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Fortune

By: SylverLyf



I'd inherited a house I had never seen, in a land I had never been to, from a relative I had never met. It was fortunate, plus or minus the un was still to be seen. 

The house stood solitary, proud and ram shackled, near the edge of the sheer, steep cliffs. No it didn't look foreboding; however it didn't look welcoming either. This was to be my new home? 

Oh my god, what had I gotten into? There was so much that needed done and I was so not the person to do it. Just from looking at the outside of this 'opportunity' as my mom called it, the roof needed tarred, shutters re-hung, porch re-railed and the swing fixed. 

I was dreading looking at the inside. It just seemed too much to deal with at the moment and while my nest egg was large, it wasn't infinite. My luggage was due tomorrow so at least I didn't have to worry about unpacking today.

I sat down in the tall grass by the sprawling oak tree in the front yard, trying organize all the things I needed to do or even where I needed to start. Frustrated with my inability to form a plan I flopped back in the grass with a sigh, closing my eyes to the warm sun. I must have nodded off because the next thing I knew I was being gently shaken awake. 

"Hey kiddo , wake up.." a soft smoky voice whispered thick with an Irish brogue. With a voice like that I must be dreaming a dream I didn't want to wake up from. 

Another gentle shake. There's no shaking in dreams. 

My eyes slowly fluttered open. I looked up, and up. A tall, willowy young woman stood practically over me, concern in her dark blue eyes as she looked down at me. 

"Are you alright?" She was quite striking in an unusual way, add that to her accent and slightly elf-shaped ears and I was stunned, a fairy ..wait, no fairies weren't that tall.

I blushed and laughed, embarrassed to be caught unaware, "Yes," I stuttered, grinned sheepishly "Sorry I must have dozed off." taking her offered hand, I stood. 

"Thanks." I said. I came to right under her chin and had to look up to meet her gaze and abruptly forgot I was holding her hand because at that moment, she smiled an open and friendly smile. 

My stomach dropped to my feet and I think I lost something else. I panicked took a step back and dropped my sight from her eyes. I couldn't help being overtly shy, it was always this way happening without warning. The name 'Ice Maiden" was made for people like me.

"Well anyhow, I ..I'd better get inside." I stammered out fidgeting nervously with the bottom of my little t-shirt and made tracks to the house without even indicating a goodbye. My mother would have killed me for my lack of manors at that moment. 

"Inside?" she queried in a gentle tone, " Ahh, so your Ma's the new owner of McGowan's Tower?" humor rich in her voice, "Since you're a wee bit young to be out here by yourself, she's inside then?"

Out of nowhere a flash of indignation took me and I pivoted on my heels, forgetting my shyness and met her with my fiery green eyes. "It's my house, not my mothers. And I'm plenty old enough to go grab a smoke or a beer if I wanted to!" I growled. 

I was immediately contrite. It wasn't her fault I had a pet peeve about people assuming I was younger then I was. "Sorry I didn't mean to go all psycho on you." I mumbled, hung my head rubbing at the tension in the back of my neck. "Must be jet lag or too much fresh air." 

I grinned sheepishly, hoping she wasn't mad at me for my rudeness I dared a glance up at her face. Wearing a bemused smile that brought the dimple in her left cheek out, she didn't look mad or anything at all but totally cute. 

"Ach and I thought we Irish red heads had a temper." she teased strait faced, laughter in her voice. She flipped her long, thick red braid back over her shoulder. "Well, I'll be accepting your apology over that Guinness you were just talking about grabbing. Tarres is a fine pub down the road in the middle of town. Serves the best brew and of course has the best service, considering my family runs it." 

She wasn't flirting just being friendly, my head knew the difference but my heart didn't care and gave another little flutter. I don't date. Ever. I started to panic again. I didn't know if I liked the feeling she seemed to make me feel or not, it was uncomfortable to say the least.

She must of pickup on my nervousness because she moved closer and said in a soft voice, one that seemed to draw me, no matter that I want to run and hide. 

"By the by, my name is Caitlin." her dark blue eyes held mine; friendly, kind and open. My will seemed to slip a bit. 

"Come on, I promise you a very cold draft and you can ask any questions you might have about here. Since you said you're making this your home, you should get to know about the town and at least a few people." she teased gently. "Just for an hour or so then I'll let you escape." she grinned, impishly.

I decided to just push down whatever weird feelings this tall elf had invoked in me and just look at her like a friend. It helped with my tongue-numbing shyness. Ok, I got it under control. Control. 

"Alix," I coughed, "Alixilura is my name but most call me just Alix." I shrugged, "Mom though I should have a heroines name so I could grow up brave and strong." 

I chuckled and shook my head at the irony. Instead she had gotten a little girl who had occasionally jumped at her own shadow, then a young woman who had a bad case of shyness. 

Straitening my slim shoulders, I smiled at Caitlin, but said sternly "One hour that's all. I have to get back here and get started on.. stuff." I waved vaguely toward the house.

She laughed and held her hands up in mock surrender. "Ok, ok. I promise not to keep you up past your bed time."

"It's only noon!" I laughed, "You're not getting that one past me! One hour." I said sternly as I picked up my back pack to follow Caitlin into town.

She grinned teasingly back at me and I smiled back, feeling more at ease. I'd made a good decision. I was going to stick to it, even if it killed me. This attraction thing would go away if I ignored it and I truly believed Caitlin would be a great friend if I didn't mess it up. I had already begun to like her quick wit and easy humor.

As we walked thru the center of the town Caitlin pointed out numerous things and told me the names of the people who ran, worked in, or owned said things. It was going to take a long time for me to remember even a minute amount of what she said. But her face was animated as she talked about the town and I could see she loved it here so I listened avidly. We came upon a tall charming structure that had a intricate sign of polished oak swinging from the stoop claiming: 

~Tarres : Now you're one of the family~

"Wow," I said, admiration in my voice, " I wish I could carve half that well!" 

In thrall by the exterior, I was eager to see the inside. I was not disappointed. As lovely as the outside was, it was tame compared to the outstanding perfection of the inside. The atmosphere was warm, friendly, and had a crisp sense of being clean and cheery. People were enjoying themselves and it created a feeling of welcome. This was the type of place I enjoyed being in when I did go out. The place was so crowded no one noticed our arrival.

"This place is beautiful!" awe tinged my voice as I looked around. A pleased smile curved Caitlin's mouth, flashing that sexy dimple again.

"Those two, one dancing around like a lunatic and one behind the bar drawing drafts flirting with everyone, are my sisters, Eloisa and Allyson, my brothers Douglas and Brendan. Eloisa and Douglas are twins." she pointed out the young man waiting tables and the other cooking behind the bar, yelling at Eloisa and Douglas. 

Her whole family was beautiful. It was just unfair to horde so much good looks in one gene pool. Still, I though, Caitlin was much more captivating then the lot of them, because but none of them could take my attention off Caitlin. 

My lips began to twitch trying not to smile. It was just too much to be a coincidence. I had to find out. "Are you perhaps the third born?" A giggle escaped me.

She gaped at me in mock affront, "Who told you!" I was grinning then, laughing up to her. "Well our mom had to be able to tell which of us where who. Gran had eight daughters and seven sons." she laughed. "Imagine the confusion there!" she quipped with a grin, "Let's see if we can sneak past the guard dogs. If I can, I willna have to work this afternoon here at the pub."

We slipped quickly and quietly in to the booth in the alcove. I could see everyone, but no one could see us. That in its self comforted me. It had its own mini bar and Caitlin made us two Guinness in frozen mugs. As she promised the stuff was prime, strong and true Guinness. I had drunk about half my mug when Caitlin finished hers and looked to the bar to get another; I slipped mine over to her and snatched her empty mug.

"Golly you're a slow drinker, Caitlin." I laughed. She looked back up and saw me grinning, the empty mug in front of me.

She smirked, "Most yanks can't drink the stuff as well as you seem to be able too. Maybe I should get you something stronger?" she teased.

"Yes please, do you guys have ice tea?" I bantered back, feeling cocky now that I knew she didn't mind my teasing.

She arched her brow, and laughed, "Ohh getting a wee bit smug are we now?"

Before I could reply, my stomach growled loud enough to be heard over the din of the crowed. I blushed.

"Sorry, " I mumbled.

She laughed "Well I guess in order to get you feed I'll have to be seen." She started out of our hiding spot, I grabbed her arm. I didn't' feel like sharing her just yet. 

"Wait, I can go grab us some food. What's good here?" I asked.

"Well I'd never admit it, but my brother is a pretty good chef. And his potato soups my favorite." she smiled. Returning the smile, I walked off to claim our food

I went up to the bar and asked for two potato soups and one ice tea.

"Well, your new around here, Are you passing through with the tour group?" Caitlin's sister greeted in a cheery voice and a quick smile, as she placed my order on a bar trey. 

Allyson was very beautiful, but not in a Caitlin way. Long blond hair and dark blue eyes gave her a fragile look, but in no way stirred me like Caitlin did.

I smiled; "Don't know yet." snatched up the trey, and went back to Caitlin. 

"Mmm, smells good." I slid the trey between us and snagged my ice tea and took a slow gulp. My stomach growled again as the yummy smell of the food hit me. Its heavy rich flavor made sure I'd remember where the best potato soup could be found in Ireland. Bliss.

"I think I'm in love with your brother if he can cook this good all the time." I joked, "Does he do laundry and dishes also?"

Caitlin snorted, her cute little nose wrinkling up. "I can cook just as well, but I prefer not to tie myself only to the kitchen. I make better use of my time." she said smugly.

We ate and discussed more of the towns people and laughed over a few childhood tales. The basic getting to know you stuff. The more she talked, the more I liked her and the more relaxed I felt. 

She was confident, funny, intelligent and quite sweet natured. She liked building things and ran a fix-it shop here in town. She loved her family, was overprotective of her siblings, and by the way she was trying to hook me up with one of her brothers, strait.

I talked about my single childhood, growing up in a rural area with only my mom, my hermit life as a writer after graduating college in three years. Then my new house and how I'd received the letter that left it to me. I glanced down at my watch.

"Oh my gosh, it's already four!" I exclaimed, mock scowling "I'm so blaming this on you" shaking my finger at her.

Grinning impishly she claimed, "Not my fault! We'll blame it on the drinks." she laughed, and then sighed, "Well, I better get back to work too. We need to do this again soon."

I smiled, "Yeah, it was definitely fun. Thanks for making me come. I usually avoid socializing but with you its not so bad." I teased. 

We both sat there for a few minutes in relaxed silence. 

I laughed, "Ok lazy bones, we better get going or we'll never get anything done." 

"You first," she grinned.

I sighed, "It's a darn shame I'm so comfy. It makes leaving that much harder." I stood. Laughing I grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. "But you're coming with me!"

We started out the alcove and had almost made it to the door when a woman caught sight of us, "Caitlin Mary Tarres!" Guiltily I released her hand. Caitlin gave me a sheepish grin and turned to the woman. 

"Where have you been all day?!"

"Oh, Mom I didn't expect you and Dad back for a few days. How was Dublin?" She asked sweetly, her wide eyes so innocent I could see the halo floating above her red hair.

Her brothers and sisters swooped down on us at that moment also. "Aye, Caitlin" Brandon, her chef brother greeted, "Old man O'Malley was expecting you this morning and you never showed up! He called here worried and Ma just happened picked up the phone." he explained.

"Yeah." said the twins, crossing their arms, grinning at Caitlin's discomfort.

Allyson was the first to look at me. She didn't glance or go back to the conversation. She seemed to be taking my measure. Caitlin noticed the look, jumped at the chance to distract her mother's scolding and promptly introducing me. O how I hate manners sometimes. 

"This is Alix, she owns McGowan's Tower now. The place looks like it will need a lot of repairing but it's a sturdy a building as there ever was. It's going to be a rare pleasure working on it." 

At her presentation, all six pair of gorgeous dark blue eyes focused on me. I shifted, uncomfortable with the scrutiny and began to inch toward the door that hung my freedom so close.

"Hi," I waved weakly, feet shuffling.

Mrs. Tarres smiled warmly at me and held out her hand, "Ah dear, we knew your uncle well. So sad to have him passing away like that. He was a bit of a character, barked at times but it was much more than his bite. How long will you be in town?" she asked, slowly a slightly unholy flame lit her eyes, "Are you staying? Are you seeing any one special or are you single?" she fired off before I could get my balance. Both of Caitlin's brothers paled, I almost laughed aloud. Yeah right. I looked to Caitlin to save me.

"Ma!" Caitlin exclaimed, "Leave the poor lass alone. We have to be heading out; we have loads of work to do!" She put her arm around me and moved to step out in to the afternoon. Her mom turned her arsenal towards Caitlin. 

"Ah my Cait, that handsome young Donner is back in town. He's had an eye on you since you were in pigtails. His da' says he's looking to stay." Mrs. Tarres, beamed at her third born, clearly expecting her third born to express delight.

I couldn't resist, my eyes caught Caitlin and I began to smile. 'Pigtails' I mouthed, grinning. 

"Yes she was just telling me how hansom that young Donner is." I said cheerfully, smiling sweetly at Mrs. Tarres. "And what a fine kisser he is." While her mother's eyes lit up with intent, Caitlin's eyes gleamed vengeance. I laughed out loud. She hadn't actually said even a word about Donner, but the excuse 'the devil made me do it' as a prime example in this case. "Well it was nice meeting you all, I have to be on my way so I can get settled in before night fall." 

Flashing a grin at Caitlin, I ducked out of the Tavern and walked away as quickly as I could, chuckling on the long way back up the hill towards the house. 

I wasn't expecting any more company for a while and was surprised by the bellow, "Alixilura!" 

I spun around and saw her. I knew I was dead woman the second I saw Caitlin charging up the hill, murder in her flaming blue eyes. "You just wait till I get my hands on you, ya brat! Me Ma's never going to let me alone now!" 

I, of course having a sense of self preservation, ran for all I was worth. Laughing was slowing me down and her long shapely legs were eating up the ground between us, but, I thought as I put on a blitz of speed, I had run track so the chase was on. 

We reached the porch of the 'Tower", before I realized I had the key in my back pack. 

"Time out! Time out!" I cried as we leaped onto the porch, I collapsed against the door laughing hard and we both were panting hard. She stalked closer to me menacingly, or rather as menacing as someone trying not to grin could be. She leaned in and trapped me against the door with both her hands just above my shoulders. 

My heart started slamming against my chest, not because of the run. I gulped. Breathing became difficult, she didn't wear any perfume and her body heat was bringing the intoxicating scent of her skin to me. I was trying hard to suppress the sensations I felt, but just her scent was making me pulse down low. She didn't seem to notice my distraction thank goodness.

"I canna believe you told my Ma that!" she growled, in thick brogue, so close her nose almost touching mine, "Now all I'll hear is Caitlin you should marry! Caitlin when's the young Donner to came a callin'! Ohh how your gonna' pay once I get me breath back!" she was growling at me. I felt my stomach do that fluttery thing again and my spine tingle deliciously.

"I'd offer you a seat to catch your breath but as you can see the option is limited to the grass." my voice barely steady as I indicated to the broken porch swing. I smiled sweetly. "Thank you for the run, I'd forgotten how much I like to run. In fact," I said, "I think I'll start up running again to get back in shape. Is there a good track around these parts?" I asked seriously.

She looked down at me with disbelief in her eyes, "You think you're out of shape? I dunna even want to know what shape you think I'm in!" she chuckled dryly.

I couldn't stop the slow blush that crept up my cheeks, and having a pale complexion blushes stood out. 'Don't think about her shape, don't think about her shape', I chanted in my head. I licked my lips, "Y..your shapes fine!" I stammered out, embarrassment immediately consuming me.

She threw her head back and laughed, "Oh my, I dinna mean to sound so threatening!" Misinterpreting my stammer, she stepped back allowing me vital space to breathe and recover from my slip. Another narrow escape. 

CHAPTER TWO 

Struggling to get my breath back to normal, I dug into my back pack for the little key to the large house behind me, I was still jittery from so close a slip on my part. My nerves on end and oversensitive, I could feel her breath across the back on my neck, making my knees shake. Thankfully she stepped back a bit further looking up at the house.

"Old McGowan kept the Tower in pretty good repair." Caitlin mused, smiling broadly, admiring the big house with obvious affection. At my glance of disbelief she laughed and wrinkled her cute little nose.

"Inside, I mean. He figured that vandals would not come in to steal anything if it looked like the house couldn't possible hold anything of value. It has a first rate alarm system, I myself put in there. All the water closets have the best modern pluming and accessories available. It has four large bedrooms on the second floor and a master bedroom. The master bedroom has a bathing room either of my sisters would easily kill for. The first floor consists of the dining room, a sitting room, a sunroom, a library and the kitchen." she stopped her rapturous praise long enough to take a small breath. I stifled a giggle. She was just too cute when she was talking about something so mundane.

"The kitchen has all the latest and greatest that makes Brendan green with envy. I did the labor but old McGowan brought an expert in to color chord the house before I started the remodeling. I'm not so good with that." grinning like an abashed little imp. She curled a fiery lock behind her ear that escaped her braid.


Fortune



Author's note: This story started out entirely different when Unoriginalist burst on the scene and the genius of his adaptation of HDK's story of the dissolution between a husband and wife stirred all of Literotica. I began thinking what could have been more painful for the husband and all I could come up with was the dissolution of the father/children relationship.

Perhaps one day, Unoriginalist will delve on that subject and treat us to another masterpiece. Or maybe one of the other truly great authors will answer the call and titillate us with a classic story.

Once again, I hope you enjoy the story.

***********

I sat waiting in my lawyer's conference room. Not much had changed in the five years from when I had retained him. Same paintings on the wall, same furniture, even the same damn National Geographic magazine located at the end table in the corner. Kinda sad considering that for all the money I had paid him in the past, he could've afforded a subscription to eternity.

Luckily, this wasn't costing anywhere near his hourly rate since I was alone in the room. So why was I in a lawyer's office if I wasn't actually going to use a lawyer? Well that was a good question. The short answer would be because of Stella Jefferson, my ex wife.

For the past couple of weeks she had been trying to call me without success. The reason why she didn't have any success was due to her penchant to introduce me to justice, divorce style. I had learned the hard way that any unauthorized contact with Stella would result in police and court appearances.

I was made a true believer when she lured me to meet with her while the divorce was still pending to talk over some custody issues for our children. When I got to the restaurant where she wanted to meet I was hoping that it was a good sign since it was where we had our meal where I had proposed marriage to her. 

Against all logic, I was hoping that she was in a reconciliation mood. Even after all the pain and humiliation she had caused me, I just wanted my wife and family back. I had dressed up in a sport jacket and tie for the upscale restaurant and I eagerly looked for her in the hustle of the busy establishment.

Finally, I spotted her at a corner table looking outside the window. Maybe she was looking for me to arrive. I pointed her out to the hostess and made my way to her table. I was still enthralled by her beauty. A tall statuesque brunette you wouldn't believe that she was the mother of two children especially how she looked in her little black dress. She was the epitome of elegance as I approached.

My movements alerted her and she directed her gaze at me as I prepared to sit down at the table. Her lovely visage harden into a cold animosity which puzzled me. Before I could say hello or ask what was wrong, a number of people approached our table. Two were uniformed police officers who asked if I was John Perry and told me I was under arrest for violating a temporary restraining order issued by the judge presiding over our divorce case. 

While I protested that she had called me to meet her, I was told that I could take that up with the judge. The court order was quite specific that I was not allowed any contact with her without the court's permission. That was because she had alleged that I physically abused her and the children and she feared for their lives if I wasn't kept away.

I had been dumbfounded when I had initially read the divorce pleadings that I had been served with. She had beaten me to the punch in filing for a divorce and she had taken a no holds barred approach as I read through all the lies she and her attorney had put to paper. The upshot was the court determined that I was a risk to the safety of my wife and children and the judge would be the sole arbiter of if and when I would see them again.

I'm sure that most people have no idea of the embarrassment of being arrested. As I was physically doubled over the table and handcuffed behind my back I saw a young child recoiling in horror at an adjoining table. I wanted to explain to him that I wasn't a bad person, but, how do you start that conversation?

It wasn't like I would have had the time to finish an explanation as I was manhandled out of the building and into the back of a police cruiser. All during the trip I protested my innocence to the officers. They continued to ignore me as they drove to the municipal jail. I suppose they had heard it all before and ignoring me was the standard practice.

Then I was booked and processed into the facility. Fingerprints and mugshot completed, I was asked for information regarding my name, residence, place of work, and vital statistics. I complied with all their enquiries fully expecting an opportunity to explain what had happened. Instead I was led to a general holding cell with about fifty men milling around aimlessly.

Before I was led inside, I said, "Wait a minute, don't I get a phone call? How do I see about getting bonded out?"

The police sergeant patiently told me, "A phone is brought around each morning for inmates' use. You can make any local call. If you call long distance the party you call will have to accept the charges before you are connected. As far as bond, you are charged with being in contempt of the judge's order; therefore, you will have to appear before the judge before you can even think about being released. And since today is Friday, you won't be scheduled to appear in court until Monday at the earliest."

With that he firmly pushed me into the cell and the metallic clang of the cell door and the latching of the key echoed against the dank cold concrete walls. Without making eye contact with anyone I found a spot against the wall and sat on the floor and huddled to ride out the three days.

Really there's no way to adequately describe being in that environment. There were people from every spectrum that circulated through that weekend. Hardened criminals, gangbangers, college frat boys, drunks, addicts, and the occasional good citizen like me. The ebb and flow of new people arriving and people leaving after making a bond, kept the noise a disruptive flow.

A pecking order was in place for everything. It didn't matter if it was for using the phone, or for meals, or even if you were issued a blanket. The anti social personalities would seek out the weakest links and agitate them into a fight which would eventually require the police to intervene and take the victims to get medical treatment and disperse the perpetrators into an adjoining holding cell for "violent offenders."

Dressed as I was, I drew some attention throughout the three days. I guess everybody figured if I could afford to dress like that then I should have been able to afford a bond. That was as far as it got for me. I guess as pissed off as I felt that I probably looked the same way and the jackals decided to go for easier targets.

Monday morning, we were all roused and ankle chained together as we shuffled outside to a bus. There we were unchained and placed into the seats and coupled to wrist restraints. After a vocal tally we were driven to the courthouse where we were again ankle chained and escorted into a basement holding cell and then we awaited our turn to appear before our designated judge.

Finally around two p.m. the bailiffs for my court came for me and I appeared in my unkempt disheveled clothes, reeking from the odor of the jail cell, sporting a three-day beard shadow before the baleful eyes of the judge.

Stella sat there with a gloating look as her attorney regurgitated the events of Friday night from Stella's perception. "Your Honor, my client was tending to her own business dining out when she was traumatized by the appearance of her husband. Before he could commit bodily harm to her, the police called to the scene were able to successfully interdict before any injuries were sustained to my client!" he thundered with righteous indignation.

To my surprise my lawyer was there and countered that I had no such intentions. I found out later that even though I had failed to contact him, the judge's clerk had made a call that morning to tell him to be in court to represent me. I tried to hurriedly whisper to him what had happened and he was simultaneously parroting what I was telling him to the judge.

Finally after enough squabbling the judge shut the attorneys off and looked at me. "Mr. Perry, do you think you've learned your lesson? When I issue a restraining order and a no contact order I mean for you to obey them!"

I began to open my mouth to protest only to have my attorney firmly clench my arm and hissed for me to shut up. The judge continued his diatribe for a couple of minutes and eventually ordered for my release and again warned me not to contact Stella. With that the court was adjourned and I watched Stella rise from her seat and walk out of the courtroom accompanied by Ted Jefferson. Both wore a look of triumph as they left.

My lawyer spent a few minutes of hurried advice to me as the bailiffs handcuffed me to escort me back to the basement holding cell. Then it was a matter of waiting until all the individuals were through with court and we were driven back to the jail. I was culled out of the line and taken to a process room where my personal belongings were returned to me. I was handed paperwork showing me where my truck had been towed and how to contact and pay for it to be released.

I sighed and as I left the building I called the towing service and made arrangement to pick up my truck. Then I called a cab and waited. I tried to call my boss but the phone went to voicemail since it was past five p.m. I decided I would tell him in person tomorrow. 

I was hoping for a quiet ride to the tow yard and as my luck would have it I drew a particularly friendly cabdriver that wanted to converse the entire trip. As he kept yakking and asking questions, I would respond with monosyllabic answers. Still he continued until I finally said, "I'm going to start deducting your tip for every word you say to me." That finally shut him up and we finished the drive in peace. I did feel guilty for lashing out at him and I did leave a big tip.

Then I had the pleasure of trying to get my vehicle back. If I thought, the bureaucratic paperwork was daunting by the police I was shocked by the hoops I had to go through to ransom my vehicle back to me. I was finally able to placate them and drove home.

Home being a small camper trailer, which had a bedroom, small bathroom, a kitchenette with electricity and running water. I stripped off my clothes and debated whether to burn them and decided my pride would have to be subjugated to my pocketbook. I couldn't afford to go around and buy new clothes at the moment. I would have to hope the dry cleaners could get out the smell, if not, the shame.

I went and took a hot shower. As much as I hoped to languish in the water, the hot water tank quickly ran out and I finished bathing in cold water. I shivered as I toweled off and stumbled to the small bed and dove under the covers. It had been one hell of a weekend I thought as I drifted off to sleep.

Morning came and I quickly made and devoured a large breakfast of eggs and bacon. After what I had experienced I thought I deserved it. Then I got to work early in time for the boss to publicly ream my ass out for missing work yesterday. 

"I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but, I'm not going to put up with your dicking around and not showing up for work except when you feel like it!"

The accusation stung as yesterday had been the first day I had ever missed work except for scheduled vacations in the ten years I had worked there. Still my boss continued to rant and the commotion was drawing a crowd which seemed to fuel him to more inspired verbiage.

"So where the fuck were you?" he demanded to know. I kept trying to stall him and asked to speak in private but he had found an issue he was hellbent to bring forward and make an object lesson for the rest of his employees. He kept asking and I kept stalling and in the midst of the argument we were both stridently yelling at each other.

"WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU?" my boss asked again pausing after each word yelled to empathize each word.

I finally snapped. "I was in jail! My goddamn wife had me put in jail! Now are you happy, motherfucker?" I screamed.

The shocked look on his face mirrored those of my coworkers. Never in a million years would they have thought that I would have wound up behind bars. Still the emotional purging continued as I spewed out the venom I had long held inside.

"And thank you for making it all public, you sorry son of a bitch! I remember eight years ago having to prop you up when you went though your divorce and this is how you return the favor? Well, fuck you! Fuck you and the horse you rode in on! I quit, you sorry motherfucking son of a bitch!"

With that I turned around and walked back to the parking lot to get into my truck. Several of my coworkers trailed along with me trying to persuade me not to leave and to come back to discuss everything with my boss in private. But I wasn't going to be persuaded. For ten long years I had been breaking my back, unappreciated and underpaid to support my family. And for what? Now, I was living alone and I didn't know when I would get to see my daughter or son.

As I drove off I heard the ping of my phone announcing the arrival of a new text message. Since I was driving, I decided not to dig it out of my pocket and see who it was from. I suspected that it was from my boss wanting to make amends. Having nowhere to go and it being too early for the bars to be open I went back to my camper.

I pulled into the dirt driveway avoiding the more severe potholes and turned off the truck. Then I pulled out the phone and opened up the text. I was flabbergasted to see it was from Stella. It read: "John, I'm so sorry for the misunderstanding."

Before I could even think, I texted back: "Stella, what were you trying to prove?" 

I waited for a reply but none was forthcoming. Then a couple of hours later I got a call from my friend Jerry from work. I was sure he was going to try to convince me to come back and ask for my job back. Instead he told me, "John, the police are here looking for you."

I thanked him for the information and hung up. Once again, I had fallen prey at a weak moment and Stella had taken advantage of the opportunity. I knew that the police would soon be at my new location since I had provided it for their records when I was being jailed. I could expect another stay at jail courtesy of Stella.

I quickly studied the matter and made my decision. I unhooked the electrical and water connections to the camper and backed my truck up to hitch up the trailer mount. It wasn't good knowing that I would lose my security deposit at the trailer park, but, I was desperate to buy me some time.

As I drove out of the trailer park with all my worldly possessions, I lost my qualms about using the phone and driving at the same time. First, I called my lawyer and after I was finally connected to him, I explained what had happened. First he called me a dumbass and then proceeded to chew my ass out. Then he said he would call the court and try to get a hearing set so I could surrender in court rather than be arrested again. He warned me not to have any future contact with Stella. I assured him I had learned my lesson. Then I called the manager of the trailer park canceling my lease. Then I called my grandparents.

Then I drove. For close to a hundred miles I drove eastward to my goal. Here I would find my maternal grandparents. Here I would find sanctuary. As I unlimbered from the truck, they came out to greet me. Both had concerned looks on their faces. They knew the initial extent of my troubles, but, updating them was going to cause them grief just due to them worrying about me.

Grandma insisted on feeding me before we started talking. As we ate some of her fried chicken, I explained the weekend trauma that I had undergone. They were appalled that my relationship with Stella had gotten to the point of this toxic radioactivity. Then I told them I needed a big favor. "Would it be okay with y'all if I camp out here for a while until everything settles down?"

My grandfather looked at me and said, "John, you know this will always be your home. You just set up your camper where you want."

And with that I had taken care of one problem. I didn't have any income coming in, but, now I could put off paying rent until I was in a situation to start paying back my grandparents. I asked if they knew of any local construction companies hiring. They studied the question and posed potential possibilities to me, but, it seemed like they were of the opinion that no one was hiring right now.

That did not bode well. I still had outstanding debts and responsibilities to take care of. Not the least of which was my capricious attorney that kept changing attitude with the ebb and flow of the retainer I was paying him.

So then I asked if they knew anybody that needed any kind of handyman work. They brightened up with that question and threw out a few names and addresses for me to check out. They also promised that they would call around their circle of friends and get more prospects. 

The rest of the day I spent jury rigging electrical and water service to the camper. My grandparents said I could stay in the house, but, I didn't want to crowd them. I was a firm believer in Ben Franklin's adage that fish and overnight guests overstayed their welcome after three days.

The next couple of days I spent going around all the local construction companies looking for work. Sure enough, no one was hiring, but, I got to fill out a lot of employment application forms. I started cringing when I thought of the possibility that anyone would contact my former employer.

The good news was that my attorney had gotten a hearing date set for my second show cause hearing for violating the no contact order. All I had to do was avoid getting picked up by the police before the hearing date.

Meanwhile I had my first job as a handyman. A neighbor of my grandparents wanted to raze an old barn. Everyone had bid twice as much as I did just to knock it down. My price included hauling off all the debris. All the other estimates figured on it being a two to three day job using a crew of employees. I had finished up in one long day. As I was finishing loading up the last load of debris in my Grandpa's flatbed trailer, the neighbor came out to me carrying two ice cold longneck bottles of beer and I grateful accepted the offering.

We watched the dying remnants of the sunset fade into twilight as we silently sipped away. 

"Well, John I wasn't sure you'd be able to get the job done in one day, but, damned if you didn't. And you didn't use any heavy machinery! That was why everybody's bids were so high due to them calculating renting equipment. "

"Well, Mr. Lambert my Dodge pickup just thinks it's a bulldozer." I explained how I used heavy chains on all the support beams and the torque of my pickup in low gear did the rest as the barn collapsed like a deck of cards. The rest was a matter of heavy work gloves and a strong back lugging the old timbers into the trailer.

"I got scratched up by a couple of rusty nails so I'll go into town tomorrow for a tetanus shot, but, right now this is all the medicine I need." I finished the last sip of beer remaining and tossed the empty into the bed of my pickup. It was just good manners to keep Mr. Lambert company while he finished. So we engaged in small talk and he insisted on me calling him Robert as we shook hands and I left his property slowly hauling the trailer back to my grandparent's place. Tomorrow morning I would dump it at the local landfill before I went in to get my shot.




Fortune



The next day I unloaded the trailer at the landfill and went and got my shot. Then I drove out to another neighbor where I cut down deadwood trees all day long using a chainsaw. I was assured that next week they would rent out a log splitter and I could split the wood into cords of firewood and then we would discuss the price of removing all the stumps.

I was a tired puppy when I finally got back to my trailer. True to form under the theory that there was no rest for the wicked I was scheduled for court the next day. Donning a set of presentable clothes, I went outside the next morning only to be surprised by my grandparents. They insisted on escorting me back to the city in a show of solidarity.

Well, they got their money's worth as the battle royale commenced. Once again I was threatened with jail if I didn't stop contacting Stella. After issuing numerous assurances that I had learned my lesson, the court set a hearing date for child visitation and custody, property settlement, and the divorce.

The admonishment not to cause trouble went right over my grandmother's head as she made a beeline to Stella after we left court.

"Stella Perry, you ought to be ashamed of yourself for what you've done! It was bad enough you cheated on John, but, now you are trying to get him locked up? And why did you tell those lies about him hurting you and the kids. You know good and well that he loved you and his kids with every breath and he would never harm any of you! It is a crime and a sin to keep John away from his children!"

To give her credit, Stella blushed from embarrassment as my little grandmother went face to face with her. Stella and her beau, Ted Jefferson waited uncomfortably for the elevator to arrive to carry them to the lobby away from my angry grandmother. As Grandma continued in on Stella, it got so humiliating that Stella and Ted finally retreated down the stairway to make their getaway. The crowd that had gathered gave my grandmother a small round of applause for the entertainment value.

As we entered the elevator, I studied the court dates the judge had proscribed. Of the three court hearing dates, the only priority I had was to see my children. Because of Stella's allegations, the state's child protection office had got involved. Now I had to worry about some misguided social worker having the power to keep my children away from me. I was only allowed periodic visits under the supervision of a social worker with my eight year-old daughter, Carol and my ten year old son, Steven at a neutral site until the matter was resolved.

The joy I felt seeing my children running toward on each visit was only matched by the anguish I felt as they were tearfully led away by the social worker as they pitifully cried, "Daddy! Daddy!" when they left. I would blindly stagger to my truck and spend the next couple of hours sobbing uncontrollably inside the cab.

How could Stella have done this to us? I looked back on how blessed I had been to marry her. She had been the love and light of my life for more than ten years. She had graced me with the greatest children in the world. And while we weren't rich; we weren't exactly poor. We both had jobs and had the ordinary struggles to maintain a budget. But, all in all, I was happy and complacent with life.

But there was a wolf at the door.

Ted Jefferson, a well to do businessman had somehow been attracted to Stella. And he ruthlessly and systematically set out his goal to seduce her. I had no idea how long it took. All I was aware of was a slow gradual cooling off from the love and ardor I shared with Stella. I was beginning to be perplexed by her ever increasing reluctance to make love to me.

When we first married we had plans to have three children, yet, now whenever I brought it up it was one excuse after another. Eventually I gave up the subject and decided to be satisfied with my two beautiful children. Which was fine by me as we started gearing up for all the activities that adolescents partake in. 

Football, baseball, and I even gritted my teeth for soccer. Piano, ballet, and swimming. Whatever drew their attention I encouraged as I felt that a number of activities would lead to a well-rounded child. As they got older, then they could focus on the few they truly enjoyed and excelled at. Stella and I had prepared a calendar to help with the logistics of making all their appointments. Over time I began to notice a trend of me being the primary chauffeur while Stella begged off due to "business meetings." 

The meetings began to occur more often and for longer durations. Whenever I complained to Stella, she would lash out at me saying I wanted to keep her barefooted, pregnant, and in the kitchen. So I learned to suck it up and bite my tongue as we negotiated through these perilous times in our marriage.

Any possibility I held out for makeup sex when we went to bed was quickly shot down as Stella began the habit of reading in bed. Any attempt to get her to physically respond to me was shot down. I would turn over facing away from her, frustrated and confused. But it was more than that. I also missed the time we used to talk to one another in bed in the dark still of the night. Those were times I cherished just as much as when we made love. I began to miss my best friend.

Hostilities were brewing on another front. I began to hear harping about how poor we were and how she and the children were having to do without. I was stunned by the ludicrous accusations. I kept pointing out all I did for them and asked Stella what specifically was missing from her life.

Six months later, I found out that the answer to that particular question was Ted Jefferson. I know what you are thinking. I had all the signs in front of my face. All the telltale indications of an affair. But you know what, I loved and trusted Stella and, honest to God, I had no idea until we had "the day."

Boy, what a day that was. Carol and Steven had soccer practice scheduled for that Saturday morning. I was sitting in the bleachers of the soccer complex yelling encouragement to both Carol and Steven as they practiced on different fields. A whole slew of parents and family were doing likewise for their kids.

A woman sat next to me and I recognized her, Donna Richards, our preacher's wife. She smiled and we got to talking about our kids. It was a pleasant conversation with just the right touch of guilt for not having perfect church attendance. I'm sure that Donna and her husband both had to deal with interacting with people with a similar guilty conscious.

She remarked how beautiful a morning it was and what were my plans? I told her after practice, me and the kids were going to grab a hamburger and then I would have to mow the lawn. Donna frowned and told me that she had heard on the radio that a bad weather front was moving in and the prediction was for rain the rest of the weekend. I wasn't happy to hear that. I had already procrastinated for a week on mowing and the yard was looking shabby.

"Man, I wish you hadn't told me that" I groaned, "Stella will have my hide if I don't get the yard cut."

Donna laughed and offered a solution. She would look after the kids and take them with her kids to get a bite after practice and then drop them off at the house. I insisted on her taking the two $20 dollar bills I offered to pay for everyone's meal. As I left I took one last glance at the practice fields trying to spot Steven and Carol swirling in the midst of the kids. 

I hurried home and noticed the late model Cadillac parked in our driveway. I assumed that it was one of Stella's friends vehicle and so I parked on the street. I went into our carport and unlocked the utility door and hauled out the lawnmower.

It fired up on the first crank and I proceeded to march back and forth across the lawn. I had gotten to the fifth pass when the front door opened and a stranger stepped out of the house and proceeded to the car. He studiously ignored me and fumbled to get his key in the doorlock. I observed his general appearance and didn't understand why his shirttail was tucked out on one side of his pants. He jumped in the car and fired it up and quickly backed out of our drive and then rapidly accelerated down the street ignoring my yells of "Hey!" to get his attention and stop.

I left the mower running and went inside, Stella wasn't anywhere downstairs and I hurried upstairs. I was calling for Stella and she wasn't answering. Just as I got to our bedroom door, the bathroom door opened and we converged, but, both our attention were fixed on a small item of clothing lying on the bedroom floor. A pair of Stella's panties...a rumpled bed...Stella with marred makeup and hair.

I slumped against the wall and slowly slid down it hyperventilating from my discovery. I didn't even notice when Stella carefully edged around me and crept out of the room. When I finally broke out of my fugue state it was around noon. Stella was gone, who knows where. The lawnmower had idled until it finally ran out of gas, Donna had not arrived with Carol and Steven.

I was at a loss of what to do. Should I go track down Stella or do I need to wait for the kids to arrive and regroup? I decided I needed to take care of my kids first. Eventually, the kids arrived and asked where Mom was. I didn't know what to tell them. All my efforts to reach her cellphone were going to voicemail. Gloom remained in the house for the rest of the weekend. The kids finally accepted that I didn't know anymore about their mom than they did. It didn't stop those worried looks on their faces.

I somehow managed to get the kids dressed and off to school Monday. If I had known what as going to transpire I would have done something different to change the near future that was about to slam me. I arrived at work and it was torture trying to concentrate and thinking of Stella at the same time. Then came the lunch break and I sat with my fellow coworkers while they ate and joked around. I just stared at the paper bag that held my sandwich that I wound up throwing away. The afternoon toil was no better and as I left the construction site a man approached me and asked if I was John Perry. As soon as I said yes, he handed me a thick manila envelope and told me that I was being served. I asked him served with what? He told me to read the paperwork. 

I tore open the package and tried to make sense of the legal gobblygook. What a racket lawyers have to come up with a system that requires you to rely on them. There were certain phrases that caught my attention: divorce, alimony, restraining order, sole custody. This was above my capacity to understand so I called my buddy that had gone through this a couple of years ago. After I told him why I called he gave me the number of his cousin who was an attorney. As a favor to him, his cousin would wait after hours to meet me at his office.

Eventually I found out how those extra services like that would eat through a retainer. Stella and Ted could afford to spend that kind of money as they had to expedite filing and serving me so quickly. That alone would have cost me an entire week's payday.

Anyway, there I was in the attorney's office watching him behind his desk reading through the paperwork that I brought him and taking notes. Then he asked me all kinds of questions. Finally, he gave me the bad news.

"John, I've been practicing law ten years and I can already tell you this is going to be one of the worst cases I've ever seen. Start with the fact that your wife was able to retain a firm of cold conniving snakes like the Ferriday's firm and to get them to file and have you served the Monday after you discovered your wife's infidelity means that someone had to pay some big overtime for those attorneys to work on the weekend. 

Then you have the petition for a restraining order already signed by a judge at an ex parte hearing. After reading what you allegedly did to your wife and kids, that was a no brainer. They are alleging that you physically assaulted your wife and were mentally cruel to her and your kids throughout the entire marriage. Your wife fear for her safety, blah, blah, blah. Here's the no contact order that you are required to obey unless and until the court lifts it.

Restraining order keeping you away from your wife and minor children except as permitted by the court. Said restraining order allows you to come no closer than 500 yards to them or your house. No contact by electronic means or writings or conveyances by third parties. Request to keep you from having visitation; or, in the alternative, supervised visits at a neutral location not to exceed one hour in duration. Request for sole custody. Request for the house to be adjudicated to your wife. Request for the court to award your wife alimony for her lifetime at triple what the state's guidelines requires based on the unusual aspect of this case. Request for your wife to be awarded all the assets of the marital estate due to the unusual aspect of the case. 

And so on and so on." He waved the paperwork over his head.

"You also got a request for psychological evaluations on your children at your expense." He sighed, "She is plumb pissed at you."

"I just want to know when I can see my kids." I said in despair, "Can we fight all this nonsense?"

"Hey, you can always fight it, John. The problem is going to be whether you can afford it. What they are going to do is bury you in paperwork and legal fees. They are going to stall you and fight you on every issue until you've exhausted every penny you've got or until you give up."

And that was pretty much how it was. It took me a hearing before I could get the court to order my clothes and personal effects returned to me and still her lawyers insisted to be allowed a month to review my list of property. 

At least the court refused that request. The one that broke my heart was the court agreeing to limited supervised visitations until the final disposition. I originally thought I could rent an apartment and ride out the storm of the divorce, but, that was cutting too much into the money I needed to fight the custody. A buddy at work had an old small trailer that he only used during deer season that he was willing to let go for $3,000. I found the cheapest trailer park around and while it helped it still did not staunch the tide of money needed for experts' testimony and legal fees.

That was why I was so agreeable to Stella's proposal to meet. I thought at the very least we could come to some arrangement on Carol and Steven. At the very best we could reconcile and get counseling and I would have my family again.

Her little ploy paid dividends that even she didn't anticipate. I lost my job, I had to move away, I was no longer steadily employed, and I was living in a small decrepit trailer on my grandparents' property. I was also getting more and more mired in legal costs.

The judge took all that into account when he finally adjudicated the custody of Carol and Steven. Given that I no longer resided within the jurisdictional boundaries of the court; that I was not gainfully employed and could not provide a living area capable to sustain the needs of myself and my two minor children, the court determined that sole custody would be awarded to Stella Perry.

Furthermore, due to the reasons aforestated and the allegations of abuse, the court ordered that it was in the best interest of the children that visitation by the father continue to be limited to an hour duration of supervised visitation within the jurisdictional boundaries of the court, Said visitation to commence on the second Saturday of each month.

The bitterness I felt sitting watching Stella celebrating her victory with Ted Jefferson and their team of lawyer plummeted me to the darkest depth a human being could endure. To keep me away from my children. How could she? How could the court believe all those lies? Despite all the efforts by Stella's experts, none of them could get Steven or Carol to say anything bad about me. Why wasn't the court listening to my children?

I had to wait for the entire courtroom to empty before I could leave. My shoes echoed down the deserted hallways of the courthouse as I approached the statute of Justice. Now I knew for a certainty that Justice was blind...and deaf.

I continued to battle as best I could, but, it was a forgone conclusion, Stella was awarded the use of the marital home until Carol reached the age of eighteen. At which time the house would be sold and the proceeds split 50/50. But, guess who was still responsible for making the mortgage payments?

Child Support? You betcha!

Alimony? You betcha! (Small victory in that it was the regular rate and only for five years)

Responsibility for all the debts accrued in the marriage? You betcha!

It was laughable when the assets were divided up. They were so meager that I basically came out with my Dodge pickup truck and my trailer. I figuratively left town with my tail tucked between my legs. I had two conflicting thoughts; first, at least they'd have to burn gas to come pick me up when I wasn't able to pay for everything and second, that I would do my damndest not to get to the point that they would have to come pick me up.

I scrambled around to make every buck I could. I was working 12 to 16 hours everyday with no day off except the second Saturday of the month circled in red on my calendar. When that day finally arrived I sped down the highway to the designated spot where the visit was to take place. I arrived with two hours to spare and eagerly awaited their arrival. 

A half hour before they were scheduled to arrive the social worker showed up and we took up spots in neutral corners in the room and the seconds ticked away...and ticked away...and ticked away. Fifteen minutes into the designated hour, the social worker deduced they were not coming and perhaps we should leave. I refused saying they were just running late.

Thirty five minutes into the hour she suggested that I call my ex and find out what was the holdup. I tried to explain why that wasn't a viable option. She asked for the number and called from her phone.

Oh, was that suppose to be today? Gosh, they had miscalculated and they were at the zoo in Dallas. Well, they would make sure that mistake didn't happen again!—was the response Stella gave the social worker. The social worker packed up her belongings to leave and I begged her to stay for the last twenty minutes.

The look she gave me. You poor sad son of a bitch was what her eyes expressed as she walked out. I remained rooted watching every second ticking away in the countdown until the minute hand finally clicked on twelve. Then I picked up all the little gifts I was able to buy and carry for the visit and carried them back to the truck for the long quiet drive back home.

So the court's reaction was what I expected, Stella got yelled at and then everybody went home. My request for an alternate day was objected to by Stella as it would be "too disruptive for plans that had already been made". The court harumphed and said he would let it slide this time, but, don't let it happen again. 

I went back and scrambled for another month to keep all the payments up to date. My Saturday rolled around and I paced in the room waiting for Carol and Steven's arrival. Finally they came running into the room and I fell to my knees as they surrounded me in a hug. I openly cried tears of joy as we rocked back and forth. Then trying to take advantage of every minute I asked them how they had been.

Vicariously, I became aware of Stella's events as they pertained to the kids. They were no longer living in the house. They had moved across to the new part of town in a great big house with their "Uncle Ted." Some people had moved into our old house and were paying Mommy rent to live there.




Fortune



Uncle Ted was buying them all kinds of toys and taking them places with Mommy. And Mommy was so happy and smiling and laughing all the time. I suffered the torture of a thousand small cuts as I kept smiling for the kids as they innocently told me of all the good things they had done. I reached for the gift bags that I brought back from last month fiasco and waited with expectation to see the smiles on their faces. Steven picked through his and said that Uncle Ted had bought them both iPads and iPods.  

The bottom of my heart dropped out as I realized I could never compete with Ted Jefferson on that level. Still I kept that frozen clown smile on my face as the social worker warned we only had five more minutes. I grabbed them both and held them and kept telling them I loved them, over and over and over until finally it was time for them to leave.

After they left I noticed Steven hadn't taken his gift bag so I carried it with me. When I got outside I saw Carol's gift bag lying on top of a trash receptacle where Stella had left it. I stared at it. I walked over and put Steven's on top of Carol's and walked to my truck for the drive back.

Month after month I would suffer the same ignoble fate as my children slowly slipped away from me. I started to sense an undercurrent of resentment by the kids being forced to visit with their father. The tighter I tried to hold on, the more they slipped away. Then came a visit where at the end Steven asked me for a favor. I smiled and told him sure. He told me that Ted had tickets to the University of Texas Longhorns game scheduled on the same day for the next month's visit. Would I mind if he and Carol skipped next month's visit?

How could he not see how he had ravaged me with that question? I stammered sure it was okay, the next visit we had they could tell me all about it. Steven reluctantly allowed me to hug him as they walked away.. It became easier and easier for Steven or Carol or both to let me know they preferred to be elsewhere rather than with me during the visits. As Carol told me when I tried to put up a resistance, "It's not like you're really our daddy anymore."

I should have been livid. I should have been fucking livid. I should have been over the top, take no fucking prisoners livid. And all I felt was numb. 

"Do you feel that way, Steven? Are you tired of me visiting?" Steven bowed his head and nodded yes.

Well that just left one last question to ask, "Do y'all want to stop with the visits?" 

Now both my kids sunk their heads down and nodded yes.

I paused for a minute and neither kid would look me in the eyes. 

"Okay, this will be the last visit. I'll keep driving up in case either of you change your mind, but, I won't expect y'all to be here. I wish you only knew how much I love both of you and how much I'm going to miss you." I quietly said.

For the first and only time I left first. And wouldn't you know it I bumped right into Stella outside waiting to pick up the kids. I could tell she was panicking being face to face with me, her damn court ordered 500 yards buffer zone not being worth a fuck to her in that instant. I just looked at her and said, "You won." And then I walked off.

The wedding announcement was in all the local papers, my girl was a little bridesmaid and my son served as Ted's best man. I contacted my lawyer for what I thought would be the last bit of representation and told him to file for reconsideration of the alimony and request the sale of our marital home.

Finally, the court sided with me and ended the alimony. Once we showed the marital home became a rental property, the court ordered that I be awarded the difference upon the sale of the house. Too fucking little, too fucking late.

I went to my trailer and celebrated with a week long drinking binge. I was nowhere near recovering when I heard a knock on my trailer door. As I opened the door empty beer cans cascaded down around the feet of Robert Lambert, my grandparents' neighbor who gave me my first job in razing his old barn.

He looked at the sloppy mess I had become and asked if I could come by his house tomorrow. He had a business proposition for me. I told him I would and I sat mired in the remaining rubble throughout the trailer. I was disgusted with myself and I went and collected every can and then tidied up the trailer as best I could. Then I showered and shaved and made sure I had a change of clean clothes.

When I arrived at the appointed time, he held his hand out to me for a shake and I said, "I'm sorry about yesterday, Mr. Lambert"

He reminded me that he had told me to call him Robert as he led me inside. We went into his den where a woman sat on the couch leaning over to the coffee table. She was poring over a series of maps and then typing into a laptop computer.

I couldn't help notice the austere behavior she projected. Her auburn hair was wrapped tightly in a bun. She was wearing large reading glasses and her face was scrunched in concentration. Her alabaster complexion and lack of makeup did not conceal her attractive features. I noticed she was unusually tall for a woman. I had the totally irrational thought of what it would be like to look into those vivid blue eyes straight on while kissing her.

As though to complete her struggle to appear unattractive, her torso was adorned with a baggy Texas A &M sweatshirt, and her jeans were worn and baggy. It was as though she didn't give a damn about impressing anyone. 

"Gayle, I want you to meet John Perry"

Gayle peered over her glasses and it was evident that I didn't impress her. I went to shake her hand and I found myself as a source of disdain as I was captured in the laser beams of those deep blue eyes as she ignored my hand.

"Mr. Perry, would you excuse us?" 

And not waiting for an answer she stormed out of the room with Robert Lambert quickly trailing after her. They retired into what appeared to be the kitchen and I became aware of an argument escalating by the minute. The noises were too muffled to make any sense out of until the very end when I heard the woman yell, "Why do we need him?" To which Robert replied, "Because I said so!"

When they came out it was apparent that though a truce may be in effect, a brush war could reignite any instant.

"John, I'm sorry for the interruption let me finish introducing you to my granddaughter, Gayle Lambert." 

Gayle gave a fleeting smile but the eyes did not match the smile as Robert continued, "Gayle is a recent graduate at Texas A & M in business agriculture and she came to me with some very interesting news. So I'm going to let Gayle take over now."

"Mr. Perry, what do you know of Shreveport, Louisiana?"

"If you don't mind why don't you call me John. As to your question, not much, I know they have a racetrack at Bossier City and some casinos over there."

"Let me rephrase the question Mr. Perry" she ignored my request to calling me by my first name, "Do you know anything about the history of Shreveport?"

"No, I don't" I replied .

"Have you ever heard of Captain Henry Shreve, Mr. Perry?"

After studying on it, I said, "No, can't say I have."

"What about the Great Raft, Mr. Perry? Have you ever heard of it?"

I responded, "Wasn't that the Kon Tiki boat that Thor what's his name sailed?"

The woman rolled her eyes in exasperation at the response.

"No, Mr. Perry, close to 800 years ago a logjam formed on the Red River. For all those centuries, trees unearthed in the Red River continued to float down to become part of the logjam. At its apex the logjam stretched 150 miles upstream and became so thick that many streams and tributaries and lakes formed as a result of it. You could actually walk on the river for miles and never see water.

As you can imagine many of those trees over time lost their buoyancy and sank to the bottom of the Red River or whatever tributary it caught on at the logjam. And remember this went on for centuries.

Eventually, Captain Shreve was assigned the task of clearing the logjam and he eventually did so to make the Red River navigable. In thanks for doing so, the town of Shreveport was named for him."

I interrupted, "That is a very interesting history lesson, ma'am, but, I understood this was a business meeting. So why is this important?"

"Mr. Perry, have you ever seen lumber made from water stained wood? It is exquisite and more importantly, expensive. And my grandfather and your grandparents are sitting on a gold mine."

It slowly sunk in about my grandparents and Robert Lambert's land abutting against the bank of the Red River. When you add all the tributaries and lakes as well as the wetlands there was no telling how much timber had been buried over the years. True, the Red River was constantly being dredged, but, that would be the main channel. Off to the sides, who knew what was lying in the murky deep?

"Okay, this sounds very intriguing, but, how do you propose to get to this gold?" I asked.

"That is where you and I come in John." Robert interjected, "I will outlay the cash to purchase a large pontoon boat, complete with three winches. Gayle will map out the areas most likely to have sunken timbers, you will pilot, and dive on the timbers and hook the winch chains onto them. Once a timber is up, it will be cradled between the pontoons and be taken ashore. We will jury rig a crane to load the timbers onto a log truck to be transported to a sawmill built where I had the old barn you razed.  

From there it will be cut into lumber and we will sell either wholesale or retail depending on the profit margin. There is no telling how much we can make out of this is it is handled right."

"Okay Robert what is the split?" I asked.

"You get 10%", Gayle interjected before Robert could comment.

"No Gayle, I told you that we were going to be fair about this!" Robert angrily replied. "John, for providing all the sweat equity you get 50%. Gayle and I will share the remaining 50%."

Gayle Lambert appeared ready to chew nails from the betrayal her grandfather had just engaged in. She continued to glare at me for the rest of the evening as Robert and I discussed what we would need for the boat. Finally, we decided we had all equipment contingencies covered and I told them goodnight.

As I walked out. Gayle trailed behind me and stood on the porch as I walked down the steps.

"Mr. Perry!"

I turned around and looked up at her and even as she haughtily peered down at me I was struck again at her potential beauty.

"I just want to say Mr. Perry that I am not on board with you being partners with my grandfather and I. As far as I see, we are giving away money to have you on this venture. And as far as I am concerned the day my grandfather realize you are just baggage will be a happy day."

It must have been a reaction to all the events transpiring that caused it but I lit in on her.

"Ms. Lambert, I don't know who pissed in your cereal and I don't fucking care. I came into your house at your grandfather's invitation and you have been a total bitch the whole time. I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but, to come out here and talk to me as though I was a dog is the last straw.

You don't know what I've been going through and you don't have any idea who I am as a person. I am tired of people shitting on me and if you think for a second that I'm going to let you shit on me, you've got another thing coming!"

As I stormed off I saw her with mouth agape and then rushing indoors. I suppose to tell Robert how I had mistreated her. I started to wonder what it was about me that pissed off women. I figured I would soon find out if Robert still was interested in being partners. If not, I would have to continue scrambling to earn a living.

When I arrived the next morning nothing was mentioned to me by Robert and the only indication of the previous evening tete a tete was a momentary glimpse of a redheaded wraith adorned in a Texas A & M T shirt slamming her bedroom door shut.

After our mutual flinch and waiting for the reverberation from the door slamming to cease, Robert and I both had the same junior high school boy smile on our faces. After that snicker, we continued discussing what we would need to transport the logs and what we would need for our sawmill. A couple of times we heard the door open and we buried ourselves in the paperwork as Gayle traversed through on whatever objective she was on.

The last time she went back into her room I made the comment that she sure was loyal to her school. Robert commented that since she had been back home that she had worn a Texas Aggie shirt everyday. I knew people that were fanatical about their schools, but, Gayle didn't strike me as that type.

In a week, we had the boat outfitted and ready to go on a trial run. The construction of the sawmill would wait until we determined the feasibility of the venture. If we were not able to dredge up enough timber to make it profitable, Robert could turn around and resale most of the equipment and not sustain too much of a loss.

Me, on the other hand would continue to accrue losing a day wage until my finances would redline. I was desperate for this venture to work and start giving me some breathing room.

Robert after consulting with Gayle decided to go out on a small tributary where we would work unseen by others. As I appeared the next morning, I was surprised from the indications that Gayle was going with us. She had on yet another A & M shirt on as she packed the items she intended to carry in the bed of my pickup. So we all loaded up and drove out to a suitable place to launch the pontoon boat. Gayle sat in the back and didn't participate in any of the conversation. 

I drove the boat a short way and killed the engine. We slowly drifted and I picked up the large bamboo pole I had on the boat and started probing the pole into the water. After five minutes, a solid thunk was felt and we anchored the boat. I had my old scuba gear that I had bought when I was in the service, but, the water was shallow enough that my mask and snorkel would work.

I dove into the murky depth and feeling my way on the bottom I felt the slimy texture of a large object. As I felt along the curvature I estimated the girth to be bigger than my arm span. Then I quickly explored horizontally and estimated the length to be around sixty feet. I went to the surface and told Roger and Gayle that we had found our first log.

They excitedly ran the line from one of the winches and I dove again. I found a way to encircle the log with the wire from the winch and hooked the connection together. Then I surfaced again and climbed into the boat. Slowly and carefully I engaged the winch to start drawing the line in. After the slack caught up we became aware of the boat settling deeper into the water as the winch continued to strain. Soon the bow of the boat began dipping and the stern rose precariously.

Neither Robert nor Gayle had that much experience in a boat. I had as a teenager enjoyed going fishing many times in a bassboat. But never had I tried to land something this big. Still my experience at working with heavy machinery at my construction job gave me a clue on how to handle this even though it was a different application.

The boat continued to angle down and Robert and Gayle appeared anxious. I was as well, but, wanted to give a sense of confidence. Without warning, the inert suction holding the log to the bottom gave way and the line from the winch easily rolled in. 

A light of anticipation appeared on Gayle's face and as the tip of the log appeared in the sunlight for the first time in untold years, a hearty laugh came from Gayle. I was back in the water ready to run the second line around the log now tilted at an angle from the riverbed. I swam and tossed the winch line under the timber and swam to the other side to hook it up.

Once again I went to the surface and was at the controls of the second winch. Since the log was no longer stuck in the riverbed the second winch line came up easily and soon we had our first log strapped to the boat.

It was cause for celebration and Robert and I shook hands and patted each other on the back. Robert and Gayle laughed and hugged one another and me and Gayle...sorta stood beside each other uncomfortably until we drifted away from one another.

I slowly drove the boat toward the shallow end of the water near the ramp and we determined that we had dredged up a cypress tree. Gayle explained that was one of the more sought after timbers.

We continued going out that day and we finished with five cypress trees ready to be loaded and harvested. As we drove back we discussed how to proceed. The ice thawed and Gayle talked as long as it was business related and she directed her comments to Robert. We decided I would drive the boat directly to the site in the morning and continue harvesting logs. Robert and Gayle would go ahead and purchase the logging truck and bring it to the bank of the river. 

By use of a loading arch, winches, and log tongs and chains on the log trailer the logs would be loaded unto the trailer whereupon we would deliver our first load to an existing sawmill and sell our load. With that capital outlay we would begin to construct our own sawmill.

I got up before dawn and drove back to the lake and launched the boat just as sunrise broke. I found the first log and dove back into the water not taking into account how chilly the water would be that early in the morning. I forced myself to complete latching up the log and got it ashore. I then scurried to my truck and turned it on and allowed the heater to combat the early signs of hypothermia. Clearly, there were still some lessons to be learned in harvesting the logs. Then I remembered my scuba gear on board and luckily the neoprene wetsuit still fitted me. It would be able to take the edge of the chilly water until I was warmed by the truck heater or the sun.

By the time Robert and Gayle arrived with the truck an additional ten logs had joined our trove. I backed the truck up and attached the tongs and chains that would assist the arch in winching the timbers up on the truck. It was arduous and inefficient, but it was the cheapest way to load until the scale of our business justified using a log crane. Since I was the only one with enough experience, Robert and Gayle watched my efforts.

As I finished chaining the last log, I overheard Robert asking Gayle if she still thought I was unnecessary to the operation. The silence was gratifying to me as Gayle continued to barely tolerate my presence. Finally, I had enough logs loaded for the first load. The remaining logs continued to sit in the shallow water awaiting their turn on the second load.

I drove the logging truck to the sawmill we had planned to offload the logs and where our expected buyer was waiting. Gayle and Robert drove ahead of me as we approached the logyard. The trailer was weighed and inspected by the buyer who finally threw out a number that I was agreeable to. There was where I saw Gayle earn her keep. 

She reminded the buyer what the present price was and how demand was continuing to outpace supply. Also, the present rate did not take into account the grade and size of logs that we had transported. The buyer was going to get double the board feet from our logs and therefore would have to pay accordingly. They continued to dicker back and forth until they reached a number that duly impressed me and Robert.

Arrangements were made to meet and inspect the second load I would deliver and the buyer would have a check waiting on us. I scrambled back eager to get the second load on the trailer and in the logyard. The vast difference in pay made me willing to accept Gayle as a necessary evil. I could only hope she would reach the same accommodation with me.




Fortune



I continued to get up every morning and take the boat out to start each work day. I made it a point to invest into a couple of items. The first was a Zippo lighter and the second was a chimenea. A chimenea is a portable ceramic fireplace that emits an incredible amount of heat. Before going out on the boat, I would start a fire in the chimenea and go find and winch in the first log of the day. Then I would take a break from the shivering cold until I was warm enough to go out again. 

Usually by midmorning the sun would warm the water enough that I could skip huddling around the chimena. As I thought would happen Gayle scoffed at my need for my breaks, ascribing them to general laziness more than anything else. I responded that for a woman that wore nothing more than Texas A & M tee shirts she certainly had a lot of opinions that nobody gave a damn about.

The remark had her gulping air like crazy and tears fell as she ran towards Robert's car and left Robert stranded with me for the day. I told Robert that I didn't think it was that good an insult as we went to collect another log. 

By now, the sawmill was up and running and Gayle and Robert had hired a couple of guys to run the sawmill. Even though it was unspoken I knew Gayle was pushing Robert to end our partnership and hire a boat crew to operate the boat. To his credit Robert refused to listen to Gayle.

Now about the only time I saw Gayle was when the three of us would go on a boat run to scout out a new area. I don't know how she did it, but, through her research Gayle would always have us on a new trove of logs to harvest. Now her new complaint was my sloth was causing delays in getting logs to the mill. Robert pointed out that I generally kept ahead of the sawmill crew and I had a small surplus of logs built up for the sawmill crew to attend to.

Thank God for that because when I took off for Saturday's visitation I thought she was going to come unglued. How dare I waste a day! I pointed out that the sawmill crew didn't work on the weekends so I would not hamper the operation by taking a personal day.

So I spent another sad lonely hour alternating looking from the door to the clock waiting for a visit that wasn't going to happen. Robert had suggested that I continue to insist the kids attend the visitation. I pointed out that any manifestation to show my love by insisting on doing something they both resented would only cause more problems. No, I wanted them to be there voluntarily.

If Gayle had bothered to notice after I got back from wasting a half day Saturday, I unloaded a log haul late that afternoon and three hauls for Sunday. The work continued to be a salve for my heartache as I wondered about Steven and Carol. Oddly, I felt an amazing lack of concern for Stella. She had so treacherously destroyed our marriage I knew there would be no rebound there.

As Fall approached, Gayle's efforts to undermine me escalated. The increasing cold continued to hamper my efforts to collect logs. I had to take longer and longer breaks to warm up sufficiently to continue to dive on the logs. That translated to fewer hauls of my timber and more hauls of pine and oak logs that Robert contracted with other logging outfits for the sawmill operation. Gayle argued that justified terminating the partnership.

I felt a strange comparison on Stella's and now Gayle's efforts to denigrate me. Obviously, from my perspective I didn't see anything that justified their actions, but, still in the back of my head I kept wondering what I had done to set them off.

I spent another lonely Saturday with an unanswered prayer. As I drove home I asked God if I would ever be complete again? I didn't hear an answer.

Another couple of weeks passed and my results continued to deteriorate. I drove to Robert's and suggested to him that maybe it was time to stop diving until Spring. I could see the victory smile on Gayle as the results continued to fall in her favor.

Then she threw a total mindfuck. She wanted to go out tomorrow on the boat to scout locations on the Red River. We had held off on going on the Red River due to our success in the tributaries. Robert reminded her that he had a prior commitment in Houston to attend to so he couldn't make it. I could see the debate waging on Gayle's face as she tried to decide whether she could tolerate being alone with me on the pontoon boat. She finally announced that she still wanted to go out.

That morning I went to pick her up and she hurried past me in her maroon Texas A & M sweatshirt and jeans and got in my truck. Robert was getting ready to leave himself and jokingly told me not to kill her. I just drew a deep breath and went to my truck.

All day long we spent going to various places on the river. The only time we would converse would be when she directed me to another location or when I told her I located a log by my bamboo pole. Through my experience I could distinguish when I located timber. Then she would transfix the location into her portable GPS. I took note of several disturbing facts, the main ones being the depth of the river and the rapid current. I had to throw down an additional anchor line to keep the boat from drifting as we searched for timbers. 

Coupled by the tons of silt speeding through it would make diving an especially haphazard task in the murky water. Lord knows what other obstacles I would bump into down there. Anchor lines would be needed to tether to so the current wouldn't sweep me down river. Which meant scuba gear so I could stay down long enough to fashion the winch lines around the logs. This was going to be an extremely dangerous proposition, I would need to take a refresher scuba course and update my gear. I would also need a dive partner since it had been drummed into me so long ago not to dive alone. As I continued to watch Gayle enter data into her GPS I thought about mentioning that to Gayle. 

Then I had an epiphany. Gayle never intended me to dive on timbers we were scouting on. By next Spring she would have Robert convinced why I had outlived my usefulness and the need to hire lesser paid employees that would take the place of an expensive partner. The new crew would start on the treasure I had helped her locate to assure my termination.

The bitterness blinded me and I turned away from her and went back to the boat cockpit not daring to look at her plot my betrayal. The late afternoon sun was fading into evening on what would be a glamorous sunset on the river. I continued to pretend to do a chore that didn't require me to look at her.

I heard an unfamiliar short yelp and a loud splash. I turned around to look at the bow of the boat and to my puzzlement I couldn't locate Gayle. I heard a cry by the same time I spotted an object speeding down river. 

Gayle was desperately trying to swim upriver to the boat as the river powered her downstream. By the time she started to scream I was already running up the length of the boat. By the time I dove into the water she was 50 yards downstream and sunk out of sight from an undertow. 

Even as I cringed from the numbing cold of the water I knew I made the right decision to dive in after her. If Gayle had the presence of mind she wouldn't have fought so hard to swim upstream, but, instead used her efforts to swim downstream to the bank where she could have waded out of the water. Instead she was panicking like most people would and sought to return to a safe haven.

I couldn't have gotten the anchors up in time and start the boat to catch up to her. It was essential that I kept her in sight as best I could. I started swimming as fast as I could downstream. I heard her yell again which meant the undertow had released her and she had made her way to the surface.

I didn't see but I knew she was trying desperately to get to me. The problem was she was quickly tiring and eventually she would go into an undertow that she would not be able to power her way back to the surface or she would collide with a snag and be injured and not be able to save herself. I had to get to her as quickly as I could. I reached the area of the undertow that sucked her under and felt it try to draw me to doom.

The difference being that I was speeding along on purpose allowed me to quickly draw away from its grasp. Slowly, ever so slowly, I gained ground as her voice weakened. Still I knifed through the water to catch up to her.

I was in midstroke when an unidentified snag rammed into my torso. It caused me to gasp from the pain and I sucked in the muddy river water and sputtered it back out as best I could. I had to ignore the pain as I continued to stroke toward Gayle.

Thirty feet, twenty feet, she disappeared again and thankfully came back up. Fifteen feet, ten, five. I saw that last remaining looks of desperation on her face before she submitted to the will of Nature. Three, two, one. Her arms blindly flailed to me and her hands snatched away to grasp me. 

Now I would have to tend to a new danger of Gayle unwittingly clinching to me and riding us both to our deaths. I waited for the right moment and reached out and jerked her hair. I was using the hand on my injured side so the extra effort shot pain throughout my body , but, I continued to hold on. Luckily the pain I was causing Gayle was making her grab my arm to alleviate tugging on her hair.

As long as she continued to do that we had a chance. As I slowly guided us closer to the bank I had the incongruous thought that finally I was touching the red flames of those auburn tresses. I quickly dispelled that notion as we approached near a large sandbar. I continued to fight to get us away from the sway of the river.

Then my knee bumped into sand. I started to scramble upright. When I let go of Gayle, she panicked again and tried to grab me before she realized land was underfoot. We both crawled up the sandbar, crying, gasping for breath, shivering from the cold. Collapsing into the wet sand to try to recover.

I felt the hard muscle spasms and the numbing of my fingers and toes. I crawled up the bank ignoring the pleas of Gayle. I grabbed as much of the dry brittle pinestraws and oak leaves as I could from the peninsula of the sandbar. I stumbled back to Gayle and shielding it away from the wind as best I could, I dug out my Zippo lighter to desperately try to summon the strength and dexterity to light a fire.

The onset of hypothermia was evident in both of us. Unless I could quickly provide warmth, our metabolism would shut down and we would both die on that miserable little sandbar. I prayed hard as my thumb caused the rotation of the wheel of the lighter. Would it ignite? Had the immersion contaminated the lighter fluid? Would this be my final act of desperation?

Would I ever see my children again?

The wheel of the old metal encased lighter turned like the wheel of Fate determining our fortune. I watched as the first sparks flew about and then the weak flame appeared in the October night. I sobbed as I held it to the dry tender willing it catch fire. Slowly the flame crept among the leaves growing stronger and brighter. I fed more leaves for the flame to consume as it built and started to smoke.

I willed myself to leave and scramble for another load of precious straws and leaves. Then another and another. I told Gayle to strip out of her wet clothes as I made another run to the bank. Now I picked up small dried twigs to feed to the fire. When I returned to throw them on the fire I noticed Gayle had not complied with my order.

Again I told her to undress as I went back for another armload of leaves to persuade the fire to escalate to the ignition point of the wood I had placed on it. As I dumped the leaves on the fire and it smoldered momentarily. I angrily shook her and told her to get out of her fucking wet clothes before she died.

That snapped her awake and once again I saw the animosity light in her eyes. Good, the hate will keep you alive, I thought. I went to grab bigger branches as Gayle stood to her knees and began to strip out of the cold, heavy, wet sodden sweatshirt. 

I wished I had the opportunity to relish that sight, but, I remained busy alternating carrying woods and leaves to the fire. I noticed she had turned away from me as she fumbled for the snap of her jeans. Still the sight of her bareback was enticing as she struggled out of the legs of the jeans. 

By the next trip, her bra and panties had amassed on the pile of clothes and she huddled modestly before the fire as the warmth returned to her. I now had enough of a stockpile that I warranted it was safe for me to undress. 

Ignoring propriety I shivered as I stripped naked before Gayle. Did she sneak a peek at me? I didn't notice and I didn't care. We were two islands of shivering humanity huddled around a campfire gaining warmth as though we were Neanderthals in the Ice Age. As our bodies slowly came back from the brink of death I noticed Gayle began to quietly cry. I tried to ignore her vulnerability and allow her the fiction of privacy as the implication of our escape became more pronounced.

Her quiet sobs turned into weeping and soon escalated into full scale hysteria. I couldn't standby anymore. I went to her and sat by her and forced her to accept my hug. I continued to hold her as she wailed into the frosty night. There was not an iota of sexuality in my gesture. 

We were just two primitive beings stripped of the veneer of civilization trying to cope in a harsh unfeeling world. She buried her head against me and I caressed her just to connect to her. Just to let her know I was there to comfort her. She continued to accept me as the flame continued to warm us. Her crying convulsions ebbed and still she remained in my arms.

Then she looked at me and quietly said, "Thank you."

And with that, the magic spell was broken, and we became uncomfortable in our nakedness as I went back to my initial spot of neutrality. We both continued to stare into the fire from our respective positions. I broke the silence to tell her I would get some wood to put her clothes out to dry. As I got up she averted her gaze away. 

When I returned with some suitable wood, I dumped it close to her and announced I was going farther into the bank for more wood. She recognized this as my effort to tell her I wouldn't invade on her privacy as she prepared her clothes. I waited as long as I could stand being away from the fire and then I returned. 

To my surprise she had also lined out my clothes to dry as well. I quietly thanked her as again we averted away from each other. It must have looked comical from anyone else's perspective. Here we were, grown adults, away from all the world, sharing a life or death experience and we both couldn't overcome the awkwardness of simply looking at each other. It was though we both mutually agreed that we did not have permission to do so.

So we waited as our clothes dried. Both of us would experimentally test our clothes for dryness by reaching out and touching them. As the garments finally dried, we would turn away from each other and quickly dress. At long last, the heavier garments, the jeans and sweatshirts dried sufficiently to put on. Once we were both finally dressed it was time for our discussion.

"Gayle, we have to decide what we are going to do. Here are the obvious facts; we are stranded on the bank of the river, no one knows our predicament, we have no way to summon help since both our phones are fried from our swim. The only person that would miss us is your grandfather and he wont be back home till tomorrow.

Our options are; we remain on the bank and hope a boat rescues us, or, Robert returns and initiates a search for us when he misses us." I paused and continued, "Or I could leave you here with enough firewood, walk through the woods back upstream and get the boat and come down and get you. What would you like me to do, Gayle?"

Without hesitation she stated she wanted to get back home as quickly as possible. I had expected that answer. Everyone would have answered the same way without thinking of the implications and consequences of that action.

I would have to navigate the bank of the river upstream without light, shod only in tennis shoes among the sharp and knobby roots waiting to trip me. Into the unforseen briars and brush waiting to trap me. I would have to stumble into the chill of the October night and grope forward until I came to our boat and face one last test. I would have to voluntarily dive back in that frigid water and climb back into the boat, start it up, and in the cold chill air pilot the boat down to the sandbar to rescue Gayle.

I went into the woods a last time to gather firewood, quick burning pine and longer sustaining oak to tide Gayle over. I told Gayle that if for whatever reason I did not come back to stay with the fire and keep it burning. When it became daylight, chances were a boat would appear that she could hail to her rescue. I told her I would follow the contours of the bank, so, I should remain in earshot of any potential rescuers.

As I began to leave, Gayle threw herself at me in an impulsive hug. God, I wanted to stay there locked into her arms, but, I had made a promise and I had to fulfill it. I walked away from her and quickly was in uncharted territory as my eyes tried to adjust to the night. I walked with arms outstretched before me to warn me of any peril. I shuffled my feet slowly among all the brush and brambles scratching me.

Often I would reach an impasse of impregnable brush and have to navigate around it to return to my course. Often I would fall, each time racking my ribs in pain from my colliding with the unknown object in the river. I could tell in the dim moonlight where the river ran below me, inviting me once again to fall into its trap. I lost all sense of time as my journey continued shivering in the cold. How had we traveled so far in the rapid current of the river? A mile? Five miles? More? I began to despair from not finding the boat. I knew every second there was Gayle worried alone in the woods and that gave me fresh incentive to continue.

I rounded a rise in the bank and there it finally was. A dark silhouette silently bobbing in the river. I mentally began to prepare myself for that God awful cold I would have to endure again as I walked to the final steps upstream that would ensure that I would drift to the boat.

Summoning up the last vestige of my courage before I once and finally came to my senses; I jumped into the river for the second time voluntarily that evening. The bone chilling cold again introduced itself to my body. Suffering from another relapse I could sense my body quickly shutting down.

I would not have near the time as I had initially to respond. As the cold cramped my fingers I reached and grasped the boat ladder at the starboard side of the pontoon. Somehow I managed to climb aboard and hurried to start the engine. The trustworthy Mercury outboard fired up as I jumped to the toolbox and groped for the flashlight and knife that were among the items stored. Turning the light on I went to each anchor line and quickly cut through them and suddenly we were adrift.

I ran to the cockpit and moved the throttle forward for maximum speed as I turned on the navigational lights and entered the main channel assured I would not run aground or into any unseen hazard. 

I felt the encroaching freeze working against me as the wind chill kept lowering my body temperature dangerously close to the point of no return. I squinted peering in the dark looking for signs of the campfire. There! That orange pinprick! Could it be?

I saw the form of a human dancing trying to wave me down. I shut off the throttle and killed the engine and allowed the momentum of the boat to wedge to a stop on the sandbar. The welcoming cheers from Gayle suddenly stopped as she saw my condition. It finally dawned on her what I had undergone and she rushed to assist me to get me close to the fire.




Fortune



She threw every bit of wood on the fire and the conflagration lit up a wide berth around the sandbar. Then she undressed me and cursed me at the same time as she cried seeing the scratches and bruises all over my body. I went into the fetal position around the fire and mercifully I passed out still hearing her cuss me for being a fool.

When I came back to the world I was still in the fetal position, the fire was still roaring, a new stockpile of wood was on hand and once again my clothes were being dried from the heat of the fire and Gayle was behind me forming her body against my back to provide body heat. I groggily asked her how long I was out and she replied it wasn't important. I just needed to rest and remain warm.

So we remained on the ground in that position and of all the positions I had fantasized myself with Gayle since I first met her, this was one I hadn't figured on. She began apologizing profusely to me. Had she only thought about what I had to do she would've never asked me to do it. I told her to shut up, no one forced a gun to my head to do it.

We remained in that position until I saw my clothes steaming and smoldering from the heat. Gayle quickly got up and readjusted the clothes to complete drying and then went back to her former position. I began to think I could learn to enjoy this position.

In time she got up and said my clothes were dry and then it was her turn to walk into the woods and allow me to dress alone.

I started up the boat and at that signal she reappeared into view. Even though there was a large barrier of sand from any flammable material I order Gayle to help me douse the fire with sand. I felt a little sad as the last dying ember disappeared from sight from the life sustaining fire that had been there.

As I threw the boat into reverse and turned on the navigation lights again, Gayle walked in front of me and half sat; half stood at the captain's chair at the cockpit. I recognized that we would continue to share body heat as we made our way to the marina we had launched at early that morning. When she got cold from shielding me Gayle would retreat behind me until she was ready to return to the front.

The marina appeared across the river and I crossed the channel and entered its harbor. I was in no shape to load the boat unto the trailer and transport it out. I found an unoccupied slip and I tied the boat off and killed the engine. The marina was deserted at the late hour. If anyone took offense they could call the Coast Guard to run the registration number and contact Robert, who in turn would contact me. We limped to my truck and I turned it on and immediately turned on the heat to full.

As it permeated through the cab I saw a large smile of gratitude on Gayle's face as we began the final miles to her house. We still hadn't spoken much since the marina and I started getting drowsy from the heat. I asked her to start talking to keep me awake. Then I just listened to that soft melodious voice for the first time absent the acrid acerbic venom I was used to. The miles for once passed by too quickly as we arrived at her house.

I had mixed emotions as I stopped in her drive. Happiness that I had got her home after such a harrowing experience. Sadness that she was leaving me and probably tomorrow our temporary truce would be null and we would be back in our private little cold war. Anxiety for thinking I had another twenty minutes on the road before I collapsed in my trailer. Chances were good I would fall asleep behind the wheel.

She got out and I thought she was going to bid me goodnight. Instead she looked at me and said, "Don't even think you are going anywhere." She turned around to the house and I meekly obeyed her and got out of the truck to follow her to the house. Once inside, she commanded me to build a fire in their fireplace. "I know you can do that. I've seen you in action." She walked into the kitchen and I heard clattering going on as I prepared to light the fire.

I tried to use my Zippo lighter, but, it failed to ignite. I reflected on what a whim our lives were balanced as I struck on one of the long stemmed matches Robert used to set the fire. In a matter of minutes, the flames merrily licked up to start feeding on the seasoned oak that Robert had in his tinderbox that I used in the fireplace.

Gayle came out with two oversized ceramic mugs steaming away. "I'm afraid I can only offer you chicken noodle soup out of the can nuked. Next time I promise you it will be homemade" she explained as put the mugs down on the coffee table and went to the closet in the hallway and got out some thick woolen blankets

She told me to sit down on the sofa. I looked at my dirty, bloody, sand gritted clothes and hesitated. "Oh for God sakes, John, it's just a couch, I'll get it cleaned!" Again, I obeyed as I realized for the first time she used my name and she wrapped a blanket around me and handed me one of the mugs. Then she wrapped herself in the other blanket and slowly sipped on her mug of soup. 

She used the remote to kill the lights and so we sat together side by side, staring into the fire in the darkened den sipping away at our soup. I placed my empty mug back on the coffee table and she did, likewise. 

We continued to stare into the fire and I became mesmerized by the ocean of shifting hues of orange as the embers of the logs heated and cooled at various points. It reminded me of Gayle's hair. Atop the yellow flames continued to burn into the logs. Gayle shifted and placed her head against my shoulder. We remained like that for a long time when she finally spoke.

In a soft timid voice she began, still looking straight into the fire, "I'm going to tell you a story. I don't want you to interrupt. I don't want you to stop me. I don't want you to say anything until I've finished."

She continued, "About two months before I graduated I met this guy from school and started dating him. He looked a lot like you; tall, brown hair, cute smile, green eyes...I was getting real attached to him, but, I still wanted to make sure he was the one. So, I kept stalling him whenever he started talking about taking it to the next level. He made the noise of saying he understood, but, still he kept pushing and pushing at me."

Gayle paused and moved her hand to my blanket covered bicep for support before she continued. "Graduation day, we celebrated by going out that evening to an expensive restaurant. I excused myself to go to the restroom. When I got back to the table an expensive bottle of wine was uncorked. Only the best was good enough for me, he said! He raised his wine flute and gave me a toast, 'To us' he declared, 'may we always be happy!' I finished off my wine flute and returned his dazzling smile and relished what my future would hold.

Six hours later I was being transported to the hospital by ambulance. My roommates had made it home and found me sprawled on the livingroom floor. My dress had been ripped to expose my breasts which were covered with bruises and bite marks. When my bra was broken, it caused a large friction burn on my ribcage. My dress had been rolled up and my panties had been unceremoniously dumped on top of my head. My roommates could tell I had sex from the fluids leaking from me. 

When they couldn't wake me, they called 911. The police arrived about the same time the ambulance did. When I got to the hospital they ordered a toxicology screen and determined I was under the influence of Rohypnol, the date rape drug."

I was shocked by Gayle's revelation as she continued to dredge up the trauma.

"They also performed a rape kit exam which concluded that I had indeed had sex and DNA was extracted from the sperm collected from my vagina.

Because there was no way to tell whether I had been infected with anything I was prescribed an entire plethora of prescription medications to make sure I was okay. In fact, I'm still required to take some pills and go in for checkups.

The detective that investigated my case kept asking for the perpetrator's name. He knew I was shielding him. Apparently, it isn't that unusual for a woman to run and hide and pretend it didn't happen or that it was their fault it happened. The detective told me if I changed my mind and decided to cooperate to give him a call.

I went home and for the first day I wore my brand of shame. My maroon Texas A & M shirt would serve as my scarlet letter. A remembrance of my connection with my rapist. Each day, I would die a little more and wear my shame for the world to see. But you understand...they couldn't see... all they saw was a woman with a shirt with a college logo. So it also served as my shield. My shield from the revelation that I had been treated as a piece of meat and thrown away."

I wanted her to stop. I wanted her to not experience the horror again as she continued to lance deeper into her wounded psyche drawing out the emotional pus.

Her hand was now painfully clenching my bicep as I allowed her to continue. "I withdrew from my friends, one by one...as they all argued for me to go to counseling...or tell the police...or this...or that! I still managed to draw deeper into my hell... each day wearing that damn brand...each day hating myself.

I decided I would continue to retreat. I called my grandfather and asked if I could stay with him. Of course he said yes and so I came down and I could forget a little bit of my shame as I enjoyed the beauty of the land. He showed me again the Red River and the kernel of my idea drew back from a long ago lecture in history and I began doing some research and I thought that by committing to this project I could abate the shame a little more.

Then my grandfather suggested to have you included. I knew we would need help to pull this off so I was okay with meeting you...until I saw who you reminded me of...and then I was not. Each day I had to endure the daily torture of wearing that logo and seeing you. Each day I kept trying to find a way to make you irrelevant and unneeded, so you would go away and not bother me anymore..."

Her voice rose in pitch as she concluded her statement, "I suppose I would still be looking for a way to get rid of you if I hadn't tripped over my own damn foot and fell overboard!"

She started to cry again recalling the experience, "Oh God, I was so afraid and alone and cold...that numbing cold as I tried to swim back to the boat and saw you diving in. Then something drug me under the water and then I was back on the surface gulping air and trying to get to you...but it felt like I was getting away from you. 

Everything was a blur as you grabbed my hair. I wanted to grab on to you so you would save me, but, the pain made me grab your hand so you would release my hair. Then you pushed me onto the sandbar and now the chilly air paralyzed me. All I could do was watch as you built the fire and warmth slowly returned to me.

Then you ordered me out of my clothes and I had another flashback and I wasn't going to obey you. Then you yelled at me and I knew if I didn't take off my clothes, you would rip them off me...and then rape me...and I knew I had no choice...so I sat there paralyzed... waiting for you to dominate and abuse me...then I sat huddling as you approached and began stripping...and then you sat down and finally began to warm yourself.

Each second gave me new hope that I would be okay and then I had a moment of serendipity when I realized you were you and not my monster from the past. I started to feel ashamed of everything I projected on you and I started crying and you came over to me naked. You sat right next to me and cradled me in your arms and I felt protected. 

An hour before our mishap if you had touched me I would have screamed at you. Now we were both naked and I felt safe in your arms and I wonder why it took me this long to realize my mistake!"

Once again, Gayle had devolved into full blown weeping and I managed to get my arm out of the blanket and around her and I tried to comfort her and held her silently as the fire continued to die out.

When I woke up I felt her stirring awake as well and we both saw the sight of an unbelieving Robert looking down at us.

"I wouldn't believe this if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes! Can someone tell me what the hell our boat is doing in the marina? And why wouldn't either of you answer your phones?"

Gayle and I untangled and painfully stood up. Gayle looked at me expectantly. I knew what she was asking.

"You have to tell him. I'm going to go get our boat and I'll come right back and then we will decide what to do."

As I left, Gayle and Robert were walking to the kitchen table to tell him all the secrets. I managed to placate the irate owner of the marina with an apology and a $100 dollar donation which included the staff loading the boat onto my trailer for me.

When I got back to Robert's, he was still sitting at the kitchen table, pale and trying to digest the events. I asked where Gayle was and he told me she was taking a shower. We started discussing things from our perspective when Gayle appeared before us.

"NO!" I shouted, "You are through paying a penance you don't owe! Get upstairs and put anything else on but that!"

Gayle was shocked at my reaction seeing her still donning her college logo, still wearing her badge of shame. As far as I was concerned that was over. She came down hesitantly wearing a flowery blouse that complimented her. I reacted by opening my arms and she smiled and rushed to hug me. Damn, my ribs still hurts!

Then she looked at Robert and he invited her into his arms and he hugged her for a long time. Then he insisted on taking us to the hospital to be checked over. It turned out my ribs were severely bruised and were wrapped tight to mend. Various cuts were cleaned and prescriptions ranging from antiseptics to painkillers were prescribed. Luckily, other than suffering from exposure, Gayle had no residual physical injuries.

We made plans to drive to College Station the next day. Gayle went into the police station escorted by us and gave a complete statement to the assigned detective naming the culprit. Then we met with Gayle's roommates and they heard the story in its entirety. They all rushed to show the love and affection they had for their friend. I was hugged as well and I knew that I would have to take a few extra painkillers to compensate for the emotions these women showed in their hugs.

Gayle asked if her friends could get her the name of a therapist that lived close to her grandfather. Ten phones appeared simultaneously to find her that information. Since Robert had to drive us, I was allowed the front passenger seat for my comfort. Gayle continued to huddle over me and asked how I was doing on the drive.

When we got back to Robert's house she insisted that I stay in the spare guest room. I had no business staying in that small trailer with no one to look after me, she said. I couldn't wait for her to say something like that in front of my grandmother.

Naturally, they got along great when they met for the first time. Gayle offered to drive me to the visitation since I was still on the painkillers and had no business behind the wheel. It was a welcome change of pace to have someone to talk to on the drive and for that awful hour of anticipation.

By November I was off the painkillers, but, Gayle still wanted to come with me. So again, she served as a welcomed distraction to my anguish. In December after the fruitless visit, she helped load up the gifts back into my truck. I had purchased the items on the off chance they would appear. Gayle suggested taking the gifts to a charity to be distributed to a needy family.

Things were rolling along for Gayle. Her rapist had been arrested and a warrant was served forcing him to provide his DNA. It was an exact match. Another warrant was served to search his phone. He had videotaped the entire disgusting act on his phone. He and his attorney had decided that rather than stall they would ask for a quick trial. The reason being that given Gayle initial reluctance to cooperate, she would be more likely to fold from testifying now rather than having a year to prepare.

She calmly appeared on the witness stand and described in detail the horror she underwent. The jury came back in less than an hour and gave him the maximum sentence on every charge. The bailiff told me that they would have been back quicker, but, they were trying to find a way to give him even more time than allowed.

Things moved at a comfortable pace with our relationship. I was asked to participate in some of Gayle's sessions and I made it be known that I would do whatever I needed to do to help Gayle. The therapist assured me that Gayle was already aware of that. 

So the months passed until we were in late Spring and Gayle and I were back on the Red River recovering the data we had originally lost. I insisted that she wore a life jacket the entire trip. She wouldn't tell me what were in the large boxes in the stern that Robert had loaded on the boat.

As we approached that fateful spot where she fell in back in October she told me she changed her mind and wanted to go to our sandbar. I complied and we landed there and she hopped off and asked me if I would build her a fire. I went and got some old wood and took out my refurbished Zippo lighter and soon had a fire going on the exact spot as before.

Then she asked that I start unloading the items in the boxes. First, I took out a tent. So I went and constructed it where we had huddled together. Then there was an air mattress with an electrical blower. So I had it plugged up on a power converter on the boat and soon it was filled with air. I placed it inside the tent along with the sleeping bag for two.

The food fare was atypical campfire food. Hot dogs and marshmallows and sodas and bottled water. And a bottle of champagne chilling in the ice cooler. We sat by each other enjoying the simple pleasure of our outing as we talked and interacted with a familiarity that had been alien to both of us the previous Fall.

I reached over and gently moved my hand through her gorgeous auburn curls. She reminded me that I had been a lot rougher with her the first time I did that on the sandbar. I told her I was sorry and asked how I could make it up to her. She told me I could kiss her. 

I leaned in and softly kissed her. As I slowly broke away from the kiss, she commanded another one and another...and another. Our hands began to explore each other's body and I enjoyed the sensation of hearing her coo from my caresses.

When she was ready, she stripped off her T shirt and I saw her full bosom jiggling as she threw the shirt aside in the approximate area where the clothes had dried. That led to a cascade of clothes being shed and thrown in a mutual pile.

Acknowledging a practical desire for comfort I spread the oversized picnic blanket over the sand and laid beside the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. Her flawless alabaster skin, her deep blue eyes like sapphires, those luscious full lips begging to be kissed. Hell, her entire body deserved to be kissed. And I proceeded to do so from the top of her head all the way down to her toes.

Of course, some areas got more attention than others. But, I figured after forty or fifty years it would all even out. Now, there was a particular area I intended to mine for treasure and I soon directed all my attention there. The sighs, gasps, and moans were rewards enough as my tongue continued to probe. Each lick brought on a plea for another which I would eagerly comply with until I felt her shuddering into a climax.

Kissing all around I advanced up until I was looking directly into her eyes as I kissed her. I felt her grope down and soon she had my erect tool and placed it exactly where she wanted it. Her legs were splayed open to accommodate me. Not wanting to discomfort her I moved her atop me and Lordy, she took to riding cowboy in style.




Fortune Cookie



I awoke from a very intense, heart pounding wet dream of two girls I'd dated in high school going down on me together, into an even more intense sexual reality. Sami had my thick dick in her hot mouth, and was playing cream sucking slut as she moaned. She always played with herself when she sucked me. It was her way of saying "Happy Birthday." It was also her way of saying "It's Tuesday." She is a morning person, I am not. She would rather make love in the morning, skip breakfast, and smell of sex all day long. She really does try to let me sleep, knowing how much sleep means to me. But her hot nature gets the best of her, and she starts playing with her lush, heavily thatched snatch, and thinking about how good it would feel to taste me, how she might be able to get me to lick her out, or best of all, fill her with my cum, so she can walk around all day with me inside her. 

"I need you in the morning, Ron. I need to feel your hot cum inside me. I need to feel your cum, slick in my vagina, staining my panties, making me reek of coitus all day. I need your sweet penis. Please don't make me beg. A woman shouldn't have to beg for her man's affections. I shouldn't have to beg for your cock." she pouted.

Sami was the sweetest, hottest woman I had ever made love to. Which was unusual all by itself. Sami had been only with women lovers for the past six years, until she met me. That night, I came home to find a note "I'm at my place. Dinner at 7:00. Don't be late. Special hugs and kisses, Sami." Not a "Happy Birthday" card, nothing. Sami was very independent, insisted on keeping her own apartment until we were legally married. No rational argument could change her mind. 

My mind drifted back to this morning. As I found myself near orgasm in her mouth, Sami had moved into a delicious sixty nine. I loved the taste of her sweet slit, and was always eager for her to lower her dark, dense, wet bush-onto my face. She always came easily with me. I always claimed she was wired that way, Sami always claimed it was because I was a great lover. She kept telling me that my oral skills were better than many of her lesbian lovers, and I took that compliment with a grain of salt, not that I ever doubted her. But it seemed strange for a woman who had spread her legs for only three men in her entire life, who had for all intents and purposes been a lesbian for the past six years, to practically worship my penis, rating my lovemaking skills above her fellow sisters. I'll admit that thick 9" dicks are hard to find, even more unlikely to be on a man who treats his woman as a treasure. She certainly is a treasure to me. So the strange mix of adulation and simple forgetfulness had me puzzled.

I call Sami the "Stealth Babe." Her 36C-26-38, 5'7", 135 pound figure can completely disappear under the defensive cloaking she often wears. Her very short hair makes her look very butch, even on the edge of sheer dyke, but it is just long enough to still be feminine. She is always getting propositioned by other women. She still enjoys that, and leads them on. "Down the primrose path..." she laughs.

For me, Sami wears sexy short dresses, showing her smooth, shaved legs (utter heresy a year ago). She has given up sensible shoes for high heels, hose, and lacy lingerie. Now my friends ask me how they too can meet and date supermodels. It's good for the ego, which has taken a bashing in the past year.I got demoted in a big multi-company merger. I was at one of those merger meetings, and Sami was there. We were both so low on the totem pole that no one else was willing to be seen talking to us. I got her coffee, fetched her donuts, and we started finding out we liked the same books. There was absolutely no sexual chemistry for me, but I loved talking to her. I was new to Boston, and I needed a friend. We talked endlessly on the phone. Her department was eliminated, and she went to work in another office. 

We just kept on talking. We met for lunch, we went on walks in the Boston Commons. One night she dressed up a little bit, nothing more than a nice pantsuit and a necklace, but we went to dinner, and she walked me back to a suite in the Copley Plaza. She came right into the room, and just kept talking, somewhere around 1 AM, we both fell into bed, fully clothed, and I meant to kiss her goodnight on the cheek. Still talking, she turned, and her open mouth brushed mine. It was like a bomb went off. Clothes went flying everywhere. She seemed to have absolutely no inhibitions, as we drove each other nearly mad with oral sex, then made intensely passionate love for hours. Sometime after 3 AM, she finally let me sleep for a little while. At 6 AM, she blew me revelie, screwing my brains out, dragging me into the shower to blow me hard and screw me standing up as the spray washed over us. She poured some coffee down my throat and dumped me in front of my office. I sent a dozen roses to her office. We've been inseparable ever since.

When I got to Sami's apartment, a glance through the door told me she was not alone. Sami was locked in a scorching deep kiss with Lori. I knew they were lovers after college, and it was obvious how much they still cared for each other. Lori is every bit as hot bodied as Sami, but with long dark hair, and a style so feminine you'd never guess her sexual persuasion. I rang the bell, and Sami opened the door to give me a scorching deep kiss. Lori gave me a hug that pressed her 38D breasts deeply into my chest, and she too gave me a very hot kiss, which left me confused, excited, and horny. 

"So nice to finally meet you, Ron. Happy Birthday! I understand we're having you for dinner?" Lori laid straight into the double entendres. "Yes, I hope so. Sami didn't tell me much." I said, a little confused.

"Oh, you'll love, it, dear. Chinese, from the Golden Wok, in Newton. Almost as much fun as eating out." , Lori went right back to up the box scores.

"Happy Birthday, my love. Hope you enjoy our party." Sami kissed me, holding my head, but as it turned from a greeting kiss into something deeper, she pulled away.

Sami and Lori were dressed in identical low-cut wrap around dresses, Sami's in red, Lori's in blue. Both wore lingerie to match their outfits, and color coordinated pumps. There was wine, a choice of liquors, and fruit juices. After we got in the kitchen, Sami sat me down and said "Aren't you going to unwrap your gifts?" 

Looking around I said "I didn't see any, are they here somewhere?"

Sami put the sash of her belt in one hand, Lori's sash in the other. "Right here."

I pulled on the sashes. Lori opened her dress, showing me her lacy bra, panties, garter belt, and hose. Her dark muff had hair coming out the sides of her panties. Sami pulled Lori's dress off, putting it over her arm with hers. She was dressed exactly the same, except she wore no panties. I could clearly see the dense triangle of her bush right above her slit, which was lush, slick, and wet already. She walked over to place the dresses on a chair back. "Please remove my panties. Sami tells me that it is a very special thing for a man to remove a woman's panties for the first time. It sends a message that she wants to be touched by him, wants to be intimate with him. I want to be intimate with you, Ron. I want you to slide my panties down and run your fingers through my wet silt. Mmmmm... Yes, just like that. You can touch me anyway you want tonight, Ron. Sami and I are both your gifts tonight. We'd like to share how we make love together with you, if you'd like to see. In the meantime, we know you are hungry, in many ways. But your handsome body needs fuel if you are going to play with us all night. I'd really like that. I want to suck your cock, Ron. I want you to fuck me, Ron, slow and tender. I'd like to lick Sami while you fuck her with that great cock she tells me you have. I'd even like to have just you and I suck each other off at the same time, and climax as you spill your seed down my throat. Now if any of that sounds interesting you just let us know. Because tonight your cock's wish is our command."

The sweet and sour chicken goes so well with Classic Coke that I just forgot about the liquor. Sami made herself and Lori stand, eating off plates on the counter. She put their drinks on the other side of the table near my right hand, so they had to bend over to reach them, walking back and forth in their lingerie. Sometimes they would stop and kiss me, pulling my hands to touch their breasts, or play with their slick snatches. Then they'd stand at the counter, looking through all the drawers, turning and posing. Then they would kiss each other, and slide their hands into each other's slit, teasing their clits, while they rubbed their breasts together.

Sami knew just what to do to drive me crazy. This was her whacked out version of three person foreplay, and my rock hard cock loved it. Slowly as my stomach filled, they began undressing me, and when my shirt came off, they each removed their bras, celebrating by rubbing their nipples together. Lori started rubbing her feet, covered in her smooth stockings, right in my crotch. Her face lit up as she discovered that Sami was telling her the truth when she told Lori how well endowed I was, and licked her lips in anticipation of using it. 

Sami came over and hugged Lori, kissing her as she teased Lori's nipples with her fingertips. Lori had long nipples which stuck out over an inch. Seeing my wife kissing and touching another woman in front of me seemed so natural I wondered why everybody didn't do it. I'd never been with two women before. I'd never asked Sami for a threesome. She just wanted to share herself fully with me, and she wanted to share Lori with me. I didn't think about the long term implications, what it meant or how I would feel about all this tomorrow. All I knew was that two very beautiful women wanted to make love with me all night long and I wasn't going to let them down.

Sami pulled me to my feet and kissed me, then had Lori kiss me. I found that Sami actually had thinner, firmer lips than Lori from all of these kisses. I was finding many differences. Lori's round globes were firm and her nipples pointed straight out. Sami's smaller breasts pointed out to the sides and down at an angle. Lori had a well padded, soft rear. Sami had firm, tight buns from her running, biking and aerobics. This gave her finely sculpted legs, with strong muscles. Lori's legs were softer and smoother, like polished alabaster. Sami's long fingers were soft and thin, while Lori's thick, stubby fingers felt like they had tiny ridges on them. 

Their tongues were as different as night and day. Sami's tongue was vibrant, liquid, and eager. Lori's tongue was steady, hot, and insistent. The way they touched me said volumes about how they felt about me. Lori grabbed my cock as if it would be taken from her at any moment, stroking me like she was pumping up a tire. Sami touched me like a priestess caresses her statue of her beloved demigod in a passionate ritual involving sacrifice of virgins or some obscure fertility rite. They rubbed their bodies on me for what seemed like a very long time, until Lori asked the obvious question: "Shouldn't we take this someplace more comfortable?"

Sami laid me down on her bed softly, saying "It's time to blow out your candle. We don't have any cake for you, but we have something else we know you like to eat just as much. Lori being the guest, she will blow out the candle. Since I'm your lover and fiancee, I'll be your fill of dessert." As Lori's incredibly soft lips closed over my manhood, Sami lowered her red, fully open box lunch onto my tips. She tilted, and I realized she wanted to lay down on her side. As I rolled with her, she pulled Lori's ass toward her, and her head disappeared between Lori's legs. Lori's pace on my cock quickened, and she sucked me as if her life depended on it. I had never had a woman suck me that intensely. I took that passion, and applied it to Sami's slit, licking her with a frenzy of activity. She responded, her body twitching and jerking with what I clearly recognized as her climax. 

I could feel Lori shudder, and for several moments she forgot to move her mouth on me at all. She then started bobbing her head quickly, as if she was eager to taste my sperm in her mouth. I was very close to giving her that wish. My balls were tense, tight against my body, loaded from an hours worth of intensely erotic foreplay, and ready to blow. I refocused my concentration on Sami, licking her just like I knew she loved me to, licking all around the tip of her clit, vibrating the tip of my tongue up and down her clit, pursing my lips and humming as I vibrated my tongue back and forth all over her clit. 

Sami smashed her hips up and down in an intense cum, and Lori started just blowing the tip of my dick while she stroked me with her stubby hands. My poor asshole was clenching and un-clenching, all my pubic muscles spasming in synch, as the jism boiled up my boner, exploding into Lori's mouth, while she moaned, helpless to stop Sami from eating her into ecstasy. 

Somehow, I pulled myself loose and laid on the floor, back to the wall, head spinning in delight. Lori simply slid over to take my place in licking Sami. I saw my fiancee make love with someone else for the very first time. Their loving became less frantic, more tender. They slowed down. Their hands reached out, touching here, stroking there, then they simply gave up eating each other at all, kissing each other. They started making love all over again, touching each other lightly, all over, never spending too much time on a single area. Then Sami slid down to Lori's wet snatch, licking her, using her fingers inside her, as Lori rubbed her own breasts, moaning and crying out when her climaxes burst through. Then she simply got up, turned around, and they went back to their scalding hot 69, tongues frantically twitching on each other's clits. Then they started all over again, and this time Sami rode Lori's face, screaming when her climaxes hit. 

Sami's eyes opened, and she looked for me. I stood up, and I climbed on the bed as Lori licked her, and Sami deep throated me, blowing me slowly, then pulling me out and stroking me with her hands while she told me how very much she wanted to see me inside Lori. She took me back into her mouth as she screamed around my hardon. Pulling me out, she said "Fuck her. FUCK her now. Do her doggy style while she eats me ."

I did as she asked. I found another difference between them then. Sami was very tight, but always very wet. Lori was not very tight, nor was she as wet, but the intense friction of being inside her forced you to screw her slowly. I thrust into her full rear, losing my mind over how she felt every time I sank my full length inside her. Sami screamed, and I was clenching again, balls pumping my spunk into Lori's spasming cunt, and the pulsing contractions lasted for a long time.

Sami pulled Lori over her face to eat her out. I watched them make love again, tender, intimate, and very intensely personal. Lori blew me hard, then guided my cock into Sami's slit right above her face, as Sami bent down, and I slowly screwed Sami while she and Lori ate each other out. When I came in her, I knew we were done. The girls quietly let each other down slowly, and we all cuddled in the bed. I quickly fell asleep.

The morning, after I survived the dawn attack of the meat eating mouth monsters, I studied my coffee and pondered my life. I saw the fortune cookie left by my plate last night, opened it and ate it. I read the fortune, and laughed myself right off my chair. It said "Many years of new journey await you. Hope you survive." Lori and Sami came to see what whats so funny, and they hugged me, kissed me, and dragged me back to bed. Check with me in a few years, and see if I've survived, OK?



Fortune Favors the Bold



The party had a good turnout, and the drinks flowed freely -- usually, John would be having a good time. Unfortunately, he couldn't quite loosen up enough, couldn't get out of his head. Or, more accurately, he couldn't get her out of his head; Eliza, who hosted the party.

Eliza was one of John's closes friends since they started together as freshman, and she had a long distance boyfriend, so John tried not to think of her sexually, but John was a man and sometimes he just couldn't help himself. It didn't make it easier that she was incredibly sexy -- 5'4", with curly dark hair, a mocha complexion, perfect C-cup breasts, and a gorgeous rounded ass (John didn't look terrible himself -- just shy of 6', a sharp, Clark Kent jawline with matching spit-curled hair, and well toned muscles thanks to regular hours at the gym). John wasn't the only one who noticed her, though, and this boyfriend was only the latest in a long string. Most of them broke up with her after a few months, due to her sassy, almost bitchy attitude. John always tried to give her some time between break ups, but was too shy to move quickly enough before she partnered up again. He'd fear that he was in the friend zone if it weren't for her constantly flirtatious attitude towards him.

John had been trying to avoid Eliza all night, and so he was surprised when Erin, one of Eliza's housemates, came up to him and told him that Eliza needed him. He followed Erin to Eliza's room, where Eliza lay in bed, mostly over the covers, the sun dress she'd been wearing in complete disarray. "She had a bit too much to drink," Erin explained. "Can you stay with her a bit while I get some water?" John obliged, and Erin left him exactly where he didn't want to be.

Eliza was not quite asleep, but drunk and enough that she wasn't quite awake either. She didn't even seem to realize John was in the room until he started to pull the sheets over her. "Hey John..." she said groggily.

"Hi. Don't mind me. You get some rest."

"I think I feel better now that a big strong man is here to save me."

"Very funny, princess. Erin's getting you some water, then it's time for bed for you."

"Mmm, yes sir..." she murmured, before rolling over. John sat on the bed next to her and stroked her hair. Even in her current state, John couldn't stop his mind from drifting to thoughts of her lips wrapped around his hard cock, or spreading her legs right now and fucking her brains out.

It wasn't until Erin came back that he realized Eliza had fallen asleep. "Oh, well, I guess you can go back to the party," Erin offered. "I'm gonna crash in here in case she wakes up and needs anything."

"Ehn, I may as well keep you company." John knew that otherwise he'd probably just distractedly wander the party before going home and jerking off to the thoughts of all the things he might have done to Eliza if Erin hadn't come in when she did. Besides, he liked Erin, even if he didn't know her that well, and this would be a good chance to get to know her. So, they chatted for some timeless stretch, discussing all the usual -- their classes, their hobbies, their mutual friends, their thoughts of what life after college would be like.

It wasn't until they'd covered those and sat in awkward silence that John realized how beautiful Erin was. She was a little shorter than Eliza, maybe 5'2", and a little chubbier, but this gave her great D-cup tits. She was pale, with strawberry blonde hair -- not his usual type, but still... Maybe it was the drinks he'd had earlier, maybe it was the fantasizing, but he suddenly found that he wanted her, badly. Looking into her sky blue eyes, he could tell she knew, and wanted him too.

He kissed her, hungrily, again and again. They fell backwards into the bed, both too intoxicated by the feeling of lip on lip and darting tongue to care that Eliza was sleeping just a few inches of mattress away. After a moment, John's hands slid under Erin's shirt and caressed her pillowy tits; her breath became quick and sharp. John soon broke the kissing to pull of her shirt, then kissed again as his hand found the clasp of her bra. Once her breasts were free, he sat up again to take in Erin's beauty. Her breasts were perfect globes of pale white flesh with small, hard, pink nipples. The look of pure lust in her eyes ensured his already stiff cock was as hard as it had ever been. He pulled off his shirt, and dove back into a passionate kiss.

As pleasure as it was to taste her soft lips and tongue while her bare breasts rubbed against his muscular chest, John had other plans. He began to work his way down, planting a trail of kisses across her face, gently biting her earlobe, kissing down her jaw, to her neck, her collarbone, until finally his tongue circled her right nipple.

Erin gasped in pleasure. Though few knew it, she war rather sexually innocent -- she had kissed a few boys, sure, and even let them get her bra off, but having one suck her tits was a rare treat and she was lost in the pleasure. She moaned when John switched to her other breast, and ran her fingers through his hair. As he continued she began to press her tits into his mouth, forcing him to engulf as much as he could. John massaged her other breast with one hand, and with the other undid his belt and pulled down his pants.

It was Erin's turn now, and for the first time, a man began to strip her of her jeans. John slowly worked them off, while still keeping his mouth alternating from one tit to the other. He sighed as he felt fingers find their way through the front of his boxers and wrap around his cock, slowly jerking him. Suddenly, he realized that Erin's fingers were still running through his hair. He pulled away from her to see Eliza sitting up, gently stroking his prick. It was just under 7 inches, and thick, and looked gigantic in her hand. Her eyes smoldered and her mouth was curved in a wicked grin.

"Get naked," she commanded, and he quickly pulled off his boxers. He was surprised to see Erin pulling off her (soaked) panties. Eliza pulled her sundress over her head, revealing her shapely, caramel colored breasts. John hooked his fingers into her panties and stripped her of them. He admired the toned muscles of her legs, letting his gaze drift up to her pussy, neatly trimmed and glistening wet. He looked further up, across her flat stomach with pierced belly button, marveled at her perfect tits, and then to her face, where he was shocked to see Eliza and Erin passionately kissing.

Erin herself was shocked. If anyone had asked, she wouldn't have been able to tell them why she was so eagerly making out with her longtime friend and roommate. John had gotten her so excited that she couldn't not be kissing this beautiful woman before her. Any lingering doubts she may have had about the wisdom of this disappeared as Eliza's fingers found Erin's pussy, began stroking her outer lips, and finally sliding one finger deep inside her drenched pussy.

John could barely believe what he was seeing, but he wasn't going to be left out. His hands parted Eliza's thighs and he leaned forward. Eliza's hips bucked up as she felt John's tongue lick the length of her cunt, before he dove in and began fucking her with his tongue. Eliza moaned into Erin's mouth; she could barely focus on finger fucking Erin's sopping slit while John ate her out.

As she and John kept up their assaults, both woman drew nearer and nearer to orgasm. Eliza latched onto one of Erin's tits, while John switched to sucking Eliza's clit and sliding a finger inside her. It was all either of them could take -- Eliza shrieked out as she came, while Erin simply collapsed in bliss.

John, meanwhile, was painfully hard, and he knew there was only one way for him to be satisfied. With one arm he lifted one of Eliza's legs, while with his other hand he guided the head of his prick to dripping wet cunt. It was all she could do not to scream again as Eliza felt his cock's head stretch her tight pussy, and as she moaned, John slammed the remaining length into her in one thrust. They gazed into each other's eyes as they savored the feel of each other, his hardness stretching her velvety vice. Eliza was surprised at how bold John was acting, but she was also delighted. For years she'd wanted John to finally take her like this. She also couldn't believe how hot his cock felt. It was then that she realized he wasn't using a condom. She considered stopping, but knew that she couldn't stop him if she wanted to, and God did she not want to.

Eliza lifter her legs and wrapped them around D's hips, opening herself up for him to fuck. She draped her arms across his broad shoulders. He began to slide in and out of her, picking up speed until he was forcefully fucking her, slamming her into the mattress with each thrust. Her nails dug into his back and she his shoulder, sending waves of perverse pleasure through him while delaying his climax.

Erin watched them fuck, watched John's hard cock drive into Eliza, heard the slapping of flesh on flesh, and the wet squelching of cock pistoning in and out of cunt, smelled the musk in the air. She couldn't help but begin to play with herself. As she strummed her clit, she turned, kissed Eliza on the shoulder, then the neck, the cheek. Eliza turned her head and the two locked lips, Eliza's tongue darting across Erin's. Eliza broke the kiss and gasped "wait, stop!" John paused, worried she thought this had gone too far, perhaps remembering her absent boyfriend. With a tremendous act of willpower, he withdrew from her wet snatch.

Eliza had no intention of the night being over, though. She pushed Erin flat, then kissed her neck, over her tits and belly, and positioned herself between Erin's legs, ready to eat her friend's blonde pussy. "Ok, John, fuck me doggystyle. Hard," she demanded. John gave her ass a quick slap. "I'm in charge here," he growled. Eliza squealed as he slide into her again.

Although a part of her wanted to simply focus on the feeling of John's cock pounding into her, his balls slapping against her clit, Eliza was eager to taste Erin's pussy. She dove in, hungrily lapping at Erin's cunt. Erin couldn't believe the pleasure she was experiencing right now -- she'd never been eaten out before, let alone by someone as skilled as Eliza apparently was. Eliza's technique was, in fact, sloppier than usual; John was fucking her so hard she couldn't do much more than clamp her mouth to Erin's pussy and probe her tongue inside, letting the force of John's thrusts fuck Erin too.

She could hear Erin's breath getting faster and faster, and knew she herself couldn't last much longer. She brought one hand up to massage Erin's tits, and shifted her mouth to focus on Erin's clit. Then, as Eliza licked, kissed, and sucked Erin's clit, she drove two fingers into her friend's cunt. Erin suddenly tensed, her hands clutching her tits as her legs clamped on Eliza's head. Eliza happily drank the cum that poured from Erin's pussy. The sight of Erin cumming on Eliza's mouth was too much. "I'm gonna cum!" John grunted.

"Yes, do it!" Eliza breathed. "Cum with me. Cum... cum inside me!"

John tightened his grip on her hips and forced himself as deep inside her as he could. He moaned as Eliza's hand shot back and massaged his balls. His hot cum erupted from his cock, shooting his seed deep into her. The feeling of his cock pulsing and the sudden feeling of his hot cum in her bare pussy pushed Eliza over the edge, and she screamed as she came more powerfully than she had ever before.

They all three collapsed, panting and sweating. After catching their breath, they shifted so that John lay with a girl on either side, their heads resting on his shoulders.

"That... I always make my boyfriends use condoms. But that was so incredible." Eliza murmured.

"Every part of that was was incredible." John added.

Erin kissed him on the cheek and nuzzled into the crook of his neck. "So... when's my turn?"



Fortune Favors the Daring



"C'mon Krista...I dare ya" Jennifer let the words slide out, dripping with mischief.

"OK...no problem." She marched into her brother's room and came back with the porno magazine in hand. They flipped to the back and found the ad in the classifieds. The type was small and Krista had only found it the first time out of sheer boredom.

"Now accepting applications for entertainment services, for exclusive social group. Excellent pay and benefits open schedule. The feint of heart need not apply." That was all, except for a web address discreetly printed just beneath the three lines. "Go on then!" Jennifer urged. Krista sat in front of her computer, typing quickly as Jennifer looked over her shoulder. An application form appeared on the screen in front of them. 

"Question 1: Do you consider yourself adventurous or cautious?"

Jennifer answered before Krista could click the button "Is there an option for super adventurous."

"Question 2: Do you enjoy sex?"

The two girls looked at each other and laughed. Krista clicked the yes button as they smiled and giggled. She wondered if she was going to be offered a job as a dancer or a hooker. Either would be fun too try, though she didn't know if she could bring herself to just do it. Too many years of playing the good girl for mom's sake kept her from just launching herself into either line of work. Images of herself in a short skirt, nippleless bra and stilettos, dancing around a pole, wiggling in some faceless guy's lap danced around Krista's head. Or meeting some guy in a hotel room, nameless and leaving nothing behind but his cum and money. The incongruity of the images added to her giggles but caused a slight tinge of arousal which she brushed away as she looked back at the screen. 

The remainder of the questionnaire asked about her fantasies, what sexual experiences she has had, attitudes about authority, and so on. 20 questions covered the scope of her personality and sexual preferences. When it was finally done, she brought the mouse over the "submit" button and paused for just a moment. "Jenn, do you really think its safe?" 

"Sure.... what could go wrong? Its not like your forced to work there...if they offer you a job just say no."

"You're right...I'm being silly aren't I?" Krista looked back from her friend to the screen and focused on the button one more time. Jennifer reached across and mashed the button on the mouse, sending the information on its way.

"OK...Krista, you sex services worker you, you ready to go hit the stores...see what trouble we can get into there?"

Krista stood and struck a come hither pose, pouting her lips and opening her shirt. "You're just jealous men aren't throwing money at you for your favors."

The next day Krista's e-mail had a message waiting for her. Opening it, she saw that it was a response to her application. "We are pleased to extend to you an invitation for an second interview. If you are still interested in the position, please respond to this message with your address and a time that is convenient for our driver to arrive. Discretion is of the utmost importance and will be extended to you as you extend it to us. Thank you for your time and inquiry."

Her hands trembled slightly as she held her fingers over the keys. The debate in her mind raged at speeds unknown...here was a chance to take a truly amazing adventure, to explore her sexual nature like never before. On the other hand it was a good way to end up kidnapped, missing or murdered. She looked around her room, and took in the totality of her life in her surroundings. She could go on, as is, the façade of the good little girl her parents expected and sneaking around at night. The only time her heart would beat like this was when she played Truth or Dare, and she took the dangerous risky "over the edge" dares. It might be the end of her life, but it would be a life lived fully. She typed in her address and gave tomorrow afternoon for the time. The rest of the day was spent seeing how wonderful the world around her truly was. The mall that was so familiar to her was now somehow different, the colors were brighter, and the aromas were more intense. She couldn't shake the idea that she might not come back from that interview, or might come back forever changed. This was her last time at the mall and she embraced it dearly.

Krista dressed for the interview in a soft dark green skirt and white blouse...she chose her nearly see through bra and sheer black panties to go with it. The skirt hung just above her knees, and the slit showed a glimpse of thigh. She left the blouse open one button extra ...no real cleavage showing, but anyone standing next to her as she sat would get quite the view. She found her high heels to match and then decided to fixate on her hair while she waited. As the clock ticked closer to noon, she finally just left it down naturally. Just as she was about to step outside and see if she could find the car, a knock was at the door.

"Miss Ralley?" The driver in traditional black uniform was a rather tall man, and yet seemed nice enough, smiling at her as she stood. "I'm here to take you for your interview. Are you ready?"

"Please.... What can you tell me about the job?" She walked next to him, until he stepped ahead and reached forward to open the back door.

"Not much really. I don't work for the manor, our company is just hired to drive...we never get out of the car once we're there."

This place was piquing her interest, it was obviously not just a call girl service. She wondered what she had gotten herself into. "So you know nothing about what goes on there? Not even 'driver's intuition' from watching your passengers?"

"To be honest, you're one of the few that talk to me. Most raise the privacy screen and just disappear. The doormen at the manor knock on the roof to let me know the back is empty."

"That's interesting...total anonymity then. Odd." She let her mind wander. Images of what lay before her flooded her imagination. Socialites and power brokers in dark rooms, wild parties with celebrities, or maybe short fat men with too much money who can't get laid otherwise, tying her up and sweating all over her as they tried to stuff their short little dicks into her. 

Shaking her head to clear her mind of the myriad of images, she just sat back and closed her eyes. She wanted an adventure, something get her heart beating. Pure and simple...so long as this was exciting, thrilling, risky and daring...this was the place to be. 

Soon they were at the manor and Krista said a quick goodbye to the driver, thankful for the company he provided. The large gray columns up front were visible even from the top of the drive. The estate must have been vast, for the main house alone was nearly the size of a castle. Very modern in design, though covered in river rock so that it had an ancient medieval look as well. The combination of Old World looks and ultra modern features impressed Krista that this was not just a social club or even like anything she had known until now. The doormen were large men in tuxedoes, a study of pure intimidation. They led her to the front door as the limo slid away. Krista ventured one quick look over her shoulder to see it disappear around the corner. She hoped that she would see him again, though the reality was that she never would. Dismissing the possibility she turned back to the front door. As she approached the tall white doors, the doormen opened them and stood aside. There in the frame was a beautiful woman in a floor length black gown. 

"Krista?" Her voice was husky and low...as if a whisper amplified. 

"Yes. I'm Krista."

"Pleasure to meet you, my name is Simone. I'll be conducting your interview. If you would follow me." As the woman turned, Krista saw that the gown was backless, down to her hips and a little past. It flowed in a small swirl as she turned, silk shimmering in the afternoon sun. The soft fabric clung to her form, making her look as if she was part shadow. 

Krista followed her down the main foyer and into one of the side rooms. A larger than usual office, decorated to be welcoming and yet maintain a utilitarian feel. One thing that caught Krista's eye was a small statue near the bookcase. It was a naked woman, kneeling before a masked figure in robes. At first glance the woman had the look of Simone ...Krista itched to take a closer look, but Simone had already seated herself behind a large oak desk. Krista took her seat and tried to be professional, though what kind of profession still eluded her.

"Krista, I'm glad you came to interview today. We are always looking for new women to expand our abilities and services here. Your application was impressive and you certainly have the look that we appreciate. Just so you understand, you do realize that you will be servicing our members in all areas of pleasure?"

"So I'll be a whore...." Krista said it bluntly, with neither approval nor condemnation in her voice.

"Certainly not! The cheap girls who blow a man on the street corners for $20 are whores. Whores are dirty and have no respect for themselves. Our women are neither cheap, nor dirty, and respect is of the highest order."

The difference seemed to strike the young woman as more important than she first though as the seriousness in Simone's voice conveyed the worlds that separated the two ideas. She sat in silence for a moment as she pondered the higher, loftier version now before her. Finally she asked "And how do I begin?"

Simone smiled slightly and stood up from behind the desk. "I'm glad to see you're ready. Today will be a day of testing... there will be three tests to pass. If you succeed at all three tests and still wish to join us, then you will begin immediately. Or will be accepted immediately. What you will do for the society will grow as you spend more time here."

The woman opened one of the armoires that were in the office and took out a black silk mask. The eyeholes were small and nearly cat like in appearance. Long strands to the side allowed it to be tied around the head and secured in back. Simone offered it to her.

"You are to wear this mask at all times. If you ever take it off you will be expelled and no longer welcomed here. Do you understand?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"I will lead you down to the grand library. There you are to undress completely. Inside you will see other servers like yourself in black masks, some undressed, some not. The members are in white, red or gold masks. What they symbolize is not important now. If the members approve of you, they will give you a small gold token. When you have ten of them, you may go to the red door at the far end of the library. Do you understand so far?"

"Will I have to serve any of the members in the library?" 

"No...the library is strictly for socializing. They may touch you and perhaps fondle, but nothing overtly stimulating. You should do well to be polite and accommodating to them all, and remember white, red or gold masks are members."

"White, red or gold...Yes ma'am"

"Beyond the red door are you three final tests. You will be told what to do for each one. At any time you can leave by exiting through the blue doors on the sides. If you wish to continue, after each test, go to the red door when you are done. Success is always behind the red door."

Krista put the mask across her eyes and positioned the holes so she could see through. Simone stood behind her to tie the strands tightly to prevent an accidental loss. Turning around to face the woman, Krista asked how she looked. 

"Fine for now, girl.... But you'll look much better without so many clothes on." 

"Could I take them off here? Get your opinion before I go to the library?"

"Yes, that would be very nice girl ...please. Let me see you now and we can go together."

Her hands trembled slightly as she began removing each piece, but as each one came off, Krista thought back to the first time she was had done this, a game of truth or dare when she was fifteen. The moments of revelation and hoping for approval, or at least avoiding mockery or rejection, were making the act of undressing so much harder. Simone was encouraging and comforting at each point along the way, and Krista thought she heard a small breath of appreciation when she lowered her panties to expose her shaved pubic mound. Now completely naked save for the mask, Krista at once felt totally at ease and relaxed with Simone. The older woman looked her over, a smile broadening as she continued inspecting the younger woman's body. "Very nice Krista...quite beautiful... the members should be quite taken with you."

They walked down the hall, Simone leading Krista by her arm, and finally stood before the large doors that led to the library. As the doors opened, Simone stepped away and let Krista enter on her own. The library was a quite large, high vaulted ceiling with chandeliers hanging down. The doors closed behind her quietly and sealed her into the room. Her heart beat wildly, in equal measures of response to the fear, the arousal and the slight embarrassment.

The collection of people was astounding. Men and women mingled easily, the collection of masks was impressive. The majority was black, and she noticed that the servers were indeed in various stages of dress. Tuxedo clad men and women in evening gowns were chatting with others in lingerie, or short robes. Some people in black masks like her own were naked, or clad in leather, a few even in the same tuxedos and dresses as the members in the red, white and gold. No one paid her entrance any more heed than the almost subconscious note of another server's presence. It took a moment for Krista to steel her nerves and begin to make her way around the room, but she soon was walking amongst the congregation, just surveying the place.

Just in her first circuit, she received 5 gold coins, 3 from men in red masks, and 1 from a woman in white and one from a woman in gold. Krista wondered what the significance of the colors was, but assumed she would know when it was necessary. This place seemed to treat information as more precious than diamonds. 

As she looked around, she noticed that one of the men in a red mask was holding a glass that was empty. Krista approached him and asked "May I refresh your drink for you sir?" She hoped she was doing this right, all she was told was she was a "server".


"Yes, a Dewars on the rocks" He handed the glass to her without directly looking at her.

Taking the glass and heading for the bar, she quickly got his refill and returned with the glass. "Nicely done girl.... Keep up the good work." He tipped her with two gold coins and then walked away. She looked at her collection, wondering how to hold on to them and still serve with only one hand. The idea struck her and she made her back to the bar.

"Excuse me, could I have a tray with champagne please?" The bartender looked her up and down again, wondering about her, and then filled several flutes with champagne. Krista took it on her free hand and held it at her shoulder. A few passes through the room and she had the last remaining coins she needed to go further. Returning the tray to the bar, she made her way to the large red door and the imposing doormen that stood there.

Standing in front of the door, she wondered if she knew completely what she was getting herself into. She looked around...and saw the other servers in their black masks and the members enjoying themselves. What could it hurt? And Simone did say that at any time she could take a side door and end it all. Stacking the ten gold coins, she passed it to the guard, who did a quick count then stood aside to open the door for her. 

The room behind the doors was too dark to see well. When the doors closed behind her, the overhead lights came on and illuminated the room in a dim pink light. There was a large bed in the middle of the room, with what she assumed were a pale blue set of linens, in that they looked slightly purple. Her bare feet padded nearly silently over to the bed and she examined the bed stand next to it. A tube of lubricant, some toys of various sizes and shapes, and a few pair of handcuffs were all that were there. As she was about to look in the bottom drawer, a couple entered the room; both of them dressed in what looked to be very expensive clothes, and both in gold masks. They held hands as they made their way to the bed to sit next to Krista. "You're the new girl aren't you?" The woman's voice was soft and inviting. Whatever fears Krista had soon disappeared as the woman kept talking. "Yes I am...thank you ma'am".

"You'll find it rather wonderful here. The opportunities are endless, and well...exciting is another word for it". She turned and winked at her male partner, the gesture nearly lost beneath the mask. "Have you have been with two partners before girl?"


"No...not at the same time."

"Then hopefully this well be quite the education for you." The woman stood up and began to undress. The dress slid off of her effortlessly. Krista could tell the woman was older than she was, but her body was still well toned and a picture of loveliness. Though she had often wondered about being with another woman, but never had the chance to experience it before... here was the opportunity and with quite an exquisite partner. Then she remembered the man who was also taking his clothes off.

He too was in good shape, no fat on him, but not exceedingly rippled or toned. His cock was a nice size, nothing outstanding or amazing, but not small by any means. He approached Krista's side of the bed while the woman made her way over to the side table and opened the lower drawer. His hand softly touched Krista's knee and he began to rub her leg. The touch was at once tender and yet intimidating. Between the heady thrill of being accepted to this place and the momentary waves of self-consciousness at being constantly naked, Krista's thoughts were blurs. All she could was let the couple have their way with her and let them tell her what to do.

The man continued to slide his hands over her, gentle caresses in an almost exploring, seeking fashion. Krista closed her eyes and relaxed under his touch. He was unhurried, taking his time to cover every inch of flesh. Then as he reached her mid-section and ribs, the woman also reached out and began to mirror his contact on the other side. It was that second pair of hands with softer skin and lighter touches that heightened the experience. That plus the two of them working in tandem was truly enthralling and soon had Krista drawing deep ragged breaths.

"I think the new girl is going to like it here, love." The woman's voice was just at Krista's ear. Her softer hand broke away from the copied movement of the man's and dipped into Krista's lap, a slim finger swiping at her groin. "And she's wet already too. This one is definitely a keeper." There was laughter in the woman's voice as she moved her finger into Krista more deliberately, drenching her finger in evidence of arousal.

"Just lay back and relax...we'll take care of you." The man spoke now, a very refined and well-spoken accent. His voice was soothing, just on the edge of hypnotic. He placed his hands on her shoulders and guided her backwards onto the bed. Krista could feel him move over her as she lay down, his legs on either side of her, the heat from his body warming her where they touched. The woman was once again fingering her, tracing paths from clit to edge of her lips and back in again. The man was focused on Krista's breasts, hands on either side alternating squeezing, caressing and flicking on her nipples.

The woman began to move Krista's legs apart with her hands, leading her to spread them and open herself to the man. Krista drew a deep breath and moved to let him in, tilting her hips to give him a better angle to enter her. He changed his stance and placed his cock at the edge of her opening, steadying himself on his hands. Slowly pushing himself inside, Krista gasped as he made his way inch by inch to fill her. His hips were firmly pressed against hers as he moved to wiggle a bit, flinching against every point of contact that was reachable. He didn't withdraw but leaned forward to whisper into Krista's ear "Now roll over and take the top position girl."




Fortune Favors the Daring



The two of them held each other as the rolled, Krista now laying on top of the man, still not sure what to do next, so she laid there and waited. Listening to him breath, feeling his heart beat through her own breasts, the moment seemed to stop in time...a total stranger inside of her and his wife...or girlfriend...or was she a stranger too? Krista realized she didn't know where the woman was now and began to wonder. Then as if by cue, the woman spoke, "Now relax girl.... I think you'll like this a lot. I know I did."

Krista could feel the hard plastic tip separate the cheeks of her ass. It had been generously lubricated and slid between the muscles to rest easily at the edge of her anus. Krista drew a breath sharply then focused on trying to relax. She had heard that it was better to just open yourself and let it in, and the times she had tried with a boyfriend he had gotten his finger in without too much pain on her part. Slowing her movements against the man beneath her, she waited for the woman behind to make her entrance.

The woman was careful to massage Krista's back, helping her relax and be at ease. Watching Krista's shoulders and back, she could see when the younger woman had gotten past the initial shock and was ready to take a little bit more. The woman slid her hands down Krista's back to hold on to her hips and pushed slightly with her own, moving the strap on inwards to make its first foray into the girl's other opening. Again Krista gasped and flinched, but didn't pull away.

Two more sessions of relaxing and inserting finally got the dildo completely inserted into Krista and then the woman pulled out just enough to put a bit more lubricant on the shaft. It was easier to move in and out now, and the woman began to set a rhythm of gently pushing and pulling, small mere slips at a stroke. The man soon matched it and in tandem they were alternately filling either side, the sensation of such fullness quickly sending Krista to a screaming orgasm. Effectively pinned between the couple, all Krista could do was clutch at the bed and give voice to her passion, crying out her overwhelming emotion at the top of her lungs.

The man beneath her started grunting in effort to prolong his climax, straining for just a few moments more. The moment overwhelmed him and he climaxed; a spasm and swelling immediately before feeling the wave of warmth and wet. Krista could hear the quiet moans of the woman behind her, and noticed that her rhythm had changed, she was pushing faster, deeper, pouring herself through the strap-on and into the young woman. Seconds later, the woman stopped, and leaned over to lay directly on top of Krista's back. 

It took a second, but soon the woman removed herself from Krista's backside and climbed out of the bed. Krista rolled off the man, and he too left her lying there. Sitting up, Krista wondered what happened and why. The let down as she went from such high orgasmic heights to now suddenly alone was terrible. All she could do was sit and catch her breath, looking around at the bare room that seemed to focus on the bed. In the quiet stillness, she noticed the slow slide of cum dripping out of her, leaving her feeling that much emptier. Gathering her presence and sense of daring she stood up, and used the sheet to wipe the wetness away, then she made her way to the red door.

Her hand trembled on the doorknob as she opened the door. The next room was dark, nearly pitch black. As she entered, she touched her hand to her mask to make sure it was still attached. Then letting the door close behind her, the room went completely dark.

After a few seconds of the darkness, a light popped on, the electricity loudly announcing itself in both sound and sight. A single circle of light illuminated a short bench, with a kneeling rail, with black leather on the seat and rail top. No other parts of the room could be seen so Krista made her way to the bench, and instinctively knelt on it.

"Good girl...you know the beginnings. This should be easy for you then." The voice in the darkness was familiar yet unrecognizable. Straining for something other than her own presence, Krista waited for something else, anything else. Instead there was only light around her and the silence from beyond.

"Now then, how shall we proceed from here? You need some playmates I think." The light expanded a bit and three men stepped into the ring. They were wearing what Krista could only call harnesses; leather straps over their shoulders leading down to a single strap between their legs, with openings for their cocks to hang through. All three of them were muscle bound, large powerful men that seemed all the more like animals because of the bindings around them. Two of them were white, the third was a black man, his head shaved, where the other two had short styled cuts. Under the lights, all three gleamed from the oil they had spread over them. They took positions surrounding Krista, neither menacing nor comforting, but totally encompassing.

"My pets are looking a bit limp ...you should take Rover to your right and make him stand a little taller." One of the men stepped closer and more directly in front of Krista, her face at groin level as he moved. The ring of the harness lifted him up but he still hung over, the flaccid member needing the encouragement of her touch. She reached forward, and touched him, fingertips barely brushing the sides of his shaft.

She was less sure of herself, more self conscious surrounded by men and being watched by someone else. Or how many people were watching? All she knew were these three and the voice, there could be so many more. Finally she gathered her courage, remembering stripping down to nothing in front of 10 people for truth or dare. Let them watch...they'd get a show they won't soon forget. If she could do that, she could do so much more. She licked her lips and took the cock with a firmer more confident hold. Sliding her hands down the length to cup his balls, she opened her mouth to wrap her lips over his tip. 

Rover's cock was responding, growing, standing, and filling her mouth. As she begin to lick around the edges, Krista heard the voice say "Fido, be a dear and pay some attention to her breasts. They look so lovely, and you've been such a good boy this week." Hands began caressing her boobs, reaching around from behind her, his arms at her sides telling her of the strength and power in his grasp. His touch was firm, fingers cupping and pressing at her flesh.

"Spot, you look so lonely there. Too bad you were a bad pet yesterday, then you would be able to play with them as well. As it is, you will just have to play with yourself. And don't forget your lesson from yesterday. You are not to cum until I say you can." From out of the corner of her eye, Krista looked up to see the black man nearly pouting at the reprimand. Reluctantly he reached down to begin stroking his member towards erection.

"Fido, tell me if you're doing properly by that young girl's breasts." The voice was directing every action, not one of the men would act without her express say so. Fido brought his hands full upon her boobs, then slid his fingers in to touch her nipples. She was not yet erect there, the fear and intimidation holding her arousal at bay. "Her nipples are not yet full Mistress. I must be doing something wrong." Fido confessed from behind her. He then began rolling them in his fingers, trying to make them stiffen beneath his touch.

Fido let out a yelp, and his hands leapt from Krista's boobs. Then very quickly they were back upon her, as if more desperate to bring the pink tips to a greater point. "Not to worry girl. Only my pets have been outfitted with the training collars. Should they fail to please, they get a small shock to encourage them to do better. You won't have that on you this time." There was an emphasis on the words "this time" that seemed to bring Krista's mind back to her task of arousing Rover. She took him deeper into her mouth, then sucked her cheeks in to escalate the seal of her lips on the flesh as she slid back towards the tip. The trick made him stiffen, and she knew he was getting closer and closer to the peak of his erection. Running her tongue quickly around the end she went back down to the base. One more tight draw back out and he was now at his best.

Her breaths were now sharper and more heavily drawn. She realized that she was hotter, and a film of sweat was barely beading on her skin. It was then that she noticed that Fido behind her had succeeded in making her hot, getting her aroused by playing with her breast. He must have gotten some unspoken permission from their unseen director, for his hands now trailed lower across her stomach and began to play with her legs and pussy. His touches were now softer, and somehow electrifying. It took an effort to continue working on Rover as Fido was sending her towards her own world of pleasure.

Suddenly she felt a warm splash on her shoulder and cheek. Spot began to stammer an apology, "I'm sorry... I beg forgiveness, I was weak...I...." His hand was still holding his cock, but the last drops of cum were dripping from the end. "Spot, to the kennel. NOW!" The command sent him quickly away from the rest of them, and seemed to enforce the authority of the person behind the voice, as the other two trembled slightly as it was given. Krista did the only thing she could think of, sucking harder on the flesh in her mouth, closing her eyes and trying not to think of what could bring so large a man to such fear.

"Girl, my pet was most embarrassing in his performance. His training will ensure he does not repeat that kind of misbehavior. Fido will clean that accident off you." The words brought Fido's tongue to her shoulder instantly. He licked the cum off of her, taking it in the largest swipes he could muster. Mere seconds saw the white fluid gone and swallowed. All that remained was the slight shine of saliva on her skin.

Krista began to wonder what she had gotten herself into, and could she get herself out of it, should she need to do so. She closed her eyes again and tried to simply concentrate totally on blowing Rover and hoping that was the end of it. She continue bobbing up and down, twirling her tongue along his shaft, alternately, licking from base to tip and then engulfing it to take it deep inside her. His cock soon gave the twitch that he too was near to releasing himself, though she doubted he would until the command was given to do so.

"Rover, you may cum when you like. You've been a good boy lately, no sense torturing you when this girl is doing such a good job."

His cum rushed out in a torrent. His control had let it build up into a large flood; she guessed he hadn't had a release in a few days, perhaps even weeks. She swallowed hard to capture it all, though she felt as if she might choke at any moment. She sucked hard on it once more to milk the final flow and then softly kissed the tip as it fell from her lips.

Fido's hands continued searching and teasing her body, fingers trying to find the spots of excitement and enticement. Krista now let herself relax enough to enjoy his technique, allowing the seduction to soothe her as well as stimulate her. The voice then broke through "Come my pets, we have much to do. You were very good girl. Perhaps we will meet again and I can train you to be even better."

The two large men then left Krista and exited the lighted circle. Again she was alone, though now more in doubt of this place and whether she wanted stay or go. She turned and sat on the bench, letting her legs stretch out in front of her. Breathing slowly, consciously controlling the draw and release of the air, she took a moment to collect her thoughts. So far she had been part of a threesome, and then some odd slave scene. The attention Simone lavished on her in the office was enticing, and the library had its own strange appeal to her. The couple earlier was pleasant and opened a New World to her, but this scene now... it was too different, too far beyond her ideas and her fantasies. 

If only it had been the three of them just taking her, using her, having their way, filling every open hole in her. That would have been one thing. Scary, sure, but it wasn't as though she'd never played that scene out in her mind, enjoying the fear and passion of the idea. Or if she had been the one in charge, guiding them controlling them. She could see herself in the black leather outfit of a dominatrix and liked the image she saw there. Or maybe it was just that she couldn't see the one in charge. That disconnection, the distance, the lack of someone to be with... there was no guarantee that the rest of her time here would be any different. Such high possibilities and such deep fears, all hidden behind masks and doors.

The doors. She looked for the red and blue doors in this room, remembering that when she entered she saw only darkness and one spot of light. She stood and looked around seeing that the lights had come up slowly during her moment of reflection. Someone was watching her. Behind the walls, someone somewhere was scrutinizing, judging, evaluating her. The red and blue doors were clearly seen on opposite walls, and each was only a few steps away. She need only make her choice, ahead or away. Would she find a more amazing thrill behind the red or an even darker and more intense frustration? Would she regret walking through the blue door to never know what could have been? She turned her head to look at both of them, seeing each as a path to different worlds and different lives once she steps through either.

One more long deliberate breath and she opened the red door to walk into the world of what might be, forsaking the one of that would never know neither highs nor lows.

The next room was softly lit, red tile floor, with only a small crimson circular pad ringed by red velvet ropes. On the pad was a white envelope, with her name on it. The words were written in an elegant script in an unmistakably feminine hand.

"Krista, this will be your last test, and is often a bit daunting for our new girls. I have complete confidence that you can do this and will be very happy to welcome you on the other side of this last door. The word is bukkake, and is a favorite of a number of our members. You need only to kneel and wait. The men will come in and will have their moment of fun. None of them can touch you, they are only permitted to express themselves upon you. The experience is unlike any thing else in the world. But I assure you, all you need to do is bask in the power of so many men aroused by you. Use that power to propel you beyond what they may think of you, enrapture them, captivate them make them your own. Au revoir, Simone."

A bukkake; Krista had heard her male friends talking about it once, but could never get them to explain it. She knew it was similar to an orgy, but that it was different as well. And now she was to be a part of one, to be the center of one. With a deep purposeful breath, she knelt on the pad and tucked the note from Simone under the fabric.

She barely had time to compose herself again as the men entered. They were all in the black masks that she knew marked them as servers, but that was all they wore. After fifteen, she lost an exact count and just watched as the parade of flesh past in front of her. Some were hard already as they entered, some were stiffening at the sight of her, other were still flaccid though she wondered if they found their arousal in watching the other men masturbate. Her eyes passed from faceless form to faceless form, and she glanced at each cock that she could see, noting the vast variety in sizes.

The men milled around, talking to each other, chatting about the girl in the circle, exchanging words of appreciation and comparisons to other times and other girls. The thoughts flooded Krista's mind "What other girls? How often does this happen? Is this a punishment for women or a reward for men? Or both? Did any of the other women enjoy it?". Before she could sort through her lack of answers the men crowded around, eyes upon her as they began to find their desire stirred. Krista noticed one of the men to her right had begun to take himself in hand and stroke along the length of his shaft. Soon others were doing the same, some faster, some more slowly. Five, six, perhaps that were nearest to her, all of them intent on shooting their loads on her. She did not dare to look around for a complete count. She remembered Simone's words about using their desire, and she licked her lips lustfully, letting a small wanton moan escape. The men responded to her by stroking more ardently, faster and harder on their cocks.

A sly smile crossed Krista's face, and she wondered what else she could get them to do. Running her hands over her body, replaying the times she laid in her bed and fantasized about more than one man taking her. The men stepped closer, eyes watching her, cocks springing up to be nearer to her. She looked up at one of them, and curled her lips into a smile, hinting at the wink that she sent him from beneath her mask. He smiled back, and moved to be more centrally in front of her. His cock was not so long as some others but was quite thick. The pink head at the tip was slowly turning purple as the grip tightened and worked faster up and down.

The first splash came without warning. It struck her cheek and surprised her with its warmth and scent. Turning her head to see if she could find its source, a second fell on her chest, and slid over the top of her breasts. Krista raised her hand to touch it, sensing that the men were waiting for her response. She moaned again, louder and more enthusiastically, smearing the fluid down to cover the rest of her chest.

A third, a fourth came nearly together, one higher, on the side of her head, the other lower, on her stomach. She closed her eyes and called out "YES!" as each one fell. More and more they came, men pressing closer to aim themselves at parts not yet marked by others. Krista stopped trying to count again as she moved her hands, mixing the fluids on her skin, bathing in it, basking in it, letting each man make an offering to the woman who held them in her ecstasy. She screamed as she found her own climax beneath the barrage of cum. One or two even made it into her open mouth, dripping from her lips as she trailed a scream into moan. 

Her fingers went over her body in frenzy, feeling the fluid on her tits, her stomach, trailing down her legs. She ran her fingers into her hair, finding more expression of excitement matting her hair to her head. Finally she got only gasp and try to catch her breath as the orgasm subsided. Opening her eyes again, she saw the men begin to file out, a few still dripping cum from their now limp cocks. Watching them leave she took noticed a few more well rounded asses, and drank in the sight as they disappeared. 

Assuming the bukkake was over, Krista looked around for the last red door. Feeling the cum slide over her as she rose, she hoped desperately that there was a shower on the other side. It appeared to be a locker room, with numerous shower stalls, nicely white and very clean. She took off her mask and made her way to the nearest stall, turning the water on to a very hot stream and washed herself clean, hoping to get clean inside and out.

Her head was resting on the wall, eyes closed and the water ran over her as she heard the voice behind her "Very nice girl".

"Simone? Is that you?" She couldn't lift her head to look. 

"Yes Krista, its me. I'm very proud of you."

"You were watching me the whole time?"

"Yes I was."

Krista let herself drift, not bothering to summon up the energy for a response. It didn't matter whether she watched or not. All that mattered now was that it was over. She had done all they had asked of her. Regardless of whether it was a cruel trick or whether they took her in as their own, she had done it. 




Fortune Favors the Daring



Simone gently touched her shoulder, "Are you ready to be one of my girls now?"

It took all her strength, but Krista turned to look at Simone. She had undressed and entered the shower to be near her. Her hand was still on the shoulder, and her eyes communicated a sense of acceptance. There was an embrace in her look that accentuated the one gentle touch of her hand. 

"Can I have some time to feel better before I say yes?"

"Of course Krista. I always give new girls a few days to make the adjustment. Not only does the testing leave them a bit tired and drained, but the idea takes time to settle in to your mind." 

"Thank you Simone." Krista stepped forward to cling to Simone, wrapping her arms around her and finding a sense of support and strength in holding her. They stood there, just holding each other for unmarked minutes as the water continued to flow over and around them; enveloping them in a sheer curtain of water. The only sound was the echoes of splashes and the muted sound of the other's breath. 

Finally Simone reached out to turn the water off and lead Krista over to a bench piled with towels to dry her. "When you are dressed, I'll take you back to the front hall and we'll have a car ready for you. You have the choice of staying at home and we can call you when you are needed, or moving in here. The choice is yours. Take a few days to think about it and then decide."

The strength from this older woman filled her with a new understanding of herself. She was once again real, not masked and hidden. She was making her choices, no longer following the whims of others. Her life was different now, and the prospects of what lie ahead far outweighed whatever she might be giving up. In a few days she would call Simone with the decision she knew she would be making. Dressing in silence, Krista watched Simone walk naked out of the shower room and off to some other part of the mansion. Her pride in her body, her self, was inspiring and quieting at the same time. 

A few moments later, the two of them stood at the front doors, waiting to send Krista home again. No words were exchanged, but Krista reached out to clasp Simone's hand. A touch for reassurance perhaps, or just to be certain that this was real and not a dream. That one point of human contact, a touch unlike the others during the testing, the unspoken conversation that she had hoped to have at the end of it all.

As the car pulled up to the steps, Simone walked Krista down the steps, and opened the door for her. "I'm very pleased you withstood the testing. I can see great things in you." Passing an envelope inside, she closed the door and motioned for the driver to pull out. Krista waited until the house had vanished behind her before she opened it, Inside she found a silver mask brooch, encrusted with diamonds; and a large stack of $100 bills. She affixed the brooch to her lapel and stuffed the bills, uncounted, into her jacket pocket. She rode back in silence, finding the trip back to be infinitely foreign to the voyage out, returning to a world in which she no longer belonged.



Fortune Shines



(To the reader: This is one in a string of many correspondences between a former professor and myself. It started out to be just a harmless little distraction for myself, to break up the day. It became so much more, so unrepentantly.) 

She giggled uneasily as she taped the envelope to the English Professor's door. "I wonder how long it will take before he figures out who, or is it whom, the note's from." She nervously thought to herself, "I hope he has a computer at home so he can really get into this." She was really stressed that Mr. Fortune would know immediately it was she.

She tried to convince herself that maybe he wouldn't know and in his paragraphs, he'd describe someone totally different. She wanted to turn someone on and to be turned on, in the safety of anonymity. No fuss, no worry of disease and no painful breakups. She would become, in writing, anyone he wanted her to be. Maybe he'd want her to be several different people. She was anxious and the next step was up to him.

After his last class of the day, Mr. Fortune headed for his office. As he approached his door, he noticed the envelope, with his last name on it, attached to the door. "Probably another excuse note on why someone didn't do the descriptive paragraph." He pulled the letter from the door and let himself into his office. With the dependable creaking sound from his chair, he slipped into the well-rehearsed relaxed position of arms folded behind his head. Staring at the mass of papers on top of his desk, he shifted and then rubbed his eyes from under his glasses. With a sigh, he looked back again to the mound of papers. 

The envelope was resting on top of the heap. "This ought to be good. I should probably grade this and hand it back." he mused to himself.

"Mr. Fortune,

Here is a login and password to literotica.com.

Login: cinadream

Password: ********

Look for a story written by zestyandshy. I will post a story for every story you post. Start with a descriptive paragraph about someone you'd like to know a bit more intimately. We will not rendezvous and yes, I am female."

"This is such a setup," he thought. Embarrassed that he was even the slightest bit intrigued, he adjusted his forming erection so he could get through the halls without too much attention. He was headed for home.

Nervously, she logged into her newly created email account to see if there was a message. She didn't know how long it would take Mr. Fortune to respond, or if he even would. "Holy Shit!" she said out loud. Covering her agape mouth with her hands, she giggled from the uneasy shock. She had mail. With an unsteady click, she opened what she hoped to be the illicit email she'd been waiting for.

"First: All but computer illiterate, myself. Difficuties getting here, into here, whatever. This puts me distinctly at your techno-mercy (that cause you to "adjust" your bidness?). Wait. Is that compliance already? Agreement? Oh, and no, I don't have a home computer--only here at work & email address on syllabus.

Second: "...the safety of anonymity..."? Yep, I'm clueless.

Third: "Intrigued"? Perhaps. "Embarrassed"? Not a lick. This isn't my first goat ropin', darlin', and I ain't even breathing hard. Yet. Got any more?

Fourth: I think I sent a version of this as a connected reply but actually have no idea--that whole techno illiterate thang. I figure you'll let me know if you get this?"  "Hmm – that's a start" she thought, "but I am disappointed that he didn't jump right in. So, he wants a little more...OK, I'll give him another paragraph, in good faith. Then the ball is in his court. If he wants more, he'll have to work at it."

"My new lingerie

The new bra and panties he purchased for me are a soft, white cotton lace. The bra is beautiful but my favorite in this set are the panties. They are a cute little boyshort style. The bottom hem has a light, ruffled affect that sways as I give my little fashion show. You can see the curve of my ass, from under the fabric, as I do a little spin.

 I walk on my tippie-toes because I feel like a princess in my new virginal lingerie. I bounce up and down with excitement. The little beads, on the dainty bow between the demi-cups of my bra, bounce along to my rhythm. The bra strains from my performance. This bra was made for fashion, not function. My new little, provocative bra is trimmed with lace. The lace starts from the sides and continues to a deep plunge in the front, in between my cleavage. The bra strains from the weight of my voluptuous breast. No worry, the bra will not stay on for long anyway."

"OK, that should be enough to get him started." she thought. "He's an English teacher for God's sake. He writes for a living. Let's see what he gives me to work with." And with just slightly smug resolve, she hit "send", flinging her little epistle into the electric winds for delivery. 

It turned out, it was enough to get him started, or at least intrigued. His reply verified to her that her plan was going to work. 

"The issue, she mused, really is control--the anonymity, the faceless safety, the featureless voice...yes. The afternoon was mild enough to have her coffee outside, but she was the only patron at any of the several tables on the small patio. She stretched her legs, crossed her boots at her ankles, tugged absently at the seam of her skirt, and noted admiringly, again, just how nicely the fabric clung to her thigh. She wondered if he'd yet read her latest note, the little lingerie display....The captive observer, the scant and sheer clothing, the just-beyond-reach pirouetting before him, the out-thrust bottom, the pouty smile, oh yes, she was quite pleased with herself.

 Sipping from her coffee, she caught her reflected image in the shop's front window, paused, and tilted her head just so, the better to regard herself over the tops of her sunglasses. Just so. Perfectly in control, perfect control, just perfect. The window-image-her winked, wrinkled her nose, blew the smallest of kisses. But then she sighed and, turning from the window, seemed to shrink a little into herself. 

Distractedly and softly drumming her fingers on the table, she began to picture faceless naked males, undressed, random former lovers, naked him, herself naked, all of it sexless, flat, unreal. She imagined him across town reading her note, she thought of her window-image-self. She sighed. And then a thought, a possibility, struck her--an image so bold, so pure, so vivid that she found herself actually blushing, a heat creeping into her cheeks. Flustered--and chagrined for feeling so--she rose from the table murmuring hmmph. A tingling someplace very soft and special suggested her control was not complete--herself, head thrown back flashed through her mind, and an idea went winging out into space. Ha-ha, said the sky."



Fortune



**Smack**

The feather pillow landed right in my face causing me to sputter with laughter and promptly drop my soup in my lap, which, of course, soaked the pants I was wearing.

CHAPTER THREE

Allyson sat on the couch in stunned horror, her face twisted between shock and laughter she was suppressing. Caitlin immediate jumped up and dashed out of the room. Obviously laughter won out over shock, for Allyson was laughing so hard she almost fell off the couch.

Mourning the loss of potentially fine cuisine, the only thing I was grateful for in this mishap was the fact that I had waited long enough to eat, the soup was cool. Mortified by the way these accidental situations always seem to hone in on me, I lost my voice so I just glared at the floor feeling the cold soup soak into my favorite pair of jeans and into uncomfortable places on my person.

Caitlin came back in the room carrying a few towels, her sweet face furrowed in contrite concern as she methodically wiped up most the errant soup from the cushions. Noticing her sister in fits of giggles, she spoke to Allyson harshly in a language I couldn't even begin to understand.

Allyson just laughed harder if that was possible, her face turning red for lack of air. Caitlin growled angrily and opened her mouth to say something else, but was waylaid by my placing my hand over her mouth.

Finding my voice, "It wasn't her fault, these things just happen to me. A lot." I blushed shyly, removing my hand from over those tempting lips. "Natural Klutz."

"It wadna yer fault," she said softly, her brogue thick rolling through me with an intensity of some emotion, glaring at her sister who was sucking in gulps of air trying to calm down. "She shounda been rough housing while yer in ill health, lil one." Reaching for a clean towel, she tenderly pressed it into my lap where most the soup had soaked in.

Oh. My. Goodness! Desire leaped back to the full of raging, I sucked in my breath, jack knifing strait up. My blood drained from my face, strait down to bring my attention in full force to an area I was trying to ignore.

"Did I bump you leg?" Caitlin's vivid blue eyes held only concern, no knowledge that she where she was pressing the towel was totally inappropriate.

I could tell she was only trying to help but that small fact did nothing to tamper my unfortunately strong reaction to her doing something so very close to what I had mused about earlier in the day.

Mutely, I shook my head and closed my eyes. I reached to take the towel from her, fighting every impulse I had that was screaming at me to lay back and let her do what I wanted her to do. My eyes sprang open. Goodness, how could I feel like this with her sister sitting less than four feet away from us? 

I looked over at Allyson who was watching us with avid interest now that she had gotten her giggles under control, her mouth now curled in a cunning smirk.

Blushing profusely, I took the towel from Caitlin. "Thank you but my jeans have soaked up most of the soup, there's no help for it. I must c.. change." I stuttered softly.

I pushed up from the couch balancing on my good foot. I wasn't about to set my twisted ankle down again, no matter how much it was telling me that it didn't hurt at the moment. The liar.

"Is there something around here I might be able to use as a crutch? I need to go to the restroom anyhow. Didn't I see some umbrellas behind the front door? I hope the water is good I think I need a bath anyhow. "I could tell I was rambling but I couldn't seem to stop. "I should be fine the rest of the night, so you two can head back to your home." Looking at Caitlin, I waited patiently for her to concede.

She snorted, wrinkling up that oh so cute nose of hers. I noticed the light dust of freckles on her pale skin for the first time. Her blue eyes changed from anger and concern till they were brimmed with amusement. "If you think I'm letting you stay up here alone your off your rocker girlie." Caitlin stated, her generous lips twitching in repressed amusement at my obvious attempt at stubbornness. "You need me to watch over ya till yer all healed up and can run around by yourself."

"I'm staying." Allyson chimed in as she chuckled. "Sorry about the laughing, I laugh when in nervous. An well you looked so calm when the soup tipped over, like you do it every day and it was only a mild inconvenience, it just set me off. So please donna be mad at me." Her expression open with contrite, and a hint of devilment.

I grunted at the pair, knowing I was beaten before I could start to argue. Caitlin was obviously concerned and Allyson was not there as a chaperone. I could tell she was around in case there was more amusement to be had. Neither would leave at this rate. 

"Fine you two,' I conceded, with an sigh, holding my hands up in surrender. "May I at least change into something a little less.., well, wet? No actually, it's been a very long day with the flight over and all. I'd really like to take a shower. Which direction is the bathroom?" The surrendering wasn't really well done of me but I didn't know what else to do, plus I was getting cranky for lack of sleep and embarrassment wasn't helping.

I glanced at Caitlyn, who looked back at me with concern and determination. Allyson, on the other hand, was just looking amused.

Caitlyn reached out to take my arm, "Here I'll show you were it is." she said softly. "You'll need some help." she said with a slight smile that made my knees wobble again.

Help with what? I thought vaguely. As her hand wrapped around my arm, my pulse skyrocketed. 

Caitlyn... 

Shower..

Helping..

I almost whimpered.

'This could get interesting, very interesting indeed,' the wicked side of my mind laughed gleefully.

"Why doesn't Allyson help me to the shower?" I sputtered in desperation, wanting to remove any temptation that might be my undoing. I looked from Caitlyn over to my chaperone, a obvious plea in my eyes. 

"No, I'm going to hunt you up some food, I'm sure Caitlyn can help you with any needs you might have." Allyson smirked as she headed off to the kitchen, whistling a damn jaunty tune.

Oh, I was going to have to get her for that one. Not like I wasn't having enough trouble keeping my hands and other extremities to myself without her encouragement. 

Caitlyn cleared her throat, causing me to glance up as a look of uncertainty passed her face. She spoke softly to me, "I don't mean to be so bossy, lil' one. I can be a little strong headed at times.." she trailed off. "If ya' don't really want my help, I... I understand." she said tentatively, her eyes slightly avoiding mine.

All the fight left me. She has misinterpreted what I meant with my desperate plea, her feelings had been hurt in the process. I felt like a heel.

I caught her hand in mine and bumped her with my shoulder a little playfully. With a dramatic sigh I said, "Well, if you reeaally want to help." Her blue eye tipped up to mine. Relief flooded me as she grinned when she saw my smile. 

"This is the shortest way to the master bath," she smiled impishly reaching for a candle handle besides the fire place. As she pulled it down the book shelf to the right opened, revealing a passage way behind the case. 

Caitlyn's laughter spilled out when my jaw dropped in astonishment.

"Like it? It's one of my favorite projects around this house." She smiled with pride, "all the different places to go that no one knows about. Since you're the owner now, you'll need to know about all of these at one time or another. Discover all their secrets." She smiled shyly.

I smiled wide in delight, "I thought they only made these for Scooby Doo and Nancy Drew."

"Well then, Nancy, let's get you to your bath." She chuckled, tugging gently on my hand, letting me use it as a unsupported crutch. As I followed her closely down the narrow corridor, her slim calloused hand in mine, the walls reflected the lights from the floor in a soft glow. 

Every breath held her while it enthralled me. 

I made sure not to look at the gentle sway of her hips, knowing that my hands would surely want to follow. I mostly focused on trying to keep my breath shallow so I wouldn't inhale her tempting scent. I had to reinforce steel into my will to maintain a calm temperament.

Her red hair seemed to shimmer a little as she walked, refracting a red gold that was mesmerizing in itself, her ear tips seemed to peek out of the glorious mass; the hypnotic effect strongly reminding me of an elf once again. That and my nibbling plan. With that combination it was hard to keep from enabling the "accidentally trip, fall on Caitlyn, and kiss/grope her" plan that my mind kept playing over and over. My body thrummed at the nearness of her, which did not help me enforce restraint.

'It is a good plan,' my impulses wheedled to my logic.

"You ok back there? Your awfully quiet ..." Caitlyn asked, curiosity in her voice. Her eyes peeked over her shoulder at me, glowing vibrant blue in the odd light of the narrow hall. 

My heart stutter in my chest Which made it harder to remember the basics of how to talk. I was sure she could feel the violent trembling in my hand, hear the loud thrumming in my veins.

I cleared my throat, "Erm, yes, just thinking..." I gave her a tentative, half smile.

She grinned back, eyes lit with kindness, "All that thinking must mean you must be getting better. That or you're up to mischief." she said in mock leeriness.

Her gentle teasing released the unknown tension that had been gripping my heart, which incidentally also loosened my tongue and mind from its former captivity.

I gave her a mock innocent look, "Who me? Why I never..." I didn't think my indignation would hold ground and sure enough she started laughing.

"Aye, sure. You'd never get in to mischief, eh? I just bet you were in a lot of trouble when you were a wee lass" she smirked, her eyes laughing at me. "What did you say your ma's number was again? I think I need to call her to tell her you're ok? Mayhap wheedle a bit of information about you... Since you have my sister as access to my misdeeds as a wee lass, 'tis only fair."

I eyed her with narrowed suspicion as we continued to walk down the narrow corridor, "I, distinctly, don't remember giving you any numbers, much less that of my mother's, to begin with you wretch," I stated primly, laughter choked my voice as I tried to maintain a serious face, "You'll have to do better than that to get such top secret information from me."

A truly wicked grin appeared on Caitlyn's face, causing my heart to falter. "Is that so? Did my sibling also tell ya I happen to be well known as the Torturer of the Tarres family?" She smiled evilly, that sexy dimple of hers deepened as her smile widened. "I can get information about anything from any one. I have my ways." 

She reached out and pressed a hand to the wall, which swung out to reveal the bathroom. Caitlin tugged me in. Glancing around the master bathroom I was defiantly impressed. The marble tile imprinted with jaded script adorned the walls matching the large sunk in tub that was churning with jetted water and the three headed, benched shower. The entire room was open, it remained me of an ancient Greek bath house. Well, minus the masses.

"You don't scare me Caitlin, Allyson already told me what a softy you are." I chuckled at her cuteness. 

Turning to look me dead in the eye, she widened her stance and leaned in closer to me, as if to intimidate me. Her voice lowered to a husky growl. "So Alixilura, what's it going to be? We can do this the easy way or the hard way? It's up to you. Either way I'll still get what I want."

I froze. My eyes widened, going slightly unfocused. The mental picture of Caitlin in tight black leather standing in that domineering pose burned itself in my mind as her voice made my body tighten and tremble faster than the sound of a cracking whip. I could feel myself being pulled closer by her fiery blue eyes.

Allyson busted out laughing breaking the intenseness that had nearly made me faint. "You're so easy, Alix! Caitlin ya say I was messing with her? What do you call that little act?" I started, leaned to the left. Allyson sat on a wall bench behind Caitlin, a few towels to her right, that mischievous grin plastered across her face. "What? I always wanted to try this room out!" she exclaimed. 

I had to roll my eyes at that. "What the heck makes you think I'll be bathing with you?" I asked amused.

She pouted, playfully hurt. "So you'll bathe with Caitlin but not with me?" She gave a sultry smile and a lusty wink. "Besides you don't think I'd pass up the chance to see you naked did ya?"

I turned three shades of red on that comment then paled in embarrassment, locking up my voice. 

Caitlin took one look at my face and blocked Allyson's view of me, glaring at her older sister. "That was uncalled for Ally." She hissed harshly, fists clenched. 

Allyson's eyes widened at the stance. She had probably never seen her sister this angry, especially at her. She held up her hands, palms out. She leaned to the right to catch my eye so I was forced to tip my eyes up to her. "Sorry, honey. I didn't mean to embarrass you. I forgot you're not quite use to us yet. Forgive me?" she made a cute little helpless face that forced a laugh out of my choked up throat.