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Never My Love

By: MoogPlayer



As always, this story is pure and total fiction so; remember that anything CAN and usually DOES happen in a fictional story. One more thing, this story is dedicated to two of the kindest, most sincere people that I know, and I won't mention their full names because they know who I'm talking about, don't you, Peter and Trish? LOL! 

As far as everyone else is concerned, I hope that God blesses you each and every one, especially the kind folks I just mentioned. One more thing, all of the characters mentioned in this story are purely fictional. Oh, and please don't forget to vote...

 MoogPlayer

 P.S. This particular story is a long one, the longest one I've ever written, my books included, so; be prepared to sit down and stay a while once you start reading this. 

~~~~~~

"Fate is the one thing that can not be willed, changed, or controlled; it can only be accepted..."

Aristophanes 

450 B.C. - 388 B.C.

~~~~~~

"Oh, my goodness," she suddenly gasped, "Forgive me for not recognizing you."

"Don't worry about it," I coldly replied, "People seldom do these days."

"Oh, no, please," she apologetically said, "That's not what I meant."

"Is that right," I mordantly asked her, "Then tell me, what did you mean?"

~~~~~~

Chapter One

Hi, my name is Jacob Benson, but my friends and family members all call me Jake. I stand about six feet, two inches tall, weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of two hundred and fifteen, to two hundred and twenty pounds; I have sky blue eyes, and my long dark brown, almost black, hair is beginning to get a little grey at my temples.

I retired from the music industry a few years ago after almost thirty years of playing rock and roll. I'm fifty-three, going on fifty-four years old, but what you're about to read began right before I graduated high school.

~~~~~~

I grew up in a small town that I won't even bother mentioning the name of, but if it's a location that you want, suffice it to say that it is about fifty miles south of Houston, Texas, down on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

I have two female siblings, twin sisters, named Leah and Laura, who are almost two years younger than me. I love them both dearly and I couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to either of them, hence the reason things happened to me the way they did.

My Mom and Dad are both very hard working people; Dad, whose name is Jack, was a U.S. Marshall, and Mom, whose name is Naomi, was a Professor at a Junior College not too far from home. 

I was a pretty normal kid growing up, with the exception that Mom put me behind a piano when I was five, which, is part of what this story is about, but I'll tell you more about that in a little while.

~~~~~~

Around the age of eleven or twelve was when I began to look at girls differently. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't an idiot, and I knew all about the birds and the bees; but I just felt like there were more important things that I needed to be doing with myself at that time in my life.

I'd played at more than several piano recitals by that time, and I knew then that being a professional musician was what I wanted to do with my life. Believe it or not, both of my parents supported me in my decision as well. Hell, Mom not only had a beautiful singing voice, but also minored in voice when she was in college. Therefore, she helped me find a voice teacher, because she told me that she thought I had what it took to maybe one day sing and play professionally.

Don't get me wrong, I had no delusions of grandeur, because even as young as I was at the time, I knew that music wasn't an easy profession to break into, regardless of how good I, or anyone else thought I was. But still, I studied very hard throughout school, and learned to play and sing every piece of music that was placed in front of me, as well as every piece of music that I could get my hands on.

~~~~~~

When I got to high school I studied very hard. My band teacher and my choir teacher both encouraged me to do the very best that I could. However, it never fails that once a guy turns fourteen or fifteen, he begins to stray from his studies because of the fact that when his hormones start kicking in, he develops a tendency of trying to attract members of the opposite sex; and I was no exception.

In my case, it was a girl named Robyn Beryl that I had the hots for. She was in the same grade as me, and had transferred in from another school district at the start of my ninth grade, or freshman year in high school; not to mention that was as beautiful as could be. She had long, honey blonde hair that fell to just past her waist, and bright blue eyes along with a body to die for, or so I thought, even though we were only fourteen, going on fifteen at the time.

Needless to say, every guy in our school went batshit the moment they first laid eyes on her, too; and like before, I was no exception. But, I was very surprised to find out that she and I shared four out of six of my classes together that year so; I made certain that I introduced myself to her at the earliest given opportunity.

~~~~~~

Because we had so many classes together, Robyn and I quickly became good friends, or so I thought; and it took hardly any time at all before I realized that I was absolutely crazy about her. However, because I was really shy around girls back then, I was also too embarrassed to ask her out. Little did I realize that I would've had better luck jumping off the long end of a short pier where dating Robyn was concerned?

So, during my freshman year in high school, I sat watching from a distance while other guys asked her out on dates, which, she'd accepted. I couldn't tell her that I'd fallen in love with her, because I was certain that she would've laughed in my face, just like rest of my classmates would've done. I didn't think that I was ugly, but I also didn't think I was worthy of someone as beautiful as Robyn either, or should I say that, because of her lack of interest, I was made to feel that way.

After finally realizing that it was hopeless, I resigned myself to the fact that Robyn and I would never be anything more than just friends, regardless of how badly it hurt just being near her. So, for the rest of the time I was in high school, I simply kept my nose to the grindstone and worked hard to keep my grades up.

~~~~~~

It was during my senior year in high school that my life took an extremely, as well as exceptionally different turn. My twin sisters were now sophomores, and of course, were very popular among the people that I attended high school with. All my life, their little female friends always went on and on to Leah and Laura about what a hunk they thought I was. Of course, when they were little, I though it was cute, but now that my sisters' friends had started growing up and were no longer little girls, I was of a different opinion. 

Still though, I'd known these little cuties for practically all of my life, and for me to make a play for any of them would've not only infuriated both of my sisters, but it also would've made me feel like I was more or less robbing the cradle. Besides, my heart still belonged to Robyn Beryl and always would as far as I was concerned. Little did I realize what lay in wait for me on the not too distant horizon?

~~~~~~

What I'm about to tell you is what drastically, as well as permanently, changed the way I looked at life. One afternoon in March of that year, right before Spring Break, I was in the band hall, which adjoined the theater. These two dumb asses that I went to school with, Ricky Morris, and Teeter Johnston, were both hiding up in the Spotlight Booth of the theater smoking a joint. However, they got careless and accidentally lit fire to the rack of extra gel lenses for the spotlight, and from there the fire very quickly got out of control.

The fire bells immediately went off, and people began to flee from the building. However, I knew that both of my sisters had Drama Class at that time and were somewhere in the theater; and because I didn't see them among those who were leaving the building, I suddenly became very afraid. Several people tried to stop me from going back into what was now a fiery, out of control, inferno, but my sisters were in there and I wasn't about to let anything happen to either one of them.

I grabbed and ripped a loose piece of canvas that had been placed on walls of the band hall, for the purposes of soundproofing the room, which was right next door to the theater, and then away I went in search of them. Before I even got to the door, I saw Leah coming out of the building coughing her head off and screaming at the top of her lungs.

I quickly took her by the shoulders and asked, "Where's Laura, where is she?"

"You've got to help her, Jake," Leah cried, coughing, "She's trapped in the girl's dressing room."

"You stay out here," I told her, "I'm going in after her."

"Please hurry, Jake," my sister cried, "Hurry, before it's too late."

~~~~~~

I ran into the building that had now become way beyond a very dangerous place to be. Everywhere I looked I saw that the fire was rapidly consuming everything in sight. Flaming pieces of blazing ceiling tiles were crashing down all around me, every bit of it on fire. The whole ceiling of the theater was now a blinding sheet of flame, as the fire began to swiftly creep not only down the walls, but also across the wooden floor of the stage, drawing ever nearer as the seconds ticked swiftly away.

I knew that I was going to have to find my sister quickly, or else she would die; and that was something that was totally unacceptable to me, even if I had to give my own life in order to save hers.

"God," I silently but quickly prayed, "Please give me the strength to find my little sister. I can't leave here without her, I just can't, please, Lord, help me find her"

"LAURA," I began to yell, "WHERE ARE YOU? LAURA!!!! IT'S ME, JAKE. WHERE ARE YOU, BABY GIRL? LAURA!!!! LAURA, WHERE ARE YOU?"

Suddenly from behind me, I heard a very terrified, as well as very familiar female voice screaming, "JAKE!!! JAKE!!! WE'RE IN HERE!!! PLEASE HELP US...JAKE!!!!"

I still had sense enough to know where I was, and I knew that Laura's voice was coming from the female dressing room, and with as much power and strength that I could muster, I kicked the door as hard as I could, making it fly open to reveal my sister, Laura, and one of her female classmates, a girl named Teri Palmer, huddling beneath a table inside the girls dressing room, with fear clearly written across their pretty little faces.

"COME WITH ME, NOW," I shouted, pulling both of them from beneath the table where they'd been hiding, underneath the canvas cloth that I was using to cover myself with. We still weren't out of danger yet, because once we were all three together, and as I began leading them out of the building, we had to dodge the pieces of ceiling that were falling onto the ground in every direction we looked, making a fiery maze between where we were and the door that we were trying desperately to get to...

~~~~~~

By this time the fire department had arrived, and firemen who were wearing flame retardant clothing, now stood all around us, helping to lead the three of us to the door and then from the building. Laura and her friend made it out untouched, but right before I breached the threshold of the door, a huge piece of the flaming ceiling came crashing down on top of me, which not only knocked the small piece of canvas off of me, but also landed directly on top of the exposed skin of my left side.

The moment I hit the ground, I felt strong blasts of cold water on me coming from every direction, extinguishing the flames that felt hot upon my skin. Unfortunately I still received second and third degree burns to the left side of my face, neck and arm, as well as halfway down my torso. The only thing I knew to do was to cover my eyes with my hands the moment the ceiling came crashing down on me, and the last thing I remembered hearing, were the sounds of sirens as the emergency vehicles began arriving on the scene...

~~~~~~

GALVESTON BURN CENTER

GALVESTON, TEXAS

8 HOURS LATER

I woke to the sounds of machines whirring and beeping all around me. I didn't know where I was, but I was aware of the fact that my both of my eyes were completely bandaged, and I couldn't see a thing.

"Where am I?" I fearfully asked, trying to keep from panicking, "What's happening?"

"It's okay, baby, you're in the hospital," I heard my mother sniffling; "Thank God you're alive."

"Where are Leah and Laura?" I asked, still afraid, "Are they okay?"

"We're right here, Jake," Leah cried, taking my left hand and holding it to her face, "You were so brave, big brother, and I love you so much."

"Would someone mind telling me how I got here?" I asked, "The last thing I remember is trying to get out of the theater at school, and it was burning all around me."

"You saved mine and Teri Palmer's lives, Jake," Laura wept, firmly holding onto my right hand and kissing it, making it damp with her tears, "You pushed us out of that burning building before you...." and then she began to cry so hard that she couldn't continue.

"You saved your sisters' lives, Jake," I heard my Dad tell me in a shaky voice, gently taking my left hand from Leah's grasp, "And I can't begin to tell you how proud of you that I am, son."

"I had to save them," I nonchalantly replied, "They're not only my sisters, but they're also my responsibility. Besides; there was no way in hell that I was about to let anything happen to either one of them."   

"You're such a good boy, Jake," Mom sniffled, gently taking my hand from my father's grip, "You've always been a good boy, baby."

"Am I going to be alright?" I asked, feeling better because I now knew that my sisters were okay, "The whole left side of my body feels like it's numb."

"The doctor told us that you received second and third degree burns to over thirty percent of your body, son," Dad said, "But she also told us that you're going to live, and that's what's most important."

"Am I blind?" I asked, beginning to panic again, "Tell me that I'm going to be able to see again...please..."

~~~~~~

"The reason that we covered your eyes with bandages is because we wanted to make sure that you didn't receive any ocular injuries," a female doctor, told me later that day, "I'm going to remove the bandages from your eyes the first thing tomorrow morning, okay?"

"So, I'm not going to be blind, then?" I asked, "Please, tell me the truth, Doctor."

"No," she said, a smile on her face evident by the sound of her voice, making me feel much better just then, "You're not going to be blind, Mister Benson."

"Please," I chuckled, "My name is Jake, and not Mister Benson."

"Okay, then," she slightly chuckled, "You're not going to be blind, Jake. The bandages were just a precautionary measure."

"Whew," I smiled, very relieved, "I was really scared for a minute there, Doc."

"Come on now," she gently replied, "From what I've heard about you, you're not afraid of anything."

"I don't know where you got your information from," I replied, "But whoever told you that is full of shit clear to their ears."

"Fair enough, but there is something you need to be made aware of though," she told me, making certain that I understood her "You're going to have some very nasty scars, Jake so; you'd better prepare yourself for it right now."

"Please tell me that I'm not going to look like a monster, Doc," I anxiously replied, "Okay?"

"You don't look like a monster," she very calmly answered, "But you definitely need to understand that you have been burned and that..."

"If I look like a monster, then I don't want to see my face, and that's final, Doc," I adamantly interrupted her, becoming more than just a little upset the process, "People will turn away from me because I look gross, and I'll never be able to play music anywhere, ever again."

"Please try to relax, sweetie," she softly told me, "I'll be able to fix it with plastic surgery, Jake; I promise you, okay?"

"I'm sorry Doctor, uh...," I said, "Damn, I don't even know your last name."

"It's Matthews," she smiled, taking my hand, "My name is Doctor Ashlyn Matthews; but you can call me just plain old Ashlyn, okay, Jake?"

"Thank you, Ashlyn," I smiled, "I'll bet you're as pretty as you sound."

"Jacob Daniel Benson," Mom playfully scolded me, having just come back into my room, "You're supposed to be hurt so; stop flirting with the pretty Doctor."

"Ah," I grinned, "So you are as pretty as you sound, huh?" 

"I want you to try and get some rest," Doctor Ashlyn smiled, "I'll see you tomorrow; okay, Tiger?"

"Okay," I said, "But can I have some aspirin, or something? My whole body hurts."

"I'll bet it does," she softly replied, gently patting my right hand, "I'll go get something for you from the nurse's station, and then I'll bring it right back in. How will that be?"

"That'll be great," I smiled, "Thanks, Doc."

"You're welcome, Jake," she softly replied, as she gently patted my right hand again, "I'll be back in here with some pain medication for you in a few minutes," and then I heard my door close.

~~~~~~

Ashlyn returned a few moments later, and while she was injecting the medication into my IV port, she told me, "You're going to feel something in a minute, Jake, and it's probably going burn for maybe a couple of seconds at the very most; but you won't feel anything after that, I promise," and no sooner had she told me that when I began to feel a slight stinging where the IV needle made contact with my skin.

A few moments later I felt like I was floating on a cloud; and in doing so, I smiled, and told Doctor Matthews, "I don' know what it was that you gave me, but I feel real good right now."

"I gave you some Demerol," she grinned, "Not only will it help your pain, but it will also help you get some rest until I come back tomorrow."

"Mmm, this feels real good," I smiled, "Thanks Doc, I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome, sweetie," she smiled, gently patting my right hand one last time, "I'll be back tomorrow so, in the mean time, I want you to try and get some rest, okay?" and then she left me to enjoy the buzz I was getting from the medicine she'd given me, of course I wasn't about to tell her that though.

~~~~~~

"Jeez, Jake," Leah teased, waiting until Mom and Dad had followed Doctor Matthews out into the hall before she started in on me, "Here you are in the hospital, you're hurt, and you're still being a horn dog. You ought to be ashamed of yourself."

"She's right, Big Brother," Laura giggled along, "You really ought to be ashamed."

"Horse shit," I laughed, "I got burned saving both of your dumb asses so; you two bitches need to leave me alone."

"Oh yeah," Leah snottily replied, "You need to watch your language and quit being such a hateful fucker, you asshole."

"She's right," Laura also curtly said, "Watch your language, shit head."

"I think all three of you need to watch your language," I heard Mom suddenly scolding us; "And you girls need to be nicer to your brother...both of you."

"Yeah," I laughed, sticking my tongue out at where I thought my sisters were standing, "Mom's right so; there."

"You listen to me, Jake," Mom teased, "One of the few places that you haven't been burned is on your little ass; but if you don't knock this crap off right now, don't think for a second that I won't set it on fire with a belt, hurt or not."

"Yes, Mommy," I softly chuckled, "I love you."

"I love you, too," she chuckled, "But you're still being a little shit because of the way that medicine has got you feeling so; stop it."

"Okay," I grinned, "I'll be good...for now."

~~~~~~

The next morning I woke up feeling very sore, not to mention the fact that the whole left side of my body, from the waist up, felt like it was on fire. I called the nurse in who told me that she would immediately let the doctor know that I was awake, and that in the mean time, someone would be in shortly to feed me my breakfast.


Never My Love



~~~~~~

A few moments later, Doctor Ashlyn come into my room, and I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was smiling as she said, "Good morning, handsome; how're you feeling this morning?"

"A little sore," I groaned, "It feels like a bunch of fire ants are crawling all over my left side from the waist up."

"I'll tell you what; I'll take care of that in a few minutes," she said, "Let's take the bandages off of your eyes first, okay?"

"Alright," I smiled, "Besides, I want to be able to eat my breakfast myself and not have it fed to me."

"I can understand that," she said, gently placing her hand on my right shoulder, "In the mean time, I need you to hold real still for me while I remove the bandages from your eyes."

She took her time, gently taking the bandages off of my eyes, and once they were gone, the first thing I saw was a very pretty lady that was somewhere in her early to mid twenties, with shoulder length, dark brown hair the same color as mine, with a face like an angel.

Ashlyn Matthews was extremely pretty, beautiful even; she had nice fair skin, magnificently bright blue eyes, with a body like that of a fashion model, only a tiny bit stockier, but most certainly in all of the right places.

~~~~~~

Chapter Two

"Wow," I smiled, once my sight had cleared, "You really are pretty, just like my Mom said."

"Nah," she giggled, her elfin face delightfully smiling, "That's just the Demerol talking."

"Yeah, right, that stuff wore off a long time ago," I grinned, "And you really are stunning, Ashlyn." 

"Thank you, Jake;" she smiled, her soft cheeks slightly blushing, "That's very sweet of you to say so."

"I'm not trying to be sweet," I told her, "I'm just telling the truth, that's all."

Then she looked at me and said, "I need to take the bandages off of your face, Jake. You need to see what you look like, okay?"

I'd already placed my right hand upon the bandages that were covering almost the whole left side of my face, and after feeling where they'd been placed, I looked at Ashlyn; and with a fearful feeling, I quietly asked, "It's pretty bad, isn't it?"

"I'm not going to hide the truth from you, Jake," she honestly told me, "But it looks a whole lot worse than it is so; you need to understand right now that it's nothing that I can't fix, okay?"

"Let's hurry up and get this over with then," I replied, trying to be strong, but crumbling inside, "I'll be okay...I promise."

"Thadda boy," she tenderly replied, as she began to gently tease the bandages away from the burned skin on my face. It took her about ten minutes, trying to make it as painless as possible, and then before I knew it, the bandages had been completely removed.

"You need to look at yourself now, Jake," she gently said, giving me a small hand mirror, "But I want you to also remember what I said about being able to fix it, okay?"

"Okay," I quietly said, terrified at what my eyes were about to behold, "I can handle it."

~~~~~~

The moment I looked into the mirror, it was all I could do to hold down the contents of my stomach. The left side of my face reminded me of something from a horror movie; as I looked at the terribly burned and seemingly mangled flesh that the fire had left in its wake. It looked like someone had used a track shoe to put out the fire on my face, and then tried to wipe it away with Hydrochloric Acid.

All I could do was hang my head as the tears began to silently roll down my cheeks, and in doing so, Doctor Ashlyn very gently put her arms around me, placing the right side of my face upon her chest so as not to further injure the left side.

"It's going to be okay, Jake," she softly said, gently hugging me, "I'm going to fix it for you and you'll be even more handsome that you already are...I promise you."

"I look horrifying," I quietly sniffled, "Nobody's ever going to want to be around me again, especially looking the way I do."

"You're not going to look like that for long, Jake," Doctor Ashlyn quietly, almost lovingly said, now softly sniffling herself, "I swear you won't, sweetie."

Right before she'd left my room; Ashlyn took pictures of my face with a thirty-five millimeter camera, because she said that the pictures were going to be put in my charts once they'd been developed. She told me that the reason for doing this was because the nurses who would be attending to me from day to day would need a point of reference when looking for any changes that might occur during my recovery. 

~~~~~~

Later that day Mom and Dad came back to see me, and because the doctor wanted my wounds to get some air, she'd purposefully left the bandages off of my face. My parents might have tried to put on a brave front, but I could tell that the mere sight of my wounds had profoundly affected them both the moment they gazed at the hideous scars that the fire had left in its wake. 

"Hi, baby," Mom smiled, as her eyes filled with tears when she looked at me, "How're you feeling today?"

"Like an ugly beast," I sadly replied, "I'm a monster now."

"No, you're not;" she began to cry, "Doctor Matthews is going to fix this, baby. You've got to believe her, Jake."

"Oh, I believe her," I bitterly said, wiping my nose, "But it's not going to happen overnight...and it's going to take a very long time before my face is even close to normal again; and even then I'm still going to have some scars to remind me of this shit."

"There's something you need to know, son," Dad told me, taking my hand, "Everyone at home is calling you a hero, and when you get out of here, the principle of your high school is going to give you an award."

"I'm no hero," I angrily told him, "I'm a monster, and that's all I'll ever be."

"You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself right this minute, boy," he suddenly snapped, a touch of anger in his voice, "You saved both of your sisters' lives, and what about little Teri Palmer? Where do you think she would be if you hadn't gone back into that building? All of that aside, you're damn lucky to be alive yourself, Jake. I raised you to be a man, and you've become a damn fine one so; stop acting like such a child, dammit."

"I'm sorry, Dad," I said, shaking my head as again, silent tears rolled down my ugly face, "I understand what you're trying to tell me, I really do, but I can't help feeling like this. How would you feel if you were in my shoes, huh?"

"I'm sorry, too, Jake," Dad said, his own eyes filling with tears as he gently hugged me, "I can't even begin to understand what you're feeling, son; but you have to believe me when I tell you that I wish there was something that I could do to make all of this go away for you. You know that I'd do it, don't you?"

"Yes, sir," I quietly said, "But there's nothing that anyone can do, and now I'm going to look like this for a long time...a real long time."

"You're going to be alright, Jake," he told me, "I swear to God almighty that you are."

"I know that, too, Dad," I said, "But I just need some time to learn how to deal with all of this, alright?"

"You take all the time you need, son," he replied, very gently hugging me again, "Me, your Mom, and your sisters are right here for you, and we're never going to leave you...not ever."

~~~~~~

Because I'd had a cap on my head and had worn it backwards on the day of the fire, I'd not lost any hair in the accident, only singed the ends of it. And because of the fact that my hands were covering my eyes when the flaming piece of ceiling fell on me, both of my eyebrows were still in tact.

However, the whole left side of my face, including my cheek and ear, down my neck and shoulder; including the upper half of my left arm, and shoulder, as well as the left side of my ribcage all the way to my waist, had all been badly burned, and therefore, were horribly scarred.

~~~~~~

I'd received all kinds of cards and letters during the whole time that I'd been in the hospital, but I refused to have any visitors back then, because I didn't want them to see the shape that I was in at the time. Everyone, my friends, etc, all understood, and at my request, stayed away. Still though, when it came right down to it, I was terrified, and didn't want anyone to see what I thought was a grotesquely hideous face.

~~~~~~

TWO MONTHS LATER

My hair had grown back out and was long enough by then that I could comb it over to one side to try and hide the scars on my face, but not totally. And while they both got mad as hell because they thought that I didn't want to see them anymore, Mom and Dad explained to my sisters that I was trying to get well enough before I came home to face them.

I think they also might have explained to them the very fragile mental state that I was in back then, too. And because they are, to this day, two of the sweetest, most beautiful girls I know, they respected my wishes at that time and stayed away until Doctor Ashlyn said that I was able to come home.

~~~~~~

Once I got home, I didn't know what to expect, and I was very afraid of having to face not only my friends, but also the rest of the people that I went to school with as well. And because I waited a week after my release from the hospital before I went back to school, my sisters, who were tickled shitless to have me home, both honored my request that they not tell anyone I was home yet. Still though, when I finally went back to school that following Monday; the reception that I received ended up bringing tears to my eyes again, however; they were happy tears this time.

I arrived at school a little late that morning, because I had to stop by the pharmacy and pick up a prescription that Doctor Ashlyn had called in for me the night before. However, the moment I pulled into the senior parking lot, my principle, Mr. John Pierce, met me at my car.

I thought I was in trouble for being late when he halfway glared at me, and then with a very stern tone of voice, he said, "Would you come with me right now, Mister Benson?"

"Yes sir," I said, "I'm sorry I'm late, Mister Pierce."

"We'll talk about that later," he said, "Just come with me."

~~~~~~

I knew something was up when he led me into the gymnasium where it was so dark that I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. Suddenly the lights came on, and I saw that the whole student body was seated in the bleachers, each one of them now on their feet, cheering and applauding loudly. The marching band began playing our school song as Mr. Pierce escorted me to a podium that had been placed at the far end of the gym.

Once he got everyone calmed down, and the band had stopped playing, Mr. Pierce stood behind the microphone, and with a giant smile on his face, said, "Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, let's give a warm welcome back to our hometown hero, Jacob, "Jake" Benson," and then everyone rose back to their feet again, clapping their hands, while whistling and cheering.

Then Mr. Pierce got everyone to take theirs seats again, and then into the microphone atop the podium, said, "Jake, we're all very proud of you, but we've also been very worried about you, too, so; would you please, honor us by saying something?"

I knew that this had all been set up just for me when I looked over to my right and saw both of my parents, as well as both of my sisters sitting there in the bleachers beside the podium with proud tears raining down all four of their faces.

"Thank you all very much," I said, happy tears beginning to fill my eyes, "I didn't expect this and I can't begin to tell you what it means to see every one of you here."

"We love you, Jake," someone, a girl, from the audience, said, "We love you very much."

"Thank you," I said, slowly beginning to lose my composure, "Thank you all very much," and then I could no longer speak, as my eyes began to flood with tears to the point that I could no longer see clearly.

I was thankful that Mr. Pierce, when he realized that I was too moved to speak any further, gently took the microphone and said, "Jake and his family would like to thank each and every one of you for everything you've all done to make this happen this morning so; now I want everyone to stand up, and in an orderly manner, please go back to class."

Afterward, both Leah and Laura came running over to where I stood in order to throw their arms around me, both of them crying and telling me how much they loved me, followed by Mom and Dad, who both did the same as well. Because I know that they loved me, I didn't have the heart to tell my sisters that they were hurting me when they hugged me so; I simply smiled and let them hug me anyway.

My parents had been bringing my class work to the hospital for me so that I didn't fall behind, and when I got back to school; my teachers were all glad to see me, especially my band teacher, Mr. David Shepard, and my choir teacher, Mr. Harold Rankin.

~~~~~~

I expected my friends to act differently toward me because of my scars, but surprisingly enough, they didn't. As a matter of fact, they all told me that I shouldn't worry about hiding them behind my hair, because in their eyes, they felt that I had nothing to be ashamed of; and after my first day back, I began to wear my hair the same way I always had before the accident, parted down the middle. 

It was also during my first day back at school that I discovered how much my fellow students really cared for me; because every single girl there, bar none, each hugged me and/or kissed me on the cheek and told me how glad that they were to see me back at school. It was the same thing for the guys, too, except that they all shook my hand instead and basically told me the same thing that the girls had.

Every single member of the school staff and faculty made it a point to welcome me back as well. The female teachers hugged me, and the male teachers shook my hand, and I can't remember a single time in my life where I felt more appreciated than I did that day.

However, what I thought would be the highlight of the whole day was when Robyn Beryl came to me right before third period English, crying, as she gently placed her arms around me, and then after softly kissing me on the lips, told me, "I was so afraid that I'd never see you again."

"Do you really mean that?" I asked surprised at the way she was acting just then.

"Of course I do," she sweetly replied, "You're one of my closest friends, Jake; and you always have been."

"Oh," I said, deflated, but trying not to let it show, "Well, I guess we'd better get to class, we don't want to be late."

It was at that moment that I think she discovered that I'd cared for her more than just as a friend, because she began to act differently toward me after that day, doing things like turning around and walking the other way when she saw me coming toward her down the halls at school, or ignoring me whenever we'd see each other in class. What a fucking coward she was. I mean, damn, she could have at least had the decency and the guts to tell me that she was sorry for unintentionally leading me on. I wouldn't have had any problem with that whatsoever; but no, she simply walked away and never said another word to me after that.

"Damn her," I thought, "She can kiss my ass," but I didn't mean that...not really. My feelings had been hurt, that's all.

Still though, I guess it was alright, because she was the type of girl that wouldn't want to be seen with someone who looked like I did, and now as I look back objectively on those days, I realized that she made me feel like I was never good enough for her to start with...even before the accident.

And because of that event, even though my classmates and peers showed me that they genuinely cared for my well being, I now felt lonelier than ever after that day; and it was all because I let some girl get to me.                                                                                          

However, something good actually happened because of that incident; I became bound and determined not to ever let anyone in that close to me again; that way they couldn't hurt me. However, little did I realize what awaited me in the not too distant future?

~~~~~~

NINE MONTHS LATER

By this time I'd graduated from high school, turned a year older and had undergone four major surgeries; making my face look noticeably different now. The major scars were nearly gone, and in their place were minor, but still noticeable traces of what once was. However, I could tell they were there and I was still very self conscious about it. I wanted to wait to go to college until after the last surgery, which would take place the day after Thanksgiving. 

I'd also developed a kind and gentle connection with Dr. Ashlyn Matthews over that time period as well. I would go and have lunch with her as often as possible when her schedule allowed it. She seemed like she was always happy to see me, and of course I was always very happy to see her, as we met at least three to four times a week. Also over that period of time, and to be totally honest; I began to find that she was becoming someone whom I could reveal what was on my heart and mind without having to worry about it going anywhere else...a confidant of sorts.

With the exception of Mom and my sisters, Ashlyn was one of the few females I knew who had no problem whatsoever understanding what I was saying, unlike other girls I'd known before; and the better I got to know her, the more I came to like her. 

Sure, she was almost seven years older than me, but we were nothing more than friends, regardless of the fact that I wouldn't have minded being seen with her anywhere, especially because of how beautiful I thought she was. However, I made certain that I didn't become a nuisance to her, or bother her when she was busy, but still; she always made time for me, and, she always acted like she was so happy to see me every time we met.

She even met me out for dinner one night at this place in Houston called Carabella's, which served some of the best Italian cuisine you, would ever want to eat. I'll never forget how beautiful she looked that night; and she also made it a point to let me know how dashingly handsome she thought that I looked in the new suit I'd worn that night as well. 

We talked about all kinds of different things that evening, and we never once felt uncomfortable around one another, not ever. I knew that there was no future between us, or at least that's what I thought at the time so; I had no problem telling her my deepest, darkest secrets. 

"You've never talked to me about your life," I asked her that evening, "That's not fair considering you know practically everything about mine, Ashlyn."

"Alright, I'll tell you, Jake," she knowingly smiled, finally giving in, "I recently met this guy that I really like, but I'm a little bit afraid of him."

"You shouldn't be afraid of him," I told her, "Especially if you like him...well, unless he's some kind of bad boy asshole that all of the pretty girls like to go out with. He's not like that is he?"

"No," she sweetly smiled, as I noticed a faint, but very special sparkle in her eyes as she talked about him, "And as far as being afraid of him is concerned, it's not that I'm really afraid of him. It's just that I'm afraid of making the wrong move and risk losing him as a friend because I really like this guy. Besides, I know that if he and I were ever given the right opportunity, there is nothing that we couldn't accomplish together."

"So, tell him," I gently urged her, "And if he's really the nice guy that you say he is, he'll either take you up on your offer, or he won't. But I also think that if he doesn't, he's crazy not to want to be with a woman who's as beautiful and as sweet as you are. What do you think?"

"You're a sweetie, is what I think," Ashlyn brightly smiled, "I can't understand why the girls your age aren't fighting each other for the chance to go out with you, Jake."




Never My Love



"It's probably because I don't know how to talk to girls," I admitted, my face turning red in embarrassment, "Every time I get around a girl, I just clam up. I don't know why it happens, Ashlyn, but it does."

"I don't understand that either," she sweetly told me, "I'm a girl and you don't seem to have any problem taking to me about anything."

"That's true," I replied smiling, realizing that she was right, "I think that maybe it's because you and I are such good friends, and I trust you."

"You don't trust girls your own age?" she asked, as I shook my head, "Why not, Jake?"

"Because I got hurt by this one girl that I really cared about once," I quietly replied, finally admitting the truth, "And I guess I haven't trusted anyone since."

"If anyone understands that one, I do," she almost sadly replied, "Damn it all, Jake; if I could only let go and trust someone, I know that I would be alright in the long run."

"You don't seem to have any problem trusting me, Ash," I told her, "And didn't you tell me a few minutes ago that you met this really hot guy, but that you're also scared of him, too?"

"Aren't we a pair?" she giggled, gently placing her palm on my cheek, "We ought to just date each other, huh?"

"Yeah, we should," I grinned, going along with the joke, "At least we know all of each other's bull shit, and we still trust one another."

"Hmm," Ash playfully purred, "You just gave me a great idea, Jake."

"Oh really," I asked, "What kind of idea are you talking about?"

"Well, I need to think about a few things first," she oddly giggled, "But I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out, okay?"

"Of course, M'lady," I teased, "I await on pins and needles for your gracious reply, dear girl."

"You might be really surprised, cutie," she knowingly giggled, standing up to leave, as the time for us to head our separate ways had arrived, "Be sure to tell your Mom and Dad that I said hello; okay, Jake?"

"I will," I happily grinned, as we left the restaurant after I paid the bill, "They really like you ya know."

"No, I didn't know," she sweetly smiled, "But it makes me very happy to hear that."

By this time we were standing at the curb outside in the parking lot; and right before she got into a cab that had just pulled up, I smiled and said, "Thank you, Ashlyn; I really had a great time tonight, just like I always do when I'm with you."

"Me, too," she sweetly replied, gently squeezing my hand, "We really should do this more often, Jake," and then she did something she'd never done in all the time I'd known her, she leaned over and ever so softly kissed my lips; and before I had the chance to reply, she smiled and then tenderly said, "Good night, handsome. I'll see you soon," then she got into the taxi and sped away, leaving me standing there with a happily contented, borderline stupid, grin on my face.

FOUR DAYS LATER

THANKSGIVING DAY

I woke up at six o'clock that morning, and because I'd begun a regimen of running right after I graduated high school, I took my morning run, which, by that time, I'd gradually worked up to doing five miles. I left the house at seven, and when I returned home at eight fifteen, I discovered a strange car, a 2-door, Hunter Green, Jaguar, XJS, with white leather interior, sitting in our driveway. Nobody that I knew drove a car like that so; you can only imagine my wonderfully pleasant surprise when I walked into my home to discover Dr. Ashlyn Matthews sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee with my parents.

"Hi, handsome," she smiled standing up to hug me, and then kissed my cheek, which made my face blush bright red, "Happy Thanksgiving, Jake."

"Oh, my God; Ashlyn," I happily grinned, firmly returning her hug, "What're you doing here?"

"What, do you want me to leave?" she giggled, teasing me, "Your Mom invited me to have Thanksgiving dinner with you and your family. I hope that's alright."

Are you kidding me?" I happily smiled, still hugging her tightly, "That's perfect, absolutely perfect."

Finally I let her go, and then stepping back to look at her while I still held her hands, I smiled and told her, "I thought that you'd either be with your family, or maybe your new boyfriend today."

"My family was killed in a tornado while I was in medical school," she quietly told me, but then after giving Mom a knowing smile, she turned to me and said, "And as far as my new boyfriend is concerned, I'm still in the process of making my mind up about him. Anyway, I called here a couple of days ago to tell your Mom what time you needed to be at the hospital for your final surgery; and afterwards she and I began talking. Then she invited me over for Thanksgiving Dinner so; here I am."

"Oh, man," I happily grinned, "I can't even begin to tell you what this means to me to have you here with us, Ash, I really can't."

"That's very sweet of you, thank you, Jake," she smiled, happy tears making an appearance in the corners of her eyes, "I was going to spend the day in front of the television."

"Not anymore," I proudly replied, placing my arm around her waist, "I'm your boyfriend today, pretty girl."

"Is that right?" she girlishly giggled, "I'm almost seven years older than you are, Jake; and while you're certainly handsome enough to be my boyfriend, I think your parents might object to the difference in our ages, don't you?"

"Why would they object?" I asked, "My Dad is eight years older than my Mom." Then I looked at my mother and asked, "Isn't that right, Mom?"

"Jake," Mom blushed, "Don't you think that you're being way too forward, not to mention extremely presumptuous?"

"No, I don't," I chuckled, "Besides, you heard what Ash just said, and she thinks I'm handsome enough."

"I'll tell you what, Jake," Ashlyn sweetly told me, "Let's just have a good time together today, okay?"

"I agree with her for now," Mom knowingly smiled, "Besides, she's your Doctor right now, and you still have one more surgery to go through, okay?"

"Of course," I smiled, "I'm just glad that she's here, Mom." Then I smiled at Ashlyn and told her, "Still though, I do wish that I was old enough to be your boyfriend, Ash."

"I do, too," she smiled, quickly kissing my cheek, "Because I think you'd make a wonderful boyfriend, sweetheart."

"I have a rather odd request," I asked, "And I want you to at least consider it before you say no, okay Ash."

"Okay, Tiger," she grinned, "What is it?"

"I want you to at think about spending Christmas with us, too, alright?"

"I can't think of anyone that I'd rather spend Christmas with than you, Jake," she sweetly smiled, gently hugging me, "How's that?"

"Perfect," I smiled, gently returning her hug, "Absolutely perfect."

"In the mean time, you just came in from your morning run," Mom chuckled, "Don't you think you need to go take a shower, Mister Stinky?" and needless to say, I went and did just that. Mom and Ashlyn giggling like school girls as I walked away..

~~~~~~

That particular Thanksgiving will always be my favorite memory; because that was the day that I felt like my life had truly begun. Ashlyn sat right next to me at the table, and once we were finished eating, she and I took a walk and had a nice long talk.

~~~~~~

Chapter Three

"You're serious about wishing you were old enough to be my boyfriend," Ashlyn smiled, as we walked hand in hand, "Aren't you, Jake?"

"I know that we don't really know each other very well, and, it's because of a doctor/patient relationship that our friendship began," I softly told her, "But I really mean what I'm about to say here, Ashlyn...You're one of the most beautiful women that I've ever seen; and I know that if I ever had the chance, I'd never hurt you, or let you be hurt by anyone; and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'd try to be the very best boyfriend you've ever had."

She stopped and looked deeply into my eyes for the longest time before she finally spoke. "I believe you with all my heart, Jake," she began, "But you need to know...I mean......you really need to know that we can't even think about dating until you're no longer my patient. Do you understand me?" 

"Are you serious?" I incredulously asked with a stupid, boyish grin plastered across my face, "You'd still date me even though I'm almost seven years younger than you are?"

"Oh, you heard what I said," she tenderly smiled, "Yes, I think you'd be the sweetest boyfriend a girl could ever want, or have, but you still didn't answer my question, Jake."

"You think I don't understand the ethics issues involved with Doctors dating their patients?" "I asked, "Of course I understand, Ashlyn, and I wouldn't do anything that would ever jeopardize you, or put your career at risk. You have to believe me."

"I do believe you, Jake," she softly replied, "But before we go any further, there's something else that I want you to know."

"Tell me," I said, expecting her to back out at any second now, "I can take it."

"Alright then, here it is," she quietly replied, "Do you remember me telling you about the guy that I met who I really care for a whole lot, but that I was afraid of him because I didn't want to spoil the beautiful friendship he and I have by letting him know how I felt about him?"

"Of course I remember," I replied, crestfallen now, because I figured that I was going to have to share her with another guy, something I simply would not do, "Let me guess, you two are together now."

"No, we aren't; at least not yet anyway," she sweetly smiled, "I'm waiting until you're not my patient anymore before I make my move."

That was the moment that I suddenly realized that it was me that she'd been speaking of all along, and with a bright smile on my face like a kid on Christmas morning, I looked into her eyes, and excitedly asked her, "It was me...you were talking about me, weren't you?"

"Yeah, genius," she giggled, gently kissing my lips, "It took you long enough to figure it out."

"Ashlyn," I softly breathed, pulling her into my arms, very gently yet very firmly holding her body against mine, "My beautiful Ashlyn."

"You worked your way into my heart when I wasn't looking, Jake," she tenderly smiled, her eyes filling with tears, "So, now that you've got me, all I'll ever ask of you is that you don't hurt me, okay baby?"

"Never, my love," I happily replied, still holding her against me as we began to walk back to my house, "Never ever."

"There's something else I'm very concerned about, too, and it's something that is also going to have to be dealt with before we start dating, Jake," Ashlyn said, looking into my eyes to make certain that I understood what she was telling me, "And that's what your parents are going to have to say about this."

"That's not going to be as big of a problem as you might think," I knowingly grinned.

"Is that right?" she cautiously asked, "Tell me, Jake, why do you say that?"

"Mom invited you to eat Thanksgiving dinner with us, didn't she?" I asked her, as she nodded her head, "Alright then, I want you to leave everything else to me, okay Ash?"

"Okay," she nervously replied, "But I still say that they're going to be upset with me for dating you."

"Nah," I chuckled, "You're going to be very surprised. I promise you."

~~~~~~

The next day I rode with Ashlyn to the hospital with a promise from my Mom and Dad that they would be there the minute I was out of recovery and in my hospital room.

In the moments right before we got into Ashlyn's car, I told my parents of the conversation I'd had Ashlyn the day before; and just as I expected, they took it extremely well.

"I have only one question for you, Ashlyn," Mom told her, "Do you really care for Jake, or is this going to be just a passing thing?"

"I don't know whether or not you believe me, Naomi," Ashlyn sincerely replied, "But I deeply care about Jake, very deeply."

Mom looked into Ashlyn's eyes, standing stone still for a moment, until the look of scrutiny that was initially on her face at the beginning of their conversation had slowly melted into a warm smile. Then she placed one hand upon my shoulder and the other upon Ashlyn's, and with a sweet smile on her face, she looked at me and said, "You know that I've always been able to tell when someone is lying to me, and my heart tells me that Ashlyn cares a lot about you so; you'd better be good to her, okay Jake?"

"You bet, Mom," I smiled, giving her a big hug, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know that my dating Ashlyn is hard for you to understand right now, but I love you for giving us a chance, Mom."

"Oh, I can tell that Ashlyn cares for you, too, sweetheart; and I think that she would be very good not only to you, but for you as well," Mom replied, "I just want you to be sure that you're ready to give Ashlyn the kind of commitment that she's looking for, okay?"

"That's not a problem," I smiled, winking at Ash as I hugged Mom again, "It's not a problem at all."

"You two be careful," Dad smiled, "And don't give Ashlyn a hard time, boy."

"Yes sir," I happily grinned, "I'll see you guys a little later, okay?"

~~~~~~

"You know that this will be your very last surgery," Ashlyn smiled, holding my hand as she walked beside the gurney I was being wheeled into the operating room on, "You'll have a brand new beautiful face when I'm done with you, Jake."

"I trust you," I sleepily smiled, as the medication that the anesthetist had given me earlier began to kick in, "I'll see you when I wake up."

"That's right," she whispered into my ear, "And then after you leave here, we can go on our first official date as boyfriend and girlfriend," and then the last thing I remember before I went under was Ashlyn's dazzling smile as I closed my eyes...

~~~~~~

"Jake, Jake, open your eyes," I heard Ashlyn say; somewhere through the fog I was in when I first awoke from surgery, "Jake, wake up, sweetie."

I opened my eyes to see her angelic face smiling down at me, her stunningly bright blue eyes shining like a brilliant light through the darkest of nights. 

"Hi, beautiful," I softly croaked, "How did everything go?"

"Hello there yourself, handsome," she beautifully smiled, "The surgery went perfectly and you have a beautiful new face now, Jake."

"Good," I grinned, "How soon can I see it?"

"It'll take a good ten to fourteen days for most of the swelling to go down," she smiled, "And then another two to three weeks for the bruises to go away; but I'll let you take a little peek in a few days, okay?"

"Okay," I smiled, as she took my hand, "I believe you," and then I drifted back to sleep. 

~~~~~~

As I slept, I dreamed that Ashlyn and I were in a great forest having a picnic, and while we ate, I heard her tell me that she loved me. As I felt her kissing my face, near my lips, I could literally taste her beautiful essence, and somewhere in the middle of it all, I heard her voice tell me, "Maybe you really are my destiny, my love. Besides, I don't care that you're younger than me, and I never will."

~~~~~~

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital bed, with Ashlyn sitting beside me on the bed holding my hand.

"Hey, good-lookin," she softly spoke, "How do you feel?"

"A little sore," I quietly replied, "And very thirsty."

"I've got something to quench your thirst; here," she replied, holding a straw to my lips, as I drank the refreshingly cold water, wetting the linings of my dry throat.

"I had the sweetest dream," I told her, taking another drink, "It was about you."

"Oh really," she softly asked, "And what did I do?"

"You kissed me," I told her, gently reaching for and taking her soft hand, "And you told me that you loved me, and that you didn't care that I was younger than you were, because you said that I was your destiny."

"Sounds like a beautiful dream to me," she knowingly smiled, "I wish I could've been there."

"You were," I said, "Can I tell you something without making you angry?" 

"Of course you can," she grinned, "Jake, I want you to know right now that you can tell me anything you want, and I'll never get mad as long as you never lie to me."

"Okay then," I smiled, "I'm falling in love with you, Ashlyn."

"That's good to hear," she tenderly replied, a lone tear falling down her left cheek while she leaned down and softly kissed my lips, "Because I know I've been falling for you for a very long time now. I only ask that you don't ever hurt me, Jake, I just couldn't take that."     

"Never, my love," I smiled, gently wiping her tear away with the back of my hand, "I promise to never hurt you."

As Ashlyn sat back up, she made sure the door to my room was closed before she softly told me, "We need to be careful while we're here at the hospital. Besides; your folks will be here in a few minutes, and they don't need to see us like this, at least not yet, okay, baby?"

"Okay, my love," I smiled, "Whatever you say."

"My, God," she sweetly grinned, "I can't believe that this is really happening."

"Why not," I asked, "Don't you trust your heart?"

"That's the thing," she tenderly smiled, "I've never felt like this before, Jake; but I want you to know right now that I'm not afraid of being with you; I swear to you."

"Is that right," I grinned, "How are you going to feel about me going to college while I'm dating you?"

"I want you to go to college, Jake," she gently answered, "But I don't see why we can't still be together in the mean time."

"Good," I said, "Because now that I know how you truly feel about me, I don't even want to think about living my life without you."

"Mmm," she softly purred, smiling as she took my hand and tenderly kissed the back of it, "That sounds good to me, baby...that sounds really good..."

~~~~~~

"Hi, sweetie," Mom said, as she, Dad, and the twins came into my room, "How're you feeling, baby?"

"Pretty good," I smiled, more alert by that time, "I'm still a little sore though."

"Hi, Jake," Leah said, as she and Laura came into my room smiling," Where's your girlfriend?"

"Jake's got a girlfriend, Jake's got a girlfriend," Laura softly sang, playfully teasing me, and then she softly smiled and then sincerely asked," Seriously though, how are you, really, Big Brother?" 

"I'm doing pretty well," I smiled, taking her hand and kissing it, "Thanks for asking, little sister, both of you."

"We love you very much, Jake," Leah smiled, wiping happy tears from her eyes, "And just so you know; we're happy that you and Ashlyn like each other. We don't care if she's older than you."

"Neither do we," Mom smiled, "As a matter of fact, is she around here anywhere?"

"She just left," I said, "She'll be back in about fifteen minutes though, why?"

"Oh, nothing really," Mom knowingly smiled, "It just seems like you're better when she's around, that's all."

"There's something I need to tell you all," I said, looking at my family, keeping their attention as I noticed Ashlyn quietly slipping back into my room, "And I hope that you can accept it."

"Let me guess," Mom smiled, "You and Ashlyn are falling in love with each other, aren't you?"

"Yes," I smiled, "But how could you have possibly known that, Mom?"

"It's easy, honey," Mom sweetly replied, as she took Dad's hand, "The first time I ever saw your father I knew that I was in love with him. And I can tell that you two are in love because you two look at one another the same way your father and I first looked at each other, too."

And like I already said, Ashlyn had very quietly slipped into my room unnoticed by the rest of my family members as Mom was telling me all of this. Therefore, after looking at Ashlyn as she stood behind Mom, I smiled and said, "I take it you heard what Mom just said, my love?"

"I most certainly did," Ashlyn smiled, walking into the room; and then after placing her arm around Mom's waist, Ash looked her in the eyes and humbly asked her, "Are you sure about this, Naomi?"




Never My Love



"Of course I am, pretty girl," Mom sniffled, "I know in my heart that the two of you will be so good for each other. Besides, I know that you've been hurt before, Ashlyn, and that's something that I can tell you with all honesty that Jake will never do, not ever." 

"I don't know how it happened," Ashlyn softly smiled, "But I love him with all of my heart, and I swear that I'll be good to him."

"You see, Mom," Leah grinned, "Me and Laura told you so."

"That's right," Laura smiled, leaning over and gently kissing Ashlyn on the cheek, "We told her that you and Jake were going to fall in love with one another way before it ever happened, Ash."

"How could you two have possibly known that," Ashlyn asked, "And in such a short time, too?"

"Think back to when you removed the bandages from Jake's eyes," Laura told her, "Don't think that Leah and I didn't notice how you two looked at one another."

"But he was just my patient back then," Ashlyn replied, "And falling in love with him, or anyone else for that matter, was the very last thing on my mind."

"Maybe so," Leah knowingly smiled, "But me and Laura both saw it just as plain as day, huh, Sis?"

"Yep," Laura said, smiling at Ashlyn, "We sure did; but, don't try to understand it, Big Sister. You may be a brilliant surgeon and all, but this is a twin thing," and then she and Leah fell into fits of girlish laughter, leaning against one another.

"I love you two," Ashlyn giggled, "As a matter of fact, I love you all very much."

"We love you, too, baby girl," Dad smiled, placing his arm around Ashlyn's shoulder and hugging her from the side, "Welcome to our family, Ashlyn."

"Family," Ashlyn began to sniffle, as she took my hand, and then leaned down and lightly kissed my lips, "I haven't had one of those for a very long time now." 

"You do now, my love," I softly replied, gently placing my palm on her tender, beautiful cheek, "You do now..."

~~~~~~

CHRISTMAS EVE

It was about two in the afternoon when I met Ashlyn in the driveway, as she arrived at our house with the trunk of her car laden with gifts for all five of us

"Merry Christmas," I said, taking her hand, helping her from her car the moment she opened her door, "How was the drive down?"

"It wasn't too bad," she smiled, standing up and falling into my arms and kissing me, "Merry Christmas to you, too, baby."

I guess now would be as good a time as any to truly describe Ashlyn. She stands five feet, seven inches tall, and weighs a hundred and twenty pounds. Her measurements at that time were 38C-24-34, and she looked great in the tight jeans she was wearing that day. Her beautiful little butt still fits right into the palm of my hand; and I still enjoy proving it to her at every given opportunity. She and I hadn't had the chance to make love up to that point yet, but it wasn't like we weren't anxious to do so; because we most certainly were, even though I was as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. 

However, Ashlyn's schedule had been rather full as had her patient load, too. But now it was Christmas, and she and I had already told my parents that we were going to be spending New Year's Eve, as well as New Year's Day, alone together at Ashlyn's house in Houston. 

Of course they had no problem with that, as I was now nineteen, going on twenty and damn well old enough, as well as mature enough to make my own decision where that sort of thing was concerned. However, my special gift to Ashlyn, and she didn't know it yet, was going to be my virginity, as she was the woman, the only woman, I would be spending the rest of my life with.

~~~~~~

After I helped her carry the gifts into my parent's house, she made me take a seat in the kitchen so that she could look me over one last time before she officially released me from her care. Little did she, or anyone else in the house know, was, I was going to ask her to marry me that night. I didn't need to think about it, hell; my mind had been made up since I came home from the hospital after the final surgery that Ashlyn had performed on me the day after Thanksgiving. I only hoped that she would accept my proposal, and to be honest; I was a little afraid that she wouldn't.

However, once I saw the look in her eyes when she'd finished examining me that last and final time, I knew in my heart that everything was going to be alright. I also hoped that she didn't mind waiting until after I graduated college to get married. That way I would be able to get a job to help support the both of us.

My hopes of working in the entertainment business had been renewed because of the new face she'd given me. I no longer looked like the horrific monster that I once did...or at least thought I did. In its place was a new face; which, according to my parents, my sisters, and last but certainly not least, Ashlyn; was as handsome as any out there, but even moreso as far as my beautiful Ashlyn was concerned.

Of course I was still the same person inside, but now I looked alot differently than I used to, I still had the same eyes, but I looked different nonetheless. And according to the women in my family, Ashlyn included, I looked "Movie Star Handsome," an old saying that my grandmother sometimes used when she was alive.

There was also something else within me that had been renewed, and that was the self confidence and belief in my own self that I'd once allowed Robyn Beryl to rob me of; all of which now seemed like years ago. And like I promised myself, I made sure that I was in love with Ashlyn before I let her into my heart, but then again; Ashlyn is different from anyone I'd ever known before...or since.

~~~~~~

Chapter Four

Ashlyn knew that I played piano and sang, but she'd not yet had the opportunity to hear me. However, Mom remedied that right after we'd all eaten our Christmas Dinner that night, when she said, "Why don't you play for us, Jake? I doubt that Ashlyn has had the opportunity to hear you sing and play and I'll bet the she would really enjoy it."

Because I also began learning to play the guitar when I was ten, I picked up my guitar first and played, "Oh Holy Night", singing the lyrics along with it. When I was done, I could actually feel Ashlyn's love for me, as it literally radiated from her heart into mine, eternally sealing the bond that we now shared.

"Oh, my God, Jake," she softly replied, "I never knew you had such a beautiful voice, baby."

"It's all for you, my love," I tenderly told her, gently kissing her lips, "It's all for you, and only you for as long as I live."

"Play something on the piano, Jake," Laura softly smiled, "Do that old one by Olivia Newton John. You know...the one that you used to play and sing for me and Leah when we were little girls?"

I moved to the piano and began the intro to, "I Honestly Love You", and of course by the time I was finished the song, Ashlyn was reduced to a mass of tears, her head on my shoulder, and her arms wrapped firmly around my waist as she sat next to me on the piano bench.

"That reminds me," I conspiratorially winked at my family, "I've got something I wanted to ask Ashlyn, and I can't think of a better time to ask her than right now."

"What're you up to now, Jake?" Ashlyn suspiciously giggled, "I know you too well so; you'd best tell me and get it over with."

"Alright," I grinned, "Here goes nothing," and then I took her by the hand and told her, "Ashlyn, my love; you know that I love and care for you more than anything in the world, right?"

"Yes," she nervously replied, "Why do you ask, baby?"

"Because," I smiled, dropping to my knee and withdrawing a velvet box from my back pocket and opening it to reveal a one and a half carat diamond solitaire ring, "I love you, and I want to ask you if you would consider spending the rest of your life with me as my wife."

"Oh, my God," she gasped, looking as if she'd seen a ghost, "Jake, are you serious?"

"Yes," I said, looking deeply into her eyes, "I've never been more serious about anything in my life, and I'll never love anyone the way that I love you."

"Oh, Jake, yes," she began to cry, dropping to her knees on the floor next to me and throwing her arms tightly around my neck, "Yes, I'll marry you, you beautiful, sweet, sweet man...I love you so much."

"Oh, Jack," Mom happily sniffled, hugging my father, "Did you hear that?"

"I sure did," Dad proudly grinned, as he hugged Mom, "Does he remind you of anyone you know?"

"I love you, Ashlyn Matthews," I proudly smiled, placing the ring on the ring finger of her left hand, knowing that it would fit perfectly, "I hope you love this ring as much as I love you."

"Oh, Jake, honey," she wept, looking at the ring on her finger, "It's beautiful, baby, oh, my God, I can't believe this is really...finally happening to me."

"I told you that I couldn't imagine living my life without you in it," I smiled, softly kissing the lips of my new bride to be, "So, believe it, my love."

"Jack, Naomi," Ashlyn asked my parents, "Would you two mind terribly if Jake and I went back to my place in Houston tomorrow morning?"

"Of course not, honey," Mom sniffled, taking Ashlyn into her arms, holding her like she was her own, "My son is a grown man now, and neither myself nor his father have a problem with that at all. Hell, you two can even sleep together in Jake's room tonight if you'd like. I mean, you are engaged to be married, sweetheart."

"Thank you," Ashlyn quietly sniffled, kissing Mom's cheek, and then hugging Dad, "Thank you both from the bottom of my heart."

"Hey, Ashlyn," Laura playfully pouted, "Don't Leah and I get hugs? After all, you're going to be our family, too, aren't you?"

"I sure am," Ashlyn smiled, wiping the happy tears from her eyes, "Come here, you two; come and give your big sister a great big hug."

"Thanks, Ash," Leah grinned, hugging her, "Don't get me wrong; I love Jake very much, but I always wanted to have an older sister to talk to about stuff."

"Me, too," Laura grinned, "I love Jake just like Leah does, but guys can be such a pain in the ass sometimes," which of course caused the whole family to fall into a fit of laughter; me included...

~~~~~~

That night, after everyone went to bed, was the first of many magical nights spent with my beautiful Ashlyn. We didn't make love because neither of us wanted to disrespect my family. However, we both lay there, and for the first time since we'd known each other, we seriously talked about our future together, as well as what we expected from one another now that we'd decided to pursue a permanent relationship together.

"So," Ashlyn giggled, "You're sure you want to do this, Jake...marry me, I mean?"

"Of course," I smiled, "I've never been more certain about anything in my life."

"Oh, Jake," she sighed, gazing at the ring I'd placed on her finger earlier, "This stuff only happens in movies, baby."

"So, look at it this way," I grinned, "You're more beautiful than any movie star I've ever seen, and that's all that matters to me."

"I think you're beautiful, too," she grinned, "Who do you think made that gorgeous face of yours anyway, handsome?"

"God did," I teased, "You just rearranged it after it got burned, that's all."

"Smart ass," she giggled, then looked me in the eyes and asked, "Seriously though, do you like what I did with your face...I mean...do you really like it?"

"I love it," I softly told her, "But not nearly as much as I love you."

"I love you, too, Jake," she replied, "I only hope that you don't get tired of me as you get older. People do change their minds after a while you know."

"It's like I keep telling you, Ashlyn," I smiled, "Never, my love."

"That reminds me," she smiled, "There's a song that's been out for a long time now called, "Never My Love". Do you know which one I'm talking about?"

"I sure do," I smiled, "It's by a group called "The Association" and it's one of the first songs I learned to play when I was younger."

"I love that song," she softly told me, "Can you still play it?"

"Yeah," I grinned, "I can play it on both piano and guitar."

"Oh, there's something else I wanted to ask you," she said, "You've got a really beautiful voice, Jake. Will you bring your guitar with you tomorrow and play some more for me when we get to my house in Houston?"

"Of course I will," I told her, gently kissing her soft, sweet lips, "Anytime, anywhere, baby."

"You really do love me, don't you, Jake?"

"Yes, I do," I smiled, "I love you with all my heart, Ash, and I'll love you for the rest of my life if you'll let me."

"I wish that my family were still alive," she despondently said, "My mother would've absolutely adored you."

"We'll all meet again one day," I told her, "Which reminds me, I need to ask you something." 

"Go ahead," she said, "Ask me anything you want."

"Do you believe in God?" I asked her. "It's very important to me that you do."

"I used to," she sadly replied, "But after my family was killed, I quit praying altogether."

"I can understand that," I gently told her, "But there's a reason that things happen, and God always does things for that same reason ya know."

"If you say so," she replied, "But I'm still wondering why he would let my family die in the horrible way that they did."

"I wish that I could answer that one for you, baby, I really do," I regretfully told her, "But if anything, don't you think he might be compensating you for that loss by placing the two of us in one another's lives?"

"Now that makes more sense to me than anything I've heard up to this point in my life, it really does," she sniffled, "But I still miss my family very much, Jake."

"I can't even begin to imagine what you're feeling," I told her, tenderly hugging her, "But I promise you that I'll never ever hurt you; and I'll do whatever it takes to keep you happy."

"And you really mean that, too," she softly smiled, "Don't you, baby?"

"I've never lied to you," I said, "And I'm not about to start now."

"I believe you," she told me, "And that's why I want to ask you something right here and now...and please be honest with me."

"Like I've already told you, Ashlyn," I said, looking deeply into her beautiful blue eyes, "I'll always tell you the truth so; I want you to feel free to ask me anything you want."

"Alright then," she said, sitting up in the bed to look into my eyes, "Have you ever had a girlfriend before, and if so, do you still have feelings for her?"

That was when I reminded her of Robyn Beryl, as well as the events that took place when we first met. I also told her how I let my heart get ripped out by the roots when Robyn and I had our last encounter.

And then when I was finished, Ashlyn looked at me and said, "So, it's over between you two, and there's no chance of anything ever happening again?"

"I never had what you would call a proper relationship with her to begin with," I said, "It was just a boyhood crush, nothing more."

"Good," she sniffled, lying back down and pulling me into her arms, "Because you belong to me, now; and I'm never going to let you go, Jake; I mean it. But I'm willing give you one last chance to back out if you're not sure about us, though."

"And this is the last time I'm going to say this," I smiled, "You're it, as far as I'm concerned, and I don't want anyone else...not ever, okay?"

"Okay, baby," she softly sniffled, "I just wanted to make sure. You don't blame me for that, do you?"

"Of course not," I softly replied, gently pulling her into my arms and holding her firmly against me, "Let's get some sleep. We've got a long drive after we open our gifts tomorrow morning."

"Okay, good night, Jake," she softly purred, "I love you."

"I love you, too," I smiled, "And good night to you, my angel..."

~~~~~~

"Merry Christmas, you two," Mom knowingly grinned, as Ash and I walked into the kitchen together that next morning, "How did you sleep, Ashlyn?"

"Very well, thank you," she sweetly smiled, "And a Merry Christmas to you, too, Naomi."

Mom made us all a very nice breakfast, and of course Ashlyn insisted that she be allowed to help; but once everything was on the table and we were all seated around it, Dad stood up and asked the blessing.

"We thank thee, oh Lord, for all of the blessings that you've bestowed upon us this year," he began, "Thank you for not only the fellowship of family, Lord, but most of all, we want to thank you for bringing Ashlyn into our family. Not only did she save the life of our Jake, but she also filled the empty place in his heart as he filled the empty place in hers. As she has no family, Lord, we ask that you make her feel as welcome and as happy to be a member of our family, and just as proud as we are to have her here. Most of all, Lord, please let her know how very much we love her, and we ask that you bless her as you have blessed us...in Jesus' name we pray...Amen."

When I opened my eyes again, I discovered that Ashlyn was sitting next me with tears pouring down her beautiful face, making me look at her and ask, "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay," she sweetly smiled, "It's just that...well, I've never felt more loved than I do right now...not for a very long time."

"We love you very much, pretty girl," Dad gently told her, reaching across the table and gently patting her hand, "You're a member of our family now as far as we're concerned, and we don't ever want you to forget that, okay?"

"Thank you, Jack," Ashlyn smiled, looking around the table at all of us, "Thank you all, very much."

"You're very welcome, my daughter," Mom tenderly and quietly smiled, "And we're all very grateful and thankful to have you here with us today."

"That's right," Leah smiled, placing her arm around Ashlyn as she was sitting on the other side of her, "Now there are four women in the family instead of three; and we can finally gang up on Dad and Jake and kick their asses."

"Hell yeah," Laura giggled, "We're finally going to have a Big Sister, and the only thing I can think of to say is, it's about time."

~~~~~~

After we'd all eaten breakfast, Dad and I volunteered to clean up the kitchen. However, Mom wouldn't let us, telling Ashlyn and I that we needed to get ready to head to Houston. Because according to Mom, the traffic wouldn't be so bad if we got an early start, so; that's what we did. Of course I didn't have the heart to remind Mom that it was Christmas Day and there probably wouldn't be much traffic, if any.

After taking our showers, separately of course, we sat down and opened gifts. I thought Mom was going to have a heart attack when she opened the envelope that Ashlyn handed her, containing a Five Hundred-Dollar Gift Certificate to the new Neiman-Marcus store that had just been built at the Westgate Mall in Houston.

"Oh, Ashlyn, honey," Mom softly said, "You shouldn't have done this, baby girl."

"Bullshit," Ash quietly giggled, "We girls have to look out for one another."

"I love you, Ashlyn," Mom sniffled, "And thank you for such a kind and generous gift."

Ashlyn simply smiled, and said, "I love you, too," as she handed Dad his gift.

"Oh, wow," Dad boyishly grinned when he saw what was beneath the wrapping paper of his gift from Ashlyn, "I don't know where you laid your hands on these Cuban Cigars, baby girl, but make sure you keep a close connection with whoever got you these so I'll know where to go once I've smoked all of these up. Thank you, baby girl," as he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"You're welcome, Jack," Ash sweetly smiled, "I'm glad you like them."

The icing on the cake was when my sisters both opened their gifts from Ashlyn at the same time. It was the first time I'd ever seen either one of my sisters, much less both of them, become totally speechless. Instead they both began to cry, and in the process, they both hugged Ashlyn tightly, telling her, "Thank you, Big Sister," and all of it taking place at the same time.




Never My Love



Once Leah and Laura had regained control of their faculties and had wiped their pretty faces off, they showed us that, for Leah, Ashlyn had given her a twenty-four carat gold ring, with diamonds, rubies and sapphires mounted on top of it, and for Laura, Ashlyn had given her the same kind of ring, except that hers had diamonds, emeralds and sapphires, both of which, per Ashlyn's orders, were custom made for each of my sisters. Needless to say, both Leah and Laura profusely thanked Ashlyn over and over before she finally told them that she loved them both, and that was the end of it...for the moment anyway.

Mom and Dad gave me clothes, as did my sisters; however, the best part of it for me was when, with Mom's help of course, I gave Ashlyn the three carat, diamond necklace that once belonged to my maternal grandmother who'd passed away when I was only a little boy, and Leah and Laura were still toddlers. I had some pleasant memories of her, but my sisters had no memory of her because of the fact that they both were very small, almost babies when she passed away from cancer, bless her heart.

"Oh, my God," Ashlyn cried, "I can't wear this. You should give it to one of your real daughters, Naomi."

"I just did," Mom sweetly replied, "You and Jake will be married soon enough, and as far as I'm concerned, you already are my daughter."

"Besides;" Laura smiled, placing her arms around Ashlyn, "It looks so pretty on you and; we want you to have it, Ash." 

"Thank you, all so much," she sniffled, "No one has ever been as kind to me as you all have been...not even my own family when they were alive."

"We're your family now, baby," Mom sweetly told her, "Don't ever forget that."

"I won't," Ashlyn smiled, "Not ever."

Ashlyn bought me the perfect gift for Christmas. She gave me a custom made, leather backpack, with my name embossed in gold colored thread across the top of it, as well as a gold pen and pencil set to go along with it; and needless to say; I was absolutely thrilled.

"Thank you, Ash," I smiled, leaning over and giving her a soft kiss, "You didn't have to do this you know."

"Oh, yes I did," she grinned, "You belong to me now, and I believe in taking good care of my man."

"Thank you," I smiled, "And just so you know, you belong to me and I also believe in taking good care of my woman."

"You'd better," she teased, "Or else I'll have to sick your Mom and your sisters on your butt."

"That's right," Leah giggled, "Tell him, girl."

"Hell yeah," Laura grinned, "You'd better be good to her, Jake; or else we'll kick your ass."

"You need to watch your language, Miss Laura," Mom giggled, "Or else I'll kick your little ass."

"Come on, Mom," Laura grinned, "You know I'm only kidding."

Maybe so," I teased, "But you and Leah don't scare me one bit, Laura."

"Oh, shut up," she giggled, "Or else me, Leah, Mom and Ashlyn will get on you, boy."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I playfully groaned, "Ooo, I'm so scared; you've got me shaking in my boots..."

~~~~~~

Ashlyn and I packed up and got ready to leave, and right before I walked out the front door, Dad pulled me aside and handed me a plain white business sized envelope."

"What's this?" I asked him.

"There's a cashier's check inside that envelope for one hundred thousand dollars, son," Dad explained, making my face turn white, "It's part of your inheritance, and your mother and I wanted you to have it now." 

"Holy cow, Dad," I gasped, "I can't take this. I mean you're paying for my college already, and I don't..."

"Take it," he impishly grinned, interrupting me, "Or else I'll get your mother involved in this, and you know what she'll do."

"Aw, come on, man," I complained, "You're not playing fair, Dad."

"Call it what you want," he chuckled, "I want you to take this and put it in the bank at the first opportunity you get. We've already consulted Ashlyn about this and she's going to help you get your bank account set up."

"Thanks, Dad," I smiled, firmly hugging him, "I promise you that I won't be irresponsible with this."

"I know you won't, son," he proudly replied, "You've always been a good kid, and I've always been able to trust you...and you've never once let me down."

"Thanks again, Dad," I grinned, "Your trust has always meant more to me than anything, and that's why I'm not about to let you down now."

"Oh, and one more thing," he grinned, "Ashlyn is beautiful...I thought I'd let you know that, son."

"You didn't have to," I flippantly, but playfully replied, "I already knew that."

"Smart ass," he laughed, then hugged me and said, "I love you, son, don't ever forget that."

"Never, Dad," I smiled, "And I love you, too."

After I hugged Mom and my little sisters one last time, Ashlyn and I got into her car and then left for Houston...

~~~~~~

"Are you excited, Jake?" Ashlyn grinned, as she drove us, "I know that I am."

"I'm very excited," I replied smiling, "It's not every day that a guy gets the opportunity to ride off into the sunset with the girl of his dreams."

"Aw, thank you, Jake," she sweetly smiled, "You always know exactly what to say to me to make me feel beautiful."

"That's because you are beautiful...very beautiful," I smiled, placing my hand on her thigh while she drove, "So; don't ever think for one minute that you're not...okay?"

She looked at me for a second, and after she looked back at the road, I watched her lips curl into a knowing, contented smile as she drove, not saying anything. She didn't have to say a word for me to know what she was thinking either...

~~~~~~

We arrived at Ashlyn's house later that afternoon around three o'clock; and it was only because we stopped for a leisurely lunch along the way, taking our time as we ate, that we hadn't arrived sooner than we did. Her place was in the River Oaks area of Houston. It's a nice four bedroom house located on Olympia Drive that has a swimming pool in the back yard, which, at the time, was covered due to it being winter.

"You have a beautiful home," I said, as we walked into her house, "I feel very comfortable here."

"I'm glad you think so and I want you to get used to it, my love," she warmly smiled, gently kissing my lips, "Because this is going to be your home, too, in the not too distant future."

"That reminds me," I asked her, "When do you want to get married?"

"That depends on you, Jake," she smiled, "When would you like to get married."

"Don't ask me," I grinned, "Hell, I'd marry you yesterday."

"You're silly," she giggled, gently hugging me, "But I'll tell you what. How about if you do at least two full semesters in college? That way, you'll know what you want to do by then...and if you would like to, we can live together in the mean time."

"I wouldn't mind that one bit," I told her, "But I need to get a job to help you pay the bills around here. After all, it's only fair, don't you think?"

"I think that's very noble of you to want to do that, Jake," she sweetly told me, "It also tells me what kind of man you are, but I make more than enough money to support us while you're going to college; and besides; wives have been supporting their husbands while they were getting their educations for a long time now."

"I still wouldn't feel right about that though," I said, "I'm supposed to take care of you, just like I promised you that I would when I put that ring on your finger, remember?"

"Of course, I remember," she smiled, her arms still tenderly wrapped around me, "You're a good man, Jake, and that's just one of the many reasons why I love you so much, but you just got here so; why don't we talk about that later, please?"

"Okay, sweetie," I smiled, gently kissing her lips, "What would you like to do first?"

"Mmm, that's easy," she cooed, "I want to make love to my future husband, is that okay with you?"

"Uh...sure," I uncomfortably replied, "But there's something I need to tell you before we do, Ash, and I hope that you're alright with it."

"What is it, sweetie?" she purred, "You know that you can tell me anything."

"I'm a virgin, Ashlyn," I quietly said, "And I'm not real sure about what to do."

"Oh, Jake," she tenderly replied, "I would've thought that a man who is as handsome as you are would've had the opportunity to be with a woman by now...but it's okay, baby; it really is."

"I didn't want my first time to be with just anyone," I forlornly confessed, "I wanted it to be with a girl who loves me as much as I love her. You probably think that I'm just an immature boy now, huh?"

"Not at all, my love," she sweetly whispered, "I've got a confession to make, too, baby."

"Really," I asked, "What is it?"

"Even though I'm twenty six, and going on years older than you," she began, "I've only been with one guy in my whole life, and he broke my heart."

"Was it your last boyfriend?" I asked her.

"Yes, it was," she sadly confessed, "I thought that he loved me, but he only wanted to get into my panties, because I'm like you. I wanted to wait until I was with the man I loved before we made love." 

"Is that right?" I asked, while she nodded her head, "Well, he was a dumb ass if you ask me."

"Are you sure that you want to give this beautiful gift to me, Jake?" Ashlyn tenderly asked me, "I want you to be absolutely certain before we do this, baby."

"I've never been more certain of anything in my life, Ash," I confidently told her, "Because I know without a doubt that I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Alright then," she tenderly said, "I want the first time that we make love to be special, too, so; if we're going to do this, then we're going to do it right. I want it to be something beautiful that we will both remember for the rest of our lives."

"You won't have to worry about that," I smiled, "I've heard it said that you never forget your first lover...and I'm the luckiest guy on earth because you so beautiful."

"I love it that you think so" she gently smiled, "You're very beautiful yourself, Jake."

"I'm not trying to spoil anything," I told her, "But what did you mean when you said that we were going to do it right?"

With a look on her face that I now recognize as the one that she has whenever she wants to make love to me, Ashlyn smiled, and said, "Let's go back into my bathroom and get into the tub, okay baby?"

"Okay," I nervously replied, "If you say so." 

"It's going to be alright, Jake," she softly told me, gently leading me by the hand, "There's nothing to be afraid of, my love."

"I'm not afraid," I said, "I'm just a little nervous, that's all."

"Don't be nervous, sweetheart," she tenderly smiled, "I love you, and you're going to be just fine..."

~~~~~~

Chapter Five

She led me through the house into the master bedroom, where a king sized poster bed sat in the middle of the floor, with white linen draped across the top of it, and draped down the sides. It began gently flowing back and forth when she opened the window to let the light evening breeze drift through the room.

Then I followed her into the bathroom to discover a huge, whirlpool style bath tub against the far wall, with a separate shower sitting roughly three feet away from it, also along the back wall. The whole bathroom was covered in white Italian marble and had an art deco style, with a white porcelain sink with polished brass fixtures sitting against the wall facing the tub, a toilet next to it, also art deco style in its design.

"Wow," I smiled, "My Mom would love this bathroom."

"Is that right?" she giggled, "Well then, we'll just have to make sure that she gets the opportunity to see it, won't we?" I just nodded my head, while Ashlyn bent over the tub and turned on the water, adjusting it until it was the right temperature. 

Then she put what I guessed was bubble bath into the water as the tub began to fill up, nice thick suds forming on the surface. Then after standing back up, she gently kissed my lips and softly told me, "I want you to take off your clothes and get into the tub, while I go lock up the house, okay, baby?"

"Okay," I smiled, beginning to relax, "And thank you for being patient with me, Ashlyn."

"Aw, it's okay, Jake," she purred, softly kissing my lips again, "I love you..."

~~~~~~

Ashlyn left the bathroom, closing the door behind her, and with the adrenaline being pumped into my bloodstream at an astounding rate, I quickly took off my clothes and got into the bath tub, feeling wonderful as the warm water began to gently caress my skin, further relaxing me.

~~~~~~

A few moments later, Ashlyn appeared wearing a large, white terrycloth bathrobe that reached all the way to the floor. Before she got into the tub with me, she went to the mirror above the sink, and pulled some hair pins out of the medicine cabinet.

Then after pinning her hair up on her head, she turned to me from the mirror and asked, "How do I look with my hair up like this, baby?"

"Beautiful," I grinned, "As always."

"You're biased," she giggled, "But that's okay with me."

"Hell yes, I'm biased," I chuckled, "Especially when it comes to you."

After closing the medicine cabinet she walked over to the tub; and then with a look on her face that I'd never seen before, she nervously said, "Here goes, Jake, I'm going to take my robe off now. I hope you like what you see."

When she peeled her robe off and revealed her naked body to me for the first time, I thought my heart was going to stop beating right then and there. My eyes traveled down her body to see the most perfect breasts that I knew I'd ever born witness to in my life.

As I've already said, they were naturally perfect 38C's that sat high and proud upon her chest, with only a slight hint of sag to them. Her aureoles were at least two and a half, almost three inches in diameter, with nipples that were as big around as my little finger, which stuck out about half an inch. 

Her tummy was flat, tight, and soft; and her waist was nice and thin, with a vee of soft dark curls upon her mons between, and at the top juncture of her legs. And when she turned around to hang her robe upon the hook on the back of the bathroom door, I felt so blessed to see the most perfect ass a woman could have. As she slightly walked away, her beautiful butt jiggled perfectly making my eight inches of cock immediately become iron hard beneath the bubbles atop the surface of the water that I was sitting in.

"Well, baby," she asked, right before she climbed into the tub with me, "What do you think?"

"God, you're perfect, Ashlyn," I softly breathed, "So perfect."

Ashlyn got into the tub with me and while pressing her soft, sweet and naked body against mine, she kissed my ear and tenderly said, "Mmm, I love you, Jake."

"I love you, too, Ashlyn," I gently told her, as we began to lie back together in the tub, with her back against my chest, "Always."

Suddenly she began to softly weep as she lay gently against me, making me look at her with concern in my eyes and ask her, "What's the matter, Ash, are you alright?"

"Yes," she sniffled smiling, "I know I've already said this, but this really is the first time I ever felt truly loved in my life...I'm sorry for acting like a love-sick teenaged girl."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for," I smiled, gently rubbing my hands all over her body, "Mmm, not ever."

"Oh, my God, Jake," she suddenly giggled, reaching behind her and grabbing my now iron hard cock, "Why didn't you tell me that you had this monster in your pants? My goodness, you're going to have to take it easy on me with this thing."

"Stop it," I laughed, my face turning bright red, "It's not all that big."

"Don't kid yourself, Jake," she knowingly but softly replied, "This is what most women only dream of having. Mmm, and it's all mine."

"These are what every man dreams of," I smiled, gently holding her breasts while quickly getting used to having a naked female in the tub with me, "They're perfect."

"Ooo, Jake," she began to softly moan, "I really love the way you touch my titties, baby."

"I'm glad," I happily replied, holding her beautiful tits in my hands as I gently rolled her nipples between my thumb and forefinger, "Because I really love touching them, too."

"I want you to suck my nipples, baby," she urgently gasped, "Would you do that for me, please, Jake?"

I wasted no time in changing places with her in the tub so that I could gently put my lips upon her nipples and suck on them, as she reached down and gently took hold of my cock. She began gently at first, and then the more passionately I began to suck her tits, the faster she began to stroke my cock.

"You might want to slow down a little bit," I gasped, breathing erratically, "Not unless you want me to cum in right here in the bathtub."

"Here, baby," she smiled, backing away from me as she patted the top of the back corner of the bath tub rail, "I want you to climb up here and have a seat, for me, Jake honey."

"Okay," I naively replied, "What're you going to do?"

"Something wonderful," she hungrily grinned, "Trust me, baby, you're going to love it."

And then when she got the opportunity to get an unobstructed view of my cock in broad daylight, she grinned and said, "Oh, my God; look at that beautiful cock," and then wasted no time in putting her lips around the head, sucking it deeply past her mouth and on down into her throat.

"Oh, shit," I groaned, "That's sooo good, baby," and of course it took me hardly any time before I was approaching the precipice of falling over the edge into the abyss of the first orgasm I was going to have from someone touching my cock besides me.

"I'm going to cum, Ashlyn," I urgently told her, "You might want to..."

"No," she quickly told me, "I want you to cum in my mouth, baby," and then she proceeded to take up right where she left off.

Oh, oh, oh shit, Ashlyn," I panted, "Oh, God, I'm cumming, oh, damn" and then I began to squirt what felt like gallons of my hot seed directly down her throat, Ashlyn massaging my balls as I did so."

My whole body went stiff as my mind went completely blank, and all I could feel was the beautiful sensation of my darling Ashlyn's soft, wet and warm mouth surrounding my cock as she drank me dry...

~~~~~~

"Holy shit," I panted, once she pulled her mouth off my cock, "I've never felt anything like that before in my life."

"Did you like it, baby?" she sweetly smiled, "You know, that's the first time I ever swallowed cum. I'm' so happy that it was yours, my love."

"Really," I asked, "Why didn't you ever do it before?"

"To begin with, that's only the second time I've ever had a cock in my mouth," she knowingly smiled, "And the reason that I swallowed your cum was because I love you more than anything, or anyone in the world, Jake."

"Seeing as how you gave me an orgasm with your mouth," I said, still slightly out of breath, "I think it's only fair that I return the favor with mine; don't you?"

"I knew you were perfect for me, Jake," she excitedly smiled, kissing my lips, and then taking my hand and making me stand up in the tub beside her, "Come on, baby; let's get dried off and then we'll climb into the bed."

If you think taking a bath with Ashlyn was a wonderful experience, imagine being able to rub a towel all over her beautifully perfect body while drying her off. And as a result of my getting to touch Ashlyn's body all over, it only took a few minutes before I was as hard as steel again and ready for more...

~~~~~~

Before we got into bed, Ashlyn lit several candles in the room, and put a tape recording of Mozart, some of his slower rhapsodies, on her tape player, as CD's had not yet come out back then. And then after closing the blinds, the room was lit only by candle light, which emitted a soft and romantic glow all about the room. Then she took my hand, and while leading me to the bed, said, "Come with me, lover."