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Chocolate and Caramel Ch. 01

By: qhml1



This is a tale that primarily set in the middle seventies. It was half a generation removed from the civil rights movement. I live in a small county in a middle Southern state and I remember it well. Even now, racism is still present, but it seems more directed at the mass of illegals that has flooded the area. 

I could have put this in interracial, or maybe even romance, but in the end it's a tale of a cheating wife, compounded by the fact she was black and married to a white man. You may not like the overtones, but I was a young man during this time and tried to make it real as possible. If this offends you, stop now. If it offends you and you read it anyway, don't bitch. For the rest of you, enjoy.

And even though when the tale starts the female protagonist is under eighteen, NO SEX occurs until after her eighteenth birthday, except for a brief reference to a statutory rape that happened far into the past. Just wanted to clear that up.

..................................................

I admit it, I looked like a first class wimp when I walked into the karate studio. I had a black eye, a split lip, and a lot of bruises.

At six feet, and one sixty five[I had always been a little skinny]I didn't exactly look like a pussy. I actually was a fair to middlin' scraper, growing up in a small southern town and hanging with the bad boys had taught me a thing or two. I learned early, hit hard, hit fast, and hit first if you can. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. This particular time it was a first class disaster.

He had skills I never heard of. He bounced around, lightly, kicking and punching me with an almost robotic ease. I found out later he was a second degree black belt. An okay guy until somebody pissed him off or was drinking. That night he was both, being an asshole to his girlfriend and everyone around. I took all I could until he slapped his girl. I called him an asshole and dared him to try that shit on a man. Won't make that mistake again.

I gave it a good try, even got a few licks in, but he beat the fuck out of me. It took three bouncers to get him off of me, and they had to use clubs. He put one in the hospital.

When the judge found out he was a black belt, and threw the first punch, He reamed him a new ass. He had to do six months and enter anger management therapy once he got out of jail. He was warned, the next fight he was involved in he would get the maximum sentence possible.

Even though it was the bouncer who got hurt, and it was the club that pressed charges, he blamed the whole thing on me. He had a friend of a friend of a friend who knew a guy that another guy owed a favor to, to let me know that when he got out he was gonna kick my ass.

I knew six months of classes wouldn't get me a black belt, but maybe it would stop me from getting killed. That and the thirty eight I carried.

The sensei was a tenth degree black belt, so I figured he knew what he was doing. He was a tall, muscular black guy in his early forties. The class was mixed in age from sixteen to sixty two, in varying degrees of shape. I was twenty two.

I stretched, I strained. My muscles stayed sore for five months. I was saved the pain of a beat down when the asshole flipped out and beat the shit out of five prisoners and a guard. He got another three years.

In a fit of self revelation, I discovered I loved training. I made it to green belt in six months, going four days a week.

We would receive training from assistants, while the master would give lectures and demonstrate techniques. He had a mantra he pounded into us.

"Fight with your mind. Think, plan, don't just react! Improvise if you have to."

We had to pair up to practice moves. For some reason a woman just over five feet tall, not weighing a hundred pounds always chose me to practice with. I asked her once why she always chose me.

"Because you're basically the same size as my husband, minus the beer gut. When I get competent enough, I'm gonna beat the hell out of him."

Seems he was abusive, and she told him she went to exercise class instead of karate.

She finally felt confident enough to confront him, and that Saturday night he got a few beers in him and tried to smack her. She beat him so bad he hid in the bathroom. It was an old singlewide, and she took the phone and stood out in the hall and called every friend and relative they both had, telling them that Bubba had locked himself in the bathroom to keep her from beating him up. He was screaming about how he was gonna kill her when she went to sleep. Her last call was to 911, and she held up the phone so they could hear his rant a little more clearly. The deputies came and gave him a free place to sleep for two days, and confiscated every weapon in the house. He never did get his deer rifle and shotguns back. She used the time to empty the house and their bank accounts, and moved back in with her mother. She never came back to class.

There was a young black girl there, tall, athletic, well built, really good rack. She seemed to like me, but I was was twenty two and white. It was in the late seventies, in a small southern town. Plus she had just turned seventeen. I didn't do jail bait, whatever the color. It still didn't stop her from flirting, and sometimes I teased her back.

We were practicing how to break the hold of someone who grabbed our neck. shirt, or lapels.

The sensei gave us a lecture before practice.

"One of the best ways to break loose is surprise. Scream, do something unexpected. It'll slow down their response time. Sometimes a fraction of a second is the difference between rape, serious bodily injury, or death. Begin."

She did the standard grabs, and I did the taught responses while the instructors watched.

When it was my turn to be the attacker, I reached for her lapels. A tall girl at five ten, she bounced up on her feet, and I ended up with two hands full of firm boobs. Naturally I snatched my hands back, and she took full advantage of my exposed front, and knocked my down with a three inch punch to the nose. Already a bit off balance, I dropped like a rock. She leaned over with a sweet smile on her face.

"Surprise."

The ones that saw what happened were laughing, and once every one found out they had to stop practice. The sensei, always looking for a teachable moment, brought it into focus.

"Although I don't really think what she did was appropriate for class, it makes my point. What she did was so unexpected that it froze her opponent, making him vulnerable. That's all for tonight."

By then most of the younger ones had formed a loose friendship, and we would often go to a fast food place for a light meal. Shondra and her sister never went. I asked a guy why once.

"They're broke. Neither work, they're both still in school. They live with their grandmother on a fixed income. They pay for their lessons by cleaning the dojo."

I was a little later leaving that evening. The others had gone ahead, and I was on my way when I passed them on the sidewalk. I pulled over.

"Hey girls, wanna go grab something with the others? I'll pay, just to seen in public with two babes."

There was a guy walking with them, obviously interested in her sister.I don't know if he thought I was trying to take them away from him, he didn't like white boys, or if he was just an asshole.

"Move on, honky. Leave the sisters alone."

I grinned.

"Damn, and I was gonna order fried chicken and watermelon. Looks like I'll eat a burger instead."

I had hopped out of my CJ5 jeep. Shondra had laughed, and the guy was shocked. I had on a Rolling Stones t shirt, my uniform pants, and sneakers, so I was dressed to mix it up. Her sister put her hand on his arm.

"Don't. He meant nothing by it, and he could probably kick your ass."

She turned to me.

"Thanks for the offer, but Shondra and I need to get home. Maybe next time."

She looked around, Shondra was already in the jeep, fastening her seat belt and waving.

"Tell Grams I'll be home soon."

I looked to her older sister.

"All right. Have her home by nine thirty."

I had the jeep stripped down. No top, no doors. It made her a little nervous for a second, but when the wind hit she loved it.

"You're going down main street?"

She seemed nervous. I grinned.

"Yeah, it's the quickest. Why? Ashamed to be seen with a honky?"

She looked down, embarrassed.

"No, I thought you might not want to be seen with me."

That pissed me off just a little.

"If you're my friend it doesn't matter what color you are to me. Besides, it's just a burger. It's not like we're eloping."

She stayed quiet the rest of the way there.

We could see our friends through the windows. Shondra was waving before we got parked.

"What can I order?" She asked, before we entered.

"It's McDonalds. Order what you like, love."

She looked at me funny. My last girlfriend had been British, it was an expression I picked up from her.

I gave her a twenty, told her what I wanted, and went to the restroom. I got back just as she was paying, picked up the tray, and joined our friends.

"Hi guys. Look what I found. Sondra 'Killer Boobs' Smith. Watch her, those are deadly."

It embarrassed her, but she got me back.

"Never underestimate the value of surprise, or a nice rack. Does your nose still hurt?"

I rubbed my nose. It was still stinging a little.

"Don't worry girl, one day it'll be my turn to surprise you."

We laughed and joked like the good friends we were for forty five minutes before we started dispersing, going our separate ways for the night.

"Ready?"

"Uh Uh. I can stay out to nine thirty, and it's only eight fifteen. Take me for a ride. But first, I still got your change. I want a chocolate shake."

She'got her large shake, gave me what change was left, and got in.

"Where to?"

"I've never been four wheeling. Is there somewhere close we can go?"

She was in luck. A friend had lumbered off about fifty acres just outside of town, and I had his permission to ride the logging trials. It had rained two days before, so there were lots of mud puddles.

I scared her, until she got used to it. Then she laughed, yelled, and told me to go faster. I got a little careless, hit a pool too fast, and doused us both with muddy water. I pulled over in a clear spot and stopped.

I had taken the backseat out and used it as storage space when I went camping. I had a storage box I always carried for just such occasions. It held towels, dry shirts, even a couple of pairs of shorts. There was no way my white skinny ass shorts was going to fit over that well rounded butt, so I gave her a shirt and two towels. It was warm, but once I hit the highway the wet shirts would be very uncomfortable.

"Here. Go over there behind those bushes and dry off. Put this shirt on, or you'll freeze on the way home. Go on, nobody can see you out here."

It had gotten dark, so I gave her a flashlight.

Once she was behind the bushes I stripped out of my pants and shirt. Just as I reached for the shorts She screamed at the top of her lungs, came running out from behind the bushes, jumped in the jeep, and started yelling "Snake! Snake!"

Then she stopped screaming and froze, looking at me. I was naked, with my shorts in my hand. All she had on were her panties and a white cotton bra. It barely contained her magnificent teenage breasts.

Glad of the darkness, I slipped into my shorts and handed her the t shirt. Giving her time to slip the shirt on, I went and retrieved the clothes behind the bushes. She slipped her pants on while I looked away. If there had been a snake, the commotion drove it away.

I got in the Jeep and we sat for just a minute.

I looked at her seriously.

"We're to never speak of this."

She burst into laughter, and was still laughing when we hit the highway. Just before we pulled onto the roadway she grabbed my face and gave me a kiss that said anything except inexperienced teen. She let go and giggled. 

"I always wanted to kiss a white boy. By the way, nice equipment, especially for a white boy."

If she expected me to be embarrassed she was going to be disappointed.

"Thanks. And I have to tell you, you've got a great rack, for any color."

I could see the white of her teeth when she smiled. She held my hand back into town, only letting go when I changed gears.

The mantra 'seventeen, seventeen, seventeen' kept going through my head, trying to keep the rest of my mind off her body.

We pulled up to her apartment. It was in 'the projects', government housing for the poor.

My engine, complete with headers and glass pack mufflers, announced our arrival.

"I'll slip in, get changed before my gram sees me. I'll bring your shirt back next week."

I got out.

"Look around. There must be fifteen of your neighbors sitting on their front porches. How long do you think it's gonna take them to tell her a white boy in a loud Jeep brought you home? Or that you didn't have your uniform on? No, you're going to take me in and introduce me, and I'll explain what happened."

You could tell she really didn't want to, but I gave her no choice.

Her gram was a tall woman, just like her daughters. She wasn't fat or skinny, she looked like an average sixty year old woman, regardless of color.

She shook my hand when I offered it, and listened stoned faced while I explained what happened. When I was done she leaned forward and looked into my eyes.

"Damn if I don't believe you. That story is just too crazy to make up. Care for some coffee and peach pie?"

So we sat at the kitchen table and had a snack. Judging by the pie, the woman must be a hell of a cook. Shondra sat with us but didn't say much. After my second piece, I pushed back from the table.

"I thank you for your hospitality, but I need to go. Work tomorrow, you know. It was a pleasure to meet you ma'am."

She smiled.

"I love a man with manners and a good appetite. Good night. Shondra, walk our guest out, and you better be back in ten minutes. You have school tomorrow."

She wrapped up a piece of pie for me to eat tomorrow.

Shondra switched the porch light off and grabbed my hand.

"You're the first man I've seen my gram like. That must mean something."

Before I could stop her she kissed me, hard, and stood back giggling again.

"I'm gonna keep your shirt to remember this little adventure. See you at the dojo."

She practically skipped back into the house.

I mused on the way home. Better be careful with this one. She's young and black. But her kiss wasn't young, and her lips tasted as good as any I had ever touched. Plus, those boobs said woman, and not child.

................................................

Shondra became my full time practice partner. Without fail, she was in the Jeep waiting for me afterwards. Her sister Gail would go with us about every other time, and we became friends.

Once Shondra was sick, and Gail went with me alone. We ate, then she asked me to take her somewhere to talk. I only lived ten minutes away, so I asked if my house would do. She surprised me by agreeing.

She admired my house, a little two bedroom cottage that had needed a lot of work. A friend had inherited it from his grandfather, and he didn't have enough to pay the estate taxes. I offered to buy it for half the tax value. He agreed immediately.

At twenty I became a home owner. I had worked construction jobs in my teens and had learned a good bit, so I spent every spare dime I had on improvements. What I couldn't do myself I traded labor, or paid when I had to. After almost two years I was about seventy five per cent done. I was inordinately house proud.

Gail couldn't believe someone as young as me could own a house, and marveled at how well kept it was.

"It's actually easier to be neat than be a slob. Plus, I've always been a bit of a neat freak."

I poured two glasses of tea, and we sat at the kitchen table. She looked nervous.

"Spit it out, Gail, before you choke on it."

"All right. You need to be careful around Shondra. She's decided she's in love with you. She told me yesterday she fully intends to marry you. She has a plan, and I saw one of her notebooks, she's been practicing writing "Shondra Turner" all over it."

I didn't believe her.

"Are you sure? I've never given her any reason to think like that. All I've ever done is buy her a few Big Macs and taken her for a ride twice. We've never dated. Plus I'm twenty two and she's seventeen. That's jail bait, Gail, and that scares the shit out of me. I don't want to offend you, but factor in the race thing. My friends and family wouldn't accept her, and except for your grandmother and you, I can't see me being close to her family or friends."

She gave a sad smile.

"I'm not offended, Bobby, it is what it is, and you've always been nice to us. Just watch out and try not to hurt her. She, hell we, haven't had a lot of good things happen in our lives. And as far as jail bait, you don't look that fine around the brothers and not get noticed. She may be seventeen, but she's as experienced as a twenty five year old. You can take me home now, thanks for the tea and listening to me."

Surprising me, she gave me a big hug and a kiss, stepping back grinning.

"Damn, Bobby, maybe I should have tried to hook you. I'm NOT jail bait, I could show you things, sugar, things that would rock your world. Now, if you're not going to take me to your bedroom, take me to your Jeep."

She kept her voice light and bouncy, but her eyes looked way to serious, so out the door we went, with haste, while she laughed.

I disappointed Shondra by not going out with our friends a few times. It came to a head when I found her sitting in my Jeep with a determined look on her face.

"I'm not getting out, Bobby. Wherever you're going, I'm going too, even if it's just home."

I was kind of glad, I found myself wanting her company.

I just grunted and we ate with the group. They welcomed her back, kidding her about how glad we had kissed and made up. She just smiled, and I actually blushed a couple of times. She rushed us out as soon as possible. I thought she needed to get home, but when I started to pull out, she said "Turn Left". To get to her apartment you had to turn right.

I had the top and the doors back on my Jeep because it was supposed to rain. She wanted me to take her off road, so I took her on the logging trails. We were at the back of the property, the highest point. I had to turn around.

She asked me if we could sit for just a second, so I switched off.

We sat for a second. It was almost dark, and we were facing the sunset. She took my hand.

"What are we doing here, Bobby?"

The question took me by surprise.

"I don't know. This is your idea. You wanted to go four wheeling."

"Stop! That's not what I meant, and you know it. I like you. You like me, I think, but you won't do anything about it. It's because I'm black, isn't it?"

I thought about it for a second, but decided to tell the truth.

"Yes and no. This isn't a big city with cosmopolitan views. This is a small town with a healthy share of racists, but that's not the whole reason. I'm twenty two, you're seventeen. I've been out in the real world for awhile, you're still in high school. And you're under legal age, so if we get intimate, I could be in real trouble if you ever get pissed off. I will admit I'm attracted to you, but I don't see a future here."

I figured that would kill it, but she was smiling.

"You're attracted to me? I can work with that. The rest can come later. So, no sex for eight more months. To be fair to you, there's been guys in my life that aren't so honorable, so I'll know what I'm missing. But you're worth the wait to me.

It's not illegal to kiss, is it? Just no sex. "

I should have stopped her. Looking back, that was the definitive moment for us. If I had stopped her then it would have averted a tremendous amount of grief and pain.


Chocolate and Caramel Ch. 01



But we were both young, and she was hot, and I think the race thing made it a little more excited.

One thing I learned. If you're getting passionate and have your eyes closed, all girls are the same color. So we sat in the Jeep, in the woods, and tried our best to kiss each others' lips off. After a few minutes she slid those great breasts across my chest, before taking my hand and slipping it under her karate uniform. I was fondling and groping her left breast, enjoying the feel of her nipple swelling under her sheer bra, when self preservation instincts took over.

"Jail bait, Jail bait!" went through the small part of my brain that was still getting blood.

I broke off and pulled my hand out, gasping like I had run a marathon."

She sat back and laughed.

"You could give in, you know. I'd never tell. No one would ever know." 

Well, I was dumb, but not stupid. She was a teenager, and a secret this juicy would be too hard to keep. She'd whisper about it to her girlfriends, who would tell even more girlfriends, who would tell the boys, and pretty soon it would be all over town.

"Not gonna happen, babe. Buckle up, I'm taking you home."

She laughed again, dragging her fingers across my rampant hard on.

"All right, but you're gonna have the world record for blue balls if we wait."

...............................................

For the next two months I still took her and Gail out with the gang to eat. She always wanted to sit at a table away from everyone else, but I insisted we stay with the group, and I avoided being alone with her.

Finally, she ambushed me. I was home, watching some stupid game show, when she appeared at my door.

"How did you get here?" I asked as she breezed by me.

"Got Joe[one of our karate buddies]to drop me off. Got anything to drink?"

Without waiting for an answer she went into the kitchen, got a coke and a bag of chips, and flopped down on the couch.

"What are we watching?"

I should have taken her home right then. I should have sat in the recliner. I should have stopped it then and there.

But I let her stay. I sat on the couch with her and let her snuggle. We talked. She was being really careful to keep me calm. For a teenager, she knew a lot about seduction. The only time the facade slipped was when I gave her a tour of my house. She looked at my bedroom, and frowned.

"You need to get a bigger bed, honey."

She didn't push it, but she put it out there. Just say the word, and it's yours. Her body language and attitude said "fuck me!".

Before I took her home we got into a pretty serious make out session. Before I even realized it she had her bra off and her shirt pushed up, rubbing me through my jeans while I rolled her nipples. I looked down, and the contrast between her dark skin and my pale hands excited me..

Shondra was the color of dark chocolate, smooth skinned and supple. I felt her tugging at my zipper, and reality kicked back in. I think I jumped halfway across the room.

"Shondra stop!"

She just sat there and grinned, not even bothering to pull her top down.

"What's wrong, baby? Don't like what you see?"

"You know I do. But it's not happening. Put your bra back on, I'm taking you home!"

Her look was far beyond her years.

"We're having trouble with our water heater. Mind if I take a shower first?"

She stood, stretching broadly as she pulled her shirt off. She bent over as she pulled her jeans down, sliding them down to her ankles, before reaching up to slide the purple satin panties over her hips. She turned around to me, totally nude, her thick black pubic hair shining in the light. She cupped her breasts.

"Like what you see? It's all yours sugar, all you have to do is say so. Give me a few minutes, then you can wash my back."

She swayed and jiggled into the bathroom as I stood there speechless. When the blood finally flowed back to my brain I could hear her singing in the shower.

I took the cowards way out and left. I went to the quickie mart and bought a twelve pack, and I didn't drink much. She was actually dressed when I got back, her hair in a ponytail. She saw the beer and smiled.

"Ooh! We gonna party, sugar?"

I really didn't know what to say to her, but decided if I didn't get a handle on it now, I never would.

"No. After I take you home I'm going to have a few and think about what you did. You shouldn't tease like that, it could get you raped."

She was smirking.

"The only draw back to that little scene is you can't rape a willing woman. That's what you got here, never mind my age. I'm one hundred percent, grade A, prime dark meat woman, in capital letters."

She had finally pissed me off.

"No, what you are is an oversexed school girl who doesn't think rules apply to you. You're hot as a firecracker, but you're still a kid. You're trying to give away something you should make me or any man earn. If you don't value it, neither will anyone else. You wanna give me the milk without worrying how the cow is gonna get fed. That's a path going straight to disaster."

She was shocked, and then the tears started. That pissed me off even more. I took her head in my hand and raised it, making her meet my eyes.

"Get my point? You're not getting what you want, someone took your toy away, and now you're crying. You want to be my woman? Then grow the fuck up and start acting like one. We haven't even gone on a date yet, but you want to fuck me? Are you even getting any of what I'm saying?"

She ran into the bathroom and closed the door. I sat on the couch and had two beers before she came back out. She had stopped crying. 

"Please take me home now." She said it in a flat, emotionless tone.

She was surprised when I didn't take her to the Jeep, but opened up the single car garage I kept locked and pulled out my other car, a 1968 Mustang convertible that was my pride and joy. The look on her face was priceless.

"I think you grew up some today" I said as I opened her door. "This is a ride a woman should enjoy."

She was quiet almost all the way to her apartment.

"Thank you, believe it or not, I agree with you on some of what you said. Now, when and where are we going on our date? That's the first step to a relationship between adults, right?"

She saw the surprised look on my face and she frowned.

"Oh, I see. Talk shit to the little nigger girl, fool around with her some, but when it comes right down to it, you won't be seen in public with her. I get it."

She had thrown the challenge down, and I couldn't resist.

"Shondra, it's not polite for a young WOMAN to use that sort of language. If that's the way you're going to behave when we go out for dinner and a movie, then it's off. You are free next Saturday, aren't you?"

The emotions raced across her face one at a time. Anger, doubt, hope, and finally happiness.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to confirm until I check my social calender, but I believe I've no commitments. I'll check, but let me pencil you in."

"Well, I hope you're free. If not, please call me early enough I can invite another young lady. And early enough I can ask your grandmother for permission."

Well, that little remark showed me what kind of a temper she had.

Her hand flashed, and the slap sounded extra loud in the small confines of the car.

"You asshole! Let me give you a heads up. Starting right this minute there are NO OTHER young ladies in your life. I'll fuck her and you both up, if I catch you."

I was impressed.

"Once again, not the proper way for a young lady to conduct herself. But, I understand. Remember, what goes around comes around. I've got nieces and nephews going to your school. I get the first whiff about any high school romance, and you're gone. Now, apologize."

She sat with her arms crossed with a stubborn look in her eyes until we pulled into her drive.

"I'm sorry. Guess I got a little more growing up to do."

L squeezed her hand.

"Apology accepted. Now, let's go talk to your Gram."

"Do we have to?"

"Yes, we do. She's your guardian, you're her responsibility. You want to start this off right, don't you?"

Her grandmother didn't know what to say for awhile. Finally she let out a sigh and took Shondra by the hand.

"You sure about this? It will be hard, harder than you could ever imagine. You could be letting yourselves be open to a world of hurt."

"And you, Bobby. Are you sure too? She's still got four months before she's eighteen. I know if you want to you'll be doing it, but it'll open you up to all kinds of problems."

She looked into my eyes and made a decision.

"All right. If you're both determined, go ahead. Bobby, she's to be home no later than midnight on weekends, ten during a school night, IF she has no work to complete. I expect you to take care of her, you're older, more experienced. Don't let me down. Agreed?"

"Yes ma'am. You can depend on me."

She patted my hand.

"I believe you. Now, Shondra, I expect you to behave. I know how willful you are. Give me your word."

Shondra hugged her.

"I will. Thank you. I promise I'll behave."

Well, there it was. I was sailing into uncharted waters. I didn't know the wind currents, or where the reefs were. One wrong move and I'd be sunk.

I thought I had reached the quota on surprises for the day until I went to bed. There, spread neatly over my pillow, was a pair of purple satin panties with a note.

"Just a little something for you to sniff while you relieve the tension you're under. After all, I caused it."

.................................................

For two months life was pretty good. I would see Shondra about once during the week, not counting karate lessons, and we generally spent the weekends with each other.

I started helping her with her homework, she was a little shaky in English and science. Both were good subjects for me. I helped her until she started to try to get me to do it for her, so I quit. I also made it clear that I had no interest in anyone without a diploma being in any plans I had for the future. She started working harder.

I did something to come back to haunt me. If she did really good on a test, I would do something special for her, or buy her something. Living on a fixed income, she didn't get a lot of new clothes. So if she got an A on a test, there would be a cute top in her future. Raise a grade average up, jeans or new sneakers.

My niece didn't approve of us, but she kept an eye on her. She told me she was starting to get arrogant about her new clothes and relationship, bragging she could get me to buy her anything she wanted. She talked about what she was gonna do about redecorating my house, and what kind of car I was going to get her. It managed to alienate her from just about everyone, black and white. Finally she bragged that if I got stubborn, all she had to do was give me a whiff of her pussy and I would cave.

One of the football players she had an on again, off again relationship with before me started sniffing around, telling her how much he missed her, how he was gonna be a big man at the college he was going to go to on a football scholarship, and the big bucks he would be making when went pro. She started listening, especially when he started talking about big money. 

It was Christmas break, the schools were out, and most manufacturing plants were closed for the holidays. I had to work Thursday and Friday, as a supervisor for a repair crew. It was a big deal to me, it meant they were considering me for promotion. Shondra took a dim view.

"When we gonna party, honey?"

"Later. This is a good thing for me, it could lead to more money. It'll only be until eight, that gives us plenty of time."

Of course we ran into a problem, and I didn't get off until ten. I called, and she was pissed. She told me to go home since it would be so late. Of course I went straight over. Imagine my surprise when she wasn't there.

"Sorry Bobbie, she went off with Gail to do a little shopping. They should be back soon, according to her note."

The words weren't out of her mouth when Gail walked in.

"Where's Shondra?"

She shrugged.

"I have no idea. I haven't seen her since this morning. Why?"

Gram showed her the note.

"Oh shit! I bet she went to the party."

I felt myself getting a little red.

"What party?"

Realizing she said too much, she had to backtrack.

"Never mind. I bet she slipped out to get your present. Why don't you come back tomorrow and have breakfast with us."

"Here's the deal. I admire the way you went to bat for your sister, but you said too much. If I don't know where this party is at in one minute, I'm going to start making phone calls when I get home. You forget how many nieces and nephews go to her school. I'll know where it's at in an hour.

And I will show up, and I will see what's going on for myself." 

I waited, she didn't say a word.

"Good night. I don't think I'll make breakfast tomorrow."

Gram stopped me.

"Hold on, Bobby. Gail, if you know anything, tell him."

"All right. Marcus had been after her all week to go to this party the football team was having. She really wanted to go, but knew you'd never do it. I bet that's where she is."

I snorted.

"No wonder she told me to go on home when I called and told her I'd be late. Where is this party?"

"Don't go" Gail said, "it's black only. You wouldn't get past the door."

"Oh, I don't know. I bet I could charm my way in. Where is it?"

Gail sighed. "I'll take you. Maybe I can get you in, if they think you're with me. Promise me you won't do something stupid."

I gave her my best smile. "I promise."

It was in an old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. There was about thirty cars in the yard, and funk was blasting so loud you could hear it through the door.

"Hold on to me, and remember your promise."

There was a huge guy at the door, no high schooler this one.

Gail had to yell in his ear. He looked at me and shook his head. I leaned into him like I wanted to say something, grabbed his nuts and squeezed, hard. I never let go as I eased him into an old recliner, yanking once before I turned to Gail.

Gail couldn't see what I was doing and was giving me a look when I yelled in her ear.

"He said we could go right in."

I took her hand and walked in. Weed hung in the air like a fog. There was a keg and some liquor bottles in the corner. Everybody was pretty much trashed, and we didn't see Shondra anywhere.

I started opening doors. In ever one, there were one or more couples making out. I wondered how many laws I had seen violated. Underage drinking, drugs, if this party got raided, there would be a lot teens doing a lot of explaining to a lot of people. After going through all the bedrooms down stairs, I started up the stairs.

Word got out a crazy honky was loose in the house, and the less drunk ones tried to slow me down. I was almost to the top when the first one grabbed me. A knee to the face sent him tumbling down, knocking everyone behind him into a pile.

I found her in the first bedroom, with Marcus. In times of crisis you noticed the tiniest of details. She had on the purple panties she had left at my house months ago. That was all she had on. Marcus was naked, and they were in a lip lock. I don't know how buzzed she was, but not enough to not recognize me and the situation she was in.

"Bobby! Noooo!"

That was all she got out before I was turned around and headed out. I saw all I needed to see.

One guy tried to stop me, but I threw him over the rail. He just lay where he landed.

After that they parted like the Red Sea while I walked out. Gail had Shondra by the hand, in her panties and a shirt, and her shoes and pants in her arms. Marcus was right behind them.

Gail hustled her into the backseat of the jeep. Marcus came up right in front of me, screaming at the top of his lungs while the rest stood on the front porch.

He was trying to save face, and he was really pissed. Again, he was screaming at the top of his lungs so his buddies could here.

"I was going to kick your ass, but the little whore ain't worth mixing it up with a crazy cracker. Her head jobs ain't that good. Get off the yard."

He was just drunk enough to think he sounded menacing and tough.

"How would you know what a blowjob feels like? Most girls use your needle dick for a toothpick.

Everybody knows you cry when they make fun of your equipment. I'm pretty sure they used your dick as the template for tootsie roll juniors.

Do you get royalties from the candy factory?"

They were laughing, and he went crazy. It was short, ugly, and fun. He was on the ground, trying to get his breath.

"Better get up, cunt. You're between me and the road, and I'm kind of in a hurry. I have to get Gail and the slut back before her grandmother gets worried, so get out of the way, fast.

It had been raining off and on, with snow flurries, for days. I didn't have the hubs locked, but the rear tires managed to coat a few cars on the way out. The last I saw of Marcus he was rolling into a ditch full of water to keep from getting run over.

Gail was trying to talk, Shondra was trying to talk between sobs and screams, and I was getting a headache.

"NOT ANOTHER FUCKING WORD UNTIL WE GET HOME! I mean it, shut up!"

It quieted down to snuffles until I pulled in the drive. I got out and yanked the door open.

"Everybody out and into the house. I mean now! Go!"

Shondra tried to talk to me.

"Not a word, you jail bait whore! Get your ass into the house and tell your Grams how proud she can be of your actions tonight. Here."

I reached into the back and pulled out some wrapped presents.

These are for Gail and your grandmother. One or two might be for you. Consider them goodbye gifts."

I carried them onto her porch, laying them on the table. She followed like a puppy. She had managed to get her pants on, but still held her shoes in her hands.

"Go on in before you get a cold. We're through. Don't call, I won't talk to you. Don't show up, I won't let you in and you'll have to walk home. Goodbye, bitch."

I got in the Jeep while Gail and Gram tried to get her up. She had collapsed on the porch. I didn't look back.

................................................

Of course she ignored what I told her and called until I stopped answering the phone. I went out and bought an answering machine so I could pick up when it was someone besides her.

I took one phone call from Gale.

"She's devastated, you know."

"Don't care."

"Yes you do, or you wouldn't sound so pissed."

I sighed.

"You're right, I am pissed, and disappointed. I was actually starting to make plans. Well, better I find out now, instead of later. It's easier to break up than get divorced."

I heard a scream and the sound of a phone dropping. Apparently she had been listening in on an extension. I starting hanging up.

"Wait, Bobby! I didn't know she was listening in.

Please, is there any way you can get over this?"

I let the bitterness come out.

"Yes. Let's go back in time and see if she makes the same mistake. One of the last things a man wants to see is his woman, almost naked, locking lips with another guy. She never really loved me, it was an ego thing for her. Tell her to leave me alone. I mean it. Give my best to your grandmother."

I didn't go to karate for a week. I had projects around the house I wanted to do, and I did not want to see Shondra. The next week I went back. It was something I enjoyed, and no jail bait slut was going to ruin it for me. Or so I thought.

Her mouth flew open when I walked in, and she was on me immediately. I gently pushed her away.

"Stop now. I'm not interested in touching you, talking to you, or being around you. I'm here to learn. Get another practice partner. I am."




Chocolate and Caramel Ch. 01



I walked by her as the tears started.

It was tense in the dojo that day. Most of our friends knew we were in a quasi-relationship, and that something had happened. When it came time to practice what we had learned, I grabbed a new student, a blond lady in her thirties. Up until then, I had never seen a black person go pale, and then red at the same time.

If looks were blows, the blond and I would have been a broken pile of bones. She snarled at the blond as everyone was leaving, and she flinched.

I immediately asked her what she said. She looked scared to death.

"She said she'd kill me with her bare hands if I came anywhere near you again."

It got worse. I finally quit going, and started looking for another dojo.

A few weeks later my old sensei came to visit.

I didn't let him get comfortable before I asked what he wanted. Of course, he wanted me to come back.

"Sorry, I'm not comfortable there anymore. I appreciate what you taught me, but there's too much drama. I can't concentrate on learning with that going on."

There was no way for me to know at the time, but he was losing students. Several schools with new styles had opened, and there were only so many in this little town who wanted to learn. Joe told me one day when I ran into him at the grocery store

that quite a few of the older ones were leaving.

Besides losing students, sensei was getting divorced. Seems he was giving private lessons to one of his married students, that involved naked sparring.

I would see Shondra on the street from time to time. I ran into Gale and we had lunch.

"She's miserable. Gram has been giving her a pretty hard time, she's almost on lockdown."

I knew from my niece she was dating Marcus.

"I'm sure she's found someone who can console her. I don't want to talk about it anymore."

I had the last laugh. Shondra and Marcus were walking down the sidewalk, and she saw me sitting in my Mustang. She immediately started clinging to him, whispering. Marcus looked up and stuck his chest out, grinning. He stopped grinning when the girl I was dating came out of the store. A tall, slender blonde with a great rack, she was a walking wet dream.

I got out and opened her door, giving a big smooch. I made sure they heard us.

"Come on, honey, I want a little snuggle time before we go to bed."

She laughed.

"You know as well as I do every time we try to snuggle we end up screwing. We've got all night, no need to hurry. If you can't get enough tonight, there's always tomorrow morning."

I'm pretty sure people in the next county could see my grin. I acted like I just saw them.

"Hello Shondra" I said with a smile. "Nice day, huh? I'd love to talk, but it would be rude to keep my girlfriend waiting. Bye now."

It gave me a great deal of satisfaction to see her start crying while Marcus got pissed.

.................................................

The blond was a short term thing. Oh, she was good in bed, but to put it plainly, she was dumb as a rock. As much as any twenty two year old loves to fuck, you just don't spend that much time at it. If you can't carry a conversation, the rest of the time is uncomfortable.

She met a biker at a bar, who was even less interested in conversation than she was. It was a match made in heaven. I hated losing the pussy, but was glad she was gone.

The style of karate I had been learning was Japanese karate, a style that relied on strikes and kicks primarily. The new dojo I joined was an offshoot of Chinese kung fu, that relied heavily on grappling techniques. It was quite an adjustment.

I held a brown belt in my old style, but wore a plain white one in my new one. The sensei introduced me to the class, telling them what dojo I had left. He wanted me to spar with one of his instructors to see my skills and decide where I would be ranked after I learned the basis katas, stylized moves designed to instill the basics to newcomers.

The instructor he put against me was a jerk, taunting me before the match about how bad he was going to embarrass me. It was a mental game designed to get me unbalanced. I just smiled instead of taunting back, which disturbed him, putting him off his game.

We danced around for about a minute before he made his first strike, a palm to the chest, designed to immobilize, followed by an arm drag to put me on the ground for a submission hold. A lot of MMA fighters use it today. I saw it coming, swayed out of the way, and tapped him on the cheek to score points. The class laughed, he turned red, and from there on in it was full contact.

He caught me with a turn fist that sent me rolling. I was up and on balance before he could pursue the advantage, catching his rush and redirected his momentum straight into the wall. He became even more enraged, and pressed me, hard. I was bleeding from a split lip and one eye was swelling shut, but he had a gash on his cheek and what would be some nasty bruises on his chest by tomorrow. I saw in his eyes this wasn't just a sparring session, he meant to put me down.

I waited. He had tried several times to grapple me to the ground, so I faked exposing my front, and he grabbed my lapels to pull me down. I brought my left arm up and twisted sideways, clinching his arms into my chest, immobilizing them. I gave him four three inch punches so fast my hand looked like a blur. He was stunned, and I let go and continued turning, pulling him forward. Three quarters through the turn, I smashed a hard elbow to the back of his head, knocking him cold. He dropped like a rock.

I stood swaying, gasping for breath,while the class stood there stunned.

The sensei was frowning. I bowed to him, apologizing. He stopped me.

"You did what was required. You defended yourself and showed me your training. It wasn't supposed to come to real blows. You have my apologies."

He looked down at his assistant, just coming around.

"Leave this dojo. Don't come back for three weeks, and then I expect a full apology to Mr. Turner and your class mates. Is this understood?"

He nodded, standing on wobbly legs. His look towards me was pure hatred. I made a mental note to never turn my back on him.

I settled in, enjoying the class and the style.

The sensei asked me to spar with him about six weeks later. It was an honor I couldn't refuse.

Despite doing my best, it was obvious he could take me down at will. Then at the end of the match, I surprise him with a move from my old style, and before he knew it I had him on the ground trying to put a submission hold on him.

He got away, just barely. The class was shocked.

He asked me to stay for a few minutes after class.

I expected him to chew me out. I was wrong.

"Good match. Have you ever thought about participating in tournaments? I believe with your speed, you'll do well."

I looked at his trophy case. It didn't have too many in it, because he was new to the area and they had only been to a couple of tournaments.

The more trophies, the more business. Everyone loved a winner.

"Never really thought about it. I got into martial arts for self defense, and found I really liked it. Do you really think I'd do well?"

So just like that I got into the competitive side of martial arts.

I was pretty nervous the first time out, and it showed. It was point fighting, no heavy blows. The object was to score points by slipping past the defenses of your opponent and making contact that would have put them down in the real world. No striking below the belt, crotch, throat, or other areas that could cause real damage. After what I had learned it was a bit constrictive, but I adapted.

I made it to the quarterfinals before I lost. My sensei was pleased with my performance, and gave me extra training. I bulked up to one eighty, the most I had ever weighed in my life.

I made it to the semifinals the next outing, and got a small trophy. The next time out I won, and won about five out of six for the next year.

I was surprised to see Shondra at these events. The sensei made her compete, to try to rebuild his customer base. I had to admit she was good, winning most of the time.

The women usually went first. She was in the final, and her opponent was even bigger than she was, and as skilled. Still, she was holding her own until she saw me in the audience. She lost her concentration and her opponent got her into submission. Her sensei was furious, dressing her down in front of everyone until one of the officials spoke to him. Shondra, of course, was crying. I felt bad for her, and would have spoken to her, but my match was coming up.

I had the advantage, because I saw her first, so when I saw her in the stands I was able to block her out and concentrate on the fight. I made it to the final match with her cheers and yells ringing in my ears. Unfortunately, it was one of the rare ones I lost. Still, we got a small trophy to go into the case.

She was waiting for me when I came out of the dressing rooms.

"Hi Bobby. Good match. I see yours skills are getting better."

She was surprised when I smiled.

"Thanks, Shondra. Sorry you lost your match. I see you finally got your black belt, congratulations."

She sighed.

"Thanks. I put a lot of time into it. Have you got yours yet?"

I was wearing a blue belt, in my form that was roughly equal to a first degree black belt in hers, but I didn't tell her that.

"I'm working on it."

I glanced at my watch.

"Sorry, Shondra. I have to go. It was good to see you."

I didn't have anywhere to go, I just didn't want to admit how being around her brought up old feelings. I still missed her.

She looked even sadder.

"I understand, Bobby. It was good to see you. I guess I'll see you at the next tournament."

She turned in the other direction, then looked over her shoulder.

"Bobby, for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I guess I was really was just a silly school girl. But that doesn't mean it I don't regret what I did, and what I lost. Just wanted you to know."

Before I could answer she was running down the hall.

..............................................

I thought about her a lot for the next few weeks, and saw at almost every tournament. She was getting better, more confident.

I had tested and earned my black belt. I never wore my belts much. I wasn't really interested in the belts, but the knowledge they represented. 

The guy I beat the first time in the dojo still harassed me when the sensei wasn't around, to the point of making the other students nervous. They got a little back by reminding him the first time didn't work real well for him.

I don't know if he was in a bad mood, or was just being a little bit more of an ass than usual, but he made a crack about Shondra.

"Still seeing that little nigger gal? How is nigger pussy? Probably loose as hell, I hear they start out pretty young. What's the matter, can't get a white woman interested in your little dick?"

He didn't get the response he was looking for.

"I wouldn't know about little dicks, that's your department. And it's great, by the way. You know what they say, once you go black you never go back. I hope you can at least fuck better than you can fight, or you would be a complete wimp."

I slapped my elbow into my palm. reminding of what happened to him last time.

About half the class was black, and they were looking at both of us in amazement.

"He's right, Greg. You've rubbed that pathetic excuse for a cock all over me during practice. It bored me. You've made it clear you'd like to screw me but wouldn't be seen in public with me. I was really glad, being seen in public would seriously damage my reputation."

The speaker was an attractive black woman in her thirties. Apparently Greg had tried to hustle her at some point.

He lost all color and charge me, stopping just short of me. Then he stepped up and put his foot on top of mine. I realized I was in deep trouble.

If he pushed me backwards and didn't step off, it would break my ankle. He knew I would have to pull him with me to avoid it, and was prepared to block me.

Instead of grabbing him, I leaned in and gave him something they rarely did in martial arts, a wicked head butt. I'm pretty sure I felt his nose break.

It caused him to lose his concentration, and I grabbed him and threw him over my head as I sank to the floor, and was on him before he could recover. I was fixing to give him a first class old school ass kicking before I was dragged off him. It took all three assistants to hold me still.

My sensei put his face in front of mine.

"Calm!" he said in a quiet voice. I immediately stopped struggling. A few of the higher ranked students were holding Greg.

His first remarks were directed to Greg.

"you are an embarrassment to your classmates and your dojo. Did you learn nothing from your suspension?"

Before he could say anything, the black woman who had spoke bowed to the sensei.

"I honor you, sensei, but I refuse to stay in a dojo that has him as a representative in it. Good night."

Before it was over, half the class, black and white, left for the night.

He looked Greg over.

"I should turn you loose and let you fight. Bobby would win, and I think he would hurt you badly. But it is better I ban you, for your own good, and the good of my business. You have real talent, but you can't control your temper. I hope you can find someone who can teach what you need to learn. Now go!"

He turned to me with sad eyes.

"And you, Bobby. I expected more out of you."

For the first time, I felt ashamed of the way I handled it.

Then he smiled.

"Your punishment will be taking his place as an assistant here. You're qualified now, and I suddenly need the help."

Now, alongside my day job, I was spending three nights a week and two Saturdays a month at the dojo. It seemed I had an affinity for children, so I taught their class two nights a week.

Shondra and I continued to see each other at tournaments. We stayed friendly, but that was all. Then one day I was leaving a tournament and found her standing beside my Jeep.

"I got left behind because I wanted to see you fight. I don't have a way home. I promise I'll be quiet. Please, Bobby."

It all came out in a rush, like one long sentence.

She knew I wouldn't leave her, so I just opened the door.

We rode in silence for a few minutes before I pulled into McDonalds. She looked at me, wide eyed.

"You hungry? I didn't eat breakfast this morning."

Her smile was a ray of sunshine.

"What can I get?"

I played along.

It's McDonalds. Order what you want. You know what I want."

I handed her a twenty and used the restroom. I stood beside her in line, getting a few stares.

We ate in almost silence.

"Bobby, can we talk?"

"About what?"

"About how bad I screwed up. You were right, I was a spoiled little schoolgirl. I had an opportunity most women like me will never have, and I blew it. I said it before, but I'll say it again. I'm sorry, and I really wish I had a time machine, so I could do it right."

She could tell I was a little uncomfortable with the conversation and rushed on.

"I know it makes no difference to you now, but I've never had sex with Marcus or anybody else from the time we got together. It was awful of me to go to that party, and I didn't go there to do you wrong. You were working and I wanted a little fun. The booze and the weed got to me. Again I'm sorry."

She would have said more but I stopped her.

"Stop, Shondra, I accept. It's in the past. Now, sweetie, before we go, do you want a shake? You've still go my change. I'd like one too, chocolate."

She started smiling and didn't stop until she got home. Five miles down the road she took my hand and I didn't pull it back. She insisted I say hi to Gram and Gail, so I did.

Her grandmother looked at me.

"Wal, you're the last person I thought I'd ever see again. How are you son?"

I had always liked her so I grinned back.

"Underfed. I haven't had a good piece of pie in months. That's a hint, Gram."

"You must be the luckiest white boy in the world. I just pulled a chocolate pie out of the oven. It's still warm. I'll put the coffee on."

Sondra got jealous of Gail and her grandmother as we kind of ignored her and caught up. Gail had one more quarter to go to get her nursing diploma from the community college she was attending.

"That's great! It's always handy to have a nurse in the family."

I think she blushed, she didn't get a lot of praise.

Gram gave me the rest of the pie to take home. Shondra walked me to the door. She wanted to say something, but changed her mind.

"See you at the next tournament, Bobby."

She reached up and kissed me on the cheek, and ran back into the house.

................................................

She was waiting beside my car the next two times we were at tournaments together. We fell back into our old routine, eating fast food, and talking over the table while we ate whatever dessert her gram had made that day.

The next time she didn't stay to ride with me. I had to admit I missed her on the ride home.

She had put an envelope on the seat of my Jeep. It was an invitation to her high school graduation in two weeks. I told my sensei not to schedule anything for me that week.

I dressed in my best suit, bought a nice bouquet of flowers and a gift certificate to an upscale womens' store. I sat with Gram and Gail, and got my share of looks. She got tears in her eyes when she saw me.

I had a niece and a nephew graduating, so after the ceremony I went to them and gave them their gifts. One set of parents were polite, the other, especially the mother, were almost rude. I was puzzled until I realized, they weren't happy with who I sat with during the ceremony.

I left and went back to Gail and Gram. Shondra was there looking around. She looked near tears.

Her face lit up when she saw me, and she did start crying when I gave her the flowers. I opened my arms and she dove in.

"Thank you, Bobby, for the gifts, but mostly for coming. It means a lot."

Ignoring the looks, I escorted the girls to my car, insisting I be allowed to take them to dinner. It was the most expensive restaurant in town.

The hostess hesitated when she saw us, and showed us to a table close to back. I was about to complain when Gail stopped me.

"Get used to it if you spend time with us. Fast food places don't care, but this place is owned by a confirmed klan member. He can't stop us from coming in, but he doesn't have to like it."

Despite the cool reception, we had a good time.

I took them home, and got a kiss from each one. Shondra's lasted about two minutes. My tonsils never felt cleaner.

.................................................

The next day she appeared at my door, pushing past me when I opened it.

She stood in the middle of the living room looking defiant.

"I'm a little pissed at you, Bobby."

"Why are you pissed at me?"

She smirked. 

"Because you forgot my birthday. I turned eighteen two weeks ago. You didn't even get me a card."

My faced reddened. I had forgotten her birthday.

"I'm sorry, babes. I'll make it up to you. Tell me what you want and I'll get it for you."

"All I want is in, Bobby."

She could tell I was confused. She rushed on, trying to get it out before I could stop her.

"I want in your life. I want in your heart. And right now, most of all, I want in your bedroom, in your bed, and you in me. Please Bobby, even if it's just once. Please?"

She was walking towards me, unbuttoning her shirt. She got to the last button as she reached me. The white lacy bra showcased her black breasts perfectly.

We must have stood rooted to that spot for five minutes before she broke and tugged me towards my bedroom.

Clothes flew in all directions. Soon we were naked, and I had her on the bed. I stopped, and she looked up.




Chocolate and Caramel Ch. 01



"What are you doing?"

"Looking at perfection. Give me a minute to let my brain record this."

Instead of being self conscious she relaxed, put her hands above her head and spread her legs.

"Don't take too long. We got business."

She was looking directly at my dick, standing straight out almost at eye level.

Her body was amazing. Smooth, supple skin, wide hips, and proud breasts standing tall even when she was flat on her back. I stroked the long dark nipples until they were hard as rocks, rolling them with my fingers and tongue. She was making little whimpering noises, trying to reach me. I stopped her and slid down her soft stomach. I felt her tense when my tongue slipped below her navel. I slid over her pubic hair, marveling how silky it felt. She again tried to tug me up. I was not to be deterred.

She moaned as I kissed the inside of her thighs, and gasped as my tongue slid slowly up her slit. She almost screamed when I slid my tongue in a slow circle around her clit before flicking it lightly. Her hands went to my head and gripped tightly.

"Bobby, baby, what are you doing? Please get up here, I need you in me. Please, Bobby. What..what are you doing? Oh, Oh, OHHH! Yes, Bobby, there, right there. Don't stop, baby, please don't stop."

I was working her clit at a furious pace, and when I reached up and slipped two fingers in, her climax hit and she screamed, arching her body off the sheets. I never stopped working her as she collapsed back onto the bed. Just as she was about to cum again I slipped up in a quick, fluid motion and buried into her in one long thrust.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed as I kept pounding. She started rolling her hips, thrusting up as hard as she could. I tried to hold it back, but after ten minutes there was no denying. I came with an intensity I had never felt. I had stopped to savor the moment but she was still thrusting, milking me dry. I collapsed on her, trying to roll over, but she had her legs wrapped around me, refusing to let me off.

Finally she loosened her legs and I slipped beside her. We fondled and kissed for a few minutes before she decided to speed things along. It felt like a moistened, heated, vacuum line had been attached to my dick. She had it rock hard in three minutes. A minute later I was flat on my back as two of the most perfect melons I had ever seen swayed above me. I reached out, pulled, tugged, and roused her nipples to diamond cutter hardness. She placed her hands over mine urging me to get rougher, squeeze tighter. She shoved her left breast in my mouth.

"Mark me! You own this now, let the world know!"

It's hard to put a noticeable bruise on chocolate brown skin, but I succeeded on both. She was slamming me hard and fast.

Fifteen minutes later we lay side by side, huffing like we had just finished a marathon. She snuggled to me, sighed, and went to sleep. I was right behind her.

It took her about three weeks before she talked me into letting her move in. We hardly went anywhere, reveling in the newness off our relationship, getting to know all the intimacies of each others' bodies. When we did go out, all we had was eyes for each other, so we didn't notice the reactions we got.

..................................................

Over the next few months the reality of our relationship was forced upon us.

People can say they understand, but until they've lived it, they really can't. It starts out hard and gets harder.

We didn't notice the slight slurs at first. Let me rephrase that, Shondra noticed but was so imbued with it by now that it barely registered.

When we became engaged it got a lot worse.

I took her over to Sunday lunch with my family. They weren't unfriendly, but they weren't welcoming. My mother pulled me off to the side just before we left. There was pain in her eyes.

"I'm glad your daddy didn't live long enough to see this. His son, a nigger lover. I love you, but she's not welcome. Don't ever bring her around here again."

I didn't see my mother for seven years.

My brothers and all but one of my sisters broke contact. If I saw them on the street I refused to speak.

My chances at advancement in my job dried up. The production manager was a Klansman, and when people with less experience and seniority started getting promoted, I saw the writing on the wall.

The plant manager seemed shocked when I put in my notice. He called me into his office.

"I'll not beat around the bush, Bobby. Why are you quitting?"

He doesn't know, I thought.

"I'm leaving sir, because I've been passed over twice for jobs, given both times to less qualified and senior people. I'm sure they'll do a good job, but honestly, I'm still having to train one of them."

"I'm an ambitious person. I've gotten married, and hoping to have a family someday. I need to advance wherever I am to improve their quality of life."

He was stunned.

"I asked why you didn't get those jobs, and Gerry said you weren't interested."

I actually laughed.

"Well then, it appears I have poor communication skills as well. I'm sorry, but my decision stands firm. I do thank you for the opportunities I've had. I learned a lot."

I heard later the plant manager kept a closer eye on Gerry, even threatened him with demotion if he didn't improve.

Good ol' Gerry jumped me a few months later in the parking lot of the grocery store.

"You goddamned nigger lover! You almost got me fired. Me and the boys ought burn a cross in your yard some night, teach you a little respect."

It made him angrier when I laughed at him.

"Why don't you do that very thing, Gerry, if you've got the balls. I'll be glad to see you. It'll help, being in those white sheets. Makes for an easier target, and I hear they make good bandages."

I was in his face by now and he paled a little. In a voice soft enough that only he could hear, I continued.

"You don't hold any power over me any longer. I don't work for you any more. So there's not a lot to keep me from kicking your ass on general principles. And Gerry, a cross gets burned in my yard, and before the ashes get cold I'll burn your fucking house down with you in it. Understand me?"

He looked terrified.

..................................................

We got married by a justice of the peace just over the line in the next state. The only people there to bear witness were Gail and Gram.

We went on a three day honeymoon at a beach that was traditionally black. Shondra really filled out a bikini well. I got a lot of angry looks from young black men. 

Our last night there we took a stroll on the beach. Three men our age approached us, drunk, to rescue the sister from the white man.

It was kind of funny when they threatened to beat me up. After all, we were two black belts. I tried to be reasonable but Shondra got bored and put two of them on their knees before grinning at the third.

"Black belt, asshole. My husband holds an even more advanced belt than me. I left you for him. His feelings get hurt when I don't share."

He looked at her, me, his friends on the ground, and decided he'd rather be somewhere else. Her laughter followed him down the beach.

We went back to the room, showered, and tried to make love all night long. We mostly succeeded.

We were on the third floor, and I talked her into making love on the balcony. It was a full moon, and the sight of my pale body pounding into her from behind as she held onto the railing was something I'll remember the rest of my life. 

She got a little vocal there at the end, and a voice drifted up from below.

"Damn! You go girl! Wear that white boy out."

Shondra giggled as I collapsed against her back, fondling those magnificent breasts.

"I already have sister, I already have"

The laughter from below followed us as we closed the door.

................................................

That first summer will remain in my memory forever.

We broke my full size bed, and we bought a sturdier queen size and damn near broke it too.

I had to drive further for my new job, and between that and working part time at the dojo really cut into our time during the week.

I gave Shondra the Mustang, and she got a part time job at her old dojo as an instructor. It only paid minimum wage, but it gave her something to do and some spending money. We still fought in tournaments.

She didn't want to, but I talked her into taking some business classes at the community college. After she got there she started enjoying it, and got pretty good grades.

We were together for two years before we started talking about a family. Well, I did. Shondra was only twenty, and many of her friends were mothers, sometime two or more. Many were single.

She didn't like what she saw.

"Honey, think it over. Ginny never married and now she has three kids, three different dads. She's making a living off child support and welfare. Bobbi has two, Stella has two, Gina has one. None of them are married. We're different."

She got offended, thinking I was belittling her friends because they were black.

"That's not true. Wendy, Janice, Teresa, all unmarried, all white. I only mentioned the others because they were your friends and these aren't."

"Now look at Anne. She and her husband have two and are as happy as can be. Same with Joan, Brenda, and Alice. All with kids, all happy, all married to good men."

"The point I'm trying to make here is you won't be alone. I'll be there, always. You should know by now I'll be involved in their lives. I'll help feed them, change them, hold them when they cry, sit up with them when they're sick."

She saw my argument, but asked me to wait another year.

Ten days before my twenty fifth birthday a miracle occurred. Joshua Robert Turner arrived, eight pounds, twelve ounces. Shondra was in labor fourteen hours. The doctors told her to make all the noise she wanted, it would speed things along, so for the whole time she screamed and ranted, mostly about me. Most of it wasn't very complimentary and she apologized later, saying the next one better be easier or what I heard would be like a testimonial to my good nature.

To my surprise my youngest sister came to see us in the hospital, and even brought a little gift. She had remained neutral and was all the contact I had left with my family. It had been almost three years since I had spoken to my mother.

"She misses you real bad Bobby, especially around Christmas. She holds a picture of you and cries."

I recalled her last words to me.

"The day she calls me and asks me to bring my family to visit, I'll be there. Until then, she's just as dead to me as I am to her."

My sister cried for a second before patting my arm.

"I know where you get your stubborn streak from. Well, I thought I'd try. He's a beautiful baby, Shondra, let's hope he doesn't inherit that particular trait."

She bent over and kissed her cheek, gave me a big hug, and left.

Three years later Shondra had an Associate degree in Business, and was working full time at her dojo while waiting for a response from all the resumes she had sent out. She got a couple of interviews but nothing came of it. She blamed it on her being black.

She had developed from an attractive teen to a stunning woman in her early twenties. I had no idea what she had to go through to get her hair into those long, satiny tresses. I asked her once why she didn't go for a more natural look. Her response about being a 'nappy headed Aunt Jemima'

caught me by surprise.

Since Shondra worked most nights, I continued to work at my dojo. There was a lot of resentment from my old teacher, especially since we had reconciled and married. He even offered me a part time position if I came back.

I declined. One of the reasons was the sensei seemed erratic at times, and I didn't like the way his personality had changed. Shondra said he didn't have a very good home life. He had remarried, to a Japanese woman he met while finishing out the requirements for receiving his tenth degree belt. Apparently they weren't getting along.

I liked the new style and the sensei much better. It was hard to pin point why, but I could tell the difference. Shondra had great loyalty, seemed to get upset if I said anything she remotely thought was a slight. I just stopped talking about him.

I thought we were doing fine. We squabbled like any young couple juggling a full life and a child, but nothing major, and we always apologized. She was spending a bit more time at her dojo. She said she was working with her advanced students, grooming them for upcoming tournaments.

It was always a little tense when we showed up at tournaments, especially if someone we trained was competing. I kept my comments low key, offering instruction, pointing out weaknesses, keeping them calm.

Shondra practiced the style her sensei held, yelling, dressing them down in public. It didn't help that my students usually won seventy five per cent of the time, regardless of who they were competing against. My teacher was pleased, his dojo was ten times the size it was three years ago.

I once asked her on the way home from a tournament if she was familiar with the concept of positive reinforcement, and she didn't talk to me for two days.

She didn't take to motherhood as well as I expected. Oh, she loved Josh and was proud of him, but he was more bonded to me, probably because I spent more time with me in the evenings.

Gram was an almost full time babysitter. She doted on Josh, and with Gail now married, it filled her days.

Things started unraveling in June of that year. Shondra was moodier, distant. I confronted her, and she blamed it on not getting a job suitable to her degree.

"Hon, this is a small town, realistically, there aren't that many positions available. If you want a job, you're going to have to branch out, look in other towns."

She hated the idea. Surprisingly, she didn't like to drive. We retired the mustang, keeping it, but getting her a new car. A new mustang,, the sport model. It was a straight drive, and she loved changing gears. I would have preferred a family car, but let her get it because it made her happy.

I traded my trusty old Jeep in for a Cherokee. Still four wheel drive, but not near as off road capable as my old CJ. It made a great family car, though.

I don't know what it was, what subtle signal that told me something was starting to go out of our marriage. The wild hot sex marathons had slowed over the years, but we still made love often as we could. It was just one day she seemed distracted all the time, not really paying attention to Josh or me.

He was a beautiful boy, the color of lightly creamed coffee. Smart as a whip, and that's not just proud parent talk. Just past four, he had learned from Gram to read simple words. I had no doubt he would be reading second grade level books in a year.

He was a daddy's boy, mostly because Mom worked nights. We bonded tightly, playing games, reading, watching television. Shondra would get home most nights around eight thirty. He would try to stay awake for her, but most times all she got was a chance to kiss him while he slept.

She was bitching about it one night.

"I have an easy solution for you. Quit, or at least cut back. I finally got the house paid for, we don't need the money that bad."

She didn't respond well.

"I bet you'd like that, me cooped up in the house all day. Next you'll be wanting another kid, that would lock me in for life."

I think we were both surprised by the venom in her voice. She apologized, but it stayed with me.

She started staying later at the dojo. She said it was to practice for her next belt test, the fourth level. I had gone as far as I could locally. I trained, but I would have to travel to New York, where the only qualified master lived. I intended to go one day.

Then things took a turn for the better. She got a good job, receptionist/assistant at a local office. She was delirious with joy, and bought a new wardrobe. It lasted six months before she was let go. There was a recession going at the time, and the office closed. They offered her a transfer, but the nearest opening was two hundred miles away. She was devastated.

I was doing very well at my new job. We made paper tubes, mostly for the textile industry. The exodus to China was still about twelve years away. Even in the slow economy we were doing well.

I started out running machines that made long tubes, but in a year they transferred me to the finishing section, where we cut, crimped, and slit a notch in tubes for yarn to be wound on.

Soon I worked my way up to lead man, just below a management position. My company was a huge, multinational outfit that had a finger in just about everything. They were always posting positions in Australia, South Africa, France, Canada, just about any place in the world.

I was actually recruited for Australia, but Shondra had just gotten her new job, and it would have broken Gram's heart if we took Josh away.

One day I was asked to change shifts, the night lead man had been in an accident. It was a test, because he basically ran the plant at night. It would only be for two weeks while he recovered. It would look good on my work record, so I agreed.

They needed me the next day, so they let me off at noon to make arrangements.

I didn't worry about it, Shondra had just lost her job, so we could watch Josh in the daytime, and Gram would watch him until Shondra got done with her class.

My Cherokee wasn't nearly as loud as my old CJ, so they didn't hear me pull up. Her sensei was parked in the drive. It was a spring day, cool but comfortable.

Shondra had the windows open, letting the house 'air out', get rid of the stale smells of winter. People weren't as addicted to air conditioning back then.

She was always a noisy lover. I heard her before I got to the front door. I slipped around the side of the house and looked in our bedroom.

There they were, her and her sensei, naked and banging like bunnies.

He sounded abusive, and she was enjoying it.

"That's right bitch. That wimpy assed white boy can't fuck like this, can he?"

She was squealing as he mauled her chest, slapping them.

"That's right, gonna loosen that pussy up, white boy won't be able to hit the walls."

He pulled out. I expected a monster, but it couldn't have been over five inches, even hard. It looked kind of funny, actually. But I wasn't feeling humorous.

I was about to go blasting in when I saw Josh's teddy bear. He hadn't even entered my mind. Realizing instantly I was about to get into a custody battle, I drew back, got into the Cherokee, and left. 

I drove down to the city park. Josh loved it, and it was a good spot to think. I wanted custody, that was a given. And I had to have proof to use in court. Technology was a new thing. Any camera I could get would be large and hard to conceal.

I had a cassette recorder that sat on a dresser. Sometimes I played cassettes I had bought on it. You could get a tape that would last for two hours. If they did sex talk like they did today, I could use it in my custody case. I heard they say they were going to do it again tomorrow. I would slip in and start the recorder, wait until they were really into it, and then confront them, getting it all on tape. A simple plan, but the best I could do. For the first time in years I had a racist thought, being white and her being black might give me an edge. I hated myself for thinking it until I thought of Josh. In my opinion we were about to go to war, and every advantage was useful.

I made plenty of noise coming back, but he was gone. She was flustered to see me.

"Bobby, what are you doing home so early?"

"Jim wrecked his car. He'll be out for at least two weeks. They want me to run his shift. Sorry, honey, but it could be a feather in my cap if it goes well."




Chocolate and Caramel Ch. 01



I watched her reaction. She recovered well.

"That's great honey. I'll hate it late at night, but maybe you'll get that promotion you want out of it. I'll miss you when I go to bed."

I grinned.

"Speaking of that, you're here, I'm here, there won't be any patter of little feet to interrupt us. How about it? Afternoon delight?"

I saw the panic in her eyes. He had just left and I knew she wasn't clean.

"That sounds great, hon. Let me take a quick shower, I've been grubbing around the house all day."

I grabbed her from behind as she turned, rubbing her breasts.

"Ummm. No bra. That'll save time."

She wriggled out of my arms.

"Stop it Bobby! I told you I need a shower."

I wanted to push it as far as I could.

"All right, we'll shower together, make sure we're all squeaking clean."

"No! Give me a minute."

I looked at her, watching as she was unwilling to meet my gaze.

"What's up, girl? You don't want me to touch you, you want a shower before we make love. It's almost as though you're hiding something. Something you need to tell me?"

She actually went pale, no mean feat on someone that dark, before she went bright red.

"You asshole! Is that what you think? Fuck you. No, wait, unfuck you. If you think you're getting any now, you're delusional."

She stomped into the bath and locked the door. I left to go get Josh.

Gram could tell something was wrong.

"You all right, Bobby? You don't look right."

I gave her a big hug, holding it. Her eyes were big when I let go, we didn't touch much.

"You know me and Josh will always love you, right? No matter what."

Tears came to her eyes.

"What did she do, Bobby? Can it be fixed?"

I let my own tears fall.

"No, Gram, I don't think it can."

I picked Josh up and took him to McDonalds for a happy meal. I got the usual stares, ignoring them.

One redneck got a little mouthy, but one look at me shut him up. I was primed and ready, and people could feel it. I did deep breathing exercises to calm down and get centered.

We went home, and he showed his Mom the toy he got in his meal, talking away like any happy four year old. I wondered as I watched him how happy he would be in a few weeks.

Shondra walked around me like the floor was covered with egg shells. I pretty much ignored her unless she asked a direct question. She sat on the couch looking miserable while I got Josh ready for bed. He kissed her goodnight and she wrapped him in a huge hug, only letting go when he started wriggling.

I came back from reading him a story. She had changed into a sheer gown, one of my favorites. She smiled, still looking nervous.

"Bobby honey, I'm sorry about this afternoon. I was just in a bad mood because I can't find another job. Would you like to go to the bedroom with me, let me make it up to you?"

I know I shocked the shit out of her when I refused. It was probably the first time in our lives that I didn't want to make love to her.

"I really don't feel like it tonight. I still think you're hiding something from me. You're not the same woman you were a year ago. If something is wrong, now is the time to tell me. Whatever it is, we can work through it."

There wasn't a chance in hell we were staying together, I just wanted to see if she'd come clean.

She went pale, then red.

"You asshole! The only thing wrong with me is being married to an idiot. I don't know what you've been imagining, but there is nothing wrong, nothing going on. I just need some space."

I looked at her until she dropped her eyes.

"Really? Look me in the eye, swear on the lives of Gail, Josh, and Gram everything is fine between us, and I'll forget my doubts. Swear it, Shondra."

She stood up, not looking at me.

"Fuck you and your over active imagination. I'm going to bed, alone. Don't even think about coming. I hope you like the couch."

I stood up, grabbed her and forced her to look in my eyes.

"I'm sleeping in my bed tonight. I bought it, I paid for it, just like I paid for this house. If you have an issue with that, you're the one who should make other sleeping arrangements."

I went past her into the bedroom, her mouth hanging in shock. Surprisingly, I went to sleep fairly quickly. She was in bed with Josh when I got up.

I left early, without much conversation.

................................................

I watched from the woods as she took Josh off to her grandmother. Forty five minutes later I saw asshole's car come down the drive. I slipped in the backdoor and turned the recorder on. Ten minutes later Shondra pulled it. They got out and hugged, swapping spit like teens. I had a good 35mm camera with a zoom. I got several very clear pictures.

I waited thirty minutes, getting more and more angry. By the time I slipped in the back door I was in a rage. It took all my training to remain quiet, but when I burst through the bedroom door I was screaming.

To say they were surprised would be accurate. He was doing her doggie, both hands on her sweet ass as he pounded. I took full advantage. Still coupled, My kick knocked them both off the bed.

He never had a chance. I was giving him the asswhipping of his life while Shondra was screaming for me to stop. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, and then things went dark.

...........................................

I was in jail, after three days in the hospital.

I tried to sit up but the pain made it too much effort.

I knew the jailer, we had gone through school together. He heard my groan and came in.

"Best lay still, Bobby. You're banged up pretty bad. Broke nose, broke finger, three broke ribs, Hairline fracture on your cheek. You look like shit. Black eyes, and bruises everywhere. He kicked your ass pretty good."

"Why am I in jail?"

"Shit, I forgot. You were out cold when you were arrested. Assault on a female, aggravated assault on a male. Your wife has a restraining order in place. Good thing you're here, you got nowhere else to go."

Two days later I made bail. I got my buddy the deputy to go with me to my house to remove my clothes. I almost lost it when I saw him sitting on my couch.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

He had no idea how bad I wanted to smack that smirk off his face.

"Shondra asked me to be here. I think she's actually afraid of you."

I was about to tell him they both needed to be when I felt Jim tighten up on my arm. Shondra came in just then. She refused to look at me.

"Shondra! Look at me. Are you really sure this is how you want things to be? This will be your only chance to tell the truth."

She looked up sullenly.

"I got nothin' to say to you."

I sighed.

"All right. When the smoke clears, just remember, you had a chance to make it right."

I picked up some clothes and personal items, making sure the tape recorder went with me.

I was in a world of trouble. Aggravated assault was a class C felony in our state. I took the recorder to the room I was renting, and got really lucky. There was thirty minutes of silence, then the bedroom door opened.

Shondra:

"I don't know about this. Maybe we should cool it for awhile. Bobby knows something is up."

Sensei[he insisted everyone call him that]:

"That honky is dumb as a rock. He really thinks you cleaned the dojo for lessons? I was tagging that sweet underage ass the whole time you were dating him. It really pissed me off when you stopped."

Shondra:

"Don't talk about him like that."

Sensei:

"all right. But if he ever finds out, I'll have to kick his ass."

Shondra:

"Don't be too sure about that. You haven't seen him fight lately. He's really good."

Sensei, laughing:

"Don't worry, it'll never come to that. Now, bring that magic mouth over here and let's get started."

There was about five minutes of slurping while he encouraged her.

"Damn, I never get tired of that. Get up on the bed bitch, let me slam this dark meat to you."

There was about fifteen minutes of them fucking while he talked shit. It would have been funny listening to him talk about his massive[five inch]cock if it hadn't been for who he was talking to. He told her to get up on her knees

'like a good bitch'. There was about five more minutes of them slamming together when you could hear the door slamming open and me screaming.

There was about ten minutes of the sounds of me kicking the shit out of him before it went silent.

You could hear Shondra saying over and over "shit, shit, shit"

Then she asked if he was all right.

"Hell no I ain't all right. Is my nose broke?"

You could hear his squeal as she tried to pull his nose straight.

"Ow! Motherfucker, that hurts. Thanks for knocking him out."

Shondra actually showed some decency.

"I didn't do it for you. I did it for him. I really thought he was going to beat you to death."

"Asshole caught me by surprise."

Shondra actually laughed.

"Wonder who he learned that from?"

There was a few seconds of silence before she spoke again.

"You better leave, he's gonna be really pissed when he wakes up. What are we gonna do?"

He grunted.

"We gotta come up with something or asses will be in a sling. My wife will kill me, literally. He'll divorce your ass anyway, but he might try to take your kid. We need to figure out how to make him the bad guy."

"How?"

There was another minute or two of silence.

"I got it!" He burst out.

"We'll say we were practicing new moves for a tournament coming up, he came in, accused us of screwing around, and started beating you. I had to knock him out to protect you. Fearing for your life, you called the cops."

She obviously thought about it.

"I see two big drawbacks to that plan. I don't have a scratch on me, and he's gonna tell his side when he wakes up."

I could hear myself stirring, then grunting as he kicked me. Shondra was screaming for him to stop.

"Teach that honky motherfucker to mess with me."

he said, finally.

When he got her calmed down he told her to shut her eyes.

"Why?"

"Sorry, babe, but if we're gonna sell this to the cops, I have to mark you up some. If you see it coming you'll react from instinct."

He split her lip, gave her a black eye, and squeezed her arms hard enough to leave bruises.

The tape ended just after they made the 911 call.

I played the tape for my lawyer. He made two copies, and gave one to the DA.

..............................................

The DA called them in, and asked them to repeat the events of the day, separately. They interviewed Shondra first, having her repeat the sequence of events that had put me first in the hospital, then in jail. She repeated what she had originally said, almost word for word.

"This is your official statement?"

"Yes sir it is."

The DA sighed.

He had a tape recorder going during the interview. He had her sign the paper copy as he rewound the tape.

As soon as she signed it, he asked her to review the tape for accuracy. As soon as he switched it on, my tape played. Her eyes became enormous. He nodded towards the deputy in the room.

"Shondra Turner, you are under arrest."

As he read her her rights, her mouth hung open in shock. She was handcuffed and seated.

It was like watching a building implode, she seemed to collapse from the inside. Tears leaked from her eyes as she made small whimpering sounds.

I was watching from the other side of the mirror.

Conspiracy. Aggravated assault. Filing a false police report. A few lesser charges. She was looking at four years.

Of course, she rolled, blaming the whole thing, including the affair, on him, saying she was forced to do it.

In the end, she had to move out and return Josh to me as she faced her trial. Gram took her in, unwillingly.

We struck a bargain. I dropped the assault charges against them if they did the same for me.

The conspiracy and false report charges were beyond me, they happened after I was unconscious. Plus, they had to pay my hospital bill.

My divorce wasn't as ugly as I thought it would be. Still under indictment, she couldn't fight over custody. I kept the house, but had to pay her half of the last three years of payments, because she worked and contributed to them. She got half the accounts, not very much. I refinanced the house and paid her off. She had to use the money for lawyers.

He didn't fare so well. His wife divorced him, after kicking his ass. Seems she was more skilled, having been raised by a grandfather who held a tenth degree belt.

He lost his dojo. After the story came out, most married women quit, pulling their kids out too. No new students appeared, and he went broke.

He got found guilty of the aggravated assault, a felony, and could never teach again anyway. Under pressure because of his statement of having sex with her before she was eighteen, he finally admitted, after Shondra gave a sworn statement, that he he been having sex with her since she was fourteen, he had statutory rape added to his charges because the statute of limitations hadn't run out.

He ended up doing two and a half years, disappearing as soon as he got out.

Shondra pled out to the conspiracy and false report charges, and ended up on probation. I got full custody, but allowed her visitation as often as she would like.

She got to see him often because she lived with Gram, and she kept Josh while I worked. She would have done it for free, but I paid her because I knew she could use the money.

After eight months she gave Shondra a choice. Get a job and move out. She got a minimum wage factory job packing socks into boxes. She hated it, but it brought money in.

Ed never returned after his wreck, and I got his job. In less than a year I was named night operations manager. A year after that I was recruited to go to Mexico, to help set up a plant there. If I stayed two years they guaranteed me a plant manager position.

I thought long and hard about it. It was too good an opportunity to pass up, and I thought Josh could benefit from being exposed to another culture. He was already encountering racism. I hoped another country might be a little more tolerant.

Since I had full custody and she was still on probation, Shondra couldn't stop me. In the end, she didn't even try to fight it.

She asked to see me right before we left. I had nothing to lose so I agreed.

"I want to apologize, Bobby. You were the best thing that ever happened to me, and I threw you away. I'd give anything to get you back, but I know I'd be wasting my time."

She looked really nervous.

"I'll probably be getting married soon. Since I can't have you, I'll have to take what I can get. Marcus is back, I'm sure you know he blew out his knee after a year in the pros. He had good insurance, and has a little money. He's trying to buy into the Ford dealership. It's pretty much a done deal. We've been dating. He's changed, and he really loves me."

I held judgement on that. Time would tell. If she was really just settling for the best offer, it was a doomed relationship.

We were leaving right after Christmas. Josh was seven now, old enough to understand we were going far away. He was sad and excited at the same time.

Gram was devastated. I tried to talk her into going with us, but she was afraid to leave her friends and Gail. I made sure she got to spend as much time as possible with Josh.

What really surprised me was how my mother reacted.

................................................

When the whole mess exploded, I was unconscious for thirty six hours. It was an induced coma so they could be sure of my head injuries. My sister was listed on my insurance as next of kin following Shondra and when they notified her she told the family. I woke up and saw my mom sitting beside me, holding Josh in her lap. I thought I was hallucinating.

"Mom?"

She didn't say a word as she gently put Josh down. Then she draped across me, crying violently.

"I thought I lost you! Then I realized I already had, years ago. I just had to see you, make sure you're going to recover. I just wanted to say I love you, and I'm deeply ashamed of the way I've treated you all these years. I'll go now."

I didn't let go of her.

"Please, momma, stay. I love you too."

The tears came harder for awhile. When she finally dried up, I asked her how she liked Josh.

"He's adorable! And smart as a whip, he has to get that from you. He has his grandfather's jawline."

She stayed, holding my hand. My sister and Gram had gone to get coffee,and ran into Gail. When they found out I was awake, a regular sobfest broke out. Josh and I just looked at each other in wonder.

We healed our rift, and did all my family except one older brother. He learned to keep his mouth shut at Sunday dinners pretty fast, so he tolerated Josh and I. It was enough.

He finally came around some when he gave Josh a slingshot he had made and taught him how to use it. After he hit eight tin cans in a row, he glowed under his praise.

"Thank you for teaching me, Uncle John."

We saw him flinch slightly, but he put his hand on his shoulder.

"You're welcome son."

Mom smiled happily.

She pitched a fit when I told her we were moving to Mexico.

"No! I just got you back. Please son, stay."

I never really opened up to anyone about how badly Shondra had hurt me. I put up a good front, but it wasn't unusual for me to wake up months later with tears sliding down my cheeks. I had sacrificed everything, even my family, to be with her. And she betrayed me like it was nothing.

I needed to be away, and this was a golden opportunity. I thought it would, I hoped it would, heal me. And I hoped it would be a better environment for Josh.

The day finally came. Gram, Gail, my family, all of them. The tears were flowing freely. Shondra showed up, hugging Josh tightly.

"Look, we're not that far away. We'll be back, or you can come and see us. I'm as close as a phone.

We love you all, but it's time to go."

I looked back just before we went through the gates, to see Gram and my mom hugging. A good note to leave on.

..................................................

Hope you liked the first part. Racism is still alive and well, it's just more subtle these days. 



Chocolate and Caramel Ch. 02



We arrived in Mexico, to a small town about forty miles from Mexico City. Culture shock doesn't begin to describe it.

I knew I was in a different world when I asked where the quality control equipment was stored, and they took me around back, to where it was still sitting in the shipping crates, in the weather, Some of it was ruined.

There was also a twenty acre pasture. Very few of our workers had cars. It was bikes, scooters and motorcycles, burros and horses, or they simply walked.

One of the hardest concepts for the workers to grasp was punctuality. They treated shift starts as more of a suggestion than a rule. I finally called the workers in in small groups, explained our goals in detail, gave them a weeks grace to get used to it, and started enforcing the attendance policy. After I fired the first three, the rest fell in line. I rehired the three after six months and never had another problem.

Another culture clash was the lunch period. At home, we worked a straight eight hours, taking twenty minutes for lunch, never stopping the machines.

Here, it was a fight to limit it to one hour. These people didn't carry sandwiches in a cooler or lunch bag, lunch was something of a production for them.

Don't get me wrong, they were excellent workers, loyal, intelligent, quick to understand. We were paying what amounted to twice what anyone else in the area was, so we got the cream of the crop. There were two more manufacturing facilities in town, a shirt factory and a knitting mill, and there was a little resentment. They actually had to raise wages to keep their people.

It took six months to get production up to speed. We tended to work a lot of overtime during that phase, something the workers weren't that keen about. I found that surprising.

"We work to live, hefe," explained Carlos, one of the lead men, "we don't live to work."

Interesting concept, to an American.

The two primary roads through town were all right, especially the one to Mexico City. All the secondary roads were unpaved, ranging from smooth gravel to goat paths. I had my trusty Cherokee brought down, along with a motorcycle, a 750cc Triumph I had bought just before we left.

A smaller Honda or Yamaha would have been better, but I had always liked British bikes. It was my main form of transportation.

Josh loved it in Mexico. Being a child, he assimilated and picked up the language much faster than I did. He also made friends a lot easier, kids are kids wherever you are, and nobody noted the color of his skin. In fact, if it weren't for his hair, he looked like a local with his light brown skin.

He attended a school set up just for us, a few dozen kids ranging from kindergarten to high school seniors. They were set up in two rooms and the classes were mixed, kindergarten through sixth in one room, seventh through twelfth in the other. It was further divided by teachers, three to a room. The company paid for everything. Despite the conditions, the standard of learning was high.

We lived in a little enclave for awhile, but a house became available that I fell in love with.

An old plantation house, left over from when large farms dotted the area. The land was long gone, but the house and grounds were still well taken care of.

A low, rambling house with wide verandas, set up like a square U, living room, dining room, and kitchen in the middle, bedrooms in the wings. Red tile roof set off by fresh coats of whitewash.

There was a barn, ten acres of pasture, and a large field for a garden if we wished.

It also came with a maid, a cook, and a groundskeeper, all one family living separately in a three bedroom bungalow.

I got the house, rent and wages included, for less than my house payment at home. I had gotten a ten thousand dollar a year raise for coming, and was banking half my pay with plenty left over.

I let Gail and Gram live in my house rent free.

What can I sat about the food? I loved it. Always a sucker for spicy food, Mrs. Rodriguez started out mild for Josh and I, but when I tasted what she cooked for her family I threatened to fire her if she didn't do the same for us. She just smiled and tried to set my mouth on fire. You couldn't make it too hot for Josh.

I insisted they eat with us for the evening meal, it gave us a family atmosphere that we appreciated. Very reticent at first, soon they were just as vocal as any family could be. Josh called them aunt as uncle as a sign of respect, and they loved it. Serafina, their seventeen year old daughter, was our maid. Engaged to be married, she was saving her money. Since I paid her, I knew she didn't make much money as a maid, so I got her a job at the plant when she turned eighteen. Mrs. Rodriguez brought her widowed sister in to replace her.

She took it as personal affront that I was single, and soon I got to noticing nieces and friends of nieces would show up for the Sunday meals. Her idea of throwing hints would be to point out their attributes.

"Look at her hips, 'Berto, just made for throwing babies. And look at her breasts, high, firm, they'll fill with milk easily. Comes from an old family, good stock, that one."

They were an earthy people. Despite her best efforts and the obvious signs of interest from the girls, I remained single. I was still gun shy.

This was before cell phones, so we wrote letters and made once monthly phone calls to Gram, Gail, and my family.

Gail wrote me long letters sometimes. Mostly she avoided it, but occasionally she would mention Shondra. She married Marcus, and was expecting a child. Oddly, it didn't bother me as much as it would have once, where I was made the whole thing seem unreal. I could see her in some of Josh's features now and then, and I would remember.

We were happy once, or at least I was, but upon reflection I wondered if she ever was truly satisfied. I think being raised without regular parents, especially a father figure, didn't allow her to develop male role models, and that asshole Marvin[sensei]introduced her to sex way too early. Whatever, it wasn't my problem anymore.

.................................................

The thing I missed most about home was my dojo. There just wasn't anything local. I had all my equipment, and still worked out four times a week, but it wasn't the same.

I started teaching Josh at four, and now at age eight, if he tested, he would probably be a brown belt equivalent in the Japanese style, a green belt in the Chinese style.

We had neighbors, and we were 'rich gringos' to most of them. That made the kids buddy up to Josh, because we had the best snacks. Tia Rodriguez kept a close eye on them, making sure nobody overindulged. She grumbled a little, but she was from a large family, third of fourteen, and had eight herself, so she liked a lot of people around. A lot of their snacks she made herself.

I ended up teaching about six boys and four girls the basics twice a week. The boys grumbled about the girls at first, but soon acclimated. Josh was my assistant instructor.

I tried to teach them respect, and constraint, something that I still sometimes lacked personally. One thing I learned, the more advanced you are, the more peaceful you seemed to be. You just get to the point where you don't have to prove anything to anybody, including yourself. I wasn't quite there yet, but I was working on it.

...............................................

We had some new equipment flown in from Brazil, and they sent an engineer to help us set it up.

Roberto was a small man, about five five and one forty[I still thought in pounds and inches]but very knowledgeable and a good guy. I had him stay with me so he didn't have to commute all the way from Mexico City.

He watched me teach my Saturday class. They had been at it for twelve weeks, and were progressing nicely. I had bought material, and Tia Rodriguez and her sister sewed up some uniforms for them. I wanted to stress that they belonged to something, something special. They would proudly wear their uniforms to practice, then change and give them to us at the end of the session. Tia would wash them and have them fresh for next practice. We were the only ones with a washing machine.

I was qualified to teach, so I contacted my old master, and he sent me the paperwork to make it official. It only cost a small fee, and I was able to teach to second degree black belt level.

I was still teaching a mix of both styles, but I made sure they had the skills they needed for the Chinese version. 

Roberto smiled as he watched, and asked what style, I explained the mixture.

"Ah" he said, "I'm the same. I have a belt in the Brazilian style of jui jutsu, and I also do lucha libre wrestling, a descendant of catch fighting. Basically it's wrestling an opponent into submission. The Mexicans have their own version, it's very popular on television."

Indeed it was. Twice a week, Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons. Josh loved it, and had his favorites. I'm pretty sure he was cursing in Spanish one night at the screen.

It wasn't just him. Popular fighters had almost rock star status, and it was nothing for supporters to fall out over them in the cantinas.

Every town of any size had its' own gym, where would be heroes trained and wrestled where they could. Bullrings, town halls, school gyms, wherever there was enough room. They didn't make much, but if fueled their dreams, and enough made it to the big time to keep them going.

We talked about fighting styles for almost two hours, before we broke and got ready to leave. We were going into Mexico City, spending the night. I had already made the reservations.

I hadn't had a serious relationship with anyone yet, so about once a month I left Josh in the capable hands of Tio Rodriguez and went into Mexico City. It had a thriving night life, with lots of clubs, and yes, I pretty much got laid as often as I wanted. 

We hit the rooms, got dressed, ate at a nice restaurant, hit the clubs and went hunting.

The dances were a bit different down here, but if you can learn how to do martial arts it's pretty easy to learn to dance.

Serafina and her cousins taught me a lot while her husband and their dates would laugh at me until they couldn't stand it anymore, then they would jump in and help. I wasn't outstanding, but I was better than average.

We danced until three, hooking up with two Latin beauties who were into foreigners. We were walking distance to our hotel, so we strolled, arms linked, laughing and having a good time.

They came out of nowhere, five guys who didn't have party clothes on. They ranged in front of us, blocking the way.

"You gotta pay a toll, gringo. Give me your wallet and we might let you live."

I looked over at Roberto. He had a little smile on his face, doing a little weave and bounce while he looked at them. The girls had gotten behind us.

Roberto held up his hands.

"Please, amigos. It's a beautiful night, the moon is full. We have two lovelies with us. It's a night for loving, not fighting."

He was still holding up his hands, still doing that little weave.

"Give us your money, you stupid foreigners, before we hurt you."

I smiled at the leader.

"You got a gun, knives, clubs, anything at all?"

It stopped him for a minute. Then he went into a cussing fit, calling us idiots and the girls whores. I had had enough.

"Shut up, get out of our way, and no one will be hurt. Try to stop us and we'll walk over your unconscious bodies. You got about ten seconds."

He opened his mouth and I punched it shut. He went down, out like a light. I heard something that sounded like a sigh, and Roberto had his man on the ground. I looked at the remaining three.

"We're gonna start walking now."

I deliberately put my foot down on the leaders' balls. Even unconscious he tried to cover up. I walked over him, and by the time I had we were looking at a clear sidewalk.

We passed a policeman on the next corner, and I told him there were two drunks behind us, passed out. He got on his radio. Drunks were bad for the tourist trade. Roberto just grinned.

Women have a distinct reaction to violence, especially if it done over them. Our girls were wild, screaming and clawing while they drained us dry. We had a nice brunch, put them in a cab, and exchanged numbers, knowing we would probably never hook up again.

Roberto and I sparred a few times. He was quick, and took me down a few times, but I did just as well. If it ever developed into something serious it would be a hell of a row.

He also talked me into going to the local lucha libre gym to watch them practice. It was fun, but I didn't see a lot of martial arts skills in the bunch. I kept my face bland, the last thing I wanted to do was insult them.

Roberto and the gym owner were in a discussion about the minute variations of the wrestling styles. Roberto obviously thought Brazil was better, because of the jui jitsu influence. It was amicable, though, they just agreed to disagree.

There was one guy there who was bigger than the rest, easily over six feet, probably weighing two twenty or better. He had a little skill, but came off as arrogant. He saw me watching.

"So, gringo, are you impressed?"

I kept my smile neutral.

"Yes. It's always fun to watch new styles."

I think he wanted me to be a bit more awed.

"Think you'd like to try it, karate man?"

"No, I'm just here with a friend, watching. Thanks anyway."

His friends were watching now. It made him puff up a bit more. I was bored, having seen this scenario play out a hundred times.

"So, gringo. Scared, huh?"

I just smiled.

"Terrified."

The other wrestlers laughed, knowing it wasn't true. He went red. then went into a torrent of abuse I could just barely follow. Apparently he questioned my heritage, hinting that I wasn't even human, being descended from goats and pigs. I let him rant, still smiling. When he finally ran out of steam he glared at me.

"So, you are too cowardly to defend your honor?"

I knew I shouldn't do it, but I needled him a little.

I don't mind fighting, if it's against men of honor. Anything else is beneath my notice. Why? Do you know a man of honor?"

I was watching his body language. It was like he wrote a long note, saying when he was going to swing. Shifting my weight, I let the fist go by, harmlessly. I should have left it alone, but I couldn't help patting his cheek as he went by. The whole gym knew if I had hit him instead, he would have been out like a light.

He snapped and was about to rush me, when his friends and the owner got between us.

The owner wanted to know what happened. The guy said I had shown disrespect to his place.

"This true?" he asked the group. No one would give him a straight answer. 

I tried to diffuse the situation by apologizing to the owner, saying I meant me disrespect to his place, it was just a misunderstanding due to language differences.

The guy was pretty shrewd, and knew while I had apologized to him, I hadn't to the wrestler.

"Ah. A misunderstanding. No harm then. Thank you for stopping by. Come again, anytime."

Roberto laughed about it later while we were having a beer.

"Why didn't you kick his ass?"

"I didn't need to."

"Amigo, amigo. You still don't understand the way we Latins think. He feels you threatened his manhood. He won't forget anytime soon. Free advice, don't go down any dark alleys late at night for awhile."

He stayed three more weeks and we sparred daily. I was soaking up his knowledge like a sponge. I took him to the airport and wished him well. I never saw him again.

I took Josh home for a three week vacation. My mom, Gail, Gram, all were at the airport. The tears started when they saw us. We were hugged until our ribs felt bruised.

We stayed at our old house, Gail split a bedroom with Gram, I took the smaller bedroom, and Josh slept on the couch.

Things were not going smoothly for Gail. He boyfriend of four years suddenly dumped her for a white girl. It hurt her pretty bad. She had lost her job at the hospital and was working at a rest home for almost half what she had been making.

"I need to get away, Bobby, start over. But I don't have the money. Plus, Gram is slowing down, somebody needs to watch over her."

I thought about it for awhile as I visited old friends and family. Then I made a few phone calls. I had seen one of Gails' resumes lying on her dresser, and I sent it off.

Except for short visits we had been gone for almost three years. Things were slowly changing. I saw several mixed couples at restaurants and movies, and very few even paid attention.

Without telling Josh, I bought an almost new 125cc Yamaha and had it shipped home. It was to be a surprise for his eleventh birthday.

Shondra spent some time with him, but they were strangers now. Both seemed relieved when they parted.

Shondra didn't look so good. I saw her once, when she picked up Josh the first time.

She had probably gained thirty pounds. It didn't look good on her.

"Still working on advancing your black belt?"

She laughed a bitter laugh.

"I haven't practiced martial arts in two years."

"Why? You loved it as much as I did."

"When Marvin went...away, I couldn't find another dojo I liked. I worked out with friends for awhile, but just stopped. It brought back memories I didn't like."

She had married Marcus. She showed me a picture of them with their child, a little girl. He was always large in school, but he must weigh better than three fifty now. Gail told me they weren't getting along well.

Just before she left she put her hand on my arm.

"I know I already said it, Bobby, but I'm sorry. I should have been a better wife to you. I was always insecure, figuring sooner or later you would realize you were married to a nigger, and dump me for a white girl. I should have had more faith in you." 

I didn't know what to say, so I said nothing, just wishing her well in her new life.

A few days before we were to leave Gail came in holding a letter.

"You did this, didn't you?"

I knew what she was talking about and didn't bother trying to deny it.

"Yeah. The contract for our plant nurse was running out, and she made it clear she was going home. It'll be good for you Gail. Good money, a free place to live, a chance to broaden your horizons. And it'll look good on your resume."

"What about Gram?"

"Simple. We take her with us. She told me Marcus hardly ever lets her see her granddaughter, so she really has no reason to stay."

It took two days to convince her. Josh finally talked her into it, on a trial basis.

So when we got back home, Tia Rodriguez had two more members of her family. She and Gram hit it off right away. I knew it would be all right when I came home one day and Gram was in the kitchen, learning how to make tres leche[three milk]cake.

She quickly was adopted by my students, after they learned how to pronounce Gram.

Gail thrived, jumping into the job with gusto.

Soon she was volunteering at the town clinic twice a week for four hours. The company let her do it with pay, since many of the clinic patients were our workers and their families.

She surprised me about two months after she got there by coming to my room late one night. Her bedroom was directly across from mine, on the other side of the house.

"Bobby, I need to ask you something. Something hard, at least for me. Can I?"

I wondered where this could be going so I nodded my head.

"I know why you make those trips to Mexico City. I understand, believe me. A guy can get away with it, a woman can't."

I got some idea where this was headed.

"I'm thirty two, Bobby. I have needs, and no way to take care of them. I want you to help. Before you say anything, I'm not in love with you, and you're not in love with me. This is a temporary solution. I can handle that if you can."




Chocolate and Caramel Ch. 02



She had on her robe when she came in. Standing, she shrugged it off. The only thing under it was her.

She was beautiful in her own right. She had a different father than Shondra, and had paler skin. Taller, smaller breasted, I got an instant erection. She saw it and smiled.

"Well, I know how part of you feels about my offer."

Her breasts were much more sensitive than Shondras', and I could almost get all of one in my mouth. I got a feeling, though she was really, really good st oral, she hadn't had the favor returned much, especially from someone who knew what they were doing. Trying to be quiet, she bit holes in my pillow.

She was much more flexible, shifting her athletic body into positions I found hard to keep up with. I tried my best, though.

When we were done the second time she gave me a slow sweet kiss.

"My sister was an idiot" she said,just as she slipped out the door.

I quit going to Mexico City. If I could find a better lover there, she would probably kill me.

Did we love each other? Yes, but not like that. We both knew it was temporary, and made the best of it.

Carlos Vittorio Sanchez, the wrestler, had not forgotten me. He had made his brags that sooner or later he would catch me out and give me a lesson, but so far our paths hadn't crossed. His son, Carlos Jr., was very proud of his father, so he shared his slight. He had seen Josh around town and taunted him a few times, but true to his training, he had let it slide. There had never been an issue because Josh always had friends around him.

I gave Josh the bike for his birthday. He was so happy. I limited his rides to the pasture and the grounds until I felt he was familiar enough with it. There was a trail that ran through the neighboring farms all the way to town, two miles away. I made him ask permission of every land owner before I let him go to town on it.

Bursting with pride when I gave him permission, he got his best friend and went to town. Her name was Angel, a sweet little twelve year old that was amazingly fast and deceptive as hell. The only one who could beat her was Josh, and sometimes she would push even him. I had just awarded her an orange belt, two belts above beginner. She was the first student to reach that level.

I think Angel was a little mature for her age, and I'm pretty sure she had Josh placed firmly in the boyfriend column. Josh of course, would be the last to know.

They saw a movie, got cokes at the little cafe beside the cinema. Carlos Jr. found them, and started trouble.

He was a big kid, around five nine and one seventy, to Josh's five five and one twenty.

Josh took it until he started insulting Angel. He saw Josh blush and knew he was on to something.

He was with four friends and got a little too brave. Before they realized what was going on, two of his friends had crept up behind them and grabbed Angel. She did as she was taught, and relaxed.

The elderly couple that owned the cafe came out and ordered them to leave her alone. Junior laughed and said they would let her go when they were finished with her. Josh sighed and took control of the situation.

"So this is your idea of honor? Five to two, all of you much bigger and one of us a girl? You're such a heman, Carlos."

He flamed red while his friends laughed.

Before he could speak Josh kept going.

"You really want this? Let the girl go, and step down this alley. Just you and me, right here, right now."

Carlos sneered.

"No! I want everyone to see how bad I beat you. Then maybe, if you beg hard enough, we'll let her go, unharmed. Maybe we'll have some fun with her first."

Josh kind of lost it.

"Well then swing, you lardass! You wanted it, you start it."

It was short, fast, and ugly. Carlos swung, hit empty air, and Josh was all over him. Two lightning fast punches to the face, then a kick to the stomach. Everyone heard the air whoosh out. Josh dropped, hooked a heel around his ankle, and upended him, rolling him into a submission hold that forced his arm out and locked. If Josh applied a little more pressure, his shoulder would be dislocated.

"Submit!"

Carlos pounded the ground trying to get leverage. Josh increased the pressure. Carlos almost screamed in pain.

"I submit!"

Josh put a little more pressure on his shoulder. 

"Say it louder, and apologize to Angel."

"I SUBMIT! I'M SORRY! PLEASE LET ME GO!"

Josh immediately rolled away and bounced to his feet. He looked at Angel and gave her a nod. She stamped down on the boy holding her, almost breaking his arch. He automatically bent forward, and she jerked back violently, causing blood to spew from his nose, from contact with the back of her head. He staggered back, holding his bleeding nose and crying.

Angel and Josh stood back to back, waiting, but the fight had gone out of them. They blustered a little before skulking off, the laughter of the people who witnessed it in their ears.

When Carlos senior heard what happened he went crazy, beating Junior for losing, then roaring out to my house. A few of his followers and the gym owner came, most to see a fight, a few to try and stop it.

Angel and Josh had told me what happened, and I couldn't find fault with how they handled it. They hadn't started it, and only fought when there was no other choice. Still I was a little pissed when they got there.

He slid into the yard, and jumped out of his truck, running towards me and screaming. He was surprised when instead of backing up I ran towards him, jumped up and twirled, hitting him at the base of his neck. His nose left a two foot furrow in the dirt.

While he was trying to get up I approached the owner.

"If you hold him down, I got a proposition that might make you some good money."

Two of his compatriots helped him up. When his head cleared I got in his face. I wanted him hysterically angry.

"So", I sneered, "You sent a gang of teenagers, all bigger, all older, to rough up a twelve year old girl and an eleven year old boy. What a thing of honor that was. Your boy deserved to get his ass kicked, but I can see his line of thought. He was emulating the cowardly ways of his father. You wanna fight me asshole? Here's the deal. We fight next Saturday night, in the arena. We don't stop until one of us is unconscious. I put up a thousand, U.S., and you do the same. Winner take all. Can you scrape that much up, you pussy?"

He was red with anger, then went pale at the mention of the money. A thousand U.S. at the time was a lot of money. His pride forced him to agree.

"All right, see you Saturday. The fight doesn't start until the money from both is in the hands of the judges."

The Arena was the local bull fighting venue. A short ring would be set up, allowing a better view from the stands.

Word got out about the fight, and the stands were sold out. Diego, the gym owner and local promoter, was grinning ear to ear.

Tia Rodriguez had sewn me a mask, insisting all lucha libre wrestlers wore them, it was part of the mystique. I wasn't too keen on the idea until I put it on. After I determined it didn't a affect my vision or reactions, I was fine with it.

Gram, Gail, the Sanchez family, they were all in the box I had reserved for them. Angel and her mother were invited, but hadn't shown yet. Many of my fiends and coworkers were there. Many never knew I practiced martial arts.

We were the last to go on, so I watched with interest as the warmups fought, looking for patterns and weaknesses. There wasn't a lot of hitting, mostly grappling. I would use this.

Finally, the main event was over. Diego let them wait for a bit to build tension, before grabbing the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the final match. I'm sure you've heard by now, this is a grudge match, for bragging rights, among other things. It will pit our beloved style against one from a foreign devil."

They booed at this part.

"Please let me introduce the competitors. From out own town, The Matador."

He came strutting out, wearing a mask designed like a bull breathing fire, topped by a matador hat and a red cape. He had on bright red tights to match his mask. The crowd loved it.

"And his opponent, from America, The Gringo!"

I had on a mask designed over the American flag, red, white, and blue, with a large yellow star right in the middle of my forehead, all in shiny material. Instead of tights I wore my Chinese gi. which looked like a dress. I wore it because he would never be able to tell exactly where my legs were, something critical for a take down fighter. The were dark blue.

When he introduced me I did two backflips ending in a full split, an advanced set move. They wanted a show, I'd give them a show.

We met for the traditional greeting in the middle of the ring. I offered my hand, but he ignored it.

Before the referee knew what was going on, I took the extended hand and grabbed the back of his head, pulling him into a kiss. When I broke, I smiled.

"That was for Yolanda. Tell her I enjoyed last night, and I'll give her the ten pesos after the fight."

Yolanda was his oldest daughter, reputed to be really easy. I had never met her, but he didn't know that. If I wanted him pissed, it worked. It took the referee, Diego, and two of his ring men to get him back into his corner.

It shames me to say I wanted to humiliate him, so I put on a little show.

Carlos was big, vicious, and deceptively fast. We danced around a bit, and I kicked him repeatedly on his right thigh. It would slow him down, make him weaker when he tried his takedown moves. I knew from experience he was gonna walk slow and easy for the next few days. I had several opportunities to knock him out and the crowd knew it. We were both getting booed.

He had collapsed on his stool, gasping, after the second round. I refused to sit, rubbing it in. I leaned on the ropes, looking bored. After the second round, my cornerman caught on to what I was doing, and handed me a newspaper. I pretended to read, ignoring what was around me. It drove the crowd wild.

He got desperate and I got careless, and he managed to take me down in the third. It was a pretty hard scramble there for awhile but I broke loose. I heard later he said it was like trying to hold a snake, people shouldn't be able to move like that.

I started regretting showing off, until he gave me a hard shot to the balls during a break. I had on my cup, of course, and he didn't get me dead center, but it still hurt like hell. To his credit, the referee saw it and stopped the round, warning Carlos. 

I grabbed the microphone the announcer had carelessly laid over the ropes in a neutral corner.

"Ladies, gentlemen, amigos. I honor my opponent. He has fought bravely. But it is time to end this. I'm willing to stop, now. We'll call it a draw and forget about the money."

I got applause from many for my gesture, and boos from many who wanted to see me defeated. Carlos refused angrily.

Time to end it, then.

When the round resumed, I took my time, waiting for an opportunity. He had taken a lesson from me, aiming kicks at my thigh. Connected once, that was gonna leave a bruise. He tried a kick again, and I grabbed his leg, pulling him off balance, upending him. He tried to roll away, and I dropped onto his back, driving a knee into his kidney. The whole crowd heard the gasp.

I put my arm round his neck, flipped him on top of me, wrapped my legs around him for leverage, and started applying pressure. He couldn't reach me, though he thrashed mightily, refusing to submit. It took forty five seconds for him to lose consciousness from lack of air.

The referee tapped my shoulder. I released him, and stood. The crowd went quiet, then roared as the referee held my hand up in the universal sign of victory. Everybody loves a winner.

..................................................

The Arena had facilities for the matadors, so I showered and cleaned up before going out to my family. Carlos was an asshole, but he was a pretty good fighter. I had several teeth loose, a split lip, a nasty bruise on my cheek and thigh, and a sore rib.

My family was waiting for me to come out. Angel and her mother had already left, but Gram said they would be by for lunch tomorrow. Gail was laughing.

"If Gram wasn't before, she's a certified wrestling fan now. Did you hear her screaming? When he took that cheap shot, I thought she was gonna go get in the ring and kick his ass. I literally had to hold her in the seat."

Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez were just as excited, and we were in a good mood when we went for a quick bite afterwards. Gail noticed my limp. She went into nurse mode.

"We need to ice that bruise when we get home, and you could probably use a massage."

Later that night she gave me that massage. She checked out my equipment, then stroked me hard in no time.

"We need to make sure this thing still works right" she said, as she climbed on top.

"Just lay back and let me do the work."

It sounded like a good plan to me. She said the second round was just double checking, better safe than sorry.

I was bruised, contused, and drained. I slept like a rock for ten hours.

I missed breakfast, so I grabbed a banana and went out on the patio. Josh was there with Angel and a few of their friends, and they all wanted to hear about the fight. 

I didn't glorify it, but I didn't downplay it either. It turned into a lecture.

"I gave him many opportunities to resolve our differences peacefully, but he always refused. Fighting is always the last step on the path. Remember, my students, it is always, ALWAYS, better to shake a hand than shake a fist."

Then I shared some news. I had gotten an invitation to register our dojo with the martial arts society in Mexico City. If I did this we could participate in competitions. I had already sent the paperwork in.

"Our first tournament is in a month. All of you will get your turn to participate, but only four this time, based on your skill levels. Josh, Angel, Jose, and Carlotta will represent us. Now, we need a name for our dojo, talk to all the students and have some suggestions for me when we meet on Tuesday."

The kids were all excited. I knew the name would be a hot topic for discussion for the next two days.

.................................................

It was almost time for lunch when Angel and her Mom showed up. At first glance I thought she was an older sister, she was that youthful looking. I found out later she was twenty seven , having married and had Angel by the time she was fifteen. It was a pretty common practice in the rural areas, at the time.

She had on a long, colorful skirt and a white blouse on, hair tied back in a bandana. It still almost reached her bottom. Deep, almost chocolate eyes. She was lean, with an ample chest and rounded bottom.

She was a single mother, her husband long departed for Mexico City, before he disappeared completely. Angel was three the last time she saw him.

The spark was there, I felt it the moment we touched. Her hands weren't soft, but strong and slightly calloused. You could tell she did manual labor.

Everyone noticed how tongue tied I got around her. Where my normal confidence went I had no idea. They stayed until dark, and I drove them home. Even in this quiet area there was crime.

Her house was small, but neat and homey. I got the feeling there wasn't a lot of spare money.

I got back to have Gram, Gail, Tia Rodriguez and her sister all grin at me.

"What?"

"Nothing, honey" said Gram, "that Rosalita sure is a sweet girl, isn't she, ladies?"

They all agreed, sagely.

"A fine looking woman, too. It's a wonder she's not married. Maybe the right man hasn't asked her yet" added Tia, looking right at me.

"Stop right now! I just met the woman, don't know a thing about her. Stop trying to marry me off."

They all just laughed and went to bed, all but Gail.

Gail and I had stopped sleeping together about two months ago. She had a steady man now, the young doctor she helped at the clinic. She said it wasn't that serious, but I could look at them and hear wedding bells.

She tried to tease me and I fired back, saying maybe we could have a double wedding. She got kind of quiet.

"He's hinting for something deeper, but it's only been six weeks. I told him gringos didn't move that fast. Still....he makes me so hot! And not just sexually, although he has great stamina."

I held up my hand.

"Whoa girl, too much information there. I'm happy for you though. You deserve good things."

Rosalita and Angel became regulars at Sunday lunch, staying until dark, when I would take them home.

We would eat, socialize with the family, and take walks, sometimes sitting in a quiet part of the patio.

I gave her my life history, and she gave me hers.

The youngest of thirteen, her marriage had been pretty much arranged without her input. He wasn't abusive as much as dismissive. After Angel was born, he pretty much ignored them both. They didn't really miss him when he left. She got a divorce for abandonment after seven years.

It was a month before I could get a real date out of her, If you call taking her, Angel, Gram and Josh to a wrestling match. After my match, they were addicted. Gram had her favorite, a young wrestler who always handed out flowers to the ladies, especially older ones, as he made his way to the ring. Gram had two she had pressed as mementos. He was The Lover, and wore a white mask with little red hearts. He wasn't a lover in the ring. He had a lot of talent and was relentless.

Diego got the seats for us, some of the best. He was after me relentlessly to wrestle for him, I had become a bit of an urban myth, a gringo Tlaloc, the Aztec god of thunderstorms and earthquakes. He had given me the nickname.

Rosalita liked it when she heard him call me that.

"It suits you. You're a storm that gathers slowly, meaning you're slow to anger. But when it builds up until the pressure is too much, you, like storms and earthquakes, explode suddenly and with great violence, sometimes leaving things destroyed or shattered in your wake. I hope you never get angry with me."

Never thought of myself quite like that.

We were in Mexico City, and after the match we had a nice dinner at one of the best restaurants in town. Chinese, something Rosalita and Angel had never tried. They loved it. I got a feeling they didn't eat out much.

I got my first kiss that night. She sent Angel in, saying she wanted to talk to me.

"Thank you for tonight. We both enjoyed it, it's the best time we've had in quite awhile."

I'm pretty sure was just meant to be a thank you peck, but it ended up lasting five minutes, gaining heat and momentum. Lips parted after about a minute and a half, tongues fighting for dominance in three. She broke it off quickly, breathing heavily, before mumbling goodnight and practically running into her house.

It took me about five minutes to get my breathing in control before I could leave. I lay awake for a long time that night, thinking.

She went with us the next Saturday for our first tournament. Two cars full, Me, Rosalita, and the kids in mine, Gail, Gram, and two sets of parents in the other.

One of the proudest moments of my life was when we introduced. Each dojo had a symbol and a flag. After a lot of discussion, the kids settled on "Hands of Peace", and our symbol was three hands joined together, one black, one brown, one white.

We didn't have a lot of respect when we went in. We left with six trophies. Three for katas, or in our case sets, and three for point fighting. Josh won two, Angel won two, and the others one each.

I sprang for ice cream for the whole group afterwards, and had a bunch of happy, tired kids when we got home. 

I told them not to expect these kinds of results every time.




Chocolate and Caramel Ch. 02



The local paper did a little spread on us, Taking a picture of the whole group in their uniforms, the trophies held in their hands. Suddenly I had people calling wanting to join and find out our fees. I hurt some feelings when I said it was something I did for the neighborhood kids and was just a hobby. I had to promise if I did open a studio I would let them know.

Rosalita urged me to do it.

"It would do a lot of good, think of the positive influence it would have. We need that right now."

She was right. It was 1985 by then, and the drug presence was becoming more prominent. We were pretty much left alone, but it was getting bad in Mexico City and other urban areas.

Josh was getting taller, filling out. He was going to be over six feet, I was sure. He was hitting the weights, and at almost twelve, he was doing ninth grade level work in the school. I could see him going to college early.

I did strike a deal with Diego, and worked out one day a week with his wrestlers, teaching moves that would serve them well in the ring. His fighters started winning a lot more, and though they tried to keep it quiet, others figured it out and tried to hire me away. I stayed with Diego, this was a hobby and he was my friend.

I returned to the ring two months later, talked into it by Diego, Rosalita, and my whole extended family. It was a benefit for the medical clinic Gail volunteered at, and they needed the money.

I would wrestle anyone who challenged me for fifteen hundred U.S., proceeds going to the clinic. The local paper pushed it hard, and a few Mexico City papers mentioned it in their sports section. 

The city I lived in was Delgado, and so I became known as the Delgado Gringo, civic pride being a big thing in these little towns. Tia made me a new mask, American colors on one side, Mexican on the other, with the yellow star still in the middle.

At first there weren't any takers, and I was just about to tell Diego I would just do it as an exhibition to sell more tickets, when the most prominent wrestler in Mexico City, The Hawk, accepted the challenge, to 'teach those arrogant gringos' a lesson. Response was so great they had to change the venue to a soccer field in Mexico City.

I did my research, watching films of his matches going back a year. it was apparent to me he had a deeper background than wrestling. A few inquiries later, I found out he was a black belt in judo, no one knew how high. I was going to have to be very careful. This one could kick my ass if I wasn't on my toes. And if he won, he got to keep the money. Since I put the money up, I had a lot to lose.

The crowd was almost seven thousand. The prerunners to jumbotrons had been set up at strategic places so the crowd could get a good view. Every TV station in the area was there to cover it, as well as the newspapers. A radio station was going to broadcast a running commentary. For the first time, I was nervous.

Rosalita and Gail kept me calmed down until it was time. We were the main event.

We went out before The Hawk, being considered the challenger. The town band was there, playing El Dugeullo, No Quarter in English, and we were proceeded out by my dojo, carrying our flag, the Mexican flag, the American flag, the flag of our local province, and the city flag, while the band played. I came out behind the band, with Gail on one arm, and Rosalita on the other, followed by Diego and Josh, who were my corner men. It was quite an entrance. The crowd ate it up. Just before I went into the ring, Rosalita gave me an intense kiss.

"Go on, Tlaloc, bring down thunder and shake the earth."

One of the TV stations caught the whole exchange and the crowd yelled their approval.

His entrance wasn't quite as lavish, and the effect was much less. He was already pissed off.

It was brutal. I knew from the first blow he was going for knockout instead of submission. Neither of us could gain advantage. I wanted to drag it out to wear him down. He was listed at two eighty, and I could tell despite his muscles he was used to having one too many tacos at lunch.

So I ran him, weaving in and out, striking, kicking, clinching, although I tried to stay away from that, Judo was a strong grappling art. I had a five inch reach on him, and I tried to use it.

I almost lost in the third round, he caught me with a roundhouse kick that bounced me off the ropes and right back into his fists. I was saved by the bell.

While Josh was trying to get the cobwebs out of my head, Diego was deconstructing the round.

"He almost got you, miho, watch his legs. He's running out of steam, so he's gonna push to finish it before he gets too tired and makes a bad mistake. Use your reach, and go to your left. He's not as good on that side. Remember, watch his legs."

He was right, he kept trying to bull me into the ropes and grapple me. I stayed in the center of the ring as much as possible, jabbing and kicking.

With thirty seconds left, I caught him with a front kick right in the mouth. He went into the ropes, expecting me to follow in. I didn't, and when he bounced back I dropped and hooked his ankle, bringing him down. In a surprise move, because I had been avoiding it all night, I rolled him up and had his arm locked before he could regroup. The match was over, submit or I broke his elbow or dislocated his shoulder. He was smart enough to know it, and slapped the canvas, the sign of submission.

It was all I could do to get up, but I staggered to my feet. He lay there for a second, before I reached down and offered my hand. After a few seconds he took it, and I helped him to his feet.

After the announcement, he shook my hand, and held my arm up. I hugged him and told him never again. He grinned and said "you got that right", and we both limped out of the ring.

My little town celebrated all night. One of their own, a giantkiller.

We got interviewed by the papers, radio, and television. The fight was broadcast before every lucha libre program for three weeks. It got embarrassing. Suddenly everyone was calling me Tlaloc, having heard Rosalita on television.

Rosalita choose that night to become intimate.

No pain no gain got a whole new meaning.

................................................

I drove her home that night. She would be alone, Angel was staying with Diego, his daughter was her age and they had become fast friends.

We sat in the Cherokee, talking about the fight, and life in general. She reached for the door and I thought the night was over.

"Walk me in, please?"

Her house was small, almost spartan. I didn't know what she did exactly, but it was obvious there wasn't a lot of money for extras.

She had family pictures on the wall, and one separate section just for Angel. There was a large one of her in her uniform, and the newspaper photo of her with her trophies. The actual trophies sat on a shelf beneath the pictures. I was surprised to see two of me, one taken while she and I were sitting on the patio of my house, and one of me in my lucha libre mask.

She brewed a pot of the strong coffee they favored and I had become addicted to, and we sat on her sofa.

The distance between us closed gradually until we were snuggled together, kissing.

She stood, reached down to me.

"Come."

We went to her bedroom. She stopped turned to me, and kissed me fiercely, then stepped back.

She pulled the drawstring on her blouse, shaking it off her shoulders, showing her white bra. The skirt came next, until both garments were on the floor. She turned her back to me.

"Unhook me."

My hands were actually shaking as her bra came off. I stood, admiring her toned back, the delicate curve of her spine down to her deliciously shaped bottom. Still with her back to me, she wriggled out of her panties. Stepping out, she turned, dropping the bra. Her breasts were small, firm, enticing. Her bottom was covered by a lush bush, a riot of black, silky hair. Pale pink lips peeked out, a testament to her arousal.

Her skin was the color of rich caramel. And she did indeed looked good enough to eat.

I was so moved by her beauty I just stood there, until she got impatient and started tugging my tee shirt up. Snapping out of my daze, it didn't take me long to lose my clothes.

Because I was so sore, we went slow and easy. Of average size, I was amazed of how tight she was. She told me later she hadn't been with a man for three years, the only relief she had came from her fingers and the handle of her hair brush.

Emotion and lust took over, and I ignored my pain. Soon we were pounding together in want and need, reaching our mutual climax within seconds of each other.

We relaxed together for a few minutes before she snuggled to me and giggled.

"Thank you, Tlaloc, I really did feel the earth move."

"You're welcome, my Chalchiuhtlicue, thank you for welcoming me into your wet center."

I couldn't see her face in the dark, but I felt her stiffen for a second, before she hugged me tightly. Chalchiuhtlicue was the Aztec goddess of lakes and water, and mate to Tlaloc.

We made love twice more, later that night and first thing in the morning. 

I had never seen her smile so much, as she made us a breakfast of rich coffee and fresh fruit. I drove her to pick up Angel and bring them to lunch.

Angel sat in the back and grinned at us, and the smiles, knowing looks, and downright smirks on the faces of the ladies present at lunch was enough to make me consider running. All that held me there was the death grip Rosalita had on my hand.

.................................................

I had forgotten how great it was to be in love. Rosie and Angel practically lived with us. Angel had decided she liked Josh more as a potential brother than boyfriend, and they were almost always together. He was fine tuning her English, to the point where she was better than Rosie.

We went out as a family once a week, and Rosie and I had date night on Saturdays. Angel stayed at my house those nights.

I was in love, she was in love. I proposed. She turned me down.

I was so shocked I couldn't speak for awhile. When I finally calmed down and she stopped crying, I asked her why.

"I'm not a good match for you. You're an important man in this town. I don't know how much wealth you have, but I know it's a good bit. You need a woman of breeding, someone to match your stature, not a poor country girl who can barely read and write. I'm old[she was twenty seven], I can't give you a lot of children. I have nothing to offer."

Every time I got comfortable in that country, I would find myself getting a shock.

I held her face with both my hands, forcing her to look at me.

"Rosie, baby, look at me. I don't care if you have no money. I don't care if you're a country girl. You're the one I want. I love you and only you. And you have more breeding in your little finger than those pretenders in town do in their whole body. As for children, you've already given me a perfect daughter, it would be unseemly to want more than that."

"Say you'll join with me, Chalchiuhtlicue, or the earth will shake with the force of my tears."

She started crying uncontrollable, but managed to stutter out a yes. I had already bought a ring, and had it sized. At Sunday lunch the next day, she didn't say a word, just held her hand out. I was kissed by the ladies, had my hand shook by the men.

She was, of course, Catholic, and the wedding was held in the local chapel, after a six month engagement. A lot of her family came. Josh had never seen so many kids his age, and all of them were about to be cousins. The wedding went off without a hitch, and I heard the party lasted two days. We weren't there, we were off to our honeymoon. We were gone two weeks, to Cancun, then we came back, picked up Josh and Angel, and went home.

The invasion of illegals hadn't started yet, and my family viewed her as exotic. Her natural beauty and charm put them at ease fairly quickly. Mom fell in love with her. She pulled me aside, grinning.

"Damn, honey, what have you got against white girls? You improved over your last one, and I don't mean that in an insulting way. This girl has class, she's probably too good for you."

It was summer vacation for the kids, and when we went back to Mexico. Josh and Angel stayed behind. My Mom practically begged Rosie to let them stay.

"I'm getting old, and I've never had much time with Josh, and I'd like to get to know my new granddaughter better. Just a week or two, please? It'll be good for Angel, help get her acclimated for when you move back."

We had talked that over before we got married. I had been plant manager for almost two years. I had only committed to five, and at the end of the term we were going to pass management to locals. My old plant manager was retiring in two more years, and I had been assured the job was mine when that happened. I though she would be more reticent. She surprised me.

"I can't wait to start our new life together. My family doesn't live close, I moved here with my first husband. I've got some good friends, but none are as important as my new family. It will be much better for Angel. If we stay here she is pretty limited in what she can do with her life."

She was right, and what she wasn't saying was she wanted her out of the area. Drugs were becoming more and more of a problem, the cartels were pretty much established and expanding their territories, occasionally disputing the borders. The conflicts were bloody, and many locals were caught in the middle.

They were taking over local governments, corrupting the cops with drugs and money.

I had about six months left before we were moving back to the states when the local alcalde paid me a visit.

We always tried to maintain good relations with the government, so when he dropped by for an unscheduled visit, I thought nothing of it.

Newly elected, I hadn't had a chance to meet him. The conversation shocked me.

After exchanging pleasantries, he got down to business.

"My 'party' has looked over the needs of the community, and unfortunately, we're going to have to increase your taxes and fees by twenty five per cent."

I was troubled. Part of the deal for us coming to the area was guarantees over these things. I couldn't understand why he wanted to violate the agreement.

"Sir, you have the advantage. Does the city council agree with this?"

He waved his hand dismissively.

"There was no need to bother them with petty details. The tax will be paid monthly, directly to me. I will disburse it as I see the need."

I held his gaze until he dropped his head.

"I'll have to think about this, present it to my superiors. It will take a few days to get you an answer."

"The first of the month is in three days. I expect to collect the tax at that time, regardless of what your people say. You have no choice if you want to keep operating. It would be a shame if the workers went on strike, or electrical service were interrupted for days while repairs were made. I'm sure the tax isn't worth the aggravation of fighting it."

He had a sneer on his face. I stood up.

"Out! Right now."

He rose unhurriedly.

"Think about it carefully. It would be a shame if the clinic had to close, or the road to your house were closed for repair indefinitely. And your lovely family, your new wife, take care of them. These are troubling times."

I had him jammed up against my office wall, my arm over his throat, before he knew what was happening. I was eye to eye with him.

"Listen carefully, alcalde. If the first hair is knocked out of place on my wife and family, I will hold you personally responsible. As you say, these are troubling times. It would be a shame to involve the federales in such a small squabble, don't you agree?"

There was naked fear in his eyes. He knew scrutiny from the federal government would not bode well. He tried to save face.

"Let me talk to my advisors, perhaps we can reduce the tax a bit."

"Understand me, this company will not pay a dime you try to extort from us. If you push us, we'll simply close and go elsewhere. To be honest, orders are dwindling, so it wouldn't take much. Think about it. And, alcade, never speak of my family again. Do you understand?"

He rushed out of the office. I followed him out to his car. His driver was Carlos. Figures.

"You should choose your associates more carefully. alcalde." I was looking right at Carlos when I said it. His face turned dark, and he headed towards me.

"Stop" said the alcalde, "now is not the time."

He reluctantly got into the car and rove off. I went back to the office to think. Most of my team was already gone. Gail, myself, and two maintenance men were all that was left. Time to send them home.

I called the assistant manager in, and told him I would be taking a personal day tomorrow. 

He was a man I trusted, so I told him about my conversation.

"This is very bad, 'Berto. Rumor has it his campaign was financed by Don Vittorio. What are we going to do?"

"I'm going to look into in the morning, start things rolling to protect ourselves."

He smiled for the first time during the conversation.

"Ah. Are you going to summon Tlaloc? Rain fire and death on his enemies?"

I just grinned.

"In a way."

I talked the whole situation over with the family.

Rosie and the family were shaken, except for Gail.

"Fuck them! I'm not hiding."

"I don't want you to hide. What I want you to do is be careful, a little more aware ofyour surroundings. Please?"

She agreed, and I went by the gym to talk to Diego. He heard me out, thinking.

"I hear you're thinking about taking up farming. You'll need workers."

He turned to his wrestlers, picking three.

"Juan, Tomas, Filipe, this is your new boss. Do a good job for him, I',m sure he'll pay you well."

He turned back to me.

"They start tomorrow. I'll need a little money, to make sure they have the right tools. You can trust them."

I gave Diego a check, noting it as training fees. He knew not to cash it locally. I wondered what caliber the hoes and shovels would be.

I went into Mexico City the next day, and called on a few suppliers, in case anyone was watching.

Then I found a public pay phone and made a collect call.

The Vice President of our company was surprised to hear from me. He was head of international business, and we knew each other slightly.

"What's up, Bobby? The phone lines down at the plant?"

As concisely as I could, I explained the situation. He was smart, not interrupting until I was through. We had plants in several volatile areas, and he had experience. At the end, I asked him what he wanted to do.

"Nothing. We have two days, I'll make a few calls, get things started. Be careful, Bobby, I've had a little experience with these things. If it comes down to it and we run out of time, pay the extortion. It'll give us some time. Someone will be along soon."

"Oh, you may want to get your family out soon. These people are well versed in terrorism, and how to get results. One of the quickest way is to attack the families."

Rosie had a fit, but in the end agreed. I surprised her and got visas for the Rodriguez family. They had been like family for years, and I didn't want them caught in the fallout. I was relieved when they all jumped at the chance. They had a daughter in America, and she was always asking them to come for a visit.

They left first, after announcing to the community that their daughter had sent them tickets. It happened all the time, and no one remarked on it.

Rosie, Gail, and her husband let it out they were going to visit a rural region farther south, to look at establishing another clinic. He didn't want to leave, but Gail was five months pregnant, and he wouldn't leave her in danger.

Instead of going south, they went north to Mexico City. They were on a plane in ninety minutes.




Chocolate and Caramel Ch. 02



I was alone now, just me and the three wrestlers.

...............................................

A new vendor came by, and wanted a meeting.

"My name is Vincente Doran. I'm a major in the federal police force. I understand you have a little problem?"

I told him the story. We had paid the first extortion payment to give us room to plan. The next payment was due in ten days.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Give them the money, but do it here. We'll have it wired, and will hear and tape the whole thing. Then we'll follow the money, see who the kingpin. When we get enough information, we'll arrest them all."

It took another two months, but they had what they wanted, the leader, and raids took place over a three month period. I was on a plane an hour before the raids started happening. I never returned.

..................................................

My extended family mobbed me at the airport.

Rosie looked a little thicker. Maybe American food agreed with her. I said as much.

She smiled and put my hand on her stomach.

"Something American agreed with me. You're going to be a father again in five months."

Sometimes life works out like you want.

She told me after our reunion romp that night how happy she was we were out and no one got hurt.

"I was so afraid you'd get involved."

I smiled grimly in the darkness.

Tia Rodriguez' sister, the widow, decided not to leave. Two nights before I was to leave, she was beaten nearly to death. I rushed to the hospital when I heard.

Besides being beaten, she had two deep cuts.

I got to talk to her just before the drugs took effect. She had a broken jaw, arm, hand, three fingers on the other hand, and ribs. Sixty eight stitches to various parts of her body. She was sixty nine.

"Tell me Maria, who did this?" I whispered in her ear, so no one else could hear.

She grasp my hand.

"Carlos" she croaked, "machete. He asked what you were going to do about it."

I hugged her as she fell asleep, then made arrangements to pay her hospital bill.

I stopped by the gym.

"Sent word to Carlos. Tell him tomorrow afternoon, Rosalita's house. And tell him to be sure and bring his machete."

Diego tried to talk me out of it, then gave up.

"Tell him to come, Diego. Make sure he knows I'm not the only one with a family. He better be there."

It was quiet in her old house, all the furniture given away, waiting for its' new occupants.

I had Rosie's machete. It was well balanced, worn but serviceable, and razor sharp. I watched her cut some sugar cane with it once, amazed at the ease she had cutting through the stalks. I tested the edge, it was razor sharp. She laughed.

"I'm a single woman. There have been times when I had to dissuade a wouldbe suitor. It cuts more than cane, if it has too."

It was a lot like a short Chinese broadsword I had used. I worked with it for a few hours the night before and this morning, until I was comfortable.

He came, but not alone. He had four men with him, one his son. I stood in the door and smirked at him.

"Afraid to come alone?"

He grinned back.

"No, gringo. I wanted witnesses to your death. On the off chance I lose, they will shoot you, so you die either way."

"I don't think so" said a voice from the tree line. 

Diego and three of his men were there, each with a pistol or rifle. They all had on plain luche libre masks.

"Whoever wins, walks away. Then it will be over. Agreed?"

The men nodded. Carlos looked uncomfortable, which made me grin wider.

"Well, let's see how you do against a man, instead of an old woman. Or you could drop to your knees and beg for your life. Do it, and I might let you live."

I stepped out of the door, the machete held loosely by my side.

Knowing he had no choice, he charged me, swinging. I easily parried the blow, hitting him on his ass with the flat of my blade as he went past. It made a loud smacking sound, and had to hurt. I heard someone laughed. Everyone knew I could have killed him then.

He became more cautious, but didn't have my skills. Soon he was bleeding from two deep cuts, one on each side of his chest.

"How does it feel, puta? It's in the same place you cut Maria. Hurts like hell, doesn't it? Now, you gonna stand there crying like a little bitch, or you want more?"

He was game. Soon he had a few more cuts, including one deep into his cheek. 

"Damn, that's gonna leave a scar." 

He had scored on me, twice. I ended up with three stitches on my neck, and five on my forearm.

I got tired of the game and put him on his knees, with my machete at his throat.

"I'm done. Give me your word you'll leave this place, and I'll let you life. Keep going and all you'll be going to is a shallow, unmarked grave in the middle of nowhere. Make your choice."

He wanted to continue, I could see it in his eyes.

But he dropped his head.

"Can I take my family?"

"Take anyone you like" I told him, "just be gone by tomorrow."

I turned and walked away, watching the eyes of his men. When I saw his son's eye widen, I jumped sideways and turned. Carlos had pulled a pistol. Why he didn't just shoot instead of rushing me I'll never know. I reacted on instinct, watching the machete flash. His pistol hit the ground, with his hand still holding it.

His arm was spurting blood.

"Tourniquet!" I yelled.

His son stripped off his shirt and belt. we bound the arm and tightened the belt to keep him from bleeding out.

Just before they got him in the car I grabbed his head, going eye to eye.

"This ends, now. You do anything else, I'll cut off your other hand, maybe a foot. Then I go after your family. Do you understand?" He nodded, weakly.

I looked at his son.

"Make sure you both understand. I mean it, I'm tired of fooling around."

I heard through Diego he told the hospital it was a farming accident. By no, injuries like this were getting more common, and the staff had learned not to ask. They tried to reattach it, but it didn't work.

Diego shipped me the machete. It hangs with my other martial arts weapons.

................................................

My mom lived long enough to see two more grandchildren, one of each, black haired beauties with light caramel skin. Our rift had finally healed, and she loved Connie, her newest granddaughter so much she almost lived with her.

I got my plant manager job, as promised.

Rosie went to school with a vengeance, earning a high school diploma and an associate degree in four years. She is now going for her four year degree. She plans to be a Spanish teacher.

I rejoined my old dojo, and bought a half interest in it. Josh and Angel are both part time instructors. Two of their old classmates had made it to America, moved to our town, and started training. I had written them all a long letter goodbye with a promise to help them any way I could. They were the only ones who took me up on it.

I finally went to New York and tested, jumping two ranks at once, something rare.

Josh showed them film highlights of my lucha libre career. They laughed until I took down another instructor and put him into submission.

.................................................

It was a small town, so I knew it had to happen eventually.

I was getting my new daughter out of her car seat. She was almost eighteen months old, speaking a mix of English ans Spanish. Rosie was standing there waiting, five months along with her new brother.

We turned around and literally bumped into her.

She had gained even more weight, she had to be over two fifty now. She was thirty six, and looked forty six. Tears glistened in her eyes.

"Hello Bobby. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Shondra. How are you."

She sighed. 

"Oh, I'll do. It's good to see you."

I felt Rosie tightening her grip on my arm. She knew who she was, Gram had shown her pictures.

"Where are my manners? Shondra, this is Rosalita Margarita Consuelo Gomez Turner, my wife. Honey, this is Shondra Riley, my former wife."

She shook her hand coolly, before smiling.

"It's nice to meet someone from his past. I'm sure you made some good memories, just as I'm doing now. Come, honey, if you want to talk, give me Constance Julietta, it's too hot for her out here."

Her eyes widened, we had named her after Gram and my mother, like we had planned to do, if we ever had a daughter.

"No, it's all right, You're carrying enough right now. Shondra, you should go see Gram more, she asks for you, and her health isn't getting any better. Nice to see you."

I could see the tears forming in her eyes as we turned. I felt bad for her, until I looked into the warm chocolate eyes of my wife. 

.................................................

That's it. Hoped you liked it, and as always, thanks for investing the time. Votes are welcom, comments encouraged. Until next time.