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An Angel's Fix Pt. 01

By: photodad



While this was written to be a standalone story, it is recommended to read Angels and Guardians found at literotica.com/s/angels-and-guardians-pt-01 first to see where the characters come from.

*

Where could he be? 

"Tyler!" Ashley called for the hundredth time while crashing through the unfamiliar woods.

Damn that boy for wandering off. She had turned her back for a second, and her adopted son was gone. Just like that and without any clue. And, where the fuck was Joe? You'd think a father would be searching something mad for his lost child. Ashley picked her way through the uncomfortable sticks and thought about that for a second. Really! Where WAS Joe? Actually, why did she turn her back at all? She couldn't remember, and it didn't matter right now. She had to find Tyler at all costs.

Suddenly, well rather instantaneously, she found herself in an open field with lush green grass dotted with dandelions. The sun was so nice and warm, and the ground was so inviting. She was tired, exhausted really. Next thing she knew, she was lying in the middle of the field, her red hair splayed out like a halo contrasting beautifully against the emerald green of the soft grass. Ashley closed her eyes and enjoyed the sun's rays on her face. It felt as if she were laying on the center of a merry-go-round, the trees spinning past at the edge of her vision. Ugh, it made her lightheaded and feeling sick. That sensation seemed recently familiar somehow. She closed her eyes to shut out the nauseous spinning. Someone distant, yet strangely nearby was calling her name. Oh, for Pete's sake! Ashley reluctantly started opening her eyes.

"Ashley!" came the sharp call. 

The young authoritative feminine voice could only belong to Jill, one of her best friends. But that couldn't be, she wasn't with Ashley or Tyler when all this happened. Jesus! How long was she out? Long enough for them to come looking for her?

"Ashley! Wake up! Enough playing around." The voice was insistent. 

"Fine. I'm getting up. Hang on a second," she mumbled in reply.

Try as she might, she just couldn't move. Now, why was that? And for the life of her, she couldn't open her eyes.

"Don't go to the light!" Another girl's voice giggled. Ashley recognized it belonged to Kim, another best friend.

"Shut up!" hissed the first voice. "This isn't funny anymore. Joe! Call the ambulance!"

"Why an ambulance? Is Tyler hurt?" Ashley asked as her eyes finally allowed themselves to open.

Whoa! She did NOT expect this scenery. Ashley found herself sitting on the couch, kind of propped up between the back cushion and the arm rest. Oh, but the view was so familiar. The TV projection on the wall, the other two sofas on either side facing this one. The stone floor that met the massive sliding glass wall that opened to the richly landscaped pool and back yard. She knew that this was Joe's parents' house. His dead parents' house. But that's not what was befuddling her. What confused her was how she got HERE from that calming field. She wanted to turn and look around the expansive media room, and as she started to, she got dizzy and thought better of it. God, she was so confused. Her lips and tongue were numb, her head was swimming, and her limbs still didn't want to respond to the messages her brain was sending. Her hand held something cold and sweaty, so she glanced down at it and found the clear Corona bottle mostly drained of its amber liquid. Surrounding her were the people she loved most. There was Jill and Kim. Cindy, Joe's personal assistant, and her new boyfriend. The question of where Joe, her husband, was answered very quickly when he stepped in front of her and placed a cool damp towel on her forehead.

Ashley's panic returned. "Joe! Tyler's missing. You gotta go lost him!"

She inwardly questioned why her words were coming out wrong.

"I mean, he's here. Gone. He's losht. Find him, you gotta." Ugh, why was this so hard?

"Who's Tyler, sweetie?" he asked. "Is Tyler a dog?"

"Oooh...a DOG! Can we get one?"

Joe shook his head as he turned to Kim and Jill. "Good lord, girls. How many did she have?"

Kim glanced at the coffee table where there were three empty bottles that matched the one in Ashley's hand. "She's a featherweight," she giggled.

"I guess so," Joe grumbled. "You're not far behind her, it seems."

Kim looked around the room in her cute and disarming way.

"Baby, focus. Who is Tyler?"

Ashley sighed as she made a concerted effort to focus her vision on her lover. "Our son...well, Jasmine's son. He's lost in the woods. Why doesn't this concern any of you?!"

The group looked at each other in total confusion. Kim snickered, "since when do you have a son?"

Ashley trained her focus on Kim in disbelief. "Since Jasmine...you know...died."

"I DID WHAT?!"

Ashley spun around toward the new voice. That was a bad move and it made her head swim faster. Her face contorted into a new definition of confusion. "Jasmine? What? I don't get it. How did you get here?"

Jasmine stepped around the sofa and knelt in front of Ashley, patting her knee. "You drove me here after the concert. Boy, no more booze for you!"

Jasmine shrieked in surprise when Ashley snapped her up from the floor and pulled her into her lap for an excruciatingly tight embrace.

"You're alive! Oh my God Jasmine! Thank God you're alive!" Tears fell from Ashley's eyes in pure happiness.

"Of course I am," Jasmine mumbled in confusion against her friend's shoulder. "I can't breathe, sweetie."

Ashley eased up just a bit. "I'm so happy, you just don't even know." She let go of the girl and just stared to admire the pretty face.

"I'll say you're happy. You're downright blitzed!" Jasmine retorted. She was rewarded by Ashley grabbing the collar of her t-shirt and yanking her nose to nose.

"You gotta promise me something!"

"Anything to get your stank ass breath away from me..."

"Promise me you won't get pregnant!"

Jasmine was taken aback. "What?! Why would I promise you that? I won't get pregnant any time soon..."

"No! Ever! I'll do anything you want...I'll fuck your brains out twice a day to keep you satisfied, if that's what it takes. Just promise me!"

The group before her became very concerned, and Joe gently removed Jasmine from Ashley's clutches. "Ash, honey. What's wrong? Why are you like this suddenly?"

"Joe! Jasmine, I'll lend you Joe from time to time. I know we won't leave you if you happen to carry his baby. At least promise me that he'll be the only guy you screw! Joe, sweet husband of mine, you won't mind if I let her borrow you?"

Joe shook his head. "I'm not your husband. At least not yet. Baby, what is wrong? Why are you like this?"

Just then the walls started tumbling end over end for Ashley. She jumped up, knocking Jasmine back on her ass. "I gotta get to the bathroom," she rushed before stumbling for the half-bath off the kitchen.

Cindy put her arms out to stop the others from following Ashley. "I'll make sure she's okay," she said.

They reappeared a few minutes later with Ashley sans bottoms. Cindy steadied her going up the open staircase. "Ashley's going to bed, I'll be right back down," she called down to the staring group.

When Cindy came back down, she was hounded for information, but she just said that Ashley was drunk, obviously, and that's why she was so confused. She urged them to enjoy the rest of the party.

* * *

Ashley pulled on some shorts, and slowly made her way down the stairs. Her brain was afflicted with a hammering headache, and the sun pouring through the windows was just too "loud." The media room looked like Jonestown -- The Morning After. Cindy was draped across one sofa, her boyfriend snoozed on another. Jill, Kim, and Jasmine littered the large ornamental rug in various stages of undress. The coffee table was burdened with empty bottles of random imbibment.

"Good morning," Joe greeted her as she shuffled into the kitchen. "Or, rather, afternoon. Still drunk, are you?"

"Oh God," she mumbled as she weakly perched herself on a stool. "Hey! Not so loud!" Ashley protested when Joe placed a fresh mug of coffee on the counter before her.

"Heh, hung over and drunk. Quite a combination."

She slit her eyes at him as she took a sip. "Don't start."

"Well, you missed a hell of a party."

"Why aren't you still sleeping?"

"Someone had to stay sober to make sure you girls didn't do anything stupid. That plan didn't work out so well with you, sorry to say."

Ashley turned her head to the side and blew out a sigh of frustration. "Joe, last night I..."

"Eh, save it for later, when you smarten up." He grinned at her.

Ashley propped her elbows on the counter and buried her aching head in her hands. "I think I went past the tipsy point."

"You pretty much gave that checkpoint the bird as you sped past, Ashley."

"God this sucks," she mumbled.

"Gonna suck worse tonight at the graduation party your parents are throwing."

She groaned. "I forgot about that."

"I can call them and say you ate something bad. We can do it tomorrow."

Her neck ached when she rocked her head back and forth. "Can't do it tomorrow. I have a wedding." She took another slow sip of her hot brew. Joe knew exactly how she liked it -- a dash of coffee to go with her cream and sugar. "But still, Mom and Dad can't see me like this."

"Well, Ash, you're living here, sleeping with me and all but one of the girls in that other room. I'd say them seeing an under-aged hangover is about the safest secret to reveal."

Ashley thought about the blunt truth he just dangled out there. His parents had taken her in last fall when she left home after a fight about the bruise left on her face by her former boyfriend. She certainly was sleeping with him, every night that she was well, in fact. As for her other three friends, it wasn't ever planned on how it all started, but the emotional connection with them prevented her from stopping. Ashley would stop in a heartbeat if Joe ever asked her to, but he hadn't so far. In fact, if he sensed she was in the mood for some female love with one of her friends, he would fade himself into the background to allow things to happen. Perhaps he didn't get jealous because her other lovers were NOT male. Of course, Ashley was sure that he appreciated having scantily clad beauties prancing about his home. Now thinking about it, Ashley felt that he was being cheated. He had slept with all the girls who were currently there at one point or another, save Cindy.

Cindy had been his parents' secretary for six years or so, ever since they recruited her straight out of high school. His dad was well-known for picking talent, but he was proudest of acquiring Cindy. Young, energetic, and highly intelligent, she kept the company on the rails after her bosses' deaths while she brought Joe fully up to speed. Being seven years older than the 18 year old Joe, they never thought of each other as being compatible.

Ashley supposed Jasmine could be counted in the "Joe hasn't slept with" category, although not technically. The two never dated, unlike the others, and they only got physical once when Ashley prodded Jasmine last fall to sample his bedroom talents. Indeed she loved each of her female friends, almost as much as she loved Joe.

She shook her head to focus her thoughts back to Joe. He was wonderful. Even though there was sexual and emotional history with Jill and Kim, he hadn't touched them since he and Ashley had gotten serious about each other. That's what she felt bad about. She could play with her friends whenever she wanted and without reprisal, but his playtime was reserved to her. Maybe that was why she freely offered Joe to Jasmine last night.

Oh yeah, last night. Did that really happen? Did she really say those things in front of Cindy's new boyfriend? She had to find out.

"So Jasmine is really alive?" she ventured.

Joe rolled his eyes. "Yup, the naked one on the rug in there," he nodded toward the next room.

"And we're not married?"

"Not yet."

"Can I have kids?"

He sighed mightily at that one. "No, you're still as barren as the Sahara." He had made a point early on that he wouldn't tiptoe around that issue. Oddly, Ashley loved that he was blunt whenever he talked with her about it. "What is with you?"

Damn, that last part WAS still true. She cringed as she asked, "What happened to me last night? I just remember waking up and finding out that everything I believed in my heart hadn't happened. At least, not yet. That, and throwing up while thoroughly peeing my panties in front of Cindy, which at the time felt amazing...well, not the puking part. Oh my God! My panties..." She started for the half bath.

He came over, caught her arm and put her back in the stool. He rested on the one next to her. "Relax, I took care of that this morning. Boy your thoughts are scattered! Glad you weren't like this on stage last night. They're in the wash, the floor is mopped up, so your secret is safe with me. And, you know Cindy won't say anything either." Joe looked into her eyes, his face filled with compassion and concern. "Last night, we came home after your Project Graduation concert. Cindy had bought you all a bunch of alcohol to celebrate and had it ready. You downed four of your Coronas like they were water, and collapsed on the couch. You were out for a bit and talking in your sleep. We were worried and I almost called the ambulance before you woke up, spouting all this weird nonsense."

Ashley stared thoughtfully into her coffee before taking another sip. "I feel so much like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. It was so real, I feel like I KNOW that it happened. I guess I was dreaming. How long was I out?"

"About 20 minutes."

"It felt like a lifetime."

Just then, the others had awakened from their drinking comas and shuffled into the kitchen while rearranging their clothes. The girls hugged Ashley from behind, congratulating her again on graduating. For Ashley, it was a bigger deal to have her diploma than the others, because her absences last fall had thrown her graduation into doubt for so long. Her renewed dedication in the spring had helped nudge the state school board into granting her an exception.

Jasmine's embrace still seemed awkward to her though. In Ashley's mind, she should have been dead. Instead, here she was, saying, "Good to see you better, Lil' Bit."

Ashley lifted her mug. "The coffee helped."

As they all fixed their own cups, Joe said, "Ashley was about to reveal her trip down the yellow brick road. Weren't you?"

"Gee, so nice of you to shove me off the cliff, Joe." She paused to gather her thoughts. "This is so embarrassing, now that I know none of it happened. Please keep in mind that I don't wish any of it upon any of you, unless that is what makes you happy."

"Well, get on with it," prompted Jasmine. Surprising, since hers was the most gloomy future.

The group of friends listened intently as Ashley went through her story. She started off with Jasmine working for a record label to design CD covers (which she actually was), but then got pregnant from a one-night stand in the summer. Her delivery developed an unexplained complication, and Jasmine perished. Ashley and Joe adopted the baby, and both worked their schedules to lovingly care for Tyler. Kim worked for Ashley, assisting her with concert schedules and so on, while Joe followed a passion different than being the football god he was this past year. At that point she asked him if he was playing in the fall, and he reminded her that he had decided not to. Ashley was still confusing the dream and reality on some points, but nodded and continued to say that Joe opened a restaurant that was college student-friendly.

She looked at Cindy and Jill with pride, and said that they had started a non-profit organization to assist girls, from high school through college, in all manners that could trouble them. She told Jill that she had become not only a lawyer, but a respected cabinet member for the governor. As for herself, she completed college through mostly correspondence. She was going to leave things at that, but the group pressed her to reveal what her career was. Sheepishly, she said that she was a successful music performer.

"So, a rock star," prompted Kim.

Ashley affected a small grin. "I guess you could say that." She looked at Jasmine who was staring her down. "Sweetie, I am so sorry. I have no idea why you ended up that way in my dream. I can tell you that it absolutely devastated me." She saw Jasmine blink away a couple of tears, and it broke her heart. "I swear I don't want that to happen to you."

"You adopted my son?"

"Yes. I mean, in the dream, your parents were beside themselves trying to cope with your passing, and they didn't know how they would care for..."

Jasmine shook her head slowly. "They're getting old, and I know first hand that they're terrible parents." She made her way to hug Ashley tightly. "It means the world to me that you would do such a thing."

"You're not mad?"

"No! You can't have kids of your own. It makes sense... well, it fits so well in the universe that you should have my child. I know that you took excellent care of him."

Ashley looked at her when she eased out of the embrace. "How do you know that?"

"At the time, we couldn't understand why you kept mumbling 'Tyler' in your sleep. It's obvious now why you were so concerned with that name."

"It was a dream, thankfully. So, will you keep a promise not to get stupid and get pregnant? The promise that I made last night would still stand."

Jasmine had a twinkle in her eye. "If Joe will let you keep your promise to satisfy me, I'll promise to not sleep around, is that good enough?"

Ashley nodded resigned to the notion that it would have to do.

Cindy had told her boyfriend, Doug, snippets about the strange and intense web spun through these girls and Joe. However, it was still difficult to wrap his mind around it. The openly sexual overtones in their conversations embarrassed him a bit, especially since he considered himself still an outsider to this group. When Cindy urged him to come along to the graduation party, he expected the usual obnoxious behavior associated with underage drinking. He even helped Cindy pick the drinks up from the store. But instead, he was witness to something that just could not be understood at first glance. For one thing, this group was much more mature than the stereotypical band of teens...at least in their interactions with each other. Each seemed to hold a high level of respect for the other. Cindy attributed that to the difficult adolescences each of these girls went through. Joe had a penchant for playing the role of the knight in shining armor when he chose to befriend them. Because of his family's wealth, he was able to sling a protective arm around each of them. Once together, the girls were emotional pillars for each other in areas he couldn't understand as a male.

So, even after being warned, Doug was still surprised by the behavior last night. Sure, they were all happy and having a good time, right up to when Ashley passed out. But, the underlying strength of love between them all reminded him of family, even if it was a bit twisted when compared to traditional views of what "family" means. Joe was definitely the patriarch. Even though he was 18, Joe was the one they all looked to for guidance and protection. His maturity was unmatched for someone his age, no doubt a result of dealing with his parents' recent sudden demise and his inheritance of their venerable company. 

If Joe was the father, then Jill was the mother-figure. She nurtured and cared for the others, sometimes carrying an authoritative stance when she scolded them as needed. She and Joe had a profound friendship, lasting through and after their failed romance a few years ago. Even though they were no longer sexually tied, they had in effect a partnership with each other in seeing to the needs of their group. 


An Angel's Fix Pt. 01



Jasmine was like the oldest sister. Often she would be playfully picking on the others, but then she would also pick up after them. 

Ashley and Kim were like the fun-loving twins. The relationship between these two was the most intriguing. Ashley was currently engaged to Joe, and it was clear that they loved and adored each other immensely. At times, she was a touch unstable emotionally, although Cindy told Doug that Ashley seemed much more balanced since her life-saving surgery last winter that had robbed her fertility. Kim was Joe's most recent ex, and habitually flirted with him openly. He would smile and appreciate the attention, but neither approached the unspoken and well-understood boundary closer than that. No one would have faulted Ashley if she flew into a rage and killed Kim on one of those many occasions. Instead, she would normally laugh the flirting off, or if she felt her status with Joe was even slightly threatened, Ashley would reassert her claim to him by wrapping herself around him while giving Kim a sideways glance. Ashley didn't get truly jealous, or even had need to. Everyone knew that if there was a real contest for Joe's heart, Kim would lose mightily before the game even began. Knowing all this, Doug found it odd still that the two friends were, well, FRIENDS. The two were hardly seen without the other nearby.

Cindy alleged to Doug that in addition to Joe, Ashley would often engage in sex with Kim and Jasmine, though not usually at the same time. Her physical relations with Joe were strictly one-on-one since their engagement, and to Cindy's knowledge Joe was currently exclusive to Ashley. It now looked like Ashley was willing to share him with Jasmine, as her dream compelled her to, but whether he would agree to it remained to be seen. Jill was active with Jasmine, and at times with Kim, as well. Trysts between Ashley and Jill were rare, although they would happen occasionally if both were in a particular mood. Even with all this going on, their open communication between each of them displayed no jealousy at all. They all seemed to know exactly where each crooked and tangled boundary line existed, and they respected those lines as if they were rule of written law.

As for Cindy's role, she kept Joe and Ashley on-track and organized. Doug met her in Denver when Joe pitched his company's communications encryption system to the military, his last act before taking Carter Electronics public. Since they were both merely assistants, they were relegated to wait in the lobby during the negotiations, even though both hold top secret clearances. The two chatted it up and became interested in each other. Their outlook got brighter when Doug told her that he and his admiral were being transferred to her hometown. They were everything the other was looking for: young, intelligent, attractive, but most of all, patient and understanding when the opposite got busy and tied up for extended periods. Cindy had confessed to him that Ashley had hit on her when they met during the emotional tragedy of the loss of Joe's parents. Although Cindy was not repulsed by the advance, she just was not interested in a relationship with any female. She was already friends with the other girls, since Joe had befriended them early in high school. Ashley was new to the group, and although she was politely turned down, she embraced Cindy as a treasured friend.

Although Doug mostly believed that Cindy was not one for telling fiction about her employer or friends, he still didn't completely believe how sexually open the girls were made out to be. That is, until last night. After Ashley's then-bizarre comments, Cindy assured the group that Ashley just needed to "sleep it off." Jokes and theories of Ashley's confusion dominated conversation for a while, and then talk settled into reminiscing of antics the group shared, especially over the past year. The topics got quite arousing, and before he passed out from the late hour and the alcohol, Jill, Jasmine, and Kim had started some serious foreplay before crashing themselves.

While Ashley was relating her dream as the reason for her outburst, Doug hung back in a corner of the cabinets, trying to process everything he had seen and heard up to now. His eyes fell deeper into his coffee when Ashley again offered Joe to Jasmine. Cindy noticed this, of course.

"Well, Joe," she said when Ashley finished up. "The girls need to get ready for the dinner tonight, so Doug and I will help you clean up the media room."

"Wait, you're not coming?" Jill had her share of drinks, but there wasn't enough of a hangover for her to miss the veiled escape statement.

"No," Cindy began and then had to pause until the girls' chorus of disappointed aww's died down. "No, no. This is the Roberts' celebration for y'all on your graduation. Besides, if we had two Navy guys in the same room, we wouldn't hear anything but military jargon and acronyms." She was referring to Doug and Commander Roberts, Ashley's father.

The ladies gave dejected, yet loving, hugs to the couple, and disappeared to the rooms and showers upstairs.

* * *

"They're not bad, Doug," Cindy told him on the way to her apartment. He hadn't said anything to her since the party, and she felt the need to break the silence. "They even go to church on their own accord every Sunday."

"I didn't say that they're bad."

"Well, it seems that you're thinking it. I understand if you do, because I didn't know how to take it when I first found out about Jill and Jasmine. It's more than just sex with them. They're...I don't know...their emotions are tied to each other."

"Yes, I got that last night. I just didn't expect them to be so open about things."

"They aren't, outside of that house. Besides, I told you that they..."

"Yes, yes...you did. It's quite a bit to process, okay?"

"I know. I think you'll grow to love them as time goes on."

Doug stared out the window while Cindy drove. "We'll see."

"So what did you think of Ashley?"

"I told you before, she's beautiful, smart, and knows how to play ditsy."

"Well, she's not really an experienced drinker."

"You think?" he said with a chuckle.

Cindy laughed with him. "Yeah, but what did you think about her concert? Told you she could sing."

"Well, that was unexpectedly good. I never put together that Ashley was 'Ashley's Song' Ashley. Her voice is sweet and angelic, but powerful, too."

"Ashley's Song" was currently the number one requested single in the area. It's discovery and rise to the top is a story of itself.

Cindy nodded. "Yes it is. You should have heard her at the funeral last year. Her Ave Maria took everyone's breath away."

"Well, if she can keep her focus and emotions reigned in, I think she has a legitimate shot at hitting it big."

Cindy grinned from ear to ear. "That's what I thought when I first heard her."

* * *

A few hours later, Joe polished off his plate and sat back. "That was excellent, Mrs. Roberts. What did you put in that sauce?"

Ashley's mother affected an impish grin. "A little of this, some of that, and..."

The young ladies chimed in, "a whole lotta love!"

The exclamation garnered a large quantity of giggles when the inside joke finally got turned onto Joe. He nodded in good humor and got up to start cleaning the kitchen for his future mother. Commander Roberts cocked his head in amusement, since he had only seen Joe prepare a meal in the kitchen, never to clean up. That was usually left to Jasmine with some help from her friends. But then again, these large dinners were usually at Joe's house. It was a welcome sight to find a young man take unprompted responsibility in politeness. Jill and Jasmine were quick to jump up and start clearing the table on their way to help Joe in the kitchen. Joe was hand-washing everything while Jasmine dried, and Jill worked on the counters in between putting things away as they were ready.

"Joe! Girls! We'll get that. You're guests in this house, sit down, please."

Joe replied, "That's right, Mrs. R. You should spend as much time as you can with your guest of honor. We'll be done shortly."

Ashley took her mom's hand to enforce his statement. Mrs. Roberts softened and directed Kim and Ashley into the den, where the gifts would be handed out.

Once seated, Ashley's dad said with a knowing grin, "Did y'all have a fun night? You ladies look lovely, but tired."

Kim bristled a bit at the jab. Ashley had educated her on her family's history of needling comments that would turn into shouting matches. His blunt statement was correct in its entirety, however. Aside from partying hard, the girls had known that tonight's meal would be at Ashley's house. Even so, they used the event as an excuse for playing dress-up. All were in very nice dresses that went below knee length, and they had primped their hair and faces for a couple of hours that afternoon at Joe's.

Ashley settled Kim with a pat on her knee. "So, what did you think of my show last night, Daddy?" With Joe's help, she had learned how to defuse these situations with a not-so-subtle subject change.

Her dad softened from his "gotcha" posture. "Quite entertaining. Although I can't say I liked the way you sang and danced to some of the songs."

"Oh hush," her mom defended. "It was spirited."

The cleanup crew appeared and took their seats. Commander Roberts was surprised at how soon they joined them, and excused himself to get a beer. Ashley slit her eyes at him. Her dad just couldn't seem to let go of his "trust, but verify" attitude with her or her friends.

He returned without the beer, announcing proudly, "I haven't seen that kind of efficiency or thoroughness outside a Navy ship! The kitchen and dining room are cleaner than when they got here."

Mrs. Roberts rolled her eyes, grabbed petite wrapped boxes off the sofa table, and handed them out to the girls. "Happy graduation," she said to each of them.

The boxes were opened to reveal matching silver broaches and Ashley's parents were rewarded with a string of aww's and hugs. Joe's box held a black Cross pen engraved with his name and year of graduation. He thanked them, stating that he never had one. At that point, the doorbell rang, and Mrs. Roberts escorted the arrival to the den.

"Uh oh, am I too late?"

"Cindy!" exclaimed Kim. "I thought you weren't coming."

"What? And ruin the surprise?"

Commander Roberts abandoned his recliner to sit next to his wife on the love seat. "You're right on time, as usual, Cindy. Have a seat."

There was a bit of silence until Ashley broke it. "So what did you get me, Joe?"

"Why would you ask that now?"

"Well, it's my party, and I can ask what I want, right?"

He smiled at that. "Your gift is the wedding in three weeks. What's my gift?"

The others were enjoying this tit-for-tat.

Ashley grinned. "I'll be there at the wedding, how's that for a gift?"

The group laughed and Joe stated that he would treasure that gift the most.

By this time, Cindy was on the front edge of the recliner, practically bouncing. She looked at Ashley's dad. "Well?"

He nodded, pulled out a drawer from an end table and retrieved a thick envelope. Handing it to Ashley, he said, "We wanted to give you something special for your graduation, Ashley. It's from us and Cindy."

Ashley stared at the manilla envelope, confused. Cindy added, "It's something I wished Joe's parents had done for themselves a long time ago. It would have saved a lot of grief for them."

"Have I been served?" asked Ashley, baffled.

"No, just open it," Cindy replied while giggling.

Ashley slid the contents out uneasily, not knowing what to expect. On top was a blue certificate, and her eyes were drawn immediately to the center which read: "Ashley, LLC."

She brushed behind her ear a lock of hair that had fallen in front of her face. "Wait, what is this?" she asked as she tried to make sense of it all while she scanned the document.

Joe put his arm around her and gently squeezed her opposite shoulder. "That would be a business license." As she flipped through the documents, he named them, "A company charter, tax certificate, employer identification number..."

After Ashley saw the last page, she turned to him and accused, "So you've seen these before? You knew about this?"

"No to both, sweetheart."

His answer was so confident that she correctly believed him. "So what does all this mean?"

"That you are the owner of your very own company," Cindy answered cheerfully. "Actually, it's more specifically important that it's your own limited liability company."

Ashley still didn't put all the pieces together. "Cool, I guess. What do I do with it? I mean, why would you give this to me?"

Cindy slumped back into her chair, her bubble being burst.

Joe grinned at her. "Cindy, she's bright...really. The light just needs a moment to warm up." He looked down at his fiancee at his side. "Ash, you sing, you perform...that's your business. Your parents and Cindy just gave you the framework to make that business it's own entity, or being."

Her face fretted for a second before it suddenly hit her. "OH! Like when I do weddings, I can have the company technically sign the contract. Or, when the clubs around here want me to stand in."

Joe snickered and looked back at Cindy. "See, she'll get it if you give her a few seconds."

Ashley smacked his ribs with the back of her hand. "Quiet, you. But I don't understand why you think I need a company, Cindy. I can agree to those things myself and it would be simpler."

"And then that light sputters."

Jill threw a dart with her eyes. "Stay out of it, Kim," she warned through her teeth.

The parents were at a loss on how to explain what they were thinking, so they both looked to Cindy who had pitched this to them weeks ago. She took a deep breath. "Ashley, that's true, but you're thinking too small. I see...we all see...much bigger things in your life than wedding receptions and local club gigs. Your first album is hitting stores this Tuesday...is that right? Yeah, this Tuesday. Your name is going to get so much bigger when that happens. Your first single is in the top five now.

"Having a limited liability company allows you to run things the way you want, but has the benefit of protecting your personal property and money in case things get screwed up and you stop performing. Your company has its own credit line, business bank account, and tax ID number. You can pick your own salary from the company, and its payroll can pay the musicians who perform with you. There's also a bonus in that you're only taxed once. Other forms of business, you get taxed personally, in addition to your business getting taxed."

"In other words, when you hit it big-time, your company can buy your tour buses and instruments for you on its own credit," added her father. "If it gets sued, or goes belly up, you only lose the company and its assets. You get to keep your savings, car, house, etc."

"Okay, okay, I get it."

"I don't," interjected Kim.

"Aww, sweetie, I know. I'll draw you pictures later, okay?"

Kim shot Ashley a bird in response, to which even Ashley's father had a hearty laugh.

Ashley put the stack back into the envelope and put it in Joe's lap before getting up and giving a firm hug to the three who had given her the gift. "Thank you! I don't know what to say, much less how to use it, but thank you! One question, how did you do this without me?"

Cindy answered, "You gave me power of attorney when I got you the security clearance on the way to Denver last fall, remember?"

"No, so much was going on with his parents and all, I didn't know what I was signing then."

Joe resumed holding her as she sat back down. "You really need to start reading what you sign, honey."

Cindy continued, "Well, I'll get you the paperwork to revoke the power, if you like."

"No, I trust you, Cindy. Besides, it seems that it comes in handy once in a while."

The other three girls found themselves nodding in agreement. More than once, Cindy helped them out by taking care of something when they were busy with school and cheering.

Cindy said, "Then we'll keep things as they are. Just let me know if you change your mind. And, I'll help you figure out what your new company can do for you and how to manage it. Trust me, it's easier than it sounds. Anyway, on to lighter things. Joe, you said you wanted to share something?"

He cleared his throat in a dramatic fashion. "Yes, actually. You all know that the wedding is in three weeks."

"Hells yeah," exclaimed Ashley before kissing him and receiving cat-calls from the group.

Joe smiled. "Well, Tales of the Blind called me today and said they're giving a concert later that week and asked if Ashley would open for them."

"But, what about our honeymoon?"

Joe stroked Ashley's hair. "That's why I'm bringing this up. Their concert is going to be in Hawaii, and they offered to give us an expense paid week-long honeymoon there as our wedding gift if you agree to the performance."

She squealed in excitement and threw her arms around Joe. "I hope you said yes," she said over his shoulder.

Once she released him, he said, "Well, I took a gamble and gave them a tentative yes."

"YAY!"

"I'm glad you're happy." He glanced around the room. The others were happy for the couple, but had hints of jealousy on their faces. "I'm not done, yet. Since I'm saving so much on our honeymoon, I'm paying airfare, hotel, and meals for everyone in this room to join us."

The group gasped and couldn't conceal their thrill.

"But! Ash and I WILL have our own room, and we reserve the right to disappear from the group as we...uh...need to." He said this with a wink.

Nobody objected, as they were already consumed with dreams of what the vacation would be like.

As Jill drove them all back to his place, Joe wrapped his arm around Ashley's shoulders. "You feel better now?"

She snuggled closer against him. "I always feel better in your arms," she said, finishing up with a sweet kiss. "That's awfully nice for you to bring everyone along for the honeymoon."

"I know you wouldn't truly enjoy it without the others at least nearby."

"You know me so well. I love you!"

He gave her a peck. "I love you too. You don't mind working in the middle of our sexual getaway? I could call them back, tell them no, rent a place in the woods, and screw your brains out all week."

Ashley feigned like she was considering that. "Hmm, nah. Hawaii sounds better." A grimace appeared on her face. "Besides, things aren't quite working like they used to, so I haven't been getting as wet. We might chafe after a few days."

"EWW!"

"Zip it, Kim!" Ashley shouted as she reached forward to pop the head in the middle row of Jill's SUV. "Stop eavesdropping."

Joe pursed his lips for a bit and then lowered his voice while taking Ashley's hand. "Is that why you've been pushing Jasmine onto me? You're afraid you can't go as much or as long?"

She looked down to avoid his gaze and matched the tone. "No, I don't think so. Maybe subconsciously. I didn't realize I was trying to push anything."

"I didn't mean to say push..."

"No, you're right. I can see how you could take it like that. It's just that she's wonderful, and I want to see her happy. Not...dead. And, if...IF...something were to happen, if it happened from you, I know we wouldn't leave her to go through it alone." She let him trace her knuckles as she looked up into his eyes. "That's how I envision us being. Seriously, I wouldn't be mad if you two hooked up on occasion. I know in my heart that I would be happy that you two would enjoy the wonderful things each of you can do. Please know that it would be so okay with me."

"But I love YOU."

"And I love you. Who says a man can't enjoy sex among friends?"




An Angel's Fix Pt. 01



He widened his eyes. "Everyone!"

She sat back in a pout. "Touche. But this is different. WE, all of us, are different than that."

"What about...?" He pointed with his eyes forward.

"Kim?" Joe nodded. "Or Jill?"

"Both."

Ashley bit her lower lip in thought. "You want them, too? I guess I deserve that." She sucked in a strengthening bit of air. "Sure. They're included."

"Not quite what my point was going to be. If you're successful getting Jasmine to seduce me -- and it WOULD work -- how do you think the others would feel?"

"Left out," she said barely above a whisper.

"Exactly."

She shook her head. "How did I not think of them? I feel terrible for carrying on like that last night." 

Ashley knew what her offer to Jasmine must have looked like. If things went through as offered, and someone found out, then Joe could be labeled as a cheater by people who didn't know him. Ashley could handle that, because she'd know different. Throw two more girls into the mix, and he would get labeled as a polygamist, or worse, accused of having a harem. That would hurt them all, and Joe worst. She didn't want that. Even the way things were now, if someone had lifted the curtain to her private life, they would point and accuse her to be bisexual. Up to just now, she never saw herself as that. 

"Whoa!" The exclamation was said so soft, even she wasn't sure if it came out of her mouth. She answered his quizzical look by saying, "I'll tell you upstairs."

Jill was pulling up to the house and when she parked, Ashley kicked off her heels and bolted from the back seat. The other three females looked back at Joe, who just shrugged and said "well, 'night girls!" They giggled as he raced to meet up with Ashley inside. The friends didn't think anything of it, as the couple often would suddenly disappear to have "playtime."

It wasn't completely an act for Ashley. Dressing up and being close to Joe usually made her horny for him, and tonight was not an exception. She was already down to her panties by the time he found her in his bedroom, the rest of her clothes lying in a heap on the floor. He came in, tie undone, and she stepped around him to close the door. She kissed his neck and chest as she undid his shirt buttons, making sure strategic parts of her made contact with him at just the right times. Undressing him was about as much foreplay as she allowed tonight. Before long, they were on his bed.

"Am I a lesbian?" she asked mid-stroke from on top of him.

He snorted so hard at the surprise topic that he feared snot was going to come out. "What?!" he sputtered as his eyes pointedly looked at where they were coupled. "I think not, unless you're just humoring me."

"Okay, maybe not lesbian, but perhaps bisexual."

She squeezed involuntarily and he groaned in pleasure. "What brings that up?"

Ashley was still sitting upright on him, and she smiled down at him. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you just want to finish first?"

"No, this is fine. Tell me what's on your mind."

She laid forward on top of him and rested her cheek on his chest while rocking slowly. "Well, what we were talking about in the car. I guess I would be bisexual, because I love being with you, but I also enjoy being with my friends. I never thought of myself being that way, because I don't go around looking at other girls. I'm not really interested in anyone else. But, all that talk got me thinking that maybe I am."

"You are what? Interested in screwing other people? Or bisexual?"

"Bisexual. I have enough people here."

"Well, you are what you want to be. It doesn't have to be categorized."

"I suppose." She figured that she would think about that later. "So, about you getting with the others..."

Joe sighed. "That ride again?" He thrust up into her, enjoying her most feminine of embraces. When she didn't answer, he said, "If I did get with them, you're not going to get jealous?" She shook her head. "Why not?"

Ashley sat up on him, increasing the rhythm. She could see in his eyes that he was ready, and she bounced until his sperm jetted into her. She rolled off him and covered them with a sheet, settling down to cuddle and kiss him.

She sighed after a peck, "I don't get jealous, because I know that you love me. Yes, you care deeply for the others, but you hold a certain light in your eyes only when you see me. I love that. You're always seeking my approval, and when something is bothering you, you come directly to me for comfort. I'm not worried that you'll get stolen by one of them." Ashley cocked her head as if she made a decision. "I'm tired of thinking about it now."

"Thank God."

She smiled at him. "So, how's this...when opportunities come up, just go with it. I'll be happy you're having fun." Then she giggled.

"What?"

"Well, I've read where wives and girlfriends tolerate their S.O.'s hobbies and playtime. Could be video games, working on car projects, or spending lots of time on the yard. Heh. In your case it would be having sex whenever you want with my friends."

He kissed her forehead. "You're weird."

"I'm serious. One thing you should have learned since we've been together is that you don't have to be a prude around me."

"Well, if things happen..."

"When they happen."

"IF...I want you to know that I am in love with you."

"I know." She took his hand and put it between her legs. "Now it's my turn. Use those magic fingers in me, please."

* * *

Once everything was set up in the reception hall, Ashley sat her band down for an announcement. She told them that they decided that the honeymoon would be in Hawaii, and the members expressed their happiness for the couple. Then she revealed the reason Hawaii was picked, and in order to keep her end of the bargain, the band would be going, too. Reena, who played keyboards, violin, and did the back-up vocals, seemed less than thrilled. When Ashley asked what was wrong, Reena said that the gig offer made it that much harder to tell Ashley that the group was leaving. The assembly was supposed to be a short-term thing anyway, and since it was apparent that Ashley and her friends were heading to FSU in the fall, the band decided it was a good time to part ways.

Reena wanted to put the news out there, in case Ashley didn't want to invest that kind of money for the trip, and later feel betrayed. Ashley took a sip of bottled water while she pondered this revelation. Finally, she asked the group if they would stay with her through the summer, so that all the current commitments could be honored. They said yes, so she said that she would pay their round-trip airfare and two nights (one before and one after the concert) in Hawaii, on top of what she would normally pay for their performance. If they wanted to stay longer, that was fine, but the extra hotel expenses would be up to them. Jim, the drummer, asked if she was sure, and she replied that she was. They had helped her get started, and she had no animosity toward their leaving. Ashley gave each of them a hug and a thank you for being up front with her.

Once back home, she was surprised, but not unhappy, that Jill and Jasmine were still there. She found them with Joe and Kim playing video games in the media room. Ashley kicked off her heels and plopped down on the unoccupied sofa.

Kim seemed to teleport over next to her, wrapping her arms around Ashley's shoulders. "What's wrong? The reception go bad?"

Kim was awesome. She had been a bit spacey the last few days, probably because she found out that her effort to rebound her grades fell short of gaining an admission to college this fall. Nonetheless, she could always sniff out when something troubled Ashley, not that it was hard in this case. Still, excluding Joe, she always seemed to be the first to comfort her friend.

Ashley shook her head, not really focusing on anything. "No, the reception was great. The wedding party was well-behaved, and I didn't have to save a drunk best man from embarrassing himself during the toast this time." She closed her eyes. "What I was told before the party started is a different story. The band is leaving me."

After the group gasped in shock and Kim surrounded her in a protective hug, Ashley told them how it happened. She surmised that it was probably best anyway, but she couldn't help but feel somewhat abandoned.

"So, we're not going to Hawaii?" asked Jasmine with more than a hint of disappointment.

Joe was sitting next to her and nudged an elbow to her side. "Way to focus on the important stuff."

"I didn't mean for it to sound like that."

Ashley put a hand up. "No, it's okay. I thought that, too." 

She went on to explain what was agreed upon and reassured everyone that the trip was still on. She looked at her dainty watch and asked if they had been to Mass yet. They said that they were waiting for her to catch the late afternoon service. She went upstairs to get her flats and they headed out together.

Dinner afterward at a nearby restaurant was lighthearted. Along with the Mass, it took Ashley's mind off the most recent trouble, and she was back to her old form. She joked around with everyone, and fawned over Joe next to her, playfully sneaking sample bits from his plate. They were all in good humor, until Jill's mood darkened as they were finishing dessert.

"It's been such a fun weekend. I wish I didn't have to go back home," she said.

The others nodded, and Ashley thought about it for a bit. She had been to Jill's house, so she knew exactly what the statement had meant to her. Jill lived with her mom who had become clinically depressed after Jill's dad walked out. Jill had told her that she did her best to keep things up at home, but it was a battle lost. Her mom had fallen so far out of reach with reality, Jill was having a hard time coping with life. With Joe and his parents' help, she tried to get declared as an emancipated minor, but the courts did not agree that there was enough evidence that her well-being was in danger. She reversed roles with her mom, becoming the caretaker. Ashley was verbally abused when she came over unannounced, and got the feeling that it was par for the course in Jill's case. Jill needed a break.

Ashley made up her mind. "Then don't."

Enough time had passed while she was debating with herself that the group was lost.

"Don't what?" asked Jill.

"Don't go home. You can stay with us, there's plenty of room. You too, Jasmine."

Kim was already occupying Ashley's room at the house, but she joined the other two girls in looking at Joe for approval.

"Well, don't look at me. It's her offer."

"But it's your house," Jill said.

"And she's my boss now." That fetched a warning look from Ashley. "Sorry, hon. Not bossy. Just...your wishes matter to me. If you want this, then one of my first 'honey do' lists is to help them move in."

Ashley affected a smug and happy smile. "So?" she asked her two friends. "You're 18, hate your families for good reason, and you'd be moving out at the end of summer anyway. Everybody gets along, and our little spats blow over quickly. What do you say?"

Jill said sure, and Ashley looked at Jasmine.

"Well, it's easier for her." Jasmine said. "Her mom will be dazed by either pills or daytime court shows when she moves out. My dad would probably use the shotgun on me."

That was true. Four years ago, Jasmine was desperate to get away from her yelling parents, and Joe took her in for the night. When he returned her home, her dad was laying in wait, but the presence of the security officer Joe took with them persuaded him to keep his cool.

"Well," said Joe, "if you want, we could all go over to get your stuff. Safety in numbers."

Jasmine relented with a nod. There was some reservation, but she felt it would clear up if she could get free from her situation.

Joe asked what they wanted for meals this week, and he jotted down a shopping list on a napkin. He settled the bill, and told Jill that the next stop was the grocery store. Ashley had an extra spring in her step, now that the dream of having her friends so close by every day was getting realized soon. Her moods were usually infectious, so all the girls were feeling obnoxious when they stepped inside the store. Joe tore the list into equal parts and handed them out. Ashley stayed with him while the other three grabbed baskets and peeled off to separate corners of the store.

Jasmine called over her shoulder, "Last one done gets to clean the pool!"

The challenge started an all-out sprint from the ladies, but when they glanced back, Joe and Ashley strolled leisurely behind their cart. Jasmine and Kim separately thought the same thing -- that this was going to be too easy. The three scrambled to collect their list first. Jill got held up twice by housewives chatting while blocking the aisles. She puffed her hair out of her eyes in frustration while she wheeled back to run up the adjacent aisle to get to the other end. Rounding the end, she smacked right into Kim, who was also in full tilt mode. They caught themselves by embracing each other, growled, and then resumed their blitz.

The manager frowned furiously as the three stormed for the front, grabbing at each other in trying to be the first done. Jasmine was about to call victory but stopped short when she saw Joe and Ashley perusing magazines next to their cart full of meat, dairy, and vegetables. The most astonishing thing was that neither seemed at all out of breath.

Joe looked up, flashed a cocky grin and said, "Looks like Kim's cleaning the pool this week."

"What? How?" demanded Jasmine between pants.

Ashley just shrugged and started loading the groceries on the conveyer.

While last-place Kim's items were being put on the belt, Jasmine got suspicious. When Ashley was as chipper as she was coming into the store, she couldn't shut up. Now, she almost refused to speak as she put the bags into the cart. Jasmine squeezed behind Joe to approach her.

She asked, "how did you get done so fast?"

Ashley pretended not to hear, dipping into the cart to place the eggs.

Jasmine grabbed her shoulders. "Look at me...hmm...a little out of breath? No? Kiss me, then."

Ashley's eyes went wide as even the cashier had Jasmine's attention now. "What?!" she managed, now visibly fighting for control of her breathing.

Jasmine poked Ashley's belly in a flash. The surprise did its trick, and Ashley let out an explosive breath and began panting.

The secret being out, Ashley gasped a few times to catch up on her self-denied oxygen. "Fine! I ran like hell. So did Joe. We grabbed the magazines to show y'all up just as you rounded the corner." She looked at her fiance, who didn't have even a hint of rose in his cheeks. "He's in better shape than me."

The checkout girl took the banter in with a huge grin.

"It's not so funny if you have to clean the pool, cutie," Kim deadpanned.

The girl was taken aback and she was considerably more serious while she finished ringing up the huge order. Joe wrote out the check and the group moved through the lobby. Kim hung back, leaned over the counter and whispered something to the girl before heading to the door.

Kim sat in the vehicle after the groceries were loaded and found accusing grins staring at her. "What?" she asked.

"Cutie?" It was more of a statement from Jill than a question.

"SO? Did you see her? Aside from the unflattering smock, she WAS cute."

Jasmine turned and singsonged, "Kim and checkout girl, sitting in a tree, K I S S I N G!"

"Her name was Sarah."

"Oh, so it's serious," accused Joe from the back with a smile.

"It was on her name tag," Kim said simply. "Just shut up and drive, Jill."

They were under way when Ashley asked, "What did you say to her when we left."

Kim turned and set her jaw. "That I was sorry for jumping at her for grinning, and that I meant it when I said she was cute."

"You jumped her?" Ashley was enjoying not being the brunt of a joke for once.

"You're to blame for me noticing." Kim was still facing her engaged friend. "And, no, I did not jump her."

"You wanted to."

"SO?"

"Ah, an admission," quipped Jasmine.

"Hey! What do you mean I'm to blame?" Ashley defended.

"You seduced me last fall when I was visiting. You're the first girl I've slept with."

Ashley affected a coy look. "Oh, right." She looked at Joe, who just smiled and shook his head. "Well, Kim, you can again tonight," she fished.

"Uh uh. We all agreed that we'd save up for the bachelorette party next week," Jill admonished from the driver's seat.

That perked Ashley's ears. "Really? Can't we have that tonight?"

"You're in a mood," stated Joe.

"Yes, I am." She toyed with his hand. "Come on play with me, Joe."

She bunched her dress up around her waist and rested his hand on her thigh.

Panties were always Joe's weakness, and he hungrily eyed Ashley's mere centimeters from his hand.

"Now? We're like 10 minutes from home. I'll give you all you want once we're there."

"No, bring me off now. When we get home, we gotta put away the groceries, then you'll arrange a snack for everyone, which will turn into some pool match, and it'll be hours." Ashley saw his hand twitch on her leg, but didn't move further. "Ugh! Never mind, I'll do it myself."

With that, she spread her legs, slid a hand into her panties and proceeded to pleasure herself, working to hit the hardest climax in the shortest time.

"Oh, sweet Jesus, that's good," she moaned.

Jasmine didn't believe what she heard, so she turned around. Kim was also facing the back, watching her friend work herself into a frenzy. Jasmine couldn't see below Ashley's chin, but the look on her face told her everything. Joe finally moved his hand to massage the back of Ashley's through her panties. When he dipped lower to caress the busy fingers, he was slightly surprised. For all her talk about not getting as much lube lately, the fabric covering her hand was quite damp. He leaned over to caress her eyebrow, then earlobe with his lips. Ashley lifted her leg closest to him and rested it on his knee. With only the stretch of driveway to go, she grunted and bucked her hips through her delicious orgasm.

"Holy shit," she sighed as she slumped in her seat when Jill put the SUV in park. "God, I needed that."

"I guess Kim needs some now, too," Jasmine quipped as she eyed her friend's hand down inside her jeans.

Jill opened her door. "Well, I'm not going to sit here and wait for everyone to get their own rocks off. There's cold stuff that needs to get to the fridge."

Kim freed her hand and got out. "Sorry, but that was hot!"

"Yeah, yeah," dismissed Jill. "We've all seen each other do that a time or two. Come on, help me get this inside."

"Killjoy," Jasmine accused.

The other three each had two bags and were headed in while Joe and Ashley grabbed the last few. "Better now?" Joe asked.

Ashley giggled. "You have no idea."

"Maybe you could show me?"

"You had your chance, and you passed on it." Ashley spun and carried her burden towards the house. "Take the bull by the horns next time."

* * *

It was decided that Jill and Jasmine should return home to get their things in order for the move the next day. Late that night, Jill carried several empty totes with Jasmine to her front door. She embraced her long time friend and quietly wished her luck. As Jill reached her truck, she could already hear the screaming when Jasmine's parents started questioning her about where she was for so long. Jill checked to make sure her phone was charged and squeezed her eyes shut, allowing a tear to fall as she offered a silent prayer to ensure Jasmine's safety through the night. As expected, Jill encountered no resistance when she lugged in her empty totes to the pit that was her house. Her mom had fallen asleep in front of the TV, again, and Jill waded through the piles of trash to her room. As Ashley had found last year, Jill's room was quite a contrast to the rest of the house. It was pristine and distinctly feminine, decked out in sheer pink with carousel figurines and music boxes arranged on a display shelf that ringed the room. Those were the items she grabbed first, carefully wrapping each one before placing it into a tote. She had decided that should her mom wake up and catch her packing, her prized collection WOULD be coming with her. Jill neatly packed tote upon tote, doing so with determination and speed. She started running out of steam when the early dawn began to tint her windows, and she resigned herself to the fact that much of the bigger stuff was not coming with her. When everything that she was taking was ready to go, she spent a couple of hours writing a letter to her mother. Her hope was that it would snap the broken woman out of it and start caring for herself.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 02



The next two weeks passed as mostly playtime, although Ashley and her band had to meet their commitments at a couple of night clubs, Jasmine started another album design, and Jill would lock herself in her room during any spare time. Ashley started to worry that she had not seen the dress yet, but she trusted her friend enough not to ask about it. The Thursday before the big event, Joe had left to pick up his tux, leaving the girls alone in the house.

"Ashley!" Jill called from the balcony overlooking the living room.

Ashley looked up to see Jill holding up the white dress. "Oh wow! It's finished?"

Jill nodded. "You wanna try it on?"

She answered by bounding up the stairs, Jasmine and Kim on her heels. Once the gown was assembled over her body with the three girls helping, Ashley stood in front of the mirror.

"I love it! It fits so perfect, how the hell?"

Jill snorted softly. "I used one of your cheerleading costumes. So glad you didn't fall into a cookie binge after your surgery." Bending down behind her friend, Jill pinned a couple places. "If anything, you've lost a couple of pounds."

In fact, Ashley was an exercise nut. She loved her flexibility and knew Joe loved her taut frame, so she would jog nearly every morning with either Kim, Jasmine, Jill, or Joe. The company changed daily, and it allowed her to connect with her friends uniquely each time. Many afternoons, she'd practice gymnastics floor routines in the front yard. Partially because they were demanding of her body, but mostly they were fun for her. Most of the time, Jill would join her to keep her own skills sharp, since she was heading to college on a cheering scholarship.

Jill showed her some hidden things about the dress, like a wrist strap attached to the hem of her long gown so she could keep the gown off the ground when she walked outside, a pocket concealed in the pleats near her thighs for phone Ashley never went without, as well as her name embroidered in matching white near her left shoulder which would not show up in photographs.

"So Joe can remember your name during the vows," Jill said in referring to the embroidery. "The way you're going to look in this dress, he won't be thinking with his head."

The girls laughed and Ashley hugged Jill tight. "Thank you! You've done a marvelous job."

Jill made some notes, marked and pinned a couple more areas to tweak her handiwork, and they worked to extract Ashley from her bridal shell. Jill shooed them from the room so she could make the alterations. Jasmine whispered something in Kim's ear. Kim then asked Ashley for use of her car, and was willingly handed the keys without a question asked. It was a demonstration of the level of trust between the girls, since the car held value with Ashley for two reasons. First was sentimental, as it was a birthday present to Joe from his parents, and in turn, given to her by Joe to replace her wrecked one. Second was pure lust, the car was a hot BMW sportster.

Alone with Ashley at last, Jasmine summoned up enough courage to say, "Ash, I'm horny."

Ashley stepped in front of her friend, placed a hand behind her head and drew her into a kiss. "Well, I guess we have some time."

Jasmine smiled but sighed. "I...I mean for..."

Ashley cocked her head. "What? Something different? Whips aren't my thing, but I'll try anything once."

Jasmine shivered. "No, I agree. Those just seem more suited to porn. Ashley, I know the timing is weird, but you said I could ask anytime."

"Yes, anything for you."

"I...I want some dick. Could I borrow...that sounds bad. Do you think Joe would have me before the wedding?"

They were still embraced, but Ashley took a step back. "Jazz...um...wow, the wedding is the day after tomorrow..."

"I know! And then the honeymoon, then getting ready for school, then moving...I feel like it's my last chance. At least for a while...I'm sorry to ask. I guess I was kinda hoping your offer was still on the table."

Ashley returned and gave her a hug. "Yes, it is. But, I'm just not sure when you could. Jill said something about the bachelorette party being tonight, rehearsal and dinner are tomorrow. I sure don't want you going after him on the morning before the wedding..."

Jasmine gasped. "Oh GOD no! I might be horny, but I'm not evil."

Ashley giggled. "Not completely evil. If you can find a way before Saturday, go for it."

Ashley had a different look on her face, and it gave Jasmine pause. "You're sure? Absolutely sure?"

"Yes, why?"

"Because I'm pretty sure I can get him into bed. I don't want anything to happen between you and me because of it. I love you and want to stay friends."

Ashley laughed lightly. "I'm sure you can bed him, too. We've stopped having sex since last weekend...you know, to tank up on desire."

Jasmine backed off. "OH, I didn't know. Then never mind, I don't want to spoil all the hard work," she winked.

Ashley gave her a peck. "Eh, don't worry about it. His libido resets pretty quick. If you want him, find a way to get him before Saturday. Otherwise, I insist you wait until we get back from Hawaii."

They were interrupted by Cindy coming in next to the kitchen, followed closely by Kim, who didn't make it out the driveway. The girls screeched their welcome, and hounded Cindy about her extended vacation with Doug. With dancing eyes, she told them the wonderful details. It didn't escape them that they mostly depicted what he said to her or did for her, rather than what they saw or did.

Then, she got down to the results of Joe's assignment for her. In exchange for nearly three paid weeks off, he asked her to take care of a few things. First, she reported that she got the figures from Ashley's album. It had sold 8,000 the first night, plus another 12,000 during the week. It was enough to cover the advance given to Ashley, but not much more. The other girls were disappointed in what they perceived to be low numbers. Ashley was relieved that they were at least that high. Cindy built up suspense on the second assignment before telling them that she successfully found a townhouse two blocks from FSU's campus, and both sides were going to be rented to their group. She endured the string of bouncing hugs with a smile.

Next, she showed them the bags she had gotten of their favorite drinks. "I've been recruited by Jill to be y'alls designated driver for tonight, so feel free to get started." Once the whoops and cheers died down, she looked Ashley in the eye. "You get one now. You'll have to ask me for the others."

"I'll pace myself," Ashley said after popping the top off a Corona bottle.

"Well, I'll be sure to enforce it this time. I don't want a repeat of graduation night." Cindy was stern, but had a kind smile. "So, where did Joe have his bachelor party?"

"He doesn't have a best man," Ashley said after a swig.

"There's no maid of honor, either." Jill made this dig toward Ashley after a nurse of her wine cooler.

"Shut up, you're all bridesmaids. Kim and Jasmine on my side, Jill and Cindy on his."

Cindy frowned. "Either y'all stop drinking, or promise me you won't go out for your party. I'll take Joe for his bachelor party."

"No!" Jasmine exclaimed a little too loud and quick. "I'll take him out."

They all cast her a curious glance. "I'm sure you would," accused Jill. Jasmine had told her how randy she was for the better part of a week.

Jasmine stammered for a second. "I mean, I was the first he told he was marrying Ashley. It's fitting that I would be his best girl."

"I am his best girl!" Ashley feigned in protest. She had caught on that this was Jasmine's opportunity.

"Okay, then -- his 'good' girl."

"More like bad girl," snickered Jill and Kim at the same time. They giggled that they had the same thought.

"Whatever. I really want to do this for him, okay?" With that, she turned and bounded up the stairs, two at a time.

Joe came home a little while later, carrying his garment bag. "Whoa, I see the bachelorette party is in full swing!" he called over the blaring music in the media room.

Jill was holding up a very small pair of undies, showing them off to the giggling Ashley, Kim, and Cindy.

Jill flung the pair down to the couch and they got up to greet him.

Cindy mockingly scolded him for seeing the bridal shower. When he said he thought it was Ashley's bachelorette party, Jill said that they had decided to combine the two. He unzipped the bag after they pleaded with him to show the tux. They oohed and awed until it was returned to the bag. Cindy then urged him to get ready for his bachelor party. To belay his confusion, she just said that it had been planned to be a surprise.

Joe was showered, shaved, and dressed in a t-shirt, blazer, and jeans inside a half hour. When Cindy told him to wait, he went to the kitchen and prepared a melon bowl to leave as a snack for the girls. Partly to afford the girls some privacy for their gifting, and partly to kill time. Cindy had said a surprise, but he was confident that she had told Doug to take him out to some strip club, and talk the staff into letting Joe have a few drinks. It didn't dawn on him as to how wrong he could be, nor how long Jasmine was 'in the bathroom for a tinkle.' After finishing the bowl, Joe was still in a puttering mood, so he went out to check that the pool pump and filter were ready for the reception in a couple of days.

The giggling room fell silent when they heard Jasmine's door close and she appeared on the balcony.

"Oh..my...GOD!" Kim exclaimed loud and slow. "You look delicious!"

Jasmine had an embarrassed smile as she descended the stairs.

"No shit." Ashley didn't think it was possible, but she flushed from jealousy of Jasmine. "I want a taste!"

"You fishing for strippers?" chided Jill.

"Not exactly," evaded Jasmine.

She really wanted tonight to go well. Not just for her own selfish motives, but now that the opportunity presented itself, she wanted Joe to actually enjoy one last 'fling' before marriage. Ashley had promised that he would be available to her even after the wedding, but Jasmine doubted that would happen. Such arrangements have a knack of falling apart, and since she loved both parties of the couple, she would happily give up any pursuit of sex with Joe in order to keep the peace. Since she saw this as her one and only shot at a special evening with him, it took forever to settle on her clothing choice, and she wore out her closet and covered her bed with discarded selections.

First, she thought of going the brazen slut route, trying on bikinis, tube tops, and micro skirts. Then she tried the casual look with tank tops and jeans. She wanted more than that, so she tried the girlfriend look, using belted tunics and leggings. Ashley was much better at pulling that look off, and Jasmine wanted to give him something different.

She finally settled on flat-out 'club' sexy. The finished product had her wearing a rhinestone black corset, a black bubble skirt with slightly lighter polka dots sprinkled in, white satin bikini panties, white knee high stockings, and black two inch heels. To soften the sluttish just a bit, she wore a white sheer half jacket on top. Her hair was curled and teased to fall in long lazy spirals, and her makeup was present only as a highlight to her best facial features. Jasmine's sequined handbag held her female essentials, and she carried her black flats, just in case dancing was involved later. She had removed the pendant that matched the other girls' from its chain, and tied it securely to her throat with a black ribbon, making a beautiful choker.

Ashley led Jasmine to the kitchen, and thankfully the others stayed put in the media room. "Make sure he comes back to me in time for Saturday," she said shakily, inhaling her own usual perfume wafting off Jasmine. She thought it was a low move by Jasmine to use her lure, but let it go.

Jasmine knitted her eyebrows in confusion. "We'll be back here in the morning." She added sadly, "Or, should we be back earlier?"

Ashley shook her head. "No, and you can use our room if you like."

"So, why did you say to have him back by Satur...ohhh. Ash, I'm not going to do that to you. We're going out for a good time, and that's it. Just some NSA fun." She saw Ashley bite her bottom lip. "Are you sure about this? If not, I'll take him to a Burger King and go bowling or something, and we'll come right back."

To answer, Ashley opened her wallet on the breakfast bar and tried to hand Jasmine a few Ben Franklins. "Have a great time," she said.

Jasmine pushed her friend's hand back. "Thanks, but although I might not have the most total money, aside from Cindy, I'm making the most steady income in this house. I've got it handled." She hugged Ashley tight. "You're the best. Thank you for this. I'll take good care of him, and he'll be back with you better than new tomorrow."

Joe came back inside and gave a low whistle upon seeing Jasmine. "Looks like it's going to be a hell of a party. Why aren't the rest of you dressed?"

Jasmine cleared her throat. "I'm your bachelor party." She saw Ashley's eyebrows shoot up. "I mean, I'm your date tonight. The others wanted you out of the house, so I thought we'd spend the evening together."

"Um..." He looked questioningly at Ashley. She only shrugged and nodded. He looked back at Jasmine. "Okay...am I dressed..."

"You're fine," Jasmine giggled nervously. "Let's go."

He grabbed the keys to his dad's town car and opened the kitchen door for her.

"Don't tear him apart into too many pieces!" called Kim from the other room.

Jasmine shot a bird behind her back in response.

Leaving the dinner choice up to Joe, they headed off to a small Italian place where his parents knew the owners. The drive started out quiet, and Jasmine felt jittery, as if she were on her first date. There really wasn't any reason to be, after all, she'd already had sex once with Joe before. Truth be known, she had her quotient of guys throughout highschool. But that time with Joe was different. In a night of passion, Ashley had all but dared Jasmine to ride him. Her head was fogged with hormones and lust, and while it certainly was fun, it felt empty. They all did, in fact. Jasmine was rarely with Joe alone, Jill or one of the others were always nearby. She really liked him, and she didn't dare tell Ashley that she couldn't help but want something more than a physical connection tonight. Jasmine tried hard to mask it, but the look on Ashley's face said that she knew.

She sighed with that thought, and Joe felt the need to break the ice. To answer his question, she told him that she didn't know what the other girls were doing tonight. Probably visit a male strip club, or they might just stay in and work each other into a frenzy, Cindy excluded. She decided to lay out a rule that she was treating him tonight, so he shouldn't even offer to pay for anything. He reluctantly agreed.

Her jitters melted away at the restaurant. It was cozy, dark, and romantic. Joe had to explain to the owners that Jasmine was a close friend who was tasked with getting him out of Ashley's hair before the wedding. They went along with the story, but not before giving Jasmine a disapproving look of her attire in the company of her engaged friend. All the same, they brought out a pricey bottle of wine on the house, and it wasn't long before conversation flowed easily between her and Joe.

After a string of topics centered around Ashley, Jasmine jokingly asked, "So, are you guys serious?"

That brought a hearty laugh from Joe. "Well, I picked up the wedding band today, so I think it's safe to say that we are."

Ashley, Jill, and Kim were feeling pretty loose from a few drinks. Ashley was true to her word, and kept her pace measured so that Cindy didn't have to deny her any drinks. After pizza, the girls struggled to decide what to do, aside from just going at it. That seemed like it would be less than satisfying given the occasion, and finally Jill declared that they would go clubbing for a few hours and then return to see what might happen between them. They all dressed the part, but Ashley seemed determined to be the hottest girl in the club for her last single night out. She chose a red tube top with a white leather half jacket, a matching white micro skirt, and white boots that went to her calves. Kim licked her lips and Jill chided that no matter how many guys she danced with, Ashley better come home with them. Cindy was mostly neutral, saying only that she was glad Doug wasn't with them, as he would be tempted to forget who his girlfriend was. They piled into Cindy's car and headed out.

Joe and Jasmine were waiting for dessert, and since each consumed only half a glass each, she felt a little guilty about letting the wine go to waste. She took a larger sip and crossed her legs. Her toe bumped into his leg while she did, but he didn't move. Almost imperceptibly, her pointed shoe stroked his calf. They chatted idly for a few minutes, until the wine emboldened her to ask him to pretend with her that this was a real date. She asked that they should act like they were interested in each other, thus the reason for this dinner. He said that he was interested in her, and apologized that conversations kept drifting back to Ashley.

"Well, thanks for humoring me," Jasmine replied. At the same time, she traced her foot up inside his thigh, heading toward her goal of his groin.

"I'm not just humoring you. I've always been interested in you. We just never seemed to click, you know?" He said this while intercepting her leg, removed her shoe and started rubbing her foot through her stocking. Joe got a sly grin. "I bet you dinner that I can make you cream your panties by touching only your feet." It was said more as a challenge between friends than an erotic invitation.

"That's not fair. You know you've done that already countless times."

"I have?"

"Oh come on, Joe. All those times on the couch you've rubbed my feet while watching TV...ugh." She stopped for a second when his nail pressed into a particularly strategic pressure point. "Oh well," she sighed as she deposited her other shoe and propped that foot into his lap as well. "I had planned on buying dinner anyway."

"You mean that every time I did this, you came?"

"Yes," she breathed. "Not earth-shattering or anything...oh yeah, right there...but pleasantly mellow." Her head fell to the side as her eyes rolled back. "Now shut up and just do it."

He manipulated her feet under the table, rolling the muscles and tendons around. For him, it was just as relaxing to give what he thought was innocent pleasure. But now that she made him aware of what it did for her, he watched and noticed that her breathing became shallow and would catch whenever he pressed certain parts. Then after a while, he noticed her tremble slightly, and she visibly relaxed in her chair.

"Really? That good?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," she sighed, moving her leg so her toes could touch the front of his pants. "Thank you."

He jumped at the contact enough to make the plates jingle. "Uh, Jasmine..."

"I'm just trying to reward you."

"Thanks, but it's not necessary," he said while gently moving her feet off his thighs.

She put her shoes back on just as the waitress brought their desserts. Jasmine inwardly cursed herself for going an inch too fast in her seduction. At times, it seemed like this would be too easy, but then there were others like this one that reminded her that this was going to be as difficult as she pictured, and then some. At least she was able to hold his eyes with hers throughout dinner.

Jasmine paid the bill, the owners corked the bottle and sent it with them. Joe resumed the usual male duties of their date, holding doors open for her. He even let her put her arm in his. Inside the car, she gave him the name of an upscale strip club and they went. She gave him some singles and they watched a few girls at the stage, and Joe dutifully tipped them by placing the bill under their g-string straps. Jasmine picked out a young girl with natural perky tits and paid her for a couple of private dances. But, she could tell that while Joe appreciated the female sights and the attention that Jasmine gathered of the dancers, his heart just wasn't in it. She asked if he wanted to go somewhere else, and he readily jumped at the suggestion.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 02



The drive to The Shack was substantial from where they were, but the easy conversation between them made it pass quickly. Once through the foyer, Joe's heart leaped. It was easy to find her flowing red hair in a single quick scan of the crowd. There, in the middle of an attentive group of both guys and girls, was Ashley dancing away.

"Wow, she's especially hot tonight," Jasmine commented. Taking his hand in hers she asked, "Wanna go and say hi?"

He nodded, and they made their way through the crowd, fingers intertwined. As they approached, Jasmine reminded him with a whisper in his ear that he was her date tonight.

She let go of his hand and he tapped his fiancee on the shoulder. "Hey Ash!"

Her stomach did a somersault. "Joe!" She hugged and kissed him deeply. "You're not in bed...I mean you're not...you don't have a stripper attached to you yet?" she asked in surprise, still holding onto him.

Jasmine smiled. "We already did that. I figured he'd like the mystery of clothed girls better. You look fantastic!"

"Thanks! Do you mind if I borrow him for a dance?"

Jasmine shook her head and watched as the two stepped away to jive to the music. The beat slowed for the next song, and Ashley took the liberty of one more dance. They ended the song with a passionate kiss.

"Remember, you're Jasmine's date tonight," she said as they headed toward one of the side tables where the others had taken seats. "Play it up, okay?"

He nodded and greeted his date with an embrace. When he sat at the table, Jasmine surprised him by sitting in his lap. Cindy was amused and asked how their party was going so far.

Jasmine wriggled to get more comfortable. "It's been great. Joe's the perfect gentleman, he even gave me my first orgasm in a week at dinner."

Ashley's eyebrows shot up, while Jill and Kim exchanged looks and smiles.

"You tried to play 'footsie' didn't you?" Kim asked.

"Well, yeah. Jill told me to try it, because it would drive him wild."

Jill and Kim laughed, and Jill said, "That never works on him, because...well, you found out."

"Gee thanks." Jasmine wadded up a napkin and hurled it toward Jill's head.

"Wait, what?" Joe cut in. "All of you get the same result?"

Kim sighed and tilted her head in recollection. "Oh yeah...it's scrumptious. You didn't know?"

"No." That answer came from both Ashley and Joe.

"What are y'all talking about?" Ashley half-asked, half-demanded.

Jasmine blinked at her. "You haven't tried to tease Joe with your feet before?" There was a head shake. "Well, try to sometime. What he did with me was move the foot heading for gold, and then work his magic with it. He'll get your panties damp without touching you above the ankle." She felt him twitch when she mentioned panties, and she gave him a butt squeeze in return.

Just then, the waitress approached their table. "Hey Ashley! Performing even when you're not on the clock, I see."

As the girl laid out the cocktail napkins, the floor manager came up to them and asked Ashley how her night was going. Cindy spoke up and told him that this was her bachelorette party. He instructed the waitress to take their order, whatever it was, and put it in the break room. He would cover the tab tonight. With a nod toward one of the off-duty officers near the door, he said it wasn't possible to serve them, but Ashley knew where the break room was. The group thanked him and he wished them a good evening.

The waitress giggled and said, "Wow, I guess being the best cover singer we have here has its perks."

"I doubt that," Ashley retorted.

"It's true. This place is empty unless you're here or we have a concert. Tonight is busier, since one of the local bands has a decent following. You might want to say hi, their concert starts in about an hour."

Ashley dismissed the offer, saying they weren't there for the concert, and that she didn't want to work tonight. The drink orders were tame, only Cindy ordered something alcoholic, so the girl didn't have to leave her tray in the back. The group fell back into light conversation, even some jokes were being made about what would happen at the wedding. Jasmine played up her role as Joe's girlfriend, adding to the discussion whenever she felt Joe's eyes leave her, drawing him back in. She even ignored her soda and sipped from Joe's. Ashley was a breath away from calling the arrangement off when Jasmine flipped her hair around to expose her neck to Joe. Instead, she abruptly asked Kim if she wanted to dance.

Jill doubted that Jasmine would get her ultimate prize from the time Ashley made that drunken promise to her. The doubts faded somewhat when Jasmine pulled the vulnerable card with her hair. Hell, SHE wanted to nibble that neck now.

Jasmine's breath caught when Joe leaned into her. Her hope was shattered when he sniffed and asked, "Did you borrow Ashley's perfume?"

Jill couldn't help but chuckle. Jasmine cast her a glance, got up and asked Joe to dance.

Jill tapped her wrist. "Tick, tick, tick, Jasmine."

"Hush, you," Jasmine hissed as they passed on their way to join the high-energy crowd.

The group ended up staying for the concert, the girls trading off once in a while to dance with Joe. A slinky tune played just as Jill happened to pair up with Joe. She walked a slow circle around him to gain some room.

Ashley had been dancing near Jasmine, and Jasmine said to her, "Aw shit, there she goes."

Jill had started a dance that was special for her and Joe. In fact, she only did it for him. Her blend of Tango, pole, and belly dancing kicked up to a whole new level tonight, and the crowd was helpless but to stop and watch her beautiful and sensual moves.

About half way through, Ashley said, "It feels like she's making this her last dance with him."

"I think it is," Jasmine whispered in Ashley's ear. "She said something about doing it one last time at the wedding, unless something earlier presented itself."

The moment was surreal in that Ashley got a sense of deja vu. The first night she went out with this group, she got to witness this dance with Jasmine holding her from behind. It was the first time a girl touched her THERE, and it started the deep friendship with her fellow cheerleading flier. Now that it was possible this dance would never be seen again, Jasmine was holding her the same way. Only this time, her fingers behaved, and Ashley was torn between relishing the embrace and tearing Jasmine's head off in jealousy. Her revery was broken when the audience applauded, signifying the end of the song and dance.

Jasmine kissed her cheek and brushed past to claim Joe for one more dance. Kim distracted Ashley by pairing up with her, while Jill went back to keep Cindy company, fending off dance offers from random guys. One more dance led into several songs, and Jasmine worked her ass off. Her dancing flirted with Joe mercilessly, and during one slower song, she moved his hand from her waist to her butt.

Finally, she could tell that everything she pulled together for the evening, the outfit, the talking, the affectionate touching, her flirting, everything she did was paying off. He looked as ready for her as he was going to get in this setting. She went for broke, reached up behind his head, pulled him toward her, and kissed him. Two things could happen at this point. First, and VERY possible, he could thank her and offer to take her back home. Luckily for her, the second possibility happened. He returned her kiss, and it progressed deeper and deeper until she had to stop for air. Striking while the iron was hot, she took his hand and led him toward the car. It took every fiber of willpower for her not to sprint and just drag him behind her.

"I'll be damned. She finally got him." Kim immediately felt like a bitch when she saw Ashley's face fall at the comment. "I'm sorry, hon. I thought that's what you wanted for them."

"Me too," Ashley said, her face beginning to match her hair and tube top.

Jill signaled their waitress. "They've been friends for a while. Even though she and I met him at the same time, their friendship started well before Joe and I got close," she said while waiting for the server to come. She picked up Ashley's hand. "Jasmine got stuck in friend status with him. She won't admit it to anyone, but she wanted more."

The waitress made it to their table, cutting Jill short. Jill asked that Ashley's next Coke be a bit on the strong side. She turned back to Ashley when the server went to get their drinks.

"I guess I sort of hoped Joe would refuse her," Ashley said distantly.

Kim smiled. "Oh, believe me, he did. I could tell Jasmine was frustrated the moment they walked in."

"That's right," added Jill. "But Jasmine knows her men, and what exactly will get them. Any guy can withstand her assault for only so long. You need to understand that it wasn't like she up and decided to seduce him tonight. What they'll do tonight is the result of four years of Jasmine's efforts."

The drinks came, and Ashley winced at the strength after her sip. Then she took another. "Then by what you say, there's a possibility he'll change his mind about me."

Kim leaned forward and locked eyes with Ashley. "That would be true if it were anyone but Jasmine. To be sure, they'll have their fun, and they'll share very special and intimate moments. But Joe is in love with you. That won't change, and Jasmine will be sure that his heart returns to you."

"Oh yeah? If she's been working on this for years, why should she?"

Cindy spoke at last. "Because Jasmine is in love with you, too."

"What?!" Ashley exclaimed after another gulp of her drink. She looked around and both Jill and Kim nodded.

Cindy continued, "Are you that blind? That girl was torn when she went into the kitchen with you tonight. Just as you were torn in whether to let her. She REALLY wanted this night with Joe. On the other side of the coin, she REALLY didn't want you to feel hurt from her actions. If you had asked, she honestly would have just taken him to fast food, go bowling, and brought him right back. Her feelings for you trumps what she has for Joe."

The alcohol refresh started doing its job, and now Ashley was distracted by the notion of Jasmine being in love with her. Kim saw the distant look in her friend's eyes and took the opportunity to grab Ashley's hand and lead her to the dance floor. She and Jill took turns dancing provocatively with Ashley, and Ashley even let a few guys have their turn with her. By the time they left the club, Ashley's sexual engine was humming. Cindy drove and ignored Kim and Jill's efforts in the back seat to send their attached friend into multiple orgasms.

When they were in the parking lot, Jasmine stood by her door to wait for Joe to open it. He surprised her by pushing her against the car with a passionate kiss. She felt his hands all over her and was thrilled when one of them found its way under her skirt. She loved every second, especially when he swiped her hair back and feasted on her neck. Jasmine had a feeling that move in the club would work, she just didn't expect it would be so long for him to take the bait. Her pulse raced and she panted while suckling on his ear as he licked and kissed every inch on the side of her neck. She finally whispered that they should go home, unless he wanted to chance taking her there in public. With a groan, he lowered her leg off his hip and opened the door for her.

As she had feared, the lust she had built up in him at the club had cooled somewhat by the time they got home. He was back to 'polite' Joe, his hand never traveling below the small of her back as he ushered her inside. They uncorked the bottle they were given and each had a glass. She spoke the first words between them, saying that Ashley wanted them to share his room tonight. Joe led the way up the stairs, still not saying anything. Jasmine trailed behind him and shook her head. He sure is a different cat, she thought. 

Joe draped his blazer over Ashley's vanity chair and just kind of stood there. Jasmine had one more trick up her sleeve. She attempted to take off her flats while standing, intentionally threw her balance off-center, and caught herself on the dresser with a slap of her hand.

"Joe," she cooed in an ultra-sweet voice. "The wine is hitting me, but I need to take a shower, can you help me out of these clothes?"

"Jazz, I know what you're doing," he said while turning to face her. "I just...I don't know what to say."

She stopped her pretend unsteadiness, walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his midsection. Before speaking, she gave him a peck on the lips. "Are you embarrassed? You don't have to be."

He put his arms around her and held her close. "No...and yes. Not embarrassed about what I did with you. But I am about Ashley seeing."

Jasmine laid her head on his chest and sighed. "She gave us permission."

"She did? I thought that was just beer talking after graduation."

"Yes, and this afternoon, I asked her specifically about being with you tonight, and she said it was okay."

"Really?"

"Joe, when have I ever lied to you?"

"Never, that I know of."

"Why would I start now?"

It was Joe's turn to sigh. "Well, we're in this room. Alone. No one in the house. You want me to go further..."

Jasmine gave a halfhearted giggle. "Touche. Question withdrawn. I'm not lying or making it up, Joe. She really did say it was okay, as long as it was before the wedding and honeymoon." 

She looked up at him, but any answer was taking too long. The pause itself was the answer. But, the night was not a defeat in her eyes. Aside from that one thing, he had been and given everything she wanted. She tilted her head up and pecked him again on his lips, thanked him for the date and told him that he fulfilled her goal of having one moment together with him.

She turned around, gathered her hair and held it up. "I actually do need a shower after all that dancing. Can you help me out of this corset? I'm not trying to trick you anymore, it's just that it was a bitch to put on by myself."

Jasmine really meant what she said. No longer did she expect or even hope for anything more than a helping hand. He started tugging at the top hooks and Jasmine closed her eyes in weariness. Tired of the fight, all she wanted now was a hot shower, curl up in bed, and pray that her silly fantasy would be forgotten.

Joe commented as he pulled at the tight hooks, "Your boobs must be squished. These things are tight."

"Gives me a bit more cleavage," she stated as if she were answering what two plus two equaled.

She held her hair with one hand and held the front of the corset with the other when Joe got about three quarters of the way down. Surprised didn't quite cover what she felt when he started kissing her back as he worked on the bottom three hooks. In fact, a line from one of her favorite movie comedies came to mind. She couldn't have been more surprised if she had woken up with her head sown to the carpet. Surprise turned to shock when he finished his task, moved his arms to her stomach under the garment, and trailed his kisses to the side of her neck.

Jasmine caught herself allowing her pulse to race. "Joe, you don't have to."

"Shh." His hands came up under her arm, and she let the rigid top fall to the floor. Very gently, he rubbed the tension out her rib cage just below her mounds, then cupped the soft flesh in his hands and soothed them with minute movements. "They've been penned up too long tonight."

Jasmine was conflicted. Jill, Kim, and later, Ashley had all told her of how he would attend to unusual details like the itchy ribbon of skin where their panty waistband had been. Or, he would rub the tension out of the portion of their back that had held the weight of their bra. Was he just doing this as a favor to her? His kisses on her neck and jawline suggested otherwise. Her free hand's nails lightly traced up and down his forearm to let him know that she liked what he was doing. After a soft roll of her nipples, he released her.

She swallowed her saliva in a nervous gulp. "I'm...just...ahem...shower," she stammered as she made her way past him toward his private bath.

Try as she might, Jasmine just couldn't fight off hope that he might follow her. She put her trembling hands on the counter and told herself to calm down. He didn't appear, and she cursed herself for yet another buildup and letdown in her head. God, he was so confusing! Yet, Ashley not only didn't seem to mind that trait or the others that had annoyed his previous girlfriends, she adored them. Jasmine shook her head to clear it, and set about to finish undressing for her shower. She had just gotten her hair wet when the door opened and a naked Joe stepped in with her. Her mouth fell open.

He wiped a few stray strands from her face and said with a smile, "Well, I figured...this IS my bachelor party after all."

Jasmine didn't care if this was another tease. She cupped the back of his head, pulled it under the stream of water, and french kissed him. To her delight, he returned the passion and allowed his hands to wander up and down her back. With their tongues wrestling and sliding against each other, their hands were everywhere. She felt his cock rise and poke against her stomach, and she stepped over his thigh and pressed down against it. Jasmine clung tightly to him as her mouth let go of his and attacked his throat, neck, and ears with hungry nibbles and sucks. One of his hands cupped a breast and the other held her ass while she ground herself against his leg. She would have been more than happy to get herself off in that way.

But, he forced her to whimper in disappointment when he gently put a couple of inches of space between them. "Maybe we should actually try to get clean while we're in here," he suggested while squeezing a bit of Ashley's shampoo into his hand.

"I suppose," Jasmine croaked, her voice just a ball of emotions.

She stepped into him again and began kissing the top of his chest. He started lathering her hair, and she reached down to stroke his rigid dick gently.

"Naughty, naughty," he tried to admonish as a joke, but the lust made it come out differently.

"You want me to stop," she guessed.

"No."

She smiled up at him as he played with her hair. She knew it would be a tangled mess in the morning with the way he was manipulating it in his fingers, but right now she didn't care. His toying with her mane got more and more distracted until he just cradled her head against his chest. She absolutely loved the closeness and continued to stroke him until he tightened his grip and she felt his semen jump to her chest and ooze over her hand. He panted a bit with his cheek against her soapy hair before he croaked out an apology.

"Don't," she said.

Together they turned so that her head was fully under the stream of water. Her eyes burned, and she quickly wiped her hands across her cheeks to swipe away the mascara that must have been running down them. Joe seemed to ignore the mess, bending down to pay lip service to her collar bone. Jasmine took the opportunity to lather up the bar of soap and wash her face of what was left of her makeup. His kisses found their way to her breasts, so she reached up to rinse and squeegee the shampoo out of her hair, providing her chest with a little more lift for his benefit. He stood back up and grabbed the bar to start soaping her down. Everything he touched was like a minor massage. It might seem weird, but her heart did flips when he took the time to work the tension out of her sudsy arms and hands. She expected him to make damn sure her tits and puss were clean, but he was thorough with her whole body, not that he ignored those parts either.

Jasmine rinsed off and the bubbles were replaced with his tongue. He worked his way down and she spaced her feet to allow him access to her most private area. Sparks went off in her vision when the most unusual sensation brushed her clit.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 02



"Holy shit!" Her head lolled back and she had to put a hand on the tile wall to steady herself. "What the fuck are you doing? It feels soo good!"

He looked up at her and grinned, then stuck out his tongue to show off its double roll. "I call it the W," he said.

The front edge indeed looked just like one. Now Jasmine understood why Ashley said that he excelled at oral. She leaned against the wall, draped a leg over his shoulder and guided his head back to her. She decided to start returning the clean favor and lathered his head with the other shampoo. Her fingers played in the short strands while he inserted two of his fingers into her. She grunted and gasped for a few minutes until her tunnel squeezed spastically and flooded his fingers. She slumped with an "Oh fuck me" exclamation.

Joe knew what she meant, but intentionally took it literally. "Okay!" he said with a grin. He stood, quickly rinsed the soap out of his hair, turned the water off, and opened the shower door for her. She stepped out and walked toward the bedroom without bothering to dry. As Murphy's Law would have its way, she lost her footing and visions of embarrassing and painful injury flashed through her head as her body fell helplessly toward the counter. Jasmine squeaked when Joe's toned arm not only caught her, but lifted her off the ground. She had just experienced the reflex that had saved her safety during the championship game, and Ashley's life twice.

She was still trembling when he deposited her on the bed and hovered over her. She nodded when he asked if she was okay, and then he entered her. Their still-wet bodies glided and squished against each other as they romped, trying every position possible. With all the other guys, Jasmine ended up doing most of the work. But now, when a setup lost its luster, Joe would pick her up and move her to accommodate another. It seemed to her at times that she was in the air more than on the mattress. His athleticism thrilled her and she loved being handled in that manner. It wasn't like he was just using her. Jasmine was having absolute fun. Joe knew what he liked and wasn't afraid to arrange it. At the same time, she felt that he would do whatever she asked, but it wasn't necessary as he was already taking care of her wants and desires. To her, he personified sex with a man better than what she defined in her head.

Jasmine ended up with her face buried in a pillow, her ass in the air. The passion had reached a crescendo as he drove faster and harder into her. Her fingers clutched the ends of the pillow with white knuckles as she came.

"HolyfuckingshitmotherofgodyesyesyesfuckfuckYES," she screamed with a rushing single breath into the pillow. Her knees came off the bed again as he grabbed her waist and drove her onto him with a guttural grunt. He held her there as she felt him pulse his seed into her until finally lowering her body back to the now-damp mattress before collapsing on his back beside her.

She straddled him and guided his prick into her before it went soft. Happy he was inside her, she laid forward on his chest. "Holy hell, THAT was good," she sighed.

Still panting, he moved a strand of hair from her sweaty cheek. "Yes it was," he said with a giggle. She had never heard him do that before. "You do know that he's not a machine, right?...I can't go forever," he said as his dick softened inside her.

Jasmine nodded. "I know. Why do you think I got you in so quick? I've read about this sensation and the girls have talked about it, but no one's stayed in me long enough for me to feel it for myself. It's always get off, and then get off of her."

"That's what your dad said," Joe joked.

She smiled at him. "Usually, actually." Her smile faded into a far away pained look. "Boy he would hate to find guys in my room." Her eyes found his. "I guess I really was a wild child, letting them sneak in so I could have some fun. But I never smoked, despite Jill. I never did drugs, never got into trouble outside the house, and I never drank until this year. Even then, it's just a little at a time. I don't get it. Why was he so hard on me?"

His arms wrapped around her and he stroked her naked back. "He wasn't just hard on you, he was abusive, and your mom enabled him. That said, I wish you hadn't gone after some of the guys you did. Sex can be just as damaging as the other vices you mentioned. You've gotten lucky in not catching something, or winding up used and beaten along some highway."

Her eyes flashed in anger, but cooled quickly since she had to admit he was right. Before graduation, she had an irritation between her legs and when she admitted her sexual history to the doctor, he tested her for everything...pregnancy included. It turned out that it was a stress-induced yeast infection, and she was otherwise clean.

Jasmine shivered recalling the scare, then gave some hair on his chest a lick. It seemed like a natural thing to do. "You're right, of course. I've been stupid. I guess I just was looking for something that never came. But I found it tonight with you. You don't have to sound like a mom, though."

The eyes saddened. "Sorry. I'm used to the blunt talks my parents had with me about such things." His fingers found her wet hair and they twirled and toyed with it. "I miss them. Their talks guiding me through obstacles, their hugs." He returned her sympathetic kiss. "Their trust in me with their secrets."

She cradled his head with her hands as she kissed him over and over. Ashley had told her during a pillow talk some of the grief he held private for his parents. It melted her heart that he shared some of that with her now. The kissing stirred him and she squeezed his inflating member with her inner muscles. There was no hurry now since the lust between them had been satisfied. They petted whatever their hands found as she slowly and gently rocked on top of him. The kissing persisted until she felt warm pulses erupt into her. Her own climax happened shortly after, being best described as an orgasm centered around her heart, if such a thing were possible. It was for her.

She settled next to him and both expensed a heavy sigh. He took one of her hands and grasped it in both of his. "I love you, Jasmine. I wanted you to know that before the moment slipped away."

Jasmine closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip before answering. "I love you, too." They laid quiet for a minute or two. "So, we aren't doing this ever again, are we?"

"I was just thinking the same thing. I don't think any of us would be comfortable if it did."

"Agreed." She started drifting off before catching herself. "Joe?" His muffled grunt told her that he was about to fall asleep himself. "If Ashley hadn't moved here from California, do you think we would have had a chance?"

He inhaled a large volume of air through his nose as he pondered this. "Maybe...I don't know. With Ashley, it's so easy for us to click. Whereas you...well, I think there'd be an learning period. Ash and I just KNEW from the start how to handle each other. What about you? Would you be happy with me forever?"

She smiled. "I am right now." Then after thinking about it, "But, you said it yourself. You're too much work."

Jasmine gave him a sexy wake-up call in the morning, slow, patient, and delicious. When they finished, she giggled and reasoned to him, "One last time for old time's sake."

He chuckled at her humor, which pleased her. She got up, took a shower, and borrowed back one of her pairs of underwear from Ashley's drawer. He slipped on a pair of boxers and headed to the bathroom when she stopped him with a touch.

"Thank you for a wonderful night. I hope I was able to give as much to you."

He pecked her cheek. "Trust me, you did."

"Good. And Joe?"

"Yeah?"

"If you and Ashley ever want kids, I'll be glad to be a surrogate mother with you."

The 'with' didn't escape him. "You'd give up your own child?"

"They'd be yours too. I don't know how or if that would ever work out, but the offer stands forever."

She gathered up their discarded clothes to put in the laundry and took them with her to her room. Ashley was laying naked in the bed, her arms behind her head. It looked like she was waiting.

Jasmine raked her rejected outfits to the floor and laid next to her. "I thought you'd be in Kim's room."

"I couldn't sleep, and some sick part of me couldn't wait to know what happened." She blinked a couple of times, closed her eyes and let a tear roll off towards her ear. "So, how did it go?"

"We ended up making love."

Ashley's chest rose and fell in a heave. "Well, I figured on that."

Jasmine had always made a point to give Ashley the blunt truth, whether it was to tell her that she made a poor makeup choice, or that she was being a bitch. She had a couple of apprehensive pants, and decided not to hide anything from her now. "Not as in another way to say we had sex...although that was first, and amazing. We ended up making LOVE."

Ashley's head rolled away from Jasmine. "So, what now? Are we trading dresses tomorrow?"

Jasmine rolled onto her side to face her friend. "Ash, look at me. Please? Nothing has changed between you two. Besides, I wouldn't have pushed for..."

"Yes, yes I KNOW! I could have said no, and you wouldn't have...blah, blah, blah. I braced myself for you to go after his body. I wasn't prepared for you to go after HIM." She looked away from Jasmine's eyes and stared at the ceiling. "I wasn't prepared for how I ended up feeling about you two being together. For how I felt about IT happening."

Jasmine feared she had lost this friendship, but perhaps not. At least Ashley was still talking to her. "Well, IT won't happen again. We both agreed on that last night."

"Really."

"Yes. But I'd like to put in a condition."

"What's that?"

"An exception under certain circumstances upon which an agreement is made." Jasmine's face was filled with gleeful triumph on turning sarcasm around on Ashley for once.

It worked, and Ashley playfully swatted Jasmine with a decorative pillow. "Ha ha. You've been waiting for that opening for a while, haven't you?" Ashley was usually the one to answer such a question with a definition of what she said. "Very well. What's your condition?"

"You can say no, if you want to." She saw Ashley twirl her finger in the air in a 'keep going' gesture. "I'd like a date with him once every week or two. Not sexual. But some friendly one-on-one time. His time is getting more and more crowded, and you sucked up whatever is left. I didn't want to complain, but I used to be able to talk with him when it would just be the two of us around. I really miss that friendship with him, and I'd like it back, even if in a smaller part."

"Just as friends?" Ashley added incredulously, "No sex?"

"Well, his relationship with me did change a bit last night," Jasmine allowed. "I wouldn't mind if you permitted some kissing, hugging, maybe a little petting."

Ashley hooked a finger under Jasmine's bra strap. "This and your panties are cute," she said while stalling.

Jasmine grinned. "I know. That's why I bought them last year, and why you stole them two months ago."

"I borrowed them."

"That's how I found them in your drawer this morning?"

"Speaking of borrowing," Ashley decided to get back on topic. "Without drawing up some 10 page contract on what you can and cannot do, this is getting too complicated."

Jasmine's face fell. "I see. Okay."

"Well, before you jump off a cliff...should I trust you?"

Jasmine looked even more hurt. "I get it, okay? If I were you, no, I wouldn't trust me either."

"That's not what I asked. You're not me, you're you. So, tell me the flat out truth like you usually do. Should I trust you?"

She looked deep into Ashley's eyes. "I can't fully answer that. You can trust that I would never intentionally get him to leave you. Yes, I have feelings for him, and they're stronger because of last night. No, I am not in love with him, nor is he in love with me. And, if any of that changes, you'd be the first to know, because I'd tell you." She frowned. "I don't know why we're talking about trust. I'm not asking to replace you, or even to be your sister wife." Jasmine had to stop for a second because the comment sent them both into giggles. "I just wanted some alone time with him once in a while."

Ashley moved closer and kissed Jasmine. "Thank you."

"Thank ME? For what? I'm the one who should be kissing your feet and offering to bathe you while feeding you grapes for letting me be with him last night."

Ashley squirmed. "That's an enticing thought. Go ahead and do that."

"Maybe in a bit, once I get a few things started to get the house ready for the reception tomorrow. Now quit dodging. Tell me yes or no to any part of what I asked, and I'll comply with it."

"Thanks for being honest with me. Tell you what. I'll make sure he takes you out for dinner, a walk, goofy golfing, or whatever you want to do. Do whatever feels natural to you two. And just so you know that I noticed, what I saw of last night was forced, and no where near natural for either of you. Anyway, I'll do my best to fight down jealousy if I see you kissing, holding hands...or if I walk in on you two enjoying an afternoon romp."

"But I wouldn't..."

"AH! Watch what you say. You have needs, too, Jasmine. You can't promise me that you wouldn't EVER want to. Just as I can't promise that I won't get jealous if it happens..." There was no response. "That's what I thought, and it's okay." She got up and dug through Jasmine's undies drawer before putting on a set. "I'll help you get the house ready and you can tell me your favorite parts as we go. Then you can feed me grapes while I soak in the tub."

"Deal," said Jasmine as she passed by Ashley and bent over to pick up the dirty laundry from earlier. 

Ashley took the opportunity to crack her hand down on Jasmine's vulnerable tush. She yelped loudly in pain. Jasmine shot back upright and spun around, her face full of hurt. She expected Ashley to apologize for going overboard, but that never came. Her cheek hurt so bad, she knew Ashley had put everything she had into the swat, and it was no accident.

"That's for looking to make sure I was watching when you suddenly kissed him on the dance floor." Ashley's voice shook. "Believe me, I wanted to literally kill you when it happened. Do not ever maliciously use him to get me riled up! Territorial female instinct or not! I'd hope our friendship is above that now."

Jasmine replayed the event in her head and was horrified to recall that it happened just as Ashley said. She welcomed the deserved tear that fell from her cheek. "I...I'm so sorry."

"I know. I'm not for hitting you."

"I know."

"Come on, let's get started on the mess downstairs."

Jasmine limped after Ashley and saw what she was talking about in the living room. Jill, Kim, and Ashley's outfits were strewn about the whole room, the three pairs of panties soiled and still slightly damp.

"We got a bit carried away after Cindy dropped us off," Ashley said as a matter of fact while she started to collect the garments.

"I guess so," Jasmine mused as she added to her own pile, setting aside the leather pieces. "Good for you."

"It was," Ashley said and they both giggled, their transgressions against each other now forgiven.

******

Author's note.

Kind of nervous about this post. Some of you had said that you didn't want to see Joe with another girl, even if it was before the wedding. Be that as it may, the interaction between the two sets up a surprise ending.

Please don't forget to vote or leave feedback.



An Angel's Fix Pt. 03



Jill, Kim, and Joe helped get the home in its polished entertainment grandeur. Ashley was the last to work on finishing up getting ready for the events starting early in the evening. There was a knock on the front door, and the group downstairs looked at each other. A few things were odd. Nobody they knew well would knock, let alone on the front door. Also, the gate at the end of the driveway didn't open unless you knew the code or someone from inside used the phone to unlock it. Joe got up and answered it. He called out that Kim had company.

She padded to the foyer in her bare feet and sundress to see what was up. Jill and Jasmine startled when they heard her scream. "Mommy! Daddy! I thought you wouldn't be here until dinner."

The other two girls raced each other to the foyer.

Kim's mom hugged her daughter. "Cindy got us an earlier flight to surprise you."

Kim looked around her dad who took his turn to hug and kiss her, and sure enough, Cindy was walking up the steps from her car. Kim mouthed her thanks, to which Cindy smiled and nodded. The couple greeted Joe warmly with congratulations, and Kim's father caught Jill, then Jasmine when they jumped to hug him.

Her mom kissed them all and looked around. "The house is bigger than I remember, but just as pristine." She looked at Jasmine. "Great job, as usual."

"Thanks, but I had a lot of help today."

Her dad looked at the girls all dressed similarly to Kim, only in different colors. "You ladies look great, do you have a chart to coordinate what to wear?" he joked.

"No, it just happens this way," Jill answered.

"Kim, you shouldn't have let this one get away. This all could have been yours."

Her eyes darted at him. "Daddy, don't start."

Her mom chimed in. "We've already had this fight with her, Bill. Let's not repeat it."

"What? I'm just saying that if they had hung in there until college, she might still be with Joe."

"I certainly hope not!"

The heads all turned toward the voice descending the stairs visible through the den behind them. Dressed in a white blouse unbuttoned low to display the familiar pendant, a black and silver paisley vest, black slacks and matching pumps, the redhead glided toward them confidently with the grace the two parents had only seen from Jill.

"You must be the famous Ashley that Kim's been telling us about," the mother said as she reached her arms out to the bride to be.

"Indeed I am," Ashley smiled as she accepted the embrace, and moved on to accept one from Kim's dad. "Welcome, and thanks for coming," she said graciously.

They congratulated her on the upcoming wedding, and she invited them to sit in the media room. Joe sat next to her on one of the couches after his drink offer was refused. Ashley whispered something in his ear to which he nodded. He asked about their flight, and the conversation led to everybody catching each other up. After a while, she tapped his knee as a reminder and he told the other three girls that they would be leaving in a few minutes. They excused themselves to fetch their shoes and other necessities.

Ashley graciously fulfilled the couple's curiosity about her. Before they left for his job, they only knew her as a new girl on the cheerleading team. Since then, their information was tinted through Kim's eyes. They immediately saw why Joe fell in love with her, and Kim adored her. Ashley's charm drew them into her as well. Lively chatter announced the other three girls' return, and they loaded up two cars to meet Ashley's parents at the church.

Ashley made the introductions between the parents, then quickly excused herself when she saw Reena walk in. Kim's folks got to see the giddy side of Ashley when she squealed and bounced excitedly with her band mate. They calmed down and Ashley led her up to the organ, asking if Reena could play it, or if she was bringing her keyboard. Reena powered up the large electronic device, clicked some buttons, punched in a few knobs, and played a forceful Bach's Dorian Toccata in D minor.

The group heard Ashley say, "I guess that qualifies as a yes." 

Reena pulled out her books, and went over music with Ashley for the ceremony, occasionally playing snippets, so that the bride could get a feel for the overall ambiance the selections would make with each other. While that was going on, Cindy met the florist at the door and collaborated with Jasmine as to where the arrangements were to be placed. Ashley's parents paid for the flowers, and Joe was surprised that they were being delivered in two van loads. There was nothing for him to do, so he sat and chatted with the two sets of parents, plus Jill and Kim.

The priest came in and summoned everybody to him. He went over the order everything would take place in, and then led a walk-through. Ashley was sent to the back of the church while the bridal party was being arranged on the altar steps. Being left alone for a bit, she got bored, and to fight boredom, she usually got playful, and this was no exception. Finally, she was instructed to walk ceremoniously up the aisle, and she started her slow pace. The priest said that was good, and she could walk up normally now to save time. She turned and did one of her effortless back walkovers before dancing her way up the aisle. The rest of the group laughed as she did the 70's shuffle and point. The priest coughed to choke off his chuckle and reminded her that this was still a sacred place, even though no ceremony was going on. Ashley settled down after getting scolded, and the rest of the rehearsal proceeded as planned.

At the end, Joe took out his and Ashley's violins to practice what was to be their duet. The others sat to watch while the two rested against pew arms across the aisle from each other. It was Joe's turn to be playful, and he picked out the first part of Dueling Banjos. She gave him an 'oh really' look and played the other part to take up his challenge. Both played their heart out to keep up with the other, and when the last note together was played, Joe lightly tapped Ashley's head with his bow out of affection. Even the florists stopped what they were doing to watch them and joined the small group's applause. Joe turned serious then, looked up at Reena in the choir loft and she started her accompaniment to their duet. The tiny audience was moved by the piece, and they wondered where it would be worked into the ceremony.

Ashley's parents took them out to a lakeside restaurant, where their dinner conversations were spirited and fun. Joe was so affectionate with her that Ashley wondered what she had been worried about to begin with the night before. Their shared jokes, laughter and cuddles made it obvious to Kim's parents that even if they had stayed in town, there wasn't a doubt as to who Joe would have ended up with. After dessert, Joe and Ashley walked hand-in-hand alone around the lake, enjoying their last moment together before the ceremony that would make them one. She pitched an idea she had, but he doubted he could go through with it. She asked that he think about it, and then kissed him goodbye before leaving with her parents to stay at their house for the first time in months, and last time ever.

Cindy was at the house early the next morning, pleased that the "kids" were already up and taking care of last minute details. Jasmine had taken the early lead, instructing Joe, Kim, and Jill where to place the furniture so that the media room was opened up for dancing. Cindy took over and sent Jasmine outside to start rearranging the planters by the pool. The professionals arrived shortly later, and while Cindy took charge of orchestrating the interior decorations, Jasmine managed the outside setup. Joe finally had a leadership assignment in getting the caterers working in his commercial kitchen.

It struck Jill that the house had become just a building to entertain guests in without Ashley there. When Ashley was present, it felt more like home. Not just a home, but the idea of home. She hadn't realized it as it was happening, but Ashley worked to ensure that Jill, Jasmine, and Kim all felt that this was where they belonged. The house was definitely missing something now that she wasn't there, even for a day.

Late in the morning, Jasmine went MIA once things were well in hand outside. She reappeared when the others gathered their dresses and bags to head to the church.

"Whoa, Jasmine! I thought we were going to wait to get ready at the church," Jill said when she saw her complete with finished makeup.

Jasmine put her large makeup case on the table to wait for the others. "SOMEONE has to help Ashley get ready," she reasoned.

"Yeah, I thought I was," Cindy said.

"You're in the wedding party, too. Now I can devote my time to her without worrying about myself."

Joe fed them sandwiches and they loaded up the cars to head out. Carter Electronics donated a security team for the day, and Joe ensured they had the keys and codes necessary to watch over the house and the teams preparing it.

They met Kim's parents outside the school attached to the church and were told Ashley was waiting inside.

"How is she?" asked Kim. "Is she nervous?"

"I wouldn't say that," her mom said. "That kid is as cool as can be."

"Yeah, more like energetic," her dad added. "We had breakfast with her and her parents and she talked on and on about all different things."

The girls looked at each other and said as a chorus, "She's nervous."

A car pulled up and Allison, Marybeth, and Sally stepped out and were greeted by shrill welcomes and warm hugs and kisses. They each went up to Joe and pecked him while offering their congratulations.

Kim's parents ushered them inside. Joe was not permitted to see Ashley before the wedding, so her parents showed him to the next room, where he started to get dressed by himself. Although he didn't get to see her reaction, he heard it as the eighth grade room suddenly erupted in screams when Ashley saw her three other friends. 

Sally happily announced that Ashley looked so pretty, all they had to do was pop the dress on her and push her to the altar. After the blinds were closed and paper was put over the window in the door, the girls started to undress while Jasmine arranged her makeup tools on the teacher's desk. There was giddy conversation while they caught each other up on happenings over the last few weeks since graduation. Sally and Allison had been taking trips with their families and their boyfriends' families. Marybeth already started summer college courses at a private school in south Florida.

Their gowns adorning their bodies, the ladies were sent out of the room so that Jasmine could do Ashley's makeup without distraction. Unlike the others, Ashley had changed into Joe's football jersey and sweatpants per Jasmine's instruction. The jersey would keep Ashley cool and could slip over her head without touching her face. It also created a rather humorous photo op for the photographer who was allowed in to record a couple of shots of Jasmine attending to her friend's face. She finished and handed a mirror to Ashley.

"Holy shit! That's the best I've ever looked. Thanks Jasmine!"

"No sweat. Your face makes for an easy canvas. Speaking of canvas..." She carefully lifted the jersey over Ashley's head. "...I wanna do something special for Joe. What was the first meaningful thing he's said to you?"

Ashley answered without even having to think about it.

"Wow. And he said that while he was drugged?"

Ashley's lip quivered. "Yes," she said in a broken voice.

"Uh uh...don't cry yet. That mascara is waterproof, but only once it's set."

"I'm trying."

"I know," Jasmine said as she dipped a brush into some body paint. "Okay, this might tickle a bit."

Jasmine set about painting Ashley's stomach and waist. It did tickle, but Ashley worked hard to keep herself still until it was done. 

"So, do you have any tips you learned from your time with him the other night?"

Jasmine was surprised that Ashley brought this up now, but there seemed to be no malice. "Yeah, actually. If you really want to hear it."

"Well, I figured you were able to seduce him in one night, so you must have found something that worked."

Jasmine breathed a heavy sigh as she dabbed more paint on. "No one can seduce him in one night. You found that out yourself when you two started getting close last year. He needs a connection with his partner before he'll consider going to bed with them. That's your first tip. He loves you dearly, so continue to shower him with hugs and kisses. That gets him going more than anything else."

Ashley could see the logic in that wisdom. "Okay, but what if I want to get him fired up in a hurry?"

Jasmine smiled. "He loves hair. It's not quite a fetish for him, but he loves to play with it. That was part of Jill and Kim's downfall with him. They hated having their hair messed with. Yours is fabulous, and you don't seem to mind when he twirls your ponytail like a helicopter, or when he toys with it in his fingers until it tangles."

"I actually enjoy him playing with it. It's soothing, somehow."

"Well, there you go. Keep letting him, or find ways to encourage him to play with it more. If you really want him to ravage you, expose your neck to him. He won't be able to keep his lips away."

Jasmine's shiver at the thought didn't go unnoticed. Ashley smiled. "What about clothes? G-strings, bikinis? Naked? What would be treats for him?"

"Naked would work, certainly. But I think mystery is a special treat for him. The strip club almost seemed ho-hum for him. He appreciated the sights for sure, but I could tell something else would work better. That's how we ended up at The Shack. Panties. Anything to do with panties gets him going big time. Whenever any girl there gave a glimpse, he noticed. He watched you intently for any peeks you gave."

"Really? I thought he was too busy looking at you."

Jasmine giggled. "Well, he looked when I presented him with opportunities, but he seemed more hopeful for ones from you."

"What about in bed? Any hints?"

"Be yourself. Anything you enjoy, he will too. I think you know all this, though."

"I guess. I just wanted to see if I was missing anything."

Jasmine finished her handiwork by tapping it with a cotton puff doused in baby powder. Ashley stood and went to a mirror. The fancy script of what Joe said shortly after waking from his coma last fall was bordered with ivy, flowers, and fairies. It read:

"It would be a tragedy For the world To lose such A beautiful Angel."

At the bottom near Ashley's hip and under the scar, she signed it in tiny print, "Congratulations you two! Love, Jasmine."

Ashley thanked her and Jasmine sat her down and rubbed the tension out of her shoulders and back while they waited for everything to dry. Ashley spent the pampered time writing out a card to Joe. At last, Jasmine zipped and hooked Ashley into her gown just before there was a knock at the door. Jasmine let the other girls in, and Ashley handed Jill the card to take next door. Jill and Kim started laughing and Kim handed a card to the bride. Ashley opened it while Jill delivered the other one.

It was a good luck card and Joe had written: "Even though I'll see you in a few minutes, I couldn't wait to say I love you!"

She gasped and the girls crowded around. When they read it, there was a chorus of aww's. There was an even bigger chorus when she sobbed softly that she had written the same thing to him, word for word. Jasmine dabbed the tears away for Ashley and studied her face. She did a small fist pump when she determined the makeup remained intact.

The room became a busy beehive as the girls took turns getting Jasmine to put finishing touches on their makeup, while the rest primped and fussed with Ashley's dress and hair. Once everything was done, Jill did a check on the old bridal tradition of "Something olde, something new, something borrowed, and something blue." Cindy had installed Ashley's grandmother's silver comb in her hair, so that took care of "olde" and "borrowed." The dress was new, and Jasmine confirmed that Ashley had blue underwear on, so those were covered.

Cindy said, "A lot of people forget the last line of the poem, which is 'and a silver sixpence in her shoe.'" She held out an acrylic box. "I remembered, though, and found one in a coin shop. I hope it brings you two a fortunate life." Ashley hugged her and kicked out her foot behind her and Cindy slipped the coin under Ashley's heel into the shoe. 

Ashley's dad knocked on the door and he escorted her to the vestibule in his dress blues. They heard Reena playing a compilation of soft love songs on the organ while the last few guests were being seated. Jasmine, Cindy, and Jill scurried about Ashley, making sure her dress would flow properly during her walk up the aisle.

The priest appeared from the vestment room and picked his way through the yards of royal blue bridesmaids' satin crowding the vestibule. "You ladies all look lovely," he complimented before heading up the side aisle to join Joe in front of the altar. A few moments later, Reena stopped playing and Ashley heard Joe address the congregation.

"Ladies and gentleman, thank you for coming to witness our marriage."

Ashley gasped at the unrehearsed greeting. "Oh my God, he's actually going to do it."

Joe continued, "To acknowledge my parents' and sister's spiritual presence and to honor them in memory, I offer a piece my mother adored. Thank you Ashley for suggesting it. This is Schubert's Ave Maria."

Ashley asked that the doors be opened, but no one moved. She turned to Jasmine and begged her to, since she desperately wanted to watch him. Jasmine relented and quietly opened them. Joe's eyes were already closed as he brought his bow to the strings. The church was packed with schoolmates, teachers, people from Carter, as well as community leaders and other business men and women who had worked with Joe's parents. But Ashley didn't notice the number in the crowd. Instead, she listened and pressed her lips against her clasped fingers, adoring the voice coming from Joe's instrument. She was drawn forward and stood in the doorway motionless through the first verse. Joe had opened his eyes and saw her there. He transitioned the music to repeat the first verse, and Ashley's emotions compelled her to sing with him. The congregation turned as one when they heard her crystal clear voice sing the same version she had at his parents' funeral. The two fed off each other's performance so well, that some would later swear they could almost see a ribbon of energy connecting them down the aisle. When the final note was played, there was not a dry eye to be had. The congregation stood and applauded for a solid minute. During the ovation, Ashley mouthed an I love you to Joe. I love you more, he mouthed back.

She stepped back and her dad embraced her. The girls lined up after giving her careful hugs. Each of them had made it known a number of times how much they adored Joe's violin play. It had been predetermined that to thank them for their friendship, he would play Pachabel's Canon in D while they processed to the altar. So, he started the slow smooth intro as Sally started up the aisle. She smiled at him, and he grinned back, knowing she'd enjoy the surprise he had arranged. His tempo sped up as he nodded upstairs to Mike, and ended up accompanying Mike for Canon Rock, a stepped-up adaptation of the classical piece arranged for electric guitar. Sally's smile stretched from ear to ear and Joe dipped in acknowledgment as he played. Once the seven girls were in place and the last note jammed from Mike's guitar, they led the applause and Joe saluted Mike with his bow.

He handed Cindy his fiddle, and the congregation stood when Reena played the fanfare that led into the Bridal Chorus for Ashley's entrance. Ashley smiled and hooked her arm through her dad's as they took the first steps down the long aisle. Joe had come down to meet them and Commander Roberts kissed his daughter. He shook Joe's hand before literally placing Ashley's hand there. Joe supported her by her hand while she had to guess where her feet were in relation to the steps. The music stopped, and Jill held a microphone between them. The audience guessed that the couple were going to recite some prepared poem, as the program stated a proclamation of love at this point.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 03



Ashley smiled, looked in his eyes, and said, "Joe, I take this vow seriously, and I hope you do, too." She glanced at the crowd for effect. "I swear to you with all my heart...that this is the last song I'll ask you to play today." The crowd and even the priest laughed and clapped. Jasmine handed Ashley her violin, who in turn gave it to Joe. He retrieved his from Cindy and likewise gave it to Ashley.

He looked at the priest and said, "Can we go now? We just exchanged violins."

Laughing at the lame joke, the reverend shook his head. Joe looked apologetically at Ashley and said away from the mic that he at least tried. She grinned her response and tucked his rest under her chin. He nodded upstairs to Reena, who had moved to the piano to accompany them. They played a moving duet of All I Ask of You from Phantom of the Opera. When they finished, they had to fight against the instinct to kiss each other, settling to touch foreheads instead.

Their priest complimented the performance, and then welcomed all who had come to witness the occasion. He reflected on how fitting it was that their love be cemented together, recalling Joe's action to save Ashley in a horrifying accident that almost cost his own life. He also recounted how Ashley nearly sacrificed her diploma by insisting on being with Joe to aid him and be his pillar through the tragic loss of his parents. "Your love for each other has kept you two alive, both physically and emotionally. That love is readily apparent in the songs you performed, and I wanted to thank you for sharing that with us." He led a round of applause before reciting the opening prayer.

The rest of the wedding proceeded with the traditional ceremony. Ashley's voice faltered during the Profession of Intent when they were asked if they would bring their children into the teachings and faith of the Church. Joe squeezed her hand reassuringly. Their vows were exchanged, with Joe and Ashley opting for the easiest method by answering "I do" to each question. The answers were barely audible, choked with emotion. It was even harder for them to find voices to repeat after the priest their ring exchange vow. The Rite of Marriage concluded, and it seemed to take forever before the priest presented them to the congregation as Joe and Ashley Smith. Joe was given permission to kiss the bride, and Ashley stepped toward him, tilting her head up. He held her face in his hands a moment before their lips met to caress each other tenderly.

They held hands throughout the following Mass portion of the ceremony. When it was over, the seven ladies in the wedding party proceeded out in pairs as Reena played The Wedding March. After the priest headed down the aisle, Ashley and Joe remained at the top of the steps and shared a lingering kiss to a thunderous applause. They turned to walk down the aisle together, and Mike added his guitar to the organ. The applause held through their exit, each guest knowing the history of their story, and what it meant for the couple to be together.

Only about a third of those who attended the ceremony showed up for the reception, which was perfect, since the house and large pool deck could comfortably entertain about as many. Dinner was exquisite, and the cake cutting was fun. Despite the egging on from guests, the first pieces were fed politely in each others mouth. The second piece however, was a different story. Joe cut a large one out of the cake and made a show of wanting to save it for later, but didn't know where. Then, of course, he eyed Ashley. She made a bunch of "don't you dare" pleas to no avail. He grabbed the front of her dress and down the piece went. Open-mouthed, she went to his cake and didn't bother cutting. She grabbed a hunk, made a quip about boys always wanting to "pad their stats", then sent the clump down the front of his pants. Their guests rewarded the fun with howls of surprise and laughter. They kissed and made up, of course, and Ashley excused herself to clean up. Joe offered to help with an exaggerated wink. She responded with her middle finger, to which Kim called out, "I thought that was supposed to be later!"

While Jill and Cindy went to help Ashley retrieve the cake, Joe also disappeared to fetch his own. The tables were removed, and the chairs were rearranged to the walls of the media room, patio, and pool deck. Ashley's band mates had been set up on a temporary platform constructed over the back half of the pool, and Reena announced the return of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Their first dance was the next event, and while they swayed and turned on the patio, Ashley softly sang "From This Moment" in Joe's ear. They kissed sweetly as the song ended. Reena transitioned and played the chords leading up to Van Halen's "Jump." 

Ashley called out "AWW YEAH!" while she surprised everyone but Jill by tearing free the long swooshing bottom of her dress to reveal a matching Tinkerbell cut skirt underneath. At the same time, Joe shrugged off his jacket. Jill was ready for the sudden wardrobe change, and gathered up the discarded items to take to her room. Ashley's freed-up legs kicked the party up a couple of notches by leading a series of fast-paced dancing. 

The band eventually slowed down for the father-daughter dance that was just as emotional for Joe as it was for Ashley and her dad. Seeing them dance close was a reward for his bold efforts to repair their relationship months ago. The mother-son dance paired Joe with Mrs. Roberts, during which she thanked him for saving Ashley.

After he said she was welcome, Mrs. Roberts clarified, "I'm not just talking about the cheerleading or car accidents last year. Ashley was heading down a dangerous path with her choice in boyfriends before you came along. Always unhappy, and often abused, but resigned to the notion that they were as good as she was going to get. Now she's been the happiest I've ever known her to be, and it's because of you. Thank you."

"I'll do my best to keep her that way." He didn't know what else to say.

"I know you will."

The party lasted well into the night, with Ashley and Joe rarely leaving the dance floor. Ashley finally was running out of fuel and gave Reena a look that said as much. After finishing the current song, the interim lead for the band announced that the couple would be departing soon and asked everyone to head out front for the farewell. Ashley and Joe retreated to their room to pick up their night bags.

At the front of the house, Joe reached up Ashley's skirt to get the garter. As his hands kept running up her thigh, he called out, "Did you even put it on?" A series of whistles and cheers from the male guests erupted. His hands kept going and he kissed her knee before peeking up her skirt for show. Once he found it nestled against her panties, he called out again. "Top floor, fellas!" It renewed the hearty cheers. He fiddled around with it, intentionally brushing his knuckles against her underwear. One of the guys shouted for him to not forget the garter when he came back out. Ashley's face turned deeper and deeper red, and Joe asked in a whisper "then why did you put it so high?" She responded that she'd tell him later. He smiled and brought down the elastic and showed it off to the applause. He shot it into the air, and the married men laughed when most of the single guys scrambled to get out of the way. One of their classmates gallantly reached out and caught it, mostly because Jill screamed out that it was bad luck if it hit the ground. Of course he got razzed because supposedly he now would be the next to get married.

The bouquet toss was the opposite, as it usually was. Ashley picked out three roses and handed one each to Joe, her mom, and her dad. She turned her back and pitched it over her head. What ensued was the closest thing to a mud wrestling event as a formal party can get. The single girls launched themselves into the fray, trying to get in the best position to catch the arrangement. It looked like Sally was going to win, as she had climbed over Jill's back to reach it. But it glanced off her hand and Cindy surprised everyone by outstretching Jasmine after the tip to claim her prize. Doug groaned theatrically at the result.

Goodbyes were said, hugs and kisses were given, then Ashley and Joe dashed for the waiting limo, pausing to wave before dipping inside.

"I am beat," Ashley declared when she plopped in the seat beside him.

The car pulled past the gates and turned up the street when Joe picked her up and deposited her in his lap. "Not too beat, I hope."

"Joe!" she giggled. 

Her thoughts turned to sitting back down and putting on a seat belt, but the spacious room and his hands' attention made her cast the thought aside. Joe reached over and hit a button that rolled up the privacy shade behind the driver. Ashley changed her position, hiking up her skirt before settling back down in his lap to face him.

Kissing him every few words, she asked, "So, will you have and hold me the rest of the days of my life?"

He looked into her eyes. "Yes, ma'am! Will you honor and obey me?"

She gave him a curious look. "That wasn't in our vows. What are you getting at?"

"Nothing. Forget it."

"Joe, I'd do anything you ask, but you should know that wearing a dog collar isn't my thing. Figuratively or literally."

"I'm sorry, Ashley. I was trying to be witty, and it was the first one that popped into my head. You know, from all sorts of movies."

She wasn't mad, but the idea that this might be how he viewed their marriage frightened her a bit. "You sure?"

"Yes. God knows that I'd be the one doing most of the obeying."

Ashley started regretting sitting on his lap. "Are you saying that I wouldn't honor our vows to be faithful to you? To love you? You're not making sense."

"I guess I should stop talking when I'm tired."

"Good. Maybe so."

"Although, Ash...thinking of you in a red nylon collar could be pretty hot."

She swatted his head. "I'll try anything once...so long as you go first." Then she kissed him, both knowing neither actually thought it was hot at all.

The limo chauffeur let them out at the hotel, saying he would pick them up later in the morning. Joe got them checked in, and the desk clerk smiled sweetly at Ashley, who had cradled her head in her arms on the counter while she waited. They followed the directions to their room on the fourth floor. Joe rattled off what he got for features in the room, but all Ashley was interested in was the word "bed".

Near noon, the couple met up with their house mates, Cindy, and Doug, as well as Kim and Ashley's parents for a brunch buffet. Once everyone had their food, Jasmine at the next table asked if they had fun last night. Ashley and Joe nodded and said that they did.

"Thanks for the note, by the way, Jazz," he said. "It was beautiful."

"I'm glad you liked it! So? What happened?" Jasmine pried.

"Please, do we have to hear this while we're eating?" Ashley's mom quipped.

"What? They're married now. Besides, we're used to hearing them." Ashley darted a look. "I mean, hearing about them."

Ashley threw a napkin at her friend. "Oh yeah, Jazz...that correction is soo much better."

Her dad laughed at Jasmine's faux pax. "Eh, it'll do some good to hear about two young married lovers."

Joe grinned. "All right, I'll give you a tasteful play-by-play." He checked, and both mothers nodded reluctantly. "We got to the room, and all Ashley wanted to know was how big the bed was. Ignoring everything else, we undressed each other, some parts with our teeth." Jill, Kim, and Jasmine egged him on with whistles. "So we hug and kiss for a while, telling each other how happy we were to be husband and wife. She backs me up until I fall on the bed. Then, she crawled over me, looking deeply into my eyes."

"What then?" asked Cindy to everyone's surprise.

"She fell asleep."

"NO WAY!" The exclamation came from both Kim and Jasmine.

"What do you mean 'fell asleep?' Like after?" Jill asked.

"Like crawled half-way, and fell asleep on my stomach...didn't even turn down the covers."

"Way to throw me under the bus, Joe. Two can play that game...you left out the part that you didn't know I crashed mid-seduction until you woke up and found me that way."

Their tables were roaring in laughter by now. Ashley excused herself to the bathroom, and Jasmine followed her. Both were standing at the vanity touching up their makeup after reappearing from the stalls.

"You really fell asleep mid-stream?" Jasmine asked.

"Mmm...before we even got started."

Jasmine giggled. "Hard to imagine that would happen with you. You're so aggressive when you're turned on." She paused while putting some pieces together in her head. "Or were you?"

"Turned on? Yes. But we were both so tired, it was a long day. I made it up to him this morning, though."

"I'm sure you did."

"How's your butt? We've been so busy, I hadn't checked on you."

Jasmine unbuttoned her pants and showed Ashley the yellow bruise in the shape of Ashley's hand.

Ashley flinched. "I'm sorry I did it that hard."

Jasmine pulled the pants back up and fastened them. "No, you're not. Besides, I deserved more than a blistering smack. I don't know what got into me that night."

"Joe."

"Ha flippin' ha. No way am I sorry about that wonderful experience, and I suspect that neither are you. But to intentionally make sure you were watching when I first kissed him that way...I'm still beating myself up over that."

Ashley put away her lip gloss and faced Jasmine. "It's been forgiven. I'm sorry my hand hurt you that bad. What did Jill say? Or have you been with Kim?"

Jasmine gave a smug smile. "Different nights, different girls. Kim was tender and kissed to make it better. Jill just sided with you since she saw the whole thing, too, and said I deserved a matching print on the other side. She didn't though." She took a deep breath. "Are we still good? You and I?"

Ashley smiled. "Yes, of course. I told you so the morning after, why would you think otherwise?"

"Because I'd hate to lose you." She meant to say 'your friendship', but kept going anyway. "All because I wasn't thinking and just acting with my hormones. I love you Ashley. More than Joe, more than the other two...though don't tell Jill."

Ashley hugged her tight. "I love you, too. Jill already knows, by the way."

Jasmine learned of the conversation at the club that took place when she left with Joe. She was embarrassed and horrified that so many saw through what she thought was a stoic wall, so she offered to leave after the Hawaii trip. It took some time for Ashley to convince Jasmine that it made her happy, not uncomfortable and that she should stay.

They returned to the group, finding everyone all smiles, the biggest on Kim's face. Ashley asked what was going on, and Joe informed her that Kim's parents accepted the offer to join them on the trip. Doug found a military flight, and even though Cindy was not his spouse, the Carter transition wasn't finished, so she could join him as a civilian contractor. Ashley thought it was cute when Doug patted Cindy's knee while he explained that there would be several stops and aircraft changes to get them there, but they would end up meeting the group in Pearl Harbor only a few hours after everyone else. Ashley thought that seemed like a lot of work and offered to buy the tickets for Kim herself. She also said she didn't want to see Cindy tangled up in a cargo net on a C130. Doug laughed and explained that the military branches had their own versions of airliners, and the final leg would be on a plane very similar to the executive jet the Smith's personally owned before Joe sold it to Carter. Besides, he had business in San Diego, and Cindy wanted to see the city, even if it was only for a couple of hours.

The party had already been cleaned up by the crew who came to pick up the tables. Cindy and Doug left straight from the restaurant to get going, since the first leg of their trip was departing that night. Ashley's parents took Kim's out to go shopping for their extended trip, while the others worked on packing. Joe was done with his suitcase inside an hour, and so was able to enjoy Ashley modeling outfits for him. His favorites were seeing her in a bathing suit or underwear. It was hard for her to choose what to bring, and she just changed in front of him, so he got plenty of what he liked. So much that he started helping her get into and out of each outfit, and he even gave suggestions as to what to wear under each. To Ashley, there just was something white-hot about Joe doing something as stupid as buttoning up her jeans for her. Because of that, the decision period got extended twice as a result of "distractions".

This plane trip with Joe was much more enjoyable to Ashley than the few before, especially the first one. Before the fall, she had only flown once. Since then there were five trips, three were on the private jet he had. The first was the frantic flight to Denver in an attempt to be with his injured parents. Joe was all but a rock then, devoid of much emotion other than intense worry. Ashley had to all but hand feed him to keep his strength up. Despite leaving school without permission, the racing speed he drove to the airport, and the pilots' best efforts to get the plane there quickly, they still arrived too late to say goodbye. The two other trips on that plane were for her to perform at the Carter IPO road shows. Those were fun, but Ashley was still recovering from her emergency surgery to repair an unseen injury from her own accident that had brought her into Joe's life for good. Those trips took her mind off being barren, which was the goal of why Cindy had arranged them. The last two flights were on commercial planes when Tales of the Blind had invited her to perform with them before she had put together her own band.

Of all the ways to fly, she liked the private jet best, of course. But, even though Joe had lots of money from the life insurance and inheritance, and was to get even more if he sold a hefty portion of his share in the newly public company, he just didn't have need for the plane and it was expensive to keep up, not mentioning the payroll involved to keep that staff full-time, so he sold it and the helicopter to the company. She hadn't flown first-class yet, so she couldn't rank that experience. However, Kim got that luxury when Cindy used her own money to fly her down for the funeral in a successful effort to cheer Ashley up. Kim said that it was really nice, but she couldn't really enjoy it between the reason for the flight and her guilt that Cindy was paying for it.

Ashley found out soon enough that she did NOT like the puddle-jumper they boarded for the 45 minute flight to Atlanta. Between the turbulence caused by the rain that came in when they left (although she considered the rain close enough to the wedding to count for luck), and the tight quarters, she felt like the last Tic Tac left in it's box. The only good thing about the small aircraft was that since there were 9 in their group, only 9 others were on board. The seating arrangements were agreed to be rather loose, and everybody had fun needling Ashley about her tense state. She took it in good humor, but, as soon as they stepped into the terminal after landing, Ashley broke her hand free of Joe's and rushed off to the restroom. Jasmine went to follow, but since she had instigated much of the jokes, Ashley warned her off with a stern finger point. Kim and Mrs. Roberts did follow after her and asked if she was alright. Ashley just wanted a minute alone to collect her frayed nerves, and said so through the stall door. After freshening up with some splashed water onto her face at the sink, she returned to the group in a much better mood and eased their concerns.





An Angel's Fix Pt. 03



They reached the concourse that they needed with time so spare, and strolled leisurely past the gift shops and eateries that were just opening their gates for the day. Another petite redhead caught her eye and Ashley stopped to approach her.

"Haley?"

"Ashley?" they had asked each other at the same time.

Ashley giggled at the mutual recognition. Haley hugged her as if they were long-time friends, then asked if Ashley wanted a cup of coffee, since she had some time before her next flight. Ashley looked at Joe and he said that they, too had some time. The two young ladies broke away from their groups to talk shop at a Starbucks. After about 20 minutes they said farewell to each other with a kiss on the cheek. Once Ashley found the group at a gift shop next door, they all wanted to know who that was.

"Oh my God," Ashley said breathlessly. "Haley Williams? Decode from the Twilight soundtrack? Lead singer of the alternative rock band Paramore? Ugh, still nothing?" she asked the blank stares.

It dawned on Kim. "Oh...didn't she do Airplanes for B.O.B?"

"Yes!" Ashley clapped excitedly.

"You didn't stop her...you both stopped at the same time. How does she know you?" asked her dad.

"She said she saw some snippets of me on YouTube...a couple from that beach contest and concert, and from a couple of Tales' shows."

Jill said, "You two could pass for sisters."

"Not really," Ashley said, a trite confused.

Joe laughed. "You're both short, petite, pretty, outgoing, have red hair and amazing voices. Yeah, Jill...they're completely different. How could you say they look alike?"

"Her hair is lighter than mine," Ashley protested thinly.

The group laughed then wanted to know what was said. Ashley checked her watch and told them that she would fill them in at the gate.

"So basically, she said I should just keep plugging along and eventually the right person will hear me and get me a permanent contract." Ashley was finishing up when her and Joe's row number was called for boarding.

Joe nudged her to let her know they were called, and he handed her the paper. She didn't look at it, in fact she hadn't looked at any of them. It didn't matter to her whether it was window or aisle, front or back, just getting away from it all with her family and friends was enough. They handed the passes to the attendant who welcomed them warmly and followed her only a short distance before she stopped, pointing at one of the rows of very comfortable looking leather seats.

"Are you sure?" Ashley asked, surprised.

"Quite," responded the perky attendant who returned the boarding pass. "I'll be back to check on y'all in a bit."

Ashley couldn't believe it and still stood in the aisle. Joe looked over her shoulder and pointed to her pass. "Right there in the section field." He affected a speech impediment, "Firdst clath."

"That's not nice, you dork." She only called him that when she really didn't approve of something he did that wasn't all that funny.

A smirk formed on his face. "Anyway, they wanted to treat us for the wedding, so they went all-out. At least that's what their manager told me on the phone." He was talking, of course, about the band Ashley would be opening for tomorrow night.

He put their carry-on bags in the overhead and offered her choice of seat. She took the aisle, saying that if they flew over something interesting, she could just sit in his lap to see it. Once settled and she started looking around, Ashley felt a tad under-dressed. It was the beginning of the week, and the people filling the rest of the seats in their section were mostly dressed in very nice suits, the ladies as well. She didn't dress frumpy, but she looked at her jeans self consciously. Joe pointed out that at least three people were obviously upgraded by points, judging by their clothing choice and giddiness while gawking at their surroundings. One other man appeared used to flying in this cabin, and he was dressed in jeans. Joe assured her that she looked like she belonged, just that she chose to be comfortable.

Their group filed past before long, and Kim and Jasmine popped her on the head as they passed, saying that she was lucky to have such a seat. Ashley thought of her band, who wanted to sleep in, so she got them tickets on a different carrier that was heading another way over. She checked her watch and pulled her phone from her jeans waistband to send Reena a text to see how their first hop went. They should have been in Dallas by now. She fidgeted with her phone for a second.

"Issues?" asked Joe.

"Yeah, I'm not getting any service...do they block signals on planes now?"

He chuckled. "No, I had the company turn that one off."

"WHY??" The loud whine turned a few heads.

Joe shook his head, knowing he should have expected that, since Ashley LOVED her cellphone. He pulled a slender black box with a flattened bow from his pocket. "So I could give you this. My wedding present to you."

She untied the bow and shook the bottom out into her other hand. She stared at a small flat screen not unlike an iPod Touch. Pulling it free from the velvet tray, she found it was about as thin. "Where did you get this?"

"Carter's new model...won't be released for a few months. Look at the serial number."

Ashley turned it over to find elegant etching in the corner that stated the model was named "Ashley" and this unit's number was A0000001. "You named a phone after me? How?"

"I still have some pull over there, and they were happy to do it. Especially after they found out how much you liked your old one. I took the liberty to load your mp3 library onto it, so you could listen to it on this trip."

She hugged her spouse enthusiastically, then said she didn't know what to think about a phone named after her. He said not to worry about it too much, the company knew they're behind in phones and were entering the Android market as an "also ran." Ashley said that she still loved it, tinkering with its options. First thing she did was text Reena. Next, she followed Haley's advice and revisited her Twitter account for the first time in over a year. Surprised that the old account had gathered a few hundred followers, her first tweet was that her name changed. She updated several details, like her new hometown and her last name.

Ashley tweeted again, this time saying, "Joe gave me a new phone, on way to honeymoon and to open for @TalesofBlind, with family and bffs, met Haley Williams -- life is good."

Joe texted Cindy to thank her for her part in getting Ashley's phone and that she loved it. Then, he sent one to Ashley. Ashley switched over and read it. She looked at him to see a goofy grin on his face. Somewhat embarrassed, she looked around even though no one could have possibly known what was said. There was another text that read simply, "Well?"

She stared at the seat ahead of her for a second to consider things. "Why not? All they can do is arrest us, right? When I get up, follow me like three minutes later," she finally texted back just when the attendants were asking passengers to power down their gadgets. A shy smile answered his look of hope.

The newly weds didn't talk much during the first part of the flight. Ashley still was enthralled with the way the acceleration pushed her back in the seat, and the ever-changing horizon as it soared and dipped past the window on the turns. Clouds from the approaching front they left behind when they took off from home soon blanketed the view, and she settled back into her seat. The larger plane was much smoother and Ashley was comfortable enough to slip off her sandals and tuck her bare feet under her while she used up the entertainment value of the sparse reading selections in the pocket in front of her. After a while, the third glass of Coke made its way through her, and she slipped the shoes back on to head for the toilet behind them. She had enough time to take a very satisfying pee and was wiping when she heard Joe cough outside the door.

"Sorry, I forgot," she said when she let him in.

For a second, they just stood facing each other in the tiny cabin. Her jeans were still unfastened.

"You still want to?" Joe asked.

She nodded and he started pawing at the front of her shirt. "No time for that," she said while turning around and then pulled her jeans down a bit, along with her panties. "You gotta be quick. I really don't want to get caught."

She was bent over the toilet when he entered her from behind. Ashley put a hand on the wall ahead to brace herself against his thrusts. "Good Joe. That feels so good. Take me!"

The thrusts came quicker as she cooed her encouragement, and she hoped he would climax quickly. Ashley had to admit that doing this naughty thing had turned her on, and she started to really enjoy the sex Joe was giving her. He was thrusting hard now, and the skin holding his balls was tickling her button just right. Her breaths started getting more shallow and for a second she was preparing to cum with him. The tingling in her toes began, followed by the sharp shock of fright. A firm knock on the door completely screwed everything up.

Ashley and Joe enjoyed a prime rib sandwich for lunch a few minutes later, and when Ashley finished her chips (which she requested instead of the veggies), she told Joe that she was going to trade places with her mom for a while. She went back to find her dad asleep, and asked her mom if she wanted to sit with Joe for a while. They traded places and once her mom was out of view, Ashley looked at her girlfriends with a mischievous grin.

"Holy headlights, Ashley!" Kim exclaimed.

"Yeah," Ashley blushed. "Jazz, did you put a bra in your carry-on?" Jasmine shook her head. "Kim, what about you? You're a little bigger up top but I can make it work."

"Nope. T-shirts, jeans, shorts, panties, tampons. That's pretty much it. What happened to yours?"

Ashley flushed a little harder. She lowered her voice, leaned over to the three and said, "We, uh, joined the Mile-High Club."

Jill's mouth fell open while the other two started grinning like mad. "How did you manage that?" Jill asked.

Ashley told them how Joe met her in the bathroom and what had started happening.

"So...you flushed your bra?" Kim asked, nodding to the cold-induced protrusions on Ashley's shirt.

Ashley giggled. "No. We were really in the groove when the stewardess knocked on the door and asked if everything was all right. Joe said that we'd be right out. We scrambled to get our pants up when she said that two people cannot be in the same bathroom, and she threatened to find the air marshal."

"Oh shit," said Jasmine.

"Right? So Joe looked at me in a way that demanded I trust him. He pulls my shirt collar over my shoulder, grabs my bra strap and the cup, and yanked in opposite directions. Luckily it broke on the first try."

"Luckily? Which one were you wearing?"

"Red lace..." The others groaned, knowing she really liked that one. "But anyway...it hurt my boob like a bitch." She pulled down her shirt collar to show the bruise to which her friends winced. Out of the corner of her eye, Ashley noticed a guy keenly trying to listen in while she talked to her friends across the aisle, and got a show for it. "Want me to show more?" she asked him, loud enough for the gal next to him she assumed he was attached to could hear. 

Getting up to crouch next to them, she continued. "Where was I? Oh yeah...so it snapped and Joe opened the door with my shirt down and bra strap hanging out. He told the attendant that he was trying to help me fix the bra. Then he turned to me and said that it looked like he'd have to get me a new one after we landed. The woman bought it...sort of...at least enough to leave us alone."

Jasmine asked, "So...was it good?"

Ashley laughed. "Neither of us got to finish, but I still say it counts. Would have been better if there wasn't the fear of being caught. I started thinking about how far off the ground we are, and how we're streaking across the sky, just humping away...all-in-all, yeah, I'd say it was hot."

She stayed and chatted with them for a while before her mom came back and said she wanted to trade back before Ashley would have to fight her out of the seat. Ashley returned to her cabin and caught Joe looking for her. She tossed her head back and forth playfully and sung one of the tag lines from a song on her recent CD. "Round and round again, I'm back to you."

Joe made a comment about liking her shirt, to which she clarified for him that he probably liked the condition of what was under it. He agreed and they kissed sweetly for a while. It took a few seconds for them to realize that the guy in jeans was standing next to their row.

When they broke their affection, he apologized for interrupting them. He asked if she was Ashley Roberts, to which she corrected the last name to Smith but said that she was who he thought. He introduced himself as Matt Campbell, owner of Fell Off The Truck Records. Matt had recognized Joe from the various press conferences regarding the Carter IPO and congratulated him on the success of taking the company public. He hadn't placed who Ashley was until she sang that line and he complimented her voice before crouching down so they wouldn't have to look up at him. Matt handed her his card and said that he specialized in finding new talent, and his label already had several local bands release records, not unlike Ashley. He was currently looking for that one big hit person or group to send his company into the national spotlight. Then he asked if Ashley had a recording contract, knowing her album was just released. When she told him that it was just a fun one-time project, his eyes smiled and he sensed an opportunity.

"I'm heading to LA to look at a few artists who look promising. Are you heading there?"

Ashley answered, "No, we're on our honeymoon, heading to Hawaii."

"Oh, well congratulations on your wedding. I just was hoping to hear you in person."

She shrugged. "I'm opening for Tales of the Blind, though I don't know why. I have no idea what I'm doing."

Joe laughed. "Don't let her fool you. She knows EXACTLY what she's doing. Just maybe not consciously." He wrapped an arm around her upper chest and intertwined her fingers with his with his other hand.

"Thanks, Joe," she smiled.

Matt smiled at their affection, wished her luck and returned to his seat.

Several hours later, Joe wandered the airport at Honolulu with Ashley while they waited for her band to arrive. The others rented a van to start exploring the city before they all were to meet up at a restaurant. Due to shorter layovers, it was only an hour before Ashley and Reena were jumping up and down in each others arms, excited to be in a vacation dreamland.

At dinner, Ashley yawned profusely. Her body told her that it was just after midnight, but her new cellphone said it was only around eight. She stopped in the hotel lobby after dinner, saying that she wanted to pick something up from the drugstore a couple of blocks over. Her girlfriends went walking with her, enjoying the warm night air, and the thrill of a major city. She said good night to them when they got back and retreated to her room with Joe.

He was laying on the bed in boxers while watching TV. She dropped her purchase on the nightstand. "Joe, I know that other than a few quick trists, you haven't gotten the attention you deserve since the wedding. I don't care how tired I am, I'm making it up to you tonight. I just gotta shower first," she said while undressing.

He sat up. "Can I join you?"

"Nope!" she said with a teasing smile as the door closed when her butt went out of view. When she stepped out of the shower, she called, "Joe! I need some help."

He came running in to find her standing on a towel outside the tub, her hands folded at the top of her thighs in a very coy posture. "What's wrong?"

"I can't find a towel, can you dry me off?" she asked in a little girl voice.

He reached for the rack beside the toilet. "But there's plenty right..." he caught a scolding look. "Ohhhh."

She recomposed her pseudo innocent look. "Those look dirty...maybe you can find something else?" Her tongue darted out in a hint.

He stepped forward and began kissing the water from her forehead, working his way over her face while his hand found her drenched hair and began playing with it. They kissed and played with each others tongues for a bit, his boxers beginning to get wet from holding her so close. Joe led her by the hand to the bed and laid her down, proceeding to lick the water from her neck. He took his time to be thorough, starting next with her hands and traveling up her arms. She inhaled sharply when his tongue lapped the sensitive arm pit, thankful she had spent a few extra moments to clean and shave them. The droplets disappeared from her ribcage onto his tongue, followed by the ones from the soft flesh of her breasts. He paused to apologize for the bruise, but she just guided his head back down. She groaned when he ignored her nipples and bathed her tummy, paying special attention to the scar to the inside of her hip bone. Again skipping another sensitive part, he crawled down to her feet, licking the soles before taking her toes into his mouth. She wanted to cum so bad right then. As if he read her mind, his mouth switched feet, while his hands manipulated the previous one. Ashley was so turned on by the sensations, her hands balled into fists as she fought the temptation to touch herself. His touch transformed her feet, replacing the fatigued tension with new tautness that reflexively formed from her pleasure. She didn't climax from this, probably because she was expecting to and wishing so hard for it to happen. Her legs were mostly dry now but he moisturized them with soft licks, kisses, and nibbles of his mouth. Ashley was past the initial want of a climax, and now desired to be teased for a while. He nibbled inside her thighs and made her squirm before zeroing in on her clit. 

"No, oh fuck. Oh fuck!" she screamed as the involuntary orgasm sent fireworks shooting through her head. Waves of delicious pleasure rolled through her body and she stopped fighting it and gripped his hair to lock him onto her. She rode his mouth through two more orgasms before releasing him with an "Oh shit, that was good."

He crawled up next to her, pausing briefly to suckle on one of her ignored nipples. Joe put his arm behind her head for a pillow and kissed her. She could taste herself in his mouth, and she thrilled at the reminder of moments with her friends. "Sorry," he said with a smile at last.

"For what? That was amazing, though I wanted to last longer before going."

He chuckled. "Well, try as I might, I just couldn't get you dry down there."

She giggled happily before beginning to kiss him again. The make out session became more insistent and she could feel him begin to rub his dick against her hip. Ashley broke the embrace to clamber over to the nightstand and retrieve the bottle she bought. She squeezed some onto her fingers and then slid it over her nipples. Making a trail down her stomach, she drizzled the liquid onto her body, letting more than enough fall onto her pubic bone. After she closed the top, she reached down to spread the lube around her pussy. It made for a different kind of wet, and her eyes flew open when she allowed her slippery fingers inside. He asked if she was going to use some on him, but she just gave a grin and shook her head.

"I'm feeling a bit selfish right now," she said after a while, continuing to masturbate under his horny gaze. "It's flavored, why don't you lick it off?"

His head dipped down and she gasped at the new slippery sensation. He moved to her other nipple and got a similar reaction. His hand found hers and he enjoyed the erotic feeling of massaging her coated hand while it worked to bring her pleasure. Joe let is lips play with the lube trail on her torso before kissing her upper legs with his slippery mouth. Ashley was very close, grunting and writhing on the bed. He sucked at one of her knuckles while he teased her lubricated ass with a finger.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 04



It has long been said that time flies when you're having fun. It could not have been truer for Ashley. In the blink of an eye, Florida State's orientation was upon them. For the three girls who were attending, it was a blast. Well, at least it was outside of the obligatory campus tour guided by a grad student, who was "volunteered", or especially the security and health presentation. Who really wanted to know that the most "popular" STD on campus was genital warts? Aside from those too-much-info categories, Ashley enjoyed the orientation process.

A grad student sat next to Ashley and asked all the necessary information during the course selection counseling. At first, the name Ashley Smith flew right over the young woman's head. But when Ashley answered that she wanted to major in performing arts, it clicked. Her expression at first was of cynicism, as many students tried to get into their venerable College of Music, but only a fraction made it in. The acceptance level for the College of Visual Arts, Theater, and Dance was even more extreme in the diminutive. But quickly her face turned in surprise to recognition.

"The hair, the style, the poise...but the name only partially fits."

Ashley smiled. "I just got married."

"You were also known as Ashley Roberts?"

"Correct. That was my maiden name. See?" She pointed to the pack of school registration papers she just signed.

"So, rumors of you being a bit of a smart-ass are true."

Ashley chuckled. "Not so much. Wait. What rumors? I just got here."

"But, you're Ashley, the YouTube star. Aren't you?"

"I don't know about all that. I know of a couple videos that were taped while I was singing."

The grad student shook her head at Ashley's modesty. "So far, 10 different videos and several reposts...all of them going viral with tens of thousands of views each. The most recent was of you doing Sweet Child 'O Mine. My favorite two are of you singing Ashley's Song at that school, and your rendition of Nine Inch Nails."

Ashley let out a heavy sigh. "I wish I'd never done that version of Ashley's Song."

"Why? You're like sexy as hell in it. You rocked!"

"Yes, I know. I did it for Joe's benefit. Not my parents, who got to see it on the news that night."

"Ouch."

"No shit...anyway...what about my classes?"

The grad student looked down toward her assignment cheat sheet, but something caught her eye on the way. "Hey, isn't that Joe Smith, the quarterback who was going to come here? He looked so cute and hurt on TV when he announced that his parents died. I just wanted to cuddle and comfort him all night. Didn't you?"

Ashley started to get frustrated and slumped in her seat. She looked at her counselor's name tag. "Amy! If you don't focus, I'll have to ask for someone else to help me pick classes. Yes, that's Joe. I was at that press conference, just out of camera view. And I DID hold and comfort him for weeks. It might be part of why he MARRIED me this summer."

Amy still looked lost in dreamland. "I heard he's so smart, he could have gone to MIT."

Ashley sighed. "He is, they asked him to apply. But he didn't want to follow his dad's path. He wanted to play football here. When his folks died, it changed his mind about going pro. Amy, I'll tell you more later if you'd just either help me, or at least sign off on whatever I pick."

Amy turned to Ashley. "Really? You'd let me hang out with you?"

"Er...it'd be more like us hanging out with you. My friends and I don't know anyone here, other than Joe. From what I understand, the guys and girls are more or less separated from each other during orientation night."

"That's true. Less distractions and chances for unsavory news. But girl, you are so getting hooked up tonight."

"Erm, I hope that means favors and perks, not guys."

"Well yeah. I'll take you to Sorority Row. You'll even be able to go in my sorority house. Most of the recruiters show up at the dorm to plant seeds for Rush Week. But, no matter which one you choose, you'll be a shoo-in. I'll make sure of it. So, what were you thinking of taking your first semester?" Amy rushed this part to show Ashley she was getting back on track.

"I'm not too sure. There's a reason I'm not going to MIT...or Julliard for that matter."

Amy took the time to open Ashley's course catalog, and explained to her that no matter what happened, she should hang on to THIS copy. The requirements listed, and all notes made by her and future advisers would be honored come graduation, even if the requirements changed. She asked Ashley what her goal was, and Ashley stated that she wanted a degree in music and maybe dance. It was a similar type of answer many entering freshman gave. Amy shook her head, knowing how many grave and expensive mistakes were caused by such a response. She explained that by saying "I want a degree in..." she could and most likely would show the quickest route of courses to take in order to earn that degree. But, the danger was that the student didn't want those electives, would lose interest, therefore hate school and do poorly.

Amy asked why Ashley was there, as it was apparent that she could make at least a modest living by just riding the wave. Ashley said she wanted more than that. She wanted to create music, be better at performing, and improve her dancing. Amy congratulated her on a much better answer. Now, she could ask if Ashley was more interested in voice or instrument, and whether a degree in dance was a must-have. They went over the course requirements for a music performance degree, and Ashley's head swam.

"Holy fuck," she whispered.

Amy grinned. "Yes, the College of Music is large here, but very intense. That's why I asked if a dance degree was a must for you. If so, you won't leave before you're almost thirty, because doing these side-by-side is impossible. Majoring in Strings and Voice is possible, though not probable. There may not be enough hours in the day for you to sleep."

Ashley groaned. "I was thinking that I'd take all my liberal arts courses the first two years, and then take the music ones."

"You could, BUT declaring 'Undecided' your first two years would set you back another two years. When you decide to declare your music major at the end of your sophomore year, you'd pretty much be starting over, at least in time. Your math, sciences, and other state required courses would count, of course, but entrance into the College of Music is very competitive, and it requires certain courses to be completed in your first two years. Are you sure you still want to do this?"

"Absolutely."

Dinner in the student food court was the last time Ashley saw Joe that day. The night was fun, and took her mind off his absence. For orientation, the class was housed in Sally Hall, a twin tower dorm. Boys were assigned the east tower, girls stayed in the west. Sally Hall, also known as The Jail or Sally Hell, they found out from siblings of graduates, was set up as a suite dorm arrangement. Two students to a bedroom, four to a study, and eight shared a bathroom. The cinder block walls of the miniscule bedrooms, tile floor, thin rod bunk beds, and the institutional restroom, complete with shower curtains for stall doors all made the jail title very fitting. If Ashley were staying on campus, she'd rather deal with the distractions of a co-ed floor at Kellum where half the floor shared a large bathroom, than be boxed up in this place. But, this was temporary, and as the ladies finished arranging things from their suitcases, they started filtering into the hallway to mingle.

Ashley and Jill shared one bedroom, and Jasmine had the one next door. Her roommate for the night was a very inquisitive and spunky blonde. It was not long before Jasmine was in the other room, sitting next to Ashley on her bed. They had left the doors open, but hadn't ventured out yet as they were comparing notes from the day. The blonde came in to see where her "roomy" went, and ended up making herself at home on the other end of Jill's bed. She interrupted their conversation to find out how they knew each other, and Jill obliged with a simple explanation that they were friends from high school. It wasn't until Ashley was relating what all she had to take this semester that the girl finally put two and two together.

"Oh my God! You're Ashley Roberts!" she exclaimed, pointing a finger at the accused.

Ashley gave a polite smile and held up her hand to display her wedding band. "Ashley Smith, now."

A number of girls from the next study and just outside in the hallway scurried into their study to take a peek. Looking through the doorway, they could see the redhead giving a shy smile at them with a small wave. Some asked how she came up with Ashley's Song, and she related the tale. The girls did a string of self-introductions, and Ashley gave another wave, saying her own name, which gathered a lot of nervous giggles. She asked where everybody was from, and Jasmine laid back on Jill's bed. She knew this would be a while because as good as Ashley was at engaging crowds, crowds engaged Ashley. Jasmine wanted either of two things -- to stay in and just chat with her friends, or go out to see some of the nightlife. Option two would only happen if a university-approved sorority ambassador happened to invite specific girls out, and the first option was heading out the window since things were rolling toward a sing-along event.

Unknown to Jasmine, Ashley had texted Amy her room number after dinner. It was almost on cue when she showed up just as Jasmine's roommate requested Ashley sing her hit song. Ashley saw Amy and begged to give a rain check. She introduced Amy to the girls that now packed their room, study, and spilled into the hallway. Amy asked to speak to Ashley about class schedules, and most everybody took the hint. Jasmine's roommate finally got it when Amy gave her a cold shoulder, but Jasmine and Jill stayed put. Amy asked Ashley if she was ready to go and Ashley said only if Jill and Jasmine could go too. Amy agreed and waited for them to make a pit stop before heading out.

The hallway was quite busy now, as sorority officers were checking out the fresh blood coming into the school. The scene reminded Ashley of a courtship, although the lines were blurred as to who was the contestant and who was the prize. The recruiters sized up potential pledges, and would zero in on the promising ones. In turn, the new students would surround the recruiters the second they stopped to talk, trying to gain attention unto themselves. Their room was at the end of the hall, so Amy winked at a couple of her sisters and ducked out the fire exit. As they descended the eight flights from their top floor, Ashley asked why they didn't use the elevator. Amy asked if Ashley wanted to run that gauntlet, and the point was well taken. The scene on each floor was very similar, the high-pitched excited chatter spilling through the doors as they passed.

They headed south toward Sorority Row and Amy explained as they walked that the security speech earlier in the day was no joke. The campus is very open, and easily accessible from every side. FSU has a reputation for having a very friendly, very attractive, and very plentiful female population. In a way, it made the campus a target for sex crimes. Serial rapist and killer Ted Bundy had made a good portion of his notoriety from this campus, and a number of security features had been installed after that nightmare. Still, even though there were call boxes everywhere, better lighting, and a beefier campus police force, the one thing that made the place safer was training students to have a heightened awareness to what was going on around them. That part was easier now that the medical school had replaced the last patch of dark woods on the property.

Aside from the sober warnings, Amy was fun to be around. She was funny and intelligent, even if a little scatter-brained. Jasmine and Jill thought that she was a lot like Ashley in some ways, and they liked her immediately. Amy announced Sorority Row when they entered the street, and it looked more beautiful at night than the last time they visited during Joe's football game against Florida High.

Their time inside the house ended up being short-lived. The upperclassmen that had either stayed through the summer or returned early to start getting things set up were all very sweet and warm. Each was capable of gracing a magazine page, and the combined beauty in the room could make even the Pope reconsider his lifestyle choice. But, Ashley naturally put them at ease, and Jill exploited the relaxed talk to extract information. She had a way of using filters in her head to bore down and get to the real truth, and a few warning flags had raised in her head. Jasmine caught the look and touched Ashley's arm. She fibbed, saying that she wanted to visit another sorority that she was invited to at dinner before they had to be back. Numbers were exchanged, and they turned down Amy's offer of walking them back.

They left the house and Jasmine asked Jill what she thought. Jill said that the ladies were genuinely nice, but their recruiting was weighted heavily toward looks. No questions were asked of them relating to their majors or hobbies, and that's what set off the alarm in her head.

"It's a party house," Jill said. "Not like Animal House party, but underneath, they're definitely boy-crazy. That's all fine and dandy, but I got shit to do, and not enough time for that."

Ashley nodded, feeling the same way. They asked Jasmine where she was invited, but she said she made up the excuse, hoping for a way out and thought that mingling with their future classmates would be more fun. They were turning the corner to head north toward the dorms when a pleasant feminine voice called out to get their attention. They turned to see a bubbly, yet concerned, young lady jog toward them from the front of another southern mansion. She had guessed that they were new and asked what they were doing without a guide with them. They explained where they had been and that they had refused an escort. She smirked at the rival house's name and introduced herself as this year's president of her sorority. The girls braced themselves for a pitch, but instead, she said she would walk them back to the dorm so that campus police wouldn't harass them for being out without an escort.

As they walked, she offered nothing about her sorority, but asked all kinds of questions about them. When Jill baited her by mentioning Ashley's CD, she simply said that she thought one of her friends had bought one. The towers of their dorm came into view and Jill asked about her sorority. The escort said that they were about leadership, community, friendship, and had a healthy social life. The order of the answers prompted more questions from Jill and facts about dues, member responsibilities, and benefits of sisterhood were generously given. Jill was sold even before Jasmine got information about the numerous social and dating events, which were an inevitable part of any co-ed school. Glancing at Ashley's ring, the sorority president said that they did not exclude married pledges, although it had been some time since someone had entered as having been hitched.

Jill wanted to sign up when they got to the dorm, but was told that tonight was all about questions and answers on the school, and Greek life. No actual recruiting, or at least paperwork, could be done until rush week during the second week of school. She addressed the campus police officer stationed outside the dorm by first name and kissed him on the cheek, fibbing that the girls were with her. He smiled, nodded them inside, and said that he would see her later. They asked if she wanted to come up to their room, but she winked and with a nod toward the officer said that she had to get things ready for someone about to come off shift.

It was eleven when they returned and the crowds in the hallways had thinned out somewhat. Ashley decided to try the online registration from her phone, but the site stated prohibitively that class registration would open at midnight. She got the idea to try the backup phone system and gasped in surprise when it asked for her access code. She grabbed her trial schedule and punched in the ID numbers, gleefully hearing "confirmed" for each one. Quietly, she told Jill and Jasmine to try it, and they were successful as well. Jasmine clued in her roommate after she was done, but the loophole had closed. They chatted about nonsense until twelve, and Ashley tried the website again, to ensure her choices had stuck. The volume of students trying to get in jammed the connection, and she gave up after an hour and a half, occasionally hearing groans of disappointment and frustration down the hall and across the bathroom.

Ashley woke at five and unable to get back to sleep, she looked again to see if her selections were still in the system. The site popped right up, and everything was still in order -- each class also displaying the tag "full" beside "confirmed." She padded over next door and gently woke Jasmine's bunk mate, offering her the use of her phone to register. She took the opportunity to have a shower and get dressed for the day before the bathroom would have to be fought over. When she got out, the roommate thanked her and said that most of her first choices were taken, but she got a lot of second choices that she was happy with. Ashley laid back down in her room and sent a text to Joe in hopes of passing the time until the sun would start to light the windows. He was up, but said that he had a bad night. They switched to calling, and chatted about it for a while before Joe said that he was going to get ready and would see her downstairs before they headed to breakfast.

He held Ashley's butt when she jumped up and attacked him with kisses. Still holding Ashley off the ground, Jasmine kissed him on the lips and made way for Jill and Joe to kiss each other's cheek. The scene caught some stares and open mouths from some of the other freshmen filing past toward the student union. The rest of the morning was pretty boring, even though it was intended to be a pep rally of sorts to get the students excited about the fall term. A guidance session was offered for those who couldn't get their trial schedules to work out, but since all four got their choices, they picked up their confirmations and were released.

Kim was interested in their stories at lunch, but insanely jealous. The community college orientation was a handful of small assemblies where packets of information were handed out. Her course choices were straightforward as her only request to the counselor was that she obtain an AA degree in the fastest manner possible so she could join her friends at the university. The sororities sounded fun, and she wished she could have hung out on campus. But when Joe told his story, she was heartbroken.

For him, everything was fun as well, right up to the part when the frat recruiters arrived. One of them recognized him from the campus paper last fall when it did a story on the top football recruit playing at the on-campus high school game. It pitched Joe as the possible savior to the university's quarterback troubles. But then, a second article in the winter announced that Joe had changed his mind, electing not to play football at all. He ribbed Joe about not hacking it, the ribbing turned to taunts, taunts into harassment from a number of recruiters and students alike. The junior also said that Joe's girlfriend at the time was hot and crudely said that maybe he would show her real pleasure. Joe had made a fist to show his wedding band and said that Ashley was now his wife. Things appeared headed to a physical fight, and the floor moderator ended up calling police. An officer showed up and his presence alone made the provokers back off. Joe ended up camping out in his room, reading news on the netbook computer he brought.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 04



Ashley had heard all this in the morning when he called her after the text, but the others had not. They were surprised how relaxed she was, but she said that it was already discussed and then changed the subject by picking up her tray and suggested they get going. They went to the administration building wrapped around the stadium, stopping by the registrar's office for printouts of their enrollment, and spent over an hour waiting to submit their scholarship information to the cashiers.

A notice of a package was waiting for Ashley when they returned home. Ashley tore into the large flat package Cindy picked up from the FedEx facility. Inside the brown wrapper were two boxes laying on each other. The top one had a note that read: "Congratulations, Ashley! Wish we still had you." Inside that box was a framed gold record. A copy of the album cover was under it along with a plate engraved with "'Ashley -- Decaff' Certified 100,000 Copies Sold" and the year. The second box was similar, except the record was a small platinum 45. It's plate said the single Ashley's Song had certified 500,000 units downloaded. She immediately called the recording studio's manager, and he congratulated her and then apologized that no ceremony was done. Since she had only signed a contract with them for that album, and now signed with a different company, it would have been a pointless exercise from a business standpoint. She understood and said that she didn't even expect the trophies. He said that she deserved them, and she might even end up receiving a royalty check, as orders were still trickling in.

One of the requirements for Ashley's degree was that she obtain proficiency in piano accompaniment, an instrument she had never played, other than fooling around with Joe from time to time. Within a couple of days, she had Joe start teaching her, and the house was filled with the tune of fumbling scales for hours at a time. Ashley already had the fundamentals of music from her other instruments and singing, and it wasn't long before she could play simple nursery rhymes by sight. During one of her lessons, she approached Joe about the subject of trading in the roadster he had given her after the wreck.

"Is something wrong with it?" he asked.

"No. I just want something that's mine. I paid myself for the first time this month, and I want a treat. I love your car, and I know it was a birthday gift to you from your parents. But, I...it still doesn't feel like it's mine. I could give it back to you and just buy a car myself, if you want."

"It's yours, you can do what you like with it. I have a few other vehicles out there in the garage."

"I ask because I didn't know if it was sentimental to you...after everything that's happened." She actually hated bringing this up, and now her inner-dialogue was making her feel ashamed for rejecting the car...again.

"Ashley, seriously? I told you when I gave it to you that I never really liked it. Too flashy for my taste. You still don't believe me? I said then that it was yours, and that remains true."

"Are you sure?"

He huffed in frustration. "I'll go with you to sign it over, is that sure enough for you?"

She leaned into him and gave him a happy kiss. "Thanks for understanding."

They went to the Nissan dealership the next day, as Ashley's heart was set on a NISMO 370Z. She strode in with visions of zipping down the road in a black one. Seeing what was being traded in, the general manager had zero problems granting her a test drive alone with Joe. Joe trusted her completely, so much so that he actually started drifting off as she darted in and out of traffic on a stretch of interstate. They stayed out for a while, stopping to have lunch and talk about the car. Or rather, Joe listened as Ashley talked. It was safe to say that she was sold on it...until they returned to the dealership. Joe's jaw nearly fell to the ground when she told the sales guy that a truck had caught her eye, and that she wanted to know more about it. 

She spent nearly two hours grilling the salesman, crawling over, in, and around the truck. She even went so far as to ask for a second sales person, preferably a female. None were in that day, so she settled for the finance manager. The lady was confused, but answered Ashley's questions all the same. The answers could have been seen as brown-nosing, yes the truck looked great on her. Yes, they could picture her owning and driving the truck. But when Ashley asked why, the finance manager said that she had driven one and liked how safe she felt, and she could see further down the road than in a car. Ashley agreed, thanked the lady and asked for a test drive.

Ashley loved it and returned to the dealership, placing an order for a red one with all the bells and whistles, including even a custom tent top for the bed. Joe helped her haggle the price down to only a thousand over invoice, and once the trade-in was deducted, she made the payment and delivery was arranged for the next week. Before they left, she tipped the finance manager $200, saying that she helped sell her on the truck, and it was only fair to ensure she was rewarded as well.

Joe had fun telling the other girls about Ashley's test drive, because she looked so small compared to the truck. "She looked like a prawn navigating an aircraft carrier," he said. She playfully punched him in the arm in rebuttal.

The same day she picked up her new vehicle, Matt called and said his company wanted to do a fundraiser album, and Ashley would be a good pick. It was a Christmas album, and an orchestra was already selected to accompany her. A large portion of the sales revenue would go toward the charity they were working with, but it would give Ashley some added exposure on the east coast. She agreed to do it, and gave him an idea of her shrinking timetable before they had to move for school.

She and Joe went to Atlanta two days later, and the production was much bigger than she expected. They were to meet at an auditorium to accommodate the size of the orchestra, and after a small meeting with Matt in the dressing room, she went to the stage to meet her fellow performers. The musicians were a large group of disadvantaged teens, judging by the second and even fourth-hand suits and dresses they were wearing. A church choir was assembled in their red and gold robes, and a Georgia Tech student camera crew was documenting everything. She was introduced, and the teens greeted her in unison with a "Hi Miss Ashley!" She hadn't felt so out of place since Joe's meeting with military leaders shortly after his parents died.

Clearing her throat, she whispered to Matt that she had never sang gospel. He quietly told her that it wasn't a problem, she should perform as her heart moved her. They trusted her voice. Everybody expectantly looked to her and she greeted them while explaining her hesitancy. She asked if she could hear a few non-holiday songs that either group would typically perform, and it was arranged. She took a seat in the front row to listen and study. Ashley was impressed, especially by the orchestra. It appeared young and somewhat undisciplined on the surface, but they played very well, and with a bit more character than classical ensembles. She complemented them profusely and took her spot behind the recording microphone and music stand set up for her at center stage.

She asked how she should sing the pieces, and she was told again to be herself. The conductor started the orchestra's introduction bars and Ashley started singing Silent Night. It was sweet, simple, clear...and boring. She stopped singing after the first verse and the music stopped shortly after.

"What's wrong?" asked Matt.

"Well, you asked me to be myself. What they're playing is completely different from what I heard before."

"What do you mean?" asked the conductor.

"Let me show you." She walked over and looked at a young man seated close, holding a violin. "Can I borrow that? I promise to give it back." The group chuckled, but he hesitated. "Okay, I'll give it back in one piece." He joined the laughter and surrendered his instrument after a nod from his conductor. "Just now, y'all were playing like this." She played a halfhearted simple scale. "Before, y'all were jamming almost like this." She performed a few animated bars from Flight of the Bumblebee, to which she got a small applause and she handed the violin back with a thank you.

"And you," she pointed to the choir. "Before you all were like," she clapped and shook her head in time, "Jesus...is great...he puts...bread on...our plate! But now, you're all meek and just going mmm hmmm."

She went back to her place and addressed both groups. "I know I'm just this prissy-looking redheaded white girl, but damn! Don't try to play down to my level, challenge me and make me come up to yours. You're beautiful. You perform beautifully. Let's make this record show that to your neighbors and friends. Alright?"

"Right on, sister."

Ashley pointed to the voice in the choir. "That's what I'm talking about. Thank you! Can we try it again? This time, let's get it on!"

The music started again, but with embellishments and little hitches that gave it personality. It was something Ashley could feel, and it charged her up. The third song, O Holy Night, is a difficult one to sing, and apparently was difficult for the orchestra, as well. They were almost finished with the fifth attempt when one of the strings squeaked a note. Ashley dropped her shoulders and spun around.

"Alright, was it you again, Jeremy?" she said with a smile toward a boy who had been singled out for an earlier error. But all the bows pointed toward another boy. Ashley stomped over and mock-slapped him, whiffing her hand in front of his face to the delight of the others. "Alright, let's get it together," she said as she ruffled her fingers in his hair. "I don't know about y'all, but this song is wearing me out." It was flawless the next go-around.

One song required her to sing three parts. She sang the first live with the accompaniment, and then a break was announced while she sang to the recorded version piped in through a headset. No one moved, even though they were allowed to, since they wanted to hear her sing without having to concentrate on accompanying her. It was funny to watch the small feminine frame bounce and cock her hips to the beat in silence, occasionally singing a line from her next part. But, it was beautiful to hear, if strange since only the harmonizing parts were heard.

When she ended the last part, the young man from whom she had borrowed the violin asked if it was possible to hear the finished product. The layered file was compiled and played over the speakers. Many mouths hung open as they listened, each proud of the part they played, and awed by Ashley's clear voices that blended and echoed together to send the most melancholy spirits higher. She was touched as the song ended when everyone aimed applause at her. She shook her head and tried to redirect it back to them. Things quieted down, and she said that while the others decided to skip their break, she just couldn't and she did a little pee dance to emphasize the point.

The entire recording finished a little over two hours after the break. Ashley enjoyed many hugs from her new friends, and hopes were high that the album would do well enough to help music programs like this orchestra for years to come.

* * *

Moving day was upon them fast. Since no one felt like taking any of the big stuff out of Joe's house, it was decided that the easiest way to move into their town home was to have the necessary furniture delivered new from stores. They left a week earlier than they needed to and traveled to Tallahassee in a caravan of their four vehicles, plus Cindy and Doug in a fifth. Each car was filled with suitcases and laundry baskets of clothes, as well as their computers, instruments, and other personal effects. Once the majority was unloaded into their hotel suite, they went shopping. Ashley was surprised that Joe was looking at mediocre lines of furniture. They didn't buy anything that afternoon, since she wanted to hold off until she figured out what was going on with him. She suggested to Joe that they go for a walk after dinner to enjoy the summer night.

The stroll was filled with silence between them as she tried to come up with a good way to approach the subject. Finally, she decided to hit it head-on. "So, what's going on, Joe? You were hesitating at everything we looked at."

His hand twitched against hers, and his expression turned worried. "I gotta start watching my money," he said.

"I don't want to sound materialistic, but you seem to have all the money in the world. Who cares if a dining set costs three grand? Or that entertainment center I liked was $1500?"

"Then buy it!"

The sharpness made her jump. "I guess I could," she said with more than a tinge of hurt. "I know I'm better off than most 19 year olds, but my account is still rather shallow. Whereas yours is..."

"Nearly empty," he said flatly.

"WHAT?!" There was no way to hide her surprise.

"So, you haven't looked at it?"

"No, I trust you. And I'll continue to if you tell me what's going on. You're not like funneling it to a stripper or something, are you?"

He sighed.

She stopped and made him face her. "What is it, Joe?"

"It is not a stripper. I don't need one, since I've got something better in you. Both looks and personality."

"Good. You also have Jasmine, Jill, and Kim. Well, not so much Kim now."

He shook his head. "No, I don't have any of them."

"You had Jasmine."

He looked as if she slapped him. "Please don't do that. I wouldn't have if you hadn't all but undressed her for me. I thought you wanted me to."

"Sorry, it slipped out. I thought I wanted that for you both, too."

"Well, that's not happening again. She knows that, too. But...she is involved with...well, what you're asking me about."

This didn't help at all, and Ashley was more lost than ever. "You're out of money...involves Jasmine..."

"Well, it might involve her...I don't know yet. Will you drop it if I tell you that I'm not out of money, but a large portion is promised to an investment?"

"Is it some art project? Like a studio or something you want her to work at?"

Joe laughed. "Art project. I hadn't thought of it in that light, but it kind of fits." He paused, expecting an interruption, but it didn't come. Ashley was different lately...more patient, more in control of herself...and that was a good thing. "Look. It's an investment that you'll love, if it pans out. I simply cannot tell you more, because you'll be disappointed beyond what you can handle if it doesn't work. I'm sorry I wasn't jumping at things you liked today. It was knee-jerk. I do have money, and it is enough to keep us -- ALL of us comfortable for the next four or five years."

Ashley pondered this for a bit, and allowed him to start walking again. "So, will you at least go in half with me for that bed?"

He laughed. "I'll buy it all for you...whatever you want. We'll start over tomorrow, and you just point to whatever you desire. We just need to watch our ongoing expenses as time goes on, that's all."

She softened a hair at his assurance that things weren't quite as dire as he first stated. But his secret didn't sit all that well with Ashley, and she let him know that while they turned and headed back to the hotel. If he wanted to make an investment, fine. She trusted his judgment. But, to make one so substantial that it threatened his, and hers, comfort without telling her about it, well, that was rather inconsiderate of him. Her ideal of marriage, especially to someone like him, was that they could share everything, including secrets. He said he understood, but this was one to be kept from her. At least until he knew it would be fruitful. Whatever the secret was, his demeanor didn't suggest that it would affect his feelings toward her, so she let it go.

The next day they went shopping again and now that she understood his reservations, it was quite more fun. Even though he said they could get what they wanted, she and the other girls picked out pieces that were pleasant to have, but maybe not quite as lavish as she was originally thinking. It was just for a townhouse after all, she reasoned. Ashley used some of her savings to help with the purchases and the deliveries were set up. Joe had Cindy arrange with the landlord permission to install a door between the two units. It took some convincing, and a sizable deposit, but a contractor was commissioned and installed it while the place was being made ready for their move-in.

The week went by fast, and everyone was busy getting books, supplies, and new clothes. But it seemed excruciatingly slow at times as well. With five of them sharing a three room suite (Cindy and Doug had a room at a different hotel), nerves tended to get a little frayed. Squabbles over bathroom time rights eventually spilled over into the rest of the days. Ashley and Joe shared showers to keep their combined time down. They were comfortable enough with each other that while one was going potty, the other would get ready at the vanity. The others, though, simply did not want to share the bathroom while they relieved themselves. The shower was often the only time the girls had a moment alone, and they would masturbate while there, extending the time the bathroom was unavailable.

Things came to a head on Thursday when Jasmine and Kim bickered at each other most of the morning through the afternoon. Joe was actually counting the hours until the next day when they could take possession of the townhouse. He was even getting tired of Ashley's attempts to shush them, since they didn't seem to do any good. When Kim "went there" by accusing Jasmine that she was so bad at stunting that she didn't get a cheering scholarship and had to "settle" for an art one, Jill stormed out of the hotel. Jasmine countered that at least she was accepted into a university, and Kim took a swipe out of rage. Ashley grabbed Kim around the waist and spun her away, while Joe grabbed Jasmine around her chest and under her crotch and picked her up, so she couldn't retaliate.

Ashley announced that today was a good day to fulfill a promise and said that Joe would be taking Jasmine out on a date. She and Kim would hit up the clubs in the meantime and take Jill with them, if she came back in time. The long squabble also made Ashley announce a change in the room assignments. Originally, she and Joe were going to have one unit to themselves, but now she said that Jasmine would have their spare room, and Kim and Jill would live together on the other side. Each would have their own room and bathroom, and most likely be more comfortable bringing dates home, should they choose. Both feuding girls were happy with that arrangement, and things quieted down. Ashley told Joe and Jasmine to go ahead and get ready, and she and Kim would wait until they were done.

Jill returned just after Jasmine and Joe left, Ashley was putting her war paint on while Kim showered.

"Well, I don't see any fire trucks or ambulances," Jill said as she walked into the bathroom.

Ashley gave a chuckle as she applied the eyeliner. "No, but it came close. Kim swung at Jasmine."

Jill raised her eyebrows. "Really?" She pulled back the shower curtain. "You knock her out? I don't see any scratches or bruises, Kim."

Kim grabbed the curtain and yanked it closed. "You let all the heat out," she protested. "Yeah, Joe's taking her to the hospital."

"Whaa?"

Ashley finished up and turned around. "No...Joe and I pulled them away from each other, and Kim missed. I sent them on a date. Anyway, Kim and I are going dancing. You know, to expend some of this misguided energy."

"Not misguided. She deserved it!" Kim quipped as she rinsed off.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 04



"You both did," Ashley called. "Anyway, you want to come Jill?"

Jill agreed and they were heading out the door an hour later.

Joe was sitting on the couch with Jasmine coiled up in his lap. They were kissing affectionately and Joe's hand was under her shirt when Ashley walked in. Both looked at her as if their hands were caught in the cookie jar. The other two girls just stood awkwardly, not really knowing what to expect from Ashley's reaction. But, Ashley just said hello, and invited her own "dates" to share the shower with her to wash the sweat off from the dancing.

Jasmine looked at Joe and he shrugged. She opened her blouse, undid her bra and freed one of her breasts. Pulling his head to her chest, she laid back on the couch, reached into her panties and diddled herself while enjoying his tongue play on her nipple. Jasmine came twice by the time Ashley reappeared, and Joe sat back up.

"He's ready for you now," Jasmine giggled as she also sat up, leaving her breasts exposed.

Ashley leaned down and kissed Jasmine. "Thanks." She cupped her friend's breasts, then felt the damp panties. She glanced over at him as he watched intently. "Hmm...he can watch for a bit, I think." Then, her head disappeared under Jasmine's skirt.

Joe didn't watch for long. He knelt behind Ashley and transitioned from watching to enjoying.

* * *

The school year started in earnest and after the first week of getting their bearings, the group excluding Joe got wrapped up in "rush week." Joe didn't feel the need or even want to involve himself with a group of guys who wrapped their partying in the thin shroud of helping each other with schoolwork. Ashley felt the same way, but participated anyway at the urging of the other girls. They went to a number of social functions designed to entice the freshmen to join, but at the end of each night, found themselves gravitating back to the sorority who's president had walked them "home" during orientation. Ashley resisted until the end of the week when a group of "sisters" took her to an upstairs sitting room for a private chat.

They felt that she liked the sorority, but wanted to know what was holding her back. Ashley said that she just did not feel that there was enough time in the day to squeeze in the requirements of a sorority. Asked why, she mentioned Joe first, and the ladies at once understood that point of view. They overcame that objection by saying that Ashley had a built-in date for each of the dances and other social functions, and that an exception could be granted here and there to let Joe in during some of the required study halls, since he was not just a boyfriend, but her husband. Ashley then brought up her heavy course load that included classes for three languages. The ladies perked up at that mention.

"We have a few linguists in our membership," Mary, the president said. "They could certainly help you study those. Which languages?"

"Well, for voice, I have to have a year in French, German, and Italian, along with a year of diction for each."

Mary went over to a computer and punched up a program. "We have a copy of Rosetta Stone for all of those on our server." She stepped out of the way so that Ashley could see the splash screen. "Your membership would let you use it without limits."

Ashley had priced the program when she first learned of the requirements for her study, and each language started out at about $600 for just the beginner course. It captured Ashley's interest, and Mary knew it. Mary went on with her sales pitch, personalizing it to Ashley, who really did not need the dating scene many of the freshmen desired. She focused on community service, and friendships that last beyond college. Unlike many fraternities, sororities tended to have alumni who would remain active and bonded to each other years later. 

Ashley was sold and signed the contract at that point. Jill and Jasmine were very happy that she pledged with them, and they talked into the early morning hours guessing what hazing would happen for "Hell Week." Kim did not share their enthusiasm, and in fact hid in her bedroom starting shortly after the other girls returned.

* * *

Once everyone had settled into school, Cindy returned to Joe's house and began to take up residence there at his wish. Joe worried that even with the secure gate and the continuing landscape maintenance, an empty house only invited trouble. So, she spent a few weeks leisurely moving her belongings to the house, interrupted once in a while by one of the girls asking sometimes oddball stuff like where they put their keys last. Not being there, Cindy would have no idea, but she would happily walk them through the possibilities until they found what they needed. With them being away, and having a schedule pretty much set in stone, Cindy found herself getting bored. Even calls and emails were getting sparse from Carter, as the new CEO now had his legs firmly under him.

Joe was paying her well enough, and she just didn't know what else she'd possibly do. It was doubtful that she would be treated as if she were family like with Joe, should she find a new boss to assist. Cindy would shudder at the thought of learning a new personality all over. The transition from the Smiths to Joe was easy, since she knew him through them. But, something was missing from her life. She had to be challenged in order to be happy, that much she knew. The only thing was she just didn't know how she could leave Joe and not be unhappy.

Doug moved in with her at Joe's urging, and things were better on the nights he was home. But, the world's nature of being in constant flux required him to be gone with the admiral he was attached to. She was alone more nights than he was there. One of those nights, the house phone rang, and Cindy nearly jumped out of her skin. She was so accustomed to her cell phone chiming in the middle of the night that she would answer it without actually waking up half the time. But, the house phone NEVER rang until now.

A timid and slurred young female voice urgently asked if Joe was there. Cindy answered that he was away at school. The girl groaned and sobbed that he was the last chance she had at someone helping her. Cindy asked what was wrong, and all she needed to hear was "party." She asked where and eventually the girl blubbered out the location. Cindy grabbed her jeans and a t-shirt and was out the door in seconds. The noise in the background of the call prompted Cindy to think that this was a large party, and when she found the house, she was dismayed to find that it was larger than she thought. Kids were hanging out on the front lawn, some with a bottle in each hand. Lights were starting to come on in the neighbors' windows, and she knew that police would not take long to show. She parked in the middle of the street, locked her car, and strode in.

A boy who she presumed was the host wobbly greeted her, saying she couldn't come in without putting beer money into the beer hat. She put a hand on his chest and shoved him aside. She had no idea on how to find the girl who called, since she didn't wait for a description. Instinctively, she peered into corners, hoping to find her quickly. Unable to find what she was looking for downstairs, she headed up, almost pleading to herself that the girl wasn't in one of the bedrooms. As she made her way down the hall, she opened each door. Bathroom, study, master bedroom, bedroom, bedroom...ah ha. Four boys were crawling over a mostly naked girl who wasn't resisting, but she wasn't helping either. One of them ripped off her panties just as Cindy stepped inside.

"Get the fuck out!" she hollered.

Three of them scurried out, holding their undone pants up. The last one was cocky, and he faced her while trying to intimidate with his dick.

"You're hot. Why don't you join us?"

She glanced down and then looked him in the eye. "You're tiny. Why don't you get lost?"

He flared at the insult, reached over to the dresser and brandished a knife. Cindy berated herself for not seeing that coming.

"I said join us. Or, get hurt."

Cindy was pretty quick herself. He had stepped so close to put the knife to her belly that he heard the pistol click at his head before he noticed she had moved. "And I said, get the fuck out," she growled low. He glanced to the side. "Yes, it's loaded. Leave." The jerk backed away to get his clothes. "Leave naked. I thought you were proud of your twig..."

* * *

It was more than a month later when Cindy told Ashley about that night. Ashley had called Cindy for one of her many chats, and chills went down her spine when the answer to her question of how Cindy was spending her time was revealed.

"So, was it Doug's gun that you had?"

Cindy answered, "Yes, during the summer he taught me how to use it, and we went to the range from time to time to spend the afternoon together."

"Odd date."

"I guess, but it was fun for me. He knew with his schedule that I would be alone for long periods, so he signed me up for some self-defense courses, and he gave me weapons training. At least of what he remembered from his own lessons. I got my concealed permit just after y'all went to Tallahassee."

"So, you spend your time getting calls intended for Joe, and rescuing teens in trouble?"

Cindy laughed at that. "No, that's just how it started. I've become friends with the girl, and she comes by for me to tutor her in math. Word has gotten out, though. Last week, twice I got called to pick up a couple of friends of hers who's dates had gotten trashed enough that they weren't comfortable riding home with them. At least they called before things were so far out of hand."

Wanting to change the subject, Cindy turned the tables and asked Ashley about something she rarely mentioned in her calls. How were things with the sorority? It worked and turned Ashley into a chatterbox. She loved it. Hell Week was hard with the intentional sleep-deprivation and teasing, but was mild compared to stories she had heard. Ashley loved the study halls, and especially being able to use their software to help her with the languages. The house was starting to pressure her to meet Joe, since she was the only married pledge; she was still undecided on whether to ask him to oblige. The girls assigned to her study hall time slot were very sweet and enjoyable to be around, but Ashley was still happiest being at home with Jill, Jasmine, and Kim. Although Kim would get rather irritable at times.

"Then give her some attention, Ashley," Cindy lectured. Then she mumbled, "I cannot believe I just said that."

Ashley caught it. "Why not?"

Cindy coughed and cleared her throat to give herself some time. "Well, you're into your female friends, and hurray for you. But I can't see myself doing that, so it kind of surprised me that I would encourage you to keep a female partner happy. Anyway, why do you say she's irritable?"

"Well, she gets this piercing look, and snaps out of the blue when you ask a question..."

"Okay, okay!" Cindy giggled to interrupt Ashley's familiar sarcastic response. She thought by now she could steer clear of fodder for Ashley's antics. "What made you mention it?"

Ashley lamented that like everyone else, Kim was busy with school. But unlike the others, she wouldn't even try to have fun. Her tests were okay, but something told Ashley that Kim's heart just wasn't into her studies. She was afraid they were going to lose Kim altogether.

Cindy agreed with the assessment, and said that Kim had told her pretty much the same thing. She had let Kim know that she was welcome back at the house at any time. She told Ashley that she should reaffirm the invitation, as it would carry more weight coming from her. "Better to give her a place to go, rather than have her feel no other choice but to run away," Cindy said.

Ashley was disheartened to think that things had come to this point, but agreed.

Cindy glanced at the parcel on the table. "You have a package here, you want me to send it to you, or did you want to wait for fall break?" The return address reminded her just then to check something online.

"Um, who's it from?" Ashley asked, then heard Cindy gasp.

"Holy SHIT!"

"WHAT?!"

"Ashley, have you checked your account lately?"

"Yeah, this morning. It's dead-on what it's supposed to be. Why?"

"Your OTHER account?"

"No...hang on." She brought up the bank's website on her laptop, then it was her turn to gasp. "HOLY HELL! How did THAT happen?"

"Have you been signing things I don't know about?"

"No. Is this RIGHT?" she asked in disbelief over the much inflated amount.

Cindy stepped over to the table. "Your package was sent from your album's company."

"Well open it."

"Just did. Note says 'Surprise, surprise!' in parenthesis it says 'we were.' Then, 'congratulations again.'"

There was rustling in the background and then Cindy was silent. Ashley's heart hammered in suspense. "Go on!"

"Oh Ashley! It's wonderful, congratulations!"

"What is it?"

"A replacement trophy for your album. 500,000 sold. You're a platinum artist now!"

Ashley screeched just as Joe came home and she told him the news. Ashley wondered how that was possible, since even the recording company had all but given up on substantial new sales when they gave her the gold trophy. Cindy surmised that the recent release of her third single had something to do with it, but said she'd research it further.

What Cindy found about a week later surprised even Ashley, and she rewarded the person responsible with bear hugs, tears, and even kisses. It turned out that the sorority president had emailed their headquarters about the fledgling star pledge. She thought it would be nice to help the new sister out by getting as many sales as they could, stating that the album was worth buying anyway, because it was actually fun and entertaining. The email was broadcast to sorority alumni nationwide, and it took some effort to get stores to order the album again, but their persistence paid off. In turn, Ashley prepaid four years of sorority dues for herself, Jill, and Jasmine, as well as for the five girls in her study group.

Near Halloween, Joe finally agreed to go with Ashley to a study session. It felt more like an ambush, since not only was Ashley's study group was there, but the chapter's board and many upperclassmen ensured they were around to meet him as well. They had heard stories of his kindness not only from Ashley, but also from Jill and Jasmine. The meeting in the parlor lasted a couple of hours until one of the girls said she was hungry and started to excuse herself. Ashley offered to have Joe cook something for them all, and they skeptically eyed him, saying he would be beyond perfect if he could cook, too. He liked the challenge and said he'd fix something, even though he was warned that not much was left in the kitchen.

Not much was right. Frozen chicken nuggets and vegetables, TV dinner pot pies, milk, some spices, and a few packages of Ramen noodles. When he called to them that dinner was ready, they were amazed by what was set out at the table. He apologized for it looking bland, as they were correct in saying not much was in the house. But to the girls, it looked like an exquisite meal. On each plate was a helping of what he termed as a chicken-loaded casserole topped with crunchy uncooked ramen, a vegetable garnish, and buttered toast corners. They asked him to join them at the table, which he did next to Ashley. In answering an obvious question, Joe joked that the hardest part was using a hammer to break up the frozen hockey pucks of pot pies. One girl about choked, and he reassured her that he really didn't do that.

"There weren't hammers in the kitchen, so I used my shoe," he joked to a swell of snickers.

He was begged to return the following night. The president wanted more of the house to sample his talent, and he agreed. When Joe arrived at the appointed time, he was immediately directed to the kitchen and set to work. A much broader offering of ingredients had been stocked earlier that day, so he took inventory of what was available, received the night's guest count, and got started. To say the meal three hours later was a success would have been a massive understatement. Twenty girls attended, and all loved the dinner. The president decided to bribe him to cook for the semi-formal the following week, and he said he would after Jill, Jasmine, and Ashley threw their weight behind the proposal.

The Saturday came, and Joe started working at noon, first making sandwiches for the ladies who were working to get the house decorated for the dinner. Jill and Jasmine helped him in the kitchen, but Ashley had previously agreed to join her class's study session for Italian. She made it in time to help serve the thirty or so couples out on the back deck. By half way through the dinner, more than a few commented that Joe should open his own restaurant. After dessert, an informal vote was taken and a resounding "aye" hired Joe to be the house's chef.

A couple of hours later in the rented ballroom, Joe and Ashley were in each other's arms swaying to the music.

"Mmm, this is nice," Ashley purred with her cheek against his chest. "Been a long time."

He played with the fingers of the hand he was holding. "Too long. I've missed you."

She looked at him. "What do you mean? You see me every day."

"Yeah, for like twenty minutes when we're not asleep." He caught her look. "I know, I know. You're busy, I'm busy. I'm just saying I agree that this is nice to be together for once." He glanced at Jill and Jasmine who were dancing with their lottery pick dates from the sorority's brother fraternity. "They look like they're having fun. Think they'll get lucky tonight?"

Ashley turned her head to watch for a bit. "Uh, Jill might. I haven't decided about Jasmine yet."

"You don't think her date's interested?"

She slit her eyes at him. "Really Joe? What guy wouldn't be interested in taking her?" Ashley sighed. "No, she'll beg off to have him take her home, maybe let him kiss her at the door, and that will be the end of that. She'll want to do something with me...and I haven't decided yet on whether to oblige."

"Why not?"

Ashley stepped over his leg and gave his thigh a rub through her dress. "Because I'm horny for you right now."

He kissed her mouth's invitation. "I'm patient. You could come to me after."

She smiled. "There's a thought. You'll be asleep by then, though."

"Well, Kim will probably be home after striking out at the club again. Maybe Jasmine can cheer her up."

Ashley shot him a look. "That's so uncool, Joe."

"What? Kim's different now. So moody. I miss the old Kim."

The song ended and Ashley pulled Joe with her to a table in the corner. "I miss the old Kim, too. But, how would you feel if you couldn't join a sorority with your friends? Or, if you had to get an AA degree before being able to get into a university, while all your friends are there already? I can feel that things really suck for her right now."

The music had started again, and even though their cheeks were touching, Joe could only hear about every third word, and had to mentally fill in the rest. "You wanna leave and talk?"

She pulled away and looked into his face while she thought about it. Dancing with Joe was so much fun, and they hadn't done it since the wedding. But, her studies and practices lasted into the afternoon, and some of his classes were at night. All the other times were filled up with getting ready for school, or meals with everyone around. Ashley figured she made her required appearance for the sorority event, and this was a chance to talk with Joe alone. Finally, she nodded and they left.

They found themselves at a McDonald's, and Joe opened the lid to his sundae while Ashley slid her apple pie out of its sleeve. "God, you can be so mean," she kidded while eying the ice cream.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 05



Maneuvering her truck toward the airport, Ashley looked over at Kim for about the hundredth time. Kim insisted on taking Ashley there for her trip to meet with the record company, however, Ashley wanted to drive her truck one last time before parting with it for a week. Part of the record contract was that Ashley would work with them while she was out of school, and unfortunately that meant working on holiday weeks. Ashley had said goodbye to Joe the night before when he left for home with the other girls. Kim was to join them later in the day when she drove Ashley's truck to his house. She opened her mouth to say something, but changed her mind...again.

"Well, out with it," Ashley said with an amused grin. "You're starting to look like a fish out of water."

"I don't know what you mean," Kim answered as she looked out the passenger window.

"Oh come on. Something is up. You act like you want to say something. You wanted to take me to the airport for a reason. Well...here we are, alone."

Kim just sighed and Ashley shook her head. She asked if she should park, or if Kim was just dropping her off. Kim said that she wanted to see Ashley off, so Ashley parked in the further long-term parking.

"If you're coming inside, you're gonna walk the long way with me," she said. Giving one of her bags to Kim, she continued, "While I have you here, you can help."

Kim still didn't talk while they waited in line. Ashley decided to deal with this once and for all when her turn came up to the counter. Kim put the bag next to the one Ashley deposited on the luggage pass-through.

"Is the seat next to me taken?" Ashley asked the clerk.

It was not, and Ashley said she wanted to buy that one, too. Kim raised her eyebrows, but figured Ashley wanted the extra seat to give her a buffer of space. When the agent asked who it was for, Ashley said to Kim, "Well, give her your license."

"Why? I'm not going."

"Yes, you are. If you won't talk to me now, you'll have a week of opportunities."

"But I didn't bring anything," Kim said but handed over her ID anyway.

"I'll take care of that when we get there. You could use an updated wardrobe, anyway," Ashley chided.

"Whatever!"

They stepped over to the TSA screening area where Ashley's bags were checked thoroughly. As stoic as the officer tried to keep his face, it reddened considerably. The partition hid what he was looking at from Kim, but his coloring got her curious. Ashley received her claim check and they headed up to the gates. As luck would have it, Ashley was the random body screen. Kim thought it was rather funny that Ashley would be selected, since Ashley had picked a short summer dress with a plunging neckline to wear. Whereas Kim probably fit more security profiles, being dressed in all black with a long sweater. She had wondered why the skimpy outfit since the fall morning was quite cool. The reason became quite clear.

The guard stated that Ashley was randomly picked, and she was given a choice between the full body scan, or a pat-down by a female agent. Ashley innocently said that she was afraid of x-rays and radiation, so she picked the pat-down. She added in a coo that she didn't care if he did it right there. He wasn't amused and motioned over the female agent and Ashley was taken around the side to a partition. Kim waited with arms crossed as she watched Ashley follow the instructions with a wink to Kim. Very little was concealed, so it shouldn't have taken long. But when the lady ran her hand over Ashley's belly, she summoned a supervisor and they instructed Ashley to a booth. Ashley asked if Kim could go too for her own piece of mind. They allowed it, and Kim shook her head when she followed them in.

"I felt something just above her groin," the agent told her supervisor.

"Miss, I have to ask you to show us your underwear."

"What if I'm not wearing any?" Ashley sassed.

"Ash, just do it, I don't want to get arrested for hampering a search."

Ashley rolled her eyes and lifted her skirt, showing that she actually was wearing underwear. Her phone was tucked in the front band.

"Why would you put your phone under there?" the supervisor asked.

"Do you see any pockets?"

Kim defended, "She always tucks her phone in her pants like that...just...she's wearing a dress right now."

Ashley was ordered to remove the phone, and when she did, a folded paper fell to the ground. The guard picked it up and read it. "Ha ha, very funny," he said dryly. "Next time don't try to bait us like that."

With that, he opened the door for the girls; they picked up their handbags from the x-ray tech and headed toward their gate.

"What did the note say?" Kim asked.

Ashley was stifling a chuckle the whole time. Before she answered, she burst out laughing. "It said, 'If you are reading this, thank you for the grope, but I am married.'"

They laughed at the planned joke and arrived just when the plane was boarding. Ashley lowered her eyes when she saw it was a commuter, but expected it since she knew it would be a short flight. Kim sensed her unease when they got seated and did what she could to take Ashley's mind off it.

"So, what was in that suitcase?" she asked once they were buckled in.

Ashley had another chuckle. "I put all my let's-get-it-on undies in that one, plus a few toys on top."

"What toys?" Kim had never known Ashley to possess such things, let alone use them.

Ashley lowered her voice. "A butt plug, double-ended dildo, couple of strap-ons."

Kim gave a fearful look. "You were planning on me coming all along?" she accused. "I uh, I wasn't looking for a romp, Ash. I just wanted to talk to you in the terminal."

Ashley just smiled at Kim, letting her stew in her thoughts until after takeoff. Once in the air, Kim looked distracted, propping her chin in her hand while staring out the window. Ashley decided to let her off the hook.

"I already called Joe this morning to let him know you'd probably be coming. So, you're partially correct."

"Partially?" Kim looked into Ashley's eyes, searching for more.

"The stuff in the bag was a prank for the bag screeners. You remember what they did on our flight to Hawaii, right?"

Kim snickered. "Yeah, your unmentionables were hanging all over that cubicle while they went through your bag."

Ashley nodded. "Anyway, I know you haven't been happy with me for a while now, but you seem to keep playing to talk to me and then never get to the point, so I decided to kidnap you for a while until we get to the bottom of this."

"I'm not unhappy with you."

"What is it then? Joe?"

"Kinda. Well, maybe kinda both, in a way."

Ashley listened while Kim talked about what has been eating at her for months. Once Ashley recovered in the winter, Kim thought about her offer to donate an ovary to Ashley, and it scared her. She loved Ashley, but after deep thought, it was more of a profound friendship than romance. Through the spring, she kept waiting and wishing for Joe and Ashley to crumble and fall apart, so that she could have a second shot at Joe, or maybe Ashley, but it never happened.

"Just when I get to a point of thinking 'oh well,' something else comes up. You were gorgeous and amazing on the stage after graduation. I was so proud of you, and happy when you announced that you actually graduated. And then you passed out at the party. When you came to, you were just so happy to see Jasmine. I realized then, even being drunk, that being with either of you just wasn't in my cards. So, I've lost romances of two special people in the same year. To each other, and to one of my former best friends."

"Jasmine is still your friend. You just won't let her get close."

"Hmph." Kim turned back toward the window. "She might think we're friends, but that spiteful bitch is no friend of mine."

"Kim! She's great! Where are you coming up with this? She gets hurt every time you turn your back on her."

"She deserves it. We're starting to land."

"Kim..." Ashley pleaded, but didn't receive a response.

After getting the rental car and breakfast, Kim couldn't help but feel like she was just along for the ride. As Ashley navigated the busy streets of Atlanta by using her phone, the cramped nature of the city brought a lot of memories up for Kim. It reminded her of the place that was supposed to be home for her in the fall. The adjustment from small city and smaller private school to a large metropolis and huge school was just too much and she started failing miserably. The senior class size was twice the total enrollment of the entire school she and her friends went to in Florida. She shrank in her passenger seat much like she did last fall when her parents first pulled into the new city as the views of tall buildings and jammed streets seemed to engulf her.

"Where are we going?" she asked Ashley, who seemed quite at ease. No doubt Ashley's acclimation from living in the Bay Area in California hadn't worn off yet.

"Shopping," she said with a smile.

"Oh. Joy." The absence of any humor reflected what she thought of as she glanced around. Urban wear just was not her thing.

Ashley picked up early on the malcontent and had other plans. "Don't worry, I'm taking you to a suburban mall. Be just like home." Then after a pause, "Maybe a bit more upscale."

Perimeter Mall wasn't quite suburban, but definitely out of the claustrophobic center of the city. And, outside of parking in the "back 40" due to the start of holiday shopping, it seemed to be just what the doctor ordered for Kim. Early afternoon was a good time to go. The crowds were full enough to remind Kim that they were in a big city (although the two tiered structure was a reminder of that in itself), but weren't so crammed as to make her uncomfortable. She suggested they do a once-around, but Ashley said that she doubted Kim could hit the impromptu budget Ashley had in her head, so Kim should just stop in whatever store caught her eye first.

A mantra became present as they ducked in and out of stores, and Ashley found herself saying over and over, "if you like it, get it." When she refused to let Kim pay for the eighth time, a vague sense of deja vu washed over Ashley, and she paled. Kim noticed and suggested lunch.

"So, what happened in Victoria's Secret? You looked like you saw a ghost," Kim said after they ordered their sodas.

"I kinda did. About a year ago, I was doing exactly what you're doing now. Although I was wearing my cheerleading uniform in snow, then. Picking out undies for the week with you made it dawn on me."

"I didn't even think of that. But this is different," Kim said in an attempt of encouragement.

"Well, you're playing my part, if that's what you mean. Unexpected trip, needing to buy stuff to get you through until it's time to go home. I'm starting to feel silly again, wearing this skimpy thing. But I guess things are different, too. There's not an armed guard tailing us. We came by commercial flight..."

"Neither of our parents are dead or dying..." Kim added. "And, I'm at your side, instead of Joe."

"True. Thank God." Ashley caught Kim's surprised look. "About our parents," she added quickly. "I still wish Joe were here."

"Instead of me?"

"In addition to you, Kim." Ashley's smile was genuine and hopeful.

"You've changed, Ash," Kim mused after the waiter disappeared once he took their order.

"What brought that on?" Ashley was suddenly self-conscious.

"Well, you've gotten so much steadier. More grace, more control."

"Why is that bad?"

"No, it's good. It's all good." Kim thought about it for a moment. "I'm just surprised how things are turning out since the bitch did that to you."

Ashley's eyes grew dark. "What is it with you two? Did she dredge your canal with her nails while y'all got it on or what?"

Kim took a sip before speaking again. "So, you and Jasmine, huh?"

Ashley let out an exasperated sigh. "Yeah, pretty much."

"And Joe."

"And Joe! What the hell, Kim? Spit it out!"

"What do you see in her?"

"I don't understand why you think she's so spiteful. She's the first girl to bring me off. I didn't expect it, but it was...WOW. When I was recovering this spring, she was the one who took care of me. If I had a bad day at practice, she'd encourage me. The mornings I was really down, she got me up, bathed me, fed me, and kept me going. So, why wouldn't I love her?"

"Because she made Joe sleep with her! Two days before your wedding, no less."

"Yeah, and I told her she could."

"I know...but...the way she did it. She smelled like you, did her hair like you usually do. I'm surprised she didn't dye it to match you. Her outfit was fuck-me hot, but she didn't act slutty, knowing that would actually put him off. I think she was using appearances to go after his heart once she had his body."

"So, why didn't you say anything that night? You and Jill both only said it wasn't really a secret that for months she wanted to try one-on-one sex with him. Nothing about she wanted him to love her."

"I didn't want to hurt you that night."

"Oh, but it's okay now?!"

Kim shook her head. "So now you see why I haven't been talking to you much."

There was a loud sigh as Ashley willed herself to beat down her old rage monster within. "Well, Kim, I have had this conversation with her, starting the morning after. Yeah, I was surprised she went so far as to use my perfume that he loves. It made me super jealous, which I totally didn't expect I would feel. But, I gave her a time frame...before the wedding, or after the honeymoon...and she didn't step outside those lines." Ashley shrugged. "I don't feel any lingering ill toward her."

"Aren't you afraid about them being together this week?"

"Not really."

"But you're his wife, now!"

"Yeah, Kim. And where am I during the first holiday of our marriage? Away, working on my career. I know I can't be there for him all the time, and it's nice to know that she's willing to step in, if he wants. But I don't think they'll get physical, at least right away."

"Why's that?"

"They both told me so. If something happens between them again, I'm confident that I'll be the first to know. Both are that up front with me."

Their food was brought out, and Kim sat back. Her mind was still unable to wrap around the whole deal, but she saw that Ashley felt no hurt feelings with Jasmine. Ashley's temper had evened out, but her mind still worked different from anyone else Kim knew. Well, if she was that much okay with Jasmine being that close to Joe, maybe Kim could be, too. Well, almost.

Kim fretted her eyebrows. "So why isn't Joe here instead of me?" she asked after taking a bite of her pasta.

"Someone pitched the idea of a Diocese Children's Mass for Christmas, and his name came up. He just couldn't say no. First practice is tomorrow."

"So...what? He's training the altar boys or something?"

"No, he's been asked to put together a children's choir from all the parishes." Ashley sighed. 

"Wow. That sounds like a lot of kids." Kim saw Ashley's eyes drop. "Work, I mean. If anyone can do it, he can."

"Yeah. I know." Ashley affected a stoic smile. They both ate a few bites in silence before Ashley decided to put an issue to rest. "So, can you get along with Jasmine, please?"

Kim sighed this time. "You don't seem hurt by her at all."

"I'm not. I love her. I love Jill. And, I love you. I wish things could be better between you all."

"Okay, fine. I'll do my best. But, it's gonna take a while for the momentum to swing the other way. I'm liable to slip up here and there."

"As if your tongue didn't slip up everywhere before the wedding that night..." Ashley flirted with a coy smile.

Kim flipped her a bird and they laughed together.

Fell Off The Truck had a surprise for Ashley when they arrived the next morning. Ashley squealed when she saw a large number of the orchestra members waiting to greet and thank her. She introduced them to Kim, and the older, more confident males swaggered up to her to make their impression. One particularly smooth member even went so far as to pick up Kim's hand and kiss it while he gave his name. She ended up taking the offer of his arm while they toured the offices and studio of the fledgling label. 

Matt appeared at the end of the tour and Ashley asked what all the fuss was about, referring to the warm welcome. It turned out that pre-sale reservations for the charity CD were more than expected, and the projected revenue appeared to be more than enough to give the ensemble's organization a permanent home and rehearsal hall. Upon that news, the youth clapped and cheered, thanking Ashley again before their director said he had to get them back to their homes.

The meeting in the conference room didn't go exactly as Ashley and Kim were expecting. A number of things were pitched, but each were getting further and further away from what Kim had in her head when she thought of Ashley as a performer.

"I thought you were looking for that one person to bring your business to the national level. Ashley said you told her you found it," Kim nearly shouted while blowing up.

Matt sat back in his chair. "I think I did. But I never said it was you. Trail Springs is doing very well for their first album. I had a feeling about that Reena."

Ashley's eyes shot up. "Reena? She's in Trail Springs? But that's a country band." She chuckled. "No way."

"That's what she said, but she sang the first piece we gave her, and now it's third on the country chart." He slid a piece of music down the table at Ashley. "Anyway, take a look at that and see what you think. We could get someone in to play it."

"No, I can play a keyboard if I have to. But I can sightread too."

Ashley read the music, humming softly to herself to get a picture of the tune. The next go around, she sang it without personality, figuring she'd do that once she was paired with some musicians. Matt had other ideas, and instructed her to sing it in a country style. Ashley laughed, but after seeing that he really wanted her to, she affected a mock drawl and twang. She disliked country and hoped her joke would put him off.

Kim sat with her eyes wide open in surprise until the end. "Amazing! I never knew you could sing country."

Matt smiled, smug with himself. "See? Reena thought it was a joke, too. Now you know how she changed her mind."

Ashley was a bit miffed. "I was fooling around. I really don't like that genre, much less sing it. Just doesn't feel natural." Her scalp itched of frustration. "Matt, if I had known that your label dealt only in country music, I would have passed."

"Well, wait. We do other things as well. I just wanted you to see that keeping your mind open can bring you things you weren't expecting."

Ashley thought about it and rolled her eyes to look at him. "What things did you want me to open my mind to?"

"Well, we have a movie studio who's looking for someone to dub some songs for their animated musical. The actress' vocal talent doesn't include carrying a tune."

Kim got agitated at that. "Ashley signed on to be a hit on her own name. How can she do that by being a stunt double for someone else's voice?"

Matt stared her down. "Well, KIM, Ashley's schedule isn't exactly wide open for tours and whatnot, is it? I figured we could bring her around slowly until school eases up."

Ashley stepped in. "Matt, I can't exactly wait for decent paychecks. If that's all you're willing to give me, fine. But I'll have to start doing clubs or weddings again."

Matt suggested breaking for lunch, to let everyone think about things.

Ashley and Kim found themselves at a small diner up the street. Kim was seething and disappointed.

"You're better than he's making out, Ash," she said. "You're a platinum artist, for pete's sake."

Ashley played with a chip, but otherwise kept a neutral emotion. "With a lot of help. Besides, maybe it was the band. They're doing really well right now, apparently."




An Angel's Fix Pt. 05



Kim's experience with her friend told her she needed to be firm with Ashley right now. "No! You got Reena, Mike, and the others AFTER you recorded that album. The contest was all you as well. Not them."

"Maybe, but all that good stuff was only local until our sorority got involved. I'll just take what I can get for now. We'll just have to watch ourselves and what we buy. We aren't broke, but we should start setting limits."

"What's this sudden thing with money? You got a lot from your advance and retainer, plus I'm sure even more from the jump in sales. And Joe..."

"JOE?! Kim, Joe doesn't have as much as you think. He's shown me the account statements this fall. The amounts look huge until you start thinking about how to live the rest of your life."

"Well, how much?"

"Less than nine."

"Thousand?"

Ashley gave an embarrassed shake of her head. "Million."

Kim gave a sarcastic nod. "Oh. Yeah. That's...terrible." She rolled her eyes.

"You don't understand. About half will go to taxes, since he gained it this year. He also said he has to make the last couple of payments for his project, so really it's not that much. More like just enough for us to live nicely until the end of college."

"What project?" It was the first Kim had heard any such thing.

"I don't know. He just said he's working on something, and it might involve Jasmine. Whatever it is, it's massive. I've never seen an account go down so fast."

Kim could tell that beneath Ashley's new stoic front, she was hurt by this subject. "How did you find out there was a project? Joe tell you?"

Ashley shook her head. "Not willingly, and I still don't know what it is. Just that it's there, it's a sore spot with him, and it quote-unquote 'might' involve Jasmine." She propped her chin in her hand, and studied the chip in her other fingers. "Huh, kinda looks like a really plump rabbit...if you squint."

Kim ignored Ashley's attempt at distraction. "I hope you pressed him harder. Or at least let him have it for keeping a secret from you that cost millions."

"Not really," Ashley sighed. She was tired of the subject.

"Damn it, Ash! Y'all are MARRIED now! It's a partnership. What he does and decides affects you both. Probably you more than him." Ashley smarted at the jab, but Kim pressed on. "He can't just throw away money that would help you live your life. YOU have got to make him see that. Stomp his ass until he tells you more." Kim paused as a thought came to her head. "Or, knowing your drive, you could mount him and keep going until he begs to tell you. You'd probably get three or four O's out of it, so it would be win-win for you."

Even though Ashley was hurt by the blunt truth, she couldn't help but let a single chuckle out at Kim's sex humor. "Well, he said that he couldn't tell me, because it would send me into euphoria if it worked, and perma-depression if it didn't. I guess his 'investment' is for me, and that's why I didn't press it."

Kim shifted gears. "So, what do you think of me? You probably hate me now for saying that."

"Why would I hate you? You always set me straight, no matter how twisted I make things in my head."

"Good, so how do...did you view our relationship?"

Ashley breathed a heavy sigh while she thought about it. "You were fun. What we did was really fun. I mean you still are, but when we played around, I really enjoyed it. I wish you would open back up to me. I miss you as a friend, more than anything else."

"I'm still here. Got a lot of sorting out to do about myself, but I'm here. So, Jasmine's your girlfriend?"

"Yes," Ashley answered without thinking. She knew that Kim intended the romantic definition of the word, not the casual meaning ladies often used to refer to their best friends. Yet, it spilled right out, and she didn't catch it until it was about two seconds too late. "Oh no, what that must look like to you. Kim, you're evil, twisting my thoughts around to get an answer I don't intend to give. I love you, I really do." She pleaded with her eyes for forgiveness.

Kim was smug in knowing she could still play Ashley to get the naked truth to her thoughts. But, she also knew that Ashley would never intentionally make her feel or look like a plaything in comparison to Jasmine. "That hurt."

"I'm sorry!"

Kim put up her hand. "That hurts, but I knew. It's okay. So, why her? Why is she your girlfriend?"

"I said I was sorry. Why do you have to grill me about it...again? I wish you could just make up with her and everything would be okay."

"Just curious, is all. What makes her your girlfriend, and me 'lots of fun'?"

"It's not like that. I love you, I do. Jasmine helps me explore things I never thought about or willed myself to do. I know you offered to donate an ovary to me, and that means the world to me. The universe, really. But, she was always the one to take care of me when I was sick. She changed my bandages, gave me sponge baths, helped me dress. Jasmine knows my needs before anyone else does, even Joe, and she fills them. I'm in love with her, and I guess that's all there is to it."

Kim nodded. "Even after she slept with him?"

"This circle again? YES! Okay? She's probably itching to ride his brains out right now. I'm not exactly happy about that, but I love them both the same, and I'm happy-ish that they can satisfy each others needs in some fashion when I'm away."

"You said that he told you he wouldn't do that again, at least to go all the way with her, right? And she said the same?"

"Yes..."

"Then, like you said, they won't. Neither would break a promise within their control."

"Kim, I'm not naïve. Jasmine can do something I can't."

"What's that?" Kim interrupted, being skeptical.

"Give Joe his own child. That alone makes it only a matter of time before they try. Every once in a while he lets it slip that having a family to raise was a dream of his."

"Ash, you can adopt! He'll love that little person just the same as if he knocked you up."

"What court would let us, if I really make music my career? They'd say I'd be an absentee mother and slap that denied stamp down so fast!" Ashley's voice broke as she said this.

Kim felt bad for bringing the subject out twice in the same trip. "You don't know that. Look at those celebrities. They adopt all the time. Angelina has like seven!"

"Not to sound racist, but I'm not gonna go around the world to snap up every unfortunate African kid I can find! That couple has gobs and gobs of money to defend custody, if the foreign parents turn their luck around and want them back. No, if we do adopt, it'll be through the American courts. Maybe I can settle in New York and do Broadway. A couple of my professors said I have the talent for it, if I take some acting instruction."

Kim raised her eyebrows. "New York? You'd move away?"

"I don't know. I mean if we decide to adopt after graduation, it could be a stable income, and I wouldn't have to travel."

Kim was still reeling from the revelation. She had always pictured Ashley running out on tour, but at least she'd always come home nearby. She just couldn't picture Ashley living in a big city, but looking back, Ashley did say once in a while that she missed California. Ashley just blended so well in their small town, and then in college life, Kim forgot that she was a big-city girl. The adaptability must come from being a military brat. On second thought, if Ashley wanted to make a go of it in New York, Kim doubted that she'd fail.

Kim asked Ashley what she wanted to do in the short term. They had to return to the meeting, after all. After discussing the answer for more than a few minutes, Ashley said all the talk about her lovers had her wanting to hug and kiss them, and she pulled out her phone to talk to them. Kim pulled out hers and dialed a number.

"Hello, Jon? Not sure if you remember me, but I'm Kim...Oh, you do. Great! I have an issue I was hoping you could help me with..." The conversation with the band leader ended when they set foot back in the studio.

The owner was waiting for them and they sat in the conference room. Kim quickly took control and laid out that Ashley was willing to tour during her school breaks, if necessary. But the four days surrounding Christmas and Easter would be off-limits. She would need to assemble a band, and that would take time to interview and audition. The owner wasn't thrilled that someone not linked to his contract employee was telling him what to do. He asked Kim to leave, but Ashley grabbed her friend's wrist to stop her from getting up and said that Kim was her agent. He protested, saying that friends are not agents and that the business was between him and her. Ashley said that Kim was receiving a paycheck when they returned, and that she paid for her flight, making Kim a paid employee.

The dust settled out eventually, and Matt disclosed his own ideas. Now that he was sure Ashley was willing to travel on school breaks, and not just to Atlanta, he had in mind a young and energetic band that needed a lead singer. Also, one of his rap artists had been wanting to jump on the recent bandwagon and be paired with a female vocalist for a couple of pieces. Over lunch, the rap artist had been contacted and stated he was willing to try working with Ashley. To her benefit, it would give her a more immediate income while they found songs for her to perform with her new band.

Kim looked at Ashley, but only got a shrug in response. So, using the tips she received earlier from her phone call to Jon, she negotiated Ashley's share of the sales, giving her a higher percentage on the singles than the album. And, she reasserted that Ashley would be available to travel on all her breaks, but had to give up a day in the deal, making two days before and only one day after Christmas and Easter off-limits. Ashley was agreeable to all this, but wanted to clarify one thing. She was happy that she wouldn't have to do regular cover work at bars, but she still missed it periodically. Matt said that she was free to perform as she chose.

Ashley signed the revised contract and asked when the recording for the "rap guy" would take place, and Matt slid over the music, saying she could look it over tonight and start Friday. Being in a happy mood, Ashley said she could do it now by sight-reading. Matt was used to new performers being over-confident and cocky while he was starting this company up. He learned that the best way to knock them back to the proper level was to call them on it.

"Studio 2 is available, so I'll get the recording technician and we can get started," he bluffed with a sly grin.

This was where the bravado usually evaporated, and he fully expected some stuttering to come from the pretty redhead. Kim nearly swallowed her tongue, wondering how Ashley was going to get out of this one. But, Ashley's mouth got her into it, Kim figured it might be amusing to watch her try to spin her way out.

Instead of faltering, Ashley took the bait as a command from her boss, and without blinking, she waved to him to lead the way. Matt shot Kim a victory look. He was confident he had snared another novice into one of his 'life lessons'.

Excited about being behind a microphone again, Ashley was a little cocky and in a bit of a playful mood. She donned the headphones and mocked into the microphone, "Yo yo! Ashley in the house!"

Just then an even cockier young man strutted into the sound room, embroidered jeans so loose and low, he had to hold them up by hand at the front. "Strawberry Shortcake, you know you ain't here to try to rap, right?"

Ashley gave him a once-over and retorted, "Your apparel choice says I could probably do a lot of things, including rap, better than you...Or is your mother that bad at picking your clothing size?"

Matt was worried that the exchange might escalate into an all-out brawl, so he told Jerry, the recording engineer, to get Ashley out and record her part separately. Jerry reached for the mic button, but Kim grabbed his wrist.

"Wait, she can hold her own. Let's just see how it goes," she said.

The wannabe rapper decided his next jab would be more personal to trump Ashley's insult. "Tell me, little sister. Does your carpet match your drapes?"

Ashley let out a little chuckle. "It does, not that you'll ever get to see to confirm it."

"You don't think I could get into your pants?"

"Oh, it's not that. If you take one step toward my waist, you won't have any eyeballs to enjoy it. Don't hate on shortie, now." Ashley flicked out her fingers like a cat would its claws, showing her fingernails that were longer now that she wasn't cheering. It also displayed her wedding ring set nicely.

He cocked his head to the side, his way of showing respect. "A'ight, Red, I hear ya." He looked at the glass of the booth. "We ready to do this?" Then, in a sneer to Ashley, "Let's see what you got."

Kim looked at Jerry. "See what I mean?"

Jerry looked down at the hand that was still clasping his wrist lightly. Kim let go, embarrassed that she didn't realize her hand was still there. He flirted that she could leave it as long as she wanted, but receiving no response, he turned to the task at hand.

Ashley worked with the rapper for over an hour on the song. While Matt and Jerry were replaying each take, she found out that her new partner's name was Mike. That surprised her somewhat, and she told him that the way he strutted and talked, she expected some trumped up moniker like 'Lil Wade or Mad Bling. He laughed and confessed that he had considered something like that, but he wanted to "be real." After all, plain old "Mike" WOULD be different than what other artists were doing, especially in his target market. This led into other conversations and he ended up asking Ashley who the "tart" was in the booth.

"Tart? That's a new one."

"Yeah, you know. Tart. Like a pastry?"

Ashley smiled. "I've heard Kim described as a lot of things, but a pastry isn't one of them." She paused while she thought on this, and her mind also floated to how Kim tasted. "You know, tart is perfect, though. She's my agent."

"Agent? Haven't seen her around here before. How long has she been working for you?"

"Today."

"Today? How long she been doing this?"

"Today." Ashley chuckled.

"Ya know, this ain't some high school project. Like Rod said in Jerry Maguire, This isn't show friends, it's show business."

"I do know. I have a feeling about Kim there; she altered my contract to my liking. I get a knack about people, and I'm usually right."

Mike jutted his jaw. "Is that so? What do you think about me?"

Ashley smiled. "You're a paper tiger. You want others to think you're tough and confident, but inside you're all heart. You're sweet."

Mike puffed up and became animated. "Paper tiger? Girl, you don't know anything about me! I can hang with the best. I come from the streets! Paper tiger, psht."

"I do know what my instincts tell me, and I know I'm right. Especially now."

"What makes you say that?"

"If you weren't sweet, you would have attacked that I said so. Then you would have probably stormed out of the room. But, you're still sitting there, aren't you?"

"Whatever. I ain't talking to you no more," Mike sulked. Ashley just grinned at him.

Matt had Jerry tell them that the last take ended up being perfect, and to call it a day. Ashley asked that they play the piece and Jerry did so over the speakers. Mike bobbed his head rhythmically as it played. When it ended, Ashley noticed Mike had an odd grin.

"What?"

Mike got up and grabbed his waistband as he sauntered out. "You sure can sing, I'll give you that," he said as he slipped out the studio door.

Jerry about knocked over two assistants and four interns on his way to the front door. It took him a few minutes to gather up some courage before he had to run through the office to catch the two girls before they left, and he called out Kim's name just as they opened the door.

After Ashley finished eating the meal she ordered through room service, she called Joe. They related to each other the trials of the day, and Joe was surprised by her pairing up with a rap artist, but was happy that it seemed to be going well so far. He needled her about not hitting the clubs with Kim, but Ashley surprised him again by saying Kim had scored a date with the recording technician. Jasmine was quick to snatch Joe's phone when he relayed that tidbit, and Ashley ended up describing how Kim was so chatty and nervous while she got ready. After a few minutes of rehashing the daily events with Jasmine, Ashley sent her love over the cellular airways to them both.

* * *

Joe tried his best to make a normal Thanksgiving. He had invited Ashley's parents over, as well as Jill's mom, and Jasmine's folks, but predictably only hiss accepted. Mrs. Roberts did her best to keep up with Jasmine, who was helping Joe in the kitchen. She had given up on staying with Joe's pace. He barely seemed to move, yet he flew through the prep work in front of him. Commander Roberts, meanwhile, couldn't have been happier. Well, only happier if Ashley were there. He was parked in the den, watching football previews with Jill, Cindy, and Doug. He didn't even mind the hyper chatter when two of the local sorority sisters showed up on an open invitation given to them from Ashley. He thought it was funny that the room fell silent and the girls directed their attention to the TV whenever ESPN re-ran the preview of Saturday's Florida-Florida State game.

"I still say we'd be ranked number one instead of three if you were playing, Joe," Jill quipped loudly toward the kitchen.

"I'm not playing this year, Jill!" he shot back. "Besides, they'd never play me as a true freshman."

The college girls stared, even Jasmine, but it was his mother who asked what they were thinking. "You said, 'This year'...Are you thinking about starting to play again next year, Joe?"

"I've been asked to, yes."

The girls pranced into the kitchen, peppering him with questions of who asked and what was said. He was elusive and said only that one of the coaches saw him on campus one late afternoon and told him that the opportunity was still on the table. After he focused back on assembling the feast to be set in the oven, and the girls figured he wouldn't say any more, the two visiting schoolmates asked if the hype surrounding him the previous year was warranted. Joe only smiled at that, but even Ashley's parents chimed in with their own versions of Joe's heroics on the field. 

The mid-afternoon dinner was happy, but Ashley and Kim were clearly missed. In fact, Joe even felt like he was invading Cindy's house, and to make up for it, he had her say the blessing. Everyone pitched in afterward to clean up, and followed Jasmine's suggestion starting a new tradition of playing touch football until the evening pro game started on TV. Later, the three guys settled into watching the night games while the ladies idled away the time playing pool and gossiping in the game room. It was a fun day, but occasionally someone would comment that they wished Ashley and Kim could have been there.

Ashley and Kim had slept in, making for a rushed start to the morning, and now Kim was riding with Ashley for her appointment at the studio. The day was booked solid with appearances for the release of the Christmas CD, and in the car, a radio station played one of the songs as a preview.

"It sounds better than you described it," Kim said when the song was over, uttering her first meaningful thoughts to Ashley this morning.

"Thanks," Ashley beamed. "How was the date?"

Kim shrugged. "It was fine."

"Couldn't have been all that fine. You were back early."

"Half past midnight is NOT early!" Kim protested defiantly. "I thought you were asleep."

"I was until your moo self trampled onto the bed. For a former cheerleader, you're not exactly light-footed."




An Angel's Fix Pt. 05



"Sorry! I didn't see the need to sneak in. We're both adults now. Besides, I was tired."

Ashley turned briefly toward her friend and flashed a grin. "So, you got some!"

"No! No I did not."

"Then you gave some?"

"Ashley! I'm not as hard up as you!" Then, after a pause, "Or as easy."

"Shut up!" she playfully yelled, but Kim just stared back. Ashley sighed, "Okay, maybe I am...er, was. Whatever. So, what did you do for five hours after dinner, if y'all didn't get it on?"

"We went dancing for a while, he showed me some of his favorite nighttime scenery, and then we went out of the city and just talked at a park. Like I said, it was nice."

"No, you said it went 'fine'."

"Okay! You beat it out of me. Our interests just aren't quite on the same thing. I couldn't keep my attention on him, as much as I wanted to. Maybe I was just trying, or even hoping, too hard."

Ashley turned into the parking garage near the studio. "Are you going to see him again?"

"Tomorrow night, if that's okay with you."

"Sure. Just remember we have to be on a flight Saturday morning."

The double meaning was not lost on Kim. "Yeah, yeah. I know the game is that afternoon. AND, I know long distance doesn't do any good for a new relationship."

"Just remember who told you so," Ashley said with a wink.

"Brat."

They were greeted with "Happy Thanksgivings" throughout the studio and they had nothing to do but meander the halls and wait. Some of the symphony kids began arriving and several struck up conversations with Ashley. Kim had her hands full fending off the flirts of the more confident males again. At last, the steel roll-up door of the receiving dock rattled its way open then closed and before long an assistant rolled a cart filled with cases of the CD's. Matt was smiling as he instructed everybody that it was time to take their places in the lobby.

About 12 members of the symphony were present and seemed to know exactly what they were expected to do. Ashley wasn't told her part, and she simply followed the group with Kim in tow. They exited the hallway and could see the crowd that had gathered outside the front doors. The others quickly divided up the CD's and placed stacks before them on the tables that had been set up. Ashley was directed to sit behind a corner table. She did so, thinking that someone would tell her how to read the advance receipts presented and to collect the balance owed. But nobody came to instruct her, and she felt a bit cast off.

The doors opened, people streamed in, receipts were checked, and the CD's were handed over. Within a few minutes, the first person inside was standing in front of Ashley, tearing the cellophane wrapper off and placed the opened article before Ashley.

"My son Jarrad over there hasn't stopped talking about the recording session," she said. "He was in a rut and thinking of quitting until that day. You made it fun, and now he practices twice as long every day. Thank you so much for doing this."

Ashley beamed at the story. "They were all great during this project. It was fun working with them. Is this copy for you or Jarrad?" At the wishes of the mother, Ashley made the autograph out to Jarrad. "Thank you for your support," she said to the lady.

One after another, people stepped up to Ashley's position, relating similar experiences or just that they heard one of the pieces on the local station. Most of the non-family members felt compelled to get the beautiful album after hearing only the sample promotional piece that was played over the radio. Knowing the proceeds would go toward underprivileged music programs was a bonus. The cover picture was taken during the recording from the balcony on the side and depicted the whole stage, with Ashley's small figure at the front, singing with arms raised during an emotional point. She was honored that these patrons gave up their Thanksgiving morning to meet that redheaded dot and her angelic voice.

The line stacked up at her table, since Ashley engaged each one who stepped in front of her. Kim sat next to her after fetching a stack of scrap paper, and she began to write down for her friend the name and sentiment the next person wanted. It allowed Ashley to meet each person and quickly chat about something other than what to write. At one point, Ashley commented to Kim that she didn't know why the fuss was about her, since she didn't feel that she was famous. One of the fans stated that maybe not now, but soon after this CD, she would be.

After the last person picked up their copy and got their autograph, Matt gave her directions to the first of three Walmarts she was expected, and in fact, scheduled to appear. On the way over there, she and Kim heard the promotional song again, followed by an energetic advertisement for the charity CD and a schedule of Ashley's appearances as well as different groups of the ensemble. She realized then that Matt was responsible for creating the fans' fondness toward Ashley.

She was in the wrong lane and passed the store. By the time she got turned back around and pulled into the lot, fifteen minutes had gone by. A small group of managers met her at the appointed door and led her back to the electronics department. Some of the twelve who were at the station were already sitting at tables lined up, as well as the rest of the strings section. Ashley gasped when she saw the line formed at the register. She was ushered to the first chair, but after her realization in the car, she wanted the musicians to be the focus, and insisted she sit at the end.

Halfway through the line, cheers and applause erupted from the other end of the table. Soon, the confused Ashley was told that the location's allotment of copies had sold out. Several who were at the unfortunate end made a mad dash outside of the store, hoping the next location would prove luckier. Kim had preempted Ashley's request for a copy signed by the people she worked with, and followed the last fan through the line, gaining autographs from each of the members present on the cover of the CD she had bought from Matt back at the studio. In turn, the members came around and followed Kim to Ashley's place. Ashley happily signed each one and insisted they come around and receive a hug. Several moms were excited to capture those moments on their one-time-use cameras or prepaid cell phones.

The scene was repeated at the next location with the other half of the symphony members. While those first two sessions were happy and giddy, the last location held a special surprise. Ashley was greeted by the chorus who were decked out in their performance robes. To the delight of shoppers and store staff alike, the group asked Ashley if she would lead them in an a cappella "Joy to The World." She obliged, and the group arranged themselves across the wide aisle, facing the line of donors who were hoping to score a copy of the CD. Ashley tried to apologize in advance if she wasn't in key since she hadn't warmed up her voice, but a large grumbling shut that down.

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you," she said while flashing a sheepish grin.

The choir's conductor raised his baton and Ashley nodded. He stroked the rhythm in the air and Ashley belted out a strong and slow "Joy to the world," to which the choir answered with, "the Lord is come!" They then proceeded with the uptempo rendition they had used for the CD, filled with much clapping and swaying, and solos for Ashley. The last held note died off, and the back half of the store erupted in applause and cheers. Many of the choir members hugged Ashley before taking their seats behind the tables.

The store manager had filmed the performance with his hand held video camera, intending only to share it with the employees who could not leave their posts. He later copied it onto DVD's and sent those to the other two locations at their request. During a regional manager visit, a lead associate from one of those stores asked him if he had seen it. Picking up on the excited description, he asked if he could view it. One thing led to another, and with permission from Matt, Ashley, and the choir director, the video (and it's obvious store setting in the background) aired for two weeks the next month as the corporation's national Happy Holidays commercial.

"Oh my God, I am starving!" Ashley proclaimed as they were getting in the rental car after her duties for the day were done.

"I told you to eat something, but nooo! You had to sleep in and then spend an hour on your hair, instead of grabbing what I ordered to the room," Kim chastised.

"Cereal and milk? Yeah right. I would have sounded like a frog when they did that song."

"Whatever." Kim fastened her seat belt. "That was awesome though," Kim admitted. "I had to keep swallowing back tears to keep from ruining my mascara."

Ashley started the engine. "Aw. And here I thought we did a happy one. Why did you cry?"

"I didn't cry." Kim lifted her chin in defiance and Ashley gave her a knowing look. "Okay, well maybe a little. But it was just that I'm so happy and proud of you. Anything you do is just so beautiful."

Ashley chuckled. "Thanks, Mom."

Kim swatted her friend's shoulder. "Twerp! You're great, and you know it. Anyway, I hope we can find something open. I'm hungry too."

"Open? We're in a big city, and it's only..." she looked at her watch. "Holy crap! Well, okay, maybe not 'only.' It's five o'clock, but why would you think things are closed now? Dinner hour is barely starting."

Kim snickered. "Happy Thanksgiving, Ash."

She had forgotten in all the obligations set for her today. "Oh wow! I thought traffic was rather light. And, I wondered why so many in the choir kept asking if we wanted to go to their church for dinner."

"Nothing gets by you, does it?"

"Shut up!" Ashley pulled out onto the road and started heading toward some restaurants she had seen on their way to the stores. "I have a lot on my mind," she rationalized.

"A lot of Joe and Jasmine," Kim poked.

"That too," Ashley winked. "I haven't had any in almost a week."

"You called them when I was on my date. Didn't you...?"

"What? Phone sex?" 

Kim nodded. 

Ashley sighed. "It's not the same. Besides, I loved just talking and listening to them, so that never came up."

After several frustrating loops through empty restaurant parking lots, the choices melted down to either Waffle House or Denny's. Denny's was the obvious choice, and the scene inside was right out of the movie The Santa Clause. Single and newly divorced dads resigned to bringing their kids there in an attempt to give them some resemblance of a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Ashley and Kim drew everyone's eyes when they walked in, because two pretty and nicely dressed young ladies just weren't expected to be celebrating the holiday away from their families, or at least boyfriends.

Once seated, the movie stereotype continued when the waitress's favorite words were "We're out," to inquiries of anything that was on the advertised turkey specials. Now painfully aware of the holiday, Ashley was determined to get something close to traditional and she settled for a baked chicken breast with vegetables. Kim was just plain hungry, and ordered the all you can eat pancakes with bacon. She did get to one-up Ashley on something, though, and made special emphasis when she ordered TURKEY bacon. Ashley responded with a light kick under the table.

They chatted mostly about light things that happened on the trip, trying their best to ignore the longing glances and occasional stares from the lonely fathers at the other tables. Ashley finished her meal rather quickly and sighed when Kim ordered a second round of pancakes.

"Call them, Ash. You know you want to," Kim prodded when she picked up on the impatience. "I'll just keep eating while you talk to them. I don't mind."

"Pig," Ashley accused laughingly, but was already dialing her phone. Kim was surprised when Ashley said into the phone, "Hey Mom! Happy Thanksgiving!"

As soon as they got back to the hotel room, Kim picked up her sweater and phone and went back to the door.

"It's great that you talked to your parents until we walked into the lobby, Ashley. But, now call THEM," Kim said.

"I was going to, but I gotta use the bathroom first. Wait, where are you going?"

"I'm gonna give you some privacy, so you can take care of some, uh, needs, if you want."

"Kim! You can stay here. I'm sure that won't even happen. And if it did, it's not like you haven't seen me do that before."

"Well, that's not the best background noise to have while I'm talking to my folks, now is it? Don't worry, I'm just going down to the lobby to call them. If I get back before you're done, just keep going. I won't care."

Ashley threw a towel at Kim. "And Jill says * I * have a dirty mind," she giggled. "Go call your parents."

Kim laughed, "You DO have a dirty mind. Have fun!"

Kim may have said that, but she wouldn't invest in a bet on it. Ashley probably would be finishing up her own phone call when Kim got back, but wouldn't be doing anything more risque than half-watching TV in her undies. Kim's own call was a pleasant Thanksgiving chat with her parents that lasted almost two hours. They asked why she was in Atlanta, and she gave the answer of Ashley bringing her along to work through some things. She didn't tell them about Ashley saying Kim was her agent, mostly because she believed it was one of Ashley's tricks to keep someone she knew around when she was uncomfortable. The call ended and Kim felt refreshed after resetting the in-touch calendar with her folks. She checked the time and figured Ashley had long enough to chat with Joe and Jasmine.

When Kim opened the door, the sight that greeted her made her breath catch. The only light in the room was a bedside lamp and the TV. Ashley was stretched out on her back above the covers, one hand holding her phone to her ear, the other absently caressing her inner thigh. She had changed into Joe's emerald and gold football jersey from high school, and when she had shifted her legs, a white flash of cotton panties was enough to be burned into anyone's imagination. Although Ashley wasn't actively doing anything sexual, the pace of the rise and fall of the jersey covered mounds on her chest gave hint to her arousal.

"Hey Kim," Ashley said with a smile. Then, back into the phone, "Yeah, I really miss you guys. You have no idea."

As Ashley listened, Kim dropped her purse on the dresser and stripped down to her bra and panties. As she approached her side of the bed, she noticed Ashley's hand had drifted closer toward her panties. Kim laid down and faced Ashley. After a few moments, the hand was tracing the hem of the undergarment between Ashley's legs. Kim reached out and softly stroked Ashley's arm. Out of instinct and habit, Ashley shifted her weight to let Kim pull the bottom of the jersey up toward her waist. Kim's hand traveled up and under.

"Whoa, Kim!" Ashley gasped in surprise.

"What happened?" Joe asked on the other end.

"She slipped her hand up your jersey and is like totally playing with my nipples." Then to Kim, "I thought you didn't want that any more?"

Kim answered, "Well, once more for old times' sake?"

"I guess I better go, guys," Ashley happily sighed.

Earlier, they had used the three-way feature on their call, so that Jasmine and Joe could both talk to Ashley.

Jasmine spoke up. "Uh, no. You don't have to go. This could be pretty hot!"

"Yeah right! And give you more fuel to play with Joe?"

"He's in his room, and I'm in one of the guest rooms. Go on, what is she doing now?"

Ashley sighed again as she relaxed back into her pillow. "Oh Jasmine, you know her. She's nibbling my neck and rolling my nipples between her fingers..."

About a half hour later, Ashley had hung up the phone and was still catching her breath. "What brought that on?"

Kim laid on her side looking at Ashley, her head resting on her arm. "Well, you gave me a release when I was missing Joe, and found him taken by you. I figured I'd return the favor."

Ashley smiled back, "But you've repaid me a hundred times over since then."

Kim giggled. "One last time wouldn't hurt. Or did it?"

"No. It was totally the opposite end of hurt," Ashley said, and then reached over to tempt her friend with a mouthwatering kiss.

* * *

The next morning was more studio time. Mike was chipper, and Ashley couldn't help but rib him about his pants again. This time she asked why no one had gotten him a pair that fits for Thanksgiving. He took it in good humor this time, and Ashley decided that she liked working with him well enough, but something was giving her a reservation about him. That something presented itself again when they started recording.

"East Coast meets West Coast. Mike comin' atcha with my girl, Ashley," he introduced and pointed at her as a cue to start singing.

Just hearing that sent chills like nails on a chalkboard down Ashley's spine as it struck her about what it was that she didn't like about him. He was a follower, jumping from one bandwagon to the next. Even his pieces mirrored other artists a little too close for comfort. But, she resolved to finishing her commitment.

Likewise, Kim had to battle with a little internal tension herself. The chatting with Jerry between takes seemed easy enough today, but both were digging rather hard to reach common ground in interests. There weren't any heated moments, but their viewpoints agreed on very few topics. She was tempted to beg off the date and make some excuse up about Ashley wanting to go shopping before they left tomorrow. But she decided against it, mostly out of fear of what Ashley would say to make fun of her for not sticking it out.

Kim was correct in one respect; Ashley did want to go Black Friday shopping on their last day in Atlanta. After things were wrapped up in the studio, she enlisted Kim's help in buying Christmas presents for every person in her favorite circle; except Kim's, of course. To keep things fun for Kim, Ashley also subsidized her companion's selections for gifts. Kim went all-out in promising to pay Ashley back, to the point that the repetitive promises were getting annoying. Ashley knew full well that she would never accept repayment from Kim, but kept the thought to herself in an effort to keep that part of their conversations to a minimum.

Ashley called home once Jerry had taken Kim from her. She was hoping to catch Jill to wish her a safe drive to school, but the cheerleader had left a couple of hours earlier, wanting a good night's rest before meeting with her teammates the next morning to get ready for the big game. Ashley then chatted with the rest who were in her house, and spent more than a few minutes catching up with Cindy.

Meanwhile, Jerry was giving Kim a full-court press, pounding her with questions at dinner in an attempt to seem extra interested in her. The more sighing and rolling of the eyes she did, the more he'd flirt with her. She was really getting annoyed when it didn't let up during their walk from the car toward the movies. No matter what she did, he didn't get the hint that she wasn't going to respond in the way he wanted. Kim decided to face it head-on.

She pivoted on her pumps to face him. "Look, I don't think we should see the movie."

His eyes lit up. "Oh, would you just like to go to my apartment for some drinks, or dessert?"

"No!" she nearly shouted, and it startled him. Kim sighed, nearly regretting the outburst. "Jerry, I've been trying to throw you some hints so you wouldn't feel bad. But, they're not working. So, maybe it's just best if you take me to my hotel."

"Sure thing. But, won't Ashley be there? I mean, I don't have a roommate, and we could..."

Kim's lips creased into a severe frown, and she didn't care how it looked at this point. "No...we can't. I guess I have to spell it out. I'm sorry if I somehow gave you an impression that I was hoping for some quick fling while I was away from home. This just isn't clicking, and with you trying to speed date me all night, well, any temptation I might have had for anything physical this week with you is completely gone. Please take me back home, so we can part as friends with a passing misunderstanding."




An Angel's Fix Pt. 06



"Heads down! Arms front!" The mantra shouted repeatedly by the flight attendant was starting to get strained and cracked, then grew quieter and almost to herself. Aside the fluctuating engine noise from the engines as the pilots feathered the throttles, the cabin was eerily quiet, Kim noticed. There were a few sniffles sprinkled with quiet Oh My God's, and Ashley was mumbling something in what Kim guessed was more than one language. Whatever it was, she didn't understand the words. 

Kim for her part was quietly content. Her inner thoughts were amused at the oddity of that. In occasional nightmares, she was hysterical, running and screaming toward or from whatever threatened her slumber. Kim had always figured that's how she'd react in reality. But now that she was in a real nightmare, she felt that she had reconciled things with Ashley, and Ashley was at her side. This was as good a place and time as any for it to all end. That is, as long as it was quick.

"As long as it's quick," she breathed her last words before the left side wheels skipped down the pavement of the runway.

* * *

"What is with you Jill?" her cheer partner, Ken, asked. "It's like trying to balance a sack of corn up there."

She glanced again at her sorority section, and still four of her friends were missing. "They should have been here by now. Something must have happened," she frowned.

"Yeah, they're probably hung over like the rest of the student section," Ken retorted. He was in a foul mood, frustrated at the open spaces in front of them. Usually for a rival game, the stadium was packed a couple of hours ahead of the kickoff, but this year was CBS's turn for the game. ABC would have moved the game to prime time given the high ranking of both schools this year. But for some reason, CBS went the other way to an 11:30 start, meaning the louder and more rowdy students were still sleeping it off. Ken surmised that CBS had the SEC in their pocket, and the move in kickoff time was done to benefit the visiting Gators. It didn't help matters that their team also seemed to be sleeping in, as they were currently getting trounced.

The cheerleaders were divided in half so they could cover both sides of the stadium, moving counter-clockwise between cheers. The co-captain stopped their group to do a "Scalp 'Em" cheer.

"You don't understand," Jill continued as they started walking again. "Ashley and Kim are flying back from Atlanta this morning."

An off-duty deputy working field security nearby overheard that. "Did you say Atlanta? A call came over the radio that a plane from Atlanta is in trouble."

Jill's eyes went wide open. "But they're gonna be okay, right?"

FSU got a rare third down stop and the quiet crowd kicked up a few decibels. "They were sending twelve of our units to the airport, that's all I know," the deputy called into her ear with a shrug.

"Oh my God." Jill started shaking then sprinted along the retaining wall, heading for their bench on the opposite corner. She just had to reach her phone. Ken was close on her heels. With fumbling fingers, she swiped the lockout bar, but there were no texts nor any missed call notifications.

"They'll be here," he said while putting an arm around her shoulder. "Come on, let's rejoin our squad so you won't overthink it, okay?" he coaxed while gently guiding her away from their bench.

On the way back, she paused at the deputy, making him promise to give her updates when he saw her come around again. It usually takes them about 45 minutes to make a circuit around the stadium, but the 'Noles seemed to finally wake up. They were leading cheers more frequently now, and it seemed that every three minutes, Ken would hoist her to sit on his shoulder to do the first down cheer. And then the crowd started yelling, followed by a large roar. Jill groaned as she clenched her pom poms tighter, rightly expecting Ken's hands to grab her waist from behind. She halfheartedly bounced to give him an assist, and heard him grunt as she was lifted up to his shoulder just when the band fired up. The good guys had finally scored, but the last thing she wanted was another delay in seeing the deputy again.

Two quick turnovers were turned into scores, and when the crowd roared at the second one, Jill moaned "Fuck me!" She affected her now-habit perma-grin for the TV camera to take yet another shot up her skirt, but Ken grunted "Fuck it!" before the expected red light came on and pulled Jill toward the wall with him. She almost didn't notice his arms were still bulging from the previous exertions, or that he was practically panting to catch his breath. The celebration cheering ended and the co-captain came over with the others to ask what was wrong. The guys and gals gave her a group hug after she explained her fears, and the co-captain told the pair to sit out the halftime performance.

Now temporarily freed from her obligations, Jill strode the perimeter of the field to find the deputy. She was somewhat surprised that Ken tagged along. "You're my partner" was all he said when she asked why. Hopeful for good news, she found her news source, but her heart fell as she saw his shoulders heave in a heavy sigh when they made eye contact.

"The plane crashed," he told her. "The only other information I know is that they transported two females to the hospital in critical condition. I'm sorry."

A sharp chill went through her. "But what about the others?" she stammered.

"I'm sorry. I don't know."

"The two...how old?" Jill asked, praying against hope for an answer that matched her wish.

"Thirty something, not sure...hey...whoa!" He and Ken had to grab her since her knees had buckled. "Okay sweetie, okay. Put your nose between your knees," he said as they set her down on one of the back Gator benches. 

He looked at Ken and Ken explained that she was expecting two of her best friends on a flight from Atlanta. Ken rubbed her back gently as she bent forward and sobbed. A team doctor from UF strode over and the deputy explained simply that she received very bad news and nearly passed out. He nodded, went away briefly and returned with a squirt bottle of water.

Handing the mascot emblazoned container to Ken he said, "I know it's not y'all's colors, but it's a clean, new one. Try to get her to sip some." He was genuinely thanked by Ken and then continued, "If she needs to go somewhere, my car's at the gate with the other doctors'. Let me know and I'll have one of our equipment managers take her," he offered before returning to his team duties. Jill finally took her first sip after much encouragement from the deputy and Ken. The officer stayed a while, but a scuffle broke out between two drunk guys in his section and he hopped the wall to take care of it. They did not see him again that afternoon. About mid way through the halftime show, Jill felt strong enough to make it back to their own bench.

There she checked her phone, already knowing in her heart that it didn't hold any answers. She straddled the bench and put the phone down between her legs, waiting for the dreaded call from Joe or Jasmine. Ken sat facing her and opened his arms. Her head fell forward and she allowed him to cradle it against his shoulder while she alternated between heavy sighs and deep sobs. Looking back later on, it surprised her that when she did, she faced him instead of facing away. Their teammates stopped by for water and to check on her, but Ken just shook his head slightly. They would move off, most felt deep pangs of empathy, while the others who knew Ashley felt the same fear and uncertainty Jill did, but to a lesser degree. For Jill, an eternity seemed to tick by.

Suddenly, she realized Ken had said something and it was aimed at her.

"What?" she foggily asked.

"Don't you hang out with a redhead?"

"Her name is Ashley," Jill blurted with a bit more irritation than she intended, but that's what she was feeling.

"Well, isn't that her?"

"What?!" She followed with her eyes where he was pointing. From this distance, she could make out a girl with red hair making her way up the stands, followed by a male and two females. Robotic, Jill got up and made her way down the length of the sideline to check it out. When she reached the closest wall, the four were squeezing down the row to their seats, backs turned toward the field. The game had started again and the crowd wailed and groaned as the bad guys returned a kick for a score. Jill just couldn't wait for any of the possibilities to turn and face her.

"Ashley!" she called, feeling like her voice was swallowed up by the thrum of the crowd. But instantly, the red head snapped in her direction. "What the hell?" she muttered while at the same time relief washed over her entire body.

"Leg up?" Ken was already next to her, fingers interlaced at knee level, ready to give her a boost.

Jill stepped into his hold and she felt like she was taking off to fly. She gave a little hop at the apex of his upward thrust, and just like that, she was over the wall and scampering up the stadium steps. Ashley had reversed course and was working to slip back past Joe, Jasmine, and Kim. When Jill reached their row, Ashley and Kim made it to the end and were greeted with strong hugs and rapid kisses from Jill.

Jill choked back the last of her tears and called over the crowd into Ashley's ear, "but I was told a plane crashed..."

Ashley and Kim looked at each other wearily and Ashley leaned into Jill and called back, "it was definitely our plane, and it definitely crashed!"

Jill was confused. Elated to see her friends, but very confused. "But how...? There's not a scratch or bump on you! Either of you!"

"My back hurts..." Ashley began.

"Mine too!" interjected Kim.

Ashley gave Kim an apology look. "OUR backs hurt a bit, but yeah, we're okay!" 

Jill gave them an awed look and about that time the sorority sisters at the periphery of their huddle figured out the bits they overheard. Almost at the same time were multiple shouts, "Wait! Y'all were in a plane crash?! When?"

Ashley gave a large, almost embarrassed, smile and rolled her eyes. "YES! We were in a plane crash this morning! I'll tell everyone about it at the after-game party at the House!"

The other girls were placated at this assurance, but Jill was still transfixed on Ashley and Kim. "I just... I just..." she stammered. Joe and Jasmine had made their way over to join the huddle. She swatted at both of them, one for each hand. "Why the FUCK didn't you call me?!" she yelled, punctuated by the most angry frown any of them had seen.

Joe stoically replied, "Ash didn't let us. She pushed us to get here as quick as we could, and their luggage is still at the airport."

Jill looked at Jasmine sternly, but quickly softened when she saw that Jasmine was still visibly shaken from what she had witnessed.

Ashley used the pause to shift gears. "Okay, so who's ahead?" She glanced at the scoreboard and did a quick suck through her teeth. "Ouch, not us."

The abrupt turn did it's trick. Jill said, "we've made it much closer than it was." Just then the crowd groaned as FSU's quarterback fumbled the ball and Florida returned it for a score. "...Or at least we had..." she finished.

"Well, your team needs you!" Ashley prodded. "Get back down there!"

Jill did as Ashley bade. She hopped the rail and Ken caught her to soften the landing just as he routinely did when they performed basket tosses.

The game had flashes of hope for their school. Jill mostly returned to her standout form, and Ashley screamed for her team as if her life depended on it. But, more opportunities were missed, and pressure affected their quarterback to a point of collapse in skill. The final outcome was yet another disappointment for fans, as yet another national title chance within their grasp slipped away.

They were walking among the throng of grumbling fans toward the sorority house and at one point Ashley commented to Joe that he would have done better in the game. He looked at her in surprise but said nothing. Usually the post-game party at The House was rather low key and sparse of participants, as most of the members accompanied their flings at the respective frat parties. But word of Ashley's promise to relate the event of the morning got around, and the House was packed. She was pressed a number of times about what happened, but Ashley waved off each request by saying she wanted to unwind a bit. After a few beers were consumed by all and Joe had set out his last batch of what he called "well-dressed 'tato skins," Jill headed to the rear deck outside for a smoke. Close behind was Jasmine then Kim, who thought this would be an opportunity to patch things as directed by Ashley, who followed to be with her friends. Ashley's exit started a flood of young people heading out, not wanting to miss the story. Jill fished the pack out from the back pocket of her jeans, pulled a stick out and put it in her mouth. A guard hired by the sorority for these parties came up to Jill and said someone at the door asked to see her. Jill had almost put the lighter to the end when the request came.

"Of course," she grumbled around her cigarette before returning it to the box. She followed the guard to the front door and stopped short in surprise and confusion. "Ken?! What are you doing here?"

"Just wanted to see how you're doing, you know after...well...after..." Her partner hesitated while he studied her eyes, then chuckled. "I guess you're better than okay," he finished after seeing them dilated but sparkling.

"Yeah," she giggled lightly. "I've had a few. You wanna come in?"

He followed her to the back of the house, and it became very apparent the reason for the security and invite-only admission as they walked through the richly appointed mansion. Jill led him to her friends, took up her spot where her cup was still sitting on the rail, and made some quick introductions. She fished out her pack again, this time successfully lighting her vice.

"What the hell?!" Ken admonished.

Jill touched his hand as a signal to relax. "Just when I drink," she said after drawing and exhaling a puff. "I used to smoke more." She caught Jasmine's look of request and handed her the pack and lighter. Jasmine lit up, drew in a long drag, and sighed heavily as she slowly exhaled.

Her sigh caught Ashley's attention. "Jasmine!" she exclaimed with Joe standing behind her, arms wrapped lovingly around her belly. "I haven't seen you smoke since...like...well, ever!"

Jasmine scowled. "Shut up! After seeing what I did this morning, with blood splattered over you and Kim, I fucking want a damn cigarette!" She gave her stick a long draw in defiance.

Mary, the sorority president, came up to Joe, and Ashley gave his arms a permissive pat when he was told that the keg needed changing out. He left to do the chore, and Ashley responded to Ken's questioning look. "Joe works the kitchen here," she explained.

Ken had been sizing up Joe and Ashley since Jill introduced them, and not without Jill noticing. He'd seen them around Jill before or after practice occasionally, but this was his first personal interaction with them. The unspoken affectionate reassurances between the couple make it click in his head as to who they were. "Wait! You're the couple that was in the student paper last fall!"

Ashley looked at him blankly, but a nearby sophomore date of one of the other girls spoke up after taking a swig from his cup. "Yeah, y'all were in our paper after your high school game here last year. Joe was supposed to be our savior."

Buzzed, Jill spoke without thinking. "He might still be. He says..." she realized that the Thanksgiving conversation was not public knowledge and cut herself short. Jasmine just shook her head.

Ashley frowned, a bit incensed that she didn't know what Joe was thinking about. "He said what, exactly?" she asked, looking first at Jill, then Jasmine.

Jill worked herself out of the pickle. "So what did happen this morning? How bad was the crash?"

Ashley didn't have a chance to rebuke the subject change, as the crowd around them all but chanted for her to share the story. Between the views of herself, Kim, and Jasmine, they painted the picture of the events of the mishap. First was how the one wheel wouldn't come down, and the numerous passes over the runway to free it. Jasmine also related how on one pass, a guy standing on the bed of a speeding pickup attempted to grab and pull on the faulty gear. It didn't seem to work. After the hard bank came the actual landing attempt, and fire/rescue sprayed the runway with foam in preparation. The pilot banked slightly the other way to put the weight of the plane on the good wheel. Then he dropped the nose, keeping the weight on the front and left wheels for as long as possible. The plane sped down the runway, spraying the foam everywhere. As it neared the end, the right wheel touched down, and for a moment, seemed to hold. But, the plane was just running out of pavement, and the pilot had no choice but use the wheel brakes. The gear collapsed, dropping the right wing into the grass and jarring everyone inside. The wing dug into the grass and pulled the plane sharply right until it rested 90 degrees to where it was traveling. Jasmine shuddered when Ashley and Kim related what happened at the same time as the spin.

"It sounded like rain," Kim began.

"More like someone turning a fire hose on the plane," added Ashley.

Kim nodded. "Yeah, and at first I thought that's what it was. But then the ladies in the row ahead of us started screaming."

"It was an awful sound," Ashley lamented. Her voice had been hoarse from screaming at the game, but was now turning tighter as the event was rehashed. "Their screams came from their gut...I don't know how to describe it."

"But it wasn't a fire hose?" one of the junior sisters asked, breathless.

Jasmine shook her head, tears in her eyes. "The propeller," she croaked.

"It struck the ground and shattered, spraying itself, foam, bits of runway, grass and dirt against the side of the plane," Kim elaborated.

Ashley sighed, and it was clear the event had finally sank in her head. Telling the story was getting to her. "Some of the stronger and sharper pieces punched through and sliced up the ladies' legs ahead of us." The deck was silent now, and it was a while before Ashley collected herself enough to finish. "So, once everything stopped, I, Kim, and the flight attendant gave them first aid. Luckily she had several spare demonstration seat belts we used as tourniquets. I hope they can keep their legs," she mused as she ended.

"Prayer answered," Joe said as he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around as he previously did. "It was just on the news. Doctors are confident in full recoveries, and they're calling y'alls' actions heroic, as you saved their lives."

"Wow," said a fellow new member in awe. "How'd you know what to do?"

Ashley responded factually, "swim class...like everyone else, right?" There were blank looks all around. "In my class in California, they made us all learn Red Cross first aid and CPR before we got in the water. Doesn't everybody?" Several shakes of heads answered her. "Well, that explains some things," she grumbled.

Joe looked over her shoulder and her pained and somewhat angry face confirmed what he guessed. "Okay," he announced. "I think she's had enough for tonight, so we're gonna head on."

Ashley received many hugs and a few light pecks from the girls as they said good night. Then she and Joe disappeared through the back door to head for his car out front. Kim was prodded by Jill to finish up the story, and she related how the flight attendant opened the emergency exit and slide to evacuate most everybody. Once the plane had been cleared except for the pilots, flight attendant, the injured ladies, herself and Ashley, the EMT's boarded the plane and attended to the ladies. Then, firefighters helped her and Ashley out of the plane, since the slide had been removed. They were greeted by several officers who interviewed them about what they witnessed, and then escorted to a bus to shuttle them to the terminal. Joe and Jasmine found them very quickly, but their faces were as if they saw ghosts.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 06



"What y'all didn't realize," interjected Jasmine, "was that blood was covering your hands and splattered everywhere else on you."

"Yeah, we didn't know. Anyway, once you pointed that out, Ashley made us race home for showers and a quick change so we could catch some of the game."

* * *

Ashley didn't say anything in the car on the way home, and Joe let it go. Once inside their town home, Ashley grabbed his wrist and all but dragged him to their room. She closed the door a little harder than she intended, which Joe thought was odd, but even odder still was that she locked it. Their bedroom was always open to any of the girls, if nothing else but to chat. If Joe and Ashley or Ashley and Jasmine were in the middle of fun, it didn't matter. Whoever came in would either turn around and come back later, or would sit on the side of the bed and start talking anyway. For all of them, it was normal, and just something that happens. But tonight, Ashley wanted Joe, and not for comfort or safety.

Unbuttoning her sweater and blouse, she turned to him. "Take off your clothes, Joe," she commanded. "I wanna fuck!"

He stripped down, already getting hard at the sight of her panties and tits as she undid her jeans. He waited for her to climb into bed once they were undressed, but she shook her head and grunted, "uh uh." He laid down and she was quickly on top of him, mounting his cock in one graceful motion. Ashley snuggled herself down on him and breathed, "you better fucking stay hard for this." He was about to respond that it wouldn't be an issue, since he hadn't seen her in over a week, but she had already started her sex. She bounced her way to two quick climaxes, then went at it for all she was worth to reach a third. Grinding very hard on his dick, Ashley didn't care at this point whether he was enjoying it. She was desperate for a release that eluded her from screaming hard at the game, to talking the incident out at the party. "Come on, damnit, come on!" she grunted over and over to herself as she ground against his pubic bone, rubbing her clit against his hair and making his rod slip deliciously around inside her. Finally after several mini climaxes and many minutes later, the Big One she worked her hips feverishly for happened.

"OH....FUCK...YEAH!" It was a half grunt, half guttural yell as the sparks went off in her head and her tummy convulsed. She continued to push into her orgasm and another one stacked onto her current pleasure, sending her into shakes.

"Oh God, I needed that," she sighed as she rolled off Joe and on to the bed once the waves of pleasure subsided. Her personality had changed instantly, and she was in loving kitten mode. The utter release made her giddy and she started giggling. "Sowwy," she pouted to Joe.

"For what?" he asked as he snuggled in beside her.

"I didn't wait for you," she answered. "You can do it now, if you want."

He studied the side of her face while absently playing with her breast on the opposite side, a habit Ashley absolutely loved. "Don't worry, I did when you did."

She squirmed her legs once and giggled. "Oh, I guess so! Well, you're welcome to seconds, thirds, or fourths later on, even if I'm asleep."

"I know. I just might." He heard Ashley sigh "good." "So how was your week?" he asked. She sort of glared at him out of the corner of her eye. "I mean aside from today," Joe quickly elaborated.

Ashley gave a weary chuckle, and the day suddenly wore her down. "Can I tell you in the morning?" she yawned. "I think I'm heading for a sex coma. Good night. I love you." The slumber struck her so quickly, she missed him kissing her forehead and returning the sentiment.

* * *

Jasmine felt a bit like the proverbial "third wheel" at the airport when Ashley went straight into Joe's arms, and then rushed them out to the car lot to get going. Ashley had ridden with Joe home, while Jasmine felt she was "stuck" with Kim, driving her in Ashley's truck. The ride home and to the stadium was quiet, since Kim didn't say a word. But then, that was nothing new between them lately. Now, Jasmine felt even more left out when she found the bedroom door closed.

"Jazz, you can sleep with me tonight," Kim said when she saw her sigh heavily.

Jasmine hadn't heard that pet name from Kim in a long time, and was a touch bewildered. None of her bedtime choices were comfortable at that point. There was the couch, sleeping next to Kim, who was not friendly at all to her lately, or Jill's room. But there was no telling when Jill might get home, and it was possible she'd be bringing Ken with her. So with a sigh to steel up her nerves, Jasmine nodded. They took turns using the bathroom, stripped down to their panties, and got into bed. Kim faced Jasmine, while Jasmine laid on her back, staring at the ceiling and thinking about all the what-if's. What if the crash was worse? What if Ashley hadn't survived? What if Ashley was tired of her? What if they kicked her out? What if Kim was taking her place? She winced at that one. Oh God...

"Jazz?" Kim interrupted her thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"Are you sober enough to understand me?"

Jasmine sighed in irritation. "I drove us home, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but..."

Jasmine felt a fight coming on, despite the sudden pet name use. She turned to face Kim angrily. "I only had a couple, and I'm not even buzzed! You dissing the way I drive now? God!"

"That's not what I..."

"What?! You weren't going to complain about my driving? Well, I suppose you'll start in on how I tried to steal Joe again? Right? Well, I'll have you know that while you got to enjoy Ashley last week, I had to double-click my own mouse for relief. Joe and I didn't see each other in anything less than t-shirts and jeans!" Kim slapped her cheek. It wasn't hard enough to sting, but Jasmine's jaw went wide in total shock. For the bitterness that was harbored between them, never had either of them resorted to the physical expression of it.

"Jasmine, shut up and listen! I'm trying to talk to you!" Kim let out a grunt in frustration. "What you did hurt Ashley very much..."

Jasmine interrupted. "I know! I'm sorry! A thousand times, I'm sorry!" She was on the verge of tears. "All I wanted to do was see what I missed. All of you had Joe at some point, and had him for months or years each. I just wanted to experience him for one night. All of him. His friendship, his love, his trust, and yes, his sexual play. But Joe is totally in love with Ashley, more than he was ever in love with any of you. Anyone can see that. Ashley gave me permission to enjoy him, but I knew it would take everything I had in me and what I knew about him to seduce him...no matter what Ashley had told him to do. It took all night for me to finally get him to let Ashley go for a bit and see me as a willing partner. Yes, he'll enjoy us teasing him by walking around the house in our undies, or sometimes get to second base with me, and that's a lot of fun. But don't you understand? He's only got feelings for her. Did you know that he won't even let me jack him off while Ashley goes down on me? Joe always makes sure it's her hand that's touching him. I wish you'd get it through your head that even though Ashley would let him have fun with any of us, he just won't." She sighed, not realizing until now how much she needed to get off her chest. Then her worries returned. "But now, I don't know what you've said to her all week, but I think she doesn't want me any more. She went straight to Joe when they bussed you from the plane to the terminal. Okay, so she loves him, and she needed his arms embracing her after all that. But, barely two words to me all afternoon and tonight?! They closed the door, for God sakes!"

"Can I talk now?" asked Kim.

"Sure."

"And you won't interrupt?"

Jasmine sighed. "I promise not to interrupt."

Kim took a deep breath in preparation. "As I was saying, you hurt Ashley very much..." Jasmine opened her mouth, but Kim put her hand up and stopped her. "You did, and in doing so, you hurt me and I think Jill to a certain extent. But that said, after what Ashley said to me on this trip, and what you just said, I understand now. I wanted to say I'm sorry for being a bitch to you lately. I just hope I haven't lost you as a friend."

"You haven't," Jasmine said quietly.

"Good. And about you and Ashley...don't worry. You're still very much her girlfriend."

Jasmine scrunched her face in confusion. "What...do...you...mean?" she asked slowly.

"Oh please, you know damn well what I mean. I asked her straight up, and she confirmed it. The girl is head over heels for you...well, only after Joe." Then Kim got up and did something Jasmine completely unexpected. She came around, knelt on the floor before Jasmine, and took her hand. "Could you please forgive me? I just didn't understand what was going on."

Jasmine hopped out of bed and knelt next to Kim. Her voice tight in her throat, she said, "Kim, if roles were reversed, I'd probably do worse than you have." She threw her arms around Kim's neck. "Let's just start from...well, from before we were mad." 

They both giggled and held each other for a while before anything more was said.

* * *

While they all were having brunch after Mass the next morning, Ashley laid out what had happened during their trip. Jasmine joked that she knew Kim was smart, but why was she so stupid at school lately. Kim rewarded that with a playful punch to Jasmine's arm and responded that until last week, she just didn't have any focus about the future. Her mediocre grades were going to be remedied in short order, she assured them all. Then Ashley went into a rant about flying, making it very clear to all that she was not setting foot in a plane again. Ever.

Another thing that her friends agreed was very clear over the next few days, something was rather different about Ashley. Nothing bad, but on several occasions, each had caught her making comments in languages other than English; in perfect diction. When asked about it, she just shrugged, saying that the software at the sorority must be working for her. Joe at some point asked a doctor about her becoming fluent in four languages all at once. The doctor researched it and said it was possible that the plane crash was traumatic enough for her that the scare forced certain connections in her head to be made. 

Aside from this, Ashley became the definition of determination. Every late afternoon after her classes, she would grab her guitar and practice. She wouldn't practice at home, but rather at a rundown amphitheater on the west side of campus. Several days into this, there would be a growing number of students stopping to sit and listen on their way back to the dorms. Early in each session, it seemed Ashley was oblivious to the dozens of people perched on the cracked concrete semi-circles before her. She methodically went through assigned voice pieces, and then moved on to what she called "trying my hand at writing." The students and a few random professors just sat there to enjoy this part, some quietly talking as it didn't seem to faze the performer. But after a while, Ashley would thank her listeners for their patience, smile up at them and ask if anyone wanted to hear something. Then the real show the regulars came to expect would start. A request would be offered, and she would play and sing the piece without hesitation. A nickname for Ashley was born from these nights: The Human Jukebox. She gained a reputation for knowing and performing any published song asked without any perceptible mistakes. More than a few even thought her version was better than the originals.

School and the activities at the sorority made the weekdays fly by. Two of the weekends were taken up with trips home on Saturday to help Joe put together the Christmas youth Mass. Those Sundays were back in Tallahassee to do the same thing with the other half of the participants. The other weekend was the conference football championship game in Jacksonville. Other than their team suffering a let-down from the disappointment of their rival game and losing close this game, it was a vacation in comparison to the rigorous schedule they had been keeping. The school Christmas break came up fast and so Ashley and Kim drove up to Atlanta while the rest went home.

Ashley kept saying as she drove that she couldn't wait to meet the band she was being set up with. Kim grew weary of it, and changed the subject. "So, Jill seems to really like Ken, huh?" she asked.

"Mmm hmm," came the halfhearted reply.

"They've been going out for three weeks now. That's gotta be a record for AJ."

"I guess," said Ashley, disinterested. Then the last bit sank in. "Wait, who's AJ?"

Kim rolled her eyes. "Would you listen for once on this trip?! I'm talking about Jill."

Ashley knotted her eyebrows, now paying attention but not liking getting called out for the earlier lack of it. "Okay, I hear you now. Who's AJ? I thought Jill was seeing Ken."

If there was a brick wall, Kim felt like her head would meet it. Repeatedly. "She is," she said with a huff. "By AJ I meant "After Joe.""

"Really?"

"Yeah. Since Joe split with us, I haven't seen anyone, and I think Jill's had a couple boyfriends... for all of like 20 seconds each."

Ashley understood. It would be hard for any guy to match up against Joe's ability to endear, comfort, and befriend females. "Ken seems nice enough. Besides, if you had to sit your hoohoo on any one guy's hand over and over for every game and practice, you'd feel a certain attachment, I guess."

Kim chuckled. "I wish I did have a guy to hold me up like that." Then she chuckled again. "Hoohoo!" Ashley's phone chirped in the cup holder and Kim picked it up and made a couple of swipes. "Huh."

"What?"

"Well, it's a text. It reads: 'Gratz on your Walmart commercial! – Haley.' You know, it is a cool commercial." She saw the retort in Ashley's eyes and cut it off. "And NOT just because it's you! Who's Haley?"

"Haley Williams," Ashley stated as a matter of fact.

"Like Paramore's Haley Williams?! No way!" Kim was in awe, not that Ashley's face was now public, but that a music star had Ashley's phone number and used it unsolicited. She had forgotten the two had met at the airport previously.



Matt greeted them at the door. Or rather, greeted HER. He ignored Kim. "Ashley!" he exclaimed with a used car salesman's smile. "Glad you're here! I've got your group already setting up in the studio."

Ashley practically bounced as he led the way, then let her feet fall flat when she saw her new group through the booth window. "Oh crap," she breathed.

It was a three piece group of what she called boys, although they were a couple of years older than she. Their faces were pleasant to behold, no doubt why they got this job, but their attire was a different story. The clothes they wore were like a furball mix of thrift store meets redneck slamming into prep, on each person. One guy had flip flops, denim board shorts, and a polo buttoned all the way up. Another had a wife beater, saggy jeans, and boat deck shoes, sans socks. She couldn't accurately describe what the third had on. To top everything off, their hair styles did not exactly win her heart either. Ashley ended up calling each by the name of their style.

She looked at Matt. "This is what you came up with as the best match for...ME?!" She punctuated the last word with a pointing swipe of her hand past her perfectly coordinated outfit.

He held up a hand in a calm down gesture. "I know, but think of it as a nice contrast to you." He could tell she wasn't sold. "Anyway, you should hear them play before you pass judgment."

Ashley raised her eyebrows, but Kim spoke for her. "Judgment? I think she's already on to sentencing, quickly heading toward execution!"

Jerry, the sound technician who had been talking to Kim off and on through phone calls and texts, snickered, which was quickly cut short with a glare from his boss.

"Ashley," Matt said sternly, "give this a chance. Hear them out."

If it wasn't so awful, the scene through the glass behind Matt might have made Ashley laugh. It was as if Animal House had come to life, the guys were acting so immature. She rolled her eyes, but nodded a go-ahead. Jerry hit the microphone button and told them they were up. Ashley closed her eyes to give a fair listen without the bias of their appearance. As they played, Kim watched with her mouth open, unable to comprehend the jumble of what she was seeing. Ashley finally opened her eyes about two-thirds of the way through the song. When it was over, Matt asked for her assessment.

"Say something nice," Kim grumbled.

"Something nice," Ashley quipped with an edge to her voice.

"No, what do you think?" asked Matt again. "Not bad, eh?"

Ashley sighed. "I was hoping for much better than 'not bad.' I mean, seriously?! This is what you pictured when you think of me?"

"Well, yeah! You're gonna be kick-ass at hard rock. They're perfect."

"Not perfect. Sooo not perfect. They look like a damn garage band!" Ashley frowned.

For Matt's part, this was happening, regardless of what Ashley thought. "The looks can be fixed. What about the sound?"

Ashley shook her head. "Well, like you said, they're not bad, music-wise. I wouldn't say great, but not bad. Just...I don't know how I can perform with them. They're all over the place. This one's flailing around the room with his guitar like an ape in a cage. That one needs his head examined for a concussion, he was throwing it forward so much. And not even in rhythm! The drummer might as well be jerking off, because it looks as if 'Animal' from the Muppets were lecherous and playing the drums."

Matt made one last closing pitch. "But you're a strong-willed girl. You can teach them some refinement. Why don't you go in and meet them."

Ashley folded her arms across her chest. "Pass."

Matt's friendly sales facade disappeared. "This isn't a game of Go Fish, Ashley!" he bellowed, startling Ashley and Kim. "This is my company, and my employees do as I tell them! They are my employees, as are you. So get in there, say hi, and at least act like they're going to be your friends!"

Ashley tossed him an eat shit look before entering the studio.

The guitarist was just finishing up a crude joke about sex when he noticed her in the room. "Oh, you must be the girl Matt hired!" he said too cheerily while extending a hand.

Ashley jutted her jaw, but took the hand nevertheless. "Nooo, I'm Ashley. Ash Lee." She over-enunciated the second time as a jab.

"Ah. Okay. Well, we're The Pinheads."

Ashley let out a sarcastic chuckle. "So you must be Marty, then."

They could see Kim nearly wetting herself with laughter in the booth.

"Marty?" he asked with a confused look.

"Yeah...from the movie? Marty McFly?" Ashley sarcastically asked.

"Uh, no. I'm Steve."

"Whatever, Slick-back."

He let it pass. "This is Paul," he introduced as he pointed to the bassist.

"Mohawk," Ashley greeted.

"And this is Reggie," he continued as he nodded toward the drummer.

"Sup, Bed Head!" she said with a head bob.

While the band and Ashley haltingly made small talk and resume swapping, Kim turned to Matt. "Pinheads? Really? Shall we jump back to the future of 1985?!"

Matt looked defiantly back. "Maybe not original, but it will work." He nodded toward the studio. "She better be on board with it, too." With that, he left.

Jerry started laughing. "I am SO glad you two caught that. I thought I was the only one. When I brought up Back To The Future, I just got blank looks around here."

Kim cocked a wry smile before turning back to face the awkward scene through the window. "You know you're probably gonna have to Photoshop Ashley into the album cover pictures, right? There is no way she'll pose with those clowns." She shook her head. "Ashley and The Pinheads...oh boy."




An Angel's Fix Pt. 06



* * *

Kim decided that everyone deserves another chance, and so took up Jerry's offer of dinner. This date went much better since Jerry headed her advice and didn't try to make anything happen. She was able to relax and chat with him as friends do. It went so well, Kim rewarded him by going to his place and sleeping with him. It didn't hurt his chances that she had gone so long without attention from a male.

However, when he dropped her off at the hotel the next morning, she warned him that while the night was definitely enjoyable, he shouldn't expect it to mean more than fun. She changed in her and Ashley's room, then got her friend up. Ashley asked the obvious question of how things went and Kim's reply was that it was a nice break in the drought.

As assured by Matt, things at the studio did work. Matt reminded her that her schedule allowed very limited time to do anything, so he wanted the album recorded in its entirety by the time she left for Christmas. She was okay with that, and the whole group of them sat down in the conference room. A piece of music was slid in front of Ashley. She read through it and it met her approval.

"Okay," she said looking up.

"Okay what?" asked Matt.

"Okay. Next."

"Next what?" he asked again. "You don't like it?"

She huffed. "Next freaking piece, okay? You said we had to hurry, so let's go! What is the next song you want me to sing?"

Ashley was all business today. More than that, she was a machine. Piece after piece was slid under her nose, and she devoured them all. In all, 22 songs were presented, and she rejected 9 of them. The selection process took her a little over 45 minutes, then Matt asked if she wanted to take the rest of the morning to study the music, but she declined. Ashley and The Pinheads marched through the recording booth and into the studio.

Jerry saw the bewildered looks on the band members. "That was fast," he said to Kim.

"Yeah." She was a bit dazed herself at the speed the morning meeting moved. "I guess we'll see now how much of that she digested."

In the acoustical room, Ashley turned to the band. "Slick-back, y'all know these songs?"

"Sure do," the guitarist replied. "We've been practicing on them for like a month now."

She laid out the first piece on the music stand before her. "Good. Play the first one through, so I can get a feel for it, and we can start recording on the second go-around."

"But don't you want to..." he started.

Matt pushed the intercom button. "Just do it, Steve!"

The band played the entire song, and Jerry adjusted some of the sliders on the board in front of him. Ashley sang on the second time and when it ended, the band just stared at her.

"What?" she asked them.

In the booth, Jerry slowly exclaimed what they were all thinking. "Hole lee shit!"

Matt grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "Money! Tell me you got that!"

Jerry nodded.

Ashley still didn't get an answer, and now the three in the booth were staring at her in the same way. "What the hell is it?" she demanded, arms folded in front of her chest. "I wasn't the one who fucked up!"

Matt clicked the intercom. "No, Ashley. It was perfect."

"The hell it was...Mohawk here fumbled his notes."

"Ashley..." Kim reprimanded into the microphone in the booth.

"NO! I may be his employee, and I have to do what he says, but no where in my contract does it say I have to be nice to him." Ashley glared at Matt through the glass. She saw Kim turn toward him. "No Kim! Don't you apologize for me! I haven't received one for the way he treated me yesterday."

"I didn't flub my notes," Mohawk lied. Ashley slowly looked over her shoulder at him and he knew instantly it was a mistake to have spoken right then.

"Third bar, second verse," she hissed through clenched teeth. Ashley felt herself falling off the cliff of control and closed her eyes to fight the rage back. "Play the song back," she said in a deliberately even tone, eyes still closed.

Matt nodded to Jerry, and he started the playback. Sure enough, they could hear the mistake in the background, right where Ashley said it was.

"We can fix that in editing, Ashley," Matt said.

"I don't want some engineered piece of crap," Ashley replied, now in much more control of herself. "You won't be able to edit a concert. Let's do it again."

Three more takes were done, with Ashley stopping in the middle of each one to make sure there wouldn't be another argument over why that wasn't the final cut. Her reasons were given in single or double word sentences. Flat. My bad. Bedhead goofed. The fourth stop was a bit more verbose.

"Slick-back! If you insist on jumping around like a loon, at least make sure you do it behind me! Do you have any idea of how distracting that is?" She gave a pant of irritation to stick the point.

Jerry rubbed his face with his hands. "Oh man," he grumbled. "All these great takes, and they're wasted!"

Without realizing it, Kim started rubbing his shoulders. "She's passionate about music, and just wants it perfect."

"Yeah, but we can fix all the tiny things she's fretting about!"

Kim looked at Ashley and saw something click in her expression. It was similar to one she saw when Ashley rebounded at the beach contest last summer. "Maybe, but you can't fix it like this next take, I guarantee it."

Indeed, Ashley found the zone she'd been seeking. Feeling the rhythm now, her body moved on its own to the music as she sang. More important, she knew she found it and actually smiled at Kim about half way through. The band fed off her energy and everything locked together.

When it ended, Kim grinned triumphantly down at Jerry. "Told ya!"

He shook his head. "Unbelievable. How did you know?"

"I just know her. I can see it in her eyes when she synchs up to the music." She could tell he didn't quite understand. "You know those rare great days you have at work or school? Everything lines up, falls into place, and the task becomes stupid easy and almost automatic. Nothing around you has changed, but for some reason it just clicks for you. Music is like that for Ashley. Once she can zero in on what she needs to feel, she's awesome. We've been telling her that all last year, but I think she's just now starting to really believe it." Kim quickly replayed the last take in her head and realized that Ashley didn't even look at the music. "It also helps that she now has that song memorized forever," she added.

He looked up at Matt. "She's the real deal, isn't she?"

"Play it back," Matt said eagerly.

The next song took a bit longer, and as much as Ashley was fighting it, frustration was getting to her. She ended up snapping at the drummer, asking him to back off a bit. He argued that he was just playing as he always does. Ashley countered that he didn't have to try to knock holes through the membrane on each hit. Matt said over the intercom that now would be a good time for a lunch break. Jerry grabbed Ashley's arm as she walked past, and she shot him a look.

"Oh Jerry," Kim warned. "Don't touch her unless she's expecting it."

"Sorry," he said with sincere contrition. "I just wanted you to know that there might be an easier way to do this."

This piqued Ashley's interest. "How's that?"

"The drums being in that enclosed space are getting to you, right?" Ashley nodded. "Well, we have recorded some takes for each song when the band was practicing. You could pick the take you like and sing to that with the headphones on."

"That might work better for you, Ash," Kim coaxed.

"Wow. Why didn't you tell me sooner? Well, after lunch, I'll listen to them, but if I don't like any of them, I say we keep doing this the old school way." Ashley didn't wait for a response as she caught Kim's eye and nodded toward the exit.



"So, you gonna play with Jerry again tonight?" Ashley asked before taking in a huge chunk of the greasy burger she was holding.

Kim shrugged. "I don't know, maybe. I mean I've already done it once, why not again, right? Besides, God it felt good to have some dick again." She nibbled on the salad she ordered and watched Ashley take another mammoth bite. "How the hell do you do that?"

"Do what?" Ashley mumbled around her chewing.

"Eat that insanely tall cheeseburger. For such a tiny person, you sure can open your mouth wide! What do you do? Unhinge your jaw like a snake?"

The last comment nearly made Ashley snort barbecue sauce out her nose and she started coughing. After gulping water to stop the choking, Ashley exclaimed, "Damn you Kim! I still gotta sing this week!" She swallowed again, hoping the scratchy irritation would go away.

Kim was grinning as it was good to see Ashley laugh for the first time on this trip. "Where do you put it all, anyway?"

Ashley patted her belly. "Right there. I'm starving!" Then she saw the flicker of jealousy on Kim's face. "Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't have ordered this in front of you."

Kim smiled weakly. Her recent lack of physical activity was starting to show. Kim was not plump by any definition, but the features on her face were beginning to soften. To counter, Kim had started to eat more sensibly and missed the indulgences the others ate. Although, she had noticed Jasmine had recently started choosing more salads and lighter meals as well. "It's okay," she assured Ashley. "You and Joe talk about money yet?"

Ashley shot a what-the-hell look as she finished her latest bite.

Kim scoffed at it. "You asked me about my playtime, so I get to ask you about that."

"Hmm, fair enough," she conceded between fries. "No we haven't, but maybe it's not as thin as I'm reasoning. He doesn't seem as worried about it as he was late summer."

"True, but what about his quote-unquote project? Doesn't it seem weird to you that he's still hiding it? Or that he takes phone calls at odd times, and will only talk to whomever in another room?"

"He still insists the project is for me. Well, sometimes he says 'us.' As for the calls, you know he still consults with folks at his company. National security and all that."

"Maybe...or maybe," Kim let out an exaggerated gasp. "Maybe he's having an affair," she teased with a coy grin.

"Oh stop!"

"No. Maybe he doesn't like fine-ass cheerleaders with rockin' bodies afterall," Kim continued with an even wider grin. "Maybe he secretly likes plumpers and is seeing this hideous whale on the side..."

Ashley threw a fry at Kim, but was giggling. "Shut up!"

"I think I've seen her. She's got buck tooth."

"Stop Kim!" Ashley's laughing stopped her from eating the last of the burger in her hand.

"Gnarly, cracked nails with dirt underneath..."

"Kim!"

"...Tits that just kinda blend in with the rest of the rolls of fat..."

Still laughing, Ashley dropped the last piece on her plate. "Let's go," she said while getting up, having lost her appetite and wanting to end Kim's teasing before some of the overweight people nearby overheard.

Ashley listened to the takes of the next song as Jerry suggested, but she still wasn't happy singing with any of them. She wanted to feel the vibe of the band, but without the intensely sharp banging of the drums that was hurting her ears. So, Jerry suggested she wear the headphones, through which she would hear the feed he was moderating as the band played. This compromise worked best for her, although during the next six run throughs, she repeatedly chastised Slick-back for jumping around in her view. Matt and Jerry started debating on whether to call it a day, but Kim looked at Ashley and the eyes looking back at her sparkled. Kim said they needed to try one more time. Matt was skeptical, but Jerry reminded him that Kim was right the last time. So they went again and Jerry shook his head in wonder when the song ended.

"Two for two, babe!"

Kim fretted at him, and he wanted to take back his blurt. Regardless, Matt intentionally ignored what was going on between the two of them; Jerry was a wizard with the mixing board, while Kim seemed to be doing her job of keeping Ashley's diva side in check. He asked that it be played back, and visibly pleased with the result, he announced that they were done for the day.

Ashley was still smiling when they got into her truck. "Uh oh," taunted Kim. "Could someone actually be having fun?"

"Quiet you," Ashley peppered with a jab of the elbow. "I've just decided to make the best of what I'm given. You know, 'God grant me the serenity' and all that. Although it does feel good when everything pops in place like that."

"Good. He called me Babe today," Kim blurted, slightly worried.

"Oh? Jerry did?" Kim nodded out of the corner of Ashley's eye. "Hmm, when is he picking you up?"

"Seven, but I'm gonna lay it out again that this is just a fun distraction," Kim hurriedly explained. It was more of a pep talk to herself than anything else.

Ashley thought about it as she turned on to the interstate toward their hotel. "Well, just be clear as to what you want. If all you want is some rolling in the hay, nothing wrong with it." Then she added, "as long as he knows it too. Don't want a stalker showing up and waking me in the middle of the night back home."

"I know," Kim said quietly.

The rest of the week went smoother, since Ashley passed the time Kim was with Jerry by softly playing and learning the remaining music. They were able to record two or even three songs a day with few outbursts from either Ashley or the Pinheads. Matt and Jerry abandoned recording every take, letting Ashley sing with the band a few times first, and waiting for Kim to let them know when Ashley seemed ready to transition from merely singing to performing a work of art. She was usually correct, but there were a few times that a mistake would be made by any given member, and they'd have play the particular piece again. 

The night the final song was recorded, Kim didn't see Jerry for the first time since the week began. She chose instead to be with Ashley and celebrate the completion of the hardest phase of the work. They ordered in pizza, which Kim allowed herself to eat her share as a treat. Ashley ordered her own naughty treat from room service...two tall glasses of ice cold milk.

"Oh hells yeah, THAT is the SHIT," she panted after guzzling the first glass in one go.

"If you like it so much, why don't you drink it more?" Kim asked while chewing.

"Heh, said the girl mumbling through half a slice in her mouth."

"Touche," Kim said while cocking her head. "I have my reasons, you know." Her eyes guiltily glanced at her stomach.

"I know. Don't worry, you're not gonna turn into the Dough Boy over one pizza," Ashley soothed. "Anyway, you know why I don't drink dairy if I'm gonna sing in the next day or so."

"Yeah, but does it really affect you?" Kim sounded doubtful.

"Ahem," Ashley did her best to clear her throat. "Doh, a deer, a female deer..." she sang.

Kim looked surprised. "You're right, not quite as clear. And, did you just gurgle at the end?"

Ashley smirked. "Told ya," she said just before she took a monster bite of her own slice.

Ashley's phone rang, but Kim answered it. "It's Jasmine and Joe," she said, but Ashley shook her head and mumbled she'd call later. "Sorry, Ashley can't talk right now, she's too busy living in sin."

"Put me on speaker, Kim," Jasmine demanded from the other end, and she waited to hear echos from the hotel room. "What are you doing, Ash?"

Ashley got a playful smirk and called out, "Give you a hint, I'm deepthroating and swallowing every drop!"

Joe gave Jasmine a look of "huh?", but Jasmine only needed a couple of seconds to get it. "Cheesy pizza and milk! Then you finished today! Congratulations!"

"Yup, and thank you!" Ashley mumbled with her mouth full.

"Gratz, Kitten!" Joe called out. "We'll let you finish. Call us back when you get a chance?"

"Yup!" she answered, then nodded for Kim to hang up.

The rest of the pizza was devoured in silence, but Ashley took her sweet time drinking the second glass of milk, savoring each sip. Still sitting on the floor after polishing off the pizza, the girls leaned back against the bed and stretched out. They reviewed the week, usually by blurting out funny or stupid one-liners that were said. The chatting eventually died off with each of them drawing in a heavy sigh.

Ashley picked up her phone to call home, but first turned to Kim and held her eyes. "Kim, thanks so much for being here with me. I COULD have done it alone, but I'd be in a much worse mood. You've made it fun, and thank you."

Kim was about to bounce the gratitude back toward Ashley, but saw that her friend really didn't want that. "You're welcome," she said, and it was enough. Kim winked at Ashley before ducking into the bathroom for a shower and to let Ashley have the room to call home.

Ashley had the next day off, which they spent buying last minute Christmas gifts. But this time, they were strictly gifts for themselves. It turned out that completing the recording early was a real blessing, because Ashley had picked something up during the time off. When they returned to the studio, she was a bit under the weather, and coupled with her binge consumption of dairy the last two days, her voice was froggy. She found her band messing around in the studio, playing low, heavy-handed chords. 

"Hey, hey!" she croaked. "We are NOT a death metal band!"

"I don't know, Ash. You sound like death metal." Mohawk had made the mistake of poking the ill bear.

"Don't ever call me that," she growled. It was clear that she was not well enough to keep up the charade of getting along with these boys.

Slick-back took his chances. "Come on, Ashley. Just once? Please let us do 'Indulgence' with your voice like that!"

Ashley saw Kim shrug in the booth and gave in with a sigh. Jerry wasn't there yet, so it wasn't like it was gonna get recorded. Little did she know that Kim took the liberty of recording the goof-off session herself. Ashley decided to kill some time and went along when the band played the uptempo deep throated tones for two more songs. She didn't think of it as singing, but more like growling. She had to admit that the put-on screaming she did worked to relieve some of the stress of being sick. Jerry showed up during the last "song" and chided that maybe Ashley should be doing heavy metal instead. Ashley stuck out her tongue while flicking up her middle finger and complained that her throat hurt now.

It was odd for Ashley to sit in on the polish and editing session. She wasn't used to hearing herself for long periods without actually singing. So much so that Kim pulled her into the hallway at one point to ask what was wrong. Ashley said that while what she was hearing was okay, it was just okay. She pictured singing truer music instead of this, which she called "silly songs." Kim kept talking to her, and determined that Ashley just needed to get away from listening over and over. She mentioned this to Matt, and he agreed. His solution wasn't perfect, but it was something different. He sent Ashley and the band to the art office after lunch to give input on the album insert and cover layout and design. Ashley slumped her shoulders at the notion of spending more time with the three irritations that made up her band. By the end of the day, only one agreement had been reached and that was the color of the background.

The rest of the week was made up of strings of arguments ranging from what font to use to border designs. Even what order the names appeared in the credits sparked a four hour battle among the musicians. Ashley was even more perturbed that there was a problem getting an appointment for the photography studio, and that the final shots were taken on Christmas Eve. She and Kim packed the truck that morning, so that they could take two steps from the studio and hit the road home.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 07



Jasmine was toying with the pendant at Ashley's throat, just as Ashley was toying with the matching one at Jasmine's. They were coming down from their highs after grinding on each other's legs. Joe was asleep on the other side of the bed, a side effect from the long day, and also Ashley's ability to satiate him quickly after they came home.

"Does it bother you that we do this so soon after that gorgeous Mass?" Jasmine asked after kissing Ashley's shoulder.

Ashley looked over at her, amazed that Jasmine seemed to be in her head again. "I don't know. Sometimes it does, but usually not. You?"

Jasmine shrugged. "Sometimes. But somehow this doesn't feel like it should be wrong. Religiously, you know. Why do you think that is?"

Ashley sighed then propped herself up on an elbow to face her girlfriend. "Well, I think of it like this: God is like a parent, right? He lays down what he wants us children to do. But like all kids, there are some things I don't agree with, and break the rules. I still love Him, and do my best to obey. But, life is happier with you and Joe, which makes it easier to love Him." She let out another sigh, not sure if her point was clear, then laid back against her pillow. 

Jasmine smirked. "You know that rationalization probably won't fly on Judgment Day, right? But I like how you think." She let go of the pendant to pet Ashley's chest and ribs, leaving the fleshy mounds be for now. "Living a fair life with happiness, kindness, and respect of others is the best way to worship and praise Him on a daily basis."

"You turning into a Jesus freak on me, Jazz?" She cut her eyes over toward Jasmine.

Jasmine let her hand rise and fall on Ashley's ribs in a tap of admonishment. "No," she giggled. "Just that Mass was fun, if a lot of work to prepare for, and it got me thinking...after my head cleared of naughty thoughts of you." She caught Ashley's frown. "No, I still think those things of you. Just not quite as urgently as a few minutes ago," she added with a grin.

Ken had decided to spend Christmas with Jill, and the pendants were apparently popular tonight, as he was fiddling with hers. "Careful," she warned. "That's very special to me."

As beautiful as Jill's naked frame lying next to him was, Ken still couldn't help another glance around the guest room that could have been a set for a decorating magazine. "So this is Joe's house," he said in wonder, having arrived earlier that day to see the Mass that Jill kept talking about. "Wow."

Jill smiled and turned into him, snuggling closer. It was getting late, and another big day was tomorrow. In her weariness, she explained through mumbling the history of the house. How Joe's parents had it built with entertainment in mind, the company parties held there, her and Jasmine's role in helping with the parties once Joe befriended them freshman year in high school, Jasmine's employment as maid there, and how it became a safe place for any of Joe's "Angels," should they need the escape for the night. She recapped how Joe inherited the house through his parents' sudden demise, and how Ashley nearly threw everything away to be with him then. "He thinks of this as her house now," she concluded. "With Cindy as the caretaker."

"You mean curator," Ken offered. "I recognize some of the pieces downstairs. Good Lord!" 

Jill recently discovered that he had an eye for art when he took her on a date to a gallery show, not that he advertised the hobby. She chuckled weakly, well on her way to sleep. "You're more right than you know. Cindy's been bored, I guess. There's a few new ones on some of the walls." 

Ken was still playing with her pendant. "This must have cost a fortune. I've never seen anything like it."

"There's only seven," she said plainly. "You've seen four of them." She opened her eyes in time to see his confused expression, and Jill was secretly happy that he didn't check out her friends hard enough to notice. "Mine, Ashley, Jasmine, and Kim's," she clarified. "They're all identical and hold some secrets."

Ken searched his memory of her friends and was surprised he hadn't noticed the other pendants before. "What secrets?" he asked. He knew she was drifting off, but this fascinated him, and she didn't seem to mind answering in her half sleep.

"The names under the onyx, the diamond..." His thumb centered over the mentioned jewel on the piece. "Don't push that..." There was a dull click. "...too hard. Ugh," she groaned as she sat up and reached for her cell phone on the night stand.

"What's wrong?" he fretted.

Jill put her finger up to hush him, hoping that the system had been turned off after all this time since Joe all but left Carter. The phone rang a second later, and she shook her head in disbelief that the concealed device still worked. "Hello?" she answered.

"Identifier, please," came the curt reply on the other end.

"Sapphire."

"Good morning, Jill. What's the emergency?"

"I'm sorry. My boyfriend accidentally triggered it. He'll know better now." She added the last part with a sideways glance toward Ken.

The male voice chuckled slightly. "Very well. We'll be right here if you need anything. You and Ken have a Merry Christmas." Then the line clicked dead.

Jill sat on the edge of the bed, piecing together the puzzle behind the short conversation while putting the phone back on her charger.

"What is it?" Ken asked, seeing Jill deep in thought.

Jill knotted her eyebrows, still thinking about what just happened. "You found out what one of the secrets is on this pendant," she explained distantly. "It's a panic beacon. A security team from Carter calls me if it's pressed. I have different code words for different days. If I don't answer or answer incorrectly, they come in, SWAT style."

Ken grinned in disbelief. "Yeah, right."

Jill ignored him, went over to the dresser, pulled out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and put them on, not bothering with underwear. She was mumbling to herself as she left the bedroom. "It works. They know Ken's name. 'Be right here.' I wonder..." She padded downstairs barefoot and found Kim in the music room at the front of the house, staring out the window with her arms crossed.

"I wonder what happened," Kim mused when Jill hugged her from behind.

Tail lights flashed through the trees as a car drove by. "Ken hit my button." Then Jill laughed at what that sounded like. "I mean the one on my pendant," she clarified quickly.

"Oops," Kim giggled. "I wondered who's boyfriend would be first." She welcomed the embrace by stroking Jill's forearms.

Jill rested her chin on Kim's shoulder. "Well, mine being the first one made, it doesn't have the oops-proof sequence like yours. But, that doesn't explain why they're here." She nodded toward the window and pondered that silently with Kim for a moment. "I guess we'll find out tomorrow."

"You mean later today," Kim corrected while glancing at the grandfather clock.

"Yeah. Try and get some sleep. We gotta be at her parents' house by 10." Jill kissed the back of Kim's head. "Merry Christmas."

"Hey Doug," Joe greeted the uniformed man who entered through the side door. "And I thought I was up the earliest to see what Santa brought," he grinned while neatly folding the second omelet of the morning.

"Oh no. I was Santa. At least for the admiral's family this morning." Doug looked at the food Joe was busy with. All week since Joe got there, Doug felt like he was living at a restaurant. "What are you making this morning?"

Joe handed him a laden plate. "Three-egg omelet, griddle cakes, cheese grits, and bacon. Maple syrup is in the nuker, would you mind getting it to the table?"

Doug put the warmed bottle on the breakfast table and sat down with his plate. "I thought y'all were going to Ashley's for a big lunch and dinner."

"We are, but I think her mom wants to do gift exchange first. And, knowing the girls with the way they admire everything, and make a show about why they gave what to whom, it could be hours before we eat again. Aren't you coming?"

"Yup!" exclaimed Cindy from the dining room door. She came over to kiss Doug. "Merry Christmas, sweetie. I thought you were listening when her mom asked us last night at the reception."

Doug accepted the kiss and returned it after swallowing. "I was. I just thought she was being polite. Merry Christmas."

The rest of the house trickled into the kitchen, giving Christmas greetings, grabbing their plates and taking seats at the breakfast table or bar. Jasmine and Ashley chose to stand near the stove to eat. Ken came around for a cup of coffee and glanced at Ashley in her camisole top.

"Good night, Ashley!" he exclaimed. "You're, like, buff!"

"Um, thank you?" Ashley wasn't sure how to take that.

"I'm not enough for you?" Jill chided from the breakfast bar.

Ken was sheepish at getting caught looking. "I just meant I never noticed how built her shoulders are."

"Well, she was a cheerleader," Jill needled.

"Yeah?" he asked Ashley.

Ashley replied around a bite of bacon, "And gymnast."

"No kidding." Ken glanced at Jill and was glad she didn't seem genuinely upset that he noticed her friend's physique. "A flyer, no doubt. At least by judging your small frame."

"Flyer, stunter...whatever they asked me to. I miss it though." Ashley said this with sparkling eyes, clearly happy that someone was asking her about something other than singing for a change.

"What kind of stunting? Like tumbling and such?" he pressed.

"Tumbling, pyramid top stretches, partner...like I said, whatever they asked."

Ken was intrigued now. "Partner, eh? Do any co-ed?"

Ashley had to chew her latest bite before answering. "Not since California. Our school here didn't have any guys brave enough to try out." She ate a couple bites of bacon while reminiscing. "Man, I really do miss being in the air like that."

"You any good?" he asked while returning next to Jill.

Ashley sighed at the memory. "Third in the partners category at the Cali state tourney. As for flying, our squad was second in the team performance category."

"Don't forget state gymnastics floor routine champion," Jill added. She could see the wheels turning in Ken's head. "Go ahead and ask her, Ken."

Ken thanked her with a smile. "Well, I was wondering if you'd like to stunt with me? We don't really do that much at FSU, but I used to do it for club cheering down south. I miss it too. And no offense to Jill, but she's more of a base."

The offer enticed Ashley greatly, but she hesitated. "I don't really have time to practice for a competition. School is pretty tight, I gotta do tour stops for the label on spring break, Catholic asked me to do their prom, and I'm gonna try out for the performance group at the School of Theater."

The last bit caught everyone's attention, as it was the first they heard her mention it. But, no one said anything.

Ken was the only one whose mouth wasn't at least partially open in shock. Likely because he only recently started being around Jill's friends, and thought it was normal for Ashley to run a suicide schedule. "I just meant for fun, like whenever we get free moments. What do you remember?"

Ashley ignored the looks from the others. "Ups, stretches, tosses, you name it. Yeah, I'd love to do it again."

Kim broke her silence for the first time that morning. "Just DON'T drop her. She won't sell many records as a drooling idiot." She decided that this was as good a time as any to give her decision to Ashley. "Because I won't be there to help catch her."

Jasmine caught that. "Wait! What?!"

"Cindy offered to let me stay here while I get my AA from the local college, and I've decided to take her up on it." Kim was grateful to Cindy, but was afraid of disappointing her friends, and so stared at her plate as she said this.

Jasmine was about to protest, but Cindy intercepted it. "Yeah, Doug's gone a lot, so I could use the company and help," she explained to deflect any unintentional hard feelings.

There were a couple of moments of silence while everyone digested the new information. Jill decided to break the thought process. "Okay, so speaking of surprises...Joe, when were you going to tell us that security is back?"

"They've been back for a while," Ashley shrugged as she rinsed her dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.

Kim shot her a look. "You knew?!"

Ashley made a cute frown. "Duh? I thought you saw them when we were shopping in Atlanta this week." 

Kim shook her head. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought you figured it out. I mean it's kinda hard to miss that there was the same woman who happened to be at every store, restroom, and dressing room area we were."

Jill wanted to put an end to the looming bickering. "ANYWAY," she glared at the two. "Joe, what happened? Why are they back?"

Joe said simply, "I'll tell you later."

Kim and Jill looked at Cindy, missing that Jasmine seemed unfazed.

Cindy made a show of glancing at the clock on the wall. "Well, I gotta get ready," she said as she collected hers and Doug's dishes, dodging having to answer the unspoken question.

They arrived at Ashley's parents' house promptly at ten. Joe and Ken were in shirts and ties, Doug in his class A uniform, and the ladies dressed up in nice dresses. Ashley was more casual, opting for a white blouse, Christmas vest, jeans, and the fur-topped boots she got while in Denver last year. Jasmine stopped short when a man wearing a pistol at his side walked from around the corner of the house.

Ken recovered from his startle and mumbled to Jill, "I guess you weren't kidding about security last night." She shook her head in response.

"Sam! What are you doing here?" Jasmine asked while prancing up to the sentry for a hug.

He returned the hug with a smile and answered, "I'm assigned to the Roberts' house."

She looked questioningly up at him, but didn't get anything further. After wishing him Happy Holidays, she left him to his patrol and joined the others just as Mrs. Roberts answered the door.

"Girls, if you're trying to impress the commander, I'm sorry that he's not here," she apologized once everyone settled in the living room.

"Where is he?" asked Kim.

Most of the girls were surprised that Joe answered. "He's at sea." Seeing the confused faces, Joe took a breath to elaborate. "Although Ashley and I never lost our security details, that's most of the reason for them being more visible lately. Her dad's ship launched the drone that took out one of the terrorist leaders a few weeks back. Given their desire to go after families who they believe are responsible, the release of Mike and Ashley's song, and a military contract agreement going public, Carter felt it prudent to step up the protection."

"Thank you, Joe. I do feel better having someone trusted nearby while he's away." Then Mrs. Roberts sighed before changing the subject. "Who wants to open presents?"

The gift exchange went well, as everyone was happy with what they got and who they got it from. Most notable were gifts from Ashley. Her mom and dad got a pair of tickets to her first concert scheduled that spring in Atlanta, including a promise to pay for airfare and lodging. Joe got a high-end mixer he had been lusting over. Kim received a new tablet to replace her aging laptop. A beautiful antique carousel figurine was added to Jill's collection, and Jasmine got a gold artist palette charm for the anklet she'd recently been wearing. Interestingly, Jasmine got Ashley a microphone charm for her own anklet. Its shape matched the studio microphone Jasmine also gave her.

Mrs. Roberts read the wish in her eyes. "Go ahead and kiss her, Ashley. I don't mind."

The room filled with dropped jaws. Ashley's own eyes mixed shock, embarrassment, and fear. "What are you saying, Mom?"

"Oh please! I've known since your drugged confession in the hospital last year that you're involved with her. And now that I know, it's easy to see it in the way you act around each other. Your dad would flip out if you did it in front of him, but he's not here now, is he?"

Ashley gulped hard. "Daddy knows, too?"

Her mom smiled. "No, and he won't find out from me. So, go ahead and thank her. She's sitting right next to you."

Ashley and Jasmine hugged and thanked each other for the gifts and whispered that each had another gift waiting in Tallahassee. They did not go any further than the tight hug, as it was already awkward that Mrs. Roberts called them out. Joe broke the tension by giving the last gift to Ashley. It was a key chain for her truck made of leather with a golden figurine of spear-wielding Chief Osceola on the rearing Renegade's back.

"It's very nice," Ashley complimented while giving him a hug and kiss, trying to hide her disappointment in the oddly token gift from her wealthy husband.

* * *

Early the next day, Kim rode with Ashley back to Tallahassee so she could pack her things and pick up her car. They followed the rest of their friends who were in Jill's SUV. Ashley thought Jill had missed their exit, then thought Jill had lost her mind, as they turned off a different exit, then traversed unfamiliar streets farther and farther from the apartment. After a gate, they pulled into the parking garage under a newer high rise building, and Joe immediately jumped out of the SUV and went to Ashley's door, wearing the big jacket he used over his pads when he was playing football.

"Where are we?" Ashley questioned when he opened her door.

He opened the jacket. "You remember last fall when we were here?"

"We weren't here," she rebutted.

"Well, Tallahassee, in general."

"Yeah, but it was raining and cold then," she said.

"Get in," he demanded, still holding his jacket open.

Ashley locked the truck and ducked inside the jacket with him. "But I can't see anything, and it's not all that cold," she protested.

"That's the point," he said. "This is cozier than a blindfold for you, I think." He zipped it up around her, making for a humorous image of one fat person with four legs.

He guided them walking, and all she saw was smooth concrete moving past below her feet. They stopped for a moment before she heard a chime, then they crossed a metal threshold and onto a tile floor. She immediately recognized the smell and sounds, and knew they were in an elevator. As the momentum pushed her heavier, she heard Jill and Jasmine murmuring excitedly in hushed tones outside her cocoon. Ashley could tell the car was moving with some speed, but seemed to rise for quite a while. At last she got lighter about the same time she heard another chime. Joe nudged her a few steps until the threshold passed below and the floor changed to marble. The elevator closed smoothly behind and she felt Joe reach up to the zipper.

"I don't understand. Did you have to smuggle me someplace?" Ashley asked.

The group laughed, and she heard Kim gasp, "Oh my God. I just figured it out. WOW!"

Ashley wanted to tear out of the shell, and flailed her hands against the inside lining of the jacket to make the point. "WHAT? Joe, let me out!" She intended the statement to be a demand, but it came out as a pout.

"Just a minute. Keep your panties on," he replied.

She heard clicks across the marble, and she recognized the gaits of Jasmine and Jill walking separate ways before the footsteps changed to wooden clops. After a bit, Jill called "ready" from a distance and Jasmine soon after from the opposite side.

Joe said down to her, "You feel nice in there. Sure you want me to let you out?"

"YES! I'm starting to get sweaty."

"Maybe I like you all hot and bothered."

"JOE! If you want to see those panties you mentioned ever again, you'll let me out right now!"

He leaned into her and suddenly the jacket lifted a bit, along with her skirt. His hand reached between her legs and he rubbed her through the dainty material. "You mean these panties?"




An Angel's Fix Pt. 07



A moan escaped her lips from the attention. "Yes." Ashley leaned her head back into his chest and parted her legs slightly as she enjoyed his manipulation for a moment. Suddenly, she shook her head to clear the distraction. "Damnit, Joe! What are you hiding me from? Let me out!"

Joe sighed heavily. "Fine." He let the skirt and jacket fall back in place, then unzipped the jacket. "Merry Christmas."

Ashley tried to blink away the confusion and allowed her eyes to rest on different points of the expanse before her. "What is this?"

"Our new school home," he said simply. Kim moved off to start exploring. "You just gonna stand here, or start looking around?" he asked Ashley.

"Wow," she whispered as she started to take it in. Ashley moved forward into the massive living area directly in front of the elevator doors. Furniture was already placed in a similar arrangement as his house, but here large potted palms instead of the marble end tables back home were stationed where the leather sofa and love seats made corners. Looking straight ahead presented a wall of windows looking over Tallahassee. "Holy fuck!" she admired slowly.

"It's a penthouse," he explained. "So, we won't hear the patter of feet above. It also covers the whole floor. So our closest neighbor is the nightclub and restaurant next floor down. They put a half-floor in between us and them, so we shouldn't hear them either."

She turned around and put her hand to her mouth in shock of how much more she saw. Aside from several support columns, the elevator was the only structure in the space, and seemed larger than completely necessary, but not obtrusive. Through the windows slightly left of the stone-encased shaft, Ashley could see the capitol building up the hill. That corner held a game area, music area with piano, and a study. To the right, she could see a formal dining area, breakfast nook, and a commercial kitchen with a long breakfast bar and stools. At the far left and right of the floor was a suspended staircase with stainless steel cable rails that led up to a balcony that was supported by the pillars.

"Where's the bathroom?" she asked.

"A half bath is behind the elevator down here, next to the staircase. There are three full baths upstairs." Joe grinned at his wide-eyed wife. "Four bedrooms are up there, one for each corner. The bathrooms are in the middle of each side, with a storage closet on the fourth wall."

Mesmerized, Ashley ascended the stairs near the kitchen. Jill and Jasmine peeled off to raid the fridge for a snack with Kim. Ashley opened each door to peer inside. The two bathrooms were tasteful and well appointed, and the storage closet had the appearance of miles of space. The first corner door she opened was the master suite, complete with the furniture they had in the apartment. The amount of space made the furniture pieces seem sparse, but Ashley felt it was a welcome change from the cramped apartment. Its bathroom's only entrance was through the bedroom. A large picture window was the backdrop to the spacious garden tub that was guarded on one side by a smoke glass shower enclosure, and the other by the water closet.

"I'm gonna have to get some drapes or something," she said.

"Why?" asked Joe.

"Well, I love to show off for you and Jasmine, and sometimes for Kim and Jill, but for peeping toms with telescopes? Not so much."

Joe laughed heartily, then flicked a switch. The window tinted slightly.

"That's not much help...especially at night," she protested.

He shook his head. "Look in the upper left corner."

Ashley was incredulous, but looked anyway. Unnoticed at first, this time she saw a small mirror that was attached by a short arm outside. The windows looked black in it. She brushed Joe's hand from the switch and turned it off herself. In the mirror, she saw herself and the bathroom through the window. One more flick and it went black again. "Oh, that's freaking cool!"

Joe was all smiles. "I thought so too. The realtor said the mirror was installed so that the occupants could be assured they had the privacy they think they have. I was sold on this window alone. I know how much of a techno-geek you are."

"Shut up!" Ashley gave him a playful slap on his chest. "Wait. 'Sold?' You bought this place?"

"Yup."

"Joe..."

Before she could say any more, Joe steered her shoulders out of the master bathroom. "Just finish your tour."

Between the balcony and inside wall of the master bath ran the walk-in closet. It was there that Ashley realized Joe hadn't just bought the place, somehow he had moved them in. All her clothes were neatly hanging up on two sides of the three walls. His lined the other wall.

"I thought I recognized a lot of furniture. What about the rest? Did this come partially furnished?"

"No," he said. "I bought the furniture to fill in the space a bit. Well, I paid for it. Jasmine bought it."

"What?! When did she do that? Is this your project? If it is, it's very nice...rather awesome, actually, but not nearly enough to cost so much."

Joe answered the questions in order. "Jasmine came back for two days before Christmas Eve to finish shopping and get the place set up. No, it's not our project. And, it didn't cost nearly as much as your head seems to be thinking."

"Two days?! How did she do that?"

Joe laughed. "I don't think she slept." Beyond being stunned, Ashley seemed a bit crestfallen. "Well, see the rest," he urged.

Ashley took a deep breath, then went to the next door. It was intended to be Kim's room and had her effects arranged beautifully. The next bedroom just screamed Jill, with her frilly white four-poster bed, pastel pink walls and a white nicknack shelf with her precious carousel collection ringing the three inside walls. Jasmine was waiting in the fourth bedroom. It had been turned into a studio with computers, mixing board, and a microphone stand on one side, Jasmine's draft table and computer equipment on the other.

"Where did the recording stuff come from?" Ashley asked.

"Surprise!" Jasmine called and then gave Ashley a hug. "You like it?"

"Well, yeah! But...Joe? This is crazy!"

Jasmine stepped back, shaking her head. "Uh uh. No, this room is all from me to you."

Ashley was so overwhelmed, her heart actually hurt. "Oh, Jazz. That setup is like 20 grand. You shouldn't have."

"I wanted to. Besides, why does everybody seem to keep forgetting that I'm a working girl, and not just for Joe. I'm not exactly working for peanuts any more." Jasmine affected a proud pose with her hands on her hips. "I'm paid cheeseburgers now!"

"I get that, Jasmine. But...it...all of this is just too much." Ashley drooped her head, shaking it.

"Let's go take a walk," Joe said, placing his hand on Ashley's lower back to guide her out of the room. At the elevator, he called to Kim and Jill that they would be back in a bit.

Jill caught Kim's confusion when the others left. "Ash is probably freaking out."

"Ah," Kim replied after swallowing the juice in her mouth. "I imagine she is. This place is unreal. I wanna stay now!"

"What are you thinking, Joe?!" Ashley had learned that her voice had consequences in confined spaces and waited until they reached the courtyard behind the tall complex before letting rip. "We can't afford this!"

"I guess you don't like your Christmas present." Jasmine sounded disappointed.

"It's not that, Jazz," Ashley responded a bit softer. "I love the place, it's fucking amazing! Exactly what I'd picture having if I won the lottery or something."

"Thank you," Jasmine smiled halfheartedly.

Ashley shot a "what?!" with her eyes.

"Jasmine is the one who found this place and asked me to get it for you," Joe explained.

Jasmine confessed her reasoning. "I went with some classmates to look at modern living spaces, you know, to dream about designing one day. This place just opened in late summer and the realtor here kindly let us see some of the condos, and finally the penthouse. It was designed by and intended for the owners of the project, but sadly her husband got killed while jet skiing, so she didn't feel up to living in the place he recently designed. Knowing it was available, I started seeing it through different eyes, and it matched your personality."

"Sure, I like that it's so clean-looking, the marble landing at the elevator, the bamboo floors, the arrangement, the mini recording studio... just ...everything is so wow! BUT! I don't know how long we'd be able to keep it. It's so expensive." Ashley looked like she was fighting to keep reason in her head.

Joe interjected. "Not THAT expensive. When Jasmine asked, I talked to the realtor, and the price had been reduced three times since August. Older folks didn't like the size of the place, it's too modern for others, or the walk to cars, lack of a private yard, and elevator rides didn't mesh with parents' ideals."

"But for you, it's perfect," Jasmine continued. "You dislike dealing with neighbors, you're a technophile, you like giving parties, you love knowing what's going on in each room, and..." She caught herself before letting the thought tumble out.

Ashley finished it, though. "And I don't have kids," she said sourly.

"Not yet." Jasmine tried to make the statement upbeat, but it fell short of the mark for Ashley.

Joe shifted gears. "Anyway, Ashley. We are not paupers."

She glared at him. "I've seen your accounts, Joe. We aren't hurting, but easily could be if we buy every thing that makes our hearts beat a bit faster."

"It's not that bad." Joe sat on a bench and the other two joined him. "You've seen my bank accounts."

"And money market account," Ashley added.

"Yes. But those are my liquid accounts. I got the payments from the stock sale and put it all in investments." The look she gave could have blistered paint. He briefly put his hand up to almost shield himself. "No, not 'project' investments. A reasonably safe mix of stocks, bonds, precious metals, and the like. It's diversified enough that if economic doomsday hit, we'd still be well-off. Not to mention your own success soon. In fact, we could stop school and work and just watch tv or play video games until we die."

"But I don't want that. I like the challenge of school. I love singing and playing music," Ashley protested.

"I know, baby. I'm not saying you should stop. Just letting you know we could retire right now along with our kids' grandkids."

Jasmine winced at his mention of future generations. Ashley did too, but then caught the underlying point of his statement. "So we're really o.k.?" she asked for reassurance.

"Lightyears beyond o.k.," he said with an edge to his voice. Joe was getting frustrated. Yes, he made a point in moderating expenses this fall, but he was stressed about school then and whether the IPO would actually make what he was hoping. Now that it exceeded his best hopes, he wanted to loosen the reins a bit. "God, it's like you're afraid of being rich."

Ashley jumped up and spun to face him so quick, it made Jasmine flinch. "That's because I am, Joe! You grew up with money, I didn't! My parents weren't ever dirt poor, but we pinched pennies when we could, and got the nice house because of it. In California, about half my class were techie daughters, and I hated that they dressed dripping of money to show it off and lord it over the rest of us. Yes, my presents to everyone yesterday were the best I could find of each item, but they're something each person could use or appreciate and I could afford it. I don't go out and buy a cotton candy stand just because I miss the fair, you know? That's how fortunes are lost."

"Lil' Bit, Joe's just trying to..."

"Zip it, Jasmine! You don't know..." Ashley watched Jasmine's chin drop. Jasmine usually only used that pet name to calm Ashley down. Ashley heeded the endearing warning and took a deep breath to calm herself. "But you do know Jazz, don't you? The way your dad blew money to keep up appearances... I'm sorry I said that. I just want to hear Joe understand me."

"I think I do understand you. I know you hate displaying your good luck, dear. It's the reason you traded in the sports car I gave you for the pickup. Same as why you shop department and mall stores instead of designer. But, the apartment was a bit claustrophobic, even with two of them together. I think you'll be more comfortable here, and that's my point. I want you to be comfortable in being comfortable."

His eyes told Ashley more than what he said. Joe understood where she was coming from, and by knowing that, she realized he wasn't trying to change her. He was trying to get her to enjoy some nicer things occasionally without feeling guilty. "I'm not going to see some new huge stuffed animal with a new diamond necklace waiting for me every night I come home, am I?" she warned.

It seemed to Joe that he was finally getting through to her. "No, but I may borrow that idea for special occasions."

Jasmine got up, gave Ashley a hug, then put her hands inside Ashley's back pockets. "Are you okay now?"

"Yeah, okay. I do like how the downstairs is laid out. Stuff is arranged like rooms. Just without walls."

"Thanks," said Jasmine.

"You did that?!"

"I keep saying this, but Merry Christmas, Ash!"

Ashley softened in the embrace and said in humility, "Damn, my gift is gonna seem so lame to you, now." 

Joe got up and took his turn at holding Ashley before they started heading back inside.

While they were walking, Ashley enthused to Jasmine, "Wow, girl. Why are you in college? You could find work right now."

Jasmine was flattered. "You're sweet. But, you're not the only one who likes challenges and learning new things. Besides, I do work. My label has my Dayplanner filled for the next two months."

"I know, sweetie. Just meant that you are skilled enough now to make it a career." Ashley pushed the up button and the doors opened. "So, what's so high-tech about this place? Wait, what floor are we on?" She reached for the highest button.

Joe lightly grasped her hand to stop her. "That's the restaurant. Do you have my present with you?" She pulled out her keys from the waistband of her skirt. "Yeah, just wave that keychain in front of the Otis logo."

When Ashley did, the doors closed and the elevator started rising. Okay, so the key chain gift wasn't lame after all, she thought. "Neat. How?"

"I got the RFID chip that came with the penthouse copied and had one of them implanted in that strap," he explained.

"What else?" Ashley had gone from apprehensive to fully curious about her new place.

"Well, a few things are weird," Jasmine said, hoping Ashley could figure it out.

Ashley ran down the tour in her head. "I only saw one light switch, and that controlled the bathroom window."

"Uh huh. What else?" Jasmine was grinning, knowing Ashley would be bowled over when they got back.

"The living room is facing the window, but there's no TV." Ashley's wheels were spinning, and aloud she tried to figure it out. "But then there's no real good place to put one since there's no walls. You wouldn't want to block the windows either. Does a screen come down out of the ceiling like at home?"

"You'll see. All I'll say is that Joe came up with it. There's also something I noticed first thing when my class saw this place. Though, it might have been more obvious when there wasn't any furniture."

Ashley searched and searched her memory, but couldn't come up with it. Even after the doors opened into their new home, she cheated and looked around, but she was stumped. "I give up."

"The only light fixture you see is the chandelier above the dining table," Jasmine triumphantly gloated. Ashley rarely misses details, so she was happy to win this one.

Ashley looked around, and true enough, only that fixture could be seen. "Yeah, but there's also no light switches." It was a weak argument.

"The switches are easy, but you'll get to see the lighting soon enough." Jasmine nodded toward the game room.

The sun was setting behind the capitol building, and Ashley saw the space in a whole new light. Both literally and figuratively. The setting sun had turned everything and everyone a rosy hue. But also, Ashley began to see the place as hers, and she was getting comfortable. Something dawned on her. "Why does this place seem so familiar?"

"It's practically our house," Joe offered.

"Duh? You said you bought it, silly."

Joe chuckled at her. "Duh," he mocked. "I'm serious, it's so similar, it's nearly identical." He could see Ashley didn't quite get it. "Okay, sweetheart. I know it's difficult for you, but think hard."

"Shut up!" She swatted at him playfully, and caught Kim opening her mouth out of the corner of her eye. She pointed to Kim, "And don't say you smelled smoke, cause I'm thinking too hard."

Kim snapped her mouth shut and grinned.

"Come on, Ashley," Joe urged. "Back home, where's the den?"

"Straight ahead, through the foyer." She rolled her eyes, but was thinking. Suddenly it hit her. "Ohhh. I see. It's like the rest of the house got chopped off, spun around and put in the front yard."

Jill about blew snot out of her nose at the description, and Kim was giggling. But Jasmine was happy Ashley got the gist. "Exactly!" she exclaimed. "I was hoping it would help you feel at home."

"It does, thank you! Now, what's so cool about the TV? Besides the fact that it's missing."

"It's not," Joe offered.

Ashley looked up, but the ceiling didn't hold any clues in the form of slots or trap doors like the other house. "But I don't see one. Anywhere."

"That's because you're inside it," he answered cryptically.

Both Ashley and Kim asked at the same time, "huh?"

Joe looked like a kid playing a practical joke. "Ash, what is a TV? Well, better yet, the physical description of one?"

"A box with a glass front that displays images and video from a broadcast feed or other video input," she answered without thinking. "Get to your point, Joe. I'm excited."

"That also means she has to pee soon," quipped Jasmine.

Ashley glared at Jasmine. "Hush, you!" Then to Joe, "That, too, actually."

"I will. But, one more question, and I think you'll get it. What's the one thing we have no shortage of here?"

"Space." Ashley's leg crossing was a little more obvious, now that she was conscious of the need.

"Yes. And?" Joe looked outside as he said this.

"Windows." Ashley was about to tell him to hold on so she could powder her nose, but just then it clicked. "Wait...NO WAY!" Joe's wide smile said that she was right.

"Yup! I went through the same thoughts you did when I saw this place. Where to put a TV, etc. The answer was staring at me the whole time. We already have the glass, so why not?"

Ashley was now torn between her needs and curiosity when a sudden small spread of warmth in her panties made the decision for her. "One second," she begged as she sped walked to the room behind the elevator. She came back and the tension that had gradually crept onto her face was gone. "Okay, continue. Why are we inside the TV?"

"Well, who says it needs to be in a little box? What if we hide the processor somewhere, and the speakers somewhere else? The answer is this." He waved at the window.

Nothing happened, so Ashley was getting impatient. "Well, how do you turn it on?"

"To explain that, I need to explain the light switches."

The girls all groaned. Jill knew the secret, as did Jasmine, but fed off Ashley's frustration. "Come on, Joe!"

He tilted his palm facing upward in a "what" gesture. "It's easier to grasp it as a package, don't you think?"

Having gone through the initial demonstration, Jill remembered that was true and so nodded.

"Anyway," he continued. "This house came with a computer-controlled lighting system and I expanded on it."

"You can be a bit like Tim the Tool Man Taylor sometimes, Joe," Ashley accused. "How much did you expand it?"




An Angel's Fix Pt. 07



He did a good imitation of the Tim Allen grunt.

Ashley shook her head, but grinned. "Oh boy. How much, Joe?"

"Not quite Jarvis from Ironman?" He felt like ducking as he said this, and it was more of an apprehensive statement than a question.

"Really?! How close?"

Joe knew he scored big when her tone was excited rather than irritated. "Okay, the light switches are panels embedded in the pillars, But, they're more for backup, since the lights are also voice-activated."

"Lights!" Ashley happily chirped, but nothing happened. "Lights off?" Still nothing.

Jasmine snickered.

"Jazz, you did the same thing when I showed you," Joe scolded. "Think Jarvis, Ash. But first, to bring up the panel, touch a pillar about shoulder high." 

She did, and a soft computer-generated image appeared through the paint, depicting several buttons. "Whoa," she giggled.

"Yes. Cool, huh? We first had the panels on top of the paint, but it looked odd. Under the paint, it's not tacky but it's focus is a bit hazy, although you can still easily see the functions. It also controls the air temperature and speaker volume."

"Yes it is cool," she replied as the image timed out and disappeared. "So, that's why Jill and Jasmine walked away when we first got here?"

"Yup, had to make sure some lights were on for you!" answered Jasmine.

"But you said something about voice-activated. And I didn't see a TV button on the control panel," Ashley almost whined.

Joe took Ashley by the hand and led her in front of the couch, facing the window. "Now you know the background, the rest is easier. We named the house controller 'Molly'."

"You named a computer?" Ashley snorted in making jest. "And you said I was the techno-geek!"

"Shut up!" he playfully retorted. "It makes voice commands more natural. Try it."

"TV on, Molly," Ashley said sheepishly. As she mostly expected, nothing happened.

"Oh yeah." Joe snapped his fingers, admonishing himself for forgetting a part. "Sorry, we're still working on it. Her name has to come before the command. And, you can speak as you would normally to a person."

"Molly, turn on the TV," Ashley said to the window. 

Magically, the window frame was filled with video from Animal Planet. The display looked just like the one featured in the TV show 'Caprica', and Ashley and Kim's mouths fell open, but Kim was the first to find her voice. "Now THAT is fucking cool!"

"It gets better," Jill happily countered.

"How can it get better?" Ashley asked.

Jill smiled and said, "Molly, I can't quite see the picture."

In response, the background in the window went black, and the picture became incredibly vivid.

Ashley clutched Joe in happiness. "Oh my God, sweetie! I love my Christmas Present!"

"But I'm not done yet," Joe pouted then kissed the top of her head.

"There's more?"

In answer, Joe said, "Molly, can you make the picture fill three windows?" The picture expanded to the panes on either side. He preempted the astonished gasps with, "Molly, I'd like to see it in the kitchen." And, the windows in front of them changed back to normal. The group turned around, and the video had indeed moved to the windows over the kitchen. Joe said, "Molly, I'm back here." The video moved to the window he tapped.

"Holy crap!" exclaimed Kim.

"I know, right?" agreed Ashley. "I'm glad I just peed, because I think there'd be a puddle right about now."

"It still gets better," sing-songed Jill.

"Molly, we'd like to hear you now, please."

"Thank you Joe." The voice was young and pleasant.

"Molly, the TV, too," he said.

Well-concealed speakers began playing audio from the program.

Ashley and Kim had their faces skewed in a mixture of awe and pure joy. Jill was smiling, too, but said, "Okay, Joe, I think she gets how it works, and she can play with the commands later. Show her the REAL cool thing."

"Molly, play the surround demo," he said in response. All the windows changed to video, showing the flying clip from Epcot's 360 degree movie in the Canada showcase. It ended after a bit and returned to the previous program, and he said, "I had the system installed on all the windows."

Ashley was bobbing up and down, clapping. "I love it! I love it!"

Jasmine spoke up. "Joe, I think Jill means the other real cool thing."

Joe came up behind Ashley, wrapped his arms around her and started them walking to another window. "This part is what you'll really love," he said sweetly to her.

She turned up toward him and gave his lips a peck. "Is this finally it? I don't know how much more my heart can take."

"Mostly. The rest is you figuring it out as you play with it. Are you ready?" he asked.

"Sure," Ashley said, actually unsure of what was coming.

"Okay. I made the controller a server, and it synchs up with your laptop every once in a while." Then he gave her instructions.

Ashley tapped the window in front of her and said, "Molly, good morning." A 'home page' of sorts appeared before her, specially designed to the unique display, as the background was the landscape outside. Drawn in mostly green and blue outlines were upcoming events from her weekly planner, weather, calendar, and music news headlines. She found she could reposition each element by touch, and even open stories from the headlines. Joe told her that she could also change or add to the items that would display.

She turned toward Kim. "Now, THAT is FUCKING cool!" she said in a taunt while pointing over her shoulder at the window with her thumb. Kim could only nod her agreement.

Ashley toyed with her window display for a while, and Joe told Kim that she and her role with Ashley were not forgotten. He was having Carter install a second version of the prototype on all the windows back home. As engrossed in her playing as Ashley was, the statement caught her attention and she asked how much these systems cost. Joe's answer shocked her at first, but he said that the astronomical figure was purely due to THIS one being the prototype. A production version identical to this setup was projected to come in at around $15k.

"But Joe!" Ashley whined. "For what this one did cost, you could have bought like eight of these penthouses!"

Joe chuckled. "Relax, sweetie. This and the other one are payment for my concept idea and theory on how it might work."

Jill came up and stroked Ashley's back. "This thing works in movie worlds, because they can computer generate the effect post-shoot. But Joe figured out a way to do it FOR REAL, and that's worth a lot. In other words, Ash, this is Carter's thank you gift."

"I got it, Jill," Ashley smarted.

Kim had a hearty laugh, as she normally was the one to poke fun at Ashley's sometimes sluggish comprehension. She stepped up to Ashley's screen before Ashley could berate her for laughing. Kim saw what Ashley seemed to be trying for, but failed to reach. She moved some pages around on the window, tilted a couple of smaller ones, and overlapped edges of others. Once done, she stepped back and admired her handiwork.

Kim asked Ashley proudly, "There, is that what you were going for?"

Ashley hung her mouth open and nodded. "Uh huh. How'd you know?"

Kim shrugged.

Jasmine grinned. "I see now! It's a bulletin board. Hmm, maybe some finishing touches." She tapped the window under the display. "Molly, save as Good Evening Ashley. Now, Molly can you add a cork board to the group as the bottom layer?"

"Yes, Jasmine. Would you like it with a border or without?" the computer responded, presenting each option as it was said.

Jasmine looked critically and cocked her head. "Molly, without border, and fade by 20%. Molly, please fill each page with a legal pad background, matching page rotation."

Each block got filled in with the canary yellow notepad design. "Task complete, Jasmine. Thank you for being polite."

Ashley cocked her head at the last sentence.

"Molly will thank you for using a polite phrase once per day," Jill answered the unspoken question.

Jasmine took a step back and verbally asked for some graphical elements. She then arranged the pieces by swiping them around the window until she was satisfied. "Molly, please save as Good Morning Ashley." She waited for the completion response, then turned to Ashley. "You like it? This one will display during daytime to make it easier for you to see."

Ashley took in the haphazard display, but it made perfect sense to her. The cute flowers in the corners, and personal pictures of her and her friends filling in the spaces between "notes" made things interesting to read. "Love it! I absolutely love it!" She wrapped an arm each around Kim and Jasmine and gave them a squeeze. "You guys know me so well! It's a perfect dorm message board!" Her face suddenly changed in a realization and she walked briskly toward the elevator. "I'll be back in a minute," she said.

Kim knew what just happened in her new boss's head, and went to go down with Ashley while the others were dumbfounded, but let it go. A few minutes later, they returned, each with a large decorated bag in hand. Ashley instructed them to all sit in the living room and she gave each a "special" Christmas present.

"At least I was thinking these were going to be special," she said. "That is until I saw this place. Now, they'll seem so lame in comparison."

Everybody grumbled their own brush-off before Jill opened hers. Tears came to her eyes as she read the card that was attached to a lead crystal carousel horse.

Before Jill could speak, Ashley explained the rationale behind the gift. "I know you worry about your mom and how she's living. As I said in that card, the maid service will be there every day this week and get the house to presentable condition. Then they'll be there three times a week to keep it that way. Don't be embarrassed, it's what they're paid to do, and they understand what's involved to start with. Your mom has been sent a messenger who will notify her in person that she's won a sweepstakes for lifetime maid service. Just like that figurine, her place will be unblemished if you should ever want to take Ken over to meet her. And, without her feelings getting hurt."

Jill handed the horse to Jasmine to admire, then jumped up and threw her arms around Ashley's neck. Openly sobbing in joy, she croaked out a thank you in Ashley's ear.

Ashley smiled and looked at Kim expectantly after Jill returned to her seat on the couch. Kim's response when she opened her gift was similar to Jill's, even though it was in an envelope and not a box. In almost disbelief, Kim fanned out the pack of certificates that each stated it was good for any first-class flight.

"I know those slips are handmade," Ashley apologized while nodding toward her ornate handwriting. "Airlines don't use paper tickets until almost boarding time. I just wanted to show you what it's possible to get. In case you're wondering if the offer is real, in the bottom of the envelope you'll find gift cards from four carriers. Each has enough on it for four last-minute first-class seats. It's up to you what class you want to fly. I won't fly again, but I figured you or your parents would. We've kept you from them long enough."

Kim flung her arms around Ashley, stating that she didn't know what to say. Ashley answered with a suggestion of "thank you," to which Kim stated her gratitude.

Jasmine was next and she screamed like a 14 year old at her first concert when she unwrapped her box, revealing a top shelf digital video camera.

Ashley sounded embarrassed as she said, "It's not a recording studio."

Jasmine sniffled back a happy tear. "Don't worry about that. This is just as awesome for me."

"Well, I noticed you've started edging toward a new hobby of video editing and such, and thought you might like it," Ashley offered.

"Like it?! I love it! Can't wait to start playing with these settings!" Jasmine responded while giving a similar hug as the others. Her grin implied an intimate thank you would be in order soon.

"I had one more gift for you, but it's back at the apartment," Ashley directed toward her girlfriend.

"No, it's not," Joe interjected. "Apartment's empty now." He saw several emotions flash across Ashley's face, so he got up and pecked her forehead before walking toward the stairs. "Hang on sweetie, I had it brought here."

Ashley watched him take the steps two at a time, disappear into the storage closet, then come out with a large gift wrapped box. She blew a sigh of relief. "Wait! Just open it for her there," Ashley called up to him. Then to Jasmine, "This gift is kind of silly, now that I think about it."

Joe tore away the paper, revealing a plain cardboard box.

"Just what I always wanted! A play fort!" Jasmine quipped.

"Nah, it's definitely not an empty box," retorted Joe. "A tad heavy for that."

"It's not that heavy, I could lift it easily," complained Ashley. "Pull out what's inside, Joe! Stop playing around." Then as an afterthought, "And watch the railing!"

"Yes ma'am," he responded as he popped the lid free of its staples. "What the hell is it?" he asked as he peered inside, then lifted out an odd piece of furniture.

As it came into view, Jasmine's face held a look of befuddlement.

"It's an ergonomic stool," Ashley explained, nodding up at the two gray padded benches connected by curved maple rails.

"I know what it is," Jasmine said. Her voice was overall joyful, but tinged with bewilderment. "I've always wanted one. What confuses me is how did you know I was getting you the studio?"

"Huh? I didn't," Ashley blurted. "Why do you say that?"

"The style and colors match perfectly in that room!" Jasmine then proceeded upstairs to put the confused faces of Joe, Kim, and Jill to rest. She perched her butt on the upper bench, hooked her legs around and in between and knelt on the bench in front. Seeing her in position, everyone finally understood the piece and agreed that it did look comfortable.

By now the last of the sunset had faded and the penthouse was dark. Jasmine noticed everybody starting to squint and said, "Molly, turn lights on for all downstairs. Um, about two-thirds." 

The room got brighter as the lighting theatrically faded up. "Wow," Ashley commented. "It's so, um, natural, I guess."

"Exactly!" beamed Jasmine. "It's all indirect; the beams bounce off walls or ceilings. The fixtures are hidden by corners, railings, and such. But here comes the best part. Molly, we'd like to read."

A very long slender black boom that was cleverly hidden along a balcony rail swung out over the living room. As the motion stopped, four beams of LED light shown down on the couch and love seats, making for perfect reading.

"That's awesome!" exclaimed Kim and Ashley nodded.

Joe came back down and Ashley handed him his box, wrapped in thick gold foil and garnet ribbon. Inside was an FSU game football autographed by Bobby Bowden, and was set on a clear acrylic stand. "WOW," he gasped. "But why does it say 'Best of luck with the firecracker'?"

Ashley grinned. "Okay, so what had happened was..." She had to pause for the laughter. "Seriously though, I saw Bobby and Ann at Governor's Square Mall, and I went up to him and introduced myself. I told him you were my husband and that you were recruited by Florida State. But now even though you decided not to play, a football signed by his legendary self would make a great gift for you."

The girls were snickering and Joe was outright laughing. "Wait," he said. "Did you actually say 'your legendary self' to Coach Bowden?"

"Yeah, why?"

Joe chuckled, shaking his head. "Never mind, continue."

"Anyway, he said he would sign one, but didn't have a football with him. So, I tell him I'd find him again after buying one. I run down to the sports store and get a game ball and run back and find him leaving a store a little ways from where he was. Then he said he didn't have a pen, so I said I'd be right back, but Ann said they were on their way out. I said okay, if I find them again, great. If not, that was okay, too. So I run back toward the dollar store..."

"Holy crap," Jill said. "You ran? They must have thought you were nuts!"

"Yeah, I ran," Ashley smirked. "I didn't want them to get away. For an old guy, he's pretty quick!"

"Correction," Jasmine interjected. "You WERE nuts!"

Ashley glared with wider-open eyes. "SO, I run back to the dollar store, get a Sharpie and pay for it, and run back. But they had left. So I run into the parking lot and can't see squat, since I'm so short. I ran along the front of the aisles, and happen to catch a glance of Ann closing their trunk lid. I streaked down there and just before she started backing out, I tapped on Bobby's window and got him to sign the ball. They were really sweet. Still not sure why he wrote 'firecracker'. Maybe he misunderstood something that I said? Anyway, I didn't want to correct him after all that."

Joe got up and hugged and kissed Ashley while still laughing. "Baby, 'firecracker' is YOU! After all you did, it was actually about the nicest thing he could say about you. I love it! Thank you! And, actually..." He trailed off.

"What?" Ashley looked questioningly up at him.

Joe shook his head as to clear a thought. "Who else is hungry?"

Ashley was a bit miffed that he continued his cryptic nature through what was on his mind, but went along with his suggestion that they all go to the restaurant just under them. The place was just as elegant and fancy as the complex dictated and the meal was exquisite. Ashley found a new favorite dish when she ordered their variation of a chicken pot pie. In a nutshell, it was a creamy chicken stew served over a buttery croissant. 

When they returned upstairs, Ashley and Joe retreated to christen their new master suite. Jill went downstairs to enjoy "the cool evening air" while calling Ken. It was her polite way to excuse herself for a cigarette. Jasmine followed Kim to her room to help her pack up.

"I still don't see why you're leaving," Jasmine protested to Kim as she wrapped a nicknack. "We're all getting along now."

Kim sighed. "It's not like I really want to. Especially now with this incredible place."

"So don't! I swear, Kim, it seems like every time things get great, you up and leave," Jasmine pouted.

Kim took Jasmine's wrist and sat them down on the bed. "Jazz, I really want to be a part of Joe and Ashley's life. Even if it can't be in the same fashion as you are to them. When Ashley came up with this job for me, I thought she was joking. But she hasn't said anything otherwise, and I seriously want to be her..." Kim paused to find the right words. "Well, I don't know. Agent, personal assistant, or whatever. She and Cindy came up with me moving so I could figure out what I want to do."

"But it sounds like you have figured it out. So why go through with it?"

Kim exhaled another drawn out sigh. "Because, now I know this is what I want. More than any other career I can think of. I rolled all this through my head until my ears wanted to bleed for the last couple of months. In the end, I decided that I wanted to focus on getting the classes I need, and the huge benefit of soaking up Cindy's magic. I couldn't pass up the opportunity."

It all made sense to Jasmine now. "This is true. Cindy is the master. I really am going to miss you." She wrapped Kim in a tight hug, then they set about finishing up.

Once in their room, Ashley closed the door, her signal to the girls that she really wanted some alone time with Joe. She unbuttoned her blouse and slipped out of her skirt, then slinked up to Joe. Ashley tilted her head up and kissed his chin on her tiptoes, prompting him to tilt his head down and receive her kiss. She teased his lips open with her tongue and they made out. Her body thrilled when his hands reached in her open shirt to play with her breasts through her bra. She pushed him back gently until he was sitting on the edge of the bed. Ashley kissed her way down his chest and stomach and then knelt before him to undo his pants.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 08



 This part is void of sex, but important to the story. Best if you read Angel's and Guardians first, then the parts leading to this one of An Angel's Fix.

All characters are 18 if physically involved.

*****

A full day of classes and now three hours into practice, Ashley was getting fed up. Kim could sense it the second she walked in and took a seat to join the other members of Ashley's practice audience. She could also read how poorly the rehearsal was going in Joe, Jasmine, and Jill's faces.

"So, is this happening tonight?" she asked no one and all of them at the same time.

Jasmine sighed, "I don't know. The guys are acting like high school dropouts who decided just today to play music on a whim. She's being the performance Nazi."

As if on cue to that summary, Ashley stopped mid-note, wheeled around on her heel and marched up to the drummer. "Why?! WHY?!" she demanded. Receiving no response, she snatched the sticks from him and started her rant. "Why must you bang these things as if they made your girlfriend cheat on you?! Do you not understand what you are doing to my ears? THIS is how you're supposed to play!"

She rapped a simplified version of the sequence for the song on his snare. Her more mild touch made the instrument actually sound like music for the first time that afternoon.

"And THIS is what you have been doing for the last three hours!" She played the cadence again with all her might. Even though it was the smallest piece on his set, the snare echoed off the walls with each hit. "Do you hear the difference, Mohawk? Or do I have to demonstrate it on your head?" He flinched backward slightly, almost cowering. Ashley took a deep breath to fight her way back to the controlled side of her rage line. "Look guys, maybe I should put this another way. Y'all seem to be playing for attention, and fighting over each other for it. I promise you that the best way to get recognition is to play as a group. Let's try it again, this time as if we know what we're doing."

They started the piece again, and it did sound good. Although, Ashley kept giving her guitarist warning looks when he strayed into her view with his jumping around. Kim got an idea after watching a couple of songs, and sketched something on a napkin. When Ashley stopped for a water break, Kim went to the band and presented her map of their stage. She explained that each bubble was their allowed zone, and any straying from it could result in Ashley being distracted. Kim also pointed out that a worse consequence for encroaching another's zone would be an embarrassing crash. The group rehearsed a few more pieces, and by dinner break, things settled into more or less something closer to what Ashley envisioned.

The sorority tasked each pledge with hanging fliers on their way to classes advertising the event, and by the time Ashley took the stage, nearly 250 young people filled the nightclub. Ashley was an energetic performer, and the half hour set was well-received by the students and sorority sisters. Kim checked her online stats app just before she went to bed, and was happy to tell Ashley that her album and several singles received a small bump on iTunes and Amazon Music as a result.

They used the nightclub to practice and polish their set the rest of the weekend, and Ashley's criticisms were more constructive. But as for the rest of the week, results were less than stellar. On the surface, the spring break crowds seemed to receive the efforts of the band warmly, but Ashley knew in her heart that those teens and tweens just weren't "feeling it." She knew through every pore of herself that she sure didn't. The fact that her parents couldn't make any of the shows tugged her mood lower. Her dad's ship was headed home, but it would take nearly a week for it to reach it's port; and her dad would have to spend another few days securing the vessel and run through debriefing.

Early on their club tour, Ashley asked her band if they would perform with her at her high school's prom. They flatly denied her without bothering themselves for an excuse. The band didn't help themselves when they plucked a nerve during their final performance. More accurately, they laid it out and she stepped on it. Their final show of the week was at an upscale club in Jacksonville, and Ashley dressed the part, complete with high-heeled black suede boots. Matt was part of the crowd for this one, wanting to see his newest performers in person. Looking back, Ashley felt his presence brought back the zealous nature of her bandmates that she had worked so hard to tame. Slick-back couldn't hold it in anymore on the last song and jammed out of his rehashed boundary, dragging his guitar's output cord with him and into Ashley's path. Her spiked heel rolled across the top of the cord and her foot turned onto its side, but somehow she managed to recover from the trip with only a hitch in her voice as it happened.

Matt came backstage to congratulate them on the successful completion of their first tour, but found Ashley shoving Slick-back in a rage. He yelled to break up the confrontation, then lectured them for ten minutes about needing to be a team and working together to produce favorable sales results. Once the disciplinary speech was over, Ashley and her pal team left straight for Tallahassee after Kim reminded the band only one more hotel night would be paid before they went home to north Georgia.

Ashley kept off her feet the rest of the weekend, lounging on the sofa with an ice pack for most of the time. She was clearly in the dumps, feeling that she had somehow failed at being a musician. Her asking Kim to ask Trail Springs to replace her for the prom gig felt like a concession to that point. Joe and Jasmine asked her to consider backing out of the school play. Anyone who's ever been involved with a school club or event knows the participants are passionate about what they are doing. It's how chess players and pet band members get labeled as geeks. Ashley was no different.

"It's not just 'a school play'," she protested. "They need me, and I want to keep my disappointments to a minimum."

"Well, just how big a part do you have?" asked Joe. "I'm sure some one else could fill in."

"No, they can't. Not as well as me. You'll see."

"Even if you're injured?" he retorted. Ashley cut that conversation off by asking "Molly" to bring up the TV display and ignored the rest of the comments.

The next three days of class were difficult for Ashley. There wasn't any extra pain, but moving between classes kept her ankle's discomfort first and foremost of her thoughts. Kim's texts weren't helping. The first one on Monday was letting her know that the Trail Springs agent had blown her off. Ashley replied, asking her to keep trying, and to come up with other ideas for replacements, just in case. The other texts weren't so bad, giving updates of the progress their songs were making on the two largest electronic libraries. They were gaining, but no where near the numbers Ashley had dreamed were possible when she started this venture. Also, those texts almost always ended with "how's your ankle." Ashley finally had to tell Kim to stop asking before she got upset.

Dress rehearsal arrived on Wednesday and each performer was allowed to invite up to 5 people to attend and watch. In addition to the three who lived in her penthouse, Ashley invited Kim and Mary, her sorority president. The auditorium approached half capacity, and Joe and Mary turned to Jasmine to prod her about which part Ashley was playing. Jasmine shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, saying she never thought to ask. Joe asked the person ahead of him what performance was being presented, and the answer was an abridged version of Phantom of the Opera.

The curtain opened to polite applause and the show started with La Carlotta and troupe rehearsing "Hannibal." Jasmine nudged Mary to point out Ashley who was among the ballerinas dancing across the stage. After the backdrop accident, Ashley's friends gasped in surprise when Madame Giry calls out Christine Daae to audition as replacement, and Ashley stepped forward. Even Jasmine's jaw went slack in surprise, as Ashley had never told her what role she was cast for; and Jasmine had heard lead roles were almost never given to freshmen. Juniors, seniors, and those still enrolled for graduate work usually won the star roles by way of their extra experience and honed talent.

Ashley portrayed her character's initial hesitation so well that Joe and Kim briefly feared she actually had stage fright. But, her character gradually gained confidence through the next two bars, and soon Ashley belted out an exquisite rendition of "Think of Me." Ashley was still completing the final note when the auditorium erupted in applause and the audience of friends and family were on their feet. Ashley never broke character, gracefully flitting and dancing through the changing scenery with the airy lightness of a feather.

The rehearsed curtain call garnered respectable ovations for the background cast, singers, and dancers. A more robust applause greeted the supporting performers of Carlotta, the Opera managers, Meg and Madame Giry, and Raoul, complete with a smattering of cheers. Greg, who played the Phantom, received solid applause and cheers. The cast glowed in the ovation for several seconds, bowing twice. Then, they parted to the sides of the stage, creating an aisle down the middle for their young star to emerge. Appearing from the rear, Ashley's figure was glaringly small. Smiling broadly and walking to the fore-stage with a slight limp, she acknowledged the now-rowdy ovation with small waves, and dropped a deep, neat curtsy when she arrived at her place next to Greg. She came back upright, looked at her group, blew out a sigh of relief, and sent the prettiest smile toward them.

"I'm telling you, Ashley, that," Mary took a sip of her iced tea. "THAT was the best adaptation of Christine I have ever seen!" Mary swirled some strands of spaghetti then savored the bite. "And THAT is the best pasta I've had, Joe! Thanks for sharing tonight with me, y'all!"

Jasmine grabbed the pitcher of tea from the fridge to refill their drinks. "It's nice having you here. I agree with Mary. Ash, that was unbelievable!"

"Thanks!" Ashley said with a tired smile. She had finished her meal, and her ankle's tingling ache wasn't letting up, so she walked over to the living area. "Only 8 more to go," she huffed as she plopped onto the soft furniture with her leg across the cushions. The others followed her and took seats on the other sofas, save Joe, who lifted Ashley briefly so he could settle behind her and became her back rest. She nestled against him then said, "Y'all could finish your dinner, I just needed to prop this foot up for a bit."

They waved her off, stating they were done eating as well. Jill spoke what was on her mind since the curtain call. "So, Ashley, what was that look you gave when you did your curtsy?"

"Look?"

"It appeared as if you had a major personal emergency, but were able to reach the toilet just in time," Jill clarified.

The rest of the group laughed at the mental image, and each inwardly decided that was exactly what she looked like.

Ashley chuckled at the depiction. "Well, after last week, I was wondering if I made a mistake choosing music as a career. I mean, I bombed at performing."

Joe brushed a strand of hair from her face to interrupt. "YOU didn't bomb. Your band, on the other hand..."

She reached up and caught his hand, pulling it to her waist to hold it there in affection. "Was the most irritating, immature, unprofessional..." she continued.

"Just plain sucked," Jasmine finished.

"Thank you," Ashley smiled wryly. "Anyway, I felt the underperformance was me." The room bemoaned her putting herself down, and she interjected. "BUT! But...after 'Think of Me,' I knew I rocked it." The group grinned at her well-deserved little gloat. "So, feeling better about my ability was a huge relief."

"Don't get up," Mary said before standing. "There's an hour of thesis work waiting for me. I meant it when I said thank you for tonight," she said while stepping toward the elevator.

Ashley thanked her for coming, and Mary promised to spread the word around the sorority about the performance being top date-night material.

Ashley skipped classes the next day as an attempt to speed her ankle to fully-recovered status. She was on the phone with her mom for a solid two hours catching up on mundane events. The news that affected her most was that her dad was delayed due to weather, and it was looking doubtful that they would see her performance. Ashley swore and asked if her dad really hated that she was singing. The answer was that Commander Roberts really was held up, but trying the best he could to see her.

Her ankle felt much better the next day, and she went to her classes as usual. Ashley went straight to the performing arts theater from her last class, not able to see her friends or husband all day, aside from sporadic texts. She knew she'd see them in the audience tonight, so she didn't mind so much.

Opening night was a success, as three quarters of the auditorium had sold. A couple of students from the campus news channel were on hand with a camera to critique the event and gave the production a solid review. The praise joined favorable word-of-mouth, resulting in sold out performances for Saturday and Sunday. Ashley shone brilliantly in each one, and every night was being sold out faster and faster. The only blight was that her parents weren't able to make any of them, a fact she started passing on to fellow members of the crew.

Her ankle injury was a fading memory until she tweaked it on a turn during Wednesday's performance. She managed the pain through Thursday night, when it was announced that the production would be moved to the civic center for the final performance on Friday, due to the heavy demand for tickets. A party was thrown in celebration, but about halfway through, Ashley began to doubt her weak link ankle's ability to hold together for the duration of tomorrow's show. She was already sullen from a disappointing, and a touch frightening, text conversation with her mom. Her dad made it to port okay after a sketchy trip through rough seas, but extra time was needed for him to write up the repair orders for the damage caused by the rocky trip. Joe and her friends were pulled into a conversation away from her, and a couple of cast members seized the opportunity to satisfy their curiosity of her building grumpiness. She answered their inquiry honestly about her dad, purposely leaving her ankle out of the explanation. They empathized with her, and tried to spin a cheery side by saying they were glad that her father was at least safe.

Closing night was huge. A professional company was called in to move the sets, backdrops, and props, as well as assemble a stage in the civic center. Ticket sales added up to very close to capacity. Jasmine had received permission to record the performance last night, and was allowed to film backstage tonight. Ashley was so used to her girlfriend pointing the lens at her, she barely noticed the camera any more. Jasmine was silent through most of Ashley's prep work, but questioned her when Ashley popped four pills. Ashley assured her with a slight grimace that they were just two each of Tylenol and Aleve to quiet her ankle during the show. Jasmine shook her head in concern, but said nothing more.

Ashley held a hair of hope that she would see her parents at this show, but when the curtain opened and she danced onto the stage, the two seats next to Joe near the front were empty. In view of the audience, Ashley concentrated and put all her energy into giving her absolute best, despite her personal disappointment. Backstage, though, the rapidly deteriorating ankle was gradually wearing on her face. Jasmine was heartbroken during the intermission when Ashley's stoic front crumbled and she couldn't hold back the pain. She had given a gasp as she arrived at her dressing table, collapsing on the chair in a heap. Her face contorted in agony and outright fear that she wouldn't be able to finish. The cast members and stage hands were alarmed, but Ashley gritted her teeth and indicated that she'd keep going. The 30 minute break was bustling as her assistants and fellow cast members helped her into another wardrobe and rearranged her hair for the final act. By the time the curtain raised for "Masquerade", the respite seemed to give her enough time to collect some strength to return to the stage.

Ashley had nearly lived in the character Christine for a week now, and, coupled with her missing her own parents these two large events in her life, she could feel Christine's torment when she fled to the graveyard in the musical. Ashley poured her heart into performing "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again," allowing her emotions to take over during the solo. Freely flowing tears grabbed the heartstrings of the audience and fiercely yanked them. Her final sung "goodbye" had the crowd on its feet, giving her a solid ovation. The acknowledgment and another quick costume change off-stage gained a little more fuel that Ashley could tap into.

Her gas tank didn't last long, and Ashley had to dig deep into her reserves while performing "The Point of No Return." Greg really manhandled Ashley in acting out the Phantom's escape. Ashley was nearing exhaustion, and focused soley on singing. There simply was not enough energy left to both mask the pain and perform. She didn't have to play up the resistance to the flight down into the lair, Ashley had given up, and Greg had to drag her around the stage. Her singing parts took on an edge in her voice, which was accepted by the audience as terror and confusion felt by the character. It made for a very convincing scene. She didn't even attempt to hide her now-horrible hobble when she and Chris (Raoul) made their escape. Ashley openly sobbed off-stage, knowing her part was complete. While Greg soulfully sang out his best "Music of the Night" finale, a number of the crew plus Jasmine surrounded Ashley to find out what was going on.

"My ankle," she heaved in heavy sobs. "I can't put my weight on it! Oh DAMN it! Hurts so flippin' bad!" She glanced down to make her point, and the others saw now that the bad foot was peeking out from behind her gown as she held it off the floor, now resembling a clubbed foot.

The audience hooted and howled their appreciation as the final curtain fell. Greg knew something was amiss just by the different way "Christine" was resisting this time around. He strode over to Ashley just as a number of people moved off for the curtain call. "Ashley, are you okay?" he asked in a voice of genuine concern.

Ashley's mind had been chasing the pain, and had now caught up to it, working to subdue it back to being manageable. Her sobs were getting shallower and further apart. "I will be. My ankle is being a pest, though."

She was steadying herself with her hand on Chris's shoulder, and Greg looked down to see her still standing in her flamingo pose. "Did I...? I didn't mean to... I mean, it was going so well. I guess I got too carried away," he stammered.

Ashley gasped as another throb hit. "No, I twisted it on spring break. If we weren't acting, yeah, I'd be pissed at being yanked around like that. But, no, this wasn't from you. You were AWESOME in that last scene!"

Greg mumbled an appreciative thanks. Chris noted their turns were almost up. "Can you make curtain call?" he asked. "I'll carry you, if you want."

If she were in any other footwear, Ashley would have taken up his offer. But, she tested a little weight into the ballerina shoe and cringed when she had expected to yelp. "Yeah, I can make the curtain call. It's getting a little better, but I might need some help."




An Angel's Fix Pt. 08



"We'll take care of it," Greg said with a nod toward Chris, who nodded back then went to enter the stage.

The curtain call had commenced as usual until Chris bowed. Some heads turned when he returned to the back to assist Ashley to the fore-stage. She smiled and nodded to the screaming ovation, leaning heavily against Chris, and unable to curtsy. Greg appeared to another grand round of applause and cheers, took his bow, then ducked under Ashley's other arm to support her weight. Their tiny microphones went live, and the audience began hearing her fading gasps of pain as the ovation died away. Ashley shot a look of surprise beside her when Greg began speaking to the crowd, the first time he'd done that during a curtain call.

"Thank you all for coming, and thank you for your warm appreciation!" He went on to thank the producers and crew who worked behind the scenes, as well as the twelve orchestra students who had recorded the symphony track for the show. (Recording was the only solution, as several of them had to play multiple instruments to complete the desired full sound). He and Chris shared the brief increase in weight as Ashley did a small hop to get better balance. As if that was his cue, Greg said, "As you can see, we cast members have become tight over the last few months. We think the world of this girl right here!" He had to pause as the audience and everyone on stage gave her mention a standing ovation again, along with many whistles and cheers.

As the noise abated, Ashley protested with a smile, "I'm not a girl."

"What?" Chris challenged from the other side of her, even though what she said did, in fact, get picked up by her microphone.

She grinned, the stress on her face from the earlier pain mostly melting away. "I said, I'm not a girl. I'm 19, you know." This was met by hearty chuckles.

"Well, this FRESHMAN," Greg continued, "knocked our socks off at the audition. And, her ability and personality helped all of us dig deep and raise our game as well. In fact, I think she could have sang all her parts from memory at the first practice."

"She did," said one from behind him.

"Yeah," confirmed another.

"Oh, she actually did," Greg said with an endearing chuckle betraying the embarrassment of not remembering that fact. "So, we think the world of her. But, over the last few days, we noticed she wasn't her usual playful self, and after several interrogations by different cast members, we found out that she was wanting to show her parents what she could do."

"Deservedly so," interjected Chris. "If I could sing like her, I'd want my parents to see, too."

Ashley was blushing now. "Oh hush, guys! Y'all were great, too!" The audience agreed with applause.

Greg smiled widely. "Stop, Ashley! You're messing up the moment I'm trying to build here."

"Oh, sorry," she sheepishly apologized.

The chemistry between the three was genuine and playful, and the crowd ate it up.

Chris decided to take a turn. "Well, Ashley, you were missing your folks, so we decided to do something about it." 

He looked over to the side of the stage, and a large monitor was pushed out. It powered on, showing a man wearing a tan naval officer's uniform. "Hey, Kitten," he greeted.

"Daddy?!" Ashley squeaked in disbelief. He seemed to be standing outside on the deck of a ship, further confusing her, since she almost always pictured him on the bridge or office of his vessel. Birds squawked in the background, and a far-off ship horn could be heard.

"I'm sorry your mother and I couldn't be in the audience for you tonight," he continued. "This delay couldn't be helped. Your mother and your friends have both told me how much you were enjoying doing this show. A recording was sent to me, and I hope you don't mind, but I showed it to some of your brothers and sisters."

"I don't have any brothers," Ashley mused from between her co-stars. "Or sisters."

"We've watched it twice last night, and I had to call curfew before they started it again. So, I wanted to send this video response to say..." he then gestured to the camera man.

The camera panned around to the stern of the ship, and sailors were jammed in every nook and cranny of the frame. A few were even poking their faces out of portholes. Easily every member of the vessel's 120+ crew were accounted for in the shot. The camera stopped its motion toward them and as one, the crew called out, "CONGRATULATIONS ASHLEY! WE'RE PROUD OF YOU!" They finished with wild cheering and grunts.

Ashley's chin quivered and she couldn't stop the tear falling from her eyelashes.

The camera returned to her dad. "Your mother and I are so proud of you, Kitten! Be good, and we'll see you real soon. As in riiiight now!"

Ashley was still wrapping her head around so many people sending her a sentiment that she almost missed the last sentence. "Wait! What?!" Just then the man who pushed the cart onto the stage revealed himself to her, garbed in formal 'dress whites.' "Daddy?!" She eeked again. Then after fully realizing he was actually there, she shrieked, "DADDY!" She let go of Chris and Greg and started hopping toward her father. He dropped his cover, took two giant strides to close the distance, and caught his daughter as she bounded onto him. Her mom followed, picking up his hat along the way, and joined the family hug.

Ashley enjoyed the embrace for a few moments until the continuing applause reminded her they were still on stage. She let herself down onto her good foot and was about to turn toward Greg and Chris for clues on how to end things, when a voice that suspiciously sounded like Cindy's called, "Encore!" The crowd agreed and soon were chanting "Encore! Encore!"

Ashley blew out a challenged sigh, and Greg asked if she was up to it. She nodded, adding, "Only if y'all don't expect a dance!"

Chuckles and applause signaled agreement, and soon she perched on a stool that was brought center-stage. Chris stood with her parents to the side while she and Greg sang "The Phantom of The Opera" for the last time.

"Oh, fuck me," Ashley huffed as she dropped her crutches to the floor and plopped onto the sofa. She looked up at Joe and Jasmine. "Don't get any ideas," she grumbled. It was intended to be lighthearted, but exhaustion made her voice darker than she expected.

"Thank God the party isn't until tomorrow." Jasmine had aimed her quip at the bandaged ankle on the sofa seat.

It had taken the combined efforts of Joe and her parents to get Ashley to consent to seeing a doctor. The visit to the campus medical clinic had lasted a few hours. With her hair still done, and the show's popularity, Ashley was immediately recognized. She was flattered, yet confused as to how random people could recognize her on sight. That is until they were in the waiting room and the TV there was airing a replay of the student channel's simulcast of the show tonight. The doctor on-call was none too pleased when Ashley revealed that she had been dealing with the sore ankle since the end of spring break. Ashley answered the woman's question by stating something ridiculous along the lines of artists don't show pain. The doctor quipped back, "Said the diva sitting here with a busted ankle." In the end, the worst fears were untrue, and the ankle was found to be only strained and now over-worked.

Cindy had taken Ashley's parents to dinner while their daughter was getting attention for her bad foot. They had resisted coming with her, as they didn't want to spoil Ashley's rediscovered fondness for them by hovering too much. A soft chime sounded behind the sofa and Ashley turned to face Cindy and Doug appearing from the elevator.

"Whoa!" and "Oh my God!" The Roberts gasped as they stepped through the threshold after their dinner hosts.

"Hey Mom and Daddy!" Ashley greeted from her seat, her parents' looks of surprise had escaped her.

Joe was undoing Ashley's other shoe, and Jasmine was busily fussing with an ice pack she was preparing, so Jill assumed the role of hostess and stepped forward. Giggling at Ashley's aloof ignorance of the parents' astonishment, she said, "Ashley, I don't think they've seen your place before." "Commander and Mrs. Roberts," she addressed the couple. "Perhaps you'd like to look around to satisfy your curiosity?" When they seemed torn between a tour and wanting to visit with Ashley, Jill continued. "I know I couldn't focus on anything until I saw every inch when I first came here."

The couple looked to their daughter for permission, to which Ashley just said, "Yeah, sure! Knock yourselves..." she sucked in her breath as Jasmine shocked her ankle with the frozen pack. "...out. Jill, would you mind?"

Cindy and Doug took seats on one sofa, while Joe fetched a couple of chairs. Kim squatted onto the armrest at Ashley's feet, tapping out a couple more commands on her Android.

"So, I'm not having any luck with that agent," she said simply.

Cindy raised her eyebrows. "Really, Kim?! Of all this night was, those are your first words to Ashley?"

"But...I was..." Kim stammered, shrinking a little from her mentor's coaching.

"...working. I know," Cindy smiled, letting Kim know she wasn't cross. "Honey, you've gotta learn to balance friendship with work." She turned to Ashley. "Sweetheart, what you did tonight was absolutely amazing. What you did all week, in fact."

Doug nodded in agreement and was about to add his two coppers' worth when the elevator chimed again. Jasmine turned toward the stainless doors questioningly, knowing that without an electronic key, no one could come up unless someone in the penthouse called the elevator up for them. That fact left only one other group not present able to...

"Sam!" she squealed when the doors opened, racing for the imposing figure stepping through the doors. She hopped on the last step of her run, and he caught her neatly in a hug.

Joe was amused by the display, but apprehensive about the unexpected visit. "Hey Sam! What's up?"

Jasmine realized her hug went a bit long and let herself down. "Sorry," she apologized softly.

"It's okay," he whispered back to her. Then to Joe, "Well, the Roberts asked if I wanted to come up, and I took that as an invitation from you. Or, was I mistaken?"

Ashley noticed with amusement Sam's eyes had flicked to Jasmine when he mentioned the invitation. "You're not mistaken," she said lightly. "Any of you are welcome to join us," her eyes darted to Jasmine staring goofily at the security expert. "But y'all never do. Don't mind us being shocked, we'll adjust." Then under her breath, "At least it seems someone already has." She cleared her throat as a physical display of changing thought threads. "Thank you, Cindy. This week was so much fun, even if it was a lot of hard work." Her eyes shifted over toward her other best friend. "Kim, don't mind Cindy. I know your intentions." She sighed heavily at the real world encroaching the dream that was her string of performances. "I'll call Reena tomorrow and see if I can convince her myself."

Joe took his turn at raising eyebrows. "Going behind her agent? That can't end well."

"Can't be worse than getting a flat 'no', either," Ashley protested. Footsteps descended the staircase and Ashley called over her shoulder, "Everything pass inspection?"

The question was said lightly and in good humor, but the jab about childhood examinations of her room was not lost on her parents. "All in good order," declared her dad.

Her mom came behind Ashley to give her daughter a hug from around her shoulders. "This is wonderful! A little uppity for my taste..."

"Mom!" Ashley warned.

"...But I love it." the matron finished. "Great job decorating, Jasmine!"

Jasmine startled from her quiet conversation with Sam at the mention of her name. "Thank you, Mrs. Roberts!"

The mother sat on the empty sofa facing her daughter and directed her husband to join her by patting the seat. He sat as he was bade. "Ankle okay?" Small talk for her dad was REALLY small. Short, clipped two to three word sentences was about all you could pry out of him until he got around to the meat of what he really wanted to say.

Ashley smiled at him. "Yes, Daddy. It's just a strain, and I did too much with it."

"I'll say!" he exclaimed while chuckling. "For the two hour production, you were on stage for what? An hour and a half?"

"Hour and forty minutes," Jasmine corrected. "I timed it tonight."

He was impressed with the answer and acknowledged it with a frowning nod of approval toward the girl. "And not just standing," he said, returning to Ashley. "You were jumping, dancing, and running on it the whole time you were out there. You could teach some of my boys how to be that tough!"

"Well, I've cheered on sprained ankles before, Daddy. I'm almost used to it now." She reached forward to shift the ice pack. "But tonight...oh man. I wasn't sure I'd make it through all the way." Ashley replayed the second half in her head. "Actually, I didn't."

Some arguing ensued and even though it was the world against Ashley, she stood her ground. The resolution was that she agreed she nailed her performance until the last scene, and even though everyone else felt she played her injury to match character marvelously, they accepted that she wanted perfection in her eyes. The conversation eventually turned to catching up, and after a bit, the group began talking amongst themselves in ever-changing pairs or trios. Joe noticed the interactions between his wife and her father were a bit business-like, but he surmised that healing a rift like theirs would take years to fully mend. Besides, those two had a complicated relationship, anyway. Ashley wanted independence as a teenager, while her father was used to wanting his subordinates to be anything but independent. Joe decided to take the win that there were no real arguments tonight. The other thing that glared at him was there were only two singles in the room, Kim and Sam. Kim was coping by hopping between conversations, and Sam was being entertained by talking quietly with Jasmine. 

Now, THAT was odd. Jasmine's zealous greeting had perked Ashley's attention, and even elicited an underhanded mumble from Ashley. Was she jealous? He was broken out of his musings when Ashley slid the cold bag from her ankle and spun around to get up.

"So are y'all staying with us?" she asked her parents with a yawn.

"I don't think the couches are the best place to sleep," her dad dismissed.

Ashley rolled her eyes, but with a smile. "No, you can use the guest room that used to be Kim's."

"And leave Kim the couch?" her mom scolded.

"No." Her eyes rolled again. "Ken left a few minutes ago. She can bunk with Jill."

"So then where would Jasmine stay?" her dad asked.

"Ashley..." Joe warned.

Ashley didn't heed him. "Our room, of course."

"Ashley!" Kim breathed, echoing Joe's warning.

"What? Everyone knows that Jasmine..."

"Ashley SHUT UP!!" This was yelled by nearly everyone in the room, including her mom.

"...is sleeping with you." Commander Roberts had finished his daughter's sentence.

Ashley's blood ran icy when she finally realized what the others were warning her about. Not quite everybody knew that tidbit. "Oh fuck," she breathed as her eyes fell to her lap, embarrassed by her shortsighted and accidental admission to her father.

All eyes in the room darted back and forth between Ashley and her dad. Whatever outcome they predicted in their heads was blown away by what the father said next.

"Well, that is a hard lifestyle to keep, I hope you understand what that entails as word about your talent grows stronger." He stood up. "You are a wonderful performer and I am proud of you." He ignored the gapes and turned toward the elevator. "Doug, can you help me fetch the bags?"

Doug followed him into the elevator, leaving a stunned and silent room behind them. Ashley finally moved to pick up her crutches. "I'm beat, so I'm just gonna go..." She finished her sentence by nodding toward the stairs.

Jasmine tapped the call button, her face seeming to radiate fire. The elevator car returned empty, and she tugged Sam in with her.

"Is it true?" Sam asked as they walked across the courtyard.

She nodded. "Please don't think poorly of me."

"Well, we knew you girls played around with each other, but...is this serious? Like, I don't know, a commitment thing?"

"Oh come on! Is this as much a surprise as you're making? Y'all watch us constantly, don't you?"

Sam got defensive. "I haven't been detailed to you or anyone in your household for over two years!" He thought about things for a moment. "Why are you so embarrassed, anyway?"

Jasmine slumped onto a bench. "It's a lot different when you're doing it as opposed to when someone labels it out loud."

"Do you think it will be a lifetime thing?" he asked.

Jasmine sighed. "I don't know. I love her and Joe. I love being around either of them, and especially her music."

"So you're with Joe, too?"

"No!" she said a little too sharply to be taken as truth. "Well, not completely. We don't have sex, or at least not all-out fucking. Ugh! It's complicated, okay?" She huffed while trying to unravel her knotted thoughts. "Besides, I gave him an unsolicited promise."

Sam sat down beside her. "So, uncomplicate them for me. Lay out the pieces in jumbled piles for me, if you have to. I've got time to pick through them."

Joe had said goodnight to Cindy and Doug, and spent a few minutes tidying up, then making sure the Roberts got settled in the guest room. Everything done, he went to his room and found Ashley sitting up in bed, bad leg stretched out in front, the other knee was hugged by her arms against her chest.

"Why can't I think before I open my mouth," she asked as he came in.

Joe smiled wryly. "Well, I know what you want for your birthday this summer. A new filter to go between the two."

"Hmph. That would be awesome, if possible. I'm a nut, aren't I?" She rested her cheek against her kneecap. When Joe didn't answer, she broached another subject. "What was up with Jasmine tonight? Or Sam suddenly taking an interest in attending one of our little parties?"

Joe laughed slightly at this. "Babe, history does unfold even without the benefit of your presence, you know."

Ashley took her shirt off, wadded it and threw it at him playfully. "Don't make fun of me," she pouted. "I'm injured."

"Ho ho!" he replied, easily catching the garment, then draping it over a bed post. "It was such a detriment that you decided the best thing for it would be to dance all week?"

Ashley grumped, "Fine. Back to Jazz and Sam. What don't I know?"

Joe finished undressing and snuggled up to her in his boxers. "You remember the things I did for the girls in high school, right?" Ashley nodded. "Well, Sam was newly hired by our firm, so when Jasmine would get in trouble, he was the one they usually sent to pick her up, at my request. I imagine those drives to her house or mine were not always silent."

That piece brought the puzzle together for Ashley. It made sense that Jasmine and Sam would become friends, especially if Jasmine confided in her driver what her newest nightmare was about. Another thought dawned on her, as well. "Do you think they ever...you know?"

"Sleep together?" Joe finished as he caught the look of disgust on Ashley's face. "He's only five years older than us, Ash. But no, I don't think they did. Jasmine has done a lot of dumb things, and more than a few stupid people, but I don't think her and Sam ever got together like that."

"Good, because I think he could split her in two."

Joe picked Ashley up and moved her to her usual spot in the middle of the bed. "That hasn't been a problem for you and I," he defended.

"Mmm, that's true. I guess you're about as big as he is." Her body softened as she finally allowed herself to relax in Joe's arms. "I love you Joe," she murmured as she drifted off.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 08



Ashley's fears of her dad being disappointed in her were abated when they cruised through breakfast without him mentioning the first thing about her and Jasmine. Instead, he satisfied their curiosities by relating what he could about his brief (at least in glacial government terms) mission. He regaled the lighter moments of his crews' antics, and Ashley learned something new about her father. At home, he was always the strict commander with her. At least, that was how she remembered her childhood until just now. Listening to his stories, she realized that, yes, he wanted the best out of her, just as he did with the crews under him. But also, there were times he played in his own way, understated of course. The video he made was a great example. Ashley wondered why it was much easier to remember bad and tense events than good happy ones.

A couple of hours later found her on the sofa, watching her dad tinker with her favorite toy, the interactive windows. With a heavy sigh, she reached under her and pulled out her phone from the back pocket of her shorts. She was hosting the cast party downstairs in the club she rented for the afternoon, and she wanted to get this conversation out of the way before that all started.

"Remember, Daddy, you gotta say Molly's name before the command," she hinted while the line trilled the ringing of her dialed call. "Hey Reena? It's Ashley," she said into her phone as soon as the ringing stopped.

"Hey yourself, kiddo! How are you?"

Ashley's eyes darkened as the melodic voice and the 'kiddo' bit reminded her that maybe Matt was right after all in pitching Reena and company harder than herself. But the sour taste was all her, and not intended towards Reena. She managed to keep her voice pleasant while picking her way through the small talk. "So, I've got a problem I was hoping you could help me with," she said, getting to the heart of the call.

"Yeah, Julip said something about Kim calling for you. I've been meaning to call you back." Reena's voice hinted that issues were at play.

"Julip?"

Reena snickered. "Yeah, my agent. DON'T get me started."

Ashley couldn't help a single chuckle. "Well, anyway, I have painted myself into a corner, it seems. I agreed to do Catholic's prom before asking my band, and now they've said no. I was hoping y'all could do the gig for me. It didn't pay all that much, but I'll add to their payment."

"No."

"No? Oh wow! I'll pay you triple what they were going to pay. Plus lodging, food, whatever you want. I don't want to disappoint my old school, and y'all are the closest thing to me being there. Please?" Ashley had said this in a single breath, and her dad turned around to see if she was blue yet.

Reena laughed. "Ashley, slow down! I already discussed it with the rest of the band, and we decided not to sub for you."

Ashley was confused. How could such a light and happy voice be giving her a flat refusal. "Oh. Okay. I guess y'all really do have something going on that day then?"

Reena decided to end Ashley's misery. It was cruel to play the girl, but so much fun. "Ashley, sweetie, you don't understand. We decided under no circumstances would we play in your place..."

"You're right, I don't understand," Ashley grumped. "You're voice is dripping of candy, but your words are saying I can't have any."

It took Reena a few seconds to control her giggling. "Sweetie, we won't play FOR you, we want to play WITH you."

"Wait. What?"

"I'm sorry Julip was rude with Kim." Reena's voice seemed to gag around the name. "He's been instructed to only accept big ticket offers."

"He? You told him to get rid of everything but money truckloads?"

"Heh. Like I said, don't get me started. That fairy princess was given to me by Matt to keep us on track, and he answers only to Matt. Look, he let it slip the other day that Kim was calling, and I wanted to call you to see what it was about, but there's always another show or fan day or something. So, I'm sorry I didn't get with you sooner."

Ashley sighed and slumped back into the sofa in relief. "You're fine. I'm just glad you're willing to do this for..."

"With!"

"Fine! WITH me. So I guess I'll send you a check for about ten grand on Monday."

"Why would you do that?"

"Well, I promised you triple, plus travel, hotel, food..."

"Honey, you don't owe us a dime," Reena asserted. "Having fun again for once will be payment enough."

They spent the next few minutes firming up details, and Ashley felt like a plateful of bricks had just disappeared from her lap.

The cast party was much fun, and even though Ashley was freshly impaired by crutches and an ACE bandage, she brushed off the comments about her injury and moved about the cliques with much the same ease she did while on stage. The lighting crew members gave out "Dead Stick" awards to the cast, based on humorous and usually small errors noticed by only the crew. Even Ashley got one of the broken twigs for making Greg tweak his back while dragging her around on the last night. The cast, in turn, handed out "Dead Bulb" awards to the crew for silly mistakes like slow color gel changes, or casting the spot light in the wrong area. Ashley gave one to the entire crew for their parts in hiding her parents from her. A thread of conversation, and string of events later, Ashley found herself on the club stage being handed her guitar. She spent the last hour or so of the party playing for, and singing with, the cast and crew a combination of favorite show tunes and popular current hits.

* * *

The next few weeks helped buoy Ashley's delicate spirits. After the low of what she still felt was a failure of a tour, she knew in her heart that she triumphed with the musical. Now, she was getting recognized by random students who walked past her on campus. Many actually acknowledged her with a "Hey Ashley!" Some called her "Christine." The relief of having a band to play with for her commitment teamed with the recognition to help pull her mood further and further away from the red line of depression. Even though finals were next week, Ashley was comfortable with the material, and that allowed her to look forward to seeing her old bandmates again.

She met them early afternoon in the Officers Club ballroom on the Navy base. Squealing abounded when the two groups of friends approached each other. Introductions were made, mostly for the benefit of Julip, who had tagged along with the Trail Springs band.

"Kim," Ashley addressed sweetly. "Why don't you run Julip up to McDonald's and get us some burgers?"

"Sure thing, Ashley."

"And Kim?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"It'll take a bit to get set up. Maybe y'all could take some time to compare notes," Ashley added with a wink.

"Understood."

Kim led her counterpart agent to her car, and Ashley was surprised Reena breathed a sigh. "How long do I have?" she asked.

Ashley smiled. "Kim got the hint, and she'll make sure they have lunch and trade schedules and such before they even order our stuff."

"You sure?"

Ashley just looked at her.

A look of dismay washed over Reena's face. "Right. You actually trust and like the people you work with."

"Hmph. Not always," Ashley said while thinking of the Pinheads. She checked if Jim, Mike, and Paul were okay with letting her and Reena catch up. They were, and she steered the band leader towards the outside. 

"Hey, Ashley. About what I said on the phone before. I'm sorry if I offended you."

Ashley fretted. "What would have offended me?"

Reena sighed through her nose to gather the nerves for her apology. "What I said about Julip being the fairy princess. It occurred to me after we hung up that wasn't a nice thing to say, especially since you..." Her teeth cut the sentence in half when she realized she was about to make a similar error.

Ashley tried but couldn't come up with the unspoken words. "Especially since I...what?"

"Don't make me say it," Reena whined.

"Say WHAT, exactly?"

"You know. Like how you are with Jasmine and Kim." She caught the cloud of embarrassed anger washing over Ashley's face, and rushed to save her own. "No. No no! I don't think ill of you for any of that! I don't have anything against gay people. It's just with Julip..." She trailed off, having run out of words to express her true thoughts.

Ashley helped her out. "There's gay people, and then there's obnoxious."

Reena's face regained a good deal of light. "EXACTLY! He doesn't tone it down for ANYTHING."

"I'm not gay." Ashley said almost to herself.

Reena stammered, hoping her mouth would somehow come up with an appropriate response. It failed.

"I'm not gay," Ashley restated with a sigh. "I don't even consider myself bi. I don't feel I fit any category except 'Ashley.' Look, I'm not an advocate of that lifestyle. Should same sex partners get tax breaks and benefits if they record their lifetime commitment to each other with the government? Sure! But, should they call it 'marriage?' Absolutely not!"

Reena was a little surprised at Ashley's answer, but amused as well. "So, I take it you don't go to 'their' secret meetings?"

"Don't even have a sticker for my truck," Ashley confirmed. Then she moved toward the intended subject and asked, "What's going on? I thought y'all were the great and wonderful Trail Springs! You know, hottest group to race up the charts their first time out?"

Reena frowned. "Well, it hasn't been all bubblegum and candy corn." She paused. "That's not true, bubblegum songs are definitely there."

Ashley listened while her former employee laid out her troubles, beginning with the flamboyant spy named Julip. Some things echoed thoughts about their label that nagged the broom closet of Ashley's mind. Others startled her, like Trail Springs being dictated EXACTLY what to wear while on stage. The most irksome tidbit was that Reena was hearing rumors that Matt wanted to start replacing her band members for more 'pretty' poster boys.

The conversation turned to Ashley's experiences, and Reena suddenly didn't feel so alone in her qualms. Everything she had heard about the Pinheads tour was positive, so it concerned her that Ashley didn't have the same take.

"The numbers are okay," Ashley had said. "But, I don't know. It's just not..."

"Fun," Reena joined her in finishing the sentence.

They returned to the ballroom and found the principal and several starstruck volunteer students chatting it up with the friends they left inside. The two singers joined for a bit and then decided it was best to start working. The first step was a sound check, and before they could discuss who would adjust the sound board, Jasmine was already there. They ran through two songs, one from each artist, to give Jasmine enough sample to tweak levels to her satisfaction. One of the girls present offered to man the board for the dance, and Jasmine showed her how to turn the mics on and how to switch over to the cd and mp3 players.

Before a playlist was about to be worked out, Kim and Julip returned with the sandwiches, and then Kim told Ashley she was going to leave. Ashley asked why, but Kim just shrugged, saying she wanted to spend some time with "Joe and the girls."

"Besides," she said, "You dumped HIM on me for the afternoon, so now it's your turn to deal with that panty-wearing freak."

"He wears panties?" Ashley asked.

"There's no way I'd get friendly enough to find out - by interrogation or visual confirmation. But I'd bet $100 that he does." Kim lowered her voice. "He's more a rat than he is an agent. I was tapdancing his not-so-veiled information mining the whole time. Reena, I'd watch my back with him. As for the guys in your band, tell them not to drop the soap when he's within a mile."

Reena chuckled slightly. "I have a suspicion they shower with their underwear on when we're on tour. Even if their rooms are deadbolted. Thanks for the time with Ashley, Kim."

Kim nodded. "Y'all needed it, I figured. But, y'all owe me for his annoyance." Her eyes flicked to Ashley. "Both of you."

Kim, Jasmine, Jill, and Joe sat around a table at a shack of a seafood restaurant not too far from the base. It wasn't much to look at, the atmosphere consisting of more plywood than anything else, but the food was delicious.

"So, I've been thinking about Ashley's birthday," Kim announced while gathering a little more of her salad onto her fork.

Jill snorted blatant contempt. "Ashley's birthday? That's not until the second half of summer. Why not Jazz's, or Joe's, or your own?"

Kim shrank back from the unexpected quip, but found she could hold her own. "Or yours?" Jill just frowned at her own salad. Kim continued, "Actually, this could be for all of us, if you'd hear me out."

"Hmph."

Kim shot a look across the table. "WHAT, Jill? What is wrong with you today?"

"Well, we drive from Tally for Ashley today, and we'll have to drive back tomorrow for finals. So, the first thought in that pretty head of yours is 'what can we do for Ashley's birthday?!' Just mind your and Ashley's own damn business."

"Jill!" She jumped at Joe's brash tone, but he continued. "Maybe you want to go outside and have a cigarette."

"Or four," Jasmine snickered. It was cut short by Joe's watch-it look. She sighed. "Kim, what do you want to do for Ashley's birthday?"

"Well, I've been tracking the download sales statistics, and an interesting trend caught my eye. Would you believe that over the last few weeks, Europe is outpacing here in downloading her songs?"

"Europe?" Jill perked up.

"Oh, I don't know if I like where this is going." Joe's voice was low and apprehensive.

"Well." Kim's bubble was deflating. "Anyway, I pitched my idea of Ashley spending a few weeks to hit the major city clubs over there to Matt, and he likes it."

Joe dropped his fork. "I figured. Kim, that would be fun if we wouldn't be dragging around those three 20 somethings posing as 13 year olds."

"Maybe we could get her a new band," Jasmine chuckled. "That would be a bit more realistic."

Kim cleared her throat to get back their attention. "I know there were problems. I was there to see it, remember? Besides, the Pinheads have decided not to tour this summer."

That snapped all the attention to her now. "What?!" Joe almost bellowed, forcing himself to keep quieter than he wanted to be in the crowded and confined space. "It's like they're trying to force Ashley out so they can get her forfeit fee!"

Kim held her hand up. "I'm on that already, Joe. I've been talking to Jon, and he's agreed to have Ashley perform with them on their tour over there."

"And Matt agreed," Joe said incredulously.

"Well, not until I threatened him with claiming breach of contract since Ashley is mandated to either record or perform when not in scheduled classes. I reminded him it was a two-way street, and could not benefit the company on their whim. Not touring would harm her income."

Joe had an admiring grin. "Atta girl!"

"So we're going to Europe?" Jill had turned positively cheerful now.

Jasmine put her brakes on the parade. "So, how do you propose we get her over there? Nail her in a crate with some food and water and tell her we'll see her in a week? Boat's about the only way to get her across the ocean, 'cause she won't fly, remember?"

"I thought we could rent Carter's plane. It has more than enough range to get from New York to London."

"Kim, Ashley's not going to fly. She just won't."

Joe added, "Jasmine's right. She's sworn to me that she wouldn't fly anything. Commercial or private."

"Her dad's working on something." Kim said this as if that was the final answer.

Jasmine started giggling which turned into outright laughter.

"What's so funny?" Kim asked.

"Just a visual floated through my head when you said that," Jasmine said around her giggles. "I pictured Commander wrapping Ash in canvas, sliding her down the barrel of a gun on his ship, then him turning to me and saying, 'I'm still working on it, but I'm pretty sure this'll get her across the pond!'"

They stared at her, mocking her insanity with silence until one by one, starting with Kim, each snorted the held laughter. Every snort resulted in new giggles until the happy infection forced a substantial delay in eating their entrees' arrivals.

"Thanks, Jazz, I really needed that!" Kim dabbed a napkin at the corner of her laughter-filled eye. "Seriously, though, if I can get Ash to fly..." She spiked her eyes at the new snort that erupted next to her. "...on a PLANE, Jazz. If she'll fly, what do y'all think?"

Jill tilted her head in thought. "I'd go. It would be a nice 20th birthday present to ourselves."

The others nodded in agreement.

They returned to the officers club and found Ashley singing, dancing, and generally looking like she was having the time of her life. Joe's heart flipped when he saw the light had returned to her eyes. Jasmine's did, too. Ashley swapped roles once again, grabbing her violin for the final song of the night. Reena took lead and rocked out the hard country song that put her band on the map. Ashley was brilliant in her accompaniment and gained appreciative grins from the rest of the band.

Ashley put her two cases into her truck and turned to lean against the side of her red beast. "Oh God, that was FUN!" she exclaimed to Reena and crew. She leaned her head back until it thudded against the side of her cab. "THAT is what it should feel like."

Reena came up and hugged her sister artist. "I totally agree."

Ashley sighed in her friend's arms. "How come I feel I do my best on events I don't get paid for? Or barely get paid." She shook the thought out of her head. "Sorry for making Julip keep track of the requests." Ashley's grin showed she was insincere. 

Reena laughed. "Thanks for that. It's been the only work he's actually done for me." She stepped back out of Ashley's arms. "Not even that. He did it for you." A thought passed over her face, but she discarded it almost immediately.

Ashley smiled. "Thanks, Reena, for helping me out tonight. I think the kids were still giddy when we finished that a big name like Trail Springs played their prom."

"Ashley, they loved you more."

"I went to school with them." Ashley affected a smug smile. "They're supposed to love me more."

Reena's face turned darker with serious thought. "Ashley, you're good. Actually, you're amazing. If school weren't an issue, you'd be higher than we are. Great things are coming to you, you'll see." Then with more than a hint of sadness, she turned and left. 

* * *

Summer was proving to be boring, even with the state-required summer course Ashley had picked, knowing that there would be no gigs scheduled for her. Matt seeming okay with her band's refusal to work over the summer made her seethe, but when she'd approached Kim about it, the response always was, "I'm on it." She didn't doubt her friend, but it was frustrating. She played weddings on a couple of weekends for small money, but mostly as a favor to her home parish. Joe had left with Jasmine and Jill on an errand shortly after breakfast, and Ashley passed the time by going on a run. The others had not returned even after she finished her shower. Cindy and Doug had some sort of event to go to on the base, so with just her and Kim in the house, Ashley curled up on the sofa to kill time through a book. Just as she got into the story, and the pages were replaced with scenes from her imagination, Kim plopped down next to her, shattering her trance.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

"Where?" Ashley tried to sound pleasant, but being yanked from her fantasy showed in her voice.

"Surprise. Come on, what are you going to do? Sit on your ass all day?"

Ashley raised an eyebrow. "I had planned on having my ass on a stage all summer."

Kim ducked as if the jab were a physical one. "Easy, tiger. I'm working on that. In fact, this is part of it."




An Angel's Fix Pt. 09



* * *

The trip overseas failed to progress beyond talk and dreams. The drummer for Tales of The Blind developed bronchitis, causing the cancellation of the summer tour. Other conflicts nixed taking the trip as a vacation. Joe was called away to Denver to help button up Carter's encryption technology, and Ashley went with him. She still insisted she wouldn't fly in anything with a propeller, as those aircraft tended to be cramped and reacted more harshly to turbulence. She hated 'puddle jumpers' to begin with, and memories of her bad experience only reinforced her refusal to board one ever again. Carter sent the corporate jet for Joe, and Ashley didn't give accepting the flight a second thought.

The rest of their summer now open, Jill and Jasmine decided to knock out a couple more courses. The law required them to take a certain number during summers before they graduate, anyway. Taking a full summer load this year, they could coast the next two years with only 2 more summer courses remaining.

Kim had been talking to Jon from time to time throughout the year, and had been looking forward to spending a little time with him in person. Of everyone in the house, she was disappointed the most when the tour was canceled. Jasmine and Jill found it odd that Kim was grinning when they saw Joe and Ashley off. They were befuddled when Kim said bye to them after the corporate jet took to the air.

"Where are you going?" Jasmine asked when Kim grabbed a bag she stowed in the back of Jill's SUV.

"Tennessee to see Jon," Kim said with a grin. She turned to hike across the landscaped medians that separated general aviation from the main terminal.

Jill stopped her by grasping her arm. "Does Ashley know?"

"Why should she? I'm just her agent, and we're on vacation, now." Her eyes fell. "Apparently we have been since spring," she added in a mutter.

Jasmine stepped around to block Kim's path. "You know you're more to her than just her employee! What's going on that you feel like it has to be secret?"

Kim read the concern in Jasmine's eyes and felt bad. It was the precise reason she didn't tell Ashley about this little venture. If Jasmine and Jill were concerned, Ashley would have been forbidding, at least until her personal reasons were forced into the public. "It's embarrassing," she said simply.

Jasmine wasn't one to let things be, nor did she have the best leash to control her mouth. "What did you do? Fart while screwing someone? That's no reason to leave the area unannounced! It's happened to me, and you just giggle with him or her and keep on going!"

Jill crinkled her eyebrows, looking at Jasmine like she was insane.

Kim had an identical expression. "What?! No! No, I haven't had sex in months."

It dawned on Jill what this was about. "I get it now. Have fun, Kim."

"Get what?"

"Jazz, if you felt there might be a chance you could get it on with a hot rock star, wouldn't you go?"

"Jill, I'm not like that anymore!" Jasmine saw Jill's eyes flick toward Kim. "Oh." Then she gasped when it hit her, too. "Ohh! You think you have a shot to tangle in Jon's sheets, and telling us or Ashley might jinx it!"

Kim crossed her arms, frowning at them. "Very good Jasmine. Thank you for telling me that I'm horny. As if I didn't already know!" She pulled out her phone and glanced at the screen. "I gotta check in. See y'all in a week. Love yas!"

Ashley sensed a change the moment she returned after the trip with Joe. "What's been going on?" She eyed Kim's more upright posture and sparkle in her eyes with suspicion.

"Kim snuck out and had week-long sex with Jon in Nashville," Jasmine piped up, grinning with satisfaction of spilling gossip.

They were wheeling the luggage from the plane to Jill's SUV, and Ashley considered the consequences of the blunt statement. Kim cringed from the expected backlash while shooting fireballs with her eyes at Jasmine.

"Oh. You could have told me you were going to see him, Kim. But, good for you. Jazz, you shouldn't tattle on your friends."

Joe had the benefit of spending the last two weeks with the new, calm Ashley. The girls did not and their mouths hung open at her unexpectedly sane response.

They shared with each other the events of the past two weeks over dinner. The only one not to have spoken was Kim, and she fidgeted when expectant eyes turned to her.

"So how was Jon?" Jasmine tone teased Kim, but she really was curious, as Kim was tight-lipped since they picked her up from the airport a few days ago.

"Jasmine!" Ashley barked. "Be nice to her. What's got into you?"

Kim replied before Jasmine could. "She's jealous."

The statement touched a nerve, and Jasmine's eyes watered before she jumped out of her seat and dashed upstairs.

Ashley sighed and looked at Kim. "Okay, what's really going on?"

Kim took a deep breath and released it in a long sigh towards the table. "I didn't go to Nashville to see Jon." Looks of serious doubt shot her way from everyone, including Cindy. "Okay, I did go to see him, but it wasn't all just one long string of orgasms like you think. I've been talking to him for a while now, and I mentioned that I thought it was weird that Matt seemed to be shutting us out. Jon had said that the grapevine was buzzing about something happening there at Fell Off the Truck. When you played with Trail Springs that time, their whole band seemed down, except for when they saw you again."

Ashley looked torn, as this conversation seemed doomed to longevity and deserved her attention, but she also wanted to make sure Jasmine was okay. Joe caught it and got up, putting his arms around her chest from behind. "I'll see what's up with her," he said with a kiss to the top of her head.

"Thanks, babe!" she smiled after him. Then she looked at Kim. "So things seem weird, you were saying?"

Kim nodded. "Right. Things aren't adding up. Matt hasn't put down any plans for you in the near future, your assigned band won't call you back, and no one seems happy."

"Well, probably because Matt watched me shove Slick-back."

"I thought that too, but it doesn't explain him assigning that creep to keep Trail Springs on a tight leash. Jon said nothing that's happening is normal. That's why he invited you to tour with them."

Jill spoke up. "I don't understand. Wouldn't playing with someone at a different label be a conflict of interest? Contractually, speaking."

"Yeah." Kim's voice was very small.

Ashley's eyes narrowed. "What did you do?"

"I didn't like this whole arrangement," Kim said while shrinking in her seat. "It felt all wrong. That album, while it's good...I just know you weren't happy with it."

"I wasn't." Ashley glared at Kim, but her voice was calm. "What did you do?"

"I sort of convinced Jon to buy out your contract."

Cindy joined Ashley in disbelief. "What?!"

"Ashley, this is the right move, trust me. Please?"

Ashley took a deep breath and blew it out. "So, you left in secret to work out the details so that I wouldn't try to stop you."

"Yeah, something like that."

Cindy stood in a rage. "So, you...you...SLEPT with him to seal the deal?! Wait, no, that's not what I'm mad about. UGH! KIM! You can't just sell out your boss because you have a bad feeling!"

Kim's shoulders slumped. "I know that's what it looks like. That I slept with him in some kind of deal. But it's not. I care for him, and I wanted him for him. The sex was not part of the deal."

Cindy glared at her. "That's besides the point! If you think your boss's well-being is in trouble, you have to talk to her! Don't just change her livelihood on your own accord!"

Ashley held up her hand. "Kim, I hired you to look out for me and keep me on track. I trust your instincts. But, yeah, let me have some input the next time you make such a big deal."

Cindy and Doug were shocked that Ashley seemed so submissive, and expressed as much.

But, Ashley was inwardly relieved this had happened. "Cindy," she said calmly. "Banks buy and sell mortgages all the time and without permission needed of the homeowner. Yes, Kim went a little crazy, but she's right. I was unhappy there, and I did want to leave." She paused a moment to consider things. "So what now? Do I have to give up school to sing for or with him?"

Kim shook her head. "He likes you, and he knows your talent. You are now an independent contractor working for him. Er, at least you will be when you sign the papers he's sending over in the morning. The arrangement is that all your work for the period of your original contract belongs to him. He will pay you generous percentages, and there is no minimum for you to do. In fact, you could do nothing during that time and there'd be no penalty. Of course, that would also mean no pay. He wants you to have the freedom to get your degree without stressing you out. He wants you to choose your own band, to have your own choice of music that you perform. In fact, in buying out your contract, all the stuff you've done so far is his, so you'll still get your royalty checks. They'll just be from his account."

Joe stepped into the bedroom and found Jasmine curled up in a ball. He sat at her feet. "Did I fly through a portal into another dimension or something? What is going on? Why are you picking fights with Kim again?"

"I'm frustrated, Joe!" Her voice was muffled against her arm. "We've been trying this thing for months, and it's not working!"

He stroked her calf. He and Jasmine shared many secrets through the years, some still current, and they had become even closer since Ashley still allowed and even encouraged their periodic date nights. Flirting with her was fun, and they occasionally let it evolve to some pretty heavy petting. They always stopped themselves short of making love, but some sessions resulted in climaxes, a few of which Ashley enjoyed watching. It was a deep, deep friendship, and Joe was disheartened to see Jasmine this upset. More than that, she seemed to be in pain.

"Jazz, dear, we knew going in that this would be a long-shot. There's a long way to go before we've reached the last of possibilities."

"I know that!" she shot back. Jasmine regretted being that harsh, but she couldn't help it. "But, I... part of me hoped that I could go in, get it on the first or second attempt, and be the hero. It's just not happening, Joe. I'm failing and I hate that."

"You're not failing. For all we know, I might be the one lousing this up. But why are you mad at Kim? Were you hoping to snag Jon yourself?"

Jasmine sat up, her pretty face wet with tears. She wiped her cheeks against her arms and rested a glare at Joe. "Jealous, humph. I'm not jealous of Kim or for Jon. It's just that everyone has a boyfriend or husband, and I ...can't."

The statement rang home to Joe. She said 'can't'. It was clear she didn't mean 'can't find a guy' or 'can't find the time.' It was an assertion that she had forbidden herself from getting attached to someone. "Please don't feel like that. You can..." He wasn't sure how to finish that statement.

"No, Joe! You'd have to pry me from you and Ashley with a crowbar. I love you guys too much." Her eyes fell. "But, I also miss being able to have someone to myself. I'm over playing around with bad boys. You and Ash broke me of that, and now I love messing around with either or both of you. There's just something to be said about the thrill of getting to know someone and have it work out so that they become yours. I know I'm not making sense. I'll figure it out, but I just need everyone to be patient with me."

"Did you want to stop?"

She knew what he meant, and sighed. "What? And rid Ashley of a chance? No way. I'll keep trying with you."

* * *

Things settled out for them after a while. They went back to school. In addition, Ashley resumed her informal playing in the rundown amphitheater, Jasmine gained proficiency in her video hobby while continuing her work as album designer, Jill picked up an internship at the state capital complex on top of cheering, and Kim took a more proactive role with the teens Cindy assisted. Joe played football. He didn't start for the team, but being a third-string quarterback had it's perks, at least in his eyes. He got to play -- a LOT -- for the scout team. His main task, and one he did exceptionally well, was to watch footage of upcoming opponents and mimic the quarterback's style of play. His aptitude was great enough that the coach often credited the defense's successes to the scout team, and even mentioned Joe by name once. Joe had the gameday duty of holding up a towel to block views of coach hand signals from TV cameras, and perform a field head count on every play.

He was impressed that Ashley flew to see his away games, usually with Jasmine, but sometimes on her own. She didn't mind flying anymore, but ensured it was always jet service. Perceived threats to her family had quieted down, and Sam was now the only security member assigned to them full-time. He always booked a seat a couple of rows back from them. She'd catch Jasmine glancing his way on the flights, and volunteered to swap with him for at least part of the trip so the two could catch up with each other personally.

Then it happened, the game that put Joe's name on the lips of many sports analysts and therefore the map of college football. They were away at Clemson in a vital match-up near the end of the season. Both being in the same division, having just one loss in conference play, the winner would play in the conference title game two weeks away. The contest was hotly debated with almost no scoring. The Tigers made a last push, getting close enough for their kicker to bounce an improbably long try over the crossbar. It left only seconds on the clock.

The last few games had taken a toll on the usually deep corps of FSU receivers. Three were already on injured reserve before the game, another went out with a concussion early in this half, and one more was lost to a twisted knee on the previous series. The thin hope of running back the kickoff for a touchdown evaporated as the ball sailed over the back of the endzone. During the TV time-out, the coach huddled the team to run down the prayer of a play. An assistant coach called Joe's name and nodded toward the huddle. Joe grabbed his helmet from the bench and glanced at the scoreboard on his way to the huddle. 3 -- 0, and only 5 ticks remaining.

The huddles broke and the home crowd came to life one more time, putting teeth into the stadium nicknamed "Death Valley" for the frightening loud atmosphere. Ashley and Jasmine stood quiet in the middle of the friendly visitors section. Their disappointment and almost dread of an early season end contrasted against the electric home cheers that were willing their team to hold one more time. Jasmine nudged Ashley.

"Hey, doesn't Joe wear number 6?" She had to cup her hands around Ashley's ear to be heard. Then she pointed at the field.

Ashley looked and was surprised that his jersey was indeed one of the players lining up. "But what is he doing in the slot?"

Jasmine shrugged. "He does have good hands." The two would normally snicker and squirm at the unintended double meaning, but not tonight.

Joe stepped up to the 25 yard line and checked in as a receiver with a point to the referee. He set himself and turned to face the ball on the scrimmage line. The ball snapped, and the play was a disaster before it even began. The crowd roared as the ball went sailing over his quarterback's head. Joe sprinted back to recover the ball. He was the first player to reach the ball, but didn't catch up with it until near his own goal line. Defensive linemen were on his heels, so he allowed his momentum to carry him into the endzone before he circled back in the right direction. He waved down field, trying to get the other two receivers and tight end moving. He pulled up at his 22 and ducked, feeling the pressure from behind him. A linebacker went sailing over him. The receivers were covered, and he scrambled, trying to keep from getting tackled. Joe somehow stepped out of a sure leg tackle, thinking about running it himself. The landscape before him wasn't favorable, as the safety and cornerbacks had recovered from the initial confusion. He caught the eye of the teammate that had lined up next to him and pointed towards the far corner of the field. Joe had to backtrack to keep from getting hit, then spun out of another near-tackle, set his feet and launched the ball.

Ashley and Jasmine were holding onto each other by now, frazzled by the stress of seeing Joe under so much duress. It seemed that the ball was hefted in desperation, it's velocity and altitude making it unlikely someone would be around to catch it. But unlike Jasmine and most of the crowd, who stared at the tight spiral streaking across the sky, Ashley had kept track of what was happening on the field. She clutched at Jasmine.

"OhmyGod, ohmygod, ohmygod," she fired off rapidly, watching the player in white and gold sprint for all he was worth two strides ahead of the one clad in all orange. "Oh my God!" she yelled when the receiver held out his hands. "Don't drop it!"

Screams of despair shrieked from around the stadium while Ashley and Jasmine joined their neighbors in a mighty cheer when the ball settled neatly into the receiver's arms deep in the endzone. Joe glanced around at the field and, unbelievably in all the confusion and desperation of the busted play, there were no penalty flags. His team stormed in from the sideline and soon he was buried under a mountain of happy bodies.

They stayed in Tallahassee for Thanksgiving, as the Noles were playing their rival game at home against Florida that Saturday. Ashley texted the team an invitation to have dinner with them. Kim had done a good deal of research and loaded the numbers into Ashley's phone, even the coaches. The broadcast message stated that while everyone was welcome, only the first 20 through the door would receive plates. They had a double oven, so two turkeys could be prepared, but making enough sides, salads, and dessert for 20 was about the limit of their abilities and counter space. 14 players showed, three of them brought their girlfriends, and one brought his wife. Ashley and Joe were almost relieved to meet another married couple as young as themselves. It was a happy gathering and the players agreed with each other that if Joe had a restaurant, he could make a killing. Not that he needed to, as demonstrated by the amazing penthouse.

Joe started in the slot receiver position for the remainder of the games. The coach needed someone to step up and fill in the injury-riddled spot. He and the receivers' coach watched Joe work through drills during the week, and found him to be a more than capable possession receiver. Joe just didn't drop balls. The decision was a good one, as Joe averaged 130 yards a game, and was key during big third-down plays. Doing whatever he was asked to help wherever he was needed, he became known as "Workin' Joe" to the team, and after winning their bowl game, an assistant coach even presented him a power company hard hat. He said with a wink that Joe was the best UTILITY player he's worked with. The team groaned in good nature at the pun.

Their quarterback announced he would leave for the draft that spring, and fierce competition for the vacated starting spot began during the spring drills. Joe put his hat into the ring, unable to shake his natural gravitation toward leadership. Scouting reporters had already put him as the favorite to take the helm. They based their prediction on his high school record, along with the brilliant scramble and 80 yard strike he threw in his first game, despite the broken play that was supposed to be a Hail Mary pass, with Joe running a decoy route. But in the world of young elite athletes, nothing was a given.




An Angel's Fix Pt. 09



Ashley took advantage of the pressure relief Jon provided to her. He had come down to see Kim, and to welcome Ashley personally to his endeavor. Aside from occasional chats to see how she was doing in school, or productions she was invited to join, he was refreshingly hands-off with her. She concentrated on school, learning all she could about her craft. When Jon asked if she wanted to sing with them during spring break, she readily agreed before he could give her details. Ashley was eager to assert her willingness because he asked, and not ordered as Matt had last year. Giddy that she had a job she actually wanted to play, Ashley gave her thanks, said a goodbye, and hung up before Jon said anything more. Her phone rang again a few moments later.

"Ashley, what are you doing?" Kim asked when Ashley answered.

"Hey Kim! I just said yes to singing with Tales of the Blind!" Ashley exclaimed while doing excited hops. "But I think you knew that."

Kim shook her head. "I do. But what's important is what do you know about your gig?"

"I'm playing with a hot band and it's this spring break." She sat on the couch and fretted, not able to figure out the life lesson Kim was obviously trying to teach from the other end of the line. "What else do I need?"

"For one, you need to not hang up on the guy who's giving you the information," Kim said pointedly.

"Sorry, I was excited!"

"I know, and Jon said he'd rather be cut off in happiness than anger. Anyway, they're doing a tour to make up for last summer."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Uh huh. I pretty much figured that out."

"Oh, so you do know it's in Europe."

"Europe?!"

Jill and Jasmine were snacking in the kitchen and looked like two dogs who suddenly heard a bell in the next room. If they were wearing tags, Ashley would've heard them jingle as their heads snapped toward her in attention when she repeated the destination. "Europe?" Jill murmured as a smile expanded from her lips.

"Yeah," Kim affirmed. "They're blitzing through half of what they planned before Larry got sick. Five nights, five shows, five cities. Can you handle that?"

"You bet!" Ashley affirmed.

The Tales chartered a jet for the trip, taking themselves and loved ones on the plane. The roadies, stage, lighting, and sound crews flew commercial. Ashley was encouraged to bring whom she wanted, so her parents, Joe, Jasmine, Jill, Kim, Cindy, and Doug were all able to come. Ken did not have a passport, and did not show desire to come anyway, which seemed odd to Ashley. 

The first stop was London and it was readily apparent how grueling the trip would be. There was time for a late lunch, but immediately after was sound check, then the retreat into dressing rooms to get ready for the concert. Ashley appeared in the hallway just before showtime and was surprised when Jon gathered the band around for a ritual of meditation they used to sharpen their focus. They took their places on stage without her amid shrill screams and whistles that merged to a unified yell as the first chords were struck. The band performed a couple of songs before pausing so Jon could thank their host country and apologize for the cancellation before. Then he introduced Ashley as a protege he was taking under his wing.

She took the stage as the band played the intro to "Ashley's Song," smiling at the polite applause. She followed Jon's advice and let herself sing and dance without thinking about what to do. The song's conclusion was met with warm cheers, and the band continued into "Windowless Pains," the hard-hitting piece with an alternative rock edge from her album last year. A few in the crowd recognized the song and whistled appreciatively during the introduction. The band stayed "home" and Ashley found it easier to get into the song without the worries of crashing into one of them on the fore-stage. In a finale, she fell to her knees and flopped her head forward on the last note, allowing her red mane to hide her face from the crowd. There was a breath of time that she worried about getting a non-response from the crowd. Then, Ashley's heart did a flip when the crowd's appreciation neared what they had been giving the Tales' first two songs.

The show continued with her on stage, sometimes giving acoustical guitar backup, others singing with Jon in duets. The band exited to rowdy cheers and Ashley beamed at the praises of "killing it."

"One thing, though," Jon said while hugging her from the side. He looked down past her white silk blouse and designer jeans that her parents bought for her costume. "Where are your shoes?!"

Ashley glanced down at her bare feet. "Oh," she giggled. "I tripped and hurt my ankle the last time I did a concert. I'll never do that again."

He shook his head. "Whatever floats it, I guess. Just know that the stage is clean, but I can't say the same about the floor or halls backstage."

She shrugged out of the hug and went to the stage steps, stepping into some flats she had tucked under there. "Got it covered, Jon."

His assistant came over and gave a quick "good job" to the band and to Ashley. Then he urged them to hurry so they could make it to Berlin before reaching too far into the morning. Ashley was tired and slept against Joe's shoulder on the plane. Jon was keyed up from performing, so Kim kept him company. She wondered how their stage could possibly be ready in Germany by tonight. Jon explained that the tour was taxing on the performers, but the crews behind the scenes had far more work. They realized it would be impossible to set, breakdown, move and set a whole stage in under 24 hours. So the crew divided in half, and a second stage and the lighting and sound equipment for the tour were rented. While the first performance took place, the second crew was setting up the other stage. In this manner, the crew would leapfrog each other to the finish. The main expense in doing things this way was leasing the two 'lorries', or semi-trucks to haul the equipment. Kim asked if it would be more efficient to just rent the equipment from each host site. The answer was yes, but they would have no idea of the equipment condition until they reached each one. 

"We wouldn't want your pretty boss to fall through the floor, would we?" he asked to make his point.

"Hmph, is that why you're having us along? So you can stare at Ashley?"

He smiled at her. "No, she's the perfect addition. High energy, a heart for entertaining, and a voice that locks everyone's attention. As for looking...unless they're blind, who wouldn't look at her? Red hair, white top, blue jeans. She's the personification of the American flag! Of course people are going to look." Jon could tell that Kim understood, but was waiting for him to grab her bait. "But, I did bring you so I could stare into those beautiful eyes whenever I'm not on stage."

Kim's body relaxed and her eyes softened in contentment. "Good," she said with a smile, happy with Jon's flattery. She hooked her arm around his and leaned her head against his shoulder. Their relationship status was still new, and Kim figured an icon like Jon was practiced at making girls feel special. The comment seemed sincere, and regardless, Kim thought, I'm sitting here now, not some ditzy tramp. That had to account for something.

Two hired vans were waiting for them upon landing, and once all the luggage and instruments were loaded, the driver of Ashley's van said in his thick accent, "Good morning! Welcome to Germany.".

"Guten Morgen," Ashley replied without thinking. "Wie geht es Ihnen?"

The driver looked pleasantly surprised. "Very well, thank you," he replied in his native language.

The two conversed on the way to the hotel, none of which the rest in the van understood. She was questioned by her dad at the hotel about how she could speak another language so well. Ashley shrugged and said that she took introductory courses required for her voice classes this year. Jill chimed in that she had figured that Ashley picked up common phrases, but didn't realize she was fluent. Ashley's only theory was that the sorority's help with software and tutors must have helped. Joe, himself surprised at her proficiency, kept quiet about the theory a doctor had related to him about her sudden aptitude after the plane crash. The group headed to their rooms to sleep, and alarm clocks set to get ready sounded all too soon.

That night's concert was performed in much the same way as the previous night, with the exception of one detail. Jon learned through Kim of Ashley's ability, and he asked if she could translate for the crowd. She agreed, and while it wasn't necessary as much of the crowd spoke English, the gesture was a big hit.

There was another mad dash to get to Spain, and directly after the show, they raced to Paris. They had finally caught up to the ribbon of time, and were afforded a few hours to see something of the city. Ashley decided on the most obvious attraction, the one that is embroidered, stamped, painted, or photographed on nearly every piece of tourist trinket related to Paris, France. The Eiffel Tower. Jasmine, majoring in architecture, had another idea and whined in asking Ashley why the cliché tourist spot. Ashley's response was they could fill the time in one spot without rushing around, as well as be able to see all of the Paris attractions, technically. Jasmine was clearly disappointed, so Sam offered to take her where she really wanted to go, the Notre Dame cathedral. Jill opted to go with Jasmine, winking as she used the ruse of playing "chaperone."

Most of the band members were still sleeping after a late night of drinking, so Ashley, Joe, her parents, Cindy, Doug, Kim, and Jon joined the line already forming for tickets to the top. The view at the first level was already spectacular, as at 121 feet, it was the maximum level allowed for most buildings in Paris. When they reached the top, it was breathtaking. Ashley took a lap around the observation deck, her arm hooked into Joe's, then stopped at a point that was her favorite view. She detached herself from Joe and peered at the river that led toward the cathedral. The spring air was rather chilled at this height, and a breeze played with her hair. Ashley was happy she wore an oversized light sweater this morning, and pulled the edge of her sleeves halfway down her hands before crossing her arms on top of the rail.

"So, what do you think?" Joe asked as he propped his elbows next to her.

Ashley swiped a misbehaving strand from her face, moving it so that it would trail slightly behind and to the right of her, next to the rest. "It's peaceful," she said in a sigh that surprised even her.

He looked at her. "You seem disappointed. Paris isn't what you thought?" A hand drifted of its own accord to stroke her cheek. The colors of her hair, face, and black sweater contrasted against the homogeneous gray backdrop of the city below them. A thrill struck through his heart that had been dulled by hard work and everyday routines. She is so beautiful, he thought.

Her head tilted into the breeze against his fingers, and she closed her eyes, relishing the contact. "I don't know," she murmured. "I mean, this is Paris! City of lovers, the most romantic place on Earth! Supposedly."

Joe took her hands from the railing, warming them in his, and at the same time, encouraging her to face him. When she looked to his face, he asked rhetorically, "So then why are you so disappointed?"

Ashley sighed and gave a sad and confused smile. "Exactly. I've dreamt of coming here with you on our honeymoon...don't give me that look. Yeah, we had a vacation in Hawaii. I wanted a honeymoon. Just you, me, and nothing to do but have fun. Either in a hotel, or out and about seeing the sights; it wouldn't matter what we did, as long as it was what we'd feel like at the time." She slipped her hands from his to move them around his waist. Touching her forehead to his chest, she said, "I guess in my imagination, we'd come here on my own credit."

"But this is your own credit. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for you..."

She cut him off by holding him tighter so she could absorb the view with her cheek resting comfortably against the firm padding of his chest. "...No, I mean my own band, my own money, everything. I don't want to debate this. I'm just saying why I think I'm disappointed when I shouldn't be."

Ashley tilted her head up and they kissed, just as the other three couples did. It seemed like it would have been a sin to leave the top of the tower without one.

Jasmine toured the cathedral through the viewfinder of her video camera, while Jill followed her directions to nearly fill the memory card of the pro still camera Jasmine handed her. Both marveled at the intricate sculptures that seemed to cover every inch of stone and the wondrous stained windows that provided an almost spiritual light to the interior. A couple of hours passed before Sam approached them to recommend heading to the underground transit that would carry them back to the group.

"So..." Jasmine started to wonder aloud once they were sitting in the subterrarian train.

"Sew, a needle pulling thread," Jill quipped with a grin.

"Har har," Jasmine flatpanned. "So...What's going on with you, Jill? You seemed far too...happy to go on this trip without Ken."

Jill shrugged. "I had a passport, and he didn't. It's as simple as that."

Jasmine glared at her. "I don't think so. He had a chance, and he dragged his feet until it was too late."

"Don't pry, Jazz. Not everything is always purple ponies and cotton candy."

"What do you mean by that? Are y'all splitting up?"

"I don't know." Jill blew out an aggravated breath. "There's nothing to say anything is wrong. But, I just have a feeling. I've been busy, he's been distant, sort of." She shrugged. "I just felt I needed some space. That we needed some space."

Jasmine shook her head slightly. "Heh. Well, the Atlantic Ocean should be enough."

"Yeah," Jill answered softly. "You'd think."

The Paris concert unfolded in the same manner as the previous two, with the crowd cheering especially strong when they heard Ashley speaking in their native tongue. It was a wild success, and like before, they rushed to the airport to make for Rome. If Ashley knew the other romance languages well, she excelled at Italian. Many of her previous voice lessons featured Italian songs, so Joe figured that language would be especially natural for her. She chatted the driver up on the way to breakfast, commenting on the particularly aggressive nature of Roman motorists. Her dad asked in surprise exactly how many languages she knew, which she answered honestly that he now heard them all. Then he commented that she could make a great linguist for some government agency, or corporate powerhouse. Ashley knew he was just making harmless conversation, but she wondered if he still didn't wish a different career for her.

It was so odd, waking to eat a late lunch, working on getting ready with only munching snacks for dinner, performing late into the night, hopping on a plane, then in a hired car to the hotel, and eating breakfast before heading to bed. Today, they'd only seen the sliver of Rome that was between the airport and the hotel, and it was in early dawn. However, after Ashley stepped into the room from breakfast, Joe kicked the door shut and caught her up from behind, planting wicked kisses down the side of her neck. She willingly stopped mid-stride and allowed his affections.

"Hmm...something has you in a mood," she purred as she tilted her head to make her neck even more vulnerable.

"We saw the world's most romantic city, and you were so beautiful on that observation deck, hair all unruly and shit."

There was a lick along her artery and she gasped. "Romance gets the big, bad football player horny?"

"Well, you do. Why do you say 'horny?' Why not 'amorous'?"

Ashley gave a giggle. "What's pressing against my hiney is not what I'd call amorous. I'm not mad... I just know by the way you talk crass... 'and shit'... that you've gone yards beyond just affectionate." She brought a hand up to play with his hair while his mouth continued to play with her neck and collar. "Besides, I think that Rome is the most romantic," she said with a smirk.

Rome brought out the best of Ashley, as her laughter, energy, and overall bounce kicked up a few notches. Maybe it was because she had been able to talk to Joe alone the day before, the little romp just before bed, or maybe just because this city had more variety in colors and buildings than France did. Whatever the reason, her fuel tank seemed to have freshened up, and she ran with it. They had a few spare hours in the afternoon again, and since it was not enough to see a single ruin or attraction, they all split up to peruse the shops local to their hotel.

The crowds of all the concert nights brought energy, but this last one had a stronger heartbeat. The sequence was the same as the others, with Ashley providing translation from off-stage until Jon brought her on two songs in. Filled with confidence, she surprised the band by stepping forward out of turn near the end. Speaking for a few minutes in her fluent Italian, she thanked Tales of The Blind for allowing her to "tag along," as well as sharing a few humorous tales from earlier in the tour. Then she thanked the crowd for the band, sincerely expressing appreciation for their support, not only for buying tickets, but for the robust cheering throughout the concert. Then asking for their patience, she let them know she would repeat everything for the benefit of the band and their friends. She inhaled a long breath for show, turned to the band and said, "I told them and you, 'THANK YOU!'" Ashley turned back to the crowd with a mischievous grin that said she was finished. The arena erupted with laughs followed by whistles and cheers that rewarded her humor. The concert ended with her performing a backflip timed to the final chord and drum beats, the band bowed to the screaming and they exited the stage amid a deafening ovation.

Ashley had just pulled on her street jeans and was reaching for her shoes when there was a knock on her dressing room door. "Come in!" she called.

The whole band plus her usual crew came through the door. "Ashley SMITH!" Jon bellowed, making her jump. "What the HELL do you think you were doing?!"

Her smile evaporated. "I...I was just playing with the crowd." Then in a small voice, "It felt right at the time." She was bewildered, his voice was sharp, but no one moved to defend her. And, there didn't seem to be any frowns.

Jon shook his head and broke into a wide smile. "I'm not talking about tonight, or even this whole week. YOU were amazing!"

"Um, thank you?" She was still trying to piece the puzzle together.

He continued, "Which brings me to my question. What were you thinking, joining that confused ramble called Fell Off The Truck?"

"I don't...They offered me a contract?" She hesitated between words, unsure of what the right answer could be. She finished tying her shoes and stood to meet this challenge.

"Well," Jon began while stepping to her and wrapping her in an enthusiastic hug. "I'm glad Kim stayed in touch with me and got me to invest in you. You are so much better and deserve to be treated way better than they could have."

"Thanks," she said while releasing him.

* * *

"What an amazing trip!" Jasmine enthused in the elevator to the penthouse.

"Yeah, thanks so much for taking us," Jill added.

"Well, thanks for coming along," Ashley answered. "I still can't believe Cindy's pregnant! I'm so excited for her!"

Joe nodded. "I just can't believe she waited to tell us until the flight back."

Jasmine picked up her bag as they approached their floor. "I'm sure she didn't want anyone fussing over her during the trip."




An Angel's Fix Pt. 09



The doors opened and they filed out. The home had certain lights on low, and Ashley recognized her own house lighting program of 'romantic setting.' Dishes with the remnants of a meal were on the dining table, and an empty bottle of wine along with two glasses were resting on the glass coffee table.

Confused, Jasmine started to issue a command, "Molly, lights --"

Jill slapped a hand over her friend's mouth, cutting her off. Jasmine followed Jill's stare to her bedroom door. A soft glow peeked out from around the edges. "I don't close my door when I'm not in there," Jill reminded them. She set her duffel on the floor and made her way up the stairs to open her door. Jill crossed her arms over her chest once she opened the door and leaned against the frame. "Fuckin' figures," she said under her breath.

Jasmine was a step behind and her mouth fell open for a second at what she saw. Ashley guessed what happened and stepped to the side, giving an open path to the elevator. Joe twitched forward to run up and see what was going on, but Ashley stopped him with a touch on his arm. "This is Jill's fight," she said simply.

"GET OUT!" Jasmine screamed at the top of her voice. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Jazz, just let them go," Jill said with emotional fatigue, still not moving from the door frame. She wanted to make the exit as difficult as possible, and intended to make them brush by her as they departed.

Jasmine ignored her. "You DO NOT come into our house to FUCK behind your girlfriend's back!! Get your shit and GO!" There was a slight pause. "I don't want to hear it! GO NOW! You can get dressed in the elevator!"

Sam had arrived with the rest of the luggage, and upon hearing Jasmine's growling screams, drew his weapon and lurched for the stairs. Ashley stopped him by putting her arm out. Naked, Ken and a brunette Barbie stumbled past Jill and wobbled down the stairs. His dick still glistened from the girl's lubrication.

"Sam, would you drive them home?" Ashley asked. "I wouldn't mind if they hurt themselves driving drunk, but I want to keep everyone else out of harm's way."

"Sure thing, Miss Smith," he answered while hitting the elevator button.

The disgraced pair stopped in front of Ashley. "I'm sorry," Ken slurred.

Ashley shook her head. "I'm not the one you should be saying that to." Her eyes glared into his and she held out her hand. "Key," she demanded evenly.

It didn't matter whether he gave it to her or not; her very next step would have been to delete his RFID tag from the authorization list, anyway. Ashley wanted his embarrassment to sink in, as he had to dig through the jumble of clothes in his arms to find the fob they had given him last year. He finally produced it and laid it in her hand, then entered the elevator with his fling. Sam tapped the garage button, but Ashley darted her arm in, swiping down the columns of buttons, lighting up every floor.

Raising an eyebrow, she said, "Better get dressed quick. Chances are someone will see you every time the doors open."

They were already scrambling with their piles when the doors closed and took them away.

Jill rubbed a hand over her face and motioned Jasmine out of her room. She closed the door and said, "I'm gonna have to buy a new mattress, now." With that, she walked around the corner of the rail and into the guest room, closing the door softly behind her.

She used the guest room every night until her new bed arrived the next week. The night before the bed swap, she did send off her old one by indulging in a favorite solo fetish. Ashley had caught her by coming home early, but surprised Jill by joining in her usually embarrassing vice.

* * *

The spring game was a couple of weekends later, a scrimmage between offense and defense that was a chance for veteran and new players alike to show their merit to the coaches. Free for students to watch and a small fee for others, it was an opportunity to quench those who were football-starved. With three guys vying for the top quarterback spot, the green "no-touch" jerseys were off, contributing to the game-like atmosphere. The girls arrived early, sighing with desire as they watched the muscles ripple during warm-ups.

Ashley smiled with pride when Joe appeared in the first quarter, but held a little disappointment when he lined up in the slot. He had told her he was still practicing that position, but she didn't like that he was hedging his bets. Three receptions and 40 yards later, he was withdrawn from the game before the second quarter ended. Her main interest off the field, Ashley watched the cheerleaders, noticing Jill was in form, now paired up with a different partner. Jill seemed to ignore Ken, but he stole glances her way. Ashley rolled her eyes at his unwillingness to let go.

The crowd atmosphere was that of a large picnic, hundreds of conversations taking place, with sporadic cheers urging on the bigger plays. Ashley and Jasmine engaged with the sorority sisters, catching up on the latest gossip. Near the end of the third quarter, a commanding voice boomed from the field, "Ready!" Audience and players snapped to attention, much like a stagecoach team would when their handler took the reins. Ashley's heart skipped a beat at the familiar voice, and seeing number 6 behind the center confirmed her hope. "Come on Joe!" she called out.

His squad frustrated the defense when they were on the field, and a few errors (some by Joe) created entertainment as he worked to make something positive happen. Jasmine remarked that he looked like a squirrel dodging traffic on two of the plays. Overall, his squad scored the most -- two touchdowns and a field goal -- during the game. The group around her congratulated Joe through Ashley on his productive performance, even though it was off-script at times.

A statement by the coach after the game said that the team showed promise, but had a long way to go. When asked about who might start at QB in the fall, he replied that each of the three could, but a decision might not come until after summer workouts.

Joe returned home later that night, finding Ashley on the sofa, sitting Indian-style while chewing on a pencil. "Hey," he said while coming up behind her, twirling her ponytail.

"Hey back!" she replied with a smile, tilting her head back like a kitten enjoying attention. "You were great today."

"Thanks!" He played with her hair a bit more, then stopped and shared a kiss with her when she turned toward him. "Whatcha workin' on?"

Ashley turned back to her notebook and fretted her eyebrows. "Oh, just toying with a mock journal for an idea I had." She sighed after a moment. "It's stupid, really, but I just wanted to have fun with it."

He reached down and softly played with her neck with his fingers before replacing them with his lips. "I know of something else you could have fun with," he murmured into her collarbone.

She closed her notebook on her pencil and dropped it on the seat next to her. "Ooh. Do tell," she groaned. Ashley let out a squeal of glee when he plucked her off the sofa and carried her up to their room.

"Ugh, Jill's been smoking so much lately, I can smell it in here," Jasmine huffed as she dropped into her chair in the studio.

"Well," Ashley said, almost disinterested. "she's just blowing off steam after what happened. As long as she does it outside, she's free to do what she wants." Ashley donned some earphones, ending the conversation.

Jasmine turned to ink her latest album assignment with her colored pens, but grew frustrated by the soft humming coming from Ashley. It irked her that she couldn't hear the rest of the music. Whenever she did her job designing these covers, it helped to listen to music. Oddly, it never was from the band she was working on, rather she listened to Ashley singing, or playing her guitar or violin. Lately, she had pitched a couple of ideas to Joe, who in turn referred to Carter's innovation team. The six tiny high-definition cameras now suspended from the studio ceiling were the result of one of the ideas. She'd used those to film Ashley playing her violin as part of a test, but hadn't been able to replay the recording as she intended yet, since the media was still in development. Jasmine replayed the scene in her head now, picturing Ashley in her white blouse, faded jeans, and bare feet, playing a tune to which Jasmine had yet to find lyrics or accompaniment. That tune didn't match the one Ashley was humming now, either, and it became a distraction.

"What are you working on?" she asked in irritation.

Ashley moved one of the bulky cans from her ear to her cheek. Unhappy with that placement, she moved it to behind her ear, where it promptly began sliding further back. She blew at the hair that had dislodged in her fumbling movements and settled for holding that piece in her hand away from her ear. "Something for school," she said, still awkward in holding half the headset.

"What's for school?...argh!" Jasmine's toes curled in frustration. "Could you take that thing off, please?! It looks ridiculous any way you have it!"

Ashley took the clunky studio phones off and set them down on her desk. "You gave them to me for my birthday last year," she pouted.

"Yes, and I bought them for listening, not a fashion piece. So, what's this school project?"

"Testy today, aren't we? Did Aunt Flo come to visit?" Ashley teased.

"That's not fair!" Then under her breath, Jasmine mumbled, "in so many ways."

Ashley cocked a seductive grin. "Aww, I told you I don't mind if it's a little messy. They have these new things called showers and washing machines."

Jasmine bristled. "That's not what...grr...never mind." She looked away to collect herself, then back to Ashley. "What is this project? I don't remember you saying anything before that there was another one."

Ashley knew her girlfriend was referring to a project she'd turned in a week ago. "Well, Professor told us about a contest a studio was holding. If we enter it through him, he'd grant us extra credit for Music Comp. I."

"But you're acing everything, why do you need extra credit?" Jasmine interrupted.

"If one of us wins the contest, that person gets to CLEP out of Comp. II and III."

"And you think you have a shot at skipping two classes for credit?"

Ashley scoffed. "You don't?"

Oops. Jasmine blew out a breath at being caught at getting carried away in an argument. "Well, school's over in two weeks. I mean, given enough time, I believe you could write a winner for anything."

Ashley smirked at both pointing out Jasmine's current bitchiness, and at the flattery. "Thank you," she said with a tip of her head.

"So, when do you have to turn it in?"

Ashley looked at the ceiling as if accessing her internal calendar. "Um...Thursday. He's gotta have time to review the pieces and score them for the extra credit before he submits them for us on the deadline Friday."

Jasmine shook her head. "That's really short notice."

"Well, big challenge equals big reward, right?"

"I guess. What's it for?"

"A studio." Ashley attempted a deadpan, but then giggled at Jasmine's annoyance. "Ahem. Apparently, someone bought Blizzard's concept and script. We were told that the movie is rendered, but fell flat for the test audience. The studio believes the music wasn't right, so they're trying a contest."

Jasmine raised an eyebrow. "Mystic?"

Ashley cocked her head. "Yeah, how did you know? I thought you didn't like sci-fi fantasy geek stuff." Ashley paused while thinking about something. "Which is odd, since you really know your way around tech stuff."

Jasmine bit her lip. "I might have sold some things to their production. Mostly art stuff like promo posters..." She ducked the pencil Ashley threw at her. "Hey! I didn't say anything because I didn't think they could pull it together. In fact, I still don't if they're opening a contest to the general public." Jasmine watched Ashley twirl a new pencil between her fingers while she digested Jasmine's information. There were more than a few times that a bow went accidentally flying mid-twirl when Ashley got bored, and Jasmine wondered when this pencil might take its escape. "So, what do you need in three days?"

Sure enough, the pencil fell to the floor, and Ashley let it stay there after a glance of frustration. "A written or digital hardcopy of the music, as well as a recording of the piece. I figure a video performance would be a good bonus."

Jasmine sighed while shaking her head. "Is that all?" she said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Ashley clicked her mouse a few times, then detached a thumb drive from the front of her computer. Holding up the USB stick, she said triumphantly, "Yup. You already produced it over Christmas, as well as taped me playing and singing it. I was just making sure it was what I wanted to submit."

"You twit!" Jasmine gaped in playful astonishment. "You could have just told me you were finishing up. I was thinking you had to do all this from scratch."

Ashley shrugged. "And you could have told me you were working with this studio. Now, I'll never know if I'll get picked on merit or who-you-know."

Jasmine thought about that briefly. "I haven't talked to them since I sold the promo graphics, and I doubt that they know you know me. But if it'll make you feel better, just tell your professor to submit it using a name only he would know. He's gotta look at it anyway, right?"

Ashley followed that advice, telling her professor that she wanted it submitted anonymously, under the guise that her husband's name still occasionally made the news. The professor agreed, and since other students seemed shy about giving names out, he depersonalized all the entries. Ashley's was labeled 'Florida State Student #4.'

He announced the next week that a few entries were impressive, and he singled out two of the students by saying they had gained enough credit to raise their grade a whole letter. Late that week was an even bigger announcement: "Number 4 and Number 7" had been chosen for the short list. A webcast would announce the winner. There was a stir of excitement after that class, as it was now possible that one of their classmates could effectively skip two semesters of music writing. Two of them making the short list also guaranteed free pizza, since Ashley had sworn on submission day that she would throw a pizza party on the last day if any of them were awarded fourth runner-up or higher.

Music Composition was rescheduled the last day of the semester to coincide with the winner announcement by webcast. Ashley made good on her promise, directing three delivery people to dole out the pizza she had bought for each classmate. Sodas were passed around, pizza boxes opened, and the silvery white screen lowered from the ceiling. The professor plugged the projector cord into his laptop, and after a few clicks and keystrokes, the screen displayed a slowly spinning logo graphic of the studio. The din of over a dozen conversations filled the classroom until the professor called for quiet when the graphic dissolved to reveal a young woman who was the epitome of sunshine.

In the welcome speech, the self-introduced public relations assistant reviewed how the project and contest came to fruition. She went over some figures related to the project, including numbers of animators, voice actors, support staff, and man-hours put into the effort so far. It didn't escape Ashley that the happy girl glossed over the fact that the movie rights had been purchased far into the preparatory groundwork. Even so, she was excited by the possibilities that were presented through a special preview arranged for the contestants who were watching. The CG animation was amazing, the characters seemed lifelike, and the plot tease sucked her into wanting to know more. The only missing piece was glaring: there was no music.

The girl cheerfully acknowledged the trailer was missing an important thread that would pull everything together, and enthused that the team believed they had found that piece. She spilled right into the results. Fourth runner-up was a girl from a school with an unfamiliar name. Third runner-up was a guy from UF. Their classroom cheerfully booed the mention of their rival school. The Bronx cheer fell away when the second runner-up was announced as Florida State Student #7. A heartfelt cheer went up for the girl and she received hugs and high-fives from the adjacent students. The room quieted while the speaker drew out the suspense, overly enthusiastic in assuring the choice between the top three was very tough.

"Ashley!" a boy down the row prodded.

"Yeah, Ashley should get it!" said another.

The room picked up a chant of her name, and Ashley was amused by the team spirit, since no one but the professor had heard what she submitted. Well, Jasmine had. She played with the mixing board over Christmas break, using Ashley's new piece as fodder for trial and error. The result astonished Ashley with a work that was polished enough to have come from any big name recording studio. Jasmine had become a self-taught producer.

"To announce the winner," the speaker said, and the local room quieted again. "We decided to demonstrate our choice by replaying the trailer."

Their classroom groaned in frustration, and the screen flicked to the trailer once again. A soft violin sang beneath the narration at first, and Ashley broke into a wide grin. The action scenes that were void of speech now had the accompaniment of a riveting and powerful refrain. The music backed off in intensity for the closing of the trailer, returning to the smooth violin instrumental. The students looked at the professor as the trailer ended, and his smile was splitting his face from ear to ear. He nodded to confirm their suspicion and said, "It's Ashley."

A loud cheer of happiness filled the room, and Ashley was swarmed by a hug that seemed to include everyone in the class. In the background, she could hear the girl congratulating "Florida State Student #4" followed by a general thank you to everyone who submitted entries. It took her a few minutes to navigate the hugs and kisses on the cheek until she reached her happy professor.

"One of the best contemporary works to come across my desk," he said while wrapping her up in a tight hug. "Congratulations, Ashley."

"Thanks!" She backed out of the embrace that was a hair too personal for comfort. Adding a sly grin, "I guess I won't be seeing you again."

"Yes, yes, Ashley. I'll put in the paperwork for your credit. But, I'll be around, and I'm sure we'll see each other off and on. Doubt you'll need it, but I'm always here if you want to bounce things off of me."

Ashley kept her smile, but gave a curt nod. "I'll keep that in mind." She picked up her full pizza box and went back to the front to hand it to him. "Thanks for the A," she smiled as she turned to leave.

"You earned it!" he called after her. Then, once alone he said under his breath, "you're good enough to take my position."

Back home, they had a large celebration dinner with Ashley's parents and the couple that was Cindy and Doug. It was late to accommodate the two and a half hour drive and time for showers and changing, but that didn't dampen the mood any. The occasion was three-fold: Ashley's huge win, Kim's graduation with an AA degree in business, and Cindy and Doug becoming parents-to-be. There was much fodder for conversation, but heads turned when Mrs. Roberts posed a question.

"So, when's the date?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm due sometime in September or October," Cindy breezed.

Ashley's mom shook her head. "I mean the engagement."

"Mom!" Ashley didn't really want belief imposing to mar the dinner that had been so nice up to now.

Doug chuckled. "The engagement was about two days long. We're already married!"