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Ellie and Harm Ch. 01

By: Matt Moreau



I don't know why it never seems to occur to adults that their kids have eyes and ears and are generally pretty savvy when it comes to worldly concerns. The fact is kids are information sponges. They hear everything, see everything, and react to everything, and much of the time the adults, in their ignorance, don't realize it. This great truth is a mixed blessing if it's one at all. In my case it proved enlightening.

It was Ben Franklin who once wrote that two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead. Well, the same maxim can be applied to kids and especially to teenagers. They not only know everything that goes on around them, they cannot for long keep it to themselves. My daughter Annie is a teenager, a junior at Henderson High.

My name is Harm Carter: the Harm is for Harmon. I used to work in a steel mill before that gawd-damn outsourcing shit sent our jobs and our entire factory to Mexico. Still, I can't complain, I'm one of the few that actually prospered from of the layoffs. I finished college and eventually got a teaching job at Henderson High School where I have taught Language Arts for the past twenty years. 

I was single, never married actually, when I lost my job, and twenty-seven years old; so I was able to survive a sight better than most of my compadres who had families. It was at Henderson that I met my future wife, Ellie Potts; she worked a few hours a week there as a volunteer school nurse borrowed from the Mayfield Clinic a few miles up the road.

Ellie always seemed "the unreachable star" to me. All of the male teachers, especially Brad Johnson, were on the prowl when it came to Ellie. Hence, I wasn't going to waste my time "tilting at windmills."

All of the above said, Ellie wasn't the gorgeous model of the year type; she was pleasant looking. She was five-four and maybe 115 pounds, with light brown hair, green eyes, and a sunny disposition that made people always want to be around her. Like I say, she never had any problem getting dates, and again that was the reason that I held off so long in asking her out; I figured that I simply wasn't in her class.

Me? I wasn't actually ugly, but my face was kinda messed up: the result of a 7.65 Taliban bullet that passed through my jaw knocking out half my teeth and leaving me scarred pretty good. The army put back most of the pieces and did a little plastic surgery on me, but there were limits. I was lucky though, a couple of inches higher and the slug sure as hell would have ended my problem with outsourcing. 

Apart from my scarred up face, I was about five-seven, medium build, and thinning brown hair. In short, I was not gonna be doing any modeling for GENT. I was, however, in superior shape. I worked out every day and the Army, in point of fact, had been a piece of cake for me; I was hard as nails and grizzly bear tough.

My first date with Ellie was the result, of what I considered at the time, to have been a lucky set of circumstances. She had been working late at the school getting caught up on some paperwork. I was coaching a debate team, and so I was late getting out as well. My car was parked maybe fifty yards from hers. As I keyed the lock and started to get in I noticed her looking at her Honda and frowning. I went over to her.

"Ellie?"

"Hi Harmon," she said. "My car won't start."

"Want me to take a look?" I said, in my most 'knight in shining armour tone of voice.

"Would you? I'd sure appreciate it," she said.

Her battery was dead. I got my jumpers and got her engine going. "You owe me a dinner out," I said laughing. Where did that come from, I thought? I was ready for the inevitable polite decline or brush off.

"Friday night, okay?" she said.

"Huh?"

"Sevenish, okay. I'm staying at the Heywood Arms, number 603. I'm in the middle of changing my address," she offered.

"Uh—okay—thrilled actually," I said. She smiled at that.

I had recovered from my initial embarrassment—shock—confusion whatever and was trying my best to act confident and pleased. I guess I succeeded.

"Good," she said.

Our first of many dates was fun. We went dining, dancing, and ended the evening sitting on the sidewalk patio of a local bistro talking till the wee small hours.

It was some six months later that we were married in front of a justice of the peace in Amarillo Texas. It wasn't fancy, but it was easy and legal. That night was the first time we fucked. I was thirty; she was thirty-one; and she was a virgin!

I hadn't known she was a virgin until we were undressing for the consummation of the marriage. 

"Harm, I think I should tell you; I'm a virgin," she said.

I stopped cold, as in a freeze frame photo. "Really," I said. I know it made me sound foolish, but that's because I felt foolish. "Uh—I think that's a good thing." I deadpanned.

She gave a tentative giggle. I broke out laughing. "This is going to be fun," I said.

She looked alarmed. "You aren't going to go too fast are you?" She was genuinely worried.

I immediately reassured her that I would be most guilty of the sin of sloth on this most important of nights.

******

Taking a virgin who is over thirty years old is both a treat and a challenge. Ellie had never sucked a cock, never had her pussy eaten, certainly never had her ass rimmed; she needed to be brought along slowly, and on this night slow was my middle name.

She actually came out of the bathroom showered and tentative. She was wearing a silvery, full length satin nightgown that hid everything but the tops of her breasts. The damn thing had to go, but slowly.

As disappointed as I was about her nightgown, I smiled and told her how beautiful she was. And she was that.

Being the military genius that I was, I dimmed the lights. The harsh glare was about as romantic as a yard sale.

She sat on the edge of the bed and I sat down beside her. I didn't tell her to relax. I didn't squeeze a tit. I didn't do anything that would worry her. I kissed her shoulder. I kissed it again. I very gently placed two of my fingers under her chin and slowly oh so slowly turned her to face me; she smiled. I kissed her lightly on the lips and then did it again.

In minutes we embraced. I could feel her relax and begin go to lose a part of the nervousness that she felt.

I smiled at her indulgently. I very slowly begin to peel the strap of her nightgown downward; I stopped. "Is it okay, dear?" She nodded. Asking her permission gave her confidence that I wasn't just going to destroy her maidenhood. Her tits were open to me. I wasn't sure, but I think she stuck them out just a little as if to tempt or dare me. She smiled at me now; I'm sure she felt that she was exhibiting what she thought was an expression of lust.

I kissed her again and gently laid her down on the silken sheets that the room afforded. I leaned in and kissed one breast then the other. I gave her a look that was a question. She nodded for me to continue. I suckled on a flawless breast that I knew had never been exposed to the rays of the sun.

I began to peel down her nightgown. At first she looked concerned, but then she relaxed. She was naked except for her panties. I placed my fingers in their waistband and began to slowly pull them down and off. Gawd! her pussy was beautiful. Her slit, only partly hidden by a sparse patch of pubic hair threatened to enslave me. I found myself gazing at it for some moments. I think she wondered if I liked the look of it; she seemed concerned, almost embarrassed. I said the right thing.

"Beautiful, absolutely beautiful," I said. I was so sincere that she giggled. "I kissed her there. Soon I was kissing her again and again and then licking and sucking her clit into my mouth; she tasted wonderful. She orgasmed: the first in her whole life more than likely. Certainly the first induced by a man. 

I took an hour building up to taking her. As the supreme moment neared I could see she was nervous. I lay my hand gently on her cheek."It's time for you to become a complete woman," I said. I could see a single tear welling up in the corner of her eye. 

"Do it," she said.

I reached for the jar of KY jelly. And spread it on and inside her vagina. I handed it to her. She started to put it on the nightstand, but I stopped her and shook my head no. She understood.

She dug out a large glob of it and spread it all over my raging hardon. I took the jar from her and put it on the nightstand.

Spreading her legs wide, I loomed above and lowered myself to poking distance. I pressed for entry and got partially in. She squealed. I decided not to be ultra slow at this point; it would only prolong her discomfort. I swished my cock around a little at her opening, paused and thrust. Her hymen broke and I could she that she felt a sharp sting.

I pressed for a deeper penetration and then I pulled halfway out. Soon I was screwing her rhythmically. She relaxed and seemed to enjoy the sensation. All of a sudden she looked at me strangely; she stiffened as her first true orgasm tore through her; she screamed.

"Oh my—oh my—oh my," she uttered. She began to choke on her tears. I pumped into her furiously and reached an orgasm of my own moments later. I collapsed on top of her. 

Rolling off, I took her in my arms and loved her up. "It's your turn," I said.

"Huh?" she said.

"You need to suck your husband's cock," I said softly. 

She looked at me in horror. 

"It's necessary, "I said. "Trust me."

"Okay," she said. She slithered down my body and then turned around and lay on top of me; I was looking directly into her freshly fucked pussy. She began to tentatively suck me off. I jerked and spasmed wildly as I neared another orgasm of my own. She pulled her mouth from me just as I spurted my cum all over her face and tits.

She lay in my arms for sometime before I was again ready to accommodate her. I had decided to do it all tonight if I could. I did not want to spend the next thirty or forty years with an inexperienced and tentative lover. Tonight was training night as well as fun night.

I laid her face down on the bed and propped a pillow under her midsection. I got behind her and spread her legs wide once again. She didn't object. Well, not until...

She felt me licking her anus. She popped up and looked around at me. "Harm!"

"Dear heart, relax please. Tonight you learn," I said. She seemed to accept that.

I licked and sucked at her anus for some minutes. I reached for the KY jelly. She looked around at me again; I could see that this time she really ready to stop me. But, to her credit, she decided to let me lead. I pushed the slick jelly into her rear door and spread a ton of it inside of her.

I pressed home my cock and after initial squealing and adjusting she took her screwing with less problem than I had anticipated. My cum washed her insides liberally. My cock shrank rapidly after that. I popped out and kissed her ass a dozen times assuring her of my love for her and my need for her charms.

We slept for hours. I awoke at first light and turned to see my wife still sound asleep and snoring lightly. Good, I thought, an untroubled sleep: a good way to start a marriage. 

She was sore for a few days after our weeklong honeymoon, but she was definitely a whole woman, and I reveled in that fact.

******

Today was Ellie's birthday. Annie and I had set everything up. The cake was on the table, the ice cream too. Two presents, one from Annie and one from me, were wrapped and waiting for the woman of the house to arrive. She would be very surprised, at least we hoped she would be. We were excited. She'd be home in less than five minutes; she was rarely late unless she had told us so in advance; she had not. 

Well, it turned out that this was one of the "rarely" times. A half hour after she should have arrived, she called. She'd been held over at the hospital. They were short handed. She had volunteered. I must have sounded a little down.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry. I'll be home as soon as I can, all right?"

I said all the right things. She said goodbye. And then I hung up.

She made it home about three hours later. It was a little after 9:00PM. Annie and I were still up and we put on a good face and gave her our presents. Ellie was genuinely upset with herself for being late. She was all over us for being thoughtful and loving and wonderful. But there was something wrong, and I couldn't put my finger on it. Had I been a better student of human nature, I would have recognized the telltale signs of guilt, and not the kind of guilt for having had to work late on her birthday.

It was only later that I found out that Annie had picked up on what I had missed.

Ellie loved the emerald earrings I had bought her, her birthday is in May, and the new bikini that Annie had gotten her was likewise well appreciated. For the next several days things were wonderful. Great sex for me and lots of quality time with Annie. They seemed the salad days of our family life.

Annie had asked for permission to go to the mall with Carol, her best friend. I'd given the permission, but had insisted that they be home before dark. It was Saturday, so the traffic would be light and Carol was a cautious driver, so no problem, I thought.

******

I mowed the lawn and then went inside to watch the ball game. It was almost 3:00PM. Suddenly the front door burst open and Annie came storming in crying. She headed upstairs to her room.

I followed her and had to push the door back as she pushed from the opposite direction trying to keep me out. 

"Annie! What the heck is going on!" I cried, finally gaining entry.

"Dad, leave me alone," she said. "Just leave me alone."

"But Annie..."

We verbally tussled like that for a minute of two. Finally, I said, "Okay maybe you'd feel more comfortable talking to mom a little later..." She cut me off and pushed me out into the hallway. 

"No!" she screamed, and I heard her locking her door. 

Very strange, I thought: it had to be some boy; I was wrong.

Some six hours later Ellie's car pulled into the driveway. Annie had stayed in her room the whole day except for a couple of trips to the bathroom. I gave her space. I planned to try and talk to her the next day.

As soon as Ellie had shucked her coat, I told her about Annie's strange behavior. Ellie looked perplexed. Annie had asked to go to the mall after Ellie had already left for work; Ellie didn't know that Annie had indeed gone to the mall.

As soon as I mentioned where Annie had gone, and that she had come back early and how she had acted—crying her eyes out; Ellie went pale. Geezsus! two crazy women in the house at the same time, I thought.

"Harm, I'll talk to her in the morning. Sounds like girl trouble to me," said Ellie. "You go golfing or something. Okay?"

"Yeah—okay—I guess," I said, chickening out.

******

The following morning, I kissed my obviously nervous wife goodbye and headed for the driving range. I knew Cal would be there and probably Sammy, so I wouldn't be a lone eagle.

******

Ellie watched as her husband drove off. She steeled herself for what she was sure was going to be a very bad confrontation with her daughter—she had no idea.

She rapped softly on Annie's door.

"Go away!" came the reaction from the room beyond.

"Annie, it's me, mom."

"Get the fuck away from me bitch!" came the scream from inside.

Ellie went weak in the knees. Her worst fears were all but realized. She gathered her wits about her and made a decision. She'd already gotten the room keys from atop the frig. Now she slowly and, as quietly as she could, slipped the key into the lock and turned it. She pushed the door open wide.

Her daughter was huddled on the floor in the corner near the window. Her bed was still made. She looked terrible. She had been crying all night.

"Annie, what's goin' on? Why are you talking like that?" Ellie was still hoping it was something other than what she knew it must be.

"Are you fucking kidding me, you whore!" snarled Annie. She was now up and moving toward her mother.

"You saw us didn't you?" said Ellie.

"Oh yeah, momma dearest. I saw you. Carol saw you. Danielle saw you. Hugging and kissing and loving up that shitass Clyde Barrow. Did you know, Momma dearest, that your cheating ass squeeze was named after a gangster, a killer?"

"Huh?"

"Yeah, you know, Bonnie and Clyde. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow."

"Uh—no—I didn't—I mean he's not my squeeze. Annie, we need to talk."

"We will mom, just as soon as dad throws you whoring ass out the door!"

Ellie lost it. She slapped her daughter and hard. "You will not talk to me that way," said Ellie.

Annie stumbled back a couple of steps from the impact. 

"Annie, I'm so sorry," said Ellie. She knew she had crossed the line.

Annie held up her hands to stop her from talking. "Mommy dearest, do not raise your hand to me again. I bench 125 at the gym and I am one tough female of the species. I will react; I promise you."

Ellie nodded. Her eyes were tearing up. "Whaddya gonna do, Annie? Whaddya want me to do?" 

Annie eyes were narrow. Her breathing shallow. She was going over the things in her head that she had been considering all night. Her rage gave her the look of a predator.

"First of all you're going to tell me everything. Give me all of the gory details. Then you're going to confess to dad as soon as he gets home."

Ellie shivered. "He'll divorce me, Annie. I know I deserve it, but do you really think it is the best thing, the best way?"

"You mean honesty? Are you asking me if honesty is the best way? Is that what you're asking me?" spit Annie.

Ellie could not look her daughter in the eyes. "I don't know, Annie. It was a mistake. Maybe if I do tell you all..."

"Start now, mommy dearest."

"Mr. Barrow, Clyde, and I met at that hospital picnic last year. You were there too and dad," said Ellie.

"I know. He's a car salesman in town; I know Carla, his daughter, we have classes together," said Annie.

Ellie looked surprised. "I didn't know that."

"I didn't know you were fucking her dad either, so I guess we're even," said Annie. "You are fucking him right?"

Ellie started to cry. "He asked me to lunch a couple of months ago. Your father and I were going through a rough patch. I guess I wanted to get even. I let him—I let Clyde take me to a motel. I know it's a cliché, but it's what happened. He got into my pants and we did it."

"You fucked him! Right? Say it!" said Annie. 

"Yes," said Ellie. "I fucked him."

"How many times since then?" said Annie.

"Once a week. He likes me. Tells me how pretty I am. Treats me like a woman. I guess I thought I needed to be told those kinds of things," said Ellie. "Your dad..."

"Do you love him? The asshole?" interrupted Annie.

"Uh—no, I don't think so. He's pleasant, a diversion," said Ellie.

"You don't think so! Are you shittin' me! You've been in each other's pants for two months and you don't think so!" screamed Annie. "When do you think you might be sure?" Annie's sarcasm was palpable. "What is your definition of a slut, mommy dearest!"

"I'm sure. I mean I'm sure I don't love him," said Ellie. "I love your father. He's the only one I have ever loved."

"Wonderful," said Annie. "Just freakin' wonderful. What are going to do when dad finds out? Had you thought that far ahead? Were you thinking at all?"

"I don't know. I was weak. I gave in. I'm so sorry, Annie. I don't know what to do. I just don't know what to do. And, yes, I had thought about it. But, I was caught up in it. Clyde even implied that if I didn't keep spreading my legs for him that Harm—your daddy—would find out. I guess you can say he kinda blackmailed me. I'm not making excuses. I did it. I liked it at first. But, now I know it was all a horrible mistake. I'm guilty and I know I am going to be punished. I'll do whatever you say to do."


Ellie and Harm Ch. 02



Initially, after our making up and deciding to try again, I had thought to just let the matter drop. I thought that best for all of us, Me, Annie, and Ellie. But then I heard something. Clyde Barrow, was a frequenter of The Forecastle, the same bar I sometimes patronized.

He'd been bragging that he had been successful with several women and that all of them were begging him to not to abandon them to their wimp-assed husbands. 

"Harm, you know that prick Barrow right?" said Elton, my favorite bartender.

This was some three weeks after Ellie had confessed. So, hearing the asshole's name made me a shudder. "Yeah, I know him, vaguely. He works at Champ's Auto Parts. I used to buy stuff there for my old pickup. Why do you ask?"

"He's been braggin' around here. Said he nailed your wife, among others. Just thought you oughta know he's messin' with Ellie's reputation, Harm," said Elton.

I was pissed. I had not intended to sink the asshole's ship, but that was then and this was now. The look on my face brought a reciprocal look from my friend. "Thanks, Elton, I'll take care of the bastard!"

That was Saturday. Ellie had had to work that day in EMR; they'd been shorthanded. When she got home it was around 5:00PM. I called her into the kitchen.

"Ellie, Have you seen Barrow in the past few weeks? I mean since we had our little meeting?" I said.

"No, Harm. I never want to see or speak to that shithead again ever," she said.

I believed her. "He's spreading rumors about you. Bragging that he nailed you," I said.

"Oh my gawd!" said Ellie.

"We're going after him. I want to ruin him," I said.

"But, Harm, that'll mean..."

"Yes, it'll be out in the open, but he's seeing to it that it is anyway. The bartender told me about it today," I said.

"Do you know his wife's name?" I said.

"Yes. It's Catherine," said Ellie.

"Do you know how to get hold of her without my having to do the research?" I said.

"Their phone number is listed," she said.

"Good," I said. "Call her and ask her to come here. Don't tell her what for. But, when she gets here, you're going to tell her everything. There's no getting around it Ellie. I want his ship sunk and fast and deep."

"Harm, I'm scared..."

"No need to be. He's doing you and all of us wrong and we're going to put a stop to it."

Before, earlier on, I had thought to kill the bastard, but then I thought, making a big stink about it, while more than satisfying, would only hurt us more than we already had been. But, now I realize that I had made a mistake in not tearing his ass up in the first place.

"Harm, what if she doesn't believe me" said Ellie.

"She will. Three different high school girls saw you with him; she'll believe you. The asshole is dead meat."

******

Catherine Barrow cried her eyes out on our sofa. She never went home that night; she stayed with us. The next day she went to her lawyer's and got the ball rolling. 

Clyde was served with papers at his work and with a restraining order that same day; and then Catherine went home. Some weeks later, word was that she had taken the miserable shit to the cleaners. I breathed easier; I had been thinking of ruder ways to deal with him, but the results we had achieved seemed to me to have done the job. Not everything could be handled best with a baseball bat.

Destroying Clyde Barrow was satisfying if embarrassing for Ellie in some quarters; but, I thought, hell, it was the end of a miserable chapter in our lives. And it was, but it was also the calm before the storm. 

******

For almost a year, after our "forgive and try again" conversation and the destruction of Clyde Barrow, things had been tentative between me and Ellie. But, I was beginning to relax. Things were almost back to normal. Annie, if I'd had to guess, was less trusting than I—no that's not right; perhaps more vigilant, and that because she loved her mother. She loved her mother, but she was afraid she might fall back into her old ways. Bottom line, she didn't really trust her, not yet. I, on the other hand, was pretty sure Ellie would not go back to her old ways. And, because of my confidence, I was less vigilant: this proved to be a huge mistake. 

Each end of school year there was a parent appreciation day for parents of the year's P.E students. There were contests between sons and dads, moms and daughters, and kids against faculty all orchestrated by the P.E. department and as many volunteers as they could muster. 

In past years these events had always been held at this or that hotel. But this year, due to funding constraints, it was going to be held at the school, in the gymnasium on Saturday the 22nd, a week hence. Ellie, who still put in volunteer time as a nurse had signed on to help out with the decorating committee. This put her in daily contact with the chair of the P.E. department, Marco Phillips.

Marco Phillips was the man in charge of the gym and all its sound equipment and sports gear; hence, he was always around always helpful—too helpful. 

Marco, A big man, maybe six-five and two-sixty, was supposedly a lady's man. This in spite of the fact that he was was married with children, two girls and a boy, all school age. I knew him well and liked him not at all; I never liked braggarts, and he was a biggee in that respect. 

He had his office in the gym between the two classrooms at the back of the building. The classrooms were for the Health Science courses that all students were required to take for graduation; these were run by the P.E. instructors. Marco Phillips ruled this domain with an iron hand. It was said, only half in jest, that the boys weren't even allowed to pee in the urinals because they would get them dirty, probably not true, but it illustrated the dictatorial nature of the man. The upshot of all of this meant that Marco had the keys to all of the rooms. 

Unbeknownst to anyone at the time, he and Ellie were utilizing one of the rooms for private conferences, and that ever since Ellie had volunteered to be on the parent day committee. He was a charmer.

******

She was bent over the desk at the front of the room; the window curtains were drawn. The lights were out and the last light of day allowed only a miniscule amount of illumination to seep into the room.

He was naked behind her and ramming her mercilessly with his cock. "Ugh!" she cried as he jammed her lower torso repeatedly against the hardness of the desk.

"You love it, Ellie, you know you do," he said, sure of himself.

"You're killing me," she said. "Do you have to be so rough?"

Just then a tidal wave of orgasms engulfed her and she spasmed uncontrollably. He unloaded his seed inside of her and collapsed spent on top of her still bent over form.

He stood and pulled her up and to him. "Now, do your duty," he said.

She knelt in front of him and pulled his now semi-flaccid cock to her lips.

"Your husband can't do you like I can, can he, Ellie? You know you need this."

"Don't talk about him, okay. We've gone over this; he's off limits."

"Okay, okay. You can live in your fantasy world if you want. But old scarface doesn't deserve a quality chick like you," he said.

"Trust me, Marco, you've got a great cock and you know how to fuck me real good, but you will never be the man my husband is. You and I are just a couple pieces of shit compared to him."

"Oh my, you must be in love, honey child," he said laughing at her vehemence.

She was miffed. He wasn't following the rules. If he would just shut up and fuck, everything would be fine, she told herself. But the arrogant asshole just couldn't keep his mouth shut. She was beginning to grow tired of him, nine-inch cock or no.

******

I was slated to return home late Saturday the 14th from an NCTE conference in Indianapolis. Ellie should have been home. 

It had been a useful trip professionally speaking, and I was excited about the opportunity I would soon have to share what I had learned with my fellow Language Arts teachers. I caught a bit of a break on the last day, Friday, when my final workshop was cancelled because the presenter had been unable to make it. 

On the one hand I was disappointed that the workshop had been cancelled, but on the other happy since I would be able to get home to the family a day earlier. I tried to call Ellie, but she was not home and her cell was down when I tried that; that bothered me. 

Annie I knew was on a trip to the mountains with some other students from the college. I determined to surprise Ellie.

At 25,000 feet, I was daydreaming about the weekend fun and the faculty party, and I fell asleep. I woke up as the plane was making its final approach.

I took a cab home, no sense having Ellie have to drive all the way out to the airport to pick me up, especially since she was not expecting me till the next day. Plus she was probably at the school getting things ready to decorate the gym for P.E. parent night the next weekend.

I was hoping for a real nice welcome from Ellie. I was feeling frisky and wanted to play. Again, I knew Annie was still up in the sierras on her backpacking trip. As for that, it was one that was annually sponsored by the environmental club she'd joined at the junior college where she had enrolled as a freshman just a few months before. 

I therefore fully expected a weekend of uninterrupted fun and frolic with my wife.

What I wasn't expecting was a car in my driveway that wasn't one of ours. Ellie wasn't alone. My heart caught in my throat. Past experience made me wary.

******

Though I hoped what I was thinking would not be true; I was afraid that it was. 

I parked a few doors down from the house and made my way to the side gate which was at the end of short path that ran between the side of the garage and the neighbor's hedge. It was late in the day and the sun was low and behind me which I hoped would help conceal my movements. 

I needn't have worried: no one was in the kitchen or the front room, and the curtains to the upstairs bedroom were drawn. In the back, the kitchen door was unlocked; I slipped in.

The house was unusually quiet: no vacuum cleaner, no clang of utensils or dishes, no humming or singing—my wife always sang when she was doing housework. None of the usual.

I peered into the dinette from the kitchen doorway. Beyond it lay the living room. My wife was reclining on the couch, naked. The man, also naked, lay half on top of her playing with her breasts and slobbering kisses all over her upper torso and lips. I was sick. The man was Marco Phillips, the P.E. teacher.

I resisted the impulse to rush in and ruin their little tryst. I needed to think. I was no fool; I knew that if I burst in on them it could be a case of "he said she said," and there were two of them and only one of me; I was already thinking divorce. What else could I think; this was the second time she'd cheated; I was determined it would be the last. I slipped out of the house.

******

My first call was to Rex Coleman. Rex had gone to college with me years before and over time we had kept in contact. We weren't the blood brothers that we once had been, but we were still good friends. Rex was a private investigator who worked for one of the best law firms in the city.

Rex agreed to do the surveillance and to check the asshole out who was fucking Ellie. At this point, I was more into revenge than anything else; Ellie I knew could handle, but I wanted to destroy the asshole too. If I could make Clyde Barrow eat the weenie, I sure as hell could handle Mr. Phillips. I wanted that maybe even more than I wanted to get revenge on my slut wife. But the first order of business was to protect myself and ensure that I wasn't going to have the tables turned on me in court; again, I wasn't stupid.

My only concern was Annie; this was going to undo her. But then again, she was a strong girl and pretty smart. I had to hope that she would weather this new storm as she had the last. What had she said before? Something about her mom being compulsive or the like; I couldn't remember.

I took a motel room for the night and planned to return the next day as originally scheduled. That night I planned some more, and then I drank and brooded and slept.

******

I woke to a gray and rainy day. That the weather was shit seemed appropriate; it sure as hell matched my mood. But, I knew I had to keep it together until I finally figured out a way to handle my situation.

I wasn't due home until later in the day. I called Rex back and asked for the name of a lawyer with a winning track record from his firm. He gave me a name and a number.

The office of Adele Carter was nondescript and a mess. It reminded me of the lawyer's in the movie Erin Brockovich. Appearances, however, in this case, were deceiving. This woman was clearly a predator; I wasn't feeling good, but I was feeling more secure.

My case, she assured me, was already strong. To begin with, I could prove that Ellie had cheated before. My only problem with that, and it was not a huge problem, was that I had made no major issue of it at the time. Well, love is what it is, and even now I wasn't going to like what I had to do to Ellie. But this time I was going to do it: the label of cuckold was something that I wasn't real keen about having applied to me. Still, I didn't want to bring Ellie down without also wiping out Mr. Phillips. At some point Rachel Phillips was going to be brought on board. That she would score her husband pretty good, I had no doubt.

Ms. Carter Esq. also assured me that my PI was the best. "If there is anything out there, he'll get it; you can depend on it," she said.

******

I had given Rex the key to my house. I wasn't certain that Ellie and her asshole would use our place again, but it figured that they might. Geezsus! I thought, how could she be so stupid? I mean with her track record to dare to do it in our own home. I mean even if I didn't catch her, even if Annie never had a clue: what about the neighbors. She seemed to be trying to get found out. I had told Rex, that I wanted the place wired to nail the cheaters if they did it again in my place. Rex signed on to take care of that little ditty. 

Cameras in the bedroom and the living room. Additionally, he put one in the master bathroom; I wondered about that one. He said that a lot of good evidence was destroyed in the bathroom; it would be nice to get one or the other of them doing just that. "It's all about incriminating the perps," he said.

The wheels of justice—and revenge—were in motion. Now, all I had to do was wait. Wait, and pretend to be the tender, loving, stupid assed cuckold idiot I had proven to be so far. Well, I would soon be shucking that particular title. When I was done with Exlax and Lucretia Borgia, my new title would be ruthless asshole!

I arrived home at 6:00PM, thirty minutes after my expected time. Ellie was waiting for me with bells on. Damn the corned-beef and cabbage smelled good too. That would be one thing that I would miss when I bounced her ass. Well, there was no need for me to go hungry. Even an unwitting idiot cuckold had to eat.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me her most practiced kiss: she was good. "How was your flight?" she said.

"Good. Long. I'm bushed, but that corned-beef and cabbage smells great," I said with an enthusiasm that I really felt.

She talked animatedly during the entire time we ate. I made all of the right responses and asked about her week and Annie and all of the usual.

"Annie will be back tomorrow," she said. "I expect she'll be even more tired than you are. I think it's the mountain air."

I agreed. 

I helped her clean up the dishes and store the leftover food. "I'm gonna shower and hit the hay," I said. "I wanna have a nice day tomorrow, and I don't want to be too tired to enjoy it."

Ellie looked genuinely upset. "I thought you and I might..."

Oddly I was horny as hell. But, the image of that butthead Phillips banging her turned my stomach. I really couldn't bring myself to touch her now, not yet.

"Not tonight El," I said. I am really dead tired. "But, tomorrow might be a whole different kettle of fish." I smiled winsomely, gave her a peck on the cheek, and headed up the stairs.

******

Sunday dawned bright and sunny—that in contrast to the gloom of the day before. Maybe the gods were trying to tell me something.

We picked Annie up together at the school. There must have been fifty students from the JC milling around. Ellie had been right about one thing: Annie was bushed.

"Geez, dad, it was fun but I'm a physical ruin right now."

"I'll bet," said. "So, did anything unusual happen? See bigfoot or anything?" I said.

"I think that bigfoot is driving the car," said Ellie laughing. "Honey, you might want to think about slowing down a little. The streets are still not all that dry from yesterday."

She sure was in a good mood for having just screwed me over with Marco Phillips a couple of days before. Maybe this cuckold thing wasn't so bad, I thought—not!

Annie was going to bear the brunt of the divorce, and half of my thinking was going into figuring out how I could minimize the damage in her regard. It was her inevitable disappointment with her mother that made me the angriest. Ellie just didn't seem to give a damn who she hurt. It was all about her and her boyfriends. Well, she could have them.

One thing I did not want to do was have sex with the woman who was destroying us. I started to yawn some, acted a little run down and tired. By the time we headed upstairs I was able to put off the otherwise inevitable by applying a few almost sincere kisses and hugs. Ellie was surprised, and maybe even a little disappointed, but she didn't say anything. 

I was up before anyone, got cleaned up and dressed and headed off to school. It was going to be a long day. I knew Ellie would be going in for a double shift at the clinic, so I knew she wouldn't be at the school today, and I was grateful for that.

Annie had two classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; the first was at 9:00AM, I knew, and Ellie would be gone by then too. Rex would be doing his thing between then and 3:00PM. The stage would then be set.

When you're lucky you're lucky, I guess. Bob Fallon, our revered vice principal in charge of instruction, and a good friend for many years, asked me if I wanted to go away for the weekend with his group of fisherman. It would be giving free rein to Phillips and Ellie to go to the P.E. thing together and probably have fun together later.

We'd be out to sea from Friday evening to Sunday evening. I figured that would be perfect for my trap to be sprung. The only problem was Annie. Ellie sure wouldn't be fucking in the house if she thought Annie had any chance of catching her doing the mattress mambo; it had been Annie who had blown her mother's cover the first time around. 

I knew Annie wouldn't want to go fishing with us, but there had to be something. While I was trying to figure some way to get Annie the heck outta the house for the weekend; she solved the problem for me.

"Dad, I'm going to Shelly's this weekend. "We're going to chase boys and run naked down the concourse at the mall," she said, not cracking a smile at all.

"Being more than adequately quick on my feet as well, I responded. "Honey, run naked down the concourse of mall all you want, but the boy thing is a 'not-happening.' Got it?"

"Yes, daddy. You are so strict," she said, laughing.

"Yeah, right," I said.

"What's all the chatter about," said Ellie coming into the room. 

I was about to answer when I noticed that Annie's eyes took on a strange look. My imagination, I decided.

"Nothing, mom," she said. "I was just telling dad that I'm going to be running naked down the concourse at the mall this weekend. Dad said it was all right."




Ellie and Harm Ch. 02



Ellie laughed. "But that would be immoral," she said half seriously.

The incongruity of her demeanor and remarks floored me.

I couldn't escape Ellie for the entire week. We had sex on Wednesday and again on Thursday. I felt dirty doing it with her, but I did not want to tip her off or cause her to become suspicious, besides I was horny as hell. I had the feeling that she felt she owed it to me to fuck me since she was going to be doing it with Phillips. The generosity of her soul was just too wonderful to express. Clearly she didn't want me to be totally deprived—betrayed yes—but deprived; perish the thought. Thinking about it, I was getting really pissed.

Friday afternoon, I went home to pick up my already packed stuff and headed out to the marina to meet up with the boys. Ellie was already gone to the clinic, so I didn't have to look at her. I decided to have as much fun as I could. No reason to suffer any more than necessary. Rex was on the job and the house was wired. I felt strange about the whole thing. Here I was into all of this cloak and dagger shit for the sole purpose of screwing over my wife for having screwed me over, and I was about to go fishing; it was a helluva life, I thought. I watched the shore and my marriage recede as we pulled away from the dock.

The trip out was fun, the sea a little choppy, but the forty footer, that belonged to Fallon's dad, a rich contractor in the Valley, was more than adequate to the task. We ate, drank a train load of beer, and I felt better than I had in days.

While I was at sea, I got a call on my cell. 

"Yeah...oh Rex...really...okay...do what you can," I said, and hung up.

Annie had been picked up by her friend minutes after I had departed; and no sooner had she gone than Ellie had returned from work—after just two hours on the job—and parked on the street in front of the house. 

Rex thought that she must have forgotten something at the house and would go back to work immediately. But, that was not the case. Twenty minutes after she arrived, a Toyota pickup pulled into the driveway. The garage door opened and the pickup pulled inside. It was obvious that the two sinners didn't want the neighbors wondering whose car was sitting in the driveway. The die was cast.

Saturday morning dawned red and blustery. The seas which had been mild chop the day before were now crashing on the bow. We headed back in. None of us had any dreams about riding out any perfect storm. Two days later the news announced that two light fishing craft had gone down over the weekend.

Docking at around 9:00AM, I rang Rex. He was at home.

"Yeah...the storm...it was pretty rough...he was there all night...I think I might sneak on down there...Yes...yes...I will be careful...you...in an hour...okay." I hung up.

The sonovabitch had slept over. I was in a quandary. Should I risk trying to catch them redhanded. Should I wait for Rex to make sure the bugs had done their job? I gnashed my teeth and decided to wait. But, I couldn't just sit. I had to do something.

I rented a car and left mine at the marina. I drove to my street and parked several doors down on the opposite side hoping to get some shots of the asshole if he came out. I'd been there about forty minutes when Rex arrived. He parked behind me, got out, and slid into my car beside me.

"You shouldn't be here, Harm. It's better you let me do the nasties. Husbands always screw things up. It's one reason the women usually walk away with the lion's share in divorce cases. Trust me," he said.

I nodded. "I just want to see his face. I mean I know the guy. But, I want to see the satisfied look on his miserable face."

"He might not..."

A chill ran through me. Turning the corner a red Chevy drove slowly by the house; Annie was in the passenger seat. "Fuck! that's my daughter," I said with a vehemence born of fear. "Rex, catch that kid and steer her away from here. I've got the detail, okay. Tell her what you need to but get her the heck outta here."

"You got it buddy." 

Rex jumped in his car and chased the Chevy. I saw the two cars turn the corner, and just as they did I saw a flashing light emanate from Rex's front window. The doggone guy had a police-style flashing blue light. That had to be illegal, but it would get the girls in that car to stop, and that was the goal.

Five minutes later he was back. "I had to tell her you knew. She does too."

"Sweet Geezsus, does that kid miss anything!" I said. 

"Not a whole helluva lot," said Rex. "Tell her if she ever needs a job to look me up."

I just stared at him. He wasn't kidding.

******

I was around noon when the two lovebirds decided to come out. They moved quickly, one might have said furtively to her car, which was still parked by the curb, and left. I followed them. Rex went into the house. He had evidence to collect. I was to call him as soon as I knew where the dynamic duo was headed. Ten minutes later they pulled into an IHOP. Evidently Ellie was too worn out to cook him breakfast. I wondered who would be paying.

I had the urge to go inside and join them. It would be more than interesting to hear the bullshit. But, I resisted—barely.

I called Rex. "Yeah at the IHOP on 3rd...you got it all...good...the audio...excellent...can't wait to see the pics."

We talked for a minute more. He said he was using my computer transfer all of the pics and videos as we spoke. He said the quality was excellent and the evidence damning. He was going to send me copies of everything and Adele Carter as well. I was to tip him off when the evil doers were done eating in case he had to get outta there in a hurry. 

It was almost an hour later that Ellie and her boyfriend exited the restaurant. They were hand in hand talking and smiling and having a gay old time. I wondered about the condition of the house. I was betting they hadn't had a chance to clean up. I decide to walk in on them. We had it all evidence-wise. 

Annie knew everything. The marriage was over. No need to wait. Why let them get it on anymore than they already had.

I called Rex to let him know. I was expecting him to try and call me off, but he didn't. He said he'd wait there inside and hide somehow and be my witness. "But, Harm, do not offer either of them any violence; it'd ruin your case."

"I won't," I said.

I followed my wife and her adulterous asshole boyfriend back to the house. I turned down a couple of different streets to avoid being seen, I knew where they were headed, and gave them enough time to get inside.

On the way, I had an inspiration. I called Rex. "Yeah Rex...call Mrs. Phillips and get her over here...yeah...tell her anything...tell her the truth if you have to."

Fifteen minutes later the lovers parked in front of the house and hurried inside. I knew Rex was in there somewhere; I had visions of him being a voyeur hiding inside of a closet or something. But I wanted to wait for Mrs. Phillips. They lived near the school which was but five minutes away. She pulled up eight minutes later. I intercepted her.

"Did Rex tell you?" I said.

"Yes," she hissed. "He said your whore and my asshole are inside doing the hootchiekoo!"

"Yeah, and this is not the first time. You'll get all of the pics, audio, and videos," I told her. We headed for the house.

"The fuckwad," she muttered. "We have three kids. The fucking cheating asshole..."

Hearing a woman as pretty and as classy as Rachel Phillips talking trash like that shocked me. But, that was fodder for another day. Right now we had to ruin a sexual interlude. I whipped out my cell and set it to take pictures. I wanted to catch the look on their faces when we destroyed their plans.

******

I wanted to avoid the windows as much as possible I wasn't going to go in the front door. We snuck around the back to the basement door and let ourselves in quietly. We could hear voices upstairs, but the words were still indistinguishable.

"Careful of the third step," I admonished her, "it squeaks."

I stepped over it as we climbed the stairs. She was glued to me. As incongruous and untimely as it sounds, her nearness was turning me on. She was a sexy woman. The asshole she was married to sure didn't deserve her.

At the top of the stairs I listened at the door. They were further away, probably in the front room. I slowly opened the door and signaled her to follow.

"You're sure proud of that cock aren't you, big guy?" I heard Ellie say.

"You like it well enough." Laughed Phillips.

We walked in to the living room and stopped just inside the doorway. Phillips was completely naked. Ellie was still dressed except for her blouse which she had apparently just taken off.

"Harm!" Ellie's face was suddenly Confederate gray. The tears literally sprang from her eyes. She had run out of words. 

"Hello shitass," said Rachel as she advanced on her frightened and shocked husband. "Do not come home today. I will send a bag of clothes to your mother's tomorrow. The marriage is over. If you don't contest it, and if you stay away from me and the kids until I say you can visit, I will let you keep your car and your personal stuff. Everything else is lost to you. Got it big boy!" She snapped her fingers at him and he quailed.

"Harm..." Ellie said. "I'm sorry. Tell Annie, I'm sorry too."

She picked up her blouse and purse and left. 

Her paramour dressed quickly and left too. I heard the garage door opener engage and the roar of his engine and then he was gone. 

Rex emerged from the walk in closet in the downstairs guest room. We talked, just the three of us. Rachel was crying her eyes out. Mine were misting over too. It was not a happy occasion. 

******

Annie returned about an hour after the confrontation. She immediately assessed the happenings. 

"How long have you known, Annie," I said. I was a little miffed at her because she hadn't come to me.

"I didn't know for sure, dad. It was the smell," she said.

"Huh?" I said. Rex was interested too.

"Mr. Phillips wears this really awful cologne. Last week when you were gone I smelled it in the house. I knew it wasn't yours at least I was pretty sure it wasn't. So, I got suspicious and arranged to be at Shelly's. I wanted to see if the asshole showed up when he thought we were gone. He did, and I was hopping mad. I was going to try and call you, but Mr. Coleman intercepted me before I could."

"My offer to you about her still stands," said Rex. 

I just shook my head. What a kid.

"Dad, what are you going to do about mom?"

"I'm divorcing her, Annie. I have no choice. I love her; I won't deny it, but she just can't resist the strange..."

"Cock. Yeah, I know dad."

******

The next several days were a nightmare for me. True the pressure was off. My lawyer was licking her chops. Rex was supportive and we'd met a couple of times to drown my sorrows in a tankard of ale, actually several tankards of ale. But I missed my cheatin' heart: Ellie. That I would never see her again was a distinct possibility. After so many years, the psychological investment in our marriage, and our common love for our child: it just wasn't easy to forget it all and start over. 

Rachel had become a friend. She had kicked her asshole out, and needed a friendly ear too, I guess. For his part Mr. Phillips had remained scarce since the day of reckoning, but I had a feeling that he'd try to improve his situation as opportunities for him to do so might arise.

He'd quit his job at the school: me being there was more heat than he was willing to endure, at least in the short term, I guess. That his resignation was accepted with little or no demur was telling.

I was sitting in the bar alone talking to Elton. There were few patrons at the moment, and that suited me. I had had too many folks trying to cheer me up since the end had come, too much advice—all well meant—that wouldn't do me any good; I needed to be left alone. Well, apart from my favorite bartender that is.

"Harm, I hear that Phillips guy quit the school. That true," said Elton.

"Yeah, it's true," I said.

"I figured it was. He used to come in all the time. Haven't seen him since you and Ellie..."

I nodded.

Elton meandered up to the other end of the bar as another customer signaled for a fresh yellow-pepsi.

I barely heard him try to get my attention. "Harm."

I looked up at him. I had been more or less meditating on the miserable state of the world until Elton would come on back down to me. 

"What?" I said.

He nodded toward the entrance. There as big as life stood the former P.E. department chair of my school.

I spun around on my school and pushed my beer a little farther away from me. I was waiting for the man to see me and leave. He saw me and didn't leave.

"Well, who have we here? Mr. high and mighty, I guess," said Marco.

I didn't respond.

"What's a matter? Cat got your tongue, hot shot." His tone was filled with venom.

"You don't want to push it butthead. I am not in the mood," I said.

"Oh, you're not in the mood. Well, what if I am?" he said.

"That would be another case of bad judgment on your part," I said.

He moved toward me sneering as he came. I got off the stool and stood waiting. He still had a court date with Rachel, and I didn't want to give him any ammunition, but if he took a swing at me all bets were off.

I'd had a couple of beers already, but I was still in control. Marco was at least a hundred pounds heavier than me, but he was arrogant. Confidence born of arrogance was counterfeit, as my old army instructor used to say.

He never broke stride as he unloaded a punch at me as I stood there. I merely side-stepped him and he banged into the bar. He turned and beckoned me with a finger—his middle finger. I said nothing.

Elton was watching the action from behind the bar. He looked amused; I be talking to him about that later on.

Marco was more cautious now. "Oh yeah, he said, "I forgot you were some kind of big shot army man. Let's see how much you remember asshole."

He rushed me. I was hoping for just such an error in judgment. Stepping to the side I flashed a side kick at his knee; the timing was perfect. He hit the ground like a sack of wet cement. The pain had robbed him of his breath.

"Fucking Geezsus!" he cried.

"Hurts like a sonovabitch, huh?" I said. 

After a few minutes of swearing and crying, he crawled toward the door and then managed to get himself upright enough to hop and stumble his way out.

I reseated myself at the bar and wondered how in the hell Ellie could ever have decided to trade me in on a shitass like Marco Phillips. The insult was almost worse than the cheating itself—almost.

******

Part three of three coming soon... 



Ellie and Harm Ch. 03



The last time I saw Ellie she had been running out of the house holding her blouse and her purse in her hand. She hadn't even taken her car. I found out later, with help from Rex, that she had evidently gone down a few blocks and called a cab. Then she had simply disappeared from the face of the Earth. 

I was sure she would return at some point during those next few days and try to talk to me. But I was wrong. As the days passed and became a week, then two, then three, with no attempt to contact me; I became at first mildly concerned, then worried, then very worried. My last impression of her demeanor was that she was hurting and depressed—and feeling very guilty. I prayed she wouldn't do anything stupid.

That was three years ago, and the memory was still fresh. Worse, I was now alone. Not alone in the sense that I had no one around me or couldn't get a date, but in the sense that I felt empty and incapable of a happy moment.

My wife, my ex-wife, had not even shown up for the divorce. I made my lawyer, Ms. Carter Esq. of the same name as me, commit to giving her half of the estate; but to the best of my knowledge, the point was moot. I'm sure she didn't know about the settlement or really even the divorce, though I expect she probably guessed I had gone through with it. It was sad and cold and empty, that is my life.

******

Ellie ran. At first she didn't even realize that she was half naked. She stopped stepped behind a tree and hurriedly put on her blouse. She headed out once again. She had thirty-five dollars and a couple of credit cards. She bent the cards in half several times each and ditched them in a big smelly trash can behind a convenience store.

She sat on the park bench and sobbed into the fabric of her purse. She mentally assessed the events of the past twenty-four hours. How could she have been so incredibly stupid? She had no defense. She had humiliated and betrayed her husband and now she had nothing—and—she allowed, she deserved nothing.

She had but the thirty-five dollars now. She had to figure a way to get out of there, and get away from her shame. Harm, poor Harm, he'd worry about her, she knew; but, he'd get over it eventually and get on with his life; he deserved better.

******

She'd taken a bus toward downtown. She hadn't cared where. She just wanted to get away. She got off and started walking.

She was still walking the street hours later; she had no idea where she was, and it was late at night. She stopped at a park bench and took off her shoes her feet were killing her. She was sure glad she'd had sneakers on. 

"Hey woman whatcha doin'," said a voice to her right.

She ignored him. She looked around. It was clearly a rough part of town. She was suddenly frightened. What had she done? What had she gotten herself into!

The man approached. He was grubby and smelly and about as unkempt as he could be. He looked her over. He knew in a minute she wasn't from around there. "You know where you are woman?" He said.

"No," said Ellie.

"Whaddya called?" he said.

She almost said Ellie, but she stopped. "Grace," she said.

"Yeah right. I saw you hesitate. But, no matter, none of us have names around here," he said.

"What is this place?" she said really wondering. 

"Skid row," said the man.

Suddenly it all made sense. The man was homeless and probably a wino. A regular down here, she thought. Well what the hell, she was homeless too if it came to that.

"Is there a shelter around her," said Grace.

The man choked down his laughter. "Down in the city proper. There's a couple of missions, but not much else. I take it you have no place to stay. I can see you're new to the street."

Ellie thought. Despair suddenly overwhelmed her. She realized she was in a very tough and dangerous spot. She started crying.

The man laughed. It made her look up. It made her angry. She was desperate and he was laughing at her. "What the hell..."

"Fuck all of the bawlin' lady. It ain't got no currency down here. Down here it's from day to fuckin' day." 

"Can you help me?" she pleaded.

"Help you? Hell I can't even help myself. I just survive," he said. "Like I said, from day to fuckin' day."

She started sobbing again. He was getting tired of her whining. 

"This is it, Grace or whoever you are, you can stay with me, but there's a price," he said.

"A price? I have only a little money. I need a place to stay. I'm frightened," she said.

"Down here we're all scared. But we survive. The price is a piece of that sweet ass of yours," he said. "It's been a long time. For that you'll get my protection. You'll be my woman while you're down here. I'll show you the ropes. You won't last long on your own."

She was stunned. "Are you fucking kidding me!"

"Fine," he said. "I don't rape women. But them as do are around, and there are a lot of 'em." He started to walk away.

"Wait. Okay. Where?" she said. She was sickened, but it was clear to her now. Her punishment was going to be long and painful. 

"Follow me," he said.

She put her shoes back on without tying them and followed him. There was a dark loading dock behind a business of some sort. The place was deserted. He led her to a still darker corner. There were some big cardboard boxes flattened and stacked nearby. He got one of them and brought it over to where she stood.

"Well, strip," he said. "We can't do it with your clothes on."

She slowly took off her clothes and balled them up and set them at one end of the cardboard box that he would do her on.

He stripped off his clothes quickly and stood over her; she had sat herself down on the box.

She studied him more closely. He was muscled and thin. He'd have been okay looking if he weren't so dirty. And he smelled so bad.

"Get on your knees and bend over," he said. "It has been too damn long. I gotta have it right now."

She was slow but she did as he said. She knelt and bent over.

He gazed almost reverently at her perfect breasts, sizzling butt, and the inviting cleft between her ass cheeks. He'd never had class like this, not in his whole life, not even with the chicks in "Nam.

He knelt behind her and kissed her exposed anus. He was going to savor every minute of this night. 

He'd thought to fuck her and dump her. But, now he was thinking to keep her for himself. The rest of those cocksuckers down on Macy Street could fuck themselves. He'd protect her, and he and she would do their thing together. Inside him, he knew it would last forever, not with this chick, but for a while he'd have himself the comfort and attentions of a real live woman.

He licked her up and down her slit, and she became increasingly agitated and excited. At least he wasn't a brute, she thought. She felt him press his penis against her sopping pussy lips. He entered her and began to push deeper and deeper inside of her. She moaned.

He started sawing in and out of her. Soon he was banging her fiercely and she felt herself give way to an orgasm. He followed close behind with one of his own. When he finally unloaded eashing her insides he almost had a heart attack from the thrill of it.

He pulled out and lay beside her as she crumbled into a fetal position at the edge of the cardboard. 

"Come here," he said.

She looked at him. 

"You need to suck me hard again. I wanna take you on your back. I wanna see your face while I do you."

She followed instructions. She took hold of his cock and stroked it a few times. Then she let it slip between her lips and she sucked him for some minutes until he was rock hard once more.

She rolled onto her back and he mounted her. Her legs over his shoulders he banged her for twenty minutes. She came again. She had the strange thought that this filthy wino was a better fuck than Marco Phillips ever was. She started to laugh.

They lay together for some time. He actually held her, and she let him.

"What now," she said.

"We go home," he said.

"Where's home," she said. 

He pointed. Home turned out to be a small leanto-like shack he'd constructed. It was awful, but it was waterproof he'd said. It was the best he could do at the moment.

Thus began Ellie's degeneration into the realm of the bag lady.

****** 

Harm waited impatiently for her. His fingers had played entire symphonies on the table's surface, or so it seemed, before his counterpart; the offended wife of Marco Phillips appeared and slid into a chair opposite him.

"Criminy, Rachel, I'm gonna buy you a watch," he said laughing. 

"I'm a woman, I'm supposed to be late; Darwin said so," she quipped.

"He did?"

"Well, he should've if he didn't," said Rachel Phillips.

"Right," said Harm. "Anyway, how are you doing. Haven't seen you in a couple of weeks."

The waitress arrived with the drinks that Harm had preordered: a straight vodka for him and a rum collins for her. He left a twenty on the table and asked the girl to keep an eye on their glasses and to refill them at appropriate intervals. 

"Okay. It's awful quiet around the house with him gone. Don't get me wrong; I'm glad he's gone. With him around it was always the wrong kind of noise, if you know what I mean," she said.

"Yeah, I guess I do," said Harm.

"Let me ask you the same question. How are you doing?"

"Rachel, you'd think that after three years that I could answer that," he said, "but I can't. I miss her. I miss her a lot. I guess I was really and truly in love."

She smiled wanly at her counterpart. They had become soulmates of a sort since their divorces. Rachel dated some, but Harm only rarely, and more to prove to himself that he still could than because he cared seriously about any of the women he went out with; he didn't. He was beginning to believe the old saw that a man only loved once in his lifetime, movie scripts to the contrary notwithstanding, was a fact.

"So how is Annie getting along? You know in the time we've been friends, I've really gotten to adore that girl," said Rachel.

"She has that effect on people," said Harm.

"She's going to grad soon, right?"

"Yes, next month, end of May. I am really looking forward to it. It'll be a little bit sad though without her mom there to bask in her achievement," he said.

Rachel looked down at her drink. "You really do still love that woman don't you Harm."

"I guess. I don't know. I hate what she did to me. I keep trying to convince myself that she can't help herself; that she has some kind of medical condition or something. Oh, I know that's all chaff in the wind, but it's all I can come up with that makes a damn bit of sense."

She laid her hand gently on his arm. "You're a good man, Harmon. I hope it works out for you and for Annie. 

"On a lighter note; I have a company party at the end of next week, and I am dateless. Do you think you could see you way clear to escort me? I went solo the past two years and I really felt out of the loop. No strings, just guard duty," she said laughing.

"Absolutely, dear heart, you got it. Just tell me when and where, and I'll be there," he said.

"Wonderful," she said. "I was afraid you'd think of it as cheating. It's Saturday evening at the Round Tree Inn."

"Rachel! That was uncalled for; I mean about the appearance of cheating," he said, laughing at her.

******

Rex had been loosely tasked with trying to locate Ellie in his spare time. He had moved heaven and earth to find her in the beginning, even though he'd had misgivings. But for the past two years he had made at least desultory efforts to locate her: more of a passive watching and listening kind of thing than anything proactive.

He was coming out of a cheap hotel downtown when something strange occurred across the street. A bag lady was wrestling with a store owner over some apparently pilfered groceries. Ever the white knight, he rushed across the street and restrained the man.  

"Hey, guy, cut her some slack, okay. Here, I'll pay for the stuff. He passed the snarling man a twenty and that seemed to pacify him. He turned to say something to the woman, but she was already gone, and with the groceries.

Since he'd just parted with a double sawbuck he decided to maximize his opportunities. Affecting the demeanor of your friendly neighborhood PI, he asked: Ever seen this woman around here?" He showed him Ellie's picture.

"You're kidding right?" said the man.

"Why would you say that?" said Rex.

"You just bought her groceries," said the man. "Her name's Grace. I don't think she has a last name; none of them do."

Rex felt frustrated! So near and yet so far. Well, he now knew for a fact that she was in the area. She'd never seen him; so he could look without concern of being recognized and having her skip country again. He'd still been hidden in the bedroom when she rushed out the door and into thin air that fateful day. He decided not to say anything to Harm, not until he knew for sure, and until he could find the woman.

*******

Annie was exiting her Philosophy of Aesthetics class when Carol Montgomery came up to her. 

"So Annie, has your mom been found yet?" asked Carol.

"No, not yet. We're still hoping," said Annie.

"Why, your dad needed to be rid of her. She was a slut Annie, and you know it," said Carol.

Annie's visage darkened. "Don't ever say that again, and you'll be able to avoid a lot of dental bills," Said Annie.

"Well, gee," said Carol. "You know what I say is true, Annie. We both saw her that day in the mall all over that asshole. Danielle saw it too," she concluded.

Carol never saw the right hook that laid her out. When the dust had settled; Annie was in cuffs and seated in the back of a squad car, and Carol Montgomery was on her way to the EMR.

"Harm," he said, as he picked up the phone in his room at the school.

"Harm, could you please come to the office right away," said the voice of Bob Fallon the VP.

"Sure, be right over," he said.

At the office he'd gotten the message that Annie was in trouble with the police and was being held at Central jail. He was out the door as soon as he got the necessary facts. Gawd! he thought, I hope they take credit cards down there.

In the car he and his daughter were silent almost the whole way home. Finally, he said, "Okay, why?"

"She insulted mom, called her a slut—twice. I couldn't take it. So, I unloaded on her," said Annie.

"Geezsus, Annie, the officer said the girl is in the hospital!" said her dad.

"Yeah, well, she brought it on herself. No one talks that way about my mom, or my dad either for that matter," said an unrepentant Annie.

"I hope this doesn't cost us a lawsuit," said Harm.

"I'll pay it, dad, if it comes to that," she said.

"Dear heart, we'll play it by ear. From what I hear she provoked you; that may mitigate things some; we'll see," he said.

They drove the rest of the way in silence. Harm didn't let it show on his face, but he was secretly proud of his girl. She'd done it wrong, but he would have done the same damn thing, and he knew it, wrong or not. Oh, Ellie, he thought, if you only knew. He started to tear up as he thought about her.

******

The legal matter between Annie and Carol was settled in an odd way the very next day.

"Hey, you're Harm Carter," said a big guy who was leaning against a pillar in front of the administration building.

"Yes, I am. What can I do for you," said Harm.

The guy approached and sent a powerful sucker punch right into his jaw line. "How does it feel, shithead," said his assailant. "My names Ames Montgomery. You might remember me. I was ranked sixth light-heavy by the WBA a few years back. If your daughter ever screws with mine again, you'll be seeing me—again," he said, and he stalked off. 

Most of what he said Harm didn't hear. It was a few minutes before he regained any feeling in his limbs or any serious pretense to conscious thought.

"Geezsus," said Bob Fallon, "that guy really brought it. You okay, Harm?"

I had a witness. I knew any potential lawsuit against Annie was a dead issue now. Mr. Ames Montgomery may have been a contender, as I later discovered was true, but a military genius he wasn't. The sucker punch had been worth it—well, it was after the swelling went down. 

Additionally, the power punch that laid Carol Montgomery out stilled any further baloney on the part of anyone taking her mother to task—male or female.

******

Rachel Phillips looked like a million bucks, and Harm told her so. "Wow!" he said. "Now I know why I have guard duty."

She giggled. "Well, thank you mister. You sure know how to massage a girl's ego. Shall we go?"

"For damn sure," he said. "Can't wait to show you off."

They drove the few miles to their destination, the Round Tree Inn, in near as few minutes. 

Other couples were already dancing and drinking and carrying on. Harm, with Rachel, on his arm found a table to base themselves and headed for the bar. They ordered their usual, returned to their base, and nursed them. 

Two other couples joined them at their table, and within minutes they had all introduced themselves and were drinking and talking animatedly. It was the best time in a party's life.

Some hour and a half later Sam Tolliver was dancing with Rachel. He had his hand lightly covering her ass and his knee separating her legs and pressing against her vulva. Rachel pushed him politely back. 

Harm who was between dances at that moment looked over at the concerned wife of the man. He knew what he had to do.

"Pamela, may I have this dance?" he said.

"Uh—yes," she said, having been pulled out of her reverie by his words.

They danced near to Rachel and Sam and made themselves obvious. Sam wouldn't be getting any strange that night, and you could see it in his eyes that he was miffed. Harm determined to talk to the man.

Dance over, the four returned to their table; the other couple that had joined them were still on the dance floor.

Harm asked Sam to help him get a round of drinks at the bar. The man, still miffed, couldn't very well say no, so he nodded and they went. As they waited at the end of the bar for the barkeep for the evening to notice them, Harm went for the juggler.

"Sam, listen to me and listen good. Don't be tryin' to get into Rachel's pants, or for that matter anyone else's but you lovely wife's. You and the woman you might try to get it on with will be caught and you will both be real sorry. Trust me, it ain't worth it."

"What in hell! Who are you..." His speech was cut off at the pass as Harm grabbed him by the balls—literally—and forced him up on his toes. 

"Listen to me. I know what I'm talking about from experience. You have a great lady there, and you should be making sure she knows you love her. Strange pussy will not make you any happier than she will if she knows you appreciate her. Take it from me." He released his grip on the man's privates and smiled at him.

"You've got a lot of nerve, asshole," said Sam trying to get his breathing back to something approaching normal.

"Yeah, can't argue with you there. I am an asshole; I think it was even in the newspaper," Harm laughed. "But, I'm one asshole who cares about you and your wife. Yeah, yeah, I know I don't know you well enough to care. Well, I do. I don't want anyone to go through what I went through."

Sam snorted something that would have been unintelligible to anyone in the English speaking world. 

The barkeep finally came, took their orders, and the two of them returned to the table with the drinks.

The rest of the evening went increasingly smoothly. After he had gotten over his mild embarrassment from what Harm had done to him, he danced all but two of the dances with his wife. The other two dances with Pamela were with different guys cruising the party. Sam did dance once more with Rachel and kept his hands to himself.

By the end of the evening Sam approached Harm as they went to get the ladies wraps. "I wanna thank you," he said. "I've thought about what you said. I've got six kids and a pretty good looking broad for a wife. I really don't need strange, do I?"




Ellie and Harm Ch. 03



"No you don't. And your wife, just for the record is a stone fox," said Harm.

On the way back, after the party Harm took Rachel to a small all night coffee shop near her home. They sat and sipped their goodnight cappuccinos contentedly. 

"What did you do to Sam?" said Rachel. "he apologized to me for all of his earlier grab ass antics. I know for a fact that he wanted my ass, a piece of it that is; and I also know his wife was not appreciating it. Also, later in the powder room, Pam asked me to tell you thanks. What was all that about?"

"Sam and I had a little discussion. I think he appreciates what he's got a little more now," said Harm. "I think he gets it now."

"You know, you're a pretty nice guy," said Rachel.

He had turned pensive. I just wish..."

"I know," she said covering his hand with hers.

******

Rex had managed to find Ellie, but decided to babysit her from a distance until he could figure out how to deal with her. He couldn't make her go back if she didn't want to. And if he did influence her to do so, would Harm run with the opportunity or run her off. He knew that the best thing for Harm was to forgive her once again and work it out, as crazy as it might sound. But, that didn't mean that Harm would go that route. And then again there was Ellie. 

She was in dire straits, but she was a registered nurse with a master's degree, she could work anywhere she wanted, but she was clearly punishing herself for her sins. Would she be willing to forgive herself, at least enough to try again? Rex didn't know, so he would play it by ear in the short term.

One day while keeping tabs on her, a man, also a denizen of the row, grabbed a bag she was carrying, knocking her down in the process. He didn't dare accost the man, while he was in the process of the robbery, so he waited till he turned the corner then he went after him. 

"Whatcha got there man," said Rex.

"Huh?" said the wino, as he turned to see who was addressing him.

"I saw you knock the broad down and take her bag. Tell you what. You give it back to her right away, and I won't kill you," said Rex, pulling his jacket open enough for the other to see the Colt-45 auto in his belt.

"Shit mister it's just a bag of oranges," he said.

"But they're her oranges," said Rex.

"Hey, man, that's my woman. She said she'd get me some of these and then she wouldn't share when she did. I dumped her 'cause of that," he said, expecting the other to understand.

"I said, take the oranges back and give them back to her. I'm not going to say it again," said Rex.

The wino thought about protesting some more but decided he didn't want to risk messin' with a stranger who was obviously not from around there. "Okay, okay," he said and he retraced his steps and returned the oranges. Rex watched from behind a dumpster.

He saw the two talk for some minutes. He saw the wino give her back the bag and feel up her tits after he did it. Shit, he thought, had she fallen that low. He couldn't wait much longer. Ellie might have a death wish, and that was unacceptable no matter what. He had to get her out of there and soon. 

He saw them sit down together and they each consumed an orange. Ellie was smiling up at the guy. The irony of the whole thing was that he was pretty sure that Ellie had hooked up with him for protection. Well, some protection at night was better than none.

Rex decided he had to get back to the office. He had an appointment with a job applicant.

******

Annie was sitting across from her dad in the kitchen. "Dad, I miss mom."

"I know, babe, I miss her too," said Harm.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Would you take her back? I mean if she promised to be good and everything," said Annie.

Harm Carter slowly shook his head. "I don't know, babe, I just don't know. She's done it twice. I don't know if she can help herself."

"What if she can't?" said Annie.

"Whaddya mean, girl," he said.

"I mean what if there is some psychological reason that makes it really hard for her to not be influenced to do stuff? You know what I mean?" said Annie.

Harm reflected for a moment before answering. "Well, I guess that would be different. But, as far as I know there is no reason to think that your mother has a problem like that. I mean being tempted and giving in to the temptation is not a psychological problem, Annie, it's a moral one."

Annie was silent and pensive. "I guess," she finally said.

"Whaddya plan to do today?" said Harm.

"Got a job interview. I'll be gradding soon, and I am looking to go to work," she said.

"Oh, and who is the interview with?"

"I'll let you know if it goes well," she said, dodging the question.

"Okay, see yuh for dinner," he said.

******

Annie sat in the office and waited. The office of Adele Carter was quiet at the moment. Annie heard the doorknob engage and looked to her right.

Adele Carter approached Annie Carter and offered her her hand. "Hi, I'm Adele," said the well dressed lady. "You must be Annie."

"Yes, ma'am," she said.

"Rex will be here in a minute. He has an office in the back, would you like to wait there; it's more comfortable," she said.

"Yes, ma'am, that'd be fine," said Annie.

Less than five minutes later, Rex entered his office and smiled at the young lady seated in front of his desk. "Hi, Annie," he said. "So, you think you'd like to be a PI," he said.

"Yes, sir," she said. She wasn't actually nervous, but she was a little shy, if that was the word, about asking for a job. She knew Rex, and he and her dad were friends. She knew she'd get and take the job unless she couldn't agree to some of the things she'd learned in her course work in Police Science; she knew PI's often skirted the rules; she would not do that.

"Well, I guess you kinda know firsthand about some of the things we do, right?"

"Sure do," she said.

"And you graduate in a few weeks, right?" said Rex.

"Yes sir, May 20th."

"Well, Annie there are a couple of things I have to ask. Bear in mind, you've got the job if you want it. But, I have to ask because we do things here that require judgment, and you have to abide by these rules no matter what. Kinda like a newspaperman has to protect his sources and the like. Am I making myself clear?" he said.

"Yes, I think so," she said.

"And, a lot of the work is tedious and unrewarding. Some of it is downright distasteful," he said.

"Yes, I know," she said. "Like spying on cheaters and working for people you would not really like to be working for sometimes."

"Exactly. In fact sometimes you end up liking the people you are spying on better than the ones who hired you," he said. "It's the damndest thing."

Annie laughed, "I can believe that. But, Rex, there is one thing. I will not break the law."

"You will never be asked to, a jaw or two maybe but never the law," he said, making his point.

"I deserved that," she said. "I never should have hit her, but she crossed a line that I will never let anyone cross for free, not anyone."

Rex looked at her for a moment. "You know what we do is always in confidence. If I, as your boss, say shut up; you shut up. Are we clear on that?"

"Yes sir," she said.

"Annie, you're hired. I've already have the papers drawn up. Ms. Carter, who employs both of us, has prepared them. Here, look them over and then, if you wish, sign and date them in the places marked."

Annie looked at the relatively simple documents closely. "Is that my salary?" she said. "I mean, I'm new..."

"You'll be earning every dime of it," he said. "Your days freeloading off your dad are over." He laughed outright, almost choking as he did so.

She signed and dated the papers, and pushed them back to him.

"Okay. Remember, we are not bankers; we do not keep bankers hours; we have no time clocks; we have no union representative. And you're on the job as of right now, okay?"

"Sure!" she said.

"Okay, now I am going to tell you something in confidence. You are not at liberty to tell anyone about it whomsoever for any reason whatsoever until I say so, and only if I say so. Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it," she said, becoming a tad irritated at continually being told.

"Okay then. I've found your mom." He let his words sink in.

"Pardon me?"

"I've found your mom. But, you cannot tell your dad, not yet. In fact you may not ever be able to tell him. I'm still working on that," he said.

"Fucking Geezsus!" said Annie. "Rex..."

"Annie, I'm the boss here, and I am using that judgment I mentioned a while ago. For it to be useful to tell your dad, both him and your mom have to be on the same page and want it; otherwise, we'll just be opening new wounds on top of the old.

"You and I will be going to see your mom today," he said, finally. "Then, if your mom is cool with seeing him, we'll take it from there. Are you with me?"

Annie was shaking. She couldn't sit still. "Yes," she said simply, between clenched teeth. "Let's freakin' go!"

He smiled.

******

They drove in silence. The day was hot and muggy. But in the airconned car the weather did not enter into anything.

"Can I ask, where are we going?" said Annie.

Rex looked over at her and nodded. "Skid row."

She looked over at him. Her mouth hung open. She was all but speechless. "Where?"

"Your mom, Annie, is a bag lady."

Her brow knitted. She couldn't be hearing what she was hearing.

"She's really down on her luck. She's clearly depressed, and I am worried about her. Now you know why we have to be careful with this, with her."

"Sweet mother of gawd!" Annie muttered.

They pulled into a small trash-littered lot at the back of a soup kitchen. Rex motioned her to get out. "She'll be in here this time of day," he said. "Wear these," he said. He handed her a fishing cap and a pair of cheap dark glasses that seemed to cover half her face. "We'll observe for a few minutes."

"Okay," said Annie.

"Annie, one more thing. I had you wear those old clothes for a reason. We're not so much in disguise; we just don't want to stand out. 

You're going to speak to her first. When it's time, I will float toward the back door. If she tries to break away from you, I will be there to intercept her. We must talk to her, and we must do it today. Okay?"

"Absooo-freakin'-lutely!"

"Okay then, curtain up," he said.

Inside of the soup kitchen there were dozens of tables. The place was about half full. Most of the patrons were old men and women; a few kids moved around and played between the benches. The tragedy of their situations made Annie feel guilty. 

"Rex, how can there be this much poverty in a country like ours," she said.

"There shouldn't be, Annie. Someday the mongers of greed in our capitols will stop catering to the big money lobbies and pay attention to us and to folks like these. They will just have to do something about it all regardless. 

See that guy over there with the UCLA cap?" 

"Yes. He's a defrocked doctor. Got caught using drugs. Spent time in the slam and lost his license. But he still works—for free and on the sly," he said. Takes care of the others around here."

"What's his name?"

Rex laughed, "Doc," he said. "Nobody around here gives their real names. Oh, and by the way, your mom's name is Grace. I've learned she's helped Doc out from time to time."

They seated themselves at a vacant table in the middle of the room. "Why don't you get us both a cup of coffee," he said. "I'll wait here. Annie started walking toward the bank of urns on the right side of the cavernous cafeteria. She stopped cold. Two tables down she saw her. She moved over a couple of tables and continued toward the urns. She got the coffee and slowly, unobtrusively returned to Rex. "She's there," said Annie, nodding.

"Yeah, I spotted her the same time you did," he said. "She's alone. Take your cup and go sit with her. Remember her name is Grace around here. If she doesn't recognize you at first take of the hat and glasses. Be gentle; remember she's a broken woman. Let her know you love her early on; it may help. I'm heading for the back door."

Annie nodded and, as casually as she could, meandered among the tables to get to where her mother was sitting nursing her own cup of coffee. She slid in across from her.

"Hi Grace," said Annie.

The woman looked tired and only half present. "Do I know you?"

"Yes." Annie took of the hat and glasses. "I love you mom," she hurried to say.

"What the—how did you..."

"Mommy, I love you," said Annie, tearing up.

"Annie, I—"

"I know mom. It's okay now. I'm here. I know you have questions, so do I. 

"Mom, we are never going to be apart again," said Annie.

"Oh Annie!" Ellie Carter got up and rushed around the table to hug her daughter. The tears flowed freely between them. Rex, watching from the back waited to get the high sign from Annie. It was a full five minutes before Annie remembered he was even there. When she did, she motioned him over.

"Wha...?" Said Ellie sensing something.

"It's okay mom. I have a job. I'm a PI," she said proudly. "I work for Rex." She indicated the man who sat down opposite them.

"Annie, what am I going to do?" sobbed her mother.

"Mrs. Carter. This is complicated. When you—left—three years ago, your husband was angry at you, but he was also worried about you. He hired me to locate you and to make sure you were safe and secure.

"To answer your unstated question as to what comes next, that's going to be a toughie. Your daughter here and I, think you belong home with your husband. It's just..."

"He still hates me. I know," she said.

"Mrs. Carter, no, he doesn't hate you. He loves you. He's just not sure that..."

"That he can trust me," she said completing his sentence.

"Well, yes and no. Honestly, he worries that he might not be able to survive mentally if he were to have to go through it again," said Rex. "But, on the other hand, I know he is sick with worry about you and would maybe, probably, want to have you back; if you'd be willing. Are you?" challenged Rex.

******

Annie had let them into the house. Her dad had been out. Rex and Ellie had moved themselves into the den, and Annie was in the kitchen ready to intercept her dad when he came back. A call to his cell had confirmed that he would be there in no more than ten minutes. No one had yet informed him of his special visitor.

Annie heard the garage opener engage and waited for her dad to enter the room through the kitchen door.

"Hi dad," she said.

"Hi baby, how did the interview go? Now, are you going to tell me?" he laughed.

"Yes, dad, I got the job. I am now a private investigator! I still have to get licensed. And, I still have to finish school—three weeks to go with that. But, I am as of today fully employed," she said.

"Wonderful baby! But, I am not surprised. I know Rex will have one great helper in you," he said.

"Yes, he will dad. I intend to be the best."

Harm Carter just smiled. He was so proud of his girl.

"Dad, there's something else. I need you to meet someone," said Annie.

Now, Harm was worried. Did she have a boyfriend? Was he about to meet his future son?" He wasn't sure how he'd feel about that. But, it was beyond his power to do anything about it, so he said, "Sure Annie, when and where?"

She rose, took his hand, and led him into the den.

He stood in the doorway motionless. A woman: ratty clothes, bags under her eyes, a shrunken body, with short unkempt hair sat on the couch. But, for all of the incongruity, the woman was his ex-wife; it was Ellie Carter.

Tears began to flow from his eyes. "Ellie! My gawd! Ellie. He went to her and wrapped his arms possessively about her shoulders. "Don't you ever leave me again," he said.

She leaned into his shoulder and sobbed, "Harm."

Annie joined them on the couch and wrapped her arms around her parents. They were a family again. The days ahead would take a lot of doing, but that was the future. For now nothing mattered but the touching and the crying and the healing.

Rex smiled. He and Harm would talk later in the week. For the moment, he was done. He'd done his job, and for once it was a happy ending. Well, there were some good days weren't there, he thought. He let himself out.

******

THE END