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Jodie

By: the_apocalypse



The night had been fairly quiet and sitting at the bar I slowly drank my drink and looked around. Considering it was a Saturday night it seemed to pretty quiet and I wondered why there weren't more people in here. It was usually one of the busiest and most popular pubs in town which is why I came here but tonight it was dead.

I had becoming here at least twice a week for a year and ever since that first night I walked in I hadn't been to any other pub in the town. 

Looking at the handful of people that were in tonight I didn't recognise any of them and that in itself was strange. There was a young couple sitting in the darkened corner, a group of six sitting at a table having a rowdy discussion about the state of the country and a lone woman sat at the other end of the bar. Finishing my drink I called the barman over and ordered another, deciding that if the place didn't liven up I would make it my last drink for the night.

Slowly I sipped my drink, a double brandy, hoping that at any minute the door opened and some of the regulars came in. I hadn't spoken to anyone, other than the barman, since I had arrived and was pretty bored. The woman at the other end of the bar ordered another drink and I watched as she swiftly drank it in one swallow. I couldn't believe things had got so bad that I was watching what others were doing.

I kept glancing at the woman and saw she was wearing what looked to be a black mini-dress and boots. She had long jet black hair and looked to be in her late thirties, almost twice my age. I was surprised that I hadn't noticed just how attractive she was earlier. Still she seemed quite content to sit on her own so I turned back to my drink. Picking up my glass I drained it in one and went to get up and leave. As I turned away from the bar and went to stand up I was surprised to see the woman in black had sat down next to me and I hadn't even seen her move. 

"Hello how are you my name is Jodie." She said.

"Hi Jodie I'm good thanks I'm Jon and I was just about to go."

As I said that she looked at me and I found myself going to sit down again and ordering two more drinks. Jodie watched me as I sipped my drink before she picked hers up and took a large gulp. 

"So Jodie how come I haven't seen you in here before?" I asked her.

"I've just moved into the town and it's my first night out." She replied.

"Well like I said I was just about to leave it's usually a lot busier in here than this."

"I did think it was quiet but are you sure you need to leave now."

I went to tell her that I was going to look for somewhere with a bit more life but as soon as I looked into her eyes the words went completely out of my head.

"I suppose I could stay for a bit as you are new around here." 

"Thanks that will be nice of you I don't know that many people." She said smiling.

"Do you fancy another drink?" I asked her.

"That's nice of you I'll have double vodka and coke if that's okay."

I called the barman over and as he poured our two drinks we emptied the glasses in front of us. For the next couple of hours Jodie and I sat there talking like we had known each other for years. I found myself telling her everything about my life right from when I had left school up until I had lost my job and girlfriend the same day a couple of months earlier.

Jodie told me she was forty-three, which surprised me as I had guessed her age completely wrong, single and that she had come to this town to escape a bad past. She just wanted a fresh start and a new town seemed like the easiest option. I tried to ask her what was so bad that she had to give up her home but she gave me a look that told me I was better off not asking. Suddenly Jodie looked at me and asked if I minded walking her home as she had too much to drink and would feel safer walking with someone.

We left the pub and walked along by the side of the canal, Jodie slightly unsteady on her feet, for about twenty minutes before she stopped and turned to look at me. 

"Thanks for walking me home Jon would you like to come in?" Jodie asked.

"I'm not sure we have both had a fair bit to drink." I replied.

"What's wrong Jon do you think I will eat you." She said laughing.

Not wanting to seem rude I half chuckled as she said that and decided that it couldn't hurt to go in with her for a coffee, which surprised me as I meant to turn her down and tell her I would next time we met if she still wanted me to.

Following Jodie down the path to her front door I noticed that she was no longer that unsteady on her feet, she seemed to be almost skipping towards the house in fact, and she seemed different to the Jodie that I had first spoken to in the pub. If this was her way of getting men back to her place it certainly worked but I thought that there must have been better ways to do it. She opened the door and walked in before turning around and beckoning me to follow her. Slowly I walked forward, through the door, and Jodie closed it behind me shutting out the outside world.

Before I knew what was happening Jodie had wrapped her arms around the back of my neck and was passionately kissing me. I tried to resist and push her off, thinking that she was obviously drunker than she let on, but she seemed to be too strong. Slowly I began to find myself actually enjoying the feel of her lips against me and began to respond, kissing her back, gently at first but getting harder. My tongue was darting in and out of her mouth as I pulled her closer against me, pressing her firm tits against my chest. I ran my hands down her back and gripped her ass, which was surprisingly firm, and pushed my tongue further into her mouth.

Jodie continued to kiss me back but as she did I felt her hand running down over my stomach and coming to rest on my cock which, unsurprisingly due o the heat we were generating, was fully erect and strain against the fabric of my jeans.

"I think I better help you with that." Jodie said gripping my cock hard.

"Yes I think you better." I replied grabbing her hand and loosening it a little.

Jodie expertly slid my zip down and popped open the button, causing my jeans to fall to the floor, and slid her hand inside my boxer shorts. I shivered slightly as her fingers wrapped themselves around my cock, my body coming out in goose bumps. Jodie held my cock gently between her fingers and slowly began to wank me. Gradually she got quicker and I was sure she was going to make me cum when she stopped and dropped to her knees and slid my boxer shorts down to my jeans. 

I looked down at her and watched as she opened her mouth and flicked her tongue across the end of my cock licking the drop of pre-cum that had seeped out. Jodie pulled her head away and looked up at me, my pre-cum on her chin, and smiled. Smiling back at her I held her head in my hands and guided my cock towards her mouth and watched as she opened it and took my full length all the way in. I knew I didn't have the biggest cock in the world, it was only seven inches fully erect, but I was amazed that she never even gagged as I felt it hit the back of her throat. As I held her head Jodie started to bob her head back and forth taking my whole cock each time. I closed my eyes and threw my head back not believing that I had my cock in the mouth of a forty-three year old woman I had only met earlier that night.

I had never even kissed a woman as old as Jodie yet the expert way she was sucking my cock made me wish that I had. She was so gentle, it was the best blowjob that I had ever had, and before long I felt my balls tighten.

"Jodie I'm going to cum suck me harder." I told her breathlessly.

Jodie heard me and quickened her pace causing me to cum deep into her mouth. My cock kept twitching as she sucked every drop out of me, not even stopping when I knew there was no more for her to taste. Eventually she stopped sucking and let my cock drop out of her mouth and looked up at me.

"I think you better take me upstairs you owe me an orgasm." She said smiling.

I couldn't resist the look in her eyes and, after helping her up off her knees, I let her lead me up to her bedroom.

As we entered her room she flicked the light on and I gasped. I had never been in a bedroom like it before in my life. The walls were painted deep red and there were pictures all around the room. I looked closely at the pictures and saw that every single one of them contained an image of a gothic woman in various erotic poses. I suppose if I had thought about it, and with the type of clothes Jodie was wearing, I shouldn't have been too surprised.

"Do you like them Jon?" Jodie asked from behind me. 

I spun around and saw that Jodie had slipped out of her dress while I was looking at the pictures. She was standing there in a black and red Basque, which hardly managed to contain her tits, red g-string and black stockings. She looked absolutely stunning and my cock sprang instantly back to life as I stared at her leaning against the end of her wooden four poster bed.

I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. Kissing her passionately I rubbed the front of her g-string, feeling her moisture coming through, before I slid it down slowly. Jodie sat on the edge of the bed and removed her g-string fully before she lay back, leaving her feet on the floor. Lowering myself onto my knees I breathed in, the sweet scent of her completely shaved pussy hitting my nose, before I slowly flicked my across tongue across her opening. She tasted so sweet that I quickly pushed my tongue deep into her, causing Jodie to let out a gasp, and began to work my tongue around inside her.

Jodie gripped my hair with one hand and pushed my head harder against her pussy, bucking her hips wildly, as her first orgasm thundered through her body. Calling out my name she thrashed wildly on the bed as she released her tits from the Basque with her free hand and began massaging them roughly. She screamed loudly as she pinched her nipples hard and thrust her pussy against my face. 

"Make me cum again and again Jon." She screamed out.

I carried on licking her pussy, occasionally giving her clit a little nip, as she came three or four more time before she stopped bucking her hips.

"Oh god Jon fuck me from behind and fuck me hard. " She said breathlessly.

I stopped licking her pussy and gently rolled her over onto her stomach so her ass was facing me. Moving in between her legs behind her I gently eased them apart and pushed my cock against her soaking pussy sliding in easily. Jodie let out a gasp as I entered and holding on to her hips I started to thrust against her. As I fucked her from behind I felt Jodie reach between her legs and begin massaging her already swollen clit. Jodie pushed her hips back every time I thrust forward making sure she got the full length of my cock deep inside her. Looking down at her beautiful ass I couldn't resist slapping it gently.

"Fuck me Jon I'm going to cum." Jodie screamed at me.

"So am I." I told her breathlessly as I rammed my cock hard into her.

Pounding my cock deep and hard into her I felt the same feeling I had downstairs and then felt the cum erupt from the end of my cock deep into Jodie's pussy. Jodie gasped as she felt me empty myself into her and had yet another orgasm at the same time. 

I withdrew my cock from Jodie's pussy and moved back a little. I watched as Jodie squeezed her legs together and a small trickle of our mixed juices trickled out of her and down the back of her legs. Jodie turned to me and smiled before easing herself onto the bed and beckoned for me to join her. I stood up, my legs seemingly like jelly, and climbed on next to her. She moved across and I collapsed onto my back as she rolled back to me and put her arm across me.

"Stay the night Jon and fuck me in the morning." She said staring straight into my eyes.

"I will if that's what you want." I replied and pulled her tighter to me before closing my eyes.

I don't know how long I slept but when I woke Jodie wasn't next to me. I went to sit up but couldn't do anything but lift my head slightly. I tried to turn on my side but when I moved my head I saw that my hands had been tied to the posts at the head of the bed. I couldn't move my legs either and, straining my neck, saw that they had been tied as well. I was lying on my back spread-eagled and naked and Jodie was nowhere to be seen.

"Jodie where are you what the fuck is going on?" I called out.

I lay there waiting for a response, expecting her to jump out and make a joke out of my position, but there was nothing but silence. 

"Jodie come on this isn't funny if you wanted to play games all you had to do was ask." I shouted out.

Still there was no response and I began to pull at the restraints around my wrists, trying to free myself.

As I pulled at the straps light flooded into the room. The door had been opened and lifting my head as far as I could I saw the outline of a figure in the doorway.

"Jodie is that you what are you playing at?" I shouted.

"Now now Jon there is no need to talk to me like that." 

I was sure it was Jodie at the door but her voice sounded different from the night before, raspier, but definitely Jodie. I wished she would come into the room, out of the light, so I could see her but she just stood there.

"Do you think I always go out picking men up at pubs like I did you last night?" Jodie asked.

"I-I-I don't know but why are you doing this." I stammered.

"Because I can Jon your kind are so weak you make it easy for me."

"W-w-what do you mean my kind you mean men?"

"Men or women you are all so easy." Jodie continued.

"What the fuck are you Jodie show me." I screamed rage building up inside me.

"You will find out in good time Jon now shut the fuck up or I shall come and gag you as well." Jodie screamed like a banshee.

The door closed and it went dark again as I was left alone, tied to the bed, to ponder what Jodie had in store for me.

Jodie



The neighborhood was upper middle income and the house was at the top of a small hillock with a street lined only on one side with homes. Houses fell away only on one side of the house and a small forested area existed on the other side and behind that was owned entirely by the government and couldn't be sold or built upon. The view from the house was a full three hundred sixty degrees even though obscured by trees on the side and in rear. Additionally the houses had been terraced with about an average two feet height difference between them.

My situation was comfortable because I was looking for a place to live and had the money after selling my first business at a huge profit margin. The plan was to start another as soon as possible working from home on a fresh idea of my own.

I hadn't intended to spend as much as I did but the place seemed so perfect and fit nearly everything I'd ever wanted in a home. After my first visit I made an offer and it was accepted.

Over the following four years the business was defined and operating from my home and the property was kept immaculate by neighborhood standards.

After a bit more than one year the guy next door wanted to put up an eight foot tall cinderblock fence around the sides and rear of his property. He volunteered it to be built from his property and asked me to share the cost. I didn't mind and because it started from his side that meant the fence to me was only six foot high. I'm six foot five and so I can easily look over it from my yard by standing on my toes.

The guy and his wife were my only adjacent neighbors. His name was Paul and her's was Jodie. He managed a sales firm and did a lot of travel while she was a homemaker. He was slightly pudgy and about five foot nine while she was almost a mirror image of a girl I'd had a crush on in elementary school. She was always changing her hair color and so I don't know the true color but she's only five feet tall and completely built for comfort in my opinion.

Jodie had it all, large perfect boobs, slender waist and a more perfect ass and everything fit together like a wet dream. She always seemed quiet and yet unafraid to speak her mind. In four years I think we spoke perhaps ten times although we each spent our days at home.

It was at the end of that fourth year it began.

I'd gone into the backyard to trim some bushes that had grown too wild and I wanted them to appear a bit more controlled.

I was perhaps half way finished when I heard something coming from next door. I ignored it but then it was repeated twice more and I walked to the cinderblock wall and peered over.

My neighbor Jodie was on her back on a patio table and a guy had coveralls around his feet and was going at her. I almost panicked thinking she might be being raped. The guy was noisy and I wondered only for a moment if she needed help. But then she turned her head and raised it, looked around and saw me.  Then she smiled and waved at me as the guy was finishing up. I waved back and went back to work. It was none of my business who she had sex with although it flashed through my mind that I wished it was me instead.

I tried pushing the experience from my mind that evening and night but it kept popping back.

I was up early the next morning and dove into my work with a passion to get yesterday's episode out of my thoughts. It worked reasonably well and I accomplished a lot on the task I was performing. Then about nine the telephone rang and I answered it.

It was Jodie and I had no idea where she got my number. We had never talked on the phone before but still I recognized her voice before she told me who it was.

She asked if she could talk to me and I agreed. She didn't want to talk over the phone and asked if we could do it in my backyard for privacy.  Only a strange car driving to the end of the street could have seen her if she'd come to my front door but I agreed and told her the gate was unlocked.

I'd worn only an old pair of Levis and a Tee when I went to meet her.

She came through the gate quietly and appeared embarrassed but beautiful in a bright yellow sleeveless sundress. She'd changed her hair to blonde sometime in the past few weeks but she looked like a million. She was carrying a paper sack rolled up in her hand. 

We said hello and then she asked if we could sit somewhere.

I pointed to my own redwood picnic table but it had a canvas cover to protect it from the weather. I always kept it clean with the finish up-to-date and could work using it in the summer and anytime I felt cooped up in the house. I sometimes drove down and came back with a couple of burgers, fries and a large Coke then picked up my laptop and had lunch or dinner outside on the table.

I pulled the cover back half-way on the table then she walked over and sat on one of the long attached benches on each side.

She was slow to begin but finally apologized that I'd seen them the previous day. She told me that her husband had called an electrician to fix a problem and when the guy came out next morning he'd constantly stared and teased her.

Then she launched into how her husband had stopped giving her sex two years ago and when she expressed her need he denied her. She told me she'd tried everything and that as a woman she needed sex in her life.

Finally she'd asked to talk of the subject with her husband Paul but he grew angry then told her that if she ever wanted sex that she would have to find someone else. He'd told he would never hold it against her but that he wouldn't give her sex or a divorce.

She continued with her story that when the problem was fixed yesterday the electrician told her Paul had informed him his wife was so needy that she would readily give the guy a grateful reward of the most intimate kind and all he had to do was flirt with her. Jodie agreed she was in need and became aroused by a guy flirting with her that when the guy asked her she knew she should have been offended but she'd agreed from desperation after Paul had continually ignored her needs. She didn't want to do it in the house so the electrician led her outside. She added that she'd never done anything like it before and felt guilty and the guilt was worse when she knew I'd seen her. She added that when she realized I was looking that she blushed, smiled and waved to me to cover up her embarrassment.

That night she'd been more and more disturbed by Paul offering her to a stranger the way he had. She also believed I thought of her as the dirtiest sort of slut. She'd taken more than a two-hour shower trying to scrub off what she thought was the dirt left on her by the sex. It didn't work she thought and spent an almost sleepless night before deciding to talk to me.

I explained that I'd never judge someone else and hoped she'd enjoyed the event.

She started to cry then said the guy was totally into it and before they did it she thought the guy might have been fortunately 'equipped' but when she saw it she was disappointed and yet had already agreed and felt that she had to go along with it. She explained that she'd always had a fantasy of being taken by a guy that was huge and needed her but it had never happened. After noticing me watching that day she said her mind focused on me and her body took over with an incredible need that the electrician thought was because of his effort.

I repeated that she didn't have to tell me these things but she insisted that she'd always wondered about me. She said that when I first moved in and she saw how tall I was she'd wanted to see me She added that she'd wanted to see if I was the guy she'd fantasized about and even throw herself at me but didn't and had fought the issue ever since. She added that she was always afraid I'd despise and reject her.

I took a moment then to tell her that I'd never despise or reject her and that I too had fantasies about her. I explained my childhood crush on a girl that looked so much like her. It was a girl that grew into an incredible woman but was of the upper-class while I was from a working class family and always felt so embarrassed that I'd never asked that girl on a date.

Then Jodie brought me back to our situation and asked if my interest had ever grown into masturbation thinking of her naked and willing next door not as a neighbor but a lover. It was also then she told me she'd been masturbating about me for more than that two years.

I felt embarrassed now but admitted that I'd done the same thing.

She wanted to hear me say it again and I did. When I looked up from the ground and into her eyes she'd stopped crying and was smiling.

After a moment she asked if I liked 'these' as she cupped her breasts then asked if I could tell she wasn't wearing a bra.

Somewhere during our talk things had switched from concern over the previous day to mutual attraction now.

I laughed and told her I might be able to know if she bounced them. She laughed too and then stood and jumped up and down for me. I could tell they were free.

She sat down again but closer to me and seemed to have grown very shy before she asked if I really was as big 'down there' as she'd always thought.

For a moment I wasn't certain if I should answer but then I told her I didn't know how big she meant and that big is only what someone else might think is big.

She told me to stand up and come closer then when I did she didn't reach out and grab it. Instead she reached for the waist and pulled my Levi's down hard.

When they hit my knees I was totally naked from knees to waist and her eyes got big as I watched her tongue sweep across her lips before she glanced up at me.

Suddenly I blushed and then she again asked how big it was. I didn't know but she didn't wait for an answer and reached for her paper sack and started to tell me another story.

She told me that when she'd first started having fantasies about me she'd looked for the largest realistic looking vibrator she could find, bought it and had used it since. She confessed that if we ever got together that she'd wanted to be prepared. Then she reached into her paper sack and pulled the vibrator out and held it up for me to see.

"You're bigger." she told me then held it to the side of mine, compared them then continued. "You're a lot longer but you're also bigger around. I didn't think anyone could be bigger than this." as she shook her toy.

"Sit up here." she said and patted the top of the picnic table.

When I was sitting there she threw her toy over the side fence into her yard and said "I'll pick it up later."

Then she looked into my eyes and said "Are you certain you don't feel bad about me and that electrician?"

When I answered that I'd wished it had been with me she asked if she could touch me and I nodded. I was so aroused by then that I felt like my balls and its head would explode.

I felt her warm hands and bit my cheek to keep from a climax.

"Can I show you what I've wanted all these years?" she continued but all I could do was nod my head.

She ran her cheek across it and then released one hand and slipped it up through a thin strap holding up the dress then switched hands and repeated on the opposite side. She slowly dropped the top of the dress while studying my face. When the dress had dropped to her waist and I swallowed hard. She leaned forward then and used her hands to slip me across each nipple then closed her breasts around it and began rocking up and down.

It had to be a dream. Things like this don't happen in real life or at least not with me. I bit my tongue and it hurt. This was really happening.

"Is it okay? Do you like it?" she teased but I was dumbfounded. My eyes were focused on the large pale blue veins of two perfect breasts and nipples that looked in need of pleasure.

Minutes passed and then I watched as she moved her lips to the head, kissed it and then ran the top of her tongue over before circling it. I was biting my cheek again as she took it fully into her mouth. I didn't think she could make it but with her mouth filled she had and then brought her eyes back to mine as if asking again if I liked it.

I was brought forcibly back to reality as she slipped it in again and again, used it and then took it down her throat while working the muscles in a way I'd never experienced. I sensed that if she continued it wouldn't be long until she found out what could happen next.

She pulled back, took a deep breath and asked "Do you like it?"

I had no answer then but if ever asked again I might answer "I'd be crazy not to and I'm not crazy." However at that moment all I wanted was more, and immediately she was giving me more. I still don't know how her experience with that dildo taught her how to handle my size.

She moved one hand to my balls and used her fingers to slowly tug them free from between my legs then she concentrated on my ass and I could feel her nails digging into it as she became more excited and took me with her on the trip.

For a moment it was as if I was back with my crush from High School years before and experiencing something I'd truly wanted then. But then I realized this was better and Jodie was real. I wrapped my fingers in her long hair and began working by driving deep then quickly retracting before driving in hard again. She was eager and momentarily wanton in her effort.

She pulled back while keeping her tongue busy and told me she wanted and needed me to cum then took me deep again as her fingers grew nearly frantic while fondling me.

In moments I was there and unable to resist or hold back and I felt it starting, emptying again and again then slowing. She eagerly pulled back until her lips were sealed around the head and her tongue continued to work it as she filled her mouth and sucked me empty.

She seemed embarrassed again when finally she pulled back and took a moment before she glanced up at me. "Am I too much a slut?" she asked.

"You are a beautiful woman with a body a man could never resist and I'd never call you a slut." I told her.

She smiled and then looked serious "I'm not? I was trying so hard to be a good one." she laughed "I want you to want me."

"I do." I told her.

"Would you like to see more?" she asked but didn't wait as she caught the hem of her dress and pulled it up, catching the lowered top and continuing to remove everything over her head.

Her body hit me with extreme excitement. She had perfectly proportioned strong legs that rose and joined the tiny hint of a bare slit peeking from between. Her tummy continued and rose to the perfect breasts I'd already been admiring. Her nipples were slightly less pink than the pale lipstick she was wearing and her smile was knowing.

She told me she didn't shave anymore but her folks had given her money for birthdays and holidays until she'd finally had enough and visited a laser specialist to permanently remove the hair.

She glanced down and smiled then said "Do you like me smooth? I like seeing that you like my body. Do you want it? If you do then it's yours. All yours! Please? I've never been more excited by a man's body."

I got up from the table and stepped from my Levi's before turning directly toward her and pulling her to me. She laughed nervously as my height put my cock against her tummy and she reached between us and bent it upward to get closer and we kissed then her body moved sensuously against me.

I picked her up and put her on the table top with her cute ass at the edge then she spread as I moved to her again. She didn't wait for me to do more but reached down and swept my head between the lips of her center and then concentrated moving the head firmly against her clit. Moments passed, her eyes were closed and she was moaning before she pushed me back and almost pulled it inside by raising her hips quickly. "Now." she said.

I was uncertain who was in control but didn't care as I finished penetrating deep within. I held for a moment as she relaxed then smiled and began rotating while working her hips. 

I began slowly but it lasted only a few strokes as she worked me and I finally began taking her hard as she responded even more intently. I could tell she liked everything I could give her and she worked to show me.

When finally I leaned over her back and reached down I found a nipple and then her clit again and she moaned loud enough that without the fence she could have been heard a mile away but I was only slightly less loud.

We had lunch together and did it again in my living room then just clung together the rest of the afternoon.

She kissed it and me around five and went home.

The next morning she came in the back door and woke me the best way a man can get awakened.

It was ten when my telephone rang and when I answered it was Paul and he was cheerful before asking to speak to Jodie. She spoke to him for a few minutes and was smiling the entire time and teasing my cock.

When finally she hung the telephone up I asked how he knew she was at my place.

She explained that she'd told him the previous night of her adventure with the electrician and me but resisted condemning Paul. He'd asked for details and she'd told him. He'd asked if she was okay with me and wanted to continue and when she did he was happy for her. I was surprised because it would be the last thing I'd ever want a wife involved in but it showed that she'd been honest and the story she'd earlier told me was true about him.

After that she asked about my work and we scheduled days and times for her to visit and nights when she'd spend all night with me. My life was changing all for the best. We enjoy sex with each other and frequently experiment and develop what and how we work together. Nothing is off limits if it's enjoyed. I speak with Paul occasionally and he is a guy that doesn't bring it up but fully approves and I still don't understand but I reap the reward so don't fault him, and Jodie is content.



Jodie Carpenter



Blood is thicker than water, a phrase that is supposed to bind families together. An interesting concept don't you think? Todger65 was the editor for this story, I liked his work so much I asked if he would edit this one for me as well. I do hope you enjoy your read.

*****

It had taken twenty six years for me to finally say my life was my own and I was damn well enjoying it.

Oh what it is to tempt fate like that because you know life is going to stick it to you in the most gruesome of ways it can think of. I was sitting in the officer's lounge reading some reports when my Base Commander's adjutant sat down next to me. Instinctively I stiffened, when the mountain comes to Mohamed you know the world is going to end.

"Martin I need you back at the office in twenty minutes."

With that he got up and left and that sinking feeling started. When I arrived I was sent straight into the base commanding officers office; the regiment's padre was stood to one side of my commanding officer and between them they tore my life apart.

My brother and his wife were in a car accident, and as he spoke he also slid papers across the table towards me informing me I was being placed on immediate compassionate leave. Neither of them knew what to do when I declined and asked if I could be dismissed. The soldier in him nodded and I saluted and left to return to my room.

The thing about the forces is that we look after our own, even when we don't realize we need looking after. The padre came by, my leave papers in his hands, and I listened to him as he gave me the speech about love and family. I then told him about my older brother and his bitch of a wife who spent their lives making mine as miserable as they could until I was old enough to get out from under and eventually join up.

He then played the only card he had left, Jodie.

"I have read your file; Jodie now has no one but you. There is no other living relative in her life."

He saw me waiver.

"At the moment Jodie is being looked after by a neighbor. She needs family at times like these."

I knew I was toast, so when I finished nodding my head in the right places I was on emergency leave. It still took me two days to get to my brothers house, and Jodie was sat on the porch as my rental car pulled onto the drive. I had watched her grow until she was six and then once more for a couple of weeks when she was ten. Now a fifteen year old, she watched as I left the car and sat next to her on the porch; we both sat looking down the drive like we expected someone else to turn up.

"You don't say much do you Uncle Martin?"

"I'm sorry for your loss Jodie."

This time she looked at me.

"It's your loss too Uncle Martin, he was your brother and my mom was your sister, nothing can change that."

This wasn't the time though for the conversation that should follow what she said. My brother was a bully he took me in when mom died, but only because felt he had too. The bitch he married resented me even more than he did and the efforts I took to keep out of their way were never enough.

We busied ourselves with the funeral arrangements and had the funeral a week later. His neighbors and work colleagues attended and shook Jodie's hand offering their condolences as best they could to a fifteen year old. They weren't sure what to make of me, as it seems up until last week no one other than Jodie knew I existed.

The reading of the will was quicker than even I had expected. Jodie got everything on her nineteenth birthday, that girl was going to be very rich at a very young age. All the administration of the will was to be handled by my brother's lawyers, and they made it clear that I was to be given an allowance for Jodie's upbringing and her education. Once Jodie had decided what University she wished to attend then the lawyers would get involved.

Come her nineteenth birthday the lawyer's would get involved again and that's when the rest of the estate would be handed to her. Jodie sat and listened although I'm not totally sure she took it all in. To me, a lawyers office isn't somewhere I wanted to talk to Jodie about her life, so I waited until we got back to the house. By the time I had got us a soda and a coffee Jodie had changed into a one piece swimsuit and sat with her feet dangling in the pool.

"Can you think of anyone who would take you in until college?"

The look I got from her made me think she was going to cry, what she said next made me realize how much I had hurt her.

"You don't want me?"

"Jodie you're fifteen and if not already then soon will be in need of a mother figure. I'm single and a career officer in the military, I would be dragging you from base to base, you would be living your life as an army brat."

Remind me never to play poker with this one, all she did was listen and wait for me to finish painting her a very realistic picture of what her future would look like for the next few years until she went off to college and then she lifted her hand towards me ready to shake on it and said 'deal'.

How I managed to back myself into this corner I will never understand and most of that night I went over it as best I could remember, and still didn't see it coming until she hit me with it. The next day Jodie either sat and listened or sat out by the pool as I spoke to the base admin people and sorted out a place for us both to live. The lawyers were pissed that I was taking their charge all over the country with me, but since she had agreed they had little choice.

The house was let and all the furniture was placed in long term storage. The lawyers refused to sell the house since it now belonged to Jodie and was considered an asset, they had no choice then but to let it out. When I brought Jodie back to base and showed her our new home she was like a kid in a candy store. I'm sure the padre had some input, because the day had not even ended before a steady stream of our new neighbors came on by with dinner in a dish for us both.

I still heard her cry herself to sleep at night and began to wonder if she was really going to be able to handle her new life and was she telling me the truth. The tour of the base and shops took her to a sort of comfort zone and we enrolled her in school that same afternoon. The base children her age soon came by and to them she was one of their own, I knew they had her back at school and for the rest of the week we just hung out, with me showing her the mall and other things she may need.

Over the week I did notice one thing and still kick myself for not noticing it sooner; not once had she mentioned her mom and dad at all since we had left California. Still being a male of the species it took a reminder from the base padre's wife that Jodie was growing from a girl to a young woman. She came on by and took Jodie shopping, when they came back she had two bags with the name of the local drugstore on it, everything else was in brown bags and she was bright red when she passed me and headed for her room.

With my leave up I returned to duty, Jodie was speechless the first time she saw me in uniform. For the first three months things went as smooth as I figured they could. Jodie had the padre's wife on speed dial and once a month they went shopping, I never asked and she stopped going red when she passed me with her bags heading for her room.

Orders came down for my unit; we trained hard and the neighbors closed ranks and looked after Jodie when my team needed to be away for a night or two. It helped that Adele Richards next door to us had a daughter the same age as Jodie and when I went away they took her in. The reason for the training became clear when I was called into my boss's office. When he was done I walked over to admin and signed everything I owned over to Jodie.

Three days later she watched as I placed all my personal belongings in my room, I said goodbye to Jodie and she wouldn't let go until she dragged a promise from me that I would come back. It was the first time I had seen the little girl in her, since we sat on the porch of her house before the funeral of her folks. We came back four months later, older wiser and one man down. Jodie never left my side throughout the funeral.

As I sat on the couch that evening she brought me a coffee and slid in next to me.

"Now I understand why my mom and dad's death didn't hit you so hard."

She had caught me in one of my more unguarded moments, I had just lost a very good friend and she was comparing her own father to my friend. Hell she was old enough, so I told her everything, from the death of our mom to the reluctance her father, my own brother, had to look out for me as I handled the loss of our own mother. The vicious vindictive things both said and the verbal but never physical abuse both gave me.

The pattern of abuse increased when my sister found herself pregnant. To them I was a worthless piece of shit that was taking up room and eating food and the sooner they could get rid of me, the better they could live their life and not have me under their feet. The happiest I had ever seen them around me was when I finished high school and headed off to college. It was my involvement in the ROTC course that eventually had me sign on the line.

Hell they even had a civil word to say to me. Goodbye.

It wasn't something that Jodie should have to hear as none of it was her fault. Yet she sat and listened to me talk and didn't interrupt me once. As the silence started to become uncomfortable for us both she leaned over and kissed my cheek, I felt her tears as she did.

"I'm not going to say sorry Uncle Martin since I was too young to know any of this. I'm glad you took me in though, and thank you from the bottom of this girls heart."

She never mentioned her folks again, I'm not sure if she stopped just around me or completely. I felt like shit that I had spoken out, and tried to make it up to her as best I could, even suggesting she talk to the padre's wife. Jodie just smiled and hugged me saying nothing. I watched her as best I could; going to each of the school functions to check how she was doing.

The answer was always the same; to each of her teachers she was a well adjusted young lady, the only time she showed any anxiety was when I was away from base. But they noticed that with all the base children.

Her sixteenth birthday was fast approaching so being a guy; I asked her what she wanted. She just smiled and told me to surprise her. That was no clue whatsoever so I arranged for Jodie and her friend to have a pamper day at the place in town. Getting Adele to go with them so it was an all girl day wasn't all that difficult, after all it was a pamper day and a guy was paying for it. Well that's how she looked at it anyway.

To say wow would be a total understatement for all three of them when I went to pick them up. She declined a real party in favor of dinner in town. Other diners looked up and followed her with their eyes as we arrived and did so for most of the evening. It sure made me feel both uncomfortable and very protective of her at the same time.

*******

Jodie was standing in the middle of the day room when I walked in late one afternoon, her arms crossed and she stood like an island in the middle of my camping gear. Then her arm slowly swung over every piece of kit laying there.

"You never told me you like camping, why?"

A shrug of my shoulders wasn't enough for her.

"It keeps me fit and I enjoy the peace and scenery, I hike more than I camp. I just assumed you wouldn't like it so I just left all my kit in the box."

Oh boy wasn't that a mistake. The glare I got from her let me know a storm was coming. She even crossed her arms, now I've been in firefights and close quarter battles, yet this was about the only time in my life I flinched as a sixteen year old stuck it to me.

"Uncle Martin you're my guardian and my uncle and I love you dearly. You take care of me and make the decisions that have kept me healthy and wanted ever since I have been here. BUT, don't ever assume anything about me, ask and I will tell you, but don't ever assume."

She was still fit to bust, and a kick of my backpack sent it across the room and she walked through the space now vacated by my pack to head for her room; she was mumbling so fast and to herself that the only word I did hear clearly was, 'men'.

Her mood was a lot better the next morning. She backed it up by telling me that we were heading into town come the weekend, to fit her out for her own hiking boots and anything else she needed. Her eyes told me there was more but she held off on that surprise for another three days.

Saturday had arrived; the post for me was a usual run of bills and flyers. Although there was one addressed to Jodie, and the heading on the envelope showed it was from the lawyers. She read the letter and handed me a check for three thousand dollars. After she finished she handed me the letter to read; she must have sure been pissed at me over me assuming.

The letter stated that they had released some funds under educational and personal needs; the money was to kit out Jodie with her own camping equipment. I learned two lessons that morning. It reinforced in me never to assume anything about Jodie, and when I did she could come up with her own big stick to beat me with. I don't think shrugging my shoulders was the result she expected from me, but it's all she got.

We put the check into her account and used my money to get her kitted out. My pride made me do it that way, and Jodie knew me well enough not to push her luck. We hiked a great deal over the summer months and we even managed into late autumn before we stopped. My units training had increased again and Jodie feared the worst and I knew through the grapevine that she was talking to the padre's wife.

Jodie was in tears when she watched me place all my personal items in my room, the Hummer waiting outside for me. Adele Richards came across and gave me a hug and watched with Jodie as I stepped into the Hummer. That was the first Christmas I had been away from her since she had been with me. I gave Adele money for presents and asked her to help me out. She gave me a glaring look and I wondered if that's where Jodie learned it from.

The wives and girlfriends from my unit did what all service families do, wait. They had Christmas to keep them occupied but that was all, we came back in late March, just older, wiser and this time two men down. The loss hit my team the worst, between the base commander and the padre they had laid the groundwork, it still broke my heart to look into loved ones eyes and tell them I was sorry for their loss.

Jodie kept so close that I thought at one stage she was joined at my hip. The weekend after the funerals of both my men we hiked, and when we camped she zipped her bag to mine and held me tight. The next morning I told her she couldn't do things like that, but the glare she gave was identical to that of Adele's. The voice may have come from her lips but I wouldn't have recognized it if I hadn't been watching her.

"Uncle Martin, I don't question your love for me, so don't you dare question the love I have for you and how I express it. Yes I know I'm seventeen now but that means shit, we didn't do anything except hold each other, so don't you go letting your head tell you otherwise."

I didn't have it in me to argue the point; Jodie had told me to my face that I had forgotten her birthday. She didn't make a big deal out of it since she knew why, but she felt I had hurt her and she needed to hurt me back. I accepted it for what it was and vowed to myself not to let her zip anywhere near mine again.

Through all that was going on at the base, Jodie's school work still took precedence, her grades slipped for awhile so I called a halt to our hikes until they got back up again.

When I talked to the padre all he could do was give me general advice, the man was between a rock and a hard place since Jodie seemed to confide in both Adele and his wife, and he couldn't come clean and break any confidentiality. He hinted that it was just a reaction to my unit being away for a length of time and the loss of two from my team; since it hit me the hardest she felt it too.

*******

We were 'summoned' to California; the lawyers wished to discuss Jodie's choice of University. She had kept quiet about it to me as well so I had to admit to a certain amount of curiosity. My own promotion was imminent and I had asked that it be held back until Jodie left for whichever University or college she got around to choosing. Her stability at school this year had to be my priority.

Even the days before our journey to California, Jodie gave me no indication what college she was going to, or even what she planned for her future and I felt like a third leg. The few times I tried she would swerve around the conversation like a true politician. There was something going on in that girls head that was for sure, yet it seemed this was going to be the one topic she would never discus with me and this was new ground for us.

We were at the lawyers for the day, it felt like a week, hour by hour Jodie's decisions on her future came to pass and within a few months she would be eighteen. I tried to get her to talk to me, but she shot me down. The young lady that was sat on the porch waiting for me to turn up and take her away that day three years ago, was no longer the young lady sitting across the table today.

Jodie's decision was that she wanted to stay in California, and she wanted to become a teacher. I couldn't blame her. I had ripped her out of her life here because I was her sole living relative. No wonder she wanted to come back. I'd had three years of Jodie in my life and enjoyed every moment of them, but in a few months it would be time to give my niece her life back.

The journey back to base was the most quiet I've ever had. Jodie kept her own council and I chose to no longer interfere in it. Adele came by the next day; she said she stopped by for coffee, but she was so obvious that she wanted information.

"She wants to return to California, the lawyers are sorting out university information. She plans to go to the same one my brother went too."

"Did she say why?"

I shook my head and recounted everything that went on at the lawyer's office, when I had finished, she freely admitted she was at a loss as well. Jodie came back from the PX then and all further discussion on why stopped. If anything I took a step back; exams were coming and the pressure that entails was enough.

My promotion came through; as Jodie's last exam was over I was packing everything we owned into boxes and into a U-Haul.

"Please Uncle, can we go hiking one last time."

It wasn't in me to refuse her. The weather was beautiful as was the company, although she was reluctant to the bitter end to explain so many things. I had come to know that she was her own woman now. In three days time she would be in California and a week later I would be on another continent. But until then I had my niece by my side.

We camped up on Compton Ridge, the sun had just started to slip towards the mountains across the valley; Jodie sorted out the cooking while I put the tent up. When she called me and told me that it was ready she brushed passed me as I left the tent and minutes later I heard her zip our bags together.

The look she gave me when she left the tent told me that it would be advisable not to touch them. It didn't stop me from trying.

"Jodie, we agreed this wasn't going to happen again."

"No Uncle Martin, you agreed. I refused to accept it. This is the last time I will be seeing you for awhile and I intend to be as close to you as I can."

I tried again.

"Jodie we can't do this."

Her eyes welled up, her face flushed and her fingers clenched tightly into fists.




Jodie Carpenter



"In less than a week I leave here. I know regardless of your promotion, you're still on active duty and I may never see you again. Find it in your heart to give me this one night, the only item I intend to remove are my boots. Please Uncle Martin."

My heart melted, how could I refuse, the nod of my head got me a squealing teenager welded to me for a few minutes as she kissed and hugged me at the same time. We finished our meal and watched what was left of the sun slip behind the mountain range; Jodie was never more than a foot from me at anytime as we sat watching the sun leave us.

I've been in firefights and fought for mine and my teams lives yet I was more scared of entering that tent than I was dealing with bullets bouncing around me. Jodie stood and her arm moved from her side and stopped, her hand palm upwards as I looked up she just smiled and waited. When my hand connected with hers she held on like it was a matter of life or death.

We climbed into our joined sleeping bags and once she felt me get comfortable she shimmied in real close and waited for the aftermath. When nothing happened she got real comfortable and her whole body just relaxed, sleep took her a few minutes later. Fear of an erection kept me awake long after her breathing took on the sounds of a peaceful sleep.

I swear the heart attack I had as I opened my eyes to see her staring back at me was real. The smile that followed and the movement of her body, filling in what little space there was between us caused me to hold my breath. Jodie's smile just got bigger as she held my face and kissed my cheek before unzipping our bag. 

Her parting words as I watched her ass disappear out the tent were. "You can start breathing again Uncle Martin."

My ear picked up her giggling to herself as she walked to the edge of the clearing to find a bush she would be comfortable with using as a bathroom. By the time she had returned I had already started the fire and put the coffee on, we had breakfast and every time I looked towards her she still had that damn smile.

Our last meal on base was at Adele's house, the girls were upstairs talking while we set about making something to eat. The padre and his wife came by and joined us for dinner and we made Jodie cry when Adele gave her our going away present. A bag that she had lusted after for months, she hugged the padre and his wife when they left and disappeared upstairs again with Adele's daughter, Adele and I sat in the kitchen, the dishes all done and put away.

"Has she explained why yet?"

I shook my head.

"I've broached the topic with her and all I get is the same as before. I'm heading away to Europe for the next two years, she wants to stay in the States and concentrate on her education. We go round and round after that."

"Does she know what you will be doing?"

This time I looked hard at her.

"We both know that's not an option Adele."

"Then let her go to California, let her experience university life. Hell Martin in the three years she has lived here everyone could see she had changed and had both grown and become more grounded. You have to let go sometime Martin, perhaps she knew that before you did."

We heard the girls moving about upstairs and called it an evening. Jodie and I hugged Adele and walked to my car, we were in a hotel tonight by the airport since Jodie had the first flight out. She continued to keep her own plans to herself, I knew that if pushed she could well switch to remarking that she was now eighteen and thus could do as she pleased. Judging by the amount of phone calls between her and the lawyers over the last three months it was a distinct possibility.

As her flight was being called she turned to me and gave me a hug.

"Please Uncle Martin, stay alive."

That one sentence destroyed my whole speech about both enjoying her time at her father's university and behaving herself while she was there. As I pulled her away from me her eyes welled up, she clung to me for a moment before pushing herself away and running through the gate.

*******

Jodie and I only ever kept in touch via e-mail, not the best way to communicate with your niece but the first year of us being half way around the world from each other, we had little choice. I made sure that my leave would be timed for her summer break, my leave was canceled. She came to Europe for two weeks and I was sent back to Washington for an emergency briefing, Jodie told me she had a great time sightseeing but thought it a good idea we didn't make any more plans until I had finished my tour.

A year turned into two and was then extended to three and then four. My next tour sent me to Japan, Jodie was deep into exam time so other than our e-mails increasing, she decided that she wanted to stay at the university and cram for exams. Not realizing it then, but my time in the army was coming to an end, a training exercise put me in traction for three months and I agonized for days over telling Jodie. With her deep into her exams I just couldn't do that to her.

Although I was sent back to the states for more surgery I made sure that she wouldn't be contacted by the people I knew who also knew Jodie, after all her life was just starting. She didn't need the worry of traveling just to see me strapped to a bed with all these pins and wires in me. I would prefer her to remember me at least standing; pride can do strange things to people.

I loved my niece enough to vow that she should never see me like this; her life was just starting while mine was in the shit for some time to come. What I didn't take into account was the service doing the looking after me part.

*******

The pain was still very intense, the medication helped but it also meant I was out cold for hours at a time. Somewhere in my drug induced sleep I felt a slight pressure on my forehead, it got slightly wet and then the pressure left me in peace. Every now and then my body would cramp, the meds helped me and the pain was almost bearable, but for some reason my mind conjured up the image that if I opened my eyes, Jodie would be staring right back at me just like she did on our last hiking trip.

The rush of sadness washed over the pain for a moment giving me just a few moments of relief, from the physical pain at least. She was sat in a chair next to my bed when I woke my medical notes on her lap; she had glasses on while she was reading my notes. I never knew she needed glasses to read. Jodie pulled her glasses off and placed my notes on the edge of the bed, it was as she looked up she noticed me and the look on my face, she smiled. I wasn't having any of it.

"God damn it Jodie you're in the middle of exams, why do you think I didn't tell you, now you have to sit them all over again."

Her smile never faltered.

"So nice to see you too Martin; now if you will just reign in that temper of yours and let me speak."

Well I had nowhere else to go that was for certain.

"I was deemed an exception; the army contacted the university and explained the situation. The councilor talked to the higher powers and I did all my exams one after another and was then removed from university grounds. The army guaranteed the university that I would not communicate with anyone until all the exams were officially over and they agreed, so Martin, I'm waiting."

"For what?"

"Your apology, dumb ass."

We stared at each other, it was clear she wasn't backing down.

"When did you become such a potty mouth?"

For a moment her eyes seemed to un-focus before her face became neutral.

"That would have been last Monday at two o'clock when I was asked to go to the dean's office and a very nice uniformed army officer stood there and told me you were involved in a training accident."

A single tear trickled down her cheek, not once did she attempt to brush it away. It was like she was so deep in her own thoughts that for a moment she had forgotten I was even there.

"I don't remember anything else because I fainted and woke up surrounded by people."

My heart felt for her. I also knew her well enough to know the storm was coming. Yet her words were carried to me on a whisper.

"I was scared. For a moment when I saw him standing there I thought I had lost you and I was going to be all alone."

Again she took a breath and her whole manner seemed to stiffen for a moment, it was clear she wanted to say more. Her smile although tentative was slowly gracing her lips.

"Still that was then, this is now. Please say hello to your physiotherapist."

She watched me shake my head, her smile just got bigger.

"Oh I forgot to tell you didn't I, silly me, my bad. I changed my major to physiotherapy and minored in sports related injuries."

Jodie could clearly see my confusion and seemed to revel in it.

"So you see Martin between me and Dr. Hartmann, we have your welfare covered."

Something struck me and it was the second time I noticed it, so I just had to ask.

"When did I lose the title of uncle?"

Jodie's smile froze to her lips as she picked up my medical file and stood. She leaned over and kissed my cheek before she headed for the door.

"Jodie?"

This time she stopped; the door now open. She wouldn't turn around and that worried me.

"That would have been the day of my eighteenth birthday; it was reinforced the day of the training accident. You kept that knowledge from me and someday in the far off distant future I may forgive you for doing it. I can't lose you Martin, I refuse to lose you, there isn't anyone else."

She didn't move and I felt I had to say something.

"You had enough going on with your finals. I didn't want you to worry."

This time she turned her head towards me. I had seen that look once before, the anger with which she spoke told me so much.

"There you go assuming things about me again Martin." Jodie sighed and her anger eased. "You need rest, the meds you're on will kick in again shortly so this conversation will have to wait. Goodnight Martin."

Jodie closed the door and a few minutes later she was proved right.

I woke up being poked and prodded, when Dr. Hartmann noticed me awake she smiled and said something to someone behind her. Jodie then came into view, it was hard to describe what she looked like, the white gown was the same as Dr. Hartmann's her hair was held back by a grip allowing the pony tail fall between her shoulder blades.

The arm of a pair of her glasses hung out the top pocket along with a couple of pens. Her ID was clipped to her top pocket showing a picture of her that would have been taken a day or so ago.

"Oh good your awake. That's going to save me from repeating myself."

Dr. Hartmann took my file from Jodie once more before browsing through it, nodding her head to herself once or twice before handing my file back to Jodie. She then placed her hands into her pockets and looked down at me.

"When we got hold of you Captain you were pretty busted up. So far you have had three operations, both legs and pelvis, and when some of your strength has come back to you, I plan on at least two more. Maybe then I can give you a better idea of whether you can walk again much less return to any sort of duty."

"Don't sugar coat anything Doc."

The doctor looked slightly confused, she looked towards Jodie and then back at me.

"Miss Carpenter told me not to, she said you could take the truth, and since she's your niece who was I supposed to believe, her or the guy who spends most of his time in a med induced sleep?"

I could see her point just as I could also see the power exchange between them and me and that's what started me being just a little uncomfortable.

"Anyway, the painkillers will keep you going while the bones start to knit properly. I don't plan to carve you up again for a week or so, that doesn't mean if you don't improve or you relapse I won't take a knife to you earlier. Any questions?"

"Yes, will I ever play the piano again?"

Jodie started to laugh; Dr. Hartmann just looked really confused until Jodie whispered something in her ear. She went bright red and walked out of my room, followed by my niece shaking her head.

*******

Five months and four operations later I started physiotherapy, learning to walk as an adult was far more difficult this time. Pride, frustration and anger made me a difficult patient. Dr. Hartmann would come by to see how her work on the operating table was doing and to check with Jodie. I was Jodie's sole charge and the patience of that girl astounded me as she dealt with everything from my being weaned off of pain killers to the getting muscles, that hadn't been used in months back to something resembling good health.

By now I could walk with the aid of crutches and maybe four steps without them. Dr Hartmann came by one last time; gave a one more check up before telling me that she could do no more and it was now down to physiotherapy. That felt like a breath of fresh air, until I looked over her shoulder at Jodie. I thought I knew my niece, yet the woman stood behind Doctor Elizabeth Hartmann didn't look like Jodie; her eyes were distant, her face torn between sadness and anger.

She noticed me watching her and quickly bit down on her bottom lip trying to shake her thoughts away. The doc left and Jodie sat on the chair next to my bed.

"Martin I need some answers from you before we leave the hospital. What do you want?"

I felt my brow crease as I tried to understand her question.

"Do you want to be able to walk without the aid of crutches for the rest of your life? I can do that. Do you want to return to active service like you have been hiding from me the last four years? I'm not sure I can do that, and let you go again, if that's what you want."

For such a brief moment I saw that frightened child once again. I reached out and held her hand.

"When I came for you all those years ago Jodie, you knew I was a career soldier. I gave you a stark choice and all you said was deal. Will I get back to full fitness? I don't know. Will I be placed behind a desk for the rest of my service? I don't know. Will I be retired out of the service and go into corporate like many have before me? I don't know."

The child never left her eyes, they misted up as I talked, a tear even made it down her cheek but she listened to the very end of what I had said before she placed her hand more firmly into mine.

"Martin, please think about what you have said. You have to decide, but if you choose to return to active service and you want my help, then it comes with conditions that will have consequences."

I sighed first before agreeing to think about what I had said. As each statement crossed my mind, I thought seriously about them, and as each option evolved to its conclusion, only two things kept coming to my thoughts. I was, and always will be, a career officer and once Jodie had got me fit enough to return to duty she would be looking for another project.

"If this body can take it then I want to stay in the army Jodie. I know that hurts you but that is my life, I'm sure you have already given some thought to your own life."

That face came to her again, the look of sadness and anger and once again she bit down on her lip to hide it from me. Her mouth opened, the word 'deal' was just a whisper.

*******

Jodie collected me from the hospital a week later, she wouldn't tell me where we were going, when she got bored of me asking she simply reminded me that she was doing as I had asked of her.

We were more than an hour's drive from the hospital before she pulled into the drive of some real big house. Jodie let the side window down and pressed some buttons on a box halfway up the drive. It beeped once and the gates opened. When we pulled up outside a two story posh white house, a ramp was built on one side of the steps to the porch and then front door.

"Wow, who does this belong to?"

Jodie came around, put the wheelchair together and opened my door then helped me into it, my eyes looked around. The house was built on a slight hill so it overlooked the gate and the road beyond.

"I own it."

That remark brought me back to my senses. Jodie unlocked the door and gave me the grand tour.

"I'm the rich bitch Martin, remember the will. The folks who rented Daddies house liked it so much that they wanted first refusal if I was ever going to sell it. I gave them the market price and they signed, I didn't even get to stick a for sale sign out front."

She was silent for a while as we went from one room to another on the ground floor, as we moved out back Jodie showed me the pool and the grounds beyond.

"I thought I set my realtor an impossible task, it had to be a secluded house preferably one story but two if it had disabled access to the second floor. A sunken pool was a must as well. When she told me she had found this place I took one look and said perfect."

Jodie told me the history of the house, it belonged to the coach of the football team in the city, it already had its own gym and he added the pool later. His wife developed MS so he then added ramps and access to upstairs. The franchise moved cities a year ago and the house had been empty for the last six months.

"All I had to do was bring in new equipment for the gym and get the cleaners in. I got an interior designer to sort out the furnishing and this is the result."

Something wasn't right about all this and I waited until Jodie sat down out back so we could talk. It felt like she knew this conversation was coming.

"Jodie you can't do this, that's your money your folks willed it to you for you to have a better life."

She had that face on her again, the anger and sadness took her and wouldn't let go this time. Jodie kept her eyes focused on the trees in the distance, it seems on the day of her nineteenth birthday the lawyers sent for her and told her what she was worth. My niece asked to see every piece of documentation they held regarding the dealings her family had with the law firm.

She was sat in a private office all day as box after box came up from the basement and she read everything, as I watched Jodie my heart went to her. I had lived with what she had discovered, she was still a child at the time so didn't know any of it. She knew what her folks were worth when I was old enough to go to college and on to ROTC training. Yet I had to hold down two jobs and get a scholarship to keep me in there.

Jodie read the documents that allowed the lawyers to trickle money into my account to keep her while she was with me on base and yet the fortune the lawyers sat on just kept growing. The smug look the lawyers gave her as she left that office made her so angry she walked across the street and hired their competitor, and then she demanded that everything was transferred to them and a new account opened.

She spent a whole day cutting her father's law firm off at the knees. When she was finished she got on the first plane back to college. The anger within her worried me; no one should go around with this much baggage. She had run out of things to say, I knew she was waiting for me.

"They had their reasons Jodie. I got out from under and I only went back the once to see if anything had changed; they loved you Jodie don't ever forget that."

"But why did they hate you so much, you were his brother."

This time I shrugged my shoulders. I had thought about that very question from time to time and never came up with a distinctive answer.

"I sometimes think your mom and dad only had so much love in them, what they didn't give to each other they gave to you, perhaps I was at the end of the line too often. I truly can't answer that question for you Jodie. But you need to forgive them; please don't carry this anger over your folks, with you all your life, that's baggage you don't need."

This time she looked at me, her eyes gave her away.




Jodie Carpenter



"Yes you're right Martin; let's get you fit enough to return to active duty and then you get yourself killed and leave me all alone."

I caught her wrist as she went to stand, her eyes were the scariest I had ever seen them. She paused. Mine must have beaten hers because she sat back down again.

"Your folks died in a car accident Jodie, who is to say when I die or you for that matter."

"But I don't want you to die, can't you see that."

"Jodie, when it's our time then there is nothing we can do about it. It's what we do while we are here that counts."

At least she calmed down some. For the rest of the afternoon we set about making this our home, Jodie had the room next to mine and had an intercom system installed. The buzzer sounded around five and Jodie let some woman in, I was introduced to Maria, a Mexican woman in her fifties.

She took one look at the kitchen and made it her own. We both heard her say that the kitchen was missing some things, Jodie got a pen and pad and asked Maria to write down what was needed. Thirty minutes and two pages later Maria handed Jodie the pad back, when she took a look she asked how much this was going to cost.

Maria panicked and said she would shorten the list, Jodie just laughed and said she needed to know how much not get angry because the list was two pages. After Maria had calmed she looked at the list and gave a general figure, Jodie went upstairs and came back with that and more.

When Maria got over the shock of being handed so much cash she tried to hand it all back. I smiled and continued to watch the play unfolding in front of me.

"You can't give me this."

"Maria, tomorrow go into town and get what you need, if you need help then get one of your sons to help you. You are in charge of the kitchen and his diet, I have enough to do getting him fit again. I can't manage the house, kitchen and Martin at the same time. That's why you were hired; take control of the kitchen so I can get on with my job."

Once she had counted out the money in front of Jodie once more she folded it, placed it into her bag and clutched her bag to her chest as she left.

"You will either have a friend for life tomorrow or she will have skipped the country."

Once Jodie had finished laughing she sat next to me.

"I figure a friend for life; she has two sons and a daughter. I hired Maria and her daughter last week. Maria does the kitchen and her daughter will do the house. They plan to send the boys off to college with what they will earn here."

"Oh, how much are you paying them?"

That's when I got one of those looks again.

"I don't pay servants, servant's wages. I pay friends to look after us while my attention is on getting you walking again."

Jodie made it clear from her look that the subject was closed. Well it was until three hours later when the buzzer went off again, Jodie had the door open when two cars pulled up outside the house and Maria's whole family started carrying things into the kitchen. As for me, I tried hard to avoid the smug 'I told you so' look she was giving me.

Maria held out a bunch of receipts for everything she had bought and handed Jodie the change. In retaliation Jodie insisted that her family stay for dinner, Maria and her daughter set about making something to eat, meanwhile Jodie got the boys together and offered them a part time job. Both would do the gardening for two hours three days a week.

Jodie just hired the whole family, it sure helped with the gas bill to and from the house I suppose. The brothers came back from inspecting the garden half an hour later with a list; she disappeared upstairs and came back with the cash for all the things on the list. Poor Maria was on her way to another heart attack.

*******

The cycle began the next day. Maria and her daughter were already in the house by the time I got up. As we ate breakfast a steady stream of three other people came in to help Jodie boss me around, although she cunningly called them nurses and physiotherapists. Throughout the day it was a constant stream of exercises and swimming followed by meetings that I didn't seem to get invited to.

At times like that I sat around in the garden sunbathing; occasionally Maria's boys would be out in the garden doing the lawn or clipping back branches on trees.

"Nice view."

My head spun around so fast I felt my neck click, the sight in front on me sure made me smile.

"Damn Adele you're a sight for sore eyes."

My eyes traveled behind her looking and not finding someone else. Adele noticed and smiled for a moment before her face hardened slightly.

"John's dead Martin, Iraq took him from me. Lindsey is a few months away from exams so it's just me."

It was Maria who broke the silence between us when she asked Adele if she would like something to drink. My cheeks burned as I stood and walked over to her, my mind registered the look she gave me as she watched me walk and the burning in my cheeks was added to by a degree or two.

Adele moved into what little distance there was left and her arms clung to me as the dam within her burst. Maria took her opportunity to leave us in peace as I guided Adele to the seat across from me so I could wait her out.

Maria came back with two glasses and a jug of iced tea, a box of tissues sat on the small table besides the drinks before she smiled and left us alone again. Adele noticed the tissues and smiled, she even got to say thank you to Maria before she turned to leave. I filled the glasses while she calmed some more, as I handed her the glass it was clear she had regrouped.

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok; you should see me when I watch Bambi. I'm a mess, or Shane, when he rides off into the sunset, I cried all the way through the closing credits."

I got slapped that time.

"You're a pig you know that?"

"I was under the impression that all men were."

This time she looked more closely.

"Not all Martin, not all."

Suddenly the door behind me opened and Jodie walked in.

"Oh goodie you made it, I kept an eye on the flight as best I could although I'm still not sure why you didn't want me to collect you from the airport?"

This time Adele had two people watching her, she placed her hands on her lap the tissue clenched tightly within one of her hands and looked up at Jodie, and her answer came out almost as a whisper.

"In case I changed my mind."

Jodie's laugh seemed to startle Adele.

"Like that was going to happen. I'm going to leave you two alone for a couple of hours I have errands to run."

We both watched Jodie walk over to the kitchen and talk to Maria and Teresa, a moment later Teresa walked over to the two suitcases by the door and took them upstairs while Jodie gave Maria a kiss on the cheek and left the house.

"I guess you're staying then?"

Even as those words left my lips I thought to myself, if ever there was a stupid thing to say I had just said it. Adele took it in her stride, smiled a little uncertainly and said.

"If you're ok with me staying then yes I am."

Both our heads turned to watch Teresa as she once again descended the stairs and walked over to Adele.

"I have turned your bed down and opened the window to air the room I will go up and close it again in an hour. I placed your suitcases on the bed, if you wish I will unpack for you and put everything away."

"No that's fine thank you."

Teresa nodded once and told Adele her room was the third door before she turned and went back to the kitchen. There was clearly something going on here, Adele quietly sat and sipped her iced tea and I sat and waited her out. When she spoke again it was a story of great sadness.

When Iraq started I was still in Europe, the whole of my regiment was in the thick of it and John's unit bore the brunt of one of the most vital pushes in the conflict. When the base commander and the padre knocked on her door she just knew. His body came back a week later along with three others.

It seems John had a bad habit, he liked the horses. The trouble was the horses didn't like him all that much. When he was alive the family barely kept afloat, when he died the true extent of his addiction became apparent. They were broke, John had even used Lindsey's college fund to feed the hole he was pouring his money into.

A year after his death Jodie turned up at their door and told Adele that she would fund Lindsey's college from start to finish and financially she would never have to worry about anything while she was there. But she had to come with her to California.

Something didn't sit right with what Adele had just said. I knew Jodie could do such a thing, I knew the extent of funds she could draw on at any given time. I even took a fair guess at Jodie's worth and it was extensive. But it still left me wondering why.

"Because they are partners, they have been for some time. Lindsey told Jodie what her father had done and Jodie told her not to worry that she would take care of it."

That all too familiar light started to come on and perhaps part of me wanted to deny it, my next question quashed that thought straight away.

"When you say partners, you mean business partners?"

This time Adele shook her head at me.

"She never did tell you did she? I told her she should. No Martin my daughter and your niece are lovers and have been from the time she went to the university."

*******

Adele clearly noticed that she had said more than she should have, excused herself and went to her room. Even the tranquility of the afternoon and natures calls from the garden couldn't calm my thoughts.

My brother and his bitch would be rising from the dead over this. There is no way they would believe that I had nothing to do with this, none at all. Oh fuck what a mess.

Both Maria and her daughter seemed to pick up on the sudden change of atmosphere and kept well out of the way. Jodie felt it as soon as she came back, after a few whispered words with Maria and a glance up the stairs she walked over and sat down.

"I don't want a fight over this Martin."

As much as I wanted to talk about this, I simply stood.

"No."

I heard her say 'what' as I walked towards the stairs.

"You were fifteen when I took you away from your life Jodie and introduced you to a life that was totally alien to you. The day you told the lawyers that you wished to return to California to complete your education I no longer had a right to interfere."

I made it half way up the stairs before I had the courage to say anything else.

"Although in fact you were my niece, you were the closest to a daughter I ever had. At eighteen you made your choices Jodie. I didn't stand in your way then, I don't plan to now."

"No Martin you went and hid in Europe. Where else did you go Martin? For four years I waited for you to come and see me, even if it was a few days and what did I get Martin. I will tell you, you son of a bitch. I got silence."

Her voice reached screaming pitch as I got to the top of the stairs, even Adele came out of her room as my niece unloaded a world of hurt that had been kept buried for too many years.

"As the hours turned to days and the days turned to weeks, I heard nothing you bastard. Soon I was counting months that added up to years and still nothing but fucking emails."

My hand was on my bedroom door handle as Adele ran past me and down the stairs.

"And then they came for me. Even when I was told I was to report to the dean's office my heart broke into so many pieces."

Adele had a hold on Jodie, trying to calm her. The tears streamed down her face and yet the anger within her, that anger that was so buried deep within her poured forth.

"Captain Martinez told me nothing other than you where alive Martin, because he wasn't allowed too. That man in one small sentence told me more than you had in four fucking years."

It was then that Adele slapped Jodie in a desperate attempt to bring her back from the edge of insanity before pulling her close to herself as the dam of emotion within Jodie engulfed both women. I knew I had hurt my niece deeply, just as I knew that if I had sat her down and told her what I was doing while we were apart for those years my relationship with my niece would never be the same and that thought made me fight the smile trying to push its way to my lips.

After all, look at the condition my relationship with my niece was in right now. I don't think either of us could stop ourselves now. Adele was simply the match thrown onto a simmering and dangerously combustible mix of emotions

"The army was my life before you Jodie, for three years you were a pause that gave me a chance to reflect on what being a career officer in the army had cost me by not having a family. When you left to return to California I simply picked up where I left off."

Even Adele looked shocked by what she was hearing; her shock was short lived when Jodie practically tried to climb over Adele to get to me.

"Fuck you, you hear me cripple. Fuck you... Fuck you..."

By now Maria and Teresa came to Adele's aid and between them they pulled Jodie away from the confrontation. Going into my room helped us both pull back from the brink as well, the crying was heartbreaking to hear and I felt like a total shit. As I lay on my bed looking up at the ceiling I was left to wonder if the bond that we once had between us had become irreparable.

*******

The house was silent when my eyes once again opened. Even when I opened the door to my room the silence became even more oppressive, Maria waved from the kitchen and I waved back as I headed out to the pool. After the first three lengths I heard someone get in next to me and match my length.

I think it became a case of who was going to stop first, as five lengths went to fifteen and then twenty, the pace didn't change at all, and neither of us turned it into a race. By the thirty second length of the pool curiosity finally got the better of me as I came to a stop to watch Adele. She soon sensed that she was swimming alone and on her return to the shallow end of the pool she lifted herself onto the edge alongside me, both our feet still resting in the pool.

"That was an interesting hello Adele welcome."

Although she tried so hard to make light of what had happened it was plain to both of us that she had set out to get to the bottom of what was going on.

"You've told her nothing have you? So it is true, even when Lindsey told me you two only ever e-mailed each other I just couldn't believe it."

The only words that left my lips were those I had used so many times in my head. 

"I just couldn't Adele, the job I was given when I got there got dark real quick and the less contact I had with Jodie the better."

Adele took her time looking around her, and then it occurred to me what she was doing, she was checking for open windows or anyone listening in on our conversation.

"I had no idea what you were doing Martin, other than the promotion and assignment that was on your paperwork. No sooner had you gone then even Tony stopped talking about you and that asked more questions than it answered."

This time I looked directly at her. "Please don't Adele."

For a moment she bit her bottom lip.

"It's too late Martin, I was covering for Becky while she was off sick one time, the General came in with two suits and started barking orders so fast that we had difficulty making the mechanics of his request. The suits ordered us out but the General overruled them saying that we were needed in case of equipment failure."

Even as Adele talked my mind was already calculating the true extent of her knowledge. As I looked at her, the only words that filled my thoughts were 'oh shit'.

"We watched it all Martin, I recognized your voice within minutes of the operation starting. The General knew that I knew it was you, but before he could say anything another suit entered and ordered a lock down."

This time I did what Adele had done moments ago and scanned the windows and doors.

"So why bring this up now Adele, it only highlights why I can't tell Jodie."

"Were you ever told what went on in that ops room Martin? Please tell me they told you."

Again I found myself looking towards the house even shaking my head as I did. Adele remained silent until my gaze once again fell on her.

"The General knew what was going to happen and ordered a back-scan of the area; he went crazy when he knew how much in the way of back-up you had with you. The suits tried to get the General into one of the back offices away from us so they could talk to him."

That thought alone brought on a smile, General Marshal was a -men first and politics second- kind of guy, he knew he would never rise any higher up the promotion ladder. He didn't have the political cunning to move ever upwards and I think he was proud of the fact he didn't.

The picture in my mind of the General sticking it to whoever was in the ops-room with him that day made me smile. Adele matched my smile, pausing before she told me that one of the suits went to override the Generals order before he himself stood in-front of the man and ordered him out of the ops room. Before the suit could move it seems the drama unfolded on the big screen and all stood and watched as the joint task force assaulted the building.

Adele kept her description to a minimum when she noticed my anxiety. When the smoke cleared the General ordered that the surveillance on the car I was in be maintained. The suits over-ruled him and they took the conversation into a room at the back. The discussion became so heated that one of the suits moved to stand in front of the door.

"The General took a call in that room, and a minute later he came out with the suits and ordered us to switch everything off and wipe all recordings" 

We talked for a few moments but even then it was more a one sided conversation. The realization of my true task in Europe made me distance myself from my niece as best I could for both hers and my own protection and yet at the same time try in some way to let her know that I loved my niece so much. It was strange that in trying to do the right thing you could also do so much wrong.

Adele rested her hand on my arm, she waited me out, what she wanted to say next she wanted to emphasize and to do that she needed me to look directly at her.

"The General wasn't all that pleased that he had effectively been lied to about your transfer but he could do nothing about it."

I knew what she was saying, just as I knew the General. His hands were tied and between me and the joint task force we were effectively left to clean up after everybody else, the words 'plausible deniability' was used a great deal in my four years in Europe.

We once again went back to our swimming regime and of course Adele being Adele she would do two more lengths before she too came to a stop. Teresa came out carrying drinks on a tray and placed them on the table.

She tried to hide her anger, her youth gave her away. I didn't take it personally since Adele was perhaps the only one who knew and officially she wasn't ever supposed to know as much as she did.

"She wanted to explain her relationship with my daughter and you shut her out. At least tell her something Martin. She's floundering around in a sea of confusion."

I held Adele's towel for her as she climbed out of the pool, as I wrapped her in it I pulled her to me, our faces inches from each other.

"Lieutenant, you will keep your mouth shut. It happened and we all walked away, I know you were in the ops room that day but you will keep your mouth shut do you understand me?"

The hand around my nuts and the not so gentle squeeze quickly reminded me of my own mortality.

"I'm retired Captain, now ease your hold on me and I won't rip these off your body and make you sterile."




Jodie Carpenter



For such a long moment all we did was stare at each other, neither of us wished to back down because in our own hearts and minds we both believed we were right. We both loved our country hell we both ended up in the army willing to commit the ultimate sacrifice to prove it.

Adele was also speaking as a mother and one that had an interest in the drama that had unfolded hours before. I was spending so much time keeping my past hidden from my niece that the focus of Jodie's uncle took second place. Adele watched and started to smile, her grip on me eased and I made sure I apologized before I let Adele go. 

It was as we both turned to sit down did we see Jodie and Maria watching everything that had happened between us. We could both see the wheels turning behind Jodie's eyes.

Maria said in as firm a voice as she could muster. "Dinner is in ten minutes."

Before she once again disappeared into the house, I followed and Jodie blocked Adele's route into the house thinking that she would get answers. Although I could hear them talk it was impossible to make out what was being said, it couldn't have been much because I heard Adele pass my room a few minutes later.

We made it to dinner just as Maria and her daughter were putting the plates on the table. Jodie's mood seemed to have brightened and for the duration of our dinner she was the perfect host. By the time we had left the table and sat around by the fire it was as though this morning had not happened.

Although we both knew it had happened and had to concede that the stubbornness inherent in our family had made this morning worse. Neither of us was willing to give an inch.

For my part, I had signed the piece of paper saying I couldn't be as open as she wished I could, and the country I serve who sent me to another continent and told me to protect my country when I got there; was same country that kept me and my niece apart for so long and finally returned me as a broken bodied man.

For Jodie, the once teenager and now woman but always my dearest niece, who on two occasions in her oh so short life, has had life changing decisions made on her behalf; when I took her away from any form of stability left in her life following the trauma of lost parents and when the wealth that was placed at her feet on her birthday, the same day that Adele was in the ops room and listened and watched the satellite feed display images to the huge screen on the wall.

Adele wasn't even supposed to be on duty that fateful day but she, like the others in that room, were sworn to this country's highest level of secrecy by black suited individuals using phrases like 'in the interest of national security' backed up by the General who nodded his head when his fellow officers looked to him for guidance that these civilians had so much say on a military base.

*******

The sit down talk had to come between my niece and I; but the cooling off period between us had to come first. Words had been said between us both that neither could take back even though we both wished they could. All we could do now was let time heal those wounds before my own niece could bare her heart and new relationship with me. I had to learn patience, even at my age I still had to learn.

But Jodie had a new ally with Adele around and she in turn seemed to enjoy her new role as my shadow in my physiotherapy, she mirrored everything I did, be it in the pool or the exercise machines. Just like the pool she never sought to compete against me. Just matched all I did and then two more as if to prove the point that there was still room for improvement.

When everyone went into a huddle at the end of the day Adele would always keep me company until they could find another way to bring my body to the point of exertion. I also found myself starting to notice Adele the woman more, rather than John's wife.

I had met Adele through her husband; the camp was holding a dance and on his insistence I was told I was to not only come but to share their table. I agreed with the condition that no matchmaking was to be made by either him or his wife. With our deal struck and sealed with a hand shake I turned up on time and proceeded to have a great time alternately dancing with Adele and Lindsey.

When Adele found out I was bringing Jodie back with me she was the one who wangled the house across from her on the base. I never looked on Adele as anything more than John's wife and I had certainly never seen her in a swimming costume before. A uniform and of course casual clothes, but in that one piece swimming costume it was plain to see she was all woman, and with the exercise regime we were both doing six days a week, a well toned woman at that.

Dr. Elizabeth Hartmann came by a couple of times in the following weeks to check up on her handy work she would say. She did stay for dinner when she got here and watched the exercise regime between Adele and me with a smile.

I had thought that the confrontation we had was now behind us, or at the very least postponed.

*******

This morning I had my hand on the door to my room as Jodie and Adele past my door, they were four steps down as I started to descend the stairs.

"I talked to Lindsey last night, and she's coming here for a long weekend before exams. She sounds stressed with her exams so close and I agreed, are you telling Martin or am I?"

"Let me, I will talk to him while you're all checking the progress sheets."

It wasn't until they both got to the bottom of the stairs before Jodie spoke again.

"Lindsey knows he knows because I told her the evening of the fight, she's always looked on him as a favorite uncle and if I was honest she's has had a crush on him since the dance."

"We both have dear. What's set us all back was that he feels we ambushed him the night you two set out to hurt each other, look how long it's taken us to get him back to this point."

Jodie shrugged her shoulders as they both walked towards the kitchen.

"Well it can't be helped. I'm not walking around on eggshells and I'm damn well not giving up my time with Lindsey when she gets here."

I sat by the pool for a while, the day was warming up to be another scorcher. Marie came and stood next to me for a moment before she asked if I wished my breakfast out here. The temptation was there if for nothing else but the view, but I couldn't have Maria running around all over the place just for me, so I said I would be in, in a minute.

The girls were half finished when I sat down.

"Sleep in?"

Adele had a concerned look on her face and was relieved when I said no and that I wanted some air before breakfast. Both women kept an uneasy silence until I confessed that I had heard the conversation as we all descended the stairs. Jodie just shrugged her shoulders and went back to her breakfast.

I suppose to Jodie since I had heard the conversation then she had no need to tell me Lindsey was coming. Even Adele admitted that Jodie seemed more cheerful as the days passed us by and the arrival of her daughter became imminent. After Wednesday afternoons huddle Jodie announced that we were having guests for a long weekend so with a smile on her face that soon infected the rest of the staff she announced that Thursday afternoon was their last day until Tuesday.

*******

Both women kept their eye on the time throughout the day, the huddle at the end of Thursday was shorter this time and Jodie's backup staff didn't argue one bit when they realized they were getting a long weekend. The buzzer sounded at four fifteen and poor Maria had to quickly step aside as both Jodie and Adele shouted they would get it as they themselves rushed to the door and buzzed the gate to let the cab in.

Lindsey put her bag down and Teresa picked it up before the contents of the bag had time to settle on the floor, she went to protest but had Jodie in her arms by then and her bag became a memory. I watched in silent amusement as the scene unfolded in front of me, the door still open and apparently forgotten. I even had to walk around the women to push the button for the gate so that the now forgotten cab driver could get out.

The talking, giggles and talking over each other in an attempt catch up on all the news quickly came to a stop.

"Hello Uncle Martin."

I made it almost three quarters of the way to the couch when her words pierced the space between us. Silence hung in the air as I turned to face Lindsey. Her brown eyes a gift from her mom those same high cheek bones shaped her face in a way that let you know that although her mom stood next to her, John's own genes had helped forge this young lady into a woman, she now matched Adele's height and that gave her an inch over Jodie.

Her frame had filled out well in the years I hadn't seen her, she had worn casual clothes to fly in yet even they couldn't hide the swell of her chest. My smile matched hers; the relief in her eyes shone back at me as well. Even from where I stood I could see her well up and a tear form in her left eye. Her hands clenched and unclenched a couple of times, the hesitation in her obvious to us all.

Finally the anxiety in her overwhelmed her and she rushed to me. It was as her feet left the ground that Adele screamed at Lindsey to stop but by then the laws of physics took over. She couldn't stop once her feet left the ground so that her legs could wrap themselves around me and her arms clung to my neck like a life preserver. It was only when I opened my eyes and stared at Adele and she knew.

I'm just grateful she noticed me shake my head to prevent her from speaking. The sudden weight of Lindsey on my already damaged back and legs caused me to wince and quickly sit down on the couch. Both Jodie and Lindsey were so wrapped up in the moment that they didn't notice; Adele did.

We spent the next twenty minutes letting Lindsey talk about her education and the imminent exams while she sat on my lap, her arms still around my neck. Finally Adele saw her moment and managed to get the girls out the back and onto the seats on the decking with drinks in their hands; Lindsey stopped and gasped at the view. I excused myself and told everyone I needed a nap before dinner.

Adele found me on my bedroom floor curled up in agony. She helped me get onto the bed and rolled me face down before straddling my legs and pushing my shirt up as far as she could get it. The heat my body was generating around the area of the small of my back was a give-away.

"I'm getting Jodie to call Dr. Hartmann, this is bad."

"No."

"Fuck what you say Martin my daughter may only be a hundred and ten pounds on a rainy day but that's more than forty pounds more than we are letting you bench press at the moment."

I managed to grab Adele's hand as she moved to get up off the bed.

"Don't Adele. Don't, it would destroy her. Remember the reason she's here, if she goes back to her university with this in her head it will destroy her confidence in her ability to get her exams done."

She made to pull her hand away from my grasp, I just held on tighter.

"Adele I will make a deal with you. Go get the bottle of green stuff, the one with the funny sounding name that smells of Lavender. Put that on tonight, if I'm still as bad tomorrow then fine call Hartmann but don't do it now."

She tugged at me again but I still wasn't giving her back her arm until I got her to agree to this compromise. Finally Adele calmed enough to nod her head and was out the door of my bedroom almost as quickly as I let go of her arm. It also seems I hadn't thought my compromise through as well as I thought I had, when Adele got back she pulled my shirt the rest of the way off and then proceeded to pull my shorts off as well.

I was now naked with Adele once again straddling the backs of my legs, all thought of protest vaporized when the green stuff hit my skin. Its own heat challenging that which my own body was generating, the intense pain calmed after a while as she massaged the stuff into the skin around my lower back.

"Damn Martin, I never realized you had such a tight ass."

In one of those life's unguarded moments with my mind grateful that the pain had eased and the green stuff with the funny sounding name actually felt like it was working I opened my mouth and said.

"Nowhere near as tight as yours Adele."

My eyes shot open about the same time as she stopped massaging the green stuff into my body.

"So you actually notice my ass?"

I had only one route to go with this conversation; with my defenses down I had blurted out the truth, I had noticed her ass. Adele went back to massaging the green stuff into my body, occasionally her hands would drift to my ass causing me to tense up ever so slightly. I had backed myself up against a wall and now had nowhere to go but forward, so as I spoke she continued to massage my back.

"You like light blues in the winter months and pastels in the summer, dresses over skirts. When you smile your eyes do as well, when you laugh your whole body does. You're left handed, you hate wearing jewelry although I'm not sure if that's a byproduct of military life. You hate bodice ripper novels in favor of thrillers and your favorite actor is Tom Hanks although I must call your sanity into question on that little quirk in your character."

The last comment earned me a slap across my ever so tight ass.

"You don't get to challenge the hunk that is Tom Hanks when no one is allowed to talk in this house when the Playboy Mansion is on the TV. Honestly I have never seen so much peroxide in one show than when that's on."

Adele felt me move beneath her and raised herself to allow me to move onto my side, in my haste to defend Hugh Hefner I forgot my state of undress until mid-way through forming my defense when Adele was staring at my crotch. I know the heat felt by my cheeks must have matched the color of hers and as I moved to roll back onto my front she moved her leg to prevent me.

Her hand inched towards my cock, the trance was only added to when she licked her lips. Adele's hand was inches from my semi erection when my voice pierced the distance between us.

"You may want to remember what you have on your hands Adele, I can already feel the heat its generating on my thigh."

The blush turned crimson a second before she quickly got off the back of my legs and ran out of my room. We had all read the label on the bottle of the green stuff with the funny sounding name and in big bold letters the words 'wash hands after use' gave a big hint to what it could well have done to my cock if Adele had wrapped her hands around it. My thoughts made me smile; the laugh came a second or so later.

I made it down stairs a few hours later when Jodie knocked on my door to let me know dinner was ready. When the girls were talking to each other Adele took that opportunity to look concerned, a smile and a gentle nod of my head made the concern disappear and challenge my own smile. I pushed the buzzer for the gate that let Maria and her daughter out before telling the girls I was heading for an early night.

Makes a man warm inside when he gets a hug from three women, I even got a kiss on the cheek from Lindsey and both of us looked over at Jodie. Who then put her glass down, wandered over to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek as well. Lindsey then looked towards Adele who, not to feel left out of course, then placed her glass on the table and walked over to me to place a kiss on my cheek. I was prepared for Adele though and gave her a hug before wishing everyone goodnight. The sound of three women laughing followed me up the stairs that evening.

*******

They had been at it for close to half an hour now, at first I thought it fake but as time went on they were clearly into each other. I actually found myself trying to put a face to the orgasm that although dulled by the thickness of the wall between us, was clear enough to recognize the fact they were indeed enjoying each other's company and for the sake of my sanity I stopped trying to fit the orgasm to which girl it was.

Sleep was impossible even with a pillow over my head. My own body had already gone into revolt and the raging hard on I was sporting was impossible to ignore. Finally Jodie's room went quiet and after a moment the shower came on along with a bunch of giggling. Just as sleep started to take me, even though I was still sporting a monumental hard on, the shower stopped and a minute or so later they were both at it again.

"Oh for the love of God, what it is to have youth and endurance on your side."

Still remembering this was Jodie's house I kept it low so that I was sure I was the only one that heard my comment. As I turned in my bed for what felt like the hundredth time and hearing another damned orgasm seep through the walls, my own bedroom door opened and quickly closed. As I reached for the light and turned it on, Adele was already in the process of walking towards me and dropping her dressing gown off her own body on the way.

Her face was a mixture of so many emotions. 

"I've had to listen to those two bitches go at each other for the last hour with only my fingers for company. Since I flew here there was no way I was going to get caught with a vibrator in my bag on a random search, and at the moment Martin I'm in need of both cock and relief like you would never believe."

Still in shock that she was even in my room, absolutely nothing had prepared me for what she said next. Adele's naked form climbed onto my bed and straddled my legs, her eyes burned with lust, her cheeks, neck and the top half of her chest flush with arousal and her nipples stood proud on her body. She grabbed a handful of sheet and looked me directly in the eyes.

"I have an itch that my fingers can't touch and other than my hair brush you're the nearest thing in this house to a vibrator. So I'm taking what I need Martin, you can either join in or lay there and let me take it."

"Adele, are you out of your damn mind?"

With a swift tug of the sheet I was now naked and clearly showing the effect on my body of the noises coming from the room next door, she licked her lips, Adele actually licked her lips.

"Times up, I'm taking it and you can scream rape later."

What happened next would never make it into any romance novel, the effect on our minds and carnal emotions seeping through the walls from my niece's room sent both of us over the edge. I twisted my body and ignored the sharp pain that rode up my back as I did, that movement alone sent Adele under me. Her legs opened wider while her hands sought out my cock. 

"Just fuck me damn it, the foreplay can wait for round two and three, or four if I'm real lucky."

As I adjusted my position her tits came into view, my mouth descended onto one while my fingers found the hardened nipple of the other one and I pinched down and twisted. Adele groaned and instinctively, thrust her chest up towards me and my open mouth closed around it, my teeth gently nibbled her nipple as Adele tried so hard to push up one more time.

"Oh fuck, yes there right there. Ok just a little foreplay if you must, just stick this into me before I become a puddle."

It's real hard trying not to laugh while you have a woman's breast in your mouth and with someone as vocal as Adele seems to be I figured it may be best to un-attach myself before I did her harm.

My hand found her mound; her hand found mine and forced it further down.

"Feel that? It's those two bitches that did this to me."

With my hand between her legs and hers making sure I couldn't move it she was in the process of humping my hand. Poor Adele wanted her orgasm in double quick time and fuck anyone getting in her way. One then two fingers entered her, the pleasurable groan from her lips made me add another and her pelvic action let me know she was enjoying herself.




Jodie Carpenter



Adele was clearly heading for her orgasm if my soaked hand was any indication. The pause in my finger action got me a glare from her but even that quickly changed to a smile when I moved to kneel next to her hip and insert a final finger. Her legs opened even wider and her hands left mine as my fingers brushed against her pleasure spot.

Her ass left the bed by a good two inches and an 'oh fuck yes' left her lips as her hands went behind her and pulled a pillow over her face. Her pussy got warm real quick and her juices gushed from her as her legs clamped shut holding my hand in place. The pillow muffled the scream she let out and hid the smile she would have seen on my lips if it wasn't there.

We both rode her orgasm to its satisfying end, her legs relaxed and my fingers once again started their gentle rubbing of her pleasure spot. Her body did a quick u-turn and Adele's hands once again clamped the pillow to her face. The scream from the pillow matched the one before and her legs clamping my hand to her pussy didn't look like they were going to give my hand back anytime soon.

I stopped tormenting Adele and allowed her body to come back to me, her chest still heaved and the swell on her breasts and tightness of her nipples a clear giveaway that she may have calmed, but not all that much. With a muffled sigh Adele pulled the pillow from her face, the glow about her matched the smile on her lips.

"Thank you I needed that."

"So, can I have my hand back now?"

Her hand left the pillow and wrapped itself around my own erection. That same hand slowly moved up and down in a slow gentle motion.

"Only if you replace it with this, I know you're still feeling all busted up Martin but I do need this."

Then a gleam came to her eyes and her smile had that hint of mischief about it.

"I promise I will be gentle with you."

Her legs relaxed and the tingling in my hand stopped as the circulation returned to it, as I moved my hand I made sure it was in an upward motion. My palm and middle finger run over her engorged clit, the sucking in of air and the tightening of her hand around my cock made me think it best she didn't see me smile. Adele's hips even followed my hand upwards in an attempt to glean as much pleasure from that one act as possible.

Adele's mouth opened and a groan escaped, suddenly her eyes shot open when she felt me move between her legs. She was reluctant to the very end to release my cock from her grasp but when she did both her hands went between her legs as they rose and her heels rested on the small of my back for a moment before both slid down and rested on my ass.

"Shops open, why don't you come on in and make yourself at home."

The tip of my cock found her hand and she guided me until I felt her heat and then wetness. Adele's head leaned to one side as another orgasm seeped through the wall.

"That's Lindsey, that bitch is almost as vocal as I get when I'm being fucked."

I felt her hands rest on my hips; I could almost foretell what she was going to say next.

"Please go gentle to begin with it's been three months now and you're a damn site bigger that the handle of my brush."

The tip of my cock pierced her pussy lips, her wetness both lubricating and inviting all at the same time. Adele's fingers acted as my guide for now although I'm not sure the woman beneath me realized it. When her hands held me she was enjoying herself, when her nails dug in I slowed to a stop and watched as she adjusted herself. The two next-door seeped another orgasm through the wall before skin touched skin and the smile of triumph lit up Adele's face.

For a second Adele's face showed concern, "Please Martin don't go all macho on me, we both know your still all busted up inside so if it gets too much say so."

The devil in me had to ask, "So if it gets too much we stop?"

That damn smile broke right across her face and she shook her head.

"Hell no, I've got you inside me now and I'm not letting go. I will just make you comfortable and ride you from on top."

We both giggled as the moans from next door began to build to yet another orgasm.

"Why Adele Richards you are a true gentle woman."

In answer Adele thrust her pelvis down to see if anything was left on the outside that should be on the inside.

"Don't even think that honey, I'm just as slutty as any woman but only with her man. Now enough with the sentiment; are you driving or am I?"

Her hands left my hips and clasped my head as she leaned upwards and we kissed, she coaxed me down on top of her. My thrust inside her bore a grunt from her lips and her moving her heels to rest between my legs, I was slow to begin with hoping against hope that I would last for hours.

Adele and I were realists; neither of us had been laid in so long that I came half way to her next orgasm. Male pride does strange things to people and with me she was going to get to that orgasm, I broke the cuddle she went for and slid down her body even closing my eyes so the urge to stop at her magnificent tits didn't sway me. By the time I got between her legs Adele was on her elbows her brow creased in confusion.

"Martin what the fuck..."

As realization came to her she once again reached for her pillow, I pulled her down the bed and out of reach of it as my mouth enveloped her clit. In desperation she clamped her lips together only for her for another realization to come to her.

"Oh fuck his sucking his own cum out of me... Martin. Oh fuck Martin."

The rest got muffled as her legs came around my head and clamped me in position. I did hear her scream though, I'm sure that seeped through the wall to the girls next door. Seeing as I had nowhere to go I just kept on enjoying myself until Adele's legs eased their hold, and she used her hands to push me away from her now over sensitive clit.

What I saw when I got onto all fours made me smile and perhaps if I was just a little honest, ever so slightly afraid. Adele had pushed herself away from me and was herself on all fours facing me, her hair was a mess her tits hung on her body and the smile although fixed gave a hint of the devil in her. It was her eyes that held me, Adele was on a sexual high and she wanted more and like an addict she knew her next fix was right in front of her.

Once she put me on my back she straddled me, the only words I heard before her thighs clamped my head were, "That's yours and you haven't finished cleaning it."

Her hand wrapped itself around my cock as her body lowered itself onto me as the warmth of her mouth enveloped my cock her tongue worked in perfect symmetry to her head as it bobbed up and down on my cock. As for me I did go after her pussy and between us we settled for the tortoise and no longer the hare for the rest of the evening and into the early morning.

Any inhibited thought of next door hearing us had now evaporated, neither of us cared about anything other than what the other was doing and did it excite us enough to continue doing it. By the time both of us had reached to point of total exhaustion and extreme satisfaction not to mention a fair degree of comfort with each other, the noises from next door had ceased.

Neither of us could remember when they did since our attention had been on each other for some time. With a contented sigh Adele placed her head on my chest, her leg slowly moved up my legs and eventually came to a stop across my thighs and her hand rested on a well used cock.

*******

She was slow to wake up; once her memories had brought her up to date she groaned and curled even more into my body.

"I'm so sorry; I can't believe we did that."

Adele went to move and just as quickly stopped.

"Please close your eyes I have to get my robe and get out of here."

This time I had to suppress a giggle.

"Your robe is over by the door and I don't need to close my eyes since I was in intimate contact with all of your body for most of the back half of the night."

Again she groaned, only this time the heat generating from her body gave away the fact that she now remembered everything. Again she groaned and tried to curl even more of herself into me. Her right leg traveled up and over mine and her thigh came to rest across mine, the warmth of her pussy on my leg caused my cock to harden.

"Oh God I threatened to rape you if you... If you...Thank God you joined in."

It was morbid curiosity that made me ask my next question, I suspected I had an idea how long and the first time I was grateful she was as wet as she was when I entered her.

"Adele. When was the last time..."

It seemed she was almost expecting my question.

"Three years seven months and two days, the day before John was deployed. With my vibrator, three months two weeks and what day is it today?"

She stopped trying to hide and moved her body over me. Her tits came into contact with my ribcage as her body came to rest on my chest so she could look me in the eyes.

"The only thing I regret is the way I instigated this, I was still willing to wait you out and go the seduction route only those two last night forced my hand."

For some reason it seemed important to Adele that I believed her, the way she held my head in her hands to look directly into her eyes was a major hint that it was wise to do so. Nodding my head was enough but I got a little bit greedy and moved in for a kiss to seal the deal. We were still kissing ten minutes later when I suggested that Adele grabbed a shower, the grin came seconds after the suggestion until I thought it best she shower alone or neither one of us would get out of the room alive.

By the time I got my shower and got down stairs all three girls were giggling to themselves in the kitchen, all three seemed to be wearing the same, shorts and tee-shirts. It was a hell of a distraction.

Jodie placed something in the middle of the kitchen table, Adele and I looked at it and then at her, both Jodie and Lindsey had the decency to blush.

"We have a confession to make."

We watched as both their hands traveled towards each other and held on tight, part of me wanted to look at Adele and wonder if we should be doing the same since it was clear they both girls were hanging onto each other for moral support. With one more look at each other and a nod of Lindsey's head Jodie leaned over and pressed a button on the machine.

Passionate sounds came from the machine, as the moans and heavy breathing reached its predictable 'climax' Lindsey was beet red and Jodie had to hold her hand tighter to calm her. As the breathing on the machine calmed and finally a soft sensual and contented moan came from the tape machine Jodie switched it off.

"For the last two weeks we have been taping ourselves when we had phone sex with each other. Every other day I would send my tape to Lindsey and she would add them to hers. A couple of days ago we had enough to fill this machine, Lindsey did a bit of editing and this was the result."

Both Adele and I looked at each other waiting for the punch line, when neither of us could think of one we looked again at Jodie. When she saw that we were still about a lap and a half behind in this conversation and clearly still unsure Lindsey spoke.

"That's what you both heard last night, we placed speakers pointed at both your rooms and while that played we had on head phones and played cards on the bed."

As the realization came to us and the confusion between us started to clear.

"And the noises of the shower?"

"Just us having a shower before we went to bed, we let the tape rewind while we showered and then put ear plugs in and started the machine again before going to bed."

It was left to Adele to ask the most obvious of questions. "But why?"

This time both girls looked at each other, I actually thought Jodie was going to explain, it seems Lindsey got in first.

"Mom you have been here for over three months and not even a cuddle before bedtime between the both of you. Dad is dead Mom; you're also holding hands with the next best thing to Dad. Be honest with yourself the both of you. If we hadn't have done what we did would you still be 'just good friends.' It's time Mom, hell if anything its long overdue, move on please both of you."

Adele flustered a bit, mumbling about how she felt she was being railroaded. She also made the fatal mistake of thinking I would be giving her moral support, although I freely admit that it wasn't until the tight ass remark between us that it brought home my own feelings about Adele.

Jodie was still sitting watching everything, only when she see me grin did she say anything.

"You know we are right don't you Martin? That woman you're holding hands with makes you complete so please, both of you just stop pussy footing around and tell each other how you feel."

She was right everyone at that table agreed with her including me, so I turned my chair to face Adele and told her the truth from my heart. She listened as I told her that I loved her, she knew that I had her habits already welded to my memories. Adele even welled up when I told her that I wanted her in my life, for life and not just until I get better.

At that she burst into tears and ran up stairs, Lindsey followed a few minutes later when she saw me about to go up. A minute later she called down to Jodie and asked her to come up and give them a hand moving Adel's stuff into my room.

*******

It was the big day today; the few guests we wanted to be here had all arrived and were seated by the pool. The hardest part was actually getting our old base padre and his wife to attend, although now retired from the army he was given a church and had to seek permission to hold the ceremony. Even his wife got involved and got here two days before to help with the marriage details.

Maria had insisted that I be their guest the evening before so that Adele could have an all girls evening while me and her two sons watched the game on TV. That statement alone may sound boring but I was excited, and it was the only condition I placed on her sons before I agreed. Three points, my team lost by three damn points, those bums cost me ten dollars to each of the sons when the final second ticked off the clock and with big grins on their faces they stood in front of me with their hands out.

The next morning I even had to phone the house to let them know I was coming in so they could hide Adele in Jodie's room while I got changed in mine. I was just doing up my tie when I saw Jodie leaning against the door smiling at me, her face glowed, more so when she see me smile back. Eventually she moved away from the door and I turned to face her, her hands came up to put the finishing touches to my efforts with the tie.

"You have questions Martin; I can see them in your eyes. You get the chance to ask them now or they never get asked again."

It was tantamount to a free pass at my niece. "Are you ok with this Jodie?"

Her hands paused for just a moment; finally she took hold of the collar of my suit jacket and pulled me to her. Our lips touched for a moment before she moved away from me and sat on the corner of the bed.

"I got the phone call from the base Chaplin that you were on your way, even what time you were going to be there. My feelings were a mess since I could only consciously remember perhaps a week of you as a person."

My hip started to ache with all the standing I had been doing so I sat across from Jodie as she spoke.

"Then your car pulled up the drive and you got out. I was fifteen Martin and I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. It didn't take me long to realize you never looked on me as anything more than your niece and for a time I hated it. But the fact that you were willing to put your own career on hold to look after me meant I could hate it but never hate you."

Jodie paused to once again to calm her breathing; she would rub her hands together as she did.

"By the second time I tried to initiate something with you I knew two things that were never going to change. The first was that you will never see me as anything more than your niece and that you loved me too much to ever take advantage of what I was offering you."

This time Jodie looked directly at me and I could clearly see the pain within her that she had kept to herself for so long.

"Yes Martin your niece was in therapy for some years while she was in California and I learned that no man will ever be your equal so I never looked."

I went to speak but Jodie placed a finger to my lips.

"It's ok Martin, honestly it is. The only man who ever stood a chance of getting between these legs was my uncle. Lindsey knows all this and she understands, truly she does and I love her all the more for it."

The look of sadness changed to a smile as she stood once again.

"Lindsey knows that if she was a man she would be my second choice, but she's a woman so she knows she's always going to be the first and only choice in my life."

She made it half way to the door before she felt that she had to emphasize something.

"Adele knows Martin; I wanted no secrets between us if she was going to be your wife. Both Lindsey and I knew she would be a good choice for you, she knows everything and being married to John she knew what you were up to while I was away at university."

This time she even giggled for a moment.

"We both suspect that she had feelings for you even way back then. I would even go so far as to say that the love she has for you is equal to the love I have for Lindsey. Nothing will change that Martin. I have grown accustomed to the fact that you will never fully be mine and I'm going to carry that with me to my grave. I just pray that Lindsey will spare me the embarrassment of putting it on my gravestone."

*******

Although we did eventually move out of Jodie's house we only made it to a mile away, Adele fell in love with the place as we past it and screamed at me to stop, I damn near had the same heart attack as the woman who came oh so close to rear ending me. I suppose I deserved the finger she gave me when she passed my now stationary car, Adele for her part was already out of the car with her cell in her hand phoning the realtors number on the for sale sign tied to the white picket fence.

We moved in two months later and I was officially retired from the army a month after that. It seems the grapevine in the security's business left nothing to be desired, two days after my papers landed on my floor a knock on the door brought a man named Henderson into my world. The card he handed me said 'Bingham Securities' and with my wife sat next to me Henderson offered me a job at twice my last salary and an office.

The only downside was that I had to go to corporate headquarters once a month for four days. It was as those words passed his lips that the pressure on my own hand increased, it was clear to me that Adele didn't want it so as I said no, the pressure eased. Henderson must have been expecting me to refuse because he smiled when he held up his hand and looked directly at Adele and told her that during those four days she would be allowed to travel with me and the company would foot the bill for the hotel.

My office was only a thirty minute drive from the house and the work was interesting enough to keep me there. The four day trips to head office were the ones that Adele looked forward to, the shopping kept her amused and the days went quickly when she was there. It was two years into our marriage that I came home to all three women in my life sitting on the couch waiting to ambush me.

At least they gave me the courtesy of letting me get my coat off before Adele came over and gave me a hug, her other hand held out a drink.

"Here honey, drink this, you're going to need it."

"That bad huh?"

"Well let's just say that I know and understand why. It's down to you to do the rest."