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Angels and Guardians Pt. 01

By: photodad



Author's note:

The following story is about an eventful fall that brings a cheerleader from another state to know a very special group of friends. This story is 9 parts storyline, 1 part sex. If you're looking for "Wham Bam" right off, it isn't for you. All characters are aged 18 at the time sex is described. Thank you for reading.

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Chapter 1

Living On a Prayer

"You really need to stop saving my life. You're gonna kill yourself someday." Joe looked at the direction where the voice came from through half-opened eyes. "Wha--?" Ashely flashed a smile and just repeated,"you really need to stop saving my life. It's gonna get you killed." Joe looked around the room, and listened to the various beeps and chatter in the hallway. 

"This looks familiar," he said. 

Ashley couldn't suppress a little giggle. "This is the same room you were in after you caught me two months ago." 

Joe, still more than a little foggy, "oh....yeah." His eyes focused more and he looked at Ashley. "That outfit becomes you." 

She lifted her arms as to somewhat model the gown. "It's kinda mandatory if you stay here."

That got his attention. "You got hurt too? Oh my god, I'm sorry" The last bit was after he readjusted the focus on her face. 

"Joe, it's fine. It's....more than fine actually. What you did saved my life. I'm being discharged tomorrow."

"...What I did?" 

Ashley looked confused, too, but more so at Joe not remembering. "Well, they told me that the truck would have flattened me, had it not been for your quick thinking." Now, Joe remembered. "What made you...how did....why did you do that, you were almost kil..." Ashley stopped mid-word remembering the torturous two weeks after the accident. 

Joe did his best to smile and said, "it would have been a tragedy for the world to lose such a beautiful angel so early."

Ashley fought back tears at this and replied, "well what can I do to repay you?" 

Joe without thinking said, "go forth and be fruitful...er, divide...er, whatever." 

"Multiply?" 

"Yeah, that's it." 

"Seriously, how can I repay you?" 

"You can turn around in that gown for me."

"JOE!!" He didn't see his mom in the corner behind him. "I taught you better manners than that!" 

"Mom, you can spin in a gown beside her." 

Ashley started laughing at this. "Ms. Smith, I think the drugs are still affecting Joe." 

Joe's mom looked at the doorway and addressed the two officers. "Will the meds he is on affect what you need?" 

The captain chuckled, "No, I think they might have loosened up his sense of humor, but that's all. Joe, I'm Captain Daniels, this is Deputy Rogers. We need to ask you a few questions about the accident." 

Joe wrapped his mind around this and asked, "Can't this wait? I'm still really sore....and hungry." 

Daniels shook his head. He said that the investigation has gone on for two weeks, and they needed to wrap it up. Joe was surprised at the mention of two weeks, and his mom told him that he had been in an induced coma for that long.

Joe sighed...his mind wasn't ready for this. But he closed his eyes and forced the gears in motion. "I was coming home from practice. Ashley was two car lengths ahead. Something ahead didn't look right to me. I don't know what, but something wasn't right and it made me scan the road ahead of her. I saw the semi coming the wrong way. Not really being steered....don't know how to describe it, more like the truck wasn't being controlled by a driver. It was kinda meandering towards us. Anyway, it was coming for our lane, Ashley didn't brake, so I knew she didn't see him. I punched the gas to pull beside her. I was gonna try to knock her out of the way, but I guess she finally saw him, as she slowed hard. That made me miss her car, so I hit the brakes, hoping I could be...I don't know a cushion. Swerving into Ashley's lane and hitting the brakes spun my car sideways and next thing I know I see his grill hit the passenger window."

Ashley was standing wide-eyed during this and when Joe finished, she started sobbing and left the room. Joe, confused, looked at the captain and asked "what?" 

Captain Daniels replied, "well that fills in all the holes we didn't know. The truck driver didn't survive. We had suspected he had maybe passed before the accident. If you say the truck seemed to run on it's own, that confirms that he died at the wheel well before the wreck. So, we couldn't get his side. Ashley only remembers that she saw the truck, stomped on the brakes, saw your car appear in front of hers, then airbag to the face. She told us she thought you accidentally spun in front of her, that someone had cut you off." 

Joe's mom stepped in. "She's been denying that it was intentional. Now she knows that you did it on purpose to save her. I'm sure she feels overwhelmed and is thinking about the debt she has to pay you." 

"Mom! That's terrible to say that! She owes me nothing. I didn't think...just did." 

Daniels said, "Well whatever went through your mind, you achieved it. Though, I wouldn't recommend trying that again. You're lucky to be living, let alone awake. And she does owe her life to you. That stunt slowed the collision between her car and the truck enough that all she has are bruises. You on the other hand...took about 1 ½ hours to get you out from between the other two." 

With that, Joe passed out. 

The second half of the night, he slept fitfully. Joe half remembers the nurses coming in every half hour to probe and prod him as they went about their jobs. That morning they removed his catheter and when he rolled over for them to change his bed pan, he saw Ashley sitting there watching. "Oh god! Shouldn't you be in your room?"

Ashley giggled, "I AM in my room. Don't worry, I've watched them change that pan about a hundred times now." The nurse then explained how Ashley threw a tantrum when she was able to move around easier after being admitted, and the only thing to quiet her was to put her in the same room as Joe. 

He didn't believe her until the doctor walked through the door, checked Ashley out and declared her discharged. He turned his attention to Joe and commented on the remarkable progress in his recovery. "I'll keep you here another 48 hours for observation, then you can go home."

After the doctor and nurse left, Joe faced Ashley, a little embarrassed, and asked where their parents were. She told him they had gone to breakfast and would be back any minute. "Well, now that you are released, what are you going to do for entertainment? Now that you won't see the 'bed pan show' anymore."

"Oh please...it's not THAT entertaining! Besides, we still have school, remember? Jill and crew have been bringing me the homework assignments, so I'm still caught up. I'm worried about you, though. Being two weeks out, senior year, that's gonna be tough to make up."

"Well, it'll be okay. It can't be that hard, as it IS the beginning of the school year. You gonna be cheering after school?"

"No, the doctor said I can't cheer for a few more days. Besides, I don't think my bruised face and chest could take all that bouncing." She paused. Then, "I'm coming up here after school to see you."

"Ah, 'and now for the encore'! ha. ha."

"Oh shut up! I told you that wasn't entertaining."

"Well, since you're coming up anyway, could you bring my assignments? I'm not going anywhere."

Ashley lit up and said that she'd be glad to. She got up and got her clothes from her duffel bag. When she started tugging up her gown, Joe stopped her. "What are you doing? I'm still here!"

"Well," she said. "I've seen you, it's only fair you see me, though with the bruising it may not be as pretty."

"That's not possible, I'm sure. You being less pretty, that is."

Ashley blushed at that and resumed tugging, albeit painfully.

"Seriously, Ashley stop."

"Why? You did ask me to turn around for you yesterday."

"I did?"

"Oh wow, you don't remember? Those drugs must be good!"

"Well, I'm sorry for asking that of you, though I wouldn't mind seeing what you have. But, aren't our parents due back soon?"

Ashley pondered this, then grabbed her clothes and changed in the bathroom. As if on cue, both sets of parents walked in as she closed the door.

Joe related what the doctor said about the two of them. Ashley's parents were happy that their daughter was getting ready to go home. Joe's parents were happy that he would be released sooner than anyone hoped. His father remarked that the decision to let him play football was a good one, since a less built person wouldn't have survived. His mother firmly reminded him that if Joe didn't play football, he wouldn't have been at the wreck at all. "All the more reason he's a hero," Ashley's dad quipped.

"He's my guardian," Ashley stated when she emerged from the bathroom, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. "Twice." Joe thought it interesting that she used that word. He called the offensive line his "Guardians."

The room fell silent when everyone remembered a similar conversation in this same room two months ago. Joe was in the same bed for two days after catching Ashley during a failed stunt attempt at practice. Joe was lined up at the QB position, calling an audible when he glanced at the cheerleaders. Something didn't look right to him when Ashley was about to get tossed. He stopped mid play-call and sprinted towards the girls. One of the tossing girls' knees gave out, sending Ashley off-balance into the air. As she plummeted toward the ground headfirst, Joe took two more long, almost superhuman, strides, reached out and caught her shoulders. She landed on her back, instead of her head. The resulting tumble he took strained his shoulder and stomach muscles. Their coaches were not too pleased. With either the failed stunt, or with Joe rushing off mid-practice, ending with their starting quarterback being behind a week of training. But, Ashley and Joe's teammates had a new respect for Joe.

Ashley's mom snapped back to the present, and declared she was tired of the hospital. At this, Joe's parents said they had to get ready for a big day at work tomorrow. While the goodbyes were being said, Ashley pleaded to be able to stay with Joe to keep him company. But she was shot down, her parents insisting she go home to get rest for her return to school tomorrow.

Joe's coach stopped in later that day, providing a welcome break from the lame Sunday broadcast programming. Joe told him that he'd be released in a couple of days, and hopefully conditioning within a week later. He asked how the first two games went. "Well, nobody takes the reins on the field like you do," Coach Mike responded. "We won, but mostly by running." Joe nodded at this, the wheels turning in his head. Coach Mike said that he was thinking the same thing. That if they can run the ball even somewhat successfully, with Joe back passing, it was going be a great year.

They chatted on for about a half hour or so, mostly about the two games that were played while Joe was unconscious. At times, the coach would run by an idea or two for plays, to see if Joe would be comfortable running them. "I can't wait to have you back," Coach said while leaving. "I can't wait to be back, Coach."

The rest of the day and the beginning of the next was an exercise of sheer boredom. The nurses were nice enough, but had the build and resemblance of gorillas. Joe was polite to them as they went about every once in a while changing his IV or helping him to the bathroom. Things looked up quite a bit when a young petite blond came in and announced she was his nurse for the afternoon shift. She was very professional and efficient in her duties, but MUCH better eye entertainment Joe decided. The nurse was cheerful, and always had a pleasant expression. Much like Kim. At that very thought, Joe panicked. Was Kim with him in the crash? No, but where was she? Why hadn't Kim stopped by? You'd think a girlfriend would at least check on him. After chasing these thoughts around his head for a few minutes he finally remembered, with some sadness, the week before the crash. "Damn, I gotta get off these drugs," Joe thought aloud. He reflected about how he and Kim had been dating each other since most of last year. Nothing too serious, but they enjoyed each other's company. Things were going well, and he had started thinking into the future regarding her. Would she go to school near him, would they stay together, did they want to? Then, suddenly last week, no, three weeks ago (stupid coma), Kim broke the news that her dad was getting transferred out of state. "So, we've had fun, but we won't last a long distance thing," she'd said. "I can feel it in my heart." Joe looked inward and agreed. They hung out after school and the last weekend before her family left town. That Sunday they said their goodbyes to each other through slow, memorable sex, hugged, and walked away.

When his nurse came in to check his vitals again, Joe asked that the pain medicine be stopped. She asked if he was sure, because with all the things on his body that got banged, it would be a pretty harsh wake-up call. Joe was sure and he was tired of being in a fog all the time. After a call to his doctor, she came back in and turned off the morphine pump. He thanked her and at Joe's request, she handed him all the cards displayed about the room. He passed the time most of the afternoon reading the well wishes from the school population and his relatives. The ones from close friends were humorous, calling him "pin cushion" and "secondary airbag." From his parents' close friends were thoughts of sincere concern. The acquaintance wishes were generally a standard card with just a signature or maybe a handwritten "get well soon." The two that really surprised him were from the cheerleaders and from Ashley. The squad had chosen a thank you card that originally read "To our Guardian Angel" but they crossed out "Angel" and replaced it with "Hottie." Joe really didn't think of himself as that, especially now being sore and stiff. The handwritten notes from each member of the squad were heartfelt and appreciative of his efforts to save their teammate. They were also peppered with a bit of seduction, promising any "reward" he wanted. Joe chuckled at this. Surely they didn't mean it. The Seniors did, but not the underclassmen. None of them ever showed interest. Still, he passively fantasized about what reward he would take. Ashley also signed it, in different ink. Joe deducted that she must have signed it here in the room after the others delivered it. Her note simply said, "Read my card. Ashley." 

Hers was a plain white card that on the front had the words "Thank You" printed in black calligraphy. The inside was blank of any preprinted material. Ashley's elegant handwriting filled the page instead.

"My dearest Joe,

I've stared at this white page for over an hour now, not knowing what to write. I've finally decided to just start writing, so I apologize if it doesn't make sense. The last week and a half have been hell. They've put me in your room after I insisted, and it's been both a comfort to my physical pain to see you, and agony to watch your incessant ups and downs. I've lost count how many times you stopped breathing, but somehow you so far have always fought back. Today they said they are going to take you out of your coma next week, that the pain should be somewhat bearable by then. When you wake up, I plan on being the first thing you see. I want to offer my unconditional thanks for being at the right place at the right time. Everyone who's been in, rescue workers, police, media, have said that your reaction saved me. I don't know if that's what you intended, but I do know this: You are my Guardian Angel. I will never forget the pain you've endured on my behalf. My life, my love is now yours, forever.

Love,

Ashley"

Joe read the card over and over for the better part of an hour. So much information to process. He almost died? A number of times? The media was here? What the hell? The part that really got his attention was that Ashley wrote the word "love" twice. Ashley is a beautiful girl. Small, barely over 5 feet tall, she is thin, but toned. Her flame red hair long and usually in a pony tail. And, he remembered she looks great in a skirt. But, he didn't want her to "owe" her LOVE to him, just because of this. He made a mental note to be sure she understood this. Just then a huge wave of pain from all parts of his body came crashing over him. Joe wasn't ready for it and passed out.

Somewhere, far away, Joe heard his name. Then he felt the delicate pat on his arm and his name was repeated. He awoke with a start, and nearly sat bolt upright.

"Joe, it's okay. It's just me."

"Oh, hey Ashley." Joe replied, his head clearing. He winced at the pain, but was able to push it to the side of his mind. "How was school?"

Ashley proceeded to tell him about her eventful day. How everyone swarmed her as she entered the senior locker hallway. Every teacher remarked how it was nice she was back. She related how she turned in about ten pounds of homework, but got the feeling it went straight to the trash anyway.  But, for the most part, school was the same. Other than the wreck, the buzz around school was revolving mostly around the upcoming talent show. The teachers even seemed anxious about it this year. Mostly because last year was a huge success, and the staff and participants were wondering how to top it. "And," she said. "EVERYONE asked about you."

Joe grinned at the last part. "Yeah right, I'm sure. They were asking you, a goddess of an angel, about me." 

Ashley gave him a quick light tap on the arm. "Shut up! You're not bad of a looker yourself. You don't give yourself enough credit. YES, everyone asked about you." Joe changed the subject and asked how she got to school. Ashley told him her mom drove her to school, and her dad drove her to the hospital. 

"Where is he?" Joe asked. 

She told him that he dropped her off and would pick her up at the end of visiting hours, 7pm. Her eyes sparkled when she said, "So that gives us about two and a half hours alone." 

"Well, us and the nurse," he corrected just as his nurse walked in. 

"Hmph, I see now why you want to stay here," Ashley said as she gave the nurse a once-over. The nurse giggled and turned her attention to her patient, asking him what he wanted for dinner. Joe placed his order and asked for a guest tray for Ashley. Ashley declined, stating she had enough bedside food to last for a while. When the nurse left, Ashley told Joe that she heard good things about the cafeteria and would eat there when his dinner arrived.

"And now on to business," she announced, pulling a stack of notebooks and textbooks from her book bag. The two had mostly the same classes, just during different periods for most of them. There were two periods that they were in the same class. And two classes on Joe's schedule Ashley had taken the year before. She opted for more electives on senior year. Joe just took whatever the guidance counselor handed him. Ashley gave him the list of assignments that he missed and the schedule that they were due. The faculty decided that he could make up bits at a time, on top of current assignments. Joe had other plans. He asked for his hardest subject, Trig, and Ashley handed him a textbook and his trig notebook. "How did you get my notebook?" Joe asked. She responded, "the janitor let me in your locker to get it. He likes you enough that he said no problem." Joe nodded and looked up his assignment. While he was reading the chapter, Ashley worked on her own homework on a different subject. She would answer an occasional question he had, as it was one of the subjects she took last year.

Dinner arrived and Ashley went down to the cafeteria while Joe ate, watching TV. When she returned, they made small talk about their meals and the sitcom that was playing on the televisions in his room and the cafeteria. Then they hit the books, resuming their previous roles. Before long, the lights in the hallway dimmed and the announcement about visiting hours ending came over the PA. Joe stretched the visiting time by about fifteen minutes, promising Ashley he was almost done with the Trig make-up work. She was surprised, but used the time to finish up the last of her subjects for the night. When he finished, Joe asked her to turn in his assignment. She smiled and said of course. 


Angels and Guardians Pt. 01



"Ashley, thanks for coming by. It was really nice to have a study partner for once. And company." 

Ashley smiled and said it was fun for her too. Well, as much fun as homework can be. "Wait, where's your parents?" She asked. He told her that his parents are very busy with their company and didn't inject themselves very much in his life. He knew they cared, and they were always accessible if he needed or wanted them. But for the most part, they let him be independent. 

All Ashley could think of for a response was "oh." Joe smiled and told her not to worry about it, because he didn't. He reminded her that he should be home tomorrow by the time school let out. She asked if it was ok to come over to his house after school and he readily said it was. He started to give her his address, but she interrupted. "It's in the school phone book, silly." 

They said their goodbyes, just as his night nurse came in to chase Ashley out. "Damn," he thought. "Back to the Attila the Hun crew." 

Chapter 2

The House And Revelations

The next morning, Joe's mom came in his room and asked how he was. "A little sore, but better than the last couple of days," he replied. He was able to manage the pain on his own now, pushing it to a little corner in his mind. Joe also was able to get up and go to the restroom without the aid of the nurses any more. His breakfast came and his mom chatted on about the company while he ate. She and his dad were working to stop a takeover by Greedy Electronics Company, who wanted only to grab the highest profit parts for themselves and sell off the rest. The takeover would result in thousands of lost jobs and end competition in the niche they serviced. Joe absorbed the information like a sponge. He liked the company his father started, but did not want to be the one to continue the "American tradition" of taking it over when his dad retired. His parents got more than a few ideas for products from Joe while he was growing up, starting with electronic toys he'd like, and most recently a teen friendly cell phone. He made an excellent point that the features teens mostly use were typically buried in the menu. They developed a new phone that had a "Pic" button on the keypad, and typing on the mini keyboard would automatically put the phone in texting mode. Several other features made it easy to personalize the phone. Popular addons like skins, different styles of cases and buttons were user interchangeable and made by the company for exact fit. The phone was a big success and part of why his parents' company was doing well recently. 

After breakfast, Joe pulled out his books for Modern American History and resumed his assignments. His mom passed the time watching the morning talk shows. He was over half way done when the doctor finally showed just before lunch. He was given a thorough exam and the doctor declared him ready for discharge. He said that Joe could start getting ready for football when he felt like it, but warned him sternly to judge for himself what was too much. "So I'm released to play?" Joe asked. The doctor laughed. "You're not ready to play tonight! You can start conditioning at a sensible pace, but I won't release you until your follow up appointment the following Thursday." Joe did a mental status check of his body, realized the doctor was right and nodded. "Thanks Doctor for working so hard to get Joe back to the living," his mom said. His doctor said it was his job, and scolded Joe telling him not to try saving pretty girls for a while. "The only things that kept you from dying was the good karma of your intentions and God, Joe. Don't tempt the Reaper again." Joe sheepishly said his thanks and the doctor left his room.

His mom called his dad and briefed him on what the doctor said. After expressing relief, his dad relayed to her events regarding the takeover bid and other developments with the company. Joe passed the time finishing his history assignments. The same nurse from yesterday popped in and informed them that Joe would be released soon, and a porter from Hospital Transportation would be up in about a half hour. Joe packed away his books, took his duffel bag to the bathroom and got ready to go home. His mom went downstairs to move the car around to the entrance. The porter came with another helper and they packed the cards and flowers into boxes. Joe took his assumed seat in the wheel chair and the three met his mom at the entrance.

Or rather, met his mom and four media crews. As Joe got up to walk to the car, the reporters started shouting questions at him. He put his hands up and they hushed, thrusting their microphones in his face. He looked at each camera in turn and said, "well thank you for the surprise send-off." The gathering chuckled. "Seriously, though thanks to those who gave me such nice well wishes. I'm just glad that I am able to walk away from this facility. The doctors and staff have my warmest thanks and respect." With that he got in the car and closed the door. His mother took the cue, got in herself and drove away, leaving the reporters to shout questions at the trunk. He asked his mom what had happened to his bags and flowers. She told him that while he was busy with the reporters, they loaded the car. Apparently, being the best trauma center in the South, the hospital staff is used to such exits with patients who are in the limelight. A 5 year old shark attack victim was one of the more recent national news stories for them.

They got home, and Joe headed upstairs to his room. A landscape maintenance worker who was mowing the lawn helped his mom get the things inside. After a quick nap, Joe went downstairs to find a note from his mom telling him that she and his dad would be working late. "Back to the old routine, I guess," Joe thought. He made a sandwich, grabbed his books and sat down at the breakfast table. A familiar setting as that was where he usually did his homework. As he ate, he started reading the chapters required for his English Literature assignments.

Ashley's dad pulled onto the street she directed him. "Whoa," he said. "You know how to pick them." 

"It's not like that, Dad." 

He smiled a bit and said "I know I know. But, judging by these estates, it wouldn't be so bad if it were." They were only about 5 minutes from their house, but the residences on this street were definitely a few pay-grades higher than they were used to seeing. The houses were set far back from the street, and much farther apart. None were smaller than two stories. Old oak trees with Spanish moss dripping from limbs shaded the yards and street. Most driveways had iron gates guarding access. They came up to Joe's house number and found it was also guarded by a closed gate.

Joe was startled by the phone ringing the short staccato of the gate intercom. He picked up the receiver and asked "hello?" He heard Ashley's voice yelling across her dad that it was her. Joe had to hold the phone away for a second. "Hey Ashley, I can hear you fine, the microphone works unlike at Mickey D's drive through. One second." With that he punched a code into the phone and the gate opened. His house looked somewhat different from the others, newer and more modern. About half way to the house, the driveway was paved in brick instead of the concrete near the street. The landscaping was impeccable and very well planned. It was clear Joe's parents were not in the "needy" bracket.

He was standing on the porch when they pulled up. Ashley was the first out of the car and ran up the five steps to hug Joe. He hugged her back then said hello to her dad, who was carrying Ashley's book bag. He returned the greeting, then said to Ashley, "Here's your bag. To study. That's why you're here, right?" 

She rolled her eyes with a "yes Daddy." Joe invited him in, but while tempted to see the house, Ashley's dad begged off saying that he needed to get the oil changed and do some shopping for the yard. He told her that he'd be back about 7 to pick her up. She asked if he could make it 8 and he agreed, said good bye to them both and left. 

"Shall we go inside?" Joe asked.

He opened the door and Ashley entered the foyer. She gasped as she crossed the threshold. It was beautiful. Marble on the floor, an iron candelabra chandelier hung from the high ceiling, and tasteful artwork on the walls. "This is like the homes I see in the movies," she remarked. Joe just smiled and asked if she wanted to see the rest of the house. Ashley agreed readily. He showed her the receiving room with its plush carpet and sofas. The living room which featured a concert grand piano. The game room complete with pool table, wall-mounted TV's, and wet bar, and the den at the back of the house. The den was her favorite room. It had a projector aimed at a wall where a television would normally be, four leather sofas placed in a "U" shape facing the wall. The opposite wall sported a large modern cabinet that housed the audio system, the players for the video unit, and all three of the latest game consoles. On the sides were shelves lined with books near the top, and DVDs, CDs, and games were on the bottom half. The real spotlight of the room was the floor to ceiling sliding glass doors that looked out to the pool. The pool area could qualify to be placed at a resort. The deck was paved with flag stone with raised plant beds surrounding the screened in area. An outdoor kitchen and living room were set up under an expansive overhang from the second floor balcony. 

"This is wonderful," she sighed. "But this house looks newer than the others here?" 

Joe replied, "It is. By about 25 years." He explained how his parents bought the property after the previous owners lost their house in a fire. His dad employed an architect, told him what he wanted, and they came up with this house. It was built for entertaining highly prized electronics recruits, reward parties for managers and departments who met their goals, and for wooing prospective clients that the company would contract for. As they headed upstairs, Ashley suggested that they must have a staff live on site. Joe laughed and told her the upkeep wasn't as bad as it seemed. Yes, they hire a landscaper to maintain the outside, and a maid comes in twice a week to do a once-over. Other than that, they kept it up themselves. Joe half jokingly said, "On Saturdays you'll find me pushing a vacuum downstairs and on Sundays I'm pushing it around upstairs." He showed her each of the bedrooms and the three baths upstairs. After seeing his room, which could qualify as a respectable master bedroom in most houses, Ashley asked why there were five, when it was only him and his parents. He explained that the master suite was his parents', of course. Two were for guests. One was for him, complete with a shared bath. And the last was meant for his sister.

Ashley raised her eyebrows at this. "Your sister?" 

"Ah yes, not many know about my sister. I was 10 and she was 7 when this house was being built. She was supposed to have the room next to mine, sharing the bath." He dropped his head. "Unfortunately, before we could move in, she suffered a severe asthma attack and passed away. Now the room is used only if one of my Angels needs it." They had made their way downstairs again. Through the sizable dining room, past the guest water closet, and into the kitchen that a modern chef would love. She had heard rumors about the Angels, but wanted to hear the story from Joe himself. As they each took a stool at the breakfast bar, she asked about them. "Well, you asked how you can repay me at the hospital," Joe started. "I'll only ask two things of you. The first is bringing my homework while I'm out of school. The second is that you never breathe a word of this to anyone. The secrecy is what makes this work. It's what makes them feel safe. Can I trust you on this?" Ashley agreed, not sure if these "Angels" were imaginary friends, a club, or what.

And so, Joe related the story behind the rumors. About 5 years ago, he met a pair of girls who hung out with each other. They would get along with other people, but never seemed to let many be close. He had struck up a conversation with them at lunch one day and quickly they became friends. Joe noticed when they were talking if the subject turned toward families, both of the girls would get edgy. It turns out that both had rough family lives and were uneasy talking about it. That's when he made his first offer. He looked both of them deeply in the eye and said, "If you ever need to get away, even for just a few hours, or you need a place to stay, call me. I'll work it out to get you, no matter where. There will be no questions asked." At the time, the girls were skeptical. But one night, one of them called him asking if she could stay with him. So he called one of the company's chauffeurs, and they went to pick her up. They got to her house and could hear her parents yelling and things being broken. She appeared out of her window, ran to the car and got in. They drove back to his house, and Joe thanked the driver, who replied "anytime." He asked Joe if he would be needed in the morning, and Joe asked him to return about 9. They went inside and Joe showed her to the room next to his. She gave him a tight hug and said goodnight. The next morning, Joe's parents were surprised at the unexpected guest, but Joe brushed them off saying only "she needed a break." His mom made breakfast for the two and left just as the chauffeur arrived. After breakfast, they returned to the girl's house and Joe walked her to the door. Her dad started yelling at the two, but Joe simply handed him a note, turned around and got back in the car. The note read:

"Please do not worry about your daughter. She was at my parents' house. Do not ask any questions, as we did not ask why she needed a break. Just know that she was safe.

Thanks,

Joe"

Her dad seemed to soften and went back inside. A few weeks later the other girl called him asking for help and the operation was repeated. Whenever either one needed a safe place, they could just call Joe. The next year he befriended three more girls from some youth rally, and he made the same offer to them. The year after he added one more. The six girls became nearly inseparable, held together by the common bond that was Joe. Because all were attractive and well mannered at the house, his mom began to call them his "Angels". 

"So there's six?" Ashley asked. 

"Yes, but one has moved away," he responded. 

A light went on in Ashley's head. "Kim?" 

After Joe nodded, she asked who the other five were. He said, "Remember, you are not to tell anyone." 

"I won't. Who are the other five?" she repeated. 

"Jill, Allison, Sally, Marybeth, and Jasmine. I think you know them well." She sure did. Aside from her, they were all the seniors on the cheerleader squad. She felt a twinge of jealousy and wondered for a second why she was excluded. "Because, you didn't need it." Joe had read her face. "They needed the escape from time to time. Besides, I only met you at the end of last year when you transferred in."

"But now that you know," he continued. "I am offering you the same thing. If you ever need anything at all, give me a call and I'll try my best to work it out." 

She asked, "anything?" Joe nodded. "How many of them have you slept with?" 

"Ahh...how many guys have YOU slept with?"

Ashley quietly answered, "Two, but sorry I asked." 

"Well, that's how this works, if you don't ask me sensitive questions, I won't ask you the same first. If you need to know, I've only slept with Kim." 

How he emphasized "slept" got Ashley's wheels turning. "I had no idea about...this (she motioned about the house) or you." 

Joe gave a little smile. "I can tell in your eyes that you still don't. But that's ok. You'll find out more as time goes on, I'm sure." He then changed the subject by leading her to the breakfast nook and suggesting they get to work.

Just as she started feeling hungry, Joe asked her if she wanted dinner and she said yes, a little more quickly than she meant to. He smiled knowingly, got up, and proceeded to pull out what he needed. Ashley was expecting him to grab some leftovers or sandwiches, but instead Joe was pulling out raw meat, vegetables, pots and pans. "Joe, maybe we should order pizza. You just got out of the hospital." 

"Nah, I'm fine," he said. "I'm a bit stiff and sore, but I need to start moving around more. Besides, this is more fun." Ashley shook her head at the latest surprise. Not many guys consider cooking fun. He asked how school was and she started chatting about her day while he moved about the kitchen. It wasn't long before she heard the side door open. "Why don't you see who it is?" Joe asked her, and Ashley made her way to the entrance. Joe smiled to himself as he knew who was there. Next he heard happy shrieking and excited chatter from the next room.

Ashley couldn't believe it. All her friends were there, and she saw them in a slightly different light based on the story Joe told her this afternoon. Each dressed in the team's workout gear. She hugged them all and received a peck on the cheek from Jill. "Welcome to the group," Jill said to Ashley. 

"How did you kn--" Ashley started. 

"Anyone who Joe invites here is part of the group," Jill replied. 

Ashley was befuddled. "I had no idea...about any of this." 

Jasmine sternly looked at Ashley and said, "And that's the way it stays." Ashley understood and nodded. The girls pranced off to the kitchen. Each gave Joe a hug and kiss accompanied with a "hi" or "we missed you." He replied that he missed them too and that dinner would be ready soon. With that the five grabbed their bags and rushed off to the showers upstairs. 

Joe dismissed Ashley's questioning look, telling her "oh they stop by once or twice a week for dinner." She took the utensils and set the dining room table.

The rest of the girls came downstairs after their showers, truly looking like angels. Most of them wore short summer dresses, while Allison wore a short jeanskirt ensemble. Ashley stated she felt under-dressed. "Nonsense," declared Sally. "You are never under-dressed. Right, Joe?" Joe only nodded. 

Jill answered for him. "The only rule here is what happens at this house stays in this house." Ashley was starting to get an idea where the seductive comments written in Joe's get well card came from. Joe announced that dinner was ready and each of the girls grabbed a plate and helped themselves while Joe went to the dining room and sat down. Jasmine made a plate for him and set it before him, then returned to the kitchen for her own. Ashley appeared and asked where she was to sit, and Joe told her to pick a seat, none were assigned. They all waited for Jasmine to come back with her food, said Grace, and dug in. Very soon, they fell into easy conversation. Subjects ranged from the football team's unexpected success without Joe, to school, to boyfriends. Ashley was notably quiet about her own boyfriend, Brian during the last part. The others picked up on it, but didn't press the matter, following Joe's "no questions asked" theme set years ago. They knew from personal experience that if she needed to talk about something, she needed to be the one to approach the subject.

As they were finishing the meal, Ashley commented that it was better than what was served at local restaurants. "It's one of the perks here," Marybeth said. 

She asked where he learned to cook like that. The other five said in unison, "A little TV, some reading, and a lot of love." This set off a bunch of laughter. 

"Well, it's true," Joe said red-faced. 

Ashley started to get up with her plate when Marybeth gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll take care of it tonight." 

With that Jasmine, Marybeth, and Allison got up and started clearing the table. Joe led the rest to the den where he and Ashley sat and looked out to the pool. Jill and Sally ducked through the sliding doors outside. Ashley gasped as she watched the two pull out a cigarette and light up. "I didn't know they smoked." 




Angels and Guardians Pt. 01



Joe responded, "Yeah, I wish they wouldn't, but they are 18 and it is their life. Now that the girls have accepted you into their group, you'll find out more about them than friends normally do. It doesn't change who they are, but it may change your perception of them. It is important to both them and me that the image you initially held of them be supported by you. They will do the same for you. All secrets are upheld here, and it's the reason their friendship is so strong." Ashley didn't know how, but she understood. They sat quietly for a few minutes, watching Jill and Sally chat and finish their smoke. They disposed of their butts and came back in. Jill offered a ride home to Ashley. She called her dad on her cell phone and got his permission. Jill and Sally went to the kitchen to help finish cleaning up, while Ashley and Joe went to the breakfast nook to pack up. Joe gave her the two subjects he finished that day. Ashley commented that his teachers were impressed at the speed he was finishing them. Joe replied that he had nothing else to do and should be able to finish the last two subjects tomorrow. "So, we can work on current assignments tomorrow night."

The girls were finished in the kitchen and retrieved their bags from upstairs. Joe said goodbye to them all and received a hug and peck from each. They piled into Jill's SUV and he waved as they disappeared down the driveway.

Chapter 3

Mall Brats

Jill dropped off the other four and pulled up to Ashley's house. "This is nice," she said. 

"Thanks, my dad works hard on the lawn" Ashley replied. 

"It shows." Jill paused, then, "there's something I want to give you. I wanted to give it to you since the first day we met you at lunch, but Joe said no. He wanted to get to know you better before you got this." At that she handed Ashley a small jewelry box. Ashley opened it and found a necklace identical to Jill's. Thinking back, she noted it was identical to all the other six "Angels". Hanging from a well crafted gold chain was a rectangular pendant with black opal set into it. At the top of the pendant was a single diamond. Ashley was stunned and started to hand it back. Jill stopped her. "It's yours. The jewelry is expensive, but the most valuable part is on the back side." Ashley flipped it around and saw her name engraved. On closer look, there appeared to be a tiny lever. She pushed it and out sprang the teeth of a key. Jill continued, "that key will open Joe's house. You may use it whenever you wish. No call in advance, nor reservations are necessary." She handed Ashley a business card with two sets of 4 digit numbers. "The first code controls the gate, the second works on the alarm. I suggest you memorize them and then burn the card as soon as you can. A lot of folks in the town would love to get their hands on the treasures in that house." Ashley promised she would do that tonight. Jill gave her a hug, then drove away. 

Ashley went inside and faced a barrage of questions from her parents. What was the house like? What did you do there? Did you have dinner? She answered most of them, but left her friends out of the story completely. She told them that she was heading to bed, but her mom stopped her, saying she needed to finish her homework. Ashley knew there was no point in arguing. Her parents subscribed to the practice of "trust, but verify." So, she took out the assignment notebook, opened it to today's list. Then took out the three notebooks she worked in at Joe's. She opened each to tonights assignments, laid them on the counter, and went to her room, leaving her parents to flip through her homework.

Pulling the chain out of the box, Ashley turned it in her fingers and marveled at its creator's craftsmanship. It was a well made piece of jewelry, everything secured tight, even the hidden key did not have any play at the tiny hinge. Looking into the opal, she noticed more engraving barely visible through the dark stone. If she looked hard enough, Ashley could make out her name at the top. Under her name in smaller font were the names of the other six in the group. She put the necklace on and found the chain to fall perfectly about her neck. It was a short chain, almost a choker style, with the pendant resting lightly at the base of her throat. She realized that the others' necklaces were worn in identical fashion. It was the perfect length for their active lifestyles. They could wear it to bed, or while cheering and not worry about the chain getting tangled in clothing or their hair. Ashley smiled to herself in the mirror. What a gift, where no detail was forgotten! It was then she realized that there was a message in that point. The necklace itself said none who wore one would ever be forgotten. Pulling out the business card, she memorized the numbers. Ashley folded the card and placed it on a saucer like a tent. She opened her window, propped the screen away, and lit the card while holding the saucer outside as promised. When it finished burning, she scattered the ashes by blowing gently over them. Ashley put the window back, undressed, put on an over-sized t-shirt, and went to bed catching one more glance in the mirror of the gift. "It really is perfect," she thought as she drifted off.

Her two friends Jill and Sally were standing by the pool, having another cigarette. Ashley just couldn't get over how she didn't know. The same two who launch her into the air during competitions, the same two who invited her to their 18th birthday parties over the summer. And yet, she never knew they smoked. What would drive them to try such a dirty addiction? When did they start? Any of the others smoke? All these questions and feelings of disdain, but Ashley also knew that there are far worse habits out there they could be hooked on. Jill turned to her, reading her mind and said, "Don't worry little one. You will find out all the answers you seek over time. But right now, you must wake up." 

"Wake up? I don't understand." 

Sally turned and screamed, "Wake up you little bitch! You're gonna be late for school!!"

Ashley bolted upright in her bed, her dad yelling from downstairs that she better be down in 5 minutes or she was walking to school. She realized she had forgotten to set the alarm. 5 minutes? She could barely get dressed properly in that time. Her dad burst through the door, and saw she was still sitting in bed. He yelled at her, the worst she's heard from him in a while. He was cussing that she was making him late for work, and before long he lost his patience and decided to leave without her. She picked up her cell phone after he left and was scrolling the phone list to see if someone could pick her up. Tears prevented her from seeing the screen, when suddenly it rang. She answered with a sniff, "hello?" 

Jill was on the other end, "Hey, it's me, we're running a bit late." 

"Oh my God, could you pick me up? My dad left without me," was all Ashley could muster. 

Jill heard the panic and answered simply, "leave the door unlocked, we'll be there in two."

Ashley snapped her phone closed and unlocked the front door. She went upstairs and jumped in the shower. Jill, Jasmine, and Sally got to her house and entered. Jasmine looked around the room and said, "She's not even packed." She pointed at the counter where Ashley's books were laid out. Without another word, the girls split up. Jasmine collected her books and packed Ashley's backpack. Sally and Jill ran upstairs to Ashley's room. Jill picked out an outfit and headed for the bathroom where Ashley was. Sally found Ashley's gym bag and packed it for practice. In the bathroom, Jill saw Ashley standing behind the shower doors with the water running. Ashley jumped at the sound of her name. She turned to see there was Jill holding a towel for her. She turned off the water, and stepped out. Jill wrapped the towel around her and started brushing her hair. Ashley was whimpering, still shaken by how angry her dad was. She started babbling to Jill about how she over slept, her dad just yelled at her, she's not ready, etc. Jill just continued working with Ashley's hair, then helped her into her clothes. She turned Ashley by the shoulders toward the mirror. "What do you mean you're not ready?" 

Ashley looked up and saw she was dressed, even her red hair pulled back in a perfect, albeit soggy, pony tail. She protested, saying that her books weren't even packed. Sally came in and said all was done. Bewildered, Ashley let herself be led to the SUV while Jill locked the house behind her. Ashley buckled in and saw her bags on top of the others in the back. Jasmine was already riding "shotgun." When Jill started the SUV, Ashley blurted out "How did you do that?" 

Jasmine turned around with a smile and said, "relax, Cutie. We've all had our moments. We just do what we can to pick up each other's pieces." 

"Well, thank you all so much for..." Ashley started, but Sally cut her off. 

"Ah ah ah...no thanks allowed. Just accept the help and make sure you return the favor if it's needed. Joe's Rules." Ashley was puzzled, but decided to keep quiet the rest of the way to school.

Jill whipped into one of the reserved senior spaces at the front of the school. They all piled out, grabbed their bags and headed in. Jill walked up next to Ashley and said quietly, "don't worry about your dad. You over-slept, no big deal. He'll pick you up from practice today as usual, just you see." 

"Oh damn," Ashley said as she slid her phone out of her back pocket and texted her dad to tell him about practice. "I'm such a scatter-brain" she thought to herself. The four entered the hallway and split up toward their classes just as the first bell rang.

At lunch the group met up at the familiar table. "Aww, she's wearing it!" quipped Allison. Ashley quickly turned red, but then realized that they all were wearing their pendant. 

"So, I have y'alls names on mine, but y'all don't have mine on yours." The girls giggled. Ashley looked perplexed. 

Allison explained, "the week before your wreck, didn't you notice we weren't wearing them? Joe took them to his jeweler." She showed Ashley and sure enough, her name was listed at the bottom. The girls then started chatting about plans for Homecoming the following Friday and the dance on Saturday. Jill noticed that Ashley wasn't as involved as she normally would be.

After classes were over, the six seniors met the seven underclassmen on the field for practice. "Ahh, Ashley joins the Land of the Living!" the coach announced as they walked up. Ashley grinned and handed the coach her paper from the hospital, releasing her for practice starting today. Through the drills, and some tumbling exercises, she felt a twinge here and there, but it was good to get back to some normalcy. They practiced some vertical formations, but the coach left out the aerials for today. She told Ashley that there's plenty of games left to ease back into them, and she didn't want to push her luck on Ashley's still-healing body.

Two hours later, when practice ended, Jill leaned down and whispered in Ashley's ear. Ashley looked up and saw her dad standing near the ticket gate at the end of the field. He nodded when he caught her eye. She gathered her things, said goodbye to her teammates, and hurriedly covered the distance to her dad. Tears were in her eyes as she approached. He took her book bag from her and slung it over his shoulder. She wrapped him in a bear hug as he did so. "I'm so sorry for making you late, Daddy."  

He told her not to fret. He was sorry that he snapped this morning. "You over-slept, that's all. I just had Male-PMS. I can't explain why I got so mad. Where did that come from?" He referred to the necklace. She told him that Jill gave it to her for being on the squad. He noted that not all the cheerleaders had one, and she told him that it was only for the seniors. "Well, it looks expensive. I wouldn't lose it if I were you," he said. She thought to herself that it would have to be ripped from her lifeless body before she'd ever part with it.

When they pulled up to Joe's gate, Ashley leaned over her father to punch in the gate code. He looked at her when it opened, and she told him that Joe gave it to her before she left yesterday. He looked at her more intently. Ashley rolled her eyes. "So I can let myself in the rest of the week...to help him STUDY?" Her dad finally laughed, pleased he could still rile her up. "Daddy, you're impossible," she smirked. 

"I'll pick you up at 8, unless you text me otherwise." Ashley nodded, grabbed her books, and bounded up the steps.

The front door was unlocked, and she heard beautiful piano music as she walked in. Looking to her left, she saw Joe's mom sitting on the living room sofa, just listening. Behind the piano was Joe, playing. "What else does he do?" she wondered. The piece he was playing was a familiar Broadway tune, and she couldn't help but start singing the refrain. One song flowed into another, and Joe's mom was treated to an impromptu concert. When Joe stopped playing, his mom snapped out of her daydream and asked Ashley if she had dinner. When Ashley shook her head, Mrs. Smith went to the kitchen to make something. Joe asked Ashley if there were any more assignments, as he had finished all the make-up work. She said no, that tomorrow was quiz day for her classes. "Well, then. Teach me the parts you are unsure of. It'll help you for your quizzes, and help me stay caught up." They sat next to each other on the sofa, and Ashley presented what was taught so far that week the best she could. Joe would ask questions once in a while, so that he could understand it from the angles he was comfortable learning from. Most of his questions would cause Ashley to stop and think of another way to explain the subject. She wasn't aware of what was happening until just before Joe's mom announced dinner was ready. His dad had arrived at some point and joined them at the table. After dinner, Joe's parents retired to their bedroom. As Ashley was clearing the table, she asked "Isn't it a bit early for bed?" 

Joe told her that his parents didn't get home last night until about midnight. Besides, they usually watch TV in their room anyway. After she and Joe cleaned up after dinner, Ashley told him that her dad wouldn't be there to pick her up for another hour and a half. "Well, let's go for a walk," he said. "I need to start conditioning anyway."

He led her through the pool area and out the screen door on the side. They rounded a raised bed and looked out toward the back yard. Well, more like a park, Ashley thought. She didn't see this yesterday. The back part of the property was maybe "only" two acres, but all the stone and brick paths winding through so many gardens, it seemed much bigger. Joe told her that during larger parties, small groups or even couples would wander down here just to break out of the crowd for a bit. As they started to navigate the paths, Ashley's mind turned toward their study session tonight. She asked Joe if he was asking those questions to get her to think, or did he normally study that way. "Well, if you must know, I cheat at schoolwork." Ashley raised her eyebrows. "No, no, not cheat cheat. What I mean to say is I only pay attention to what will get me the grade I need. For instance, in most subjects if I can remember or know the 'why' behind the question or situation, I can reason out the 'how' or relate the 'what'. Does that make sense?" 

"Kind of." 

"Okay, here's a simplified example. Let's say a question asked who fought a war for independence that was touched off by a rebellion over taxes? My way of studying would have looked at the stamp acts and Boston Tea Party for that chapter. I don't have to memorize who's involved. I'm interested in the 'why'; reading about the 'who' and 'when' is just part of the 'story'. So, knowing the 'why' brings me to the correct answer of Britain and the American Colonies. For extra credit, I could name the rebellion as being The Boston Tea Party. Does that make better sense?" Actually for Ashley, it was bright as day now. She could see the angle Joe approached things. And, coupled with the study session earlier, his method made perfect sense. 

"Yes," she said. "Is that how you study music?" 

Joe stopped in his tracks. "Damn, I just KNEW that was gonna come up." 

Ashley looked up at him. "Seriously, Joe, how long did you take lessons?" 

Joe sighed. "10 years for piano, 6 for voice, 8 on violin, and guitar and cello were self-taught. Most of the lessons were taken one after another three times a week until Freshman year. What about you? That's a very well trained voice you have." 

Ashley thanked him and told him she took voice and violin for 6 years, guitar was also self-taught. Then she said that the school invited her to be in the talent show. 

"Congratulations! That's a big deal at our school." 

Ashley nodded. "Yeah, I'm reminded of that every period. I'm getting nervous." 

"Well, you shouldn't. You have an awesome voice!" 

She thanked him for the compliment. Suddenly she had an idea. "Would you play for me?" She asked. 

"Sure, I just did tonight," Joe answered, not seeing where she was heading. 

"No, I mean for the show on Saturday. I know I don't need to ask any more favors of you, but it would really help me out. Besides, the school would be thrilled to see you again." He reluctantly agreed and asked what she was singing. He raised his eyebrows when she told him it was "Uninvited." Ashley rushed, "I can bring you the music tomorrow morning on my way to school. Unless you don't think you can learn it in time." 

Joe told her not to worry, he could play it on sight, and he knew how the song went anyway. "But it's an interesting choice. A message to someone, maybe?" Ashley didn't answer. She did ask why he was playing when she arrived. "Mom saw I was done with my homework and decided to keep my mind sharp by making me play." 

"Well," Ashley said. "You seemed to be enjoying it, that's all." 

He answered, "I usually don't, but it was ok tonight." Her dad was at the gate when they got back inside, and Joe punched the code on the phone to let him in. Ashley left and Joe sat down at the piano and played his accompaniment to Alanis Morrisette on his MP3 player over and over well into the early morning.

The next day Joe woke about noon, ate lunch and decided to 'test the waters'. He jogged down the driveway, did a mental check of his body, decided it felt good, and continued on down the street. He found himself running his circuit around his neighborhood. Not with great times, but never slowing more than a light jog. He was surprised when he returned home that nothing hurt. "I'll take it" he thought.

He emerged from his room after a shower and change of clothes to find all the girls waiting for him in the den. "Y'all are here early," he said as he greeted the six friends with a hug. 

"Early? It's four o' clock!" quipped the blond Jill. 

"Oh, right. I got a late start today," he said. "So, what are you doing here?" 

Ashley answered saying, "We thought it would be nice to cheer you up!" The girls laughed at the intended pun. Jill announced that they were taking him out. He glanced around and noted that the girls were very much dressed to impress. He turned to go back upstairs. 

"Where are you going?" asked Marybeth. 

"To get changed, I look like the yard boy compared to y'all," Joe said flatly. He was dressed in jeans and a casual long sleeve button up shirt. 

"Uh uh, you're perfect for what we want," interrupted Sally. "Come on, let's go!"

They clamored into the plush SUV, with Jill driving and Joe riding shotgun. "We just can't thank you enough for the car, Joe," Sally gushed from the back as Jill pulled through the gate. "It's come in handy so many times." 

Joe grinned saying, "What did I say about thanking me?" 




Angels and Guardians Pt. 02



Author's Note: Second set of chapters, best if read after Part I

***

Chapter 5

Away Game

Jill drove around to drop off Sally, Allison, and Marybeth. The car was silent, save Ashley's occasional sniffle. She had tried at first to stoically hide her pain, emotional and physical. But, her damaged face started to smart and welt up and the embarrassment of her poor judgment of the asshole won out. Tears spilled off her face. At each house, the departing girl would give Ashley a sad, loving embrace and a kiss on her good cheek. Jasmine sat next to her, holding Ashley and gently wiping her tears the whole way to Joe's house. Ashley looked up as they entered Joe's gate. "You're not taking me home?" No one answered. So, she asked another question, "What are we going to tell your parents, Joe?" 

He answered this time. "They're in Denver tonight, finalizing something."

The four entered the house. Jill went straight for the kitchen to grab an ice pack, while Jasmine led Ashley to the den. Joe went to the living room, and when the others were out of earshot, he used his cell phone to place a call.

When he entered the den, Ashley was sitting on a couch with Jill and Jasmine fussing over her swollen cheek. When Jill was satisfied the ice pack was being held correctly by Jasmine, she sat back and started speaking softly. "Ashley, I've seen this before with my mom, so I knew something was up with you." Ashley looked over at her questioningly. Jill went on, "You started to talk about Bill less and less. Anytime we'd all talk at lunch about dates and boyfriends, you wouldn't say much. I know I said earlier that we could talk about it later alone. But, I think we need to talk about it. Here. Now."

Ashley looked around at the three concerned friends and blew out a relieved sob. She was in better hands now, and she somehow knew it. "I am so so so sorry guys."

"For what?" asked Joe. "You did nothing wrong."

Ashley looked at him, pleading with her eyes to just let her talk. Jill placed her hand on Joe's knee as he sat next to her on the other couch, making eye contact. He understood Jill's nonverbal command to him and he decided to just keep quiet, for now.

She sighed heavily, steeling herself to continue. "I'm so sorry. For ruining your plans tonight. For yelling at you at the mall. For... ow... setting off that jerk." She turned to Jasmine. "For being that way in the club." Jasmine flushed but said nothing. "None, absolutely NONE of that is normally me. At all! I can't explain why any of it happened. I don't know what's gotten into me, and it scares me shitless!" She began to sob in earnest now, and Jasmine held her tighter. Joe got up and fixed a glass of water from the bar in the next room. She gave a slight smile when he handed it to her.

Jill took advantage of the pause while Ashley drank, painfully, from the glass. "Look, Ashley like I said, I've seen this before my mom finally divorced my dad. That relationship between them is what brought me to Joe in the first place."

Ashley said, "Yeah, I've been piecing that together from what Joe and Jasmine have told me so far."

Jill nodded. "Good, so you can understand why I am saying this: What the hell were you doing with him, anyway? An abusive relationship will get you no where but the ground faster than God intended."

Ashley flinched from the sharpness of Jill's tone, but correctly took it as tough love. She took a breath and related her failed love story.

Ashley's dad got transferred to the area last fall. He had begged his C.O. to find a way to put off the move until Ashley graduated in two years. The C.O. put in the required paperwork and his personal recommendation for her dad to stay in California two more years. But, the military's "needs" come first and as such, they rejected the request. The length of time for the request decision made for a very short notice on the final move. Her parents wanted her to attend the Catholic high school she now attended, as they had bad experiences with the public schools in California. But, they did not have time to enroll her that year. So, she went to the school near her house last year. She excelled at gymnastics and was just as good at cheering stunts, so of course she tried for and was accepted on their cheer team. As things naturally and seemingly cliché go, the football players would hang around and flirt with the cheerleaders. That's where she met Bill, their star linebacker. She didn't know anyone else locally, and they hit it off reasonably well, so she accepted a date with him. He was well mannered on the date, and charming enough for her to agree to a second date. Before long, they were going "steady." Early on, only one thing bugged her about his personality, and that was he would talk incessantly about his on-field performance. She had dismissed it as it was football season, and that he was excited about playing.

She transferred to her current school after Christmas break. Ashley didn't see him every day, all day anymore and so got a chance to kind of look at him from far away, so to speak. She noticed that he was a bit controlling, and still related every situation to football. But, hearts tend to overrule the mind and she held an emotional attachment to him. One night during spring break, they were fooling around and he started talking about sex. The talking led to asking, which led to him begging for it. She was randy enough at that point to agree. She was and still is on "the pill," but smartly required that he wore a rubber. That was pretty much the end of the conversation at that point. He ram rodded through the act. When he was done, they got dressed, and he took her home.

Ashley shivered at the thought, but continued. Bill began to request sex more and more until it was nearly every time she saw him. She never said no, but it had crossed her mind. Her time spent with him even without sex was declining in happiness. He never had anything new to say without mentioning his team or football in general. One night he asked to get physical and came at her with his member being naked. She declined, saying she wouldn't until he put a condom on. Bill replied that he didn't have one, but that it would be okay "just this once" to go without and proceeded to pull at her panties. She pushed him away, saying no and just like that he slapped her. Hard. He of course called her a tease and generally made her feel like scum before pulling up his pants and taking her straight home. After that episode, starting with the beginning of summer, they would spend the day together. At night, he would just reach to her and start either pulling up her top or pulling at her pants. She'd let him do it, because she justified things as at least he has protection on. Before the end of summer, he would start their dates going for a quickie. They would go do whatever, then before going home, he'd want another and would just take it from her. No asking, no foreplay, would just pull her clothes off, put one on, and proceed to get himself off in her.

She approached him once about him trying to give her some pleasure, too. It touched off an argument that ended with him using her body as a punching bag, so it wouldn't show. Jasmine asked if that was why Ashley didn't show at her birthday party at the end of the summer. Ashley nodded and told her she barely moved the next two days. She went through considerable effort to hide the bruising from her parents by wearing long sleeves and pants. She brushed off their questions about her strange behavior by saying it was a summer cold. Jill asked why she hid what Bill did. Ashley responded that she was deeply embarrassed for being involved with him. Part of Ashley told herself that she was at fault for setting off the argument by being selfish.

However, something inside made her start trying to avoid contact with him. He would catch up to her by showing up at the house, or seeing her at the mall with her friends. Jill and Jasmine winced at this, remembering the times he came up to their group at the mall and would pull Ashley to the side to talk to her. They instantly felt bad that by taking Ashley out to the mall later in the summer, he saw her when she didn't want to be seen. Ashley read their look and waved her hand at them, dismissing their guilt and said that he would have found her at home later anyway.

Things continued to slide when she told Bill that she made the cheer team after the tryouts at the beginning of the school year. He yelled at her off and on all night for being a cheer whore supporting his bitter rival. He ended that night by bending her over his car, stripping her underwear down and laying into her. It was unprotected that time, but she let him just so he would stop yelling. That was the last she saw him until tonight.

Jasmine was nearly sobbing at this point. She told herself that she didn't know, but couldn't help but feel bad that she actively seduced Ashley earlier. Jill looked about 80 shades beyond pissed, though not at Bill or even Ashley for staying with him that long. She was enraged at herself for not seeing the situation until the last week or so. Putting the story together with the parts she witnessed first hand, Jill figured that she should have been able to help Ashley before half the summer went by. But, she couldn't change what she missed in the past, so she had another thought that slipped out loud. "I'm gonna fucking kill him," she hissed through clenched teeth.

Joe cut in, "no. No you're not. He's not worth the effort to kill him. Or even hurt him."

A sudden realization hit Ashley. "Oh my god, he's gonna kill me! I embarrassed him in front of all of you. He's gonna want some repayment."

Joe shook his head. "He's not gonna come near you. When Jasmine was bringing you to this room, I called the security office at my parents' company. They are gonna take you home tonight. They are also hiring a trusted off-duty police officer to stay on your street to watch your house any time you are home."

"But Joe, you can't do that."

"I can and I did. Off-duty officers are always looking for supplemental gigs for extra pay, and this is an easy one for them. I get to help two at once. Don't make me cancel it, then I would have to sit on your lawn all night. I would really feel better if you just accepted the extra security until he cools off."

Ashley rolled her eyes and said fine. Inwardly, she did feel better that Joe arranged this. Her dad is a military guy and could easily handle Bill. But, Bill also knows what window is hers, and that's what scared her the most. The knowledge of having an armed guard nearby calmed her.

Jasmine finally found some words. "Ashley, you said earlier that you weren't yourself tonight. And that you didn't know why. Well, it's no wonder. All this weight has been looming on your shoulders, and you finally snapped. I just wish we'd known earlier so we could have protected you. Or at least convinced you to stop seeing him."

Ashley replied, "It wouldn't have mattered. I know I probably wouldn't have listened. I cared for him...at least I thought for a time he was worth caring for." She looked at Jasmine with a degree of shame. "Still doesn't explain why I went as far as I did with you. In public, no less. I just wish you all hadn't seen me like that. Now, you'll forever remember 'that night' at the club."

Jill interjected. "Little One, you'll always be that in our heads: Little One. We all love you like a sister. Well, at the club, I can't deny that little show was HOT. So maybe I love you more like a....step sister." She gave a slight grin. "Don't worry. We don't expect anything like that about you. Just you be yourself around us, and that's who you are to us. So you let off some steam and had a bit of naughty fun. So what? No harm done. To us or our view of you."

Jasmine and Joe both nodded. Jasmine remarked that was what she was thinking, but couldn't put into words. 

Joe noticed Ashley checking her watch. He asked her if she wanted anything else. She shook her head no. Then he asked if she felt even a little better. 

Ashley said if she admitted the truth, she felt she could breathe easier. "I'll take that as a start," Joe said.

The doorbell rang and Joe got up and led in Ashley's escort home. After he introduced the two to each other, Joe, Jill and Jasmine gave Ashley a tight hug and kiss goodnight. Jill and Jasmine said their goodbyes to Joe and headed home themselves.

When Ashley went in the front entrance at her house, her parents were waiting for her. They started spraying accusatory questions regarding her missed curfew. The questions were fired off one after another, not allowing for an answer. Ashley turned slightly and her mom suddenly noticed her bruised cheek. She grabbed her husband's arm in a move to shut him up. At the same time, he noticed the injury and asked, "What happened? Were you in a fight?" 

Ashley looked at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Bill. Bill is what happened." With that, she turned and ran up to bed.

Joe woke the next morning to his cell phone ringing. It was the officer who was hired to watch Ashley's street. The report was that all had been quiet and one of Ashley's parents drove her to school this morning. Joe thanked the officer and asked if he would be willing to cover tonight as well. He said he would, but his three days off were ending tonight. Tomorrow night would have to be someone else. Joe thanked him again and told him that he could pick up his check from the security office after noon.

When he made himself breakfast, Joe noticed his books and assignments were stacked neatly on the breakfast table. He surmised that Ashley must have put it there while he was still in the shower yesterday afternoon. So, after his meal, Joe went through the books and started his assignments. Ashley had to have been bored, as he found the chapters he needed bookmarked with sticky notes adorned with her pretty handwriting. Her clues made the homework a breeze and he was finished in an hour and a half. He then made a call to his bank and they agreed to have someone deliver a cashier's check from his account to the security office. The tellers at that branch saw him often and thought of him as a looker. He was also very sweet to them, and they had the advantage of knowing what was in his account. And so, a near mini-catfight would break out over who would run his occasional errand request and gain credit for it. They didn't realize that he would ignore their flirting and was all business whenever he dealt with his account.

With the school and banking tasks complete, Joe turned his thoughts to football. He now had extra motivation to return to play by next week. Joe didn't want Bill to come within 50 yards of Ashley, and he had to be on the field to ensure Bill wouldn't get that chance. He changed into his running shorts and shirt and pushed himself through his three mile route. Joe knew he wouldn't see any of his angels today, as they would be in Newport for the game tonight. He wanted to go, but his car was totaled, and Jill would be driving half the cheerleading team straight from school to the game. He took a shower, got dressed, and had lunch. While he was eating, he decided he would drive his other car. It was an away game, so only his schoolmates from football and cheerleading would see it, maybe. He worried about image almost as much as his parents, only in the opposite direction. He wanted to hide his relationship with wealth, while his parents wanted to reasonably show it off. It made for good recruiting. "Screw it, I'm going," he thought. "If Ashley was brave enough to stand up for herself and to her abusive boyfriend, I can take some ribbing from my teammates."

He left a note for his parents on the kitchen counter, saying he was going to the away game. He grabbed the keys from the board in the pantry and went to the three car garage. "It is a beautiful machine," he thought as he pulled the dust cover off his "spare" car. It indeed was beautiful. A BMW Z3 hard-top convertible. The odometer had only 12 miles on it, the tire dressing still shone from the detailing done for his birthday. The cherry red paint so flawless, it looked to be still dripping wet. His parents and the Angels both begged him to drive it, it seemed such a shame to keep it penned in the garage. But Joe didn't feel the car was him, and he preferred to drive "the beater" as they called it. He eased into the low leather seat and a thought dawned on him. What if it won't start? The car had been sitting for months, after all. He put the key in the ignition and said out loud, "well, only one way to cross that bridge." The engine cranked for about two seconds and his heart went in his mouth. But the worry was short lived, as the fuel pump primed the line and the car fired to life. He smiled to himself as he drove through the gate. "Mom and Dad are gonna pee themselves when they see I'd finally used their present."

Joe stopped by the security office to make sure Ashley's guard transaction went smoothly. He was told all went as he planned and he requested they find another officer to cover for tomorrow night. The receptionist told him it was already taken care of. However, she said the effort was probably a waste of time, as they took it on themselves to look into Bill's background. She told Joe that from what they found, Bill seldom sees trouble, other than speeding tickets. The profile they built of him suggested that like many bullies, he'd back down after a show. Especially if called on his bluff. His abuse of Ashley seemed out of place for his character, until they found out about his drinking habit. "As you know, alcohol tends to alter personalities," she said to Joe. "He may be violent to those who happen to be around him when he's drunk, but we don't think he'd seek her out just to harm her." Joe nodded and thanked her for going to the trouble. But, he told her that he would feel better and Ashley would feel safer to keep up the security on her house until at least next week's game. "Well understood, Joe."

After the office, Joe stopped for a quick bite to eat, and then drove for the hour and a half to get to Newport.

Ashley's day was a bit different. Jill pulled up and honked her horn at six in the morning. Ashley was ready and quickly shouted her goodbyes to her parents as she closed the door. When she agreed to this plan yesterday afternoon, she was dreading the early start. But, after last night, seeing her parent's faces when she broke curfew, and then discovering her bruise, she was glad she did. It wouldn't give her parents time to "sit down and talk" before taking her to school. Ashley got in the SUV and was greeted by loving hellos and very concerned looks from her five friends. After nothing happened for a bit except the stares from her friends, Ashley said, "What? I'm fine, let's go!" Jill put the car in gear and they headed off for school. Whether it was so early, or the girls were lost in thought over Ashley, not another word was said the whole ride there.

Jill stopped the SUV at the track "gate." Really, it was just an opening between the baseball outfield fence and the fence that lined the back of the student parking lot. The girls got out, minus their bags, and Jill led them in a slow warm-up jog around the track. At one point, the track was the pride of the area. It was the first rubberized high school track outside the major cities in the state. Life was infused into their school's track program by volunteer seniors passionate for their sport, and financially helped by a trust set up by the parents of a student 10 years back. He was killed as a sophomore in a tragic boating accident. The previous track was notorious for stress injuries, as it was built in a rough oval shape of simple road asphalt. Before the renovation it had earned the undesirable nickname "The Brick." However, the density of The Brick provided an excellent foundation for the recycled tire rubber coating. The lanes were surveyed and striped to conform to Olympic standards. The result was numerous certified state high school records fell the next two years. However, the coach of the baseball team (who, by the way, was also the athletic director of the school) was jealous that his prized state-class field was getting overshadowed by the track facilities, and even more so that the energy of the school's sports following was fueled by the rag-tag track coach. Coach Drew left the school two years after inspiring it's renovation for a more lucrative career at a private college in Tennessee. And so, funds for upkeep were diverted back to baseball and softball. The track had been stripped of it's rubberized surface six years ago, and last year it regained it's long forgotten The Brick nickname.




Angels and Guardians Pt. 02



The friends ran along the infield at the inside edge of the track, a safety measure against painful shinsplints. After two warm-up laps, they stretched in the cracked and neglected high jump area. Jill then led them on a moderately spirited four mile run. On lap 12 of 16, Ashley really began to feel her body, and especially her lungs, protest working after being lazy from two weeks of recovery. She didn't say anything, and somehow kept up, even if it was at the back of the group. This morning ritual of theirs seemed relatively enjoyable to her only three weeks ago. Four more laps and the girls passed the faded finish line. Ashley collapsed to her knees, shocking the other four. Jill grabbed her by the arm and yanked her up. "Oh no you don't. You stop suddenly like that and you might get a heart attack." Sally grabbed her by the other arm and put it around her neck. The group walked a lap as a cool-down with Jill and Sally supporting Ashley between their shoulders for half of that. As they returned to the SUV, Jill scolded Ashley. "How many times have I told you girls? You CAN NOT stop suddenly after a run. Find a way to keep your legs moving until your heart has a chance to catch up. I don't want you dying on me."

"It was all I could do to fucking finish," Ashley spat. Still, she knew Jill was right and was gracious for her looking out for the girls. Ashley just couldn't help being pissed at the dressdown.

Jill grinned at her. "I know sweetie. I know that was murder on you after your long break. But I'm serious. Your heart will explode if you don't cool down gradually. It has no where to put the extra blo-o-d." She slowed her last word to a stop when she looked at Ashley's face. "Oh my God, girl! The side of your face looks like it's going to explode instead."

Ashley touched the side that Bill had hit her. She flinched madly, not expecting the amount of pain it presented. The other girls snapped their heads around to see.

Jasmine was nearly in tears. The side of Ashley's face had turned nearly as black as the asphalt of the track. "Oh shit, I didn't think of that. The run must have pumped blood into the bruise."

Ashley looked at the other girls in horror. "Is it that bad?" The answer was written on their faces. She began to sob, then weep.

Jill hurried the group in the SUV and as she started the car she said, "I'm taking you to the hospital."

"No way! I'm not missing the game because of that asshole. Let's go and shower up." Jill was about to protest, but Ashley insisted. "It doesn't hurt until I touch it. Let's go, get cleaned up, and if I can't stand the pain by then, you can take me." 

Jill relented and parked the SUV near the gym, just a short, bumpy trip across the student parking field. Ashley's face reminded her of its pain on every bump, but she said nothing for fear Jill would tear off to the hospital then and there. They grabbed their bags and Jill unlocked the girls locker room door. Being a responsible student and team captain earned her the privilege of holding that key. They turned on the lights and proceeded to undress and enter the showers. Unlike the other days they did their early morning run and shower ritual, this morning they didn't tease each other and horse around in the warm water. All thoughts were on Ashley's face, even the water seemed to splash at their feet more quietly than usual.

They finished bathing faster than usual, and with it being a game day, they dressed in their cheerleader skirts and tops. Ashley was the last to approach the mirror for the routine self-makeup session. The others stopped "applying their face" when she entered the sink area. When Ashley turned into the mirror, she stopped cold. Her jaw looked to have dropped into the sink. A cold chill went through her finger tips and toes and back to her heart, which then seemed to free-fall into her stomach.

"Oh my God, guys! What am I going to do?" she finally asked to no one in particular. The bruise no longer swelled through her skin, but it was still black as night. When there were no answers, she continued, "when I got back to school after the wreck, the airbag bruise was faded enough I could hide it with makeup. I can't hide THIS!"

There was no doubt among the group that this was true. The damage to her face was a stark contrast to her fair skin. Being a redhead, she never tanned. She burned. If she wanted a tan, or to be ready for beach season, she would have to do very controlled sessions at a salon over a period of weeks and very gradually build up a tan.

Jasmine, being the artist in the group, suddenly got an idea. "Do we need to take you to the doctor?" Ashley almost violently shook her head. "Then, if you can stand it, I think I have a solution if you want to try."

"I'll try anything to keep from being stared at all day!"

Jasmine nodded and started giving orders to the others. Ashley found humor in this, as she was used to Jill being in charge. Jasmine looked at her and asked what was so funny.

"You sound like a surgeon on TV," Ashley said with a giggle.

Jasmine rolled her eyes at the chorus of laughter suddenly surrounding her. "Glad I could provide comic relief." More chuckles resulted. After letting the laughter subside, Jasmine got serious again. "You'll have to be as still as you can. I'll try to be as gentle as possible." Ashley nodded and became quiet. Jasmine instructed her to sit on the bench between the lockers. Once Ashley complied, Jasmine straddled the bench beside Ashley.

Ashley became suddenly aware of the inside of Jasmine's thighs resting against the outside of her knee and butt on her left. Visions of what happened in the club began to surface in her head, along with her feelings of embarrassment. She consciously pushed the thoughts to the side and concentrated on steeling herself for whatever Jasmine had planned.

Jasmine had given orders to Jill to give her this or that until everything she needed was on the bench between her spread legs and Ashley's hip. She worked quickly and with an amazingly light touch. Still, the lightest pressure of the colors being applied to Ashley's cheek reeked of pain. At one point a single tear fell down her opposite cheek and Jasmine said firmly, "no no! No crying till I'm done, you'll ruin it."

Ashley responded with a barely audible, "I'm trying." She redoubled her effort to choke back the tears.

Jasmine's voice broke when she replied, "I know sweetie. I'm trying to be careful."

Ashley whispered, "I know. You're being so gentle, any other time I'd barely be able to feel how light you're touching me right now." Jasmine's brush hit a particularly sensitive spot. "MOTHER FUCKER!!" Ashley screamed through gritted teeth. It was half frustration for Bill causing this, and half tortuous pain.

It was Jasmine's turn for tears to fall. "I'm sorry," she part said and part croaked. She looked at Jill as if needing an answer.

Ashley caught the look, and being out of her mind in fury and pain, yelled at Jasmine, "Bullshit! Don't you dare stop!"

Jill flinched, but Jasmine set her jaw and tried her best to finish as fast as she could. The other girls were amazed at Jasmine's skill and stood dumbfounded as they watched her work. The art took its shape and Allison gasped, "Brilliant!" Jasmine finished painting after a short bit and put down the brush. She took a soft powder puff and gingerly applied her shimmering protective top coat. When finished, she eased back and declared, "that came out better than in my head."

Ashley was curious to the result of what she endured and rose quickly to head for the mirror. She choked up at what she saw. Jasmine quickly spoke. "Do NOT cry. At least too much. I don't want you to wipe it off along with your tears." Ashley nodded, and turned to admire the handiwork. Emblazoned on the damaged part of her cheek was an exquisitely detailed green and gold profile of a Spartan, their school's mascot. The oval background of the ornate design was black, to hide the bruised area and complimented the necklace at her throat. As Ashley turned, the iridescent powder shimmered, giving the artwork spark.

"I love it! It's perfect!" she squealed. She turned and gave Jasmine a bear hug.

Jasmine's heart warmed and she said, "Remember, no tears." Ashley backed away and gave her a salute, beaming her gratitude. The girls crowded around to admire the transformation.

"I want one!" exclaimed Sally.

The others jumped in with a bunch of me-too's. Jasmine checked her watch. "Y'all's might be rushed," she warned. "First bell rings in thirty minutes."

"That's fine, you can be as rough as you need to get it done. I'm not injured." Sally said this as she took Ashley's former position between Jasmine's legs. Jasmine looked around and the others nodded as to say "same here."

"Fine," Jasmine said simply in response and set to work. It was amazing to watch her. Such speed and precision on a media that moves unpredictably when touched is a rare thing in this world.

Allison remarked on this fact, "You really have a talent for this."

Jasmine replied, "Shut up, I'm trying to concentrate."

She finished all three of the others, taking only 5 minutes to complete each. Even though she was rushing, the girls couldn't believe how gentle she applied the costume makeup to their faces. They encouraged her to get one too. Having to reverse the pattern in her head to account for the mirror, and the fact she was doing it to herself, Jasmine was slowed in decorating her own cheek. But slow is a relevant term. She was finished duplicating the design on herself in only 10 minutes. When all was done, the girls put the makeup back in Jasmine's locker. They grabbed their bags and all set off across the gym to the hallway leading to the school. The group arrived at their respective classrooms with three minutes to spare.

The talk around school that day was centered around the senior cheerleaders, and their face decorations. No one seemed to notice Ashley's injury. She thanked Jasmine again at lunch with another tight hug and a loving peck on the cheek. Jasmine dismissed the gratitude effort with a wave of her hand and said, "anything for you, Little Bit." Ashley decided she fancied the new nickname given by her flier counterpart and told Jasmine so. She received a smile in reply. The group gradually picked up their old rhythm throughout the day and now talked about tomorrow's show in between bites of lunch. At one point, Ashley asked why it was on Saturday, instead of during a school day. Marybeth told her that sophomore year, a senior group of girls got together and performed a song and dance routine. The act brought so much praise, that parents expressed their dismay to the principal that they could not leave work to see it. After a survey of parents, it was decided to hold last years on a Saturday evening, so parents could be able to watch their teens perform. A couple of last year's acts were better than the year before, and so now the show is to permanently be held on a Saturday evening. This year, the staff is using the show as a fundraiser, asking for donations at the door.

"You're in it this year, aren't you Little Bit?" asked Jasmine. When she saw the shocked look on Ashley's face, she explained how she knew. "I've been asked to design the cover of the program. And that turned into dressing up the inside pages, so I had to know the layout of the text."

Ashley's surprise waned at that. "Ahh, okay! All the performers were told to keep who was in the show a secret. As long as you know about me, I think Jill has a secret, too." She giggled.

Jill looked over with daggers in her eyes. "Ahem, after I carried your lard butt around the whole track this morning!" Ashley jokingly moved her head as if to dodge the insult. Jill laughed and went on, "I'm not really performing....well, I'll just leave the rest to your imaginations!"

Jasmine grinned and started to spill the beans, but Jill's stare of ice cut her off. "Fine, I'll keep the rest secret. Ashley, are you singing to piped in music or is Miss Julie (their music teacher) going to play for your act?"

Ashley looked up at the ceiling, shaking her head. She knew Jasmine loved to show off that she usually knew gossip first. "You'll see," she said. Then as an afterthought, "Joe might be there."

Jill flashed her a look to keep quiet. Allison blurted out, "Well, duh!"

Ashley didn't understand. "What do you mean 'well, duh?'"

Allison said, "Everyone knows he's emceeing the show. He's done it every year since we were freshmen."

Jill interjected a little too quickly, "He's not emceeing this one." Sally, Allison, and Marybeth looked at her in disbelief. Jill rolled her eyes and mocked, "Well, duh! He was seriously injured in a car wreck only three weeks ago. They asked....someone else to do it this year as they weren't sure he'd be able to." Her eyes got misty as she concluded her explanation. She, as well as the others, had seen how bad off Joe was in the hospital. But, she honestly believed she would have missed him more than her own parents if they had passed away. The bell interrupted her morbid thought, and they jumped up and headed to finish the rest of their classes. Little did they know the school's newspaper geek sitting at a nearby table had caught the tidbit about Joe possibly returning tomorrow night. "Journalism scholarship, here we come!" he thought to himself.

"We're not picking Joe up?" Ashley asked from the middle seat. They were on the interstate heading for Newport.

Jill answered, "No, not enough time to get him, and get there for warmups. Besides, he texted me an hour ago, saying he had errands to run this afternoon. He did wish us luck."

Ashley unconsciously dropped her head in disappointment. Today would be the first in three weeks that she hadn't seen Joe.

Jasmine picked up on this and said, "Aww, sweetie. You still have us! It's not like he could play or anything."

"Yeah, I know. But I just....I don't know."

At this, the other girls broke out into a sing-song "Ashley loves Joe! Ashley loves Joe!" Followed by "Ashley and Joe, sitting in a tree. K I S S I N G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes..."

"Alright! Enough!" spurted Ashley.

Jill settled the girls down. "Seems we've struck a nerve. Back off of her, ladies." The girls grinned, but remained quiet. Jill was a natural leader, and they would respect her commands without question. She had a knack for knowing when things were heading over the top, and the teasing, playing, or whatever would cease when she asked it to.

The ride to the game now had a touch of uneasiness. Even though Homecoming was next weekend, no one in the car wanted to approach the subject, for fear of upsetting Ashley. Same thing with the boyfriend subject. Allison finally broke the silence by relating stories about how frustrating it was to apply for college. That did the trick, and soon the girls both chatted and vented about their own experiences. The second half of the ride went much quicker.

Jill stopped the SUV at a fast food place just outside of Newport. She had made good time and there was about 45 minutes before they had to be on the field for warmup. Each girl ordered her own chicken sandwich. While they were waiting, the counter clerk admired the Spartans adorning their faces. Jasmine blushed her thanks probably for the 45th time that day. "You did that?" the girl asked. After Jasmine nodded, the girl said, "That's totally cool!"

The girls took their trays and sat down. "'Totally cool?'" Sally quipped. "Who says that anymore?"

Jill jokingly scolded, "keep that voice down. It's not this town's fault that they're stuck in the 'Valley 90's'!" The girls all laughed and it prompted more jokes between them about the small, behind-the-times town they were visiting. When they finished and left to ride the rest of the way to the school, each of them secretly regretted the jokes. Newport was actually cute in an off-the-main-path kind of way.

When she pulled in to the "stadium" parking lot, Jill smiled to herself as she recognized one of the cars. "I wonder if any of the others will notice," she thought. It didn't take long once they got out of the SUV.

Joe had just parked and was walking toward the visitor locker room, when he heard a chorus squealing his name. He turned just in time to see the six cheerleaders sprinting for him. He graciously accepted their hugs and affection.

Jill went last, she took his hands, looked in his eyes and said softly with a kiss on his lips, "Hi. Thought you weren't coming." Even though they weren't compatible as a couple, her heart still did a flip every time she saw him.

Joe could tell Jill and Ashley were the happiest to see him. He returned Jill's kiss and replied, "hey back! I figured I could just sit at home and be bored with stories from Mom and Dad about work. Or, I could come and watch you girls."

"I'm glad you decided on the latter," said Ashley. "But, how did you get here?"

"I drove," Joe answered simply as he flipped his keys around his finger once and then pocketed them.

"You're such a tease," flirted Jill.

"I know, I can't help it around y'all," answered Joe with a grin.

They made their way over to the visitor side bleachers, and the girls changed out of their street tennies and into their matching cheer shoes. When the others went down to the field and meet their teammates, Ashley stayed behind with Joe.

"Why aren't you with them?" asked Joe.

"I ran this morning and had an episode with my face." Joe looked at her and she could tell he didn't get it. "Well, the run was hard for me, being out of pace for three weeks. When we finished, the bruise puffed up like a balloon. This was Jasmine's answer to cover it up." She pointed to the design on her cheek.

"Impressive," Joe said. "It looks great on all of you. I had forgotten what it was hiding."

Ashley smiled. "How could you forget? Did you have a drink we didn't know of at the club?"

Joe chuckled. "I didn't mean it like that. She did such a good job, I wouldn't have known what it was hiding." Ashley nodded as she watched her team start their three lap jog around the field. Joe took a deep breath. "Ashley, now that I have you here alone, I want to talk to you a little about Bill."

Ashley shook her head. "I don't want to. I hate myself for ever being with him. Especially for 'being' with him."

Joe patted her knee. "No, I'm not going to lecture or scold. I wanted to tell you what I've found out today."

Ashley started to rile up. "Joe, drop it, ok? Don't go through any more effort over him. He doesn't deserve it."

Joe stopped her and asked her to hear him out. She waited, looking intently at the lower seat in front of her. Joe then related some of what the security office looked into. "So, I just wanted to put you at ease about what I think. I don't want you to think that I look down on you for that relationship. He apparently was a nice guy. But, any drink in him, and he changes. Was he drunk those times he hit you?" She nodded. "He hit you more than you told us?" She nodded slower. "Look." He put his finger under her chin and guided it until she was looking at him. "Just know that I, eh, WE love you. We love you, and any and all baggage that might follow you. You can relax and just be yourself around us. Even if you feel you're being crazy, we REALLY don't mind. Don't apologize for 'acting' any sort of way. Whatever way you are, that's you. I really like having you around, no matter what your mood may be."

Ashley got lost in his eyes for a second as she pondered what he said. Finally she spoke. "Will you take me to Homecoming?"

Joe's answer came quicker than he could process the question. "Sure! Wait, what?"

"Would you take me to Homecoming?"

"Aren't you going with the girls?

Ashley pouted, this wasn't going the way she hoped. "They were just going stag with me so I wouldn't feel bad, then they'd meet their boyfriends and be with them at the dance. They were just going to arrive as a group for my benefit. I don't mean I expect you to like buy my dinner and let me carry your class ring." She smiled at that, for she always thought that tradition was cliché. "I mean as friends. I'm certainly not going with Bill now. And, I thought since Kim had left, maybe we could go together." She sighed. "Or, maybe you had hoped Jill would ask you. Never mind. Stupid idea." Her heart sank when he didn't answer right away. Her blushing reminded her that her cheek still hurt occasionally.




Angels and Guardians Pt. 02



Joe finally snapped out of his thought. "Sorry, I guess I thought I said that out loud. Yeah, Ashley I'll take you. I'd be honored." Then he realized what she had said at the end. "Jill?! Why her? She's got a boyfriend."

"Cause she still loves you, and you love her. I see it plain as day in y'all's eyes. I think all this time I never saw you as" Ashley cut her sentence short when she realized she was about reveal more of her feelings than she wanted. Joe just looked at her patiently until she continued. "Anyway, I know y'all still have the hots for each other." Joe's eyes flicked to the field where the girls were starting their last lap. That tiny gesture confirmed her suspicion. "Well, that's fine with me that you do. I just didn't want to step on any toes."

"No one's toes would be stepped on. When I go with you to the dance, I'm going with YOU. Please know that. I won't be thinking of anyone else."

Ashley threw her arms around his neck. "Really? Thank you!"

Joe returned the hug and said, "No problem. It'll make all the guys jealous having a hottie like you on my arm."

Ashley shook her head, but grinned anyway. She saw the team returning to their spot in front of them and went down to meet them for stretching. Just then, Coach Mike came over. "I thought that was you," he said. "I've got a favor to ask."

After Coach went back to the sideline, Joe went to the rail near the girls. He told them that duty called and he would have to watch them from the booth. The statement was met with a bunch of aww's and boo's. He smiled at them and wished them luck.

"Hey Josh, Coach Frank," Joe greeted the team's statistician and defensive coordinator. "I hear Coach Paul is out?" The two greeted Joe with a pair of hearty handshakes, and Coach Frank related that their offensive coordinator was attending an aunt's funeral. Joe expressed his empathy and asked what he could do. Coach Frank handed him a headset and told him that Coach Mike wanted him to call the plays. "Uhh..." Joe uttered apprehensively. Coach Frank calmed him down, reminding him that the first series was scripted, and that Joe calls audibles all the time. "All right," Joe said. "I'll see what I can do."

Joe put on the headset and said hello to Coach Mike. The coach asked if he was ready, and Joe answered that he was. Coach Mike filled Joe in on a little background regarding individual performances and recent injuries. "Use your gut, son. And don't worry, I'll change the play if I think it needs it. I just wanted some help tonight. So, thanks."

The Spartans had the ball first, and Joe was glad the first series was always scripted, otherwise he wouldn't have known where to start. But, as he watched, his head got in the game, and he noticed things about the other team's defense, just like he would if he were playing. He caught the rhythm of the game, and just like that, he was back. The first series for both teams looked promising, but then stalled. Coach Frank put a copy of their playbook in front of Joe, but he never opened it.

"Z 56 Fly Right," he said into the headset. 

Coach Mike seemed to pause, but then barked something to the offense huddled around him. As they took the field, Coach Mike said to Joe, "we've been running well lately, but I'll go with your play and see what happens." Joe answered that he thought the other team was thinking the same, and anticipated a bunch of runs. They had 6 DB's, to show pass defense, but they were inching up for run-stop. Coach Mike remarked that he didn't notice that. Joe held his breath for the snap, hoping his hunch was right. It was, and Scott, who ran the 'fly' route caught the pass and ran with the ball for a 68 yard touchdown. "Nice call, kid," the coach said into the headset after cheering during the run. Joe replied that if he were playing, he would have audibled at the line to that play. "Well, this is what I was looking for tonight. Keep it up," his coach encouraged.

The defensive series was tough, and Joe noticed how hard Coach Frank had to work to try to stay ahead of the opposing team's offense. This was not a "Candy Land" team. The defense held, but not before allowing a failed field goal attempt. Joe decided his defense needed a rest, and so called plays to toy with the other team just a bit. Mostly running plays, with a few short passes to keep the other team off-guard. He noticed his backup had a considerably shorter range than he did. Joe kept this in mind, calling the longer routes only if he figured the receiver could get a quick jump on his defender. The cat and mouse strategy worked on this series, burning six minutes off the clock and resulted in a field goal. He began to see the game from a different perspective, and held a new respect for Coach Paul. Now he understood why some calls were made and some were not.

Coach Mike was also impressed. This early in the game, he trusted the play calling completely to Joe, figuring if something backfired, he'd have most of the game left to make up for Joe's learning curve. But, here they were. Defense was mostly rested, and they were up 10 -- 0. Coach Mike also got a peek into Joe's thought process through the headset. Joe seemed to have a habit of mumbling out loud what he was thinking, especially in situations that put pressure on. At times, the coach would have to cover his mouth to keep from laughing at hearing Joe argue with himself. But, he was intrigued that Joe actually played out three outcomes of the next play in his mind. Joe would pick the most probable outcome of the three, weigh it against the others, and then call a play to counter or enhance that outcome. The vision Joe had was the most amazing revelation of this experiment. He noticed the defense's posture, positioning, habits, and tendencies...all without the benefit of seeing tape on this team. "No wonder he seems bored during the video meetings...he IS bored," Coach Mike thought to himself. He actually laughed out loud as Joe called a perfect, quick, three-play series to end the half with a touchdown. They were up 24-7. As the team headed to the locker room, the coach said to himself, "my God, son. You do have talent."

Joe told Coach Frank and Josh that he didn't want to be a distraction in the locker room and that he would stay in the booth for halftime. Shortly after they left, he was joined by Jill and Ashley. They were grinning like Cheshire cats. "Hey ladies," he greeted them. "Enjoying the game?"

Jill said, "I would more if you were still sitting near us."

Ashley nodded in agreement, then blurted out, "You're the one calling the plays, aren't you?"

"How'd you guess?"

Jill responded, "we thought the team's style looked more like when you were out there."

Joe grinned. "That obvious, huh?" They nodded. "Well, I guessed wrong on their scoring interception play."

Jill leaned over and gave him a hug. "Aww sweetie, no one is perfect. We still love you!"

Joe smiled his thanks and they chatted about some of the highlights of the game so far. Halftime was ending and the girls headed back to their place.

Their opponents returned the second half kickoff for a large gain, and four plays later, they were back in the game, only ten points down. Joe went back in his quarterback mode and was miffed that the other team scored so quickly. He wanted to pop their balloon of confidence for good. He called a three-receiver streak play. Coach Mike warned him not to be too greedy, but allowed the play as called. Joe told him, "I'm not. I'm just setting them up so I can be." His backup chunked the ball down field, but over threw the receivers. Joe expected this, as he'd done the same thing when his adrenaline was up. He called a run up the middle next. Coach Mike signaled the play in and asked Joe if he was going for the home run. "No," Joe answered. "It'll only get us 15 yards. The linebackers are shading to the outside, expecting a dump pass, but the safety will get Terry shortly after. THEN I'm gonna call 'Hail Mary' to knock their socks off."

Coach Mike disagreed, "No, the safety tweaked his ankle during the kickoff return. I think we're scoring right here. We'll see."

Sure enough, the line opened up for Terry as Joe expected, but the safety couldn't get to him in time, just as the coach expected. The rest was a formality as Terry walked into the endzone untouched.

Joe couldn't believe he missed that observation of the safety limping. The coach smiled at himself and told Joe, "You still have much to learn, young one." He looked up to see Joe in the booth doing the "I'm not worthy" bow towards him. "The boy is a nut," he thought fondly to himself.

The fire had obviously gone out for the other side. Coach Frank's defense held them to an uninspired three-and-out. The two coaches and Joe agreed to shut down for the night. The starters were replaced by the underclassmen for experience, and with the exception for a few bones Joe threw the 3rd string qb's way, he called only running plays to wind the clock down. The defensive side didn't have to do much either, as the other team threw in the towel. The game ultimately ended with a lopsided 38-14 score.

He greeted his teammates after the game on the sideline. They all cheered that he was back. He told them that he still had to be cleared next Thursday, but that he planned to play, at least a little, for Homecoming. They all agreed that was good news, and headed in to hit the showers. Joe hung back to talk to his backup. "Nice game, Jerry." Jerry nodded and asked who was calling the plays. 

"I was," Joe responded. Jerry nodded again. Joe told him thanks for filling in while he was gone. Jerry said no problem, but Joe could tell something bothered him. "Look, Jerry. You've done great while I was gone. I'll happily compete against you to regain the starter position, but I just ask you to let me start the Homecoming game." Jerry asked why, as they'd won all the games he started in since the accident. Joe told him it was personal and related some of what happened with Bill. 

Jerry glanced back at the cheerleaders packing up. "He hit her?" he asked a little loud. 

"Yeah," Joe replied. "And I want to pay him back, personally." Jerry understood and said that he agreed with the plan, but that he would put in a challenge request to the coaches for the starting role the following week. Joe sincerely said that he looked forward to it.

Jerry headed in with the rest of the team, and the cheerleaders caught up with Joe. They chatted excitedly about the game as they walked toward the exit. Joe was fiddling with his keys while he listened to them. When they reached the SUV, the girls took turns giving Joe hugs, with Ashley being the last. She asked him quietly so the others couldn't hear, "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Joe.

"The talent show," she replied, a little panicked that he didn't remember.

Joe smiled. "No, you don't understand. Yes, I'll be there tomorrow. And, I'll play for your bit. But, why are you saying goodbye now?"

Ashley didn't understand. "Cause Jill's taking me home, and..."

Joe cut her off. "No, you're taking me home." He finished pulling his other keys off the ring and held up the alarm fob and ignition key to her. "You're driving. I'm tired." 

Chapter 6

Life's Detours

"You're not serious," Ashley said matter of factly. Joe had led her over to his car. The other girls followed, curious how Ashley would react to seeing the car for the first time. "There is no WAY you want me to drive this beautiful car!"

Joe stood there grinning. "You're right. I don't want you to drive it. I want you to borrow it!"

The excitement finally overtook Ashley's intention to be modest. "Oh my God, Joe! Thank you so much!" She flung her arms around his neck.

He hugged her back, saying, "If you like it that much, it's yours to keep."

Ashley edged back somewhat to reality, wiping tears of joy from her cheek. "Oh no, Joe. You're too generous. I can't accept that."

"Why not?" he asked.

"Yeah, why not?" the girls repeated as one.

"Cause," Ashley answered. "I told myself and my dad that I wanted to buy my next car with my money. I want it to be a reward for MY hard work."

Joe smiled gently at her. "Fine then. I'll make a deal with you. Five dollars a year until it's paid off."

The girls, including Ashley, laughed heartily, as they all knew that at that rate, the car would be a rusted skeleton long before the payments approached even only $2500. "I'll think about it," Ashley said with a smile. She intended to decline for good, but this conversation loop needed to be broken somehow. "Aren't you worried that I'll wreck it?"

"Why? It's YOUR car!" More snickers ensued. Ashley rolled her eyes, then looked pointedly at Joe. He answered the unspoken question, "Just because your old car was totalled, doesn't mean you're a bad driver. In fact, I'm technically the one who totalled your conveyance. The truck never touched you. So there. Ha. Ha!" He stuck his tongue out at her in defiance. "Will you just unlock the door? I said I was tired." He pouted.

Before Ashley said anything else, Jill moved to help Joe along. "Well, we're gonna head back. See you two tomorrow!" She tugged away Sally and Jasmine.

Joe smiled after Jill and the crew. He turned back to Ashley. "We can either stand here in the parking lot, disagreeing on whether you're keeping the car, or we can go ahead and start back."

Ashley thought for a second. Then said in a tender, mock 'mommy' voice, "Does wittle Joey want to go to bed? Come on, sweetie, let's get you home and tucked in."

They got in the car, and Ashley looked around for a second. Joe interrupted her thoughts, "Um, do you know how to drive a stick?"

Ashley snapped out of being awestruck, and suddenly turned into Miss Hot-Ass teasing her toy. "Darlin', I can handle any stick!" With that she pushed in the clutch and fired up the engine. As she threw the lever into first, she said, "But all girls need to get to know their sticks first and find out what makes them move 'n groove." With that, she throttled the car toward home.

After a few minutes of Ashley portraying a sex-kitten playing with her new fetish, her and Joe settled into casual conversation. But it was short-lived, Joe really was tired and he let the chatter die off. Soon, he was drifting into sleep. Ashley looked over to him and smiled. He looked so peaceful, and she realized that Joe really did trust her by allowing himself to slip so easily into slumber. She kissed her middle and forefingers and touched them to his forehead. "Sleep well, Cutie," she whispered to Joe.

The dreams he had were bizarre to him. The first was about he and his sister talking in a meadow. In the dream, she was 15, still only three years younger than him. What the hell? Joe barely let memories of her come to mind, why was she there now? His sister was saying to him, "Joe, you gotta let yourself go with this one. She can take care of you, so let her." Joe answered that he knew that, but what about Jill? His sister smiled sweetly, "Jill is in your life, forever. Ashley being part of it will only enhance things for you and Jill. Ashley, for her part, is accepting Jill and Jasmine being a part of your life as quickly as her mind will allow. Joe, events are coming that will require you to lean on all three of them, and they on each other. This ring is the strongest. It will not be broken. The others will fall away on good terms. Be sure to let them." With that, she was gone. 

Next up was a replay of what happened in the club parking lot last night. This riled up Joe something fierce. Ashley looked over a Joe with worry, and sadness. Something was bothering him in his sleep, as he kept flopping his head from side to side. She brushed his cheek with the back of her finger and started humming. Seconds later, he quieted down.

Just as he was about to lay out Bill in his fantasy land, everything got quiet and he found himself sitting at the edge of a pier flanked by Jill and Jasmine. Ashley was sitting behind him as they looked out over a lake. Jill and Jasmine got up, shed their clothes, and jumped into the water. When they surfaced, they began to make out with each other. Ashley was humming an erotic tune that was strangely peaceful, while planting soft kisses on his cheek. The pier rumbled beneath them, and they turned just in time to see Death in his horrible garb racing to snatch them up.

"What the hell?!" Joe gasped in a rush.

"Shh, it's ok, baby," Ashley cooed from her driver seat next to him. "We just hit a rough patch in the road. You can go back to sleep."

"Not after that dream," Joe said as he rubbed his eyes. "How far are we?"

"We're about 20 miles away," she answered. Her eyes frowned. "What was the dream?"

Joe decided to tell her only about his sister appearing. "It's really weird, I haven't actively thought about her in a really long time."

"You miss her, Joe. It's perfectly normal for lost loved ones to appear in dreams," she said sweetly. "What did y'all talk about?"

Joe stretched. "Hmm, you, actually."

This got her curiosity up. "Oh yeah? What about me?"

Joe blushed, realizing that if he told her, it would reveal his confused feelings a little too much for his comfort. "I'd rather not say. All good things, mostly." He then remembered his sister's warning. "She did say something that bothered me. A lot."

"Oh dear," Ashley feared it was about her. "She tell you that I was Satan and you should stay away?"

Joe shivered, remembering the end of the last dream. Ashley saying something similar just now kinda spooked him. "No, she said something about letting some of our friends, my Angels, fall away on good terms. I don't know, it was really confusing."

Ashley figured it was best to let things be for the moment, and soon started humming again.

"What is that tune? It was in one of my dreams."

Ashley giggled. "I was humming it earlier to calm you down. You were thrashing around so much."

"Well, at least one thing explained." Joe said happily. "It's, uh, seductive, I guess. What's it from?"

Ashley smiled, blushing somewhat. "I made it up, but you'd think it was stupid." Joe just looked at her expectantly. She continued, "Fine, I'll sing it, but don't you dare laugh."

She started singing and Joe was instantly sucked into her world. It was a cute tune that carried more than a hint of sexual energy. Her song was built from her variants of old timey nursery rhymes and common phrases. Ashley had woven the phrases and, some would say, twisted them into a delicious story of her seduction of a boyfriend. It was a naughty thing to do with children's songs, and highly erotic. Joe loved it. So much so, that when she finished singing, Ashley noticed.

"You like?" she asked as she flicked another glance at his lap.

Joe sighed. "Oh yeah." He caught her glance again, and realized his condition. He quickly tried to think of a way to hide his enthusiasm gracefully. There was none. Since she had already noticed, he simply reached down and tucked it into a less noticeable position. "Sorry for the standing ovation," he joked, embarrassed.

Ashley giggled at the joke. She still couldn't quite figure out Joe. At times he would be sweetly playful, like just now. Other times, he would be ramrod tight and businesslike with his emotions. Almost cold, she thought. But most of the time, it was a combination of one of the two and something else. A genuine selfless attitude that was so sweet, it seemed to drip sugar. She found it was getting harder to catch herself from falling for him Still, the mood in the car caught her just right. Between driving this hot car, singing her own song, Joe's condition, and the general comfort she felt around him, Ashley was getting randy. "I could help you with that." Oh fuck, she thought. That wasn't meant to be out loud.




Angels and Guardians Pt. 03



Author's note:

Part 3 of a multi part series. Best if you read the character development of the first two. All characters are 18 or older.

***

Chapter 9

Moving In

Ashley woke the next morning to Jasmine stroking her arm. "Hmm...good morning," she said. "What time is it?"

Jasmine smiled down at her and said, "It's 9:30. Time to get up."

"I don't want to. This bed is so nice." Ashley rolled over and dozed off.

Jasmine watched her breathing get deeper. "Oh no you don't! Get up, pretty thing. We gotta go shopping. But first is Mass."

Ashley was still in a fog. "Ten more minutes," she sighed.

Jasmine pulled the covers off Ashley and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her up.

"Hey!" The air conditioned air was a shock to her naked chest.

Jasmine wasn't moved. "I said get up! We're not gonna let you start moping around." She coaxed Ashley out of the bed, and led her by the arm to the bathroom. She lifted the toilet seat, pulled down Ashley's panties, and slightly pushed her until she was sitting on the commode. "Potty. I'll be back in five minutes to help you with your shower."

Jill and Joe were already up and eating the breakfast Jasmine made. Jasmine went in Joe's room, made his bed, hung up Jill's dress, repeated yesterday's ritual with his clothes, and went in the Angel's guest room. She made that bed, too, and hung up Ashley's dress. She took some of her own spare clothes from the dresser and returned to the bathroom. Ashley was still sitting on the pot, bent over with her head resting on her arms. "Damn, girl. No wonder you were late the other day," she thought. "Are you done going potty?" she asked as she set the clothes on the counter.

"Uh huh," Ashley replied.

Jasmine rolled her eyes. She rolled off some tissue, wadded it and handed it to Ashley. "Wipe. Man, you are hard to wake up!"

Ashley took the tissue, mumbled thanks and wiped herself. "Sorry, Jasmine. I just can't seem to wake up."

Jasmine huffed. This was setting her behind in her chores. Now, she'd have to finish this afternoon when they got back from shopping. "Tell me about it. Come on, into the shower!" She pulled Ashley up by the arm, and helped her step out of her panties. She had to almost carry her into the shower. She leaned Ashley against the wall and turned on the water. Ashley didn't move. "God, you're lucky I love you," Jasmine said as she stripped and entered the shower with Ashley. As the water ran over Ashley, Jasmine couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. Ashley was completely vulnerable right now, and her wet hair and glistening body just made her look even hotter. But Jasmine wasn't in the mood for play right now. She grabbed the soap and lathered Ashley up. She turned Ashley this way and that to get easier access for the bath. It seemed to do the trick, as Ashley was starting to move on her own, now. Jasmine washed Ashley's hair, and Ashley moaned at the scalp massage. Jasmine grabbed the bar of soap and held it out for Ashley. "You wanna wash yourself down there, or you want me to?"

Ashley was fully awake now, but was enjoying being pampered. The attention was making her playful, as well. "You can if you don't mind," she cooed sweetly. She shifted her weight to give Jasmine room.

Jasmine was aware of what Ashley was doing, but played along for now. "Very well." She took the soap, lathered up her hands and reached between her legs.

Ashley put her arms around Jasmine to steady herself. "Mmm, that feels good!"

Jasmine was rubbing her gently, and started to feel a slickness that wasn't from the soap. Ashley moaned softly, and Jasmine quickened the tempo, occasionally dipping her finger inside. Ashley started panting and bucking her hips against Jasmine's hand. Jasmine flicked Ashley's pleasure center a couple of times, and then withdrew her hand.

"What are you doing?" asked Ashley.

"We're done," Jasmine said as she shut off the water. "You don't make me work so hard next time to get you up, and I might let you finish. We're running late. Get out of the shower."

"You're mean," Ashley pouted.

"Tough love, babe." Jasmine grabbed a towel and dried Ashley off, then herself. She put back on her clothes, watching Ashley put on the spare set. Jasmine was a shade bigger than Ashley, though that wouldn't be hard, since Ashley had such a tiny frame. Her bra, t-shirt, and jeans fit Ashley, but with a touch of extra room. "That'll work for now," Jasmine said, pulling Ashley's hair into a ponytail.

Ashley spun around and gave Jasmine a sweet kiss on the mouth. "Thank you for getting me ready. I'm sorry I was a brat and didn't help you. I don't know why I just couldn't wake up."

Jasmine returned the kiss, with a hint of tongue on Ashley's lips. "You're welcome, sweetie. I didn't mind doing it. We just needed you to get ready, so I had to play a bit of 'Momma Bear' to get you moving. I know you had a rough night. Just hope you can get up easier tomorrow when only Joe is here. He's not going to go the extra effort just to wake you up, sleepyhead." She turned to walk out of the bathroom, then paused. "But, I'm serious. Don't you start moping yourself into a state of perpetual depression. I've been there, and it's almost impossible to break."

"Who said I was?" Ashley frowned.

Jasmine kissed her on her nose. "No one, but like I said, I've been there. I could see it in your eyes last night. You just gotta get yourself moving. We'll help you do that, but we can't decide for you to be happy."

Ashley nodded. She went downstairs for breakfast, while Jasmine, having already ate, stayed to finish cleaning up the bathroom and gathered the laundry. Both Jill and Joe remarked on how much the bruise on her face had faded. Ashley agreed and told them that it didn't hurt at all now. As she ate, she asked Joe how he was feeling. While he said he wasn't 100%, he felt that Friday night's game wouldn't be a problem for him. She expressed concern about Bill gunning for either of them on Friday. Joe told her that he was ready for it, and she shouldn't worry. She then remembered his mom's request to Jill. She asked her how that went. Jill beamed and related how his mom told her she'd be a natural trial attorney. Mrs. Smith said that if Jill was interested, she could talk with some of her contacts outside the company and see what they could do for a scholarship. Ashley's face lit up, as she knew Jill had been pondering a law career, anyway.

About the time she finished eating and they were cleaning up the kitchen, Jasmine joined them. She asked if they were ready, and they piled into Jill's SUV and headed off to church. On the way there, Ashley received a call from her dad's cell phone. She hit 'ignore' and sent him a text, saying she was fine, but wouldn't be back home any time soon. Her phone rang three more times before she turned it off. At Mass, Ashley and Joe received a couple of looks of recognition, outside of people they normally knew. But, nothing was said, nor were they stared at, to their great relief.

They headed to the mall after Mass, where Ashley planned to only hit the sensible stores, along with the mainstream department stores. Joe noticed her checking price tags at Sears, their first stop. He told her not to worry, the card had enough room to purchase a car dealership, along with a full inventory. She said she didn't want to take advantage, and that she had simple tastes. Joe assured her that his dad wouldn't want that.

"He NEVER offers this, not even to me," Joe said.

Ashley looked around the group, and Jill and Jasmine shook their heads, agreeing with Joe. "Maybe, but I don't want much," she reasoned.

Joe nodded. "That may be, but the truth is, you NEED much more than you want. I don't think Jasmine's t-shirts and jeans could possibly complete your wardrobe. She's nearly your size, and I'm sure she doesn't mind loaning you clothes." Jasmine shook her head in agreement. "But, you need YOUR clothes. Things you like and things that compliment your personality. No offense, Jasmine."

"None taken, sir," she quipped. "Joe's right. Go nuts today. His dad's orders."

Ashley looked at them, then walked over to a rack where a dress she'd been lusting over for weeks was hanging. "What about this? Can I get this?" She knew the price by heart, as it was a goal for her savings account since she first saw it. Eight hundred ninety-five dollars and twenty-two cents.

Joe said, "The only question you should ask us today is for our opinion on how you look in something. If you love it, or even just like it for that matter, give it to the sales girl to ring up."

Ashley started justifying the dress. "I think this would look awesome for Homecoming, and I can wear it for other..."

Jill finally cut her off. "If you don't go in that dressing room right now and try that on, I'm gonna slap you so hard your ear's gonna have to smile for you."

Ashley's eyes flung daggers at Jill, but she went off to the dressing room anyway. Jasmine waited for her in the dressing room hallway. When Ashley appeared, Jasmine fussed and preened the dress until she was satisfied. She led Ashley out to show the others. Joe let out a low whistle, and Jill clapped softly. Ashley grinned from ear to ear and flitted back to the dressing room. She didn't notice Jasmine enter with her until her zippers and clasps were being undone. When she caught Jasmine's eye, Jasmine said, "Just helping you change faster."

And so the trip went. Ashley would pick some things out, Jasmine would help her change and fuss about the outfit, and they'd go model it for Joe and Jill. Jill sometimes would grab things she thought Ashley would look good in, and hand them to Jasmine on their way back into the dressing room. Some things Jasmine wouldn't let Ashley out of the changing room in, as she didn't like them on her. Ashley would be led away by Jill and Jasmine when Joe was paying, so that she wouldn't freak out when the totals came up.

Late that afternoon, Jill drove back to Joe's, and the group helped Ashley move in. They carried in clothes including dresses, jeans, t-shirts, shorts, jackets, sweaters, and only three pairs of shoes. Also emptied from the car was a portable stereo, some CD's, a laptop with scanner and printer, some makeup, and a new cell phone, complete with an unlimited usage plan. Ashley remembered that she was on the same plan as her mom and dad, and wanted a prepaid phone, so her parents couldn't accuse her of mooching. Joe had the idea of getting her a Carter Electronics phone, personalized for her. He called his dad to ask about the plan. His dad insisted on talking to the salesman, and when they left, Ashley could use her new phone without worry of running out of time. They even ported her old number to the new phone.

Ashley plopped down on what was now her bed, exhausted from moving in by virtue of Mr. Smith's company card. Jasmine came in and told her that she'd help her put everything away after she finished cleaning the upstairs. Ashley nodded and Jasmine left to do her work. Jill came in next, saying that Sally, Marybeth and Allison were coming over to have dinner. She asked Ashley if she wanted any help, but Ashley relayed what Jasmine told her. Jill said that she was gonna go downstairs and help Joe in the kitchen. Ashley got her new phone, put it on the charger, and texted her dad, telling him that she would be by tomorrow afternoon to pick up her uniform and some personal stuff. Then, she went about setting up her new laptop, and began putting away everything else. Jasmine came in about an hour later and helped her finish up.

Dinner was similar to the previous week, only Joe's parents were also there this time. Ashley was able to find his dad alone in the den just before they ate and thanked him profusely for his overwhelming generosity toward her. He smiled and said that any voice like hers should be taken care of. Then he restated his invitational for her to stay as long as she wanted. To his surprise, she threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek. Dinner was called and she bounced out of the room. Mr. Smith thought to himself that her gratitude and happiness was reward enough.

The dinner table was busy with nine sitting around it. The three girls who arrived a short time ago were trying like mad to catch up with last night's events after the show. When they were told that Ashley had taken up residence there, she was worried that they would have been jealous. Instead, her friends understood, and what's more, they wanted to see what she had gotten earlier in the day. Dinner finished, and Joe's parents retired to their room. The girls practically tripped over each other to clean up the dinner table and kitchen, striving to finish quickly so they could see Ashley's new outfits.

While the pride of girls were fawning over Ashley's new stuff, Joe was in his parent's room. It was a large space, complete with a sitting area to one side, where his parents would often watch television. The carpet looked freshly vacuumed and everything was in its place. He recognized Jasmine's touch in the way everything sparkled. On the sofa in the sitting area, he received updates from his parents about their business. Tonight's news wasn't very good. Greedy Electronics was ramping up pressure on the senior management, and it seemed a mutiny was imminent. If his parents didn't sell to the corporation, the management team was threatening to walk out and join Greedy. Joe asked what the harm was in letting them. His parents explained that many of the key employees were loyal to those managers and would walk with them. He asked why his parents didn't start recruiting again, maybe get managers who were loyal to them. They said they were, but building a new team as talented as what they had takes a while, so they've been busy doing both recruiting and what they could about retaining the current crew. They told him the house wasn't used lately, because he was in that wreck. Joe told them not to worry about him. He was nearly back to the same health he was before the accident. Besides, he was sure Ashley would jump at the chance to play hostess once in a while, just as he was sure Jill and Jasmine would be happy to resume their roles in the parties. They said they would consider it, and wished him good night.

Joe noticed Ashley's room was quiet and stopped in. Ashley was sitting at her computer, setting it up for the internet, email, and such. She told him that Jill took the girls home. He laid on her bed, propping his head in his hand, watching her work. Ashley decided it was too quiet, and turned on her stereo. Joe was drifting off, listening to the music, when the deejay took an unofficial news break. 

"Since last night, we have received hundreds of requests to play something called 'Ashley's Song'. Unfortunately, we do not have a copy. If we did, we are bound by agreements with record labels not to play anything other than what is published by them and released to us. At the same time, many requests are accompanied with passionate defense of the pair who were featured on TV last night. Our station manager was intrigued by the outcry of support for these two, and forwarded your comments to Channel 3's parent company. Just now, that parent company issued a press release announcing a news conference tomorrow morning. Dear listeners, I think we can put two and two together here. Tune in throughout the day tomorrow for updates. After this commercial break, another ten in a...."

Ashley turned around and looked at Joe. "Do you think that was about us?"

Joe smiled sadly. "Who else sang 'Ashley's Song?'"

"Well, what do you think is going to happen?

Joe shook his head. "I really don't know. I'd like to think we'll get an apology or something. But you never know what the press has up their sleeve." He got up from her bed and stretched. "Whatever it is, it doesn't change the fact that we've got school tomorrow. I'm gonna hit the hay. G'night."

Ashley ran over and stopped him with a hug from behind. "Joe, I never got a chance to thank you."

Joe turned and hugged her back. They remained embraced while he spoke. "For what? My dad paid for your stuff, and I saw that you had already thanked him."

"No. For everything else. For being you. For the past couple of weeks, your steady hand seems to keep turning me back in the right direction. Nothing seems to shake you. Even through my roller coaster emotions lately, you haven't flinched or looked down on me. Thank you." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Well, I'm glad I could help." He looked into her eyes and brushed some loose strands of hair out of her face. "It is a pleasure to help someone so beautiful."

She blushed, but put her hand behind his head and gently pulled him into her kiss. She felt him accept, then return her kiss. Ashley hadn't felt this happy in a long while. Or, this comfortable with a guy. For a split second, she worried that he would ruin it like most guys and try to gag her with his tongue. But, Joe was different. For now, he only matched her rhythm and intensity in kissing. When she'd kiss faster, he'd step it up. She would slow, he would match. It was a different feeling being in the lead for once, and she loved it. Ashley broke the kiss, and Joe gave her one more peck on her nose. "Ashley, I really do have to go to bed. It'll be a long day tomorrow," he said. Ashley agreed and said good night.

Chapter 10

Aftermath

The girls were waiting for them at the track the next morning. Ashley had gotten up on time, but Joe was accustomed to sleeping in the last two weeks. Since he didn't have a car yet and Ashley was living at his house now, they decided that she would bring him with her to the senior cheerleaders' morning workout. Ashley had banged on his door until Joe finally got up, and they made up enough time to be only five minutes late. The girls were more than happy to have Joe join them, figuring it would provide that much more safety in the early morning light. They started their laps, and began chatting to pass the time. At one point, Ashley admitted she was nervous about facing the students in class after Saturday's news story. Allison asked if she heard the story on the radio. When Ashley said yes, Marybeth told her that the school was pulling for her, not laughing at her. This made Ashley feel somewhat better, and they moved on to the subject of Homecoming.

"Ah, yes. The overblown popularity contest," Joe huffed between strides. "Who do you think will be crowned this year?"

This sparked a debate amongst the girls. They bantered about how they thought the student body would vote. They all seemed to agree it would be between Joe and Mike, the star pitcher for baseball. When he asked who would be queen, the girls got a bit catty. They each started teasing the others that they were going to win. Joe grinned at this, because he knew each one of the six were popular and pretty, and that each one had an equal shot. Then, they got into a heated argument about the other girls in their class. Not necessarily that one of those would be picked. The 'why' was what was in question. The debate rose in pitch, until the girls were yelling at each other. Well, as much as they could while running. Joe decided to step in and told them that was enough, no more talking about royalty. They complied, but during their cool down walk, the girls would take turns jabbing at the others, saying things like, "doesn't matter, I'm gonna win it, anyway."

When Jill unlocked the locker room, Joe asked her for the key, so he could go to the other side. She asked why, and he just stood there giving her a piercing look. Jill said, "If you won't mind seeing six hot girls taking a shower, we won't mind watching a hot guy taking his. Besides, this key only works on this room's doors. So, you're stuck with this one. It's not like any of us haven't seen you before, anyway."




Angels and Guardians Pt. 03



Ashley piped up quietly, "I haven't."

Jasmine whipped around and faced her. "Bullshit! Liar Liar, pants on fire!"

Ashley didn't know where this came from. "What are you talking about? I haven't been with him, yet."

Jasmine looked at her with her hands on her hips. "Oh yeah, I'm really sure you never peeked the whole time you were with him in the hospital," she yelled sarcastically. "I think you're hot blooded enough to have even sneaked in a quick feel," she challenged. The other girls laughed.

Ashley dropped her head. "Fine, I did. Peek, that is." Jasmine looked expectantly at her. "Alright, you got me. I watched them change his bed, clothes, give him sponge baths any chance I got. You happy now?"

Jasmine still suspected more, and she wanted a full admission to complete her little show for the girls. "Not quite. You're holding something back, I can tell."

Ashley sighed and nodded. She looked at Joe. "I'm sorry, I sorta played with it a little out of curiosity."

The girls all laughed, but not too hard, as they all knew they would have done the same if they were in that position. Joe just grinned and said, "Fine, if you all don't mind, could I share your locker room today?"

Jill opened the door, and the girls all motioned him ahead of them as a response. Inside, they all undressed and entered the showers with minimal horsing around. Joe was a gentleman, showering at the far fixture, sneaking an occasional glance at the bathing beauties on the other end. All in all, it was business only as they got ready and marched into the school hallway.

The first hour of the day for Joe was filled with schoolmates welcoming him back and asking for his view of the wreck. A few classmates sympathetically chastised the TV station to Joe for making him and Ashley look bad. He patiently maneuvered through the repeated conversations, and by the third period, things returned to normal. His teachers all welcomed him back enthusiastically, usually commenting on the speed he caught up. "Well, I had a good tutor," he'd reply, pointing with his eyes toward Ashley if she was in the same class.

They went to their practices after school. Being a Monday, both teams started out with conditioning exercises. Then football had drills on basics, while the cheerleaders worked to learn a new dance routine, and later, stunt practice. Joe was normally focused like a laser on the drills, but he found himself looking over to check on Jasmine and Ashley on their tossed stunts. By the end of the outdoor drills, Joe had lost count how many times they got dropped. But, it was almost always on their butts, and he told himself it was part of their sport. His team was led inside for weight lifting and some video review of their last game. The coach knew the last part was boring for Joe, and had an idea. He instructed Joe to do the critique for the offense part. Joe praised or criticized the plays of various positions, giving tips and instructions on how the players could do things differently to help the quarterback do his job. He also gave the team reasons on why he called a specific play, letting them know whether he was trying for a home run, or just toying with the defense. His coach admired his review, as it looked like the other players now had a better understanding of their parts.

The cheerleaders finished their practice about the time the football squad went inside. The six seniors rolled up their sleeves, and pushed up their shorts legging while lying on the bleachers, trying to top up their tan in the mild fall afternoon. Ashley heard her phone chirp, indicating a text message. She looked at the screen and exclaimed, "What the hell?!" The others looked at her and she said, "14 messages and 2 voice mails?" She started thumbing through the messages and told the others, "Something's up." Most of the messages were from acquaintances at the school, telling her to watch the news when she got home. She listened to the voice mails and her heart sank as she heard her dad's voice.

"Kitten, we need to talk. Your mom and I might have jumped a little early at you, and we're sorry. Please come home tonight so we can discuss this. We love you."

Ashley had already planned to stop by there with Joe to pick up some things, but now she really wasn't looking forward to it. She expressed this to her friends, and they took turns trying to give some advice to an impossible situation. The consensus eventually was that she should hear them out, but stand firm if she didn't want to go back home permanently. They saw the players leaving the team's meeting room, and since they were just keeping Ashley company while she waited to give Joe a ride home, they said their farewells. As they passed Joe on their way to the car, each received a hug goodbye.

Joe knew something was bothering Ashley the second he saw her. "What's wrong," he asked. She related the text messages and the voice mails from her dad to him. Joe hugged her and told her that she could only take one step at a time, and that he'd be there to face the music with her. She nodded and they put their bags in her car and headed for her house.

Her parents greeted her at the door with hugs, but they looked decidedly unhappy when they saw Joe. He broke the uneasy silence by saying he was only there to help Ashley collect her things. They told Ashley and Joe to sit in the living room, where they could talk. Ashley told them that she couldn't stay long, as she had homework to do. Her mom asked her to be patient, that what they were going to say was important. Her dad said first he wanted to show her something. He clicked on the TV and had the TiVo unit play a news bit they recorded earlier. Joe immediately recognized the man at the podium as the CEO of Channel 3's parent company.

"Good morning. Weatherall Communications first became aware of one of our station's tragic defamation of two high school students yesterday when we received complaints from some of their viewers. We have reviewed the tape of Saturday night's news broadcast, and deemed the comments made by their anchors as unacceptable. Furthermore, the way the event was edited, it cast the two students in an unbecoming light. Through the complaints we've received over the last 36 hours, we have learned that the perceived image of these two starkly contrasts their real life behavior. Regretfully, the piece our station aired had twisted what was a story of heroism and unexpected talent into a false sex story. Our affiliates are not in the business of making tabloid-like stories for ratings. Therefore, as of noon today, Channel 3's license is revoked. Local programming will be replaced with national broadcasts until a new franchise owner is found, and the station's staff can be replaced with competent, ethical people who want to report the news as it actually happens. The current staff, who seem only interested in creating sensationalism in hopes of bringing up their numbers will be out of a job at noon. Weatherall deeply apologizes to it's viewers in the south, and especially to the two young people who may have suffered embarrassment as a result of our misguided station's decisions. Thank you."

Joe and Ashley sat stunned. Her dad started speaking. "While I still don't approve of you dancing in that manner, I'm glad the record was set straight for you. I'm sorry we didn't trust you."

"Please, honey. Come back home. We were just shocked to see you on the news, prancing about," her mom said.

Ashley went from shock to anger at her parents' words. "What the hell? You chastise me for having a bit of teenaged fun, behind what was supposed to be a closed curtain, no less. You don't believe my explanation. But, NOW you believe me because the correct story is now national news?? I can't believe you two!!"

Her dad shook his head. "We didn't know. You've been gone from home so much since the accident, we didn't know what to think. Next, you come home with a bruise you say came from Bill. Then this comes up."

Ashley turned red, her eyes blazing. "I was helping Joe catch up in school! In doing so, I found out that he and my friends are very close, and I started hanging with them. Bill surprised us in a parking lot, and he hit me. The talent show bit they aired was just fun, and since I like Joe, I got caught up in the moment. Maybe a little too into it, but it still wasn't nasty or anything. You didn't care enough to see the show for yourselves. I've told you nothing but truth, and you don't believe me. It takes a stranger across the country to tell everyone what I've told you for you to believe what I say. I love you both, and I'm sure you love me, but I can't take it here anymore!"

"Please, honey, come back home. We'll work this out. You're going away to school after the summer anyway. Just finish out the year. If you stay in town for school, you can find an apartment. But you should really stay here at home for your senior year," her mom tried to reason. "Where have you been, anyway? At Jill's? I'm sure her parents don't need to have you under their feet."

"Mom, I've been staying with Joe and his parents. Actually, I've moved in."

"How could you move in? All of your stuff is still here," her dad said. "I'm sure it's more fun being in bed with Joe, but you can't borrow his clothes forever."

Ashley had it. The not-so-veiled insult was the final straw. She got up and yelled, "I'm not sleeping with him. I wish I were!" Oops, she didn't mean for that to come out. Joe, to his credit, sat there noncommittal. As far as she knew, he didn't seem to catch that. "Anyway, his parents offered one of their spare rooms to me. They've gotten me clothes, shoes, a computer, just about anything I need. In return, I help keep the house clean, and be their hostess when they invite company over. I only came by to pick up some pictures and my cheer uniform."

"Well, if you're leaving like this, you're getting nothing more from us. That includes the uniform we bought for you!"

"Dad! You gave that to me as part of my birthday!" Her mom frowned at her husband, indicating to let that pass. "I just can't believe you! Come on Joe, help me get my things!"

Joe got up and got out his checkbook. He offered to pay her parents for the uniform. Her dad said, "No, just take it. You've taken our daughter away, now help her take everything else."

Joe responded, "With respect, sir, this is between Ashley and you. My parents have welcomed her into our house as one of our own family. She is free to stay or leave as she pleases. We didn't ask her to come to us, she chose to after you two fell out with each other. My wish is that y'all could have reconciled your differences." He saw that the verbal shot landed its mark, and he went upstairs to help Ashley.

She was true to her word. Packing did not take long. A couple of shoe boxes of pictures, some awards from her performance in school and cheering, and the uniform. She gathered those items, handed some of them to Joe, took the uniform, and headed back downstairs. Her mom stopped her at the door.

"Honey, listen. We just want what's best for you."

Ashley wanted none of it. "Well, things might have been different if you had seen the entire show yourself. I still don't know why you couldn't go, it was Saturday! You both were off work! But, NOOO! You couldn't bother yourselves to see a high school program. And now, you trust what's on tv more than you trust me...TWICE. I am sorry it's come to this, but I cannot live here any longer. Bye." With that, she tearfully jerked the door open and strode to the car.

Ashley and Joe rode to his house in silence. His mom had dinner waiting for them after they put her things in her room. After dinner, they took turns showering and ran through their homework together in the breakfast nook. Ashley told Joe that tomorrow, their classes would have quizzes, as announced last week. He reviewed the material she showed him for those subjects, asking a question here and there. She enjoyed helping him review, as he brought up parts she didn't think about. In turn, it made her that much more prepared. After their homework, they went to the den to watch tv.

Joe's mom came downstairs and found them in the den. "They are so cute together," she thought. Joe was sitting on one end of the couch, Ashley was next to him. She was laying with her head in his lap, watching the projected programming on the wall. Joe was gently stroking and petting her hair absentmindedly. They heard her pad down the stairs, and Joe turned to see her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," his mom said.

"You aren't, we're just watching 'Mad About You' reruns," he answered.

She smiled. "Well, you might want to turn to the cable news."

Joe hit a few buttons, and the new channel displayed on the wall. He was about to ask what they were looking for, when the ticker at the bottom read, "Weatherall Communications revokes affiliates franchise license over 'non professional' news broadcast." A few minutes later, the cable channel ran a feature story about the decision. It started off with clips that were recorded of the wreck aftermath, and led into the talent show clips. The reporter was saying, "This clip is where Weatherall stated that the local station intentionally misled their audience as to the character of the two involved in the high profile accident a few weeks ago." The clip played with the comments about "the real show" starting, some of the edited "Ashley's Song" performance, followed by the anchors' snickering comments. "Weatherall's CEO held a press conference this morning after bending to viewer outcry defending the two students." The press conference they saw at Ashley's house played. "Weatherall's spokesman elaborated later, saying that before the decision was made, they contacted the students' principal to inquire about their character. Their principal related a characterization of the two that indicated what was shown in the news, was not anything like how the pair acts day-to-day. She told the communications representatives that the flirtatious performance had been addressed with the pair, but it really was just kids fooling around on stage after the show was over. This information prompted Weatherall to act on the local station, terminating every position and closing the building. They say they are open to issuing a license to a new franchisee in that market, but in the meantime, local programming will be replaced with a national feed that is normally sent to satellite providers. I'm Amy Brighton for...."

Joe turned the volume down and looked at Ashley. "Wow," was all he could say. Ashley agreed.

His mom commented that a small pebble in a large lake could still send ripples to every edge. "That's why we tell you that you need to be careful whenever media is present."

"Message received Mom!"

"Ok. Well, I wanted to tell you some business." She looked at Ashley in his lap.

"She can stay, can't she. It's not like we're gonna talk about top secret stuff."

"But we do, sometimes, Joe," his mom reminded him.

"Not tonight, though, right?"

"Fine. Just don't repeat anything you hear, okay?" Ashley looked over from Joe's lap and nodded in agreement.

His mom told Joe about several meetings they had with senior management. His parents were trying to woo them back to their way of thinking. She said it didn't seem to work, as several of them still pushed for the sale of the company. His mom shifted gears and started telling Joe about several projects in the pipeline. Ashley grew bored, knowing the information wasn't intended for her, and she fell asleep, her head still resting on Joe's lap.

Chapter 11

The Game

She woke up to her cell phone ringing on the coffee table. The room was dim with the projector turned off. The only light was provided by a lamp on the sofa table behind them and the lights from the pool outside. Ashley raised herself up from Joe's lap and picked up her phone.

"Who was it?" asked Joe.

"I don't recognize the number," Ashley shrugged. She had missed the call, but then it rang again with the out of area number displayed. She hit answer and said, "Hello?"

"Hello," a man's voice said. "May I speak with Ashley Roberts?"

"This is she."

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

"Yeah, but it's ok. It isn't that late yet. Who is this?"

"I'm Steve White from Weatherall Communications. If you need me to call back tomorrow, I'll be glad to do so."

Ashley sat up straighter, now recognizing the voice from the news bits earlier. "Mr. White! Uh, no, now is fine. What can I do for you?" Joe's eyes went wide as he looked at her.

Steve White was immediately certain he had made the right decision today when he heard her politeness. "I think I should be asking what I can do for you. I was calling to apologize directly to you and later to Joe Smith for what our station did to you both two nights ago."

Ashley shook her head, not believing she was talking to one of the most powerful media tycoons in the world. "Well, Mr. White, I must admit that it caused some trouble here, especially with my parents. But I don't blame you or your company. The local reporter and anchors are who I want to say some un-polite things to."

"Perfectly understood. Me too. I'll call Joe in a bit to apologize to him, also, but I wanted to speak with you first."

"Why me?"

"Well, I viewed the unedited footage of the whole talent show to get a feel of what really happened. I must say, I am thoroughly impressed with your talents. I sure am glad Joe put himself between you and that truck, because the world sure could use the musical talent you displayed."

Ashley blushed. "Well, thanks for the compliment, but really most of that was not rehearsed. We were trying to keep my opening song to Joe a secret. The concert portion, we were just jamming on stage for fun."

"And the last song?"

Ashley sighed. "That was never meant to be seen outside our little group of friends. We didn't know the crew raised the curtain to clean up, or that the camera was still there. I'm starting to wish I had never sung it for Joe the night before on our way back from a game."

"Well, you have talent. If you lived out this way, I'd offer you a job with us. Somehow, I doubt I could interest you to come out here."

Ashley was flattered. "Well, thank you Mr. White. But my friends are here and I'm finishing senior year. I'd hate to move again before graduation."

"I understand that. But, I'd still like to do something for you. I spoke with your parents a few minutes before calling you. That's how I got your number." 

Ashley uttered an "oh no." 

"Well, it's ok. They were upset when they told me you don't live there anymore. But that's not my business. I'd like to send you something to show how sorry we are for our part in disrupting your life. What's your new address?" Ashley asked Joe what the postal address was and she relayed it to Steve. "Oh, Joe is with you?"

She replied, "yes, his family invited me to live with them until I leave for college."

"Did our broadcast make you move out of your folks' place?"

"It didn't help, but it was something I needed to do, anyway."

"Very well. Okay, well, I will get this expressed to you. Should see it Wednesday. Store my number from your caller ID, and please call me if I can ever do anything for you. It was a pleasure speaking with you, Ms. Roberts."

Ashley returned the sentiment and thanked him. She handed her phone to Joe.

"Hello, Mr. White!" he said.

"Hello, is this Joe Smith? Possibly Carter Electronics' Smith?"

"Yes, that is my parent's company. How can I help you?"

Steve White was just as impressed as he was with Ashley. Not very many successful parents have kids who are so well mannered. He had a very similar conversation with Joe as he had with Ashley. The end of the call was markedly different. "So, Joe I'd watch my back if I were you."




Angels and Guardians Pt. 03



Joe was surprised at this sudden turn in conversation. "What do you mean?"

"Well, in my position, I hear things. Greedy is not likely to step away from Carter. They will press until they get what they want. Just keep your ear to the ground."

"I always do, but thanks for your concern," Joe responded.

Steve wrapped up the call and apologized for waking Ashley before saying good night.

Joe hung up the phone and handed it back to Ashley. She put it on the coffee table, then swung her knees around to straddle Joe's thighs and sat down in his lap facing him.

"Where's your mom?" she asked.

"She went to bed about a half hour ago." He kissed her lips.

Ashley kissed him back. "That was nice of Mr. White to call."

He looked in her eyes and sighed.

"What?" she asked him.

"You're so pretty, is all."

With that, Ashley put a hand behind his head and pressed her lips to his. Their kiss was playful and easy going. She felt his hands wander up under her shirt in the back, his fingers alternately rubbing and lightly scratching her tired muscles. They made out like this for several minutes before heading to their respective beds.

The next two days followed the same routine as Monday. Joe's teachers offered to let him skip their quizzes this time, as he was not in class the previous week. He told them he was ready and he ended up missing only two questions out of the three quizzes. However, Ashley noticed his mood was growing darker and she became concerned that their make out session was too early for their budding relationship.

Wednesday afternoon, the pair got home to find two express envelopes addressed to them on the kitchen bar. Ashley was the first to open hers and she squealed in delight. Inside was a letter from Mr. White apologizing once again for the difficult time caused by the local station. It stated that the check enclosed was already accounted for with the IRS, and that he sent the tax amount to the office. Therefore, the amount on the check was completely hers. He expressed hope that the amount of the check would ease some of the embarrassment and pain they endured. She fished out the check and gasped. It was written out by Mr. White personally, in the amount of $500,000. She went back to read the rest of the letter. Also enclosed was paperwork for a fully funded scholarship sponsored by Weatherall Communications. She needed to only provide her current information and the name of the school she planned to attend, and the scholarship was hers. He stated that the scholarship amount would be enough for guaranteed admission to Harvard, if she chose. Ashley knew she was bright, but not smart enough for Harvard. She didn't have any interest in ivy league schools, anyway. Mr. White closed the letter reminding her that she had his personal cell phone number and she should call if he could help her in any way. Ashley looked through the scholarship papers, and noticed that the duration of the funding would continue through graduate work if she chose. It was crafted so that she would only lose the scholarship if she dropped out of college or if her grades dropped below a 2.5 GPA. There was an incentive for her to keep the GPA above 3.0, a monthly bonus of $8000 for every quarter she attained that mark. She then stared at her check. "Oh my God, I can't believe it," she said in wonder.

Joe opened his packet and found nearly identical contents. But it didn't break him out of his mood. "Good, I can go car shopping this weekend," was all he said.

Ashley started to ask what was wrong when he left her in the kitchen and went to his room. She had considered following him and try to figure out what was going on, but she heard his door close and she decided to leave him alone for now.

Thursday morning Joe sulked about while getting ready, and didn't speak the whole way to school. His eyes held no light, and Ashley thought he looked more and more pissed with each hour. It really upset her to see him this way and she approached the subject at lunch with Jill.

"You've known Joe for a while and you went out with him. Did he ever act this way with you? Or Kim?" she asked her friend.

Jill looked questioningly at Ashley. "What do you mean?"

"Well," she said. "Monday night, he was all lovey-dovey with me, but since then he's gotten progressively grumpier. Last night we got great news, but he just brushed it off and went to his room. He even snapped at me at dinner. Did I overstep something?"

Jill and Jasmine laughed. Jill answered, "No, sweetie. It's not you at all."

"I don't understand. Why did you two laugh?"

Jasmine answered this time. "You haven't noticed before? Joe gets like that before big games."

Jill nodded in agreement. "It gets worse tomorrow. I suggest you just let him be. He'll be especially bad then."

"Why's that?"

Jill rolled her eyes. "You haven't put it together? Tomorrow's game is against our rival. That's bad enough. But with you in the mix..."

Ashley turned the statement over in her head, still not understanding. Then a light went on. "Bill?"

Jill and Jasmine both grinned. "We knew you'd piece it together, eventually."

Ashley's blood suddenly ran cold. "I had forgotten he was gonna be there. What do you think is going to happen with Joe?"

Jasmine answered, "I don't know. Joe isn't a hulk like his Guardians, but he can handle himself. I know he is worried about trying to keep Bill as far away from you as possible."

Jill saw the emotion and worry in Ashley's eyes. "Don't worry, dear. We'll all be there."

"Easier said than done," Ashley thought as they got up to finish their classes for the day. After their practices, Ashley took Joe to his doctor for the follow up appointment. The exam took about 45 minutes, and he told Joe that he was released for football. But he also warned Joe to respect his limitations for a while.

The next morning, Ashley got up at her usual time. There was no morning run, but being rival game day, she needed the extra time to get ready. She finished her shower and had just put on her bra and panties when Joe walked into the bathroom. Even though she was just in skimpy underwear (she would change into her sports bra after school), Joe didn't even seem to notice she was there. She excused herself and went back to her room to finish getting ready. They emerged from their rooms at the same time. Ashley was in her cheer uniform, Joe had his football jersey on. "Let's go," was all he said to her, nearly knocking her into the wall as he rushed past for the stairs. "No wonder he and Jill broke up. This is gonna be tough," she thought to herself.

Joe's expression in the car made Ashley's heart race in fear. Not for her safety being around him, but she feared for his safety tonight. His jaw was set forward, and his eyes were intense. She said a silent prayer to keep him safe. At lunch, he sat alone, as he did the previous three days. Jill remarked to Ashley, "See, what did I tell you?" Ashley just nodded, but didn't know what to think. He looked dangerous, but still, even when he snapped the other night, he never laid a finger on her. This morning's light bump as he stepped past her was as rough as he got with her. It somewhat comforted Ashley that even when he was this intense, and seemingly pissed, he never raised a hand to her. It also shocked and worried her that he could become so cold. The tug between these emotions also strangely thrilled her, and Ashley's love for Joe somehow grew deeper, even in the distance he put between them the last few days. She was so lost in these thoughts that she didn't notice the boys ogling her legs all day that were revealed by her short uniform skirt.

Seventh period was replaced by a schoolwide pep rally for the rival game that night. The cheerleaders did several routines to pump up the student body. Jasmine and Ashley's aerial stunts thrilled the crowd and were the highlight of the rally. Coach Mike gave a rousing speech, successfully inspiring most of the students to come out for the game. His closing remarks announced that Joe was returning to start at quarterback, winning hearty applause and cheers from the students. Ashley noticed that Joe was unmoved by the appreciation, giving only a slight smile and nod to the crowd.

For home games, a tradition had formed where the cheerleaders would go to the nearby fast food restaurant, and meet their boyfriends there. Ashley went with her now usual group, and sure enough, their boyfriends were outside, waiting on the young ladies. Only Ashley and Jasmine weren't paired. Most of the boyfriends naturally were football players. Jill's boyfriend played baseball, and Sally's ran track. After ordering and finding tables, Jasmine sat next to Ashley and asked where Joe was. Ashley didn't know, and Allison's boyfriend said that Joe was eating with the coaches and getting final preparations for the game. Ashley asked Jasmine about her suitor. Jasmine told her that she had a falling out with him. When asked about the dance tomorrow, she said that a preppy kid somehow got the nerve up to ask her this week, and she accepted. "Should be interesting," she said. Even though time passed easy enough while chatting with Jasmine, Ashley couldn't help but feel left out as she watched the couples around her flirt and chat happily with their partners.

About an hour and a half went by, and it was time to head back. The players had a final meeting to attend before warm-ups, and the cheerleaders had to help set up "spirit posters" around the stadium. The work was easy, but time consuming to string up the banners and posters to the chain linked fencing along the front and back of the home stands. By the time they finished, the scoreboard started the 30 minute countdown to kickoff. The 13 girls ran their laps around the field for warm up while the visiting team was running drills. Bill had positioned himself in the corner of the field, so that every time the group jogged past, he would shout derogatory remarks at them. On the last pass, Ashley shot him a bird. Bill yelled back, "you wish, honey!"

Joe addressed the team before they headed to the tunnel under the home stands. He stated that this would be a heated game, as the Spartans had beaten the other team on their Homecoming night last year. He also warned them that retaliation would not be tolerated by the referees, nor him for that matter. Joe gave some cliché remarks about not letting the school be embarrassed on their own Homecoming. Then he pulled aside his Guardians. Away from the coaches, he told them to ignore what was said in the meeting. He wanted Bill to be single-blocked, not doubled up. The linemen grumbled at this, but he reassured them that he could take care of Bill himself. He didn't want to have to worry about the others breaking through. Having concluded the private meeting, Joe led the team out to the tunnel.

Ashley and Jasmine held the breakthrough banner for the player introductions. Ashley saw Joe in the tunnel and shivered at the look on his face. He was staring at the visitor side of the field with an intense hatred. Even closing her eyes, she could see his terrible focus in her mind. She prayed that his intensity would not get him hurt. The PA announced the home team, and they ran through the banner to a marvelous cheer from the home side. The rally speech worked, as not a seat was to be had. Students stood along the fence at the bottom of the stands, lacking a place to sit.

Ashley was asked earlier in the week by the booster club to sing the national anthem for the game. She handed her pole to Jasmine, and grabbed the wireless microphone from the equipment manager. Fr. Rick said the invocation after the player introductions, and Ashley headed out to her assigned spot a third of the way up the 50 yard line. The PA announced her name to perform the anthem. The crowd anticipated a treat, as many had seen the talent show. Ashley smiled and waved politely at the applause and flipped on the mike. She bowed her head and looked at the grass for a second to focus her mind. Then, she took a deep breath, looked up, and started singing "Star Spangled Banner." She sang the poem in a slow ballad style that captivated the crowd. Ashley could faintly hear the rude comments being made by Bill and his teammates, but ignored them. As she drew out the last note, the crowd on both sides of the stadium gave her a rousing cheer, minus the visiting players, of course.

The coin toss was next, and Joe marched to mid field alone. The visitors sent Bill and two other starters. Joe approached the referees and his counterparts, shaking hands, beginning with the refs, and ending by wishing the two visitors luck. He purposely avoided shaking Bills hand. The refs reminded the players that they were aware of the history between the schools, and that fighting and foul play would be punished by ejection, and possible arrest for assault. Joe knew in his mind that this was a joke. The referees in the state held a general disdain for private schools, and all calls and ejections would most certainly benefit his rivals. Still, he made a note to himself to relay the part about arrest to his teammates. The refs gave the usual instructions about the coin toss, and asked the visitors to call their guess. Bill and his teammates conferred briefly, then called heads. "Idiots," Joe thought to himself. "They can't even get a coin toss call straight before it's needed." The flip turned up "tails", and Joe immediately told the referees that they would receive. Another brief debate ensued between Bill and his co-captains, and Joe hoped their confusion would result in his team getting the favorable wind side. He knew that even though it was breezy now, the wind would die down before the half. In other words, the smart play would be to ignore where the wind was after the first quarter, as it wouldn't be a factor after that. The call should be wind at your back, right now. But, Joe grinned to himself when Bill told the referee they would kick from the east end. "Stupid fuck, I have the wind at my back, now," Joe thought. The umpire instructed the players to wish each other luck, but Joe just turned and walked back to his side.

The first series was as predictable as the sunrise. Joe wished the first set of plays wasn't scripted, as he knew what the other team would try to do. Sure enough, they blitzed him on every down, trying to get to Joe in order to knock him out early. However, Joe had conditioned enough that he was able to step out of trouble, and successfully complete three passes in a row. The script called for a couple of running plays that ended up getting modest yardage. The script ended there, as it was designed to only get a feel for the defense. Joe hurried the team to the line, opting not to huddle. He called the next play from under center, a fly route to Bill's side of the field. The play started, and as Joe rolled left, he saw Bill break free from his block. Joe set up and fired the ball downfield, knowing he would get hit. As he was smashed into the grass, Joe watched his receiver make the catch and run for the score. Bill was on top of Joe, telling him that he was nothing. Joe simply rolled out from under him and pointed at the scoreboard.

The next four series had mixed results with one common theme. Joe called and ran plays that kept Bill on the far side of the field. His offense scored on two of the four series. The last score was a brilliant scramble play by Joe. He rolled out to his left, again, and set up. Bill left his feet to tackle Joe high, still trying to take him out of the game. Joe sensed it, and darted upfield, making Bill miss horribly. Two spins and a hurdle later, and Joe was in the endzone. They were up 21-0, and Bill threw his helmet down in frustration.

The Spartan defense held again, and the offense was back on the field. By this time, the offensive coordinator had given up calling plays to Coach Mike. Joe either ran a hurry-up offense or audibled out of the called play. Instead, he talked to the coach about what different players could do better. After the punt, Joe marched back onto the field with the rest of the offense. He called several run-left plays, intent to wind the clock down. When the visitors called timeout at 30 seconds, Joe huddled up the team, but did not walk them to the sideline. "We're scoring here," he said. "The first play is a set up. DO NOT retaliate." The players looked around, not knowing what he was talking about. Time was called, and they headed to the line. Joe called the same play as the first score. Bill recognized it and shifted left. The ball was snapped and Joe rolled left. He anticipated Bill to avoid the block, and made his roll a couple of steps deep, to add some time. Joe stepped and threw the ball far over Cody's head. A second and a half later, Bill smashed into Joe, prompting more than a few flags. Several from the home crowd started scaling the fence, and the Spartan sideline poised to charge the field. But, everyone stopped when they saw what happened next on the field. Instead of hitting Bill back, Joe jumped up and intercepted one of his linemen racing to pummel Bill for the blatant late hit. Joe swung and punched his teammate's helmet, knocking the bigger guy off balance. Joe screamed at him, "I said NO retaliation! Get back to the huddle!"

Everyone, including the referees was stunned. In a single act, Joe headed off what was sure to be a game-ending brawl, and rendered the stadium near silent. As Joe expected, his team was awarded 15 yards for the late hit, but Bill was not ejected. He told his squad, "I told you not to retaliate. Sorry, Marcus. I had to get your and everyone else's attention." Marcus replied that Joe certainly had it now. "Good. This play I want Cody to run straight out. Everyone else, run block. Double team the left end. Leave Bill unblocked." They looked at him. "That's right, unblocked. I'm gonna finish him and his team right now." They were confused, but agreed.

They jogged up to the line, and Joe glanced at Bill. The return look he received reminded Joe of a bull, looking to charge the matador. He barked a command to his line to set, then called for the ball. He rolled left, and as he hoped, Cody drew the defensive back with him, and Bill was racing straight for Joe. He slung the football as hard as he could at Bill's head. The blow knocked the linebacker's helmet off, and Bill landed flat on his back. The ball bounced straight back at Joe, and he caught it, hurdling Bill and racing straight up the field. 40 yards later, he stepped over the goal line untouched. The half ended with Bill being helped to the locker room with a concussion, and his team up 28-0. Marcus came up to Joe and said, "I thought you said no retaliation."

Joe replied with a smile, "No, I said I didn't want Y'ALL to retaliate."

The field was set up with arches for the Homecoming crowning, and the seniors who were nominated stood on either side, facing the crowd. Joe, three other players, and Jill's boyfriend were the males standing on the left side. Ashley, Jill, Sally, and two other girls stood to the right. A sad attempt at suspense was made by the emcee before announcing Jill and her boyfriend as the runners up. They took their plastic crowns from the drama teacher and posed for the yearbook picture. The Homecoming Queen was announced next, and Ashley stepped around through the arch in surprise on hearing her name. Her tiara was place on her head by the alum former queen. Next, Joe was announced as King, and he accepted his crown from the drama teacher, as the former king didn't return. "I don't blame him," he thought as he posed sweaty for the picture. Ashley was brought back under the arch to pose with Joe for good measure. The crowd held a mild applause throughout their crowning.

She noted, with relief, that Joe seemed to be in a different mood now. Maybe he was relieved because they had a comfortable lead, or maybe it was because he had bested her ex boyfriend. Whatever the reason, she was glad he was smiling again. They walked off the field arm-in-arm. On the sideline, he took off the crown and handed it to Ashley with a kiss. "See ya after the game. Be careful cheering!" She returned the kiss and he raced off to join the team in the locker room. Yes, it's good to have him back, she thought.




Angels and Guardians Pt. 04



Author's note:

This is part four of a story about a group of very close and special friends. Character development was done primarily in the first three parts, so it is best to read those first.

All characters are 18 and are the subject of this FICTIONAL story. Thanks for reading and please VOTE! (5's are awesome, but only if deserved.)

Thank you.

***

Chapter 14

Amateur Night

They had walked a short distance when Ashley broke into their thoughts. "A lot of what you told me molded around or even seemed to happen because of your parents' business. Can you tell me more about it?"

Joe nodded. "I'll tell you what I can, but some I cannot because of security," he said flatly.

She raised her eyebrows at that. "security? I don't understand."

Joe looked at her. "That's ok, because you don't need to understand. Yet." She let the afterthought go, and Joe went on to tell her the history of the company. He led into his involvement with it as an errand runner and later, how he helped develop the phone they were most known for. Ashley instinctively pulled the lightweight device from a concealed fold in her dress and brushed the sand off it. "That's the one," Joe said.

"I love this phone," Ashley exclaimed. "When I see it, I KNOW that it's mine. The extra faceplates, case, everything really fits and doesn't work loose or fall off. The things I use it most for are launched from a quick-button. You came up with this?"

"Yup," Joe answered proudly. "Do you text much?"

"Yes, that's how Jasmine, Jill, and I talk most of the time."

"Well, next time they send you a message, just start typing back, it will automatically go into text message mode. When you hit send, it'll bring up a list of numbers, or names if you've programmed them in, that you last received messages from. The top will be the number or name the most recent message came from."

"I didn't know that. I always went to menu and such first. I'll have to try that." Even as Ashley said this, she started typing on the keyboard, amazed the text app instantly appeared. "Oh wow. That is so cool!"

"Who are you texting?"

"Jill. Just letting her know what you just told me about my phone and seeing what she's up to."

"Ashley, she knows. Her constant griping about texting is what gave me the idea. We gave her the prototype to test. Anyway, it's Homecoming. Aren't you interrupting her, or maybe at least her sleep?"

She ignored the last two sentences. "Wow! She got to try it out first? Did she get the first model, too?"

Joe laughed. "Yes, she got the first model...the prototype. That's what she's using still today. The prototype worked so well, the company just threw the design on the production line. Kim got the first production model, and Jasmine got the second."

Ashley didn't believe it. "But, that was like three years ago when they came out, and the slide out keyboard model didn't come out until last year. Their phones look brand new."

Joe smiled proudly. "Thanks."

"Huh?"

"Well, my idea was to make a phone that would change as a normal teenager's needs change. Their shell's and keys look new, because they just got new personalization parts a few months ago. The keyboard was an easy upgrade, because the battery cover is the whole back of the phone. The upgrade popped into where the battery was and the battery and sim card are now on the back of the keyboard unit. As new features come up, they can download the upgrade from the tower. I made sure that minor updates were free and major software upgrades were only $2." He explained further the resistance some had in the company about building a durable, upgradeable phone. That's when he pitched the idea that the company should make all the add-ons: the design shells and skins, keyboards, cases, etc. The management reluctantly ok'd the trial batch, and the phone caught on. He told her that the phones hold 30% of his parents' business income.

Ashley was shocked again. "Only 30%? These are like police cruisers are Crown Victorias...nearly every teenager has one. Where's the other 70% come from?"

Joe answered cryptically on purpose, "this and that. TV parts here, routers there."

Their arrival at the lot kept Ashley from pressing more. "Maybe all the better," she thought to herself. Joe helped Ashley up into the van like a faithful escort. Ashley grinned to herself, thinking that maybe the gentleman dream thing wouldn't be a stretch for Joe to fill. He had done a marvelous job tonight being everything she had hoped to find in a guy.

As they headed back, Joe asked if Ashley ever got a response from Jill. It dawned on Ashley that she didn't even listen for the small beep. She checked her phone and said slowly, "uuhhh, yeah. Four messages, and the first one so far is long." Joe waited patiently while driving back to the house. Ashley typed out a reply, noting mentally how she loved the phone even more now, and put it in her lap. She related Jill's short version of the night. "She said the group went bowling, then split up. Her boyfriend took her to a motel, and they had sex. Right after, she got dressed, told the guy she was breaking up with him, as he didn't seem interested enough in holding her attention. She called one of your drivers and he took her back to her house.

"Apparently, a very similar thing happened with Jasmine, because Jill got a text from her right after she got home. It said that she made it a short night with her date, and was waiting for one of Joe's drivers. They are both home safe, now. Well, actually, Jasmine is at your parents. I asked if Jill needed anything."

Joe nodded. While this wasn't great news of his friends, he expected it. Both girls had been unhappy in their relationship since summer. Any time they were off "doing the bf thing," they used that time to try to work through the differences in their heads. Recently, though, each had confided in Joe that they didn't think things would work out, and that they might say goodbye to their partners after Homecoming. He turned up the radio during one ad. A canned speech announced that the station would be doing a live remote at a quasi-popular bar and grill tomorrow night. The theme would be amateur night. Karaoke would be free, and CDs and tapes that had been sent in would be played and a vote would decide the winner of $500. Joe asked Ashley if she wanted to go, as he thought she might enjoy the Karaoke. She readily said yes when the late-night DJ came back on air.

"All you listeners should be there tomorrow night. Excuse me, tonight. It's a lot of fun, lots of door prizes, and the pre-recorded stuff that's been sent in ranges from God-awful, I mean 'humorous', to VERY well done. I just received a CD that I listened to during the commercial break. Some of you have been requesting this song since last week but no one has a decent recording for. That song was just given to me, and let me say, it lives up to the hype. Every bit. We'll feature that song tonight at Seymor's during our amateur night. So, it'll definitely be worth it to be there. All right, next up..."

Joe turned the radio back down to background level, and Ashley's phone gave a chime and lit up. She looked at it and said it was from Jill. Ashley scrolled through the message and asked Joe if Jill should pick them up for Mass in the morning. He said yes, if it was the 11 o'clock one. She set about typing her reply and sent it. Her phone chimed again, sparking a quick texting battle between Ashley and Jill. Ashley giggled softly at some of the responses. Joe finally asked why she didn't just call her. Ashley's face got one of those "why didn't I think of that" looks, and she asked in her next message. At Joe's gate, the phone chimed again and Ashley smirked at Joe saying, "Cuz she doesn't want to wake her mom! Anyway, she said she'd join us for the thingy at Seymor's."

He rolled his eyes at her dig, but said it was fine for Jill to come, too. Another blazing typing string sent Ashley's reply and good night to Jill's phone. After Joe parked the van in the spacious garage, her phone chimed once more, almost as if to have the last word. Joe rolled his eyes, being pleasantly annoyed. He had always preferred talking instead of typing. He got out and walked around to let Ashley out of her side. As she stepped out, still barefoot, she told him that Jill sent her congratulations on them making King and Queen.

They entered the house, half surprised to find it dark, save the lights that were usually left on overnight. Jasmine was supposed to be there, but they assumed she had gone to bed. Joe asked Ashley if she wanted a snack. She declined after seeing the time on the microwave reading 3:43. "Damn, it's late, I better get to bed." Joe agreed and walked her up to her door. He kissed her goodnight, then disappeared into his room.

To Ashley, his kiss completed the vision in her head of a perfect Homecoming tradition. She stepped into her room, and saw Jasmine sleeping in her bed. She took off her dress and entered the bathroom for a quick shower to get the sand off. Ashley pondered joining Joe, but decided on sleeping next to Jasmine. When she slipped under the covers, Jasmine stirred. Ashley embraced her from behind and whispered to her, "I heard what happened, and I'm sorry."

Jasmine said sleepily, "sorry for being in your bed...old habit. I'll go to the other guest room."

Ashley stopped her from getting up. "No, sweetie. Stay here. Again, I'm sorry about you and your boyfriend."

Jasmine looked over her shoulder at Ashley's face. "Don't be. It was my idea, so I'm ok. How was your night with Joe?"

"Incredible is the only word I can say about it right now. But I'm beat. I'll tell you more tomorrow."

Jasmine nodded and said, "good night, then." 

"Good night." Ashley pecked Jasmine's cheek and fell asleep with her arm around her friend's waist.

Later that morning, Jasmine started waking Ashley by planting soft kisses in strategic places on her face. She finally stirred and smiled at Jasmine. "Good morning," Ashley greeted her.

Jasmine returned the smile and said softly, "morning, Little Bit. Time to get up. It's nine already. Jill will be here any time now. She just texted me she's on her way."

Ashley sat up to find her legs really sore from lack of sleep and the activities last night. "Oh my God, can't I just join y'all for brunch?" She flopped back down on the bed, her arms stretched out behind her head.

Jasmine leaned over her and kissed her stomach. "My, you are tempting, being displayed like that. But, no, let's go!" She grabbed Ashley's hand and helped her up. 

They took turns using the toilet and then showered together, keeping playtime at a minimum. They went back to the room, each choosing a close-fitting t-shirt and jeans to wear. After getting dressed, Jasmine walked to the far bathroom door that lead into Joe's room. She pounded on it with her fist and yelled, "Hey Butthead! Get up! Bus leaves the station in 20 minutes!" She returned to find Ashley pouting.

"Hey, you be nice to my boyfriend!" Ashley pouted more, but couldn't keep it up for long and burst into a giggle fit, which Jasmine joined. "Nevermind, someone's gotta keep him in line." And another giggle round ensued.

Jasmine started brushing Ashley's hair while she applied her makeup. "Boyfriend, huh? The thrown-together date must have gone well, then?"

Ashley finished her sparse but effective coloring and allowed herself the enjoyment of someone else brushing her hair. She closed her eyes and said, "better than if I had dreamed it. Joe is just amazing, I've never been treated so well on any date before."

Jasmine finished doing Ashley's hair, and they traded places. She was happy for Ashley, Joe is a great guy to have caring for you. But as she applied her makeup and Ashley brushed her hair, she couldn't help but wonder how that would change Joe's relationship with her, or more so, Jill.

Ashley read the thought on Jasmine's face. "Oh, Sweetheart, I may be claiming him as my boyfriend, but I'm not gonna take him away from you, Jill, or the others. That would be so unfair to y'all for me to come in and suddenly bar him from any contact with any of you."

Just then, Joe mumbled a "good morning" and closed their side of the bathroom door. Ashley froze mid-stroke, embarrassed. Jasmine looked at her in the mirror and said, "don't worry, Little Bit. He didn't hear you. At this point, he's barely aware there's someone in this room." She paused, waiting for Ashley to relax and resume her brushing, then said, "contact, huh?"

Ashley heard the bumps and thumps associated with a male readying himself for the day and then heard the shower run. "Yeah, I don't want you to lose Joe completely. I just want his heart and affection." Even though with the shower running it wasn't necessary, Ashley leaned in and whispered, "just promise me that you'll let me know when you do any physical stuff with him."

Jasmine spun in her seat and stared at her friend. The word "what" started to form on her lips.

Ashley placed her finger on Jasmine's open lips. "Like I said, I'm not going to take him away from you. Just tell me when something happens, and we'll be good."

"Why on earth would you want to know every time I, Jill, Sally or Allison have sex with Joe? It'll make you crazy jealous the first time it might happen. I don't think I want to risk my life like that, or your friendship. If you want him, fantastic! We'll be happy for you both. And, I know that we all would respect your relationship with Joe. Joe would never cheat on you. I know that as an absolute truth. That would mean for something to happen, we would have to start it. I know another absolute truth is that none of us would do that to your relationship." Then, as an afterthought, "Jill or I might make some moves on you, but that's it." She winked.

Ashley blushed at the thought, but set her jaw firmly. She was gonna win, damnit. "Thank you. But, seriously, I know y'all are attracted to him, and I feel that Joe could handle some trysts with you guys without taking his heart back from me. If it makes you feel better, then ask my permission any time you want to do him." She blushed harder, "Besides, the thought of my friends flirting with and teasing him kinda gets me excited. Call me Slut, Dirty Girl, or whatever. Everyone has a strange fetish of some sort. That's mine, I guess....and I cannot believe I just told you that." She stood there dumbfounded at her openness.

Jasmine got up and gave Ashley a deep, open-mouthed kiss, which was returned eagerly. She said when she broke it, "wow, I think that does have you turned on. But don't worry, you're right. You had Joe's heart the moment you walked into our school. As far as the extracurricular stuff, we'll see...I might just take you up on the offer."

They were still holding each other tightly when Jill walked in. "Hey, hey, don't be screwing up your makeup, we don't have time for you to reapply!"

The two squealed in delight and took turns hugging Jill. "I'm sorry about your boyfriend," offered Ashley.

"Meh," she answered. "He didn't want it enough to hold my attention. Where's Joe?"

Joe appeared through their bathroom door fully dressed in jeans and a dress shirt and answered, "right here." Then he said a "good morning," quite more chipper than earlier. He greeted Jill and Jasmine with a hug and kiss. He turned to Ashley, picked her up and kissed her deeply. She responded to the kiss, and wrapped her strong legs around him, taking some of her weight off his arms.

Jill looked at Jasmine and mouthed, "congratulations?" 

Jasmine bobbed her head and whispered, "It's official, they're a couple. I'll tell you more later."

Jill nodded and then cleared her throat, "ahem. Let's get going, so we don't have to sit in the front row...again."

Joe and Ashley broke their kiss and smiled at Jill. Ashley jumped down and said to Joe, "thanks! I loved last night."

"Me too," he answered and they all headed to Jill's SUV.

Jasmine rode next to Jill up front, and Ashley sat close to Joe in the middle bench. Jasmine quietly talked to Jill while she drove to the church, filling her in on what Ashley had told her. Ashley laid her head on the side of Joe's shoulder, her body still protesting in exhaustion from the late night. She saw Jill flick her eyes in the mirror towards her on occasion and she had no doubt as to what the conversation was about. When she saw Jasmine stop talking, she asked if they were meeting Allison, Marybeth and Sally at Mass.

Jill responded with a grin, "no, I asked, but they each texted back that they were going to sleep in and spend the day with their dates. I guess they really hit it off with their guys. Speaking of, did you want me to drop you two off after Mass?"

Ashley picked up her head. "Why?"

"So you two can spend the day together."

"We ARE spending the day together!" Ashley argued, confused.

Jill smiled at her friend's sometimes-thick head. "Dork! I meant alone!"

"Oh." Ashley didn't think of that. She looked at Joe, but he looked back with an expression that tossed the ball back into her court. "No, it's okay. I want us all having fun today." She seemed to read Jasmine's mind, twisting the meaning of the last sentence. "Not like that, Jasmine!"

Jasmine turned to grin at Ashley. "Okay! I know! A girl can fantasize, can't she?" She gave a false pout then broke into laughter, infecting the group with giddiness.

They entered the church all smiles. As the group walked toward the only empty pew, the front one, of course, Jill noticed they were being watched. "You see? This is why I wanted to get here earlier! I hate the front row. Everyone stares at us walking up to it, and while they walk by for Communion. And, it feels like Jesus's finger is pointing at me saying, 'you're an evil girl,'" she hissed in a low whisper.

When they knelt in the pew, Jasmine leaned over and hissed back, "oh stuff it Jill. The old farts just think you gotta dress up for the Prom any time you face God. At least we're here, we love God, and He sees and knows that. What does it matter what anyone else thinks, I say?" Jill turned to meet what she expected to be a grin from Jasmine. Instead, she saw that Jasmine was seriously pissed with her complaining. She was about to say something when Jasmine continued, "besides, it's not like I'm dressed to go fishing on the street. I'm dressed in a nice t-shirt without holes or stains and jeans. I didn't tie my shirt just below the twins like the bitches in the fourth row. If I wanted to desecrate the Mass, I'd have come in wearing my floss bikini. They can just get over themselves. You too, for that matter!"

Jill was about to respond when she saw Jasmine make her Sign of the Cross, opening her personal prayer. Jill let it go, and settled into her own prayer. Ashley and Joe missed the exchange, they were occupied with thanking Those Above for being blessed enough to find each other.

The Mass ended and unlike ¾ of the congregation who bolts for the door as soon as they utter the last "Thanks be to God," the group stayed to sing the entire closing hymn. Not because they felt they had to, but because they genuinely enjoyed it. The song ended and Jill and Jasmine were ahead, filing out of the church. Jasmine for some reason picked up her argument again. "I'm sorry Jill, but I wish you wouldn't complain every time we walked into church."

"And, I wish we could be early for once, so I don't have to feel like a leper during the entire Mass!" retorted Jill.

Outside, they faced each other, bowing up. "We can't help it if we're pretty! God, don't be so offended if people noticed you!" Jasmine lashed out.

"Well, well, if it isn't Miss High and Mighty! You're no saint!" Jill spat.

"Pots shouldn't call out Kettles, Jill!" shouted Jasmine.




Angels and Guardians Pt. 04



Ashley saw Jasmine's fists ball up and she jumped between them. "What the hell, guys?" She worried that her pairing up with Joe sparked this tiff. "If y'all didn't want people to gawk at you, great job! Mega fail!"

Jill flared her nostrils a couple more times at Jasmine, then looked around. Ashley was right, a number of people were staring at the looming fight. She relaxed her shoulders a bit, prompting Jasmine to do the same.

Ashley saw the relaxed stances. "Good! Now can we go eat? I'm starving!"

Inside the SUV, Joe saw the pain in Ashley's face, and the air was still thick with tension. "Which of you wants to tell me what that was about?" It came out more scolding than Joe intended, but he hated seeing Ashley hurt, and he hated seeing any of the girls fighting with each other. He wanted to put this to bed.

Jill sighed heavily through her nose. "It was an afternoon shower." She looked pointedly at Jasmine.

Jasmine took the cue and nodded, repeating, "an afternoon shower."

"Y'all took a shower together and now you're fighting?" Joe asked.

The three girls all laughed, as Ashley also knew what they meant. But, she let one of them explain. Jasmine said, "you know those thunderstorms that pop up in the afternoon out of nowhere? They are often harsh and sometimes scary. Then, suddenly, they disappear, leaving things hot, sticky and generally miserable. But after a bit, everything is fine. That's what this was...an afternoon shower."

"As long as that's all it was," Joe answered. "Let's enjoy the afternoon, okay? Where are you taking us, anyway?"

Jill answered brightly, "Lucille's On The Beach. Thought we could enjoy brunch on the deck."

They all thought this was a marvelous idea. Each seemed to settle back in their seats as they discussed their ideas on what to order.

And so the afternoon went. They enjoyed brunch, a walk on the long fishing pier up the beach from the restaurant, then back to prowl the mall. One thing Joe had liked while dating Jill and Kim was that neither were very clingy. Now, Ashley sometimes hung on his arm, and other times held his hand as they walked the sprawling mall. When she first took up his arm, he initially feared that he would hate it and rationalized that the newness of their relationship would eventually wear off and she wouldn't feel the need to stay connected to him. But now, half way around the mall's perimeter, he wasn't sure he could take it if she ever stopped. He received several envious looks from other males, being accompanied by three gorgeous girls. And, when the girls noticed, they would step closer to Joe, laughing, touching, and generally flirting with him. Each of the four only found a few things to buy. When they completed their circuit, they retreated back to the SUV. Jill asked what was next, and Joe mentioned that Ashley wanted to go the the amateur night thing.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. Y'all want to go? It starts at five," Ashley asked.

Jill chided herself for forgetting, and answered, "Yeah, I'd like to go." When Jasmine nodded her head she continued, "alright, Seymore's it is. We'll get there right as it starts."

They arrived just as the place started filling up. Joe grabbed a table while the girls checked in at the Karaoke table. After each picked a song to sing, they went over to the radio table, flirting to score some free stuff. While the DJ was flirting back, he was interrupted by the station tossing the signal back to him. He gave the girls a 'just wait' sign and said into his headset, "we're live here at Seymore's for amateur night! I must say this place is hopping! We got wings at $4 a platter, free Karaoke, and we'll be playing some tapes and CDs that have been submitted this past month. We'll have a vote as to which song will win $500. So, if you can't come down here, be sure to call in your vote. But if you aren't here, you should be." He winked at the girls. "In fact I just had three of the prettiest girls I've ever seen just walk in. Hi! What's your name?"

"Jill!"

"And yours?

"I'm Jasmine," she said in her sexiest voice.

"WHOA! You hear that guys? I'm sayin' guys, you really should be here! And what's your name?"

"My name's Ashley"

The name struck the DJ and he asked, "Ashley, what?"

"Ashley Roberts...Go Spartans!"

The DJ laughed, "We even got school spirit here, fellas." He noticed the matching necklaces. "You three have the same pretty jewelry on, are you sisters?"

Jill answered, "No, it's a cheerleader thing."

"So you all are cheerleaders?"

"Yes we are, Rob!" Ashley remembered, finally, his name from the radio. She added for effect, "We attend the best school in the area, Catholic High!" She winked at Rob, hoping she was helping his sales pitch, while Jill and Jasmine both gave out a "YEOW!"

"Beautiful and cheerleaders...guys, it is a SHAME you aren't here tonight! You'd be outnumbered by 2 to 1. Now ladies, before I get ahead of myself, are you at least 18?"

They answered "yes" in flirting unison.

"Eighteeeen, guys! You know what that means...can I get a L. E. G. A. L?"

The girls giggled, playing along.

"Are you single?"

"Yes!"

"Very much!"

"Not yet, Rob...but that can change." Ashley winked.

"Sounds like an opportunity, players! Now, Jill?"

"Yes, Rob?"

"How long have you known Ashley here?"

"Since senior year started."

"Does she sing? Or do you know?"

Jasmine interjected, "Sing? She kicks singing's tail!"

"Do you know why I'm asking y'all these questions?"

"No"

"No."

"Well, you'll find out later tonight. Ashley, are you going to do some Karaoke tonight?"

"Yes! I've signed up for two songs."

"Tell me, Ashley. What's your favorite radio station?"

She grabbed the hand mic and purred into it, "I'm Ashley Roberts, and you're listening to the best darned station in the land, K-ROK, 97.3...Jamming On The Coast!"

With that, the station cut to commercial. Rob took off the headset, and looked at them in wonder. "Do you all do this often?"

Jill shook her head and answered for them, "no, this is the first time I've been on air." The other two bobbed their heads in agreement.

Rob shook his head, "well, you all are naturals! What can I do for you?"

Jasmine asked, "can I have a Frisbee?"

He laughed. "Frisbee? After that performance, I think my station manager would let you have the van that's parked outside! Tell you what, go outside to the van and tell my assistant I said you could have whatever you want. We got t-shirts, decals, hats, a box of CDs you can look through. Take as much as you want."

"Thanks!" they chimed.

"Ashley, a moment, please?" Jill and Jasmine stepped outside. "Were you serious about becoming single soon?"

"Of course not. I just played along. I thought it would help your pitch." She turned to join her friends outside.

Rob shook his head, smiling. "Naturals," he muttered. 

The restaurant owner came up within a few minutes with a plate of wings for Rob. "This is the best $1500 I've ever spent," he proclaimed. "Girls always turn out for Karaoke, but I've had trouble getting guys to come in. Guys buy beer. Since your last pitch, we've had three groups of males walk in, and they're thirsty! Thanks a lot!" and he rushed off to meet the demand.

Ashley found Jill and Jasmine walking slowly across the parking lot, with Jill smoking as they went. She caught up and joined them. They were talking about what just happened with some glee. Jill stopped a few feet from the radio van to enjoy her cigarette. Ashley and Jasmine waited patiently for her so she could finish. She stubbed the butt out in the sand at the edge of the drive and they approached the van. The young female assistant greeted them warmly, saying Rob just texted her about them. She opened the back of the van and let them rummage through the giveaways. Once they had taken what they desired, which was only a polite amount, they thanked her and loaded their loot in the SUV and headed back in to join Joe. He stood as they approached the table, and didn't sit until the last one was seated. "Forever my gentleman," Ashley thought to herself. 

"Good job! And, you're just in time, the wings just got here," he said.

"You heard?" Ashley asked.

"Well, sure. His speakers are on in here when he's broadcasting. Though I can't say I'm comfortable that I might lose you," he teased.

Jill punched his arm loosely. "She was playing along, you goof!"

"Har. Har," he said somewhat sarcastically, causing the three girls to snicker.

As they ate, some of the early birds were performing on stage. Even the bad singers were at least entertaining, and received applause. Rob came over after a while and apologized for interrupting their dinner. He told them that his station manager called him and asked if the girls would mind introducing the amateur songs when the time came. The three readily agreed, to his relief. The station manager basically threatened his job if he couldn't get the girls to do it. His shoulders appeared lighter as he told them the first set would be in about five minutes. As luck would have it, the girl working the stage announced that next up would be Ashley. Ashley took her place, collected herself and nodded at the girl. The background music for "The Rose" started and Ashley nailed it. The place was the quietest it had been during a performance up to then. As she sang the last note, the room erupted. She gratefully bowed to the applause and returned to her seat, but Jill was missing. Joe kissed her and she was about to ask about Jill when she heard Rob's voice over a set of speakers at the back. She looked over at the table and saw Jill sitting next to him with a headset on.

"That was amazing! Better than the original, don't you think, Jill?"

"Well, that's Ashley...she doesn't know how to do anything otherwise."

The crowd cheered madly and Ashley blushed, standing briefly to acknowledge them.

Rob now knew for sure his hunch was correct and he had a feeling this was going to be his best broadcast ever. He was having the most fun he's had on a remote and his job, for a while, stopped being a job. It showed in how he worked his listeners. He continued, "As you can tell, we're having a lot of fun here at Seymore's. It's amateur night and the place is filling up. If you're not here, then you're missing out bigtime! Girls, come on out and have some fun with Karaoke. You can get up there and belt out a tune just like Ashley did. Guys, come out and meet the ladies. There's plenty of them, and plenty of adult beverages that you can buy them, too."

Jill broke in with a "Yeehaw!" which sparked some cheers and catcalls from the males in the room.

Rob laughed on-air, "see? I'm not lying, this place is a lot of fun, you should come and check us out. Now, I'm here with one of the young ladies from earlier. Jill is your name, yes?"

"That's correct, Rob."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen..." Jill said with a cute inflection that implied he should have known that.

"So, you can't accept the adult-variety beverages, can you?" He hit a button that played a canned groan.

Jill grinned, now playing to both the radio and the guys in the room. "No, but I'll accept as much soda as my bladder will take from all these cute guys!" This elicited a round of laughter from the girls and a round of cheers from the guys.

"As pretty as you are, you'll spend a lot of time in the ladies' room, I think."

"Well, thanks, Rob! We'll see."

"Ok, so amateur night, what do you think so far Jill?"

"Hardly amateur. Lots of good singing so far."

"Amen to that! Well, you've heard some impromptu, what do you say we play some prepared stuff?"

"Sounds like a plan! Let's get the show on the road!"

He passed her a cue card. "Alrighty, then! What do we have first?"

Jill read the card and giggled into the microphone, "oh that's cute! First up we have 'Make You Pop' performed by The Waterballoonheads."

The station cut over to the song, which also played in the restaurant. Jill removed the headset and looked at Rob. "What the hell? That's so funny!"

He grinned back. "Don't ask me, we didn't name them. Will you stick around to announce the next song? We're gonna play two in a row, then play regular stuff over the air and have Karaoke here. Then there will be two more, and so on."

"Sure thing!" She turned and couldn't help but laugh. A line of single (and not-so-single, she suspected) guys had formed at her spot on the table. Each had a glass of soda in his hand. She graciously met each one and accepted their offering of soda. Some asked for autographs, but most asked for a picture with her. She filled requests the best she could until the song started winding down and she put her headset back on.

Rob resumed the program, "So, that was Make You Pop by the Waterballoonheads. What did you think of that, Jill?"

"I thought it was a cute song with a GREAT name."

"What's the crowd think of it? You agree with Jill?"

A light cheer resulted.

"Well, we're warming up...sorry Waterballoons, not looking so good for that prize. What do we have next?"

Jill took the card from Rob. "Next up we have "Love's Angle" by Sarah Mitchum."

Again, the radio cut to the song. Jill took off the headset, and resumed talking with the guys in line. She dismissed the last one politely well before the song was ending. She turned to Rob and laughed. "What do I do with all these sodas?"

"Drink them, of course!" he challenged her.

"No way! I'll wet myself every two minutes!"

He leaned in toward Jill and lowered his voice, "I wouldn't mind."

Jill replied, "oh. A kinky boy! Truth is, neither would I, but I've found not many others think the same way."

"You wanna go out with me sometime, then?"

Jill laughed. "Sorry Rob. I don't allow any co-pilots on that flight."

"No...that's not what I meant. Just to hang out. I like you, you're spunky."

"What? Just because you're a popular DJ, I should just drop my panties and swoon? It takes more than fame to get my interest."

He was about to say something, but the song wound down and they put on the headsets.

Rob recovered from the dejection and returned to the lively pitchman routine, saying, "That was "Love's Angle" by Sarah Mitchum. What's your take, Jill?"

"I thought it was pretty with an unexpected edge. I liked it."

"And the crowd?"

A warm cheer replied.

"Well, Jill, thank you very much for being on air with me tonight. It was a real pleasure."

The crowd gave a robust cheer for her.

"Thank you, Rob! It was a lot of fun!"

"Would you do it again?"

"We'll see. Maybe if I happen by your remote again."

"Alright, sounds good. Good luck with all those drinks in front you!"

She giggled, "Thank you."

"That wraps up the first portion. Stay tuned, there's sports, weather, 8-in-a-row, and we'll be back later with some more amateur night. Jill, what's your favorite station?"

"K-ROK, 97.3 Jamming On The Coast gets my motor purring every time."

They took off their headsets and Rob shook her hand. "That was excellent. Great job, I loved that ending."

"Thanks, it really was fun!"

"So, no date?"

Jill looked at him and said, "I said it on the radio. Maybe, if I'll see ya later!" With that she went back to the table.

The group offered their praise as she sat down, and Joe asked where she was going to fit all the soda. "You'd be surprised. I'm thirsty after those wings!" The group laughed as she gulped one of the glasses down. They settled in their seats, listening to the progression of singers. After a while, Jill's name was called. She went up and sang a delightful version of "Men Are Like Shoes." She entertained the crowd by dancing and flirting to them, earning a robust round of applause.

Jasmine was seated at the radio table when Rob resumed his broadcast. He rambled off a similar routine pitching the restaurant as before. "Well, Jasmine, your friend Jill has a bit of musical talent, as well. Will we see you up there next?"

"Jill loves to entertain. I, however was not as blessed in the musical realm."

"What are you blessed with?"

"Rob, are you blind?" she teased, sparking laughter and cheers from the crowd.

He laughed into the microphone, "fair enough. So how long have you known Jill?"

"More than four wonderfully dysfunctional years."

Jill shot her a bird across the room on her way back to the group's table. Jasmine responded by sticking her tongue out at her. The crowd of course laughed heartily.

"So, how old are you, Jasmine?"

In perfect mimic of Jill's answer, "Eighteen..."

"Will you be accepting soda's too?"

Jasmine laughed lightly, "no, but I'll talk with anyone who wants to say hi." The guys cheered, then a few ladies gave a "Whoop!" To which Jasmine said with a wink, "Amen sister!"

"We've got ourselves a powder keg here folks! Are you girls really cheerleaders?"

"You betcha!"

"What do you do on the team?"

"Uh, cheer?" She was rewarded with more laughter. "Seriously, though, I am a flier slash stunter. Same as Ashley."

"And what does a flier -- stunter do?"

"We're the ones they throw into the air to perform splits, flips and such."

The crowd applauded their admiration.

"That's impressive. So, you ready to hear some more music?"

"Absolutely, Rob! Next up is Roger Alper singing 'My Candle.'"

When the station switched to the song, Jasmine was greeted with a line as long as Jill's, only hers included a few females, as well. She greeted and dismissed over half, much in the same manner as Jill did, before she had to pause for the next song.

Rob started, "That was 'My Candle' featuring Roger Alper. What did you think, Jasmine?"

"A nice melody, but not much imagination in lyrics. Sorry, Roger."

"Does the crowd agree?" Moderate clapping. "I guess so. Maybe next time, Roger. What's next, Jasmine?"

"Next we have 'Butterfly Kisses' sung by Mary Heartsfield."

During the musical break, Jasmine ran through the last of those who wanted to meet her. Luckily, a couple of guys did offer a soda, and she drank one. Rob asked her if she had a talent other than cheering and looking pretty. She said that she did, but it would take a moment. Then he asked how mad Ashley would be if he put her on the spot. Jasmine asked what he meant and he relayed that he knew that Ashley was the one in the news recently with the wreck and the television station. He also knew that her song was the one talked about so much by those who called in requesting it. Jasmine fretted and said that Ashley would be surprised, but could adapt quickly and it might go well. Then she handed him a napkin with a sketch on it. "That's my talent," she said. Rob was thoroughly impressed. In less than a minute, Jasmine had drawn a very well done caricature of Rob running his remote setup.

"Can I show this at the station? I know some people that would be interested in this kind of art."

"Sure, it's yours, you can do what you want with it."

The song ended and Rob led into the next bit. "That was 'Butterfly Kisses' by Mary Heartsfield. What did you think of this one, Jasmine?"

"Who said you had to submit an original piece, right? I thought Mary sang very well and put her personality into the song. I think she nailed it."

"Crowd agrees?" There was a hearty cheer. "Well, we might have a leader, then. At the end of our show, we'll tally the votes called in, so don't forget to call for your favorite."

"That's right. The winner takes home $500! Whew!"

"Jasmine, you've done great. I loved having you on."

"Thanks Rob! I enjoyed doing it."

"Don't go away! We'll be back with the last contestant for the $500 prize. You'll wanna hear this song, I guarantee it. What's your favorite radio station, Jasmine?"

"My thrills come from 97.3 K-ROK, it's Jamming On The Coast," she cooed sweetly. Rob shook her hand and invited her to come up to a remote any time. She thanked him and returned to her seat. Jasmine thanked her friends' praise, and was surprised that Jill only had one glass of soda left in front of her. "What are you doing, girl? You don't have to drink all that!"




Angels and Guardians Pt. 04



"Yeah, I do," Jill replied. "I'm thirsty!"

Jasmine shook her head lightheartedly. "You ain't staying with me tonight! You'll keep me up, either by bouncing off the ceiling, or flushing the toilet every five minutes!"

"Oh, you hush! Don't worry, I'm going home after dropping y'all off." Jill got up and raced for the restroom. Jasmine gazed after her with a scolding look. Joe patted Jasmine's hand and explained that Jill was teasing her. She had given their little group two sodas each, and had the waitress pick up the rest. Then, Jasmine noticed the two full glasses in front of her. "Well, if I don't want to dig a hole and crawl to China! I'll find a way to get Jill back."

Jill returned a few minutes later in time for Ashley to be called to the stage. Ashley walked up amid a rousing applause. She thanked the crowd and readied herself. Def Leppard's "Photograph" played, to which Ashley sang masterfully. She danced on the stage, and worked the whole crowd, prancing through them at different points of the song. It ended with her back on stage, and the room filling with cheers. She bowed, and went back to hug Joe. She released her embrace and told him, "sorry." 

"Sorry? What for?" Just then, Joe's name was announced.

"That," she said as she headed to the radio table.

He walked up to the stage, glanced at what she picked out for him, and nodded toward her. Joe picked up the microphone, intentionally placed it way too close to his mouth and started scratching out a horribly out of tune, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine!" Ashley glared at him from across the room. "Oh, I wasn't supposed to start yet?" he asked into the mike. She shook her head as the crowd laughed. He was smiling as he nodded to the girl running the music, then turned serious. He sang "Unchained Melody" to a tee. Joe hit every high note with precision, and his smooth voice carried the emotion he put into it, his eyes never leaving Ashley's. He received a standing ovation when he finished. He bowed, blew Ashley a kiss, and returned to his seat.

Rob's speakers came back to life with his introduction. He then turned to Ashley and said, "Sitting with me now is Ashley Roberts, who seems quite proud at the moment. Who did we just hear, Ashley?"

In her best baby voice she answered, "That's my Joe."

"'My Joe.' So it sounds like your non-single status hasn't changed yet."

She smiled and used the same baby voice, "No, it hasn't."

Rob played the canned groan again. "He has quite a voice, doesn't he?"

Ashley returned to her normal voice. "He does, that's how I knew he could sing that song."

"Wait, back up a second. You picked out that song."

"Yes."

"He walked up not knowing what he was going to sing?"

"He didn't know I signed him up. But I know what he can do, and he didn't disappoint me."

The room filled with applause.

"So, he had no idea he was singing, or what he was singing, yet he performed a difficult piece perfectly. Amazing. What else can he do? Uh, in music, that is."

Ashley grinned. "He plays piano, violin, and guitar beautifully."

"Joe sounds like quite a catch."

"Oh, he is."

"How did you two meet?"

"He caught me in a cheerleading accident."

"He's a cheerleader, too?" Rob knew he wasn't, but wanted to draw out the story.

"No, silly! He's the quarterback at our school."

"So, how did he catch you?"

"They were practicing a play somewhat near us when Allison's leg buckled right as they tossed me. I was falling head-first towards the ground when Joe caught my head and shoulders. He saved me."

"So...Ashley Roberts.... You've been in the news recently, haven't you?"

"Yes, I suppose so. I was involved in a bad wreck."

"What happened?"

"A semi driver passed away at the wheel and was coming head-on toward me. Joe somehow sandwiched his car between me and the truck." Where the heck is he heading with this, Ashley thought. If he was trying to get her to cry, he was about to succeed. Why would he want that on-air? What kind of sick joke was this?

"Were you hurt?"

"Yes, I was. My face was bruised, and I had some internal bleeding from the seatbelt. But not anywhere near as hurt as Joe. He was in a coma for two horrible weeks."

"Well, after hearing you perform tonight, I think we have to thank Joe for saving your life, twice!" The crowd responded by giving him a second ovation. Ashley stood to join them. She sat back down, fighting back tears. Rob continued, "I know you're emotional right now, Ashley, but can you introduce the next song for us?"

She was starting to get pissed. He didn't treat the other girls this way when they were up here, she thought. But, she was determined to finish with dignity. She took the card he handed her, a smirk on his face. "Yes, I can do that, Rob," she sniffed. Once composed, she started her part. "Amateur night's final entry is....oh crap!" She glared at rob and her brown eyes got suddenly dark. "How'd you get this? It was never recorded."

Rob answered, "actually it was, on TV. But, a decent recording for radio couldn't be made from that. I understand that a sound engineer for your Homecoming band recorded this copy from your dance last night and brought it to us. I hope you don't mind that I sprung it on you."

"Well, to be honest, I kinda do, but it's here now, so...very well." Ashley didn't need the cue card any more. "The final entry for this month's amateur night is 'Ashley's Song' performed by Ashley Roberts, accompanied by Joe Smith and local band, Glowing Newts."

The song played, and Ashley just sat there in shock. When the station bounced the signal back to Rob, he said, "before I go on, I need to tell you something. This song was the most requested in our area since it was on TV last week. How does that make you feel?"

"I really don't know. Happy that people like it I guess?"

"Well, now that you've heard the song, what did you think of it?"

"I don't like grading my own stuff, and I think it's too silly and ridiculous to win."

"Does the crowd agree?"

A resounding "NO!" answered.

"Then what did you think of the song?"

A fabulous cheer replied.

Rob went on with his job, telling listeners to call in their votes, and that the winner would be announced at the top of the hour. He put down his headset and faced Ashley. "I'm sorry to have sprung that on you. When you walked in, it was just too good of a story to not to."

"Well, you should be sorry. That's a terrible memory to bring up" she said. "And, I'm just embarrassed to hear myself."

"Well, what I've heard and seen tonight, you have no reason to be embarrassed."

The evening was winding down, and those leaving filed past Ashley, offering their praise. She accepted it all in good humor, but when Joe got to her, the rehashing of a terrible event and being ambushed, although in a good way, took its toll and she broke down. He enveloped her in his arms, and she allowed herself to fall apart in a string of heavy sobs. He bent over and kissed the top of her head. "Great job, baby," he said quietly. She looked up at him, her eyes speaking volumes. Joe looked in her eyes. "You don't have to say anything. I know. I love you, too."

Ashley hugged him tight once more, then released him to see Jasmine and Jill. They huddled around her, giving their support and praise. Rob went up to the three girls, holding his cell phone. He tapped Jill on the shoulder, saying someone wanted to speak with them. 

Jasmine took the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello! This is Jasmine, yes?" asked a male voice.

She laughed, "No, you're not. I'm Jasmine, who is this?"

"Nice one!" the voice laughed. "I'm Brett Stoker, station manager for K-ROK."

"Hello, Brett. What can I do for you?" She listened for a bit, then asked him to hang on for a second. She placed her hand over the mouthpiece and said to the others, "It's the station manager, he wants to know if we'll help with the remote next Saturday night at The Shack. He said they'll pay us $150 each to do it." She got a consensus and relayed to Brett that, yes, they would be there. She asked what they needed to do. He told her to just be on time and be themselves. She told him goodbye and handed the phone back to Rob. She squealed, "this is so cool!"

A few more people came up to Ashley and told her how much they enjoyed her performances. Jasmine and Jill passed the time by returning flirts with the guys who came up to them. The group then chatted happily about the girls' job offer while some singers were still trying their best to outdo Ashley at Karaoke. 

Rob's voice came over his speakers again. "Welcome back! We've had a great time here at Seymore's..." And then he rattled off some of their specials, encouraging listeners to patronize the restaurant, and generally giving the sales pitch he was being paid for. "Now, down to what we've been waiting for. Jim, I understand we had a large number of calls for this event?" 

Jim, the sound engineer in the studio said over the radio, "Yes, Rob. We had over 700 votes in this one!" 

Rob, using the airwaves as a two-way radio, asked, "So, who's our amateur night winner?" 

Jim's voice came over the speakers, "The runner up was Mary Heartsfield, singing "Butterfly Kisses." He waited for the applause at the remote. Then, "our winner tonight is Ashley Roberts, singing 'Ashley's Song'!"

The place erupted once more, and Joe, Jill, and Jasmine gave Ashley a group hug. Rob thanked Jim, and signed off. He waved Ashley over, congratulated her, and handed her a pre-paid credit card. "We normally call who wins and mail them the card, but since you're here...congratulations again!" She thanked him profusely, and was swarmed by those who remained at the restaurant.

Jill went up to Rob and said, "well, I suppose we'll see each other next week, then."

He answered, "unless we make it earlier than that?"

She smiled sweetly. "Hmm, persistence. Now that DOES interest me a little."

"So...?"

Jill rolled her eyes. "Alright, I guess you've earned the privilege of buying me dinner. But, I get to call the shots after. Where to go, or when to cut the night short. Okay?"

"Deal," he grinned, and they worked out the details of when and where they should meet. Jasmine and Ashley joined Jill to say goodbye to Rob. "Ladies," he said. "It was my pleasure to have you on tonight. You brought out my best while on air. Next week will be lots of fun." They thanked him for the compliments, and then headed back home in Jill's SUV.

Chapter 15

The Other Homecoming

The next day at school was a whirlwind for Ashley, Jill, Jasmine, and Joe. Everybody came up to them, complimenting their bits on the radio. The teachers were enamored with Joe, asking him before class questions like where he learned to sing like that, why he didn't sing more at the school, etc. The drama teacher actually sought him out, asking him at lunch if he, Ashley, and Jill would sing the national anthem as a trio before the next game. He said he would ask the coach if there were a way to work it out. He did have to participate in warm-ups, after all.

Before last period, which was study hall for both him and Ashley, Joe powered up his cell phone to check for any messages from his parents, who left town this morning. The school required phones to be off during class. An infraction would cost the student $300-600 as the device would be taken away permanently. Almost instantly it beeped. He rolled his eyes, knowing that it was a text message. He never received texts, as most who knew him also knew he would rather talk. He hit ok, and saw the message "boo" before seeing the number. His slight confusion slowed his stride slightly, and a small female body pounced on his back. By her weight and wonderful smell, he knew instantly who it was.

"Kim!" he exclaimed, reaching behind him to hold her up as he did many times in the past. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm being carried by my hero," she said as she wrapped her legs around to the front of his stomach.

Joe continued walking toward his locker without missing a step. Some of the underclassmen giggled and pointed at the pair. The seniors walked past, as it had been a familiar sight for Joe to carry Kim to class in this manner from time to time. Then they did double takes when they realized who it was. Kim waved at some and nodded at others. 

Joe found his words and asked, "no, I meant in town, what are you doing here in town?" He let her slide off his back upon reaching his locker.

"It's fall break for us, so my parents let me fly back for a few days. Your previous arrangements for me still work, I was happy to find out."

He looked puzzled.

"I called Gary, my favorite driver of yours, from the plane, and he brought me here."

Joe shook his head, still trying to catch up. "Well, you know, I promised to take care of you, no matter our relationship status. Or the period of time that elapses before hearing from each other again."

"Ouch!" She taunted, "and he comes out swinging." Then she looked apologetically at him. "I'm sorry I haven't called. I was hurt that we had to move so suddenly. Just when things were getting..."

She got interrupted by the squeals of four cheerleaders shouting her name. She ran over and hugged Jill, Sally, Allison, and Marybeth. They turned into one big jumping bean.

Joe smiled and looked around as he knew Ashley would be coming through this way for study hall. However, she wasn't to be seen. So, he went over to the group of Angels, reuniting with their former teammate and friend. The four quickly apologized that they had to go, and hurried off to class. Joe wasn't as rushed, because it was only study hall.

Kim glowed as she turned to Joe and gave him a light kiss, which he returned. "I missed you," she said.

"I missed you too....for quite a long while."

"Joe, I'm sorry. I felt weird after our goodbye. It felt as though you completely released me, discarded me, even. I just didn't know how to resume our friendship after that. Besides," she smirked. "You could have called me, too."

"Yeah, well, about that. I've been sorta busy trying to catch up after recovering."

"Recovering? From what? Did you get hurt playing?"

They resumed walking toward his study hall. "No. That's right, you left before..." he trailed off.

"Before what? Are you ok?" Kim asked, and Joe cocked his head nervously. "Oh shit. Something is wrong. You're hardly ever nervous, but you sure are now! What's up?"

"What do you mean nervous?"

"That head flick thing you just did. I could always tell which games you hated to play, because you would do that all day before the game. Now, what happened?"

"Well, I'm ok now. But there was an accident and I was in a coma for two weeks."

Kim covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh God. I didn't know. Are you...well, of course you're ok. You're standing here. So...what...that's not what's making you twitchy. What are you trying not to tell me?"

Joe stopped to face Kim. "I could have avoided it. Instead, I intentionally put myself in the middle to give Ashley a chance at living."

Kim looked concerned, proud, and puzzled all rolled into one. "So, you lived up to my nickname for you, a hero! Nothing wrong with that..."

Joe looked at her, then closed his eyes. "Kim, I don't want to say it out loud. You're smart, you can piece that together."

She had already started. "Ashley...oh, the only senior cheerleader not an Angel. You're worried about me finding out something..."

He saw it in her eyes, and he resumed walking, leaving her standing there. "I'm sorry. I gotta go to class. I'm sure the office would be happy to see you. I'll see ya in a bit," he called to her.

Kim muttered to herself, "'I'm sorry. I gotta go to class.' Oh, that's two different thoughts. He's not sorry he had to leave. He's sorry about what I figured out. And, he had to get to class." After pondering for a bit, she thought to herself, "meh, what the hell. I'm still happy for him." She turned and headed to see Sister Kate.

Joe entered the library, and saw Ashley brooding in a corner. He started walking towards her when the dean, who watched over this study hall, stopped him. "Joe, you're late! But, you're excused. It's not every day you see a lost loved one come back." 

Joe's mind cowered. "Ashley heard that. Thanks a lot," he thought. He nodded at the dean and joined Ashley. "Hi," he said.

"So, what...she came back to sweep you off your feet? You sure swept her off hers," she jabbed pointedly.

"Ashley, what do you mean...?" he began.

She wouldn't have it. "I saw you carrying her through the hall...it's not fair. It's just not." She sighed, then sobbed, unable to keep the emotion back.

Joe closed his eyes and dropped his head, knowing how that must have looked. "Ash, that's not what's going on. We used to do that a lot last year. That's how she let me know she was here. Kim just wanted to surprise me."

Ashley's shoulders were heaving, and a tear rolled down her cheek. She made no effort to catch it. "It's just that things were really starting to fall in place, and now she just waltzes in to fuck up my universe."

"Ash, I'm with you." He touched her arm, which she jerked away.

"Don't touch me," she hissed, making Joe recoil. She looked at him, and a second tear fell from the other side. "You kissed her!"

"You saw that, too?" He put his head in his hands, lost as to what to do. "You followed me? Us?"

Ashley's face went red in rage. Joe feared she was about to start yelling. However, she answered quietly, but it was shaking. "No. I saw you reach around to carry her, so I just came straight here instead of my locker. How dare you accuse me? I'm not some vindictive bitch who stalks and snoops. I didn't have to see you kiss her. You're wearing her lipstick."

She was crying freely now. To Joe, her tears seemed to be stars collapsing from the sky, threatening to end the world. "She knows about you and I..." he offered.

"Oh really? And I suppose you told her just before the kiss?"

"Hardy har, Ash. I didn't tell her, specifically...I gave her enough pieces to figure it out. After she kissed me hello."

"What's with calling me Ash? You don't get to call me pet names, right now! So you didn't tell her straight out. Why not?"

"Cause I didn't want to hurt..." he cut himself off, knowing that shouldn't have been said.

Ashley set her jaw. "You didn't want to hurt her..." She started slamming her books into her bag. "That's just great, just fucking great. I suppose you were hoping to string both of us along?" She stood up to walk past him. She whispered in a hiss, "I guess the promise of me and two other girls in your bed just wasn't enough?! Don't follow me Joe!" With that, she stormed off to the second level, seeking the privacy of a study booth.

Joe was lost. He had no idea what to do next, so for the first time ever, he sent a text message. It went to Kim.

Kim had found Sister Kate in her office. She hesitantly popped her head in, not wanting to interrupt her. "Hi Sister K," she said.

"Kim!" the nun flew around her desk to hug her. "How are you doing?"

Kim was surprised by the hug, coming from a woman she respected greatly as an authority figure. "Things are well. I made some friends, but I really miss the ones I have here."

"And they have missed you, I'm sure. How's school?"

"Big. There's 1500 seniors. Figuring out where my classes were, both physically and academically was a challenge, but I'm managing."

"As I knew you would. So, what brings you here?"

"Joe's in study hall, so I'm killing time and thought I'd see you."

"I'm glad you did. What are you doing in town?"

"Oh, Fall break is this week for us. So, anything new here?"

"Actually, we've had a bit of excitement considering Joe lately."

Kim raised her eyebrows at this. "Yeah, Joe started telling me about some accident he was in. But not much in details."




Angels and Guardians Pt. 05



Author's note:

This is part 5 of a multi-part series. Best if read after parts 1-4. 

Thanks for reading, and please remember to vote!

***

Chapter 18

Love Regained

Jon talked with Ashley for a bit backstage, introducing her to his agent. To his manager's somewhat annoyance, Jon offered Ashley a job with the band as female lead vocalist. Ashley was dumbfounded at the invitation, but denied the offer when she recovered her words. The band was surprised at her answer. They were doing very well, making millions, and she, only 18, was just offered a share in their wealth and a chance at never having to apply for a job again. However, they understood and admired her reasons for her answer. She listed them off in the order of importance she placed on them. First was Joe, she didn't know yet if it was a forever thing, but taking the job would end the relationship for sure. Second were her friends, for pretty much the same reason. Third and last was school. With an education, she could make anything work. If the band thing ended in four years, she would be four years behind. Jon then told her that he would have his manager email her concert dates. If she could make any of them, just let him know. "Even if it is Tokyo, I'll fly you and two friends out so you can perform with us. I'll even give you 1% of our take for the concert," he said. She said her sincere thanks and left them with her cell number and email address.

She walked back to meet up with her friends, working on the math in her head. "Holy shit," she thought. "A club performance like tonight would be not quite $300...if the civic center hosted the concert, that would be $1800. So, I'd get a free trip AND a good chunk of money for 1 ½ hours of work." Ashley made a mental note to definitely take him up on some of his offers. She was greeted with hugs and kisses from the group, along with a series of compliments. Joe noticed that even though she was smiling broadly, something had shaken Ashley. "What is it," he asked.

Her hands and voice were trembling. "Uh...I was just offered a job for next year."

Kim was excited for her. "Really! Doing what?"

Ashley replied, still shaking, "Um, well, the same thing I did tonight. Singing, dancing, doing music video shoots."

Jasmine looked like she just swallowed a world's worth of jumping beans. She bounced over to Ashley and gave her a huge hug. "Congratulations!"

Joe spoke next, "Yeah, for real. Grats, honey. What did they offer?"

Ashley spoke in a tiny voice, embarrassed about the amount. "Well, it would depend on how well they do next year, but somewhere between 900 and 1.3."

Joe shook his head to clear it. He knew business terms and this was big, especially for an unknown teenaged girl.

Jasmine didn't grasp as much and spoke before he did. "$900 a month? That's great! You get to go on trips and get paid for it. What is 1.3, though?"

Joe said slowly, "Jazz, heh, you aren't seeing the whole picture. In business, what she just said was they offered her between $900,000 and $1.3 MILLION for next year." He paused, then said, "Basically, she just hit the lottery."

Ashley cut in, "Well, before y'all go berserk, I turned it down."

Jill was astonished. "You did what?!"

"I turned it down. I want to go to college, I want to be with Joe, I want to hang out with you guys. Besides, the band could fall apart tomorrow on a whim."

Joe nodded. "That's true, sweetie. But you didn't even want to take a chance?"

"Well, they did offer a smaller package."

"Yes?"

"They invited me to sing at as many concerts as I want to. They'd fly me and two of you there, and give me 1% of the ticket profits. I'll probably do that, instead."

Jasmine protested, "1%? That's nothing. Why would you do that?"

Joe smiled, having just done the math. "Jasmine, if they played at the Civic Center, and every seat was filled, Ashley would probably get $1800."

Jasmine wasn't convinced. "Yeah right."

Joe explained, "Tickets for cheap seats at a concert with this big a name would normally go for what, $60 each?"

"Yeah...?"

"Ok, so after ticket fees and the band management cut, $45 is about what the band gets for each seat. The Civic Center holds about 4000 people. Take one percent of that total, and you get $1800. Not bad for a couple of hours of work and a free trip!"

Jasmine finally got it. "Oh shit," she said.

Ashley giggled, then nudged Joe. "I thought you said you weren't good at math! I got the same answer, and I worked on it in my head all the way back to y'all. You did it in like 8 seconds!"

He answered, "well, when you put a dollar sign in front of the numbers, it becomes interesting, and I can do that pretty well."

They walked back to Jill's vehicle and headed home. It wouldn't take a psychic to guess as to what they talked about the whole time. They made it back before midnight, and all of them piled out of the SUV. "You're all coming in?" Joe asked.

Jill answered, "Yes, we promised you a treat if you were good tonight, remember?"

"Yeah, but I thought y'all were teasing..."

"Shh." Ashley put a finger on his lips. "We promised, and we're not going to let you down." Joe started to speak, but Ashley pressed her finger more firmly. "I want Kim to say goodbye properly, and the rest of us are...well...horny! Just enjoy it, Joe." She led him by the hand inside, and he and the four girls retreated to his bedroom.

They woke up early the next morning, having only a few hours of sleep. Kim was allowed to use the bathroom first, as she had to finish packing for her flight at 9. Jasmine groggily made breakfast for all of them, and was last in taking her shower. Joe's parents were up as well, wanting to say goodbye to their house guest for the past week.

Kim checked in at the ticket counter and had her bags searched. The group made their way upstairs and Kim went through the security checkpoint. When Ashley went to follow, the TSA officer put his arm in front of her, asking for a ticket. When she replied that she didn't have one and that she was just seeing off her friend, he stated that only ticket holding passengers were allowed beyond that point and waved at the sign. Joe stepped forward, pulled a card out of his wallet and presented it to the guard. The guard then cleared them to go through.

When they reached Kim's gate, they gathered near the window overlooking the plane that would take her on the first leg back home. Ashley asked Joe how he managed to get past the security point. "I showed him my secret clearance I.D.," he stated flatly. She was about to ask more, but Jill and Jasmine shook their heads at her.

The group killed time chatting about events the previous week, and reliving some events from early in their high school days for the benefit of Ashley. When Kim's row was announced, she received a tearful hug and kiss goodbye from Jill and Jasmine. Joe wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug, instructing her to take care of herself. 

Kim was stoic up to the point when she had to say goodbye to Ashley. "I'm so sorry we got off on the wrong foot this week," Ashley sobbed. It was too much for Kim, and tears started cascading down her cheeks. 

"Oh, sweetie! It worked out in the end, didn't it?" she asked as the two collapsed into each other's arms. Ashley held Kim tight as the two cried into each other's shoulders. 

Finally, she sniffed and broke the embrace by kissing Kim on the cheek. "We get to know each other, and now you're being taken away. I wish we didn't live so far apart," she said softly. 

Kim returned the sentiment, and kissed the last two tears from Ashley's cheeks. She looked at the rest of them and said, "I'll miss you all!" as she slipped through the jetway door.

Her friends stood at the window, staring at the plane. Jill put her arms around Ashley from behind and kissed the back of her head. She whispered quietly into her ear in an attempt to comfort Ashley's pain of losing sight of a new close friend. Ashley stayed in her arms, watching, until the plane made its leap into the sky and disappeared from view.

It was Thanksgiving week, making the students fly through studies in just three short days. Wednesday was even shorter, as the school held a pep rally to send off the football team for their second to last regular season game. Coach Mike only held a meeting with the team after the pep rally, figuring that the players were peaking. Much more practice or hard workouts, and performance would start to decline. He went through some last minute scout videos of their opponents, and gave details on when the bus would leave on Friday. Coach reminded the team that those who planned on driving the two and a half hours there would have no excuse for meeting the bus late at that school. He took down a list of those who would not be taking the bus. Joe raised his hand, of course. After getting the list complete, Coach dismissed the team.

The cheer coach went through a similar drill with the girls. Jill was surprised that only her, Jasmine, and Ashley would not be taking the bus. When she asked Sally, Allison, and Marybeth why they didn't want to ride in the much more comfortable SUV, they answered that their boyfriends were riding the bus. Later, Ashley commented to Jill and Jasmine that Joe had a dream a few weeks back that predicted the others would drift away. She wondered what the other part meant for her.

Joe met the three on the field and told them he was dismissed for practice. Jill said she wanted to run some laps to keep sharp. The others agreed, and they ran with each other around the football field sidelines for an half hour before heading to their homes.

Joe and Ashley got home to find a note from his mom, stating that they were sorry, but they wanted to score some brownie points with some management families in Denver. In short, she was saying that they would not be home for Thanksgiving. Joe showered first, and returned downstairs to fix dinner for himself and Ashley. Ashley offered to help, but he declined, letting her take her shower and get changed. 

Ashley pranced downstairs after freshening up, dressed for comfort in only a t-shirt from a California cheer competition and white bikini panties. The food at dinner was excellent, as always. However, the mood soured a bit as the pair got themselves into an argument. Joe had let Ashley know he thought it would be nice if she saw her parents on Thanksgiving morning, at least.

She dropped her fork noisily on her plate. "Now, why the hell would I do that? They all but called me a slut the last time I saw them!"

"I know, Ashley, but forgive and forget, eh?"

"Jesus! I was looking forward to a nice day off with you. No school, no practice, no games to go to. And, no events to perform for. I've had my limit of events the last few weeks, Joe."

"Like you don't enjoy it..."

She set her jaw and glared at him. "What did you say?" she hissed.

"Look, Ash. It's not like you don't enjoy performing. I see it in your eyes while you do it. And, that's not a bad thing. Just stop complaining about it like it's a chore."

Ashley pondered this for a second. "Well, you MIGHT be right about that," she offered softly. "But it doesn't change the fact that I was looking forward to just spending time with you without having to check my watch every 10 minutes. Are you doing this so you can have some alone time?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't have an ulterior motive. I just think you should see your folks, is all. If it makes you feel better, I'll go with you."

"Well, I sure as hell am not going alone," she spat. Ashley then conceded in her head that Joe had succeeded in convincing her the second she uttered the words. He didn't reply, but he just looked at her. She knew what his eyes were saying, and she slumped her shoulders. "I'll go get my phone," she resigned.

Ashley removed the napkin from her legs that were folded under her Indian-style, and placed it on the table. She sighed as she got up and walked past Joe, heading upstairs. Alone in her room, she held her phone in one hand and held her forehead in the other, as she tried to come up with what to say. Ashley decided she wanted to be with Joe when the reply came, so she brought the phone with her back to the breakfast table where they were eating. She sat back in her chair and refolded her legs. It was an old habit that she did when not in formal company since she was little. She put the phone on the table and propped her head in her hands.

Joe waited a few moments before asking, "you ok, Ash?"

She snapped at him, not meaning to. "I'm fine. Just let me do this, okay?" She whipped up the phone and popped open the texting board. "I'd like to come over in the morning, if that's ok," she texted to her dad. After she was done, she dropped the phone on the table and started playing with what was left on her plate. Her hands trembled as she picked the phone back up when it chimed that there was a reply. She looked at the screen and it said, "We'd love to have you. Dad." She released the pent up air in her lungs and said, "okay, it's all set up."

"There, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Joe asked.

"Don't you dare patronize me, Joe," she defended. Ashley twirled her fork a bit more, lost in thought. Then she got up and asked gently, "are you done?" Joe nodded, and Ashley collected the dirty plates on the table and cleaned up the kitchen. 

She joined him in the den after she finished with the kitchen. She sat next to him and started kissing his lips softly, and Joe tossed the remote on the coffee table. As Ashley lost herself in kissing Joe, she knelt over his lap and settled onto his jeans. A lump in the front told her that he wasn't mad about their little spat. She lifted her shirt over her head, keeping a pleasant smile in her eyes to show him she wasn't mad either. Joe moved his lip play over her jaw and chin, down to her neck as he lightly scratched her back. Ashley loved the gentle nails scraping on her skin. He never left a mark, and it was like he was taking care of itches she never knew she had.

She placed her hands behind his head, cradling it as he teased her perfect skin at her throat with his lips and teeth. Ashley began to press her body down, rubbing herself against Joe's pant tent. The parts that were hidden under her panties appreciated the increased friction and she guided his head to her chest. Joe responded by kissing the milky globes, starting along the outside of the curve. He spiraled his kisses toward the front center, making Ashley ache for attention on the pert tips. Joe licked around the edge of one firm, pink nipple and traded sides to repeat on the other. Finally, he centered up and took her right one and drew it lightly into his mouth. While he nursed at her, she reached down and lifted her bottom up to undo his jeans. Ashley reached in and drew out his hardness, rubbing it lovingly.

Joe continued to suck gently at her breasts, alternating sides as he felt her hand use the moisture forming at his tip to lubricate his shaft as she stroked him. She lowered herself to grind him through the fabric of her cotton underwear and it felt hot and moist to him. Suddenly, in one quick movement, she raised up, pulled aside her covering, and guided him inside. As Ashley sank onto him he grunted into her chest. She started to rise and fall onto his lap, letting him penetrate her fully each time. Joe released her breast and returned to her mouth, exploring it with his tongue. She danced hers around and along his, and when he retreated, she would follow into his mouth to return the favor. As they continued their tongue dance, Ashley steadily increased her tempo, ignoring the slight fatigue in her thighs.

Ashley knew he was getting close as she felt Joe thrust up now to meet her. Inside, the hot firm rod pulsed against her walls. When she kissed his neck, she felt the blood course through his veins in perfect timing to the slight throbs inside her. Her lubrication increased, and they glided against each other easily. She leaned back slightly and held her bottom lip lightly in her teeth, concentrating on the exquisite feelings running through her. Joe thought the look on her face was adorable and sexy rolled into one. Her expression told him that she was seriously working toward release, but in an amazingly pretty way.

He didn't stop his impulse to tell her what was drumming in his head. "God, Ashley. You're so beautiful!" Right after he said it, his orgasm ran through his belly, into the sack between his legs and out in rolling pulses through his engorged muscle.

Joe's compliment and following pulses inside her combined to make her smile greatly as the climax took over her body. The fire of the repetitive motion of her legs was forgotten as a tidal wave of pleasure surged through Ashley, starting at her toes, up her legs, and straight to her head. The release seemed to bounce off the top of her skull and roll in powerful ripples through her stomach and down into the molten pocket holding Joe's twitching organ. Her stomach and vagina convulsed in powerful rhythmic contractions, milking Joe of every micro ounce of pleasure. His spurting lessened, but Ashley's continued for a bit more. She fell into his neck, grunting softly as she rode the successive ripples. Finally the contractions stopped, and they settled into loving kisses, saying nothing more for the night.

The next morning, Ashley found Joe in the kitchen, preparing a turkey. "Hey," she said. "I thought your parents were out of town?" 

He answered that they were, and often are for Thanksgiving. "I think they use the day to get away and enjoy each other. Or, they sneak off to see the Cowboys play. I found a ticket stub once a few years back. I don't remember a time they were ever here for the holiday."

"Then why fuss with that big bird?"

"'Cause, Jill and Jasmine still usually come over for dinner. They spend the day with their family, then spend the night here with me."

"I see," Ashley said.

Joe grinned at her as he gutted the turkey. "No, not like that...well, maybe that, too. But I think they always felt bad that I was alone for Thanksgiving. They never had to. But they just did it to be nice, I guess." He paused to jam some stuffing up the unfortunate birds rear. "Now that you've made me think about it, I've always enjoyed having them here. Starting the turkey on Thanksgiving morning has become habit for me." He expertly whipped twine around the legs and set the prepped turkey in the pan.

As he started the oven, Ashley opened the fridge to grab some cheese as a light breakfast. She found that he had stacked several sealed bowls inside. She looked in a few and realized that he had prepared ingredients into portions and staged them for later. "How long have you been up?" she asked.

"Well, I took a shower at about 5:00." He finished putting the turkey in the oven and looked at her. She was dressed in jeans, tennis shoes, a white blouse and form-fitting black floral vest. Her damp hair was in her usual ponytail. Ashley nibbled on a stick of string cheese as she watched him.

She noticed him looking at her, and said to him, "I didn't get a chance last night to say I'm sorry."

He went over and hugged her tight, his nose being teased with her light delicious perfume. "That's ok, baby. You're actions told me quite enough. Are you ready?"

She finished the last bite with a sigh, "as ready as I'll ever be."

"Aww...it'll be fine. I promise," he said as he opened the door ahead of her.

Ashley fidgeted after she rang the bell, ready to bolt for the car if she didn't like how things looked. Joe placed his hand on the small of her back to quiet her. It didn't take long for her mom to answer the door. "Ashley!" she exclaimed as she reached out and hugged her daughter tightly. Her dad followed as he gave her a firm hug as well. "Happy Thanksgiving, Joe," Ashley's mom greeted. He returned the sentiment as her parents welcomed them inside. They were led into the modest living room and invited to sit down. 




Angels and Guardians Pt. 05



Ashley and Joe sat together on the couch. She knew she was sitting closer to him than her parents probably liked, but she didn't want to be any farther from her protector than she currently was. There was an awkward silence for a few minutes as the four looked around the room. Her mom finally broke the still air. "So, how's school?"

"Fine."

"And cheerleading?"

"Fine."

Joe noticed her mom's look of frustration and leaned over to whisper to Ashley. "You gotta try, too, sweetheart."

Saying it so her parents could hear, Ashley shot at him, "look, I'm here, aren't I?"

Her mom said, "this is hard. For all of us. We haven't seen you in a while, and I really don't know what to say. The only things we heard from you are what was in the paper Saturday and the times you were on the radio."

Her dad piped up. "Yeah, about that. We don't approve of that sultry talk you do."

Ashley jumped up. "I'm outta here. Come on Joe."

But Joe grabbed her hand and tugged her back to the couch. "Not yet," he said quietly to her.

"Ass," she said.

Her dad raised his voice. "Don't talk that way about Joe!"

"I didn't," she spat, folding her arms over her chest, glaring at her father.

"Finally, someone stood up to you!" her mom shot at her husband.

Ashley looked at Joe and said, "I told you this was a bad idea."

Her dad froze. "You mean he told you to come here today?"

"Thank you, Joe," her mom said.

Joe decided to be a bit more active and try to get the family to heal. "You're welcome, and I see where Ashley gets her stubbornness. Now, you said you saw her in the paper. What did you think of that article?"

Her mom sighed, "it wasn't very long, so I don't know what you're getting at."

"Maybe, but it said enough. What did you think when you read it?"

"That I was sorry you had to step in for us, and that she looked beautiful kissing you sweetly in your parents' stead."

"See?" Joe said. "That's not so hard. And, Mr. Roberts? Excuse my blunt tone, but what you heard on the radio were acts she put on to flirt guys into showing up. She only talks that way around me when she means it. I feel certain I've earned that trust from Ashley to let her guard down in such manners. So, don't berate her for your imagination."

Mr. Roberts stood up. "How dare you talk that way to me in my house?!"

Joe stood to meet him, his imposing mass making her dad think twice about his decision to challenge Joe. "I can talk this way, because neither Ashley nor her mom can get through to you! I agree with your daughter at this point. You are an ass! A non-ass father would have listened to her and be happy with her successes. Especially since her absence from you was caused by you!"

Her dad still bristled. "I think you better leave now."

"Oh really? If I leave, she'll likely follow, and no matter what happens between her and I, you probably will never see her again. Not for her graduation, not for her wedding, not for your grand-children's births. At that point, not even I would ever be able to convince her to talk to you again. So, make your choice, 'Bonehead Dad of the Year.' Make a pleasant day of this, or see your wife lose her forever."

The last sentence hit home. Mr. Roberts glanced at Ashley's mom to see her looking at him with pleading eyes. He softened a bit, but was too proud to let it go. "How dare you, you rich brat?"

Joe wouldn't be denied. He desperately wanted Ashley to have a loving family to go home to on occasion. Still standing, he somehow made himself seem even bigger. "I may be a brat, but I am third in line after my mom to take over the world's largest private electronics company in the world. I have managed my assets from working for my parents well enough that I am one of the richest men in the surrounding counties. I command a small school football team that overachieves every week. I've helped seven girls, including your daughter, who needed a hand to hold when I met them, become strong independent young women. And, I've personally saved Ashley's life, twice. I am not trying to brag here or convince you to let me be her suitor, but I'm trying to illustrate to you that I think I deserve more credit than your average slack-jawed teenage boy. And to show that Ashley makes wise, mature decisions as to who she decides to show her interest to. Now, sit down and listen to your daughter without judgment, damnit!"

Ashley and Mrs. Roberts sat with their mouths hanging open. Not many stood up to her Navy officer dad. Even fewer could do so with such reason and well-made arguments. Joe's defense of himself stunned Mr. Roberts enough that he sat back down.

Joe used the win to continue. "As I was saying, you heard her flirting while doing her job on the radio. And that's all that was...a job. She was paid $150 to appear on air for Saturday's concert. Ashley and her friends did their job well enough that the concert was a success beyond the club manager's projections. Now, Ashley, tell them what happened during the concert."

Ashley shot him a look, but he deflected it back to her. She took a deep breath, and started telling them about the night, bit by bit. She finished by relating how the band had her singing her song.

"Did you get to see them backstage?" her mom asked.

"Yes, I did. They wanted to see me for a proposal."

"What kind of proposal?" Her dad's tone was accusatory, but at least he was trying.

Ashley rolled her eyes, but said, "They offered me a job."

"Doing what? Changing the sheets?"

Ashley stood to dart for the door, but sat back down when Joe didn't let go of her hand and took over again. "No, Mr. Roberts, she was offered the lead female vocalist position." Her dad returned a blank look. Joe decided to keep the heat on him. "That would be 'Rock Star' for those who need pictures for the bigger words. So like I said before, take care in judging Ashley before hearing her out. She was offered a million dollars for next year."

"Are you that good, honey?" her mom asked.

"No, because I turned it down, Mom."

"You turned it down? Why?"

"Yes, Dad, I turned it down." She went on to list her reasons. "Besides, I've seen what happened with Britney Spears, and other young meltdowns. I didn't want that to happen to me. But then I was offered to perform with them whenever I wanted and I'd get a share of the ticket sales."

The conversation began to get easier and easier between the family members. Before long, her mom invited them to the kitchen for sandwiches. They were eating when her dad asked if she'd heard from any of her friends in California. She shook her head no, but told them about the incident with Kim, and how she turned into a very close friend during last week. Wisely, she left out the sexual stuff.

As if on cue, her phone rang. She fished out the device from her back pocket and looked at it. She quickly flipped it open while standing up and exclaimed into it, "Kim!" Ashley left the kitchen as they heard her say, "Happy Thanksgiving to you too!"

Her dad used the time she was gone to talk to Joe. "I'm sorry if we got off on the wrong foot."

Joe looked at him warily, but with kindness, and said, "Are you saying that because you respect my wealth, or because you see that you were wrong about Ashley, Commander?"

He gave Joe a wry smile. "A little of both, I think. I was a little upset at seeing my daughter being described as having a romantic relationship with you, when I know that she is living with you."

Joe nodded his head in understanding. "Actually, she doesn't live with me. Her room at my parents house is more like an efficiency apartment, minus the kitchen. If that makes you feel better."

Her dad laughed. "Not really, but thanks for the effort. I know you're probably not exaggerating...I've seen the outside of your house. But, there's no comfort knowing she's living next to your room. I wish she were still living here."

Joe finished his last bite. "You should tell her that. Not the part about being unhappy with her living with me, but that you wish she was still here. Personally, I think the train had left the station about her coming back physically, but it will go a long way in getting your daughter's love back."

Her mom said, "you're wise beyond your years, Joe."

He grinned at her and said, "I get that a lot."

Ashley returned some minutes later, in a notably much better mood. Her mom asked how Kim was doing, and Ashley related some of the conversation. When she finished, her dad asked to see her in the living room. Instinctively, she looked in question at Joe, but he nodded to her to go ahead. 

When they left the room, her mom said, "Thanks, Joe." 

He answered, "no problem, Mrs. R!"

Ashley's dad started off apologizing for all that he had said to hurt her. Both tonight, and several weeks ago. Before she could interject, he continued to list his reasons on why he was so hard on her. Most involved him not wanting to see her get hurt. He told her that he saw now that his fears were unfounded. "I miss having you around. I wish you were still living here," he finished.

Ashley's shell finally cracked, and she flew across the room to hug her father. "Oh, Daddy, I missed you and mom, too! I just wish you didn't question everything I did so much. I know what I'm doing...mostly, at least. If I make a mistake, it is my mistake, and I'll learn from it. Why was it so hard for you to understand that?"

"I don't know, Kitten. I guess it's because I command so many young men, I don't want to see you get hurt by a mistake. Either yours or the guys' you're with."

"But Joe treats me so well. It's hard to imagine getting hurt by him. Even if, God forbid, one or both of us realized it wasn't going to work out, I trust that we would be able to end things as friends."

"Well, I think I know that now. But, a few weeks ago, you came home with a terrible injury from Bill...so can you understand my point of view?"

She nodded in his lap, "Yes. But it wasn't the first time he hurt me."

"What?"

"Oh, come on. I've come home bruised a number of times...especially during last summer..."

"No, you didn't."

Ashley was about to argue again, then realized that Bill would hit her where it wouldn't show. She explained as much, and then kissed his cheek. "I love you, Daddy. I swear on my life that something like that would never happen with Joe. Trust that, okay?"

He returned the kiss. "He seems like a stand-up guy, if a bit pushy. You have my blessing to continue staying at his house. For what that matters. I know you're a young woman and you're going to make your own decisions, but thought you'd like it anyway."

"Thanks, Daddy. You don't know what that means to me." She touched her forehead to his. "As for Joe being pushy, he isn't normally. He just did what he felt necessary to break our downward spiral." She giggled. "I think it worked."

"It most certainly did. I guess I owe him another thank you for keeping My Ashley in my life."

She smiled. "He'll say you don't have to, but I'd like it if you did."

They returned to the kitchen hand in hand. Ashley left her dad's side to hug her mom. "I love you, Mom."

Her dad made good on his promise and thanked Joe sincerely for making him listen and giving his daughter back to him.

"You don't have to do that. Neither of you realized you still had a place in each other's heart. I just gave y'all a bit of a nudge."

Ashley grinned wildly at her dad. "See? I told you! But thank you for doing so anyway."

They retired to the den, a sign that things had gotten back to a normal casual tone for the once broken family. Her parents listened to Ashley tell stories about Joe and the other girls in their circle. Joe checked his watch, and her mom asked if they were staying for dinner. Joe declined, saying he had to get back to finish dinner for Jill and Jasmine. Ashley said she wanted to have dinner with Joe and her friends. Joe told her that if she wanted to stay, he could come back for her later. She shook her head. Joe then asked her parents if they wanted to come over. At first they said no, but he convinced them to agree when he told them that his own parents were out of town, and that he'd like some extra company.

Her parents were surprised to see Ashley driving the beautiful car, but followed her lead back to Joe's house. At the gate, Joe told her to add two certain numbers to the code to keep it open extra time for her parents to follow them through. Jill's car was already in the driveway. Inside, Ashley introduced her parents to Jill and Jasmine. While Joe worked in the kitchen, the girls gave the couple a complete tour of the home and the grounds behind it. They turned on the decorative lighting as they went to give her parents the full effect of the beauty of the place at night. The couple was impressed when they were shown Ashley's room. "No wonder you want to stay here," her mom mused. 

Ashley said, "even if this were a shack, I'd want to stay close to Joe." The couple sat down in the two cushy chairs in her room and the girls all sat on her bed to visit.

"What's with the two cars out in the street?" her mom asked.

"Security," her dad answered. He received a quizzical look from his wife. "Carter Electronics doesn't get as big as it has without gathering some enemies."

Jill confirmed what he said. "That's correct. Though the enemies are not of his parents' doing. It's more out of greed and jealousy."

Ashley continued the thought. "Joe once told me that he has a button on his keychain that would summon a team armed enough to fend off a small army."

Jill said, "you do too." Ashley took the keys out of her pocket to look at them. "No, silly," Jill laughed. "Your necklace has a microscopic transmitter. If you tap the diamond twice, pause, then tap once more, a similar team would rush to you. If you aren't in town, his parents' security office will contact the authorities nearest you. DON'T try it!" she said when she saw Ashley reach up. "Trust me, it works...Joe has to call three numbers to cancel the alert."

"You didn't tell me that when you gave me this."

"It slipped my mind. Besides, I didn't want you to test it."

Her parents looked at Jill and Jasmine. "Y'all are wearing similar necklaces," her mom said.

"Identical, actually. Except for the position of the names," Jasmine explained.

"Names?" Ashley's dad asked.

Jasmine took off her jewelry and handed it to him. If you look through the opal, you can see our names. The owner of the necklace has her name above the diamond. The rest of our names are below."

He saw that she was right, and he turned the pendant in his hand, admiring it. As he handed the keepsake back, he asked, "How many more is he going to add to your group?"

Jill answered, "Ashley will be the last invited to his Angels." The name slipped out. "Oh, shit, I shouldn't have said that. Commander? You being a military man, I hope you can understand the importance of keeping that name under your hat, right?"

"Sure."

"Why?" her mom asked.

Her dad answered, "I believe part of Joe's fear stems from if someone wanted to hurt his parents, and they knew he was close to these girls, they might want to come after them. It explains the lengths he went through to give them a panic button. A very clever one at that."

Jill said, "yes. You are right. Also, when we met Joe, we all had dark pasts. Bill being Ashley's example. Kim's older brother being another. Joe wants to keep the group's existence secret, so our past doesn't come back to hurt us or our friends."

Ashley's mom wanted to change the subject before she got more worried about Ashley's wellbeing. "It must take an army to keep this place up. Everything is spotless."

Jasmine replied, "Thanks!"

"You clean this by yourself?"

"No, Joe used to help me, but now Ashley pays her rent by doing what Joe used to."

The mother was impressed. "Still...wow. You do a great job."

"I appreciate that, Mrs. R!"

Joe called to them that everything was ready. Ashley's parents were amused that dinner as fancy as this was set up as self serve. They were intrigued that Joe was sitting at the table and that Jasmine served him. She smiled at them watching her. "I do technically work for Joe," she said to them as she urged them ahead of her into the kitchen. 

When everyone was seated with their plates, Ashley's parents were very impressed that the young people all waited to say grace before touching their food. During the meal, her mom complimented him on the quality of the dinner and asked where he got it. 

"He made it from scratch, Mom," Ashley giggled. 

She was awestruck. "Where did you learn to cook like this?" she asked. 

Ashley was able to smile with the girls, now that she knew the inside joke, and joined them in saying, "A little reading, a little TV, and a lot of love." Joe smiled at their joke at his expense and nodded. 

"A Thanksgiving feast like this is not an easy thing," Mrs. Roberts said. 

Joe replied that it actually is, if you get everything ready that morning. Then you could just put it together, like they do on TV. She asked why the buffet style serving. He replied that to plate food for everyone would take 20 minutes, and the first plate would be stone cold. Keeping everything in the pots they were fixed in saves Jasmine time in cleanup, as no extra bowls and platters are used. Besides, why would he plate up 6 meals, when everyone was able to get their own. 

"So, why are you so special that Jasmine serves you?" Ashley's dad asked, prompting a stern look from his daughter. 

"I could say because it's my house. I could say because she works for me. But, truth is, whoever cooks dinner here gets served. Besides, she knows what I like to eat, and she offered to do so one of the first times she was here. It just kinda stuck." 

Commander Roberts didn't let the comment about Jasmine knowing Joe escape him. "So, you and Jasmine must have dated before, if she knows what you like?" Ashley shifted in her seat. This was heading down a road she didn't like. 

Jasmine said, "actually, I'm the only one in the group who hasn't dated Joe at one point or another." 

He asked, "aren't you good enough for him, or vise-versa?" 

Ashley really started to get uncomfortable. "Dad!" she pleaded. 

Jasmine shrugged off the thinly veiled put-down. "That's not why we haven't dated, sir. I'm attracted to Joe. What living girl my age wouldn't be? But, when I met him, I just knew we'd never last forever. So, unlike the others, I never pursued him to see 'what if.'" She saw the accusatory looks from both Jill and Ashley. "Jill, hon, you know that to be true. Ashley, I didn't mean to include you in that. I was referring to Joe's exes." Jill cocked her head in response to Jasmine's gut-check, then nodded in agreement and took another bite of turkey and gravy. 

Ashley, however was still a bit defensive. "After all we've shared, that's what you really think, isn't it Jasmine?" she glared over toward her friend.

"Sweetheart, I said I meant to exclude you. I am sorry I left it out. Actually, you and Joe have something different than the others did. I can't explain it, exactly. I guess you could say that there's a certain chemistry between you two. Kim told me before she left Sunday that looking back, it started even when her and Joe were still together. She doesn't blame either of you, because you two hardly ever talked before she moved away. Now that the past has happened, Kim sees that God, Fate, or whatever was working to bring you together. She was thankful in a way that her parents moved, because if she stayed, she might still be with Joe, and things were not meant to be that way. She agreed with me that there is a feeling you two will be together a long time."

When everyone had their fill, Joe invited her parents to the den to watch some late college game. They were even more impressed when the girls jumped into action to clean up after the meal. Her dad asked if Jill and Jasmine were missing time with their families for the holiday. Joe answered that they took care of that earlier in the day, so that they could stay over tonight. "Stay over? Like a slumber party?" Joe laughed and said that while it might feel like a slumber party later, the girls were 18, and sensibly wanted to stay over and head to the game together tomorrow morning. He pointed above them at the balcony and told her parents that each door they see was a guest room reserved for the girls. Her dad asked where the game was, and Joe told him it was at Florida High in Tallahassee. "That's a big school, isn't it?" he asked. 




Angels and Guardians Pt. 05



Joe said, "Yeah, but we beat Northwood last week. It should be a good game." Joe went behind the bar in the game room next door and asked if they wanted a drink. Her dad joked that he could go for a scotch on the rocks, but was surprised when Joe actually brought him a good one and handed Ashley's mom a glass of Sprite. He admired that Joe didn't fix a drink for himself, at least with company around, even though he had complete access to the liquor. The girls soon joined them and the group laughed and told stories for a couple of hours while the game played softly in the background.

The conversation wound down as they got tired and Ashley's parents said their goodbyes. Ashley walked them to their car, explained that the gate would open as they approached it from this side, and hugged them both tightly as she said good night. On the way home, her parents remarked to each other how they felt like they were just at a married friend's house, rather than some teenaged party they were expecting when they accepted Joe's invitation.

The girls went upstairs to change after Ashley's parents left. All three came back down wearing only t-shirts and panties. He handed them each a strong mixed drink of their choosing, now that they were alone, and they sat around and talked. Joe didn't drink before a game day. As the girls got tipsy, they started joking around with each other, and soon they pushed each other around the room, sometimes taking the sofa pillows to swat at someone. They horsed around with each other in front of Joe, and he knew they were teasing him on purpose. At some point, Ashley came up to Joe and straddled his lap. 

"I'm drunk," she slurred, giggling. 

"Then you're a cheap drunk. That was only one," he replied. 

"Then, fine. I'm a cheap horny drunk," she mumbled as she squirmed in his lap. 

Jill and Jasmine laid on the sofas on either side of them. Ashley rose onto her knees, thrusting her t-shirt covered chest into Joe's nose. He took the opportunity to kiss the nipples sticking through the cotton material. The other two girls individually started tracing lazy circles on their clothed sensitive parts while they watched the foreplay. "Joe," Ashley sighed in a baby doll voice, "you told my dad that you were one of the richest in these parts. What are you worth?" 

He buried his face between her breasts, enjoying the warm softness and giving himself time to think before answering. Finally, he sat back, allowing her to rock her hips against him. "Would you still love me if I told you I was millions in debt?" he asked. 

"Yess," she moaned as the seam of his jeans' fly pleasured her. "What are you worth? You haven't ever told me." 

Jasmine sighed heavily, as she openly diddled herself now through her thin underwear. "With or without the trust?" she asked. 

"Both," Ashley giggled. 

Seeing Jasmine working herself had gotten Jill even hotter. She finally gave into her bodily needs and was now playing with her slit without any pretenses. "Without the trust his parents are leaving him, Joe has about $14 million in various accounts. His trust will be worth another $250 million," Jill stated matter-of-factly. 

To Joe's relief, Ashley seemed unmoved. She was neither elated, nor scared by the numbers as many would have been. Ashley simply took off her shirt and leaned into him, changing the subject entirely, saying, "that was the best time I've ever had with my parents. Thank you." 

Joe kissed her and said "you're welcome, baby." Ashley got his pants undone and started grinding her panties against his hardness. He bent down slightly to suck on her breasts. She pulled her underwear to the side and mounted Joe, riding his length without hurry. Jill and Jasmine had their hands inside their panties, masturbating themselves to the same tempo as the couple, watching them make love in front of them.

Chapter 19

The next morning, they allowed themselves to wake up naturally. Even though they were in separate rooms, they seemed to wake at the same time. Joe and Ashley packed their bags, as the plan was to stay overnight at a motel after the game. Jill made everyone's breakfast as Joe loaded all the bags into the van. Jill asked why they weren't taking her SUV, and Joe said that the van was more comfortable. Plus, it had a small fridge for drinks and sandwiches. An hour later, they were on the road at 11:00. 

The beautiful weather they enjoyed most of the fall had turned chilly and wet. It had started raining when Joe pulled out of the driveway, and it followed them the whole way. They stopped twice on their way, even though it was only a two and a half hour drive. Joe suggested the stops so that they could change drivers, and so the girls' potty reservoirs stayed comfortable. Jill welcomed the stops, so she could smoke. In her uniform, she got more than a few disapproving looks, but she was beyond caring what others thought of her nasty, but wonderfully relaxing habit. Joe had the first shift driving, as he would need the rest later for the game. Jill took the second shift, and Ashley had the third. 

Ashley woke Joe when she started seeing signs for Tallahassee exits through the driving rain. He navigated her driving to a chicken eatery that was located a short distance from the stadium. They ate a light meal, and Joe hopped back into the driver's seat. As he pulled onto Stadium Drive, Jasmine saw Doak Campbell Stadium and asked, "whoa, are we playing here?" 

Joe gave a small chuckle. "No, we're just meeting the bus here. Florida High uses the field inside the track a short walk north. Sorry to disappoint, but at least we're still playing on campus." 

Ashley saw the weather worsen outside and something he said made her stomach turn. "Did you just say walk? In this?" 

At first he smiled, thinking she was trying to make a joke. But then he realized she was serious and he got concerned. "You brought your jacket, yes?" 

She answered glumly, "well, sure. And I'm wearing pantyhose, which is supposed to keep me warm, but I'm a California girl. This rain is so cold." 

Jill fell into her role as captain for a second, saying, "buck up kiddo! A little walk ain't gonna kill you. We're gonna be cheering in this for hours, so the walk is the least of our worries." Ashley dropped her head at being coached. 

"Yes, ma'am," she responded soberly. 

Joe found the bus and parked nearby. He got free of his seat and made his way to the back. Looking at Jill as he passed her, he said, "told you the van was better for this trip. We don't even have to climb over the seats." He fished out his and the girls' jackets from the bags and handed them out. Then he put their game bags near the door and the overnight ones deeper inside. He put on his jacket and the girls followed suit. "Let's go," he said as he opened the back doors.

They picked up their bags and headed over to the bus. Joe's coat was tailored to accommodate his pads while on the sideline during a game. Since he wasn't currently wearing his pads, Ashley quickly found her way under his arm to let the shell protect her from the nipping cold rain. 

"Wuss," Jill jabbed at her. 

"Whatever, at least I'm warm," she quipped from under the large shoulder of the jacket. 

They reached the bus and the doors opened. Joe stepped on, and several players and cheerleaders chuckled at the sight of tiny Ashley peeking out from the half open zipper, still completely dry. She stuck her tongue out at them. "3:30 on the nose," Joe cheered. "Who won the bet?" When no one answered, he said, "come on guys, I know y'all had a bet on when I'd show up...who won?" His friends started calling out times.

"I had 3:09." 

Joe responded with, "suck up."

"3:40"

"I said 3:36"

The times went on until Joe asked, "What, no one had me at ON TIME?" They shook their heads. He looked at Coach Mike in the front row.

"I said that because of the girls you were with, 4:13."

The bus all laughed at the unexpected statement. Joe said, "Oh, come on! I was wanting you to say who won the bet. I didn't know you had one posted as well!" This sparked more guffaws, as apparently, Joe's arrival time was the topic of conversation in the crowded bus for the last several minutes. 

The cheer coach said from her seat on the other side, "I said that Ashley would probably hold you up. I put in $10 on arriving at kickoff."

Ashley yelled over the new laughter from her spot in his jacket, "Hey! That's not fair. I wouldn't make him late."

Her coach eyed her in Joe's half closed jacket and said quickly, "Hand Check!" It was an inside half-joke to call those words during a coed trip on the bus. The instinct is to look around at your neighbors' hands to make sure they were visible and not in a naughty place. At this call, all could see Ashley's arms were trapped as his large coat engulfed her inside with him. She blushed furiously at being caught.

"Not fair!" she protested. "I'm not doing that."

Jasmine called from just inside the door, "Yeah right! Look how red you are!"

After a heap of laughter, she said, "fine. You caught me." 

Joe grinned broadly and bobbed his head up and down for the benefit of those on the bus to confirm that she actually was caught.

"I was just trying to keep them warm," she offered.

A booming voice came from the back of the bus, "your hands or Joe's nuts?"

Ashley shot back, "Shut up, Jarred!"

The bus went berserk. Even the coaches were near tears. A couple of the cheerleaders were dangerously close to wetting their pants. 

Once Coach Mike gained his composure, he called out, "there's the rest of our team. Let's get suited up!" They all clamored off the bus as four cars parked next to Joe. Ashley walked next to Joe, never leaving his jacket. She could hear the rain pelt his jacket's shell as she disappeared from sight. A few commented on the odd scene, one figure with two sets of legs. She couldn't see where she was going, letting Joe guide her with his arm, and looking down to watch for obstacles as her feet strode to keep up. She sloshed under her full-body umbrella for five minutes before the sound of rain stopped on his jacket and the sidewalk got darker. 

"We're here," Joe said while unzipping his jacket. "You fit perfectly in there," he continued in surprise. 

"Thanks, Joe!" she said happily. They were under an overhang of the modest field house that serviced the Mike Long track and field. Ashley fielded several unhappy looks from the drenched underclassmen cheerleaders. "What?" she asked them. "If you want to stay dry, get your own senior football player!" She had endured enough ribbing on the bus to not have to put up with their jealousy.

The players filed into their locker room to get suited up while the cheerleaders sat against the wall under the overhang. They watched as two buses unloaded the Florida High players, coaches, and cheerleaders at the gate of the facility and then drive off to park. Ashley asked her coach why Florida High needed buses for a home game. The answer was that their school was once much smaller and located directly behind one of the dorms on campus. A few years back, FSU decided to expand their science college and start a medical school. So, they moved the high school off campus to a much larger complex. The football games are still played on FSU's campus to save money until funding could be found to build a new stadium. The area around the campus is not affluent, so the game participants carpool, walk or bike to their school, and the school buses them to Florida State's campus.

While Ashley received the history lesson, Jill had been counting. Their opponent had no fewer than 50 players, and 20 cheerleaders. "Damn, they're big," she commented. Catholic's squads had roughly half those numbers. 

"Yeah, there's a lot of them, too," Jasmine added. 

Their players skipped the locker room for now and went straight into warm-ups. A few minutes later, Joe and his team appeared and started jogging laps. The cheerleaders jumped up and joined the players, dropping off their bags on their way past the visitor benches. They always waited to jog with the players on away games for safety reasons. 

Ashley ran to catch up to Joe, settling her pace to match his. He looked at her in her soaking jacket and said, "sorry I can't keep you dry any more." 

She huffed beside him, asking finally, "that's okay. Bound to happen. Why does your uniform look different?" 

Joe grinned at her, his hair now a matted mess. "I sewed it around my pads." 

She was confused. "Why'd you do that?"

He answered, "well, in this rain, they're gonna grab me any place they can. I decided to tighten up anything that was loose and could be used as a handle." 

"Well, you look amazing. Ugh, this rain sucks!"

"At least it's an early game. The rain will suck worse when the sun goes down in about an hour and a half." He looked up and noticed a sizable crowd gathering along the fence on top of the hill behind the bleachers. "That's a lot of college students hanging around for a rainy evening..."

Ashley looked up, but didn't give it a second thought.

Little to their knowledge, Florida State's student paper, The FSView, had caught wind that their football team was looking hard at Joe. Earlier in the week, they printed an article on the front page about tonight's game, stating that Joe's team was visiting. It included a story about his heroism in saving a cheerleader who was now his girlfriend. The picture of their senior night kiss was reprinted in full color with permission of his hometown's newspaper. Joe's stats that were published were rivaling those of FSU's opponents. Disgruntled with their own team's disappointing string of inconsistent quarterbacks, the students who stayed behind during the Thanksgiving break were bored enough to come out in ponchos and heckle the potential recruit. Thanks to the picture showing off Ashley's red hair, the rowdy college students picked out Joe right away. As the couple jogged the side of the track nearest them (it also happened to be the "home" side of the field) they heard shouts of "you're gonna get creamed, Joe!" and "are the cheerleaders playing too?"

Joe heard them and smiled. Ashley asked if it bothered him that they had so fewer players than their opponent. "It's still 11 vs. 11 on the field," he replied. She didn't tell him that what she really worried about was the other side's 11 were twice as big. The warm-up run ended and the squads separated for the rest of their drills.

Just before the pre-game ceremonies, the ticket tenders gave up their watch at the gates, as spectator attendance was low because of the rain. The college students took advantage and filed in for seats in the stands. 

Joe usually never let statistics get in his head, but FHS's numbers were hard to ignore. His class 3A team was going head-to-head against a class 6A team. They were ranked number 4. Nationally. Three straight 6A state titles, one national runner-up. They held their last five opponents to 12 points. Combined. "What the hell were you thinking when you agreed to this last year, Sister K?" Joe wondered to himself as he strode out for the coin toss. It really did look like David v. Goliath as Joe was alone when he met the official, while the Seminoles (same team name as their mother school) sent six linemen as captains. There was no doubt the home team wanted to intimidate him.

Joe was on the field leading a modest drive when the first quarter siren sounded. He looked at the scoreboard to check himself. Sure enough, it confirmed that they were tied with no score. "Huh," he pondered to himself as he made his way back to his coach. "They haven't scored, and I haven't heard any heckling lately. I think we're doing pretty good." 

The game remained tied at zero until the start of the second half, when the Seminoles ran the kickoff back for a touchdown. Joe led his team down the field on the next series, only to be stopped at the 20. After sliding and pushing against the larger sized defense, the offensive players just got tired at the end of the drive and they settled for a field goal. Fatigue and cold also affected the opponents, and they watched their field goal try miss horribly to the left when their kicker slipped.

And so the game went. Lots of dropped balls, lots of errors from fatigue at the end of drives. Near the end of the fourth quarter, Joe was lined up as defensive back. The signaled call was for him to blitz. Joe left his assignment and sprinted straight for the QB. He arrived just as the signal caller had cocked his arm back to throw. Joe dove and aimed his fist at the ball, punching it sharply and ending up sliding, baseball style behind the quarterback. He looked back to watch one of his linebackers scoop up the ball and race the 40 yards to the endzone.

The next series seemed as though it would never end. The Seminoles used a ground attack that had their runners grabbing what yardage they could and scooting out of bounds. They chewed up thirty yards to make it to the 50, but with time running out, they were forced to throw the ball. Four straight passes bounced harmlessly to the ground. Joe took his offense onto the field and was able to simply kneel twice to end the game. David had killed Goliath for the second straight week.

After breakfast the next morning, the three girls said they wanted to see more of the university, as it had stopped raining. Joe drove the van back on campus and parked near the stadium. The girls donned their parkas as it had gotten considerably colder since the front passed through last night. The campus was quiet, as most students had gone home for the holiday. The stadium side of campus looked nice, except for the northern edge where several dorms were located. They saw Sorority Row, and the girls drooled. The sorority houses could pass for mansions, a result of the long history of FSU being an all girls school. All those years of alumni sisters feeding back support did wonders for keeping the sorority houses in pristine condition.

The east side of campus was older, and beautiful. Joe fell in love with the oak trees and the spanish moss hanging from their limbs. The old architecture of this side's dorms and class buildings seemed somehow like home to him. He told his group that he decided that he wanted to go here.

They went to the eatery in the student union, and Joe paid for their meals. While they were eating, Ashley noticed that what she had read about the school was right about the female to male ratio. The whole time they were walking or eating, she only noticed three males who weren't university employees. The females they came across were very attractive and most said hi as they passed Joe.

"So, are they going to be trouble, Joe?" she asked.

"What's that?" he asked between bites of his hamburger.

"The girls here. Like the ones who just said hi to you. Are they going to be trouble?"

Joe tipped his head in a shrug and said, "you could take them."

Jill and Jasmine just sat and smiled as Ashley worked through her jealousy.

Ashley started to get frustrated. "Not as in fight. Are they going to cause trouble between you and I?"

"Nope," Joe said plainly.

"How do you know that?"

Joe started singing, "'cause I only have eyes for you..."

Jill and Jasmine laughed and applauded Joe's response.

Joe sighed, noting his girlfriend's disapproval. "It's only gonna cause trouble in your head, Ash. I've never slept with anyone outside this group, and the way I feel now about you, that doesn't look to change any time soon."

The other two gave a chorus of "awww."

Ashley had to admit it was a good answer. She considered how Joe didn't so much as glance at the girls walking by, unless they said hi. Even then, he only looked at them long enough to return the greeting. Maybe she should let her head stop thinking in these matters.




Angels and Guardians Pt. 06



Author's note:

Part six. To understand where the characters come from, it is recommended to read the first five parts.

Please remember to vote at the end.

***

Chapter 20

All Things Must Change

Ashley was watching Joe's face. His expression of concern when he left the classroom hadn't changed any, but the blood drained, making him appear as white as a sheet. She grabbed his hand.

"Joe? Did you hear me?" Cindy asked when Joe didn't respond.

"Yeah," he said finally. "Where?"

"In Denver, Joe." The way she said this made Joe start to understand what she was calling for. He strode quickly toward the front doors with Ashley still holding his hand. "Do you want me to send the helicopter?"

He stopped in his tracks, and Ashley felt him squeeze her hand hard. "Only Dad can authorize aircraft use," he said.

Cindy knew Joe was aware of the chain of authority of his parents' assets, and so only repeated the question. "Do you want me to send it to pick you up?"

It dawned on Joe what the question was hiding. Things are bad. He resumed his near run for the car. To Ashley, it seemed something flipped on inside Joe as he changed his demeanor. Up to now, she'd only seen him this determined just before he took over games. She heard him say ahead of her, "No, by the time it gets up and running, I could already be halfway to the airport. I'll just drive there. What flights are available?"

Cindy clicked over to her efficient business mode as well. "Your parents flew commercial to Denver, so the jet is still here. I'll have police meet up with you on your way for an escort."

Joe burst through the hall doors and headed directly for Ashley's car. "Very well," he said. "I'll meet you at the plane in ten minutes." Then he hung up the phone. As they approached the car, he used his spare set to unlock it. "I have to go to Denver, you better stay here," he said to Ashley as he dumped his bag behind the driver's seat and slid in.

"I'm coming with you," Ashley said determinedly as she opened the passenger door and hopped in.

Joe slammed the car into reverse, barely letting Ashley close her door. Then he tore off toward the airport. "I guess you are, now. We might be gone a while."

Ashley watched Joe deftly pick through traffic, easily holding the speed over 80. "What's going on?" she asked nervously.

"My folks were in an accident," he said plainly. 

She slapped her hand over her mouth. "Are they okay?" she asked.

"I don't think so. Cindy asked me for permission to use the helicopter. I don't have that authority to decide unless both my mom and dad are unable to give it."

A police cruiser spotted them and spun around to pull them over. Joe didn't slow down, and apparently the call came in over the radio, because the cruiser whipped around them and started leading them to the airport.

Ashley started to ask, "Are they...?"

"I don't think so. If they were dead, Cindy wouldn't rush me."

Joe didn't follow the screaming police vehicle to the terminal, instead, he pulled off into the driveway for general aviation. He threw the car into park and jumped out, running for the chain link gate while Ashley locked the car. She caught up to him as he started climbing the steps of a sleek business jet where a fuel truck was hooked up to one of the wings. One of the pilots said to Joe, "we're taking on additional fuel to top up. We'll fly non-stop to Denver for you." Joe replied, "thanks. When you file the flight plan, request higher speeds. Get us there as quick as you can." Both pilots responded, "Yes, sir!" Ashley followed as he turned toward the seating area. Joe sat down next to a very young woman who was waiting for him. Ashley sat in one of the seats opposite.

"You must be Ashley," the lady extended her hand. "I'm Cindy, executive assistant to Mr. and Mrs. Smith."

Ashley took the petite hand and shook it slightly. "That's correct. Pleased to meet you, Cindy," she responded as she appraised her. Cindy did not look much older than Ashley was. She was very attractive and her straight brown hair was pulled back and fell like a waterfall behind her shoulders. Joe would later tell Ashley that a couple of years ago, Cindy responded to his dad's ad for her current position right after her high school graduation. She interviewed well, telling his dad that she wasn't interested in college, and nothing would make her happier than help plan out some busy executive's schedule. She got hired, and for the two years since then, she had not faltered and performed exceptionally well.

One of the pilots pulled up the stairs after the last few minutes of fueling and latched the door. The engines revved up and before long, the aircraft soared on its way.

Once in the air, Cindy briefed Joe on what she knew. His dad's panic button had gone off, and the security office notified Denver police of the position. At first they didn't find anything, but then an alert officer noticed some tracks leading into a ravine that crossed under the interstate. They found the car, and the driver was already dead. His parents were taken to a hospital. "There's something you should know, Joe," she added. "They're looking into this as a homicide attempt." She told him that because of something discovered at the accident site, some of the security team stationed at the plant in Denver was at the hospital.

Cindy left them and sat a few rows back for a bit while she made some calls ahead to Denver to prepare for their arrival. Ashley was appalled. "Who would want to kill your parents?" she asked.

"Well, that covers a wide range. Everything from lunatics who are jealous of their money to foreign enemies."

"Why terrorists?"

"Just because," was all he'd say, and then he stared at the floor, lost in thought.

Ashley got up and approached Cindy when she was between calls. "Yes, Ashley?"

"I was wondering if I'm allowed to use my phone on this plane."

"Yes, it's okay. The commercial airlines got the FAA to make that stupid rule because they wanted passengers to use the seat phones. Was there anything else?"

"I hate to ask, in this sort of time, but is there any food for later? Our lunch period was going to be next when you called him. I'm fine, but I'm worried about Joe."

"Of course, dear. I had the staff stock the fridge up front with some sandwiches and drinks when I called to activate the plane."

"Dang, your staff is fast then, cause it only took us like seven minutes to get to the airport."

"That's how I work," Cindy joked, even though Joe's dad would often accuse her of working miracles. "But, seriously, I had called up the jet before I called Joe, so they could get here and start getting it ready."

Ashley then asked if there was a restroom, and Cindy pointed to a door at the tail of the plane. She stepped inside, withdrew her phone from where she tucked it under the uniform skirt waistband, and placed it on the small counter. Ashley pulled down her skirt and underwear, and sat on the commode. As she relieved herself, she started typing, "Joe's parents hurt in accident. We're flying to Denver now. Will keep you updated. Jill, please let our coaches know." Then she checked off her parents, Jill, Jasmine, and Kim on the send list. She hit send and her phone broadcasted the text to the five phones.

Jill and Jasmine met at lunch, and asked each other what was going on. In fact, everyone was asking them the same thing. All they knew was the message was sent throughout the school's PA system and now Ashley's car was missing, along with her and Joe. A rumor circulated that someone saw Joe and Ashley bolt through the front doors, got in the sports car, and Joe peeled off in a cloud of smoke. Jill thought it odd that Joe would be driving. Just before lunch was to end, her and Jasmine's phones chirped at the same time. They both read the message, and Jill grabbed her stuff and ran out the door at breakneck speed to tell Sister Kate and their coaches. Jasmine stayed and put away their garbage. She found Sally, Allison, and Marybeth with their boyfriends, gathered them into a corner and showed Ashley's message to them. They stood looking at Jasmine as if asking her for ideas on what to say. Jasmine didn't know, either, and they just stood silent in each others' company until the end of lunch period bell.

Just before the end of the day, the intercom system crackled to life. Sister Kate's voice said, "ladies and gentlemen. I wanted to put to rest some rumors that are circulating. Joe Smith's parents were seriously injured in an accident. Joe and Ashley Roberts are flying to his parents in Denver to be with them. Contrary to rumors, there is no threat to Joe nor Ashley's life. The school is also not in danger. I ask that you all join me as we pray for his parents' return to health, and our two students' safe journey. Our Father, who art in heaven..." The school's air filled with the somber voices of students and teachers reciting The Lord's Prayer. After the prayer, Sister Kate continued by saying, "tonight is the district championship game. Your team needs your support more now than ever, as their thoughts will be on Joe and his family. I have chartered a bus, and anyone who wants to go, can at no cost. We have contacted Bonifay and told them the circumstances. They agreed to push back the game to 8p.m. Our buses will leave the school at 5:30. Thank you."

Allison and Sally found Jill after the final bell. They asked if she heard anything more. Jill said no, the flight from here to Denver would take about 6 hours, and the announcement for Joe was made a little over three hours ago. She promised them that she would tell them what Ashley knew after they land sometime after 6p.m. She asked if they or Marybeth wanted a ride to the game. They declined, saying that the trip to Tallahassee was a lot of fun on the bus. Jill said she doubted there would be any cheer on the team bus with their star quarterback gone in such a manner. Then she asked them who started the rumor that Joe and Ashley left suddenly because a terrorist was coming for Joe. Sally said a sophomore in her class was talking about that in her 7th period. Allison said someone was trying to start a rumor that Bill went psycho, and Joe raced Ashley out of town to hide her from him. Jill shook her head. "Fucking teenaged imaginations," she muttered.

Ashley returned to the cabin and went directly for the galley near the front of the plane. She overheard one of the pilots talking into the radio, "negative, Atlanta Center. Bombardier seven zero one niner requests speed four niner zero." She knew they were doing what they could to shave minutes off the flight. She looked in the fridge and pulled out two wrapped turkey sandwiches and two cans of soda. She went back to Joe and handed one of each to him. At first, he pushed it back to her, but she insisted, "Joe, you gotta eat. There's nothing else you can do right now, so you might as well get some nourishment." He gave her a weak smile and took the sandwich and drink. By the way he was eating, Ashley doubted he even tasted it. His face was blank, staring at the wall behind her seat. Joe took small bites, and seemed to chew by means of auto pilot. Compared to how she was used to seeing Joe eat, he seemed to be only nibbling. Her heart broke for what he must be feeling.

She finished half of her sandwich and rewrapped the other half. Joe finished his drink, and she took the empty can and wrapper from him and threw them in the garbage container she saw earlier in the galley. Ashley went back, and saw that Joe had nodded off. So, she picked up the other half of her sandwich and took it to Cindy. "I can't finish this, Cindy. Do you want it?"

Cindy accepted the other half and said thank you. "Here, sit with me for a second," she said. Ashley sat next to her as she busily typed on her laptop. "Do you have your driver's license with you?"

Ashley slapped her hand on the armrest as she remembered just now that she only had her phone with her. "No, it's in my locker at school. I didn't have time..."

Cindy cut her off. "That's okay. I've worked with less." She changed screens on her computer and typed some more, taking a bite of her sandwich half in between strings. After a bit, she flipped her screen around and pointed the built in camera at Ashley. "Look at the top of the screen and give me a pretty smile," she said.

Ashley did her best, and Cindy struck a key, making the computer play the sound of an old camera snapping its shutter. As she spun the screen around and started typing some more, Ashley asked what that was for.

"To add you to my Facebook album, of course!" Cindy chided. Then after a pause she said, "actually, it's for your secret clearance ID. You're going to need it if you want to stay with Joe in Denver. Actually, you'll need it even if you're gonna stay around me for that matter."

Ashley was really starting to like Cindy. She had a quick wit that could put you at ease even in times like this. Yet, at the same time, she was professional, knew what she was doing, and very efficient. She wished she could be more like her. "Why would I need that to be around Joe? Or, why would I need to stay near you?"

Cindy smiled, still typing away. "Well," she said. "If I don't finish this up for you, you'd have to be out of the room when Joe has meetings about his parents and our company. So, that means you'll probably want to be with me during those times. Then, there's the thing about me taking phone calls that could be sensitive, which we couldn't have you overhear. So then, you'd end up being chaperoned by an Air Force MP. I have a feeling you'd rather be able to be with one of us than the MP. MP's tend not to talk very much when on duty."

Ashley was confused and started to worry about what she was getting into with Joe. "I don't understand. Guarded from my boyfriend by a military policeman?"

"Probably policewoman," Cindy corrected. "Men aren't allowed to go in with you to restrooms."

"What the hell?!" Ashley demanded. "Why would a guard need to be with me while I pee?"

"I can tell you a little, just as soon as we finish this." Cindy flipped the screen around and closed it, transforming her laptop into a tablet. "Just trust me. Raise your right hand. Good. Do you swear that you are Ashley Roberts, as identified by your boyfriend, Joe Smith?"

"Yes..." she replied, unsure of what was happening.

"Do you swear to me that any government assets that you might read, see, hear, touch, taste, or smell will be guarded inside you, never to be repeated by voice, signal, writing, or any other means that could be conveyed to enemies of The United States?"

"I do."

"No matter how trivial they may seem to you?"

"Yes."

Cindy handed her a stylus. "Sign your full name inside the box, please." And she handed the tablet to Ashley.

Ashley signed, then asked, "what was that about?"

"I've been appointed as a notary for the Air Force, so that Mr. and Mrs. Smith could sign documents without having to go down to a federal building every time they entered a contract."

"Can you tell me what's going on, now?"

Cindy told her, "just a minute," and she clicked a few buttons to fax by Internet the papers she was working on to the federal office in Denver. While she waited for an email response, she said, "I'm sure it will go through, but all I can tell you until it does is that Carter Electronics is a contractor for the Air Force. Once I get emailed that you're approved, I can tell you a little more." She could tell Ashley's wheels were spinning. "Oh, don't worry, we don't assemble atom bombs or anything silly like that." Then she continued just to mess with Ashley's head a little, "we just make the chips telling the bombs where to go."

Ashley snapped her head around to Cindy. "What?!"

Cindy patted Ashley's bare knee. "I'm kidding!" When she saw Ashley settle a bit, she added, "we actually do make the bombs themselves."

Ashley looked at her, about to be shocked again, but caught her own gullibility. "You're funny," she said. "But, please don't do that again."

"I'm trying to prep you so you won't be shocked when we land in Denver, sweetie."

"But don't clearance passes take time? Like weeks, to get?"

"I started on yours about a week and a half ago, when Joe's parents found it getting harder to talk to him without you around. Yesterday, I received the last of your references from teachers and your principal back in California." Just then, an email popped up and Cindy opened it to read.

Ashley asked, "why did they request I get a clearance? I mean, before I met Joe, he was going out with Kim. And Jill was before her?"

"I've gotten clearances for both of them. Jasmine holds one as well because she was always near Jill. Joe dated the others in your group at some point or another, but they never got past the occasional fling, so we didn't need to get them one."

"But Jill and Jasmine never mentioned anything about clearance, nor about the company..."

"Keep that in mind when you might be tempted to let something slip," Cindy warned. "They approved you, and they'll get the badge to us at the airport."

"So..." Ashley tried to lead Cindy on.

Cindy finished the last two bites of the sandwich. "Okay, remember your oath," she began. She went on to tell Ashley a bit about the history of Carter Electronics. She explained how Joe's dad did a little program for the Air Force that helped spawn the development of their UAV's, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The Air Force knew they could pilot the drones remotely, but didn't want to risk having the aircraft crash into an innocent population if the remote pilot got discovered and killed, or if the remote signal got jammed. Joe's dad came up with a chip that would fly the drone automatically in a random pattern near where it lost it's signal. If it ran low on fuel, it was programmed to return to the point it was launched and attempt a safe landing. With those safeguards in place, the military was more confident investing in building the weapon. He came up with a few more ideas, and soon the military considered Joe's father a national security asset. "I told you that story to tell you this," Cindy said. "This meeting in Denver is big. Most of the details are top secret, even over my clearance. But, it involved Mr. Smith pitching a new encryption system to all branches of the military. Our security office wanted to shadow Mr. Smith throughout the trip, but he declined, thinking it would be better to move around anonymously. He also thought any threat to him or his family was perceived and imagined by security members trained to be paranoid. But now, I think he was mistaken..." Her voice cracked during the next part, "God, I hope they're okay."

Ashley listened intently, and when Cindy's voice cracked, it suddenly dawned on her that Cindy would be affected by worry almost as much as Joe, as she spent a lot of time working with his parents. Ashley leaned over and instinctively hugged Cindy. "I know," she said. "Me too."

A couple of hours later, Ashley was napping next to Joe, resting her head on his shoulder. The co-pilot gently shook Joe's opposite shoulder, waking the couple. "We're descending into Denver now, Mr. Smith. I'm sorry we couldn't do better." Joe thanked him, saying he was sure they did what they could. Ashley looked out the window as they fell through the cloud banks. "Oh man, I don't even have a sweater," she said to Joe as she saw the white ground far below through the openings between clouds.

As if she read her mind, Cindy came up to sit with them for the landing. She said, "One of the things I requested when I called ahead was that coats be bought and waiting for you two in the car when we land. It'll be a very short trip from the plane's steps to the car, so it shouldn't be too bad." Ashley thanked her and looked at Joe. 




Angels and Guardians Pt. 06



"She's awesome," Joe confirmed, reading her look.

The plane landed and taxied to the aircraft parking apron. It pulled up to a small motorcade consisting of a limousine and three police cars. Joe and Ashley thanked the pilots as they opened the door and lowered the steps. They hurried to the limo waiting for them, mere feet away. Cindy stopped to retrieve her coat and bag from the suit closet, and handed the pilots an envelope containing vouchers for their hotel and restaurants. "I'll keep in touch. Anything else you need while you wait for our return flight, use the company card in that envelope wisely." 

They answered, "yes ma'am," and set about securing the aircraft after she disappeared inside the limo. 

The coats were laying on the seat as promised, and Joe popped the tags off, handing the smaller one to Ashley. The driver handed Cindy an envelope, which she opened and assembled the badge to the lanyard, then handed it to Ashley. "Some of the security teams might know about your relationship with Joe, but most won't. Your necklace is enough ID for our people, but means nothing to the military. Wearing that badge will make your life a bit easier following him around." 

The police vehicles rushed their escort to the hospital, taking turns to race ahead and block intersections. The three were silent during the ride there, and Ashley sent a text to her same group, "We've landed. I'll know more in a little bit."

Jill and Jasmine were eating at a popular fast food place near the school, killing time until the convoy was due to leave for the game. Their phones beeped, and Jill said after reading the message, "DAMN, his pilots are good. It's only 4:30." Jasmine nodded as Jill's phone started ringing. "Hey Kim," she answered sadly.

"What the hell is going on? I just turned on my phone to check messages, and I've got two from Ashley that has me really worried. I tried calling, but her phone is turned off."

Jill answered, "I know. She and Joe left so suddenly, she doesn't have her charger with her. She's probably trying to save juice."

"Okay, so what happened? I can't talk long, our game here starts in 30."

Jill told her about the PA announcement, then Ashley's first text after rumors started flying about how she and Joe left the school.

"What time did they leave?"

"As far as I could guess, about 11:30 this morning."

Kim was shocked. "Holy crap they got there fast. Joe took me once to see the plant, and it took their jet 6 hours, plus a refueling stop."

Jill answered, "yeah, I've been there, too. They must have crammed the plane with gas until it started leaking from the seams. I think they went nonstop."

"Well, what does Ashley have with her? Does she have a coat? We're playing in a snow storm tonight."

Jill got more than a little concerned. She hadn't thought about that. "Nothing, I think. I mean we are all wearing our cheer stuff. I got her wallet and keys from her locker after school for safe keeping. I think she's just got her uniform, and that phone she keeps tucked under her waistband. Oh, and she has Joe."

"He'll take care of her, I'm sure."

"Yeah, he would, but he's never had to deal with anything like this before."

"True. Well, good luck in your game. We're going to lose, again I think."

"We'll need the luck without Joe. Thanks. I'll talk to you soon." Jill hung up the phone, and said to Jasmine, "Kim says it's snowing where she is."

Jasmine replied, "yeah, I remember something about a cold snap up there."

Jill looked at her up and down to make her point. "Look how we're dressed."

A light went on in Jasmine's head. "Oh. I see." She thought about her friend for a minute, then said, "Well, I'm sure Cindy is with them."

"Oh yeah! I forgot about her. I hope she is, that would make me feel better."

The limousine stopped at the front entrance of the hospital, greeted by a horde of reporters and cameras. The group got out and was ushered inside by four large police officers. The mob was held outside, fearful to cross the line of six armed military guards. Once inside, Ashley asked Joe, "Why would they have your parents at a military hospital?"

"It's not," he answered, hurrying behind a hospital security guard who was leading them through the hallway.

In the elevator, Cindy told Ashley that the extra guards were called in to protect Joe's parents from another attempt. Ashley said she thought the company's security team was supposed to be there, but she didn't see them. "You're not supposed to," Cindy answered. "That's how they work. Remember what I told you on the plane about being shocked? It's easier to just accept it and move on as if the distractions aren't there."

Ashley vowed to herself not to ask Joe any more questions for a while. She knew he would be too distracted to entertain her curiosities.

They were lead into a waiting room outside the critical care unit located next to the rooftop helicopter pad. A few minutes passed before a doctor appeared through a door marked "conference room." He addressed Joe, "Mr. Smith? If you could step in here for a minute." Ashley stood with Joe. The doctor asked her, "are you family?" 

She croaked, "I'm his girlfriend..." 

The doctor answered, "works for me, if Mr. Smith is okay with it." Joe nodded. "Alright, then, come on in. You don't want to miss the show." 

Once alone, Cindy started crying softly, as she guessed why the couple was lead into the conference room instead of the patient rooms through the other door.

The doctor shut the door behind him and started saying, "Mr. Smith..." 

"Please call me Joe. This is Ashley." 

The doctor continued, "Very well, Joe, Ashley. Nice to meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances." Joe sat quiet at the table opposite the doctor. Ashley remained standing behind Joe, rubbing his shoulders and neck softly as they listened. The doctor methodically recounted how Joe's parents were brought to the hospital via two helicopters, what injuries they had, and the process of treating them. He explained how both entered emergency surgery for treatment and had survived the operations. Joe was wishing against hope that the next part would be how the hospital planned to continue their recovery. But, the next statement crushed those wishes. "The surgeries were successful in repairing most of the damage, however, an hour later, the blood loss was too much to overcome. Mr. Smith unfortunately passed away from complications stemming from oxygen starvation in the brain. Mrs. Smith followed twenty minutes later. Please be assured that we did everything possible. Had they survived, they would have had a very difficult life, as their brains were permanently damaged from not getting enough blood. I was told that their car was in a difficult area to reach, and that your dad was unconscious for a while before he came to briefly and was able to press his button. Aside from that brief moment, I do not believe your parents were awake enough to feel any pain. They passed very quietly. I am very sorry for your loss." Joe thanked the doctor for his part in their efforts, and asked if it were possible to see his parents. "Of course. Take as long as you need. When you're ready, just step through this door, and I'll take you to them." He stepped out and left them alone.

Ashley had tears streaming down her face, and she squeezed her arms around Joe's chest, planting kisses on the back of his head. "I'm so sorry, Joe. I just don't know what else to say," she comforted, squeezing him tighter.

He turned to her and said, "I know, sweetie. I'm sorry, too. I know you loved them as well."

She sat in his lap and wrapped him in a tight hug, seemingly trying to bring his whole body inside of hers. After a bit, he picked her up by her ribs and set her standing on the floor next to him. He sniffed once, and rubbed the mist from his eyes. It was the closest she'd seen him get to crying.

Joe told her, "I'd like to do this alone, if you don't mind."

"Of course, whatever you need, Joe," she answered.

"Thank you. Would you mind telling Cindy? That way she can start the ball rolling."

Ashley nodded as he stood up. She hugged him again and planted a very soft kiss at his throat. "I'll be right out here, if you need me." He nodded and stepped through the door at the other end of the room.

Cindy started sobbing, knowing her fears were confirmed when she saw Ashley's face as she returned to the waiting room. Ashley sat next to her and gathered Cindy into her arms. "They're gone," she said softly.

"Yeah, I guessed," Cindy said through sobs. "What happened?"

Ashley held Cindy's head against her shoulder, softly stroking her hair as she related what the doctor had told them. She tightened her hug when Cindy broke into fresh sobs at the mention of the doctor's attempt at reassuring Joe that they didn't suffer. She sat silent after finishing, letting Cindy cry against her for several long moments. "Joe still needs you," she said finally.

"Where is he?"

"He asked to see them to say goodbye. I'm sure they have some papers for him to sign, as well."

Cindy slowly regained her composure, and backed off from Ashley's embrace. "Thanks for letting me..." she started.

"Shh, it'll be our secret," Ashley answered, wiping tears from Cindy's face. "Joe wanted me to ask you to start the ball rolling?"

Cindy clicked back over to work mode the best she could. "Yes, of course." She plucked her phone from the inside jacket pocket, and started dialing. Ashley used the moment to fire up her own phone to give the bad news.

Jill and Jasmine were milling around the growing band of students who wanted to make the trip to the away game. A tour bus arrived, and it became very apparent quickly that a second one would be needed. The school called to hire another bus and it arrived a short time later. It was about 15 minutes before their departure time when the two cheerleaders' phones beeped. Scores of students gathered around, hoping for an update. Jill stared at her screen for several seconds, trying to will the words into changing to something else.

"I am sad to tell you all that they didn't make it. We got here fast, but they passed an hour before. Joe is saying goodbye now."

A second beep was heard, and Ashley's message continued.

"Joe appears well, but I can tell he is hurt. Keep him in your prayers. Cindy is scheduling a news conference for 6:30, Denver time. 7:30, yours."

A short time later, another beep.

"My phone keeps dying, Cindy is gonna give me a cord to recharge. I'll stream the news conference to you. She also set up a conference call for us that will start at 9, your time. Dial 888-222-5555, passcode 8524. I hope Coach will excuse you at that time to call in. Love Ash."

"Is that about Joe?" one of the students asked. The coaches and principal stepped closer.

Jill said quietly, "Yeah...His parents didn't make it." With that, her and Jasmine's eyes started shedding tears. Sister Kate gathered the two into her arms, trying her best to comfort them. The crowd of students fell silent, and sporadic sniffles could be heard.

Cindy arranged a conference room with the hospital administrator, and was busily setting hospital scratch pads and pencils at the seats. Joe sat at an end of the long table, quiet in his thoughts, while Ashley plugged her phone into the wall and set it on the floor as close to the baseboard as she could. She sat next to Joe and said, "hey, next design, maybe you could work in a pull-out plug."

He appreciated her attempt to keep him out of depression. He snorted in a shallow laugh, all that he could manage at the moment. "I was just thinking that as I saw you fiddle with that thing."

The first group Cindy arranged for Joe to meet were the first responders and the investigative unit. They filed in and took seats around the table. The police chief introduced Joe to the emergency and law enforcement workers. "Thanks for coming," said Joe. "I apologize for not standing, I'm still in a bit of shock."

The chief replied, "not necessary. We understand, as Cindy told us of your loss. We are very sorry."

Joe nodded and continued, "Let's start at the beginning, when you received our security office's call..."

Ashley was amazed at how Joe sat patiently, listening to the various accounts about what the crews found and what they did to retrieve his parents from the shallow ravine. His ability to lead such a grim meeting about his own parents' demise was nearly beyond her comprehension. Joe asked thoughtful and intelligent questions to get the most out of the information that was available. Toward the end of the fifteen minute meeting, Joe asked why the accident was being considered a homicide. He was told that a half mile up from the accident was a car whose paint matched scuff marks on the one his parents were in. The engine was still warm, and it was abandoned. Joe thanked each one for their part in assisting his parents.

The next meeting followed immediately after, and high level managers from his parents' company filed in and took their seats. A few seemed to scoff at the teenagers dressed in a football jersey and a cheerleader uniform at the head of the table. Ashley hated them immediately. Apparently, so did Joe, as he wasted no time in getting to the heart of the matter. Once all were seated, he asked, "who here thinks I should sell the company to Greedy?" The three who scoffed earlier showed their hands. Joe said, "keep those hands up. Who isn't sure, but thinks we should look into it?" Four more raised their hands. Joe was surprised that one of his dad's closest friends was one of them. No wonder talks weren't going well. "Very well. Cindy, put their final check in the raised hands. Bob, too. You're all fired, effective immediately. Security at the home office will have your personal effects ready in the lobby for your pickup on Monday." Several stood menacingly, but two huge men in suits stepped into the room, making them change their mind. As Cindy made out the checks and started handing them out, Joe said, "you'll have no problem finding a job over at Greedy, I'm sure. You have wanted to go there anyway, I'm just letting you."

After they got their check and left, escorted by the brutes loyal to him, Joe looked at the remaining five managers and said, "this is going to be tough as it is. I don't want them undermining my efforts to keep your company strong."

One of the remaining asked, "our company? It's your company, now."

Joe explained how he never wanted to take over for his parents. He told them that in the best interest for those who were loyal to his folks, he planned to issue an IPO at the beginning of the year. So, since they would have an opportunity to purchase shares, it would be their company. It was argued that all Greedy would have to do is buy as little as 40% of the stock in order to control the company. "Not if I'm still holding 51% of the shares," Joe countered. 

Cindy came over and told him that there was 20 minutes until the press conference. "Should I handle it?" she asked. 

Joe told her no. He promised he would meet with the managers soon after the funeral, then asked for a quick brief on where his parents left off in talks with the military. Then he dismissed that meeting.

Several military men of various uniforms walked into the conference room. Ashley saw that many had stars on their collars. They started to grab the chairs when Joe stopped them. "No, don't sit. This will only be a moment." When everybody was inside and the door closed, he said, "My parents are dead, however, I still have a strong team working for me. Will you continue your business with our company?" They looked around the room, as if trying to find someone who had an easy way to say no. Joe continued, "we will finish your current orders in the timetable already set. You have a contract with us that says you will purchase what you've ordered. My question is, do you want the encryption technology or not?"

One of the generals spoke, "frankly, son, our faith resided in your father. As tragic as your parents' departure may be, I must be honest in telling you that not even he could confidently answer our questions. What makes you think we'd listen to you?"

Joe looked at Cindy, and she took the cue and tapped Ashley on the shoulder, telling her to come with her. "Ten minutes," she reminded Joe as she and Ashley walked out the door.

Joe looked the general in the eye and said, "don't call me son. The only two people who could call me that are gone, now. I thought you'd want to listen to me, as I'm the one who came up with it."

The general laughed, "'it' and 'device' he says! You don't even know what your parents were pitching!"

Joe cocked his head to the side and said, "very well, maybe Fox News would like to do a story on how an unbreakable encryption system that is undetectable, because it sounds like birds chirping and singing to all other radios and microphones, wound up being passed over by our military and sold to Japan, or France, maybe?"

The jab hit its mark, as the officers turned to face Joe squarely. "How do you know that?" the general asked.

"I told you."

"Yeah, but you don't know how it works."

"Well, I understand that unless you have a device that looks for the code, you'll never see what's hidden in the carrier frequency wa...oh wait. You haven't bought it from me, yet, so I can't tell you. You see, General, my parents may be dead, but their ideas you've had wet dreams over for the last five years didn't come solely from them. They had more than a few, sure. But the rest came from either myself or the team that works for me now. So, I'm asking the question again, will you continue your business with our company?"

The General looked sourly at Joe, not expecting such a hard-nosed negotiation from someone so young. "We'll be in touch with Cindy after the funeral," he said, leading the other officers out of the room. Joe exhaled sharply, knowing he had just won a high-stakes gamble in a bid to save the company. He got up from his chair as Ashley and Cindy reentered the room.

Cindy led them down to the hospital lobby, where a podium with a solid bank of microphones and mini voice recorders were set up. She helped Ashley set her phone up to broadcast streaming video, and before long, her phone screen confirmed connection with the other five.

Jill and Jasmine's phones sounded a tone, asking if its owner wanted to receive a video from Ashley. They had just finished warm-ups, and Jill called to her coach, "it's starting!" She and Jasmine hit their accept buttons, and their schoolmates huddled around each girls' phone.

The screen streaked around as Ashley fiddled with her phone. "Wow, that's cool," she was heard telling Cindy quietly. The view settled onto the podium, briefly obstructed as Joe walked in front of her to take his place. It was an odd sight. From Ashley's angle, you could see reporters and hospital officials in nice suits, and then there was Joe, addressing them in his jersey and faded blue jeans.

"Good evening. I apologize for my attire, I was called away suddenly from Florida, and haven't had a chance to change. It is my sad duty to inform you that the world has lost two beautiful and intelligent people who were my parents. At around nine this morning, they were on their way to a meeting when their car slid off the interstate and into a small ravine. At nine thirty, my dad was able to activate an emergency response button he carried with him, but fell out of consciousness shortly after. Carter Electronics received the signal and notified Denver police. Their car was not located right away, due to fresh snowfall covering most of their tracks. After several minutes of looking, Officer Ken Berg noticed an impression in the snow that led him to discovering my parents' car. Rescue teams worked to retrieve the car, and flew them to this hospital at 10 a.m. I was notified of the accident while at school by my parents' secretary at 11:30, Florida time, or 10:30 here. My girlfriend, Ashley, and I flew here and landed at 3:30. However, despite heroic attempts by the staff of this hospital, they had succumbed to their injuries an hour earlier.




Angels and Guardians Pt. 06



"The reason for this conference is to put aside any fears relating to my family's company. We employ over 250,000 people. Many of the talented groups have been to my house and were recruited personally by my parents. To those employees, I assure you that your livelihood is safe. Any change in job status has already been made. To allow a grieving period for all you loyal employees who cared deeply enough to stay with my family's company, I am ordering all non-critical personnel to take the days off from now through midnight Wednesday morning.

"To our clients, our company will change eventually, but know that your orders will be completed on time, and that we still have the best people working on your projects. Yes, including the special ones.

"I'd like to thank my parents' secretary, Cindy for her dedicated two years serving my folks. She's been a Godsend on this horrible trip, and I hope she will agree to continue her role with me.

"To my friends in Florida, who are playing for the district title tonight, GO SPARTANS! I am sorry that I could not be there tonight, but I know you'll succeed if you do your best. Know that Ashley is here safe with me, and I'm not sure I'd be sane right now without her comfort and support.

"I'll take a few questions, if there are any."

"Will you sell the company to Greedy?"

"No."

There was sporadic chuckles as the media was expecting a longer answer.

"Will you elaborate?"

"No need to. Next?"

"You mentioned that Carter may change eventually, what does that mean?"

"Well, I'm sure you don't wear that suit to bed, or even put the same one on every day. Everything changes at some point. I'm working with the senior management team to make things run smoothly while I finish my high school career, and head to college."

"So, you're still planning to go to Florida State?"

"I wasn't aware that information was public yet, but yes."

"Aren't you afraid that clients, and specifically the military, would be skittish to deal with an owner who may be stretched too thin?"

"I've received a renewed commitment from the military this afternoon."

"There are reports that this was a homicide?"

"The accident is under investigation, as I am sure all fatal crashes are. I'd like to add that my heart and condolences go out to the family of James Birch, the driver of the car. If there is anything I can do to help ease your suffering, please call our office. Thank you all for your concern. Good Night."

With that, he walked back toward the screen. The scene blurred around and Ashley's face appeared, sad and tired. "I hope you all got to see that." She bobbed a bit when a blast of cold night air breezed in from the main doors opening. "It's freakin' cold here. Good luck on the game. I'll talk to y'all later, at 9, I hope. Love yas!" She blew a kiss, and the screen blurred as they heard her say, "how you turn it off?" Then it went blank. Some of those around the girls chuckled at Ashley's ignorance on how to end the transmission, but they were weak.

Jill could hardly see, her eyes were tearing up so bad. Jasmine came up to her and said, "I saw her wearing a coat. Someone is looking out for her." 

Jill grabbed her in a hug and started sobbing, "I feel so bad for them! To rush all the way up there, only to find out they still didn't make it in time."

Jasmine said to her, "Joe's still with it, that's a good sign."

"Yeah, but for how long? He's running on adrenaline, did you see his eyes?" Jill sniffed.

Jasmine broke down, sobbing while she said, "of course I did. I was trying to make you feel better, you idiot."

Jill hugged her friend tighter. "I know, sweetheart. I know. It's just that I feel so bad for him. He's so sweet, he even gave the driver's family his sympathy, yet the reporters were questioning whether he could run the company. The whole thing just sucks."

Their coaches started working to get the teams in place for the beginning of the game. Bonifay's PA system called for a moment of silence, honoring the memory of Joe's parents. After the coin toss, Coach Mike pleaded with his team to play for Joe. It roused them, but towards the end of the half, their hearts just weren't in the game.

Chapter 21

Details, Details

Cindy noticed Ashley stamping her feet in the cool lobby, even though she was still wearing the coat. "Ashley, why don't you come with me to the hotel? I've got some things in my bag that could fit you."

"Thanks, Cindy, but I can get my own." She paused. "Wait, damnit. My wallet is still in my locker. Oh man!"

Joe said, "Cindy, if you could get us a ride to the nearest mall, I'll get some things for Ashley and me. You can go ahead to the hotel."

Cindy said okay and gave Joe the hotel information. "Just check in at the desk, and they'll give you the keys. My room is next to yours, if you need anything." She reached into her briefcase pocket and pulled out a battery. "Ashley give me your phone." She did and Cindy swapped out the battery pack. She reached in and handed Joe one as well, which he swapped quickly and handed her the spent one. "I'll throw these on the charger in my room. Take care, and I'll talk to you soon for the conference call."

Joe and Ashley went outside to find the limo waiting for them, already warmed up. Joe asked the driver to take them to the mall nearest their hotel, and they rode off. As Joe sat next to Ashley, he could feel the chill of her legs through his jeans. He picked one of her legs up and swung it over his lap, starting to rub it briskly. He barely noticed that his maneuver had opened up her panties to his view.

"Your legs are so cold," he said, rubbing it furiously.

"Yes, but you don't have to worry about that." She closed her eyes. "Although your hands feel marvelously hot."

He grabbed her other leg and brought it next to her previous one, and he started rubbing both. "Well, thanks for coming with me. I hope you don't get in trouble for leaving class like that. I meant what I said to the reporters. I'd have gone berserk if you weren't with me."

Ashley laid back, allowing herself to be warmed by Joe's rubbing. "I would be beside myself if I hadn't come. It's the least I could do, and I'll pay you back for my things."

"Meh, don't worry about that."

"Joe, how did you know you could thunder away like that to the general?"

Joe looked at her in surprise. "What were you able to hear through the door?"

She propped her head up with her arms. "Nothing, just your voice got loud. I couldn't make out what you were saying, but he didn't look happy when he left."

Joe said quietly, "he started it by calling me son. I gambled that dressing him down in front of his peers would make him listen. It did, because he said he would talk with Cindy to set something up after the funeral."

She sat up as they pulled into a large mall parking lot, leaned over, and kissed Joe sweetly. "You're amazing," she said.

"As are you," he returned.

The driver pulled up to the main entrance and handed back a business card to Joe. "When you're ready, just give me a call, and I'll meet you right here." Joe thanked him, and they got out. They crunched gingerly through the snow to the front door, taking care not to slip.

Ashley received several odd looks as she stood there just inside the entrance, teeth chattering audibly. Her hair was still tied in a pony tail with a green and gold ribbon, her new coat covered her top and would-be exposed stomach, but her flat-front cheer skirt looked impossibly short for the weather outside, given her bare legs, and shoes covered in melting snow. "You fucking come straight from Florida to this and see how you look," she muttered under her shaking breath.

Joe asked her, "are you okay?"

She looked at him, lips shivering, "do I look okay? I just peed myself a little, I'm so cold." His eyes shot down to her legs. "No, not that bad. I'm trying not to be a wuss, but I can't help it. I'm shaking so bad, I went just a little. Let's find something quick before it gets worse."

He suggested they go to a department store, as they might find everything they need in one stop. She agreed, and they headed in the direction that the directory pointed them to. Ashley ducked off into a hallway advertising restrooms, and rejoined Joe. "Much better, but I think they were colder than outside," she quipped. "I thought my butt was going to freeze to the seat." She was happy that Joe gave a little laugh.

Inside the department store, they decided it would be quicker to split up and shop. Ashley headed to the petites section and started looking around. She grabbed a pair of cute jeans and a Broncos sweatshirt, when she noticed the department manager eyeing her closely. She marched up to the woman and said, "excuse me, I just flew here from Florida on emergency. Do you think I could change into these and hand you the tags while I shop some more? My boyfriend will pay for them shortly..."

The woman got a look of realization and said, "the news was talking about a football player losing his parents. Was that y'all?" Ashley nodded. "Oh, I'm very sorry for your loss. Sure, I'll help you with whatever you need."

Ashley gave her a look of relief. She grabbed a pair of underwear and headed back to the manager, plucked off the tags on what she got so far and handed them to her. "Could I also get maybe a plastic shopping bag? I'd like to put what I got on in it." 

"Oh you poor dear. Certainly. Here's your bag, and the dressing rooms are right here."

Ashley thanked her and went in. She came back out looking refreshed in her warmer clothes. "Oh, thanks a million. I feel so much better!" she said to the woman. The manager shrugged it off and set about helping Ashley pick out clothing she'd need the next couple of days before heading back to Florida. She even thought of something Ashley didn't, her shoes.

"Those won't do in this snow. They're designed for tumbling on a non-slip gym floor. Out there, they're good for nothing but you ending up on your hind end." She helped Ashley pick through some pairs, and Ashley settled on some hiking boots that looked cute on her, and a pair of flats that had flexible rubber soles. She put on the warm, comfortable boots, swapping them for her cheer shoes in the box. About that time, Joe came over, wearing his same jeans, but subbed the jersey for a flannel shirt that looked handsome on him. Oddly, he was empty handed.

"You look great," he said. "I really like your shoes and jeans."

She bounced up to him, giving him a kiss. "Thanks, honey," she said. "Thanks to Ms. Wright here, I feel much better."

Her playful approach to Joe amused the manager. "This must be your boyfriend. I am very sorry to hear of your loss."

"Thanks, I appreciate that. How much damage did she do?"

"Not bad. Actually, under the circumstances, I'll give you half off."

"That's not necessary..." he started.

"No, it is. I wasn't particularly friendly when this poor dear came up, and I want to make it up to her." With that, she rang the purchases up and told him the total was $158.

Joe paused, and Ashley thought he was thinking it was too much. "Oh, I'm sorry. I said I'll pay you back when we get home..."

"No, that's not it. It's too little. You have like six outfits here, and two pairs of nice shoes. Plus all that ladies' underwear costs a bit, doesn't it? It should be way more."

Ashley said, "It's only three bras and six panties."

The manager offered, "well, two of the outfits were on clearance, and the shoes and her underwear were on sale, plus my discount."

Joe looked at Ashley. "You sure you don't need more? Look, it all fits in two bags."

"Well, I don't know. How long are we staying? It doesn't matter to me, I'll stay with you until you're done, but I was thinking we might be heading back on Tuesday. Just tell me, and I can plan what I need better."

Ms. Wright tried to help. "You could start with this and if you need more, you can come back. I'll fix you up."

Ashley said, "yeah, I would, but my wallet is still in my locker. In Florida."

Joe looked like he made up his mind. "No, this is fine. I'm not trying to fight. Just trying to make sure you're comfortable."

Ashley grabbed his arm and led him a short distance away. Quietly, but firmly she said, "Joe, I know you're trying to help. But you can't help everyone. Not all at once. If I had my debit card with me we wouldn't be having this conversation. Let's agree that on this trip, I'll be able to decide what I really need, and I'll agree you'll tell me what you need from me. Okay?" Joe nodded and she released his arm.

They went back to the counter, and Joe handed his card to the manager. "That will be all for this evening. Thank you."

She finished the transaction and went in the dressing room and retrieved Ashley's things. She handed the coat to her. "The rest of your purchases, can I take them to package pickup for you? You can shop around the mall unencumbered and have your taxi pick you up there."

Joe dialed a number on his phone and smiled at her. "That won't be necessary, but thank you."

His phone's speaker crackled, "Yes, Mr. Smith?"

"Yeah, could you come over here and take our stuff to our driver?"

"Certainly, sir."

Ashley looked at Joe, not understanding. In a few seconds, a large man in a suit came over and collected Ashley's purchases, along with her makeshift laundry bag. "I'll put them with the others and load them in the car for you, Mr. Smith."

"Thank you." He looked at the dumbfounded manager. "If I'm gonna have security agents follow me around, they might as well be put to good use, right?" He winked at her as he led Ashley downstairs and into the mall.

"We're being tailed?" she asked.

"Yes. When we split up, an Air Force officer in plain clothes was keeping an eye on you."

"Well, I don't know how to feel about that, Joe. Better that I'm safe, or worse because I know we might have someone after us."

Joe sighed and said, "let's go eat." He led them to where he remembered the directory said the food court was.

Ashley started to feel more comfortable now, being dressed in warmer clothing, and no one stared at her, aside from the occasional roaming male eyes she was used to. She pulled her phone out of her coat pocket and turned it on. She was relieved that her friends and family got the hint, as there were no messages and no more missed calls. Ashley glanced behind her and in the packed Friday night mall, made eye contact with a female in a sweater and jeans. She had seen her before outside the restroom, then again in the department store, and knew immediately it was her shadow. Cindy's words earlier about being shocked came back to her, and she pushed the knowledge she was being followed to the side. Cindy was right, it is easier to just go with it.

They found a sit down restaurant at the far end of the food court and went inside. Her and Joe's shadows took up a table together, two over from theirs. "Jesus, do they have to be everywhere we are?" she asked.

He said, "yes. But I don't think we're in any real danger."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, I think that second car they found will turn out to be just a stalled vehicle, and my parents' driver accidentally clipped it in the snow. You saw how slick it was, just walking in from the limo."

"I hope you're right." She grabbed his hand. "How are you doing? With...all this?"

He squeezed it and said, "I really don't know. Part of me feels like we'll get back home, and they'll be there. Yet, I know I saw them in the hospital, and their skin was cold when I kissed their foreheads. I'm just gonna take things as they come, like this afternoon."

The waiter came, and they placed their orders. After he left and went to their shadows' table, she thought of something. "Do you think those guys you fired will contest the termination, and say it was because of your grief? Or would they come after us?"

Joe shrugged. "Either way, my decision is final. It was something my parents should have done a while ago. I was surprised that Bob was one of the one's against us. I had planned on making him CEO when I take Carter public."

"Who's it going to be now?"

"Not sure. Maybe Ben, but definitely one of the five you saw today. Whoever it is, I'm naming the other four to the board of directors. They're good guys."

Their meals came, and they chitchatted about random things. Joe talked easily, now, but Ashley could tell that today's events weighed heavier on him than he tried to let on. When they finished their dinner, the waiter cleared their plates and they sipped on the refilled sodas. Ashley's phone rang, and she fished it out of her coat pocket.

"Hi Cindy."

"Hey. Y'all ready for your conference call?"

"Hey Joe, turn on your phone. It's time. Yes, we're ready."

"Okay. You've got the number?"

"Yes. I'll give it to Joe, so he can call in on his phone, too."

"Perfect. I'll hang up now and call in in a few seconds to start the meeting, so y'all can chat freely without hearing that recording every 15 seconds."

"Thanks, Cindy."

Ashley hung up and she and Joe dialed the number and the code. They were greeted with a recording, "The moderator has not yet started this meeting. Please wait a few more moments." As they held the line, a few two-toned beeps signaled that people were signing in. The recorded phrase repeated, and after it finished, someone said, "hello?"

Ashley replied, "hey Kim. Cindy's coming on in a second to get rid of the recording."

"Okay. You sound tired, are you okay?"

"Yeah, thanks. Joe just got us some warmer stuff, so I'm better now. How do you take the cold in Minneapolis?"

Kim said, "well, tonight definitely was not fun. It started snowing hard in the second quarter. Didn't let up the rest of the game."

Through the exchange, the line beeped several times as more joined the call. A recording played just as Kim finished her thought. "The moderator for this call has started the meeting. Thank you for using AT&T Business Services."

Cindy's voice came over, "good evening everyone. Before y'all start, I'd like to do a voice check to make sure everyone can hear each other. Joe?"

"Here."

"Ashley?" 

"Here" 

"Mr. Roberts?" 

"Present" 

"Mrs. Roberts?" 

"I'm here" 

"Jasmine." 

"Hey Cindy!" 

"Hi sweetheart. Jill?" 

"Hey Cindy." 

"Hello, darlin'. Kim?" 

"I missed you Cindy." 

"You as well, dear. I was given a list for seven, but there's eight participants. Who else is on the line?" 

"This is Sister Kate."

Jill said, "I gave her the number, I hope you all don't mind."

Cindy answered, "Not a problem. I've scheduled the call for an hour. I'll hang up now, but if you need more time, I've assigned administrator privileges to Ashley's connection. She can add more time when the recording prompts. Good night, everyone." A double beep announced her disconnection.

Sister Kate came on. "I won't be long. I know I speak for the entire school and community when I say that we are very sorry for your loss, Joe."

"Thank you, Sister K. It means a lot."

"Well, your parents were fantastic advocates of Catholic High, but more than that, I got to know them personally, and they will be truly missed. Take as long as you need, I'll work on exemptions with the state for attendance requirements if you take off through January 1."

"Thanks again, I don't think that will be necessary, though. I should be back by Friday, I hope."

"Well, you have some leeway, if you change your mind. Ashley, I wish you hadn't left suddenly, but I can understand your reasons. The state high school board won't give you much room for your absence, as you are not directly related to Joe or his parents. I have to advise you to return by the following Monday, if you wish to graduate with your class. They allow three weeks excused absence during the year. You've already had to use two for the accident recovery. Not trying to pick bones with you. I'm trying to keep you on schedule."




Angels and Guardians Pt. 07



Author's note:

Part Seven. To see where the characters come from, it is highly recommended to read the first six parts. Please remember to vote after reading each part.

***

Chapter 24

Ashley woke Joe at 5, dressed in her cheer uniform. She had slipped out from under Joe during the night to wash both their uniforms, and now laid his jersey, t-shirt, and jeans out on his bed while he showered. They got to the school, and met the senior cheerleaders at the track for a light jog around a few laps. Afterward, the group waited for school to begin, huddled around their favorite place at the closed concession counter in the senior hallway next to the gym. Joe and Ashley were greeted back warmly by the janitor and staff as they made their rounds. As students filed in, a crowd formed around the group with everybody wanting to give Joe their condolences.

Classes resumed as usual, and after lunch, the senior classes were mostly empty, as the teams and many students left school to travel to the game. The last three periods, Joe's teachers had conceded their class time as a wash, letting the remaining few students chat as they wished. Joe and Ashley separately used the time to meet one-on-one with the teachers to catch up on their lessons. The dean told the two in the final study hall period that if they wanted to leave early, they could. About the same time, the student body heard a helicopter circle overhead. Joe looked at Ashley and asked if she was ready and she said yes. He told the dean that his ride was there, referring to the chopping noise that passed on and got quieter, and thanked her for letting them out early. They went to their lockers, grabbed the bags that had been there all week, and headed out to the track.

The helicopter had shut its engines down, but when the pilot saw Joe and Ashley walking across toward him, he restarted the turbines. As the engine revved up, Joe called out to Ashley to tell her to duck below the blades, not only to keep her head attached, but because the rotors beat down a lot of debris. The blades rapidly accelerated as they got close, and Ashley saw what Joe meant. Dead grass, bits of garbage, and sticks flew around her, and ducking made most of the stuff bounce harmlessly off her back. The passenger door opened and they stepped inside. Cindy was waiting for them, and Joe sat next to her. Ashley sat opposite and snapped the belt across her lap. She saw Joe put on a headset that hung behind his seat, and she did the same. Through the headset, she heard Cindy say, "I hope you don't kill me for taking the liberty to go ahead and pick y'all up."

Joe shook his head as they started lifting off. "Nah, thanks for the push. Not subtle, but thanks."

"You're welcome. I figured you really need to at least go to the game."

Ashley watched as the school got smaller. The pilot circled around once to head off east, so Ashley got a great aerial view from all sides and concluded that the school was much smaller than it seemed inside. "These headphones are great," she said. "You're not yelling, yet I can hear every word you two are saying."

Cindy smiled. "They're noise-canceling. The computer chip inside detects the background noise and cancels it out using a second sound wave. With the engine literally on top of us, we would be yelling without these."

Ashley looked out the window, realizing that the pilot had chosen to fly over the coastline, so that they could see the beaches. After a few miles, he trued up his course for a direct flight to Jacksonville, causing the beaches to slip under them and drift away from the right side of the aircraft. With Ashley facing the rear, it took a few minutes for her equilibrium to adjust, but now she was comfortable watching the forests of NW Florida fade away from her point of view. They were flying over Tallahassee when Ashley noticed Joe was lost in thought, but not in his usual focused manner before a game. She was about to say something about it, but decided not to.

They landed in Jacksonville and rode to the game site in a car that Cindy had arranged. When they arrived, the teams were already jogging some warm up laps. Ashley and Joe deposited their bags on the benches and fell in step with their teammates. Jill and Jasmine made their way up to them and Jill asked how they made it so fast. Between breaths Ashley said that Cindy arranged a flight on Joe's helicopter and they just rode in from the airport. Jasmine asked why not complete the show and just land on the field. Ashley simply answered, "Joe's not like that." Joe added that the aircraft needed to refuel anyway, so it was just easier to land there and ride in.

It was the second quarter, and the game lived up to its billing so far. Both teams' offenses were strong and overpowered the defenses. The score was tied at 21, with neither team failing to score on their possessions. Joe was trying to help his defense by playing at defensive back, but the other team had done their homework and avoided throwing to his side of the field. Their opponents had a running game that just blew through anything they put up against them, while Joe's Guardians allowed him to pick apart the defense with precision passing. But, Ashley noticed he wasn't playing like Joe. Usually, he looked as though he played like a kid with a toy while he was on the field. Tonight, he seemed flat, as if he was going about working at a job. At halftime, the score was still tied, the scoreboard reading 35 points a piece. Ashley ran up to Joe before he headed to the locker room and grabbed his arm, pulling him to the side.

"Are you okay?"

"I would be if we could stop them."

"That's not what I meant, Joe."

"Ashley, I gotta go. What do you want?"

"You're not playing like yourself. Are you okay?"

"I've got like 300 yards passing, what more do you want?"

"You have 274," she corrected him. "I want you to play for you. You're not having fun out there, and I'm afraid that you'll get hurt because of it."

"I'm just trying to win, Ashley."

"I know, and you're doing great. Just please get back to playing a game, rather than working a job?"

Joe reflected on her comments while the defensive coach berated the squad for letting the running back through so much. He realized that she was right. Tonight wasn't fun at all. His thoughts were interrupted when Coach Mike asked him if he noticed anything that could give them an edge. Joe shook his head, reminding the coach that he missed all the videos during the week. Coach Mike pressed a bit more, asking if he saw anything tonight that might help.

"No. He lines up perfectly square, and he has that damn visor on, so I can't see what his eyes are doing. Maybe shade everyone to that side of the field, since they're avoiding me?"

"That would leave you all alone."

Joe shrugged, "you asked for ideas. Didn't say it was a perfect one."

The game's pace slowed down after the half, as both sides tried to break free of the pattern. Joe returned to some of his old ways, toying with the defense a bit by changing calls to run right where they were guessing, and then throwing perfect passes to burn the secondary. His Guardians started to tire as the game wore on, but Joe started having fun again. As the protection broke down, he would spin, juke, and run out of sure tackles, usually able to finish up the broken plays with a short completion. 

Then, very late in the fourth quarter, the game clinching play happened. The opponents decided to chance throwing the ball to the receiver Joe was covering. He saw his assignment's eyes go up and Joe turned to track the ball in the air. He jumped to knock it away and it glanced off his finger tips. The receiver made an improbable catch, grabbing the flailing ball just before it hit the ground behind Joe. The contortion he did to make the catch sent the receiver off balance, running out of bounds to try and stay upright. Joe had recovered and was right behind to make a tackle if he stayed in. The receiver still was off balance and was barreling straight for the group of cheerleaders who were facing the crowd. Joe leaped and hit him off course, causing Jasmine on the end to only get brushed. The officials flagged the move, penalizing Joe for a late intentional hit out of bounds. Coach Mike nearly got ejected for vehemently objecting to the call, saying Joe was trying to save the girls from injury and did not attempt harm, but the call stood. The penalty gave the other team an extra 15 yards that put them in field goal range, and they ran the time down until they had just long enough to kick the winning score.

The coaches met midfield to congratulate each other for making the playoffs and on the good game. Joe led the majority of players across to shake hands with the opposing ones. He made a bee line for the receiver who he covered most of the game. Joe found him celebrating with the outstanding running back that killed his defense. Joe held out his hand and said, "I just wanted to say that I hope you know why I hit you out of bounds. I didn't try to hurt you."

His opponent took the handshake and replied, "thanks man. I mean that. I really was trying to stop, but just couldn't. Your girls are okay?"

Joe nodded, "yeah, I think so. I clipped Jasmine's elbow, but she was still standing. Anyway, congratulations."

"Sure, you too for making it this far and almost pulling it out. My name's Will, this hos is Ben."

Joe acknowledged the introduction. "I'm Joe. Y'all seniors, I hope?"

"We know who you are, as it's been on the news. You're every stretch as good as they say. We were hoping you wouldn't be here, but I am sorry to hear about your folks."

"Thank you. Been a rough week."

"I imagine. Anyway, yeah, we're seniors. In fact, we're signing with FSU tomorrow."

Joe's eyebrows went up. "Really? Should have a pretty decent freshman class, then."

"Oh man, you throwin' the ball to me, and Ben runnin' behind you...we'll be unstoppable."

"Well, I don't like counting chickens before they hatch, but it should be interesting. Good luck on State Finals, and congratulations again."

"Thanks, we'll see ya this summer."

Joe about jumped when he turned to find their head coach standing right behind him.

"Good game, son."

Joe took his hand and shook it firmly. "Yeah, you too. Wish it went the other way for us, but y'all deserve it."

The coach shook his head. "No, y'all deserved it. We got lucky. Anyway, I wanted to give you our game ball."

Joe cocked his head. "What, because I won your game by getting flagged?"

The coach laughed. "No, that was a raw deal. I knew you wouldn't have touched Will if your classmates weren't in danger. Or your girlfriend." Joe closed his eyes and shook his head. "Yeah," the coach continued, "we know who both of you are."

"I'm sorry I can't say that about your team."

"Well, that's why I'm giving you our game ball. You were the MVP of the game, even though you had never seen our defense before. You have my sympathy for your folks, by the way."

"Thanks."

"It's just that no team had put up more than seven points against us, yet you burned us for 42...without benefit of seeing any film. That's good, kid. I can't wait to see you play in college. Good luck to you."

"Thanks. Congratulations."

The coach nodded and rounded up his team.

Joe headed towards the locker room when he was stopped by the cheerleaders. They each thanked him with a kiss on the cheek, and he asked what that was for.

"Jasmine found a reporter who played back the tape for us on that penalty you got. We didn't know what happened, since we were looking at our crowd," said Jill.

Jasmine continued for her. "I felt you hit my arm, then I saw the ref throw that flag. Now that we saw the tape...damn, it could have been so bad, especially for Jill and Ashley."

Joe gave the squad a weak smile. "I'm glad you're okay. I still don't know how he caught that ball. But, whatever. No more games until next year."

Ashley hopped up in his arms, giving him a sensuous kiss. "I told you that trying to save me would get you killed. Just didn't think it would kill the whole team."

Joe smiled at her. "It didn't kill anyone. It just ended the season early." He put her down and said he wouldn't be too long, as he headed in to shower.

Ashley came downstairs from her morning shower to find Joe reading the paper at the breakfast bar. The front page was facing her with bold headlines reading "Bad Call Ends Catholic's Dream Season." Under it was a large color picture showing Joe leaping through the air with his arms around the receiver, the group of cheerleaders unaware of the near miss behind them. She leaned on the stove across from Joe and read the caption and story. The caption explained the play shown in the picture and how it allowed the Jacksonville team be close enough for the game winning field goal. The story related how back and forth the game was, heaping tons of praise on Joe for his 398 yards passing, 36 rushing, no interceptions, and 4 touchdowns. It also gave kudos to Ben on his 215 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. The article ended almost editorial-like, chastising the referees for not repealing the called penalty when it became apparent that Joe was doing what the media was beginning to become familiar with...saving a pretty girl who is now his girlfriend.

She broke the silence after reading the other side of Joe's paper. "Damn, does EVERYONE know we're together?"

Joe smiled slightly. "Apparently. Jacksonville's coach mentioned it when he gave me that ball. It's alright, though. I wouldn't mind if the other side of the world knew."

Ashley had come barefoot around the counter while Joe was talking and kissed him sweetly when he finished. "Nice answer. Good morning!"

His smile got bigger with her kiss. "Good morning! You sleep well last night?"

"I'd still be sleeping if Jasmine hadn't woken me," she said grumpily. Ashley grabbed a bowl and started pouring cereal. "I just don't see why they make it a point to mention me as your girlfriend every time they write something about you."

"Well, they see you as a part of my life. Which you are. Besides, sex sells."

"They better not write about that!"

Joe laughed as she perched on the stool next to him. "If they did, their subscriptions would double, I'm sure. But, if you'd like to stay out of the paper, you could just break up with me."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you? That way Kim could have you all to herself. Is that why you invited her to stay with us?"

Joe's smile disappeared. "No. I was joking, I'm sorry to have brought it up."

Ashley said quietly, "but you did. Do you want her?"

"Ash, I don't want to fight about this..."

"Nobody ever wants to fight," she interrupted. "But, before I invest much more of my heart in you, I need to know. Right now, I trust you as a girlfriend, but can I trust you to stay loyal to me the rest of my life?"

"Well, gee, Ashley. That's looking awfully far ahead."

"I know, and I'm not asking you to get on a knee for me right now. I'd like to know where you see this heading. Do I keep having fun as a guarded girlfriend and lover? I'm content to do that, I really am, and I'll let you have me until you patch things up with her. Or, can I let myself go deeper with you?"

Joe sighed. "Ashley, I love Kim. But not in the way that I'm in love with you. Do I love her? Yes. Is she sexy? Almost as much as you. But looking back I see that I was reasoning out that maybe there was a life for us. With you, I was sure of it as soon as we got together at Homecoming. There is no reasoning when I look at you and me. I KNOW that there is a potential life for us."

She fought back a couple of tears and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're just full of good answers this morning!" With that, she locked with him in a deep kiss.

"There's the lovebirds!" Jasmine called as she entered the kitchen with their pile of laundry. "Cindy called me to make sure I had y'all up. Something about a meeting at 11?"

Joe checked his watch and hurriedly refolded the paper. "That's right! Ashley, we gotta meet with my parents' lawyer this morning."

"We? I'll go, but I didn't know I had to."

"When you were sleeping on the flight back last night, Cindy said that the lawyer mentioned that the will had something concerning you in it. You, too, Jasmine. Are you and Jill coming along?"

"I hadn't planned on it. I'm not even dressed for a meeting."

Joe looked at her in her t-shirt, jeans, and sandals. "You're fine." He paused to let her grasp the intended second meaning. "Besides, what you're wearing is also okay for this meeting. You don't have to impress the lawyer. You've already done that with my folks."

Jasmine blushed a little. "Thanks Joe. I'll call Jill and have her pick us up, then."

The four met Cindy at the lawyer's office and they waited in the reception area for him to finish with his previous client. They were called in and introductions were made. The attorney pulled out a large binder that could almost qualify as being a box, and removed the first few sheets of paper.

"Okay," he said. "I'll try to keep this as short as possible. If you want me to, I'll read everything that's in this binder, but it's just the legalese restating what's on these few pages."

"Let's just start with the summary, and if I need clarification, I'll let you know," Joe said.

"Very well. Joe, basically everything was left to you, plus a sizable trust. The mansion and its contents, cars, Carter Electronics, business jet, and helicopter. I received the death certificates yesterday from Denver, and their personal accounts have already been transferred into yours. Do you have any questions so far?"

Cindy asked, "Did they stipulate what Joe could or could not do with the company?"

"No. In fact that is mentioned in the letter they updated a few weeks before their passing."

"How does the trust work?" asked Joe.

The lawyer smiled. "That's usually the first question asked in these meetings. I am assuming you can trust these young ladies with your financial information?"

"I trust them with my life," responded Joe.

The lawyer nodded. "Okay, then. The trust is in the amount of $550 million." He looked around for effect, but their expressions didn't change. "Odd. That number usually has people jumping and screaming. Anyway, they set it up in an intriguing way. The money in the trust cannot be touched personally by you, Joe, until your 21st birthday. At that point, you can withdraw up to a specified limited amount each year until you turn 25."

"What do you mean by 'personally'?"

"For personal means, you cannot withdraw any money from it. They figured you'll be in school until you're at least 21, so the personal accounts should last you until then. But, the trust is set up so that if you choose, you can use the money in it for company use."

"What's the limit on that?"

"None. If it's for the business, you can spend it all."

Joe turned to ask Cindy, "how much does Carter owe in loans?"

"$585 million," she replied without blinking an eye.

"Would you work with the gentleman here to set it up so I can clear off as many loans as I can?"

"Yes, sir."

Ashley put her hand on Joe's arm. "Are you sure you want to do that? Don't you want to keep some in reserve?"

He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I never wanted that life. Besides, I know what I'm doing. Don't worry, I'll make it back in January."

When the side chatter ended, the lawyer smiled and said, "okay, so that leaves two orders of business. First is the letter they left in the event they passed away sooner than expected, as is the case here." He pulled out a sheet and started reading. 

The letter was dated just four weeks ago, and mentioned his parents' love for him, and the girls they liked to collectively call Angels. It said that everything was left to him, even though they knew he never wanted to run the company. They trusted no one more than Joe to handle the fate of what they had built, and asked only that he keep in mind the thousands they employed. The letter also gave special mention to Jill, Jasmine, Kim, Ashley, and Cindy as people who especially touched their lives, and gave a detailed example of how. If those girls wished, they were to be allowed to take and keep any one item that held special meaning for them. It ended by apologizing to Joe for their sudden departure and wished him and the girls well in their futures.




Angels and Guardians Pt. 07



The group before the lawyer sat still, transfixed from hearing the beloved couple's words from the grave. He allowed some time to pass so they could process what they just heard. He continued after an appropriate moment, "the last order of business I have is an advanced copy of the investigation report."

He related what the police dug up and found. The report started with a detailed rehash of the call from the Carter security team, who was sent to the scene, how the vehicle and its occupants were found, and the abandoned car further up the highway. In the end, the owner of the abandoned car was found and questioned. It turns out that he was drunk from drinking all night, and had pulled to the shoulder when he had started to doze off at the wheel. His impairment didn't allow him to get completely off the driving lane, and the driver of Joe's parents' car hit a patch of ice, preventing him from steering around the bumper hanging over. The clip sent the car spinning off the road and into the shallow ravine. The drunk was awoken by the jar and attempted to drive off, only to have the car stall a short ways down the road, so he coasted off the highway, parked the car, and stumbled to the convenience store at the exit just ahead to call a cab. He saw the story on the news and got scared, hiding out at a friend's place until guilt pushed him into turning himself in. He was arrested for admitting to driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.

When the report was done being read, Joe, Ashley, and Cindy released a sharp exhale. The death of Joe's parents was not intentional. The lawyer read their relief and cautioned them that while the findings brought some good news, it did not mean all was well. Greedy was very upset at Joe's flat denial to sell to them, and news of a windfall inheritance could cause good people to do bad things in this economy. Joe said that he would consult his company's security team on finding a way to balance protection and yet minimize interference with daily life. The lawyer had him sign some documents, and said the estate could be closed by Christmas, after the mandated court period allowing possible obscure creditors time to make their claims. Joe thanked the lawyer and the group headed out.

They all ate lunch together at a burger joint, and Joe encouraged Cindy to take the rest of the day off, after she told him everything was set for Kim at the school. Jill dropped the other three off at Joe's, and she begged off after being invited inside, saying she wanted to get some studying done. Joe and Ashley went to their rooms to catch up on some school work themselves.

Later in the afternoon, Jasmine had finished her standard chores and popped into Ashley's room while waiting on the last load in the drier. She came up behind Ashley as she was writing a paper on her laptop, wrapped her arms around Ashley's chest and began kissing her neck. Ashley reached up and twined her fingers in Jasmine's hair. "Mmm, that feels good," Ashley said.

"I'm glad," Jasmine replied while pausing between nibbles.

"Feeling anxious?"

"Mm hmm. I know you've had a heck of a week, but I was kinda hoping you were up for some fun. I'm so freaking horny!"

"Jazz, you know I'm always happy to help out, but what about Jill?"

"She's been so moody lately, and I know his parents are the reason, so nothing has happened lately. I realize you've been monster busy, too, but damn, you looked so good sitting here, I just couldn't resist that sexy neck of yours."

Ashley moaned when Jasmine finished her sentence by bending down and sucking on her collarbone. Her fingers still in Jasmine's brown hair, she whispered, "what the hell. I could use a study break." She turned and nibbled on her ear.

"Oh, you're naughty," Jasmine breathed.

"Speak for yourself! You're the one sucking skin three inches from my boob."

Jasmine bent lower and placed her lips on Ashley's t-shirt covered slope. "Am I naughty now?"

Ashley hissed, "Yes!"

Jasmine bent around Ashley's shoulder in the chair and sucked in her nipple through the bra and t-shirt. "Is this naughty? Do you want to be naughty to me?"

Jasmine's seductive voice and teasing physical contact did their job, and Ashley was ready for playtime. "Yes," she answered, standing up. She brought the t-shirt over her head, took Jasmine's hand and placed it on her breast outside her bra.

Jasmine squeezed the firm mound gently and asked, "would you mind if I were a bit selfish?"

Ashley cocked her head. "What do you have in mind?"

Jasmine kicked off her shoes and worked herself out of her tight jeans. "I really want to cum. Just please could you bring me off?"

Ashley smiled at her and said, "of course." 

She grabbed the bottom of Jasmine's t-shirt and eased it over her head. Leaning in, she nibbled at Jasmine's jawline, flicking quick licks occasionally. Her hands undid the clasp of Jasmine's lacy bra at her back, and after removing it, trailed her hands down her back, reaching her fingers barely inside the panty waistband. Ashley used her close trimmed nails to lightly scratch the almost imperceivable itch left by the elastic. Jasmine moaned when Ashley fluttered light licks down her throat, past her necklace, and caressed her collarbone with her lips. Ashley continued soothing the lines left by Jasmine's panties, her hands now fully inside the back of them, reaching under her ass. After they rounded down under her cheeks, Ashley moved one hand around, teasing the neatly trimmed patch of Jasmine's hair. Jasmine parted her legs slightly to allow the hand access to her boiling furnace.

Ashley stopped just above the hood covering Jasmine's pleasure button, prompting a groan of disappointment. "Aw, sweetie," Ashley said in response. "Let's get you on the bed." She withdrew her hands from Jasmine's underwear then hooked her fingers in the top of them and pulled the panties down. Jasmine laid down and put her feet flat on the bed, bringing her knees up and open, allowing Ashley an unabashed view of her moist slit. Ashley took off her bra, and Jasmine inhaled sharply at the perfect pair of breasts before her. Ashley smiled and climbed on top of Jasmine, placing her knee against Jasmine's center and lowering her chest to her mouth. Through her jeans, Ashley could feel Jasmine's heat as she had her breasts suckled on. She allowed herself to enjoy Jasmine's mouth a few seconds before sliding down to kiss her warmly. As they played with each other's tongues, Ashley slipped her hand between Jasmine's legs and inserted her finger into hot entrance. Jasmine moaned into her mouth, squirming beneath her. She withdrew her finger and used it to rub the engorged clit lightly, as she moved lower to lick at Jasmine's breasts.

Jasmine groaned when Ashley trailed her tongue down her ribcage and used it to play with Jasmine's dainty jewelry piercing her belly button. She reached down and petted Ashley's hair, putting slight pressure on her head to encourage her to explore lower. Ashley obliged and Jasmine watched as the redhead began to tongue her clit, sending waves of pleasure to travel up and down her entire body. Ashley bathed Jasmine's lower folds with her tongue before concentrating on the sensitive nub, and then inserted her index and middle finger easily into Jasmine's heat. Ashley found the slightly rougher patch that was Jasmine's G-spot and directed firm gentle pressure on it while flicking her clit with her tongue. The tension mounted quickly for Jasmine, and it didn't take long for her to start cumming against Ashley's face. She grabbed the red hair and thrust herself against her friend's head, bucking wildly. Ashley coaxed the climax to continue out of Jasmine before finally slowing to bring her down gently.

"Oh my God! Thank you so much!" Jasmine exclaimed as she relaxed fully into the soft bed, panting softly.

"My pleasure," Ashley responded as she laid next to her, undoing her own jeans. She reached into her panties and started manipulating herself. "My turn to have a bit of selfish time. I hope you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind at all. Want some help?"

"It would be nice, but I can take care of myself now. Just enjoy your afterglow," she sighed as she found a rhythm and pressure that felt good.

Jasmine turned over and began to tease Ashley's breasts with her mouth. She followed her friend's arm with her hand and reached into the panties to massage the back of Ashley's working hand. Ashley was building up to a climax when Joe opened the door and walked in. He registered the sight of his girlfriend masturbating in her jeans with Jasmine's help. "Oh, I'm sorry. I should have knocked," he said as started to retreat.

Ashley grunted, "wait. Ohh! Would you like to have me?"

Joe's pulse quickened at the sight and the invitation. "Uh...yeah, if you want. Jasmine would you mind?"

"No. Sure...I'll get my clothes and leave you two alone."

Ashley grabbed the arm that joined hers inside her pants. "Don't go. Please keep doing that. It feels so good to have you rub my hand like that, I'm about to cum," she pleaded with Jasmine.

Jasmine stayed, resumed her mouth's attention on Ashley's breasts, and felt Ashley's fingers working harder. Joe asked if she still wanted him, and Ashley nodded saying, "go ahead and undress. You can have me when I'm done."

Ashley was really going for it now, and Jasmine slipped a couple of fingers between her friend's and felt the soft wet folds. The sensation of the extra fingers sent Ashley over the edge and her stomach muscles clenched tight as she started her climax. She almost doubled over as she bore down into her orgasm, and Jasmine felt a rush of Ashley's warm, slick release soaking their hands and beginning to drench the panties covering them. "Oh my God, Ashley! You're literally coming in your pants!" Jasmine exclaimed.

Ashley convulsed some more, sending fresh jets every time. "I can't stop...it feels like I'm peeing, but it feels so good!" Jasmine worked through Ashley's fingers, telling her to keep coming. The encouragement worked, and Ashley bore down in another fresh orgasm.

Joe saw Ashley's jeans growing dark with moisture, and he flew to the bed to kiss Ashley. She screamed out to God as every muscle in her body clenched, and they heard a sharp hiss come from her pants. Joe plunged his hand to join the other two just in time to feel Ashley's last powerful squirt. The crotch of her jeans turned shiny from the fluid overflowing what the fibers could absorb. The display had Joe on fire by now, and he ripped down her jeans. He knelt between Ashley's legs and started humping himself against the back of Jasmine's hand through Ashley's saturated panties. Her emerald green underwear had almost turned black from the wetness. Jasmine withdrew and wrapped her slick hand around Joe's shaft. She allowed herself to pleasure him manually for a bit before pulling the panties aside and guiding him to Ashley's overheated entrance. Joe pushed and sank to bottom out in a single stroke. He started rocking in and out as Jasmine watched the pair grind against each other. She changed position so she could rub and kiss Ashley's outstretched leg. Before long, Joe started shooting his release into Ashley, grunting with each pulse. He collapsed onto her, his cock slipping out and laying on the soaked fabric of her panties as they fell back into place.

They laid spent together for a while, drifting into light sleep. Joe was the first to wake several minutes later and got up to shower. Jasmine moved to cuddle with Ashley, placing her arm over Ashley's stomach, and laying her leg over her hips. They stayed like that for several long moments until Ashley broke the silence. "Oh shit. I don't think I've ever came that hard."

Jasmine fondled the still wet panties for a second before replying, "oh yeah. That was a lot of fun." She was happy, but something weighed on her mind. "What do you think of what was said at the office today?"

Ashley turned her face toward her friend's. "Where's this coming from?"

"I don't know. I mean, you and Joe seem to be getting kinda serious. It sounded like he didn't want any inheritance at all. You heard him. He's going to use all that trust money to pay off the company's loans. Doesn't that bother you that he's making decisions that could potentially leave you two impoverished if you stay together?"

Ashley fretted her eyebrows. "Why are you saying this? Are you trying to make me break up with him? He told me he has a plan, and given me a glimpse of that plan. Besides, it's his folks and his money to do as he wishes. Who am I to complain to him what he does with it?"

"You're probably his future wife!" Jasmine saw Ashley sit up and her eyes get wide. "Relax, Lil' Bit. He hasn't bought a ring or anything that I know of. It's just what I see. You two are perfect together. Why wouldn't you end up with him? There are worse things...like Bill."

Ashley plopped her head down. "Why oh why does everyone like to bring him up? Anyway, I'm happy with Joe, even if he were dirt poor and living in a beat up trailer. I'd like to hope we could make it without all the money. I always dreamed I'd be some college graduate professional, making good money myself. But, right now, it seems as if everybody thinks I'm crazy for trying not to mooch off his family. You know?"

Jasmine nodded. "I guess I can see that." Her next thought was interrupted by Ashley's phone ringing on her desk.

Ashley got up, brushed her sex-tangled hair out of her face and picked up her phone. "Hello?" she asked as she didn't recognize the number.

"Hello. Is this Ashley Roberts?" greeted a pleasant male voice.

"It is. Who's calling?" Jasmine stepped over and tugged down Ashley's soiled panties. While Ashley stepped out of them, Jasmine replaced where they were with a tongue bath, which caused Ashley to close her eyes in pleasure.

"This is Mike, events manager for The Shack."

Ashley opened her eyes and snapped her fingers, cuing Jasmine to cut it out. Jasmine picked up the panties, put them with the bed coverings and jeans and took them downstairs to wash. "Okay," said Ashley. "What can I do for you?"

Mike explained that they were doing a Christmas concert and the act that was scheduled had canceled. "Would you like to perform for us?" he asked.

"Um, sure." Ashley was thankful that this was a phone conversation, as she felt awkward talking seriously with a stranger while nude. "You want me to do a set or two?"

"Actually, how would you feel about headlining?"

Jasmine walked back into the room and saw Ashley gulp and slowly sink in her chair. "What is it?" she mouthed.

Ashley shook her head at her and said into the phone, "Uh, well, I don't have a band or anything. I'm not sure me strumming a guitar or playing a fiddle would be all that entertaining."

Jasmine put on her pair of panties and fished out a pair for Ashley from the dresser. She worked them up Ashley's legs while Mike answered. "You sell yourself too short. I saw the recordings from when you were here, and you're fantastic. The crowd responds to you, and you know exactly how to work them. If I round up a local band, would you do it?"

Ashley paused before answering. "I don't know...I like singing and all, but..."

"We'll pay you $2500, plus a percentage of the ticket sales."

She laughed, saying, "Then I guess you're offering $2500, I'm afraid. Who's going to pay $30 or more to see an unknown singer. Besides, I don't have any original work, all I could do is sing other popular artists' songs."

"That's all we want. Like I said, you sell yourself way too short. Our gift shop fielded a bunch of requests for CD's with you on them. Let me worry about ticket sales. Will you do it?"

"I guess. I just think there's better options for you out there."

"There's not. We want you."

"Well, I'm attached, currently."

Mike laughed at the wit. "Good come back. Maybe I should have said, we've looked at who's available to play, and we'd rather hire you."

"Okay, sure. When is it and what should I bring?"

"Next Friday. Just bring yourself, but your guitar and violin would be great, too. So, we'll see you here at about 5ish, then?"

"Sure. Sounds like fun."

"Yes ma'am. Thank you so much!"

"No, thank you." Ashley ended the call and saw Jasmine staring at her with a quizzical look.

"What was that about?" Jasmine asked.

"Um, I just agreed to headline The Shack next Friday night."

Jasmine squealed and hugged Ashley tight. "That's great! What are they giving you?"

Ashley was still in shock. "$2500 plus part of the ticket sales." She heard the shower stop and Joe go into his bedroom. "I'm gonna jump in the shower."

Jasmine had considered going to follow Ashley and share the hot water, but thought better of it. She waited on the stripped bed in just her panties, reveling in memories of what had transpired that afternoon. She was shaken out of her daydream by Ashley's phone ringing again. Jasmine stepped over to the desk and looked at the screen. She snapped up the phone and answered it. "Hey Kim! How are you?"

Kim pulled her phone from her ear to check that she selected the right number. She had and put the phone back. "Um, hey Jasmine. What are you doing with Ashley's phone?"

"She's in the shower. I saw that it was you, so I answered it." Jasmine's mood came down a bit when she continued. "If you were just calling for her, she should be out in a minute."

Kim heard the disappointment in Jasmine's voice. "Well, she wanted me to call to check in, but since you're on, I'll talk to you. You making it a long day at Joe's?"

Jasmine brightened up and giggled. "Well, late this morning, we all had to go to the lawyers office for the reading of the will. His parents said some really nice things about you."

"They did?"

"Sure! Like how they were disappointed that things didn't work out between you and Joe, but they said they really liked you and somehow had a feeling you two were meant for someone else. It was very sweet, they said that you lit the house up whenever you were around."

"Oh wow. That is nice. What did they say about you?"

Jasmine giggled, "I was their favorite employee, aside from Cindy. They wished me well in my future, saying that my artwork was sure to take me far."

"They were so sweet. I miss them a lot."

"Me too."

"So, why is Ashley taking a shower now? She usually takes one in the morning, or just before she goes to bed. Isn't she feeling well?"

Jasmine blushed, even though Kim couldn't see it. "Um, well..."

"Ah...I can hear you blushing. Y'all had sex, didn't you?"

"Yeah. Then Joe walked in on us, and Ash let him have fun with her while I watched."

"Sounds like fun. Wish I was there."

"You will be soon. Wait! Did I just hear someone get jealous?"

"Not that someone else, or two someones got her. I wish I could have been in on it, too. Kinda surprised she'd be in the mood after last week and all, though."

"She wasn't, really. I was so horny I couldn't stop myself from seducing her. Anyway, where are you?"

"In Tennessee at a hotel."

"Damn, that's making great time. When did you start?"

"About three this morning. I'm so tired. I figured from here would only take me another 8 hours to get there."

"Well, when are you taking off again?"

"Maybe about 6. Trying to get there early in the afternoon so I can rest for school. Speaking of, has Joe said anything about that?"

"No, but Cindy did at lunch. She said she has it all set up. Since you're 18, all you need to do is sign the paperwork in the office before school. They even still have your textbooks from when you dropped them off before moving. Nothing has changed as far as classmates go, so you can just use the schedule you had at the beginning of the year."




Angels and Guardians Pt. 07



"Nice! Cindy is great."

"She's awesome. I hope Joe finds a way to keep her around. Oh! Speaking of awesome...Just before Ashley went to shower, she got invited to headline at The Shack."

"What?! No way! That's awesome! Give me details."

"I don't know any. She went in the bathroom right after hanging up with the manager there. Oh! She's coming out now. You want to talk to her?"

"Please! Been great talking with you. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. You too. Jill and I plan on being here when you get in. See you then." Jasmine put the phone on the desk and told Ashley that it was Kim. Ashley picked it up and told Kim she'd be right back, since she wanted to put something on. Jasmine went through the door to take her shower.

"Okay, I'm back," Ashley said after donning a sweater and fresh jeans.

"So, you and Jasmine, huh?"

"Hmph. You gonna be jealous now? You haven't even gotten here, yet."

"Yeah, I'm jealous that I missed it. Didn't mean anything by the comment. So where's Joe? I'd have thought he'd be hanging all over you right now after getting a taste of fun."

"Jasmine told you about that, too. Huh. I don't know. He's been weird today, wanting to be alone for the most part."

"Did you want to talk about it, Ashley?"

"Not really. I'm sure it's because of the will reading earlier. Did Jasmine tell you about that?"

"Yeah. She said that they said some really nice things in the letter."

"They sure did."

"So, what's this about The Shack?"

Ashley gave a slight laugh. "It was weird. The phone rang and it was one of the managers asking if I'd fill in for a band that fell through."

"So you're doing it, right?"

"Yeah, I told him I would. He said he would round up a local band for accompaniment. I'm starting to have second thoughts, though. In the shower, I almost threw up from nerves. I mean, am I really good enough to be a main attraction?"

"You're better than what I hear on the radio. Do you have fun when you're up there on stage?"

"Of course! It's a total blast. But, I didn't have to carry an entire concert, either." Ashley let out a muffled groan.

Kim heard the groan and got concerned. "You okay, Ashley? I'd ask if Jasmine was teasing you, but that groan didn't sound pleasant at all."

"Ugh. Just a bad cramp. I think my monthly visitor is banging at the door."

"Cramps, nausea...you're not pregnant, are you?"

"Yikes! Way to not jump to conclusions, Kim! No, I'm still on the pill. Besides, I used a test to be sure when I got back from Denver, because I started feeling pangs up there. I don't know. Maybe bad PMS or something."

"Well, if it keeps up, see a doctor or something."

"Yes, Mom...I mean Kim," Ashley snickered into the phone. "So, where are you?"

"Tennessee. I'm planning on leaving somewhat early so I can be there early in the afternoon."

"Great! I can't wait 'til you're here."

"Me too, babe. Well, I'm gonna chill for a bit, then zonk out. I'll see you soon."

"Drive safe."

"Will do. Bye."

Ashley sat at her desk, thinking. A little about the recent discomfort that rears its head from time to time. A bit about Joe seemingly willing to toss aside a massive fortune and keep to himself this afternoon. And, quite a bit about Jill's quiet attitude and wish for solitude. In the end, she chalked it all up to the large amount of stress heaped on them the last several weeks.

Later that evening after Jasmine left Joe and Ashley to have dinner by themselves, Ashley decided to break the silence between them. "What's going on, Joe?" she asked.

It broke him out of deep thought. "Huh?"

"Huh?!" she mocked. "Joe, I'm a patient girl, you know. But, damn, if I can help you with something, say so."

"You did this afternoon. Boy did you."

"Well, thanks. I'm happy you liked it. But, that's not what I meant."

"What do you mean, then?" he asked sharply, dropping his fork noisily on his plate.

Ashley flinched at the display, but wouldn't back down. "You hid in your room all afternoon, except for walking in on me and Jasmine. I know you didn't work on schoolwork, you're faster than that. What were you doing?"

His nostrils flared slightly as he readied for a fight. Then, it seemed as though he actually saw who was across the table scolding him. Joe's heart softened. "I'm sorry, Ashley," he sighed. "I feel lost. It's so weird being here the last couple of days and knowing that they're never coming home. I don't know what to do. It's like I don't have my guidelight."

"Then focus on me. I'm still here, and I'd like to think I'm somewhat of a good catch. However, I can't help if you don't let me."

"You are a great catch! I'm happy you're here, and I'm happy you're WITH me. I just want a normal life for once. I'd really like one that includes you."

Ashley came around the table and sat in his lap, placing her arm around his neck. "It'll include me as long as you'll have me, to whatever end. Besides, this IS life! What about it makes it abnormal to you?"

"Just look around," Joe said, twirling his finger in the air. "The house, the money...the aircraft. I don't really like any of it. I never have. What about all this is normal to you?"

"I'd like to think of 'us' as normal," she said quietly. Ashley touched her head to Joe's. "Give up the company, if you want. In fact, I think you should. It's too much competition for the future you're working on. Don't get me wrong, the money is nice. Being able to go anywhere, anytime, and do any thing we...you want to would be fantastic. But, none of it matters if you're not happy. I'd like to see you keep this beautiful house and SOME money to keep comfortable. But even if you had to live on the street, I'd scrap along beside you."

Joe kissed her for a length of time, giving and receiving short, gentle pecks, and punctuated the affection by saying, "I love you, Ash."

Ashley gave him one more smooch and answered, "I love you, too."

"So, will you go with me to Denver next Friday?"

"Wait, what?! Why are you going to Denver?"

"That's why I came in your room earlier. I was going to ask you to come with me, but I kinda got distracted by Jasmine being naked and you going to town on yourself." He stopped talking as he visualized the memory.

Ashley saw the glazed look. "So, Jasmine distracted you, huh? You still didn't answer my question. Why are you going to Denver?"

"Yeah, she did. Well, you did more...with your hand down your pants...Oh my God."

Ashley felt him get excited beneath her. She wiggled a bit against him, but said, "That's nice, Joe...but focus for a bit."

"Alright, alright. Cindy called me to let me know the generals had called this morning to set up a meeting next Saturday. I gotta go to pitch that...uh...thing to them. I thought maybe we could take some time afterward to have some fun and see the city without worrying about where we need to be next."

Ashley shook her head. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"I thought you knew...or at least heard me talking to Kim about it."

"No..."

"Right after you went in the shower, I got called to perform at a concert at The Shack. I was hoping you would help me with it."

"You've done well on your own. I wish I could be there, though."

"No...this is different. They asked me to BE the concert."

"WOW...That's great, honey."

"Yeah, well, I'm flattered that they think I can do this. I just wish you could be there, too."

"So much for normal," Joe said.

"Eh. Maybe this is 'us' normal," Ashley giggled. "My heart will be with you, at least."

"Ditto," he said as he kissed her mouth, cradling her head with his hand.

Chapter 25

Jasmine's dad brought her over to the house at 6 the next morning on her request. She was determined to keep herself and Joe in shape. She went into Joe's room and found Ashley in his arms, both of them sound asleep. Jasmine decided on a gentle approach to wake them this morning, standing next to his bed and saying softly, "guys, wake up. Come on, wake up guys."

Ashley rolled onto her back in Joe's arms, reached down and patted his hip. "Sweetie, Jazz wants us to get up."

He opened his eyes and petted his girlfriend's opposite shoulder. "Tell her to go away, hmm?"

Ashley grinned at Jasmine. "He says to go away."

Jasmine smiled and shook her head. She placed a knee on the bed and leaned down to give Ashley an open-mouthed kiss. Then, she moved to her ear, whispering, "I know you're trapped in his arms, but if you don't help me get him up, I'm gonna rip these covers off."

Ashley said defiantly, "go ahead. We're both dressed and nothing happened last night. You can't embarrass us."

Jasmine stood up and grabbed the bucket she put down on the floor when she came in. She swirled it, allowing Ashley to hear it rattle. "I didn't say I was gonna catch you at anything. But, I guarantee that this ice water will get you both out of bed." 

"You wouldn't."

Jasmine grabbed the sheet edge and pulled it down to reveal that Ashley spoke the truth, as she was in a sweatshirt. "I so would." She started tipping the bucket.

Ashley's eyes went wide. "Joe, Joe...get up darlin'." She squirmed to free herself from his built arm. "Get up! At least let me get up!" Ashley twisted loose from his arms and landed on her feet next to Jasmine.

Joe's empty arms roused him and he opened his eyes to see the first few cold drops escape the lip of the metal ice bucket. "Alright! Alright! I'm up!" he exclaimed as he clamored free of his covers and jumped to his feet across the bed from the two girls. "What the hell, Jasmine?!"

"Let's go running!" Jasmine said excitedly as she put the sweating bucket on his dresser.

Ashley shifted the waistband of her sweatpants around, correcting its position from her twisting out of bed seconds ago. "Why on earth do you want to run? The season is over."

"It's nice out. Besides, you don't want to go soft for the holidays, do you?" She finished by swatting her friends backside who's shape still showed prettily through the baggy material.

Joe was fully awake now and pulled a sweatshirt over the t-shirt he was already wearing. As he grabbed his running shoes he said, "it'll be fun, Ash. Come with us!"

Ashley grumbled under her breath as she headed to the bathroom. She finished her duties and got her socks and shoes on while Joe took his turn. She met Jasmine downstairs and the two paired up to do some stretches outside as they waited for Joe. He appeared just as Jasmine started showing off on the lawn, doing a short tumbling routine. Ashley wasn't about to be outdone, telling Jasmine to stay where she was and to ready herself. Jasmine seemed to brace a bit forward as Ashley started her run. At speed, she performed several handsprings, followed by a backflip just in front of Jasmine, landing in a sitting position on her friend's shoulders thrusting her fists up in a familiar victory pose. Joe clapped as he approached. Ashley threw herself backward in a somersault off Jasmine's shoulders, landing neatly on her feet and clapping her hands together twice as a result of habit in cheerleading.

"I guess you're awake, now," grinned Joe.

She pranced up to him and gave him a peck. "Oh you just hush!"

Jasmine jogged past them saying, "Let's go." She paused at the box and hit the button to open the gate.

The three formed up and ran through the neighborhoods in the area. Once off Joe's street, Ashley noticed that other streets had nice houses as well, but not in the same class as the 12 neighbors of Joe. The group chatted as they ran, not saying anything monumental, commenting on the unseasonably warm weather and other nonsense. The circuit that Jasmine led them on took 45 minutes to complete before they ended up in front of his garage. 

Ashley was surprised when Jasmine headed to the small door, but followed Joe as he entered behind the brunette. She gasped when she saw the equipment room. Jasmine taught Ashley her workout routine, explaining what each exercise helped on her body. When their routines were over, they both spotted Joe when he lifted the large weights for his bench press. He had removed the sweatshirt after the run, and Ashley started perspiring when she watched his well formed muscles bulge under the stress. Both girls grabbed the bar and guided it to the rests when he finished.

Ashley added the plates plus the bar in her head and said, "so if you two work out together, and if Joe, God forbid, gives out, how do you plan to lift 200 pounds off him?"

Joe answered, "Today I had both of you here. Usually when it's just she and I, I work out with 150."

"Well, whatever. I'd rather see you do that on the machine, where you can get out from under it."

"Eh, you worry too much," he said as he got up and gave her a hug.

She crinkled her nose at Joe and said, "and you smell. Are we done now?"

Jasmine and Joe nodded and they went inside. Joe used his shower, and Jasmine and Ashley used the master bath's shower that was his parents'. They expected Jill to come pick them up for church, but when she didn't show, Joe pulled out the conversion van and they took that instead. On the way to church, Jasmine texted Jill to see if she was coming, but some time passed before Jill replied simply, "I'm busy." Ashley contemplated during the boring parts of Mass why Jill had gotten distant the last few days. She came up with the obvious reasoning that Jill was still grieving. But, Ashley wouldn't settle on that answer. So around and around she played things in her head, coming to a temporary conclusion that she would talk to Jill when she came over to greet Kim back "home."

Ashley retrieved her phone from the waistband of her long skirt while they rode to brunch. She typed out "Heading to brunch. You coming?" and sent it to Jill. There was no reply by the time they got to the restaurant. The mood at their table was a bit melancholy, even though no one mentioned anything that would set things this way. It was just a general feeling of something missing.

In the van on the way back to the house, Ashley sent another text to Jill asking her when she was coming over. It, too went unanswered. They arrived at the house and Ashley bounded up the stairs to her room, retrieving her keys and small purse. She came back out of her room and almost ran smack into Joe on the balcony overlooking the den. Ashley asked him where Jill lived and he told her. Then, he asked why she wanted to know. She said she was going over to check on her as she pushed past him. On the way out the side door, she heard Jasmine call out somewhat angrily, "Great! Now who's gonna help me finish cleaning the house?!" Ashley ignored her as she shut the door and drove her car through the gate.

Ashley pulled up to the house she was instructed and thought to herself how odd it was that such a pretty girl as Jill could come from such an ugly place. The street didn't quite qualify as a trailer park, but was darn close. She walked up the severely cracked driveway, taking in her surroundings. Most houses had a low chain link fence with over half of them displaying signs in a wide range of disrepair warning visitors to beware of the dog it was holding back. Ashley didn't question the validity of any of the signs, as the neighborhood sounded like a dog shelter. Jill's "lawn" looked freshly mowed, although it was more weeds than lawn. The flower beds looked overgrown from five years ago, and the paint on the house seemed to be trying it's best to escape the wood it covered. She heard two female voices yelling at each other from inside as she ascended the beaten concrete steps. Ashley couldn't find a doorbell button and debated whether to knock after hearing the heated voices. Her resolve to make sure Jill was okay won out and she rapped on the rickety storm door.

A middle aged blonde woman answered the door, her severely outdated house dress hiding what looked to be a slim figure. "What?!" she yelled through the glass of the storm door.

Ashley could see into the room behind the woman and it was bad. Trash littered the hallway, various bags and other seemingly unused items combined to create a small obstacle course. She cowered slightly, but held her position. "I came to see Jill."

The woman turned and screamed, "Jill, you tramp! Some call girl's here for you!" She stomped through the maze, kicking aside some laundry as she disappeared in disgust.

Jill peeked around a corner from a room that Ashley discerned to be a kitchen. On seeing her friend, Jill moved quickly in sweats and socks for the door. She closed it partially, peeking around the edge. "Ashley, what are you doing here?" she asked, her face reddening from embarrassment.

"Um, are you okay?" Ashley asked, trying to collect herself from the rudeness that the previous woman presented her with.

"Yeah, fine. What'd you need?" Jill said at a quick clip.

"What's going on? I wanted to see when you were coming over to see Kim."

"Nothing's going on. You should have called."

"I did, twice! Now I come up here to check on you, I hear yelling, and you practically shut the door in my face. I can see that your eyes are red, so forgive me for asking, what is going on?"

"I told you this morning, I'm busy."

"Doing what? Can't we talk without this silly door being between us?"

"Ash, just please go."

"Jill, just let me in. I want to see your room...and talk."

"No! You can't see this place...my room. It's a mess."

Ashley lowered her voice so only Jill could hear. "The house, or your room is a mess?"

"Both...neither. Ugh. I'll talk to you tomorrow at school, ok?" Jill started to close the door completely.

Ashley was desperate and said a little louder than she meant to, "I think I'm pregnant."

The door jarred back open. Jill's eyes were wide when she said, "You what?"

"I think I'm pregnant. Can we talk? Please?"

Jill opened the door a bit wider and said, "Alright, come in...but if you so much as breathe a word of what you see, I swear to Christ I'll kill you."

Ashley nodded, opened the storm door and stepped inside. Jill scratched her head in frustration as she kicked piles to the side, trying to make room for Ashley to walk through unhindered. Ashley placed her hand on her back and told Jill to just lead her to her room. The woman yelled from her beat up chair in the living room, "I said no parties! I don't want no pimp stuff going on!"

Jill yelled over her shoulder, "Shut the fuck up, MOM! Ashley's a friend who's in trouble! We're going to my room to talk!"

Jill closed her door after they made it to her room and Ashley heard Jill's mom yell, "Keep those clothes on!"

Jill closed her eyes and leaned against the door, tears squeezing out from under her lids. "Oh my God, I'm so embarrassed!"

Ashley hugged her and asked quietly, "what the hell was that all about?"

Jill sighed and returned the hug, clinging tight. "She went drinking last night, and apparently is pissed that she didn't get laid. So, she just yells at me for no reason."

"There's more to that than you're saying, I can tell."

Jill shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not." She motioned for Ashley to sit on her bed. "What's going on with you? Why do you think you're pregnant?"

Ashley sat on the made up bed and looked around. Jill's room was a far cry from the rest of the house. The walls were nicely painted a soft pale pink, small trinket shelves hung here and there, displaying Jill's apparent penchant for carousel horse figurines. The carpet was old, but clean, and everything in the room was picked up and in it's place. "Your room's not a mess," Ashley commented.

"No, it's not. Don't stall." Jill was fidgeting, obviously uncomfortable with Ashley being there.

"I'm not pregnant. I know I'm not. I just said that to get you to talk to me. Now, tell me what's going on."

Jill's eyes flashed of anger. "Damn it, Ashley! You cry wolf to get me to let you in, and now you've seen this mess and my mom in her state. That's not cool. Not at all!"




Angels and Guardians Pt. 07



"None of that matters to me, Jill. I don't mind where you come from or what goes on at your house. What I don't like is that you wouldn't answer my texts, especially when they're asking you to come over and see Kim."

Jill plopped down on the bed, sitting next to Ashley. "I can't go. Not with my mom like this."

"If she's like this to you, why don't you leave? I'm sure Joe..."

Jill interrupted her. "Yeah, I'm sure Joe would sweep in and carry me off to his house. I don't want that!"

"Then, why don't you stay with Jasmine?"

"Because my mom needs me. I take care of..." Jill trailed off, starting to cry. "I used to be able to take care of her and the house. But I've been so busy lately, all I could do is mow the lawn yesterday."

"Where's your dad?"

"He left a long time ago."

"Well, I remember Joe telling me a guy came out when he dropped you off the first time he helped you."

Jill nodded. "Yeah, that was one of my mom's boyfriends at the time. He finally got tired of me making fun of him and generally making his life hell, so he left last year."

"So, where is she coming up with all that sex stuff she keeps yelling? I mean, she said I was a call girl, for Pete's sake."

"Well, that was because you're dressed nice."

"We just came from church!"

"All the same. Unless you dress ratty like her, you're a street walker in her eyes."

Something dawned on Ashley. "Is she, uh, challenged?"

"Is she challenged? What do you...ohh. No, she isn't like this all the time. But, when she goes out drinking like she did last night, she gets almost like dementia the next day."

Ashley got the picture now. She understood why Jill didn't want to leave her house this weekend. She also knew that Jill's leadership on the team and at school was practiced right here at home. Jill was basically the mother figure in the house, but an 18 year old can only do so much without help. She hugged Jill. "What can I do to help you?"

Jill squeezed her. "Just hold me for a bit."

Jasmine was pissed that Ashley ran out like that. She complained to Joe that without Ashley's help, the upstairs would take all day to clean. He told her that he would help her today, but Jasmine didn't change her mood. She changed out of her Sunday clothes and started scrubbing down the bathrooms while grumbling under her breath. Joe worked to vacuum the floors, and his own mood dipped a bit when he vacuumed his parents' old room. It was still weird to him that they were gone.

They had finished up, and around 2:30 Joe was in the kitchen preparing an early dinner for when Kim arrived. Jasmine was still bitching, seated at one of the barstools. Joe had enough.

"Can it, Jazz! She went to see Jill, which is what I would have done if she weren't around."

Jasmine tossed her head sing-song like to mock what he said and remarked, "Psht. Jill's fine. She doesn't need anyone to check on her. Lately, she needs a kick in the pants more than anything. All she does is hide out."

"What is with you?! You know Jill well enough that you should see something is wrong. I'm surprised you didn't beg Ashley to take you with her."

Jasmine drummed her fingers irritably. "I just can't help but think what sorry friends they are. Here we are, busting tail to get the house and dinner ready for Kim, and yet neither one is here helping. I'm over it."

Joe cut some steak into strips while he listened. "Like hell you're over it. If you were, you wouldn't still be talking about such nonsense. Now, what is really bothering you?"

"I don't know," Jasmine sulked.

"Well, figure it out quick. I know you don't want this to eat at you until it destroys your friendships with either one."

"Fine. Need some help?"

Joe nodded, and Jasmine set about packaging the prepped parts and putting them in the refrigerator, so they could be thrown together quickly when everyone was ready for dinner. Joe finished up browning the steak and worked with Jasmine to tidy up the kitchen. When all was done, they went out to sit on the side porch steps to wait for Kim's arrival. Dressed in jeans and t-shirts, they enjoyed the Indian Summer that had graced the South temporarily.

"I love her, Jazz," Joe blurted in breaking the silence.

"Jill?"

Joe looked at Jasmine sharply, then realized something. "Oh wow. I know why you're so pissed! Ha ha! Can't believe I didn't see it earlier."

"You oaf! What are you talking about?"

"You're in love with Jill."

"Where did you come up with that?!"

Joe noticed her absence of denial and knew his hunch was correct. "It doesn't matter to me either way, but it explains a lot about why you're mood is so dark this weekend."

Jasmine was resting her chin on her arm which was propped up by her knees. She couldn't look anywhere but the concrete driveway. "How do you figure that?"

"Well, something obviously has interrupted Jill's normal mood. It's taken her time away from you, so you're jealous now that Ashley went over to Jill's house." He put his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry. I don't think Ashley's gonna steal her from you."

Jasmine elbowed Joe off of her. "You come up with that all by yourself, huh?"

"Well, when I said I loved her, you didn't mention my girlfriend, Ashley. You said Jill."

"I did? I knew you were talking about Ashley. I thought that's what I said."

He shook his head. "No, you didn't."

"Like anything is going to come of it anyway. I don't think she's interested in me."

Joe nudged her with his shoulder. "Eh, I imagine a relationship between two otherwise straight girls would take heaps of time. Just roll with what's given to you and see where it leads. You never know."

"Yeah, I suppose." Jasmine thought about what she didn't even really see until Joe said it. After some time passed, she said, "So, you love her, huh?"

He nodded. "Yeah. More than that...I'm pretty sure I'm IN love with her." They were quiet for a while until he finally said, "what size ring do you think she wears?"

Jasmine was still lost in thought and answered absently, "I don't really know...maybe a 4 or 5. Why?"

"I haven't noticed her wearing any rings. Not even her class one. I was thinking about a Christmas present."

"Then get her a 5. She can always have it sized down. Plus, it will allow some room when her hands swell normally." Then Jasmine inhaled sharply. "You aren't talking about A ring, are you? You're thinking about THE ring!"

"Maybe. I love her, Jazz. It's different than with Kim. Kim was fun and all, but it is so easy with Ashley. My heart fell for her even though I tried stopping it."

"That's great. Really. She drives me mad sometimes, but I can't think of a better couple than you two. I'd be happy for you both."

"Thanks. Please don't say anything to anyone. I told you, because you've been my sounding board all this time. I'd rather just you know for now."

Jasmine nodded then said, "finals are this week."

Joe replied, "yes they are." He smiled, knowing Jasmine would keep his secret safe. She always let him know that by changing the subject abruptly.

Ashley and Jill were laying in each other's arms on Jill's bed for some time when Ashley realized that Jill's mom hadn't shouted out a derogatory remark in a while. "Jill, I think she's asleep."

"Huh? Oh, I guess so."

Ashley sat up. "You need to get out of here. At least for a bit. Come with me to the house and see Kim. It'll be good for you."

Jill stretched. "I shouldn't leave my mom alone."

"That didn't sound very convincing. You know you need an escape. Come on...get ready."

Jill opened her mouth to protest, but then let it go. She got up and pulled off her sweats, looking in her closet for something to wear. As she got dressed she said to Ashley, "as much as I'm ashamed you saw my house like this, I'm really glad you came by."

Ashley waved off the embarrassment with a smile. "Me too."

Jill took her time getting her hair and makeup just right while Ashley patiently watched. Ashley had kindly asked Jill how things got like this, and Jill talked while she primped herself. She said that when her mom's boyfriend left, her mom fell into depression. She wouldn't lift a finger around the house, tossing trash and whatnot wherever she happened to be. Jill had picked up after her for a while, but it had gotten to a point that she just didn't feel up to it any more. She decided to keep her battle contained to her room and mowing what was left of the lawn. As for the yelling and insults, her mom had grown disenchanted with the dating scene, picking up random guys at bars for one night stands. And, if she didn't get any, she would take it out on Jill. Jill grew tired of being run over and recently started yelling back, having taken too much. She said she wasn't proud of fighting back, but at least it kept her sane.

Ashley listened through the story and said when it ended, "I wish I could offer some advice, but I just don't know what to say."

Jill was finished getting ready and stepped over sit next to Ashley on the bed. "You don't have to say anything. Just having you listen made me feel worlds better." She leaned over and kissed Ashley on her mouth. They shared the kiss for a few seconds and then got up to leave. Quietly, they stepped through the house and found Jill's mom in her chair asleep. Jill planted a quick kiss on her forehead and slipped out the front door. The two got in their respective vehicles and headed to Joe's.

Joe and Jasmine were still on the side steps talking about random things when they saw Kim's car pull up to the gate. She reached out to the box and the gate opened. She pulled up near the steps, parked the car and shut it off. Jasmine jumped up and opened the driver's door. "You made it!" she exclaimed.

Kim eased out of the car, stiff from the many miles. She wrapped her arms around Jasmine and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Yup. Oh my God, it is so warm here! I left Minnesota and it was 23, Tennessee was at 38. What is it here? 80?"

Joe came up and said while hugging Kim, "68, but it just got a little warmer when you pulled up."

Kim gave his arm a light slap. "Still the charmer." She looked around, noticing hers was the only car in the driveway. "Where's everyone else?"

"Ashley's taking care of something," Joe said before Jasmine could fire off an ill remark.

Kim answered a little unsure, "Okay...well, I guess I better get my stuff inside." She turned and opened the trunk. Jasmine and Joe followed and helped carry in her things.

Jasmine helped Joe take the prepared ingredients from the refrigerator and assemble them for dinner. Kim sat at the bar and talked while watching. She said that her parents were sad that she was leaving, but hoped that getting her back "home" would help her cope with senior year.

Just then, the side door opened and Kim rushed to meet Jill and Ashley. "Where've y'all been?" she asked.

Ashley answered, "I had to rescue Jill from her chores."

Jill's eyes flicked over to Ashley and she mouthed a silent "thank you."

They all sat down to eat and Kim told the group about her trip down. The tales included her adventures in driving in snow, the strange people she met at rest areas, and the trouble she went through to find a hotel in Tennessee. The other three listened intently, and related what was said at the meeting with the lawyer yesterday.

The kitchen and dinner table was cleaned up and the group lounged around in the den, sipping drinks Joe had made. They watched a Christmas program, chatting once in a while about nonsense that a scene reminded them of. Ashley became aware of Joe's hand on her jeans at one point, petting her thigh absently.

When it roamed higher, she looked at him and caught 'that look.' "Did you want to go upstairs for a minute?" she whispered in his ear. He nodded, and she told the others with a wink, "we'll be back in a little bit."

The three other girls just smiled at them as they went upstairs hand in hand. Kim said to Jasmine and Jill, "they really do look cute together."

"Does that bother you?" Jasmine asked.

"Not as much as I had thought. It hurts a bit to know that I'm not the one who could make him that happy, but I am happy for him. You know?"

Jill nodded. "Yes, I do. They're both so sweet, it's hard to imagine either one being with anyone else, now."

Jasmine nodded and smiled, but held Joe's secret inside her as they settled back to watch the movie.

Some minutes passed when the group downstairs was suddenly startled by Ashley's scream. "Stop Joe! It hurts!" 

They raced upstairs and Kim's hand shot to her mouth when they opened the door. Joe was standing on the opposite side of the bed, his quickly fading erection dripping in scarlet red. Ashley was naked on the bed, writhing in pain, a pool of blood forming on the sheets between her open legs. "WHAT DID YOU DO, JOE?!" Jasmine screamed at the top of her lungs while she darted to embrace Ashley.

"I don't...I don't..." was all Joe could stammer.

Ashley's face was soaked in her tears. She cried out, "Oh GOD, Oh GOD!"

Jasmine held Ashley, rocking her and repeated her accusation, "What the fuck did you do, Joe?"

Ashley grunted in pain, her face becoming ashen. "It's...not...him," she sobbed. "I don't hurt there...It's me...oh shit..." she trailed off and Jasmine felt her go limp.

Jasmine reached up to her own pendant and tapped in the sequence on her diamond. "Get her robe!" she barked at Kim.

When Kim disappeared into the other room, the network phone next to Joe's bed crackled, "Jasmine, are you okay?"

"Ashley's hurt bad. We need an ambulance now!" Jasmine shouted to the phone.

The security officer said through the speaker, "the team should be approaching the door now. I'll call a medical staff to assist."

"Hurry!" Jasmine screamed.

Kim returned with Ashley's winter robe. Jasmine snatched it and began working to put it on Ashley's limp body. She noticed Joe still standing there. "Joe, get dressed! She's gonna need you at the hospital to answer the doctor's questions about what happened. Move it!"

He snapped out of his shock and had just put his underwear and jeans on when the two security officers bounded up the stairs and burst into the room, weapons drawn. "What happened?" one of the officers asked.

Joe stuttered, "I don't know...she just started bleeding."

The officer saw the expanding pool of blood in the bed. "She's not just bleeding, she's hemorrhaging." He pressed a button on the radio clipped to his shoulder. "We need that ambulance NOW!"

Jill spotted Ashley's phone on Joe's nightstand, picked it up, scrolled through the phone book and selected the one that said MOM.

Chapter 26

Ashley's eyes fluttered and she heard Kim saying, "There she is!"

She felt incredibly groggy and had to concentrate to lift the lead weights that seemed to be attached to her eyelids. Her focus was slow to come, but gradually she made out that several people were crowded around her. Ashley slowly gathered her bearings as she put together the pieces that presented themselves to her. A bed with rails, scratchy sheets, soft flimsy gown, tubes growing out of her wrists. "Why am I in a hospital?" she asked the large figure next to her.

The figure reached up and smoothed her hair. "Shh, baby. We'll get to that later."

She focused on where the voice came from and her expression got lighter. "Hi Joe." Ashley lifted her head to greet him, but a sudden wave of nausea hit. Joe recognized the look and thrust a plastic pan under her chin. She vomited a small amount of bile into the pan, then collapsed back.

Joe took a damp washcloth and wiped her mouth, then took a glycerin swab and ran it along her cracked lips. "Don't try to sit up, or that will happen again." He poured a small cup of ice water and put the straw at her lips.

Ashley took a couple of sips and laid back to try to let her stomach settle. She mentally took inventory of her body and found that her finger tips, toes, and tongue tingled of being numb. There was an uncomfortable pressure in her abdomen. With her eyes still closed she said, "Fuck, I'm on drugs, aren't I?"

Joe stroked her forehead with the back of his fingers. "Yes, sweetie. You've had surgery, so they're being given to quiet your pain. There's also a good amount of antibiotics to kill the infection. Together, they'll make you loopy and queasy for a while, so just lay there and relax. If you try to sit up again, all you'll do is make yourself throw up."

"Where's Mom?"

"I'm here, sweetheart. It's good to see you awake."

"I'm not sure I'd call this awake." Ashley still had her eyes closed, fearing that if she'd open them, the room would start spinning again. "How long was I out?"

Jasmine said, "since you passed out in my arms yesterday."

"What happened?"

Joe continued petting her face. "We'll talk about it when you're stronger. Rest for now."

She didn't open her eyes, but her face contorted in a mixture of anger, frustration, and fear. "Tell me now! What's so bad?"

Joe looked around the room and most of who was there took the hint and stepped up to tell Ashley that they were there and would be back after dinner. She thanked Jill, Kim, Jasmine, and Sally for stopping in to see her.

Once they were gone and all she perceived in the room was Joe, she asked weakly, "now can you tell me what's going on?"

Joe sighed. "Are you sure you want to do this now? The news isn't going to be pleasant."

Ashley turned her head toward his voice and opened her eyes. The walls seemed to tilt suddenly and she snapped them back closed, willing her stomach to quiet itself. "Yeah, I want to know what's wrong with me."

"Very well. Last night you started hemorrhaging profusely, and fainted when you lost too much blood. We took you here and it was determined that the accident a few months back damaged your insides more than any test could show."

"So, I was bleeding inside the whole time?"

Joe shook his head. "No, but a couple of your organs had their walls weakened."

Ashley waited for Joe's pause to end, but it didn't. "Go on."

"Well, you had to have emergency surgery to stop the bleeding. The only way to do so was to remove the damaged organs."

"So... what? I'm living without a spleen or something?"

Joe had to swallow hard to keep from losing control of his emotion. "No, Ash. You're ovaries ruptured."

She went pale, but thought of something to try to stay somewhat upbeat. "Well, women have embryos implanted all the time..."

"Darling, I'm so sorry. But that won't work for you, either. They also found your uterus damaged inside. It had to be removed as well. Other than adoption, children will not be possible for our future." He grabbed a fresh damp cloth and gently wiped away the tears that were escaping the corners of her eyes.

Ashley caught the part about no kids, but missed what he said about the future. "Did we...did I cause this by having sex with you?"

"No. The doctors said it would have happened at that moment regardless of what you were doing."

"But, other than cramping lately, I felt fine. I mean I squirted for the first time just the other day. How can this be?"

Joe took a deep breath. "I don't know. I told the doctors about all that and they figured that the hidden damage triggered extra hormones, making things feel that much better."

"So you told them this with my mom in the room?"

"No, I talked with them privately, hoping it would help your treatment somehow."

Ashley exhaled a shaky breath. "So she doesn't know what I've been doing with you...or Jasmine."

Joe sighed deeply. "She didn't...until just now."

Ashley turned pale. "What?"

Mrs. Roberts took Ashley's hand in hers from the other side of the bed. "I'm still here, Ashley."

"No, no, no, no," Ashley kept repeating over and over, thrashing her head from side to side. Joe quickly brought the pan back under her chin as she retched strongly. Ashley heaved nothing but sound the first few spasms, and produced a bit of bitter bile on the last. Joe repeated cleaning her up and gave her some more water. Ashley was about to say something, but the thought of what her mom knew sickened her again. Joe patiently held the pan as Ashley purged the water she just drank, and continued for several more heaves. He hit the nurse button then wiped her mouth.




Angels and Guardians Pt. 07



All the while Ashley couldn't control her stomach, Mrs. Roberts just held her daughter's hand close to her chest, her eyes filled with concern. "Ashley, none of your escapades matter to me. You are your own person. The only thing that concerns me is your health and wellbeing."

The attempt to comfort didn't escape Ashley, but when she tried to respond, all she succeeded in doing was letting her body try to get rid of the rest of its organs through her mouth. The nurse came in and said, "Okay... something for nausea and a new pan?" 

Joe nodded as he tried to quiet Ashley by rubbing the back of her neck. "Ash, baby," he said quietly. "Please try to calm down. You're wearing yourself out."

Ashley angered at him telling her what to do, and it resulted in her stomach becoming even more upset. What was worse was that she started to sob as well. "I'm...trying...you...fucker...I...can't... stop..." She retched a few more times then sobbed, "Where's...Dad?"

Her mom answered, "He's with the fleet in the Gulf for their war simulations. He knows you're in the hospital, but they can't let him go until the simulation is done next Monday."

Ashley sobbed some more, "You...won't...tell...him YAAK what...you...just...heard?"

"Ashley, please settle down. You're hurting yourself."

"GODDAMNIT, MOM! I'm TRYING! YAAAK Please promise me!"

Her mom looked hurt. "Yes, sweetheart, I promise he won't hear it from me."

"YAAAK Thank you!"

The nurse returned, checked Ashley's wristband and injected two syringes into the 'Y' connector of her IV line. "The first will quiet her stomach shortly. The second I gave her is some Benadryl. That should help her sleep in a bit. Please try not to upset her." She waited for Ashley to finish her current round of retching and it tapered off. The nurse traded out pans and left the room.

Joe and Mrs. Roberts were glad to see Ashley quieting down. "Mom, I'm sorry if I disappointed you," Ashley said weakly.

"Oh, baby. Why would you think that?"

"First, I can't give you grandchildren, and now you probably think I'm a bisexual tramp."

"Honey, I'll be happy whenever you're happy. Okay?"

Ashley nodded and then her body slowly melted lower into the bed.

Several hours later, Joe slept on the pull out bed next to Ashley's. He had sent her visitors home after they returned from dinner, saying that Ashley still was not well from the medication she was on. Her mom wanted to stay as well, but he told her to go home and get some rest. Joe promised to call her if anything changed. He slept fitfully in the darkened room until he was startled by Ashley's panicked voice.

"Joe? Joe, are you there? Joe!"

He stepped over to her bed and turned on the night light. Grabbing her hand he said, "I'm here, Ash." Joe could feel her hand relax when she heard his voice. She mumbled something unintelligible and drifted back to sleep. His heart was racing from hearing the panic in her voice, and Joe knew that there would be no way he could get back to sleep. He stepped around to the side of her bed without the tubes and wires, lowered the rail and crawled in next to her. Instinctively, Ashley turned her body slightly to his warmth and he snuggled up to her.

One of the night nurses came in sometime later, clucking like an angry chicken about Joe sleeping next to Ashley. Joe lifted his head and raised his middle finger at her. "She's resting peacefully now, isn't she?" he retorted. The nurse checked Ashley's vitals and IV settings and left the room without stopping her under the breath comments. He lowered his head and put his protective arm over Ashley's chest.

That morning Ashley stirred early somewhat confused again about her surroundings. She felt panic grip her heart briefly before realizing Joe was laying next to her. She was stronger than yesterday and picked her head up to look around the room. The dawn light was spilling through the blinds and she saw the bed Joe abandoned was still stretched out. His arm kept her from sitting up further, so she relaxed and laid still for a few minutes. Her morning needs started to make Ashley aware of them so she took her hand that was pierced by the IV needle and stroked Joe's face lightly. 

"Joe, wake up, sweetie," she said gently, surprised that her voice could only manage a hoarse whisper. He didn't so much as twitch, so Ashley resigned herself to just wait a bit more. But then, trying as hard to contain her wastes as she could, she felt the sheets under her bottom begin to get damp. She started to shake his arm. "Joe," she croaked. "Get up, please! I gotta go."

Joe woke with a start, raising his arm up threateningly to whatever danger could be in the room. "What...what's going on? You okay?"

"Shh, Joe. It's just me. You gotta get me to the bathroom."

Joe acclimated himself to the surroundings quickly and relaxed his arm while slipping out of the hospital bed. "Oh...I can't Ashley. You've got to stay in bed."

She balled up her fists, willing herself to clamp down, but another jet escaped her. This time she felt it spray against the inside of her thighs. "Oh God, Joe. I'm wetting the bed. Get me to the bathroom quick." Ashley worked to sit up, but quit as it resulted in another spurt.

"I can't. You'll fall. I'll get the nurse." He turned to leave the room.

"Don't you dare leave me," she hissed.

Joe turned back, grabbed the bedpan and went to her bed. He folded the sheet over to the side and said, "You're gonna have to use this. I told them not to take out the catheter until you were awake. But do they listen? Nooo." He put his arm under her knees, lifted her lower half up and slid the pan under Ashley's bottom. When he set her back down on the pan and draped the sheet back over her raised knees he said, "I'll leave you for some privacy and get the nurse for you." He left the room and went to the nurses station to ask them to change the pan and probably the linens, too. Joe then went downstairs to get a light breakfast to take back with him to the room.

He returned to her private room to find Ashley looking fresher and sitting up, but grumpy. "Where've you been," she pouted hoarsely with her arms crossed.

Joe held up his Styrofoam containers. "Getting breakfast." He set them down on the rolling table and leaned over the bed to kiss her. "Would you mind if I ate? I haven't had anything since Sunday afternoon."

She waved her hand dismissively. "No, go ahead. You need to eat." She was surprised her voice was still raspy. Ashley cleared her throat, but nothing felt like it changed. She tried coughing twice to no effect. "What the hell's up with my voice?" she croaked, a little panicked. She was starting to wonder if her Peppermint Patty imitation was permanent.

Joe finished the bite in his mouth. "You threw up a lot yesterday. Or, rather I should say TRIED to throw up. Plus when you were in surgery, they had you on a respirator. That's why your lips are so dried out, too."

"Ugh. Yeah, I remember that now. So, tell me again what exactly happened? From the top."

"Uh uh. I'm not going to let you go on that ride again."

"Please, Joe? I'm still a little spacey, but I feel strong enough to handle it now."

Joe took another bite of his breakfast while he debated in his head whether to review what had happened. He finally decided that since she was sitting up and had her eyes open, Ashley was indeed okay enough to hear it all. "Well, we went to my room to have a quickie. Things were getting heated when you suddenly screamed at me to stop..."

Ashley stopped him. "Yeah, I remember all that. I was bleeding all over the place and Jasmine ended up holding me when I told y'all that YOU didn't hurt me. It was strange, the pain came from a bit higher up, and I couldn't take it anymore. Then I woke up...sorta...here."

"Well, what do you want to know then? The time between you passing out in my room and waking up here was just us scrambling to get you to the hospital and your mom giving permission for the surgery."

"So Mom WAS here."

"Yes. Jill called her from your phone while we were waiting for the ambulance."

"Was I acting like a fool yesterday?"

"You acted like someone reacting poorly to the anesthesia and morphine. They've switched you to Demerol so the cloudiness in your head should be lifting somewhat."

Ashley sat back a bit against the raised bed. "So...it WAS a dream."

"What was?"

"Me asking you if Mom knew about what I do with you or Jasmine." She said this while watching the door, ready to cut off her sentence if anyone walked in.

"Sure...if that's how you want to play this."

"Oh God. That really happened?"

"Yes. And, I'm sorry to say, you really cannot have children anymore."

Ashley sighed deeply. "I was really hoping that wasn't true, either. What's that mean for me?"

"Uh...you won't ever get pregnant and have your own kids?"

She threw a paper cup at Joe playfully. "You twit! I know that. Medically, physically, what's it mean?"

Joe had snatched the cup in midair and put it on his rolling table. "You will be able to perform and function sexually just as a normal, healthy young active woman would, aside from the possibility of pregnancy. However, with the ovaries gone, you will be on hormone supplements the rest of your life. The same as if you had a hysterectomy when you were 40 something."

"Thanks, Dr. Joe."

He flipped her a bird. "You asked..."

"I know, but didn't expect a dissertation from you."

"Just repeating what the doctor said last night. You seem to be taking it well. Not to put you down, but I was expecting a cry fest this morning."

Ashley moped a bit. "Well, at this point there's no reason to get upset anymore. It won't change anything. So how long will I be here?"

"Today, tomorrow...I don't know, maybe go home by Friday? The doctor should be in this morning sometime. You can ask him."

"Could you get my phone? I need to call The Shack and let them know..."

"Already taken care of. Jasmine called them for you yesterday. The manager certainly understood and sent some flowers, see?"

"You're still going to Denver, aren't you?"

"Depends on you."

"What? I'll be fine, I can feel it. It's important for your business. Please go."

"Now? It's only Tuesday. I wasn't planning to leave until after school on Friday."

Ashley's eyes got wide with a sudden realization. "Oh my God! School! Today would be more than three weeks out of class. What's going to happen?"

"Sister K called me yesterday and said she put in an appeal to the state board for you. Her argument is that this is a continuation from the wreck earlier in the Fall. She said she'd stop by today after hearing their decision."

Ashley stopped talking at that, thinking about how bad it will suck if she couldn't graduate with her class. Just then her doctor came in and read through her chart for updates from last night. He started off by seeing if she had any questions. She asked how this could get missed from the accident, and she was told that the internal injuries she was treated for were higher up in her body. The ovaries were damaged, yes, but not to the point to be detectable. She asked how long she would have to stay, and the doctor explained that the urgent nature of her bleeding required a more crude method to get to the problem. To demonstrate his point, he lifted her gown and pulled up one of the large bandages on her lower abdomen to reveal the staples there.

"So, if I were you, I wouldn't worry about how long your stay will be. You lost a lot of blood, and the hospital was out of O neg. You're lucky to be alive."

Ashley was lost. "O negative is universal blood. I know that. Why not just use my blood type?"

The doctor smiled. "You don't know your blood type, do you?"

"No...but I'm sure any blood work you've done when I was last here would have told you."

"Yes it did, and it says, correctly, that you are O negative."

"So, am I running a quart low, then?"

Joe spoke up. "Actually, a quick check of the waiting room resulted in a willing donor."

Ashley paled a bit. "I have some stranger's unfiltered, unscreened blood? What about AIDS, or other diseases? I'd have rather gone a quart low and be weaker than have some pot head, alcoholic whore's blood!" She saw Joe snickering. "You should have stopped that! I hoped you knew me better than to let my mom allow such a barbaric thing! What's so fucking funny?"

"Ash, you just went off on Kim."

"What do you mean? She's not a pot head...I don't think she even drinks that much."

Her doctor continued. "Your friend Kim told us she was O negative, as well. She almost mowed the nurse down to volunteer. In fact, when we gave your fan club in the waiting room an update to what we found when you were in surgery, Kim wanted to barge in, trying to get us to open her up so she could donate one of her ovaries to you. It took a nurse a half hour explaining that ovary transplants aren't possible to get her to stop going for the door. That was before we knew the extent of the damage to the uterus. At any rate, she was tested for what you named, and others. Everything is coming back clean, so we won't have to treat you for those infections. She saved your life."

Ashley was quiet for a bit and swallowed hard at the lump that formed in her throat. At last she asked the doctor what she could expect in the future. He told her she would have to take estrogen supplements, and staying active the rest of her life would be important to fight off osteoporosis. He finally bent to her repeated question on how long and tentatively told her MAYBE Thursday. But, even then he would order a two week bed rest. School and or work would be out of the question until after the first of the year.

She was downtrodden at this point, because it looked like she would miss the first week back at school, as well. So, Ashley asked another question, "So, if I were wearing a seatbelt, how could all this happen?"

"A seatbelt is designed to be placed over the largest bones in your body. I believe yours must have been over your lower stomach, instead of across your hips. So, your body was stopped by your face with the airbag, your chest, and your organs. If you wore the belt correctly, you would have been held in place by your pelvis, instead of your ovaries."

"No one ever told me any different."

The doctor looked grim. "I know. I wish there was a way to tell more people."

She had one last question. "What about the cramps I was having?"

"That's one good thing for you, I guess. You won't have to worry about cramps or bleeding or any other nonsense females typically go through."

"That's not what I meant. I was having really bad cramps for the last couple of weeks."

The doctor pondered this. "That may have been a warning sign that something was wrong. Don't blame yourself for not noticing. I'm sure it would have been easy enough to mistake them as being normal. If you don't have any more questions, I need to see my other patients. I'll check back in on you tomorrow."

Ashley thanked the doctor and laid back against the bed, thinking about everything and nothing at the same time.

Her mom showed up a few hours later to find Joe sitting on Ashley's bed brushing her daughter's hair. She gave Ashley a number of weekly smut magazines to read and listened when Ashley briefed her on what the doctor said. Then, Ashley apologized for what her mom heard the day before.

Mrs. Roberts replied, "Ashley, enough of that. I love you. Your dad loves you. All that matters to us is that you're alive and happy."

"Well, it's just that you wouldn't tell me that a few weeks back when the news showed me flirting with Joe on stage. It's hard to think of you two as the open-minded parents."

"And, it's hard for us to think of you being the grown up woman that you are." Her mom hugged Ashley. "Some of your choices aren't what we would have preferred, true. But they are yours to make. We'll accept them eventually, as they are a part of you."

Ashley bristled a bit at the accusation, but let it pass. "It's all part of the healing process between me and my parents, right?" she asked herself. The three chitchatted for a while before the pain medicine made Ashley drift off to sleep.

A few hours later, Ashley was stirred into consciousness by Joe gently rubbing her arm. Her mother had gone home to let a repair man in. Ashley focused on her surroundings and found that Sister Kate had arrived. She quickly brought up her arms to instinctively smooth her hair for the visitor.

"Stop, Ashley. You look fine," said the principal while approaching closer to her bed. "I'm glad to see you can be awake, now." The nun leaned over to kiss Ashley on her forehead.

"Hello, Sister. It's good to be able to wake up." Ashley smiled at the friendly kiss, then stretched her arms out. "Have you heard from the state board yet?"

Sister Kate put a portfolio bag on the counter. "Yes, I have. For Joe, the news is better. They have waived the attendance requirements for this semester in light of your extended hospital stay and your parents passing away. As long as you don't fail your courses, that is."

Joe said, "Thank you. Will my teachers let me make up the exams?"

"Well, that's what I have in here. Both of your finals from each class. I held a conference with your teachers, and both of you would pass, even with 15% of your grade being a 0 if you didn't take the tests. But, those C-'s and D's would ruin your GPA's. I would hate to see that, as both of you are two of the top five in your class. So, I'll administer your exams today and tomorrow. That way your grades wouldn't suffer so bad."

Joe and Ashley both said their thanks. Ashley went on to say, "That's very nice of you. You said the news was better for Joe? What's that mean for me?"

Sister's face got a bit darker. "Yes. Well, while they expressed to me that they could understand why you left with Joe, their decision was that the leave could have fit in their three week allowance. They wouldn't grant an exception for your current illness."

Joe saw the panic in Ashley's eyes, and put a hand on her shoulder. "What does that mean for Ashley?"

"She will not be able to receive her diploma with the rest of the class."

Ashley started to sit up and protest, but Joe gently held her shoulder down. She gave up sitting and said from her pillow, "That's so unfair! What do I do now? I might as well drop out and not go back to school after Christmas."

Sister Kate replied, "Easy, Ashley. I recommend you continue through your senior year..."

Ashley snapped, "What's the point? Besides feeding the school tuition money until I graduate next year! I ain't going to graduate with those Junior brats!"

"Let me finish."

Ashley sighed and put her head back down on her pillow in response.

"Thank you. I recommend you take your exams, and come back in the spring for your final semester. I'll let you walk with your class for graduation. You'll receive your diploma after attending Summer school."

"But Catholic High doesn't have Summer school."

"Usually, but I'll be your teacher, and it will be three weeks long. The board agreed to let me do this for you."

"So, what will I be studying for only three weeks?"

"Catholic History. There will be tests, a paper, and an exam. It will be a full course."

"Holy crap! How am I going to do that in three weeks?"

"If you want your diploma on time for college next fall, it's what you have to do."

Ashley's face was flushing madly, and Joe went to dab it with a cool cloth to make it feel better. She snatched the cloth and flung it across the room. "Stop it Joe! Don't try to make me feel better right now! Damn, this sucks! I can't believe it. I'll lose my scholarships if I don't graduate in May. Can't you do anything else, Sister K? I'll mow grass at the school during spring break. I'll do...I don't know...SOMETHING on the weekends to make up the time!"




Angels and Guardians Pt. 08



Author's note:

Thanks to all who took the time to read this story. At first, I wasn't happy with this final part, but after rereading it, I think it ended as it should.

Please remember to vote!

***

Chapter 27

The next couple of days were early release for the seniors, so Kim, Jasmine, and Jill would come and visit Ashley in the afternoons. Ashley's mom would usually be there as well, but the one person who could not be dragged outside the hospital doors was Joe. He would reluctantly leave to go to the cafeteria at Ashley's prodding, but only if her mom or other visitors were in her room. Even then, it was only for ten minutes to grab a styro container, load what he wanted, and bring it back with him to her room.

Joe noticed when talking to Ashley alone that she had changed. Her laughter and fun nature were still present, but he could tell that it was slightly reserved. Ashley's swings into self-doubt and depression were mostly gone, too. It was as if she were more in control of her emotions. Her mom commented that it was probably a result of the hormonal change, but Joe would later often reflect back to the day Sister Kate patiently withstood Ashley's final tantrum as the day she was permanently changed. Ashley never openly apologized to Joe for sending him out of her room, and he understood why. She really needed him out of the room, and he was standing in the way of her independence. Ashley entered the hospital as a confused, hurt girl. She left as an independent woman, with a determination to leave her mark on the world. The doubts he had about staying with her the rest of his life evaporated with her transformation. She kept all that made her lovable, and had tossed out the garbage that was annoying.

Returning home was bittersweet for Ashley. She was happy to be back in a familiar place and out of the hospital bed. However, she had to convince Joe to keep the meeting in Denver, so he was busy packing and preparing his notes for the sales pitch. Jill, Jasmine, and Kim had gone to Joe's the day before to get things ready for Ashley. So, Ashley was surprised when she was carried by Joe into the den to find one of the sofas covered with a sheet and blankets, and a tray with her prescriptions, the media remotes, and a bell. There was even a plastic pan near the sofa, just in case she needed it in an emergency. Ashley wanted to walk from the car, but Joe insisted on carrying her the whole way. Ashley fretted about Joe's bed, and the condition she left it when she fell ill. Joe told her that he had Cindy order a new mattress early in the week, and everything was cleaned up and taken care of.

The girls took turns watching over Ashley while Joe was gone, making her meals, helping her to the bathroom, and refilling her drinks. Since Kim had taken up residence at the house, she slept on another sofa next to Ashley during the night, even when Joe was there, so that she could be close by for any of Ashley's needs. Jasmine insisted to the others that she be the one to bathe Ashley. After school ended for the girls at 10 on Friday, they came by and said goodbye to Joe and Cindy and wished them well on the meeting. 

Jasmine soon pushed Jill and Kim to take a break and go Christmas shopping while she would take care of Ashley. "Alright, Cinnabun," she said to Ashley after they were alone. "When did you last have a bath?"

Ashley thought for a bit. "Um, Sunday morning I took that shower with you."

Jasmine looked at her hard. "The nurses didn't wash you up?"

"No..."

Jasmine was pissed. "I'll bet you feel pretty scummy right now! I can't believe they wouldn't do that!"

"I've had so much on my mind, I didn't think about that. Now that you mentioned it, yeah I feel kinda gross."

"Joe should have thought about it...ugh, I'm gonna get him when he gets back!"

"I can do it, Jasmine. Just help me to the bathroom upstairs."

"No fucking way. You might weigh only 95 pounds right now, but I can't trust myself to stop you from falling down those stairs. Besides, the doc wants you only to walk to the bathroom and right back. Just you sit tight."

Ashley groaned in frustration and sat back against the armrest of the sofa. Jasmine returned a bit later with a large bowl of soapy water, a couple of washcloths, a razor and shave gel, and some towels. "Alright, sweetie. Let's get you feeling better," Jasmine said as she put down the supplies. 

She pulled the t-shirt off Ashley, trying hard to ignore the perfect set of twins staring at her. Next came the shorts, and she left Ashley's panties on for now. Grabbing the washcloth and dipping it in the water, she started with Ashley's face and worked her way down the front. As Jasmine gently swabbed her arms, something deep inside Ashley was reminded of the similar comfort her mom gave her during bath time when she was very little. Jasmine repeated the attention with the other arm and hand before dipping the cloth in the bowl and wringing it out. She washed Ashley's neck, paying attention to detail as she delicately traced the cloth around each line of her friend's ears. When the cloth traveled to her upper chest and started teasing her top ribs, Ashley sucked in a breath to try and keep her excitement in check. "Is it tickling?" Jasmine asked when she noticed.

"No," Ashley answered a bit shaky. "I'm trying to think of this professionally. But my body wants to get horny."

Jasmine smiled at her. "I know, Little Bit. I'm trying to keep this business only, but I know what you mean."

She washed Ashley's torso, keeping the wet cloth above the bandage pad adhered to the lower belly. The only parts in the area left untouched were Ashley's breasts. Both girls' pulses quickened when Jasmine started at the mounds' base and worked upward. After she plopped the cloth into the bowl, Jasmine bent down and licked Ashley's nipples with her flattened tongue. Ashley's breath caught.

"Oh my God! What are you doing?" Ashley breathed.

"Tongue bath. I couldn't resist." Jasmine grinned at her and both girls broke out in giggles.

Jasmine finished Ashley's upper half with a kiss on each pink circle. Next she delicately worked to remove the bandage, telling Ashley that it was about time to change it anyway. She finally freed the waterproof tape from the soft skin and lifted the pad up and away. Jasmine was not as prepared for the sight as she thought she was, and let a quiet "Oh my God" escape from her lips. Ashley bent forward and looked down. Her face twisted into a silent 'eek' when she saw what marred the tight palette just above her hips. Jasmine felt a tear fall from each eye as she thought about what the long wound meant to Ashley.

"Joe's right, it looks just like a zipper," Jasmine said.

"Yeah, it does."

"Does it hurt?"

Ashley sighed. "Sometimes, if I move a certain way, my skin will pull at the staples."

Jasmine poised a finger just above. "Can I touch?"

"Lightly."

It was a harsh feeling, the hard, rough staples holding together such smooth, perfect, soft skin underlined by the top edge of Ashley's low cut white panties. "You'll never want to wear a two-piece swimsuit again."

"Yeah, I was thinking about that today. But, what's done is done."

"When Joe changes the pad, doesn't he try to clean off this iodine?"

"No, they said not to get the incision wet, so I think he just swaps out the bandage."

Jasmine shook her head. "I'm not just going to get him when he gets back...I'm gonna kill him!" she exclaimed while she retrieved a fresh cloth and wrung it out well.

"Jazz, he's just following instructions."

She used a very light touch to dab away the light orange stain highlighting the staples. "Even so, he shouldn't let you sit like this."

Ashley groaned in frustration. "Okay. Well, let's get past that," she said a bit irritably.

"Are you cold?"

"A bit chilled, and that water you keep wringing out is making me have to pee. Besides, Joe is doing what he can. He and Cindy were meeting every morning in the hospital about company stuff. Please forgive him if he doesn't think of some things that you do."

Jasmine shook her head to rid it of her disappointment in Joe. She moved on to sponge down Ashley's stubbly legs. She washed one foot, then as she was washing the other, she noticed a small wet spot on Ashley's panties between her legs. "I didn't know you had a foot fetish," she said. "Or, did you just..."

Ashley turned red. "My feet are ticklish, but feeling that warm water made me go a little." The spot grew in size. "Oh damn. Hurry up, Jazz. I can't hold as much as I used to."

Jasmine dropped the cloth in the bowl and grabbed a towel to start drying Ashley's legs. "Alright, let me get you dried off, so you don't slip on the way to the bathroom." She dried the water off the feet, and helped Ashley up, supporting her on the way to the half bath next to the kitchen. When Ashley was done, Jasmine told her to leave the panties in the bathroom and that she'd wash them later. When they returned to the sofa, Jasmine gently sponged off Ashley's privates.

Next, Jasmine grabbed the shave gel and told Ashley to put her arm above her head. Ashley was embarrassed by her ungroomed state and protested, saying she could do that. Jasmine insisted that she do it. She didn't want Ashley twisting and turning more than necessary, possibly making scarring worse. Ashley relented and relaxed as Jasmine applied the gel under her arm and carefully shaved her. It was repeated for the other side, and then Jasmine moved to work on the legs. She started below Ashley's left knee, lathering it up then using long light strokes to erase the stubble. The procedure was repeated with the other side. Ashley closed her eyes when Jasmine lathered up her thighs. She inhaled sharply when Jasmine accidentally brushed her clit with the back of her knuckle.

"I'm sorry," Jasmine apologized. "Ooh, but you're wet!" She traced her index finger up and down Ashley's swollen folds.

Ashley gripped the edge of the sofa with white knuckles. "Yes," she hissed. "I can't help it. What you've been doing to me for the last hour has me so horny." She grabbed Jasmine's hand and pulled it away. Jasmine looked puzzled and Ashley said to her, "I want you to keep going, but I'm not allowed any sex for 8 weeks. The contractions might pull something loose."

Jasmine nodded, grabbed the razor, and finished her work with Ashley's legs. She took a cloth and wiped down her handiwork, pleased that it glided smoothly over her skin. Ashley's eyes shot open when she felt Jasmine apply the gel between her legs. "I said, I can't have sex!" she pouted.

"I know, I'm just going to trim you up. You know you'll feel better."

Ashley sat back and opened her legs wide. Jasmine got so close, Ashley could feel the warm breath wisping over her sensitive parts. Jasmine tediously turned the razor this way and that, using tiny strokes and taking care that she did not nick Ashley's sensitive parts nearby. She rinsed when she was done, and held a small mirror up, so Ashley could see the finished product. The area was completely free of any hair or stubble. A small, trimmed red landing strip pointed the way to her treasure. Ashley trailed a hand to feel herself and was thrilled with its smoothness. While she played lightly, she noticed Jasmine squirming.

"Go ahead. I know you want to touch yourself. I don't mind you looking at me while you get off."

Jasmine opened her jeans and plunged a hand inside her panties. She grunted huskily as her hand worked furiously to bring relief. "Keep your legs open and touch your clit...yes, just like that. Ohmygod, that is soo hot!" she croaked. On her knees between Ashley's legs, Jasmine couldn't resist sucking on Ashley's inner thigh dangerously close to Ashley's own hand.

Ashley gasped, "That feels so good, Jazz....ugh...but, I'm not supposed to cum...oh...oh fuck it!" She put her hand behind Jasmine's head and guided it to her. "A little cum won't hurt."

Jasmine licked Ashley's slit, reveling in the tangy sweet moisture that was dribbling out. The taste of Ashley drove her over the edge, making her climax into her hand and grunting with abandon into Ashley's clit. Ashley started moving her hips against Jasmine's mouth. Jasmine backed off after coming down from her high. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"No...but I want to anyway," Ashley answered. She guided Jasmine back to her and let her lick lightly for a bit. A small wave of pleasure signaled that Ashley was close, but the staples bit into her. "OW!" Ashley exclaimed, pushing Jasmine away. "Damn it!" She plopped her head back against the sofa.

Jasmine scrambled up next to Ashley, petting her face. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to hurt you."

Ashley shook her head. "It's not your fault." She slapped the sofa seat. "Fuck! I wanted to cum so bad!"

Jasmine planted soft kisses on Ashley's cheek. "I know, baby. You'll be able to later on. Everything's gotta heal first, I guess." She got up and redressed the incision then helped Ashley get into a fresh set of clothes. As Jasmine gathered the towels, sheets, and laundry, Joe called Ashley in between flights to check on her.

"Hey baby!" he greeted.

"Hi, sweetheart," she replied.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing...well, actually I'm really frustrated. You know, the whole 8 week thing."

"Ah...Um, sorry I can't help with that."

"You're not alone, are you?" Ashley asked.

"No, Cindy's next to me. We're on a one hour layover, so it's just as easy to wait here at the gate."

"You nervous?"

"Yeah, actually. If I were keeping the company, I wouldn't worry. But I'm not, so..."

"You're doing this for them, instead of you, right?"

"Exactly. Wish you were here...you know, to keep me calm."

"You'll be fine, I'm sure. Let me know when you land in Denver?"

"You bet. Love you lots, baby!"

"I love you more!" With that, they hung up.

Joe put his phone in its holster, looking off into nowhere. Cindy asked what he was thinking about, and he told her that talking with Ashley brought something up in his head. "I don't know why I thought of this, because it didn't actually come up. Anyway, what's the best way to announce the IPO?"

Cindy thought about this, weighing out the possibilities aloud to Joe. He responded to each suggestion by dismissing it and the reason why. "Well, if you don't want fanfare, why not just tell the employees?"

"Yeah, but how do we get it out in the open without throwing a parade or do a talk show waltz?"

Cindy smiled. "A quarter million computer-savy nerds who get their hands on an internal email that announces their popular company's IPO...gee how will the world know? You don't think Facebook or Twitter will light up within 30 seconds of you sending that out?"

Joe grinned sheepishly. "I guess techies do love their gossip and speculation."

"Exactly."

He sighed. "Okay, let's do it after the meeting tomorrow. Don't let me catch you being the one to leak it!"

"Aw, you're taking the fun out of my job," Cindy said and gave a fake pout that had them both chuckling.

"Speaking of taking fun out of a job..." Joe began. He asked for an update on the new target share price from the underwriter, where the road-show was this weekend, and other details.

Cindy answered all the questions professionally, but at the end she sounded concerned. "You know you won't be able to sell any of your personal shares until the end of July, right?"

"Yeah, I remember that from one of our first meetings over the phone. So?"

"Well, Carter is now debt-free thanks to your former trust, plus a lot of your personal money. Some of these IPO fees are really taking chunks from your accounts. Are you sure you don't want me to use some of Carter's funds to pay for this?"

"Yes...my decision, my payment."

"Well, by the time you graduate, I estimate that you'll have less than 10 million."

"I could not go to school and retire on that," he retorted.

"Maybe, but for that money to last 60 years or more on a comfortable lifestyle would be tough. I wouldn't count on football, either. You could get hurt on the first day of practice, then where would you be?"

"I know what I'm doing."

"Bullshit, Joe. You haven't seen half of what I've seen that goes on in the world. You're 18. You don't know what you're doing at all. Yes, the final decision is being made by you, but only after I and about 30 other people filter out all the crap to show you true possible outcomes."

"You're not so old, either, Cindy."

"And that's my point. You haven't seen half of my minuscule view. So, really...how much do you think you know?"

"A hell of a way to talk to your boss..." The sting of Cindy's hand crashing with his face surprised Joe to silence.

Cindy stared at him hard. She ignored the attention from passersby that her action garnered. "I'm not talking to you right now as your secretary. I'm warning you as a friend. Wake up! Don't be so high and mighty to think you have everything figured out. You better start thinking about what you have left. Believe me, the well CAN run dry."

Joe was seething at her slapping him, but it also grabbed his attention, and he heard every word she said. "I know wells can run dry," he began, but Cindy interrupted.

"You better believe it. In a snap it can be gone. Besides, the way you look at Ashley, and the way you talk about her with me, I hope you're keeping her in mind when you spend out this money like you are."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think you know. Before you ask her to walk the many miles beside you into either heaven or hell, make sure you have a plan to be able to keep you both alive and to have shoes on your feet the whole way." Cindy knew by the way Joe grumped in his seat that she had gotten through to him. He wouldn't know exactly what he needed to do, but that was her whole point. Just getting Joe to think about what his world would be like without money would help him greatly in life.

Chapter 28

After a short Lortab-induced nap, Ashley woke to find Jill and Kim to have returned from their shopping trip. She tried to find out what they got, but they stood firm in keeping their gifts secret. Ashley found a Harry Potter marathon on a cable station, and the four girls half watched, half chatted while eating dinner with Ashley in the den. About an hour after dinner was cleaned up and Ashley was changed into some pajamas, Joe called from his hotel room in Denver. Jill and Jasmine took the opportunity to head home. Kim retreated to the game room and worked the pool table alone to afford Ashley some privacy while she talked to her boyfriend.

The couple talked across the miles, each saying things they thought would give the other support. Joe said loving things to keep Ashley's spirits up in her recovery, and Ashley gave encouragement to keep Joe relaxed for his big meeting. The conversation lasted about 45 minutes before they started saying their goodnights, which took another 15. Before Ashley was about to end her call, Joe asked to talk to Kim.

"Why do you want to talk to her?"

"Ashley, don't get jealous now."

"I'm not...just curious."

"I just wanted to tell her that she's welcome to anything she wants in the house."

"You know I can do that just as well as you, Joe. Why do you really want to talk to her?"

Joe sighed, "Fine. I'd like to hear from an unbiased person how you're really doing."

Ashley's voice got chipper again. "Oh! That makes sense. Just say so next time. I love you. KIM!! JOE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT ME!"

Joe held his phone away from his ear with a grin. She really doesn't know her own voice, he thought. "I love you too, Ash. Have a good night."

"I hope you have a better one." Then Ashley blew a kiss through the phone.

While Kim said hello and made small talk in opening the conversation with Joe, she brought Ashley some water so she could take her pain pill for the night. Kim then went up to Ashley's room out of earshot.




Angels and Guardians Pt. 08



"So, what's up Joe?"

"How's she doing?"

"She seems to be in more pain tonight than I've seen her the last couple of days. I don't know if she moved funny or what, but something's changed."

"Ashley said something about being frustrated this afternoon, you think her and Jasmine tried something?"

"Well, she looked fresher when we got back and Jasmine said she was going to bathe her while Jill and I went shopping...maybe so."

"Well, I don't blame either one for trying if they did. But, would you remind them what the doctor said anyway?"

"Great, Joe. Make me be the bad guy here. If she's in pain because of something she tried, I think that's reminder enough. By the way, did Ashley mention that you're in a lot of trouble with Jasmine?"

"No. Why?"

"Jasmine went on all night about how you could let Ashley go all week without being cleaned up. She said she's gonna kick your ass at the airport when you get back."

"There's a happy thought," he said glumly. "I guess she's right, though. Anyway, how's Ashley's mood?"

"Other than pain, I guess you could say she's quieter than normal. I think we're going to have to keep her busy for quite a while."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, when she's bored, Ashley stares off, and I'm pretty sure she starts thinking about suddenly being barren. She puts on a good front, smiling and cracking jokes about herself, but the whole thing has gotta be eating at her, you know?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Well, thanks for watching her tonight."

"No problem. I won't let her sleep alone ever. I promise you that."

"Thanks Kim. Goodnight."

"Night, Joe. I love you. Uh...I meant we love you. Sorry, habit."

He chuckled. "Back at ya, Kim."

The next day, Jasmine and Jill showed up together. Jill made breakfast while Jasmine started her day putting a fresh bandage on Ashley. After breakfast, Jasmine worked on her normal chores while Kim and Jill dug out the Christmas decorations from the garage and busied themselves with decorating the house. Kim set up Ashley's laptop in the den so that Ashley could kill time playing WOW.

She had gotten so engrossed in catching up on her game that she barely noticed eating the sandwich Jasmine gave her at lunch. When her phone rang, though, she slapped the laptop shut in a rush to answer Joe's call.

"How's the meeting going?" she said after accepting the call.

"Hi to you too, sweetie."

"Sorry, Joe...Hi baby! I missed you so much, how are you?...There is that better?"

"Well, I'll take one of those to-go, but hold the sarcasm."

"Har har. You're killing me here. How's it going?"

"We're done."

"Already?"

"Already?! We started at 7 this morning. It's six now. I didn't even leave to have lunch."

Ashley looked at her watch. "Holy crap it's 7 now!"

"Yes, I know."

"So...?"

"Sew...a needle pulling thread..." Joe sang the musical line.

"Grr, Joe! KIM! TELL YOUR EX TO STOP TEASING ME!!"

Joe rubbed his ear. "Damn, girl. Not in the phone!"

"Then tell me what happened. Are y'all done done? Or just until tomorrow?"

"No, we're finished," he purposely deadpanned to keep her in suspense.

"Argh! Did it go well? Just tell me, please!"

"Fine. Yes, Carter got the contract."

"YES!!! I knew you could do it! HEY GUYS! HE GOT THE CONTRACT!!"

Joe anticipated her outburst and had the phone away from his hear until the vibration of her screaming stopped. "That's it, Ashley. I'm hanging up and calling the cell provider to restrict you to text only," he said happily.

"Oh, you hush!"

"No, that's my point to you! I love you, though."

"Oh, I so love you! I wish I could be there to celebrate with you. Are you and Cindy going out tonight?"

"Yeah, I asked her to prom."

"Well, I think y'all would make a great couple," Ashley teased. "NO! I didn't mean go out as in date...I just mean to celebrate."

"I know. Couldn't help but tease you. Actually, Cindy is on her second glass of wine from the bottle she bought. I'm celebrating by talking with you."

"Aww...Thank you! So, is she hot when she's tipsy?"

"What?" There was a muffled noise. "She says to tell you we're in our own rooms."

"If you are, how did she tell you to say that?"

"We have the dividing door open. And, I think she read your mind."

"About? Oh, nevermind. About if she's hot?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I can't wait for you to get here so I can celebrate with you."

"Me either. You doing ok?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Alright. Good night, then. I love you."

"I am so happy for you, Joe! I love you too."

The three girls who were well stayed the night with Ashley, filling each sofa with a young sleeping beauty. The next afternoon, Ashley tried every means she could think of to get them to let her go to the airport to meet Joe. She tried begging, pity, bribery, and even bluffed that she would blackmail them. The bribes got more and more interesting to coincide with her rising desperation. The last bribe attempt did tempt the other girls, as it was blatantly sexual in nature and promised a very happy ending for each. However, their genuine concern for her well-being won out, and they ended up playfully binding her hands and feet loosely with the medical tape intended for her bandage. She took it in good humor, giggling while she demanded she be set free because she had to pee. The demand was ignored and Jill told Kim and Jasmine to take the SUV while she stayed with Ashley.

Ashley threatened one more time before the two left, "Let me go, or I might pee my pants!"

Jasmine called on her way out the door, "Go ahead. Jill will clean you up!"

Jill called after her, "Thanks a lot guys!" After the side door closed, she looked at Ashley. "You don't really have to go that bad, do you?"

Ashley looked vulnerable in her navy sweats with her wrists and ankles highlighted by the white tape. "I did drink a lot of juice," she said with sad puppy eyes.

Jill rolled her eyes and started working on the tape at Ashley's wrists. "Damn, this tape is tougher than it looks. I'm gonna have to find some scissors."

Not being able to race to the bathroom for relief seemed to make things worse for Ashley's bladder. "Screw the scissors...get a knife from the kitchen!" she called. 

Jill came back with a knife and picked up Ashley's wrists. 

Ashley pulled her hands away. "Screw that. Free my ankles!"

Jill cut the tape near Ashley's feet and helped her up. Holding Ashley's elbow, she led her to the bathroom and started to shut the door.

Ashley protested, "What? You want me to go through my pants?"

Jill answered, "What do you mean?"

"My hands?"

Jill opened the door and saw Ashley doing a cute pee pee dance. "Oh for Christ's sake!" she said as she pulled down the sweatpants and underwear, and let Ashley down slowly to rest on the seat. Almost instantly Ashley sighed as a loud hiss rose up from the porcelain bowl. Jill thought to herself that Jasmine and Kim were lucky that Ashley made it, or there would have been hell to pay.

A couple of hours later, the den was filled with happy chattering as Joe and Cindy related their versions of the meeting with the military leaders. The versions were vastly different, as Joe of course was the focus of the meeting. However, the sensitive nature of what they were discussing required Cindy to be outside the room until talks turned toward payment and production timelines. While she was milling around the lobby, Cindy struck up a conversation with an interesting young Navy officer who was an aid to one of the admirals. Both were stuck as prisoners of boredom and passed the time getting to know each other. Her interest quadrupled when he told her that he and his admiral were stationed at the air traffic control school at the navy air station not far from her house. After they each arranged lunch to be brought in for their charges, the two assistants had their own meal together in the office complex's cafeteria. Soon, they were laughing with each other while they shared tales about their current and former boss's quirks and antics. Kim asked if Cindy planned to see him again, and she was told that they scheduled a date for Tuesday night.

They all ate dinner in the den to keep Ashley company, and afterward, Joe sat on Ashley's "sick bed" sofa, letting her rest her head in his lap. With her feet propped up on the armrest at the opposite end, Ashley laid peacefully listening to the various conversations. She was content to let Joe play with her hair, spreading the red sea over his whole lap at times, stroking and lovingly twisting it in his large fingers at others. Occasionally, she would drift off, again induced by the pain medicine. Jill noticed her slipping out of consciousness once and remarked quietly that tonight Ashley seemed the calmest she's been in a while. The others agreed, and Cindy surmised that it was probably the result of Joe being near her.

Cindy's phone beeped, and she checked the message. "Hey, Joe? Turn the TV on...Headline News."

Joe did and turned the volume down to not wake the sleeping beauty in his lap. "What are we looking for?" he asked.

"You'll see," Cindy answered.

After a few commercials, the news team returned to report on a breaking story. A sidebar appeared on the right of the screen etching out statistics for the privately owned Carter Electronics. The reporters announced that an anonymous email tipped them off about an IPO nearing for the venerable company. Details were sketchy, but the tip seemed to say that the company may hit the market in late January. The reporters finished up with a summary of accomplishments Carter has achieved, and related that the current owner was Joe, a highly-sought high school quarterback, and that he came to own the company after his parents died a few weeks ago. They played a few news clips that showed his news conference announcing the passing of his parents, as well as footage from the wreck where he had saved Ashley.

Joe muted the TV when they moved onto another story, and looked over at Cindy. "That was awfully fast. We sent that email to the employees during the layover this afternoon. You didn't have any part in this, I hope?"

Cindy flicked her eyes in baby-girl fashion. "What? Who? Me? Why would you think that?"

"Cindy...I thought we agreed..."

"We did, and don't worry. This didn't come from me, and I certainly didn't tell anyone to leak this. The plan worked though, right?"

"Yeah, sure did...maybe too quick."

"Eh, don't worry about it Joe."

Ashley stirred and Joe hushed her, running his fingers through her hair and she fell back into her slumber.

Cindy used the chance to pitch an idea to the other girls. "Joe said y'all thought it would be a good idea to keep Ashley busy for a while to keep her mind off things." The girls nodded. "Well, the plans for Carter's IPO road show have been finished up."

Jasmine questioned, "IPO road show?"

Joe answered, "Basically it's a tour our underwriters do to pitch the company to carefully selected investors. Those investors hopefully will buy about 80% of the outstanding stock when it's released."

"Like a political campaign?" asked Jasmine.

"Sort of, only the votes we're trying to get are checks written by the investors. Some are private individuals, but mostly IPO's are pitched to high-level management of banking and investment firms."

Jasmine got it and nodded.

Cindy continued, "Well, at these stops, the underwriter gives away gift packages, dinners, etc. to woo the investors. Anyway, I was thinking about having Ashley perform at two of the stops."

The girls looked at each other. Kim spoke up, "When are you thinking?"

"Well, the IPO launch should happen in late January, I was thinking about the stop that's scheduled the Saturday before you go back to school. Then also at the last one that's scheduled two Saturdays later."

Kim frowned and Jill expressed their concern. "That's awfully tight for Ashley's recovery."

Kim chimed in, "Yeah...like only four days after her bed rest orders expire."

Cindy nodded. "I know. But it would be a distraction for her. I was weighing it in my head, too. I mean, should we let her sit around here and take a chance that she'll mope into depression? Or, would we be able to keep her active and take a chance that it might be too much for her physically?"

Joe actually didn't want either and so kept quiet to see what the girls thought. The three let out an audible sigh as they thought about it. Eventually a consensus was reached that Ashley would be better off not being allowed to think too much about her loss of ability to have children. They agreed that none of them would ever tell her why they wanted her to consider it, and that Ashley would have final say in whether she wanted to do it.

Ashley woke a little later, and Cindy, Jill and Jasmine took the opportunity to say good bye for the night. Joe returned after walking them out and knelt in front of Ashley's sofa. He told her that he was beat from the trip and was heading to bed. The two hugged and kissed tenderly for several minutes while Kim went to refill Ashley's drink and tidied up the dinner mess in the kitchen.

Late the next morning Ashley was jolted awake by her phone ringing on the TV tray. The school's guidance counselor called to see how she was doing with everything. They talked at length about the emotional toll Ashley's trauma put her through. After that thread died down, the counselor reviewed Ashley's academic requirements for graduation and helped fill out her class schedule. Ashley was given an option of when her two study halls would be, and she settled on having them first and last period, allowing her to start her homework before heading home, and she would be able to finish cramming for tests before her first class.

That afternoon, Joe and Kim took Ashley to the surgeon for a follow up, and after a number of questions, he removed her staples. He ordered one more day of bed rest if her OB/GYN agreed tomorrow, and instructed her to take it easy after that. Ashley was relieved that she wouldn't have to be confined to the sofa much longer. They left the office and Ashley begged Joe and Kim to take her to a store so she could do some Christmas shopping. The pleas only resulted in Joe driving straight home. They returned to find Jasmine waiting for them. Joe said that he needed to do some shopping and that he would be gone a few hours. Ashley was about to protest but Kim did it for her, berating Joe for announcing his shopping trip right after keeping Ashley from doing hers. Ashley got an idea and asked Joe to wait for Kim, then asked him and Jasmine to leave the room for a bit. She quietly asked Kim to pick up specific things for her friends and handed her debit card over. Ashley thanked Kim for doing this for her by giving her a long sweet kiss.

With Joe and Kim gone, Jasmine took the opportunity to give Ashley her last sponge bath. Only this time Jasmine kept her focus and no playtime resulted. She finished the chore by cleaning and redressing the incision area and helped Ashley into a polo and jeans. Shortly after Jasmine arranged fresh bedding, the house phone rang. Jasmine answered and excitedly punched some numbers on the phone. "Ooh...I have a surprise for you!" she exclaimed to Ashley.

A few minutes later, Jasmine answered the knock on the front door and returned to the den. Behind her was Ashley's mom and dad. Ashley almost jumped up, but Jasmine kept her planted to the sofa by pressing on her shoulder.

"Daddy!" Ashley squealed from her seat.

Her dad stepped over quickly and sat on the front edge of the sofa to give his daughter a very long tight hug. "Hi pumpkin! I'm am so sorry I couldn't be here earlier."

Ashley held onto him and laid her head on his shoulder. "It's okay. Mom told me why."

He listened intently while Ashley related what had happened, even though his wife already had told him. Her injury and it's result didn't seem real until Ashley said it was. Her mom wiped away a few tears when Ashley got to the part about not being able to have children. He responded by renewing his hug around Ashley and petting her long hair. Jasmine wondered if he hugged her then in order to hide his own tears. Ashley finished her story by relating her visit to the surgeon earlier.

Jill came over just as Ashley was finishing briefing her dad, and Joe and Kim returned shortly after Jill arrived. Joe made dinner, and Ashley sat at a table for the first time in a couple of weeks. Commander Roberts entertained the group with stories from the war exercise. Nothing about tactics or anything like that, but rather he related humorous stories of his green shipmates trying to be macho and failing miserably.

They all retired to the den where Ashley sat propped against Joe's side on her 'sick bed.' After the conversation died off, she said that she was in the mood for some Christmas music. Joe picked up a remote from the end table nearby, but Ashley swiped the button encrusted wafer from his hand. "Bring my guitar, would you Kim?"

Kim looked at Joe, then Jasmine for permission, but both shrugged, so she disappeared for a couple of minutes to retrieve the instrument from it's case in the living room. She handed it to Ashley, commenting that the guitar looked huge against Ashley's small frame. Ashley shrugged, saying that it was comfortable to her. That was until she let the back of the guitar rest against her. After some adjusting to make it comfortable against her still healing incision, she asked, "So, anything y'all would like first?" When she didn't get any answers, she started playing some chords and broke into 'Silent Night.' The others joined in singing with her a number of carols. At some point Joe got up, picked her up from under her arms and deposited her against the corner of the sofa. He left the room and returned with two fiddles. When he handed Ashley hers and took the guitar from her, Kim was about to protest that Ashley would be moving her arm too much, but Jill stopped her by touching her knee.

"Let the girl be in a good mood," Jill whispered to Kim. "Happiness is the best medicine for her right now."

Kim nodded, then listened to the couple play a few holiday duets. Jasmine had always listened to Joe play the violin with adoration, and she thought that he would be a hard act to follow as far as playing it expressively. However, Ashley was just as good, and Jasmine was moved to tears by the music. The pair didn't seem to be playing the instruments, but it was more like they coaxed the fiddles to sing by themselves.

They played for a couple of hours before Ashley finally declared she was too tired to play any more. She thanked every one for coming to see her, and Joe walked them all out, leaving Kim and Ashley in the den. Kim put away the instruments then sat with Ashley, giving her a hug and telling her how much she enjoyed the entertainment in between shared smooches. Joe returned after a length of time and took Kim's place next to Ashley.

"What took so long?" asked Ashley.

"Your dad and I were talking about the communications package I pitched in Denver," he said simply.

They hugged and kissed for a while, then they closed out the night with Joe and Kim changing out her bandage for the last time.

The OB/GYN visit went well the next day, the doctor declaring that aside from the reproductive parts missing, Ashley would have a normal healthy life. She was advised to gradually increase daily activities and to be abstinent for 7 more weeks. Then the doctor approached her about finding a plastic surgeon to hide the scaring. After much discussion, Ashley insisted to let things heal naturally. The scar would be part of her and who she is now.

Back at home, Joe worked at the dinette table in the kitchen, paying bills, reading requests regarding the company, and writing out Christmas cards. Kim and Ashley watched TV, with Ashley doodling in a small notebook occasionally. The sheets and other 'sick supplies' had been removed from the den after Ashley assured Joe and Kim that she would be strong enough to climb the stairs that night. When she did climb the stairs, Ashley was surprised that she felt tenderness along her healing wound. She said goodnight to Kim, then joined Joe in his bed. They talked for a bit and she wrapped herself around Joe's side, drifting off against his shoulder.




Angels and Guardians Pt. 08



The next morning was Christmas Eve, and Ashley woke to feeling Joe being hot and hard against her leg. She looked over and found him still asleep. She reached down and gently played with him, feeling it get even more hard at her touch. Ashley leaned over and planted kisses at Joe's throat and chin. When he stirred she covered his mouth with hers, dipping her tongue past his teeth to touch his. She increased the pace of her stroking, and he turned his head slightly to break the kiss.

"No sex, remember?" he admonished.

"I'm not having sex," she answered. "You are. I gotta do something to keep you with me," she smiled.

Joe groaned at the pleasure she was giving him between his legs. "You don't need to do anything to keep me with you, other than be yourself."

"Aww, you're sweet. Now, just lay back and enjoy my handjob."

He rolled his eyes back in his head when she teased the skin between his sack and anus with her fingernails. What she was doing felt absolutely delicious. When he started to buck his hips against her hand, Ashley increased her pressure and jacked him from tip to base. Joe didn't last long after that, and Ashley watched the milky liquid spurt from his cock and land on his stomach. She soothed his member by licking it softly, then taking it in her mouth. He bucked a couple more times against her and she swallowed the small amount he pulsed then. Ashley took the top sheet and used it to wipe off her hand and his stomach.

"Merry Christmas," she said.

"It's not Christmas until tomorrow."

"Oh, you didn't like your gift?"

"My gift? Oh! I loved this morning!" He pecked Ashley on the cheek.

"Why didn't you kiss me on my mouth?"

"Well, you just...uh."

She understood. "You don't want to see what you taste like?" she teased.

"HELL no!" His face contorted into disgust.

Ashley was in a playful mood. "Come on, Joe. Give me a kiss." She pursed her lips and leaned toward him.

He twisted out from her. "No way...I'm not trying to be mean...but no! Yuck!"

She laughed. "Okay, okay I'll stop teasing you," she said as she got out of bed and went to the bathroom to prepare for the day.

That afternoon, it seemed as though everybody stopped by. All the Angels were there, as well as Sally, Marybeth, and Allison's boyfriends. Cindy arrived with her interest, her date with him having gone very well. Ashley's parents showed up mid-afternoon, and soon the kitchen was bustling with activity. Released from her chain to the sofa, Ashley was the center of attention while she was perched on a breakfast barstool. Joe, Jasmine, Kim, and Jill were all working in the kitchen to finish the meal, brushing off repeated offers of help from the others.

When it was time to eat, Jasmine told Ashley to pick her spot at the table. Ashley resisted and started to walk toward the counter to get her plate. Kim literally placed her hands on Ashley's back and pushed her into the dining room. Ashley protested that she didn't want to sit alone, so Kim took a seat next to her. Ashley's parents smiled when they saw Joe set a full plate in front of Ashley. It was the first time they had ever seen Joe not being served himself. He went back in to get his own plate while Jasmine set one in front of Kim, discreetly giving her a kiss as she set it down. Once everyone was sitting at the large table, Joe stood and thanked everyone for coming. Then, he said a prayer to thank God for Ashley's recovery, the gift of the friends present and the food on the table.

Dinner ended and Ashley's heart fell when Jasmine announced it was time for the gift exchange in the den.

Ashley was walking slow, looking for all the world like she was marching toward her own funeral. "I don't have anything to give all these guys," she remarked quietly to Kim.

"Don't worry about it...you pulling through your injuries is gift enough for all of us."

"That should make me feel better, I know. But, it doesn't."

Kim took her friend by the hand and led her into the den. Ashley's gifts to everyone were handed out first, much to her bewilderment. Kim patted her knee and whispered in her ear that Jasmine and Cindy set it up. The group opened the gifts at the same time, finding a CD labeled "Ashley's Song." One by one, they came up and hugged and thanked Ashley. And so an hour went by as they opened gifts from each other. Ashley was flattered and embarrassed that she had the largest pile. The gifts reflected what the girls and her parents could afford, ranging from a photo album whose theme was cheerleading last season to a new iPod from her parents. She sincerely thanked each giver with a hug, telling them honestly that she treasured the gift she was given.  

The group kept it to themselves, but they all noticed one gift was starkly missing; Joe's gift to Ashley. In fact, she started to wonder herself if he had gotten her anything. Ashley kept telling herself that he was awfully busy with work and school, then she fell ill and he had to deal with that, too. Besides, he had given her a place to live, a car, and not to mention his love. Even still, wouldn't he have at least gotten a card?

When the last gift had been opened, Joe knelt by the now giftless tree and reached up inside as if adjusting a branch or pine cone. He stood up and asked Ashley to come outside with him.

"Why?"

"I need to talk to you for a bit."

She rolled her eyes. Of all the time they had the last two days, he picks now to have a chat? Ashley grabbed her sweatshirt and pulled it over her head as she went out to meet Joe by the pool.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Let's go for a walk," he said while leading her down to the path in the back yard.

"Okay...so we're walking."

"Yeah." He paused to pick a leaf off a bush to play with it. "How long do you think it should take for someone to know that they love someone?"

"Well, that's a loaded question. I've loved you since our first stay together in the hospital."

"Would you say you love me enough to stay?"

"I'm here, aren't I?"

Joe nodded. "This is true."

They walked for a while, and Ashley tried to coax what was eating at Joe from him. He ended up talking about the crazy Fall they experienced, his parents dying, and dealing with what he inherited. They circled around and were back to the pool patio when he finished. Joe looked down and spotted a dried up leaf clinging to Ashley's sandal. He knelt down to pick it off. Ashley thought it was cute, but then wondered why he stayed there, tracing the webbing of her sandal with his finger.

"I wasn't completely honest when you asked what took so long the other night," Joe said quietly.

"What? You didn't talk with my dad about Denver?"

Joe shook his head. "No."

"Then what is it? You're starting to scare me."

Joe smiled, but she couldn't see it since he was still looking at the ground. "I did talk to your dad, but not about that."

She was relieved somewhat, but where was he leading? "What did you two talk about then?"

Still kneeling, he looked up at her. "I was asking him for permission to give you this." He swiftly pulled out a small velvet box with a gold ribbon tied around it. "Before you see it, let me say this. I asked how long does it take to know you love someone. I really don't know, but my heart says that I'm in love with you, and I always will be. You've been with me through the hardest part of my life, and you haven't flinched or shied away, even though you were hurt yourself. I'm a better person when you're around, and you bring so much joy and fun to my life. So, I'm asking you to please consider the next question carefully before answering." He undid the bow and opened the box, holding it before her. "Ashley, will you marry me?"

The whole string after seeing him pull out the box played in slow motion through Ashley's head. To her, it seemed to be fifteen minutes before she responded. To Joe, he no sooner had let his voice trail off than she folded herself around his head, hugging and kissing the top of it. "Yes!" she whispered through her tears.

He picked her up and hugged her tightly in midair. "I don't think I heard you."

"YES!" she croaked loudly, her voice choked with emotion.

After a bit, Joe realized he was still holding the box. "You haven't even looked at the ring yet."

"Yeah, I did," she lied.

"What does it look like?"

"Um...a bread tie twisted into a ring?"

Joe laughed. "No...the ring is small, but I didn't go that cheap."

He put her down and she took the small box from his hand. It was a simple dainty ring, the solitary diamond seemed to sparkle all on its own in the fading light. "It's perfect!" Ashley exclaimed.

"Not too small?"

She took it out and he grabbed it from her before slipping it onto her finger. "No...it's perfect! The best Christmas present ever!"

He watched her hold out her hand as she studied how it looked on her finger. "It's only a half karat, but the stone is certified flawless and colorless..."

Ashley interrupted, "I said it was perfect, didn't I? For you, I would have been happy with a bread tie." She turned her hand slightly to watch the fire sparkle inside the stone. "But, this is an expensive piece...I can tell. It feels so weird to wear a ring."

"It looks like you've been wearing it all along," Joe said in wonder.

"It's like it was made for me." She reached up, put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "How did you know it would fit?"

"Total guess...on Jasmine's part."

"She knew?"

"Yeah."

"Who else?"

"No one. I wanted it to be a surprise."

Ashley thought briefly on how to punish Jasmine for not at least dropping hints. "It sure was. I'm so happy, you cannot believe."

Joe pulled her tight to his chest. "Thank God! I was really hoping you wouldn't say no."

"Never!" She gave him one more kiss. "Let's go back in...it's starting to get chilly."

They walked through the door and were greeted by applause, cheers, and whistles from the happy group who had watched the proposal through the window. After a round of hugs from everyone, especially her parents, the females crowded around Ashley to admire her new ornament. When the excitement died down a bit, most of the group bid farewell and headed home.

Ashley wanted to go to Midnight Mass for Christmas, and her, Joe, and Kim got changed and headed over to church. They arrived early, and about 15 minutes before the Mass started, the sacristy lady came up to them and asked if Ashley would lead the hymns, as the choir had not been scheduled for the late Mass. Ashley said yes, and a stool was placed behind the lectern. Ashley asked Joe if he'd play for her, and of course he said yes.

Once the priest reached his position to open the Mass, he said a few opening prayers, then introduced Ashley. 

"If some of you have been living in holes the last few months, our songleader tonight is Ashley Roberts. The name might sound familiar, because we've been praying for her the last two weeks. It's a Christmas blessing to see her singing here, even if she is sitting on the job." 

The congregation applauded and laughed at the joke. Ashley smiled and tipped her hand in response. The Mass proceeded as usual, although a bit more casually due to the late hour. At the end, the priest thanked Ashley for leading the music, once more expressing his gratitude to see her well. He asked the congregation before the final hymn how they thought she did, and a solid round of applause ensued.

Chapter 29

Sometime in the days following, the usual group approached Ashley about performing on the IPO road show. She was concerned about traveling so soon and had asked why they wanted her to sing for this. Joe explained what the tour was for, and having her perform would be a bonus perk to impress investors. The group didn't mention that they wanted her to keep her mind off her loss. After a lengthy conversation, she agreed to sing at the last stop, but not the one in the next week. That would be too much to deal with since school would have started that week.

School started the next week, and Ashley's new ring gathered lots of attention. She fielded lots of questions as to when the wedding would be, but she didn't know and that was her answer. The wedding theme continued that week when a bride to be called Ashley out of the blue to ask her to sing at her wedding, both the ceremony and the reception. The musicians scheduled had a disagreement with the contract, and the couple needed to find a replacement. When Ashley asked when the event was, she was told the following Saturday. She agreed, but was curious as to how the bride came up with her. The bride told Ashley that she and her fiancée were in the congregation for Midnight Mass and decided they wanted her to do their wedding.

And so started a very busy school semester. Ashley enlisted Joe and Jill to help with the wedding gig, which the wedding party was very pleased with. Before long, Ashley was booked nearly every weekend to perform at some event or another. After her road show appearance, Ashley started thinking about finding a band, a project that gained urgency after booking the next two weekends. She loved having Joe accompany her, but she knew he didn't have quite as much passion to play as she did.

Ashley got a tremendous lift when Tales of The Blind contacted her about singing with them. That show happened to be on one of the weekends that was open. She and Joe were flown to Atlanta the Friday night before the concert, and they were afforded an evening with Jon and his manager. She had lots of questions about how he started out, picking a band, etc. Jon patiently answered them all, giving her and Joe lots of insight. His manager also gave tips and pointers, as well as pitfalls to watch for. She was brought out during the second song the next night, and the crowd quickly warmed up to her voice and energy on stage. Ashley stayed on stage for the rest of their concert. Before leaving the next morning, the Tales' manager gave Ashley a list of musicians local to her that might be interested in forming a group.

Now that the IPO was over and the company was no longer in Joe's direct control, he sold the aircraft to Carter, Inc. He became less distracted and focused his attention onto Ashley. With most of his classes coinciding with hers, he spent nearly every minute that spring at her side. In early February, Joe surprised everyone including Ashley by announcing that he would not be playing football when he entered college. Instead, he was turning his passion toward his bride-to-be and her endeavors. The announcement sparked a rather intense argument between him and Ashley, but he put it to rest, saying that he had no more passion for football. He found her notebook one day and flipped through it to find page after page of poems about her life. Her scribbled doodles framed the poems in the margins. Joe asked her if she was writing songs, but Ashley just said that they were poems she'd think of when she was bored. The doodles were drawn whenever she hit a block. That night he sat down at the piano with her notepad and started playing whatever came into his head to match her words. The first song he actually wrote out the notes by hand. He found this tedious, so he purchased a keyboard and hooked it up to a computer in the living room, now turned music room. As he played the tunes on the keyboard, his software would write out the music on screen. Then he would type in her poems to match the notes. Inside three weeks, he had music for each poem she had written so far. 

Cindy stayed on with Carter to help with the transition, but soon she was no longer needed. Joe hired her directly to be a personal assistant to himself and Ashley. She held tryouts from the musician list and worked with Ashley to put together a four piece band. Ashley and her group made its debut at The Shack just before spring break. Doug, the officer Cindy met in Denver, had successfully bumped his status with her to boyfriend, and for a while he tried to get Cindy to leave Joe to find more "stable" work. Cindy would tell him that she actually trusted Joe and Ashley more than she trusted him. Her workload increased somewhat when Joe and Ashley announced that they were getting married in the summer before college started. Doug would often tag along when Cindy met with Joe and Ashley, and the more he got to know them, the more he understood why Cindy wouldn't ever leave them.

The manager for Tales of The Blind introduced Cindy to his contact with their record label. She handed the recruiter her Christmas present CD. He thanked her for her time and tried to dismiss Cindy. Cindy, of course, knew a blow-off when she saw it, since she had often used them when she was at Carter. Being the persuasive woman she was, she thanked the recruiter for his being considerate of her time, but she could wait a little while more for him to listen to the CD and give her his opinion, no matter what he thought. He sighed and inserted the disc into his player, fully intending to say some hurtful things after a few bars to get Cindy to leave in tears. Instead, when he listened his head cocked intently and he said nothing until the end. He asked some pointed questions as to where she found the piece, how she knew the artist, etc. Cindy left with a contract for Ashley to sign.

At Cindy's urging, Ashley skipped the campus tours promised by Joe in the fall to record her first album. Joe offered Jill and Jasmine to take them around to schools like he promised, but they insisted that he go with Ashley to Nashville. He did keep his promise of a trip by flying all of them to Nashville. Ashley had fun at the recording sessions at first, but after singing Ashley's Song for the 80th time on the first day, she decided that this was indeed a job. During breaks, though, Ashley would strum some nonsense tune and kept spirits light by spouting off whatever rambled through her head. The director quickly learned to keep the recorders on whenever Ashley had a guitar in hand, and many of her antics ended up on a limited edition bonus CD. The recording part was done by Thursday, and the photo shoot for the cover and insert was held Friday. That Saturday, the group all sat down to work out cover designs. Jasmine really shined during this session. In fact, she took over by pitching her idea of having Ashley's picture framed by an image of her doodles in her notepad. In a matter of minutes, she laid out on the computer both covers of the CD, as well as the lyric insert. Everyone loved the idea, and it was saved as-is for the printer. The art director was so impressed that he held Jasmine back to offer her a job with the label.

Jasmine at first refused, saying that she wanted to complete school. They stepped up their offer, and she said no, that she also wanted to stay near her friends while in school. Then she was offered a nice contract where she could telecommute. She would be sent a packet that included a profile of the band or artist, previous releases and how those covers looked, as well as photos from their concerts if they had any. Her job was to take all that information and design CD packaging that matched the artist's personality. She signed at that point and worked for them until the end of her days, which came much sooner than anyone would have liked.

Graduation arrived with much pomp and circumstance, as they say. Ashley and Joe were invited to attend several award banquets leading up to the big day. In sports, Ashley and Jasmine tied for outstanding athlete in cheerleading. Jill won the leadership award for the area in that sport. Joe attended three banquets for his participation in football. For the school, he won overall MVP, outstanding athlete in football, the leadership award, as well as the spirit award for outstanding sportsmanship on the field. At the newspaper's area award banquet for high school seniors, he won the leadership award, and student-athlete of the year, but came in second for overall MVP. Bill, Ashley's ex, was there and he was also nominated for the MVP, but he came in fourth. Ashley and Joe were surprised when Bill came up to them afterward to congratulate them on getting engaged. He apologized to Ashley for his treatment of her and said goodbye. The pair also won a few academic awards, with Joe also winning the Rotary Club's Top Economics Student award for NW Florida, and Ashley winning the top music award for area seniors.