!" she said laughing as they watched her lean back against the bathroom stall with concerned looks on their faces. "What's...wrong?" she said losing only a little of her giddiness. "Oh nothing... You just had us wondering where the fuck you've been girl!" said Karyn a bit heatedly. "You guys couldn't have came back in here for just a second to tell us where you had gone? Damian AND Sam have been trying to call Paul's cell phone for an hour and a half and we've been trying to call yours for just as long." "God guys... I'm sorry. I didn't know you'd get so worked up over this..." said Cadence with a sigh. "I'll remember to tell you guys next time. I'm sorry." "That's okay." Said Christene who was walking out the bathroom door. "We just want details later." She finished, making the other girls laugh loudly. When they got back out to the bar Paul was nowhere to be seen and most of the other people had left to go home. Sam and Damian already had their keys in hand and were finishing off their beers before they would all say goodbye to Cadence and go home. The lack of Paul's presence upset Cadence a little, but she quickly shook it out of her system and asked the bartender, Melanie, for a coke. The first one's to leave were Sam and Karyn, who both hugged everyone goodbye and promised to see everyone again the next weekend. Christene and Damian stuck around the bar for a little while longer with Cadence though because they knew that their friend was still probably in need of some time to get her head together from all the drinks she had earlier in the evening. After Cadence sat down in her barstool Damian left to go to the bathroom leaving Cadence and Christene alone to talk. "God Christene... I just wish he had stayed so I could have at least told him goodbye..." murmured Cadence into her coke before laying her head on an arm rested on the bar. "I know you do, but he probably had something to do in the morning. I'm sure it wasn't because he didn't want to stick around and hang out. He's sweeter than that and you know it." Christene said, tucking her friend's hair behind her ear. "I know Christene. He's almost too sweet. He's sweeter than I ever imagined really, it's just that it still tears me apart inside knowing that I can't have him." She said, looking at her friend, not knowing what else to say. Knowing she should be happy to have even a fraction of his life. "I just feel so greedy wanting more than I already have." "It's not greedy Cady. It's normal. You're in love with him and you can't help who you fall in love with. Just go with the flow. It'll all work out for the best in the end. Trust me." Christene said, patting her friend on the back and getting up to adjust her purse before Damian came out of the bathroom to leave. "You'll know when you should tell him you love him. It comes naturally after a while..." she broke off feeling Damian's hand on her back. "You comin' outside with us or are you gonna stay in here and keep Melanie company while she closes?" Damian asked Cadence. "Oh... I thought I'd wait to see if Paul's coming back in, but I'll go outside with you two. Melanie's got her friends closin' the bar with her." The three went outside to say goodbye and start their own journeys back to their houses. Damian went to start his car while Christene walked over to Cadence's car with her to make sure she was fine to drive. As soon as her car, and Paul leaning against his car talking on his cell phone, came into view she got excited and turned to her friend. "He's STILL here Christene! Why the Hell has he been out here for so long I wonder?" "Well, it's only been about fifteen minutes since you came back into the bar after disappearing for two hours, so it really hasn't been that long. You should ask him why he's been out here for so long Cady." Answered Christene grinning. "But I've got to go. Call me when you get home so I know you got there okay sis." Cadence walked over to Paul, who was still on the phone, and stood against his car with him while he finished his phone call. As soon as he hung up the phone he looked at Cadence and smiled sweetly. "So darlin'... Did you have fun explaining to them why you went MIA for two hours?" he laughed. "Yeah... I thought they were REALLY pissed when I went back in, but they were just worried. I didn't even know they came looking for me." "I didn't notice if they did." Paul said grinning. "Well, I guess it's time to go home. I'll see you next weekend?" "Um... I just called Gina and told her I had drank too much and was just gonna get a room here. You wanna join me?" he said hugging Cadence. "I don't see why not. I sobered up quite a bit earlier, but I still don't think it would be wise to drive home yet. I'm supposed to be spending the night with Christene anyway." Hand in hand they walked up to the hotel room that Paul had already rented. That night they slept in each other's arms and reveled in the magic that was their own.