6 comments/ 25060 views/ 2 favorites Connecting Rod Ch. 05-06 By: coaster2 Chapter 5: A New Year December 31, 1968 I was invited to a New Year's Eve celebration sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. At first I declined, stating that I had my employees to entertain. When they were welcomed along with my mother, I quickly accepted the invitation. It seemed that I was a welcome new face in the downtown, and I was starting to be recognized among many of the businessmen of Bellingham. The party caused some brief consternation for Shelly. She didn't have a dress and wouldn't attend without something appropriate to wear. Mom solved that quickly with a fast trip with Shelly to the new Bon Marche. There was no discussion and no debate. Shelly would have a new dress and that was final. Shelly had learned not to argue with my mother. As I heard from them later, the two walked out of the department store giggling like a pair of schoolgirls. Bags loaded with two new dresses, two blouses, several pairs of nylons, undergarments, and two pair of shoes. Shelly was going to look like a modern young woman if mother had anything to do with it. The shoes weren't platform and the dress wasn't a "mini," but both were pretty sexy for this town. The rest of Shelly's attraction would be Shelly herself, on display. The dance lessons were something else. Shelly had little experience with conventional dancing and was very unsure of herself. Mom wasn't much help. She and Dad seldom had the chance to dance, and teaching Shelly what little she knew was hopeless. It was Jurgen who came to the rescue. He knew how to dance and it was he who taught Shelly and Mom. I was surprised at how quickly my mother picked up the basics. She and Jurgen seemed to fit together like they had been doing this for years. Shelly and I practiced as well. Not quite as smooth, but in the end, we were at least fairly sure we wouldn't embarrass ourselves. That lovely, full body of Shelly's was a real pleasure to hold on to, so I enjoyed every minute of practice. I got the impression Shelly did too. When the two women walked downstairs on New Year's Eve to present themselves, Jurgen and I could only stare. They didn't just look completely different, they looked spectacular. Their dresses, their hair, their makeup .... Suddenly, Jurgen and I weren't so confident. These two women looked incredible and we felt a bit overwhelmed. Neither of us had ever seen the two women presented so beautifully. Shelly's dress was short in the current fashion of young people. It was a colorful but subtle print with a low neckline that emphasized her large breasts. I had a very hard time keeping my eyes directed at her face. I was dressed in a blazer and slacks, a light blue wide-collared shirt and a very wide multi-colored tie. "Holy cow, Shelly. You look fantastic," I exclaimed, as she bounced into the living room. "Thanks," she giggled. She was swinging between nervousness and elation. She was slightly uncomfortable about the cleavage and the shortness of the dress. Mom had insisted the dress was fine and the salesgirl had said it was just right for a young woman of her age. My mother was wearing a dark red knee-length sheath with a neckline that wasn't quite as daring as Shelly's, but was unusual for her. This was a whole new look for my mother. She looked terrific – very classy. Apparently Jurgen thought so as well. He was smiling from ear to ear as she approached him. He was wearing an older-style three button charcoal suit with a starched white shirt and dark red tie. He was, as always, immaculate. As we escorted our ladies into the ballroom of the hotel, I felt we was truly now a part of the community. They had invited us here and when I looked around, I didn't feel out of place. These people had made it easy for us to become part of them. A number of the men walked over with their wives to introduce themselves to us. I was really happy that our "family" had been accepted so readily. We enjoyed a very nice three course meal, each table supplied with wine, courtesy of the hotel. Shelly was particularly careful and sipped her single glass very cautiously. She wasn't cautious with the meal, however. She ate everything and more than once commented on how much she enjoyed the food. The dancing started just after nine that evening and I waited until there were a number of couples on the floor before asking Shelly to dance. I followed Jurgen and Mom as they walked out onto the large dance floor. It took Shelly and me a few seconds to find our rhythm and remember the steps, but once we found the right pace, we were fine. We danced the first three numbers, holding each other at a distance as we hadn't yet felt at ease. As I looked around the floor, I noticed that other young couples were dancing much more closely. Their bodies were in contact with each other and I wondered if I could encourage Shelly to dance closely too. She was beginning to relax as we spent more time on the floor. I could feel the tension in her to begin with, but I could also feel it gradually lessen. I glanced over at my mother and Jurgen and saw them gliding effortlessly together. They were closer together than when they started, and the smile on my mother's face told me that she was enjoying herself. I turned to Shelly. "Have a look at Mom and Jurgen," I said quietly. Shelly looked around before spotting them and then smiled. "She's having a good time, Rod. She looks happy. I'm glad." "Me too. You think there might be something going on between her and Jurgen?" Shelly laughed into his shoulder as she moved closer to him. "It took you this long to figure that out?" "What do you mean?" "I mean, your mom and Jurgen have been spendin' time with each other for the last two months at least." she said. "Don't look so surprised. They're both about the same age and single. Your mom is a really nice lady ... good lookin' and a real nice person. You're pretty lucky, you know." "Yeah ... I guess I am. Jurgen's a good guy too. They look good together, don't you think?" Shelly had a smile on her face that confounded me. It was as if she knew something that she was keeping to herself. "Let's go sit a spell, Rod. My feet are a bit sore in these new shoes." I led her back to our table and pulled the chair out for her. We had no sooner sat when a well dressed man came over to the table and asked me for permission to dance with Shelly. "Uhmmm ... sure ... I mean ... that's up to her," I finally managed. Shelly looked at me and then at the man standing between us. "Uh ... I'm kind of resting my feet right now," she said. "Maybe later?" "Oh ... sure ... I understand. My name's Roger. Maybe I'll come back in a while for that dance," he smiled. As he walked away, Shelly turned to me with a funny look. "What was that all about? What did he want?" I laughed. "Well, my best guess is he thought you were one of the best looking women at the party and he wanted to dance with you." "Oh." "Have you ever been to a party like this before?" I asked. "Uh ... no." "So ... all this is new, right?" "Yeah ... I guess so. I didn't know what to say. What should I have said?" she asked, looking at me intently. "Whatever you felt like. If you wanted to dance with him, just say yes." "And that wouldn't bother you? I mean ... I came to the party with you." "He just wants to dance with you, Shelly. I don't mind," I replied, not quite truthfully. "Oh." She looked almost disappointed. I poured Shelly another glass of wine and she sipped this one a bit less cautiously than her first. She was looking around the dance floor at the couples, paying attention to how they acted with each other as well as what the other younger women were wearing. Mother had been right, the women of Shelly's age group all wore short skirts or dresses and most had low necklines. Perhaps now she would feel less conspicuous. At last, Jurgen and Mom returned to the table. They had been out on the dance floor for nearly twenty minutes and they came back smiling and talking to each other. "Shelly, let's go to the ladies room while it's not so busy," Mom suggested. Shelly looked a bit puzzled, but rose and walked with my mother toward the corridor leading to the washrooms. "You looked like you were really having a good time, Jurgen," I said after a short silence. "Ja. Your mother is a very good dancer. She is very ... schick?" he said, trying to find the English equivalent. "Elegant! Yes, that's a good word. She is, isn't she. You'd never know she was a rancher's wife not that long ago." "She is a very fine lady." Jurgen seemed lost in thought. "Have you told her that?" I asked, taking a chance. Jurgen looked at me in surprise. "No ... I would not dare." I said nothing. I knew Jurgen was being very cautious. This was all new territory for him. He admitted it had been a long time since he had been with a woman, and even longer since he had formed a friendship with one. He might be afraid his feelings wouldn't be returned and he wasn't going to risk ruining what he enjoyed with my mother. Mom and Shelly returned from the ladies room with smiles, chatting with each other until they neared the table. Both Jurgen and I rose to pull out the women's chairs. It was silent for a few moments at the table until I turned to Shelly and asked her to dance. She nodded and we rose and walked to the dance floor. This time, Shelly moved into me and brought me closer. I didn't have the confidence to do this myself, but Shelly had made it easy for me. I had been conscious of her perfume earlier and, now the scent was intoxicating as I held her, dancing to a slow number. She was pushing her breasts and hips into me, and I could feel my erection growing, not knowing what to do about it. I tried to pull my hips away from her, but she looked at me with a slow smile and pulled me back to her. She knew what she was doing and I wasn't going to resist any more. This was a whole new Shelly I was seeing tonight. I was wondering what to do about it as we were now pressed totally together with Shelly's head on my shoulder and her hips grinding gently into me. She was driving me crazy. Shelly showed no intention of letting me go. This dance was just for me and she wanted me to know it. She couldn't help but feel my erection pressing into her, but I got the impression she was fine with that. I was as hard as stone and wondering where or how I was going to get relief. I figured out the two women had conspired in the washroom. Was my mother trying to put the two of us together? I thought about that. So what? Shelly was a fine young woman. At first I felt sorry for her, but lately, I was feeling something quite different. She was more than just an employee now. I had an interest in her and it wasn't just as a friend. My thoughts were a lot more personal than that. My hands slipped down her and wrapped around her waist. I was copying the other young couples on the floor. Shelly wrapped her arms around my shoulders and buried her face into my neck as we moved slowly around the dance floor. We had quit pretending. I could feel the heat from Shelly's body and I was sure Shelly could feel mine too. I took a chance and placed a light kiss on her brow. "Thank you," she said quietly. "What for?" "Inviting me to be here with you ... and ... tonight," she sighed. I kissed her temple again and pulled her even closer to me. "You're welcome. I'm having a very good time, Shelly." She pulled back and looked at me, searching my eyes. We danced for a while, saying nothing but holding each other closely. I thought I had never felt quite this comfortable with any woman before. My mind drifted back to Germany and my army days, and the women I had dated then. There was never any idea that they would be important to me. This was something new. I wondered how we could have a normal relationship at the garage when I felt this way about her. She was very desirable, but she didn't know it. She wasn't a pin-up beauty, and yet she was still very lovely. I wanted to tell her, but I wasn't sure of myself. As midnight approached, the waiters returned with stands of ice buckets containing champagne. The corks were popped before midnight and everyone sang Auld Lang Syne at the stroke of twelve. Mom turned to Jurgen and wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, whispering Happy New Year. Jurgen's surprise was quickly replaced by a smile as he returned her kiss. Shelly and I were watching them as they celebrated the magic moment, then turned to each other. I leaned forward, pulling Shelly closer, and kissed her. It was no ordinary kiss. I wanted her to know how I felt at that very second. I was willing her to feel the same way. Shelly melted in my arms. I thought for a moment she might even faint. I had never felt anything as intense as this instant. Was it real? Would it be there tomorrow? I was afraid to think that far ahead. We slept in on New Year's Day. The station would be closed the entire day and all four of us were grateful for another break. I awoke with a morning woody and thoughts of Shelly on my mind. She had filled my dreams again, dancing in and out of them, leaving me in confusion. How did I feel about her? Did she feel anything for me? I thought she did, but I couldn't decide what to do next. I finished breakfast and turned on the TV. I also had football on my mind this day. The Cotton Bowl from Dallas. Undefeated Texas going against Notre Dame in the Irish's first bowl game in 45 years. I hadn't been seated on the sofa for more than five minutes when Shelly sat down beside me. "You like football?" I asked, surprised. "Yeah ... I'm a big Husky fan," she said enthusiastically. "Good for you. I guess I'll have to root for them too, but we're goin' to have to settle for USC and Michigan today." "Well, I hate them Trojans, so I guess I have to go with Michigan." It sounded like Shelly really did have a thing for football. Just another reason to like the girl, I thought. We settled in to watch what turned out to be a great game. Shelly gradually moved closer to me and finally was leaning against me as we watched together. After a while I put my arm along the back of the sofa behind her. My hand dropped down, lightly touching her shoulder. I found out later that if I'd have looked over my shoulder, I'd have seen my mother standing in the kitchen entrance, watching us, smiling. At the start of the second half, Shelly's late night and lack of sleep caught up to her and she drifted off, her head on my shoulder. I picked up a small cushion and carefully placed it between my arm and Shelly's cheek. She didn't stir. I spent the rest of the game trying not to disturb her. I was having trouble keeping track of the game. The sexy, female scent was distracting me. Mom and Jurgen had gone out for a walk in the winter sunshine. When I thought back to the Montana winters, I thought it was great that here we could enjoy the outdoors in winter. There was more rain, for sure, but it was warmer and green. It was that color that I noticed more than anything. Shelly stirred and woke just as the Texas – Notre Dame game ended. "Who won?" she asked groggily. "Texas. It was a hell of a game. Sorry you missed it," I said, squeezing her gently to me. "I guess I was tired from last night. You make a nice pillow." "My pleasure." "How about that ... I got to sleep with the boss," she giggled. "Don't tell my mother." We were quiet for a while until she looked up at me and smiled. Her hand moved to my face and a finger traced the line of my jaw. "Happy New Year, Rod," she said softly, her eyes never leaving mine. "Happy New Year, Shelly." I was gazing into her eyes and then, without really thinking about it, I kissed her forehead and then her nose. She raised her face to me and I found her lips with a long, sensuous kiss. We said nothing to each other. It was a special moment, maybe even an important one. I moved toward her mouth again and kissed her more deeply this time, my tongue sliding along her lips. Her mouth opened to accept me, and her hand moved to the back of my head, holding me closer. After a while we parted, and I didn't know what to say at that moment. What should I say? Finally, it was Shelly who broke the silence. "Do you think this is ... something? I mean ... maybe there's ... oh ... I don't know how to say what I'm thinking!" she stammered. I smiled and bent down to kiss here once more. "Well ... I guess that depends on what something is. What does something mean to you?" I asked gently. "You know ... boyfriend ... girlfriend ... that kind of something." "Is that enough for you?" "Uh ... I guess ... for now ... I don't know," she answered cautiously. "Shelly, I'm not going to do anything to rush you. This is all new to both of us. Let's just see where it takes us." "OK," she said, sounding slightly disappointed. I wrapped both arms around her and held her close, and I heard her sigh. We stayed in each other's arms for a while until Shelly spoke. "Rod." "Uh huh." "I want us to be more than ... friends." She sounded a bit more confident now. I kissed her forehead again. "I want that too, babe." "Good." We separated as we heard the footsteps on the front stairs and then the porch. Chapter 6: The Duke Arrives and Shelly Celebrates January 2, 1969 The station reopened on Friday, January 2, 1969, at the normal time. Mike was out of school until the following Monday, so I gave Shelly the day off while Jurgen would have Saturday off. Mike would work from ten am to nine pm, Friday, with an hour for breaks. On Sunday, Mom and I huddled to discuss the manning and expenses for the station. We had added some costs with the car and hiring Mike. My concern was over how much staffing we could take on and stay profitable. It was a numbers exercise that my mother was best equipped to handle. "How much more work do we have ahead of us for this month, Rod?" she asked as she looked at her calculations. "Uhm ... we are booked for this week and most of next week. That puts us to about the 15th. That's more than we normally have, but we lost a few days over the holidays. Lately, we've been having a week's worth in advance. It used to be day-to-day back in September." "Have we lost anyone or turned them away because of this?" she asked. "We might have. I had a couple of people come in and ask about repairs and I don't recall them coming back." "I think we have to take a gamble here, son," my mother said uncharacteristically. "How do you mean?" "I think we need to gamble that the business is going to continue to grow and we need to keep up. I think we should try and find someone who can work in the shop and out front if needed." She seemed pretty sure of herself, I thought. More importantly, she was thinking along the same lines as I was. Don't turn away good customers unless you have no choice. I nodded and smiled at my mother. "I guess I'd better put out the word we're looking for another mechanic." I told the others about our decision and they were pleased to be getting some help. It was Jurgen who brought up a possible problem that I hadn't recognized. "I think we do not haf enough space for three," he said simply. I looked at him and realized the importance of the statement. It was a two bay garage. I started to laugh. "Trust you to find the flaw." Jurgen shrugged, but was grinning just the same. "Well, what we'll do to start with is rotate the hours so we aren't falling all over each other. We might be able to do some simple work in the area beside the washrooms. Changing tires, stuff like that." "I think your mother can help you with the schedule," Jurgen suggested. Connecting Rod Ch. 05-06 "I think you've got something up your sleeve, Mr. Burgmann," I replied. "Perhaps." I wondered what Jurgen had in mind. Something was going on in that clever head of his, but I hadn't figured it out yet. That something showed up just before closing on Monday. A customized, shiny black '50 Ford Coupe rumbled to a stop alongside the building and a tough-looking young man emerged. He was wearing a black leather jacket with a turned-up collar covering a white t-shirt. A tight-fitting pair of jeans with the cuffs rolled up over a pair of polished black boots finished the outfit. As he walked toward the office, I noticed the black, slicked-back hair, sideburns ala Elvis, and an unfiltered cigarette tucked above his right ear. He looked for all the world like one of the "hard rocks" that I remembered from my high school days. Things hadn't changed that much after all. "Can I help you?" I asked. "You Rod Williams?" the young guy asked, his head cocked at an angle. "That's me." "I hear you're looking for help." "Maybe. Are you looking for work?" "Depends." "Depends on what?" I asked, feeling a bit irritated with the abrupt stranger. "Whadda you pay?" "Qualified mechanics get six bucks an hour to start. My top guy earns seven-fifty." "I don't have any papers," he said without hesitation. "How do I know you can do the work?" I asked. I was beginning to lose my patience. The young man pointed over his shoulder at the shiny black Ford. "I built that. By myself." "Let's have a look." I was mildly interested. "What's your name?" "Brian Davies. Most people call me Duke." "How'd you find out about the job? It won't be in the paper 'til tomorrow." "Mike told me," he said, reaching into the car and pulling a hood release. "Mike Numminen?" "Yeah. Said you were a good guy. Ran a good shop. Paid fair wages." Rod nodded and looked inside as the hood was raised. It was flawlessly clean with a little chrome, and a lot of new paint. "Flathead," I observed. "Original engine?" "Mostly. I found some Edelbrock heads on a wreck and cleaned 'em up. Headers are mine. Tranny's rebuilt with a Hurst shifter. Bodywork's mine. Paint isn't." He was a man of few words. I looked at the car carefully. It had been thoroughly rebuilt with bigger brakes, heavier springs and all new wiring. "How long did it take you?" "Two years ... off and on." "How do you know Mike?" "We're in shop class together. He's my muscle and brains." The guy actually smiled when he said that. "You look a bit older than high school age." "I'm twenty-one. I dropped out for a while. Dumb idea. Talked them into lettin' me back in to finish. I'm done in June." "It must have been your gift of gab." Duke snorted. "Yeah ... somethin' like that." "What do you want to do when you graduate?" "I like what you do, but I just want a shop. I don't want to be a pump jockey." "Well, I do need someone. You know what I pay. I can try you out and see if you can fit in. But you're still in school. You won't be able to work during the week when we're open. I need somebody now." "Thought about that. I'm not in school fulltime. What if I work at night? Sundays? Nobody here to bother me and I can get more done." "Let's try a couple of Friday nights and Saturdays to start. I won't kid you. I've got an ad in the paper tomorrow for a mechanic. I can't afford to hire two." "Fair enough. I'll prove myself first and then we can talk turkey." "See you Friday at five," I said. Duke stuck out his hand silently and we shook. I had the strangest feeling about Brian "Duke" Davies. I wasn't sure what that feeling was, but maybe Mike could tell me more. There was no denying the workmanship on his car. It was beyond professional. There was a neatness and simplicity in the design of the engine bay that was impressive. After supper, I picked up the phone and dialed the Numminen home, asking for Mike. "Hi Mike. I hope I didn't interrupt anything." "No ... just finishing up some homework. What can I do for you, Mr. Williams?" "Do you know Brian Davies?" "Sure. Duke and I are in shop together. Did he come down to see you about that job?" "Yeah. Trouble is though, he's still in school and I need someone almost full time." "I know. But he's really good, Mr. Williams. There isn't anything he hasn't tried or learned. If you can find a way to hire him, he'll be a big help, I'm sure." "I'm going to give him a try, Mike. But it still doesn't solve my problem with him not being available during the weekdays." "Actually, he's not in school full time. He's only here about three days total. Most of his classes are in the morning. He's just trying to make some money to live on." "Where'd he get the money to build the car?" "His dad died and left him some money through insurance. His mom can't work any more, so he's trying to keep things together by himself. He's a real hard worker, Mr. Williams. I know he looks a bit rough, but I know how hard he works on everything he does. That includes school." "OK, Mike. I'll see you Friday and you can show Brian the 'ropes.' If he's as good as you say, we'll see what we can work out." "Thanks, Mr. Williams. I'm sure he'll do well. I know he'll try hard. See you Friday," Mike signed off. Mike was right. Duke did work hard and didn't have to be shown anything twice. Jurgen assigned him some fairly straightforward work and it was done quickly and properly. Shelly went over the paperwork with him for calculating the costs of each job and logging the time. By the end of Saturday, I was reasonably sure Brian could do the work required despite his lack of accreditation. More importantly, both Shelly and Jurgen had given their vote of approval. There was one other bonus. Brian had brought his own tools to the shop. All three of us were impressed with the organization and neatness of his toolbox, despite the age of the equipment. It was clean, in good condition, and complete. Late Saturday afternoon, I called Duke into my office. "Well, Brian. It looks like you know what you're doing. It still gives me the challenge of trying to find enough hours for you that will give my people a break. They've been going solid since September." "I hear you don't exactly sit back and watch," he smiled. "No ... I help out when I can. Just the same, everyone needs some time for themselves. What can you do to help?" I asked. "I've been thinking. I need to study, but I can do that in the afternoons or at night. Most of my classes are in the mornings. I could work afternoons and you could give Shelly and Mr. Burgmann the afternoon off. Or, I could work at night when the shop is closed. Either way, the work gets done," he said. I was a bit surprised at his politeness toward Jurgen. His idea was worth talking to Shelly and Jurgen about. It had to work for them too. "Can you be at my house tomorrow afternoon ... say two o'clock?" "Yeah ... I can be there." "I think the best thing is to talk it over with Shelly and Mr. Burgmann and see what works for them. I want you there so we can discuss it openly ... OK?" "Sure. I'll be there. Two o'clock," he nodded. Promptly at two, Sunday afternoon, Brian "Duke" Davies rang the door bell. We met in the living room after I introduced Duke to my mother. The meeting lasted over an hour, but when it was done, we had a workable schedule that allowed Duke to continue his studies and give Jurgen and Shelly some additional time off. Mother had endorsed the strategy. The plan was simple enough. Brian would work afternoons from twelve-thirty to closing, plus Saturday. That would give him thirty-five hours of work, almost a full week. Jurgen and Shelly would take two days off, alternating Monday to Thursday. They would only work to five-thirty on Friday. That would mean a full staff Friday and Saturday, our busiest days. Taking time off for breaks, it would be a thirty-eight hour work week with three full days off. It would be a trial, and after a month we would all meet again to assess how it was going. My hours were never discussed. I wanted to see how this would work out first before worrying about myself. After all, this was our business; mine and my mother's. The risk of taking Duke Davies on turned out to be no risk at all. In the first place, the business continued to grow and we needed his hours and more. Secondly, he was, as Mike had promised, a hard worker. Not very talkative and not the best with customers, but he got the work done and done well. By the end of April, Mom and I sat down and went over the books. "We're way ahead of where I thought we would be. Our income is much greater than I expected and we are making good money, Rod. Sure beats the cattle business," she laughed. "Good to hear it, Mom. I forgot to tell you, I got a letter from the Andersons, the people that own this house. They plan to stay in Juneau, so they want to sell the house. I'm thinking we should buy it. What do you think?" "Yes. It's a great house and I think of it as our home. I'd sure hate to lose it." "Good. I'll get our agent to talk to them about what they are asking. We haven't had to use much of the money from the ranch since we bought the station, so we should have enough for a big down payment." "Before you do that, talk to Stumpy. He said something about debt leveraging or something to me onetime and it may be in our favor." I called our friendly tax and financial advisor the next day and set up a meeting with him. Mother was right. It was in our best interest to mortgage the house near the maximum and write off the monthly payments against our personal income, especially since the business was now very profitable. -0- I was sitting on the front porch with Mom one warm evening in May. We had been reminiscing about the W2. I was pleased that my mother didn't have any regrets about moving west. She was happy and alive again. She still missed Dad, but those were all good memories and didn't cause her pain any longer. "Rod, when are you going to do something about Shelly?" she asked out of the blue. "Do something?" "You know very well what I mean. I've seen you two together. I know how she feels about you," she said with a raised eyebrow. "How do you feel about her?" I sat, examining my thoughts. "I guess the truth is ... I'm in love with her," I admitted. "I've known that for some time, son," she said seriously. "I've watched you two dance around each other since the New Year's party. When are you going to get up the courage to tell her?" "You think she feels that way about me?" "I think you're a typical man. You can't see the most obvious things when it comes to women. She doesn't know there's anyone else but you. Besides, I know you two have been together enough that you should be able to tell by now. I'm not deaf, you know," she concluded with a smirk. "Have we been that obvious?" I asked, surprised. "Oh, come on, Roddy. This house isn't that big. You're goin' to be thirty this year. It's time you were thinkin' about gettin' married and havin' a family. She's not goin' to wait forever." "Tell you what, Mom. Why don't you run upstairs and check and see if she wants to marry me," I laughed. "Don't be foolish. You want that girl and you know it. Hell, everyone around here knows it. You just have to get off your skinny butt and tell her," she snapped. I looked at my mother. She wasn't going to let go of this. The truth was, I was thinking about Shelly too. It had begun on that New Year's Day and came to a head a few days later when she slipped into my room in the dead of night. I had been sound asleep and at first, thought I was having a dream. A very vivid dream. This dream came with a scent and the soft, warm body of a woman. I lingered in that half-aware state until my conscious mind took over. I was not alone and it was not a dream. "What are you doing here?" I whispered. "I couldn't sleep. I wanted someone to hold me. I wanted you to hold me," she said softly. I craned my neck in a futile attempt to read my alarm clock. "It's the middle of the night." "Do you want me to go?" I didn't answer immediately. Almost instinctively I reached for her, and as she responded, I pulled her close to me. As the almost imperceptible light of a street lamp leaked through the curtains, I caught a glimpse of its reflection in her sparkling eyes. I moved my head toward her and kissed her gently. Shelly moaned and I felt the tension in her body dissolve. "No ... stay ... please." My hand roamed her back and then slid under her t-shirt nightgown, caressing her soft skin. My fingers traced a path from shoulder to her panty-covered backside, moving slowly, sensuously, caressing her with gentle squeezes. Shelly rolled onto her back, taking my hand and moving it to her breasts. I continued to caress her, concentrating on her soft, full breasts, now and then gently tugging at her enlarged nipples. Shelly reached into my shorts, searching for my erection. She found it easily. Folding her hand around its swollen hardness, she began to stroke me carefully with a light touch. "You better be careful, you might cause an explosion," I warned. "It's OK. I don't mind. I just want to make you happy." "Happy isn't the word for it." I was silent for a while until, "Shelly?" "Uhmmm." "I want to make love to you," I gasped. Her hand was driving me to the brink. "I want you to. I want that very much. That's why I'm here," she said quietly, moving to kiss me, almost rolling on top of me. "I have to get something first," I said as I extricated myself from her grasp and moved to the dresser. I pulled the top drawer open and began searching blindly. Shortly I closed the drawer and returned to bed. "I have some rubbers. I don't want you to have an accident." I couldn't see her smile, but I heard her tinkling laugh. "I'm going to get my wish," she said, a smile evident in her voice. She sat up in the bed, peeled off her t-shirt and then her panties. She waited patiently as I removed my boxers and rolled on the latex sheath. Shelly was just as impatient as I was. She needed no foreplay. She was ready for me and rolled over on top of me, grasping my erection once again. I lay back on the pillow, surprised, but allowing her to take charge. My hands again found her breasts in the darkness, and I resumed kneading and teasing them. Soon, I felt her slowly sink onto my rigid cock and heard her exhale as she took me in completely. She sat motionless for a few moments, apparently adjusting to her capture of me. I could not see her face, but if I had, I guessed it would have been a picture of contentment. Her sighs were my clue. My hands dropped to her hips as I began to move, slowly, in small strokes. I felt her hands move to my shoulders and then felt her slowly lower her body onto me. I rolled her onto her back, remaining inside her. Shelly raised her knees, opening herself completely to me. I lowered my head to her and kissed her, my tongue welcomed by her. I began to lengthen my stroke, moving more forcefully, and I could now feel the arousal in her. It was something strange and new to both of us. "Oh god, Rod. This was what I've been waiting for. This is something I have never shared with anyone ... until now." I was drifting ... drifting on some erotic cloud ... like a drug-induced high. Now I knew as well. Now I understood. She was making my dreams real. I could feel her tears and yet, I didn't care. There was no sorrow in this dream ... only pleasure. I had no conscious recollection of how long we were joined, or how long I floated in that state of euphoria. It didn't matter. It mattered that only that she was with me. It mattered only that I was deep inside her. Not just physically, but emotionally. Shelly erupted in climax and I wondered if anyone had heard her cry of release. Would she have regrets sneaking into my room last night? It was a risk, but one she dared to take. Now, in the dim light of dawn, I lay beside her, watching as she slept, my arm draped over her hips as her chest rose and fell slowly with her even breathing. Would she have second thoughts when she awoke? I hoped not. It had been such a perfect experience. I saw her eyelids flutter, knowing she was beginning to awaken. I was holding my breath in anticipation of her discovery of still being in my bed. Our lovemaking had been long and powerful. When it had ended, three condoms and their wrappers littered the wastebasket beside my night table. She had happily used her oral skills to revive me twice. I was surprised, pleased that she felt no embarrassment. She was prepared to do anything to please me, she said. Anything! I watched silently, holding still as her eyes opened, then closed again, then opened. She saw me, slowly turned toward me, and smiled. I pulled her gently toward me. Shelly happily snuggled closely to me, pulling me tightly to her still naked body. "Good morning," I said softly. "Morning," she smiled. We lay in each other's arms for several minutes, just holding, touching and kissing. I couldn't get over the feeling of relief and happiness that washed over me. We had taken that first step and it had been incredible. I hoped Shelly felt the same, and from her reaction, that seemed to be so. "I'm not going to be very much use today," I grinned. "We didn't get much sleep last night." "I'll be fine," she said. "Better than fine. Last night was wonderful. I can't tell you how good I feel." "Well, before we celebrate, maybe we should figure out a way to get you out of here before we are discovered." "I don't care. I don't care who knows. Nothing can ruin my day," she said, snuggling into me even further. She was right. Nothing could take away the happiness and satisfaction of our first lovemaking. I really didn't care who knew. If we were discovered, so be it. We weren't discovered. We were up before both Mom and Jurgen and Shelly quietly slipped into the bathroom unnoticed. I lay back on the pillows, my hands behind my head, lost in thought. So much had happened in such a short time. Shelly was just what I wanted. A woman that I could love and care for. Love! That word popped up almost by surprise. Was this love? Time would tell. As the days went by, I kept expecting Shelly to slip into my room again, but after almost a week, nothing had happened. I decided to take the bull by the horns. I caught her alone at lunch on Friday and sat down beside her. "I've missed you the last few nights. I haven't been sleeping as well." "Oh ... and I thought you were the one worried about who might discover us," she laughed. "So ... you miss me?" "You know I do. You can't just climb into my bed and then pretend nothing happened." She leaned against me with a big smile and a chuckle. "So, I'm invited again?" "You don't need an invitation. You can come anytime you want to." "You better watch out, Roddy. I'm pretty aggressive when I'm aroused." "Well ... how about this. You come any night you want to until I tell you I need a night off ... OK?" She laughed. "That's a pretty open invitation, Mr. Williams. I might take you up on it." "I told you, you didn't need an invitation. You didn't have one that night." "I know. It's just ... uhmmm ... my time of the month." "Oh ... I'm sorry. I should have guessed." "That's OK. You won't have to wait long," she smiled. True to her word, she slipped quietly into my room and my bed the next night. I was awake, hoping she would appear. I made her welcome in a warm embrace. "I've missed you. You don't know how much I've wanted to make love to you again. That first time was magic. I still remember everything we did ... you did." Connecting Rod Ch. 05-06 "It was great for me too," she murmured into my neck as her hand slipped down to my groin. "Tell me what you want, Shelly." "I want you inside me. I want you to make love to me just like you did the first time. It was perfect." "Any special requests?" Silently, she looked up at me in the darkness. She couldn't bring herself to say the words ... to tell me how she truly felt. Instead, she kissed me, and with a sigh, lay back. As always, my thanks to Erik Thread for his helpful and insightful editing.